It was pure silence in the elevator, the kind of silence that would make anyone feel uneasy. But as Dusk, her twin, best friend, and brother all stared at Allison, the only thing she could do was keep her shaking hands to herself, the flickering of flames making their presence known. Five briefly glanced over, giving her a look that said, "Hey, I know you're pissed, but remember to keep your cool,"

She slowly nodded, nearly bumping against the wall as the elevator came to a halt. The doors slowly opened, creaking with every inch, and one by one they followed Allison down the hall and into one of the bedrooms. They didn't need to pick any locks, the door just let them right in which all of them felt was weird. "Someone went through a lot of trouble to hide this thing," Allison said as she searched through the closet and dresser. "How big is it supposed to be?" Viktor questioned.

"You know, dear old Reg didn't say," the Rumor responded in a condescending tone. "Really? That's surprising... I figured you'd know more about his plan," Dusk squinted. Allison could feel the tension behind her and turned around to see them looking at her with suspicion. "What is that supposed to mean?" she inquired. "I saw you and him in the White Buffalo Suite during the wedding," Five spoke up, slowly walking towards her.

Viktor tried to stop and say maybe now wasn't the best time to confront her, but Victoria shushed him, she too stepping closer to Allison. Number Three shook her head and claimed she heard Five blacked out from his alcohol consumption and attempted to discredit his observation. "I did. And though it took me a while to remember exactly what I saw, I do remember," he admitted. "You and Dad made a deal. What did you agree to?"

Allison scoffed and rolled her eyes, acting like she had no idea what he was talking about. That's something any backstabber would say... Dusk held a hand behind her back, feeling a tiny ball of fire form. "Please tell me you're joking," The Rumor shook her head. "He's not," Victoria smirked. Allison looked at them like she was surprised to see them ganging up on her. She had nowhere to run, she was practically shoved into the corner.

"Answer the question," Five spoke nonchalantly. "You guys are out of your minds!" Allison responded. "You and Dad make a deal, now Luther is dead. Sounds like a setup if anything," Dusk snarled. A chuckle escaped Allison's lips as she recapped how Luther was killed by the guardian, saying that she couldn't have had anything to do with that. "What about Klaus? Tell me... DID YOU ARRANGE TO HAVE HIM KILLED?!" The phoenix shrieked, sounding similar to a banshee. The corners of her eyes ignited into flames. But as much as she wanted to make Allison hurt the way she hurt, her sliver of restraint stayed with her, keeping the monster in check.

"He didn't make it into the tunnel. I know you loved him, Dusk. But don't you dare put his death on me!" Allison shouted. Somehow during the sister's screaming match, Victoria, Viktor, and Five kept level heads and had to intervene before they were thrown off the task at hand. Number Seven and the redhead stood in front of the raven, telling her to lay off while Five gave Allison a word of advice. "You know, your deal is costing people their lives. If you care enough about this family, you should stop being a part of dad's schemes,"

Allison folded her arms across her chest. "Do you really think that I made a deal with Dad to kill Luther and Klaus? You're unbelievable!" The Rumor stormed past them and made her way back to the lobby while the rest of the group looked at one another. "Nice going, Five," Viktor said exasperated before he took off after Allison. Dusk and Victoria looked at each other before looking back to the time traveler.

"We should catch up with them. We need to stick together if we're gonna find the sigil," Victoria suggested. The Hargreeves twins nodded, and they walked back into the hallway calling out to Allison and Viktor. But as they walked towards the end of the corridor, they discovered that something was off. It was now blocked off by a wall and decorative tree. "Let's try the other one," Dusk turned around.

But it was no use, that hall had been blocked off too with a wall of paintings. "All right, so now the fun starts," Five muttered sarcastically. They stepped back into the hotel room and walked through another door connected to the room, finding themselves trapped on a different floor. The number right next to the door used to say Floor 3, but now it said, Floor 5. Is this hotel shifting? Dusk wondered, feeling nervousness grow in the pit of her stomach. And the longer they walked around, unable to find the way back, the more nervous she got.

"How are we gonna find the sigil and get back to the lobby if this place keeps taking us in different directions?" Dusk questioned, rubbing her black latex-covered arm. "I don't know. But we'll get back eventually. Maybe we'll run into-" Before Five could finish his sentence, he heard the sounds of other voices down the hall. As they turned the corner into the next hall, they saw Dahlia, Ben, and Sloane arguing in hushed whispers.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually glad to see you guys," Five called out as the three walked over to them. Sloane blinked a few times, trying to hide the fact she had been crying, and asked what was wrong. "The hotel is changing. We've been walking around in circles, but it's like this thing is alive," Victoria explained. "We need to get back to the lobby," Ben said, stating the obvious. "We tried it. Whatever direction we chose, we end up in the same spot or a dead end," Dusk shook her head.

Ben scoffed as he looked the Umbrellas up and down. "Well, maybe you three have no sense of direction." Five folded his arms across his chest as he glared back at him. "Then lead the way, Magellan," he resisted the urge to roll his eyes. With another scoff, Ben brushed past him as he led them down another hallway, hoping this time they would find the way out. 

~~~~~~~

Back in the lobby, Reginald continued to flip through his notebook, his eyes scanning all the notes and drawings he had written down over the years. Everything was going according to plan. But little did he know he was in for a big surprise. Klaus peeked out from the pillar corner, watching him for a moment. "Problem, Dad?" He spoke up, nearly scaring the life out of the old man. "Y- you!" His jaw could've dropped to the floor. 

"Aw, you missed me!" Klaus smirked, stepping completely into his view. Reginald claimed he couldn't get to Oblivion as there was no other way in, other than through the passage. "Well, here I am," the junkie stated. "I wish I could explore this more, my boy. But now isn't the best time!" the monocle was about to return his notebook when Klaus spoke the truth about what he had done.

"You used me to get the family here. I get it... but you used me! And when I was no more use to you, you leave me to die on the floor?" Reginald slammed his book closed as he stared at Klaus with shocked eyes. "Leave you to die? I did you a favor! I knew you'd find your way back to the Void where you belong!" Klaus contemplated life in the Void for a moment. It may have been fun at times, but without his family or his loving partner, it didn't seem worth being there.

"Why are you even here?" Reginald questioned. "Because you murdered Luther!" Klaus spoke through gritted teeth. The monocle defended his decision, saying that the killing was necessary and effective. Klaus knew his father had always been cold-hearted but hearing that jabbed him through the heart. If he killed Luther and killed him, who would be next on the chopping block? "Who's next? Viktor? Dusk? The entire family?!" He nearly shouted.

Reginald glared at him, annoyed by his consistent nitpicking. "Don't worry about your little girlfriend. I have special plans for her." Klaus's eyes widened instantly, there was no way he was going to let that happen, he tried to tear the couple apart numerous times, but this would be the final straw. "You aren't gonna touch her! If you do, you'll be sorry..." the junkie vowed. "Stop this at once! Everyone's in position and the battles about to begin. I am one bell away from my prize, and you're going to ruin everything!"

"Oh, if only I had a nickel for every time I heard that, I'd have a dollar! Which isn't that much money. But then again, there are dollar stores which are quite-" Before the junkie could finish his tangent, Reginald smacked him upside the head with a heavy decoration, sending him toppling to the ground and into unconsciousness. With the one thing in his way subdued, Reginald rang that cursed bell, sending the hotel into a series of shudders and gold lighting.

~~~~~~~~

The floor of the Hotel Oblivion bounced up and down, taking the group of Umbrellas and Sparrows by surprise. Dusk nearly toppled to the floor, but thanks to Sloane grabbing her hand just in time, she didn't make impact. "What was that?" Dahlia asked, looking around to see bright gold overheads filling the hallway with an unbearable amount of light. "Let's keep going," Ben inhaled.

With every step she took, Dusk glanced around, fearing that the guardian knew where they were and was preparing to attack at any given moment. And just as they turned into the next hall, her fear became reality. 15 feet away stood a tall metal figure with a mask covering his face, in one hand was a sword. He snarled at them, whipping his sword around a few times. "Really? A samurai?" Victoria squinted.

They all stared at him as the guardian pointed his sword and stepped back on his right foot, preparing for his attack. Sloane let out a growl of her own before charging toward the guardian, jumping over him as he tried to slice her. But the gravity girl was quick to use her powers, attempting to hurt him by pushing his armor into his body. But it did no good, as the guardian didn't even flinch. "Revenge looks good on her," Ben smirked.

"Just shut up and help us kill this damn thing!" Dusk glared, summoning two fireballs, her eyes glowing a mixture of orange and red. Dahlia, Victoria, and Five also grabbed their weapons and started attacking the guardian. The metal of Five's axe clanged against his armor and sword, and the longer the two handheld weapons tried to overpower one another, Five struggled to push forward and force the guardian back.

The battle continued into the laundry room, and none of the Hargreeves dared to back down until the guardian was dead. But as Dusk and Dahlia could feel their powers draining, they all hid behind a few washing machines. "You've hit him with your axe five times. He should be dead by now!" The Squid boy noted. "The armor. It's like hitting cement," Five explained. "There's a space between the backplates. We need to get behind him," Dahlia pointed out. 

Dusk poked her head out to see the guardian flinging his sword around, waiting for his targets to strike him. Still consumed with rage, Sloane darted out of her hiding spot, Dahlia following right behind, calling out to her to stop. But the moment the two Sparrows were out of hiding, the guardian threw small knives in their direction. One of his throwing knives struck Sloane in the arm. And as Dahlia was about to throw some of her sharpest icicles, the guardian's sword struck her in the left leg, her foot barely hanging on and dangled lifelessly.

While the metal beast was distracted, Five blinked behind him and tried to swing at the backplates with his axe, but the guardian elbowed him and knocked him to the ground. He towered above the time traveler, looking like he was going in for the kill. "HEY, UGLY!" Victoria stood on top of the washing machines, her hands glowing a bright green. With one swift movement, the guardian was flung to the other side of the room, hitting the electrical box and immediately setting the nearby laundry baskets ablaze.

 This was something unlike anyone had ever seen before. Dusk had never seen her best friend use her powers before. She was both in shock and awe. Victoria looked majestic. Angry but majestic. Five too was in awe of his girlfriend fighting to protect him. If they weren't in the same room with an aggressive monster, he would've run over and kissed her. The guardian got up from the ground and started charging toward the redhead. Before a moment before Victoria could prepare for another telekinetic move, Five swung at his back, the blade of the axe piercing the spot Dahlia had mentioned earlier.

The guardian lay dead on the ground, and everyone panted with relief and looked at the Bonnie and Clyde couple with surprise. "You have telekinesis?!" Dusk gaped. "I thought I told you I did, Dusky!" Victoria cocked her head and squinted. "Maybe you did. Whatever, that was badass!" the raven chuckled. Sloane got up from the ground, holding her bleeding arm. But Dahlia struggled to get up from the ground, gasping at the puddle of blood forming underneath her.

"Shit, Dahlia!" Ben and Sloane crouched next to her, doing their best to tend to her wound. Ben took off his jacket and tied it around her leg, trying to save her foot and stop the blood loss. But Dahlia groaned in pain the more she felt her lifeless appendage be finagled with. After the two Sparrows did their best to help Dahlia, the group headed back to the lobby, hoping to confront Reginald on what had just happened.

"Come on, this way!" Dusk gestured as they ran down the last hallway before entering the lobby, stunned to find someone waiting for them...

Klaus.

~~~~~~~

"Oh my god!" Dusk's hands went to her mouth as she ran towards her lover, wrapping herself as tightly around him as she could. "I missed you too, honey," He groaned, feeling blood drip down the back of his head. The raven pulled away, and without hesitation, she leaned forward and kissed him as the rest of the family entered the lobby, just as surprised to see Klaus.

"You guys look like hell," Viktor commented when he noticed his siblings covered in their own blood. "Why don't you try killing a guardian?" Five said. "We just did," Allison looked confused. "So did we," Ben spoke up. Dusk couldn't help but wonder. Is there more than one guardian in this place? Her thought was soon interrupted as Klaus explained how he managed to get to Oblivion after the Kugelblitz tore apart the hotel. 

"Yes, I'm alive and amazing despite Dad's attempt to bash my brains in, but tearful reunions later. What you guys need to know right now is that Dad killed Luther. And he locked me out of that tunnel and he rang that stupid bell!" Klaus pointed to the monocle as he stood near the revolving doors. Reginald had no remorse for her actions, and just his posture and smirk alone proved it. "What's your plan, old man?" Five questioned with annoyance.

His family followed right behind him, just as angry as he was. Reginald responded by saying they had no time for explanations and that he was getting close to resetting the universe. "You killed Luther!" Sloane shook with rage. "I had no choice. You refused to come together as a team!" Reginald defended. Everyone took their verbal jabs at the old man, confronting him about how he sent them into hell for his own selfish benefits.

"There were never eight bells or Norsemen. You brought us to die!" Dusk could feel fire burning her throat, wanting to end him right then and there. "That's not so. Somewhere in this hotel is the key to resetting the universe. We just need to find the sigil!" the old man insisted. "We don't care about your sigil! None of us do!" Dahlia spat.

"We barely survived that guardian with his stupid helmet and his sickle!" Diego exclaimed. Dusk and Viktor turned around at the mention of yet another guardian. "Our guardian had an axe," Number Seven said. "Ours had a sword," Sloane added. Diego and Lila looked at each other, both of them saying there was one more left.

Perplexed and unsure of where the last guardian could be, the Hargreeves all started talking over one another. But as Dusk tried to open her mouth and speak, the voices around her grew muffled and loud ringing filled her ears. What's going on? Suddenly the room went pitch black, and the conversations ceased. She had no idea what was happening. Was this just her or was everybody experiencing the same?

She felt herself stumbling in the darkness, trying to find a way out, but she stopped when she heard a bloodcurdling scream along with a thud. A brief flash showed someone lying on the ground and she ran towards it, and with another flash, she saw it was Five. His left arm was gone, and his body was slashed to pieces. "Five!" She gasped, feeling herself tear up at the sight of her dying twin.

She bent down and tried to help him, but as she reached her hand out, she was pulled back to reality and looked up to see Five staring down at the ground from the balcony. "Guys, I found the sigil! It's in the-" A loud shatter came from the ceiling, and before she could even comprehend what she was doing, Dusk's fiery wings ignited, and she flew to her brother's side. "LOOK OUT!" She screamed, pushing him out of the guardian's way.

But Dusk didn't realize that now that her brother was out of it's sight, it now had its eye on her. And as the guardian fell from the ceiling, she gasped sharply as pain flooded her body. She slowly looked down at the source of it all, and to her absolute horror...

She had been struck through the heart with a single stab.