The key's guidance had led Coltstein into a much more tolerable section of the forest, away from the thicker areas. He was relieved, but knew that now was not the time to let his guard down. He was still in Annie's mind, and had many more obstacles to pass, so he remained on guard, using the key's directions. Coltstein had wondered if anypony had made it this far, because the pony he had spoken to had said that all attempts had failed. Was he the first to pass the first obstacle, or was it the next obstacle that doomed all the others?

As he walked further he realized that the sun's rays were starting to get blocked by thicker trees. It wasn't much longer before the sun had completely vanished, immediately causing his only guidance to be diminished. It was clear that he was nearing his next challenge.

"Of course. It's never that easy," he said, sticking the key in his pocket.

The key had led him to a dirt path with only one direction. Straight. Coltstein continued to follow the dirt path, until he came to a crossroad, both paths being exactly the same. There was no sun to direct him, only two trees. Coltstein wasn't sure what to do, until he saw a keyhole within the bark of the middle tree. Thinking the obvious, Coltstein grabbed the key from his pocket, placed it into the keyhole of the middle tree, and opened a secret compartment.

Within the compartment was an envelope, and another skeleton key. The key was silver with a sad face and a happy face forged into opposite sides of the key's grip, and no other specific properties that Coltstein could see. The envelope was sealed, so Coltstein ripped it open with his teeth, only to see a folded up paper and a coin with a sad face and happy face on opposite sides of the coin. Just like the key's grip. He decided to investigate the folded paper first, so he unwrapped it with ease, and read it slowly and carefully.

"One tree speaks the truth. One speaks lies. The coin answers one, but not the other. The key shows you truth, but your eyes lie. Use both instinct and trust to pass, or you shall never proceed. If you shall proceed, remember well. A witch can only exist in hell."

Coltstein was confused, until his thoughts were interrupted by a voice coming from just in front of him.

"Who dares to wake me from my slumber!?" spoke the voice.

Coltstein couldn't figure out where the voice was coming from, so he spoke out.

"Who's there?" questioned Coltstein.

It was quiet, until Coltstein finally saw where the voice was coming from.

"I said it," spoke one of the trees.

"NO! I said it!" argued the other tree.

For a moment, Coltstein thought he might've been dreaming, but he knew this wasn't a dream, considering the pain he felt in his back from his encounter with Sally.

"What's it to ya'!?" spoke one of the trees.

Coltstein couldn't tell which tree was speaking, until he noticed their expressions. The tree on the right had a happy face, while the one on the left had a sad face.

One tree speaks the truth. One speaks lies.

Coltstein understood what the note meant. One tree speaks the truth, while the other speaks nothing but lies. This was a test of trust and instinct. However, what did the coin have to do with it? Coltstein read over the note, as the two trees continued to bicker at each other.

The coin answers one, but not the other.

He thought hard, then remembered that there's two sides to a coin. It was clear to him. A coin flip would determine which tree he would question, but which one was telling the truth? Coltstein decided to interrupted their bickering.

"I don't mean to be a bother, but I need to know which path leads to safety," he asked.

"The safe path is my path," spoke the happy tree.

"No. He's a liar!" exclaimed the sad tree. "My path is the safe path!"

Coltstein expected this to be his answer, so he knew that he wasn't going to get anywhere by asking simple questions. He had to follow the riddle if he was going to get anywhere.

"One of you is telling the truth, while the other is lying," said Coltstein. "According to this riddle, I can only ask one of you for the answer."

"That is right!" spoke both trees. "You shall flip the coin you possess, and determine your destiny!"

Coltstein nodded his head, placing the coin in his hoof, and tossing it into the air. The coin remained airborne for a few seconds, before finally landing in the soft dirt. It had landed with the happy face visible, so Coltstein picked the coin up and proceeded to the happy tree.

"AGAIN!? You ALWAYS win!" exclaimed the sad tree.

"Quiet down! I'm talking!" yelled the happy tree.

The sad tree just shrugged, as Coltstein approached.

"You may ask one question only, but be warned, pony. I may have a happy face, but I may or may not speak the truth. I am a tricky tree," stated the happy tree.

"One question," said Coltstein, thinking hard of the question to ask the tree.

He only had one chance to tell if this tree was lying or telling the truth, so he looked at the riddle again, closely.

The key shows you truth, but your eyes lie. I must have to use the key for something, otherwise it wouldn't be there, and since this isn't the manipulative world, and my eyes can see reality, it's not a trick. Where I'd use the key is clear, and the key shows me the truth, so I'd have to use the key for the truth. What should I ask the tree though? It has to be something to give an advantage, so what can give me an advantage?

Coltstein thought hard, as he read further into the riddle. As he read on, something did catch his eye, and he immediately figured out what would give him his advantage; where each path led.

"Ok, I have my question," stated Coltstein. "Where does your path lead?"

"An unusual question, pony, but since you asked, I must answer," replied the tree. "My path leads to heaven."

"That means the other leads to hell," he said in his mind.

The riddle immediately made sense, because the last part of the riddle matched up.

If you shall proceed, remember well. A witch can only exist in hell.

Coltstein had solved the riddle, but was the tree telling the truth, or was it lying through it's bark teeth? The next step was to use the key to figure out the answer. The silver key showed the truth, so it should be simple enough. Coltstein grabbed the silver key, and placed it into the keyhole, turning it. Immediately, the world around him changed back to the hellish dimension he was in before. Each path illuminated a certain light at the end of them. The happy tree's path showed a blood red light, while the sad tree's path illuminated a heavenly glow.

Coltstein had to think hard about this, seeing this key showed the truth, yet he was in the manipulative world again, where everything he saw was a lie. The tree had said his path led to heaven, yet in this dimension, it led to hell. The manipulative world lied, meaning the fact it led to hell wasn't true, so Coltstein knew which tree was telling the truth. It was the happy tree, but it just seemed too easy.

"Think Coltstein," he said to himself. "Double check before acting. This is almost too easy."

Coltstein checked his surroundings one more time, and noticed something fishy about the trees. The faces had not changed, meaning since the trees didn't change, the happy tree was lying about where his path led. The key was showing him the truth, the tree just mislead him.

"No wonder the others didn't make it," he said. "They were all fooled by the tree and didn't notice that the faces remained the same."

Coltstein turned the key, and pulled it out, sticking it in his pocket.

"I know who the lying tree is," stated Coltstein. "Nopony else figured this out, because they were fooled by their instincts. The lying tree is the happy tree!"

The happy tree laughed, but Coltstein had figured out the scheme.

"Why would a tree with a happy face lie?" asked the happy tree.

"Simple. The key I obtained tells the truth, correct?" questioned Coltstein. "I'm in the dimension where my eyes see reality, so the key showed me the truth. Your other victims who were smart enough to get this far stated the obvious. Since the manipulative world is a lie, they'd think that your path leads to heaven, and that the other tree's path leads to hell, the next place I need to go. It's the exact opposite, because even though the key shows the manipulative world, it doesn't lie about what my eyes see. Your faces don't change either, so if I was in the manipulative world, your faces would change, because that world fools my eyes! That wasn't the last dimension I was in, it was the next dimension; hell!"

The tree was speechless, as Coltstein continued.

"The manipulative world was just used as a mask to fool your victims, but luckily, I double checked my surroundings and wasn't fooled by a happy face. Therefore, the correct path is yours!"

"But, why would you choose hell over heaven," asked the happy tree. "That makes no sense!

"Simple," stated Coltstein. "The riddle states, "If you are to proceed, remember well. A witch can only exist in hell." Therefore, if I wish to confront my enemy, I must travel to hell."

The tree was speechless. Coltstein had debunked the riddle, and had figured out which tree was lying.

"Congratulations, pony," said the happy tree. "You have outsmarted me. You may proceed to the next step."

Coltstein nodded, as he turned down the happy tree's path to travel into the hell where Annie awaited his arrival.

One more step, Coltstein, and this madness ends, forever. I'm coming for you, Annie!

Author's Note

Sorry if I confused the hell out of some people, but the final answer is that the key told the truth, the tree lied. Again, sorry if I confused anybody.