Dust motes danced under the flickering light of the writer's room. My fingers flew across the typewriter keys, clattering.
Then, in a blink, everything changed.
In its place, a cityscape of chrome and glass. Towers scraping the sky, their reflective surfaces catching the blaze of the sun, burning into my eyes.
Had the story finally manifested to help me escape?
Heart hammering against my ribs, my eyes darted around. Teenagers and children strolled confidently, carrying firearms as if they were trending fashion accessories. Kids with guns, and halos hovering above their head. I knew some people refer to children as angels without wings but to see it be taken literally…
Their curious stares were like invisible barbs, pinning me to the spot. I didn't notice some of them were approaching me until a voice shattered my thoughts.
"Are you lost?"
I blinked. Eyes focusing on three girls. They were looking at me with curiosity and concern. One had a red halo and eyes. The second had her black hair cascading down her back like a waterfall, her height barely reached my chest. The third was a twin of the first, whom I differentiate by the green eyes and halo.
They were little more than elementary schoolers, I presumed, yet here they were, wielding weapons of war. My thoughts were a tangled mess. I never interacted with kids before, especially not ones armed to the teeth.
"Lost? I..." I took a deep breath, "It depend on how you define lost. Where am I?"
"You are in Millennium Science School." The twin with the red halo answered.
"Millennium Science School? Where is this school?" I asked back.
"Inside Kivotos…?" The red-haloed of the twin trailed off, unsure.
"And where is this Kivotos located?" I asked again.
"I think he's really lost..." The twin with green halo remarked softly
The long-haired girl cheerfully remarked, "What if we take him to the Seminar? I think Yuuka or Noa can help him."
"That's a good idea!" The red-haloed girl cheered. She turned towards me, "We'll take you to the Seminar. It might help you figure things out."
I hesitated for a moment, pride tingling from appearing helpless before these children. But what other choice did I have? I needed answers, and these girls seemed the only ones offering them.
"Alright," I conceded, "Lead the way."
We set off towards a nearby skyscraper with the three girls leading the way. My presence, a lone adult in a sea of youthful faces framed by fluttering skirts and bouncing ponytails, felt jarringly out of place. Every whisper, every giggle, felt like an accusation.
Wanting to not be consumed my own discomfort, I lifted my gaze towards the sky finding a beam of light streaking into the sky, converged into a strange, circular symbol. The girls leading me seemed nonchalant at the sight. Rather, they chattered amongst themselves.
The words "3D modelling," "character design," and "physics engine" were mentioned. While the nuances of their discussion slipped past me, I listened intently. I needed distraction.
The girl with long black hair had her hair sweeping across the ground. How did she manage without tripping over it? How would she clean her hair afterward?
"What's your name?" I asked.
"Oh, right—introductions!" She gestured to her twin with the green halo before the black-haired girl. "This is my younger sister, Midori, and she is Alice." The green haloed twin nodded shyly while the black-haired girl offered a radiant smile.
Alice, eh? What a twisted coincidence to have a similar name as 'her'.
"Are you three game developers?" I asked, wanting to continue the conversation.
The girl, whose name I discovered was Momoi, grinned. "Yep! We're part of Game Development Department."
Department, not club? I decided drop the distinction.
"What about you?" Alice excitedly asked.
"My name is Alan Wake. I'm a writer."
"That's cool! Do you write about things like fighting bad guys and stuff?" Alice's eyes were sparkling.
"I mainly write crime novels." My voice was slightly strained.
Alice, oblivious to my discomfort, piped up, "Maybe you can show us your works!""
The childlike innocence in her question made me a feel a mix of warmth at her enthusiasm, followed by a wave of cold dread when I remember about the Dark Presence.
I forced a smile, the corners of my mouth not quite reaching my eyes, "They're not exactly something I like to show around..." I reply.
The girls exchanged a confused glance. Whether they truly grasped my distress, I couldn't tell. Thankfully, Momoi stepped in, her voice bright and cheerful. "Are you visiting Sensei and got lost?"
"Sensei?" I asked.
"The new teacher at Schale." Momoi elaborated.
I stifled a sigh as the unknown word added another layer to the complex puzzle of my situation. Before I could respond, a manuscript page I didn't know I had fluttered down from my pocket, landing at Alice's feet. The slight shimmering on the page. I knew what it was; the manuscript pages.
Fear constricted my throat, but before I could stop myself, I blurted out in alarm, "I need that!"
Alice bent down to pick up the page. She tilted her head, confused, as she extended the page to me. I couldn't hide the tremors in my hand as I took it from her hand before reading the manuscript.
Their once-familiar faces were contorted in a silent scream.
Panic clawed at my throat. Not again.
My mind raced, desperately searching for a way to free the girls from the clutches of the darkness. I knew, however, that my options were limited. The Taken were no longer human. They were puppets to the Dark Presence. Husks, their souls forever lost.
But, this world with all the technology and magic must have a way to reverse it. I had to save them. I will not allow the Darkness writing to hurt the innocent children!
"Show me the Champion of Light!" The girl shouted.
"I'll show you the Herald of Darkness!" The other continued.
Alice's worried voice broke me out from my stupor.
"Are you okay? You look pale."
The weight of the truth threatened to burst from my lips, the urge to warn them about the Dark Presence. But my voice stuck in my throat. They were just children, innocent in their ignorance. I couldn't burden them with this darkness, not yet.
With a forced smile, I stammered, "It's just... this page. It brings back some bad memories about the novel I was working on, things I'd rather not relive right now." It was a flimsy excuse, but it was all I had, hoping that the girl wouldn't pry further.
I folded the manuscript, shielding it from their curious eyes, and tucked it safely away. "Don't let that worry you," I assured them, my voice shaky. "It's something I need to deal with on my own. Let's go."
We continued walking towards the colossal tower, the once-lively chatter of the girls now replaced by an unsettling silence.
A/N: This story just popped up in my head. But I have no idea what I'm cooking here because I'm not familiar with Blue Archive, as you can tell by the title and synopsis.