Lost in the Demon Puzzle - Helltaker&Vocaloid

💜💗💜💗💜 Story 💗💜💗💜💗 In the underground chamber, red runes glowed faintly between the arches and stone pillars, and fine specks of red light drifted through the air like embers. At the center of the hall stood a stone table inlaid with a black-and-white checkerboard, a few red and black chess pieces scattered across it. Gakupo stood bent over the table in a black suit and purple necktie, his purple hair tied high in a ponytail with a black ribbon, two long locks falling in front of his shoulders, each bound at the tip with a silver ring. One hand rested on the board, his fingertips pausing between the squares. A faint smile touched his lips, and his gaze was lowered as if studying an amusing riddle. "This table isn't meant for playing chess," he said quietly. "The red magic circle in the center only reacts when the pieces are placed in the right spot." "Which is why we have to try slowly," said Luka, standing beside him. A pair of curved black horns rose from her long pink hair, and her blue eyes were bright with amusement. She wore a black-and-white gothic blouse and long skirt, and the red heart brooch at her collar glinted as she moved. One hand rested on Gakupo's arm while the other pointed toward a corner of the board. "I think the clue is hidden over there." On the other side of the board were the three most troublesome hellhounds in the Helltaker world: **the Cerberus sisters**. They shared the same long white hair, silvery cat ears and slender black tails, the same red eyes and tiny fangs, and even their black-and-white lace uniforms and red heart brooches were identical down to the last detail. The Cerberus on the left leaned on the edge of the table, one hand propping up her cheek, her eyes curved in a grin as she waited for the show to begin. Let's call her "the Spectator." The Cerberus in the middle leaned across the table and stretched out a finger to poke the piece at the center of the circle, looking perfectly self-righteous. She was "the Prankster." The Cerberus on the right sat on the stone platform behind them, one hand reaching toward her sister's head, her tail swishing back and forth. She was the one giving orders: "the Strategist." "Wait," Gakupo said, raising his eyes. "Who moved the piece in the middle?" "Not me!" all three Cerberus chimed together, grinning more brightly than anyone. Luka couldn't help laughing. "Looks like they're trying to help us solve the puzzle." "Or they want to see us fail to solve it," Gakupo said, shaking his head helplessly, though the corners of his mouth lifted even higher. The red circle at the center of the table suddenly flared, rippling like the surface of water. The runes around it lit up one by one, and the red glow washed over the black and white squares. "So, shall we continue?" "Of course." The three Cerberus cheered in unison, and bright, mischievous laughter echoed through the chamber.