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// Chapter 17: The Blessing of Death 
// Story: Failure Isn't In Store For You 
// by Kiernan 
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Chapter 17: The Blessing of Death




Nick's eyes slowly fluttered open. His face was in intense pain as he stood up, massaging the sore flesh. He took a brief look around the room, taking note that almost everypony else was strewn across the floor in a hapless heap. Faintly, the sound of scraping metal could be heard, but it was muffled, as if someone was covering his ears. "What just happened?" he asked.
"We've been duped," answered Akaitora from the other side of the room. His aura surrounded Blaeburns leg, which appeared to be badly injured. "What we thought was the Gauntlet of Galaris was actually a trap set by a much more powerful foe. We weren't supposed to survive that."
Nick rubbed his temples, feeling a slight pain as his wrist touched his jaw. He pulled his hand away, revealing a small band around his wrist with a tiny blade attached to it. "Mayhap, aber I believe that I can purify it. Where's the gauntlet?"
Akaitora indicated the sleeping figure of Fluttershy, under whom the gauntlet was residing. Nick very carefully picked her up, moving her a few feet out of the way, and setting her down gently. The ebony glove was slowly trying to crawl away on its fingertips, but quickly ran out of floor space. Taking the small white knife in hand, Nick stabbed at the glove, which seemed to writhe a bit, as the dark color began to fade from the metal, returning it to its original purple hue. When it finally stopped its struggle, it collapsed into a pool of black liquid, which seeped into the floor, somehow, and was lost from view.
"That's the end of that," said Nick, not even realizing that the blade had vanished. He picked up the gauntlet, looking briefly over it's dull sheen. "It has been purged of malicious intent, and is once more a tool of Galaris."
"That's all it took?" asked Kai incredulously, unable to believe what had just happened. He brushed it off, though, and reminded Nick of his next goal. "Go to the shrine. Have it blessed. The sooner you can use it, the more use it's going to be." He finished tending to Braeburn and moved over to where Pinkie lay, wrapping her in his healing aura.
"Good thinking. But first..." Nick picked up the bands of Gim-Palarcanus, the statuette of Shumbra, and the amulet of Oneiros. "I can't afford to lose these." He started down the stairway.
"No, you can't," breathed Kai, refocusing his full attention on Pinkie Pie.
Nick made his way down the stairs, plated gauntlet in hand.  He studied its shape, and the smooth, unbent texture. It was a bit curious, really. How such a small object could contain enough power to nearly end the lives of all of his pony friends, and himself, even with all of their combined talents. But really, should he have been surprised? These mundane objects contained a fraction of the power of the divines. And this one even had two. Galaris, master of natural death, and Sithis, Master of malicious death.
"Find everything okay?" joked Tom, as Nick arrived at the base of the stairs.
"Yeah, but it was a bit more difficult than I would have thought," Nick answered, slipping into the shrine door. I wouldn't have found it if it hadn't tried to kill me first."
Nick placed the gauntlet on the altar, and it shone brightly for a moment before dimming once more. It just sat there, taking up space for a few moments before Nick finally picked it up. Once more, it warped around his left arm, but this time, it only armored his forearm, up to his elbow. The dull sheen had turned glossy, allowing Nick to see his face, distorted and purple, when the rolled his arm over. 
"That's very nice," commented Tom, still standing in the doorway. "I take it that you'll be leaving soon, then?"
"Yes," was all Nick could say, walking out of the altar and back up the stairs. Anything further would be too painful.
As he reached the top of the stairs, Nick's gaze caught hold of the temple itself. He hadn't noticed before, but it truly was an astonishing sight. The spires atop the roof extended further than any he had ever seen before, or even imagined.  the sky, a pale peach behind it, melded so effortlessly with the tiled roof that it hadn't caught his eye. Further, the stone windows were of a Gothic design, displaying proudly their pointed arches. Such beauty, gone to waste over a simple goal. He felt foolish, that he had spent so much time simply searching for the artefacts, that he had not stopped to look around. 
It was now that he made himself a vow, that he would enjoy what time he had in Equestria, and not let it all pass by. After all, what was a vacation if spent in a place one didn't enjoy?
A few minutes later, the team stood once more at the gates of the Figrealm. With everypony saying goodbye, the mood was equal to when they had arrived, though in the opposite direction. All the happiness felt at the reunion was met with sorrow at the parting, and no one cried more than Pinkie.

"I think it's time for us to proceed to the final life element," said Akaitora, immediately after everyone was back in the library. "After that, the last few should be a snap."
"That's too bad," retorted Nick, a smug grin on his face. "Seeing as how I'm the only one here who can snap."
A decent bout of laughter rang out of the room as the group slowly made their way too the door. It was quite humourous, after all.
But alas, it didn't last very long. A pegasus, cloaked in black and red leather, suddenly burst through the door, followed by a unicorn, firing off as many spells as she could, weakening the building structure, and setting it all ablaze. Without even time to think, Akaitora teleported them out of the room before either of the saboteurs had a chance to see them. They landed in the main hall, now fully engulfed in flames. Twilight immediately furrowed her brow in sheer hatred for these bombardiers, But Akaitora simply stood, rooted to the spot, jaw agape.
"How the hay did they manage to set these on fire!?" he finally shouted, startling the others. "These books were protected under the power of Gim-Palarcanus! Who has more power than a god!?"
"A stronger one," answered Akaitora, pointing to a door. An evil-looking black hand had been burned onto the wooden surface. "I've seen that mark before. It was shown to me by Galaris. We're in incredible danger here. We must leave."
At once, everypony galloped to the door. Akaitora had to be carried, due to his inability to accept what had just happened.Luckily, the exit door was close by, and needed only a few more steps to reach it. Everypony made it out fine, and without too much physical damage. Once they were clear of the door, Nick took a small chance to look back. Believe it or not, the library of Gim-Palarcanus was nothing more than a rock, just outside of a clearing in the Everfree. Even the trees outmatched it in size.
Akaitora spent the oncoming night in solitude, looking out over the Everfree from his perch atop Fluttershy's cottage. Everypony else had returned home, to meet up at Fluttershy's house the following morning to discuss further plans. Nick was once more sleeping on the couch, but remained restless nonetheless. How could he sleep at a time like this? After what they had just barely survived, his heart was still racing. 
After about five hours, he decided to go outside and talk to Akaitora. Mayhap he had something to say that would help calm his mind. And mayhap, it might work the other way around.
The cool night air felt great against his skin, as he closed the door behind him as silently as possible. Only then did he realize, he had no way of making his destination, the roof.No ladder, no rope, nothing. He was about to just sit down at the patio table when he felt a tug at the back of his shirt. Without further warning, he felt himself lifting off of the ground and being propelled backward. He had enough common sense not to scream, but a small gasp did manage to escape. when the tug finally stopped, Nick was on the roof, right next to Akaitora, albeit facing the other direction: toward Ponyville.
They both sat there without a word for several minutes, but the silence was finally broken by a light click emanating from in front of Akaitora.
"Have you given any thought as to what you want to look like," said Akaitora, likely meaning that to have been a question, despite the way it was broadcast.
Nick had almost no idea how to answer. He didn't even know exactly what the question was pertaining to. "I don't know," he said, which was the honest truth.
"Race, color, mane, tail, Cutie Mark. I need to know who you want to be."
"I suppose you're right," said Nick, despite the fact that he knew Akaitora was correct. It had completely slipped his mind that he would need a body if he were to go out. "I want to be a pegasus, if I can, though, who ever heard of a pegasus that can't fly?"
"I'll make it so you can fly," interrupted Akaitora, still not breaking his monotone. "Color."
"Silver. With a light brown mane and tail, thick and wavy."
"And the cutie mark?"
"A crossed shovel and pickaxe."
For the first time that night, Akaitora's head moved, turning to Face Nick, who turned his own to face Akaitora. "That must be some talent you have, there."
Nick turned back to the forest. "It's a long story. Is there any other information you need?"
"We need a name for you. Something that could be a more likely part of this world than 'Nick'"
Nick tilted his head back, and gazed into the starry sky, before finally answering. "My name is Kiernan. Kiernan Wolfgang Von Silvercoat."