The shadow could just recognize the panicked voice as Originality’s before Explanations roughly grabbed the shadow and pulled him through one door, then another, then another.

        “Ow!” exclaimed the shadow. “Exactly how far are you taking me? I’m kind of tired of being dragged through all these doors.”

         “Quit whining,” barked Explanations. “We’re already here.” Before the shadow could interject, Explanations hurriedly added, “Besides, I’ve only dragged you through four doors.”

         “Only? Why were we hurrying? Why do you have so many doors? I’m not going to stand for this any – mmph!”

         Explanations covered the indignant shadow’s mouth with a gargantuan hand as he called out, “What exactly happened here?”

         An intern (whose nametag read Conflict, the shadow noted) called back, “We’ve had a chemical spill! Nothing lethal as long as it doesn’t mix with anything –“

        Just then, a huge ball of flame erupted out of the ground, sending all nearby employees flying. Explanations’ grip on the shadow tightened as a distinct humanoid figure made its way out of the blazing fire.

        Explanations belted out the foulest curse words the shadow had ever heard.

       “That’s no way to treat an old friend,” purred a new voice the shadow couldn’t identify. “I think it’s about time an antagonist arrived.”

         Explanations cursed some more, then abruptly dropped the shadow and charged directly at the smug figure. “You! You have no place here!” Explanations roared as the figure dodged all of his attacks.

        “Why, that’s a bit rude,” the figure remarked, shaking his head disapprovingly. “I’ve always been here. I’m just here to claim what’s mine.”

        “Go to hell!”

        The shadow gaped, watching the two hulking figures brawl it out in a complete free-for-all before crying out, “Who are you? Why do eventful things only happen when I’m around?”

       “So this is the protagonist,” murmured the mystery figure. “This is my rival I’m destined to defeat. Interesting.”

        He kicked Explanations into the fire (that was magically, still burning) before walking over to the shadow, his smug grin growing wider and wider. “Do you know where you are?”

        The shadow, at this point, was completely fed up. It was tired of being ignored, being dragged around. It clenched its hand into a fist and rose to strike the figure, screaming, “Answer my question!”

        The figure, of course, easily dodged the shadow’s blow, sending the shadow barreling headfirst into a wall. Boxes rained down on the befuddled shadow, but it still managed to stand. “You still haven’t answered my question, you know.”

       “Shut up!” the figure snapped. “I was just going to get to that if you would just please let me finish my victory monologue!” Putting his hand on the shadow’s head and roughly pushing it into a sitting position, the figure conjured a rope and began tying the shadow’s hands and feet together, admiring its handiwork.

       “That’s much better. Now, where was I? Ah yes – you are in a story – a story written by a person who just happens to need Inspiration. That is why I, the great and powerful Discouragement, is here!”

       “I still don’t understand. What does being Discouragement have anything to do with trying to destroy the Ideas Desk? Well, besides wanting to be the antagonist, I mean.”

        Discouragement looked at the shadow with a strange look before saying, “I don’t think you understand the monumentality of the situation at hand, but no matter. I’ll answer your silly questions.” He smirked before continuing, “It’s simple really. I’m here to give everyone a little dose of something called Doubt.” He took out a glass vial of something that looked like nothing more than extremely fine white sand and held it in front of Explanations, just beyond his reach.

       “Now, Explanations. I know how much you like to explain things, so can you tell me what this is?”

         Explanations stiffened, his eyes widening in horror. “You monster! Put that thing away! You have no idea how much power that thing wields! You mustn’t-“

        “On the contrary, my dear Explanations. I know exactly how much power this vial wields, and I don’t intend to waste it.” Discouragement let the vial fall on the ground, and the shadow watched as the contents of the vial spread rapidly across the floor.

        The shadow could see now that what had been in the vial was clearly not sand. Whatever it touched, it destroyed, leaving acrid fumes everywhere in its wake.

         The shadow felt dizzy. It could dimly see Discouragement giving a mock salute as he disappeared in smoke, going to who knows where.

         At least the fire’s out, thought the shadow drowsily. The shadow tried to look for Explanations, but couldn’t find him. His head was pounding as if it’d explode, and he could swear he heard voices, whispering…

         The shadow suddenly sat up with a bolt, gasping for air. He could hear the voices clearer now, the voices tinged with unrelenting judgment: “Lack of talent, no potential, waste of time, half-baked ideas, little to no character development, boring, typical setting…”

         The shadow covered his ears but the voices only got louder, mocking now: “No likable qualities, useless, cowardly…”

         The shadow began to run blindly, searching for something, anything. He ran through the building, but all the employees were gone; he was alone now. He realized the building had gone dark, just like the rest of the city of Inspiration.

          He panicked, running outside. No, no, no! He could only watch helplessly, as the Ideas Desk slowly flickered, then faded away entirely, like a mirage, it had become something nonexistent.

          He dropped to his knees, stunned. This couldn’t have just happened. No, this didn’t just happen.