Staying against the wall, Sean watched Mark storm out of sight before slowly sliding down the wall to sit on the floor. Wrapping his arms around his legs, he dropped his head onto his knees. Part of him wanted to run after Mark and try to explain what had happened. While another part of him just wanted to give Mark space and time to calm down. His words had cut him deeply. They had torn open wounds that he had hoped would never reopen. Yet here he was. Thinking about it. He didn't feel like Mark would ever understand how he felt. How could he? Mark had grown up around friends. His family was close and only got bigger when his parents separated. Everyone who had ever known him... loved him. He had no idea what it was like to be truly alone. To be the one that everyone was too tired to play with. To live in the shadows of others because you don't know how to be seen. To feel scared when you are seen because you don't shine naturally. To fear fading into obscurity again.

Mark would never understand how much it hurt to be hated, because hatred bounced off him like a shield. While he had endured it. The overwhelming hatred of being with someone no one wanted him to be with. Someone he thought had loved him... only to use him for fame. Isolating him from his friends... only to leave him as his fame dwindled from the lack of them in his life. He'd never been used before. Had never been manipulated before. He'd never been so afraid of upsetting anyone before. It all had overwhelmed him. It had broken him... and in the end, he just felt lost. There was nothing he knew of that could help him repair the damage he'd caused. He loved Mark... but never felt like he deserved him. It didn't matter how close he got to him. He always felt like he'd eventually lose him. Mark just shined too brightly and one day... he'd just move on to someone who shined like himself. So, he chose to love him like it was all... temporary. A shameful secret between them.

Even when the fans had dug into them over their clear affection. Mark had always dealt with it like he did everything else. He'd laugh and play it up for his fans without any hostility or dismissal. He couldn't say the same. How could he? His family wouldn't have taken the news as well. He had been scared of what people would think of him. Of what people would do to him. He had more to lose. He had let fear drive him away from Mark... and it had been his biggest mistake. It was a mistake that he felt was eternally branded upon his skin. A wound that would never heal because... he didn't know how to make it go away. Mark would never trust him again. There was nothing he could do to fix that. Tears spilled from his eyes, and he didn't bother trying to disguise it. There was no one to hide from here. He cried and cried alone in the hallway until he ran out of tears. Not a soul came to offer advice. To ask if he was ok. He was... alone. Sniffling, he forced himself to get up.

As much as he didn't feel like moving, he made himself go for a walk. It didn't matter where he was going. He just wanted to go. To do something other than sit and feel sorry for himself. Walking down the hallway in the opposite direction of where Mark had gone, he just started to slowly walk. He stayed in the lightest hallways and avoided the dark ones. Walking felt good. It got his mind thinking about other things. Not a lot, but enough that he was taking in scenery and pictures. His body wanted him to stop. To lean on something. To sit by a window and think. He refused. He didn't want to think or give himself a chance to fall back into self-pity. He wanted to do something. Before he knew it, he was standing outside in front of the graveyard gate. The sun had risen but the rays were shrouded through grey clouds. Swallowing, he gripped the gate and pushed it open. The metal squealed as it moved on the rusty hinges. His mind felt suddenly disconnected from his body. Why was he here? What was he doing? He didn't seem to care enough to stop himself. Everything just felt numb and distant.

Stepping into the graveyard, he closed the door behind him and walked along the gravestones. The chilly morning breeze felt nice on his flushed skin. The fresh air filling his stagnant lungs. Reaching the stone with a raven carved onto it, he stopped to look into the hole they'd dug up. Unequipping the stupid outfit for his normal adventuring gear. His pointed ears twitched as he heard a scuffle behind him, but he didn't care enough to turn around. His body didn't even process the concept of fear. All he felt was emotional pain. The soft scuffling drew closer to him, prompting him to say over his shoulder a bit lifelessly. "Are you Grimald? Or Richter?" There was a soft curious coo that drifted on the wind, allowing him to guess and say softly. "Richter? It's a nice name. I bet your mother picked it because it is a strong name. It's hard to find a mom that loves you as fiercely as yours does." Wiping a tear from his cheek, he mumbled out in a slightly broken voice. "It's horrible what happened to you and your brother. But... at least you have each other, right? Someone to share that pain with... You're lucky in that at least."

The soft trilling coo sounded much closer now, but he didn't move. He began to wonder why he came out here. Was it to learn the truth? To prove he could play this game without Mark's help. Or something... much darker. The very idea that he had come out here for a darker reason sent a chill down his spine. He'd never let himself get this dark before. Was the game messing with him mentally? Was it acting like this because he wanted to reset? Only the respawn option was no longer in play... but the game didn't know that. Right? Something touched his wing and his thoughts snapped back to the present. Peeking over his shoulder, he silently inhaled at the sight of the strange raven creature. Thick drool dripped from its large beak and its head cocked to the side to let a large eye see one of his wings better. It's disfigured humanoid hand with three large fingers equipped with long sharp talons gently brushed the thin membrane of his rainbow hued wing as light refracted off it.

Standing perfectly still, he watched the creature look over the details of his wing, before recoiling his hand to raise his own arm. The creature cocked his head more as he looked over his splotched large black feathers that stuck out along his arms. They were too spaced apart to really help him fly, but large enough that he could and had glided over things. Turning slowly to face the creature, the creature stepped back cautiously. His focus entirely on him now as he hissed defensively. Easing down to kneel before him, he gave the creature a little smile and calmly spoke aloud. "Hello, Richter. It's alright. I'm no threat to you. I promise." Richter reluctantly inched closer. His slimy beak sniffing the air around Sean. Keeping his breathing steady and making no sudden movements, Sean turned his head away as Richter drew closer. He hoped by not staring him down that it would relax him. He'd been right. Richter stopped his soft hisses for softer cooing. His beak closing in the distance between them until it rubbed cautiously against his arm. Smearing slime on him.

It felt disgusting, but he forced himself not to react to it or rub it off. Instead, he risked looking at Richter. Richter cocked his head, then shifted happily on his feet as he moved around him to take in the look of him. He couldn't believe how different Richter was reacting to him. What had changed? As Richter bobbed his head like a bird and spread out his arms in a weird gesture, Sean blinked and slowly let his wings expand out behind him. He could almost see his wings glittering in Richter's large eyes. He was transfixed by them. That's when Sean realized it. The outfits that were supposed to wear. They hide his wings. They were worn by the players. They were outfits worn by people hired to... kill them. While wearing the face mask of their mother. He almost felt sick to his stomach. The lord of this place was one sick fucker. Richter suddenly shivered, huddling himself up and creeping closer to him with caution. Sean still didn't move as Richter nestled close enough to lean his side against his torso.

The action surprised Sean, until he carefully put a hand on Richter's splotchy feathered skin. The exposed skin was soft but bumpy like a birds'. Having very little feathers to keep warm, he was very cold to the touch. Shivering a little as he stayed close. Stroking a hand along Richter's back very carefully, he bit his lip. He could feel every bone beneath Richter's thin skin. He felt so... fragile. After a moment, a sudden deep growl made Richter perk his head up. Following his eyes to a short distance away, he saw Grimald. The sickly-looking hound growled deeply with mistrust and Richter cooed softly back at him. Though Sean didn't understand them, it was clear what was being said. Moving away from him, Richter waddled quickly over to Grimald. Grimald licked his brother's slimy beak, letting Richter nestle against his own splotchy fur. When Grimald's eyes met Sean's, they just stared at each other for a long time. Grimald appeared to be the eldest of the twin boys. He was protective and mistrusting to a fault. Sean had no doubts that Richter was only still alive because of him.

A deep threatening growl let Grimald that gave Sean goosebumps. Grimald bared his bloodstained teeth to reveal that he had fresh meat clenched tight within. Yet, when Richter cooed and tried to nip pieces of the meat from him, Grimald's attention drifted away. Allowing Richter to snatch the meat from him as they headed away. Every few feet, Grimald glanced back to make sure that Sean hadn't moved. Then coaxed his brother to keep moving away with his nose. It was almost fascinating to watch the two of them. When they faded from sight, Sean gasped out to himself. "Holy shite... The witch was right." Quickly getting to his feet, he flicked the slime off his arm and clothes as he rushed out in excitement. "I've got to tell Mark." Rushing back up the steps and down the hallway, Sean made it all the way to their room, before stopping himself from opening the door. Curling his fingers back, he hesitated as he recalled their last interaction. Was Mark still mad? Was he in the wrong for not going to him earlier?

Biting his lip hard, he closed his eyes briefly and forced himself to slowly ease the door open. Inside, he spotted Mark laying down in front of the crackling fireplace. If he had heard him enter the room, he would show no reaction to it. Closing the door, Sean flinched at the loud click the door made in the otherwise silent room. Unable to make himself move closer to him; Sean called out timidly. "Mark? Are you awake?" Without stirring, Mark's deep voice sternly commanded. "I told you to leave me alone, Sean." Slumping back against the door at the use of his name and not his pet name, Sean mumbled out sadly. "I know but... Will you let me explain?" Mark huffed with disgust, grumbling out. "Had enough time to think up and alibi for me? Don't fucking bother. Save your breath." Tilting his head back against the door, Sean weakly shrugged out to the ceiling in a broken voice. "Mark, I'm sorry... Just hear me out at least? Then you can kick me-" Sean's hand swung out to gesture at the door dramatically... only to smack someone that he didn't see there.

The person hissed and clutched their face. Their body fading into view from their invisible state. Inhaling loudly as the room changed, Sean quickly noticed that the fireplace was stone cold, and Mark was not lying in front of it. Mark was actually laying in a heap upon the floor in the center of the room. Some of the furniture in the room was smashed and the curtains were drawn to keep the light out. Moving quickly away from the door, Sean blurted out in shock. "You...You glamoured me! What did you do to Mark?!" Archie's bloodred eyes turned to lock with him as he hissed back angrily. "What were YOU doing with Mira? She is MINE!" Archie lunged for him with inhuman speed, but Sean's wings managed to propel him just out of the way in time. Archie didn't miss a beat though. Running up the wall, he turned himself around and landed like a cat to face him again with another hiss. His fangs extending out as he snarled back. "I'm gonna drain the life from your eyes!" To Be Continued...