If there are any mistakes, I apologize. I tend to do that a lot.
Please enjoy!
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Drake's point of view-

I could hear the crackling of fire, and smell the ash lingering in the air. Every part of my body was burning from the outside, covering itself in sweat. My muscles were aching, making me feel like I couldn't move. My eyes finally snapped open, finding myself in a scene that I was too familiar with. And despised with all of my being.

"I'm so sick of this!"

For the hundredth time replying in my mind, Armen charged at Herobrine, brandishing the Fiery sword at the demon. I didn't run to the edge when he fell.. I just stood there, feeling too weak physically, and emotionally....I wasn't really feeling anything. No sorrow or worry for my best friend... Nothing.
I growled as I grabbed my head with my right hand, a splitting headache thumping within my head. I closed my eyes and grinded my teeth as the atmosphere changed, but everything still burned. My eyes opened once more, looking around at the volcano as lightning crashed inside of it, striking Armen's body. His life force was slipping... It's sick how I've grown used to it.

"Drake, help!!"

I don't remember that... Armen never spoke when he died. It doesn't matter anyway. It's not like this is actually real. I've caught on to these sick illusions, but much too late. I feel so numb. I feel no sympathy, but I should. I know that I should, he's my brother! No...it's not him. Has it ever been? I closed my eyes, looking down. I couldn't save him from this, but perhaps where he is now is better than this messed up world.

"Drake, look up! I wanted you to forget about me, but I need your help! I-"

I looked up, the room now complete darkness. The only light source we had was my glowing eye and Armen's glowing body. He took a step forward, reaching out his hand. Anger fired up within my being. I took a step back as I growled.

"No! Stay back!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

His cyan eyes looked hurt. His arm slowly lowered as his mouth hung open. My shaking hand lowered to the handle of my blade. No more tricks. I pulled out my sword, growling deeply as I glared at him. No more being played a fool.

"Drake, why are you-?" He stepped back, seemingly full of fear.

I screamed as I charged at him, readying to hit him and make the illusion fade. I looked into his fear stricken eyes as I held out my blade, only to faze right through him. I fell onto the ground, listening as the diamond of the blade hit the floor and I landed on my knees.
My head sharply turned back to face him, my spine cracking. He was still standing there, his back now facing me. I felt myself smiling, chuckling in pleasure of breaking free from Herobrine's illusions. That's the last time he tricks me.
His head was slowly beginning to look over his shoulder to look down at me. My smile faded, seeing glowing tears begin to slip from under his eyelids and roll down his cheeks. His body was trembling, as he slowly turned for his whole body to face me.

"You...you tried to..." His voice shook, as he stepped back again.

His eyes became wide. "You're eyes... Drake, he's getting to you! Don't-"

I started laughing, feeling unable to keep myself from doing so. "Shut up! You're not real! You're fake! Fake! Fake! Fake! Fake! Fake! Get away from me!"

I lunged at him, wielding my blade to strike him. He's not my friend! He's not my brother! The diamond once again went straight through him, as well as my own body. I fell, and rolled on the ground. Why won't he leave? Leave! Leave! Leave!

"Give it up Herobrine! You're not fooling me anymore!" I shouted as I pushed myself to my knees.

"Drake, I understand why you're feeling like this, but please trust me! Herobrine-"

Suddenly, Armen cried out in pain, falling to his knees. He dug his fingers into his head, screaming. I didn't run to his aid. For all I know, it's another trap.
Out of nowhere, a blade appeared at his neck, transparent like his body now was. My eyes widened at the site of the white eyed demon behind Armen, or whatever the apparition of my friend was. Herobrine looked at me with a wide smile on his face, with one hand holding Armen's struggling arms behind his back, and the other holding the blade to his throat. I watched as tears began coming out of his eyes again.

You shouldn't be saying anything, Armen.

My eyes widened in horror as Armen started screaming, suddenly turning into a terrifying high pitched screeching. It sounded like he was trying to call out my name. I covered my ears, feeling like they were bleeding.
A blinding pure white light shined from his eyes and mouth, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. I couldn't breathe as I watched his body turn to dust and fade in the non-existing wind.
Herobrine stood, chuckling. He put his sword away, and dusted off his hands. I remained staring at where Armen had faded in such a horrific way. What's going on?

Now, he'll no longer get in the way. I was so sick of him trying to ruin everything...

His hand shot out, his fingers wrapping around my throat. I wrapped my hands around his, trying to pry his hands off as I already felt myself getting dizzy and saw black swarming the edge of my vision. He lifted me up as he started levitating off of the ground.

Poor thing. So numb and broken. Not even watching your best friend die works anymore. Too bad you're not broken enough.

Tears came out of my eyes. How could I have felt nothing? My best friend was dead because of me, and whether or not it was better wherever he was now, that fact wouldn't change. Even if this was a sick dream, he really was dead and no matter how many times I wake up, he'd still be dead because of me. I felt so guilty...

I'm so sorry, Armen...

It was getting pretty old, wasn't it? Don't worry. I know what will make you feel pain and suffering! I'll take all you have left... I'll kill them!

I tried to let out a scream as his grip tightened around my throat.

Grayson...

I saw the blonde lying in my lap, his eyes closed and blood seeping out of a wound on his chest and blood rolling down from his lip. I felt a feeling of coldness and thick liquid as his blood soaked into my clothes. It all felt so real...like seeing the future. No, I can't kill my best friend! I-I won't!

Mia...

I held Mia by her hair, as she cringed in pain, trying to make me release my grip. I watched as I lifted up my hand, glowing in vibrant and extravagantly bright light. I listened to her scream and cry, tears covering her cheeks as she desperately struggled.
I swung my arm, feeling as it hit the side of her head. Her skull was shattering under the pressure, blood spraying everywhere...

Luke...

His body laid motionless on the grass, blood surrounding his corpse. Rain fell from the sky, washing away the blood that seeped from his mouth, no longer covered by his mask. Somehow he looked peaceful, but yet terrified at the same time, despite that he was already dead. His hat was gone, and water marks were on the side of his face, coming from his eyes like the remnants of old tears.

Lalea...

My hand was penetrating her stomach, blood covering her abdomen and going up my arm. A white light was behind her, flickering like lightning. Her hands were wrapped around my arm, but didn't try to pull it out of her body. She slowly looked up at me, tears streaming down her cheeks, but a warming and heartfelt smile on her face. I watched her blood covered mouth move.
I read her bright, vibrant lips. My eyes widened, reading something that I wasn't sure was true. It's not real anyway...

"I...l-love...y-you..."

How could someone like her ever fall for someone like me? I've been nothing but a pathetic wimp and a maniac the whole time I've known her. There's nothing that she'd find interest in... I'm nothing but a shell slowly being filled with darkness.

I'lL kILl tHeM ALl!!

My arms fell limp to my sides. I felt my head aching, and a loud thumping in my ears and the side of my forehead.

"You think it's fun killing people? They had families. People who loved them, and you took them away!"

"You were supposed to protect Armen. That was the whole point of your lousy existence, but you failed him. It's all because of you that he's dead."

"I trusted you to protect me... You failed."

I remembered the pain of the leather whip gliding across my back. The needle piercing my eye and the scalpel cutting open my flesh. I felt my body being punched and kicked at all sides. All the pain, the anguish hit me all at once. Make this end!! No, I deserve it! I screamed in agony, tears covering my face, before everything grew distant.

...I'm so sorry...

...

My eyes snapped open as I sat up straight. I took in and let out deep breaths. Those nightmares... I'm so sick of being reminded of Armen's death! I'm tired of watching my friends die over, and over, and over, and over again! I'm exhausted from being scared of losing them to my own bloodstained hands...
I felt something covering my body, making me feel warm. I looked down, feeling it shift as I moved. It was a large brown cloth with a few tears and stains here and there. I grabbed it gently, pulling it down. The fabric felt soft but yet you could tell it's age just by the texture of it. I smiled down at the old cape in my hands, thankful for my companions generosity. Grayson is always good to me.
I sat there until my lightheaded feeling passed, and I felt well enough to stand up. I was thankful that I was starting to feel a lot better than earlier.
I limped my way up to the first deck, the sun no longer hidden by the clouds. I saw Mia and Lalea talking at the front of the ship, and Grayson standing with his map and compass in hand. I could hear Luke and Xavier speaking up above by the wheel, so I assumed that one of the two were steering the ship.

"Drake!" Grayson turned to me, putting down the materials in his hands, with a wide smile on his face.

I chuckled, finding amusement as Grayson stumbled towards me, struggling to put his things away at the same time. He got his compass into the pocket of his backpack, and shoved the map through an opening at the top of the bag. His smile grew weaker as he looked at me with worried eyes, and slightly tilted his head.

"Glad you're up buddy. Did taking a nap help you?"

I rubbed my right eye as I replied. "I guess so. I don't feel like I'm going to pass out again, so that's good."

I looked down at the cape, holding it out to him as I smiled, making my cheeks ache. "Here's you cape back. Thank you for letting me...borrow it."

He chuckled as he took it from my hand, putting it around his shoulders and buttoning it around his neck. "It's no problem. I just want you to feel better."

I closed my eyes for a second, before looking back up. The wind was cold, and made my burning skin cool down slightly, making me feel a bit more comfortable. I walked closer to the ledge of the ship, but not too close so that I could see what was below us.

"So where are we going? I mean, what city exactly?" I asked, looking over my shoulder at Grayson.

He pulled at his cape, looking down at the floorboards. He rubbed his arm and let out a deep breath. His emerald eyes looked back up, gazing into the cloudy sky with blue beginning to peak out.

"The north end of Emerald city." He finally answered.

I remembered hearing about that when he and I had finally reunited after four years being apart. "Oh, yeah! I remember you telling me about that place once. Isn't it one of the central cities of the empire?"

He chuckled, looking back over me. "Indeed it is. I have a lot of...memories there."

I tilted my head in curiosity. "Such as?"

"It's where my wife and I exchanged our vows. It's where we had our son!" He walked to the railing, putting his gloved hands on the wood.

"It's where... I had everything taken from me."

"Oh..." I knew that he was speaking of his family's deaths. "I'm sorry for asking."

"It's fine, Drake. You didn't know. I'm the one who brought up memories, anyway."

A sigh left his mouth as he looked up into the sky once more. "The empire is a place with despair hidden behind beautiful walls. I never noticed until that night..."

His words reminded me of Nathan's. Both him and Grayson had such a bleak outlook on the empire, and maybe even life in general, but both had tried to show kindness to others. Although, Nathan hadn't really shown kindness on our last meeting. I wondered how he was doing.

"Drake!" I heard a female voice call out.

Suddenly, Lalea ran into me, hugging me tightly. I grunted, then pushed her back, feeling like I couldn't stand the burning of her body heat on me. It felt scorching, but I did enjoy the comfort. She looked up at me as she stepped back.

"You really worried me back there, but...you look like you're feeling better."

I chuckled. "Yeah. For now I do."

She chuckled and smiled up at me. It looked so... My eyes widened in horror, seeing my nightmare flash before my eyes. Her complexion fit perfectly with it, the smile, where she stood in front of me. I saw a flash of the gaping hole in her stomach and the tears in her eyes, before they disappeared.

"Um, are you starting to feel sick again?" She asked.

I stumbled back, feeling my headache and nausea retuning. I held my head as I growled at the pain and closed my eyes tight. Once I opened them again, I saw Grayson, Mia, and Lalea staring at me. Everything was starting to spin and blur as I felt pressure in my stomach. My hand shot up to my mouth, trying desperately to keep in the bile that rose up in my throat.
I dashed to the railing, grasping onto it with all of my strength as I leaned over and released the contents that had built up in my mouth. I gasped to regain my breath as I watched the red fall until it could no longer be seen. I put all of my weight onto the railing, unable to hold myself up. I guess I wasn't feeling as good as I had thought.

"I feel sorry for whoever is below us."

I jumped at the sudden sound of Xavier's voice behind me. I yelped as I pushed myself back, only to fall over. I winced as I rubbed my head, now aching both from the inside and outside. His eyes widened, before he let out a weak chuckle and helped me back up.

"Did I scare you lad? My apologies."

I sat up and crossed my legs, breathing through my mouth as I watched him scratch the back of his neck in slight embarrassment. He chuckled again, closing his bottle green eyes.

"I tend to do that to people. You should have see Luke when he and I first met. I swung out of the tree and he screamed like a kid! It was priceless!"

Even from over here, I could see movement in Luke's throat like he was growling. "I did not! Shouldn't you be steering the ship?!"

Xavier's eyes widened again as he straightened his back and gasped. "Crap! Sorry!"

He dashed back to the wheel, falling over once he made it. His arms reached up, grabbing the wheel and pulling himself back up. He laughed as his cheeks turned red in embarrassment. Luke just rolled his eyes.
I felt a light tap on my shoulder, making me look up. I gazed into Mia's lime green eyes. She held a bottle out, with very little water in it, but it was enough to make my throat dry just by looking at it.

"This was in my backpack. It's not much, but it's something."

I took the bottle, opening it and letting only a small amount of the remaining liquid roll into my mouth. I swished it in my mouth, trying to get rid of some of the taste of blood. After spitting over the railing, I drank the rest down. It was bitter as if it was really old, but still refreshing.

"Thanks. You wouldn't happen to have something small I could eat, do you?" I asked.

Her head tilted, slipping her backpack off of her shoulder. She put her arm through the top, and began digging around.

"I collected some berries while we were looking for you. I was surprised that they managed to survive in the snow."

She pulled out a few red berries in her palm. She handed them to me, and I gratefully took them. One by one I ate them down, not really caring if they had any mold on them, or even if they were poisonous. It didn't really matter to me, since I was already in a bad condition. I swallowed the last one, enjoying the sweet taste in my mouth so different from the bloody taste I had grown used to.

"Thank you. Hopefully my stomach will keep it down." I said, giving a small chuckle in an attempt at lightening the mood.

Mia took the bottle that was still resting in my lap, closing it and putting it away. She stood up, putting the strap back over her shoulder. I put my hand on the railing, pushing myself back up to my feet. I stood up straight, my spine popping back into place.
I looked at Grayson, who was looking at me with concern. I huffed, not liking having to constantly see that look plastered in his gaze whenever his eyes rested on me. I felt myself starting to get frustrated and irritated, wanting to yell at him to stop. I knew that it wasn't his fault. He was just worried. I wasn't feeling like myself again; hearing two pairs of thoughts in my head. I needed to distract myself.

I sighed. "I'm going to go read. It will keep me relaxed." I said out loud.

I looked back at Grayson, who was looking down at his compass. One hand rested on the railing and his legs crossed over each other. At least he wasn't staring at me anymore...I growled at my own thoughts. I should be thankful that he's concerned for me in the first place.

Mia tilted her head, lowering an eyebrow. "You have books with you?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I took some spell books with me when we were at my house. Remember?"

"Spell books?!" Lalea's eyes shined as she pushed past Mia, with a wide smile on her face.

"Can I read some with you?! Please?" She begged.

I chuckled, adjusting the straps of the backpack on my shoulder. I gestured for her to follow me as I shrugged. Turning on my heels, I began to make my way to the doorway leading below deck.

"Sure. Why not?" I laughed, hearing her squeal. Why was she so excited to hear stuff that she probably already knows?

We walked down the steps, into the small room. The floorboards creaked below us with each step, and the windows let us see out into the blue and dark cloud filled sky. I took in a deep breath through my nose and let it out through my burning mouth. Claustrophobia was taking a hold on me, but taking one look at Lalea made me forget of the confined space.

"So...what do you have?" She asked, rubbing her arm as she sat down on a chair. She moved her hair away from her face, showing more of her flushed cheeks.

I slipped a strap of my backpack off of my shoulder, putting my hand in and pulled out the first book I grabbed. I opened the worn leather cover, feeling the smooth texture in my hands. My fingers began flipping through the pages, stopping on a page at random.

"Let's see. Have you ever used a telekinesis spell? It's really advanced, but considering that you were the head imperial Mage..." I trailed off purposely.

She shook her head. "No, actually. Telekinesis is a very rare skill that very few magi are capable of performing."

I chuckled. I hadn't known that, but then again I've come across very few other magi in my time in the badlands, so my knowledge is limited. So this ability is special... Such a shame that I've been taking advantage of it, but I have used it in combat many times. I'm thankful to have the honor of having such rare magic!

"Really? I didn't know that it was rare. I guess I'm one of those rare few." I laughed, getting a small idea.

"That's too bad, because that means you can't do this."

I lifted up my hand and pointed my index finger at her. I focused on her hood resting behind her head, watching as it glowed in the purple light of my magic aura. I flipped her hood up, draping it over her head and covering her eyes.
I enjoyed hearing her laugh as she pulled the hood back down and grabbed mine.
She pulled it over my head, making it cover my eyes. I laughed, pulling my hood back down. I looked at her blue eyes, shining bright like her smile. Her cheeks were a bit red, and she kept gripping her blue and gold silk cloak. Did she really see me in a romantic way, or was that just a trick from my nightmare to make me feel worse? I won't push it.

"Don't be a show off." She laughed, looking down.

I looked down at the book, flipping through a few more pages. I could just feel her looking over my shoulder, bringing an uncomfortable feeling to my chest. I wasn't sure if it was a good feeling or bad.
Her finger pressed on a page, one that had stains and was badly torn, but the words and pictures were still legible. The words were written in the ancient magi language, like most spell books.

"Umbras Carminibus" meaning "Spells of the shadows".

There wasn't much writing on the old page, so I assumed that not much was known about the type.

"This page teaches you about various types of shadow magic. That's another very rare talent. I heard that those nightmare creatures in the badlands were the only beings capable of using these types of spells."

"Interesting." I said, my voice cracking until I started coughing into my fist.

A sigh escaped her lips, before she closed her eyes and leaned over, then rested her head on my shoulder. I lowered my arm, my eyes widening at the move. My heart was thumping and my face burned. Was it just because I was sick?
I started to read the page to distract myself, until she started speaking.

"Is there anything in there about...mana corruption?" Her voice was low, sounding like she was struggling to get the words out of her mouth.

"Uh...I don't think so." I replied, searching through the pages. What is she talking about?

"Why are you asking? What is it?" I couldn't help but ask.

She swallowed a lump in her throat and spoke. "It's the illness that you have. The same disease killed my grandfather."

My gaze softened. So she's lost someone to this same thing, well, sort of the same thing. The difference being that I have a demon in my head giving it to me like a virus or a parasite. I felt bad that she had to deal with that loss, and realized that it was probably one of the many reasons that she had grown attached to me. I probably reminded her of her grandfather. Kind of awkward, but sweet.

"I'm sorry to hear that. It must have been tough." I said, not really knowing how to make her feel better about the subject, but I couldn't just drop it.

She pressed her head harder on my shoulder, her hands reaching up and grasping my cape. "It was, but I'm okay now. Your condition is somehow...different, but I can't tell why."

I let out a deep breath, thinking of that dark laughter in my head. "Well, my condition isn't natural. He is making me sick. I can just feel it."

Her head pulled up, as she slowly released her grip on my cape. "What makes you think that?"

"Well, I've noticed that he mainly takes control when I'm at my weakest. Not always, though. He's trying to break me so he could have control. Making me sick and giving me nightmares is the best way to do so. Mana corruption just happened to fit perfectly for me..."

Her shoulders slumped and a sigh left her mouth. I could tell that she didn't know what to say. It was silent for a long time, making me start to feel my anxiety acting up. I was relieved to hear her voice again.

"I...I don't want anything to happen to you...Please fight back everything he's doing to you. I can't lose you, Drake."

I was a bit surprised, but I didn't really know why. I smiled, feeling joyous to remember why I hadn't given in so long ago. If they lose me...they'd be devastated. I have to protect them and keep them happy.
She looked out of the window, the cloudy sky filled with orange light from the setting sun. The way the clouds were moving let me know that the ship was getting lower. I gasped once the clouds were above us, allowing us to see the beautiful city below.
I looked down at the land beyond the glass. Houses were below us, of all shapes and sizes, some with candle light shining from the windows to brighten the evening that was beginning to grow dark. The roads were wide and filled with people and markets selling goods. It was a beautiful sight. I could see why Grayson was bragging about it.

"Guys!" Mia yelled as she ran down the steps, and stopped at the last one to look at us with a wide smile.

"We're going to land soon! Get ready!"

I put my book away, telling her that we would get prepared. I put one strap over my shoulder as I stood slowly, then put on the other strap once I was sure that I wouldn't fall over. My legs were shaking, but I knew I could pull through. Mia walked back up the steps as Lalea stood to try to help me stand.

"Do you need...?"

I interrupted her. "No. I'm good. Thank you for the offer."

I smiled, and walked up to the steps. I walked up them, Lalea behind me, until we made it back to the upper deck. I noticed how different it smelled and how much cooler it was than it was down there. The smell didn't make you want to make you gag, and the frigid air felt nice against my skin.
I looked to the left, seeing Mia and Luke looking over the gorgeous Emerald city. Grayson was at the nose of the ship, doing the same. I wondered how he felt being back in the city where his family was killed. It must have hurt to have those memories resurfaced by the familiar surroundings.

"It's so pretty!" Mia squealed as the buildings grew closer and began to linger above us. It felt like you could reach out and touch the architecture.

"We're heading in for landing!" Xavier called out, spinning the wheel.

I braced myself for the landing, grabbing onto the doorway. My feet momentarily lifted off of the ground as the ship once again met with the earth. I heard it hit the ground, and saw Grayson fall over, unprepared for the impact. I ran up to him, helping him get up.

"Ow. I got distracted." He said as I pulled him to his feet.

"That's alright. What do we do now?" I asked as Grayson dusted off his knees, and started walking away.

He answered. "Simple. We follow Xavier to his home, but we have to be quick. We can't have any mercenaries catch up with us."

I nodded, following Grayson as we walked to the rope ladder. He bent down on his knee, grabbing one and tossing it over the edge of the ship. I watched it fall, stopping before the end hit the ground. Grayson got back up, and started to climb down the ladder.

He stopped, looking up and calling out, "Luke and Lalea! You guys stay here and make sure that the ship isn't stolen. You never know what could happen."

They nodded, and said that it was no problem. Grayson began down the ladder again, and I got ready to go down as well. As I descended, Xavier suddenly jumped over the railing, plunging to the dirt. I cringed as I heard him smack against the ground. He grunted as he pushed himself up, laughing.

"Xavier, don't scare me like that!" Luke shouted, peering over the wooden rails.

"Quit being reckless!"

Xavier only laughed as he dusted himself off. "It's fun to be reckless! You should give it a try!"

I chuckled, continuing down the ladder until my feet touched the uneven soil, with pebbles scattered about. The buildings were both high and low, but all looked stunning. I could tell that this was an upper class town.
I pulled up my hood and pulled the sides of my cape to hide the black patterns on my chest, not wanting anyone to see me. Grayson tilted his hat to better cover his eyes, and pulled his cape around himself as well.

"Let's get going. Xavier, lead the way." Grayson said.

The goggle wearing man pointed up to the sky, with a wide grin. He started running east as he shouted, "Onwards!"

I smiled as Grayson, Mia and I followed. Mia laughed, pointing her finger up into the sky like him. She started skipping, with a smile showing her bright teeth.

"Yes! Onwards!" She shouted, making the others laugh.

I didn't laugh along. I felt scared and paranoid. Mercenaries could come out of nowhere and find us at any moment, right? I didn't feel safe around here. We just need to get this over with and get to the Drago hatchery. I can't stand waiting much longer... Even though my hopes are bleak, Grayson and Lalea have given me back some hope that I had lost. Maybe we will find something to help me. Just maybe.
...

Xavier's point of view-

Finally, we reached my home. It was two stories tall, three counting the attic. The walls were white with brown along the edges, and flower pots were at the window seals. My wife enjoyed gardening, so she covered the house in flowers.
I didn't bother knocking on the wooden door. We don't have time. I grabbed the handle and turned it, pushing the door to make it swing open. I looked around the large house, shouting for my wife and daughter.

"Sylvia! Jane! Are you home?"

"Xavier, you're home!" Sylvia called as she began walking down the steps.

She wore a long, dark green dress, with strands of her brown hair in two braids, connecting a ponytail at the back. A white flower was in her hair, with yellow pollen in the center. Her bright brown eyes shined in delight.

"How'd everything..." She stopped halfway down, eyes widening as she saw my new friends and the blood covering my attire.

"...go?" She managed to finish.

I cleared my throat, and gestured to Drake, Mia and Grayson. "Sylvia, this is Grayson, Drake and Mia."

A look of fear was in her expression. I should have expected that, I guess. Arriving home at night covered in blood and with the top criminals in the region is just very sudden and strange. It's quite scary, really.

"Daddy!" Jane shouted in joy from upstairs.

She started to skip down the stairs to greet me, her ponytail and gold Chaim necklace with a purple gem flopping up and down as she did so. Suddenly, Sylvia's arms shot out and wrapped around Jane, pulling her close. Jane struggled, until she looked over and looked down at me in horror. I dreaded seeing them look so terrified.

"Why are you with Grayson and that hybrid?! They're murderers and dangerous! Wh-what did you do?" Her voice was trembling.

I took a step forward. "They're actually good people! But, listen! If we don't leave, then the emperor could arrive to kill you! We have to leave the empire!"

She growled, putting her hand on Jane's head, pressing her face against herself so that our child wouldn't gaze at the gore covering my body. I should have done a better job at explaining...

"Xavier, you idiot! What have you gotten us into?!"

"These guys would have been killed if I hadn't stepped in! There's not a lot that I understand, but I know that...they're in the right. You know just as well as I that the emperor is corrupt."

She seemed to be calming down just a bit. She let go of Jane, who looked down at me and the others, her gaze becoming more curious, but still fearful. Mia stepped forward, and tried to explain.

"Please, we're trying to help you! We-"

Grayson interrupted, stepping forward with fury blazing in his watery eyes. "Enough! I'm tired of being treated like a criminal because I was trying to protect everyone's sorry a**es!"

I wish he hadn't said anything so profound in front of my daughter, but I didn't step forward. He looked scary when he was mad. Tears were streaming from his eyes as he continued.

"My family was killed even though I did nothing wrong! Haven't you ever thought about what the emperor would do if I hadn't taken that dragon egg? Haven't you ever thought about the suffering that he's put people through?!"

The room became silent, everyone taking in the blonde man's words. He was right. If he hadn't stolen that egg, and the emperor managed to hatch it, we'd all live in more fear than we already are. I could see that Sylvia was beginning to understand that fact.

Grayson continued. "I've lost my family, and had to deal with the guilt for so long. I don't want Xavier to go through that same pain that still haunts me."

Jane ran down the steps as Sylvia released her, stopping in front of Mia with a wide smile and her forest green eyes wide and bright. Mia took a step back, looking down at the child standing before her.

"You're so pretty!" Jane cheered.

A light shined in Mia's eyes, as she closed her eyes and tilted her head with a smile. "Why...thank you! You're very pretty yourself!"

Jane giggle. "Thank you, miss!"

I chuckled as a smile spread on my face. I liked seeing my little girl happy. For some reason, my gaze looked over to Drake, shrouded in shadows casting from his hood. He looked down at Mia and Jane, his expression almost emotionless, until I finally saw the edges of his lips perk up slightly.

He looked up at Sylvia before speaking, his smile disappearing. "We should get going. If you want to stay alive and protect you child, you'll come with us."

She looked up at the rooms. I knew that it would be hard to leave. We'd have to abandon all of our belongings and our memories here, but we had no choice. It was either that, or face death.
She walked down the steps, looking at Jane, then at me.

"Okay. Is there anything we can grab?"

Drake shook his head. "We don't have time. I'm sorry." His voice was low.

"It's okay... I'm going to miss this place." Her eyes were starting to tear up.

I wrapped my arms around her, then placed a hand on her soft cheek. I lifted up one of my fingers, wiping away her tears. "I know. I am too, but we have to do this. I'm sorry..." I placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

I tried to lighten the mood a bit. "But, hey! You get to meet Lucas, well, Luke as he prefers to be called. He can be formidable, but he's a really cool guy! You'll like him!"

She laughed, pulling away and wiping her eyes with her fingers. "I'm sure that I will!"

My smile faded. I felt bad, guilty really. "I'm sorry that I got us into this mess."

"It's okay, darling. You did what was right. You didn't stand idly by and watch them be killed. You did a good thing."

The sides of my lips perked up again. She's so forgiving, well, to me at least, but she's used to me doing stupid stuff. I chuckled, taking her hand in my own bloody gloves. My finger traced over her golden wedding ring. I lifted her hand up, placing a kiss on her soft skin.

"Thank you for understanding, my love."

I looked up, looking over to Grayson as I realized how he must have felt to this display. He looked at us, a small smile on his lips, but sorrow hidden in his emerald orbs. I looked Sylvia's hand, but kept it in my grasp, the back up at Grayson as I smiled.

"Lead the way, commander." I said, bowing my head.

I could hear him chuckle. He walked past us, and stood in the doorway. "Let's hope that Luke and Lalea aren't having any trouble."

With that, we all followed him back to the parked vessel. Once we arrived, Luke and Lalea greeted us, peering over the rain as they tossed down the rope ladders. I bowed, letting my wife and daughter climb up before me. I followed behind, then the others made their way up.
I saw Luke, now standing away from the railings. What would be an interesting way to introduce him? Oh, I know!

  "Luke, buddy!" I shouted, run at him with open arms. I love getting on his nerves.

He held up his arms and stepped back, much like he did at the palace. "No, not again!"

I ran into him, my arms wrapping around him before I pushed us both to the floor. I laughed as I pushed myself back to my feet. He pushed himself up, grunting as he wiped off his new, but dented armor. I could tell that he was trying not to laugh.

  "Sylvia, meet Luke. Luke, this is Sylvia, my wife." I introduced them.

Sylvia walked up to him, her hand held out for a warm shake. "Hello Luke! It's nice to meet you! Xavier has told me a lot about you after...what happened. I'm glad that you two settled everything."

Luke took her hand and shook it. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Yeah. I deserved it anyway. It...helped me get my old friend back, sort of." I noticed him look over at Grayson.

  "I'm glad to hear that. You know, he talked about you the whole way here. You're his best friend!"

She leaned in and whispered. "His only friend really."

My cheeks grew hot. "I have other friends! I have...uh...Henry... No, never mind. I never liked him."

Luke laughed. "Well, at least we can agree on something." His hand slipped away from Sylvia.

All of our heads turned when Grayson ran up to the wheel. Drake and Mia pulled up the rope ladders. The blonde man took it in his hands, as the propellers of the ship began to spin. 

  "Let's get this ship in the air!" He shouted, sounding joyous.

The ship lifted from the ground, continuing to head north. Sylvia asked where we were going. I curious myself. Luke told us to sit down, ready to tell us a long and complicated story. I didn't mind. We had lots of time to kill.
...

Drake's point of view-

The sun was nearly completely set, casting a bit of orange light in sky. Clouds were ahead of us, and soon we'd fly right into them. Hopefully we weren't heading right into a storm. I'm really not in the mood for getting wet.
I leaned on the wooden railing, looking down as we flew away from the great Emerald city, now flying above a large forest. We'll be over the ocean soon. Usually I hate heights, but looking over the edge of the ship didn't bother me. It was kind of relaxing, actually.
My eyes widened in surprise when I felt a light tug on my cape. I looked down, seeing Xavier's daughter with her hand on the gray fabric. Her eyes were bright and wondrous. I smiled, turning around and bent my knee to get to her level.

"Hmm? What is it little one?" I asked.

"Um.." She looked down, seemingly shy. Her eyes looked at the floor, not daring to look me in the eyes.

Her voice was a shy, low and sweet tone. "You're part Enderman, right? Am I allowed to look at you?"

I chuckled, trying not to be offended. "Of course! I'm more human than Enderman, so can look at me all you want!"

Her green eyes looked up, still big and bright. "You have pretty eyes! They're special!"

Once again I was struck by surprise. She actually likes my eyes? Well, she's too young to know about the white eyes of Herobrine, I suppose. My cheeks became warmer at the compliment. At least I knew that my eye wasn't messed up from those experiments...

"Thank you! That's very nice of you to say!"

She messed with her fingers, a giggle leaving her throat. "You're very tall! Um...could I ride on your shoulders?"

It was an odd question, but cute. I was still feeling weak, but I could try. I couldn't turn down a little girl.

I smiled. "Sure thing."

Laughter rung out as I picked her up, turning her and setting her on top of my shoulders. I laughed along with her, feeling joy at a child's happiness. I struggled with keeping my legs from buckling under me and making me collapse.
I looked around, seeing Grayson now at the wheel, looking at his map and compass. Luke, Xavier, and Sylvia were chatting and laughing, getting to know each other. Mia and Lalea were talking and also laughing. Everything seemed to be going alright. Good.

Jane's light voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "This is fun, mister! I want my mommy and daddy to see!"

I chuckled. "Alright."

I began walking to Xavier and the others, feeling Jane rest her arms on my head. As I got closer, the three looked up, all smiling. Jane pat my head and kicked her legs, slightly hurting my chest, but I didn't care.

"Mommy, daddy, look! Look how tall I am now!"

Sylvia stepped forward, looking up at me and Jane in delight. "That's great honey!" She giggled.

"Thank you, Drake. This is not a problem for you, is it? You know how kids are. They're a handful."

"Yeah, but this is no problem. It's perfectly fine."

I flinched when the child's hand glided across my right ear, feeling the thread move. I tried to resist the urge to scratch it. She looked down and moved my hair, noticing the thread and dried blood on the wound.

"What happened to your ear?"

My eyes widened, memories flooding through my mind. I started to hyperventilate, seeing the images flash through my mind. That syringe drawing closer and closer to my eye. The feeling of my own blood covering my face from my ear being cut of. The blood everywhere, the stench of it filling the room as I was cut open... I gagged at the memory of seeing my own insides.

"That's e-enough for n-now." I said, taking Jane off of my shoulders and setting her on the ground.

I covered my left eye, feeling it twitching. I growled, a splitting headache erupting in my head. Stabbing pain erupted in my body, so familiar, and so agonizing. The flesh of my ear ripping and bone breaking. The excruciating feeling of sharp metal cutting my skin and muscle. I screamed out in agony. Please, stop!! I can't take that agony any more! Once is enough! Please...end it...

"Are you alright?" Luke asked.

"I-I-" Barely able to get the words out, I fell to my knees, coughing up blood. I could hear Jane and Sylvia scream through my ringing ears.

"I'm not finished with you!" That dreaded voice that I had hoped that I'd never hear again hit my ears.

I looked up, my filled with tears of pain. They widened, seeing the transparent form of the professor standing in front of me, looking down at me with that sickening smile. The light reflected on his glasses and the scalpel he held in his hand.

"How about we remove a few fingers or toes? What about gouging out one of your eyes?! Wouldn't that be fun?!"

I screamed as his laughter broke out, echoing in my head. My arms rested on the wooden floorboards, letting me dig my head into them as I screamed once again, the pain not fading at the slightest. My hands moved to my ears, trying to block out his wicked laughter.
No! He's dead! I killed him! He's dead, dead, dead, dead!!
I broke into a coughing fit, blood covering my lips. I pushed myself up, as a hand touched my shoulder. I looked up at Grayson, his mouth moving, but I heard nothing. He looked horrified, with tears in his eyes. My vision was so blurry that it was almost white. I suddenly found myself pushing him away, making him fall over. A glimmer of purple light broke through the blurring of my vision.

Take the sword...

Grab it..

Take it...

Now!

I gave into the voices swarming in my thoughts. "G-give... Give m-me...thE sWoRd!"

I began laughing as I practically pounced on Grayson, grabbing his blade and pulling it from its sheath. Everything was starting to grow distant. I pulled back, my throat hurting from laughing as I held up the blade.
I gasped, feeling myself gain a little bit of control. I put my hand over my eye, and screamed as pain shot up in my head like it was going to explode. With my last ounce of free will, I ran away from everyone, running down to the darkness of the lower deck...

Grayson's point of view-

My ears perked up when I heard Drake scream. I looked up, my heart pounding as I saw Drake collapse. I gasped, knowing that I need to get to his side. I looked over to Mia and Lalea, who were also gazing at him in shock.

"One of you two! Take the wheel!" I shouted, jumping down from the deckhouse.

I began running to my best friends aid, not seeing which of the girls took the wheel, but I didn't care. I fell to my knees next to him, grabbing his shoulder and lightly shaking him.

"Drake!" I called out his name, but he didn't seem to hear me.

He pushed himself up, gasping and laughing. My eyes widened in horror.

"Drake, what's wrong?!" I yelled, my eyes widening as I saw a bright light coming from him.

He yelled and screamed, his voice changing before he suddenly pushed me over.
I screamed as my back hit the floor, and I felt his weight pushing against my arms. I struggled with pushing him back, gritting my teeth.
I looked up in horror as Drake was above me, his bloody teeth forming a wide smile, and his left eye beginning to glow a bright light. White began to shine at the back of his throat. His body twitched as he laughed hysterically. He was losing control again...
He pulled my sword out of it's sheath, continuing to laugh. As he stood up straight, holding the blade up high, his eye dimmed and smile faded. He growled, putting his hand over his eye.
He let out another scream, before turning and dashing to the door to the lower deck. He ran past Mia, letting me know that Lalea had taken the wheel. I scampered to my feet as she got to my side.

"What's going on?" She asked, panic in her voice.

We both looked over to Jane as she started to sob. Sylvia kneeled down and wrapped her arms around the girl, patting the back of her child's head in attempt to comfort her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt him!" She choked out.

"Grayson, what's wrong with him? He's acting insane!" Sylvia looked up at me, her voice fearful, yet slightly angered.

"It's not his fault, nor is it your daughters." I tried to assure her. "You don't understand!"

Mia stepped forward, bending her knees a bit to get to their level. "I'll explain it to them, Grayson. Go take care of Drake."

I nodded, then turned on my heels and ran to the doorway. My feet ran down the steps, nearly slipping on the old splintery wood. I finally made it down to the small room, putting my hand on the doorframe and tried to catch my breath.
The aroma of blood spread through the air. The room was dark, but some light was cast in from the remaining sunlight. Low whispering echoed off of the walls, and deep chuckles.
Drake sat down in the center of the room, his back facing me. He was chuckling and mumbling indistinguishable things. His body was twitching, making everything all the more unsettling. My eyes grew wide as I swallowed a lump in my throat and sweat drenched my face. My heart was pounding so much that my chest hurt.

"Dr-Drake?" I tried to get his attention, stepping forward with caution. I hoped that Herobrine wasn't in control anymore.

I gasped, seeing blood dripping onto the floor and dripping down his arms. My sword was resting in front of his legs, the blade covered in dark red liquid. My body was trembling at the sight of my best friend, remembering the night Herobrine had taken control of him after we escaped the Red keep. It's happening again...

"B-buddy? Are you still...you?"

"...my choice. I did it...." He mumbled, followed by a chuckle. I was only able to understand a few of the things he said.

"They can't...I'm sorry..."

I reached out my hand as I cautiously crept closer. I bit my lip, scared of how he would act, or if this was even Drake sitting before me. The floorboards creaked beneath my feet, drowning out some of his mumbling.

My voice shook. "D-Dr-Drake?" My eyes teared up as I looked at the blood on his body.

"I can't... Murderer...I'm sorry..." It sounds so much like him, but I can't be sure. He has to be possessed. I don't want to accept that he did this to himself.

I jumped back when his cut hands shot up, grabbing clumps of his blood stained hair. He just started laughing hysterically, tears streaming down his face. I couldn't believe any of this. Tears started to escape from my eyes, going down my already tear stained cheeks.

"...Shouldn't exist!"

He spun around, grabbing the handle of the blood covered blade. He pushed himself to his feet, standing tall, with his head down. His white eye was dim, shined bright, and light radiated from between his teeth. Herobrine was now completely in control.
His chuckles grew louder until they turned into high pitched laughter. He took in a breath, grabbing Drake's hair with his left hand and pulling it. He started laughing once more as he looked up, his eyes shining like the North Star.
I hated seeing his arms tremble from pain, and his wrist cut and covered in blood, dripping down his hands and onto the floorboards. Why is Herobrine so masochistic? He hurt Drake again... I could have stopped it. Or was it ever Herobrine who hurt him in the first place? His hand fell back down to his side, his laughter finally stopping.

"I tHouGht That it wOuLd bE niCe For hiM to fEel soMethIng afTer bEing sO nuMb. AftEr all It'S beTteR to feeL pAin tHan nOthing." I took a step back as he slowly walked forward.

He swung the blade, holding the handle firmly. "YoU're sUch a pAIn in mY siDe! It's tIme That I gOt Rid of yoU peSt!"

He charged at me, swinging the blade. I quickly stepped back, the tip of the blade cutting into my cheek. I yelped, falling down. I lifted my hand up, hissing at the stinging pain as I touched the wound. I looked down at the red on my fingertips, then back up at the demon possessed hybrid. The purple blade cut into the wood of the doorway, lodging itself deep into the wood from the force of the swing.
My eyes were wide, my breathing was rapid. His eye dimmed as he pulled the sword out; his bloody hand letting the blade slip from his fingers. His hand shot up, covering his left eye as he dug his fingernails into his skin.

"No! Gr-Grayson...h-help me..." He begged, tears slipping out from his eyelids.

I got to my feet, but didn't catch him before he fell to his knees. I got down on my own bruised knees in front of him. He looked up with a gasp, and wide eyes as I grabbed his blood covered arms. His white eye had a tint of red around them. I watched as another tear slipped from his right eye, his breathing unsteady. His lips quivered, chapped and still a bit bloody.

  "Drake... Is that really you?" I choked out, loosening my grip on him, tears continuing to fill my eyes.

  "G-Grayson, i-it's me. I sw-swear." I believed him.

My hands slipped off of him, his blood on my gloves and exposed fingers. He cringed, hissing as he pulled his arms away. His pain filled eyes looked down, widening in shock at the sight of the bleeding wounds.

  "Wh-what...d-did I..?" His voice had a staggered tone.

He had a clueless, yet horrified look in his eyes. So he didn't know that he did this to himself? But he was talking just like Drake...unless, that was a trick. Drake wasn't in control at all...Herobrine was just messing with me to make me think that Drake hurt himself on purpose. Demons are masters of deception, after all. But that means that...Herobrine can disguise his voice...
I growled, taking off my backpack and searching through it. I didn't know what to say to him.
I pulled out a water bottle, then wiped the tears from my eyes, sniffing mucus. I grabbed his wrist again and pulled it closer, more forcefully than I had intended. Drake hissed as I poured water onto the cuts, washing away some of the blood. Setting the bottle aside, I took out some bandages and began wrapping some around both his wrists one after the other. As I did so, I refused to look into his eyes.

  "I-I'm sorry...I-I don't..." He said, sniffing as he brought one hand over his left eye.

  "It's okay. You weren't yourself." I said, still wrapping his other arm. "Herobrine took control of you. It's alright now."

It was quite, until he spoke. "This happened before, hasn't it?"

I looked up, shocked. How did he know? Could he just tell by some look in my eyes or was my reaction to this making it obvious? I sighed, looking back down and finishing wrapping his new injuries.

  "What gave it away?"

  "I remembered when my head was cut and you guys didn't want to tell me the truth about it, but it's okay. You were just looking out for me."

Once again silence filled the room until his voice broke it. "I didn't hurt anyone, did I?"

I shook my head, looking into his white and now more periwinkle eyes. "No. You didn't. Everyone else is okay."

  "B-but...your cheek...I-it's..."

I stopped him from finishing. "It's fine, Drake. I'm okay."

Tears were coming out of his eyes again. He sniffed before his arms shot up and wrapped tightly around me. My eyes widened for a moment in surprise, before I calmed down and returned the hug. I wanted to do anything to help calm him down. My eyes closed, listening to him sniffling on my shoulder. His arms were still wrapped around me, squeezing my body tightly, but I tried not to tell him that it hurt.

  "I almost killed you again... I'm so sorry."

I pat his back, whispering into his ear to help him relax. Mia told me that she did that back at the cave, and it seemed to work until he stopped breathing. I figured that I should try too, but I was sure that my words or voice weren't as comforting as Mia's.

  "It's okay. You'll get through this."

I took in a deep breath as he clawed at my back. "It's almost over. I'm sure of it."

I felt his body relax, then he pulled away. He looked into my eyes as he stood on his wobbly feet. He wiped his eyes and upper lip, a chuckle leaving his mouth.

  "I'm so tired of crying, but I don't want to feel nothing either."

  "Then just remember the good times. Remember your reasons to keep fighting and living. Drake, if it weren't for you, I would probably be dead."

He growled. "Don't say that, Grayson."

  "It's true, though. That stupid dragon egg and you and Mia are my reasons to keep going on. No. Just you and Mia. That dragon egg...means nothing compared to you guys."

I continued. "You guys revived feelings in my heart that had become numb a very long time ago. You guys reminded me that life wasn't all about my vengeance. You helped me remember what it was like to care and to be happy."

I stood up, wiping the tears in my eyes. "I'm thankful that you came into my life. You, Armen, Mia. Even though I lost my family... I don't think that I would change a thing."

He sniffed, closing his eyes as he smiled again.
Suddenly, there was a thunderous blast, and the ship tilted, making both Drake and I nearly tumble over. I turned around in shock as footsteps scampered down the stairs. Luke emerged from behind the wood, his face sweaty and gasping.

"Grayson! We're being attacked!"

Third person point of view-

A gasp rose up from Grayson's and the hybrid's throat. The ex-commander looked over at Drake, whose smile had faded. He gave a nod, silently telling Grayson that it was time to rise up and fight. Grayson nodded back, a slight smile on his face, before he turned sharply and his smile was replaced with a scowl.
He grabbed his sword off of the ground, shaking his head when he found himself staring at his friend's dark red blood. Grayson stepped forward, pushing Luke aside as he ran up the steps. There was another loud crash, making his body slam into the wall from the force of impact. He could hear shouting and cannons being fired on command. Then there were the screams of the passengers aboard the airship.
He ran out, gasping as he saw the dark sky ablaze in orange light. Airships were all around, firing cannonballs relentlessly. Some mercenaries were swinging from their own ships, jumping onto the airship stolen by the escapees.
Grayson growled, holding the handle of his trusty sword tightly in his grip. With a battle cry, he charged at some mercenaries. He felt as the blade cut into clothing and flesh, breaking bone as it pierced into enemy bodies.
Mia and Xavier stood around Sylvia and Jane, holding their weapons to protect the civilians. As another mercenary boarded the ship, and ran them, the spy charged. He screamed as he held out his kunai knifes in both of his hands. He lunged one into the man's chest, slitting his throat with the other. Jane screamed at the bloodshed, holding her mother tightly as she dug her head into her cleavage to shield her eyes.
Drake stood by the doorway, the world seemingly in slow motion. He knew that the ship was on fire down below. Already he could smell the toxic aroma of smoke. The ship would fall from the sky and they would all parish. He looked down at his hands, blue, purple and white light swarming around his fingers. No. He could cast a shield himself, it was too risky.

"Lalea!" He called out, knowing what to do.

"Drake!" His ears perked up at her voice calling out his name.

He looked out, hearing her voice coming from behind the wheel. He ran up to the wheel, seeing her struggling with keeping the ship on course. Her arms were trembling, cringing as she tried to move the wheel and keep the ship from falling out of the sky.

"I can't hold this much longer!"

Just then, the ship shook, fire bursting in the sky as they were hit by more cannon fire. The two magi fell over, the wheel spinning out of control. Drake gasped, lunging at the wheel. The wood smacked his hands, bruising and blistering them, but he was able to get a firm hold. He just had to hold it until the shield was up. Hopefully the entire ship wouldn't burst into flames by then.
Lalea pushed herself up with a grunt, pain in her entire right side. She looked over to the hybrid, gasping as she saw him struggling. She reached out her hand, but suddenly froze, seeing the blood soaked bandages.

"What happened to your wrists?" She asked with a trembling voice.

Drake's eyes snapped open again, the pupil in his Enderman eye constricted and pain filled. He was weak enough, already feeling like he was going to pass out after being possessed. He couldn't hold it for much longer, and the ship would burn until they would crash anyways. He wasn't holding onto it to keep them on course or up in the air anymore. He clung desperately to it to avoid falling off of the ship for when it began to plummet to the ground. His vision was blurring, and strength leaving his body with each passing second.

"It doesn't matter! You need to cast a shield around the ship! Hurry!"

Lalea looked down at her hands. She shook her head, trying to rip her mind from any other thoughts. Finally, she was able to cast the spell. A blue orb surrounded the ship after a few more cannonballs collided into the wood, shredding the airship apart. The blue color faded, becoming clear, but the shield still remained. Even with the shield up, it was already too late. A propeller on the ship had been blown away, and the other was ignited in flames.
Drake and Lalea both held onto the wheel tightly to avoid falling off of the ship as it began plummeting from the sky. They looked at each other, hoping that this wouldn't be the last time that they saw each other alive. Why didn't she tell him the truth before?
Another explosion went off as the flames ate away at the lower deck, beginning to emerge onto the upper deck were everyone was present.
Screams erupted throughout the air as the ship began to plunge to the vast Forest below. The stolen vessel smashed into the ground, wood both set a blaze and not flying in the air and scattering on the mud.
Flames extinguished as rain poured down, and silence filled the land...