(Y/n) awoke in Felix's guest room wrapped up in blankets. Panic was overwhelming her as the fresh information crowded her mind. Anti was not with her but against her. That was the only reliable truth to work with. She didn't want to die, and she didn't want to believe that Anti wanted her dead either. These thoughts and more poured into her heart as she silently gathered her items.
Although what Anti said stuck in her mind, so did Dark's words. Doing this alone seemed much better than dragging Die and Sean into this, and possibly dying from Anti in the process.
For the last time she ventured out, alone and on the hunt for Dark. She pulled out her phone and Mark's contact, texting him as she left Felix's house.
"I'm tired, and I want this to be over. Please, let's negotiate." She hit send and ventured onto the city streets to pass the time.
Die woke up from his slumber, but too late. He rushed to the room only to find blankets jumbled and left on the bed.
"Oh, no.." He breathed.
"What do ye mean 'Oh, no'?" Anti spoke up.
Die turned to see Anti looking less than pleased.
"Where's (Y/n)?"
"I—I don't know.."
Before Die could blink Anti had him against the wall by the neck. "What do ye mean ye don't know?"
He held Anti's hands, trying to push back the pressure to talk. "I said I don't know!"
"You were supposed t̷͎́ơ̸̢ ̷͔͝w̷͖̋a̷̠͘t̶̤͑c̵͛͜h̸̰̓ h̴̡̧̥̗̀̇ë̸͓̹̻̓r̸̨͓̺̪̖̀!" Anti slammed him back, creating a small hole in the wall.
Die clenched his teeth and decided to turn it around on him. "Why did you lie to her?"
"What are ye talking about? I didn't—"
"We found it, Anti. We found the center!" Air forced out of his lungs.
Frustrated and astonished he released him, letting him fall to the ground.
"Ye found the center, eh?" Anti repeated, his face falling emotionless.
Die rubbed his neck staring at the floor, "I was so sure— I was... I don't understand...The blood healed her..." He paused, then looked up at the green-eyed demon. "You're going to go out of your way for what— just too— kill her in the end?"
"It's not for ye to understand." He took a step towards Die, reaching down to help him up. "I'm not going to kill her."
Die accepted his help, "Then I don't understand. She sees the truth."
"And it is the truth, Die. Look at me," He extended his arms presenting himself, then shoved them into his hoody pockets. "Look at yerself! We're demons. We were born to kill, we were born to be the balancing act in this world and have the tools and skills to do it. What do ye expect, eh? Do ye expect me to just stop these thoughts? I can't control these fookin' thoughts, Die. That's not how it works." Die was almost toe to toe with him. "Being a demon doesn't define me, it's what I do about it that does, and fer once in me pathetic fookin' life I can't bring myself to do what I've been doin' for hundreds of years."
"You can't kill her, can you?"
"It's worse than that, I don't even fookin' want to." He grabbed his hair, pulling at it. "I don't know what to fookin' do!"
"Well,—" Die placed a hand on his shoulder. "We can start by going out there and finding her because she needs to hear this more than I do."
"Where do ye think she went?"
"To find Dark, your truth's weren't the only ones she heard in there."
____________________________________
(Y/n) dragged herself along the streets of Brighton. People walked by happily speaking to one another, or just busy-workers going home for the night. Her eyes that once held so much hope were dim, and growing tired by the minute.
She was heading towards the pier, to meet Mark underneath it. Her hood stayed up above her head to hide from Anti or Die. It would only do so much though especially since they knew her smell. Being in crowds helped, or so she hoped.
The beach was closed down for the evening. She had to be careful about entering and not being caught. After hanging around an entrance for a few minutes, she made her way on to the sand. Her face met the cool breeze as well as the salty smell that came with it. Slowly but surely she made her way to the pier.
It became more difficult as she moved along, hoping to avoid anything and everything that could harm her. She closed in on the large dock and came upon large rocks. The water crashed against them over and over.
"Mark?" She called out as she began to climb the rocks. "or Dark. I don't care at this point."
After reaching a higher point she saw a large patch of sand between the rocks. Mark sat with his phone screen.
"Mark!" She yelled making her way down.
"(Y/n)?" Mark stood up pulling down his hood and rushed over to the edge of the rocks.
(Y/n) reached the bottom and ran to Mark, arms wide open. His arms were also open, and accepted her, but wasn't expecting her to break down. She cried, hard, into his chest.
"Hey, hey, hey! You're alright." Mark whispered into her ear, running his hands through her hair. "You're okay, (Y/n). I'm here, I'm here."
Normally, it would feel strange to her, running into the arms of a person she's barely friends with. So many emotional moments between the two had brought them closer.
"I'm so tired, Mark.."
"I know you are. I'm tired too."
She looked up at him, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "I found it , Mark. I found the center."
"Hmm?" Dark hummed from his mind. "Ahh, so she discovered it. Ask her— Ask her what she found."
"What did you find?"
"I found the truth... That's what the pure heart does... Pure hearts see the truth... in everyone.." (Y/n) admitted sorrowfully.
"She's only seen the beginning of her ability. She'll soon be able to simply meet a person and know their true intentions." Dark's voice held excitement. "Simply incredible."
She released Mark and plopped herself onto the sand, holding her head. "I know you want to protect me, and you just want me, okay, but I'm not worried about you."
"Ask about the others," Dark demanded.
Mark sat next to her. "What about Dark, and Anti, or Sean? "
(Y/n) looked over at Mark. "Anti wants me dead, but Dark— He just— wants me."
Her view then shifted to the sand. He feared for her safety. No matter what Dark said, Mark would never believe his words. Before Mark could protest Dark pushed through taking control of his body with ease. He was too tired to stop him or struggle.
"So you've witnessed the truth?" Dark spoke.
She knew instantly that the control had shifted. "I did."
"How do you feel about it, if I may ask?"
"Nothing. I feel nothing." She tossed a seashell away from her.
"No fear? No sadness? No —"
"If I was scared— if I was sad— if I felt anything but tired, I wouldn't be here right now. Die's the only one who hasn't been out to kill me."
Dark took a deep breath. "I often have a troublesome time containing my anger, in result I act on impulse. I'm not sure if you're aware, but demons are creatures that cannot or do not want to...express emotions. We are beings of a balancing act, killing, harming others, it's all a part of the trade, placed on our shoulders by choice and—"
"Stop beating around the bush." She spoke sternly.
He was taken back by her forward attitude. "Right...to summarize, I apologize."
She looked over at him, surprised to see a demon apologizing.
"I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive my actions. Like I was explaining, I am a demon. That may not be a great excuse, but please believe that the negative emotions we have come before the positive." He took her hand and held it. "I am capable of such positive emotions, I can assure you."
"So you don't want to kill me?" Her face flustered red.
"I wanted you dead in moments that I couldn't achieve you, or my intended goal with you, because I was angry. Through this experience I've had a lot of time to myself to plan, to think, and I know my approaches have done the one thing I wanted to avoid...hurt you."
"What, because I'm more valuable to you alive than dead?" She laughed then rolled her eyes.
"I could take the power from you, by force, and I would have it now if that's how I wanted it, but it's not."
He held her hand to his face as she stared down at the sand in thought. "What do you want then?"
"I want you to be by my side."
Dark stared into her eyes but noticed an object coming closer and closer to her. His eyes squinted for a moment, before realizing it was intentionally thrown in their direction. He gripped onto her sweatshirt and pulled her to the other side of him, his back taking the hit. He let out a groan of pain. The rock would have killed her on impact.
"Dark, what the hell is going on?" She held tightly onto his T-shirt.
"Did you tell them where you were going?!" His voice began to break up.
"No! I swear! I just left! Why, who threw that?"
He sat up and looked behind him.
"I said Dark not (Y/n)!" Anti yelled rushing over the rocks.
"I wasn't aiming for her I swear!" Die yelled back.
Dark rose to his feet, making sure (Y/n) was behind him. He was fueled by hate, and his patience was practically gone. "I am sick of this!"
Anti began to snicker. "Better get to the store than and get some medicine! Don't worry, I'll watch'er while yer gone."
"She isn't going anywhere with you," Dark growled.
"If that's what helps ye sleep at night." Anti began to dash around, looking like a blur in the process.
Dark followed him as much as he could with his eyes, waiting for the perfect opportunity to attack. Meanwhile, Die was slipping in from behind for (Y/n). He watched as she stared down the demons fighting in front of her. He had one shot to grab her.
Several moments and a small pep talk later Die rushed out from behind the rocks and grabbed (Y/n), unnoticed. She began to thrash around in his grip. There was no way she was going back with him, not now. Not with this renewed fear. He covered her mouth till she bit him.
"Tenebris!" She yelled at the top of her lungs.
Dark turned, making eye contact with Die immediately. Before he could blink the red-irised demon was in front of him. He swiftly kicked him out from under his feet and grabbed (Y/n) before she could fall over.
"What the fook is going on?" Anti ran as fast as he could to Dark, teeming with anger. His claws razor sharp and ready to attack.
Dark turned with her in his arms, causing Anti to stop abruptly.
"(Y/n).." Anti breathed. "Put'er down, ye emo bastard."
Dark smiled. "She chose this, Anti. It's over."
"Ye wish she did."
"She heard all of those awful things you said about her, Anti. I'd do the same thing if I were her."
Anti stared down Dark, then shifted his view to (Y/n) who looked utterly terrified to see him.
"(Y/n).." Anti felt himself becoming soft as confusion wept over him.
Tears filled her eyes once more and looked up to Dark. "Please, just get me away from him."
"As you wish, my dear." Dark extended his wings, bent his knees and took off into the night sky leaving Die and Anti by themselves.
"Come on! We have to follow them!" Die ran past Anti only to be stopped like a dog running to the end of its rope.
Anti held a tight grip on his hood. "No."
"What do you mean no? We need to get to her!"
"Don't ye get it?!" He let go of his hood, pushing him away in the process. "It's over. We lost. She's gone!"
"You're going to give up that easily?" Die could hardly believe after all this effort he was ready to stop.
"Die, she saw everything! She knows."
"But she didn't hear you explain!"
"And ye think she's going to? I'm not an Eejit." **
"Ye can't give up!" Sean pleaded. "I won't let ye."
Anti let out a long sigh. "If she came to Dark, then she's already given up on us."
Die walked over to him, toe to toe. "No, she needs us. She needs YOU! You and Sean." He poked him in the chest. "You're her only hope."
Anti slapped away his hand. "Oh yeah? And what about yerself, why don't YOU go out and do it!"
"Because I can't fight like you. I can't teleport correctly and I can't fly anymore. Dark would have me on a silver platter in minutes." Die placed his hands together and held them just under his nose, his fingers almost touching his nostril. "This isn't what she really wants, Anti. If she wanted this from the beginning then she would have been gone way before you came to Brighton."
There was no arguing that. He was right. If this is something she truly planned on doing it would have been done long ago. Anti looked away from him, which told Die he knew as well.
"Do ye at least 'ave a plan?"
"No, but all I need is five minutes."
_______________________________________
Dark landed on the top of a large hotel. He gently put down (Y/n) then took her by the hand.
"This way now, it's only a bit further."
The door leading outside was open, strangely. She assumed that it was just Dark or Mark previously leaving the building.
"Is this where you've been staying?"
"Of course. A balcony view of the city often calmed my nerves." He closed the door behind them and lead the way down the steps to the top floor.
There were only several rooms on the top floor, and by the looks of it, it was fairly expansive. It seemed like a small apartment more so than a hotel room. There was a small living room with a kitchen, a master bedroom, and two bathrooms.
"Was this— necessary?"
"I make money like royalty, I may as well live like it."
She turned towards him. "Mark makes the money. You just— what do you even do?"
"I give him the community to do so, of course. If I had a nickel for every fan art, every story, every edit, every cosplay of "Darkiplier" I would have bought a house instead, but sadly, money isn't made that way."
Dark had a point, a large portion of Mark's community was built up with his help to which he used to his advantage. There were many periods of peace between Mark and Dark that allowed him to create such videos featuring Darkiplier. Their relationship was a difficult one, to say the least.
He clasped his hands together. "Is there anything I can retrieve for you, some tea, room service, would you like to rest?"
"No, I'm okay." She looked around the room. "Aren't you afraid that they'll find us?"
"Hmm? Oh, THEM, well, I have an answer for that." Dark reached into his back pocket and pulled out Mark's wallet, handing her a slip of white paper.
She took it and began to skim over the paper. "This is a plane ticket..." Her eyes gazed up at his. "We're going home?"
"Is this not what you wanted?"
(Y/n) continued to look at the paper. "I just wanted to be done with all of this..."
He approached her holding her shoulders. "And it will all be over very soon." His fingers gently lifted her chin. "I promise you."
Her expression stayed neutral while he gave a smile. Although she chose to stay with Dark, she still was very much afraid of him, not as much as Anti, but fear all the same.
"When does our flight leave?"
"Within a few hours. On the way, I'll explain all that will happen once we arrive home." He walked beside her and towards his room. "I have to finish up packing. Make yourself at home in the meantime, alright?"
She stood with the ticket still in hand, then turned towards him as he walked away. "Tenebris..."
His body instantly stood at attention but answered so gently. "Yes, my dear (Y/n)?"
"No one's going to get hurt, right? No one's going to die? I don't want to hurt anyone."
He started at the floor then turned with a reassuring smile, and walked towards her, taking her hands in his own. "Everything is going to be alright, I promise."
"You liar!" Mark yelled as loud as he could.
"Alright..." She smiled weakly.
_____________________________________
"This is useless..." Anti landed on a random roof, Die standing beside him. "We've been searching for hours, they could be anywhere."
"They're still here, they have to be." Die stood on the ledge looking around and listening.
"We can't give up," Sean spoke up. "She has to be here I can — I can feel it."
"Ye can't feel shit, you're stuck inside," Anti spoke under his breath.
"What was that?" Die turned and began to walk towards him.
"The Irish bastard says he could feel'er. I told'im to get real. I mean, this isn't a fairy tale." He shoved his hands in his hoody pockets and rolled his eyes.
Die rubbed his chin. "No, he may be onto something."
"Yer fooking' with me."
"All of your souls have bonded in that realm. There's a connection. I wonder..." He hesitated with a plan slowly coming to mind.
"Ye wonder what?! Out with it!"
"Anti, I'll need you to stand in front of me. I'm going to try something, alright?"
Anti hesitated before walking in front of him. "What are ye going to do?"
"It's something I read in a book once, actually one of the books you both gave me. I'm going to need you to place your hands behind your back, and for you to lean forward ever so slightly."
Anti cracked his fingers, then his neck before assuming the position. A confused expression ran across his face wondering what was going on.
"Alright, thank you. Now, you need to close your eyes as I activate your pressure points."
"Uh, alright." He shut his eyes.
Die took a deep breath, wound up his fist and punched him right in between the eyes. The hit knocked him onto his back, and out cold. Die moved over his body and began to slap his face around lightly. "Sean, Sean wake up we don't have much time."
Sean began to groan feeling his forehead. "Ah bloody hell, what the fook did ye do that for?"
"Well, knocking him out would send him to that dream realm to find (Y/n)." He extended a hand to Sean who accepted it.
"He did ye know it would work? How did ye know she'd be asleep?"
"I didn't, I took a shot in the dark. It's better we try though. Now come on, we still have a large portion of the city to search. Hopefully, he finds her in there."
"Anti is NOT going to be happy when he wakes up."
_____________________________
Eejit: Irish slang for a fool.