There was a buzz in the air, as fans eagerly waited for the next chapter of their favorite comic series to drop. But it wasn't just the plot itself that had them hooked, it was also the intense bromance between its two protagonists, a crown prince and a duke. Their friendship and mutual trust had led fans to ship them endlessly, with countless fanfiction stories ranging from dating to marriage, or even incorporating omegaverse settings.
One particular m-preg fanfic novel became incredibly popular among fans, where the previously cold duke becomes pregnant. However, this famous fanfic story differed greatly from the original work, such as characters become out of character (OOC). Especially for Duke's character, in contrast to his stoic nature in canon works, he is portrayed as gentle and a bit foolish who easily succumbs to lust, causing many Duke fans not accepting their favorite character being represented like this.
Despite these discrepancies though, the popularity for both comic and novel continued to soar, with the fanfic even rivaling the original work. But what no one could have foreseen is that the popularity of both works of fiction would cause an imbalance in the universe, leading to something strange and unprecedented. Suddenly, the line between fiction and reality blurred, until these works of fiction turned into real worlds!
The two books manifested themselves as parallel dimensions, similar yet different in many ways. However, having these fictional universes come to life caused chaos across both worlds. Various dimensional holes began to appear due to the collision of these worlds, connecting them in ways never before seen.
*
*
*
*
The sound of trumpets echoed throughout the kingdom as the news spread like wildfire, Crown Prince Alaric had finally returned after two long years at war. The people rejoiced and welcomed him back with open arms, eager to see their beloved prince once again.
As he rode his horse through the bustling streets, Alaric couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and satisfaction wash over him. He had led his army to countless victories during his time away, fighting alongside his best friend, Duke Carlton, who had become more than just a comrade in arms.
Their bond had been forged on the battlefield, strengthened by bloodshed and sacrifice. Together they fought for their kingdom's freedom and honor, never wavering even when faced with insurmountable odds. Now as he rode towards his palace gates with victory banners waving high above him, Alaric felt both exhausted and exhilarated.
Meanwhile, Duke Carlton remained stoic beside him, his eyes scanning the crowds with an unreadable expression. It was difficult to tell what thoughts were running through his mind. As they approached the palace gates, Alaric felt a mix of emotions, excitement at seeing his family again after so long away from them, also apprehension about facing all the responsibilities awaiting him as crown prince.
Alaric and Carlton dismounted from their horses at the palace gates, taking a moment to look around at the festive atmosphere. The kingdom was in full celebration mode after two long years of war. As they made their way through the throngs of people, Alaric turned to his best friend with a small smile.
"Can you believe it? We've finally come home."
Carlton merely grunted in response, his face as unreadable as ever. Alaric sighed inwardly, he knew that Carlton wasn't one for public displays of emotion or affection.
"Tonight we'll be celebrating with a grand feast." Alaric continued. "It's been so long since I've had proper food that wasn't dried rations on the battlefield." He chuckled lightly, but Carlton didn't seem amused.
After greeting their family and attending various formal events throughout the day, Alaric finally suggested to Carlton that they have a drink together.
"Just the two of us." He added with a small smile.
Carlton looked at him quizzically before nodding in agreement. They slipped away from the crowds and made their way to a secluded room where they could speak privately. As they sat down with glasses of wine in hand, Alaric couldn't help but feel grateful for having such a loyal friend by his side through all the battles and struggles. He cleared his throat before speaking up.
"I know you don't like public displays of emotion or affection, Carlton..." He began carefully. "But I just wanted to say thank you for everything."
Carlton merely nodded in response, taking another sip of his wine as if nothing had happened. But Alaric knew better than anyone that this was simply how Carlton expressed himself thanks for completing the task.
As the night wore on, Alaric and Carlton continued to drink and reminisce about their battles together. They laughed at old memories, sharing stories of close calls and daring feats that had led them both to where they were now.
But as the wine flowed freely between them, Alaric began to notice that Carlton was becoming increasingly inebriated. The usually stoic man was starting to sway in his seat, slurring his words with each passing moment. Alaric couldn't help but feel worried for him.
"Carlton..." He said gently, placing a hand on his friend's arm. "I think you've had enough for tonight. Why don't you stay here at the palace?"
But Carlton simply shook his head stubbornly. "No..." He muttered shortly before pushing himself up from the table unsteadily.
"I... I need to get back home..." He added, his voice slurred. "To the Ducal residence."
Alaric watched him leave with concern etched onto his features before finally deciding it was time to retire to his own chambers. It had been two years since he last slept in his own bed, after all, suddenly finding himself missing it greatly.
As he began changing into more comfortable clothing for sleep, Alaric couldn't help but notice something strange happening in the mirror across from him, its surface gradually turning black with a strange energy emanating from it. He frowned, unsure of what to make of this sudden occurrence.
To his shock, he saw his own reflection looking back at him but with an added sense of maturity that he didn't possess now. For a moment, Alaric thought perhaps the wine had gone to his head and was playing tricks on him.
Alaric was still trying to make sense of what had just happened when he saw the shadow in front of him react with shock. His hand seemed to stretch out, as if inviting Alaric closer. Unconsciously, Alaric took a step forward and imitated the shadow's movements by reaching out towards the mirror.
But before his finger could touch the glass, everything disappeared in an instant. The blackness receded and the glass returned back to its normal state, leaving Alaric standing there staring at his reflection once more. He muttered under his breath as he tried to comprehend what had just occurred.
Perhaps it was due to drinking too much wine? Whatever it may be, Alaric decided that this was something worth discussing with Carlton tomorrow.
With that thought in mind, he climbed into bed and lay down with a sigh of relief. It felt good being back home again, surrounded by familiar things and the comforts of his own room. He let out a yawn as he closed his eyes and thought about how he would tackle tomorrow's problems.
But before sleep could claim him entirely, Alaric found himself thinking once more about the strange occurrence with the mirror. It had left an eerie feeling inside of him that refused to dissipate easily.
With a final shake of his head, Alaric dismissed those thoughts for now, there were far more pressing matters to deal with than some bizarre phenomenon in front of a mirror. He finally drifted off into slumber, hoping that restful dreams awaited him through the night.
*
*
*
The moonlight cast an ethereal glow over the palace garden, as a figure walked deeper into the hedge maze. Despite his unsteady gait, Carlton's steps were still confident and firm, guided by his instincts and hunches which remained sharp even in his drunken state.
He had sensed a strong energy emanating from the garden, particularly within the confines of the maze. Carlton intended to investigate it himself before calling on any other royal guards for assistance.
As he made his way towards the center of the maze, he suddenly heard strange voices coming from behind one of its walls.
"Cristi... don't..."
"...fall..."
"...daddy..."
Carlton was taken aback by what he had just heard - the voices of man and children speaking out together. His cold expression twisted with confusion as if trying to piece together this strange puzzle. He almost drew his sword out but hesitated because there could be children present somewhere nearby.
So instead of drawing his weapon immediately, he touched the hedge wall to check it. Suddenly, he felt like he was falling into a bottomless hole as the walls around him vanished into darkness.
Darkness surrounded him, and Carlton's body continued to plummet through it, his mind reeling from what was happening. But despite the darkness, Carlton could see another figure that resembled himself but seemed to be moving in the opposite direction of his fall, towards up instead of down.
As their paths crossed, their eyes met for just an instant before Carlton lost consciousness entirely.