Phil stared at Grian worriedly. "Are you sure, G?" He asked. "Wilbur says you aren't healed yet."

"I'm healed enough for this." Grian muttered, rolling his shoulders and flexing his wings. He glanced at Phil and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry Phil, I'll be fine."

Phil still glanced at Grian. "I don't want you to get hurt." He said, and silently he added, I don't want Dream to take you.

Grian flashed Phil a grin. "I won't get hurt." He said. "Now let's go."

"Hang on." Wilbur said. "Let's go over the procedure again."

Grian groaned. "We've been through this three times."

"It can't hurt to go through it again." Wilbur said. "So you guys will break into the building with invis."

"Go through the main door, where you will find a map and a key to the building." Phil continued, earning a glare from Wilbur.

"The alarm system will be disabled beforehand, so don't fear to get discovered." Grian added, smirking at Wilbur. He had already memorized the steps, as had Phil.

"Use the map to sneak down to where Tubbo is held." Phil said.

"And open the door." Grian stretched his wings again, acting bored.

"Get Tubbo-" Wilbur tried to speak, but Phil interrupted.

"And give him an invis potion." He said, laughing as he took in Wilbur's mad face.

"Then escape, and don't get caught." Grian finished. "How's that for memorization, Wilbur?" He teased.

Wilbur sighed, exasperated. "Well, I suppose it is a good thing you guys memorized everything. Got your pots?"

Phil shook the lavender potion in front of him. "Yes." Grian said.

"Then off you go." Wilbur said. "Good luck guys, don't get hurt." He directed this last phrase at Grian.

"We won't." Grian replied and patted Wilbur on the back. "See you in a couple of hours, Wilbur." He said.

Phil faced Grian as he drank his invis potion, watching Grian mimic his action. Both avians disappeared within seconds.

"Stay safe guys." Wilbur said. Phil brushed his back with his wings before taking off into the air.

The wind brushed his face, blowing the fresh air of summer onto him. Phil felt the wind slip in and out, snaking between his feathers as it kept him afloat. He pressed a hand to his earpiece. "Grian you there?"

His reply came back quick and clear. "Right here." He said. This time, Mumbo and Xisuma had fitted both avians with earpieces where they could talk through. "Where are you?" Grian asked.

"To your right." Phil replied. "See me?"

Phil knew that his earpiece would light up, showing Grian where he was. "Gotcha." Grian replied.

The two flew in silence for a while before they were near the mountain. "Ready?" Phil spoke through his device.

He heard Grian take a deep breath, and realized yet again the risks that Grian were taking to rescue Tubbo. "Ready." Grian replied, and Phil dove first, closing his wings a little to quicken his descent. The whistling of the wind sped past his ear, making hearing anything else hard for Phil. But he saw the ground approach him and pulled out of the dive in one single motion, coming to a stop just a couple meters above the floor and lowering himself gently.

A hiss of pain reached Phil's ears and he turned to 'see' Grian land clumsily. "You ok?" Phil asked, guilt creeping up on him as he remembered that Grian's wings weren't completely healed yet.

Grian rolled his shoulders. "I'm fine." He said. "Let's go."

The two approached the door. There, hidden under a layer of carpet, held two keys, one large silver, and simple, while the other was small and bronze, with elaborate patterns on the metal. In neat handwriting, the silver key was labeled as the entrance to the main building while the bronze was for Tubbo's cell. There was also a map, describing the inner workings and hallways of the mountain base.

Phil scanned his eyes over the map, trying to take in all the details. Grian leaned over his shoulder, reading as well. After a couple of minutes, Grian spoke. "Done?" He asked.

Phil tucked the map beside his pouch of invis potions. "Let's go." He said. He took the silver key and inserted it into the hole on the door. With a click, the door unlocked, and Phil gestured for Grian to step inside before he did, closing the door carefully behind him.

"This way." Grian murmured, and Phil followed the faintly glowing outline of Grian's earpiece as he led the way through the base. Right and then a downward slope. Middle hallway of three different ones. Phil held his breath and pressed himself against the wall when Tango walked by and continued. A left, and then stairs. Phil followed Grian as they crept silently down the stairs, and then it came into view.

A long, lifeless gray hallway, with bright lights above each metal door. The whole place gave Phil chills. It was so uniformed that it was perfect, yet there was no sign of life to any of the cells.

Except one. A single boy, with brown hair and brown eyes sat tiredly, leaning against the metal wall. "Tubbo!" Grian called softly as he and Phil reached the cave.

The boy turned, looking at the door. He scanned the doorway, his big brown eyes hopeful, but didn't see anything. Tubbo turned away with a sigh. "I must be hallucinating." He muttered.

Phil remembered that he was still invisible. "Tubbo, you're not." He murmured.

The boy turned around again, eyes wide. "Phil?" He whispered.

"Yes." Phil said quietly. "Grian and I are here. We're invisible."

"We're going to break you out, Tubbo." Grian whispered. He inserted the bronze key into the keyhole and turned it. A single pull, and the door creaked open.

Tubbo stumbled out, and Phil caught him in his arms to help the boy stand upright. "Phil? Grian?" Tubbo muttered again, his eyes wide with hope.

"It's us." Grian replied. "Don't worry, Tubbo. We're here now." He wrapped his arms around Tubbo. "Here, drink this." Grian handed Tubbo a potion.

Tubbo stared at the potion for a second before drinking it. He disappeared. Grian and Phil both took another potion, as their first was running out.

Phil propped Tubbo between himself and Grian and started the trek down the hallway. Although Tubbo was weak, he was fast, and they soon left the hallway. Now for the hardest part. They hobbled up the stairs, Phil wincing everytime the stairs creaked, and quickly took the right. They emerged from the room with three hallways, and the three went down the middle hallway. Almost there. Phil thought as they started up the slope.

When they bumped into Sapnap.

The invisible man snapped out of his state. "Who's there?" Sapnap snarled, pulling out his sword.

Phil held his breath and started forwards again, but Sapnap turned to where he was and slashed with his sword. Phil backed up, and Sapnap pushed forwards. "Dream!" He called.

Phil shared a look with Grian. They wouldn't be able to get out of this if Dream came. Together, they reached a decision. Phil looked at Tubbo, who squeezed his hand, signalling that he would be with them.

"Now!" Grian yelled, and Phil took Tubbo's hand as Grian swerved the other way, dodging Sapnap's strike.

Phil continued to run, hoping that Grian was behind him, when he heard a yell. Turning around, he saw Dream, running with a rope held in his hands. Phil's gaze travelled down the rope and froze.

The rope was a lasso, and the other end was wrapped around an invisible person. Grian thrashed in the grip of the rope. "Grian!" Phil called, turning around to rescue his friend.

"No!" Grian called back. "Go, Phil! Run!" He shouted as Dream advanced on him.

But Phil didn't listen to him. He let go of Tubbo and sprinted towards Grian. "I'm coming!" He shouted. Phil reached Grian and took out a dagger, about to cut the rope, when he felt a blow at the back of his head. Phil stumbled and turned to see Dream, wacking at him with a stick.

But that wasn't all that Phil saw. He also saw Sapnap and Punz, each with something invisible in their arms. Phil's blood chilled as Tubbo screamed for help, as Sapnap and Punz stuffed cloth into his throat. Behind him, Grian struggled to get out of Dream's grasps, flailing around desperately.

It was over. Grian was captured. Tubbo had been subdued. It was a 1v3. Phil had no other option other than to run, unless he wanted to get captured himself.

Phil threw one last look at Grian and Tubbo before he turned and ran. Up the slope, a left, and out the main door. He snapped open his wings and took off as soon as he was clear of the building. A single, horrendous thought filled his mind as he headed home.

What am I going to tell Tommy?

word count: 1449

now dream has grian and tubbo... mwahahahhaahahahahaha

'edited' on Jan 23rd 2022