Keralis blinked drowsily.

Bad was on watch currently. But it wasn't Bad who had waken him up. He glanced blearily at the muffin loving man, who met his gaze, eyes shining brightly in the dark.

"I hear footsteps." Bad whispered excitedly. Bdubs was awake in an instant, a miniature version of the torch in the centre of the room reflected in his eyes. xB also sat up hopefully.

Keralis nodded, glancing at Etho, who still looked half awake, his eyes glazed when pain."Etho?"

Bad winced. "Not good. Worsening steadily, but if those steps I hear are from False-"

Knocking. Someone was tapping on the walls of the Nether fortress.

Keralis leapt to his feet in an instant, pulling his pickaxe out and striking the wall, opening a deep gash in the red Nether bricks. Dust clouded the air. "False?"

He could hear her on the other side, her voice faint but unmistakable. "Keralis? Is Etho still-"

"He's alive." Bad shouted back.

"Thank goodness." They could hear the relief in her voice, clear as day. "Stand back, I'm going to chop open the wall!"

They all pressed themselves tightly against the back wall of their little cavern next to Etho, who, for the first time since he had been wounded, had a gleam of hope shining in his eyes.

There was a heartbeat of silence, and then with a tremendous crash, the wall crumbled into dust and a hundred smaller chunks of red bricks that spilled to the ground.

Keralis had never thought of the Nether as being bright before, but after spending what he assumed was close to a day in the tiny black pit with only a single torch, the light of the open Nether was blinding, and he narrowed his eyes.

False and Hypno were on the other side, and they stared for a moment, eyes adjusting to the gloom, then rushed forwards to Etho. False rummaged in her inventory and brought out a bottle of milk. Uncorking it, she pressed it to his lips and tilted it back gently, making sure he swallowed.

Keralis gave a sigh of relief. Etho would survive.

He turned his thoughts to Xisuma. His best friend. Fear stirred in his chest as he thought about what he had seen on the tracking device.

He remembered it, although it blended in with what had happened the last couple hours like one long hazy dream. But he knew it was real.

The red light on the tracker flickering. Pulsing with light unevenly. Stopping for definitely longer than a single heartbeat. Then starting again.

Then stopping.

The starting.

He hadn't told the others. They had enough to worry about.

He wasn't even quite sure what it meant - he had a guess, but if he was honest, he didn't want to be correct.

He glanced at False and Hypno. They both looked exhausted, and he remembered that they had just non stop made the journey from the portal to the fortress three times.

"Rest." He ordered, approaching them. "I'll block us in again."

False was about to protest, but he cut her off. "You won't be delaying progress. Etho needs to rest too, to wait for the milk to take effect and regain his strength."

False nodded. "Alright then." Hypno also looked relieved, and they settled down on a pile of jackets and wool that someone had brought, fast asleep in a few heartbeats.

Keralis drew in a breath. Hang in there Shashwammy. He murmured under his breath. We're coming.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tommy had never felt so alone.

He wanted to do something, to help, and eventually, the adults had relented and allowed him to aid in training Niki, Grian and Mumbo, which was really really frustrating. He hadn't even been aware that it was possible to be that level of terrible with a sword until Mumbo had tripped over Grian and nearly impaled himself with his own blade.

He didn't want to be wasting time hanging around.

He wanted to find Tubbo. He wanted to make sure Tubbo was alright.

But now, as everyone was preparing to head to the End, he was suddenly very afraid. He and Tubbo had always talked about killing the Enderdragon - it was a task meant for both of them. Without Tubbo, he had no one watching his back, no one he trusted fully with his life.

If Techno had been here, then perhaps he would have stuck with him, but Techno wasn't here.

Wilbur would be with Niki, no doubt. Bad would be fighting alongside Sapnap and George, as all that remained of the Dream Team. And of course, the Hermits would all be working together.

Tommy had no one. He swallowed his nervousness, silently scolding himself. He had to be strong. He had to get Tubbo back. He couldn't fail, not now, not after coming this far, not after finally seeing the faintest glimmer of hope at seeing his best friend again.

He had to, for Tubbo.

Everyone was eating dinner in and around the town hall, one final meal together before heading off to the end tomorrow. He was sitting with his back to a tree trunk, beside everyone that's remained from the Dream SMP. Their chatter filled his ears, but he didn't bother listening.

He missed Tubbo.

His eyes roamed around, and he focused on little details to keep his mind occupied.

The little spots of rust on the edge of a lantern hanging from the ceiling inside the town hall.

The cold glimmer of diamonds hanging from the leaves of the tree he sat in.

The pale gleam of stars as they started to flicker into existence, blinking numbly from far away.

The gentle lapping of the ocean, the silent waves of blue that lapped ceaselessly at the grainy beach.

He could see everyone he had grown to be familiar with over the last few days.

There was False and Etho, recounting their Nether trip, the latter still looking a little pale, but seemed well enough to be out of bed. They were surrounded by Hermits, chatter filling the air.

He saw Grian scheming with Mumbo and Iskall, rubbing his hands together mischievously, only half listening to False's story.

Niki was playing with Wilbur's hair, her eyes shining like fireflies, bright and passionate. They had each other.

Bad shared a muffin with Sapnap, George laughing at something they had said.

They had each other.

He tightened his grip on his sword, his knuckles white.

He knew they would ask him if he was sure he wanted to go. That is was perfectly alright if he stayed. That they could understand if he didn't want to fight the dragon.

But he wouldn't agree.

He was going.

For the only person he had.

For Tubbo.

===============================

So nobody's died... yet ;)