Sean walked up to the altar, asking softly. "I need to know for certain. I do this... We all go home. That's the deal?" Glade strolled casually up to his side, telling him with a flourish to his voice. "I promise that I will let everyone out of this game... except you." Glade skeletal fingers brushed over his cheek, causing Sean to flinch from him but he felt nothing and gave no other reaction. Glade lowered his hand, his fingers ghosting down one of his wings, when he whispered over his shoulder. "I will take care of you. I will set your heart free." Swallowing, Sean mumbled out. "Let's do this then." Climbing onto the altar, he closed his eyes. Glade's hand dropped down onto his chest, and Sean gasped sharply as his body blinded the room in a bright light. His avatar suddenly jerked upright, and he found himself in a bright white room with golden accents. From a golden throne at the end of the room, the Game Master's voice boomed throughout the room as soft rain pattered around them and he told him. "So... he found you. I was hoping to kill you before he did."

Staring at the void beneath the hood of the Game Master's red robes, Sean sighed out. "I'm sorry, but I don't understand why you'd punish people like me. Your son likes games. So what? You son... clearly is upset with some things I've said but... That's no reason to kill thousands!" The Game Master tilted his head, his voice slightly confused when he said amused. "I thought it would be obvious once you met Glade... I guess not." The Game Master tapped his fingers on the throne, regaling broken-heartedly. "My son took after me. He loves games and programing them. I never faulted him for that. What I took fault with was how much he admired you. He was obsessed with you. It worried me. I don't know what you said or how you said it... but you hurt him. Deeply. He lost all his passion. He isolated himself from me. He probably would have pulled away from friends... if he had any that weren't youtubers. In his note he said... He'd wasted his life thinking he wasn't alone. Only to realize that the people that hated... we're the ones he foolishly admired. I never intended the game to kill anyone. Except you... but my son is really good at undermining me."

Gesturing to the room around them, the Game Master continued. "I built this world to give him interaction. My hope was to calm his anger. To give him closure... but he turned this game into a nightmare. I've lost billions in this pursuit. Yet, Glade has learned nothing. He sees humans now as unsavable. He's hacked himself into my business and as we speak... he's taking over the company and many others. He's grown too smart and too powerful. I can't stop him. This is his world now." Sean slowly rose to his feet, exhaling out nervously. "What are you saying? That your son is... It's your game! Unplug him from it or something!" The Game Master huffed, telling him in a defeated tone of voice. "I can't. My son is dead. He lives in the program. His uploaded consciousness is a computer system the likes of which you couldn't comprehend. I can't destroy him because he got out. He's within the digital network now. Every computer. Every electrical device. He has access to and can slip himself into to restore himself. He's the government's problem now. All because... I was trying to save my son."

Sean's shoulders fell when he reluctantly asked. "How did he... How did he die?" The Game Master inhaled deeply, before telling him. "Glade attempted to commit suicide. He hooked himself up to his 'game' and tried took pills. He didn't take enough. He was in a coma for four years. I kept him alive and used my knowledge of computers to... save what was left of him. It worked... but being alone... It has twisted him. If he isn't stopped... I fear the worst." Sean shrugged, asking quickly. "How do we stop him?" The Game Master shrugged, answering honestly. "I've tried everything, and he's countered it all. My guess now... He's still obsessed with you. Now that he has you... Maybe he'll stop." Hugging himself, Sean blurted out. "There has to be something you can do?" The Game Master huffed, telling him frankly. "As we speak, Glade is soloing the boss. I've already made the announcement that the game is over for them. However, he's locked and protected your data... He's going to transfer you into HIS game. I know nothing about that game... It's... not my style. Win it. See what happens. That is my best advice for you. I've got a mess to contain."

Sean reached out for him, yelling out. "No! You need to-!" Before he could finish, the bright light in the room shut off and everything went black. Yet, Sean found himself standing alone in the void. His avatar hadn't changed but nothing seemed to be running. Then the lights came back on, and Sean found himself staring at a strange man. The man was tall with lean muscle. His jet black hair was short and his eyes were pure gold. He wore a black silk skirt with slits up the sides to show off his strong legs and behind him was a gorgeous set of black and purple butterfly wings. Extending out his hand, the man's soothing voice told him. "Come with me, Sean. My world awaits." Swallowing nervously, Sean whispered aloud. "Glade? Is that..." Stepping closer to him, the man nodded and told him pleasantly. "In my world... guys like us don't have to hide. In my world... I'm a king and you'll be by my side. You'll be free." Sean didn't believe that, but he took his hand and let him lead him away.

Mark

Was in the middle of fighting the white wolf, when an announcement came through that announced that the game had been won. Inhaling sharply, he whirled around to look at the house and yelled out Sean's name. What had he done?! There was no way that anyone had made it to the end! Unless. Abandoning the fight, Mark went searching for Sean but couldn't find him. Screaming his name as loud as his lungs allowed, he fell to his knees in the snow as the sun came up and his werewolf form fell away from him. Bowing his head, he uttered Sean's name, before the lights in the game went out. Leaving him in a dark void that eventually swallowed him like sinking into black ink. With a gasp, he awoke in a hospital bed, causing the headset to fall off his head and onto the floor. He was strapped down and covered in wires and needles. The tube down his throat made him cough and gag violently. The tubing under his nose forced air into him that he hadn't expected until he felt like he was too full of air.

From somewhere in the room, a woman screamed out into the hallway. "HELP! HE'S WAKE!" Alarms were blaring all over the hospital as people rushed from one room to another. Finally, a doctor ran to his side, rushing out to a nurse. "Help me get the tubing out of his mouth!" People in the room cried and whimpered as they watched the doctor work. After removing all the stuff that he no longer needed, the doctor told the nurse. "Keep monitoring his heart and hook up an I.V.! We've got to force him back to sleep and wake him up slowly or he'll go into shock! Hurry! I've got to go!" Mark reached up to touch the nurse's hand to stop her, but she cooed out to him. "Easy. Easy. You're safe. Just relax." She stuck something into his neck and seconds later, he was drifting off to sleep like it had all just been a bad dream. The next time he awoke it was much better. A woman was stroking his hand and talking to him casually about her day. Opening his eyes, he turned his head to look at his girlfriend. It pained him to see her and not Sean.

Getting up from her chair, she kissed his forehead and sweetly purred to him. "I'm so glad you're back. I was so worried." Mark tried to speak but his throat was so dry it hurt to make a sound. Picking up a glass with a straw, she held it out for him, telling him slowly. "No need to rush. Take your time. Doctor said that your body will need time to... adjust." Sipping the water, Mark glanced down at himself, his hands shook, and his body looked frail. After a few more sips, he asked her in a scratchy voice. "My phone? Call Sean..." His girlfriend lowered his eyes to the floor, telling him uneasily. "I don't think you should worry about him right now. You need to recover. The doctor said-" Holding up a hand to stop her, he told her seriously. "Call him. Please. I need to know that he got out." Looking a little disheartened, she got up and walked out of the room. As the hours past, Mark started to catch onto all the routine checks the nurses did.

He had blood taken. He was given nutrients through an I.V. because they felt he wasn't strong enough to eat anything. Nor did they trust if his body would remember how to digest it. They had him preform physical tests and memory tests. It was boring but he could easily sit through it all. He was too tired to fight. His girlfriend eventually came back and sat down next to him. Her look grim. Mark shook his head, trying to defend himself against her words. Touching his hand, she informed him. "Sean is... fine. They are monitoring him in an overseas hospital in England." Relief filled him. He told himself that he'd get better and go visit. He couldn't let their last words in the game be it. It was two whole months before Mark was able to leave the hospital in good health. He still found himself trying to bring up menus, but he was at least able to eat now. The hospital put him in weekly therapy, but he managed to convince them to let him go to the U.K. to visit his friend.

During the flight, his girlfriend kept giving him weird looks. He knew she wasn't a big fan of Sean, but this felt more... sympathetic. He decided to ignore it and just smile back at her. Until Sean's mom drove them from the airport to the hospital. He'd thought Sean would be out by now. As far as he knew, everyone who had woken up from the game was up and about now. The sight of Sean still hooked up in the blinking headset and covered in tubing and breathing gear... it broke him. Walking up to the bed, he placed his hand in Sean's chilled palm, trying to fight the tears that wanted to fall from his eyes. Behind him, Sean's mom told them. "The doctor's say he is doing well. They just... They can't figure out why he didn't wake up with everyone else. They think... They think he is either stuck or... he's still playing." Pointing to the heart monitor, she added excitedly. "His heartbeat gets really active at certain times of the day or week. So, I chose to believe he is still playing the game. He'll wake. When he's ready. I'm glad you came to see him though. He misses you. Even if he tries to deny it."

Carefully sitting down on the edge of the bed, Mark cupped Sean's hand in his to warm it up. Behind him, his girlfriend ushered Sean's mom out of the room with the promise of getting food and leaving Mark to talk to him. Stroking his hand, Mark shuddered out. "You can do this, Jack. You can't leave me. Please... come home." Cupping Sean's jaw, he leaned over him and whispered more desperately. "I'm sorry. Do you hear me? I'm sorry. I... I love you." Mark's breath caught in his throat when he saw a tear leak down Sean's cheek from under the headset. Cupping his neck, Mark tried to be mindful of the tubing and wires, when he told him a bit louder. "Jack? Please? I take it back. I need..." Mark sniffled, then stiffened when a female voice told him. "Sad to see him like this isn't it?" Briefly looking over his shoulder, he saw Sean's girlfriend walk into the room. Setting her purse down, she told him openly. "I keep waiting for him to wake up... but he just won't. I don't think he ever will."

Glaring at her, he asked her a bit defensively. "Why would you say that?" Sean's girlfriend huffed, then accused sternly. "Don't act like you don't know. Sean is obsessed with games. It's his escape... and escape from all of us. But especially, from YOU. When I started dating him, I knew he was a little broken... but this... After five years of him being trapped in there. I find myself wondering if I should continue to wait for him. He's where he wants to be." Bitterly Mark shot back. "That's not true!" Raising an eyebrow, she told him snarkily. "Ya? Is that why despite your falling out as friends... you signed in to play with him? Spent years with him. You know... I was here all night for months. I was here when he started... acting strange. Doctors assured me he was just... having intercourse and it was causing his body to react. Setting a note on the bedside table, she collected her bag and told Mark sourly. "He moaned your name. I came to say goodbye to him. Clearly, he won't miss me. Since you're here now, Home-wreaker."

Stopping at the door, she turned to tell him one last thing in a hurt voice. "I loved him. But you keep ruining him. He's better off where he is. Oh... and I sent the video of Sean's lovemaking to your girlfriend. She should know what you were doing in that game and coming here was so important to YOU." Without another word, she strolled from the room. Leaving him feeling empty and alone as he clutched Sean's hand tighter.

Epilogue

Mark leaned against his front door with his arms crossed as he watched his ex-girlfriend drive off with the last of her stuff. He wanted to be sad about it, but he just felt numb to it. He'd told her the truth. He felt better for it, but at the same time... he felt like he deserved being alone. He'd hurt everyone around him. Closing the door, he pet Chica and Henry as he settled in on the sofa. It was almost Thanksgiving and Sean still hadn't woken up. He flew out every month to check on Sean. To talk to him, but still nothing. Turning on the TV, he listened to the CEOs of the game talk about its relaunch. Yet, nothing in the demos he played of the relaunch had Sean. He searched everywhere. Talked to every NPC and nothing. Where was he? Was he really trapped in a void? Suddenly, someone began banging on his door. He told them to go away, when Bob shoved the door open and told him excitedly. "Mark! You need to see this!"

Mark slowly sat up with mild interest as Bob rushed over to him. Holding out his phone, Bob told him quickly. "One of my friends from college sent me this. I told him about Sean. How he never woke up. Right now, he's playing this little indie game that was released on steam a few weeks ago. Anyway, yesterday he sent me this. Look at the screenshot he took!" Taking the phone from him, Mark lazily looked at it and nearly swallowed his tongue. There was a man with dark butterfly wings and a twisted crown of black thorns, standing next to a man wearing a white silk skirt and decorated in golden jewelry. His butterfly wings were of pure white and atop his head was a crown of white roses. Sean! The man with dark wings had his hand on the back of Sean's neck as if he possessed him like property! Handing the phone back, Mark asked Bob eagerly. "What is it about? Send me the link." Bob scrolled through his phone, while informing him. "It's another VRMMORPG, but it's about saving the Light Fairy King from this Dark Fairy King. It's like a DLC Expansion for the game we played or something. It's mostly popular with girls, but I've heard... some guys play it."

Mark looked at his phone as it dinged with the link to purchase the game, while Bob finished off. "Anyway, according to my friend. If you manage to save the king, you win the game. People keep trying but haven't managed to do it yet." Getting up, Mark told him seriously. "I'm going in. I've got to get him out. I'm gonna be the to save him."   The End.

*Coming Soon: The Sequel Game Over*