Chapter 13: Unbreakable Bonds
The aftermath of the clash with Technoblade left Tommy and Tubbo standing on the battlefield, panting and bruised, but somehow still standing. The battle around them roared on, but for a fleeting moment, the two of them were frozen in place, catching their breath.
Tubbo’s sword hung limply at his side, his arms aching from blocking Techno’s last blow. He glanced over at Tommy, who was cradling the broken remains of his sword, his face pale but determined. The fire in Tommy’s eyes hadn’t dimmed, even after coming face-to-face with one of the deadliest warriors they’d ever known.
“Tommy,” Tubbo said, his voice hoarse. “Are you alright?”
Tommy nodded, his jaw clenched, though Tubbo could see the tension in his body—the way his hands shook slightly, the exhaustion that was creeping in. “Yeah, I’m fine,” Tommy muttered, though his voice lacked its usual bravado. “I just… I wasn’t expecting him to be that strong.”
Tubbo exhaled, feeling a mix of relief and guilt. He had rushed into the fight to save Tommy, but he knew that it wasn’t enough. If Techno had really wanted to kill them, he could have. The thought made Tubbo’s stomach twist.
“We need to get back,” Tubbo said, glancing around at the battlefield. The chaos was still ongoing, but L’Manberg’s forces were holding their ground. For now. “We need to regroup with the others. There’s no telling how long this fight is going to last.”
Tommy looked down at the broken pieces of his sword, his lips pressing into a thin line. “Yeah, you’re right.”
Together, they moved through the battlefield, their movements slow and cautious. The sounds of battle raged on around them—clashing steel, distant shouts, and the heavy thud of arrows striking their targets. But somehow, amidst all the chaos, Tommy and Tubbo moved as one, their steps in sync as they navigated the war zone.
As they pushed further back toward the heart of L’Manberg’s forces, they came across Ranboo and Niki, both of whom were locked in fierce combat with members of the Syndicate. Tubbo’s heart skipped a beat when he saw them—both of them fighting so desperately, their faces set in grim determination.
“Ranboo! Niki!” Tubbo called out, rushing forward to help.
Ranboo, towering above the others, swung his weapon with surprising precision for someone so lanky, and he managed to land a blow that sent one of the Syndicate soldiers staggering back. Niki, quick and agile, danced around her opponents, delivering swift strikes with her daggers. They were both holding their own, but Tubbo knew they couldn’t last forever.
“Tubbo!” Niki shouted as she saw him approach, her face lighting up with relief. “You’re okay!”
“Barely,” Tubbo said with a grim smile, joining the fray. Tommy jumped in beside him, and together, the four of them fought off the remaining Syndicate soldiers, sending them retreating back into the chaos of the battlefield.
Once the immediate threat was gone, they regrouped, catching their breath.
“Where’s Technoblade?” Ranboo asked, his voice low and cautious. He glanced between Tubbo and Tommy, concern etched on his face.
“He’s gone,” Tommy said, his voice laced with frustration. “For now.”
Niki looked at them both, her eyes narrowing. “Are you two alright? That was… that was reckless, Tubbo. Running in like that.”
Tubbo shook his head. “I had to. Techno was about to—” He cut himself off, glancing at Tommy. “It doesn’t matter. We need to focus on winning this fight.”
Ranboo nodded. “The Syndicate is strong, but we’ve been holding them off. If we can keep this up, we might have a chance to push them back.”
Tubbo’s gaze flicked toward the horizon, where the Syndicate’s forces loomed like a dark shadow. It was hard to say if they were winning or losing. The battle felt endless, like it was dragging them all into a pit they couldn’t escape from.
“Do we have enough forces left?” Tommy asked, wiping sweat from his brow. “Because if this keeps up, we’re going to need a miracle.”
Tubbo swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the war settle on his shoulders. “We’ll find a way. We have to.”
---
As the day dragged on, the battle continued to rage, but Tubbo and Tommy fought like men possessed. Every strike they delivered was fueled by a desperation neither of them could put into words. They were fighting for their home, for their friends, for everything they had ever known.
But as the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a blood-red glow over the battlefield, Tubbo felt something shift. The Syndicate’s forces, which had seemed so unrelenting, began to falter. Their lines wavered, and for the first time, L’Manberg’s forces pushed forward with renewed vigor.
“We’re doing it!” Ranboo shouted over the din of battle, his voice filled with hope. “We’re pushing them back!”
Tubbo’s heart soared at the sight. It was working. They were winning.
But then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something that made his blood run cold. A figure, cloaked in darkness, moving swiftly toward their flank. It wasn’t Techno—it was someone else. Someone dangerous.
“Tommy!” Tubbo shouted, pointing toward the figure. “Look out!”
But it was too late. The figure darted toward Tommy, their blade flashing in the dying light.
Tubbo’s breath caught in his throat as time seemed to slow. He watched in horror as the blade arced through the air, aimed directly at Tommy’s unguarded back.
Without thinking, Tubbo lunged forward, throwing himself in front of Tommy just as the blade struck.
Pain exploded through his side, and Tubbo gasped, his knees buckling as he fell to the ground.
“Tubbo!” Tommy’s voice was distant, muffled by the roaring in Tubbo’s ears.
He could feel the warmth of blood spreading across his skin, his vision dimming as the world around him blurred. The sounds of battle faded, replaced by the pounding of his own heartbeat.
“Stay with me, Tubbo!” Tommy’s voice was frantic, and Tubbo could feel his hands, shaking as they tried to stop the bleeding.
But Tubbo couldn’t respond. His body felt heavy, like it was sinking into the earth. The pain was overwhelming, but more than that, there was a coldness creeping in. A numbness that spread through his limbs.
He tried to speak, to tell Tommy that it was going to be okay, but the words wouldn’t come.
Everything was fading.
And then, there was nothing.
---
Tommy’s heart was racing, his hands trembling as he pressed them against Tubbo’s wound. The battle raged on around them, but all Tommy could focus on was the blood—so much blood—pouring from his best friend.
“Tubbo, come on, stay with me,” Tommy whispered, his voice breaking. “You can’t… you can’t leave me, alright?”
But Tubbo didn’t respond. His eyes were half-closed, his breathing shallow.
Tommy’s mind raced, his chest tightening with panic. He couldn’t lose Tubbo. Not now. Not after everything.
“Help!” Tommy screamed, his voice hoarse and desperate. “Somebody, help!”
But the battle was too loud, too chaotic. No one came.
And Tommy, for the first time in a long time, felt utterly powerless.
