The Forgotten

Chapter 3

I opened my eyes to be treated with a view of lava. I tried to push myself up, slowly feeling the extent of my wounds. I don't know what sounds I made when I had moved in the slightest, the best guess I could give would be broken whimpers. The burning in my throat, the scolding heat in my lungs, the everlasting taste of iron in my mouth made my head dizzy. I couldn't put weight on my left hand as I tried to prop myself up, 'why though?' My head screamed as I looked at my hand, it looked like it was mutilated by an animal. I felt my eyes dry as I widened them, the burning sensation flooded my stomachs, lungs and throat as I dry-heaved whatever was left in my stomach onto the floor.

Tears were present in my eyes, blurring my sight. With what little strength I had left I propped myself on the back wall. I breathed out heavily, controlling my reaction for the pain, it all made my head experience another dizzy spell. I craned my head in an attempt to look at the weird shapes in the corner closest to me. In the corner I saw what seemed to be bandages and a bottle of water. The sight of bandages made me check my injuries. Broken left leg, 2 broken fingers on my right hand, sprained wrist on the left connected to whatever was left of the hand, the leg wound isn't bleeding anymore, but was still open. The final injury I took note of was the most stinging pain I felt. My forearm was covered with a bandage, I remembered how it got there but I don't remember what was under it. I hoisted my arm towards the lava, my head dipped towards the blood stained bandages, my teeth ached as it came into contact with the cold liquid. I unwrapped it as fast as my body would let me, and using the little light from the lava I looked at my forearm.

PUPPET

Bold, ugly strokes were contrasting the porcelain skin. I let tears slide down my face, my eyes were sore, my throat was sore, my body was sore but nothing compared to the pain that word brought me. A final 'fuck you' from the world, the once 'puppet master' reduced to nothing but a fucking puppet. At this moment I felt angry, angry at everyone who helped put me here. As more tears threatened to fall, that feeling went away. I had no need to feel this way. It was a game that I lost, granted the odds were stacked against me, for so long I played but in the end it didn't matter. I was the loser. For so long I was angry at everyone, at myself. But I wasn't angry at Tommy for stealing my disc's, I wasn't angry at the betrayals of friends who put me here, I wasn't angry at myself. I was over it.

I closed my eyes and banged my head on the back of the wall, I opened my eyes slowly. Everything was blurry, I felt my eyes grow heavy "Sam...tell them I'm sorry..."

When did it become so peaceful?

*In the Arctic Circle*

"Phil, when are we breaking him out?" Phil sighed in annoyance for the 8th time this week. "We can't go yet, Techno. I know you want him back but the egg is still a big problem and new country's are popping up everywhere! You're still a wanted man so going now would do nothing but cause more problems." Techno looked down, twirling his ring. A small smile made its way onto his face, the memory of the ring gave him peace, gave him a piece of hope that everything would be fine.

Techno walked into his cabin, a box burned in his pants pocket. His nerves heightened when he entered the silent cabin. He unfastened his boots, laid his ax against the wall and took off his blood red cape with white fur around the collar. An iconic symbol of the blood god. His crown was left in a stand inside his bedroom, he only had to travel to the Nether, no need to bring it with him. His white button up felt suffocating, not because of the slight dampness from the snow but the never ending nerves that filled his system.

"Dream, I have something for you." He called out into the empty house, there were soft thumps upstairs that made him smile. He walked through the cabin, into the kitchen, seeing a simmering pot of soup still cooking. His back was turned to the door, but a familiar smell filled the room. The piglin hybrid closed his eyes as the scent of apples and tree sap. He turned around to see his loving boyfriend, wearing one of his white t-shirts and black sweats. Blond untamed hair and green eyes made their way closer to the hybrid. Hands that were always cold wrapped around the taller hybrids neck, the warmer hands found their way to the blonds waist.

"You called?" A cheeky jib at the taller pink haired man made them smile. A small kiss was placed on top of the untamed hair, a greeting for the younger. "I did..." He whispered into the hair, smelling the aroma of apple and tree sap. The blond was the first to separate, moving to sit on the counter top. The pink haired male found the nerves building back up. The box burned a hole in his pants. "I have something I wanted to give you...now that the war is coming closer I wanted to give you something as a reminder."

The blonde smiled, hiding his new found nerves at this conversation. Techno moved a shaky hand to his back pocket, pulling out the black box. "Can you close your eyes for me?" Dream smiled and closed his eyes. "I have been thinking about this for a while, we have been through a lot together so I wanted to give you a gift that would serve as a reminder. Well not a reminder...more like a promise." The blonde man's smile grew, his teeth bit his bottom lip to poorly conceal his growing giddiness. Techno opened the box, inside were matching rings, one with a dashing ruby and the other with a beautiful emerald.

He slowly took out the rings, placing the emerald green one on his right hand's ring finger, then slowly grabbing the ruby ring, "Hold out your hand." He asked gently, Dream sat up straight and held out his hand with patience. Techno grabbed his hand and flipped it palm down, rubbing circles into the smooth skin, he slid the ring onto his right hand's ring finger. Dream opened his eyes with a red hue overtaking his face, he looked with adoring green eyes at the gold band, holding the ruby. His tears welled in his eyes as he yanked techno into a hug, kissing the piglin who gave up gold for him.

"It's a promise for after the war, we change these rings to our left hands, and we move far away from here. So it can be just us, like how we have always dreamed." Techno said, adoration for the smaller man visible, Dream chuckled, laying his head to rest on Techno's chest, before adding, "...and Phil."

His mind filled with sorrow at the memory. "I know Phil...I just want him back" Phil gave him a pat on the back "I know Techno..." moments of silence were interrupted by a chill, something changed in the SMP but what was it?