( It's still smoking, too. )

( Something that sounds like a growl sounds in the air. )

( Your eyes drift over to the side — )

( And, surrounded by eyes on the wall behind it, you see it. It's... hard to believe, but there's no doubt about the shape. )

( That's a Ralsei statue. )

( So did someone else make a Dark World? Who could it be? Only Berdly and Noelle know how, outside of Susie, right? And Susie probably wouldn't do it behind your back. )

( ... )

( That is a crater. That is definitely a crater, right there. )

( You recognize some of them, but not all. Vivirokun, Jigsawry, some Plugboys... Even a Mizzle. Darkners you've encountered before, and those that you've saved. )

( You weren't told anything about this, by the team you're working with... )

( Your walk forward has presented you with... some sad sights. )

( Darkners, encased in stone. You've seen it before, but usually you knew what came before it. And this shouldn't happen so close to Castle Town, should it? Even if this path doesn't resemble the one to Castle Town... )

( You don't have to, the ACT option is still present. Try R-Action again? )

( And yet, it protects you as it always does. Even when the Rudinn's spears aim at you, the control of someone you don't know keeps you safe. Whoever they are, they don't seem too worried. )

( The Rudinn, however, appears frustrated. )

"What are you doing? Go a-ahead and fight!"

( The Rudinn's expression hardens. Seems you said the wrong thing. )

"Is that a joke? I'm not laughing."

( Its spear glints in the dark. And then, you... )

( ... the battle box appears. You see it. And a SOUL... flies to you? Where did that even come from? Kris isn't here... )

( Not at this scale. It's multiple of them, and other Darkners also met the same fate... Including ones not from Card Kingdom, like Virovirokun, and even some Darkner types you haven't seen before. )

( No one speaks to you. Only a path widening in front of you opens up. )

( Oddly enough, Susie doesn't seem to be answering your call like she usually does. Wherever you are, you appear to be on your own. )

( Venturing forth makes it clear something's not right... Especially when you spot some Jigsawry encased in stone. You've seen this before, but... )

( Looking around, though, you see stones ahead of you that are not in natural shapes. Maybe investigating those more closely will give you some sort of clue? The dark obscures the future of the path along it, but... )

( It seems nothing's about to accost you, at least. )

"Th-the nightmares have taken it easy on me. I... don't know why?"

( She doesn't seem to recognize you're not from this world, because she inspects you. )

"What about you? I'm surprised you aren't at... the... um, Lightner refuge."

( Her eyes widen. )

"Did someone send you...? I'm okay, really!"

( Noelle Holiday wipes at her lash lines... she wasn't expecting to see anyone here. )

"O-oh, sorry... Fahaha... I-I didn't know anyone else was here..."

( She's crumpled up on her knees, and doesn't make any attempt to lift up to her feet. )

"Um... No, don't worry..."

( ...but then you FEEL something flit around behind you. )

( It gives off a floral scent. Something important was in there originally. It just feels like that, when you look at it. )

( But whatever it was, it's been destroyed. )

( ... What is that sound? )

( Is that... )

( ... sniffling? It seems to be coming from behind the debris. )

( ... The path widens further on. Do you keep going? )

( But if you turn to look... There doesn't seem to be anything there except inky blackness. )

( Strange. )

( You notice... broken down benches. And... creatures of some sort? Darkners. But they're frozen solid, as statues. One of them looks kind of like a rock. )

( Dust kicks up where you landed. And now, you're... )

( ...well, you don't very well know where you are at all. Damn. You'd think the jump would've made you realize, but... )

( If anything, you're just sitting on blank blue... with oddly the roaring waves behind you. )