With Dreams and Virtues - Comic Verse - GhostShade - The Sandman (TV 2022) [Archive of Our Own]

In one universe - Dream was trapped for one hundred long years. He escaped and gathered his sigils as the story is told.
In another universe - Roderick requested help with his cage, not knowing that one single action would cascade into a partial remaking... of Dread of the Endless. An Endless not bound by laws or rules and wanting nothing more than to tear Dream - his former self - apart. A plan aided by Lucifer, who wants nothing more than Dream brought to heel... and worsened by Death of the Endless - now corrupted - into Demise of the Endless. All the while Dream and Desire work (reluctantly) to set aside old family grudges and trauma to try and salvage their family.
And yet in another universe, the Burgess estate succeeded in not only capturing Dream... but the other Endless as well. Endless that have no reason to trust Johanna, who is now trapped with them. Johanna who wants to desperately get back to her Dream... And if she fails, it may very well be the end of not only Dream but the other Endless as well...
Endless serve humanity... but corrupted Endless, ones not bound by rules or blood, may very well destroy it.
Comic Verse. Credit to Nebulavibes0 for the artwork

Chapter 1: Prologue: For Nightmares (Part One)

Chapter Text

Prologue, Part 1

Not every chapter will have a comic verse but some will. The art belongs to nebulavibes0, who did a great job bringing this to life.

Chapter 2: Prologue: For Dreams (Part Two)

Chapter Text

Prologue Part Two

Chapter 3: Chapter One: Dreams - With Family

Chapter Text

Chapter One: Dreams - With Family

Chapter Two will also be posted in the near future. From there: we have the Hell Arc that was turned into comic form

Chapter 4: Chapter Two: Nightmares - With Family

Chapter Text

Chapter Two: Nightmares - With Family

The actual story is complete (the entire trilogy), not the comic verse, and at this time, the companion pieces are complete as well. May or may not post anything additional to them - though a new story idea is brewing that's adjacent to this story. I'll likely outline it and see and go from there

Series this work belongs to:

← Previous Work Part 6 of Facing Fears, Finding Hope Next Work →

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coldercosmos, SpadeofBlack, YUKI_DRINKS_ANGST_TEARS, Yellowmiki98, TaliZorah, Merin, and Sophia1313 as well as 4 guests left kudos on this work!

Comments

Merin on Chapter 1 Wed 18 Jun 2025 03:17PM UTC

This is gorgeous! I love seeing this chapter brought to life in art. How wonderful! Did you commission it? Can’t wait to see what other scenes you’ve chosen!

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1. GhostShade on Chapter 1 Wed 18 Jun 2025 03:45PM UTC
  
  I did commission it - though they contacted me first. Yeah, I couldn't do the entire story - that's a bit... a lot... but we have both parts of the prologue and first two chapters. After that - it was more picking certain arcs. I like them all, but tried to decide what would look nice on paper. They did a great job for certain
  
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Merin on Chapter 2 Tue 24 Jun 2025 04:45PM UTC

Ah, wonderful! Alec goes from bewildered to badass in this scene. I wonder, if she hadn't been interrupted, what would she have done...
This is the cross that Johanna is currently wearing?? Alec's protection amulet? Is that what it was... forgot what happened to/with that. Will have to go hunting though the chapters lol

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1. GhostShade on Chapter 2 Tue 24 Jun 2025 05:07PM UTC
  
  Charlie ripped it off at one point... and then, we didn't talk about it again for a bit. But since Charlie did have it at one point - very likely Alexandria would have gotten her hands on it ;). I figured you'd be like 'oh that cross' when I posted this second prologue piece
  
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2. 1. Merin on Chapter 2 Tue 24 Jun 2025 05:23PM UTC
    
    Hope Alexandria didn’t do something nefarious with it… if she’s the own who’s put it on Johanna, I can’t imagine it’s for a good reason. Maybe it was someone else.
    
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  2. 1. GhostShade on Chapter 2 Tue 24 Jun 2025 05:25PM UTC
      
      You're like how can we make things worse, immediately. Haha. Maybe it's something good. The necklace was meant to protect against possession after all - something important in their line of work
      
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    2. 1. Merin on Chapter 2 Tue 24 Jun 2025 05:44PM UTC
        
        I can’t help but be suspicious 😂. It’s your fault that I’m like that. Protect from possession, eh? Well hopefully it’s not been twisted into anything else and it is indeed a good thing it’s round Johanna’s neck
        
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      2. GhostShade on Chapter 2 Tue 24 Jun 2025 05:46PM UTC
        
        We have like 10 chapters left - this is the end of this trilogy. Don't give it more plot. we have enough plot to get through as it is
        
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Lil_beebirb on Chapter 2 Sun 29 Jun 2025 09:20PM UTC

Great work! Also…..How have I always thought Alec was blonde??? ~rethinks everything~

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1. GhostShade on Chapter 2 Sun 29 Jun 2025 10:02PM UTC
  
  I said auburn hair (made it more redish here) - way back in Of Nightmares and Sins... but I could see her being blonde as well - it would fit her character.
  
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2. 1. Merin on Chapter 2 Mon 30 Jun 2025 12:27AM UTC
    
    ha, I always picture her as blonde too. Actually, although I don't normally associate book characters with 'real' people (Ie I guess I don't cast known actors in my head 😆?) in this one case, I specifically picture her looking like Elsa from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Hair style and everything. The red lip stick... I did go back and check the pt 1 prologue at one point to see if you'd described her, actually. So now she looks like Elsa but with auburn hair in my mind's eye.
    
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  2. 1. GhostShade on Chapter 2 Mon 30 Jun 2025 02:08AM UTC
      
      Oh, I could see that given how she acts, but no, I always had her with auburn/reddish hair - but I mean she was an OC. So one of those that whatever people had in their mind's eye was likely on point.
      
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    2. Lil_beebirb on Chapter 2 Mon 07 Jul 2025 07:27AM UTC
      
      Omg I’m the same way and same with Alec as an exception except my brain supplied Natalie Dormer hahaha
      
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    3. 1. GhostShade on Chapter 2 Mon 07 Jul 2025 11:11AM UTC
        
        Good news, I made Aila blonde just because of this thread
        
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      2. Lil_beebirb on Chapter 2 Mon 07 Jul 2025 04:48PM UTC
        
        🤣🤣🤣
        
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  3. Lil_beebirb on Chapter 2 Mon 30 Jun 2025 05:47AM UTC
    
    Hah! I’ll have to catch it on my reread later, brain just did what it wanted with her 🤣
    
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  4. 1. GhostShade on Chapter 2 Mon 30 Jun 2025 10:29AM UTC
      
      Re-read? That's a big thing to jump into. This story - all three parts are over 700k words. I really should have stuck with just writing part one. sheesh
      
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    2. 1. Lil_beebirb on Chapter 2 Mon 07 Jul 2025 07:24AM UTC
        
        Hey, sometimes I need me some good angst, and this saga supplies in abundance!
        
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      2. GhostShade on Chapter 2 Mon 07 Jul 2025 11:12AM UTC
        
        Angst? This is a very happy story. Did you see the hug at the end? Haha. Yeah, no I put the characters through the ringer for certain. Just wait until I write a season 2 AU. My current side project does not count
        
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        Lil_beebirb on Chapter 2 Mon 07 Jul 2025 04:48PM UTC
        
        Only the finest angst has hugs 😜
        
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Merin on Chapter 3 Mon 30 Jun 2025 12:16AM UTC

They've done a good job at making poor human Morpheus look run ragged (already! poor sod). His face whilst eating the pancakes... the agonies of eating, indeed!
Ahh, the Hell arc will certainly be an interesting one to be represented visually!

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1. GhostShade on Chapter 3 Mon 30 Jun 2025 02:06AM UTC
  
  More the agony of eating something made by Desire... can they actually cook? Eep ;)
  
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Merin on Chapter 4 Sun 06 Jul 2025 12:19AM UTC

This is coming along really nicely! Have to say, really enjoying Alexandria’s red on red ensemble-especially the opera gloves. Bitch though she is, girl’s got style lol. And a glimpse at the ravens!

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1. GhostShade on Chapter 4 Sun 06 Jul 2025 12:23AM UTC
  
  It helps to differentiate them certainly - Alec and Alexandria. Similar but very much not. Not anymore that's a certainty.
  What are you going to do daily now? haha... at least until tomorrow when I likely post something new... because I can't help myself
  
  Last Edited Sun 06 Jul 2025 12:23AM UTC
  
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2. 1. Merin on Chapter 4 Sun 06 Jul 2025 09:01AM UTC
    
    Well I *was* drowning myself is s2 and stuff over on tumblr, but I’m happy to hear I might not have to wait long for my favourite daily emails 😂😇😁
    
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