Where...?

I took a breath. Still alive. Always a win.

I sat up, head screaming. My eyes focused, but it didn't make anything else make sense.

An ocean(?) of inky darkness surrounded me, save for the patch of land I landed on. A chill rippled through me. I really didn't want to know what could've happened if I got unlucky.

The change of scenery wasn't the only thing different. The soft fabric of my hoodie was gone, replaced by a strange, sleeveless top underneath a silver chestplate.

I struggled to my feet, the soft shoulder cape tickling bare skin. Skin... why was my skin orange?!

"Hhhhooookayyyyy..." I breathed out, a gauntlet pressed to my chestplate. "Okay girl... not a problem... this is fine..."

Only one way to go...

The path was narrow, but wide enough for me to walk comfortably. The strange 'ocean' beyond my feet lapped at the earth, not unlike water.

Something caught my eye, and out of curiosity, I turned to it.

A strange, white light. It glimmered, fleeting for a few seconds, before returning. By second nature, I reached out-

[FILE SAVED - ??????]

What was that? Why did I do that? Why did it feel so... right? Good. It felt good.

Still, what did it mean by 'FILE SAVED'? What file?

Gotta continue, hopefully I'll find answers by pushing forward.

The path winded to the right, growing more and more thin. Slowing my roll a bit, I had to take in the scenery at a much slower pace.

Strange... plants(?) lined the left side, wiggling with the vibrations of my footsteps.

For some odd reason, it felt familiar...

Ooookay. Shelf that for later.

I ran my hand on the rocky wall next to me, feeling my gauntlet catch at every scuff or imperfection. Then, a sound.

It was quiet in the eerie silence, kinda akin to... footsteps?

Well, Tango did fall with me. It's not far fetched he might be close by.

My airways closed, eyes glued on the large carving on the wall.

It was of an eye, wide open and staring. It's just an eye, why are you freaking out over an eye??

I forced myself to look away, shuffling along the concerningly narrow walkway.

Soon enough, the path ended. There was another spot I could walk below me, though the fall would probably sting a little.

I had to cut my losses, and swung my legs over the edge. Not as bad a landing as I thought! 4 stars at least!

The fork was unaccounted for.

"Uhhhh..." I wondered out loud. Left or straight ahead? The left path went on for some time, but the path ahead had a sharp right turn, where I couldn't see.

I let curiosity get the best of me, and marched forward.

Well. That was a waste of time. Immediately after it turned right, the path stopped, with no other paths to get to.

I lightly bumped my gauntlet to my head, sighing in annoyance. Just as I was walking away, a glimmer caught my eye.

There! Hidden inside a small crack in the wall, was a small, shimmering shard. Huh, pretty.

With no second thoughts, I tucked the tiny thing in my pocket. Well, guess I have to go left, now.

As previously stated, the left path was much more straightforward then the, well, straight one.

The only difference?

"HOLY MOTHER OF-?!" I yelled, diving away from the strange bullets. Kicking it into high gear, I tore away from the three plants.

Finally free from... whatever that was, I could catch my breath for a second.

After a few moments filled with pathetic attempts at not feeling like garbage, I looked up.

Oh! One of those light things! Those are good, right? Right?

I reached out and-

​​​* You bathed your body in the light.

* A power shines within you, breaking through the darkness.

* Any pain you may have has melted away...

* (HP fully restored.)

[FILE SAVED - Eye Puzzle]

-felt instantly better.

Eye puzzle? What puzzle?

On the wall next to the odd light, a metal plate displayed a message.

* In this land, only eyes blinded by darkness can see the way.

Okay, back with the eye garbage. Well, if it's a puzzle, then it must be progression, that's how it worked in video games.

Avoiding direct eye contact, I tapped the small, shimmering button inside one of the holes.

The left and right eyes went dark, and I knew I had my instructions. Okay, make them all go dark, gotcha.

Some trial and error later, and a bridge made up of what looked like glass clicked into place. Cool.

I hugged the wall, forcing myself not to peer over the edge. Just the look of it made me want to puke. So high up, why am I so high up...?

Thankfully, the trail let me descend a level, even if it resulted in scuffed... whatever kinda clothing I'm wearing.

Large stacks of what reminded me of either cotton or lint were piled high. They looked fluffy, like sleeping on a dream.

I froze, not wanting to look. Was it my imagination... or did something move just now?

A quick look back at the cliff I came from confirmed my fears. No way I could get back up there. I had to press forward, in the direction the shadow went.

Why did it look like it was running from me? Was it running from me? I'm not that scary, am I?

One pile left, with something noticeably light gold sticking out. Was that... a tail?

I swatted at the clump with gusto, determined to figure out just who this was.

The fluff exploded, revealing-

... a very scared looking Tango...?

He bristled, smoke(?) billowing out of his mouth as he hissed. "H-Hey! B-Back off!" Blue flames crackled off him, lighting the cotton ablaze. "Come any closer and I'll-!"

He looked me up and down, only relaxing once he realized he wasn't facing down a horrific creature. "D-Diamond?! Phew..." for a second, he looked almost relieved to see me, but it vanished quickly. "Hey... you can't scare a guy like that! Unless you wanna get clocked in the face, HA!"

He changed too, just like me. His fur was now a light gold color. His eyes now blazed red, small sparks of soft yellow light where his irises should be.

The standard t-shirt and pants were traded for an unironically badass tank top and cropped pants combo, the colors switched. At the ends of them, rested sharp looking white spikes, functioning as shoulder and knee guards.

The simple flame necklace completed the outfit.

"... anyway, enough screwing around. We gotta find a way outta here," He turned in a 360 degree rotation. "Uhhh, heh. Where exactly is 'here', anyway?"

I shrugged.

He massaged his face, frustration boiling over. "Okay fine! It doesn't matter! YOU got us into this mess, YOU get us out!" He moved to stand behind me. "So, lead the way."

I may or may not have said some things under my breath as I walked. "C'mon."

Tango whined into his hands, letting his dramatic side shine. "Ohhhh myyyy Angellllll, can you walk ANY slower!?"

I scowled at his hurrying form. "Meh meh, I'm Tango, the big jerk. Mehhh, oh you walk too slow cause I'm a baby!" I blew a raspberry.

Just to spite him, I, like before, took my sweet time. The strange, square pillars that floated in the 'ocean' of darkness were cool, though.

"Hey, Diamond." What now? "There's someone up there waving at us. Any idea what they want?"

Wait, really? I craned my neck up, squinting my eyes.

Like he said, there was someone up there, peering over the edge. They raised their hand, two strange, glowing things hovering over it.

Those things, they remind me of those bullets...

As soon as that thought ended, the two bullets raced at us.

Thinking quickly, I rammed into Tango, forcing him to move. "Go! Run!!" I screamed.

What an rush! If it weren't for the person literally trying to kill us, I'd have started laughing.

Tango grabbed my wrist. "Down here!" He pulled me down a steep slope.

I fumbled the land, arms pinwheeling, not able to keep my balance. My face got a mouthful of dirt.

I coughed, spitting the disgusting substance out.

Ugh, that... hurt. Where's it hurting from? Everywhere? Great.

I leaned on the cliff wall for support, wincing at spark of pain that shot through me.

Did Tango ditch me? I mean, it's on brand for him, but dang dude.

Whispering curses with every step, I continued down the path. There was something further down the path, anyway, so might as well check it out, right?

A golden glow contrasted the dark blues and blacks, belonging to the aforementioned Blazling.

He waved, at least somewhat smiling. "Oh, you're not dead. Sweet. Got any idea what this place is?"

I paused, then shook my head. "Nope."

"... me neither. Wonder if there's anyone in that building up there?" He stared at the distant castle looking thing.

"Maybe..." I trudged through the town, the only sounds being Tango's and my own footsteps. Not even a whisper of other life. It was eerie.

"This is creepy."

"Yeah, I don't like this..." Honestly, I expected anything but that. "Maybe this place is an abandoned theme park? Wait- where are the rides, then?' He snickered. "Maybe they abandoned it 'cause there weren't any."

"Yeah." Maybe I just wanted a rational explanation for all this.

One of the lights glimmered in the middle of the town, sparkling against the dark colors.

* In front of you, a castle looms beneath the empty town.

* A black geyser emerges from it, piercing endlessly into the sky.

* The power of this place shines within you.

[FILE SAVED - CASTLE TOWN]

Castle Town? Well, not nearly as bad a name as Hometown.

What is that geyser, though?

I caught up with Tango, the teen having continued on without me.

"A castle...?" Tango gawked up at the castle, admiring its walls, parapets, and everything else it had to offer. "Why the hell is there a castle inside a supply closet...?"

"Welcome, heroes...!" We jumped, heads snapping towards the voice. So there was someone here!

"Who's there?!" Tango squawked, stepping back, like he was contemplating running.

"Do not be alarmed... I am not your enemy." ​Yeah right. Anyone who talks like that is definitely a potential enemy! "Please come forward, both of you..."

We hesitated. It was really a surprise for myself, but Tango? This was completely out of character for him!

I took a step forward, trying to be brave.

"Welcome." The voice sounded normal now, the accent dialed down. Maybe to put us at ease? "I am the Prinxe of this Kingdom... the Kingdom of Darkness."

Kingdom of Darkness? In the school? In a supply closet of all things??

"Diamond, Tango..." I froze. How did this person know our names?? "There is a Legend in this land."

"A Legend...?"

A Legend that one day, two Heroes of Light will arrive," The cloaked Prinxe continued, unfettered by Tango's confusion. ", and fulfill the ancient prophecy, foretold by time and space. Please, Heroes. Listen to my tale..."

"Uhhh, okay?" I could humor him. I mean, seriously? Me? A hero? No dice. I'm NOT a hero.

​"Very well then..." The Prinxe's previous accent returned.

"Once upon a time, a Legend was whispered among shadows."

"It was a Legend of Light, It was a Legend of Dark."

"It was a Legend of Hopes, It was a Legend of Dreams."

"This is the Legend of Delta Rune."

"For millenia, Light and Dark have lived in balance. Bringing peace to the world."

"But if this harmony were to shatter..."

"A terrible calamity would occur."

"The sky will run black with terror, and the land crack with fear."

"Then, her heart pounding... The Earth will draw her final breath."

"Only then, shining with hope... Three Heroes appear at World's edge."

"A Human."

"A Magi."

"And a Noble from the Dark."

"Only they can seal the fountains, and banish the Angel's Heaven."

"Only then will balance be restored, and the World saved from destruction."

"Today, the Fountain of Darkness - the geyser that gives this world form - stands tall at the center of the kingdom."

"But recently, another fountain has appeared on the horizon... and with it, the balance of Light and Dark begins to shift..."

Whatever magic the Prinxe had been using faded, allowing myself to come back to reality. I blinked, trying to clear my buzzing mind.

"Dude... what the HELL was that?!" Tango accused them.

"Diamond, Tango... Thank you for listening to my long tale." The hooded figure's voice was chipper, but showed no emotion past the thick fabric, not responding to the Blazeling.

"I deeply believe you two are the Heroes of the Legend. That despite whatever enemies you may face... You two have the courage to save the World." They moved, arms spread wide. "Delta Warriors!" Their voice quieted. "Please... won't you accept your destiny...?"

Tango scoffed, tail flicking. "Uh, nah."

"!! W-what??"

"I don't know who you think you are, KID," Smoke erupted from the corners of Tango's mouth. "I'm NOT some hero, I'm NOT a pawn of some prophecy! You've got the wrong person."

"Wait-!" The Prinxe rushed after Tango, who'd begun to walk away. "Without you... the world- the world will-!"

"And?" Tango hissed, snapped back around. "So what? If the world gets destroyed... It's none of my damn business." He snickered. "Might even be kind of fun."

The Prinxe didn't speak, and a small part of me felt bad for them. Tango was being extremely rude. Sure, it wasn't new for me, but this kid? Must be rough.

Tango broke away from the Prinxe. "Anyway, Diamond..." He jabbed a clawed finger at me. "If YOU wanna play pretend with this weirdo... stick around." He took a few steps towards the town. "I'M going to fine a way outta here."

Something rammed into the Prinxe, flinging them away with a cartoonish explosion. The person on the bike(?) cackled. "The Heroes are already running away, and they didn't even know I was here! My dad's gonna make Son of the Month!"

I scrambled closer to Tango. Tango bristled, fists clenched. "Who the hell are you!?"

"I'm...!" The boy popped a wheelie on his flaming bike. "The bad guy! You Clowns want to seal our Dark Fountain, huh!? And - still picturing you guys as Clowns - save the world from eternal darkness, huh?!"

Tango shrugged dully. "Eh."

"Don't try to deny it...!" The strange boy rebuked. "We both know you'll go East! It's your only way home! But! I, Joel, WON'T let you go there!"

"Plus," 'Joel' leaned on his bike handles. "I've got a flawless two step plan to ensure it. Step one: I kick your ass. Step two: you lose!"

Tango tapped his chin, smiling to him. "Hm. Nice plan, kid."

The kid perked up. "R-Really?!"

"Yeah, actually..." Tango slowly closed the distance between them. He leaned forward, grin sharpening as he grabbed the boy's bike handle. "Mind if we use it on you instead?"

The world flickered, darkness sweeping across the courtyard. A sword flew into my hands, drawn from the sheath I hadn't noticed before.

Was this happening?! Am I really fighting this kid...??

I-I can't. He's a kid! Even if he's our 'enemy'!

{ACT}

❤️• CHECK • WARNING • COMPLIMENT

* Joel - AT 7 DF 1

* Not to call a spade a spade, but he's a spade.

* Not old enough to ride a motorcycle, so he set his bike on fire.

"Halt, clowns! This bike is fueled by victory!" I sidestepped, feeling the wind of the bike go by as it sped past.

Tango twirled a large axe in his hands. "Dunno where I got an axe, but that's cool."

I should probably warn this kid. Maybe I should've done that first.

{ACT - WARNING}

"Hey!" I tried catching Joel's attention. "Stay away from Tango! Or at least try to defend yourself!"

* Joel readies himself.

"Why're YOU helping him!?" Tango hissed. He swung, Joel peddling just out of dodge.

"Thanks, Orange Girl!" He cackled. He popped a wheelie, peddling full force at them. Me and Tango dodged it, but Joel wasn't done yet.

Somehow, the kid defied gravity, and started cycling on the air, ​​​​a fan of spade like attacks raining down on them.

One of them bit into Tango, leaving him stumbling back.

He glared at me, but didn't say anything. He recovered quickly.

{ACT - COMPLIMENT}

"Hey kid! Did you upgrade that bike yourself? That's sick!"

* He seems flattered...

* His ATTACK POWER went down!

Okay... okay! Getting somewhere!

A round of easily dodged attacks later, the chance of act came up again. Only, this time, he took it as me being insincere.

* Joel's ATTACK POWER goes back up!

Oh geez.

Oh geez, it's this attack!

I pulled Tango away from the barrage, not a single spade clipping us.

Tango growled, raising his axe high.

"Wait!" Joel raised his hand up. "Wait a second!" He hopped off his bike, that was sputtering loudly. "My bike's running out of fuel...!" He crossed his arms, puffing his cheeks like a little kid. How old is he again?

"Alright you punk-a-roos! You had the luck of the draw this time, but..." He pointed dramatically, one hand pinned to the mask covering his eyes. "Next time, the losers will be YOU! Smell ya later!!"

It was honestly a surprise Tango didn't try and chase after him.

* You won!

* Got 0 EXP and 35 D$

Huh. Some kinda currency. Sweet!

The hooded Prinxe rushed up, out of breath. "Are- Are you two ok...?"

They moved closer, small dark hands clasped in front of them. "Um, allow me to introduce myself more properly," they cleared their throat. ", I am-"

Tango loudly cut them off. "- Jeez, can you take off that stupid hood? Can barely hear ya under there."

"U-Ummm-!" The Prinxe stammered, but clutched at the hood of their cloak. "Alright..."

The gray fabric fell away.