"Hold on!" Phil yells.

The ghast opens its mouth to shoot another fireball at you. You advance forward and lift your sword to bounce it back.
The burning ashes rain on your face as you swat it back. Another ghast cry out from not too far. Looking over to your side you see Phil kill the second ghast with a strike from above.
Another fireball clashes with the ground beside you. The ground falls away.
Losing your footing you slip off the edge.
A flash of black swoops over you and Phil's hands grasp your wrists. You watch as the lava moves away. Your sword and shield slowly being swallowed by the bright liquid. "Fuck," you mutter.

He sets you down and lands beside you. "You ok?"
You stare up at the ghast. The heat seeping into your sore burns. "Yeah, you?" Phil sighs and dusts off his hands. "Yeah, nothing major. I'll finish this one off and carry you back when I'm done," you nod.

You step back. Watching as he stretches his wings and pushes off the ground. The wind pushes your hair out of your face, making the blood coming down your face feel cool against your skin.
The black mass of feathers upon his back work to keep him in the air.

The final cry of the ghast rips through the air. You lift your hands above your head to allow Phil to grab you easier. Grasping your wrists he flies you above the burning lava. It's silent as he sets you down and lands beside you.
"Sorry about your shield and sword," Phil says.
You shake your head. "Don't be sorry, it was an accident, I have more at home. How about we call it a day and head back?"

Collecting the remaining items you step through the portal and begin the walk home. It's quiet between the two of you. Until Phil glances at you.
"Is your face ok?" Your eyes flicker over to his face. Reaching up a hand you gently touch the small stinging spots on your cheek.
"Yeah, I'll be fine," "Thanks for saving my ass back there,"
Opening the door you kick off your shoes and begin to strip off the armor plates.
"I was just doing what was right," Phil shrugs off his armor.
Thinking back on it he didn't hesitate to save you from falling in. Phil could have chosen to let you fall to your death so he could leave, but he didn't.

"I owe you anyway, for letting me stay when I was injured and vulnerable."
You blink at him. A part of you wants to thank him again but every bone in your body fights against it.
"You could have let me die, you could have chosen freedom,"

Phil's wing twitches. His eyes cast aside he takes a breath. "Yeah, I could have,"
Walking into the back of the house he walks back out with a swab and rubbing alcohol. He gestures for you to sit down.
"No, It's not a major injury." You lift your hands in front of you and shake your head.
He was on the way to death's door offering to help the person who's turning him in. Quietly sitting you allow him to begin to pad down your burns with the rubbing alcohol.

Phil never held any grudge towards you, he listened to what you had to say. He told you good morning every time you woke up, he fed your cat for you and saved your ass when he could have escaped. Was he really as bad as Jonathan claimed he was?
Underneath that facade of tyranny, he was just a human, like you.
You couldn't start caring now, not when you were so close to turning him in.