Part 6 of the Cold series

Kristen had been alive since mortals were created by XD. That made her one of the oldest gods, second only to XD in age. In all those years of life, Kristen had seen many things. What present day mortals consider myth, Kristen had seen with her own eyes. She had witnessed the rise and fall of kings like Gilgamesh, the chivalrous deeds and traumatic ending of heroes like Achilles, and the birth and death of monstrous creatures like Fafnir. Kristen had gone by many names in her time like Ereshkigal, Desponia, Scáthach, Hel, Dhumavati, and others with stories about her exploits or suspected spouse. While not all the rumors were true, Kristen was a figure of many tales. In all her time an despite the stories, Kristen had fallen in love once. Even though suitors tried to win her hand, Kristen's heart was stolen by a young angel eager to challenge himself with seemingly impossible missions. Kristen gathered her courage to approach the angel, and he accepted her into his life. Within their friendship was where the two found love. Kristen married the angel, giving birth to a pair of twins. When she found that her husband had cheated, Kristen retreated into the heavens. By abandoning her family, they couldn't enter each other's domains anymore.

It had been many years since Kristen had last seen the love of her life. Kristen looked the same as when they met. Her angel, however, looked older. He looked tired. Kristen saw the faint traces of grief that had nearly killed him lingering around him like an aura. There was definitely regret in those eyes, cutting deeper than any blade ever could. His wings were damaged badly, most of the feathers burned away by an explosion that Kristen had witnessed because that day had been filled with so much death. Kristen had never been able to see her angel, but she found that some events around him could grow gruesome in a hurry. Kristen was the same. Her angel was not. Kristen still felt her heart flutter in her chest at the sight of Phil. "My love..."

"Kristen?" Phil whispered. He walked towards her slowly. His arms raised up to hesitantly grab onto her kimono. Kristen watched as her angel crumbled into her arms. There was very few times that Phil would ever cry, but reuniting with the woman that he loved was a time that tears fell from his eyes down his cheeks. Kristen shouldered his tears, a smile on her lips as she was finally able to hold her angel tightly again. "How are- why- what happened?"

Kristen gave herself one more minute of comfort in his arms. After that moment passed, Kristen gently pushed Phil away. Kristen pushed her veil aside that way Phil could see her expressions. Phil sucked in a sharp breath as he was able to see her face after years. It wasn't since Tommy's birth that Phil had saw his wife's beauty. Even when she had her ruby lips pressed in a firm line, and her crystalline white eyes locked on Phil in something akin to anger, Phil had to appreciate the glory of the goddess before him. Kristen's voice echoed across the snowy biome where Techno's home met Kristen's forest. "I was sent by the other gods to aide Tommy. I am meant to protect him until he can make amends with those who he has wronged and who have hurt him. Should I perform my duties accordingly, I will be allowed to reunite with my family. I have been allowed to see you per Tommy's directions. He believes that the two of you have reconciled enough for the gods to permit me access."

"Tommy? Why do the gods care about him? What he has done to deserve their praise, or worse, incur their wrath?" Phil asked quietly. For people like Phil, attracting gods wasn't a good thing. While this had allowed him to meet his wife, Phil had several horrible experiences with other gods. Phil wouldn't wish it upon any of his children. Phil wasn't even comfortable allowing the gods to gift his children. When Techno had been given the Voices by the Blood God, Phil protected Wilbur from any blessings that another god would want to place. Phil suspected that was why Techno embraced his divinity, Wilbur was never familiar with his, and Tommy outright rejected his. Tommy used to reject his divinity, anyways.

"Skadi obviously had an interest in her son," Kristen said, a sadness passing over her face that Phil couldn't understand. Hadn't Skadi hurt Kristen? "Other gods have taken an interest. Prime, in particular, was rooting for Tommy after the boy became his priest. The Blood God enjoys mocking Tommy, and Grind is a little upset Tommy claimed they were married but never followed up. Other than that, everyone else has a neutral stance. When the vote was made if I should be allowed a chance, it was swayed in the direction of yes."

"Skadi..." Phil whispered the name as if that was all that needed to be said for his question to present in Kristen's head. Unfortunately, Kristen was adept at understanding the unknown parts of humanity that made most mortal races cower in fear. Kristen was even better at deciphering what words remained unsaid between her and the people she loved. There were certain fleeting nuances in Techno's expressions that Kristen recognized immediately as they appeared. She could swim through the murk of insanity and creativity that made a moat around Wilbur's inner feelings. Kristen could take each harsh scream or jubilant joke from Tommy to find the truth that even he didn't want to acknowledge. She had been with Phil long enough for him to never surprise her again. It was a blessing for the most part, but as Kristen felt her heart clench at the thought of her former apprentice who just wanted to be loved. Kristen wondered, briefly, if Tommy would have ended up as jaded as his mother had he never met someone to care for him like Tubbo and Ranboo.

"She has returned to the essence of winter. I have forgiven her for past grievances. It is more than a truce that has passed between us. I understand Skadi more than I ever have. I regret not being there for her, but I can alleviate my grief by fulfilling her last wish in helping Tommy," Kristen whispered. She looked away from Phil. She didn't want to know how he felt on the matter. Even though Phil was part of the situation, it didn't have anything to do with him. At least, Phil's laments about Skadi weren't meant for Kristen's ears. They each had their own side. What Skadi did wasn't morally correct, and Phil had every right to be disturbed and traumatized. Kristen had her own rights that allowed her to forgive Skadi for taking on her appearance to find a spark of hope in the cold world. Kristen pulled Phil back to her chest, a hand carding through his hair. "Do not fret, my angel. I will do my job without burdening you with the same responsibility. All I ask is that you remain open-minded as Tommy seeks for a forgiveness that cannot be easily given. Consider your part in Tommy's grief and crumbling mental state. He experienced many days of pain because of you, and that is not something that can go away quickly."

"When Wilbur... when he died, I didn't know what to do. I think I chose Techno because he was his own person. He was... well, Techno was my friend. I didn't recognize Tommy. He sat by me at Wilbur's funeral, and I didn't know it was him until halfway through. That terrified me," Phil whispered the thoughts that had burdened him since those dark days where everyone was trapped in the thralls of grief, the lingering fear and anger that bathed the land. "I wasn't even there when Tommy came back from exile. I didn't know how bad it was. I didn't know how hurt he was from everything. I should have guessed, but I couldn't take knowing that he was so far away from me in an emotional sense. I had lost you. I had lost Wilbur. I couldn't lose Techno and Tommy, but in the end, I think I made the choice to lose Tommy to preserve what I had with Techno. And what for? Because Techno was easier? None of what I've been doing is what a good father should do."

"I will not lie to you. There are moments that you have been extremely lacking in a paternal capacity. Even now, Wilbur is still drifting, Techno doesn't see you as anything more than a friend, and Tommy is beginning his attempt at reconciliation. If you want to make up for past sins, it is time you involve yourself. Welcome Tommy and Wilbur back into your life. I will continue to aid Tommy in his struggles. I want you to focus on improving Wilbur's mentality. We will not be absent from the other's troubles, but until we have our children in a good state of mind, they will only hurt each other in the end," Kristen explained the plan she had been thinking of since she was given all the details about the mortal plain. It astounded her how much the other gods had kept hidden from her about her own family. Once everything was sorted out, the other gods would learn why the goddess of death was the second most powerful one of them all. "It is time that we become the parents we should have been. I cannot fault your parenting too badly since I abandoned you all in the sickness of jealousy. Still, we should start doing better."

"I love you. I always have. I always will," Phil whispered after they settled into a comfortable silence. Kristen smiled at her angel, running a hand through his wings. Beneath her palms, the feathers straightened out with the remaining ash that never seemed to come off dropped into the snow beneath their feet. Phil's wings puffed out in happiness, and Kristen's lips lifted into a smile. Phil looked like a blushing schoolgirl as he took in the soft contorts of happiness on his wife's face. Phil placed his hand on her cheek, rubbing his thumb right beneath her eyes that reminded him of white opals shimmering in the twilight. Kristen finally allowed herself to relax. She pressed her face into Phil's shoulder, her arms wrapping around his waist. Phil chuckled lightly into her dark hair, returning the hug. They stayed like that until Kristen felt a pull in her gut. She wasn't allowed eternity with Phil. Not yet, anyways.

"Goodbye, my angel. I love you." A strong wind blew across the plains. Phil tried to keep his eyes open, but pain blossomed sharp enough for his eyes to fall closed. When he opened them back up, Kristen was gone. A crow feather was left dancing in the wind. Phil lifted his hand. The feather fell into his palm like it had always meant to fall there. Phil pressed the feather against his heart with soft sigh. He stared up at the sky with a smile. He twirled around like a child, walking back to the cabin with a newfound ambition in his stride.

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Where the hell is this series going?