(TW: Swearing)

ClownPierce slashed at Reddoons, who quickly dodged while pushing Parrot backward. His eyes glowed a deadly shade of blood red as he charged towards Reddoons.

'ClownPierce, what are you doing?!' Parrot screeched, trying to jump in.

'Mind your own business, Parrot. This is not a battle you need to fight in.' Clown sneered and hissed at Red who was stubbornly holding on.

'It was a fight that I caused, Clown! If you want me to help you, fine! Just-Just don't hurt Reddoons! He's your f-friend!'

'Parrot, stay out of this. Don't waste such a gorgeous talent!' Reddoons snapped, swiftly backing away from Clown to pot up before charging again.

'Please, the LifeSteal SMP is in danger! It's not the time to fight each other!' Parrot stood on the sidelines, wide-eyed. 

'And what are you gonna do, Parrot?' Clown raised his eyebrows while blocking Red's sword. 'Help me with my plan?'

Reddoons shook his head furiously, his calming red eyes filled with panic as he stared at Parrot.

The teenager stopped and froze on the spot, his cyan wings drooping in hesitation. His mind spun. His heart was torn in half. What could he do against the deadliest player on the Lifesteal SMP?

'Parrot, get the hell out of here.' Reddoons hissed.

Fearfully, Parrot raised his brown eyes to meet Clown's blazing red ones. He couldn't stop himself from shaking tremendously. After all, he was still supposed to be in high school, he was still supposed to be enjoying the brightest times of his life - his youth. And there he was, all corrupted, so corrupted by the very words that had obliged him to this endlessly gloomy rabbit hole - to this duty that kept weighing on his fragile shoulders and clinging onto his mind 24/7 like a parasite. 

'What do you say?' Clown muttered menacingly, raising his sword to Reddoons' neck.

Parrot glanced at Red, at his friend, who was trying his best to push the sword away to no avail. He from the past wouldn't have even imagined him from the present saying these despicable words. 

'Fine, but on one condition, ClownPierce.' He took a deep breath. 'We do not attack them first. Our land, our rules. If we die on their land, we get nothing. But if they die on our land, we'd profit hundreds of hearts.' 

'Good point, Parrot.' Clown sighed, putting his sword away. 'Glad to see that talent of yours not going to waste. I'll leave you two gentlemen, or should I say, noble warriors, to figure out the details.'

With that, the door slammed behind Clown. Reddoons turned to Parrot, his eyes blazing.

'What have you just done?!'

***

'Tommy! Tommy!' Tubbo's voice echoed across the street.

'What, bee boy?' Tommy laughed.

'Soccer again, tomorrow?'

'I'll demolish you here again, Tubbs.' He smiled softly.

Tommy rushed home, his stomach growling for dinner after a long day at school. He saw his mother trimming her favorite rose bush in the garden, but as soon as she heard his footsteps, she stopped and turned around with a bright smile on her face.

'Dinner's ready, Tom.' She urged, pushing him gently inside. 'I made you your favorite.'

The aroma of baked potatoes drifted across his nose as he sat down on the dining table, pulling the plate closer. It was still his mother's magical cooking talent - she never disappointed anyone with her food, and this time was no exception. Her food - he believed - could heal the deepest of scars, mend the most broken of hearts and calm the most frightened of kids.

'Tom, did you hear that?' His mother raised her head, looking around, panicking.

'Hear what, Mum?'

'Tom, who is that?' She stared through the window in fear.

A trio stormed through the peaceful streets of the Dream SMP, a whole army following them, fully equipped with armor and weapons.

'Tom?' She asked again, but Tommy didn't answer. 'Tom!'

'M-Mum, where's the basement?' She could barely hear her beloved son's whisper. 'Mum, that's the LifeSteal SMP. They're here to invade, Mum. Hide.'

'Tom, you're coming with me.' She grabbed his hand, but he was nowhere to be found. 'TOM!' Her scream was full of horror. 

'Mum, hide!' A flash of curly golden hair caught her eye. She turned around to see her young, innocent son holding a shining sword, her father's chest plate glistening in the dark.

'Tom, don't you dare. What are you doing?' She whispered.

'Mum, I told you, hide! I have to go, Mum. Hide!' He urged urgently.

'Where do you think you're going, young fella?' She hissed.

'I-I need to make sure Tubbo's safe!' He replied, heaving. 'Mum, please! I promise I'll be quick!'

Her blue eyes glittered with tears of worry as she hugged him tightly.

'If you must, Tom. Go, be safe darling.' She cried as she watched him leave, blending into the thousands of enemies that roam freely on the streets that were once their home.

***

'Dream?!' Technoblade growled. 'What was that?'

Dream dashed onto the balcony, his eagle eyes frantically searching every corner. Immediately he turned back to Techno, his pupils widening.

'T-Techno, they're here. ClownPierce.' The green-eyed warrior whispered.

Before he knew it, Techno had assembled a team of skilled archers at the tallest towers. They all look shocked as they raised their bows and shoot pixel-perfect arrows down onto the horde below.

'This isn't gonna enough. Where is Sapnap? Where is George? Where are Punz and Purpled?' Techno heaved and turned to Dream. 'What are you doing, go gather them!'

Dream skipped various steps on the stairs to George and Sapnap's room, only to nearly smash into them and break his nose.

'Who the f-?!' Sapnap exclaimed furiously.

'Dream! What's happening?!' George squealed. 

'There's no time to explain. Find Punz and Purpled. Find everyone you can, actually!'

George started to run, but Dream stopped him.

'Don't you dare split up. For all I know, they could be in the castle. Stay together and scream if anything goes wrong. George, that's up to you.'

As George headed downstairs, Dream turned to Sapnap, trust filling his eyes.

'Sapnap, keep him safe, please. And keep yourself as well. Call me if you need anything.'

'Your boyfriend's gonna be safe with me, don't worry Dream.' Sapnap smirked before running off after George.

Dream shook his head and dashed back to his room before meeting Techno on the stairs and together, they went down into the castle yard.

***

Mapicc beamed from ear to ear, his sword reflecting his face as he walked the once idyllic streets of the Dream SMP. Roshambo was right beside him, grinning as if he had never grinned before, effortlessly spinning an instant-harming arrow in his hand.

'Where are we going, Clown?' Mapicc asked. 'We've been walking for quite a while.'

'Mapicc and Ro, you take your part of the army and split up for a little bit. Don't start murdering people yet, this is not our land so you will not gain any hearts. Just...do what you do best, got it?'

'Season 4 flashback, here we go.' Ro whistled to a group of soldiers as he turned South and ran down the street. ClownPierce was already heading toward the castle with his group, leaving Mapicc standing frozen and his group's eyes on him.

'This way, and don't you dare wander off like a stray kid.' Mapicc warned before running in the opposite direction. 

***
'Get out of my way!' Tommy relentlessly disarmed a soldier, before swiftly jumping into the bushes and leaping out into another street. He began rushing down the street, completely disregarding the screams of terror behind him and heading straight for Tubbo's cozy house.

'Tubbs! Tubbs!' He roared desperately, plunging into the burning house. 'Tubbo!'

'Tom! Tommy!' He heard a reply and dashed in that direction. 'Tommy is that you?! Tommy!'

'Tubbo! Where the hell are you?!' Surrounding him was fire, and he could feel it enclosing him. 'Tubbo, you fucking moron, answer!'

'Goddamn it, Tommy! I'm dying behind the door! Just smash it down!' Tubbo's scream was almost burned out in the fire.

Tommy rushed to the door and threw himself against it with all his might. It didn't even budge, and he could hear Tubbo's desperation through the door. 

'Stand back, Tubbo! Stand back!' He didn't even care if Tubbo listened. Instead, he took an arrow and swiped it through the fire. The arrow caught aflame. He hurriedly threw it at the door and watched as the fire began weakening the door.

'Tom, what the fuck are you doing?!' Tubbo screamed.

'I said, stand back!'

The door slammed to the floor, unable to hold on any longer. Tommy did not care about the burning flames and flung himself inside.

'Tubbo, where's your sword? And shield?'

'What the hell's happening?!'

'Dude, we've been invaded! Where the hell are your weapons?!'

'I-I have a shield if that helps? And a helmet.' Tubbo shrugged. 

'I mean the sword!'

'It's downstairs.'

'We're going, give me that shield.' Grabbing Tubbo's hand, they leaped out of the burning house as it collapsed behind them. Tubbo turned back with tears as he watched his beautiful garden - his paradise, all of his effort - burn down in a matter of seconds. 

How he missed the competitively blooming flowers with the first call of spring. How he longed for the familiar buzzing of the bees and chirping of the birds in the trees. Oh, how he missed all the time he had spent lying under the sun, closing his eyes and letting sunshine dance around him as he inhaled the sweet fragrance of the flowers beside him. 

'Tubbo, watch out!' Tommy lunged at Tubbo, pushing him to the ground and narrowly escaping a fearsome slash. 

'Mapicc, don't split off into small groups! We're not familiar with this terrain, we'll get demolished if we don't stay together.'

'Who are you to question my decisions?' The warrior that had just tried to murder Tubbo turned back and growled. 'Have you forgotten that I have removed the end with Ro, I have petrified spawn, I was the one that duped items endlessly and everyone was so scared to come near us? Have you forgotten?'

Tommy sneaked up from behind the warrior, his sword in hand. Quick as a flash, Mapicc spun back and locked eyes with Tommy. Red to blue - blue to red. 

Mapicc stared into an endless blue ocean of dreams and wishes of an 18-year-old, each second shifting by as those eyes tried their best not to shut and turn away. He could see Tommy's deepest wishes and fears in those eyes, but he could sense this boy's sheer recklessness and courage to protect his friend.

Tommy was lost in a raging fire of nothing but chaos and destruction - a burning desire for blood and glory. He gasped, almost choking for breath as he only sensed that the warrior was pushing his sword back towards Tubbo. He did not care if he was only 18, he did not care if he had a whole life to live. 

'Stay away from my friend, you son of a bitch!' With a flash, he flung himself forward with all his might at Mapicc, who was taken aback by the thoughtlessness of such actions. Tommy managed to unbalance Mapicc for a split second before getting overwhelmed again. 

'You're brave to fight someone like me without a second thought.' Mapicc raised an eyebrow as he effortlessly blocked Tommy's attack.

'I don't give a crap who you are! Don't you dare touch a single hair on my friend's head!' Tommy screeched before slamming into Mapicc again and bouncing off.

'Can you just stop? It's getting annoying.'

'Get the hell away from my friend and I will stop.' Tommy hissed.

'Look, I don't know who you are, and I don't care. What I do care about is that the LifeSteal SMP is here to invade, not for peep talks or negotiations. So, I suggest you two get out of my way before I have both of your heads hung at our castle as a trophy.'

'I suggest that you go back to your land, your place with your pathetic soldiers, and never threaten the peace of my beloved SMP ever again.'

'Fine, I guess you made your choice.' Mapicc shrugged before slashing at Tommy at the speed of lightning. Tommy barely dodged the attack and spun, managing to push Tubbo into the bush.

'Tommy!' Tubbo screamed desperately as he tried to crawl out, but the tangled branches stuck to his shirt like glue.

'Consider yourself good as dead if you dare touch the things I love.' Tommy hissed and lunged at Mapicc, nearly breaking his neck in the process. Mapicc growled and retreated before smashing bottles of potions on the ground and slashing at Tommy relentlessly.

'I think that you should consider yourself dead.'

Tommy rolled backward, smashing into the bushes. He could feel a gash on his face, exposed to the dusty air filled with horror and fire. He could feel it burning like acid as he saw a blurry red figure slowly walking toward him with the eerie sound of the enchanted netherite sword dragging on the pebbles.

Tommy closed his eyes. A flash.