Crossmare - Empires of The Moon and Sun

Chapter 14 - Truth and Disaster

Cross woke up in a cell. He recognized it straight away. It was the cell that Nightmare had been put into when Ink Nightmare took over. He freaked out, remembering what Ink Nightmare had done to him. He looked around frantically and realized that Nightmare was actually in the cell with him.

Cross felt sick. There Nightmare was, with an arrow stuck in his 'stomach.' Cross went to look away, but looked closer when he saw the arrow. It was one of Dream's arrows. 'Why would Dream have shot Nightmare?' Cross pushed the thought aside as he ran to Nightmare. He grabbed him and pulled him up. He reached forward for the arrow, but stopped when he heard Nightmare wince. "C...Cro..ss..?" Cross looked to see Nightmare looking at him, the pain clearly visible in his eye.

Cross held Nightmare up, careful not to hurt him. "Yeah its me, but this may hurt a bit." Nightmare looked at Cross confused. "Wha- AHH!" Nightmare yelled as Cross had quickly grabbed the arrow and yanked. The arrow had barely come out. Usually you'd have to pull an arrow that was that deep, out the other side since the end was thin. This wasn't the case, since Dream's positivity arrows were edged at the end. Nightmare was shuddering from the pain. "Sorry Nightmare, I was just trying to help."

Nightmare nodded and leaned into Cross, wincing as he had to move. Cross did his best to make Nightmare comfortable. He laid him down on his lap carefully and sighed. "Nightmare..." Nightmare looked at Cross in confusion. "Wh..at.?" Cross looked at him, sadness in his eyes. "I have to try and take the arrow out again." Nightmare shook his head violently. "N...o please. Hur..ts.."

Cross sighed. "Sorry, but I have to. If I don't take it out, it could get worse. It will also start to hurt a lot worse." Nightmare was about to shake his head, but hesitantly nodded instead after seeing how worried that Cross looked. Nightmare yelled in pain as Cross had grabbed hold of the arrow and yanked. He did this three times until the arrow finally came out.

Nightmare's breaths turned shallow. Cross got worried, but saw that he was just asleep even though his breaths were uneven. Somebody started yelling lots of curses and there was another person that was yelling for them to stop. Cross looked and saw Error and Ink, and Error was being held by a guard. Ink was in his cell and it looked as though they were taking Error somewhere, which they were. Error was fighting the guard and got out of their grip. The guard grabbed Error again and called for other guards. It took five guards to contain him.

Ink started screaming at the guards. "Stop! You're hurting him!" The guards dragged Error past Cross and Nightmare's cell. Error stopped abruptly and looked in, looking at Cross and Nightmare. Cross laughed. "Still got some fight, huh Error?" Error scoffed. "ThEse gUardS aRe luCky thAt I dOn't ProtEst." A guard hit Error upside the head and they all dragged him back forward.

Two guards came up to Cross and Nightmare's cell. They opened the cell door and Cross attacked the two guards. A guard punched Cross and the other grabbed him. The one that had punched him, grabbed Nightmare. They brought them out of the cell and headed to the throne room.

Ink Nightmare saw them and grinned. Cross saw that the others were there and Dream was standing beside Ink Nightmare. Cross glared at Dream, who avoided making eye contact with him. Ink Nightmare laughed. "The gang is all here, finally. Virus, grab Nightmare. I'll take care of Cross." Virus grabbed Nightmare, who made him wake up. Virus punched Nightmare where the arrow had been, causing him to scream in pain.

Cross growled and started kicking. Ink Nightmare grabbed Cross with a tentacle and lifted him up. Dream glared at Ink Nightmare. "STOP!! What are you doing!? We agreed that you would help me stop my brother to end the war between us!" Ink Nightmare started laughing. "Oh you fool. I tricked you. I just needed you to think that so I could get Nightmare and Cross."

Tears built up in Dream's eyes. Nightmare growled and Ink Nightmare slammed Cross to the ground. He screamed. "NO!!" Nightmare broke free from the guard and grabbed Ink Nightmare. Ink Nightmare shoved Nightmare off and stabbed his tentacle through Cross' arm. Dream ran at Ink Nightmare, who shoved him away. He held Cross up and stabbed his tentacle at Cross' chest where his soul would be. Time seemed to slow down as the tentacle went forward. Nightmare ran in between Cross and the tentacle.

Cross yelled. "Nightmare!" The tentacle stabbed Nightmare through his soul. Dream shot three arrows at Ink Nightmare. The arrows each hit Ink Nightmare. "Ugh. This isn't over. When I come back, and I will, you'll be sorry." Ink Nightmare and Virus both disappeared. Cross got up and ran to Nightmare and grabbed him. He held him up and he smiled at Cross. Cross hugged Nightmare tightly. "P-Please don't leave me. N-Nightmare please." Nightmare hugged back tightly, tears falling. "I'm sorry. I bro-oke my promise." Nightmare slowly dusted. The wind picked the dust up as he was dusting and carried it away. Cross watched as the dust spread, crying. Cross held Nightmare's crown, dust spread on it. The last thing that he had left of Nightmare.

And the last thing he had to remember him by.