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Chapter Text

"I didn't think Gold Ingot would keep this around after the challenge was done with."

Knight Helmet, Plasma Ball, and Caramel Cube were all sitting on the floor of the staff building, a bunch of board game pieces and a map out in front of them. Off to the side was an empty cardboard box labeled "Battle Dungeon Ultra", and a few papers were placed off to the side of it.

"Well, I'm glad he did!" Knight Helmet said. "After all dear Caramel Cube, perhaps it could be reused for another challenge later down the road!"

"I doubt it, but...alright," Caramel Cube shrugged.

"Now where is my character sheet...and my figurine..." Knight Helmet muttered.

"They're right there," Plasma Ball replied, pointing over in a direction. "Where you left them a second ago."

"Oh...of course, I knew that! Haha..." Knight Helmet chuckled nervously. "A-anyway, thank goodness Silver left some of her prompts in here!"

"Yeah, "Treasure Tower" sure sounds like a fun story," Caramel Cube nodded. "I guess it won't be the same without Silver here to narrate it, but at least she put down details for what to do for each scenario!"

"Honestly, I'm surprised you don't mind being the farmer class again, KH," Plasma Ball chuckled. "I was half expecting you to try and wrangle the knight class from me before we could even start!"

"Yeah, well..." Knight Helmet sighed. "I guess you could say I had a lot of fun with it last time! It's a class that a knight such as myself doesn't get to play that often, so it adds a bit of challenge...heh..."

Knight Helmet slumped forwards a bit, his eyes drooping. Caramel Cube and Plasma Ball almost immediately noticed this, prompting them to exchange a concerned glance between themselves.

"Are you...doing okay?" Caramel Cube asked. "You sound a little out of it."

"Yeah, you seemed out of it when we were unpacking the game, too," Plasma Ball added. "You're not sick, are you?"

"I've been...I've been losing sleep..." Knight Helmet said, yawning shortly after. "I guess I was just too excited by the thought of playing my favorite game, I couldn't rest!"

"Hah, that's understandable," Plasma Ball chuckled. "But seriously, we can hold off doing this until tomorrow or something! Sleep is important!"

"No, no...it's fine!" Knight Helmet said, shaking himself awake. "I can do this."

"If you say so..." Caramel Cube said. "Just try not to doze off mid-battle or whatever."

"Its okay CC, I'm sure Knight Helmet could do this in his sleep," Plasma Ball chuckled. "He loves this game so much I'm sure he dreams about it."

Knight Helmet scoffed a little at the statement.

"Yeah, maybe...but I'm sure I'd also dream about other things! Like uh..." he paused. "Dreaming about the things that we could be..."

"Oh?"

"...If we make it to the final three in the competition!" Knight Helmet finished. "Or something!"

"Alright, alright. Are we gonna play this game or what?" Plasma Ball asked with a smile.

"Yeah, let me just read here..." Caramel Cube replied, picking up the pamphlet that contained Silver's notes on the campaign. "Okay so everyone starts out in a forest again, their gear on their person. I guess that means your sword from last session un-broke itself?"

~~~

"Do I have to cut the vines off again?" Plasma Ball asked.

"We could just use the...the large...um..." Knight Helmet waved his hand about as he searched for the right word. "Digger! Digger thingy!"

"...you mean shovel?" Caramel Cube asked.

"Yeah! That!" Knight Helmet replied. "Launch the vines or something!"

"Well, according to Silver's prompt, it does say there are a few vines in the way we have to cut, but then after that we need to try and get to a town to look for a map to the tower!" Caramel Cube explained.

"Really? We can't just...look for it ourselves?" Plasma Ball asked, a little perplexed.

"Oh, we can actually. We all just have to roll for it," Caramel Cube replied. "But first, vines!"

As the group approached their first mass of vines, Caramel Cube quickly cast a spell on Knight Helmet's shovel to enlarge it. Once it was in position, the trio then counted down and tugged with all their might, launching the vegetation into the air as they once had before. In no time, they'd reached a clearing with the shovel still intact, Caramel Cube shrinking it back down to its original size. A town stood faintly in the distance, though there was currently no sign of a tower...

~~~

"I guess this is where we roll to look, right?" Plasma Ball asked.

"Yeah, let's see..."

Caramel Cube took the twenty-sided die and shook it in her hand before rolling it, watching as it landed on a 5.

"Darnit! That's not enough..." she muttered.

"My turn," Plasma Ball said, taking the die for herself and rolling. "Is a 7 any better?"

"No, Silver says we need at least a 12 to see the town from where we are," Caramel Cube replied.

The two girls looked over at Knight Helmet, who hadn't said a word yet.

"Uh...Knight Helmet? It's your turn, buddy," Plasma Ball said.

"Huh? Wha?" Knight Helmet muttered, shortly before gasping as if snapping out of a trance. "Oh, yeah..."

He took the dice and shook them, rolling it out onto the map.

"An 18! That means you see the tower!" Caramel exclaimed. "You just gotta tell our player characters in the game!"

~~~

"The tower!! Knight Helmet exclaimed, pointing outwards in a seemingly random direction.

Plasma Ball and Caramel Cube looked over towards where he was pointing...but alas, it just seemed like he was pointing at nothing.

"You see it?" Plasma Ball asked. "Where??"

"Right....right there!!" Knight Helmet replied, continuing to gesture in the same area.

Again, nothing. To the other two, it basically looked like he was hallucinating it...though they wanted to believe him.

"CC, can you cast a spell to let us see better?" Plasma Ball asked.

~~~

"I uh...don't think that's on the list of spells Silver wrote down for my character," Caramel Cube said.

Plasma Ball audibly sighed as she looked over at her red-haired companion.

"Alright Knight Helmet, I seriously think you should rest. You're not doing well, and it's affecting the game."

"Wha...? No, I'm fiiine..." Knight Helmet replied with a smile, his eyes almost closed.

"You're not."

Caramel Cube shook her head as she brought out a drink bottle, placing it on the floor before attempting to get it open.

"You uh. You need me to get that for ya?" Plasma Ball asked.

"I got it..." Caramel Cube grunted, shortly before letting go and shaking her hands. "No, I don't. I don't got it."

"I could...I could try!!" Knight Hemet exclaimed.

Without even waiting for the other two to give the bottle to him, he reached over and grabbed it before attempting to twist off the cap. Caramel Cube and Plasma Ball watched as Knight Helmet struggled to get the bottle open, though he seemed determined to get it done anyway.

"Look, I'll just..."

Plasma Ball reached over and gently took the bottle out of Knight Helmet's grasp before grabbing the cap. With a single sharp twist of her wrist, a "SNAP" was heard, and the bottle cap came loose in an instant. She then handed the bottle back to Caramel Cube, noting Knight Helmet's slightly shocked expression.

"Now, where were we?" Plasma Ball asked, trying to hide a smile.

"I think we were trying to find a way to the town," Caramel Cube replied.

~~~

"Right, I think I saw a town just over yonder!" Plasma Ball exclaimed. "Let's get that map, shall we?"

"Let's," Caramel Cube said with a nod.

"And let's hope this goes well while we're at it," Plasma Ball added. "Pray, even."

"That too."

"Oh baby, I've been...I've been praying hard!" Knight Helmet said, pausing to yawn in between.

"Yeah and you stayed up all night doing it, moron," Plasma Ball sighed. "Whatever..."

Without further ado, the group of heroes walked on over to the town without a problem, finding it lively and well. Lining the streets were stands full of merchandise, along with tables and cloths also laid out. A single stall stood out to them amongst the rest, as it seemed to contain scrolls and papers. Plasma Ball made her way up to it and put her arm down on the stall's countertop, grabbing the attention of the object running it...a ruler of some kind.

"Hello scroll seller, we are here for your uh...scroll to the Tower of Treasure!" Plasma Ball said with a confident smile.

"Oh! Are you uh...are you sure about that?" the ruler asked nervously.

"Yeah, why? Is it super dangerous or something?" Caramel Cube responded.

"The Tower of Treasure is rumored to hold an abandoned dragon's hoard full of riches!" the ruler explained. "The hero that originally slayed the dragon unfortunately perished from their wounds before they could take it however, and nobody has been able to make it there since!"

"Hah! No challenge is too...too um...oh! Too hard for me!" Knight Helmet spoke, holding out his shovel in a weak pose.

"With all those riches, we'd be able to get better gear!" Plasma Ball exclaimed. "I wanna try fighting a dragon sometime!"

"Yeah, and I'm sure we could do a bunch of other things with it, too!" Caramel Cube said excitedly. "Maybe I could add some new spells to my character..."

"We'll be free to live our lives however we want without concern!!" Knight Helmet said cheerfully, though in a less energetic matter than the other two. "Said no more counting dollars, we'll be counting stars!"

A pause was all it took for the three to quickly realize they'd been talking amongst themselves instead of at the ruler.

"Sorry about that," Caramel Cube said. "Yeah, we're sure about taking this challenge!"

"Alrighty then...if you're sure..."

With that, the ruler slid over a paper map, indeed marked with the ideal trail of getting to the Tower of Treasure. For some reason it required no payment, but the trio weren't about to argue with that. As they made their way out of the town, they examined this paper, hoping to come up with a plan before they made any big moves.

"Alright, says here we need to go through the Shadowy Scrublands, into the Twisted Tunnel, make it past the Arid Arches, cross the Rugged Rivers, and the tower should be located in the Sunlit Swards!" Caramel Cube said.

"That...kind of sounds like a lot of locations..." Plasma Ball muttered. "Are you sure there isn't a shortcut of some kind?"

"Uh...from the looks of it, no. This is the most diagonal, straight-forward path we can take," Caramel Cube replied.

"Darnit! Ugh, well...maybe we can just do like...one area or something, considering..."

Plasma Ball nodded over towards Knight Helmet, and Caramel Cube nodded in response.

"Alright, sounds good to me," she said. "Now, the Shadowy Scrublands should be just up ahead..."

"You mean that massive bunch of trees and bushes over there?" Plasma Ball asked.

"Huh?"

As Plasma Ball pointed in the direction she was looking, the group of three made their way towards the clusters and clumps of vegetation. Prickly bushes seemed to line the outside of it, while stunted trees tangled together to almost create a "forest" ahead of them. Even the sunlight could barely pierce through the woven branches, and the lack of any noises or sounds only made it scarier.

"Please tell me you have a light spell," Plasma Ball muttered.

"I should, actually," Caramel Cube replied. "Let me see..."

"I am NOT going through that!" Knight Helmet exclaimed, still struggling to keep up with the others.

"If we make it through safely and you get roughed up, I'll brush your hair again," Plasma Ball said with a small grin.

"Besides, you're not afraid of the dark, are you?" Caramel Cube added.

Knight Helmet blinked before shaking his head in an attempt to stay awake.

"I am NOT scared of the dark, thank you very much!" he exclaimed as he pushed past the other two. "And yes, I WOULD like my hair brushed if I get twigs in it!"

Plasma Ball and Caramel Cube exchanged a fist bump as Knight Helmet walked forwards, holding back from snickering to themselves.

"Always works."

Knight Helmet approached the shadowy path ahead, undaunted by the darkness that laid before him. He bravely took a step forwards into the unknown, unsure of what to expect...

~~~

"Uh...Knight Helmet? You're gonna have to roll," Caramel Cube said.

"What, for walking?" Knight Helmet asked. "Come on..."

He sloppily picked up the dice and shook it, rolling it onto the map and nearly knocking down his own figurine in the process.

"I got a uh...a 9, is that good?" Knight Helmet asked tiredly, glancing over at the die.

Caramel Cube inhaled deeply as she looked at Silver's notes.

"Well..."

~~~

But as Knight Helmet sets his foot down, he immediately found that nothing was there! His failure to act in time had cost him greatly, and his comrades were left to watch as his body plummeted down...into a ravine previously unseen.

"KNIGHT HELMET!" the other two shouted in unison.

But no word was uttered from the farmer boy as he fell, the only clear sound coming from the ravine being the "CRASH" of his metallic body hitting the rough ground.

"I knew I should've casted the light spell before saying that..." Caramel Cube groaned.

"Should we try and get him?" Plasma Ball asked.

"I don't know, but maybe the village will have something," Caramel Cube replied. "Come on, let's go!"

The two girls ran back the way they came as fast as they could, hoping they could save their fellow friend in need...

...

...

...

At the bottom of the ravine, Knight Helmet laid motionless on the ground. He stared up at the tangled trees, too tired and weak to move. As much as he tried to keep his eyes open, he was practically fighting for it. He knew this couldn't be the end, and that he wouldn't be bested by something as stupid as a ravine. After all, the others would be back for him, right?

Yeah, of course they would. They trusted him.

He was fine.

With one long, last sigh, Knight Helmet watched as his vision blurred before him...

And then everything went black.

'Yeah, we'll be counting...stars.'

Chapter Text

"...?"

...

"...lo?"

Knight Helmet felt his eyes slowly open at the sound of another voice nearby.

The aching in his body from before had lessened some, though it still lingered. He mustered up as much strength as he could to try and sit up, his vision clearing as he did so. For some strange reason, he'd landed right next to a...bush? It was a very pretty colored one, with vibrant leaves that reflected the light. However it also mildly irked him that he'd somehow managed to miss landing on the one thing that could've cushioned his fall.

Knight Helmet shook his head.

'And in my face is flashing signs...'

Wait.

Leaves didn't normally glitter.

Knight Helmet looked over at the bush again, now realizing that the shapes he originally thought were "leaves" were actually pentagons against a rough surface. He immediately jolted, and if he'd been slouching before, he was upright now. This wasn't a bush, this was someone he knew!

"Malachite?!" Knight Helmet exclaimed. "I didn't know you played Battle Dungeon Ultra!"

"What?" Malachite blinked. "What are you talking about?"

"You're here, you're-ugh, never mind!" Knight Helmet sighed, shortly before realizing how energized he was. "Wow, I must've been out for a while, huh?"

"I wouldn't know, sorry. Anyways, did you trip and fall or something?" Malachite asked, mildly concerned. "That must've hurt."

"Well yes, but a silly little fall has NOTHING on a knight like me!" Knight Helmet scoffed proudly.

And to prove his point, he stood up fully.

"Whuh-!" Knight Helmet exclaimed, dizziness flooding his head as he tried to stabilize himself "Maybe not so fast..."

"Are you sure you don't need help?" Malachite asked.

"Of course!" Knight Helmet replied confidently. "I'm fine, you...um..."

It was only now that Knight Helmet fully registered the other object's Battle Dungeon Ultra form. Malachite appeared to be crossed with a reptilian of some kind, seeing as he had a few scales on his limbs, a long green tail, two horns on his head, wings...

"Wait a second...you're a dragonborn?!" Knight Helmet exclaimed.

"Yeah, why?" Malachite replied.

"Isn't that class like...really strong or something?" Knight Helmet asked.

Malachite only shrugged in response, prompting Knight Helmet to start looking around the area.

"Oh well," Knight Helmet said. "What's important is that I get out of here!"

"How did you get down here again?" Malachite asked. "You said you fell, right?"

"Mhm! And I'm unharmed!" Knight Helmet exclaimed, shortly before pausing narrowing his eyes at the other. "Wait...what are you doing down here?"

"Oh, your friends Plasma Ball and Caramel Cube came running into town looking for something that could help you out of the hole," Malachite explained. "I overheard them from a nearby tavern and went to go see for myself, and...yeah."

"Well! It's nice to know that they care about me," Knight Helmet replied with a small smile. "It's okay though, I can get myself out of this hole now that I've rested up and gotten my energy back!"

He quickly glanced around for his shovel, finding it a few feet away from where he'd landed. Knight Helmet then walked over to it and picked it up, inspecting it to make sure it hadn't broken. Once he was sure it would function how he wanted to, he approached a nearby dirt wall and started digging.

"Oh, you're digging a tunnel out?" Malachite asked. "Do you want some help with that?"

"Tunnel? Oh no, my dear Malachite! I'm making stairs so I can climb out!" Knight Helmet exclaimed.

"Are you sure it'll be stable, though?"

"Yup! Just watch!"

Knight Helmet then began to dig into the walls of the ravine, the soil crumbling easily with each strike. In no time at all, he'd made himself a set of "stairs" up a good portion of the wall, though there was still more space to go. Malachite watched from afar, though the way the dirt easily gave away concerned him.

"See? Just like that!" Knight Helmet said happily.

He grabbed a part of the dirt "steps" as if to prove his point.

"I...still don't know about this," Malachite replied. "Look, if you want, I can just-"

"No, no! It's okay!" Knight Helmet interrupted. "I got it..."

He attempted to grab another part of the dirt "steps", shortly before sliding down an inch as it crumbled under his hands.

"Alright, alright..." Malachite sighed.

"I can do this..." Knight Helmet muttered. "Just...let me-hey! What are you-?!"

Before he could move another limb to try and scale his shoveled-out holes, he felt his body slowly get pulled away from the dirt wall...and raised up into the air. Knight Helmet instinctively shut his eyes and braced for any sort of harm, but it didn't feel like he was forcefully being dragged back. It was actually rather gentle, and felt...nice? Slowly, Knight Helmet opened his eyes.

Malachite was carrying him bridal style as he flew out of the ravine.

"Wh-hey! I am no damsel in distress, thank you very much!" Knight Helmet exclaimed.

"Do you want me to set you back down on the ground and let you repeatedly try and climb dirt over and over?" Malachite asked, a hint of teasing in his voice.

"...no," Knight Helmet grumbled, feeling his face get slightly hotter.

So many thing were bothering him today. First there was the lack of sleep, then there was the ravine, and now a knight like him (even though he was a peasant in this state) was being carried by a DRAGON of all things! And to top it all off, he didn't even mind that much! What was going on with him?! He really needed to get more sleep next time, especially since he was starting to find the dragon's face pretty.

Luckily, it only took a few more seconds for the duo to get out of the ravine and safely on the ground, several feet away from their original spot. Malachite gently set Knight Helmet down before stretching out his arms.

"I really should've done that earlier..." Malachite sighed.

"I...I knew what I was doing!" Knight Helmet exclaimed, slightly flustered. "But...yeah, thanks for that."

"No problem," Malachite replied. "Just don't go falling down more ravines or whatever. There's usually a bridge somewhere, or a path around them."

"Oh I plan on avoiding as many ravines as possible!" Knight Helmet exclaimed. "Now then, I really must get going-"

"One more thing, actually."

"Hm?"

"Open your hand."

Knight Helmet did as told, and Malachite dropped something into it shortly afterwards.

"Here, hold onto this. Dragon scales are tough, and can chip away at the hardest of substances!" Malachite said. "Some even say getting one is good luck!"

"O-oh...okay!"

Knight Helmet flinched as Malachite gently moved his palm to close over the scale, though it wasn't a forceful movement.

[Dragon Scale has been added to Knight Helmet's Inventory.]

"I'll be sure to figure out a use for it!" Knight Helmet exclaimed. "Now if you don't mind me, I have some more adventuring to do!"

And just like that, Knight Helmet turned around and sped off, running further into the tangled mess of the scrublands.

"Wait!" Malachite shouted. "The town is in the other direction!!"

But Knight Helmet didn't seem to hear him, and was out of sight in seconds. Malachite spread out his wings, ready to take off after the guy...but stopped himself before he could act.

"No, no...his friends will probably be back soon," he sighed to himself. "I should probably stay here to tell them where he went, just in case."

Malachite folded his wings back up and turned around to face the ravine.

"Hopefully he can stay alive until then..."

-----

Knight Helmet kept running through the dark foliage, shovel gripped in both hands. It was shadowy alright, but he didn't know if it counted as "scrublands". Knight Helmet suddenly froze mid-step as he realized something, taking another quick look around before digging through his (nonexistent) pockets.

Where was he?

The group had gotten ahold of a map earlier, right? Who had it now? Knight Helmet quickly began to panic, searching every part of him he could for the map...but ultimately found nothing.

No, no, no! This couldn't be happening! Knight Helmet stomped a foot down frustratedly, now starting to see how lost he truly was. The dark, tangled mess of the scrubland foliage arching over him nearly blocked out the sky, and so much of the land was identical that finding his way back at this point would be nearly impossible. But he couldn't give up now, not after that embarrassing failure at the ravine. Despite the gloomy feel of the scrublands, Knight Helmet simply took a few deep breaths and trekked onwards.

"Well, you know what they say when you're looking for something," Knight helmet said with a sigh and a shrug.

"Seek it out and ye shall find..."

Chapter Text

Knight Helmet was still lost.

He supposed that his interaction with Malachite had lifted his spirits somewhat, but even after sprinting off in excitement, he'd found that he hadn't gotten anywhere. All the plants in the Scrublands looked the same, barely any sunlight filtered in from the branches that wove over his head, and every path ahead just looked like a jumbled, dark mess. He hadn't received any help, or seen any signs around...in fact, he'd almost entirely forgotten where he was supposed to go.

"Ugh, I should've asked Malachite to help me out!" Knight Helmet thought aloud. "Well...too late for that, I suppose..."

So now what? He didn't know what the exit looked like, and he'd been walking for so long that he could've sworn he'd passed by the same shrub stump twice. He sighed as he walked into a small clearing, a few new paths becoming visible to him.

"Oh, I'll never get out at this rate!" Knight Helmet exclaimed. "But even as a peasant, a knight like me must never admit defeat!"

"Oh, are you lost as well?" a new voice asked.

"Why yes, I-hey!"

Knight Helmet immediately snapped out of his thoughts as he heard the other voice, aiming his shovel at his surroundings like it was a sword.

"Who goes there?! Show yourself, fiend!"

The snapping of twigs and branches from behind prompted Knight Helmet to turn around, watching as the plants rustled and stirred. Knight Helmet knelt his shovel pointed towards the area the entire time, and found himself starting to raise it over his head as a rectangular shape stepped forth from the bushes...

"Heya!"

"Cup?! What are you doing in a gloomy place like this?" Knight Helmet exclaimed.

The sight of a bright yellow mug surprised Knight Helmet at first, especially with the addition of his little green hat and the quiver slung around him. But it was a welcome sight nonetheless.

"Oh! Well...I was saw this really pretty butterfly earlier, and I wanted to get a closer look at it!" Cup replied cheerfully. "But I guess it didn't wanna sit still, so I chased after it and uh...next thing you know, I'm in here! I kinda wanna leave though, it's giving me the creeps..."

"Well what do you know, I ALSO want to get out of here!" Knight Helmet said. "Perhaps we could work together, my dear elf?"

"Oh, absolutely!" Cup replied. "You wouldn't happen to have a map or a compass or anything, would you?"

"Sadly not, I was hoping you might have one," Knight Helmet replied.

"Nah, sorry," Cup said. "But there's gotta be something we can do! Uhh...I didn't see any "exit paths" back where I came from, so...if you didn't find any either, maybe we should look in a direction neither of us have taken!"

The two glanced around, soon quickly finding a path that neither of them had taken. Where it headed was unclear though, as there were no clues that gave away where it led to.

"Well...there's our path, I suppose," Knight Helmet said. "Oh, I hope my hair doesn't get more messy than it already has gotten!"

"I'm sure it won't be that bad!" Cup replied. "You could always use your shovel to push the branches out of the way, or I could try to shoot away any low hanging vines!"

"That would be much appreciated," Knight Helmet sighed with relief.

"So...where are you headed, anyway?" Cup asked. "Maybe that'll help us get on the right path!"

"If I recall correctly, I'm supposed to be looking for a "Twisted Tunnel" next," Knight Helmet explained. "It sounds like a cave in a hill or mountain somewhere, so if possible, I guess we should look for that. But...is there a way we can get there without spending more time than we need to?"

"Hmm...oh, I know!" Cup exclaimed, taking an arrow out of his bag. "I can mark our path by leaving a cut in some of these plants, and if we see them again, we'll know not to take that path!"

Knight Helmet's eyes widened as he smiled, thankful for Cup's quick thinking.

"Brilliant idea, Cup! That just might work!" he exclaimed. "Now let's get out of here!"

So the two started walking down the Scrubland path, with Cup occasionally making a small x-shaped cut in the nearby branches. Knight Helmet had his shovel out the entire time, using it to push away low-hanging branches or thorny weeds that were in the way. Cup would occasionally shoot an arrow at a cluster of vines, sending them further off into the mess of the scrublands and away from the path.

"Man, I sure wish there was more light around here," Cup said. "This gloomy place has been giving me the heebie-jeebies, and I don't like it one bit!"

"You're still bothered by the dark?" Knight Helmet asked. "Didn't your group have to go through a bunch of ruins before?"

"Well yeah, but I had the reassurance they were there! And I'm sure their magic could have provided light if we needed it." Cup replied. "I may be young, but I'm not that bold!"

"Well, you'll have to overcome that fear eventually!" Knight Helmet exclaimed. "Or at least...put on a brave face against it for now, if we're going to get out of here!"

"If only it were so easy," Cup said with a sigh. "I mean, I can try, but I can't guarantee I won't get a little worried..."

"Worry not, for nobody is perfect! But getting past those fears is quite the accomplishment if you manage it!" Knight Helmet exclaimed. "And I don't think the world is sold, on just doing what we're told! Some of us objects are quite known for defying the odds, after all..."

"That is true!" Cup replied. "I'll try to defy those odds then!"

"That's the spirit!" Knight Helmet cheered. "Now let us continue!"

As the two continued to walk on, Knight Helmet started to notice some new landmarks he hadn't seen before. Strange purple mushrooms, partially cracked open rocks, and even a few unidentifiable creatures flying overhead.

"You know...I'm very glad you're here, Cup!" Knight Helmet said. "You're just the energy I needed to get through this place!"

"Aw, thanks! I'm glad you're here too, wandering this place alone isn't a very nice feeling..." Cup replied. "Where did you say you were headed again? Some kind of tunnel?"

"Well yes, but ultimately, I'd like to get to the Tower of Treasure! I saw it far in the distance quite a long time ago, but I've heard it's a long way..." Knight Helmet explained. "Regardless, I hope to see its riches and bring them back with me! Hopefully then people will notice how brave and courageous a knight like me is!"

"Well, I hope you make it!" Cup said. "Do you think...maybe I could have a piece of treasure? Even if it's just one coin?"

"Well..."

Right before Knight Helmet could continue his sentence however, Cup held out his hand in front of him. Knight Helmet halted in place and looked up, just in time to see Cup shoot away a bunch of stray vines covered in dead leaves that definitely would've gotten tangled in his hair if he'd kept walking.

"Sorry, you were saying?" Cup asked with a smile.

"...maybe I'll share some with you for helping me get out of here," Knight Helmet said with a small grin.

"YIPPEE!" Cup cheered happily.

Knight Helmet smiled at Cup's excitement. Something about it just made him feel warm inside, though he didn't quite know why.

"Anyway, is it just me, or have we not come across a single branch marked with an X?" Cup asked.

"Huh? Oh yeah, you're right," Knight Helmet replied. "I've been looking this entire time, and I haven't seen anything!"

"Do you think that means we're getting somewhere?" Cup asked excitedly.

"Oh, I sure hope so," Knight Helmet replied. "In fact, it almost feels like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!"

"Maybe that's because all these branches are going away and there's more light coming through?"

"Wait, what?"

Knight Helmet stopped in place and looked around, his eyes widening as he took in the scene before him.

No more twisting vines arched over their heads, and no prickly bushes lined the path around them. There was a lot more sunlight too, almost as if it had replaced the shadows entirely. Even the dull, tangled grass seemed to be straightening out now, becoming nice and vibrant instead.

"Oh my goodness, we've done it!" Knight Helmet exclaimed. "We've finally managed to leave the Shadowy Scrublands!"

"We have?" Cup asked, shortly before noticing his surroundings as well. "Oh, we have! Hooray!"

Knight Helmet looked around excitedly, wondering what he'd have to go through next. The tower was still visible in the distance, though for some reason it looked like it was a lot further away in comparison to where it was before. Just up ahead was small patch of open land, and past that a much more lively looking forest in comparison to the scrublands. It was a rather sharp contrast, but after all that time spend in the dark, it was a welcome sight. Unfortunately there was still no sign of his allies...but he had to keep going.

"Well...I'm afraid that this is where we must part, my dear Cup..." Knight Helmet said as he turned to face the other object. "But worry not! I'm sure we may meet again some other time..."

"Yeah! That'd be really nice," Cup replied. "Guess I gotta figure out where to go next as well."

"Hopefully I won't have to encounter any more troublesome plants!" Knight Helmet exclaimed. "I wish I had my trusty sword with me, but alas..."

"Oh, do you not have a weapon?" Cup asked.

"Unfortunately not," Knight Helmet sighed. "I was brought into this world with nothing but a shovel!"

"Here then, you can have these!"

Knight Helmet looked up to see that Cup was holding out two of his arrows from his quiver.

"Are you sure?" Knight Helmet asked. "Don't you...need these?"

"Well yeah, but I still have plenty more!" Cup replied happily. "You deserve them, for helping me out and...well...being such a nice guy!"

Knight Helmet stared at Cup's beaming smile, his eyes almost glittering with light. He really couldn't say no to a face like that.

"I...um...well, if you're sure!"

"I am!"

Knight Helmet slowly reached out and took the arrows from Cup's hands, lifting up his hat to stick them both in his hair before putting his hat back on his head.

[Arrow x2 has been added to Knight Helmet's Inventory.]

"Well...thank you! I'll be sure to put them to good use!" Knight Helmet said.

"Yeah, attack a bad guy with 'em if ya need to!" Cup exclaimed happily.

"I just might," Knight Helmet replied with a smile, turning to start walking towards the forest. "Try not to get lost again!"

"Haha, I won't!"

And with a final wave goodbye, the two fully split off. Knight Helmet quickly trekked through the open field of grass, basking in the sun after being starved of it for a while. The sight of a normal forest with green plants was relieving in a way, and Knight Helmet stopped a few feet away from its entrance just to admire its presence. But Knight Helmet didn't have too much time to look around, especially as he re-focused on the path ahead of him.

Because standing several yards away from the entrance of the forest...

Was a large, rocky wall, a massive cave going right through it.

Chapter Text

Knight Helmet stood before the entrance of the tunnel, shovel in hand.

From what he could see, there was no way around the cave. It was absolutely massive, and he wasn't about to try climbing the steep, rocky walls of whatever mountain this cave was a part of. It didn't help that the inside looked pitch black inside, and that barely any light came from within. It was almost as if the insides were twisting out of the way of the sunlight so that nobody could tell what lay just beyond the entrance. A small sign next to the entrance read "Twisted Tunnel: Beware those who enter! For you may never find your way out..." in shaky handwriting.

Knight Helmet sighed, but gripped his shovel tightly anyway before walking in without further hesitation. A knight like him was not scared of the dark, even if he was but a peasant farmer in this state! As expected, the tunnel only seemed to get darker the further he walked in...curse these stupid cave systems. But that didn't stop him, and he continued to walk until all the light from the entrance was nearly gone.

Perhaps he should have brought a light. Was it too late to back out of the cave now and head back to try and find one? He doubted Cup had a light, if he was even still reachable by this point. Maybe there was some kind of glowing plant he could use that he didn't notice before? Speaking of noticing, he really should be looking out for anything that could possibly-

"Ouch!"

"Oof!"

The sound of metal against rock echoed throughout the cave as Knight Helmet stumbled to the ground, the other object seemingly falling as well.

"Who goes there?!" Knight Helmet exclaimed. "Show yourself!"

He then realized how dark the place was.

"Er...state your intentions, stranger!!"

The other object slowly got up, and as they did, a soft glow soon made itself present. Knight Helmet squinted, trying to see who the stranger was as they turned around to face him...

"I was just trying to pass through here! Agh, that hurt..." the object said, rubbing a part of their head before locking eyes with Knight Helmet. "Huh?!"

"Treasure Chest?!" Knight Helmet exclaimed, now seeing the other in full form.

Treasure Chest was a Paladin, equipped with a sword and a shield. An orange cape was also draped over his back, which fluttered through the air as he turned around. He held a single potion bottle in his hand, which glowed with a soft light.

"Knight Helmet?" Treasure Chest asked in response. "Why are you all the way out here? Aren't you supposed to be with your friends or something?"

"I'm surprised you remembered! I was, but I sadly got separated thanks to a terrible, no-good, absolutely EVIL DITCH IN THE GROUND!!" Knight Helmet said dramatically. "But I was able to best it in combat and escaped, so this is where I have ended up!"

"...ooookaaay then," Treasure Chest replied.

Knight Helmet looked around, now aware of how much light Treasure Chest's potion provided.

"Say, weren't you supposed to be with another as well?" Knight Helmet asked. "Where's Journal? Is he nearby?"

"I...I don't know," Treasure Chest said with a sigh. "He was with me for a while, but then he just kind of...left for some reason?"

"Huh! Odd," Knight Helmet replied. "Well, I'm currently looking for a way out of here, but if I see him, I'll tell him that you're looking for him!"

"Thanks...I guess," Treasure Chest replied. "I also gotta get out of here, so..."

"Oh, if you're looking for a way out, there's one just back-"

"If you're talking about the entrance to this place, that's not what I'm looking for," Treasure Chest. "But I appreciate the help."

And like that, he turned around and started walking down the tunnel, the light fading along with him.

"W-wait up!" Knight Helmet exclaimed before dashing after him.

Treasure Chest let Knight Helmet catch up, but said nothing as the two walked together. The cave was eerily quiet with an occasional echo coming from a drop of water or a rock hitting the ground.

"So...where are you headed?" Knight Helmet asked. "I know you said "out of here", but after that, where to?"

"Oh, Journal wanted to visit this town for something..." Treasure Chest replied, albeit in a slightly dull tone. "Some kind of "artifact" is supposed to be there and...he wants to look at it, I guess."

"Neat!" Knight Helmet said happy. "And I suppose you yourself might be looking for something there too?"

"I don't...not really?" Treasure Chest replied. "I mean...maybe, but...I haven't really thought about it."

Knight Helmet took notice of Treasure Chest's demeanor.

"What's the matter? You don't seem very upbeat today," Knight Helmet said. "A Paladin like you is one of the noblest of knights! They shouldn't be sulking around, getting stuck in a cave of all things!"

Treasure Chest sighed, and for a moment Knight Helmet was worried he'd said something he shouldn't have.

"Journal told me he was going to explore the path ahead, and that I should take my time and hang back here in the meantime. But even though he said that like he had a plan...I haven't seen him for quite some time now," Treasure Chest explained. "And I feel something so wrong, doing the right thing..."

"Well, why didn't you tell him how you felt about his plan before he left?" Knight Helmet asked. "Knights like us shouldn't be afraid of anything, especially not feelings!"

Treasure Chest avoided eye contact.

"I couldn't lie..."

"Couldn't lie?"

"Couldn't lie..." Treasure Chest repeated softly to himself. "Not to him, 'cause then I think I'd die inside."

Knight Helmet reached over and gently patted Treasure Chest's shoulder as he stuck by his side, the two continuing to walk.

"I see," he said. "That is quite an issue..."

"I just don't know why he's been doing this!" Treasure Chest exclaimed. "Distancing himself from me and the others when all we've been doing is our best! Are we...doing something wrong? Am...I doing something wrong?"

Knight Helmet could hear Treasure Chest trying not to cry through his voice, and it hurt him. But he couldn't let Treasure Chest realize that.

"Well, has he told you directly that it's your fault?" Knight Helmet asked.

"No, but he probably just doesn't want to start something..." Treasure Chest replied. "Or maybe he's got other plans in mind..."

"I wouldn't say that!" Knight Helmet scoffed. "Sure, it could be a possibility, but you have no way of knowing until you ask! Why don't you confront him about what's going on the next time you find him?"

"He never usually answers," Treasure Chest replied. "That's why. Besides, what if he does answer and it IS my fault? Then what?"

"You'd want to make things right, correct?" Knight Helmet asked. "You sure sound like you do."

"Well yeah, but-"

"Then try! If things still don't get better after that, at least you tried instead of sitting around doing nothing!" Knight Helmet exclaimed before sighing.

He made sure the two were still walking down a solid path before continuing.

"Maybe it isn't my business to try and fix what you two are going through, but the least I can do is tell you that your feelings are absolutely understandable in this situation," Knight Helmet said. "I can say for certain that you're doing nothing wrong by simply feeling this way!"

Treasure Chest briefly glanced over at him.

"You...really think so?"

Knight Helmet nodded.

"Of course! Not to mention you shouldn't-DUCK!!"

"HUH?!"

Without warning, Knight Helmet yanked down on Treasure Chest's cape, causing him to swing his shield up as he stumbled backwards. Knight Helmet grabbed Treasure Chest before he could hit the ground, ducking under the shield just as a bat-like monster flew down at the two, its body striking the shield with a metallic "CLANK!" sound. Repelled by the iron defense, it flew back off into the darkness, its squeaking noises fading with it. After a few seconds passed, Knight Helmet slowly got back up.

"Phew, that was close," Knight Helmet said as he helped Treasure Chest stand up. "Almost forgot there were monsters in here!"

"Yeah, uh...me too..." Treasure Chest replied, his breathing quickened after the sudden movement. "We should really pay attention a bit more, huh?"

"Indeed. But as I was saying, don't underestimate your own strength, alright?" Knight Helmet said. "You got assigned a Paladin of all things, so surely Silver must've trusted you enough with that!"

"I...guess you're right. I'll think about it." Treasure Chest replied, shortly before looking up ahead. "Uh oh."

"Oh, what is it now?"

"Look."

Knight Helmet did as told, and soon quickly spotted the issue: the path up ahead had been split into two, and there was no clear indicator as to which path was the right one. Knight Helmet looked at Treasure Chest.

"Did Journal...?"

"No, he didn't."

"Well in that case, let's see if we can hear him!" Knight Helmet exclaimed.

"I...don't think that'll be necessary," Treasure Chest said. "Look, I'll take the left path, okay? You can take the right one."

"Oh, I see! You want us to go down separate paths and the meet back up when we've found a way out, is that it?" Knight Helmet asked.

"Kind of. I uh...doubt we'll see each other again for a while, but hopefully one of us will find the exit," Treasure Chest replied.

"Are you...sure you don't want to take one path together?" Knight Helmet asked. "It could be a lot less boring, and traveling in a group is safer than traveling alone!"

"I'm sure. I have some thinking I need to do...alone, anyway," Treasure Chest replied. "Thanks for...listening to what I had to say, though. I really appreciated that."

"No problem!" Knight Helmet said. "It was the least I could do for a fellow knight! Now, I suppose it's been an honor traveling with you, but if we must split here, then-"

"Wait, hold on a second."

"Huh? What is it? Is there an enemy nearby?" Knight Helmet asked, bringing out his shovel and wielding it like a sword.

"No, no," Treasure Chest replied while rummaging through himself. "Here, take this with you.

Knight Helmet turned around just in time to see Treasure Chest pull something out of himself before closing his lid shut. It was a wooden shield, unlike Treasure Chest's metallic one. He'd also brought out a glowing bottle identical to the one he'd been carrying around the whole time.

"I bought it back in town in case I needed a backup shield, but...you look like you could use it more than me," Treasure Chest said with a smile. "And take this extra glow potion with you, too. Journal gave it to me in case I broke mine, but I think I'll be fine from here on out."

"Really?! A-are you sure?" Knight Helmet asked. "I mean, these things don't tend to be cheap, you know! Or easy to get, for that matter!"

"I know," Treasure Chest replied. "But after that stunt you pulled back there, I kinda realized that...maybe I should take the initiative more often instead of sitting around and complaining about it. I'm sure I could learn a thing or two from you, anyways."

Knight Helmet stared back in shock as Treasure Chest held out the items in front of him. Slowly, he reached out and carefully took both items from Treasure Chest, before shaking his head and focusing on what he'd received.

[Glowing Potion and Wooden Shield have been added to Knight Helmet's Inventory!]

"I...thank you, Treasure Chest," Knight Helmet said softly, before resuming his confident persona. "I will ensure that these items are used in the most honorable way, and that they do NOT go to waste!"

"Alright then," Treasure Chest replied with a small chuckle. "Good luck out there, buddy."

"Good luck to you too, fellow knight."

And with that, the duo went their separate ways. Knight Helmet held the glowing potion close to him, Treasure Chest's words from before still going through his head. He was glad he was able to help someone, but did they really think that highly of him, even in his peasant state? He supposed someone like him could be considered rather influential, especially considering he'd been through adventures like this before. Knight Helmet chuckled to himself before shaking his head, re-focusing on the task at hand.

With nothing else to do and no reason to turn around and go back, Knight Helmet continued down the Twisted Tunnel.