He burned....

Burning heavily grasping for breath...

Was he alive?

Was this the place people called hell?

Fable Burned.

------

We're going die at this rate

We're already dead

I'd rather not die again

The kids going to die if he doesn't get help

I don't think we can use his book though

Might not have been his choice, but our soul is his now

Thank Nim Dream was fried

Corruption, I'm going to try something

Better then wondering if anyone will get here in time

------

Chronos.. was having an off day.

Which was strange, as he'd settled on an AU with no resets, no homicidal humans and it was definitely a beautiful nice day. That only left one things, Fable had gotten into trouble. He disliked how much of Fable's journey was alone, the wonder lust in the baby bones was concerning.

But... Fable was happy, and taking away his one wish would destroy the child.

Stressed by the thought he shoved a dirty glass into soapy water, scrubbing all his dishes clean. A groan escaped him and he pulled his hands out of the soapy water, drying them and rubbing his skull.

Stars darn it...

Fable better be coming here soon, so his poor abused soul would stop stressing.

A knock on the door caught his attention, he wondered if it was Jerry with his bad jokes again.

He hated Jerry.

If he was lucky it was the bunny family, having run out of sugar again.

He hoped it was the bunnies.

Grumbling he walked through his small place and opened the door, blinking in surprise.

"Fable..." he said feeling relief, the child was wearing a strange cape over his robe.

"Not... exactly," Fable said voice off, he looked up at Chronos and instead of golden eyes one cyan one purple eyes met his.

"Sorry about this..." and passed out.

Chronos yelped and rushed forward catching the babybones, very confused and very concerned.

"What the..."

The cape was not a cape.

No.. that was for later, as Fable was burning up in his arms.

"Hold on kid," Chronos said tightly.

------

"The Villagers?" Dream asked in concern, looking up from where they were making flower crowns.

"They give me a bad feeling," Nightmare sighed, he was sitting agitated on a branch of the tree.

"I don't like the fact they settles so close either," Dream scowled.

"So far, its only been a few idiot children sneaking over..." Nightmare scoffed.

"But where children go, adults soon follow..."

------

Chronos wiped the magic tainted sweat from Fables skull, the babybones whimpering as always and hands twitching but did not wake.

"Stars kid... I said stay out of trouble," he whispered, carefully he adjusted there head and neck so he could get them to swallow water. He was getting worried, as water was the only thing the body would take without throwing up.

He still didn't know what to take of the.. two beings that had gotten Fable to him.

Possessed?

Parasite?

Stars... he hoped not.

Just what had happened.

------

The golden glowing arrow slid through flesh and bone into brain matter easily, the human stared at the golden positivity guardian in shock then fell over as his body registered it was dead.

"DREAM!"

Teary golden eyes turned, and moments later clung to there twin who had been gathering supplies.

"Why?" he whispered.

"I don't know Dreamy... I'm just hoping not everyone in the village is this greedy."

Dreams sobs filled the air.

Nightmare could only comfort his twin.

------

Fable was falling..

Flames swallowing him....

Shadowy hatred drowning him...

Had.. he just been dreaming?

No... this had to be a nightmare...

Was everything fake?

The book...

The multiple multiverses...

Chronos...

Traveller?

Help!

He was scared...

was he still trapped in tomb of a stone statue.

A hand grabbed his own.

He wasn't falling

------

Chronos rushed to Fables side when he made a strange sound.

"Kid?" he called helpfully.

Golden tears slipped down the child's face.

------

Fable...

Was by the tree of feelings, yet it was not eternal winter like he last remembered nor the slightly perkier world the female Dream had in that other multiverse.

"Ohh..." the babybones said, looking at this bright green landscape filled with flowers swaying in a sweet spring breeze under the shade of the tree.

"I'm sorry."

Fable shrieked and rushed further from the tree, memories of the insane Dream and the soul terror and pain that followed.

"Ah... didn't mean to do that..." the voice said softly.

Fable peered around a falling tree golden eyes fearful, there in the shadow of a tree was a Nightmare that looked around ten.

"Who are you.. where is here?" Fable demanded tearfully, he.. was just tired and wanted Chronos to cuddle and tell him stories.

Pain flickered across the Nightmares face, and a brittle smile went across there face.

"You already know I'm a Nightmare, once upon a time.. I was your Nightmare."

"Uh uh, no way.. your too big!" Fable protested stomping over before he realized what he was doing, the other was too older and bigger.

"Uh huh.." Nightmare said, grin becoming a bit softer.

"Okay, but no calling me Dream I'm Fable!" Fable said with a scowl.

"Stars... I forgot how cute you were," Nightmare laughed leaning down "Call me Esop to your Fable then."

"Too close," the babybones scowled grabbing Esop's face and pulling it, the bones strangely soft in his tiny hands and with widening eyes watched how his face stretched. Finally Esop pulled away, rubbing Fables skull.

"Still stubborn, still too kind. I'm glad that even without your memories your the same."

------

Whats this, I need to get into his deeper mind to wake him up?

A Barrier, duh

I know what it is, but why is it blocking our way to our main.. new self?

There was some confusion on this.

We'll just have to wait then

I hate waiting.

------

"Okay.. and where is here and why are you here?" Fable pouted.

"This is a fragment of your memories, of our tree..." Esop said fondly "And I am here, because this is my only chance to speak to you."

A memory... his memory?

Yet...

"Why are you older" he demanded.

"More a your suppose to be older," Esop said.

"Eh?"

A sigh escaped Esop, one filled with pain.

"In our Dreamtale, the villagers attacked in the end all at once," Esop said quietly, Fable winced at faded memories of the attack began to play.

Oh.. oh no....

His soul pounded, and a whimper escaped his mouth as a ten year old Dream fought what seemed like an endless hourse, the humans and monsters attacking falling upon the weapons of the guardians.

"We failed..." Fable whispered, he knew that it what happened.

"We ran out of magic finally..." Esop admitted, phantom fragments of pain shattered the air... thankfully that memory did not appear.

"You ate the apples?" Fable asked.

"We we're both dying, i needed to save you. The one good thing in my life," Esop said bowing his face.

A greyed out memory of Esop appeared, cursed good covering his body. Bodies and dust surrounded him, as he tried to save a dying Dream.

"Esop.. what did you do?" Fable asked, feeling as if his soul would break.

"I ripped out all my magic and essence and even my soul and gave it to you as your soul was shattering to nothing, it healed you but rolled back you age and turned you into a statue. I'm sorry on that, I had no idea that would happen or you would lose your memories," Esop continued.

Fable sobbed and hugged his twin, he knew somehow this was the truth.

"What's going to happen now?" Fable asked.

"I'm going back to sleep within our soul, I'll always love you but my time was gone long ago," Esop said kissing his skull.

"Don't go away," Fable begged.

"I'm here," Esop said tapping Fables chest, where his soul rested "One day I hope we can talk again and I can give those two a talk."

"Those two?" he asked confused.

"Don't worry about it, just be happy and live as best you can Fable," Esop said placing a flower crown on his head, fitting perfectly over Fables circlet.

------

"Where.. did a flower crown appear... those blossoms aren't even in season!" Chronos yelped, as he'd turned away for two seconds.

Golden eyes opened, and Fable broke down crying.