Chapter Text
The end was a mysterious dimension, to say the least.
Technoblade always had a particular hatred for it, the cold realm did not have a breeze to sway in, a sun to bask in, or even water to swim in.
He was here for two things, an elytra and shulker boxes.
…And possibly the dragon egg if he got lucky.
Techno stared at the dragon’s fallen body that he was greeted with when entering the realm and simply sighed, cursing himself for not getting here sooner. The egg was nowhere to be found.
Oh well, He thought dimly, not like there's a second.
Techno pulled a pearl from his inventory and started walking to leave behind the open portal. He spinned slowly in a circle, trying to spot the bedrock in the sea of stars. Techno paused, ear flicking, his sensitive hearing picking up on a high-pitched growling. He turned back to the body, slowly grabbing his sword from his inventory, a small dragonoid thing launched itself from under the dragon’s large wings, the creature snapped its tiny jaws in defense.
Techno breathed slowly, What the hell?
Assessing the creature further, it looked to be about two feet tall, with horns jutting from the base of its purple forehead. It spoke in a foreign language, the sounds jumbled together in what Techno had guessed was ferocity.
He tilted his head slightly at the sight, vaguely wondering if Philza would know what this thing was. It dawned on Techno that this thing was probably the ender dragon’s spawn and the kid was an orphan.
“Crap,” He muttered, kneeling down to the dragon's level, placing his sword back in his inventory. “Hey, little guy,” He spoke softly, “Are you able to speak?”
It growled a response, baring its teeth once more.
“I ain’t gonna hurt you,” He chuckled, “here.” Techno offered the hatchling a steak, to which it stared blankly at the piglin, eyes darting between him and the steak.
It launched a talon out, snatching the steak before Techno could process what it had done. The thing devoured the steak greedily as he watched in amusement. “Ranboo can speak end.” A voice commented, this one breaking through the ones shouting to kill the thing and how cute it was. Finally, the piglin snorted, a useful one.
The dragon curled its arrowhead tail around its legs, eyes fluttered sleepily. He gazed at his surroundings, surely it wouldn’t hurt to take one tiny dragon.
Would it?
He gently scooped the thing up, tucking it away into his cape. While hopping into the portal, Techno vaguely remembered his original mission of getting an elytra.
He traveled back to his home in the north, hoping the change in temperature wouldn’t bother the hatchling too much. Pulling out his communicator, Techno messaged both Phil and Ranboo. “Hey guys, mind meeting me at my place? I have something to show you two”
Soon after, he heard a quick knock at the door, finding his two friends shivering in the violent blizzard outside. Phil gave him a warm smile, “Hey Blade. How’s retirement treating you?” Techno returned the gesture. “Just swell. How’d house arrest treat you?” The angel laughed.
“You said you were going to the end, right?” Ranboo fixed his tie, cocking his head at the piglin. “What’d you get? An elytra?”
“Better, look what I found.” Techno gestured to the blankets curled in a ball by the fire, “Techno, you got blankets?” He rolled his eyes, “It’s what's inside the blankets, Phil.” The piglin gently picked up the blankets, finding the dragon still sleeping. He offered it to Ranboo and Phil, “Have a look.”
“Blade…” Phil gazed back at him, meeting his eyes. “What is this?”
Techno shrugged, “Hell if I know, I think it’s the ender dragon’s son or daughter or something. I kinda found it underneath her dead body, after all…” He trailed off, realizing that Ranboo still hadn’t taken his eyes off the dragon.
“Yo? Are you good?” The enderman blinked out of the trance, meeting Techno’s eyes.
The piglin froze at the look in Ranboo’s eyes, like Techno had committed the act of treason against the guy. “Blade, this is the end prince. Why the fuck do you have him?” Techno tensed at the sudden hostility, instinctively pulling the dragon closer to himself. “His mother was dead.” Techno snapped, “Sword in the back and all, the little guy would’ve died if I wasn’t there.”
Ranboo shook his head, “That’s not what I…” He looked around his house, “Are you capable of taking care of a child?” The piglin scoffed, “Of course I’m capable of taking care of a child, I’m not Tommy.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Techno swears he saw Phil flinch at the mention of the teenager.
Ranboo sighed, shaking his head slightly. “Do as you wish Blade, End knows I can’t stop you…” Techno grinned at the enderman, bringing the bundle of blankets holding the dragon to his chest. “I got this, don’t you worry.”
~
Over the course of the next eight years or so, Techno was pretty proud of his ability to both take care of a child and be the face of anarchy on the Dream SMP.
Unfortunately, he had been dragged out of his retirement by a group of idiots (+ Ranboo) from L’manburg. Techno wasn’t worried about being executed all that much, but he was a little pissed that those guys thought that they could just waltz in and disturb his peace after two months of being a father to the hatchling, who he still hadn’t named.
Techno had left the kid alone in a house full of things that could hurt him for about a day and a half, safe to say he was definitely chill and not worried out of his mind. Escaping had been easy thanks to a certain homeless green blob and Punz.
After freeing Phil from house arrest, permanently this time, he made a decision.
It was finally time to get back into battle.
Of course, being involved in so many wars dented the piglin’s ability to actually teach the kid- who he later named Wemmbu per Ranboo’s insistent begging- basic knowledge like math.
Though, math had never really been Techno’s forte.
He settled for teaching Wemmbu about how terrible governments were, the few Greek myths he did remember from his college days, and PVP. Turns out the kid really liked to PVP.
He was alright with a sword and axe, absolutely dogshit with a bow, and decent at throwing a trident. Techno had taught Wemmbu everything he knew about basic combat, carefully saving the more skilled techniques, such as the crossbow with rockets or using a pearl with a riptide trident, until he was a bit older than eight.
A few weeks before Wemmbu’s alleged (they really didn’t know when he was born) ninth birthday in the winter, Techno hadn’t exactly been feeling like himself. He was unsteady on his feet, and was berated with an almost constant headache.
He knew dimly that he was ill with a sickness, one that had been affecting him since birth.
Techno also knew it was bound to be fatal.
He just didn’t think the reaper would come for him so soon.
~
Wemmbu woke up with a yawn, stretching his arms upwards. He adjusted the coat he was wearing so it would wrap comfortably around his upper body, then he climbed downstairs and found Techno nowhere to be found.
He hummed to himself, it wasn't out of the ordinary for Techno to be out and about early, the piglin was always doing something. Wemmbu started to make himself breakfast as usual, an egg and toast would suffice until Techno was back.
He wondered about what he would learn today, maybe another myth? He was hoping it’d be PVP.
Wemmbu ate his breakfast and continued on with his normal schedule. That consists of stabbing a practice dummy a few times with a wooden sword, talking to Orphan (who was still trying to scam Wemmbu..), and reading a chapter in a book.
The day was like all the others, and would soon blend into the thousands of ones like it.
When dinnertime came, Techno hadn’t come home. That was strange, as Techno had always been on time. Did something happen to him? What if he was hurt- or worse.
A sudden knock at the door jerked Wemmbu out of his thoughts, he froze at the sudden sound. Carefully, he climbed down the ladder that led into the attic, opening the door slightly.
Philza was standing there.
He knew Phil, the angel who had been around for a majority of Wemmbu's life, was probably coming over to watch Wemmbu while Techno was away for long periods of time. Though, this time, Phil was shaking. His normally neat hair was screwed up, blonde strands askew.
Something was wrong, and then- Phil broke the news with a stutter and a sob.
Techno had died, Phil had found his body in the snow.
Wemmbu stared wide-eyed at the angel, waiting for him to laugh, say sike, anything. He waited for Techno to appear, saying how he was just joking. He’d take a sick joke over reality any day.
It never came.
“I’m so sorry kid,” Phil whispered, crouching down to Wemmbu’s level. His eyes were red and blotchy. “He’s gone.”
Wemmbu just stared back with a blank expression, his mind racing to process what Phil just said. “He’s not dead,” The fledgling muttered. “Technoblade never dies, that’s what he said.”
“He was sick.” Phil explained, slowing his words down. “Techno was- he was too stubborn to just sit down and be taken care of.” The angel ran a hand through his blonde hair, before sighing.
“You can come live with me and Kristen.” Phil tightly smiled, or maybe it wasn't tight. Wemmbu was never able to read expressions well. “Or, you can stay here for the night and decide tomorrow.”
He nodded slowly, agreeing to the latter option. At least, he would have a chance to say goodbye properly to his childhood home.
Turns out Phil wanted to share the news, as Ranboo came over shortly after Phil made dinner. He had made baked potatoes. Wemmbu had been staring out the window when he answered the door. Wemmbu could hear the entire conversation, no matter how quietly they talked. Though, he couldn’t find it inside himself to give a shit.
“I think,” Ranboo muttered, “we need to bring him back home.” “Ranboo- dude, we can’t just take him away from everything he knows!”
A sigh, “I know Phil, I know. It’s just… he won’t survive in the Overworld. I doubt he has conjured up his flame yet, he has to leave.” That perked Wemmbu’s interest. What the hell did Ranboo mean by his flame and leaving?
“I’m taking him tomorrow, my friend already has everything set up for Wemmbu to be safe. You would be able to visit him. Phil, think about what Techno would’ve wanted” Phil sighed, “If it’s… what’s best for him, then…
“He’ll go.” Silence.
Fear wound its way into Wemmbu’s mind. Where was Ranboo going to take him? Was it actually safe? Why did he have to leave? Thoughts raced as Wemmbu felt his chest begin to ache. He needed to find a way out. He couldn’t stay here.
After waiting for what felt like hours, he made sure Ranboo and Phil had left. Wemmbu packed a small bag with food. He wrapped one of Techno’s spare capes around his body, the smell of his father fading.
He climbed out the attic window, scaling the roof and climbing onto the bee farm. It was freezing out, the coldest it had been in the arctic biome to Wemmbu’s knowledge. It was snowing as well.
As soon as his boots hit the ground, Wemmbu ran.
He ran as fast as he could, the house he called home slowly being engulfed by the storm.
Wemmbu paid no attention to the tears silently staining his face, instead he kept his eyes on the rising moon that was barely covered by the clouds.