Broken Together (MCYT au)

Chapter 69: Sacrifice

Dream did not want to think about any of the alternatives to the event; it was already difficult to remember as is. The emotional pain hurt so badly, feeling his only younger brother slipping away, agony to remember it. "Do you regret it?"

"Excuse me?"

"Philza's father," Dream twiddled with his thumbs, the eye contact never being met with someone he once considered his everything. How the world changes, how the world keeps changing. "Do you regret it?"

"I do, I would go and take it back if I could," Nadia let out a shaky breath. The memories were hard for anyone to recollect, especially as she was the only one who had the entire story. "Perhaps I would've pulled him over the cliff, or at least not have lied as much at his funeral. I hope he is doing alright in the afterlife," she mumbled, looking off into the distant. "When I am done with my imprisonment, I might finally be able to apologize. I do wish I could apologize to his son; he seems like such a nice man."

"Will you be done soon?"

"I will, this is my last day here."

Dream nodded, unsure of the emotions which sank deeper into his chest. A certain emptiness in his heart as he grew closer and closer to his adoptive mother once more. "Thank you for keeping your promise, Dream," Nadia wrapped one arm around over Dream's shoulder as the two sat in a relative silence. "No matter what happens, you did good out there."

A small glow of gold appeared in the distance, a smile growing on Nadia's face. "I knew it," she grinned, wiping a few stray tears away. "They came back for you, off you go."

Dream turned his head towards the sight, the hypnotic sensation he felt grew difficult to ignore. Yet, while there was the feeling of going, there was the strong pull to stay with Nadia. "Would you mind telling me what it is?"

"A totem," she replied quite simply, adjusting her position on the steps of the porch. "Though I suppose in the end, it is your choice. There are countless people who have refused the totem," Nadia sighed, watching as Dream did his best to not look at the glowing light. "They refuse to grab it, and I suppose it disappears. The body officially dies, and the totem can be used for another person."

Dream hesitated, slowly reaching for the item. "I will not be the same person, will I?"

"No, Dream." She responded, tone downfallen and sympathetic. "You have lost yourself; I don't know what it will be like if you decide to go back."

"What if..." his speaking went from slow to fast paced, jumping with questions. "What if I decide to stay here?"

"You will remain the person you are, get to arrive to the true afterlife with me. You will see all the people you have loved and lost and finally, be able to rest in peace."

Dream stood there in silence, the voices of his brothers ringing in his head.

"You will be praised as the greatest hero to have ever lived, making the ultimate sacrifice of your own life to bring peace to those on Earth. Perhaps they will build a statue, a grand statue."

Dream looked away, gripping Nadia's hand. "Peace? For real?"

"Yes, dear," Nadia smiled, truly understanding the meaning behind the expression on his face. "You will finally be free," she extended her hand out for Dream to accept. The tension grew thicker by the second as her smile was soon replaced with a frown. Not of disappointment, nor stress, not even of sadness either, but of understanding. "Home?" She asked, Dream nodding.

"Home."

~

His eyes opened once more to the cold ground; cave walls built around him. Within the walls, bright crystals shone brightly, the same material as his eyes slowly darted towards the chains which held him. A man before him, a feeling of resemblance much too strong to ignore, glowing white eyes and ragged clothing. "Let me go! Let me go!" He thrashed as the chains weakened, faint shouting in the background of his mind.