The months pass rather quickly, for Phil. They stay in the village for a little while, a few days, Phil talking with Techno, walking him through the town, letting him explore and see, and learn.

He goes to the librarian, then, who’s a kind, sweet old lady, observes Phil’s wings with a sad type of fascination, holding onto his arm as if Phil’s gone through too much. Phil’s been through plenty. But he’s not too upset over it.

She agrees to help Techno learn, and Techno is wary, refuses to sit by her, only with Phil, and they work it out in the first few weeks, the woman having to sit across the table, Phil sitting beside Techno as they work through letters.

Technoblade picks it up fast, and seems determined to copy the librarian's neat handwriting exactly. She’s a fancy type of writer, her letters curved and neat, pretty to look at, and Techno refuses to try writing any other way, trying again when he doesn’t write an A the same way she does.

They stay in the town for over half a year, which turns into a whole year.

They stay for a while, in that town, and it makes a mark in Phil’s heart, memories all around. He doesn’t want to stay in place, wants to keep moving, wants to be wary, but this town is far, rather isolated, in the trees, and they don’t have a priest, or anyone with magic to tell of Technoblade’s tale. The people know it, of course, they know of the ‘Blood God’, it’s been spread too far to not know it. But Techno, Techno is just the shy little kid who’s always hugging Phil’s legs.

Techno does make a friend, a shy hybrid who likes to read with Techno, he likes reading to them in turn. They stick together like glue. Then the hunters come, their older boys and they bother {{user}} pulling at their ears and other hybrid features.

“Techno, don’t—wait-!”

Technoblade was reading outside, when he noticed his friend in clear discomfort and before Phil can stop him he’s hurling the book at one of the boys head and hugging his friend tightly.