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“Don’t-”
“Don’t try anything. I know. You’ll actually take my last life this time bla bla bla- we’ve been over this three times.” Sam glared at Dream but didn’t respond this time, just gestured at him to get up. They had a deal. Dream would be allowed out of the prison just to defeat the egg and then he would return to the prison for ten more years and after that, exile to the farthest lands and an immediate death sentence if he was ever caught within a thousand blocks of anyone from the general SMP. Honestly, a much more generous offer than Dream would have assumed but they were desperate for a solution and Dream was the only one able to provide one. Dream took the deal with only a moment's hesitation despite fully understanding the risks what they were asking him to take. To be fair, they didn’t even know. Honestly, even if they did, he doubts it would have changed much.
So, now, for the first time in...two years? maybe three? (Time became difficult after Sam stopped replacing the clock), Dream was leaving at the small box he had been forced to call home.
On the other side of the lava stood three figures: Sapnap, George, and Tommy. There was no surprise that they were the only ones left. (Well, other than Techno and Phil of course but they were so far away that Dream doubted they even gave a fuck about the egg.) He knew Sapnap. He knew that after Dream was gone, he would have protected George with his heart and soul. There was also of course DreamXD. Even after the two split, he doubted the other would move on from George and Dream had made him promise to keep the British man safe no matter what. And Tommy was Tommy. Honestly, not really any other explanation was needed.
“Is that it? Everyone else is gone?” Dream couldn’t help but ask. (He tried to push down the worry at the realization that his mother must have been taken then. That Bad was still there
he was still with the egg even years later
.
Everyone else was gone. No Punz, no Fundy, no Tubbo, no )
“No. Tubbo and Ranboo are also safe. Ranboo convinced Techno to let Tubbo stay with them. They even took their adopted kid- they’re married. Techno refused anyone else and broke the portal to make sure none of the infected come through. His area hasn’t been reached yet. I can’t really blame him, to be honest. He helped as much as he could at first but after a while, you just gotta protect your family.” Dream nodded, feeling a bit lighter at the news. He understood Techno. That was what he was trying to do now, protect his family.
After Sam and Dream fully crossed the lava, Dream could finally see the three properly and winced as he saw their expressions. They looked..shocked? Horrified? Disgusted? Honestly, he couldn’t tell but he knew it wasn't positive.
He couldn’t blame them for their reaction though. He knew what he looked like from hours spent staring at his reflection in the water, trying to recognize the person he saw staring back. Long dirty hair a mess and forever sweaty from the overbearing heat of the lava mere feet away from him. His muscle all but gone and reduced to bone from god knows how much time of only raw potatoes as a diet and having no real way to exercise. And the scars. Thanks to his hoodie and mask, the majority were covered but even the ones that showed were hideous. One can’t really swim through lava as many times as he had and come out unscathed. Honestly, he was just grateful that his mask was still on so that they didn’t see his face. Green eyes that had faded to a dull grey, sunken cheekbones, and eyebags so deep they looked fake. So, yes, Dream was very aware of how much of a mess he was.
Looking at their shocked faces, Dream tried to speak, “Hello-”
Sapnap cut him off. “Don’t. No talking. We don’t want to hear any of your tricks.” His tone was devoid of any emotion and Dream only nodded as a response. No conversation. Okay. He could do that.
He didn’t want to give them more reason to be mad. Not when his end was so soon.
“Damn prision really got you didn’t didn’t it Big D?” Tommy said, not even trying to hide the disdain from his voice. Dream nodded in response again, taking a glance at the blonde in front of him. The younger seemed to be doing much better. Eyes returning to a bright blue and despite their current situation seemed just as energetic as before...everything. The ever-present guilt that lived inside of him grew. Dream had given Sam a book to give to Tommy a while back. Every page filled with apologies and a promise that if the boy wanted to go and kill him now, Dream wouldn’t object. And on the last page, coordinates to another base of his with the permission to take whatever he wanted from there. He never got a response back but looking at him now, Dream instantly recognized that set of netherite armor anywhere.
And then, George spoke.“So, what we just take him to the egg and he’ll figure it out?” George . Dream had been really really trying to not think about George too much but at the sound of his love’s voice, he almost melted. George hadn’t visited once. No, Dream had just gotten news that George had decided he was ready to move on one day from Sam and that was it. No matter how good he was, Sam refused to tell him anything else about that.
Sam nodded. “Yep. Then he comes right back here for ten years. Then, exile.”
“Ha. Look at who’s getting exiled now, you green bitch.”
The comment went unheard by Dream who seemed unable to take his eyes off of George. He knew he should stop but he couldn’t help it. Every part of him ached to pull the shorter man close to him and kiss him for just one last time. George noticed his staring almost immediately and turned away. “Whatever, let’s just get going." And soon enough, they were moving.
-----
They already had a tunnel going from the prison to the egg so it was relatively simple to get there. Part of him wished they didn’t just so that Dream might see the sun again. Logically he knew this was much smarter but the overwhelming heat of the lava was nothing like the gentle warmth of the sun that he had craved since the moment he stepped into that small prison cell. Dream would know. He had sat on the rough obsidian stone, eyes closed, desperately trying to recreate that feeling too many times to count.
When they finally arrived, Dream finally got the chance to properly take in the egg. It was incredibly large and the area surrounding was filled with so much red it was almost nauseating. And gaurding it was every infected member of the SMP. All covered in netherite armor and with eyes glowing a disturbing red.
“We’re going to need a distraction.” Dream said as he watched the guards prowl the area, ducking to avoid being caught.
“I’ll go,” Sam said immediately. Dream looked at him in surprise, he would have guessed the creeper hybrid wouldn’t leave him alone. “We need as many people here as possible to make sure you don’t run away. I refuse to let Tommy go and Sapnap won’t leave George alone. So, I’ll go.” The group nodded, though Tommy looked a bit upset as he did. “When you see them run to me, go immediately. I don’t know how long I can hold them off.”
Dream nodded. “I will. Good luck Sam.” Sam didn’t respond to him, just gave him a cold look before pulling the other three into a hug.
“Be safe you three.” Dream winced at the barely hidden message. A clear ‘I don’t care about what happens to you’ directed at Dream. And after that, Sam was off. As he left, Sapnap slowly pulled out his sword. Alright. He got that message as well.
In only a couple of minutes, there was the loud sound of an explosion, and nearly all the guards bolted in that direction. Bad and Antfrost remained guard but George and Sapnap knocked them both out before the pair even noticed that they were there.
And then, it was time. Dream took a few steps forward, stumbling at the sheer power that radiated from it and allowed himself to softly fall to his knees.
He took off his mask and set it gently beside him before he began speaking in a low voice, “!¡ꖎᒷᔑᓭᒷ ᓵ𝙹ᒲᒷ. !¡ꖎᒷᔑᓭᒷ ⍑ᒷꖎ!¡ .”
There was a minute pause where nothing happened. Then,
‘DreamXD joined the game’
DreamXD teleported to him immediately. He looked the same as the last time Dream saw him. Large white wings stretched out, cape fluttering around him, and a halo so bright, it almost hurt to look at.
“DreamXD!” Dream’s face split apart into a grin. He’d missed him. ”I can help! I figured you couldn’t finish the egg on your own or else you already would have so-” He gestured to himself, “at your service.”
DreamXD didn’t answer at first, only staring for a couple moments more. Then, he kneeled down next to Dream, cupping his face. Dream couldn’t help but sigh and melt into the touch, it had been so long since he’d been touched. Even longer since it was a nonviolent one. “Are you sure, little one? I will need to use your vessel for something of this size. You will-”
Dream nodded, tears beginning to form at the confirmation of his death. “I know. I know the risks. I will take them.”
The god nods. As much as they care for one another, the server comes first. “If you are sure.” He rises to his feet and begins to chant.” ⋮𝙹╎リ ᒲᒷ-”
“Wait wait wait wait- what risks?” George’s voice broke through. “What’s going on?”
“Did he not tell you?” DreamXD asked, looking at Dream strangely.
“N-No? He just said that he could take care of it.” All eyes were on Dream. Fuck. He’d never explained this before and really didn't want to get into now of all times.
Thankfully, DreamXD spoke for him. “Well. Once, Dream and I were one. A god born to protect this server. But we began to become attached. We wanted to be human, we wanted to live and love like you. So, we split. I am the protector and he is human. Well, mostly. Small remnants of each other remain. For example, my love for you, George, comes from him. His Admin powers come from me. But to complete something of this size, we need to return to one again. But Dream and I are no longer the same. We cannot unite and become one like we use to. To unite again would mean that Dream is erased. All parts of Dream are gone. We could separate once more, after, but it wouldn’t be the Dream you know.”
Dream screwed his eyes shut to avoid seeing the reactions of the ones surrounding him. He knew that they would be happy at the news that he was going to be gone soon but seeing it would be a bit too much for even him to handle.
“Just get on with it, XD. I’m ready.”
“NO. Dream there has to be some other way.” Dream’s eyes shot open in surprise as he looked at Sapnap. There was no happiness there. Just fear. Fear . “Listen, I hate Dream but he’s- He’s my brother.” Sapnap’s voice was cracking as he spoke, and the tears in his eyes were clear. Dream felt his resolve start to crumble.
“Yeah, c’mon that’s a bit dramatic even for you Dream. You don’t always gotta be the main character, big man.” Tommy? Why did Tommy care? “We can go back to your stupid little cell. I’ll even get Sam to give you that dumb clock back..”
“DreamXD just start. Please. I can’t listen to this."
And then George who had fallen silent since the admission started pleading. “Dream, don’t do this. We’ll figure out something else.” George . God, why couldn’t he just stay quiet? Dream had never been able to refuse him. “Dream please- I love you.” Dream couldn’t help but sob at that. Why did they keep making this harder than it already was? “I love you Dream, please don’t go. Dream I love you.”
The brunet man kept repeating the same words that Dream use to beg for and just as Dream felt himself about to ask DreamXD to stop, the chanting started once again. “⋮𝙹╎リ ᒲᒷ. ⋮𝙹╎リ ᒲᒷ ᔑリ↸ ʖᒷᓵ𝙹ᒲᒷ 𝙹リᒷ ∴╎ℸ ̣ ⍑ ᒲᒷ ᔑリ↸ ⍑ᔑリ↸ ᒲᒷ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ᒷリᒷ∷⊣|| ||𝙹⚍ ⍑ᔑ⍊ᒷ ℸ ̣ ᔑꖌᒷリ ”
Whisps of magic began to seep into the blonde, pulling him off his knees and raising him above the ground. In the background, he could hear the others shouting but he understood little. Even Tommy seemed to be trying to get them to stop. Dream wanted to be confused but frankly, he was in too much pain to try.
Then, he felt the darkness begin to pull at him. Using the last of his energy, he managed to open his eyes one last time. Get one last look at the faces of the men he had loved more than anything, one as as brother and one as a lover. They both seemed to be distraught for some reason? Why? The monster was leaving. He was almost gone. Dream didn't understand.
"It's okay, my dear. You've done good. You kept them safe. You can go." A soft voice was cooing in his ear and Dream's eyes fell shut once more.
They would be safe. And with that, Dream was content. And at long last, he felt the last of him being erased and he slipped away. Finally at peace.