Till Death Do Us Part..

Mark gave a small smile. "Funny, seeing as how I just had a conversation with him and he doesn't look anything like me." he chuckled and stood and looked at her. "Don't forget your lighter." he said as he flicked his wrist and his solid steel blade disapered back into his lighter and he shoved it into his pocket.

Artemis handed back to him "it's yours, not mine" though she wouldn't mind one herself.. that thing was kick @$$

Mark shook his head and didn't take it. "Keep it. In memory of the pain in the a$$ that pulled you into all this." He said with a wink as they walked, or he more like stumbled, out of the forest.

Artemis hurried and slipped his arm over her shoulder, supporting him "if you insist" she grinned, pocketing the instrument happily

Mark smiled and looked down at her. "Let's just remember, you're the one who put my arm around you, not me." he said with a wink as they hit town.

Artemis raised an eyebrow, and with that- ducked back out from under his arms "indeed" she replied, her tone sounding bored

Mark chuckled as he watched her, shaking his head. He was actually walking pretty well, considering what they had just gone through. "So. how did you like killing your first Searcher?"

Artemis's lips twitched into a slight smile, "It was... fun" she replied, still trying to sound bored of him

Mark chuckled as he watched her. "Those were level five searchers." He looked ahead and ran a hand through his hair, feeling light headed. "Perhaps we should find a place to sit?"

Artemis nodded and found a bench, which she then sat on. "level five? what do you mean? how does that work?"

Mark sat beside her with a slight groan and leaned forward, his head resting in his hands. "Well, you see. The Brothers, mediators determined to but a stop to the searchers, put together all the information they had on everything. It's a book called Guide to the Soulless. You can find it in the library I think." He paused for a minute as he tried to stop the spinning. "Searchers are classified into 6 catagories. 6 being the lowest, one being the hightest."

Artemis couldn't hold back a laugh "the libary?" she raised an eyebrow "what's the highest you've come across?"

Mark nodded. "yes, it's in the library." he chuckled. "They published it as a regular book knowing that no one would really bother to look at it except for mediators. It's how we've survived so long." he shook his head and the smile slowly started to disapear as he moved to the second part of her question. "Level one." he said quietly, memories harrasing his mind, though he didn't let it show.

Artemis raised an eyebrow "smart of them" she frowned and caught the emotions flicker across his face as he went to hide them "what happened?"

Mark closed his eyes and sighed. "It was the night they got Sarah. They only send level ones to pick up potential searchers because of how unstable they are." He paused for a moment, his voice quiet. "You could feel the air just turn to ice and everything, everything was silent. The only thing you could hear above the own rush of your heart beat was their breathing." He opened his eyes again, his voice rising to a somewhat normal volume. "I don't think I've experianced more pain in my life, than I experiance that night." he murmered.

Artemis resisted the urge to place her hand in his "that sounds... frightening" she admitted

Mark gave a slight nod. "When we went to tell our parents that Sarah had been taken, they were lifeless. Their souls, ripped from their bodies. Sure, their hearts were still beating..but.." his eyes grew a little distant as he seemed to loose himself in the memory. "Without a soul you're just a bag of bones you know? nothing more. No emotions, no nothing."

Artemis froze "oh my goodness.. you're parents?" she fought back the sudden urge to now huge him

Mark nodded and glanced at her. "They've been in a nursing home since." He murmered and looked back down at his hands.

She lost the battle and pulled him into a hug "I'm so sorry" she breathed

Mark looked down at her a little shocked, but wrapped his arm around her and hugged her back. "I-it's alright." He said with a deep breath. What was he suppose to do? Was she trying to comfort him? Or was he suppose to comfort her?

Artemis remained like that for an awkward moment before pulling away and looking him over "at least you and your brother are okay"
what kind of reassurance was that? sigh, she was socially awkward to say the least

Mark gave a small smile and nodded. "Ya, I don't know where I'd be without Brendon." He muttered and looked at his hands.

Artemis frowned as her stomach growled. she looked at the time. her parents where so going to kill her. oh well. if she was going to die, it might as well be worth it

Mark looked at her as he heared her stomach growl and smiled. "In need of a Midnight McDonalds run?"