Chapter Two: Revival

It had been two days, and since she had left the Guildmaster's chambers Willow had not left Michael's bedside. Many were beginning to wonder if he was ever going to awaken and if it was worth keeping him alive, but it took no more than a stern look from Willow to quell the quiet whispers of the few naysayers.

Around eight o' clock in the morning, when the first sunlight hit Michael's face, his eyes began to flutter and for the first time in three days, Michael opened his eyes and took in the world he thought he was taken from. The light burned his eyes and he turned away weakly, and when he did he noticed Willow sitting at his bedside, offering him a beaming smile that was warmer than the sun itself. Her hair was a mess and she was clearly tired and ragged from caring for him all this time.

"Hey…welcome back…" she said softly, holding his hand tightly in her own.

"Willow…what happened?" Michael asked, obviously in a daze from the stress over the past week.

"You saved us all Michael. Skorm attacked the Guild, and somehow you came back from the dead and destroyed him. You did it Michael! You killed my father! You saved us all!" She said, ecstatic to see her love alive again. She wanted to hug him tightly but she held herself back, knowing Michael was still too weak for anything like that yet.

Michael looked confused, he had no recollection of any of it. However he gave a weak smile, squeezing Willow's hands tightly to reassure her. He was just happy to be here with her, that he had another chance at life. He had one image in the back of his mind, but it could wait for now.

"I don't care. Nothing matters right now except that you're here with me. I love you Willow." Michael said. Willow teared up and whispered back to him.

"I love you too."

Willow leaned in and gave her Hero a sweet, impassioned kiss. Michael returned it, and for one brief moment all was well in the world.

Over the next few days Michael began to regain his strength. Not many came to see him recover, except for Shunt who visited once Speer went out on a Quest. The Guild was grateful for what happened and knew Michael was involved with their victory in the battle against Skorm, but the appearance of the massive fire demon stemming from the already controversial Hero only raised more questions about whether it was safe for Michael to even be here. They all feared over whether the demon rise again, and if it did would it destroy them? There was a massive debate that raged for days while Michael recovered, and no one had the heart to tell him about it until a conclusion could be reached. Not even Willow.

When Michael was well enough to leave his bed he took a walk around the grounds with Willow hand in hand. Michael expected in his optimism to see smiling faces, now carefree after Skorm was no longer a threat to this world. However everywhere he looked, he saw his fellow Heroes staring back at him uncomfortably, wearily. It was as if the battle had never happened, and he was back to the days of being a social pariah.

"What's going on? Why is everyone still glaring at me?" Michael asked Willow.

"It…it's complicated. People still don't understand what happened with you. They all saw the demon appear, and they're afraid…they…they want to perform an exorcism on you." Willow revealed reluctantly. This caught Michael by surprise.

"But I thought you said I saved everyone? Why is everyone afraid? I would never hurt any of them! Don't they know that?" Michael asked curiously.

"That's just it Michael, you don't remember what happened. You don't have control over whatever is inside of you, and if you lose control again then who knows what can happen?" Willow responded.

"That's not fair! This…whatever it is inside of me, it has saved us more than once. It's never once tried to overrule me or take over without being needed! Dalga would never harm the Guild!" Willow was about to retort, but what Michael said stuck with her.

"Did…did you just call it 'Dalga'?" Willow asked curiously. Michael paused, fearing he had revealed too much.

"Yes…since the battle…the demon has begun speaking with me. Its name is Dalga, and he is very very old fire god." Michael answered, hoping Willow would not be angry or upset about this new information.

"Michael…you have to tell everyone about this! Now that we have a name we may be able to find out exactly what is going on!" Willow encouraged Michael, but he seemed less than thrilled. Michael took a deep breath and sighed.

"I'll tell them…but I will not submit to an exorcism. Please Willow, I need your support on this. I need you to believe me when I say that we can trust Dalga. Please Willow…" Michael begged her, squeezing her hands tightly and staring into her eyes with great conviction. Willow looked back, concerned but faithful and she nodded.

"Of course I believe you Michael, I just don't know how we can make the rest of the Guild believe." She posed to him hypothetically. Michael smiled and shook his head, wrapping his arms around the love of his life.

"I don't care about them. All I care about is you. The rest will work itself out." He said before kissing her once again on the lips. Michael seemed to have everything he ever needed right there, but this bliss, like many good things in life, would be fleeting.