Chapter Text
He bolted up from the lying position he was in, eyes darting around, trying to locate the danger. He couldn't breathe. It was cold, so cold, he felt like he was dying, he almost did, he can't breathe -
He gasped, trying to catch some air in uncooperative lungs. He was alive. He should be dead- He felt his soul shattering and he's pretty sure that meant he - How was he still here?
And - he thought as he realized he was no longer in that alleyway fighting for his life - where is here anyway?
It- seemed as though he was in a cavern? There seemed to be light coming in from above - was there an opening to the outside world there? It didn't look like he could make the journey up there though, not even with what limited flight he gained in Cyber World.
He breathed.
It was freezing here. A shiver came up his spine and he sneezed. Why...?
(Snow was falling all around him and she was floating there still like a statue-)
"Noelle!"
He looked around again frantically as if she would suddenly appear beside him just because he started looking for her. All that got him was a headache and no Noelle. So she wasn't here. Was she still with Kris? That's not good. He had to get her away from them, she wouldn't have- done something like that otherwise. She- she wouldn't.
Which means that Kris had to have done something to her. A- prank of some sort? But this was downright cruel and no matter how horrible those stupid things were, they were never malicious!
Unless- unless they hated him? He supposed their relationship had grown quite strained over the years...
But even with that- Noelle wouldn't hurt him, would she? She had a crush on him! Even she, what with her anxious demeanor, wouldn't let herself hurt someone she cared about!
Would she?
No, no she wouldn't. So why...?
Unless- maybe they were following Queen's plan after all? But- but he was in his normal clothes and the events leading up to it- Noelle's actions, the battle, the snow- It wasn't at all like what Queen had described! And with no blade...?
No, no that can't be the case. So why-? Why would she have hurt him?
Unless- she hated him? Like Kris-?
But- she had a crush on him! Right? Or- or maybe she was too polite to say anything to him. To tell him when he was annoying her, making her uncomfortable, leading her to slowly hating him. But she wouldn't- right?
Or- Or maybe she would? He didn't-
His mind kept going in circles and circles and circles and circles and he couldn't breathe he-
He desperately searched for anything to distract him, to take his thoughts elsewhere, anywhere -
He noticed his phone lying innocently a couple of feet away from him.
His- his phone!
He leaped towards it and with wings shaking from fear (only fear only fear he wasn't shivering and if he was it was only adrenaline and fear, he wasn't-) he pulled up Noelle's contact information and called, waiting for her to just respond and let him know she's alright, that nothing happened while laughing softly and-
"The number you're trying to call is unavailable. Would you like to leave a message? Press 1 to-"
A- A voicemail? What-
He shakily pressed 1 to confirm and a stream of words tumbled out of his beak.
"Noelle? Are- Are you okay? I don't- Are you okay? Kris didn't- do anything to you did they? You have to- to go or- or something just- Noelle. Please tell me- please call back. As soon- As s-soon as you can. I want- I need to know you're okay-
"I- I'll end the voicemail now. P- Please respond as soon as you can. Please."
He ended the voicemail and stared blankly at his phone. It didn't... go through? Why...?
His phone. He didn't-
He wasn't in Cyber World.
He looked around himself with renewed vigor, realizing what it meant fully.
He wasn't in Cyber World, was he?
He looked down at himself, at his jacket and black turtleneck he had worn to his and Noelle's study session and only now fully noticing the lack of orange tinting his vision.
He tried to summon his halberd to make sure and didn't flinch when he saw snow suddenly appear instead. Okay. That was- okay. He will deal with that later.
He carefully sidestepped the fact he created snow when he didn't mean to in favor of focusing on the fact he used magic at all which meant he couldn't be back in Hometown either. Looking around though, he couldn't see anything other than cave walls and a few pillars. Then where...? Perhaps he ended up in a different dark world somehow? That barely makes any sense but he can't think of any other explanation so that's the assumption he'll operate under for the current moment.
Now what should he...?
Noelle. If he wasn't in Cyber City then- then he needed to get back as soon as possible. Noelle- He couldn't leave her alone. She- Kris- He couldn't- He had to help her! Get her away from- from- them! They clearly did- Something.
(And if she hates him - well, so long as she's safe and happy he'll make do.)
He stood up on shaking legs, pocketing his phone into his jacket, and headed to the only way forward.
(He ignored the ice trailing his every step.)
----
As he walked into the room he immediately noted the spikes blocking the exit. There were also some buttons, a lever and a sign. Perhaps this was a puzzle like in Cyber City and the spikes will lower when he completes it?
He walked up to the sign. It read:
"Only the fearless may proceed.
Brave ones, foolish ones,
Both walk not the middle road"
Alright, so it does indeed appear to be a puzzle of some sort. What is the sign referring to though? The buttons perhaps?
He headed over to them and gave them a closer look. They were obviously part of the puzzle so it would benefit him to analyze the situation more closely.
There are six buttons. Two of them appeared to be situated on a lighter surface - perhaps it's the road the sign mentioned? And "both walk not the middle road"... Could it signify he needs to avoid all the buttons situated on the "road"?
He pressed the buttons not on the road and heard a click as he pulled down the lever. When he looked to the room's exit he saw the spikes were no longer standing in his path. He grinned. Seems like his word puzzling skills came to use for more than personal enjoyment for once!
The shiver that suddenly came over him wiped the smile off his face. He had a purpose, he had to remember that. He moved on without any more fanfare.
Passing through the next few rooms he found nothing of note other than a dummy he ignored until he came across-
"Are you kidding me?"
A floor full of spikes. Who thought it was a good idea to install a room filled with spikes and the only way through being to swim around the spikes?
Then again, there were those incredibly unsafe streets that Queen had littered Cyber City with. He barely made it through all of them!
He's getting distracted. With his... current condition he does not believe it would be a good idea to attempt to swim through. Perhaps this is a puzzle like earlier. He recalled seeing a sign on the way here, perhaps that will be of use?
"The western room is the eastern rooms blueprint"
What.
This- what? How is he supposed to tell where east and west is?
He. He'll just assume that the sign means west as in left of the sign and east the right of the sign. Which means the room he just passed through is the blueprint to the spike room.
Whatever that means.
He made his way to the room left of the sign. What is he supposed to see here, he grumbled in his mind, the ceiling?
Or maybe, he thought as he looked down at the floor, this is the path he's supposed to follow? But the spikes... Will they lower if he follows it?
And then he realized.
Wait. Am I going to have to memorize this?!
He breathed in and out deeply. He can do this. It's simple memorization.
He looked down at the pattern, trying to commit it to memory. Right, left, right, left... How long was each side again? There had to be a better way to remember this ridiculous thing-
He couldn't think of one.
He gulped, trying to commit the sight to memory before heading over to the dreaded room.
He swallowed down his fear, slowly putting one foot on the spikes and-
It lowered.
He was correct.
So... Now he just needed to go... forward... right?
He slowly walked forward, getting halfway through the puzzle when he miscalculated where to go and stepped on a spike that didn't lower. He yelled and jumped backwards, stepping on more of those stupid things and hurting himself more in the process.
He shut his eyes tight in pain. Was he really going to have to risk that happening again?
No.
No!
You know what?
Screw it! He will not tolerate this! He will not follow the path set out for him when he can just swim around the damn thing! Maybe even fly over it!
He flapped his wings once, letting the magic flow just under the surface as he ran forward and just a moment too late he realized, wait doesn't using magic make-?
Snow burst out all around him as he concentrated his magic outwards and he flailed his arms in panic creating more and sending him off course and into the water.
It was freezing.
The water quickly started freezing, ice sticking to his wings, making it harder to move around making him panic even harder. He thrashed around, trying to get back to the surface, lost air mixing in with the ice rapidly forming around him.
He broke the surface for a moment, drawing in a breath of air before he was pulled back underwater.
Was he going to die here?
No! No, he can't die here! Not when he doesn't know if Noelle is-
He gasped for breath as he made it onto flat land, though his eyes refused to focus on the ground in front of him. He almost died. Again.
How was he going to help Noelle at this rate-?
No. Not right now. Focus.
He tried to calm his breathing. In. And out. In. And out. You aren't drowning. You're safe. (safe safe safe safe safe safe safe-)
He's fine.
Everything's okay.
He breathed in, and out. With the panic taken care of for the time being, he shook the ice out of his wings and resolved to not use magic until he figures out how to make... that ... stop happening.
He quickly stood up, eager to get away from this place before immediately sitting down again due to how weak his legs felt. He clicked his tongue in annoyance and crawled over to the wall before carefully standing up again, using it as a support. He looked out at the next room.
He couldn't see where it ended.
He gulped. Was he really going to have to walk the whole way there...?
There's. No other way forward though so breathed in, and out, before walking into the corridor. Having to lean on the wall really slowed him down but he moved on. His legs grew more and more tired and his breath grew heavier as he walked. He squinted as tiny white dots appeared at the edges of his vision. They meant something about pushing yourself too hard, didn't they?
He clicked his tongue and slid down the wall until he was sitting. He'll just... rest for a while then.
He hugged his legs to his chest and rested his head on his knees. He could feel himself tearing up.
Angel, he was pathetic.
He won't be able to help Noelle at all like this!
He buried his head in his wings and tried not to sob.
Why did this have to happen? Why did Noelle have to- Why did Kris have to force her to- Why did-
Noelle.
He couldn't protect her.
He wasn't able to-
He failed to be there for her.
Was this his punishment? Did he deserve this?
No, he tried to deny though the protest felt empty. It was all Kris's fault. Not his.
But he failed to- to- to-
Not. His. Fault.
Shut up.
Even if it was his fault it got so bad in the first place, for not being smart enough to see what was happening before-
He groaned into his wings and just looked ahead for a moment in silence before sighing and attempting to stand up again. He noted with a cold detachment that he didn't feel as tired as before. The brief rest must have done him some good then.
He deliberately breathed in and out before he forced himself to keep walking further. He needed to find out more about this place.
For Noelle.