Sofia The First vs. The Nightmare Realm

Summary: The royal family and friends decided to make a new Halloween tradition by watching some horror films, unaware that they were going to submerged into their own version of it.

Since the kids were all graduated from Royal Academy and off to their respective secondary boarding schools, but they were allowed to come home on the weekends and vacations, old holidays traditions had to change, so Sofia came up with the idea of them getting together and watching movies based on the typical holidays.

Thanks to magic by Cedric, they had a Theater Room and snack area which was provided by the cooking staff.

Since it was the day before Halloween, they were gathered to have a Scary Movie Marathon.

"Hey Cedric do you have anything of that special spice that you put on the popcorn last time?" James asked the sorcerer.

Cedric nods and smiles as he reaches into his robes and pulls out a vial of purplish brown powder, "Yes, let me just put in the machine and then we can feast and watch until dawn."

"Here, here!" Sofia said with a smile as Cedric sat between Roland and Sofia, with a wave of his wand, the popcorn machine started and soon enough everyone had a bucket of popcorn and drinks in hand, before Baileywick turned on the projector and took his seat.

Soon enough everyone was really into the movie, to focus to notice the amount of popcorn was being consumed, pretty soon, James started to yawn and quickly fall asleep, followed by Amber, Roland, Miranda and Cedric, followed by Sofia and Baileywick just dozed off in his chair no popcorn in sight.

Sofia's Nightmare

Sofia "woke" up in what appears to be Cedric's tower, she looks around confused but quickly shakes it off and grabs a broom and starts the long task of cleaning the messy workshop, but the sound of the door opening, had her turn around, ready to greet her mentor/friend with a smile, only for the color to drain from her face as she drops the broom in fear.

"No, no, your dead!" Sofia whispers the figure came closer to reveal the disheveled appearance of her late father, Birk Balthazar, a bottle of rum in his hand as he took a swing before looking at his daughter with a sneer.

"Sorry to disappoint, girl, I am very much alive and now we can spend some "quality" time together." Sofia screams at the workshop suddenly replaced by an endless darkness as she tries to out run her tormentor.

Amber's and James's Nightmare

Amber "woke" up to find herself not in her room, but what appears to be dirty and dark cave, she walks outside only to see that her usual gown was replaced by rags, she looks around wondering what was going on, when she spots her family, quickly she runs up to them.

"Mom! Dad! James! Sofia!" Amber shouts happily.

When they looked at her, their happy expressions were replaced by cruel sneers.

"Dad, who is that peasant girl?" James asked with his nose up in the air.

Roland looks at her coldly, "No one, James, guards take this girl to the dungeons."

Amber screams as she was dragged away and thrown into a cold cell, while the sounds of cruel laughter and words surround her.

Meanwhile James was in the castle kitchen trying in vain to eat but the food kept dancing away from him.

Roland's Nightmare

It was nighttime in Enchancia, Roland was busy finishing up paper, everyone was sound asleep in their beds.

Over in Dunwitty, Lucinda was still awake, poring over her family's spell book, when an unusual spell caught her curiosity.

"Viraos Epidemic" she reads as the words to activate it, she was unaware of the horrors she unleashed.

It started with a dry cough, which quickly turned into a fever, followed by difficultly breathing, weight loss and which some recovered easily, some weren't so lucky.

When news of this reached the castle, Baileywick was quick to report to the king.

Roland was in the study when Baileywick approached.

"You majesty, we have a... problem." The castle steward declared.

"What is it, Baileywick?" Roland asked.

"There seems to be an unbreak of some unknown virus in the village." Baileywick explained. "Left unchecked, it could prove disastrous."

"I see." Roland nodded. "Get our best doctors on it. And issue a notice, informing all our people to be wary, and cleanliness is top mandatory!"

"Yes, your majesty." Baileywick nodded.

As Baileywick left, Roland reflected on the situation.

"An outbreak..." He said to himself. "And of an unknown virus. Even our best doctors might not be able to find a solution..."

For the next few months, Roland watched as his kingdom fall to disorder and chaos because of this virus, soon his whole family was killed by the crazed villagers, as he sat on his knees surround by his slayed guards and family and friends, as he closed his eyes waiting for the killing blow.

Miranda's Nightmare (TW: Death of a child)

Miranda was humming to herself as she walked the familiar path to home, when she spots some familiar faces, ones that she never thought she would see again.

"Mario?" she whispers her voice cracking with emotion.

A little boy around 6 years old, with tan skin, shocking red hair and bright emerald green eyes and a cheeky smile on his face, wearing a simple shirt and pants with shoes.

"Mama!" Mario exclaimed happily making a beeline for her, only for a carriage to come out of nowhere and hit the little boy full force.

Miranda screams as she runs to her little boy's broken body, cradling him close, she sobs heavily.

"Why did I have to die, Mama?" The little boy states, shocking Miranda as the small figure shifts into her late first husband, Birk.

"You killed him! My boy, you killed my son!" He screams.

Miranda whimpers as she tried to block out the voices that had tormented her for years.

Cedric's Nightmare

Cedric was standing in the crowd of people that he cared about as they sneered at him and started to throw insults at him.

"Bundler!"

"Useless!"

"Waste of space!"

"Disappointment!"

"Ugly!"

Cedric tried in vain to not let the words get to him, but they hurt deeply, as he stood there, he saw a familiar face that was normally so kind to him, sneer at him.

Sofia looks at him and said coldly, "I wish that I let Dad let you rot in the dungeons."

The words shook him to the very core, but then he notices that there was something off about the room and people in it.

Narrowing his eyes suspiciously he that room has a strange purplish glow and when he accidently touched Sofia, his hand met air.

Curious, he reaches out again and again the same thing happened and that when he realized.

"Oh Merlin's Mushrooms! I accidently put nightmare inducing powder in the popcorn by mistake instead of the usual cinnamon sugar, calm down, now remember, how did that enchantment go.

"Where the land of dreams meet reality

There's a river full of memories and desires

For in this river, all is found

In her waters, deep and true

Lie the answers and a path for you

Dive down deep into the sound

But not too far or you'll be drowned

Yes, she will sing to those who'll hear

And in her song, all magic flows

But can you brave what you most fear?

Can you face what the river knows?

Where dreams meets reality

There's a place full of memory

Come, my darling, homeward bound

When all is lost, then all is found"

"Why have you summoned me, young Sorcerer?" a disembodied voice asked.

Cedric looks around nervously, but explains what was happening, without warning a blinding white light shined, forcing the man to cover his eyes, once the light faded, he removes his hands to see a young teen girl wearing light gold robes with her with black hair flowing around her, her eyes were a shocking blood red.

"Fear not, I am Princess Margarita, Daughter of the King of Dreams, am I hear to help you with your quest to save your friends."

"Where are we?" Cedric asked, looking around the endless darkness.

"We are in my half brother Prince Ciaran's kingdom, the Nightmare Realm where the Queen and he rule with an iron fist."

"How do we rescue my friends?" Cedric asked just as he ducked when a shadow figure dived after him.

"I will tell you as we get away from my brother's shadows, quickly." Princess states as they run for cover.

"Dearest Sister, you can run, but you can't hide from me, you have forgotten this is my realm." A voice mocked from the shadow figure.

Without any warning Margarita grabs Cedric and with a twist they disappeared into the shadows, only end up in area where there appeared to be an endless hall of doors with various names on it.

"Where are we?" Cedric asked.

The young girl sighs as she said, "We are in limbo, the area that meet dreams/nightmares with reality, meaning me or my brother can enter any room that is slips into our realms and we are able to interact with the people in their dreams or nightmares, fortunately they will have no memory of meeting us, when they are awake."

"So how do we rescue my friends?" Cedric asked again.

"We simply open the door and enter."

"That sounds too simple." Cedric states.

"Your correct, that is why I am going to give you some protection, because once we enter my brother's realm he will try to take you, here."

Reaching into her robe she pulls out a necklace that strangely similar to Princess Sofia's amulet, shrugging he quickly puts it on, making sure that his bowtie covered it hiding it from view.

"Now who should we are start with first?" Margarita asked.

"Sofia." He said only for the door to appear in front of them.

Gulping he quickly opens the door and soon they were both sucked into Sofia's worst nightmare.

It took a moment to recover from the shock, but soon Cedric saw a much younger Sofia, huddled in the corner of what was once her previous home before becoming a royal, while an older man was screaming and hitting her as she cried and plead.

"SOFIA!" Cedric shouts as he rushes to the girl's aid, rushing through the man, causing him to disappear in a cloud of purple smoke.

The young girl whimpers as the sorcerer kneels down to her level, speaking to her softly.

"Sofia, child, it's Cedric, your mentor and friend, please look at me."

The young girl stops whimpering and looks up at him at first in confusion, but soon she quickly recognized him and soon the little girl was replaced by the young teen he knew as she embraced him tightly, before pulling away and looking around and spotting the young dream Princess, she opens her mouth to ask question, but Cedric shakes his head and mouths later before getting up and saying.

"I will explain later, but for now we have to rescue the others."

With that the two mortals and guardian in training were off, unaware that they were being watched by a boy in dark blue robes who look strikingly similar to his sister, but had white hair and icy blue eyes and a scowl on his face.

"Mother we have to stop them!" The boy whines.

A beautiful woman sat on her throne, a look of boredom on her face as she look at the water mirror.

"Enough whining, just send some of your little pets or confront your sister yourself, this petty feud between you two is both exhausting and embarrassing."

"Well she started it!" Ciaran shouts pouting big time, only to yelp when his mother cuffed him on the back of the head.

"Fine I will go see her." the boy prince states not happy about it one bit.

Meanwhile Cedric, Sofia and Margarita had already rescued both Amber and James and now where on their way to Miranda's door, when suddenly they were surrounded by shadow figures.

"I told you couldn't hide from me forever sister!" Ciaran states step in front of their path.

"You guys go ahead, I will catch up with you, I have some business to take care of here." Margarita said getting a fighting position.

Cedric was quick to herd the protesting children away from the duel and soon they were standing in front of Roland's door.

Without hesitation, they opened the door and entered in, only to be surrounded by crazed and ill looking villagers, as their father sat kneeling surrounded by the slayed bodies of his family, the graphic nature of it all shook Amber and James a bit, but they soon quickly ran up their father, followed by Sofia and Cedric.

"Roland!" Cedric said

"Dad!" both James and Sofia said in unison

"Daddy!" Amber cries.

Roland looks up at hearing his name, he looks to see his children standing before him.

"No this isn't real, your dead." Roland said sadly

"Roland! This is just a nightmare, look see." Cedric showing the man his hand going through one of the villagers.

Roland still looked like he didn't believe him, but then kids decided to forcibly make him do it himself, once he did it, the look of doubt and depression vanished to be replaced by love and relief as he hugged his children and even Cedric closely, before getting up and following them out, listening intensely as they all explained about what had happened so far and soon enough they were standing in front of Miranda's door.

The normally laid back King, seemed hesitating about going in.

"Dad? is everything okay?" Sofia asked concern.

Roland sighs heavily, shaking his head, "No, if I am correct about what your Mother's nightmare about, it's going to be difficult for her to snap out of it."

The children and Cedric were confused and curious as well a little scared.

"I want you three to stay out here with Cedric, while I go get your Mom." Roland states firmly which made the children want to protest, but the look on their father's face made them stop.

Taking a deep breath, Roland opens the door and walks inside, for what seem like forever, a deeply troubled Roland came out with a deeply upset Miranda in his arms, who was quick to hug her children tightly, before they were quickly surrounded by shadow figures, with a smirking Ciaran holding onto an exhausted Margarita, before laughing coldly as he dropped her to the ground.

"Margarita!" Sofia exclaimed running to her aid, the little girl coughed a bit and tried to smile, but it came out more like a grimaces as she states.

"Go, Sofia, take your family and run until you find the exit." she states.

"But I can't just leave you here." Sofia said.

Margarita opens her mouth to say something only for a loud booming voice to say.

"Ciaran! Margarita! What is going on here, why are these mortals still running around here, you know that bringing them here is forbidden!" A man with whitish black hair and blue and red eyes appeared wearing a deep green robes.

Both children look sheepishly at him as he turns the group and said, "I am King Hypnos, while I understand that my daughter summoned to aid you, my son on the other hand decided to mess with her, now normally there is a door that you can go through to get back home, but since I am here and don't worry you will have no memory of this, it will simply seem like you had a really weird dream.

Without another word, he waves his hand and the familiar gold sand covered them and soon they were gone.

Cedric was the first wake up and he let's out a yawn, then soon the rest followed suit.

"I had the strangest dream." Amber states as she rubbed her eyes.

"Me too." James said.

"Yes, it appears we all fall asleep while the movie was going on, and I guess well shared a similar nightmares." Cedric states as he got up and decided to head to bed.

The kids and adults alike all agreed with him as they all decided to call it a night.

Once Cedric was in his tower, he decided to do a quick inventory, when he notice that the bag of Nightmare Powder was not there and just shrugged figuring that maybe he got rid of it.

Unaware that two dream spirits were running around, the boy chasing the girl who was teasingly keeping the bag of powder away from him until they vanished into thin air.

THE END

See you all next Halloween Everyone