Redemption ~ Book 3

Chapter 14

P.s. If you didn't know, it's Tommyinnit's birthday the day I'm writing this! Happy birthday, big man :D

"So when will he show up?" Dream asked. He was currently standing in the woods a short way away from the town. He hadn't spoken alone to the other man in a while.

"We don't know, probably soon," Karl said. Dream nodded, shifting nervously. "Are you scared?"

"No," Dream lied. He didn't want to sound scared inf front of Karl. Karl looked at him and gave him a half-smile.

"Why are you scared to admit you're scared?" He asked after a moment. Dream scoffed, remembering how he'd said the same thing to Karl a while ago. Karl was still staring at him and Dream sighed.

"I am scared," He admitted. "What if I end up being the next champion? If you'd read what I read... god..." Dream trailed off and looked at the ground, recalling the horrific story of Vulture.

"Wait, what did you read?" Karl asked.

"Just some stuff about Technoblade," Dream sighed. He wasn't sure if he should be telling Karl this. He decided just to leave out some details about finding Techno's journal.

"What about Technoblade?" Karl pressed.

"He... he may or may not have dismembered someone," Dream said slowly. Karl gasped slightly. "So you weren't there?" Dream said.

"No, I came after Chris..." Karl said shakily. "He friggin dismembered someone? Who? Why?"

"The former champion Vulture," Dream said. Karl's eyes widened and he looked horrified. "Because Vulture killed Phil,"

"Oh my god, that's terrible," Karl hissed. "I'm having second thoughts about him..."

"Don't, he's not that bad," Dream said.

"Are you kidding me? I thought you were evil and here's Technoblade dismembering someone!" Karl said, shaking slightly. "And- and he just wanders the woods like he owns them? And we just let him do that?"

"Karl, he's changed," Dream said. "I talked to him, he had a lot of traumatic things happen to him when he was a kid. He lost his parents, he got captured by some strange people, he was forced to fight strangers to the death, his best friend was killed in front of him, don't judge him too harshly," Dream said, eyeing Karl.

"You're one hundred percent sure he's changed?" Karl hissed. Dream hesitated.

"Ninety-nine..." He muttered under his breath.

"What if he just decides to show up? What if he just decides, 'hey, it would be really fun to go dismember someone,'" Karl said.

"He won't," Dream said.

"Yeah right," Karl hissed. "You don't know that."

"Karl, it's not like he's just gonna pop out from behind a tree," Dream sighed.

"Yeah, that would be insane," Dream stiffened as he heard a voice. "Only psychopaths hide behind trees," Karl and Dream slowly looked up at the tree they were standing under and Dream stiffened in shock. Technoblade was sitting on the branch of a tree staring down at them. He had a full suit of netherite armor and a netherite blade, as well as a shield.

"AH!" Karl cried.

"Yeah, hi," Techno said with a grin. "I was gonna make a cool entrance into the town but you guys just walked up under my tree and then I couldn't get down without you hearing me. Such luck," He sighed.

"Hey," Dream said awkwardly.

"Hey," Techno said back. Silence followed the words and Dream glanced away for a moment. Techno shifted and then jumped down from the branch, landing a few inches from Karl's face and causing the other man to yelp and stagger backward. "It's true, I may have dismembered someone. Just once. One time." He added quickly. "I don't to that anymore, promise,"

"You'd better not," Dream said, an edge to his voice. Techno stared at him for a moment before looking back at Karl who was frozen with fear.

"I'm honored you think I've changed," Techno said, glancing at Dream. "Ninety-nine percent, at least," He muttered.

"Eight," Dream hissed. Techno looked at him and opened his mouth as if he were about to say something before muttering something under his breath and looking away.

"Listen," He sighed, looking back up and glancing at Karl and Dream. "Just take me back to the village so I can help you,"

"We actually don't really need your help," Karl stammered. "Dream has a plan and I- I think it'll work,"

"Does he now," Techno said, turning to look at Dream. "Mind sharing?"

"I'm going to surrender myself to MrBeast and make him think I'm on his side. Then when we're fighting I'll kill him," Dream said.

"Not gonna work," Techno said with a shrug.

"What? Why not?" Karl asked, confused. Techno scoffed and shook his head.

"Dream, MrBeast knows how much you love your friends and how you'd do anything to save them from him. He might be a madman but he's no idiot," Techno said. "He'll know something's up when you suddenly decide to join his side. He'll just lock you away and kill all your friends anyway. Or maybe he'll capture a few and make you fight them," Techno said with a half-grin. Dream didn't say anything. He's right. Dream realized. This plan is a failure... just like all the other plans.

"Then what do we do?" Karl hissed, sounding defeated.

"Did you just come here to tell me my plan's a failure or are you here to do something useful?" Dream snapped, glaring at Technoblade who stared back.

"Neither," Techno said. "I just came to say sorry in advance,"

"Why?" Dream said. Techno shrugged slowly, his icy blue gaze locked onto Dream.

"You'll see," He muttered, a slight smile spreading across his face. With that he turned and headed back into the words. "You'll see..."

What's he planning... oh boy...