Gardens, cliffs, rooms, attics, corridors, beaches, mazes, lobbies, groves, roots, forests, mines - the two singers had traveled to a variety of rooms on their search so far. Yet, it was only in the catacombs that they realized something very important.
* * *
"Three coins of Inspiration? Amazing!" Grace exclaimed, holding the golden tokens between her fingers. "Too bad they left their safe open. Looks like finders keepers here."
Mia was too distracted on a certain painting to notice. "Yeah, that's...good," she said absentmindedly. Grace followed her gaze and gasped in shock at what she saw. A painted forest of tall palm trees and hills, rich golden soil, a sun setting behind the mountains, its leftover light barely visible past the clouds, soft sunshine illuminating every pocked space between the greenery - ruined. A deep, long scratch tore straight through its middle.
"Who would...?"
"No, no, no," Mia panicked. "How could I not have noticed?"
"What's going on?" Grace cried.
"Listen, Grace. The countdown has started. This is the last strike. One more move, and we're dead. Even if we fix the painting...that will find us."
"...Dead?"
"That will catch us. And we have not found the members - your love potion - yet."
"That?"
"A creature, that has cornered us in the catacombs. Almost every time, in these corridors. It's almost become an old tradition between us."
Grace stepped back to look around the room, but Mia quickly pulled her back.
"No! Don't leave yet," she hissed. "Pass over the coin." Grace obediently held out her hand, and Mia took a coin of Inspiration, throwing it to the painting. The artwork swallowed it whole, and self-repaired the damage right in front of their eyes.
"I can't stand to see...someone destroy these paintings," Mia sighed. "Now, Grace, where should we go? The walls are about to collapse in on us - our destination has no meaning now. We were not fast enough." She stomped her foot in frustration. "Every time...every time."
Grace looked around nervously. "If it doesn't matter...we can continue exploring? Down into this trapdoor?"
Mia gave her a sad smile. "Sure...let's "explore" this passageway. But know that you will not be able to see the other room."
Before Grace could think about her words, they were descending the ladder into the lower floor. But there was no lower floor.
The walls collapsed. For a moment, Grace could see it all, and then she could see nothing more.
* * *
"Professor...Sheldrake's...room," Grace groaned. Sure enough, they were back in the beginning, with the chairs and sofas, papers and paintings, and the little fireplace. "I see what you mean by a never-ending time loop."
Mia wasn't paying attention to her again. Instead, she was more focused on the man casually sitting on the royal sofa in front of them.
"B-BF?" she asked, staring at the figure, the man frozen like a deer in headlights.
"Mia? How did you...what are you...what are you doing here?" he questioned, his mouth agape. Grace could tell this was going to take a while, so she took a seat on the opposing chair. She enjoyed the freedom of escaping the maze. Though not in the way she would of expected.
"Uh...the B.H.BF.D.M.G. sent me. Golden has a love potion? And he's here? And we need one. A love potion, I mean."
BF sat up straight. "Golden's here? And the rest of the gang too?"
"I don't know, but I think him and Dico are searching for-"
"Dang it!" BF jumped up from his place on the sofa. "I need to keep moving. I don't want to be found already."
"Just tell us where Golden is! And we'll collect that love potion."
BF was already striding towards the labyrinth's painted entrance. He paused.
"I have one," he said.
"You do?" Grace practically shouted, getting up as well. "Give it to us!"
"Yeah, here." He took his own knapsack (since when did he have one?) and pulled out a glass bottle similar to a tunneled vase, filled about halfway with bubbly, pinkish-red liquid, tossing it to Mia. The demon caught it easily with one hand.
"See you never," BF grumbled, fizzling away through the painting.
The two remaining stayed silent for a moment.
"Well? We got what we wanted, let's go!" Grace cheered. "Tomorrow night's performance, you better be ready."
"For our duet?" Mia smirked. "You're not the only one here who can hit the high notes." She let Grace travel through the mirror first before she followed suit. The steps leading outside to the real outdoors, actual fresh air and warm sunlight, were right in front of Grace. She felt like running up right that minute, not feeling safe anywhere near the labyrinth. Mia noticed her giddy expression.
"Let's go."
With that confirmation, Grace broke into a run, and Mia walked after with a chuckle, her heels clicking on the blank, dematerialized floor.