Hi everyone!
Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up, I was really unwell for several days and just couldn't concentrate on it fully. Now that's I'm back to fitness, the story can continue!
Special thanks for reviews: perpetuation, Subtle Shenanigans
Disclaimer: I don't own anything relating to Markiplier, JackSepticEye or Matthias/Hi5 Universe. If you wish to use anything relating to my own universe, please ask first.
Chapter 8: A Close Call
Matt and Jack were both staring at the scene of destruction before them for several more minutes before they managed to shake enough sense into themselves to move. They saw the carnage down below and couldn't just sit there; Jack led the way as they found their way into the town square. Both of them froze as they first arrived. Seeing the devastation wrought by one being up close shook both of them to their cores. Matt spied red hair in the distance and pointed Jack toward it. They both raced over, coming to a halt as they finally saw Alix. She was still in her disguise as the girl, who turn her gaze to them and smiled gently.
Alix was wrapping a bandage around Eamon's arm, covering the wound on the older man's forearm. He was currently sat on a bench inside one of the ruined buildings, Alix knelt on the floor in front of him. His gaze was infinitely sad as he looked over the losses of his people, and he smiled sadly. "Ah, Wanderers, I wondered if you had been caught in Dark's onslaught. I am pleased to see you are both safe."
Jack sat beside the old man as Matt knelt next to Alix. "We are fine, Eamon, we were clear of the danger," Matt answered as he stared at the injured appendage. "How badly are you hurt?"
Eamon's smile turned grateful as he turned his gaze to Alix. "This is all, a minor wound from one of the explosions. Had it not been for young Cassie here, however, it would have been far worse." Alix looked up briefly and blushed, before leaning down to leave a small kiss on the older man's hand. "Cassie, why did you attack Dark? You must have realised what danger you were putting yourself in."
Matt and Jack were both surprised when Alix answered in a much higher pitched voice. "Eamon, you know me. I just jump in head-first. Ayala will probably kill me when she finds out, mind you."
"Speaking of your sister, where is she? She normally comes to the square when there has been an attack."
Alix's expression turned sad. "She's out of town, she said she needed to investigate something. I'm worried for her now though, I can't help but worry that she'll be in danger from Dark." The Youtubers tried their best to keep straight faces as they saw Alix smoothly lie to the overseer, and they couldn't help but be saddened. Clearly Alix had taken at least two forms in the Dreamscape, Ayala and Cassie, but they had to wonder…was she losing her own identity in doing that? How long could she keep that up before something happened?
Eamon placed a reassuring hand on Alix's cheek. "Fear not for your sister, Cassie. She is fearsome, and I have no doubt she will return soon. It is probably for the best that she does not see what has befallen Glaysha until we have at least removed the bodies of the dead. By the time she learns the number of dead, the shock of the attack will have worn off."
She sighed at him. "I hope so." Her gaze turned to both Jack and Matt. "Besides, I'm hoping that the appearance of these two is a good thing. New Wanderers can only be a good sign, but I am worried. Jack and Matt have said there was a third of their party, Mark, who they have lost. We all know that the Wanderers have abilities beyond anything we can comprehend. If Mark has these and he is caught by Dark…any slim chance we may have of defeating him could be lost. I haven't given up hope, and neither has Ayala. Though after today, I wouldn't be surprised if the town begins to lose whatever small glimmer of it remained."
The overseer switched his gaze to Jack, and then to Matt. "And what of the two of you? You said before that you wanted to aid us against the Dark One, you have now seen his power. Do you still believe something can be done? This is not your fight, and I bear no ill will towards you should you choose to simply be on your way, but if you are willing to stand with us…I believe it may be a turning point for our people. Cassie has done all she can to keep hope alive, but one person alone is weak. Together, your many voices may be enough to convince our people to fight once more."
Jack looked at Eamon curiously. "If I didn't know better, I would say you side with Cassie. You think Dark can be beaten."
Eamon smirked lightly. "You are very perceptive. It is true, I think there is a way: though what that may be, I cannot possibly say. If our people saw two Wanderers willing to help our people when they need it most, it may restore their belief in them. Please, I ask you both, will you help us?"
Both Jack and Matt nodded without any thought. "Of course we will, Eamon. We'll do anything we can." Matt's gaze switched to Alix. "Cassie, can we maybe talk to you first? There's a couple of things I want to ask you." She nodded and gave Eamon one last check before leaving with both Youtubers. They headed back to the library, seeking the privacy of Alix's study. When they arrived, they both turned to her in concern. "Alix, are you all right? When we saw that wall you were hiding behind get blown up, we were worried."
Alix smiled at them. "I'm okay. What you guys saw get hit was another one of my illusions, by that point I was back with Eamon, already checking him over. Dark never realised where the real version was, luckily. It's how I've managed to avoid him for so long."
Jack let out a breath he hadn't realised he had been holding. "Okay. So, who are you now?" Now that they had the chance, they studied 'Cassie' in more detail. She was very short, not even five feet tall, with long red hair tied in braids. Her eyes were a piercing blue, while her skin was just a few shades lighter. The oversized red and white coat she was wearing covered a red leather corset which sat atop a white tunic, while black leggings and brown knee-high boots completed her appearance.
She smiled and posed for them. "A little different, huh? Cassie was intended as Ayala's younger sister in the Dreamscape. We designed her, but eventually chose not to fully implement her. A lot of the NPC's we generated we not added at the start, we hoped to add them later while switching other characters out. It was something we hoped to do to keep the Dreamscape evolving. I knew that Ayala was never designed as a combat character, but she is known to the town as being a powerful mage. Unfortunately, as I don't have magic as a capability, I couldn't duplicate her combat style. We never gave Cassie a class, luckily enough, so I just activated her code for anything combat related I need. It also means that I can switch between the two of them if I feel like I'm going nuts."
Matt looked at her in concern. "What do you do if both Ayala and Cassie are needed at the same time? Can you create a copy of the other?"
Alix nodded. "I can, but the copy is very limited. It only lasts for the maximum of a minute, so I only use it in the town so they are at least seen together. It helps that Cassie's background has it set so that the town think she is a bit stir crazy and likes to adventure. It gives a perfect excuse to have her conveniently 'vanish'."
Jack's face creased slightly. "Still, it must hard to have to play as two other people, rather than being yourself."
She thought for a few seconds before answering. A long sigh escaped her before she shimmered into water again, transforming back into herself. Her eyes bored deep into their own. "Let me ask you guys something. What would you do, in my situation? Don't forget, I'm technically dead. My body is gone, and the outside world believes I died a long time ago. My familyhas already grieved for me and has surely got on with their lives now. In reality, 'Alix Cathroe' is dead. So who am I now? Am I Alix? Or can I become someone new, try to start afresh with whatever opportunity I am given? In this place, I can be Ayala or Cassie, or I could probably dig out another character from the archives of the game and become them. I'm really not sure who I am anymore. It's safe to say that my situation has left me with a little bit of an identity and existential crisis."
Matt and Jack stared at Alix sadly, realising that she had several valid points, but the young woman soon shook her head. "Anyway, this is something we can discuss later. As I'm sure you both heard, that attack was no coincidence. Dark knew I had been messing with the game's code, no doubt thanks to Damien. Interestingly enough, however, while it seems that Damien knows I am alive in here now, Dark doesn't have the same knowledge. From what he said in the square, he doesn't know anything other than I have been looking at the codes."
She walked quickly over to a chest and retrieved two items: a large bag filled with coins, and a small, red, translucent stone, which fit snugly in her closed fist. "Here, spread this out to those affected by what happened in the square, tell them it is from Ayala. If they know you are allied with her, you should be given a warmer reception. This," she held up the stone, "is a teleportation stone. This allows instantaneous travel across the world, but you have to know where you are going. It sort of acts off whatever you see in your mind. If you can conjure the image of where you are going, it will take you to that place. The major downside to this object is that you must have physically seen the area and retained enough knowledge of it to take you back there."
Alix wandered over to Jack and held out the purse for him. Her eyes shadowed for a moment and she grew shy. "I know I am asking a lot of you two here; but please, trust me to find Mark. In return, can you maybe help all those who are suffering in Glaysha? This may be a simulation, but…this is my home now. These people may only be computer programs, but they are all I have left. Matt, Jack…Please?"
The pair shared a small look before Jack smiled and hugged Alix, who blushed. "Of course we'll help everyone here. Just please be careful? Despite what you might think, you are alive in here, Alix."
Matt nodded in agreement. "You've got a better chance of getting Mark to safety than we do right now. So please, find him. And once you've brought him back safe and sound, can you maybe train us? Watching all that unfold and not being able to do a damn thing about it was torture."
When Jack pulled back Alix's cheeks were still tinged slightly pink. She coughed lightly to attempt to regain her composure. "You've got it. Thank you both, so much. And...thanks, for being the amazing people I always thought you were."
Mark growled in frustration as he came across yet another dead end in the seemingly endless castle. He'd been searching for hours to try and find a way out, but as yet he'd had no luck. On his travels he had come across a few wolves and the odd re-animated skeleton, nothing that had fortunately been beyond him. One scrap had left him with a nasty wound to his back, but it had given him the opportunity to try out one of the health serums in his inventory. He'd been impressed by the relief it provided – and less so by the fact it seemed that all pain was at the same level in the Dreamscape as reality. It had been a small hope in his mind that the pain from a claw being raked down his back would be diminished in a computer-generated environment. The searing burn at the site and the lancing pain when he had stretched even the smallest amount had quickly put pay to that theory.
Having realised that his surroundings were actually quite dangerous to his health, Mark had soon learned that he had his shield for a very good reason. Despite being known as slightly reckless and not taking full consideration of his safety, he was doing his damnedest to disprove that theory at the moment. Crackling of stone behind him had Mark spinning and drawing both his sword and shield, finding three skeleton warriors emerging from the ground. He snarled briefly before sighing. "I've had it up to here with you assholes!" he shouted before charging at the foes. One was an archer and fired at him, but it bounced harmlessly off Mark's carefully placed shield. The other two carried swords and swung toward him. Mark defected one with his own blade, holding fast against the recoil before aiming his shield at the other. The weapons were locked in a momentary stalemate before Mark pushed back.
He then crouched behind his shield as another arrow came hurtling towards him, waiting for the tell-tale twang of the rebound. As soon as it passed, Mark raced forward, making excellent use of the spiked front of his defence to dismantle one of the skeletons. Without wasting any time he swung at the other melee foe, crashing his blade through the bones it met. The skeleton crumbled to the ground in a disorganised heap, but Mark wasn't paying close enough attention. He screamed as one of the arrows slipped under his shield and struck him straight in the knee. Turning to see the last skeleton had backed away slightly, he switched his shield to his right hand briefly. Taking shelter behind it in a crouched stance, he then used his left hand to yank the arrow out from his left knee, crying out in agony. Not wasting any time he manoeuvred his left arm so that he could swipe through his inventory to a health serum.
The relief which coursed through his body as he stabbed the syringe into his knee was almost overwhelming, and Mark had to remind himself that it wasn't over yet. Now back to his full strength, he raced towards the final skeleton, making sure to stay safely behind his shield as he did so. Once close enough, he swung with all his might, yelling in rage and satisfaction as he saw the enemy crumple to the floor, defeated. "Fuck you all!" he screeched, more than ready to get out of the castle. He'd seen enough over the last few hours to convince him of the quality of the simulation, and he was quite ready to be free.
Mark turned towards the roof and screamed upwards, hoping that his voice could be heard. "Damien! Pull me out of here, I've seen enough already!" Yet again, no answer came. He was now almost certain that he wasn't going to get one in the near future. With a defeated sigh, Mark sat on the ground, watching as the bones of his defeated foes vanished into dust. As with everything else he had slain in the castle, a mirror appeared on the wall in the place of his foes. "Ugh, again with this bullshit? What the hell do all these mirrors mean?"
Knowing he had nothing to lose by checking it out, Mark sighed again as he got back to his feet. Every time he had looked into a mirror in the castle he had come to a similar outcome. The reflection would attack, but the image he found was changing. To begin with, the reflection was almost identical to his own. Now, however, he found something else entirely. He paused at seeing what lay in the silvery depths this time, not sure what to make of it.
Mark saw himself, as he always did, but there were some marked differences. As before, his hair was longer and his eyes red, but now he could see a few other changes. The skin of his opposite was completely grey, while the armour he adorned was missing. Instead, a silver suit could be seen, moulded to his body like a second skin. The reflection stood confident, almost…mocking? Cocky? Mark couldn't quite understand it. He walked toward it and was almost shocked stiff when the reflection did not mirror his own actions. It instead smirked and shimmered away. "What the fuck? What kind of trick is this?" He came right to the glass of the mirror and stared into it intently, reeling back slightly as he saw the reflection reappear. "Whoa now…this is just fucking nuts. How can a reflection be tripping me out?" he shook his head as he realised the answer.
Because I'm in a fucking computer simulation which feels real, that's why. Sighing angrily at himself for getting so worked up about nothing, Mark was about to step back when something completely unexpected happened.
The reflection attacked, but this time it didn't stop at the glass.
Mark yelled as he felt a fist close around his throat, wheezing as he felt the fingers constrict painfully. He grabbed on to the hand with both of his own but couldn't break the grip. His eyes widened as he saw the reflection smirk at him, then summon a black fireball in it's other hand. "Pity, this is all too easy," it whispered, the sound echoing right through Mark's body.
Desperation kicked in as Mark realised the intent behind the statement and he let go with his right hand, reaching for his back. He grabbed his sword and swung down hard on the strangling appendage, dragging in a deep breath as he was finally free. The Youtuber stared in disbelief as he saw the severed arm vanish in a puff of shadows, scrambling backwards as he saw a leg appear from the shattered remains of the mirror. The rest of the body appeared, and Mark couldn't help but gape. It was almost like looking at an incredibly twisted version of himself. "What the fuck…?"
The copy smirked nastily at him. "Run."
Mark didn't need to be told twice.
He fled, not looking back as the apparition laughed maniacally. Fireballs soon rained down on either side of him, with a few getting too close for comfort. Fearing that he would soon be caught, Mark turned down another corridor with no idea of where it was he was going. What is that thing? And how do I fucking get out of this place?! Knowing the creature was not far behind him Mark began looking for any of the windows and ruined walls he had come across when on a higher level of the castle, hoping that if nothing else, he could jump and take his chances with whatever lay on the outside.
He'd been running for several minutes before he found another staircase, tearing down it and racing along the long corridor at the bottom. Mark swore loudly as it continued in a straight line, knowing he was a complete sitting duck. A fireball crashed into the ground ahead of him and Mark skidded to a stop as he saw the ground fall away. "Shit!" He managed to halt as he reached the hole, staring down into a bottomless abyss below. "Fuck, fuck, fuck. This is so not good. What the hell do I do now?!" The gap was easily ten feet across. There was no way he could reach the other side and get away cleanly.
Mark's blood ran cold as the surrounding air changed, the whole atmosphere transformed by the monster chasing him. He spun and stared as it stalked towards him slowly. The ground, walls…even the ceiling were slowly being consumed by shadows which expanded out from its body. Everything was being lost to black nothingness, and it was spreading. Tendrils ran along the floor ahead of it, tainting everything it touched. Mark watched in fear as it slowly began spreading towards him. "Chilling is it not?" He stared up at the creature which bore a twisted version of his body as it spoke. "The unknown, the endless darkness. It truly consumes the soul with fear. A fear which you cannot escape. Tell me, Mark, what do you fear? Pain, nothingness…death?" Mark involuntarily took a step backwards and barely caught himself before he fell into the pit. He really was seriously contemplating jumping into it and taking the chance of a quick death over whatever that…thing had in store for him. "Pitiful. This is truly far too easy."
Rapidly running out of time, Mark was about to turn and leap into the pit when he heard a strange whir in the air, almost like rapidly beating wings. Oh what now?! As if I don't have enough issues!
"Mark!"
Hearing his name be shouted from behind him, Mark turned to stare across the pit – as was stunned to see a young woman standing on the other side. Her hand was outstretched over the abyss, reaching for him. "Take my hand!" A roar from behind alerted Mark to the fact that the newcomer was not welcome: which made him think they were in fact friendly. Her eyes widened in sheer terror at seeing the shadows behind Mark grow and she screamed at him. "Take a step back and run for it!"
Not questioning the order Mark did as she said, stepping back to get a running jump. Unfortunately, he took two steps, not one.
The shadow hurtled a fireball as Mark started to run, striking him square in the legs. The Youtuber gasped in shock at the pain and stumbled, slowing him down enough so that he wouldn't reach Alix's hand. She called out his name as she realised he wasn't going to make it and jumped to meet him hallway. "Mark!"
Pain was all Mark knew as he felt another body slam into him in mid-air before it felt like all the air was being sucked out of his lungs. He felt an intense tugging sensation as Alix's hands clasped around a teleportation stone, leading them away from the danger.
Dark stared at the scene, slowly drawing back in his shadows. He glowered at the intrusion before smiling.
Time is insignificant. You cannot hide from me forever, Mark. Soon, I will watch you suffer.
So…that is the end of this chapter. And now the gang is finally reunited! I shouldn't be too long with the next part. Please let me know what you all thought of this instalment, and I shall see you soon!
*Smooch*
