“Welcome, visitors. I am Chloe, the second queen of this domain. I see you've met my jolly friend here." Chloe gestured toward the skeleton, who grinned in response.

Roselle and Runebelle were momentarily stunned by Chloe's unique appearance, but they quickly gathered their wits. Roselle stepped forward and said, “I’m Roselle, and this is my sister Runebelle. We're not exactly sure how we ended up here, but we were hoping you might be able to help us."

Chloe smiled and leaned back in her grand throne. "Oh, a rather straightforward request, isn't it? Well, I can certainly help you, but first, you must prove that you're willing to embrace the Gothic way of life."

Runebelle questioned, "Gothic way of life?"

Chloe nodded, her wings fluttering slightly. "Yes, dear. To fit in here, you must embrace our customs and style. It's the only way to truly become a part of Jayla's Domain."

The sisters exchanged a glance. Roselle then hesitantly nodded, "All right, Chloe. We'll do our best to fit in and learn your ways. But we also need your help to find our friend, Haras. Can you assist us?"

Chloe's eyes gleamed with an otherworldly light, and she replied, "Of course, my dears. First, I'll help you become true Goths. Once you've embraced our way of life, we'll discuss how to find your lost friend."

Chloe led Roselle and Runebelle to a desolate cemetery that lay shrouded in darkness, fitting the gothic theme of Jayla's Domain. The moonlight cast eerie shadows over the tombstones, creating a surreal atmosphere. At the center of the cemetery stood an ominous-looking pit, the Grave of Acceptance, as Chloe had called it.

Chloe turned to the sisters with an enigmatic smile and explained, "To truly embrace the Gothic way of life, you must be willing to accept the darkness within yourself. In this first test, you must symbolically 'die' to your old selves and embrace what others may consider dark or unconventional. The Grave of Acceptance is where you'll take this first step."

Roselle and Runebelle exchanged a nervous glance but knew they had no choice but to proceed. Roselle took a deep breath and said, "All right, Chloe. We're ready."

Chloe nodded and gestured toward the pit. "Then it's time to take the plunge."

The sisters approached the Grave of Acceptance. The pit looked deep, and the darkness within seemed almost impenetrable. It brought terror to them, but they had no choice but to face their fears.

Side by side, Roselle and Runebelle took steps until they reached the edge of the pit. Without a second thought, they held hands, looked at each other with resolve, and then leaped into the darkness.

The two descended into the depths of the Grave of Acceptance. They felt an overwhelming sensation of transformation and change. Roselle and Runebelle opened their eyes, but what they saw next left them utterly bewildered. Roselle's once vibrant yellow hair had turned a ghostly shade of white, while Runebelle's blue hair had darkened to an intense, pitch-black. Roselle's hair, previously tied, now flowed freely like a cascading waterfall.

Chloe, with her butterfly-like wings, led Roselle and Runebelle to their next challenge, the test of Accepting the Darkness Within. When they entered this chamber, mirrors began to form around them, encircling the trio.

Chloe explained, "This test will show you the darker aspects of your appearance, the potential for darkness within you. It's crucial to confront and accept these aspects."

The mirrors came to life, revealing distorted reflections of the sisters. Roselle saw herself with crimson eyes and an unsettling grin, wielding destructive powers. Runebelle's reflection showed her with a sinister aura, casting shadows over everything she touched.

Chloe could be heard from everywhere in the chamber with her speech, "This is the darkness that could consume you. You must face it and accept it as a part of yourselves."

In the mirror, Roselle's reflection took on a sinister form, coalescing into the Dark Whirlwind. The wicked version of Roselle sneered and taunted, "You're a fake, Roselle. You'll never defeat me."

The dark manifestation unleashed a malevolent blast, and it appeared to hurtle directly at Roselle. In terror, she recoiled, falling to the floor with a scream. Chloe observed the scene with a somewhat amused look.

Dark Whirlwind appeared all around Roselle. Roselle trembled in fear and felt overwhelmed by her. "No... That’s not me... I'm not the fake," she stuttered. "I can't be..."

But Dark Whirlwind continued, taunting her relentlessly, "You lost to me, Roselle. You stand no chance. What right do you have to that face you hold? You're just a copy of me."

Roselle desperately tried to fire back. Her hands were shaking while aiming her cannon at them. But the weapon refused to cooperate. It didn’t fire when she attempted to. "No, not now!"

Dark Whirlwind's mocking laughter echoed through the chamber. "See? You're powerless. You can't even defend yourself."

Roselle's vision blurred with tears. “Maybe... maybe she's right. Maybe I'm just a copy..."

Suddenly, a firm hand grasped Roselle's shoulder, followed by someone speaking that sounded familiar. "What's the matter, Roselle? You should know who you are."

Roselle looked up to see Risebelle's serious demeanor and piercing gaze. “Risebelle...?"

Risebelle's grip tightened. "Don't let her break you. You are not a copy. You are Roselle, my sister, and you have a strength that no dark reflection can take away."

Roselle closed her eyes for a moment, taking in her sister's words. She remembered everything she went through, the memories she had made, and the strength she had drawn from her memory fragments.

A fierce, raging aura flared up around Roselle. Her eyes snapped open with fire blazing from them. "I am Roselle!" she shouted loudly. "My memories, my feelings, my strength—they're all real. I am not a copy!"

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Drawing on her renewed confidence, Roselle aimed her cannon and fired with a precise shot.

The blast of energy struck Dark Whirlwind, enveloping her in a blinding light. The sinister reflection let out an anguished cry before shattering into fragments. The oppressive atmosphere lifted, and the chamber returned to its normal state.

Roselle stood tall. She turned to Risebelle, gratitude in her gaze. "Thank you, Risebelle. I needed tha--?"

When Roselle looked around, the mental image of Risebelle was gone. Incontrast, Runebelle's mirrors revealed a darker version of herself, but her face remained consistently sad. She simply said, "I accept myself as I am."

Chloe, looking pleased with their responses, announced, "You've both passed the second test admirably...”

Both sisters heard a chime and looked down. They noticed dark goth-like dresses had been zapped onto their bodies. “There's one last challenge to overcome."

Roselle and Runebelle gazed into the mirrors. They found themselves facing their final test. In Roselle's mirror, she saw herself, but something was different. She appeared to have completed 100% of her Data collection for Project Mage, and her system congratulated her for her success.

However, the congratulatory tone turned sinister as her system ordered her to destroy Risebelle and Runebelle.

Roselle shook her head, "No, I can't do it."

But the reflections of Risebelle and Runebelle in the mirror acted differently. They turned towards her with cold faces. "We have to kill Kintovar and all of her creations," they said in unison.

Roselle's heart raced, " I…..I have to protect Dr. Kintovar!"

Suddenly, Dr. Kintovar materialized on the ground, injured and vulnerable. Her lab coat was stained with blood, and her face was twisted in pain. "Roselle, help me," she gasped.

Roselle had no choice but to eliminate her sisters to stop them. The three sisters faced each other with cannon shots charged and ready.

With a shout, they unleashed their attacks simultaneously. The energy beams clashed in mid-air. The force of the collision sent shockwaves through the room, but Roselle's was stronger.

In the end, Roselle's cannon shot overwhelmed Risebelle and Runebelle and left them defeated on the floor.

Dr. Kintovar got up with a smile, "Well done, Roselle. Now, finish the job quickly."

Roselle hesitated. She looked with sense of sorrow and conflict in her heart. Her cannon was still charged, ready to deliver the final blow.

In the end, with a heavy heart, Roselle unleashed a massive purple beam at her sisters, who looked at her with sadness. The devastating attack struck them, and they slowly faded away, leaving only lingering traces of their presence.

Kintovar, with a sinister smile, declared, "I knew you would be the one of use to me, Roselle."

Roselle stood there, torn apart by the choices she had made.

Chloe's eyes widened with surprise and amusement. "Oh-ho, is this who Roselle really is? Is this the choice she's made? Is she happy with it?"

"No," Roselle whispered. "This …isn't ….me. This isn't who I am."

"Then why did you make that choice, Roselle? Was it to protect Kintovar, or was it out of fear? What is the answer?"

Roselle clenched her fists and closed her eyes tightly."I was trying to protect Dr. Kintovar... but not at the cost of my sisters. I can't be happy with this."

Chloe's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Then tell me, Roselle, who do you care about more? Dr. Kintovar or your sisters? Who would you rather protect?"

Roselle's heart pounded as she opened her eyes, filled with anguish. "How can I choose something like that? Nobody can make a choice like that!"

Chloe spoke with a more harsh tone."In life, sometimes we have to make difficult decisions. You can't always protect everyone. Roselle, to pass this test, you must choose your darkness. You must decide who matters more to you."

Roselle felt her world collapsing around her. She glanced at her sisters with hope and trust, and then at Dr. Kintovar. She stammered. "I can't... I can't do this. I can't choose."

Chloe'sl tone remained firm. "You must, Roselle. That is the only way to pass this test and understand your own heart. Embrace the darkness, and make your choice."

Roselle took a deep breath. Memories of her sisters flashed before her eyes—their shared laughter, their unwavering support, their bond forged through countless hardships. She then remembered Dr. Kintovar, the one who had given her purpose and direction. The images flashed in her mind countless times until she made a decision.

Tears streamed down Roselle's face as she whispered, "I... I choose my sisters. I can't abandon them, not even for Dr. Kintovar."

The moment she spoke the words, the scene began to shift. The room around them dissolved into a haze.

Chloe stepped forward."You have passed, Roselle. You made the difficult choice from your heart."

Chloe summoned a mirror with a wave of her hand infront of Roselle. "Now, Roselle, let's see how your sister is faring. Will she make the right choice, as you did?"

In the final test, Runebelle's vision shifted, taking her back to a crucial moment from her past. She found herself reliving the day when she had been confronted by Kintovar. The memory was crystal clear, and it all came rushing back.In the vision, Runebelle had just received a cheerful notification from her system, informing her that her data collection was at an impressive 75%, but found out a terrifying thing about Dr. Kintovar.

Kintovar's was firm when looking at Runebelle, "Roselle, step aside. This is between me and Runebelle. I don't want you involved in this."

Runebelle had her hand poised on the trigger of her cannon. She made the most difficult decision of her life.

Runebelle had her hand poised on the trigger of her cannon. The weight of the decision pressed heavily upon her, her mind racing with the implications.

In the past, Runebelle had hesitated. This time, she wasn't going to fire either, but Kintovar began to speak. "So, this is how you repay me, Runebelle? After everything I've done for you, this is your gratitude? Pathetic."

Kintovar's twisted into a cruel smile. "You're nothing but a failure. I created you, and this is how you choose to behave? You disgust me."

Runebelle's hands trembled, her resolve weakening with each venomous word.

Kintovar continued in a tone dripping with malice. "That's okay though. I could always use a spare set of parts when I dismantle you. I'll create a far better android, one who isn't like you. I regret even creating you, Runebelle. You've turned your back on your creator."

The words cut deep.

"You are my creation," Kintovar sneered, "and you shouldn't have the free will I instated. That was my mistake that I will correct."

"No!" Runebelle screamed. She closed her eyes tightly with tears streaming down her face. She fired her cannon, the blast tearing through the air. The vision shattered, leaving Runebelle standing alone, her chest heaving with emotion.

Chloe spoke to them. "So, Runebelle, you chose to fire. Is this who you truly are?"

"I did what I had to do. I couldn't let her continue. Not at the cost of my sister or anyone else."

Chloe nodded, "Sometimes. pain is the price we pay to protect what we love."

Runebelle responded while trembling. "I was prepared to kill my creator that day for hiding something that I can't even say."

Chloe tilted her head. "But you didn't do it in the past."

Runebelle took a deep breath. "If Kintovar ever said anything like that, I wouldn't hesitate. My sisters wouldn't deserve a creator like that."

Chloe laughed loudly. “What an amusing statement."

With a wave of her hand, the chamber's oppressive atmosphere began to lift. "You pass, Runebelle."

Both sisters were now joined in the same place in the chamber. Chloe's looked at Roselle and Runebelle with a satisfied smile. "In the world of Goths, embracing darkness doesn't mean losing yourself to it. It means knowing your darkness, facing it, and maintaining control. A true Goth is not someone who succumbs to their inner demons, but someone who harnesses the power of their dark side and uses it to their advantage."

She continued, "With that understanding, Roselle and Runebelle, I'm pleased to announce that you are officially Goths. You've both shown the strength to confront your shadows and come out even stronger. Welcome…to our world."

Roselle and Runebelle were guided by Chloe to the grand party. The party was filled with goth girls and boys, as well as various dark and mystical creatures, all dancing and enjoying themselves in this dark atmosphere.

The sisters were now part of this unique and diverse world, surrounded by beings who had embraced their inner darkness.