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The event was finally over, grueling hours spent fighting, killing, digging for what little resources they could find. Throwing out every ounce of humanity they had just to survive, to win.
Today they would find out what the Eye had planned, seeing as Red and Blue teams had ended the two weeks with a draw. Equal wins surely meant whatever cursed team there may have been would be irrelevant? Or perhaps they would start all over again, begin the cycle anew until the bastard ruling this hell would get the result he wanted.
Slowly as the players awoke from their enforced slumber, messages played in their heads. Their vision obscured in red, and a single eye in a booming voice speaking.
"The event is over, and your days in my realm have come to an end. I am surprised to see you vermin managed to screw up even the most simplest competition I could make, and yet you still managed to come out even." Across the hellscape, eyes rolled and curses were yelled. Unanimously sick and tired of the degrading words from the entity that has been torturing them all. "As much as I would love to make you continue to suffer and see you vile creatures fight like rats, I suppose you all fought hard to win, and I am nothing if not fair. Meet in the Global Spawn, leaders of Team Bolas!?! and Team Soulfire. Do not keep me waiting."
Phil blinked his eyes rapidly as his mind was brought back to the real world. The red sky casting it's usual eerie glow upon the earth. Glancing at his map, he huffed in annoyance and started the long walk to Global. The communicator installed into his wrist buzzed incessantly as the other players asked questions, curious as to what may await them. He spotted a question from Bad, wondering if Phil and Tubbo will have to fight to the death, and laughed as everyone started to argue who would win.
As he walked, he couldn't help but think of how the last event had gone. How at the end he put on the mechanical elytra he managed to steal, using the randomized disaster to soar through the air. The wind flying past him, the sight of the world far below, the phantom feeling of his own wings flapping through the air...
He shuddered at the sudden pain in his back, wings twitching as they tried to spread, stopped by the countless bandages that bind them down. Bent and broken, picked almost completely clean of their beautiful void feathers. Any trace of his Lady gone.
Stopping to catch his breathe, letting the pain run down his spine and panting as it slowly faded, he groaned into his hands. He hadn't had the chance to talk to Kristin since he arrived on Quesadilla Island. His memories wiped of anything, only barely holding onto his wife in his mind from the pitch black ring on his finger and the clipped wings on his back. Reminders of his purpose playing in his head. The echo of Her call floating in the wind, never loud enough to be anything but a whisper, never strong enough to take hold of his soul. His purpose, his duty, it ceased to exist. He knows She still tries, still calls out to Her Angel, but it always seems to slip right over him.
It hurts more than the broken wings on his back to not be able to serve Her, forced to keep walking as Her song drifts past. Everything in him screaming that he has failed, an angel forced to fall by the hands of a corrupt government.
Philza shakes his head, pushes the thoughts away as he sees Global in the distance. There is no point thinking of his failure when he has more important matters at hand.
Seeing his teammates gathering together, he can't help giggling to himself as he hears their muffled cries the closer he gets. Picking up his pace he joins the calls, mask making his yells of their team name sound distorted. They all turned to him and cheered, bracing himself as they start punching him, then each other. He laughed as he punched them back, biting his lip every now and then as a stray punch hit a bit too close to his wings. One of his favorite benefits of their gas masks was how perfect it hid as his eyes burn with tears, and his face twists with pain.
Cellbit laughed, the sound filled with mania and twisted joy, circling around the man he now saw as a father figure.
"Dad, are you ready to beat Tubbo into the ground?" Charlie and Baghera screamed out their support of the idea, Foolish barking along to it all. Phil laughed, hysterical in his own ears as they continued their walk. He could see Soulfire walking closer aswell, everyone approaching the determined meeting spot. The glances cast towards Red Team no longer bothering the blonde. Their opinion didn't matter anymore, it was already known Red had decended into madness on Day 1.
Phil sighed as they finally started to quiet down, allowing their leader to speak his piece.
"Honestly? I kinda hope the dude just accepts the tie for what it is and lets us go home. I'm so fuckin' tired from yesterday, my bones can only take so much!" The others laughed at his comment, calling him an old man which he rolled his eyes at.
Etoiles reassuring him that "You are the best Phil! You would beat Tubbo no problem! You would beat all of Blue because they are nothing compared to you!"
"Yeah fuck Blue Team, you hear that Bad Boy Halo!" They all laughed as Bad yelled a very distant "Language!", heaving breathes as they cackled together, Charlie flipping off Bad just to be salty. Phil couldn't help the proud smile on his face, looking over the insane group he called a team, his little family made in such a torturous place still smiling, despite everything they had suffered through.
Eventually the two teams met in the middle, the large white building looming over them as they waited. After about half an hour of waiting, they all heard the distinct sound of multiple footsteps coming towards them. Phil turned away from his conversation with Tubbo, their previous discussion of what may happen left behind.
Coming down the stairs of the building was the strange little eye creatures that had been accompanying the teams during their 'vacation'. There must have been close to 50 of them, though he heard Tubbo whispering about 'All 43 are here no way' next to him. Behind the quiet parade of creatures came the very being that had placed them here. The best way Phil could descibe him would be...dissapointing. Where he pictured a multi-eyed abomination standing tall above everyone was instead a void black figure with a single white eye. While he was indeed tall, there were still a few like Bad and Foolish who were taller.
The ruler of Purgatory was, to put it simply, boring.
Strangely, he reminded Phil of Cucurucho. Simple in looks but much stronger than first assumed, and there was no doubt that this person was powerful.
Phil and Tubbo stepped up towards the man, their teams crowding behind them. He stopped a few steps away from them, giving him an unnecessary height advantage over everyone, creating a stage for himself. The familiar deep voice that had played many times in their heads over the past two weeks finally met their ears in person. With a sneer in his tone, the man spoke.
"The events are over, as is your time in my domain. Per my agreement with your Federation, it is time for you to leave." For a guy who had been cursing their very existance since they arrived, he sounded strangely annoyed at the fact that they were leaving. Everyone else, on the other hand, cheered. It was quickly quieted as Forever shouted the question on all their minds.
"What about our kids!? Weren't they what we were fighting for this whole time?" Phil winced slightly at the pain in his voice, his dear friend having already gone through so much for the chance of their childrens safety even before they were sent to this place. The President had only been back from the Nether for a single day before they were all shipped off. Phil never had a chance to check on him, to finally find out what Forever had seen. Only seeing him briefly during their time here, embarrassingly enough crying in his arms as he confided his sorrows to the brazillian before they had to seperate once more.
The one eyed man was silent for only a moment as he stared at the group, though Phil couldn't help but notice that peircing gaze slid over his form more than a few times already.
"Because of the draw, all of your precious eggs have been sent back to the Federation Island. I cannot garentee safe travels, but I'm sure most of them will make it back alright." The strange man's words instilled both hope and deep fear into his heart.
On one hand, their kids were going back to the island, they were alive and they now knew where they were.
On the other hand, the eggs were traveling seemingly alone, unsecure, right back into the Federation's clutches. Without any parents there to protect them.
Phil needed to leave as soon as possible. He could hear the unsettled mumbles behind him, the rest of the group surely thinking along the same line.
"But, before you all leave, I would like to give your reward for winning, and providing quality entertainment in my realm." Philza was immediately on edge. This didn't make any sense, why would they be rewarded for a tie? Didn't the Eye want them gone already?
Phil felt goosebumps running along his spine, up his arms and neck. Glancing up, he saw the eye staring right back at him, and only him. He couldn't help but freeze under the intense gaze, waiting for him to look away, for the feeling of being observed, hunted, to fade. His instincts going wild in the man's presence as danger flashed in his mind. Tubbo bounced next to him, calling out a question about the prizes, others echoing it, but it sounded muffled as the Eye wouldnt. look. away.
He jumped as he felt a tug on his hand, talons tensing as he glaced down, only to see one of the little white eye creatures pulling him closer to the man. Glancing to Tubbo, he saw another creature doing the same. The rest of the teams were left alone, only the leaders being pulled forward. Being stopped only a few steps below the Eye, he held his breathe.
Once more glad for his mask hiding the panic in his eyes, jaw cleanched to stop the scared chirps from escaping. Phil knew then, this feeling of terror, it was not for what the man would do, it was for what the man is. He should've connected it sooner, that this strange creature was much more than what it let on.
The only being capable of controlling an entire plane of existance seperate from Death, the only lifeform worthy of ruling a place like Purgatory.
It was a God.
Phil had met a few throughout his existence, being Death's Angel meant his tasks would often include buisness in the other realms. God's werent necessarily a bad thing to be around, but when one sees you as nothing but scum beneath its shoes, there was plenty to worry about.
"Red Team Leader Philza, and Blue Team Leader Tubbo. Since your teams made it to the end of my games in a tie, I will grant you both one gift of your choice to take back to the Federation's island. And no, before you ask, it cannot be your eggs or creative mode or anything ridiculous like that." Sounds of surprise swept through the crowd, ideas running rampant as they all started shouting suggestions at the leaders. Things such as busted weapons, information on Cucurucho, even entire buildings to be created for them.
Phil glanced at Tubbo, stepping back slightly to let him go first. Phil had an...idea, though he wasn't sure if it would even be allowed. He could feel the phantom ache of feathers on his back, broken bones shifting once more as he grit his teeth. Surely there was no harm in asking, if even just for the chance to fly again. Just for the chance to hear Her call again...
Tubbo stepped up closer to the cyclopse God, unaware of the true power the being wields in Its veins. Confident as he spoke, the boy made his request.
"Give me a book that tells me of Federation Worker WA02's life status and coordinates. And have it update if either ever changes. Like a constant tracker." Fit and Pac are heard wolf whistling, groans and protests being thrown out at Tubbo's request. ElQuackity strangely silent.
Tubbo waved them off, looking up at the being with determined eyes. It stared right back at the young adult, and in mere seconds an enchanted book formed in Its hands. It handed the book over to Tubbo, the engineer quickly opening it and giving a sigh of relief, before the God turned once more to face Phil.
He stood in silence for a moment, listening to the calls of his peers. Taking a shaky breathe, he looked into the Gods eye. Ignoring his rising instincts to run run hide run danger danger danger- He spoke his wish.
"If...if possible, I want-" He shuddered, the remains of his wings fighting against the bandages holding then down, unseen beneath his robe. "I want my wings back. Not the elytra machinery, but my actual wings." He could practically hear a pin drop as the desert went quiet.
Pushing down his guilt as he could practically feel his fellow avians eyes drilling daggers into his back. Surely if he has a chance he should take it, surely they would do they same, surely he-
"Follow me." And the God turned around, walking up the stairs into the Global building once more. Phil stood there for barely half a second before rushing behind, making sure to keep a few steps away from the powerful entity. He heard the others steps behind him, curious to see what will happen, but right as he entered the room, doors slammed down from the openings of the hall. The windows tinting black and blocking out anything from the outside. Phil panicked as he heard his friends shouts from outside, banging on the doors.
His instincts flaring as he whipped around to the God, finding It staring him down. Standing silently from Its place a few feet away. Tilting Its head in a curious manner, Its gaze traveled across his body, seeming to be peeking right into his soul. Phil's heart felt like it was going to beat right of of his chest, pricks of pain flowing from his hands as his talons dug into his palms. Tension oozing through his whole body, waiting for whatever may happen.
Suddenly, It spoke "Show me what remains of them".
"What?" He couldn't help the tremble in his voice, paralyzing fear overtaking him as he looked for an exit that wasn't there.
An annoyed huff left the God, gesturing to his shoulder as if it were obvious. "Show me your wings, so I can fix them. That is your wish, is it not?"
Glancing around him once more, he shivered before nodding. Slowly, ever so slowly, he removed his robe and mask. The bandages around his chest were frankly disgusting. Soiled with blood and dirt and sand, so tight that it was hard to inhale. He struggled for a moment to find the end, before starting to steadily unwrap it.
He couldn't help wincing every time the nubs on his back shifted, showing their exicitement to be free after so long in binding. The God stood there silently the entire time, staring. Phil grumbled slightly, both annoyed and extremely happy It didn't offer to help him.
Finally, the bandanges fell down at his feet, his lungs filling and releasing air quickly as he felt what seemed like his bones trying to rip themselves from his very back. Slowly, despite everything screaming in him not to, he turned around, baring his back to the God. It took everything in him not to run as he heard Its footsteps come close, two hands, hot to the touch, grabbing hold of his wing stumps.
He let out a startled yell as his vision temporarily blanked, pain overtaking everything. Shuddering in a gasp as the being behind him seemed to observe his wings state. It hummed, ignoring his writhing as It prodded around. Finally, It let go, Phil glancing over his shoulder to see Its eye curved up in a pleased manner.
That...probably was a good sign, right? It meant that they could be fixed without any issues? Despite these thoughts, Phil just felt more and more uneased with the situation.
After a few seconds of his heavy panting filling the air, the harsh shouts still pouring in from outside, the being spoke once more.
"I can give you your wings, no problem. All you need to do is give me your permission." And- well that was just silly, wasn't it? Tubbo hadn't needed to 'give permission' for his wish, but maybe it was different with bodily modifications.
"I..give you permission to fix my wings?" It sounded like a question, even to him, and the God simply tsked.
"No, not like that. Sound confident Philza. Repeat after me, I give you permission to make my wings." It sounded like a parent teaching their child a repeated lesson, annoyance in Its voice but also...excitement?
Despite the strange vibes, Phil did as told.
"I give you permission to make my wings." He tried to sound confident, and despite the continuous tremble he thinks it was good enough. Judging by the satisfied hum from the cyclopse, he was right.
All too suddenly Its hands were back on his mangled wings, and before he could even utter a noise, it began.
Molten heat was pouring into his back, down his spine, up into his skull. Hands were clawing at his flesh, ripping out his skin, pulling the bones free. He could feel the boiling ichor being poured directly into his soul, every inch of his being screaming in agony as he felt his purpose being reformed, remade. His throat felt like it was tearing apart, yet he couldn't hear his own screams over the sound of blood rushing through his ears.
Clawing at the ground, hunched over, everything bluring into nothing as he felt the new limbs growing. It felt like hours of pain before he was finally left alone. Panting and shaking on the ground, the cool quartz floor feeling like heaven against his burning skin.
Unlike when he first got his wings, when he had Kristin's soft voice whispering sweet assurances in his ear, gentle touch soothing as he reeled from the pain, here was left alone. Trying and failing to gain his composure, he shakily lifted his head, looking to his back with nothing but hope. He nearly sobbed at the sight of full, unclipped, perfectly healthy wings fluttering behind him.
Unused to the feeling of moving the appendages, he struggled to bring them around him, sitting up as quickly as his pained body allowed. Staring in awe at a sight he thought he would never witness again.
As his head cleared, agony and excitemeng calming down, he took a moment to really look at them.
He immediately noticed the differences. Instead of his inky black feathers reminiscent of the murder of crows that flock to him, he is greeted with deep blood red wings. The white diamonds that are usually at the ends of his primaries, an addition Kristin added after Phil won void hide and seek one too many times, were instead replaced by glowing white imitation eyes. The very same as the god that fixed him.
Philza was...confused. Why had the God changed them so much? They didnt look the same at all! Surely this went against his wish, right? But...Phil grimanced, looking them over slowly as he accepted the changes. He was lucky the God accepted his wish at all, and he needs to take whatever he can get. Maybe Kristin can change them back to normal when he reaches Her again.
Suddenly, the room filled with light once more, the windows becoming clear and doors sliding back into the building. Phil looked up at the God standing above him, It looking right back down at him. Observing. Curious. His friends were rushing into the room, all yelling different things. Asking what happened, why he was screaming, if he's okay.
They all noticed his wings, some staring in awe, others in confusion, he could see Jaiden and Baghera's sadness, ElQuackity's anger. He even saw Fit looking in silent horror, the man being of the few to remember what his wings looked like before the island.
He stood slowly, the pain steadily flodding out and leaving him feeling light, free. His frie- family, flock, were around him. He could fly, he could finally protect them. He could fly. He can finally reach Kristin. He can fly.
As soon as his feet were under him he took a running start out the building, seeing the sky so high above him. He needed to be up there. Spreading his wings and almost weeping at the familiar feeling, he took off.
Nothing could compare to how flapping his wings and soaring made him feel. Not a trident, or glider. Not elytra or even the rare chance to go into creative mode. He wnet higher and higher into the red sky, his new wings blending in with the white mock eyes standing out, until the others were mere specks on the ground.
Letting out a loud cackle, he dove. Speeding up faster and faster, reach his arms forward as he sought out a target. Spotting Etoiles, he grinned, angling just right and swooping the cucumber hybrid into the sky. He heard the others screams, Etoiles whooping as he flew in circles and loops, faster and faster. Diving again, he left the green man running along the earth to stop from face planting, going up again before finding his next target and repeating.
Sharing his first flight in over half a year with his flock, the events of Purgatory momentarily forgotten as he trilled and chirped his joy into the sky.
Throwing Tina high to hear her screech and laugh, giggling at Forever's flirts as he held him close, doing loop after loop as Tubbo cheered him on, pointing out good napping spots with Carre from their high vantage point, bickering with Bad and fake threatening to drop the demon as they dodged around clouds.
Landing into the group once more, letting down an ecstatic Bagi, a wide grin etched into his face as his flock buzzed around him.
Just as he was about to look for the next person to launch into the sky, he heard the same booming voice behind him. The others silencing at its words.
"Philza, why don't you take Coco here next?"
Phil glanced back to see the black figure gesturing down to the little white creature, the tiny one making grabby hands towards him. Not even questioning the sudden request, Phil let his veins continue to buzz with flock flock family fly love yes yes flock, grinning as he picked up the tiny being in his arms before flying right back into the sky.
He cooed and crooned as the little things eye curved up in delight, reaching its arms up and down in a flapping motion, imitating his wings. He glided on his back, flying lazy circles with Coco sitting on his chest, grin never leaving.
After a few minutes of lazy donuts in the sky, not wanting to go too extreme and scare the little entity, he swooped back down, gently setting it on the ground. It wobbled a little before gaining its bearings once more and jumping in joy. Once more, the God spoke.
"Philza, take Luffy flying next."
Not even taking a moment to rest, Phil turned to the little one, scooped it up, and was off once more. Repeating the same process before coming down. Mind buzzing with energy, ready to keep going.
"Angel, now Trousers."
Phil was ready to go, swooping the little one up and taking off in mere seconds. He was too happy to notice that his body moved before his mind. So far in his instincts to notice his lack of thought in his actions. It wasnt until he was back on the ground once more, everyone laughing and smiling, that things finally started to go wrong.
Perhaps he should've known it was too good to be true, that he couldn't possibly be so lucky.
"Angel,"
He froze, unable to move. He didn't understand, why...couldn't he move? What- what was happening? Questions were thrown around, concerned gazes dancing as he stayed perfectly still. The unfinished command keeping him from moving.
Command...but Kristin is the only one who can command him. Kristin is the only one who can use his official title. Why- oh. Phil swallowed heavily, the realization setting in as horror stuck his heart. All too suddenly he realized, what used to be whispers of Kristins attempted commands in the wind were now absent.
Her presence completely gone from his mind. The wings She gave him...He remembered the feeling of the bones being ripped from him before the new ones formed. How he was told to give permission to make new wings, not fix the old ones. Suddenly, the mock eyes on his new wings felt all too real. The red seeping into his brain as wrong wrong wrong.
Glancing at the God that tricked him, that used his hopes and dreams and made him a slave to a new master, all he found was a pleased stare right back at him.
After everything, being killed over and over by his friends, killing them back, losing his children, confusing reality and dreams, seeing his daughter die to the code, seeing his children die on the beach, waking up without his memories, aching at the loss of his wife, after it all, he only now felt his mind completely shatter.
No matter where he went, no matter what he did, he would never again be the Angel of Death.
Now, he will always be the Angel of Purgatory.