Brenn glanced over at Gareth in confusion, "Is it possible that maybe Astral has a whole other side to his palace that we've never seen, or maybe he's just really good at hiding this man." He shook his head in confusion, "How could this guy be in his room, but we've never seen him?"
Aardvark is typing. . .
Uhm, you sure? I was just in his room, and there was no one else in there, right now we're in the living outside the kitchen, but uhm, this is weird. . .
Gareth's eyes widened some, glancing towards the room.
MongrelAsh69 is typing...
I call bullshit. +Aardvark and I are in the living room right now. I've never seen you around.
Wren nearly let out a dark laugh. He remembered when he had his tanned skin and black hair all those years ago. He remembered when he had his own identity. He remembered his larger hand reaching through his chest and ripping out his soul. That was the very reason he was sitting here now. He could remember. If he had his memories changed one more time… it would end far from well.
Wren is typing...
I physically cannot leave. He seems different when things are working the way he wishes. Do not anger the gods. Marcos did not want me awake. He put my soul in stasis and returns about every 100 years. When his current Claimed are being reborn. I do not know how I am here as it is several years too early it seems.
Simon’s brow furrowed confusedly. That was where he was right? Simon being Simon, of course doubted himself before he doubted the others. But it could be possible that Astral had constructed multiple versions of the same rooms.
Anonymous is typing
I swear that’s where I am.
He stood up, which of course required a bit more effort now. He opened the door to the room, peeking out into the living room.
Yeah I just looked out into the living room, I don’t see anyone else. Could he have made multiple versions of the same rooms??
Chills went down his spine as he glanced over at Gareth, "Uhm this is terrifying. . ." Then he thought of something, at times during the day when he was by himself he would hear noises down the hall or voices too. he had always just said that it was the trinkets talking to each other, but maybe this would make sense. He stood up and walked to the end of the hallway by the kitchen and knocked on the wall, hoping that the other man might hear it. Then he remembered he should probably let the other man know.
Aardvark is typing. . .
Could you got to the end of the hall, down by where the bathrooms are, I want to see something, maybe you could hear me, but there might be another duplicate between us. Either that, or we're in another dimension, Astral's proven those to be a thing.
The man paled just a bit. The thing was, he could believe this man. He could see Marcos doing something like this…
ClaimedByAGod is typing...
…Why? Why is he doing this to you?
Gareth growled to himself. The man had shown he had knowledge of Astral, but the facts just didn't add up. He looked up when Brenn stood.
"Be careful… don't let Astral hear you."
MongrelAsh69 is typing...
It's not like him. He loves toying with you, you should know that. He doesn't care if we know each other.
Mia looked up at Simon when he got up.
"What's wrong?" she asked, a bit of concern in her voice. The man shouldn't be moving around a lot…
Torin swallowed faintly. Marcos had always been kind to him…well, mostly. There had been that time when he'd been shrunk, but other than that, the moon god had always been so kind and gentle with him…
SwearByTheStars is typing...
I
I don't know what to say. Marcos has always been kind to me. Astral and Derlik have each been assholes, but…when I committed suicide Marcos was very kind withme
Brenn sighed, "If he hears me, just tell him that I'm just being an idiot or something, or that I'm trying to test something, he'll probably believe that, unless he's in one of the other duplicates you know?"
Felix_The_Cat is typing. . .
+SwearByTheStars, how do you know Derlik? Just out of curiosity?
When Felix saw that his boyfriend was mentioned in the chat he was curious to see what the other man had to see, and to hear how the god had treated him. Hopefully it wasn't like how Astral treated Brenn.
*Simon couldn’t help but get a little excited, it’d been so long since he’d seen people besides Astral, and the possibility made him happy. “There might be other people here!” He said excitedly to Mia, gently picking his friend up. “We just have to go to the end of the hall. If it’s nothing then I’ll come right back, promise.”
Anonymous is typing
I’ll be right there.
He looked down at himself, mentally checking his appearance, an old habit that he’d repurposed for this particular situation. Despite the oversized hoodie he wore, he knew others could somewhat see the baby bump through it. He sighed in annoyance. Well it’s not like there was anything he could do about it anyway. He walked down to the end of the hallway. “Hello?” He said, feeling a bit silly for talking to a wall. Regardless, he knocked softly.
Torin almost laughed.
SwearByTheStars is typing...
When I was first claimed he kept coming around and harassing me. Tried to abduct me. Made trauma from astral worse. Stuff like that.
Brenn turned to look at Gareth when he heard the knock, grinning like a fool. "Seeeeeeeeeeee, I told you that something was up when we heard those voices." He knocked back and said a hello, hopefully, loud enough for the other man to hear, but not for Astral - wherever the hell he was- to hear. "Are you okay, and is Astral there?" He called through the wall, hoping that the other man or person could hear.
Felix_The_Cat is typing. . .
What the hell! I'm going to have to talk to Derlik about that, he told me that he had never really hurt any other mortals, except for a few, but nothing too bad. But still, that's not right, and maybe I can get him to apologize or something?
Wren blinked, nearly forgetting that there seemed to be two other Claimed rather than one. Wren bit his lip. That made things difficult to hide this type of secret. He would have to be sure both people died at the same time in order for him to be hidden.
Wren is typing...
I remembered what he wanted me to forget. I got angry with him and he with me. Before then, he was always kind to me. But now, I'm here. I cannot leave unless Marcos gives me permission. And that is after I agree to never speak of what happened with him. I just want to get out of here and talk with him for longer than a few minutes. Please, I need help.
Torin swallowed faintly. He couldn't imagine Marcos doing something so horrible. Not the Marcos he knew, anyways.
SwearByTheStars is typing...
Where are you +Wren? can try and help
He realized he had missed another person's response, and sighed faintly.
SwearByTheStars is typing...
+Felix_the_Cat yeah he's kinda an asshole, sorry
Simon smiled over at Mia, looking more excited than he’d been in the past month and a half. Then he remembered he actually needed to say something back. “Y-Yes hello, I’m okay…I guess. And no, Astral’s not here.”
Felix sighed shaking his head, he wanted to tell Derlik, but if he told him, then he might get the others in trouble, Derlik couldn't seem to keep things to himself.
Felix_ The_Cat is typing. . .
He never told me about that though, that's what upsets me, he promised me that he would be open about his past, not hide it.
Brenn was so happy, "That's good, he's not here either, maybe he's down on earth, or with another one of his well, never mind. I'm so glad to know that there is someone else here, it's so good to hear someone else voice." He smiled happily up at Gareth, so excited to meet these other people, "I'm Brenn, and the other guy is Gareth."
Gareth was silent.
"Damn, there really is someone else…" he said softly to himself. He moved over, wrapping an arm around Brenn.*
"He isn't over here, either," Gareth said to the person on the other side.
ClaimedByAGod is typing...
I
I don't understand any of this at all.
Should we try to talk to Marcos about you?? Maybe it would help… and +SweatByTheStars, I still think we should meet up.
(gtg in about twenty minutes sorry)
Torin bit his lip for a moment, then nodded to himself.
SwearByTheStars changed their name to Stars
Stars is typing...
+Felix_The_Cat oh yeah. Idk what to tell you
+ClaimedByAGod yes probably. I can't believe I haven't seen you. Or Skyla hasn't, she's all over twh place
Wren glanced around the room, trying to think of how to reply to whoever SwearByTheStars was. Then he saw the most recent reply from the chat starter. His eyes widened. There were both pros and cons to that.
Wren is typing...
That could both be a good and bad idea. I'm not sure if he's done it to either of you, but he can alter memories. I'm worried he'll erase your memories and tell you it was so you wouldn't have to worry. He doesn't like to think about what happened but can't ever think of hurting me. But it also might bring him here faster. I, again, have no idea where this room is.
Simon smiled, sighing softly in relief. “I’m glad too…it’s been awhile since I’ve heard a stranger’s voice.” He chuckled softly. “I never thought that’s something I would miss.” He slowly sat down on the floor, knowing Mia would get worried if he was up for too long. “Well hopefully that means we’ll be able to talk to each other for awhile then. Do you think there’s any way for us to get through this wall?”
Torin bit his lip again, considering Wren's words.
Stars is typing...
+Wren I don't think he's ever erased my memories. When I committed suicide and needed a new body he had some of my memories suppressed a little so theyd hurt less, but nothing else
(Ah okie! good to know!)
The man raised his eyebrows. Skyla? Who was that?
ClaimedByAGod is typing...
+Stars, I'll meet you in front of Marcos's room, then.
The man got up, turning the computer off before he got a response. He didn't even bother reading the knew ones. Bad idea. He headed down the hall, hands pushed into his pockets. This was all so strange…
Gareth grinned, hugging Brenn.
"It… it really is nice to know someone's there," he agreed. "I don't really know a way through, though, except breaking the wall. If that's even possible."
Wren frowned a bit, reading that someone had been in a similar boat as himself. Except they had actually gone through with the action…
Wren is typing...
I'm sorry you went through that. I… I apologise, I don't know how to comfort people very well.
Uhm I don't know, probably Astral has something set up so that we can't get across without his permission, or without getting hurt, right Gareth? Or, maybe he thought that we might never figure it out, he does tend to think that we mortals are rather stupid, so perhaps he has no boundaries, but I don't know of a way to get to you, that might be hard.
Torin shrugged faintly, letting out a breath.
Stars is typing...
+Wren it's fine, im better now
+ClaimedByAGod ok
He turned off the cellphone and headed towards Marcos's room, chewing on his lip anxiously. What did all of this mean?