Chapter Text
Phil breathed in time with his target's quickened steps. He could see Dream in his mind's eye as he walked, clear as day, hand on Tommy's wrist as he tugged the boy through the woods, and he could tell that Dream knew it. The admin was constantly looking over his shoulder, enough that Tommy snorted something that must have been derisive, judging from the glare Dream sent his way. The admin was lucky that he hadn't hurt Tommy since Phil had started tracking him. Not that it would save him when Phil caught up.
The footprints outlined on the ground became more defined as he drew closer and he broke into a silent run. In his mind's eye Dream whipped around, searching the forest. Tommy tried to yank his hand away and Dream's grip tightened. The admin turned to glare at him, raising his hand to strike the younger boy.
Phil got there first, leaping off the ground with a flap of his wings and slamming both feet into the Dream's chest.
Dream's mask cracked as his back hit the tree and he slumped to the ground, unmoving. Phil landed in the cloud of dust blown into the air by his wings and quickly moved to Tommy, looking him over for injuries. Tommy's shock finally shifted into relief and he sank to his knees as the adrenaline left him, tears trickling down his face.
"Aw, c'mere, mate." Phil held out his hands and Tommy sank into his arms, breaths heaving. Phil tensed as the air thinned, buzzing with a static only he could hear.
"Hey, step back for a moment, mate." His voice was low, but serious. Tommy complied, eyeing Dream nervously.
Phil looked back as glitches flickered around Dream's head. A crack split the admin's mask halfway down the side, revealing one closed eye. An eye that glowed a vibrant, cold green as it opened, blood trickling down like tears.
Ah. Alright then.
"Tommy, you stay out of the way," Phil warned as Dream got to his feet. "This is going to get messy."
The boy seemed more than happy to comply, looking at his admin with a mixture of confusion and fear. Dream, however, didn't seem interested in Tommy anymore. He didn't offer any of his characteristic threats, either, just stalked forward with an unwavering intensity.
And then struck.
Phil leaped out of the way of what would have been a killing blow, his own sword sweeping out in retaliation. The two blades clashed together in a screech of diamond and Phil shoved his sword away, sending Dream staggering back. He followed with a slash that tore through the admin's sleeve and Dream hissed in fury, his visible eye bright against the shade of the forest.
"You're not-" Phil started, but he was cut off by a barrage of slashes, each aimed to kill. He parried each one with more effort than the last. His thoughts raced to keep up with Dream's constant attacks, fast and deadly and much stronger than seemed possible. He sidestepped the downward strike aimed at his shoulder and raced forward, nearly spearing Dream with his own blade, but it was knocked to the side just in time. He ducked under another swing and backed away as the admin retaliated with another fierce combination.
Pain flared, hot and sharp, as Dream's blade finally scored a hit on Phil's unprotected forearm. Blood welled up from the wound and Phil pushed the pain aside, going on the attack. Strike after strike, forcing Dream into a retreat.
And then Tommy's terrified scream shattered the sounds of the fight.
Phil whipped around, a sense of panic shooting through his head. His eyes met Tommy's. The boy was unharmed, his eyes widening in horrified realization as to what— who— had produced the sound.
Agonizing pain erupted from Phil's chest as Dream's sword plunged into his back.
The admin's cold, cruel laughter was the last thing he heard as the world swam around him and faded to black.
***
"Well, my love, it's been a while."
Phil opened his eyes to the beautiful sound of Kristin's voice. She was standing in front of him, a knowing look on her face.
"That awful-" Phil couldn't even start. "He can't mimic, Kristin! Do you realize how many times he has to hear a sound to repeat it correctly?!"
Her solemn gaze met his as her hands came to rest on his shoulders. "I know."
"I'm gonna kill him," Phil hissed, glaring into the gray fog that surrounded him. "And I really hope you let him out so I can do it more than once."
Kristin's smile was full of that beautiful, righteous anger he had come to love. "You have my full permission."
She put her hand on his chest and a burning sensation spread through his veins as the gray fog rose to cover his eyes. He opened them a moment later to the darkness of the starlit forest. Blood stained his shirt and sleeve, but he could tell the wounds were healed.
His first strike went into Dream's back.
"Phil! What- you were dead!" Tommy yelled, tears in his eyes as Phil shoved his dying admin to the ground and quickly searched the boy for injuries.
"Was," Phil agreed, turning to stare at Dream with a furious gaze as glitches flickered over the wound in the admin's back and his chartreuse eyes opened again. "That condition doesn't seem to be permanent."
Dream rose slowly, an aura of dangerous power rippling off of him, thick enough for Phil to feel it like a wave crashing into him. "For either of us," he hissed.
Tommy backed away, eyes wide and terrified.
"Tommy, you need to be somewhere else," Phil said shortly. "I can't be worrying about you right now."
"Where?" Tommy's voice was a whisper.
Go to the cabins, young one. I'll take care of you.
Kristin's voice echoed in Phil's head and he knew Tommy had heard the same words. The boy took a shallow breath and nodded slowly. Phil could see the boy clearly in his mind as he disappeared into the trees, looking back over his shoulder in nervous worry.
Phil.
Phil raised his head, an otherworldly energy pulsing through his veins.
Show him no mercy.
Rage flooded through him, as potent as the power in his veins. Time slowed as he lunged forward, knocking Dream back against a tree before the admin had time to raise his sword. One slash and blood sprayed from his throat, but then the air glitched and the wound was gone. Savage light pulsed from Dream's visible eye, halos of electric green light wrapping him in the power of whoever refused to let him perish. The admin rushed forward with an attack of his own, a slash that dug a thick gouge into a tree when Phil dodged. Phil leapt into the air, his wings spreading behind him like the blackened sky, his blade tearing into the admin's flesh in strike after strike, each wound glitching away, every blow deadly— and ineffectual.
And then the green light flickered. Blood seeped through the fabric of the hoodie that was covered in rips and tears, not saved by the force that had rendered Phil's weapon impermanent.
This time, he stayed dead for nearly a minute before a faint glow healed his wounds.
This time, fear showed in his eyes as Phil approached.
This time...
"I'm sorry," he coughed, the weak rasp a spark of satisfaction against Phil's burning fury. "I surrender, I'm sorry, I-" his next words were cut off by a heaving breath that turned into another surge of bloodsoaked coughs.
"I want to hear you say that you will never touch that boy again," Phil demanded. "And I want to know that it's true."
"I won't, I'll leave him alone-" Dream stammered, his voice hoarse with fear and exertion. "I'll leave him alone, I promise." His eyes slowly cleared and he coughed once more, breathing heavily as his tone became something much more controlled. Finally, his breathing slowed and he pushed himself to his feet once more, leaving his sword on the ground. His steady gaze met Phil's.
"Look. You leave me alone, I'll leave him alone. Deal?"
Phil narrowed his eyes, but nodded.
Dream nodded too, then disappeared into the forest.