[DISCONTINUED] Deities [Dream SMP AU]

Chapter 5

                    George leaned against a crafting table. He was as pale as a ghost. Every now and again, he would wince.

                     The others didn't know what to do, having already given him a healing potion.

                      Tommy and Tubbo were off near the river, which they had camped by while they figured out what to do. Eret's castle could be seen in the distance. The two teenagers were bickering about something random.

                     "Yeah, you can't make a five block jump." Tubbo huffed and crossed his arms, wearing a playful smile.

                     "Watch me!" Tommy challenged.

                      "I'd like to see you try," Tubbo followed his friend while he laid out a block, made a five block gap, then place another. "And fail miserably."

                      "Let's make a bet, then. If I make the jump, I get.." Tommy thought for a moment. "..I get ten diamonds."

                     "And if you don't, you owe me ten diamonds."

                     "Fine." Tommy smirked and stepped onto a block, turning towards the other.

                     The blonde went to the edge of the block, then ran forwards, jumping at the other edge.

                     He missed the other block by one.

                     "Awh, damn." Tommy groaned, flopping back onto the grass, his hands dropping onto his chest.

                     Tubbo grinned and flopped down beside his friend. The two laughed together for a moment before calming down.

                      "You owe me ten diamonds."

                      "Fuck."

                                                                        ********
                      Bad walked beside Neptune, holding onto his neck. Skeppy walked on the other side of Bad, giving his friend concerned looks anytime he stumbled a bit.

                      Bad had decided to look at the chat finally, and gasped.

                      "What? What is it?" Skeppy looked over.

                      "George and Sapnap got chased by some shadow thing!" Bad scrolled through the chat, then sighed. "Dream found them. Apparently Schlatt is with him?"

                      "Huh."

                      "Oh, someone just put a message in chat."

<TommyInnit> Uh- Anyone have any diamonds to spare?

<BadBoyHalo> I think I do! Why?

<TommyInnit> I uh.. I lost a bet with Tubbo-

<Tubbo_> YOU HAVE DIAMONDS, TOMMY. I KNOW YOU DO. GET OUT OF CHAT

<TommyInnit> FUCK

<BadBoyHalo> Language you muffin!

                           "Pfft." Skeppy snorted as he opened the chat, reading the most recent ones.

<BadBoyHalo> Oh! Is George okay?

<Tubbo_> Uh...

<TommyInnit> Not really.

<BadBoyHalo> What? What happened?

<Tubbo_> He got bit by something, now he's bleeding this black stuff. It steams.

                                Bad's breath hitched. "Oh no."

                                 "What?" Neptune turned his head to look at Bad.

                                 "I think George got bit by the same thing I did. Tubbo says he's bleeding black stuff, and it steams."

                                  Neptune growled. "Shadowlings are pests. Come along, we must hurry. Where is your friend now?"


                                                                         ********

                                    Dream crouched beside his friend, wrapping the green cloth back around George's wound, having soaked it again. He had lost track of how many times he had done this.

                                    "How are you holding up?" He glanced to the Brit's face, cringing internally at how pale he was.

                                    Dream only got a groan in response. He sighed and stood up and walked back over to Wilbur and Techno.

                                    "Not doin' well, huh?" Techno crossed his arms.

                                     Dream shook his head and stuck his hands in his hoodie pockets.

                                    Tubbo and Tommy came running over to the trio. "Guys, guys!"

                                    "What's up Tommy?" Wilbur asked as they looked over to the teenagers.

                                    "BadBoyHalo and Skeppy are on their way, they said they have help!" Tommy grinned.

                                     "We've tried everything- what could they possibly do?" Dream huffed.

                                     As if on cue, the river froze over. The crackling of ice filled their ears and they turned.

                                      A tall dog-like creature was sprinting down the frozen water source.

                                     "Woah." Tubbo breathed.

                                   The thing slid to a stop, and turned. Bad and Skeppy were sat on the back of the creature, and holding on desperately. 
                                 It bounded over to the grass, the ice on the river shattering as it did so. Bad and Skeppy hopped down. 

                                  "Show me where your friend is," The dog flicked its tail and followed a startled Dream over to George.

                                   The creature snarled in irritation, and started looking through a bag that hung around its neck. "Shadowlings are the bane of my existence."

                                   It pulled out a vial of gray liquid, then dropped it in George's lap.

                                    "Have him drink it. Now."

                                  Dream picked up the vial and unscrewed it, then brought it to George's mouth. He tilted the Brit's head back and the contents of the vial disappeared.

                                  "We got here in time. He was very close to losing his life," The creature stepped back.

                                   Sapnap came running up with Quackity and Schlatt on his heels. 

                                   "What is that thing?" He gasped.

                                  It turned its head towards the man who asked the question. "My name is Neptune."  Neptune sat down and huffed a sigh of relief. "I was called here to deal with a shadowling infestation, and it seems it is far worse than I feared."

                                  Sapnap shared a look with Quackity, then looked back to the navy blue beast.

                                  Neptune looked back over to George. "You are very lucky I was here. My allies are dealing with business in our realm, Escabaria. I was sent here along with two of my closest acquaintances, though I believe they are busy at this moment." 

                                   "No we aren't!" A voice called from behind the group, making them turn.

                                  "For the love of- shut up Pluto!" Another voice hissed, and two dog things popped out of the foliage.

                                 Neptune narrowed his eyes. "You two are supposed to be working, not spying."

                                "Look, we got bored, okay pops?" A light blue one retorted.
 
                                "Eris don't be rude!" A gray one- presumably Pluto -huffed, shoving Eris with his front leg. "We just thought.."

                                "That you could have a break? Shadowlings will not allow you to take breaks." Neptune grunted and stood.

                                 "Awhhh, they're adorable!" Bad gushed, running over and patting the short animals on the heads. Eris flinched away, but Pluto welcomed the touch with a slight wag of his tail.

                                  "I'm not adorable, human." Eris grunted, stalking around Bad and Pluto and padding over to Neptune, who was now watching George again.

                                    Dream and Sapnap had moved over to George, watching their friend. Sapnap had a look of concern, one couldn't tell Dream's expression at that moment, but it was assumed that he was also extremely concerned.

                                     George started to stir finally, groaning at the immediate light that hit him in the face.

                                      "Ohhh my God.." Dream breathed out. Sapnap slouched in relief.

                                      Neptune hummed. "He just needs to recover now, give him time and let him rest." He stood. "I will stay with you until he is fully recovered, and my scouts," He lifted his voice higher to grasp Pluto and Eris' attention. "Will be looking out for shadowlings."

                                       Pluto and Eris groaned. "Yes, sir."

                                      A little ways from their camp, shadows stirred and twisted angrily.

                           The scouts would need to be dealt with accordingly.