[TW: Blood, Character death, Anxiety Attack.]
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"I waited for you with my arms and my heart open hoping one day you'd crash into me."
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"What do you want from me." I said blankly, keeping that dead look on my face. I could hide my emotions well when I chose to, I could hide the fact that I wanted to cry. I simply kept this emotionless guise up, refusing to give them the satisfaction of a reaction out of me.
I could get out of this, of course I can. I can. Can't I?
Quackity laughed again, looking to his other allies maybe even friends before looking to me. "Here's the deal, Grim Reaper." He said the title mockingly, I hated it being in his mouth. The way he said it made the title seem childish and futile. I hated how it sounded on his tongue. "You come with us to be put on trial for your crimes, if you don't cooperate we'll slit his throat right here, right now."
I know if I go to this trial I'm dying, no fucking chance I walk out of that alive. Just last year if the option of Eret's life or mine was presented to me, I'd take the selfish route and let him lose a life in a heartbeat. "Tor-" Eret spoke before he cursed under his breath, the sword immediately pressing further into his skin.
"Nah, nah let him speak, let's see what our King has to say." Quackity chuckled and Fundy slightly released the pressure against his throat.
"Tor, let me die." Eret seemed desperate, and even with the glasses on I knew his eyes were trained on me.
"Well, isn't that a fucked up love story?" Quackity waved a hand, Fundy immediately tightening the grip once more. I could see more blood slip down Eret's neck.
I stared ahead at all of the men surrounding Eret, as if challenging me to take a step forward. Daring me to retaliate against them. "You all realize that L'Manburg is going to be thrown into another war because of this. I assume you're going after Tech too, we both are allied with Dream. Additionally, you're threatening the King of the SMP."
If I could just scare them off maybe we could both get out of this. Maybe there's an off chance we both make it out of this alive.
"Oh, we know. We've weighed consequences and are perfectly fine with all of them. We can handle a few people, everybody supports L'Manburg now!" Tubbo said, a large smile on his face despite the actions he was preforming. Ranboo was practically glued to his side during all of this anyway. I eyed Ranboo and he immediately looked away, probably couldn't handle the guilt.
I was silent, still glancing around the place trying to think of anything. Is there even a way out of this? One thing I hate is hope, and yet gods I wish I had some right now. "No more games Torva, take your pick. Your life or the man you love."
I froze up as I looked to Quackity and then to Eret yet again. The fox hybrid had an unyielding grip on the monarch. Eret laughed a bit so Fundy tightened the grip, and even with that Eret managed to speak. "She can't even love! You chose the wrong weakness! She doesn't love me!"
Quackity faltered, the other men all looked to me now. The woman with a monotone expression, someone who was formerly thought to not exist mere years ago. Someone who apparently can't love, which is new information to the men surrounding me. And what's funnier is that it seems this was their only plan, to put Eret on the line.
Because if what Eret said was true, that means their plan failed. They'll have to kill the King and get nothing out of it but war, they won't get the Grim Reaper's life.
I started laughing.
It was a broken laugh, one that wavered every few seconds. And as it continued on some combination of fear and anxiety began to show on everyone's faces. Even Eret looked concerned, and he was the one with a sword to his throat.
Love is a game, a horrid game with no rules. You don't know if you're playing right, so you simply roll the dice and hope you land on the right numbers. Of course you don't know what numbers you are meant to achieve, one can just simply hope there's a result if they do something correct. Or maybe you were supposed to play cards all along and got it disastrously wrong. Who knows anyways.
Love is also something I couldn't explain if I wanted.
Love terrifies but entrances me beyond belief.
Love makes me ill, and yet I'll indefinitely hunger for more.
Love means you have to try for two people, you have to keep going for someone more than yourself.
Love means you'll always have someone in your corner.
Love means you always have someone to keep you in check.
Love is something I'll never be able to fathom even as I slip into oblivion.
Love is something I'll forever have in my veins even as they become corrupted.
I looked back up to Eret as I continued to laugh. "Eret! You know, I really can't fucking stand you right now!" I shouted and ran a hand through my hair, trying to stop the broken laughs itching their way out of my throat. They were far too close from turning into sobs. "Because I do love you!"
Love is Eret.
It took mere seconds for salty tears to begin to slip out of his eyes, traveling down his neck and intermingling with the blood present. He was silent as he cried, and I'd like to think it's some combination of happy and absolutely miserable tears. Ranboo was already looking away, pressing a sleeve to his eyes. It seems he was regretting his decisions.
Quackity began clapping, a slow mocking type of clap. "What a show! Really! Truly heartbreaking."
His expression hardened and he looked to me. "Quackity, if killing the Grim Reaper means he'll stay safe; then I hope my life is an ample sacrifice to the Blood God."
Tubbo looked to my hand, the one holding my axe. "Drop it." He pointed at the netherite weapon, I complied. It hit the ground with a loud clank, now resting at my feet.
Quackity walked up to me now, dagger in hand. "Why don't we make this a permanent memory?" He said in a joyful tone, I continued to show no expression. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction besides the laughter that occurred minutes ago.
For a moment as a screaming pain ripped through my arm, a dagger carving into my skin, I let my mind wander. Let it sink into anywhere but here, distract myself from the pain. I kept a straight face as the weapon sliced into my skin, the men around me not looking too satisfied with my mediocre reaction.
I actually thought about what would be happening right now if Eret and I met in a different life, a different time even. Maybe even a different place. Maybe just a market, just a simple market; we could live like we are now but in that cottage. None of these wars or fights. I would have inevitably found Technoblade again, been able to give him my reasoning for being his successor, maybe I could have taken Eret with us to continue on our adventures. I could have even introduced him to Phil back in the Arctic. Just anything but this really. Reality was pretty shit right about now.
I was forcefully torn from revere by a dagger once again plunging into my arm, warm blood now slipping down my pale skin.
Yeah, fuck this.
Quackity finally removed the dagger, still no reaction had managed to slip onto my face. I eyed my arm to see whatever bloody creation now remained on it, the way he was cutting was purposeful.
:]
Huh.
I mean, it could have been worse? He made the cuts deep enough so there's no chance they don't scar which wasn't too appreciated.
Eret looked sick, and it finally settled in my mind he was forced to watch that. "I'm fine." I said plainly, looking to Eret and allowing a small smile to appear on my face. It was fake, but I'd gladly force myself to look better than I felt for the sake of his mind.
"Won't be for long. Let's go, Ranboo grab the axe." Tubbo ordered, Eret was now released by Fundy, and the members of the Butcher Army immediately crowded around me with various weapons. Ranboo on the other hand picked up my axe, his whole body lurching from the weight at first before heaving it up. My weapons tended to be heavier than expected for other people.
Quackity grabbed my arm, a calloused hand carelessly digging into my skin. He grabbed onto the part of my arm with the fresh wound, it was probably purposeful. I exhaled heavily, trying to remain emotionless for the extent of this. I'm still not going to give them the pleasure of getting a reaction out of me. The blood rushing down my arm from a carving now sliced into my skin wasn't exactly enjoyable.
I looked over my shoulder as I began to walk away, seeing fresh tears already slipping down Eret's face. I could tell he wanted to do something, anything, he couldn't. He can do combat sure, but he doesn't have a weapon let alone the skill to fight four people at once.
I was trying my best not to cry as I walked away, keeping my eyes trained on the brunet I had learned to love. I was refusing to let tears clog up my senses, not because I didn't want to show weakness; but because I wanted to see Eret's face one last time. Tears would make my vision a blurry mess.
I find it funny it took me being dragged off to an execution to realize I could love. To finally give into that warm feeling that's resided in me for far too long now.
I guess the myths were really just that, myths.
❧
Eret swears he was choking out screams at this point, they couldn't even recall the last time they hyperventilated this badly. Was this an anxiety attack? It probably was.
Why can't he breathe?
Eret felt his fingers slowly start to go numb from the lack of oxygen, his body heaving in an attempt to not pass out. He couldn't think of anything, the sound of his frantic gasps overpowering anything else he could hear.
This was meant to be a happy moment, this was meant to be everything he ever wanted. His love was finally requited, he could be happy. And yet he could see Torva being practically manhandled as she was torn away from the castle, this wasn't supposed to be how any of this happened. When he imagined finally having his feelings returned it was supposed to be magical, like some type of fairytale. Maybe a late night on top of the castle, stargazing. A picnic like they just had minutes ago even.
Not this, never like this.
He wishes they had just slit his throat.
Eret can feel his chest constrict with each sob that wrenches from his throat. He just wants to breathe, please let him breathe for the love of gods.
His head hurts terribly, it feels like everything is crashing down onto him at once. There's an overload of every emotion he could possibly have, and excess of everything he thought he could feel. One of the only things he can feel besides this overload and general gut wrenching terror is the feeling of blood trickling down his neck, and the static that seems to be climbing up his arms with every second he goes without proper oxygen.
He couldn't hear the sound of a letter being dropped at his feet, so instead the crow began violently squawking to gain his attention. He momentarily looked to the bird, black wings stretched wide in an attempt to gain his attention. The new focus was able to help him steady his frantic breathing.
Eret shakily bent down and picked up the letter. He didn't entirely trust his legs to keep him upright, but he managed. The small crow immediately left after he picked up the envelope, flying back to wherever it came from.
Eret turned over the letter, reading words scrawled largely in ink over the front of the envelope. The handwriting looked frantic.
PLEASE READ IMMEDIATELY, LEAVE THE CASTLE- PHILZA
Oh.
Eret could see his tears begin to hit the envelope, not even bothering to open it to read the contents. The ink began to smudge under his thumbs.
It seems Phil was too late to warn them.
Eret couldn't stop yet another miserable sob from leaving him, they wouldn't be surprised if next time he could see through bleary eyes the ink would be illegible.
He couldn't see that his fingers were already stained a shade of black from the ink.
❧
Philza had sent out the second letter, now it was time to wait. He was leaning over the balcony of the house he was confined to, house arrest had ruined what little he had after coming here. One of the first interactions he had in these lands was killing his own son and losing the freedom he had, his wings.
He was now trapped in the country that destroyed his family.
They had taken his communicator weeks ago, not taking into account he had access to birds anyways.
Phil was waiting for Technoblade to be brought to one of the two cages in the center of L'Manburg. He had assumed they were going to retrieve the Blood God first followed by the Reaper, he had hope that they would make it out of this alive. They don't say Technoblade never dies for no reason after all. His letter should reach Torva right about now, giving her more than enough time to either run for it or prepare. They haven't even brought Technoblade back yet, so she should have the ability to be as safe as she could be.
Today was the first time in years Phil had been wrong in battle, made the incorrect decision. He was usually someone to be looked up to and asked for help in these situations.
And yet he saw the red head being practically dragged to a metal cage. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!" Philza screamed down from the balcony, wings flaring and feathers that weren't damaged puffing out. Every last person ignored him besides Torva, who looked up and shot him a quick smile. It didn't help calm his panicked state.
The woman willingly walked into the cage, standing in the cramped space. He watched her look up, a redstone contraption leading to the anvil far above her head. A measly rope held up the deadly object. And yet her face remained stoic. "If you kneeled down it would be a lot more comfortable for you." Fundy laughed, leaning against the now closed iron cage.
Philza overheard, but was unable to leave the confines of his house to assist her. The anklet on his body prevented him. "I don't kneel for anybody, you may be taking my first life but I will be no lesser of a person when I walk out of this."
Phil felt immense pride bubble up at the words.
Ranboo stood and watched the woman, his tail drooped and brushing the ground. "Ranboo, did you know that when you're nervous you fix your hair and crown?" She looked up to the teen, he immediately froze and looked away in what seems to be nervousness.
"I uhm- I did not." He mumbled out, now slouching and looking at the floor below. He just felt worse now, did she really know that much about him? How much more terrible can one person feel?
"I also find that when scared you stutter on the first word of each sentence." She commented, Ranboo seemingly curling in on himself further. He went to fix his crown only to catch himself.
He supposes she was correct.
"I'm sorry." He whispered it, daring to meet his eyes to hers for just a moment.
"Come on Ranboo! Let's head out!" Quackity shouted, a compass in his hand.
Phil immediately recognized the compass as the one stolen from him, it would lead straight to the Arctic.
He looked down to Torva as she continued to stand in the cramped cage, refusing to kneel down to make herself more comfortable. The men left her to stay in the iron bars, obviously assuming she wouldn't be able to break pure iron with her hands.
They were right, there's no way out of this.
Philza just wishes he had sent her letter first.
❧
The cold turned his fingers a bit numb, and the potions he drank made his throat an uncomfortable freezing temperature. It was almost to the point of painful. Potions never stayed warm out here for long. His hair was sticking to his forehead from the sweat on his form, fighting this many people at once is never good for his body.
The sweat didn't even help cool him off, he was already freezing from the weather in the Arctic anyways.
Technoblade isn't a fearful person, he stands by that and shows it well. So when he took on a one versus four he was perfectly fine, especially because Phil had sent him a letter beforehand. He had potions and all of his best items in general, no fucking shot they take him.
"Quackity! Help!" Tubbo shouted right as Technoblade dug a heel into his chest, axe about to bury itself in the teen's shoulder. The President looked terrified, Tubbo's weapon was stuck in the ground from where the pinkette knocked it out of his hand.
"Technoblade stop!" Quackity yelled from behind him, and he turned around to see his horse. Carl.
Now one of the main things Technoblade liked to live by was that he can't be defeated, and if he's being honest he wouldn't exchange his life for a horse too easily. He personally didn't have too much of an attachment to the horse, now on the other hand his voices did.
Astronomically.
And in no way was Technoblade ready to endure months or maybe years of torture in his own head because of this horse.
Additionally, he needs to go to that execution and shut that down one way or another, and he could feel the weight of his totem of undying in his pocket. Technoblade read Phil's letter, he knows the general rundown of what's occurring.
Torva was there, and he knows he can't let her lose a life. For now she needs to keep all three, Phil knows this much too. It's too imperative Technoblade keeps her alive.
"Let go of that horse, Quackity."
❧
"Phil! Phil what did they do to you?!" Technoblade began screaming as he was dragged by the house Phil resided in.
I could see Phil look absolutely devastated, large wings flapping as a few distressed coo's involuntarily left his mouth. If one thing was certain about the Angel Of Death, it was his utter obsession with protecting two people. The Blood God, and The Grim Reaper. There's entire stories and recounts of soldiers writing of their experiences in combat with us, saying how the second Tech or I get injured it seems the Angel will become that much more aggressive and reckless. Phil has put everything on the line for us time and time again.
Right now he was practically having a breakdown as he watched the situation, various bird-like vocalizations falling from his lips as his wings puffed up. I could hear distressed chirps and his wings hitting the wooden railings around him, Phil was gripping his hat now. I could see a few crows on the edges of his house.
I watched them drag Technoblade to the cage next to mine, he had that stupid mask on so I couldn't even see him after all this time. I could see he refused to kneel as well, also settling to awkwardly stand in the metal bars. "Not the reunion I had hoped for." He huffed out, looking to his left and chuckling a bit when he saw me.
The bone mask looked around and then settled back on me. "I like the new look." He laughed again and I just shook my head in mock disappointment.
Even after everything, the fights and the tears. I don't think I could have been happier to have him back at my side. Even if there were metal bars dividing us. "What can I say? I change my appearance on a whim after mental breakdowns."
Loud laughter overcame both of us almost immediately, all of the men immediately stopping their conversation to look at us both. I think even with the highs and lows, and the fact we were in cages to be executed.
We were still just best friends.
"Don't we get a trial! What is this?!" Tech shouted down to the Butcher Army with laughter still tainting his voice, and I could practically hear the smile in his tone.
"Out of retirement now, dumbass?" I raised an eyebrow and looked to the taller. Unbraided pink hair was flowing over his shoulders to his chest, his crown was lopsided and armor stolen.
He sighed and shrugged. "I think we both know it wasn't going to last long." The mask looked down for a moment before he once again made eye contact through the sockets in the bone. "I like the necklace."
"I fucking hate you."
"That's deserved."
Quackity walked up to the metal cages, Tubbo following close behind. My nose wrinkled at the overwhelming smell of blood radiating off of their aprons. "Technoblade, Torva. This isn't a trial, this is an execution. You are both going to fucking die, if you look up you can see anvils, and when I pull those levers they will fall and kill you both."
I didn't bother to look up. I just wanted to go home, back to the castle. I wanted to see Eret and to reconnect with Technoblade.
I wanted to finally hold Eret understanding how much I truly adore him.
"Yeah." Technoblade clicked his tongue as he looked up. "This mask kinda' blocks my ability to see up that high, so it's really just a matter of perspective here. I can just see that wooden pole holdin' up somethin'." Tech was automatically taunting our executioners. I can remember how when we started working together and he pulled this stuff, I would be so unbelievably angry. I would think he's putting our lives on the line to pull some measly jokes.
I now know he only does this when he's confident in victory.
"Shut the fuck up." Quackity spat back, Technoblade laughing under his breath.
"This is an execution." Tubbo repeated seriously, hand gripping the bars to my cage before pulling away.
Quackity sighed and walked to the side, the cages were on a small podium like contraption. There was also a lever attached to each of our cages, ones I could only assume would activate something to break the rope above each of our heads. "Tubbo, why don't you do the honors." Quackity gestured to his side, the President stepping up to a microphone on the podium.
It was ironic since there were really only two people in the crowd, three if you count Philza about to have a breakdown on his balcony.
Maybe I'd walk out of this alive, but if I didn't it would be worth it. Better I die than Eret. "Think my life will be a good enough sacrifice for you, Blood God?" I teased, looking to my side and the cage next to my own.
Technoblade didn't respond with a laugh, though as he spoke I could hear his smile. That at least let me know my joke landed. "Yeah, I'd say so."
Tubbo grumbled at our banter, turning on the microphone in front of him. "Technoblade and Torva have robbed this country." Ah yes, yet another speech from the teen is apparently required for this. "They have robbed this country of everything that made it special. Of everything that defined what it was. They stepped in when they shouldn't have. They raised chaos, they ruined the government- Punz?"
Suddenly an enderpearl was thrown into the center of the podium, Punz appearing and hopping down to the other three members of the Butcher Army. "What the fuck?!" Tubbo screamed, various yells being heard from the other three men.
Punz began throwing instant damage potions, and Ranboo bent over now violently coughing. I looked to where Punz came from to see Dream standing atop Philza's roof. The masked man hopped down out of my sight with a simple wave.
"Oh fuck!" "Oh jeez- oh no." "Run!" Punz what are you doing?!"
There were words among the mess I couldn't even make out, I just knew at least someone was on our side.
"Heeh?" Technoblade was watching the chaos with me, I didn't even know what to do. I was still stuck in this cage, I couldn't help Punz.
I surged forward and gripped the bars of my cage, watching the attack ensue. Punz was a good fighter, but that didn't help me stop Quackity from running to Technoblade's lever.
It's like life began moving slower, shouts from the men being attacked now echoing in my ears. Shouts being picked out saying to pull our levers.
Technoblade looked to me and reached into his pocket right as Quackity grappled the device. All I could see was a gleam of gold before my life once again picked up speed, the lever being pulled with a definitive click.
I didn't even have time to react before a loud ugly crack reverberated in my ears. Everyone could see blood gush out from under the anvil, and I swear there were streaks of shimmering gold in the sanguine liquid.
I think I was in too much shock to cry, let alone move. All that came out was a choked scream, one that hurt to even exclaim, I could practically feel my vocal cords straining. I didn't even think in those moments that he had lives to spare.
And then I could hear crackles, it was almost instantaneous, I originally thought it was the sound of more bones breaking under the weight. Everything around me had officially faded into a blurred ringing so it was easy to mix up.
Though I could suddenly feel the pain stinging in my arm fade away, right where the cuts were from Quackity. I looked to see rogue green sparks hitting the wound, and it seems wherever they touched just miraculously healed.
I furrowed my brows for a moment before immediately snapping my head over to see the impossible. Technoblade was standing up fully, his form was stained in blood and hair matted with gore, but he was standing.
I could see firework like sparks flying off his entire body, greens and yellows intermingling in the air around me. The noises were overpowering and deafening from this close, I couldn't imagine what it was like in the center.
He had used a Totem of Undying.
He reached down next to the anvil he was now on top of, and picked up the crown that had fallen off of his head from the impact. His mask was not the same, the bone split down the middle and various shards chipped off from the weight. He didn't even bother to pick it up.
With one hand he grabbed the top of the small cage, lifting himself up and over the edge, landing on two bloodied feet outside of the metal contraption.
What used to be a crushed man in mere moments was standing stronger than before.
I could see blood smeared on his face and coating his formerly white shirt. It was an absolute mess, but better to be alive and coated in your own blood than dead.
I was too focused on the miraculous scene in front of me and Phil's cheers of joy to notice the next issue.
Technoblade was apparently more observant than I.
"Stop!" The pinkette screamed, all of the shouts from the people around us ceasing.
Quackity was at my lever.
He looked at me in the eyes, hand resting on top of the wooden device. He hadn't even bothered to look to Technoblade. "Any last words?" Quackity smiled, wincing for a moment from the harming potions Punz had thrown at him moments ago.
I opened my mouth to speak, I don't even know what I'd say.
What does someone say before they die? Does someone usually have their final words planned?
What are you meant to say as your final exclamation to the world before you're forcefully ripped from it?
Do I say a goodbye?
Maybe an 'I'm Sorry?'.
So I say something spiteful?
Maybe I should just be happy I'll at least be respawning at the castle.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Technoblade spoke once more, and I tore my eyes away from Quackity, away from the hand on the lever.
The lever that would decide my fate. In one fell swoop my life would be gone and seep away under my fingertips.
When I looked to Technoblade my stomach lurched. He had the small brunet in his grasp, Tubbo gasping for air as he was in an ever tightening headlock. His hands feebly grasped and reached for the arms constricting his airflow. When Quackity saw I could hear an audible gasp from the man.
"You pull the lever, I kill him. Difference is that he only has one life." The words came out like snarls, and they were only more terrifying combined with his blood soaked appearance.
Quackity scanned the area for a moment before scoffing, trying to call the threat as if it was a bluff. "You wouldn't, he's your brothers best friend. Didn't Phil basically adopt him?"
I could see the hold tighten, Tubbo letting out a horribly strangled noise and his grasps to become free became more desperate.
"Don't make me count down until I snap his neck." Technoblade didn't miss a beat before immediately retorting with another statement.
Momentary silence followed.
"Five." He began counting, numbers slow and calculated. Tubbo whined and thrashed in his hold, probably now running completely out of air and body giving its last fight before passing out from lack of oxygen.
My heart dropped when Quackity reached for the lever.
I heard a loud crack and saw as the lever was forcefully ripped from the wall it was on. Quackity had severed the connection and dropped the device.
Technoblade cautiously inched toward my cage, President still in his hold. "Nobody move." He looked to everyone surrounding us, keeping one hand around Tubbo and the other reaching for the metal bars.
I saw him begin to undo some kind of clasp from the outside, the door swinging open and my whole body staggering forward as I immediately ran out of the confining cell.
Techno practically threw the brunet to the side, his body hitting the spruce wood below. With his now free but bloodied hands he grabbed me, pulling me forward with reckless abandon.
We didn't have armor or weapons, we couldn't fight.
For once in our lives we had to run from a battle.
I could hear Phil cheering over the yells of the others as we sprinted forward. Ahead I could see where Tech was heading as he dragged me along by the hand.
Dream was on top of Carl, axe in hand and netherite strapped onto his body. "He has Carl!" Tech shouted as we made our way up a hill to leave L'Manburg.
Dream hopped off of the horse and frantically shoved the reigns into Technoblade's hands. The masked man didn't even bother to speak, pushing us both down into a tunnel connected to the hill.
One I recognized all too well.
"There's chests down there with items and tunnels leading out, run." Dream turned his heel and ran the opposite direction, leaving us alone in the cobblestone tunnel.
"What is this?" Tech grumbled, running ahead down the underground building.
"The final control room." I muttered, both of us leading the horse into a room which hit me with waves of nostalgia. "Did they threaten your horse?"
"Yeah, the voices are too attached to Carl to let him die. Plus, Phil warned me you'd be there. I can't let you die, nerd." He smiled weakly, face now visible without the mask.
I'm sure he'd just get a new one.
I looked at his face, trying to figure out what could have possibly changed. Shockingly there was something brand new. "I guess I'm not the only one to change my appearance in times of distress." I smiled as I eyed the new piercing.
He had a golden septum ring.
He huffed and began sorting through chests, trying to find what Dream had left for us. "I wanted more gold and ran out of proper places on my ears. I blame my genetics."
"I like it."
He began pulling out a single set of iron armor along with a netherite pickaxe.
We both looked at the items, and then a single God Apple that was pulled out of the chest next. It seems Dream planned for only one of us to fight. I felt that we were acting far too casual for just cheating death.
As we looked at those items I could hear someone running down that tunnel, someone who was definitely not Dream. "I'm fighting." Technoblade stated, beginning to hook the iron armor over his body.
He didn't give me an option to argue, and I don't think I had the time to anyway. I rushed over and began to help him latch the weak armor onto his body.
Better than nothing.
Our hands moved past each other effortlessly, showing what happens after years of cooperation even after what was months of separation.
He had the armor strapped on his body and an enchanted pickaxe in his hand by the time the person reached the room.
The final control room was still a mess, I could see blood so old and dried it was brown in the cracks of the black stone bricks. Additionally, nobody had bothered to move the signs above each chest. Showing who was an original member of L'Manburg.
Who was killed.
"That's not good." Tech muttered under his breath.
Quackity stood in front of us both, full netherite armor on his body and an axe in his hands. A scowl was etched on his face along with excessive confusion. He had chased us here, obviously not wanting to let his targets make it out alive.
Tech slowly handed me the reigns to Carl, placing both his hands on the handle of the pickaxe. "What the fuck are you doing?" Quackity spat the words like they were too big for his mouth. "How the hell did that anvil not kill you?"
Awkward laughs choked their way out of Tech's mouth. "Did you really think Quackity, that you could kill us that easily?" The pinkette laughed, pickaxe hanging lazily in his palm.
"How did you- how-" Quackity stuttered over his words horribly.
"Do you really think death can stop me when I work with the Grim Reaper?" Technoblade smiled and took a step forward, Quackity's eyes opening wide. "I tried convincing you guys that government was not the answer, instead that it was the cause of your problems! We tried to show our point by fighting along side you all as brothers, you used us as weapons. I went into retirement and Torva began living with your own King as dare I say an ally."
"I went into retirement and you decided to hunt down my friends." Technoblade raised the weapon, Quackity's face flickered into something akin to fear.
"You threatened Eret, and then you tried to kill Technoblade. Face the consequences." I watched as the pickaxe was driven down with all of the strength that was possible.
It was poorly stopped with a loud clang, Quackity's arm shaking with the pressure it took to fight the weapon. His diamond axe doing a miserable job defending himself. "You don't see what we're trying to build here." Quackity spoke shockingly calm for the situation he was in.
He has dug himself into a hole he can't get out of anymore. "You just want power." The words the Blood God snarled were guttural and rage filled. The pressure became too much and the disgusting scrape of metal on metal filled the air as they broke apart. "I just have one question Quackity."
"What is it." The words would normally be polite, and yet they were full of disgust and venom.
Technoblade leaned forward in a cocky manner, and yet I know he had every right to have that confidence. "Do you really think you're enough to kill us? Even unarmed?"
Because he's the Blood God.
Technoblade bolted past the man, lifting the enchanted apple to his mouth and taking a large bite before shoving the fruit back into his pocket. He spun around to find Quackity charging past me straight to him.
Immediately the God moved fluently, it's like it was a dance for him. Quackity swung and aimed for the other's side, though his moves were stiff and boxy.
The smaller man couldn't even get a hit in before Technoblade drove the pickaxe into the others side, followed by a choked groan emitting and Quackity stumbling backwards. He just wasn't trained enough, he didn't have the skill to fight a God.
Blood was leaking from his side from just one hit, his back against the stone wall of the tunnel.
Quackity took a weak step forward, his movements stiff and easily countered. Technoblade had his teeth bared, fangs forged through centuries of evolution in the Nether. Piglin were nothing to be challenged, and combined with a human you didn't want to cross the hybrid's path.
"You've been ruining-!" Quackity took a heavy breath, swinging only for a boot to kick into his gut and to stumble once more. "Everything we have been building!"
Technoblade seemed to be fed up with this now, no longer interested or entertained by this battle. I could only imagine how loud the voices in his head were screaming for blood.
"I HAVE A PICKAXE AND I'LL PUT IT THROUGH YOUR TEETH."
The netherite pickaxe was brought under Technoblade's hand, and raised so fast I could barely see the movement.
It was jabbed under Quackity's jaw, a choked scream being muffled as it stabbed through his skull and out his eye. Skin was torn and exploded into vermillion and gore. Flesh was split and vision destroyed with only more blood added to the collection belonging to the God before me.
I could see bone from now horrid the injury was, Quackity's hands now laying limply at his sides. Technoblade ripped the pickaxe out from the enemies skull, the other man now falling weakly to the stone below.
I let go of the horses reigns, walking forward to the man. He stood proudly over the writhing government official who was soon to be a corpse. "Tech."
The pinkette looked over to me and I met his eyes with little resistance. For the first time in far too long a deep vermillion met a dull silver. I reached up to the golden chain around my neck. I'd never admit it, but ever since Tommy compared the necklace to a dog collar, I could somehow feel it getting heavier with each passing day.
I tugged, golden hooks becoming undone and the golden chain falling to the ground limply. I broke the necklace and in my hand remained the single ring. He held out his palm and I dropped the object into his open hand. "Technoblade I-" I inhaled deeply as he skipped the ring back onto his thumb. "I'm not some dog."
"What?"
"Before we- I want to be your ally again, your friend again." I stuttered as I tried to explain my thoughts, put what I've struggled with over months into poorly expressed words. "But I think we need to get everything straight first."
"I want that too, never stopped." He smiled but I could see underlying concern poorly hidden.
I clenched my teeth before opening my mouth dumbly, rethinking my words and trying once more. "It's always been you. In every damn piece of writing and story it's always you. I'm always 'Technoblade's Grim Reaper.' Technoblade this, Blood God that. I'm not even myself anymore." I looked at my palms, now a voided black I've found myself getting used to. I can't recall what they used to look like pale. "It's like I'm some extension of you, I couldn't even tell where I started and you ended. Tommy was right, I'm just some dog."
I looked up to see Technoblade was staring off into the control room, he had turned his back to me at some point during that rant. "I can't-"
Technoblade's words were cut short by a noise he couldn't place.
He turned around and was met with a sight he never thought he'd have to witness.
The disgusting noise of blood being choked up and hitting the floor was what he had heard, the scarlet liquid was rushing down Torva's chin and throat. She began violently coughing further, more blood joining the now ever growing pool on the floor at her feet.
He looked down to see the edge of a diamond axe barely jabbed out of her abdomen, and behind her Quackity was reaching up from the floor; blood rushing down his face and intermingling with her own. His arm was outstretched weakly to show what he had just done, his axe was now embedded in her body. "Y- you're coming down with me."
Quackity choked out the words, his whole body giving out and skull crashing into the stone with an ear splitting crack. His body began to slowly fade to ash.
Torva's hands shakily reached to the weapon protruding from her stomach, another bloody and disgusting cough racking her body. Technoblade watched as her eyes began to slowly turn foggy and her body lurch forward.
He rushed toward her and gripped onto her shoulders, leaning her smaller form against his own.
He could hear another cough force it's way out, feeling the blood hit his skin as it further strained her slowly bleeding out form. He could hear a foul and heaving laugh leave her throat. How idiotic could he have been to turn his back on Quackity?
"Who drags the Grim Reaper to hell, Tech?"