Chapter Text
-Shit, I thought you were toast!
-The Abyss stopped! El got him! I repeat, El got the bastard!
Lucas screamed into the walkie-talkie, but as the cheering died down as it dawned on them: this is the point when they have to enter it. Dimension X and whatever it holds is an arm’s reach from them, a hole tore open by the antenna, light filtering through to the forever night of the Upside Down.
There was a moment of silence. All of them just watching it, and Will thought they were all thinking the same: it's either going to be the victory they all yearned for… or they all die forgotten in another dimension. Not that there’ll be anyone to remember them if Vecna succeeds.
Before he knew it, Nancy pushed everyone aside, was standing on the metal handle of the radio tower tore into the flesh of…whatever separates dimensions truly, and was gone. One pull and Nancy Wheeler was lost from their sight.
-All clear! - they heard her voice and Dustin was already stepping to the bar, ready to follow her when he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.
-Someone must stay behind!
-What?!- It was Steve, already hovering next to the boy who voiced the thoughts of the entire Party standing there staring at Dustin.
-Someone has to stay behind- repeated Dustin, gesturing wildly- I…we forgot to think of that but…the Demogorgons! Fuck! If we all go in, Henry can just send them after us from here, to a land we don’t know, and we’ll have no way out! Or… or what if the hole closes unattended? We don’t know anything about multidimensional portals other than that, maybe music works sometimes! Someone has to secure the hole!
-Fuck- echoed Steve- But you are right. And someone has to keep in touch with Hopper! If something goes wrong over there, we must know and I doubt that walkie talkies work multidimensional…so…who’s staying?
He turned to the Party, but it was all too clear: staying behind while the rest risked their life…was not something anyone was going to volunteer to do.
-Mom?
They all looked at Will. He barely spoke since they left Hawkins but considering where they were going…who was going to blame him?
-I’m not staying here, while my sons go to fight some ancient entity! Especially not after one of them being kidnapped by said monster once already! I’m not leaving you if that’s what you are implying.
-But…Joyce….Will is not wrong- spoke up another voice: Mike- We know you are strong enough to hold off attackers if it came to it, we’ve seen it and …
- Why can't Jonathan stay behind? Or you? – Joyce turned sharply to Steve- WHY are you even here? It's not your son who got taken by that...that monster!
-Uhm... because the world ending is kind of sort of my problem too, Mrs. Byers, no offense.
-Still, you can’t just go in there alone! You are kids, what if… what if..
-Joyce!-Mike’s voice rang through the panicked ramble of Will’s mother- Joyce...- he adjusted his tone, no longer sharp but sincere in a way that only Mike Wheeler could speak- I will bring your son back to you. I promise, on my life, Joyce, that I will make sure Will will come back to you, even if it's the last thing I do. I'll keep him safe if you just...keep us safe.
There was a moment he truly thought Joyce would resist. She probably thought it too. But as their eyes locked on each other, as if an internal battle had just ended in Joyce Byers. She slumped on the metal pole, or what was left of it after the antenna broke.
-Go.-she breathed out, then once more, louder- Go! Go all of you, and slay that monster, but if you don’t bring me back my sons…you are a dead man walking, Mike Wheeler. Remember that!
She stayed there, slumped against the crushed metal, as the Party climbed up, climbed into Dimension X. And just before Will climbed up to the hole, she added:
-And don’t forget the marking! Once the Mindflayer is gone, you'll need to get out of Dimension X with the kids as soon as possible. And.. if anything goes wrong, I'll need a way to find you!
-Okay, Mom, and… trust me. I’m strong enough- said Will before Robin’s arm pulled him up, and he lost sight of his mother.
It has been so long, yet so little, at the same time since Will Byers last saw this land. He told everyone it wouldn’t affect him. He had the Party, he had his mother with him, and this time: he was not Vecna’s main target. All he had to do was lead the rest to the place of the visions tormenting his mind. Save the children, and, once and for all, let El finally get rid of Vecna/ Henry/ One/ Peter/ Mr.Whatsit apparently, or whatever the creature decided to call himself this time. Yet, as he was pulled up by Robin, entering the Abyss, he realized: he was not.
He vaguely heard Mike say “Suck it Armstrong” or something along those lines, but as he stepped over to the edge of the cliff…
It was all the same. Nothing but grey and orange nothingness, dust and rocks, and the never-setting sun, the humidity of the air, the smell of burning the… He felt cold and hot at the same time. The air leaving his lungs and never returning the same, only shallower, drier, and dustier. Will Byer could not breathe! His vision blurred, maybe this was-
And then there was Mike. Mike’s hands on his shoulder, his eyes, his worried eyes searching for his.
-Will, Will…look at me- he heard his voice, and he felt his arms wrapping around him. He was safe. Well, as safe as one could be when they were in an alternative dimension with the goal of leading all of their loved ones to the hideout of a multiword monster.
He still felt his knees buckle, falling onto the ground if not for Mike catching him and helping him sit on the dusty ground.
A deep breath. Then another. Maybe they could actually do this. Kill Vecna, end it all. Be free. Positive thoughts and all, he almost laughed at himself. Not 3 meters into Dimension X and here he was, crumbled into the dust when he was supposed to lead them all to victory!
-We…we should head north. The hivemind is north, I know it! - he shuddered out.
-We can stay a minute- offered Mike before turning to the other- We will stay. Just a minute. Go ahead… we have no time to waste, El may have gotten the bastard or maybe not!
He’s pretty sure he saw Nancy nod, turning north and gesturing to the Party party to follow her as she started tracking along the devastatingly plain landscape.
He expected Mike to stay with him. He promised his mother after all.
He did not expect Mike Wheeler to sit down next to him, orange dust smearing his pants.
-So…flashbacks? - he asked, shifting closer to him.
-Sort of.
-That…sucks.
They sat in silence, both gazing into the never-setting sun of a world unknown and way too familiar at the same time.
-I just have to say- Mike started, voice suddenly raspy- …what you did…that you told us was…brave. Like braver than I ever could be!
-I had to make sure Vecna can’t use that to make me hurt you. I know I’ll have to face him and can’t…have him have that over me! But thanks. - he gave him a weak smile. - And…we’ll end this soon! Forever. So, you can go back to El.- he added, his voice wavering at the last part.
There was a moment of silence. An awkward one. Will shifted to face Mike. His head was bowed.
-She broke up with me. -he muttered. - Yeah. Before we got in the truck. Said she has to face Vecna knowing I’m not his target and…and if anything goes off plan, I won’t blame myself.
-Oh. - that’s all Will could get out before Mike continued kicking a rock away in the dust- She just…she was so mysterious ever since she met the girl…Kali! I… I thought it was… that we were going to be fine! That we’ll defeat Vecna and as you said… it’ll be over forever and we’ll be…fucking fine finally! But…I worry for her, Will, she is…
-She’s El- Will couldn’t help but interrupt him, shifting closer-…she’ll be fine! She survives everything and more! - after a moment he added- I’m sorry though. I thought Mileven was forever.
-Me too! Wait…Mileven?
-Yeah. Like Mike and Eleven.
Mike huffed a laugh. His eyes shone with tears or joy, Will couldn’t tell, but despite the sun, the dust, the…possible end of the world, he laughed too. And they laughed and laughed until he finally managed to stop.
-We-…we should get moving! After the others.
-You are right. -Mike said, wiping his face with the sleeve of his jacket. - Can’t leave Nancy in charge, she’ll shoot the Mindflayer gone in 5 minutes and tell us we are losers for missing it, just to show me she is the better sibling.
-Huh…she would. -Will agreed as he let himself be helped up by Mike.
They stood there for just a moment, hands joined, humid air blowing into their eyes. Then the moment was gone, their fingers loosened, and they started trekking through the deserted nothingness, following the signs the others surprisingly did not forget to leave behind.
It took them surprisingly little time to catch up with the others.
-You fine now? -asked Jonathan, slowing down to walk by his brother.
-Never better- he shrugged- Honestly…been worse. Now- he stopped, looking around until he recognized a rock next to a smaller one. It was surprising considering all this dimension just…kind of looked the same, destroyed kind. - That way! - he pointed towards the rock wall that lined the smaller loaning, gesturing to the others- It’ll be faster if we go that way!