Armaverse/Chapter 13

==Intro==
After figuring out the first big clue to their journey, Sarah and Dylan embark on their next quest. To find The Neon Express, the supposed ticket to The Seven Trials of Destiny...
==Description== 
We both contemplate on the message that I just read. That phrase, "guide you to your destiny" continues to echo in my mind.
Sarah: "The Keeper of The Nebulae." Sounds like something out of a myth or legend.
Dylan: Yeah, it does. But, considering everything we encountered so far in The Backrooms, I wouldn't jump to conclusions and dismiss this as pure fiction.
Sarah:[Confused]...What do you mean? 
Dylan: Look at everything we encountered so far. Look at the sequence of events. Look at how easy your journey was before you met me. It feels like this could be a clue, a path to something overarching and mysterious.
Sarah: You do have a point there. But, how do we even begin to find this, Keeper? And what does it mean by guide you to your destiny..?
Dylan: I don't know, Sarah. But maybe, just maybe, this could be the key to what we have been searching all along. A purpose of beyond being trapped in these endless halls.
Sarah: I mean, it's worth a shot. I just don't know where to even start finding this, Keeper. 
Dylan: Well, only one way to find out. 
After that little conversation, we start wandering around again.
It has been a few minutes of walking, I look down at the paper. I managed to put the two pieces together with some tape I found laying on the ground. 
Sarah: Wait a second, I think I see something!
Dylan: What is it?
Sarah: I see some 3 faded out letters on the back of this paper! They appear to read, T.N.E. 
Dylan: T.N.E. The Neon, wait a second! 
Sarah: [Concerned] What?!
Dylan: T.N.E. That's The Neon Express!
Sarah: [Confused] The Neon Express? What's that? 
Dylan: The Neon Express is this supposed train station that acts as a gateway to many levels of the backrooms.
Sarah: Interesting. So its kind of like the hub of a video game in a sense, where you can play any part of the game you want at any time.
Dylan: Thats.. actually a good analogy. 
Sarah: Thanks. 
So we continue walking, turning and twisting around hallways. I am still so confused about everything that just occured.
Sarah: So, if The Neon Express is this supposed gateway to other levels of the backrooms, could we also use that to find this supposed keeper of the nebulae?
Dylan: I don't know. But there is only one way to find out. We must find the neon express. 
Sarah: Right. That is our next goal.
So after that conversation, we continue wandering again, looking for this supposed Neon Express. We decide to talk more to pass the time.
Sarah: That guide you to your destiny phrase still intrigues me. Almost as if, we are being nudged in a certain direction, isn't it?
Dylan: I see what you mean. It's almost as if there is some unseen power or force, watching us and controlling and creating these events in a way we can't grasp. 
Sarah: That actually is a good theory. But, why us specifically? And why now of all times?
Dylan: I don't know. Maybe we stumbled upon something that we weren't supposed to see. Or maybe we are part of something mysterious, and we are simply unraveling the mystery. 
Sarah: This is just, all so overwhelming. I never imagined getting caught up in all of this. 
Dylan: None of us did, Sarah. But we are here, navigating through the unknown together.
Sarah: And now we are on the hunt for this so called, Neon Express. What do you think we will even find there? 
Dylan: I don't know, Sarah. But whatever it is, I feel like it's going to bring us closer to our purpose for being here.
Sarah: I sure do hope so... 
We've been wandering for 6 minutes at this point, and still no closer to finding this neon express. I'm starting to think this might be hopeless.
However, that's when we start to hear something. It sounds like a faint hum, almost what you would hear in shopping malls. The sound seems to be getting louder with each step. Could this be it? Could this be what we were looking for? 
Sarah: Dylan! Do you hear that?
Dylan: Yeah, I do. It sounds like mall ambience. 
Sarah: Do you think this could be the neon express? 
Dylan: Well, only one way to find out. 
We go further into the darkness of the hallway, before it goes pitch black.
It probably is around 10 seconds before we reach what looks like a metro area, with neon lights everywhere. 
Sarah: Woah. This is, this is beautiful.
Dylan: I think we reached it, Sarah. The Neon Express.
Sarah: This looks beautiful, like a little hidden sanctuary or oasis admist the hellscape that is the backrooms.
Dylan: Yeah, it's, very pretty here.
We navigate through the winding corridors, with neon lights at every step. We continue walking, until we are stopped by a set of tracks. They are stretching out before us, dissapearing into the darkness beyond.
Sarah: Woah. This feels very surreal. I never thought we would be here.
My sense of surrealism is interrupted when a sound is heard, and a sleek, silver train comes speeding through, glistening with neon lights. 
Dylan: Woah. This must be the train!
The train eventually stops, letting out a whiff of colorful steam. Just when I am about to speak, the train doors seemingly open.
Dylan: Well Sarah, do you think we should get on now?
Sarah: Wait, don't we have to get a ticket first?
Dylan: Well, those guys over there would have already noticed us and stopped us.
I turn to where he is pointing, and I see something similar to a reception desk. I see something that looks like a human standing behind the desk, but all of his facial features are missing.
Sarah: [Whispers] What's wrong with his face?
Dylan: Oh, those are facelings. They look like humans, but often are missing some facial features. 
The faceling is looking around and notices us trying to get on the train. I expect him to walk over to us and say that we need to get a ticket first. But, he doesn't even walk over to us. He simply just waves at us, and looks in another direction.
Sarah: Huh. That was, odd. Why didn't he stop us?
Dylan: We probably don't need a ticket at all.
Sarah: Huh, ok then. 
After that little intervention, we turn to the train doors, and board the train. 
Sarah: What the, this looks, beautiful.
We are looking around the interior, and my eyes are staring in awe at the spectral neon lights outlining the interior of this mystical train.
Dylan: Yeah, it does, actually. 
I then hear a sound. So I turn around and see the train doors closing behind us. A mysterious announcement comes on in the train. 
Announcement: The Neon Express will soon begin moving. Please find a seat soon.
So we begin looking, and we find these long seats that look very comfortable. 
Sarah: Looks like this is our spot.
We both sit down on a long seat that looks like it could also be a bed if you were to lie down. I am still looking around, staring in awe at the beautiful spectacle that I am looking at. The colorful aroma of the lights glistening inside the train are unlike anything I have seen before. 
Sarah: Finally, we made it.
Dylan: Agreed. And these seats feel so comfortable, like I could sleep here.
I then let out a weary sigh, feeling the weight of held in exhaustion wash over me. With a wave of relief, I lean back in my seat, beginning to close my eyes, anticipating what awaits us. The journey has just began, I thought. Dylan looks at me for a minute.
Dylan: You okay?
Sarah: Yeah. I'm just thinking though. If you look at it from this way, our journey has really only just started.
Dylan: Yeah, you're right.
I then immediently feel a wall of tiredness hit me in the face. I move to the end of the seat and lay down, using the seat end like a pillow. As my eyes start to droop, I begin to drift off to sleep. I couldn't help but feel that this journey, everything we experienced so far, it's just the beginning. But not just the beginning, the beginning of something life changing and extraordinary. Before I know it, I fall asleep...
Category:Armaverse Canon
Category:Tales