The next morning went smoothly. I don't dare think about the broken personality. I have to be strong, I can't let that happen. And thanks to Mark's comfort, he made me feel better. I have to be strong for everyone, I can't afford to give up or lose.

We had breakfast at the same time, and I was able to keep it down this time. I was actually able to eat and drink. But my eyes have remained on Anti and Daiishu. Anti has a weird look on his face the entire time, and I don't like it. He has a plan, I know it! I can't afford to be oblivious today...

"So, Jada. Is there anything you want to do?" Mark asks.

Both me and Mark sit in the lounge, bored out of our minds. unable to progress with our plan and we have nothing to do. Mark has been tossing the ball for the last fifteen minutes and I have been sitting upside down on the couch with my hair dangling and blood rushing to my head, watching as time ticks by. We haven't had anything else to do.

"I'm not too sure. There isn't really anything that we can do."

Mark let's out a loud groan like a 5-year-old which makes me giggle at the slightest. The smallest things always seem to make things brighter.

"AANNNTIIII!" I whine.

"̵W̶H̷A̸T̶!̵?̸"̸ I hear Anti snap at me from the kitchen, with a heavy tone.

"What can we doooo?" Mark whines with me.

"̸B̶o̵t̵h̴ ̷o̸f̴ ̵y̸o̴u̶ ̵c̷a̵n̸ ̷s̶u̵f̶f̵e̸r̶.̸"̶

Me and Mark groan at the same time, like little 5-year-olds. With Mark bored along side me, it makes me feel more giggly than Mark normally is.

I flip around on the couch and face Mark intently. If we can't find something to do, I'll create fun! "Staring contest..!"

"What..?" Mark asks raising an eyebrow. Clearly confused with my childish yelp.

My eyes squint glaring playfully and Mark does the same, crossing his arms as we currently have a stare down.

...

...  

...

...

I break a little, with laughter and at that moment the two of us break into laughter that lasts for a good couple of seconds. 

"You lost! How do you feel?!" Mark grins with a ha..!

"Just grand, thank you." I laugh.

Anti walks through the lounge, with a salty look on his face. It doesn't take a fool to tell that he hates us having our fun.

"What's the matter? Hate our fun?" I retort at him.

When he turns to me, he has a grimace look on his face. It sends a chill down my spine but I keep a stone cold face. Mark notices this and steps up for me.

"Let's leave him be."

Mark suddenly grabs my arm and I'm dragged out of the lounge. Mark sits at the top of the stairs, exhausted. I walk up the stairs and plop down beside him. 

"Are you okay?"

"Before I answer that." He puts up a finger. "I wanna give you something."

I tilt my head confused, but follow him up the rest of the stairs. Once we're at the top, he puts his hand over my eyes.

"Ahh Mark! What the-"

"Just close your eyes!" He whines.

A giggle escapes my lips as I shut my eyes, batting his hand away. He lets out an "Ack" which makes me giggle again.

I hear him rustling around his pocket, which makes me more desperate with every passing second. But I flinch startled, taken by surprise when he grabs my hand.

"What the-" I stop in my tracks when I feel a slight weight placed into my hand. It's a cold metal, but there seems to be some sort of magic aura radiating off of it.

"You do realize you can open your eyes up, right?"

My eyes slowly flutter open to see Mark, but I instantly go down to look at my hand. It's...

"Do you like it?"

Sitting in my hand is a small metal green four-leaved clover charm. It's a delicate charm, and it's slightly soft at the touches. It's not too heavy, and could easily be worn around your neck. Engraved in the middle is P.M.A. The energy coming off the charm is indescribable, and you can kind of see the green magic energy moving in and out of the four leaves.

I become speechless, and my heart melts with it in my hand.

"...Mark, where did you find this?" I ask looking up at him.

"I, I dunno. You should probably ask Daiishu, because she came back last night with it and shoved it into my hands. She didn't say a word about it." He explains.

"Then why did you give it to me?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Because..."

"Huh?!"

He pulls me into a sudden hug, which for some reason feels odd to me.

He quickly pulls away and looks down on me. "You need to be strong. I really do believe in you and I know after last night that this isn't all it is. You need to be strong with whatever gets thrown your way. I want you to hold on to this charm, and never let go of it, okay?"

I look back down at the charm again, and slide my thumb across it. It feels like a legendary item in my hand. I don't know why Mark would've said that but this'll be a moment I'll never forget.

Tears of joy sting my eyes, happiness bubbling inside of me. I give Mark a hug, and he wraps his arms around me.

"I promise Mark. No matter what! Thank you so much, I'll never forget this."

He let's out a proud huff. "I hope you don't forget it!" And at point we're both giggling with joy.

"May I ask why you said that?" I ask softly.

"It... It was just a feeling that's all. Because you're, you're a good kid.

Did he just stutter..?

I pull away and put the charm in my pocket. "So, back on topic?" I cough smirking.

"Yeah, sure! Go ahead!" He beams brightly.

"I asked if you were okay before. It's just you don't look so good. You aren't usually that pale." The second I bring that up, his face frowns in an exhausted manner.

"Y-Yeah." He stutters. "I'm just not feeling well."

Suddenly the image flashes in my head. Mark was injected with something a while ago, and whatever was going to happen to him hasn't happened yet. Is this the effect?!

"Get some rest Mark. I'll keep watch." I stay sternly.

"Before I do..." He raises his hand.

"Can you get me a glass of water. I think I'll really need it."

I smile gently, nodding. If he needs it, I'll get it. 

I walk down the staircase and Mark heads into Sean's office. I step into the kitchen where I see Daiishu glaring at me as I pass.

"̶W̵h̸a̴t̸ ̶a̵r̴e̸ ̴y̵o̸u̷ ̴d̷o̸i̵n̴g̸~̶?̷"̵ She asks coldly.

"I'm getting a glass of water, Mark needs it."

She chuckles, sadistically. "I'm sure he does."

I raise an eyebrow at her sarcasm and although she sees this, she doesn't respond to me in any way. I pull out the jug of water from the fridge and pour it into the glass. Thoughts pace around my mind and none of them are good. I don't like this one bit. I shiver.

Crouching down, I do the charm around my neck. It sits softly above my chest.

I clutch it in my hand, my breathing shaky. It's okay, it's gonna be fine. Mark might of just caught a cold, it's winter after all!

The warmth of the charms magic slowly makes me feel a little better and after one more breath, I stand back up again.

Daiishu watches me from the kitchen and Anti watches me from the lounge as I make my way to the office. The way they look at me doesn't give me any good vibes. With every step I take up those stairs, a heavy dread creeps over me more and more which causes hesitation and shaking from me.

"....Mark?"

Instead of seeing Mark resting, he's having a spaz. Smacking the side of his head with his hands, twirling in place and coughing away.

"Mark?!"

I step into the room, shutting the door behind me. 

On the other side of the room, a shadow that clearly isn't Mark's creeps up the wall. Staring down on him. Mark suddenly shakes his head wildly and his glasses fall off his face. His eyes glow a bright pink before fading to normal.

I gasp as I watch Mark's eyes shut, rolling to the back of his head and passing out then falls to the ground. I drop the glass and it shatters on the ground loudly, specs of water and glass shards spring outward when I run to Mark's side.

"Mark, Mark!" I shake him but nothing happens in response. He doesn't move, he doesn't respond.

I push him over so he faces upwards. His face is pale and cold.

"Mark, this isn't funny!"

This isn't a joke.

I flick my fingers in his face, pat his cheeks, poke him, no response, there is no response as I can see his chest slowly rise and fall. At least. My heart begins to race and my breathing paces faster. I clutch the charm and hold it tightly.

"̶C̶o̵u̸l̵d̶n̶'̵t̵ ̴y̴o̵u̸ ̸s̷a̵v̶e̴ ̵h̵i̵m̶~̶?̵"̶

I easily recognize the voice by now, and it fills me with anger. He did that to him..! My head snaps in that direction and I see two silhouettes in the darkness.

Anti and Daiishu.

"WHAT DID YOU DO ANTI!?"

"̷I̸ ̸d̷i̵d̷ ̷w̶h̷a̷t̵ ̶I̷ ̷h̷a̸d̵ ̸t̴o̴ ̵d̴o̵.̸ ̴S̴o̴o̶n̴,̴ ̵M̶a̷r̸k̷ ̸w̸i̷l̸l̷ ̴n̷o̵ ̵l̸o̴n̴g̷e̶r̵ ̵b̷e̶ ̸t̷h̷e̵ ̷s̵a̴m̴e̵ ̶a̷s̸ ̸y̶o̵u̷'̷l̶l̵ ̶s̶e̴e̶ ̵h̴i̵m̸.̶ ̶H̶i̸s̸ ̶p̶l̷a̷c̴e̴m̷e̸n̸t̴ ̷b̷e̷t̵w̷e̷e̴n̴ ̷w̶o̸r̵l̵d̶s̸ ̶w̸i̷l̵l̵ ̶b̵e̶ ̸s̴w̶i̶t̵c̶h̷e̵d̴ ̶i̴n̸ ̵n̶o̵ ̵t̷i̴m̶e̸.̴"̵ Anti chuckles.

Anger boils in my blood and without realizing it, I pounce at Anti in a blind rage. It doesn't take two steps for the pair to move out of my way and my face plants into the wall painfully.

"̴I̶ ̷k̸n̷o̴w̸ ̸y̴o̶u̵r̵ ̴g̶o̶a̶l̶ ̸J̸a̸d̸a̵.̴ ̷I̶'̸m̷ ̵n̶o̶t̴ ̴S̵T̴U̷P̷I̴D̴!̷ ̶W̶h̶a̴t̶ ̵h̵a̵p̴p̸e̷n̴e̴d̸ ̶t̶o̴ ̷y̶o̶u̸r̵ ̵b̶r̶o̵k̶e̴n̸ ̶a̷t̶t̶i̶t̵u̸d̸e̴?̶ ̵I̵ ̷l̶i̵k̵e̶d̶ ̵i̵t̵.̶ ̶B̶u̷t̸ ̴n̴o̶ ̶m̵a̸t̵t̵e̶r̴.̵ ̵I̷f̵ ̷y̵o̵u̵r̷ ̷g̵o̴i̵n̵g̷ ̴t̸o̴ ̷'̷s̴a̶v̸e̷'̴ ̷t̴h̶e̷m̶,̵ ̴t̴h̶i̶s̶ ̶a̷d̸d̶s̷ ̸a̷n̵ ̶e̷x̵t̷r̵a̶ ̴p̸e̷r̶s̸o̸n̵ ̵t̵o̶ ̶y̵o̷u̸r̶ ̷l̶i̷s̷t̸.̵"̶

I pull the key-shaped knife from my pocket and swing. The two dodge every swift movement and to end it, Anti pushes me down the stairs.

Hitting the steps hurt enough, and at the bottom of the steps makes me too weak to move. I shouldn't have fought back...

"̵H̷o̶w̶ ̵p̴a̸t̷h̴e̴t̵i̸c̶.S̶h̷e̵'̷s̸ ̴b̵l̴a̷c̶k̶i̸n̴g̷ ̷o̴u̴t̷ ̶a̶g̸a̸i̵n̵~̸.̶"̴ Daiishu scoffs.

Even though my vision sees double, I try to push up again. But it's no use. Anti walks down the steps and crouches down to me.

"̶T̶h̵i̴s̶ ̸w̵a̴s̴ ̶a̵l̷l̸ ̷a̴ ̸p̸a̸r̵t̸ ̷o̷f̸ ̴m̵y̵ ̸p̴l̵a̵n̸.̶"̵

He whispers in my ears as my eyes slowly shut. Fading into the darkness.

* * *

My ears ring and my head is dizzy. I can somewhat feel that I'm not on a mattress this time. Thick blankets keep me warm and my head is levitated with soft, gentle pillows.

I rub my eyes tiredly, squinting. Eventually, my vision focuses...why am I in Sean's room..? I stretch tiredly in the warm, comfortable bed and I notice I'm the only one in the room. I suddenly have a spaz patting my chest.

I let out a sigh of relief. The Clover pendant is still around my neck. And the magic energy is still there too.

I look around. No Mark, No Anti, No Daiishu, nobody.

To my hearing, I hear faint voices muffled downstairs.

Although I want to stay in the bed, I know I'm not allowed to do that. I can't afford to miss out on anything. I hop out of the bed and creep silently over to the door. It isn't closed properly so I push it open a jar and lend my ears to the voices.

"Don't you know, you won't get what you want if you hurt the girl~?"

That voice...

"̷W̴e̴l̷l̴,̶ ̶D̸a̵m̸i̶e̶n̷!̸ ̵D̴o̷ ̴y̸o̴u̴ ̸h̷a̵v̵e̷ ̷a̵n̴y̶ ̵b̶e̴t̸t̴e̵r̷ ̴i̷d̵e̵a̸s̸!̴?̴"̷

I silently cover my mouth with my hands. Damien..!

When Anti speaks, it sounds like he's glitching and malfunctioning, as if he was an entity.

When Damien speaks, it sounds deep and low and like the world warps and shakes from his voice with eerie sounds in the background, like the world is getting sucked in because of the power with his darkness.

"She will come into my hands. I will get it since you're too brash and violent to do the job~."

"̶I̶ ̶a̷m̵ ̵j̷u̵s̶t̴ ̵f̴i̸n̵e̸,̵ ̸I̴ ̶N̸E̷A̸R̸L̴Y̸ ̷g̷o̸t̶ ̷i̵t̵!̷ ̵W̸h̵a̴t̸ ̷a̴b̴o̷u̴t̵ ̶w̸h̶a̷t̴ ̸I̶ ̸ ̴d̷i̸d̵ ̷t̸o̶ ̸g̸e̷t̴ ̷y̴o̶u̶ ̶h̸e̵r̷e̵?̸ ̵W̴h̷a̵t̸ ̷w̴i̸l̵l̷ ̵h̴a̷p̶p̶e̸n̶ ̸w̷i̷t̷h̶ ̸M̷a̷r̷k̸!̷?̷"̸

"I appreciate your effort you went through to bring me here, but you were nowhere near getting her, gift. She will come into my hands and I will finish the job, the right way. And don't worry about Mark. I have him, locked up like the rest of them. I have a job for you and Daiishu when I get back to you. If you really want to be the god of this world, prove to me it will be worth it. I don't want, a fool running the world~."

"̸I̴ ̵D̸O̴N̶'̷T̸ ̵N̴E̸E̷D̴ ̴T̴O̷ ̷P̴R̵O̶V̴E̷ ̸A̵N̷Y̶T̶H̸I̸N̶G̴ ̶T̷O̶ ̶Y̴O̴U̷!̵!̴"̸

"I'm helping you, aren't I? On other circumstances, I would never join forces with you. You're lucky enough that I'm helping you on this ride of dismay~." 

"̵B̴u̶t̶ ̷y̷o̶u̸ ̷w̶a̵n̴t̴ ̴t̸o̴ ̶d̵o̸ ̸t̴h̷e̸ ̴s̶a̸m̷e̷ ̴t̵h̵i̴n̵g̵,̴ ̵d̸o̵n̶'̵t̸ ̷y̷o̶u̶?̶"̷

"I have, a similar goal. Not the same as yours. I have other friends who I can properly trust, yet I still agreed to join you. You're a disappointment~."

I hear the beginning of a set of footsteps and I quickly do a silent dash and return to the bed. I shut my eyes and pull the blankets close.

What information did I just learn? Where did he put the others..?

The door creaks open and I feel their shadows loom upon me, making me flinch. But my eyes remain clothes.

"̸I̸t̶ ̸w̶i̷l̶l̶ ̷b̴e̵ ̶a̵ ̶l̸a̶u̶g̵h̴ ̵i̵f̶ ̶y̷o̷u̶ ̴w̷i̷l̵l̶ ̴f̵a̵i̴l̸,̸ ̴t̴o̵o̸.̷"̷

No matter what, Anti will always taunt someone, won't he?

"You won't, see me fail. Do not be loud and obnoxious. She is still sleeping, you will not hear the end of it if you wake her~."

I hear footsteps get closer and louder, my body flinches when I feel arms wrap around me and carry me off the bed. It must be Damien because unlike Anti or Mark, he is wearing sleeves. Sleeves that feel luxurious like a suit.

He holds me close to him, but it's still a little uncomfortable when I have to drop my arms and legs, letting them dangle. That includes my head.

"̶D̴a̸m̴i̴e̷n̸,̵ ̷i̶s̵ ̸s̶h̶e̷ ̴r̴e̴a̴l̸l̸y̴ ̷a̷s̵l̶e̷e̵p̸?̴"̷

Anti's question make me start to sweat. I hear him sigh as an answer and my body goes cold with fear.

"Well, it looks like you broke sleeping beauties cover. But, we can fix that~."

How did they know?!

I feel his hand hover above me and he drops some kind of dust from a container. I flinch, my heart racing. I open my eyes which are filled with fear but the look I see on his face, it's a deadly sinister smile. Far more imitating than Anti.

My body does not seem to be in control enough to run away and the only thing I can do is whimper afraid, pleading a no.

"Sleep well, you'll be in my world~." Those last chilling words cut into my heart before I drop to unconsciousness.