Before Adrian could say more, Eden struggled to his feet with the help of Felix. "Let’s go and see what’s happening over there."

Felix and Lysander helped him move toward the scene as the rest followed. They soon arrived at where Lenny and Marcus were.

"What... what are you doing here...?" Lenny asked, but Marcus simply smiled while staring at his face. He didn’t even respond at all.

"Stop smiling already and respond. Why are you here?" Lenny was getting frustrated as tears ran down his eyes. He shouldn’t care this much, and he didn’t understand why he cared enough to cry and get frustrated.

Marcus managed to say, "You’re crying for me... that’s enough." He sighed as he said, "It makes me happy, at least... You care about me."

Lenny was frustrated. "What are you even talking about? What... what’s happening? Why are you here? And why are you hurt? How are you hurt?"

Marcus brought up his fingers and ran them through Lenny’s hair. "It’s so pretty... your pink hair. Have I told you this looks best on you?"

"Speak up already!" Lenny snapped, frustrated in tears.

Marcus smiled. "Of course I had to protect you. I couldn’t let anyone harm you at all. I had to protect you by all means... even if it meant getting some little injuries. I had to protect you," he said with his flirtatious smile.

Tears continued flooding down Lenny’s eyes as he shook his head. "No... how’s that possible? You’re just a human... you’re human... how is that even possible...? No... no..." He shook his head continuously while crying.

But Marcus kept smiling while staring at his face. At one point, he used his fingers to wipe the tears from Lenny’s eyes as he said, "I might not be able to see this face for a long time, so at least let me take a good look, okay? So stop crying and let me have a good look at you."

"No... you’re not going anywhere... so stop saying that... you’re not." He shook his head. "How is it possible that you could save us like that... you’re just human. It makes no sense at all."

Marcus stared at him, watching him cry as he said, "I’m sorry... I’m sorry for making you cry all over again... I’m sorry. I didn’t even intend for you to see me like this. I wanted to leave so you wouldn’t see me." He scoffed. "But I guess you ended up seeing me."

"You fool..." Lenny snapped. "You’re a big fool... why would you... fool..."

Marcus stared at him, running his hands through his cheeks as he said, "But don’t worry, I’m fine. Really. Meeting you was the best gift I could ever ask for... it was a dream come true. At least now... I’m at ease again." He smiled. "So don’t worry."

Lenny stared at him. "What are you even... talking about...?" He said while still crying.

But Marcus added, "You don’t have to understand. It’s honestly better that you don’t." Then he said, "But... please wait for me. Next time, I’d also like to meet you. Okay...?"

He didn’t show any signs of pain at all even though his body was bruised and bleeding. He had fought hundreds of zombies almost alone and had absorbed all the deadly effects of Eden’s sword that would have killed everyone.

And that had really destroyed him completely within. So now Marcus lay there dying as though he wasn’t in any pain.

And while Lenny cried by his side, he lay there with a peaceful smile on his face, staring at him as his vision faded.

And so, Marcus lay there without words or actions. Not moving or talking, he was already gone while he peacefully lay on Lenny’s lap.

Lenny, seeing that he was gone, shook him. "Hey... wake up..." He said, tears running down his cheeks. "Wake up now, wake up!" He cried while struggling to move Marcus.

But he wasn’t waking up anymore.

Lenny cried as he turned to Adrian. "Do something. He’s your brother, isn’t he? Do something! Say something at least... do something to wake him up!" He cried.

But Adrian stood there staring without anything to do. While others stared at him, Adrian simply sighed as he said, "I’d also like to do something... but I don’t think there’s anything I can do here." He shook his head.

Lenny stared at him, confused. "And what do you mean?"

Adrian hesitated before he said, "I can help humans at least, but I can’t save immortals. My brother is human... and he... isn’t my brother."

As he announced that, silence filled the scene. Everyone stared at him, and then at Marcus lying there dead.

Adrian continued, "I’d know my brother if I saw him. Sadly, he’s not," he expressed.

Tears filled Lenny’s eyes. He didn’t seem to care. He continued crying by Marcus’s side as Helen came to kneel beside him, comforting him.

While all this happened, Eden quietly stood there staring and observing without saying anything. He had suspicions, and at that moment everything began becoming clearer to him.

It made more sense now.

That was why he found Marcus strange at times when he was at the academy. He still didn’t really understand how Marcus had known he was the Wizard of El—his brother couldn’t have possibly told him.

And from the rumors around, he heard Adrian’s brother was a quiet type, a nerd. But this Marcus was completely different from that description.

And all this made him suspect that this wasn’t the real Marcus at all. It took him a while to figure out who he could possibly be—what imposter and what his aim was.

And at that moment, it made more sense to him who Marcus could potentially be.

This Marcus was possibly the person Lenny had said he was meant to find. The writer from the real world who might actually have an answer to all of his questions.