𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 | 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙣

[ s e q u e l - t e n ]

I threw the pearl as far as I could and the three of us followed it as it dropped into the water. I picked it back up and we started rowing in that direction, the coral reef glowing beneath us.

"Sage, Dream, look!" Ranboo pointed into the water. We both looked down and saw the moss covered stone at the bottom.

"Why are all the strongholds in the water?" I chuckled. "Guess we're gonna have to swim down. You okay with that, Ranboo?" I asked.

"I have armor on, so I'll be okay." He said. "Let's do this."

"I'll go down and make an opening, then you guys can swim through." I said. Before they had time to protest I dove in, my body immediately becoming numb to the cold. I started to chip away at the blocks, which was taking agonizingly long, my lungs starting to burn. As soon as the space was big enough I swam back up, gasping for air.

"Holy shit that took forever!" Dream said as I caught my breath. "I was about to come get you!"

"Appreciate the concern." I said. "But we can get through. Let's go."

We all swam down and came into the stronghold, where a few torches lit the way.

"Okay, let's find the staircase and go from there." I said as I squeezed the water from my braids. We all searched around the stronghold until I stumbled across the portal room.

"I found it!" I yelled to the boys who were in the library.

"We'll be there in a second! Ranboo's stuck in a cobweb!" Dream yelled back.

"Idiots." I chuckled to myself as I destroyed the silverfish spawner. I put water over the lava and placed a chest, getting ready for the night we would be spending here. Eventually Dream and Ranboo joined me, Ranboo still picking cobwebs from his hair.

I stared at the bubbling lava as I leaned against the cold stone walls of the stronghold. This time, it was Ranboo who was awake.

"You nervous?" I asked. He nodded vigorously. "I can tell." I said.

"It's just... what if it doesn't work?" He asked. "What if you have to kill it.." His voice trailed off.

"It will work, Ranboo." I reassured. In all honesty, I was scared as well. I had no idea if it would work or not. "Just try and get some sleep, you'll need it."

"So should you. I know you're tired, and we barricaded the door to the room. Nothing can hurt us here." He said I nodded and let myself relax a little, laying my head down on my scrunched up hoodie that acted as a pillow.

"G'night, Ranboo."

"G'night, Sage."

* * *

I stared in to the darkness, the two boys at my side.

"I'll go first." I said. They couldn't get a word in before I jumped, feeling like I was falling down an endless void for a moment before I landed with a thump on the obsidian platform. Before I could stand up, Ranboo and Dream fell on top of me.

"Ow..." I groaned as I stood up. "Everyone okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Yeah, I'm okay."

I scanned my surroundings. The endless, black void and the endstone island with the obsidian towers resting on top. My mouth went slightly agape as I spotted the dragon flying around.

"Okay.." I said shakily. "Let's go."

We towered onto the main island where Ranboo got increasingly anxious, to the point where he squeezed my hand so tight I swore he broke it.

"We need to find a way for Ranboo to get to it without being attacked. Any ideas?" I said, almost telling over the whooshing sound of the dragons wings.

"Wait until it breaches, then just go up to it. Slowly, shield up, and once you're close enough, take your armor off. Show that you're one of them. Tsk it from there." Dream said. Ranboo gulped and started walking slowly to where the dragon would breach, his shield up.

"If this doesn't work, we're screwed." I muttered under my breath. "Just keep your head down and be ready, Ranboo won't have armor so he'll be vulnerable.

We both sprung into action as Ranboo was launched into the air, thankfully catching him self with a water bucket. Me and Dream ran to where the dragon had breached, giving it a warning with a blow from our axes. We hadn't destroyed the crystals, so it would regenerate.

Both me and Dream were knocked back by the dragons wing, Dream hitting his head on a rock.

"Fuck!" I yelled, running to Dream. "Ranboo, keep trying! Be more careful!" I yelled before turning to Dream. Blood was seeping from a gash on his head, and he wasn't responding. I tore a piece of fabric off my shirt and pressed it against the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. He would be okay, but he definitely wouldn't be able to make the journey to the end cities, if we could get there at all. I watched as a sort of barrier surrounded Ranboo and the dragon, sparkling and purple. The dragon was standing in front of him. It was working. They were communicating. Through the barrier I heard the muffled endermen noises.

After a moment, he bowed to the dragon and the barrier disappeared. He rushed back over to me and kneeled down next to Dream.

"What happened? Is he okay?" He asked.

"He'll be alright, did it work?" I asked nervously.

"Yeah, she's gonna open the portals for us, but we can't just leave Dream here!" He said.

"I know." I sighed. "If she's opening the portal, you and Dream can get back, right?" I asked. Ranboo nodded. "Alright, once he's awake go back through the portal and get home. I'll get the elytras." I said.

"No, you can't go alone Sage!" He protested. "It's too dangerous!"

"I'll be okay, Ranboo. Trust me. You did your part, now it's my turn. Go home. I'll be back." I assured him. His face was contorted with worry as I turned away, walking to the one block portal that would send me to the end cities.

"You did amazing, Ranboo. I'm proud of you." I said before throwing the pearl into the portal.