Living in a Frog World (Amphibia AU)

Into the Labyrinth, Frank went again. Passing the point where he had met Tartarus, the boy continued into the maze. He was still very afraid but tried to use that fear to fuel his drive to reunite with Anne and his friends. Just as he was scared of losing them, he was afraid of never seeing them again. So he pressed on.

It didn't take him long to come across the Dandy Lion family. The cannibal family looked at Frank with hungry, vicious eyes. They were laughing and cackling.

Frank, however, tried to stay calm. Last time, he killed Martha to save Polly. Then he killed Teddy and their kids to save the others from being cooked. Remembering what was at stake, Frank acted quickly.

Martha rushed at him first, but Frank dodged her ax that swung for his head. He then stabbed her in the head. In an instant, the woman turned into a puff of smoke. The other three rush at him, but Frank quickly dispatched them with ease.

"Whose next?" Frank growled.

Next was that creepy Barry frog that put the curse on Anne. After him, it was Tritonio, then he made quick work of Gary and his minions. Then, Sasha, whom he had to fight one more time with nothing but his knife. But somehow, using quick moves and avoiding her sword, he was able to stab her in the heart. It was very cathartic.

It didn't end with her, though. Frank faced all of his greatest foes in battles where his life and the lives of his friends were at stake. Every time he ran into a dead end, he was faced with his past. From the out-of-control machine in the Ruins of Despair to the giant hornets in Grime's cake.

But there were enemies he couldn't defeat again. One of them was the Titan Turtle. He didn't run from the zombie turtle, even though he remembered the nightmare he had. He couldn't kill it, so he restarted from the beginning.

Each time he died, Frank pushed down his fear and rushed back into the maze. And he did this over and over again, even though there were no more enemies from his past to face. He was clearing the way to reach the end of his first trial.

When he made it to the end of the first half of the maze, Frank came to a stop, not because of a dead end, but because of a door. It was a simple wooden door with no decorations or anything to make it stand out.

"You dared to face your enemies for a second time. You won the fight because you feared for the lives of your loved ones. But what would happen…when they turn on you?"

"Huh?" Frank looked around for Teshin, confused by what he said. "What do you mean? They're my friends. They wouldn't turn on me. Sasha, maybe, but Anne and the Plantars? Never!"

Teshin didn't respond.

Frank nearly jumped when he heard loud clicking and the grinding of gears. The door slowly opened for him, allowing him to walk into the second half of the maze.

Once again, Teshin's words eroded his resolve. His mind doubted and wondered what he meant. Surely he couldn't mean he had to fight his girlfriend. He could never do anything to actively hurt Anne. Not her or the Plantars. Though mad at Marcy for dating Sasha, Frank still considered her a friend. Sasha was his only chance to clear his name so that he wouldn't hurt her. Grime…

… Eh, the less he thought about him, the better.

Whatever challenge was ahead, Frank knew he could face it. After everything he had been through, he was confident there was nothing the Labyrinth could throw at him that he couldn't handle. There was nothing he wasn't prepared for.

At least, that's what he told himself.

Wanting to get this trial over with, he stepped into the second half of the maze.

With his knife ready, he kept walking, staying alert for the next attack. Waiting for someone to try to murder him again.

He waited with each turn.

Waited when he came upon an intersection.

Waited when he walked into his first dead end and had to turn back.

He waited...but nothing came.

Five minutes had already passed, and there wasn't the slightest hint of him being attacked or in danger. He felt safe. It was a feeling Frank had almost forgotten.

"Did you hear what happened?"

When he heard the voice echoing in the Labyrinth, Frank gasped and looked down the hallway where it was coming from. Who was that? They didn't sound like Anne or the others, but they sounded… familiar.

"Hello?" Frank called out. For a moment, he hesitated to follow. But he swallowed the fear and took a deep breath. Frank was ready to move forward.

Frank told himself the maze was just playing tricks on him. There's no way anyone else is down there.

"I'm glad he's gone."

Frank paused when he heard that. The voice was hard to understand and different from the first, but there was something familiar about it.

"Knew there was something off about that kid. Bet his parents are relieved to have him gone."

"Mr. Butcher?" Frank asked, confused. Butcher was the local flour merchant and a friend of Grandpa Teddy. Who could he have been talking about?

"I wouldn't be surprised if Teddy took his own life because of his rotten grandson."

"Hey!" Frank yelled at the voice, even if it was someone talking. "You don't get to…what the fuck?"

When he turned the left-hand corner, the Hispanic boy was beyond shocked.

He was back at Saint James Middle School. Frank didn't remember how he ended up there again, but somehow he found himself at his old school. The walls were now a faded cream, and there were doors on both sides of the hallway. None of the doors had room numbers on them. There were no posters or ceiling, even though the same rectangular lights hummed overhead.

It even had the same smell he remembered from Saint James Middle School.

There was still the red fog that covered the floor.

"Wow," Frank said in awe as he walked into the school. How long had it been since he'd been here? At least a year, for sure. It felt so nostalgic to be back… yet also sad.

Why did it make him feel sad? Was it because he couldn't remember where anything was anymore? Was it the fact that he might never see this place again? Or that everyone would always see him as a criminal if he went back?

He couldn't think about that now. Frank shook his head and said, remembering that he still had to get home before worrying about all that. The sooner he got out of the temple, the better.

"I hope never to see him again."

Frank shook his head. No matter what the maze made him hear, he wasn't going to let it distract him. What was distracting him was how the school's hallways were not like a maze. Frank actually started to remember where he was going.

"If I just go… this way, I should be at the exit…." Frank trailed off, however, when something began to happen.

From the fog, a ghostly figure emerged. There was no color to her except red, but just from her features and outline, Frank's eyes widened when he realized it was a girl from his old school, Gabby Williams.

"OMG, did you hear what happened to Frank Ramirez and the girls?" she asked two other girls.

"I know, right? It's creepy that they disappeared with that boy," one girl exclaimed.

"Yeah, I just know that loser is keeping them locked up. He's dangerous. Good thing Maggie's father pushed to keep him out."

That's right, Frank remembered now. Maggie's father was the superintendent who got him suspended because he was too dangerous to be around normal kids.

"But poor Anne, Sasha, and Marcy…I hope they find him and shoot him."

It hurt to hear Gabby say that, but Frank shook his head. This wasn't real; it had to be a trap in the maze. Gabby wasn't that kind of girl. She'd never say that about him.

"I'm not falling for this," he said, walking past the figures.

Further into the school, Frank ran past the Principal's office. From inside, he heard another voice. When he couldn't understand what was being said, he pressed his ear to the door. He could clearly hear Principal Murphy.

"How much longer do I have to keep up this charade? You told me that Frank Ramirez would be out of my school in no time!"

Frank's eyes widened, but he listened further.

"Listen, it's bad enough that the school is on the news because of one of ours, but do I really have to keep being nice to him? ... Yes, I know that Frank's a student, but the sooner I stay away from him, the better I'll feel about doing anything else."

"No…No!" Frank said, shaking his head as he pushed himself away. "Principal Murphy doesn't think of me like that. She was…She was one of the few people who believed me."

Frank turned away and walked away from the door. He heard more voices around him—voices he recognized. Voices he'd heard from teachers and classmates. They were all talking about him. None of it was good.

How do you even tune out these voices? They're like echoes in his head. He didn't care. He shouldn't be caring. Why would he care?

The next turn he took marked the end of his journey through the school. The humming lights stopped. The smell disappeared. But the fog remained. He was back in the maze again. If he ever left it. For all he knew, the labyrinth was always Amphibia, and Amphibia was always the maze. It just decided to stop hiding behind an illusion.

"No, stop it, Frank. You're thinking like a crazy person."

"I'll tell you what's crazy: Letting that monster stay in town."

Frank stopped and looked around. Was that the guy who dragonflies were always carrying?

"Tell me about it."

"Mr. Flower?" Frank asked, walking into the turn that it came from.

"With him gone, I can rest easy."

Turning the corner, Frank was stunned. Whatever was powering the maze knew no limits. He saw it when he fell back into the lake of snakes, when the labyrinth summoned his worst enemies, and when it transported him back to Saint James Middle School.

Now, he was back at Wartwood's town square. The streets were empty. The sky was dark, like a starless night, with the only sources of light coming from the lit lanterns outside and inside the homes and shops.

Frank walked toward the fountain and sat on the edge. He sighed, exhausted from walking all night. Or was it daytime? Whatever, he was so tired. He took off his sandals and started rubbing and massaging his feet.

Rubbing his eyes, he looked around as the fog rose again. It seemed to envelop the town's residents.

"Alright," Frank said, knowing what was coming. He tried to steel himself for whatever the temple had for him.

"Ivy, I told you not to go near that human," said Felicia to her daughter. "He's dangerous."

"Mom, you don't think I know that?" Ivy asked. "I'm more worried about Sprig. Being around him can't be healthy. You saw what he did to the love doves—what if he turned on them?"

Frank frowned more. That wasn't what Ivy really thought of him. Was it?

"Just... Just wait a little longer. Once Frank goes home, we can all breathe easily."

"Good."

Frank shook his head. This isn't what they were expecting. He put his sandal back on and prepared to leave.

"I've never been more embarrassed in my life!" The boy stopped and looked at the figure to his left. The voice that revealed it was Wally. "He did nothing to prevent Anne from revealing my secret life. I invited them into my family's home, and they outed me in front of my father. I can't wait for him to be out of my life.

"You said it," Mrs Croaker said. "I can't stand being around that outsider. More trouble had come to our village because of those humans than ever."

"But I did try and—" Frank stopped himself. "No, don't let them get to you."

"I tell you, Toadie, I'm not gonna miss that Ramirez," Toadstool's voice said to Frank's right.

"Why didn't you just chase him out? Keep Anne and get rid of the boy?"

"Well, after he did nothing but cause trouble—"

"Alright, that's it," Frank said, waving his hands all over the figures to make them disappear. "These are my friends. They wouldn't say this stuff about me behind my back."

"The kid's a loser," Indy's voice said. "How anyone wants to be around him is a mystery."

"Yeah, you said it," Rivet said.

"What's the point of all this?" Frank yelled, walking faster. Finally leaving the village behind, he returned to the maze.

Back in the Labyrinth, he let out a shaky breath and resumed moving, trying to find his way. His arms crossed, he looked around nervously. He was more uncertain about what he might encounter next and who he might hear.

"This isn't real," he said, looking down. "They don't think about me like that…right?"

That was the big question. For the four months he'd been in Wartwood, he'd made friends with everyone he could. They might have seen him and Anne as monsters and weirdos at first, but that perception of them changed.

Had it?

He was there to help each of them. He helped Mr. Flour and Mrs. Croaker when Anne wanted to make a pizza. They protected Loggle. They helped Stumpy's diner revive itself. He defended the town when Tartarus tried to kill them and when Sasha and the toads kidnapped everyone to eliminate Hop Pop.

What he heard wasn't what they truly thought of him, right? Why was he doubting it? There shouldn't be anything to question. They were his friends, and they loved him.

Right?

No matter how much it hurt hearing what those voices said, Frank told him that they weren't real. It was all the temple trying to break his will. After all this time, surely they wouldn't think he was still a monster. He wasn't dangerous to them. He would never actively hurt them or kill them. They knew that.

Right?

"Knock it off!" Frank yelled, hitting his head and shutting his eyes tightly. "This isn't real. None of it is real."

He felt the cool air warming up, and his steps didn't sound the same as they would on stone.

Noticing this, Frank looked around, only to find himself in a room. There was once again a ceiling, and the floor was still covered in the red fog. At first, the boy didn't recognize this place, but it all sank in after a few more glances.

"Is...is this...my parents' apartment...?"

Although Frank had only lived there for a week, he had no fond memories of the place. He remembered how his parents either ignored him or gave him disappointed looks.

As he absorbed those feelings, he heard muffled voices from the kitchen. Curious but cautious, he stepped closer and listened.

Then, to his shock, he recognized his parents' voices from the other side. They were talking to two different people.

"I'm so happy for you two," his father's voice said. "Having Anne back must be amazing."

"It is," said a different, accented voice. Anne's father. "We didn't believe it when she appeared at our doorstep, but you can't imagine how happy we are."

"I can't imagine that feeling. I wish I knew what it's like," said Frank's mother. Her son smiled. She'll definitely know that feeling when he comes home.

"So, how do you feel about all of this?" Anne's mom asked. "Knowing that your son's still lost and you'll never see him again?"

There was a brief pause that troubled Frank. Was she trying to hold back tears? Trying to keep it together in front of the others? That's got to be what was happening.

"Honestly? I'm relieved," his mother replied. "With that little brat gone, I feel like I got rid of a huge weight off my back."

"Oh, I can agree with you on that," Mrs. Boonchuy said, laughing with disdain. "When Anne said that she'd dated him in Amphibia, I couldn't believe my ears that she would settle for less."

"Yeah, no daughter of mine is falling in love with a criminal," said Mr. Boonchuy. "Good thing he's never coming back, right?"

"After what he had caused us, he deserves it," Miguel said, hitting the table. "We wouldn't be stuck in this hole if it weren't for him."

"Good riddance," said Isabel in a hateful voice. "I didn't want that stupid kid anyway. If I see his face again, I'll throw him back in jail for life."

"Good thing I sold all of his possessions, including his dog. Hey, how about we have a kid we actually want?"

"Yes. Now that our mistake is gone, we can finally be happy."

Frank stopped listening. He couldn't listen anymore. Everything around him became a blur. This wasn't right. It couldn't be real. If it wasn't, why did it all seem so real? And that's what made it hurt even more.

Panting as he clutched his chest, Frank stepped back from the kitchen with a look of complete horror on his face. What he felt was indescribable—hearing his parents say such terrible things. Was that what they really thought of him? Did they really hate him so much that they were happy he's gone? Perhaps... he was truly a burden and an embarrassment to them.

"No…they wouldn't say that…" he said, his voice breaking as his hands came up to his head.

He didn't want to be there anymore. So, he ran out the door.

Back in the maze, Frank didn't bother walking carefully or paying attention to where he was going. Even when he ran into a dead end, he would push against the wall and try to make something happen. Why? Desperation. Eventually, he would turn back and try a different route.

"They wouldn't say that…" he repeated to himself, desperately wanting to believe it. He didn't know how long he'd been running, but the more he ran, the louder the new voices became about him. Frank tried ignoring them. "They wouldn't!"

He just needed to get out of there.

Suddenly, after making a left turn, he accidentally bumped into something, causing him to fall back. The boy groaned in pain and put his hand on his head to stop the dizziness.

Frank looked up and gasped. The door to his grandmother's show was before his eyes. However, the sign was down, it had been boarded up, and everything inside was gone.

Frank shook his head in disbelief. He began to pant as he stood up. "Wha…"

"Teddy, mi amor. I tried."

"Grandma?" Frank looked around, desperate to find her figure when it rose from the fog. But he saw nothing.

"I tried to hold on for as long as I could. But without Frank…I just couldn't hold on."

Frank shook his head and grabbed at the board. He desperately pulled with all his might.

"Frank promised to be there…but when he abandoned me, everything fell apart. So did I…"

"No, abuela! I didn't abandon you!" Frank yelled, yanking the board off and going for the next one. "I'm coming!"

"Without him…Why did he leave?"

"I…I'm sorry! I should've been there! But I'm here now!"

"When I fell…there was no one."

Frank's heart stopped dead, his eyes wide with horror. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had never imagined that his absence could have caused...this.

"I was alone, crying for help. But it was hopeless."

Shaking his head, Frank pulled the second board off. "I-It's not," he yelled, tears forming in his eyes as he grew more desperate. "I'm coming, Grandma! Please, just hang on!"

"It's no use…"

Frank's eyes widen. "No."

"I'm done fighting. I don't want to be alone."

"No!"

"I'm coming, Teddy."

"NOOOO!" Frank screamed as he yanked the last board. Then, he rammed and shattered the glass door.

He fell onto the maze floor. The fog cleared from him as he landed, but it quickly engulfed him again.

Frank then started to pant heavily from the stress, trying not to sob. He closed his eyes as he pressed his head against the floor. "This isn't real...this isn't real," he told himself, but he no longer believed it. "It's just the temple messing with my head. I know this isn't real. I-It just can't!"

He didn't move. He didn't try to get up. He didn't know where he was in the maze. He didn't want to. There was no end to it.

"You must be really excited to go home, Anne." Frank heard the voice of Sprig. He didn't get up.

"Hell yeah!" said Anne. "It's hard to believe that it's happening."

"So, Anne," Polly said. "What's the first thing you're going to do when you get home?"

"Me? Dump Frank's ass."

"Whoa," Sprig said, sounding surprised. "I didn't think you were serious."

"What? It's not like I actually loved him. It was all just an act to get me home," Anne said in a cold voice. "Not like he's gonna make it that far. Sasha, Marcy, and I are gonna…you know, kick him off before we get to Newtopia."

"Heh, I don't blame you," Hop Pop said. "Can't believe I actually considered him my grandson."

"Or my brother," Sprig muttered.

"Well, I say thank Frog!" Polly's voice said. "Every time he touched me with those long, eeky fingers, I wanted to die. I'm just glad that I'll never have to think about this again."

"No kidding. All that time kissing and cuddling with him made me want to vomit," said Anne. "If you ask me, the guy's a loser. He's a waste of space who doesn't deserve love. I just want to get rid of him."

That was the final straw for Frank as he sobbed uncontrollably. It did it. He was finally admitting defeat. His wails of agony echoed across the maze. A decoration that the temple had finally broken him. It had broken him during the first test when he died so many times. And now, it had broken him again by turning all of his family, friends, and his beloved girlfriend against him.

This wasn't a test. It was torture. It was beyond cruelty. Frank didn't ask for any of this. Why would anyone want this?

When his throat finally became hoarse from screaming and sobbing, the boy turned onto his side and curled into a ball, continuing to cry softly. Tears streamed down his face as he remained there in silence.

As much as he wanted to believe that the maze was just playing tricks on him, he couldn't shake the feeling that it was actually trying to communicate something. The voices he heard sounded so much like their real selves. The temple must have been eavesdropping on their private conversations, recording them, and using that information against him, somehow listening in from across worlds on his parents, friends, and acquaintances.

How did it do that? He didn't know. He didn't want to know. His mind couldn't handle it anymore.

The voice of Anne was one he would never forget.

If that's what Anne truly thought about him, Frank couldn't continue going on.

He loved that girl. And now...

...He was alone.

"I…I can't do this…"

The loneliness was unlike anything the boy had ever felt before. That bleak maze felt isolating, but it didn't even come close to the darkness invading his soul. A deep sadness overwhelmed him. Frank knew that some of what he saw wasn't real, but that didn't change how he felt about them. After his experience, his mind struggled to tell apart what was real and what wasn't.

The depression only worsened, and the boy had lost track of time. He sat in that dark maze for what felt like hours. At that moment, Frank finally gave up. How could he go on when the maze was only going to bring him more pain? Reveal more about what his loved one truly thought of him, whether it was real or not.

He knew he would be in that state forever. Alone.

And that was a fate he feared the most.

Being alone.

The boy lost focus for a second, but then he opened his eyes. There was something on the floor in front of him.

It was his knife.

Under normal circumstances, the boy would have thought of his grandfather whenever he saw that blade. But at that moment, he felt a sinister sensation in his stomach. He wanted to vomit, and the last thing he wanted was to touch it. His mind was spinning into a whirlwind of unanswerable questions. It was all too overwhelming to process.

Frank took the knife from the floor. He felt the hilt in his hand and gripped it tighter. He didn't know what to do with it.

What if it took him out of the maze?

The boy still lay there, frozen. He tried to think of an answer, but after everything he had endured, his mind was muddled. He desperately wanted the nightmare to end, but was too scared to do anything about it.

What if there were no more lives left?

He was no longer in the first challenge. If he did the unthinkable, it might be it. The end of the road.

Would that really be such a bad thing, Frank? You've let your friends down. You've failed everyone who was counting on you to get them home and keep them safe.

Was death such a bad thing?

Frank grabbed the knife with both hands and pointed it at his chest.

"Do you give up?"

Frank gasped in shock. Without thinking, he stood up so quickly. "Leif?" he called out.

There was no sign of her. He was still all alone in the maze. He looked around, but there was no one in sight. The hope he'd felt to see the ghostly frog faded back into fear as his pulse quickened.

Frank looked at his knife, and his heart sank. A sudden tightness seized his chest, and he started to hyperventilate. There was no doubt about what he was just about to do. The implications were very clear. He had no idea if the maze was still tormenting him, but regardless, his eyes welled up with terrified tears.

"No…"

The boy dropped the knife and sank to his knees, gasping heavily and rapidly. He couldn't speak or move, and his pounding heartbeat drowned out every other sound he would normally hear. His vision was so blurred that he could no longer see. He felt as if the whole world was coming to an end.

"What's wrong with me?" Frank asked, leaning down. The brim of his hat hit the floor, knocking it off as he pressed his forehead to it. His hands scrabbled through his hair. "Dammit, what's wrong with me?!"

Frank was alone, but not for long. He did not notice Teshin walk around the corner and find the boy.

The salamander approached the boy slowly and carefully. When he was a few feet away from him, Teshin adjusted his hat, finally revealing his eyes. At that moment, a sympathetic look had replaced his usual stoic gaze. Even if he was the keeper and was supposed to stay out of Frank's test, it was time to step in.

He sat beside the boy and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Boy, you are safe. Breathe. Calm yourself," the keeper said before carefully rubbing the boy's back.

That slowly worked. Frank's breathing and heartbeat were beginning to slow down. He was able to take deeper breaths. His stomach felt light. He could breathe again. His pulse was steady. Finally, he went back to normal.

"That's it. There you go," Teshin said, rubbing the boy's back before looking at each other.

"Is it...is it over?" Frank asked, uncertain.

"I'm afraid not," he said, much to Frank's dread. "You're still in the maze, but you're close to the finish of the second trial. This test required you to face your greatest fears about those you love and have befriended, and you did just that. You are fine."

Teshin got up and pulled Frank along by the arm. Once everything calmed down, the boy could finally process it all. However, he already had a bone to pick with the temple's keeper.

"Why did you make me go through this?! Do you know what I was just put through?!" he asked angrily.

"I warned you not to come here unprepared, and you still did," Teshin retorted. "As I told you, you're just a child."

Frank turned his head away, angry with the salamander—mostly at himself. Teshin realized his mistake, so with a heavy sigh, he moved slightly closer to the boy.

"I am sorry. I didn't intend to sound insensitive.

Frank took a deep breath and exhaled, glancing at Teshin from the corner of his eye. "It doesn't matter. I can never undo what I experienced. The horrible things…"

"Now you understand the purpose of this maze. It was designed to break your will and turn your greatest fears against you, so you can learn what it has to teach you. If I could have done anything to spare you from those horrors, I promise I would have already."

"I know," Frank said to the salamander. "But… what was the point of all of this?"

"As I've said, you fought all the enemies you've faced because you were afraid of losing your life and the lives of your friends. This trial used your fear of your friends against you," Teshin explained.

"But... But surely none of that was real, right?" Frank asked.

"Is it?"

"I…I don't know. But I know that Anne wouldn't be like that! She loves me!"

"What about your parents? Do you believe that's what they truly believe about you?"

"I…"

Frank couldn't answer. He truly didn't know. And that's what scared him.

"Now you're starting to understand this test," Teshin said. "The maze knows no limits when it comes to making you suffer. It can pick the worst memories, target your insecurities, and tug at the strings in your heart. Just be glad your friends didn't have to endure the same torment."

That realization hit him. Frank's mind was so preoccupied with the test that he didn't think about them. "Wait! My friends! Where are they?"

"They're still waiting for you."

"Anne...?"

"She and her friends are not far. You proceed to the final trial after rejoining them. Good luck," Teshin said, walking away. Disappearing into the maze.

Without hesitation, Frank grabbed his knife and walked away. He felt too weak to run. As he wandered through the maze, making a few turns and passing down some halls, he began to hear the voices of his friends. At first, he thought it was just the maze playing tricks on his mind, but knowing he had to follow them, Frank swallowed his nerves.

"What was it like being part of the Night Guard?" Sasha asked her girlfriend. Anne and the Plantars were with them. They were gathered together in front of the doors leading to the center of the maze.

After Teshin knocked out Frank with his staff, the others were about to attack him until the salamander, moving faster than they could react, did the same to them. He struck all of them in the head with his scythe, knocking them unconscious. When they woke up, they found themselves in the maze, with Frank's armor, cloak, and the Hellcat's Claw. More specifically, they were outside the locked doors of the center, also known as the third trial.

There was a simple note that instructed them to wait, and being close to the door would protect them from the maze's effects. Anne hated waiting around and not being with her boyfriend, so she began pacing, holding the scythe. Even as her friends started talking and the frogs began struggling to keep themselves awake

"Oh, it was fun!" Marcy exclaims with a big smile. "I even made friends with these three newts named Javi, Kettle, and Femur."

As Marcy went on about how she made new friends and her adventures in and out of Newtopia, Sasha couldn't help but wonder how much she missed what their friend had experienced.

"And then, there was this time we tried to stop this cult called the Order of the Olm from destroying records of Newtopia's history," Marcy was rambling on. "But then, we discovered that their leader was actually the former captain of the Night Guard named Ernst!"

"Wow, I didn't realize I missed so much," Sasha said, looking away sadly. It made her so jealous of Anne and Frank. They weren't dating when they arrived in Amphibia, but during their time in this world, they had plenty of time to fall in love.

It made Sasha wish she had been given the same amount of time they spent together. Months together with only Marcy sounded like a dream. If she had, maybe things would have turned out differently. She could have brought Anne over to her side at Toad Tower. She could have been there for all the adventures Marcy had.

"Hey, come on," Marcy said, walking over and kissing her cheek. "We're together now. Just imagine all the adventures we're going to have."

"Guys!" Anne exclaimed, waking up the sleepy frogs and toad. "How could you just be so calm? Frank is still in the maze. I don't know what I'm gonna do if anything happens to him."

"It's okay. Frank will be fine," Sprig replied, trying to be positive while trying to stay away.

"So, can we go to sleep now?" Polly asked.

"Not until Frank gets here. If he doesn't come in the next ten minutes, we'll look for him," Hop Pop replied. "I lost my family before. I'm not ready to lose it again."

"Guys...?"

The group stopped in shock and quickly turned their heads to the left. In the hallway of the maze, emerging from the red fog came Frank.

They watched the shaken boy. Anne was holding Hellcat's Claw, but after a moment, she dropped it and ran to her boyfriend, tears of happiness streaming down her face. Frank also ran toward her, but Anne was quicker and wrapped her arms around him, holding him close.

"Frank! I can't believe it! You're okay!" she cried, hugging her boyfriend. "God, I was worried to death!"

Anne sniffled as the Plantars joined in the hug, relieved to see the boy alive. Marcy, Sasha, and Grime stood on the sidelines, watching the reunion before them. Part of them knew that the boy only needed his girlfriend and the frog family to comfort him.

After a moment, Anne let go of her hug. Frank did not. He sobbed quietly with his face buried in her shoulder. That's when the Thai girl realized that something horrible must have happened to her boyfriend. She wrapped her arms around him again and held him a little tighter.

"Frank? What happened to you?" she asked worriedly. Everyone finally let go of the boy. He looked so tired.

"I...think I lost my mind... Or was I lost in my mind...? I don't know, maybe both," he responded, sounding disturbed.

Anne placed her hand on the side of his head, confused and anxious. "What are you talking about, love?"

"I-I don't wanna talk about them," Frank said, lowering his head. "It was horrible."

"It's okay. Don't say a word," Anne said, touching Frank's forehead with hers. "You're safe now."

Marcy, Sasha, and Grime moved a little closer. They were happy to see Frank safe and sound, but the job was far from over. "Good, you're back. Now, come on, there's one more challenge," the toad captain said.

"Grime is right. Just one more trial, and we can finally get home," Sasha added.

"Let's go!" Marcy said, pointing behind her.

Everyone turned around and moved toward the doors. Anne took Frank's hand and tried to pull him along, but he stayed in place and wouldn't move. Anne noticed this and turned to him with concern.

"What's wrong?"

"I...I-I don't think I can do this!" he said, shaking his head.

"What?" Marcy asked, shocked. "But we're so close to getting home."

"You haven't experienced what I just did!" Frank yelled at her. "If the last trial was so horrible... I don't wanna know what the next one has in store."

Anne looked at her boyfriend with growing concern and sadness. Frank was the bravest person she'd ever known. Having killed monsters and defeated toad warriors, she could always count on him to be her knight in shining armor. But looking at him now reminded her that her boyfriend wasn't invincible. He was still just a kid like her — a boy who just wanted to put himself back together.

"Alright," she said.

"What?!" Sasha exclaimed in outrage. "Anne, you can't seriously…"

"We're not going to leave," Anne said firmly as she looked at Sasha. "But Frank needs a break. We'll rest here and wait until he's ready. Besides…"

The humans and Grime heard bodies collapsing, and they turned to the Plantars. All three of them were piled on each other, Sprig at the bottom, Hop Pop on him, and Polly on him, snoring as they slept.

"Ugh, fine. But you'd better get your head back in the game," Sasha said, jabbing Frank in the chest. He wanted to snap back, but just looked down in shame.

Anne told him not to let Sasha get to him, but as he lay on the ground, it was all he could think about. He was disappointing everyone. They could have been walking through that door into the final trial, beating the temple, and charging his stone. Instead, they had to stop because he was too scared.

How much more worthless and burdensome could you possibly become?

Frank was lying beside Anne, who snuggled up to him under his poncho as he looked up at the invisible ceiling shrouded in darkness and shadows. It was like gazing at the sky with no moon or stars, with only a beam of light shining down behind the wall in front of his legs. Sasha and Marcy were sleeping against that wall in front of him, snuggling with each other, using their capes as blankets. Grime was sleeping by himself. The Plantars were sleeping close together.

They were all relying on him, and he was letting them down.

"Do you give up?"

The moment he heard that familiar voice, Frank's eyes widened. He turned his head to see where the voice was coming from.

"Leif?"

"So, this is your greatest fear," Leif said, standing to the right of him, glowing like an angel. "The maze had been feeding off what it senses inside you."

"What do you…"

"I think you know what I mean."

Frank's face fell as he shook his head. "I…I don't."

"You think being courageous means not feeling fear. You believe this makes you strong. It actually makes you weak," said Leif, sitting down and crossing her legs. "How can you move faster than possible, fight longer than possible without the strongest impulse of the spirit: the fear of death?"

"I don't…"

"Yes, because you fear something else. You dread being alone, with nowhere to go, and having no one to turn to. The fear of isolation."

The moment he heard that, Frank's eyes widened in realization. "I…"

"Or am I reading what you just experienced wrong?" Leif asked with a smile.

Frank shook his head and looked up at the light coming in from outside.

"It was true," he said. "I do fear death... and I do fear being alone. I fear dying here, knowing I let everyone I loved down—that without me, they would die. I…I'm afraid to go home. I fear being alone, worried that once I go home, nothing will have changed, and people will be happier without me in their lives. I could die here... and no one would care… That my family wouldn't care. That my friends wouldn't care... That Anne wouldn't..."

Leif looked at him with what seemed like empathy. But because of who she was, it was hard to tell if she truly felt it.

"Then finish the temple."

Frank scoffed and shook his head. "How, Leif?"

"You know I'm not the real Leif, right?" Leif asked, causing Frank to look at her. "Just like you know that these illusions and voices aren't real."

"Could've told me that to me during the first trial."

"But there's something the real Leif. Something she said when she was alive that, even now, sticks with this one."

Leif reached out and placed a hand on Frank's hand.

"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. Hope is what makes us strong. Hope is why we are here. Hope is what we fight with when all else is lost."

Frank looked at her with wide eyes. His mind absorbed her words as he thought long and hard about them.

Hope.

How many times had he hoped? When was the last time he truly hoped? He hoped for something every day of his life. He hoped for good grades, his favorite foods, hitting the baseball, and having a good day.

Hope was something he had lost a long time ago. He lost it when his life was shattered, when his parents turned against him, and when he was thrown into his cell. His sense of hope was tarnished. He had lost all belief that his life would get better, becoming an empty, broken shell of the boy he once was. Hoping only brought more heartbreak.

Then he arrived in Amphibia and started to hope again. He had hoped to find a way home. He had hoped that Anne felt the same love he did for her. And finally, he'd hoped just to survive long enough to get back home. That's all he really hoped for these days—survival in a dangerous world. And that hope was what kept him going, fighting, and focused.

But as he reflected more on what Leif said, Frank realized she was right. Hope was why he was here. Hope was what gave him the courage he needed in the face of fear. And it was this thought that led him to another conclusion.

"That's what this temple has been trying to teach me," he said, looking back at Leif. But she was gone.

It was fine. She provided him with exactly the help he needed.

Sighing, Frank sat up. Before he could reach for his armor, a hand was placed on his.

"Had a good talk with Leif?" said Anne.

"Yeah," Frank said. "How much did you hear?"

There was no hesitation. Anne sat up, cupped his face, and pulled him into a loving kiss. It lasted a moment before she pulled away.

"Enough to see how much you're hurting," she said mournfully, looking at him. "So, you listen to me, Frank."

"Anne…"

"No, I'm not going to hear a thing about it until you listen to me. I might not know what the maze tried to do to you, but I will never, ever abandon you, Franklin Ramirez. I love you more than you can imagine. You're the most important person in the world to me. I will fight and die for you, and nothing would ever make me change my mind. And you have not let me down, or anyone down."

"But…"

"And when we get home, your parents will be thrilled to see you. Why? Because you're their son. I know they still love you. I know people are still waiting for you to come back. That's why I'm not leaving this world without you. And that's why we're facing the next challenge together. All of us."

"What if the next one is too dangerous? What if something bad happens to you? I don't know what I'll do."

Anne looked Frank straight in the eye and said, "Frank. Nothing's going to happen to me. Whatever comes next, you will not be alone."

This surprised Frank for a moment as he asked, "You promise?"

Anne grabbed Hellcat's Claw and presented it to him. "I promise."

"So do we."

The couple turned and saw that everyone was awake. All of them were ready to fight by his side, even Sasha and Grime.

As they stood up, Frank took a moment to assess the situation. On one hand, he didn't know what challenge awaited him or what might happen. It could be dangerous, maybe even deadly. And he didn't want anything to happen to anyone, not even Sasha or Grime. But on the other hand, he knew that quitting now would mean that all of his friends' efforts had been for nothing.

Frank was reluctant to admit it, but he knew there was only one choice: keep going.

He took a deep breath and tried to hide his fear. As he strapped Indy's armor back on, he concealed it by putting his poncho on and draping the front over his shoulder, making it look like a cape.

Then, Frank looked at Anne, who was holding out his scythe.

"Let's finish this," he said, taking his weapon.

And with that, the group stood in front of the door leading to the center. Unlike the first door, this one had a large crystal embedded in it, with a warrior who resembled Frank standing underneath, his hand raised toward it.

All it took was Frank placing his hand on the door for it to swing open. When it did, a flood of red fog poured out, blowing past the group. Once outside, they looked inside but couldn't see anything except the beam of light from outside hitting the ground at the very center of a large, circular room that, like the maze, was empty.

Teshin spoke again.

"You have faced your past by fighting and dying against your feared enemies. You've faced the future by confronting the animosity you feared people have for you. But there's still the present to face, and your last trial will be your greatest. If you yield or die, there's no coming back. Steel yourself while others would cower, as you face your inner demons."

That praise hit the boy hard.

"Fear Thyself," he said, remembering what Teshin said.

"What does that mean?" Sasha asked.

"Nothing good," Sprig said, gulping.

Frank neither denied nor confirmed. Part of him knew where this was heading, and he didn't like it. The group's presence there did nothing to ease the tension.

Anne took his hand and looked at him.

"Hey. Remember what I said. Whatever comes next, you won't have to face it alone."

The boy was still nervous, but it didn't take long for him to gather his courage and turn to Anne. After all, there was no turning back.

Nodding, he then gestured to Anne's backpack.

"The stone."

Anne grabbed her backpack and pulled out the music box. Then, she handed the last stone to Frank. From the boy's perspective, the stone in his hand felt much heavier than it looked, possibly a side effect of his nervousness.

And so, they walked into the room and headed for the beam. All of them had their weapons drawn while scanning the darkness around them.

"So, Marcy," Hop Pop said, carrying his granddaughter. "Any idea what this test entails?"

"Well, as Teshin said, it's all about facing your inner demons," Marcy said, trying to think of what could come in the form of. "I…I'm not sure."

Frank became even more nervous.

When everyone reached the middle of the room, they saw that the beam of light was pointing down to a very small pool of what looked like black tar that had remained undisturbed for thousands of years.

"That's it?" Grime asked, looking unimpressed. "This is what we're sup—"

Suddenly, the tar started to bubble and boil. Everyone took a step back, their eyes widening as the tar rose from the pool, forming a semi-solid, semi-liquid body that stood as tall as Frank.

It faced him, its glowing yellow eyes opening.

"Franklin Diaz Ramirez," the figure said, stepping out of the pool. Everyone backed away, their eyes wide with shock, and the figure shifted. "Best player on the Little League team. Criminal. Inmate 4077. The Monster from the Woods. No-Shoes Frank. Protector of Wartwood. Guardian of the Frogs. Killer of Tartarus. Scythe bearer. Creature from Another World. Boyfriend of Anne Boonchuy. You try so hard to pull all the pieces of your broken life back together, hoping to find redemption because you're afraid to face being alone. You cannot change."

Frank's eyes widened. It couldn't be possible. When the voice started talking, he thought it was Teshin. But it sounded nothing like him. The more he listened, the more he began to realize who it was that was talking. And the more the figure changed, the more he realized what this test would be like.

"It's me," he said, looking at his doppleganger with increasing fear.

It was still black as ink, with glowing yellow eyes, but what stood in front of him and the others was undoubtedly. A perfect copy of him. With his armor, his clothes, his hat, and his weapons.

"Yeah, I'm you. The part of you that will never leave, so long as there's still pain to remember," Black Frank said, looking at his real sense with a look of hatred. His voice distorted heavily. "And you should never have come here. Now I must break you. Your mind, your body, and your soul will be lost in this maze."

Anne stepped between him and the clone as everyone else prepared to face her fake boyfriend. Anne and Sasha drew their swords, Marcy aimed her crossbow, Captain Grime readied Barrel's Warhammer, Polly grabbed her flail, Sprig loaded his slingshot, and Hop Pop raised his fists.

"Don't worry, Frank. We can handle this," Anne said, looking confident.

"Oh? You're handling this?" Black Frank asked, eyeing her with the same hatred he had for the real Frank. "You? What makes you think you can handle anything when you only make things worse by getting involved? Why would I ever let you handle anything!?"

"Wha…hey, I can handle things," Anne said, offended by his words.

"You couldn't even handle standing up to Sasha!"

"That was a long time ago! I've changed!"

"Ha! Please, don't make me laugh. You're still just the girl who lies to her parents?" Black Frank snapped, holding out his hand. In it, a black scythe just like Hellcat's Claw appeared in his grip. "The same girl who can't even put in the simple effort to better herself? That girl who would abandon her best friend for someone who would use her like a dog? How many more lies will you tell? How many more times will you continue to let the people you love down? How many times have you let ME DOWN?!"

"I…WHOA!" Anne yelled as she tried blocking the attack, but it was so powerful that it knocked her back a few feet.

"Anne!" Frank yelled, running over to her.

Hop Pop, enraged that someone would harm his granddaughter, rushed at the evil clone.

"No one hurts my family when I'm around!" he yelled, jumping at Black Frank and throwing a punch.

Black Frank caught his fist.

"Oh, you care about me now?" Black Frank asked. "You didn't care about me when you hid the box! Don't you know how much that hurt? I thought I could trust you!"

Hop Pop looked at the evil version of Frank in shock. "B-But Frank, I…"

"SAVE IT! Why did I ever think that you would care about us? You didn't even care about being with your son! And it's because of you, he and his wife are dead!" Black Frank yelled, throwing Hop Pop down onto the ground, hard. The old frog yelled in pain as he bounced off the ground.

"Hop Pop!" Sprig and Polly screamed as they rushed towards their grandfather.

Black Frank raised his scythe to strike down the frog. However, Marcy, standing a few meters away, fired three bolts at him in quick succession. All three hit him in the chest.

"Grime, get Hop Pop!" Sasha yelled, rushing at Black Frank and swinging at him.

His shield blocked her sword, and he tried to cut her down, but Sasha dodged by sidestepping. No longer paying attention to Hop Pop, Black Frank started attacking Sasha. He launched more vicious and violent attacks than he'd ever used during their first fight. His swings were faster but reckless. He grunted frantically, sounding like a dog 'ruffing.' There was no grace, only pure anger.

Sasha, however, managed to block and dodge his attacks. After learning from her defeat at Toad Tower, she stayed alive long enough for Grime to pick up the old frog and carry him away.

The two combatants locked blades when Frank thrust his curved blade at her. "Forget taking you back to earth! Anne's a dumbass to trust you! I'm not letting you escape justice!"

"Jesus, man, take a chill pill," Sasha said, struggling against the strength of the doppleganger.

"That's all you have to say?!" Black Frank screamed at her face, kicking her in the stomach. The blow was so hard it knocked the air out of Sasha and sent her back. Landing on the ground, the evil boy glared at her. "That's all you have to say to me?! Why should I do anything for you? For all the pain and suffering you caused, I'm going to take my time killing you."

Three more arrows were shot into him. The tar boy showed no sign of pain, only increasing anger.

"You're not hurting anyone!" Marcy said. "Especially my Sashy!"

Black Frank turned toward her, his body pushing the arrows. Showing that no matter what they did to him, he wouldn't die or get hurt—only get angrier.

"Why am I not surprised?" Black Frank asked with disgust about Marcy's existence. "A traitor in love with a traitor. Why should I expect anything less from the girl who has broken my trust more than once?"

This took Marcy by surprise as she lowered her arm.

"Broke your trust?"

"Don't act surprised! I trusted you when you said you could bring us all together, and you ended up robbing my grandmother! You said that you were on my side, but you kept dating Sasha! You keep saying that you could be trusted, but look at what happens when I do!" Black Frank screamed, raising his arms, and multiple tendrils lunged at the group from his fingers.

Everyone screamed in shock. The tendrils grabbed everyone except Frank. No one had enough time to react before they were seized and lifted off the ground.

"Guys!" the Hispanic boy yelled. He reached for Anne, but she and all her friends were thrown through the doorway they had come through.

Black Frank lowered his arms to their original position. "It's just me and you, weakling," he said, causing Frank to gasp in fear. "You could have just lived your life in this world however you wanted, but then you had to come here. You enjoy suffering, don't you?"

Anne got up and tried to get back into the chamber, but suddenly a barrier of crimson fire burst from the ground, blocking her path. She could still see through the flames and watched in horror as her boyfriend was alone with that monster.

"FRANK!"

The boy watched as his friends, his last source of comfort and safety, were taken from him in less than ten seconds. He turned back to his darker self as the dread settled in.

Had the boy known what he would have gotten into before he entered the temple, he would have never done it. The panic from a few minutes ago returned, and he could feel his heart quickly get to the verge of exploding. Like an idiot, Frank had played with something he did not understand, and now he was about to pay dearly.

"What's the matter?" Black Frank asked, grinning evilly as he slowly approached him. "Where was all that courage from before? All that talk about hope? Has just seeing the worst of what you could become frightened all that hope out of you? Leif did a piss-poor job motivating you."

With nowhere to escape, Frank realized this was the end. And when that realization hit him, his life flashed before his eyes.

He closed them and saw the worst things that had ever happened to him, from the newest to the oldest.

The boy remembered how he learned that Hop Pop was hiding the box. Every time he gained a new scar—whether from his confrontation with Sasha at Toad Tower, the truth he learned, Tritonio forcing him to confess his misfortune, nearly dying against Tartarus, or his argument with Anne at the lake—he kept reliving those moments. He recalled the day he caught Anne stealing the Calamity Box, when his parents disowned him and found out about his grandfather's death, the night of his arrest, the day Anne and Marcy ended their friendship with him, and every punch he took from bullies.

"You're no hero! You're just a weak, pathetic kid who's too scared to be alone! You always have been, and you always will be."

His life was full of hardships. Horrible things that a child shouldn't ever endure. And each one broke him as a person.

He really was a weak, pathetic kid.

...But then everything changed.

"Do you give up?"

Leif's voice resonated from the depths of his mind. For a moment, Frank thought of Anne, Marcy, Sasha, the Plantars, and Grime. They were waiting for him—waiting for him to finish the mission so they could go home. Not just to Earth, but back to Wartwood together.

"Will you abandon everyone you love's hope?"

Frank's mind turned to his parents. If what the temple showed him was a trick to make him lose hope, then what were they really doing? Maybe they were searching for him with his grandma, hoping he would return to them.

"Can you not feel their desperation?"

His friends were calling out to him, begging, pleading, and encouraging him to keep fighting and not lose hope.

"Have you forgotten what hope has brought you?"

Frank remained quiet…

"HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN?"

Frank remembered everything.

He remembered the day he first met Anne. She helped him up after bullies beat him up, and his life changed forever.

He remembered how he met Marcy and then Sasha. The boy then recalled when he used to play Creatures & Caverns with Marcy, every time he hung out with Sasha at the beach, his first hunting trip with his grandfather, when his parents attended his first baseball game, every time his grandmother taught him how to cook, and how he got Roger as a Christmas gift. He remembered whenever he threw Polly like a ball for her enjoyment, whenever Hop Pop fed him food made with love, even though it was far from tasty, and whenever he ran with Sprig on his head. And the best of all, he could never forget Anne. The night they danced at the pond, the games they played, when she patched him up whenever he got hurt… and when they confessed their love for each other.

That's when he realized that, despite the hardships and fears he faced, he had created some incredible memories along the way.

He opened his eyes, letting the tears flow. Then he did something Black Frank didn't expect. Frank smiled. He sniffled a little and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"No. I have not forgotten," the boy said, no longer showing fear.

"Huh?" Black Frank asked, stepping back as Frank rose to his feet. He then pulled out Hellcat's Claw and deployed his shield.

"I'm done running," Frank told his evil self. "I'm done being scared." He took a fighting stance. "And I'm not going to lose hope again!"

Black Frank looked at his true self in complete and total shock. This wasn't right. He was supposed to be too scared to fight. Too afraid to continue living. "What are you yapping about?"

Frank said, pointing at him with the scythe, "You're my inner demons, right? Meaning that you're the worst of me. The part of me that's hidden deep down. Meaning that I need to defeat you, and then I get to charge the stone."

"What makes you think that you could possibly best me?"

"I don't think I have a choice."

"Do you? Yield to me, and I will make your death painless. There's no reason for you to suffer anymore."

Frank looked at his evil self as if he were crazy. "And I'm supposed to call that mercy?"

"It is not mercy. Only the truth."

"Okay, but why tell me this?"

"Because I hate you. I hate you because you allowed me to exist. This place made me the embodiment of all your pain and suffering. As you said, I'm the worst of what you could become. I hate you because after everything that's happened, do you really have anything to hope for? I hate you because you continue to struggle, and for what? Why would you continue to face death and suffering?"

"Then let me pass," Frank pleaded with his doppelgänger. "If you let me pass, I can free us both from the maze."

"How could you go through the maze and not understand already?" Black Frank said, venom dripping from every word. "This maze was never in the world. It wasn't reading your thoughts; it was them. You weren't feeding the maze. You have always been the maze. And your friends were just along for the ride. You are the Fourth Temple. You are the maze, which means that to end my suffering, I must kill you."

"Or I can complete this test," Frank said again.

Black Frank glared at the real Frank and formed his weapons. "Then you know what you have to do."

Both fighters started to circle each other. Everyone watched eagerly, waiting to see who would strike first.

The two opponents then stopped and faced each other, refusing to blink.

After standing still for a few moments, Frank extended his arm toward Black Frank and silently signaled him to come closer with a beckoning gesture, daring his doppelgänger to attack.

Insulted, Black Frank let out a battle cry before running at the boy. Frank charged at the creature, blade ready.

Black Frank lunged forward with a fierce swipe, but Frank sidestepped and countered with a quick slash. The black shield blocked the blade. The clone then started slashing and hacking at Frank, trying to cut through the boy like a hot knife through butter. He moved at an incredibly fast speed and put so much force behind each strike that it made the boy's arm buckle just to defend himself with the shield. There was barely enough time to think. Frank had no chance to make a plan. He had to rely solely on his instincts. However, with Black Frank's attacks being so unpredictable, Frank had to stay constantly on both offense and defense.

Frank struggled to keep up as the fraud's movements became more erratic. Exhaustion began to set in. Every block and counter sapped his energy, but he refused to give up. The relentless assault forced him to adapt, sharpening his instincts with each moment.

Everyone watched the fight anxiously, especially Anne. She couldn't control her anxiety and started shouting advice at Frank. The others followed her lead and began talking over each other.

"Dodge it, Frank!/Watch your left-No, your other left!/Duck!/Block it!/Don't let it get you!/Protect your head!/Look behind you!"

"GUYS! THIS IS NOT HELPING!" Frank shouted, blocking an attack from above with his shield.

He used all his strength to push Black Frank back and seize his opportunity. With a swing, he cuts the clone across the stomach.

At first, Frank smiled, believing that he'd won…

Only for the black doppleganger to reform himself.

"Crap," Frank said, taking a step back, now becoming extremely worried.

"Now you realize you cannot win against me," Black Frank said during a brief break in the fighting. "So long as you fear, I will never die. Whether it's fear for yourself, or the traitors you call friends."

Frank, offended, said, "Whoa, hey, those are my friends…and Sasha and Grime."

"Hey!" Sasha and Grime both yelled.

"You truly believe they're your friends? They'd lied to you, betrayed you, and thrown you away! You heard all those horrible things they said in the maze. The way they all secretly hate you. They were going to use us to get the stones and then just stab us in the back!"

"No, they wouldn't. That was only the maze trying to mess with me. Am I afraid that people still think of me as a monster and a criminal? Yeah, but Wartwood doesn't anymore," Frank said with a smile as he looked back at Anne and the Plantars. "They're my friends, and I trust them. The maze was just trying to make me doubt. But we've been through too much together for me to believe any of that. We're stronger together, and I know they'd never betray us."

"You're that willing to forgive them? Forgive Sasha and Marcy for their treachery?"

Frank looked away. His hesitation made Marcy depressed and Sasha upset with herself.

"Then why? Why side with them?"

"Because I want what they want," Frank said. "Am I afraid that Sasha will betray me? Yes. That Marcy would just do whatever she wants? Yes. Will Anne's trust in Sasha lead to something horrible? Yes! Who would trust her?

"Yo, not cool, babe," Anne said.

"Nonetheless, I am certain that she will never betray me," Frank said with absolute certainty, warming Anne's heart.

Growling, Black Frank turned his hands into spears. He then stabbed the ground. Multiple black spikes jutted up from the floor in random directions.

Surprised, Frank dodged the spikes by jumping out of the way. Rushing at his clone, Frank lunged at Black Frank with the scythe.

The abomination ducked and scurried away from the boy on all fours, his limbs briefly resembling spider legs. Black Frank stood upright and extended his hand toward Frank, firing three darts from his palm.

Frank managed to raise his shield just in time for the first two and deflected the last one with Hellcat's Claw, making it fly back to Black Frank and hitting him in the shoulder.

Looking at it, the doppleganger absorbed the dart back into his body. He snapped his head back to the boy and growled at him. "You're strong, but you cannot kill me. You know this."

Then he ran around Frank faster than his eyes could track, creating a blurry circle around him.

When Frank tried to keep track of his clone, the abomination inhaled and blew another jet of red smoke from his mouth. The same that covered the maze's floor.

In just a few seconds, the boy was enveloped by a thick cloud of smoke. He couldn't see Black Frank anymore, so he looked around for any sign of movement. The red smoke quickly turned black, making it hard to see the black body of his opponent.

The boy was on high alert. Frank had no idea where he would strike next and felt vulnerable. But he remained calm. If he gave in to fear, he would die. He just keeps his shield up and his scythe ready.

"And what about the other voices you heard? The ones of the people back on earth? They were people who loved you. People who befriended you. And they all expressed their hatred for you," Black Frank said, his voice echoing all around Frank, making it difficult to determine where he was. "Don't you get it!? There is no future for you! There's nothing for us anywhere."

"There are still people waiting for me to come home," Frank said.

"What? Mom and Dad? They threw us away like the girls did. They caused us so much pain and suffering! You think they still love you? You heard them in the maze. You don't matter to them!"

"Yes, I do!" Frank yelled out in the fog

"Where's your proof?"

"I…I don't have any."

"That's what I thought. How could you possibly believe that Mom and Dad want you back?"

"Because they're still my parents, and I'm still their son," Frank said, looking around for any movement. "I have to believe that they still love me, even after everything.

"And if they don't!?"

"Then…I'll tell them the truth," Frank said, smiling softly and sadly. "That…That I still love them, even if they don't."

Frank sensed the clone's presence behind him and quickly turned around before swiping with his scythe, blocking a black tendril from stabbing him. When that didn't work, the tendril quickly vanished into the mist.

"They blame you for ruining their lives! In their mind, you're the reason they lost the house! That's all you do! Ruin other people's lives!"

"Tell that to the people of Wartwood," Frank said with a smirk. "I've saved them more times than I can imagine."

"And are they better because of you?"

"As a matter of fact, they are. Why would I be afraid they wouldn't still love me?"

"You…You intend to make me doubt myself. Doubt the pain and fears that had made me. But this is not a battle of words! It's a battle of blood!"

Black Frank tried the same strategy a few more times, trying to catch Frank by surprise, but the boy never let his guard down.

Realizing that attacking Frank from behind was ineffective, Black Frank emerged from the smoke and lunged at the boy from the front. Using his superior strength and shaping his left arm into a shield, the clone rammed into Frank's shield, knocking him off balance.

Frank tried to recover himself, but Black Frank grinned viciously. The clone jumped up and came down, his arm forming a large claw.

Thinking quickly, Frank rolled back away, but not before the blade cut a small slit in the back of his poncho.

Gasping at how close he was to losing his life, Frank got back on his feet. More alert than he was before.

Black Frank slashed at his left foot. Frank pulled it back, but not fast enough. His blackened doppelganger cut into his foot, making him yell in pain.

Glancing up, Frank saw Black Frank taking a swing at his head. He leaned away, but the tar blade caught the brim of his hat. He took it off his head.

A punch hit his face faster than Frank could react, knocking him back as Hellcat's Claw flew from his hand. The young boy bounced off the ground twice before he slid to a stop. The scythe landed with its blade stabbing into the ground between the two fighters.

The cloud instantly dissipated, and everyone watched in horror as the boy was disarmed.

"FRANK, NO!" Anne yelled.

Frank scrambled to his feet, his face stinging and his vision blurred. Black Frank stood between him and the scythe, a cruel smirk twisting his features.

"You really think you're worthy of this oversized backscratcher?" With a quick motion, he kicked the weapon away, causing it to slide across the ground. "To think that you fought for hope with that old weapon."

"Yeah," Frank asked. "And what are you fighting for?"

"I fight because of you," Black Frank said, looking at his true self with a look of sympathy. "If you're so afraid to live, then death is your only relief. I will end both our sufferings. Because you would not stop this madness, I must kill you."

Frank knew he had to act fast, or this fight would be over, especially as Black Frank started walking towards him.

Black Frank elongated the blade of his arm, giving him a longer reach. He swung at Frank with every intention of cutting him in half and ending his life.

That would have been the case if Frank hadn't pulled out his grandfather's knife. The small blade struck the black blade, sending sparks everywhere. Using the force of the attack, Frank slid across the stone ground in a circle. Timing it perfectly, with a push, he propelled himself away from the clone and toward his scythe.

Continuing to slide, Frank reached down and scooped the Hellcat's Claw off the floor.

Coming to a halt, Frank grinned and said, "You want to kill me? Then come and get me."

Black Frank lunged forward, swinging his tar blade in a wide arc. Frank ducked under the attack, narrowly avoiding the blow, and responded with a quick kick to Black Frank's midsection. The force of the kick caused Black Frank to stumble backward, giving Frank a moment to catch his breath.

Now it was his turn to attack. Frank charged at his doppelganger and launched a series of rapid strikes on Black Frank. It was now his evil self on the defense as Frank wielded both scythe and knife to attack him. One after another, he pierced into his body. Whenever Black Frank attacked, Frank either parried or quickly used his shield to block the attack. Unlike his counterpart, he was focused and disciplined in his strikes, making them more controlled.

It was time to finish this, however.

When Black Frank backed away, Frank rushed at him. He swung down, but the tar clone formed two blades and crossed them in an X, blocking his attack. He pushed Frank, sending him flying up into the air.

But Frank used this to his advantage. Coming back down, he started performing continuous front spins, transforming himself into a buzzsaw.

Black Frank tried to block again, but what happened next happened so fast.

With the scythe, Frank hooked the two blades and pushed them down. He then held his knife in a reverse grip and stabbed it straight into Black Frank's skull.

The clone stopped moving, and so did Frank. But when he felt Black Frank starting to collapse, he jumped off him and flipped through the air. He landed on the ground and pointed the Hellcat's Claw at him.

"Is there anything else to say?"

Black Frank looked at him in surprise.

"I know that you're a part of me, but I'm done letting the past control me," Frank said with determination. "I'll continue to be afraid of many things... But I'll never let fear stop me from living my life."

Black Frank narrowed his eyes at the boy before slowly standing up. Then, he started approaching him. He formed his black Hellcat's Claw and dragged it across the floor, making sparks fly off it, until he was within striking distance.

The two of them glared at one another. Black Frank with all the pain and fury that made up his being.

But he sensed no fear in Frank. He stood tall, defiant, strong, and fearless. It had tormented him for too long, and now he refused to let it affect him anymore.

Then, something amazing happened.

Frank was shocked to see himself. Not Black Frank, but his true self standing before him. At least the version of himself that was locked away. He didn't have any of the scars he would get in Amphibia, and he wore the same orange jumpsuit from the juvenile detention center.

"Why?" the other Frank asked, sounding as normal as ever. Broken, alone, and traumatized.

"Huh?"

"Why would you continue to fight?" the other Frank clarified, falling to his knees, his voice tinged with curiosity as tears rolled down his face. "After all you've seen, after all you've endured, what keeps you going? Why would you want to go back? Why trust... anyone? When you fear the potential pain and loss. What is it that keeps you going? What makes you able to defeat me?! Beat me here?!"

Frank paused, thinking over the question. "Because there's always something worth fighting for," he said at last. "Even in the darkest times, there's a chance for hope, for change. And as long as that exists, I can't give up. That's why I've survived so long, and why I'll keep walking with my head held high."

"No! Hope is a poison that leads to pain and suffering. It is not possible to walk away from such things unscarred. To keep living when your world crumbles, and your soul is fracturing too much."

"Yeah, to face death and keep standing—it leaves scars," Frank said, walking over to the hat his parents gave him and picking it up. "But it leaves room to heal."

"You've endured so much. The darkness in your heart is like a shadow you can't escape. It's a part of you," the other Frank said, eyes filled with tears as he looked at him. "No matter how hard you try, you can't forget what they've done to you. The pain never truly ends."

"Yeah, there isn't. Not for me alone," Frank said, placing the hat back on. "But that's where second chances come. A second chance is hope. Hope that we can be better."

The other Frank looked at him in astonishment. Everyone else looked at Frank the same way, while Anne's smile grew and tears formed in her eyes.

"Hope that we can rise above our mistakes and grow. It's not about forgetting the past but learning from it. Second chances remind us that change is possible, and together, we can create a future worth fighting for. That is worth feeling brave about."

Frank continued and said, "There's the old saying that courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared. But I think I understand now what Leif and this temple have been trying to tell me."

When confident, he stated what the Fourth Temple had been trying to teach him.

"What is the courage of one's soul…without there being hope?"

There was nothing but silence from the other Frank. But when he did speak, he sounded defeated, yet happy.

"You… have defeated me, flesh and belief. Both cast down. I, this maze, tried to break you, to teach you what true courage is. But there is nothing more to teach you. You have learned my lesson. I'm glad to leave this place at last."

And with that, the other Frank disappeared.

Then, a flash of bright light engulfed everything.

"FRANK!" Anne screamed as she shot up. Waking everyone else up with a startled joint.

"What?! What's going on? Are we under attack?" Hop Pop asked rapidly, looking around.

"Ugh," Polly groaned, rubbing her head. "Where are we?"

Marcy, helped up by Sasha, looked around and was shocked. "We're…we're back!" she asked, seeing that they were all back in the mural chamber. Only this time, it had been restored. There was no doorway into the maze; all the passageways into the first two had been restored; they were all back together again.

The group stood in awe, taking in the sight of the restored chamber. "Did…anything we just saw really happen?" Sprig asked.

"I…I don't know," said Grime, not completely sure what he'd just experienced, or if he wanted to again.

Anne felt a wave of relief wash over her, knowing her boyfriend had made it through the trial. "He did it," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.

"Uh, guys," Sasha said, sounding worried as she pointed behind them.

Everyone turned around and saw that Frank was still lying on the ground. He hadn't woken up when the others did.

"Frank?" Anne hurried over, kneeling beside him, her heart racing. "Frank? Can you hear me?" she asked, her voice shaky.

Everyone exchanged worried glances, unsure of what to do next. Sasha bit her lip, her anxiety growing as Frank remained motionless.

"Wait!" Marcy pushed her hands away. "Frank must still be in the maze or something."

"What are you talking about?" Sprig said. "He'd beaten the maze. He won!"

"But he didn't charge the stone. He must have stayed behind to do that."

Anne reached into her backpack and pulled out the music box. The red stone was missing, which meant she had lost it—an absolute worst-case scenario—or Frank still had it with him in the maze. And if he was still in the maze, he was all alone. That meant she couldn't be there to support him.

"Please, come back to me soon, my love."

When the blinding light died down, Frank opened his eyes. He saw that he was no longer in the maze. But somewhere more spectacular.

(Warframe Soundtrack - "Your Decisions Make You" - Keith Power)

It was morning, and he stood at the summit of the very same mountain where the temple was located. Snow blanketed everything, and in the distance, the storm that had struck them was moving away, allowing the sun to shine down on the world below. The mountain's summit was narrow, like a ledge, where anyone standing could see the entire continent if they wished. Hidden steps in the snow led up to the peak, suggesting someone definitely wanted people to see the world.

And it was there that Teshin was waiting for him, looking out at the world.

This was it. Frank knew he'd finally passed the tests and could now recharge the stone. Digging into his pocket, he pulled out the grey stone. At long last, it will be restored.

Frank began trekking through the snow towards the summit.

For some reason, he didn't feel the effects of the thin air. He didn't experience fatigue pushing his legs through the thick blankets of snow, nor any shortness of breath. No nausea, no headaches, or anything. That was a good thing, he told himself. At least he could stay focused on getting to Teshin.

But as he held the stone in his hand, Frank started to wonder about it. He and his friends went through all this trouble to charge them and go home. However, they knew so little about them. Anything they did know conflicted with each other.

Andrias said that his people were peaceful travelers and would use the stones to visit other worlds, meaning they were used for the advancement of knowledge and the betterment of sentient life.

Hop Pop's book, however, painted them as dangerous. It didn't say anything about why they were.

One said that they were used for peace. Another said that they were calamitous. Who was right?

When he reached the first step, Frank snapped out of it. He looked up at the summit and walked up the flight. Before long, he'd made it to the ronin, who stared out into the horizon.

Turning his head slightly, Teshin said, "You've accepted your fears and found true courage. Yet, I sense you still seek answers."

Seeing that he was likely never going to get another chance, Frank decided it was now or never.

"Teshin, what are these crystals? Why did they bring us here? "

"Hmm... Some believe the gems were the gifts of the gods themselves. Allowing us to see what our fullest potential could be. Others believe them to be poison, corrupting instruments that bring madness and evil."

Looking up from the stone, Frank asked, "What do you believe?

"I believe them both," Teshin told him, turning to face Frank. "But for you, Star Child, perhaps these crystals are just a symbol: That what you choose to do will define you more than anything."

The salamander stepped back, letting Frank absorb what he'd just said. He looked again at the crystal in his hand. Gifts of the gods that were meant to bring amphibians to their full potential. Tools of madness and evil. It all depended on who wielded them, just like any great power in the world.

Frank was about to ask how he should charge it, but then Leif appeared in front of him. She simply nodded toward the stone.

"What you received, you must give back," she said.

Frank understood her. He knew he had to be the one to charge the stone. No one else.

"Are…Are you sure?" he asked the ghost figure. "Will I see you again?"

Leif smiled and asked him one question.

"If you knew how you were going to die, how would you live your life differently?"

Frank wanted to ask her what she meant, but Leif raised her hand and nodded toward the stone. There was no more time for questions. It was time to finish what he had started.

Unsure, but determined, Frank's eyes glowed red as he closed his fingers around the stone and concentrated.

Unlike in the other three temples, the glowing mark appeared all over Frank's body. It was like the other Frank said. He was the Fourth Temple. Ignoring them, he poured the magical power from within himself into it.

In front of him, Leif gave him one last smile before she faded away. Never to be seen again.

Slowly, the marks on his body disappeared, as the glow in his eyes drained. But just like Anne, it didn't happen completely.

It wasn't his friends' cries that would distract him, however. As he poured the power back into the stones, he started to see images in his mind. They were the same ones that he saw when Frobo nearly beat him to death.

Amphibia was ruined, its resources being exploited.

The Music Box, with all its stones charged, was opening.

There was a malicious mural that Frank couldn't see in full, but he saw death in it. A fire burned everything, and a large figure held up the box.

The Castle was flying in the sky over the city of Newtopia.

The same image that Frank saw in the cave.

The moon was coming down to destroy the world of Amphibia.

Frank gasped when someone grabbed his arm. It was Teshin, worried that Frank would fall over when he saw that something was wrong with Frank's recharging. Frank looked around, and the salamander released him, his hand held out in case he needed to grab him again.

The glow in his eyes was gone, but a faint trace of it lingered, a reminder of the power he had wielded. The markings had vanished, and Frank felt a profound emptiness, yet a sense of completion washed over him. Leif's final smile echoed in his mind, a silent farewell.

Looking at the stone, he saw it had turned completely red. It then flickered for a second. But only for a second. It was back to normal, fully charged at long last.

Frank turned to Teshin, who nodded. Pleased with the boy's success.

"The world weighs more heavily on you now," he told him. "Try not to lose yourself, Star Child."

"I won't."

Today marked five months since living in this froggy world. Frank didn't have a backpack when he arrived here—just the clothes on his back, the hat on his head, and his grandfather's knife. With the box fully charged, there was only one thing left for Frank and Anne to do: pack up and leave Wartwood. For good this time.

After helping his girlfriend pack everything into her backpack, Frank returned to the basement to see if they had forgotten anything. At least, that's what he told himself. But as he walked back down into the basement for the last time, Frank paused to look around. After all, this was his home for the past five months. So many memories were made here.

Frank smiled sadly. He then pulled out his phone and snapped a picture.

"I am a poor wayfaring stranger"

Walking out of the house, Frank joined the others. They were ready to leave. According to Marcy, they'll reach Newtopia by the next morning. They just need to make a stop now and then so Joe can rest.

"I'm travellin' through this world of woe"

They heard a voice coming up from the road. Turning around, they saw Toadstool, Toady, Ms. Croaker, Wally, and Mr. Flour walking toward them.

"Yet there's no sickness, toil, nor danger"

Toadstool explained to the confused kids that everyone in Wartwood had found out about their departure, and they all wanted to say goodbye before they left for Newtopia.

"In that bright land to which I go"

Frank and Anne looked at each other and smiled. There was no way they could deny a request like this. They cared so much for them. They were their friends, and they were going to miss them so much.

"I'm going there to see my Father"

When they walked into town with the others, Frank and Anne were shocked but ecstatic to see everyone waiting for them in the town square. They all gathered to wish them well, to share love and support as they embarked on their final journey. It was a bittersweet moment, filled with both sadness and happiness as they said goodbye to each person they had befriended in that little village.

"I'm going there, no more to roam"

Marcy said her goodbyes to Maddie and Rivet, teasing them not to make too many tadpoles, which made the two of them blush brightly.

"I'm only going over Jordan"

Sasha simply thanked Felicia and Ivy for letting her and Grime stay with them. Grime thought he saw a familiar face in the crowd, but when he didn't see them again, he shook his head, unaware that Indy had no interest in talking to him.

"I'm only going over home"

It took some effort and organizing, but eventually, they managed to get everyone in town into place for a large group photo. Frank built a tripod using sticks and twine.

"I know dark clouds will gather 'round me"

Sprig set the timer on Anne's phone. Together, they ran back to the others and took their positions.

"I know my way is rough and steep"

Frank sat on the edge of the fountain with Anne, in the middle of the group. She leaned on him, and he wrapped an arm around her. Both blushed but smiled for the camera.

"But golden fields lie just before me"

They were just in time. The photo came out great.

"Where God's redeemed shall ever sleep"

Although they wanted to stay a little longer, it was time for them to leave.

"I'm going home to see my mother"

Taking off from the ground with effort, Joe Sparrow soared into the sky. Frank, Anne, Marcy, and Sasha looked down at the townsfolk, who were waving tearfully.

"And all my loved ones who've gone on"

The giant bird carried them vanished into the darkness before its lights faded.

"I'm only going over Jordan"

"I'm only going over home"

It didn't take long for Joe Sparrow to need his first break. They set the poor bird down in a clearing and decided to rest for the night. Everyone was in their sleeping bags and lying on the ground around the exhausted bird, except for Frank, who took the first watch.

He'd half expected Leif to pop up and start talking to him, but she wasn't there. She wasn't coming back.

Walking a few feet away, he looked up at the night sky. Probably the last time he'll ever look up at Amphibia's sky.

"I'll soon be free from every trial," he continued to sing in a soft, beautiful voice. "My body sleeps in the churchyard."

He looked around at the swampy forest they'd landed in. The mushrooms glowed, the fireflies danced, and the animals made their calls to one another.

"I'll drop the cross of self-denial"

He will never hear them again, see them again, or feel them again. This world wasn't meant to come to. He'll leave Amphibia forever and return to his life on earth, uncertain of what awaits him.

"And enter on my great reward"

And you know what? Frank was okay with that.

"I'm going there to see my Saviour"

"To sing his praise for evermore"

"I'm only going over Jordan"

"I'm only going over home"

At last, his journey was over. But soon, Calamity will Rise.