"What the hell is this?!" Screamed a baffled Melinda from the confines of a very very tiny bottle. 

"Eep! So tight!" Screamed Esther in response.

"Oh, I see you've finally come out of your madness," Said Roland. "It seems like my spell helped with that too."

Melinda stared as best she could through the glassy exterior of her prison. Her vision was still a little foggy following the dart incident, but she had enough sense to recognize a containment spell when one happened. She looked down into the smug face of Roland and gave as best a sneer she could. 

"So you've decided to double cross us eh? Typical mages."

Roland's face shifted to an intense frown. "Typical?! Typical?!!!! TYPICAL?!!!!!!" 

Tension lines formed across his face, and all the blood seemed to rush to that general area.

"You. Two. You have to be the MOST insufferable party I've ever had to work with in my entire career as a mage!!" 

Even Melinda was bit taken aback by this sudden outburst. She didn't even know the meek merman had it in him to spit out mild bile. But she stayed silent and listened as he paced back and forth.

"Between relentlessly ignoring all my advice and suffering (which I must add, was brought upon by YOUR actions) and leading us into endless dangers; I don't know which to choose for the more obnoxious crime. Never mind continuing to lead us through this godforsaken den of annoyance while the voices wax obnoxiously in my mind."

That was new. Roland had been hearing voices? Melinda couldn't remember if he ever talked about that. Maybe he had, but it seemed to her he was just muttering to himself a lot as time went on. 

"But it ends here and now! I intend to make my case to Cylla directly! She'll tell me everything I want to know about how this accursed place works and give me to knowledge to harness these worlds of madness."

"...What," Was all that could escape Melinda's lips for a while. "Are sure I didn't hit you with my hammer?"

"Oh ho ho! I assure you my dear, this is no jest. I've been wracking my brain for hours on the logic behind all this. Why haven't we been torn to bits and shreds in light of all the dangers and traps. This place is alive, and it wants us alive for its own sick amusement."

"That doesn't seem right." Replied Eshter.

"SHUT UP!" Roland shouted as he rattled Esther's bottle violently. 

"What would a duo of ignoramuses know about the dark arts of magic?! Nothing is what! But that's fine! Where you fail as mages, you'll succeed as sacrifices to Cylla! Yohohohohoho!!!"

"... You've been drinking freshwater again haven't you?" Said Melinda. 

"SHUT THE EVER-LOVING H.F.I.L UP!!! You're not taking this victory from me, you hear! You hear! Nothing can stop me now! Nothing!"

Something then proceeded to stop him. 

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