#here in the darkness

[sleepsonfutons]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Sandman (TV 2022), The Sandman (Comics) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Major Character Death Relationships: Dream of the Endless/Hob Gadling, Dream of the Endless | Morpheus/Hob Gadling, Dream of the Endless | Daniel & Hob Gadling, Death of the Endless & Dream of the Endless | Morpheus, Calliope & Dream of the Endless | Morpheus, Hector Hall/Lyta Trevor-Hall & Dream of the Endless | Daniel Characters: Dream of the Endless, Dream of the Endless | Morpheus, Dream of the Endless | Daniel, Hob Gadling, Death of the Endless, The Endless (The Sandman), Calliope (The Sandman), Alexander Burgess, Roderick Burgess, Lyta Trevor-Hall, Hector Hall Additional Tags: Temporary Character Death, Non-Linear Narrative, Finding of Self, Rebirth, Deconstructed Sense of Self, Lost Sense of Self, non-graphic depictions of death, Grief/Mourning, Dissociation, Imprisonment, The Sandman (Comics) Spoilers, Reconciliation, Getting Together, Angst with a Happy Ending, Eventual Happy Ending, Canonical Character Death, Minor Canonical Character(s), Minor Character Death, Timeline What Timeline, Dream of the Endless | Morpheus Loves Hob Gadling, Hob Gadling Loves Dream of the Endless | Morpheus, Hurt Dream of the Endless | Morpheus, The Fates are Cryptic as Always Summary:

Stranger…Little Brother…Dream…Morpheus…Oneiros…Daniel! 

The last thread of himself, that last desperate thread, resounded with discord at the final whisper. It rankled him. His sense of self. What self?

The thought fled as soon as it was conceived. Was he, he? Anything?

Out of thought you are born. Formless unconsciousness. You must claim a new form, Lord Shaper.

His desperation trembled at this command and fled to the extremities of the Dreaming, ‘til he felt other realms — his siblings’ realms.

How curious, to know you are of others, but know not of self. How long will you remain this way? Are this way? Were this way?

Something watched and something waited…here in the darkness.

Here in the darkness he was alone, and was not.

[lightdancer1]

Next chapter up:

[kociamieta]

a router is a type of beast. thumbs up

[hauntedorpheum]

Carrie (1976) dir. Brian De Palma The Silence of the Lambs (1991) dir. Jonathan Demme Se7en (1995) dir. David Fincher Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004) dir. Raja Gosnell Zodiac (2007) dir. David Fincher Jennifer's Body (2009) dir. Karyn Kusama The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) dir. David Fincher Paranorman (2012) dir. Sam Fell, Chris Butler Last Night in Soho (2021) dir. Edgar Wright

[beets]

9-1-1. 7.04 Buck, Bothered and Bewildered [details]

[cryoshad]

concerning pastimes

[happyheidi]

… 𝑚𝑜𝑜𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑 ✩✰

[fairydrowning]

"Days will pass, and you'll abandon things you were addicted to, and leave someone, and cancel a dream, and finally, accept a reality."

– Nizar Qabbani

[hunnam]

Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher Reacher Season 2, Episode 2 "What Happens in Atlantic City"

[littlemsjane-error]

[eldrtchmn]

I abandon here the flesh of my body

[finemealprompt]

DP x DC Prompt #35

There's a Teen Titans, there's a Young Justice, but there's no Teen Superhero team that deals with things that Justice League: Dark does. And, well, John's a little tired.

Once teenager superheroes stop being teenager superheroes, and they seem to belong with JLD, they got tossed in the team. But, they aren't prepared for the team. They haven't dealt quite with threats that JLD handles all the time. They're not experienced enough.

So, John decides it's time to get a Young Justice: Dark team started. He's shit at leading, though, so he calls Phantom for a favor.

[lightdancer1]

New chapter up:

Excerpt:

Our sister, she- 

Death shook her head. 

I know what she did, Dream. She did it to prevent happening what she pointed out would likely have happened otherwise. She had them to prevent others from breaking them apart and my soul dispersed among others for power. I too am angry at it, but if I have not taken further action than I did when I reclaimed my wings, then you have no right to act on my behalf more firmly than I did. I will not have another Nada on my conscience, little brother. 

Dream's expression changed then and he stalked toward her in a rage as she stood facing him. 

Do not mention that name to me, sister. 

Death gave him an equally firm look. 

I was held captive because of things I did not choose for years, Dream. Forgive me if that experience leads me to empathy with a mistake that I own as much as you do. 

Her brother loomed over her and Johanna decided that since discretion was sometimes the better part of valor to slip into one of her more heavily warded rooms and wait for things to blow over. Desire was staring in open-mouthed shock at things and did nothing to draw their siblings' minds to their presence. 

I did nothing wrong with, or to Nada my sister. I offered her a boon thrice, thrice she refused. 

Death's gaze was stoic, where his was a scowling mask and that too Desire appreciated as a strange reversal. 

[radiance1]

When the Justice League heard of Phantom, they believed they had to act quickly. Based on what they were told by the GIW, a branch of the government they had no knowledge of previously (Batman is working to correct that), the ghost was dangerous and extremely powerful.

A ghost that terrorized a small town that they GIW have tried-and failed- on numerous occasions to send back to the Ghost Zone. The GIW wouldn't have come to the Justice League for help if it were just that, but based on what they have claimed Phantom has achieved an inexplicable rise in power after having met with the King of ghosts himself.

If what they say is true, then ghosts could potentially invade and cause an all-out war with humanity that the Justice League would rather much avoid thank you.

Negotiations for peace or understanding have been repeatedly rejected and the GIW has been led to believe that Phantom has done something to the Fenton couple. The leading ecto-biologists in the world, years of research suddenly wiped clean off and acting much more cordial towards the ghost.

A complete 180.

So much so that you could even claim them to have been mind controlled. Which isn't outside the realm of possibility due to ghosts having an innate ability to overshadow others and control them.

Perhaps even the entire town has fallen under Phantom's control. Even another ghost, who had just been recently opposed to Phantom, has fallen under his control.

So the Justice League had to act fast.

---

Danny was fucked.

He could tell that very, very well. He still didn't have his entire new... dragon thing... under control very well, mostly sticking a half human like form. His powers were stronger yes but he couldn't really control them well.

Which is kinda why he's fucked.

Danny has never heard about the Justice League before, mostly because he had recently found out that apparently Amity Park was isolated. Like, extremely. Basically it's own little world cut off from the rest.

So when they appeared with the GIW he thought, hey, maybe they were finally changing their white suit shtick.

He didn't expect them to be extremely well-trained, have supernatural abilities or magic. Along with their usual tech well.

Yea.

Danny was fucked.

And he was very, very scared.

He's already died once but that didn't mean he wanted to die again, and he knows that he would probably be heavily experimented on if the GIW actually got their hands on him.

He was alone. He was surrounded. He was outnumbered. And he was oh, so very scared.

His family and friends had already fallen (thankfully not dead, just unconscious he thinks) and Vlad was occupied elsewhere, also fighting.

So Danny was alone.

No one would be coming to help him.

So what did he do?

He opened his mouth and did something he didn't do often. Despite that he could see that they somewhat recognized what he was about to do and tried to find cover.

Danny wasn't aiming at them.

He pulled his head back, mouth aimed at the sky.

Danny wailed.

It was waaaay more powerful than he had originally thought, so he was glad he aimed it at the sky.

As soon as it was over he felt drained, swaying on his feet and trying to use his tail to steady himself and not fall off his own claws.

They didn't know what was happening.

Danny just hoped it worked.

---

Neither the Justice League nor the GIW knew why Phantom shot one of his most powerful attacks up into the sky, but they did see the opportunity it presented.

Phantom was weak. Looking like he would fall off his own feet and fall unconscious.

They had to act quickly.

But before they could, from right where Phantom had wailed into the sky.

It cracked.

And continued to crack.

Until a large hole appeared in the sky, leading into a dimension of endless green.

The Infinite Realms.

They believed Phantom was trying to retreat.

They were wrong.

Two roars came from the portal, forcing everyone to cover their ears.

Then.

Something came out of the portal.

A long, serpentine dragon flowed out, flying around the area of the crack before descending down and around Phantom.

Then.

A giant claw grabbed onto the edge of the crack. Pushing against it until it broke, forcing the hole bigger and bigger as a much, much larger dragon stepped out. Standing protectively over the serpentine dragon and Phantom.

A large crown wrapped in flame floating about its head signified its status.

The Ghost King.

[peculiary]

The Sandman #1 Jun 23, 2010

[greykolla-art]

Every day I wake up and think:

“At some point Izzy realised how out of control things had gotten, and started putting himself in between Ed and the crew, as much as he could. Especially when Ed was too drunk/high to even know what he was doing. Cause Izzy doesn’t want the others to suffer more for his mistakes.”

“They are all bonded through shared trauma now.”

And every day I cry like a baby.