Ivory - xliv ; Loss
Created: 01.25.23
Finished: 01.25.23
Edited: 04.01.23 / 04.15.23
Published: 04.16.23
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Trigger Warning: duels, swearing, tensed conversation, weapons, blood, poison, death? heavy bob, be warned
Word Count: 3806
A/N: Surely this chapter is enough for u guys to last for a month..right? Just let me finish my final defense in research and my final exams and we're all good. I think. Haha, this is the last chapter in April, I'll come back in May once school is over. So yes, enjoy this because this chapter is hellish. And also, just a reminder, any art that I show here, I don't like taking artists' work without permission, so all art I used, they're all drawn by me. Yes.
Little info about me, I have always created stories; did worldbuilding, character making at a very young age. But its not like, just with words, or just drawings..but both. And no, it's not like a comic, I think its literally similar to children books that is filled with words and pictures on it. I think I experienced maladaptive daydreaming at a young age, and in order to cope with the complex daydreams going on with my head, I let them out through writing and drawing in order to actually live life. Its no longer severe now, and I can withstand the urges, but still I experience episodes here and there where I have no choice but to give up everything just to daydream for hours; isolating myself and being in a quiet, dark room, alone..with my head. So yeah.
Anygay, enjoy everyone^^
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He can't move his legs.
He should run.
He should run away again, but he can't.
His legs won't follow, his arms won't budge, and so his eyes could do nothing but watch the cabin in flames despite the falling pale rain.
His ears ring so much that he can hardly hear anything, but he can presume that things aren't going well, and he doesn't want to do anything but to freeze up.
He wonders why the cabin is burning.
He wonders why Phil is badly injured and in pain.
Coughing up blood that stains his face and robes.
He wonders why his brother has a dagger on hold against his father's neck.
He wonders when all this will stop.
Someone picks him up, and thank the gods that he's so light..The next thing he remembers is going black..and feeling cold.
.
.
.
The voices scream, chant; almost like a ritual, probably like a roar.
Techno can only pretend he doesn't hear them, drown them out by his rage, his red eyes seething like boiling rubies.
One move could slice Phil's neck off and bleed out.
If he can't kill Wilbur, he can only use his voice,
"Wilbur." He didn't mean to growl, but right now, it doesn't fucking matter.
Despite all things, Wilbur's head remains high, gods he reeks of what remains, as well as smoke, and fire.
He pushes the dagger closer to Phil when the old man attempts to speak, "Silence, Father. You don't want you to end up like Tommy now, do you?"
That only made the avian scoff and laugh, after coughing a few blood.
The poison is spreading, circulating in and out of his body, wracking his mind but still holds sense, "Go back to hell, kid. Back to hell, I tell you."
Wilbur grins, his crimson eyes gleaming, "I'd rather not." He pans his attention to Techno and keeps his wide sneer, which pisses the piglin off more, "Techno! I'm sure we can talk about this yea?-"
"Since you have Phil as a hostage and you can kill him anytime, I am basically at your mercy." He begrudgingly admits, his face bland but holds a fusing rage, "Tell me your reasons."
Wilbur only shrugs, still his grip remains stern..and cold, "You're smart enough to know what's going on, Techno. So I don't really need to go on and on- except spilling out one thing." His stitches hurt, "Drop your sword and surrender, Techno. I will personally escort you to the prison, myself."
Techno laughs at that, "Quackity, with a netherite armour head to feet and an axe, died by a mere iron pickaxe, and my wrath...You don't know how to fight at all, there is nothing to compare, is there?"
He lifts his sword, pointing at Wilbur, "Do you really think, Wilbur Soot..you have what it takes to bring me there?"
Laughter bubbles deep below the dead man walking, hoarse but clear as day, "And do you have what it takes to figure out an antidote to heal your friend?"
Techno goes still, noticing how Phil's getting paler and paler by the minute.
No, he's not going to die, is he?
He is right, even if he's going to get Phil out of his hold, if he doesn't know what kind of poison he used, it might as well be impossible for him to cure him.
The worst outcome would be worsening his state and-
"I can't hurt you." Techno realises, and that pains him to conclude.
Wilbur nods, "So would you be kindly to-"
"You're willing to kill your own father, Wilbur? Do you have what it takes?"
That made him blink, almost losing his grip against Phil.
If the crow man had his usual strength, he would have been able to get away and have Wilbur under a chokehold.
Even better, snapping his neck clean,
"Do you think he has those three lives you got? Phil and I are different from your kind. When he dies, he's done for. Have you ever thought of that?"
Of course, Techno expects Wilbur to laugh it off, and he did. Phil has truly lost his son, "I'm sure he'll thank me once he meets his nonexistent wife."
That fumes Techno up and loses his calm, dashing towards him with a sword.
If he's quick enough, he'll cut off Wilbur's head once and for all and take Phil from his grasp.
He'll figure out the antidote.
He'll keep Phil alive.
He'll get him better.
Just like how he got him better.
Everything will be okay.
Everything will go back to the way it was.
Under control. Under control.
Unde-
Someone blocks his sword and slams it back, leading Techno to fall back. There his feet trudge against the snow, grinding it.
Wilbur gasps in surprise, his cheeks slightly red..seeing his saviour.
Dream's head tilts, his mask competes with Techno's, "Stand down, or Phil dies. Is it such a difficult dilemma to decide?"
Growling, his logic is thrown away from rage for a while now anyways and continues to fight his rival.
But Dream only parries them off like missing each blow, "Do you think I would revive him by your plea if he would really die? I have no information on what the revival book can do to people like you--"
"You have taken things too far..Dealing with death, playing god. Thanatos should persuade Hades to give you a wonderful spot in the Underworld once I kill you-
"Still being a Greek Gods nerd are you, Technoblade? It's not like I can make you stop believing them, knowing that I have no proof that they don't exist."
Techno is more focused in trying to take the axe out of the man's grip, but he can't help but to notice that Dream is far more agile, and stronger than before, "Since when did you become some homemade Plato or Socrates? It totally fits your, 'No attachments would make me control everyone' ideal."
Dream cackles at that, keeping his pace with Techno, "Believe me, friend..There are so many things in this world we have yet to understand. I would not mind if you join me-"
"And power and have control to the whole server I get it-"
"No, you don't get it." He was quick to swing his axe to cut his rival's whole torso, and Techno almost didn't even catch up to it.
Since when did Dream become so nimble, quicker than he expects him to?
In the span of less than a year, no way Dream has improved so much after his prison break.
Did he undergo brutal training? A good mentor, better than Phil?
Or rather..something else that has granted him this much agility and strength, "Do you ever want to know what lies the unknown, Techno? How are you like this? Why do you and Phil only have one life unlike us? How you die-"
"This is why the unknown exists, Dream. It's people like you shouldn't ever discover. Some things are never meant to know. Even knowledge can be dangerous, Dream. Know this, there is always a limit."
He takes the upper hand and parries his sword left and right, giving Dream no chance but to take the defensive route, "Your greed will be the death of us all. Beware, it goeth before the fall."
Dream sees a pass through and gets to elbow Techno on a spot, adding a kick to disarm him whilst he was stunned.
He didn't give him a chance to get his sword back but to swing his axe far too quickly he can barely dodge.
With a faint cut on his cheek, and one hard, final kick on his face..it led the piglin to his downfall.
His mask flies off close to a distance, the impact causes his hooves to finally lower his body, leading his body on the ground.
That felt hard, and somewhat personal.
"If there is infinity, then there is no end. And there has always been no end."
Techno is far too prepared to get his face slashed once his rival raises his axe to end the fight, but instead, he lowers his axe, "Get up. Come with us to the prison..I could have knocked you out, but I'd rather not carry you."
Leaning close, Dream drowns himself with Techno's defeat, and god knows well it tastes so good, "You're not worth the trouble."
.
.
.
.
.
Accepting his defeat, Techno gets up after retrieving his mask.
He has no armour to remove from himself, he has no weapon to disarm. He has nothing but the privacy to keep his face hidden. Something alone he already owed to Dream,
"Techno.." Phil murmurs, his eyes could barely see him anymore, the poison dulling his vision.
Techno could hardly look at anyone and so he focuses on the green eyes hiding against that dirty white mask.
The voices exhaust him, and now he can no longer hear them.
No words could ever expound the situation happening anyway.
Dream has defeated him.
Usually he'd pay no mind to it, but this one, his defeat hits him harder.
Probably because this time he's got something to lose?
"Wilbur, Techno has surrendered. Give Phil the antidote." Dream commands him once he's done restraining Techno in chains, "The others will escort us soon. Our trip may take a while."
The piglin notices that they seemed enchanted. He could try to gnaw on them, or pull it apart. But most likely, it's something that's crafted for him to never get out.
Oh what bother, it's not like he plans to escape anyways.
He should accept defeat like a good warrior. Warrior that he wanted him to become, gods that created him to fight.
The piglin's mouth remained shut, so Dream didn't bother to speak to him anymore.
Wilbur puts Phil down and grabs a vial in one of his pockets, yet when he tries to let Phil drink it, his father refuses, "Phil, you need to take it or else you di-"
"Then I might as well be. I'm not going to be saved by you..You're no son of mine.."
Despite the foul words, Wilbur intends to keep his mask in place, "Your son rotted along with his unfinished symphony. Now take the fucking drink, you're not paying a visit to her yet."
Still, Phil avoids the drink, grunting at each attempt- "Phil, don't be a dumbass and drink."
The avian stares at his friend, keeping his voice blank and without emotion. He was about to counter but the other got to speak first,
"I'm not losing you too."
Techno finally stares back at him, only Phil could know what face he is truly making behind that mask,
"So live."
oOo
Eventually, Phil takes the potion that leads him to passing out.
But as Dream said, the poison is losing its effect and Phil regained his familiar skin colour whilst being out cold.
Wilbur huffs and stares at the sun, "I wonder when your men gets-"
A scream.
A scream no one expects them to hear.
Wilbur spikes up, the feeling of death returns to his skin, and something tells him to flee.
He dodges and finally sees Niki with a sword, tears messing up her face, yet her hazel eyes burn, Wilbur sees them aflame.
Quickly, he grabs hold Techno's sword somewhere around which was close to his side and parries against Niki.
She's stronger than she was before, and since her movements are familiar, he presumed she got that from Techno.
How lucky of her,
"I trusted you- I trusted you- I TRUSTED YOU!"
Niki shrieks, before twirling and slamming her sword against Wilbur's, whereas the man only stays in the defensive, not good enough to fight back.
He never knows how to fight right, but one thing he knows how, is to keep his ground, and that's all he ever knows,
"Niki please-" He tries to calm her down, but in this state, no one can.
Dream couldn't help but laugh at the sight, it's cute seeing her fight.
Techno only gives a glance at Niki, his will to fight remains absent.
Usually his voices would condemn him, with his chains, he can strangle Dream with this.
Unlike him, Dream is human, he can snap his neck, just like he would wring any chickens' necks for soup.
Gods know he can. The voices know he can.
But where did they go?
This isn't the same silence Phil can grant him.
This silence is uncomfortable, rendering him useless.
No drive, no motive, utter nothing but static inside.
The voices that have always been with him, the moment he existed.
Whom he both treated as a friend or enemy..an eternal curse but gift.
..Where are they?
It's like..they're just..gone.
"Don't you fucking dare- Don't you fucking dare talk! You have no excuse! You have no fucking excuse!-"
Wilbur smacks the sword at her and attempts to form a tension of their weapons.
The two gazes upon each other, hazel meets red..hazel smoulders red,
"I can't believe it- I can't believe I fucking trusted you-" Niki growls, unnatural of her voice, yet still it blooms out of her.
Fear. That's what she sees when she observes his pallid look. But she looked away when she almost got lost by his eyes again. She knows well that it'll only fool her. He will only fool her again.
For Wilbur Soot is not made to hold a blade, but to smoke a pack of filthy lies,
"You're going to die right here and right now, Wilbur Soot. Go back to hell." She kicks Wilbur by the stomach and that took the man off guard and lands on the ground with a plop.
Widening his eyes, Niki raises her sword and sends it down to him, but before it could slice up his face, a noise erupts that causes everything to grow quiet.
Opening his eyes, he could never forget seeing Niki's blood flowing down her forehead.
Before the snow fully engulfs her, her dazed eyes stares at him.
Those once burning eyes, her fire goes out.
"Get up already." Dream groans, lowering his axe.
Wilbur with a shaky nod, gets up whilst patting the snow off of him,
"I can't believe you lost to some girl."
That made Wilbur's face harden, "She has always been stronger than me."
Dream shrugs at that and lifts his axe which caused Wilbur to panic,
"Wai- Wai what are you doing?"
The madman stares back at him with confusion, "Kill her? She does not have any worth to me. Killing her would make her start over and that would make her unable to follow us. It's better than taking her with us, honestly..Although, if she were to come, I would not hesitate to torture her."
Wilbur sours his mood at his words, he now wonders who has more maggots in the head,
"Unless..you are suggesting I have her join us because..she has some use?"
He stops his tracks, "What are you planning to do with her?"
Grinning, he rolls his eyes and begins to ponder, "I don't know what you know about her, Wilbur. But as for me, she has been acting odd lately. It's like she has formed attachments to Tommy.
"Now, here I thought that only works for people that have been revived like you and me. But correct me if I'm wrong, I don't think Niki has ever died. That alone is already something to applaud."
Taking a good look at her, Dream plants his boot on her, making her face turn to him. Wilbur knows well he's fond of seeing her state, and boy does his heart boil for that..he doesn't even know why, "I don't know how she gained that, but a few observations and experiments to discover it all wouldn't kill her, I'm sure."
He looks up to face his slave this time, "I'll make her of use just like you, Wilbur Soot."
.
.
.
To be fair, it would be a nice gift, for Wilbur to let Dream use Niki for his causes.
Niki has something that almost everyone doesn't.
Dream is already aware that he gets visions about Ghostbur, and he already does something about that.
What would he do if he knew about Niki..
His heart beats.
His heart hurts.
Why does it hur-
"..No, Niki's useless..you get nothing much on her." He ends up replying, playing his words, "It's how women work anyway, Dream. Them and their woman intuition. Besides, it doesn't make much sense. She hasn't died before and this connection only works to those that have been revived by your hands. She's nothing but a pest to you, and she'll bother you unless she's gone."
.
.
.
A good lie has truth; it has proof to make it sound true.
Make lie a reality, and there trust can form.
"If you want, I would kill her myself, if that is to appease you. You must be tired dealing with the others, and recently, with Techno after all..And considering Tommy got away because of Ghostboo, surely it must trouble you so."
Dream stares at Wilbur for a while, as the others attempt to keep his stare as a form of competition.
He's not going to break Dream's trust just because of this.
He's devoted to him.
He's alive in order to serve him.
After all, he saved his life.
He's forever indebted to him.
At the same time...
Gods if they can hear his plea..
"Hmm..you are right. Go deal with her then." Dream concludes and watches the distance once he hears a noise,
"And don't worry."
A few gallops can be heard and soon enough, a few men on steeds reach the tundra,
"Everything is still under my control."
He turns his body back to face Wilbur, "Make sure that I get to see you killing her." he adds before ordering his men to take Techno and Phil.
Wilbur nods, and tightens the sword around his freezing grip.
This is an act of loyalty.
Why, if he kills her for good, he'll trust him more.
He'll no longer doubt him again.
He inspects Niki's body and cringes at the sight of blood.
It wasn't fatal, Dream made sure of that, and so he checks if there are any spots that he can use.
Dream watches Wilbur lifting the sword and plunges it on her torso.
At the far view, he assumes that he hits her side, and any part there can lead her dead once that is damaged and she'll bleed enough.
Shrugging, he orders the men to take the emerald duo away, as his men didn't have much struggle to take them in.
Well, except the part Techno won't let them separate him from Phil, whom he is trying to hold on despite his hands are bound.
Considering there are two cages prepared for the two of them, the initial plan was to make them separate. Better to be safe than sorry after all.
But with Techno being stubborn, and hard as a rock despite Dream's men striving to pull him up, a single stare of the hog to Dream was enough for the masked man to let it go and have the two together in the same cage.
Although he shouldn't thank him, he can't help but to feel a little gratitude to let him stay by the avian's side.
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Techno never left a word, holding Phil close by his arms..their emerald earrings gleaming against the steel bars.
Phil's heartbeats are stable, and he looks okay again.
At least, Techno releases a little sigh and tries not to think about Tommy.
If Ghostboo's witty enough, they escaped with Tommy to safety.
He's no longer surprised that their little uprising has failed.
There's no more wishful thinking: Sam and Quackity are now taken, Tubbo's either taken or dead, and Wilbur's a traitor.
What about Niki?
He couldn't get to say anything once Wilbur stabbed her.
His ears heard how the blade mixes with her skin, how much blood gashes out of her, how much he regretted he couldn't save her.
But she'll live.
She can live after this..hopefully..
But if she's one of them too, then he would lose another friend.
...
Why does he keep losing people?
Did he do anything wrong to deserve this?
"Tech..no.." His pig ears tingle and vigilantly checks on Phil.
Is he conscious? Or just mumbling in his sleep?
Techno only adjusts his position to make it more comfortable for Phil to lean against him, holding him tight,
"Save your strength, Daedalus..I am here.." He coaxes him back to sleep, fixing his hair.
Thankfully no one can see how soft Techno gets around him, that would ruin his reputation,
"I..I-" Phil attempts to speak again, but this time, Techno didn't try to refrain him from speaking. Who knows, his words may be far more worth than gold,
"What...what is it?" Techno calmly presses, tightening his hold on his hand,
"I..I looked stupid back there..didn't I?.."
.
.
.
"You fucking shit, and here I thought you would say something so important."
The old man can't help but to let out a chuckle, "Sorry mate..I guess I'm just too used to being betrayed..and losing people..It..It kinda numbs the physical pain..so I suppose it's still something."
Frowning, Techno changes his expression a tad bit, "I will never ever betray you, and you won't lose me too. You know well my life is loyal to you..and I'd do anything to protect you."
That made him chuckle more, his voice raspy and strained, "You're a good soul, Technoblade. If only my son were to be the same as you..My poor little Icarus.."
He laughs, yet tears trickle down his wrinkled, worn look, Techno cannot find his voice to comfort him, "It was not him who failed, but me. I should have told him not to fly too close to the sun, and now he is forever caged in the sea. He was no fault of a son, and I was no better of a father..Oh my Icarus.."
Seeing his smile, dedication and passion. He can't help but to see that in him. He can't help but to see himself in him.
Like father, like son.
"He has gotten that from me...and here I pay my price..I have reaped what I have sowed..and there my son is gone..my Icarus is gone.."
Unable to know what to say for that, Techno only hugs him tighter, accepting his tears, accepting his vulnerability, accepting him..
.
.
.
just like he accepted him too.
They stayed like that until they reached the prison.
...
It took almost like an eternity to pull two emeralds apart.