[DISCONTINUED] Deities [Dream SMP AU]

Chapter 2

                   Techno was sat on the floor, leaning against a fence post. He had bandages wrapped around his wounded arm and had downed an instant healing potion. Though just because he was sitting on the ground did not mean the others had left him out of the conversation. He nibbled on a potato as he listened.

                    "Dream says he'll be here soon." Wilbur informed, dropping his left arm as a digital panel disappeared from it. 
 
                    "Good." Schlatt muttered, crossing his arms. "So anyways, what the hell did you see?"

                    "Techno and I both saw a shadow look-a-like of Tubbo."

                     "Except he was missin' his eyes. Just empty holes." Techno grunted.

                      "Ew." Tommy shuddered and shoved his hands into his pant pockets.

                       "Yeah, very 'ew'." Wilbur snorted. "But anyway, it had this.. Creepy smile. Sort of like the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland, y'know?"

                         "Then it disappeared when we started running. It turned into a giant person thing. It still had that smile," Techno added, sitting up a bit. "Was huge, about the size of the thing we were walking in. Then we tried to fight it- or actually, I tried to fight it. Wilbur started running in the opposite direction. When it hit me, I started to run too. You know how many hearts that thing took off me?!"

                        Wilbur sighed, and looked like he was about to speak more, but then Dream came walking up. Like usual, he was in a lime green hoodie with a mask over his face.

                          "Thank God," Wilbur sighed. 

                         "Okay, why'd you need me so desperately?" Dream huffed as he came closer.

                         "We saw this... Shadow thing." Wilbur started, inhaling sharply. 

                          "Wilbur and Techno said it made itself look like Tubbo," Tommy continued. "Except it's eyes were gone. Then they said it turned into some giant thing and started to chase them. Tubbo and I saw the shadow thing when it was chasing Wilbur and Techno as some small wispy cloud thing."

                         Tubbo nodded as Dream took this into thought.

                          "Also, I heard whispering and shit this morning. No one was nearby- I think -and the shadows by that building," Schlatt threw a thumb over his shoulder to where the white building was. "Were really dark. Like, almost pitch black. I think I heard some hissing too."

                           Dream crossed his arms over his chest in thought.

                           Then it became colder.

                           Fear made it's way into the faces of the Pogtopians. Techno scrambled to his feet.

                            "It's nearby." Tommy growled, drawing his axe. Tubbo whipped out his sword.

                            "Humansss.." A hiss from inside the podium-building called. "Come out..."

                            "What the hell?" Dream muttered, drawing his sword. The group began to back out of the building.

                            Thunder rumbled and the cold air seemed to tense.

                             "Noo! Thought they were dead!" The shadows growled, continuing to claw its way out of the building.

                             "Wha-" Techno tightened his grip on his sword, which he still miraculously had.

                             When they backed into the fence, more thunder rumbled.

                              Then lightening struck just in front of the group of players.

                              "HOLY SHIT!-" Tommy screamed, pressing himself up against the terrain and fence like the others were.

                               There, where the lightening had struck, stood a skeleton. And not a normal one.

                                The skeleton was that of a dog, though much taller. It stood about six foot. A gray mist swirled around its paws, and made shapes that resembled ears where they were missing on the head. Large rings swirled around the creature's neck. One smaller one, a dull yellow, another larger one that encompassed the yellow one, a dull purple. Around the purple ring was a small, golden ring.
                                  The skeleton dog wore a flower crown made of roses, and roses pushed out of the ground where it stood.

                                   "NOO!" The shadows screeched from the podium building. "It cannot be!"

                                   The skeleton merely flicked it's tail. The tip had identical rings to those around it's neck, but much smaller. It didn't make any noise. The creature lifted a bony paw and slammed it back down. The sky rumbled and rain began to hammer down.

                                   The players could only watch, shocked. 

                                    Another lightening strike. This one not as close, but further away, seemed to threaten the shadows. The chill, tense air vanished. And soon, the rain let up, almost instantly.

                                    The skeleton turned to the humans.

                                     Wilbur's chest was rising up and down quickly, much like many of his companions, due to shock. He shakily pointed his sword at the skeleton, who merely stared back with empty eye sockets.
                                   
                                      "What the fuck..." Tommy inhaled and pointed his axe at the creature. "Is that thing?!"
                            
                                       Again, the creature only stared. It tilted its head slightly to the right, then up a bit.

                                        A smoky cloud shot down from where the creature had been looking, and landed right beside it. Soon the smoke cleared and there stood a six foot six dog creature. This one was taller than the first, and had a large, red dot on it's chest. It too wore a flower crown, though this one was made of hydrangeas. It had fur instead of being just a skeleton, and two dull, glowing purple eyes trained on the group of terrified players. It's fur was a mix of dull orange, light orange, and gray.

                                        Then it started to speak.

                                         "I apologize for the rude introduction from my ally here," It's voice was deep, but calming in a way. The skeleton flicked its tail. "But they were merely protecting you from the shadowlings."

                                         That's when Wilbur fainted, falling face first into the grass.

                                         The creatures shared a look, then watched the player closely.

                                          Dream seemed to finally find his voice, and began to speak as Tommy and Tubbo lifted Wilbur off of the ground. "Uhm- What? What do you mean 'shadowlings'? What the hell is that? And what the hell are you?"

                                           The tallest of the pair chuckled, then spoke. "I am Jupiter. This is Saturn. Shadowlings have been enemies to our kind for millennia. They used to go after humans, like you all, to play with and torture," The skeleton shuddered at this. "They had defeated us for a while, and thought we were dead. Though they are mistaken."

                                             Techno had reclaimed his monotone look and raised a brow. "Heh? So wait a minute- How old are you things?"

                                              Jupiter glanced to Saturn, who shrugged a bit. Jupiter turned its head back to the group. "About 75 million years of age."

                                              "Holy shit." Tommy muttered. Tubbo looked shocked, like he was close to fainting as well.

                                             "I believe we should leave before we kill the other humans," Jupiter mumbled just loud enough for the group to catch. 

                                             "You didn't kill him," Tommy snorted, rather amused despite the situation. "He just fainted."

                                             Schlatt finally seemed to regain control over his face. "Could you tell us more about those... Shadow-whatcha call 'ems?"

                                             "Yeah, we just found out they existed today." Techno grunted.

                                            Jupiter seemed to consider this, then glanced to Saturn for confirmation. They nodded. Jupiter turned back to the players. 
                                             
                                              "Shadowlings are from the realm of Escanba, a place full of death and destruction. Any god, goddess, demigod or demigoddess who entered have never returned. It's said to hold some of the harshest, most cruel, and most evil of criminals there. Shadowlings are said to be the highest 'rank' in Escanba." Jupiter shifted on its paws.

                                           "Woah.." Tubbo breathed. "That's scary but also epic. That sounds like it came from some TV show!" 

                                          "Wait- Gods, goddesses, demigods, and demigoddesses? What?" Dream put his sword back in his inventory.

                                           "Yes? Do you not have those in this realm?" Jupiter questioned.

                                           "Well- Yes and no? Depends on who you ask."

                                           "Hm." Jupiter nodded once. It turned its head to Saturn. "I think I'm going to regret this- but do you think you could call Mercury?" 

                                           Saturn tilted their head.

                                            "Yes, I'm sure."
       
                                             Saturn shrugged, turned their head upwards, and waited. Then they looked down.

                                             Tommy shared a look with Tubbo, who only shrugged.

                                              Then a ball of fire shot out of the sky and crashed on the other side of Saturn.

                                                "WHAT THE FUCK-" Tommy screamed. The others had similar reactions.

                                                 The ball of fire died down to reveal a small, red dog, the size of about an average middle-schooler, with a fiery mane and a tail made of flames.

                                                  "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU NEED?!" The canine growled, whipping its head towards Jupiter and Saturn. "I WAS BUSY."

                                                   Jupiter grunted, speaking lowly. "Yes, I regret my decision." Jupiter sighed and raised it's voice so the fire-dog could hear. "Just- nevermind. Go back to what you were doing." 

                                                    "I'm not going to leave now, I'm going to pester you, old man." The canine grunted and stalked around Saturn to poke its nose up at the taller dog.

                                                   "That one," Dream pointed at the shortest of the trio. "Seems a lot like Tommy."

                                                     "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY?" Tommy whipped his head around to Dream, who was now doubling over wheezing.