As soon as Schlatt released my hand and melted back into the shadows, I walked Ash back over to her tree. I pat her neck, ignoring the pulsing pain that came from my bruises. Schlatt had placed his hand right over them.

I could see the two figures drawing near, the rain making their forms a little fuzzy. I sucked in a breath and moved as quick as I could towards the front door. If they saw me out here, I wouldn't hear the end of it.

I released the magic that was held at my fingertips, no longer in danger. I didn't want to admit it, but that was a close call.

Karl, who was now in dry clothes, snuggled into Sapnap's arms. Both of their bodies sagged with relief when I entered. Karl looked so small in the other's arms. I looked Sapnap in the eye, "The deal has gone through."

While Karl's face danced with confusion, something clicked on the other's. I knew he would explain it to his friend later. For now, satisfaction rushed through the room.

I turned towards my bed, Ghost staring at me. For being a dog, he showed a lot of emotion on his face. I gave him a sheepish smile.

The sound of the rain grew slightly louder as the front door opened. I looked the two in the eye, "Don't say anything to them. I will tell Dream tomorrow." When they just stared back at me, I continued, "Look like you're asleep!"

They scrambled to lay down while I shut off the overhead light. I grabbed some dry clothes out of the dresser, hoping they wouldn't notice my change in attire. The bathroom door clicked shut as footsteps came towards the room.

I flung my wet clothes onto the floor with a quiet splat, flinching at the noise. I still hadn't heard my door open so they must be changing back into pajamas.

I grasped a fluffy towel, drying my hair. I then lifted up my new sweatshirt to gaze at my wound. Dark blue stitches ran across my side, the skin tender around it.

I gently pat the stitches with the towel, biting my tongue at the pain that followed. It hurt, but they needed to be dry.

I tugged on my sweatpants and ran a hand through my hair. I rubbed my eyes, trying to look like I was half asleep. As far as they knew, I had just woken up.

My door creaked open as I made my way out of the bathroom. Two figures slid into the room, one jumping at the sight of me. The other simply just continued over to where I stood.

Dream was back in a plain t-shirt and grey sweatpants, but his hair was damp which gave away his whole secret. I didn't mention it, simply continuing towards my side of the bed.

He stepped into my path as George lounged across his chair, whisper yelling, "Why are you awake?"

I rolled my eyes, walking past him, "I went to the bathroom, mother." I glanced down at the two on the floor, seeing Karl trying to subtly hide his smile. I had to do the same in order to restrain myself from laughing.

As I climbed into my side, Dream did the same, "You aren't supposed to get out of bed till tomorrow." He was so overprotective when it came to others but when he was sick or hurt, he brushed it off. Unless we locked him into his room, he would ignore how he felt. Even then, he crafted an escape.

I tugged the blanket up to my neck, trying to hide my wrists. The bruises had deepened in color slightly from Schlatt. I laid facing Dream, "Uh, did you want me to pee the bed? I'm not someone who pisses the bed," I gave him a playful smile, "Unlike someone."

George snickered from the end of the bed, cracking Dream's cold expression. An amusing smile split across his face. I heard Karl and Sapnap trying to stifle each other's giggles. Luckily, I was the only one who heard the two.

"Listen, that was like three years ago." Dream's hushed voice only made George and I laugh harder. It only increased when Dream tried shushing us to not wake the two on the ground.

I accidentally brushed my fingers across my wrists, a shot of pain rushing through me. I bit my lip not to grimace. The bruises were worse than I thought. I would have to tug my sleeves over them to not show how they had deepened.

-

Somehow, neither Dream nor George noticed how my sword dripped with rain in the corner of the room. I woke up a few hours later to more thunder, not having the will or energy to call the storm away.

It's not like I wanted to usher the rain away anyways. Thunderstorms always held a special place in my heart. In the dead of night or during summer afternoons, whenever thunder rolled out, it filled my heart with a calming sense despite the loud sounds.

Patches, on the other hand, hated it. She now burrowed into Dream's side, trying to run away from the sound. The man had his arm wrapped around his feline but wasn't awake to comfort her.

I gently pried the cat from his arms while trying not to wake him. Patches quickly scrambled into my open arms as another boom of thunder echoed against the walls. I sighed, calling the thunder into softer rumbles to accommodate both of our wants.

Pushing Ghost slightly out of the way, I climbed out of bed with the cat in my hands. Even after the eventful night last night, I was the first one awake. Karl and Sapnap were curled around each other even in sleep.

The storm made me wish that we could go home to the tall windows. I tucked Patches into my arms, walking into the kitchen. I could hear the soft patter of rain falling outside, my magic brushing against it.

I gently placed Patches on the counter, sorting through a bin to find her food. I dumped some into a bowl, placing it in front of her. She didn't hesitate as she dug in.

As I began eating a bowl of cereal, Dream came up the stairs into the kitchen. He was already dressed with his mask strapped to the side of his head and his sword in its sheath. He looked as if he hadn't just been asleep.

He gave me a warm smile while grabbing an apple, "Good morning."

I smiled back at him, "Morning. I'm surprised you're up after last night." I looked back down at my cereal, smirking.

He continued eating his apple, acting like he had no idea what I was talking about. His face was void of emotion, "What do you mean? George and I just went outside for a walk."

I rolled my eyes, "Dream, you realize I've known you for forever right? I can tell when you're lying."

He came to sit down next to me, "Why would I be lying? And anyway, you have no proof that I wasn't just taking a walk." There was a hint of confidence in his tone. He knew he was right. I couldn't prove him wrong unless I told him I had seen him out there.

I knew I should tell him that our plan was going as it should but that would lead to more questions. Who knows how Dream would react when I told him that I was out in the rain, with fresh stitches, mere feet away from the man that sought to destroy me.

He would probably want to go stab the shit out of him. But in a way, it was good that Schlatt had shown up last night. Our plan was now in motion.

When I didn't respond, he nudged me slightly, "You have no proof right?"

I laughed nervously, tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear, "You're right. I have no proof."

My voice sounded high-pitched, a clear indicator that I was lying. I probably would've gotten away with lying anyway, if I hadn't raised my hand.

Dream's emerald eyes were glued to my now exposed wrist. The sleeve of my hoodie had slipped down enough to see the deep coloring when I had moved my hair. I quickly tucked my hands under the table.

He stared at me a moment, an indescribable emotion on his face. He swiftly pulled my arms up so he could see, tugging back the sleeves. I grimaced, not from the pain, but from the look on Dream's face.

His lips parted as he cradled my wrists. His brows scrunched together, "What happened?"

I bit my lip, debating if I should try and lie. My ideas of lying disappeared when he looked up at me. Something protective and raw was dancing on the man's face.

I sighed, looking anywhere but at him, "Schlatt happened."

The air in the room turned suffocating. His whole body went rigid with restraint and anger, but his face and grip remained soft. He waited patiently for me to continue.

I gave him an apologetic look, "Last night, George woke me up as you two were leaving. He tripped on something and made a loud sound. So after you two left, I went outside to stretch my legs." I sucked in a breath, "Karl had come out with me but something felt off."

His face remained neutral as I talked, "We were about to go inside when Schlatt appeared. He told me he had a deal to make."

Something like satisfaction filled the room as I explained the deal. Dream gave me a small smile, "Well, at least he believes you're going to betray Tommy."

His eyes darkened as he looked at my wrists again, his smile disappearing, "He shouldn't have touched your wrists though."

I shrugged, standing to give Patches the leftover milk in my bowl. She began drinking before the bowl touched the floor, "He didn't know I had them. It's fine, they'll heal."

Dream stood, throwing his apple core away, "But it isn't fine, you're hurt."

I rolled my eyes, smiling, "Dream, I'll live. Relax." I pulled him into a hug. His body relaxed slightly as he gingerly wrapped his arms around me.

He rested his chin on top of my head, "Sorry, I just hate that you're hurt." He growled slightly, "Anybody that hurts you shouldn't be allowed to get away with it."

I laughed, rubbing his back. His body relaxed again at my touch. "He won't get away with it. He'll get what's coming for him tomorrow." I pulled back to look up at his green eyes, "And Wilbur is already paying his price. He's in a dark place."

I gave him a pointed look, "So I hope you didn't rip him to shreds last night."

He gave me a sheepish smile, "Ah, that's how you knew it wasn't just a walk. Don't worry, I just talked to him."

I nodded, walking towards my room. He gave me a confused look, "Where are you going?"

I looked over my shoulder, "I'm going to grab my sword and change." Sternness danced across his face, "What? I need to get back into fighting."

I didn't wait for his response, skipping off to my room.

-

I changed out of my pajamas into something more fit for training. As I changed, I noticed that the skin around my stitches was less tender. With the magic's help, it should be fully healed soon.

The three others had woken up, following me towards the large space. They took their spots on the couches to watch as I trained. George still looked like he was half-awake despite it being nearly midday.

Dream stood on the mat, clutching two wooden swords. I walked up to him holding my own, "Why do you have those?"

He walked over to where I was standing, replacing my sword with a wooden one, "We are starting off with lighter swords for now." I gave him an annoyed look, "You don't want your stitches tearing open do you?"

I rolled my eyes, muttering a no under my breath. He smirked as we walked onto the mat. He gave me a pointed look, "We aren't training at the level we usually do, not until you feel ready."

I raised my sword, "I feel ready."

It was his turn to roll his eyes, "Yeah sure. Tell me that when you're actually ready."

I lifted my sword, bending my knees slightly. Dream mirrored my movements but his side didn't ache as mine did. Clearly, I would need a good amount of training to get used to fighting again.

Hopefully, I wouldn't have stitches poking out of my side by this time tomorrow. I would need to be as fit as possible for the war.

Dream launched at me, swinging his sword towards my arms. My instincts took over as I slid out of his way. My movements were slower than before but I was still able to avoid his swings.

Despite my slower movements, Dream didn't hold back. His centuries of training on and off battlefields were shining through. If I wasn't the one that was trying to avoid his hits, I would've been entranced.

He moved smoothly, from his training but also because he was confident. He knew he was powerful and that he could practically take down any person that he engaged. Usually, that same confidence would be flowing through me, but I was conscious of my wound.

After a few minutes of playing the defensive, I tried to switch to the offensive. I twisted away from another one of his swings, inches away from my hair. He turned towards me, my body moving out of muscle memory.

I swung low, aiming for his side. But, my mind was moving faster than my injured body could move. I was too slow, his sword bouncing off my arms. He had won.

Dream stood tall, a cocky grin on his face. It dissolved as he noticed my heavy breathing. My body truly had taken a hit from Wilbur. Before, I would've been able to fight for hours on end without fatigue.

Now I stood, a hand over my side, panting. My cheeks burned in embarrassment. I shouldn't be embarrassed but I was known for being a good fighter, and this was Karl's first time seeing me fight.

Dream noticed, walking over to me. My head was bowed as I regained even breathing. He crouched down so he could see my burning face. His face turned soft, his voice hushed, "It's alright, y/n. You're injured, your body is going to be slower until it's fully healed."

I glanced over to where the others were watching, half-awake. I whispered, "It's so stupid. This stupid stab wound makes my fighting skills suffer."

Dream chuckled, warmth flooding his face. Seeing how his eyes lit up made the blush on my cheeks fade. "Well, that's what happens when you get stabbed." He stood, gripping my shoulder, "Don't worry, you'll be back to normal in no time."

I sighed. He was right, I just had to train harder and I would improve.

That's how the next few hours went. I still lost most of the fights but as time progressed, I began winning more. Somehow with the fitness, my magic was able to heal my wound even more. There was less of an ache.

When Dream forced us to stop training, which I would've continued to do till I dropped, the sun was headed towards the horizon. A small sad feeling ate away at my heart as I set down the wooden sword.

I was going to stay at Pogtopia tonight to be there to help in the morning before the war. Meaning I wouldn't see my friends until shit went down. And who knows what could happen tomorrow.

I knew that Dream and Sapnap could handle themselves in battle before and I hoped that Karl could too. I had never seen the boy fight, let alone hold a sword, but after years of time traveling he had to have some fighting skills. Sapnap would undoubtedly stick to Karl's side.

After showering and changing back into my now clean navy hoodie, I gently placed my gleaming netherite armor into the ender chest. Along with a spare sword and my bow. Before I closed the chest, Karl threw some potions into it for me.

At least I had enough supplies to protect myself.

The moment I had been dreading finally arrived. My friends stood around my room, my own eyes and Karl's gleaming slightly.

A lump rose in my throat as my heartstrings were tugged on. I blinked rapidly. I wouldn't cry. Everything would be fine so there was no need to cry.

I pulled Karl into a hug first, feeling his tears against my neck. His body shook for a second, his voice wobbly, "Be safe." He leaned back, a small smile on his lips, "See ya on the battlefield."

He moved out of the way, George and Sapnap stepping into my open arms. I nestled my head into their shoulders, trying to hold my tears in. Sapnap's voice came from slightly above me, "You better beat the shit out of Schlatt."

I laughed, pulling back to look at them. George thankfully wouldn't be near the battle tomorrow so I didn't have to worry about him. I looked over at Sapnap, "Don't do anything stupid tomorrow."

He rolled his eyes, a playful smile on his face, "But doing stupid things is so much fun." I punched him in the arm, "Hey! I'll be fine. Punz, Sam, and Dream will be there. Don't worry about me."

He angled his thumb towards George, "Worry about him. He's the one that's in real danger. Danger of sleeping too long."

George rolled his eyes, shoving his friend. Sapnap giggled, wrapping his arm around George.

I slid my sword into its sheath, looking around the room once more. I had everything I needed, except one thing. My eyes landed on the white dog who patiently waited for me on the bed.

He stuck his tongue out as I pet his soft fur. I had spent hours debating where he would go during the war, but I had settled on a decision. Ghost was big and strong enough to be a valuable warrior in battle. I also knew that the dog would go insane in this room alone.

So he will come with us tomorrow. And I would throw as many potions onto him as I could. I had no plans on losing my best friend tomorrow.

He jumped off the bed, coming to my side as I turned to Dream. He was going to walk with me to the base, insisting that because I was still healing that I needed an escort.

He gripped his ax, "You ready?"

I glanced back at my friends. They all gave me smiles as I turned back around. I nodded, "Ready as I'll ever be."

-

The walk to Pogtopia had gone faster than I would've liked. We now stood almost directly outside the oak door, procrastinating. I wasn't ready to say goodbye yet.

I sighed, breaking our previous silence. Pulling Dream into a hug, I mumbled into his shoulder, "It'll be fine right?"

I felt him nod above me. We hadn't said much on the way here, savoring the comfortable silence. If all went according to plan tomorrow, this wouldn't be the last time I hugged the man.

He was the first to pull back, looking down at me. He had a grave look on his face, "Please, be safe tomorrow. I know you can fight, I've seen it with my own eyes, but think before you act." He sighed, "I don't think I would be able to handle losing you."

I gave him a half-smile, "Hey, I'll be fine. I'm not going anywhere, remember?" My smile dropped away, "But you have to be safe too."

The man nodded, "Make sure you go over the plan with Tommy once more tonight." A loud, happy shriek came from the ravine. The small rebellion was most likely celebrating.

I stood on the tips of my toes, angling my face towards Dream's. He wrapped his arms around me, pressing his face to mine. It was a quick but passionate kiss. I could tell he was as scared as I was but he would never show it.

I pulled back, taking a step away. Ghost followed closely at my side. I gave Dream a small smile, "You and me until the end?"

The man smiled before tugging his mask into place, "You and me until the end y/n."

-

Laughs and cheers of rebellion echoed against the stone walls as I made my way down. Ghost's head snapped back and forth as he eyed the people. Somehow, the dog knew which one was the one who stabbed me.

As I approached the small group of people, Ghost gave a small growl towards the tallest. Wilbur stood on the other side of the group, a wide smile on his face. I ignored him, coming to stand next to Techno.

The pink-haired man was leaning against the wall outside of the group, not adding to their conversation. I didn't blame him. The loud laughter and shouts were slightly overwhelming in the cramped space.