A devastating feeling of dread took hold of them.

Mr. Rato’s eyes shone faintly.

“w-what do you mean ‘long gone’? what did you do with him???”

“As previously said, I, did nothing to your friend, nor hold any responsability for his outcome. In fact, his fate was already decided the moment you failed the test.”

Now Max and Meryl were confused.

“What test?”

To which Mr. Rato responded, as if reading it somewhere:

“Wrong choice. Your path dies here.”

“b-b-but it was just a dead end! how could that seal his fate in any way??”

“Let me explain it clearly: The Path of the Mice is the final test for those who dare to venture the Time Maze. You must choose between the path that will take you to the exit of the labyrinth… or the path that will take you to the exit of your existance. Mr. Rabbit (and by extension, YOU) took the wrong path, therefore failed the test, and now must face the consequences. It is simple.”

“and the consequence is to be eaten by YOU??? if that’s so, why are we alive?”

“I never said what would be the aftermath. My appearence in your path was but a coincidence or, maybe, a predestined fact tied to other timeline but yours, to which I do not hold any interest enough to find out.”

“And what is the aftermath, anyway?”

A little smile crossed Mr. Rato’s face.

“This, I fear, is a fact I am not allowed to reveal.”

Meryl was about to furiously exclaim, but Max was quicker. With a leap, he jumped over the table and carefully positioned his blade at centimeters of Mr. Rato face.

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