♡ ♥ That morning was a little more emotional than you had imagined.
Ranboo had held onto you as if you were going to fade away, nevertheless you easily reassured him with your gentle fingers running through his soft hair. As soon as he had gotten the pain out of his words, you could see the excitement spark back up in his eyes again; surprising Phil.
The winged man had explained how quiet Ranboo had been during the past weeks, only responding with simple manners, apologies, and few worded questions. Little did he know, Ranboo was one of the most talkative people once they gained the trust of the hybrid. The child couldn't help but wonder where you had gone, so you all agreed to sit at the table with a warm meal of oats to accompany your tale.
"I traversed the Nether, stumbling on their dark fortress that loomed above the lakes of lava...ghostly creatures that spat fire ended up burning the side of my arm." You lifted your sleeve, a gnarly red scar still in the process of healing ingrained in your skin. It could have been worse, a gaping hole no less if it wasn't for your wonderful help.
"There was a physician, an Enderman that went by the name of Adrian. He healed me, got rid of the infection with speed contrasted by no other. Then, I met the king," you could remember that day so vividly. The anger steaming off your skin, his look of boredom. You could look back at it now with a smile. "Although he seemed infuriating at first, he's really a tender soul."
You could see Phil perk up in his seat, blue eyes shining with glee. Assuming it was because of your story, you continued.
"After I healed his friends, he freed me. His apology was included with an alliance, offering his help to me if I ever needed it. After leaving the Nether, I came here, in hopes to find you." Looking at Ranboo, who was completely awestruck, you smiled while ruffling his hair. You had missed the young lad, and his curious little quirks.
The tea Phil had offered was amazing, Ranboo even trying a sip before burning his lip. His fatherly nature never went unnoticed by you, and you couldn't help but always thank him.
"I'm glad you made some friends despite being stuck in the Nether, (y/n). From my last experience, I ended up sweating buckets and fraying some of my feathers." The old man chuckled, letting out a reminiscing sigh. His eyes went distant as he recalled an old memory.
"Did you encounter any Wither skeletons, by chance?"
You swallowed at his words, remembering the dark wounds that ate at the flesh of those touched. The thought of the pain the soldiers had experienced made you nod.
"The king had issued an attack on what he thought they were residing in, but it ended up being an ambush..." The winged man nodded at the grim thought, his mind swirling with questions. You were about to ask a question, before Ranboo spoke.
"What was the king like? Is he really a Blood God like the townsfolk whisper about?" His curious tone had settled the tense atmosphere brought from the talk of fighting. Philza's gaze returned to earth, a smile returning to his face as he focused on what you were going to say next.
You pondered your words for a moment. What did you think of the Piglin that spared your life? You didn't doubt that he could be a blood thirsty warrior the townspeople spoke, however, looking into his eyes while alone in his room, you could see that venerability and kindness hidden behind those red eyes of his. The sorrow when he spoke when he thought his friends dying in his home. All because of his command.
"He....seems like the type to hide his feelings. I can't imagine being the ruler of the Nether, or anywhere for that matter without feeling the pressure weigh me down. So I can't really argue as to why he seems so closed off, however his friends really seem to care a lot for him."
"Yes, he was always a bit tight with his emotions." Before you could inquire what Phil meant, he stood from his spot and turned to open the door leading outside. As soon as the barrier to the outside was opened, the cold poured in and caused you to flinch.
"I'm going to visit the town for some supplies, you two can stay here until I return." Phil shrugged on his long green coat, hiding his sleek black wings from sight.
"I'll stay with Ranboo and rest for a little bit. Thank you for allowing us to stay for so long." You got up from your own spot, bowing slightly from habit picked up from the Nether. Forcing yourself to stand up, you awkwardly smiled.
Phil smiled in return, quirking a brow at your strange little habit. "I won't be too long, take care of yourself."
And with that, the door closed behind him, sealing the warmth inside once more.
Silence settled around the house, the crackling of a nearby fire soothing the atmosphere. You let out a sigh while melting onto the table, relaxing yourself and your sore body. Ranboo also relaxed a bit, slouching over the table while keeping his head up with his hands. The quiet was welcomed by both of you.
You knew that Phil would be gone for a few days; so as you waited for his return, you and Ranboo exchanged tales of each other's journey. He spoke of how Phil had found him in the rain after spending days upon days of wandering the old forests, only to be trapped under the entrance of a deep cave when the rain unexpectedly began pouring.
Phil had been passing by while heading to a nearby lake to do some fishing when his keen eyes picked up Ranboo's glowing eyes staring at him in the shadows of the cave. It was there that Phil used his wings to walk Ranboo all the way back to his cabin to rest, rescuing him from the three day storm that kept him trapped.
Ranboo was invested in your story as you told him of the blistering heat of the Nether and the residents who called the realm home. Creatures with great build, battle ready for any war to come. He was quite excited to hear about how your flaming dislike for the king was easily melted over time, teasing you about how Phil might be right after all.
Each day you awaited Phil, the more you felt something was wrong. While tending to Phil's small fields of potatoes and collecting the last bit of the plant through the light snow and nearly frozen ground, you could hear the nature outside would get quieter everyday. Winter birds and animals getting quieter and less frequent, leaving nothing but the eerie silence of winter behind.
One particular morning, you and Ranboo sat together as usual, drinking some tea to warm yourselves from the winter chill while you ate a warm meal Ranboo had made. Through his time here he had picked up many more recipes from Phil and was more confident in his cooking than before. The fire was burning on its last few embers and would burn for hours more, however you would have to go back in the snow and collect more wood you had chopped. At that moment though you were too comfortable in the warm cabin, so the warm drink would suffice for now.
"So, Ranboo." He opened his eyes slightly to look over at you, lazy red and green glowing as usual. "What do you think of Philza?"
"He's been really nice to me. And his patience is something I'm always surprised with." The hybrid drummed his fingers on the table, trying to word his feelings while digging through the small notebook he had in his pocket. His memory book. "He never asks me questions I'm not comfortable with, and has some of the most exciting stories I've ever heard. Did you know he built a whole floating island at one point in his life?"
"I do remember that story, he's told me many times. Has he told you of his close call with the baby zombie?" You asked, remembering Phil's scared face whenever he encountered one. Judging by Ranboo's face, he hadn't been told yet. That would soon change.
A chuckle emitted from your mouth, but the memory was destroyed when a slam by the door ripped you from your little world. You could hear the jostling rattle of bones from outside, along with the sound of metal breaking right through them. The harsh sound brought both you and Ranboo up from your chairs in a flash, waiting to see what commotion would fall through the door.
Phil burst through the door with wide eyes, pressing his back on the door as ash fell from his diamond sword.
"Phil? What's wrong?" Ranboo was the first to speak, his tail swishing from side to side in an anxious manner.
"Wither skeletons...in the Overworld." He huffed, shrugging off his surprise as best he could. Phil adjusted his hat while sheathing his sword. "We need to get out of here."
You didn't need to be told twice. Abandoning your empty bowl on the table, you grabbed the bag given to you for your travels from your room, eyeing Ranboo as he too carried a bag with only his essentials. Through the walls, you could hear the wolves outside howling their song of death, a dangerous omen. Phil had managed to pack a bag in mere seconds, handing you an iron sword covered in dust. You swung the metal around, adjusting your balance according to the weight.
"Are there many outside?" The pressure in your words were hard to ignore. Phil shook his head, taking another look out a window to stare at the piles of dust scattered across the white snow.
"Not yet, but I don't want to be stuck in this house while surrounded by Wither skeletons."
You would have laughed, if not for the situation you found yourself in. Following Phil to his back door, he didn't hesitate to open it. Thankfully there wasn't any mobs to meet you in the snowy forest, but it was unlikely to stay like that for long. You followed in Philza's footprints in the snow, Ranboo close behind while clutching his fur cloak tighter to him.
You had made a wise choice in leaving the house before the mobs could surround you. If there were Wither skeletons out and about, the villages would have fallen first to an absurd count of creatures. You had only heard of their strength in books, but they had been rumoured to tear down steady walls of the nether with unnatural strength. You didn't doubt the otherworldly power of the Wither skeletons: they would shred the overworlds buildings like paper, even if they were just made of bone.
Phil had lead you to the outskirts of the village you once stole from for survival, but you had stopped due too the screams coming from the inside. You could feel your gut twist at the thought of everyone inside their homes, trapped as their thin wooden doors are splintered by the skeletons weapons. The dread coming from the town was almost contagious.
But you weren't one of those people, you weren't trapped in your home. And you still had one safe place you knew you could go.
The snow began to fall slowly onto the overworld, almost as if it was ash falling from the sky from the village set ablaze nearby. Footprints in the snow scattered away from the village in a frenzy of fear, something was terribly wrong here.
"Phil." You spoke to catch his attention, his eyes catching yours. You had to be quick, for you didn't know how close the Nether skeletons were. Looking into his blue eyes, it was as if he already knew what you were thinking. Ranboo glanced at you with a worried look, as if reading your mind as well. It would be too dangerous to make them come through the town to enter the Nether portal now, so you had to brave it alone if you wanted to get to the Nether before it was too late.
Phil nodded. "I'll take Ranboo, and find you in the Nether later. Go tell Technoblade what has happened, warn him." The enderman hybrid didn't even have a chance to argue as Philza grabbed his wrist, leading him into the snowstorm ahead of you. You had to ignore Ranboo's call for you, his red and green glowing eyes fading into the white haze of the new snowstorm brewing.
You had to leave your friends behind once again.
There was no doubt that they would be safe, for you trusted Phil with your life. He would be able to locate a safe Nether portal, even if he had to build one. The grip on your iron sword tightened as your heart raced, keeping your back pressed to the house you hid behind.
You didn't know what lay ahead of you, but you knew this town like the back of your hand. You were the thief that ruled this town.
Running from the side of the building, you dashed through the streets like a wild animal. The cries of townsfolk echoed nonstop, crackles and clinks of bones entering your ears as if to warn you of the dangers nearby. Your eyes frantically searched for the gate to the Nether, locating a faint purple glow in the mess of a snow storm ahead. Shivers ran down your spine as you picked up your pace, trudging thought the deep snow in hopes to reach the safe place.
You almost didn't see the black sword inches from your head before it was too late.
Hitting the ground instantly, a Wither skeleton stood tall in hopes to intimidate you. It almost worked, your limbs locking up as you stared at the ash coloured bones of death in front of you. The eyes were empty and hollow, but you could almost see the screaming faces inside if you looked deep enough.
You didn't have time to admire, for the sword in its hands came to meet with your heart. Iron found withered blade in an attempt to save yourself, successfully deflecting the skeletons blow. You were quick to return to your feet and thrust your sword before it had a chance to react. The iron combined with your strength allowed the blade to go right though the bones of the skeleton, crumbling the creature into nothing more than an ash pile beneath your feet.
The sound of bones being destroyed seemed to attract more skeletons, more than you would like to handle. So before anymore could join your little battle, you ran across the snow, hand connecting with the deep purple stone that lead to the Nether. Purple wisps of magic curled at your skin, begging to take you to the other world that you had learned to enjoy.
Before you entered, you turned to the large group of Wither skeletons that slowly approached you, black Withered swords in hand. You have a little mock bow, a smirk on your face as you fell back in the portal with a few words escaping your mouth.
"See you on the battlefield."
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