Dipper hated to admit it, but he had never been so afraid in that moment.

He had reached the end of the ladder. Dipper was expecting to see nothing but darkness at the bottom. But, instead, he was almost blinded by a flash of gold. When his eyes adjusted, what he saw was the biggest hallway he seen yet.

The walls were plated gold. A collection of glowing symbols floated in the air, and moved constantly. There were many doors, and Dipper could practically feel the power radiating from them.

For a moment, he was paralyzed. He just couldn't believe he was here, standing in the depths of the Demon's mind. On one hand, Dipper wanted to leave, but on the other, he wanted to open every door in sight. Eventually, he shook his head, snapping out of his trance. He had a job to do.

Quickly, he began his search. Dipper walked through the halls, grasping at any door in his sight. The first memory he opened, took place years ago. Dipper saw Bill and Will as kids, sitting crosslegged, as their older brother, Tad, was tutoring them. Dipper didn't know much about Tad, only that he was the most powerful Cipher, and he would often teach his younger siblings spells, mostly Will and Bill.

Dipper watched, as Tad summoned a swirl of purple light in his palm, and showed his younger brothers.

"You see, magic is an extension of our bodies," Tad noted, the purple light pulsing. "It is not something we can force out, but something we use normally like we do with an arm or a leg."

Will stared in awe, while Bill titled his head curiously. Meanwhile, the light in Tad's hand disappeared, and he looked at Will intently.

"Will, since Bill already got the hang of his powers, I think it's time you summoned yours."

Will rubbed his arm nervously. "I don't think I can..."

"Not without any assistance, of course," Tad smiled. "Since you've been studying all you can about healing magic, how about I be your first practice subject?"

"Really?" Will perked up. "OK, let's do it!"

Tad nodded, before holding up his hand. There was a shimmer of light in his palms, then a sharp knife materialized in his grip. Will's eyes widened, when without hesitation, Tad pulled up his sleeve and stabbed himself in the forearm. He dug the knife deep to it's hilt, before dragging it down to his wrist, creating a huge gash that leaked blood onto the floor. Will watched in horror, while Bill looked on with calm interest.

Dipper gulped down, as bile rose in his throat. He forgotten how disturbing Tad's classes could get. He once heard from Kill, that Tad used to set him on fire, just to see if the Red Demon would come back to life. Dipper had been horrified to hear this, but it turned out Kill thoroughly enjoyed those kinds of lessons. Demon  magic was truly something difficult to understand.

Tad pulled the knife out, and tossed it aside. After it clattered to the floor, the man moved his bleeding arm to the blue haired child before him.

"OK, Will, show me what you learnt," Tad smiled, despite his arm caked in blood.

Will trembled violently, before bursting into tears. Tad pulled back, genuinely surprised and confused. Meanwhile, Bill comforted the sniffling boy beside him.

Tad blinked, as though he finally understood. "Oh dear, I've forgotten how squeamish you can get around the sight of blood."

With that, the man touched his wounded arm with his other hand, and immediately healed himself, the gash and the blood gone from sight. After that, Tad reached out and ruffled Will's head gently.

"I apologize for scaring you," He said. "But, in all honestly, if you want to be a healer, you have to get use to the sight of blood and dead bodies, Will."

Will sniffed. "I know..." He sighed. "But, it's just so scary."

"Nonsense, it's not scary at all," Tad protested. "The organs and blood are as natural outside of the body as are inside. And there's no need to be afraid of dead bodies, either. Everyone dies as some point. Even though we're immortal, we shouldn't be disrespectful and regard the corpses of others as revolting."

"Everyone dies?" Will questioned.

"Of course," The man said. "For example, if you were a mortal, your death would be most celebratory."

Will beamed. "Really?"

"Yes. You will be draped in the finest of clothing, locked in a tight box, and buried in a hole. And at one point, maggots will climb into your box and feast on your corpse. They'll lay eggs in your eye sockets, and then fertilize the earth with your remains that they stored in their body waste. You will live on through nature. Doesn't that sound fun?"

Will cried loudly, tears streaking down his face. Bill wrapped an arm around him, then sent Tad a glare.

"Maybe, you should stop talking," The blond advised.

"Yes, that would probably be for the best," Tad agreed, sheepishly.

Dipper sighed, a part of him felt sympathy for the older Demon. It must have been hard for Tad to raise his siblings by himself, especially considering the man's incapability to actually take care of a child. The Guardian was about to shut the door, since he couldn't spot Kill anywhere. However, he paused, as more people entered the memory. Before him, Dipper saw Ford enter the room where the three Demons gathered. He wasn't alone, as Dipper saw two children stand beside him. They were Mabel and himself. Alright, now he definitely remembered this.

"Tad," Ford started, his silver eyes glinted behind his glasses. "I hope we're not intruding, but my niece and nephew would like to play with your brothers."

"We're actually in the middle of a lesson," Tad told him.

"I'm sure you can take a break," Ford countered.

"Yeah," Bill agreed, then sent his older brother a pout. "Please, Tad?"

Tad furrowed his brow. There was a long pause, before he said. "I suppose for a little while," He said, then added sternly. "But right after, we must resume our lessons."

"Great," Bill smiled, then turned to the young brunette. "Dipper, come here! I wanna show you something cool."

The young boy looked at the blond curiously, before approaching him.

Dipper regarded the scene sorrowfully, as the two boys sat beside each other. It was hard to register the fact that they used to be best friends.

Meanwhile, Mabel walked over to Will eagerly. "Hey, Will!" She beamed. "Why are you crying, again?"

Will quickly wiped his eyes dry. "Nothing, I just realized maggots eat brains."

"Cool!" Mabel grinned. "They're probably be like..." She reached out, and ruffled Will's hair with her fingers. "Nom! Nom! Nom!"

Will laughed in return. "Stop! That tickles!"

"Never! Nom! Nom!" Mabel laughed back.

Tad watched the kids, his sternness seemed to melt away, and he held an earnest smiled. However, Ford was the opposite. His eyes only held a frantic worry, as he expected something bad to happen.

Meanwhile, Dipper was giving Bill a warm smile, and he asked. "So, what's this cool thing you wanted to show me? It better not be something weird like deer teeth."

"Deer teeth are awesome," Bill protested.

"Wendy was really angry with you," Dipper chuckled. "And you deserved it, you know how she feels about animals."

"That treehugger is no fun," Bill sighed. "Also, it's not deer teeth."

"What is it, then?"

"I've been getting stronger," The blond said, proudly. "Tad says I might surpass him someday."

"That's amazing, Bill," Dipper smiled. "Maybe when we grow up, you and I could cross the galaxy together once I become a full fledged Guardian."

Bill turned pink. "You really mean that?"

"Of course, I wouldn't go anywhere without you," The brunette said.

"Is that a promise?"

"Yeah!"

"In that case," Bill said, shyly. "Wanna make a deal?"

Dipper titled his head. "Deal?"

"It's my power," Bill beamed. "Every deal you make with me, is a deal you can't break ever. Want me to show you?"

"Yeah, let's do it!" Dipper responded.

Bill nodded, before extending his hand. Immediately, blue fire emitted from his palm. Dipper stared in awe, at the azure flickers of flame.

"Don't worry, it's safe to touch," Bill reassured. "Let's make a deal: We both promise to be there for each other?"

Dipper blushed slightly. "Of course."

"Then, shake my hand and make it official."

Dipper obliged. He reached out to grab Bill's hand--

"Dipper!"

Instantly, the brunette was pulled back by his uncle. Dipper looked up at Ford, as the Night Guardian was eyeing the blue flames in horror. Bill's face morphed into confusion and he extinguished the flames, but Ford continued to regard him wearily.

"What's seems to be the problem, Ford?" Tad asked.

Ford turned sharply towards him. "You taught him that spell!?"

"Demons choose their main power when they are of age," Tad replied, calmly. "Bill chose the power of Negotiation, it is not my place to refuse him of the proper teaching."

"Still, that power cost millions of lives!" Ford snapped. "You should know, your parents used the same spell to make others do their bidding."

Tad's expression morphed into anger. "Are you yet again blaming me for something my parents had done?"

"That's not it," Ford said, rubbing his temples like he had a headache. "It's just that--Argh!"

The Night Guardian's body spasmed, and he gripped the sides of his head. He gritted his teeth, and released a hiss of pain.

"Great Uncle Ford!" Dipper exclaimed, fearfully. "Are you okay?"

Tad's anger was forgotten, and the Demon looked worried. He surged forward, and let Night Guardian lean on him. Ford rested his head on Tad's shoulder, breathing heavily.

"Something is wrong here," Tad said, under his breath. He turned to the kids. "Stay here until I return. I'm going to have take Ford to the healers."

With that, the two men left the room, with Ford mostly leaning on Tad for support.

Dipper watched the scene play out. He never actually knew what happened to Ford, but then remembered what happened next.

"I hope Ford is okay," Will said, concerned.

Mabel shrugged, though there was a prick of worry in her eyes. "I'm sure he's fine. It's only a headache."

"We can't be too sure about that," Dipper told her. "Considering our uncle's line of work, it could be something worse..."

Bill regarded the Pine twins thoughtfully. "If it bothers you that much, I can always eavesdrop on them and find out."

Will stared. "Bill, no! That's a bad idea, you'll get in trouble."

Bill dismissed his worry with a wave of his hand. "No, I won't," He insisted.

"I agree with Will," Dipper said. "You might get caught."

The blond rolled his eyes. "You guys are no fun," He complained. "I'm only going to see what's going on, I'll return before you know it." With that, he moved towards the exit.

"Bill!" Dipper piped.

Bill turned to him, looking a bit annoyed. "What is it now?"

Dipper's expression softened. "Stay safe, okay?"

Bill blushed, before quickly turning away. "It's fine, Pine Tree." Then, the blond walked out.

Dipper watched as the memory switched locations, and he saw Young Bill walk down a huge hallway. The Demon walked on the gold embroidered carpet, until making a turn. However, when Bill reached the corner, it was revealed that Tad and Ford were standing in the hall. Dipper shared the blond's surprise, and watched as Bill hid behind the wall, and peered at the two men.

Tad helped Ford lean against the wall. It looked difficult, considering that the Demon was leaner than the Night Guardian.

Tad regarded Ford with a look mixed with annoyance and concern. "You madman, you actually done it," He sighed. "The normal medicine can't do anything for this. I'll have to come by your room tonight and heal you."

"I appreciate it, Tad," Ford sighed, sweat beaded down his forehead.

"Don't thank me yet, because I'm about to give you an earful," Tad chided. "Considering the state of your headache, I suspect that you paid a visit to the barrier between us and the Nightmare Realm."

Dipper stared.

"There was a crack in the barrier again," Ford explained. "I managed to patch it up, but now I have this splitting headache." He rubbed his head groggily.

Crack? Was the barrier always unstable, and Dipper hadn't noticed. Did it happen to break on the day of Bill's betrayal? Maybe a Guardian hadn't opened it? Dipper certainly hoped so.

Tad looked at Ford thoughtfully, and reached out a hand. Ford tensed, when the Demon placed a hand on his forehead. There was silence, and Tad creased his brow with worry.

"Change of plans,"  Tad said, withdrawing his hand. "After I'm done taking care of the kids, I'm heading straight to your room. In the meantime, how about you rest."

Ford shook his head. "No, I still have a lot of work--"

"You have plenty of time for that later."

"Since when do you give the orders?" Ford remarked.

"Since I'm the only one that can prevent your skull from splitting open," Tad deadpanned. "Now, go get some rest. Do you need help getting to your room?"

"Stop treating me like some geezer," Ford complained.

"It was a genuine question. Also, you are a century old."

"I'm still one decade younger than you."

"In that case, you should listen to your elders," Tad remarked, then ushered the Guardian away.

Ford sighed, but otherwise did as he was told. After the Guardian left, Tad stood in silence, before turning around.

"Bill, I know you're there, no point in hiding."

There was a moment of hesitation, before Bill stepped out from behind the corner, regarding his brother sheepishly. Tad didn't seem angry, he only sighed heavily, and approached the young Demon.

"Bill, I told you eavesdropping is bad," Tad chided.

Bill shrugged. "I just wanted to know if Ford is okay."

"He'll be fine," The man reassured. "There's no need to worry."

Bill bit his lip before asking. "What's the Nightmare Realm?"

Tad looked at him blankly. "What?"

"You two were talking about it. What is it?"

"I guess it's time I tell you the truth," Tad decided. "The Nightmare Realm is a lawless dimension, where only the most wicked live. It has been closed off for years, and it's located somewhere in the Dreamscape."

"That sounds cool," Bill beamed.

"It's quite the opposite, actually," Tad said, seriously. "Any contact with the Nightmare Realm, is fatal to a Guardian. As you can see, poor Ford is living proof of that. He'll be better once I heal him."

"I thought you two didn't get along," The blond noted.

"Ford and I have a complicated relationship," The man explained, softly. "Like all Guardian and Demon friendships can be."

"What about Dipper?" Bill protested. "Dipper and I are best friends, and we don't act like you and Ford."

Dipper frowned, feeling his heart clench a little.

Inside the memory, Tad smiled sadly. "That's because you have yet to experience the realities of adulthood. I pray to Axolotl, that you and Will remain friends with the Pine twins, even though the world may be against you. And Bill, I hope you can achieve something with Dipper, that I couldn't with Ford."

Bill let this sink in. He darted his eyes downwards, and in a small voice he asked. "If the world is against me for befriending a Guardian...what if I wanted to marry one?"

Dipper gaped. His heart was racing at this point. He looked intently at Tad.

The man didn't even look surprised. He chuckled softly, and reached out to playfully mess his brother's hair. "I guess we have to wait and see," He said. "Now, let's return to the others. Also, I want you to keep this whole thing with Ford a secret. Tell the Pine twins that he has a simple headache, so they don't worry too much. Understood?"

"Yes," Bill confirmed.

"Good. Now, let's be off."

Dipper watched the two walk down the hallway, and he closed off the memory. The brunette stood there, thoughts whirled in his head. It has been so long since he recalled the good times he spent with the Golden Demon. What ever happened to his friend?

A quick thought passed his mind. Dipper wondered if Ford hadn't interrupted, would the deal change anything? Would they still be there for each other? Would Bill never have betrayed him and his family? Would things have been different?

Dipper shook that thought away, frustrated with himself. In the end, the promise they made to each other was just a dream. A dream made up between two naive boys, who were yet to know how the world worked.

Dipper sighed. Despite everything, the Guardian couldn't resist the urge to open another door. With that, he reached for the next memory, a tremor rippled through his hand. Eventually, he opened it.

He recognized the memory in an instant. It was the moment he wished he could forget. The day of Bill's betrayal.