Kinemortophobia

Ch. 7 -Withered Clouds-

It was spreading. The off-color, almost grey skin had spread, now covering more of his neck.

The pinkett massaged the skin with his hand lightly, however, when he felt the skin start to flake, he brought his hand down.

Great, now the skin is peeling.

Techno started at his reflection anxiously, looking into the small, cracked, wall-mounted mirror.

"Are you ready to grab our stuff Techno?" a voice floated up from downstairs, tearing Techno away from the mirror.

"Yeah, I'm coming downstairs now," Techno responded, pulling his collar hastily over the blemish. He would hide it for the time being. He didn't want Phil to worry more than he already was.

The late-afternoon sun was low in the sky as Dream Phil and Techno stood atop the newly constructed obsidian grid above L'manburg. Hundreds of dogs mingled about, all sticking close to Techno. No one was to be seen in the country, all members had seemly vacated to another place on the server to make plans.

"You two familiar with our plans?" asked Dream, looking over at his allies, they nodded, Phil pulling out his bow from his inventory, cocking a tipped arrow on its taut drawstring.

Techno smiled as he looked over the country which he and Phil despised so dearly. The country was already dead in his eyes. It was dead as soon as it had imprisoned Phil, Dead as soon as they had pulled him out of retirement.

"Let's go end this country's third cannon life bois!" Techno exclaimed, pulling out his own sword, the netherite surface a gleaming contrast from the daylight.

Techno was built differently than his fellow Minecrafters. I know that may sound cliché, but it was true. Unlike most players, Techno anticipated battle, while others dreaded it, Techno relished its grasp. Actively sought out player v player conflict. Maybe it was the voices' influence, maybe it was his hostile mob genes... whatever it was, it sure helped him excel.

So when Techno was in the heat of the battle, parrying and returning attacks from both Punz and Sapnap, Techno couldn't help but smile, a maniacal smile spread across his face.

Sapnap and Punz were tired, their attacks only growing slower as they continued. Around them, the battle was heated. Phil rained arrows from the obsidian grid, his near-perfect marksmanship implanting the weakness arrows into arms and legs.

And as Dream placed the last bit of Redstone needed for the machines, he smiled. His porcelain mask covered his eyes, though if they could be seen, they would be wide. An insane, terrible glint present in his green eyes. He looked over the battle, the Withers had already done a number to them, their craters littering the grounds. Dream wanted to escalate the damage, this wasn't enough. This was never enough.

As the TNT started to rain from the sky, Techno saw it and laughed. It was over. This all was finally over... Phil looked down on the massacre, his face an emotionless slate. A short laugh escaped his lips, shaking his head at the battle.

Tommy and Tubbo looked up horrified, faces painted in shock, broken eyes, battered from the battle. Those fighting for L'manburg ceased their struggle, looking up in horror as streams to TNT rained down from the obsidian grid. No one spoke as the explosion rang out, Fundy's cold, broken laughter the only thing to ring out with the explosions.

Even the withers seemed to stop their eternal aggravation to turn their dead faces upon the deadly downpour.

Ranboo just stared helplessly as the TNT rained down on his home, the only place on this server that he had been offered a spot. The only true resting place his shattered memory could remember. All he could do was watch, a memory book clutched in his hand, its leather cover tarnished with overuse and water.