Jack didn't look at Daiki. He stood stiffly, his hands clenched, his stomach in knots. Could they be suffocating in there? We need to do something! Should I try to follow Mico?

Daiki sighed again, heavily, and sat down. He was back to his cool, cynical self.

“Give it up, Jack. If you clench any harder, you'll break your insides.”

Jack knew he was right. He tried to relax, although he couldn't quite bring himself to sit down. He shifted closer to his friend.

“Besides,” Daiki said, tonelessly. “For all we know, they're already dead.”

“Daiki!” Jack almost choked on the name. “Why've you gotta be such a... such an arsehole?”

Daiki lifted his eyes slowly to meet Jack's. “I'm not the one who may have sentenced my friends to death. And for what?” He gestured at the weird trees. They were the only things in sight. “We're in a fucking forest. I'm not seeing any piles of riches around here, are you?”

A jagged mountain of hysteria was working its way up Jack’s throat, making it painful to swallow. Or maybe it was guilt or just plain nausea. Too weary to pick between them., Jack sat down, and stared numbly into space.

“I'm sorry Daiki.” It was all he could say and it was completely inadequate. “I never should have asked you guys to come.”

Daiki only shrugged and looked away.

Before Jack could say sorry again, Mico reappeared on the same branch, with no chocolate chips in sight.

“Acceptance Three through Five are safe in another location.”

Daiki covered his face in his hands while Jack flopped on his back in the leaves and let the relief wash over him, like warm water over chilled skin. They were safe. His friends were OK.

He was more than willing to take Mico's word for it. After all, what choice did he have?

“Are they somewhere in the forest?”

Jack was taking a deep breath to start calling for Steve and Zac when Mico shook his head. He waved his wing.

“They are safe. You will find them after your interview.”

“Now look here screw-brain...” Daiki stood up and advanced again on Mico’s tree.

“My brain is almost wholly organic.”

Was it Jack's imagination or did Mico narrow his eyes a little? There was no emotion in his stiff, musical voice, and it was almost impossible to tell whether he was joking or not.

“It's fine, Mico,” Jack tried to head off a confrontation. “It’s great, even. Thank god they’re OK. Just... show us the way out, please.”

Mico focused on Jack and swung his wing solemnly through the air. His voice rang through the trees.

“The practical test has begun. In order to pass it, you must find your way to Cynos Castle by midnight. I have been instructed to provide you with this advice.”

Mico produced a small scroll that had been strapped to his back with a delicate green ribbon. Jack was positive it hadn't been there when he'd nabbed the chocolate chips. And where had that bag disappeared to anyway? The cyborg hadn't been gone that long. Was someone hidden just off the clearing? Perhaps crouching behind a tree trunk, listening to every word they said?

Jack stepped forward and caught the dark scroll as Mico dropped it. It was only the size of his thumb and tightly wrapped, with a wax seal. The same curly four, the symbol of Jupiter, was stamped into the seal.

“Sometimes you cannot see the trees for the forest,” Mico said.

“That's not how it goes.” Daiki seemed determined to dislike the little creature now. “It's supposed to be 'sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees.'”

Mico inspected Daiki with large, gloom-dark eyes and said nothing.

Jack pulled open the scroll. The strange-familiar glyph gleamed green in the weak sunlight.

Greetings Jack,

I trust you and your family have arrived comfortably, and I thank you in advance for the chocolate chips and other items. By now, Mico has explained the test we wish you to complete. You must travel through Nimble Woods and arrive at my castle in time for your interview at midnight tonight.

This castle is my own home and may be yours too, one day, if you become my apprentice and survive to that point.

Be sure to examine your surroundings carefully and show courtesy to anyone you may encounter. I have no doubt that you will complete the test lickety-split.

Hurry. There will be a happy surprise for you at the end of your task.

Effulgently,

The Alchemist

P.S. I'm afraid that, until you have completed the test and accepted the position, I have to ask you to refrain from making video, audio, and/or pictorial recordings of any kind.

“A happy surprise,” said Daiki, suspiciously. “Is that the rest of the group? Why did he separate us?”

“Maybe five people together could solve the test too easily?” Jack suggested, watching Mico for any reaction to his speculation.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

There was none. Mico was waving his metal wing gently in the air, making a sound like a child humming, a sound that went on far longer than any kid would have the breath to make. The little creature didn’t appear to be listening to their conversation.

“Well, it’s lucky for me I ended up with the genius then, isn't it?”

Jack couldn't tell if Daiki was being sarcastic. Could Daiki himself tell what was sarcasm and what was his honest opinion these days?

All Jack knew was that he certainly didn't feel like a genius at the moment, but maybe that was OK.

The sick feeling in his stomach had receded a little. Here was a task to complete, a puzzle to solve. The sooner he solved it the sooner he would see his friends again, safe and sound. The tone of the letter was friendly enough, even if there was that quip about him not surviving to inherit the castle.

Maybe Steve and Zac and Zoe were laughing it up at the castle right now, with the Alchemist. They were probably stuffing themselves with Jack’s missing junk food too.

Daiki knelt and pulled off the camera that was around his neck, packing it into a small, padded bag he had produced from his suitcase. All the while, he kept his eye on Mico, his whole body exuding suspicion.

“You aren’t going to destroy this one,” he said.

Mico continued to say nothing. Daiki hooked the little camera bag onto the suitcase and stood up again, the suitcase handle in his hand.

“The first thing we should do is come up with a plan.” Jack was attempting to make his mind work logically again. “There's probably a trick to this.”

It was only a test. He loved tests. It was too bad it wasn't a multiple choice, or they’d already been home free.

Daiki scuffed impatiently at the black needles and sighed heavily, while Jack tried to think. He cast a searching look around the forest, but every direction was the same. The clearing was natural and tiny. And surrounding it was trees and more trees. No sign of a path or a signpost or a castle. Jack was about to suggest just walking in a random direction when inspiration struck.

“Mico, how much are you allowed to tell us?”

Mico blinked like an owl and cocked his head. “Mico is allowed to tell you anything.” He paused, as though reconsidering, then continued. “Almost anything.”

“OK, wise guy, so tell us where the castle is,” Daiki said quickly.

Around them, the branches began to rustle gently in the wind. Jack glanced up and wondered what time it was. He couldn’t see much blue sky through the dense, black leaves. The clearing was so small that branches from the surrounding trees were almost touching overhead. He decided to dig his watch out of his pack as soon as they finished questioning Mico. At least he could keep an eye on how much time had passed.

“The castle is in the forest.” Mico said it promptly and Jack could almost see a smile on his beak as Daiki shot the little pterosaur a withering glance.

“We know that. Where in the forest?”

“Yes, you are.”

“What the…?” Daiki gritted his teeth as he worked out how Mico had interpreted his question. “I didn’t mean ‘We are’, I meant where.”

Mico remained as expressionless as ever and didn’t say a word. He plainly intended to volunteer nothing without being asked a question first.

Daiki closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He spoke slowly, with deliberation. “Where- in the forest- is the castle?”

“In the middle of the forest.”

“And where is the goddamn middle of the forest, Mico?”

Mico blinked. “In the center, the point furthest from the edges.”

For a moment, Jack thought Daiki might crack. He had maintained his cynical calm since Mico re-appeared, only letting his voice get colder and more sarcastic with each useless answer, but surely there was only so much he could take. His eyes had cooled to black ice.

“Mico,” he said, with intense deliberation. “From here,” he pointed at the ground. “As the crow flies, in what direction is the castle? Please point to it.”

Mico indicated with his beak to where the trees were thickest. It was in the opposite direction to where he had disappeared earlier.

“The castle is located in that direction.”

Daiki gave Jack a look which plainly said “No thanks to you,” and immediately started off in the direction Mico had indicated, his suitcase bumping along the rutted forest floor.

“Hang on, Daiki, we're supposed to examine our surroundings carefully.”

Jack wanted to look more closely at the furry trees for one thing. For another, he wanted to see where Mico had dropped off the chocolate chips. It couldn't have been that far away from the clearing. There might be clues. Hell, there could be someone sitting there, listening to them right now.

Clearly, this test wasn’t going to be as simple as asking Mico where to go and then walking in a straight line. Aside from everything else, Jack still had no idea what time it was and no idea how far away the castle might be.

But Daiki was rushing away and Jack had to hurry to keep up.

“What we're supposed to do is find our way to the castle. Before midnight. I have no intention of turning into a pumpkin when the clock strikes twelve.” Daiki shot Mico a dark look and ran his fingers through his hair. “There are too many vegetables around here already.”

Daiki’s hair had been retouched at some point in the last week and now sported a dark green tint, barely visible in the gloomy forest light. Jack wondered if the color had been chosen in honor of the little cyborg.

“But...”

“Jack, it's already past one.” Daiki waved his wristwatch in Jack's direction. At least that was one issue resolved. “Assuming there isn't a time difference between here and home. We don't have any idea how far away this castle is. Hell, we don't even know when it's going to start getting dark around here. We need to move quickly and find the damn place so we can make the Alchemist send us all home.”

“Home? No, if we pass the test…”

“You’ve put us all in enough danger,” Daiki snapped. “This place isn’t mucking around.”

Daiki paused for a moment, then slowed to a stop. He stared at the ground. Jack suspected he was hiding the emotion on his face, but his voice was full of it.

“I thought they were dead, Jack. They might still be dead for all we know.” He shook his head. “I don’t trust that… that reptile. All I know is that this was a mistake. It’s time to give up and go home.”

“But…”

Jack could see Daiki’s point, he really could. However, he had no intention of going home. He was going to pass this test if it was the last thing he did.

“Just stop. I know you like to think that you’re the one in charge all the time. I know you like to think you’re a big rebel, and that nothing will ever touch you. Maybe nothing ever will.” Daiki finally looked up and met Jack’s gaze. “But it’s sure as hell touched a lot of other people.”

“I never meant for…”

“No, you never mean for anything, do you? Well, I’m not Steve and I’m not Zac. They aren’t here. And I’m not going to blindly follow you into worse trouble. We are going to do this my way, or you are going to get left behind. Is that clear?”

Jack really wanted to puke now. It’s one thing to think you might have made a mistake. That you’ve maybe hurt your friends.

It’s another thing to have that mistake ground into your face by one of your friends.

The worst thing was, Daiki was right.

I should never have asked them to come. It had been selfish and stupid and Jack wasn’t even the one paying the price for it. He’d gotten his friends in trouble before and he’d always managed to get them out again. This was different. This was life or death.

“Yeah. Yeah, OK, I guess you're right.”

Daiki nodded grimly and started marching away again, in roughly the direction Mico had indicated. A few drops of sunlight that made it through the forest canopy dappled his purple wool jersey but left his face dark. “Oh and Jack...”

“Yeah?”

“Try to keep up.”