???? ??? ????? [?] {Jeff the Killer x Gender Neutral Reader}

The group appears in an unfamiliar location, finding themselves amidst what appears to be a medieval-style jail.

"Damn, would it hurt Him to clean this place?" BEN asks absentmindedly, his gaze fixed on the rats scurrying along one of the walls.

"B-BEN?!" A panicked voice echoes through the chamber, with Masky and Hoody immediately rushing in its direction. Sure enough, they reach one of the overgrown cells, its bars old yet sturdy, housing-

"Toby!" the two proxies exclaim with relief at the sight of their missing friend. Masky doesn't waste any time, grabbing his crowbar to pry open the door. Soon enough, the three men settle into a tight hug, holding each other tightly as the rest of the group walks up to the cell.

We thought you were dead, man," Hoody chuckles, affectionately ruffling Toby's hair, making it look even worse than before. "Don't scare us like this again."

"It takes more to k-kill me than some secondhand torture," Toby replies, raising his hands so the others can help with his chains. Hoody takes out his lockpick, and it doesn't take long before the brunette is set free.

The trio walks out of the cell, yet Toby pauses just short of the passage, nervously looking up at Slenderman's towering figure.

"Slenderman. I'm s-sorry, He went into my head, I-"

"It is okay, Tobias. I am simply glad that you are safe." The creature gets down on one knee to hug the brunette, his arms wrapping around his body. Jeff observes as more tentacles emerge from Slenderman's back, working diligently to restore Toby's strength. Just like he did with Yenne...

"You know, this is cute and all that," Jeff quips, prompting Slenderman to release his proxy from his grip, "but we have other things to worry about."

"He's right," agrees Jane, her watchful gaze focused on the other now-opened cell in the chamber next to Toby's. "Was Yenne kept here with you?"

"Y-yes, they were. Not as long as m-me, of course, but... J-Jack took them somewhere around ten minutes ago." The brunette shakes his head, digging the heels of his palms into his eyes. "Fun fact, d-did you know he works for Zalgo? H-he played us all, he-"

"I'm sorry, man," BEN mumbles, flying in to quickly console Toby before they have to get a move on. "I know how close you two were."

"...Let's just go," Toby mumbles, mouthing a quick 'thank you' as Masky hands him back his axe.

"I cannot teleport us any further in," states Slenderman, striding purposefully toward the solitary door in the room. "So we will have to walk. Stay vigilant and follow me."

The group follows behind, soon finding themselves carefully traversing the building's narrow halls. After a few minutes, they finally reach an opening, a prominent oval chamber with numerous corridors radiating from it.

"Where to now?" Jeff ponders, walking toward one of the corridors, only for the sound of a loud battle horn to emit from it, making him stagger backward. The silence that has accompanied them for the past few minutes is shattered by the sound of approaching footsteps, echoing from all around them.

Countless people, monsters, demons - you name it - flock to the chamber. Some in their everyday clothes, some wearing medieval armor, some looking like your darkest nightmares. No matter what they might be, their skin bears an unnatural gray hue, and where their eyes should be, there are only bottomless voids, oozing darkness.

Then all hell breaks loose.

- - -

The castle shakes to its foundations as the sounds of clashing steel and ominous chanting echo through its chambers. Zalgo's minions attack mercilessly - yet without any finesse or plan, making it seem as if the only order they've received was to maim.