PHOENIX

Chapter Forty Four: Landing

Ranboo is a lovely person.

There, I said it.

The weeks flew by, and I spent hours with Phil, learning how to control and use my powers, and also just learning more about my birth father. As much as I dislike the thought, I like him. I just wish he would've been there when I needed him most.

And Ranboo was there training too. Apparently he just started gaining the ability to teleport, although he is always a mile or two off of where he wants to end up. This is also why he suddenly popped up in front of me when I was flying for the first time. Ranboo was keeping tabs on everyone from L'Manberg, and even managed to be the official minuteman for the New L'Manberg cabinet. He gave me a note from Niki in response to my letter, in which I expressed my sadness of Wilbur's death, and asked for Niki to not mention my whereabouts. Niki had responded with some kind words of her own, and a promise to keep my secret.

Technoblade and I regained our old bond from when I was a kid. There had been only three times I remember seeing him as a child, and all of those times Techno had pretended to ignore me until I would force him to play hide and seek or tag or some other silly children's game. Now, I practically beg him to spar with me, missing my daily training routine. Ranboo couldn't keep up with me, although he wasn't bad at dueling. Phil refused to fight me, for reasons he never told. So my last hope was Techno.

Eventually I convinced him.

"I'll go easy on you," Techno promised, leading me outside into the snow.

"Oh no you fucking won't," I laughed dryly. "You'll regret it".

Techno gave me a confident look, then pulled out his sword, getting into a ready stance. I followed suit, pulling out my own sword and rolling my wrist out in preparation. I've been itching to duel.

"Ready?"

"Always," I responded back coolly.

Techno launches forward, swinging his sword. There's hesitation there, and I can tell he thinks I need him to go slower for me to hit him.

That bitch.

I instantly disarm him, only taking seconds to win.

"I said don't go fucking easy".

Techno's smile grows wide, and he picks his sword back up.

"My bad," Techno apologized monotonically.

"Ready?" I asked with a smirk.

"Always," Techno repeated.

I started forward first this time, and barely got out of the way of Techno's sharp blade in time. He quickly sprung up, throwing another swing at me. This time I met his blade with my own, gritting my teeth as his netherite clashes against my own. I jump back, resetting my stance and avoiding the release swing of his sword. He steps forward, and I use what Dream taught me to do, moving swiftly to be behind him while he moves forward to meet me. It works, but Techno takes notice of me being behind him and flips around, blocking my hit.

"When did you get so good?" Techno grumbles, his arms tensing as they hold my blade back.

"I picked a few things up from Dream," I admit. "Never got the chance to surpass him unfortunately".

"Good, that means I'll win," Techno replied dryly, causing me to laugh. I was still furious with Dream, and trashing on him kinda felt good. And bad at the same time. It was a tie I was willing to deal with.

Technoblade was stronger physically than me, which gave him a major upper hand in beating me. I lost, but he looked at me with respect that made me feel as if I had won.

Techno and Phil happily shared their resources with me, and I helped farm and do other things around the cabins. I ended up staying in the second floor of Phil's cabin he built directly next to Techno's. I enjoyed my new routine.

Slowly, sorrowful thoughts crept through my brain as they often do, and while I would do everyday ordinary tasks I would be reminded of my time in the SMP territory. Taking care of Carl reminded me of taking care of Thea, my horse that was sadly abandoned in the safe care of Alyssa and Callahan when I moved from their house to Eret's castle. Whenever we would sit down and eat dinner, even though we had no dining table, it still felt like the family dinners we had at Alyssa's. Even sparring reminded me of Dream.

"Are you okay, Nix?" Ranboo broke me from my thoughts of burnt chairs and small libraries hidden away in houses.

"Yeah, sorry," I shake my head as if doing so would make the thoughts go away. "Phil claims that I can make the fire along my arms continue across the ground for miles if I try hard enough, but I think he's just making shit up at this point".

"Honestly, that seems like something he would do," Ranboo agrees, watching in entertainment as I pat the ground expectantly with my currently aflame hand. It had become easier and easier to drift into my Phoenix form, and Phil had helped coach me on how to get rid of the fever almost instantly as to prevent brain cell damage.

"Hey, you're supposed to be training too!" I suddenly remember, glaring at Ranboo, but making sure I look over his shoulder instead of directly at him. I had become accustomed to Ranboo's enderman traits, and had also stopped giving second thought whenever he let out a strange noise or picked up something and moved it somewhere else for no reason in particular.

"Uh, look at that, I think it might start raining soon, better head home!" Ranboo gets up quickly.

"You're literally wearing armor!" I point out, watching him run off in the distance and towards the portal that goes to the SMP territory.

Sighing, I go out of my Phoenix form, letting myself fall back into the snow and pass out for only a moment before waking up again. Phil had also helped me stop nightmares from keeping me unconscious for longer than I needed to be.

Getting up, I wiped the snow from my pants and cloak, which had been given to me by Techno, and wandered to the edge of the boreal forest. I swung myself onto the lowest branch and slowly made my way up to the top of the tree, climbing to the highest sturdy branch.

The sun had just started setting, painting the winter sky with purples and pinks that were somehow prettier than normal sunsets.

Sighing with content, I lay back, closing my eyes for only a second.

The second is broken by something landing on my knee.

One of my eyes peek open, and a dark, bird-like eye stares back with the same interest.

I spring up, startling the gray creature enough to make it fly to a nearby branch.

"Ashes!" I cry out excitedly, maneuvering my way over to scratch the back of his neck. Ashes squawks in return, stretching out his wings.

"You must be freezing, here, let's get you inside! Follow me!" I climb down hastily, waiting for Ashes to land on my shoulder before turning to walk inside.

"Nix!"

The familiar voice called out, and I looked to see messy blonde curls spring towards me, an infamous red and white shirt peeking out from underneath a green cloak. Tommy, my brother that I thought I might never see again, was running to me with wide arms.

"I found you!"

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Author's Notes: Alright, so we've seen Nix's side of how things progressed, what about Dream's? Also do you guys like having both their perspectives? I had so much fun writing Dream's POV that I thought I would continue to have his side for this last act! Let me know what you think! Also sorry this chapter was a little short, but I hope you enjoyed it anyways. Have a luminous day!!!!!