The pale man with slick raven hair was pulling Max by the arm. His grape-colored eyes were glancing back at her with a wicked yearn.

Max followed, treading. Her curious eyes passed over unfamiliar corridors that seemed to grow emptier. Though she never spoke to the other inmates, she'd always felt they were a comfort: knowing that somebody else was nearby. Yet, now that comfort was gone.

The gentle smile of Dr. Crocus had long left, replaced with some form of wicked curiosity.

The pale man turned a sharp corner, yanking the girl by the arm. She winced and glanced at him to see if he'd noticed.

The two entered a passcode-locked door: a shiny control room with a window. Through the window was an empty room with a metal chair that looked anything but comfortable.

The Time Elemental released his iron grip on the girl and motioned for her to follow him. He put a few numbers into  another passcode and entered the chamber with the metal chair.

"Sit down Maximilian."

The girl sat down nonchalantly, though her lip trembled.

"What's this for?" She asked.

Dr. Crocus strapped the leather bonds against her wrists, then pulled them tight.

"Hey! What gives?" Max whined.

"You ask a lot of questions." Dr. Crocus grunted as he tightened the bonds, "Tell me what you've noticed on our way here."

"Well..." Max said, her voice was shaking, "The closer we got here the less people there were."

"Yes, and do you know why?" His wicked voice boomed over a beeping sound followed by whirring as he closed the door behind him. Max now sat, bonded to the metal chair in the center of the room; Dr. Crocus was on the other side of the glass.

"They left?" Max asked. She somewhat knew she was wrong, but she hoped she wasn't. The girl could tell something wasn't right with him, but this man, Dr. Crocus, had been with her since before she could remember. Thus she would do whatever he said until the end.

"They didn't leave." The man's voice now came over the intercom, echoing throughout the room. For a glimpse, Max saw Wilson standing behind the man with a frown more of apprehension than of anger. "They came to the room you are in, sat in that chair, and they never left."

"So I'm not leaving?" Max asked, her throat got tight and the corners of her eyes pricked with tears. Then a loud whirring sound occurred, the lights flickered as a gas filled the room, and the girl began to cough, thrashing in her restraints.

     "Where is she?!" Maya was becoming more frantic now as her and the taller boy ran through corridor after corridor.

"Th-there's nobody. N-no guards, no Ghost Elementals. A-are you sure this is..this is where they took her?"

"Yes! I saw her get in the truck. Varick said this is where she was going!"

"M-maybe he tricked you?"

"No! She's here." Maya snapped, then sighed, flushed with a sharp feeling of guilt. "Maybe we aren't in the right area..."

At that moment a loud hissing noise enveloped the hallway along with a rapid beeping.

At that moment, the Psychic broke into a cold sweat, heart dropping as green eyes met blue and red ones. The two sprinted down the hall and towards the unnerving sound.

Skidding to a stop at a passcode-locked door, Oliver lifted his hands as vines wrapped around the lock. The vines squeezed tight and electricity popped and crackled out at them, barely heard over the hissing.

The door opened and Maya threw it open, skidding into the control room only to lock eyes with a pale man who stood in shock at the sudden disturbance.

"What are you doing in here?!"

"Where is she?!" Maya's red eye beamed, huffing as her heart pounded in her chest. Oliver's gasp snapped the Psychic's attention away from the pale Time Elemental.

Yellow and grey eyes met red and blue through the smoke. Time slowed down. A fierce ringing enveloped Maya's ears and her head burned; her fingertips grew hot. 'Max'

In a flash of red, the second door was gone; nothing but rubble remained and two pairs of footsteps trampled it. They entered the room, covering their mouths as not to inhale the mystery gas.

Frantically, Maya gripped the leather restraints and they crumbled to dust.

'What's happening?' Max thought, her vision was fuzzy and her throat burned like fire. A harsh, high-pitched ringing had overtaken her head and her thrashing had ceased. The floor was a hazy grey, fading as inconsistent shadows danced in front of her watering eyes.

Max's heart pounded but it felt weaker than usual, and the air felt heavier, becoming harder to breathe. The girl closed her eyes for only a moment, but when she opened them again she gasped in fresh air.

Max gasped many times, sucking in the air she'd lost from her lungs. The black spots faded and dead grass came into view. Her head was hanging weakly as she sucked in air, her weak heart beginning to beat at a regular pace now.

"Breathe..Max..breathe." A comforting voice spoke.

The Ghost Elemental blinked away the tears in her eyes and looked up. In front of her were three figures. One of them stepped in front of the sun, blocking the rays from Max's eyes so she could see.

"Max?"

The girl was silent for a moment as she caught her breath and her eyes danced at the vivid picture in front of her.

A pink fairy with large translucent wings that glistened in the faded sun. But his wings: tattered and bandaged.

A lanky-looking boy with deep green eyes that held constant fear and uncertainty.

And a girl with long white hair, one red eye, and one blue eye. Tears trickled down her cheeks and she was clutching her side.

The figures standing before her seemed damaged. Bruises littered their arms and they all looked disheveled, with dark eyes and stringy hair.

Max childishly brought her arm up and placed a finger on Maya's nose.

"You have two different eyes." She said. "Like me."

Maya sniffed, gently placing Max's hand down in her lap. "Yeah." She said, "Yeah I do. Do you remember me? Do you remember us, Max? It-It's Maya."

"Maya." The girl said, tapping her chin, "Hmm..Mm-eye-ahhh..."

Taube couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle between shaky breaths, flicking his wings with uncertainty. Oliver glanced at him, swallowed, and reached over to hold the fairy's shaky hand.

"Y-you don't r-remember us, do you?" Oliver asked. Water crashed against the rocks of the shore as the four stood near the docks of Murk Island.

"Sorry. I..I don't." Max said, then forced a smile. "My name's Max."

"O-Oliver."

"...Taube.."

"No, Max. You know my name." Maya said, resting on her knees to be eye-level with the girl, "You know us!....unless..." she glanced back at the two and Oliver yanked his hand away from Taube's before she could see. "Unless-...Max, what are you scared of becoming most?"

"Geez, people really like asking that question. I'm scared of being dumb."

"Dumb?!" Maya exclaimed, "That wouldn't make you forget us!"

"Not just dumb." Max said, "There was another thing. A word that Dr. Crocus said. I'm also afraid of...forgefulness?"

"Forgetfulness?" Maya asked.

Max nodded.

Maya's breath hitched and she was silent for a moment, before a quiet sob escaped her lips.

"This is all my fault."