Escape's Artist

part five ~ a world beyond my eyesight

(A/N: title is from Haunt by yours truly)

Ranboo backed out of the room, his calm body not betraying his warring emotions. Kind people shouldn't be prisoners, kind people should be leaders! Like Scott! Scott was Starborn and he defied all expectations that he would become a destructive monster and he became a guiding leader! Ranboo looked up to Scott so much, the man was almost a father to him since the Enderian had never known his own.

Ranboo quelled his nerves by repeating an exercise his friend Tubbo had taught him.

"I am feeling scared because I want Philza to be okay and to make it to the village. I am feeling overwhelmed because I don't know how to make that happen. What I'm actually scared and overwhelmed about is not knowing, and I don't like not knowing. But these are just feelings, and they will pass." Ranboo repeated, and echoing Tubbo's words felt comforting, if nothing else. But the usual reassurance provided by the mantra felt replaced by a void of... something. Hopelessness.

"I am feeling hopeless because Philza can't fly without his wing, and the idea of permanent damage upsets me. What I'm really feeling hopeless about is if he's going to live, because I value life a lot. But these are just feelings, and they will pass." Ranboo whispered his breath, and this time he did feel a bit better.

"I am feeling dread because I made a mistake. A really bad one. I'm sorry, Philza..." Ranboo buried his head in his hands as he just lost himself in thought for a few minutes.

"Come on, Ranboo. If there's more of us, you can help me escape! We can go back to your home together and live in peace! We'll be the ultimate badass duo, we'll save the whole world from the tyranny of evil humans! What do you say?" Tommy grinned, his usual cheerful nature just failing to hide his fear. He knew just as well as Ranboo what Dream had planned for him, and he would do anything to get out at that point.

"Tommy, you know I can't... Dream'll follow us, he'll find our village, he'll kill us, I can't compromise our safety. I promise you, I'll find a way to get you out somehow, okay?" Ranboo stammered, staring down at the floor shamefully. Tommy smiled comfortingly at the Enderian.

"I know, I know, it's alright. I trust you, it's all gonna be okay. Best friends forever?" Tommy made the Enderman warbling sound for 'friend', Ranboo had been teaching him a few scattered words over the past few months.

"Friend." Ranboo chirped back in Enderman, giving his best friend a hug.

Tommy was dead in his cell a day later, torn apart by vicious piglin teeth.

Ranboo killed his best friend, and he knew it. And he was about to be responsible for the death of another Elytrian if he didn't do something.

"I am feeling apprehensive because I don't want to make another mistake. What I'm really feeling apprehensive about is being the cause of more death because I value life a lot. But these are just feelings, and they will pass... and I won't let you down, Tommy. I'm going to save a life." Ranboo warbled quietly, turning around and bolting to Philza's cell. 

Some part of him already knew what he was going to see. He'd known what he was doing when he gave Philza the knife, but some part of him wasn't quite ready for the horror of it all.

Philza was lying on the floor, wrists carefully slit open to hit the veins while causing minimal pain. The Elytrian smiled at the sight of his face, shifting to sit up in the pool of his own crimson blood.

"Ranboo." Philza said simply, and he nodded. Not sure what to say to the dying man, he locked the cell door and pocketed the keys, then sat near Philza.

"Ranboo, you have to get Techno out of this place." He tried to lift his hand while talking, and immediately winced, pulling his wrist closer to him. The sight of so much blood would've made Ranboo sick if he wasn't so accustomed to seeing gory wounds while working as a healer back in his home village, and for once, he thanked his lengthy experience with blood for allowing him to keep his cool now.