Ulla's POV(past):

"Donella, we can't stay here! That's not what the library was meant for!"

"Ulla, it doesn't really matter, Demanitus is long gone and we have access to all the knowledge in the world, why waste it!?" she said

"I should be heading home by now, Quirin and Varian-"

"Quirin this, Varian that, think about yourself for once Ulla, Quirin has a full time job as the town leader and is almost never home, Varian's going to grow out of needing your constant love and attention, don't you see that!?"

"Donella, don't project onto me"

"What?"

"i know things have been difficult for you with Alec, but it's not like that in my case, and yeah, Varian and Ellie are gonna grow up but they'll still need us around sometimes"

"You don't know that..."

"Donella-"

"I'll show you one way or another"

She grabbed a handful of scrolls she had taken notes on, then she grabbed my journal and went back through the portal.

"Donella!"

I told her about the spell what is she doing!?

The portal started to close behind her.

it's a punishment for stealing from the library, it closes off and the totems scatter again.

i could still see outside, she looked over her shoulder and hesitated a second before running away.

Varian's POV:

"I must say it was a nice suprise seeing you and Ellie again, you've both grown so much...i see you still have your little rodent friend" Donella said.

"Why'd you do it?" I asked.

"What? Trap your mother? Here, i thought you already knew" she said.

"No, i'm aware of why you did that" i said.

She held up her hand and we stopped at the bottom of a staircase.

"Then what do you want to know?" She asked.

"I want to know why you did what you did to Ellie, you abandoned her when she was to young to even remember you!" I said.

"Oh... sensitive subject!" Hugo said.

"You knew?" I asked, glancing towards him only for a minute.

"Oh, Varian, i didn't abandon her, i was perfectly happy up until her father found out what i'd done to your mother" Donella said.

"Then why did you not do anything about it? You just left?" I asked.

"Questions, questions, you'll get the answers you need on the way." She told me.

"Do you know how hurt she was? She was in tears over the fact she never knew about you!" I said.

"I'm happy to see how much you care about her, really, but she wasn't upset that she never knew about her mother. She was just upset to know it was me" she explained "all because you and your friends and family went and convinced her i was the bad guy"

"It seems you've always struggled to know who to trust" She laughed.

It's time you learned a lesson

It's time that you understand

Don't ever count on anybody else
In this or any other land

What is she talking about!?

I once hoped for friendship
To find a place among my kind

But those were the childish wishes
Of someone who was blind

Open up your eyes
See the world from where I stand

Me among the mighty
You caged at my command

She grabbed my shirt collar and held my head up to look at her.

So that's where Ellie got that from.

Open up your eyes
Give up your sweet fantasy land

It's time to grow up and get wise
Come now, little one

Open up your eyes

"Why are you doing this? So her dad found out what you did, that doesn't change the fact that you left your daughter behind!" I yelled.

She turned away from me and sighed.

We all start out the same
With simple naïve trust

Shielded from the many ways that life's not fair or just

But then there comes a moment
With simple truth that you must face

If you depend on others
You'll never find your place

And as you take that first step
Upon a path that's all your own

You see it all so clearly
The best way to survive is all alone

Open up your eyes

See the world from where I stand

Me among the mighty
You caged at my command

Open up your eyes
And behold the faded light

It's time to grow up and get wise
Come now, little one

Open up your eyes

Open up your eyes

Elizabeth's POV:

"That's your mom!?" Yong asked.

"Unfortunately..." i said.

"Is she insane!?" Nuru asked.

"I wouldn't doubt it, she's selfish, i'll tell you that much" i said.

As we walked, we passed by a room.

A bedroom by the looks of it.

"why didn't you tell us before that your mom was evil?"

"that question answers itself, besides, she hasn't really been much of a mom lately"

"What?"

"This is the first time i'm seeing her since i was like four"

"Oh.."

i walked into the room and over to the cluttered desk, notes, recipes, books, experiments...

my eyes fell on a picture frame that was face down.

i picked it up and looked at it.

this was... a really old picture....

dad's face was torn out so only she and i were in it.

why did she have so much of a grudge against my dad!?

She was the one who messed everything up!

i went through my bag and looked at what was on the desk.

"Guys.. i have a plan to help Varian"

Varian's POV:

Donella reached into my bag and pulled out mom's journal.

She scanned the pages of the book.

"Ulla was always writing in riddles, they're impossible for me to understand" she complained.

Then she turned to me.

"Where is the last totem?" She asked.

I glared at her, not saying a word.

"Don't test my patience, boy!" She yelled, as she went to grab my neck as if she was gonna choke me "tell me where the last totem is!"

"You will never make me talk!" I said.

Then she laughed and let go of me.

"I guess it's true" she said "time in prison can make almost anything tolerable"

I flinched at the memories flooding back.

"Tsk tsk tsk...what would your mother think?" She said.

She grabbed my bag and looked through my stuff.

"Don't touch those!" I yelled.

"Silence!" She yelled.

She pulled out a vial and looked at it.

"What were you planning to do with a truth serum, boy?" She asked.

"That's for emergencies only" i said.

She opened it and walked up to me.

I held my mouth shut.

Cyrus held my head up trying to pry it open.

Suddenly the room filled with smoke.

I noticed three figures at the top of the stairs.

"Let him go...."

My eyes widened.

"Ellie!" I yelled.

"Hi Varian! Hang on!" She said, handing something to Ruddiger who then ran over and poured it on my cuffs, causing them to melt away.

"Thanks buddy" i laughed as he got up on my shoulders.

While Donella was distracted i took the truth serum from her.

She turned to me.

"What are you doing!?" She yelled.

"I could always make another one" i said, dropping it on the ground, causing the vial to break.

I pulled my bag to get it away from Cyrus but he was stronger.

Suddenly a sleep powder bomb went off in his face and he passed out.

I looked in the direction it had come from.

Hugo was standing there holding another one.

The room filled with fireworks.

I looked over to see Yong and Nuru trying to cause a distraction.

I took my chance and grabbed one of my raccoon traps from my bag.

I threw it at Donella's feet causing her to get stuck.

"What the- ugh!"

"And this is why i never leave home without my raccoon traps" i said.

I ran up to where the others were.

"This isn't over..." Donella said.

Ellie walked down to her.

"I think it is" she said.

"Guys" Hugo got our attention as we were getting ready to leave.

"What do you want?" Ellie asked.

"I'm really sorry...i shouldn't have lied to you guys" he reached into his bag and pulled out the sixth totem.

He threw it to us and i caught it.

"Hugo...what you did was wrong..." i said.

He didn't say anything.

"But..." i said "i know from experience that people can change...and everyone deserves a second chance"

I walked over to him and held out my hand.

"Friends?"

He hesitated for a minute before he smiled and shook my hand.

"Friends"