Gin was trembling, and he never trembled. He prided himself on being fearless, or as close to it as he could get.

But this... this was terrifying.

The creature loomed above him, all fluid black tar. Its face that of an elk skull, with antlers the size of small trees. Its eye sockets black and infinite, like its body. Its fluid form dripping and shifting as it rose up from the black puddle it came from. Its endless stare chilling Gin to the core.

"You," it said, tilting its head to the side with an awkwardness that spoke of disuse. The sound of clicking bones accompanying every minute move of its head and jaw.

Gin swallowed, paralysed with fear as it rose up on its six legs, and the rest of its body emerged from the blackness. An Eldritch Horror if ever there was one, with its deer like legs and spider like posture.

"You dare disturb my slumber?" it rumbled. Its voice also speaking of disuse.

Gin reached for Shinsou by instinct if nothing else, and shot his blade out to stab the beast. Only for the blade to get stuck in the black goop of its body. He cursed inwardly as he struggled to pull Shinsou out of the fiend, only able to watch as it rose up to its full height. Towering above him, an abomination in every sense of the word. Gin had never seen its like before. And he never wished to again.

Still, it stared down at him, gaze boring right through him.

The Nowhere King. Neither man or beast, belonging nowhere but nightmares.

"Why are you here, puny worm?" the beast grumbled. "Is it your wish to die in the void with me?"

Gin struggled, finally managing to tug his sword free. Still unable to stop shaking in the presence of the Nowhere King. The creepy nursery rhyme repeating in his head.

Hush now, hide all you little ones,

Rush now, into the middle of Nowhere,

Singing and laughter will die.

"I'm not dyin' here," Gin told him. Trying to keep his voice steady. Probably failing miserably.

"Then," the beast tilted its head again the other way. "You've come to set me free."

"No," Gin told it. "Not if I 'ave anythin' t'say about it."

The beast chuckled darkly. "Are you sure about that?" it asked, grinning maliciously. Gin took a step back as the monster drew closer.

"I am," Gin insisted, voice firm as he could make it. "But the Nowhere King saw right through him, despite his best efforts.

"Are you?" It repeated, its voice hard and full of enough conviction to chill Gin's very bones. He tried to keep his cool, but this was the subject of every one of his childhood nightmares.

"I am," Gin repeated. Firmer now. Braver now. Better to die fighting than a coward. And as Sousuke always told him, tell yourself a lit enough times and you'll eventually start to believe it. "I'm gonna walk outta here alive. And you're staying here."

The Nowhere King chuckled, the laugh settling deep inside Gin's marrow along with the chill. "I wouldn't be so sure about that, boy. Better men than you have lost themselves to me. Your hubris will be your downfall here."

The laugh grew darker, the sound evil and sinister to Gin's ears. He took a step backwards, only to find his legs stuck in a pit of tar that made up the Nowhere King's body. Trapping him in one spot, unable to move even an inch in any direction.

Gin gasped as he realised he was stuck, his eyes locking with the Nowhere King's as the tar crept up his calves, then his thighs, rooting him to the spot.

Shit, he cursed. Sousuke, I'm sorry. Seems like I'm gonna die here after all.

. . .

Sousuke pushed through into the void, hoping Akon wasn't stupid enough to close it after him. Else they'd both me stuck in here until they died. Which wouldn't be very long. But thankfully it remained open, so he could go charging full pelt into the white rift back to where he'd last seen Gin. Hoping against hope his partner was still alive. Cursing under his breath as he ran. Ready to wreak bloody vengeance on the creature who'd hurt his Gin.

Just hold on, he willed. Just hold on until I get there.

. . .

Gin' heart leapt up into his mouth as the realisation dawned on him that he might very well die here. Alone and far from home, far from everyone he'd ever cared about.

But at least Sousuke's okay. At least I managed to save him before I got stuck in here. Tha's gotta count fer somethin'. Right?

The thought wavered as the thick tar crept up to his hips and waist, and then his ribs. The beasts skull closed the gap between them until they were almost nose to nose. The monster's eyes aglow with green embers.

Gin swallowed, the saliva thick in his throat.

Right?

The tar continued to drip from the ceiling and pool around them, and the beast spoke again.

"Are you sure you haven't come to set me free, little boy?" he asked. "I do so hope to get out of this wretched place, you know."

"No," Gin answered, trying to keep his voie firm. Probably failing now the tar was more than halfway up his body, holding him fast as he stared death in the face. There was a reason the Nowhere King was imprisoned in here, and Gin didn't want to physically witness it firsthand. The stories were enough for him. And the haunting nursery rhyme that sang of death.

Dreamless sleep follows the Nowhere King,

When his kingdom comes, darkness is nigh.

And looking into those eyes, Gin knew he'd die here. But that didn't stop his legs from shaking, even encased in the tar. Or his heart from beating against the cage of his ribs like a wild animal caught in a trap.

He was going to die here, he knew. The Nowhere King never let anyone live, Gin knew that from the stories. He'd die here, alone and scared. Frightened by the subject of a children's horror story nursery rhyme.

He swallowed the lump in his throat as the Nowhere King spoke again.

"Or have you come to sacrifice yourself to me?"

The beast's mouth opened wide, inch by slow inch, and Gin looked into the black abyss of its maw. The horrific nursery rhyme and its accompanying music ringing in his ears.

Quiet, crawl through the inbetween,

Silent, secretive feeling of

Fearsome hatred that reaches the skies.

The thick tar crept further up his body, further immobilising him. All he could do was shut his eyes and wait for the end. Feeling the creature's cold breath on his skin. His own breath catching the closer it drew to him. Trying to brace himself for the end and failing - until he heard a deafening roar from the other side of the void.

The Nowhere King paused for just a moment. Long enough for the source of the sound to lunge and sink its teeth into the goopy 'flesh' of the Nowhere King's neck, growling and snarling. Gin just stood there, too shocked to move, even after the tar had loosened its hold on his body.

The newcomer was a beast much like the Nowhere King. Made of thick black tar in the shape of a grizzly bear, with a skull to match. Though were those deer antlers and did it have four eyes? Gin couldn't tell. Things were all moving so fast. But its eyes – all of them – were glowing a deep red, and a deep growl was rumbling through its throat as it shook the Nowhere King like a ragdoll before throwing him across the floor.

"Don't you touch him," The bear-thing snarled. Its – his – voice gravelly and somewhat disembodied. Fragmented. Deep and eerily familiar. Discordant, though thick with rage. "He's mine!"

Gin couldn't bring himself to look away. The beasts lunged at each other, the Nowhere King scrabbling to its six hooved feet and the bear-thing rushed him. Teeth gnashing, ripping chunks of tar from each others bodies. Antlers cracking against each other as they fought. It was like nothing Gin had ever seen. The bear-thing managing to pin the Nowhere King under him. Teeth around his neck. Gin closed his eyes and waited for the snap. And sure enough the harsh, bone-crunching noise that came after told him the deed was done. The thud of its body hitting the floor reverberating within him.

Now there was just the other Eldritch Horror to deal with.

Gin carefully opened his eyes to the newcomer, ears attuned to its heavy breathing. Heart pounding in his chest as he waited for the creature to come and finish him off.

He felt it step closer, saw its four red eyes and antlers. Its gaze burning into his, rooting him to the spot, even as the tar fell away around him. Unable to move even if he wanted to.

The monster growled softly, and the tar around it rose up around it. Gin looked away, shielding his eyes with his forearm. Not wanting to see the end coming. But nothing happened. Nothing kept happening. And Gin slowly uncovered his eyes. The monster was gone, and in its place stood his partner.

Needless to say, he was very confused. Unless the beast was playing a trick on him, like Grand Fisher might. But he doubted it.

"Sousuke?"

His partner studied him, giving the smallest sigh of relief. So small no-one but Gin would notice it. "Oh good. You're safe."

Gin just tried to comprehend it all. "What... what happened? I... I shoved you through the portal. I protected you. How are you even..."

"I made them let me back in," Sousuke answered. "I had to come back and make sure you were safe. I couldn't... I couldn't leave you in here." Sousuke paused, took a breath. "Not when I know what that thing can do to you."

Gin was still catching up. "What that thing can do?"

Sousuke nodded, hand loosely gripping his upper arm, glancing away into the white abyss. "There's a reason I told you not to linger here," he said. "I'd hoped to spare you that same fate."

"Oh," Gin gaped, everything finally clicking into place now. "So that's why you..."

Sousuke nodded again. "Yes. The Nowhere King corrupts everything he touches. And I got in his way."

Gin went cold. "Shit, I... I didn't know."

"Because I never told you," Sousuke told him. "You never needed to know. Until today." He paused, trying to gather both his thoughts and himself. "I never wanted you to know," he added quietly.

He sighed and shook his head. "I didn't want anything to change by you finding out.!

"It won't," Gin told him. "you saved my life. I don' give a shit if ya had to turn into an Eldritch Horror t'do it."

Sousuke looked at him for a long moment, then managed a small smile. "You mean you don't care if I'm an 'Eldritch Horror' as you put it?"

Gin grinned back at him. "Dun give a single fuck. Yer me partner an' that's all that matters t'me. Sides, who doesn't want a fuckin' Eldritch Horror who'll kick peoples asses for em?"

Sousuke's smile broadened into the one Gin was familiar with. The one that reached his eyes and lit him up like the sun. "Well, now I'm happily reassured you aren't going to run screaming to the hills," he said, offering his hand. "Shall we go home?"

Gin's smile softened towards him. "Let's," he said warmly, taking Sousuke's offered hand and walking with him back towards the door home. His mind still replaying the scene of his lover taking on the Nowhere King for him. Killing the Nowhere King for him. Imagining the look of satisfaction in his four red eyes as the light died in the Nowhere King's green ones. The final verse of the children's rhyme backing the scene in his memory.

You will bring joy to the Nowhere King,

When he sees the light leaving your eyes.

And Gin smiled as he had a dark thought, walking hand in hand with his partner in crime, that the real Nowhere King might be a lot closer than he once thought.