To Protect

Chapter 15.

-DREAM POV-

The trees blurred into just green and brown flashes as I rushed past them. I managed to place blocks under some of the leaves to slow down those pursuing me. I'd been running for ten minutes, not that anyone was counting, but as each minute went by more people joined the manhunt and they were managing to get closer. My legs ached and my chest tightened as the cold air entered my lungs but stopping was not an option.

Noticing a ravine out of the corner of my eye I darted for it, quickly leaping across it in hopes to gain some ground. I scrambled to place a few blocks, creating a wall so they were unable to jump right after me. A couple of seconds after I heard a high-pitched scream causing my eyes to dart back, Quackity was leaning over the ravine holding out his hand, an expression of desperation and pure panic plastered across his face.

karljacobs fell from a high place

"Karl! Karl! Are you okay? Karl answer me." I don't think there will be a response.

I hadn't realised but in the process of watching Quackity, I had slowed to a halt. He looked up at me, eyes beginning to glaze over with pure rage, picking up his sword and leaping across the ravine towards me. Punz and Techno had taken the lead and were now too close for comfort. My pause had given them time to catch up to the ground I had only just recovered. My legs started going again as the heat from my breath made it hard to breathe behind my mask. My mind flashed images of Tubbo and Tommy on their bench laughing, Eret proudly sat on his throne, Karl being the soft-hearted guy he always had been since he arrived. All of these people I had hurt.

They deserved it.

No, they didn't, I hurt them for no reason. Things were never meant to be this way.

You're a monster then.

I'm not. I'm not a monster.

Monster.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" My thoughts barrelled out into spoken words. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD." I screamed out, stumbling slightly on the tall grass below me. I grit my teeth and kept going, heat rising up and across my face. The shouts and cries behind me were growing. Within seconds I knew I was in range for them as arrows started flying past my body, landing in the dirt next to my feet or in the bark of trees nearby. The snap of the sticks rang out into the air as I stood on ones which had missed their target, me.

I picked up a few that weren't broken by myself or impact, preparing to use them to my advantage but once I reached my arm out to pick up a fourth, someone landed a direct hit into my exposed elbow. Calling out in pain, I yanked the arrow out of my skin, pressing my hand down on the wound. I needed to bandage it up if I was going to continue. My eyes scanned around for somewhere to hide and landed upon a cave so I rushed to the entrance but before I did, I fired the three arrows I had collected behind me.

Antfrost was slain by Dream

Hiding myself into a small dark corner of the cave I ripped off the bottom of my pants leg, rolling up half of the fabric and stuffing it between my teeth to bite on so that I didn't make any noise while healing, using the other half to tightly wrap it around the open wound. It wasn't thick enough to stop the bleeding which was already seeping through but it was enough to help.

I was about to step out of the darkness and continue on but I heard the clack of shoes against stone.

Someone was coming and I was cornered.

Pushing my body as far into the unlit corner as possible, I hid and held my breath. A tall figure slowly creeped past me. Long pink hair tied back which flowed slightly in the breeze coming from the mouth of the cave. A shimmering bow in one hand and a netherite sword in the other.