Maurice Gomez Skullduggery's Arc

Chapter 2 of 2

Maurice stepped away from the public stage and headed toward his workshop. The crowd's whispers faded behind him. He needed to master the basics before the championship began. Sugar work was his foundation, but Hades demanded more than simple candy skulls. His workshop felt too small for what he needed to learn. Maurice grabbed his cane and left, walking through Hallowed Town's twisted streets until he found it. The entrance was a stone archway carved with spatulas and whisks. Inside, the Crypt Catacombs stretched into darkness. Ancient cooking tools hung from the walls, covered in dust and cobwebs. The spirits of dead chefs drifted through the passages, their transparent forms stirring pots that weren't there anymore. Maurice lit a cigarette and walked deeper into the tunnels. Shelves lined the walls, filled with recipe books bound in cracked leather. He pulled one down and opened it. The pages showed techniques he'd never seen before—sugar pulled into impossible shapes, chocolate that changed color in your mouth. These were the forbidden methods he needed. Maurice tucked three books under his arm and kept moving through the catacombs. By the time he emerged back into the street, smoke curled from his cigarette and ideas burned in his mind. The championship was coming, and now he had the knowledge to win it. But knowledge meant nothing without proper ingredients. Maurice walked until he found what he needed in a back alley. The Traveling Mobile Coffin Refrigerator stood there, a coffin-shaped machine of brass gears and black metal. Steam hissed from copper pipes along its sides. The contraption ran on coal, keeping its contents cold even in the underworld's heat. Maurice opened the lid and checked inside. Empty compartments waited for the rare ingredients he'd need between championship rounds. He'd have to stock it soon with items from the forbidden recipes. The machine's gears clicked and turned, ready to preserve whatever he brought. Maurice closed the lid and headed back toward his workshop. The books pressed against his ribs. The refrigerator would keep his ingredients fresh. Now he just needed to practice what those ancient pages had taught him. Night fell fast in Hallowed Town. Maurice reached the Coliseum and stopped. Towering spotlights flickered on around the arena, casting dark neon colors across the stone walls. Purple and green light washed over the entrance, bright enough to work by. He set his books down on a bench outside and opened the first one. The pages described a technique called Ghost Sugar—candy that held its shape but felt like air on the tongue. Maurice studied the instructions under the colored lights. The spotlights hummed and buzzed above him. He read until his yellow eyes burned, memorizing each step. When he finally closed the book, he knew what came next. Tomorrow he'd gather ingredients. Tonight he'd learned the first secret that would carry him to victory.