Taken- A Dream SMP Fanfic

Chapter Twenty Seven- The Beginning of the End

"It's time."

The words heated and chilled you at the same time. You were raring with energy and purpose, ready to defend your friends and your world, but the thought of fighting something as big as the Piglin King sent a shiver down your spine. 

You were all gathered in the living room of Philza's house, strategizing. You'd already collected any items you needed, plus extra. Everyone who'd been pulled into the serverworld was there.

"Do we have everything?" BadBoyHalo asked. 

Skeppy looked over the pile of items in the floor. "I think so," he murmured.

"There'd better be," Technoblade grunted. "I don't feel like going out again."

Philza studied the pile, his sharp eyes taking in every detail. "Yeah, we have enough stuff," he said.

"Okay, does everyone remember the plan?" Sapnap asked.

"Of course we do, ninja boy," Tommy grumbled. "It's not that complicated."

"It kinda is," Tubbo protested.

"It's literally just go to the Nether, find the king's place, kill him, and save the serverworld," Wilbur sighed. "Surely you're smart enough to remember that."

"Hey, be nice," Ranboo said mildly. 

"Yeah Will, use your big boy manners," Tommy agreed with a grin.

"You really wanna go into the child discussion again?" Wilbur grinned back as Tommy looked alarmed.

"Come on, quit bickering, you two," Dream said unconcernedly. Tommy glanced at him nervously and stayed quiet. 

"Oh child, are you scared of smiley man?" Wilbur teased.

"Shut up, Wilbur," Tommy snapped.

"So you are?" Wilbur pressed with a smug look.

"Shutupyouknowthatyes," Tommy muttered under his breath.

Wilbur smirked at him.

"Alright you two, cut it out," Phil ordered firmly. "We have bigger things to focus on."

"I know," Wilbur said. "But it's so fun!"

You thought you saw Phil trying to hide a smile. "No more of that," he said a little more sternly. "We're leaving in just a minute."

"Wait, we are?" Tommy asked, startled. "Oh, alright, let's go!"

"Done with the portal," George reported. "Let's go, guys."

You glanced at Dream, the perfect image of a confident leader. Only you knew that he was maybe a little nervous. Just a little. 

He met your eyes and gave you an encouraging smile. "Come on," he said. "Let's go save the world."

***

The scorching heat was the first thing you noticed when you passed into the Nether.  Lakes of lava bubbled and spat bits of molten stone onto the netherrack near them. Dark nether brick towers rose out of the land in front of you, reaching into air, which was gray with ash and smoke.

"That's it, right?" BadBoyHalo asked, gesturing toward the fortress.

"Yeah, that's it," Skeppy confirmed. "There should be a stairway up this way."

"How do you know this?" Dream asked mildly.

"I had the same dream as all of you did," Skeppy informed him. "Mine just included directions."

The staircase was exactly where Skeppy had said it would be: in the side of a nether brick tower, curving up to the top of the fortress.

"Sooo," Tommy said as you traveled, "what exactly do we do when we get there? Have we worked out that part yet?"

"There isn't a real plan except kill the Piglin King," Sapnap admitted. "That part's a little more improv than actual strategy."

"Eh, that's the fun way to do it," Tommy declared.

"Everyone be quiet," Technoblade ordered suddenly. You looked at him, confused, and noticed his ears twitching. He seemed to be listening for something. With a quick motion, he gestured for the group to follow him and slipped into a side corridor. Seconds later, a ghast floated above the exposed spot where they had just been. It let out a piteous moan and continued on its way.

Technoblade waited a moment longer, then ducked out of the corridor and led the way through the open area to a larger part of the castle. The heat was almost unbearable once you stepped inside. The only people who seemed completely unaffected were Techno, being part piglin himself, and Wilbur. The rest of the group seemed at least uncomfortable with the temperature. 

Techno motioned for everyone to stop again and listened for a moment. Glancing around a corner, he beckoned and raced down the hallway. Suddenly, he pivoted around, drawing his bow- then stopped. You followed his gaze to see a young man who looked about 23-ish. He was wearing a jacket with way too many colors on it, complete with a green spiral.

Sapnap spoke first. "...Karl? What are you doing here?" 

The man smiled, looking somewhat apologetic. "I don't actually know," he replied. "I'm just kinda... here."

"Wait, do you think it's part of your time travel series that somehow got interlaced with this plotline?" Sapnap asked. Karl shrugged. "Maybe."

"Well I'm glad you've come to visit," Sapnap said with the air of one inviting a guest inside. "Won't you join us?"

Karl grinned. "I just might do that. I mean, it looks safer than wandering around here by myself," he said. "Maybe I could somehow help you guys."

"Maybe," Techno said doubtfully. "Anyway, come on. We've wasted enough time already. Skeppy, where do we go from here?"

Skeppy scanned the surrounding area. "I think we have to go that way," he said, pointing to a wall. There was a moment of silence. "How do we go that way?" Phil asked skeptically.

"Um, I don't actually know," Skeppy admitted. "I just know we go that way."

Tommy pulled out a diamond pickaxe and dug into the wall. A second later, he hurried back. 

"Guys, hurry, this way," he whispered. "And be quiet."

The group followed him into the tunnel he'd dug. He covered the entrance and everything went dark. "Oops, forgot that would happen," Tommy murmured. 

"For the record, I can see perfectly fine in the dark," George informed you all. 

"Well, the rest of us can't," Tommy said drily.

A soft snap echoed through the tunnel and firelight shone on the walls and floor. Wilbur held a ball of flames in his palm, lifting it high to light the way. Tommy gave him a grateful smile and continued down the tunnel. "Okay, so I saw the throne room," he said in a hushed voice as he walked. "And I think I saw the Piglin King. That guy is massive."

"I know, right?" Techno grinned. "Let's go kill him."

You followed everyone out of the tunnel into a small room. There was a thin wall with a gap that worked as a window. You looked through the gap. The first thing you noticed was the room. It was beautiful, in an eerie sort of way. Gentle red light filtered into the room from the shroomlight on the ceiling. The walls were made of a mixture of blackstone and nether brick. Gold blocks were placed every few feet. The whole room shouted Really powerful being here! You weren't sure what astonished you more, the room or the amount of soldiers in it. There were at least fifty from where you could see. It was kind of crazy. They were all piglins with shimmering golden swords. "Come on," Skeppy said confidently, mining through the wall with a few deft strokes of his diamond pickaxe. "I know what to do from here."

And then everything went wrong.