Drums of the Revolution

Chapter Five

"I realize how stupid it sounds. However, I need someone L'Manberg trusts to hand over this message. If it comes from you, they'll believe the severity of it. L'Manberg really seems to have taken a shine to you, surprisingly. I'd have thought they'd be more wary of a supposed former enemy." He mentions and it doesn't fail to stab the nagging doubts in the back of my mind.

"I've thought the same, to be honest. However, Wilbur constantly assures me that he and the others have full trust and faith in me. I've warned them that it's foolish to so blindly trust someone. Anyone could fool them into believing that they're a friend, only to be an enemy." I mention. Dream laughs as if I said a hilarious joke.

"T-That's actually kind of funny. Because you see, there is indeed a traitor amongst the people of L'Manberg." It's my turn to laugh this time.

"I know, Dream. I know. I haven't forgotten that you had a spy in L'Manberg when I was still on your side. No, I have not figured out who it is just yet. However, I have a clue on who it might be." Dream's mask is raised from when he was laughing just a bit ago. I can see the smirk on his face.

"Oh really? Who do you suspect it is, then?" I roll my eyes at him.

"I'd rather keep you in suspense. It'd be foolish of me to reveal my hand so early, Dream." I state and watch victoriously as his smirk slowly falls from his face.

"Smart. Perhaps you have learned something from L'Manberg after all." I don't know if I should feel insulted or what. I take a deep breath in. Now is my chance to actually talk to Dream.

"Dream, why do you want to see L'Manberg fall so badly?" I ask, my tone of voice firm as I want a genuine answer from him. Dream turns away from me, turning back to the fire roaring below. It's not burning as brightly as it was before. It seems as though the others have managed to get a grasp of the flames. Despite the dying flames, they still alight Dream's figure in an orange hue. The firelight flickers ominously against his form.

"I don't need to tell you that." I glare at him in disbelief.

"Where's the Dream that I used to know? The one that would tell me anything!" I swallow, he doesn't answer so I continue. "You know. Sometimes I wish that we didn't stop here. That we never settled down here. I get this thought in my head sometimes that if we had kept going, we'd all be together still. That you wouldn't have gone down this dark path we're now on!" I yell at him. He looks back, the mask glaring down at me with that fake smile.

"Dark path? So you believe all of this is for nothing?" He asks, his voice low. Tone haunting. I nod regardless.

"I've believed that the moment you started to act harsher to the people in L'Manberg. I believe that all of this hardship and chaos is not the right way. You're making enemies for life, Dream! You'll never be able to live in peace so long as you keep this up!" I exclaim, trying to get through to him. He laughs, causing me to freeze in place.

"Peace? You think I want peace?" My eyes widened. I shake my head. No, he's not doing this for the hell of it, right? Dream stalks up to me, placing his hands on my frozen body. His fingers dig into the bone of my shoulders as he leans down to my level.

"(Y/N). I don't care about peace. Not anymore. I only want to see L'Manberg fall to ruins. Don't get me wrong. The people in L'Manberg can roam free, however L'Manberg will never be considered its own nation. It will never be free so long as I am alive." He glares down at me, meeting my own shocked orbs.

"And that leads to the message I wish for you to give L'Manburg." He leans down, his breath hitting the shell of my ear.

"I want to see white flags outside of L'Manburg by tomorrow at dawn. If I do not see white flags, there will be a full blown out war." He says it so steadily. As if calling for war against another nation is something easy for him. I want to laugh. For this new Dream... it probably is. I shake his hands off of my body.

"I don't get it." I whisper in disbelief. I could feel my heart breaking. I knew it'd likely come to this. I knew that by leaving my childhood friends, that I'd inevitably be forced to pick and choose a side. I furrow my brows. Dream's voice cuts through my thoughts, it's not harsh or menacing like it was moments ago.

"You can always come back. You know that, right (Y/N)?" I look up at the mask that Dream always wears. His lips are turned down in a slight frown. Not an angry one, just a normal frown. Come back? A feeling of homesickness settles deeply in my stomach. As I think about the friends I've left behind. I gulp once more, swallowing those feelings down.

"I'd be lying if I said I haven't thought about it. I'm constantly wondering if I'm making the right choice. If leaving you guys for L'Manberg was the right decision." My voice comes out softly spoken, Dream places his hands on my shoulders once more. It's almost... comforting? It reminds me of my childhood. It reminds me of the warmth of our friendship. Am I really willing to throw that all away? All for my beliefs?

"We all miss you, (Y/N). Just come back. We can all be together again! We'll put all of this behind us." I look up at him, wanting to believe him. I almost say yes, but then, the faces of everyone I've met in L'Manberg rush to my mind. I can't betray their trust after they placed their faith in me. I close my eyes, looking away from Dream.

"I can't betray them." Dream sighs, shaking his head as if he's disappointed in something. His hold on my shoulders tightens once more.

"So you're willing to throw everything we've all had together away for a bunch of strangers?" What? His one-eighty response gives me whiplash from how fast he turned on me. But he's right, in a sense. Am I really willing to give up my childhood friendships for a bunch of strangers? Willing to give up relations with people I've known my whole life practically? I should just go back with Dream... Right?

It's then I shake myself out of the fog that clouded my mind. I look back up at Dream once more, a look of determination crosses my expression.

"Yes, Dream. I'm willing to fight for what I believe is right. I'm willing to give up on my previous relationships with you all if it means I can help the ones who have shown me nothing but what it's like to have a family. I'm sorry, but I won't be going back with you." I turn, pulling myself out of his grasp once more.

"I'll be sure to pass on your message to Wilbur. I'm sure it'll be promptly ignored and L'Manberg will be ready for you. We won't back down." I turn back, a dangerous glint in my eyes as I stare at the iconic smile mask Dream wears.

"And I swear to you, I will do whatever it takes to ensure L'Manberg is granted its independence." Dream stares back, the dying light of the fire lighting his mask in the night.

"I see. Very well then. I think it's obvious where we both stand in this war." I nod.

"I agree. I'm sorry it had to come to this, Dream." I honestly state. Dream shrugs it off like it's nothing, however I know him. He's silently seething about this.

"Remember. White flags at dawn tomorrow. Otherwise there will be war." I smirk at him.

"Yeah, I don't think we'll be raising those flags any time soon. After all, there's a revolution coming."

(I just want you guys to know that several times my Google Docs wanted to autocorrect L'Manberg to Manberg... :eyes:  I see what you're trying to do Docs and I don't like it... lmao)

(Also, I'd like to mention that these flashbacks have certain ques in them. If they are picked up by you and your fellow readers in the comments, you may just end up changing the story down the line. Will you find them in time?)