The group made their way back through the bland hallways. Alphonse noticed Felecia rubbing her hand against her staff as her eyes wandered.

“You okay?” Alphonse nudged her shoulder.

“Oh, yeah… I’m just thinking, will I be able to get everyone out alive?” Felecia’s eyes moved to Alphonse before shifting away, her eyes resting on the rest of the group.

“Honestly, I have no idea.” Alphonse shook his head. Where was that over excitable annoying girl? Alphonse thought as he looked at Felecia. Her shoulders were tense, her bead-like eyes weren’t able to stay still for a second. That makes sense. She has the most pressure in the entire group. It’s up to her to keep us alive… The thought festered in his mind as he took a small breath. He didn’t know what to say. Words had caught in his mouth like a fishhook.

“Ah, what are you worrying about? If we die, we die. Don’t go acting like it’s your responsibility. You ain’t god so leave it at that.” Markus spat at the words coming from behind.

“Markus is right–Felecia–don’t put so much pressure on your shoulders.” Kristen placed her arm around Felecia.

“Thanks.” Felecia nodded. She refused to let tears fall as she bit her tongue.

“Doesn’t this atmosphere just want to make you light up a cig?” Tariq faked smoking something as he smacked his lips. “The craving is terrible, especially with you lot being downers.”

“Us being downers? Weren’t it only yesterday you were wallowing in your boots? I thought you were going to cry and beg the gargoyles for forgiveness.” Kristen let go of Felecia’s shoulders as her eyebrows raised towards Tariq.

“Tariq, smoking is bad.” Felecia looked at him in surprise.

“Felecia,” Tariq shook his head. “Just because you’re our healer doesn’t mean you gotta be my ma as well.”

“Maybe some motherly love would do you some good.” Kristen said.

“Don’t go bringing my mother into this.” Tariq’s eyes warned her.

“My bad, I didn’t mean it like that.” Kristen shook her head.

“It’s alright, I just have a soft spot for my mother is all.” Tariq smiled as his mind reminisced about the past.

“Want to talk about it, Tariq?” Felecia looked up at him, her caring eyes peering forwards.

“Ah well, there’s not much to talk about. She’s just a kind lady. Done with me a lot of good, well, despite how I treated her, anyway. Kicked my ass a good few times when I was going around acting like a thug.” A hollow laugh escaped his mouth. "She was the only person I was afraid of."

“I’m sure you’ll be back to see her soon enough.” Felecia smiled.

“Yeah…” Tariq said as his voice trailed off.

Lucus bit his lips as his hands clenched into fists at the words. His hand gripping onto his backpack straps.

They walked through the bat infested cavern. Alphonse was behind Kristen and noticed she was about to walk into a small mound on the floor. His arm reached forwards and grabbed onto the back of her shirt.

“Careful.” Alphonse pointed to the mound of rock.

“Don’t touch me.” Kristen said. She furrowed her brows as she looked at him in disgust.

“Still don’t trust me?” Alphonse said.

“No, I don't. You might fool everyone else, but you're not fooling me. I still can’t get the image of you biting through Marius’... neck.” Kristen said as goosebumps covered her arm. “You're a murderer and the fact that you show no remorse or regret is wrong and sickening."

Alphonse shook his head. “There are many things wrong with this world. I’m just a small part of it.”

Alphonse walked to the other side of the formation, creating a space between them. Does that mean she’s not your friend, Alphonse? The giggling voice bubbled forth within his mind. Fuck off. Alphonse said inwardly as he clutched at his head as they made their way down the staircase and into the town.

“The voices?” Gabriel said, his eyebrows raised.

“Yes. You got any thoughts?” Alphonse rubbed his temples as his slightly bloodshot eyes looked at the young wizard.

“I’ve been thinking a lot, actually. The voices, the prison, the strange cathedral, the beast man that guarded the cavern. However, that’s the least of my worries so far.” Gabriel’s eyes changed and a sudden nausea hit Alphonse. “Do you trust Lucus?”

Gabriel’s voice was transmitted into his brain as Alphonse shook off the nausea that assaulted him.

“Just talk within your mind,” Gabriel said, his voice changing deeper, a strange static was heard. It felt like listening to a voice on an old radio.

“What do you mean? He’s got us this far.” Alphonse said.

“That’s not what I'm talking about. I meant the mission. Why would they give Lucus a separate mission without notifying the other Class A members? I get not telling the lower classes as, well, they are useless." Gabriel said. "Then, they only told Lucus about returning home to see his family, but what about us? Do you think the same goes? Why do you think they left us out of it? That crazy old man we saw before, it’s clear it was the Great Migrators he was talking about. They attempted to devour the planet and were driven off by its inhabitants. I’m guessing that the device Lucus has within that backpack he clings to like his life depends on it is the catalyst for his mission.” Once the words stopped, Alphonse noticed beads of sweat dripping from Gabriel's head.

It all made sense in his mind. Although it was only a conjecture by Gabriel, his words were compelling.

“You thought of all that?” Alphonse said in wonder.

“Well, I've had my suspicions from the start.” Gabriel's condescending eyes calmly look at him.

“What should we do? Why not tell the others?” Alphonse said as his eyes looked forwards at Lucus.

“Nothing, at least for now." Gabriel said. His long neck and pointed nose looked ahead. He kept his straight posture. "Felecia is too naïve, Markus and Tariq wouldn't be able to tell the difference between an apple and an orange. Kristen would immediately rat out my suspicions to Lucus and I do not know where Haydon's loyalties lie. I know little about the others."

"Then why tell me?" Alphonse said.

"Call it a gut feeling." Gabriel ended the voice transfer as he watched Alphonse under his eyes. Now, Alphonse, what are you going to do with the information I've given you? After all, you are the most suspicious of them all. A small grin flashed on his face before quickly hiding it.

Alphonse shook the thoughts in his head to the back of his mind as he looked up at the gargoyles above. Their fluorescent orange eyes peeled open. One of them only had one eye, as a fragment of an arrow had been lodged deep within.

Alphonse’s hands itched as they moved their huge limbs, their muscles contracted as they launched themselves towards the group of young humans down below.

“I’ll manage the one with no eye. I’ll leave the other one to you guys.” Alphonse stepped out of the formation. The gargoyle was quick to react as it dive bombed straight for the easy target.

Let’s see what almost 100 points in strength and constitution can do. A maniacal smile covered Alphonse’s face. He didn’t even bother with the cleaver. Just as the gargoyle was about to make contact, Gabriel's layered mana shield bubbled forth. The gargoyle smashed through the multiple layers, its speed falling.

Alphonse placed all of his weight forward, his arms crossed together, hoping he could stop the monster from turning him into mincemeat. He felt the impact smash directly into him. The bones in his arms creaked under the direct force. Alphonse’s feet slid back and gouged out a trail in the obsidian like path.

Alphonse’s eyes widened in surprise. He had stopped the hulking beast right in its tracks. He looked into the one eye of the beast as a grim smile flashed onto his face. He felt his stomach move as vile green liquid shot out from his mouth. Alphonse wasted no time and rushed forward as the beast thrashed around on the spot. He hooked his arm around its throat as his black, shadowed teeth devoured half of its neck. Alphonse grabbed hold of his cleaver and swung it at what was left of the gargoyle's neck. Its heavy head bounced on the floor as its body petrified into solid rock.