The Dark Dimension (Escape the Night season 5)

Chapter 6: a price to pay

"Does it hurt?" Jaiden asked, placing another bandage around Mark's arm to cover one of the deeper scratches inflicted by the plants: "It's better now, thanks...Will, are you ok?".

The rock musician had been walking back and forth since they had returned to the safe lounge with a troubled expression on his face: "We can't keep going like this!" he exclaimed, slumping on the sofa and rubbing his eyes: "If for every shard one of us has to die, we will all perish before we can even complete the mirror!".

Razz placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, choosing carefully his words: "Every time we tried to cheat the systems we get punished, you've already seen it with Or3o and Mark!".

Will got up and stood in the middle of the lounge, to make sure all the survivors could hear him: "Even if we play by the rules, Joey will always find a way to trick us! Take me for example, I won the challenge against Nihachu and yet he still cursed me! No matter what we do, he'll always be one step ahead us!".

"So what should we do?!" Wilbur asked with an accusing tone: "I don't know yet, but we have to do something to show that crazy and twisted psychopath we are not willing to become his puppets, as he calls us!".

Grabbing the journal from the table, he opened it on a new page, to find the next clue.

"I've always been interested in the structures of the Dark Dimension. They all seem to come from different places, different eras.
One of my favourites is the Greek arena, which is connected to the mansion through a path, just outside the west garden.
Needless to say, it also hold a curse of its own. A curse that brings wrath among those who enter.
To find the fourth shard, you must first free the keeper of the arena, who shall lead you to the location of the twin swords.
Then, two must be selected by vote to take part in the final death challenge.
Good luck, my fellow survivors".

"Ok, now we are dealing with Greek stuff! Amazing! Just like with the Maze!" Wilbur exclaimed, but it was clear that is excitement was used to mask his worry: "It says we need to find the keeper of the arena, but it doesn't say where we can find them...".

Seeing the demoralized looks on his friends' faces, Razz decided to step in once more: "We can't give up now, let's look near the west garden, see if we can at least find some clue to where this keeper resides!".

Tommy felt a hand on his shoulder; turning around, he saw Mark: "What you did back there in the back garden was good, you brought the mood of the group up again, but please, next time you do that, make sure Joey isn't nearby". Tommy slightly nodded, before glancing back at the group.

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The west garden was similar to the east garden, a white fence delimiting its perimeter and pots and vases full of "plants"
A tall, circular structure could be seen in the distance, looming above the rotting grass.

"Is that...?" Thomas murmured, pointing to the building: "Is that the arena?" "I think so, these is no other building around the west garden..." Wilbur answered, taking a peak at the landscape before him: "Ok, the journal said we need to find the keeper of the arena and free them so they can give us the twin swords. Any idea on where they could be?".

Razz moved away from the group and inspected a statue near one of the columns that held the balcony: it resembled a girl with short, messy hair, in a long dress, positioned as if she was protecting herself against someone who was about to attack her.

A silver plaque layer at the feet of the statue.
Razz called his other companies, who immediately approached him, and read the sentences on the plaque: "The keeper has been turned to stone by the corrupted Savant to prevent anyone from entering the Arena. To free her from her stone prison, find what has been stolen from her and place it back where it rightfully belongs".