Wingless [Complete]

Chapter 29: Heartbreak

When Corrin had cried out Isabella's name and dove down to the courtyard, we all followed suit. Now we were all standing behind Corrin, frozen, as if we couldn't quite believe this and didn't want to shatter the fragile reality.

There, draped across one of the stone statues arms, lay Isabella, seemingly asleep. Her face was peaceful and her body devoid of any cuts or bruises.

Corrin stepped tentatively forward, as if he wanted to wake her, but at the same time, not. Then, before he could even get to her, she suddenly sat up, wide awake. He jumped back a step, shocked.

Isabella's eyes grow wide as she saw us all standing in front of her. "What . . .?" She gasped, shocked. "I never thought I'd see you all again. Oh by the way did you see? There behind me. There . . . there's the broken glass spire, the one that's mentioned in the poem."

"Yes we saw. We saw it, Bella." Corrin says distractedly. "How about you, Bella. How are you doing? How did you get here? Are you safe? Are you well? I . . . I don't see any marks or any bruises. You seem to be pretty well off. Oh, Bella, I worried so much about you, you have no idea."

Isabella sits up on the statues arm. "Stop worrying so much, brother. I'm fine."

Corrin peers at her, cautiously. "Are you sure? Are you very sure?"

Isabella let's out a little laugh. "Yes, I am fine. I am very sure. I said stop worrying, brother. Don't you ever listen?"

Corrin steps forward. " I know, I know, I'm sorry. I just worry about you a lot, you know. It's my job as a brother. I'm just glad you're . . ." He stops and his face goes pale in horror as his hand, that he was reaching up to brush her hair back with, goes right through her. "Isabella?" He asks, his voice shaky. "What's going on?"

"What do you mean?" She asks, confused.

"I mean, my hand is going right through you every time I try to touch you. Why are you immaterial, Isabella?"

"What? Oh." Her eyes widen slightly in realisation as she notices her brother's hand inside her . . . or through her . . . or . . . I don't know, but definitely not touching her.

"Bella . . . " Corrin was now shaking like a leaf. "Sister . . ."

She shakes her head, making her wild, unbrushed, black hair fly around her head like tendrils of smoke. "Stop it. You're fine. I'm fine, too. I might not be able to touch you right now but if I could, I would slap you right back to your senses." She looks at him witha gentle lookin her eyes. "Hey, hey, see? You're fine and so is everyone else. I'm right here and we even found the glass tower. Stop freaking out."

I can see the change come over Corrin, as he takes a breath and stands a little straighter. The shaking stops and the air of a commander settles around him again. "Yes, alright, Bella. You're right, as you always are."

"Hey, sorry to interrupt and all, but I went out there a little and it's just a huge expanse of terrifying." Kaylie pipes up as she appears from inbetween the statues.

Alicia's head turns quickly to look at her. "Why would you go out there alone?" She asks, concerned. "It could be dangerous."

Kaylie shakes her head. "It's fine. This place is silent. I can't even hear birds nor anything else. Suppose the things out there beyond the fog must've killed them all off."

"And sunlight is the only thing keeping the fog away."

"Alicia . . ." Kaylie points to the sky. "I'm alright."

"You might've gotten lost." Counters Ryan.

"Yes, Kaylie, let's all stay together for now." I cut in.