Luminescent Alliums.

Chapter 28 - how far gone is he?

Techno the saw four figures approaching the house first. At first he wasn't worried, but the voices screamed warnings.

Monsters, run, angry. Watchout Tommy. Run, fight. Family. War. no no no no. E, you did this.

Tommy came back, he felt a surge of relief. He had feared that after Dream returned that he wouldn't get a chance to talk to the kid.

No run, danger. DREAM, Wilbur fucked up. Help.

Techno froze. Dream and Wilbur, there were four figures.

"Phil!" he yelled, the winged man stumbled into the room, potions in hand

"I saw them, is it-" he trailed off, Techno nodded. His mind reeling back to a few days ago when he broke the admin out of his self-built prison.

"What's your plan, dream?" techno asked, the masked man turned away from a window slyly.

"Oh a little here and there" he chuckled, Techno frowned.

"You always have a plan, what is it?" Dream was silent. Turning back to his window as if watching something, someone.

Where was Phil now?

"What has Tommy got to do with this?"

"Nothing, I don't need Tommy"

No he didn't need Tommy, at least not the Tommy that Techno knew.

"He's done something" Phil turned to look out the window.

"Dream?" Techno nodded.

"That, that has to be Tommy"

"And Ranboo," Phil sounded pained, almost winded. The voices screamed louder than ever, Techno's own thoughts faded away. He shuddered, trying to regain his sense of self once more.

Kill Dream, KILL DREAM. Tommy no. kill dream, blood for the blood god. Blood-

"I'm going to kill them" he mumbled, Phil whipped his head around. Techno's whole body was tense, poised as if ready to pounce- he was more than ready. Without a second to spare he swung open the door. Stepping out to watch the four walking through his gate.

"Dream" he said, the tone suggested a greeting, the masked man inclined his head slightly

"Tommy suggested we pay you a visit,"

"Tommy?" Phil asked, all eyes focused on Tommy,

"Don't you have something to say?" Dream chided, Tommy nodded slowly.

"Speak up, Theseus" WIlbur chimed in. Dread shot through Techno.

'If you want to be a hero, then die like one'

"You were right" he muttered, "you were right, I'm not a hero" Tommy's gaze locked onto Techno's "I never was"

Every word was caught in Techno's throat.

"I'm sorry" didn't come from him, Tommy's gaze left Techno, zeroing in on Phil. "Tommy I'm so sorry" he repeated, stepping closer. Tommy didn't move, he didn't even flinch. Techno's heart panged with a sort of emotion that he couldn't pinpoint at that moment.

Voices, again screaming to kill Dream and enveloping Tommy into a hug. Yet he didn't.

"Keep going," Wilbur urged him, a sly smile creeping onto his face. Techno froze

"I'm never going to be a hero," the youngest continued. "But, I'm meant to be the villain"

"No, NO Tommy" Phil burst out, "you are, you're our hero." Tommy only shook his head in response.

"Aren't you glad he's listening now, Techno?" Dream asked, "he suggested coming here himself" he said again.

"Why?" Phil asked, before anyone could responded Techno turned to him

"He's here to kill us" Wilbur scoffed, raising an eyebrow

"Not if we don't need to"

"The offer still stands for Techno and you too, Phil" Dream said. He was talking about joining him to take down the server, restart it. Once again under that admins control.

"No, not after this" Phil said, "give me back my son!" Dream chuckled but once again it was Tommy who responded.

"I am not your son," he spat. "I was never your son, you made me realise that" he looked at Dream as if to get confirmation.

"Are you sure that you want to deny my offer?" he asked. Techno stood taller, chin jutted out. He didn't speak, only drawing his sword. "Good enough" Dream said before looking at Tommy and nodding.

Tommy was faster than Techno remembered. He had drawn his sword and was clashing against Techno in a matter of seconds. Sparks flew, lighting the blue eyes behind the shining violet blade. Blue eyes filled with anger. Tommy was strong, he could admit that, but the kid was very much built for speed. Each time the blonde struck Techno only had so long to react.

Although he froze when he managed to draw blood.

Tommy stepped back, sword still poised to attack, yet he stayed still. Waiting for Techno to strike first.

"Tommy, come on. This isn't you" Phil begged, the blonde didn't move. Eyes trained on Techno's own blade.

"Put the sword down," Techno commanded. Tommy only raised it higher as if taunting him. Clearly Tommy was not going to listen when he was so high and mighty, perhaps he might once Techno had once again beaten him.

Then Techno made a mistake, one he used to scold Tommy about, one that Tommy seemed to always make. Techno struck first. Tommy always knew his way around a blade, he was raised by Phil. But what happened next was something else.

It was years of training, being mocked. It was a combination of some of the best fighters on the Dream smp's styles mixed and molded into someone else's styles.

Tommy didn't hold back, neither did Techno.

Tommy apparently did listen when Techno told him to learn his weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Techno may be stronger than Tommy, but Tommy was faster, he was smaller and he knew how to use that to his advantage.

After everything Techno couldn't help to feel a touch of pride when he lost the upperhand, but that pride vanished when his own blade was snatched from his hands, replaced with stigning bloody cuts. That pride turned into the same pang of unknown emotion Techno felt before when he raised his hands in defeat, Tommy's sword aimed at his neck.

And then his chest. He knew what that emotion was now. Techno, for the first time in who knew how long, was feeling defeat.

And Tommy seemed to relish in it. Sword pressed against Techno's chest, for once the piglin actually expected for the sword to be pushed, into his chest, straight through his heart. But it never came, he didn't know whether he should be relieved.

"Does Technoblade never die?" Tommy asked

"What?" he stammered out.

"Do you believe that you are truly immortal"

"random but okay." he responded dryly, Tommy said nothing, waiting for a proper response. Techno in turn reflected his silence.

'The first one to speak always loses Tommy'

He had listened.

The silence rang over a few moments more before Tommy sheathed his sword and turned away. Walking back to Dream, back to the enemy. Dream waved cheerfully and led the group away.

Techno slumped against the house, watching the silhouettes disappear.

"Phil" he croaked out after a while. Phil slumped down beside him.

"We failed him," he whispered out. Techno nodded.

"Again"

"What do we do?" the elder asked, Techno thought for a while.

"The only thing we can do, never fail him again"