Through It All ~ Dream Team SMP ✅

->Twenty-One<-

In those few seconds, everything changed. After Eret pressed the button, time seemed to slow to an infinitesimal pace, elongating every millisecond into a perpetual snapshot. I was aware of the jarring noise of grinding stone. And then it all went to shit.

Secret doors concealed in the Blackstone opened up, allowing our worst nightmares to spill through. I stared in horror as Eret stood in the middle of the room, a smug grin plastered on his face. Dream and his army were coming through the gaps in the walls.

In contrast to how slow time had seemed before, now everything was a blur. I grabbed Tubbo, pulling him to me, trying to reach the exit. Fundy yelped as George's sword grazed his cheek, crimson blood blossoming on his face. The close proximity of the room was an advantage to no one. Swords couldn't be swung by our attackers, but we were all pressed together, crammed against our sworn enemies.

I tripped over my cloak, sending Tubbo and I tumbling to the ground in a heap of bruises. My head smashed against the smooth stone floor, and I cried out my vision swimming. Tubbo tried to stand, entangled in fabric. He fell once more, with a frightened squeak.

"A traitor!" Wilbur cried, voice cracking with hurt. We'd lost Niki and Eret now. But somehow the loss of the brunette seemed worse. Because we trusted him without question. Maybe it was worse because he was still alive.

Then Eret uttered the words that gave my entire body chills.

"Down with the revolution, boys. It was never meant to be."

I managed to stand up, my eyes were still blurry. Tubbo clawed his way to standing by tugging on my cloak. Fundy lurched over to us, bleeding heavily, the strain ripping open his previous wound, making it worse. His bandages were soaked with red. I felt along the wall for the door, trying, desperately to get out. I found it and went to fling it open when Fundy cried for me to stop.

"What about Wilbur?" He yelled, pointing a trembling finger to the far corner. I blinked a couple of times until my head stopped spinning, and saw our leader pinned in the corner by Sap and Dream.

"Go!" I croaked, steeling my courage and going to help the curly-haired man.

I had no weapon, having dropped my sword in the kerfuffle. I knew only one thing. I had to help Wilbur. I threw myself at Dream, pulling him away and grabbing Wil's shirt. The man seemed surprised but followed me anyway. I felt my grip ripped away as Sap slammed me backward into the wall, awkwardly trying to draw his blade. I took the opportunity and surprised myself by planting a fist into his jaw. The head of the Kingsguard reeled backward. I stood absolutely still for a second, not quite realising what I'd done.

"COME ON!" Wilbur yelled, pushing me forwards out of the room to the passage. We didn't bother closing the door, simply running for our lives.

We caught up with Fundy and Tubbo, who looked like shit, but alive. The younger Soot brother was leaning on my best friend heavily, and he was struggling. I helped by silently looping my arm around the older man's shoulder and hobbling as quickly as we could.

"To the bunker," Wilbur instructed. We exited the cramped corridor, our lungs filling with fresh air. After being underground for so long, I might have been refreshed by it, but my brain was preoccupied with what had just happened.

We entered the Palace with discretion, following its twisting tunnels downwards until we reached the bunker. The room itself had been in disrepair when we first took over, but with help from Tubbo, I refurbished it, until it was usable and stocked with food.

We sat on the floor, collapsing from pain and lack of energy. Tubbo's head dropped onto my shoulder as he wept quietly. Fundy was breathing heavily, clutching at his side. Wilbur just stared blankly at the wall. I sealed the door, and we were plunged into darkness.

"Eret... How could he?" Our leader choked.

"I gathered supplies with him for hours..." Toby sniffed. He seemed to have taken this the hardest, I knew he looked up to the man. I had no reply, no condolences, no empty words of pity to offer. This was truly the end.

The darkness surrounded us. Everything was silent and still, save for Tubbo's occasional tears. I hugged my best friend tightly. He should never have been brought into this. It was all my fault. He was hurting and crying because of me. I was such a shitty friend. I wonder why he didn't just leave me in the Control Room to die. I deserved it after I got him into this. Maybe it would have been for the best if he had.

"I may not live to see our glory." Wilbur's sweet singing cut through the air, stopping my friend's cries immediately. Even just from one line, I recognised it as an old song, from a different era. My mother used to sing it to me. It was almost surreal as the rest of us joined in, but it felt right.

"I may not live to see our glory." Fundy, Tubbo, and I echoed.

"But I will gladly join the fight."

"But I will gladly join the fight."

"And when our children tell our stories."

"And when our children tell our stories."

Our voices joined together in harmony.

"They'll tell the story of tonight."

"Let's have another round tonight."

"Let's have another round tonight."

"Let's have another round tonight."

I decided to take the lead.

"Raise a glass to freedom!"

"Something they can never take away." The four of us sang with the sound of a breaking heart.

"No matter what they tell you... Raise a glass to the four of us."

"Tomorrow they'll be more of us." Would there ever be more of us?

"Telling the story of tonight."

"They'll tell the story of tonight."

Drained from our overcrowding emotions, we let ourselves curl up on the rough floor and rest, a comatose-like slumber taking us all.