This Is Christmas

An Empty Promise

Mike opened his eyes slowly and looked around. Next to him were his friends lying on the bright green grass. It was warm, the sun shone brightly on the five. "Where.. Are we?" Dustin asked. "I told you, we're in Will's head." El mentioned again. "Right, but how? We're outside-" Mike sat up and heard clanking, the sound of metal. He looked down and realized he was dressed in a Paladin's attire. He also saw a sword beside him. He then looked over to his friends. Lucas wore the Ranger's attire and Dustin wore the Bard's attire, El wore a Mage's attire. Mike then looked over to his left and saw Will laying on the grass in a Wizard's attire. "I think we're playing DnD in Will's head." Mike realized.

He then placed his hands onto Will's shoulders shaking him awake. "Will!" Mike yelled. "If we're in a DnD game in Will's head.. And this is the final boss... Then-" just then multiple loud roars erupted a few miles from the group. Will's eyes fluttered open within an instant. He looked at Mike and what he was wearing. "Mike..?" Will mumbled. "Hey, are you okay?" Mike asked. "I'm okay.. I'm..." Will looked at his friends confused. They were all dressed up like DnD characters.

"Yeah, your mind turned us into DnD characters, pretty cool, right?" Mike asked knowing that Will would like this. "Yeah, it's awesome!" Will said smiling looking all around. Mike then realized that what Will had said before was a lie. He hadn't gotten over DnD. All he wanted was to play DnD. They were in his mind after all. "Okay, no more excitement, Will. We're on an important mission! We have to kill that veiny bitch, let's go!" Dustin yelled running across the open field. El and Lucas followed close behind him.

Will and Mike looked at each other. Mike seemed a bit uneasy. Will knew he was afraid. Will was terrified but even through this he tried to comfort Mike just like he had done for him so many times before. "We can do this, Mike." Will took Mike's hand into his. Mike felt his heart race and the wind picked up. Their hair flowed through the wind. Mike's eyes gazed upon Will's lips once again and then they met Will's eyes that stared longingly into his. Will then let go of Mike's hand and started to run towards the group. "Come on, Mike!" Will yelled as he did so. Mike snapped out of his daze and followed Will. He felt more confident than he ever had before. Will somehow took his fear away. As long as Will was here he'd be okay, he knew that much.

They soon came across a huge castle. It was a dark purple. The five looked at each other waiting for one of them to take a step forward. "Is everyone ready?" El asked looking at Will. Everyone nodded other than Will who looked at Mike trying to take in this moment the best he could. "Will, are you ready?" El asked. Everyone's attention turned to Will who's hands shook. Mike noticed this and his eyebrows furrowed. Will nodded shaking off the fear and he then took the first steps forward. Mike walked his speed and was now beside him. "Are you okay?" Mike asked. "I'm fine." Will answered. Mike had a strong grip on his sword preparing himself.

Once they were in the castle they noticed how dark it was. Barely any light resided other than the few candles and the sun from outside. Just then multiple roses could be heard echoing throughout the castle's walls. The room shook. Everyone got ready to fight whatever Vecna was going to be in Will's mind. Just he then a dragon with three heads walked into the hall, a red dragon. Mike and Will had seen this dragon before. It was the same dragon from Will's painting. The final boss.

Lucas started to shoot arrows at the dragon in which it roared even louder. It instantly charged for Lucas in anger. El quickly ran in front of him using her powers to keep the dragon at bay. She couldn't hold it for long though. Mike knew this and ran over with his sword. Will used his wizardry to make Mike fly. "WOAH!" Mike yelled swinging is sword in the air. Within an instant one of its heads were cut off. "YES, YES!" Dustin yelled. Will felt a sharp pain in his chest but tried his best to ignore it. Suddenly it disappeared, as it did the dragon grew two more heads. "NO, NO!" Dustin yelled in horror. Mike felt his heart drop and Will set him down onto the ground. Mike ran to Dustin.

"WHAT DO WE DO?!" Mike yelled. "I DON'T KNOW, WHY THE HELL IS IT REGENERATING?!" Dustin yelled in panic. "I DON'T KNOW!" Mike yelled. "GUYS, MOVE!" Lucas yelled trying to aim at the dragon. It was running straight at the two. Will quickly moved them over to him with his powers. The dragon seemed furious. The dragon then started to run straight towards Will. "NO!" El yelled trying to stop the dragon's movement but he wouldn't stop moving. Without any time to react Will was thrown across the room and into a wall falling onto the floor by the dragons claws. "WILL!" Mike screamed. Will had the wind knocked out of him and coughed. Next the dragon ran at Lucas who kept firing arrows at him. El ran in front of Lucas trying to work her magic yet the dragon still managed to get her arm cutting it clean off before being pushed away by El's magic. "AH!" El screamed in pain. Lucas ran over trying to help El. "Shit, shit, shit.." Lucas tore a piece of his clothing and wrapped it around her arm. El was screaming in agony.

The dragon grew furious and then ran back over to Will who was being defended by his partner. "Mike.."

Will could barely speak. Mike waved his sword around.
"DUSTIN, COME HEAL EL!" Lucas yelled. Dustin ran over and instantly started to use his healing abilities on El. Her bleeding stopped but her arm didn't grow back. Mike was trying to scare off the dragon but nothing was working. "Mike... Go.." Will mumbled. "I'm not leaving you!" Mike yelled. "You can't.. It regenerates...." Will was losing consciousness. Mike then remembered something that Will had said in California.

"You're the heart."

Mike, without another thought, threw his sword right into the dragon's heart. The dragon roared in pain and fell down onto its back. It was barely breathing. Will then felt a sharp pain coming from his heart. "I DID IT! I-" "AHH!" Will screamed in pain. Mike turned to Will and his eyes widened. There was another wound on his chest. The dragon hadn't caused it. Mike knew this. "D-DUSTIN, HELP!" Mike yelled. Will squirmed moving from his side onto his back. "NGH, AH!" Will cried. El stood up barely able to move. Was this it, was Will really dying? Lucas followed Dustin over to Will who was now barely breathing. "WILL, WILL, LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME, EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE OKAY! EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE OKAY!" Mike yelled lifting Will into his arms. Dustin started a spell trying hard to stay calm.

Lucas and Mike watched as his nose stopped bleeding, as well as his head and stomach. The only thing that wouldn't stop was the wound on his chest. It was identical to the wound Mike had made on the dragon. "W-WHY ISN'T HE HEALING?!" Mike yelled. "I-I'M TRYING!" Dustin yelled tears streaming down his face. Lucas started to cry as well with a blank face as everything went down. "NO, YOU'RE NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH! HE'S NOT HEALING!" Mike yelled holding onto Will even tighter. Mike then looked at Will caressing his face. "Will, Will, can you hear me?" Mike asked softly. Will barely opened his eyes. "Mike, I'm sorry.." "You and Vecna... You were connected.... You.. You knew.... Why didn't you tell me?" Mike asked sobbing. "Because.. I knew you wouldn't let it happen..." Will said with a somber smile. Mike's eyes widened and then he embraced Will. "Please, don't leave me..." Mike cried. Just then Lucas came to a realization. That Mike was in love with Will. Lucas watched as Will stopped breathing and after a couple of seconds Mike realized this as well. He slowly pulled away from the embrace wide eyed. Then it went black.