Sean gawked at the dark dressed figure, breathlessly exhaling out to himself. "Blood Hunter." Illinois unsnapped a loop on his belt and removed his bull whip, discreetly telling Sean. "Open the portal. I'll distract him." Sean put a hand on Illinois' arm, telling him curtly. "Wait! Maybe I can-" A loud 'BANG' rang out, resulting in Illinois shoving Sean away before jumping back himself, moments before the peppering of lead bullets destroyed a statue. Flicking out his whip behind him, Illinois lashed it out at Blood Hunter in response. The whip snapped sharply through the air, forcing Blood Hunter to jump back to dodge the range of it. Blood Hunter causally started to reload his gun, while stating aloud to Illinois. "You seem a tad rusty with that thing, March Hare. Don't you know not to bring a whip... to a gun fight?" Blood Hunter raised his gun again, taking aim at him. Sean scrambled up to his feet as the gun went off for a second time. Illinois dropped to a knee and raised an arm to protect his face, when a puff of green smoke appeared before him. The puff of green smoke dissipated to reveal another dark figure in a dark cloak that was closed over their body.

The bullets hit the cloak, bouncing off harmlessly as they fell to the stone ground. Blood Hunter cursed, shoving his gun into a holster as he grumbled out. "Still playing with rabbits, I see. Doesn't that trick get old?" The cloaked figure removed his hands from the cloak to push his hood back off his face, telling him coolly. "Why mess with a good thing?" Blood Hunter snorted, gripping his dripping weapon tighter as he approached, dryly stating out. "Because it's outdated. Like you." Marvin chuckled, reaching up to remove a spike that was holding up his long green hair. Gripping the spike, he ran his hands over it and it expanded into a far bigger fighting stick. Illinois slowly straightened up, snapping out. "Marvin, you son of a bitch! Where have you been?!" Marvin kept his eyes on Blood Hunter but answered unphased by his tone. "I'm a little busy. Protect Sean and get to the tree." Blood Hunter lunged forward, yelling out as he swung his long sharp blade. "OVER MY DEAD BODY, MARVIN!" Marvin raised his stick to stop the blade, then tried to kick Blood Hunter back. However, Blood Hunter run up into him to knee Marvin in the gut. Then grabbing Marvin's long hair, he tried to shove him down to his knees.

Marvin went down to his knees, but his hair was long enough that Marvin easily whirled to look up and yanked down his bandana to blow a shimmering blue powder into Blood Hunter's face. Blood Hunter staggered back from him, coughing and gasping for air as he rubbed his eyes. Marvin planted his stick on the road, leaning his weight on it as he kicked Blood Hunter off his feet. Illinois rushed to Sean's side, trying to coax him toward the tree. Having fallen to the ground, Blood Hunter saw them making a break for the tree and swung his blade at their legs. Marvin stopped him, before his blade made contact by slamming his stick down on Blood Hunter's arm to throw off his swing. Blood Hunter grunted in pain, then jerked his legs up to wrap them around Marvin's legs to bring him down next to him. Rolling on top of him, Blood Hunter grabbed Marvin's throat. Sean gasped but watched as Marvin's legs rose to wrap around Blood Hunter's neck to pull him down. Blood Hunter reluctantly fell back between Marvin's legs, but he adjusted his own legs and clicked his boot to impale a small heel dagger into Marvin's shoulder. Marvin cried out in pain but grabbed his mask to touch his fingers to a symbol on it. The mask glowed and his body changed.

Transforming into a large horse sized white cat, Marvin quickly grabbed a hold of Blood Hunter and started claw at him with his hind legs. His sharp claws piercing the thick leather clothes to shred it and expose skin! Sean didn't want to look away but knew he had too. Removing his glove, he lifted his hand and concentrated on the Heart's Casino. He concentrated on the name and brief bits on what he remembered, watching the dead tree's trunk untwist and reveal what appeared to be a garden hedge on the other side. Illinois grabbed his arm, trying to push him through the portal, but Sean stumbled and resisted as he noticed someone watching in the distance. It was Anti. Standing in the shadow of the large cathedral, he stood watching them with a puzzled look. In his hand the Vorpal blade glinted in the lamplight and Sean's gut twisted at the sight. He wanted to talk to him and get the blade, but he trusted the Sphinx's vision. So far, his vision had proven to be correct. Raising a hand to wave at Anti with a sad look, he let Illinois rush him into the portal. Sean had meant to be graceful about it, but his foot caught a tree root and he fell through it.

Landing with a huff, Illinois yelped and dashed through the portal as it closed quickly. It had almost locked Illinois out. Helping him up, Illinois asked him. "Are you ok?" Sean nodded, dusting himself off as he mumbled out in a self-conscious tone. "Ya... I'm just frazzled. Where are we now?" Illinois turned to look around and started informing him casually. "The beachside. The Heart's Casino is just beyond this hedge maze that leads to the King's garden- AAH!" Sean gasped, jumping back as Anti glitched in behind Illinois and simply put a hand on his shoulder. Illinois' body shook violently as Anti's hand sparked with electricity. Anti then lightly nudged Illinois aside, causing him to fall to the grass limply. Sean backed up, his back pressing into the thick firm hedge as Anti menacingly approached him. Pointing the blade at Sean's throat, Anti asked him with sinister suspicion. "What kind of mind games are you trying to play with me? You hunt me down... and leave?" Sean stayed very still and tried to keep his voice calm as he said aloud. "I wasn't hunting you down, Anti. I just wanted to ask you something..." Anti touched the flat of the cold blade under Sean's chin, forcing him to look up at him better. Sean obeyed. Knowing how sharp the blade was, he didn't want to risk a fatal cut.

Licking his dry lips, he whispered to him. "I wanna dethrone the King of Hearts." Anti blinked with no emotion, upon flatly retorting. "You can't." Sean confidently replied. "I can. All you have to do is let me have THAT." Anti followed his eyes to the blade, then scoffed out. "You think I'm a fool? I know why you want it." Anti's body glitched in place, his voice distorting a little, causing a pained look to cross his face briefly. Afraid that he was losing Anti's attention, he touched his wrist and told him honestly. "No. You're not.... Because I'm not. Anti, please. Let me explain." Anti's jaw locked, his voice still distorting when he strained out. "I don't want to hear it! I'm not some toy in-" Sean acted quickly. Swatting Ant's hand away and practically jumping into his arms to hug him. Anti stood frozen to the spot, his voice hitching as he asked. "What are you doing...?" Wrapping his arms around his shoulders in a warm hug, he told him openly. "I know what you are, Anti. My fears. My doubts. My self-loathing. My anger. I'm so sorry... I didn't know the mirror would make you... I didn't understand until recently. But it makes sense now... You are the part of me that I was ashamed of. And I'm sorry."

Anti glitched out of his grip, snapping out in a broken voice. "I am not! What you are... What you did..." Sean watched Anti's neck start bleeding lightly like the memory of it was causing the wound to open anew. Shaking his head, Anti backed away from him, his body glitching more and more as he strained out. "I'm gonna kill you. What you did to me... I can't... I won't... I'm not..." Sean slowly walked toward Anti as he backed out across the white sand. Anti's hand shook as he reached up to touch his neck, his body glitching out for seconds at a time before reappearing. Shaking his head, Anti's highly distorted voice was inaudible as he spoke to himself. Lowering his hand, Anti's voice cleared only enough for Sean to understand a small bit. "You have no idea how much pain I'm in... How it hurts. You've maimed me... and they know it. I'm... not weak." When Anti met his eyes, Sean's eyes watered as he saw the emotional pain behind his eyes. Inching cautiously closer, Sean whispered to him. "I didn't mean to cut you with the blade... I... He sent you after me and I panicked. I never would have hurt you under different circumstances."

Anti shook his head, growling out. "Liar." Sean stopped, trying to think carefully. Turning the Ring of Wonderland discreetly on his finger, Sean asked him openly. "On the train, you attacked me. You wanted a pearl." Anti stiffened, glancing around like he expected a trap to be coming. Extending out his hand that hand the ring on his ring finger, he told him in a loving voice. "Tell me what you want, and the Pearl is yours." Anti scoffed, shifting on his feet when he sneered back. "I wanna conquer Wonderland and be the greatest nightmare that Wonderland has ever seen! And you will just grant it. Just like that?" Sean took one last step closer, replying so warmly. "No. That's what you want everyone else to believe. You and I both know that you don't need power. You already have it. You don't want physical strength because we have mental strengths. You don't need people to fear you... because like me. You're scared of being alone. No... what you want... Is to be free. Free from pressure and pain... To feel whole and balanced." Sean extended out his hand to him, telling him confidently. "I can't change who you are, Anti. Only you can do that. But please... give me a chance to try and save OUR family. Let me let you all free."

Anti looked over his hand with clear suspicion, but after a long pause... he took his hand. Holding his hand tightly, Sean pulled him into another hug. Anti winced as he glitched in his arms, but the Ring of Wonderland started to glow. Through their connected hands, he could still feel Anti as he glitched in his embrace. Anti was so tense, until the Ring started to work its magic. While it couldn't reverse the damage that the Vorpal blade had done to Anti's neck or glitching body... it did give him what he wanted. It set him free from the power the Eldritch Horror within Mark had on him. For the first time, Anti felt something other than the worst of emotions. He felt relief. Anti leaned into Sean for the briefest of moments, his breath hitching as he was overcome with his new emotions. Sean smiled, hugging him just a bit tighter to try and show how much he cared about him. The action was too much for Anti though. Glitching out of his embrace and standing at a distance with a guarded expression, Anti told him in a low calm voice. "Don't expect me to be grateful. I'm still pissed at you... but... It's a start." Letting out a sigh, Anti tossed the Vorpal blade into the sand before Sean's feet, telling him in a guarded voice. "You can't beat him. Trust me... Darkiplier and I tried... We lost."

Sean kneeled to carefully pick up the blade, asking him hopefully. "Tell me what you did. Let's work together." Anti shook his head, bowing his head in defeat when he told him. "No. It's a losing battle. I've accepted that. In time you will too." Anti started to walk away but stopped to look at the ocean. Letting out a reluctant sigh, Anti looked over his shoulder to tell him coolly. "I'll tell you this. If you want to fight the King of Hearts... The man you should be talking to is Dark. He doesn't take losses well. He's obsessed. And from what I hear... He needs that ring in order to beat him at his own game." Sean didn't hesitate to ask him. "How do I find him?" Anti pointed toward the casino in the distance, answering bluntly. "The garden party. Dark never misses it. I'm curious though... When you kill The Actor... Are you prepared for the nightmare that will take his place? Cause there is nothing left to redeem in Dark. If you know Mark... Then you can guess what Dark's wicked soul contains." Sean shrugged, telling him confidently. "I'll deal with Dark when the time comes." Anti smirked with a little sarcastic huff, purring out in response. "Your heart is in the right place, Sean... but you just don't understand. The world is a dark place... and we live in it rent free."

Sean started to say something, but Anti glitched away, his last words echoing out in a disembodied voice. "Say hi to Dark for me. It might just keep you alive." Sean waited a minute or two, then ran back to Illinois. Illinois was laying on his back now and wincing as he tried to stretch out his tense muscles. Seeing Sean, he asked him gruffly. "Where is he?" Sean waved his hand off, answering calmly. "Gone. We... talked." Illinois raised and eyebrow, until his eyes fell on the knife. Jerking upright, he blurted out. "Oh my god, you got it! How?!" Sean eased him back down, chuckling out. "Doesn't matter. The important thing is that we have it and can go to the party." Illinois nodded, but they both tensed as anew voice cooed out. "The garden party? Well, if ya'll are heading there... mind taking a few flyers in for me? I'd take them myself but... I might not be welcome. By the way. You two interested in a baby? I got a sale going on for a limited time. You can buy up to ten babies in a single order for just fifty-nine ninety-nine. What do ya say?" Illinois groaned, pulling the brim of his hat down over his eyes as he grumbled out. "Oh fuck... Not Mock Turtle." To Be Continued...