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It's so cold.
He is shivering, his torn up shirt barely shielding him from the chill of this… Cave? Ravine? Room ? He isn't sure, he has no fucking clue, it's so dark he can barely see anything, not even the narrow walls which he futilely tried pushing away, mind imagining it crushing him. What is it even made of? Cobblestone? Obsid- No. No no nonono- Anything but that. Anything but those black screaming blocks of his- Of his…
Frantically, he begins clawing at his inventory. He desperately tries feeling for torches, flint and steel, anything, he is basically blind . His breath hitches, he's having trouble breathing, he's choking. His hands move from his inventory to his throat as he whines, curling in himself as he feels the walls encase him. It can't end like this-- It can't- Where is he? Where the hell is he?!
Spark
He peered one eye open hesitantly, seeing in front of him a single dancing flame, just a few blocks away.
Is this it?
Salvation?
Without thinking, he moves, arms reaching out for that tiny speck of hope that is drifting away from him. Each slow deliberate step brings him somewhat closer, somewhat warmer, away from this hell where he feels enveloped by cold.
"Dream..?" He whimpers, calling out, His throat was sore from screaming. Pathetic.
".... mmy.."
He hears something, no, someone, distant. Dream?
" ... ommy.."
He is reaching. A voice, a comforting voice.
" ...Tommy.. "
Beckoning. So close.
" Tommyinnit."
He freezes, fingers just inches near the flame, flinching, the heat becoming unbearable. The voice went from comforting to horrifying, as familiarity sunk in. How could he not have recognized it? Panicking, he frantically looks around.
"You're scared."
Suddenly, searing pain. He screams as the once comforting spark shrinks, then EXPLODE, sending him hurtling backwards. He lands roughly on the hard floor of the once narrow room. More explosions soon followed as he shoves his palms to the side of his head, not wanting to hear it. He sees orange at the corner of his eyes, the blazing fury crawling up to him, threatening to swallow him whole.
Rough hands grab him, pulling him up and seizing him by the shoulder. The man trembles as his chuckles turn into manic laughter, eyes wide and burning, staring directly at his own, he squeezes his eyes shut, struggling to escape this man, this monster he once called brother. Explosions continue to be heard in the background, as the once dark room lit up in flames. Smoke and soot filling his lungs.
"We're in the right here, aren't we?"
No-
His face is too close for comfort. His once charming and caring brother, having lost his sanity completely, right in front of him. Face contorted into something inhuman, something other than him . A fact that he can no longer deny. He desperately struggles in vain, not having the strength to get out of his tightened grip. This mad man who was once his brother chuckles, leaning against his shoulder to whisper, his breath colder than what can be classified as normal.
"Then let's be the bad guys."
STOP IT!
His hand grabbed something in his inventory, without thinking, he-
Stab
It took him seconds before he processed what had happened. He looks down to see himself gripping the hilt of a familiar diamond sword. A cough brings him back to the man before him, blood dripping from his mouth in a grin. The hands that were once clutching him loosens as he pulls away, sword sliding out of his chest, clanging to the ground as Tommy let's go.
There remains the manic grin on his face, a permanent fixture reminding Tommy of what he had lost. He does not dare move to help this man, watching him tremble as he falls to his knees. His thoughts drift to Philza, and the now eerily similar circumstance he is in, watching somebody he once cared about, once deemed family, fall, too far gone to be saved.
Soon after, that grin lowers into a smile. He stares off with eyes glazed with contentment. That gaze isn't for Tommy however, he would notice, as Tommy would feel a hand upon his shoulder. The man he once called his brother stares up, almost in admiration to the person behind him, gasping out.
"Dream, I want to be your vassal."
His body is wrecked with more coughs as he falls to his hands. Tommy could only stare, frozen, as he crumbled to the floor, bleeding out. Dream is unmoving. They both watched, silent.
He's gone.
Dream squeezes his shoulder in what felt like reassurance. Weakly, he stares up at the white porcelain mask, that smile still plastered on that face. Dream's hand raised and for a second, he flinched, before it was placed on his head, he ruffled his hair, Tommy cannot help but lean into the touch.
"Shhhh." He hears him whisper. "It's ok, it's ok…"
Arms wrapped around him, and he felt himself being embraced. He leans into the masked man's chest as Dream continues patting his back, calming him down. He finally breathes out, not noticing he had been holding his breath for that long. He clings onto Dream like a lifeline, and he trembles in his arms, listening to Dream's "shhhhhh " as he falls deeper into his hold.
"Tommy, you did well…" He whispers.
It feels like he is fading, he listens to Dream's caring words, mind drifting off as his eyes get heavy.
"You're perfect… Absolutely…"
His eyes close, letting the shadows in his vision drift him to slumber.
….
...
..
.
His eyes flutter open, widely. He gasps for air, sitting up. He's still sitting uncomfortably on his dusty old cot. Hands on his chest, he ponders what he had just witnessed. His mind drawing blank, unable to remember what disturbed him so much. There's only this static with a lingering feeling of regret, maybe a bit of pride? He is unsure why.
Could it be just a dream?
After all-
He's still here.
This place is still so dark, cold, and lonely. Down here, obsidian walls cage him, some of which are glowing, it's purple ominously blinking just above him. He sighs as he turns away from the door. He cannot even look at it anymore. All hope of escaping, or at least somebody helping, are all futile. He is better off expecting nothing. It's not like he can do anything about it anymore. He's trapped and he knows it, not even sleep can give him momentary freedom.
There he stood, still.
Until for what felt like weeks, the door simply cracked open.
"Dream?" He immediately gasped, weakly, he looks up at the masked man bathed in light. Relief washing over him.
For what felt like hours, the masked man just stared at him, expression unreadable as always. Desperately, he tries reaching out, but is barely able to move, his limbs haven't been used for what feels days since his imprisonment here. Dream however, simply sighs, he turns around, about to walk out of the room, and for a second he feared he had disappointed Dream, but with a tilt of his head, barely a gesture for him to follow. Tommy"s spirit is renewed With all of his remaining strength, he stood up, stumbling, but catching himself. His legs tremble as he steps forward, trying desperately to follow Dream into the light. It doesn't matter, salvation is right here, it's here, right here.
Unbeknownst to him is Dream smirking underneath that mask.
Dream walks away.
And Tommy followed.