PRINCESS ANARCHY | DSMP

43. The Song of L'Manburg

   SARA STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

   She witnessed the destruction of L'Manburg with her own eyes, Wilbur being the person who blew the country to pieces. Nothing remained, but a gaping crater in part of the Dream SMP. It was a wreck.

   Yet Tubbo managed to build the country from the ground up again. He filled the hole of a country that used to be. The ghost of the old L'Manburg — or perhaps still Manburg. He remade it in his image.

   Sure, new L'Manburg still follows principles that Wilbur originally created for his country; his symphony. But those are only the base of the new country that rose in its place. Exactly what Wilbur and Technoblade were clearly trying to prevent by leaving nothing but destruction behind.

   Wilbur never wanted Tubbo to take the notes of his symphony and remake them into something similar, yet different. In the end, it will always be the same — unfinished.

   It doesn't surprise Sara that Technoblade retired. The L'Manburgians clearly haven't learned their lesson. But perhaps they will. Soon enough.

   Sara has realized the truth. She knows better now. She realized that the only reason she ever believed in the country was because she believed in Wilbur. She believed they were fighting for a noble cause, because Wilbur said so. His charisma and his zeal for the country were genuine. He fought for it with vigor that ultimately made Sara join L'Manburg's side rather than stand by Dream, George and Sapnap. She was loyal to Wilbur to a fault. Even when she disagreed with his opinions.

   She knows now. But she also knows that people like Eret, Technoblade and — eventually — Wilbur were right. It was never meant to be.

   And yet.

   She stands on the grave of the country she used to believe in; a country she used to love. She stands on Wilbur's grave. Filled with water — reconstructed. Almost like Wilbur's symphony simply faded off the paper and Tubbo decided to reuse said paper to compose a new one. And surely, he thinks this symphony will be different . . . better, even. Perhaps he'll make it into a song. Perhaps this time, it won't be left unfinished.

   If only they would all realize that the Song of L'Manburg had been doomed since the very beginning. Doomsday is upon them, she can feel it. It will come suddenly, unexpectedly and it will rock everyone's worlds as they know them. And hopefully, it will create something brand new instead, something that will no longer draw on the blood, youth and sanity of its creators. Something that will spread peace throughout the entire region.

   A frown sets on Sara's lips, and she turns to stare at the yellow sweater that Phil has left for Sara before Technoblade came to pick him up and sneak him out of the country. There aren't many things left after Wilbur.

   Niki has his coat. Sara took his beanie, and now she also has the sweater. Its blood-stained gaping hole haunting her with the man's fate. Phil still has the sword that Wilbur passed him and told him to kill him with. Phil killed his own son.

   Phil doesn't like to talk about that day. Understandably so. Nobody would want to relive the moment their own child begged them to be killed. And knowing that this man has lived for centuries, she can imagine this man's coping mechanisms be something like avoidance — forgetting and not grieving is easier than feeling the pain and moving on.

   Sara might be some centuries younger, but even she knows it's unhealthy. Phil needs to talk through his grief before he takes it out on innocent people. L'Manburgians no less. She's seen the look on his face whenever L'Manburg has been mentioned. And whilst she doesn't agree with its existence; she would hate to hurt the people who live in the country. The citizens who love their country. Though she might have to. The people must realize L'Manburg is not as important as they are — not worth the lives lost in possible wars fought for the country. She understands that is a lesson that must be learned the hard way.