The Death That Follows

Meeting House

TW: Mentions of Gore, DNF

Wilbur

I wanted to die.

Never had I wanted something more in my life than for it to stop.

I couldn't look down at myself anymore without feeling sick.

My arm was gone. I thought that would mean it would stop hurting, but I could still feel it, like when you think there is another step on a staircase, and your whole body freezes up when you hit the ground.

Ranboo had cut my pants into shorts, so I could see everything he did to my legs, and my bare torso, and both my arms. Well, my one arm and the stump that used to be my dominant one.

I was covered in blood, some old, some still oozing. Or I was just cut open all over, and was staring down into the depths under the skin.

I knew it wasn't Ran's fault, but I doubted I would be able to look at him the same after this. After he had cut into me, dissecting me while I watched, a sick sense of intrigue on my face while I bled dark, deep red. Almost black.

I doubted I would live much longer, strange spell or no, and I was relishing the idea of finally being able to stop the pain.

Finally being able to sleep.

George

"He's at the old meeting house?" Sapnap asked, Karl and Quackity sitting on either side of him. They had gotten back not too long ago, a worried Philza, Niki, Tom, and Charlie behind them.

"Well, not exactly. They're under it." Dream clarified, and I nodded.

"It was pretty wrecked last time I saw it. He would have to, to keep himself hidden, at least." I said.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Phil asked, already heading out the door.

"Wait, we need a strategy!" Sap said, causing Phil to halt in his tracks. "We can't just walk into his lair, expecting him to keel over." Everyone nodded, looking at Dream for ideas, as he was the most war experienced.

"We need to split up. We don't know what we are dealing with, or how big this place is, so we don't want him to be able to take us out in one swoop. We will have one group of people going after Wil and Ranboo, and the other helping with finding XD." He said, and I was immediately torn. Wil was my boyfriend, and needed help, but if XD was gone, this whole nightmare ended anyway.

"Dream, Sapnap, Slime, Quackity, and Tom should find XD, while I need to help my son, Tubbo should get Ranboo. Since Ranboo was taken over by XD, we might need help restraining him, so Karl and Niki, we need you. George, I know that it will be hard, but you have to choose. Wilbur or Dream." Phil said, and Dream looked at me, his face unreadable.

In a split second, I decided. And that decision would haunt me for the rest of my life.

Dream

"I chose Dream." Three words I never thought I would hear again. I tried to tell myself it didn't mean anything. That all he wanted to do was stop XD from hurting anyone else, but the conviction in his face as he looked directly at me sent my heart fluttering. Could he actually forgive me?

We all got into two cars, separated by teams, and I was in the front seat of George's car, right next to him as he drove. I watched as his lean yet muscular arms flexed while he steered, a determined expression on his face.

He glanced at me, probably feeling my gaze, and I turned away, blushing. I shouldn't feel like this, right? He moved on, and we were literally going to save his boyfriend right now. But no matter how much I chastised myself, I couldn't stop a little grin from taking up residence in my face. I didn't turn away fast enough to miss the bloom of a soft pink blush tingeing his cheeks.

We drove for almost an hour, everyone becoming more and more tense. I was rather surprised by XD's silence. I had expected him to tell me this was stupid, or threaten my unborn children, or something, but there was nothing. Not a single inane rhyme or strange threat.

We pulled up to the outside of the meeting house, and I saw what George meant. It was almost completely destroyed, only the foundation of it safe from the rot and decay.

All eleven of us piled out of the cars, looking at the ominous building anxiously.

"Alright. Whoever finds the demon first wins!" Tom yelled, running into the building.

"Tom! Get back here or I will make sure XD takes you first!" Phil threatened, and Innit came jogging back, laughing uneasily.

"Oof, Mr. Za with the parenting." Charlie said under his breath, and Phil glared at him.

"Don't split up yet. Knowing XD, the entrance won't be easy to find." I said, and, for the first time all day, I heard a low, sadistic chuckle in the back of my mind.

"Alright. Let's go in, but slowly." Phil said, and we all nodded. Nikki looked decidedly the worst out of all of us, and I wondered if she was up to this.

But I didn't say anything, determined to get in and out as quickly as possible. We all walked forward, Tom and Charlie still fooling around. Sometimes I wondered if their constant jovialness was just a coping mechanism to make light of their problems, but I didn't have long to contemplate this idea. Because the moment we stepped into the crumbling, churchlike building everything went black.