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Philza was replacing the steps on the Quartress again. The spiraling staircase bothered him. Everytime he shifted the way they built up, he liked it for a few weeks before growing annoyed. The Blaze Empress’s eyes burned into his back, observing his work.
“You can leave it as it is, you know. Constantly going back and changing the structure warps the mind. It’s going to drive you insane.”
Phil glanced at the Empress. “No can do. Everytime I glance at it, I see something wrong.”
While most would have been burned immediately upon disagreement with the former ruler of the nether, Phil earned a chuckle. They had long since passed formalities of unknown acquaintances, having shared enough battles and chats no man nor god should ever have to.
“Philza, with all due respect, you are the biggest perfectionist I have ever met.” The Empress meant no harm in the comment, Phil knew that. Still, he faked offense, knowing his old friend needed banter to stay sane in the void.
“I’m no perfectionist, I simply want things to look…” Phil trailed off, realizing his wording was a mistake.
The Empress raised an eyebrow. “To look perfect? Phil, that is the definition of a perfectionist.”
Phil opened another shulker. “I simply want your dwelling to look nice. Is that so much to ask?”
“Of course not. However, there’s only so many changes one man can make before he goes mad.”
“I’ll never go mad with you keeping me as an errand boy.” Phil joked. He regretted it when the Empress’s face turned dark. “I didn’t mean it that way. I promise. If you need supplies from the overworld or nether, I can get them for you. It’s not a problem.”
Ever since the war with the End King, where the Blaze Empress had been trapped in her void, she had tasked Phil with bringing objects from different parts of the nether and overworld to her. During the first few years, Phil was forced to see her in a depressive state, unable to eat or move without his prompting. The last few hundred years had been better, as she had come to accept her fate. Phil had been looking for ways to release her; allow her to once again take her rightful place as ruler of the Nether. However, very few people ventured to the hellscape. Even fewer lived to chronicle their adventures. He was forced to do his own research. He would though, for as long as it took. He made his promise to free her.
The Blaze Empress sighed. “I’m aware, Phil. But seeing objects from the places I’m unable to go to pains me. It’s quite lonely. Even after all these years, the loss of He and She still sting.”
Phil remembered the day He and She died. They had fought hard, and kept fighting until their last breath. Both Phil and the Empress had mourned in the midst of battle, taking their fury out on the End King’s army. It was after that particular battle was over they saw their faces in the lava, forever together in the burning sea. It brought comfort and pain to the two, knowing their friends were gone yet together still.
Phil bit his nail. “I know I’m not much fun, but I always come back to visit. Fix up the place. I do hope you enjoy my company.”
The Empress smiled, a genuine smile reserved for small moments between them. “I would have been long gone by now without you, Philza. I am forever grateful for everything you do. We may not have lavish parties like the Ocean Overlord, but our time here is joyful.”
“Lavish parties? That I wasn’t invited to? Now that’s just unfair.”
Phil’s heart stopped. He hadn’t heard that voice in years. He could never forget it, that he was sure of. But he missed its song.
“Well, this is quite the surprise.” Phil registered the blaze empresses saying as he slowly turned.
There, on a red shulker, sat Death herself. Her dark hair mixed with the black wisps not so different from the particles endermen gave off. Her nails tapped the edge of the box, seeping the ink into the shulker, changing the bright red to a midnight black.
“Has it gotten bigger in here since I last visited?” She asked no one in particular. Her eyes locked onto Phil’s, sending a chill straight through him. The crows began to stir, feeling his pulse race. They were finally beginning to notice the new presence in the room.
Phil heard the blaze empress respond. “You know how Phil is with his builds. It’s never good enough. There’s always room for improvement.”
“Kristin.” Phil breathed out quietly.
Death laughed. Phil nearly cried due to the sweet sound. “Look at that, Empress, he remembers me!”
“Mumza!” A single crow called out. A chain reaction went off. “MUMZA IS BACK! MUMZA! KRISTIN! POCKET MONEY! MUMZA POG! MUMZA SUPREMACY!”
The crows flurried around Kristin, making her cackle. “Awwww, did you miss me, chat? Really Phil, are you gonna stand there and stare?”
Phil was indeed going to stand and stare. Solely because he couldn’t process Kristin was here and in front of him and he was looking right at her.
He heard heels clack on the floor behind him. “I’ll give you two some peace and quiet. Chat, with me.”
Chat whined but obediently followed. “Not pog. This is unfair. MEANZA! Sadge.”
Two two adults were left behind. Phil was shocked at the silence. Chat usually kept some kind of buzz if he wasn’t with one of the residents of the world. With them gone for once, the quiet filled the room, emphasizing the two as the only occupants.
“Well,” Kristin hopped off the shulker. “Are you not going to greet your wife? Where are your manners, Phil?”
Phil blinked. “Hi Kristin.”
Kristin sighed affectionately. “It doesn’t matter how much time passes, you still won’t know how to greet Death.”
Phil stepped forward, raising a hand to Kristin’s face. She leaned into his hand, closing her eyes. He had forgotten how soft her hair was. He’d long ago memorized every line on her face, but seeing her up close jogged his memory again. “You came back.”
She raised her hand to his face, mirroring him. “I tell you every single time, I always will.”
He felt an unknown emotion rise up. She was right. At every hello and every goodbye, she told him those exact words. She kept to them, of course she would. But just as he lost count of the years he’s been alive, he’s forgotten how many times he’s heard those same words.
“I know, but it’s been-“ Phil felt a hand cover his mouth, cutting off his sentence.
“I know.” Kristin sounded pained. “Trust me, I know. But i’m here now, that’s what matters.”
She was right. He should be grateful. But just as The Blaze Empress missed the warmth of the Nether, he missed the sight of Kristin.
Time’s weren’t how they were before humans came to be. Death existed, of course it did. Animals and plants died everyday. But they didn’t go anywhere. Kristin had no reason to exist when she was yet a concept. Until the day Prime sent a man to learn to live. One that could die, but refused to.
Philza didn’t quite remember how he came to be. He remembered something to do with Prime, how they wanted someone to know history. He supposed he was the “model” for what humans are now. Who knew. But he did know that soon after he came, so did Death.
They were fast friends, the two being alone on the empty green world. They learned to build and create and adventure.
Kristin later told him she realized it one night building a house. She was thinking about herself, who she was, what she represented. She realized she wouldn’t be alive if not for his existence. So she created a new concept she called love.
She kept it secret, scared of this new phenomenon and what it entailed. What they had was good, and she couldn’t change anything. Their days discovering and building were to go uninterrupted.
Philza realized it one night around a fire. Kristin had just begun her work as death. A human had died for the first time, and she no longer had to wait for his demise. The deaths of humans were low and spaced out. Barely any littered the planet. It was taxing on Kristin though, mentally and physically. They both needed a break.
Her head rested on his shoulder, hair tickling his cheek. He could feel himself falling asleep, the fire casting enough light to keep monsters at bay. Kristin didn’t need sleep, but she enjoyed the feeling.
Philza woke up to see Kristin. His entire surroundings were a dull fade, but right in front of him he saw her face clear as day. And Philza had seen the world, see all the flowers and animals and biomes. Nothing could compare to her, though.
He told her what he thought that very day. She told him about her love. And neither knew what to do. They had no one to ask. So they did what they would do forever, and worked together. They kept building and creating and destroying and creating again in a never ending cycle of them.
But slowly, more and more humans joined the worlds, and Kristin had to leave for a longer and longer time. Phil went days, then weeks, then years without seeing her. Their projects turned into his projects. His adventures no longer brought joy if he was without a partner. He wandered, looking for somewhere, or someone to share an adventure with as he waited for Kristin to return to him.
That was how he met the Blaze Empress and joined her army, rising through the ranks and becoming a commander and friend to her. When she became trapped in the void, he was the only one to understand her loneliness. He knew what it felt like to have your sense of adventure, to have your reason for living, leave you in a slow leak.
Everytime Kristin returned, he felt the emptiness fill. He could feel it now, just seeing her in front of him. He would treasure the few days he had with her, not knowing how long he would go without her after she left.
“Show me around.” She said, pulling him from his dark thoughts. “Let me see what you’ve been up to.”
He led her around each of his builds, showing her the updates since she had last visited. Some were small, such as his overworld house. Others were large, namely the flooded end. He saved his newest project for last.
They landed on the edge of the glass wall. Phil swept his arm outward. “And for our final stop, the ocean monument. It’s taken me quite some time to take it apart and rebuild it, but I think it’s coming along quite well.”
The view was breathtaking. Grass covered what was previously rocks and sand, water surrounded the temple in an inescapable wall. If anything were to puncture it, the sea outside would come crashing in.
“How did you get the Ocean Overlord to allow you to do this? Surely he would want to protect his temples.” Kristin asked, gazing at the landscape.
Phil scoffed. “I just have to promise to get him any items from land, which is something I already do. Plus, it’s only one compared to the hundreds of other temples. It’ll be fine.”
Silence filled the air. He was happier than he had been for quite some time. There wasn’t a drug in the world that could give him the same feeling he had now. However, all good things must come to an end. Sometimes, sooner than later.
“Phil, I did come to see you, but there’s a reason I’m here.”
Phil felt a sliver of worry burrow in his chest. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, I promise. I just- oh Phil. It’s Wilbur.” Kristin held his hand.
Phil was confused. The last he heard from Will, he was starting up a new country. His son seemed to be doing amazingly. Surely if something was wrong, he would be informed. If not by Wilbur, then by Technoblade. His friend had left to help his son a bit ago, but he didn’t know much of what happened after.
“What’s wrong with Will? Is he okay?” Philza asked.
Kristin shook her head. “I can’t say much for him physically, but Phil, he’s lost two of his lives.”
Phil couldn’t breathe. There was no way. No matter how weak Wilbur was. No matter how unprepared, he had never lost a life living in Phil’s world. But now he’s gone off and lost two in such a short amount of time.
Wilbur was always a lover, not a fighter. He wrote songs when other children mastered the art of the sword. Archery had peaked his interest at one point, but only enough that he could protect himself. Phil was proud no matter what, but he wished now that he had pushed his son to put down his guitar and pick up a weapon. Technoblade had even offered to train him. Wilbur could be the best fighter out there if he would have listened.
“How did this happen? When?” Phil wasn’t even sure if he was asking the right questions, but he had to know what happened.
“The first life was lost to a sword.” Kristin explained. “The second was an arrow. Both by a man on his server. Tommy has lost two as well.”
That threw him for a loop. He remembered the kid Wilbur had pretty much taken in as his little brother. The two showed up one day with Wilbur claiming Tommy was now his brother. Phil wasn’t in the mood for another child, and figured Will would take the kid back to wherever he’d found him. But no, Tommy stuck around. Loud and destructive, he was definitely more violent than Wilbur. To hear he lost as many lives as Wilbur was even more worrying.
“What the hell is going on over there?” He questioned.
“I have no clue. But it’s worrying me. That’s why I wanted to warn you. I know how much Wilbur means to you.”
Phil knew he had to leave for Will. Even if only to check up on him. Sure, everything could be okay, but deep down he knew something was terribly wrong.
“Thank you for telling me. I’ll leave in a few days. I want to spend the time I can with you.” He brushed her hair back, pushing the worries to the side for now.
Kristin rolled her eyes. “Your son could die and all you focus on is me. Do I be flattered or exasperated?”
“Both.” Phil joked. They laughed, admiring the rebuilt ocean monument. For a moment, they could forget about any problems.
“You play a dangerous game, Philza.” The Blaze Empress commented, watching him pack his bags.
“How is it dangerous to help my son?” Phil asked. He was genuinely curious. He had spent what time he could with Kristin, and now he had to go. Wilbur was in trouble. Despite his letters being positive, there was trouble. Will wasn’t telling him something. He would leave tomorrow morning and hopefully arrive within the next few days. His invitation Will sent from weeks ago was still intact. He would have no trouble getting to his son.
The Empress still frowned. “You’re not understanding. It’s not the journey, it’s what awaits you. The owner of that server is dangerous. He will go to lengths I couldn’t even imagine to keep order. Our world is much different than his, and I fear for you once you get there.”
Phil had to process her final sentence. She feared for him. Never before had she been worried for his safety. Perhaps when he had fought the rogue dragon, but she had been confident he would win. At this moment, she seemed nervous.
“Tell me,” He began. “What could possibly be so horrible about this person that you fear for my life.”
“The admin of that server has secrets even I don’t know. I won’t be able to help you there. Just...be careful. Please.”
Phil paused. The Empress rarely aided him, knowing full well Phil could take care of himself. “I’ll be fine, when have I ever not been? And it’s Will, he has Technoblade with him. I don’t know how he lost his two lives, but I’ll find out once I get there.”
“What if you don’t like what you see? What if your son isn’t the man you thought he was? What will you do?” The Empress pressed.
Philza thought. He had never been in this situation before. Wilbur had always been quiet growing up, never learning the survival skills Phil had tried to teach him. His main worry right now was Wilbur had died twice due to a lack of skill. If his death was on Phil, he didn’t think he could ever forgive himself.
“I’ll do whatever a father needs to.” He answered simply.
The Empress nodded. “I hope, for your sake, you’re not too late.”
The Blaze Empress was too weak to tell him he had already failed.