Given An Unwanted Second Chance

Chapter 10

CONTINUE~~~~~GIVE UP

Huh...?

Where...where am I...?

It was dark...quiet...

...somewhat peaceful.

But in front of me floated 2 white-texted buttons.  A continue...and a give up.

Give up?

After everything?

I didn't want to give up.  Not again.

I reached forward, pressing the continue button.

My vision faded to white, and then to black again.

I sucked in a raspy breath, giving a weak cough.

"...E-Eclipse...?"

I blinked open my eye, shivering some as I felt my body again after floating around nothingness for who knows how long.  "Ngh..."

"...she's alive..."

"...how is she...alive?  We all...saw...her dust..."

I pushed an arm out, coughing softly.  It felt weird to move.  "What...happened...? "

"Ink slashed your soul with red paint.  For the boss, it would've just really hurt...but for you...you...you dusted instantly."  Someone whispered off to the side.

"I...I died...? "

I struggled to my knees, blinking a few times before looking around.  It was...not the prettiest sight, that's for sure.

I was back in that cell Ink had thrown me in before.  And...so was everyone else.  They were all tied up in either blue strings or purple paint chains.  Killer seemed...unconscious?  But not entirely.

I held my head as a faint headache formed.  "Are...you guys okay?  Is Killer okay? "

Cross looked over at Killer.  "Killer was...very angry and inconsolable after watching you dust like that.  Ink sedated him by making him drink orange paint.  That stuff normally just confuses you if you're hit by it, but I guess it has a sedative effect if drunk."

"How long was I...? "

"You've been a pile of dust for about an hour."  Dust said quietly.  "The rest of us are fine.  We were just caught off guard.  By the way, you might want to silence the bond you have with Dream before we do anything else."

"How do I silence a bond? "

"It's...like a cup and string situation.  You need to hold the string that bonds you to Dream and keep a hold on it.  That should prevent any tremors or teleportation instances."  Dust explained, still whispering.

I focused on the various bonds I had until I found the one that felt further away.  The familial bond that Nightmare had with Dream.  I closed my eye and took a deep breath before metaphorically grabbing it, trying to keep it silent.

"I'm guessing that Nightmare had a better hold on this after doing it for so long..."  I muttered, opening my eye again.

"Something like...that.  Don't bother...trying to free me or...Killer.  Error's strings have a...connection to him that will...alert him to their undoing."

"What about the paint chains? "

"I don't think Ink has a connection to his paint like Error does to his strings."  Cross replied.

I stood up somewhat shakily and looked over at the cell door.  I limped over and very quietly tried opening it.

Locked.