The Maze

The Shayde

"I think we're gonna make it," Blumiere chimed. 

It had been a while since they encountered any real obstacles. In fact, there was nothing posing any challenges to the group anymore. Dark souls weren't even sitting on top of the wall and watching them. It was like everyone had been cleared out.

Mr. L led the way silently, refusing to look back at Dimentio. He couldn't help but feel slightly awkward. He wasn't being quiet because he was upset, although he did still feel slightly betrayed. He was primarily quiet because he wasn't quite sure what to say. 

Dimentio was silent as well. He stayed in the back, looking at his feet while he walked. He left his face mask off in an attempt to show that he wasn't the same person as before, but he couldn't help feeling exposed without it.

Blumiere was the only one who acted as if everything was bright and happy. He wouldn't stop talking about how close he thought they all were to the exit. He also talked about how wonderful it was for Mr. L to get his chance at life back. As he spoke, his tone was warm, but Mr. L could almost detect a small hint of jealousy. Not that he blamed the former count. If Mr. L were in his position, he would be boiling with jealousy. 

It did seem unfair that souls like Blumiere had to work in the maze. Sure, Count Bleck may have done some terrible things, but Blumiere wasn't the same person. Why punish someone who can't even remember their own crime? What good could come from that? There was no room for self-improvement because Blumiere couldn't even remember what he had done wrong. He wasn't anymore a danger to society as anyone else. 

"It's kinda suspicious, don't you think?" Blumiere chuckled. "I haven't seen a fellow dark soul in quite some time. You would think they'd be here."

Dimentio frowned, silently looking up at the wall. It DID seem rather odd that there weren't any souls assigned to this section. 

"Perhaps we've passed the worst of it-" Mr. L started when he turned a corner and stopped in his tracks.

There in front of him was the dimensional door.

He did it.

This journey, this whole ordeal, it was finally over.

The door seemed to almost glow. It looked majestic and beautiful. Mr. L couldn't recall the last time he had ever been filled with so much hope. 

There in front of him was his ticket home.

Though, there was a small catch.

There was something standing between him and his ticket home.

One D-man.

He stood in front of the door, gripping his black spear in his hands. He wore a rookie's uniform.

He wasn't Alex, though. He couldn't have been. His skin was black like ink. His eyes were empty and white. His hair was as dark as the midnight sky.

Blumiere cocked his head to the side. The D-man cocked his head back, mirroring Blumiere's movement.

"Um... Hello?" Mr. L asked. 

The D-man stayed silent.

The air suddenly felt cold.

Mr. L took a small breath, then stepped forward three paces. With each step he took, the D-man seemed to tense up more and more until the D-man finally pointed the tip of his spear at the man in green.

Mr. L flinched and put his hands up defensively, then squinted at the numbers on the D-man's nametag.

R-17.

"...Alex?" Mr. L asked.

The D-man's eyes remained empty. 

He swallowed before speaking, maintaining a soulless, emotionless expression.