Puzzles

88 1 0
                                    

F - are you alright Mugman?
M - yeah, the rock must've been weak.
Be - we're gonna get you out okay.
M - alright
Boris was about to take out a rope when he felt something tug on him.
Bo - w-what the?
Be - you alright?
Bo - yeah, I just felt something tug on me.
Another tug brought Boris falling into the hole on top of Mugman.
Bo - wah!
Bo M - oof.
Bo - ow, you okay Mugs?
M - yeah.
Be - what happens?
Bo - I think it's the map.
Boris pulled out the map to find it glowing.
M - does it mean we're close?
Bo - maybe. I think we have to come down here.
Be - alright, throw the rope.
Boris threw the rope and the others climbed down.
Bo - let's keep moving.
Nodding, everyone followed Boris as the map glowed more and each step. Only the sound of walking shoes, dripping ceiling, and anxious breathes could be heard as the group walked on. The deeper they went, the darker it got, making it hard to see where they were stepping. As the Questers kept moving forward, the map glowed brighter, showing they were growing closer, Bendy began to think of what was to happen. An attack? What if there was a beast protecting the book? Or maybe a puzzle. Solve a riddle and the book is the reward. The more Bendy's mind wandered, the closer they got to possible death.
M - guys, I can't see anything. Do we have any flashlights?
Bo - yeah. We got the shake ones so we don't use batteries.
Grabbing the flashlights out of his bag, shaking each one, he tossed them a flashlight each and continued. Though the map glowed like the sun, it gave no light.
As the map glowed so bright, the Questers thought they had found it. But as they turned the corner, the map stopped glowing.
F - what happened?
M - why did the map stop glowing?
Bo - I don't know. I just turning the corner and it stopped.
Moving around, trying to get the map to glow again, Bendy pointed.
Be - that's an ominous door.
Looking in the direction he pointed, shining their flashlights, the others too, saw the door. A round wood door, like a hobbits but bigger, bigger than the Questers themselves. Adorned with stone and branches, with accents of gold and silver. Though it had been there for hundreds, may thousands of years, it was clean and polished, as if someone was here to tend to it.
Be - hey Boris, does the map say or show anything about a door? Or anything new at all?
Bo - um, well. The door in front of us is now revealed on the map, and there is a new riddle in the place of the other one. "Fill the door with taint, reveal the truth."
C - great. Another bloody riddle!
Bo - what does taint mean?
F - it's like an undesirable quality, or bad substance.
Be - ..............(whisper) ink.
M - did you say something Bendy?
Be - could it be ink?
F - it's the best guess we got. "Fill the door"............Bendy, let me see your hand.
Be - what do you need?
F - I'm gonna cut your palm and spread your blood on the door.
Bo - what?!
C - woah! Excuse me?!
F - if the answer is 'ink', then we would need his blood. It's tainted from the illness, so if we put it on the door, it might work. Sorry about your hand if it doesn't work.
Be - I'm willing to do anything to get rid of this illness.
Taking out a pocket, and taking a glove, Felix slit Bendy's hand, bringing him to the door, putting his bloody hand to it. Suddenly, a hole appeared, big enough for a hand. Looking at each other, Bendy put his hand in the hole, feeling something clamp onto it.
Be - ah!
F - what?
Be - something has got my hand!
Struggling to pull his hand back, and the others trying to help, there was a clicking coming from the door. Clicking and the sound of gears turning could be heard as the Questers tried to free Bendy. As the last gear turned and the last click clicked, Bendy's hand was freed, causing them to fall back from pulling him.
Everyone - wah!
Recovering from the fall, the Questers sat up looking at the door. One last click was heard as the door opened an inch.
C - guess that was the answer.
Be - well, what are we waiting for? Let's go.
F - hold on, let be bandage your hand.
Felix wrapped Bendy's hand in a spare cloth, tying it off to keep it in place.
F - We still need to be cautious.
M - yeah we don't know what's in there.
Nodding, Bendy opened the door slowly, checking for any threats. As they stepped inside, they were awestruck by the scene before them. In front of them was a library, but no ordinary library. Bookshelves were neatly organized with books and papers of old and new. The book shelves seemed to go on forever, both horizontally and vertically. Some bookshelves were even in a circle. Lanterns were strewn about the place, along with a few tables and chairs like people used to be here.
Bo - woah...
C - wow.
F - this place is majestic.
M - but, how do we find the book?
Be - we will just have to look around.
Walking in different directions, the Questers began searching. Bendy and Boris to the left, Mugman and Felix down the middle, a Cuphead to the right.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Bendy and Boris found an area and began searching. Boris knew this might take a while, so he was patient as the minutes turned into possible hours.
Sighing, having no luck, Boris sat down for a break. He watched as Bendy read the spines of the books, occasionally taking a glance inside, either with an interested expression, confused expression, or disgust. Boris chuckled, laughing at Bendy's different expressions.
As Boris began searching again, he heard Bendy.
Be - heh.
Bo - what's up? You find something interesting?
Be - no, just thoughts.
Bo - such as?
Be - what'll happen when we fix the Ink Machine.
Bo - well, everyone will be healed, and I think for us, we'll find a nice house and open a mechanic shop. We always wanted to do that, remember?
Be - yeah. Actually, off topic, when we were at Mickey's show, I think I heard stuff starting to fail.
Bo - really? That must've been what I was hearing.
Be - but, yeah, it would be nice to have a normal life.
Bo - will be, Bendy. We'll heal you, and everyone else, and have the life we've always wanted. But I'm not sure about Cups, Mugs, or Felix.
Be - I'm sure Felix will continue his adventures, and the dishes aren't our business.
Bo - well, they are and they aren't.
Be - I only allowed them on this quest because Cuphead "seemed" genuine, and he offered protection.
Bo - yeah, but everything will be fine. Right Bendy?
Be - yeah, we'll make it.
Smiling at each other, Bendy and Boris went back to searching.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

F - hey Mugman, I have a question.
M - yeah?
After Felix had joined the quest with Bendy, Boris, Cuphead, and Mugman, he had seen varying interaction between the brother pairs. He had thought that's just how they acted to each other as friends, but some events proved otherwise.
F - how did you and Cuphead meet Bendy and Boris?
Felix could see Mugman tense in his peripheral. Weird.
M - um, we met in middle school years. They were playing at a park and we asked if we could join. After that, we became friends.
As Mugman spoke, he sounded more sure of himself. But the tension and the pause told Fleix it wasn't true. Sometimes he would push for the truth, But Felix felt he shouldn't this time. He hummed in response, looking back at the books. After the Ink Illness broke out again, he has been trying to figure out why. All he knew was that hundreds,thousands of years ago, it broke out because someone was trying to take control, and that it killed thousands, maybe millions of people.
Felix shook off his thoughts, focusing on the problem at hand. As Felix brushed his hand over a few books, he pushed on one that stuck out a little and heard a click. A bit of worry rushed through him as he waited for something to happen.

Nothing

Hm

F - hey Mugman, try pushing in some of the books.
M - okay?
Looking at more book, a few minutes later, he heard the same click, waited, nothing.
F - guys!
Bo Be C - What?
They were at varying distances, but still could be heard.
F - try pushing in some of the books and listen for a click!
C - why?
Be - it might help us get to the book idiot!
F - start searching!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

As the Questers started pushing in books, searching for a click, one by one, each click could be heard.

Click Click
Click Click

At a total of 7, Mugman, Bendy, and Boris pushing in one more book each. One more click and a creak was heard from a distance. They walked towards the sound, and met at a door like the one they entered into the library, but smaller. Looking at each other, Bendy cautiously opened the door. As the door opened, they saw a pedestal with engravings of swirls, like magic. Around the pedestal on the walls were markings, pictures, a story. Boris breathes a wow, Mugman stepped in, Felix admired the walls, and Bendy looked at the pedestal. On top, almost floating, was the book. Though it had been locked away for ages, it looked pristine, untouched. Felix saw the book, staring in awe. Bendy and Boris looked at it and felt a wave of emotions.
Be - not to be a bother, but I don't feel like touching it.
Bo - same.
F - is something wrong?
Bo - it feels, familiar, but I don't know why.
M - I can grab it.
Bo - be careful Mugman.
Nodding, Mugman stepped up to the pedestal. He looked at it's design and lettering, reading

"The Illusion of Living"

Ignoring the pounding of his heart, Mugman grabbed either side of the book.


Darkness


BaB: tqftim - my continuation - rewrittenWhere stories live. Discover now