Kinemortophobia

Ch. 10 -Final Fade-

"Techno...?"

The voice pierced through the silence like a bullet, knocking Techno back into reality momentarily. He was able to refocus his gaze, turning his head behind him to meet the source of the voice. Oh...

... How..?

Phil stood at the end of the clearing, large twisted crimson trees standing in the background. His tattered black wings hung fearfully behind his back, broken feathers scraping the ground. His hair was pulled hap-hardly into a small ponytail, though golden strands of it had fallen out and were now hanging freely around his face, swaying slightly in the Nether's Breath.

Phil's eyes were full of fear and anxiety, only deepening more so when they saw Techno. However, behind the blue eyes, a new emotion could be seen. Relief. Techno met his eyes, his dazed and unfocused red ones meeting Phil's blue.

The silence was deafening as the two stared at each other for a moment before words made their way into Phil's throat.

"T-techno... oh my God," Phil rushed forward to Techno's side, wrapping his arms around his figure and taking him in his arms. Techno didn't try and fight him, he was too weak. Phil looked his son over, finally noticing the patch of off-color skin that had spread up his jaw from his neck. When Phil noticed, he let out a string of quiet profanities, adjusting techno in his arms so he could see it better.

And... now that he could see Techno, he realized much more was wrong. His red eyes had lost their critical and cold gaze, now unfocused and glazing over almost. His chest rose and fell unsteadily, tacking in shallow breaths. His whole body felt slack, as he made no attempt to stop Phil, not meeting his gaze.

"Techno." Techno didn't respond, his eyes closing slowly.

Phil shook his shoulders and Techno blinked back into reality, meeting Phil's face.

"...Phil?" Techno's voice was quiet and hoarse, his tone barely a whisper. His eyes focused and unfocused frequently, and he took short, shallow breaths, often erratically.

Phil's brow knotted in worry, and he pulled Techno closer to his chest, wrapping his broken black wings around them both protectively.

"How did you find me..?" Techno asked quietly, turning to look out into the crimson forest.

Phil fumbled in his satchel, eventually taking out a small circular object that was glowing slightly purple. Techno's eyes widened slightly when he saw it, still recognizing what it was in his dazed state. Phil placed the compass on the ground beside them, it's needle shifting until it pointed to Techno's bag, Where Phil knew another compass was stored.

"I'm so glad I found you..." Phil mumbled quietly. Techno said nothing, just looked off into the distance, face slack.

"You know I'm as good as a zombie soon, right?" Techno said, turning back to Phil. Phil sighed saying,

"We're going to find a way to-"

"No. I'm too far gone," Techno cut Phil off, killing his hope. Phil choked on his breath, and said,

"T-then why didn't y-you tell me earlier?!" Phil's voice was angry and sad, and Techno turned a pity-filled gaze his way. Phil's eyes were glassy, tears beginning to fill them.

"I didn't know what it was until... well..." Techno trailed off, not finding the energy to continue his sentence. Phil clenched his eyes shut, taking a deep breath, holding his tears in. His wings shuddered with the breath.

"Let's get you home," Phil said, opening his eyes again, shifting his weight onto his knees.

Techno started to shift, snapping out of his daze a bit, saying with some urgency, "Wait, can you grab some of the stuff that I dropped over their first?" Techno pointed over to the entrance of the clearing, where apparently some of his items laid scattered from his bag. They must have fallen out when he tripped. Phil nodded, setting Techno back down onto the ground.

Phil got up from sitting, looking down on Techno saying, "Don't move alright?" Techno nodded. Phil gave him a wary smile and walked off to pick up the items quickly. Techno only had a short time frame.

As fast as he could, Techno fumbled through his bag, muttering a short curse at his poor eyesight, before pulling out a small bottle filled a thick, black liquid.

"Alright Techno I got your-" Phil turned back around just in time to see Techno down the potion in one gulp.

"TECHNO!!!!" Phil screamed, dropping the items held in his grasp as he ran back towards Techno, pulling the bottle out of the man's hands, but it was too late. 90% of the potion was gone, the only thing left is a thin skin covering the inside of the glass bottle.

Techno shuddered as he started to feel the potion take hold, his breath hitching. Phil picked Techno back up in his arms, tears flowing down his face. "Why, why why why why why why..." Phil muttered over and over as he sobbed into techno's dying chest.

"I didn't want for you to watch me fade into a husk..." Techno mumbled, placing a shaking hand on Phil's arm. The black liquid was already spreading through his veins, as Techno felt a terrible pain shoot up from his stomach.

Phil looked up at his son, tears flowing freely down his face. Techno just smiled through sad eyes, before dissolving into a fit of coughing that sent terrible pains through his chest. Phil continued to sob into Techno's chest, muttering curses to fate, to destiny, to the very gods themselves.

"P-Phil..." Techno felt himself slipping, his vision darkening and unfocusing for the last time. Phil looked back up placing his hand on Techno's cheeks as he brushed it with his thumb.

"B-be good to T-tommy, alright..?" Techno asked, his voice faltering. Phil nodded through his sobs, trying to hold onto his son for just a minute longer, hoping to see life in techno's eyes for just a minute longer, praying to hear his voice continue on."

Techno smiled, coughing once again. His lips were curled into a small, warm smile, though the rest of his face was contorted in pain. He could feel the poison ripping through his chest, starting to seep into his heart. The buzzing was fading...

"You w- were... the best father I c-could have asked for, P-phil..." Techno muttered, struggling to breathe as another surge of pain broke through his chest. He curled into Phil's form, finding comfort in his warmth. Phil only hugged him tighter, sobs fading to silent whimpers, his form shaking, whispering quiet words of goodbyes to his son.

"...I love you too, Phil..." Techno muttered as he finally felt himself slip, the pain from the poison was less now, as was the buzzing, and the itching... It was darker, and Phil's arms were oh-so warm, and the sweet grasp of death felt peaceful.

For all the time he had danced with death, nothing was ever as comforting as her cold, dark embrace.

Phil just sobbed as he felt Techno's hand slip and fall off of his arm, sobbed as he heard the final whispers, sobbed as he saw the very life leave his second son's eyes, sobbed when he felt his communicator buzz on his wrist signifying a new notification. He knew what it was.

He knew all too well.

Technoblade withered away.