Previously on Captivity...

A low, familiar voice echoed through the dense fog as Adrena emerged, her commanding presence drawing everyone’s attention. She mocked the players for completing their quest before disappearing, leaving them with a new challenge. The break room offered a brief respite, but tension lingered. Awandea, cautious as ever, studied the rules while Lumin silently provided support.

Suddenly, the players were called back, and Adrena introduced their next challenge: to win a rose crown within three hours. Confusion and chaos spread as the players tried to make sense of the new quest.

Lumin, ever resourceful, deduced that the rose crown could be found in flower-themed locations and, with Awandea in tow, summoned a sleek, powerful motorbike—a rare Grade Item—and sped off to search for the crown. Meanwhile, other players, like Ahira and Qiang, watched in frustration, envious of Lumin’s advantage.

With the stakes rising and time ticking down, the players find themselves in a race against each other—and the game itself.

---

Game Mechanics Reminder:
Players begin with 5000 bronze coins. Items are categorized into three types:

1. Normal Items: Up to 10,000 coins (e.g., food, drinks, tools).

2. Luxury Items: Between 10,000–100,000 coins (e.g., advanced weapons, jet packs).

3. Grade Items: The rarest and most powerful, like Lumin’s motorbike.

CROWNFALL
ESCAPE THE HALL LV.2

The motorbike roared to a stop, its tires skidding slightly as it halted in front of a stunning tricolored garden, filled with vibrant hues of purple, blue, and yellow. Awandea wasted no time hopping off, brushing her shirt down as she glanced around in awe at the lush garden before them. Lumin dismounted next, his movements swift and precise. With a sharp snap of his fingers, the sleek vehicle dissolved into a cascade of white sparks, vanishing into the air as if it had never been there. Awandea, still marveling at the disappearing act, followed Lumin into the garden. Their search for the elusive crown princess had begun.

***

Meanwhile, back in another part of the game world, Demnin’s team had regrouped, hovering above the ground as the faint hum of their jetpacks filled the air. "But we have jetpacks," Demnin reminded them, a smug smile playing on his lips. His team members each secured the packs around their waists, the devices lifting them slightly off the ground as they prepared to scatter.

Li, however, let out a long sigh, glancing at the others with a hint of doubt. "We can't travel long distances with these things… They're not made for speed."

Demnin tapped her shoulder, his gaze determined. "We can try." His words, filled with conviction, seemed to rally the team. One by one, they dispersed in different directions, each heading toward different locations they believed the princess might be hidden.

***

Lumin’s head whipped around at the sound of a jesting voice. His sharp eyes locked onto the group approaching them through the tricolored garden. Team C had arrived, with their leader, Hinata, strolling forward confidently, a mischievous smirk on his face.

“Well, well, looks like we both came to the same place to find this princess,” Hinata said, his tone light but laced with competition. His eyes glinted as he teased Lumin, who remained silent, his cold glare never faltering.

Hinata, unbothered, snickered and took a step closer. “Hey, hey. Don’t be like that.” He gave a mock pout, clearly enjoying Lumin's stoic reaction.

Before Hinata could go any further, a hand shot out and grabbed him by the collar. Botan, a towering figure compared to the others, yanked Hinata back with a jerk. "Dude. Stop being so weird," Botan said with an exasperated sigh, shaking his head.

Turning to Lumin and Awandea, Botan offered an apologetic smile, far warmer than his companion’s. "Sorry for his attitude, guys. He has a way of making everyone uneasy." He then slapped Hinata playfully on the back of the head, earning a loud yelp from the smaller boy.

As they spoke, a figure peeked out from behind Wei, one of Team C’s quieter members. It was Nia, her large eyes peering nervously at Awandea. Noticing Nia, Awandea gave her a gentle smile and wiggled her fingers in a small wave. Nia nodded quickly, a fleeting smile appearing on her face before she darted back behind Wei, clearly unsettled by Lumin’s presence.

Without another word, Team C dashed off, fanning out across the park in their own search for the princess. Lumin watched them go, his gaze unreadable. He then turned abruptly, walking toward the park gates where the motorbike materialized once more. Awandea followed closely behind him, confusion etched on her face.

"Where are we going? We didn’t even search here properly," she asked, trying to keep up with Lumin’s long strides. As usual, he didn’t answer, his focus elsewhere. He swung a leg over the sleek black bike and sat down on the sieve-like seat, the engine roaring to life with a menacing growl.

Sighing, Awandea climbed on behind him, knowing there was little point in arguing. She gripped onto his jacket tightly as the bike shot forward, the wind whipping through her hair as they sped off to their next destination.

***

The motorbike came to a halt in front of a desolate garden, its barren expanse a stark contrast to the vibrant colors they had just left behind. There were hardly any flowers, only dry patches of earth and withered plants scattered around. Awandea jumped off the bike, her eyes sweeping over the unremarkable surroundings.

"Why are we here?" she asked, her tone filled with skepticism. This place seemed like the least likely spot to find anything of importance, let alone the crown princess they were searching for. The garden felt more like a forgotten wasteland, with no signs of life or even a good hiding spot.

"This is a waste of time. Let’s go look somewhere else," Awandea said, crossing her arms as she turned to leave. But Lumin ignored her, striding forward with purpose.

"Read some comics," he muttered under his breath, his eyes scanning the ground.

"What? What does that even mean?" Awandea’s frustration grew as Lumin once again dismissed her question. But she followed him anyway, curiosity gnawing at the back of her mind.

Lumin’s player screen shot up into the air, casting a golden light over the barren garden. His fingers moved swiftly over the screen, tapping buttons and swiping through menus until he retrieved a small glass bottle from his inventory. The light from the screen vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving the two of them in eerie silence.

Without hesitation, Lumin raised the bottle in front of him, his grip tight around its delicate surface. He hurled it to the ground with a forceful toss, the glass shattering into a thousand pieces. The ground beneath them seemed to tremble, the sky above them shifting and warping as the world around them began to change.

Awandea clutched her head, a wave of dizziness washing over her as the colors of the world twisted and blended together. The bright blues and purples of the sky turned into a murky gray-black, swirling like ink. She crouched down, overwhelmed by the sensation, while Lumin stood tall and unmoved, his back facing her.

When the suffocating sensation finally lifted, Awandea blinked her eyes open and gasped. She sprang to her feet, her mouth falling open in shock. The sky, once vibrant and full of life, had transformed into a dusty yellow, while the ground beneath them had turned a sickly, sandy brown. She stepped forward, her shoes crunching over dry leaves that scattered across the earth like brittle paper.

Awandea glanced over at Lumin, who was already walking ahead. Her gaze followed his as they both took in the sight before them—a sprawling forest, lush and green, with towering trees that stretched toward the sky. Golden flowers dangled from their branches, shimmering like jewels under the strange, yellow sky.

Without a word, they ventured into the forest, the soft hum of nature the only sound around them.

Eventually, their steps brought them to a tree larger and more magnificent than the others. It stood proudly in the center of the forest, its thick branches adorned with countless golden flowers. Awandea and Lumin came to a stop, their eyes fixed on the sight before them.

Swinging from one of the hanging branches was a young girl, her small frame dressed in a flowing pink gown. With a graceful leap, she landed softly on the ground before them, her pink gown fluttering as she curtsied with a polite smile. Her golden hair gleamed like the flowers around her, and atop her head sat a crown made of intricately woven roses.

Lumin bowed respectfully, his demeanor composed, while Awandea could only stare in disbelief at the girl, her mind racing. This was the crown princess.

The girl plopped down onto the grass, sitting sideways as a group of small animals—rabbits, mice, and other creatures—gathered around her. She stroked a rabbit’s fur, her smile warm and gentle as if she were the guardian of this entire forest.

Lumin crouched down on one knee, meeting the girl’s gaze with a serious expression. "I need the crown you’re wearing," he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

Awandea snapped out of her trance, her eyes now drawn to the rose crown resting on the girl’s head. It sat there majestically, its beauty undeniable. But the girl’s response caught them both off guard.

A mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes as she replied, "I made this myself. And as the princess of this forest, it is my duty to maintain order here."

Lumin, unfazed, repeated his request. "That’s all well and good, but I need the crown."

The girl’s smile faded slightly, her tone growing more serious. "Dear mortal, this land thrives under my guidance. Without the crown, there will be chaos. As its ruler, I cannot allow that."

Lumin clenched his jaw, understanding the gravity of the situation, but the quest timer was ticking down, and they were running out of time.

***

Round One
Level Two
Preliminary Rounds 
Target: Win a rose crown 
Time remaining: 1 hour, 20 minutes 
Obstacle: Your team 
Reward: Coins, a dozen healing potions 
Penalty: Suspension of status until the next quest