0000Soren0Bowers 00000000000000000|0000000000000|Markus0 Vasco
Ghost | Attirex|xhex: #4d5676 0000000000000000000000000000000000 Human | Attire | xhex: #800000
00000000000000000000000
Markus didnât know what to expect to come from Soren, but the look of pure confusion and even fear were clear as day on the other manâs face. Markus felt his heart sink, his chest tightening as his stomach seemed to plummet into a nonexistent pit as he watched Soren get to his feet and excuse himself as he walked away. He could have sworn he was seeing things when the cups started to float out of his hands, but Markus didnât really know what to do, other than instinctively get up and follow after his friend. It was like he was on autopilot. His feet carrying him all the way until it happened. He didnât know what happened first, whether it was the strange energy that seemed to shift over his friend, the look that overcame Sorenâs face or the shattering of the carnival stalls. As some unseen force ripped through them like paper.
He watched on in horror, his feet firmly planted into the ground beneath him as he watched Soren-or well, more so whatever was using his body, to tear through the fairgrounds. The voice that came out from Sorenâs voice...That wasnât his voice. But at the same time, it was. It was haunting and Markus wasnât sure what was going on, but heâd be damned if he didnât try to do something to help his friend. It lasted only a few moments longer as the figure spoke, before Soren collapsed to the ground in a heap. Markus blinked for a moment and in an instant he felt the strength, or just pure adrenaline rush through his veins and he was running up next to Soren, kneeling down next to him as he hovered his hand over his friend for just a moment before speaking softly as he gently placed a hand on his shoulder, âSoren? Soren! Are you okay?â he asked in a panicked tone, not really knowing what he was meant to believe just yet. âWhat the hell was that?â he questioned, but part of him already knew the answer to that, it didnât matter. All that did matter, was that he got Soren out of there now, they could figure out what to do at some other time. He carefully helped his friend to his feet, gently holding him by the arms for a moment longer, his eyes lingered on Soren for maybe a moment too long. Before a smile appeared on his face and he embraced Soren in a tight hug. A hug he had wanted to feel for such a long time. In that moment, so many things went through his mind.
The memories of that night. Yelling at Soren when he was drunk. The accusations that Markus threw his way. But more than anything, all the regret he felt after that and up until now. He spent so much time being angry at himself for everything he did-no, all the things he didnât do. He should have stopped Soren from getting into that car that night. He should have walked Soren home that night, instead of storming off like he had done. There were just so many things he regretted that night. But now...Maybe somehow, this was the universe giving him a second chance at fixing things. And he sure as hell wasnât going to walk away now. Not again.
The world had gone black for a few seconds, and when Soren reopened his eyes Markus was there, shaking his shoulder and making sure he was okay. Soren nodded a little as he sat up, but his head was spinning. There was a pounding in one temple, and when he put his hand to it, it came away a little bloody from where heâd landed on some shattered wood. His whole body ached, but as he looked at his hands, he could see the tiny scratches from where his body had instinctively tried and failed to catch itself. âI⊠I donât know,â he said as Markus asked what had happened. He had an idea, but how was that possible? How was any of this possible? How was he even supposed to try and explain it? He accepted the hand to get to his feet, but the world tilted as he stood upright, exhaustion nearly making his legs buckle. He could see the remains of the destruction around him, the shattered stalls and the terrified faces, all of the fear directed right at him. âThat wasnât me,â he forced out, clutching Markusâ arms. âIt wasnât me, I promise,â he said again, returning his focus to Markus and searching his friendâs face to try and make sense of his expression. Markus wasnât afraid, or if he was, he was afraid for Soren, not of him. The wave of relief that Markus wasnât going anywhere was nearly enough to make his knees buckle again. When Markus pulled him in for a hug, Soren clung to him tightly, pressing his face into Markusâ shoulder for a moment, to give him a second to try and compose himself and stay calm, before releasing the hug and nodding, not sure if it was for himself or for Markus as if to confirm he was okay.
Gently, Markus kept his arm looped around Soren, helping to support his friendâs weight as they began to walk to-anywhere but here. âCâmon, Sor...Letâs get you outta here..â he said softly, walking off in the direction of the diner. They had only been walking for a few short minutes before they arrived at the diner-or well, what would have been the diner, if there wasnât broken glass and crowds of people surrounding the area. Markus would have ignored it all together and walked around the crowds of people. But something was pulling him to look. Against his better judgement, he peered through a part in the crowd, and his heart sank. What laid before him were a few more figures that...It would have been impossible. There was no way. Markus had seen two of the other figures die-But..Here they were. Xan Cole, who was laying on the ground, and then Erin-No. It was impossible-But here she was. Markus blinked as he tried to find something to say, anything at all. It was only when his eyes landed on Nixie Cole, Xanâs sister that he felt his stomach tie in knots. He hadnât really talked to her since ErinâsâŠ.The accident. He didnât really find himself involved after Xan had passed either. Yet, here they all were. Markus nervously bit his lip for a moment, looking between the three girls before finally finding himself speaking, âPhoenix-? I mean...Nixie? Is...Is it reallyâŠ.â he stammered for a moment, before looking down at Xan, giving her the faintest of a smile, before looking at the blonde who laid unconscious on the ground, unmoving. â...Is...Is she..?â he questioned them, before looking back at Soren, pure confusion was on Markusâ face. He didnât know what was going on. Everyone he had known at some point, or those that had at one point or another was here, and he didnât know what to think.
Soren just wanted to go home at that point in time. Not back to the empty apartment that his keys opened. He wanted to go home, but he wasnât quite sure where that was any more. He trusted Markus to bring him wherever his friend thought he needed to be. When he saw the diner ahead of them, he was actually relieved, realising that he was starving as well as exhausted. But then he saw the destruction and the bodies laying outside the diner. He stared at the two girls for a second. âI knew them.â He said, looking at Markus for verification. Markus was talking to another girl too now, and Soren realised that he knew her too. The name Nixie rang a bell, but the memories of how they knew each other were as distant as ever. âAre they okay?â He managed to get out.
Markus exchanged a quick glance towards Soren when he heard the male speak, nodding slightly. A shadow of a smile appeared on his face for a moment. He wasn't going to explain things just yet to Soren, there were just so many things that he didnât even know. Nevermind knowing how to explain it to someone else. Markus looked over the crowd, to try to gain some semblance on what happened, hearing a few people mumble amongst themselves about what they saw. His eyes widened before he took a step forward, before stopping, âI donât know, SorenâŠ.Are theyâŠ.â he started, before looking back at Nixie, â...Did they cause this?â he questioned, eyeing the remains of the establishment behind them. He managed to give Xan a dodgy look before taking a step backward and looking back at Soren, he didnât realize it just yet, but Markus had been shaking the entire time, his hands trembling by his sides. He didnât know what was going on, and now seeing three people he had seen die and attended their funerals well...This were beginning to show themselves for just how much this was all becoming.