The Tale | Dream SMP

I - Chapter Twenty-Eight

Tommy stared at the man standing before him, separated by only the invisible border between L'Manberg and the Dream SMP. A barrier in their own minds, but one that decided everything.

He took in the crown perched on top of the man's brown locks, made of what looked like compressed gold. Probably very expensive, despite its simplistic look. A furry red cloak draped down from his shoulders, just barely brushing the floor. He looked in pretty good condition for someone who had just betrayed his new country. And understandably so. It wasn't like he had been stabbed or anything.

"Eret, you bastard, you---" He gritted his teeth and exhaled, trying to calm himself down. "You dare come back here again?"

"Yes, I dare," Eret said, folding his hands behind his back. "I wanted to see you guys."

Tommy laughed, a harsh sound that split the calmness of the dawn. "Oh, really? That sounds sentimental. Where was that love for us a few days ago when you led us into an ambush?"

Eret spread his arms helplessly. "There was no other way."

"There is always another way!"

He didn't mean to shout, but the anger bubbling up inside of him made his words come out a lot louder and more emotionally charged than he had expected. The raging flame inside of him that demanded an explanation for what Eret had did to them couldn't be put out, and Tommy was too upset to try and tame it.

To his surprise, Eret gave a quiet laugh. He stared down at the ground. "You sound like Dream."

"What?"

"Dream," Eret said again. "You sound just like him. He's always going on about how there's no fixed path, and that we can choose whatever we do. You two should've gotten along great."

"I am not like Dream," Tommy hissed. "Dream is a bad person and I will never be like him. Never!"

Eret reached out a comforting hand, his expression sad, but Tommy jerked away from him angrily. "Oh, so now you're comforting me? I don't need your sympathy. You're a traitor!"

"Tommy?"

Tommy turned around. Wilbur stood behind him, with Tubbo right in tow. They both were wide-eyed as they looked past him at Eret, who had taken a few steps back away from the entrance.

"The traitor." Wilbur's voice was quiet and low, full of remorse. "You came back."

"I know you hate me but I---" Eret began, but Wilbur cut him off.

"Eret... how could you?"

Silence enveloped them. The question hung in the air, filling Tommy's ears. How could he? We were his friends. We were like a family, and he threw all of that away for, what? For Dream? For a fancy crown and a cape?

Tubbo pushed to the front, tears streaming down his face. "Eret, we farmed together for hours!"

Eret stared at the boy, unmoving. He looked like he wanted to run away but didn't want to lose his dignity. His face was pale and his fists were clenched. Maybe he was finally feeling regret, but at that point, Tommy didn't even know if he had it in him.

"Tubbo," Eret said with a pained expression. "Please, I---"

"Eret," Tommy interrupted. The man turned his sunglasses-covered eyes over to him. "Eret, listen to me, and I mean this in the nicest way possible."

He waited a beat, staring at the man. The man that they had trusted with all their hearts, putting their complete faith into him. All that emotion pooling inside of him finally overflowed. This guy... did he seriously think that he could just betray them like that?