━━ "WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU REALLY ON?"

The blond chuckles, pushing his hair back and looking at you with raised brows. "What do you think, pretty girl?"

"Not theirs."

Punz shrugs, clicking his tongue. "Well, you can't prove that."

"I'm not trying to."

"No?"

"No."

"And which side do you belong to?"

You narrow your eyes at him. "Maybe I don't have one."

Punz scoffs. "Oh, you have one. It just might not be either."

"Maybe so."

The slightest smirk graces Punz's lips. He brushes past you, eyes falling to the sword at your hip. "Well, whatever side you pick, I hope it's the right one. Wouldn't want to give you any more scars."

"I could say the same for you."

"See you out there."

He's gone in the blink of an eye. You let out a sigh, looking at the empty chests in front of you. After the accusation, and the declaration, Tommy took a stance.

Or an attempt at one.

He gave a speech, saying now was the time to fight for L'manberg. And while most people agreed, there appeared to be more that didn't.

Niki and HBomb made it clear that Tommy was the last person they trusted, which you couldn't argue with. As happy as you were to have him back in one piece, Dream was right.

The moment he came back, another war had started. L'manberg had barely recovered from the last. You doubted it would this time, but was that such a bad thing?

Fundy and Eret had agreed with Niki, forming their own side to end all the other sides. You had intended to join but didn't.

It didn't feel right.

Punz, Sapnap, Ponk, Callahan, Puffy, and Jack had all claimed to be on the side of L'manberg. If you were honest, you had your suspicions on most of them.

Callahan had only returned a few weeks ago, and yet, no one knew anything about him. He came home without Alyssa this time. No one mentioned it.

Captain Puffy had arrived via shipwreck off the coast. She stumbled into the mess of an SMP, but she never really interacted with L'manberg. It appeared odd to you why she would be fighting for that side, but it wasn't your business. The same could be said for Jack, but maybe through it all, he still felt some loyalty to it.

You didn't plan on asking him.

Ranboo perhaps had made the biggest point, and yet still, there were sides. You hadn't seen him today yet, but as far as you were aware, he remained neutral. He planned to fight with L'manberg, but not for. That's where you aligned yourself. You were fighting with people. The only thing you were fighting for was survival.

Which leaves the 'enemy.'

Dream, Techno, and Phil.

There was no set time for when they'd arrive, but you didn't expect it to take long.

And you were right.

The call came from Tommy. He was frantic, screaming at Tubbo through the phone. The sun had just started its descent, the rose colors of dusk bouncing off the buildings of L'manberg. Perhaps for the last time.

The last sunset in L'manberg.

By morning, it would be gone.

"Are you ready?" Tubbo asked.

You stare straight ahead. You can't look at your brother in fear that his face will change your mind.

"Are you?"

"Not really, no."

"Whatever happens," You said, "You're still my brother."

"You're still my sister... even if you're a bit of a dumbass."

You roll your eyes but lean in to hug him. "Don't do anything stupid."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

...

Tommy was distressed. It was gone. All of it was gone. Their supplies, the thing that could win them this war, were gone.

He was lucky he still had his stuff, or really, Techno's. He weighs the axe of peace in his hands. Funny thing.

That axe was never used for peace, and Tommy doubts it ever will be. The end of it is stained red. He doesn't want to know why. He looks up at his brother, then his dad. It all felt so real now.

"This is war, Tommy," Phil said. There's no sympathy in his voice, nothing that would even resemble the love of a father.

Tommy chuckles, putting on his helmet. "Indeed it is, Phil."

"Where's your army?" Techno asked, gesturing around with his sword. "I over-prepared if this is it."

"They're here. They'll be here."

"We are here," A voice shouts.

Tommy whips his head around, finding Tubbo and you leading the rest of the team. It was a powerful thing to see. Despite the loss of all your supplies, you still managed to show up in Netherite armor and weapons forged with fire.

Techno smirks, leaning on his sword. "Impressive, but it won't be enough."

"Wanna test that theory?"

A hiss catches everyone's attention as the first piece of TNT is lit and lands right next to Tommy. He reacts quickly and grabs his shield while diving away.

Techno laughs, and the war begins.

Wolves bark in the distance, and you whip your head to see an entire pack of them. Punz and Sapnap are quick to roll their shoulders and begin the slaughtering. Techno doesn't stay on the ground much, occasionally getting a hit on Tommy with his crossbow while Philza watches from above.

The moon sits high in the sky, giving the ground beneath your feet a soft glow as you let an arrow fly. Quackity gives you a nod when he passes by, sword out as he takes a hit from Techno. You can see Puffy from her place above aiming at the wolves, and she salutes you.

Quackity gets shoved back, and you can hear Tubbo scream. You look to the sound of it only to be hit with a wave of déjà vu. Tommy wears the same horrified expression on his face when you meet his eyes. Techno grins as he slams a wither skull down on several piles of soul sand. A cry is elected as the Withers rise from the sand, and you place your shield up.

"Holy shit," Tommy breathes out.

"There's seven of them," You said.

Techno just laughs.

That's when the real fight begins. It's all feels like some sick and twisted memory as you recall the faithful day a year ago. The withers cry out in the night sky, aiming hit after hit at everyone. You deflect one with your sword, getting close enough to hit it. However, it's no use. You let out a huff, sheathing your sword and diving behind a rock as you get out your bow.

They were much easier to kill from a distance.

You land a few, more than you would have with a sword, but it's not enough. They wreak havoc everywhere, exploding the country that once was.

You watch as your brother and Tommy fight back to back when the ground breaks beneath Tommy, and he's sent tumbling down.

Everything is beginning to break, and yet, the withers were still alive. Quackity lets out a loud cry as he throws his sword straight through one. It drops dead.

Punz and Sapnap take turns with their crossbows, each of them fending off a different wither. Ranboo swings his axe around, slowly adjusting to the weight. Puffy runs in to help him, using her shield to protect him as he swings at the creature.

"Jack!" Tubbo screams when he falls into the same crater as Tommy.

You roll your shoulders, making a break to help them. A wither sends a blast your way, and you can feel the burn of it against your skin. You let out a hiss but push through. You slide behind the remains of a house next to Tubbo.

"You doing okay?" You asked.

"Oh yeah, fine," He replied, "Not so much for them."

"Get us out!" Tommy yells. Jack nods, cowering under his shield as a particularly stubborn wither taunts them.

"I'll cover you," You said to Tubbo.

He nods, and you prop your shield and sword. "Hey! Over here!"

The Wither turns towards you, and you ready your stance as Tubbo tosses some rope into the crater.

The attacks are brutal, and your feet slide against the stone. You use your sword to push it back, trying to mostly keep it at bay.

You can hear the sound of Tommy landing next to Tubbo and he groans. The blond is covered in dirt, ashes, and blood. You keep the wither busy and spot a tall boulder to its left. You look behind you to see Tommy and Tubbo holding Jack's arms. With quick steps, you run to the boulder climbing up it and jumping off toward the wither. Your sword cuts right through one of its head, and you brace yourself for the impact of the hard ground. You tuck yourself in and drop with a roll.

"Epic," Tubbo breathes out.

The wither falls to the ground, and you wipe the blood from your face.

"We got one!" Punz shouts.

"I've almost got one!" Ranboo replied.

"You all good?" You asked, nodding towards the boys.

"Yup."

You nod, "Okay, let's go kill some withers."

The targeting strategy from there on is a high vantage point and aim for the head. Ranboo uses Puffy's shield as a booster, and she pushes him into the air as he takes out the main head of one. He seemed to have grown into his axe now. You go to help Quackity in a dual attack. You stand on top of the old President's house and nod at him before drawing your sword and jumping. Both of you take out a head, and blood splatters your armor as you fall into the water below.

It's oddly refreshing, but a sickly color with the blood of its enemies. You're soaking wet as you climb out, Quackity doing the same and extending his wings to dry them.

"Do you ever use those?" You asked, pointing to them with your sword.

He shakes his head, panting. "No."

"You should consider it."

He shrugs, twisting his beenie to get rid of the rest of the water. You look around the battlefield, noting the three withers still standing, but not for long.

Your entire body aches, and you use your sword to support you. You wipe the blood from your nose, barely acknowledging it and moving along. You find a place to rest, catching your breath for a few seconds. You had no concept of time or really anything but survive.

"You don't look so good," A voice said.

You open your eyes, instantly narrowing them at the figure. "Didn't realize I was supposed to after killing two withers."

Dream laughs, extending a hand towards you. "I want to show you something."

"I can get up myself."

"If you say so."

You roll your eyes and push yourself to your feet. Dream grins behind his mask and holds a pearl in his hand. He grabs yours and tosses the pearl. The world shifts below your feet, and suddenly you're above the chaos.

L'manberg looks utterly destroyed. Fire rages everywhere, and the homes are barely standing. You should feel sad, furious, but there's nothing. In fact, you feel the slightest bit better.

You can see your brother fending off a wither with Tommy, and so many of your other friends fight for their life over a country that didn't deserve it.

Dream chuckles behind you.

You look down the winding obsidian paths, TNT dispensers lined up at everyone. Dream comes to a stand behind you. He keeps his hand on the small of your back, lips brushing against the shell of your ear, his words sending shivers down your spine.

"Do it."

You shut your eyes, taking a deep breath, "Let me make it clear that I hate you."

You don't mean it. You want to, but it's an empty thing. It was much easier to say than other phrases. It was much easier to pretend you hated him than to admit the truth because even you couldn't face it. You wanted to hate him for tricking you, but somehow in that trick... you got caught in his web of lies. In his charming manners and sweet voice.

Dream smirks, though you can't see it. He grabs something out of his pocket, taking your hand and gently place it in your palm, and closing your hand for you.

"But you hate this country more."

The metal lighter is cold against your hand, but you grip it tightly.

Dreams hand still hovers over your enclosed one, guiding you to look at the stack of explosives in front of you. He steps back, and you click the lighter, a small flame bursting at the tip. You glance down at the county you once loved, the country that took everything away from you; your dad, your brother, and Wilbur.

You had to finish what he started.

Without so much as a second thought, you grab the TNT, lighting it up and throwing it over the edge.

Then, there's sizzling and the sound of Tommy screaming. Everyone's heads snap towards it, and Tommy points a shaky finger at the sky.

Dream laughs as he lets go of you, and you miss his touch. He walks down the obsidian path, flicking a switch on every single one. TNT rains from the sky, and everyone dives for cover. In the distance, you can see a girl with bright pink hair salute a tree on fire, tears rolling down her face as she watches it burn.

Good for her, you think. The explosions ring in your ear, and you watch it all happen. Everyone stood on the outskirts, just watching it unfold. The hot dog van exploded on the edges and papers float down from it, fire curling around the edges. It's sad — even for you. The van was so much more then just a van, it was a memory. One, that was now gone.

The sight of your country blowing up was one that would never be forgotten. It was burned into the memory for years to come. For some, this was the first time, others a second, and for two boys and you, the third. You can only hope they gave up after this.

But Tommy doesn't give up. He's as stubborn as Wilbur, and despite the ashes and the explosions around him, he continues to fight. Tommy runs back in, looking for Techno. He's not sure why. Was it to fix the loose ends or completely burn them?

He wants to fix them, but they're beyond repair. And yet, hope still chases after him. Tommy's ears ring as more TNT falls from the sky, and the remaining withers torment the others. Tubbo follows him, and Tommy constantly checks behind him to make sure he's okay.

For a moment, he realizes you're missing, but then again, he couldn't see anyone else between the smoke and continuous explosions.

One lands right behind him, and Tommy is thrown forward, scraping the ground and staring into a crater that extends to infinity. He quickly pushes himself back on his hands and knees, fear in his eyes. He looks behind, and that's when he sees it.

"Tubbo!" Tommy screams. "Tubbo, look at me!" But his voice is drowned out by the blasts next to him.

Tubbo stands alone, the explosion separating them. The planks below him creaked; their breaking point drew near. Fear clutches Tommy's heart.

Then Techno jumps in, and Tubbo is defenseless. His hazel eyes widen, and he takes a step back as Techno aims his crossbow.

"Tommy?" Tubbo said softly.

"Tubbo?"

Tommy watches as Techno pushes him off, and he screams, lurching forward. Techno laughs, aiming his crossbow into the pit, and Tommy assumes Tubbo is still alive.

"Technoblade, look at me!" Tommy shouts, grabbing his attention. "Do not shoot!"

The pink-haired man turns toward him. "You had your chance, Tommy."

"Technoblade, listen to me! For once in your life, you didn't have to do this... you could have compromised!"

Techno shakes his head. "You gave me-"

"The thing about the discs, Technoblade, is that they were for me!" Tommy cried.

"I don't care about the discs, Tommy-"

"We could have had a government, you could have let us live-"

"The government has to go!"

"Technoblade, you are selfish!"

"Selfish?" Techno laughs, dropping his crossbow. "You used me from the start, Tommy! You are wearing my helmet as we speak!"

Tommy purses his lips, grabbing his helmet and throwing it into the abyss behind him. "Technoblade, you said we betrayed you!"

"You betrayed me like twelve times!" Techno corrects.

"Technoblade, look at me!" Tommy said, or more like demanded. "Look at me right now! You said you hated the government, you said we are the ones who betrayed you! But you are the one who killed Tubbo when Jschlatt told you to! You are the one who betrayed us, Technoblade!"

Tommy watches as you pull Tubbo out of the crater and guides him to shelter. He looks to be okay, limping but alive. And that's enough.

Techno points his sword at Tommy, "I was peer pressured! You betrayed me like yesterday!"

"Your friends - Listen to me! Listen to me! Your friends- YOU-"

"You used me as a weapon!" Techno shouts, and his voice breaks at the end of it. Tommy barely catches it, but he knows the sound from the countless nights Phil had to comfort the eldest son. "You never thought of me as a friend, Tommy! You just used me from the start. You just saw me as The Blade. That's all I was to you. A weapon. Well, guess what?"

Tommy doesn't want to guess.

"I'm choosing what I fight for now, and I'm going to destroy the government, Tommy! You all die! It's gone!"

Tommy stands still as Techno points his crossbow at him. He can't bring himself to move. He still remembers when he was a child in the arms of his brother, who would tell him stories of the warriors of the land, the one that swore to beat up the kids that made fun of Tommy for having no mom. He remembers it like it was yesterday.

But it wasn't.

It was years ago.

His brother was gone, and Tommy had to learn how to say goodbye.

But goodbyes were never his thing.

"You're my brother!" Tommy shouts, flinching when a piece of TNT lands too close to him. "And you know what? I thought that -"

Techno rolls his eyes, clearly bored and not listening to Tommy.

"Listen to me, please for - Techno, for once in your life, listen to me!"

Techno scoffs, setting down his crossbow. "You never thought of me as a brother, Tommy! I listened to you for weeks, and what did you do? You went back to Tubbo, the guy that exiled you! That chose the country over you!"

"Technoblade, people are above the government. It doesn't matter if we want a government-"

"I am a person!" Techno shouts. That's all he's ever wanted to be, so why couldn't they understand that? He's always felt like an outsider with the voices in his head, his pink hair, and his pig-like features. But he thought, if anyone, his brothers would understand. The people that were his blood would love him unconditionally and treat him like a person. He was proven wrong every year.

"You are, Techno!" Tommy said, but Techno knows he's lying. "And so are we! You - The discs! The reason for the discs is cause they were stolen from me! Nothing is taken from you here, Technoblade!"

"Discs aren't people!"

"You are selfish!" Tommy screams. "You destroy what people love for your own selfish gain!"

Techno's shoulders fall as he lets out a hollow laugh. "Oh my god... All of these problems are because of your government. Your government has caused all of these issues! I believe in freedom, Tommy!"

"When you are peer pressured, that's not freedom! That's following what the government says, that was the president telling you to do that!"