Bedrock

Chapter 26

Phil fell quietly.

Not even a gasp broke through the deafening silence following the strike. A green and white striped hat fluttered to the ground, and Technoblade stood helpless, frozen in his frantic steps towards the crater. His axe was still gripped in hand. His knuckles were white.

Then it all came back in a rush. Ranboo's frantic yell, the steady drumming of rain, the white flashes of lightning in the distance. In a split second, Techno was holding his trident, then leaping off the edge of the cliff.

He fell for a moment before the trident caught him. He landed on the bedrock with a practised thud. The air still crackled with electricity, a harsh reminder of the man and boy long gone- but he couldn't think about that now.

There.

A crumpled form of green fabric and black feathers came into view, one visible hand grasping an arrow, a straight line speared through a bleeding chest. He wasn't moving.

Techno's heart dropped. He ran forward, slipping on the slick rock. He hadn't been this unsteady in years.

Phil's eyes were still open, and they blinked up at him. Green, emerald. Just like the gem Techno had given him what seemed like ages ago. He was alive. But blood was spreading around Techno's boots and Phil's breaths were shallow and his face was lined in pain. For a moment, Techno got a glimpse of his true age, one without the curse of immortality.

Immortality- the price of immortality was a single life. One chance, live or die. One chance to hope that someone would see you, would remember you, would tell your story.

Techno reached to his side, into a secret pouch hidden just beside his sheath, and grasped freezing metal. He gently tugged Phil's hand away from the arrow and pressed the totem in the palm. It was already cold, and he worried it was too late- but then the emerald eyes started glowing, and shining cracks spread through the gold, lighting up Phil's dirt-streaked face. And then more light and Phil's breathing was growing increasingly steady. His face relaxed.

He was alive.The totem had worked.

The blood was retreating, the arrow falling to the ground with a wet clatter as the wounds stitched themselves up. Time moved backwards, broken bones mending, bruises disappearing. After a minute, Phil sat up, wincing. That's the one thing totems didn't get rid of- pain.

The clatter of falling rocks stole Techno's attention, and he looked back to see Ranboo struggling down the cliff's edge. He staggered up to them after an awkward moment, and Techno could hear the faint hiss as the rain met his skin.

"Are you-" he cleared his throat, "are you alright?"

Phil smiled gently, his face still lined with pain. "Yeah, Ranboo. I'm okay."