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Very mild gore, Manipulation, Dream bullying kids,

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The sun above beat down the dead and lifeless Savanna with no mercy. It highlighted three figures clad in heavy armor that clinked and clanked every time they stepped forward. Anyone would be able to see them approaching from a mile away due to the gleam of their netherite armor. They stuck out like sore thumbs from the ugly shades of browns and greens that painted the land they traveled on.

The Savanna was quiet. Almost too quiet. It shrouded the area with a dead aura and suffocated the biome. It didn't help that they were the only forms of life that could be seen on the empty landscape.

The tallest of the group of three shielded her vision from the blinding sunlight while keeping an eye on her two younger companions by looking at them every so often. Her skin gleamed with sweat and perspiration brought forth from the heat. She held her sword in one hand with a bone-crushing grip, her knuckles a pasty shade of white. Her cheeks were slightly flushed as the warm weather started to get to her.

She hastily wiped the sweat away from her brow with her free hand. She cringed slightly and quickly wiped the moisture off of the back of her hand and onto her armor. She flinched at how warm the armor was. It made sense, though. The armor was dark in color and easily absorbed light better. She wished she could just take off the stuffy chest plate and helmet and cool off.

Her lips were pulled into a worried and confused frown as she scoured the land for any threats. Her eyes never remained in the same place for long before they darted to another patch of land. She was on edge and wanted to make sure nothing would sneak up on the three of them. The man they were on their way to 'negotiate' with wasn't someone to foolishly mess around with. They had to be cautious and ready for anything thrown their way.

"Tommy... are you sure we should do this? I don't think we're prepared enough for this fight. It's not too late to turn back now," she paused to catch her breath before continuing, "I think we should have brought more supplies..." Her voice wobbled slightly with uncertainty which made the two boys at her side look over at her.

They noticed how rigid her posture was and how tightly she held her blade. Tommy swiped a few strands of blond hair out of his face and bit his lip with unease. He wanted to crack a few jokes to ease the mood, but his mind came up blank. He was just as uneasy as she was.

Typically (Y/n) was focused and level-headed. She was the one that was always prepared and planned ahead, so it was weird to see her in this state. She had also been reticent, only giving short answers, and had chosen to stay out of their conversations on their way here. After a few fruitless attempts at getting her to talk to them, they had quickly given up and left her to her own devices.

Her hair which was ordinarily neat and well kept, was pulled back into a messy braid to keep it out of her face. Her thoughts were sinking deeper and deeper into a pit of doubt. Was she really ready to finally face her tormentor? As she had said before, it wasn't too late to turn back. But she couldn't abandon these boys. She had made them take her with them, so she wouldn't let herself be a coward and run away.

She wasn't sure what she would say to the masked man that had almost destroyed her sanity. She liked to think it would be a heroic moment to finally get over her never-ending fear, but this wasn't some fairy tale. She was confident that it wouldn't have a happy ending if it was.

There was one thing Tommy and Tubbo hated more than Dream. And that thing was change they weren't the cause of. They noticed how Dream had affected their best friend. They had seen the deep-rooted terror in her eyes whenever someone would mention his name. On nights she thought she was alone, they had heard her cries of absolute anguish. They knew change was inevitable, but they hated it, especially for what it had done to her.

They were both on their last lives while she still had three. Usually, their escapades against Dream contained a lot of banter and witty remarks. However, today could be the day one of them permanently died. Tubbo and Tommy had come to that realization. They both knew that today could potentially be their last day on earth. But even if it was, they wouldn't die in vain. They wouldn't die alone. It brought each boy their own comfort and hardened their resolve to regain what they had lost.

It warmed their young hearts that (Y/n) was willing to risk one of her lives to protect them, but this wasn't her fight. She had people back at the SMP that needed her to return alive. But Tommy and Tubbo? They had no one but themselves. No one needed them around. They were so hesitant to allow her to come with them.

And what if Dream hurt her and they couldn't do anything to stop him? The duo had debated the entire morning on even letting her tag along but decided it would ultimately be a good idea. If things went south, at least they had numbers. The two boys just hoped it wasn't a decision they would come to regret. If she died during this altercation, they'd never forgive themselves.

The pale blond didn't reply to her previous question and doubts for a minute or two. He was wrapped up in his thoughts but snapped out of it when Tubbo lightly tapped him on the shoulder. "Hm? I'm sure we'll be fine! That blob can't beat three of the best warriors this world has ever seen." He grinned brightly, which brought a smile to her face. His confidence was contagious.

Tommy wished he could believe in those words. He really did. But the uncertainty was starting to twist his thoughts and weigh him down. Not that he'd let the two people closest to him know that. They needed him to be the strong hero after all. That was his role. He couldn't back down now. Not when they needed him most. He started this whole thing, and he planned on ending it. There was no room to be a spineless coward.

"At least we'll die together," Tubbo abruptly said, face slightly scrunched up with unease. The taller female beside him slung an arm over his shoulder and shook her head. The sudden movement sent her braid swinging slightly. "You're not going to die, Tubbs. That piss baby will have to go through me first!" The female's voice was coated with a challenge as she rolled her eyes. She wasn't going to let these two idiots die. He'd have to rip away one of her lives if he wished to take one of theirs.

She had made a promise to Philza to keep them safe. And if she was being honest with herself, these two little shitheads had really grown on her. She saw them as younger siblings in need of guidance. And she'd be dammed if she let them down like everyone else in the SMP did. She was going to be different. Or she'd die trying. She was their last line of defense against Dream and anyone else who wished to harm them. She would happily stop existing for these two, even though she would never openly admit it. In fact, she would give up all three of her lives instantly and permanently disappear just to make sure they lived a worthy and peaceful life.

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The group's progress across the Savanna was sluggish and tiresome. The heat mixed with their heavy armor slowed them down and made traveling difficult. Tubbo had suggested that they take off their armor to be a tad bit easier, but (Y/n) had quickly shot that idea down. The worst thing they could do was get caught being vulnerable. They needed to be ready for whatever greeted them. Dream wouldn't hesitate to use their lack of armor against them.

She had thought about bringing horses for the trip, but they had to cross a sea to get to the Savanna. That idea was out of the question. She definitely thought that was a tactical decision from Dream. If they didn't have horses, he had a chance of keeping up with them if they decided to flee. But maybe the extra effort and more planning would have been worth it. Oh well. It was too late now. They just had to deal with the cards they had been dealt.

A pulsating beam of light shot into the sky, catching the female's sharp gaze. She looked up, but there wasn't an end to the ray. It climbed into the sky and disappeared behind countless lazy clouds idly floating by. That must be a signal from Dream. She pointed out the ray to Tommy and Tubbo and changed the direction they were heading in. She breathed in deeply and slowly let it out to try and calm her nerves. This was it. They were actually going to face him.

From what (Y/n) could see, the signal was coming from the top of an intimidating and steep hill. She could see other cliffs towering above where the light was coming from. Based on the terrain around them, she guessed that the signal, along with Dream, was nestled into a valley.

The closer they got to the beacon, the more she felt like they were heading into a trap. Her gut feeling was seldom wrong. Maybe not exactly a trap, but she had a bad feeling about this. Were they prepared enough? He always had something up his sleeve. Dream didn't go into battle or wars without backup plans for his backup plans. It was terrifying, really.

She suddenly came to a halt and turned to look at her two friends before glancing back at the light beam. She narrowed her eyes at the area from which the beacon came. Was Dream watching them? What would await the group at the top of the hill? All of the possibilities and different outcomes made her head spin.

Her two companions gave her confused glances and came to a stop. "I think I should be the first to approach. I have the better gear and the stronger weapons. You two should wait at the foot of the hill." Tubbo and Tommy shared a look before shaking their heads in sync. Tubbo tussled his silky locks of brown hair and tried his best to suppress the oncoming guilt he felt. He should have convinced Tommy to leave her in Pogtopia. This wasn't (Y/n)'s fight after all. But the damages couldn't be undone. They had to stick together if they wanted a chance to get out of this alive.

Tubbo must have seen the confusion in her eyes as he opened his mouth to speak. "(Y/n); we're in this together. It wouldn't be right of us to send you up there alone. We're stronger as a team. It's always been the three of us from the start, right? If today is the end of our story, then let us be together for it." His words were soft and held an element of comfort, yet at the same time, they brought forth a sadness she didn't know she could feel. She mulled over the idea quickly before reluctantly giving in. There was no use in arguing with these two. They were stubborn, after all.

"You have a point, but I'm going in first. I want you two to stay behind me, no matter what happens," she responded, her voice holding no room for compromising. The two seemed to dislike this idea, but neither one openly objected or argued with her. Tubbo nervously adjusted his armor while Tommy double-checked the contents in his bag, otherwise called his inventory.

Noticing how the sun was starting to sink lower and lower towards the earth, she wasted no time in starting her climb up the towering mountainside. She needed both of her hands-free to climb. She had to sheath her sword as it would have gotten in the way.

A few times, she had almost slipped on the way up, but luckily she didn't fall. Her armor made the climb extremely difficult as it weighed heavily upon her. It would be tough to grab onto something and save herself if she slipped. She prayed that the boys weren't having any trouble of their own.

After hours of hard climbing and struggling, she shakily managed to pull herself onto a flat and even surface. She was on her hands and knees while gasping for air. A slick sheen of sweat coated her forehead and pooled at the base of her neck, and dribbled down her back. She felt absolutely grimy. The wild and untamed grass beneath her body poked at her soft palms, but its coolness gave her aching hands relief. There would most likely be angry red blisters on them tomorrow. She could already feel the severe achiness on the flesh of her palms. Great.

She definitely shouldn't have wasted her energy like she did. Still, there was no other easy way to scale the miniature mountain. She hopefully would still have enough fight left in her for the actual 'negotiation.' She knew that Dream wanted them to be worn out and drained from the journey. She wasn't stupid. However, they had no other choice but to go along with that plan.

Soon enough, she heard two clanks on either side of her, along with exhausted huffs. A quick look confirmed that Tommy and Tubbo had safely made it up. She looked at Tubbo closely and noticed him clutching his right arm. A shallow gash was partly shielded from her view due to his hand. Did he possibly slip and cut his arm in the process? It didn't look too bad, and it wasn't precisely gushing blood. She still worried about it getting infected, though.

"Tubbo, are you alright? Do you need a potion to heal your wound?" Her eyes were focused solely on the open wound. He replied with a simple 'no,' which was enough for her. He could take care of himself. She knew he had a bunch of golden apples in case he needed them. Still, the motherly instinct within her was strong, and she was tempted to make him drink a health potion to heal the minor injury.

"Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to show up. I almost thought you guys weren't going to come." A sickeningly familiar voice made (Y/n) freeze. She was tempted to throw herself off the cliff instead of facing the man who had haunted her dreams for the past year. Could she possibly survive the fall? She'd definitely end up with a broken something. She shook her head and stood up while brushing off the dirt that clung to her armor. Now was not the time to flee.

She wasn't going to run this time. Tommy and Tubbo needed her to be strong. She wasn't going to let them face this demon alone. (Y/n) slowly but surely lifted her head up, and lo and behold, the one and only Dream stood a few feet away from the trio. Was he always that tall and menacing? She scrambled through her memories and decided he definitely had changed since their last encounter.

Dream had his arms crossed while casually leaning against the activated beacon she had seen earlier. The expressionless smiley-faced mask stared back into her eyes and managed to send a shiver of fear down her spine. The same dead eyes brought back a flood of memories that she couldn't suppress. Her body shivered, which was heard because of the armor. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly as if that would help keep the anxiety away.

Unexplained darkness drowned out all of her senses and covered her eyes like a thinly veiled curtain. She was gasping for air, yet she felt like she was drowning. She felt so far away from the surface. The clinking of chains and the sound of a lock turning overwhelmed her ears and transported her back to a place she never wanted to be again. She could feel the biting cold of steel shackles restraining her wrists and ankles. She could smell the thick iron of the blood from her friends and family as it pooled around her and painted her skin. She could taste the sweetness of a potion of weakness on her swollen and dried-up tongue as it dribbled down her throat and weighed down her limbs until they were useless hunks of flesh.

It was all too much. She had spent so long trying to surpass those horrible memories. Why did they have to resurface now of all times? She thought she had become stronger during their time apart. Why was everything falling down around her? Her heart was beating, yet it felt like it had stopped entirely. Her mind was so numb. Was she going into shock?

Tommy noticed the far-off look in (Y/n)'s glazed eyes and the slight shaking of her armor. He gently took her hand as he stood up beside her. Tubbo followed the blond's action and grabbed her other hand. Tubbo squeezed it gently and shuffled closer to her side in the form of comfort. Her eyes widened slightly as her senses came back to her. She looked around wildly before resting her gaze on Tommy and Tubbo's hands. She felt safe, oddly enough. Knowing that they were both by her side was enough to snap her out of her memories.

"Tch. Of course, you wouldn't face me one on one, Tommy. You're just a coward. You always have been and always will be." The mask lifted slightly as a smirk graced Dream's shielded face. (Y/n) glared at the man and stepped forward defensively. There was a slight shake in her step, but she ignored her faltering and stood firmly in front of her two friends. A protective gleam flashed in her eyes, and she quirked a brow in a mocking gesture.

She wasn't going to let him hurt Tommy and Tubbo anymore. This man had put all of them through hell and back. It was his turn to suffer. She would fight tooth and nail to ensure their victory today and wouldn't stop until she was utterly spent. Instead, she would give up her three lives here and now. She wouldn't let him permanently kill Tommy or Tubbo.

"You're one to talk, Dream. You're such a man for challenging a child to a fight. I won't let you hurt them anymore," (Y/n) stated. She let go of Tommy and Tubbo's hands to unsheathe her sword. It glinted in the sun and glowed with how shiny and polished the blade's surface was. The unnatural purple and blue gleam let Dream know that it was enchanted.

Dream remained silent for a moment before the silence was shattered by his laughter. It was loud and uncontrollable, slowly ending in a wheeze that made him sound like a tea kettle. He doubled over and clutched his stomach, his face red from the lack of oxygen. A hush fell over (Y/n) as she watched him fall apart.

His manic laughter slowly faded with a few coughs afterward. He greedily sucked in the air his brain struggled to get due to his hyena-like cackling. "Oh- oh my God. You're too funny (N/n). Seriously." He wiped a tear from his eye while ensuring his mask wasn't lifted too much. Once he was done, he shifted the mask to sit perfectly on his face once again.

Confused and slightly annoyed by his outburst, she lowered her sword somewhat questioningly. The two boys on either side of her seemed unnerved at the man's fit of laughter and how casual he was. Was he seriously taking this whole ordeal as a joke? Was he that sure that he'd win?

"You really think you can beat me? Don't you remember? I taught you everything you know now. You would be nothing if I hadn't helped you," he pointed out. There was a mocking tone to his voice, thickly coated with amusement. Dream had gone back to leaning against the beacon with his arms crossed. He shook his head in disbelief, and a few chuckles escaped his mouth.

(Y/n) lurched forward, a pissed-off look on her features. She held her sword now with both hands. To say she was angry didn't justify what she truly felt. There was bubbling rage she had been fighting to keep locked away for ages. Only now was it starting to break loose. How dare this fucking monster says he had helped her in any way? He had put her through something that no one should ever be subjected to. All under the false guise of love. Love! How fucking absurd. You don't do that to people you love and care about. She'd tear out his heart just like he had done to her if she could.