Midnight Castle

Crows cawed outside as the king of Negativity drew out the battle plan for an unsuspecting AU. Attacks have been easier than ever thanks to Ink's strange new behavior. On their last raid, Ink practically encouraged the destruction. He went on about how the "imperfect must be sacrificed" or some shit.

Nightmare read over the plans one more time before allowing himself to relax. He leaned back in his office chair and glanced at the clock. 12:06? How did it get so late?

As Nightmare straightened the mess of papers, two loud knocks sounded across the room. One of the two massive doors creaked open.

"Come in."

Horror pushed open the door. He was still wearing his blood-soaked jacket despite how late it was. Besides the moonlight, his crimson eye was the brightest thing in the room. Horror shuffled across the room and sat across from his boss.

Nightmare folded his hands, "What brings you here at this hour?"

"It's Dream." Horror said, "Actually, it's all the Star Shits."

Nightmare bit back his irritation. He never liked hearing his so-called "brother's" name, but he was also interested. If Ink was mental, how were the other three doing without him? "Go on."

"Well, I went to Underswap to win this bet with Killer. The monsters were freaked out and there was dust everywhere. One of them told me that it was Blue who caused the carnage." Horror's voice went soft, "He lost his mind."

Nightmare thought he misheard him. Blue? The optimistic, taco-loving freak? Ink wasn't too surprising, he's had genocidal mood swings before, but Blue? He was still waiting for the part about Dream.

"Anyways," Horror went on, "I slipped by his house and overheard that he died in some fire. And it was Dream who said it. He apologized over and over again and blamed himself for everything. Oh, the little gray kid was there too; don't ask why. I don't know."

So two Star Shits down. This was the best news he heard in a long time. But if Nightmare knew anything, it was if something was too good to be true, then it was. There had to be a catch. "Did Dream say anything else?"

Horror leaned back in the chair, "Not that I heard."

The king of Negativity thought this over. It was no secret Dream felt immense guilt for Dreamtale and Nightmare's corruption. Whenever they were fighting, Nightmare always felt bullets of regret every time he was close. But Dream insisted on being the one to fight him, not letting Ink, Blue, or even Lust land an attack.

Besides these fights, Dream hid his emotions behind a wall of disgusting positivity. He was one of those people that would help others but refused to let others help him. This little scheme keeps everyone from asking about his true feelings. Everyone but Nightmare. Nightmare didn't want to admit it, but he had mixed feelings for his former twin. On one hand, good riddance. On the other. . .

"Boss?" Horror asked, snapping Nightmare out of his trance, "You feeling okay?"

"What? Yes, I'm fine." Nightmare stood from his desk, "If we have nothing more to discuss, I suggest you get some sleep. The bags under your eyes don't suit you."

Horror nodded and started towards the door. Nightmare followed him, ready to lock the office when a sharp pain stabbed his skull.

The king cursed as he fell to fall to his knees. He lost sight of reality as the numbing pain took over. Suddenly, he wasn't in the castle anymore.

Nightmare shook himself as he looked around at the place he hasn't seen in years. The Tree of Feelings had regrown from the ruins after all these years. Brittle skulls and bones of former monsters scattered the ground. Nightmare smirked at the memory, they deserved their sudden death.

Even with the darkness, Nightmare spotted a small golden figure by the tree. His aura felt odd, a mix of excitement and depression. Sickening. In his right hand was a small collar. The left reached for the shiny black apples on the tree. Nightmare screamed at the figure to turn back, that it was too dangerous. Another voice he almost didn't recognize jolted him awake.

"DUST! KILLER! SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH THE BOSS! " Horror shouted. His hands were clasping Nightmare's shoulders.

Nightmare blinked up at Horror, who still looked blurry in his dazed state. "What-what the hell happened?"

Horror sighed in relief, "Don't know. You were shaking and screaming, something about telling someone to run away. Who were you talking to?"

Before he could answer, Killer kicked through the door. . .with one knife in each hand and another in his mouth. It might have even looked intimating if he wasn't wearing blue pajamas. "Ooo der I-", he spit out the knife, "Who do I need to kill?"

"No one, I'm fine. It was a damn vision. I haven't had one since. . ." He thought back to when Dream almost drank a bottle of poison in a suspicious AU. Nightmare never told anyone, but Dream was still alive because of a vision he had. "It doesn't matter. Right now, I'll have to leave. Horror, you're in charge until I get back."

"Hold on, where are you going?" Killer asked. His hate-dripping eyes looked concerned.

Nightmare hesitated. "I can't believe I'm about this, but I'm saving my idiot brother from his potential death."

Without saying another word, Nightmare formed a portal of negativity and leaped through. Horror and Killer's protests faded to silence.Just like the vision, Dream stood in front of the Tree of Feelings. He looked shorter than Nightmare remembered. The Positive guardian reached for the apple, only to find his hand caught by a black, dripping tendril."Not. Another. Move."