Tears Come From Cracks in Her Weak Skin

Chapter Five

Wilbur returned a half-hour after she finished wrapping her head. He had opened the door, eyes red but arms full of food ready to be cooked. When she asked if he had been crying, he simply brushed it off and said it was because he had accidentally fallen into a berry bush with thorns that were sharper than normal. She knew he was lying. She didn't say anything.

She was silent as Wilbur examined the rest of her injuries, equating what to heal next, what was more severe. He cautiously laid one of his hands on her knee, and when she nodded her okay, he took a pair of scissors and slowly cut the legs of her pants until they were split up to her upper thigh. The sight that was revealed was terrifying. Despite the bones having been set in tight splints and pumped full of regeneration potions, there was nothing they could do to stop the swelling and bruising that still flowered her skin. "Doesn't Techno usually keep some healing potions on him?" Niki asked. Wilbur's face paled at the sound of Technoblade's name. She didn't notice, and continued speaking, "Where is he? Maybe he can give us a few. Aren't we running out anyways?"

"Niki," Wilbur began, but the girl had no plans of stopping.

"Where is Techno, anyways, Wilbur? I haven't seen him or Tommy or Tubbo since I woke up. You're always saying that they're outside getting food or patrolling the border, but that isn't the case isn't it?" Wilbur's lie was slowly being pulled out from under him, a loose thread just begging to be yanked from a sweater. "Wilbur? Just tell me. Please tell me where they are. Please tell me if I killed them."

"You didn't kill them, Niki." Wilbur began, "And even if you did, it wouldn't have been you're fault."

Niki fell back, face pale, hands shaking, "But they are dead, yes? Tommy and Tubbo and Techno are dead?" Wilbur looked down, tears falling down his face, "Wil. Wil, look at me."

He looked up, eyes watery, mouth twitching from suppressed sobs, "Yes, Niki. Tommy and Tubbo and Techo are dead. And I was the one who killed them."

Everything stopped and started at that moment. She had no reaction, her mouth only slightly agape as Wilbur told her what happened: Tommy was originally the one who wanted to rescue Niki. Techno was obviously on board because he loved anything that had to do with attacking a corrupt government. When they approached Wilbur with a plan, he was naturally apprehensive, about the dangers, about the consequences. But eventually, he allowed it. When Tubbo came to give his report of the goings-on in Manburg, they told him of the plan. After seeing the condition Niki was in, he eagerly agreed to the plan. Tommy, Techno, and Wilbur geared up, while Tubbo went back to Manburg to affirm Schlatt of his loyalty. Schlatt had just returned from his visit with Niki, his neck still wet with blood, both his and hers. Sensing Tubbo's infidelity, he stabbed the boy. A single knife. Straight into his stomach. Tubbo bled out in minutes. Tommy couldn't do a thing. Schlatt laughed as Tommy pummeled him into the ground, blood flying from his first. And Tommy would have gone further, Tommy could have been the end of Schlatt if he hadn't grabbed the same knife that murdered Tubbo and slashed Tommy's throat. Wilbur and Techno watched as the two boys died. Hand in hand, side by side. As they were always meant to be. They could do nothing.

As they watched Tommy die, Schlatt managed to pick himself up and limp away. Techno and Wilbur were too distracted to care. They should have, though. Maybe if they put up more of a fight, Niki wouldn't be in such bad shape. Maybe more lives would have been saved. It was too late now to hold regret. They carried the boys outside and rested their bodies on the horses they took to ride to Manburg. As they reentered the base, their grief turned to anger, and their anger turned to fury. The search for Schlatt was quick, as they found Dream waiting outside a thick iron door, his formidable person hovering just in front of the white metal. He saw them immediately, and Techno ran forward, his crimson cloak flying behind him like bloody wings. Dream noticed the swine king, of course, noting the anger behind his swings, and produced a glimmering sword and shield, his emotionless mask hiding any expressions of surprise. The match lasted only minutes. But in those minutes, Techno was able to strike the mask off of the man's face, revealing green eyes and a mop of blonde hair. A gash across his nose painted the trail Techno's blade took across Dream's face. His eyes widened in surprise and an emotion Wilbur could only describe as fear. He looked almost human. Techno saw it as well, his faltering stance displaying his shock for the world to see. Dream took a chance, and thrust his sword into Technoblade's chest, letting him fall slowly to the ground. Wilbur ran to them as Dream ran away. Techno tried to stand, to go after Dream, to fulfill his mission. Wilbur eased him back down, "Wilbur, I need to go after him. You know I have to," he choked out, blood splattering onto him and Wilbur.

"No, Techno. I think," tears welled up in both pairs of eyes as they realized what was going to come out of Wilbur's mouth, "I think Dream finally got the best of you. I think this is your time."

"Heh, I guess. It was a good run though, don't you think? I had a good life. And, I guess if I had to die fighting for a cause, I'm glad that cause is Niki."

Wilbur smiled, "Same. She's the cause we should have been fighting for all this time."

"Wilbur," Techno gasped for breath, "Wilbur, I don't want to die." Tears wed with the blood on his face, his hand grasping Wilbur's.

"I know, I know. Remember what we used to say, though?" Wilbur chuckled, pulling the monarch close, "Technoblade never dies."

"Technoblade never dies." The light faded from his eyes as they looked up to Wilbur. All signs of life, all signs of the power Techno held died as he faded away, and Wilbur was alone.

Tubbo was dead.

Tommy was dead.

Technoblade was dead.

And Wilbur was alone.

But the fight wasn't over. Dream had escaped. Schlatt has escaped. Niki was still missing.

But what if she's dead? a voice rang in his head.

"She's not dead," he whispered back.

And he was right. As his sword clashed with Dream's he felt a powerful entity enter the room and draw closer to them. Dream's legs suddenly flew out from under him, blood spurting out of identical cuts on the backs of his knees, he screamed and fell to the ground. Wilbur saw the chance and took it, knocking Dream upside the head, ensuring a nasty concussion. If he didn't bleed out as he was unconscious. As he stared at the empty space above Dream, Niki slowly lost her invisibility. Despite her weak form, the blood, and obvious broken bones, he was ecstatic, a wide smile cracking the drying blood on his face. She made no motion of glee, and instead simply nodded and donned a set of enchanted netherite armor, not wasting a single second as she ran so fast she flew at Schlatt, who only now realized his mistake. He had no power against the nearly unrecognizable woman as she tackled him to the ground, her fists replacing Tommy's as she threw punch after punch into Schlatt's body. As he watched from afar, Wilbur noticed that this was not Niki. At least, not the one he knew and loved. Not the one that brought him fresh-baked bread as he slaved over piles of paperwork. Not the one who always laughed at his poor attempts at flirting, and instead of making fun of him, returned his compliments with ones of her own creation. This was not the Niki that sewed the flag of L'Manburg, stitch by stitch. This was not the Niki that Tommy and Techno came to with holes in their uniforms after an afternoon of sparring, begging her to repair them, only to find themselves learning how to fix the holes themselves, they came back every time, though, staying only for her stories of what she saw as she roamed L'Manburg. This was not Niki, this was an animal fueled only by her fire lit by her fury. This was not Niki, something inside her had snapped. This was not Niki, kind and welcoming and motherly. This was not Niki, for she had let go.