Good news, Ariel is right about the swirling blue lights that appeared after the griffin was defeated. They act as a portal, transferring the players into the next level.
Bad news. There actually is a next level.
Kayley had dared to hope the creator only managed to design one level, and the entire game would shut itself off with that one level completed.
No such luck. She blinks away the stars dancing in her vision, the changing scenery messing with her brain. Still, it's quite interesting to watch the roads, houses, and medieval buildings blend away and morph into a much more modern, high-tech setting.
It also serves as a good distraction. Anything to get the scarring images and taunting echoes of those disgusting men out of her mind.
They may have gotten away this time, but there's still nine levels to complete. Who knows what other dangers they'll face tonight? Those men are bound to come back. Kayley and the others can't keep running.
"Whoa." Kristoff exits the portal, halting next to her. He gapes as level two manifests, the landscape much different from the previous one.
The once dirt road is now paved, crisscross marks of tires slashed across the asphalt. The houses and buildings are replaced with bleachers, stacked high with cheering crowds on either side. The paved road leads to a banner flapping in the wind, the words "Starting Line" printed over the black and white checker background. A similar black and white line is painted across the road just below the banner, and parked beyond the line, are four small, complex, fierce-looking cars.
Despite the dire situation, Kayley laughs, approaching the nearest car. "It's a race. Level two is a race!"
"A race?" Aladdin recites, his gaze combing over the car with distrust. He bends low, examining another car at odd angles. They aren't anything like the cars he's dodged in Storybrooke. "I thought this game was based on Camelot! There was no racing in Camelot."
"I don't think the game has a single theme." Mulan inputs, tugging at the tight collar around her neck, not a fan of Flora's new apparel for her. "Maybe every level has a different theme."
"Oh, great." Jim grumbles, arms folded stubbornly. "So we don't know what torture to expect for any of the next levels. Woop-di-do."
Mason snorts where he levitates alongside Ariel. "You have a bad attitude. Eat a snickers."
Kayley pivots, noting the way Jim scowls– but not his normal, irritated all the time scowl. More of a scowl he reserves for people he wishes he could murder. As far as she's concerned, Jim and Mason has never met. But they've been picking on one another since the group left the dank and musky building. She shoots her brother an inquiring look, which he acts like he doesn't see.
She can't be the only one noticing the tension here.
"Heh. A snickers." Ariel lifts a hand to her lips as she giggles, beaming at Mason. Unlike Jim, she finds him the most adorable thing in the world. "I get it. 'Cause you're not yourself when you're hungry."
Mason smirks smugly, soaking up all the attention.
"....Right. Anyway." Aladdin coughs, breaking up the laughter. "So we're supposed to race and cross the finish line to get to level three, I guess. One problem." He steps back, indicating they all focus on the cars. "I don't know if any of you have noticed, but there's four cars, and eight of us."
Kayley, reflecting the same frown Aladdin's cast at her, examines the scenery surrounding her. Besides the lines of bleachers are the road extending into the horizon, there is no indication of where to find more race cars, if there even are any. "So, what? Are only four of us supposed to race?"
