Wings Of Fire As Humans ~ 3 ~ {GLORYBRINGER}

[15] Envelope

~Deathbringer~

I inhaled sharply, groaning as the pain in my head throbbed. I reached up and gingerly touched my head, wondering if it was possible to die from a headache.

Suddenly, without warning, arms were thrown around my neck, nearly suffocating me.

"Dad!" Jade's voice cried happily as Moon's voice cried, "Deathbringer!" I appreciated being appreciated, but the yelling was not at all helping the headache.

"I'm alive?" I asked, the memories of what happened filling my waking thoughts. Hadn't I just died? Or was I sleeping? "Huh."

Glory pulled away from me, laughing as tears streamed down her face.

"You saved him!" she cried happily, looking up to beam at another figure. "You–" She instantly stopped talking. When I turned to see what she was gawking at, I saw Darkstalker. The black cracks on his arms charged down his arms like lightning. The cracks that had stopped at his face splintered upward, faster and more determined with a sickening crackling sound.

His limbs started turning black and he shook, all that energy building up inside of him. He jerked left, and then right. But he didn't speak. He didn't even make a sound. He shook more violently, falling forward.

And then he exploded into a pile of black dust.

Clover shrieked as she leaped into Jade's arms, shivering.

Nobody spoke. We stared for a long moment. I was still a bit fuzzy with all that had happened as I blinked, dazed.

"Is..." I could hardly form a sentence. "Is he... dead?"

"Because he clearly isn't a pile of ashes right now," Glory said, but she also seemed horrified and confused at the same time.

"H-how are you alive right now?" Ember asked, slowly turning to me. "I just saw you die..."

"Well, you sound awfully disappointed," I said, frowning.

"What are you..." Moon started from her perch beside Qibli as she watched Nightfall reach for something in the ashes.

"No, don't–" Glory stopped, something catching her eye. I followed her gaze and saw what Nightfall was reaching for. Something white was sticking out of the ashes, and when Nightfall pulled it out and shook it, I saw that it was an envelope. Sealed and unopened.

"Wait, but how?" Jade asked. She stopped, furrowing her eyebrows. "OK, what's happening? Who was this guy, and what happened to him? And... And why is he..." She waved her hand at the pile.

"Let me see that," Glory said before plucking the envelope from Nightfall's fingers.

"What is it?" Ember asked, looking over her shoulder. I started sitting up and Glory quickly dropped the envelope, turning to me.

"Hey, careful," Glory said, helping me up. "Are you alright? Do you feel normal?" She pressed the back of her hand to my forehead, feeling my face. "Don't make any sudden movements. We can't be sure you're OK."

"I feel fine," I assured, nudging her hand away, but I loved the attention. "Are you OK?"

"Stop worrying about me," Glory said. "I'm alright." Her gaze dropped to the floor. "I'm not so sure about Grandeur though."