Child, please meet my proxies. Slenderman intoned. Hoodie, he said, gesturing to the first man, and Toby. This time he pointed at the second man. And of course, you already know Masky.
"Aww, come on. What about me, the best clown in the world?" Laughing Jack whined, sounding like a petulant child, Annabeth noted in disgust.
The girl is correct, LJ. You do sound like a petulant child. the faceless entity quoted. The teen groaned inwardly. Shit, I forgot about his psychic powers.
Her eyes went to LJ, studying him warily. She'd seen him before, of course, but back then, everything had happened so fast that she really hadn't had time to sit back and absorb the details. This time she did, so why not take the chance? Despite this, she saw nothing new about the monochrome clown, except that he seemed to have a constant energy, like a child, but more creepy.
"I didn't catch your name, little lady ~" LJ cooed. Annabeth narrowed her eyes. She wasn't sure whether to give it to him, but, she reasoned as she examined the situation, there was really nothing bad that could come of it. It wasn't like her name had some sort of binding power over her, like it did in the fantasy books.
"It's Annabeth." the girl replied after a bit of consideration.
LJ giggled. "Well, it's a pleasure to be properly introduced to you, Miss Annabeth."
"Sorry, but the feeling is not mutual." Annabeth deadpanned. Behind her, Jeff snickered. LJ pouted, but he didn't look particularly offended- just amused, like, Did this little human girl just say that to me? She supposed all Creepypastas felt that way. After all, to them, humans were nothing more than just playthings to toy with and to own and to kill on a whim. And that in itself was utterly disgusting.
"Again," Annabeth said in exasperation, turning to Slenderman, "Can I ask why I'm here?" she just wanted to get the damn thing over with, whatever it was.
Child, do you know Zalgo?
Annabeth blinked. Zalgo...that "King of the Underworld", or some shit?
Correct. Slenderman replied, not realizing that Annabeth hadn't intended to project the question into his mind for him to answer it. Or maybe he knew, and just didn't care. He and I do not...get along. He is my main rival, and the only being who is my equal in power. Of course, with the exception of "them".
"Who the fuck is 'them'?" the teenager snarled irritably.
I will have Jeff fill you in on that in private. Slenderman responded.
"Why the fuck does it have to be me?" Jeff complained. "Why not Masky, or Hoodie, or even EJ? Why - "
Do you have an issue, Jeffrey? Suddenly, abruptly, the aura around Slenderman was no longer calm and placid. It wasn't quite seething with rage like Jeff, but there was something dangerous underlying its surface. Like the sky on the brink of a thunderstorm. Jeff's protests instantly died down, and he muttered, "No."
I thought not.
Annabeth narrowed her eyes ever so slightly. She had never seen Jeff defer so quickly to anyone, and by his argumentative attitude and his gracious nickname for Slenderman - fuckface - it was clear that he didn't do it out of respect. He did it out of fear. And anyone frightening enough to scare Jeff was one serious thing. And that was putting it lightly.
Anyway, as I was trying to say, Slenderman continued. Zalgo is my main rival. "They" generally leave me in peace, but he's been constantly hounding me and threatening to get in my way. I cannot overlook him any longer.
The teen tilted her head. "And what do you want me to do?"
Reaching into the pocket of his immaculate suit, Slenderman withdrew a small, empty glass bottle and held it out to her. Blinking, Annabeth took it, but the second her hand connected with the clear object, she yanked it back as something akin to an electric shock pulsed up her arm. "What the..."
Yes. You sense the bottle's energy, do you not? the faceless entity nodded at her reaction. Only those with magical potential are capable of that. For example, Masky - he handed the bottle to the masked man, who took it without any sort of reaction. Do you see?
"Yes. But what does this have to do with Zalgo?"
Taking the bottle back from Masky, Slenderman offered it to Annabeth once more. She took it, this time more gingerly. Seeing as you have so much raw energy, I have decided that you will be the one to complete - or at least attempt to complete a task for me.
Though she didn't know why, Annabeth was getting some serious negative vibes from the whole situation. She contemplated running away screaming, but vetoed to idea as she'd probably get caught in about three seconds. Instead, she muttered, wondering if she way crazy for asking, "What task?"
I want you to seal Zalgo into this bottle.
It took a second for the words to sink in. When they did, Annabeth almost laughed, but bit it back down as she didn't think it would be taken kindly, "You want me to do what?" she spluttered.
I believe you heard me.
The girl stared down at the bottle in her hand. Slenderman's tone was so damn calm, like the request he'd given her was perfectly doable. It wasn't. She was a fucking fifteen year old girl. Well, soon to turn sixteen, but it hardly mattered. Annabeth didn't know much about Creepypasta or the "laws of the universe", and she'd never cared to, but she was pretty sure that fifteen-almost-sixteen-year old girls weren't meant to take down the Lord of the Underworld. It was ridiculous. It was impossible.
"What if I refuse?" Annabeth asked. Though her voice was steady enough, she was terrified of hearing the answer, and she'd wager that all the psychos gathered around her could tell.
Why, I am sure you know. Slenderman responded pleasantly. I will kill you. Or rather, since Jeffrey is so infatuated with you, I will order him to kill you.
Behind Annabeth, said male gave a raspy chuckle, leaning in to whisper in her ear, "I'd love to. But before that I'd let myself have some…..fun with you."
The implications quite obvious, Annabeth, though horror-stricken inside, simply scowled and pushed Jeff away, planting her palm on his face and savoring his grunt of annoyance.
However, child, Slenderman continued casually, before I order your death, I will have these children, he gestured to Masky, Hoodie, Toby, Laughing Jack, and Jeff, kill your sweet little best friend Emily and your father.
As the threat sunk it, Annabeth's gray eyes snapped wide open to their full extent. Thinking back on it, it was the most dumbass move she'd ever made in her life, but at that moment, it barely mattered and barely registered how stupid she was being. This fucker was threatening the only two people who she had left in life, and that was not okay with her. Emily, who'd bravely screamed at Jeff to kill her for Annabeth's sake, and her father, who, despite his stern demeanor and strict attitude, was the person who'd raised her since she was seven.
Shrieking like a banshee, the teenager tensed her muscles and leaped straight at Slenderman.
Sssssssssssssss.
Annabeth froze in midair, muscles tightening, initially from shock at the strange sound resembling static, but a second later, world-splitting pain ripped through the nerves of her brain, and she collapsed to the ground, clutching her ears. However, the sound got no less intense, and she realized it was in her head.
The agony was blinding. The girl's vision was rippling and going fuzzy, and her head was screaming bloody murder. So absorbed was she in her pain, that she didn't notice Slenderman take a menacing step towards her until he lessened the static by a marginal amount and spoke in her head.
You see, you are powerless to stop me.
Tears forming in her eyes from the effort, Annabeth glared up at him, trying to shove aside the torture she was going through. "Even if you are…..immortal." she spat. "If you hurt….Emily…..or my dad…I'll find a way…to kill you."
At her declaration, mocking laughter reverberated from all around Annabeth. She didn't have to use her eyes to know who was laughing. It was the Creepypastas – Masky, Hoodie, Toby, LJ, and Jeff.
But were those….different voices? They were unfamiliar.
As these thoughts hit her, Annabeth also realized that the static had stopped. Carefully for fear of triggering more agony, the teen forced herself to stand.
Then there was a blow on the joints of her legs, and Annabeth found herself back on the ground on her knees, her left cheek pressed against the cold, hard floor. Something was pressed against her back and another thing across her shoulder blades, pinning her body.
"You look delicious." A voice that the girl had never heard, though she could tell it was male, crooned in her ear. She wasn't sure what was more terrifying – the speaker's tone, or his words. Not many people had told her that she looked delicious, but Annabeth was positive that it wasn't meant to be flattery. He (whoever the hell "he" was) meant it literally – that she'd probably taste good.
Not okay with the situation, Annabeth began to thrash wildly before realizing that she wasn't making any progress and was simply making herself look desperate and crazed. Stitching her composure back together, the girl gathered all her strength and rolled over, using her hands to push her body over. Before whoever was pinning her could react, Annabeth tucked her feet against his chest, not bothering to try to take a good look at him, and shoved him off with strength fueled by anger and desperation. Her push was full of such force that the guy stumbled backwards for a second.
Leaping to her feet before anyone decided to jump her again, Annabeth glared at the man who'd pinned her down. He was about 5'11, with tousled auburn hair and gray skin. He wore a gray-black hoodie that covered his lanky torso and black jeans. A blue mask was over his face, but the most disturbing part was that he had no eyes. And it wasn't like Jeff, who had no eyelids but still had eyeballs. This guy literally had no eyeballs, just empty sockets. Adding to the creepiness, there was a thick black liquid, like tar, oozing from the hollows.
"Um…." Annabeth muttered, dumbfounded. The man gave a humorless chuckle. "Um?" he repeated. "That's not normally what people say to me."
"Well, this shit isn't normal," the teen snapped back at him. Before the guy could respond, Jeff shoved him aside, looking pissed. "Fuck off, EJ." He growled. EJ could have smirked under his mask from the amused note in his voice. "Jealous, Jeff?"
Child, this is Eyeless Jack, more commonly known as EJ. Slenderman informed Annabeth as if he hadn't just sent her to the ground in a fit of pain.
"Great." the girl muttered as Eyeless Jack turned to her. "Not nice to meet you."
"You've got spunk."
"I've been told that."
Back to the matter at hand. The faceless entity declared, silencing the bickering between EJ and Jeff. All of the Creepypastas, including the newcomer, turned to Annabeth expectantly.
What is your answer, child?
Annabeth hesitated.
Volunteer for this suicide mission, and protect Emily and her father.
Be smart and call out the bullshit of the mission, and get Emily and her father killed.
And yet, Annabeth knew there was really only one choice for someone like her. She would never allow any harm to come to them – they were all that she had left.
"If I do this….." the girl asked hesitantly. "…what do I get?"
Slenderman waved his hand dismissively. I will release you back to your normal life.
Her eyes widened. "You will? And what about my friends and my dad?"
They will be left alone.
"But – " Jeff spoke up, but he didn't get far.
Silence, Jeffrey.
Like a flash, Jeff shut his trap, making Annabeth, despite the shit going down, giggle quietly to herself.
Then she returned her focus to the dilemma at hand. If she did this, she would get everything back. She could return to her biggest worries being school, not about how she was going to die at the hands of undead psychopaths. Admittedly, the mission was next to impossible, but at least she'd be trying. At least she'd be fighting, even if she met her end. And she'd be damned if she let anything happen to Emily of her father.
"…I'll do it."

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So looks like Annabeth agreed to the mission. I know this chapter was long, sorry about that.
Thanks for reading, and I'll see you guys soon!