Chapter Text
A moment is all he gets before he forgets when he wakes up.
The cold he feels on the tips of his fingers melts into warmth. his chest tightens, sizzles in the uncomfortable heat for just a second. He takes a shaky breath in, a name sits heavy on his mouth, swallowed back by the sudden heaviness in his head. the scenery he sees of white, snow somehow becomes a blurry mess and there are hints of red and pink before-
Phil blinks, shuddering a breath out as he shivers slightly. He blinks a couple more times, as he adjusts to his real surroundings, rubbing his eyes slightly.
He is inside his tent, on a hill in the plains by a forest.
Phil sighs, rubbing his hands slightly. The familiar itch makes itself known in his head, where it feels like he had forgotten something important. The feeling of being lost isn't something he really likes, even with the many years he woke up like this, Phil just can't get used to it entirely.
Just as he steps out of the tent, he notices the soft peached color of the sky. Phil turns to look over at the sunrise, the light illuminating the tall grass blades beneath the hill, the top of the trees of the forest nearby. Phil hums at the nice sight, squinting his eyes and basking in, bringing his arms up and stretching.
He spreads his wings, flapping them slightly and sighs as he takes a look over the slightly ruffled up feathers. He sighs at it, watching a feather fall down.
Preening them would be best after some breakfast, phil runs a finger through his hair as he turns back to the sunset. a sensation lingering on the back of his mind, and it makes phil wonder.
if his soulmate is watching the sunrise as well.
Phil had always known about soulmates, that they are your other half, your equal, your bestfriend in everything. They could be your partner, friend or even family.
He had learned more from his caretaker when he was a kid, when she’d tell him all about the Dreams.
“When you sleep, you Dream, right?” phil nods, tilting his head at her cheeky expression. “What do you Dream of, phil?” she asks, and phil smiles as he stretches his little wings behind him. “Flying!” the excitement is obvious on his face, and it makes her smile widely.
She pats his head, and phil immediately frowns as he moves his bangs away from his eyes. “Well, when you grow up, your Dreams will change.” she kneels down in front of him and holds out her hands, phil looks down at her hands and reaches over to hold them.
“You begin to share a Dreamland with your soulmate, that's where you meet them.” she continues, then she squeezes his hands slightly, “You will always forget your Dreams with them, until the day you are fated to meet you will remember.”
“...what? But how will i know that i met my soulmate in my Dreams?” phil-slightly-panics, boggled slightly. He never heard about forgetting, only Dreaming. His caretaker smiles reassuringly, “You might not remember, but your heart will. Emotions stay longer than memories, you will wake up feeling happy.” she pokes at his chest, and phil giggles before he bites his lip as he ponders slightly.
Phil pouts, a bit confused, he narrows his eyes. “how can i know that I found my soulmate then?”
She giggles slightly, taking a hand out to boop his nose and standing up again. “You just do.”
It isn't until he is much older, that he started sharing a Dreamland with his soulmate.
It was dizzying at first, he felt like he was going to be sick when he woke up the first time with a whirl of emotions and feeling like his soul was sucked out of his body for a minute. Apparently it was the norm, for it to be overwhelming the first time.
A good overwhelming, everyone around him says, but Phil woke up feeling panicked and confused, and it sure wasn't as lively as some people who described their firsts.
Phil wasn't sure at first, personally he never wanted to wake up feeling like that ever again.
Unfortunately, he can't stop whenever he wants, he is going to meet his soulmate everyday in their Dreamland till they meet.
The second time, he wakes up only confused, and not as much of a whirlpool of emotions as it was with his first one. Although, this time he didn't feel as panicky as he previously did, the confusion is still there.
Third time, he wakes up well enough. Phil noted the well rested sleep and lack of confusion he felt, only the forgetful itch in the back of his mind.
Then, the mornings where he wakes up with happiness comes. He wakes up with a smile that doesn't leave his face for a long while, and phil starts getting curious.
He had always wanted to go out and have adventures, and phil starts to hope that maybe he’ll meet his soulmate in his travels.
Years as he goes to his bouts of adventures, he learns so much of the world, and gains a reputation. A reputation well enough to get him a bounty on his head, in the wanted alive posters hung up on the walls.
Phil would always smile cheekily at the poorly sketched out profile posters on the villages, towns, and cities walls whenever he crosses one. He had a habit of raiding some villages and stealing rich’s by himself, he was a bit desperate for supplies, and incredibly bored.
He particularly likes the name they gave him on the bounty poster, ‘the angel of death’, it has a nice ring to it. Phil ponders slightly over how come they never could identify him, based on the poorly drawn sketch of what should be his face on the poster, it seems they have no idea what he actually looks like.
The drawn person on the poster, just appears to wear a bucket hat that shadows the face and big jet black wings. Phil can just easily, either remove the hat or hide his wings, the former option is better to pry off unwanted eyes and touches from his wings.
Phil had chopped off someone’s hand for daring to even careese his wings, and although he has a soft spot for kids, he almost wanted to smack a kid with his sandal when they dared to pull at his feather.
And its been like this, for a while, travelling, adventuring and meeting new friends.
He has yet to meet his soulmate, but phil learns to be patient with fate.
Phil discovers a dirt path nearby the hill he has been resting on, and based on the old slightly battered signs, there is a village just nearby.
The exact one he was looking for, heard that they got more treasure maps now that he is very interested in.
He trudges through the path, the wind running through his hair and wings, he keeps them uncovered for now, no one nearby to see him. Then, he sees what appears to be a cloaked figure right ahead of him.
The red coat is what grabs his attention at first, he can see something golden ontop of their head too, then the shiny sword and axe sheathed on the other’s back. Phil tucks his wings first and hides them under his coat, adjusting his hat slightly to cover his face.
Its better to be safe if they were a bounty hunter, or some kind of a law person. Phil would have changed paths to not risk an encounter, treasure maps can be found wherever, but he is in need of some supplies and he has enough emeralds to bargain and buy.
Or maybe he could just raid it, he would decide when he arrives at the village.
Phil keeps an eye at the back of the red cloaked figure, the sword and axe shine with the light of the sun and the hue of enchantments is visible from here. Phil knows two kinds of people who own enchantments, spoiled brats with money that only get enchantments to appear strong, or a true skilled warrior.
He hums slightly, tapping silently at his own sword that rests on his hip. Its been awhile since he had a challenge, and if there wasn't that much of a challenge, he’d get a nice sword and an axe. Then, his luck takes another turn as His boots come in contact with a twig, it snaps in half with an audible crack.
Phil freezes on his spot when suddenly the cloaked figure stops and turns around fast.
They are far enough from each other, but phil keeps his hand resting on his sword, prepared. Phil can make out a mask on the stranger face, like a pig mask, and what seems to be pink hair, resting on it is a golden crown. Armor barely visible enough under the red cloak, and phil can tell he is carrying a loaded cross body bag.
Phil doesnt know why he is staying still, he was caught in surprise at the cloaked man turning to look at him so suddenly, maybe its because the other stopped to look at him that phil stayed still? Or the fact there is something familiar to him.
A second passes, and phil tries to relax, rolling his tense shoulders and starts walking again. The red cloaked man doesnt move, and phil tugs his hat down to hide his face when he crosses over the other, just to incase he gets recognized. “Hey mate,” phil greets, the other doesn't make a sound, only narrows his eyes slightly as he tries to see phil’s face.
Phil huffs slightly, and continues to walk faster.
seriously, what got him so tense so suddenly? Phil glances back behind him, where the pig masked stranger is still looking at him with a piercing gaze. Phil supposes It felt like he just looked at a predator right into its eyes.
When phil glances back a second time, the pig masked man is good walking a distance away from him. He isnt holding onto his weapons, body mostly covered in his red cloak. Phil wracks his brain trying to think why this man seems-and feels-familiar. Phil rests his grip on the sword, but makes sure to look back a few times.
He makes it to the village gate, and it looks like a big one already.
Bigger villages tend to have a fence or some guard posts at their entrances, raids tend to happen to them the most. this one, only seemed to have a fence around. Smaller villages don't get that fortune unfortunately.
Although, what all villages have in common is one thing, an iron golem. phil can see the hulk of it standing beside the fountain in the middle.
Just as phil makes his way inside, and he takes notice that the pig masked man is also making his way in. phil tugs his own coat to him, aware of the stranger behind him, and the villagers sending looks to him.
Phil is only here for supplies, he scans over the area, can see a few bustling in the stores just to his left, but he takes notice of the library.
They might have enchantments.
Phil hums as he weighs his thoughts, he can try to bargain with the stores first, then go to the library.
He stays still when he notices the pig masked man making his way to the stores, his steps steady and silent, already calculated looking. Strength rolls off of him, phil is lucky he didnt try to do anything. Then he notices that a loose long pink braid rolls out of the covers of the cloak, moving behind the man.
Phil blinks himself out of the weird trance he was found himself in, pausing slightly-”excuse me sir.,” phil looks over to his right, a young lady smiles at him before gesturing behind her, to what seems to be...an inn now that phil is paying attention.
“Would you like to book a room in our inn? The first night is just half the original price for couples!” she explains, and phil tilts his head.
“..couples?” he asks, the lady wide smile-which looks a bit fake to phil-dims slightly, “well, yes sir, five emeralds instead of ten!” phil holds back a splutter, five emeralds for one night? What kind of inn is this? And the original price is ten? Thats just a scam.
“Uh no thank you-” “the inn room price includes free food, with a free special bath and-” she continues to go on, he isnt even planning on staying here, why is he still standing here.
“I am not interested.” he cuts her, and he feels a bit bad before the lady scrunches her nose, looking contemplated. “Well atleast, please consider it with your partner.” she glances off somewhere, and phil in his even more confused state looks over to where she is looking, at the pig mask stranger, his height makes him stand out in the crowd of the market.
“...partner?” phil voices it in disbelief, before he chuckles nervously at it. “Nah mate, im alone, but uh..thank you, probably next time.” there will never be a next time.
The lady drops her customer appealing expression as she sighs, and phil holds back his snort as he pats her shoulder sympathetically. “God this is tiring, but please do consider.” she says one last time before looking over at a group who seemed to enter the village, making her way to them.
Phil makes his way to the store market, already eyeing a few maps and food.
Its takes a good while to buy some food and necessities, food and medkits are his top priority now, but luckily phil gets them at a fair price of some small good golden nuggets.
Now into the hard part.
Bargaining with small villages is easy, they dont have as much of travellers coming to them, so they’d take anything phil would offer in exchange for. Unlike the bigger one like the one he is in right now, the man in front of him is starting to piss him off.
“Two emeralds.” phil suggests, the seller crosses his arms as he raises a judgemental brow at him, “four.” he grumbly says.
Phil glares slightly, smiling politely before he opens his bag. “Two emeralds and few papers.” he brings out the smoothes paper he has, it is not rare but its hard to get, and based on the way the seller eyes it with a contemplating look, phil is sure he is going to get it.
“....deal.”
Phil stores the woodland mansion map he just got for the cheapest price ever, grinning widely when he turns away and bumps right into someone. Phil brings a hand to his face from where he just squashed into what seemed to be a hard wall, rubbing idly at his nose while peeking through his fingers at the-
The pig masked man.
From this close, he notices a scar on the other’s sharp jawline, running up just beside his lip, sharp tusks prodding out of his mouth, and the tips of pointy ears behind the locks of pink hair.
Phil turns around, hiding himself and groans at his pained throbbing nose. “I-Uh-sorry..” the other says, hearing him startles phil slightly with his deep voice.
He doesnt turn to look at him, keeping his hand on his nose even if it doesn't hurt as bad anymore, but he can feel his face heating up slightly in embarrassment so he hides behind his hands. Phil didnt really expect him to talk, didnt really expect a sound from him at all.
“Its okay,” phil says, he sees the other from the corner of his eye nodding before heading to the buy from the map seller phil just bought from.
Phil drops his hands and turns to look at him, eyeing the obvious weapons on the other back and the pink braided hair, there is something to him that makes phil recognize him.
He turns to walk away once again, he got a library to check out.
Just before he enters the library however, he notices the little bounty posters hanging up beside it. Taking a quick look to see if he is in there, phil’s notice does not escape the bigger poster of all of them.
Huh.
So thats where phil recognized him from.
A bounty for ‘blood god.’, wanted dead or alive, the price is higher than any other bounty phil has ever seen. A sketched out portrait of a person with long braid hair, a fluffed cape, tusks and pointed ears, the one thing that helped phil recognize it immediately, was the long jagged scar on the jaw line.
However, he was not drawn with his mask. Phil admires the sketched face, the eyes and straight nose, and phil wonders if behind the pig mask, the stranger has the same sharp eyes as the drawing.
At the thought of it, phil turns to look at the market place, still crowded but the ‘blood god’ height his pink hair make him stand out, also with that crown that shines bright on the sun. The pig mask is hiding his face, and as if he sensed phil looking at him, he turns his head towards where phil is and phil looks away immediately.
He rushes into the library, face slightly reddening from almost being caught staring.
There is absolutely nothing, no enchantments sadly, although the library is big, wide and filled with books but nothing captures phil mind. Any book doesn't seem that interesting as it looks from the outside when phil starts to read it, and phil groans as he shuts the book and returns it to the bookshelf, shuffling to another section as he reads the titles on the spines.
He spent a good few hours here, and a glance at the window tells him of the time, its nearing sunset. Phil somehow doesnt find a single good book here.
His mind is wandering around, thats why he isnt really focused on what he intended to do. Phil brings out a book, reading the boring title on it, before returning it back. Perhaps, its time to leave early, he got his supplies and a new woodland map for a good deal, he’s free to go.
Walking out of the library, phil makes his way to the gate but Cant help but glance back at the now slightly emptier market place, where he last seen the blood god, but he doesnt see him anywhere. Phil stops and hums as he scans around to look for him, before shaking his head, getting rid of the curious thoughts to where the pig masked man could have gone to.
It doesnt really matter now, he turns to continue to the gate.
Phil recognizes the inn girl as he passes by, and phil waves at her, she perks up at that and the girl smiles differently than she did at the morning, more genuine, as she waves back a goodbye.
He makes his way back to the dirt path, this time heading away from the village.
The sun dips, the sky turns into the soft peachy color once more. Just as the sun is fading and the color of the sky switching from soft pink to a dark orange, the night is close, phil sees an interesting sight from far away. the blood god in the middle of fighting a group of people, right at the entrance of a forest.
A group of people with a very familiar big brand on their armor, that belongs specifically for bounty hunters. Phil's first instinct was to unsheathe his sword, he doesnt think as he tosses his bag aside and runs straight ahead into the fight.
The blood god is capable, phil knows so and sees so, but it doesnt stop him when he pushes over a person that was about to attack. The fight almost pauses slightly, everyone taking in the new incomer, phil takes it to his advantage to slash at the person closest to him.
The blood god seems to react faster as well, stabbing the person he was occupied with before turning to the others.
“You-why are you helping him-GAH!” phil stabs the person talking, kicking him to get his sword out from where he plunged into deep in their abdomen. He hears the sound of an arrow, quickly turning to look where the archer is.
Just as he finds them, behind a tree aiming with their bow. “Archer on the tree behind you!” he warns the blood god, seeing as the other is busy stabbing and dodging to notice it. Phil intended on getting to the archer when he gets rid of the man he is clashing swords with at this moment, when he sees from the corner of his eye the blood god turning around so fast with his own crossbow-from where did he get that?-and shoots the archer right on.
The loud sound of the body hitting the forest floor is loud, even with the curses and sounds of fighting. It starts it off, the group starts to back off and run into the forest, those who were slow in their running got hit in the back by the blood god, shooting from his crossbow.
Phil looks over some of the dead bodies on the ground, and the blood stained sword of his. in a second then, he notices the blood god in front of him, and phil yelps as he gets kicked in the chest and onto the ground roughly.
The shadow of the blood god looms over him, and phil wings ache from where they are hidden underneath and pushed harshly on the ground.
The hard pressure of the foot on his chest makes him groan, and phil feels the tip of the sword under his chin. “You,” the blood god above him says, phil gulps nervously. The blood god moves his sword slowly, forcing phil to tilt his head up to look at him.
Phil looks up at the white’s eyes of the pig mask, and the blood god stares him down with an intense gaze. The two lock eyes for the first time.
“What are you gaining from-...”
He stops, trailing off as he looks down at phil and phil doesn't dare to move.
Its Just a moment, the blood god gasps softly, eyes widening and he looks surprised. Just then, in a flash the blood god throws the sword away violently, it makes phil flinch at the sudden movement.
The foot on his chest is lifted, and suddenly the blood god sits on phil’s lap and he gets pulled into a hug.
Phil gasps, feeling the other placing his face into his hair, the arms around him is secure but in a gentle hold. Phil's face is shoved back into the other’s chest, and he can hear the frantic heartbeat of the blood god.
Phil is breathless, stunned. This is...Completely different from a while ago, phil is unsure what to do with this sudden action. He keeps frozen, his arms just raised slightly and phil is slightly nervous with moving them.
The hug seems to last a second longer, enough for phil to wonder if the other is going to stab him in the back or has fallen asleep on him and phil really doesnt want to be the one to break this hug first. Luckily, the blood god moves first, still seating in his lap as he backs away only slightly, his face is still close to his. his hands trailing up phil’s neck in a slow motion that makes the hair on his body stand up and he shivers. phil once again is speechless as the pinkette cups his face tenderly with a small smile.
“Phil.”
He says it softly, and phil is bewildered, ignores the way his heart jumps and the furious heating on his face. He finally moves his hands, placing them on the blood god shoulders, pushing him slightly off. “...you know me?” he asks hesitantly, something tugging at his chest at the way the blood god smirks at him.
“How can i not?” he asks quietly, and phil furrows his brows in confusion. “What are you talking about?” the blood god backs away at that, removing his hands from phil in favor to grab his hands. Phil breaths hitches, as the pinkette places phil’s hands on the back of his head, specifically on the rope of his mask.
“Remove it,”
Its a command, but with how soft his voice is, with how the blood god lets go of his hands that he had held so softly, it doesnt sound like it. Phil does it anyways, speechlessly obeying.
The blood god stays still, even closing his eyes and letting get this close to him. The show of vulnerability doesn't go unnoticed, phil slowly undones the mask around his head, incase the blood god changes his mind.
Removing the mask, phil sees now that the sketched poster didn't do the blood god’s eyes justice, there is more depth to them than he ever realizes, the eyes shine down at him with so much expressive emotions through them that it overwhelms phil for a moment and-
He doesnt wake up, he wasn't asleep in the first place to begin with. Phil just blinks, and finds himself in a snowy rural area.
is this..the Dreamland?