Third person point of view-

He hugged his brother's body more tightly than he had ever held anything before. He pulled Drake's body onto his lap, sobbing into his chest as he clung to him. He choked on his own breath and saliva, his nose stuffing up with mucus that ran from his nostrils. His face was burning up, the tears steaming against his skin. The world and the on going battle that had abruptly come to a halt and all became distant as his mind blocked everything out. The sounds grew quite in his ears aside from the ringing and he was unable to breathe right. His throat closed and opened up, making him gag and his sore limbs quivered violently. Oxygen tried to go back into his lungs, mucus and saliva running down his throat. His chest filled with pain as he continued to choke, clinging tightly to the body like a lifeline. He bit his lip, his face scrunching up.

"Drake... I-I'm so sorry..." Armen sobbed into the body's chest, rocking back and forth as it rested limply against his legs, his arms wrapped around Drake's torso and holding it against his own.

He felt Drake's cold skin even past his warm clothing, digging his claws into his body. He felt his brother's warm blood seep onto his lap, ripping his head away from the hybrid's chest to look down at his face. He sniffed, his eyes red and face covered in mucus and tears. He looked at the ghostly pale and reptilian black skin with stains of new and old blood, seeing how calm his expression seemed. It was almost like he was simply sleeping, but the boy knew better than to hope for such an obscure miracle.
The boy's tears fell onto Drake's face, the warm drips sliding down the corpse's black cheek, leaving behind a warm streak of water on his scalelike skin.
Grayson hissed and let his eyes flutter open, feeling like he had blacked out for a moment from blood loss. He gagged a few times, the blood loss making him feel nauseous. The first thing he saw was pure white before blinking to clear his vision. His head was pounding, with his ears ringing loud, and his vision swarming with bright spots as he fought to hold onto consciousness. He saw red, knowing that it was running from his right leg, or at least what remained of it. As the ringing in his ears began to become less intense, he noticed the odd lack of chaotic sounds emitting from the atmosphere around them. Only the occasional explosion or scream or clashing of iron, but it was not as intense as before Herobrine was taken back into his own realm. There were less bright flashing light, the lightning finally seizing to rain down from the dark clouds above.
His eyes finally began to adjust again, letting him see Armen cradling Drake's motionless body.

  "Drake..." he hissed out, trying to sit up but fell back down in agony.

Grayson bit into his tongue to keep himself from screaming. He used the aching muscles in his abdomen to sit up, turning his head to look down at his sword. His head swarmed with dizziness, his vision once again blurring for a split moment. Once he could see moderately well again, his eyes rested on the cultist sword that he had used to stand moments ago. His shaking hand reach out and let his fingers wrap around the hilt, his arm lifting it up to press the tip of the blade against the stone.
He pushed himself up so that he was standing, his back hunched, huffing and groaning from the pain spiking up his body. His blood dripped relentlessly from his open wounds, especially from his open flesh that revealed the muscles, bones, veins, and arteries within his leg. He looked up at his comrades, his vision blurred from tears but the injured king could still make out the bodies of his closest friends. He blinked and let his tears of pain flow, allowing him to see a bit more detail in the image before him.
He saw Armen sobbing into Drake's chest, the hybrid's body on his lap and Armen's left hand wrapped underneath his back with his fingers digging into Drake's shoulder with his other hand clawing at Drake's bloody shirt. His eyes scanned the limp body, taking in every detail from the year old bandages on his head and the dried blood, to the bags underneath his eyes and how his cheeks and torso were gaunt like a skeleton. He took in each bloodstain and every tiny scar on his visible skin and each strand of his messy hair. He could not stop his eyes from tearing up.
A smile came to his face as he once again let out a breath that spoke the hybrid Mage's name. With his strength slowly fading from his body, Grayson took a step forward with his good leg, then let his weight lean against the blade after he pushed it down and dug the tip into the stone ground, using it as a cane. He was light headed, but he could not afford to pass out, not now when Drake was finally back. He did not know that his friend was gone.
Once he was close enough, his mind finally began to realize that the raven haired was not weeping in joy, but sobbing in dismay. Grayson looked down at the stab wound that Armen had inflicted, the sword no longer impaled into his body. A large wound was left behind, going straight through Drake's body and letting red with a barely noticeable purple pool out of the vessel. Even though his tears blurred his vision, he finally noticed that Drake's chest was completely still other than Armen's trembling body causing it to shake. The joy slowly began to fade from his being as the departure of Drake's spirit began to set in.

  "Is...he..?" Grayson could not even gasp it out.

Armen looked up, his lips quivering and his face covered in water from burning tears. He opened his mouth, but no words came out as he chocked on his sorrow. His red rimmed eyes shut tightly once again as tears flowed, shoving his face back into Drake's chest as he sobbed loudly. Drake's blood poured from the wound and soaked into Armen's pants, leaving a large puddle of blood beneath him that continued to expand. Grayson stared with wide eyes, his blood becoming chilled and heart freezing like ice. His fists clenched painfully, biting his lip as he tried to hold back tears of sorrow.
He had anticipated for this outcome, as well as many others. He kept trying to mentally prepare himself for losing his best friend forever, telling himself that Drake would be in a better place or that him dying would save him from ever having to feel tortured ever again. He thought, feared, that he would feel numb. Yet even then, he had failed to keep the wounds in his heart closed when the moment had finally arrived.
He kept remembering all the times they had spent together, the good times and the bad. He remembered laughing with him and crying for him. He remembered Drake willing to die for his sake. Mainly, he remembered that bright smile and that joy when they were reunited at that bridge more than a year. Before they had met Mia or decided to go on that quest to free Armen from possession. When it was just the two of them catching up on their lost time together. When Drake unknowingly saved him from an awful fate that he would have brought upon himself.
What was he going to do now? How do you just move on? The sword slipped away from his bloody, blistered, clammy hand. He could not hold back the tears and finally broke down, collapsing to his knee and sitting down on his rear as he sobbed next to the limp body. How do you not feel anything and just brush it off and stay strong when the person who saved your life, saved you from yourself, was lying dead before you?

"You once said that Drake was your reason to live, that he restored your will to persist on in life. He's dead now, so what do you have left?"

He closed his eyes as he let his sorrows take a hold. Tears streamed from his emerald eyes. He remembered all of those good times that they shared, even the bad ones. When they laughed, when they comforted one another, when they just felt like family. Without this need to save Drake and to bring him back, now that Herobrine was gone and so was Drake, where would his life take him now? Would he be able to last much longer in this sad, cruel little world?
A faint red rose up in his neck and consumed his pale face, blood continuing to drain from his body and make him light headed. The tears stained his face and left it burning, the little droplets of water falling and splashing against the stone floor. He expected this to happen, so why was he weeping so much? He supposed that even a strong man who felt like he had seen everything, could only be strong for so long. Could only lose so much before he finally broke.
He looked up at Armen, hearing him gasp and struggle to suck in air as he continued to cry with the body cradled in his arms. He sniffed, remembering all of the times he spent with Drake as well. They had always been there for each other, protected one another. They were always willing to sacrifice one another for the others benefit. He remembered laughing and joking with him, remembering how he was always so serious and idealistic, barely ever able to take a joke without pouting or brushing it off. A chuckle snuck its way past his gasping and sobbing. Despite that they were so different, he was so mature while he was just like a child, they loved one another. They were family that went through thick and think with each other, no matter how bad it got. They loved each other, because when it came to it, Drake was always there for him. And he tried so desperately to be there for his brother as well.

Grayson wiped away his tears and puffed out his chest, trying to maintain his composure, or at least attempting to get pieces of it back. "I..." He chocked.

He took in a deep breath and closed his sore eyes, letting his breath go and his eyes open up. "I'm sure that he's in a better place. Wherever his spirit is now, it has to be better than what he was being put through. I'm sure that he's proud of us for finally getting rid of Herobrine and setting him free."

Armen listened, but pressed his forehead against his brother's unmoving chest, trying to control his breathing. He could taste the mucus, salty tears, and blood on his tastebuds, a metal taste on the back of his dry tongue. His joint were sore and his wounds felt almost as if they were throbbing. His hands hurt from clenching to the body resting on his lap, his mourning expressed frozen on his face as he grieved. The memories of Drake just kept running through his head like a film, clouding up his mind from everything else.

He finally got himself to speak. "That's what Mia said to him about me, that I'd be in a better place and look at where I ended up."

The blonde despised that remark, but he understood that Armen was hurting. He was too. He turned his head when he heard quick but loud tapping against the stone floor. Grayson looked up to see cultists charging in, the ones brace enough to stand up and attempt to avenge their god. Grayson knew that without his leg and being outnumbered, they had no chance in beating these men.
Suddenly, two horses sprung out from beyond the steps, leaping into his line of vision as they charged at the cultists that held their weapons high. The two imperial horseman raised their weapons and sped towards the enemies, swinging down their weapons on slashing at their foes, blood filling the air. Even with his hand stitched up just hours before, he fought with both a sword in one hand and his trusty chakram in the other. Bodies dropped to the ground one by one, bloody and limp as their life forces slipped away.
Xavier and Tyler came to a halt a few yards away from the grieving emperor and Nightmare hybrid, looking down at the two that sat with the body of the once possessed Enderman hybrid. They looked at the portal and the dragon that now stood behind Grayson, wrapping its tail on the ground around his master. The commander and spy looked at the amputation of Grayson's leg, cringing, unable to imagine the pain. Xavier stared at them, saw their tears and how Drake made not a single move. His heart sunk, yet he was relieved at the same time. He had wanted to free Drake and get rid of Herobrine, and while his friend had died, they had achieved those goals, rather it was the exact results they had wanted or not. By one way or another, Drake was finally redeemed.
They could hardly believe their own eyes. They did it. They had actually defeated the devil himself.
Grayson looked over his friend's body once more, his vision blurred from tears of sorrow and pain. No. What he was seeing was deceitful. It had to be! The blood loss must have been getting to his head. He gasped, seeing a light beginning to emit before his eyes.
Armen's eyes twitched as a bright light pierced through the darkness of his closed eyelids. His body felt strange, almost like a tingling sensation that made his blood as cold as ice and spread through his veins as his heart pumped faster. Then he felt warmth beginning to run down his trembling, slender right arm that wrapped over the stab wound on Drake's body. He was struck by an overwhelming pressure, a feeling like a new presence. It was strange yet familiar. Just a powerful as Herobrine but it lacked that spine chilling darkness. Even then, Armen's back shivered as fear gripped him tight.
Armen lifted up his head and let his eyelids lift to see what the light was. His sight quickly adjusted, looking down at Drake's torso seeping out cold blood. He jumped and let out a loud gasp, wide-eyed as he saw a bright white light that began to glow brighter by the second. It made the light from the violet flames in the fire pits beside them seem so dim in comparison. The light poured from the ripped open flesh on Drake's body caused by Grayson's blade. Grayson and Armen both stared, awestruck and unable to rip their gazes away. The light dazzled in their eyes, causing them to squint before the glow slowly dimmed.
Thoughts ran through their minds, flickering rapidly through their brains as they to process what was happening. What was this? Drake's spirit? Why did this energy feel so overwhelming and morphed? Like it was familiar yet there was more to it than what Armen could wrap his head around. He could not focus on searching for spiritual energy, feeling almost trapped in this flood of extra terrestrial power.
Then the bright but fading glow began to slowly get smaller on the wound, creeping towards the center of the open gash that went straight through the hybrid's body. The light became nothing but a slim dot, until it faded away into nothingness, and left them in darkness other than the purple fire being cast by the fire pits beside them. Both of the boys stared in wonder at the light before it disappeared, continuing to stare even after it was gone.
The stab wound...it had healed, leaving behind a scar.
Armen flinched when he felt a shift. His pupils constricted as they moved up to look at the face of his brother's corpse. He gasped, his heart clenching and chest was tight yet heavy with pressure that made it ache. His vision was still blurry, but the image slowly began to become more clear. Armen's slow beating heart was pounding more than ever. He could hardly believe what he was seeing.
Drake's lashes trembled and slowly rose as he opened his eyes. All who watched with awe could not move. They could not speak. They could not blink. They could hardly even think. Armen and Grayson's breath caught in their throats. The raven haired loosened his grip on the body, nearly pushing it away but he kept it on top of his blood soaked lap. They stared into the Enderman hybrid's eyes that had opened up like doors to an ancient crypt. Then they all froze up with fear.
Drake's eyes glowed a brilliant heavenly white, a dim purple glow from the faint iris in his right eye, and a dim blue in the faint iris of his left eye. A faint white glow shined in the back of his throat past the blood that began to gurgle. Drake closed his mouth, pressing his dry lips together as he swallowed the thick substance instead of coughing it out. Gasps were heard from all around, Xavier holding his weapon close for comfort in case banishing Herobrine had not worked and the devil was still inside of his friend's body. Dracey growled, but Grayson pushed down on his head to keep him from making any sort of attack. What the h**l was going on?! This was impossible!
Armen stared in disbelief at those glowing eyes, fright beginning to run through his body. His lips quivered and blood once again ran cold. No. It can't be Herobrine! He's gone! They got rid of him! The boy hyperventilated, panic arising as he stared at the reanimated image of his deceased brother. There was no life force...just pure, overwhelming energy. Yet that faint color in his eyes, it was like when Herobrine had given him a glimpse of control, or was that Drake just barely breaking free form his possession, from death?

Drake's head moved, his eyes with droopy lids staring up at the raven haired that held him. "A-Armen? Is that really..?"

Armen felt more tears fall from his burning eyes, stinging his burned skin. His grip on Drake's arm tightened once again, slowly shaking his head. Shock coursed through his body. This had to be his imagination; his grieving mind playing tricks. But a part of him silently begged that this was real, that this was Drake and not some dream, or hallucination, or one of Herobrine's sick tricks. He stared into those glowing eyes that were once dead and as blank as new canvas, but now they had a glimmer of life within them. Two little specks of hope. Armen's body was frozen, unable to move in the slightest aside from the involuntary shivering.
He was scared to take his eyes off of him, scared that even if he blinked, that those eyes would close or lose what little color they had. He was scared that Herobrine would come back, that any little thread of hope that he desperately clung to that Drake would come back to him would be dashed. He forcibly attempted to hold back his tears, but he was quick to break and allowed them to once again flow like a river.

  "D-Drake? It can't be..."

The hybrid Mage let out a weak chuckle, blood on the walls of his throats but still feeling like his throat was dry. "I...It is you... Armen."

With his eyes glowing, it was hard to see his tears before they began to run down the sides of his face. A bright smile spread on his cheeks, his pale cheek on his human side finally gaining a hint of red. Armen began to hiccup and choke, his jaw hanging down in astonishment. His shaking, sore jaw finally closed, allowing him to finally speak.

"Drake!"

Armen pulled him up, then immediately wrapped both of his arms all the way around Drake's frail body and squeezed him tightly in a heartfelt embrace. A laugh burst up from his throat, mixing with hiccups as gasps for breath. Tears of joy gleamed as they ran down his face and leaked from his closed eyes. He did not want to let him go. He just wanted Drake to stay, fearing that he would disappear if he released his grip. He did not want to lose his best friend, his brother once again.
His face dug into the crook of his brother's neck as his sobbing resumed, but now they were not tears of sorrow, but of great joy. He dug his claws into his clothing, not paying attention to rather or not he was bringing Drake pain or keeping him from breathing. Drake's was not tense, but he slowly wrapped his arms around the half Nightmare and closed his eyes as he too wept in joy. He did not choke or gasp...his chest was not even moving to indicate breath filling and leaving his lungs.

More tears began to form in the emerald green eyes of the blonde. "D-Drake?!"

The hybrid pulled away from Armen and turned his head, looking at imperial majesty that was one of his closest companions with his massive glowing eyes that teared up and released even more burning tears at the sight of his friend. His lips lifted, smiling to show his sharp teeth as his upper body lifted and fell as he giggled. His lips pressed back together as his tongue quickly flicked out to lick his upper lip in order to moisten them so he would feel more comfortable when he spoke.

"G-Grayson?!"

Grayson's fingers locked up, forgetting to breathe. He just stared at him with him wide-eyed, tears completely filling his orbs and letting the waterworks flow. Before the reanimated Enderman hybrid could do much else, Grayson's body was lunging forward and slammed into his own, nearly knocking over both of the other two men. As Grayson bawled against Drake's left shoulder, Armen wrapped his arms around Drake once again and also began bawling as he laughed in joy. Drake laughed as he put his arms around the both of them and pulled his best friend's in closer as the tears streamed from his eyes as well.
For the first time in years, all three of them were together, all of them were miraculously still alive and well, to an extent at least. As they clung to each other, they seemed to sink as they all pulled each other closer to the ground. All of the pain and remorse became nothing but a distant bad dream in those moments when they held to one another and laughed while they cried all at once. For those moments, every little problem, all of the pressure on their shoulders just melted away. The fear, the sorrow, memories of bad times, all were just pushed to the blackness and furthest corners of their minds. It had been so long since long since they had all felt this happy, and never before had they felt so free.
Drake bawled, almost overwhelmed by this feeling of joy and freedom that he believed he would never feel again. Free from his prison of pure agony that was so intense that the physical and emotional abuse was indescribable. His body felt no pain, for the first time in so long he felt overjoyed and happy and...thankful to be alive. It felt so good that his broken mindset had no idea how to cope with it, yet he just sat they and enjoyed the bliss while he still could. At that moment, his ecstatic friends were all that mattered.
Sparkling tears rolled from their eyes that glimmered like thousands of tiny jewels. Drake clung to each moment, and every feeling or sense that his body could possibly register. He felt their tears running down his skin and soak into his clothes covered in stale blood, as well as his own wet and sticky blood that was oddly cold. While the smells of blood and sweat were vile, he felt as if he could not get enough of it. He loved the feeling of their warmth, the strands of their hair grazing his skin as they dug their heads against his body. He felt as they moved with each individual breath they took in and released, and the rhythmic beating hearts within their tight chests.
The drumming of their hearts...that was what made him the most emotional of all the physical things he could take in. They felt real, reminding him that this was not a nightmare or one of Herobrine's false realities that he planted into his head. It reminded him that these two people, two of the ones he cared about more than his own existence, were still alive despite everything that they had done and went through to get to this point. Those two heartbeats were like music from heaven itself chiming angelically into his ears. In some strange way, they made him feel secure and save.
Armen and Grayson felt something similar as well. This bliss, this peace. It was like some foreign feeling that they had never received before. Despite chocking and gasping from crying, they also felt as it was easier to breathe. All of the stress and fear just faded until it was all practically forgotten for the time being. It all felt so different. Their first taste of true freedom, of a world where they no longer had to fear that monster and his unholy tyranny. It was like they themselves had become completely new beings. The worry, the paranoia, the sorrow, the hatred, it was all seemingly washed away.
The land itself was completely different. The air was breathable and fresh. The lightning faded and the clouds began to slowly part, letting the burning sky reveal itself and let rays of dazzling sunlight sneak its way past the patches of absent clouds. The entire atmosphere seemed to change. It became lighter, brighter. It felt like... the world was finally a place that you could call home.
They finally all pulled away from one other, though quite reluctantly. Drake wiped his eyes and let out another chocked up laugh. Then the happiness just dropped.
He blinked, staring a head of himself with dead, glowing eyes that still had heavy bags beneath them. His hand rose up and touched his head, flinching when he touched the stale bloody bandages on his head, but made the movement not out of pain, but in surprise. It had been so long since he felt his own body or really felt anything other than pain at all. He lowered his arm and looked at his hand, letting out a gasp as his eyes grew wide and fingers began to tremble before his own gaze. His dry, bloody lips shook as he flexed his fingers, trying to speak but he was at a loss of words.

"I-I..."

He closed his eyes and bit his lip. Wait...something was different. Well, everything was different now, but something was off. Drake opened his teary, glowing eyes again and looked down, placing his hand against his chest. It was then that he realized what was off. He had no heartbeat, no need to breathe, or to blink. He had no life force. Yet he was conscious and in the physical plain, like some sort of zombie without the craving to devour flesh. Yet he felt this powerful energy burning inside of him, this power like no other that felt familiar. It made him shake and his mind went blank for a moment as his mind registered the power that coursed through his being. It felt so sweet. So great!
As his vision adjusted and he was snapped back into reality, he saw a pool of deep crimson red blood. He looked over and saw Grayson's leg, looking at the bone sticking out and the blood flowing like a stream. For a moment, he felt nothing of it. He did not feel worried or frightened. He felt numb to it, knowing that he had seen so much worse, even though he knew that this was real. This was real, wasn't it?

Drake looked down at his leg with wide eyes. He felt no panic, but he made his voice sound as if he did. "Your...your leg!"

Grayson looked over his shoulder and down at his leg, instantly getting nauseous and light headed at the sight of his own bone sticking out and all of the blood that he was losing. He felt a wave of weakness wash over him, his body feeling heavy and dizzy before he suddenly fell over. For a moment he blacked out, Drake catching him with open arms.
Drake pushed Grayson off of him and gently rested his back onto the floor. He stared at the point of detachment of his leg, eyes locked onto the exposed internal flesh and bone. Grayson opened his eyes, his head moving from side to side as he groaned and tried to keep himself conscious. Drake's expression remained blank as his hand reached out and was placed his friend's leg just above where the rest of it had been severed. Grayson was gasping and trembling, biting his lip and he closed his eyes and pushed his head back against the stone. His eyes cracked open, tears continuing to slip from his eyes.

Drake spoke, but his voice was almost dead. "I'm not sure, but this might hurt."

"Wha-?" Before he could even finish, he was screaming in agony.

A bright light shone brightly from Drake's hand, moving down and swarming below Grayson's knee where his leg was blown off. It was filled with an almost unimaginable pain, causing Grayson's back to lift up and form an arch as he pressed his head against to floor until the back of his scalp was bleeding again. He screamed until his throat hurt, until he screams eventually became silent.
Grayson just stared down in complete disbelief at his leg once the light faded. Blood no longer flowed from it and it was no longer filled with and agonizing pain that pulsed throughout his body. He gasped and huffed erratically and fast, his body once again sweating. While there was no more pain, it now felt uncomfortable. His green eyes grew when Drake pulled his hand away and let him see what he had done.
The wound had closed and the shattered bone with an uneven and jagged edge had been smoothed and made even. His skin had gone over it to cover up Grayson's internals, looking almost as if it was mended by a professional doctor but he had no stitches. Upon closer inspection, the blonde realized that he had just a few more inches below his knee than before. Drake...healed him? No normal magic could do that on it's own. Did he use his life force?
Drake placed his hands on the stone and put his weight on them, using his arms and knees to hold himself up as he huffed. He wiped away the blood that was still on his chin before he laughed, really more like a chuckle.

  "Wow. That took a lot more out of me than I expected."

Grayson sat up, feeling no more pain or soreness on or within his body. He crossed his legs, grabbing onto his healed leg and staring down at it as his mind continued to process that it was not back, well, a bit of it. It was still amputated, now ending about three inches below his knee. His fingers rubbed his skin that was now smooth like a new born's skin and free of and strands of hair. He still could not walk, but he only cared about the fact that the pain was gone. Another wave of relief washed over him before his heart once again pounded and his body stiffened. Glowing eyes and powerful healing abilities... What was up with Drake?

  "H-how did you..? Did you use your life force? Wh-why are your eyes glowing?!"

Drake sat straight up again, swiftly moving his head a couple degrees to move the greasy, bloody hair out from in front of his face.

Drake spoke with a tone that was all too serious to his human friend. "Grayson... I don't have a life force anymore. I..." He was cut off.

His human and Enderman ear lifted as they took in the resuming explosions and Nightmare's shrieking. The nightmares were beginning to flood into the temple, screaming so loud that the humans were going deft and the pillars were slowly cracking from the sound waves. They all covered their ears, all aside from Armen and Drake. They all felt their heart racing, all but Drake. For some reason, he felt calm. He felt like they had nothing to worry about. This strange energy that he felt built up inside of him, it was like it gave him back the confidence he had lost, or at least some of it.
He stood up and stared directly in the direction that the beast swarmed from. Why did he feel so calm? Why did he feel...invincible? As they approached, their dark presence flooded into the temple, Drake's arm shot up with his hand engulfed in flaring white, blue, and purple energy. A white light filled the darkness and caused everyone to turn away to prevent being blinded. The light quickly faded away, allowing everyone to look back and see what had happened.
All of their eyes grew as gasps echoed off of the walls. Drake lowered his arm, his gaze softening as his lips parted slightly, but without his need to breathe, he could not gasp. They all stared in awe as the darkness corrupting the spirits faded, and all that was now left behind were small glowing orbs of different colors. A delicate ringing like chiming echoed across the temple as the bright lights from the floating orbs broke the darkness. They flew around majestically, glittering against the shadows cast from the clouds. Spirits finally set free from corruption. They flew around Xavier and Tyler's heads, dancing around in the air as they rejoiced their freedom.
The bright colors danced in their wide eyes as they stared at the spirits. They were all so lost in wonder and astonishment that pulled them away from reality that they could not speak. Drake looked around in wonder and amazement. He had saved these spirits. They were no longer bound by hate and bloodlust. He had freed them. His eyes moved back up to stare straight ahead before he silently began to walk straight down the midline of the temple to head to the entrance.
He stared down at the chaos left behind, watching the remainder of the soldiers scatter for survival while withers and Nightmares attacked from above. He shook his head as he heard both the monsters and the humans scream. He tried to repress the memories of his time while he was possessed as he heard those sound and the looked upon the scene of gore  of the scattered bodies and sea of blood. He clenched his fist and bit his lip, but he felt no sting of pain to draw him away from the memories. He could feel a panic attack coming on with PTSD setting in. No. Not now.
He growled and let his eyes snap open, glowing more fiercely than before. His arm shot straight up, aiming his hand up at the sky. His eyes locked onto the withers that continued to attack soldiers at random, firing out powerful blue flames that brought complete destruction in their wake. His eyes narrowed before his hand up in the air clenched so tightly that his already ghostly pale knuckles beneath his gloves grew red. Suddenly, the withers began to explode into bursts of black smoke and dust, leaving behind massive orbs of blue energy before those eventually began to fade.
His fist then unfolded, fingers opening up and revealing his glove covered palm. His thumb and index finger pressed together, then he snapped them, making a click ring out. All of the Nightmares let out one last screech in union before the darkness on their body faded away and the spirits turned into glowing orbs. Each spirit took a different color, some with multiple colors, each giving off a delicate chime and bright glow.
All of the soldiers stopped fighting and looked around in amazement and shock. There were few men left on either side, and hardly any horses left alive. The spirits flew around happily and joy that they were finally set free.
Drake lowered his arm, listening as the others got closer behind him, hearing footsteps and the hooves of the spy's and commander's horses stomping against the floor. He turned around, seeing Armen and Grayson and Dracey standing behind him. Grayson had his arm over the dragon's long neck in order to keep himself standing.

  "Wh-what?!" Armen's tears rolled down his cheeks, his smile wider than ever before. "How? How are you alive?! Why are your eyes glowing and how could you...do that?!" So many questions were swarming through his mind.

Drake looked down at his hands, watching the glow of white, purple, and blue enveloping his fingers fade away. He clenched his fist and looked up, watching the calming scene of the many lights, the spirits floating all around in the dusty, vile smelling air. He watched as the remaining cultists began to retreat, and those who were on the side of the imperial army cheered in victory.

He finally spoke, his voice smooth but low. Just by the tone in his voice, Armen and Grayson could tell that he was still a bit broken inside. "I don't know how, but a part of Herobrine's essence was left behind inside of me before we banished him, when he tried to repossess me. We got rid of him, but some of his power was left behind. That's why I have these abilities now. Why I am still technically alive. If I hadn't gotten Herobrine's power, I'd really be dead. Actually, I'm basically a spirit possessing my own corpse. That's why I don't have a life force anymore."

Armen farrowed a brow, but stayed smiling. "So are you some sort of god now? Or part demon?"

Drake put a finger against his chin as he thought about it. He lowered his arm to turned to his part brother with a smile. "God sounds good, although something like demi-god sounds more appropriate. I still have some human aspects."

  "Cocky much, don't you think?" Grayson commented, then received a playful but painful hit on the shoulder by Drake.

  "So if you have Herobrine's powers and his power is keeping your spirit inside of your body, then does that mean... you're immortal?"

Drake shook his head and gave out a nervous chuckle. "I sure hope not. I have some of his power, but not all, so I might not be."

The demi-god looked over at the king and his dragon, a smile returning to his cheeks that were still stained in his tears. Drake pointed to the dragon, wanting to drop the other conversion. "Your dragon. Is he still named after Armen?"

Grayson looked down and pet the reptile's head, causing it to pur. "Oh, no, um... I changed it so it would not be confusing. His name is Dracey now!"

One of the hybrid's brows furrowed. "You do realize that Dracey is another word for dragon, don't you?"

  "Oh..." Grayson looked at the dragon and shrugged. "Well, I tried to be original. But hey, I could name him after you! Your name is another word for dragon too!"

Drake giggled before shaking his head and saying with a smile, "please don't."

Then, two orbs floated towards the men from the mass of spirits beginning to fade into the afterlife. One glowed a bright neon green, while the other shimmered in the warm and cool colors of orange and blue with a hint of light purple. They all stared at the two spirits that floated side by side, watching as they began to get brighter. They all, with the exemption of Drake, squinted and covered their faces, turning away as the light of the two spirits became blinding.
Once the light finally dimmed enough to let their eyes properly adjust to it and not burn their eyeballs, they uncovered their eyes and turned their heads to the spirits. They squinted at their light that was still bright, but now it was dim enough to let their eyes adjust to see them. Their eyes grew wide and they opened their mouths to gasp, but nothing escaped from their mouths, mainly Grayson and Xavier. The spy dismounted from his steed, taking a few steps forward before he finally froze up.
Two human figures stood before all of them, one taller and more masculine, while the other was feminine. They were both semi-transparent, both with bright smiles upon their faces. Drake smiled at the spirits, his gaze moving to the mortals. The female stood with her arms in front of her, her small hands together. Her long brunette hair and tightly fitted green dress drifted slowly and her brown eyes sparkled as if tearing up.
The male stood with his back straightened, his lip perked into a grin. His black clothing and armor were free of blood, his purple, white, and silver armor free of any dents and scratches. He had no sign of any injury and the bone no longer showed itself where his right hand had been sliced off. His limb was completely intact, just as good as ever. His mismatched eyes shimmered and his messy lavender hair also drifted in the wind without his yarn penguin hat to keep it down.
They could hardly believe what they were seeing before their very eyes. It took them all a moment to assess the moment and wrap their heads around it. It was almost too good to be true.

Xavier was the first to get himself to speak, tears welling up in his green eyes as his weapons slipped from his shaking fingers and clattered against the stone floor. "Sylvia? L-Luke?"

They both smiled at all of them gently, especially at Grayson and Xavier. Luke spoke up, his voice echoing and unworldly. "It's nice to see you all again. You know, now that I'm not filled with rage and bloodlust." He giggled.

The memories of their deaths flashed through Grayson and Xavier's minds. Their eyes teared up, Grayson recalling Luke's lifeless body in his lap and Xavier remembering holding both of their bodies after they passed away. Both spirits had expressions as if they wanted to cry in joy, but being spirits, they could not exactly do so. The mortals felt their hearts clench and chest fill with pressure as they trembled where they stood. Tears came from their eyes like small waterfalls as Grayson began to hiccup.

"L-Luke..." His voice cracked.

Grayson put the tip of his sword on the ground and let his arm slip away from his dragon assisting him in standing. With his sword keeping him up, he limped his way over to his dead companions in their spirit forms. He reached out his hand as he limped forward, only hearing his own heavy breathing, the sounds of the remaining spirits floating around, and the tip of his his sword scraping against the stone floor as he nearly fell over multiple times. His shaking fingers and his arm stretched to touch his old friend, his heart pounding. He gasped as his hand rested against Luke's chest plate instead of phasing through his body entirely.
His eyes looked into the eyes of his old friend, watching them glimmer like sparkling dust in his different colored orbs. Grayson dropped the sword holding him up and let his body fall against Luke as he wrapped his arms around him tightly. In a way it was like he was still alive with Grayson able to make physical contact with him, yet he and the air around him was ice cold. He had no heartbeat or movement from breathing and his semi-transparent body glowed so bright that he could see the glow even when his eyes were closed. It was strange.
He squeezed his arms around him as he hugged his old friend, knowing that it wouldn't hurt him. He began sobbing once again, his eyes red, burning, and sore from all of the tears that he had shed. He put his chin on the metal shoulder pad on Luke's left arm, hiccuping and sniffing to keep the running mucus from dripping out. He was filled with so much overwhelming joy that he had no idea what to do. Drake was back, Herobrine was defeated, he was able to see Sylvia and his former best friend who had died save him again.
His fingers dug into Luke's back where his armor ended. Luke wrapped his arms around his old friend, also filled with joy to be with his old friend once more. Sorrow suddenly lifted and mixed within Grayson's joy as he kept remembering that day that Luke had sacrificed himself for him and lost his life. His bit his lip as his tears covered his lips and tongue.

  "Luke, I'm so sorry... for everything." Grayson's voice broke.

The spirit of the assassin pulled away and looked in Grayson's teary emerald eyes. He stepped back, but held onto Grayson's shoulders to keep him standing.

His voice made both Grayson's and Xavier's blood chill. "Sorry about what? There's nothing for you to apologize about. What happened...it was for the best."

The blonde shook his head. "I treated you like crap, even when you helped us."

Luke chuckled. "Grayson, you had every right to be mad. What I did was awful and I know that once we're done here...I'll pay for it for the rest of eternity like I rightfully deserve."

Grayson's throat closed up. He really did believe that he was going to end up in h**l. Perhaps he did deserve it, yet Grayson did not want that after what he had done over a year ago. He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, looking down at the ground. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He wished that he could assure him that he was not going to end up in h**l, but he just could not say it. He could not be sure.
Instead, Grayson pulled him into another hug. He sniffed and closed his sore eyes, calming himself and steadying his breathing.

  "Well, if that's the case then... I want to know that..."

He remembered that night, the pain, the screaming of his beloved, the flames that rose high with the smell of charred flesh. He remembered his son crying before he was silenced by his execution, the blood flying through the air. He remembered being locked in that cell and waiting for death before this lavender haired man freed him. Even though he lost his family, it was thanks to him that he got his revenge on the old emperor. Thanks to him, he was still alive and able to save Drake, bring back Armen, and defeat the devil. He may have lost a family, but he gained a new one. A smile slowly spread on his aching cheeks.

  "I forgive you."

Luke's eyes grew wide. He smiled and let his eyes slowly closed, the corners of his lips perked up high as his arms once again loosely wrapped around his friend. "Thank you, Grayson."

Xavier walked closer to his old wife, slow as he continued to stare at her in disbelief. He had moved on, but seeing her again brought back so many wonderful memories. Their wedding, the birth of their daughter, all of the times that she was there for him, and all of those moments when they laughed together as a family. His eyes watered from the memories. He had fallen in love with another woman that he was more than happy and proud to be with, but seeing Sylvia again, it was like he was drawn into the past. A part of him that he had pushed aside and tried to forget about...still clung to her.
He found himself running towards her, wanting to wrap his arms around her and tell her how sorry he was for freezing up and allowing her to die. As he out stretched his arms and waited to feel her in his embrace, he collided into her. Instead of feeling her in his arms, he felt nothing but as he phased straight through her being. He stopped and spun around, blinking to get rid of the tears and ease the burning in his eyes. His eyes rested on the glowing image of his formal wife, watching as she turned around to face him with a smile smile upon her face. Her eyes were shimmering like bright gems in beautiful sunlight.

"You can only grasp onto spirits when they want you too... Xavier, darling...I want you to move on from me. I want you to be happy!"

The spy gave a quick nod. "I...I have a girlfriend now, and she's wonderful. Remember Endy? ... I-I... I am happy with her. She takes care of our daughter and cares for me... she's...great."

He felt such a heavy pressure in his chest as tears slipped from the corners of his green eyes. It felt so weird saying that to his deceased wife that he still loved deep down. It felt like he was betraying her, yet having him move on was what she wanted. His mind burned with the conflicting thoughts swarming around in his head. Sylvia looked to the ground, her hand raising up to chest as he closed her eyes and let out a small laugh behind her closed lips.

Her brown eyes opened up, shining bright like glimmering bronze. "I'm glad of that." She looked back up to her former husband, smiling and eyes that looked like they wanted to shed tears but could not. "You better take of her and our little girl."

Xavier could not help but to laugh past his tears. "O-of course! With all my heart."

Sylvia lowered her arm, giggling with closed eyes. If she could, she would have gained a pink coloration within her pale cheeks. She wanted to tell him that she loved him, but she knew that not saying those three heart clenching words would make it easier for him to stay on the right path and move on. She was happy for Endy to have a man like Xavier, and proud of Xavier for falling for such a lovely woman. She was not jealous in the slightest way, only joyful and proud.

  "I know you will. I trust you, my love." The name slipped out. "Take care. And please...don't ever give up."

The chestnut haired shook his head. "No. Never again! I'll always be there for them! I promise!"

Sylvia gave one last smile before she closed her eyes and her entire being flooded with pure white light. Xavier and the others shielded their eyes, turning back once the light dimmed and a ring like a small bell came to their ears. Xavier opened his eyes and turned back to where the spirit of his former wife once stood, instead only seeing a small ball of neon green floating within the air and casting of a bright neon green light that reflected well within the green of his eyes.
He reached out his arm and held his palm facing up as the light spirit floated towards him and hovered over his hand. He felt this strange warmth burn against the skin of his palm and fingers, but it was not painful. It was calming. The light began to get brighter, until she gave one last little peaceful note before fading away. Xavier stared at his hand, his breathing once again picking up pace. Where did she go? Why did she leave him?

Luke gave him a warm smile. "Don't worry Xavier. She's...in a better place now."

Xavier took in a deep breath, looking back at his hands as he pulled his fingers in and clenched his fist, letting his arm lift up to wipe away the tears before falling back down to his side. He looked up to his old pal and smiled as he giggled, not able to stop the warm tears from forming within his eyes once again. He watched as Drake came over and picked up the purple blade that had aided in the defeat of Herobrine, handing it back to Grayson's as the blonde used it to help him walk once more, shaking as he tested himself with keeping balance.
Luke walked over to Xavier and with little warning, although Luke had expected it to come, the spy rushed towards the dead assassin and collided into him. Unlike when Luke was living, he did not buckle or sway, staying firm in place as his friend wrapped his arms around him so tightly that if Luke needed to breathe, he would not have been able to.

  "I missed you so much buddy. It's nice to see you again."

Luke pat his back. "Me too. I'm glad that you're doing well." He pulled back and stared into those green orbs. "Do me a favor and don't ever change. Stay "overly optimistic" for me, alright pal?"

Xavier nodded. "No problem lad." He gave his old iconic smile that showed his row of bright and sharp white teeth as he chuckled.

Luke smiled even wider, then pulled away from his old friend and stepped back enough to turn and face all of his old friends that were now standing before him. He could feel that his time down in this world was drawing closer to the end.

  "I am proud of all of you. Grayson, for taking over the empire, Armen and Drake, for being strong enough to continue on despite what you've been through, and Xavier, for staying strong and finding love again. I'm glad to have been with you and to have been a part of this. I love you all, and please don't forget that."

With that, Luke closed his eyes and allowed his spiritual body to be overtaken by a bright white light. Everyone except Drake shielded their eyes and turned back to see a small floating light spirit in Luke's place. Luke hovered in his small spherical form, letting off sound like a relaxing wind chime as if to say his goodbyes.
Then, the bright mixture of warm and cool colored lights began to slowly fade away like shinning dust in an updraft. They watched as he disappeared, his spirit finally going someplace new, someplace that they all hoped would be better. Grayson's lips shook as he look up into the sky with a smile and a tear running down his cheek. Please, may he be in heaven. Of all those years of wishing that his old companion would suffer in h**l, he could no longer stand that thought.
As he looked up at the heavens and memories played through his mind, a thought struck his mind like a jolt of electricity rushing through his brain. Grayson turned to Drake, his red eyes big and still filled with warm moisture. He looked at the hybrid, his heart racing from the thoughts beginning to race within his aching head.

  "So if you could bring back Luke and Sylvia's spirits, does that mean that...you can bring back my family? My wife and my son?!"

Drake looked at him, the joy draining from his eyes. He let out a slow sigh, looking down at the ground. "I... I'm sorry Grayson, but I can only control and allow spirits to reveal themselves when they've been Nightmares. Your family never became those things, but I suppose that's something you should be thankful for."

Grayson's body became heavy as disappointment washed over him, but Drake was right. Armen had said that being a Nightmare was like h**l, constantly enraged and in sorrow and striving for revenge and not knowing why. He sighed and straightened his back, looking upwards as he thought about Drake's words. Even if he could not see them, he was at least thankful that they did not suffer that cruel fate.

  "Yeah. I guess you're right."

Suddenly, Armen began to scream. He clung to his forehead where the last of his burned red, human skin remained. His eyes began to glow purple around the edges and white glowed from the rest of his eyes. They moved up, almost rolling into the back of his head as he screamed and fell to his knees in agony. Both of his hands went up to his forehead as he began pulling his raven black hair as he cried out.
Everyone gasped as his armor and clothing turned pitch black and seemed to sink and become one with his body. The black aura began to grow and rise like flames lifting up and eating and biting at his being. Tears from intense pain streamed from his eyes as the black began to rise and consume when human flesh he had left.

Grayson was the first to scream out, while Drake remained standing there with an unusually calm, dead expression. It was not like him to act like he did not care. "Armen!"

  "Guys! Help!"

They all watched helplessly as his body began to transform. He pulled his hands away from his scalp as as his fingers grew sharper, painfully beginning to crystallize. His teeth grew sharper with black beginning to rise up the frail bone within his mouth. The purple in his eyes became white and his eyes finally rolled into the back of his skull, leaving his orbs completely blank. His legs began to lose their physical form, taking him through the excruciating process of his body drifting from the physical realm and being pulled into the realm of spirits but unable to pass on, feeling hatred consume him entirely.
His screams became inhuman, turning into loud shrieks that rattled the temple and made everyone cover their ears in pain. His entire body was engulfed in the darkness of shadows, then it evanesce, but not entirely, leaving a black aura around the creature that their friend had now become. Then in a matter of seconds, they were no longer staring at the body of Armen that they had loved like a friend and brother, but the ghastly form of a Nightmare.
They all uncovered their ears, opening their eyes to gasp as their gazes settled upon him. He hovered above the ground, a low, unworldly sound similar to a growl making it past his being. His pointed teeth were a sharp as metal daggers and completely white eyes glowed bright, not as much as Drake's now did, but bright enough. The black aura covered his body like fire, the body of his body where his legs once were now waving like the bottom of a tattered, worn drape.

  "Armen, no!" Grayson screamed with another drop of water escaping from his eyes and slowly running down his sore cheek.

Drake held out his arm, causing Grayson to run into it and stop in his tracks as he tried to run to Armen. Gray turned his head and looked into the faint blue and purple of his friend's illuminated eyes. Drake gave a weak smile and assured him that everything was okay and to let him handle it. Grayson stepped back as Drake faced his brother's corrupt spirit, walking towards it as he lifted up his arm with white energy running down from his elbow to his fingertips. He held up his open palm towards the Nightmare, controlling him to keep him from attacking.

He chuckled with water welling up in his eyes. "I guess time ran out, huh? So suddenly. Well, it's about time you stopped suffering."

Then, his fist clenched, his fingernails digging into his palm. The white light that bellowed around his arm and expanded, flashing like a bolt of lightning striking the ground. Everyone behind him blinked repeatedly as they tried to readjust their vision and see clearly again, beginning to feel nauseous from nearly being blinded multiple times. They turned to the two, eyes big as they stared at Armen's glowing, semi-transparent form.

Drake smiled as he lowered his arm. "Is that better?"

Armen opened his eyes, looking down at his body in wonder. He smiled and laughed, taking in the facts that he felt no pain or weight upon him that pulled him down. He felt weightless and free. Armen looked up at his brother, his smile wide and bright with his eyes wide with pure joy and happiness.

  "I...I feel...amazing!"

Drake's soft smiled lifted a bit more. "Awesome! Now, I don't have any life force to give to bring you back to life, but-"

Armen interrupted him. "That's okay! Drake, I've never felt this good. I mean, it does kinda suck that I'm dead but...it's just how things are. Herobrine's gone, you're okay. That's all I care about. So, I'm willing to accept my fate here and now."

Drake and the others were surprised that Armen was so willing to accept death. Armen stood up straight with his smile still plastered upon his cheeks, his smile shifting into a devious smug as he stared at his brother. He took a big step forward then made a thrust his arm, sending his arm through Drake's stomach, seeing it phase straight through him.

He laughed. "This is cool!"

Drake grumbled and stepped back, feeling an uncomfortable sensation as Armen's ghostly arm passed through him. "Don't do that."

Armen laughed again, putting his arm down and teasing him on how he was no fun. Drake's Enderman ear that was still filled with old poorly done stitches lowered as he huffed. It twitched but he did not feel a need to scratch at it. His left eyelid twitched and tried to keep his shoulder from jerking up. Twitching. Just another thing left behind from his torture. How was Armen always able to appear so calm and kept everything so under wraps? Perhaps it would just take time to hide his mental scars and repress the physical outbursts, just as it did for Armen. Yet even if he ever did accomplish that, he knew that those scars would never truly heal.
Armen smile and gaze softened, feeling like he should have been in tears as he giggled. Over course once Herobrine was gone, his Nightmare half would consume him. Of course he had to fully die the day the freed Drake from the prison within Herobrine's mind. He felt this feeling tugging it him and this urgency to let himself pass on into the next life.

  "Well, I think that it's my time. I'll always be with you."

Drake nodded. "You can come back anytime you need to. I should be able to sense your presence and I can let people see your spirit when you want them to. Almost like you never...left, but only for a short amount of time."

  "Yeah. I would like that a lot."

Drake suddenly pulled him into a tight hug, closing his eyes as he squeezed him in his grip. His tears still dripped down, going through Armen's being and dripping to the stone floor below.

  "I love you, bro." Drake said as he gave him a quick pat on the back.

Armen chuckled. "Love ya too."

Drake released him, letting the cyan glowing spirit take a few steps back. His eyes scanned everyone as they watched him, Drake, Grayson, and even Xavier with tears in their eyes but smiles on their faces. His squeaky, light voice echoed as he thanked everyone and promised them that this was not their last moment together, then he finally bid them farewell for now.
Armen smiled, closing his eyes and holding his head up high as his form turned into a tiny orb of cyan light. He began to fly around Drake, making him laugh before he went over to Grayson and stared flying around, letting out loud jiggling sounds until it became an annoyance. Finally, he stopped in front of Drake, his light ascending then fading until the cyan light was no longer seen. He was gone. Drake smiled, knowing exactly where he was and happy to know that it was better than anything this would could offer.
He closed his eyes and took in the blissful feeling of happiness and peace.... Then he suddenly began to feel weak and drained. He felt his legs beginning to shake beneath himself, taking a few stumbled steps back before he ran into Grayson, who was now being supported by Dracey. Grayson held him with one arm wrapped around him to keep him up as the hybrid's long legs finally gave out.

  "Drake, what's wrong?" He felt panic beginning to arise.

It felt strange struggling to hold onto consciousness after so long. "It's...It's the energy inside of me. Healing your leg and turning those thousands of Nightmares back into uncorrupted spirits...it drained a lot from me. I-I'm gonna have to learn how to control this power better and not...w-waste so much." He had forgotten how annoying stuttering was.

His eyes became heavy, a feeling of tiredness that he had almost grown to become unfamiliar with. Thoughts ran through his head...or where they voices coming from the back of his mind? His own or...someone else's? No. Herobrine was gone! No more voices! No more voices... His eyelids fell as all of the newly replenished strength fled from his body in a sudden jolt. He let his entire body fall limp as his consciousness gave out.