Jason and Ty sped through the maze with no sweat. They had their fantastic sense of smell to track down the flowers. The group could not communicate to each other, but the guardian told them of their group mate's progress. Jason had finished first, collecting Ty's flower. It was ironic as Ty finished second, collecting Jason's flower last.

Hero was literally helpless, so the guardian prodded him along, trying to drop hints on where to go. Sure, the guardian was tasked with protecting the West but it wanted to get the maze over with. It helped that Hero shared its feelings too. The poor Swede hit his face multiple times on the walls though. Unbeknownst to everyone else, Nabiel had finished seconds before Jason did. He had his powers taken away, but his angel side remained. His senses were enhanced, so just like Ty and Jason, he could track down the scents of the flowers.

He found Mitch's flower last. Mitch's progress kept on flicking off and on. Sometimes, when his hybrid side came up, he could find the flowers easier. Then, in a matter of seconds, he would be back to a regular human. The soldier hated having no control over his inner blaze, but pulled through with the hope of seeing his best friend again. A blaze's sense of smell was not as excellent as an enderdragon's, but he finished third.

The guardian was absolutely impatient with Hero's excruciatingly slow progress so it just shoved Hero around unceremoniously. He finished after Mitch. The news of his completion shocked the remaining Seto and Sky. Both of them were regular humans, so the only way they could find the flowers was guessing where to go. Seto's experience with smells from brewing and potions had enhanced his sense of smell. He found the flowers more quicker than Sky did.

Everyone could not go on without Sky, so they had to wait for him in a room that seemed to be some sort of lounge. It was odd (and amusing to Ty) that the 'Forbidden' West had a lounge fully stocked with couches and refreshments. There was even a first-aid kit in the corner. Seto helped treat Ty's burns from being electrocuted. Jason's wither side had taken over temporarily, and he was silent in the room, lying down on a couch.

Mitch was pacing groves into the cement, overthinking about Jerome's safety. He even doubted that Jerome was not in the West, which caused him to go into protective blaze mode. The air around him was scalding hot, and the places he touched was hot to the touch. He isolated himself in a corner, not wanting to hurt anyone in his rage. Blazes were characteristically impatient and overprotective, and everyone knew that from their creature studies lessons.

Hero had taken to hanging out with Jason. He just sat on the couch the wither hybrid was lying on. The sergeant eventually put his legs on the Swede's lap. His boots were cold, but Hero ignored it. He secretly welcomed it, as it gave him an image of what Jason looked like. A cold, mysterious wither hybrid. It filled the black void of Hero's blind state. Nabiel was in a small lounge of his own, and was flying around the high ceilings. He stretched out his wings, dipping and soaring through the air. He landed to groom his flight feathers but sounds from the other lounge interrupted him.

A door had slammed open, and everyone but Jason turned to the door. Sky stood there, panting. He had a cluster of flowers clutched in his hands, which he threw to the side in frustration. He snapped to the air, "How does collecting flowers keep us from going into the West? You're a shit guardian."

It was silent for a moment before the guardian's voice filled the room, "This is just a warm-up, young knight."

Sky raised an eyebrow incredulously at the mention of his new nickname. The guardian further spoke, "You will see your respective doors. You will know which one is yours based on its appearance. After you walk past those doors, the only way to advance, is forward. You can never come back."

The guardian's voice dropped to a malicious tone that was somehow filled with delight, "If you wish to surrender yourselves now, I would gladly grant you a quick death. I can't promise that it won't be painful, though. Please decide now."

Ty huffed, "Well, here we go. I'm quitting if any of you are."

Silence.

"Seriously? The dude's doing us a favor! We could end this bullshit now and we'd be in the Aether or whatever heaven you believe in peacefully for the rest of your lives!"

The guardian chuckled, "Indeed."

No one saw Hero shift uncomfortably. Mitch seemed to grow angrier in his corner. Smoke was surrounding his body, and his eyes had seemed to grow from brown to a bright red. He snarled, "How can you say that? My best friend is suffering and we could get him back if you weren't too pussy about it!"

Ty growled warningly and retorted, "Why should we risk our lives just so you could save your boyfriend?"

The blaze burst into flames, fire surrounding him as he stalked towards the enderdragon, who hissed as he got closer. Everyone stepped away, alarmed and wary of the fight that was to come. Before either hybrids could speak, Seto shouted from across the room, frustrated, "We're saving more than Jerome! We're saving our powers, my magic! It's one of two things that make me feel useful. Brice is the other, but clearly the West took away our sou-friendship! Can you not be so selfish?"

Ty turned to the warlock and growled, "Oh come on! You do perfectly fine with that brain of yours. You don't need your petty magic, it fucking helped you cheat your way into graduation anyways. And Brice, you just argued with him, don't make it sound so dramatic."

Seto's eyes brimmed with tears as he whimpered, "You don't understand, Ty."

The enderdragon rolled his eyes and snapped, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. I don't understand any of your warlock magic bullshit."

Slowly, Sky spoke from his place at the door, "What about you, Ty? You'll be saving your ability to change back to human form. After all, you had counselling since you hated being in enderdragon form for too long-"

The enderdragon hybrid turned to him with wide eyes. He bristled, voice low, "I told you not to tell that to anyone."

Sky gave him a look, before saying, "You haven't answered my question, Ty."

Immediately, the corporal's wings flared out threateningly behind him. He growled, baring his teeth. Seto hobbled over to lead Hero away, while gesturing for Mitch to calm down. Jason has not moved from the couch, and Nabiel was listening to fight going on, thankful that Hero has not gotten himself involved yet. Ty, in his enderdragon glory, roared and snapped, "I don't want to! Look, fine, you'll get what you want. We'll go through the damned thing. You'll see my point once you die out there."

Once he stopped, he was just angrily panting, trying to catch his breath. Seto guided Mitch to taking deep breaths, making the fire engulfing his body disappear into smoke that lapped at the ceiling. Ty's wings slowly retreated behind him, and he stalked away to plop down onto a couch, hissing under his breath. Jason sat up from his position finally, face expressionless. He spoke, and his voice was affected by his inner Wither. His voice was gravelly and hoarse, as he rasped, "So, have you all come into a decision?"

The guardian hummed expectantly following Jason's question. Everyone looked at each other, except for Ty, who avoided the other's gazes. Seto stepped forward, raising his voice for the guardian, "We won't surrender. Show us the doors."

The guardian sighed, "Very well."

The group heard a resounding click, and soon six doors appeared on one wall. They were all of different, intricate designs, each unique and perfectly tailored for one person. Ty flew over to a door made of obsidian. An intricate pattern was carved into the door in silver. It was an enderdragon, curled around the door with its tail wrapped around the knob of bronze. Its eyes were filled with tiny amethysts, and they glinted at Ty warily.

Jason let out a low whistle as he walked over to the door next to Ty's. It was made of plain iron, but some sort of dark gray material was wedged into the door. It displayed a wither, and its blank eyes shared down at Jason. The others winced when they noticed the bones littering the sides of the door.

Sky walked over to his door, which was yellow. It shone obnoxiously, and Sky could make out the carvings on his door. It was a soldier, face empty, holding a golden sword. It was wearing the Southern Military uniform, and a blue cape was tied to his soldiers. It shone in sapphire gems, and Sky could make out a golden pickaxe pattern on the cape. It was his specially designed cape only for his team.

Seto's door was very obvious as well. It was plain oak wood, but in spruce, was a carving of the symbol of the Minecraftian Magic Society. It was a hand holding a wand pointing North. Behind the hand, and following the wand, was a phoenix, a national symbol of magic and empowerment. The bird's gorgeous fiery wings spread out, and it seemed to be raising the wand and sun behind it along with its flight.

Mitch's door was of netherbrick. In nasty soulsand, was the outline and figure shape of a blaze. Actual blaze rods was built into the door, and the door let out a harsh warmth. Mitch's hands followed the blaze outline, and the others groaned when his fingers suck into the soulsand. He slipped it out and flicked the unknown material to the floor, and put his hand against the door. It was hot, as expected.

For Nabiel, his door was of some sort of charcoal black material. An outline of a griffon, his animal form, was in marble. Its wings were tucked behind its back, and its angry gaze was fixed on him. The knob was in the shape of its tail, and his own tail flicked behind him as he closed his fingers around the knob. His feathers fluffed out, anxious.

The guardian spoke, "These tasks were crafted and plotted carefully according to the individual's fears. So, the more fears you have, the longer you will take. Everyone must be finished with their first task to move on to the next. If you have completed it safely, which is highly unlikely, you'll be sent to a lounge similar to this. You'll wait for the others to either die, or finish all their tasks. We'll see how you move on from there."

Ty snorted, looking at Jason and snapping, "What was the nickname they gave you back in training? Oh, yeah, mouse, from all those times they were able to spook you. You better not hold us back with all your tasks."

Jason raised an eyebrow at him, but calmly turned to his own door. At the lack of a response, Ty began to bristle again. Before he could begin another argument, Seto seemed to notice an empty spot at the last door. The door was in blue, a weird carving displayed clouds and a regal lion resting on them. The lion's gorgeous mane was detailed, but no one was stood in front of the door. Seto looked around to find Hero at the spot where he last left him. He was facing the wall, silent.

Seto called out, "Sir, we're over here! Maybe you can follow the sound of my voice."

The Swede did not budge. His back still faced the group, and everyone turned to see what was going on. Seto raised an eyebrow, confused. He called out one more time, "Hero? Are you alright?"

Ty folded his arms, looking even more grumpy. He huffed, "You haven't spoke in a while. Why, cat got your tongue?"

He snorted to himself, proud of his little joke. Mitch glared at him before staring after Hero in concern. Seto was moving to get him now, but before Seto could reach him, the Swede spun around. His hands were covering his mouth, clouded eyes staring wide into space. His nails dug into the skin around his mouth, as he gradually grew distressed. Sweat was dripping down his temples, and Seto rushed over, asking what was wrong.

Ty snickered from his door, "Damn, I was right, huh?"

Mitch glared at him again, and this time Ty met his glare with a much more heated one. The enderdragon angrily tore himself away from their competition to watch Hero's mouth moving rapidly to Seto, who was struggling to understand. Ty's sense of hearing was excellent, so he should be able to hear what the Swede was so spooked about. However, he heard nothing. He stared at the general's lips, trying to make out words. Once he figured it out, he inhaled deeply. Everyone else but Seto looked at him strangely.

"Shit," he swore.

Seto has already figured it out too. Hero, in desperation, slowed down his lip movements for them to figure out what he was trying to say.

I can't speak.

He was blind, and he was now mute.