MINE || 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐊𝐘 [✓]

Chapter 9

I could hear the leaves crunch underneath my feet as Masky led me through the forest, EJ closely following behind us. The trees grew twistier and the grass began to appear more grey as we progressed through. The air was thick and smelt of smoke, rust and something unspeakable.
Masky held onto my hand tightly, asking EJ where the others were.
"I got cut off from them, it all happened so fast and I just-" EJ struggled to explain. I hold onto EJ's hand and he gives me an alarmed look. He calms down when he sees my smile, reassuring him that he hadn't done anything wrong.
The shadows of the forest cast down on us, and I heard something rustle in the leaves. Masky stops and looks around, scanning the area.

It all happens too quickly.

A dark figure appears in front of us and I watch in horror as it socks Masky in the stomach. He falls to the ground, groaning in pain. EJ lunges at it, only to have it grab his throat and force him down. I try to run away as fast as I could, but I couldn't bare the thought of leaving those two behind. The figure approaches me and lays it's hand on my face.

"Interesting.. So much raw unharnessed power put to waste.."

I hear Masky's voice call for me and I reach out my hand, but then the figure grabs me and the forest vanishes from around us.

***

When I wake up, I'm lying on the cold stone ground. I have no idea of where I was. I stand, taking in my surroundings, and try to walk around. Only to slam my face into a set of iron bars. I reach out in the darkness, and find that I'm in a cell.

I hear echoed footsteps getting louder, and I grab onto the iron bars.
"Who are you? Let me out!"
The footsteps stop in front of my cell and I look up to see a pair of blood red eyes staring down at me.

"Good evening, (Y/N). I trust you've had a pleasant rest?"

The thing had skin the colour of pitch, and several long horns twisted out from the sides of its head. It's body was scrambled with mouths, each one containing rows of sharp teeth, big enough to tear someone's throat out. Something unpleasant oozed out from under its eyes.

"H-how do you know my name?" I say, taken aback by its frightful appearance.
"My dear, we need not trifle with such unimportant matters. Come, follow me."
It opens my cell and gestures towards the hallway. I'm about to make a break for it, when the creature puts a strong hand on my shoulder.
"Do not think of running, as you would not be able to make it out in one piece. And my servants are not here at the moment to clear up the mess."
I shiver. Could this creature be capable of that? Or is it just a scare tactic. I gulp.
I'm not sure I want to find out.

The creature leads me though the hallways to a large arena of sorts and sits down on a throne overlooking it all. It pats a seat next to it and I quickly sit down.

"Forgive me for not introducing myself sooner. I am Zalgo, bringer of Chaos. I was drawn to your dark aura, much similar to mine, and I was even more intrigued to find it surrounding a mere mortal like yourself."

Mere mortal? Ouch.

"I wanted to know more of your existence, hence I followed you for some time in the form of a little girl."

At first I was confused as to whom he was referring too. But then Zalgo dissolved into a pile of sludge, only to reassemble into the shape of a young girl wearing a pink skirt and a Garfield t-shirt.

Emily

"Emily? You were..."

"Doesn't that cloud look like a flower, (Y/N)?"

I drop to my knees, a feeling of dread spreading over me. I was being watched my entire life. My childhood friend was never real.

Zalgo switches back to his retched shadowy form, and continues.
"It was interesting seeing you grow up so.. normally. I expected for you to snap one day, maybe use some of your power. Yet, you never seemed aware of the fact that you possessed such an ability in the first place."
His face scrunches up. "I shall admit, it was a nuisance when those pathetic proxies found you. Who was it who took an interest in you? Masky was it?"

I glare at Zalgo "Where is he?"

Zalgo huffs, "All in good time, all in good time. Because of Slenderman and his gang, I was unable to find you for sometime. It was very inconvenient. Luckily some of your aura managed to leak out of Slenderman's barriers, and I was able to locate you again. A thank you should be in order, for leading me to not just you, but the rest of the proxies as well."

Zalgo claps his hands, and I hear the sound of a rusted gate opening. I look towards the arena to see something moving. My heart catches in my throat when I see EJ, Jeff, Sally, Smiledog and everyone else thrown onto the ground by Zalgo's servants. Each one had their hands bound behind their back by magic, and looked bloody and bruised.

The second gate rises and only one lone figure staggers out. The boy in the yellow hoodie. The one who wears a mask of black and white. The one who I love with my whole heart.

"Masky!" I cry out. I try to run to him, but a barrier prevents me from doing so. Masky acts as if he hadn't seen not heard me, and instead he turns to face the other proxies. I see a glint of silver in his hands and Zalgo chuckles beside me.

"Let the Game begin."