The Fake Flame

"Be free, my beast."

With those words and a simple twang of Candle's beloved gem, Yang was knocked unconscious. He fell down, down into the dark abyss as the hole in the floor welcomed him. Silver Spoon watched Yang fall down, taking Yin with him. He looked sober, almost...at peace. He looked down at the gifts Candle had given him. They felt warm to the touch. He caressed the gem as he looked down at YinYang's body below, slowly growing smaller and smaller. This...this is right. This is what she would have wanted. Silver stood up, brushing himself off. His metal had been dirtied, chipped, scratched; he looked like he'd been dumped down a garbage disposal. And it was his fault! It was Yang's fault! So...he caressed the gem again. Its edges were sharp but its warmth drew him in. It was my fault. I have to keep her flame alive. I have to avenge her. Silver drew a shaky hand up to wipe a tear from his eye, feeling every scratch in the metal Yang had caused as he did. He'll be fine.

Silver Spoon drew himself up and moved on to the next room.

Springy's voice did not say a single thing as Silver stepped into the next room. Silver looked up at the ceiling for a moment, waiting for his voice to come in, but it never did. He told us what to do in all the other rooms, so why wouldn't he...Silver looked back at the other room, suddenly beginning to panic. Is it because my "partner" is no longer with me? Will I be disqualified if I show my face without Yang? Should I try to go back and..no. Silver's brow furrowed as he bent down to look at the gears scattered on the ground like litter on a peasant's lawn. This win will count no matter what, even if I don't get immunity, she'll still be proud. He picked up a gear and began to inspect it. She'd understand I gave it my all. She'd know I tried my best. She'd-

Something tapped Silver on the shoulder.

He turned around to see Candle. Or...was it Candle? Something was always...off about this Candle, and the warmth she always seemed to give off was gone, as was her flame. Silver startled and the hollow piece of metal in his hands fell to the floor. As Silver regained his royal composure (oh, who was he kidding, he was covered in dirt and was far too broken to trick even the dumbest peasant), he glared down at the gear, then back up at this...whoever this was in front of him.

"I don't know what you are, but your little interruption could have ruined everything!"

The Candle who was not his Candle simply stared back, as if not a single thought occupied her mind.

"With his chaos back, his alliance will self-destruct! And I'll finally be-" Silver didn't know whether or not this Candle knew of YinYang or his alliance. He did not know why he was telling her this. But he was quickly interrupted as she held out her hand to him. She was offering to hold his hand.

Silver could hear his heart pounding in his eardrums. A deep yearning for warmth, for approval, for comfort, for Candle began to make itself known. He swallowed nervously and began to reach out for the hand of the Candle impostor.

But wait- Silver Spoon stopped before he could touch her. This isn't right. Would she want me to...

The flameless Candle simply stared back lifelessly.

Maybe something's happened to her? His hand began to reach out without him realizing it. Maybe this really is her. Maybe she's sick, and she needs my help, or maybe this is some sort of test, or...Silver's hand was shaking.

Palm connected with palm. A shiver ran up Silver's spine. She felt cold. Mechanically cold. Maybe this really is all fake? He began to retract his arm. Candle grabbed on tighter. Silver's face felt quite warm now. Well if she really is sick, then she would feel cold, right? Right! Good job, Silver, hehe!! His palms were sweating now. He looked down at their hands, then up at Candle again. This was embarrassing. Silver Spoon was in the worst shape he'd ever been and yet she still seemed to have no problem with his composition. She didn't seem to mind the giant claw marks the bear had left in him, or the dirt he had so foolishly left on himself in his haste to escape the large predator.

Candle's empty, brainless stare was suddenly becoming a lot more like the real Candle's now. Her face was no longer empty of all purpose, in Silver's eyes it was loving and accepting. She was smiling now, she was leading him, leading Silver into paradise, into his dreams, into...

Silver Spoon awoke from his daydream with a start. In front of him and Candle was a hole identical to the one he had thrown Yang down. He quickly tore his hand away from this...this impostor's freezing hand and declared:

"No amount of faith will get me to do that!"

Her face immediately fell. Silver startled. Seeing anybody that resembled Candle look this disappointed in him...maybe this really was the real Candle? He looked at the hole Candle had led him to again. Maybe, maybe this really is a test? Maybe there is some sort of expensive cushion right below it? Silver looked again at her face and reality finally broke through.

This was not Candle. He didn't know how he had tricked himself into believing it was. It had been so long, and he just...ugh.

Eyes filling with tears, Silver brought out the gem the real Candle had gifted him. He caressed it for a moment before walking away, anger and pain working hand in hand to create a storm in his mind.

"I can do this without you!" he yelled out to a mind with no comprehension. A mind who he now knew could not understand a single word he was screaming. 

He tried his best to avoid the fake Candle, whatever it was, as he searched throughout the gears in the last room of the challenge. The impostor approached him multiple times as he searched for the gear that would fit the groove in the center of the room, but he now knew for sure it was not Candle and simply moved away from where it was standing. Silver now knew there was no way it could ever replace her. There was absolutely no chance it could ever fit into the Candle-shaped groove in his heart.

Its hands were far too cold.