Becoming a General

Prologue: In which he visits an old friend

It didn't matter that the crowds parted before him. It didn't matter that kings all over the world feared him. It didn't matter if they made him a ruler of anywhere. That had happened before but it wouldn't happen again on his watch. Not after he disappeared less than 2 minutes after his crowning. He would rather, far rather, be fighting for his life against far too many foes, dragging his allies into the glory, where they wouldn't have come without him, than dealing with diplomats, the honey-tongued rascals. He sighed, and shook his head. No, that would never happen on his watch. But this time he was risking it again. Phil had promised everything would be alright and sent him a strange potion by crows to his house. Technoblade recognized it of course but he didn't drink these often. Its clear grey surface immediately reminded him of what it was. An invisibility potion. Phil must have forgotten that he could make these whenever he wanted, but no matter. He uncorked it, lifted the small potion bottle to his lips and drank all its contents at once. Glancing down at himself, he saw that he was invisible. He stowed it away at once, satisfied.

Looking inside the city from the hilltop where he stood, he realised Phil's plan was a good one. He could easily be lost inside the crowd of people wandering into the kingdom, invisible or not. Taking the extra precaution of the invisibility potion however, didn't bother him, well-knowing his hibiscus-pink hair could easily give him away. That was one of many features he had that very few others he had seen sported. Now, being easily recognizable would not serve him well in the least. It would be far too easy for anyone to notice him as he stalked down the streets of this kingdom, and then the game would be up. Who knows what they would do to him. They wouldn't care if he didn't like what they were doing. The foolish crowd wanted what they wanted. He hated being put under pressure to do something he didn't want to do. Thankfully, Phil well-understood his thoughts on that subject.

But there was no time to waste; Time was ticking away and potions didn't last forever. With a groan, he trotted down the mountain, wending his way along with the oppressive crowd into the city. He was well-used to this method of entering, knowing exactly when to slip in and where to stand so he wouldn't be discovered.

After he slipped over the palace gates and took the main road toward it, he saw Phil waiting for him on a balcony over 12 feet above the ground. To warn him of his presence, he broke a small branch of a nearby bush and threw it, aiming carefully to avoid hitting Phil, but close enough to scare him, maybe.

The branch flew within six inches of Phil's face before he noticed it. Then, he jumped and Techno barely heard Phil's muttered curse word. He chuckled to himself. Birds are so easily jumpscared. While tiptoeing on, he glimpsed out of the corner of his eye Phil leaving the balcony. As he walked, he passed the state entrance to the palace, where some of the royal guard stood on watch. He smiled to himself. According to Phil, they never knew when he came or when he left. Sometimes, if he made a longer visit, they didn't know he was there until over three days later. Every single time he saw them under invis, he thought of the time he jumpscared Phil and all the guards with Dream not too long ago. The idea of doing that again alone always surfaced when he passed that entrance invisible. Another day, but not today. Even though it would be great fun. He passed them by as he always did and turned away to a different part of the palace where he knew Phil would be waiting for him.

It didn't take long for Techno to sneak around the side of the palace, and climb the vines that hung from Phil's study balcony. He slid over the marble railing and allowed his boots to hit the floor with a thump, announcing his arrival. Phil looked up from his papers. "Techno?" He asked, scanning the room for his friend but finding no one.

Techno didn't answer for the moment. Instead, he pulled a large worn potion bottle from his belt. Uncorking it, he drank about half a swallow's worth. Immediately, he could see his hand and the potion bottle he was drinking from. He was visible again, and so corked the bottle and stowed it in his belt. Phil pushed back in his chair and stood up at once to greet his friend.

"Techno, you're back. Good to see you visible for once."

He smiled in answer, then something golden caught his eye. A crown lay on the desk. He stiffened with shock. His expression darkened slightly and his voice was decidedly different than it would have been. A pinch of ice crept into it. "Phil."

"Yes?" His friend stopped coming around the desk and looked at him, a little nervously.

"Phil, you don't mean to tell me you have taken up that thing." He gestured with his head toward the crown on the desk, the ice never leaving his voice for an instant.

Phil sighed and looked away toward the balcony, eyes on the floor. "I know, Techno. It comes as a shock."

When he looked back, Techno's red eyes locked with his blue ones. He asked this time with a more level tone in his voice. "What happened?" What did they do to you? His thoughts added.

Phil seemed to have guessed his thought correctly. "No, they didn't do anything to me. The old king died and left the kingdom to me. You remember he was old and had no children."

Techno nodded curtly.

"And I accepted it. Because I knew that if I didn't, we would be attacked in no time."

But this explanation was not going to fly in the face of Techno's near-perfect memory. "He did not keep his oath??" He asked, his temper beginning to flare.

"What oath?" Phil honestly didn't remember.

"He swore to you that he would not give the kingdom to you. Now do you remember?"

"He did. But that advisor died. And he said in his will that all his responsibilities would be passed to me. My hands are tied and-" But Techno humphed and turned on his heel, cutting him off. I doubt he will ever understand. Could this be the end? Phil thought. I hope not. But Techno's anger had already reached its threshold.

"Government always gets corrupted!" He snapped, losing his temper. "Government always ties its servants' hands! Phil," his voice became even more icy than before and he swirled around again," why did you get into this?" Pausing, he gathered himself. The silence was deafening. Then, he continued on with more calmness. " You could have left; they would have found another king."

"Too late, they would have. Then this place would have been destroyed!"

The final straw had broken the camel's back for Techno. When will he realise that these cursed mortals have guilted him into this? He thought. His temper flared again, even more dangerously than before. "Why does this place matter to you, Phil?? Mortals do what mortals do. You know that as well as I do, Philza. You were my friend, you fought beside me and now this!"

"This what?" Phil asked. "This place matters, these people matter-"

"But do they care about immortals? You know as well as I do, they do not care one little bit. They run us around using us as extra power for their own ends. Immortals are in danger."

"Not if you're their leader." Phil knew well that he was right and there was no turning back on anything now. The bridge was cracking under the strain.

"Then, government ties you down, forces your hand. What will be next?"

Breaking point had been reached. Phil exhaled and shook his head. "Techno, you won't understand. Royalty is different."

Techno sniffed. "I sincerely doubt that, Philza."

This cut Phil to the marrow. "Then- Then, doubt it my friend. Perhaps you will understand someday." Techno never fully realized how much these words affected him.