-=-that night, a dream-=-

Third Person POV

Rune creeps through the thick blue undergrowth, following the glowing, dancing beetles as they lead him to his destination. He climbs over long since fallen branches, random little shrubs and different various other things he knows not the name of.

He follows the glowing bugs, keeping close as they dance around the sky, creating patterns and silhouettes. Rune gazes at the beetles in awe as they create a silhouette of three boys, two very similar and one older.

Rune. Phoenix. Kasper.

The beetles spell out above each silhouette, which causes wetness to drip from Rune's face as his throat and chest become tight with pain.

"Rune.. Phoenix.. Kasper.." he reads out, his voice barely a whisper as pain assaults him from all angles, driving him to his knees are more tears escape his eyes.

Rune hiccups softly, trying and failing to wipe away the onslaught of hot, wet tears as they caress his cheeks before dropping to the earth and disappearing into the red soil. He takes a deep breath. Then another, until he's calmer and the tears begin to cease.

Rune hauls himself to his feet as roughly half of the beetles land on his clothes, causing him to light up almost like a Christmas tree. The beetles stay clinging to his clothes; a small comfort for a broken heart.

Rune starts trudging along, walking past glowing flowers of all colours, some known to him, others something else entirely. He continues following the beetles, through the blue undergrowth until they reach the sandy shore of a brilliant coal black ocean, the colour so dark it seems to absorb everything and anything in sight, even the glowing beetles don't seem to glow as brightly near the inky water.

Phoenix appears from the other side of the blue forest, following what seems to be.. butterflies? They looked like little flutters of blue, green, red, purple etc. as well as colours unknown to mankind, dancing and prancing around Nix.

Rune's Nix.

A huge grin breaks out on his face at the sight of Phoenix, and before they realise it, Rune's running to him and throwing himself into Phoenix's arms, hugging him with all his might.

Nix chuckles and hugs Rune back, just as tight if not more so.

"I miss you.." Rune mumble against his shoulder, tightening his grip slightly.

A deep sigh leaves Nix's lips.

"I missed you too, Ru." He whispers, burying his face in Rune's hair before pulling away.

Rune smile at him, and Phoenix smiles back, but it doesn't seem to reach his eyes like it usually does. Rune's smile fades.

"What's wrong, Nix?" He asks, feeling his heart drop into his stomach as Nix's fake smile fades too, and he avoids eye contact.

"I.." he starts, but trails off.

"You?" Rune prompts, tilting his head questioningly.

Nix sighs again, deeply, before looking back at Rune and he sees the sorrow in Nix's eyes, the frustration and the conflict.

"What is it, Phoenix? What's bothering you? You can tell me, besides, this is only a dream, it's not real. What harm could it do for you to tell me?" Rune questions, moving to sit by the shore of the inky black ocean.

Phoenix sighs again, softly and then walks over and sits beside him.

"This isn't a dream, Ru." He says.

"Yes it is, I'm asleep, you're dead. Dream." Rune replies, dragging his fingers through the soft sand.

"I'm not exactly sure what it's actually called, but it's real. We're in dream like states and taken somewhere where we can meet and talk, like we've done the last couple times." Phoenix attempts to explain, but he's met with a blank look.

He groans.

"We're in a dream like state, yes, it's similar to sleep, but we're able to contact each other, and others, who are in different realms. Like Heaven, like Hell. We can contact the living when we're dead, but it's advised against unless you're high up in the social workings, or you're like me; meant to come back." He explains.

Rune takes a moment to process this, before his eyes widen and a gasp leaves his lips, he snaps his head to look at Phoenix. "what?!? You're coming back!?"

"That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about." Phoenix says, slowly, like he's unsure of his words, causing Rune to frown.

"Yeah..?" he ask.

"There's a threat in Heaven. Someone who's trying to hurt the people I've come to know and care about. I'm.." he pauses, "I'm unsure if I wish to come back now, with this threat. Those people helped me, and I've come to view them as family and close friends."

Rune turns his head away, feeling his heart sink so fast it might as well have been coming out of his ass.

Not coming back?

Tears prickle in Rune's eyes, his thoughts and emotions muddle into a whirlwind of confusion. He doesn't notice any tears have dropped until a gentle finger touches under his eye, catching the tears.

"I want to come back for you, for my mum, for Eliza.." Phoenix says, "but I have people I view as my brothers and sisters, my friends.. too. And they're in danger. I've already dealt with this evil once, but just barely, and only because it turned tail and fled, but it'll be back."

Rune sniffles softly and thinks, "I completely understand what he means, but I'm selfish. I want my best friend back."

"Kasper's gone.." Rune mumbles.

Phoenix pauses, turning to look at him in concern.

"What..?" He breathes softly.

"Kas.. killed himself." Rune answers, clenching his fists in the soft white sand.

"Oh, Ru.. I'm so sorry.." Phoenix whispers, pulling his best friend into his arms and holding him comfortingly.

Rune hiccups softly as more tears drift down his face.

"Why does everyone I love have to leave me?" Rune asks, voice weepy and tears changing from a trickle to a waterfall in seconds as he sobs.

"Ru.." Nix says softly, probably unsure of what to say, or how to comfort him.

"Maybe.. I can talk to God.. I can go home, and he can call for me when he needs my help..?" He asks, holding Rune tightly and soothingly stroking his hair.

Rune nods slightly, "I don't want to be the reason you lose people you care about.. if you..." He gulps. "If you feel you must stay and help those in Heaven.. then I have no choice but to let you.."

Phoenix kisses his head, "I'll talk to God, don't stress okay? You've made it this far without me, you don't need me. And if you do, I'm only a dream away."

Rune nods.

"I have to go now, Ru. But you'll either hear from me in the next couple of days, or you'll see me. Until then, stay strong for me. I'll be home before you know it, whether it's in the next few days, or the next few months, I will be back." Phoenix says, hugging him tightly as his image slowly starts to glimmer and fall apart, turning into particles as he smiles genuinely at him.

More tears tumble down Rune's cheeks as the last of Nix's image disappears, leaving him alone in this strange world of blue foliage, inky black ocean, glowing beetles and butterflies in every colour of the rainbow, plus ones he's never seen before.

Rune closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, only for everything to be gone when he opens them. He's back in his room, cuddled up under a heap of blankets, with a cold.

Great.