Adam followed the Toy Maker through the library aisles as the red fog enveloped them.
—Where are we going?—Adam asked, trotting to keep up with the toy maker's pace.
—The defense protocol must have been activated— the Toy Maker commented while walking and glancing around —So the stairs leading to the citadel are blocked. However, the bookshelves will realize that the attackers are wizards and probably request to deactivate the defenses. They should be voting on what decision to make now.
—Do you know any secret stairs to escape from these floors?—Adam asked with some fear. Now he understood why his godfather was so sure he would go to the lower floors; with the stairs to exit the lower floors blocked, he could only use the known exit guided by this Toy Maker.
—I don't know any stairs you can use— the Toy Maker said —But I know a slide that will help you escape the purge and get to safe floors.
—A slide?—Adam asked, believing he didn't hear correctly, unable to believe that such a thing existed on these floors.
—Yes, a slide…— the Toy Maker calmly replied, not stopping.
Adam and the Toy Maker hurried towards the stairs. When they arrived, the young hero saw that the stairs leading up to the middle floors had been blocked by a marble wall, leaving only the stairs going down available.
—We have to head to the 3rd floor— the Toy Maker said as he entered the stairs.
—But the lower 3rd floor out of 5 is infected— Adam quickly replied, still traumatized by that horrible experience he had on that floor.
—They're just other Toy Maker who lost their memories…— the creature diminished the problem —They won't attack you, and if they do, I'll help you. I told you I'd get you out of these floors alive. Just trust me, and we'll make it!
Adam stayed silent, but in his mind, he started repeating like a madman the life-saving phrase that would help him escape if things got complicated on the lower 3rd floor, causing his shadow to move further away from his body.
The young boy trotted carefully down the stairs. It would have been quite challenging for Adam to distinguish the floor if he wasn't wearing his glasses. All the steps of the spiral staircase were hidden by the red fog released by the Toy Maker.
But his glasses allowed him to see the white footprints of the librarians on the steps, along with the black footprints forming from the Toy Maker's feet as he descended the stairs.
A few minutes passed, and the two finally reached the lower 3rd floor. Upon arrival, the Toy Maker didn't stop and started walking down one of the aisles. As they walked, the Toy Maker explained the plan to Adam:
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—We need to get to hexagon 1. In that hexagon, we'll find the bookshelf with a slide to exit these floors. Try to stay close to me and don't lag behind.
Adam followed the Toy Maker's back through several hallways, but after a few minutes of walking through the aisles filled with bookshelves, he felt something touch his back. Adam quickly turned around and discovered that the one grabbing him was the same faceless creature that had supposedly been following him.
—That's not me: your mind is being affected. Come with me, boy!—the Toy Maker said, looking with suspicion at the back of the black-tunic Toy Maker in front of Adam.
—You have the symbol of a brotherhood of wizards on your robe—the Toy Maker in front of Adam said, turning around and showing that he was identical to the person grabbing him —Show that symbol to one of the bookshelves in this aisle and ask for their help. We don't have time to waste with this imbecile, Adam.
Adam turned around slowly and nervously watched the reaction of the Toy Maker behind him, but the latter ignored his gaze and only focused on the other Toy Maker in front of him.
Taking advantage of the lack of attention, Adam slipped out of the grasp of the Toy Maker and took a book from a nearby bookshelf. The bookshelf seemed to be made entirely of silver, and several rusty nails could be found on its surface.
From the silver bookshelf, the head of a man made of silver began to emerge. The head was filled with nails nailed all over its face; both eyes seemed to be sewn shut, and an abnormally long mouth was on its face. As the head emerged, it began to unsew its mouth and said with a commanding voice:
—We are in an assembly debating your death: you cannot read now, boy!
—But I'm a wizard—Adam replied with a very proud tone —I'm evaluating the bookshelves on this floor so that the wizards who come after the purge will be safer on these floors.
The silver head opened its long mouth, revealing an eye formed with a ruby. The eye looked Adam up and down, and after a while, the head said:
—I know you're lying, boy... but you really are a wizard, I have no doubt about that. How can I assist you?
—I need to know which of the two Toy Maker is deceiving me—Adam replied with concern, keeping as far away as possible from the two Toy Maker.
—That's easy... the Toy Maker who survives will be the true one!—the silver head shouted with a commanding voice, sinking back into its bookshelf.
*Puff*... The Toy Maker who had recommended using the bookshelves fell to the ground with 10 nails nailed into his head. His body then began to twist violently as it showed its original form. After a few seconds, the Toy Maker on the floor stopped writhing and opened his mouth, spitting out a book completely stained with blood.
—That Toy Maker seemed the most trustworthy to me…—Adam murmured, stunned. If it weren't for the real bookshelf deciding to help him, he would have followed that Toy Maker to his death.
—That's precisely why he was the least trustworthy…—the surviving Toy Maker commented, looking at the biography on the floor with regret —Anyway, don't think too much about it. We have less time now, and you need to reach the slide as soon as possible, or you'll die.
Adam, still dazed, watched as the Toy Maker headed in the opposite direction he had been walking all this time. Before the Toy Maker could be out of sight, Adam reacted and began running in the direction the Toy Maker was going.