Mark's breath caught in his throat. He couldn't believe Jack had changed so much, but he guessed it had to do with the difference in games. Jack's brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail but still was long enough to hang down to his waist. His loose bangs barely hiding the gleam of his glinting sapphire eyes. His long butterfly white wings were an ivory color and resembled sleek soft flower pedals. Around his head was a crown of rich green ivy with tiny blue flowers set between the ivy leaves like gems. Closing the door behind him, Mark asked breathlessly. "Jack? Is it... Is it really you?" Jack's cold unfeeling eyes bore right through him when he looked in his direction. Staring him down, Jack asked lifelessly. "Why are you here?" Chuckling softly, Mark honestly blurted out. "Jack. I'm here to take you home."

Lifting his chin just a tad, Jack retorted swiftly in a dead voice. "I am home." Narrowing his eyes on him, Mark took a step forward, watching Jack tense up as he gently told him. "Jack, I know I hurt you. I made a mistake. If you give me a chance-" Mark stopped mid-sentence as Jack cringed from him. His wings shuddering with agitation before he stated back defensively. "I gave you chances... You threw my feelings back at me. You chose everyone over me." Mark stepped toward him to try taking his hand, while rushing out. "No, I didn't! Jack, I-" Jack suddenly raised his hand toward him and Mark was cut off as he hit a golden wall that Jack put up between them. Jack's eyes glowed a solid gold as he shouted out angrily. "YES, YOU DID!" Mark took a step back, trying to stay calm when he told him. "I made a mistake. I gave up everything for you, Jack."

Jack's wings shot up behind him, making him look frightening as he sneered out. "Then now you know how it feels to be rejected. Sign out, Mark. And don't come back." Shaking his head, Mark stubbornly told him in a fragile tone of voice. "I'm not leaving without you. Hate me in the real world... just come home. Jack... you can't stay in here. Your body will die." Jack folded his wings down, straightening up as he told him bitterly. "I told you. I'm already home. I don't want you here. Here, I'm stronger than I've ever been. I don't need you to save me anymore. Go home." Jack lowered his hand, but the forcefield didn't dissolve. Standing his ground fearlessly, he told Jack without hesitation. "I'm not going anywhere. I love you... and I'm gonna prove it to you. I don't care how long it takes. I don't care what I have to do."

Exhaling wearily, Jack flatly retorted. "I told you, Mark. I don't need you to save me. I don't fear monsters anymore... because you turned me into one. And I'm not impressed by your little knight in shining armor bit... You're too late." The barrier went down as Jack started to conjure a portal behind himself. Prompting Mark to act quickly. He lunged to try taking Jack's arm, only to freeze in place. Jack had moved ungodly fast. Drawing a thin blade from the holster on his exposed thigh and bringing the cold razor sharp steel to Mark's throat. Looking directly into his eyes, Jack's voice turned into a lethal threat when he told him darkly. "I AM NOT YOURS. Keep your distance. Or I'll kill you until you stop coming back. This is your last warning. Go home, Mark. You don't belong here."

Exhaling, Mark whispered to him. "I left her and YouTube for you." Pulling his blade away in such a way that it knicked Mark's neck and took life points off him. Jack sneered back in a whisper. "I don't care. I won't let you or anyone hurt me again. This is MY game, and I want you out of it. We made it unwinnable for a reason." Jack finished the portal and flew off the ground to enter it. When he turned to start closing, Mark called out to him seriously. "I will win this game, Jack. Test me and rig it anyway you like. In the end... I'm not going to allow Glade to kill you. I'll save you, Jack. I promise you that." Jack's features softened just a fraction, before he finished closing the portal. His final words ringing in the air of the room. "You will try, and you will fail. That I promise YOU, Mark."

For a moment, Mark stood in silence. Reaching up to touch the bleeding cut on his neck, he absently mulled over Jack's words. He let the image of Jack's beautiful features burn into his mind. He'd use it to fight harder on his way to him. After that... he hoped he would figure out what he needed to do to snap Jack out of this fantasy. Briefly sleeping in the room to save his checkpoint, he got up and walked out to the area of the arena. There Bob was waiting for him, twirling his feather throwing knives. Bob grinned briefly, until he saw Mark's grim face. Cocking his head, Bob asked him nervously. "Oh no... I know that look. What happened?" Taking a moment to inform him on what had happened, Bob gawked at him. Then he told him bluntly. "Mark... Maybe you should let him be... You can't force him-"

Dropping a firm hand on Bob's shoulder, he firmly replied with a heavy heart. "Bob, if I give up. I'm doing EXACTLY what he thinks I'm gonna do. He feels like I... He thinks... I'm not leaving." Bowing his head, he told Bob in a softer voice. "It just doesn't make sense to me, Bob. He said that 'we' made the game unwinnable... Yet, the game is about rescuing him from Glade. I can't help feeling like... it's a set up." Bob raised an eyebrow, shrugging out. "Sounds like he just wants to watch heroes fail, Mark." Straightening up, he glanced at the arena as a team of players were trying to take down a bear. Slowly his eyes ventured up to the empty announcer stand, before he calmly told Bob. "Glade is the evil king? The man who holds Jack hostage... What if this whole game... is about Glade proving his worth to Jack?"

Bob blinked, uttering out coolly. "What makes you think that?" Crossing his arms, Mark huffed out to himself with amusement. "Glade claimed that he killed Felix and Ethan... Yet, they were put in limbo. The dark space between the game and reality. Held there like prisoners to use as bargaining chips. Then shortly after Nine Realms ends... they were released with everyone else. What did Glade make Jack trade their lives for?" Shrugging, Bob told him seriously. "You don't know that is what Glade did. It could have been a bug in the game." Mark scoffed his boot on the stone floor, stating in return. "Glade is a deranged computer conscious... He's obsessed with Jack. He hunted Jack down in Nine Realms... He somehow convinced Jack to turn himself in... Made him want to stay and... die here."

Hugging himself, Mark told Bob in a broken voice. "You didn't see him, Bob. He's beautiful and he's strong... but... it's like he's dead inside. Like he's... given up completely. I... I couldn't reach him... and that scares me. If I don't save him... we're going to lose him." Puffing himself up, Bob confidently told him. "Then I'll help you reach him. I just... don't want to lose you too. You're the oldest friend I've got besides Wade." From the doorway of the armory, Wade's voice made them both jump when he wholesomely said. "Aww, Bob. I'm touched. So? We going to kick ass all the way up the rankings to Jack?" Turning to look at Wade, he smirked to himself. Wade had picked a fox race. He was dressed in black leathers that went well with his sleek red fur. Gesturing to himself with his black fingerless gloves, Wade chuckled out. "What do you think? I picked a trickster class. Gives me assassin, thief, and some illusion magic to play with."

Bob rolled his eyes, telling Mark coolly. "That class is hard to use, but I couldn't talk Wade out of it." Wade put his hands under his... slightly building chest, chuckling out. "I couldn't pass up this body. She's a ten and the class meshes well with her stats." Rolling his eyes, Mark chuckled out. "Whatever, Wade. Just don't let your tits distract you." Wade bounced on his heels, playfully teasing Mark. "Look! Jiggle physics!" Mark dropped his face into his hand, trying not to laugh as a passing player whistled to Wade, asking leeringly. "Hey baby! What's your name?" Without missing a beat, Wade turned and in his deepest voice answered him. The player practically turned green before rushing away.

Which made Bob laugh out loud. Getting their attention, he told them with a slight smile. "Come on, guys. Get it together. Let's do this co-op fight. But... I'm sure it will be hard..." Puffing up his chest, Wade smirked as he said confidently. "I love a challenge." Bob shrugged, telling them honestly. "I'll try to keep you both healthy and provide support." Fist bumping each of them, Mark told them with a grin. "Let's do this."  To Be Continued...