Glorybringer: The Nightmare Within

Exposed

When Deathbringer regained anything resembling consciousness, he hated it instantly. Everything felt hot and loose. Could he go back to being dead?

Welcome back to the world of the living. Venom said smugly, eliciting a quiet groan from the nightwing. I mean that literally. You were dead for about 3 hours 23 minutes 47 seconds.

"What happened?" the bodyguard questioned sleepily, trying to pull enough of his strength together to move.

Rogue must have injected some of her toxins without us realizing it, Venom explained. I was able to combat it, and now here we are.

Deathbringer looked around to see where he was, and quickly realized he was in the rainwing hospital. He rolled off the bed and stood up, stumbling only slightly before finding his balance.

"So it wasn't a dream?" Deathbringer thought dreadfully. He remembered what happened before he had passed out, and the very idea that it was real... he didn't even want to think about it.

You having a mental breakdown and then peeing on Glory's floor? Venom questioned. Naaaah, complete work of fiction.

Deathbringer rolled his eyes. So it had been real... "Moons above," he exclaimed quietly. How was he going to talk his way out of this one? Scratch that, how could he even face Glory after what had happened?

You know you can't tell her what really happened, Venom informed him, and Deathbringer jolted up.

"Why not?" the nightwing questioned. Telling her the truth was probably the only way to get out of this mess!

Because you know Glory, the symbiote insisted. She will try to find a way to stop Twisted, and he will kill her.

As much as he wanted to disagree, to argue with the Klynntarian and tell him he was wrong, he couldn't. Deep down, Deathbringer knew that he was right. Glory would not stand for injustice in her rainforest, and she would try to stop it. And, though he basically just got here, he knew that Twisted was far beyond anyone and anything in Pyrrhia. 

"Deathbringer," Glory's called gently, pulling back the curtain. Her face softened when she saw him. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

"I'm so sorry," he blurted. "I didn't mean to. I just... I think I ate something weird, and I couldn't control myself and I felt like I was gonna-"

"It's ok," Glory assured him. "But... I need to know what you did today."

You can't tell her. For her safety.

"I promise I won't kill you whatever you say," she says, then adds, "I never said I won't be mad."

He will kill her.

"I need to tell her," Deathbringer insisted. "Glory, ever since the storm, I've been going through some stuff."

Glory looked at him worriedly. "Tell, me," she insisted. 

"I wanted to tell you sooner, but he hasn't let me. He told me that keeping it a secret was in your best interest, but it's getting to be too much to handle." He took a deep breath. This was it. "Glory I've been... I've been infected with something..."

There's still time to turn back!

"I don't know what exactly he is," Deathbringer continued despite Venom's warnings. "But he latched onto me during the storm..."

The nightwing stopped when he saw Glory's face... Why was she looking at him like that? Her face looked as if she was in denial, and her eyes... there was no recognition in them whatsoever. Why? He was still the dragon she trusted with her life all those years ago!

Then, she started backing away! Deathbringer tried to reach for her, but she flinched. I told you, Venom said, but he dismissed it. 

"I need your help," he said, now desperate. He had been trying to prove Venom wrong, but now he was starting to doubt his choice! "He latched onto me during the storm and now he's inside of me! His name is Venom, and he works with The Nightmares. Today, he brought me to their base to try and win me over but they failed! I'm not going to hurt you."

Glory was frozen at the edge of the room, and Deathbringer could see a million thoughts in her head trying to organize themselves. "A member of the Klyntaar?" she said finally, and both Deathbringer and Venom were surprised. 

"H-how did you-?" Deathbringer asked, but Glory cut him off. Now, she seemed less scared and more... hurt.

"And their base... You met with someone from the Nightmares... As in a Class 9 Nightmare Entity?" she questioned. "It was you... all along. You're the host."

"I wanted to tell you sooner!" the nightwing repeated, but he could tell he was fighting a losing battle. "Please, Glory... It's me."

She stood there, trying to act strong, but Deathbringer knew her well enough to see the conflict in her. "Please," he begged. "It's me, Deathbringer. The dragon who abandoned his entire tribe for you. Who sacrificed everything just to be near you."

She stood there for several moments, and Deathbringer waited, and waited for her to answer, for any sign whatsoever! His heart pounded in his chest, even Venom seemed to be tense with anticipation.

And then, after what felt like an eternity, he got an answer.