"What do you mean it's back?" Saitharius asked when Dominico had finished telling his tale. "How can it be back? I thought we destroyed it."

"Nothing truly dies," Dominico replied. "Especially in the dream world. Things are always being created and recreated. It's a never ending cycle. It was how I was able to bring Dmitry back, after all."

Beside them, Nero ran his fingers through Dmitry's hair, gazing down at his partner's still face. He walked over to his sons, giving Dominico a hug.

"I'm so glad you're safe," he whispered. "We thought you were never going to wake up."

Dominico looked down at himself. "I had forgotten I'm only seventeen in the real world."

That statement made everyone frown in confusion. "Huh?" James asked.

"It's a long story. But, Dad sent me back to warn you. What he expects you to do I don't know." He paused, looking between his family members. "No offense."

"You need help? We can help," Launa said.

Dominico shook his head. "No, Lannie, you can't. I'm sorry, but, you guys don't know that world like I do. I've spent years adapting to the environment, finding ways to survive the different kinds of monsters and other creatures."

Saitharius put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Dad wouldn't have sent you back if he didn't believe we could help. You need someone who's been to the dream world before. Someone who's fast learning and adaptable."

Dominico glanced from Saitharius to Nero. "A smaller team would be better, easier to maneuver, easier to hide. Maybe one, two at most."

"Take your brother and mother," Vincent spoke up. "Nero's been to the dream world on several occasions, and Saitharius was born there. You three would have an easier time getting Dmitry than the rest of us."

Dominico nodded. "I was thinking the same thing, Papa."

"When do we leave?" Saitharius asked.

Dominico looked over at Dmitry. "I need some of his sand. I can hone in on his subconscious with it."

"Like how you were able to find him in the dream world before," Saitharius said, going over and scooping up a handful of sand.

"Something like it. But, unlike the alter chamber, we have to go deeper. Beyond dreams."

"Sounds dangerous," Gretchen commented. "How will we wake you up if something goes wrong?"

Dominico looked up at her. "You won't. Where we're going, we'll be beyond the reach of outside stimuli. We will either wake up on our own with Dad in tow, or not at all."

"No pressure," James said.

Saitharius poured the sand into his brother's hands. Dominico looked at Ross, Gretchen and James.

"You guys might want to move back," he said.

They did as they were told, and when they were a safe distance away, Dominico closed his eyes and concentrated. The sand began to pulse with a purple glow. The pulse became faster and faster and the sand began to swirl. All anyone could do was stand and watch as Nero, Saitharius and Dominico were engulfed in the sand. The vortex dropped and all three collapsed, comatose. Vincent and Reno moved Saitharius and Nero to two empty beds on the other side of the room.

"They're cold," Reno whispered, touching Saitharius's cheek.

Vincent looked between his son and grandsons. He sighed heavy, chest deflating, feeling completely helpless. He turned back to Nero's still form, putting a hand on his son's head.

"Bring yourselves home," he said. "We'll be waiting."


Nero groaned as he began to wake up. He cracked his eyes open to find himself on a deserted road in an abandoned city. He pushed himself up, looking around. His heart began to pound.

"Midgar?" he breathed in confusion. He got to his feet. "Nico? Sai?" His voice echoed off the empty buildings, bouncing back at him like eerie wails of the dead. "Nico? Sai?"

His answer came in the form of a snarl. His heart stopped beating and his blood ran cold. Nero turned, slow and deliberate. He forgot how to breathe as he stared down a large shadow creeper. The creature sniffed the air, growling as it picked up a new scent. As it advanced, Nero backed away.

"Oh shit," he whispered.

The shadow creeper opened its maw and let loose a screech. Nero froze, momentarily paralysed in terror. He couldn't remember Yazoo saying his shadow creepers had that effect on people.

"Not..the real...world...Nero," he choked out to himself.

The shadow creeper snarled again and charged forward. Nero's senses kicked back in just in time to see the creature lunging at him.

"Oh shit!"

He turned and ran. However, no matter how fast he tried to make himself run, it seemed as though he were moving at a snail's pace, as though he were running through cold honey. He grunted as the shadow creeper slammed into his back, sending him to the ground. He turned to look up at the beast, cringing at the foul stench of the hot breath on his face.

The shadow creeper opened its maw, revealing razor sharp teeth. Nero closed his eyes, bracing for the end. But, it never came. Instead of feeling the pain of the monster's bite, he heard it yelp in its own pain. Nero opened his eyes to see the shadow creeper turn tail and run. He panted to catch his breath, looking around for his saviour.

"Sorry about that," came a foreign, yet somehow familiar baritone voice.

Nero turned and looked up. A tall man in his mid-twenties stood over him. His long black hair was tied back in a high tail. Black and purple armour adorned the man's body, the purple glowing with energy. His eyes were the softest violet Nero had ever seen. However, it were his horns that gave him away. Nero stared up at his eldest son with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"Nico?" he breathed in awe.

Dominico smiled down at him. "Hey, Mom. Welcome to hell."