Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Phil shaded his eyes with his wings, staring up at the white glowing figure. Halos of blinding light rippled around them, casting a glare across the cliffs they hovered over. Their form was unidentifiable, and clearly was intended to be so. That only made Phil more wary. It was the foolish victors who revealed themselves once they'd won. Whoever this was, they were no fool.

Phil's breaths heaved, his wing muscles ached, his mouth dry with lack of water. Blood drained down his face from a cut that he had only recently gained. His wings stung where his longest feathers had been torn, the feathers of one wing burned almost beyond repair. He could feel Kristin's power coursing through him, keeping him alive and doing its best to heal his wounds. It wasn't easy, when the wounds themselves continued to burn, smoldering against his skin. His eyes, flaming with anger but dulled by resentment, burned into the unknown deity in front of him.

His first thought upon learning that Kristin had a task for him was that this was a rebellious admin, as so many of his kills had been. When he had seen his target, blinding white light with flowing robes and ethereal eyes, he had guessed an Archon. More difficult to kill, but it was doable. He was aware that he had a reputation among the Archons, and it wasn't for nothing. When Death called for a life, that life was forfeit. If she chose Phil to do it, fine by him.

This, though...

This was no Archon.

"This whole stunt should have gotten her attention," the figure growled, his voice echoing with irritation. "Why isn't she here?"

Phil narrowed his eyes. "Death comes at no one's beck and call."

"Yet she came for yours," the figure retorted, cool and calm. "And she'll answer mine, too, if she wants you alive."

"She's got much more important things to do than come after me," Phil retorted, his fingers tensing around the nonexistent hilt of his weapon. The sword had been lost in the fight, tossed over a cliff with a flick of his opponent's fingers.

The figure huffed in amusement and Phil somehow knew he was smiling. "The day Death doesn't come to your aid is the day the Nether freezes over."

"Look, if you'd just tell me what you want, then we can probably work this out." Phil's wings spread slowly behind him. "You really don't want to mess with her." A gleam lit his eyes, sharp as the grin on his face. "I've seen people try it, and there's not enough of them left to be a deterrent."

"A frightening threat, surely," the figure said dismissively, not sounding frightened at all.

"Your mistake," Phil shrugged. "I don't think you know what you're getting into."

The deity's head turned to face him, his deep blue gaze sweeping over Phil's beaten, burning form.

"You'd think," the figure mused, words rumbling across the plains, "that Death's favorite would be a bit more powerful than this."

Phil scowled and tugged uselessly at the glowing chains around his wrists.

Powerful.

Chapter Text

Grian leaped across the gap between pillars, narrowly avoiding the grasp of one of his team's opponents, someone he knew from Tommy's server but couldn't name. 

"Left, keep heading left," Tommy called from above the map, having already been tagged out. "He's still chasing you!"

Grian's wings flapped behind him for balance as he ran across a set of open trapdoors. His opponent followed easily, gaining ground. A white headband flowed in the wind, accenting the tagger's fiery grin. 

"Go go go!" Tommy urged. "Drop to the ground and switch directions!"

"He's only going after me because I'm slower at parkour," Grian grumbled, hopping into a hole in the platform and pivoting to race the other way. 

"Uh oh," Tommy said, and Grian skidded to a halt as his opponent dropped down in front of him. He backpedaled, using his wings to speed his sprint as he hurtled across the floor.

"Just keep running, Grian!" Tommy yelled. "He can't catch you on even ground!"

"Got em all!" Dream crowed victoriously from somewhere else on the map.

"Keep goin', Grian!" Technoblade instructed. "Lead him this way, I'll see if I can get him off your tail."

Grian tried to look around for Techno, but couldn't see him through the many pillars and platforms. "Which way are you?"

"East, your left," Techno answered. "Comin' your way. You just run."

Grian breathed a sigh of thanks to the Archons that somehow endurance was extended on this server as he ran harder.

"Cut right, I'll take your place," Technoblade instructed as Grian passed behind a pillar. Grian obeyed, turning sharply in the right direction as Techno passed him. He kept running until he was sure he couldn't hear footsteps behind him, then slowed.

"Good work!" Dream said a moment later as the round ended. "Let's keep doing that, and we just might win this thing!"

Grian watched with half a smile, half a frown as Dream grinned at Tommy, who punched him playfully. Dream caught Grian's expression and tilted his head, a knowing look on his face. 

"You know things are different here," he reminded Grian.

"Yeah." Grian looked away, his excitement at the win somewhat dampened, but Techno's hand on his shoulder brought his attention up to the hybrid's face.

"It's alright," Techno assured him. "Nothing's going to happen here." He frowned. "Really, you shouldn't even be concerned about that, with the forced-casual."

"I'm okay, don't worry about it." Grian offered him a small smile. "I don't think about it most of the time, it's just... what am I saying? You know better than I do how those two used to act!"

"Yeah, I get it. It is a little weird, having some people act different, but it also doesn't seem that unusual. Effects of the server and all."

"I don't think the server is working too well, then," Grian mumbled to himself, fighting back another stab of unease.

Techno's ears twitched and he raised his eyebrows at Grian. 

"Dang it, I forgot you have good hearing," Grian sighed, but he didn't explain further. 

Fortunately, the next match was about to begin, and he could focus on that instead.

"Oh, we're up against Phil's team." Techno waved across the map and Grian joined him. They could see when the older avian spotted them. Phil laughed and waved back.

"Uh oh, Fruit's hunting," Tommy said. "Dream, you go, you go."

Dream glanced over at Technoblade, who shrugged and nodded. "Go for it."

Dream stepped into the hunter's box and Grian peered across the map at the other team.

"These guys are fast, so we need to split up," Tommy said. "I'll go right."

"I'll go left, then," Grian said, the excitement of the game catching back up with him.

***

Attention, all players! Philza had something come up and needed to leave, so Aimsey will be replacing him for the rest of the tournament!

Scott's words echoed in Grian's head and he glanced at Techno, wondering if that's why he'd seemed so distracted during the last match.

"Aw, Phillllll," Tommy complained. "Why's he leaving?"

"Probably something for Kristin," Techno answered absently, staring narrowly into the distance with a small frown. "I might go with him, actually."

"What- no! You can't leave the game too!" Tommy whined. "Phil's a big man, he can handle himself!"

"I..." Techno squinted further into the distance. Grian followed his gaze, but saw nothing.

"What's up, Blade?" Tommy said, noticing his tension.

Techno took a deep breath and shook his head. "Yeah, I've gotta go, too."

"Techno-" Tommy started, but the piglin cut him off. 

"I can't see Phil, Tommy."

"Duh, he's not here," Tommy said. "Of course you can't see him."

Technoblade's eyes gleamed and Tommy looked up at him, eyes widening. 

"Oh. You can't track him? Your weird death hunter vision isn't working?"

"It works fine on you." Techno's gaze moved to Grian and Grian suddenly had an uncomfortable feeling of being watched. 

"And you," Techno mused, eyes returning to their normal state. "Just can't see Phil."

"I wonder why," Tommy thought aloud.

"Something's up," Techno said. "I don't know what, but I don't want Phil out there alone."

"He's got a bunch of powers, he'll be okay," Tommy tried, but Techno shook his head silently and swept past him.

***

"We were so close," Tommy said good-naturedly as he and Grian looked up at the winning team on the podium. "But hey, fourth isn't bad."

"Not at all," Grian agreed. "Especially since Techno left."

Technoblade had withdrawn shortly after their conversation, replaced by Etho. While Grian had enjoyed teaming with one of his server members, his thoughts had been preoccupied with the whole situation. Techno was probably alright. Hopefully.

Dang it, this no-worries-on-the-tournament-server thing wasn't doing its job.

With a sigh, he said his goodbyes to Tommy and followed his own server members back to Hermitcraft.

Chapter Text

Grian grinned at Mumbo as the taller man deposited several stacks of chicken eggs at his feet.

"I'm not really sure I should be condoning this," Mumbo said, raising one eyebrow.

"No complaining or I will steal your mustache again," Grian said, pointing at him.

Mumbo raised his hands in surrender. "Carry on, then."

Grian snickered and started loading the eggs into a dispenser. "I think Cleo's base will look much better this way anyways."

"If you say so," Mumbo said with an amused look. He paused. "Uh, Grian? Isn't that...?"

Grian frowned at his tone. "What?"

"Down there, talking to Xisuma. Isn't that the one guy from the other server?"

That got Grian's attention. He hopped down from the machine, perching on Mumbo's shoulders.

"Oh, yeah. That's Dream." Grian frowned. "What's he doing here?" His eyes narrowed in suspicion. Actually, how did he get here?"

"Maybe that guy brought him? I remember him from the other server, too." Mumbo pointed a little further, to where Xandriel stood with Atrophy. The two were talking in hushed tones, possibly arguing. Grian couldn't tell.

"Probably," Grian mused. "I'm gonna go see what's up."

"I don't know if-" Mumbo started, but Grian had already launched off his shoulder into the air, gliding down the hill. Dream spotted him as he was coming down, and he looked... relieved?

"Grian, thank goodness," he said when Grian landed next to Xisuma. "Someone wasn't listening to me when I said we needed you." He shot a look at the Hermitcraft admin.

"Pardon me, you nearly killed three of my server members," Xisuma shot back. "Stands to reason I wouldn't want to hand over another one."

"Hang on, hang on. What's going on?" Grian looked narrowly at Dream. "Why are you here?"

"Awesome, another hostile expression," Dream sighed, apparently resigned to his fate. "Look, I'm not trying to get anyone killed. I'm just saying that we need you, Grian."

"For what? And who's we?"

"Phil."

Grian paused. "Oh." He looked up, wariness battling with concern. "Why me?"

"What, don't you care?" Dream asked. 

"Don't you try that, I will leave right now," Grian warned him, his wings flicking in irritation. "I've had too many talks with Tommy for that to work."

"Sorry. Force of habit." Dream looked evenly at the grass. "Phil does apparently need help, and no one's seen Techno since he left MCC two days ago." He jerked his head to indicate where Xandriel stood. "He says Kristin wants you to help find Phil."

"Why are you involved in this?" Grian asked. 

"Because apparently she wants me to go too." He shot a look at Xandriel. "I'm not sure I believe that one, but who am I to argue?"

"What, so it'll just be the two of us frolicking off to rescue Phil?" Grian was skeptical.

"And Tommy," Dream said, somewhat reluctantly.

"Yeah, there is no way Kristin came up with that," Grian said shortly. "That just sounds like another one of your plans."

"What do I have to gain from this, Grian?" Dream sounded exasperated. "Do you want to go talk to XD? Would you believe him more?"

"Pause. Just answer this." Grian looked him in the eye. "Is Phil in trouble?"

"Yes," Dream said, clearly not sure where this was going.

"Are you going to help him?"

"Yes." Dream sounded more certain this time.

"Then I will come with you." Grian walked forward, stopping in front of the admin. 

"I don't think this is a good idea," Xisuma said, shaking his head. "Grian, are you sure?"

Dream looked like he was going to say something, but checked himself.

"If Phil needs help, what else can I do?" Grian said with a helpless shrug. "Maybe it's an avian thing, maybe it's not, but if there's anything at all I can do, I want to do it."

Xisuma took a breath, clearly not happy, but nodded. "Alright. You can go. But you-" His eyes narrowed as he looked at Dream. "You had better take care of him. You got him to come, you are responsible for his safety."

Dream nodded seriously. "Thank you."

"Do we need to leave now?" Grian asked, looking back up the hill at Mumbo.

"I'd like to," Dream said. "Is there anything urgent here?"

Grian paused, thinking. "I don't think so." He grinned mischievously. "Hey X, can you tell Mumbo I said to finish our project himself?"

"I'm not sure I like that look, but I suppose so," Xisuma said warily. "Is this going to result in me having to fix a server crash again?"

"That was one time!" Grian protested.

"You crashed the server?" Dream asked, impressed.

"One. Time." Grian muttered.

Dream laughed softly. "An entire server." He sighed, but it was an amused sigh. "I think we'll get along just fine."

"So, where's Tommy?" Grian asked. 

"We're going to get him next. I was hoping you'd be able to help convince him. I've got no chance of getting him to come on my own."

"I wonder why that is?" Grian hummed innocently.

Dream sighed, but said nothing.

"About time," Xandriel said as the two approached him. Atrophy's gaze traveled over Grian, but he didn't stop him as they passed through Xandriel's tear into the Dream SMP.

***

Grian couldn't hide the way his heart leapt at the sight of the two cabins. He heard a soft chuckle from behind him, but ignored it in favor of gathering the snow below him into a snowball. He prepared to throw it, then paused.

"Which one does he live in now?" he asked.

Dream tilted his head toward Techno's cabin.

Grian hurled the snowball and a moment later Tommy's head appeared at the window. His confused expression morphed into disbelief, then joy as he saw Grian. He disappeared, bursting out of the cabin a second later.

"Grian! What are you doing here?" he asked, tackling him into the snow.

"Well..." Grian shook the snow off of his wings. "I think we've got a bit of explaining to do."

"Phil needs help and Kristin wants the three of us to go save him," Dream said from behind him.

"You," Tommy said disdainfully. "Why you?"

"Heck if I know," Dream muttered. "I'm just passing along the message."

"Grian, how did you get roped into this?" Tommy asked. "Are you being threatened or something?"

"I know," Grian huffed half a laugh. "But no, I agreed to help."

"Hmm." Tommy looked skeptical.

"I've only ever threatened him once," Dream sighed. "And it didn't even work."

"Yes, it did. I remember that moment very vividly." Tommy scowled at him. "You are not helping your case."

Dream raised his hands in surrender and backed away. "Fine. You convince him, Grian. I'll just be over here."

"Well?" Tommy asked Grian as Dream wandered a short distance away. "What's he got over you to make you come with him?"

"Nothing," Grian assured him. "I just want to help Phil. And, you know, Kristin wants us to also, if Xandriel is to be believed."

"Xandriel?" Tommy frowned. 

"Oh. I think you guys call him XD here."

"Ohhhh, him. Yeah, I wouldn't always trust XD, but he doesn't directly lie most of the time so I think we're okay on that count."

"So that's if we believe Dream," Grian continued. "And I think I do, at least this time."

"You have no idea how much it annoys him that he can't just threaten people into doing what he wants now," Tommy said with a wicked grin. "You should have seen him the other day, trying to politely ask Sam for iron."

"I am coming to terms with the disrespect," Dream called evenly.

"Quit listening to our conversations!" Tommy yelled back.

"Are you coming or not?" Dream asked.

"Yeah," Tommy said, flopping back in the snow. "I'm coming."

Chapter Text

Tommy wished that Dream's stupid god powers would let him find people. XD was supposed to be this all-powerful guardian of the server or whatever, but if he couldn't even find one of his server members what use was he?

He voiced this thought, but Dream simply waved it off.

"You'll be glad you have me when we find him," he said. 

"Yeah, but we need someone who can actually do that," Tommy retorted. "What can you even do?"

"That's a story for later," Dream answered. "And... does anyone else feel that?"

Tommy glanced at Grian, but the avian seemed as confused as he was. "Feel what?"

"There's a presence here," Dream answered. "It's not XD, but maybe it's one of your deities?" he glanced at Grian. "Not familiar enough for me to know."

"I didn't even know those existed until when I ended up on your server," Grian shrugged.

"Oh, I see what you mean," Tommy said suddenly as a presence, powerful yet soothing, touched his awareness. "That's Kristin! What's up, Mumza?"

A soft aura of violet light swam into a faded silhouette that Tommy could barely see.

"Kristin, are you okay?" Grian asked, concern clear in his voice.

"I'm alright, dear, just a bit drained," Kristin said. Her image wavered. "You're all out here looking for Phil."

"Is he okay?" Tommy asked.

"Alive, but if it weren't for me he wouldn't be." Kristin flickered again. "Something's got him trapped, and whatever, or whoever, is stopping me from reaching him. I have a faint location, but no way to take you there." She smiled apologetically. "Any deity has their limits, myself included."

"Where is he?" Grian asked.

Kristin didn't answer immediately, studying him with soft eyes. "You needed someone who could find him," she murmured.

"Yeah, but you just said that even you can't do that," Tommy pointed out.

"Technoblade can," Kristin said.

"How?" Grian asked.

"A combination of my gifts and their bond. It's faint, but Techno does have an unsteady lock on Phil's location."

"Where is Techno, then?" Dream asked. 

Kristin shook her head. "Whatever's blocking my access to Phil is stopping me from seeing most of this server. He's here, that's all I know. I'm not in the server, so I can't find him." Her critical gaze landed on Grian and a thoughtful expression crossed her face. "I might not be able to save Phil, dear," she said to him, and Tommy wondered if he knew where this was going.

"But you can find Techno."

"I can?" Grian frowned. "I don't have any powers."

"If I give you the gifts I've given Philza and Technoblade, you will be able to find them," Kristin explained softly. 

"You can do that?" Grian's eyes widened.

"Of course." Kristin held out one hand.

Grian turned, looking back at Tommy. "I have to do this, don't I?"

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to, big man," Tommy said.

"No, I mean... if we want to find Phil and Techno," Grian clarified.

"Oh." Tommy thought it over. "Yeah, probably."

"Alright." Grian stepped forward, his wings fluttering behind him.

Kristin welcomed him into her arms.

***

Grian opened his eyes, a hint of violet wavering at the edge of his vision. He looked down as he realized his feet were off the ground. His wings were light as air behind him, and he had the feeling that he could fly for hours and not tire. Energy flowed through his veins, healing aches he hadn't realized he had.

He looked around at the empty field. "Tommy?" 

No response. Grian looked around, worried. He'd been with everyone just moments ago.

He blinked to clear his vision and suddenly saw the others just below him, but they weren't looking at him. He followed their gazes and saw with surprise a replica of himself, resting in Kristin's arms. She had one hand on his head and one over his heart. Grian looked down at himself and could swear he felt the pressure of her touch. Violet light flowed between Kristin's hands, soaking into the Grian he saw in front of him. Then there was a tugging in his chest and the world twisted around him.

There you go, darling. Wake up. Wake up and find him.

***

"There you go, darling. Wake up."

Kristin's voice was a gentle whisper as she ran a hand through Grian's hair. Violet light swam in her eyes, a reflection of the faint aura that was all they could see of her. Tommy moved forward and she let him, turning Grian in her arms so that Tommy could see for himself that the avian was alright.

"Tommy?" Grian murmured, his eyes slowly opening. Traces of violet colored his soft black irises, but it was a pretty change.

"Hey, big man. How you doing?" Tommy wasn't sure if the process was painful or not, but he was concerned nevertheless.

"I'm alright." Grian shifted to support himself as Kristin set him down. "I feel better than I have in ages, actually."

Kristin smiled. "I can't stay too much longer. Find Technoblade, he will be your greatest asset."

"How do I do that?" Grian asked, looking worried.

"Just focus. It'll come naturally." Kristin patted his shoulder, and then she was gone, leaving nothing behind but a shimmer of light.

There was a moment of quiet as Grian breathed softly in and out. "I don't know how to do this," he whispered to Tommy. "How do Phil and Techno do it?"

"I dunno, man," Tommy whispered back. "I never asked, and they never told me."

"Godly gifts come naturally, like she said," Dream reminded him. Tommy had forgotten he was there.

"I guess you would know," Grian murmured. "Okay, I'll try."

"Try me first," Tommy suggested. "That way we can see from both ends if it works."

Grian nodded his agreement, then closed his eyes, taking several more breaths. 

A prickling sensation crept down Tommy's back. Not uncomfortable, just... there. Friendly, even. It felt like he was being watched.

"I think you're doing it, big man!" he said, looking joyously at Grian.

"I... I think I am!" Grian's eyes opened, a purple gleam in his black irises. "This is really weird," he added a moment later. "I can see you in front of me, but also in my head. And I kind of just know where you are, even if I'm not looking."

The feeling disappeared as quickly as it had come and Dream's head turned toward Grian.

"I can see you, too," Grian told him, voice lighting with triumph. "That means it's working!"

"See if you can find Techno, then," Tommy urged.

Grian took another breath. "Kristin was right," he said. "This does come naturally." His wings flared in excitement. "I can see him!" He paused. "Sort of. I can see him, and a little ways in any direction, but I don't recognize the spot." His head slowly turned. "He's... that way."

"How about Phil? Can you see Phil?" Tommy asked.

Grian nodded, his wings tightening in concentration. "I can see him, I think, but it's a lot harder." His breath caught. "Oh... oh, Phil."

Tommy's blood ran cold. "What's wrong? Is he okay?"

Tears filled Grian's eyes. "He's alive," he said shakily. "But it's like Kristin said. If it weren't for her, he'd be dead."

"What happened to him?" Tommy asked, worry mounting up even higher. 

"He's chained," Grian said, blinking. "And badly injured."

"But Phil can heal!" Tommy protested. "Surely he'll be okay!"

"His wounds aren't healing," Grian said, shaking his head. "We've gotta find Techno."

Chapter Text

Phil stretched his aching wings, wincing at the burns searing across his feathers. There had to be some way for him to make this easier on himself. He knew it wouldn't be forever, of course. He'd felt a familiar Sight on him from the moment he'd left, except a few days here and there. Techno was on his way, and Phil smiled at the thought that whoever this deity was, they really had no idea what they were getting into.

His senses alerted him to an unfamiliar presence and he went still. Breathing softly, he listened, then scanned the area. No one in sight. No one in hearing range. He could have sworn it was Techno, tracking him again, but... no. Something was off.

He carefully examined the feeling. It was completely unfamiliar. This wasn't Techno. Techno wasn't tracking him. And if it wasn't Techno, then who? Who else even had the ability to track down someone like he could? Who was it that saw him?

Who was this mysterious watcher?

*** 

"He's not getting any better," Grian reported. "There's definitely something stopping him from healing."

"Are we getting closer?" Dream asked. 

"I don't know," Grian said apologetically. "I can see him, but I don't have a location."

"At least we're getting closer to Techno," Tommy said, sounding hopeful. "We are, aren't we?"

"I'm not completely sure we're doing that either," Grian admitted. "We're making good time, but Techno's traveling alone, and he's traveling fast."

"We've been following him for two days!" Tommy pointed out. 

"Yeah, but..." Grian trailed off.

"You can't tell how far away we are?" Dream guessed.

"Well, sort of," Grian answered, switching his focus from Phil to Techno. "I wouldn't really know, since we've stayed about the same distance. He's going at about the same rate as us."

"Which means we need to speed up," Dream concluded. "If we keep moving in this direction, Grian, can you circle in the air and try to find a village or horses or something?"

"Sure," Grian answered, spreading his wings. "I'll come back occasionally to check your course."

It didn't occur to him until he was already in the sky that maybe he shouldn't have left Tommy and Dream alone. He focused on the younger of the two, thinking briefly that Kristin had been right. The tracking came naturally, just as she'd said. 

Tommy swam into view in his mind, walking casually with Dream as if there were no history between the two. He supposed it wasn't that out of the ordinary, since they were in the MCC server and its weird forced non-hostility thing was still affecting them.

"I'm a little worried about Phil," Tommy's voice said, the sound fuzzy as if Grian was underwater.

"I mean, I'm not sure whether to tell you it's okay or just nod and agree," Dream's voice returned.

"One of those is comforting, the other would be comforting if you weren't a manipulative brat."

"Well... whichever option makes you feel better." 

"Hm." 

They were quiet for a while after that and Grian turned his attention to the terrain below him. No horses or villages in sight, but they still had a ways to go.

A strange awareness tugged at his mind and he faltered in the air, looking around. Was someone watching him? It didn't seem like that kind of feeling, but he also didn't have much experience with all that kind of stuff.

"Hello!" 

Grian spun again, trying to find the source of the sound. "...Hello? Where are you?"

"Oh, I'm anywhere!" The cheery voice didn't seem bothered by the fact that its statement made zero sense.

"You're... anywhere."

"Yeah! But I can be somewhere for you, one sec."

Grian's attention jumped to a gathering of yellow light as a transparent form faded into view. 

"Sorry, it's sometimes hard to pull myself together like this," the being smiled brightly. "I've been everywhere for a long time!"

"Oh, uh, no problem," Grian said. "What exactly are you?"

"Oh, I'm a ghost!" The ghost waved. "My name's Ghostbur, and this is Friend!" He frowned at the empty air. "Well, he's here somewhere." He waved his hands dramatically and the faded blue form of a sheep came into view. "Here he is! He's my emotional support sheep." 

This ghost looked very pleased with himself, Grian noted. Or just pleased with anything in general.

"I'm Grian," he said. "I don't have any emotional support animals, but I like parrots."

"You are a parrot," Ghostbur observed. "Parrot wings. Nice and colorful." He looked down at his see-through sweater. Grian thought it was a golden yellow color, but the light shimmering around Ghostbur's ethereal body made it a little hard to tell.

"Wait, a ghost?" Grian frowned as the spectre's words caught up to him. "How are there ghosts here? Can people die permanently in this server?"

"Oh, not this one!" Ghostbur did a flip in the air. "But they can in my home server! I just came through one of the funny little breaks in the sky that you all did!" He peered critically at Grian. "Well, you didn't come through the same one, but I think that's how everyone gets here."

"Yeah," Grian confirmed. "What server are you from?"

"Tommy's server! Did he ever tell you about me?"

"We were a little focused on trying to survive," Grian admitted. "Dream was a lot worse there than he is here."

"Oh, yeah." Ghostbur put on a thoughtful look. "He's not the nicest sometimes."

"Are you even capable of being anything but positive?" Grian asked. "I mean, I thought I was a cheery fellow, but then I meet you."

"I get very sad sometimes," Ghostbur beamed. "But I'm not sad right now, so we're all good."

"Well, that's nice." Grian's eyes widened as he remembered Tommy and Dream, still waiting for him to return. "Do you know of any faster way to travel here than walking?" he asked. "My friends are waiting for me to come back."

"Your friends? Tommy and Dream?" Ghostbur leaned in conspiratorially. "Just so you know, Tommy is a great friend," he whispered. 

Grian nodded slowly. "Yes," he agreed. "But also, he and Dream can't fly, so they need a faster way to move."

"Your friend Dream?" Ghostbur floated on his back. "I would be careful calling him that, Tommy called him that once and it made him upset."

"Ghostbur, can we focus?" Grian asked gently. "You're forgetting my question. Or ignoring it, or something."

"Question?" Ghostbur tilted his head back to look at him, eyes glazed but attentive. "Go ahead."

"Are there ways to travel faster here than just walking?" Grian repeated.

"Travel faster," Ghostbur echoed faintly. "No horses, no traveling faster. Have to fly." He laughed, but the sound was almost too faint to hear. "I can fly!"

"Ghostbur?" Grian frowned. "Are you okay?"

"I'm everywhere," Ghostbur replied, closing his eyes. "Goodbye, Parrot Man!"

And then Grian was alone, left to wonder what in the world had just occurred. 

Right. Travel. He wondered if Ghostbur was actually telling him that there wasn't a faster way to travel, or if that was more the ramblings of a not-entirely-there ghost.

Either way, might as well get back to his group. 

"Nothing so far," he reported as he landed next to Tommy. "Plains all around. I didn't see any animals at all, actually."

"Will that be a problem for food?" Tommy asked. 

"I don't think so, not here," Dream answered. "I don't think we get hungry here."

"I also talked to a ghost up there," Grian added.

"A what? Who was it?" Tommy frowned.

"He called himself Ghostbur," Grian offered. 

Tommy's eyes widened. "Ghostbur's here?"

"Uh, somewhere." Grian looked up. "I don't really know."

"Is this where he's been all this time?" Tommy asked, glancing at Dream.

"I wouldn't know," Dream answered with a shrug. "He wasn't on the player list, but he's also a ghost so he isn't always there."

"What did he say?" Tommy's attention shifted back to Grian. 

"He said something about being everywhere?" Grian was still confused by that part. "He sounded really happy about it."

"Ghostbur sounds happy about everything," Tommy said fondly. 

"He also said there weren't any horses or ways to travel faster," Grian finished. "So I guess that plan's a no."

"I figured it would be," Dream sighed. "And I don't have any other ideas right now."

"I guess it's back to finding Techno and trying to get to him before he gets to Phil," Grian said. "Or at least being backup when we get there."

And so they set off.

Chapter Text

The traveling grew boring after a while, and without many other ways to entertain themselves, the group told stories of their servers. Tommy knew many of Dream's tales, and vice versa, but Grian's antics were new to them.

"I still can't believe you guys don't do friendly pranks there," Grian sighed after he'd finished recounting a story of a wildly successful chicken cannon. "What part of destructive violence is fun?"

"I'm sure you'd get used to it," Dream shrugged. "I can't say that I ever did too much pranking, destructive or not. Too many other things to do."

"You used to blow things up all the time," Tommy argued. 

"Only when it was necessary," Dream reminded him.

"We have very different definitions of 'necessary'," Tommy grumbled.

"Anyway," Grian interrupted. "Less arguing, more Techno finding. Does anyone have any ideas how we'll get to him before he gets to Phil?"

"I really don't think that we will," Dream said. "Unless we can somehow move much faster."

"This would be so much easier if you let your server members use elytra," Grian sighed to Dream, shaking his wings out. "I can fly, but I'd leave you two behind."

"Wait, I'm not sure that we can't use elytra here," Dream said, straightening. 

"It's a moot point, considering that we don't have elytra," Tommy shrugged.

"Not with that attitude, we don't." Dream raised one hand and Grian stepped back as an aura of flaming green tore through the air. As suddenly as it had come, it was gone, and then a set of elytra rested in his hand, another on his back.

"What was that?" Tommy yelped.

"Provision," Dream answered, tossing him the set of elytra. "Put those on."

"I have no idea how to wear these," Tommy said blankly.

"They go over your back, then this strap goes over your shoulders, and this one goes here..." Dream helped him fasten the wings, then handed him a firework. "I know you don't like these, but they're what gets us into the air."

Tommy nodded, watching as Dream boosted into the sky. He was proud of himself for not flinching at the sound. In his defense, fireworks had been shot at too many of his friends for him to be truly comfortable with them. 

"You got this," Grian encouraged. "And if you fall, I'll catch you."

Tommy took a breath for courage, then ignited the firework. His eyes widened in amazement as he shot up into the air, the wind whistling past his face.

"There you go!" Grian's wings flapped steadily as the avian hovered next to him. "Now go on, angle your body like this."

Tommy did his best to copy Grian's form. He could feel the difference once he got it right. The weight of the elytra was lifted from his back and the straps around his shoulders and torso tightened with the pressure of keeping him in the air. 

"Of course, you can't go up without more fireworks," Dream commented, gliding over. "But it's a much faster form of travel."

Tommy would say he was fairly good at flying, considering he'd never done it before. Not on his own, anyway; Phil had carried him through the air sometimes.

"I can slow down a little so you guys can keep up," Grian said. "We need to turn a little to the right, by the way. Techno's this way."

Never mind, Tommy actually could not fly at all. 

"How do I turn?" he asked after a second of moving his arms.

"Tilt your body this way and move this arm down," Grian instructed. "Your head leads the way, your arms support the wings."

"How would you know all this stuff?" Tommy asked, although he did as instructed. "You don't need elytra, you've got wings."

"They work the same way, for the most part," Grian answered. "Your wings are metal, mine are feathers, but the weight gets distributed the same way."

They glided for the next several hours, until Tommy decided to complain about his arms being sore. They were, so why shouldn't he? Elytra were tiring.

"Come on, we should land before dark anyways," Grian said, angling downwards.

Tommy followed, doing his best to copy Grian's posture. 

"You have to land a bit differently than I do," Grian told Tommy. "Dream, how do you land an elytra?"

"It's easier to show than tell, but you kinda just lean back once you're close enough to the ground," Dream said. "But also you die if you land too hard or too fast, so be careful."

"What?" Tommy stared at him. "You go first."

"Sure." Dream leveled out his elytra as he neared the ground, then spread his arms and leaned back. The wind caught his elytra and he slowed down significantly, his feet lightly touching down on the grass.

"How am I supposed to do that?" Tommy sputtered. "I have no experience flying!" 

"Everyone's got a first flight," Grian said. "I did, too! Don't worry, you've got this. I'll do it with you."

Tommy swallowed down his nerves and angled down like he'd seen Dream do. With one more breath, he opened his arms and leaned back. Wind buffeted his face and he squinted, trying to see past his hair flying in his face.

"Alright, you're slow enough to land now," Grian said, matching Tommy's speed. "Put your legs down and try not to straighten them too much."

Tommy's feet hit the grass and he stumbled forward, nearly toppling over as his legs buckled beneath him.

"That works!" Grian said cheerfully. "Congrats, you've successfully completed your first flight!"

"Hooray," Tommy mumbled, pulling the elytra off. "Let's not do that again."

"Not tonight, it's too dark for flying," Grian agreed. "For now, let's make camp."

***

The next morning, they were back in the air. Grian was surprised at how long he'd been able to glide without tiring, but when he voiced this, Dream assured him it was normal. 

"Phil always had great endurance, too. It's either an avian thing or a Kristin thing," he said. "Not sure which."

Grian nodded, his mind drifting to Techno. The piglin was close, Grian could tell. In his mind's eye, he saw Techno straighten, as if he knew Grian saw him. Techno's piercing red eyes scanned the air, somehow locking onto the air where Grian saw him from, as if he could see Grian. That was uncomfortable. Very much so.

"He's in a city of some sort," Grian reported, returning to the present. "I could see walls around him, and a lot of shadows. Tall buildings, maybe?"

"Tall buildings like those?" Tommy pointed ahead of them and Grian followed his gaze. Towering spires of stone reached out of the earth, lights dotting their exterior. Grian could see wires stretching between poles and buildings, sparks flying from them, but doubted that the others could discern the details from this far. That, he'd discovered, was a purely avian thing.

"He's there, I think," he said aloud, angling down to glide towards the city. Dream and Tommy followed, circling in the air.

"This place looks awful," Dream commented. "No power, no light, no people. Who lives here?"

"I don't think anyone does," Grian answered. "It feels empty. This server was just meant for MCC, wasn't it? Maybe this was a map that didn't get used."

"Could be," Dream mused. "But somehow I doubt it. No map would be this dark."

"This place would be pretty bright if it were powered, though," Grian countered. "So who knows?" He cast his mind back to Techno, then frowned. "I'm not getting a location."

"Wait, wasn't that the whole point?" Dream frowned. "Of what Kristin did? Letting you find Techno?"

"Maybe she thinks we're close enough," Tommy shrugged. "Or maybe you're supposed to do it a different way now that we're closer."

"How am I supposed to know what to do?" Grian muttered, but he did close his eyes and concentrate. Technoblade. 

A shimmering image of the piglin burned into Grian's head, causing him to wince.

"Grian?" Tommy's voice broke him out of a steadily growing headache.

"Something isn't working," Grian mumbled, forcing his wings to stay steady as a weakness poured over him like concrete. "Something's messing with it."

"Is it whatever's blocking Kristin?" Dream asked, gliding closer to him. 

"Maybe." Grian's wings faltered and he flapped them several times. "I think I can find him, I just might not stay awake long enough to guide you there."

"Let's land, then, in case you do fall." Tommy started the descent.

"Too..." Grian's voice faded as another picture of Techno stabbed his brain. It hurt, and he felt his wings lose their grip on the air. "Too late."

Chapter Text

If Tommy was being honest with himself... he panicked. Grian's eyes glazed and the avian began to fall, and Tommy's grip tightened around the straps of his own wings, breath heaving as if he'd just run a marathon. Flashes of Logstedshire scenery shot past his eyes, and for a moment he thought that he was falling, too. His lungs tightened and he struggled for air, but there was something squeezing his chest, the pressure too much-

"Tommy, snap out of it!" Dream's harsh voice broke through his head in the way it always had, always would. "I can't help both of you!"

-and then Tommy could move again and he gasped a breath of air. He tilted his elytra, pulling himself back on track, and settled into a steady glide as Dream flew past him. The admin smacked his wings into the locked gliding position, then swerved into a barrel roll, diving underneath Grian and catching the avian in his arms. The force knocked him further down in the sky, but he angled toward the ground, steadying his flight. 

"Come on, we're landing," he called back to Tommy, and Tommy followed with little hesitation, eager to be back on the ground. His second landing was better than the first, but his flying skills could still use some work. 

"What happened to you?" Dream was muttering to Grian, deathly still in the admin's arms. Tommy approached and Dream tilted his arms so he could see the avian's shallow breathing. "All I've got is that he was trying to track Techno when this happened," he said. "But I don't know anything about his and Phil's stuff."

"You'd know more than I would," Tommy muttered. "Is he okay?"

"I think so, just unconscious. I would even say asleep, but I can't wake him up."

Tommy tried not to let his hand tremble as he brushed Grian's hair out of his eyes. "You okay, big man?" he whispered. "We kinda need you."

He blinked the worry from his eyes and turned to Dream. "Is this the place?"

Dream shrugged. "Grian seemed certain enough."

Tommy looked up at the cityscape, wide and tall and familiar even though he'd never seen it before. Well, not familiar like he'd been there, but familiar like a city would be. Why cities were familiar, he wasn't sure.

This city had lost power a long time ago and the streets were dim, cloaked in shadows from the tall buildings. Fog rolled through the air, barely touched by the early sunlight.

"Which way are we supposed to go?" he asked, looking with hesitation at the three-way split before them.

"I'm not sure." Dream looked down at Grian, lying limp in his arms. "This is what we need him for." He took a deep breath and readjusted Grian's position. "Alright. The sun is setting there. That way's west. We've been going northeast, so if we keep going this way we'll at least be going the same direction as before."

"Why do we think Techno's here?" Tommy asked. "Did Grian say that?"

Dream shook his head. "No, just that he's close."

"We're not going to find him," Tommy said, sitting down on a curb. "This place is too big and Technoblade isn't trying to be found."

"Don't be like that." Fabric rustled as Dream lowered himself to sit next to Tommy. "We'll get there."

"You don't know that," Tommy muttered.

"And you don't know that we won't," Dream countered. "We can take a break if you want, but giving up won't help Phil or Techno."

Tommy scowled at the concrete. He wasn't going to admit that Dream might be right, that moron, but he couldn't justifiably say he was wrong, either.

"Come on." Dream stood and offered Tommy a hand up. "We'll find him."

Tommy opened his mouth to say something, either dejected or sarcastic. He wasn't sure which, but it didn't matter because the words faded away when he saw the light.

Rippling, clouded light, rolling in the fog like the sun over water. A lavender glow, glimmering all the way down one street.

Dream followed his gaze, looking almost amazed.

"What is that?"

"How would I know?" Tommy snapped back, but the words were half-hearted.

"Should we-" Dream cut himself off. "Come on, we're gonna follow it."

Tommy narrowed his eyes, but allowed Dream to help him up. The admin readjusted his hold on Grian, moving the avian so that Grian lay against his back, almost as if he were riding piggyback. Grian's head was slumped over Dream's shoulder in a way that made Tommy's heart cold.

The wavering light led them down a series of streets. It seemed to go on forever in front of them, but it disappeared behind them as they traveled. Whatever, or whoever, was causing the light clearly wanted them to go this way.

They turned a corner and Tommy was yanked back by his shirt as a fist flashed above his head. Tommy looked up as Dream released his shirt and held a hand in front of him.

"Whoa, calm down, there's no need for- Techno!" Dream's voice went from placating to joyous so quickly that Tommy had to do a double take. He peeked around Dream's back. Sure enough, Technoblade stood in front of them.

The hybrid sent Tommy an apologetic look. "Sorry. Didn't know it was you." His eyes drifted to Grian, still limply draped across Dream's back. Concern etched across his face. "What happened to him?"

"He tried to do some tracking thing," Dream said. "I don't really know about what Kristin does to you guys."

"What Kristin..." Techno's eyes widened as he understood. "She gifted him?"

"To find you and Phil," Dream confirmed.

"What did he try to do?" Techno murmured to himself, holding out his hands for the avian. Dream passed Grian over and Techno pressed one of Grian's hands against his own. Grian stirred slightly, not opening his eyes, but the movement was encouraging nonetheless.

"So it was you tracking me," Techno mused. "That's why I was on edge earlier," he added to Dream. "Could tell whatever was following me had caught up."

Grian's wings ruffled and Techno looked back down as the avian's eyes slowly opened. The black he was used to was now sprinkled with flecks of violet.

"Techno..." Grian murmured sleepily. "Hi."

"Hey, Grian," Techno answered. "What are you doing?"

"Tryna find ya," Grian mumbled. "Did it."

"Yes, yes you did." Techno ran his hand through Grian's hair with a soft fondness. "I mean, what did you do that got you knocked out like that?"

"Dunno." Grian's eyes drifted closed again. "Trackin' thing. I find you, they find you, we all find Phil." His words were becoming slurred and Techno frowned.

"Phil's never done this before," he admitted to Dream. "I'm not sure what's happening, really."

"Sleeping," Grian mumbled. "All ghosty. Led them to you."

"That light was you?" Tommy asked.

"Mhm." Grian snuggled into Techno's arms. "Sleep."

"Uh... okay." Techno adjusted his hold so that he could walk and hold the avian more comfortably. His eyes moved to Dream. "I guess we keep heading for Phil."

"You know where he is?" Tommy asked hopefully.

"Sorta. That way." Techno inclined his head into the distance.

"That's a start," Dream said. "Let's go." He eyed Techno critically. "You have an elytra?"

Techno snorted. "Where would I get one of those?"

"Alright." Light cracked again and Dream tossed him a set. Techno's eyes narrowed, questions clearly swarming through his head, but he accepted the wings and fireworks, launching into the air alongside the two of them.

"We travel fast, Blade," Tommy said, locking his wings into a gliding position so that he could gesture with his arms. "We travel fast and we travel in style." He tried not to let his hands tremble and hoped the others didn't notice his breathing speed up. Memories of Grian dropping from the sky played through his head, reminding him of his own near death. He hated falling.

"Tommy." Dream's quiet voice caused him to look up with a frown.

"What?"

"Come here."

"I can't control these wings," Tommy shot back. "If you got anything to say, you can come over here."

Dream sighed, moving so that he was gliding  just above Tommy's right shoulder. "Something's bothering you."

"It's none of your business," Tommy said, angling away, ignoring the way his stomach churned. "Don't go acting like you care about me, either. That doesn't work anymore."

"Fair." Dream's light voice just irritated Tommy further.

"What do you want?" he snapped.

"You're scared of falling," Dream said calmly, hitting the nail directly on the head.

"I- shut up, no one asked you," Tommy retorted. "What's your point?"

"I'm just going to fly over here," Dream answered, eyes on the sky ahead.

"Why do you think you being right there would make me feel any better?" Tommy didn't move away, just stubbornly glared at him. "You are not the first person I'd pick for comfort. The very last, actually."

Dream's cool eyes met his. "Did I let you die last time?"

And ooh, that hit hard. The flashbacks were racing through his head again, but this time it was the end. The ground approaching, wind whistling in his ears, the fear and regret and hope, but mostly just terror. He'd shut his eyes tight, waiting for the crash, and then he'd hit water and it hurt but he wasn't dead, just soaked and splayed out across the grass. He hadn't seen Dream, but he'd heard the footsteps on the grass, felt the hand lift him, heard the muttered words spoken to him. He was scared, sure, about how mad the admin would be, but he remembered being more relieved than anything else.

He shoved his thoughts back to the present, away from the trauma, and forced his hands to still, taking a few deep breaths. "Is there a reason you felt the need to bring that up?" he said evenly.

"I won't let you die," Dream answered, still watching the sky. "Not then, not now."

Tommy didn't answer, his eyes traveling listlessly across the ground below. He wouldn't admit it, but now he did feel better about being so high up. Probably shouldn't, all things considered, but there was a part of his brain that counted it as 100% fact that he wouldn't fall to his death with Dream right there, and that part of his brain was winning.

Fine, he thought to himself, closing his eyes for a brief moment. He was fine. He would allow himself to relax, just for the time being. All they were doing was flying.

"How close are we, Tech?" he asked, tilting his wings and flying closer to the piglin, acutely aware of Dream's presence above him.

"Not too far, I don't think." Techno's eyes glinted in narrow concentration. "I can't tell exactly, but the connection is stronger, so it stands to reason we're closer than before."

"How's Grian?" Tommy actually felt comfortable enough to tilt his head to the side, just barely able to see the avian in Technoblade's arms without straying off course. At least Grian looked peaceful.

"He's havin' a nap," Techno answered. "Still. I don't think he's woken up once since we started flyin', except to complain that I needed to fly straighter." 

"You were flying about as straight as a pretzel," Grian muttered, shifting in Techno's arms.

He shot an amused look down at Grian. "Pardon me, you literal parrot, but pigs don't fly."

"You do now." Grian stretched his shoulders, yawning. "Heads up." He tapped Techno's shoulder, then pushed himself out of the piglin's arms, spreading his wings. 

"About time," Techno commented. "I've been carryin' you for nearly two hours now."

"Was a comfy ride," Grian called back. "Don't think that was my fault, anyway. Last I checked, avians don't hibernate."

"That does bring up the question, why'd you pass out for that long?" Techno asked. "Dream said you were tryin' to do some trackin' thing, but I've never seen Phil pass out when he was followin' someone."

"I dunno what happened," Grian shrugged. "It's not like I have any experience with all this."

"Fair enough," Techno acquiesced. "You're doin' pretty well, all things considered."

Grian beamed. 

Chapter Text

By the time they landed near the cliffs, Tommy was sure that the energy in Grian's wings was supernatural. The avian had been flying all day, and he was actually having to use his own muscles to propel himself through the air. He couldn't just relax and let elytra carry him.

As they drew nearer to the towering structures of rock, the tension among the group only increased. 

"Are we close?" Grian asked Techno, after a moment of silent flight.

"I think we're getting there," Techno answered. "But we're going to want to take it very carefully from here."

"Because of whatever's got Phil trapped?" Tommy asked.

"Yeah." Techno shrugged off his elytra and put them away. "That and the fact that we have no idea what we're getting into."

"Oh, so much trouble, that's what," a cheery voice laughed.

Grian's wings splayed in surprise. A familiar ghost was drifting in the air ahead of them, upside down, grinning like he hadn't just scared the soul out of half the group.

"Ghostbur?!" Tommy yelped. 

"Hi, Tommy!" Ghostbur whisked around the boy, trailing golden light.

Tommy's eyes lingered on the faded form. It was him—really him, even if he wasn't the same as before. Ghostbur seemed lighter now, like a memory that floated just out of reach, and Tommy had no idea how to feel about that.

"Hi, Ghostbur," he sighed finally.

"You're upset again," Ghostbur frowned. He turned right-side up and examined Tommy closely. "Is it because-"

"We're just trying to find Phil," Tommy interrupted. 

"Oh, yeah!" Ghostbur's voice lightened again and he spun in the air. "I know where he is! I went to say hi yesterday!"

"Wait, how do you know where Phil is?" Techno frowned.

"He's somewhere!" Ghostbur said seriously. "When you're everywhere, you can tell if anyone is somewhere."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Techno asked flatly.

"How do you think I knew where to find you?" Ghostbur asked, his form nearly invisible. "Just a little bit of everywhere, here and there."

"You're talking nonsense again, Ghostbur," Tommy muttered.

"Oh!" The air shimmered and the ghost became a little easier to see. "Sorry! Everywhere is easier than somewhere. Oh, unless I have Friend." The sheep appeared next to him and he laid out across its wool. "Okay, I can somewhere now."

"How did you know where to find Phil?" Techno repeated. 

"He's right next to the big energy!" Ghostbur answered. "I didn't actually go there to find him, I went to see what all the energy was."

"What do you mean?" Dream asked. Tommy had forgotten the admin was there.

Ghostbur frowned at him. "Are you here?"

Dream paused, confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Ghostbur flew around him. "I guess you are," he murmured. "That's okay."

"Ghostbur, focus," Tommy snapped, irritation getting the better of him. "What kind of energy led you to Phil?"

Ghostbur seemed to become a little more visible, a little less cheerful. "Oh. It's... a big angry someone."

"Could you tell who the someone was?" Grian asked. 

"Oh, hello, Parrot Man!" Ghostbur brightened a bit. "You're here too!"

"Yeah, I am," Grian said, apparently accepting the name. "We're all trying to find Phil. We're very worried about him, so anything you can tell us would be helpful."

"I can be helpful!" Ghostbur rolled upside down on top of Friend. "He's on the top of the cliffs! There's an angry someone there keeping him chained up." He saddened again. "Phil was not happy with the someone."

"Ghostbur, who was it?" Techno asked. "Who's got Phil chained?"

Ghostbur shivered. "I can't," he said. "It's too close."

"Too close to what?" Grian prompted. "Something? Or someone?"

Ghostbur shut his eyes. "Too close..." he whispered. "To the wrong kind of me."

"What does that mean?" Tommy asked, trying to keep his voice from showing his inner turmoil. This happened every single time he had to talk to Ghostbur. It wasn't Ghostbur's fault he was a bit too much like Wilbur. He was Wilbur, just... not. Wilbur had caused too much hurt for Tommy to ever trust him again, but Ghostbur didn't remember any of that. He shook his head in frustration and focused on the ghost's answer.

"I don't want to remember," Ghostbur whispered. "Getting too close makes me remember." He seemed to be shrinking in on himself, trying to hide from the world. "I'm not ready to remember."

"Remember what?" Techno asked carefully.

Ghostbur's eyes shone a soft, ocean-deep blue. "Who I am."

Tommy's breath caught. No. No, this wasn't happening. 

"Tommy." Dream's hand on his shoulder pulled his thoughts back to the present. "Breathe."

"Don't tell me what to do," Tommy muttered, but he did try to steady himself. Inhale, exhale. Calm.

"I've upset you," Ghostbur said sadly, looking at Tommy. "I do wish I could tell you more, but I don't like going up there." He looked up at the cliffs. "I can't get too close, it scares me."

"That's okay, Ghostbur," Techno assured him. "Thanks for your help."

Ghostbur smiled at that. "I'll be around!" he said more cheerily. "Good luck finding Phil! Tell him hi for me!" He did a flip in the air, then disappeared.

"Well, that was something," Techno sighed. "I'm not sure how concerned we should be."

"I'm a bit more concerned at the fact that whatever's up there scared a ghost," Grian said. "I don't know much about them, since we don't have any on our server, but that doesn't make sense."

Tommy shook his head. "That didn't happen on our server, either. I guess we'll find out when we get there." He started walking in the direction of the cliffs. "Might as well get moving."

Grian followed, sending him a concerned look as they drew . "You okay?"

"Uh... it's a long story," Tommy mumbled. "I used to have an older brother. He was great, until he kinda went crazy and blew up our country."

Grian blinked sympathetically. "Sorry. That must have been tough."

"Yeah." Tommy cleared his throat. "Anyway, he died, permanently. When he came back as a ghost, he didn't remember anything that he'd done, or who he was. He's just cheerful now, and that's great for him. I'm glad he doesn't remember, but... I do." 

Grian was silent, and Tommy could almost see him connecting the dots. 

"He came back as a ghost?" the avian echoed carefully.

"Yeah." Tommy took a deep breath. "His name was Wilbur."

Grian nodded once, understanding. "I see."

"I want to be happy for him," Tommy said. "I really do. He wants us to be friends. He doesn't understand why I avoid him, but the memories just hurt too much."

"That's reasonable," Grian said. "It'll work out someday."

"I hope so," Tommy said. "Anyway, we'd better get up there." He frowned. "I've been here feeling sorry for myself while Phil is up there trapped and injured. What kind of person am I?"

"The kind that's doing his best to handle the things life throws at him," Grian answered easily. "And you're doing a good job." His eyes drifted to a shard of shimmering blue crystal buried in the stone below and he paused, forgetting the words he'd been about to say. "What is that?"

"Huh?" Tommy followed his gaze. "Oh, that's odd. I can't say I've ever seen that before."

"Seen what?" Techno looked over his shoulder. "Hm." He reached down, brushing one hand over the crystal. A soft glow began to emanate from it, pulsing gently and casting a wavering light over the rock face. Techno removed his hand and the glow faded.

"Interestin'." Techno looked at his hand. "I dunno how to describe that, but it's like a mood booster."

"Really?" Grian poked the crystal. A faint light blossomed inside it, but it was a lot dimmer than Techno's had been. He poked it again, producing an even fainter light. "It's not working anymore."

"You barely need your mood boosted at all," Tommy joked. "You're practically a ray of sunshine already."

"You might be onto something, actually," Dream mused, stepping forward to examine the crystal. "I wonder if this thing is absorbing negative emotions." He motioned Grian forward, then guided the avian's hand back to the crystal. This time, it didn't light up at all.

"Yep, it's not doing anything," Grian said with a shrug. "I wonder how it got here?"

"Not sure." Techno looked up at the cliffs, apparently thinking.

"Tommy, do you want to come try it?" Grian asked. "Come on, maybe it'll help you feel better."

Tommy allowed the avian to tug him forward, brushing his fingers lightly along the crystal's glassy surface. A light sparked inside the shining stone, growing in intensity until it was nearly blinding to look at.

"Whoa, that's... a lot of sad," Grian remarked faintly as Tommy pulled his fingers away. 

"It's nice, actually," Tommy murmured, touching the crystal again. The worry seemed to melt off his shoulders. "This reminds me of how Ghostbur used to go around handing out that blue dye. You remember that, Techno?" A small laugh slipped from his mouth. "He always insisted it would make people feel better, but it didn't, obviously. It was just dye."

Techno didn't answer, staring at the crystal with an unreadable look in his eyes.

"Can I take this?" Tommy tugged at the crystal, but it stayed firmly lodged in the stone. "Shame."

"Come on, we'd better keep moving," Dream said. He paused. "Tommy? Coming?"

"Oh... yeah, I'm coming." Tommy felt the crystal's smooth surface one more time, enjoying the light feel in his heart, then followed after him. 

He wondered where they were going.

Chapter Text

Grian couldn't shake the feeling that something was off as he followed Dream and Techno up the cliff paths. The weather was fine, the atmosphere between the group was okay, and the cliff itself was serene and peaceful. It was the air around them that felt wrong, and he just couldn't place it.

He tried to shrug it off. It was probably just the increasing altitude, or the way sound carried up here. Nothing was actually wrong. Still, he couldn't stop himself from glancing around every once in a while, expecting something to leap out at them.

"Oh, hey." Tommy's voice drew Grian's attention to where he stood, looking down at a black feather. "Look at this."

Grian's eyes widened as he approached. "Wait, is that one of Phil's feathers?"

"Is it?" Tommy looked back at the feather. "Oh, yeah."

Grian looked back at Techno, intending to ask for his input, but faltered when he caught sight of Dream's expression. The admin was watching Tommy with a look that Grian couldn't translate. Not hostile or anything, but there was a calculation in his gaze that made Grian wonder what he was thinking.

Grian shook his head, deciding to worry about that later. "Uh, Techno? Is this Phil's feather?"

Technoblade's attention shot to Grian and he joined them, lifting the feather off the ground. "That's Phil's for sure," he answered. He motioned Grian over. "Okay, I'm gonna teach you something about our tracking stuff. Focus on Phil for me."

Grian closed his eyes, picturing the avian in his mind. Phil came into sight, sitting against a tall stone. His head was leaned back and his ice-blue eyes watched a sky Grian couldn't see.

"Okay, I see him," Grian said. "No location, but I see him."

"Alright, now take this." Techno handed Grian Phil's feather. "What about now?"

Grian took the feather, and the second his fingers touched the coal-black quill the stone beneath them lit up with the outlines of footsteps.

"Oh," he said with wonder. "How does that work?"

"Not sure, just something that we can do," Techno explained with a shrug. "Hold something belongin' to the target and you can see where they've been if you're close enough. I'm guessin' you still don't have a location, but we can follow this trail for a more accurate pathway."

"Pathway?" Tommy followed their gazes. "There's no path here."

"Part of mine and Grian's trackin' thing," Techno clarified.

"What are you seeing?" Tommy asked.

"Footprints," Grian answered.

"Oh, really?" Techno looked surprised. "I see a trail. Interestin' that it's different."

"I wonder if Phil sees one of the two, or something else," Grian mused.

"Does that mean you can tell where he was before?" Dream asked from behind them. Grian startled, he hadn't heard the admin approach.

"Yeah, the trail goes back down the cliff, too," Techno answered.

"I'd like to check something, then," Dream said. "Mind if we go back down there?" 

"Sure," Grian shrugged. Then, to Techno, "how can you tell there's a trail if I have the feather?"

"Trails linger for a few minutes after you put down whatever you touched," Techno answered. 

They reached the bottom of the cliff in a few minutes and Dream moved over to the blue crystal. "Can you tell if he came over here?"

Techno brushed his fingers over the feather in Grian's hand, a look of concentration on his face. "Yeah, he was here," he said after a second. 

"Did he touch the crystal?" Dream asked.

"He saw it and turned this way, but I can't tell for sure," Techno replied. He studied the ground. "Either way, he didn't stay here long. If he did touch it, it was only for a few seconds."

Dream nodded. "I think that's a good thing," he said.

"Why's that?" Grian asked.

"That crystal seems to have an effect on people who touch it, and I don't think it's a good one." Dream's eyes moved to Tommy and Grian followed his gaze.

"What are you looking at me for?" Tommy frowned suspiciously.

"We guessed that the blue crystal here absorbs negative emotions, right?" Dream asked Techno.

"Yeah?" Techno said warily. "It sure looked like it."

"And the crystal lit up a lot brighter when Tommy touched it, like there was a lot to absorb," Dream continued.

"Yeah, what about it?" Tommy shot back.

"Tommy, why was there so much negative energy?" Dream asked directly. 

Tommy shrugged, glaring. "Just stressed, man."

"About what?"

"I dunno, all this?" Tommy waved his arms at the cliff. "And the fact that you're pestering me about it. Go bother someone else."

"You're too defensive for that to be the whole answer," Dream pressed, stepping forward. "Try again."

"Dream, calm down," Grian said. "He just said-"

"I know what he said." Dream's eyes never left Tommy's face. "Try again."

"I am getting the strangest sense of deja vu right now," Tommy muttered at the admin. "Why is this so important to you?"

"Answer." Dream's tone suddenly became dangerous and Grian flinched before it even fully registered. His heartbeat increased. This was a forced-casual, right? Dream couldn't hurt them here. No, no, he could. There was PvP in this server. Death wasn't permanent, but it could happen. He took a shaky breath. Maybe he could calm things down.

"Relax, man," Tommy muttered. "Okay, okay. No need to get so touchy about it."

Grian moved forward, worry spiking, but Techno's hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Give him a moment," the hybrid said quietly. "He knows what he's doing."

"I guess I'm not sure exactly why there was so much negative stuff going on," Tommy said slowly. "But I don't get why that matters so much to you?"

"Tommy, why are we here?" Dream asked, switching instantly to a calmer tone. 

Tommy narrowed his eyes. "We're finding Phil, aren't we?"

"You don't sound sure of that." 

"I woulda thought it was obvious," Tommy said. "We're followin' his trail and everything."

"I want you to tell me what you know," Dream said, shaking his head. "Not what you heard us say."

"What makes you think I don't know anything?" Tommy snapped. "You're being way too nosy!"

Dream sighed. "Answer, Tommy."

"I don't think I should, not until I get an explanation," Tommy said, stalking forward. "I don't know what's wrong with you or what you think you're doing, but-"

Dream caught his shirt in one hand and kicked the boy's legs out from under him, sending him falling back on the stone. In the same movement, he'd leveled an axe at Tommy's throat.

"Tommy!" Grian shoved Techno's hand off of him and lunged forward, but the hybrid caught one of his wings and pulled him back. "Techno, let me help him!"

"Wait a second," Technoblade repeated.

"You let me up right now," Tommy snarled. "I swear to Prime, I will beat you-"

"Don't threaten me," Dream said warningly. "Answer the question and you can get up."

"Fine!" Tommy snapped. "Fine, you're right! I have no idea how we got here or what we're doing. Happy?"

Grian stared, shocked.

"Thank you," Dream said with a smile, with a tone that would have better fit a dad receiving a toy from his kid. It did not fit someone who'd just threatened answers out of a child.

"Now will you tell me why this matters?" Tommy grouched as the axe was taken back and he sat up.

"I'm just worried about you," Dream said, a layer of concern in his voice. 

"False." 

"Of course I'm worried. We're friends."

"We are not friends," Tommy snapped, seemingly automatically. Then he froze. "We're not..." he trailed off as something seemed to trigger in his mind. His eyes locked onto Dream's, something panicked in them.

Dream held out a hand, helping him to his feet. "Welcome back, Tommy."

"What... did you just do to me?" Tommy whispered, his voice trembling. 

"Nothing, calm down," Dream said. "The blue crystal caused you to forget some stuff. A sort of memory lapse."

"I'm talking about what you said." Tommy's voice strengthened a little. "You were threatening me!"

"For the purpose of triggering a memory sharp enough to break the amnesia, yes." Dream's tone was cool, matter-of-fact. "And it worked."

"I guess it did," Tommy mumbled. Then, a moment later, "What do you mean, the crystal did that?"

"Come here, let's look at it." Dream moved over to the crystal and Tommy, with a moment's hesitation, followed.

"This thing absorbs negative emotions, we've established," Dream began. "But in your case, it looks like it absorbed some of your recent memories as well."

Tommy said nothing, frowning at the shimmering stone.

"How far back can you remember?" Dream asked. 

"That's not a problem, I remember stuff now," Tommy muttered. "But I didn't realize how much I was missing until a second ago." His eyes widened. "Phil! How did I-" He looked up the cliffs, distraught. "Why are we here worrying about me?"

"Because whatever just happened was important," Dream answered. "But we can discuss as we go. Techno, Grian, ready to follow that trail?"

Grian nodded, still processing everything that had just occurred. He shook his head and focused on the trail of footprints going up the cliff path. Ignoring the conversation behind him, he set off. One foot in front of the other.

"You good, kid?" Techno asked, coming up on his right.

"I am perplexed," Grian answered wearily. "What the heck happened back there?"

Techno grunted. "Dunno."

"Then why didn't you let me stop him?" Grian asked, exasperated. "After everything he's done to both of us, you thought Tommy would be safe?!"

"Two things," Techno said calmly. "One: don't think you could have stopped him if you wanted to. Two: he knew what he was doin'."

"Pinning Tommy to the floor and threatening him with an axe, sure. Very calculated." Grian glared at the stone beneath him.

Techno sighed, not speaking for a moment. Finally, he took a breath. "Did you notice how fast he came back?"

"I noticed how fast he started freaking out," Grian muttered. "You're not helping your case."

"I'm not tryin' to defend the guy," Techno said drily. "Just explainin'."

"Go on, then." Grian kept his eyes on Phil's trail.

"You saw the moment he realized what he'd said," Techno checked.

"Yes," Grian said. "Yes, I did."

"He remembered," Techno's voice was tense. "However much it scared him, he remembered."

Grian crossed his arms. "So you're saying that Dream threatening him and potentially triggering traumatic memories was helping him?"

"No," Techno sighed. "I’m sayin' he knew what would work. He’s got this... messed up read on the kid. Knows which threads to pull."

"And you trust that?" Grian stared at him.

Techno snorted. "Not a chance, but..." He grimaced. "If anyone was gonna snap Tommy out of that weird fog he was in, it was Dream.” His narrowed eyes followed Grian's up the trail. “I don’t trust him, but I trust his success rate."

Grian let out a frustrated sigh, kicking a small rock off the path. It skittered across one of Phil's footprints. "I'm not sure how I feel about that."

"What do you mean?" Techno looked mildly at him.

"I mean, I get that Dream probably knows Tommy better than any of us, but it's for an awful reason. I don't think he should get to do that, messing with his head and everything. It's not right."

"Even if it does help him?" 

"You sound like you're okay with it," Grian said narrowly. "That really needs to not be the case."

Techno sighed, a long, drawn out breath. "I think that it's a really hard line to draw."

Grian held back a growl of frustration, instead handing Technoblade the feather and dropping back to walk with Tommy and Dream. The admin caught the look on Grian's face and chuckled softly, then increased his pace so that he was walking beside Techno instead.

"You okay?" Tommy asked once the two were far enough behind to not be overheard.

Grian didn't answer, glaring forward at where Dream walked with Techno.

Tommy tried again. "Sorry if I scared you, back there."

"Wasn't you that scared me," Grian said tersely.

"Right." Tommy exhaled softly. "Still, I bet that wasn't fun to watch."

"It wasn't." Grian tried not to let his frustration with Techno seep through his voice, but he wasn't sure he was succeeding.

"You're not making this easy for me," Tommy said pointedly. "I'm trying to be a good friend here."

"Sorry." Grian shook out his wings, forcing himself to relax. "I'm alright, just a little frustrated with Techno. We apparently see some things differently."

"You don't have to sugarcoat it, I know you were talking about..." Tommy gestured back down the cliffs. "That."

"It doesn't matter." Grian said. "How are you? Doing okay?"

"Yeah, for the most part." Tommy nodded. 

"Do you... remember everything now?" 

"Enough," Tommy said quietly. "Most of it came back all at once, like a bandage being ripped off."

"I guess that makes sense."

They lapsed into silence again, feet crunching over the stray rocks.

After a while, Tommy looked back at him. "You don't trust him, do you?"

"Dream?"

"Yeah."

"Absolutely not. Why, do you?"

Tommy didn't answer for a second, and Grian glanced at him with growing confusion. "There's no way you do."

"Well, no, not really," Tommy answered slowly. "I don't trust him, not at all, but I also know I won't die if he's around?" It sounded more like a question. "It's complicated."

"Sounds like it," Grian agreed. Sharp voices from ahead caught his attention and he paused. Tommy did as well and they both watched the adults ahead with wary eyes.

"They're not happy," Tommy murmured.

"Obviously." Grian frowned. "I wonder what they're arguing about?"

"Can't tell from here, but I'm not sure I want to."

"Yeah, let's just drop back."

They did so, walking in silence for a few more minutes. It wasn't the most peaceful silence, but the tension from before had evaporated. Feeling sentimental, Grian brushed his wing over Tommy's back. "Glad you're here, man."

Tommy smiled. "You, too."

Chapter Text

Light glinted off the ocean-colored crystal in front of Phil, daring him to come closer.

"Why's this here?" Phil demanded, looking up at the deity next to him.

"You've been in pain long enough to make my point," the figure said. "Touch it and you'll feel better."

"That sounds like a trap." Phil shook his head. "I don't think so."

The being laughed. "You people are so amusing. Why would it be a trap?"

Phil raised his eyebrows, holding up one hand and causing the chain on his wrist to clink against itself.

"That's just so you can't fly away, little crow." The figure almost sounded fond. "Believe it or not, I do like you."

"Like me, maybe. But you clearly don't think I have any common sense."

"Oh?" The being smiled.

"This is blue, mate." Phil gestured toward the crystal. "Anyone with common sense knows not to touch blue. Messes with your head."

"What's wrong with getting rid of negative feelings?" the deity sounded taken aback.

"Memories, mate." Phil shook his head. "Why am I having to tell you this?"

"Oh." The figure huffed, disappointed. "You knew that."

"Of course I- what are you trying to get me to do?"

The figure laughed lightly. "I was just trying to get you to touch it on your own."

"Not happening." Phil shook his head. "I'm not that dumb."

"Yeah, yeah." The being waved a hand. "Joke's on you, though!"

Phil frowned. "What?"

The being stepped forward, deep blue shining in his eyes. They were kind eyes. 

Haunted eyes.

"You don't get a choice," he whispered with a smile. His hand brushed against Phil's forehead and the avian faltered, slumping against him.

He took Phil's hand, touching it gently to the shimmering stone.

Oh, how the familiar hurt.

***

"Alright, what's up?"

Grian looked up, startled, as Dream settled down next to him, back to the cliff.

"What?" 

"I can practically see the questions flying around your head," Dream said. "Go for it."

Grian eyed him suspiciously.

Dream rolled his eyes, a slight smile playing on his face. "I know you have at least ten."

"This feels like a trick of some sort," Grian murmured, still watching him.

"I'm trying to be transparent?" Dream shrugged. "Or I can just tell what I did earlier is bothering you and I'm giving you a chance to ask about it. Or just yell at me, if you'd rather." He motioned to where Techno and Tommy were lying a notable distance away, looking at clouds. "They won't even overhear us."

"You're really letting me just ask anything?" Grian had to check.

"Sure." Dream leaned his head back against the stone, watching the sky.

"Okay..." Grian watched him warily, but there didn't seem to be any trick or trap involved. Finally, he sighed. "Why?" 

He had a feeling Dream would know what he meant, and he was right.

"Because it worked," Dream answered simply.

"There really wasn't any other way to fix his memories?" Grian had to ask. "You had to hold an axe to his neck?"

"It wasn't the axe," Dream admitted, rolling one shoulder. "It was the words. The tone. That sort of thing."

"The axe wasn't the traumatic part of that?" Grian's voice rose. "What the heck did you do to that kid?"

"Not the point here," Dream sighed. 

"No, you said you'd answer my questions," Grian said fiercely. 

Dream raised his eyebrows with a mild expression. "I didn't say I'd answer all of them."

Grian sighed, deciding to fight that battle another day. "How did you know it would work?"

"I didn't, actually," Dream answered with a chuckle.

"Then why did you do it?" Grian repeated, a little more incredulous.

"Because I figured it was the best shot," Dream replied. "And if he didn't remember it, it wouldn't have triggered anything either way."

"That's not... that's messed up, man." Grian didn't try to hide his disgust.

Dream shrugged.

"Are you thinking at all about the emotional impact?" Grian continued. 

"Let's be real here," Dream sighed. "If I'm the reason for the trauma, do you really think that would be a high priority?"

"You are an awful person," Grian growled at the stone beneath him.

"Heard that one before." Dream's fingers tapped against the stone. "What else?"

"Do you care about him?"

"He's got his good points."

"But do you care?" Grian pressed. "Do you care about Tommy himself, not just whatever... I dunno, whatever use he is to you?" 

Dream looked evenly at him. "I could give you the honest answer or I could tell you what you want to hear." 

Grian huffed. "What do you think I want to hear?" He doubted the admin really knew, but he was curious to see what he could guess from however long he'd been around Grian. 

"I think you want to hear that I don't care at all," Dream answered. "You want me to say that I only care about what use he can be, or that I only fixed him because you guys like him, because that's easier for you. You'd rather I be a straight black and white villain, rather than someone who has several sides and motivations and even concerns, because that makes more sense to you and it's what you know of me." 

Oh. Spot on. 

Grian cleared his throat. "Well? What's the real answer?"

A small smile flitted across the admin's face. "I do care, a little. In my own way."

"What is that way?" Grian said, eyes narrow.

Dream hummed softly, as if thinking it over. "I care that he’s alive. That he’s functional. That he’s... Tommy, I guess."

Grian frowned. "That doesn’t answer anything."

"Sure it does," Dream said lightly. "I don’t want him dead. I don’t want him broken. That’s care, isn’t it?"

"No," Grian snapped. "That’s basic human decency. That’s not the same as caring about a person."

Dream shrugged. "That might be the best you get from me."

"You're not denying it," Grian observed. 

"I'm not," Dream agreed. "But you've already decided what kind of person I am. Why should I try to change your mind?"

Grian scowled, glancing away. "You’re really frustrating, you know that?"

"Yeah," Dream said lightly. "Most people find me unbearable."

"A fair assumption," Grian agreed with a sweet smile.

Dream didn’t respond, but he looked amused. The silence stretched for a moment, only filled by the distant murmur of Tommy’s laughter drifting up from the field below. Grian’s eyes flicked toward the sound, then back to Dream.

"He shouldn't trust you," he muttered.

"Oh? Does he?" Dream looked toward the two, interest in his eyes.

"Not really, but he did say he doesn't think he'd die with you around," Grian said. "Not sure what kind of assessment that is, but take it as you will."

"Interesting," Dream murmured, his eyes on the boy. "Not trust then, but definitely acceptance."

"Acceptance of what?" Grian frowned. 

"Protection." Dream didn't look like he wanted to explain further, but at Grian's look, he continued. "He's going to stay alive, whether he wants to or not."

"Why would he not want to?" Grian asked, not sure whether to be suspicious or just really sad.

Dream's eyes moved to Grian's. "You don't want me to answer that."

"Were things really that bad?" Grian knew his tone was rising, but he didn't care. "You treated him so awfully that he wanted to do anything he could to escape, and you didn't even give him that?"

"I didn't let him die, no," Dream said coolly. "And I don't think you would have wanted me to, either, so let's be done with that line of questioning before you say something you'll regret."

"Fine." Grian shook his head, trying to wrap his brain around the new information. "I don't get how you can not care about any of this. Where's your sense of right and wrong? Any sort of morals?"

Dream actually laughed at that. "Gone a long time ago," he replied. "It's either sentimental little friendships or control, and I made that choice long before now."

"Why are you doing this?" Grian asked. "You're answering anything I ask and what you're saying is twisted enough that I have to assume it's truthful. What purpose is that to you?"

Dream tilted his head, like the question amused him. "Maybe I'm bored."

"Lies," Grian said without hesitation.

That earned a smile. "Okay. Maybe I'm curious."

"About what?"

"About what you'll do with what you've learned," Dream said, voice mild. "Or maybe I want to see what your version of me looks like when you've filled in all the blanks."

Grian narrowed his eyes. "You want me to guess at your motives instead of just telling me."

"You were guessing already," Dream pointed out. "You just want me to confirm what you've guessed."

"Are you going to?" Grian asked, honestly not sure if he wanted the answer.

Dream considered that for a beat, then looked out across the field again. "I've found that people prefer their own conclusions over the truth."

"So you're letting me think you're a monster because it's easier for me?"

"No," Dream said. "I'm letting you think I'm a monster because I don't care what you think."

That one hit. Grian stared at the other man, waiting for some follow-up, some flicker of remorse or pride or even intent.

There was none. Just that same distant calm.

“You're persistent,” the admin commented after a moment.

“You're dodging the question,” Grian shot back. “Why? I want a straight answer, and I know you're capable of it.”

Dream's eyes flicked toward him, sharp and unreadable. Then he leaned back slightly, the barest shift in posture.

“Because control is still control,” he said simply. “Even when you're not driving the whole show anymore.”

Grian frowned. “That's not—”

“That's your answer,” Dream interrupted. “You wanted it. There it is.”

“That's not a reason,” Grian snapped. “That's a tactic.”

Dream finally turned to face him fully, something flickering in his eyes—annoyance, maybe, or a challenge. “What makes you think there's a difference?”

Grian stared at him. “You're not even trying to justify it. Not even to yourself.”

“I don't need to,” Dream said. “Justification is for people who think they might be wrong.”

“And you're not?”

Dream gave him a thin smile. “I don't deal in right or wrong. Right and wrong is a judgement that needs other people's approval. I don't care about approval. I deal in what works.”

"What works, then?" Grian retorted, anger simmering in his veins. "What justifies all this?"

Dream's eyes narrowed slightly, not quite a glare—more like amusement flickering under ice. “You're trying to get a rise out of me.”

“Maybe I am,” Grian challenged.

Dream tilted his head, almost smiling. “Fine. You want a straight answer?”

Suddenly Grian didn't. Something in the admin's tone said that the words he would say were the last things Grian wanted to hear. But he said nothing.

Dream leaned forward slightly, his voice low and dangerous. A small smile curled across his face. “What justifies it? He listens to me now. When I speak, he hears it. I can say a few words—just the right words—and his entire demeanor shifts. I know exactly which threads to pull, and he will do what I want.”

Grian stared, something cold curling in his gut.

“I broke him the right way,” Dream said softly. “And I don't care if it's justified.”

The silence that followed was suffocating. Grian couldn't look away, couldn't speak. And Dream, satisfied with the reaction, leaned back again, casually glancing at the sky like nothing had happened.

“Now,” he said, voice light once more, “any more questions?”

Grian didn't answer, just breathing. Trying to get some sort of control back.

Dream stood, ruffling Grian's hair like a fond parent, and walked away. 

His footsteps echoed softly across the stone.

Chapter Text

"I swear to Prime, this path is going backwards," Tommy muttered to Grian with half a smile. 

"It has looked the exact same for a while," Grian agreed. "Probably not going backwards though."

"May as well be." Tommy sighed and looked ahead to Techno. "Are you sure the trail goes this way, big man?"

"Yes, Tommy," Techno answered with the tone of someone who had already answered the question twice. To be fair, he had.

"Grian, can you see it?" Tommy asked. 

Grian shook his head. "Techno's got the feather."

"That's a good thing though," Tommy said with a mischievous grin. "If you're watching the path instead of staring at a bunch of footprints, you can't fall on your face again."

"That was one time!" Grian sputtered indignantly.

"Twice," Dream corrected from a little ways ahead. 

Grian threw his hands up in exasperation. "Why are you even listening?"

"Bored," Dream answered. "What else am I supposed to listen to? Techno's geography lessons?"

"This is why I beat you last time," Techno called back.

"I mean, it's more interesting than Tommy complaining," Grian pointed out.

Tommy mock bowed. "It's a skill."

"Yeah, you've got the monopoly on that one," Grian snickered.

"You wish you could complain as well as I do," Tommy retorted playfully.

"I really do not," Grian said haughtily.

Dream sighed. "Just enjoy the scenery, child."

"The scenery is boring!" Tommy exclaimed. "Rocks and sky! And hey, look! More rocks! And even some stone if we're feeling adventurous!"

Grian cackled. "And coming up on the left, we have..."

"More rocks!" Tommy cheered. "Isn't this incredible, tourists?"

"Oh, look!" Grian pointed up ahead. "The path narrows up ahead."

"Looks ominous, that does," Tommy observed. "Don't think I wanna go in there."

"We'll probably have to go through that one or two at a time," Techno murmured thoughtfully. He slowed, handing Grian the feather. "Grian, you lead. I'm goin' to drop to the back."

"Good thought," Dream nodded in what looked like approval. "I'll stay near the front."

"Why is that necessary?" Tommy frowned as Grian took the feather from Techno.

"Possible ambush," both said simultaneously.

Techno looked amused. "We'd be the most cornered here. Just puttin' a fighter on each side of the group."

"Oh." Tommy frowned. "Okay."

They were walking single file now, stone rising high on both sides. Light filtered from the sky above, reflecting off the stone. Techno stayed silent at the rear, watchful. Dream walked just ahead of Tommy, head tilted like he was listening to something the others couldn't hear.

It was very anticlimactic, really. For a possible ambush, this was really boring.

Then Dream froze.

"Move," he said sharply.

Tommy blinked. "What?"

Dream turned, grabbed his arm, and threw him backward.

CRACK.

The earth split beneath Dream and Grian's feet with a sound like thunder. One moment there was stone. The next, nothing.

Grian shouted, wings flailing for purchase in the air. Dream didn't even try to grab the edge—just twisted in midair, shoving Grian out of the way of a chunk of stone as they both went down.

"Grian!" Tommy screamed. Techno surged forward, but it was too late.

The rift closed behind them.

Just—sealed. Like it had never been there. No rubble. No hole. No sound.

Tommy hit the ground hard, staring at the flat stone where the two had stood just seconds ago.

"What—what was that?" he whispered. His hands went flat against the stone, pushing, shoving, but gaining no purchase on the seemingly undamaged floor. 

Techno was already dropping to one knee, pressing a hand to the stone, eyes narrowed. "Not natural," he muttered. "Not a collapse. That was intentional."

Tommy looked at him, pale. "They're alive, right?"

Techno didn't answer.

"Techno?" Tommy couldn't stop the worry spilling into his voice.

"Yeah, it's me." 

Tommy frowned. "What?"

"No, we're okay, we're okay. Are you guys hurt?"

"Techno, what are you-" Tommy's eyes widened as he realized what Techno was doing, and he rushed forward. "They're okay?"

"Yeah, they're fine," Techno muttered to him. "Hang on a second."

Tommy sat back, concerned.

"Can you tell where you are?" Techno asked. He was silent for a moment, then pressed his mouth into a thin line. "That was no accident. The ground sealed back up behind you. You can't even tell the difference from up here." He stood, pacing across the smooth stone. "Okay. You guys see if you can find a way up, we'll keep going here."

"You mean we're leaving them?" Tommy yelped. 

"No, Tommy, we're not leaving them," Techno said, glancing his way with tired, gleaming eyes. "We're trusting that they can find their own way out while we continue searching for Phil. They're both plenty capable."

Tommy opened his mouth to retort, but a look from Techno silenced him.

"The two of them are perfectly capable of takin' care of themselves," Techno said tersely. "Do you think I want to leave Grian trapped underground? The answer's no. I don't. But I'm also aware that we got a mission of our own to finish."

Tommy's shoulders slumped in resignation. "Fine. But I don't like it."

Techno's eyes softened. "Neither do I," he admitted. "But we've just got to trust them."

"I trust Grian," Tommy said with a scowl. "No more than that."

Techno gave a small nod, something like understanding passing through his expression. "That’s fair."

They walked in silence for a moment, boots crunching on loose gravel. The air felt heavier now, like the path itself knew the group had split and was waiting to see how they'd handle it.

"You know," Tommy muttered eventually, "he’s just messed up."

Techno raised a brow. "Dream?"

"Yeah." Tommy kicked a stone off the trail and watched it bounce down into the ravine beside them. "He’s not even doing anything half the time, not really, but sometimes he talks like he knows everything and I just—" He broke off, scowling at the sky like it had personally wronged him. "It makes me want to throw him off a cliff."

Techno gave a quiet huff of amusement. "I think that’s just his voice."

"It's the stupid tone," Tommy whispered to the unyielding stone.

Techno didn’t argue.

After another stretch of quiet, Tommy added, “If Grian gets hurt, I’m blaming Dream anyway.”

"Seems reasonable," Techno said dryly. "You gonna blame him for the weather too?"

"If it starts raining? Absolutely."

Techno chuckled.

Chapter Text

"Grian! Fly!"

Dream's words penetrated the panicked fog of Grian's thoughts and he tried spread his wings in the seemingly empty space. Some sort of thread was tangled around his back, cutting into his feathers the more he tried to open his wings.

"There's something on my wings!" he said, twisting to try and reach whatever was tightened around him. "I can't get to it!"

A growl. "Okay, just a moment."

"I don't know how many moments we have!" Grian pointed out, flailing in the air to avoid a falling chunk of stone.

"Just..." Another whoosh of air. "Give me a second."

Something tightened around Grian's wrist and he was yanked out of the way of a stalactite that would have probably impaled him. He twisted in the air, trying to see what was happening. 

"Will you hold still?" Dream asked, sounding exasperated.

"What?" Grian shook his hand, trying to get whatever it was off his hand.

"Stop moving!" Dream repeated, and another invisible string twisted around Grian's body.

"What- is that you?" Grian pushed at the thread on his wrist.

"I am trying to save you!" Dream snapped from somewhere behind him. "Stop moving and let me!"

"I do not trust you enough for that!" Grian's wings flared in anger, or at least opened a little before cutting into whatever was tangled around his feathers, sending slashes of pain through his back.

"It doesn't matter if you trust me," Dream retorted. "Just quit moving!"

"I can save myself just fine!" Grian snapped, forcing his wings forward enough to see something blue glittering along his feathers. He reached for it, trying to tug it off, but he couldn't pull his wings far enough forward to reach it.

Stone came up around them, growing closer and closer.

"You're really gonna-" Dream cut himself off. "Grian, the ground is getting way too close. Shut up and let me get that net off your wings, then we can talk."

And then Grian could see the floor rushing up toward them.

Dream spat something under his breath. "Okay, change of plans."

Hundreds of invisible strings tightened around Grian's body and pulled, sending him flying backward. His back hit something soft and arms wrapped around him, twisting him away from the ground right before they slammed into it.

Dust blew outward like a cloud as they hit the floor and Dream's hold released, sending Grian tumbling across the floor. He lay there for a moment, body aching, lungs begging for air.

Several silent moments passed. The air was full of dust and tension, both of which tightened Grian's lungs as he finally pulled in a gasp of air.

Labored breathing finally drew his attention to a crumpled form on the ground a little ways away. Grian shoved himself to his feet, wincing against the aches in his muscles, and started in that direction.

Dream lay on his back, as bruised and battered as Grian, if not more. Blood seeped from underneath him and ran down his face from a cut on his forehead.

"You conscious, idiot?" Grian asked, picking up a pebble from the floor and tossing it at the admin's head. It skittered across the floor a few inches away.

"You missed," Dream mumbled without opening his eyes.

"You look pathetic," Grian commented, but there wasn't much bite in the words. A rock moved under his foot and he stumbled, throwing one palm against the stone to brace himself.

"Cut me some slack, I'm in the process of dying here," Dream grunted, eyes shut tight as he pushed himself into a sitting position.

"You don't look like you're planning on dying," Grian observed with little sympathy as Dream scooted back against the wall, leaning his head back. "And I can't tell if you're joking or not."

"Halfway," the admin rasped, opening one eye to look at Grian. "Just... trying to make it easier on myself. Why don't you go look for a way forward?"

"No wings, genius," Grian answered.

"Walk," Dream countered.

"You walk."

"You're not being very nice to me," the admin observed, his breathing labored.

"Was I supposed to rush to your side and treat you like a princess?" Grian asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Go find a way out or something," Dream said exasperatedly, hunching away from the stone wall. "Be useful."

"That doesn't look very good, actually," Grian murmured, eyes on the bloodstained wall. "On a scale of one to ten, how dying are you?"

"Dunno... maybe a seven? Eight?"

"That does not sound promising."

"Yeah, I'm aware." Dream grimaced. "One second."

"One second," Grian repeated. "As in, 'yeah, let me just recover from potentially life-threatening injuries in one second', or 'one second and you won't have to worry about it anymore'?"

"You really don't like me, do you?" Dream observed wryly.

"Nope." Grian moved his wings under the net. "Shocking, I'm sure."

"Come over here and I'll get that off," Dream said, inclining his head.

Grian narrowed his eyes. "Don't trust you."

Dream sighed irritably. "Literally, what would I do?"

"I am now even more suspicious," Grian replied. "I'll get it off myself."

Dream sighed. "You can't even reach the thing. Just come here."

Grian stared narrowly at him for a moment, but finally moved over so that the admin could reach his back.

Dream swatted his feathers. "Quit tensing. Your wings stiffen when you do that."

Grian forced himself to relax as the admin carefully lifted the tangled net off of his wings. He was a bit surprised that nothing caught, but Dream seemed to be taking it slowly.

"Alright. Try now." The last thread was pulled free and Grian gingerly spread his wings behind him.

"Looks much better." The encouraging words were more of a weak rasp, and despite his dislike, Grian looked at the admin with slight concern.

"When you said an eight..."

"I may have been underexaggerating," Dream said. "More of a ten."

"Are you actually dying?" Grian pressed his mouth into a thin line. "Because I'm not really sure whether to feel bad for you or not and it's annoying me."

"I mean, it won't be for very long," Dream shrugged, then winced. "But someone" —he looked up pointedly— "is taking their sweet time with it." His breath caught. "Just give me a moment."

"That sentence made no sense," Grian said in reply. "What do you mean, not for very long? Are you in mortal peril or not?"

"Only for a short time," Dream clarified. "Like, dying, yes, but I'll be fine once I actually get it over with."

"That is concerning," Grian informed him. "In no way is that comforting."

An unsettling feeling crept over him and he went silent. 

"You hear something?" Dream asked, looking into the darkness. 

Grian shook his head. "Instincts are saying there's something here."

"You sure?" The admin frowned. "Seems pretty empty to me."

"There's something watching us," Grian murmured, scanning the cave. His wings opened slightly in a defensive posture. "Something or someone, I don't know."

"Isn't that what you people do, though?" Dream waved a hand in Grian's direction. "You Kristin people. That's what you say your stuff feels like."

Grian's eyes widened. "You're right! Honestly, I forgot about that." He cast his senses up to Techno. "Is that you, Tech? You checking on us?"

Yeah, it's me. Techno's voice sounded in Grian's ears as if the hybrid were right next to him.

"Oh, thank goodness," Grian sighed. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Is Tommy hurt?"

No, we're okay, we're okay. Are you guys hurt?

"Had a rough fall," Grian admitted. "I'm mostly okay, just aching all over. Dream took the brunt of the damage."

Yeah, they're fine, hang on a second. Grian guessed Techno was talking to Tommy, so he didn't reply to that one.

Can you tell where you are?

"Not sure," Grian answered. "There's a lot of rock here, but that's it. We haven't gone exploring or anything yet." He looked around. "It's a pretty big space."

"Ask him what he thinks caused the split," Dream muttered weakly.

Grian relayed the question and Techno paused, probably thinking it over. That was no accident, he said after a moment. The ground sealed back up behind you. You can't even tell the difference from up here. Grian watched in his mind's eye as Techno stood and started pacing. Okay. You guys see if you can find a way up, we'll keep goin' here. He paused, then winced. No, Tommy, we're not leavin' them. We're trustin' that they can find their own way out while we continue searchin' for Phil. They're both plenty capable.

Grian smiled softly, a little touched.

Tommy was clearly still complaining, because Techno sighed and stopped pacing. The two of them are perfectly capable of takin' care of themselves. There was a silence. Do you think I want to leave Grian trapped underground? The answer's no. I don't. But I'm also aware that we've got a mission of our own to finish.

"We'll be okay," Grian murmured to him, but he didn't think Techno was listening anymore.

A muted green glow brought Grian's attention to Dream. The admin still leaned against the wall, staring distantly down at the stone below him. The glow was coming from his half-open eyes. Glitches flickered over his body and face, scrapes and bruises and bleeding simply vanishing underneath the distortion, as if they never existed.

Finally, Dream shifted. His eyes opened fully. His breathing became more noticeable.

"Sorry," he sighed after a few more moments. "If the stupid fall had just killed me, that would have taken so much less time."

"Oddly enough? Not what I was concerned about." Grian tilted his head. "It's more the glitching not-death that just occurred."

"Get used to it," Dream muttered, wincing as he stood. 

Grian looked at him, unimpressed. "Wasn't the point of that whole thing for you to not be injured?"

"Phantom pains," Dream said in explanation. "Injuries are supposed to be there, so the brain is gonna think they are for a while."

"Whatever." Grian fluttered his wings experimentally. "Are we going to go look for a way out or not?"

Dream sighed, but it sounded more amused than anything else. "Lead the way."

Chapter Text

"If we hit another dead end, I'm fighting someone," Tommy declared. 

Techno hummed in acknowledgement as they turned into a narrow passageway. "There's no one around."

"You're around," Tommy pointed out. "I'll fight you."

Techno smiled. "You'd lose."

"Sure I would," Tommy mimicked his accent. "The Blade is no match for-" A piece of stone caught his foot and he couldn't catch his balance in time to avoid tumbling to the floor.

"You were sayin'?" Techno looked down at him. 

"Shut up, Techno," Tommy muttered.

"I can't say I've ever lost to the floor before," Techno said thoughtfully.

"I could beat the floor," Tommy insisted, rolling over to lay on his stomach. "It just caught me off guard this time, that's all."

"If you say so." Techno offered a hand to help Tommy to his feet, but the younger boy ignored it, choosing instead to lay flat on the stone.

"Ey, Tech," he said a second later. "Check this out." He brushed some rock dust off a series of divots in the floor. "It's got a design of some sort."

"What does?" Techno looked down at his hands. 

"Floor." Tommy sat up, continuing to brush away the dust. "Look, there's a whole bunch of 'em here."

"There's more than that," Techno murmured, looking at something Tommy couldn't see. He was too focused on getting every last speck of dust off of what was turning out to be a message of sorts. Finally, he took a deep breath, then blew hard on the letters. Dust flew away in a cloud and he coughed, waving it away from his face.

"This isn't a message," he said with an annoyed huff. "It's just gibberish."

Techno finally left whatever it was he'd been looking at and joined Tommy on the floor. His eyes traveled over the carefully carved symbols and widened slightly in recognition.

"Learn to read Legacy script, he said," he muttered, smiling. "It'll be handy one day, he said."

"Who said?" Tommy frowned. 

"Phil," Techno chuckled. "This is the same language as enchantin' table stuff. Phil's been tryin' to get me to learn it for nearly ten years now with his ancient-as-the-earth-itself textbooks."

"Why didn't you?"

"Oh, I did." Techno's eyes glinted with amusement. "I just didn't tell him cause it's funny when he tries to nag me about it."

"Oh." Tommy grinned back, then remembered the carved message. "You can read this, then?"

"Yeah. It says 'learn from the past'." 

Tommy frowned at the carving. "How far back are we talking here?"

"Maybe a couple hundred years?" Techno guessed. "No way to know for sure."

"Whatcha suppose it's talkin' about?" Tommy asked.

"I'd assume these pictures," Techno answered, looking back at the walls. Tommy followed his gaze. 

Carved into the cave walls were worn-down depictions of war. Armor-laden men rode horses across cracked and broken fields. Tommy moved to the next picture, eyes wide. This one boasted legions of avians, locked in battle high above the mounted soldiers. The next carvings showed similar scenes. Overworld hybrids, Nether hybrids, even an End hybrid here and there.

"What is this?" he breathed. 

"Some ancient battle," Techno murmured. "I don't recognize it."

"Don't you have, like, an entire forest's worth of history textbooks?" Tommy frowned. 

"Greek mythology is not reliable history," Techno said sternly. His expression turned thoughtful. "I do have some history books, though." He shook his head. "Anyway, no, I don't recognize any of these battles."

"So the floor wants us to learn from the past," Tommy summarized. He wrinkled his nose. "Never thought I'd be saying that."

Techno huffed in amusement.

"Alright!" Tommy pushed himself to his feet and strode confidently toward the door on the other side of the hall. "Let's go learn from some past!"

Techno rolled his eyes fondly, taking another look at the carvings before following.

The first room was simply furnished, and by that Tommy meant it wasn't furnished at all. In the center of the room was a pedestal, and a carving was etched across one wall. Other than that? Nothing.

Techno went over to the pedestal while Tommy examined the carving. It was another battle scene, or was about to be one. The two sides weren't moving, just standing across a valley from each other. He recognized one side as humans, mounted on huge horses, but he couldn't tell what the other side was.

"Tech?" he called, still gazing up at the carving. "What are these?"

Techno's mouth pressed into a concentrated line. "They look like... phantom hybrids? Those went extinct eons ago."

"Actual eons? Or is that a metaphor?" Tommy blinked at him.

"Metaphor. The last colony probably died out around..." Techno glanced at the ceiling in thought. "I think it would be three and a half thousand years ago?" He shook his head. "Phil would know."

"Because he's so old?" Tommy grinned wickedly. 

"Yes, Tommy." Techno patted him on the head. "Because he's so old." His gaze grew distant. "This battle must have happened hundreds of centuries ago, for there to be so many of them."

"What did you find on the pedestal?" Tommy asked, looking over at the rectangular structure.

"These." Techno opened his hand to show two small stone crowns. "The pedestal has a grid on it, but there wasn't anything indicating what kind of grid it was."

Tommy led the way back to the pedestal. "Any guesses?"

"Looks a little like a strategy map," Techno shrugged. "Battle tactics could have been planned out on a grid like this."

"So maybe the crown thingies are supposed to go here?" Tommy snatched them from Techno's hand, ignoring the piglin's indignant look. He carefully placed them on the grid, one next to the other, then waved his hands like he was waiting for a dramatic reveal.

Nothing happened.

"That's... exactly where I got 'em from, Tommy," Techno said slowly. "I think they go in certain places, then that'll trigger somethin'."

"Clearly, Blade," Tommy said in an overexaggerated version of Techno's drawling accent. "I was just testin' to see what would happen if we put 'em back there."

Technoblade did not look impressed.

"Fine, you do it," Tommy said, throwing the crowns at him. 

The hybrid startled as his hands flew up to catch them. "The whole point of this conversation was that I don't know where they go, either," he said evenly.

Tommy frowned. "Could just go putting them in random places," he said dubiously.

"That would take forever," Techno said with a shake of his head. "There's gotta be somethin' here we can use."

"There are literally zero anythings in this room except this pedestal and that carving," Tommy pointed out.

"Then let's look at the carvin'," Techno said.

A thought occurred to Tommy. "Hey, you said that grid could be a strategy map?"

Techno frowned. "Yeah?"

Tommy ran back to the carving. "What positions would these guys be in on that map?"

Techno understood immediately. "They'd be here and here," he said, sweeping his hands across two areas on the grid. "But if you're on the right track, I'd guess that these crowns represent the opposin' generals."

"Where are those?" Tommy looked at the two sides, but didn't see anything that might distinguish the leaders.

"We're lookin' for capes with the humans, but I'm not familiar with phantom culture." Techno pointed at the human on the biggest horse. "I think this is him."

The human did have a grand cape flowing behind him and an ornate saddle and bridle. Tommy wouldn't admit it, but he was a little impressed by the detail etched into the stone. This must have taken ages. 

"The phantoms aren't lookin' at anyone for orders in this scene, either..." Techno murmured.

"Who's the human looking at?"

"Uh..." Techno followed the human leader's gaze with his own. "This guy." He tapped the stone.

"Let's try that, then." Tommy returned to the pedestal. He paused. "Where are the big guys on this thing?"

"They would be here" —Techno placed the crowns on their respective squares— "and here."

A rumble turned their attention to the opposite wall, where the stone spilled away to reveal another door.

"Yes!" Tommy pumped his fist. "I'm so smart." He beamed up at Techno, who looked amused but... maybe a little proud? 

The hybrid patted Tommy's head and moved closer to the door. "This one's got some writin' on it, too," he observed. "Doesn't look like a hint, though."

"What does it say?" Tommy asked.

"Silence." Techno's fingers brushed across the writing. "Wonder what that means."

"It means bein' quiet, Technoblade." Tommy looked imperiously up at him. "You gotta stop talkin' for once, if you think you can manage it."

Techno rolled his eyes. "Brat."

"You love me." Tommy grabbed Techno's arm and slung it around his shoulders.

Techno grunted, but didn't take his arm back.

Chapter Text

Grian hovered several meters above the ground, feeling the air swishing around his wings in the small area. He and Dream had searched most of the cave they'd fallen in, but there hadn't been any sort of passageways or exits they could find save for one. Leaving Dream to look at the last wall, Grian had decided to move on. Not that he was getting very far, with how dark everything was.

"I don't suppose you have a magic light or anything, do you?" he called back into the first cave, a slight bitterness in his tone.

"Who do you take me for?" Dream's amused voice echoed back. "I'm not a flashlight."

"Come over here and do your summon-y thing. That makes light."

"Alright." 

Dream appeared a moment later, looking up at Grian. "Can't promise it'll reach up there."

"Get me a torch, then," Grian retorted.

Dream tilted his head with a slight smile. "I hadn't thought of that."

Grian dropped down to the ground. "Torch."

Dream chuckled, but complied. A green flash lit up the cave and he handed the burning branch to Grian.

"How is it already on fire?" Grian murmured curiously, taking the torch.

"Dunno." Dream summoned a torch of his own. "Nothing in the first area. You looked at the floor-level walls here yet?"

"Barely. Didn't see anything at first glance." Grian motioned up with one wing. "There may be some way out up there, though."

"I'll keep looking down here, just in case." 

Grian returned to the air, resuming his scan of the walls. With a torch, the search went much faster, and soon he had covered a good chunk of the cave.

Finally, he came upon a split in the stone that was easily big enough to fit several people. 

"This used to be a tunnel of some sort," he mused.

"What?" Dream called from below. 

"I found something," Grian answered. "Gonna check it out real quick."

"'Kay." 

Grian ducked into the tunnel, landing on the stone pathway but leaving his wings open behind him. 

The tunnel soon began to narrow, but Grian could see far enough to guess that it led somewhere. He returned to the cave, briefly explaining what he'd found. 

"I guess that's where we're going, then," Dream said. 

"Can you even get up here?" Grian settled on the edge of the tunnel, his legs swinging over the edge. 

"Guess we'll find out," Dream answered, surveying the wall. "I mean... probably?"

Grian shrugged. "I don't care how you get up here, just come on."

Dream nodded reasonably, then started scaling the cave wall.

"If you fall and give us a whole other setback, I'm gonna be irritated," Grian warned.

"We wouldn't want that," Dream huffed sarcastically, but he moved a bit more carefully. Finally, he pulled himself into the tunnel. "Good find."

"Save the compliments." 

Grian did his best to keep track of their direction as they traversed the winding tunnel. The cold, dark stone pressed in around them and Grian's wings twitched uncomfortably.

"Don't like tight spaces?" Dream guessed. 

"Wings make it harder to get through," Grian corrected. "But I'm not claustrophobic."

"I see." Dream peered further into the tunnel. "How are the others doing?"

"I'll check," Grian said, annoyed that he hadn't thought of that. He cast his senses up to Techno, hoping that the hybrid would notice him.

Hey, Grian. Techno's awareness settled over Grian like a blanket. How are you guys doin'?

"We're alright so far," Grian answered, shoulders lowering in slight relief. He'd been worried for a minute that the two would be too busy to notice, or maybe too hurt. "You?"

No problems up here.

Grian nodded a few times, even though Techno couldn't see him. "We're working on finding a way up. Where are you guys?"

I don't know where we are in relation to you two, but we're about half a day's travel northwest from where you fell. We just continued down the path.

"Any troubles?"

Just a puzzle hall of some sort. It's interestin'. Tommy's doin' great with solvin' some of the puzzles, but it's weird they're here in the first place. Someone built this, a long time ago.

"How long?"

Dunno. Old enough that there are carvings of phantom hybrids here.

"I don't know how old those are," Grian pointed out. 

Old.

Grian looked around the cave. "Anyway. We got turned around during the fall, so I have no idea whether we're getting closer or further from you."

You're sort of goin' at an angle. A little closer, but not an efficient path. Techno paused. Just focus on gettin' out, for now. You can catch up once you're up here on the surface.

"Okay," Grian exhaled. "Tell Tommy hi for me."

Tommy, Grian says hi. Another pause. He says hi back. Enthusiastically.

"Wouldn't expect anything different," Grian said with a fond smile, his wings ruffling up behind him. A frown of concern crossed his face. "You two stay safe, okay?"

I don't think we're the ones you need to worry about, Techno murmured. But you too.

"You've got Tommy."

You've got Dream. 

"That just makes things more difficult."

Techno barked a laugh. But you'll be safe. 

Grian looked at the ground with a smile. "Yeah. See you soon, Tech."

Let's hope.

Grian pulled his senses back to the tunnel as it sloped upward into a cavern so large that Grian could see the other end.

"That's impressive," Dream murmured. 

"We're gonna get lost," Grian predicted. 

"Relax." Dream waved a dismissive hand. "We'll be fine. Plus, Phil was great with directions, so that might be an avian thing."

"Hm." Grian's mouth pressed into a line. "I know he was, but that's no indicator that I am."

"Let's just get going and see where we end up. Which way is Techno?" 

Grian quickly cast his senses over to check. "This way."

The rock was uneven under their feet and several times Grian had to flare his wings to keep from falling. Even with the torches, it was dark, and the little light they did have flickered pitifully against the thick blackness of the cavern. The dark was starting to get to Grian, but he didn't want to admit it. Especially not to Dream. Really, it was probably because of the darkness that Dream hadn't noticed yet. 

At least that was one upside in all of this.

Chapter Text

The second room went extremely well.

In other words, they got attacked as soon as they entered.

"What was that?" Tommy asked as Techno's sword slashed through what looked like a blue gale of particle-filled wind. Ineffectively, it seemed.

"How would I know?" Techno shot back as two more of the things swirled around them. "Quit talkin', I'm tryin' to focus."

Tommy huffed, his own sword in his hand. "I can fight just as well as you."

Techno raised one eyebrow, saying nothing.

"Shut up, Technoblade," Tommy muttered.

Techno grinned. "Didn't say anythin'."

Another blue ghostlike spiral of wind swept down toward them and Techno whipped around, holding up his cape as a shield. It dispersed into nothing and Techno turned back to Tommy, cloak fluttering in the leftover breeze.

"So, whatcha think we're supposed to do in this room?"

"I dunno," Tommy answered. "Let's look around."

"Stay close until these things stop comin'," Techno instructed, slashing through two more gales.

"How am I supposed to look around?" Tommy asked.

"I'm comin' with you, genius," Techno answered.

"Hmph." Tommy crossed his arms and didn't speak, instead carefully examining his surroundings like the helpful man he was. Techno was quiet as well, saving his focus for their enemies. After a moment, Tommy stopped hearing sounds of rushing air and looked back. Sure enough, the wind thingies were gone.

As he looked back toward the far wall, he couldn't help notice that the atmosphere was much calmer, almost as if...

"Do you think that weird wind or whatever it was affected the room?"

The air turned cold as a sweeping gust of wind blew Tommy against the wall. His back crashed against the stone and a yelp of pain escaped him. Techno's head shot over to him, a flash of worry on his face, but it was gone as soon as it had come.

"You alright?" he asked gruffly, kneeling next to Tommy and helping him up.

"'M fine," Tommy grimaced. "Pathetic wall got nothing on me."

The air cooled further and Techno pulled Tommy closer, shielding them both as another howling gust of wind billowed Techno's cape and caused Tommy's hair to fly into his eyes.

"Don't talk!" Techno's voice lowered as realization hit him. "The door said 'silence', remember?"

Another blast of formless mist blew toward them, scattering as it hit.

Tommy held up a hand, trying to catch his breath, then waited as the air warmed again. He nodded slowly, then beckoned for Techno to follow him and pointed at a button he'd spotted.

Techno shrugged, which Tommy decided meant 'sure, why not'. He pushed the button. Nothing happened.

Techno tapped his shoulder and pointed to two more buttons on the opposite wall. 

Tommy opened his mouth to ask what order they should try, but Techno put his palm over his mouth. Tommy frowned and tried to bite his hand. Techno swatted his head and let him go, moving over to the opposite wall.

Tommy turned back to his own button. Halfway there, something caught his eye and he paused. There was a small cleft in the stone a little ways away, with what looked like another carving along the sides and back of it.

Tommy grabbed a pebble off the floor and threw it at Techno's head to get his attention. Techno turned, an annoyed look on his face. Tommy grinned brightly, then pointed to the carving.

Techno's eyebrows rose in interest and he joined Tommy to examine it. Tommy hoped Techno was getting more out of this than he was. The pattern of dots and soldier figures wasn't making any sense to him. Leaving Techno to figure out the significance, Tommy entertained himself by trying to figure out the species of each little soldier. That one was a human. Avian. Phantom hybrid. Another human. No, wait, fox hybrid. Ooh, those were neat. Merling? Tommy wasn't sure, he'd never seen one, but he guessed that this was what they looked like. Another avian. Blaze hybrid. Was that one an enderman hybrid? Neat.

Techno tapped his shoulder and gestured with his head for Tommy to follow him. They reached Tommy's button and Techno brushed his hands over the wall next to it as if looking for something. Finally, he nodded to himself and pressed against the stone until a piece of it cracked and fell away, exposing another button. Tommy's eyes widened and he looked up at the hybrid. Techno pointed to Tommy's first button and held up one finger, then pointed to the second and held up two. Tommy nodded, watching as Techno returned to his own buttons and pressed one. He looked at Tommy and held up two fingers. Tommy glanced at his buttons and pushed the second one. He was doing such a great job. He looked back at Techno for instruction. Techno lowered one finger and Tommy pushed the first button. Techno pressed his last button and the wall rumbled, lowering to reveal another door. Tommy stepped forward, reaching for the handle—if you could call the weird twisty bit a handle—and tugged.

Nothing happened.

He tried again. Still nothing.

Tommy turned to Techno and tilted his head, confusion written on his face.

Techno frowned and looked up at the door. Without a word, he retraced his steps to the carving. He crouched, studying the wall again. A beat passed. Then another. His posture changed.

Tommy could see the realization hit. Techno’s eyes widened a fraction and he let out a low breath, seemingly understanding something.

The hybrid stood, brushed off his hands, and walked straight to the far back corner of the room. He pressed one hand to the stone, then another. Something clicked.

A faint mechanical thunk echoed through the space.

Back at the door, Tommy gave the handle another try—and this time, it turned easily beneath his grip. The door creaked open with a soft rush of stale air.

He grinned. “We’re geniuses.”

Techno snorted behind him. “Took us long enough.”

Chapter Text

Grian was liking this underground cavern less and less the longer they were down here. The air was damp and thick, dust flaking from the ceilings and getting stuck in his feathers. The sun had become a thing of the past, and the walls were too far away to be lit by the torches he and Dream held.

"This place is huge," he muttered, mostly to himself, but Dream hummed agreement.

"You think we should split up and look around or stick together?" the admin asked.

"I dunno." Grian peered into the darkness. "It would be hard for one person to see if something happened to the other."

"Aww, you worried about me?" Dream teased with a smile.

"Logic, idiot," Grian shot back with an eye roll. "Come on."

Dream huffed in amusement, but followed as Grian ventured further into the cavern. The air began to clear as they traveled and Grian wondered if he was imagining the fresher smell.

"That looks promising," he commented after several minutes had passed, pointing out a sloping ledge with a flicker of light at the top. Grian's wings lifted eagerly and he flew upwards, examining the source of the light. He grabbed the rocks surrounding the gap and poked his head through, smelling the fresh air

"That's sunlight!" he exclaimed, momentarily forgetting his dislike as he beamed down at Dream. "We're actually close to the surface!"

"How big is the gap?" Dream called back.

"Big enough for us to get through easy, we just gotta get past these rocks here..." Grian examined the stone. "There's some..." Realization hit and he shoved away from the stone cliff like the rocks had burned him, hovering in the air a little ways away.

"What's wrong?" Dream asked.

"Those crystals," Grian said. "The stuff Tommy touched before he forgot all that stuff. It's all over the walls here."

"Did you touch it?"

"Yeah, for a couple moments."

"Alright, come back down for a moment," Dream said.

Grian touched down next to him, a little concerned. "If the crystals made me forget stuff, I don't think I would know," he said. Then he paused. "Maybe you would. Am I acting different?"

"You seem fine to me," Dream said. "I doubt it had much negative emotion to pull from you. Little ray of sunshine you are."

Grian made a face. "Hooray?"

"Alright, so those crystals are in the way," Dream mused. "Wonder if they're blast-proof."

"If they're what?" Grian looked at him warily.

"Blast-proof," Dream repeated with a grin. He raised one hand toward the crystals, looking up his arm as if aiming a crossbow. 

Grian's wings pulled closer to his body as the air tightened and pressure built up around him. "What are you doing?"

"Clearing us a path," Dream answered, one eye closed.

"That answers nothing-" Grian protested, right before the pressure all released in one explosive blast and shards of blue crystal tumbled from the shuddering walls. Dream pulled him back as a stalactite stabbed the ground, shattering into razor-thin shards that cut his wings and skin.

"What the heck was that?" he exclaimed. 

Dream didn't answer, shielding his eyes as the dust settled. "Looks like the path's open now. Want to check it out?"

Grian spread his wings and leaped into the air. Sure enough, the blue crystals had been blown off the rock, leaving a gaping hole at the top of the slope.

"Well, that worked," he said. "Come on up?"

Dream nodded, making his way up the slope, and led the way through the jagged hole in the stone. Grian followed, covering his eyes as the sun nearly blinded him. His wings opened slightly as his eyes adjusted to the light and he breathed in the soft air with a sigh of relief.

"Man, I did not like that," he said, shaking the dust from his wings as best he could. "Underground spaces. Can't fly much down there."

"Let's see if we can figure out where we are," Dream said, peering off into the distance. "Which way are Techno and Tommy?"

Grian focused on Tommy. "That way," he answered, pointing north with one wing.

"Can you tell how far?"

"Maybe..." Grian pressed his mouth into a line. "Two hours? Three?"

"So, not too far," Dream concluded. 

"I don't think so," Grian said, pleased. "We should be able to catch up by sunset if we're fast."

Dream nodded, then took a breath and began making his way down the path. 

Chapter Text

Tommy had stopped talking five minutes ago, and that's how Technoblade knew something was wrong. It wasn't that talking had consequences. They had spoken when they entered the room and nothing had happened. The kid just looked... Techno didn't really know how to describe it. Depressed?

"You okay, kid?" he asked gruffly.

Tommy blinked, seeming to just notice him. "Yeah, 'm fine."

"Doesn't look like it," Techno said flatly.

"Yeah, well..." Tommy shrugged. 

"Wanna talk about it?" Techno tried.

"Nope!" Tommy increased his pace, a bounce in his step. "Let's figure out this puzzle!"

"There's two murals this time," Techno observed, letting the moment pass.

"This one's a lot more violent," Tommy remarked, looking at one of them. Techno caught up and looked over his shoulder. The first engraving was of two armies, facing off against each other. Techno squinted at the two species, options running through his head as to what they could be. Phil would know.

He shook his head and moved to the second carving. This one looked almost exactly the same, except almost all of the soldiers had fallen where they stood. 

"Why are these guys all dead?" Tommy frowned, pointing at the second carving. "They didn't even fight, they're in the same spots."

"Dunno," Techno said slowly. "Maybe that's what we're supposed to figure out?"

"Could have something to do with the floor over there," Tommy guessed, pointing to the far half of the room. "That looks like a jungle temple trap waiting to happen."

"Have you even been to one of those?" Techno frowned at him.

"You have books, I read books," Tommy said. "Knowledge is power, big man."

"You're right, though," Techno mused. "Those do look like trapped tiles."

"So maybe these carvings tell us which ones to go on?"

"Or which ones not to go on," Techno countered, pointing at the few soldiers still standing in the second engraving. "Look here. If you fit the positions of these... whatever they are... to the grid on the floor over there, all of these ones are dead, but you can follow the rest like a path."

"Okay, okay, you read them off to me row by row, and I'll go on the right tile and mark it so you can follow," Tommy said. 

"I don't think that's very safe," Techno said, shaking his head. "You read them out. I'll go."

"It's not any safer for you," Tommy argued. 

"Yeah, but I'll heal faster if somethin' goes wrong," Techno pointed out. "Plus, Technoblade never dies."

"Whatever." Tommy moved to the soldiers. "Okay, going from the back... left." Techno could see him counting soldiers. "Fourth one is good."

Techno gingerly put his foot down on the correct tile. Nothing happened. 

"Okay, next?" he called. 

"Next, okay..." Tommy paused again. "Fifth?"

"I would like you to sound more certain of that," Techno said wryly. 

"Yeah, fifth. This guy's in this line," Tommy said.

"Next."

"Third."

"Bit of a jump."

"You poor pig."

"Don't patronize me, I can jump just fine."

"Stop complaining, then," Tommy grinned. "Fourth is next."

Techno's head shot up as a loud SNAP broke through the still air and his arm shot up to shield his face. Pain stabbed his forearm as an arrow slammed into his skin and he sucked air in through his teeth, taking several deep breaths.

"Not fourth!" Tommy yelped. "Wait, which one, then? There's only one alive in this row!"

"Count again," Techno grimaced, gritting his teeth and pulling the arrow from his arm in one swift movement. He wrapped a cloth tightly around the wound, pulling it taut with his teeth and turning back to look at Tommy. 

"It's four," Tommy protested, sounding confused. "Come over here."

Techno glanced at the shards of stone he'd placed on each of the safe tiles to mark them, then made his way back over to the boy.

"Not four, five," he said after a moment. "Look at this guy, out here."

"Oh." Tommy looked disconcerted. "What's he doing all the way out there?"

"Dunno." Techno shrugged. "Ready to keep goin'?"

"Yeah." Tommy peered at the carving. "Six."

Two or three minutes later, Techno reached the door. "It's got another carvin' over here," he said. "This looks like one of the guys in the first mural. Big cape, crown, staff, any of that look familiar?"

"Yeah, this guy's got a cape and- oh, no, no staff. Or crown."

"I think it was on the right side?" Techno guessed.

"Oh, yeah, here he is."

"He alive or dead?" Techno asked, looking at the switch on the door.

"He's good."

"What does that mean?"

"Alive."

Techno pushed the switch into the upward facing position, then clicked the button next to it. The door made a sound of scraping stone and opened, letting in a spill of sunlight so bright that Techno had to cover his eyes for a few seconds.

"I'm coming!" Tommy said cheerily, appearing at Techno's side a few seconds later. "I like the sun, sun is nice."

"Mhm." Techno only half paid attention to what the kid was saying at this point. His eyes traveled over the broken terrain ahead of them.

"Who do you think used to live here?" Tommy wondered aloud, looking up at the towering arches and hanging vines.

"Dunno, but it's kinda beautiful." Techno looked down just in time to see Tommy stumble back.

"You good?" he asked, concerned. 

"Just... almost tripped over that blue stuff. It's all over the place over here," Tommy muttered.

Techno joined him where the floor dipped down, his eyes scanning the crystals, then noticed a mossy stone bench. "Let's take a break for a moment."

Tommy sat down next to him, and that dull sort of look was back in his eyes.

"Hey, you okay? For real?" Techno pressed.

"I'm fine, Tech," Tommy snapped.

Techno decided to try a new method and just leaned back on the bench, waiting. Maybe if the kid could work out his thoughts, he'd be willing to talk. That was good for mental health, right? Figuring out what's going on in your head. Yeah, something like that.

Finally, Tommy sighed. "It's... Dream again."

"What do you mean?" Techno asked, secretly a little proud his idea had worked.

"It's just a little scary not knowing where he is. It's the same thing as when I was living with you, sort of."

Techno hummed acknowledgement.

"I mean, I don't think he means any harm this time, but they're- he's- still out trying to find us. Trying to find me." Tommy pressed his mouth into a thin line. "It's too similar."

"Well, you don't have to worry about anything happening when I'm here," Techno promised, putting one arm across Tommy's shoulders. He was so good at this supportive thing.

Tommy was quiet for a moment, and Techno could sense that he was struggling with his next words.

"Is it..." 

Techno waited patiently.

Tommy took a deep breath. "Is it wrong if I... want him to find us?" he whispered.

"What do you mean?" Techno murmured gently.

"I got so tired of running," Tommy admitted. "Always being on edge was hard. I just want him to be here so I don't have to always be looking over my shoulder."

"I get it." Techno exhaled and looked up at the sky. "Know your enemy."

"It's not even that he's done anything worth being enemies over in this specific little... adventure thing, or whatever we're on," Tommy continued. "It just brings up bad memories, having him trying to find me but not here." His voice dropped to a near whisper. "At least I knew what would happen when I was in Exile," he mumbled. "Being on the run was worse."

Techno's heart hurt for the kid, but he took a breath and pulled himself together. "We're not running or hiding now," he said, as soothingly as he could manage. He didn't think that was much, but it seemed to be enough for Tommy. The boy let out a long sigh, burying his face in Techno's cape.

"I'm tired of being afraid," he whispered, his voice cracking in a way that tore Techno to pieces inside.

"Shh, you're okay," Techno said softly, biting back a growl of fury at anything that had made Tommy this way. There were priorities. Focus on being a comforting figure now, rip Dream to shreds later.

Good checklist.

Chapter Text

The ruins were an hour behind them, and the loss of cover wasn't the only thing making Tommy nervous. There was a sense of something in the air, some tension or foreboding or whatever, and he could tell it bothered Techno, too.

"Can you tell if there's anything following us?" he murmured after a minute. 

Techno shook his head. "Only works on specific targets," he said. 

"Something's following us," Tommy insisted. "I swear there's something. Or someone, maybe. I know what being hunted feels like!" he added when Techno still looked doubtful. "I promise there's something here."

"Well." Techno unsheathed his sword, letting it hang loosely in his hand. "I trust you."

Tommy paused, something warm in his heart, but it quickly turned cold as a shape flew over his head and slammed into Techno with a sharp SNAP of fangs on metal. Technoblade flung the wolf away with his sword, taking a protective stance next to Tommy.

"Look at that thing," Tommy breathed. The creature was larger than any wolf he'd seen, but that wasn't the notable part. The beast's eyes were glowing ocean blue, blue tears leaking from its eyes.

"That's a blue crystal infection for sure," Techno murmured. "Try not to touch it. We don't know how that stuff transfers."

"Infection?!" Tommy's eyes widened. "I thought this was just a 'touch it, lose your memories' thing!" 

"That thing's lost more than its memories," Techno said grimly as the wolf launched itself at them again. "I doubt it's got much survival instinct anymore, or it wouldn't have attacked two armed humans alone."

A chorus of soft growls began to rise from the cliffs around them.

"Uh... Techno?" Tommy whispered.

"Look for any sort of cleft in the rock where we can get cover," Techno said tensely. "I'm gonna try to contact Grian."

Tommy scanned the rock face, spotting a section where the cliff curved to the side, making a wide sort of corner. 

"There's no hiding place, but that corner will at least protect us on those two sides," he reported.

"Yeah, just hurry," Techno said. Tommy assumed he was talking to Grian. He grabbed Techno's free hand and they backed toward the corner as blue-eyed wolves stalked closer.

Techno's sword slashed at a leaping wolf and a spray of glistening blue splattered across the stone. The other wolves howled in anger and rushed all together, sending Techno several steps back as he swung his weapon in a wide arc, driving them back.

"They bleed blue," Tommy said disbelievingly. "Why is the blood not red?"

"Infection," Techno answered, his focus on the wolves. "They're not really wolves anymore."

"How did they get like that?" Tommy's breaths sped up, fear prickling down his back. Had he touched the blue stuff for too long last time? Was he going to turn into one of these?

"Too much exposure, I think," Techno guessed, fighting off another three of the beasts. Tommy tightened his grip on his own sword, swinging at any of the wolves that came too close.

"Techno! Above you!" Tommy yelled, spotting a wolf lunging down from the rocks above. Techno twisted around, his blade cutting into the creature, but in that motion a wolf broke past him, heading for Tommy. Then another. Then another.

"Tech, I can't fight all these!" Tommy cried, swinging his sword as the creatures converged on him. He could see Techno cutting a path through the glowing eyed wolves, but he wasn't going to get there before one of these things tore Tommy to pieces.

"Tommy, hang on!" Techno shouted, pushing closer. Tommy backed up against the cliff face, pointing his sword at the wolves. One lunged forward and he swung at it, sending it scrabbling back with a cut across its snout. He darted forward, stabbing it in the side, then jerked back as a hand touched his shoulder. A firm but gentle touch moved him back as a black blade tore into the wolves. Tommy's heart twisted in fear and his hands went slack. Black sword. Green hoodie. 

Dream.

"Tommy, snap out of it," Dream said shortly. "You need to be able to defend yourself if one of these gets past me."

Tommy barely heard his words. "They won't," he mumbled, stepping back until his hands touched the stone behind him. He slid down, his back against the rock, his eyes seeing a vague outline of the scene in front of him.

Dream said something else, and then Grian was beside Tommy, wrapping his wings around them both. 

"How're you doing, Toms?" Grian asked.

"I dunno," Tommy answered. "Dunno what I'm thinking yet."

"I know things are confusing between you and him, but we can talk about it later, okay?" Grian's hands closed around Tommy's. "We need you here."

"Why am I relieved, Grian?" Tommy managed. "Why am I glad he's here?"

Grian's wings lowered. "He did save you."

"You know what I mean," Tommy pressed. "Why do I feel safe when that awful person is around me? What kind of messed up game am I falling into? Grian, what's wrong with me?"

Grian's wings tightened, pulling Tommy into a hug. 

"Nothing, nothing is wrong with you," Grian promised. "You're still working out what you think, and that's okay. Just take your time. They've got it."

"Techno's got it," Tommy said, mostly to himself. "Techno won't let anything happen."

"That's right." Grian shifted so that he sat next to Tommy, leaning away from the rock face so he didn't crush his wings. "You're safe."

Tommy closed his eyes, even as the sounds of growling wolves and fighting rang out above him.

He forced his breathing to slow. One breath at a time. One moment at a time. 

And then the sounds became quiet, and he opened his eyes to see Techno and Dream discussing something in low tones. Grian's wing was still wrapped around his shoulder, but the avian's eyes were on the two adults.

"What were those wolf things?" Tommy asked him. 

"I don't know," Grian answered. "They had the same eyes as your ghost friend. That concerned me."

"Do you think Ghostbur was infected?" Tommy's breath caught.

"No, probably not." Grian shook his head. "He isn't savage or thoughtless at all, not like these things. Scatterbrained, sure, but not savage." He paused, thinking. "I would imagine a human soul has much more intelligence for the crystal to override."

"I guess so." Tommy took a deep breath, then stood. Just keep moving, he told himself. Phil was the objective right now.

They were gonna find Phil. And now that they were back together, nothing would stop them.

Chapter Text

"It was a good thing you guys got here when you did," Techno said under his breath to Dream. "I don't know how long I could have held off those things."

"What are they?" Dream murmured back. "I've never seen anything like that before."

"Some sort of infection," Techno guessed. "Too much of that blue crystal stuff got into their system, but I'm not sure how that would happen."

"I guess they wouldn't know to stay away from it." Dream moved to kneel beside a dead wolf, examining it carefully. "This doesn't even look like blood."

"It's shimmerin' too much," Techno agreed. "Maybe the crystal got in an open wound?"

"If one wolf ended up like this, it could have infected others," Dream mused. "Body fluid transmission. All one has to do is bite something else to get the infection in their bloodstream."

"They didn't bite any of us, did they?" Techno asked.

"Not me." Dream glanced over at Grian and Tommy, still sitting next to the cliff. "And I don't think I should be the one to ask them."

"Tommy! Grian!" Techno called. Both boys looked up. "Any of you get bit or scratched?" They both shook their heads and Techno nodded, turning back to Dream. "That's one less thing to worry about."

"How did things go up here?" Dream asked.

"Went fine, for the most part. There was a whole set of old hallways and rooms, and they each had a stone carvin' that told you what to do to get through each door. Was definitely built by some civilization back in the day."

"Interesting." Dream looked thoughtful.

"What about you?" Techno asked. "How'd things go down there?"

"We didn't have any issues after the fall."

"After?"

"Well, Grian was being an idiot and wouldn't let me cut the net off his wings." Dream sighed. "I was able to shield him from the fall but it beat me up pretty bad. Took forever to kill me, but once that was over with we were back on track and things went smoothly from there."

"You shielded him?" Techno frowned.

"I'm not heartless," Dream said, raising his eyebrows. At Techno's skeptical look, he let out a huff of amusement and turned his gaze back to the wolf. "And he's useful."

"That's more what I expected."

"Things would have gone so much quicker if your all-powerful death lady actually let the fall kill me instead of it taking ten freaking minutes," Dream said, the last words aimed up at the sky.

"Hm, sounds like she doesn't like you too much." Techno hummed innocently. "Wonder why?"

"Let the past be the past," Dream muttered.

"No, I don't think I will," Techno retorted, his voice quiet but sharp. "You and I are talking later, about that kid."

"Who, Grian?" Dream didn't look away from the wolf.

"You know who I'm talking about," Techno snarled under his breath, leaning down to Dream's level. "You know exactly who I'm talking about."

"Techno, calm down," Dream said wearily.

"Don't tell me to calm down," Techno snapped, standing. "And I didn't say we had to have that discussion now. But I swear, if you touch that child one more time..."

"Yeah, yeah. Death, dismemberment, all of the above, got it." Dream sighed. "Was there anything else?"

Techno paused, letting his frustration settle, then let out a breath. "Thanks," he said quietly. "For saving him when I couldn't."

Dream looked a little surprised. He paused, as if about to speak, then changed his mind. A soft smile crossed his face as he turned back to the wolf.

***

"Well, you're alive." Tommy flopped back against the stone. "Got a new best friend?"

Grian snorted. "No."

"Oh come on, this is the part where you tell me about how he dramatically threw himself in front of a falling stalactite to save you and you both lived happily ever after."

Grian blinked.

"That... didn't actually happen, did it?" Tommy asked.

"Well..." Grian's wings shook out behind him, then folded behind his back. "He did save me at one point."

"When?"

"Shielded me from a fall," Grian mumbled. "When we first fell, there was a net on my wings. He kept trying to get it off but I wouldn't let him get close. I was kind of panicking, and I didn't- don't- trust him."

"Mood," Tommy said. "But like, Dream actually did something selfless? Without a five minute monologue on how great he is?"

"I doubt it was selfless," Grian pointed out. "I'm probably useful."

"Ah, right. My mistake." Tommy huffed in wry amusement. "I forgot how sentimental he gets."

"You would have loved it," Grian said. "He was very bruised and broken for like ten minutes."

"Woulda kicked him a few times," Tommy muttered.

"I mean, I threw a rock at his head," Grian offered.

Tommy nodded approval, and the two were silent for a few seconds.

"I really don't like that guy," Grian sighed.

"Welcome to the club," Tommy said with a weary grin. "Membership benefits include emotional suppression and a constant fear for your life."

Grian snorted a laugh. "Do I get a badge?"

"You have to get killed by him at least once to earn that." Tommy's voice turned bitter.

Grian tucked one wing around Tommy's back and let the younger boy lean against his shoulder.

"This'll be over eventually," he said quietly. "All of the confusion and fear and stuff. It won't last forever. Sooner or later, on your terms or his, it's gonna end somehow."

"Yeah, but what if the end is what kills me for the last time?" Tommy said, voice trembling. "I don't even know if that's what he wants."

"I don't think so." Grian let out a breath. "It would be nice to know, though."

"Sometimes knowing is harder," Tommy murmured.

"Yeah." Grian leaned his head down to rest on Tommy's.

They stayed that way for a while.

Chapter Text

A soft breeze ruffled Grian's hair as the group walked up the rock path. A cliff face loomed ahead of them, towering higher than the eye could see. Even Grian's eyes, and that was saying something.

"Where are we supposed to go from here?" Tommy wondered aloud, frowning.

"Techno, which way is Phil?" Dream asked.

Techno looked perplexed. "Directly north." He motioned at the rock. "I would say that can't be right, but it's never wrong. Maybe he's on the other side?"

"Grian, can you fly around it?" Dream asked. "How big is that cliff?"

"I'll see," Grian said, spreading his wings. He lifted off the ground and soared alongside the rock face, beating his wings to rise above the rest of the cliffs. 

The air around him tugged at his wings as he flew higher, almost pulling him back down to the others. He ignored it and climbed higher. Still no sign of the clifftop, or any way around. He turned, angling his wings to glide around the cliff. 

The wind roared, picking up suddenly and flinging Grian back. He tried to right himself, but the gusts kept coming, spinning him head over heels.

"Grian!" 

Rough arms caught him and Grian looked up as Techno lowered him to the ground. 

"You okay, kid?"

"Yeah," Grian shook out his feathers, looking up. "There's no flying around that."

"Or over it?" Dream asked. 

"Nope."

"Hmm. There has to be a way around or through it, then." Dream narrowed his eyes at the cliff.

"Through that?" Techno looked doubtful. "There's got to be some secret passageway or something that we're missing."

Grian glanced at Tommy. "Any ideas?"

Tommy shook his head. "Nothing that I can think of." He hesitated. "Does anyone else hear... humming?"

Techno looked around. "Now that you mention it, yes."

"Oh!" A cheery voice drifted around them as Ghostbur materialized in front of them. "Hello!"

Tommy looked disappointed. "Hi."

"You're sad again," Ghostbur observed. "That makes sense."

"Why are you even here?" Tommy asked. "You said you didn't like it up here. Said it felt wrong."

"Oh, it does." Ghostbur shuddered, his form flickering. "But I felt like I should follow you, just to make sure you're okay, you know?"

Tommy frowned, but didn't argue. 

"You're a lot more sane than usual," Grian commented, somewhat wryly.

"Sanity isn't a factor here," Ghostbur huffed. "I've never been insane." He trailed off, something flickering in his eyes, then he shook his head and continued. "Just in more places than one. I'm making sacrifices here."

"Like what?" Tommy asked.

"Like coming this close to the really wrong vibes to keep an eye on you," Ghostbur supplied, drifting upside down. "And I don't even know why I feel the need to do that."

"Hm, well, neither do I." Tommy turned away, moving back up to the wall. "How do we get through this thing?"

"I just go through it," Ghostbur offered, disappearing into the stone to demonstrate. "But you can't do that."

"Nope," Tommy muttered. "Can you go inside and find us a way?"

"I can try!" Ghostbur disappeared back into the rock.

Tommy sighed and lowered himself to sit with his back to the cliff face. Grian joined him, tucking his wings at his sides so he wouldn't crush them against the stone.

"I'm fine, before you ask," Tommy said through an exhale. "Just frustrated."

Grian hummed acknowledgement. He could see Dream and Techno speaking in hushed voices out of earshot, but didn't care enough to listen in.

"Tommy, I don't think this is a good idea," Ghostbur whispered, appearing from the cliff. He drifted over to Tommy, putting the boy between him and the cliff. "There's someone here who shouldn't be, I can feel it."

"Is it Phil?" Grian asked.

Ghostbur shook his head, form fading until he was barely visible.

"Who, then?" Techno asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

"It's..." Ghostbur shut his eyes tight, seemingly unable to speak further. He shook his head again. "Can't."

Concern flickered across Tommy's face. "Ghostbur? Are you okay?"

"Can't tell," the ghost said apologetically, curling into a ball in the air. "Just so, so wrong. Shouldn't be here. Them or me."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Tommy frowned.

"I need to go," Ghostbur said quickly. "It's too wrong. I can't be here." His eyes shone blue. "I can feel it now. I can't be where he is."

"Where who is? Who are you talking about?" Tommy moved closer to Ghostbur, but the spectre disappeared before he could reach him.

"Tommy?" A faint voice came from off to their right, a voice Grian didn't recognize, but the others clearly did. Grian gripped Tommy's hand as the boy's face went white with shock.

"Wilbur?!" Dream exclaimed. "How are you here?"

"I feel like I should know you," the man murmured, squinting at Dream. "I should know all of you."

Grian looked at Tommy, who seemed to be trying to find words.

"Tommy." Wilbur repeated, more surely. "I know you." His voice softened. "I couldn't forget you."

Tommy tugged his hand free of Grian's and took a slow step forward. Grian let him go, concerned at the uncharacteristic silence. Tommy didn't speak, just kept moving until he reached the taller man, looking up at him with a mixture of expressions Grian couldn't interpret.

Wilbur looked concerned, reaching out one hand as if worried Tommy might fall. The younger boy grabbed his hand, pulling him into a tight hug and burying his face in Wilbur's shirt.

"Oh." A soft smile crossed Wilbur's face. "Hey, Toms." He gently rested his hand on Tommy's head.

"How are you here?" Dream asked warily. Grian glanced over at him.

"I don't know," Wilbur admitted. "I don't remember arriving."

"You came from the cliff area," Technoblade observed. "That means there's a passage there somewhere."

"Mhm." Wilbur didn't move his hand, but his head tilted toward a seemingly empty patch of stone. "There's an illusion there. Just put some pressure on the rock."

"An illusion wall." Techno sounded skeptical.

"Hey, it's not like you figured anything else out, considering you're still out here."

"I'll try." Grian stepped over to the wall, pressing his hands against the smooth stone. His eyes widened as his hands sank into the rock with a feeling of sand around his fingers. 

"This is really weird but he's right, you can push through here," he reported, shoving his shoulder into the rock. The rippling material closed over his head and he reached out, his hands breaking through into the open air on the other side. He pushed the rest of the way through the rock, stumbling as he made it out of the stone.

"Whoa, easy there." Someone's grip loosened around his wrist and he blinked at Wilbur's hand on his arm. "You're out, it's alright. No need to freak out. Did you not hear me tell you to hold your breath?"

"Uh... I guess not." Grian frowned. He didn't remember needing to hold his breath. Or panicking. 

"Hang on, here come the others." Wilbur turned back as Tommy and Techno appeared through the rock. 

"Grian, you good?" Tommy asked as he shook the rock dust off his hands. "Are avians claustrophobic or something?"

"I'm good, yeah." Grian tried to hide his confusion. "I don't think I'm usually claustrophobic, no, but... I dunno."

"Phil didn't like dark caves," Techno recalled. "It could be an avian thing." 

"I wouldn't know." Grian shrugged halfheartedly.

"Oh, is Phil here?" Wilbur frowned, his face falling as he registered Techno's words. "You said 'did'..."

"He's alive, but stuck somewhere," Techno said gruffly. "Injured, chained. We don't know how, or who, but we're going to find him."

"Oh." Wilbur's eyes crinkled. "How can I help?"

"Well, we've got to find where he's being held before we can do anything else."

"I might have an idea." Wilbur turned away from the wall they'd come through, looking out at the small cave. "Down that way is a tunnel, and on the other side is a huge open area. It's got some weird vibes going on. I've been avoiding it, since clearly there's something wrong going on there, but that might be where everything is happening."

"It's a good possibility," Dream said from where he leaned on the wall. Grian had forgotten he was there. "Techno, what do you think?"

"Phil's trail isn't coming from that way, so I dunno," Techno mused. "But again, it's just the direction he's in, not the path to get there."

"You can sense where he is?" Wilbur looked amazed. "How does that work?"

"Long story, not enough context," Techno said shortly. "We can try your place, but if that doesn't work we'll need to find another plan."

"You guys have a great time with that," Wilbur huffed in amusement. He laughed as Dream turned an accusatory glance towards him. "I said I avoided going there. That generally implies not going there, genius."

Dream chuckled. "If you say so." He glanced at Tommy. "You coming, kid?"

Tommy blinked, uncertainty in his gaze. "Do I have to?"

"Not if you don't want to," Techno said, shooting a look at Dream. "But we'd love your company."

"We don't know what's out there," Dream reminded him. 

"All the more reason for him to stay here," Techno returned. "It's up to the kid."

Tommy backed up a step. "I... I think I want to stay here with Wil."

Dream sighed. "Alright."

"As if it's your choice anyway, man." Wilbur spoke up. "Tommy doesn't need to ask for your permission to do stuff."

Dream smiled slightly. "That's true."

"Can we move on?" Techno sighed. "Grian, you coming or staying?"

"I think I'd better go with you," Grian said, nodding once. "Kristin wanted me to help you guys out."

"Perfect. Tommy, you sure you're okay staying back?" Techno asked, looking the younger boy in the eye. Tommy nodded, one hand holding his brother's.

"Alright." Techno beckoned to Grian. "Let's get moving, then."

Chapter Text

Tommy watched the group go, biting his lip. It felt odd not to be with them, but he did want some time with Wil. He shook his head, confused. None of this made sense.

"How are you here?" he asked, turning to Wilbur, his voice nearly a whisper. "You're dead."

"Was, I think," Wilbur murmured. "And the honest answer, I don't know. I don't know how I'm back here or who we're after or even who we're traveling with. I'm supposed to know them, sure, and I'm learning about them as we go, but I don't have nearly as much knowledge as I feel like I should."

"Do you remember..." Tommy forced the words out. "L'manberg? And everything?"

"You mean, do I remember losing myself in a battle for control and destroying the only thing I wanted from it?" Wilbur's voice was bitter. "Yes."

Tommy's heart clenched, and he couldn't tell if he wanted to back away or try to comfort his brother.

"Tommy?" Wilbur's voice was light, but there was a hint of worry in it. "Are you afraid of me?"

Oh.

"I..." He looked down. "I don't know. Maybe. I think I'm scared I'll mess up again. Everything went wrong last time, and I couldn't stop it. I guess I'm scared of the past repeating itself."

Wilbur turned, his eyes soft. "You think anything that happened was your fault?"

"Well..." Tommy couldn't speak further.

"Tommy." Wilbur sounded sad. "None of that was your fault."

"I couldn't stop you!" Tommy burst out. "Everything went too fast, and when it really mattered you were gone before I could fix it!"

"Oh, my sweet, sweet boy." Wilbur crossed the room in one motion and pulled Tommy into his arms. "Tommy, it wasn't your responsibility to take care of me."

"I wanted things to stay like they were," Tommy sniffed, tears coming to his eyes. "We were best friends, and L'manberg was just a fun idea, more of a joke than anything else." He laid his head on Wil's shoulder. "It was almost the same, sometimes, when you weren't too angry. Almost like it used to be."

"You had to be so strong, didn't you?" Wilbur took a step back and looked him in the eyes. "You were going through all of that right beside me, and I didn't take a moment to see it." He sighed. "You only ever got hurt. You should never have trusted me."

"You were the only person that cared," Tommy muttered. "Who else was I supposed to stick beside?"

"I should have cared so much more," Wilbur admitted, his gaze straying across the room. "You deserved more than what I could give. And then you kept giving me more and more chances, when you should have left."

"What else was I supposed to do?" Tommy blinked the tears from his eyes and looked desperately at his brother. "I don't care about all that, Wil! I just..." his voice broke. 

"You wanted someone to care."

"I wanted you to care." Tommy collapsed against the cave wall, sliding down so that he sat with his back against it, and leaned his head onto his arms. "I wanted it to be like Grian's server. He talks about it all the time. No wars, a good community, admins who don't try to blow up their players..."

Wilbur chuckled half-heartedly. "I guess we didn't end up with that, did we?"

Tommy sighed.

"Hey." Wilbur sat down next to him. "The world isn't over yet."

Tommy looked at him in confusion. 

"We've got a chance to do things right," Wilbur continued. "I'd like to think that I could be a better brother to you, with some time."

"Oh. Maybe."

Wilbur laughed softly. "What heartwarming faith in me."

Tommy snorted, leaning his head on Wilbur's shoulder. "Earn it."

Wilbur's hand swept through his hair, a soft feeling in the turmoil. "I'm going to try."

***

Grian narrowed his eyes as a soft wind blew, swirling dust into the air.

"I feel like we should have come across something by now," Techno muttered. "I'm pretty sure we're close."

"We're in a tunnel," Dream said, frowning. "There's a breeze."

"Maybe there's an open area ahead?" Grian guessed, tucking his wings closer to his body. 

"Don't like tight spaces?" Dream asked, watching him pointedly. 

"I already told you I'm not claustrophobic," Grian said. "I don't like tunnels cause you can't fly in here."

"That's twice now that you've said you aren't claustrophobic, but you certainly seemed nervous enough coming through the illusion wall earlier," Dream said lightly.

"Look, I don't know what that was," Grian said. "I don't remember panicking at all. I thought I just walked through it and that was that."

"Really? Interesting." Dream gave him a searching look. "No, you definitely looked a little freaked out when we came through."

"That's another thing," Grian continued. "Wilbur said that he'd told me to hold my breath, and he was holding my arm when I came out the other side, but I'm pretty sure he was behind me when I went in."

"Oh, that's fascinating." Dream moved over to him, looking him in the eye. "And I didn't even notice this time."

"What do you mean?" Grian asked nervously.

"This is pretty similar to when Tommy touched that blue crystal stuff," Dream explained. "Just a blank in memory. I wonder if that illusion was made with any of that blue."

"It's possible, but it didn't affect either of us," Techno pointed out.

"That we know of," Dream reminded him. "It seems like anyone affected doesn't know any different." He looked back at Grian. "What do you remember happening?"

"I remember pushing through the illusion, tripping a little when I got into the open air on the other side, and then Wilbur's hand on my arm and him telling me I should have held my breath."

"Hmm." Dream gazed down their path, thoughts clearly elsewhere.

"What actually happened?" Grian asked.

"You went through first, Wilbur called after you to hold your breath, then went in after you. We followed, and once we got through you looked like you'd been breathing hard and you had a frantic look in your eyes."

"I don't remember any of that," Grian murmured, bewildered. "Now I'm a little worried as to what else I may have forgotten."

"Well, key points?" Techno said. "Who are we here for, who sent us, all that."

"Kristin did, and we're trying to find Phil," Grian answered. "I remember that easy enough."

"Maybe since it was just a few moments of exposure, those few moments were all that it took," Dream mused.

"Could be," Grian shrugged. "The problem is that I don't know."

"Well, we can look into that later," Dream said. "For now, let's focus on this spot Wilbur was talking about."

"I still don't sense Phil anywhere nearby," Techno said. "My sense is saying he's west, and we're over here going northeast."

"All Wil said was that it felt wrong over here," Dream reminded him. "That doesn't mean this is where Phil's being held, but we might get a clue from it."

"That's true," Grian agreed. "And I mean, he's not wrong. This place does have a weird vibe to it."

His gaze returned to the path ahead as the walls widened around them. 

"Is this where we're looking for?" he murmured as the tension in the air spiked. "Whatever's causing this feeling is awfully close."

And then the cave wall exploded into shards of rock as a funnel of churning blue smoke broke through and charged towards them. Grian dove out of the way and heard the others doing the same behind him. The smoke pivoted and blew into Grian's face in a mighty gust of wind, knocking him to the ground. He choked as his lungs filled with the frigid mist and coughed, waving his hands around his face. Someone he didn't recognize swept in front of him, slashing a black sword through the smoke. The tendril dissipated and the stranger called out to Techno, then disappeared back into the fight. Grian pushed himself to his feet, drawing his own sword. 

"Grian, you alright?" Techno asked, standing at the ready with a deadly-looking axe.

"Don't worry about me," Grian said. "Phil's the focus right now." 

The whirlwind of smoke swooped down again, aiming for the figure Grian didn't know, but at the last second a second funnel shot out of it like an arm, pinning Grian to the wall with pure wind force. Grian's head slammed against the stone and he fought to keep his eyes open as the world swam around him.

"Grian!"

An unfamiliar voice shouted his name, and then he sank into the darkness.

Chapter Text

"What the heck is this thing?" Dream shouted at Techno as the piglin pulled Grian out of harm's way.

"How should I know?" Techno called back, settling the avian behind a section of stone. "I'm focusing on not gettin' our guest killed!"

"Well a little help would be nice, cause I don't think breathing this in is a good idea," Dream suggested.

"If you have any extra cloth, tie it around your mouth and nose," Techno said, standing protectively between Grian and the churning funnel of blue.

A flash of green lit the cave. "I've got some now."

Techno didn't reply, lunging to the side to dodge a blast of frigid smoke.

"It's targeting you!" Dream realized, dashing to the opposite side of the room as the smoke struck again. "That gives me an idea, just keep its attention a little longer!"

"I don't think it's givin' me much of a choice," Techno commented tersely. "Hurry." He rolled out of the way as shots of mist hit the ground around him, rapid in succession. A flash of memory shot through his mind of himself and Phil dodging rainstorms of arrows.

"I'm destabilizing the cave!" Dream called a moment later. "Be careful!"

A thundering explosion of pressure rocked the cave walls and sent sprays of rock down from the ceiling as Techno ducked behind a patch of stone.

"What was that supposed to do?" Techno faced Dream, keeping the smoke in the corner of his eye. "It's not solid?"

"Did you have any better ideas?" Dream snapped, and the smoke curled away from him, sweeping toward Techno from behind. 

"How about you figure something out that doesn't almost kill me?" Techno shot back, narrowly avoiding the funnel.

"You try thinking of something nearly impossible on the spot!" Dream retorted angrily. The smoke shot towards the ceiling, hovering above the two for a moment before dropping back down at Techno again.

"Wait a moment..." The argument was forgotten as a thought occurred to Techno, and he dodged the attack with almost no effort. "There's no way."

"No way what?" Dream asked irritably.

"Okay, hear me out," Techno said, ducking as a blast shot over his head. "It's flinched away both times you yelled at me."

"Surely that's coincidental," Dream shook his head. 

"Is it going for you?" Techno pointed out.

"So you want me to yell at the sentient mist." Dream sounded skeptical. 

"Do you have any better ideas?" Techno asked, darting across the room to stand next to him. "Watch it hesitate before coming over here, I swear it will."

The smoke curled up into a thick funnel, swirling a few seconds longer than Techno thought necessary before racing toward them.

"Move, move!" Techno urged as he dove to the ground. Dream did the same and the attack passed harmlessly over them.

"It is possible that you may have a point," Dream muttered. "Fine, I will threaten the dangerous piece of air."

"Make that a little more sarcastic, why don't you," Techno deadpanned.

The smoke regathered, snaking across the room. 

Dream stepped forward, sword gleaming, eyes cold. 

It stopped.

"There is no way," Techno murmured from behind him. 

"Apparently there is," Dream huffed back, before approaching further. 

"Here's what's going to happen here," he said sharply, directing the words at the funnel, which was churning noticeably less forcefully. "You're going to let us leave, and in return we won't tear you to pieces."

There was a moment of silence.

Then the smoke curled away, seeping into the broken ceiling.

Techno huffed in incredulous disbelief. "Incredible."

"I don't want to stick around too long," Dream said. "Are you going to carry Grian?"

"Unless he wakes up, yeah." Techno hefted the avian's small body over his shoulder. "So. What was that?"

"I have no idea, honestly." Dream sighed. "I mean, I'm glad we got out of there relatively untouched, but I don't know how it was possible."

"Maybe Grian will have some answers once he wakes up," Techno suggested.

"We don't know how much he lost," Dream reminded him. "That smoke hit him twice, and it looked like a gas form of the blue crystals."

"You think it pulled his memories?"

"Some, at least." Dream sighed. "I expect that he'll only remember a few of us."

"And..." Techno trailed off. "I'm not sure I should even ask this, but there's nothing you can do to fix any potential memory loss?"

"With him? No." Dream shook his head. "We might be stuck with it until we figure out how to reverse the memory loss."

"I figured." Techno adjusted his hold on Grian so he could see the avian's face and carefully opened one of his eyes. Soft black, with muted veins of violet, no blue in sight. Techno smiled just a little and closed it again. "At least we know he's not in serious danger. Infection from exposure doesn't seem to be a problem with humanoid species."

"Not that we know of," Dream corrected him. "They might just need more exposure."

"Could be," Techno acquiesced. "Let's just get back."

***

"Oh, welcome back!" Wilbur called softly as Techno entered the cave. "Did you find anything?" His eyes landed on Grian, curving with concern. "Is he okay? I'd come over there, but I'm being used as a pillow at the moment and I don't think I should wake him."

Techno glanced over, the smallest of smiles lighting his face for a moment at the sight of Tommy fast asleep on his brother's lap. Wilbur's hand brushed softly through the boy's hair, but his eyes were worried.

"We came across some smoke thing," Techno explained. "It hit Grian. He should be okay, if he wakes up soon."

"Were there any clues or anything?" Wilbur asked. "I don't want that whole trip to be worthless."

"Nothing on Phil's location," Techno answered. "But we're working on that."

"Hm." Wilbur finally stood, moving Tommy's head to the ground. The boy muttered sleepily, but didn't wake. Wilbur smiled and pulled off his coat, draping it over Tommy before joining the others.

Dream sank down against the wall with a tired sigh, wiping dust off his sleeves. "So. That got us absolutely nowhere."

"Grian’s breathing steadily," Techno said, crouched beside him. "But yeah. No progress. He glanced at the avian. “We’ll see what he remembers, when he wakes up.”

“And if it’s nothing?” Wilbur asked.

“Then we try something else.” Dream didn’t look up. "We've come this far already."

No one answered. For a few moments, the only sound was Grian’s quiet breathing and the settling of the cave around them.

Then Techno stood. “Get some rest, both of you. I’ll take first watch.”

Wilbur gave a tired nod, easing down beside Tommy again. 

It wasn’t progress. But they were still here.

Chapter Text

Deep blue cascaded through Grian's thoughts as he struggled to open his eyes. A stone ceiling swam into existence, along with several unfamiliar faces. 

"Grian?"

Unfamiliar voices, too.

"He doesn't recognize us."

"How can you tell?"

"Just the look of him."

Grian raised his head, trying to focus his blurring vision. He thought he said something, but the sound of voices was rippling around him and he wasn't sure if it was coherent. Or if he said it at all.

There was a worried noise. "Is he okay?"

"Back off, Tommy. We need some space."

"But-"

The rest of the argument was lost under another wave of cerulean sound.

***

Soft words, in the corner of the room. Something told him it was night.

"There's really nothing you can do?"

Silence.

***

Technoblade stood alert at the edge of the cave, his fingertips brushing against the rough stone. "You feel that?" he asked quietly.

Dream shook his head, glancing at where Wilbur, Tommy, and Grian were sleeping. "What are you sensing?"

"There's a draft here. Somehow, air is getting through."

Dream frowned, reaching out for the area, and Techno guided his hand to the right place.

"You're right, there is air here," he murmured. "I wonder how this strong of a breeze is getting down here."

Suddenly, a feeling of protective vision swept over Techno, familiar and stronger than he'd felt it in days. 

"Phil's watching again, and he's close," he whispered fiercely. "This is the right way."

"Should we wake the others?" Dream asked.

"They won't wake up."

Techno stilled at the words, and his eyes narrowed as he turned to face Wilbur.

"What did you say?" Dream asked sharply.

Wilbur gave him a narrow smile. "Those two will be down for a while. For now, I'm going to have to ask you to step away from that wall."

"Wilbur, what are you doing?" Dream reached for his sword.

"Uh-uh, no weapons." Wilbur reached for Tommy, whisking his fingers through the boy's hair. "Not unless you want this little one to forget everything he knows." His face darkened. "I don't know how you got him back last time, but I assure you it won't happen again."

"You're not Wilbur, are you?" Technoblade guessed.

Ocean blue drained from Wilbur's eyes and fingers as his body dissolved into a column of cerulean smoke. "Took you long enough." His voice echoed across the cave, somehow furious and soft at the same time.

Dream lunged forward, his sword arcing in a deadly cut that would have torn the smoke into pieces had it been solid. The column of mist swirled around the blade, racing up it to Dream's arm, then his chest.

"Your mission is a foolish one," the voice roared as smoke shot through Dream like an arrow. "Just give it up and go home!"

Techno rushed forward, knocking Dream's sword away from him and sending it clattering across the floor, wisps of smoke trailing in its wake. With the channel broken, the mist around him dissipated.

"You alright?" Techno called.

"I'm fine. Focus." Dream's voice was tense, but he seemed unharmed. A wickedly sharp dagger rested in his hand.

The smoke moved again and Techno jumped aside as it splashed across the stone, wisps of mist getting dispersed as they rippled over the air flow he had discovered only moments before.

"Dream! Blow this section of the wall away, then grab Tommy and go!" Techno ordered, shielding himself from another attack with his heavy cape.

A thundering blast shook the rock and a surge of cool air swept through the cave, nearly causing the smoke to dissipate entirely. It reformed in a storming cloud, sending strike after strike down as Techno ran past it, scooped Grian into his arms, and ducked through the gap Dream had created. He could hear Dream's steps ahead and ran harder, catching up just as they entered into an open cavern so large that Techno couldn't see the end of it.

But what he didn't see, he could feel.

Phil was close.

***

Phil strained his wrists against the chains, wings flaring to their full span. Burns stretched across his feathers, slowly beginning to heal. His eyes glowed a flaming blue as a soft violet light curled around him, blood and scrapes disappearing in its wake.

Be ready, my love.

Chapter Text

Techno strode through tunnel after tunnel, his senses barely processing the people around him or the small body slung over his shoulder. Phil's closeness filtered through the air around him, the only thing he was concerned about at the moment.

"This way," he murmured, turning down a fork in the tunnels.

"Can you tell how close we are?" Dream asked from just behind him.

"Very," Techno answered, a burning feeling in his eyes.

"Okay, do you know what you look like right now?" Dream asked, his eyebrows raised.

Techno shot him a look.

"Never mind," Dream sighed. His gaze moved to the boy over Techno's shoulder, then his eyes widened slightly. "He's waking up."

Techno pulled Grian off his shoulder and cradled him, watching the smaller man's eyes flutter open.

"You're..." Grian's voice was faint, his black eyes narrow. Then they fluttered closed again and he took a slow breath, pushing out of Techno's arms. His eyes still shut, he steadied himself with one hand against the wall. "I should know you."

"Just take a moment," Dream suggested. "See what you remember."

"It's hazy. But some things are coming back." Grian opened his eyes, looking up at Techno. There was a hazy violet light drifting around him, Techno noticed, although he doubted the others could see it. He looked away, focusing on the tunnel to the right.

"That's better than before," Dream murmured. "Techno? You okay?"

"We need to keep going, " Techno said tersely, looking back.

"What about him?" Dream motioned at Grian.

"I'm alright," Grian said softly, shaking his head. "My head is just... weird, right now." He glanced at Techno. "I know who you are." His eyes shifted to Tommy. "And him." He stared at Dream, eyes searching. "You... you're complicated, but I know you too."

"That's a lot of improvement," Dream said, sounding interested.

"That's Kristin, I think," Techno muttered. "Can we keep going?" There was a persistent tugging on his brain, a tether that was growing tighter and tighter.

They were so, so close. And the tunnels were so empty.

***

Grian focused on keeping his eyes open as he followed Techno through tunnel after tunnel. Memories faded in and out of reach, mostly of people, sometimes of things and places. He knew what they were there for, a relentless, persistent echo of someone lost, but the events in between were still taking shape. His eyes followed Techno's movements, familiar in a reassuring way even though he didn't recognize any of them. He had a sure sense of protection from the piglin, although why, he wasn't sure yet. If anything, Techno was the most menacing in the room, with the way his eyes were gleaming like coals.

He could hear Dream behind him, but didn't turn to look. Grian had a sense of familiarity about him, too, but it was more of a wary feeling than an accepting one. It was hard to pull together any memories about him specifically, so Grian turned his attention to the boy on his shoulder.

He wasn't quite sure what to think of Tommy. He had a lot of memories of the kid, from riding horses through a field to filling houses with chickens to running through a forest in the dead of night to facing a dark figure with a sword and a shield and a smile. A lot of the memories were happy. But a lot were fearful, too. Was Tommy someone he should like? He couldn't tell.

The one thing he couldn't remember was why so many of these memories felt new. He knew he had known these people, had done these things, but he had no idea why he'd forgotten, and it was really bothering him.

He didn't think this was a good time to ask, though, and nobody else seemed to think anything was wrong. Had this happened before?

He paused, something about their surroundings looking achingly familiar.

Techno noticed, stopping too. "Grian? You okay?"

Grian didn't answer, reaching out to the stone wall. His hand passed through.

"Another illusion," Dream said, eyes widening slightly. He glanced at Grian. "How did you know that was there?"

"I don't know," Grian said uncertainly. "My head is a really weird place right now."

Dream moved past him, pushing through the wall. "It's clear over here," he said a moment later. "Just leads to more tunnels."

"This is the right way," Techno said, pushing past him. Grian hurried to keep up, then nearly ran into the piglin as he slowed to a standstill.

The smell of iron filled his nose as he looked past Techno to the shattered chains strewn across the floor.

Techno's voice was quiet. "What... happened here?"

***

Phil could barely see through the blinding haze of cerulean and violet around him. His eyes narrowed against the cold, but he pressed on, away from the caves. Something in his chest tore at leaving Techno behind, but he had to.

There was one thing that might save them.

Chapter Text

"Why isn't he here?"

Techno's voice was rough, and even a little frantic if Grian was reading him right. 

Dream held out a hand. "Techno, hey, it's-"

"Don't tell me it's alright!" Techno growled. "Figure out where he's gone!"

"Can't you track him?" Grian asked, a bit timid in the face of Techno's fury.

Techno's eyes flicked to Grian's, face softening just a little. He shook his head. "It just leads to here. I'm not sure why."

"These chains?" Grian leaned down, picking one up. He could sense a familiar presence lingering on the metal and knew instinctively that these chains had held whoever it was they were looking for.

And then—something hit him.
Not a memory, not exactly. More like pieces of one, jagged and sharp. 

Black wings. Fiery blue eyes. A presence like safety, but danger at the same time. Like... a father.

His breath caught in his throat. 

Phil. That was his name.

A dam cracked in Grian’s mind, and memory after memory rushed in—half-forgotten words, laughter, fear, loss.

His knees gave out. He didn’t even realize he’d hit the floor until his palm slammed against the stone.

"Grian?" Techno's hand touched his shoulder. "Grian, are you okay?"

Grian nodded slowly, elation and understanding filling him. "A lot of memories are coming back," he said, breathing deeply. "Just caught me off guard."

Techno's eyes flicked to Grian's hand, and Grian followed his gaze. Blood dotted across his palm from when he'd scraped it on the rough ground, but the cuts were already closing.

"Why do you think the tracking isn't working?" Dream asked, coming up behind them.

"I don't know," Techno admitted. "This has never happened before." He looked at Grian. "Can you sense him?"

"I... don't know enough about what we're doing to do that," Grian admitted.

Dream moved over, shifting Tommy on his shoulder and meeting Grian's eyes with a searching gaze. Grian shrank back uncomfortably.

"What do you know about what we're doing?" Dream asked calmly.

"Uh..." Grian tried to form the words, but it was kind of hard to focus with the admin watching him with that unsettling, knows-too-much look. He tore his gaze away, taking a few breaths and focusing on the chains again. "I remember Phil, kind of. I know we're trying to find him. I don't know why, or why I can't remember anything, or why he's gone." He searched his brain, but it was, understandably, hard to remember what he'd forgotten.

"I think I've got mostly all of the memories of you," he said, flicking one wing towards Techno. "Some are fuzzy, but I know what's going on, at least." He chanced a look back at Dream. "I don't have a lot of memories with you in them, at least not yet. And the ones I have don't indicate whether I should trust you or not."

"Hmm." Dream motioned for him to continue as he settled Tommy against the wall, running a gentle hand through the boy's hair.

"It's confusing with him," Grian said, gesturing to Tommy. A small part of him wondered why he was explaining this much to someone he didn't really know or trust, but something made him speak anyway. "I have almost an equal amount of good and bad memories with him in them. I don't know who he is to me."

"A pretty good friend," Techno answered for him. "The two of you have been through a lot together. Some good times, some bad." He sent a red-eyed glare at Dream. Grian wondered why.

He was distracted from that thought by the sound of Tommy shifting slightly. He hurried over, tucking his wings against his back so they wouldn't catch on the ragged stone of the tunnel walls. He knew in this moment that Techno was right, this was someone he cared about.

"Hey, Tommy," he said softly as the boy's eyes slowly opened. "Nice to see you awake."

"What? Was I asleep too long?" Tommy frowned. "Why'd we move? Where's Wil?"

There was a moment of silence.

"Okay, how do I explain this?" Dream sighed. "Since clearly it's up to me."

Tommy narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What did you do?"

"Well, I don't appreciate that tone," Dream muttered. "And I didn't do anything."

"Then where's Wil?" Tommy demanded.

"Okay, calm down," Dream said shortly. "I don't know any other way to say this but bluntly. Wilbur wasn't real."

Tommy blinked, suspicion and anger filling his eyes. "What. Does that mean?"

"The blue crystals that we've been finding aren't just some natural occurrence," Dream explained. "When we left you with Wilbur, we ran into a sentient funnel of the same blue, but in smoke form. It hit Grian a few times, and now half of his memories are gone."

Grian listened interestedly. Either he hadn't known this, or he'd forgotten it.

"When you fell asleep last night, while we were trying to figure out how bad Grian's memory damage was, you didn't wake up," Dream continued. "Wilbur said you weren't going to, and then he turned into that column of smoke and attacked us. We barely got out of there."

"So you're saying that everything was fake?" Tommy pushed himself to his feet, stalking towards Dream. "You're trying to tell me that every word he spoke to me was a lie?"

"I'm just telling you what happened," Dream said.

"I don't believe you," Tommy spat. "He wouldn't lie to me. He told me he was trying to do better this time."

"That wasn't Wilbur, Tommy!" 

"I don't want to hear any more of your lies!" Tommy drew his sword, charging at Dream. Grian's eyes widened and he looked at Techno, who was watching the fight with disinterest.

"Should we stop them?" he whispered to the piglin.

"Nah," Techno answered. "Dream's not attackin' back. Let Tommy get some of his anger out."

Grian looked back over, realizing that Techno was right. Dream simply dodged all of Tommy's slashes, not even holding his own weapon.

"What did you do to him?" Tommy yelled, launching himself at his admin once again.

"I told you, nothing," Dream said calmly, moving out of the way.

"Quit it with your stupid 'nothing's wrong' voice," Tommy said mockingly. "Oooh, I'm Dream, I'm so amazing and I don't care about anyone."

Dream eyed him coolly.

"I think you're just being a jerk, you know that?" Tommy continued. He darted forward, his sword point aimed at his admin's heart.

Dream ducked around him, twisting Tommy's arm behind his back and sending his sword clattering to the ground. Tommy yelped in surprise and pain as he was thrown to the cave floor.

Grian heard a swishing of fabric as Techno stepped forward, hand on his sword. 

"Relax, Techno, I'm not gonna hurt him," Dream said, glancing up at the piglin.

"Too late for that." Techno placed himself between the two. "That's enough fightin', both of you."

"I wasn't even fighting," Dream protested. "Do I have a weapon?"

"We both know you weren't plannin' on using a sword," Techno said darkly. "And I'm advisin' you against it."

"Be reasonable here," Dream said lightly.

"I'm gonna stop you right there." Techno leveled his own blade at his admin's throat. "I don't want to hear any of that tone. You know the one."

"Okay, okay." Dream raised his hands in surrender. "You win, back off."

Techno narrowed his eyes, but backed off. "Let's keep goin'."