Through It All ~ Dream Team SMP ✅

->Nineteen<-

We didn't hesitate to follow Dream's recommendation and run. Our army was no match compared to their's, and regrettably, I saw many of the brave volunteers who'd signed to help us fall in a flash of steel. We made our way up the tallest tower of the Palace, aware of the ever-encroaching footsteps behind us, a constant reminder every breath could be our last. The shock of Phil's death was all I could think about, making me slow and unreliable. Tubbo too was suffering the impacts of what we had seen. Phil had given me a home, taken me in when no one else would.

I CAN'T LET HIS DEATH BE IN VAIN!

I glanced to the left as we began to barricade the door, all the planning and battle tactics we'd developed forgotten. In a game of fight or flight, the flight had won. Only a handful of extra soldiers made it up here with us. The rest pinned down on the stairs, in the corridors or the courtyard, fighting. I knew in my heart most of them were dead.

Fundy dropped to the floor in a gasp of pain, clutching his side and breathing heavily. Wilbur was by him in an instant.

"Fundy?" The younger Soot brother peeled back his hand to reveal a deep gash leaking blood. He must have sustained the injury on the way up, only realising it now. We'd made a grave mistake. This was a war we couldn't win. I watched helplessly from the sidelines as Niki lay the young man down and lifted his shirt. The skin was puckered and split. It wasn't a pretty sight. Tubbo looked away, and I went to sit next to him, hoping to empathise with my best friend.

"He'll be fine. It's not life-threatening, besides, Niki knows what she's doing." I assured him. The woman in question had her brow furrowed as she cleaned the wound methodically, disinfecting it and finally wrapping it in a strip of cloth.

"Nicely done." Wilbur coughed, laying an uncertain hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you, Will." She smiled.

A loud bang interrupted the moment, as the opposing side tried to break through our barricade to reach us. We jumped to our feet, pulling out weapons. Fundy still lay on the floor, trying to catch his breath. Eret, helped him up, handing the brunette his sword. Our courage was fruitless. This might be our last stand, yet it was barely our first. This wasn't a war. This was a mockery.

The top of the tower wasn't spacious. We'd be slammed against the walls for sure. I let out a breath. Tubbo grabbed my sleeve, causing me to turn and look at him.

"Tommy?" I gritted my teeth.

"Till the end, Tubbs. Till the end."

Sap was the first to break through our worthless blockade. He grinned, shifting his weight from side to side, testing his sword in his hand. George and Dream followed after, leading their soldiers. Though the numbers in their army had dropped, they still outnumbered us greatly. All hope of victory was lost.

I wrapped my hands tighter around the handle of my long sword, feeling every grain of the wood dig into my palms. Every texture left an imprint on me. We couldn't fail. We'd built up the hopes of so many. We weren't cowards. We would fight for this land.

I looked over at Wilbur. Our leader. His brown eyes flashed darkly, tilting his head downwards. He uttered only two words, but we all knew what he meant by it.

"Bring it."

My arms moved on instinct, blocking the immediate blow from George. The man with the white glasses wore a neutral expression as he parried my clumsy stabs, almost bored. I dropped to the floor, rolling to the side, taking an opportunity to slice at the man's ankle. He danced away at just the right minute, slamming the side of his shield into my hip.

I gasped, stumbling back, rubbing the area he hit. I set my jaw, clenching my fists around the sword. I couldn't give up. Wilbur, Tubbo, Niki, Fundy, Eret. They were counting on me. This was for Scott, Shelby, Deo, Phil. Everyone who they'd hurt.

I pushed forwards, thrusting my blade closer to the Lord who battled me. Across the room, I saw Tubbo and Eret fighting against Sap, Niki, and Fundy back to back, fending off their soldiers as they squashed into the room in droves. Wilbur was an elegant swirl of blades, pitted against Dream. The King was by far a superior fighter, but the brunette's pure fury gave him a dangerous edge. His cloak swished through the air like a work of art as he blocked blow after blow, hitting back relentlessly.

I turned my attention back to George, breathing slowly as we circled each other, waiting to see who would move first. Turns out the Lord did so. He swung his forged steel at my head. I ducked quickly, sidestepping and slashing across his stomach, opening a shallow cut and staining his blue shirt dark with blood. He grunted slightly, before attacking again, seemingly without end. His blows were vicious and I was finding it harder to block. The man had backed me into a corner. Everything was a blur around me. Shouts and screams echoed in my ears.

"WILBUR!" Niki screamed, gesturing to the entrance to the tower. There was a break. We could get out through there.

"GO!" The curly-haired man yelled, quickly distracting Dream by slamming his shield into his head. I saw Fundy, Tubbo, and Eret disengage too and make their way over. Their eyes swept the room, searching for me. I ducked out of the corner, trying to join them. But having caught onto our plan, Dream, Sap and their soldiers blocked the door, surrounding me.

I glanced around desperately for something, anything that could help. A shatter pierced the air as a nondescript lifeless body flew through the tower window. That would have to do.

"Tommy!" Tubbo yelled, reaching his hand out for me. I stared at my best friend for a second, locking my blue eyes with his.

"Go," I said. Wilbur looked at me regrettably and lead them away at a sprint.

I faced the onslaught of men approaching me.

"Poor little Tommy, nowhere to run." Dream mocked. I saw his lips curl into a ruthless smirk. I took a deep breath.

"I'm not the same kid you sentenced to death." With that, I turned, running to the window, praying my adrenaline would save me. I set my sights on the opposing tower and took a reckless leap out into nothingness.

I banged into the Blackstone wall, managing, somehow to get a good grip on the bricks. I wasted no time, climbing down, spying my friends skidding to a stop to watch my escape. That was when an arrow whizzed past me.

"Shit." I cursed, seeing George with a bow, aiming for my suspended form.

"Tommy, jump!" 'Wilbur yelled.

"Are you crazy?" I screamed.

"We'll catch you, I promise!"

Not like I had any better options.

I turned awkwardly, in a final act of defiance giving a two-fingered salute to the enemy. I leaned back, dropping off the wall like a stone. I'd managed to climb down a fairway, so my impact with the entwined arms of my friends wasn't too painful.

I dusted myself off, thanking each of them. Tubbo hugged me around the middle.

"I'm okay, don't worry," I assured him.

"Quick thinking, the window," Eret commented. I nodded, not really sure how to respond. Then, the unimaginable struck.

Niki yelled out a warning, shoving me out the way as another arrow flew through the air.

There was a horrifying thwack of the projectile finding its target.

Niki's gasp of pain.

And then there was only Wilbur's scream.