Orphic |•| • SBI •

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༶•┈┈⛧┈♛ 𝕲𝖔𝖉'𝖘 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖎𝖙'𝖘 𝖛𝖔𝖎𝖈𝖊𝖘 ♛┈⛧┈┈•༶

Summary :

The Day Techno Founds out the reason towards Philza's disappearance in his life.

They reached a balcony overlooking a garden, where most of the flowers indoors undoubtedly came from. Wisteria and ivy grew around marble pillars; rosebushes and dandelions and carnations bloomed en masse at the foot of elaborate stone statues. At the center of the garden was a weeping willow, its branches providing shade for the Three childrens chasing each other across the grass. Their laughter echoed through the glade, reaching even Techno and their father high up on the balcony.

For a while, the two of them just watched the two princes and one princess. Wilbur was obviously faster than Tommy, but he slowed his pace just enough for his little brother to have fun chasing his heels while [ Name ] at the other hand was following along Tommy's trails, hands interlocked as she let's Tommy drag her on the run.

“They’re a handful.” Philza’s soft tone turned Techno’s attention away from the princes. The king was almost smiling, but the hard glint in his eyes didn’t disappear. “Wilbur was quieter, before Tommy was born. A little bookworm, holed up in his room all day. But I have a feeling you didn’t drop by for silly stories like that.” Philza turned towards Techno. “So, go ahead. Let me have it.”

Techno didn’t know what he was meant to feel. He didn’t know what he meant to say. For years, he’d put Philza out of his mind, determined to forget that interlude of peace. He’d let the memories fester like untreated wounds, and now he thought he’d rather die of the infection than acknowledge out loud that it was real, that the pain was there at all.

“I didn’t mean to drop by,” Techno said eventually. “I didn’t know this place was yours. I can leave, if you—”

“No.” Philza shook his head. “Don’t leave. Truth be told, this reunion was inevitable. Or, I hoped it was.”

“How long have you been here?”

Philza considered. “How long has this kingdom been standing?”

“Phil, that’s—”

“I know. People like us aren’t meant to stay in one place for too long.” Philza sighed and turned back towards the horizon. He leaned his arms against the wrought-iron railings and looked out at the land beyond—the slope of the distant mountains, the kingdom that stretched on and on,

unaware that their immortal king was all that stood between them and destruction. “I found a small town while I was traveling, made it something more. I told myself I would leave after a year, and then it became two years, three years, a decade. I did leave eventually, before they figured out why their town mayor never aged. But then I found out, the moment I left…”

Philza’s expression turned cold. “They were annihilated. I came back and everything, everyone had been burnt to the ground. It was just ashes. Everything I built… There were survivors, of course, and they blamed their leader for leaving, of course—as they should. So I stayed. I built it back up again, from a small, decimated town to what you see today. As far as the people know, leadership has been passed on from one king to another who looks vaguely like him. I’m sure the eldest of them have their rumors, but is it really so bad to be known?”

Technoblade didn’t realize, until Philza turned back to look at him, that he expected an answer to his question. But all Technoblade could say was, “Is this why you left me behind?”