In Memoriam - An Unus Annus Fanfiction

19.01 - 01/19 - This is how we'll die

For a moment, Marvin stood in the middle of the portal as if he had been petrified. His study looked the same as always. The vial with Darks blood was sitting next to his destille. Everything was set up. He'd just need to get to work on it for one, maybe two hours. If he could seperate Darks energy from his blood, he might be able to open a portal to the Upside Down. Perhaps from there, he could get Unus and Annus home. It wouldn't necessarily be safer, but maybe he could at least get them out of the Machine that way.

That's a lot of maybe's, he thought to himself, still staring through the portal. He couldn't get himself to step through. It was as if an invisible wall held him back from doing so. His mind began to zone out, like fog welling up behind his brows. Marvin stared through the portal, looking at nothing at all.
He didn't want to go through. It was as if the air was thick, filled with his own failure. Like grey dust it settled over his equipment, his books, the whole room. Why hadn't he thought of windows when he modified the Safe Room to fit his tastes.
Maybe he should've been more practical. Ditch the heavy equipment and the hundreds of book he'd never read anyway. He always did that. Forgetting about the most basic things while being five steps ahead of himself.

With a motion as if he was catching something out of the air, he closed to portal. The noise it made subsided, and the whole house was quiet. Somehow the silence was just as umbearable as staring into his room.
A light was turned on in the kitchen. Relieved to know that he maybe wasn't alone after all, Marvin walked towards it.
Unus stood next to the fridge, looking through the cabinet. He turned around when he heard Marvin move behind him.
    »Oh hey. Can't sleep either, huh? Do you want some tea as well?«
»That'd be nice,« the Mage nodded, only halfway faking his smile.

   »So, what's on your mind?« Unus filled hot water into their cups.
»Dark's blood is giving me some trouble,« he lied. »What about you?«
    »I had another flashback a few minutes ago. About the times I've died when Dark was with us.«
»You knew he would join us?«
Unus shook his head. »Not really. He was there a few times, but I never could make sense of it.« He brought the cups over to Marvin. »Strangely enough, he's only killed me one or two times.«
   »Still, I don't trust him.«
»You shouldn't.« Unus's eyes looked distant, as if he was looking straight through Marvin.
»Can I ask you something? As a friend.«
    »Sure.«
»Blank. He's locked away, right? Don't get me wrong, I trust you. Hell, I've seen for myself that just because I lived through a possible death doesn't mean that it has to happen. The escape room taught me that.« He took a long sip from his tea. »It's just that he keeps appearing in the flashbacks.«

»He won't be an issue.« Somehow, Marvin managed to keep his voice firm and strong.
Lying to your friends because you failed? That's rich. For whatever reason, his doubts have recently been dubbed by Blank. He gulped his tea down. It was still too hot, slightly burning the back of his mouth.
   »You don't have to worry.« Marvin said, but the words were not directed to Unus. »Try and catch some shuteye. I'll go back and see if I can figure out Darks blood.«

Unus nodded slowly. »Is there a way I can help you?«
    »Thanks for the offer, but I don't think so. I'll have to get lost in my books for a few days, that's all.« He gave Chica a pat on the head.
    »Actually, you could have an eye on Dark while I'm gone.«
Unus nodded through his cup. »Of course.«

Marvin stayed with him until Unus decided to go upstairs. Their conversation stayed rather shallow, something he was rather happy for.
After he made sure that Unus couldn't see him anymore, he opened up the portal to his study again.
He took a quick step forward, as if he'd jump into cold water. The Mage grabbed a small leather bag. He had a gigantic task ahead of him. For the first time in a long while, he felt genuine fear.
Marvin looked around the room. His eyes wandered over the bookshelves, to the large telescope, and over his equipment on the tables. The fact that he may never have the chance to read these books filled him with sadness.

But the Mage knew that he didn't have a choice. He had to try, even if it meant that he may not come back. Blank needed to be stopped.