My steps went backwards once again, the crystal claw raising up, the organic holding onto the crystal wrist. This weapon would be a key to the holy gates, to penetrate what was laid away from me, and what was now rightfully mine to regain control of. Right before the key would be inserted into that lock of the temple wall, it seemed that my God, my all-knowing God that guided me towards this very fateful moment, had lit a candle for me -- the wax on the crystal, emitting holy glow. And then, the mad dash towards the wall, arrow pointed at target, and making the bullseye.

Rubble from a Lobster Cookie shaped hole fell around me, looking around in the labyrinth of a basement hidden right below these stairs. My eyes darted back to Peppermint and Sorbet Shark, who, by now, looked at me as if I was mad (which I never was), coaxing them into this plunged hole, and then taking the smaller one under the comfort of my cape. Peppermint had no aura of being involved in such troubles -- I could understand the worries they had, with my claw that had just guarenteed a lovely ending even giving Peppermint a pat on the back, which seemed to soothe the soul enough. With that, we moved on, a slow walk towards the stairs. Only now did it pass the clouded head that I could've just used the side door. Fuck. But this saved some time that would be spent there, and who could blame me? It was only a matter of that time for my mission.

My party passed by so, so many things stored down here. Artifacts not moved to museums above us. Statues and paintings. I stopped in front of one of those paintings, noticing it was unfinished to the point where the canvas still showed its texture. The other side was an olive-green background, as well as the beginnings of a construction of a face aged to time.