"Hugo?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you cosplaying as Darth Vader?"

All three of them were lurking about in the campus, melting themselves in the dark to disguise themselves. They had left the infirmary when the clock struck one, so that they could solve whatever the Wasd Code was in good time.

Yet, for some strange reason, Hugo was wearing a mask. Not the kind where people wear it when they catch a cold, but the kind where military people wore to prevent themselves from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases, one with his bandaged, pointed ears exposed.

Theo was tempted to ask what the mask was about earlier, but when he saw Psyche shrugging at it as if it was the most normal thing for the elf to do, he brushed it off. He tried to be indifferent about it. After all, tons of weird things had happened during his stay in Arcadia High. Hugo wearing a gas mask was going to be walk in the park.

Or so, he told himself.

"What?" Hugo asked, reminding Theo for the umpteenth time that day, the elf would not understand a single word he said.

The blonde lad sighed and turned to Psyche for help. When she stared at him in a deadpanned expression, Theo sighed again. She was not going to utter another word. She hasn't even said a single hello ever since she called him an idiot. It was as if the injury on her head made her forget to speak again, resulting any progress of friendship to revert to square one.

"About the mask, if this is..." Hugo started, his voice hesitant, as if he was unsure whether he was at the right track. Realizing this, Theo nodded, thankful that he would not have to use some weird sort of sign language again to get his question across.

"Judge, I dare you not." Hugo said, his voice clipped. "Feel at ease, I am, with this mask. Nothing more."

Theo blinked, wondering how in the name of sanity that an elf feels calm by wearing such a gigantic mask when, the sound of twigs snapping caught his attention. Theo froze with the others, holding his breath as more noises pierced the silence of the night. It was the sound of footsteps, growing louder and louder and it was coming towards their way.

Petrified with the outcome and possible future repercussions they would have to pay, Theo began to walk backwards, urging the other two to do the same. Both the mismatched duo hesitated, frowning at his gesture before mimicking what he was doing.

They moved as one, taking one step back with each noise of the footsteps. As the walls of Arcadia High got closer to their backs, Theo scowled at himself for not thinking of going away from the noises instead of walking backwards. He had just trapped themselves in, and there wasn't enough time to hide.

They could flee, run away with all their might, but with Hugo's mask, Psyche's scarlet eyes and Theo's blonde hair glowing in the dark like a bright goal flag, it wouldn't take a genius to figure out who the runaway teenagers were.

Then, something unexpected happened.

A shimmering veil of soft gold light materialized out of thin air, right before them. It formed a luminous circle, glowing and beckoning, like it was promising Theo a place of sweet dreams and warmth. Theo was tempted, he can't help but be mesmerized by it, but held back, thinking it was a trap.

Then all of a sudden, Theo felt cold fingers wrapped around his wrist that jerked him forward. He stumbled, his other arm flailing like a windmill as he struggled to keep up with Psyche, who was also grabbing Hugo's wrist. 

Regardless, they were both forced towards the circle of light, just as the shadow of their oncoming guest appeared around the corner. Then, Psyche jumped, dragging them to tumble through the brilliant haze, a shower of light so loving, so warm, so intense, it calmed Theo's nerves and washed away his fears. The sensation felt like a purification, washing all the darkness inside of him down to the very core.

When Theo landed, he was stumped to find himself in an unfamiliar territory. The first thing he saw, was a tall book stand with some sort of weird looking lamp attached to it. There was a thick book laid open on the stand with words so tiny, Theo almost mistook them as ants running across the pages.

"In the name of mishur..." Hugo breathed out.

Only then, did Theo look around his surroundings felt it steal his breath away, like a thief it was.

He was on a round, floating white balcony with Hugo beside him, several feet up above ground. There were staircases everywhere as well. They were above him, under him, spiraling in and out of walls, twisting and turning at random areas. Some were even moving and some disappeared into nothing but dancing gold dust.

Floating chandeliers of gold light lit up the room. It was not bright, but it gave the whole place a very home like aura. What made the whole area even more bizarre was that a couple of yellow glowing jellyfishes were bobbing out in the air, also giving light to the unknown area. Theo would have fainted right then and there but the way they moved, so graceful, so harmless, Theo calmed down before his panic attack settled in.

Dozens and dozens of bookshelves were piled up against the wall and ceiling, defying the laws of gravity. Bookshelves that were ten of meters tall, constructed a maze like formation beneath him. Each of them were filled to the brim with hard covered books and various mystical looking objects. Even some of the books were frozen in midair, as if someone pressed the pause button when they were falling. Tree vines ornamented the whole area, emanating a sense of safeness and security.

"Oh dear, usually I don't go letting visitors who don't solve the puzzle in." A voice spoke out of the blue, snapping Theo back to his senses. The blonde lad whirled around but stopped in his tracks to find a guy with eyes that was of a swirl of blue, purple and pink. He was smiling at them, kneeling down on the ground with an unconscious Psyche in his arms.

Theo's first assumption was that it was the multicolored eyed stranger again, the black haired lad with the top hat and with an annoying smirk. So of course, Theo felt something inside of him snap and rushed forward, pulling his arm back to lash out at him.

What stopped him, was the boy's height.

Now, even though Theo had met the stranger twice, he remembered that the guy was around his own height. If anything, he was a few inches taller, not that Theo would ever admit that. The guy right in front of him was about a head shorter than Theo, almost around Psyche's height but by a centimeter or two taller.

"You must be, Theo." The boy said, his eyes glowing like a supernova in the dim lit area. "I thought Psyche was kidding, but you really do resemble the girl in the book of Wonderland."

Theo hesitated, his mind growing blank. Nothing processed in his brain. English began to sound funny to him. The boy could be talking gibberish for all he knew.

"Deepest apologies." The boy said, his supernova eyes fleeting from Psyche to a couch nearby. "But do you mind if I put her to rest on a couch? I am afraid she has overexerted herself with her injuries to summon me and transport you to here. Honestly, she is as reckless as ever."

Theo remained silent, still stunned and bewildered with the turn of events. Millions of question began to pour in his mind, like an overflowing river filling him, drowning him. Why was there another guy with eyes that reflected a galaxy?

In the end, it was Hugo, who had remained quiet thus far, answered.

"Cursed, Theo is." The elf started. "Though put her to rest, you can. What she did, I know not. But tell that she needs rest, I can. Theo agrees too, I am sure."

As if for confirmation, Hugo turned to Theo, who just gave a silent but absent nod. This caused the strange boy's smile change into a look of understanding, before he smiled again, but with pity. Theo watched as the boy carried his Scabbard to a nearby couch. He placed her down on it with such care, Theo felt something inside of him snap. What or why, he did not know.

"Who are you?" Hugo asked after a while, breaking Theo's chain of thoughts as the boy rolled a blanket over his unconscious Scabbard. He then turned and beamed once more. That was when Theo realized that the boy looked familiar, like an old memory.

It occurred to him that he knew the boy, he met the boy somewhere before. That scrawny figure, those freckles dusted on his tanned skin, the split right eyebrow. Theo felt a strong sense of familiarity with the boy, yet, he was certain that he had never, in his life, ever, met this boy before.

Then it hit him. He didn't meet this boy at all, but Alazne did.

*****

"Do you miss it?"

Alazne glanced up from her book to see Caitriona, a look of woe brushed across her gentle features. It did not suit the little girl at all.

"Whatever do you mean?" Alazne asked and at once, Caitriona winced. The young girl fidgeted around, her eyes looking at anywhere except the blonde girl.

"Your castle." Caitriona continued. "I mean, you gave up the role as a princess, your immortality, just to be friends with me. Surely, you miss your home, don't you?"

Alazne pursed her lips together and hummed. It was true, she did miss her castle, she did miss her grandparents and most of all, she did miss Glen, her aide who swore who would protect her at all times. However...

"I don't regret being your friend, if that's what you are worried about." Alazne answered as she smiled at Caitriona, who was soon flustered and averted her eyes elsewhere. The action made Alazne snort in laughter, which was very un-princess like but she didn't found herself to care.

All of a sudden, the peace and tranquility broke when there was a clutter of noises. It was so loud, birds soared into the sky in fright. At once, Alazne was up on her feet, one hand raised to unleash half of the world's madness while the other raised to shield Caitriona behind her. From the cottage, the Lady in White rushed out as well, mimicking her actions, expecting a beast to emerge.

It never came. Instead, a plump, light brown-skinned boy wearing a buttoned white long sleeved shirt, black shorts with suspenders was hobbling towards their way. He was carrying another boy who was wearing rags and was limp on his shoulder. He looked like he just escaped himself from a war.

By the time he reached at the edge of their hill, he collapsed, panting and dropping the unconscious boy to the ground. Once sure that they were not hostile and dangerous, Alazne, Caitriona and the lady in white rushed towards the scene where the boy was now hugging the other unconscious boy, tears flowing in his eyes.

"My sister!" He cried once they got closer. "You got to find my sister! The beldam witch tried to kill her! She is out there somewhere!"

"Shh...." The lady in white hushed, patting him on the head. "Do not worry, child. I am sure your sister is safe. We will find her for you."

"You have to find her now!" The boy yelled, almost slapping the hand away. "She gets scared easily when she is alone. She can't move when she is scared and she will cry when she is alone. So find her! Please!"

"We will." Alazne assured while a part of her wondered how it came to this. "What's your name?"

"My name?" The boy asked, his eyebrows crinkling. It was then Alazne noticed cuts all over him, even on his right eyebrow. Wherever he just came from, he had struggled to get out alive.

"My name is Delic."

*****

"FIDDLESTICKS ON CHEESECAKE!" Theo cried aloud, startling everyone as he gawked at the boy. "You are, Delic?"

He was rewarded with absent-minded blinks from both Hugo and the boy, yet Theo was still reeling at the discovery. So that was why the name sounded so familiar? But how was this boy still alive? Alazne existed millions and millions of aeons ago. In her last memories, she had known that everyone, except the phantom creature, had died.

"Bro," Hugo snapped, his voice husky thanks to the ventilation of the mask. "Trying to scare me, are you? Almost gave me a heart attack, you did!"

Before Theo could come up with some excuse, with the language barrier or not, the boy who looked the spitting image of Delic chuckled.

"It's been a while since I heard that language." He said. "Yes, I am, Delic, you are a smart one aren't you? Also, I see what Psyche meant that you spout the most nonsensical things ever when you are on the roll. But fiddlesticks on cheesecakes? I doubt that would be tasty."

If Theo wasn't bewildered before, he was stupefied now.

"Understand what dangfering klank he says, you can?" Hugo asked, wording out Theo's question out loud, albeit in a different format.

"Well it's my mother tongue, Old Latin." Delic shrugged. "I've known that language since I was a newborn. Though, never have I expected to hear it again in this century."

Theo stopped short, feeling a sense of déjà vu. Then he realized that Psyche had almost said the same thing. She had also recognized the language as Old Latin, but had no recollection of knowing it. Judging from what he had learned from her past self, it was because she suffered amnesia. Although, Theo can't help but wonder. Was it coincidence? Or was there something obvious he was missing?

"...What are you?" Theo asked after a while, finding it very hard to process that Delic could still be alive after so many years. Breanne may had mentioned that he was immortal, but from what he knew in Alazne's life, he had died. Theo can't recall how he died or the exact date he died, but he was sure that the Delic Alazne knew was a mortal boy who passed away, much earlier than the rest of the children she had befriended.

Delic blinked, stood from the couch where Psyche laid and shrugged his shoulders in a shy and awkward manner.

"Guess I didn't properly introduce myself." Theo heard him mutter before he straightened himself. "I am, Delic, Keeper of Memories of the Second Reality, Sixth Guardian of the Forest and... a Ghost."

Silence.

"...Ghost?" Both Theo and Hugo exclaimed at the same time, the latter wiggling his exposed pointed ears, as if trying to make sure they still functioned.

"I am a Ghost." Delic repeated, a small sad smile creeping on his face. "I am not immortal as your cousin says that I am, Hugo. I had died long ago, and had been bound in this Reality for millions of years."

"But you look like a Lillin!" Theo exclaimed, a part of him relieved that he was right. "You don't do this transparent sparkly glow thing that ghost makes!"

"It's a funny world." Delic replied, a finality in his tone that said the conversation was over. "Anyway, you came here to get answers right? You better not let Psyche's efforts go to waste after she brought you here."

"...Actually..." Theo heard Hugo cut in, sounding uncertain. "Brought us here, how did she?"

"There was a reason why the Wasd Code exists." Delic answered, tapping his chin. "You can get here using a portal without using the Wasd Code, but that requires tons of magic and power. Only Guardians of the Forest are able to summon a portal, which is exactly what Psyche here did. She is compensating what she lost by conking out."

"Oh..." Hugo said, nodding his head. With the mask on, Theo could not see what expression he was making, but judging from how the air around him turned gloomy all of a sudden, he can only guess that the elf was not happy.

"So the Wasd Code acts as some sort of alternate route?" Theo asked, turning to Delic who nodded.

"Pretty much, yes." He said. "You guys are pretty lucky that you have Psyche around in your cabin, even if she deals with Shadows as the Seventh Guardian. I heard that the Code is tricky."

"We been told, so." Hugo said. Theo tried to ignore the fact that he sounded ticked off, but at who, was anyone's guess.

Delic was right though. They all came here to look for answers and he wanted to fill in the gaps of Alazne's life. There was just too many coincidences so far, too many things that he was not aware of. As much as he hated to admit, not knowing the important details scared him.

"Hmm..." Delic hummed, before waving his hand in the air. Out of the blue, a small round table and a set of three chairs materialized out of the blue, just like the suitcase that brings breakfast back in the cabin. Theo had seen the trick several times before, yet it still made him jump in surprise.

"Sit." Delic ordered, taking a chair for himself before propping his elbows on the table.

Both Theo and Hugo glanced at each other, Theo trying to figure out what face the elf was making while the elf continued to breathe through the mask. Theo must have looked confused, or just stupid, because a second later the elf grabbed him by the shoulder, dragged them across Delic and forced him to sit before he sat down himself.

"You could have just said something." Theo muttered in annoyance. Either Hugo didn't hear it with his bandaged ears or he didn't understand him, the elf muttered something under his breath as well.

"So, what can I do for you?" Delic asked, straightening his back and leaning forward. Theo paused, trying to ignore the gold glowing jellyfishes all around him as he tried to come up with a question. There were just too many, so he narrowed it down to the one that seemed most important.

"Wonderland." Theo said, nodding his head. "What's Wonderland?"

By a fraction of a second, Theo saw Delic's happy demeanor fade like a drop of a hat, but it was just as quick to come back again. He even felt Hugo tensed up beside him, as if he understood what he had said. Then again, Theo had mentioned 'Wonderland' twice. So, maybe it was a sore topic for all of Arcadia?

"That's a difficult question to answer, but I will try to explain it as easiest as I can." The young librarian said before he cleared his throat.

"The universe is made up of many types of intersecting Realities." Delic started. "They were created simultaneously with the concept of Time. For example, at this exact coordinate of time and space, we are having a chat in a library, but in the another Reality, other things are happening."

"Parallel Realities?" Hugo asked, his voice laced with confusion, as if he was struggling to keep up.

"That's right." Delic said, nodding his head. "They are pretty much like that. Like for instance, you, Theo, came from the Third Reality known for Lillins to linger. They are the only existence that can't go through one reality to another. Yet you are here, in Arcadia, another Reality."

"I get it, somewhat." Theo said, furrowing his eyebrows into deep thought. "There are layers of realities right? One over the other, intersecting in some areas. Such places are Arcadia, the Forest and this library."

"Uh... yea." Delic said, looking baffled. "How'd you figure that out?"

"You said these realities were created simultaneously with the concept of Time." Theo replied. "As far as I know, time flows slower in the forest than in Arcadia and for some reason, we can only enter this library by solving the Wasd Code before a particular time. I don't know how time flows here, but it must be different to Arcadia's."

Soon, the look on Delic's face turned from bafflement into awe.

Author's note: Unfortunately, my real time best friend and beta reader didn't have internet for a couple of days, so I couldn't tell if this chapter was good or bad without her feedback. I always think my chapter is dropping in quality and it's getting boring without her feedback "^^ I didn't do well in a math's test so I was feeling down, and this happened. A bit of a warning, slight angst in the next part.

Anyway, this chapter is dedicated to Aaron_Ledgers He really motivated me to write thanks to his comments. You should check his work out. 'Once upon a ring' is awesome! I can't believe it had no votes when I first read it. Like honestly! This dude needs more! Anyway, if you see any mistakes that I missed, pleased notify

Oh and don't forget to vote! sdfds