Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Warning! Heavy violence and gore up ahead.

You have been warned.

Enjoy.

It was a night built in silence. No one spoke. Not a sound was made as the mother shielded her youngest. Not a creek was found as the father took the copper sword. Not a single cry was heard as the firstborn protected the mother and the child from any possible harm.

And the night brought them omens. Omens of death and blood. They were announced as a knock broke the silence on the door.

'Do not answer', they all thought. 'Don't respond to the devil that knocks at your door'. But when death calls you, she wants you whole. The knock caused harm, and harm broke the door with a terrifying sound. There is no point in fighting anymore.

The creature broke in.

A terrifying smile, a knife at hand and hunger for something he would never suffice. This was no man before them.

"Do not come close!" The father shouted as he held the sword higher.

The creature didn't wait for more. He went against the kids' father, striking him right underneath the ribs, and twisting the knife to keep the man from any form of retaliation. Once he was satisfied with the wails and screams of the man, he let go and let him bleed on the floor, the burgundy stained the wood like liquid fire consuming it with no burn.

The firstborn screamed, it was a sound of grief, a declaration of war. He ran to try and grab whatever had killed their father but it was to no avail. He was grabbed by the collar and held above the ground. No amount of struggle seemed to free him.

"Stop!" The mother cried desperately. "Stop! Let him be! Take me! Take me instead but let them be!"

The demon stopped, almost like he was considering the proposition. Then everything crumbled as the knife was firmly put against the firstborn's chest, definitely piercing the lungs as the boy started to drown in it.

The mother left a guttural cry. Almost as if her chest was pierced instead of the child in front of her. But her suffering was short as she was also hit by the cursed blade the creature held in his hand.

The last child tried to get away from the carnage. His big, round blue eyes were fixated on his family's corpses. He was shaking like a leaf, terrified of what the man in front of him was about to do. 

The man grabbed the locks of his hair and pinned him to the floor, making sure the last thing he saw was his dead family. Then, between the cries and screams that the child gave, the demon started to beat the child repeatedly. Time after time. Until the child couldn’t see anymore. Until his blood had coated the floor. Until he started feeling numb. Finally, when the creature grew tired of the motion, he slit the child’s throat and let the blood loss finish the job. 

He rejoiced in the job well done. The silence flowed in again. The night was as cursed as the creature’s deeds. Then, the man got tired of the faux peace he created himself, pulled out a book from his coat and dirtied his hand on the blood of the people he slew. He made sure to put the youngest in the middle of the room as the other bodies now decorated the corners, haunting the man with their dead glances.

Around the child, he drew a circle. And in the circle, there was a spell. The man distanced himself from the circle and opened the book once again. He read the foreign words to the corpse aloud and ghostly green light flooded the room, touching the child and the creature in an inhuman, menacing way.

The night came to a close with the break of dawn, holding forever the secrets about the book, the kid and the monster.

Wilbur smelled the pumpkin spice and cinnamon in the air. It was autumn once again. He, as a vampire, has lived through many autumns but, as he grew older, he started appreciating the seasons more and more. He understood the meaning of time through them and they inspired him to become a better version of himself. Even when it meant killing people and drinking their blood from time to time.

He wasn’t going to be harsh on Phil. He was sure his father didn’t know any better. Yet, he couldn’t help but feel himself slip with every year that passes by. He has, after all, committed many stupid mistakes after being turned, most of them to patronize his own coven. But he has grown out of it. He thinks.

He took a deep, unnecessary breath as he stepped into Sam’s coffee shop. Sam was a vampire about Wilbur’s age, maybe a little bit younger. He ran the coffee shop along with Niki to help out strays that didn’t know how to hunt or didn’t want to kill. Of course, there weren’t only things for vampires but most of the clients fit in this category.

Sam was not part of his coven. Niki, however, is one of his, and he would do anything for his little sibling. Especially since she has helped him through recovery ever since Phil adopted her.

“Wilbur! Good to see you!” Sam greeted. “How can I help you today?”

“Just came by to see if Niki is ok. You know me, I’m a bit overprotective.” Wilbur said cheerfully. Even though Sam was not a coven mate, he has been a good friend and partner to Niki, he owes the man nothing but respect.

“She is preparing the next batch. Why don’t you sit down and take a drink? I’m sure it won’t be long.” Sam suggested.

“Sure.” Wilbur accepted, sitting by the balcony.

Not much had to be said between the two men, Sam already knew Wilbur’s preferences and quickly served him a cup of warm ‘cranberry tea’. Though the little humanity left inside of him still didn’t take lightly the kill, the vampire inside of him had always prefered the blood fresh, directly out of the victim. He discovered to never ignore his inner vampire for too long, consequences had always been devastating.

After finishing his cup, he had grown bored and decided to take a stroll. He just had thought he would have noticed the boy before he almost sent him to the floor. He was going to apologise, but the child was rude before he had the chance.

“Watch where you’re going, bitch!”

“You watch where you’re going.” Wilbur said defensively.

“Excuse me, I can’t!” The child said as he passed a hand in front of his face.

Now, Wilbur started to take in the child’s appearance. He had golden locks of hair falling over his eyes. His plaid shirt was messily put together with a white shirt. His jeans were worn and his shoes were poorly polished. But what called the most attention was the fact the boy was carrying with him a white cane. Yes, those canes that help blind people escape obstacles.

He almost sent a blind kid to the ground.

He should definitely apologise.

“Whatever.” The child grew tired of waiting for a response and simply skipped Wilbur, bumping the cane at him a bit before going away.

Wilbur watched as the child ordered two black coffees, a blueberry muffin and two doughnuts. Once he was done paying for them he made his way out of the coffee shop with confident steps as his cane warned him of any possible barriers.

“Sam, who was that?” Wilbur carefully asked.

“That was Thomas.” Sam said bitterly. “He comes here every day to get the orders for his hunter friends.”

“The hunters, you say?” Wilbur feared for the kid. How could they send a blind kid to fight vampires?!

“I’ve never encountered him in a hunt but it’s sure to say he is one of theirs.” Sam said carefully. “Don’t mess with him. He is bad news.”

“But he is just a child.”

“Wilbur.” Sam warned.

“And blind at that.”

“Wilbur, a lion’s cub doesn’t kill but doesn’t change the fact that it’s a lion. Stay away from him. That’s for your own good.” Sam firmly said.

“Wilbur?” Niki’s voice came from afar. “You’re early today. Is everything ok?” She asked as she placed more doughnuts into the display.

“It’s alright! You know, the usual.” They quickly changed the topic.

Thomas couldn’t be that bad. He was just a blind kid with quite the fire inside! Wilbur wouldn’t be scared of him and he was going to prove it to everyone!

Wilbur sat waiting for Thomas outside of the coffee shop. He knew. He knew the child was bad news but he couldn't help feeling bad for the child. And tragedies have always been endearing to him, like an angler fish's light.

He wasn't that hungry and he didn't want to hear a sermon, so he kept clear from Sam.

It was growing near the time that he usually saw Niki and he was losing hope. That's when he heard the occasional bumping of a cane. It wasn't loud. Actually, Wilbur wouldn't even hear it if he weren't a vampire.

Slowly but surely, the blind boy made his appearance and Wilbur prepared to announce his regrets left unsaid the day before. That was until he noticed he was accompanied.

"Be careful, I'll be waiting here." The lady with black and white hair said.

"Careful is my middle name, Puffy." The blind boy said, turning to face some inches off of where she was standing.

"Sure. And where is the shop now, mister Careful?" The lady, Puffy, asked.

Thomas turned around and pointed in the general direction of the shop, missing the door completely.

"Alright, gremlin! Go for it!" She allowed him to go and found a place to sit outside as well. 

"Is he your child?" Wilbur had to ask.

She eyed him warily, taking in all of Wilbur's features. Good thing he had contact lenses on. She was still very wary though.

"No, I'm… just making sure he is ok." She reserved herself. For someone with a Cruela style, she looked nothing but caring and worried. She was definitely human if her black eyes and round ears were anything to go by.

"I'm Wilbur! What is your name?" Wilbur tried to be polite, even though he already knew her name.

"Puffy." She was quiet, lost in thought even. It took some time but she found the strength to say. "Look, you seem nice and all but… you have to stay away from Tommy."

"What?" Wilbur was starting to feel threatened.

"I'm just warning. Tommy's brother is very protective and will make sure to put an end to this if you don't do it yourself. So, don't."

"Well, I'm stronger than I look, I'll be fine." Wilbur was starting to get unhinged. Whatever possessiveness that Thomas's brother has, a vampire has tenfold!

"Ok." She said though the frown on her face said something Wilbur was well familiar with. 'Fool'. Bond to love something he may never reach, like Icarus to the sun. Oh, well, he might as well fall on the sea then because, damn, he was making Thomas his!

Speaking of the devil, Thomas just got out the front door carrying two black coffees and a paper bag. Wilbur quickly got up to say his apologies.

"Thomas! Hi! I just wanted to say that I'm so very sorry for what happened yesterday!" Wilbur started.

"Hum, who are you, again?" Thomas asked.

Wilbur was shocked he was forgotten so soon. People used to say he was quite hard to forget.

"Wilbur. I stumbled upon you yesterday." Wilbur explained.

"Oh! The rude guy! Yeah, I remember you. Your mommy knocked some sense on you?"

"No, I just thought you were a child that needed reassurance every ten minutes." Wilbur answered at his level.

"Not a child, bitch!"

"Tommy! You got George's coffee! You know he can't do anything without caffeine!" Puffy started to lead him away.

"Puffy! He is a pussy!" Thomas interjected.

"Imagine how sad Sapnap will be if you don't bring his muffin!" She reasoned.

"He can suck it up, for all I care! I'm not done…!"

"Tommy, Dream is waiting for us."

That seemed to click something in Tommy's head because he lost all fight and simply handed her the paper bag and a coffee. The other coffee he started to drink while he walked away murmuring curses at him. He is such a spitfire! Lovely!

Wilbur went inside the coffee shop promising to do the same the next day.

Thomas appeared again the next day but, this time, something was different. Odd. Out of place.

Thomas was accompanied by a man. At first, Wilbur thought it was Thomas' brother but they were nothing alike. Adopted, perhaps? Wilbur couldn't tell.

The man was short (everyone was short for Wilbur with few exceptions). He had black hair that was tied in a bandana. He looked tanned but didn't seem any healthier than Thomas and Puffy. They looked like they hadn't seen the light in days. Was it the case? Sleep by day and hunt by night to follow a vampire's schedule?

"Now, remember what Puffy said, don't talk to strangers." The man said before allowing him to go.

"Thomas! How's it going?" Wilbur asked, thinking the 'strangers' part wasn't meant for him. Tommy simply ghosted him.

"You should stop." The man said. "I say it as a friend."

Finally, the man sat by his side. Not the scene Wilbur had expected but the one he got.

"The name's Sapnap. Yours?"

"Wilbur." Wilbur fought the desire to trawl the man. He should have done it, though, the talk would have been easier.

"Wilbur, I have a feeling you don't know in what mess you got yourself into but I beg you to stop. You don't want to be another nameless case in a nameless street."

Did he know? Could he know? No, humans are way too dumb for that. He was way too cautious for that.

“What do you mean by that?” Wilbur was quickly growing defensive.

Sapnap breathed in deep and breathed out slowly. He looked away a bit and then back to Wilbur.

“There once was a lion cub that liked to make friends.”

“A children’s story? Really?”

“Hear me out!” Sapnap looked desperate. “The lion cub ended up making friends with a pack of hungry wolves. Though the wolves were no risk to the cub, the cub's family didn’t approve of this friendship one bit.”

“Oh, so what did the family do? Killed the Big Bad Wolves?” Wilbur asked, mockingly.

“They killed the cub.”

What?

“You don’t want Tommy to be that cub, do you?”

The lions killed their cub? Over a friendship?

Thomas exited the coffee shop and Sapnap got up from the chair. They left in silence, no farewell was said.

He didn’t like to be the wolf of this story if it meant Thomas would be the lion cub. Was this what Puffy meant with her warning? That Thomas would be the one to suffer from his desire to have him? It’s gotta be a joke. Like, If you’re not home by ten you’re dead to me kind of joke. It’s a joke. Just a joke.

Wilbur didn’t enter the coffee shop this time.

He didn’t tell Niki why he wouldn’t meet her at the coffee shop, just said it wasn’t happening. She was very comprehensive though and didn’t seem to be mad. Maybe he was overreacting.

Maybe he wasn’t.

He decided to go to the sea. It wasn’t that cool living by the shore but it sure had its perks. He sat on the sand and started scribbling. It wasn’t anything in particular, just incomprehensible phrases and rhymes.

“Why are you moping here like a loser?” He recognized the voice.

“Thomas!”

“Shush! I’m not supposed to be here, moron.” He passed his cane from side to side where Wilbur was writing and then sat down. Wilbur was a bit sad to lose his entertainment but Tommy couldn’t have known.

“By the way, call me Tommy. Thomas sounds sooo oooold!” 

Tommy left his cane by his side as he laid on the sand as though star gazing when, in fact, he didn’t even know what nighttime looks like.

“So? You’re answering or not?” Tommy half smiled as some of his hair fell off his eyes. Both milky and unfocused, like the eyes of prey weeks after his feeding. One looked at nowhere in particular, way out of orbit to be natural. The other stared straight ahead and Wilbur knew that, if Tommy was facing him, this one eye would be burning holes into his soul. They were terrifying yet beautiful. Like they held the secrets of life and death inside the tiny orbits.

“Oi! It’s rude to stare!” Tommy quickly called him back to earth.

“I’m not.” Wilbur lied.

“You’re too quiet to not be staring. I know they are ugly.”

“What?”

“Everyone stares at them, I know. I don’t know what they look like but I’m sure it isn’t pretty.”

“You’re wrong.” Wilbur firmly said.

“Pfff! Am I?” Tommy doubted his own appearance.

“Tommy, repeat after me. I’m handsome! Fuck the world!”

“Haha! Do you practice that in the mirror every day?”

“No, I don’t!” Wilbur fought not to laugh too.

“Oh, look at me! I’m Wilbur! I’m pretty like a girl and I sing in the shower!”

“Only a monster wouldn’t sing in the shower!” Wilbur defends.

“I’m also a lonely bitch because my ex doesn’t love me anymore!”

“My wife is dead, Tommy.” Wilbur corrected.

“Really?” Tommy stopped joking.

“Yeah, she died at labour a long time ago. I’ve been healing.”

“Sorry. I thought you were some pussy who lives with his parents.”

“Well, I do live with my father, so…”

“This is even worse.” Tommy laughed nervously. “I lost my family, too.”

“Is that why your brother is so protective?”

“My…? Oh, my brother! Yeah, he’s a bitch!” Tommy seemed to not pick it up immediately, maybe they were really adopted. “He only thinks about Gogy! Oh, Gogy! Look at this thing I have! Oh, Gogy! Let’s have a date! Oh, Gogy! Hug me! I’m scared!” Tommy destroyed his brother’s reputation as a serial killer and made him a weeny.

“Who is Gogy?”

“Oh, you didn’t meet him. It was his turn today to go to the café with me. He is quite the bitch, too.”

Wilbur heard a kind of beep coming from Tommy’s arm. Tommy pulled it up to reveal a smartwatch, not anything expensive but still quite impressive. He touched the side until his fingers met a tiny button which he pressed.

“Emergency. Gotta go.” 

Tommy grabbed his cane and got himself up.

“See you tomorrow? Same place, same time?” Wilbur asked, hopeful.

“Yeah, yeah. Gotta put some joy into the pity party that is your life.” Tommy joked before walking away.

Wilbur couldn’t imagine Tommy going on hunts. Tommy, a blind boy forced to fight against vampires. It wasn’t right! It was cruel!

Then, again, this whole empire of vampire hunting was rotten to the core. Everyone knew that. He should mark the boy as quickly as possible. But how would he do it? Tommy being blind made him easy to approach but also very jumpy. Wilbur would have to be careful. Then Tommy could finally be his.

Wilbur slowly entered his home. It was late. Well, not the usual late people were used to, more like the sun is rising late. Though he could stand sunlight for a bit, he wasn’t that much of a fan of the sunburns that came afterwards. He had stayed on the beach after Tommy answered the smartwatch’s beep.

Phil wasn’t the type to be angry at crazy schedules but Techno had a fledgeling that was still changing schedule and Techno was still bribing him into sleeping during the day.

Though vampires can go days without sleeping they still need some sort of rest. Tales of sleep-deprived vampires were always disastrous yet really fun to listen to.

“Quite the time to show up.” Sadly, it wasn’t Phil to greet him.

Techno was sitting on the couch. He was carving something on wood, it looked like a cat, but it had four long ears and large fangs. Hell knows what he was carving!

“Is Ranboo asleep?” Wilbur asked.

“Finally, yes.” Techno put his carving knife aside and brushed the shavings out of the way so Wilbur could sit by his side. “Took some effort but managed. I still don’t get how we went through that.”

“Welcome to sirehood!” Wilbur joked.

“Pretty sure that’s not a word.” Techno corrected.

“Then accept you’re a father!” Wilbur kidded more.

“Nah.” Techno said as he slouched on the couch. “I really need to hunt soon. Been feeding too much.”

“When is he off on your blood?” Wilbur asked.

“About next week. His teeth have grown well.”

“If he is not clingy anymore, I can take care of him for you.” Wilbur offered.

“He is fine.” Techno blankly said.

“You’re not.” Wilbur understood.

“The voices are too loud.” Techno explained. “I can barely stay two rooms away from him.”

“Damn, I’m getting scared of having a fledgeling myself…” Wilbur half-joked. He hoped Techno got the message.

Sadly, he seemed to be as bad with people as it can get, so Wilbur grew tired and told it himself.

“I met someone!” Wilbur explained.

“That’s great…” Techno said tiredly, not that Wilbur would care.

“And I think I will turn him!”

Techno eyed his twin for a long second. He glance back at the ceiling and muttered something. Then he put the carving he was doing near the knife and grabbed a comfort blanket Phil had bought less than a decade ago. He covered himself in it, the weight relaxing his nerves.

“Great. Whatever you say.” Techno wrapped himself like a cocoon and closed his eyes. His long pink hair was not even braided! It would get so messy until he woke up! “Good day.”

“Aren’t you going to give me parenting tips?” Wilbur said in disbelief.

“Hum.” Techno opened his eyes slightly and then closed them again. “Install a fridge in their room. And stock up on blood for the both of you. The first weeks are hard.” He opened his eyes again. Once he found his words, he closed them again and said his last piece of advice. “Prepare a bucket. There is also a lot of vomiting. Or maybe that’s just Ranboo.” 

Wilbur waited for more but once he heard his brother’s snores he knew there were no more words coming from his twin. 

He needed more advice! More specifically, he needed to know how he was breaking it to Tommy that he was a vampire who kinda liked him a lot and wanted to make him his fledgeling.

He needed Phil.

His first instinct was to scream out the old man’s name, but his brother and nephew were fast asleep and he didn’t want to wake them up. Phil should probably be at the library right now! Phil and Niki had a habit of putting things in order while everyone else was asleep. And the library was always out of order so…

He opened the door passive-aggressively and called:

“Phiiiiiil!”

“You little shit! You’re going to wake Ranboo up!” Phil scolded in a whisper. Wilbur could hear Niki giggling from afar. “What do you want?” He asked more in a normal tone now. Almost mute to the normal ear, but very clear to a vampire’s ear.

“Phiiil! How do I get someone to be my fledgeling?” Wilbur used his whispered sweet voice. One that a child would use to make their parents do what they want.

“Wow, Wilbur! I didn’t think you were already at this age! I thought you were more jovial than Techno!” Niki kidded.

“He is only older by two minutes!” Wilbur defended himself but Phil shushed him.

“Well, technically you were already older than him when I turned you, so…” Phil reminded him.

“Phil, don’t feed her talks!” Wilbur felt betrayed. Betrayed by his own father.

“Alright, alright! First off, who is the kid? Let’s see if I approve.” How dare he doubt Wilbur’s taste?!

“His name is Thomas, he is a total force of chaos! He is also blind…” The blind part was sure to get Phil’s approval.

“Hum… Seems good to me!” Phil gave his seal of approval!

“So that’s why you liked him! You two will wreak havoc together!” Niki kidded. Wilbur was about to answer but Phil quickly cut him off.

“How long have you known him, mate?”

“About half a week now.”

“Wow! That was quick! Techno took years to get used to Ranboo. I still question how he became his sire.” Niki commented.

That’s true. Techno’s instincts were stronger than the other’s, so when they rescued a recently turned Niki and a still very human Ranboo from the hunters, Techno was not the one to greet them with open arms. Strangely so, as time ran by, Techno went from tolerating Ranboo to literally raising the kid, even though Ranboo’s blood smelled so sweet and appetising, not a single bite met his neck until the fated day Ranboo said he was ok with becoming part of the coven.

“It was probably a call.”

“A call?” Niki was too young to know.

“An instinctual call is similar to love at first sight or something on the like of it. You just know the person is supposed to be by your side forever. You feel it deep inside your gut.” Wilbur explained.

“Usually calls don’t go any further than a short period of friendship, especially when the mortal gets scared and cuts ties. But, if well nurtured, it can lead to great things. You and Ranboo are an example of it.” Phil added. “I felt I should keep you safe that night, so I did.”

“Not all vampires have it, though. Techno is one of those cases.” Wilbur put in more info.

“In this case, the easiest way is to make them comfortable around you. Become friends with them, and make them trust you. When they are finally ready, you tell them the truth and give them choice.”

“Give them choice?” Wilbur had to ask. How does giving a choice help? He would lose him!

“A conscious turning is less painful than a forced one. Besides, when given the choice and some days to think, they are more likely to accept your offer. And if they don’t, well…” Phil paused a bit, red eyes darker than usual before lightning back to its usual self. “Not saying it’s best to kidnap someone but it’s a possibility if you grow too desperate.”

“Wow! Darkza!” Wilbur was impressed. Phil had settled into a peaceful life ever since ww2 was over.

“Now, go! It’s the best you’ll get from me!” Phil dismissed him.

Wilbur was about to leave to his bedroom when Niki called him.

“Wilbur! Sam called me and told me not to go to work today. The Gambler was cornered by Hathor last night. Better safe than sorry.” She warned him.

Hathor? Strange, she is just a support and search member for the Ring. She is not one to go straight to attack… Well, not important! He isn’t going anywhere until sunset and he had better things to think about. Like what type of songs Tommy would like the most.

Chapter Text

Wilbur isn’t exactly one to sneak out but he wanted to see Tommy very badly. He didn’t go to Sam’s, he knew the vampire would tell Phil. Instead, he strode to the beach. Tommy found him there, once. He will find him again.

In retrospect, it was very late for a human boy, blind or not. The moon was hitting somewhere between ten and eleven pm. He was probably not coming. 

“Damn, you are a weirdo!” But he did.

Wilbur turned around to see the blind boy carefully approaching. He was wearing a hunting uniform, the military green sitting awfully with him, not that he would ever be aware of that. Wilbur was glad Tommy could not see his expression when he saw the outfit.

“Out for the hunt?” Wilbur asked Tommy.

“Yeah… Patrol night. Someone’s gotta hold the strays while the rest are out dating.” Tommy said it with a smile as he sat beside Wilbur. “Oh, Gogy, why are you so mean to me? Oh, Karl, let’s go to the movies with our secret fiance because he is totally not a vampire which is so against the rules!”

“What?” Wilbur had to ask. That was quite a bit of information.

“Sapnap doesn’t want to admit he is falling in love because Dream thinks it is a bad thing.” Tommy explained as he started playing with the sand, probably not caring about what the strokes could form.

“Who is Dream?” Wilbur had a feeling he had heard this name before, just not in this context.

“You wouldn’t know him. He is cooped inside forever, he only goes out to, and I quote, avenge us .” That was weird. “He is my metaphorical brother. The one you mentioned yesterday.”

“So he is not your brother?”

“For him, Sapnap, Gogy, Puffy and I are his siblings. But we have no blood relation. We were just unlucky bastards who couldn’t seem to fucking die.”

That’s very sombre for a vampire hunter. They were trained to kill the immortal, they should know better than to say that sparingly. Maybe it also made it easier to say such things. After facing death multiple times and coming out alive, it seems to lose its weight.

“What about you?” Tommy asked. “You’re very brave to come here and meet me at night.”

“I am also very difficult to kill.” Wilbur kidded as he quickly diverted from this topic. “Is it illegal to have a relationship outside the hunter’s institute?”

“What? Where did you get that idea from?” Tommy seemed puzzled, but there was something odd about it. He seemed to get a shade paler and the hair from his arm seemed to stand up. He was clearly nervous though no scent of sweat met his nose.

“It’s just, Sapnap seems to be quite frightened about being found with his fiances and he warned me about sticking around you.”

Wilbur could hear a muttered ‘bastard’ under Tommy’s breath, he was sure Tommy was hiding something. Tommy did not answer his question, settling for silence.

“He told me the story of a cub…”

“Oh, except the cub was very much a fully grown lion, I assure you!” Tommy spatted.

“You don’t need to act as an adult, Tommy.” Wilbur comforted.

“What? No! The story’s about Nickolas Robinson.” Tommy explained before a long beep came from his watch. “Shit! I’m late!”

Tommy stumbled through the sand to get up, surely facing the sea before turning around.

“Don’t risk yourself over that! Sapnap has as many stories as a sailor, and half of them half-true, you hear me!” Tommy angrily warned before running towards the streets.

Nickolas Robinson.

Who the fuck is this guy?!

Alright, Nickolas Robinson was a nobody !

No nothing! No driver's licence, no birth certificate, the dude must have died a virgin too because he didn’t even get married!

He was almost giving up when he started with the old newspaper collection Phil had stocked up in his room. Piles and piles of useless newspaper that counted tales of many things that once were. Wilbur knew; he was there. It was until an unsuspecting article on the second page of a newspaper from October 1936. It was supposedly an uneventful year! The first war was over, everyone was living life normally by then, and every single incident made it to the newspaper. Though the man didn’t seem to have existed, he did seem to die somehow.

‘ Mysterious murderer?

On the 31st of October, the body of one Nickolas Robinson was found in the courtyard of the renowned family Noveschosch. Though a thorough investigation was done in the courtyard and the house, no detective was able to tell the cause of his death. The body had a knife wound though was mysteriously bloodless by the time the detectives investigated the area. ‘It was a massacre’ claimed minister Noveschosch. ‘It was no vampire, it was The Devil himself’.

The police are still evaluating the damages. The hunter institute has also presented itself to take care of Nickolas’ funeral and pay the Noveschosch family for the inconvenience.’

Noveschosch. He knew that name. From where, though?

There was only one solution…

“Phiiiil!” Wilbur screamed for his sire.

Footsteps sounded down the hallway, though they weren’t light like Phil’s they were heavy and long. Like they came from longer legs than his…

Oh, no.

“Wil? Are you looking for Phil?” Ranboo asked from the door.

“Hey, Ran! You should be in bed.” Wilbur used his sweet voice. Ranboo wasn’t a kid but he was centuries younger than him.

“Am I the only one who finds it weird vampires don’t sleep in coffins?” Ranboo asked.

“Suit yourself but I don’t want back pains when I wake up tomorrow.” Wilbur kidded.

“Haha, sure…”

That’s the thing with Ranboo. Talking to him feels like walking on eggshells. He doesn’t know what is funny and what is hurting… Tommy, though blind, was stronger in that sense. Everything was a joke to him like nothing could hurt him anymore. Wilbur liked that in him.

“Anyway, Phil isn’t home. He is attending that vampire meeting with Niki.”

“Why did he not call me?” Wilbur felt forgotten for one bit.

“You were busy and Techno was staying anyway, so he thought he’d give you a break as well.” Ranboo explained.

“Shit!” Wilbur said as he got up. He needed another source.

“What is it?” Ranboo asked calmly.

“I need to find a name.” Wilbur explained as he started to prepare himself to go out. It was still mid-noon, he didn’t want to get burned. Sunglasses, a hat, gloves and long sleeves were the basics to not get burned.

“What name?”

“Noveschosch.”

“No, don’t know it.”

“That’s fine, I’ll go to the library. Do you need anything?” Wilbur asked politely.

“I’m good.” Ranboo answered shily. “Bring Techno a sweet or something.”

“Sure will!” Wilbur wasn’t sure what to bring his brother but he would find out.

Maybe he would spare some of his time to see Tommy again.

It wasn’t a long walk to the library but he drove there thanks to the sun. It was a small library and served more as a way to keep some dead data stored, which was perfect for his dead man hunt!

He started his hunt through the city's history. If Wilbur remembered this name he sure heard it somewhere!

It was a tedious search but he eventually found it. Though his discovery made him feel more like a dunce than a detective. How could he forget that Bad’s last name was Noveschosch?!

Bad was a very old vampire, older than even Philza! He has a fame for his charity actions toward strays. But what does he have to do with Nickolas? Was it a mere accident or was it planned?

Wilbur had to know. But Bad was in that dammed meeting he was uninformed about! Perhaps Tommy would tell him something? No, he told Wilbur to stop looking the instant he let this information slide.

Wilbur could afford to wait. It wasn’t like Tommy would die if he did not find out the truth. Wilbur exited the library thinking about sweets he could bring home. Techno has always had a sweet tooth. No wonder he was the second worst thing to happen to those orphans. Kids have sweeter blood than adults, after all.

The following night, he went to visit Bad. Bad, as an old vampire, has a big coven. His direct wards were Skeppy, Antfrost, Sam and Hanna. Sam adopted Quackity, who in turn adopted many other strays. Wilbur has a little vendetta with Quackity, though. Quackity seemed to be a better option for Fundy instead for his own father.

Apparently, it was only Bad and Skeppy tonight. They were tending to the garden.

“Excuse me, Badboyhalo?” Wilbur announced his arrival from the fence. Vampires have a deep sense of territorialism. Though humans believed it meant they needed permission to come inside, they were actually trying not to die to older vampires that could snap their necks in a second.

“What are you doing here, Siren ?” Skeppy asked defensively.

“I have some questions about someone called Nickolas Robinson.”

This time, Bad stood up. Though he was not in his real form, Wilbur could feel the ancient energy coming from him.

“Who sent you?” Bad asked.

“No one. I came on my own.” Bad seemed to consider. “May I come in?”

Bad was frozen in place before nodding and heading inside as well. It wasn’t long until they were set in a living room with glasses full of blood and albums full of photos. Most of them were recent and in colour. A bunch of floating clothes, mostly, since vampires don’t have reflections. But then Bad moved to a section with black and white photos and those had humans. Or just one human? Wilbur wasn’t sure. All of the photos with any human were quite bad. Either they were blurry or the light was off or there was something blocking the view. None of them had a clear shot of the face.

“You know, Nick was the one who inspired me to get a camera. I thought that since he was human something would finally appear in the picture. But I was terrible with it and it always turned out wrong.” Bad explained as Skeppy simply sipped his blood.

“What happened to him?” Wilbur knew it was a long and complicated history. But damn he was going to listen.

“I met him in the middle of the night. A hunter. Too young, too small. So proud of the beard he was finally growing. Calling himself a man.”

Skeppy didn’t seem to have the guts for the conversation. He left his untouched glass and exited the room.

“I’m sorry.” Bad apologised for him. “It’s hard for him. For the both of us. We wanted to turn him. Make him ours, you know?”

“But you couldn’t.” Wilbur respectfully asked.

“I believe you’re already familiar with The Ring.”

Wilbur simply nodded. No one knows exactly what The Ring is. They can’t be killed, not in a way that matters. And they have inhuman abilities, just like vampires. Wilbur was shocked to learn that Tengu had wings just like Phil.

“There is a fifth member of sorts. They are meant only for punishment so they don’t make a scene too often. They may seem harmless to vampires at first but their only goal is to punish hunters who have stepped out of line.”

Wilbur could make the connection in his head. Befriending a vampire isn’t an appropriate measure for a hunter.

“The night we were going to tell him about our true nature, he arrived in distress, warning us of their arrival.” Bad paused for a bit, memories clouding his red eyes with tears. “There were many strange things about Nick. Skeppy may disagree but I think he already knew we weren’t humans. But the strangest of all the little quirks about meeting Nick was that, after being stabbed right under his ribcage, he didn’t bleed. Like it was all a dream and he would wake up soon.” Bad paused again, tears already racing down his face. “He would wake up and say everything was ok, he was ok…. But he didn’t wake up.”

Wilbur didn’t intervene. He knew the loss of a fledgling is too painful, even if they haven’t been turned.

“We buried him the very same day. I didn’t want my last memory of him to be of decay and wither. He deserved more than that.”

“Why did you let the institute bury him, then? Wasn’t it their fault?”

“He was a hunter too, I couldn’t keep his friends from seeing him one last time. They were grieving just as much as I was. If I denied, they would think I was to blame for his death. It was the closest to peace we could find.” Bad seemed almost broken. Not the pillar of ancient strength and knowledge that let Wilbur into his house. He was a father who lost his son. “I don’t know what brought you to this conversation. But, if I had known what would come, I would have disappeared if it meant he got to live a long, happy life.”

Wilbur eyed the photo with Nick cooking. He was holding a wooden spoon and stirring something on a pot over a firewood oven. Though the light of the fire distorted the image and kept him from seeing Nick’s face, he imagined the man smiling, the beard short and flawed in some places. 

It could have been Tommy. Tommy could be cursed or fated to die because of Wilbur. Just like Nick.

He spent some more time with Bad, before going back home. He had to think. Maybe Sapnap was right! Maybe Tommy was the one to suffer from their relationship. Maybe the lions truly killed that cub.

Maybe Icarus truly fell to the sea.

Wilbur surely marched to the sea. It was going to be goodbye. He didn't know how he would say it though. It was sure to break his and Tommy's hearts, but first a broken heart than death.

As he neared their spot, he saw Tommy waiting for him. He left him waiting yesterday. It was rude of his part to leave Tommy waiting. Beautiful, fragile, limited Tommy. He is going to die of old age and Wilbur won't be able to do anything about it.

"Hey, there! Sorry I didn't come yesterday!" Wilbur announced his arrival.

"Hey, Wil! And here I thought I left you hanging yesterday!" Tommy answered.

"You didn't come?" Wilbur asked bewildered.

"No. I had an important meeting. I'm something of a big deal you know?"

"Really?" Wilbur indulged him.

"Yeah! I have a title and everything! Colonel Thomas Innes." Tommy bragged though he didn't seem too proud about it.

"Colonel?!" Wilbur couldn't quite believe it. Colonel is a title no child could ever reach! It is something a thirty or forty-year-old would achieve! Not sixteen-year-old.

"I worked hard for this title, you know?" Tommy explained with half a smile. "Nowadays I teach combat at the academy. It's a way to run away from the danger outside, you know?"

Tommy simply laid on the sand. For a moment, Tommy seemed to age a decade. His jovial, baby face looked like the face of a veteran of war. 

"We can't meet anymore." Wilbur was surprised. The words never left his mouth, but Tommy saved him from the ache. "I'm going to a difficult hunt tomorrow. Please don't come."

"What…?"

"Tomorrow is all-out. The Ring is going to be there. Do not come. You'd only get hurt."

The Ring. Tommy worked with the Ring. The Ring was threatening him. The Devil is in the fucking details!

"But I gotta say, it was nice getting to know someone. I've missed this." Tommy carefully got himself up and started to walk away. "I'll meet you on the other side."

The last bit was said in a whisper. A promise. A seal of fate. 

The other side…

Wilbur was acquainted with the other side. His mother was on the other side, Sally was on the other side. Wilbur was familiar with the other side. Tommy can't go to the other side!

Wilbur had a plan.

The bar of stupidity seemed to grow for Wilbur. 

He knew this was a stupid plan. Gods, he wondered how Phil abided by that! Techno was at least reluctant to do that. Sure, he had to teach Ranboo how to hunt but this wasn't ideal! The whole Ring is out for a night. If the covens kept their regular feeding patterns at least a third of the covens would disappear.

But that didn't matter, he had to get Tommy out of there.

"Are you sure about this, mate? We could wait for a better opportunity." Phil suggested.

"There won't be a better opportunity! I heard it in his voice! He told me to meet him on the other side! He won't be alive tomorrow!" Wilbur knew this was paranoid but he held onto hope that tonight would be enough to save him.

"Wilbur, I know you're scared for Tommy but we have a fledgling with us. We can't afford to slip while he is out there."

Wilbur forced himself to eye Ranboo. Ranboo who was rescued without repercussions. Ranboo, who now had a good sire and a living coven. Ranboo who now was his nephew.

'It should have been Tommy', a selfish part of Wilbur cried.

He controlled his feelings. He was the adult here, Ranboo had nothing to do with the issue. 

"We need to save him." Wilbur reinforced.

"I didn't say we won't, we just gotta think this through first." Phil assured him.

"I'll take Ranboo to the docks. It's quieter, there are no hunters there." Techno suggested.

"That's a good idea. I'll also go tonight. In case someone needs healing." Niki also offered help.

"We need to be prepared for the Ring." Wilbur reminded.

"There is no real way to prepare for them. They fill in each other's flaws. It is easier to kill one of them when they are alone. But if Hathor is on the move we won't be able to tickle them, let alone hurt them." Phil put in some knowledge.

"We don't need to beat them, we need to take Tommy and get out of there." Wilbur sounded dry, cold. He didn't care about consequences when he was angry, he cared for results. This was a flaw of his.

"Waking blind in a battle is a death wish." Techno silently added.

"Well, then he is in a lot of danger." Wilbur ironically answered.

Techno remained quiet for some time, then he got up and walked out of the room. 

"If anyone needs me I'll be at the dock."

Wilbur knew it was going to be difficult. But he also knew he couldn't do this alone. The Ring were four. Five with the new information he stumbled upon. He needed help.

"I'll get my sword." Phil said as he exited the room.

This was the cue for all of them to leave and prepare for the fight. Though Techno was upset with Wilbur's irrationality, they had eternity to settle this down. Tommy only had hours.

Wilbur isn't one for weapons. Only his voice and brutal strength were enough to subdue a victim. But the Ring is another talk. They are superhumans, just like vampires. Most of them had some sort of demonic feature that allowed them to kill vampires easily. So Wilbur took his old pistols. They were ceremonial and were more for looks than for power but Wilbur had no better choice and he didn't want to ask Techno for a dagger right now.

When everyone was ready they met at the front door. Phil had his sword sheathed and Niki had a whip curled and strapped to her waistband. Techno was also carrying the axe of peace and Ranboo was holding a ceremonial knife that Techno had smithed long ago. Though it did look pretty, Wilbur was sure it was very deadly. Everything his brother smelted was a weapon. Axe? Weapon! Butter knife? Weapon! A fucking friendship bracelet? Weapon! Actually, he wondered if their old crowns were also weapons.

They reviewed and put the plan into action. Techno took Ranboo to the docks. A safe way to teach him how to hunt without being seen. Drunken sailors were never trusted and who cared if one more disappeared? They probably fell in the sea!

Niki was with them but ready to aid Ranboo and Techno at any moment. Phil was aiding Wilbur in his search.

As the hours went by, Wilbur grew more and more desperate. Tommy was nowhere to be seen. They had stumbled upon many hunters already. The information Tommy gave was true. It was an all-out tonight. Wilbur had never seen as many hunters as there were right under his nose as he stepped on the ledge. Still, no Ring member was sighted. Not even Logi, that had a tendency to cause quite the shows with his wildfires.

At some point, they decided to split to cover more ground. It seemed safe enough to do so. Wilbur marched alone over the rooftops. He wasn’t that scared of being seen. He knew how to defend himself.

As the moon hit midnight, he heard whistling. It was a bad, bad omen…

There was a Ring member that had a tendency of playing with its prey before killing them. A member that vampires learned to associate with death. The whistling got louder and the sound of beating wings became noticeable. 

Wilbur knew better than to stroll around. He quickly started skipping from rooftop to rooftop, almost tripping with every jump.

He was screwed! Tengu was pretty brutal with his kills!

Wilbur jumped off time and had to haul his way on top of the roof. Though he continued his run, it was enough for him to be dragged. He was caught…!

The monster’s talons were cutting holes into his skin, black blood dripping from the wound. The red mask and kimono made it look like a real-life tengu. 

“Well, well, well! Look what we have here!” The creature got closer to his face, inspecting him with a predator look. Its distorted voice carried malice, like a falcon to a pigeon. “Did a little birdy stray from the nest? I thought the Angel was overprotective of his kids!” The animal used its talon to turn his head, not losing balance once.

“Fuck off!” Wilbur spat.

For a moment, Tengu seemed to stop its threat. Then he leaned in closer and, for a moment, Wilbur was sure he was about to lose his face.

“Tell you what? I’m feeling merciful today!” Tengu let go of Wilbur as it grabbed a red fan from a pocket. “I’ll count to ten. Once I’m through, I’ll chase you. Simple, hun?”

Wilbur knew how it worked. A game of tag. Always a game of tag. He started running before Tengu could even start counting. For a moment, Wilbur almost believed he was free. He knew he wasn’t. He truly wasn’t!

As some seconds passed by, Wilbur heard the fluttering of wings. Despair crawled through his veins and he tried to run even faster. Vampires are fast but Tengu could fly. He had to get away! He had to get out! He wanted out!!!

He hid behind a fire escape. He couldn’t do this. He curled up like a little kid and prayed for his mother that he wouldn’t be found. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t…

The fluttering of wings became loud, close as it landed. Wilbur felt a tear escape his eye. He was dead. He was a dead man!

At least he would see the ones he loved again…

“Wil!” It wasn’t Tengu. Thank Death, it wasn’t Tengu!

His father carefully uncurled him and hugged him, protecting him with his wings. But they weren’t safe.

“I saw Tengu.” Wilbur was able to say. “It was chasing me.”

“Hush, hush. It’s okay, mate.” Phil then took Wilbur into his arms, just like he’d done when Wilbur was a little kid. It should be a funny scene now that Wilbur was way taller than his father, but Wilbur could only sink further into his father’s caress.

“Home.” Wilbur wanted to go home.

“We’re going home.” Phil confirmed.

As they neared the ledge, Wilbur saw the carnage that was formed. Piles of corpses soaked in black blood lined the streets. Strays, Wilbur recognised. More strays than he could count. Perhaps some of them did have covens to return to, but none were from the High Order.

Phil neared the ledge and jumped. Wilbur felt a missing weight. He lost his holster! With both his pistols! But he wasn’t going back for it. No, what happens in hell, stays in hell.

Chapter Text

Wilbur was unresponsive the following days. Though they all made it back home, their mission was a failure. They couldn’t locate and rescue Tommy.

Techno was torn into comforting Wilbur and rubbing in his face that this was a stupid decision. He also had his fair share of hunters meeting them at the docks. At least both he and Ranboo were well-fed for days.

Still, the mission failed.

Wilbur insisted that Tommy was six-feet-under now. Techno couldn’t digress. Wilbur was the child of Death, after all. Though he was the child of the goddess of death, Techno wasn’t sure what it entailed about Wilbur’s powers. Though Phil explained his powers were quite traumatic, Techno never saw Wilbur actively use them. But if he could, dunno, talk to the dead, that was a really good time to use it.

“Hey, mate!” Phil entered the room with heavy steps. He looked tired. “Wilbur didn’t want to eat. Wanna share?”

Phil took two glasses to share the bottle he brought over, but Techno was full.

“Sorry, it’s all yours.”

“All mine…” Phil didn’t seem to like the idea but he forwent the glasses and drank straight from the bottle. “A penny for your thoughts?”

“I was just trying to remember Wilbur’s power, that’s all.” Techno admitted.

“Oh! Yeah, that’s a long story.” Phil took another sip. That’s the closest to an adult moment he could get nowadays. A talk with his sire. Wow, look at where he has got…

“Do you think the kid is really dead?” Techno had to ask. Though he never met Tommy, he saw the damage his disappearance did to Wilbur.

“I don’t know. But a blind boy can’t have survived in the middle of that chaos.”

“Can’t you, like, check? Or ask your wife?”

“I could try. It’ll take some time, though. A lot of people died last night.”

“Yeah…” Techno saw it on his way back home. Though he was used to the kill, Ranboo seemed to be very devastated. Though he joked last night calling Ranboo a nerd for being so scared, he also knew better than not fearing whatever creature killed so many vampires in one night.

“If he is alive, you’ll be his sire?” Techno knew the answer and still asked. Maybe he was growing soft. Or stupid. He was figuring out this one.

“Can’t simply hand him to Wilbur like that. Wilbur really likes him but he is too emotionally compromised. Might let him meet Tommy while he is turning, though!”

This wasn’t ideal. The situation isn’t ideal. But what was there to say? There are some things that simply can’t be fixed. Techno would respect Wilbur’s time. Let him heal on his own. 

They have eternity after all. Time heals all wounds.

The instant Phil left his room, Wilbur jumped off the window. Tommy wasn't dead, Wilbur could feel it! They hadn't seen him during night time, maybe he just decided he wouldn't show up! Maybe he faked sickness! Wilbur would have done that!

He would check every corner, every cranny, every rock until he found him. Fuck hunger! He would turn Tommy the moment he laid his hands on the boy!

Wilbur was dragged out of his thoughts by the smell of smoke. Sure, there could be a fire nearby. But there could also be something worse…

Wilbur stopped and turned the other way. Maybe if he walked away he would seem less suspicious! Yeah! Worst case scenario he would sprint.

As another, sweeter scent invaded the air, Wilbur panicked. He couldn't stay there for long, he couldn't be found!

But, maybe, he should have just stayed put…

Logi appeared out of nowhere, blocking the entrance of the alleyway. His only escape was blocked now.

"Hypnos! Would you look at that?! There is a pure-breed here!" Wilbur hated the name. It was meant to relate them to dogs; they are not dogs!

"Oh, I see it!" Another voice came from behind him. He was screwed…

Hypnos and Logi always seemed to hunt together. The Ring members all have beast-like features but Logi is something out of this world! His skin was completely composed of black basalt and devilish horns protruded from the root of his very dark hair. His eyes were molten gold and his hands were magma. He didn't seem to have a tail but Wilbur had an impression he had one, for some reason.

Now hypnos is the complete opposite. Out of all the members, he is the most human. No animalistic feature marked his skin and the only inhuman thing about him is the extremely white skin. Not white as 'Hey! That's a white guy!'. His skin was white like snow, pale like a pearl, almost see through like a jellyfish. Despite that he was normal. The only thing that kept his identity hidden are the gigantic round glasses he wears. One lens black and the other white. He also insisted on wearing a horrendous mushroom costume! A mushroom costume! Can you believe this guy?!

Logi, however, just used a jacket and jeans. That's versatile. Wilbur liked that.

"I see it's only the two of you tonight! It will be easier for me." Wilbur forced confidence. In reality, he was screwed but they didn't need to know that.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Logi threatened.

"Nothing personal!" hypnos started. " It's just that, you know, we gotta eliminate all vampires or something like that."

Wilbur decided he wasn't giving them advantage. He striked hard, he striked quickly, but, for some reason, the universe decided The Ring should have the ability to teleport. Though they were just as fast as a normal human, their teleport made it impossible to lay a hit on them. 

Hypnos withdrew a dagger from his belt strap and Logi made a netherite axe appear from thin air. They were using every move Wilbur made to their advantage, using his own strength and speed to cause more damage. It wasn't like a normal hunter's sloppy movements, they were masters after all.

At this rate, Wilbur was starting to lose that battle. Scorching burns were already marking his regenerating skin. Cuts littered his body and they sent him to the ground countless times. He was going to die here…

As he faced his final efforts to bring at least one of them to the ground, he was brought down like a sedated lion. He met the ground mercilessly hard. 

As Logi aimed his axe at Wilbur's throat, footsteps resonated through the alley. With a sweet voice, the person saved his neck.

"Stop!" Wilbur was almost relieved but now he was terrified. "The Devil wants him alive." It was Hathor…

"So, that's how I came to be in a cell!" Wilbur declared to his unmoved audience. Turns out, rats are quite the difficult bunch.

Wilbur sighed heavily. The Devil really wanted him alive. The room had no sunlight, his cell was considerably comfortable and safe… they even fed him, for fucks sake! It wasn't fresh but still! Logi was very lenient on telling him all his rights as he was left alone. Between these was the right to be slaughtered at any sign of resistance or damage for any of the guards.

Basically, this was nice! If it wasn't for the public torture he has to face tomorrow, he'd be pretty chill! 

But he sure will be fine! They don't burn people anymore, right? Right! 

The telltale of the metal door opening brought him out of his thoughts. Should he joke about it? No, but he would. As the door closed he used his most dramatic voice possible.

"Sorry, but I'm not taking visits today! Come back later, yes? Thank you!"

"This shit ain't funny." That voice…

"Tommy?" Wilbur quickly turned to face the person. It was indeed Tommy!

"I told you not to search for me."

"I'm sorry if I wanted to check on you! You could be dead!"

"No! It was dumb and reckless! Look at you now!"

Wilbur went silent because he was right. Though it was Tommy who said it, it felt like Phil was there, scolding him for acting childish.

“What did you think this would grant you? Because a direct encounter with Tengu isn’t a trophy! And, yes! I know!”

Wilbur remained quiet. Tommy knew. Did he think he’d die just as much as Wilbur thought he would? Did he…? Does he…?

“So you…”

“Yes. Yes, I know. I knew it since day one.” Tommy was slowly calming himself once more. “Maybe I should’ve listened to Sapnap…”

The words pierced his heart. His ward, his fledgeling didn’t want him? But he was his! His and his alone! How would he survive in the hands of others? Wilbur was shattered by such a prospect. His little fledgeling was exposed to time and matter, rotting away at the passage of years… No, he wouldn’t allow that! He needed to take Tommy home!

“Now listen close.” Tommy got closer to the cell until the tip of his foot met the bars then he stopped. His voice was hardly above a whisper. “I’m getting you out of here. I’m calling the angel and I’m giving you back to your coven.”

Wilbur lost track of his thoughts. Why was he helping Wilbur escape? He just said he didn’t want Wilbur! Did he like or dislike Wilbur?!

“Sleep tight. It’s almost dusk. I’ll be back by dawn. Be ready.”

Tommy said as he turned around and walked away, gripping his cane angrily instead of using it. He ended up knocking at the wall so Wilbur gave him a little nudge.

“More to the right.”

He was sure that if Tommy could see, he would give Wilbur the worst glare of his entire afterlife. He gripped his cane tighter and this time found the door, still refusing to use it.

He would make a fierce vampire one day!

They let him out of Wilbur’s cell and closed the door behind him. It was dark again. 

If there was something Ranboo was sure about was that strange things happen for a reason. It has been like that since Niki has been bitten; since they were found by the angel's coven; since Phil started talking about playdates and immortal friends.

Strange things happen and you never know why until one day in the future you look back and say: "So, that's why!".

So Ranboo didn't find it that weird when a paper plane skyrocketed out of nowhere directly into his window. Though he checked around he never found the sender. Curiosity took the best of him, so he opened it. But he didn't like the message.

His instincts were screaming at him to take it to Techno. Take it to his sire! But he knew that Techno would probably make a brash decision so, instead, he would give it to Phil. Phil is the oldest; he will know what to do!

He ended up finding Phil in Wilbur's room, already gripping the sheets like they had somehow insulted him. It might as well be true.

"Phil, someone sent a note." Ranboo announced carefully. He may be part of the coven but he feels like all of them could put his head in a silver plate. It had always felt like that and becoming a vampire wouldn't change it so soon.

"Would you read it?" Phil remained there, gripping the sheets. His voice was controlled, like he was on the edge of calling upon hell.

“Siren was taken. I want to help. Northern tower, 4 am.” Ranboo folded it once again. “It’s not signed.”

“Call Techno and ask Niki to remind The Gambler of that favour.” He finally let go of the sheets. They had tiny pinpricks where his nails probably pierced them. “We leave at midnight.” Phil got closer and placed his hand over Ranboo’s left shoulder. Though Ranboo wanted to flinch, he held himself still.

When Phil finally let go of his shoulder he left to deliver the messages. Apparently, he was staying with Quackity tonight…

Tommy didn’t know what to do.

He was used to feeling small. Dream had always put him in situations that made him feel small. But, now, he had something to lose…

Oh, Wilbur! How could you be such an idiot?!

Tommy heard the door open. He didn’t know who was by the door, so he waited for the person to announce themself.

“Hey, Tommy.” It was Sapnap. “Just came to say I’m sorry.”

“At least he is still alive.” Tommy felt the bed shift with a new weight beside him. Sapnap sat by his left. “Does it hurt?”

“What hurts?”

“Saying goodbye.” Tommy felt his calloused hands nervously. “It’s the first time I truly got attached.”

A tiny, breathless oh left Sapnap’s mouth. Tommy recognized the pity behind it, but he let it be.

“It… Well, it hurts like hell. But, that’s why we have to stick together! Me and George, Dream and Puffy… And you! We’re each other’s only constant.”

‘No, we’re not!’ Tommy wanted to scream. But he sang silence. Like he had always done since he met Dream.

“I… I want to be alone for a bit. Please…” Tommy said, hiding his face from where Sapnap was sitting.

Sapnap stood silent for a bit. Then he got up from the bed.

“Ok. I’ll be downtown if you need anything.”

Step sounds made their way to the door before the door was moved. Not closed, though. Just half opened, half closed.

Tommy knew what he had to do. He also knew that it would be the death of him. But between dying a coward and dying on the battlefield he would always pick the battlefield. He always did and always will.

Maybe that’s what always made him a force of chaos…

Wilbur had recently noticed the lights going out on the other side of the door. It was probably night time. It was certainly not how he planned to live his last night, but it was all he had.

Tommy's words were still piercing his heart. Stabbing it over and over again with rejection.

He'd never met someone like him. He had never gotten attached like this. So he never accounted for rejections. It felt like dying! Like venom burning your heartstrings until they shattered under the pressure. It was exploding and freezing his heart all the same.

It was heartbreak, he knew all that much.

And though he wished he could say Tommy meant nothing to him, he couldn't. It would be untrue.

The door opened and a figure stepped inside.

“Time to go, demon.” It was Hathor.

It was almost poetic since she was the one with horns in the room. She was using her usual captain outfit and her very white hair looked almost like wool.

“Oh, Cap! Hold on to your hat! It will be quite the show…” Wilbur tried to put a calm façade, but his innards were dancing and knotting inside him.

“I don’t need to.” She opened the cell and grabbed him by the arm like he was some teenager. And, surely, she made him feel like that. “But you should hold on to your head.”

He didn’t know what he expected from Hathor, but she wasn’t all singsong and motherly as her mythological counterpart. She was cold, literally and metaphorically. Her touch was just as freezing as her tongue was sharp. 

She took him up the stairs with an iron grip. Though he had super strength, it seemed she had a little more of that inhuman strength. Wilbur didn’t know what The Ring were, but he was sure that they couldn’t be human in any way, Logi was exhibit A on that. But Hathor’s hold was starting to hurt now, maybe even bruise.

Finally, they made it all the way to the top of the northern tower. Hathor simply tossed him on the floor where guards took him like he was a ragdoll. 

There was something off... Though these guards looked like normal rookies, their strength was comparable to Hathor’s! Wilbur started to get scared. Had they found a way to weaken a vampire’s abilities? Had they made humans stronger?!

For a moment, he looked at the guards. Both looked as sickly as Tommy, but one of them called his attention. He was black eyed and his very dark hair was tied in a short ponytail, though it could have been a mullet…

It was Sapnap! One of Tommy’s brothers!

Why was he doing this?! Did Tommy really hate him that much to call his brothers upon him?

“Tie him to the trunk.” A blonde wearing a hospital mask ordered.

As he was harshly tied to the trunk, the blonde approximated. He was not much shorter than Wilbur, in fact, he looked just some inches taller than Tommy. Some freckles dotted his sickly face underneath the mask, and his eyes were big shining emeralds, almost shining like some sort of curse.

“I’m afraid we haven’t been properly introduced.” The blonde said. “I’m Dream, I own the institute.” Dream offered his hand but started laughing and kept it to himself. “Sorry! It’s a joke of mine! I do it every time!”

“What have you done to Tommy?” Wilbur asked silently.

“What have I done? No, Wilbur. What have you done?”

“What…?”

“I’m sorry, is The Powerful Siren too dumb to realise that he was hanging out with a hunter? Or were you just bold to hang out with my brother?”

“You’re not his brother.” Wilbur said firmly.

“I’m more his brother than you will ever be.” This cut right through Wilbur’s heart. “I know you wanted to turn him and make him your own. So I made you a little trap! Poor Tommy would have never survived that night of horror! So he needed a saviour to have his back.”

Wilbur looked back on his choices. He was such a fool!

“Honestly, I expected Tengu to bring you to me! He never loses his prey. But, hey! It could have been worse.”

Dream spared a special glance towards Wilbur, one that sealed his death. His emerald eyes seemed to glitter and sparkle with delight and malice.

“The sun is coming up little fledgling.” Dream mocked. “Who’s here to save you now?”

Phil held out a hand to Techno and Niki. They had to wait for the right time. Techno was a pile of nerves. Being this far from his fledgling was sure to be unhealthy in the long term. But this was going to be quick. It had to be…

When his watch marked 4am, they acted. They got ever closer to the tower. There was a single illuminated window in the whole tower, so it had to be that window. Phil went up first so he could be sure it was safe to invade. That’s when he met their facilitator.

“You fly like a peacock in winter.”

Phil almost lost his balance, but he was able to hold onto the windowsill.

“Wow! The Angel of Death getting scared by a blind guy! You have some serious self esteem issues! You need therapy!”

Phil took in the child in front of him, then, realisation fell upon him.

“Tommy?”

“Who else here would risk their life and career on a vampire? No offence but I have the legal obligation to kill you right now.”

“Wait, that kid is the facilitator?”

This time Phil fell to the floor. Techno had followed him upstairs!!

“Techno! I told you two to wait!” Phil scolded him.

“You lost balance. Came to help.”

“Wait, Tommy is our facilitator? But he is just a child?”

“Not you too, Niki…” Phil was losing hope.

“I’m not a child.” Tommy argumented. 

“And he’s blind, Phil.” Techno started. “A blind orphan child can’t be our help.”

“I’m not…! You know what? You can fight about who is the most qualified for this shit, but the sun is rising in 40 minutes and I gotta save Wil! If you figure this out, I’ll be at the roof untieing him from whatever torture mechanism they’re using this time!”

As the blind boy left the room holding his cane like it was some deadly weapon. Phil noticed they were running out of time.

“Alright, you two! Come along!” Phil followed Tommy upstairs.

For a blind guy, the kid was quite fast. Phil had started slowly, expecting to find Tommy along the way but, the further he went, the less he saw of the boy. So he ran all the way upstairs expecting to wait for him there, but the opposite was true. He was upstairs all along! Like he was some ghost and simply floated above!

“Be quiet…!” Tommy hushed. “They know we’re here.”

“Who?” Techno asked.

“The Ring.”

Techno took Tommy’s place by the door and stared.

“I only see Hathor from here.” Techno said.

“Because that’s what they want you to see.”

“What do you mean?” Techno questioned Tommy.

“Have you never asked yourself what The Ring does on holidays? Or day time?”

“I always thought they were demons from hell invoked by the CEO to hunt vampires down.” Niki guessed.

“That’s a really good guess.” Tommy was impressed. “But they are actually hiding in plain sight.”

“What do you mean?” Phil asked.

“They can be anyone in that crowd.”

“Do you know who they might be?”

“I have no clue.” Tommy started. “But one thing is for sure, they’re all here...”

This was going to be a problem. Trying to get Wilbur from the hunters was going to be like taking a painting from a museum, right under the guard’s eyes!

Luckily they were in a trio. Plus Tommy, but Tommy’s human so he doesn’t count.

“We’ll need a distraction.” Phil thought out loud. 

“I’ll activate the fire alarm. This should be enough for you to get him out of here.”

“But we won’t be able to get you out too.” Techno reasoned.

“I’m not getting out.”

“What?” Niki asked.

“I told Wilbur I would meet him on the other side. I’ll keep my word but, for this, he has to stay alive.”

“But-”

“We’re running out of time!” Tommy lost his patience and put something on Phil’s hand. It took some time to notice what it was but he processed it. It was Wilbur’s holster! Had he lost it when he was dragged in? “I’ll sound the alarm. You get Wilbur out of here!”

Tommy ran down the stairs. In a matter of seconds, the alarm was off and people started to orderly get out of the roof. Some sounds of running were detectable, but they were fewer than the calm ones. It sounded almost like a march, with a few running exercises happening nearby. It looked like a military camp.

“That’s our chance.” Techno said as he slowly opened the door. 

The place was somewhat empty. The only remaining members were Hathor and a guy with a mask. They were apparently guarding Wilbur. 

“Here’s the plan. I go for Hathor, Niki takes out that guy and Phil goes for Wilbur. If everything goes smoothly, we can look out for Tommy.”

As if hearing all of this, the guy took a walkie talkie from his pocket and spoke into it. It almost felt like he was staring back at them, laughing, taunting them for ever stepping in the institute.

Was their cover blown?

“We don’t have time for this! The sun rises in a few minutes!” Phil opened the door impatiently.

“Phil!” Techno tried to scold but it was too late.

The moment Hathor saw them, she teleported directly to Phil. She knew Techno would defend him! She knew he would give his life for his sire! Luckily, her axe hit his arm guard instead of his arm. Techno quickly withdrew his own weapon and started to hold her back. While all the turmoil went down, the guy with the mask calmly walked away fixing his tie. Wilbur was left behind.

Niki tried to catch up to him, but the moment she took her first step, Logi appeared right in front of her.

“My eyes are up here!” Logi screamed at her. 

The heat in the environment was slowly rising. Niki took some steps back and took her knucklebusters. Their cover was blown! They had to get out of here!

Phil ran for Wilbur. He was sure in the middle of the way he saw hypnos, but he couldn’t care. He had to take Wilbur out of here!

“Phil! No! It’s a trap, it’s always been a trap!” Wilbur started.

“You only noticed this now?!” Phil cut through the ties with his sword.

“No! You don’t get it! He’s going to whip down the whole coven!”

Phil didn’t have time to process what Wilbur told him, he had to dodge a dagger sent his way.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Hypnos called his attention.

“Take this.” Phil threw Wilbur his holster. This was going to end here!

Hypnos took out another dagger from his pocket. Phil was almost sure they were not exactly coming from there but he had no time to think of laws of physics. Hypnos teleported right to his blind spot. Had Phil been slower he might have stabbed his kidney. Phil tried to counter attack but Hypnos teleported just in time. Phil instinctively put on his weight to his front, but it wasn’t enough and a brand new cut met his arm. He hoped the others were doing any better.

“It’s futile! Stop!” Wilbur tried to warn.

At that moment Phil lost focus and Hypnos got a clean cut through his abdomen. Phil fell to the floor, both with surprise and pain. He was sure he heard Techno shout for him but he wasn’t quite focused on anything anymore. He saw Hypnos raise his dagger against him to give the final blow, but what came after surprised not only Hypnos, but Phil as well.

Tommy ran to his rescue! The blind boy was now stopping Hypnos with just his white cane.

“Wilbur! Get him out of here!” Tommy quickly shouted as he threw Hypnos to the ground. He unsheathed his cane- wait, his cane?! Turns out, it was a sword all along! Tommy had a sword!

“Innes! What the fuck?!” Logi shouted as if they knew each other. Perhaps they did, considering the piece of information Tommy gave them.

Suddenly, there was something cold in Tommy’s milky eyes. Like he was burying his emotions to do what he was about to do. He widened his instance, he readied his sword. He was ready to fight.

As all the ring members dropped everything to fight the blind boy, a pain reflected throughout his whole body. He tried not to scream but it was hard. Someone had picked him up. Tommy was strangely holding himself fine. No smell of blood met his nostrils and the sound of blade against blade and tripping feet made Phil hope Tommy was winning.

As they were already close to freedom, Phil spared a last glance to Tommy. He was in fact winning! But it was all robbed away as a dagger cut clean through Tommy’s chest. Phil heard a scream, but it wasn’t Tommy. It was Wilbur…

As Tommy fell to the floor, a man stood there behind. Phil couldn’t see much of him before he was dragged away. All he noticed was big swirling horns and a smiley mask. The Devil had tilted his head to the side before they left.

That was the last thing he saw before it all turned black.

Chapter Text

He woke up in his bed. He was shirtless and there were bandages all over his chest. Oh, yeah! Stab wound…

Phil carefully sat up as all the memories came crashing down on him.

Tommy was dead.

He laid down his life for a couple of strangers just because of Wilbur. He was just a human kid! He didn’t have to go through that!

And Wilbur… Oh, Wilbur! He must be so heartbroken!

Maybe, if he asked Kristen very nicely, he could bring Tommy back! Yes! He could fix this! He would fix this!

But that’s breaking the laws of death and he knows she wouldn’t do that. She didn’t do it for Sally…

But that’s a kid they’re talking about! She can’t say no to a kid! Kids are supposed to live long happy lives and reach adulthood! Not die in some dirty institute!

The institute…

It was the institute's fault!

If it wasn’t them. Tommy wouldn’t have to fight in the first place! He would have had friends and a family and a completely normal life! He would have had Wilbur…

The door slowly opened to reveal Techno. He looked tired, worried, and stressed. He did it to him, didn’t he?

“Can I come in?” Techno had always asked. No matter how many times he said there was no need for this between him and his sire, he kept it with him.

Phil nodded and patted the empty space in his bed. Techno calmly walked towards the place and carefully sat down beside him.

“We lost him.” Phil silently said.

“He saved you.”

“He shouldn’t have.” Phil firmly stated.

“He knew the risks.” Techno explained from experience. “When you fight for someone, you always know the risks.”

“Still, you face those odds.” This time, Phil didn’t talk about Tommy. “You shouldn’t have to.”

“Eh…” Techno tried to turn away the attention from himself. He never liked to talk about it. It was a habit. Like biting your nails or making coffee in the morning. And habits die hard.

“How’s Wilbur doing?” Phil asked instead.

“Bad.” Techno started. “Since he brought you in, he laid on the couch downstairs and hasn't moved since.”

He is grieving.

“He said it was a trap.” Phil remembered.

Techno thought for a while. It made sense! Use a bait to get a larger bait to get the largest fish! Was it part of their plan all along? Tommy meeting Wilbur? The hunts? The execution?

It was a fucked up plan.

“Are you hungry? I can go get some blood for you to drink?” Techno offered.

“That would be lovely.” Phil admitted. He was quite hungry.

As Techno closed the door behind him, something came in through the window. It was a paper crane, with crudely written letters drawn all over it.

With lots of effort, he was able to unfold the crane and read its content.

‘Midnight, plaza. Bring the others.’

What did it mean…?

Tommy never liked his limbo…

For some reason, the deities decided his limbo should be exactly as his life. Dark. Sightless. An incognito.

All he had were sensations. There was water underneath him and the place was echoing with emptiness. 

The air was still…

He lied down on the water. It was clogging his ears and wetting his post-mortem clothes but he didn’t mind. He was ok with that.

If he focused real hard, he could imagine he was on the beach with Wilbur. If the air wasn’t so still he’d probably smell the salt surrounding him.

He closed his unfocused eyes.

Awake , he heard the lady from beyond.

Awake, O Sleeper

He took a sharp breath and reached for his chest.

He hated waking up! He was always lost whether he was dead or half alive! Then he felt the wind. He despised it. But he needed it. The wind had been the closest to sight he has had in his whole life. The way it filled the room, found obstacles and ways to pass through them has been Tommy’s eyes when his own failed him.

And he hated the fact he used it!

.

.

.

He was awake.

He got off his bed and felt his chest. There was a new scar. It felt old but he knew better than this. 

He was still processing all of this.

He lost Wilbur…

Just like what happened with the Noveschosch’s coven. They think he is dead! Well, they would be right. By all effects, anyway…

Tommy got up and reached for his desk, ready for the next mission. His next life. He found a tall box and a piece of paper with something written in braille. He passed his fingers through the dots and read the message.

‘Tommy,

I’m sorry it got so far, but killing you was my only choice. I got a bottle of hair dye for you and your new identities are in your bag. You’ll sadly be enrolled in another academy as a student for the foreseeable future. Hope, you don’t mind but I took the liberty of choosing your name. So, welcome to the institute, Tomathy Park!

With great care,

Dream.’

Tommy hated the new name!

Oh, well, next time he better be awake to decide it himself.

He took the box and opened it. Inside was a bottle that he took and shook. Instructions were meaningless to him. Literally. They were just papers!

Good thing about being completely blind: Colour means nothing to you! He got to the bathroom and, inside the shower, he started to fill his hair with the sludge. It started to get all over him, but he couldn’t care less. Once no more product came out of the bottle, he sat down on the floor and waited for it to take effect.

He royally fucked up his life, didn’t he? Luckily, no one had to know it.

Once the time seemed right he washed it off and took a bath as well. Normally he would forgo it and simply change his clothes but the hair dye got all over the place so he had to wash it off.

Once he was ready, he took his bag and left his room. He had a whole new life ahead…

Tommy walked amongst the students trying not to be seen, but it is hard when you're using a cane to guide yourself through the crowd. Not that he needed it to navigate, but he had to keep appearances, and hiding his old katana in it wasn’t such a bad idea! Tommy was fascinated how Dream never cared to take Tommy’s katana away! Maybe he was keeping it around in case he got any ‘services’ for Tommy.

He was searching for class 314 when he heard a familiar voice calling him.

“Tommy!” It was Puffy.

“Haven’t you heard? It’s Tomathy now.” Tommy gripped his bag tighter. The unwanted attention was growing with a general’s appearance.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t know Dream would do that.” She said in more of a whisper as she neared him. “Are you ok?”

“If I’m ok with being killed, revived and stripped away from my old life? Yes, I’m pretty ok.” Tommy whispered back sarcastically.

“Hey! You know you can count on us, right?” Puffy started. “Me, Sapnap, George and Dream are here for you.”

“Dream is a liar!” Tommy snapped out loud. His katana got heavy. The katana Dream gave him. The katana that carried so much bad blood.

“Tommy, Dream saved us. We would be dead if it wasn’t for him.” Puffy reasoned.

“Do you even know who got you killed in the first place?!” He asked, snarling a whisper as anger clouded his senses.

The smell of blood met his nose. He was shoeless on a stone floor. And the wind sang in his ears, delighted with what he had done.

Then, the next moment, he was back in the present. He had sneakers on his feet and his katana was still safely sheathed away.

Still, the wind sang of what he had done.

“I- I gotta go. I have a reputation to rebuild.” Tommy turned away and left Puffy standing there, clueless on what to do.

Tommy turned the next corner and searched for the fire escape. He couldn’t stay. He didn’t have the will to stay! He climbed through the fire escape to the rooftop. 

He had to get out. Find help. Put an end to this madness! Even if it cost his soul!

His toes were hanging off the ledge. He didn’t have a solid plan, but he had an idea of what to do. Of what he had to do.

He jumped…

Phil went to the plaza alone, should it be a trap. He could die, but his loved ones would live on.

It was about three minutes from midnight. He didn’t want to be out for long, especially with a stab wound.

Though his mind screamed at him to not show any weaknesses, he sat down on the nearest bench. His wound was burning from exertion. Normally he would heal quite fast, but the wound was deep and infected. Everything Hypnos touched was either intoxicated or infected.

He started looking around the plaza. There was no sign of a single living soul in this place! Was it just to laugh at him?

Suddenly, he heard the clatter of porcelain beside him. He turned so quickly, his wound screamed violently at him.

“Take it easy, Granny. There’s no race.”

That voice! He knew that voice! Please, Death, not now…

Phil looked at the person in front of him. They were wearing a red mask and a black kimono. One talon foot was gripping the bench’s seat while the other was swinging back and forth. They were sitting on the arm rest, big black and white wings hanging comfortably at the end of the bench. Though they had a mask on, they were holding a tea cup and a spoon, which they were using to stir the liquid.

“I’ve heard you are punctual but I didn’t think it was so on time.” Tengu said, their mask as blankly angry as always.

“What do you want?” Phil asked in a cold tone. Good thing he didn’t bring the others with him.

“First, I need everyone to be here.”

“There is no chance I’m putting my coven at risk!” Phil wanted to let his wings out. Attack Tengu! Or at least puff his feathers! Do something to show the terrors he can do to them!

But Tengu was unphased. They gently beat their spoon on the side of the cup and simply tossed it away.

“There’s no need to. They’ve already come.” They said before taking a sip.

“What…?”

Tengu threw their cup away too (tea and everything), got themself up and pointed in a random direction.

“Technoblade.” They kept on pointing to random objects. “Niki Nihachu. Wilbur Soot. And Ranboo.” When they said Ranboo’s name, Techno gave himself away.

“Eh?! What you’re doing here?! I left you with Niki!” Techno asked towards a trash can.

“Wilbur brought me.” Ranboo said from behind the trash can.

“I left him with Wilbur.” Niki explained, guilty for her deed.

Tengu sat back down.

“Truth be told. We want the same thing.” Tengu started.

“The Devil’s head on a silver plate?” Wilbur asked, still hiding behind that bush.

Though silence was made for some time, Tengu soon replied:

“Yes. Well, mostly vengeance, but you got it.”

Wilbur finally got out of that bush, walked straight to Tengu and held them by the collar of their kimono.

“And why would you help us? Why should we trust you?” He snarled at Tengu, as his hold was starting to cut through their clothes.

“Because that lion cub never stayed dead for long.”

Wilbur quickly let go of Tengu’s collar, sending them to the unforgiving floor.

“Seriously?! Have you no manners?!” Tengu accused, opening their fluffed up wings and shaking off the dirt. “That’s what you do to people when they tell you crucial information?! You simply let them fall? What if it was a 10 story building and I had no wings, huh?! Would you let me fall to my death?” Tengu screamed as they got up.

“Tommy’s alive?” Wilbur said in a whisper.

Tengu stopped their rant. Something stilled in the air, as if an age old secret was about to be told.

“Best to follow me.” Tengu said before they disappeared into thin air and rematerialised on the other side of the plaza. As the vampires followed them, they teleported more ahead. It went on for a while until they found an abandoned warehouse. If Tengu planned to kill them, this would have been the perfect time. They teleported inside to open the door and let them in.

Though it looked abandoned on the outside, the inside was quite the opposite. The lights were off but vampires could see well in the dark, and Tengu must already know what was inside. Still it was very fascinating.

If Phil liked to collect newspapers, whoever this guy was, they liked to collect everything .

There were babylonian tablets, Chinese jade amulets, the first model of car ever created, Egyptian vases, Scottish tapestry, all sorts of swords… Not to mention the books! It made his tiny library feel like a book fair. There were titles he was almost sure he had only seen in Alexandria.

“The institute was built on a secret.” Tengu started. “The Ring members are immortals.”

“That’s no secret.” Techno implied.

“Unless...” Tengu reached for his mask. What was he doing? He was going to reveal his identity? Some static played as Tengu turned his voice modulator off. He slowly removed his mask and revealed his face. “You know what it truly means.”

It couldn’t be. Could it?

“Tommy?” Wilbur walked closer and reached to his face.

“Hey, Wil.” Tommy said silently.

Wilbur quickly hugged him. Tengu- no, Tommy was surprised! But as soon as he noticed it was a hug, he melted into it, his wings slowly dropping with comfort.

Wings. Tommy had wings all along. Tommy was like them! He had wings and a feathered tail! And talons for feet! And feathers behind his ears! He was immortal. He could be forever part of the coven! Part of the family!

“Wil, you’re kinda crushing me right now. I don’t have to breathe but I’d like to keep my bones intact.”

Wilbur let him go as he murmured sorry.

“How? How did you survive?” Wilbur quickly asked.

“Like I said, I’m hard to kill. When a revenant ‘dies’, they enter hibernation and wake up in a couple of days.”

“Revenant?” Wilbur asked.

“Ghosts, mostly.”

“So you’re not a demon from hell summoned to hunt us down?” Niki asked innocently.

“No…? But, that was a really good guess, gotta admit.” Tommy genuinely liked the idea.

“So what do we do with that piece of information? If the description is true to its tales, you can’t be killed and neither can the others.” Techno indaged.

“And there is the big secret.” Tommy made a finger gun towards the air. “The Devil can be killed.”

Everyone made silence for that sentence. It- It doesn’t make any sense!

“Tommy…” Wilbur started gently but didn’t find the words.

“Have you never asked why The Devil is so exclusive? Why does he only appear in specific situations, almost like he is avoiding the masses?”

Everyone thought for a second. If it didn’t make sense, why did Tommy seem to be right?

“He can be killed. But the institute just has so much to lose if he dies, so the Ring members lay down their lives to protect him.”

“Even you?” Techno asked.

“I was there once, too…” Tommy seemed to search for words to say. “But, just like vampires, revenants are not born, they are made. I had a life once! A life The Devil stripped from me! Though I can’t have it back, I want vengeance for what he’s done. I want vengeance for the blood he has put on my hands!”

That was the moment Phil realised, Tommy would have made a great vampire.

“So what is the plan?” Phil supported him.

“First, we need a safe place. This place is secret but the others can come by to check on their stuff anytime soon.”

“Wait, whose stuff is this?” Ranboo finally asked. That kid was really good at disappearing in plain sight!

“The Ring’s. I used to collect swords but, since they came out of fashion, I ran short on options.” 

Techno’s eyes seemed to shine on the prospect of sharing an interest with their new ally. But Phil was sure he would never admit it.

“You can come home.” Wilbur immediately said.

“Wait, what?” Techno broke out of trance rather quickly.

“He’s got nowhere to go and I trust him.” Wilbur explained.

“You can’t trust someone you met, like, two weeks ago!” Techno explained.

“Tommy is a good guy and, if he is helping us, then he’s got nowhere to crash on.”

“Actually, I’m alright with some random bench to sit on.” Tommy reasoned.

“Tommy, you’re not sleeping on a bench. You’re coming home.” Wilbur decided.

Tommy looked like he wanted to intervene, but Phil added.

“Techno, Tommy will probably be part of the coven in the future, he is welcome at home.”

Tommy once again wanted to add his piece of mind but was stopped by Niki.

“I’m actually with Techno on this one. No offence, Tommy, but you were with the hunters.”

“None taken, but-”

“He’s coming home! Phil accepted! That’s final!” Wilbur started.

“Well, I’m not letting a Ring member near my recently turned fledgling, Wilbur!”

“I’m ok with Tommy.” Ranboo spoke out of the blue.

For some reason this seemed to silence Techno. Techno had always taken Ranboo’s opinions seriously, which they mostly were.

Techno turned towards Tommy and glared at him threateningly. 

“If you dare touch him-”

“I have one last target and it’s certainly not a vampire.” Tommy assured.

This was enough of an answer. Techno stood near Ranboo, ready to protect him if things went south.

“But, like I said, I could take a bench.” Tommy kidded before heading to the exit.

They all followed suit. They were all stressed so Phil went in front. If anything was to happen, from both parties, he would be able to dismantle the fight quickly.

At least he hoped so.

It wasn’t a long walk but Tommy had to go to the end of the line since he had no clue of where he was going. Even though Tommy was blind, he was faring well with the new environment. Something about the breeze according to their conversation.

After some minutes of walking, Wilbur stopped and announced:

“Welcome home, Tommy.”

Techno was not sleeping this morning. He was too on edge, expecting Tengu- no Tommy (but Tengu?) to do something to hurt his fledgling.

His mind was in smithereens. The voices were loud, his instincts were strangling him and he was confused about Tommy.

Because, to every sense in his body, Tommy simply did not exist on his radar!

He walked more silently than Phil, he had no scent, he didn’t breathe… He was just there! 

When they offered him a room, he finally explained he, physically, cannot sleep. Unlike a vampire that eventually grows tired and has to sleep, revenants are unable to sleep. Tommy had spoken about an exception but didn’t go into details.

He was just so confusing!!!

So, he runs on what? Air?!

LMAO

Runs on air?! XD

Techno was just so tired…

He was standing guard outside Ranboo’s room so he could sleep. But apparently, Ranboo wasn’t tired.

Techno heard Ranboo crawling out of bed. He tiptoed to his wardrobe, took some things out, and walked towards the window. He was escaping through the window. Why?! What was he thinking?

As he heard Ranboo climb instead of jumping, he realised he was going to the roof.

He’s restless

Give the kid a break, it’s been a long night

Go after him! Don’t lose the fledgling!

Techno waited a bit so he could safely enter the room. Then he climbed up as well, but stopped before he reached the roof. He was just making sure Ranboo was ok and then he would go back inside. The sun did not reach this wall yet but the roof was quite sunny. Maybe, Ranboo got his hat, gloves and sunglasses from the wardrobe.

“Tommy? What are you doing up here?” Wait, what?!!!

“Oh! Hey there, Ranboo! Just warming up my feathers! It’s been a while since I got to do that.”

“How long?” Ranboo asked. There was a sound of someone sitting down.

“Let me see… The printing press had just been invented so it must have been the XV or XVI century.”

“Tommy, we’re in the 1960’s.” Ranboo said, concerned.

“Yeah… I gotta practise more self-care.”

“Actually, have you ever preened?”

There was silence.

“Ranboo, that’s a very private question!”

“No it’s not. It’s, like, ‘when did you last shower?’ It’s care.”

“That’s strange.”

There was silent again.

“Tommy? When did you last shower?”

Silence once more.

“Tommy?”

“Yesterday.”

“You know you gotta take daily baths right?”

“Ranboo, I’m dead. I don’t sweat! And what are you? My mother? Are you my mother, Ranboo?” It turned into a joke and Ranboo started laughing.

It was quite nice, actually. It was nice to have such a jovial attitude around, especially for Ranboo.

As the laughter died down, silence filled the atmosphere again. Suddenly something sombre filled the air. Like the smell of gunpowder about to explode.

“Ranboo, there is something that I have to tell your coven but, if I tell, Wilbur won’t let me follow through with the plan.” Tommy started.

“Is it that bad?”

“No, not really.”

Clouds coated the sun. Was the change in weather Tommy’s doing?

“You see, the reason the Ring members are so protective of The Devil is because, once he dies, all the Ring goes down with him.”

What?

“It means that, when The Devil dies, I’ll die too.”

No!!!

Our boy!

Why?!

Now, that’s causation, not correlation.

“Then, why don’t we just put him in jail. All of you get to live and he pays for his crimes.”

“It doesn’t work like that. He is too powerful, he has to be stopped.” Tommy answered.

Techno decided he had heard enough. He climbed inside and processed what he heard.

Tommy was sacrificing himself… Why? Was there nothing else worth living for anymore? Was Wilbur not reason enough for Tommy to keep living? But, then again, they didn’t know how old Tommy was. Techno himself had been born in the Roman Empire already at the ‘Anno Domini’ as they call it nowadays. Phil said he had been born after Thales, though he wasn’t quite sure when. Tommy couldn’t be older than that! Or could he…? Techno would have to ask later. First, he had to think.

He started to roam downstairs. Maybe he should get a drink! Maybe it would help. But he didn’t think his brother would have the same idea.

“Oh! Hey! Techno! My pal!” Wilbur said as he was holding a bottle of Phil’s special reserve. “Would you be so kind to not tell Phil? He’s already got a lot in mind.”

“Too tired to go hunt your own?” Techno asked as he got two glasses. If he wanted his silence, he would have to share!

“I… I don’t want to leave Tommy again.” Wilbur admitted. “He has slipped by us far too many times! I can’t lose him like that!”

“Wow, already suffering from the instincts. I must say, I’m impressed.” Techno kidded.

“Oh, shush!”

But as the weight of what was happening fell upon him, Techno noticed the tragedy. All Wilbur wanted was Tommy to be his ward and Tommy was heading to a suicide mission.

Though Techno wanted to tell Wilbur the truth, he simply couldn’t. Tommy was right, The devil can’t be contained. He can literally teleport away from any prison they put him in. The only way to keep him down is to hand him to Lady Death.

Still, he could almost feel Wilbur’s heart break. Almost.

“Wilbur, I think you should spend some time with Tommy.”

“You? Saying that? Where is the catch? Is there a bomb waiting for me?”

“I’m serious. We don’t know what will happen after the war.”

“This isn’t a war! It’s just a silent mission. We will kill The Devil and we will all come back home!”

It was so on the tongue! But Techno thought of another answer.

“We don’t know The Devil that well. I seriously am not sure if I’m coming back alive.”

“Why not?”

Wilbur was clever. Underneath the sheepish demeanour was a wolf, cautious of the very details of a situation. He was catching Techno’s lie.

“The Ring. They will most possibly come to his aid.”

Wilbur glared for a moment, searching for a reason to believe that. His wildfire eyes were burning holes on his soul. He knew-

“Ok.” Wilbur said bubbly. “What do you think he’d like to do? Oh, I could teach him how to play the guitar! Or we can play a game!”

Techno was saved…! Why were social interactions so difficult?!

Tommy was finding this very endearing. He had never received that much attention! Much on the contrary! Since he was the oldest, he had to take care of the others because Dream was too busy being delusional.

But since he stepped in the Angel’s mansion, he has been bathed in attention. Wilbur wouldn’t let go of him. Ranboo liked spending time with him. Techno hasn’t taken his eyes out of him for a second (it might be because he is actually worried about a ring member so close to his fledgling). Niki has given him free chocolate (free chocolate! What are the odds)! And Phil was treating him as if he was a part of the coven!

And it ached Tommy the most. Because, even though he wanted to, he could never be part of a coven. 

So, to drown it out, he planned. The sooner you pull out a weed, the less it will damage the garden. And he’s already waited long enough.

“What’s wrong, busyhead?” Wilbur dragged him out of his thoughts.

Oh, right! He was in Wilbur’s room hearing him play the guitar.

“Just… thinking.” Tommy admitted as he relaxed his wings. He grows very rigid when he starts to think too much.

“About the ring?”

“Yeah, mostly.” Tommy confirmed. “We’ve been around for so long, I can’t believe it will all be over soon.”

“What will you do when you’re finally free?” Wilbur gently asked.

Free? Well, they say death can be freeing, he can work around that.

“I don’t know. I will probably meditate. Invent a new game, perhaps?”

“Oh, we could play competitive solitaire!”

Tommy wished he had eyesight to stare down at Wilbur. Tommy was pretty sure solitaire was named that because it was meant to be a one player game. But he wanted to make the most out of his very limited time. So he had a brilliant idea.

“You know what? Let’s play it now!”

“What?” Wilbur sounded astonished.

“Yeah! Do you have a set of cards?” Tommy got up and started feeling the air for anything resembling a set of cards.

“Tommy, you literally can’t see what is in the card.” Wilbur was having fun with the idea.

“Actually, we should call everyone to play!” Tommy got something that looked like a box of cards, and gave it to Wilbur.

“Tommy, that’s a box of paper clips!” Wilbur said, laughing silently.

Tommy let out a silent ‘oh’. Wilbur got up, opened a drawer and walked to the door.

“Do you need help or…” Wilbur sounded as gentle as possible.

“Nah, I’m good.” Tommy said as he felt the air flow through the doorway. It was much simpler to feel the air than to use a cane.

He remembered his cane that he left hidden on top of a building. If everything works out in the future, he will never have to use that cane ever again.

They walked to what seemed to be the living room. It had a large table and many sofas. Wilbur set the cards over the table and left to call the others. Tommy felt the chair and its back. It would surely hurt his wings in the long run… So Tommy turned back to his human form. It wasn’t quite as comfortable as his real form, but he was used to it. Humans aren’t quite accepting of people who are different from them.

As everyone arrived at the table, no one spoke of his change in appearance. Vampires are normally used to it as most of their powers are related to physical change.

They played the game and Tommy had no clue of what the rules meant nor what cards to throw but everyone seemed happy to play along. He had earned himself a third win in a row by the time the sun set. 

They had to put their plan in action. Tommy’s stomach rolled with the thought of the consequences. Especially to Wilbur.

As the vampires prepared for war, Tommy went out for his cane. It was only fair it ended the way it started. With the blood on his hands. Ideally, the revenants would be the only ones to die that night.

Phil was only sceptical. There was salt in the air. Like the sea before a storm. Yet, it was cold like a winter day. If he knew Tengu’s patterns, and he knew, he’d say Tommy was nervous. Was he leading them into a trap? Was he afraid of The Devil? 

“I’ll go in first.” Tommy said.

Tommy declared as he flew down. He was wearing full attire and his voice modifier was on. He was going to act as a horse of Troy for them. While The Devil was busy with him, they’d prepare the surprise and start the party!

However, Techno was somewhat reluctant with all of this. Techno was never reluctant to do anything regarding battle. Why was it different now?

There was the sound of many open doors left open and they slowly hid their existence behind Tengu’s empowered presence. They never noticed how overwhelming Tengu’s presence could be. He always acted as a shadow, a ghost. But his real presence was crushing, chaotic. Ancient. It was a presence comparable to The Devil’s, but still respectful. Submissive. How old was Tommy?

“All my respects.” Tommy announced, respectfully kneeling down.

“What is the reason for your visit, Tengu?” A young male voice resonated through the entire room. Philza didn’t like admitting it but, despite the apparent age, The Devil’s voice made his bones shiver.

“I’m resigning from my services.” Tommy said without failing.

“Your reason?” The cold, young voice asked.

“Treason.”

The code was out. Though Philza was quick with his acts. Wilbur was somehow even faster. He had nailed The Devil to the ground, holding him down by the throat. The Devil was nothing but a freckled, blonde teenager!

“Oh, please, not this tantrum again… Wasn’t Sapnap enough?” The Devil seemed somewhat comfortable in this situation.

“You have the right to remain silent!” Wilbur growled as he scratched The Devil’s throat. Green liquid started flowing from the wounds.

Tommy was right. He could be killed!

“Oh, why the formality, Wilbur Soot? Make yourself at home!” The Devil invited.

He knew Wilbur’s name?

Tommy took a step closer and placed a light hand on Wilbur’s shoulder.

“Siren, you should kill him already.”

“Oh, Tommy, don’t be ridiculous! You know he wants you more than that.”

“Silence!” Wilbur drew more liquid out of The Devil’s neck, but still didn’t kill him.

“Siren…” Phil tried too.

“He wants a happy life with Tommy!” The Devil mocked.

Techno shivered. Tommy took off his mask and voice modulator.

“Wilbur, please…” Tommy pried.

“He won’t. You’re too special to let go.”

“What?” Tommy silently asked.

Wilbur simply let his head fall, his hair fully covering his eyes.

“I’m sorry.” He didn’t look anyone in the eye but Phil could make the picture in his head. 

The crows were awfully quiet lately.

“It’s a shame it was never meant to be.” The Devil announced.

Tommy tried to scream but was quickly muffled by Hypnos.

“Let him go!” In his moment of weakness, The Devil overpowered him.

His wounds quickly regenerated and his fingertips hardened. Horns came from his head and his feet became cloven hooves. He was a satyr, that’s for sure, but his mind kept bringing forth the image of a demon.

 As he placed a hoof over Wilbur’s chest, Phil heard one of his ribs crack as his son muffled a scream.

“Don’t touch him!” Phil tried to reach his son, but a shielding field encapsulated him in place. Hator was hounding him still while holding Techno back with Logi.

“I must say, Tommy. I’m very disappointed. Look at all the lives you doomed.” He opened his arms as if it was all a show. “A father who adopted freaks to not feel like the only one…” He made a gesture to the ground and skeleton hands grabbed on to Wilbur, as if claiming him to the earth. “A monster who would never be loved by anyone…” Phil’s own cell started to shrink! “And a lunatic, whose son left him behind…” He grabbed Tommy’s chin with his hooved fingers. “Now, tell me. Who would be the winner?”

Hypnos let go of Tommy’s mouth for him to speak.

“A child.” Tommy answered. “One you should have buried long ago.”

Tommy dissipated into mist. Hypnos even lost balance at the lack of a hostage. Next thing Phil saw was Tommy reappearing above them, summoning lightning and cyclones inside the building. In the middle of the mayhem, Phil’s cell broke and he went to Wilbur’s aid. The other ring members also let go of Techno and regrouped with Hypnos.

“Don’t forget who I am, Tommy! I am the one who raised you from the dead! I can very easily take you to the grave!” The Devil said in the middle of the chaos, summoning himself his own weapon. An unsuspecting book that glowed green when he opened it.

“If you could, why didn’t you?!” Tommy unsheathed his sword and made a dive to The Devil, which he escaped by teleporting somewhere else.

“You were the diamont in the mine! The prodigy I shaped at my will! You were my masterpiece!”

“I was your puppet!” Tommy tried once more, but missed his target once again. “You used me for your dirty deeds! They don’t even know you were the one to kill them!” Tommy pointed at the other ring members.

“Oh Tommy… I didn’t kill them.” The Devil raised his hand towards the ground. An army of skeletons slowly crawled out their bodies for a fight that wasn’t their own. “You did.”

The last thing Phil heard was Tommy’s battle cry before he decided he needed to go back to work. The hands were pulling Wilbur’s body towards the ground and Wilbur was already starting to roar in pain. No matter how hard he pulled, he could not sever them from his son’s body!

“Let me try.” Techno arrived from behind, breathing with difficulties.

As he started to pull, the hands seemed to pull harder. And no matter which direction they tried the pression was the same.

“Step aside.” A voice came from behind. It was Logi, already armed with his netherite axe.

No’s and questions were thrown from all around. Phil tried to shield Wilbur but he was too late. Logi swung his axe straight against one of the hands and all of them started to burn and shatter, but Wilbur was left unharmed. He quickly sat up after such an experience and held onto his heart. He probably saw his mother for a moment…

“Sapnap! What the hell!” Hypnos quickly approached.

“No real names! Follow the protocol!” Hathor apprehended him. 

“They are going to die anyway!” Hypnos quickly said.

“If you want them dead. You’ll have to pass through me.” Logi- Sapnap raised his axe against his own teammates.

“Dude! You lost your mind?!” Hypnos asked, clearly distraught.

“No! You lost your minds! How many times were we denied a normal happy life, because of Dream?! How many times has he killed us to disappear with our existence?!”

“Dream saved us!” Hathor was quick to defend him.

“He cursed us!” Logi was literally fuming, and Phil pushed his sons behind him to protect them. “Or have you forgotten you were once humans?”

The heat suddenly died out and they saw lava droplets falling on the floor.

“Have you forgotten you once had friends?” Sapnap’s voice sounded small.

Hathor was easiest to dismantle. She quickly tried to reach towards Logi, but held herself back. Hypnos, however, stayed put. His expression was hidden by the coloured lenses.

“What about me?” Hypnos asked, angered.

“We’ve been dead for 800 years!” Logi reasoned.

“You swore your loyalty to me!” Hypnos started crying. His tears turned to smoke before they could ever reach the floor, but it didn’t stop the waterfall that was flowing.

“Your dynasty ended long ago! Look at yourself! You’re not the king you once were!”

Hypnos took a step back. He took his glasses off. His mismatched blue and brown eyes looked swollen with the tears that refused to dry out.

“Am I not a king to you anymore?” His voice failed with the hurt.

“Time moves on. Kings get crowned once more.”

The hurt stayed in the air. There was nothing that could be done. It was broken, and none of them could do much.

“Dream took your crown.” Wilbur regarded weakly, still gathering strength. “He is the one to blame.”

“But… he loves me…” George looked down.

“Does this look like love to you?!” Logi pointed towards the fight.

There were many skeletons, enough to form an army. Most of them had longer canines, which implied they were vampires.

Tommy was standing his ground with great difficulty, teleporting, flying away and summoning storms to his aid but to no avail. The skeletons would soon rebuild themselves ready to battle. All while Dream laughed maniacally in the background.

“Well, you can treat yourself to silence, but I’m doing something!”

Logi quickly teleported into battle, beating his axe to the ground, causing lava to form by the fallen warriors’ feet, consuming them alive.

“Well, that wasn’t surprising.” Dream said, opening another page in his book.

“You ruined my life!!!” Sapnap screamed towards the satyr.

“Then let’s see how your boyfriends will feel, when they bury your corpse!” Dream summoned the creature and Phil couldn’t quite believe it. It seemed to be a blue whale! It swam around in the air in ways that only felt unnatural. It looked almost like it was being forced to fight by some link Phil couldn’t quite comprehend. Tommy quickly fell to Sapnap’s side and formed a shield of pure wind around them. The whale instantly started hitting it with all its strength and size.

Dream wasn’t satisfied quite yet, so he summoned more soldiers by their feet. Tommy’s shield started to fail.

“Tommy!” Wilbur was already running to his aid, but Hathor stopped him mid way.

“Stay here!” She said before leaving to the battle field.

As she got close, she started to fight the new soldiers. When Tommy’s shield gave out, she raised a hand towards the whale and encapsulated it in a shield of her own. But then, she stopped fighting.

“Help!” She quickly screamed to her teammates before falling to her knees.

Tommy quickly took flight and Sapnap teleported in front of her to guard her. Tommy created a tornado around them so no one would harm Hathor.

Wilbur tried to run towards them once more but Techno held him by the arm.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Help them!” Wilbur answered as he tried to free himself from Techno’s grasp.

“There’s a whale, the undead and the forces of nature involved. Who do you think you’ll be in the middle of this mess?” Techno reasoned.

“Fuck off!” Wilbur was still struggling against Techno. “At least I do something. I’m not like this guy who waits around for someone to save him!” Wilbur pointed at Hypnos, who was shaking like a leaf.

Techno softened his hold and Wilbur almost fell to the ground, but soon recovered and threw the middle finger at his brother. Techno just shrugged it off.

“Techno is right, Wilbur. You can’t just budge in. This is greater than us, mate.” Phil made a gesture to the fight.

Sapnap was breaking, melting and burning any enemy in an inferno no vampire would be able to withstand. Tommy was still sending tornados at the armies, but this time, packed with very sharp ice spikes that certainly would impale steel. Hathor was still trying to crush the whale inside her shield, which was somehow still kicking, even though part of its spine and face had already been crushed into powder.

Techno sighed, either he gave up or he wanted to see the circus burn. And knowing Techno, it was probably both.

“I saved this for something special but, I guess we could use this now.” Techno reached into his bag.

Inside were three half broken skulls and a bottle of glittery black sand. Phil could form an image in his mind.

“The formula is incomplete and can most certainly go wrong, but I doubt it is important considering the situation we’re in.” Techno explained as he passed the skull to Wilbur.

He instantly recognized it, it was visible in his eyes. That spark that grew to a flame while a city withered to its death. Without saying a word, he took the other skulls and placed them in a triangle on the ground. Then he took the sand and connected them in a circle. He divided it in many intricate patterns and filled them with scriptures in another language not even Phil had the honour to understand. It was something only his lover would understand.

“Are you sure about this?” Phil had to ask.

“It’s my friend out there! My fledgling ! I have to stop that!” He was out of his mind already.

Techno sent Phil a glare and gently guided him back a little.

Wilbur whispered the spell and the sand started to send lightning around the circle. The skulls started to float and black bones started to form in between them as the sand coated the skulls.

“There is no turning back now.” Wilbur calmly said as The Wither started to awaken.

What started as a controlled battle became full fledged chaos as That Thing started throwing explosions here and there! Tommy was losing time and hope. Dream wanted them dead! All of them! And he’d do anything to accomplish it.

As an explosion hit Puffy’s shield, she lost her strength and the whale went loose just to be hit by another explosion and wither to dust. Puffy was so exhausted she couldn’t even get off the floor.

“Sapnap! Get her out of here!” 

“You wouldn’t survive!” Sapnap replied as a half melted skeleton tried to grab him.

“Neither would you!” Tommy was able to say before being hit by an explosion. 

Though he was no stranger to pain, It came different than anything before this. The place where he was hit was slowly flickering between the dead and the living plane and it scared him the most. For the first time, he was afraid to die. But this gave him hope.

“I know how we can defeat Dream!”

“How?” Sapnap threw the skeleton to the floor and broke it under his boot.

“The explosions! They make us flicker! If Dream is hit-”

“He will vanish from existence!” Sapnap hit a skeleton hard in the head, sending it to the ground. “Go! I’ll take Puffy out of here!”

Tommy quickly took flight and entered the other plane. It was how they seemed to teleport, but they actually traversed the whole distance in a dimension where time was indifferent. This also made him the quickest.

He quickly landed over Dream, locking him under his tallon.

“You’re done!” Tommy quickly said as he searched for the next explosion.

“No! You’re done! Can’t you see that? I’m killing you! And we’ll go back to normal!”

“There is nothing normal about us! We’re monsters!” Tommy finally understood the explosions’ patterns.

“No, Tommy… We’re angels! We’re here to save human life.”

“We feed on them just as much as vampires do!” Tommy forced his tallon on Dream’s throat, hoping to shut him up so he could follow the creature’s rhythm.

“No! We’re heroes! And I won’t let you get in my way!” Tommy let go of Dream. He barely felt the dagger coming for him.

Tommy moved quickly, he was two explosions away from the right one. He entered the other plane, grabbed Dream and flew towards the blow. He hoped it would work, because it was his only shot.

As the position was right he returned to the living plane and let himself and Dream be hit. He could have sworn he heard someone scream before everything went deaf.

He almost rejoiced as he felt death nearing him, but when he felt the wind on his brand new burns, he almost cried in shame.

He was still alive. And so was Dream.

He heard the bones of the creature hitting the floor as someone put an end to its cursed existence. Ha, pretty similar to his own.

“You really thought this would kill me?” Dream said in a weak voice as he got himself off the ground with some difficulties. “I am a god, you wretched beings! I am life! I am death! I’m-” A dagger crossed Dream's throat.

“I don’t love you anymore.” George said before coughing and falling to the floor. Tommy could also feel himself choking in blood. Blood. How he missed it.

“Tommy!!!” Wilbur screamed as Tommy felt someone kneel beside him and caress him. “I’ll fix it, ok? It won’t hurt anymore!”

Wilbur lifted Tommy’s arm and bit it. Tommy felt it, but it was a pinprick in his world of pain.

“Wil-” Tommy stopped to cough some blood. “Wil, it doesn’t work on us.” Tommy explained.

“No! But… I can fix it!”

“No, you can’t. I’m too far gone now.” Tommy was running out of air. He didn’t breathe in for so long…

“I can’t lose you.” Wilbur’s tears sent needles down his burns. It reminded him of the ocean. His tears felt like the ocean.

“Can you sing me one of your songs? I never heard them before.” Tommy said before coughing some more. Well, this could keep them busy.

“Wasting your time; You're wasting mine; I hate to see you leaving; A fate worse than dying…”

Though Tommy wished he could say he heard it to the end, the singsong of Wilbur’s voice lulled him to sleep. All feelings left him and he was glad he left them with a smile.

Then he opened his eyes and he finally could see. A giant lady adorned in shades he thought he wouldn’t miss greeted him with a smile.

“Rest awaits you.” She said in a whisper, offering her hand.

He didn’t know her, but her smile and voice invited him to go forward. He took her hand and together, they walked to a place Tommy could only hope was paradise.

Wilbur’s eyes were fogged with tears and his voice gave out on him. There was no rise and fall coming from Tommy’s chest anymore. No air escaped his mouth and nose and the green blood stopped flowing from his mouth. His unfocused eyes stayed open as he passed on, so Wilbur shut them closed. He was sleeping now. Just sleeping.

“Wilbur-”

“Don’t touch me!” Wilbur cast Phil aside and hugged Tommy tighter.

His fledgling… His young brother…

“Wilbur, you gotta let go.” Phil tried once more.

“No! My Tommy! My Tommy.” Wilbur brushed his hair off his face. His scars around his eyes seemed so fresh and so old. The smile he died into was still plastered on his face, giving a sense of peace. Though his bite didn’t work, he was tempted to bite his whole body if needed.

“Wilbur, he is gone.” Phil gently said.

That’s when Wilbur snapped. 

Tommy was gone.

He was dead.

He didn’t want to admit it, but when Phil said it, it was like he was finally declared dead, along with hope.

His little hope was gone.

His sunshine was gone…

Phil knelt in front of him and gently took Tommy from his arms. Wilbur didn’t fight. There was no fight left in him.

There was something like a marching funeral. The few people that left their homes to see what happened witnessed their march. Phil was going first, taking Tommy’s body home. Techno stayed behind, making sure nobody dared to harm them. Wilbur just followed him. He might as well be dead. He sure felt like it.

Every soul that saw them in the street gasped and stared them down in pity, fear and respect. Some of them even paid their respects to the fallen one. Wilbur wished he felt anger or comfort or even annoyance from the gesture, but he was sedated. The world was far from him just as much as he was far from the world.

As they finally left town towards their home, Wilbur turned around. They left all the other bodies in the Institute. Still, Wilbur wanted to go home.

He turned around and marched home. No one dared to follow them.

It was already winter again and Phil had just had one of those stupid vampire meetings where they got drunk with blood and wine while talking bullshit about humans. Sometimes he asks his wife why things need to be so complicated.

He was already going home when a younger vampire came to talk to him. It was Schlatt! It impressed Phil everytime just how drunk the man could get and still me able to connect 2 and 2 together.

“Philza, my pal! How’s it going?” He hugged Philza with a single arm while holding a glass of wine.

“Schlatt.” Phil was respectful, although he wanted to take the drunk man out of his shoulders.

“Damn, what a year! The fall of the institute, the death of the ring! You’ve been busy my friend!”

The truth was a bit distorted for the sake of his coven. They became heroes by the eyes of vampire society, but the cut still remained. They didn’t talk about it much.

“And how is life, pal?” The hard question came.

“Good.” He gave the short answer. 

“And Wilbur? He’s sorta missing, huh?”

Though Phil denied every time, Wilbur ran away the night they buried Tommy. Not a single clue of him was left behind. He left his guns, left his dagger, left his guitar, the only thing he took was a couple of clothes, a backpack, and a pair of old hiking boots. They didn’t know where he was, they didn’t know where he was going. When people asked, he’d always answer the same thing.

“He is on a trip.”

“I see! The young spirit in his blood! I got one like this as well.” He pointed with his glass towards Quackity. “Hey there, angel face!”

Quackity, who was talking to one of his underlings, gave Schlatt the middle finger.

“Call me, baby!” Schlatt screamed at him before walking away. “Underlings… They take what they want and then run away.”

Phil just wanted to get away from this conversation.

“Schlatt, I appreciate your worry, but I have to go home.” He had to get away.

“Fine, just wanted to make you a proposal.” He let go of Phil. “With the Ring and the Institute gone, there will be a vacancy in power. Someone has to take the throne and I’d say, it is finally time for vampires to take the order.” Schlatt took out a card from his suit’s pocket. “Call me. If you want to make part of the new order.”

Phil respectfully took the card. It was very professional, but Phil learned to not trust pretty words and fancy cards.

“Thanks. I’ll keep you noticed.” He would never call him.

“Good. See you later, emperor of the new world!” Schlatt made a reverence as he left to get more wine. Phil didn’t care what would happen afterwards.

On his way to the car, he felt the wind gentle on his face. He made sure to say it in a whisper, to not be heard by the sharpest of ears.

“Rest in peace, Tommy.”

As the wind calmed itself to a stop, he entered the car and drove himself home.