There was silence for a moment among the large group until Dream walked over to the ender chest and locked mellohi inside of it.

Then he began laughing, a slow maniacal chuckle. If his mask weren't there, we would all see him smirking at Tommy, who stared at Tubbo with regret.

But to my surprise, there was regret on Tubbo's face as well. There was a wounded animal inside of himself as well.

They both needed to heal and to rekindle their friendships. There were faults in both of their actions, but when has that ever stopped a friendship from reblooming?

Hell, I tried to kill Techno the first time I had met him now I was neighbors with him.

I shook the thoughts from my head, the scent of hope between the teens my magic picked up on and turned back to reality.

Techno stepped towards Tommy, standing shoulder to shoulder with me now. His sword was drawn, his eyes tracking every move each person made.

I pulled out my own sword, eyeing Dream.

Tommy slowly turned to face the crowd, his blue eyes landing on Tubbo once again. "This isn't me. I'm not the person I want to be." Shame was in his voice, nagging at my heart.

He lowered his eyes to the ground, whispering so only Tubbo and the closest ones could hear, "I'm so sorry."

Techno took his chance, placing his hand on Tommy's caped shoulder. There was a faint trace of red in his brown eyes, the voices close to the surface.

"Tommy, we could still get out of here. Y/n and I would cover your escape." He pulled out a blue pearl, holding it towards his brother. "We could regroup-"

"Techno, if this is what I've become, then I don't want to be me anymore," Tommy said, his voice sullen and wobbly. He pushed the ender pearl back into Techno's chest. "I have to change."

Something clicked in my mind, the same in Techno's. I stepped in front of Tommy, making him look at me.

"What are you saying?" I asked. I could only hope that he wouldn't say what I thought.

His eyes darted from me to his brother, contemplation pooling in them. Regret and loss were there too.

I slowly shook my head, trying to make him change his mind.

But his mind was already made up.

Tommy stepped out from Techno's hand and away from me, moving to stand side by side with Tubbo. The latter watched his best friend, the flame sparking a bit once more between them.

"I'm with Tubbo," Tommy said, raising his chin.

Techno tensed next to me, his hand flexing on his sword grip as a nervous habit. I could feel the betrayal radiating off of him like heat.

"Tommy, when I said I was going to destroy L'manberg yesterday, I meant you could sit it out," Techno scoffed, his voice rising with anger and confusion. "I didn't mean switch sides and fight against me!"

I had no idea what conversation Techno was talking about, but I knew that this day would come. A day that has happened in the past.

Where Tommy and Techno betray each other, in ways that neither would understand.

And I was in the middle, as much of a sister as I could be to both.

I would have to decide whose side I was on as well.

"You're betraying me!" Techno shouted, the red disappearing from his eyes. Emotion crowded over the bloodthirsty voices. "You're betraying y/n!"

"I'm worse than everyone I've hated!" Tommy's voice broke and it sounded like tears were on their way. "I'm worse than everyone I never wanted to be!"

His eyes shifted to Dream, who was watching with his arms crossed. Something told me that DreamXD was feeding off of this, enjoying the conflict.

I spoke up, placing a hand in comfort on Techno's shoulder, "Tommy, think hard about this before you make this decision cause you can't undo this."

Tommy shook his head, the turtle shell sliding around a bit. "I know what I've done, and I hate me for it." He paused, sadness clear in his gaze. "I'm sorry."

Techno just shook his head, his lips pointed down. "Wow."

I looked between the two, a faint snap in my ears. It wasn't a physical snap I had heard, but one of friendship and family.

This hurt. In a way, I felt betrayed, after saving Tommy and working hard to get rid of Dream's lasting effects, he didn't choose me.

But deep down, even with the betrayal Techno and I felt, I understood why Tommy had resorted back to Tubbo and I couldn't be selfish to hold on to him.

He wanted to fly, to spread his wings for the nation he had come to love.

Tubbo was home to Tommy. When Techno had left as a teenager, Tubbo had still been there to grow up and learn with. He had been there through grief and loss.

Techno, who returned to Tommy's life later, was trying to build that home for Tommy in his own heart. It had taken time to rebuild but it was all falling apart now.

Maybe one day it could be put back together.

Dream sliced through the tension, sauntering forward with an air of confidence that infected the sour mood. He faced Tubbo with one hand protectively on the ender chest.

"Well, thank you for giving me the disc," He started in a happy voice. "I just want to say that you're an idiot."

"What-"

"You just gave me the one thing that I needed to destroy L'manberg!" He shouted, getting closer to Tubbo's face. "I don't care about L'manberg! The only reason I didn't destroy it before was because you had the disc!"

Anger riled up in me, fire biting to get at the masked man. Manipulation was never taken kindly by my magic.

I had seen Dream manipulate Tommy to the point of almost losing his life, and now Tubbo had been mocked and treated as if he were important just to get the disc.

Dream turned on Ranboo. "And Ranboo is a traitor in your own nation!"

I was among the many who shouted no back at Dream, standing up for my friend. I placed myself protectively in front of the tall teen and held out my sword, stopping Dream in his tracks.

My sword tip was pressed lightly to the purple netherite over Dream's chest. He stared at me for a moment, my blood beginning to boil.

My back was pressed against Ranboo's crossed arms and the leather book he held to his chest like a lifeline. The pages fluttered lightly in the rush of wind from the water behind us.

Dream stayed where he was at the end of my sword, pointing at the book. "There's his memory book! He was meeting with Techno and Tommy to tell them everything!"

A soft enderman noise came from Ranboo's head above mine, going unnoticed by most. Stress was spouting out of him like a broken fountain.

Dream spun on his heel, getting close to Tubbo again. I noticed Tommy take a small step in front of his friend.

"L'manberg is weaker than it's ever been! Because of you!" Each word Dream said made my patience tick away. "You've ruined everything. You've destroyed your friendships and L'manberg's allies."

I had enough.

Sheathing my sword, I marched up to Dream, placing both hands on his chest and shoving him. Hard.

He stumbled back from the unexpected push, his boots getting caught on one another. I didn't give him the chance to waste his breath on talking.

"Shut the hell up," I growled, feeling DreamXD's presence grow. "You talk to him like that as if you haven't done anything wrong."

My words were more directed at the man behind the mask, not the one trapped in there. And DreamXD knew it because the crack in his mask began to faintly glow red.

"You've manipulated, lied, and hurt, yet no one says anything. Because they're scared of you." I hissed poison in my words. "Don't you dare talk to Tubbo or Ranboo like that."

Dream raised his ax slightly and I tightened my grip on my sword, feeling everyone's eyes on the two of us. Techno moved closer to me, ready to strike Dream.

But when I expected a blow from the ax, I just saw his fingers twitch slightly.

Odd, it looked just like when DreamXD had controlled Dream in the Inbetween.

He had used his power, but on who?

Before I could figure it out, he lowered his ax and stared me down. "L'manberg is being destroyed, tomorrow."

All around me people burst into a frenzy, shouting no. But I stayed still, staring at Dream.

I understood now what L'manberg meant to Tommy and Tubbo. It was one of the last pieces they had left of the old Wilbur, the one they had grown up with.

Once, it had been a place of safety and happiness. But now, it had turned into something much darker, twisted into a source of evil power.

When it boiled down to it, I wanted the government destroyed into nothing but a speck of dust. It had only hurt me, my friends, and my family.

The world would be better without it.

But whose side was I on?

L'manberg was just another pawn in DreamXD's wicked game. And my only goals were to protect my loved ones and destroy the darkness.

"Say your goodbyes!" Dream shouted above all the voices. He strode out of the wreckage, not even looking back when they continued to argue.

I stared after him, watching as he walked slowly towards the Nether Portal. My blood was still simmering with heat and fury.

And for once, I let my temper get the best of my head and I proceeded after him. No one noticed my absence, Tommy and Techno still arguing.

I caught up to Dream, grabbing onto his shoulder, placing my other hand in my hoodie pocket. A cool, smooth object pressed flatly against my gloved palm.

"What do you want, y/n?" Dream drawled, annoyance clipping his tone. "Want another dose of pain?" Reverberations of pain lingered in me, but I shook it off.

Even if DreamXD was talking to me through Dream's voice, there was still a slight echo and deepness that was unlike his naturally even voice.

I kept my hand wrapped tightly around the object in my pocket, straightening my shoulders. "Why do you have such an obsession with manipulating people? Specifically the teens?"

He scoffed, trying to shake off my grip on his shoulder. But, even with his godly strength, he couldn't break free from my grasp.

I smirked, realizing that the object was working. I dug my thumb deeper into his shoulder, making him wince in pain, showing that his connection weakened on Dream.

"You've turned brothers on each other, and put me in a bad spot. I don't like that very much. I don't think it's very fair for you to call Tubbo an idiot, when you yourself are one, DreamXD."

Dream shook his head, the faint outline of DreamXD flickering behind his shoulders. I could see his almost invisible hand trying to pry my own off of his shell's shoulder.

But faster than he could see, I took my hand off his shoulder and ripped at the mask on his face.

Half of it came off with a satisfying crack, the other half staying on his face. I could now see one of his eyes and the corner of his lips.

Perfect. Everything was going according to plan ... besides the whole war tomorrow and Tommy's betrayal, of course.

I smirked again, feeling DreamXD's anger flowing out around me. I pulled the small object out of my pocket, flipping it in the air lazily.

"You see, all gods have a weakness. I thought I would try a little experiment on you with some copper. And it seems to have worked." Triumph elated my voice.

I let the sly smile drop when I peered closer at Dream's face. His eye was dark green, deeper than when the whispers were first getting at him. The once vibrant freckles faded on his too-pale skin.

"If my brother hadn't gotten to you, you- you'd be dead!" DreamXD shouted through Dream's voice.

I wrapped my fingers back around the small piece of copper, feeling my own magic somewhere far away. It was dangerous to be without it at the moment, but I had been right.

DreamXD's weakness wasn't just my magic, but it was copper too. The ore allowed for me to root Dream back to this world without his godly manipulator in his body.

So I took my chance, the one I've been waiting for.

I placed my hand back on his shoulder, locking him in place. DreamXD's outline completely disappeared for now.

"Dream, I know you're still in there. Keep fighting. I'll free you soon, don't worry," I whispered, trying to keep the tears from flowing down my face.

I faintly remembered Dream's own words mirroring mine from when I was trapped in the dark, just like he was now.

"I've just gotta deal with this mess DreamXD made, and then I can free you. L'manberg is dealt with and then I can get to you."

A small flicker appeared in his almost black eyes, the most human reaction I've seen from him in ages. It was enough to reassure me that Dream had heard my message.

I released his shoulder, letting the demon back into his body. The humane look disappeared and hot rage replaced it.

"What did you do, girl?" DreamXD seethed, marching towards me with his grip tight on the ax.

I raised the ore in front of his face, making him stop.

"I just had a chat with Dream. Now leave me alone before I snap more of the mask." I shrugged, kicking the broken half of the mask on the floor where I had dropped it.

A sense of satisfaction washed over me as he stomped into the Nether Portal, giving me one last hateful look. It felt good to best a god, especially one that was keeping your lover trapped and wanted you dead.

But the feeling disappeared as I turned back to the destroyed Community House.

People were still inside, arguing and fighting. Sapnap stood on top, not even bothering to argue, looking down at his lost home.

I wrapped my arms around myself, letting the chunk of copper fall to the blackstone ground. It landed with a thunk, next to the broken mask.

My magic broke at the sight of the mask, pulling a strong current of wind from the sky. It scooped the mask up, taking it further than my eye could see into the sky.

There were too many problems stacked on top of the ones with DreamXD.

Who had he used his power on? And whose side was I supposed to join for the war tomorrow?

Whoosh!

Suddenly Techno was standing next to me, clumps of purple flecks fading around him. He stood tall, but I could see the quiet anger and betrayal in his umber eyes.

"He really joined him?" I asked even though I already knew the answer.

Techno hung his head, shaking it. "I knew this would happen, but I had hope that he wouldn't leave."

I nodded, lowering my eyes. We had reached the time when we had to face our problems here, when we could no longer hide away in our niche in the snow.

"Tech, he'll come back. Even if you don't want him to, he will," I said, sighing. My lips quirked up. "He's annoying like that."

A hint of a smile graced his lips, making him look at me. I continued, "Look, I'm gonna try and talk to him, and then I'll meet you at home, alright?"

He nodded, the little smile leaving. The quiet and calm anger returned, and for a second I swore I saw something dark slither through his eyes as he waved goodbye.

I shook off my paranoia, turning back to where the group was exiting the Community House and made a beeline for them.

Specifically, Tommy, who led the group with a far-off look.

~~~~

*SMASHES FIST ON DESK* THIS CHAPTER WAS SO HARD FOR NO REASON

anywaysss i wonder who DreamXD used his power on >:) its fun keeping secrets from you guys

as promised, here is my design for Tommy's sword lol

I love you all so so much and remember that I'm proud of you. Get some sleep and water, stay healthy homies!!