Game Set, Play (w|w version)

Separated part 2

They walked for thirty minutes. The light from the assumed nearly-set sun illuminated nothing but sand. Gwen complained at some point about it but took back her complaint when Liz reminded her that it also meant no one to kill them nor any dead bodies. They tried to find a good conversation topic to keep themselves busy but none of them lasted longer than two minutes. Neither one brought up Alex, Peter, Rose or Sam. Talking about them only made Gwen and Liz worry about them more. 

The two of them heard sounds similar to fireworks. They turned to their right looking up. They saw a few white fireworks set off in the sky.
Liz commented more to herself than to Gwen, "Why are they all white? I love the green and purple ones."
"Maybe it's Rose."
"Can she even make those?"
"I don't know but it's worth checking out."
"Let's go then. If fireworks are involved, whatever we find can't be that bad."
They quickened their walking speed in the direction from where they had seen the fireworks take off. They were hoping that it was Rose and the others but neither Gwen nor Liz let their hopes get too high. They both knew that anything could be waiting for them.
Trying to keep the mood light, Liz asked, "If it's Rose, do you think you can get her to make me green and purple fireworks?"
Gwen explained, "She can't do colours. Anytime you've seen her make a non-white ball of light, it was me."
"Ya? That's cool. So you've been fusing your abilities the whole time. Can you alter the colour of other stuff?"
"Like what?"
"Like if I buy a great top but I don't like the colour, could you change it?"
"For about ten seconds, yes. Permanently, no."
"That's a shame."
The conversation stopped there. They focused their attention on any potential signs alerting them to what lay ahead. They kept walking eager to find the source of the fireworks.

Within ten minutes, they saw a water fountain in the distance. They sped up towards it. It had a large circular flat stone bottom with a figure carved out of stone standing in the middle of it. The figure had thin arms and legs, and a large body attached to a set of wings and a small head. It spewed water from its open mouth.
Liz said, "That's bizarre."
"Do you think it's safe to drink from?" asked Gwen anticipating the taste of water.
"In any other situation, I'd say no but it's possible whoever brought us here would rather see us die fighting than from dehydration."
As they were close enough to touch the fountain, they smelled the freshness of the liquid.
Liz said, "If we only take a bit, we'll probably be ok even if it's not good."
As they both extended their arms to collect water into their hands, they were pulled through the fountain.

*

Gwen and Liz regained consciousness in separate chairs with their hands tied with rope behind their backs. The chairs were wooden and had carvings of bird wings around its edges. The two of them were in a large circular room. There was a bed covered with a ruby-red duvet to their right, and a carpet at their feet which matched the duvet's colour and had one end leading to a view of the desert. To their left were similar chairs and several dishes of food on a cherry wood table, which matched the style of the chairs. Beside the kitchen furniture was a man wearing a purple tuxedo made of wool. He had short brown hair and was a little less than six feet tall. He wore a nearly see-through collar around his neck, which quickly blinked blue light when he spoke.
"Good, you're awake. I was afraid that my golem had killed you." The movements of his mouth didn't match the words that he spoke. His eyes fixed behind them when he finished talking.
Gwen and Liz turned their heads and saw the form of a creature. They felt as though they were staring at a three-dimensional shadow of a half-human and half-something that they couldn't describe.
The man continued, "Forgive me for any discomfort from the chairs. I considered tying you to the bed but I did not want to give you the wrong impression."
Liz snapped, "Since you've taken us and tied us up, I doubt your intentions are good."
"Yes, you are quite right. However, I do require you to be alive for the next while. How else can I guarantee luring your friends here?"
Liz lied, "What friends? It's just the two of us."
"Do not bother. I have been all over this... game land. I have seen the three starting territories and the other players. Not all of them but I am aware of most of them. I know almost everything going on here... except who is behind this."
Liz added, "Or how to get out."
"Yes, that is true. If I had the full extent of my skills available to me, I would have left this territory the second I had arrived. Whoever created this succeeded at limiting them. It is not as if I want to kidnap you or harm anyone here. It does however seem to be the only way out. After my experiences here, I believe that being the last one alive will allow me to leave. That is why I created my golem."
"Do you know for certain our friends are okay?" asked Gwen.
"Yes, your two friends are well. They are slowly making their way out of the forest and should arrive soon."
Liz looked at Gwen and signalled Gwen with her head to read her mind.
Liz thought, - Two of them? Do you think the other two are dead or he doesn't know about them?
- It's more likely he doesn't know about them. We haven't been here long enough for him to know as much as he thinks he does. Which two do you think he's talking about?
- I hope one of them is Peter. Too bad we can't ask him. He'll suspect there are more. It would be best if the four of them show up together and surprise him.
- How are they going to surprise him? We never suspected the fountain was a trap. What are the chances they will?
- We have to hope for the best. I'd really like to know where we are. Other than the tied up part, this place is cool.
"Since you're keeping us alive until our two friends show up, do you mind letting us know where we are?" asked Liz.
The man smiled showing his light green teeth. "I would be glad to tell you. Not many experience this with me. This is my pocket reality. I do mean one hundred percent mine. I created it along with everything in it. It is how I travel safely back home. In between cities, you never know what you will get: bad weather, thieves, lack of food. Therefore, I live here. Nothing can get in without my allowing it. It's like a large bubble to fit everything I need and no one can see it. If someone or something touches it, they bounce off it. I control everything in here. For example, your view there." In front of Gwen and Liz, the desert view disappeared and was replaced by a wooden wall. Four seconds later, the view of the desert returned. "I prefer to keep an eye out on my surroundings in the real world."
"That's pretty cool." Liz didn't want to compliment the one that might kill her but couldn't help but be amazed by his abilities. "That explains why the air smells different."
"Yes," replied the man, "there is something odd about the air out there. It seems to weaken many species including mine. I removed that component."
"If you've been everywhere, why don't you teleport to our friends now and trap them?" asked Gwen. The only way to discover whether or not they stood a chance at surviving was to regroup as soon as possible.
"Teleport? I cannot teleport. Back home, my skills allow me to enter any city I know when exiting my pocket reality. However, I must already know it. Despite my no longer being able to do that here, I managed to visit the territories and lurk around listening to the conversations of others. That is how I know of your connection to the others. I also overheard your own conversations."
"Did you send the shape-shifter after us?" asked Liz angrily.
"Shape-shifter?... The one who changes forms? No. I only use my golem. My golem did however take care of your... shape-shifter." The man looked at Gwen and Liz as though he was regretting his future actions. "Are you hungry? Thirsty? I guarantee that everything is real and safe. I only want to return home. If I knew a way that did not involve harming anyone, I would take it."
"What makes you so sure killing everyone is what sets you free?" asked Liz.
"In one of my attempts to leave, I found myself in a dark place. I could not discern much except a few tents. I heard the same voice from the cage. It told me to leave and only return after ridding this land of its contestants."
Liz wanted to reply but didn't know what to say. She doubted that the man was lying and his experience made it harder to convince him that letting them go was the better option.
The man added, "I'm willing to have my golem untie you. I believe that one of you can bring down lightning bolts. Please, do not attempt to do so in here. If you were to succeed at contacting the sky, you would most likely kill us all."
Hoping to get more information out of him, Liz replied, "Why should I let that stop me? You want to kill us anyway."
"Yes, that is correct, however, for the moment, you are safe. When your friends arrive, whatever may happen will be. My golem will only untie you if you agree to that term."
Liz agreed to not use her ability until her friends arrived. She felt that it was better to control herself than to fight him right away. It would also be easier to fight him without her hands tied. When the golem untied them, Gwen and Liz went to sit at the table with the man.