Animator vs Animation: The Dark Web

Chapter 5: The Codeborn

    Please, what's the point? We're just going to fail, no matter how hard we try. Green suddenly blinked. Since when did he think that way? It wasn't like him. But even then, he couldn't find the energy to care anymore.

    His friends glanced at him, noticing the sudden shift in his behavior. They all realized it now–the change in each other. Red's lethargy, Yellow's anxiousness, Blue's aggression, and Green's insecurity—they weren't being themselves anymore. Something is going on.

    A moment passed before suddenly a soft rustle was heard. Coming out from a curtain of red, glowing vines, Valhalla and Driftwood emerged. They approached The Color Gang, both relieved that they had awoken. Valhalla's gaze lingered on Red for a moment longer before he turned his head, glancing at the others with solace. A warmth tugged on Red's chest, but he attempted to dismiss it as nothing more than a look of comfort.

    Yellow turned his attention to Driftwood. One of the sharpest in the group, he had questions in mind. How long had they been unconscious, and where were they exactly?

Driftwood tilted her head and gestured herself towards Valhalla and then the dark chamber around them, surrounded by red vines and crystals. With a flicker of uneasiness, she then slowly extended her arms, making a gap between them. It was clear—they had been unconscious longer than they should have, and the group had brought them to a place where they would be safe.

    But still, what was this place? Was it a temple? A stronghold? The little lines of code on the wall faintly glowed as they continued to look around.

    The two glanced at each other before Valhalla took a step forward. With open arms of hospitality, he offered to show them around. There was more to see, more than they could possibly imagine! And soon, there was going to be a ceremony. A ceremony for Valhalla, and them.

    Despite the feeling of hesitation nagging on them, they were just too curious to refuse.

    Driftwood and Valhalla started to help the Color Gang up onto their feet one by one, which all of them still felt a little wobbly. Valhalla, who tried to keep his excitement through a mask of calm, hastily walked out of the curtain of vines while the group followed behind him, with Red attempting to stay close to him.

They descended down a long tunnel, lines of red code illuminating the way. They passed by small caverns carved into the stone that held as hangout spots, each housing a stick figure or two that were adorned with the same accessories that Driftwood and Valhalla had, the heart clips on their heads varying by number. The deeper they went, the more attention the Color Gang drew from the shadowed figures.

    Yellow's mind started to wander, not just about their own changes, but the Dark Web itself; he felt curious as always. What was the Dark Web, this strange realm? What is it about this world that made it want to hide itself?

Unable to contain his curiosity, he walked up to Driftwood, hoping for answers. Her head tilted to his direction. Yellow waved at her awkwardly and wondered if she didn't mind if he asked a few questions, which Driftwood accepted.

He wanted to know first; what was the Dark Web? If The Chosen One was aware about it, how come the other friends weren't? Driftwood gestured her hands, starting an explanation.

The Dark Web is an underground world beneath the Outernet, both familiar and mysterious. It was a reflection of the Outernet, society existing just like from above—but the Outernet is unaware of the Dark Web's true existence, only knowing it as a legend. The Dark Web is notorious for its hidden secrets, with dangerous viruses and glitches being the main reason for its legacy.