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The voices wanted blood.
So they got blood.
Technoblade was panting, his axe in hand. The same axe that Ranboo gave him weeks ago.
He looked at the disaster in front of him. A dozen corpses in a pool of blood. That's what they deserved for killing Philza and taking Ranboo away.
But among the dead people, he couldn't find the one person that was truly responsible.
"Are you looking for me?"
The smirk in Dream's voice only made Technoblade angrier. He turned around, facing his enemy.
"Why did you do this?"
He was using as much self-control as possible to not jump on Dream and throw his axe in his face.
"You three were creating a small resistance." Dream stated calmly. "I thought that you'd learn the lesson after what happened with L'Manberg. I mean, you saw all the TNT I supplied, right? I still have a lot." He was playing with his nerves and was having fun with it.
"What do you mean, a "resistance"?" Whispered Techno, trying to forget the voices getting louder and louder.
"Don't play dumb Technoblade." Dream took a step forward. "I know that you know what I mean. Taking Ranboo with you? What a stupid idea." He could hear him rolling his eyes. "You knew that I wanted to use him as a weapon so you took him with you, to mess with my plans."
It took Techno a second to realize what Dream was talking about. And it all made sense. The panic attacks Ranboo was having, all the nights he spent sleeping with Philza or Techno because of his nightmares, the times he teleported himself out of any place containing obsidian. Everything made sense.
"You wanted to use him?!" It was more and more difficult for Techno to stay calm. "He is so broken, Philza cried for nights because he couldn't do anything to help him, and you're telling me you want to use this little kid as a weapon?!"
Dream didn't answer, but Techno knew that he was smiling under his mask, proud of himself.
"And why did you do this to Philza? Why? He didn't have anything to do with it!" His vision was getting blurred by tears. Flashes of Philza's body kept coming up in his mind. He had lost his mentor, his best friend, the only person he could consider his family. And why? Because Dream wanted to.
"You two together are a threat. I needed to get rid of both of you, and to get rid of you I had to take care of Philza first."
That was enough for Techno, who now wanted nothing else than Dream's blood on his axe. But he didn't have time to do anything, as Dream suddenly vanished.
He stood there, alone again, in front of the disaster he caused. And if he felt a little bit guilty for killing everyone before, Dream’s words made the guilt disappear.
Technoblade took a huge breath and started walking towards the prison, where Ranboo was held prisoner. Sam should be there, guarding the prison as usual, and he planned to threaten him into releasing Ranboo.
If he couldn't save Philza, he wanted to make sure that the kid would be okay.
When he finally arrived in front of the immense building, Sam was obviously there.
"Dream told me you would come here." Sam opened the doors as he talked. "He also told me you would threaten me, but to be honest I don't know why because I don't remember putting anyone in any of the cells. But feel free to visit."
Techno decided that Sam was telling the truth, so he took his chance to enter without having to use his weapons again.
The thing is, Sam couldn't know Ranboo's cell if he didn't know that he was there. And there were a lot of cells. A lot.
It took Techno almost an hour to find the tall boy. He was sitting in a corner, his head between his knees, and Techno could clearly see him shaking from head to toes. Probably the fact that he was in a prison made of mostly obsidian, the material that seemed to make him panic the most.
"Ranboo..." Techno relaxed, the tension finally disappearing, seeing that he still had a chance to save someone.
"Techno… Everything hurts… He won't leave me…" Ranboo lifted his head up, his teary eyes meeting Techno's worried eyes. This was the first time he initiated eye contact without panicking, and Techno couldn't help himself from worrying even more.
"Who's he? You can trust me Ranboo, I promise. Tell me." He tried to make his voice as gentle as possible, something that he wasn't used to do.
"Dream… He's talking to me… But I know it's not him… I'm tired of him… Techno, what do I do…?"
Techno didn't really understand everything but he knew two things. First, he needed to get him out of here. Second, Dream would pay for this.
"Ranboo wait for me, okay? I'll be back soon to get you out of here, I promise."
Techno ran back to the entrance, determined to get Sam to free the boy.
"Technoblade." Sam was still there, but he had changed. He now had a mix of fear, anger and sadness in his voice, and Techno was certain the same emotions were in his eyes. But hey, why were there so many people wearing masks here?
"Yes?"
Sam didn't answer immediately. Instead, he took out his weapon and pointed it towards Techno.
"You killed them!" He was now shaking. His trembling voice betrayed that he was on the verge of tears. "You killed all of them! What did they do to you, why did you do it?!"
"They deserved it, for hurting the people I care about." Techno tried once again not to let the voices take control. Stay calm, breathe.
"Are you telling me that Tubbo, Purpled,… Fuck, even Callahan deserved it?!" Sam cried.
"Yes! Because they let it happen! And you too, let this happen! Do not act as if you are completely innocent, Sam. Dream and you are working together! They let Dream kill Philza and imprison Ranboo! YOU let Dream do this, Sam!"
Everything was now silent apart from the sound of Sam's weapon falling to the ground. They looked at each other, panting. They screamed so much that if there was still someone out there, they would've heard everything.
"Dream..." Sam began, shaking even harder. "Dream killed Philza…?"
Techno didn't even have time to answer that Sam fell to the ground, gasping for air. When he walked to him, he saw the arrow planted in his back, right through his heart. He lifted his head and saw Dream standing outside, crossbow in hand.
"I couldn't let him help you, you know."
This was the moment when Techno decided that he had enough fighting the voices. For once in his life, he was going to listen to them and willingly lose control.
Everything happened in a blur. But when Techno regained awareness of his doings, Dream was on the ground next to Sam, Techno's sword in his chest.
"Hey, Techno" Dream said with a raspy voice, "I think you might want to check on Ranboo..."
The unnerving smile on his face only made Techno more worried.
He ran to Ranboo's cell, hoping that he didn't let something bad happen to the kid. And as he was looking at the inside, searching for any sign that would show that Ranboo was still okay,
"Hi Techno, uh… I, uhh, I made this… Because I heard that you lost it while you were… blowing up the country..."
A brand new axe, with the same enchantments as the old one, but new, unnamed. The first thing someone genuinely gifted him because they wanted to. It was something new, and it brought tears to his eyes.
"Yeah, uh, I guess this is sorta okay… My heart isn't warmed at all, okay?... That doesn't mean we're friends, huh…"
He definitely considered him his friend. Also his heart was totally warmed.
Unlike Ranboo's right now.
No matter how many times he called him, Ranboo never moved or showed a sign of life.
"So you understand now, Technoblade?"
He turned around, only to meet Dream's mask. He was completely alive and not wounded, and Techno couldn't understand what was happening. He was sure he left him for dead…
Dream lifted up his hands, showing Techno a book. A book that he recognized. It was the time traveler's book. Karl's book.
"How do you think I'm still alive right now? Also, do you not remember how many times you've lived through this? I don't think you've learned your lesson yet. Want to start over again?"
Without letting him answer, Dream opened the book and as the world turned white, he took off his mask and looked at Techno in the eyes with a proud smile.
…
The voices wanted blood.