Dream and Ranboo were staring at each other. But Ranboo was not looking at Dream. He seemed to be looking through him, or into him. A single eye of ender was floating between them. They were surrounded by another cloud of purple particles, and Dream could feel the others hovering about outside, wanting to help, to do something, but nothing could be done. Everything was on him now. Dream took in a deep breath, and closed his eyes.
He had no idea where he would enter. He didn't know what would be wrong. Or what he should do to fix it. But he knew that they trusted him. Even Tommy. Despite his arguments, Dream had been surprised to learn, Tommy knew that Dream had to be the one to go back. And Tommy trusted him.
And while that was a very comforting thought, it was also a responsibility. If Dream failed now, he would fail knowing that even Tommy had believed in him. He would let everyone down, and there would be no one who could say even "I told you so".
Dream clenched his teeth and set his shoulders. He knew how to fight. He could be invincible. Untouchable. But what if he couldn't? Then what? He knew how to act like it. Or...
Or what? Or he could fight as he had? But what good would that do? He was presumably exactly the same as the other Dream, and if it came to a fight, then he wasn't sure if he would win.
But...was he? Was he the same? Surely he was stronger, being three Dreams?
Dream didn't know. He could hardly tell that he was not himself anymore. He had been expecting some discordant thoughts from the other two, especially the girl Dream, but he didn't feel any. It was as if they had been the same person all along, in different bodies, and had only now been reunited.
Dream opened his eyes. It didn't really matter. He would do as he would, when the time came. But until that time, he could worry about it all he liked, and it would do nothing. He had nothing to do but wait. And hope. A distant Dream. One that just might be achievable.
Dream looked up at Ranboo again, and found that he was not where he had been. The eye in between them was glowing so brightly that it might have been blinding, but it didn't affect Dream. Dream tried to feel for Ranboo, and he found him. Ranboo was outside the smoke, and he was feeling.... uncertain? Did he not know if this would work?
Dream didn't allow that to shake him. He trusted Ranboo, even if Ranboo didn't trust himself. He felt himself begin to fade, and soon he could see nothing. Nothing but darkness. The darkness that was so prevalent in Limbo. BUt then a hint of color began to come into view. He was going back. But it was not easy. He was stuck between two worlds, being pushed towards something, but being pulled away.
He tried to will himself forward, as if the force of his will could move him, trying to flow with the energy of the eye of ender to guide him. To his surprise, it worked. He hit a barrier once, but then he pushed through, and was no longer being pulled back. He was now rushing forward, seeming to gain speed as he moved. Memories flashed by, in reverse order. And not all were his. He saw Tommy, and Technoblade, and Skeppy, and Tubbo, and Puffy, and Wilbur, and Ranboo, and Schlatt, and Philza, and Sam. All of the faces flashed past him.
Then, in a sudden outburst of light such as he had never seen before, he was back.
Back to his Dream. Back to the Nightmare.