Deception {Dreamnotfound}

22 | Unforseen Events | 22

-George's POV-

The sound of approaching footsteps echo from outside, and I barely manage to move out of the way before the door is collapsed inwards. It almost hits me, and I throw my arms up just in time to protect my face from the splintering wood.

When I open my eyes I'm met with Clay, who offers me a weak smile in reassurance as he scans my face for any signs of injury. "You okay?" he asks, voice barely above a whisper. I nod silently in response, letting him grab my arm and drag me away from the doorway.

Out of the corner of my eye I spot Fundy, shielding his eyes with the same hand his dagger is gripped in. The other arm is wrapped tightly around Tubbo, who coughs and splutters with his hand thrown up in an attempt to block the dust still clouding the doorway.

Through the rubble comes Illumina, accompanied by two more assassins from his group. Their faces are cloaked, much like his own, and I wonder if Sapnap's target is among them.

Sapnap is the only one of our group still on his feet, sword grasped tightly between both of his hands. He clutches the handle with a death grip, teeth gritted as he desperately tries to stop himself from shaking.

"So you didn't learn your lesson last time?" he breathes, the nervous words accompanied with a sour laugh. Illumina tugs at the fabric covering his mouth, exposing the confident smirk beneath.

"Of course not," he jokes sarcastically. "I'm like you, Sapnap: I'm adamant. A little assassin isn't going to stop me from getting what I want, just because he flaunts the same symbol as Technoblade." I notice the sword Sapnap wields currently is the one gifted to him by his group, their mark evident on both the handle and the blade itself.

Elite assassins are proud, and Illumina seems to think it ridiculous. His weapons aren't marked with any indication of his group, nor are his clothes. I've never heard a name for them either, and can only recognise their group's members by the all black outfits and face masks.

"Step away from him."

It's only then I'm made aware that Clay is no longer at my side. He stands at Sapnap's instead, mask pulled to his face to protect it from the dust.

"Dream, is it?" Illumina drawls. "Could've sworn you were dead the last time I fought you. Your soulmate must be more able than I expected after all, if they managed to revive you and survive Techno." His gaze drifts to me, cold an unimpressed despite his half-praise. A sneer spreads across his face, echoed in his tone.

"You don't look all that impressive, no offence." I roll my eyes, forcing myself to block out the insults and instead focus on the fight that's evidently about to start. "Although, I'm not here for you, so it doesn't really matter how capable you are."

Illumina turns to face Sapnap once more, but doesn't step away from me. "You got lucky last time we met," he spits, deeming me too inferior to speak directly to.

"You won't get lucky again this time."

Fundy signals to me from across the room, eyes quickly darting back to the assassins that foolishly stand with their backs to him. He kicks out his leg slightly, dragging it across the floor in a swiping motion before nodding his head in the direction of Illumina, who still stands within distance of me. I nod back subtly, attempting to catch Clay's eye as Fundy tries to catch Sapnap's.

The two best friends seem too intently focused on the assassins facing them to notice, most likely trying to devise their own plan. It's shocking how they do it, how their brains are so fiercely trained to work so well in an unforeseen and dangerous situation.

I can practically see the cogs turn in Sapnap's head as his eyes scan over his enemy, assessing them for any sign of weakness. For something, anything, that he could possibly use against them. Both sides seem adamant to wait for their opposition to strike first, stood in stunned silence as they think over their attack plans.

My attention falls back to Fundy, who is busy explaining something to Tubbo. He mutters near inaudibly, and I'm only able to make out a few occasional words as they're uttered from his lips.

I force myself to keep an eye on Illumina, subtly glancing back at him every few seconds to check their position, but none of the assassins have moved.

Distantly, I notice Fundy hold up his hand. I'm confused for a second, before he puts down a finger, leaving only four up. Then another, leaving only three.

Two.

One.

As soon he lowers his last finger, I strike.

We both do, swinging our legs out from where we sit and catching the assassins off guard.  My ankle collides with Illumina's, who sways for a second as he tries to regain his balance. Clay takes the opportunity to strike, disarming the assassin and knocking him to the floor.

"Look, Illumina," he grits out, blade cutting into the arm he fights to hold down. "I don't want to kill you, for the sake of your soulmate, but you make this hard." There'a an uncertainty laced in his tone, making the warning seem half-empty.

"Know that I won't hesitate to if it comes to that."

"Bold words coming from someone who knows the scars on his face were mostly inflicted by the very person he's threatening currently."

Illumina suddenly swipes his secondary blade, a small dagger, upwards in a swift strike. The blow collides with the strap on Clay's head, snapping it open and leaving the face beneath exposed. I watch the smiling face hit the floor, cracking a thin line through the white mask.

"Look at you," Illumina sneers, confident words choking up as Clay digs the blade deeper into his arm, which is still scrambling for his sword. "Ridiculous. I'm not here for you, get out of the way. Let the system be fulfilled the way it's meant to be."

Clay only shakes his head, keeping his dagger close to Illumina's throat. I force myself to my feet, picking up the weapon Illumina is so desperately searching for and moving it as far out of his reach as I can.

Sapnap seems to have also taken advantage of the situation, holding one of the other assassins against the wall as Fundy does the same with the third.

Tubbo stands in the corner, dagger gripped with white knuckles on a trembling hand. He mumbles incoherently under his breath, like there's someone beside him, fear bright in his eyes. Still rubbing his wrist with his spare hand, like he always does. As if finding it comforting, something to ground him to the situation at hand.

"You seem a little stuck there," Sapnap smirks in Illumina's direction, keeping a firm hold on the assassin he has against the wall. A yell suddenly pierces the room, and I turn back to see the roles reversed.

Illumina now has Clay pinned to the floor, blood pouring from his nose with gritted teeth. Immediately I try to interfere, but Illumina steps away. "Oh don't worry, I'm not here to hurt your precious soulmate."

The assassin glares once more at Clay before stepping back, kicking his even more broken mask towards him. "Despite how much I want to," he adds with a sarcastic laugh. "Would love to give him a few more scars, see if it wipes that cocky smirk off of his face-"

"Alright, and that's your cue to leave," Sapnap interjects. He grabs the assassin he was watching by the throat, shoving them in Illumina's direction. They stumble under the force, hitting the floor before they can steady themselves.

"Neither side is winning here, get out. You don't want to fight like this, and I don't want to report to Techno that we killed a rival group's leader in merely fifteen minutes."

There's a nasty scraping sound as metal collides with concrete, weapons sent clattering across the floor. I notice Tubbo backing away, the teen squirming nervously with blue eyes glued to the scene before him. He doesn't seem badly bothered by the bloody mess we've made of the now destroyed meeting room, and that worries me.

"You heard me, leave!" Sapnap yells furiously to Illumina, who at last backs up towards the door.

The assassins back off, and I take the opportunity to run to Clay's side. He grips my hand, pulling himself to his feet. Thankfully, he doesn't seem badly hurt, the blood pouring from his nose the only sign of injury.

"That's right, go," Sapnap points to the door, aiming his sword at the assassins as they leave. "I won't be dealing with you for much longer."

"That's fine," Illumina suddenly smirks, turning back to face us as he leaves. There's a mischievous glint in his eyes, one that makes me question this situation entirely. He turned up outnumbered, with only two members. Abruptly too, and didn't put up too much of a fight.

Something about this just doesn't seem right.

"That's fine by me," he adds, the smile refusing to leave his lips. The sigh makes me squirm.

"I got what I wanted."