Quietus

lacuna

The smog was gone, the flames died as there was nothing left to ruin. All that was left was the rubbish the cruel strike left behind.

Dream didn't sleep. It felt impossible. His mind raced unbearably fast with thoughts he couldn't even make out. He felt like his heart was ripped out and sat in front of him. Taunting his soulless, meaningless body.

He was sat in the cove with pages he stole from a closed shop late in the night spread around him. It was a map of the land that went on for miles. It showed every other kingdom within the proximity. Dream had limited his options down to two.

No matter what, he was going to find Technoblade. And he was going to kill him. A life for a life, it was only fair. The unspoken rule of this atrocious world.

This wasn't the first time Technoblade had sabotaged their village. But this would be the last.

The first time was just a robbing. Something Dream knew all too well. There was no point in bothering with it. He knew how Techno moved, there was no reason going after him, he would get away.

He remembered when they were friends. It was just before George came into his life. He and Techno would run, and run, and run for miles. Never looking back, refusing to stop and take a moment to capture the forbidden realm around them. It was what freedom felt like. He remembered the purple flowers he would always pick. Techno would just watch.

One time they had stolen a sheep—it was a first place sheep from some fair nearby. They kept it as a friend until it died. They held a funeral for it. Dream had gotten attached to the poor animal. Techno supported him through the rough patch and promised him a new companion. It never happened though.

They sat around a makeshift campfire, telling stories and talking about their future. Dream always talked about being a knight. It was the one thing Technoblade disagreed with. Techno talked about taking down every kingdom that he stumbled upon. Ruining hierarchy as they knew it step by step. He didn't like the government. It ended in countless quarrels amongst them, but never any hard feelings attached by the end. They knew what each other wanted, even if they weren't ready to accept that fact.

He remembered looking up at the sky, the sun shining through his fingers and the gentle breeze around him that ruffled his hair and danced in the leaves. Technoblade was collecting fish in a nearby river. Meanwhile, Dream was tasked to collect sticks for a fire.

The crunching of the leaves didn't bother Dream much, he just assumed it was a rabbit or a fox.

"You done yet Technoblade?" Dream asked, spinning around. But the river wasn't behind him anymore. He unknowingly wandered too far. "Technoblade?"

He let out a deranged sigh, not ready to stumble his way around the trees he didn't recognize very well. But he was stopped not even a quarter of the way back. His eyes caught on to something bright blue in the distance. A blanket perhaps? That would be good for the winter. He could bring that back for Techno.

Dream began walking towards the thing he assumed to be a bunch of cloth, but more of a figure came into view. It definitely wasn't a blanket. Dream squinted his eyes.

"Hello?" He asked, approaching the person he could only see the back of.

The boy stood up and turned toward the direction he was called from.

Dreams eyebrows furrowed then jumped in surprise. "George?"

"Dream? What are you doing out here?" Prince George asked, tilting his head in confusion. He acted like him being out in the forest was a normal occurrence.

"I could ask you the same thing. I thought you weren't allowed out of the castle," he set the bundle of sticks to the side as he talked. He dusted his hands off, trying to prevent any pieces of wood injecting his skin through the gloves he wore.