Another weird edit by le me - you can tell Michelangelo isn't proud.
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The shop was suffused with a smell of caramel tea.
At the counter was an old man, not the kind you'd pity for their old bones and feeble limbs, but the kind who mirrored history through their scars and wrinkles. In his little boutique, oil lamps and candles provided the necessary warmth to envelop the shop like a comfy blanket. With a cup of hot tea on the counter, the shop was glistening warmly, but welcomingly for any visitors who'd like to acquisition the shopkeeper's old junk.
His button-eye traveled to the shelves of junk that he was selling. He was satisfied with the newly stocked 'Dark Candy' that he arranged. But there were other objects of delight claiming his instant attention; there were colorful potions, vintage cards, handmade dolls and much more to please the eye.
A sudden chime of bells tinkled incessantly as a signal to the shopkeeper that someone has sauntered in. Once the old man turned, he was startled to meet someone unknown:
A (your-height) silhouette waltzed in, their movements and stance were almost menacing, putting the old shopkeeper at a vigilance. He saw something very wrong. He sensed an ambiance of a disturbing past as if that persona was a beast disguised with humanistic features, covering burdens of a conscience they don't need. But he knew better than to voice it.
*It was you.
"...Welcome traveler." - the man spoke to you in his rusty cheerful tone, his cat ears perked up. "I don't recall seeing you before, how can I help you?"
Glancing at you, he saw your sharp expression hid behind the blundering mask of conflict and dire - "Sir, I need to know, have you seen three teens passing by? A strong girl, a quiet boy and one with a wizard hat?"
He hummed for a minute before shooting a smile - "Oh, you must be talking about those "Delta Heroes", aren't you?"
"Yes, Them!"
"Hmmm... maybe I did, maybe not."
"In mercy's name, have you seen them?" - You worried. The old Shopkeeper noticed the tightness of your jaws and shoulders reflecting your anxiety. Your own belly has become tight and your usual smile is afraid to decorate your face.
"They've been here hours ago, but I haven't seen them ever since... they must've headed to the west."
"Really? Thank goodness, thank you, Sir... if by any chance you'll see them again, could you please warn them that I've been searching for them?"
His eyes were so heavily lidded and weighed down with wrinkled folds that it was almost like talking to someone asleep, yet he was quite alert. "I could do that... yes, I could. But don't you mind telling me who you might be?"
"Um, I'm sorry for bargaining in here out of the blue... uh, I'm (Y/n)(L/n). I've been accompanying the three of them, but unfortunately, the guards caught me and-"
"Oh, it's you! Hehe, You're the Grand Guardian of those young Lighteners that everyone has been talking about." - chortled the old man before closing his eyes in somber "Though, my apologies, I didn't recognize you at first... I didn't understand what kind of monster you were."
You froze.
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"Curious. I've never seen a plant... cry before." memories rejoined as you saw the kind king slowly turning around to face you "Howdy! Erm...What kind of monster are you? Sorry, I cannot tell."
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The odd shopkeeper blinked, welcoming you to take a seat in front of the counter before recommending a cup of sweet caramel tea - "I'm Seam. The owner of this 'Shawp'. I didn't expect you to ever come here. News flew over me saying that some guards managed to capture you?"
"Yes... that is true." - you replied, trying to ease yourself. "Luckily, getting out wasn't a difficulty."
"You're a fast one, huh, kid?" - he looked with a deadpan expression "I pity you, the Card Castle became an ill-mannered place - you aren't lucky to be sentenced as a prisoner there. How did you manage to hide so far?"
You stayed clammed up, aware that if you'll reveal the secret, he might have the audacity to bust you to anyone. But Seam wasn't a fool; he reassured you that if anyone despises the courts - it's him the most. Thus, you took the decision to speak.
"I just hid on the lowest levels of the Castle. A sort of isolated dungeon with long stairs."
Seam's left eye became as wide as his button one. "And say, did this... floor... container a single prisoner within it?"
You looked up from your cup of tea, realization hitting you hard with the fact that he was talking about Jevil: "How did you know?"
But Seam only chuckled with amusement - "So you found him. Out of all the people that you could've stumbled upon... and despite all the trouble, I went through to keep him hidden - you genuinely found him."
"You locked him? What actually happened with Jevil?"
"He..." - shaking his head in a pensive matter, Seam knew you'd bombard him with questions - "was a funny little man. Once the court jester, and I the court magician."
"Was he your friend?"
"Perhaps, perhaps not. It doesn't matter anymore. But he was the only one who matched me in the games we used to play. One day, he met a strange someone... and since then he began to change. He began saying bizarre things that didn't make sense - but didn't completely not make sense, either."
"And that person was...?"
"We'll never know for sure, young one. But I'll tell you, whatever that entity was, he opened up dark yet darker secrets to the Jester. Soon he began seeing the world as a-
"As a game." - you interrupted your own lip trembling with unforeseen realization.
And Seam noticed that - "...indeed."
"...that is," - you gulped, a moment of eerie silence passed between you two as your mind went sailing in an endless ocean of thoughts "Thank you for telling me this. I think I have a better image of Jevil and his 'incident'."
"It seems you already know him better than I am. Now that you mention, it could be troublesome if you left him alone..." - he rubbed the fur of his chin "...Yes, it would be better if you, Lightner, dealt with him instead."
You peered in wonder. Things you felt you should have done, coupled with your perceived failures dominated your mind. You thought about your actions and words, finding them inadequate. Festering guilt rendered your mind ineffective, thinking how you could help Jevil.
"You don't look like a person whom chaos will bother. Here, Take this." - shuffling through ragged pockets, Seam handed you attentively an old broken piece of a key. "Maybe then, you'll be able to discover who was that mysterious person to corrupt him."
You stared at it, your mind slowly sorting out ideas and schemes - "Thank you, sir. I think I already know that person."
"You're playing with fire far stronger than you'd imagine. Though who am I to tell - you've probably faced something far worse." - chuckled the old man cynically, his pitch hollow eye seeing right through you and your hidden knife that you still obtain. "One day soon... You too will begin to realize the futility of your actions. At that time, feel free to come back here. I'll make you tea... and we can toast."
"On one condition..." - You held a tender smile, yet with a twist to it; like a smile of a child who is determined to break through fire and ice. But either way, you pointed at the box of Dark Candies that were presented for purchase "May I buy some of this Candy?"
"Take as many as you'd like!"
Seam's lips stretched into a grin but didn't quite reach his dark eye. They were lit with sadness, and the forced expression of the contrary on his mouth would have looked comical. He saw upon your despair that you faced and he could only imagine the agony you were calling for. He nodded at you while you said your farewells as a token of sympathy, leading you to stole quietly out the shop into the Magenta Fields.
"See you again... or not."
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The moment you exited the Shop, the warmth abandoned your body as quickly as the world had gotten wrapped in remoteness as every creature has suddenly vanished. From the decay and dust, the fuschia trees rumbled in solitude and forlorn. You stood alone, your uneasiness sweeping off your body, as the broken piece of a key was held tight in your arms.
"I'll see what I can do with that... Either way, Jevil has some question from me to answer."
Once more, You were determined to ascertain the origin and truth behind this world's creation and Jevil's corruption. Therefore, you took the nearest path in front of you, oblivious to your location. While there was an enormous forest towering you, your loamy feet would be in touch with the soil and your ears would be listening to the whistles of the wild winged-creatures. But surprisingly, within the depth of the woods - you found a puzzle.
"Hey, another one of these! It's been a while since I solved any puzzles.." you saw as the following panels contained four windows - you knew that you had to figure a code. Stepping closer, a small sign was placed to give a hint. You silently stood and read the instructions until you realized that the combination is given by the order of the shapes of the minions' rooms in the upper floors of Card Castle, starting from the bottom. Luckily for you, you scouted the Castle several times. "Oh, it's about the rooms..."
*Diamond, Heart, Club, Spade.
A path was opened leading to an open chest. You crouched down, satisfied with the convenience to stumble upon this important puzzle. However, when your shadow began dissolving into the nighttime darkness, you hear a footfall only two meters behind you.
"Erm, M-miss! Do not move!" - a trembling voice shook behind you, catching you off-guard. "Turn around slowly o-or else we'll attack..."
Having stealthily grabbed the item within the box, you silently obeyed and turned around to whoever the obstacle was - a Jigsawry and two Hathies. You mind ran alert, your impulse telling you to use your weapon, but as soon as you lay a hand on your knife - you emphasized to yourself that you didn't want things to end grotesquely. "Now now, there's no need to threaten me. I recommend we sort this thing out-"
"Man, we really don't want to fight, p-please don't attack us!" - The trembling lilac Jigsawry wept, as his companion stood aloof "Yeah if we'll die, the King will kill us!"
"Um...Aren't you supposed to, like, attack me and bring me back to prison?"
"Yes, absolutely... but the thing is - I'm just a Jigsawry, I used to build puzzles but the King ordered us to patrol the field instead!" - He answered, the two Hathies joining - "Yeah, and we really didn't expect a Lightner to be here - so now we don't know if we should attack or..."
"Ah, well, in that case..." - Unaware of your own heart beating or the rise and fall of your chest, you drifted into semi-consciousness. You realized that these guys were not even closely related to threat "Are the three of you heading to the castle?"
"Y-yeah!"
"And you're supposed to capture me?"
"Yeah!"
"But you really don't want to fight either?"
"Yep..."
"Welp, I've got a deal for you." - you clapped your hands together, your brilliant mind constructing the perfect solution "How about... We don't fight, but pretend that you captured me, and lead me to the castle? I'll gladly go with you! This way, other guards will think that you're doing your duty plus you don't have to bother fighting anyone. How does that sound?"
"That's genius, marvelous!" - the trio of Darnkers shared between each other "But wait, why'd you want to go to the Card Castle?"
"I... have a friend who I need to talk to."
"Eh, I guess that makes sense. We accept your offer! We will escort you safely to the castle while you'll just pretend that we supposedly captured you!" - a sigh of remedy and mollification washed over the hard-working Darkner who thanked the darkness for blessing them with such a merciful Lightner such as you - "Thank you, O kind Lightner! Is there something we can do in return, miss?"
"Yes, actually." - you tilted your head "If you or your friends see Three Lighteners walking around - please inform them to wait for me in here, okay? I need to rejoin them."
"Oh, those younger ones?"
"Yeah, that one fluffy boy, a horrendous beast and a random kid."
"Hey, Susie isn't that bad..." - With that being established, you joined the group of those soft-hearted guards who gladly accepted your offer to escort you into the castle safely and fastly, without unnecessary attention. Capitulating their kind nature behavior, they capitulated yours as they wished you the best of luck after you bid them your goodbyes.
*It seems you were gaining a positive reputation
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Jevil levitated around his prison, feet twitching to his humming lazily, his face as passive as it would be in slumber. His finger brushed his lip as he allowed himself to be consumed by an endless void of thoughts. Your words were wandering in his mind like a broken cassette, repeating the same line in a loop: "I got used to it." This sentence struck a chord. He asked you if you've ever been thrown into a world, no, a timeline out of your own will, succumbing into the commandment of a different realm as if you were a slave of fate. And all you said was: "I got used to it."
"What a leisure, what a play." - Jevil pondered, his unusual sharp teeth biting into his lip. Though he was in an endless route of being wide awake, he opened his eyes as if from a deep sleep once he heard a familiar pattern of knocks emitted from outside his chamber. He smiled that same smile he wore every time to hear your voice. "You're back, back!"
You knocked, your voice tumbled out softly, calling out to the jester - "Jevil. There is something I must ask you."
When the clown opened his heavy lids the room was perpetually hued in twilight and the colors had extinguished themselves. He was consumed in darkness per usual. "Anything, anything for you, my lady. What may have caught your interest this fervidly to oblige your return to a miserable place such as this?"
When Jevil's hands moved over the wall to feel your presence on the other side, he imagined that his mind is directing towards your own, odd perhaps, and yet he apprehended your conflicting pauses. His hand moves instinctively in circles, imagining your troubled face, hoping he could understand the problem.
"I met a shopkeeper today. Seam - he claimed to know you."
But Jevil's eyes only flinched, gritting his teeth - "Ah, that imbecile. Allow me to guess, did he tell you how he locked me? Or did he, perhaps, preach about the dangers and consequences of you affiliating with me?"
"Yes, but also not completely." - you answered sincerely, trying to get the truth out of him "Jevil, he told me that a certain someone flipped your reality...forcing you to become the person you are today. I believe I can help you."
"Oh me, oh my, are we endorsing in a deal here, dear my? What can you bring to the table?"
"If I told you, that I know who that person is - will you help me?"
For a brief moment, Jevil stayed silent, lost in thoughts: "I am oblivious, oblivious - are we talking about the same man or a man who never existed?"
"Y-you're trying to hide it... by not giving me a straight answer?" - Jevil was surprised to hear you snicker for the first time. Though it wasn't a genuine laugh - but rather a fed up one, as your voice suddenly boomed through the empty stairs. "We both know that we're speaking about the man who speaks in hands!"
"...You know, you KNOW! What a world, what a time!" - a relaxed joy and unrestrained mirth escaped the jester. "In that case, to make up for your offer - let's play a game together, together! All you have to do is find the key, and I'll let you be free!"
"And if I refuse to release you?"
"Boo hoo, boo hoo. You're so amusing, my Lightner - How can you refuse when you're already playing a game?"
"Clever." - you smirked, letting your voice clear and sound "Guess you're leaving me with no choice. I will play your little game; I'll find the key to your cell and let you roam. In return, you'll promise me to aid me through my journey in this world and reveal me what actually led this place into madness. Deal?"
"A DEAL IT IS!"
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Oops - long chapter. Just one more chapter for you to gain the last key piece and the most important battle will depute itself. I really hope I'm building these backstories well...
I said this once, but I'll say it again - Merci to everyone for their wonderful comments. You guys are a blessing.