Amidst the swarm of Chloe’s fans, Roselle and Runebelle were met with eager aed faces.

  “Hey, you’re new here, right? I haven’t seen you before.”

  Roselle responded “Yeah, we’re pretty new. Just got oth status today.”

  “That’s awesome! ust have taken a liking to you.”

  Runebelle responded “It seems that way.”

  The fans tio bombard them with questions and praise. Roselle and Runebelle found themselves surrounded by enthusiastic admirers, all curious about their journey into this dark and enting world.

  Roselle leaned closer to who she thought was Runebelle and whispered, “We o find a way to get past all of these people.”

  To her surprise, a child Goth girl turned around and said, “What?”

  Roselle, momentarily caught off guard, blinked. “Oh, I thought you were someone else.”

  The child Goth girl tilted her head curiously. “Who did you think I was?”

  Roselle quickly recovered her posure. “I was just trying to find a way to navigate through the crowd. But um…. how did you get your hair like that? It looks really cool.”

  The child Goth girl’s eyes brightened with stars entering them. “Thanks! My parents helped me with it. They use this special dye that ges color in the dark. It’s perfect for the Goth parties. Do you like it?”

  Roselle nodded enthusiastically. “It’s really unique. I haven’t seen anything like it before.”

  The child Goth girl smiled broadly. “I show you how to get some if you want! It’s a lot of fun to experiment with.”

  Roselle shook her head with a friendly smile. “Maybe ter. We’ve got something we o take care ht now.”

  With that, she waved goodbye and pushed through the crowd, making her way towards Runebelle, who was already several paces ahead.

  Roselle, navigating the sea of Goths filed her arms. “Runebelle, don’t leave me!” she called out.

  Runebelle, engrossed in her surroundings, was too far ahead to hear her sister’s plea.

  After a minute, Roselle finally caught up. “You seem more enthusiastic about this than I am,” she said with a hint of frustration and relief.

  Runebelle, still looking gloomy, g Roselle and said, “I thought you were right behind me.”

  Roselle grabbed her hand firmly. “There, this way, we don’t lose each other,” she said, guiding them through the throng of Goths.

  Chloe stood ahead, taking autographs and smiling at her ad fans. The closer Roselle and Runebelle got, the more intehe crowd became. They had to have some patieo make their way to the front.

  After what seemed like an hour, they finally reached the front of the stage where Chloe was signing autographs. Roselle and Runebelle found themselves in the midst of a crowd with varying questions.

  A young Goth girl leaned in and asked excitedly, “Chloe, what song are you going to py for us today?”

  A nearby guy said, “Hey, any new magic tricks up your sleeve, Chloe?”

  Another curious fan inquired, “Are you pnning a special performance, like a py or something?”

  iled at her fans, soaking in their enthusiasm.

  Chloe, the Gothic queen of the domain, skillfully banced her iions with her eager fans. She respoo each question and ent with charm and poise.

  To the girl inquiring about the song, Chloe said, “I’ve prepared something special today, something that’ll send shivers down your spine.”

  To the guy asking about magic tricks, she winked and replied, “Oh, you’ll be in for a treat. My magic has a darker edge today.”

  And to the fan w about a performance, she smiled mysteriously and said, “A little bit of everything, my friend. You’ll have to wait and see.”

  Chloe tio sign autographs, take pictures, and chat with the fans.

  Roselle and Runebelle finally made it to the front of the crowd. They finally had their ce to speak to Chloe.

  “Chloe,” Roselle began, “we really want to meet Jay. We heard she’s here, but we haven’t had a ce to talk to her yet.”

  Runebelle added, “Yes, it’s really important to us. We’re fans of both of you, aing Jay would mean the world to us.”

  Chloe fshed a knowing smile. “I see you’re quite eager. Alright, I take you to her. Follow me.”

  As Chloe started to lead the way, some of the fans around them grumbled. They pined, “Chloe, don’t go yet. We want more time with you!”

  Ign the pints, Chloe tio guide Roselle and Runebelle.

  Chloe led Roselle and Runebelle back to the throne room, where she made a chilling annou, “You two are Roselle and Runebelle. They came with Kintovar, Mystimona, and Haras.” She had a sly smile while tinuing, “I inteo have pinatas made out of their friends too, but I suppose this will do.”

  She opened a dark portal, and to the sisters’ shock, Kintovar emerged, tied up and struggling. Mystimona followed, but he was sound asleep. Suddenly, Haras fell from the portal, nding on top of Kintovar.

  Roselle, filled with , asked, “Kintovar, what happened? Are you okay?”

  Kintovar, still bound, seemed to get an idea.

  Kintovar, still bound and struggling, looked up with a sudden glint of realization in her eyes. “I finally get it!” she excimed. “The answer is 69. That’s what this domain is shaped like. I went through my calcutions, my equations, and my ehematical framework—”

  She began to list off an inprehensible series of mathematical terms and theories. Her expnation was so voluted aeric that even the most educated in the room found themselves lost in the byrinth of numbers and theories she resenting.

  When Kintovar finally stopped, the room fell into a stunned silence. Roselle and Runebelle exged baffled gnces.

  Chloe, with an amused and satisfied grin, stepped forward and cpped her hands. “Bravo, Kintovar! You’ve actually figured out the riddle. Too bad you found out only after you failed the test.” Her tone was both gratutory and mog.

  Kintovar muttered, “I ’t believe someone was able to outsmart a stifiius like me. This domain truly is a puzzle beyond my expectations.”

  Chloe’s grin widened. She snapped her fingers and freed Kintovar from the bindings“Well, you’re not the only one who’s had a challenge. But isn’t it fun to be part of something so…ued?”

  Chloe’s eyes darted from one person to the . Everyone seemed to be tense. Chloe put on a face of disdain. “Why did you all e here in search of Jay? I want the truth. Do not lie to me… Did you e here to kill her?”

  Kintovar adjusted her sungsses with a hint of unease. Roselle, her forehead damp with sweat ah gritted, stared at Chloe nervously. Runebelle, uo hold eye tact, kept her gaze averted. Mystimona remained sound asleep, unaware of the tension around him. Haras, with her hand subtly close to her pink b coat pocket, oised as if ready to draw her on at any moment.

  Before anyone made an act against her, oved one hand up to the side of her fad said, “You all arrived at a bad time if you were looking for Jay. She left for East Jancito. She hasn’t shared her pns with a, but there’s a tour going on there. Jay wants to collect the Goddess items for herself. Siaining the Star Jewel, her ambitions have grown, and she desires more Artifacts, more domain trol, and an expanded domain. I’m afraid you came all this way only to be left disappointed. Queen Jay is not here.”

  Kintovar adjusted her sungsses once more, pting their steps in this quest while also responding. “It is a shame, indeed, but the information is valuable. With knowledge of the tour and Jay’s location, I think it’s time for us to head to East Jancito. We ’t afford to miss this opportunity.”

  Chloe raised an eyebrow and inquired, “Do you pn to participate iour as well? If you do, I wish you good luck. Jay, in her current state, is an unstoppable force.”

  Kintovar smiled fidently and said, “We’ll see about that. I’ll be the judge of her strength.”

  Chloe, with a wave of her hand, jured a dark portal of energy. The portal’s depths seemed to swallow the room, and its inky bess emitted a strange, alluring aura. She turo the group and said, “This portal will take you directly back to the upper level of North Jancito. I hope you had a good time here.”

  Chloe’s gaze lingered on Roselle and Runebelle. Roselle, with a feigned smile, said, “We had a great time here, Chloe. Thank you for everything.”

  Runebelle tried to add some cheer to her tone and speak, “Yes, it was an experience we won’t fet.”

  With a wave of her hand, Chloe reversed the transformatio Roselle and Runebelle to their regur appearahe swirling portal awaited them, ready to transport them back to the upper level of North Jancito.

  With their appearances returo normal, Roselle hoisted the unsystimona onto her back, and the group made their way back to the stairs that led to the lower levels of North Jancito. After her guests left, Chloe chuckled. “I wish you could have stayed for my performance,” she said with a hint of dark amusement. “But I have a feeling your little heads would’ve... ‘Exploded.’ Safe travels.”

  Chloe watched through a dark orb and saw the group asding the stairs, disappearing from the realm of domains and leaving behind a world of darkness.

  Ba North Jancito, the group realized that they had spent most of the day in Jay’s domain. Haras turo Kintovar and said with a nervous grin, “Hey, Kintovar, you do me a favor? Um…Promise that we won’t veo any more dark pces like that again. I almost got cut in half by those ghosts.”

  Kintovar chuckled softly and replied, “I ’t promise you that. Those spirits were jured using dark magi the world of dark arts, there are those who delve into the forbiddeory of undead magietimes, we have to face these dangers in our pursuit of knowledge and power.”

  The group settled into Alden’s for the night. The warm and cozy atmosphere enveloped them. Although Alden was still away, his wife and their 7-year-old daughter, Sally, extended a warm wele. After a satisfying dinner, Kintaze wao her makeshift b, where Risebelle remained withiank.

  Kintovar turo Haras and inquired, “Haras, how’s the progress on Risebelle’s recovery? Any signs of improvement?”

  Haras sighed, heavy with . “I’ve tried everything, Kintovar, but it seems the damage left by Dark Whirlwind’s attack is causing a lot of problems. The only way to fix her might be through a PCR.”

  Kintovar furrowed her brows, seeking crification. “PCR? What does that stand for?”

  Haras expined, “PCR stands for Personality positiooration. It’s a patch that adds a new personality to Risebelle to fill the gap left by Dark Whirlwind’s as. Essentially, it’s a way to restore her missing aspects ahe damage done.”

  Kintovar nodded and responded, “Using a PCR might lead to a shift in her personality, and I’ve developed something simir called the PDR - Personality Duplication aoration. But I’ve beeant to use it on Risebelle.”

  Haras grinned and teased, “Well, Kintovar, your as are still sillier than mine, I have to admit.”

  Kintovar nodded and raised one finger. “You’re right, but Haras, the effectiveness is what matters most. But this is a signifit decision we o make. Do we use the PDR on Risebelle a its effects, or do we pursue another avenue?”

  Haras chimed iically, “Kintovar, you knoon’t get anything done if we keep hesitating. Let’s make a choid move forward.”

  Deep in thought, the two of them sidered the options before them, knowing that their decision could have a profound impa Risebelle’s future.

  Roselle and Runebelle desded the stairs to the makeshift b. Ttey shared the news with Kintovar. Roselle spoke first, “Mystimona is scious now, but he’s mad. Really ‘REALLY’ mad that he missed the ce to fight Jay.”

  Kintovar raised one hand up to her forehead and replied, “I’m quite upset about the situation myself.”

  Kintovar’ worked on the new part to fill the hole in her body. Roselle curiously inquired, “What are you doing, Dr.Kintovar?”

  Kintovar looked up from her work and replied, “I’m going to repair y sister, Roselle. I’ve made the decision, and I’m going to fix her one way or another. Just be prepared, though. Her personality might be slightly altered after this.”

  “Altered? What do you mean by that?”

  Kintovar merely smiled mysteriously, leaving Roselle with anticipation and curiosity about what would ge in Risebelle’s personality.

  Kintovar’s tireless efforts culminated in success at midnight. She carefully adjusted the size of the PDR, and with a triumphant shout, she excimed, “AHA! I’ve got it just right!” Pg the PDR in Risebelle’s body, she watched with anticipation.

  The system briefly flickered to life, which lead to a moment of excitement. But then, it shut off again, leaving Kintovar and the others in the b with a tense silence.

  Frustration boiled within Kintovar. The systems were still showing the same damage signs. She muttered under her breath, “There’s obviously something wrong...”

  Carefully, she ied the PDR. Her eyes widened. She saw the mistake. The settings were upside down, so they were w in reverse. With deep sigh, she adjusted positioning of the settings and theivated it, Risebelle’s systems finally came baline.

  Kintovar muttered to herself, “I ’t believe I missed that. It’s always the little things.”

  Kintovar warmly greeted her creation as her eyes flickered open.

  “Wele back, Risebelle.”