Nirvana: They climbed the mountain until they came to a locked door with a key left in it.

Taking the key to the door, Serena turned the lock. One small 'click' and the door gaped ajar. Serena took that opportunity to glance in Dave's direction.

"Me first," she said in a whisper. With a frown he nodded to her.

Following Serena, he stepped through the threshold of the keep while he was careful enough to close the door behind him slowly, gently, and without much sound. Once safely inside, she motioned him closer, then started towards the bend of the first corridor.

A stone statue resided at the end, where the corridor broke away left and right.

"Let me," he implored her, not willing to take any chances. With a frown and a simple nod, Serena let him take point.

As he made his way closer to the statue, hisleft hand made its way into his pocket. Clutching the small vile of stone to flesh, he poured the vial's contents over the statue. Nothing happened. He had hoped would to life and maybe hopefully, gain an ally.

Left, or right? Surely, she'd go right. It made perfect sense after all. In most mazes one was supposed to keep one's hand on the right side of the wall at all times.

Serena had turned left. As they started walking toward the second bend of the second corridor, they heard a thud behind them. Glancing about as they paused mid-stride, Serena made her way against a wall. Looking back, they couldn't see anything coming but a slow, steady thud could be heard from that direction.

"In here," said an old voice off to the side, a wall opening up revealing a door.

May hap going inside wasn't a good decision. Serena, however, thought it was. As Serena stepped inside quickly, he followed, a tiny old woman pushing the door closed behind them both.

Inside the room, the old woman, Serena, and Dave stood. The room was like a small kitchen for the hired help. As Serena and Dave gawked about the room, the old woman made her way back to the wood burning stove to stir the pot on top it.

"You'll be needing to earn your keep around here, little darlings. I'm not feeding those of you intent on sneaking about this here keep for a day's work."

Quizzically Serena turned her eyes on him while he was doing much the same, only in Serena's direction. They didn't have much time to get information though. That thud was coming down the hallway still.