[Fanart above by Quiznak_Urself ! Sent to me through the Discord server!]
[TW! Violence, blood, argument, excessive vulgarity.]
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"How much of this person is actually you?"
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"I don't understand." The Angel spoke, legs crossed as he sat on the floor of a pale church. Eret was at his side while the sheep hybrid spoke, taking her hat off and placing it on the ground as she sighed.
"That's not Torva." She spoke slowly, almost interpreted as condescendingly if not for the situation the men were slowly understanding they were in. "She's under control."
"But she's acting like herself." Eret argued immediately, leaning forward from where he was sitting on the church floor. "And why are we in Church Prime? Why couldn't we have this discussion at the castle?"
Puffy deadpanned, both men taken aback purely because of how annoyed the woman managed to look. "You've seen the vines." She muttered, glancing out the purple tinted window.
"Well yeah, I'm not blind." Eret retorted, rolling his eyes and leaning back some more.
Puffy frowned, running a hand through her wool like hair. Patting it down so it wasn't so frizzy. "The Egg is a parasite, an illness if you will." She tapped her skull, showing it was an sickness of the brain. "It preys on those that are at their worst, takes their wants and promises lies. In exchange it takes over most of your senses, while under the influence I completely lost my ability to feel pain and emotion. It promised me things that even Gods couldn't follow through with." Puffy took a moment to breathe, furrowing her brows and glancing to the increasingly concerned men. "The Egg can't enter the Holy Land."
Phil leaned his head on his palm, closing his eyes and taking a moment to collect his thoughts. "Do you know why it can't?"
"Sam and I think it's the Holy Water, it gets rid of the Egg's effects somehow, cleanses it. It's mainly how we got out, barely escaped with our lives." She gestured to the large fountain behind her, clear water cascading over marble. She didn't know how it had properties, she wasn't in these lands when it was built. "Torva's dangerous."
Eret put his head in his hands, having to take off his crown and set it next to him on the cold stone flooring. "So, if we get her in this water-"
Puffy cut him off, "if we even can. She's more dangerous now than ever. The Egg has practically removed all sense of self preservation from that woman, she has a death wish, she doesn't fucking fear anything right now. She can't feel pain, she can't be scared." Phil was starting to look blatantly terrified, wings drooping and face falling. "The Egg took away everything that woman had and made her a soldier, I think it will do anything to keep her. And she's so far deep into it I don't know if Holy Water will even work."
The two men could tell the woman was starting to feel hopeless, from the way her face was twisted into a never-ending frown and that every other exhale seemed to be a sigh. "Well, it can't hurt to try; can it, mate?" Phil gave a hopeful smile, trying his best to beam. "There's one last question I have though."
Puffy directed her attention to the Angel, blue eyes meeting her own. "Yes?"
"Torva, for as long as I've known her she's been a very firm person. She doesn't let much shake her, y'know, mate? I just don't see how the Egg could so much as get close to her." The blond gestured to Puffy, signaling her to explain if she even had an answer. The sheep hybrid pursed her lips and grabbed her pirate like hat, putting it on her head and breaking eye contact with the older.
She ran her hand down her face, looking to Eret specifically. "Us followers of the Egg, we have a general idea what each person is seeking. We have to help each other after all." Captain Puffy didn't break eye contact with the brunet, his expression becoming more worried by the second. "For example Bad is looking for a stable family, Antfrost is looking for his lover; Velvet. Easy, straightforward, Torva's was always more complicated." She opened her mouth only to close it, not uttering a word. She went to speak again, swallowing dryly. "She wants to be worthy."
It was a simple few words, to the average person they would probably be too vague to be understood. To Philza and Eret they meant more than Puffy probably knew. They meant a feeling of rejection. They meant underlying self hatred for her strength. They meant she felt unloved. They meant that the woman was fearful. They meant she wants to earn those things.
Neither man knew how much Puffy was hiding in that moment, but they couldn't help but trust her anyway. What other option did they have? "So where do we start?" Phil stood up fully, wings giving one flap after straightening out fully. One tattered, but nobody dared mention it.
"I need to see Technoblade." Puffy stated simply, holding out a hand as she gestured for Phil to take out his communicator.
The Angel didn't exactly know what he was agreeing on, but he didn't want to take the chance of passing up on help to get Torva back. "Why Technoblade?" Eret asked, taking Phil's hand that was offered to him, the blond helping the King stand up.
Puffy glanced to the two men for a moment. "Well, I don't think either of you could take Torva in a fight. Not in this state especially, and we need to knock her out long enough to get her in this water." The Captain stood up, brushing off her pants with the palms of her hands. "To my knowledge- to beat the student, we need the teacher."
Philza didn't say anything when he reached into the pocket on his deep green jacket, taking out his communicator and not even bothering to message. He called, and Puffy swears she didn't even hear it ring once before the person on the other end picked up.
"Phil? You okay? Philza?"
Technoblade's voice rang out on the other end, deep and scratchy but easily identifiable due to its uniqueness. "Yeah, mate. I have a question."
"Bruhhh, you scared me for a second. I thought somethin' happened and I'd have to leave Steve before I could feed him."
Philza laughed, features breaking into a smile that wrinkled his face in a way only describable as endearing. "No, the polar bear can eat. It's more-so about how comfortable you'd be doing this... 'thing'." Philza's voice slowly died off as the sentence continued.
"I already told you I'd give you the world, Phil."
"I know Techno, but, it's about Torva." Phil's smile slowly dropped, and Eret patted the older on the back. "She-"
"Holy- did you find her? Where? Give me coords I'll be right there."
The piglin hybrids voice was urgent, tone elevating in almost panic. Puffy could hear a jacket ruffling on the other end of the call, a door opening probably signaling he had either left the house and or whatever room he was in. "Mate, it's not that simple."
"How isn't it simple? I'll grab her and bring her back to me- us- back to us and it will be fine. It's fine."
"Techno! Slow down! The Egg got her alright?! That red shit around the DreamSMP, and I need you to help us and calm down right fucking now, you hear me?" The rustling on the other end stopped, Phil's voice scolding to a point where it was fatherly.
"Fine, you get three minutes or I'm tracking your location."
"Puffy, the communicator is yours." Philza handed the device to the woman, and she took it in nervous hands. Nobody really talked to the Blood God often, and it was obvious he was far from happy.
"Puffy?"
"Hello, Technoblade." She spoke as calmly as she could, still able to hear a tremor in her voice that made her cringe. "I'm sure you've caught wind of the Egg by now."
"This is correct."
"Well, it seems to have taken- control of many members of the land over here. This list includes Torva, who seems to have taken a leadership role in the cult with her brother." Puffy took a deep breath, having to steady herself. It seems in her rushed speaking she somehow forgot to breathe. How does one forget to do a bodily function? She doesn't know but she had no time to question it. "We need to get her to the Holy Land, the Holy Water that Phil, Eret, and I are next to right now I believe has cleansing properties. My theory is that it can get rid of said possession."
"Slow down, I need more context or- somethin'- anythin'-"
"We don't have time for that, Technoblade." Puffy said it in almost a scolding manner. "Right now we need your help to get Torva in this water. I can explain on the way to her."
"I can see where this is goin'."
"We need you to knock Torva out in battle so we can drag her here while unconscious, a member of the Egg won't become cleansed willingly or enter the Holy Land willingly." Puffy looked to Phil and Eret nervously, the blond flashing her a thumbs up and supportive smile. The sheep hybrid nervously gave him a smile back. "The catch is that- she'll probably be fighting to the death. So you have to win, and you have to be willing to give her serious injury if needed."
Phil's supportive smile faltered, and all Puffy heard on the other line was silence and the occasional static from the unstable line. Eret was wordless as well, leaning against a pure white wall of the church.
"... I'll be at the church in thirty or less."
The line cut off, leaving the woman with a silent communicator in her palms. "Puffy." Philza almost whispered it, softly taking the device out of her hands and putting it in her pocket. "Eret, you need to hear this too." The Angel said, grabbing the brunet's attention. "Technoblade is a God, he's strong and could probably be marked as the best at combat in this plane of existence as a whole. He's a God of war. He could kill anyone in battle and has yet to lose let alone die, he's lived centuries and hasn't sustained life ending injuries once."
Puffy blinked a few times, and Eret cocked his head to the side. "So then we shouldn't have to worry about him losing. Didn't he teach, Tor?" Eret asked the sensible question, Phil shook his head.
"There's two people he would lose to." He held up two fingers, ducking his head low so his hair fell over his features. "One, me. He wouldn't kill me at the cost of his own life. He's thrown himself in front of me during battle time and time again." He put down a finger. "Two, Torva. He'd rather slit his own throat, and he's almost done so. I've watched him give himself up to enemies before in exchange for her life, he's always escaped but that doesn't change the fact that he's done it." Philza looked up finally, making eye contact with the two onlookers. "That man may not have many, but he'd die for the few friends he has. He won't win that fight if she's going to the death, I'll have to step in before that boy allows himself to fall. Possession or not, he'll let her kill him."
The two other adults were wordless. What could one say in that situation?
All they could do was wait for the Blood God to show up, try to track down that woman. Nobody but Philza even had a solid idea of what could occur, and even Philza was iffy on his decisions in this scenario. "So, we need a plan." Puffy muttered it, almost scared to break the silence. "Who should do what."
Eret nodded in agreement, "Phil should use his crows to help locate Torva, once we find her Technoblade should be here to actually go to her and engage in combat. Though, if she's with other members of the Egg we need to wait for her to be alone." Eret suggested the plan and Phil clicked his tongue.
"We don't have a lot of time here, by the way Puffy was talking- the Egg's control grows stronger via time in the host, correct?" The blond raised an eyebrow as he looked to the sheep hybrid, the woman nodded her head. "So, we need to get this done as soon as possible. If a member of the Egg is there, so be it. You two would be responsible for handling any other members that may be present, Technoblade would handle Torva and I can step in at the end to knock her out if he's not willing."
The two others didn't dare argue with the Angel, immediately agreeing and assuming he knew best.
He whistled, a high pitched and trained noise. A singular black crow took only a few moments to swoop in through the front church doors, landing on his shoulder and perching by his hat. The animal squawked loudly, making Eret wince and Puffy look with wonderment.
Phil whistled various noises, and it almost looked as if the crow was nodding.
It was then Puffy noticed flurries of black birds gathering outside of the church. Perching on window sills and pecking at the grass outside for bugs. The woman would guarantee that they were definitely not there seconds ago, and it seems they only grew by the second.
She didn't want to know how many there were, and with the way Eret was unfazed she could only assume this was a common occurrence.
The crow left Philza's shoulder, letting out one final squawk before diving out of the front doors once more. A single midnight feather falling to the pure white ground, a similar color to the Angel's wings. Fitting how an Angel, a supposed Holy creature, had tainted black wings.
Puffy could only assume that shows that- Phil wasn't too pure.
She shivered for a moment, remembering the stories and rumors about the man. Gods is she glad he's on her side right now, never would she want to be on the bad side of that God.
All of the crows began to fly up in waves, scattering immediately.
"They'll find her, the only way they won't is if she blocked herself up in a cave system. Even then she'll have to come out eventually." Phil turned his back to the others, putting his hands in his pockets and looking out the door. You could mistake the murders of crows for black clouds with how they were grouped in the skies. "I just hope we won't be too late. How long were you controlled, Puffy?"
Puffy crossed her arms, walking up to the blond. "I can't remember."
Eret joined the other two by the door, watching the crows. "What do you mean?"
"I mean I can't remember. You can see what you're doing, you can scream internally to stop, but everything is a blur all at the same time. It's like someone else is inside of your body, controlling what you do. Once you let it in, you lose more control by the day. It took all of my willpower to leave, every last drop of strength I had to force my legs to go where I wanted and not the Egg." She looked back at the Holy Water. "It allows you to believe you have control, it feels like you have control. It's like a bad addiction, and the only way to break it is to go cold turkey. Kind of like when you tell yourself that you can stop whenever you want, you can't. There's those few moments of clarity, where you break away from this red sheen and look in the mirror, where you think to yourself that you don't want this and you want it to stop now. That you want that red shit out of your brain and your veins, that you don't want to be some puppet anymore." She pressed a palm to her right cheek, feeling tears streaming down her skin and dripping off of her chin. She let out a choked sob, catching both of the men's attention. "But you can't get rid of it, not without the Holy Water. Sam and I had to force each other into the church, and some people are desperate enough to ignore those moments of clarity, just decide the Egg is better than normalcy. You know it's bad, you know it's corrupting you, Torva doesn't care because she thinks she needs it. Bad doesn't care because he gets a power rush. Antfrost doesn't care because he's desperate."
She felt Eret wrap her into a hug, and she was pressed into the brunet's chest as he held her close. "It will be okay, Puffy. You got out, you're okay now."
She let out a hiccup, wiping at snot and tears running out of her nose and eyes from the violent crackles and sobs. "We all fed into it too, they still do I think. If someone doubts the Egg everyone will say that it's okay, that they're wrong and just having doubts, that it's normal to question what seems to good to be true. It's like a bad addiction, it really is."
Eret didn't know what to think, what to do. He had a million thoughts running through his head and none of them seemed to be fully coherent. Was Torva really this desperate? Did he fuck up that bad?
He could only be so guilty, could only fall down so far into self deprecation. He hit rock bottom a few days ago, and now all the progress he had made to climb out fell all over again.
The only thing he could think of for these weeks was if he had just fucking trusted her. Why did he find that so difficult? Why couldn't he do the basis of a goddamn relationship? Because of some stupid rumors?
Phil was mad and both him and Technoblade, Eret knew that much. The way the Angel yelled at him made his heart pick up speed out of actual fear, and he almost wanted Phil to slap him before he left the lecture. He felt like he deserved it.
The blond had sat Eret and Technoblade on the couch, neither man could tell anyone how long that lecture lasted because they lost count and were too scared to even dare to look at the clock. Eret remembers he got to leave before Technoblade, and the brunet winced after he closed the front door to leave.
Because he thought Phil was yelling at him before.
Obviously that wasn't anywhere near Phil's true screaming, because the way his volume picked up at the pinkette and the way Eret saw Technoblade practically cowering when he walked past the window made Eret glad he got the lighter side of things.
"DO YOU TWO HAVE ANY FUCKING CLUE HOW IDIOTIC YOU ARE?!" The blond screamed at the two men, wings taut behind his back and face twisted into a practical snarl. Eret was looking up fearfully while Technoblade somehow had a stoic expression on as he looked to the Angel. Phil didn't like that. "TECHNO I FUCKING TAUGHT YOU BETTER THAN THAT BULLSHIT- I COULDN'T GIVE LESS OF A FUCK WHAT BOND YOU THINK YOU HAVE ON HER." Eret didn't understand that, but whatever it meant made Technoblade falter and look that much more hopeless. "You're my best goddamn friend! You learned from me and I learned from your dumbass! I KNOW YOU KNOW BETTER BECAUSE I KNOW BETTER!"
Phil grabbed Eret's jaw, making him look up to the shorter from where he was sitting on the couch. "I fucking hope when she comes back she ends whatever relationship you managed to form with her. If you even so much as fucking look at her in the wrong way I'll find a way to end it myself. I don't care what bullshit you've read about my crow, that doesn't give you the slightest fucking right to even think of her in the way you do." He threw his grip back, making Eret recoil. Phil laughed in an exasperated manner. "I didn't like you the second I saw the way she looked at you. A fucking King she said, she'd fallen for a King. I heard that she had fallen for a selfish prick, a bastard who won't be able to comprehend in the slightest who she is."
That's when Phil gestured for Eret to leave, and he had almost fallen over from the way he scrambled up from that couch and shut the front door behind him. Carefully closing it as to not slam it, scared of what repercussions that would cause.
The last thing he heard was Phil raise his voice to astronomical levels. "You have NO fucking claim on her, mate! Just like how I don't! She's a fucking PERSON!"
"But-"
Eret flinched, hearing the slap of skin on skin. He knew Phil would snap at some point, and Eret was sure glad it was on Techno and not him. The next day he ignored the bruise he saw on Technoblade's cheek. "No buts! None of that bullshit! I was rooting for you from the second we met on that battlefield-"
That's when Eret walked away, far enough away where he couldn't hear the next words to leave the God's mouth.
Phil lifted his head, seeing a single crow swooping down from the skies. He lifted his arm, right as he saw pink hair beginning to enter the Holy Land. Phil nodded to the crow, whistling and letting the avian fly back into the environment. "Hey, mate." The blond greeted the taller, the piglin hybrid waving.
"Hallo." He had a sword in his palm and netherite armor strapped on his body. Not to mention gold jewelry blindingly bright in the early morning sun. "I'm gonna assume that the crows I saw while comin' here are from ya'?"
"You'd assume right, mate."
Eret let go of Puffy, the hybrid finally having stopped crying her eyes out. Leaving them red and swollen. "Did they find anything yet?" Eret asked it quietly, still patting her on the back softly.
Phil smiled confidently. "She just left Punz and the others after a meeting, a few crows spotted her and said she's heading south to Pogtopia."
Technoblade huffed, face painted in confusion. "Pogtopia has been abandoned for maybe a year now, what could she want there?"
Phil shrugged, stretching his wings. "According to the crows they've seen her in those woods a lot, a few think she's living in Pogtopia. Though none of them can actually get in." The blond walked over to the enderchest in the corner of the church, right next to a large purple cross. Each building in these lands tended to have an enderchest, usually stolen in a few weeks, though nobody dares to steal anything in the church.
So Phil pulled out his netherite armor, his sword already in a sheath at his side. Puffy and Eret were dressed in armor already as well, being a King and knight usually required that. Phil never liked armor, always constricted him while flying.
That thought made him extra conscious of his tattered wings. "Phil, I don't know if I can." Technoblade said those words quietly, and though they didn't have context everyone knew what they meant. "You know I can't hurt her."
"Mate, you don't have to kill her or even knock her out, I just need you to tire her out enough so I can finish the job." The Angel closed the chest, beginning to strap armor on his body.
"You aren't talking about her like she's Tia." Technoblade's voice was a whine, almost sounding like a child. "She's our Tia, Phil. I can't- you know I've never been able to."
"Techno, she'd want this if she was herself. That isn't her." The older had a deadpan expression, wings flaring. "And her preferred name is Torva."
Eret and Captain Puffy were concerned and confused, by Technoblade's concern and Phil's insistence. It always seems those two knew more than they'd ever let on. "Let's go before she realizes there's something happening, the crows must have been suspicious enough." Captain Puffy spoke as she brought out her axe, letting the handle lay lazily in her palm. The woman blinked a few times, jaw dropping. "Holy shit. I'm about to go fight the Grim Reaper."
Eret sighed, adjusting his crown. "Yeah well, try dating her and see how insane that is compared to this."
❧
Technoblade didn't really like it, sifting his way through the woods to Pogtopia. Going down pathways he had traveled hundreds of times. The other three could see his discomfort, knowing he was the only one in the group who actively lived in Pogtopia. They all had to follow him blindly, not knowing the way there on their own. "It's right here up ahead." The pinkette muttered, ducking his head down to avoid getting hit with a oak tree's branch.
Everyone knew he didn't have the nicest memories there, generally overworked only to be betrayed in the final stretch. Having Torva hurt by Schlatt only for him to accidentally betray her by siding with the man once. It wasn't exactly, fond, for any party involved.
He was stood in front of a mountain. "So... where's the settlement?" Puffy asked, glancing side to side in front of the mound.
"Everyone shut up. I go in first, you all follow." Technoblade muttered it, taking out his sword and unclasping his cape, letting it fall to the ground in front of the mountain. "Phil, you'll have to take over at some point."
"Got it, mate."
The Blood God raised his leg before kicking forward harshly, the mountain's wall caving in and revealing an entrance. While Puffy stood dumbfounded Eret and Technoblade shared a knowing look.
Philza's face dropped as he looked into the dusted over and seemingly abandoned cavern. Only one thought could go through his mind, was this how his son was living? Was this how Will was living in his final days?
Technoblade entered with little hesitation, every adult watching as each step he took made little to no noise. The two Gods knew being practically silent was futile anyway, Demons had advanced hearing. There was a reason they weren't extinct even with there being constant hunters out for their blood. The race thrived even, you can't kill the practically invincible. The pinkette turned around to the others and held up a single finger to his lips, a quiet "shh" leaving his mouth. The others nodded and slowly followed the God.
Captain Puffy and Eret watched in slight awe, the fluid and almost identical movements the Gods made were captivating. The Angel and Piglin took steps at the same time, bodies hugged against the wall of the stairwell as they moved, finally their weapons at their sides gripped in trained hands.
"Wanna actually come down here? Or do you want to keep sneaking around like bitches?!" The four adults froze, hearing a woman's voice echo from the bottom of the ravine. They watched as Technoblade's head fell back against the wall and he sighed through gritted teeth.
"Bullshit." Technoblade muttered, looking down the stairwell. She was standing confidently at the bottom of the stairs, and from this closer distance he could see everything that had changed. The roots of her hair had turned a pure white, and the previously void tinged skin had turned a deep red. Now matching her eyes. "Tia, Tia come on now. Tell me that's you and not some cult talkin'."
She narrowed her eyes, and the three others watched cautiously as the Blood God made his way down the staircase. Steps calculated and slow. "Torva, and you know full well I'm at my best right now."
"You're lyin', stop lyin' to yourself." His words were more breathless than anything, and with each step everyone got more anxious. Would they have to step in? Why isn't Technoblade fighting? He looked down to the scythe in her palms now, gulping. "Why don't we put down our weapons, and I can help you."
"And why would I do that? You're trying to kill me. I saw the crows, you know I'm not stupid. Phil has been hunting me down like a fucking animal." Her words were snarls, and she seemed more scared than anything. "Is that what I am to you? An animal?"
"Of course not, you're everything, you've always been everything." He spoke slowly, each word thought out and planned. He didn't know what reaction his words would get from her, it's like a different person. "And I'm sorry. And I deserve whatever punishment you think I need, you can punch me, you can sit me down and yell at me until your voice goes hoarse. Anything. I'm horrible, what I did was horrible, and I'm sorry. So let me help you get out of this."
"Fuck you, fuck off."
He furrowed his brows before sighing. "I deserve that." He expected it when a scythe swung for his throat, so he lifted his axe not a moment too soon. Making contact and creating a screeching noise from metal on metal, akin to nails on a chalkboard. "But you deserve this."
He pushed her back, and where he had expected her to stumble all she did was take a simple step. And he was taken more off guard when she seemed to fling herself effortlessly under his raised arm, her scythe digging into his right bicep. His mind took far too long to process that she just fucking stabbed him, her scythe was in his arm.
He watched his own blood drip onto the stone underfoot. "Forgive me." He whispered it before kicking a foot back, feeling it collide with her armored gut. He could hear that she hit the ground, metal pounding into stone.
By the time he turned around she was already back on her feet, now he was lifting his sword and intending to bring it down on her shoulder he was stopped once more by her appearance.
They were even closer than they were on the stairs now. And here he could see her true physical state. There were bruises and cuts scattering her body, and yet she seemed unfazed by them as she tried to stab into his stomach.
He met the swing with his sword, seeing her arm shake with the force of trying to overpower him. Yet, logically, there shouldn't have been any physical way of her doing these actions. Technoblade had to acknowledge that her arms that she was putting so much force into, more force than usual, were damaged and untreated from some battle she must have been involved with for the Egg recently.
It's like her mind is refusing to acknowledge the injuries on her body.
She finally got rid of the pressure against his weapon, quickly pulling away and trying to go straight for his throat.
He lifted his own hand, grabbing the long wooden handle on the scythe. She seemed unfazed by the action. His blood trickled down his hand and began staining the wood, the cut she left on his arm seemed to hurt more by the second.
Her eyes flickered to the sanguine liquid pouring down his arm for a moment, it was a deep enough cut to leave a nasty scar.
He took the opportunity to drive his other arm forward, jabbing her in the throat with his elbow. She recoiled harshly, violently coughing and bending over. He knew he was playing dirty, in no way was this battle proper. Her eyes were bloodshot from the impromptu hit, and even while practically coughing her lungs out she swung for his body. He managed to swerve out of the way, thanking his reaction time under his breath.
It only nicked his armor, creating a small scrape like noise due to the netherite hitting netherite. Leaving a scratch on the black metal.
He retaliated by driving his sword forward, cutting into her torso, a small section not fully covered by netherite armor. It sliced into the leather strapping keeping her chest plate on and cut into her clothing. He was blinded momentarily by the rush of the battle, panicking after he realized what he had done. The voices writhed in the blood, and yet he could only stare as a deep slice into the side of her abdomen caused the vermillion to pour into the stone below, joining his own. "Gods I'm sorry, please I'm so sorry."
"Fucking weak." She spat the words venomously, making him wince. "I've always hated you, you're fucking obsessed really. Fawning over me like some kid, embarrassing. It will get you killed one day, I only use you for power and the clock is running out." The words hit him more like a slap than expected, and even if he knew this wasn't her, how true could those words be?
"You don't mean that, nerd."
"You sure about that?"
That's when he felt it, even with his sword pressing into her side he felt the scythe slicing into the back of his neck. Damn that hook on the weapon, catching him off guard consistently. It seems every time he thinks he can remember it, he managed to let it be his downfall.
As more of a reflex than anything, he let go of the enchanted sword and allowed it to fall onto the ground with a clang, using his free hands to desperately grip the wooden handle belonging to the scythe for a second time. Ripping it away from his neck and pressing it against the stone wall behind them.
He was breathing heavily, his sword abandoned on the ground and the woman pinned to the wall. He didn't know what to do in this situation. Does he knock her out now?
Suddenly the scythe was wrenched from his hand, and she practically threw herself forward to knock him to the ground. He hadn't accounted for that, she wasn't even fighting like herself. He knew how she acted in battle, and she knew how he acted, so they never really had to worry too much in combat.
Now she had an advantage. She knew what he was going to do, could account for every reaction he would respond with, and yet he knew nothing.
As he fell to the floor bracing himself for impact, he saw the three others still waiting on the staircase, the Angel ready to step in at any moment.
His crown fell off his head as he made contact with the bottom of the ravine, he heard it roll away to his right and fall flat with a deafening thump.
A netherite blade was at his throat.
He quickly lifted his hand to grab the handle of the scythe once more-
Her foot stomped down on his left hand, keeping it pinned at his side. His right was still bleeding out and weakly reaching for his sword. He hasn't ever lost a battle this quickly, probably because an enemy hadn't ever completely thrown away their chance at defense. She threw herself at him consistently with little to no self preservation.
He looked up to the woman, expecting to see some kind of worry on her face, like always after she wins in mock training between them. The other is always worried after winning, concerned that they went too far.
Her expression was stoic, and it hit the God all at once that it truly just wasn't Torva. "Well, you won. Slit my throat, kill your God." He tried to say it confidently, and for the first time in all too long he heard his voice waver.
In the back of his mind he knew Philza might be able to step in, the Angel would if things went too far. He hoped Phil would do so at least. Maybe he deserved to lose a life to her.
Karma is a bitch.
Suddenly, something hit his face. And when he looked back up to the woman he noticed something strange. A steady stream of tears were falling down her cheeks, yet it seems she didn't even notice. She made no expression of sorrow, her eyes weren't even trying to blink away tears. Another tear fell off her chin and hit his forehead this time.
Her hand started shaking, and he could feel the blade begin to slice into the side of his throat.
He closed his eyes, maybe if he was going to lose his first life he wouldn't mind it being to her. He probably had it coming. Karma kept returning to his thoughts in this scenario.
The pressure of the weapon went away all at once, and he heard a thump at his side. He opened his eyes to see Philza holding his sword up so the handle was above him. Torva was knocked out on the floor.
Philza had seemingly hit the Reaper with the blunt end of his sword, effectively sending her away from the land of the conscious. Technoblade shakily lifted his now freed left hand, placing it on his bleeding throat, Phil had knocked her out not a moment too early. "That's one way to do that." Technoblade murmured it, looking next to himself on the stone floor and seeing Torva slumped over.
Eret spoke up for the first time since the fighting began, grabbing Torva's arm and lifting up her limp body.
"Let's just get her to that damn church."