The Million Duvat Endeavor *OPEN*

Phase 3: The Maze

Although the second phase of her contest, which had been completely unplanned, was extremely successful, the Queen could not help but succumb to her meticulous nature and map out the final phase to an unnatural degree of detail. 

Now, as she and the Chief of the Scientist Clan stood over her massive maze, they could not help but feel a burst of bubbly, childish anticipation for what was to come. 

"Why did you choose to do it this way?" Selaeyah asked as a regiment of Codes spilled out into the playing field, scattering through the maze to random locations within it. 

"Because if they are truly loyal to me, they should know me better than anyone else," Saralee smiled. "They should be able to crack my maze." 

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Before the third phase of the contest, the five finalists are lined up in small, individual waiting rooms. Cameras are everywhere- it is obvious that the entire Empire is watching. As the phase starts, a door simultaneously opens in the side of each room, and the contestants are released into a huge maze. 

(The lack of description of the maze is intentional. I want you to be creative with this.) 

Once they are inside, the doors lock. There is no way out of the maze. It is filled with hundreds of Codes, all identical to Queen Saralee, as well as bloodthirsty Rhenan forest stompers. The contestants' task is to identify the real Queen, who is hidden somewhere among the Codes. 

One strategy is to kill the Codes. Once dead, they will return to their original form. However, if you accidentally attempt to kill the actual Queen, she won't die- she's an Iceheart- but she will not be pleased with you. 

There are two ways to be eliminated- being killed by a forest stomper and being killed by another contestant. 

The only way out of the maze is to win, and the only way to win is to identify the real Queen Saralee. 

Welcome to a game of life and death. 

Welcome to the finals of the Million Duvat Endeavor.

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Once again, your entry must be between 500 and 2000 words in length. The deadline for submissions is midnight on August 23, but once again, extensions can be granted. 

Bonuses for this round:  

First entry: +1

Best kill: +1

Best ending: +2