They woke up again.

  Same room. Again.

  None of the three walked to the glass.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Bert said to the air. “We cannot beat them. Not in any way.”

  “You’re afraid the dumb ones are gone, aren’t you?” Harlada said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

  Bert nodded.

  Leo sighed. “Well, we’re here. The Maze doesn’t let us go, so we need to push onward.” He stood and walked to the window.

  The maze pulsed.

  Maze run #70841 commencing in 5 minutes.

  The other two still sat on the ground, preparing in silence.

  “You can come, Bert,” Leo called from the window. “Come and wave.”

  Bert stood and looked through the glass.

  His shoulders relaxed.

  In the same chamber as the last run, the three dumb opponents were there—waving violently at him, heavy brows bobbing, high foreheads gleaming with enthusiasm.

  Bert smiled.

  He waved back.

  Then he heard a sound beside him.

  He frowned. “Harlada?” He put an arm around her.

  “Are you crying?”

  Every hair on Bert’s body stood on end.

  A violent muscle spasm seized him, dropping him flat on the stone.

  The dumb trio burst into exaggerated laughter.

  “I am not,” Harlada said coolly, brushing a speck of dust from her eye. “How dare you.”

  “Just checking,” Bert muttered, already trying to regain his footing.

  “So,” Harlada said quickly, “we explore again?”

  Leo nodded.

  The maze pulsed.

  Maze run #70841 commencing in 1 minute.

  “Puzzle room?” Bert asked. “Loot?” he added, hopefully.

  Leo shook his head. “Too dangerous.”

  “We need better equipment,” Harlada countered. “Those rewards matter.”

  “If someone else solves it, it won’t reset,” Bert said, unconvinced.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Leo sighed. “Fine. But careful.”

  The maze pulsed.

  Maze run #70841 commencing.

  The doors opened.

  The trio moved slowly into the hallway once more.

  ***

  They entered the puzzle room, Bert scouting ahead.

  “Clear!” he shouted.

  “Bert, shh,” Leo groaned, slapping his own forehead.

  “Nothing happened,” Bert said, flexing proudly. “We’re getting good at sneak mode.”

  Harlada went a little pale at the words sneak mode.

  “So figure out the puzzle,” Bert said, bumping Leo’s shoulder. “I need new boots.”

  “You and your lion-pummeled sword don’t get to talk,” Leo said, pushing him away. “Now let me think. We search for a button, a lever, or something.”

  Harlada and Bert scoured the room.

  Nothing.

  Only the trees remained—one dead, one green. The green one was lit by the mirrors. The other mirrors reflected light toward a spot just off the dead tree.

  “Nothing,” Harlada said, sinking down with her head in her hands. “Perhaps we should just throw things at it?”

  Bert’s sword was already flying before Leo could speak.

  It struck the mirror.

  The mirror shifted—barely.

  Bert retrieved his sword and tried again.

  Missed.

  Missed again.

  “Why is this so hard?” Leo snapped.

  “Do we still suck?” Bert offered helpfully.

  “Just throw, you big monkey,” Harlada muttered, still sitting.

  ***

  Footsteps echoed in the corridor.

  Slow. Measured. Stoic—like a metronome set to boring.

  “The monks,” Leo said. “We need to hide.”

  Panic hit all at once.

  “Behind the trees,” Harlada said, already halfway there.

  “Sneak mode,” Bert whispered.

  The maze pulsed.

  Maze run #70841 completed.

  Restart commencing in 1 minute.

  The monks entered.

  The woman led them—hands folded into her sleeves, eyes flashing.

  They locked onto Leo.

  “Leo!” Harlada screamed, her staff flaring with lightning.

  White light erupted from the monk.

  Leo flew across the room, slammed into the wall, and collapsed. Blood streamed from his nose.

  “Damn you!” Harlada unleashed a bolt of lightning.

  The monks shielded their eyes, buying her a few seconds.

  She ran to Leo, cradling his head in her lap.

  “Leo, are you okay?”

  “Auw,” Leo said thickly. “I fink my nof brok.”

  “Sorry,” Harlada muttered—and yanked his nose back into place.

  Leo screamed.

  A sudden breeze brushed Harlada’s cheek.

  The foot of one monk—the Bert monk—smashed into her face.

  She staggered.

  A stone-hard hand struck her chest.

  “Grk.”

  A thin red line slipped from her mouth.

  The maze pulsed.

  Maze run #70841 completed.

  Restart commencing in 5… 4… 3…

  The monk woman raised her hands, chanting another spell.

  “SNEAK ATTACK!”

  She looked at Bert.

  Paused.

  Just long enough.

  Bert showed her a purse.

  The monk woman stopped casting, glanced down at her belt.

  A space where something important used to be.

  2… 1

  “Bert, you are Brilliant.” two voices, spitting blood every word.

  Once more it faded to black.