Author's note: I took my time, I did, but all for a good reason to set things in motion. Deep in the Woods is almost done, so let's see to the rest. Thank u TSFH for helping me in this quest! Happy New Year!


5. The Light

"Live by heart

Beaming love and peace

Letting magic pave the road ahead

Look inside you

For the book of truth

Anchor to your soul and follow

All the way north, back home"

Two Steps From Hell

There were days when Ford couldn't understand why did Sylvia wanted so badly to find her friend. If he was in some sort of fix, he could relate to the need of saving him but the scientist had the feeling that his companion was somehow fleeing from something, but what exactly? They had just crossed the Probability Dimension and still looking for a way to block Bill from his thoughts, when Ford noticed that Sylvia wasn't following the coursed route.

"Syl, aren't you the best navigator in the Multiverse? Or so did you said. Because unless I'm mistaken, we're going the wrong way" Ford knew that there was always a reason, even if she didn't wanted to say it out loud.

"Uh, call it a shortcut, Six. I thought we could use this one instead of the other" she didn't turn her head and Ford something was definitely wrong. Sylvia hated alternative routes, this much he had learned in their months together.

"And what's wrong with the other?"

"Ouh, uh" Sylvia didn't know what to say. A mechanical clang was heard as the world around them began to become darker. "Hu-boy"

"What? What's going on?" asked Ford, fearing for a moment that Bill had found them. Her breathing hitched. The landscape became the insides of a strange room with strange mechanisms and glowing yellow eyes. "Syl? What's going on?!"

"Remember Happy's story about the mask and the wolf?" she felt her legs shaking.

"Yes, what about it?"

"The Mask was found in the Iron Forest and then suddenly the whole place disappeared. Well, that is not entirely true. It vanished, yes, but just to become lot creepier and home to all kinds of monsters. The worse of the worst" Sylvia tried to regain her courage. "And no. It's not the Nightmare Realm, but somewhere more horrible"

"What are you…?" Ford began asking before having to grab the bridles as fast as he could. One of the resident creatures opened one of his eight heads and began to pour fire in their direction. Sylvia ran with all her might, but there seemed to be no way out. Still, they kept on running, thought the clockworks until they were out of breath. Syl whimpered, unable to talk, when they heard the roaring voice of one of the inmates.

"Look who's back, mates. Sylvia honors us with her presence once again. And without his orange partner! You know what this means, girl. This time you are staying" a gigantic eel appeared through the darkness. "You and your flesh bag"

"I'm not staying, Kuna, and you know it!" she shouted back.

"We gave you a deadline, my dear, to find Wander. Time's over!" the prehistoric fish roared.

"I just need more time! I know where he is, please!" Sylvia screamed back but the inmates didn't listen. Ford couldn't fully understand what was going on, but somehow he knew that his friend had forced some alliances to find her best friend, just like the scientist. Sylvia was in an even bigger trouble than him.

"No dice, sister" Kuna was not going to fall for that.

"WAIT!" Ford shouted. The monsters growled. "She hasn't failed. I did! I held her back! If you have to blame someone blame me!" Sixer knew that he hadn't stood for his brother not Fiddleford and the consequences had been dire. The same couldn't befall on Sylvia. "I'm fighting against Cypher and I got her involved. It's not her fault" Ford stood before his friend and she gave him a surprised look. "I never got to thank u for your help, Syl. I never had thanked those around me, and I lost them. I'm not losing you"

"Thanks, Six, but he's right" Sylvia looked down. "I haven't told you how I lost Wander and I'm not proud of it. I ended up here, locked down with these creatures for it and they only let me out with the promise of finding Wander. I failed and there's no excuse"

"Yes, there is. Me" Ford stated. "We agreed to help each other and I'm not walking away from that. Not this time. You will find your friend, I promise"

The mechanisms began to turn. Someone had heard them and, while the monsters were not pleased with that, whoever it was believed in Ford's word. The darkness began to turn and twist, letting a small gap of light through.

"Hold on tight, Six! We're getting out of here!" Sylvia didn't wait for any other sign. Sixer grabbed the reigns and they ran towards the exit, avoiding the attacks of the inmates, knowing that this was their only chance. "I hate this place so much"

"Agreed" Ford sat straight and noticed that the whole dimension was still trying to lock them down. "C'mon, Syl! You can do it!" For once in her life, the Zbornak was ready to prove why they called her "The Time Bomb" and ran like the wind towards the light. It felt like an eternity, but once they reached the other side, Sylvia was sure she could hear Wander's voice telling her something in the ear. Once again at the regular space between dimensions, both friends looked at each other.

"I promise to tell you the whole thing, but only if you do to, Six. Deal?" she turned and gave him a hand. He shook it with pride.

"I agree"


I focused too many chapters in Ford, so it was Sylvia's turn.

Merry Xmas!