Markiplier x Reader | The Promised Land

Chapter 27: Oasis

You and Mark watched in silence when Barney was called over by Rob to help him. The work didn't last as long as you had thought though. They bandaged Sean up quickly and helped him upright. When he stood, his legs tried to give out and he cursed weakly.

"He'll be okay, Mark and [Y/n]." Rob said after putting one of Sean's arms over his shoulders. Barney mirrored him to give extra support, "It barely missed any vital organs, and the reason his mouth was bloody was because he got a good punch to the mouth, no missing teeth though." Rob leaned to look at Sean's face, "Just look at that beautiful bruise-"

"You're starting to sound like a Skull Breaker, Rob." Barney joked, "Stop it." 

"Are you two okay to walk? On your own?" Rob asked in a worried tone, "You are both in pretty bad shape as it is." 

When Mark nodded his head, you nodded too. You hurt all over, but you would manage. At least both your legs worked. You were more concerned for Mark, he was limping badly again despite the brace on his leg. You would've asked if he needed support but you knew you wouldn't be much help in your condition.

Barney and Rob gestured for you both to follow them, to make your way further into the sewers. You didn't recognize this part of the sewer, almost like you and Mark had gone down a different exploded tunnel from the one the Skull Breakers forced you. There were no cave-ins as you traversed.

You didn't travel much longer before things started getting weird. The sewer system quickly transformed into what felt like a maze, with only abstract clues on the walls to guide the way. Only a Light Ring member would know what any of the nonsense meant, for example, one of the plaques on the wall read in bright, golden letters, "Those who understand the nature of the Light, will see the true path laid before them."

Everyone seemed to know what they were doing, and the more you walked, the more you felt like traps or a large builder would start coming out of the walls. Like those old Illinois Jones movies you watched with your grandparents as a child.

You felt a little bit of your hardened, old self return as you walked. Even though you no longer had your stuff, your precious metal bat your older sibling gave you, your pistol, the lantern... Sean is gonna kill you for that when he gets better... you felt oddly empowered.

A thought came to mind when you felt a yearning for your things. You felt that because your things were gone, it was a sign it was high time to let go of the past and move on to make new and wonderful things.

You felt Mark's bandaged hand grab your good hand, and you held it gently. You both walked further down into the maze with Rob, Barney, and Sean until you came to what looked like a dead end.

However, when you stopped, everyone looked back to Mark. He let go of your hand and came forward. He unpinned his pin from hi jacket, and pressed it up against the wall. You realized his pin was more golden than Barney's and Rob's pins. Theirs were more silver in color than gold.

Within a few seconds, Mark stepped back and the wall came down, revealing a long, dark passageway. The sewers had had dim light to light most of the way, which surprised you that it had some power at all. This however, was just pitch black. Barney handed you and Mark two flashlights and you two walked ahead of them.

The hallway was completely straight. Once you all entered and walked a few paces, the wall behind you closed.

Despite the fact this was the perfect place to be for a horror story, game, or movie, you felt oddly calm by the darkness around you. It felt like a place of safety, like the old blanket forts you used to make at home...

You wished you could still be holding hands with Mark, but his only half-working hand was busy holding the flashlight and the other he had tucked into his jacket. His sling was gone, no doubt the Skull Breakers had torn it away when they tackled him... Those sorry bastards. You despised the lot of them with a burning hatred.

*     *     *

The walk down the hallway was long, but peaceful. No loud noises, no gunfights, no one giving chase... it was the final stretch before the finish line at the end of the long journey you had been on. It was scary to think you had only been in LA for about two short weeks now. So much had happened since you first met Sean and his girlfriend... you hoped Gabby was doing okay.

The hallway seemed to stretch on forever, darkness in front and behind, but eventually, in the distance, there was light.

"Don't go into the light..." Sean said in a weak, sarcastic voice, "The angels'll snatch you up, slap your face and call you happy."

"It would definitely be a nice vacation," Barney said in a low voice. You all chuckled.

As everyone shuffled along, you couldn't help but feel like you were a pack of zombies. Nearly everyone was injured in some way.

Mark, beside you with his broken arm, bandaged hand, bruises, cuts, and braced knee; Sean, in between Rob and Barney with a bandaged waist and chest, covered in bruises; Rob had a bruise on the side of his neck where he had likely been punched by a Skull Breaker; Barney was surprisingly unharmed; and you. Your chest was firmly wrapped, your shoulder still had an older bandage underneath your jacket, and you had your right hand bandaged identically to Mark's.

You had lost quite a bit of weight while you had traveled with Mark, he had too. You both looked a little gaunt and dull-eyed, but strangely, you didn't regret a single thing that you had done to arrive in LA. You wouldn't have been able to meet such wonderful people.

The light came closer, and you could hear voices, lots of voices. They sounded cheerful, busy, and nowhere near the craze that the Skull Breaker's had when you and Mark had been brought to their strange hideout. At least that place wasn't going to be back anytime soon.

Mark lightly tapped on the large, brightly lit door with his foot in a peculiar pattern. It opened, revealing an old, hunched over, greying man. He adjusted his spectacles and then his eyes widened. Before letting you in, he asked in a surprised tone, "Where is the Light when we need it most?"

Mark replied in a tired, weak voice, "Where the blanket parts and blinds our foes."

The man let you all in, watching in wonder. There was a brief moment of silence, then someone in the large room called out, "They made it! They're back!" and you were immediately faced with a cheering mass. People rushed over, calling from all directions, "They made it!"

"They're alive!"

"Someone get Chica!"

"Sean and Mark are back!"

"Hurrah for the Light Ring Heroes!"

You hid behind Mark, tensely watching all the seemingly friendly faces. Mark effortlessly walked through the crowd, despite limping and looking like he was half dead. Everyone parted for you all to continue. They kept a reasonable distance as you traversed, and you looked up above the crowd to take in the place around.

The ceiling was so high you almost couldn't see it. Had you really gone that far own underground? Small buildings were built into the walls and up high in the ceiling. Pillars made of stone were carved out here and there to provide support for the city. There were bigger buildings that looked like stores... There were even animals running around. Cats, dogs, goats... In the distance you saw what looked like a waterfall, flowing into a hand-made river that ran all around the underground city before draining off into the main sewer system.

As you watched in wonder, you understood that you had finally arrived in Oasis, the Light Ring's main sanctuary and home.