Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Will heard merchants whisper and laugh as he passed by. They turned their backs, but he already knew who they were talking about.

It wasn’t uncommon to hear his own name in gossip. Ever since he’d arrived on the small island of Hawkins’ Cove, he was cursed to live a life full of secrets. Secrets that shadowed his every move and threatened his safety, because he wasn’t human. Because he wasn’t supposed to be there, trying to fit in like one.

But he had to. If not for himself, for the only family he had left.

His father.

Lonnie Byers was a fisherman, and even with all the misplaced anger and addiction that told the time more than the sun in the sky, his cabin near the shore remained Will’s home. It was the only place he didn’t have anything to hide.

The memories made it even harder to leave. It used to feel like a home. A real one. In the beginning, almost fifteen years ago, a siren had washed ashore after a storm had shaken the lands. She was injured and dying, carrying a child in her arms that had no where else to go. So, with what little strength she had left, she brought the child to the Byers’ house.

They slept unaware until morning, not knowing how much their lives would change.

Cynthia, Lonnie’s wife, thought the boy was normal at first, being left solely because a widow had no other option. But upon noticing the pointed ears and tail that grew at even the slightest touch of water, they became aware of the hardships they would face taking him in.

It was a big deal.

Things of a mythical nature, though uncommon, were seen as bad luck, a threat. Venomous words and laws had been used against them for centuries. In fact, most had taken refuge long before the kingdoms had been built. It was a man-made world, and that’s how it was supposed to stay.

But Cynthia had a good heart. Despite the stories the island had told her, she took the boy in and treated him as one of her own.

She even gave him a human name. A name that meant peace and protection.

Will.

Those were the good days, when the cabin was full of happiness and laughter. It was a quiet existence that their family kept. The house was a couple miles away from the town itself, so the Byers didn’t have to worry about anyone's judging eyes or superstitions. They had made their own little family, and that was all that mattered.

All that mattered to Will, at least. Until he turned eight, and the world didn’t feel so forgiving anymore.

Cynthia became sick, spending her remaining time teaching him how to avoid water in busy places or what to say if people asked questions. She also taught him menial tasks. Things that would earn him a small amount of coin. It was fun—Cynthia taking him swimming on secluded sections of the beach, giving him things she’d found from the market, and smiling no matter how the illness fought her.

The family broke apart after she died. Into shattered pieces. Lonnie couldn't move on, drinking to forget his grief and directing that anger onto anyone who got too close. And Will couldn’t understand. Why was his father so angry at the world? Why was he a different man now that it was only the two of them? 

Was it his own fault?

A few years went by in haste, and being so young, he struggled to support himself. With his father staying home most of the time, he learned to find odd jobs that earned him enough to survive, to keep going, like his mother had taught him. It was especially hard to keep up during the summer months that beat down against his back or the cold winters that chilled his skin, but he scraped by. He always did.

As long as he kept his secret safe, he could fit in with everybody else. And because of that, he’d become good at hiding. If he spotted even the slightest bit of water, he’d find an exit—an escape route. Additionally, his ears were kept hidden behind his hair, and any talk of nonhumans was forbidden by his own tongue.

It wasn’t ideal or convenient by any means, but it worked. 

Well, most of the time. There had been instances where water was spilled or clouds brought in rain, and during those moments, he’d needed to shut himself into old closets or nearby washrooms to dry off. Fortunately, his tail was never seen, and people usually accepted his excuses.

But unfortunately, that didn’t stop the rumors from spreading like wildfire. Will was thought to be jinxed at worst and delusional at best.

As untrue as it was, it caused those who didn’t need an extra pair of hands to avoid him like the plague. He’d only ever had one friend he could talk to, and that was the ocean. Sometimes he would daydream of escaping his life, traveling around the world and meeting others like him along the way. Those who were different.

It would be easy for him to completely disappear if he really wanted to. Nothing was stopping him, but as nice as that sounded, he didn’t exactly know how to survive on his own. Away from all the things he relied on so deeply.

His biological parents were gone, and he knew of no one else that could teach him what to do once he made it past the waves. It truly made him feel like a mistake. Not a human but not really a siren either. It made him feel like he didn’t belong anywhere, and his only purpose was to grieve those that had left.

He did cry sometimes, especially after his dad drank too much, but it never seemed to change anything.

He eventually came to accept that things were the way they were, and that was that. The town wasn’t well-off, but at least he had a place to get food. And while his house was filled with grief, at least he had a roof to sleep under. He was luckier than most, since he wasn’t locked up or ridiculed, and that would have to be enough.

Seeing as it was March twenty-second, Will was especially hopeful anyways. It was his fifteenth birthday, or the day he was brought to shore, and he’d found a job that would pay him twice the amount as usual for the week. The local bakery was in need of a delivery boy.

He loved walking around the market and looking at all the new spring items, even if it was only that, looking.

The air smelled like flowers as he carried loaves of bread through the crowded streets. He let its comfort wash over him as he walked towards the more desolate part of town, hosting a group of cottages, and his stomach ached for food, but he ignored it.

His deliveries wouldn’t take much longer, and the money he was supposed to get was worth the entire basket. 

To his relief, the day was passing by fast. The chore had become almost second nature. Find the right address, place the bread on the porch, knock to let them know he was there, and walk away. It was completely uneventful—until he suddenly tripped, a glimmer in the grass catching his eye.

Stone was pretty common in Hawkins’, but looking closer, he made it out to be a leather dog collar with a silver tag. Sure, he probably should just ignore it in favor of finishing what he was payed to do, but he got the feeling the collar held some sort of significance. Each stitch was carefully woven into place.

Instead of leaving it for someone else to find, he picked it up, took one last look around to make sure the owner wasn’t already outside, and walked up the porch.

He stopped to breathe before going any farther.

It wasn’t like he was scared of meeting someone new, per se, but most people didn’t welcome him near their home. His reputation as ‘a cursed child of that drunken sailor’ was far more popular than it should’ve been. 

Even so, Will scolded himself for letting it affect him at all. He had to get things done somehow.

The chime of a faraway clock became a grating reminder that he was losing daylight he couldn’t afford to lose, so tightening his grip around the collar, he knocked. His nerves continued to build when only silence followed, but a dog barking ultimately stopped him from walking away.

The hinges on the door creaked as an older woman came into view, peering out with a look of surprised confusion. “How fare you?”

“Sorry. I just happened to find a collar near your land and—” he began before a dog burst through the doorway.

The animal wasn’t nearly big enough to knock him over, but it did startle him. Mostly because Will had never seen a dog of its size before, this close. Its tail wagged wildly as it sniffed his clothes, and he could’ve sworn a cloud of blonde fur flew out from behind it.

“Down Chester! ‘Snails, get back inside you dusty mutt!”

“No, it’s alright, really.” he laughed, carefully petting Chester on the head. A boy of his age shouldn’t be scared of things so easily. “I’ve always wanted a dog myself.”

The woman sighed through her nose, looking pointedly at the dog who was now trying to catch a fly in its mouth. “I’ll tell you what, you can have this old geezer.” she mumbled, failing to hide a small smile that crept onto her face. “He’s been giving me problems for years.”

As Will looked between the two, he couldn’t help but feel a pain in his heart. The woman held so much fondness in her eyes.

“How old is Chester?” he wondered. He wasn’t really sure how long these animals lived, but they usually only stayed around town for a couple years at a time.

The woman was quiet for a few seconds as she thought. “He’ll be ten in July, which is rumored to be sixty in dog years.” she replied, and it sounded both affectionate and sad all at once. She must’ve seen the sympathetic look on Will’s face too, because she quickly added “Ah, but don’t worry about him. He’s too stubborn to die just yet.”

Will nodded.

“So what brings a boy like you here so late?” she asked, taking a look around the yard.

The question broke through his thoughts. He really did have to get back to his deliveries, or he could say goodbye to the chance of it ever happening again. “I found this collar in the grass as I was walking by. Does it belong to you?” 

“Aye! Chester must’ve scratched it off somehow.” she sighed, taking it back. She flipped over the leather, revealing a name carved on the opposite side. “My husband made it years ago.”

They sat in comfortable silence as the woman carefully ran her fingers over the name. “Thank you. This means a lot to me, truly. You’ve got a good heart.” 

“No need to thank me. I’m just glad to get it back.” he said casually. He wasn’t entirely sure where it had come from, but he’d always had an eye for objects with stories. It was almost like they appeared brighter than everything else around them, or gave off a certain solace.

The woman smiled, holding out a hand for him to shake. “My name’s Marsha Holland, but you can call me whatever you'd like. Your name’s Will, right? I think you may have helped my husband by chopping wood when you were only yay high.”

“Aye, the name’s Will.” he responded, a little surprised she remembered something so long ago. “I should get back to my job, but it was nice meeting you.”

As he bowed to show respect and gave Chester one last pat on the head, Mrs. Holland watched as if contemplating something. He was close to walking off the porch when she seemed to make up her mind.

“Wait—“ she called out. “Why don’t you come inside for a while? I have biscuits in the oven, and it would be a waste to eat them all myself.”

Will tried to keep the surprise off his face. “I would love to.. but, I don’t think I can. I need to deliver this basket by nightfall.”

“Nonsense! I know the owner of the shop myself, and Benny can deal with a few loaves bein’ minutes late. I can even put in a good word for you if you'd like.”

“Oh. Aye, I’d like that very much. But are you sure you have enough?” he asked, not wanting to overstay his welcome when he usually wasn’t at all.

Mrs. Holland rolled her eyes teasingly. “There’s only so much one lady can eat, you know. Chester has taken it upon himself to eat all the leftovers. Come on in and I'll serve you a plate and glass of water.”

And well, it wasn’t like he was in a complete hurry, especially if she could talk to Benny herself. He was pretty hungry.

Will smiled gratefully as he followed her through the front door, finding a room that was far different from what he expected. The walls were covered in pictures of a younger Mrs. Holland, a burly man with a mustache, and a young girl with fiery red hair. He remembered helping the man soon after his mom passed and how nice he had been to give him extra coin.

News traveled fast amongst the town, but so did death. Will wasn’t sure when the man had died.

Strange decorations lined wooden shelves. Ceramic sculptures of animals and people, folk art portraying beautiful landscapes, pirate ship figurines, and lots of miniature crystals in all different colors filled them. A candle in the corner made the room smell like jasmine. 

It was like he’d stepped into one of Cynthia’s bed time stories.

“Woah..” he breathed out before he could stop himself.

Mrs. Holland laughed, pulling up two chairs for them to sit on. “You must think I’m crazy, but I assure you I’m only a little.”

“Where did you get all of this?”

“Most of it was from my husband. He liked to collect things when he traveled.” she explained before heading towards the doorway on the other side of the room. “Make yourself at home. I’m just going to check on the biscuits.”

Will nodded and looked around once more, taking in the many items. He had never been inside a house that seemed so enchanted. Most people were far too afraid of associating themselves with magic or buying something that was cursed. His eyes continued to scan the room, stopping on a picture frame that held the entire family inside. It was the happiest one, and they were all laughing and smiling at each other. 

Before he knew it, he had walked over to the windowsill and picked it up, tracing his fingers along the edges, a coat of dust coming off as he did.

“That’s my daughter, Barb.”

Will turned around in surprise to find Mrs. Holland back in the doorway. Her face was solemn as she stared at the young, red headed girl in the photo, and it made his heart stutter like he had been caught doing something wrong.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.” he spoke softly, putting the frame back down.

She sighed but quickly waved off his apology, bringing over a large tray of honey, golden biscuits, and two glasses of water. “It’s not your fault. You just remind me a little of her, is all.” 

Will watched as she spread the honey over the biscuits. “May I ask what happened?”

“It was a long time ago. Barb was truly the most loving person you could ever meet.” she confessed, handing him the first plate of food. Her voice turned bitter the more she talked. “It was those monsters who took her away. Those soldiers sent by Henry.”

Unfortunately, everyone within a hundred thousand miles would know who she was talking about. Henry was a tyrant that ruled the eastern lands. He continuously called for war against the west, ruled by Brenner, and funded it with heavy, made-up taxes. Most of those same taxes landed on people like them. His dad only managed by bartering alcohol.

The soldiers Henry would send were cruel and unforgiving. They came once a month to barge into their homes and demand more than they had to. It was terrifying, and it scared Will more than he liked to admit.

Mrs. Holland took a deep breath before continuing. “They stopped by like usual, only my husband was overseas and couldn’t return the money in time. Barb was the youngest and most capable, so she was sent to a work facility, the Upside Down, to pay off the debt. And she- she was supposed to get out after only a couple weeks.. but, the disease got to her first and..”

A sob broke through the room as she wiped her face with her hands. It made Will’s stomach drop as he tried to think of anything he could do, anything he could say, that would help. But he was left frozen in place.

“My husband was heartbroken. He refused to pay once he returned, and it ended in a fight between him and the soldiers. I’ve never, never seen him like that. He was such a kind man. But their weapons were too strong for one person to take on alone.. so it’s just me and Chester now.”

Chester’s head popped up at the mention of his name, coming over to lick her hand as she composed herself.

“I don’t know what to say.” Will admitted, feeling a little helpless. Too many people had gone through the same heartbreak—neighbors, employers, and even those who talked behind his back. “She sounds like an amazing person. I would have liked to meet her.”

Mrs. Holland let out a wet laugh, the spark returning to her eyes. “Aye, she really was. But I shouldn’t be putting this on you.”

“No, it was nice to know her story. Thank you for sharing.”

The older woman gave him a fond smile, placing another biscuit beside his half-eaten one. “You’re too kind for your own good. So what’s your story? It must’ve been hard to keep such a big secret your whole life.”

A chill ran down his spine. “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”

“Oh, there’s no need to be scared. My husband was half fae himself. Why else do you think he tried to take on a bunch of soldiers alone?” she added reassuringly.

The statement sat heavy in the air, and the world felt like it had come to a stop. She knew? She married someone with magic, and didn’t care?

“So you know what I am?” he asked in awe.

“No no, I only know you were born with magic. See..” she explained, reaching into her skirt pocket and pulling out a small, glowing medallion. Its light was a mix of deep oranges and yellows. “This jewelry was a wedding gift from my husband’s side of the family. It glows when magic is nearby. In fact, I’m sure that’s why my husband hired you all those years ago.”

“Do you mean to say that magic doesn’t scare you?” Will questioned, looking at the medallion. “You’ve known since I was little?”

Mrs. Holland gave him a consoling expression—one that chipped away at the shadows constantly surrounding him. “Magic was never the problem. It was always mankind that brought wars and poverty. Don’t concern yourself with such tales of darkness. They are only excuses, they are.”

The words took a while for him to process. He had never met anyone so indifferent to magic. Was he just one of many in the town hiding who they really were? If this woman had a medallion to seek out magic, surely there were others nearby. 

His confusion must have shown on his face, because she reached out and grabbed his hand, placing the glowing medallion inside.

“I want you to have this. I think it’s time it found a new owner anyway.”

Will watched as it flickered, then went dull in his palm. “I’ve broken it.”

Mrs. Holland laughed, shaking her head. “No, you haven’t. The metal only lights up when magic is near the owner. Since I’ve given it to you, there really is no other magic.”

“Oh.” Will realized, looking over spiral engravings that pictured a small fairy in the very center. “But I can’t possibly take this from you. I shouldn’t.”

“There is no one else I’d rather leave it with. As it happens, I’m getting old. And since my own family is gone, I think it’s going exactly where it should be.” she insisted, adding on. “You need it more than I ever will. I’m not keen on leaving the house these days, and while I’m lucky enough to get some tax money from Benny, me and Chester haven’t invited anyone inside for ages.”

“Merci.” he breathed in disbelief, finally accepting the gift. He had finally met someone else who knew all of him.

A knock sounded on the door, and they both froze in place. It usually meant tax collectors, soldiers. Will shoved the medallion in his pocket, confused as tax was collected less than a week ago.

Mrs. Holland closed her eyes, saying a silent prayer before moving towards the front of the house. “Stay right here, I’m sure they’ve made a mistake.”

And gods, he hoped so.

The knock sounded again before she opened it, revealing two men dressed in dark button ups holding large leather bags. Will suppressed a shiver as he watched them step inside without so much as a word. They swept the room with their eyes, looking equally disgusted in the decor as Mrs. Holland looked at their presence. One of the guards made eye contact with him, sneering.

The taller soldier stepped forward, holding the bag out expectantly. “We’ve come for payment.”

“I turned in payment a few days ago, surely it’s not due just yet?” Mrs. Holland protested.

“We’ll be the ones to determine that, miss.” the shorter soldier boasted. “King has ordered double this month in honor of the war.”

She took a shaky breath. “I haven’t the pay until next week. I can only trade, but if you would kindly go ask the baker down the road, I’m sure he’ll give you what you need for my tax, and—“

The shorter soldier cut in angrily. “We’ve been through this, lady. We don’t want any of your cursed toys.”

Silence rang out as everyone waited for the first shoe to drop. Will looked over at Mrs. Holland to find her face change from a look of alarm to one of pure loathing, and there was no trace of fear anywhere in her expression.

“Then I guess you’ll have to take me.” she snapped. “Just like you took all of those innocent children, mothers, and fathers. Take me and murder me like you did your own people!”

“Enough!” the soldier yelled, his face a blazing red. “You’re coming with us.”

The men cornered her against the wall, and one pulled out a rope meant for binding. Will watched with an intense sense of dread as they fastened her hands behind her back.

“Stop!” he shouted. “Let her go, please!”

The soldiers looked up and laughed, a sound that made his stomach turn. “Or what, peasant boy? What will you do about it?” the taller one ridiculed.

He didn’t even have a chance to react before the man walked towards him, eyes shining with the same intent to hurt. The soldier picked up the plate of food and water, taking a bite out of his biscuit.

“Were you gonna throw biscuits at us if we don’t?” 

The man smiled maliciously as he took a sip of the glass and left it half full. Will’s heart sped up as he knew what to expect next—they were going to find out. He looked over at Mrs. Holland, silently begging her to pull out some other magical item she may have received from her husband. But she also didn’t know he couldn’t get wet.

The world moved in slow motion as the drink was tossed at his face. He closed his eyes and threw his hands out in front of him, already expecting the worst. Soon, they would lock him up, or maybe they’d just kill him.

But after what felt like an eternity, the water never hit him.

Only silence had consumed the cottage, not frightened shouts or weaponry, and Will pried his eyes open to find the water suspended mid air, half-way between him and the gaping soldier. He couldn’t have done that.. but, as soon as he dropped his hands back down, the water splashed straight onto the floor, soaking the soldier's boots. Will stared, dazed.

He could control water?

“Black magic.” the taller man whispered to himself. “The boy is using black magic!”

The farthest soldier tugged at the other one’s arms, eyes wide and unforgiving. “I’ll get back up, this one needs metal cuffs.”

The soldier nodded as his companion left the room. He moved his attention away from Mrs. Holland and onto Will. “Don’t try anything stupid, I wouldn’t want anyone to get hur—”

A loud crash echoed throughout the entire house, and the soldier fell unconscious to the ground. Pottery pieces scattered along the floor and over the man’s clothes. Will had never really seen someone get knocked out before, but it was loud. Mrs. Holland stood above the man, half a broken vase and rope in hand.

“Go while you still can!” she ordered him, leaving no room to argue. “And take Chester with you.”

“But—”

“Go!” she yelled, grabbing a fairy crested sword from behind the doorway.

He gave her one last look, heartbroken, before taking part of the rope and tying it around Chester’s collar. It felt like he was just leaving her to die, and maybe he was, but there wasn’t much he could do besides get himself captured as well. Chester seemed confused, but as soon as he pulled the leash, they were both out the door running as fast as their legs could take them.

Trees, houses, and markets passed by in one big blur. A few people watched as he shoved his way through, but he didn’t stop to offer any apologies. Not this time. If he wanted to live, he knew exactly what he had to do, and it was the same thing that had scared him for ages.

He needed to get to the water.

Shouts sounded from the rooftops, but he quickened his pace.

As soon as he entered the town square, he turned towards the docks, not stopping until several boats came into view. He chose one of the canoes at random and ushered the dog inside, hoping it wasn’t too worn down to hold the added weight. It was obvious that the paddle wouldn’t be fast enough against the current, so he would have to push from underneath.

The water glared at him as he untied it from the post. “Shit.” 

The only thing left to do now was swim. And, okay, maybe sirens aren’t supposed to be scared of swimming, but the last time he did was when his mother took him to the beach herself. Right now he was about to go out to sea practically alone, with nothing but a single medallion and a dog.

“Hold on Chester.” he chided softly.

He didn’t have the time for this. He didn’t have time to let his emotions win over. There was no other option.

So after taking one last breath, he jumped into the waves, immediately being enveloped in a light that left as quickly as it came. The clothing he wore disappeared along with his legs, and a long golden tail took their place. He was less than grateful that it stuck out against the blue surrounding him.

He wondered if that was how sirens once led unsuspecting men to their deaths. Or if that was even true at all.

The noises of people yelling got closer, too close, and he slipped under the boat, pushing as hard and fast as he could away from the land. Maybe it was just simple dumb luck, but after a while, the only sound became Chester barking or the occasional wave lapping against the wood of the hull. The calmness of it helped bring his heartbeat back down.

He had made it. He had made it out.

The relief settled in and his arms grew tired. He peeked his head above the surface to navigate them towards land. They had to be farther west.

Hopefully past the borders of Henry’s rule.

It took longer than he’d like for land to reappear in the distance, but he swam on in hopes of getting there before dark. As soon as the waves started helping him towards the docks, he turned the boat sideways and aimed for a cluster of trees near the shore—just in case someone saw him exit the water.

He didn’t think he could outrun anyone with what little energy he had left.

He pushed forward with one last stroke and was thankful to feel the bow hit the sand, meaning they had finally landed, wherever they were. He doubted the soldiers would follow him this far.

The surrounding area was full of brush, away from any onlookers eyes, and he crawled up the sand to flop onto his back, letting the setting sun dry his skin. It felt like ages before his legs reappeared, but when they did, he almost didn’t want to get back up.

“C’mon Chester. Let’s go find somewhere to sleep, okay?”

Chester barked in agreement, tail wagging, and somehow still as energetic as ever. They walked through tall grass until they came upon some sort of village. A bunch of buildings lined in neat rows. The closest to them was a stable for keeping horses, and it had a light coming from the inside that harshly contrasted the night sky.

Will thought it was perfect. “This way.”

It didn’t matter that they were probably trespassing. He was just happy to have somewhere to close his eyes, even for a few minutes.

Still wary, he quietly unlocked the stable door to find several large horses and stacks of hay against the wall. He picked two of the stacks and laid them out, putting the smaller one beside his own for the dog. It wasn’t home, but he didn’t think he could call anywhere that for a long time, really.

The hay caught the fabric of his shirt every time he turned, and his mind was racing a million miles an hour. He wondered what his dad would think of his disappearance, or if he had noticed his son was gone at all. The latter made his eyes burn.

He drew a cake in the dirt, blowing out the candles once he was done.

“Happy Birthday, Will.” he whispered.

Chapter Text

Will woke up with a start as loud, heavy boots sounded outside the stable. Chester was already running towards it, barking wildly even though they were the intruders, and ‘Snails, he didn’t come all that way just to get caught a day later, closer than he’s ever been to freedom.

“Stop it, Chester! Here boy!” he begged as quietly as possible, hiding behind the hay.

It didn't work. His breath caught in his throat when the metal knob was finally turned, and he cursed into his hand.

The stable door swung open to reveal what looked like a stable master, eyes searching for the dog and frowning when it ran past him. It was a stretch, but maybe Will could convince him that they had only gotten lost. Or that he’d followed Chester inside by accident. No matter what, he just couldn’t let the man take Chester away. Not when he had made such a promise to Mrs. Holland.

The stable master bent down and whistled the dog over. “You're not supposed to be in here, aye?” he murmured, fingers hovering over the collar on his neck. “Where’s your owner?”

Will kept a hand over his mouth, backing away slowly in hopes of disappearing further from view. But nothing was ever that easy, apparently, because his foot landed on a sugar cube from one of the horse’s buckets.

“Who’s there?” the man shouted, and it reminded him of the soldiers back home. The irritation permanently etched into their voices.

Shit. He had nowhere else to go. 

Swallowing his fear, he stood up to meet the the man’s confused gaze. “I’m sorry, I came in here looking for my dog.” he explained, knowing how pathetic it sounded as soon as the lie left his mouth. It wasn’t believable at all.

“A stowaway, huh? Trying to steal a horse from one of the king’s knights?” the man asked, ignoring his explanation entirely. “It’s quite the coincidence that you’re here the day after they arrive.”

Will shifted on his feet as the master walked closer. “With all due respect sire, I promise I only came here for a place to sleep.”

“Ah, he wanted to sleep by the king’s royal horses, he says!” the man laughed. “Changing the story won’t help you now, boy. You can tell that to the officers when I bring you to them.”

“No, I’m telling the truth!” he practically begged.

More footsteps sounded before the man could respond. “What’s going on in here? I thought you said our horses would be out by sunrise.” a deep voice interrupted, causing the stable master to turn away. Behind him was a middle aged knight. He was burly looking with a long sword and well-kept mustache.

The stable master bowed to the knight in haste. “Sir Hopper. I found this boy behind the hay. I’m sure he was planning on taking the lot!”

As Will looked at the knight, he was all too aware of his own wide eyes and nervous posture. He knew this man of royal status had no reason to believe him. Why would he when Will was standing beside the horses they meant to ride? It was the word of two men against one.

But, to his surprise, Sir Hopper didn’t show any anger on his face, only silent understanding. 

“Oh, this boy? I hired him to stay with the horses for the night. To keep watch, that is. He was merely doing his job.” the knight lied, waving off the man’s concern.

Will had to bite the inside of his mouth to keep from pulling a face. He couldn’t believe a royal knight would take his side. It made a dormant feeling of pride swell in his chest.

“Ah.” the master exclaimed, seeming a bit surprised himself. “Then you should know that he lied. He said he came here to sleep, and I’m sure the horses are scared out of their minds with this mutt running around. It practically started a frenzy when I opened the door! If I were you, I wouldn’t pay him a penny.”

Sir Hopper winked at the boy in good humor. “Aye. I shall give him a stern talking too. But first, I would like my horses prepped and ready before my order arrives.”

“Of course, Sir.”

The knight watched as the stable master readied the saddles and quickly brushed through their manes. It was funny to see how nervous the man was now. It was like they’d swapped positions.

Will wasn’t really sure what he was supposed to be doing other than waiting, so he just tied the rope back around Chester’s collar and fidgeted with the medallion in his pocket. The knight seemed a little lost in his own thoughts as well, only running a hand through his hair every once in a while or making small comments on the way the master tidied up.

It was a little worrisome, especially since Will didn’t actually know if he was in trouble or not, but he kept to himself nonetheless.

After about eleven horses were led outside and into the hot morning sun, Sir Hopper called the stable master back, a new emotion lining his features. One that was hard to read.

“I would like to purchase a horse for this young man. The nicest one you’ve got.”

Will was confused at the knight’s request. His very own horse? Would he be in some kind of debt?

“As you wish.” the master grumbled, looking unhappy about it, but also seeming like the kind of man to never turn down money given the chance.

“Sir, I have nothing to pay you back. I can’t accept this.” he decided. It was something he had been taught to do his whole life. The Byers never accepted charity.

The knight crossed his arms. “I’d like to offer you a job.”

“A job?”

“Aye.” the knight continued, gesturing towards the horses. “I wasn’t kidding about needing someone to watch over them. Me and my order have traveled a long way from the castle, and it’s gotten harder to keep up with all of the feeding and cleaning. If you come with us, you’ll be our stable boy.”

Will couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Had his luck turned around so quickly? Was he so easily trusted by a knight? It was almost too good to be true. This was the chance at a new life he had desperately wanted for years.

“I’d like that very much.” he admitted, trying and failing to hide a smile. “My name’s Will Byers.”

“Sir Jim Hopper. But you can call whatever you’d like.”

He bowed to show his respect. “Thank you Sir.”

The stable master returned shortly after with the most beautiful horse he had ever seen. Its coat was a shining, golden blonde and hair a refined white. He hadn’t been around many horses to begin with, but it didn’t stop the pure delight when the lead was placed in his hand. He had never owned something this nice before. This expensive.

Hopper gave him a nod. “As soon as the order gets here, we’ll be heading west. Is there anyone you need to speak to before we leave?”

“No, Sir. It’s just me.” 

“Then I think it’s best we mount our stallions.” Hopper added, and he didn’t seem surprised by the answer in the least. “If those lazy arses have any sense left in them, they won’t take much longer.”

Will couldn't help but feel excited about the prospect of riding his new horse along with a party of knights. He’d never ridden one before, but watching as Hopper easily swung himself onto his own, he forced himself to relax. It looked easy enough.

He wanted to look capable of pulling his own weight.

After stepping onto the stirrup, he attempted to swing his other leg over, almost immediately became aware of how bad of a decision that really was. He lost balance, falling backwards towards the cobble. It was hopeless to turn around in time to use his hands, so he braced himself for the impact. 

One that never came. 

Instead he felt arms catch him from behind, gently guiding him to the ground. “Woah.” a young voice said from above his head.

Will looked up to see a knight with curly, black hair and curious eyes. The boy’s face was so close he could practically count every freckle. And truthfully, he wasn’t used to interacting with people his age, so the intense gaze put him on edge. Made him feel awkward.

“Are you alright?” the knight asked, and his question was full of sincerity. Not the fake kind. “I can help you on your horse. I mean, if you’d like me to.”

“Aye. If it’s not too much trouble.” he replied, face heating up as the knight helped him to his feet and patiently waited for him to brush the dust from his clothes.

He moved to his own horse to demonstrate. “Okay, so first you get one leg up. Then, face the horse, take the reins and part of the mane with your left hand, and grasp the cantle in your right. Only swing over when you’re ready.” he explained, smiling at Will’s uncertainty. “It’s easy once you’ve done it a few times. The name’s Mike by the way. Mike Wheeler.”

“Will Byers.” he responded, mounting his horse far easier than before. “Thanks for the help.”

They made eye contact, and for a few seconds, neither looked away. Hopper calling for everyone to ‘hurry their indolent and slothful behinds’ was what truly broke their attention.

Mike grinned regardless, talking over his shoulder as he ran off. “No problem. It was nice meeting you Will.”

And Will couldn’t help but smile back. Mike quickly disappeared from view amongst the order, which, come to think of it, had arrived without him noticing. Chester barked excitedly as several Dames and Sirs flooded the open road. Most of them were also pretty young, so young in fact, that it made him wonder where they were headed in need of full armor.

Once all of them were gathered around Hopper, he called for them to quiet down, eyes searching the crowd and landing on Will.

“As we know, some of your chores have been put off lately, but I’ve found a stable boy to help keep up. However, that doesn’t mean you will let him do all of the work. Everyone say hello to Will Byers, the newest member of the party.” Hopper announced, looking over to a middle aged woman with brown hair. “Joyce will teach him the ropes, but I expect all of you to introduce yourselves.”

Several faces looked towards him, and he had to strengthen his grip around the reins to keep from falling back off. There were a lot more people than he was expecting. 

Once again, he felt out of place. Like a stranger. Even though they had shown him nothing but kindness, they also didn’t know he was hiding half of himself. A secret that could get them all killed. Would they think of him like the townspeople did?

He needed to prove his worth—to work hard and stay out of the way. He wouldn’t be the reason their mission failed.

A collective “yes chief” sounded throughout the group before Hopper continued.

“Our next stop is Lenora Hill’s Bay, a week's travel at most. The goal will be to follow the nearby rivers, and out of all the locations so far, it feels the most promising. If that doesn’t work, we’ll move towards the northern side, and I’ve been told that Lover’s Lake is our last resort.”

All of the places sounded new to Will. He wondered how different they would be to his old home.

A young knight with bright, red hair frowned at the news. “Listen, I know we agreed to do this, but I don’t understand why we can’t know what it is that we’re looking for.” she said. “It’s been over a month, and all I’ve been given is ‘you’ll know what you see it’.”

“I have strict orders to keep that information classified. You know that.” Hopper scolded. “But I assure you once we find it, you’ll learn why. And as for now, if anyone sees anything, and I mean anything, out of the ordinary, you are to report immediately to me or Dame Joyce. Is that clear?”

Silence filled the road as everyone looked between the two knights.

“I said, is that clear?”

The red head rolled her eyes but nodded. “Okay, fine.”

After that, no more questions were asked, so it wasn’t long before they started down the trail. Luckily, his horse didn’t need much prompting and followed suit with the others. Chester trailed alongside him as well, stopping every few feet to sniff different plants before running to catch up.

Will didn’t know if he liked horse riding just yet. It was kind of scary to be so high off the ground, and it was also slightly uncomfortable. But he had a feeling that was something that would change with time. The fact that he owned the horse he was sitting on made up for it regardless, and the road was pretty level, only bumpy in places the rocks had been moved.

“Is there anything you need so far?” someone asked to his left, making him flinch.

He hadn’t noticed anyone approaching, but Joyce was riding at his side, looking at him with warmth and care.

Will shook his head. “I’m fine. Sorry, I’ve never been on a real quest before.”

“Ah, no worries. I’ve been on plenty for the both of us.” she teased, pointing to a knight not much older than himself. “So has my son, Jonathan. I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to tell you all about them sometime. He’s captured a few photos too, I think.”

“I would love that.” he said, and he really did mean it. Stories had always been nothing less than captivating to him. “Why so many?”

Joyce paused a moment before answering. “Well, keeping the kingdom safe for my family has always been a priority, and I guess it’s proved to be more difficult than we thought these past few years. But I wouldn’t want to put such talk of war on a boy like yourself.”

“The same could be said of my hometown.” he admitted.

“Where is your hometown?” 

“It’s a small town just further east. I doubt you’ve heard of it.” he replied. He didn’t want to lie, but he also didn’t want them to think he was under Henry’s influence. “It was by the beach, though.”

A breeze blew passed, jumbling one of the knight's capes, and the people around them burst into laughter.

“I’m sure it was a beautiful place, sorry to hear about the effects of war. It truly is more trouble than it’s worth.” she sighed.

“It’s not your fault. The soldiers are the ones stealing our share.”

“Aye. There is a lot that goes into fights as big as this, and I have to say, I completely agree with you.“ she stated. “You’re a smart boy, Will.”

He found himself smiling again. Nobody had ever believed him to be more than a pair of hands. Joyce seemed to realize as much, and gave him a fond look.

She drew her horse close and put a motherly hand on his shoulder. “Hopper told me you have no close family here, so I want you to know you can join ours if you’d like. The lot of us have come from all kinds of backgrounds. In fact, I think Hop himself used to be a farmboy before the commander took him in.”

“Sir Hopper was a farmboy?” 

“Aye, and a good one at that.” she laughed. “He would talk about the crops he kept all the time when he first arrived. I think it was the only way he knew to start a conversation with me.”

“I thought all knights started with a high status from birth.” he admitted. “I didn’t know one could work their way up.”

“It is rare, but definitely not impossible. That knight with the red hair and cape used to practice on tree trunks before she was recognized. Her name’s Max. And that boy beside her, Lucas, fought to be top of his class to get here. All you really need is heart, and I can tell you’ve got a good one.” 

Will looked down at his hands as he took in her words. “Merci. If it’s still okay with you, I would like to accept your offer. Me and Chester.”

“My offer?” she asked, looking confused.

“About joining your family. I- sorry, I just thought that—”

Joyce cut him off with a wave of her hand. “Of course! I thought that was already decided. No one should be alone in times like these.” she insisted. “I still need to introduce you to the lot of ‘em, anyway. Have you met anyone yet?”

Will looked around at the group, eyes lingering on a few familiar faces. Most of them were new, but he had heard a couple names in passing. The only one he had truly met was the boy with curly black hair.

“Aye, I think his name was Mike. He helped me on my horse earlier.” he replied, watching as the knights laughed at each other's jokes. “I’m surprised the king sends out people so young.”

“They wouldn’t normally, but our eldest fighters have been shipped off to war.” she explained. ”Steve is the brunette over there. The girl beside him is Robin, one of our finest decoders. Nancy is our strongest swordsman. Who else.. oh! Since you’ve already met Mike, you need to meet the knights he always hangs around. They’re inseparable. That’s El, I already showed you Max and Lucas, and the one behind them is Dustin. I have a feeling you’ll fit right in.”

As if on cue, El guided her horse over to the two of them. She was beaming with excitement, and gave a bow to Joyce before turning her attention to Will.

The medallion grew hot in his pocket.

“I was just going to come see if you’d like to join us. You’re Will, right?” she asked, holding out a hand for him to shake. He took it and gave her a smile back, but it felt forced as he wrapped the other hand around the medallion. Was the metal glowing? Was she hiding magic, like him?

He quickly pushed the thoughts away. He couldn’t afford to think like that, especially not when he was trying to fit in. “Aye. And you’re El?”

“Mhm. Nice to meet you!” she said, her curly brown hair shining like honey in the sun. It perfectly represented the happiness coming off of her. “You wouldn’t hate me if I stole you away, would you?”

“Not at all.” he replied shyly, moving his horse by the reins. Once Joyce gave a nod of permission, El guided him back to her group. 

The others were distracted as he approached, bickering over who could beat Hopper in a sword fight, and even though he hadn’t been there very long, he was sure none of them had an actual chance. Mike just took to rolling his eyes, and Lucas and Dustin playfully shoved each other any chance they got. Only when Dustin almost fell back onto Will’s horse did they notice him. 

“Hi Will.” Mike breathed, purposefully ignoring Lucas who had started mimicking him behind his back. Max looked seconds away from bursting into laughter.

Will smiled. He couldn’t help it. “Hi.”

And from there, things felt light. It took a while for the group to go back to comfortably fighting and starting conversation, but once they did, it didn’t feel forced. Will was silent most of the time, but they always tried to include him in one way or another, asking him his opinions on certain topics or trying to get him to join their side. No one had tried to ask about his past, and he was glad for it.

To his surprise, Mike rode beside him the most, asking him his own questions or pointing out different birds that flew over their heads. Will found him to be very talkative once he started on something he was passionate about, but he didn’t mind. It made up for his own silence.

He forgot how much he missed this. Having people to listen to. 

The trees became more and more dense once the view of the town disappeared completely, and he found his favorite to be the ones with cherry blossoms. Small buds and petals fell down from their branches, looking like pink snow as it covered their hair, and most of the order had to brush it off any time there was a break between them. He caught a few in his hand and added it to his pocket, wanting to look at them later.

Once even finding strange shapes in the clouds grew boring, Hopper called for them to hold camp. Will hadn’t realized how sore he was until he hopped off the blond stallion, but he was barely able to walk to tie up Chester.

Thankfully, a serving of food was given to each member soon after, and it tasted better than anything Will had ever eaten in his life. Rich spices flavored the stew, tasting as costly as they probably were, and cold, refreshing water was left out for individual canteens.

Dustin, who had immediately taken a liking to Chester, poured out half his water into a spare container for the dog. Will couldn’t help but feel thirsty just watching them, but when he was kindly offered some himself, he had to decline. Water dripped tauntingly from the sides. He would have to get some later.

Or try to.

At least feeding and unloading the horses helped get his mind off things. He had grown up with the same problem his entire life, so he could do this. It wasn’t anything new.

“Hey, are you okay?” Mike asked, handing him an extra sleeping bag from the satchels.

Will nodded. “I guess I’m just tired. Do you guys travel this much every day?”

“Just about. Though we stopped an entire week once when Max caught the flu. Don’t tell her I said this, but I think that’s why she’s so caught up on finishing this quest. She’s trying to make up for all the wasted time.”

“Ah. How long is finding this object expected to take?” he wondered. He didn’t want to be stuck on the road forever, but the thought of it ending scared him too. Where was he supposed to go when it was over?

“According to Hopper we should have it within the next month or so.” Mike replied unsurely. “But, I also know we haven’t made much progress, so I guess the month thing is probably a lie. Anyway.. we should lay out our sleeping bags away from the campfire. It doesn’t get much colder at night.”

Will and Chester followed as Mike walked over to a small clearing. After moving enough stray sticks and rocks, they laid out their sleeping bags next to each other, and if Will wasn’t so tired, he would’ve thought more about how different that was to back home. Loneliness had become such a constant.

He could start over here. Become someone new.

Mike continued to talk about random things that happened back at the castle, and Will took to listening while watching the stars. He had never really gone stargazing this late at night. Not in a while, anyway. But his mom used to take him and tell him stories about their constellations on days where the sky was clear and the weather was just right.

His favorite was a group of stars that formed a a trident. It was his mom’s favorite too.

A loud snore startled him out of his thoughts, and he couldn’t help but quietly laugh as he turned to see Mike dead asleep with his mouth half open. How could one sleep so easily? He wished it were like that for him. He also imagined Chester was jealous, seeing as the dog startled awake every time a new sound came from the woods.

“It’s okay, buddy.” he said as he loosened the dog’s ropes. “Why don’t you go sleep with Dustin.”

Chester licked his face before running off to the order, sniffing through the group of people until he found who he was looking for.

Will closed his eyes, smiling at the thought of having a family again.

Chapter Text

Will slept restlessly that night, despite the safety he felt amongst the order. His mind just wouldn’t turn off.

After what felt like hours of falling in and out of sleep, he learned the hard way that the group woke up early, extremely early, to get on the road as quickly as possible. Hopper was the one to wake everyone up, banging his sword against the metal of his armor and calling out individual names. 

He sighed and rubbed his eyes, trying to fight the haze that clung to them. He hoped the day wouldn’t be an eventful one.

As he packed up his sleeping bag from the grass, using his sleeves to avoid the morning condensation, he also felt careless. He had blindly promised trust and loyalty to people that didn’t know anything about him—didn’t know how defective he was. Even though this was a chance to start over, at least back home he had a routine. Here he had to rely on pure luck.

Will didn’t think he could handle seeing the order's faces, that held so much blind kindness, turned to looks of disgust or maybe even betrayal. It wasn’t like he was trying to lie or sabotage their mission, he just didn’t know what else to do. He valued their opinions far more than the people back home.

What would Mike think if he found out the person he slept next to wasn’t even human? That he had been lying ever since they met.

He wondered what his mom would say. She was always telling him how proud she was, though the memories became foggier as he got older. Sometimes he would forget her face, how she smiled and laughed at the little things, and the guilt would consume him whole. He had lost so much family, in more ways than one.

He was tired of losing. It haunted every good thing that happened to him, promising to rip it right out of his hands at any given moment.

He hated always thinking about what could go wrong, but if he wasn’t careful, everything he cared about would be lost. He would have to work harder to keep that from happening, meaning no sleeping if the clouds turned gray, no getting close to others if water was involved, and definitely no letting his guard down. It was the only way he could have any semblance of control.

Once he had put everything he could back into the satchels, he fed the horses and made sure to keep their water at an arm's length.

To ignore the heaviness in his stomach, he worked extra hard cleaning and readying them. Hopper took notice and offered a nod of appreciation before they set off once more down the dirt and cobble road. Will struggled getting on his saddle again, but it was still an improvement from yesterday, thankfully. If he didn’t learn fast, he would be a rather useless stable boy.

He pet his horse, who he’d decided to name Holland, and let his thoughts wander to the past few days.

Barb’s story hadn’t left him since the fight with the soldiers, and all he could do now was make their sacrifices worth something—anything. He was happy to be a part of Brenner’s order, in a way, because at least their mission was against Henry. The name alone made his skin crawl. He had to remind himself that he wasn’t under that kind of rule anymore.

At least he hoped he wasn’t.

The western kingdom was never really a topic of discussion unless it was about money, power, or sometimes, though illegal, trade. He had heard of some locals crossing the borders, but their families usually didn’t receive a letter back, and he was left filling in the blanks himself. The only thing he had learned so far was how much hotter it was.

The sun, which had risen only minutes prior, shone blindingly onto their path, hurting his eyes if he opened them too wide. He supposed he should be grateful that it made everything dry, but his throat had become almost painful. Declining water the night before didn’t seem like such a good idea anymore, and as careful as he wished to be, he would have taken it had he known.

The waves roared against the shore, only being set apart by a line of dense brush, and he imagined himself jumping into it the first chance he got. 

He wouldn’t, of course, but it was nice to think about.

Hooves soon added to the sound, and he turned to find Mike trotting up from behind him. It made something in his stomach flutter, definitely not because he was nervous, but because the knight still wanted to travel together despite how quiet he was. He wondered if Mike would ever get bored of his company.

However, Mike didn’t look bored at all. In fact, he looked happy? Excited? 

“Morning, Will the Wise.” Mike quipped, a stupid grin plastered on his face. The nickname had stuck after Will was forced to voice his opinion during one of Dustin's arguments, and honestly, he had only been half listening at the time. He hadn’t even said anything smart, just mostly laughed and played along, but if he had to be called something, he guessed he didn’t mind it so much.

Will rolled his eyes anyway. “Ah, Sir Mike. I was starting to think you had fallen back asleep on your horse.”

“Me? Just because I fall asleep easily does not mean I do it all the time.” Mike replied, feigning hurt by placing a hand over his heart. “You’re thinking of Max.”

“What was that?” Max asked accusingly, moving towards them with the rest of Mike’s close party. Will found that wherever Mike went, they usually followed. Like he was their leader or something. At least, that’s what it reminded Will of.

Mike smiled, though it looked more like a jibe than anything else. “Nothing. Just talking about how you could sleep through an entire war if you set your mind to it.” he stated dramatically. “Ah, remember that time Lucas accidentally tripped over you while you were sleeping? Oh wait, you don’t.”

Max’s eyes lit up as a realization seemed to dawn on her. “Wait, that’s where I got that stupid bruise on my leg? Shit, Lucas, I had that for ages!” she practically yelled.

“Mike, dude, you promised not to say anything. We had a pact, remember?” Lucas grumbled.

“Sorry man, but Will here needs to know the ropes, and in classic knight honor, I am sworn to tell the truth and nothing but the truth.” Mike said, drawing a cross over his chest. “He needs to know in case he tries to wake her up and thought she was dead or something.”

Max groaned and rubbed her eyes. “Gods, you’re so annoying! And, not that I have to explain anything to you, but Lucas snores. It’s hard to fall asleep sometimes.” she admitted, ignoring Lucas who had opened his mouth to protest. “If it really came down to it, you would totally be the heavier sleeper.”

Will stifled a laugh with his free hand, mostly because he had to shake Mike awake that same morning when Hopper’s attempts proved futile. It had taken him around five minutes before the knight even looked up from his pillow.

Mike pouted in response, as if offended. “Willll, you don’t agree with her, do you?”

Luckily, Max answered for him.

“So he’s not allowed his own opinion?” she mocked. “You’ve known him for, what, twenty four hours, and you’re already acting like he’s your protégé.”

“What? That’s not true! Of course he’s his own person. I was just letting him know that your opinion is wrong.” Mike muttered, but his face was slowly turning red, and Max looked entirely unconvinced. 

She gave Lucas a look saying ‘I told you so’ before continuing. “Anyway, I didn’t come here to fight with you, Wheeler. It’s like fighting with a brick wall, I just wanted to ask Will if he wanted some water.” she said, turning her attention over to him. “I didn’t see you get any last night.”

“Oh, aye. If it’s not too much to ask.” Will replied hastily, and he felt taken aback by her genuine concern. She didn’t even know him and she was already helping him out.

“It’s nothing, really. There’s tons extra, assuming we’re stopping soon.”

Will reached out and grabbed the canteen from her hand. Since the water was given out hours prior, its exterior was completely dry, and he wasted no time in drinking what was left before handing it back. He was starting to think that he needed more water than he thought. It had never been a problem before, water was usually his only way of filling his empty stomach, but not having as much of it made him feel sick.

Maybe that’s why he hadn’t fallen asleep. Though he couldn’t be sure it wasn’t just the guilt.

He bowed to show respect as the canteen was put away. “Merci, Dame.”

“Just call me Max.” she insisted, quickly waving him off. “We’ll be traveling together for a long time, so the titles really aren’t necessary.”

Will nodded but wasn’t sure of what she meant. Titles were very important back home, especially to knights, and it felt wrong to ignore them. Like an unspoken rule was being broken.

“So, uh, what’s the order trying to do before sundown?” Will asked hesitantly. Quests were widely known to be secretive, but that didn’t stop him from being any less curious.

El didn’t seem bothered by the question and smiled at him instead. “Today, travel. We should be near the local town, so Hopper will want to stop for supplies. He stocks our bags once a week.” she answered for the rest of them.

“Were you not able to get supplies in town yesterday?”

“Well.. I think that he wants to get more since, you know, we have a new member in the group.” she spoke softly as if sensing Will’s unease. “But don’t worry, I think our horses could use more feed anyway.”

“Aye, and I really want to try some chocolate pudding. I heard it’s a delicacy around here.” Dustin added.

Will’s stomach dropped regardless. Did she mean they were stopping because of him? He didn’t want to be the main reason they did, especially if it would cause them to fall behind. But he also didn’t want to complain about something so insignificant. He should be grateful, really.

“Hey, don’t listen to them. All Dustin thinks about is his stomach.” Mike insisted, and he bumped shoulders with him. “The town will be fun.”

“Okay.” Will responded, hoping he didn’t look as on edge as he felt. He played with the medallion in his pocket, finding it helpful to clear his mind. Its warmth served as a distraction. But when he finally realized he had been spacing out, Mike looked almost worried, catching his eye.

The moment didn’t last long.

Max shoved Mike’s shoulder as he stumbled too close to her horse, and he quickly turned to shove her back. She dodged, laughing at the annoyed look on his face, and Will watched them, bemused. The relationship between the two knights was really confusing. How could such good friends hate each other so much?

“What the hell is so funny?” Mike scoffed when the Max almost fell off her horse from laughter. “No, like seriously, stop laughing. Fuck off.”

“Language!” Nancy called from a few feet away, and Mike rolled his eyes.

“That was a good one Wheeler.” Max said once she collected herself. “I’ve never seen you so serious. I almost believed you were a good person for a second there. The look on your face.” she recalled almost longingly. “It’ll be great, Will. Me and you are going to have so much fun, Will. I’ll protect you, W—”

Lucas covered Max’s mouth before she could say anything else, but quickly yanked it away with a high-pitched shriek when she supposedly licked it.

Mike didn’t respond but Will could see his knuckles turn white as they gripped the reins. He looked embarrassed by something. Or was he mad? Maybe Will was just overthinking it, but what if he was mad at him?

Lucas nudged Max to get her attention, gesturing towards the back of the group. “Let’s go talk to Robin and Steve. Mike looks like he’s about to kill somebody, and I’d rather it not be you.”

“Fine.” Max reluctantly agreed, giving them one last look over her shoulder as she followed.

El gave Dustin a look before she spoke up too. “Well then. I forgot to tell Robin something important, so I’d better go.”

Dustin looked confused but went along with it when El kicked him on the leg. “Oh, aye, totally. She still needs to give me that, um, that thing I lent her.”

Will gave Mike a confused looks. Were they always like this?

“Fine, sure. Go do that.” Mike said sarcastically, not caring to watch them guide their horses away.

A tense silence hung in the air once they were gone, and Mike seemed a bit more red in the face. The contrast of his dark, curly hair made him look almost like a painting. But Will scolded himself and forced his eyes to the pavement. He didn’t want to make things even more uncomfortable than they already were.

Mike cleared his throat. “Sorry about them. They’re absolute mouth breathers, and insane ones at that. I hope you don’t mind riding with me, as they’ve clearly abandoned us.”

Their eyes met and Will took in a deep breath to calm his nerves. It didn’t work as much as he hoped.

“I don’t mind being alone with you.” he reassured. The answer came easier than he expected, but he knew it was true the moment it left his mouth. Mike made him feel safe in a way, and though he was surrounded by several others who were armed, being with Mike felt the easiest. He almost wished he had met him earlier—when he would have needed him the most.

“Cool.” Mike said with a nod. His hands weren’t holding as tightly to the reins anymore, but they were now picking at the frayed edges. “Cause I, uh, I don’t mind being alone with you either.”

Will smiled to himself. Suddenly, visiting the town didn’t seem so bad. Even if it slowed their quest.

It took another few hours before they started seeing any sort of buildings, but as soon as market stands and groups of people came into view, Hopper had all of them dismount and guide their horses to a stable. Will helped put up the satchels, and he cleaned the hooves that had gotten dirty from travel. 

Chester barked in protest when he was tied to a pole, but he eventually settled down when he was given another serving of food.

Once water had been distributed to the order, which Will gladly accepted with the safety of a dry cloth, Hopper led them through the hustle of buyers and sellers crowding the streets. This town seemed to be bigger than the last, because many of the shops were tall and wealthy looking, and even some of the shacks looked more aesthetically pleasing than his entire house back home. It was a little intimidating, but he couldn’t help but look on in awe.

If this was just a town, what was the castle like? The thought of living somewhere so beautiful seemed almost impossible.

He had never seen so many different colors of fabrics in his life, and many of the display items showed cultures from around the world he had never seen before. Will almost wished he could stay there all day just exploring, though in reality it would have probably taken a month to look at it all.

Traveling was something he was simply never allowed to do—with it being risky for him and all. It also required many supplies, coin, and a knowledge of so many things that he never had the chance to learn.

Now that he was actually doing it, it felt unreal. It was weird having dreamed about leaving his home for so long, and now actually doing it.

Mike walked with him the whole way, keeping him from getting lost when he would fall behind. He knew it was probably annoying for him to do so just for Will to get caught up in something else, but he couldn’t help but take everything in. It felt like the world had grown ten times its size, and all of a sudden, there was so much more to discover. His favorite part was the performers, doing just about anything you could think of. Singing, dancing, and even telling stories.

He was so amazed at one band that he ran into a tall man with a buzzed scalp. His eyes shone with frustration, and he grabbed Will’s shoulder before he could react.

“Passaðu þig á skrefi þínu!”

The change of language momentarily shocked Will as he tried to escape. He truly hadn’t meant any harm, and from this close, he could see that the man had many scars across his face and half of one eyebrow. He looked like the kind of person you would never want to get in a fight with, ever. Anxiety froze Will where he stood.

It all happened so fast, too fast, and before he could even start to apologize, Mike pulled his arm back for him and started speaking to the stranger. His accent sounded broken, but it was enough to get his point across. “Þetta var slys. Ekki snerta hann!”

The man scowled without sympathy. “Horfðu á tunguna þína, riddarann eða einhver gæti reynt að skera hana.”

“Ég myndi vilja sjá þig reyna” Mike yelled, pulling out his longsword from its silver case. “‘Snails, you’re an asshole, you know that?”

The large man’s expression turned even colder, like he wasn’t used to people talking back, but he glanced at the Mike’s weapon in irritation before roughly shoving his way passed. Only after he disappeared from view completely did Mike sheath his sword again, and Will was still processing the entire encounter when he started asking questions.

“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” 

Will barely heard Mike's voice through his own heart beat, but shook his head. “I’m fine. What was he saying?”

“Nothing you need to worry about.” Mike insisted as he guided them to the rest of the group. “I’m sure he was just in a bad mood when you hit him. There’s tons of people like that here. It gets worse the bigger the town is.”

“Ah.” he sighed. The man had reminded him a bit of his own father, but he pushed the thought away as soon as it appeared. Once the shock had worn down, he found himself impressed by Mike’s reaction. “So, do you know a lot of languages?” 

Mike grabbed his hand as they turned a sharp corner. “Well, it’s required to know more than one to be eligible for quests, so we had to study during training. I’m not great at them, but I know two. Well, two and a half, I guess, because—”

Will nodded along as he listened, and Mike eventually went into more of the difficult training he had to go through before Hopper gave his personal consent, adding exaggerations every once in a while to make it seem more interesting. Will found it easy to follow the stories as he continued to look around in amazement. 

After a few minutes of winding streets, they reached a small, close to empty tavern. Hopper was already by the door, ushering everyone inside.

The building had a sign above it, but the words were written in letters Will couldn’t understand. He was happy just looking at it, though. On one side, the windows were lined with yellow flowers that twisted in all sorts of directions, and the furniture was all hand-crafted wood. Joyce picked out two of their largest tables, so they could all sit down comfortably.

“We’ll eat here and then stop by a few stores on our way back to the stables. We should be able to get out of town by sunset and set up camp a few hours away.” Hopper announced once everyone was situated. “Jonathan will take those seventeen and younger to grab the fabrics and horse feed.”

“Yes Sir.” Jonathan said, quickly bowing his head.

Soon after, a short waitress with chestnut brown hair came up to their group and talked in the same language Will didn’t know. Apparently, most of the other knights knew it as well and easily asked for what they wanted. Will just happily went along with whatever had already been ordered, and as they waited, which wasn’t long, Hopper counted their money. Jonathan was given the rest.

“Keep it safe and stick together.” Hopper warned.

A few minutes later, delicious smells filled the room as the waitress returned holding a large platter, and before Will knew it, everyone had dug into various vegetables, breads, meats, and baked goods he had never before seen. His own plate had a little of each, as he wanted to try everything, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to finish it all.

He was just about to start eating when a conversation at a table of foreigners caught his attention. It was just that, not only did they sound angry, they were also speaking in English.

“..yeah, my cousin said the girl was a witch, and if it were up to me, I’d have her hung.”

Will’s blood ran cold, taking in what they were saying. It was common talk back home, but it felt more personal sitting next to the order who he was sure could hear it too. What if they agreed? Or what if they took part in killing those with magic themselves? He wrung his hands under the table to distract himself.

They didn’t know what he was anyway, and they hopefully never would.

He was safe.

Another man hummed in agreement. “Freaks, they are. I can’t believe they have yet to even imprison her. Folks dabbling in dark magic are nothing more than bad omens.”

“Now that, we can agree on.” a deeper voice chuckled. “I would have joined the soldiers myself if I’d known they’d be so useless, in fact—“

Dustin nudging his side brought him back to reality. He was holding out a white dish with something a deep brown inside. “Did you hear me?” he asked, repeating himself when Will guiltily shook his head. “That’s alright, I was just asking if you wanted to try some chocolate pudding. It’s even better than I thought it’d be.”

“Oh, sure.” he acknowledged, trying to keep his voice level. The last thing he needed was for someone to know how much the conversation upset him.

Instead of listening to the hurtful words coming from across the room, he ate the pudding, and surprisingly, the rich flavor was far sweeter than anything he had ever tried. The closest thing he could compare it to was the chocolate bread Benny used to give him as a child, when his family had the extra money to buy it.

“It is better than I thought it’d be.” Will agreed, taking another bite before handing the dish back.

Dustin smiled at the comment, turning smugly towards Mike. “See, I told you it would be worth it.” he quipped, eating a spoonful bigger than his mouth. “Thith ith stho good.”

“One, I don’t know what you’re saying.” Mike sighed. “And two, I bet I can show Will something better than chocolate goo by the time we leave town. Actually, no, by the time we buy the supplies.”

“Fine, I’ll take you up on that bet. Winner rides with Will the entire day tomorrow?” Dustin proposed in full confidence.

Will watched as the two shook hands, and he, like Dustin, wondered what Mike would show him that could be better than chocolate pudding.

By the time they finished their meal, Will felt overly full, but more satisfied than he had in a long time.

Once the sun was on the western side of the sky, Sir Jonathan, who seemed friendly enough, led all the teenagers a few blocks down the street to a vegetable market. There he bought a variety of herbs and greens that were common in most simple dishes. 

The smells were strong, and he recognized only a few that grew back in Hawkins Cove.

On their way to a specific fabric store called “Stílar þig,” they stopped at a run-down stand at the edge of the market where they grabbed a couple bags of horse feed. There, Jonathan let him carry only one, waving off his efforts to take them all.

It made him feel lighter and more important than he had in a long time.

He was starting to learn a bit more about each of the knights as they went throughout their errands. Max and Lucas, for example, acted like they practically hated each other, but he knew they had the type of relationship that meant something special. Dustin, who had a stupid sense of humor, was actually extremely smart, and would pull facts and information out of thin air. Also, even though El didn’t like to talk much, when she did, she was almost always right.

Mike was a little harder to read, but Will thought that made him even more interesting. 

He let the worries from the morning slip away as he trailed behind, holding the bag in his hand like treasure. The streets became louder and louder the farther they walked, but he took deep breaths to keep his feet moving. As long as he was with the group, he would be fine.

Deep breath in.. then out..

Mike grabbed his arm and pulled him to the side. “Are you ready for your surprise?”

“Surprise? But, won’t we get left behind?” Will asked, glancing between him and the rest of the group. The street was crowding together, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to stay much longer.

“Aye, your surprise is about to start. Plus, I already know where Stílar þig is, so we can just catch up with them later. Here..” Mike explained, grabbing the feed from his hand and hiding it behind a large stone. “Follow me.”

Will let Mike guide him through the crowd of people until they were near the center. Now that he was closer, he realized that not all of the noise was people talking, but also music and civilians dancing together in a practiced manner. The people playing instruments were somehow even more talented than the last ones he’d heard.

“Are you ready to dance?” Mike asked, still guiding him through a large number of people.

Will felt his face grow warm, feeling embarrassed again. He had never had the opportunity to do these types of things back home. “I can’t dance. I don’t know how.”

Mike rolled his eyes, but was smiling as if it didn’t matter. “I’ll show you.” he offered, finally stopping where there was enough room for them to move comfortably “We had parties like this all the time back at the castle, though they were a bit more formal. Just follow my lead.”

Will was about to protest, but a new song started playing, and Mike pulled him closer. He hoped the knight couldn’t hear his heartbeat over the music, because he certainly could.

The beat dropped and suddenly the two of them were moving. Mike showed him what to do first, going slowly to teach the foot movements and letting him watch the people around them. After that, it only got easier. The two laughed and swung each other around, not caring about mistakes, and as the end of the song approached, they started making up their own routines.

Once his nerves were completely gone, Will wished the moment would never end. He didn’t care that he was tired. He didn’t even care that they had left the sight of the order, on purpose. He just wanted things to always be this simple. 

Will couldn’t help but look at Mike every once in a while, just to admire how his hair curled under his ears, or the way he smiled whenever they locked eyes. Even when they accidentally stepped on each other's feet, they somehow couldn’t stop smiling.

They danced to several songs before their legs grew tired, and Mike led them back to grab the horse feed. For once, he didn’t really care if others were looking in his direction. He almost wanted them to.

“I need more.. training.” Mike exclaimed between breaths, picking up the bag and moving it before Will could grab it for himself. “I didn’t think I was this out of shape.”

Will would have laughed if he weren’t trying to catch his own breath. “..yeah.” he wheezed.

They silently agreed to sit down for a while before catching up with the others. Mike justified their decision by saying he knew a ‘short-cut,’ which Will wasn’t entirely sure he believed or not, but either way, he didn’t mind staying a bit longer. As more minutes went by, the crowd became scattered, and the noises slowly died down.

Mike stood up and offered him a hand, waiting for him to stand to start talking. “So, did I win?’

“Win?”

“The bet. I’ll never be able to live it down if Dustin beats me.” he ranted, trying and failing to look upset. “I swear to the gods if he talks about chocolate pudding one more time.”

“Oh, that bet.” Will responded, pretending to be thinking. “Mm.. it’s close. But, I guess since you only stepped on my foot like, three times? I’ll say you won. You’re lucky you missed the fourth time.”

Mike grinned, shaking his head. “I knew you’d like it, Sir ‘I can’t dance.’”

Will just rolled his eyes and shoved the knight on the shoulder. “You’re so full of yourself. How do we get to the shop from here? Everything looks the same.”

“You worry too much, ye of little faith. It’s this way.” the knight proposed, leading him once again through the streets, and even though Will was almost positive Mike did not, in fact, know the way, he still followed.

And it was then that Will realized he had a problem.

He liked Mike. He really liked Mike, and he shouldn’t. He was lying, and not only would he never be able to tell him the truth, he wasn’t even close to the type of person that Mike deserved.

The quest wouldn’t last forever, so what would happen when they all went back to the castle, leaving him deserted on the streets?

The best thing he could do now was push the thought away and forget he even had it. He had a job to do, and that was why he came on the quest in the first place. He couldn’t forget that everything was only temporary.

He didn’t have the luxury to forget it.

But why was it so hard?

Chapter Text

A week came and went by quickly as they traveled across the west. And even though Will still had a lingering fear in the back of his head that he didn’t, and would never fit in, he liked to think he was doing a pretty good job of it so far. After the trouble he and Mike got in for sneaking away, of course.

Everyone had been so kind, and Hopper and Joyce treated him more like an actual knight than a make-shift stable boy.

He loved waking up each day to the sun right over his head and Chester barking at the morning birds. It took a while, but he eventually got used to the sleep schedule, even finding himself waking up earlier than most of the other knights.

Mike, however, was basically nocturnal. Will was sure nothing but Hopper’s loud persistence could get him out of his sleeping bag. He was the living dead until noon—not talking unless spoken to or spacing out in conversations. Will didn’t mind though. He just used that time to finish his morning tasks and ready the horses. And just like the jobs back home, they got easier and easier every day.

He had always been used to the outside, doing whatever he had to do growing up, but now he could sleep under the stars, watch the sun move across the sky, and see all kinds of new things.

Chester had also gotten used to being away from his house and seemed happy enough. Will tried to teach him new tricks during the night when the clouds grew dark, and would even save a portion of his dinner to give him when he did them right. It helped with the nights he couldn’t sleep, which, surprisingly, were few and far between.

It also kept him awake long enough to see fireflies for the first time. It was hard to believe they could glow so brightly on their own, but he was starting to think magic was more common than he thought it was. Most people just didn’t look close enough.

The more Will learned about the outside world, the more he longed to know, and the guiltier he felt for leaving everything else behind. It didn’t feel right, not knowing if he made the right choice by running, but he tried to make the quest worthwhile.

The order had taught him a lot of new things he was increasingly thankful for. Hopper, who was very calm and gentle once you got to know him, showed him how to start a fire and grind up wood to make charcoal. Jonathan let him watch as he took pictures with his camera, and Will found that hanging out with him made him feel normal for once. That you shouldn’t like things because people tell you you’re supposed to.

Joyce even allowed him to help with dinner one evening, letting him cut the vegetables, giving him the ladle from time to time, and telling him when to add more hot coals under the pot.

He was served first that day, despite the titles.

He was truly starting to feel close to all of them, more than he had to anyone in years, and he didn’t want the quest to end, at all, anymore. All it took was a few days before he felt dependent on the happiness of the knights around him. Even though they came from different backgrounds and held different understandings of most everything, they cared, and that’s what made it all so special. So important.

He liked to think that if he’d lived with them, they would’ve been friends growing up.

The ride from the town to Mirkwood River, which would eventually lead them to Lenora Hill’s Bay, was mostly uneventful. The craziest thing that happened was an owl attacking Steve’s head, the only explanation being that the bird thought it was a nest. Dustin hadn’t let it go since, calling him ‘Steve the Hair Harrington’ until everyone in the party grew bored of it themselves.

Besides that, it felt rather calm traveling down the roads. Which was why, when things crashed down on the ninth day, it came as a surprise.

They were a few days away from Mirkwood, and had come across a path in the middle of two large hills, which were more like mossy rocks so big they looked like hills. It stretched about a mile long, glaring ominously at the order until Hopper gestured them forward. Will couldn’t quite place it, but something in the atmosphere had felt off.

He didn’t know if it was real, and him being a siren meant he should listen, or if he was just being paranoid. But either way, saying a word might get him exposed, and he couldn’t risk that. Not when things finally started to feel right again.

Not when he could be wrong.

So they moved forward. There were no jokes or side conversations, and not even Chester was barking. Will had to fidget with the medallion in his pocket to keep his hands from shaking. He shouldn’t be this nervous, and he definitely shouldn’t show a group of knights he was scared of dark pathway.

They had made it just over halfway through when something flew over their heads, making a loud whistling sound as it cut through the air and landing with a thwump on Hopper’s satchel.  

“What the hell.” Hopper cursed, looking down.

He ripped the long object from its place and held it up, giving the rest of them a chance to identify it as an arrow, an extremely sharp one, before sounds erupted ahead of the horses. Several people jumped over the rocks, blocking the order from running off. Luckily, most of the arrows had deflected off of their armor, but a few found their way into supply bags, spilling grains and spices everywhere.

Metal scraped against metal as swords were pulled from their scabbards, and Chester whined, running under Holland to get away.

Now that the men, who held all kinds of their own weapons ready, stopped moving, Will could see that they were dressed in clothing marked for bandits. 

Actual bandits.

There were ten of them in total, covered in boxy helmets and chains around their arms. The large bags attached at their waists scared Will the most, since they were clearly meant for keeping stolen goods. It was eerily similar to the raids back home. They obviously had no intention of talking, or being peaceful in any manner, based on the way their bows were drawn and aimed for Hopper’s chest.

“Hand over everything of value,” the bandit in the middle demanded. “and we might let you live.”

There was a moment of silence, as the knights processed what happened, before Hopper barked out a laugh. “Are you out of your mind? Only a fool would threaten the king’s men.”

The bandit raised his sword, trying to appear more threatening. “I assume that same king gave you lots of coin for your journey.”

“That would be none of your business, thief.”

At the insult, the group of bandits drew closer, stopping only when the leader put his hand up. “I’ll give you one last chance. Hand over the valuables, or we will not hesitate to kill every single woman and child in our way. No matter your decision, we will get what we came here for.”

Hopper furrowed his brows. “Those women and children are better fighters than even your best men, so I’ll give you one last chance. Get out of our way and leave this hillside, or accept defeat.”

The bandit put two fingers on his mouth and whistled. “I will accept nothing but your riderless horses.”

Before anyone could react, more men jumped over the rocks and started fighting whoever they landed in front of. There were around two bandits per knight, putting them at a heavy disadvantage. Will felt himself freeze where he sat, not sure what to do. Without a sword of his own, he was basically useless.

It made him an immediate target, too. The bandits were eyeing the crowd, picking out the weakest links. His tattered clothes stuck out amongst the solid, shiny armor. 

Just as two older looking men fought their way to Will’s horse, Joyce grabbed him by the arm and led him away, behind the order’s protection. “Stay here, and yell for me if anyone gets to you.” she said, concerned.

He could barely mutter an ‘aye’ before she had gone to help the others his age, who the bandits targeted without remorse. It gave Will more peace of mind that she did, because if anything happened to the party—his party, Will would never forgive himself.

He could have done something to stop it. He knew he could’ve.

He just hoped the knights were as good as Hopper said they were. That their training meant something away from the castle.

As much as he believed in the order and their strength, having seen it himself a few times, his mind drifted to the worst case scenario. He had never seen Joyce that scared, and Hopper was no longer underestimating the bandits’ themselves, fighting ruthlessly. Will knew he was putting up a front. Especially when the lives of his family were so clearly at stake.

A pained cry only a few feet away made his stomach drop until he realized it wasn’t anyone he knew. Nancy, whose arm was now bleeding from a large cut to her forearm, had struck a man straight through the heart. The fatal strike pulled the bandit to the ground like a magnet to metal, eyes lifeless and unseeing.

She only spared a moment to utter a few words, maybe an unheard prayer amongst the thundering of battle, before she turned to draw in another opponent. Several did the same as they witnessed their friends' downfall. Revenge was written on their faces.

The horses had scurried close to Will’s hiding spot, and it momentarily gave him a better view of the ground. He covered his mouth as a wave of nausea swept over him.

There were dead people everywhere, and they were so still they looked fake. To his relief, none of them were recognizable as part of the order, but about half of the bandits had been killed, soaking the dirt with a deep crimson. Part of him felt like he was watching it from a third person perspective. Like the men would wake up any second.

They never did, skin turning paler in the places where it was uncovered. His vision started to fade, bringing him back to the first time he encountered death, when it ignored his desperate prayers.

(“Son, you have to let go.” a stranger wearing black told him, kneeling so that they were face to face. “Your father is out of his mind looking at her like this.”

Will tightened his grip on his mother’s sleeve. “No, you can’t take her.” he cried out, hoping she would wake up and say the words herself. It was all wrong, so so wrong.

“She isn’t here anymore, son. She’s gone.” the stranger reasoned. He motioned for more of his men to come and lift her away, and held him back as he struggled against the restraints. 

Tears fell freely down Will’s cheeks, but no amount of begging had stopped them as she disappeared from view. The man’s voice echoed in his ears as he watched, helpless to do anything. 

She’s gone she’s gone she’s gone she’s—)

Will’s vision cleared, and he immediately snapped out of his thoughts when there was another shout of pain close by. It was a voice he hoped he wouldn’t have to hear, and it squeezed the air from his lungs.

Mike was now holding the left side of his face, having been hit with the edge of a sword, and was struggling to fend off a man twice his size. He used his advantage of speed and agility as much as he could, balancing his weight between his two legs and using some kind of pattern for attacks. Dodge, slide, and strike. 

It had worked for a while, based on the numerous cuts up and down the man’s legs, but it wouldn’t work forever. He was too strong, too sturdy, and held a weapon clearly meant to cut through any kind of thick armor; its shaft supported blades similar to a pollaxe’s. A deadly one.

“Mike!” Will yelled in warning as the bandit swung the weapon down, giving the boy just enough time to step out of the way. 

Max had also noticed the struggle, and was trying in vain to fight her way over to help. She was caught up between holding back two of her own men, who were luckily much smaller, and inching her way through. It was almost pointless—not fast enough to help Mike the way he needed it to, and the weight of the situation fully crashed into Will as he watched.

He had to do something.

The top of the bandit’s ax was getting closer to striking Mike’s side, and the knight looked seconds away from falling, too exhausted to keep up. Will scanned the ground anxiously for a way to help, and he almost stumbled forward to pick up a large, broken piece of glass from a canteen when he noticed the water left inside. It whispered at him tauntingly.

What if he tried controlling it again? It would risk everything; it would risk him being seen, but did it even matter when the order was dying in front of him? If the one person he truly couldn’t lose would be gone if he didn’t at least try?

He looked around to see that everyone was busy, too busy to notice, and stared back down at the shattered canteen. He pulled at the feeling that had always been there, lurking, telling him to feel the connection that threatened to expose his secrets, and listened to what it was saying. Immediately, he knew he had to lift it with his hands, slowly dragging his fingers into the air.

The water moved the same way he did, like a puppet on invisible strings, and crept its way over to the unsuspecting bandit. It flowed in a single line, forming a ring around the man’s leg just above the ankle. The whispers became more like shouts, pushing him to make the final movement.

Will knew what would happen next, what he was about to do, but didn’t think he could stop. The last thing he wanted was to hurt anybody, even a criminal, but if it meant saving Mike’s life, he knew he would do it a thousand times over again. 

So he clasped his hands together, silently whispering back.

The ring of water tightened so fast, Will only knew the leg had been broken from the way the man crumpled, holding it and clenching his jaw. 

Mike looked confused at first, looking around aimlessly as his opponent struggled to move, but delivered the final blow to the bandit’s chest when it proved useless. Will wobbled backwards on unsteady feet as the reality of what he had just done settled in. He was the reason the man was dead.

He took in a shaky breath, trying to gather his mind until someone grabbed his hand and yanked it forward, almost making him fall to his knees. He looked up just in time to see a sword aim at his stomach and jumped to the side, barely missing the honed blade. A bandit found its way over to him while he was distracted and scrutinized his movements, carefully.

The man stepped forward and swung again, missing him as he ducked to the ground. “Sea devil.”

The words made his blood run cold. They had fallen from the other’s mouth like they were nothing but the truth. The bandit had no remorse, no sympathy, and had seen what he’d done. Pure loathing warped his features.

Will crawled against the rocks to avoid the sword’s downward strikes. “Help!”

The bandit laughed, and he watched as the sword was lifted once more, hindering him from crawling away. It gleamed in the sunlight as it broke through the shadows, and stopped momentarily as it reached the highest point. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly.

A clash of metal rang out above his head, inches away, and the sound echoed against the rocks.

Will opened his eyes to see Mike catching the sword with his own, straining against the bandit’s strength. He twisted it in one swift movement, sending the enemy's sword flying into the dirt. The man let out a surprise gasp before turning to grab it, but tripped when Chester bit the end of his trousers.

The man had barely made it to the ground when Mike’s sword pierced through his side, going limp in an unnatural position.

“Good boy.” Mike praised the dog, eyeing the man warily until he was sure he wouldn’t get up again.

The two boys caught their breaths for a while, lungs racing from adrenaline, before Will was able to stand on his own two feet. When he could see everyone else, he noticed that all of the bandits had been defeated; Mike had stopped the last one, and the path was now quiet enough to hear birds again.

There was blood on most of the knights’ armor, painted with thin, jagged lines, but relief washed over him when none of the order looked seriously injured. Most of them only had visible cuts or scrapes.

Mike winced and put a hand over his face, causing Will to look over with concern. “Are you okay?”

“Fine.” he replied, lowering his fingers to show the darkening bruise underneath. “Just got a black eye, but that’s my fault. Should’ve seen the hilt coming.”

Will looked at him incredulously. “What do you mean it’s your fault?”

Mike sighed and sheathed his sword. “It’s stupid, honestly. It’s just, my dad used to take me to the courtyard, like, every day to train. We practiced this more times than I can count. And he wasn’t really the emotional type, but gods he would get mad when I failed a counter attack. I mean, how do I keep failing one move after doing it so many times?”

“Mike, that’s not your fault. You just saved my life. If anything, I should be the one who’s sorry.”

“You? Be sorry?” Mike practically laughed. “For what? It’s not your fault that mouth breather tried to kill you.”

And, yeah, maybe it wasn’t Will’s fault that, but everything else may as well have been. He ignored what could have prevented it all from happening in the first place. If any of them had died, or had even been badly wounded, he would never, ever, forgive himself. He wished someone else had known instead of him. That he was normal.

“I.. I just—” he struggled to say, trying to choose his words carefully. “I feel like I haven’t been there for you as much as you have for me. This is like the hundredth time I’ve needed help.”

Mike met his eyes suddenly. He took in Will’s expression before clearing his throat. “Did I ever tell you about what happened on my first quest?” he asked, speaking again when Will shook his head. “Well, believe it or not, I got stuck in a tree because of a dare. Hopper had to get me down with some rope.”

A smile crept up on Will’s face, and Mike took that as a sign to keep going. “And a few days after that, I accidentally ate some poison berries thinking they were something else. We had to stop for half the day because I was scared of dying, but I didn’t even get sick.” he recalled, gesturing with his hands. “I’m honestly surprised I lasted this long in the quest.”

Will actually laughed at that, covering his mouth in an attempt to muffle it. Mike took notice anyway and smiled. It made the doubt feel a bit smaller. A little more irrelevant.

“Well, I think you make a pretty good knight.” Will admitted. “But, merci.”

Mike nodded his head, looking at his face and then down at his hands, surprising Will when he started reaching out—

“Mike! Will!”

Joyce calling out to them broke the moment, salvaged medical supplies in hand. She waved for them to come over where several other knights were already getting bandaged or retrieving their horses. The path was an absolute mess. Half their supplies were on the floor, scattered, and most of the canteens had spilled out.

”I guess we’d better go.” Mike said, taking the lead.

The two boys, plus Chester, walked close together to avoid as much as possible, carefully making their way to the rest of the group. Will still felt sick being near any of it. All the people who wouldn’t be returning home.

The walk was short, but held a certain heaviness. It was too quiet.

As soon as they reached the order, Joyce was asking a million questions, taking care of Mike’s cuts and bruises. His eye was now a deep purple, pulling a face every time she applied a thick, herbal medicine. Will only had a small bruise on his arm from where the man grabbed him, but still received the same treatment.

Jonathan was nearby, already bandaging the cut on Nancy’s arm, who insisted she was fine, and from this close, Will could see how they would stare when the other wasn’t looking. He knew it was love, but in what way, he didn’t know. He wasn’t really sure what that was supposed to look like anymore.

It made him smile, anyway. They both deserved to be happy. All of them did.

It took a while, but once everyone was ready to leave and get back on the road, with what little they had left, Hopper gathered and led them to the center of the pathway.

“We’ve been very lucky to have minimal casualties, today, and we’ll need to be more careful from here on out.” he observed, the lack of sunlight making his face older and more tired. “But our quest continues. The shortage of supplies will be a problem, meaning Joyce and I have decided to change our route. As of right now, we should make it to the city of Mirkwood River in two days' time.”

Max looked around as if he’d spoken in gibberish. “Two days? How is that even possible?”

“Aye, I didn’t think there was another route.” Dustin added.

Joyce shared a look with Hopper. “There is one other, but it will cost us some coin. It’s a large river that runs close to Mirkwood, and holds ferries big enough for horses. If we get there in a few hours, we should be able to take a boat first thing in the morning.”

Will found himself shaking his head as he took in the words. Why did everything always lead back to the water? He couldn’t get on a boat. One fucking splash and he would be a nationwide pariah. 

But he couldn't just leave either.

Lucas, who was beside him, laid a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, are you alright man?” he asked, and Will noticed a cut across his cheek.

“Aye. I just don’t like deep water very much.” he half-lied, trying to keep his voice level. “What happened to your face?”

“Ah, ferries usually have an indoor area. You won’t even have to look at the water if you don’t want to. And as far as my face goes, some bandit just got lucky. It’s nothing I haven’t dealt with before.”

The reassurance helped to calm Will’s nerves a bit. He would worry about everything later, when they actually got on the boat. Plus, he had never been on one, so as long as he stayed dry, it could be fun. Mike would probably stay in the indoor area with him too, anyway.

He smiled at Lucas with what he hoped was appreciation. “Good to know.”

Hopper cleared his throat, and suddenly, he was talking again. “Follow close behind until we make it out of the hills, and if there are any more bandits, we run. There will be no playing the hero, aye?”

A murmur of agreement sounded throughout the order, before the horses jolted forward at the Hopper’s command. Will looked back as they left. He couldn’t help it. How could something so tragic look so peaceful all at once? It reminded him of the dried cherry blossoms he still kept in his pocket from the first day he was on the quest.

The petals had shriveled and turned yellow, but still had a pinkish hue. They were still beautiful.

He grabbed them from his pocket as they were almost through the rocky path, and held them open in his hand. Looking back one more time, he blew the blossoms into the wind and watched as they scattered across the floor, hoping that wherever they went, the bandits would find peace. Just like his mom. Just like his family from the ocean.

Chester caught one in his mouth, but Will didn’t mind. He liked to think that flower was for Barb’s family.

The order rode for another few hours until the sun turned dark, and even though most of the group was quieter than usual, time seemed to move faster. Maybe it was because Will was lost in his own thoughts, or maybe it was just because everyone was practically asleep, but either way, he was glad for it.

The sound of new, rushing water was the first sign they had made it to the river for the night, and Hopper let them set up camp once it grew loud. 

Will was almost too tired to care how close he was to the water. Almost. But he still put his sleeping bag as far away as possible. Mike gave him a strange look, but followed nevertheless. 

Tomorrow he would have to swallow his fear and board an actual, real-life boat. His father would’ve killed him if he had even tried back in Hawkins’. Just the thought of it alone was crazy. But it wasn’t like he had never been close to the water in front of people before, so this would just be another close call. A situation where he would have to be more careful than usual.

As they lay once under the stars once again, Will looked over the bruise on his wrist. Why was magic so hated? What had the bandit heard to call him a sea devil?

A rustling from behind him almost made him jump until he heard Mike’s voice. “Hey, Will. Are you awake?” he whispered from a few feet away, and his voice sounded open and raw.

“Aye. I couldn’t fall asleep.” he whispered back, turning so that they were face to face in the dark.

“Me either.” Mike admitted. “I just, can I ask you something? It’s probably senseless and me overthinking like always, but.. I don’t know.”

“Of course. You can ask me anything.”

“Okay.” the knight breathed in. “Do you think I’m a bad person for killing those men? I know it was in defense, but sometimes, I feel like there could have been another way, you know. Like maybe I’m not as good of a person as I try to be.”

Will carefully mulled over the question. He would never think of Mike as a bad person. Not when he had gotten to know him. His mind. The way he thinks. But, honestly, Will had also been thinking about his own role in the fight, scared he was wrong for what he had done to protect Mike. He couldn’t even imagine taking a sword to someone’s chest.

Still, Mike had done so in defense. They hadn’t drawn first blood.

“I think you asking that question alone proves you’re a good person, Mike. If it weren’t for you, I probably wouldn’t even be here right now. There wasn’t another way when we had weapons thrown towards us.”

Mike sighed, like he had been expecting that answer. “Aye, I guess so. It’s just, sometimes I feel like I’m going crazy.”

The statement was left open for a while, and Will had never heard anything more genuine to his own doubts. It was exactly how he had felt since he left his home and mounted a horse for the first time. He was nothing but a fraud.

“Me too.” he whispered, voice small. It was more to himself than anything.

But Mike heard it anyway. “Hey, well, if we’re both going crazy, then we’ll go crazy together, right?”

Will smiled despite it all. “Yeah. Crazy together.”

Chapter Text

It didn’t take long for Will to fall asleep, and despite the lifeless eyes that had plagued his mind since the bandits, his dreams were peaceful that night. They were full of kingdoms, music, and treasure.

He was almost sad when they didn’t last for very long.

Hopper woke everyone up while the sky was still dark, so the order had to pack up using moonlight. It somehow made having less supplies feel like a blessing because, supposedly, the docks were still a few hours away. The boats were in a wide part of Mirkwood River that connected to open waters, and they’d have to follow the current.

Will hadn’t gotten the chance to ask Mike to stay inside the deckhouse with him, but the closer he got, the more he didn’t want to. He had to remember to carry his own weight. His own burdens. Especially since Mike had done so much for him already in the short time they’d gotten to know each other.

Plus, it would probably do him some good to keep their friendship at a distance. At least until he figured out what to do with his, well, his feelings.

Will could tell that Mike was excited to go on the boat, because for once, he’d woken up on time to help ready the horses. Most of the order, actually, was in a better mood than the day before, even with their injuries. It made him happy to see his friends so excited, but it also made him feel so fucking lost.

It reminded him that he would always be defective, despite him running from it. The only thing that gave him some form of reassurance was Mike’s promise to go crazy together, because it meant that someone understood how he felt, in one way or another. Mike somehow always knew what to say, and for that, he would be endlessly grateful. He just couldn’t become dependent on it.

As long as Will stayed on the quest, he wouldn’t be alone, and that was all he wanted, really. He didn’t have to take it a step further. He was fine with just being the order’s extra hand. More than fine.

He was lucky to have been found by Hopper that day in the stables and been taken in by his latent generosity. The thought alone kept him moving towards the docks, and he wouldn’t let his doubts for something that was his own fault ruin the good for everyone else. They didn’t deserve that. 

The trail became thinner the longer they rode, but the sound of rushing water only got louder. There seemed to be a buzz of enthusiasm amongst the knights, and even the older members were smiling and laughing more than usual.

Probably because they wouldn’t have to sit on their uncomfortable saddles longer than they had to.

After what felt like ages, small figures formed in the distance, becoming a group of ferrymen that were dressed in short, red tunics and pointed hats. They gave off an aura of austerity that made him uncomfortable, taking him back to all the times he felt unwanted because of his reputation in Hawkins’, or lack thereof.

As formal as the men were, he hoped they would let Chester board, because wherever that dog went, he knew he would have to follow. It was the reason he left home in the first place, and he would rather go back than leave Chester behind. Luckily, there was barking from the ferry itself as they approached. 

The boat was larger and more colorful than he had expected it to be. Small battle scenes and old fables were painted across the sides, depicting the western kingdom as strong and all-powerful. Will suppressed a laugh as he looked them over. He had heard most of the stories, but always thought the eastern kingdom had won. Who knew what actually happened.

“State your name and way of business.” an old ferryman demanded once they came to a stop, his long beard moving as he talked. 

Hopper dismounted his horse and gave a short bow. “Sir Hopper from Brenner’s Kingdom. We’re here on official business.”

“Ah.” the old man replied, giving a bow of his own. “Much obliged, but I’ll need a letter of recognition and two coins per passenger before you board.”

Hopper dug into his torn satchel, retrieving a small bag full of coin and tossing it over. He then pulled out a thin sheet of paper, shimmering like gold in the sun, or maybe it was gold, and gave it to the ferryman. Will couldn’t help but gape a little as he watched the exchange. He knew he was traveling with royalty, but to see actual proof made it that much more real.

The old man smiled with wide eyes and carefully handed it back. “Merci, Sir. I’ll take your belongings to our safest luggage rack, and the horses will be put in our on-board stables. Enjoy the ride.”

Will looked down at Chester nervously. Would they take him too? He felt a wave of embarrassment as unwanted tears clouded his vision. He was on a quest with full-blown knights for gods’ sake, and there he was crying over a dog and some water.

He quickly blinked it away before looking back up, listening in on the conversation.

“Hand over everything but your satchels.” Hopper told them, leaving no room to argue. “The faster we leave port, the faster we’ll arrive in the city.”

The order quickly dismounted and let the group of ferrymen take everything away. Will kept the dog close to his side and held the medallion to his chest the entire time, hoping to blend into the background, which was all he needed to do until they stepped back on land.

The more he was out of the way, the better.

The knights formed a small line and followed the gangway to the ship’s main deck, being stopped one by one as the captain handed them their tickets, and the closer it got to Will’s turn, the more he couldn’t breathe. The oxygen became thinner with each step, and his legs felt weak and unstable. Chester seemed to notice and nuzzled the back of his legs every time he had to move forward. It helped a little.

He just wished it helped more.

As he arrived at the front of the line, the captain held out a piece of paper with cursive letters, reading, “silver cat #5698.” He assumed it was the name of the boat and his passenger number but didn’t care to ask, grabbing it as fast as he could and trying to maneuver his way to the rest of the order, as they were already starting to look out from the railing.

Before Will could get more than two steps onboard, however, the captain grabbed the back of his sleeve, and his breath caught in his throat.

“Dogs go to the stern.” the man grumbled in a heavy accent. “I’ll take it from here.”

“No, I—” Will tried to protest, but the words quickly died on his tongue. He looked between Chester and the man, swallowing his emotions as he remembered what Hopper had said. The faster they leave, the faster they’ll get there.

He reluctantly handed Chester’s leash to the captain. The dog whined but had no choice but to follow as the man handed it over to someone else, who then walked through the crowd of people until disappearing completely. The captain went back to his job and was no longer paying attention, but Will still shot him a dirty look before catching up to the rest of the knights.

If anything happened to Chester, he would never forgive these people.

Will tried not to let the whole ordeal affect him, but his mood soured the longer he waited on the boat. He didn’t want to be there anymore. The only thing he wanted was to find the deckhouse, sit away from everyone who were now staring at him and his tattered clothing, and wait until they reached the land. He felt like he didn’t belong there—like he was out of place, and he was already tired of it.

He wondered, briefly, if the city of Mirkwood River would be anything like all the others they had passed on the way, because then, at least, there would be more people like him. That wouldn’t look at him so differently.

Joyce came up from beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. “What’s wrong? Did they take Chester?” she asked gently, watching his expression as she talked. Was he really that obvious?

“Aye. They said he needed to go to the stern.” he answered, trying to shake off his nerves. “Is it far from here?”

“The stern? That’s just in the back. I wouldn’t worry about it too much, alright sweetie? He’s probably playing with the other dogs as we speak.” she reassured. “Lucas told me you don’t like deep water, so if you need to go sit inside we’ll be okay out here for now.” 

Will nodded and gave her a smile, even if it didn’t reach his eyes. She was probably right, anyway. Chester would be fine without him, and he would be fine without Chester. All he really needed was to get indoors before the boat started moving.

All he had to do was not get wet.

As he walked away, he gave one last look to the order, finding Mike amongst the sea of armor and familiar faces. He was smiling and laughing with the others, like always, but looked out onto the water every now and then in child-like wonder. He didn’t even seem to care that one of his eyes was still painfully swollen, or that he barely got any sleep.

It made Will’s heart skip a beat, watching the way Mike’s mouth crinkled at the edges when he heard a joke or dramatically used his hands as he talked.

Will would never admit it, but he was jealous of how care-free Mike was at times. It was as if all life’s problems just melted away whenever he was around. Mike really was the heart of the party, which was just another reason that Will couldn’t risk him getting hurt. He would have to stay as far away as possible until they were back, safely, on land.

It wouldn’t be difficult unless he made it that way. Deep breath in.. then out..

He ignored the chaos around him as he made his way to the deckhouse, hoping the excitement would die off once everyone grew bored of travel. It was starting to feel overwhelming, and as soon as he reached the door to the deckhouse, he immediately pushed it open and slid inside.

Suddenly, everything had become very quiet.

Will expected more people to be dispersed throughout the room. Not that he minded the empty seats or quiet atmosphere that greeted him. But it was just so different from the rest of the boat—a stark contrast to the buzzing of feet and loud conversations on the other side of the wall. It was almost like he was somewhere else entirely.

There was only one other passenger in the entire building, and it was a middle aged man wearing a clean, white shirt tucked into a pair of white pants. He was writing in what appeared to be a journal and paid no mind to Will as he walked by, only stopping his pen to look over what was already written or scratch out mistakes. His blond hair curled neatly over his forehead, but stayed perfectly still even when he moved. Picture perfect.

Will took another deep breath before finding a spot beside the wall. It was next to a large window that had a good view of the river and was perfect if he needed to look out for the knights. The thought of getting left behind, though improbable, sat on the forefront of his mind.

He was about to take a seat when the man in white shifted, his piercing blue eyes glaring into his own though his expression remained neutral. It somehow froze Will in place. “I wouldn’t sit there.” the man warned. “The only empty seat is beside that elderly woman.”

Will gawked at the blond man longer than he should’ve before realizing that he was pointing to a seat across from his own. All the seats were empty, so either the man was blind, or he was actually crazy. Either way, something told Will he should just go along with it, because he didn’t want the man to get upset. The idea alone terrified him.

Shaking off his unease, he walked over to the seat and sat down.

The man in white smiled as he did, finally closing the journal and setting it on his lap. “I’ve been waiting so very long to talk to you, but I’ve found it quite hard. You’ve made the mistake of running away.”

“Who are you?” Will asked, a chill running down his spine. There was no way the stranger knew him or where he came from. “Have we met before?”

The man only tilted his head as if analyzing his every movement. “You may call me Vecna, though I’d prefer it if you don’t speak at all. I’ve only come to warn you that your plan won’t work. You were never meant to leave, William Byers.”

At the mention of his own name, Will jumped up from his seat and backed towards the doorway, not taking his eyes off the man. Luckily, he made no move to follow, but picked his journal back up and wrote something down, carefully spelling out each word before tearing out the page, folding it, and placing it beside his feet.

“We are more alike than you realize, William, but your control is weak. Join me, and your shadows may become your friends, not your enemies.” the man offered, standing so that they were face to face across the deckhouse.

Before Will could find the right words to say or take in what he’d said, the medallion, which he had placed back in his pocket, grew hot in a matter of seconds. 

No, not hot, scalding.  

“Shit!” he cried out, falling back in surprise.

It burned straight through the fabric and onto his leg so fast he was sure it would take off his skin. Smoke trailed up from his clothes, but by the time he was able to grab the metal, it had already cooled off, leaving only the remnants of his pocket and a large burn on the bottom of his thigh. It was still glowing, but dimmed slowly as the last of the smoke rose into the air.

“Are you alright, son?” an old, high-pitched voice asked from behind him.

Will felt every bone in his body freeze as he turned around, feeling his heart beat faster in his chest. Sitting on the chair beside his, as if she had been there the entire time, was an elderly woman dressed in a long gown and a knitted bag. She had an arm out as if to help him off the floor, but the only thing he could do was stare dumbly at her hand.

It was impossible.

The noises of the deckhouse quickly started coming back to him, and he looked up to see the room filled with passengers. They were everywhere—some reading, some talking, some eating, and worst of all, some staring.. at him. Like he was insane.

Had the entire past few minutes been a dream? A hallucination? But that didn’t make any sense, it didn’t feel like a hallucination.

Will grasped the floor as he stood up, ignoring the ache that had started to settle over his leg, and made his way over to the seat where the man in white had been. His heart beat uncontrollably as he picked up a small, torn piece of paper from where the man had placed it only seconds prior. A clock chimed faintly in the background.

Deep breath in.. then out.. in..

“Will? I’ve been looking everywhere for you! Why’d you leave?” a voice called from behind him, and he immediately recognized it as Mike. He still felt frozen, cold, but quickly shoved the paper and medallion into his undamaged pocket, not wanting Mike to think he was crazy, too. Not when he had already broken the promise of together. 

“I just, I needed some space.” he answered as honestly as possible, trying to keep his voice level. It didn’t help as much as he wanted it to, though, since the rest of him was already shaking.

“Oh. I thought you’d like it on the deck, but if you’re not feeling well we can..“ the knight trailed off as soon as they locked eyes, his expression flashing from confusion to shock to worry so fast Will almost didn’t catch it. “What happened?”

“The- the seat must’ve burned me.”

“What do you mean burned you?“ Mike asked before finally seeing his blackened clothes and red skin, eyes growing wide. “Holy shit, Will, who did this to you?”

He could only shake his head. “No one, I promise. It doesn’t even hurt that bad.”

“Bullshit!” the knight protested, his eyes going from his leg, to his face, then back to his leg. “You know you don’t need to lie to me, right? Whoever did this can’t hurt you anymore. I won’t let them.”

“I know, but it’s not what you think.” Will tried to explain, falling short of the words.

When he didn’t continue, Mike spoke up again. “I’m going to get Hopper, okay? Stay here, and if anyone else bothers you, tell them my sword will be the last thing they ever see.”

Mike was gone from view soon after that, and Will reluctantly sat back down next to the old lady, who had fallen asleep at some point. He wasn’t cold anymore, just unnerved. Like someone was watching from a distance. The whole conversation hadn’t made any sense, even in his head, and he played with the crumpled paper for a few minutes before bringing it up to his face. The sunlight illuminated the ink inside.

Honestly, he didn’t want to look at what the man had written, but he knew he needed to. Whatever he was threatening could affect the whole party, so Will inhaled and flipped open the note, fingers brushing across the neat lettering. 

“Your time is almost at an end.”

It was a while before things started to feel real again, but Will knew he had to keep what happened with the man to himself, at least until he knew what it actually meant. 

The deckhouse had only gotten more and more crowded, so when Hopper and some of the party finally made their way in, given the amount of people pushing and shoving against them, the burn truly didn’t hurt anymore. The medallion had left an imprint, sure, but the surrounding skin had mostly returned to its normal color; in fact, the worst of it was his clothes.

He was horrified that he had made such a big scene, with nothing to show for it but lies.

Joyce insisted countless times that she put cold water over his leg, but he practically begged her not to. It took a while, but she finally agreed when she realized he wouldn’t budge, covering the wound tightly with his own hands as if that alone would stop her.

In the end, it was Dustin who made light of the situation. Apparently, a wave had come over the railing and splashed a few passengers directly in the face, drenching a group of ladies and making them all scream. Will couldn’t help but laugh as the other boy went on about different people’s reactions, and soon enough, everyone else had joined in as they recalled their own stories. Well, everyone except Mike, whose face grew redder the longer they sat still. 

Will really hoped the knight wasn’t mad at him. He hated lying, especially to his new friends, but there just wasn’t a way around it. Not if he wanted to keep them all safe.

Hopper, too, had tried to get a description out of him, prying about the person that he’d been threatened by, but it didn’t change the fact that there really wasn’t anyone to tell them about. The man, Vecna, whatever he called himself, just vanished into thin air. If it wasn’t for the paper and the mark etched into his skin, he would’ve written the whole thing off as a hallucination.

Plus, it wasn’t like the man actually laid a finger on him. If anything, he had just been messing with his head in some weird, twisted way.

The medallion glowing meant it was some sort of magic, but Will didn’t think the metal could even get that hot. He was somewhat paranoid of it happening again, touching his pocket every once in a while to feel if it had gotten warmer. Later, when he wasn’t in plain view, he would have to find some sort of fabric to wrap it in, or maybe he would just put it in one of the satchels altogether.

The thought of dropping it into the river crossed his mind, but he knew wouldn’t be able to go through with it.

Will didn’t have the chance to process much of anything before the sky was once again covered in stars, and small candles lit the interior of the deckhouse. The rest of the party had joined them at some point, trying to lay down across the small, wooden chairs lined against the wall. Lots of the other passengers had disembarked, so the amount of room wasn’t a problem anymore, much to their relief.

He had almost fallen asleep himself when a weight fell onto his side, and he blinked his eyes against the dim lights to see Mike sleeping on his shoulder. Maybe, if he wasn’t so out of it and the others hadn’t been doing the same, he would’ve felt more self-conscious about how close they were, but looking at the knight’s soft expression and the way his eyelashes cast small shadows over the rest of his face, he could only lean into the touch.

He would deal with his feelings later.

It was the least he could do after what had happened, and it gave him something to focus on besides the dark windows that were hiding the river outside. 

It was strange, in a way, that he had gotten so far on the quest without messing up. Looking back, he had always been sort of expecting to expose himself during the first few days as a stable boy. Accidentally, of course, but if he dug deep, like, really deep, maybe he had wanted it to happen all along. It would’ve given him an excuse to let go of all the half-truths and deceptions he was constantly hiding behind. Even if it ended up killing him.

But at that moment, things felt different. He didn’t know what he wanted anymore. All he knew was that he couldn’t risk hurting the people he loved, because, yes, after having to constantly push it away, he knew he loved them. All of them, as his heart ached for what had been missing most of his life.

Before he knew it, he had gently leaned his own head against Mike’s, drifting in and out of consciousness until the boat had once again come to a stop.

He had almost forgotten that it was stopped for them until the captain came in, calling for those leaving to the city. Hopper had once again taken it upon himself to get everyone up and moving, and Will frowned slightly as Mike reluctantly left his seat. 

“Sorry.” Mike grumbled as he rubbed his eyes. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep like that.”

Will looked at the other as he stood up. “I don’t mind.” he reassured, giving Mike a smile to hopefully show him he was okay. That he didn’t need to worry anymore. Mike smiled back but quickly looked away, gesturing for Will to go through the door first.

The order followed Hopper out onto the gangway, where several ferrymen greeted them with their supply bags and horses. They had already been prepped for travel, and many of their manes were delicately brushed and braided. Will looked through the crowded platform to find Chester tied up to a post, wagging his tail and sniffing the knights’ feet as they walked by. He wasted no time as he ran over to the dog, untying the rope so he could move freely.

“Hey, buddy.” he whispered as Chester jumped onto his legs, barking wildly before running off to see everyone else.

A weight had lifted from his shoulders knowing that the dog was okay. They had been together since the beginning, or the beginning of what was his new life, and he didn’t want that to change. Especially because, if the knights ended up going back to the kingdom without him, he wouldn’t be entirely on his own. They had each other.

Joyce waited until everyone, including Chester, had made it off the gangway before telling them what was happening. “We’ll be setting up camp here, and head to the city of Mirkwood tomorrow.” she explained as they started moving down a wooded pathway. “It’s not far, so we don’t need to get an early start unless we want to.”

“How long are we staying?” Robin asked from where she stood beside Steve, who looked only half awake and was trying to carry both their satchels.

“A few days at most.” Joyce answered easily. “If we don’t find what we’re looking for, we’ll start moving towards Lenora.”

Max looked slightly annoyed as she listened. “What if we don’t find it there either? I came on this quest thinking we were doing something, I don’t know, useful, but all we’ve been doing is running away from the war.”

Joyce gave her a sympathetic expression. “We are doing the most important part of ending the war.” she answered in a soft voice. “Once we find what the king needs us to, because we will, you’ll understand. I promise.”

“Do you not trust us to know now? Since when did listening to the king come before us?” Max argued. Will knew deep down that she wasn’t trying to lash out, but she had obviously been on the quest for a long time before he had joined. It made home wonder how important the quest was, and if it really did have that much power. It scared him a little bit.

“I understand why you’re upset. I promise I do. But telling you now, before we have it under our protection, would put you kids in unnecessary danger. And that is not a risk I’m willing to take.” Joyce reasoned, putting an end to the conversation altogether. Max still looked like she had more things to say, but nodded her head regardless.

Will pushed away his own questions, like he had been doing the entire trip. It wasn’t his place to ask, so he wouldn’t expect the answers, especially since they had already taken him from the streets. He trusted them, and that was good enough.

It took a while for Hopper to find a clearing fit for their horses, but they eventually found one without too many rocks, and the order began setting up camp once again. Will did his best to take off the saddles and grab whatever he could to help out, trying to prove that he was worthy of the job he was given.

He laid out Mike’s sleeping bag next to his, like he always did, but was half expecting the knight to move away out of spite. Or, at the very least, get someone else to stay with them so they wouldn’t be alone.

To his surprise, however, Mike easily walked over and disappeared into his blankets, sleeping almost as soon as his head touched the ground. Will still felt like he had broken the other boy’s trust from the way his shoulders slumped over and his brows furrowed, but it was a start, at least. He hoped the knight would be fine in the morning, and if worst came to worst, he would find some way to make up for what he had done

Checking to see if Mike’s eyes had stayed closed, Will slipped the medallion into one of their satchels, folding it up before putting it under his pillow. It felt weird not having it in his pocket after it being there for so long, but he knew it was for the best. At least until he figured out how to stop it from burning him again.

It had gotten even darker as the moon hid behind clouds, and it must’ve been way past midnight once they were all settled, but somehow Will didn’t feel tired anymore. There was too much on his mind.

He couldn’t believe he had actually gotten on a boat and was still walking free with the order. Even though he did have some sort of episode, he couldn’t help but feel grateful that things didn’t go worse. All it took was one spill and he would’ve jumped overboard—if he even made it over the edge in time. Instead, he had a perfect view of the river outside without getting wet at all. It was almost too good to be true.

Or, that’s what his father would’ve told him. Lonnie had banned him from the docks a long time ago.

So many things had changed over the course of two weeks that it was getting hard to keep up, and he couldn’t help but think he could’ve done so much more if he didn’t let fear overtake his life back home.

Will tossed and turned in his sleeping bag before finally laying on his back, looking up into the sky. If he listened close enough, he could hear the faint ticking of the grandfather clock he heard on the boat. It sent another shiver down his spine, and he sucked in a breath as something cold trickled onto his lip. A lot of something.

He quickly sat up and wiped what he could, holding his hand close to his face to make out what it was, but all he could see was red.

Blood.

Chapter Text

The blood had dried by the time Will tore his gaze from his hands. He hadn’t been able to wash it away, especially with Mike as close as he was, and it looked like black scales dotting the inside of his palm. The irony caught him off guard and he almost laughed, hysteria bubbling up. 

What was happening to him? It didn’t make any sense. None of it was normal. 

He definitely wouldn’t be able to sleep anytime soon. And he didn’t know when it had even started, but there was a faint ringing in his head and a pressure starting between his eyes.

The clock had eventually faded away, but the noises that replaced it almost felt worse. His heart was racing so fast he pulled at his shirt with one hand and grabbed at the grass with another, and when the panic eventually passed, there was a large patch of dirt that definitely wasn’t there before. He was more than grateful his sleeping bag would cover it and quickly moved the whole thing over. 

He looked to see the outline of Mike’s face illuminated by the moon, bright and dazzling, and watched his blanket slowly rise and fall as the knight breathed peacefully in his sleep.

It was stupid, really, the way jealousy once again flourished deep within his chest. But it had never really left in the first place. It felt like a different type of fire, burning his lungs and spreading out until it took over every fiber of his being. Will wasn’t usually one to succumb to his emotions, and it scared him how easily he had been lately. Something was changing. Something was corrupting his thoughts.

Paranoia. He told himself. That’s all it was.

He liked Mike.. truly. In fact, he had never felt so strongly about anyone in his life. It was like the jealous feelings were coming from somewhere else, someone else, and shadowing the excitement the quest had given him instead. It was wrong. So wrong that he felt like a stranger in his own skin, watching himself from a distance.

Will looked over across the rest of the party and shivered, suddenly feeling very trapped. They weren’t too far from the river, so it wouldn’t hurt if he stepped away for a few minutes, right? He longed for the sensation of water under his skin, and the burn on his leg seemed to ache in earnest. Maybe it would even help him feel normal again. Like his old self wasn’t really that far away.

Like he wasn’t too far gone.

‘Snails, he really was going crazy, wasn’t he?

Risking another look around camp, Will pushed himself up onto his feet and walked carefully toward the trees, stopping only once when a stick crackled beneath him. No one made a sound except to turn mindlessly, so he took that as a sign to keep going. He didn’t have to worry, he told himself, because he would be back before the sun had even touched the horizon. A few minutes is all he needed, or all he would give himself, and they wouldn’t even know he was gone.

Come morning, he could act like nothing had happened. And forget about.. well, everything. “Ça va aller.” his mother would’ve said. It will be okay.

The trees looked bigger in the dark as their shadows elongated across the ground, and he felt uneasy walking past them. Like those cold, blue eyes would pop out at any second. It was weird how he’d only seen them a few hours ago but already memorized every detail. Every color. They were almost a visual representation of the ocean before a storm—harsh and unforgiving. There was no bias, no sympathy.

He pulled out the note from his pocket and stared at it. He hated every word on the page.

“Your time is almost at an end.”

..an end.

What was that supposed to mean? Were those tax collectors coming back for him? There was no doubt in his mind that they were holding some sort of personal grudge—he had escaped through violence after all—but he didn’t think he was that important, and he definitely wasn’t the only one who fought back against the soldiers. He would be safe as long as he didn’t go to Hawkins Cove. Right? 

Right.

If it was something, it had to be something else. Something bigger. Magic had been involved, and that meant more people knew about his secret. How? He wasn’t sure, but he hoped there weren't a lot of them. If worse came to worst he would fight back, because running away wasn’t an option anymore. Not if he truly wanted to be free.

Will crumpled up the page with a tight fist, knuckles turning white with the pressure. He wouldn’t let those mouth breathers, as Mike would say, win.

But.. as selfish as it sounded, he wished he didn’t have to deal with it all on his own. He wanted someone to tell him that it was going to be okay. No, he needed someone to tell him that, just so he knew it wasn’t pointless. Opening up his hand to reveal the disheveled paper, the wind picked it up as he walked and sent it to the ground. He couldn’t look at it anymore.

He just needed to get to the water. Something he never would’ve let himself do back home.

He pushed his way past branches and vines, not caring how loud he was as he could no longer see the camp. It was nice to have some semblance of control. Away from everyone else, he could do anything, be anything, and no one would stop him.

After a few minutes, a large clearing came into view along with a still body of water. It must’ve only been partially connected to the river, because there was a slight current but nothing more. Perfect for washing away the blood and dirt that masked his hands and face. He didn’t bother taking off his clothes, since they would disappear anyway, and quickly waded in. It felt calm. The first breath of air he’d gotten all day.

Almost instantly, a light shielded his body before revealing a long, golden tail. His scales shined as the water hit them. 

The river was dark enough that they could be hidden a few inches underneath the surface, but he used his tail to propel himself onto his back instead. The moon looked down on him, and he gazed at the stars he saw every night, taking comfort in their familiarity. He saw them at home, too. Just thought about them differently, because back then, he had wanted them to change. Practically begged for it. 

Will closed his eyes and started to hum an old folk song from Hawkins. He didn’t remember the lyrics very well, but practically remembered every note. Some of his employers or fellow workmen would sing it as they finished their tasks, since it helped the day go by faster. He was always too shy to join in himself, but he would secretly hum along from time to time.

Once he finished, he swam upright and dragged his hands along the water’s surface. They were mostly clean, and he used them to scrub under his nose and mouth to get off the remaining blood.

As the red washed away, the eyes of the man faded away too.

He was safe there, in the water.

A sense of peace washed over him until, suddenly, the brush near the shore moved. Will felt every bone in his body freeze as if stunned, and his eyes grew wide. It was likely only an animal, but just in case, he quickly pulled his hair in front of his ears and dragged his tail closer to the bottom, thanking the gods it was so well hidden.

Just in time too.

A head full of black, wavy hair popped into view around one of the larger trees. And the person—Mike—looked around frantically before his eyes landed on Will.

“Thank gods!” Mike sighed. “I heard you leaving and I thought that maybe.. nevermind. Are you okay?”

Will nodded and kept his hands under the water as they started to shake. “Couldn’t sleep.”

There was an awkward silence before Mike spoke up again.

“I thought you hated the water.”

Will’s tongue felt heavy in his mouth as he tried to come up with an answer. “Blood.” he finally blurted out, aware of every movement his tail was making along with the current. 

Mike shifted on his feet and his face twisted up with mild confusion. “What?”

“I just needed to.. to get the blood off my leg. You know, from the burn.” He lied through his teeth, gently kicking his tail under the dark waves to put more distance between them. “I wanted to be alone in case I made a fool of myself.”

“Oh. Could I.. could I join you?” Mike asked hesitantly.

The air seemed to drop in temperature as Will stared at the knight before him. He didn’t want to hurt him by saying no. He couldn’t, not without a good reason. What if he was found out? What if Mike saw passed his stupid lies? The thought of hatred on the knight’s face didn’t sit right, at all. He was stuck. But maybe, if he kept his distance, he would be okay.

“Sure. Just don’t go around telling everyone about this, okay?”

“Why not?” the knight asked before smiling. “You’re not some secret crazed murderer, are you?”

Will huffed out a laugh. “No.”

“Didn’t think so. It’s okay to be scared, Will. The fact that you’re doing this right now is actually pretty cool. And now, with me here, nothing can happen.”

Will found himself smiling back. “You’re so full of yourself.”

“Of course I am.”

Mike walked towards the water's edge and took off his undershirt, revealing pale skin and freckles that contrasted the dark. He shivered from the cold, and Will realized he probably should’ve given Mike a warning. Not that he could really feel the cold. The water was always the perfect temperature, and he hadn’t realized that wasn’t the case for everyone else until a few years ago.

“Shit. How is the whole river not frozen?” Mike once the water had gone past his knees. “You would think it would be warm this time of year.”

“It’s part of a spring.” Will answered before he could stop himself. Because for some reason, he just knew. “It’s cold year-round.”

“For a stable-boy who’s scared of the water, you sure know a lot about it, Will the Wise.”

Will smirked. “My father’s a fisherman.”

“You lived by the ocean?” Mike asked, the water now up to his ribs. “As a kid, I used to dream of having a house on the beach. Now I just see it in passing. Did you ever catch fish with your dad?”

The smirk quickly faded away as Will thought into his childhood. When he was young, a toddler really, Lonnie would pick him up and place him on his shoulders, carrying him giggling and laughing to the docks. They used to have special trips together with his mom, catching fish and tossing back the ones they didn’t need. That was a long time ago, though. The trust was gone.

His father might not care that he left. Might not have even noticed.

“A few.” he admitted. “But I don’t like boats anymore.”

They met eyes and worry flickered across Mike’s face. He looked like he was contemplating bringing something up, and Will had to quickly look away before it became too much. He felt exposed—open. He had known from the start to keep his past to himself. Some of it was just too painful to relive. Not because it was bad, but because it was good. Too good to be true.

Mike drew closer as he was now chest deep. “Can I ask you something?”

“Aye, I guess.”

“Did someone, I don’t know, teach you to be scared of the water? Is that why you’re afraid?” 

Oh. Gods, he was so stupid. Of course the knight would think that. Will looked past him to see the shore had gotten several more feet away without him noticing. Mike probably thought he had drowned or something.

“No no. I’m sorry.” Will rambled and forced himself to stay where he was. “It’s not anything like that. It’s just.. hard to explain.”

But Mike’s expression only remained curious, soft. He looked over the stable boy’s face with a certain understanding. “You don’t have to tell me. I should be the one who’s sorry, you know, for pressuring you to answer.”

There was a beat of silence before the knight spoke up again. “Do you trust me?”

Did he trust him? Aye. Of course. But.. could Mike? He didn’t know anything about Will. Not the way he was hiding himself in plain sight, not the way he had feelings for the other boy, and not even the way he was probably being hunted across the entire country. It was almost hypocritical.

He would always trust Mike, though.

“Aye.”

Mike let out a breath that he’d been holding and started drifting closer. Will knew he should be worried for his secret, that he should say something, but watched the scene unfold instead. He was okay. He was still hidden. Just, closer to being exposed was all. Mike walked over slowly through the current until he was within arms length. And Will never wanted to look away.

At some point, fireflies had scattered across the spring’s surface, dimly lighting up each of their faces. If he thought there were a lot before, there were a million right then, each one flickering as they danced. He could see small, faint freckles splattered across Mike’s nose, and his eyes were a deep, almost enchanting charcoal. His hair somehow looked curlier, too.

Mike brushed Will’s bangs behind one of his ears, looking at it intently before meeting his eyes.

“You’re beautiful.” Mike whispered, almost to himself.

Will drew in a breath.

As if possessed by someone much more confident, he found himself leaning forwards, memorizing the pink of the knight’s lips and blush on his cheeks. He wanted to commit everything to memory. Mike did the same, easily matching their heights in the water, and as if asking a silent question, he placed a hand on the side of his jaw, getting closer closer—

“Mike?! What the hell are you doing?” a voice called from the shoreline.

“Shit!” the knight yelled, jumping almost comically. 

Max stared back at them, somehow looking both mad and smug at the same time. “I was looking everywhere for you, dumbass! You can’t just kidnap the stable boy whenever you want. The sun’ll be up soon.”

“I- I wasn’t kidnapping him!” Mike protested. “We just.. couldn’t sleep.”

“Sureee.” a deeper voice sounded from another part of the brush. They all jumped at that, whipping their heads to see Lucas step out of the shadows.

Mike placed a hand over his heart. “Would you all stop doing that!”

Lucas laughed from where he stood beside an exasperated Max. “That was so worth it.” he managed to say between breaths. “The look on your faces.”

“Ha ha. Real funny.” she deadpanned, hitting Lucas on the shoulder. “But seriously, what are you guys doing out here? I woke up to Mike tripping over my pillow, because believe it or not, I am not that heavy of a sleeper.”

Mike rubbed the back of his neck. “Uh, sorry?” he replied, sounding not at all sorry. “But I don’t have to explain myself to you. Or anyone but Hopper for that matter.”

“Mike just wanted to know what I was doing. I was the one who couldn’t sleep.” Will offered to ease the tension. His hands started to shake again from how bad the situation had gotten in such a short time. One wrong move and it was over.

Max opened her mouth before the branches rustled next to Lucas, who screamed so high-pitched they had to cover their ears. “You sound like a little girl.” Dustin grinned from where he had appeared, sobering up when he took in the scene before him. “But what the hell is going on?”

“Did not.” Lucas grumbled.

“You did, and I’m never letting you live it down. Don’t dish it out if you can’t even eat it dumbass.” Max ridiculed before turning to Dustin. “I came to see what these two idiots were doing in the middle of the night. But I guess it’s morning now.”

Dustin frowned. “Okay? Just be fast with whatever this is. Hopper will ground all of us if he wakes up and we’re not there.”

‘Snails, Will wasn’t going to get out of this easily, was he? 

While Mike was turned around, he kicked farther back into the water, trying to gain some sort of control over the situation. He was stupid for thinking he could sneak away like he had. He was in a party now, and parties stuck together—always, apparently. One mistake and he was fucking screwed. The only thing he could do was stay calm and find a way out of this like he had a thousand times before. 

Granted, this was definitely worse than being stuck in a broom closet.

No one took notice of him until Mike was half out of the spring, throwing on his dry shirt. Dustin had already left and Lucas and Max were still talking about something. Or maybe they were arguing, he didn’t know, but he was glad the conversation wasn’t directed at him.

Mike spoke up carefully, a knowing look in his eyes. “You coming?”

“In a minute.” Will answered, and it took an embarrassing amount of effort to keep his voice steady. “I’ll be right behind you.”

“No worries.” Max said quickly, one hand over Lucas’s mouth. It seemed to be her way of winning an argument. “Hopper usually wakes up a few minutes past sunrise. Make it back by then and you're good.” 

Will breathed a sigh of relief. “Merci.”

“But I can—“ Mike started before Max cut him off, pulling him away and grumbling under her breath. “Let him have some time alone, damn it.”

Their figures disappeared, and Will shook his head, trying to clear it. That was way too close.

He let out a small laugh at how fast things had unraveled. All of that for two seconds of peace. He would never, ever sneak out again because holy shit. They had seen him with his tail and they hadn’t even noticed. He was torn between feeling extremely lucky or terrified that his secret had been so close to falling apart.

He used his tail to drift towards the shoreline, falling onto his back once again. The moon was now behind large clouds and some of the stars were starting to disappear. He really should hurry if he didn’t want to get in trouble. Again.

So much for proving his worth.

Once his tail scraped the bottom of the spring, he used his hands to crawl onto the sand until the ground was completely dry underneath him. Without the sun, he knew it would take forever to dry himself entirely, and he sighed in frustration. If only he could just magically dry off.

But wait. Couldn’t he? He had controlled water before, so why would this be any different?

He closed his eyes tight and tried to focus on the connection that was always there, pulling at the feeling as strong as he could manage. It was a little tiring, but after a few seconds he felt the water pull back as if waiting for instruction. Lifting a hand above his tail, he called the water away from it, feeling each droplet lift off the scales and onto his fingers. 

By the time he opened his eyes, all of it was bubbled around his hand, and he guided it back to the river with one swift gesture. The light came rushing back as soon as it left his fingertips, and his clothes and legs reappeared. Somehow, his burn was smaller than it used to be.

Gods, he had done it! He was almost mad that it had been so easy all along. It would have helped him a lot as a young kid, but looking back, he had been blocking that connection. On purpose. The opportunity could’ve been shoved in his face and he wouldn’t have taken it. To him, water was the one thing that seemed to control his life from the beginning. It killed his birth mother and wrecked his relationship with his father, and it made him worth more dead than alive.

He stood up on his legs and brushed the sand off his pants, reaching for his hair only to find it behind his ear, tucked back from when Mike had brushed it there. 

Holy shit. 

How had he not realized?

The knight had seen his ear. He had seen it and still called him beautiful. He hadn’t even asked about them and.. ‘Snails, what was he doing? This was exactly what he was running away from. He couldn’t go back to the order, could he? What would he say? What would Mike say?

He just wanted to sit and contemplate what this meant for his future.

Will couldn’t believe he still had one, honestly.

But, maybe Mike hadn’t really seen it. Maybe it was too dark for him to see the way his ears were just a little off, just different enough to not be human. Or what if he hadn’t even looked at them, just the hair he was touching. Plus, it wasn’t like Mike had run away. It felt like, for a moment, Mike really did find him pretty.

He just had to play it off. Or, well, he would if someone brought it up first.

Will fixed his hair as best he could, and after taking a few deep breaths, he started his walk through the woods. He stopped only once to look for the note he had left behind in the dirt, but it was clear he wouldn’t be able to find it after a few minutes of searching. Probably for the best. There wasn’t much he could do about it anymore anyway—besides wait. Wait and see if the blue eyed man was telling the truth.

It didn’t take very long before he heard the sound of heavy boots walking around in the dirt, like their owners were packing up, and he felt a wave of relief as they came into view. The only ones awake were also at the spring, which meant he hadn’t been too late.

“Just in time!” Mike called over from where he was disassembling his sleeping bag. Will offered a smile.

Okay, cool. No one seemed to act differently. Or maybe Mike was just waiting for the right time to say something. Either way, he wasn’t going to try and find out.

He made his way over and pulled up his own sheets, careful to keep the medallion in the blanket before shoving it into a satchel. Out of sight, out of mind. And once most of them were done cleaning their own stuff, Hopper woke up along with Joyce. They seemed vaguely surprised that everyone else was already up, but didn’t say much about it.

Good, because Will felt near collapsing. The sun being out somehow made him feel more tired than before, and he hoped he would be able to sleep soon, because he’d never really stayed up so long. Didn’t ever have the chance. It felt like he was running on pure muscle memory by the time they were supposed to start the day.

Chester seemed to have enough energy for the both of them, running around to burn off the energy from the boat. He couldn’t help but laugh under his breath as he watched the dog zip by, turning in circles and jumping around like a maniac.

Working as fast as he could to get it over with, the horses were ready in no time. And some of the party had even helped out, full of adrenaline from sneaking around. He could tell they would crash eventually, though. There was only so much a person could do on a few hours of sleep. Especially them.

The order mounted their horses and listened to directions absentmindedly, and Will guided his horse towards the Mike and Lucas as they moved, having no trouble with the reins. At this point, he liked to think he had gotten pretty good at horse riding—for a beginner, of course. But maybe he could rest his eyes for a while without falling off. It would be fine, or that’s what he told himself as they grew too heavy to keep open. He would wake up if something happened.

He just needed a few minutes. A nice, melodic ticking sound even helped lull him to sleep. That is, until a sudden awareness crashed into him all at once.

The clock was back.

Chapter Text

Tick.. tick.. tick..

Will rubbed the side of his head with his hands. The sound was relentless. And no one else could hear it, because if they had, it would’ve been brought up a long time ago. 

The day was harsh and bright. The sun rarely hid behind clouds, and half the party had taken to falling asleep with capes draped over their faces. But the others, like Will, couldn’t close their eyes for more than a few seconds before the heat made it unbearable. And the clock. ‘Snails, it was taunting him. 

It was similar to metal scratching the edge of a sword. Or utensils scraped against an empty plate.

His shoulders felt heavy, and even Hopper seemed more worn out than usual, if the bags under his eyes were anything to go by. There was a certain heaviness surrounding the knights the longer they traveled, and it was affecting all of them.

It was probably selfish to be happy about that, but Will was. Gods he was, because something wasn’t right, and he needed the order to understand that without ruining everything. The past few days meant his shadows had finally caught up to him. And if the note, the vision, and the clock were anything to go by, he was sure they didn’t have much time before it dragged them all down.

Will hated bringing his friends into this, but he didn’t know what else he could do. The only other option would be leaving them behind, and he would rather turn himself in than ever do that again.

As long as he was willing to let himself go, no one would get hurt. As long as he was okay with it, there wasn’t even a problem. There couldn’t be.

He used a hand to block the sun from his eyes as the horses halted one after the other, following Hopper’s command. Will almost expected more bandits until he realized he was looking at something in the distance—a small, narrow town. The houses were so close together it was hard to see where they ended or started, and the roofs made it dark enough that it blended into the trees.

It looked like a place built to withstand severe heat or bad weather, and he really hoped it was the city of Mirkwood they would be staying at.

He was desperate for rest, because maybe the growing headache was from staying up for so long and not any kind of magic. He was probably overthinking the whole thing. Hopper looked back at the party and gave a short nod, leading his horse forward again as relief washed over the order. They immediately followed.

“Shit.” Dustin muttered under his breath as his horse staggered, cape falling from his head. “My horse needs a break.”

“Mine too.” El said, adjusting her position so she wouldn’t slide off.

Joyce looked over and gave them a smile. “We’re stopping as soon as we get there. Do you have the coin Jonathan?”

Her son pulled out a few bags from his satchel. “Aye. This is all that’s left, though.”

“It should be enough.”

Jonathan nodded and poured a few gold pieces onto his hand, sifting through and sliding some into his pocket, handing the rest to Joyce. She in turn gave a few to each of them for the local market. Will couldn’t help but feel surprised as even he got some to spend. He hoped Mike would help him find something worth what he was given, because he didn’t want to waste it.

The sound of clinking metal could be heard as Jonathan put away what remained of the bags.

Will wondered, briefly, how often Jonathan was the one to worry about this sort of stuff. To take the initiative to make sure they had everything they needed. Will may not have been with them for long, but he looked up to the knight.

Something dormant inside him longed for the steady, calm presence that Jonathan had whenever they talked. Sure, they didn’t talk a whole lot with both of them being quiet, but whenever they did, it felt genuine. Like, sometimes, the knight gave him a look as if he was seeing right through him, but let him keep his secrets anyway. And, for some reason unknown to even Will himself, he wasn’t scared.

Chester barking at a man had them stopping once again. He was wearing a colorful looking robe and a hat with beaded patterns along the crown, standing outside a watchtower.

A guard of some sort, Will guessed.

Hopper quickly gestured for Robin to dismount, and the two of them walked up to the man, bowing to show respect.

“Какое тебе здесь дело?” the man asked from the way his tone lifted at the end. The language was more familiar than the last town, and Will remembered a Russian family he worked for a few summers back.

“He asked what our business is here.” Robin translated, waiting for Hopper’s response.

“We’re here by way of the king.” Hopper explained, pausing to let Robin repeat it. He brought out a gold sheet of paper, the letter of recognition. “We just need a place to stay for the night and a stable.”

The man nodded and gave a bow of his own. “Следуйте за мной, и я прикажу своим людям забрать лошадей.”

“He’s saying to follow him, and that his men will take care of the horses.” Robin said, smiling at the man and saying what sounded like a form of appreciation, her words light and friendly.

“Let’s head out.” Hopper agreed.

And with the end in sight, they followed with more enthusiasm. Dustin’s horse seemed to be having the most trouble, as it was the oldest and smallest, but they soon got off and used their leads. New men, with the same hats and patterns, took their things by the time they had actually arrived. It was a beautiful area with flowers lining the windows and cats laying beneath the shade. 

A few years ago, Will had been scared of cats. Sometimes they would raid his dad’s boat after a long day of fishing and leave only bones behind. He didn’t like seeing the fish so brutally murdered after hunting for shells and drawing characters in the sand, lost to his own imagination. It brought him back to reality.

He wasn’t a little kid anymore, though.

“Aww," El exclaimed as they passed a litter of kittens. They were scrawling over one another as they fought for their mother’s attention. “They’re so cute!”

It was stupid . How could Will have ever been scared of something so small?

Chester barked but knew to stay with a gentle tug on his rope after passing them. Dustin ended up holding the leash when he barked again, because yes, the dog had favorites apparently, and Robin led them to the building where they would be staying. The names were all written in symbols he couldn’t read, but he still tried to find some sort of resemblance to his own language. It was kind of fun in a way, even if it proved useless.

The final building was beautifully carved in wood. But luckily, nobody seemed to mind when Chester walked in with them. The inside was cast in a deep orange light that wasn’t much good for seeing, but a perfect distraction from the brightness outside, and Will found himself walking towards a worn, wooden bench near the doorway. 

Tick.. tick.. tick..

Gods, maybe he just needed it to be quiet. Maybe then he wouldn’t feel so paranoid. 

But, really, what was he supposed to think? Was the clock embedded into his brain? Counting down the seconds until his impending doom? He huffed out a laugh at how much he wouldn’t be surprised. Maybe the clock was fitting after all.

“Hey.” a voice called out, and Will looked up just in time to see Mike fall onto the bench beside him, his stomach doing a weird sort of flip.

“Hey.”

Mike rubbed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall. “I’m starting to regret waking up early. I can’t believe we even got away with it.”

“Me too.” Will replied honestly. “Especially with how bad of a liar you are.”

Mike turned to face him, confused. “What makes you say that?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the time you immediately told Hopper we left Jonathan, on purpose, so we could dance with those townspeople after he threatened to double your chores. Or when Lucas found out it was you who put a scratch on his sword, because you were, quote on quote, ‘trying to kill a spider that was near your sleeping bag’. Or when—“

“Okay okay, fine.” the knight agreed, hands up in mock surrender. “I’m a horrible liar. But, in my defense, the chores Hopper comes up with are a fate worse than death.”

“Worse than death?” Will asked in a deadpan voice, fighting a smile that tugged at the edges of his mouth. Leave it to Mike to make the simplest things the most dramatic.

“Aye. If you ever want to know what hell is like, try washing Sir Hopper’s three week old socks.”

Will laughed under his breath, Mike holding the chief’s socks and trying not to drop them flashing through his mind. “Let’s hope he doesn’t catch on, then. I’m sure he thinks we’re just tired from travel.”

“You’d be surprised how smart he can be when it comes to getting me in trouble.” Mike said, serious, then shaking his head in amusement. “It’s his idea of fun.”

“Hm, I don’t know why it would be.”

“That’s because you don’t like confrontation. You’re too nice.”

Will couldn’t help but pull a face. “I’m not a nice person, Mike.”

Mike looked at him, searching his face as if he had just said the sun exploded and Will stared, hard, at their shoes under the bench. He really hadn’t meant to say that out loud. “Sorry, I—”

“No! Don’t apologize.” Mike interrupted, a little too loud, too eager. He seemed to realize as much a minute later and took a deep breath before continuing. “Even if you don’t believe me, you’re the nicest one here, Will. You’re.. you’re too good for us honestly. I could list a million good qualities about you. The way you do extra chores without being told, just because it might help someone else, or-or the way you listen to my stupid rants even when they’re, well, stupid. Hell, if anyone deserves the world, it’s you.”

Will fell speechless at the words.

Mike’s eyes widened slightly. “I-I mean, it’s a lot but.. It’s true. Only you could join the order and have everyone fall in love with you so fast. Max won’t shut up about the stuff I could learn from you, and Lucas and Dustin never want to do anything anymore unless you’re there. Which is fine, because I don’t want to do anything unless you’re there either.”

Only you could join the order and have everyone fall in love with you so fast.

He studied his shoes, the silence drawn-out.

“Will?”

Will looked up as he was pulled out of his thoughts. He struggled to find the perfect response and gave up when there wasn’t any. “Thanks, Mike. Really. You say I’m too good for the order, but.. I think you guys are what made me want to be better. I fell in love too.”

I fell in love with you too.

Will startled, a loud knock hitting the door of the room he would be sharing with the party that night. It would be a while until then, but he sat alone on his sheets anyway, trying to get the noises out of his head. He didn’t know how long he had been staring at the same spot.

“Will? Are you in there?”

His brain felt like it was melting. All thoughts muddled together and turned unrecognizable. Nothing had gotten better even hours later. Why was it so hard to free himself of his own mind? Will turned to look at the silver doorknob, which twisted slowly before creaking open. Mike stepped inside and shut it again.

“Hey, is everything alright? You haven't been out in a while.” he asked warily.

Will stared for longer than he should’ve, realizing his mistake when Mike shifted uncomfortably on his feet. “I’m fine, sorry. Just tired.”

“Are you sure? I can get you something to eat or water if you..” Mike’s voice faded for a second, picking up in alarm. “Is that blood? Are you feeling okay?”

At the mention of blood, Will’s heart dropped and he quickly reached up to feel under his nose. Not to his surprise, his entire upper lip was covered in a deep red. How had he not noticed it? Humiliated, he wiped as much as he could off with the inside of his shirt, not caring about the stains it would undoubtedly leave behind.

“No. It’s fine.” he whispered. “I’m okay, it’s probably just the air.”

Mike rolled his eyes. “Just, if you feel sick or, I don’t know, faint, tell me. Tell me. I’m worried about you, you know. You should be able to trust me with problems when I’m always dumping mine on you. Like, whoever burned you back on the boat. If you ever want to talk about it, I’m here.”

Oh. He had hoped Mike had forgotten.

“It’s nothing, seriously. I’m more worried about bothering you with all this stupid shit all the time. And- and besides, I didn’t even know the person on the boat.”

“Ha! I knew it was someone. You shouldn’t be trying to protect them when they hurt you like that, Will.” Mike insisted. He sat down on the bed and covered one of Will’s shaky hands with his own. “You could never bother me. Seriously! Max has been teasing me about it since you got here.”

Will nodded as he watched their hands intertwine, his stomach buzzing with nerves. Mike was too good for him. He didn’t deserve to hear this when it was about to fall apart.

“Mhm.” he hummed sarcastically.

Mike wasn’t convinced and pulled him along, walking towards the end of the room. “Let’s go shopping so you don’t have to stare at the hole in your clothes anymore. I found some I think you’ll like.”

Will could barely manage an “okay” before they were out of the building entirely, waving a quick goodbye to Hopper at the front. The town was busier the farther they walked, and he couldn’t help but tighten his grip on Mike’s hand.

Mike led him through several stands, stopping at one with a variety of overlays. Thick and thin fabrics laced with simple patterns. They weren’t the most colorful or interesting to look at, but the signs had prices within their budget, so he smiled at his luck. He hadn’t been able to buy new clothes in ages, and even the most worn fabrics on sale were noticeably better than his ripped ones.

While Mike looked through shirts hanging nearby, he grabbed a pair of brown trousers that were only slightly baggier. Excitement welled up inside him as he took in the shape and color.

Will held it close to his chest as he waited for the knight, who had picked up two shirts and was scrutinizing them, one a cornflower blue and the other a pastel yellow. They were pretty, he thought, as he watched the color shift between Mike’s fingers. But that was just the effect he had on things. 

Everything looked pretty with Mike.

The shopkeeper, a round, middle aged gentleman whose smile looked almost permanent, greeted them from the front of his stand.

“Do you young gentlemen need help finding anything?” he asked politely, voice low and warm.

“No, merci.” Mike acknowledged. “I think I’ve found everything I need. Are you done, Will?”

“Aye.” he said, holding up the trousers to the man, who grabbed them and inspected the inside. Will then handed over half his coin, pocketing the rest and waiting for Mike to pay. Mike had to spend everything he had, but it seemed worth it. To Will, at least, who admired the contrast of his dark hair and that particular shade of blue.

Once they were done, they headed over to a flower shop to change and sit underneath the shade. Will could feel Mike’s eyes on the side of his head as they cleaned a small patch of concrete to keep their clothes from getting dirty. He wasn’t sure if it was a good thing, but he decided to think of it as if it was.

The sky was growing dark again, and Mike began telling stories of the castle, adding a few dramatics that portrayed himself as the hero. The protagonist in shining armor. Most of it probably wasn’t true, but he hung onto every word with interest, taking everything the other said to heart. Listening to Mike was one of his favorite things to do now that he was used to it. He knew that the other wasn’t trying to be arrogant, he just liked making life seem more exciting. More interesting.

As the lamps were lit and the street cats were nowhere to be found, Mike tossed the yellow shirt onto Will’s lap, having put on the cornflower one.

“I bought it for you.” he admitted, cheeks blushing a faint pink. “I guess I just thought you’d look good in it. Not that you ever look bad, but.. anyway.” he gestured to it with the hand he wasn’t leaning on.

Will didn’t know what to say. The fact Mike had thought of him while buying the shirts, thinking he could even look a bit as good as the knight would’ve, made him forget he should be worrying about anything at all.

“Thanks, Mike.” he spoke softly.

“It’s nothing.” Mike waved off, but a smile grew on his face. “Once we get back to the castle, I can get you as many as you want. There’s a ton I was already planning on giving you.”

“What? You mean I might be able to come back with you guys?”

Mike turned to look fully at Will and grabbed his hand more casually this time. As if it were normal for them now. “Are you kidding? You’d be ripping Joyce’s heart out if you didn’t. Plus, I could always use some help with training. There’s no way I’m going back unless you are too.”

“I mean, It’s your choice.” he added. “But whatever you choose, you’re stuck with me.”

Will met his eyes. “I’d like that. But.. do you think I’d fit in there? Really fit in there?”

“Of course you would. You’d fit in anywhere.”

It was hard to believe Mike. He could only imagine the giant rooms, long halls and endless windows. Lights that filled the meridians where parties, gowns and suits were on full display. But an image slipped in without his permission, one with Mike dressed and asking him to dance, and for a moment, he believed it could be true.

The moon was beginning to be covered by hazy clouds, a breeze blowing Will’s hair out of his ears. He let it stay there, let Mike’s eyes wander to it for a split second, before brushing it back in place. 

“Okay, I’ll—“ a chime broke off Will’s train of thought, and he jumped up to look around. The clock had stopped and left a foreboding silence that sent a shiver down his spine. “Did you hear that?”

Mike's brows furrowed as he stood up. “Hear what? Do we need to get Hopper?”

Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Will turned just in time to see the moon disappear behind thick clouds. His mind felt dazed as it came to a sudden realization. It was going to rain. It was going to rain and he wasn’t close enough to get back to the building they were staying at.

Everything was starting to fall apart.

The townspeople must have come to the same conclusion, because they all went inside. Shops closed and signs were turned.

Without saying a word, Will turned and ran inside the flower shop himself, his heart beating so fast he was sure it would stop altogether. He knew something bad was about to happen.. he just didn’t know what. The walls seemed to move, to breathe , and the air had a weight that wasn’t there before.

Mike was at his side, saying something Will couldn’t decipher when a voice rang from everywhere at once. 

“William Byers. Your time is at an end.”

The voice was both familiar and entirely alien. It was like the person speaking was him. Mike tried to pull Will back as the lights flickered and a hand ripped through the wallpaper. A faceless creature, taller than even Hopper, reached towards them, snagging the cloth on Mike’s left arm.

“Fuck!” Mike cursed as he swung his sword, cutting the creature’s hip. It only flinched. “It’s a demogorgon!”

Will had only heard about them in stories, and they were never good ones. To his horror, he watched as Mike ducked, snagged the creature's leg with the blade, and took off running out the front door. A diversion. Mike was trying to be a diversion. He was going to get himself killed, and it was all Will’s fault.

“Stop!” he yelled, but it was lost to the wind.

The demogorgon rushed to the knight and caught up instantly, being both faster and stronger. Mike’s sword fell to the ground, easily knocked out of his hand, and the large creature shoved him off balance.

Mike, sprawled on the ground, was lifted into the air with two clawed hands. His frame became smaller and smaller as he was taken towards the center of town. Will could vaguely make out a large commotion there, but he was left under the shop’s roof, watching the rain fall inches from his face as he realized the order was already in battle. They were fighting smaller demodogs and men with all sorts of strange looking weapons.

He didn’t understand why. Why he was being targeted.

Until he made eye contact with cold, blue eyes, and suddenly, it all made sense. Too much sense.

Vecna was here.

And Vecna was Henry.

The king that had killed the people he loved. The person who had murdered thousands without a care. The simple, normal man in front of him was somehow that same person, and it almost didn’t seem possible.

As he moved under the shadows, Henry’s eyes weren’t blue anymore. They were a deep gray. A poisonous type of gray that sucked out all of the surrounding color. He was a faded version of the man he had seen on the boat, but not in the sense that he was less. His presence was more. Like he wouldn’t let any emotions or morals stop him from getting what he wanted. What he came for.

And that was Will.

Will broke their eye contact from across the battlefield, instead focusing on the path in front of him. He wasn’t worth anyone else getting hurt, because deep down, he knew people like him weren’t meant to have happy endings. It wasn’t how things worked, not only in myths and legends, but real life too.

He drew in a labored breath and used his hands to push the water away. And then, before he could think too much about it, he ran. Will forced his legs to go faster with each step.

The rain collected and fanned out around his body as if it were a shield. He couldn’t see much through it, but he could see the colors and blurs of motion. Some paused abruptly—caught off guard, but he didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop. Mike needed his help and he wasn’t going to let him down, even if it meant losing his trust. 

It was the ending he deserved. The one they all deserved.

Will ran until he stood in front of Henry and pushed the water farther, surrounding them both. Mike was now trying to get out of Henry’s grasp, and, though Will didn’t want to acknowledge it, he went still in surprise as he watched the rain move on its own.

Henry smiled. “I see you’ve made the right choice.”

Will glared with all the hatred he could muster. “Let him go. ” 

“And why should I? You know nothing of your own power. It’s weak. Pathetic.”

“Leave him alone!” Mike yelled, coming back to himself and kicking in one last desperate attempt to escape. “Let me go and we can fight one on one. You and me. Unless you’re scared, you piece of shi—“

He was cut off with a pained noise as Henry’s nails, long and sharp, dug into his shoulder. 

“You are in no place to bargain.” he snapped, and the rain felt heavier with the silence that followed. “Your friend, here, is the only thing sparing your worthless life.”

Will shook his head in alarm. Watching Mike look so afraid, hopeless, felt like a slap to the face.

“I’ll do anything.” he pleaded, also trying to focus on keeping the water away. “Just, please, let him go.”

Henry’s laugh, deep and heavy, was the only answer he got before Mike was thrown to the ground. It was harsher than it had to be, and Will grimaced as the demogorgon held Mike down with a single, clawed foot. It was meant to be a guard between them, a threat that gave Henry the upper hand.

Will stepped closer and the rain followed. “What do you want from us?”

“You.” the tyrant confessed. And he wasn’t smiling anymore as he pulled out a long, thin dagger, the metal glinting under the streetlights. He slowly twisted it in his hands. “But, really, you’ve been mine all along.”

Will’s blood ran cold.

He watched in slow motion as the dagger was thrown towards him. The world blurred into one.

He was falling before he had even put the pieces together. If he hadn’t seen the dagger, he would’ve thought he had been pulled backwards by something behind him. A puppet on invisible strings. But the numbness didn’t last long. His knees gave out and hit the wet floor, water soaking into his pants. Red, so much red, spiraling out from the hilt in his stomach.

“No!” Mike screamed, his voice breaking. He fought even more frantically against the restraints. “How could you? How could you? Let me go!”

It took a second for Will to register that the shield was gone, but the water hitting his skin brought the light along with it. His secret was thrown out into the open, mocking him with how little it actually took to be seen. But it was hard to care when pain flooded his entire body, black dots clouding his vision the longer he tried to keep his eyes from closing.

He thought he would be more scared. Feel some sort of emotion other than the agony that scorched him. But it just.. hurt too much. Will pried his eyes open and stared, confused, at the sky above. When had he even gotten onto his back?

There were shouts and frantic voices that sounded far away. Like they were coming from a dream.

It didn’t matter.

Even if he wasn’t dying, there was no making it out of this. The storm made sure of that. All he could do was put his hands around the dagger in hopes of slowing the never ending blood, which became increasingly hard as his arms grew heavy, and pray to the gods that the knights could fend for themselves. They were strong, everything he wished he was, so their chances were good. They had to be.

At some point the demogorgon must have let go of Mike, because Nancy had him in a tight grip.

Henry could still turn on them, too.

Will watched distantly as the faceless creature approached him, lifting him into the air as if to put him on display for the others to see. A small scream escaped his throat as his tail was dragged heavily in the mud, and the movement caused his entire vision to whiten out.

Even after it came back, the world continued to spin.

And spin.

A cough ripped through him along with another wave of pain, blood dripping down his chin and mixing with what already covered his body. It was mortifying, definitely really fucking mortifying, but he was grateful that he didn’t have a choice but to stare at the red ground. Anything was better than looking up.

He didn’t want to see the orders' faces when they saw what he had become. Who he had been the whole time.

He had failed them.

“How truly pathetic.” Henry laughed coldly, turning towards what might’ve been Hopper. “Was this what you were looking for? Was this what Brenner believed had the power to defeat me? The blood and scales of a siren are said to grant eternal life, the power of creation, and yet, you travel blindly as one lives amongst you.”

Mike’s voice, higher than he’s ever heard it before, cut through the air before Hopper even had a chance to respond. “Will.. Will, please! You have to fight this! I- I’m going to help you, I promise. Just, please, fight this!”

If Will could’ve responded, he would have told Mike that he wasn’t worth all this trouble. That this was his chance to move on and continue making stories of faraway kingdoms and quests, riding across the country with the freedom to live how he’d always wanted. But he couldn’t. His lungs felt like they were being crushed, too small to be of any real use other than to keep him barely hanging on.

Henry looked over the knights, daring them to follow. “I will spare your lives today. All I ask in return is a message to your precious king.” the tyrant threatened. His voice cut through the air effortlessly with the sheer passion that claimed it. “I now have everything I need to win the war, everything Brenner doesn’t, so surrender the western kingdom or suffer the end of days. The decision is his to make, and I will not wait forever.”

Will was once again moved carelessly over the rough ground, body scraping against mud and rocks. And he was barely able to register a strong pressure on the back of his head before it all went black.

Chapter Text

Will woke up slowly then all at once. He felt the aftermath of a bad dream—throat a little too dry, heart a little too fast—before he was able to crack open his eyes and find an encompassing darkness. It took a while to remember what had happened, but he grabbed weakly at his stomach anyway, a wave of phantom pain washing over it.

It had been so real, but to his confusion, his hand was only met with smooth, clear skin.

He grew nervous, waiting for the first sign of light. But when there was nothing, he moved to feel his surroundings. His hands were loosely chained to the ceiling, having enough room to rest on his lap or uncomfortably on the floor, and he lay in a thin layer of water, keeping him in his siren form. He seemed to be sitting upright in a small tub, and it was constantly being drained and refilled.

He felt exposed, knowing he wouldn’t be able to stop it.

The worst part was that, for once in his life, the water was cold. It reminded him of the cold, blue eyes, and as more and more time passed, his thoughts became creative, becoming the things he despised the most. The things he feared the most. The ghosts of people and words danced in circles around his head. He was his own method of torture until something worse came along, and he was scared.

It was funny, how fast Will could attach himself to something, but gods he missed the order. He missed Mike. He really needed them to be okay, because if any of them had gotten hurt, he would never forgive himself. Whatever he had been expecting, it wasn’t an entire fucking army, after him.

What had Henry said? Something about his blood, or scales, having powers.

Was he what the order was after, too? Would they have captured him the same way Henry did if they had known? Mike had told him to fight, that he would help, but the rest of them had been quiet. 

Quiet enough to be its own kind of answer.

And yet, he was tired of being a secret. He was tired of running, hiding, and pretending to be something he could never even hope to be. It was almost a relief in that way. To know he would never have to pretend again. It was all over. He wondered what his dad would think if he could see him now. If he had known the king himself was after his son. Will hoped Lonnie still thought of him as his son.

He also hoped Chester was alright. The dog had lost enough family as it was. Dustin would’ve made sure he was away from the fighting, and that would have to be enough for Will to hold onto.

His eyes grew heavy in the silence that clung to him. He might have even been closing them slowly before they fell shut, but it was hard to tell when all he could see were the flashing and swirling shapes that usually only appeared behind his eyelids. He was so tired, and he didn’t even know why. Didn’t even know how long he had been out. But he couldn’t fight it when sleep swallowed him whole.

A rumbling sound startled Will awake for a second time. The whole tub shaking gently back and forth.

He couldn’t remember why the feeling was familiar, where he had felt it before, until it clicked. It was the same as the boat he had gone on with the order. He was probably leaving the kingdom, or maybe going straight to Brenner’s castle to end the war once and for all. Will’s life was now the property of whatever the tyrant wanted.

It was a slap to the face, knowing he was only hurting everyone he had ever loved.

It seemed like that’s all he did.

It was entirely possible that Will was just a really bad person, despite all his efforts to be good. He had been a liar since birth. Too self conscious of his own fate to live in the moment. To live. And ‘Snails, if he made it out of this by the mercy of the gods, he would vow to leave it all behind. Be more like Mike.

Footsteps sounded outside the room, and Will froze as a new wave of anxiety washed over him. He was completely defenseless. 

But they didn’t get any closer. They stopped right outside what he could only guess to be the door, most likely to guard it. He didn’t know if he was more nervous or relieved, as any plan to get outside was almost impossible. Especially if it was another soldier. They didn’t seem to care about anything other than their orders from Henry, even if they got hurt in the process.

It was quiet for a moment before something weightless fell onto his shoulder, burning him. He made a surprised sound, voice small, as he grabbed whatever it was with his other hand. It felt like a piece of ash, but as it crushed into his palm, he realized it was so cold that it scorched his skin. He let go immediately, shaking off the debris until another landed on his tail.

They kept coming after that. Hitting him everywhere. He stifled a scream as he tried to brush them away, but they continued to fall, piling and piling with a cold that hurt more than anything he had ever experienced in his life.

By the time he was close to passing out, they finally stopped. It left him gasping for breath, shaking and desperate to get out of the tub that was now filled to his chest.

Lamps, lining the walls of the room, lit up one by one, and he looked around to find who had done it, taking in his surroundings for the first time. No one was there, so it had to have been magic. He tried to get free of the chains with a new sense of desperation, but the metal of the cuffs and the tub were lined with gold, and he knew they wouldn’t give way without a key. They shined mockingly in the light.

He had been right about the tub being filled with ash, as it was a deep gray, and it crumpled with even the slightest touch. But it was so cold. Cold enough to make his head spin and his chest constrict, like all the air had been sucked out. His tail started to lose feeling the longer he sat in it, and the scales weren’t enough to protect him from the pain.

The ash started moving, breathing, in a few different areas and he froze in shock as long, spindly fingers broke the surface, hands reaching towards him. They grabbed and pulled, clawing harshly at his skin and giving way to thin, veiny wrists. He knew what they were almost immediately—the hands of demogorgons. He hated how the feeling was familiar as they tried to drag him down, down, down into the freezing tub.

“No no, let go. Let me go.” he begged, praying to a universe that never listened. And after one last gasp for air, the hands won over.

Darkness enveloped him.

Will sat up with a gasp, crawling back in an attempt to get away. He only stopped when he realized he wasn’t in the tub anymore, but an empty forest filled with dark vines and barren trees. Red lightning shot through a thick layer of clouds and cast the entire world a hazy red. He stood slowly on shaky legs, his tail dried and gone, to try to make sense of his surroundings. Somehow, it looked just like the stories he’d heard of the Upside Down. The work facility to bring in wealth from a dying land. 

Had this been Henry’s plan all along? To leave him here alone?

It couldn’t be that simple.

Will walked forward with hesitant steps, knowing there had to be something more. Something would be coming for him, just like the hands that had pulled at his hands, arms, neck..

A branch broke in the distance, and a terrible chittering sound came with it. Whatever it was, most likely a demogorgon, was close enough to catch up in mere seconds if he were to run. All he could do was hold his breath and hope it wouldn’t see him, ignoring the tear that fell freely down his face. Pathetic, his mind repeated.

He walked a little faster, a little more careful, knowing he only had one chance to get away, but the chittering followed. Vines threatened to trip him the deeper he went into the forest, and though he had never seen them until now, he knew it was a bad idea to touch them. They moved like snakes along the floor, very clearly alive and strong enough to hurt.

In fact, the Upside Down itself felt alive.

He held his breath unintentionally as the demogorgon’s footsteps sounded even closer, and all he could do was stop and try to make out its shadow through the haze. He shook as it turned in his direction. Its nonexistent eyes somehow stared straight into his, and it lifted its head in a distorted growl before hunching over.

Will knew what was about to happen, stumbling as its giant, petal-like face revealed jagged layers of teeth. The creature leapt through the air and landed heavily on his chest, knocking them both to the ground. He screamed as its claw pierced his stomach in the same place the knife had been. It hurt just as much as it had the first time, and he closed his eyes, waiting for the worst. Waiting for the actual end. But it never came. 

Instead, he opened his eyes as the floor below him completely changed. He wasn’t even in the Upside Down anymore, but back home at the cabin.

The cabin he hadn’t seen since he ran away.

The demogorgon had disappeared, leaving nothing but its memory. And Will frowned, because he knew he’d gone crazy, but this ? He lifted himself with shaky hands as a knock sounded over the door. He wasn’t sure if it was real, but he felt drawn to go towards it anyway. Nostalgia filled his chest as he almost tripped over an old carpet—one that they’d gotten rid of ages ago. 

If it was a dream, would his dad be here? Would he look the same? He took a deep breath as he twisted the handle, the other hand over his healed stomach. The door creaked on its hinges as he finally pushed it open.

Everything seemed to freeze in place, disbelief making the world slower in Will’s eyes.

Both his dad and mom appeared, embracing each other and laughing at something he hadn’t heard. Lonnie took notice of him in the doorway and smiled in a way that only existed before Cynthia got sick. It was like nothing bad had ever ruined their lives. Like things had turned out right. And.. it couldn’t be real. Will felt his legs grow weak as he tried to understand what was happening. Whatever it was, it was cruel. He took several steps back as the happy couple entered the house.

Lonnie didn’t seem to notice Will’s internal battle, reaching out and grabbing his shoulder proudly. “Your mother and I have a surprise for you, but we’ll need to set the table first.” he said casually. “Go wash your hands.”

Will shook his head in disbelief. If he tried really hard, he could almost remember this being normal. To wait for them to come home so he could excitedly tell them about his long day of treasure hunting at the beach, or how he saw a dolphin in the distance. He remembered being lonely then, but he was always happy to learn more about the town. His father would trade fish for the stuff they didn’t need, just so he could see what they had at the market that day. 

A sob clung to the back of his throat, but he pushed it down. He had shed enough tears for this already, and he wouldn’t give Henry that pleasure.

He quickly left the room to wash his hands, more scared to know what would happen if he didn’t. Finding the bathroom was easy enough, as everything was in the same place, but stepping inside made his heart falter. Pictures of their family lined the shelves, and he hadn’t seen them in a long, long time. They were the same ones he had kept under his bed in the years that passed, taking them out every night until his twelfth birthday. The day his dad sold off most of her belongings for coin was the day Will threw the pictures off the docks.

Lonnie had told him to grow up. Said that he wasn’t a kid anymore, and he remembers feeling so stupid for thinking their home would stay the same forever. Of course it would change, so why didn’t he? Why was he always stuck in the past?

Will wiped at his eyes and dried off his hands, already accepting that he needed to play whatever game Henry had made for him. The walk to the dinner table was eerily quiet, and he tried to leave the fear behind him. Just the sadness stayed, lingering in all the empty spaces of his head. It grew when he saw the dinner table, neatly made with homemade dishes and the kind of plates they used for special occasions. The ones with their names on them. The ones Will had painted himself.

“Do you like it? It’s all of your favorites.” Cynthia asked, gesturing to the food.

Will nodded through the confusion.

It was weird, having her sit in her favorite chair while Lonnie talked idly in his. Happy and unaware. Will took hesitant steps and sat where he used to, the middle seat, working up the courage to put something, anything, on his plate. It might be the last time he had the chance. But the hunger was replaced with a sick that he knew wasn’t physical. A sick so strong he covered his mouth as he watched his parents smile and laugh.

They didn’t know it wouldn’t last. 

He.. couldn’t watch it anymore.

Will stood up, chair scraping against the ground, and ran out the cabin. 

He didn’t even notice the heavy footsteps behind him until his old home was covered by trees, but they grew louder and louder like the demogorgon’s. He turned around to find his dad chasing him, a sympathetic expression on his face. It caught him off guard as he’d only ever seen it one other time, when they’d told him about his real family.

“Wait son!” Lonnie shouted, bringing them both to a stop. “I know this is confusing for you, but please don’t leave! I’ve only ever wanted to keep you safe from the outside world. It’s not what you think it is.. it’s greedy and ugly, and if you go, I won’t be there to protect you.”

Tears streamed down Will’s face. He couldn’t hold them back anymore. “You promised we would be okay after mom died, but- but you don't love me anymore! Why? Why did you leave me?”

“Fine, taking care of you wasn’t as easy as I’d thought. But can you blame me? Cynthia was always the one who’d wanted you! It wasn’t a family without her!” Lonnie yelled defensively, eyes darkening. “If you’d been a better son, more normal, none of this would have happened. I would have loved you.”

Will’s hands shook as the words took their hold, lowering his head as sobs did their best to strangle him. “All I ever wanted was to be good enough for you.” he whispered.

Lonnie’s voice warped deeper. “But you weren’t, and you never will be. You might as well stop trying. Give yourself up to the shadows and finally be useful for once.”

A silence stretched out. Will was still crying, but it had turned silent as doubt replaced heartache. The voice was not how he remembered it, and though it was almost scarier, it didn’t have as much of a hold on him. Whoever that man was, it was not his father. He had to find a way out of whatever dream he was in, and fast, before Henry got what he wanted.

“Let go, Will.” fake Lonnie tempted. “It’s easier than being pushed.”

Will didn’t give him the satisfaction of an answer. He backed away to look at his father’s face, trying to find the similarities, before taking off running again. He let branches and leaves scrape against his skin as he went, the sick being worse than the cuts. He pushed harder, faster, longer until he couldn’t run anymore and his legs felt on the brink of collapse. The tears had dried in the wind and left his own face feeling like a mask. 

He fell to his knees with the emotion of losing every family he had ever known, rubbing at his eyes to get rid of the poison that burned them.

The forest was all he could see since he’d left the actual path to the town, but there was no noise except his own gasping breaths. He couldn’t hear his father, there were no birds or insects, and even the sound of the ocean’s waves, that were anything but quiet near the cabin, had vanished.

“Will?” a familiar voice called instead. It was small, worried. “Is that really you?”

Will spun in the direction it came from, brows furrowing as he was confronted by a dream version of Mike Wheeler. Or maybe this was real? The knight was slowly walking towards him as if he knew he might run at any moment, and his armor was the same as it had been in the battle. All the scratches they had from the demogorgon were there, and his sword was gone from its scabbard. It gave a false sense of security that had always drawn Will in.

“Mike?” he couldn’t stop himself from asking.

The knight smiled as if he was happy to see Will, even after knowing all the lies he’d told. “Gods, finally! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

“You have?”

“Of course I have! I said I wouldn’t go back unless you did too, remember? We should hurry so the demogorgon doesn’t hear us.” Mike urged him, grabbing his hand like he’d done at the flower shop. “We just need to go further through the brush to get to the horses.”

“But how did you know where to find me?” Will questioned. A lot of his past memories still didn’t make sense.

Mike’s smile turned proud. “The order has been tracking you since you were taken. We couldn’t just let Henry get away with it.”

Before Will could ask any more questions, he was being dragged deeper into the woods towards a new open area. As they stopped near the clearing, the knight pointed ahead and squinted his eyes.

“Do you see the shore?” Mike asked. “That’s where we’re going.”

And Will.. didn’t. He couldn’t see farther than the thick line of trees. He stepped forward to try and understand where Mike was pointing at, but as soon as the knight was behind him, he was being pushed onto the ground, hard. The force of it set off a net trap hidden under leaves, carrying Will into the air at an odd angle, both disoriented and hurt. He twisted around to get out, but it was no use with his hands pinned to his body.

“Mike, help!” he begged.

But Mike laughed, pulling his sword out from another set of nets.

Lonnie’s words echoed in his head.

“Let go, Will. It’s easier than being pushed.”

“You think I would save you after everything you’ve said? After everything you’ve done? I can’t trust you anymore. Besides, it’s bigger than us, Will, and I won’t let you be the reason my family gets hurt. Your blood could win the war. I could finally live the life I’ve always wanted. You think your stupid crush would stop me?”

Will didn’t answer, still struggling to get his hands out from underneath him. But he had a hard time ignoring Mike and everything else when, suddenly, Joyce appeared with Chester. She wasn’t smiling and her eyes shined with new tears. Will couldn’t help it as his did the same. Even if this was fake, it felt like the truth. He still probably deserved it.

Joyce reached down and untied the rope around the dog’s neck, throwing it to the side. “Go, Chester! Leave!” she shouted threateningly.

Will looked at her desperately. “Why?”

“Now that you’re gone, he’ll only get in the way.” she explained, anger still clearly in her voice. “How could you lie to us? I trusted you like a son. I invited you into our family.”

Chester shied away from the yelling and whined before darting into the trees. Will felt his heart break in two as the dog left, knowing he may never see him again. Chester could get hurt with no one to take care of him, which meant Mrs. Holland’s trust had been for nothing. The demogorgon’s growls echoed nearby and Will silently prayed for him to run.

“Look who it is.” a new voice mocked. 

Will shifted as much as he could to see Max standing next to him. She was holding a glass of water, the exact same one the soldier had in Mrs. Holland’s house, and a dagger in her other hand. The rest of the order was behind her, most of their arms crossed and faces disappointed, and Will swallowed, hard, over the lump in his throat. He had never wanted to see them like that. 

He would give anything to go back.

Max sneered. “The traitor I used to think was my friend.”

She used her dagger to cut the top of the net, and Will tumbled out awkwardly on his right side. It hurt like hell, but before he could even think of escaping, Max poured the remaining water on his head. She laughed as it brought the light and tail with it. Will felt humiliated, betrayed, and Mike looked sickened by the sight of him.

“You’re beautiful.” Mike had whispered that night in the river.

But he hadn’t known.

Will was stupid for hoping Mike would still think of him as beautiful. That maybe it didn’t matter he had magic. Maybe it was because Mike had already accepted him, in some way. He knew he wasn’t a royal, that he had no family, and he came from further east, so why would this be any different? 

But it was. It was so different.

Will watched, horrified, as the order changed, melted. Most of them grew longer, waxier, and their eyes drooped down until they disappeared behind skin. It was disgusting, and Will turned to the side as his stomach painfully clenched. Their nails grew into claws and their legs bent into a curved shape. His eyes widened as he was faced with several demogorgons that used to be his friends.

Mike was the last one to change. His skin moved like vines and his face sunk in, leaving only eyes and lips. The eyes were a stark difference to the rest of his ghastly figure, as they were a bright, crystal blue.

Henry.

“William.” he rasped. “You are powerless even in your own mind. Join me, and your suffering will end.”

It felt like his best option. The option where he wouldn’t get hurt and have to ever see the order’s disappointment, or fear of him, any longer. But Will couldn’t say yes. He couldn’t hurt the same people he loved. And even if they didn’t love him back, those feelings were there to stay. He shook his head.

“Never.”

Henry’s face cast deeper into shadow, his eyes seemingly brighter in the dark. “It isn’t a choice anymore. If you don’t join me, I’ll kill them all.”

Will’s heart skipped a beat. “No, please!”

“I’m winning the war, Will. And your friend’s lives are in my hands. If you join me, let me use your power, there’s a bigger chance they won’t get hurt.”

“Liar! You already have!” he shouted bitterly. “I saw what you did to Mike! How do I know they’ll be okay?”

“You will have to trust me.” Henry smiled. 

And no, he would never trust the man in front of him. Will looked for a way out, seeing nothing but another small, dirt road. He glanced back at the demogorgons and Henry, realizing this was his last chance to get away before he became just another pawn in a war for power. He had to run. Run to the docks and pray he made it west.

He raised his hands and imagined the water from his tail swirling around them. It felt easy in comparison to the rain, and he was dry within seconds. But Henry didn’t move from where he stood.

Will took off on unstable legs, running with no attempt to stop. He didn’t even look behind him until he passed the cabin again, but Henry was still in the distance, walking slowly like he already knew Will’s plan wouldn’t work. It was uncanny, the way he fit right in with the rest of the Upside Down. His shadow danced along the vines and his eyes were noticeable from afar. It scared Will into going faster. Cold ash fell from the sky and hit him when the trees were scarce.

He didn’t care.

It felt like hours, but after what was probably a few minutes, he tripped over a rock and fell to the ground, scraping every inch of his legs. It stung as he sat up and he couldn’t help the scream that escaped him when he brushed off the ash.

“You cannot escape me.” Henry’s voice sounded from everywhere at once. "Here, I am a god."

And Will tried to block him out, but when he came upon his own blood on the ground ahead of him, he realized it was impossible. He would never make it to the docks. Not when he had been running in an endless loop. Henry’s shadow reached his feet along with a deep, empty sort of laugh, and he closed his eyes to think. He just needed to think. Was there really no escape? This was it, the end?

No, it couldn’t be.

He thought about his moms’ kindness. He thought about Ms. Holland and Hopper giving him a place to eat and a roof over his head. He imagined Mike’s face when he was stabbed, the panic and concern he had shared with his eyes. How could he let that all go because he was tired? It wouldn’t be fair to their sacrifice. Even if they didn’t feel the same anymore, it couldn’t be for nothing.

He let the good things invade his mind. The memories that meant the most to him, no matter how small. 

He let himself feel.

A light, a warmth, flooded his body, and he opened his eyes to see a portal in the distance. It was surrounded by a red cloud, but the inside was dark. Only lit up by a few dim candles. He was shocked to see himself floating near the ceiling of a wooden room, his arm twisted at a wrong angle and broken in a way he didn’t know could be fixed. It was grotesque, and he almost didn’t want it to be true. But it was his only way out.

Henry shouted in anger, not quite within reach, and Will watched as the man lifted his hands to the sky. Large rocks broke off from the ground and flew into the air, hovering above Henry’s head without much effort. He pushed his hands forward and they went flying, crashing everywhere and sending shock waves through the earth. Will dodged the rocks closest to him as he raced to the portal and tried his best not to lose footing.

He made it to the red clouds just as the floor gave way, and he jumped in without a second thought, the portal closing behind him.

And for a second, there was nothing.

No fear, no worries.

Until he fell. 

He didn’t fall long, but when he hit the tub, his arm lit on fire. He choked on sob as the chain around his wrist pulled at the sore, broken bone. The ash and the cold were gone, but he wished for sleep regardless. It was too much to take in. To remember.

Gods, he wanted to forget.

Will put his arm in the water to feel at least a little in control, but being trapped with his tail wasn’t helping. All he could do was wait.

Somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness, his nose bled and left red streaks across his mouth, falling drop by drop onto his lap. He tried to stay awake, but his vision was growing dull and his head was fuzzy. Had he hit his head? Was the Upside Down really just a messed up dream?

As he was about to let go of his awareness, the door swung open. Henry in his white button up, no longer distorted with vines, smiled mercilessly back at him.

“I warned you, Will. There is no escape.”