Into The Underverse

Chapter 9

Y/B = Younger Brother

The hospital wanted to keep me an extra night just to make sure I was okay. That bothered me because I didn't want them to see that I was having nightmares or something.

With more difficulty than normal, I managed to fall asleep.

I awoke on the ground of the Omega Timeline and blinked slowly, struggling into a sitting position.

Core Frisk came over and knelt beside me. "Are you okay?"

No...I was asleep for FOUR DAYS in my world...my whole family was in a panic. Not to mention Nightmare...he is gonna come for me and I have nothing to defend against him with...

"I'm sorry this is happening to you..." Core Frisk said sadly.

Dream...is he recovering?

Core Frisk nodded. "He's in his own little place recovering. We're trying to stay positive so he can heal faster, but it'll be a few days before he's recovered fully."

Then I'll just have to hang on to hope for the next few days while being annoyed by Mr. Let's-Toment-Y/N.

Core Frisk chuckled. "Hang onto that positivity. Dream will rescue you."

I nodded some.

It wasn't but a few moments later that Nightmare appeared, looking smug. I narrowed my eyes at him as Core Frisk backed away from us, somewhat afraid-looking. The nearby monsters, both injured or uninjured, also watched him warily.

I just watched him silently as he stood there, hands in his pockets. You ready, human?

I looked away. No, but do I have a choice?

He grinned. Nope.

The Omega Timeline disappeared into a black void with just me and Nightmare.

I sat quietly as Nightmare circled around me curiously. So what do you fear, human...?

Can I just not tell you and we can sit here in awkward silence for a while? I asked quietly, glancing at him whenever he entered my vision.

Oh, that was a rhetorical question. I knew your fears when I first found you, remember?

Ohh...umm...right...

Nightmare chuckled and snapped his fingers. I tensed up upon seeing my younger brother, Y/B. I already didn't like where this was going.

"Y/N...?" He asked fearfully, looking around.

I had to tell myself that it wasn't real many times over, but damn, Nightmare made it so real...

Y/B looked at me and ran towards me, tears streaming down his face. "Y/N!"

I couldn't help myself. I reached out a hand. Y-Y/B...

Y/B got about 3 feet away from me before he stopped suddenly, making a choking sound. He fell to his knees and I panicked, crawling to him because I couldn't get the strength to stand. He fell forward into my arms and I saw a dagger sticking out from his back. I looked up to see...myself? She was in a stance that suggested she had thrown the dagger. She grinned menacingly before disappearing.

Y/B! I cried, looking down at my brother in my arms. Blood was coming from his mouth and he looked at me with betrayal in his eyes. "Why...?" He whispered, his eyes glazing over.

No, no, no, no, no...

I could hear Nightmare chuckling at my display of despair, but I couldn't help it. I loved my brother too much to not care, even if it was all a figment of this world.

Y/B died in my arms and I hugged his corpse, crying. It wasn't more than a minute later that he turned to ash in my arms and I dropped the ash, freaking out.

And this continued on for what felt like hours. Not the same scenario, but family members dying, car crashes, tornadoes, endless stabbing without killing...it was horrendous.

Eventually, somehow, Nightmare allowed me to wake up. I awoke in the hospital bed, my face covered in old and fresh tears.

How am I going to survive the next few days without Dream...?

~~~~~

I was able to go home the next day, although it wasn't unnoticed that I appeared haunted as I left the hospital.

My grandparents were really worried about me but didn't pester me about the situation. The rest of the day went about the same, people were worried about me.

That night, I stared at the ceiling of my room, not really wanting to go to sleep.

Eventually, sleep claimed me, and I was lying on the ground in a black void. I gingerly sat up, noting that I was still at 0.1 health. That really put a damper on my health and mood.

I heard footsteps behind me but didn't bother turning around. Who else would be in this void...?

Ready for round two, human...? Nightmare whispered quietly. I could practically hear the grin on his face.

No...just...please...stop...I can't take this anymore...

Nightmare laughed. But we've only just begun! Your fears, your terrors, it's all so delightful! I could keep you here FOREVER and never need another soul to torment...

I'm glad you think that, but I don't...! How about I just duck my head down and not look at anything you send my way? That sounds nice.

Nightmare grinned. I'll make you watch.

I narrowed my eyes. Y-You can't keep me here forever. At some point, I won't come back.

And until that point, I'll keep tormenting you until you break...and then continue on!

I scowled even as tears threatened to pour down my face. Why must I be here...?

To suffer, of course!

And thus, suffer I did. For hours and hours and hours.

My spirit was threatening to break and my hope that Dream would help me was waning drastically. At some point, I woke up, but all I saw was darkness. It was the darkness of my room. Deep down, I knew that, but part of me tensed as I waited for the next barrage of torment Nightmare had prepared. It never came, though, and I eventually relaxed a bit. I was still exhausted and injured, though, so I knew the next couple of nights might just break me...