I asked around for Phil and eventually found him in his makeshift house, holding a barrel and walking through the front doors. The house was yet to have a roof, and had no windows, but the design was nice, it would look incredible when finished.
Phil turned around once he put the barrel down, to see me there, walking through the doors, "Thanatos! What are you doing here?" he asked, waking towards me to greet me.
"Oh you won't believe what happened" I said slowly before continuing, "There was this man, I one of my oldest friends, and he left to a destroyed town and left me with a complete stranger."
Phil sat down on a nearby plush chair and gestured for em to take the other, I sat down and waited for him to speak, "I know it happened quickly, yet I needed to get here, there are people who need my help."
I frowned and unlatched my mask, bringing it down and setting it on a side table, I sighed and looked at Phil, "I spoke to your son."
Those five words made him stop relaxing, he looked at me and his eyes hardened, he sat up straight. The air was heavy as he opened his mouth, "How was he?"
I took a deep breath, my gaze meeting Philza's troubled eyes. "Phil," I began, my voice steady yet filled with empathy, I chuckled slightly, "It's not good for a mortal brain, the monotony. He seemed, trouble seems like the best word."
His brows furrowed, concern etched deeply into his features. "What is it, Thanatos? What happened to my son?"
I paused, choosing my words carefully. "During my time in the afterlife, I encountered Wilbur. He was in a state of turmoil, Phil. He carried immense pain and regret, burdened by the choices he made in life."
Philza's eyes widened in shock, his hands trembling slightly. "I had no idea it had come to that. I should have visited him more, he sent me letter Y'know. Telling me about these grand adventures he was having.. he lied to me." his voice trailed off, a mixture of guilt and sadness enveloping his words.
I reached out and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Phil, you couldn't have known. Sometimes, even our best efforts are not enough to shield our loved ones from the darkness they face within themselves."
Phil looked up at me, with a straight face, "You'd know about that wouldn't you?"
My eyes widened and I backed up, what did he just say? When had I gotten so close to him. I shook my head and there he was, looking at the floor.
Tears welled up in Philza's eyes, a deep sorrow emanating from his being. "I never wanted this for him. I wanted him to find happiness, to be independent and find out who he was. How did it come to this?"
Did he just, was it a trick of the light? And I imagined it? I recounted the conversation I had with Wilbur in the afterlife, sharing the struggles he faced, the weight of his actions, and the deep longing for forgiveness. Phil listened intently, his emotions shifting from shock to sorrow as he absorbed the magnitude of his son's pain.
As my words settled in the air, silence enveloped the room. The creaking wooden floors seemed to echo the crack in Philza's heart, a testament to the immense burden he carried as a father.
Finally, Philza spoke, his voice filled with a mixture of anguish and determination. "I failed him, Thanatos. I failed to protect him and guide him onto a better path. He needed me and I wasn't there. And now it's too late."
I clasped his hand firmly, offering support and understanding. "Phil, it's never too late. You have the chance to make a difference now, I can bring you to him, and you can talk to him and offer him your understanding. Wilbur needs to know that he is not alone. That he is going to be ok. And that he has someone who believes in his capacity for redemption. I spoke to him, and he had a message for you, he wanted to know that he was sorry, and that he loves you."
A flicker of determination sparked in Phil's eyes, the fire within him reigniting. "You're right, I won't let him face this darkness alone. Thank you for this, you'd really let me speak to him? Wouldn't it take too much of your energy?"
We spent the rest of the evening discussing things, ways to help Wilbur. Phil would tell me stories about the boy's childhood, when he learned to play the guitar or when he explored the forest by himself and ended up trapped in a bunch of vines. Philza's love for his son shone through, his resolve unyielding in the face of adversity.
As the night wore on, a sense of purpose settled upon us, intertwining our paths in a shared mission. We could do this, we could help Wilbur, and in turn, that would help Phil, he would feel better, he would regain the spark in his eyes, and I would do my best to help him.
Phil offered a spare room, even though the house was unfinished, there was a nearby safe spot to stay the night, and he implored me to stay after the long journey. He offered to introduce me to the city, and I accepted.
Yet I couldn't stop myself from feeling some guilt, was I meant to be doing this? What was Technoblade doing? Did he think that I betray him like others did before by coming to the nation that he tried to destroy?
No that wasn't logical, you could only be betrayed by friends, and we weren't friends, more like, roommates, or a tenant and a landlord.
I strapped my mask back to my face and followed Phil's out the door, he wiped his tear stained face on his sleeves and led me to a nearby building.