DELTAREI: A Deltarune AU. [16+] (NOW COMPLETED)

Chapter 9: Return to the Dark World... again....

-SUNDAY, JANUARY 15TH, 2023.-
I stood outside the school again, feeling a mix of excitement and hesitation. I took a deep breath and glanced over at Noelle, who was standing beside me. Her expression was a bit puzzled, as if she was wondering why we had come back here. But before I could ask her, she turned to me and said, "Are you ready to go back into the Dark World again, Jack?" I nodded, and together we walked over to the abandoned classroom again. The closet creaked open slowly, and once again, we stepped through. As we entered the darkness on the other side, I felt a surge of excitement mixed with nervousness. This return to the DarkWorld felt both familiar and new at the same time. We stepped out of the closet into the empty classroom, the shadows cast by the moonlight streaming through the window adding to the sense of mystery and adventure. But before we could even take a breath, something caught my eye. There, in the corner of the room, sat a small figure. I squinted to get a better look at the mysterious figure sitting in the corner. As my eyes adjusted to the low light, I realized that it was a small horned creature. It had a cheerful face with a wide smile, and its body was covered in a layer of white fur. The creature sat there quietly, almost as if it was waiting for us to notice it. I turned to look at Noelle, who seemed just as puzzled as I was. Just then, Ralsei turned around, his eyes widening with surprise as he saw us standing there once again.

Ralsei- "Jack, Noelle! You're back! I didn't expect to see you both here again after yesterday's incident. But I'm glad you're both okay! What brings you here again?"

The sudden question from Ralsei caught me off guard. I looked at Noelle, who seemed just as unsure of how to answer as I was. After a moment of thought, I finally responded, "We just kind of felt drawn back here, for some reason." Ralsei nodded thoughtfully. "I see. It seems like the Dark World has a strange pull on some people." He glanced over at the mischievous figure in the corner. "Oh, and there's someone I want you both to meet."

Just as Ralsei finished his sentence, the motorbike roared into the scene. A small figure was riding it, waving and cheering wildly. The rider hopped off the bike and landed right in front of us in a dramatic fashion. The bike, however, continued on its course and plunged over the nearby cliff, disappearing into the abyss below with a loud crash that echoed through the quiet forest. The rider, who I assumed was the friend Ralsei had mentioned, turned to us with a huge grin.

Lancer- "Greetings, comrades!"

The cheerful figure, who Ralsei introduced as Lancer, grinned widely at us. Before we could say anything, he turned to me with a wide smile. "Hey, I don't think we've met before. I'm Lancer! The self-proclaimed Prince of the Dark Realm." He extended his hand for a shake, his energy as exuberant as ever. Then, as I reached out to shake Lancer's hand, he surprised me with a swift "dap up." My hand missed his and got smacked to the side.

Lancer- "Hey, watch where you're flailing your hand!"

Lancer cackled, clearly enjoying the moment. Rubbing my hand, I muttered my name and a half-hearted greeting. Ralsei, sensing that we should get on with our task, spoke up.

Ralsei- "Come on, we should head over to Castle Town. There's something important I need to share with you both."

We made our way over to Castle Town, the journey passing by quickly in our anticipation. As we approached the castle, we found Ralsei waiting for us outside. He looked tired but determined as he began to explain the task we had to undertake today. Before he had even finished, I noticed how exhausted he seemed, and without thinking, I stepped forward and patted his head gently. Ralsei looked up at me, a small smile crossing his face. "Thank you," he muttered, his voice tinged with fatigue. Ralsei sat down heavily, and we all waited for him to continue. He took a deep breath and began to explain our task for the day.