Tears of Gold: House of Anubis

Patricia LXXVIII

Summary: The aftermath of Nina's unexpected trip and the beginning of Patricia's relationship problems.

Evie's Notes: Happy Monday! Sorry for the unexpected break, my mental health is not "it" at the moment due to starting the new school year. However, I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and enjoy this new update. Lots of Love 💜🌺.

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Patricia couldn't breathe. Nina was... gone. This wasn't happening.

Amber and Lili were screaming hysterically. Fabian was sobbing, Alfie was ranting. Jeorme was punching a wall and screaming for Frobisher to give her back.

Patricia, though, couldn't breathe.

How could this have happened? Despite everything they had faced, they always came out of it relatively ok, and most importantly together.

"Where did she go?" demanded Lili.

"What do we do now?" sobbed Amber. "Can I get off the board?".

Seeing her friends in need Patricia snapped back into action. "I don't know," she admitted. "Fabian!"

The boy in question though continued to scream and sob at the loss of his other half. "What have I done...What have I done?".

"Look Fabian, it's not your fault ok" ordered Patricia desperately. "You just need to focus and tell us what to do".

"Okay... um... okay" sniffled Fabian and wiped away his tears as he stared at the board.

"Hurry up!" snapped Alfie, vibrating in place from anxiety.

"Alright... everyone retrace your steps!" ordered the gamemaster.

"I can't remember," shrieked Amber.

"Uh... Amber, shift to the left, and then come down the side of the board" directed Fabian. "Everyone else, just back up quickly. Hopefully the floor won't open up on us again"

Once the remaining players reached the safe ground, a recording began to play. "My warnings ignored, now count the cost. Continue the game and all will be lost. But if fallen friends you wish to reclaim, you have no choice but to finish the game".

"So if we carry on, we lose everyone..." decoded Lili.

"But if we don't we lose Nina forever" reminded Amber.

"Wherever she is, she must be ok, or else why would the message say to reclaim her?" offered Patricia, trying to cheer up the group.

"It doesn't mean that she'll be back in one piece though" argued Alfie.

"Hush..." comforted Lili, pulling the taller boy into a hug.

Unfortunately Alfie's comment sparked a second Fabian meltdown and led to the boy taking off back down the tunnels.

"Way to spin it Alfie" sighed Patricia staring after the distraught game master.

"How is it my fault? It's the bloody truth and we all need to realize it" snapped the boy from his place in a Lili and Jerome sandwich, before burying his face in Jerome's chest again.

Huffing angrily, Patricia led the group back out of the tunnels.

*Tears of Gold – Tears of Gold – Tears of Gold*

The sibuna club reunited with Fabian in the secret study. It appeared that he had only made it to the desk before losing all of his motivation.

"We can't do this anymore. Not without Nina" announced the despondent boy. "It's finished".