Marvin

As night fell, Marvin stayed low in the bushes out in the courtyard of a large museum. He could tell it was owned by I.R.I.S. because security was high, and all the guards had that same three-eyed symbol under their security badges. Waiting for a guard to finish locking up the front door, Marvin glanced to his side and asked an Iplier skilled as an officer and in Black OPS. "I can take care of the cameras, but how do you suggest we go in?" The Iplier beside him looked over the front of the building before whispering. "The roof. There is a ventilation shaft up there that I.R.I.S. doesn't have much security around. It's an easy way to get in... Or... we could go up through the sewer to get into the building?" Biting his thumb, Marvin asked curiously. "Where would the sewer take us inside?" The Iplier removed a blueprint of the building from his bag, informing him quickly. "The sewer leads up into the employee showers and bathrooms here. It's a disgusting trip, but if you can stomach it... we can be in and out."

Moving his hand on the blueprint, he added quietly Marvin. "If we go by the roof, we should make it into the dining area. It's a bit farther from the exhibit but it should have less guards there. While the bathrooms are closer to the exhibit but won't know if anyone is in there until we lift that heavy manhole they've got in there." Lifting a finger to stop him, Marvin closed his eyes and consulted his visions. After a flash of images from both, he told the Iplier confidently. "We go to the roof and exit through the sewer. It's safer." The Iplier nodded, telling him with a smile. "Alright. Let's do this." The Iplier rushed out to the wall, removing a grappling to fire at the roof. Then used it to pull himself up quickly. Stepping out from the bushes, Marvin made sure no one was watching before waving a hand to erase the data and shut off the cameras. Then used his magic to disappear and reappear on the roof just as the Iplier was rolling over the side. Pointing to the ventilation shaft, the Iplier panted out. "Would you mind...?"

Snapping his fingers, Marvin traced a line over the vent to cut it silently open. Allowing the Iplier to yank the cut piece from the frame. The Iplier then crawled inside first, and Marvin followed. They crawled through the vent for a bit, until they came to a grate. Removing his tools, the Iplier began unscrewing the bolts as he told him quietly. "I hope this thing is worth it. If we get caught..." Marvin shushed him, then snatched the Iplier's vest as he almost fell out of the ventilation shaft. The Iplier thanked him, then took his hand, letting Marvin help him down to the floor below. Hovering out of the ventilation shaft himself, Marvin asked him curiously. "Now what?" The Iplier pointed off toward a door that led out of the dining area as he whispered. "That way." Staying low, they crept through the door and split up to hide better from the patrolling guards behind the encased artifacts on display. Marvin cursed silently as he read the nameplate of some of the artifacts. He recognized them as artifacts that had been destroyed or lost in history... but the I.R.I.S. company was abusing time to save and find them.

It was blatantly criminal. Since they had no idea what bringing it from there to here would do to the timeline. Putting his frustration aside, he followed the Iplier up to a solid glass-looking door that needed special keys to get inside. Yet, inside was what they were after. The object was on display under a glass case and the room it was in was locked up tight but allowed it to be viewed from all angles. Tapping the glass door, the Iplier informed him seriously. "Safety glass. There is no breaking that without a massive amount of force. Guess we can try to hunt down some guards and hope they have the-" Before he could finish, Marvin placed his hand to the key pad and it clicked softly as it unlocked. The Iplier shrugged, replying bluntly. "Or... you can just do that too. That works. Show off." Pushing the doors open, they slipped inside, where Marvin told the Iplier in a worried tone of voice. "You have to be careful. This tablet is very... temperamental." The Iplier nodded, removing his gloves as he told him calmly. "Ya, I know. Just sit back and watch the master."

Reaching out carefully, the Iplier looked over the glass case before carefully lifting it away from the long square looking brown stone that had a small glowing blue crystal imbedded in the top with strange runes carved around it. Watching him reach out to touch it, Marvin held his breath. He could see the thin barrier that wards anyone with power from taking the tablet, but Iplier had none. So, he was able to get his hands on it. Before he lifted it though, the Iplier told him nervously. "Oh crap... It's sitting on a pressure plate. Can you do something about that?" Marvin created a bit of mist from his palm but when he saw the mist puff against the barrier that domed the display, he shook his head and told him. "Sorry. I can't without triggering the alarm." Shaking his head, the Iplier told him seriously. "Then get ready to run. That way to the bathroom. Cause I can't take it without setting it off." The Iplier counted to three, then lifted the tablet. Marvin inhaled sharply, watching the tablet ripple with separate timeline variations. It was distorting time around it.

He could only be happy that the Iplier was wearing think gloves. Looking it over, the Iplier whispered to it with excitement. "This is going to change our lives forever. I can't believe we got it." Marvin glanced around uneasily. Why hadn't the alarms gone off? Gesturing for the Iplier to wrap it up, he told him seriously. "something's wrong. We've got to go. Now." The Iplier took his eyes off the tablet as he realized the same thing. Stuffing the tablet into his bag, he rushed out of the room with Marvin on his heels. Rushing into the bathrooms, the Iplier lead him into the back where the employee showers were. In the dead center of the room was the manhole. Using his powers to lift it and move it aside, they quickly descended into the hole and raced through the dark damp tunnel. The tunnel reeked of mold and crap, but Marvin did his best not to breathe whenever he could. The tunnel became very narrow as the Iplier informed him confidently. "If we follow the water on the floor, it will lead us out. Just stay close and-" Before he could finish, the power in the building shut off and shrouded them in a pitch black darkness.

In front of him, he heard the Iplier scream and raised a hand to unleash a blazing bright light, but his light couldn't seem to reach very far. The darkness was so thick and overwhelming. He couldn't see very far in front of him at all. Suddenly from the darkness around him, Marvin heard Darkiplier's voice ask coolly. "Aren't you tired of it?" "Don't you feel like you're running in circles?" "Marvin, is it? Aren't you tired of always trying to save Sean?" Grinding his teeth, Marvin called out angrily. "Show yourself, Coward!" Stepping slowly from behind a wall of thick black shadows, Dark shrugged out to him without concern. "I'm not trying to hide. You're the one trapped in his games. Perpetually plunged down the rabbit hole of his inescapable fate. Helpless. Lost. Imprisoned. I know how THAT feels." Darkiplier moved out before him and Marvin stepped back when he realized that a gorgeous office desk and leather chair seemed to just appear out of the shadows. Where was he? Certainly not still in the sewer... or was he? He just couldn't tell anymore.

Folding his arms behind his back, Darkiplier shrugged out to him. "It doesn't matter. People like you only want one thing... You want answers." Reaching out to remove the dark glass of wine that rested on the desk, Dark brought it to his lips as he went on calmly to take a drink. While his other hand revealed the stone tablet from behind his back. Marvin stepped closer to the desk but froze when Dark's solid black eyes met his. Setting his glass down, Dark seated himself on the edge of his desk, before stating dismissively. "So much trouble... Over something so small. Do you really want to know what this stone tablet is?" Marvin narrowed his eyes on him, retorting firmly. "It's how you plan to corrupt Chase! I won't let you!" Darkiplier flashed him a dazzling smile, before telling him smugly. "How do you plan to stop me, Marvin? Every time you go back, you make it more complicated for yourself. After all... we never would have learned about Chase if not for your meddling."

Holding the tablet up, Dark bragged out simply. "You should be thrilled. I don't need Sean anymore. I'm letting you keep him. Go home, Marvin. You're out of your league and you'll find nothing but monsters here." Marvin shook his head, telling him in an icy tone of voice. "I won't let you get your way! I'm gonna save us all from... whatever brought you here!" Dark smirked devilishly, replying with a shrug. "You'll have to go back in time for that. I don't think you have it in you to go back that far." Turning slightly, Dark uttered out to someone that stood off to his left now. "Catch." Marvin barely processed that Chase was standing there, reaching out for his as he belted out. "NO! DON'T!" It was too late. Dark tossed the stone tablet, and Chase caught it with his bare hands. Causing the crystal to gleam brightly and swirl around him. In a split second, Chase met his eyes, whimpering out in shock. "Marvin...?" The next second, Chase's eyes turned a solid acid green, and his body sparked wildly with green electricity.

The stone tablet appeared to pull Anti into it from where ever he had been, before dispersing him up Chase's arms. Chase's hands turned black from holding the tablet and black veins spiderwebbed up his arms, chest, and face to his eyes. Chase let out a scream before his eyes turned a solid black and bright green irises appeared. Dark cracked his neck with a smile, taking the tablet out of Chase's hands. Chase's hands and veins slowly returned to normal, but his eyes remained, and Anti's voice suddenly came from him as he chuckled out. "Oh, fuck. This feels so much better!" Marvin tried to rush forward but found himself being retrained by the darkness. He tried to use his magic but the grip on his wrists now were cutting off his circulation to prevent him from casting. Showing him the stone tablet one last time. Dark told Marvin smugly. "You've lost. We've won. Unless you wanna try this again? But if I was you. I wouldn't. That's a long way to go back to the beginning." Dark was baiting him, and he knew it... but he didn't see any other way to fix this.

Inhaling deeply, he waited for the darkness to pull away, leaving him back in the sewer. Alone. Sean would hate him for doing this... but he had to do it. He had to go back to when Mark, Nate, and Sean were exposed to the stone tablet. He had to find a way to stop them... or there was nothing he could do to save everyone. Closing his eyes, he put his fingers together and thought of the date and time he needed to go back to. Around him time began to unwind, but he focused only on going back to the beginning. To the cabin. Where everything fell apart.  The End.

*See you in the sequel. "The Dark Mark"*