A Thousand Broken Promises

Chapter 1

"What would you do if this was all just a dream?" Tommy stared at his best friend whose face was scarred with ash and blood. The question shattered him, all the rage that coursed through his body dissipating in an instance.

Tubbo slowly moved towards his best friend, his body exhausted from all the fighting. "I think it would be better if this was just some sort of nightmare and I could just wake up home," Tubbo continued, smiling despite the water brimming at his eyes. The world seemed to silence around them despite their surroundings. All that was left were two best friends.

Two best friends.

One best friend.

Tommy launched forward as Tubbo's limp body floated towards the ground. He tried shaking him, hoping that the spark would come back. "Tubbo... please," the lone friend whispered as the rivers opened for him as well. How nice would it be if this was a dream like Tubbo said. He wished it to be so but the roar of the battle below whisked that thought away. He would avenge him even if it would cost his life too.

*****

It was the barking that aroused Tommy out of his sleep. The window that had been left open the night before allowed the sweet summer breeze to swirl around the room. How long had he been asleep? It seemed like a lifetime had passed in that dream world but also that no time had passed at all. Although it wasn't the first time that such an occurrence had taken place overnight, the visions from that dream still replayed in his mind.

If only Tommy could check that his best friend was alright, he would be able to shake this foreboding feeling. Tubbo had agreed to go undercover with the enemy which meant strictly no contact until the agreed times. Even then it was only to go over the plans so he could go back before Schlatt got suspicious.

Schlatt. The name even tasted bitter in his mind. Was it him that did that to Tubbo in the dream? Tommy didn't like to dwell on a creation from his own consciousness but the thought always appeared. What if that dream wasn't a dream but a vision of the future? If only Tommy had some kind of clue about the identity of the mysterious assailant. The only thing he knew was it must happen during some kind of battle. If that time ever came, Tommy knew he would stick by Tubbo the entire time. If he was there, Tubbo wouldn't get hurt.

So many ifs surrounded his life that Tommy wondered if there was anything concrete at all.

Before he got too wound up in the dream, he got out of bed getting ready for the day. He made sure to fix his sword onto his back, in case any conflict arose. Although life had been quiet ever since they left L'Manberg, Tommy wanted to be prepared. He had had enough of ifs and this time without fail, he would be victorious.

Tommy opened the curtains, allowing the sunlight to flood the room. It prickled his skin slightly, allowing him to focus on something else despite that dream. He shuddered as he remembered how Tubbo fell, the look of death on his best friend scared him. With Tubbo spying on Manberg, there was a chance that war could bloom. As long as he was there, Tommy felt that Tubbo would be okay in battle. Tommy was, after all, the best sword fighter that he had ever seen.

Aside from the sound of animals, the house seemed quiet. The only thing Tommy missed whilst living in Pogtopia were the people. Of course, Techno and Wilbur were also living in Pogtopia but it was rare for them to ever converse. The two of them were always busy planning how best to reclaim L'Manberg and there was never any room for Tommy. Although in the beginning, Tommy would make an effort, trying to insert himself in their heated conversations, now he preferred being alone. It was better to be alone than to create a terrible atmosphere throughout the house.

The grounds of Pogtopia seemed more alive, the livestock the three of them kept were the only source of comfort for Tommy. Here surrounded by animals, he could make the images of the dream subside. Even if he may have lost human contact, he could at least talk to the animals.

Tommy stopped as he reached Henry, sitting down on the grass in front of his pen. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to feel the wind on his face. His dream was just a dream and the wind he could feel was reality. There was no war. Tubbo was not going to die in front of him. Yet, a part of him felt uneasy about what was to come. He knew that taking back L'Manberg would not be easy no matter how skilled he was. Someone was sure to get hurt and all he could do was hope it wouldn't be his best friend.