♡ KNIGHT.

                                          KRIS DREEMURR                                          ❝  the hero of light  ❞

                                         KRIS DREEMURR                                         ❝  the hero of light  ❞

“Kris–?”

The moment she touched their shoulder, the scenery around the pair immediately changed; once cloaked in shadows, the bright lights of the Cyber World suddenly came into full view, making the monster squint as she raised a hand to her face. Though her expression twisted into surprise shortly after, keeping her grip on the other as her head turned in every which direction. What.. the hell was going on? Weren’t they just.. in the middle of the forest?

“H.. huh? We’re back..!?” .. but something told Susie that wasn’t.. quite right. The brief excitement on her face died down just as soon as Kris shot her that glance, trying her best to really focus on what was in front of her. Everything looked the same as that place; the colours, even the sounds ringing in her ears were familiar to Susie. But it all still looked like.. the minute she touched it, it would disappear back into the mist; including the traffic light hanging above them that was covered in ice.

She didn’t remember anything looking like that before, but even before them stood what she could only assume was a Darkner trapped in the same sort of ice as the light. Instinctively, her hold on Kris tightened somewhat as her eyes narrowed. Whatever the hell this was, Susie didn’t like it one bit; feeling her guard rise up the longer they stood there together.

“.. something’s not right. Is it the mist that’s making it look like the Cyber World..? But what’s with all this ice? What.. happened to that Darkner?”

       THE GRIP UPON THEIR SHOULDER TIGHTENS, and kris needn’t spare a glance aside to know susie sees what they see; a formerly bustling cityscape, rendered desolate. now it’s filled with ghosts, and a thousand questions. a chill creeps the length of their spine, nipping at their cheeks, but they hold fast, steeling their expression. the sight of the darkner encased in ice like that... it unnerves them, sure, but they can’t falter, especially when they have no idea what’s around the corner. nevertheless, the knight feels a little bit stronger knowing susie is by their side.

       this whole time, they realise they’ve been tensing up, every muscle twisting and congealing, down to their balled fists. a quiet breath whispers from their lips, and they push the tension from their body, shoulders sagging... before pressing onwards toward the frozen darkner. standing before it, kris slowly raises a hand---

                                           * YOU DID THIS.

       a voice scratches behind their eyes, and it sounds just like them. they hesitate, their reach stumbling short of the ice. they can already feel the cold prickling at their flesh beneath the material of their glove, daring their touch... before they lower that hand, examining their palm as if within the answers await.

                                                       ---but there’s nothing there.

     ▲ Before she has a chance to say anything further, a hand is once again offered towards her. Blinking a few times, the princess finally relents with a smile, soon gently placing her hand within the stranger’s own. Utilizing both her own force and the stranger’s, the princess is able to pull herself back up to her feet, soon dusting off her skirt and readjusting the hooded cloak she wears.

     ❝ Thank you again. You are quite adept, aren’t you? ❞

     ❝ I am sure I wouldn’t have made it out if this safely if not for you…! ❞ and though she chuckles, there is a slight odd slight in her tone.

     ❝ If I can repay the favor, you will let me know, won’t you? Ah! But I suppose knowing who I am will help first…! My name is Zelda. ❞

       WITHOUT A WORD, they help her to her feet, immediately taking a step back to permit her space. she appears... unscathed, to their relief, and despite barely escaping death--- or at the very least, excruciating pain and broken bones--- the stranger offers them a smile. well... whatever. she seems fine and they were content to leave the situation at that. it’s not their business anyway.

       the sincerity laden into her tone catches kris off-guard, and they falter, rooted to the spot for a few moments more. every fiber of their being beckons them to take their leave but... something about her makes them stay. just for a little while longer, anyway.

          zelda--- they repeat the name in their head offhandedly, almost as if to allow their memory a taste. averting their gaze, as though searching for the words in the surrounding brush and soil, the knight finally ventures their answer, in a voice just above a murmur.

◯ Hesitation. The real Noelle felt it, but she could see it on the face of her mirror reflection in the mist as well. She had seen that face in her reflection so many times in the past, when she was thinking about things she didn’t want to do. Like acknowledge the  █ █ █ █ of December. It was surely the face she had worn when standing up in front of everyone for the spelling bee, too.

The fact that the Kris beside her did not say anything wasn’t unpredictable, but in this particular instance it was a little unsettling. What were they thinking as they watched the same scene as her? Noelle’s fingers intertwined together while sheepishly looking between the real Kris and what she thought had to be an illusion before her. But their voice eventually pierced the silence. 

                                             “ PROCEED. ”

Everything from that point on happened so quickly. “I’ll show you what happens when I cast a spell that I don’t know!” was cried by her copy, and snow began to fall from the sky as she lifted into the air. There was something eerie about the copy’s eyes. Where were her pupils? Her irises? It was if she wasn’t even conscious. And before she knew it, Berdly was encased in ice.

“Um… Um, Kris? That isn’t… that’s not real, right? Berdly isn’t… I wouldn’t… He’s gotta be fine, right?” But then she noticed it, both of the clones staring dead at them. Her copy’s eyes still blank as could be. “D-Do they see us?”

       JUST A SINGLE WORD STRIKES THE DEEPEST CHORD, and it thunders. that's all it takes--- just one word. they feel it in their chest, in their bones, where it takes route and promises to never let go. their stomach turns as the air thickens, rippling with power, and a chill is upon their breath. a smog whispers from their lips, nipping at their cheeks, and seemingly from nothing, a whirl of snow begins to toil around them. it consumes berdly, effectively erasing his stunned expression from view---

       ---and in his place, a block of ice so dense, only his silhouette remains... an afterthought.

       they watch the battle decided with a swift finality, while its victors observe their works in silence. a tide of dread washes over kris; they don't answer, seized by trepidation as the pair's reflections turn to face them. it's like looking into a broken mirror, a face they no longer recognise staring back from every shard. meeting with their gaze, there's nothing in those eyes--- just a cold and calculating resolve, and yet... they can tell it's not that simple.

                                                      THIS ISN'T REAL.

       despite their trembling, the knight takes noelle’s hand, drawing their blade with the other, and steels themselves for whatever may follow. they don’t know what the hell’s going on, or what any of this means, but they have to protect her.