By the time Dark, Anti and Chase returned, the manor was. . . . . quiet.
It took Dark and Anti a little time to make sure Celine was going to be okay but Damien reassured them he'd take care of her. She had protected him most of his life. It was time for him to do the same and be there for her.
Of course everyone was excited to have them back, crowding around them with smiles, happy they were okay. Yan and Eric bombarded Anti with heavy hugs much to his dislike but he welcomed it anyway.
What he didn't expect was for the other Septic egos to crowd around him as well and group hug around him!
It was uncomfortable but for some reason . . . . it felt nice. Jackie hugged the hardest, lifting him up in a bear-hug with Chase but Marvin, Jameson and Henrik were more calm and polite about it. Anti couldn't really process it but by then, he was getting hugged again by the other Iplier egos as well along with Dark. Dark was just as uncomfortable but obviously missed everyone just as much.
It didn't take long for Wilford to wake back up good as new. But the news of Actor's sacrifice was obviously tolling on him. It was his idea in the first place to go in after him and here he died anyway.
The next day, everyone heard shooting in the back yard and a few went to check it out only to find Wilford repeatedly shooting a dummy in the head, completely destroying it, tears running down his face.
Dark was the first to rush up to him, putting a hand on his shoulder for comfort. The man kept shooting but then there were no more bullets but that didn't stop him. He just kept pulling the trigger.
"Wilford. . . . " Dark sighed, "I'm sor-"
"Don't say it, Darky" he breathed out roughly, "I know it's not yer fault. Actor was. . . selfish to the very end. He got what he wanted, bully on him"
Anti growled, "That's not true! He did what he did to save us. To save Celine. And you helped him fight, Wil"
"Oh blimey" he huffed, finally putting the gun down, "I want to hear it straight from him! But can't now, can I!?" Wil wiped his tears from his face, ignoring some of the others watching.
Mark and Sean were among those and no one felt more guilty than Mark. But what could he do?
While Dark, Anti and some of the other Ipliers like Yan and Eric tried to comfort Wilford, Mark walked away, unable to watch any more.
Host saw this and chose to follow him, finding him making his way to the other part of the manor to Actor's old room.
Mark walked inside and looked around with a heavy heart. It hurt so much but he felt like he had to suffer this pain.
"The Host walked into Actor's old room to confront Mark. The Host wanted to remind his creator that it wasn't his fault what happened."
"Yes, it is, Host" Mark was surprised at first to hear him but calmed immediately, sitting on the foot of the bed, "I thank god that I'm not really able to drink anymore. I guess it should have been a sign then. . . . I was such a horrible person back then"
"The Host disagrees. Mark just didn't understand at the time the power that he held."
"I treated Actor like an object. Like a pawn." Mark argued, "I made him the villain just as Sean made Anti that way."
"No you didn't"
Mark and Host looked up to see Dark, Anti and Sean at the door. Sean was already trailing behind Host and Mark when Dark and Anti curiously followed, also wanting to see where Mark was running off to.
Anti sighed, "I've done a lot of fucked up shit. I'm not innocent, myself. But after living here and . . . . making real friends . . . . after all this mess. I've come to realize that I'm NOT the bad guy and I never was"
The glitch looked over to Sean and smiled a bit uncomfortably, "And neither are either of you. Actor was . . .just like me, I think. He uh . . . . he didn't know who he was either. Didn't get the chance to know until last minute. But at least he got that peace"
"And now he's dead" Mark stated blankly.
The room was quiet, a little put off by Mark's negativity but they couldn't say anything to confront that.
Anti swallowed but continued, "With all due respect, at least he got a few moments to be the man he wanted. There are plenty of other egos you two have erased who didn't get the chance to be their own person." with that, he glitched out of the room.
Dark sighed but nodded, "He IS right. But Actor, even if he wanted death, still should of had a second chance. It wasn't fair. I know you can't do anything about it, Mark, but I know you won't let anything like this happen again."
Dark walked out and Host was about to follow but when he stood up, he said one last thing.
"The Host knows Mark and Sean and had a lot of mistakes regarding their creations. The Host smiled at he looked forward to the end of the story but he would not give spoilers. The Host merely wished them good luck, hoping they wouldn't be too hard on themselves."
The Host walked out, leaving Sean and Mark alone. Amy would be there, too, but she was busy looking after the other egos, having brought Chica along to help.
Sean walked the rest of the way into the room and sighed heavily as he sat next to Mark.
"We really are fuck-ups, aren't we?"
Mark snorted, "Yeah"
" . . . . . We can only move forward, man. No more mistakes. No more creation shite." Sean huffed at his own words, "We have to stop blaming ourselves, you know? Because even if we fucked up, I wouldn't change a thing except how I treated Anti"
"I should have treated Actor better. Shouldn't have erased those other egos I had"
"Me neither. We learn things every day, man. Don't b-"
"Blame myself. I know. Kind of hard not to though. . . . I thought I was the better creator, you know? Don't ask me why. I thought it was because I had more egos and had them somewhat more . . . organized than you. I had even taken in Anti and helped him get better. I thought I was so great. I thought everything was great"
"That's alright. We'll both carry a heavy weight for the rest of our lives because no matter how much Anti says he forgives me, it won't matter. I'll always feel guilty for disowning him. He was a part of me and I let him go so easily without hearing him out. He says it was because he didn't let himself be heard but I know better. I never gave him the chance."
"I just wish Actor would have had the chance. A better one"
"I know" Sean nodded, " . . . . Being a dad sucks, man. I'm not ready"
Mark snorted at that, not ready for the joke, "You're . . . awful"
Sean smiled sadly, "I'm gonna ask the others what they all want for dinner. You coming?"
Mark just shook his head, "Nah, man, you go without me. I think I'll just . . . sit here and think for a bit. You know?"
Sean nodded, "Okay. . . . see ya later"
As Sean left, that only left Mark on his own in the room.
But somehow, he still felt like he was being watched. It wasn't a creepy feeling but the feeling was there.
Mark ran his hands along the comforter and looked around the room. He thought back to the video he made. 'Who Killed Markiplier?'
He shook his head. He knew the video he made was offensive, really by this point but he didn't have the heart to take it down, knowing his fans would get riled up. Pretending to be Actor. Pretending to know what the man was going through.
He had no idea.
The guilt wrenched at his heart and soul.
'I wish it had been me.' he confessed to himself, 'Why couldn't the demon just have taken me instead?'
After a little while, Mark finally got up and went downstairs with everyone else. Everyone was at the dinner table getting ready for supper. Even if they didn't want to eat, they missed the way Dark always had things scheduled like this. Plus them all being together made everything . . . . a little more bearable.
What Mark didn't expect was for all the Septics to be sitting together. Even Anti was sitting between Chase and Dark. It seemed that the father and Anti were steadily becoming fast friends.
If he looked back a couple of weeks ago, he would have never been able to predict that they wouldn't be trying to kill each other at every other second.
Mark could overhear their conversation as they picked at their food.
"Dude, I don't think you knocking on Stacey's door and telling her to take me back is going to change her mind"
"It could! You never know!" Anti argued, "Or I could just . . . . threaten her?"
"No." Chase blinked with exasperation, "You are not threatening my ex-wife to get back together with me, Anti. That's not how relationships work"
"What if I apologized?"
Chase sighed with a smile, "That's a good start. Let's go with that first, bro"
"Dude, there's no way she won't take you back, bro!" Bing laughed, "You're f*cking badass!"
Anti groaned, "Mark for the love of god, change his cursing settings! You're the administrator, dammit!"
Before Mark could react, though, Bing laughed, "Aw but you're so f*cking good at it, Anti! Bro, don't you love me, gltich b*tch?"
"I told you never to call me that" Anti looked ready to throw hands.
"Dude, just chill out" Jackie tried calming them, "He doesn't really mean it"
"Yeah I do, b*tch!" Bing laughed, taunting the glitch with the sound of his bleeping.
Yandere, sitting next to Marvin, chuckled, "Aw is big brother gonna pout now?"
"Eh, if youse considers Anti yer brother, doesn't that make your little crush yer brother, too?"
Yandere glared at Yancy, "I'm not afraid to carve your tongue out"
Marvin was sweating in his seat.
"He's got a point though" Anti grinned, loving Yandere's red face, "Wouldn't that be incest, Yan?"
"Yan, calm down now" Eric tried.
"Maybe you shouldn't egg them on, sweetcheeks" Illinois warned Anti and winked, "Might end up with more scars than you wanted from your last fight"
"Ah shut it, Illy!"
"We're all gonna die" Dr. Iplier groaned.
"This just in!"The Jims brought out their cameras at the table, "Local Doctor predicts everyone's deaths!"
"Ooooo!" Bim and King awed.
But for once Wilford was just picking at his food, only mildly interested in all the drama that was happening at the table.
Amy giggled at all their antics but didn't get involved.
"I think you all need to shut up and eat!" Dark shouted at them all.
The table went quiet for a few moments but it didn't last long.
Anti grinned at him and mockingly took Dark's face in his hand, "Yes mother"
Dark was fuming but everyone else at the table was laughing hard.
Mark watched with a sad smile as Dark gave up and went back to eat. Everyone was laughing and trying to have a good time.
Even Wilford chuckled at Anti's joke.
Mark sighed to himself though. There was just one thing missing.
'I wish Actor was here to join us'
Suddenly the lights flickered and a strange thunder rumbled in the sky outside the manor. They could hear it especially louder since they still had the large hole in the wall from Anti's blast when the demon had overtaken him.
Everyone went silent, wondering where the thunder even came from, it was so sudden.
But in that quiet moment, the sound of silverware hit the floor, clanging loudly.
The egos and Mark, Sean and Amy glanced to Wilford who was looking across the room, his eyes full of shock.
They were all surprised his mustache didn't fall off with how wide his mouth was gaped. Curiosity overcoming them all quickly, they all turned to see where Wil was looking.
Dark was the first to stand along with Mark, Wil and Anti. Inside Dark, Celine was screaming and crying in joy, she had never felt so happy.
Across the room was Actor alive and well. Staring at them all with equal shock in his eyes.
But the shock was only temporary as Wilford teleported directly to him, suddenly hugging him to him tightly.
Actor felt as if his breathing would stop but he just hugged his old friend back.
Not a word was said as Dark came up to him next. He wasn't going to hug him but Wilford grabbed him anyway, making him.
All Dark could do was whisper to him, "I don't know how you're here. . . . but Celine is happy you're back."
Actor couldn't reply, tears running down his face.
Finally Mark ran up to him, too an hugged him. It was the most surprising part of all but Actor wasn't complaining.
Mark didn't know how or why but his chest felt ready to burst.
"I'm so sorry." he cried on Actor's shoulder, "I'm so sorry"
It was all he could say but it was all he needed to say.
Actor hugged him back along with Wil and Dark, smiling, "I forgive you"
It was all Mark needed to hear for that pain to start ebbing away.
No one knew how or why he was back but the Host sat back in his chair with a smug smile on his face, knowing exactly what happened.
The demon had preyed on Mark and Sean giving them a deal and a price to pay.
The demon's creation power it bestowed on them was a curse.
But this . . . .
Bringing Actor back was a miracle.
We're still not done! Stay tuned for another chapter soon!