Chapter Text
Dream felt the blade slash his tattered and bloodied sleeve, leaving a gushing gash, taking another heart of health
please…come on....3 more hearts
The duck born grinned "nothing?"
The masked figure looked up and wiped away some blood "what? You expecting a difference after 9 months? Nice try"
Quackity brought down the axe in his hands, breaking a large piece of the mask off, which rolled away and was cracked under the duckborn's sharp boot "aww trying to be tough?" Quackity asked as he shoved Dream into the wall again, causing Dream to cough up another mouthful of blood.
two hearts...come on...
The armored figure leaned down to Dream's eye level "Finally given up for today huh?"
The masked figure let out a hoarse laugh as he spit out a mouthful of blood "you wish duck boy"
Quackity smirked "I guess we'll have to try again tomorrow then..." And started to walk away, but after taking a few steps turned around and swung the Netherite axe at full force across Dream's chest, knocking the wind out of him and his whole chest bloomed in an unbearable firey pain, then, as soon as it came the pain was gone and Dream let out a wheezing cough " th...that all you got--" then paused when he saw the look of terror and horror on Quackity's face, he didn't say anything, but Dream kept expecting him to either leave or call out, but he did neither, instead, he just stood looking at Dream for what felt like an eternity before a stunned shriek came through the lava curtain
"QUACKITY WHAT DID YOU DO????--"
As the lava curtain lowered, Dream could see Sam pearling across the boiling ravine next to Quackity. They stood in silence for a few minutes before Sam leaned down and grabbed Dream's shoulders (which oddly he couldn't feel the touch) "D-Dream are you there? " Dream nodded, but Sam must have seen as he grabbed his shoulders harder "DREAM!" the centaur yelled, causing Dream to flinch and step back.... then...he saw...himself? B-but how??? Quackity and Sam were still looking at the Not-Dream on the floor as Dream stepped back.
After only a few steps, a hand gripped Dream's shoulder "Come with me" the figure behind him said, causing him to panic and start running. Apparently as he ran Sam felt his presence because he looked up and seemed to see him "h-HEY! GET BACK HERE!" Sam commanded, but Dream, terrified out of his mind started running.
The masked figure cleared the jump to the main platform with ease, but he didn't stop as the Vwoop of an ender pearl sounded behind him "DREAM! STOP!" Sam yelled, but he ignored the creeper and kept running, too scared of what would happen if he stopped, and too pumped up on adrenaline to actually care.
As he ran down paths and side hallways, he suddenly hit a wall and turned around to see Sam squinting at him, Trident in hand.
"Dream, I'm not gonna hurt you, just stay still" Sam said as calmly as he could.
Dream, who was already panting in fear and exhaustion (listen, the man didn't get out much) decided to actually not do that. Instead, opting to try his luck with the wall behind him. Dream started grabbing at the wall looking for anywhere with a suitable handhold to climb. At finding none he just closed his eyes and started mumbling to himself, none of it actually coherent, as Sam kept walking towards him.
"St-stay back! I-I'm sorry! Back off! No!!--" Hundreds possibilities of what would happen filled Dream's mind. They could lock him up again, they could just kill him, they could torture him more, they could just throw him in the lava --
Without even thinking about it Dream suddenly phased through the wall, falling into a lake of white hot pain. The liquid around him started to tear at his eyes, ears, and skin. Dream let out a screech of pain and fear, but the liquid started getting into his mouth, burning his throat and lungs. He kept trying to swim but started sinking rapidly "H-H-HELP" He screamed desperately as the acid filled his lungs, as his vision started going black he saw someone holding out their hand desperately for him to grab.
"I CAN HELP YOU! JUST GRAB ON!!" the blurred figure yelled, reaching out a desperate hand into the water, but seemed to start burning as he did so "COME ON!!" They yelled again as Dream flailed for a hand.
Finally, after a lot of flailing and screaming, Dream was on a raft of wood and leaves, still burning from the acid, but alive...
"Th-Thank you..." Dream wheezed out
the figure nodded kindly "its the least I could do!"
Dream looked up shyly at his rescuer "wh...what's your name?"
The figure waved their hand "that's not important right now, what's important is that we get you back safe"
Dream tensed "b-back where?"
The blurry yellow figure chuckled "you'll just find out"
Dream looked up with fear clear across his face "th-thats not very comforting"
The figure rubbed his hair, causing Dream to flinch suddenly "If you're worried I'm not taking you back...*there*" indicating back towards the prison as he pulled out a misty grey potion out of his bag " I would drink this...it will help with the burning"
The masked man looked at the potion before looking back up at the very fuzzy figure "a-a sleeping potion??"
" Yep! Just trust me, I'm not going to hurt you while you sleep. Plus, it'll he with the water burns!"
Dream just sighed and took a gulp of the potion, the sleepiness already setting in, by the time he drank the whole bottle Dream was fast asleep on the raft as the water gently sloshed around them.