clouds came and covered the sun

[hairpining]

[You find yourself in a small, quaint little town. The architecture has a notably late-1800s bent to it, in contrast to the clean, crisp air you breathe – combined with a faint, flowery scent – it's almost as though it is not industrialized at all.

Which would be easy enough to believe. After all, there do not seem to be any people out other than you and your fellow spelunkers – in spite of the occasional whisper you might hear. Hushed and impossible to actually make out.

Far in the distance lies a towering building, similar in shape to a fairytale castle.]

(Castle Town | Atelier | Smithy | Castle Town Revisited |
Painting the Roses Red | The Golden Afternoon | Castle Corridor |
The Library of Babel | The Girl Without Hands | The Garden of Paradise | The White Bride and the Black One |
The Princess Sleeping in the Glass Coffin)

((BGM entirely for ~atmospheric~ and ~stylistic~ purposes and personal reference, feel free to listen if you want to!))

Comments

[artsistic]

Was he telling the truth about why the Princess was sleeping?

[hairpining]

["Yes. No matter what methods we try, she just won't wake up."]

[artsistic]

Do you know who this Witch is?

[hairpining]

["She's the Black Witch, I imagine... but I don't know anything about her, except her name. I'm sorry."

She closes her eyes and rubs the bridge of her nose -- the movement is slightly awkward, like she's wearing glasses.

"You're not from here. I have a feeling this meeting might be fate. Could you please try to save our princess?"]

[artsistic]

Yes, I will. I'll definitely save her.

Thanks for your help. I'll go to look for the Smith.

[hairpining]

["Thank you. I can wait here, at least."

Going back to the smithy shows that he is in fact not there.]

[artsistic]

[Hurrying back, out of breath.]

He's not at his workshop.

I'll go directly to the princess and see what I can find.

[hairpining]

[With the Black Prince's blessing, you head to the castle.]