Book 2: The First Fallen Human

Deadly Duo

"HOLD THE DOOR!!" Night yelled as he smashed himself back against the wooden doors. The giggling on the other side of the doors became louder and more deranged. The doors bent in with a loud crack. He could see the golden-tinted black skeleton's grin. X desperately pressed himself back against the door.

Glitch had used his strings to cover the door. That didn't seem to be stopping Shattered Dream. Dream was shaking. He had only heard of this creature a few hours before. He didn't think he was actually going to SEE it. Much less have to FIGHT IT. Dream inhaled shakily. Slowly, he summoned his bow. He gulped.

"Let it in." Dream said. Night glanced back at him in alarm and Dream furrowed his brow in concentration. Night seemed to understand and he shared a quickly glance with X, who nodded. They both broke away from the door.

Light slowly lit up the arrow, spiraling around it all the way to the tip. The door cracked in, only held by Glitch's strings. Glitch inhaled slowly before quickly yanking the strings off. The doors flew open with enough force to crack the doors against either side.

Dream didn't even allow his alternate counterpart a single glance. He turned his head away and released the arrow. He heard it whistle through the air, before there was a screech as it hit its target. He felt the resulting explosion blow wind past him and making him skid a few feet backwards.

Night watched as Shattered Dream was blasted into the air. The golden-black skeleton tumbled backwards. As it struggled up, they caught a glimpse of the skeleton inside. "Holy shit..." X whispered, his eyes wide.

It was Dream, but his exposed eye socket was cracked and dark. His bones had been stained black and black liquid visibly trickled down his face. He was not smiling. In fact, he looked like he was in serious pain. They all watched as the goo closed back up over the other, showing that haunting golden grin once again.

Shattered Dream broke out in a wild flurry of giggles as he leaned heavily to the side, twitching slightly. He raised a skeletal hand to cover his grin. He clicked his tongue, shaking his head, almost scoldingly. "What a RUDE welcome!! And from MYSELF, nonetheless!!"

Dream gulped shakily. This thing... He did have to remind himself that this was a variation of himself. This was him. This was what would've happened if he'd listened to his darkest thoughts. He jumped as Night and X moved in front of him. Night had summoned a staff with a crescent moon, while X had pulled his blade. He blinked and cleared his throat.

"I want to stand next to you. I don't want to feel like you're trying to protect me." Dream said in a shaky, but firm voice. Both of the other skeletons glanced back at him in surprise before nodding and splitting apart. Dream moved in between them.

Shattered Dream charged them again and hissed as bright blue strings roped his ankles, causing him to hit the floor. He snarled as Glitch backed away and teleported to stand next to the others. Dream nocked another arrow, before letting it fly.

It hit Shattered Dream's tentacles as he moved to defend himself. There was a shriek as the tentacles were burnt right off of him and he laid on the ground for another few moments. He growled and his body bubbles as it began to regrow the tentacles. "GO, GO!!" Dream yelled.

Night and X shot forward, both attacking from either side. Shattered Dream barely managed to dodge each of their attacks, one of X's slashes grazing the top of his skull. Shattered Dream hissed and the new tentacles shot up out of his back and smacked both of them away.

Glitch managed to catch both of them with his strings, setting them on the floor. He threw his strings out and they ensnared the other. He yanked backwards and the strings sliced into Shattered Dream's form. Shattered Dream shrieked and stiffened up. Dream stared at himself before they both locked eyes and Shattered Dream gave a chilling smile.

Dream felt himself go completely cold before flinching back as Shattered Dream opened his mouth and let out a bloodcurdling scream. It shook each of them down to the bone and even seemed to shake the castle itself. He fell silent and went limp, dropping with a sinister smile. He didn't move and X snarled.

"What the HELL WAS THAT?!" He snapped. Shattered Dream only gave him a cold grin. He was giggling before starting to hum and sing softly in a strained voice.

"A world... a world of pure imagination..." Shattered Dream giggled. Night stared at the other before he had a realization and his staff clattered to the ground, catching everyone's attention.

"No... no, no, no, are you serious?!" He roared at the creature in panic, which only seemed to delight Shattered Dream even more. Glitch blinked in confusion, but the exploding pixels along his body gave away his unease. X was just as startled. Dream had a cold realization as he met Night's eyes.

"Just the two of us... just the two of us..." Shattered Dream whispered in a haunting voice. Dream gulped.

Night backed up next to Dream as the world rattled. A red glow lit up outside the castle doors, blinding Dream and Night. There were several gunshots as the strings around Shattered Dream were ripped off. Glitch shrieked. This was the first time any of them had seen it in real life.

Dream was shaken. It did look like her. Down to the last facial feature and the clothes that seemed to be part of its body. Most haunting were the vulture-like wings that spread out from its back, dripping blood. It seemed to be missing several feathers and there was a still-closing wound on its shoulder.

The red human stared at Dream. He was shaking violently and he didn't complain this time when both Night and X moved in front of him. Glitch joined them. Shattered Dream pushed himself up and turned to face the red human with a grin. It moved forward slowly to stand next to its companion. Shattered Dream wrapped a tentacle around its shoulder and it seemed to respond by curling a wing around him.

"Friend, are you still hungry?" Shattered Dream asked with a grin. The red human gave a slow nod before turning to face them. They all froze. The red human saw X and seemed confused, tipping its head. X glared back at it. It seemed to understand something and turned its gaze to Night, who furrowed his brow, his staff back in his hands as he stood defensively.

It passed over Glitch without much consideration. It fixed on Dream and stopped, turning to look at Shattered Dream. It moved its gaze between them. Shattered Dream giggled. "What's wrong?? Seeing double??" The red human turned back to face Dream and something in its eyes changed. A new look. A primal one. It gurgled. "You want that one? Interesting." Shattered Dream purred.

Dream froze. Oh shit. He yelped as Night quickly shoved him behind him, even if it was somewhat amusing. Night was the shortest one in the room. Night growled. Shattered Dream smiled, his tentacles waving. The red human took a step forward, wings raising. Shattered Dream grinned before speaking in that slow, taunting voice.

"Heh... how about that, friend? Dinner AND a show!"