The Stage is Set

Contacting a Past Life pt.1

I'm so sorry for the late upload! I had so much outside of creating to do these past few weeks! First finals, Christmas, and then I got my wisdom teeth pulled, etc., etc. Too much, anyway! Here are the next few chapters!

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"Wake up, wake up!" Killer gently shakes Nightmare back into reality. His shoulders sag in relief as Nightmare makes eye contact, his hand squeezes Dream's as he mentally collects himself. Killer leans against Nightmare, "Oh thank the stars, you're back. I don't know what you two did, but it isn't looking too good out here."

Nightmare sits up straight, looking around before looking at Error. "What does that mean? Error? What is Killer talking about?"

Error looks at Nightmare with wide frantic sockets. His eye pips flick around in a panic. "His soul-" He swallows, "Ink's soul piece- It's gone."

Dream sits up, Cross acting as support, His skull snaps over towards Error's direction. "What."

Error bites his fingertips as he looks back outside the shield of ink. "I-I don't know! It was in my pocket and then it wasn't!" Error tries to breathe as glitches start to run through his body and voice. Tears drip as he looks over at Nightmare. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I can't do this-"

Nightmare pulls Error into a hug, mindful of where he touches as Error continues to glitch. "It's alright, you tried your best. It's okay." He pulls Error against his shirt, shielding him from everyone who can see them. Killer rests a hand on Error's back.

Error tries to pull himself together. How could he lose a soul piece that important? How did that happen? Creation, that half of Ink, is gone. Their strongest lead to Ink. Error knows what would, what could, happen without it. Who knows what would happen if someone else got that piece? Would they go after him next? Error has the other half, it would make sense for them to go after him next. But why would anyone want it? What does this soul do that would make him so anxious about anyone else getting their hands on it? He feels it. Something makes their soul too powerful to be lost.

A thought comes to him, but he shoves it away. He dreads the possibility that he could be right.

Error takes a few deep breaths as he tries to calm down. Maybe Creation is out somewhere? But then everyone would see them, right? So that's not right. He doesn't know what to do, and that scares Error. After a long period of peace, he's not ready to go back to doing things like this. He doesn't want to think about it. He can't do this, not again. He doesn't want to fight anymore. Error whimpers as Killer's hand accidentally sets off another glitch.

Dream nods before looking away, he's never been good at comforting others.

Cross looks over at Dream, "So did you get in contact with Ink?"

Dream nods as he leans into Cross. "When we get to his room, we need to collect the soul shards, but not combine them. There's... someone here who wants Ink." Cross stiffens and Dream tries to see out of the shield. "Neither of us could understand who, but it seems like keeping the soul pieces separate is keeping Ink hidden from whoever it is."

Cross barely nods before turning towards the others. "So we just have to get Blue and get out of here first."

Killer looks at Cross before shaking his head. "Not so fast. We still need that half of Ink's soul that he gave to Error. Get that, we'll have an easier time finding the rest of his soul shards. Don't most souls have a dousing aspect to them? What's to say that doesn't work with soul shards as well?" He looks back at Error before looking down at the floor. His voice drops, "Besides, who knows what would happen if we try to get all the shards together without that big of a piece of his soul."

Error grips onto Nightmare's arm as he looks at Cross. His voice dripping with glitches, "We need that piece. That piece has enough power to pause, save, and reset to a previous save point." Everyone stares at Error with horror as they realize what's at stake. "If something is out there chasing after Ink, they may want that piece. That's part of Ink AND our multiverse."

Killee looks away with wide sockets. "And if they have the same power as the humans in our AUs..."

Cross's eye pips shrink to a pinprick. "They can make us relive this hell over and over until they're bored."

Dream and Nightmare look away in horror.

Dream goes to say something before getting cut off by a laugh. He goes still, and that laughter is familiar to him. It's not at the same time. Just enough for him to know something is wrong. Dream whips his skull in the direction of the sound, hoping that he's wrong. The others slowly follow his line of sight and look out with concern and fear. Someone else is here. Could it be the same person that's after Ink? Dream slowly crawls over to the glassy wall, his wings drag on the floor below him. His legs feel so weak.

Dream presses a hand to the wall, as Cross comes closer. He squints before leaning closer to the shield, "Is that... Blue?"

The other three come closer and Dream smiles. His mind blocks out all the things that are wrong with Blue being there. He only sees Blue standing. He's alive, he's okay. Dream lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding and his shoulders relax. He's okay. He presses his other hand against the wall, just happy to see Blue standing there.

Error takes a step back, horror etched on his face. "That's..."

Killer looks back at him, "Error?"

Error shakes his head, "That's not Blue."