After the battle against the Colossus of Ultimate Destruction and all the cleanup that followed, the knights and their younger companions were at a loss as for what to do with themselves. It was like what happened when they defeated Jestro the first time around; The mundane style of life after spending every waking moment fighting was just too boring. They had to find something to do with themselves, or else they were sure that they'd die from the sheer boredom of it all.

Robin and Ava as well as every other student at the Knight's Academy was now forced to study in the king's castle while the academy itself was being rebuilt. But Robin always sought to do more. The constant droning of the teachers and squirebots was a sound that Robin had hoped he'd never hear again. He'd hoped that Merlock would just keep promoting him until he never had to go to school again. Well his hopes had been shot down and chucked into a volcano. A volcano that just so happened to be school.

At least Ava enjoyed the learning.

At the end of another long day full of Robin being yelled at for tapping his pencil on a desk, or messing with the pages on the books- anything that helped him concentrate really- Robin grabbed his bags and full on sprinted out of the castle grounds towards where the academy was being rebuilt. That's where he'd find Clay, and where he could actually put his skills in creating things to work.

He ducked under the chain fencing running along the whole construction site and dumped his school stuff next to an all too familiar helmet.

Clay spent most of his free time nowadays working on the new academy. Even late at night when everyone had gone to bed he could usually be found carrying long metal strips to where they needed to be for the next day. He said that it kept his mind and body occupied so that he wouldn't think about his mother or the immense pain his arm sometimes shot into. If Robin didn't share a room with him back in the castle, he'd have thought with everyone else that Clay never slept. But Clay slept, even it was sometimes only 20 minutes a night. Robin trotted over to where the senior knight was using his magic to help weld things together and grabbed a mask to protect his face from the heat and sparks.

At first, all he did for a couple of minutes was watch. Metal melted against metal making a perfect seam line. It was, well, perfect. After he was done, Clay pulled his arm away to wipe at the sweat now beading on his forehead. It was then that he noticed Robin standing there for the first time. A frown found its way onto his face.

"How many times to I have to tell you that it's dangerous out here." Clay huffed.

Robin bounced on his heels and flipped the mask up. "A lot, apparently. And still, whenever I come you can't send me away." He stopped bouncing for a second and absently picked at dirt under his fingernails, "So what do you need me to do while I'm here today?"

Clay ran a hand through his hair at the remark. He didn't want Robin to get hurt, sure, but what the knight-in-training said was true. He never can get Robin to leave after he shows up. Clay sighed in defeat.

"Alright," He said, "We're working on what'll be the training grounds when we're eventually done, so we're hoping to have the weapons shed set up by the time we're done."

He gestured vaguely to a half built shack about 30 feet away. Squirebots and knights alike were working on fitting a door onto the thing. Robin smiled.

"Thanks Clay," and then a second later, "What're you working on?"

"Just… welding stuff together I guess. You know I'm not the best at technology, and they're working on getting everything hooked up to the castle's mainframe inside of the place." He smiled, "So they stuck me out here before I could mess stuff up."

Robin gasped, grin plastered on his face, "You? Mess up technology stuff? Never! I mean, it's not like the last time you tried to help me repair the fortrex you managed to attach the wrong wires and put Merlock's head on his left arm!"

"Hey! That was one time!"

Clay gave a rare laugh, gently punching Robin on the shoulder, who attacked back in turn in a fit of giggles.

This was what Robin looked forward to every day. Not getting his education or anything else, but this. Spending time with his brother figure and doing what he did best. It was nice, and it distracted them both from all of their problems. Like Clay's mother still out in the world, or Robin's upcoming finals. Here and now, all troubles seemed to melt away as they just enjoyed each other's company.

After they stopped laughing, Robin came up with an idea.

"If your technological skills are such an issue," He started, "I could always teach you. The basics, I mean."

Clay snorted, "You teach me? Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?" a pause, "Speaking of which… Do you want me to go over today's schoolwork with you again while we actually work?"

They started making their way towards where the squirebots had now accidentally welded an arm to the start of the building. Robin kicked a stone as he walked.

"Yeah actually, that'd be nice. Since, y'know, my brain's messed up and I can't learn. Haha." Robin finished with a laugh, hoping Clay wouldn't lecture him again. Clay shot him a significant look though, and Robin had a feeling that he wouldn't be avoiding a lecture today.

"Robin," The older knight started, "We've been over this. You just learn differently. You need to be doing something as you learn for it to stick, I was the same way."

"But you managed to remember all of your schoolwork the first time, along with all sorts of other stuff!"

Clay huffed and shook his head, "Because I had special lessons with Brickland every day, you're having special lessons with me right now. It's the same."

Robin grumbled to himself, but didn't press the matter anymore. Instead he grabbed the nearest crowbar and moved to help free the poor stuck squirebot from the wall. Clay watched as he worked, curious, but not intruding. After a couple of minutes and Robin moved to work on something else, Clay started.

"Tell me all you know about the battle against Monstrox that was lead by Ned Knightly, and we'll start from there."

Robin pulled on his Pj's, a yawn forming in the back of his throat. Lance had gone to bed first, as always, at 8 o'clock on the dot, where he slept for roughly 12 hours a night. Aaron had gone next, showing up after a day of working as stunt entertainment for a party all day, and had fallen asleep in his armor at roughly 9:30. Now at 10:11 at night, Robin was finally starting to feel the weights of sleep dragging down on him.

It was a feeling that- after living awake on energy drinks for an entire week- was just now starting to feel normal again. And Robin welcomed it with open arms. He swore he'd never take sleep for granted after the sleepless hell he had endured.

Pj's now on, Robin tip-toed down the hallway that lead into the rooms of the knights of the realm and the knights in training that lived with them.

Ava's room still had it's light on, but Macy and Axl's light had gone out a while ago. It felt like Ava's light was always on. Actually, he was pretty sure she didn't even sleep for how often he'd wake up in the middle of the night and see it on. He opened her door as he walked past and stuck his head in.

Ava looked up from where she was working on her personal computer, eyes narrowed in slight annoyance.

"What do you want." She growled at him, "And would it kill you to knock?"

Robin laughed nervously, "S-sorry for interrupting. I was just wondering if while you're awake you could work on that program I asked you about?"

Ava's expression went from "Pure Hellfire" to neutral.

"Oh," she said, "That. Yeah I'll work on it. Don't worry."

Robin gave her a shaky thumbs-up, then shut the door as quickly as he could without making a noise. Ava could be scary at times.

He continued on his way to the last door in the hallway. His room.

Well, technically his room that he shared with Aaron, Lance, and Clay. It was crowded at times, but comfortable. He opened the door slowly and crept inside.

On a green bed, still in the exact spot he had landed in when he threw himself onto it, was Aaron, fast asleep.

Next to Aaron's bed was Lance's. There the white knight lay, cucumbers over his eyes and face mask making him look like a swamp monster. A pair of diamond encrusted headphones could be softly heard over Lance's snoring playing waterfall noises.

Clay's bed was empty, and Robin figured that it would stay that way for a while. The young knight made his way under the covers of his own bed, the closest one to the door, colored black.

It was comfortable and warm despite the smell of grease coming off of it, and Robin relaxed quickly. It may not be as comfortable as the bed he had when he lived on the Fortrex, but it was nice. Across the room, Lance gave a loud snore, and Robin fell asleep with a soft smile on his face.

Fire, fire everywhere, and Robin was alone. A mixture of sweat and blood dripped into his eyes as he screamed frantically for help. But he knew deep down that nobody was coming. He knew that the knights were somewhere far away from here, away from the chaos that was going on. Did they even know that he was here? Did they even care?

Robin froze at the sound of footsteps behind him. He was no longer alone. He whipped around, eyes wide in terror.

Clay stood behind him, claymore dripping with fresh blood. His helmet was cracked across the side, revealing the glowing bright red skin that the former knight now brandished. The only thing that indicated that this thing was even Robin's brother was his eyes. They shone bright yellow against the glowing red of his body and hair. They were filled with such pain. Robin swallowed down his terror.

Merlock had known something like this might happen. He had said it as soon as Clay had broken free from his stony prison all those years ago, that the magic inside of Clay would change him like it did his mother. But they had all hoped that it wouldn't be so soon.

The last thing Clay managed to do before he completely lost himself- before he made the knights of the realm forget about him so they wouldn't know his weaknesses, before he killed Merlock- was make Robin swear that he would kill Clay if anything bad happened. And now Robin knew that that time had come. Robin adjusted his grip on his sword and yelled for help again. Clay laughed.

"You swore to strike me down," He mused, "And now when we're alone, you barely fight back and cry for help like a wounded lamb."

Robin took a shaky breath.

"Don't do this Clay," He pleaded, "I want help so we can take you back to the capital and help you break through this. This isn't you."

Another harsh laugh came from the former knight, who tossed his sword to the ground. The flames surrounding them started to burn hotter at Clay's amusement.

"Isn't it though? This was my mother's fate, and it's mine as well. Attack me! Attack me, brother! I disarmed myself, I made it easy for you!"

Robin knew he had no other choice. He squeezed the hilt of his own sword, then rushed at Clay, yelling.

Just before Robin could hit his brother, Clay's arms lengthened into twin, red swords and blocked the attack effortlessly. A cruel laugh came from Clay as he blocked hit after hit.

"Now we're talking!" He shouted, "Now we're really talking!"

The two clashed over and over again, metal against metal, the flames behind them growing ever hotter. Robin wore out quickly, overcome by the sheer stamina that Clay somehow possessed. Eventually, Robin was shoved onto the ground, where he was kicked onto his back. Each blade found its place on either side of Robin's throat.

"So here's where it ends," Clay said, "You, groveling in the dirt, and me, about to decapitate my own brother."

The blades pressed against Robin's skin, drawing thin lines of blood. Robin shut his eyes tight.

"Do it then." He croaked, "Just make it quick"

And Robin waited to die, for those blades to remove his head from his shoulders, but it never came. He opened his eyes again, and met Clay's. Clay was crying.

His bright yellow eyes were filled to the brim with tears, tears that flowed out onto his cheeks and down his chin. But the tears weren't what surprised Robin. It was the expression on his brother's face.

Pleading. Just pure begging. Clay was breaking through his corruption, and was begging for Robin to kill him where he stood. Robin felt himself start to cry, and in one swift moment, drove his sword through Clay's chest.

Blood dripped down onto Robin's blade, and the glowing red on Clay's body slowly started to fade. The knight mouthed a quiet "Thank you" before he went limp against the sword.

Robin woke up with a start. His heart was pounding in his chest, and he could feel tears on the pillow against his head. His breathing was shaky and forced.

A nightmare. It was all a nightmare. Robin swallowed back a sob that was threatening to come out. A nightmare that had felt too real. Something moved in the bed farthest from the door and Robin could feel his heart stop.

Clay.

He had to make sure Clay was ok.

Quickly, Robin untangled himself from his covers and crossed the room to check on his older brother and wiped at his eyes as he walked. Under his signature blue colored sheets sat Clay, laying still, but mumbling in his sleep. A relieved sigh that Robin hadn't even known he was holding escaped his lips. He was fine. Clay was ok after all.

Robin relaxed, but didn't move. Right now, he just wanted to stay there and collect himself after the nightmare.

Under the covers, Clay's form moved, and his eyes shot open. Robin froze.

From his bed, the knight's eyes scanned the area and landed on Robin. Clay frowned and wiped at his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things. When it became clear that Robin was in fact there and staring at him like a deer in headlights, Clay sat up.

"Robin?" He sleepily mumbled, "What're you doing?"

Robin tugged at the hem of his sleepshirt. What was he supposed to say? That he killed Clay in his dream and was coming to check that Clay didn't have a sword in his chest? Or to make sure that Clay was still alive in general?

"I had a nightmare," He settled on, "It was really bad and- what're you doing?"

Clay had laid bad down, but lifted an arm to hold up his blanket. He had also scooted back in his bed to make room for something. Clay gave a sniff.

"You can sleep with me tonight. Whatever happened in that nightmare of yours, it must've been bad. You're pretty shaken up."

Robin blinked.

"Oh I- okay."

Slowly the young knight made his way over to where Clay held up the blanket, and shimmied into the bed against Clay's heart. Clay took that as a signal to lower his arm, and held Robin close against his chest.

Robin was… warm, for one thing. Warm and secure against the older knight's chest. Clay's heartbeat was slow and rhythmic. Comforting, was what it really was. A comfort that told Robin that Clay was still alive and here.

Carefully, Robin moved his arms under Clay so he could hold his brother back and lay his head against Clay's bed.