Chapter 23- Things Turn For the Best

Daphne gasped as she felt Bloom's arms wrap around her and hug her tightly. Daphne was breathing hard, savoring each breath she took. She could feel her heart pounding, beating. Daphne was alive. Bloom dropped her and Daphne was pulled into a tight hug by her mother. She was alive.

"How?" Miriam stared in wonder at Daphne. Daphne shook her head, speechless.

"The items you used in the spell." Oritel turned toward the group of people crowded behind them. "One of them was Daphne's mirror. Perhaps it's essence allowed for her to return to reality…real."

Bloom laughed and hugged Daphne again. "It doesn't realy matter! She's alive! My sister is alive!" Bloom said smiling.

Oritel turned toward the group of royals behind him. "I give you the next heiress to the Sparks throne. Princess Bloom of Sparks."

"What?" Daphne and Bloom turned toward their father simultaneously. "I know I'm next in line for the throne." Bloom said, confused.

"You disappeared, so I had to state Daphne was the next Sparks heiress to the Queen of the Morrcale realm. The Council demanded that I give an answer today, and I was planning on saying the heiress was Daphne. They'd have to prove Daphne was indeed dead in order to deny her the throne. I was hoping to allow more time." Oritel hugged both Daphne and Bloom. Daphne wrapped her arms about her father and hugged him back tightly. "I guess that time wasn't really needed." Oritel added.

Daphne watched as Bloom ran over and hugged all her friends. They all seemed so overjoyed, a few of them crying happily. Bloom stopped before a dark skinned girl, Layla, Daphne remembered. Bloom turned around and looked at Daphne. "Daphne. What happened to Nabu's soul?"

"I'm not too sure." Daphne said and stared at the ground. She saw a piece of glass and bent to pick it up. As she held the glass she saw a flash of purple.

"I hope he moved on to elsewhere." Bloom murmured as she hugged Layla tightly. Daphne continued to stare hard at the glass in her hand, trying to identify what she was seeing.

"Bloom!" Daphne looked up at Bloom, tearing her gaze away from the glass. The two sisters' eyes met. "I think…"

"No…" Bloom turned to Roxy. "Roxy! We need to get to Tyr Nan Og!"

"What?" Roxy said confused. "Bloom! You need to rest. You must be totally exhausted and beaten up."

"Yeah, yeah I am. But this is very important!" Bloom hopped excitedly from one foot to the other.

"I guess…" Roxy trailed off and pulled a white ring off her finger.

"Why are we going to Tyr Nan Og?" Riven asked. Bloom looked up and met Daphne's gaze again. Daphne looked down at the glass in her hand and she saw a flash of tan.

"To greet a hero." Daphne said.

Bloom smiled as she watched Nabu and Layla embrace ecstatically. She leaned against Sky and he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. "The staff's essence must've allowed Nabu's soul to return to his body." Bloom said.

Sky nodded. "Maybe. Or else some higher power thought to give both Nabu and Daphne another chance."

Bloom entwined her fingers in Sky's. "Sky. I really missed you." Bloom whispered. She watched the other guys and girls all celebrating Nabu's return to the living. Layla's eyes met Bloom's, and Bloom smiled. Layla was clinging to Nabu's arm tightly. Obviously she was not going to let go.

"I could barely go on without you." Sky murmured and he leaned in and kissed Bloom gently. "Please don't ever do that again." Sky looked at Bloom, his eyes pleading.

"You know I can't promise that." Bloom shook her head, a sad smile on her lips. "I've got a universe to protect. And if that's what it takes Sky, that's what I'll do."

Sky was about to say something when Nabu walked over. Layla reluctantly let him go. Bloom dropped Sky's hand and rushed over and hugged Nabu. "Congrats on defeating death." Bloom said.

"Heh, heh. I'm almost as invincible as you." Nabu grinned. "But I'd rather not do that again. Returning to the living state was painful. Tell me, am I decomposing anywhere?" Bloom laughed and shook her head.

"No Nabu. The Tyr Nan Og fairies preserved your body well." Bloom said smiling. "Somehow they knew you'd come back. Somehow they knew."

"That must be what the Silver Kingdom trio met." Roxy said. Bloom looked at her funny. "Well, we went to find the Keepers of the Death Doors and they turned out to be these magical beings in the Silver Kingdom. They said that if we used that spell something would come back with you." Roxy explained, smiling brightly. "I think they may have meant Nabu and Daphne." She hurried away to go talk with Aidan. Bloom stared after her.

"The Silver Kingdom." Bloom whispered the name. She couldn't shake off a bad feeling she was getting about the group. Something just didn't seem right. Why would Keepers of the Doors of Death let her and two spirits leave the Death realm? Wasn't it their job to ensure no spirits or beings would leave? Bloom forgot her questions as Stella came over to her and dragged her over to the group who were chattering away and laughing. She joined them in their reverie, happy to be alive.