Despite all of the preparation for war, it is not an unknown fact that most of the Pogtopians are under-equipped, lacking in proper gear that is armor, a good sword or any other weapon, and potions.

Sara, Stela and Niki have worked on making some potions together, Nia occasionally helping them, but they've made barely enough for five people, let alone the actual number of Pogtopians.

"We only have diamond armor, and considering Dream is a much better fighter than us and has netherite, that already puts us at a huge disadvantage," says Sara, looking at her friends and fellow Pogtopians.

She examines the group, the only people with full available netherite armor being Nia, Technoblade, Fundy and Tubbo. Tommy had to discard of his during the festival, as he would've died otherwise.

"Have you tried asking the Badlands if they don't have any additional equipment?" questions Stela with a raised brow. She doesn't have armor of her own, but that's a personal preference as she doesn't wear armor at all. Mostly to teleport easier.

"I did — they don't," Sara sighs, shaking her head.

"Uh, I might have something," Technoblade says, raising his arm as if he's in class and has to raise his hand in order to speak. Nia finds it endearing.

Everyone turns their attention to the piglin, and his shoulders slump slightly under the scrutinizing gazes of his peers. He glances at Nia briefly, and she smiles thinly at him, offering some sort of comfort despite this being his fault. He brought attention to himself.

Though it still comes to Nia as a surprise that despite Techno trying to avoid her most times, he looks to her for comfort whenever he gets more attention than he'd like. The question is whether it's because deep down, he still considers her a friend of his, or if it's simply because she's the only person who understands as she's known him long enough to know this.

"What is it, Technoblade?" Tommy presses at the anarchist, and Techno is snapped back into reality, his eyes darting between every Pogtopian that is staring at him expectantly.

"I'll just— I'll just show you," he says quietly, turning on his heel and starting to walk out of Pogtopia. "Follow me and don't stray. It's not far."

Nobody questions Techno, marching closely behind him. Nia stays behind the group of Pogtopians with Wilbur, who has a content smile on his lips. That of a winner. Because when it comes to Wilbur, no matter who wins the battle; he'll win the war. In a way. And by extension, even the anarchists.

"You're not looking after me because you disagree with me, are you, Nia?" Wilbur asks.

Technoblade and the rest of the group slowly approach an oak tree near the river. The piglin comes closer to the trunk, removing fallen leaves off the ground to uncover a trapdoor that leads underground.

"No, I'm really not, Wilbur." Nia shakes her head, earning a grin from Wilbur.

"Good."

"My base is underneath the river, so . . ." Technoblade explains, beckoning everybody to enter the tunnel, going down the ladder and directly into Techno's base.

Wilbur and Nia are the last people to enter before Technoblade closes the trapdoor after them. They climb down, appearing in a very simple and subtle arrangement of mined rooms.

There's a clock on the wall, a crafting table and other things such as that on one side, chests filled with miscellaneous items on the other. It feels disorganized but orderly at the same time.

The Pogtopians go through Technoblade's chests, but he plows through them all to the library with his enchanting table, pulling a book. It turns out to be a lever that opens yet another trapdoor, leading deeper down.

"Stop taking my things, please, those are just my regular items," he says to everyone, making his presence known to everybody. They turn their attention to him, noticing the second entrance.

He nods at them, signaling that they can go deeper. And deeper they go.

"OH, MY GOD."

"What the fuck?!"

"Holy shit!"

People exclaim in wonder as they look around at the rooms covered in blackstone bricks. It's filled with potion brewing stands and many chests that overflow with items that will be useful in the war.

"This is the real vault," says Technoblade with pride in his voice, a laugh escaping his lips as everyone stares at the chests in awe. "I am ready for revolution, boys!"

The Pogtopians run to the chests, going through them as fast as possible to get a look at everything Technoblade has gathered in the vault. Nia stands in place, next to Technoblade, while she watches Tubbo slip several emeralds into his pockets and backpack.

Fundy takes arrows from the chests labelled as such. Tommy, Quackity and Sara have taken netherite armor from the stands at the end of the corridor, helping each other put it on.

Wilbur takes a diamond sword for himself along with a bow, a few arrows and potions. In fact, almost everyone takes some potions to use.

"Technoblade, where did you get all of this?" Wilbur questions, eyeing the piglin.

"I did a lot of trading with villagers," he replies, shrugging.

"How long did it take you to gather it all?" Sara questions with wide eyes.

"I've been working on this vault since the revolution began," Technoblade admits.

"Technoblade, you disgust and amaze me at the same time," notes Tubbo, still eyeing the entire vault in disbelief. Technoblade has probably put much more effort into the entire revolution than the rest of the Pogtopians by now.

"Well," Techno says, laughing. He doesn't know how else to reply to the boy's comment.

Instead, he turns his attention to Nia. She hasn't made a single step further into the vault, standing next to Technoblade the entire time. She eyes the vault in amazement, but that's about it all. She doesn't take anything for herself. Mainly because she doesn't feel the need to. She already has the best equipment she could have on her.

"You could at least take some potions, you know?" Technoblade comments, looking at Nia. She turns her head in his direction, staring at him. He doesn't look away, keeping eye contact, which surprises her.

"With everyone taking whatever they want already, I don't think I will," says Nia, shaking her head. "I have all I need already."

Technoblade purses his lips, nodding in understanding. "We can— I guess, we could share my potions," he says. "They're splash potions."

Nia raises an eyebrow at him, questioning the sudden change in attitude toward her. She blames it on the fact that they're going to war in less than two days. But it still makes her feel somewhat better about everything.

They might be going to war, but at least Technoblade is talking to her.

"That's very generous of you," Nia smiles. "But I don't think I need any."

Technoblade nods once more. He departs from Nia for a moment, going to a chest away from everyone else. A chest that nobody else notices unless they're really looking. He pulls out something out of it, approaching Nia shortly after.

"At least take this." Techno stretches out his hand. Nia gapes at the golden apple in his palm, shimmering in the lights of the dark vault.

"I can't— I can't take that, Techno," Nia refuses. She shakes her head dismissively, pushing his hand with the golden apple away from her. Golden apples might not be quite as good as enchanted golden apples, but they're a rarity nevertheless.

Technoblade chuckles. "You think I don't have more?" he questions. "Just take the apple, Nia."

"Techno—"

He shakes his head. "Take it." His voice makes it known that it's no longer a polite request rather than a demand. Nia tries to decline the apple again, but he only forces it into her hand.

"I can't—"

But the next thing Technoblade says makes Nia shut up and accept the apple without any more arguing.

"I don't want you to get hurt. Just take the damn apple, Nia."