Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Everything surrounding me used to be a very powerful nation, one which had the simple purpose of sinking down possible threats, like the “Syndicate” and Technoblade, bring people together under my power and to finally show off that I was someone worth it, not a side character… But that was in the past, because now everything that I build was only to satisfy my fucking obsession with control and my own ambition. I became the very same thing that I hated, that I despised; I forced everyone to show me loyalty and committed other irreversible acts so no one could see the same weak boy I used to be in the past.

A lot of creations were once demolished by their own inventors, destroyed out of hatred or because it didn’t have the same significance or message as it used to do before in the past. My nation, inspired in what one day used to be a casino, is now found in ruins because of an explosion that wasn't provoked by my own enemies that I won while in war, of course not, but by myself.

I obviously tried to finish everything, with me inside of it, mostly because the “great creator” had to die with their masterpiece with their last life as they had nothing more to continue living anymore… But like always, my plans never worked and something had to fail in it, because that death wasn’t counted as a canon death, but a normal one. Perhaps it is a way of telling me that my legacy hasn’t started completely and that there’s something outside that’s waiting for me to be discovered… A new place where I can start from the beginning, a world where the war hasn’t started.

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-Wilbur…- Tommy sighed, already looking tired and done with everything that was happening while he was observing the owner of the name, the one that had his gaze focused on a map, analyzing every possible corner like always.
- When are you gonna accept that Big Q really lost his last canon life?- he moved to his side to then take out a tool from his inventory to carefully observe it. - You have been searching for traces of his whereabouts for more than a year, even when his communicator hasn’t detected anything about it. The last thing it detected was his death from the explosion he created. -

Wilbur, a man with curly brown hair and a with streak on it, and a neglected outfit, could only add a new part to the map - which was glued to the wall - to then cross it out. The map in front of him showed every nation that used to exist or that is still on their feet after all the wars that have taken place with the pass of the years, among them being the Kiniko Kingdom, Snowchester, and even the ruins of what was once L’Manburg…

- I know that Quackity’s still alive, could say it is a feeling in the gut.- he affirmed while he walked towards a desk full of books that were filled with notes that he wrote down with the passage of time. - Ha, yeah, a feeling... Did you perhaps develop it after being for 13 years on the limbo before being resurrected by Dream?- the younger one asked mad while being ignored by the sounds of the notebook pages as they were reviewed.

- … You know, sometimes I think that you never really thought of Quackity as an enemy.- Wilbur stopped his search on the notes he was looking at -Everyone accepted his death, heck, even some celebrated!... It seems that I’m only following a whim of yours. - silence, that was everything that existed in that place for a while.
- You know what? It’s better if you follow your research alone.- Tommy decided while he walked towards the exit - I’ll go with Tubbo and I’d better help him with Ranboo. Come find me when you finally find something that’s worth it.- he finished before closing the door behind him.

The older one observed the door for a few seconds to then put his eyes on his notes and the map on the wall, this one, as explained beforehand, having the different nations of past companions and enemies, but apart from that, he had done some modifications that he had added with time after travelling past the already explored borders that everyone knew. He obviously always came back empty-handed, as his only clue he had of Quackity was his communicator, which was abandoned for how badly and broken it looked. He reviewed his notes for the last time to later mark different points on the wall (which were blank), to then walk away.

Chapter Text

HEYAAAAAAAAAA, I'M ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE :D

I'm sorry for being, idk, dead for the past month)? and not bringing a chapter...
BUT, I have few reasons why I haven't had the time to translate it (yes, I already have it finish and the spanish one has a chapter).

The first reason is that I went to a break trip with my family and my mom and dad's falg teammates from flag football and barely had the time to work on the translation and all. I pretty much enjoyed it cause I got the chance to finally see a show I had wanted to see for YEARS (was really worth it and I wish to see it another time in the future).
And the other reason is; that I just started college and got two schoolarships, one being for playing flag football... So, yeh-
Have a lot of things to do and learn since I don't know a single thing about photoshop and already started with an animation project for the end of the semester... Decided to study graphic designing and animation after not knowing what carreer to choose.

With all this mentioned, I'll try my best to upload the first chapter this month while managing college and different personal matters of my life (which one of them isn't having a bf/gf... Author is single af JANSFAFWAD).

That's pretty much it, just wanted to do an announcement just in case someone enjoyed and questioned if this work was gonna be left behind or discontinued.

NOW I HAVE TO DO AN ASSIGNMENT WITH PHOTOSHOP FOR TOMORROW AND WORD AHHH SEE YA SOON-

Chapter Text

The town of Karmaland at certain hours of the day was a place full of silence and calmness or of music and screams of adults, children or even from their own heroes… In these hours in the morning, it was completely normal that the town was in complete silence apart from the noises of different insects, among all of them, being the grasshoppers, the most common out there.

In any place of said town, there was a tall man with a well worked body, brown skin with green tattoos on his left arm and face. Said man was very well known around the people of the town, even the gods and heroes know him as he was a mystic druid, nearly a semi-god.
Sapo Peta is the name of said man that’s outside the town, thinking while watching from afar the town, like there was something outside that catched his full interest.

- Sapo Peta! - a voice was heard from a distance, causing the man to turn to the direction from which the voice was coming.
- Ah, young Luzu- What are you doing outside at these hours? - He asked while observing the young man that used that black hoodie.

Luzu could only sigh to then get closer to the druid - I went out to mine for a while as I had nothing to do. The town has been pretty calm lately as we haven’t had any new events… - He commented to then have his gaze fixed at the same direction the druid was looking at before.

- Young Luzu. - Sapo Peta started talking again, catching the attention of the other man - I need you to accompany, tomorrow at noon, to the forest. -

Said man could only watch him in confusion, but at the same time curious - I think I won’t be available, I promised him… -
- I know you already promised him, but the gods want you to come with me. - he continued to then have his eyes fixed again at the forest. - They say that there´s a new group of heroes out there and that they’ll arrive tomorrow. -
- Wait a minute, what do you mean by a new group of heroes? We weren´t already completed? -
- That was what I used to think minutes ago, before you came here to be exact. - Sapo Peta confirmed while he was still looking from afar.

Even if he was pretty well known for being a step ahead from the heroes, he has to admit that the gods were at another level from him…

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Five days passed by, in which he had already explored out of four from five places he has marked, and, like always, he found nothing special, only mobs, no clue from the whereabouts of said man.

“ Maybe what Tommy said was true?” He questioned himself while he continued walking, with sword in hand and with great caution to not fall in any trap that was set up by any player or he was found face to face with a zombie or creeper. “ What if Quackity really spent his last canonical life and I’m looking like a mad man while searching for him?” he thought, frustrated while he remembered the same phrases Tommy said to him before parting, but before he caught himself trapped again inside his memories full of doubts and denial, he saw a new town from the distance, a new place that he never thought of finding after being so far away from the place that he considered like a “home”.

The first thing he did after arriving at the town was taking out his communicator to send a message to Tommy, smiling. If he was correct about Quackity not being dead, that meant that he could be in this town or in another one that was closer from here, who knows.

While he waited for the arrival of his brother, he investigated from an acceptable distance, and he could observe that the town was full of people, in its majority being humans and hybrids, but none being the person he was searching for. After two full days of waiting, his brother finally arrived, but like always, he had to bring him a surprise.
- Tommy… Why are Tubbo and Ranboo with you?- he sighed, tired, while massaging his forehead.
- What? Do you have something against them coming with me?- Tommy asked, confused, to then signal both boys - I don’t think there’s anything wrong with them coming with me here. -

Wilbur could only put his hands together in front of his face while he assimilated the decisions taken by Tommy.

- We have Ranboo, who’s half enderman half ehhh… I don’t know what more… and they took part in an anarchist group. - he signaled Ranboo who was looking at Tommy while Wilbur was talking.
- And a goat that has an obsession with bees and nukes. - He did the same action he did with Ranboo while the mentioned one smiled after hearing the word “bees”.
- What could go wrong? - the blondie said with a smile filled with calmness and pride, like nothing that Wilbur said was important.

Well, now he had to accept what was coming with having this trio together and wait to not see them start destroying the town in pieces because of an explosion, or worse, in ashes as a consequence of a fire.

Before he could start giving orders or to perhaps explain about the information he managed to get related to the new area he discovered to the three boys, faint footsteps and voices were approaching… but something sounded different… were they speaking in Spanish? Wait, does that mean that they always spoke in Spanish and not English?

- Vamos Joven Luzu, de seguro están aquí cerca (Come on Young Luzu, they should be close). - he heard the deep voice of a man from the distance, barely noticeable.
- Eso has dicho hace más de una hora, Sapo Peta… (You’ve said over an hour ago, Sapo Peta) - this is bad… Perhaps I may not understand what they were saying, but two people coming towards us was already bad.

When he heard the footsteps getting closer, he took Tommy and Tubbo to hide behind the bushes that were close to them, ignoring the youngest protests.

- Ranboo! Hide fast, now! - he warned in a loud whisper while he hid the two boys with him.
- Wait, what do you mean by that–? - - ¡¿Vez?! ¡Estaba en lo correcto cuando te dije que estaba por lo menos uno cerca! (See!? I was right when I said at least one of them was close!) - …shit.

Ranboo jumped from his place when he heard the voices behind him, turning around to face both men while trying not to see the hiding place of the others.

- ¿Un híbrido de Enderman? Jamás había visto uno en mi vida… (An Enderman hybrid? I’ve never seen one in my whole life…) - the dude with black hoodie murmured while observing Ranboo, which they took a step back when they felt the stranger was pretty close to them.
- Vamos, joven Luzu, no hay que perder el tiempo. Tenemos que llevar a este nuevo héroe de vuelta a Karmaland con nosotros. ( Come on, Luzu, we don’t wanna waste more time. We have to bring this new hero back with us to Karmaland) -

… Perfect, what he needed right now, that one of the infamous trio were kidnapped by two random men that talked a language none of them understood.

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Confused and overwhelmed were the words they could use right now, and it wasn’t because of the amount of people that were surrounding them… Well, partially, BUT…

- Joder, ¿Un mitad Enderman? ¡Pensé que no existían! (Damn, a half Enderman? I thought they never existed!) - a bear hybrid exclaimed while he was looking at the enderman hybrid from different angles with excitement in his eyes - ¡Incluso pensé que eran un mito! (I even thought they were a myth!) -

They were mostly overwhelmed because they couldn’t understand a single thing they said.

- Doblas, estás asustando al chico, miralo. ( Doblas, you're scaring the new guy, loot at him.) - a man with black hair and mostly purple attire signaled while he moved the bear away.
- Pobrecito, pareciera que no nos entiende…- the man with black hair joked to then lean on “Doblas” shoulder - Bueno, Sapo Peta ¿Cómo se llama el nuevo? Me encantaría saber algo de él. (Well, Sapo Peta, what's the new guy's name? I'd love to know something about him.) -
- A eso voy Vegetta ( Just give me a second, Vegetta.) .- Sapo Peta said before putting one of his hands on the newest hero’s shoulder - Diganos, joven héroe; ¿Cuál es su nombre? (Tell us, young hero, What’s your name?)-

Silence, that was the thing that stayed for a couple of seconds after the question was asked as it didn’t have any answer from the tallest member, who had a face of confusion.

- Eh… what…? Sorry, I–I don't understand Spanish… - now everyone was confused, except for the guy with a black hoodie.
- ¿El nuevo no habla español? (The new one doesn't knows english?) - was one of the questions and comments that were made and that they managed to hear before everyone had their gazes on Luzu - Te toca. -

Luzu sighed before getting close to the half hybrid.

- They're asking for your name… They don't know English except for me and another hero.- - he signaled towards the people behind him.
- Oh… My name's Ranboo and well…- they scratched his neck - That's gonna be an issue.-
- I know, I know. Before I show you the town, I'll recommend you not to trust anyone.- that catched their attention - Almost none of the heroes are worth your trust. -

Trust no one? For what they understood, a hero is a person that you can trust, a person to follow for all their heroic actions… Well, that was what he achieved to understand after living in a world where the white nor lack moral existed; but a gray one.

- … Alright, got it. Trust no one… Sounds like a saying I've heard before.-
- Then they know about betrayal and how a human can act to achieve what they want. -

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- So, you're married? Who 's the lucky one? - he laughed while both of them were walking in the square of the town, a place where there were children running and playing, while some of them observed with appreciation the men with the black hoodie, as same as some vendors yelling and selling their merchandise.
- It's not a marriage of love, it's more of benefits if I'm being honest.- the tallest one answered with a smile while they observed the curious children because of their appearance and their tail, which they kept close to his body… Just in case.

Benefits? Then I guess he's a friend of yours if that's the case). He continued as he stopped at a stall where a woman was selling vegetables and fruit.
They hadn't been in this town for very long, about an hour if they were honest, and to say that the place was horrible would be a lie. Every place they visited with that man had the touch of each vendor, it was charming.
They still couldn't say for sure that the place was peaceful; appearances can be deceiving, and they knew that from experience after living in their home “country” for so many years. Their gaze focused on the man as they heard him sigh, to see how he put the pineapple he had taken back in its place and say some kind of thank you... Or so they think.
- I'm gonna leave you with a friend of mine for a while. Leaving you alone with them isn't a nice idea. - Luzu pointed out several of the heroes who were present, laughing as they fled from Vegeta.
- Either way, can I ask you about your place of origin like that of those other heroes who are with you? -

Hero... He didn't know how to react to that title, which would now follow him around during his entire stay in the village of Karmaland, or that his friends and Wilbur would be called that when he knew they had caused chaos and violence in the place they came from.

- We are from a place that's pretty far from here, probably two to three days by foot so far…- Ranboo began to speak as he followed the brown-haired man. - And its… its fine, nothing that stands out for me to mention. -
- Come on… - the shortest man laughed - Everyone from this town has a karma to pay for their actions. - he turned to look at them curiously - Every one of us was chosen by the gods because of our actions, even I can say I'm not the purest… -
- You're right. - they agreed to look to look ahead, seeing how they were approaching a house that was still under construction, with dirt filling the place where windows would possibly go.
- Me and my… group aren't that pure. Yeah, we have done some questionable actions… but… - The memory of that nation where he once lived, the nation that Tubbo led after being chosen as president—Wilbur...—the image of that man's body being pierced by his own sword, by his own father, Philza, while he embraced him, still haunted him. I don't know if he deserves that title. - that catched Luzu’s attention.
- Why not? -

They stopped at the door of that house, from inside which they could hear music echoing off every wall, calculated footsteps, and even the opening and closing of chests.

- You said everyone in here has to pay for their actions, right? - He listened to the sounds coming from inside the house.
- If that's the case, Wilbur has to pay a lot as he has committed a lot of questionable actions in the past. -.

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The interior of the house was a mess but at the same time empty. Of course, he still needed to get more glass so he could remove the dirt and finish the windows, but the house itself was empty, with nothing but a few simple chests and a bed.

He couldn't remember the last time he had built something with happiness or peace of mind, and it was something he missed after so long living in that place where he was forced to change after being hurt countless times...
They are memories he wants to forget, scars he hides so he can ignore everything he experienced in that place; a world full of violence and questionable morals on everyone's part.

A place where he could simply be the person he used to be, a person who was not destroyed by seeking love on a battlefield, a fool blinded by a normal human or hybrid feeling...

...Just Alexis Quackity, no Big Q or titles from that place...

He was tidying up one of his chests when he heard a knock at the door, a noise that made him stop what he was doing to go and open it.

- Luzu! What brings you here? - the duck exclaimed cheerfully, unaware of the new companion standing next to Luzu, who was in shock. “Come, come, come into my house,” he said excitedly.
- Thanks, Quackity, but I think I'll have to decline the offer. - Oh, that's new. - I just came to drop off the new hero while I went to get something, you know. -

He looked at the man in confusion, although the mask he was wearing did not reveal his expression to the other.

- Oh, what do you mean, new hero? Wasn't I the new and last one? - That left him with new intrigues and questions. - Decision of the gods... And from what I understand, there's more than one new one. - he sighed wearily.
- But anyway, I'll leave you. I have to go do something important right now. See you later! -

And just like that, the brown-haired man fled, leaving an unknown guest at his door...

Or well...

That's what he expected, until the face under that mask slowly changed until it became his own....

He wasn't dumb, he knew this was going to happen someday... but he thought he had more time, maybe a year, to hide behind that mask, to pretend to be the person he used to be.

- Q–quackity - they speak, not believing what they just saw -
He laughed, a tired one as he entered his house and let the boy in to remove his mask away from the prying eyes outside. He knew there would be no one looking outside his house at that hour, not when Vegeta was in town, but leaving that “reminder” of his mistakes out in the open was like revealing all the lies he had told since he arrived.

- That should be my question, Ranboo…- he began, turning to look at him, not with a threatening gaze, but with a calculating one.
- What are you doing here? Where's Tubbo and Tommy?- he asked straight to the point.
- How do you–?- He sat down on one of his chests to cut off his opponent's question.

- Ranboo, you know I'm not dumb... I know you're still with Tubbo, and I know he would bring Tommy with him. - Silence circulated between them.
- ... We aren't alone this time. - He raised his eyebrow, curious. - Who's with y'all three then? I know no one who would look after me after faking my death, except Tubbo or... that man. - He grimaced as he remembered the man who had become his husband.

- Actually, Wilbur was the one who found out about this town. -

Great, it had to be Wilbur Soot...

Wait a second... Wilbur? This was actually kinda funny.

Who would have thought that the man who swore we were mortal enemies would be the one to come looking for me and not that... Goat who didn't come back to life after running away and not fulfilling that bet with him, although of course it was impossible since he didn't have a body of his own to look for me... but... I didn't expect this.
He smiled curiously after hearing that. Of course, he would have reacted differently if it had been Schlatt, Dream, or Sapnap... Hell, even Karl... but... That man? If it had been anyone else but Ranboo telling him this, he would have thought it was a joke in very bad taste.

He knew what Wilbur was like, he wasn't a stupid man, he was very intelligent, it was just that sometimes anger led him to commit acts without thinking twice... Just as he was a very stubborn person. He had every right to call him that after countless times he tried to enter Las Nevadas after being banned from his nation.

- Well... if that's the case… - He got the attention of the half-Enderman hybrid. - I think I should explain some things about Karmaland... You know, the basics. - He tapped the empty side of the chest as an invitation for the boy to sit down. The boy obviously hesitated a little at first, but after a while he sat down, still unsure.
- You don't have canonical lives here, Ranboo. - He could see the boy's eyes widen at this. - Not after you're recognized as a hero by the gods. - He continued as he shifted his gaze to the door of his house under construction.

- Every hero of this town is recognized as one because they have karma to pay for their past mistakes... That's the reason why all four of you were chosen, just like me. -

- Every action you take here, you pay for it; if you do something positive, you're treated with positive karma. If you commit a negative one, you're treated with negative karma. - he explained as he remembered all the times Rubius or someone else was punished after playing a bad joke on one of the townspeople.

- That's the “system” of this town... The Rule of Karma. -