Techno

The streets are filled with happy smiling people. They all wear their finest clothing as they meet each other on the pavement. There are musicians playing folk songs and magicians conjuring up brilliant sights. Soldiers in their uniforms burst through the fray to grab their loved ones, holding them tighter than they've ever held their family or friends or lover. Their tearful reunions punctuates the air with whooping and laughter. The sun looks down fondly upon the world, and the wind laughs alongside the babbling children.

Techno stares down at the people from the large hallway leading to the king's room in the palace at L'Manberg's capital. He can hear the people in the city below him even through the glass, and he feels warmth as if he were sitting along all of those moving bodies. He vaguely reminisces about the last festival he went to. He doesn't seem to be fit for such grand affairs. At that festival, he made a huge mistake that almost killed someone he cared about. At this festival, he just didn't have the heart to join everyone. They were celebrating the end of the war. He was mourning everyone he lost because of it.

"I have a bad feeling about today," Alex whispers, pressing her spectral hand against the glass as she looks down at the people. Nothing reflects back in her eyes, a testament to her status as an apparition.

"You always have a bad feeling when wars end," Techno informs her coldly. He used to tolerate his divine companions, but he can hardly stand them anymore. Even though he never thought of them as his friends, he feels betrayed by them. He almost wishes he could blame them for the deaths of Moon and Tommy, but they were the ones to warn him about how harengons and seraphim were not supposed to exist. He should have headed their warnings when it was given. He didn't, and it's too late to make up for past mistakes. Techno will never be able to undo what he's done. But he will continue to be angry with himself and the gods until he moves on to his next life, one that might include Wilbur but won't include Tommy.

As Wilbur explained it, Tommy's soul was lost. It didn't enter the afterlife because Wilbur can feel when souls enter the afterlife. Techno, for some reason, can confirm that this death was different from every other death. Tommy's mortality was killed, but without the godmaker to cement his divinity, his soul will wander the known world, perhaps in the corners unknown to Techno and other gods. Shubble and Prismarina explained to Wilbur and Techno that it would take powerful soul magic to retrieve Tommy's soul from wherever it has gone, and neither of them know anyone capable of such feats, not even the headmaster of the academy they both attended. It was up to the universe itself to spare Tommy from his fate, and even then, the universe would probably make Tommy a constellation instead of returning his life to him.

"Why would Greater suddenly pull out of the war? Surely, the death of that seraph cannot be the only thing they wanted," Steve drawls, leaning his back against the glass instead of looking at the people.

Techno's hand closes into a fist. "That seraph was my brother."

Steve hums in acknowledgement, but he refuses to affirm Techno's words. Alex shrugs from where she stands, completely ignoring the argument at hand. "Greater would have pulled out eventually. Even though they have the Kikoku blade, it would be near impossible for them to get close enough to Wilbur to use it. Greater may be a powerful nation, but even they cannot stand against L'Manberg and the Antarctic Empire with Snowchester's help. Not to mention what Wilbur, Prismarina, Shubble, and that Enderian did to Origins. Greater is defenseless. They don't have anything."

"Greater negotiated the terms of the truce. They did not come out of this war with nothing," Techno glares half-heartedly at both of them. For whatever reason, a day after Tommy was killed, a delegation came from Greater. Wilbur was eager to assassinate the diplomats and genocide Greater, but he refrained when several of his advisors told him that the people were tired of war. Wilbur reluctantly sat down to make a treaty that would benefit everyone. Greater got to keep the Kikoku blade and they also got a very specific plot of land, a handful of towns near their border. In exchange, L'Manberg got the entire Lyssa mountain and an oath that their kingdoms would be trading partners for a long time. On top of all that, peace was established. The war was over. The people were celebrating, and Techno was still mourning.

"No, they certainly did not," Steve concedes. "I am still uncertain about how true their intentions are."

"Does it matter? The war is over. Kristin, Tommy, and Moon are dead. We can't change anything. I'm not going to change anything. Find a new champion if you want another war," Techno steps away from the window, tired of watching happy people and listening to the Twin Gods yammer about what is useless. He feels anger rise up in his chest, but it deflates before he can do anything with it. He just isn't energetic enough to feel anything.

"Techno," Alex starts, something akin to sympathy washing over her face. Techno looks away from her. The gods cannot feel sympathy. At least, these two gods can't. They are war to their very core. It doesn't matter how good they've become at mimicking human emotions. They will never be able to understand how Techno feels. It's more than bloodthirsty rage, more impactful than a need for vengeance, and more damning than regret. It's grief. It's guilt. It's remorse and a sadness so profound that the twins only know it because it follows in war's wake.

"Techno," Another voice calls from the end of the hallway. Techno looks away from the pillars supporting the roof to see Shubble standing at the end of the hallway. The door is cracked open behind her, and she holds it open with her heel. She searches the air for something to say before sighing. She gestures to the room behind her. "It's Wilbur."

Techno is walking over even before Shubble confirms what Techno already knows. He hears Alex call out for him again, but Steve's voice commands her to stop. The gods continue arguing behind Techno's back as he joins Shubble by the door. She tilts her head side to side before she finds her words. "He's physically okay. He just got a little sad again."

Techno nods. Shubble pushes the door open, allowing Techno to slip inside. She shuts the door behind them. Techno and Shubble walk through the antechamber. They reach the actual bedroom in a matter of seconds. A guard opens the door for them this time. Techno enters first, looking around for Wilbur. He finds the king sitting at a vanity, his head laid down in his arms. Prismarina is sitting on a chair a few feet away. She continues to hold a hairbrush in her hands, but she looks at Wilbur worryingly. A few more servants are scattered around the room, frozen in whatever position they were in when Wilbur had his outburst that eventually led to him crying at his vanity.

Wilbur's emotions were extreme but cyclical. He would find bursts of happiness. These fleetingly precious moments would lead him back to memories, either of this life or a previous one. Wilbur was getting better at remembering the past, but it would cause his emotions to run high. He would have some sort of outburst usually involving screaming and the shadows warping around him. After noticing what he's done, Wilbur will sink into his depression. It was usually up to his familiar, Shubble, to pull him from his saddened state. Techno would get involved if it was really serious, which it was becoming more frequently. Wilbur didn't deal with grief well, and for some reason, Techno was certain this was true for every life Wilbur has gone through.

Techno wasn't remembering as clearly or regularly as Wilbur did, but chiseled pieces of his former lives were starting to come back to him. Wilbur wasn't the only one who has reincarnated multiple times. Techno doesn't like most of the lives he's remembering, though, so he can only imagine what Wilbur is going through.

"Everyone, leave," Techno commands. The servants hesitate, unfamiliar with the man giving them orders. Techno glares at the nearest one. She chirps in terror, practically running out of the room. The others follow after her. Prismarina rises to her feet to walk after them, but Shubble placed a steady hand on her shoulder, forcing Prismarina to sit back down. Shubble sat on the arm of the chair. She pulls Prismarina to her, holding her sister tightly as she waits for Techno to bring Wilbur back to a happier state. Techno almost wants to demand they leave, too, since a happy image of siblings would be worse for Wilbur's mental state, but he already knows Shubble can't stray too far from her god. Until Wilbur's better, Shubble is stuck experiencing his emotions as much as he can sense hers.

"Wilbur," Techno says his brother's name as he steps towards the vanity. Wilbur peers up at Techno through the mirror. His eyes are puffy, and his irises are dimly glowing green. He looks back down as Techno stands right behind him. Techno places a hand on Wilbur's back. The king whirls around immediately. Techno blinks in surprise as Wilbur grabs Techno's waist, pushing his face against Techno's stomach. Techno pats Wilbur's hair, feeling Wilbur's tears soak into his shirt. He doesn't care as much as another noble would even if Techno is currently wearing fashion in the style of L'Manberg.

"I can't do this today, Tech," Wilbur explains quietly. Techno doesn't ask for clarification. Since the festival outside is for the end of the war, Wilbur is meant to make an appearance. He's meant to speak to the people with some elaborate speech promising them safety and an answer to all their remaining questions about what is going to happen now. Techno has not seen Wilbur's speech, but he can already imagine the kind of bullshit Wilbur will be spewing in the name of keeping the masses appeased. Techno has a funny feeling that the contents of the speech aren't affecting Wilbur as much as they're annoying Techno.

"Then, don't," Techno answers. There are several high profile people going to be at the festival today. Scott and Xornoth will be there. Prismarina will be there. Tubbo has sent a diplomat to speak on his behalf. The dowager queen will be there along with Saintess Pearl. Techno is going to be there, too, and apparently his title as 'Blade' carries as much weight as everyone else's titles.

"I have to go. The people are expecting me to be there. If I don't show up, they'll start to panic. Or worse, they'll think that the Antarctic Empire is their new ruler since the Imperial Prince Scott will be there. Samantha told me that it is my duty to go, and while I want to argue with her about everything, she's right," Wilbur lists. "I want the people to be happy, Tech. The war is over. They deserve to celebrate their hard-won peace. We're going to spend years rebuilding everything, so they need this one day to forget everything else."

"Why don't you want to go, then?" Techno questions smoothly. Wilbur leans back, letting his arms drop away from Techno's waist. Wilbur breaths out so deeply that it can almost be interpreted as a sigh. Wilbur tilts his head to the side, looking at the window in the distance instead of Techno. The sun shines through the window, but it is too bright for much else to be seen. At the angle Wilbur is looking through the window, he would see even less than Techno does. Wilbur keeps staring, however, finding something important in the way the burning white scatters across the panes.

"He would love this festival. In every life, he's always loved festivals. He liked dancing in the streets. He liked trying the steam cooked food. He liked making wishes in the fountain. He would love this festival more than anyone who is celebrating right now. How is this fair?" Wilbur replies. Techno closes his eyes as Wilbur's words wash over him. He remembers a dank cell where a little boy told him about how he wanted to experience a festival. A teenager takes his hand, dragging him into the streets. A young man stands in the crowd of a glorious festival celebrating victory over the rebellion, staring up at him when he's beneath a guillotine. Both of his brothers grab his hands, spinning him around a slow circle. Tommy is there, shimmering and smiling like a mirage in the distance.

"Tommy would love this festival," Techno starts, letting his eyes open. He stares down at the brother he has left. He lost Kristin. He lost Moon. He lost Tommy. He refuses to lose Wilbur and Philza. He will tear the entire world apart to keep them with him. If Wilbur dies, Techno will scour the continent for his reincarnation. If Philza dies, Techno will march into the afterlife to take him and Kristin back.. If he gets any lead about where Tommy's soul has wandered or where Moon's eternal resting place is, he will slay any beast and destroy every obstacle standing in his path. Techno refuses to lose what is precious to him. "Tommy would, but he's not here. So, you and I will have to celebrate for him. We're going to dance in the streets. We're going to eat steam cooked food. We're going to make wishes in the fountain. We're going to love this festival more than anyone out there."

"Promise?" Wilbur desperately asks. Techno hesitates. He believes his words, but he knows more than anyone else how hopeless he is at keeping his promises. Techno frowns as he leans down onto his knee. He refuses to waste yet another life. He's going to keep everything together.

"I promise," Techno pledges his oath to the king. The tension eases out of Wilbur's muscles. He harshly wipes his eyes as he accepts the promise. Techno rises to his feet. He pushes Wilbur around to face the mirror again. He raises a hand towards Shubble and Prismarina. The latter's eyes widened, probably forgetting that she hadn't gone unnoticed by the Blade. Shubble realizes what Techno wants immediately. She takes the brush from Prismarina's hand to give to Techno. As Shubble presses the brush to Techno's hand, she looks into his eyes. A sense of understanding passes wordlessly between them, as much about gratitude as it is about both of them swearing to protect Wilbur. When the moment passes, Shubble returns to Prismarina and Techno looks back at Wilbur.

Wilbur tries cleaning up his face as Techno brushes his hair. Techno doesn't know what he's doing, but no one makes an effort to correct him. He just brushes through Wilbur's dark brown curls, the one completely human part of him unaffected by his godly transformation. His hair is soft, Techno notes. It's too short for Techno to think of anything to do with it. He knows how to braid his own hair, but he does that for convenience, not because it's fashionable. He isn't sure what a king would wear to a festival. Does Wilbur even do his hair for events like this? Techno doesn't recall him doing much with his hair at the two balls they both attended. Wilbur doesn't do his hair regularly, either.

"Techno," Wilbur states, lookin at Techno through the mirror. Techno stops moving to look back at Wilbur. The king is softly smiling. "My hair is all brushed."

"I see," Techno remarks. He lowers the brush onto the vanity. He looks around the vanity for something to do with the hair. His eyes settle on a golden crown bedazzled with sapphires and other blue gemstones. Techno lifts it up. It's a little heavier than he thought a crown would be, but he imagines that the weight of wearing it is much harder on the actual person simply because of what it means. Techno gently lowers the crown onto Wilbur's head. It pushes down his curls onto his forehead and across his ears. Wilbur's head ducks down lower, and he rests his elbows on his knees to help steady him. Techno takes a step back, realizing how heavy the head that wears the solemn crown is.

Wilbur lifts back up, resolutely staring up at Techno with a passionate smile splayed across his lips. Techno smiles back, much softer and less visible. For a moment, they are suspended there, relaxing in their brotherly love for one another.

Their moment is broken by the door slamming open. Captain Jordan Sparklez rushes into the room wearing his full armor. His sword is in his hands, the blade gleaming in the candlelight of the room. Shubble and Prismarina are on their feet the moment the captain's presence registers. Techno reaches for the sword at his side, wishing he had the Axe of Peace. Sparklez stops in front of Techno and Wilbur, looking into the eyes of his king even though Wilbur is partially hidden by Techno. Sparklez heaves a deep breath, "My king, intruders have entered the palace from the hallway windows in the western wing. We do not know for what purpose, but I assure you that the kingsguard are dealing with them as we speak. Allow me to remain here to protect you."

Magic ripples across the room from three different sources. Sparklez side-eyes Prismarina and Shubble before returning his attention to Wilbur. The king rises to his feet, words on the tip of his tongue. Techno cuts him off. "I will go deal with this."

"Wait," Wilbur demands, grabbing Techno's hand to stop him from moving. Techno looks back to see Wilbur's wide eyes. Wilbur squeezes Techno's hand. "You cannot go. You have to remain here with me. I can't- Techno, I can't-"

"You won't lose me. These intruders are merely a nuisance. I will deal with them before they can ruin the festival for us. We have to celebrate for Tommy's sake," Techno explains. Wilbur's eyes remain unconvinced. Techno turns all the way around to face Wilbur. He places both his hands on Wilbur's cheeks. He pushes their foreheads together. "I promise you that I will return to you, Wil."

Wilbur heaves a breath, a tear slipping from his eye. He finally relents, jerking out of Techno's hold. "You better be back soon. If they even touch you, I want their heads, not their testimony."

"Understood," Techno agrees. He walks away from his brother. He has some reassurance that he isn't leaving Wilbur defenseless. Wilbur can probably take care of himself with his god powers, but he also has the assistance of two powerful mages and the strongest person in the L'Manberg military. Techno, at least, knows Shubble's capabilities. She alone won't let Wilbur get hurt, and that is good enough for Techno. It gives him some ease of mind as he walks out of the room, hearing a gust of wind slamming the door behind him and holding it closed.

Techno pulls the sword given to him out. Although it is a functional weapon, Techno doubts it will be able to last long given his enormous strength. He might end up fighting the intruders with his bare hands. Fortunately, Techno knows how to fight with his hands. Even before he met two gods that taught him nearly every form of combat, he was fighting the monsters that wandered into his farmlands with his bare hands. It was simply the way the world worked back when he had little to his name except fields for potatoes and a wooden farmhouse on top of the land.

"Go left," A voice whispers in his ears. Techno assumes that it is Alex or Steve, but he doesn't exactly sound like either of them. It's feminine, yes, but the voice is a little higher-pitched than Alex's voice. Stratchier than her, too, and there is a mysterious echo around the edges. Techno doesn't have time to decipher what force is compelling him to move forward as he turns left into another hallway. The voice continues to tell him where to go, and the echo seems to grow more present as they get closer to the west wing.

Techno slows down when he enters a long hallway. The carpeted floor is covered in glass. A harsh wind enters through the hallway from the barren window frames. It seems to whistle as it wraps around Techno's body. Even though he grew up in the frigid north, Techno shivers at the temperature drop. The glass crunches underfoot, shattering even more than it originally did. The wind continues to whistle even as the hallway gets impossibly warmer. Techno hesitates when he tastes sand in the air. It reminds him of his time in Badlands, but he doesn't understand why that parched wind could be licking his lips this far northeast. A wind like this wouldn't be able to get passed the mountains of Greater, so why does he feel like he's walking into a sandstorm without any visible sand?

"This room," The voice alerts him. Techno stops, looking in every direction before glancing at the doors the woman told him about. The door is closed, guarded by two vases telling two parts of the same story about a dragon. Techno pushes the door open. He peers into the darkness, searching for movement. When nothing catches his attention, he slips into the room. He shuts the door with the utmost care, ensuring it doesn't make a noise. Techno lifts the point of his sword up to the room. No candles illuminate the space, but the sun shines through the tinted curtains, bathing the room in an ominous half-light. Although Techno left the wind behind him, it continues to taste the sand swirling in the air like the dust of the forgotten. "Yes, this is the room."

Techno takes a step forward. He searches the semi-darkness for a threat. Techno believes he's in a drawing room considering the landscape portraits on the walls surrounding two couches facing each other from either side of a small table. There is a deep red carpet beneath his feet, soaking up the sound of his movements. The rest of the room has hardwood, so Techno should be able to hear the subtle creeping of his opponent. Instead, Techno is facing a completely empty room. At least, his senses tell him that it's empty, each one agreeing that nothing is setting them off. It's Techno's instincts that incessantly inform him that he should be wary of whatever lies in the far reaches of the darkness.

The door opens behind Techno. He whirls around immediately, preparing for an enemy. He did not, however, prepare himself for an illusion. Tommy stands in the light of the doorway, the sun streaming behind him from the broken windows. He looks exactly as he did when he first met Techno- without wings or golden scales. He looks younger, happier, even. The one difference is the white streak in his blonde hair. It is the only remnant of the monster Tommy was becoming when Kristin was cruelly taken from him and what he fully accepted when Tubbo was injured at Techno's hand. He's even wearing the same clothes, a little dirty from his long journey. It feels so long ago that Techno first saw Tommy in Pogtopia's training grounds, but he's really here. He's standing in front of Techno with a disbelieving smile on his face.

"Techno! You won't believe it. I mean, I was dead. I was fucking dead. But there was this guy there in the, well, it wasn't the afterlife. It was... damnation, I guess. That doesn't matter. What matters is that this guy was a champion like you. He was the champion of the goddess of chaos. He was able to revive me using a book Schlatt had given him. Can you believe that? Schlatt actually did something right. I mean, he gave us Tubbo, so I guess Schlatt sometimes does some pretty good shit. That doesn't matter, either," Tommy speaks, using the voice Techno knows so intimately. Tommy grins at Techno, shining like the dawn after a long, treacherous night. Tommy walks deeper into the room, twirling around for Techno to look at him and see that he's solid. "I'm back, Tech. I'm really back. I know I don't look the same as I did, but my body sort of got reset. All for the better, I suppose. I can't be a seraph anymore. Look how well that turned out, huh? I just... gods, I'm so happy."

Techno doesn't know if this is an illusion, but he can't stab Tommy. He drops his sword, letting it clatter to the ground. Techno steps over it. He throws his arms around Tommy's shoulders. He pulls the boy in tight, burying his face in Tommy's golden curls. Not only is Tommy solid, but Techno can feel it in his heart that this is Tommy. This is his Tommy. Whatever guy Tommy was talking about must have actually been the champion of the chaos goddess in order to have the power to find a wandering soul and bring it back to life, to give it a mortal shell. Techno will express his gratitude to whoever this person is after he brings Tommy to Wilbur. Techno will keep both his brothers safe this time.

Techno doesn't notice at first, but he's suddenly aware of pain blossoming in his stomach. He acknowledges that it feels like a stab wound, but he can't understand why he would think that. As Techno pulls back, he notices a few things at once. The first is obviously the dagger lodged in his stomach, the crossguard of the blade pressed against his skin and torn clothing. He glances up at the hand attached to the weapon. It's still Tommy, but he looks different. His eyes are glowing blue, so bright it almost encompasses his sclera. He has flaming wings behind his back, burning a brilliant gold color. He wears white robes with gold and red accents. There is a thick aura of divinity around him. The worst part is the cruel smile on Tommy's face. He pulls the dagger out of Techno, watching with satisfaction as Techno's body crumples.

"Didn't those bumbling idiots you tolerate teach you not to trust a god?" Tommy asks, his tone far more serious than Techno has ever heard before. Techno grips his wound, waiting for his enhanced healing to do something. Instead, the pain is getting worse. Techno can feel blood rushing into his mouth. Tommy laughs at him, something ugly and twisted.

"You'll be waiting forever, you know." Tommy twirls the dagger in his hands, and Techno realizes the blade is pulsating purple instead of a mirror-like silver. Tommy finally catches the dagger to look at his reflection in it. "This substance is called Taint. It's the accumulation of the regrets, anger, and sorrows of dead gods, the ones that were killed in the universe's great purge. It was, also, the poison that was given to you, me, and Wilbur in our first life. It killed us. It would have completely destroyed us if the Overseers, the gods of time, didn't save our souls at the behest of the god of order and the goddess of chaos."

Tommy leans down slightly to pull open Techno's shirt. He smiles at the purple cracks appearing around Techno's wound. "It will kill you in this life, too. It's a slow, miserable death. There is no cure. Trust me, our mother would have found one if there was. But she didn't. Unfortunately, this poison won't force your soul to wander like the Kikoku blade did my soul. That just means I'll have to find your next incarnation and kill it. I'll find the next one and kill that, too. In every one of your next lives, I will be there to give you a slow painful death. I might even let you live a little of your life before taking everything from you."

Tommy stands back up, glaring down at Techno with pure disgust in his eyes. "You might not realize it, but this is your fault. All of this is your fault. You'll remember eventually, though. Taint is a potent enough poison that you might just remember your past lives much clearer while you're unconscious. Who knows? Frankly, I don't care if you remember or not. In fact, it might be funnier if you don't know. You'll spend every moment you're conscious enough to think wondering why your precious little brother would kill you in such a way."

Techno falls to the ground, his body spreading out. He continues to hold his wound. He stares up at Tommy, and he feels tears coming to his eyes. He continues to mourn his brother even when a version of him is standing right in front of Techno. Tommy snarls at Techno's tears. "I'm leaving. I didn't mean to get bogged up in the speech. I was being honest when I said that a champion of the goddess of chaos brought me back to life. I probably just forgot to mention that his name is Dream, the Overlord of Greater. We actually have a past, but I won't bore you with the details. Just know that I'm staying in Greater for the time being. I'm going to get revenge for all my past lives. I'm going to enjoy the life given to me this time. I won't let you or anyone else stop me. So, die quickly, Technoblade. I'll see you in your next life."

Tommy turns around to leave. Techno watches him for as long as he can, but the door slams shut like church bells marking the end of a funeral. Techno practically growls, scrambling to his side to crawl after Tommy. He wants to believe he can fix this even when he feels pain worse than anything he's ever experienced before.

"I swore to you, didn't I?" The voice that led Techno to this room calls out. Techno stalls, looking over his shoulder. The woman with pale blonde hair stands behind him in her armor. She has her arms crossed over her chest, her chains swaying slightly as she stares down at Techno with a knowing smile. She continues speaking, "It may not be in this life, or even in the next, but I swear to you, Techno, someone you love more than anything in the world, who you would sacrifice your life for, will kill you just as you have killed everyone here. Just as you have killed that boy..."

"That is my curse for you," Techno finishes, remembering her and the life she belonged to. Thousands of years ago, when the Subbin Empire spanned across the continent, Techno had been reborn as a gladiator for the infamous Pit. He was among the best, and he became friends with the blonde haired kid in the cell beside him. Techno was close with this kid. But all good things go to die in the Pit, and Techno was forced to kill that little boy in order to survive. Without that small bit of happiness, Techno went insane. He killed all the other gladiators, even the ones who mourned the little boy as much as Techno did. Among the ones he killed was Genevieve, the woman who cursed him to experience the same fate that little boy did. She was the last one to die.

Techno escaped the Pit in that life. He was found and nursed back to health by a brunette man who had recently lost his wife in childbirth. Techno recognized that child as the little boy he had killed. He stayed with the brunette and the baby for years until his sins were exposed. He had one final argument with the brunette, and neither of them were aware of a bounty hunter that had entered the house and killed the baby. Techno killed the bounty hunter, and he allowed the brunette to kill him as repayment for all he had done to their lives. The brunette killed himself and Techno at the same time, and Techno's soul traveled to the next body.

"You got what you wanted, Genevieve," Techno snaps. Her curse came true. Someone Techno loved more than the world, enough that he would sacrifice his life, has killed him.

"Not yet. You're still alive. You're stuck with me until your last breath," Genevieve informs him, leaning over him. She's another ghost- another voice- to follow him around. She's the punishment Techno earned because of all the blood he's ever shed. Genevieve smiles at him, her eyes glowing with the remnants of every life Techno has taken. "Goodnight, Techno. I will see you when you awake again."

The world falls dark as pain and regret consume him.