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Phil didn’t remember when he had first sensed her presence come into his realm. It was cool and pleasant, unlike the summer air that twisted around him, suffocatingly so. Curious, he went to investigate this new energy that had caught his attention.
Maybe he should have just minded his own business. Because what he saw next not only garnered his attention, but ensnared his heart in the sticky webs of love.
The most beautiful woman he had ever seen was gazing around lazily at her new surroundings. All the flowers around her had wilted, but she didn’t seem to mind. Phil didn’t either, because surely the flowers had wilted because they could not stand to live in a world, much less in close proximity to, a being that far outpaced their beauty.
And Phil heard a click.
Phil had been in love before, he thought. Back when he was a younger god and new to the world. But that had been when he was younger, and he had soon realized that that wasn’t really love. Those had all ended quickly, flings that only led to disaster and sadness.
But this. Phil felt that this could last forever, whatever this was.
So he approached the woman.
She was dressed in all black, from her high heels to her large sun hat. The black clothing was in stark contrast to her porcelain skin, and she almost resembled some dolls that Phil had seen a craftsman making just a few weeks prior.
“Hullo there!” he greeted cheerfully, and extended his hand out in greeting. His heart was beating out of his chest, and he pressed his other hand to it in an attempt to calm it down.
The lady draped her cold hand into his, which he was not expecting, but, not wasting this opportunity, he lifted it to his lips and laid a kiss on her soft skin.
“I am Philza, the God of Life. And you, my fair lady, are…?” he trailed off, meeting her dark chocolate brown eyes, a question contained within his green ones.
“I am Death,” she replied simply.
Phil tilted his head a bit, examining the woman again now that he knew she was his exact opposite. Maybe he should have seen it coming, with all the black clothing, similar to what the mortals wore to funerals.
But...but she seemed too--too tame to be something as hard and unforgiving as death.
Now Phil was just confusing himself.
How about he actually spend some time with her before he jumped to conclusions and made assumptions?
“Well, it’s nice to see you in the mortal realm, Death. Would you care for a tour of my domain?” he asked.
She nodded absentmindedly and asked, “Why do you call yourself Philza? You are the God of Life, are you not? Why not just call yourself Life?”
Phil chuckled. “Well, it’s the name the mortals gave me--I’m quite fond of them you know--and I’ve just...I don’t know, it feels nice to be more connected with them.”
“Interesting,” was all she replied with.
Phil, always trying to be a gentleman, offered her his arm. She just looked at him strangely.
“You can hold onto my arm...i-if you want to, so I can lead you around i-if you want to,” he stuttered, flushing slightly.
The slight movement of her shoulders was the only indication that she had heard him, and then her arms slipped around his own. His heart skipped a beat. He would like to blame it on the fact that she was Death and he was Life, but, as he had already established, he was in love. He figured there would be a lot more skipping hearts to come.
With a woosh, Phil’s wings unfurled around him, a beautiful jade green, and as easily as if he was made of the very wind itself, he lifted them both into the air.
Death had no problem following, her added weight barely noticeable on Phil’s arm. Together they ascended almost up to the clouds, the tepid summer air cooling down around them. Now they overlooked Phil’s domain, and Phil knew that both of them would be able to see everything. Lovingly, he pointed out his favorite aspects of the mortal realm, all the beauties it contained.
“Looking at it like this is nothing compared to seeing it up close though,” Phil remarked, and with a playful laugh he sent them spiraling back towards the ground. The only sign that Death was taken off guard by the sudden dive was the slight tightening of her arms around his. He relished the contact.
“This your first time in the mortal realm? I’m not sure I’ve come across you here before my lady,” Phil remarked as they plummeted toward the ground.
“Yes, this is my first time in this realm. I normally stick to my own,” she said.
“Understandable. I rarely visit the realms of Chaos and The Beyond. My realm is just so much better suited to me ; you get it--” Phil said, spreading his wings out again to catch the wind and stop their abrupt descent. He gently deposited Death on the grass of their new location, his sandaled feet soon following to rest on top of the green blades. “Because isn’t this so much better than the literal hellscapes that their realms are?” He swept a hand out in front of him, encompassing all that now surrounded them.
A roaring waterfall cascaded down the side of a rocky cliff face and splashed into a crystal clear pool of water. Vines twisted down the saw rock face, glittering droplets of water hanging off of their waxy leaves. Occasionally one’s burden would grow too great and they would buckle under the weight of the water, dropping its contents into the pool below. Surrounding the small pool were willow trees, their branches extending out over the water and trailing their leaves in it.
“”Do you like it? It is quite the beautiful sight is it not, my lady?” Phil asked, gazing at the beautiful water.
Death gazed with half-lidded eyes at their new surroundings, seemingly uninterested by their new location.
“Does...does it not please you, Death?” Phil said, noticing her expression and unable to stop his concern from slipping off his tongue.
“I’m sure it’s very beautiful, Life, but seeing as I come from the Realm of the Dead, it may take some time for me to adjust to seeing this new environment,” she explained. “And speaking of the Realm of the Dead, this visit has been splendid but I must return to my duties for the time being.”
Death turned to Phil.
“I shall come another time however, and I’m hoping that you will show me more of the...beauties of your realm. I find it quite interesting.”
And with the woosh of her gossamer dress, she disappeared.
Phil sighed. What a woman.
The next time he sensed her presence in his realm, he was tending to his duties in one of the many, many , villages that dotted the surrounding territory.
Excusing himself from the villagers, he let his wings carry him to where she was waiting for him.
“Life.”
“Death.”
“What do you wish to show me today?” Death asked, already reaching for him arm. It’s like they already had a routine.
“I was just doing my duties in a nearby village, so maybe we could visit there while I finish up,” Phil suggested, already taking to the skies as to retrace his steps (wing flaps?) back to the village.
He touched down just outside the village, his wings sending great big clouds of dust up into the air. The villagers that were standing near him held onto their sun hats as the dust died down and Phil’s wings returned to his back in neatly curled waves.
“Hail, Philza, God of Life,” one of the farmers said, bowing before him. The rest of the farmers followed him.
“Hail, villagers of this fine village. I’m here today to finish up my duties with my companion, Death. Isn’t milady lovely?” He asked, unable to help himself.
The villagers looked at Death with badly masked fear, but nodded nonetheless. Phil laughed, a tad embarrassed for some reason.
He set about finishing up his work for the day, making sure that all the crops were growing as well as they should, making sure all the little ones in the village were doing all right, and making sure that Death was enjoying herself.
He couldn’t quite gauge if she was or not; she didn’t show any hint of emotion other than the occasionally dim twinkle in her eye, though Phil honestly couldn’t tell if it was from merriment or from something much darker.
He really hoped it wasn’t the latter.
It was growing dusk and the villagers had set something up in the square. Always a man (god) of the people, Phil decided that he would check it out, and Death trailed behind.
Turns out it was for a dance, lanterns decorating the outer edges of the square and casting their joyful light into the center of it. The musicians were already playing a merry tune, and children and adults alike were dancing merrily to the music.
The children immediately pulled Phil into the fray, giggling with excitement as they had Life join their festivities. The braver children pulled Death in as well, and Phil gave her a half-sympathetic, half-“well what can you do” look.
It seemed as though Phil danced with every member of the village before he finally clasped hands with Death in a fanciful jig.
“Sorry you got pulled into this, but it’s exciting, no? I think they’re celebrating life, well, Life, me, I guess. Pity they aren’t doing the same for you milady,” Phil said, a tad breathless and flushed from all the merriment.
“Well, most humans don’t take kindly to me and my domain,” Death said, and Phil thought he detected a bit of sadness in her tone.
“Well, I certainly don’t. What is Life without Death? We, ahem , we need each other, as weird as it sounds, or the world would crumble,” Phil said, and flushed even more.
“Yes, I agree. While I don’t give life as you do, I give new opportunities. I allow new stories, for without death, the world would be stagnant. Without death, there would be no change.”
“I agree wholeheartedly,” Phil said, and their dance stopped as the music came to a thrilling end.
He stood there, his fingers intertwined with Death’s, staring into her dark eyes as he caught his breath.
He thought he saw something there again, but maybe not.
The third time Death came to visit the human realm, Phil was prepared for her. He flew to her quickly and offered her his arm as always, and then they flew off.
“Today, we’re going to be looking at more water. But more interesting water this time; you’ll see. And I feel like going for a bit of a swim, don’t you?”
Death gave Phil a look, but didn’t say anything as they soared through the clouds together.
“Here we gooooo!” Phil cried, and tucked his wings into a dive, making sure that Death was protected against the wind.
The night air, for it was night, whistled past his ears and slipped as easily as quicksilver through his feathers. He relished in the feeling of it, of that feeling of freedom that coursed through his veins just as much as ichor did.
Then the feeling came to an end as he dropped to the ground just outside the entrance to a cave.
“Well, this is it,” Phil said, and with a twirling of his feathers his green robes became just shorts suitable for swimming.
With the whispering of voices unknown and the weaving of shadows, Death’s floor length dress became a simple black one-piece swimsuit. It was simple, and yet it was the most beautiful thing that Phil had ever seen.
“I think a swim would be nice,” Death said simply, and without another word, Phil turned to enter the cave. Maybe the darkness of the cave would cool him off.
After only a few moments of walking, Phil began to see the glow that he knew would be there. They turned the corner, and the pool of water that Phil wanted to show Death could be seen.
It glowed a beautiful purple color, lit up by the magic that seeped into the human realm and aided by bioluminescent creatures that were too small to be seen.
Phil tossed Death a playful smile, and grabbed her arm. With his now bare feet slapping against the cool stone, he leaped into the pool with a large splash, bringing Death with him.
He cackled when he saw Death’s shocked expression emerge above the water.
“She finally shows emotion!” He cried in feigned surprise, but he was happy that her face had displayed something other than indifference.
Her mouth changed from open surprise to a thin line of determination, and with a movement of her arms, a whole wave of water caught Phil square in the face.
“Oh that’s how you want to play it!” He exclaimed, and his wings unfurled with a mighty vwooosh!
A look of regret crossed Death’s face right before she was carried away by the tidal wave that was created by one flap of Phil’s water-laden wings.
He laughed crazily, treading water and holding his sides.
And then the strangest thing happened.
Another laugh joined his own, a high one like the ringing of sweet bells.
Instantly his own laughter died off and he stared at Death, her head thrown back with uncontained mirth and water dripping off her sleek dark hair..
Phil’s heart filled to the brim with something warm and indescribable. Seeing her laugh was by far the most prettiest sight that he had seen yet.
When Death noticed his gaze she instantly stopped laughing, and it sads ended Phil.
“You have a beautiful laugh. You should express it more often,” Phil complimented softly, his wings stirring up currents in the water around him.
His jesting mood passing, Phil leaned back in the water, cupping his wings around himself to form a sort of self-made boat. Content to leave Death to her own devices for a while, Phil stared peacefully at the ceiling not too far above.
But Death had other ideas.
Swimming over to him through the water, she rested her arms on his wings, trusting in their strength as she brought her upper torso out of the water.
“You really think my laugh is beautiful?” She questioned, and Phil nodded. “How can a sound be beautiful? Isn’t that reservered more for sights?”
Phil was reminded of just how little Death knew about mortal culture.
“Yes, normally it is used to describe sights, but if you get the same feeling listening to something as seeing a beautiful sight, doesn’t it constitute the same label?” Phil pointed out.
“Your voice is beautiful then,” Death said nonchalantly.
Phil nearly spit out non-existent water. Sure, many people had complimented his voice before, had worshipped the very ground he walked on, but it was just so many times more infinitely different when Death complimented him.
He instead opted to nearly give himself whiplash looking at her.
“Uhhhhh, t-t-thanks,” he stuttered.
“You seem...flustered. Is this not a normal exchange?” Death asked curiously.
“Well, n-no—You know what I’ll explain it to you at a later date,” Phil sighed.
“Well you seem perfectly okay with exchanging the same words with me,” Death says, still sounding confused.
“That’s—“ Phil laughed nervously, “—Like I said I’ll explain it later.”
Death looks at him for a moment more, then nodded and slipped back into the water.
The fourth time Death visited it was night again, and they were actually within walking distance of Phil’s desired destination. He took her by the hand and led her across sandy dunes, using his wings to protect her from any sand that would blow in their faces.
Once they reached a flat enough area, Phil gently guided them both into a lying down position.
The night sky was cloudy, but as Phil and Death laid there in content silence, the wind carried away the clouds and showed them a most beautiful sight.
The stars high above twinkled down at them, and it seemed as though entire galaxies were laid out for their enjoyment. Phil was reminded of the twinkle that sometimes appeared in Death’s eye, and it brought a smile to his face.
“I told you I would show you the wonders of this realm. Whether it is out in the forests, hidden in caves, or in some dusty desert, beauty can be found everywhere.” He glanced over at Death. “Even in people.”
“I think I’ve found beauty in someone,” she whispered.
“Oh really?” Phil said, suddenly breathless.
“Yes. Your wings are...stunning, Phil,” Death said, and Phil was pretty sure it was the first time she had used his human name.
“Oh...well I’ve also found beauty in someone,” he whispered, even though they were the only two out there.
“Really? Who is it?” Death asked with what sounded like genuine curiosity.
“I’m not telling~” Phil trilled softly. “It’s a seeecret.”
Phil kept his gaze fixed on the stars above, reveling in their beauty and majesty even though he had seen them a thousand times before.
“Phil, tomorrow I want you to tell me all the secrets you’re keeping,” Death said.
Phil was taken aback by the request.
“A strange demand…Is there any reason for this request?” He asked.
“Not really. Well, there is a reason, but it’s a seeeecret,” Death said, mimicking Phil’s lilt from moments before.
“Haha...well, I shall fulfill your request with joy, milady,” Phil said, but his heart was in his throat.
This would be his opportunity.
His opportunity to tell her how he felt.
Phil stared up at the stars and began rehearsing what he would say.
Phil was ready when Death appeared for the fifth time in his realm. He knew what he had to say, and he had rehearsed it a million times.
But first, he had promised her a beautiful sight.
So, with a wicker basket hanging in the cook of his elbow, he took her away to a fifth location.
Just outside the outskirts of one of the villages was a field, and that field was dotted in swaths of beautiful flowers. Soon, these flowers would be clipped and sold to other villages as part of this regions dye trade, but Death had come during the week where the flowers were not to be picked.
When he touched down amongst the flowers the villagers who had also chosen this day as a day of relaxation said their respectful “hello’s”, and he nodded in return. He didn’t ask anything of them, they didn’t ask anything of him, they continued on with their days separately, but with the awareness that a god and his worshippers always had.
Off the top of his basket Phil pulled a checkered blanket, laying it out on the bit of clear ground he had found with a flick of his wrists. He set the basket down on one corner of the blanket, and began unloading its contents.
He set before them both a full-course meal, with glistening berries, lovely fresh bread, some very nice meat that Phil had receive from a kind butcher, and an amazing cherry pie that a baker had insisted he take.
“I thought gods didn’t need to eat,” Death said, sliding onto the blanket and examining the food.
“We don’t, but sometimes it is nice to eat something and feel a bit more like the humans we serve,” Phil explained. “And speaking of humans, I think now would be a good time to educate you that little bit more on human culture.”
The wind danced through the trees and played with Phil’s braids, then combed through Death’s straight raven hair as they began their meal. Bees buzzed around them, carrying their pollen to flowers all over the field, on an agenda that only Phil, being the God of Life, would understand. The wind also carried the lovely scent of the flowers to them, and the scent calmed Phil’s soul and made him feel all the more at ease.
Between the parts of their meal Phil would explain various aspects of human life that Death had yet to fully grasp, explaining things that he knew fundamentally but that he realized were not common knowledge to beings not of his realm.
After the had finished their delicious meal, they sat and just admired the beautiful day that wrapped around them like a glistening golden ribbon, enveloping them in its warmth and goodness.
“There’s one more place I’d like to go to today,” Phil said, leaning back on his hands. “And that is where I will fulfill your request.”
“Then, by all means,” Death said, standing up and off of the blanket. Phil did so as well, and before he could begin to take care of things the normal way, a murder of crows descended upon them.
Phil looked on in surprise as they somehow packed up everything and returned it neat and tidy into his basket.
“Was that—?” He turned to Death to see her smiling.
“I have to have some helpers while I’m in this realm, don’t I?” Death said, her mouth quirked almost playfully. “A woman needs her helpers.”
Phil opened his mouth to say something, to ask why she had chosen to tag along with him when she could have used her crows to bring her places, but decided not to question it.
“Well then. I guess we’ll get going,” he said, lifting the basket back onto his arm and offering his free one to Death.
An offer, renewed, and given new meaning.
She took it.
He brought them to a place he thought he would never show anyone, that he thought would stay hidden and secret until the day he faded from the earth.
His home.
It was a simple, humble home really, just a log cabin tucked away in the snowy tundra with a couple protective barriers thrown up around it to keep pretty much everyone out, but it was the place he felt most safe. He would always return here after his long stays in various other parts of the world, because it was just so serene and peaceful out here in the snow.
Death looked at the fuzzy motes falling from the sky with interest, attempting to catch one in her hands. Phil was surprised when instead of melting, the snowflake decided that it liked her hand. Maybe he should have seen it coming with how cold she felt all the time.
“Let’s head inside, shall we?” Phil suggested, already treading through the piling drifts to his front door.
He held it open for Death, letting them both into the warmth of his house.
Death made herself at home, sliding into a seat by the big window that overlooked the frozen plains. Phil, not planning on ever welcoming a second presence into his home, simply conjured up another chair, the wood twisting out of his already wooden floor and forming itself into a sturdy armchair.
Together they looked out into the snowstorm, neither speaking for a time, content with each other’s company. Then Death spoke up.
“There’s one thing about humans that I still do not get. What is this…this ‘ love ’ that they seem so fascinated with?”
Phil nearly had a heart attack at the mention of ‘love’.
Well that had thrown a wrench in his carefully thought out plans.
“Ummmm,” he trailed, eyes darting everywhere but at Death. Then he got a grip on himself. He was Life, for Prime’s sake—just tell her!
Filled with a sudden calm, Phil said, “Love...how to describe love...Love is finding beauty within another, past their outward appearance. Love is a rush, and it fills you to the brim every time you look upon someone you love. Love is accepting someone for who they are, were, and will be, and saying that you’ll be there with them every step of the journey that is their life.” He turned to Death then, staring into her dark eyes that contained galaxies if you only looked closer. “Love is strange, and it’s wild, and you never know that it’s coming. But… if you find that special someone, and you just...click...then life becomes so much more than seeing another day. It becomes seeing another day, with them. ”
I have seen countless days and thought that I clicked with many mortals, but those were all dull sounds. But when I saw you, Death,” Phil sucked in a breath, terrified of the words coming out of his mouth but calm at the same time, “I heard a loud, resounding click .”
On your last visit you asked me who I found beauty in and I said it was a secret. Well it’s not anymore, because it was you. Yes, I know we’re opposites in the eyes of mortals, but it’s almost as if we are the same being . What I create always destroys, and life can only end in death, with you . There can be no Life without Death.”
So here it is Death, the last big secret that I didn’t tell you. It’s you. You are my love.”
Phil released a shuddering breath at the end of the baring of his very soul.
And Death looked at him with eyes that contained universes.
“I think…” she began, her eyes not straying from Phil’s for a moment. “I think that I clicked with you too.”
Phil’s heart skipped a beat, but Death was continuing on.
“My heart is so overflowing with things I can never express when I’m with you, and—and of all the souls that I have weighed and seen over my eons of existence, yours has to be the most... beautiful that I have ever had the—the honor of witnessing,” Death said, her eyes shining and her demeanor more excited and energized than Phil had ever seen it.
“You...I love you,” Phil whispered .
And it was true.
It had only taken him five days to say it.
They moved closer to each other, completely disregarding the chairs so they could hold each other. Death’s cool hands cupped Phil’s cheeks, and he grabbed her wrists to lean into her touch.
“Give me a human name, Phil, I want a human name. I want to be more connected to them, and to you,” Death whispered.
“I’ll give you one then,” Phil breathed, his eyes only on her. What name could encompass all of her, all of her glory and majesty and beauty? He uttered the first name that came to mind.
“Kristin.”
In the days to come they would learn to know each other, more than they already had. Touches were cherished, hands were held, stories were told in the dark of night time.
Kristin love his wings, and Phil loved her eyes.
So lovingly, Kristin combed her fingers through each and every one of his feathers, and with her touch inky blackness trailed across them.
He held her face in his hands and brushed his fingers over her eyelids, and when she opened them they were a magnificent forest green. Still, they held galaxies deep within if only one looked hard enough.
He had black wings, and was hers.
She had green eyes, and was his.