Chapter Text
Will thought maybe he was dead. If not dead, he hoped this was a dream, or really, a nightmare.
He opted to close his eyes, whispering “wake up, wake up, wake up…” but it wasn’t working. The arm slung around him was still there, pressing him tightly against the body that stood behind him.
Mike’s body. But it wasn’t really Mike.
“My love, what incantation do you speak? Are more monsters on their way?” Not-Mike whispered in his ear. The hairs on the back of Will’s neck stood on end and he shivered–Not a Vecna shiver, but something else entirely. He sounded exactly like Mike.
“This isn’t real. This isn’t happening.” He said, slightly louder.
Finally, the knight released him, whirling around to look at his face clearly.
“This isn’t real? It is an illusion? Can you dispel it?” His brows furrowed, but his gaze was confident as he stared deep into Will’s eyes. He really did look like Mike.
The biggest difference was his hair. The curls were looser, and longer than Mike’s, framing his angular face beautifully. His freckles were more prominent than Mike’s, and his skin was slightly more tanned. Pink dusted his cheeks, as if slightly sunburned or permanently blushing. And he wore silver armor, decorated with a dark red heart engraved in the middle. It was ornate, but it was weathered, lived-in. Will stepped back, his face burning. “N-no. YOU aren’t real. You’re–I painted you.”
“William, you have painted me a thousand times. My features look divine when painted by your masterful hand.” He smirked, stepping toward Will again and caressing his face with the back of his hand. “Where are your robes?” He paused, brow furrowing once more. “You look…different. Are you alright?”
“Okay…what the fuck is happening.” Will barely registered Lucas’s voice. The…knight? Turned to look at him. Will couldn’t tear his gaze away from him to see Lucas’s reaction.
“Lucas,” Not-Mike dipped his head. “You also look…different.” He looked at the rest of the party for the first time. “All of you…what has happened here? Where are we? Is this… the realm of shadows?” He seemed apprehensive. He bit his lip in a way that was so familiar, so Mike, that Will almost felt calm.
Almost.But there was no way to feel calm given what had happened.
It had only been a few days since they had defeated Vecna, the Mindflayer, and closed the wormhole between Earth and the Abyss. The Party had been at WSQK headquarters, tying up loose ends and trying to process what had happened to them, if they could know for sure that it was all over. Before they could get in their cars to leave for the night, the bats had come out of nowhere, picking Mike up and carrying him off.
Demobats. As if Vecna was still alive. Had it all been a ruse? Was Vecna still out there, growing strong again?
Will had never been that terrified in his entire life. His instincts took over and he channeled that terror and love until his eyes went white and he stretched out a hand.
The bats had exploded, leaving Mike falling toward the ground, screaming with a shrill that nearly caused Will to piss his pants. He had screamed in return, stretching a second hand out to do something–anything–to stop the fall and the ground underneath Mike had ripped open like a gate. Where Mike fell in, this knight had flown out, springing from the gate like a geyser. When he landed (on his feet) He had grabbed Will and pulled him close, waving the sword that he held in defense of both of them.
Dustin’s voice brought Will back to the present.
“Who…are you?” He asked, jaw agape as he stared at the knight.
“Tsk. Foolish question. I am Sir Michael. We have known each other all our lives, Dustin. We have fought together on so many adventures. Have you hit your head?” He had the audacity to look dumbfounded, as if they were the ones who were insane.
“No. Fucking. Way.” Dustin said. He began to laugh, the kind of laugh that Will knew meant he was losing it. “Will, I think you opened up a whole different dimension to stop Mike from falling.” He doubled over, cackling like a madman.
Mike.
“Oh my god. Mike. Mike!” Will yelled. He pushed Not Mike out of the way, lunging for the ground–now scorched and molten, where Mike had fallen. There was no sign of him.
“What? William, love, I’m right here, I’m right here.” The knight knelt down next to him, pressing a hand to the heart that was engraved into the armor on his chest.
“We have to–where did he—Mike!” Will ignored the knight, distraught.
“Lucas, Dustin, what ails him? I am right here! Is he cursed?” The knight sounded just as distraught as Will. Something broke in Will’s chest.
“Who the FUCK are you? What have you done with Mike?” He yelled, pushing the knight. He didn’t resist, allowing Will to push him over onto the ground. Will climbed onto him, grabbing the collar of the red cape that flowed from his armor tightly.
“Tell us right now! Where is Mike? I’ll–I’ll kill you!” Will cried. He expected the knight–the imposter Mike–to fight back, but he didn’t. He stared up at Will like he was a god, not resisting at all the tight grip that was pressing him into the dirt. Where Will had expected anger, he only saw tears begin to fill the knight’s eyes.
“William…” he whispered. “I am yours. My body, my heart, my very soul…”
Will began to sob, his shock, terror, despair and anger all blending together into one big mess of emotions that overwhelmed him. His nose was bleeding from using his powers. It was all too much.
“Mike, Mike…” he croaked between sobs, his head falling onto the knight’s chest armor. He felt a gloved hand begin to stroke his hair.
“Shh…I’ve got you.” Mike’s voice wrapped around like Will like a blanket. Everything seemed to fade away as he was overwhelmed by emotions. He only vaguely registered the voices of his friends calling his name before he let the darkness consume him.