i have now decided to re-brand the book to a Dream SMP book rather than a Technoblade book, though the romance is Technoblade ... i just don't feel like it's the most important part of Nia's plot, you know?

Stela stares at the Revival Book with disbelief in her eyes. She steps forward, towards the lectern, and touches the side of the book, getting a feel of the leather. It's old, yet still soft to touch, as if its own magic preserves it in a state of immortality that it provides to its owners.

Sara stands next to Nia, wondering why Dream would give them the Revival Book in the first place. She knows Dream well enough to know that it wasn't for free.

"What did he want for it?" Sara asks, her eyes glued to the book.

Nia bites her lip, shrugging. "A favor," she replies. "All he wanted in return was a favor."

"From us?" Stela questions.

"From me," says Nia. "He was vague, as people usually are, but he asked for a favor. Apparently, he's going somewhere and doesn't want the book to fall in someone else's hands, so he gave it back."

"You're saying that like it's a bad thing," she points out. Her ears perk up and she turns around to face Nia, her eyes narrowed.

The princess sighs. "He memorized the book," she says, running a hand through her hair. "He gave the book back because essentially, he doesn't even need it anymore, and on top of that, he's getting a favor from me out of it."

"Then we have to make sure that Dream doesn't share the knowledge with anyone, right?" asks Sara, her eyebrow raised. She says it as if it were that easy. But the part of making sure that Dream doesn't tell anyone about it is tricky in itself.

"Unless you want to kill him, I don't think it's entirely possible," says Stela at once, shaking her head. She licks her lips, glancing at Sara and Nia, both with their brows arched up.

Sara seems horrified by the idea of stooping to Dream's level and going as far as to murder somebody just for a book. She knows it might seem stupid, but she doesn't feel comfortable with the idea of being directly responsible for someone's death.

Nia, on the other hand, begins considering the notion. Yes, she cares about Dream and she would hate for him to die, but . . . if he truly remembers the contents of the book, the Trix should make sure that the knowledge doesn't get out. Putting an end to Dream and his reign of terror might be one of the simplified options they have.

Chewing on her bottom lip, she wonders if she's taking the idea into consideration purely out of her sense of duty to a cause she hasn't been as invested in as Stela, or if it's because it would be so much easier to stop thinking about him and get him out of her life if he were dead. Dream has done some terrible, terrible things . . . but could Nia bring herself to end his life if push came to shove? War is one thing, but killing somebody she cannot stop considering a friend is another.

"There has to be another option, right?" says Sara, shaking her head vigorously to show her acute disagreement.

"What other options are there?" inquires Nia. She genuinely seeks an answer. Another way to deal with the issue. But the logical, rational part of her brain refuses to accommodate to her heart. "Dream only responds to violence or bargaining. We have nothing to bargain with."

"Violence is not the only way." Sara crosses her arms. Nia wants to agree with her. She truly does.

"It's the only language everyone understands." The princess crosses her arms defensively, the muscles in her shoulders tensing.

"You've been spending too much time with Technoblade." Sara shakes her head dismissively unwilling to debate somebody's deliberate murder.

"Obviously."

"Don't get clever with me right now." Sara glares at Nia for a moment, running a hand over her face. "He was your friend, right? You're the one he keeps coming to— how can you even consider this?" She sighs.

"I don't know," says Nia honestly. "Maybe it's the simplest solution, and I'm tired of running marathons just to try and get something done." She sighs, averting her gaze to the books surrounding the Trix. She's been through so much drama in the past months, compared to the rest of her life, and she was a princess. She's tired, truly, honestly tired. All she wants at this point is to just live with Techno in peace. No more fighting in battles, no more war. Just peace.

Stela presses her lips together, her eyes moving across the entire library before setting on Sara and Nia. "I don't know what we're going to do, if I'm going to be completely honest with you, but . . . Ranboo told me that Tommy is planning something," she says, clasping her hands together and throwing a cautious glance Nia's way.

The princess reacts better than expected, only hugging herself and staring at the Revival Book positioned on the lectern behind Stela.

"What's he planning?" asks Sara.

"Something big," Stela claims with a shrug.

Nia scoffs, earning a look from both Sara and Stela. "Dream said the exact same thing," she says, shaking her head. "He said he's planning something big, and now I get the feeling that whatever Tommy is planning, might just end up being stupid."

"Okay, yeah, it probably is both big and stupid." Stela nods. "I just— I don't know enough. Ranboo just told me that Tommy plans to get his discs back, and apparently Dream had left him a note with coords to the discs."

"Aha, so it's not something big. It's just plain stupid," Sara remarks, her eyebrows furrowed. "He's going to be walking into a trap set by Dream, and he doesn't even care, does he?"

Stela screws up her face in thought. Tommy planning to take on Dream might play into their cards perfectly. If they play them right, of course. They just need to align their chess pieces correctly, conscientious of their every move. "Not necessarily," she says. Nia seems to catch on, her eyebrow arched.

"Not if we help him," she comments.