A/N

Mwuahahah! Sorry, I couldnt help but mess with you!

A few moments before that…

The Edge of Reality.

A temporary realm where boundaries of possibility blurred and the fabric of existence shimmered with infinite potential. The ethereal domain that only existed at the precipice of what mortals knew and understood about reality. A realm untouched by the constraints of time and space.

If this was the place for the meeting, something very serious was about to be discussed.

Death was standing at the edge of the room that had been chosen by their host. Most of her siblings were here as well, lined up like soldiers at attention, ready for battle. It took but a single glance to know Destruction had, unsurprisingly, decided not to join them.

Destiny was standing right next to her.

To her left, a bit further away, her other siblings–Desire, Despair and Delirium–were standing close together.

So far, the only words her big brother had given her were polite words of greeting.

Death scanned the room; large, spacious, round. Dorian-style pillars edged off the space. There was no ceiling, no furniture, merely a few large braziers placed between the pillars. The floor they were standing on consisted of the dark waters of all that was, had been and ever would be. Not at all a dramatic setting then.

She spotted Dream further into the room and, smiling, she meant to approach him, but Destiny reached out a hand that landed just above her elbow, and closed. Firmly stopping her from leaving his side.

"Remain by my side, sister. I implore you," her brother said.

"What's going on, big brother? Why have we been summoned?"

Of course he deigned not to answer that question. Yet, she complied and remained where she was. She did at least allow her gaze to travel back to her younger brother. Something about him seemed off and stark and strange. As obscure and peculiar as an onyx obelisk that had been dropped in their midst for no apparent reason. There, it was in the way his fingers clenched and unclenched. The only movement visible in his otherwise absolute still form.

"I greet thee, Endless," a voice cut through the silence.

The voice came from an elderly man, with hair the colour of the wool on a lamb, great big sideburns, elegant glasses; he was impeccably dressed.

"Greetings to thee, Glory of the First Circle," Death murmured along with her siblings.

Behind Glory, through the eternal vista of galaxies and deep, black space, a small pale planet appeared. Growing larger and larger, or rather… closer and closer, until it seemed to be but a short distance away. On its pale surface the image of the night sky shimmered into being. The night sky filled with stars. Their stars; the Crown Eternal, the Corona Constellation.

A constellation that, through the ages, had been given many different meanings. Caer Arianrhod, or 'the Castle of the Silver Circle' for the Welsh. Or Darželis, 'the flower garden' to the ancient Balts. So many different cultures and just as many stories, but, Death liked the classical Greek story best. The crown that had been a gift from Dionysus to his future bride Ariadne, after Theseus had abandoned her. At their marriage, she had worn it and Dionysus had placed it in the heavens to commemorate their wedding. It was romantic.

Seeing that particular constellation projected that moment was not so romantic. For it meant that, whatever was going on, it involved all of them.

"I had hoped to trade pleasantries with all of you, but alas, my time is limited and a grave discussion is to be had." Glory peered at all of them, right over the rim of his glasses, and snatched at the lapels of his jacket, yanking them upwards with an air of arrogance and superiority.

"We are gathered here, because one of you decided again to break one of the Ancient Rules."

To her left, Death heard Desire moan softly, "Dre-eaam!"

A cold feeling unfurled deep within her, because now she knew why they were summoned. It shouldn't even surprise her. Even if Hope was now immortal, and Death had agreed not to come for her, Dream had already loved her when she was still a mortal.

Seeing him standing there, on his own, like a little school boy in trouble… It only illustrated for her that, though one of them, Dream always had been wired a little differently. Especially when it came to matters of the heart.

Though they were all variations on the same theme, it was as if their illustrious parents had subtly tampered with the emotional reach of each subsequent offspring, making minute adjustments to the scales with each and every one of them. And poor Dream… he was the only one, out of all of them, who'd never quite been able to do his duties without yearning for more. She could still remember how, so very long ago, they'd all hoped he'd find someone to share his existence with.

Then that debacle with Killalla had happened.

"My Lord Shaper," Glory directed his gaze towards her little brother. "What part of the rule 'Do not love a mortal, or accept their love, for harm will befall them' is unclear to you?"

"No rule was broken, Shekinah," Dream shot back. "Hope Ericks is no longer mortal."

Oh! Gutsy move!

"No longer mortal, you say? Shall we ask the Creator to visit her with a lightning bolt and test that little theory?"

Even from where she was standing, she could see every muscle in his body stiffen at the suggestion. And yet, he looked like a man who was struggling to keep himself upright, as if the universe itself was pressing down on his shoulders.

"You could do that, Glory," Death said, filling her voice with all of the authority she could muster. "And when you do, you will find I will not take her. The agreement has already been made."

Her brother briefly threw her a look over his shoulder, his eyes filled with gratitude.

"I did not expect such disregard for the rules from you, Lady Death." Glory sounded a trifle annoyed and even the flames in all of the braziers jumped up a little.

"And I am quite unbothered by that. Why have you called this meeting, Glory? This is not the first time my brother broke the Ancient Rule."

"But it will be the last time. Because the entire universe has had enough of the Dream Lord playing fast and loose with the rules. They were set in place for a reason and we demand they be uphold. Though the Creator has not yet intervened, I can assure you, They are in complete agreement!"

Shit...

"The Dream Lord has shown himself to be most unreliable in upholding the Ancient Rules. Not even that tragic history with Nada, Queen of the First People was enough to keep him from seeking further romantic liaisons with mortals. Endless, pray tell me, what will be enough? What fate should be visited upon this mortal to ensure even Lord Shaper will bend to the rules?"

Pure simmering anger made shadows explode from her, then implode. The flames in the braziers flickered, once, twice, then dimmed altogether. Even Glory gave her a wide-eyed look filled with concern.

The only being or entity in the room that didn't so much as flinch, was her brother Destiny. Who of course had seen this long coming in his book.

"You called us here to think of a way to punish a young woman, someone I call a friend, because she fell in love with my brother?" She made her voice as cold and as menacing as possible. And, just for good measure, she added, "You will please keep in mind that in the end, even you will come to me."

Don't worry, little brother, she thought to herself. I've got your back.

"A universal truth, Lady Death," Glory acknowledged her with a slight bow. He procured a crisp, clean handkerchief and took off his glasses to then clean them with painstaking meticulous little motions. "We simply wish to reach an agreement that is as unchangeable as the law of Medes and Persians. Something even your esteemed brother will respect."

"Then leave us be in peace, Glory," Dream cut in, his voice gentle yet persuasive. "There will not be a next time. You have my word."

"Like there was no next time after Killalla of the Glow? Or, like there was no next time after Nada? Should I continue, Lord Shaper? It pains me to say, but this time, your word is simply not good enough. We need– No, we demand insurance! It seems to me that killing off your current love interest with the promise the same fate will fall to all of your other future–"

"Again, you forget yourself! I will not take her!"

This time Glory turned on her and there was a flash of Holy Light in his eyes that warned her he was now speaking with the authority of the Creator. "And when he tires of her, Lady Death? Or are you planning to offer all of his future love interests immortal life? Because, as is his way, he will tire of this one as well! Before we know it, the entire universe will be teeming with immortals!"

"I think you should consider giving my big brother what he wants."

All heads, save Destiny's, snapped to the left of the room. And, as if the flames too were curious about what was to come next, they sparked back to life.

"Lady Despair?"

"Elevate the mortal and give her a function. If my brother is so certain there will be no other, he should have no objections to that."

Death stared at her younger sister. Her jaw dropped. It was the perfect solution!

Despair, you wonderful creature! she thought. I could just kiss you!

But why would Despair even come forward with this? She was no big fan of Dream.

"Give her a function and have her fate tied to him, to his realm. Forever. This was not done with, eh, the one who called me Aponoia. It left a way out. Don't leave a way out this time."

"A Forever Union," Glory mused. He scratched at his chin. "There is no precedence. Will it even work?"

"Wouldn't that be the beauty of it? If it didn't work?" Despair countered. "A union that cannot be broken, that cannot be escaped. Truly, it would be a perfect piece of art, if he should fall out of love with her. With no way out, no escape, they would both fall to the beautiful grip of despair. It would be so good."

"A Forever Union with the fate of the mortal sealed to the Dream Lord and his realm. As long as either one of them exists, the bond holds." Glory's lips turned up in a slightly devious smile. "Well, The Creator is amenable. Would that be acceptable to you, Lord Shaper?"

Death kept her head down so no one could see her smile. Glory was offering Dream everything he'd ever wanted on a silver platter and thought he was imposing the weight of a thousand stars on him. Anyone but Dream would be dancing a victory dance, right about...

"It would."

…Now.

She barely managed to suppress a squeal of pure joy.

"The mortal will have to be tested, of course," Glory said. "An elevation of this magnitude… It's never been done before and we can't bestow it upon just anyone. She has to be deserving."

Oh, shit…

"Eh, Glory? One little problem. The moment Hope perceives this as a huge honour, a gift" – She directed her gaze at her younger brother – "a boon… she will outright refuse."

The sudden ramrod straight posture of her brother told her he was aware what she meant. Honestly, if he straightened his spine even more she might worry it would snap!

"If the mortal is really so foolish then she does not deserve the elevation." Glory paused briefly, seemingly listening to someone else speak. A message from the Creator no doubt. "Very well, I shall offer her three choices. She will have full autonomy over her choice and we, all, shall respect that choice. Do I have your word on this, Lord Shaper?"

"Will I be one of those choices, Shekinah?"

Oh, clever!

"Elevation will be one of those choices. She will get to choose her function and her realm, herself."

"You have my word. I will stand by her decision," her brother said softly.

Death placed a hand on her throat hearing the barely-there emotion he had to be trying very hard to hide… the pure, unadulterated fear.

"Now to choose the narrative," Glory murmured. "Oh, will you look at that!"

The representative of the Creator directed their attention to the surface of the pale planet behind him, still showing an image of their constellation. The Corana…

A tiny blue dot appeared right between her own star and the one representing Dream. It was but a faint glow, it would hardly even be noticeable in the waking world, but Death went suddenly very still, as breathless as though she'd slammed into an invisible wall, and she grasped Destiny's arm.

"I am Destiny. I am what must happen. And this I needed to tell you because there will come a moment you need to know this."

If Destiny had been a mortal, his blood circulation would have been completely cut off, she was squeezing his arm that hard.

"The first light of a new star, born thousands and thousands of years ago. I'm sure I can work with that," Glory mused, looking at it. "It's such a faint, tiny little thing though. Surely we can, eh, glorify it a little?" He chuckled at his own joke. And then the subtle light of the far away star began to grow in intensity, growing and growing, until a bright, radiant flash of light briefly erupted from that tiny blue dot, until it settled, and settled and settled.

The birth of a star. One with no meaning at all. But tonight, just this one time, they were going to give it meaning!

"Very well, let us invite the lady in question. And, Dream Lord, a word of caution. Do not interfere when I'm testing her. For, believe me, she will be tested!"

She was drifting in the dark, where all was peaceful and somehow this sense of serenity felt familiar. Hope tried to blink her eyes, but mastership of her body was not yet in her reach. Trying to force her mind back into her body, into reality, was like swimming up from the depths of a deep pool.

There were muffled voices around her, voices she couldn't make out, like she was hearing them through pillows.

The sounds, words, were indistinct at first and it was impossible to determine what they were saying, but one of them sounded urgent, anxious. She recognized the deep, husky baritone but couldn't quite tell who the voice belonged to.

Her head throbbed with a dull ache, and Hope felt a little disoriented, as if she'd been asleep for days. But, as her senses slowly began to return, the words became clearer.

"Ah, and there she is. Welcome, my dear. We've been awaiting your arrival."

She blinked her eyes and this time vision returned to her and she was greeted by a dark, star littered sky filled with galaxies and… wait, galaxies?

Hope bolted upright and the very first thing she noticed was the water. On which she was sitting.

It was impossible of course, yet it was also true. The stars high up in the heavens —space?— winked back at her in the inky black water's reflection. When she looked up, she saw a portly, middle-aged man, his hair white and neatly combed backwards, but not in a slick way. And he had huge, huge sideburns! He was standing a small ways away, also on the inky surface.

Just as she slowly moved to her feet, the hair on the back of her neck stirred, and a shiver of awareness went through her. There was no sound that betrayed his presence, but Hope knew he was here. Because she suddenly remembered why she'd recognised that deep, husky baritone.

Sure enough, when she turned her face a fraction to the right, there he was… Dream of the Endless, the Lord of Dreams, the Dream King, Shaper of forms, Prince of Stories, and since last night her, well, lover… dressed in his kingly raiment. His black coat enveloped him from his shoulders to the tops of his black leather boots. And he stood, tall and regal, his back facing her.

Hope frowned at that, because his stance alone betrayed that something was wrong. That was before she even noticed the cold, ghostly darkness that wafted from him.

But he was not the only one here.

A slight shuffling sound to her left caught her attention and when she turned her head, her jaw dropped. There, right there, lining the perimeters of this room, where six people.

She only recognised one.

Dee was standing to the left of a tall man who was dressed from head to toe in ancient robes, a deep hood hiding his gaze. In his hands he held a book wrapped in chains that was attached to himself. A bit further away, on Dee's left there was a… wow…

Hope shook her head because she was utterly confused. A person was standing there, not man nor woman, both… more. It was almost as if the perception of them changed from moment to moment. Whatever the case, they were hot!

Instantly, Hope realised she'd somehow wound up in a family meeting… of the Endless!

Because that had to be Dream's sister-brother, Desire. Making the robed man Destiny, and the pudgy sad looking woman had to be Despair then. Leaving…

A pretty girl with rainbow coloured hair gave her a cheeky grin and a little wave. She then morphed into a teen with a short buzz cut, the rainbow hair gone and a slightly more serious expression on her face. Then she morphed back to the little girl. The one thing that remained constant, was that the girl looked at her with one blue eye and one green.

Delirium.

Without realising what she was doing, Hope gave them all a little wave, and she could see Dee biting her lip, fighting a smile.

"Are you with us, my dear?"

Hope instantly snapped her attention back to the silver haired man.

"Eh, yes?"

The inflection made it sound like a question.

"Yes," she said again, in a firmer voice this time, even though inside she was quaking.

What in the blazes was going on? And where the hell were they? Because, it really looked an awful lot like they were standing on a huge platform, covered with inky water that was not water, and they were floating somewhere in space!

"Welcome to our small gathering, I am Glory of the First Circle. You are already intimately familiar with Dream of the Endless," Glory said rather pointedly.

Heat stormed her face and Hope clutched her hands to her side as if that alone would prevent her from melting into a puddle of embarrassment.

He just had to say that. In front of his entire bloody family? Save the one missing of course.

"I am certain his family needs no further introduction, and of course they all know exactly who you are, but for the sake of formality, please allow me to introduce you. Lord Destiny, Lady Death, Honourable Desire, Lady Despair and of course Lady Delirium, please meet Hope. Hope… the Endless."

She briefly turned her head at them again, but was only met with stony silence, though Dee gave her an encouraging smile and Desire looked like they were thoroughly enjoying the show. Hope narrowed her eyes at them. They merely stared back, seemingly bored, though their golden eyes burned with intensity.

"You have been summoned here because a rule was broken. Again. The Dream Lord, it appears, has precious little regard for the ancient rules, or he would not so carelessly trample them!"
Hope lifted her chin at him. She still did not like to appear weak in front of those who might abuse that weakness. "I wasn't aware that any rule had been broken," she replied evenly.

At that Glory chuckled and it did not sound pleasant, or even friendly. It sounded like a judgement.

"Oh, you sound just like him! But, let's not be coy, Hope. All mortals are born with a knowledge instilled in them that loving or accepting the love of an Endless is forbidden."

With an equanimity she did not feel, Hope shrugged her shoulders. "I guess it's a good thing then I'm no longer mortal."

"No longer mortal? NO LONGER MORTAL?" His voice cut through the tense atmosphere with the strength of a thousand thunderbolts piercing through the night sky and Hope could feel her knees buckling with fear.

Glory gestured behind him towards a huge pale planet, and on its surface she saw the aftermath of what appeared to be a major accident. She saw her own body, broken and bruised, Hob standing back, a grief stricken look on his face, and a medical team doing all that was in their power to keep her among the living.

More was not needed. The memory of that moment crashed into her consciousness, ironically, like a speeding car careening out of control. For a harrowing moment, all sensations tied to that moment crashed into her as well.

The screech of tires pierced her ears. The world slowed down again while her heart raced in her chest, her breath catching in her throat. That same frantic surge of adrenaline, momentarily overwhelming her senses.

The impact–oh, God!–so swift and brutal. Again she felt that jarring force slamming into her body, heard again the sickening sound of metal meeting flesh, of bones breaking and tearing through skin, glass shattering. Then the white hot pain erupting throughout her entire being. The eerie sensation of flying through the air, weightless and helpless against the forces of gravity, her body twisting and contorting in a way it was not meant to.

And–sweet Mary Joseph–Hob's face! That look of shock and horror!

The fragmented memory blurred into a chaotic whirlwind of lights and noise and movement; Hope swayed on her feet and she could feel bile rising up her throat. No matter that her physical body was not really here, but dying somewhere else.

"You are but a hairbreadth from slipping away. That, my dear, is the very definition of mortal!"

"Enough!"

The word was delivered with firm calm, and it was more terrifying than Glory's holler.

Dream spoke again. "You will please remember, Shekinah, that Hope is not on trial here."

Glory inclined his head. "Indeed, she is not. As per our agreement, she will decide. And, I still have your word you will stand by her decision?"

Dream was silent for a length of time and when he eventually spoke, his voice was devoid of any nuance of feeling or emotion. "I will stand by her decision."

"Then, by all means, let's–"

"Excuse me," Hope said, interrupting him. She didn't like the way they were talking as if she wasn't even there. Especially when she apparently had some deciding to do. "What is this decision you are talking about? Mine? And, what exactly, would I be deciding on?"

"Whether you get to live or die, of course." Glory said it with the same affability one might use to comment on the weather. "What, you really thought there would be no consequences for breaking one of the cardinal rules?"

"Right, no mortal shall love the Endless or woe be upon them. Yet they" – Hope gestured at Desire – "managed to father a child with a mortal."

"That was not love, dear one, that was just sex and on her part… desire," they said drawing out the last word in a voice that was smooth like crushed velvet.

Dream's voice was all seduction, but, if sex would ever magically grow a voice, it would sound like that. Hope would not be surprised to learn that they could make one climax, merely by whispering in their ear. And for some reason it annoyed the hell out of her.

"Potayto, potahto," Hope snapped at them.

"That is quite enough," Glory said, his voice raising to a volume that made a shiver traipse down her spine. "It is not up to you to question the rules, Hope, merely to obey them or suffer the consequences. You should be glad you are being offered a choice here."

"I still haven't heard my choices."

"Then let us proceed. As you can see, your body hovers between life and death. A little push to the right and you die. You get to say your goodbyes and then Lady Death will set you on your path to the Afterlife."

"How a bout a little push to the left?" Hope ventured carefully.

"That is indeed one of the other choices. A little nudge to the left and you will miraculously be saved. You'll fully heal, no lasting ailments and you'll be allowed to live out the remainder of your life, which could be quite long for human standards–"

"Great!" Hope instantly jumped at the opportunity. "Let's go with–"

"–on the condition that you will no longer see Lord Dream."

A blow in her gut could not have been more forceful, or more painful.

All of her pretence at the bravery she didn't feel melted away and she croaked in a pitiful voice, "What?"

"You'll live, but you will never see, meet or speak to Lord Dream again."

She dared a quick glance in Dream's direction and noticed again the treacherous stillness of his body. Meaning that a dangerous tempest had to be raging inside of him. Because that's what he did. He gathered those bleak winds and furious gales deep within him, where they were contained and controlled by the force of his unyielding will and steely determination.

But what he thought of this, she could not say.

In the meantime, the news was doing a pretty good job of tearing through her reserves.

"That is no choice at all," she rasped. "You mentioned choices, plural. There has to be another one."

"There is," Glory said and suddenly a marble pedestal rose from the ground. On it was a royal blue velvet cushion and on that was a magnificent looking crown. It glittered with numerous tiny diamonds and it's eight spires each held a magnificent blue diamond. The filigree around them shaped into exploding stars.

"There is one last option. With the revelation of a new star in the Endless Constellation, or the Corona Constellation, a position became available, if you will. You could take this sigil, take up that position and carry out a function of your own in a supporting role to one of the Endless. Seven Endless came into existence and it was preordained that seven functions would actively be fulfilled. Alas, Lord Dream is not the only Endless with a disregard to the rules."

Ah, he was talking about the mysterious Prodigal.

"Lord Destruction left his post hundreds of years ago, leaving his realm ungoverned to chaos. Since he has not died, he cannot be replaced. Leaving us with seven Endless, but only six roles actively being carried out."

"You want me to become an… Endless?" Hope asked, not understanding.

Glory released an amused chuckle. "An Endless? Oh, no dear. There are seven Endless and there will only ever be seven Endless. But you can be an aide to one of them in a supporting role. You would tie yourself to their realm and continue to exist as long they, their function or their realm exist. There are, however, two caveats."

"Of course there are!" Hope said in a mocking tone.

"One," Glory said, ignoring her remark, "the choice is final. Once the choice has been made, you cannot go back. Even when you come to regret the decision. Two, as you cannot carry out your function, or tie yourself to a realm as a mortal… this means your mortal body will die."

Shock reverberated through her, as if she stood within the resounding depths of a colossal church bell, while it tolled. And with each strike of the clapper, bone-crushing waves of nausea coursed through her...