Chapter Text
Technoblade peaked his head over the edge of the roof to get a better view of below through the darkness. He saw at least four fully armed soldiers illuminated by torch light in the courtyard. Inside the warehouse there would likely be more.
Just in and out, he thought.
Techno was currently perched on the storage building’s roof, spying on the business exchange below. He watched as two well dressed individuals walked to the doors leading into the building. If his informant was correct, this deal was giving one of the biggest poaching companies in the city more weapons and supplies. It was his job to make sure the exchange did not happen.
Will we get blood…?
Not today.
His charges were set. Now, he was waiting for the signal from his partner, Dream. Then he would be on his own to get out of the industrial district and into the slums to the meeting point. Could Dream be any slower?
A light blinked on the roof opposite from him. It was time.
He quietly stood. Technoblade’s cloak was pulled up to cover his annoyingly pink hair. His face, on the other hand, was obscured by a bone mask to hide his animal features. The mask was a bit dramatic, but Phil always said it got the job of intimidation done well.
Techno lit his match and pressed it to the long fuse line he and Dream had rigged to connect with the rest of the explosives. They would have a few minutes before the bombs go off, giving enough time to clear the blast radius. Techno rapidly turned, running towards the gap between his roof and the next.
Just in and out, he repeated to himself again. Once the explosion occurred, the warehouse would be rubble, crushing the deal happening within. It wouldn’t put an end to the poaching business of course, but the Association would not be gaining another powerful ally.
He jumped, moving silently through the air.
blood?
No. Not today.
He hurried to the next ally. He didn’t want to be anywhere near the warehouse when it exploded. Faster, he urged himself. Shouts erupted behind him.
Then, it seemed as though the city paused, taking an inhale of air. He cleared the second gap just as a blast of blistering air erupted behind him, launching him forward off his feet. The warehouse exploded into flaming chunks of wood and scalding pieces of metal. Sound seemed to disappear as his head slammed and he skidded across the flat roof right off the building into the alley below.
…
Technoblade groaned, blood dripped down the side of his face. His body was protected from the brunt of the explosion when he fell behind the building. That didn’t mean that he wasn’t feeling the aches from the impact. He blinked slowly, taking in his smoky surroundings. The ringing in his ears was calming, only to be replaced by howling screams and cries from the industrial sector of the city.
The charges went off early. That isn’t good. Something went wrong, but he could only stick to the plan and get to the slums.
Just in and out. He shakily stood. In a passing though he hoped Dream escaped the explosion.
They are coming.
Good to know.
The whispering of voices on his head was turning to a chorus. Techno left the alley. He had to get out of the industrial district, and then meet up with Dream. He took off down the street, heading towards the slums. The guards should be busy with the explosion, so it should be easy to get there.
“You!” A group of guards had come around the corner in his path. “Hault!”
Maybe it wouldn’t be so easy.
Don’t stop.
Techno listened. He turned and ran the way he came, no longer heading to the rendezvous point. The guards followed. Turning down the closest street, he hoped to lose the soldiers.
Wrong choice.
Why would you go that way…
He had turned into an incoming group of city guards. “Stop him!” shouted the one of the men pursuing him. There were too many guards out. Why aren’t they focused on the fire?
So much for Phil saying no direct killing…
Technoblade drew his sword, blade slicing through the air towards the nearest opponent. His sword moved with practiced ease. The man closest to him swung his own weapon, a pathetic attempt to kill Techno. Technoblade dodged the sword that was stabbed towards him, and responded with a much more experienced swing of his own blade. The man choked out a gasp and he stared down at his stomach, bleeding profusely from Technoblade’s attack.
Techno shifted his attention to the rest of the men around him. He danced from one guard to the next, each who stood no chance against him.
Blood?
…
Technoblade moved with grace, gliding through his familiar ballot. A soldier came from behind, he sidestepped. A man wildly thrusted his sword forward and Technoblade twisted out of its path only to stab his blade through the man’s throat. He savored the feel of blood dripping down onto his hands, almost stuck in a trance from the glisten.
Blood?
They roared, almost a collective choir. He tried to ground himself.
Just in and out.
He disengaged, backing up. He was in control, not them. Techno slid his hand into his pocket, fingers wrapping around a round orb. He grinned, and threw the pearl, launching it in the direction of the eastern side of the city and the forest beyond. He could leave through the gates and lose anyone tailing him in the woods. After that, he would circle back and find Dream.
The world tilted, and he was gone. He began running again as soon as he reappeared in the streets where the pearl landed. Hopefully those goons don’t have the funding for ender pearls. Smoke laid heavily in the air. A few rain drops splattered across his cheek as he moved through the streets. The eastern gate came into view, but it was already closed. Well then. He’d have to climb the wall, which was inconvenient, but who was he to complain.
As he neared the edge of the city, leaving the main portion of the industrial sector, the sky finally seemed to open up, sending a downpour of water into the streets. He climbed up a wet townhome and started traversing by rooftop again.
Technoblade came to the last building before the wall. If he remembered correctly, a maintenance entrance should be close by in the street below. Climbing down, Techno searched for the door. His hand found the latch, just as a group of soldiers on horses came into view.
Just in and out.
Wrenching the door open, Techno races up the stairs. He heard shouts from outside, likely the guards alerting others to his presence. He emerged onto the top of the wall with a soldier waiting for him.
He rushed forward, and wrapped his arm around the guard’s throat. Techno squeezed his arm towards him, choking the man. The soldier struggled, clawing at his arm, gasping for air. After a moment, the man slowly went limp, and Techno dropped the unconscious body. Techno pulled rope out from underneath his soaked cloak, and unraveled it for him to climb down the wall. Then he was out.
He took off into the forest that sat outside the city. The pouring rain made visibility very limited, not to mention it was already dark. The guards would likely pursue him, and he’d have to lose them, and circle back to meet up with Dream.
Inconvenient.
There was shouting, and the sounds of barking. Hounds. They were hunting him. He tried to run faster but was truly stumbling through the dark woods. His foot caught on a root and trusted painfully. Technoblade almost cursed. His pursuers were closer now, and the barking was incredibly louder. He needed to lose them.
Techno vaguely remembered a body of water flowing through the forest. He and Dream had memorized a map of the city and surrounding area for this mission. If he got to the water, he could cross it and lose the dogs’ scent trail, and avoid the horses.
The howling was close. Too close. He could almost feel the dog's breath at his heels as he ran. His feet slid through the mud, and his heart pounded in his ears.
Thunder rang out around him, followed by a flash of thunder that illuminated his path. He could hear water somewhere up ahead of him. The hounds were close behind with the soldiers not much farther, and were gaining distance quickly. The men definitely had the speed advantage with their horses. A bow twang, followed by a whoosh of air.
Pain erupted through his side as two arrows embedded themselves into his back. He stumbled, biting back his cry. He forced himself to keep going. Capture meant death, or worse.
So much for just in and out.
The sound of water grew louder, the storm continued to rage, and the hounds were so close. The river.
Suddenly, the ground beneath Technoblade disappeared and his feet flailed to find solid dirt.
Technoblade fell.
…