The Stage is Set

Chapter 19: What just happened?

So sorry for the long wait! But I'm in college now, and classes made it hard to keep up with writing chapters, I hope you enjoy it! Also, the artwork will be held off for a little bit, so sorry!

Killer groans as he pushes himself up from the floor, his soul a mangled mess of red and white. "Ugh, what just happened?"

His mind is muddled with what had just happened. He glances down at his hand in confusion to see flesh and not bone. Isn't he a skeleton? He isn't a human, right? He blinks and it's gone. Killer gulps, feeling a tongue in his mouth. He doesn't remember summoning it, nor a reason for needing it. Killer isn't eating or drinking anything so why would he need a tongue? It doesn't make any sense. He shakes his skull before rubbing his sockets. He looks around to see that he's the first one to bounce back into awareness. He glances outside the glass and feels magic churn in his nonexistent stomach. Holy shit. He quickly looks away before he could see anything other than the blood and many severed limbs floating in the ink that covers the floor. He sees some that look like Ink's arms. Some with sleeves that belong to Lea. Most notable are the ones with a black and red fabric covering them. The black claws give it away who the arms belong to. Killer finds himself happy at the implication, but then where is Ink? Killer looks around, noticing Error is too close to the window for comfort. What if something comes and takes Error too? He can't risk losing another lover.

Killer tries to stand up, but his legs wobble and give out as if he had been running for hours on end. He sucks in a breath before crawling over to Error to pull him away from the window. Worry and panic fill him as he drags Error away. He's worried that they'll take him if Error is too close to the window and destroy Error's soul. Or maybe delete him. What if they erase Error from everyone's memories? He can't risk it. He can't lose anyone else. A ringing fills his mind as he pulls Error closer to him. He can barely hear his breathing as hate leaks more from his sockets dripping onto his jacket. He gulps air down before looking around to see everyone else glitching as well. He turns back around to look out, content to hold Error and prepare for something to happen. He just hopes for the best.

Nightmare is the next to wake. He sits up silently, his head throbs as involuntary tears force their way down his cheeks. His ears ring as he tries to figure out what had just happened to them. What was that? He wipes his face, wiping the light purple hair on his face. Teal strands fall from behind his crown, he can never seem to tame his curls anymore. Not since he gained control over his corruption, wait. Hair? He looks down at his hand to see marbled skin before blinking and seeing bone once more. He frowns with worry before reaching up to his crown. To his surprise, his crown is intact and fixed. The small plate that has a moon carved into it is back. Nightmare briefly wonders if it means that his brother is okay now. Would the injury be healed? He glances over to his brother, no, the injury still looks the same. Although most of the stone seems to be gone for now. He sighs before looking over at Killer and crawling over to him. His legs feel like they fell asleep, and the sharp prick of pins hurt as he makes his way over to the two. He drapes himself against Killer's back and wraps his arms around Killer for comfort.

Killer sighs in acknowledgment before frowning. "'Ey Nightlight, are you alright?"

Nightmare nods into Killer's back. "Are you?" His voice is thick with exhaustion and ripples with a minor glitch.

Killer thinks for a moment before sighing. "I... I'm not dead, so I'm alright." He looks around, his vision is so much better than before, it's strange. Not that he couldn't see, but his vision wasn't as good as this for so long. He wonders what's happened. He briefly wonders if he has an eye pip again. He brings a hand right under his socket, he doesn't feel new hate on his fingers. He swears that there was fresh hate dripping all over the place. Dripping and staining his skull and jacket. He pulls his fingers away to see nothing staining his hands. He frowns before shrugging it off. Maybe it was just his imagination.

Cross lets out a low groan as he pushes himself off the floor. When did he fall on his face? Why does his noes hurt so much? His tongue and scalp hurt too. Did he bite his tongue? Is his ponytail too tight? Wait... Cross quickly sits up before looking at his hands and legs. No flesh. He reaches up to feel his face, no skin. Just smooth bone with his deep scar. No hair either. He sighs before noticing the others that are up. He must be one of the last ones to wake up. All of them but Blue and Dream are awake. He frowns, they screamed so loud before they all passed out. He wonders what happened. He debates if he should wake them or not, just to make sure that they're okay. Something catches his attention and he's confused. Then a sickly feeling fills his soul as he watches it slither and slowly creep up Blue and Dream. A feeling of dread fills and sinks his soul.

*Something big is going to happen. Be ready.

"U-uh, guys?" His voice cracks and everyone else turns around to look at him. He notices that Liam's Sanses are in Dust's arms, they must've turned back into plushies.

Dust smiles at him, and relief floods his expression. "Cross! You're finally awake!"

Cross shakes his skull. "N-not the point. What's going on with Blue and Dream?"

Everyone snaps their attention toward where Cross is pointing. To their horror, they see a thick black substance creeping up and slowly covering Blue and Dream. Nightmare gets up and takes a step only for the substance to quicken. Covering both legs on Blue and Dream. Nightmare stops and stays still, and the substance slows back down. They watch as it creeps up, latching onto anything and everything, up the legs and waist to their torsos. All of it disappears into the darkness of the substance.

Killer tries to grab them with blue magic, only for the substance to tighten its hold on the two of them. They watch as it compresses against the two, putting pressure on the fragile bones. Blue's sockets snap open with a cry of pain as he feels a rib crack from the pressure. Dream's sockets snap open as well, but he holds in his shout. He can feel his bones creaking, trying to resist being broken. Tears bubble from his sockets as he stares at his brother, looking for help. Killer lets go of them immediately with worry. He didn't want to hurt them. They all seem at a loss as Blue looks distressed trying to pull Dream away from the substance. He doesn't care if it takes him, as long as it doesn't take Dream.

"D-Dream?"

Dream looks at Nightmare with a nervous expression. It hurts too much. "I can't move." His voice is quiet as he clings to Blue. "I don't think Blue can either." Blue nods before shivering. It's so cold and slimy on his vertebrae. He grimaces and Dream follows suit.

Blue looks at something behind them before pulling Dream closer. "I don't think-"

Blue is cut off as the ink fills his mouth and his sockets open in surprise. Dream nearly chokes as he tries to cry out. It had gone into his sockets first before going into his mouth. Cross looks at where their legs would be, only to see a lack of lumps under the ink. There's only a puddle. He looks back to see them sinking slowly into the ink and something clicks in the back of Cross's mind.

It's the same way that Ink portals around, but just slowed down significantly.

Nightmare is held by Killer as he watches Dream without being able to help. It's like the roles have been reversed. Where his brother was helpless to help him in his time of need, now he's helpless to help Dream. Tears fill Nightmare's sockets as he tries to struggle against Killer. He can't just stand there. He has to help. He needs to help Dream. Is this how Dream felt during the incident? Is this how he felt every time they met each other and fought? Nightmare needs to apologize, he's so sorry he made his brother feel like this. He can't stand it. He briefly ponders how Dream did. Killer holds onto Nightmare tightly, he doesn't want to lose Nightmare as well. Error can only watch from his spot on the floor, feeling too weak to move. His arms shake just raising them and his legs have no strength in them. He feels weak to help. Useless to do anything until he gets his strength back. He hates the sour taste it leaves in his mouth.

Cross is watching the outside with an intensity that unnerves Dust. Dust turns around to see what Cross is staring at before his sockets widen in shock. Dream and Blue are suddenly pulled under, and in that instant, they're gone. The others look around to see what happened and to see if they could find them. It's only when they follow Cross's finger once more and look out the glass do they feel their magic sink once more. They stare at Blue and Dream, hanging limply in the ropes of thick ink and paint. Dressed up in fantasy armor. Almost like puppets on their strings. Nightmare feels more goop slide down his face, a brief thought of when it disappeared fills his mind for a moment.

Nightmare rushes towards the glass, banging on it as hard as he can. A feeble attempt to break it. "Blue, Dream! Wake up!"