Animator vs Animation: The Dark Web

Chapter 15: The Rematch

It was time. Time to end the Codeborn's reign once and for all.

The Chosen One, The Second Coming and Valhalla stood atop a hill, waving goodbyes at the gathered crowd. Lace White waved with her hand high up in the air, meanwhile Rouge gave Valhalla a curt nod of his gratitude.

The three heroes, who saved the town from a virus monster, were now about to venture off to a much bigger destiny—to save the Dark Web from the uprising threat of the Codeborn.

The Chosen One, however, had his thoughts elsewhere. He stared off into the horizon, his future laid out for him. He served as the brawn, to get rid of any distractions that would interfere with saving those under control, but would that mean saving The Dark Lord was possible? Or was that already long gone?

The Dark Lord's fate was already clear like red crystals. He embraced Queen of Hearts' influence, without any strings or mind control to intrude, and his spot in the Codeborn was from his willpower alone. Perhaps, it was already too late.

Before he could delve any further, a reassuring pat on the shoulder dragged him out of his daze. Next to him was The Second Coming, giving a nod, signaling for their readied departure.

Hesitantly, The Chosen One nodded and grabbed The Second Coming's hand. With Valhalla linking, they now formed the same chain they used to escape before. Casting one last glance to the town, The Chosen One surged with a jet of fire from his free hand and feet, propelling the three into the air before taking off.

The journey was silent at first–awkwardly silent. Valhalla, hoping to enlighten the mood from the upcoming future, pointed at the virus creatures from the ground, grabbing The Second Coming's curiosity with ease.

Below, a pack of eidolon.exe huddled each other, either sleeping in pairs or in playful circles, about to engage in a play-fight. The multicolored pack looked as if it was a kaleidoscope in a land of darkness.

Just above them, a large heron-like creature with geometric features and feathers—a Graybird—gilded alongside them. The Chosen One stared at its feathers, his reflection absorbed like the bird was made out of mirrors, before it suddenly screeched and surged past them. Valhalla gestured to the Graybird, describing how it would disguise itself as an anti-malware system.

Farther from the trio, a white portal suddenly split the sky open, and released a huge worm-like creature with a disk as its face. Despite having no mouth, it roared, causing The Second Coming to flinch, but Valhalla observed it in awe. The Chosen One watched as the creature–a Morris Worm–slivered from one portal to another. Valhalla described its history, of how it terrorized the early Internet, but it now roams peacefully, living in the sky and space.

As The Chosen One observed the Morris Worm before the portal it entered disappeared, he tilted his head. He realized that the viruses–they made the Dark Web their home.

Even when they once brought chaos to users across the Internet, they brought balance to the Dark Web. From the strengthening life that stick figures caused, to the destruction that the viruses created, they were just like any other living being. It was a reminder that everything, no matter how dangerous they were, played a part.

—

Hours passed, and they still flew across the sky, but nothing broke The Chosen One's focus. The more they flew, the more recognition started to dawn. Even though the terrain wasn't intimate, the air felt familiar. He could feel it; strong glitches that lurked in the air as if the same red invisible strings were ready to pull him down.

The Chosen One glanced at The Second Coming and Valhalla from behind, finding their focus as sharp as his. They also had the same feeling. As they searched for the Codeborn hideout's entrance, Valhalla suddenly jerked his arm, which caused a ripple through the chain. He pointed down at a dark, jagged hole carved into the Dark Web's land. It was the Codeborn hideout's skylight–the same one they went through to escape.