Chapter Text
Technoblade and Philza stared at the message that sat on Phil’s open communicator. At first, they weren’t sure who it was really from. Sure the name said Eret, but hackers existed. It was entirely possible that Eret’s name had been used to create a fake player ID. But no, Phil had double and triple-checked the sender address.
They were receiving communication from a Dream SMP member.
“So, uh, you answerin’ or am I?” Techno asked.
Phil sighed. “I’ll answer. Unless they sent you one too.”
Techno opened his comm device and shook his head.
“Nope, nothing here. Wonder what they want.”
Phil took a deep breath and tapped the pulsing dot beside Eret’s name
<The_Eret whispered to you> Philza I hope this finds you well. I’m reaching out because we need some of your group’s… expertise. The SMP reset, and this time FoolishGamers and I have both regained our memories of the last one. We know what’s caused this, who caused the life system. We want to stop it from happening again. And we have a plan, but we need your help.
<The_Eret whispered to you> We need the Syndicate’s help to take out DreamXD.
Phil read the message through. And then read it again, blinking dumbly at the screen.
The SMP had reset? Phil had heard of groups that just moved servers after a time, like those hermits. Though there was talk of an empire-based server that reset a few months back. Was it similar to that?
But while rumors of the empire-based server talked of players who willingly reset their server after a monstrous virus… this message from Eret spoke of something more violent. That the god of the server had forced the players to lose their memories and start fresh. Possibly without them knowing.
Philza Minecraft was many things, but he wasn’t certain godkiller was on his list of titles. Even the Blood God, Techno’s patron, didn’t want to challenge DreamXD while they were on the server. So why ask them?
Phil thought back to his wife, when she helped the Syndicate escape before the server closed temporarily. And then it was back, right there on their comms’ server lists. Perhaps Eret was reaching out because they escaped. Because they still had their memories.
“So what’d it say?” Techno asked.
“They want our assistance. To defeat Dream XD,” Phil responded quietly.
“Defeat DreamXD? Like the god of their server?” Techno asked, eyes widening.
“Yep. Think we have an answer now, or should we bring this up with the others?”
Techno crossed his arms, a frown settling on his brow. “If it were anything else… we should bring it up with the others regardless. They need to know.”
Phil nodded. “I’ll let Eret know we’ll send them something after we talk. Better call the others, mate. This might be an emergency meeting.”
Techno nodded and left the room to grab his comm. Phil stared down at the message before sighing. He began typing out a response.
<You whisper to The_Eret> need to discuss it with the group. will be in tocuh afterwards with answer
Techno reappeared behind him. “Well, Niki said she can meet tomorrow. And Ranboo said he’s available whenever.”
Phil frowned. “Tomorrow will have to do then. I’m just hoping this doesn’t put Eret and Foolish on a time crunch.”
“Not much we can do, Phil,” Techno replied with a shrug. “Think it’s gonna be a warzone when we get there?”
Phil looked up at his friend. There was no sign of hesitancy in Techno’s eyes.
“You talk like you already know we’re heading back, mate.”
Technoblade grinned, teeth fully visible. If it hadn’t been for the upturned lips, it would have looked like a sneer.
“Oh, I’m bettin’ on it. Ranboo’s talked about missing Tubbo. And I think I’d like to pay our friends a visit myself. Niki might be the only one to convince, to be honest,” he replied.
Phil paused. His thoughts had wandered to his son’s friends, his grandson, and all the others still trapped within the SMP’s confines. Maybe it was time to break them out. A white disk with a smiling face and a green hoodie flashed in Phil’s mind. He frowned.
“And those friends would include your rival, wouldn’t they?”
Techno shrugged. “I will admit, I do miss the teletubby. No, Chat, I am not simping for the homeless guy. I just haven’t seen him in like a year. Plus there’s Tommy and—oh my god, Phil, now they won’t shut up. Phil, make them stop.”
Phil chuckled. “Brought that upon yourself, mate. Can’t help you there.”
“Bruh.” Techno shot his friend a withering glare that would have wilted a weaker man. Phil just grinned back.
——
Ranboo shifted nervously in his seat across from Niki. The woman had fixed a harsh gaze on Techno, who sat on the corner from Ranboo looking surprisingly unbothered by the attention. Phil glanced back and forth between Niki and Techno with just as nervous an expression.
“So you expect me to go back to the place we escaped from to help our ‘friends’ escape the clutches of some demonic entity that happens to be connected to Dream,” Niki stated.
Phil cleared his throat. “Paraphrasing a bit, but that’s the gist of it.”
And then her gaze was fixed on Phil. While Techno’s glares he could stand, there was always something disconcerting about Niki’s own fierce expressions. Phil tried not to shrink into his seat. How the hell did Techno withstand that?
He noticed Techno’s shoulders relax just the smallest bit, and realized the piglin had been just as tense under Niki’s gaze. Served him right.
“And why should I go with you on this suicide mission?” Niki demanded, her hand curling into a fist on the table.
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Ranboo assured her. “We, uh, we would just appreciate the backup, you know?”
Niki turned her glare to Ranboo, who flinched and wilted in his seat like a dead poppy. Phil winced.
“You seriously think this is a good idea?” she turned back to Phil.
The avian sighed. “We don’t know for sure, Niki. But it’s worth a shot to check it out, right? Some of us still have friends and family on the other side. We’d like to see them come home or at least somewhere safe.”
Niki glanced around the table at the other two. Ranboo’s eyes were hopeful, but his body language still sat worried. Techno was still staring straight forward, somewhere over Phil’s head. The woman sighed heavily, causing a lock of bleached hair to fall over her shoulder.
“I take it you’ll go even if I don’t?” she asked.
Phil and Techno nodded. Ranboo smiled sheepishly. Niki sighed again.
“Fine. If you idiots are so intent on running into battle, I’m going with you. If only to keep you three in line,” she said.
“Yes, that’s our Niki!” Techno shouted, jumping up from the table and nearly knocking it over.
Ranboo’s grin widened and brightened. “Thank you, Niki! We won’t let you down!”
Niki scoffed. “When has saying that stopped you in the past?”
Phil chuckled at the display, watching the three younger folks bicker lightheartedly about the decision. It gave him hope that this venture would be fine. Everyone would make it out safely. Phil would ensure that above all else.
——
It was late at night when Phil was faced with another difficult conversation. He sat on the porch, watching the stars above. He’d always loved the stars and how brightly they shined even in the darkest of nights. And tonight was no exception. He smiled as a blaze of light streaked across the night sky, and wondered for a moment if it was worth making a wish.
A knock sounded behind him, soft like the person wore gloves. Phil’s smile widened just a little. She always wore gloves.
“Kristin,” he said, turning to see his wife standing behind him.
Her face was obscured by the hat and veil she wore, dark hair cascading around her and fading against the blackness of her dress. She lifted a hand and brushed the veil aside to gaze into her husband’s eyes.
“Philza,” she responded. She wasn’t smiling.
Phil’s smile faltered. “You’re not happy.”
Kristin gave a humorless chuckle. “Why would I be? You’re going back to that awful place again. Why, Phil? You have no stake in the games that monster plays anymore.”
Phil’s face softened. He opened his arms to his wife, and she sighed before stepping into his embrace.
“We still have family there. Our grandson. Ranboo’s husband. All our friends. We do still have a stake in this,” he whispered.
Kristin’s hands gripped his coat tight. “Then I can get them out. I’ll bring Fundy and Tubbo here.”
Phil released his wife, clasping her hands in his as he held them close. “No. Tubbo will want Tommy and Tommy will want his other friends. And then what? XD will only capture more innocents in his web, and no one will be able to save them. We have to put a stop to him if we want this to end.”
“And why can’t those who contacted you do it themselves? Foolish is nearly a god. Eret has his ancestor. Why does it have to be you again?” There were tears in Kristin’s eyes. “You know I can’t reach the dead in his world. What if I lose you?”
Phil’s resolve nearly cracked. It was something that had sat in the corner of his mind. If they failed to kill or banish XD and died in the process, their only way out was the revive book. And with the server rebooted, who knew if any of the members even had it. He could lose everyone. Kristin could lose him.
He leaned forward and kissed his wife’s cheek. They stood there for several long moments, the stars above offering the only light to illuminate their surroundings.
“Do you trust me?”
Kristin tensed, the smallest motion of her shoulders indicating her disapproval. And yet she answered.
“Yes. I do.”
Phil’s smile was soft and solemn as he met her eyes. “Then let me do this. For all of us. I will make it back home to you.”
Kristin’s eyes were still shiny with tears as she lowered her head and nodded.
“You’re an idiot,” she muttered.
Phil laughed as he took her back in his arms and felt her arms wrap around his back.
“I’m your idiot,” he teased despite his own eyes stinging with unshed tears.
Kristin laughed. “Yes. Yes, you are.”