"What are you saying, who got them?!" Jeff shouts, frantically searching through his room for any clues about Yenne's whereabouts. "Slenderman, I swear, I was with them the whole time. I went out for a second-"
"We do not have the time to senselessly blame one another," Slenderman cuts him off. "We have to act." With that, he teleports them to the living room, where Jane, Hoody, Masky, and BEN appear out of thin air next to them.
"Ayo-"
"What?
"Fucking-"
"Quiet." Slenderman's powerful voice echoes through everyone's heads, silencing the chatter. "I need you all to focus. The apocalypse is coming, faster than I could ever predict. The harbinger of death, the embodiment of chaos... my old friend. ̷̠͗́͆ͅZ̴̗̓a̴̿͜l̸̦̎g̸̬̔o̴̗̐." Not everyone present knows that name, but even they feel the weight it carries, the implications of it all. Slenderman's voice is serious, yet laced with... f̵̜͠ẽ̶͕a̶͙̒r̴͔̃. "He took Yenne. He took them, my only weakness... I am almost certain he is also the one who captured young Tobias. Zalgo knew this was the only way to get me where he wanted..."
"Why would He need you, Slenderman?" Jane asks, the only one brave enough to dare.
"Zalgo is not fully in power now. He could be, but for now, He is but a shell of His true self. To have access to His army, His indescribable strength... Zalgo needs a sacrifice." The tall creature pauses. "A powerful sacrifice."
"He needs you." Says Hoody.
"Yes, Brian, He needs me. That's why I never tried to fight him, why I built walls to keep me and the people I care about safe..." Slenderman looks over the group with content before turning serious again. "And yet, my hand is being forced. Now I have to answer his call and fight. I can... I think I can win."
"He has followers," he continues. "People and demons alike who are willing to give their lives for His cause. ...He even had a spy in our mansion. That's how He got to Yenne."
"It was EJ, right?" BEN quips, his hands balled into tight fists at his sides. Slenderman just nods. "This fucker- I called it. Day one. The way he spoke... there was always something off about him."
"What's done is done. We can't fix the past," Slenderman sighs, and Jeff can't help but feel guilty. "Still, this is why I have to ask you all for help. I can take on Zalgo, but his followers? Them I cannot defeat alone."
"I'll help!" Jeff springs up, capturing everyone's attention. "Of course, I'll help-" This is literally my fault. "-why are you asking? We'll do it, for you and for... for Yenne." He looks at the others for support. "Right, guys?"
"Never thought I'd see the day when I'd agree with Jeff the Killer," Jane muses, joining him on her feet. "Of course I'm in."
"For Toby." Hoody states, with Masky nodding in agreement. "We need to save our brother too."
"It would be pretty silly for me to say no. Y'all put me on the spot." BEN jokes, earning a few eye-rolls. "I'm kidding! Jeez, like I wouldn't want to save my friends- and the world, or something."
"...Thank you," Slenderman says, looking over the group with pure, fatherly pride. Without further ado, he stretches out his arm for everyone to grab. They all do, and in the blink of an eye, disappear from the room.
They have an apocalypse to stop, after all
- - -
After what feels like ages of walking through different halls and tall doors, you and Eyeless Jack finally reach your (presumed) destination as the corridor you've been following transforms into a grand chamber.
The room stretches wide, its once magnificent architecture now a shell of its former self. Moonlight filters through shattered stained glass windows, casting colorful patterns on the grimy stone floor.
You've had your suspicions, but now you're sure: you're in some sort of castle, a throne room to be exact.
...which is weird, considering you're in America and this type of architecture isn't really popular around here. Especially an abandoned one- how did they even find this place? This doesn't make sense! Well, maybe you're not in America anymore... You have so many questions.
"S̷t̷o̷p̶ ̴s̷i̸g̵h̵t̷s̶e̷e̶i̷n̷g̶,̷ ̸t̶h̴i̸s̸ ̵i̵s̶n̸'̵t̶ ̸a̵ ̶f̶i̸e̸l̴d̶ ̵t̴r̴i̸p̷.̸" Jack's voice snaps you out of your thoughts, a cruel reminder of your current predicament. "M̵a̶k̵e̶ ̷y̷o̵u̸r̸s̶e̷l̶f̸ ̷p̶r̴e̶s̴e̶n̴t̷a̴b̷l̶e̴ ̶i̸n̴ ̴f̴r̶o̶n̶t̷ ̵o̵f̵ ̶o̴u̵r̸ ̸g̶l̶o̸r̵i̵o̶u̴s̶ ̴l̶e̵a̴d̷e̵r̵.̸"
Suddenly, an overwhelming presence envelops you, like an enigmatic hand clutching your heart in an unyielding grip, ready to squeeze at the slightest provocation. It's only then that your eyes move to the center of the throne room, fixating on the undeniable source of this power.
A tall, muscular figure rests upon the ruined throne, their body surrounded by a veil of maroon smoke. From where you stand, they look as if they're wearing a knight's armor, its plating black with sparse red accents. At first glance, they look human, and yet...
You avert your gaze, unable to look at the creature for too long. You can't describe it, not with words, but this? This is what chaos feels like. Pure, unbridled chaos.
Your fight-or-flight response kicks in, your body screaming at you to flee. You shouldn't be here; you shouldn't be alive to see Him.
And yet, here you stand.
Jack waves a hand at you, and to your surprise, his hold on you disappears, allowing your limbs to move freely.
"B̸e̷f̶o̸r̸e̷ ̴I̸ ̷f̶o̷r̷g̸e̸t̷," Jack's hand brushes against yours, using your surprise to effortlessly seize the piece of Jeff's sleeve you were trying so hard to hide. "I̸'̶l̶l̷ ̵t̴a̸k̶e̷ ̴t̷h̸i̸s̴.̷ ̴N̴o̸ ̴n̷e̴e̴d̷ ̸f̸o̵r̵ ̵s̵u̴c̸h̶ ̶d̷i̷s̵t̶r̵a̷c̵t̸i̷o̸n̴s̶ ̴d̶u̴r̵i̷n̷g̶ ̵t̷h̶e̴ ̷r̵i̶t̵u̴a̵l̶.̴"
"You fucker," you hiss back, but he doesn't humor you with an answer. He simply puts the cloth into his back pocket as he dodges your fists. "You'll get what's coming to you; Slenderman will surely-"
"Y̸̼̳̒ȇ̸͓̊n̶̲͗n̸̳̙̈̽e̶̱͓̊" The creature finally speaks, His voice so loud and powerful that you let out a pained gasp, the unforeseen force making you tumble to your knees in agony. Jack seems unaffected, merely looking at you in amusement. "C̷o̷m̷e̸ ̴h̴e̷r̷e̶ ̸l̴i̷t̴t̵l̷e̴ ̵o̵n̵e̴."
Jack might have let you go, but now He has you in His grasp.
Your body rises from your knees, feet shuffling after one another as you walk towards the creature, the Master. You don't even try to fight the hold He has on you - you somehow know it would be in vain.
"G̶o̵o̸d̶.̸" The creature says, His dark, clawed hand patting your cheek as you come to a stop at His feet. "N̴o̸w̵,̷ ̶k̸n̴e̴e̴l̶" Your body obeys, falling painfully onto the stone floor.
He takes a moment to look at you, to study you. You look back at His masked face, at the horns protruding from His helmet, at His bright, red eyes... you've never seen anything like it.
"W-who are you?" You manage to choke out, your mouth still somehow moving freely despite your body being frozen in place. "Why are you doing this? Why-" You think about everything that has led you to this moment. "Why me?"
The creature just laughs, His voice making the whole building shake in its wake.
"Y̷o̴u̷ ̴s̷t̵u̷p̶i̴d̷ ̶m̷o̷r̶t̶a̵l̷" He sneers, looking down at you from under His visor, His menacing red eyes watching you with disgust. "Y̷o̶u̷'̶r̸e̸ ̶n̷o̴t̶h̵i̶n̴g̵ ̷m̷o̵r̵e̵ ̴t̸h̴a̷n̵ ̴a̵ ̵p̵a̷w̷n̸ ̸i̷n̴ ̶t̴h̶e̸ ̷g̸a̷m̸e̴ ̵o̵f̷ ̸c̸h̷e̸s̷s̴ ̶I̴'̸m̶ ̴o̸n̸ ̸t̵h̵e̷ ̷b̸r̴i̶n̸k̷ ̴o̴f̶ ̸w̶i̵n̷n̷i̵n̷g̶.̷"
You don't understand. Why would He need you? There are countless other people who do the same things you do, a thousand times better, you might add.
"I̶t̷ ̵j̴u̷s̸t̴ ̷s̷o̴ ̶h̴a̷p̷p̷e̵n̵s̴ ̴t̸h̵a̷t̷ ̴y̷o̵u̸ ̵a̵r̸e̶ ̸t̶h̶e̷ ̵r̵e̸a̷s̸o̶n̴ ̷w̸h̷y̴ ̵m̴y̸ ̸o̴l̵d̷e̷s̸t̵ ̵f̶r̵i̷e̶n̵d̶ ̵a̴b̷a̸n̵d̴o̷n̴e̴d̶ ̶H̵i̵s̸ ̶p̵o̵s̵t̶ ̶t̴o̸ ̶i̶n̶s̴t̶e̷a̷d̶ ̶m̸i̸n̵g̶l̵e̸ ̸w̴i̵t̵h̶ ̷t̷h̵e̸ ̵m̵o̶r̷t̷a̴l̸s̵.̸" He squeezes your cheeks, claws digging into your unmarked skin before sighing. "N̶o̴w̵,̵ ̷i̶n̶s̷t̴e̴a̴d̴ ̵o̸f̵ ̴r̸u̴l̶i̵n̴g̸ ̸t̶h̴e̸ ̴u̴n̸i̵v̶e̴r̵s̶e̸ ̷w̸i̶t̶h̶ ̸H̵i̶m̴,̴ ̸I̷ ̸h̸a̸v̸e̷ ̶t̴o̶ ̴k̷i̵l̸l̶ ̶S̶l̷e̴n̵d̴e̷r̶m̶a̴n̴ ̴t̵o̵ ̶g̴e̶t̴ ̵w̶h̷a̵t̸ ̸I̴ ̵w̴a̸n̷t̸...̵ ̴a̵n̸d̵ ̵i̶t̵ ̷j̴u̵s̴t̵ ̷s̸o̸ ̵h̵a̸p̷p̴e̷n̸s̷ ̴t̴h̴a̶t̴ ̴y̷o̵u̶ ̵a̶r̸e̸ ̴t̷h̷e̶ ̶p̴e̷r̶f̶e̴c̵t̸ ̷b̶a̸i̸t̶.̸ ̷W̸o̷u̵l̸d̷n̵'̷t̴ ̴y̷o̵u̷ ̶a̸g̸r̶e̴e̷,̶ ̴J̶a̶c̸k̷?̸"
"O̸f̵ ̶c̴o̸u̴r̶s̵e̴,̴ ̷Z̸a̸l̴g̵o̷.̶ ̶A̸t̶t̷a̸c̵h̷m̶e̴n̶t̸s̷ ̴m̶a̸d̸e̴ ̸h̴i̵m̷ ̶w̷e̷a̴k̶.̶" The eyeless demon walks up to the two of you, circling you before settling by his Master's side."H̶e̸ ̶n̶e̸v̵e̶r̸ ̶s̵h̷o̷w̴e̸d̸ ̶s̶u̷c̷h̸ ̵c̴a̸r̷e̸ ̴f̵o̸r̴ ̸h̵i̵s̶ ̸f̸i̴r̸s̸t̸ ̶p̶r̴o̸x̶i̶e̷s̸,̷ ̴n̶o̵t̵ ̷e̴v̴e̷n̶ ̷f̶o̷r̸ ̷t̴h̸e̶ ̸g̸o̷l̴d̴e̷n̸ ̶c̷h̶i̸l̷d̶,̶ ̶T̵o̵b̴y̵; ̷an̸d̴ ̴t̴h̶a̶t̵ ̶o̷n̴e̸ ̴s̶t̴i̷l̸l̶ ̷h̵a̵s̴ ̶s̶u̸c̶h̷ ̷p̴o̷t̷e̸n̸t̵i̷a̷l̵...̵"
"Y̷o̵u̷'̴v̷e̷ ̸p̵r̷o̸v̷e̵d̴ ̷y̴o̶u̸r̶s̶e̷l̶f̶ ̸a̵ ̵l̶o̵y̵a̵l̷ ̵w̷a̶r̵r̸i̷o̸r̶,̵ ̵J̴a̵c̷k̵.̸ ̷I̵ ̶w̵i̴l̵l̸ ̵a̵l̵l̸o̸w̴ ̶y̵o̶u̸ ̸t̷o̸ ̴k̶e̶e̷p̷ ̷t̴h̷a̵t̶ ̶m̸o̴r̶t̶a̵l̶;̷ ̶y̷o̴u̸'̵v̵e̵ ̶g̸o̶n̴e̵ ̵g̶r̵e̵a̷t̶ ̸w̷a̶y̸s̸ ̷t̴o̷ ̸i̴m̶p̵r̷e̵s̸s̷ ̴m̷e̴.̸ ̷S̴u̶c̸h̶ ̵a̴c̵t̵s̸ ̷d̵o̴ ̴n̸o̴t̴ ̷g̸o̵ ̴u̸n̶n̸o̶t̸i̵c̶e̶d̷."
"T̶h̵a̴n̷k̸ ̸y̴o̶u̷,̶ ̴M̷a̸s̵t̸e̴r̵." Jack nods, beaming at the praise.
"Jack, you two-faced traitor, why the fuck would you betray Slenderman like that, why-" With a dismissive huff, Zalgo puts his whole hand on your face, immediately silencing you. Your vision begins to blur and you feel as if you're swimming, simultaneously in and out of your body.
Your mind and your actions are no longer your own.
You a̷r̶e̷ n̵̘͑o̵̥͠w̴͚͂ Z̵̢͉̚a̷̱̞̍͑l̶̡͚͌̅g̴̹̉̄o̵̭̾'̴̲͉̓s̴̰̈ p̵̰̘̓͊̒u̵̩͋p̶̬̫̆p̷̢̯̥̊̓̃ė̸̻t̷̫̐͐/̵͍̳̀.
"Y̵o̶u̶ ̷c̶a̴n̶'̷t̶ ̸b̷e̸ ̶l̶o̵y̶a̷l̷ ̵t̸o̶ ̶s̸o̵m̵e̸o̶n̶e̷ ̴i̵f̴ ̴y̸o̴u̶ ̵w̵e̶r̴e̵ ̶n̷e̵v̵e̸r̶ ̸a̵t̷ ̵t̵h̵e̸i̴r̷ ̷s̴i̸d̸e̴ ̷t̷o̵ ̵b̵e̸g̶i̶n̶ ̷w̷i̴t̵h̶.̵" Jack answers, despite knowing all too well that you can't comprehend his words anymore.
You can only listen to Him.
Suddenly, sounds of commotion echo through the castle's corridors, an undeniable sign of unwanted guests. Jack reaches for his scalpel and dashes out of the room. He knows the next part of His unholy plan—they will not fail now.
"H̷e̴ ̷i̶s̸ ̶f̷i̵n̶a̶l̸l̷y̷ ̶h̵e̴r̸e̷.̵" Says Zalgo. "T̶h̴e̷ ̸r̸i̸t̶u̷a̴l̴ ̸w̵i̶l̶l̸ ̶s̸o̷o̵n̴ ̶b̸e̸g̵i̷n̸."