A bit of a sequel to the previous chapter. I just wanted some hurt/comfort and protective syndicate

"Why the fuck would you not outright tell us what you were planning instead of going through with the whole fake will thing?!"

Phil would feel guilty at how Techno flinched at the loudness of his voice if it weren't for the burning rage still festering inside him. Rage which was not supposed to be directed at the piglin really, but since Quackity wasn't here to catch the brunt of his anger and neither was Sam, Techno had to. Phil had to be pissed at somebody or he might implode.

Righteous anger was good - was solid. Was better than worry or helplessness or pure, undiluted fright.

All the intense emotions Phil had felt when they had slammed the lid on the stasis chamber and Techno had materialized in the Syndicate chamber out of thin air, a mess of broken bones and blood. Using the pearl's magic had the unintended side-effect of tearing open the few wounds that had been allowed by his torturer to close up during captivity, making Techno groan in pain as he blinked at his surroundings, in a state of dazed bewilderment.

Phil had been numb then. In hindsight he was grateful Niki was there, urging them into action, delegating tasks to Ranboo with the efficiency of a seasoned paramedic while Phil simply stood there and watched, not sure if that was his heartbeat he was feeling or the world shaking inside his chest.

He wanted to tear something apart. He wanted to find the people responsible for his anger and he wanted them to not be able to tell the tale of his fury. He wanted-

"Secrecy," Techno answered simply, the most straightforward thing in the world.

And it had to be, with him. Techno was a lot of things, but purposefully deceptive was not among them. There was never any issue tracing the trail of his reasoning back to its source, no matter how twisting and strange Techno's brain could make the path. Phil loved that about him - among so, so many other things he loved. But now it wanted to make him scream.

"Secrecy?" The word tasted foul coming from his lips.

Techno nodded. "Couldn't let them know they were playing right into our hand, couldn't risk being pulled out early either before we finished the books. Hence the fake will."

The will which Phil had known from the moment he'd taken the leather-bound journal into his cold hands had not been a will.

Because Technoblade had gone off to do far more dangerous things before than visit Dream in prison and hardly done more than crack a joke and tell Phil not to wait up for him, let alone acknowledge there was a possibility he might not return.

There's no point writing a will for he who never dies.

But Techno had said a few days, a week give or take. Despite knowing what would likely be within, Phil had not opened the book until that time had passed, trusting Techno to know what he was doing. If he had known what had actually been going on inside those obsidian walls...

Techno looked at him, sincerely. "I don't know why you're upset, everything went according to plan."

Phil felt it burn inside him, spinning rapidly with nowhere to go. "According to your plan, Tech! What about us? What about the entire Syndicate we built so we could decide on these things together?!"

Techno's face was neutral as he answered, sinking back against the pillows a little more. The abundance of bandages peeking out from beneath the loose clothes he was wearing made him appear much smaller than usual and Phil hated it. "I wasn't going to let any of you take that risk."

"So you just took it yourself without telling us and look at what fucking happened."

"I didn't think you'd be too thrilled about the idea and honestly you're kind of proving my point right now, Phil."

"If you'd just-"

The door opened, cutting off the rising pitch of Phil's voice. Niki was holding a tray in both hands like it was an atomic bomb, ready to combust at a moment's notice. Ranboo cowered behind her, seemingly still deciding if he wanted to tuck tail and run.

"Are we interrupting something?" Niki asked, staying in the doorway.

"Nah," Techno said at the same time that Phil answered with a full-mouthed "Yes!"

Niki smiled in amusement as she came into the room, with Ranboo making up his mind and following her. "Well, you two can continue yelling at each other later," she said. "Food first."

The tray had several cups of tea on it and small pastries Phil recognized as Niki's stellar baking skills at work. For Techno - who hadn't adjusted to solid foods yet after prolonged starvation - she'd brought a light broth with small pieces of potato and carrot floating on the surface.

"Should I get another potion too?" Ranboo asked. Phil had to hide a laugh when he noticed the enderman had directed the question at Niki as opposed to Techno himself, referring to her as the superior authority on Techno's care.

Techno noticed too, muttering a disgruntled "I'm fine" which went completely ignored by the others in the room.

"After we've changed the bandages." Niki nodded. She put the tray down on the table, picking up one of the cups and handing it to Phil.

As they ate, they discussed the information Techno had smuggled out of the prison. Phil found it hard to concentrate on the conversation when his eyes kept flicking over with every little wince or jolt Techno failed to suppress while eating. Sitting upright took him obvious effort, even with the pillows piled against the headboard to support him. When he swallowed, Techno grimaced under the strain on his throat, the finger-shaped bruises on the skin which Phil had already committed to memory.

He was going to find whoever had done this. And taking a page out of Techno's teachings, he was going to pay them back tenfold.

"Bandages next," Niki said as she finally took back the half-empty bowl of broth and purposefully leaving no room for discussion. Ranboo scurried off to get that potion, Phil got up to help Techno shrug off his shirt.

Carefully, Niki's fingers traced along the edges of healing wounds and prodded at ugly bruises. "Do these still hurt?"

Techno only slightly shivered when she pressed down on a tender part of his shoulder, a long gash that ran all the way down and across his sternum. "Can't feel a thing."

"Good. Turn around."

His back was a lot worse. According to Techno it had been a favorite spot of Quackity's to target, probably because it kept him far out of reach from his victim's claws and tusks, anything that could still be used by Techno to defend himself from the continued torture. They replaced the bandages on the abundance of lacerations that marred Techno's back, the result of what Phil could only assume had to be multiple sessions with a whip, though his friend refused to share the details. The stab wounds were deep and healed slowly even with magic to help the process along, the one near Techno's spine had them fearing paralysis at first.

Phil exhaled, hoping some of the anger would seep out of him. It didn't.

Ranboo had brought back the potion and Techno took it without complaint. When he shifted forward Phil saw the tightly wrapped stump of his tail again and that anger finallly spilled over.

"I'm going out." He pulled on his cloak in short jerks, hoping it would at least somewhat hide the shaking of his hands. Ranboo twitched upright and made eye contact, expression resolute.

"I'm coming with you." And something about the way he said it told Phil he'd been waiting for it ever since they brought Techno home two days ago.

"Guys, no," Techno groaned - knowing exactly what they were doing.

"Me too," Niki chimed in, already pulling on the laces of her boots. Her pink hair cascaded over her shoulders, nemesis setting out on the warpath.

Techno glared at Phil, unspoken words hanging in the air between them. Phil grinned back.

"Don't wait up for us."

The casino burned.

Phil would have loved something more impactful. He would have preferred to reduce the building to rubble and blast it down to bedrock, make certain there was nothing to remember it by but a crater in the earth. But they were working fast and loose, and with no time for planning as the anger sang and Phil descended on that vicious glee like a murder of crows on a bloody morsel.

Quackity dangled over the edge, feet swinging wildly. Dropping him crossed Phil's mind but it seemed a fate too merciful, a death too quick and humane.

He needed this man to suffer.

Nails dug into his wrists, pitiful and scrambling. Phil squeezed harder. Niki stood to one side of him, blood streaked across her face. On his other was Ranboo with a sword clutched in both hands.

"What should we do with him you think?" Phil asked them cheerfully. Quackity's terrified eyes stared back.

"I can think of a thing or two," Ranboo chimed in. "After we're done with this place, I'd say it's only fair we pay his hospitality back in kind."

"Yeah, what was that saying again..." Niki trailed off, laughing sheepishly. "It's on our sign even."

Phil finished the thought for her, teeth bared to reveal just a little too many sharp teeth.

"Sic sempter tyrannis."