PHOENIX

Chapter Forty: Power

"Schlatt? What the fuck are you doing here?"

Schlatt stared back at me, greeting my shocked expression with an amused one of his own.

"That's no way to greet your old best friend!" He scolds, like a teacher scolding his student.

Scrunching up my nose in disgust, I whip around to face Dream, hoping he had an explanation.

"What is he doing here?"

"Getting his end of the bargain." Dream grumbled.

Wait.....but did that mean?

"He...revived you?" I flipped around again, the movement almost giving me whiplash.

"Sure did, sweetheart," Dream tensed behind me. "One moment I'm dead as a doornail, the next I'm behind these bars, living and breathing again." Schlatt shrugged.

So it actually worked? It was possible to bring people back to life....death isn't permanent anymore!

"And be careful with what you say, your life is still in my hands." Dream threatened with a growl.

"Technically everyone's life is in your hands, huh? Don't go power hungry." Schlatt laughed, which turned into a cough.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked quietly to Dream.

"He died of a heart attack, he's probably feeling some symptoms." He responded.

"He didn't even die in battle? What a disaster." I replied, shaking my head.

"Hey! The leader has to stay safe to command his army!" Schlatt defended, trying to stand but the chains pulled him back down. 

"No, the leader has to fight with her army, otherwise what's the point?" I argued back.

"Some lousy leader you were then. You didn't even know I died!" Schlatt chuckled.

Those words hit deep.

"Wasn't the whole point of you staying in the SMP territory so that you could learn to fight? Aren't you able to hold your own against Dream, one of the greatest PVPers of all time? Why weren't you out there, fighting for your country?"

I stepped backwards, bumping into Dream, who grabbed my hand and used his thumb to rub circles onto my skin.

"Shut up, or I'll kill you again." Dream seethed, the most emotion I had heard him let through his voice in a while.

"Not yet, not until I can reveal the truth." Schlatt stated ominously, looking away from Dream's mask and instead to my curious eyes.

"The truth?" I murmured, turning my head to see if Dream knew what he meant. Dream offered no response.

"Nix, why do you think I wanted to keep you in Manberg so badly?" Schlatt asked, surprisingly genuine for his normal tone.

"No, Schlatt." Dream warned, dropping my hand and focusing on the man sitting behind the bars.

"Any ideas, Nix?" He continued.

"Schlatt!" Dream's voice rose, and he wrapped both of his hands around the bars.

"What's going on Dream?" I questioned waringly.

"Nothing I- Schlatt's speaking nonsense." Dream shook his head, sounding unsure.

"You aren't human, are you?" Schlatt spoke, and the air turned ice-cold.

Nobody moved, or spoke for a couple of seconds before Schlatt broke the silence again.