"What?"
Chase just sighed heavily, "Fucking hell, Marv. An exorcism? Really?"
"I don't see the problem"
"Of course you wouldn't. Just uh . . ." Chase scratched the back of his head in thought, "Fine. So what do we do?"
Marvin looked excited, "You're actually gonna let me do it?"
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing! Anyways-" Marvin clapped his hands, "We'll need some sage, salt and . . . a sacrifice?"
Chase gave him a look and Marvin shook his head, "Oh wait! No, no. A sacrifice SUMMONS a demon. No. We need something that belonged to the victim!"
"Salt and Sage?" Chase asked, "What we doing? Making a pork dinner for the bastard?"
"Funny but no, Chase. Salt is to keep him away from us if we pour it around ourselves. Sage is to clense the area or evil spirits. We need something of Dark's to help connect to him and bring him back"
"Ah" Chase nodded, "Well, you go into the kitchen and get the flavor bits and I'll . .. " he sighed to himself, "I'll break into Dark's room"
"Good luck" was all Marvin said to him before walking off.
"Why is my life so fucked?"
Chase expertly made it to Dark's room, however, without being spotted by anyone (that he knew of). While he was looking through Dark's shit, Marvin was down in the kitchen.
Only to find Host cooking something.
"Oh hey there, bud" Marvin was a master of deception of course, "What you making there?"
"The Host chuckled softly at Marvin's vain attempts. He already knew what he was up to, of course and he really should have known better"
Marvin gulped, "I . . . I guess so. It's just-"
"The Host interrupts Marvin, telling him it's not his job to stop him. He likes to see the story unfold itself. However, he DID have a suspicion something was not right and agreed that something had to be done. Or at least tried. The Host opened the cupboard to give Marvin what he needed."
Marvin was surprised that his friend was willing to let him exorcise his fellow ego but he wasn't going to ask questions, "You're the best, Host. I know something's wrong. You feel it too, huh? That night Anti went upstairs to talk to Dark?"
"The Host agrees. Something most definitely was . . . off. The Host bid Marvin good luck and carried on with cooking his lunch"
Meanwhile back upstairs with Chase, the father gawked around for any item that might be useful to them. Anything that Dark might hold dear. Except there really wasn't much of anything in the bedroom. Office supplies, pictures, suits and dark clothing in his closet, a computer and desk.
Chase was about to give up and leave the room to find something somewhere else when he saw it.
A soft blue glow under the bed.
"The fuck?"
Shifting closer to the glow, Chase bit his lip. When he got close enough to the bed, he leaned down to look under it.
A cane?
But once he saw it, he realized, 'That's Dark's cane! Mark said something just last week before this whole mess about it. Didn't he tease Dark about it for carrying it with him all the time?'
"Why's it hidden down here?" he was about to grab for it when there was a tap on his shoulder.
"Gah!" Chase launched upwards and almost brought his gun out until he saw who it was.
"J. . . . Jameson, what the hell are you doing!? I could have shot you!"
Jameson just gave a nervous little wave, 'Sorry. May I ask what you're up to, though? Isn't that Dark's cane under there?'
Chase tried to calm his breathing, "Uh.. .. yup. I guess I can tell you . . . uh. . Marvin and I are gonna exorcise Dark. . or . . . Dark's body. Marvin's gonna. . .you get it"
Jameson nodded but seemed worried, 'Don't you need Dark to do it?'
Chase hadn't thought about that, "I don't know. That's Marvin's thing. How do you know anything about exorcism?"
Jameson just waved it off, 'Oh don't worry about it! Sometimes I like to read a page or two out of Marvin's books. Will you two be needing any help?'
He shrugged, "I don't know. You can stick around, I guess if you want, though."
'Okay!'
Just then, Marvin's head peeked in the doorway, "Got anything? Oh hey, JJ"
Chase finally got up, bringing out the cane with him, "Yeah. I think this'll work. It was glowing, too, a bit ago. You think-"
'Chase! Mr. Brody! Is that you?!'
Chase swallowed, wanting to throw the cane at the other side of the room. By the look of Marvin and Jameson's faces, they didn't hear it but he didn't want things to end up like a week ago.
"There's a voice coming from the cane, guys"
'Mr. Brody, it's Damien! Please answer'
Marvin narrowed his eyes strangely at Chase, "A voice? Who is it?"
"He says his name is Damien"
"Oh.. . . .shit"
Jameson looked as equally as worried, 'Well what does the lad want?'
Chase sighed as Marvin gave him a look that asked that as well, "I'll ask . . . I guess. I can hear you . .. Damien. . . .what do you want?"
'Oh thank the heavens! I thought Anti would be able to get to it in time but it didn't seem so. I'm glad I gave it one more shot.'
"Wait. . . you said Anti saw you? Why didn't he say anything? I thought that'd be evidence enough!"
'Well. . . . it seems our villain got in the way. Erased Anti's memory of the event'
"That's why he acted so weird that night"
Marvin and Jameson didn't know what was being said but they were able to guess from the one-sided end. Marvin nodded, "I knew something was up"
'But there's something else, Mr. Brody. I'm afraid Celine and I cannot help. You lot are our only shot now.'
"What? What can we do. Name it. I hate to say it but I'd do anything to get rid of this asshole imposter"
'Dark is here in the void with us. But we can't get him out. He's too weak'
Chase relayed the information to Marvin, "Dark's in the void with him and Celine. Can you-"
Marvin stopped him right there, "I can't go into the void. That's past my abilities. I'm sorry. And if Dark is there in the void. . . . then is Actor NOT possessing Dark's body?"
'The exorcism wouldn't work then' Jameson signed, 'Right?'
'--------- the exorcism!' Damien shouted from the cane to Chase, 'You don't understand! ------the exorcism! Anti!--------HELP'
Suddenly, Damien's voice was gone and the glow disappeared.
"What happened?" Marvin asked Chase but really, he didn't know himself. It was like Damien ran out of time on a call or something and was just. . .disconnected.
"I -"
Suddenly someone cleared their throat and they looked over at the door.
'Dark' had a glare on him that would kill, "You. . . . DARE. . . . . . to come into MY room . . .. .uninvited?" he Slammed the door so hard behind him, the whole house must have heard it!
Chase took a step back, ushering Jameson with him while Marvin stood defensively in front.
"We know you're not Dark!" Marvin stated confidently but the man chose to ignore him.
"I don't like people touching my things" he looked right at the cane, a terrible aura radiating off of him that was even scarier than Dark's actual one, "I suggest you three leave before something . . . terrible happens."
Marvin glanced to Chase but before anything could be said, the magician took the initiative, reaching to grab the cane out of Chase's hands.
"Bring it on, asshole" the magician started his spell, taking out the sage and waving the salt all around the three in protection.
'Dark' honestly looked terribly confused for a moment before he realized what was happening, "No! Wait! Don't-"
Marvin unleashed a full powered spell on him that forced the man down on his knees. Arms to his sides and head up. He was obviously not prepared for this! Marvin came closer and placed his hand on the man's forehead, mumbling a spell.
"N-no." he grit out, "Y-you don't understand. You-you're making a m-mistake!"
But before he could break out of the spell, Marvin took the end of the cane and placed it to the man's forehead. A sharp white glow flashed from it and in an instant, he fell onto his stomach in a faint.
Everyone went quiet.
Did it work?
"Uh . . That was quick" Chase cleared his throat, "Anybody wanna try and wake him up?"
Before anything ELSE could happen though, there was fast and heavy footsteps sounding in the hall and everyone held their breathe as Anti glitched his way in.
One look at everything and you could tell someone might just die. He had a look of fury that even made Chase flinch.
"Anti, it's not-"
"What the fook happened in here!?" his growl was deep and predatory. They all shivered, remembering what their fellow ego could be like.
But Marvin was the bravest of them at the moment, "Uh . . . an exorcism."
That blunt statement was enough to tear Anti out of his rage for just a moment, "What!?"
Chase broke in, "Look, Anti, it's not what it looks like. It's not Dark!"
"Not this shite again" Anti clenched his fists, electricity sparking off of him.
'Damien was in the cane!' Jameson signed to him, 'He TOLD us it wasn't Dark, Anti! Please just listen'
Anti scoffed at them and rushed over to Dark's body, leaning on the floor, "How do you know it was Damien? Maybe Dark trapped Actor in the cane?"
"Don't you think Dark would have told you if he had?" Marvin sighed, "Anti, please. I know you're in denial but the facts are there. This . . . thing erased your memories the other night at dinner! You obviously figured out something that he didn't want you to know! Maybe I can help you-" the magician stepped closer but Anti growled.
"Don't fooking come near me! How am I supposed to believe anything you assholes have to say!? You don't know Dark and none of you ever liked him to begin with so-"
"Fooking HELL, Anti! Snap out of it! That's not Dark!" Chase stomped his foot furiously, "Dark is in the void with Damien and Celine! Wake the fook up and help us try and save him!"
Anti flinched at that, looking shocked. Chase almost regretted shouting at Anti like that but he did look . . . calmer.
A grunt alerted them, however and Anti breathed in sharply, "Dark! You're awake! You okay?"
The other three Septics looked ready for another fight but the man groaned loudly before sitting up, not looking at any of them. Anti tried to help him up but he shoved him off and clumsily picked himself up.
"D-dark?" Anti asked again, "You okay, bud?" he tried to touch his shoulder but he clearly wasn't having any of it, shoving him off again, "D-dark?"
The man snarled at Anti "Tch." he held his head, feeling the aching pain reverberate from Marvin's spell, "Don't fucking touch me, peasant. Not your precious Darkiplier"
Anti's stomach sunk and he took a step back, "Wh-what?" he looked at the others, "The hell did you do to him!?"
They looked equally as confused but also prepared for anything.
The man just rolled his eyes, "I'm Actor Mark, you idiots! Fuck. . ." he sighed to himself, "I could really go for a bloody mary.. . . and a burger"
Everyone was quiet, though. They certainly wasn't expecting Actor to be so. . . calm.
But the man didn't seem threatened. In fact. . . he didn't seem to know who they even were. Maybe. They weren't really sure.
"What?" he asked them, "Do I have a zit or something? If so, somebody fetch me my creams. I'm dying for some R&R here."
But they still couldn't even move.
Actor growled, "Well!? If you're going to be in my house then- Oof!"
Chase, Marvin and Jameson were shocked to see Anti knock the man out causing him to fall to the floor again.
But still, no one could say a word.
What the hell was going on?!
"I thought you said you performed an exorcism!" Anti yelled at Marvin, "Why is Actor still here, then!?"
"Oh NOW you believe us!?" Chase yelled at Anti, "It wasn't just five seconds ago, you were swearing up and down WE were the bad guys here!"
"That's not the point right now!"
"Isn't it!?"
Marin whistled to shut them up, "Knock it off, you little monsters! I have a suggestion if you'd kindly shut the hell up!"
'What is it?' Jameson signed.
Marvin still had the cane in his hand and sighed, "The exorcism worked. But this was Actor's body. Not Dark's. Which means Dark is still in the void with no way back home"
Honestly, Anti didn't know what the hell was even happening anymore but he knew what that meant.
And that scared him more than anything.