Dream didn't see Wilbur's expression as he got out of his seat and walked towards the stage again, but when he got to the top his manner was grave.
"Unfortunately, at this time I also can not be your president," Wilbur said slowly. "I've learned a few things. Techno, you taught me a lot. You've taught me that government is not the way to go. And I agree with you."
There was no shock, there was only graceful acceptance. Only Dream realized what was going on.
"Whilst I cannot dictate how other people's governments are run, I can say that it would be hypocritical of me to run a government. So I am going to be handing off the presidency."
Silence again. Wilbur looked over them, and Dream could once again almost see the emotions in his head. Longing, pride, joy, love. And grief and acceptance. He would no longer lead them. But Dream still had a bad feeling.
As Tubbo walked up onto the podium, called up by Wilbur to be the new president, Dream silently stood and watched. He didn't hear any of what Tubbo said. He was too focused on the one man in the audience not celebrating.
Wilbur was going to do something, Dream could feel it. There was a darkness brewing about him. Dream saw hit outline faintly in red, and his eyes widened beneath his mask.
No. No. Not when they had been so close. What could he...
The TNT.
Wilbur left, and Dream followed. Silently, he moved around the buildings, trying to find where Wilbur had gone.
But then, the sounds of cheers faded from behind. Dream rushed back just in time to see Techno's fireworks fly through the air.
Maybe Wilbur wasn't the problem after all. Maybe the traitor was really Techno all along.
"You guys listen to me!" Technoblade shouted. "I did not spend weeks plannin' this revolution, givin' you guys armor, just so you could go and replace one tyrant with another! Don't you see what's goin' on here? Don't you see history repeatin' itself?"
Silence, stunned silence.
"You think Schlatt was the cause of your problems?" Techno continued in a loud voice. "No! It was government!"
The people began to shuffle, and some of them started to walk away. After all, they had heard enough speeches by madmen recently. But they didn't know Techno like Dream did.
"You all just walked off in the middle of my speech. Fine. I'm killin' everyone."
Dream wasn't surprised, not really. After all, it was Technoblade.
He splashed potions on himself, then he attacked.
But Nightmare wasn't done causing trouble.
As Techno started to fight, Nightmare called out over the noise, "You know who the traitor was, Tommy? It wasn't Techno. It was Wilbur all along."
Dream was frozen.
He couldn't move, couldn't breathe. Wilbur? No, not Wilbur. It was another lie, wasn't it?
But no. Dream knew in his heart what was happening. Wilbur was going to press the button. And Dream could feel it.
He heard the words, as if they were spoken in his ear. He was walking in a nightmare. No, he was walking in the Nightmare.
"There was a saying, once. By a traitor, who used to be a part of L'Manburg. It was never meant to be."
Then the explosion. Dream was out of the blast, but not everyone was. Shouts, screams, a cacophony of shock. Protests, cries, noise.
It was too much. Dream couldn't handle it.
He could still hear Wilbur's voice in his ear.
"My unfinished symphony, forever unfinished! If I can't have this no one can!"
Dream looked to Wilbur then, who was exposed by the blast, desperate for something concrete. But he saw only the fervor of a madman.
No one else saw the sword change hands. Wilbur gave his sword to Philza. His own father.
And then, with a tear-stricken face, Philza slid the sword into Wilbur.
It went in too quickly, too smoothly. There should have been resistance, a fight.
WilburSoot... dead.
Permanently.