I feel bad for getting this chapter out so late. Just so you know, I don't have a phone or data, so working on it while I'm not at home is difficult. I'm sure many of you have that but unfortunately, I don't.
Once again I'm not too proud of it but I hope you all enjoy!
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Luke's point of view-

I aimed the eye of the crossbow in my hands at the bird that sat on a branch of a tall tree. My finger rested on the trigger, complete silence filling the air. It was calm, with nothing that I knew of to startle the creature. I took in a deep breath and let it out, before pulling the trigger.
The arrow flew out from the weapon, the arrow head striking the bluebird in its wide white chest. It died almost instantly, or at least I hope it did. I really didn't want to murder a beautiful creature like that, but I was willing in order to get food for us. With the shortage of fruits growing up north in the winter, hunting was the next best option. We had to get anything that would give us enough energy to strive throughout the remainder of the day.
I smiled, happy with getting a kill on the first try. Military training really has paid off! I put the crossbow down, looking over to my friend with a smile. He looked at me with his green eyes that were slowly becoming less bloodshot, and a grin on his pale face. I actually kind of missed his creepy smile, but after what happened I'm kind of scared that he will never smile like that again.

"Got it!" I cheered, taking one backpack strap off of my shoulder to put the crossbow away.

He chuckled before he spoke, his voice still a bit choked up from earlier. "Good job, buddy. Say, where did ya get that crossbow?"

I shrugged, taking one strap of my backpack off of my shoulders, opening it up to put the weapon away. "I took it from Nathan while he was unconscious."

  "Nathan?" The spy questioned, still unfamiliar with the mercenary's name.

After I put the crossbow away, I stood up, putting the backpack strap on my shoulder again and started to walk to where my kill laid dead. "He's that mercenary kid I took back to the cave. You saw him, right?"

He nodded, rubbing his head like he was in pain. "Oh, right. Yeah."

I frowned, letting out a sigh. After what happened last night, I am really worried about his mental state. Sure, he was crazy before, but I'd rather have the crazy or "overly enthusiastic" Xavier than a depressed Xavier. I don't know what it is like to lose a lover, but I do know that it hurts. I've seen that same pain in Grayson's eyes so much. I know how much it can change you.
I looked back ahead of myself, the trees now blocking the sunlight from hitting us. It was freezing, and I was beginning to be able to see my own breath in the air. My bruised chest was still aching from the airship crash, but at least I was able to breathe now.
The leaves and pines on the oak and pine trees swayed in the cold breeze that sent goosebumps up my arms. I was surprised that the trees hadn't shed their leaves yet, but it seemed that many of the leaves on the oak trees were beginning to change color.
I walked a bit faster than Xavier, which I expected. I looked over my shoulder again, but didn't stop walking. I saw him rubbing the bloodstained bandages on his head, his eyes tearing up in pain.

"You okay, buddy?" I asked on instinct, my paste slowing down.

His arm fell back down to his side, his body still trembling uncontrollably. He sniffed up mucus, his nose and ears red from a fever caused by the concussion. He wasn't standing steadily on his feet, so I walked back over to him just incase he was going to fall over. He took a step away from me, grunting.

He finally replied, his minor brain injury giving him a stutter in his speech. "My head h-hurts and I f-feel like I'm gonna th-throw up. Wait...w-what are we doing out here again?"

"We're hunting, remember? Well with the injury you have, nausea, headaches, and memory loss is normal. Just...lean on me if you have to, alright?"

He only nodded before he suddenly lost footing and fell on top of me. I almost fell over, unprepared for the sudden weight being pushed against my body, but I stayed on my feet. Being so close to him made the putrid smell of illness worsen, making me gag at first, but I got used to it. I grabbed his arm, putting it around my neck, before I started leading him to where the dead bird was waiting for us.
Once we got up to the animals corpse, I went up to a tree and told Xavier to sit there. He didn't really complain, he only grunted and sat down. He closed his tired eyes, heavy warm breath leaving his mouth as his back rested against the tree trunk. I looked down on him, looking at the blood on his body and the tears and stains of old ones on his face.

He spoke up with his voice still low, as I walked up to the dead bird. "L-Luke..."

I hummed, waiting for him to continue as I pulled out my dagger and kneeled next to the body. I picked it up, cutting away the feathers and skin. It took him a few seconds to finally speak up again.

  "I know about your p-past and what you did, but...you're a g-good person. In m-my eyes at least. A bit of a d-downer at times but...you've come a l-long way."

My dagger cut open the birds chest, then I began gutting it as I spoke. "Xavier...I'm not a good person...I've killed countless people, including the family of my old best friend. What about that is good?"

I heard his laugh, but it sounded like his throat closed up and he choked on it. "Sure, what you did in the past wasn't g-good, but you're train of thought has changed for the b-better. You regret what you did, right?"

I let out a deep breath, blood running down my fingers as I stood up with the body in my hand. "Of course I do..! I regret what I did. If I could, I'd change all the wrong I've done."

He tilted his head, a smile returning to his face. "That shows that you've gr-grown into a better man! You're a g-good person now, in my e-eyes. You're a good friend."

I chuckled. "Have you always been this... Is charismatic the word I'm looking for?"

He laughed again. "I guess you could say that." His smile faded again, eyes tearing up.

I was alarmed when he pulled his legs up to his chest, and wrapped his arms around them. His chin rested on his knee pads, tears starting to escape his eyes again. I dropped the dead bird, getting onto my knees in front of his. His arm rose up to rest on his knees, letting him put his face into the pit of his elbow. I heard him starting to sob, his face getting red.

"I miss her..."

I didn't know what to do or what to say. I was at a loss. My hand rose up, reaching out to him, but I pulled my arm back. What do I do? What do I say? Is there even anything I can do? Yet again I reached out, touching his shoulder. He roughly pulled away from my grasp, almost aggressively. Aggression; symptom from the concussion and possibly a stage of grief.

I finally spoke, my mouth growing dry, feeling like I was going to start stuttering like he was. "I know it hurts, and I can't say that I understand but... Grayson does, and in a way, Drake does too. He didn't lose a wife, but he lost a brother and it devastated him."

He lifted his head up, wiping his nose on his bloodstained sleeve. He chuckled, moving his arm to grab a clump of his dirty chestnut hair. "I really want a drink right now."

I lowered my brow and tilted my head. "Are you talking about alcohol? You drink?"

He shook his head, sniffing again. "I don't drink, I just... I want to make the pain stop."

I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, but I didn't mean it be rude. "Drinking doesn't help your problems, trust me I know. Think about your daughter and what's going to happen once this is all over with. I'm sure that you getting stoned wouldn't make anything better for her."

  "Y-yeah, I know. You're right. I'm sorry."

I let out a deep breath, grabbing his shoulder. "It's alright. Now, I know that you're hungry and tired, so let's just get back to the others before they start worrying."

He put his hand over his eyes, clawing at his skin. "I'm scared for her, Luke. I'm terrified that Jane will get hurt...I'm scared that that demon will come back...I'm... I'm scared of Drake."

I swallowed another lump that formed in my throat. "I know how you feel. I'm scared for everyone too. Ha, I used to be scared of Drake too, but when he's not possessed, he's a good guy."

I helped him stand up, his body shaking in my grasp. He wiped tears from his eyes, a chuckle rising up in his throat. I don't like seeing him like this at all. The day I first met him he was so happy, like nothing would ever be able to bring him down. Now, everything is just going to h**l, not just for him, but for all of us.

  "I won't leave you or Jane alone again. I'm going to try my best that everything turns okay from here on out."

He put his arm over my shoulder to keep himself up, still not entirely steady on his feet. He was smiling again, and it didn't look fake. Despite that it was a bit unsettling, I was happy to see the corner of his lips perked up. He thanked me, his eyes bright. I picked up the carcass of the bird, before we started walking.

"L-Luke? You still have m-my goggles? Aren't they br-broken?" His stuttering returned.

I looked down at the goggles in my belt, one lens cracked and the other shattered. I pulled them out, holding the leather strap on both sides. I wanted to give them back to him, but with his head injury I was sure that the pressure would only hurt his wound. He tried reaching for them, but I pulled them away, putting them back into my belt.

I shook my head. "No, you can't have them back until your head gets better. The pressure on the wound is just going to hurt you."

He grunted, his head falling back. For a second I thought he fell unconscious, but his chuckling returned. "See lad, you're a good f-friend... I know you think I'm creepy, b-but... I have a reason, other than just being r-reckless."

That caught my attention. "What do you mean?"

His head fell forward now, his green eyes closed. His feet started dragging on the ground, his body becoming limp. Did he just pass out? I lightly shook him, until he opened his drowsy eyes. He groaned, moving his feet so they were touching the ground again.

"Did you just black out for a second?!"

He groaned again, rubbing his head. "I... I guess so." He chuckled again.

Once again, I let out a deep breath. "You worry me, you know that?"

  "Sorry."

  "Anyway, do you remember what you were going say? Something about the reason you act...the way you do." I tried not to sound rude, but it didn't exactly come out like I wanted it to.

He looked up like he was trying to remember. "Oh, yeah. Well like I was saying I guess... I try to stay happy and cheerful because... when I was young...my parents died in a fire." He spoke, his stuttering stopping again for the time being.

"My father was a spy like I am now, or was or whatever. Some people thought an enemy set our house on fire because my father had intel on them or that it was just an accident. I don't know what I believe happened that night, but..."

The was a silence for a moment. I couldn't believe he actually went through that. I guess the people who hurt the most have the brightest smiles. Grayson, Drake, Xavier, they all try to be kind and to be as good to others as they can. Even though Grayson tried to kill me on a few occasions, he still try's to do whatever is best for his friends and tries to keep them happy. I listened with great interest as Xavier continued.

"... Maybe that's why I went a little crazy. I started to not really care about my own safety, and I guess that stuck with me into my adult years." He laughed.

  "After that, I had to live with my aunt and uncle. Before I moved out when I turned eighteen, my uncle told me to smile whenever I could and to make others happy. I took those words deep to heart. I wanted to make others happy so they wouldn't hurt like I did. I may be creepy, but I do it for others and myself to stay happy, because I was tired of living in darkness. I didn't want others to fall into that darkness too."

So that's why he always tries to smile, even in bad times. When he got the concussion, even after Sylvia's death, he still smiles and laughs. Judging by the way he put it, it sounded as if he used to have depression issues after the incident involving his parents. He finds it in himself to make himself happy, and lift himself up from the darkness. It's rare that someone can do that, and anyone who can is a person I have respect for.

I smiled, closing my eyes for a moment. "Well, keep doing what you're doing. Take care of that daughter of yours, and...keep smiling. I know that Sylvia would want that."

"I know... I know she would..."
...

Mia's point of view-

I finished patching up Drake's wounds from the airship crash that we still had not yet mended. I put a patch on his cheek after I cleaned the dirt from the wound. I wasn't sure if I was too late to stop an infection from setting in, but I forced some health potion down his throat while he was unconscious so it wouldn't be as likely. Along with that, I patched up his shoulder with a large gash on it, the multiple scars down his arms and legs, and I wrapped up his burnt hands. The aroma of raw and burnt flesh on his hands and fingers was still strong.
I also had to change the bandages around his torso; the red blood from his torn back beginning to turn brown of the white fabric. I cringed looking at his injuries, and the others in the cave did as well. Grayson and Nathan had guilt in their eyes, while Lalea had a gaze of sorrow with watery eyes.
The closed incision on his body went from his abdomen to the top of his chest, forming a large capital "I". His back was still red with welts and ripped skin from being whipped, including the large gash that didn't seem to be healing too well. The rest of his body was also covered in bruises and other poorly healing scars. Usually his healing rate was rather quick, but these past two weeks have proven that factor to have changed. I put back on his shirt and cape, pulling his hood over his head to warm up his still wet hair and his ears. Looking at his Enderman ear made me feel remorse and sick to my stomach.
I sat down next to him, crossing my legs. Drake was still unconscious from after Lalea brought him back to the cave, his fever coming and going. I hoped he wasn't in a coma again, because as of now he could slip into one at any given moment. Lalea sat on the other side of Drake, with Nathan was sitting across from us in the cave. Grayson was preparing a fire pit, while Endy was out getting more wood.
Jane was next to me, her body leaning against me as her body shivered from the cold. Her eyes were still bloodshot from crying, mucus leaking from her nose. I noticed that she was changing her behavior whenever she saw Drake. She would panic and become scared from his presence, so she tried not to look in his direction. It truly was heartbreaking to see her happy, cheerful personality change so drastically.
My hood was pulled over my head, with Jane clinging to a piece of the green fabric, wrapping it around her body to keep warm. I found it kind of strange how the child almost looked up to me like a motherly figure, even though she hardly knew me. It was cute though, so I gladly welcomed it. It was quite and cold, but I didn't dare let my guard down. I was scared that we would be attacked, or of the possibility that Drake would stop breathing like he did that one night all those days ago.

"When do you think Luke will be back?" Nathan asked, a hint of uneasiness in his voice.

Grayson looked up, turning to look out of the cave. His body slightly shivered and his breath visibility rose. "I don't know, but I'm starving. Hopefully they get back soon, with something to eat."

The only thing that was keeping me, and probably the rest of us from struggling to stay awake was the cold air and anxiety spreading through each of us. Even after the break of dawn, we knew that no matter what, we couldn't let our guards down. We couldn't allow ourselves to be ambushed, or to have something happen to Drake.
I looked to my left, gazing past Drake to look at Lalea. She was digging through Drake's leather backpack, pulling out one of his spell books. It looked old, with the pages yellowing and the cover tearing. From what I could see, there was also blood soaked into many of the pages. She flipped through the book, her eyes gliding across the pages. I suppose reading was a good way to past time, even if she was looking through Drake's personal property.

  "Are you sure he's going to be okay with you looking through his books?" I asked, lowering a brow.

She looked up at me, her eyes bright. "I don't think he'll mind me reading this. We already read some of it together." Her pale cheeks turned pink.

Her gaze shifted, landing to gaze inside Drake's bag again, unintentionally. I jumped when she started laughing, reaching her hand back into the back to pull out something familiar. In her hand, was the flower crown I had given Drake after we reunited. It was a bit damaged, crushed with a few blood stains that had seeped through the leather. I had forgotten about it for awhile. I smiled, a chuckle rising in my throat.

"Why does he have a flower crown?" She asked, her cheeks a darker color now.

I answered, with a laugh in my voice. "I gave it to him as a bit of a joke awhile back. At the magic library Grayson and I found some and wore them for fun, but Drake thought it was too girly. I thought it would be funny to give him one, but he seemed to like the gift."

She laughed again. "Aww. That's sweet."

Her eyes looked at Drake, her smile fading but only for a split second. Her hand rose up, pulling down Drake's hood that I had put up, setting the flower crown on his head. I couldn't help but laugh seeing it on him, and even though he was unconscious, it made me happy to see it on him. I knew that it wasn't his thing, but I knew that he liked it even if he rarely wore it.
As we both laughed I looked over to Grayson as he finished putting small stones in a circular formation, putting a few twigs in the middle. He looked up at us, smiling halfheartedly at the flower crown on Drake's head. Grayson chuckled, looking back down at the stone floor.

"You better hope that he doesn't get upset about that when he wakes up."

I fixed some of the flowers on the crown, feeling some of his hair greasy and matted down with old blood. "I'm sure he won't. I know he's been having anger issues lately, but..." I trailed off, slowly pulling my hand away from Drake.

Grayson's smile disappeared, silence once again sweeping through the cavern. Nathan let his head fall back, hitting the stone wall behind himself as he closed his eyes. I knew that he was tired as well, but like us, he was cautious of falling asleep. I could hear his stomach growling, as well as my own. Luke and Xavier better get back soon.

  "I'm back!" We looked up, seeing Endy walk into the cave with a bunch of sticks held in her arms.

"Great! Now we can finally get a fire going." Grayson said, standing and taking some of the wood from her.

She stretched out her arms once the extra weight was gone. She sat next to Nathan and yawned, making me yawn as well. Grayson walked back to the fire pit, breaking a few of the larger sticks, and tossed them into the center of the stone circle. He took off his backpack, and looked through it before pulling out a flint and steel. He rubbed the two together, until the set off a spark and set the wood ablaze. The sudden warmth felt good, and actually calmed me slightly.

Grayson spoke, breaking another silence. "After we eat and Drake wakes up, we have to head out. There's bound to be an abandoned ship out there we can use."

I spoke up, finding a small flaw in his suggestion. "But what if all of the abandoned airships were destroyed by Herobrine last night?"

He growled, but not at me. "You're right... Well, we still have to look for one that could have survived Herobrine's attack last night. We need to get away from the empire territory soon."

  "Knowing the emperor, he'll probably send more men to search for us. He's relentless, and because of that, we have to get to the Drago' hatchery as fast as we can. Not just to hatch the egg, but to also find a way to help Drake." He finished.

Nathan spoke up. "What's at that place that will help Drake?"

Yet again, there was another silence. I could tell that he was uncomfortable with everyone staring at him, but it was quite amusing seeing his uneasy expression on his face. I held back a giggle rising in my dry throat. Grayson at first was glaring at him, and I could see his eyes getting teary. The silence didn't last too long, with Grayson finally breaking it. His expression shifted, now one that looked like it had guilt.

  "We're...not positive that anything will be there...we are just...hoping."

The mercenary looked at him, a slight scowl in his hazel eyes. "And if you don't find anything?" No one answered.

Grayson looked at the fire, the embers reflecting in his emerald eyes. He tossed another small twig into the flames, taking in and letting out a deep breath. I knew that he didn't like thinking of the possibility that we would find nothing, and I didn't like thinking of that possibility either. Drake was one of my best friends, and I didn't want him to lose his freedom to a demon or to die. I especially didn't want him to suffer anymore. I felt my eyes beginning to tear up, but I quickly wiped them away while trying to rub the tired feeling from my eyes.
My attention was drawn away from the subject when I felt Jane shift. I saw her lips quivering as her mouth opened, then shut. It seemed she was trying to speak, but choking on her words. I looked down at her, finding myself gently rubbing the back of her head. I guess my sister did give me a good trait of being well with children, even if I myself was a child at the time when I truly learned with her. She spoke with a whispering voice.

  "W-Why did he take mommy?"

My hand on her head froze. I wasn't expecting her to say that, and the question tugged at my heart strings. Is she too young to understand the truth of her mothers death? Even if she knew, would she ever be able to look at Drake with a smile ever again? She would never be able to live the same way as before this whole mess. I swallowed a lump in my throat, trying to find a way to tell her in a way she would understand.

  "Well...it wasn't really him. It's hard to explain, but...another person, a demon... You know what those are right?"

She nodded. "They're bad ghost."

I nodded as well, continuing to stroke her head to keep her relaxed. "Basically. Well, one of those was controlling Drake, and...made him do things he didn't want to do. He wasn't able to stop himself from doing that...even though he tried as hard as he could."

"Really? Are you sure?" She sniffed, the cold air making her nose runny, along with the emotional distress.

"Yes. I would never lie to you. I've known Drake for a long time, and I know that he would never kill your mother. What happened wasn't his fault." I couldn't believe I had actually said "killed" in front of her, but she didn't really seem affected by my choice of words.

She didn't say anything else. I saw her glance around me to see Drake, before she turned and set her head on my lap. I wondered what thoughts were going through her head, especially since she was so young. I knew that she was traumatized but I missed seeing the bright light of joy in her eyes, especially when she seemed happy to look at Drake. She once found such wonder in him, now what did she see in him when her innocent mind was now stained? Her eyes closed, seemingly falling out cold as result of the long, painful night.
I looked up, hearing a loud noise that made my heart nearly skip a beat from surprise. It sounded like a closing book. My head turned, looking at Lalea as she closed the spell book in her lap, then slipped it back into Drake's backpack. She closed her drowsy eyes, not being able to keep herself awake any longer.

  "I'm going to sleep for a bit. Can you guys wake me up when Luke and Xavier come back, or when Drake wakes up?"

Grayson was the first to answer, sitting with his legs crossed in front of the fire. "Sure thing. You should all get some rest, while I keep watch. I don't mind staying up a bit longer."

Lalea nodded, her head resting on Drake's shoulder. I heard her let out a deep breath, and saw it rise into the air as a cold mist. Even with the fire going, my body continued to shiver from the cold, as well as Jane's small form. Still being wet from the rain last night didn't make anything better. Nathan pulled his legs up to his chest after buttoning up his coat. At least he had warm gloves and a coat to keep him warm.
I looked back at Grayson, not wanting to heed his suggestion. I didn't want to sleep when something could go wrong at any moment, no matter how exhausted I felt. I looked down at Jane, unsure if she was awake or not. She was breathing steadily, laying on my lap seemingly in more peace than before. My gaze shifted to look at the two out cold magi, not being able to help putting a smile on my face.

Lalea's point of view-

My eyes opened to see a dark, unsettling forest with the wind blowing on the leaves. There were no stars in the sky, that was a dark as a deep abyss. The grass and the trees had a tint of blue to them in the darkness almost like a slight illumination, making it a bit easier to see them. There were eery sounds all around me, but one sound was closer and stood out more than the others; the sound of weeping.
I spun around, a gasp leaving my throat from the figure I saw sitting on the ground with his back to me. That slender form, blue clothing, and hair of two different colors was something I'd always recognize the instant I saw it. Drake. His shirt was ripped, showing a majority of his torso, with the left side of the blue fabric longer than the right. From what I could see, his hand was covering his left eye, tears rolling down his arm and dripping off of his elbow.
Another gasp escaped from behind my lips, seeing the lifeless corpses of our friends in front of us. The gruesome scene was horrible, making my stomach twist in a knot and bile want to spill from my mouth but I had no contents in my stomach to lose. Grayson, Mia, Endy, Luke, Xavier, and even Jane had their bodies dismembered with guts and blood spilled everywhere. My heart was thumping, with ringing in my ears.
Drake stood up, his tall form swaying as his feet as one arm fell limp to his side. He stopped making noise, causing an unsettling silence to fall between us. I looked at the ground, noticing the pool of blood around his body. Slowly his head turned to look over his shoulder at me, a dark chuckle leaving his lips.
Tears were rolling down my cheeks, as I saw his white eye glowing in nearly blinding light. I collapsed to my knees in trembling fear and horror as he completely turned around to face me, the scar on his chest was wide open with his blood and insides threatening to pour out. Only his arm covering the wound was keeping his intestines and other internal organs in his body. I gagged more violently, but still nothing rose up in my throat. His hand started to glow white, a powerful ball of magic and demonic power forming in his palm.

"You cAn'T saVe Him. No onE cAN!"

He lunged at me as he let out his high pitched laugh. As his fist collided with my body, my whole vision was engulfed in white.
...

My eyes shot open wide, my head straightening itself to make my neck pop. Endy was in front of me, with her arms on my shoulders as she shook my form. A smile was on her face, her jet black hair still a bit wet on the tips, hanging down over her shoulders. Her violet and glazed over eyes were wide with joy.

"Lalea, wake up! Luke and Xavier are back! We can eat!" She cheered, obviously starving.

As she stepped away from me, my head turned to look at Drake. He was still in the same position as before, with his eyes closed and still out cold. His body was still shaking, but it seemed that the shivering wasn't as violent as it usually was. A small grin spread on my cheeks, seeing the flower crown on his head that was slightly tilted because it was a bit too big. It just looked so adorable!
I looked up as I heard laughter, seeing Xavier giggling with a small smile. He opened his eyes, the green color looking brighter that the last time I had seen him. I was glad that he wasn't depressed, for now at least. He was looking in our direction, before lifting up a finger and momentarily pointing at Drake.

  "Why is the lad wearing a flower crown?"

I laughed into the palm of my hand. "No reason. I just thought it would look cute on him."

He chuckled again, before his mouth frowned and his eyes once again lost their bright joy. He took in a deep breath and let it out, before walking over to kneel beside Jane and Mia. A small grin crept on his red, sweaty cheeks as he looked down at his daughter. She was asleep on Mia's lap, letting out small whimpers as she shivered from the cold air. I could sense that she was in a nightmare, but her aura wasn't as troubled as Drake's was. I could sense that he was in a nightmare as well, but more intense as it usually was for adults like him, especially given his situation .

  "Thank you for watching her. Did you have any problems?" He asked Mia.

Mia shook her head, and whispered a response. "No. She was just fine."

Xavier sat down, gently taking Jane and moving her to his own lap. He rubbed her head gently, making her shift in sleep but she didn't open her eyes. The spy's green orbs got teary, with his lips quivering as if he was holding back tears. I could only imagine how he felt; that pain he must have been going through.
My gaze shifted to look as Luke handed Grayson a skinned dead bird. I actually focused on his face, finally paying attention to his facial features without his mask on. His cheeks were red from the cold, and had two scars were on his cheeks, one looking more recent than the other but healing well. He smiled at Grayson for a brief second as he took the corpse, then handed him a long stick to put in on in order to hold it over the fire.

  "It's not much, but it's what we could get." He said, the corners of his lips lowering.

Grayson put the stick through the meat, readying to cook it for breakfast. I wish they could have gotten some fruit instead, but in these weather conditions it must be hard to find any fruit that would fill our stomachs.

  "It's fine. At least it's something." Grayson replied.

He held it above the flames, making sure the fire didn't burn the stick, but cooked the meat at the just the right amount. I stared into the embers of the fire, with my arms over my stomach as it growled. The smell of the burning meat caused my mouth to water. I looked at Drake, knowing that he'd be starving when he awoke. He's eaten less than all of us these past four days.

Drake's point of view-

The darkness faded, and I found myself able to breathe again. My surroundings were familiar, but I dreaded the scenery. Once again, I found myself back at the place that Armen and I once lived in; that nightmare of a house. The place was still in bad condition, with broken windows, a broken ceiling and floor, with vines and grass growing everywhere. Just like back then.
I lifted up my hand, gazing down at it only to be able to see right through my transparent pale arm. My eyes still felt heavy, and my head still throbbed, but the pain wasn't intense. Already I felt myself being filled with negative emotion, knowing what was coming up. I thought I became numb to these memories. Have I? Are these even memories or sick games set up by that demon? Should I really care?
I looked up when I heard the door click, with giggling entering the room. My head turned, the hood over my head keeping me from just looking out of the corner of my eye. There was Armen and I, just happy kids. It still hurt to see Armen with a smile, it always did because I would never see that smile again.
We were just running around and having fun, helping each other when we fell down. My lips slightly perked up, but my vision blurred from tears. It was like we had no idea what was waiting for us when the night was going to fall. Our laugher echoed in my ears, so childish and innocent...so full of life. It was becoming distant, with the house fading and a different image taking it's place.

My back straightened as a hand touched my shoulder, with Herobrine speaking into my human ear. Poor little Armen. He put with a lot for worthless trash like you.

I was now at the playground of Ruby shire school. It was so small and confined...making me once again feel claustrophobic despite knowing that this was just a dream. I heard yelps and cries of pain, causing me to turn my head. There were multiple kids by the wall, no adults around to stop them as two lone children were beaten. One was small and frail, while the other was tall. It was Armen and I being victimized to bullying. Do I even dare believe that this happened, or is it all just fake like everything else?
I watched as the kids swung punches and kicks, our bodies covering in bruises and blood flying from out mouths and noses. It pained me to hear Armen's cries of agony.

"Enough!" I heard his light voice scream, before he swung a fist and struck one the others kids in the face.

He was always the one to protect you, while you cowardly sat by. You let your purpose have no meaning because you never protected him like you were meant to do.

Then different memories flashed through my mind that I knew were real. Armen and I finding the sacred diamonds, waking up in that dream world, fighting those monsters. He protected me from those beasts, while I was helpless. Despite always being there with each other, I never repaid him and I'll never be able to. I'm nothing...just useless. I continuously let everyone down.

You're just a mistake. A worthless mistake.

Then the memories of the arctic base, and Iron mere began to settle in my mind. The prophecy, the forge, Armen's sacrifice. I choked on tears, desperate for it all to stop. I don't want to remember! I don't want any of this..

It's so sad that you'll never see him again... All because of your selfishness.

The memories with Grayson and Mia began playing before my eyes. All the times they made me laugh and smile, when they cleaned my wounds and helped me when I was weak. When they comforted me to clean up the wreckage of my emotions. Every memory made my sobbing worse, knowing that I was never good to them like they were to me. Everything they give and sacrifice for me...it's all in vain. It's too late for me.

  You put them all through so much pain. And for what? To protect the one who will eventually bring them all to death's door? Pitiful.

All those times they suffered for me replaced the somewhat happy memories. When Grayson was shot by that dart before we were taken to the Red keep and was beaten at the when he tried to defend me, nearly biting his tongue off. When he and Mia were captured by the empire, how they were treated so poorly. When Mia was stabbed in the shoulder and when Grayson was nearly cut to the bone by those magic shards. They went through all of that to save me. Why?
Then of course there were the memories of Grayson jumping in front of me, nearly getting killed because of me. Then the white, blurry memories of my own hands killing Sylvia. When I pushed my friends and lashed out at them. When I held Grayson against the wall in a fit of rage. I'm a hazard to everyone's safety. Can't they all get that through their heads?!

You never do anything, even when watching them die over and over again. Suffering for a worthless soul like you. You're still as pathetic as ever.

My nightmares flashed before my eyes. Every time a corpse of a friend was before me; my own hands stained in their blood. The nightmares, the visions...it's too much. I can't take it! I'm tired of watching them die!
My eyes opened again after letting out a scream. I was in a long and wide and dark hallway, with the bricks a dark brownish red and a burning heat coursing through the place. My ears perked up when I heard two sets of footsteps walking down the hall, two figures beginning to emerge from the darkness. I gasped, my heart racing even faster in my trembling body. It was Armen and Grayson, with Armen's familiar mangled form that I had seen in previous nightmares and hallucinations.
Grayson's form was just a horrifying. His throat was slit, with dark red liquid pooling out of his mouth, splattering onto the floor and his green shirt that was already stained in blood from what looked like a stab wound in his chest. His wrists were cut to the bone as if they were strapped in rope for too long. His jacket was torn in the lower right hand side,  that revealed a large hole in his body pouring out blood that allowed me to see his ribs, a kidney and intestinal tract. He walked with a limp, his ankle twisted with the bone sticking out of his flesh. I knew that it was just a nightmare...but I was terrified.

"You...you did this...you did this..."

  "N-no! You're not real!" I shouted, turning to run from them.

I didn't make it far, as my already twisted ankle was grabbed, causing me to collapse onto the burning floor. I rolled over, watching with wide eyes as my two vengeful friends got onto their knees, and began ripping my flesh like hungry undead. I screamed in agony as internal organs were torn and ripped away from the rest of my body. I could hear them laughing at my misery, with the voices in my head to accompany them. The taunting words echoed and grew louder and louder until they were eventually screaming in my ears.

You're fault. Mistake. Pathetic. You're fault. Faulier. You're fault. Monster. Worthless. You're fault. You could have saved him. YOUR FAULT. YOUR FAULT! YOUR FAULT! MURDERER! YOUR FAULT!

My vision went black, the voices becoming quite. It was a bit relieving, but my body was still in a world of pain. I forced my eyes open, seeing the ceiling and the walls spinning and blurring, but the apparitions of Armen and Grayson were gone. I could feel blood pouring from my mouth and my stomach that they had torn open. I couldn't move, the pain too intense. I couldn't even breathe with my lungs too damaged. My vision turned black again as I heard dark, cynical laughter and footsteps getting closer.
My vision cleared once more, seeing my own smiling form standing above me, with two glowing white eyes and a devilish smile. It leaned down, placing it's hands on it's knees as it looked down at me, chuckling in delight as I laid in withering agony.

""I choose eternal punishment." That's what you chose, right? Well, are you getting your wish?"

I couldn't reply, with the condition my body was in, but there was no point in talking back. All it would get me is more pain. I want this all to end...but I have to suffer for my friends sake. But staying alive for them could them as much pain as what I'm putting up with. This constant battle can't be won in my favor; it never was supposed to.
What's the point of going on if either way they will die because of my actions? What am I supposed to do? How do I change fate? I don't think I can anymore... It was stupid of me to even try in the first place... No. What am I saying? I have to keep trying to stop him! I can't let him win! But... I won't be able to take much more of this.
Once again blackness consumed my vision, leaving me in darkness. The pain became less intense, being replaced with burning heat coursing on my skin and in my veins. I smelled the familiar charcoal scent of burning flesh. Was it mine, or was it even real? I don't know. I can't tell real from fake anymore, but what I can tell...is that I'm losing this fight and my mind. It's only a matter of time before I have finally lost.
...

Once again my eyes fluttered open, the burning smell still present. Once my vision settled, I found myself back in the cave, feeling fabric that I knew were new bandages wrapped on different parts of my aching, burning body. I grunted, my head and a few bruises aching in pain with my head irritatingly throbbing. My mouth felt dry, although it was watering from the aroma of burning meat. It was cold, and I could see my own breath rising in front of my face.
Across from me, sat Nathan and Endy who were both looking at me with wide eyes and slight smiles. Grayson was by a fire, seemingly finishing preparing a meal for breakfast, if it was even still morning; depending on how long I was unconscious. Luke was sitting with his back against the wall as well but closer to the entrance of the cave. I couldn't look around at my surroundings much longer, because Lalea's voice rung in my ears.

  "Drake? You're up!"

Arms wrapped tightly around me, pulling me close to her body. The feeling of her body and the silk of her cloak felt good, yet it the hug felt suffocating not because she was holding me too tight, which she was, but the feeling of not being able to breathe just washed over me without a reason. I forced myself to smile and chuckle as I gently push her away.

I spoke with a hoarse voice, my throat dry. "Yeah. I'm...awake." I couldn't say that I was fine. I wasn't.

Grayson finished cooking immediately when Lalea spoke, shoving the meat at Endy, who took it without saying a word but had wide eyes because she hadn't expected him to shove it at her like he did. It almost made me laugh. He quickly came over to me, getting onto his knees as he took off his backpack and went through it.

"Drake! You're okay! H-here, I got you this!" He pulled out a water bottle and handed it to me.

I slowly lifted up my hand, and grabbed it with trembling fingers. "Th-thanks." I found myself beginning to stutter from the rapid shaking of my body.

I opened it and hastily drank it down, glad to have something in my stomach. Most of it went down my chin, rolling down my neck and soaking into my shirt and the top of my cape. I gagged, feeling aching in my stomach as the liquid tried rising up in my throat again. I chocked but forced it back down. I gasped as I closed the bottle and set it down on the ground, my head pounding but feeling light.
Grayson took the bottle and put it away, slinging the strap back over his shoulder. He was smiling but his eyes had hidden concern like they always do. Once again I found myself looking at the scars on his body, mainly the one left behind from the spear. Those happened because of me.
I shook my head, feeling something on it that itched. My hand rose up to grab whatever was on my head, feeling something that felt like a vine. I took it off and looked down at it, my eyes growing wide. It was the flower crown Mia had given me, it's condition battered and stained in my own blood. I felt bad that I hadn't taken care of it, considering that she made it for me with her own hands. My eyes were tearing up and I was struggling to speak, with tears falling from my eyes as I forced on a smile.

  "I never appreciated this as much as I should have... I-I never..."

I looked up at Mia, then my gaze moved to look at Xavier and Jane. My smile faded, remembering those visions of me killing Sylvia. I took away her mother...I tore their family apart, just like many others. I can't do anything right. All I do is f**k everything up! I'm tired of feeling like this; depressed and hallow.
The memories of everything from the nightmare I had while passed out was beginning to flash in front of my eyes. I started hiccuping and sobbing, pulling my knees to my chest. I put my arm holding the flower crown on one knee without bending my elbow, while I bent my other arm over it to rest my head on top. The flower crown slipped from my fingers, falling carelessly to the stone below.
I'm tired of feeling guilty. I'm tired of hurting people I care about, and I'm tired of not doing anything that will make things better for them. I miss when life was simple... When I didn't have to force a smile on my face and I was genuinely happy. When I could look at my friends and not hate myself for not being there for them, or not doing anything for them. I miss the joy, and the peace and our adventures before all of this stress and pain.
I miss... I miss Armen. Mainly, I'm tired of remembering that I killed him; my best friend, my own brother! Did I save him or make things worse? I don't know, and I don't think I'll ever find that closure of knowing. I could have saved him without killing him... But I didn't. I let his life slip from my fingers, and let him down when he needed me. I am just as selfish as Herobrine.

  "Drake? It's...it's okay." I heard Mia trying to calm me down, but I wasn't working.

I lifted up my head, intense anger firing up within my being. My mouth once again became dry and my chest continued to ache. I shut my eyes tight and gritted my teeth before shouting at the top of my lungs.

"No! It's not okay! You don't understand! I made a deal with the devil, and I can't go back on it! You can't save me!"

Then silence fell, with only the sound of my heavy breathing as I tried to regain my composure. I don't know what came over me to snap like that. I didn't mean to say that. This whole time I thought I had told them every secret I had. I was so wrong this entire time. The biggest secret I still have yet to reveal, or at least explained now that I've hollered it out with my outburst.
I opened my eyes, seeing everyone looking at me in shock, and seeing Jane lifting her head up as I accidentally awoke her. Her eyes opened, her wide as she gazed at me with a look of fear, yet of concern. Xavier looked down at her, pulling her close before looking back up at me. I could sense fear in both of them but somehow it felt like Xavier was more scared of me than Jane.

Grayson spoke with a low voice, his eyes unblinking and a blank stare. "What do you mean?"

Once again it was quite, everyone confused yet intrigued. All of the eyes staring at me, piercing into my soul was unsettling. I hated the feeling of being watched, even when I knew for certain that I was indeed being looked upon. My body was more than trembling, but also twitching in my fingers, my neck and my left eye. Don't panic. Don't panic. Count to ten. Count to ten.
I did so, clearing my mind slightly. They all were waiting for me to say something, growing impatient. I took in deep breaths and tried to stop my aching limbs from shaking, but was unsuccessful. I hugged my body as I sniffed, tears still on my cheeks as I tried to resist letting my fingers claw and tear away my skin.

I swallowed a lump in my throat, then finally got the words out of my mouth. "Back when Armen and I bought the house..."

My eyes were tearing up again, the warm liquid sliding down my burning face. I still hiccuped but tried to continue. What if they would be mad? What if they would leave me? It doesn't matter anyway. If they leave me behind for dead, it will be for the best.

  "Herobrine made me choose between death or eternal punishment. If I chose death, then Armen would suffer... If I chose to be punished, then Armen...would die and never have to suffer. I couldn't do that to him..."

  "And you chose the eternal punishment...to suffer so he wouldn't have to." Nathan said, clearing it up.

I grabbed my twitching eye, feeling the bandages on my fingers get covered in my own tears. "Y-yeah... But he suffered anyway! That b*****d lied! Armen got possessed and I'm the reason he's dead now! I-I..."

"I don't want to do this anymore... I'm tired of putting you guys in danger and getting you hurt. I'm tired of tearing apart families and killing people who don't deserve to die! I don't want to lose you guys...I don't want to lose you...like I lost him. You guys need to give up on me before I get you killed."

After a few seconds of my gasping for breath, arms wrapped around me once more. Grayson was hugging me tightly, setting his chin on my left shoulder as his arms constricted around my weak body. I was shocked and frozen, hearing his sniffing in my ear. He was warm, with his body trembling. His fingernails were digging into my sides, touching the scars on my back which made me cringe in pain. Was he crying?

"Quit saying that! I'd rather die trying to help you than anything. I'm going to help you and your not changing my mind, no matter what you say or do!"

Another tear slipped from my left eye, my body tense as if I expected him to hurt me. "You... You're not...m-mad that I h-hadn't told you b-before?"

His voice came out calmly, but I could hear sorrow in his tone. "N-No... I'm not mad. You can't believe everything a demon says. Besides...it was just a stupid deal and it doesn't mean you don't have a chance to go back on it, even if..."

He stopped, but I knew what he was going to say. Even if Armen had already died, there was still a chance to save myself. I doubt it, but...it's nice knowing that they haven't given up on me. I'm conflicted as to if I want them to or not.
My arms wrapped around him, as I started crying into his shoulder. I couldn't help it. No matter how much I was exhausted from crying, I couldn't keep myself from doing so. Everything hurts emotionally and I'd rather cry then feel numb like I did when we escaped the palace. As long as I had them around, I was happy with the time I had left on the world.

  "Gr-Grayson... Thank you. I-I'm so glad to have you guys around! I'd be dead without you."

He sniffed again, chocking on sobs. "And I'd be dead without you... I'm not leaving you to go through this alone. I'd rather die trying to save you than any other way."

He pushed himself away, wiping tears off of his flush cheeks and from his eyes. "You're my best friend. I'm not letting you down."

"Thank you... Thank you so much." I hiccuped out, feeling a bit better.

A smile found its way onto my face, as I too wiped away the tears. After a moment of no one speaking or even moving, Grayson finally shifted. He took back the meat from Endy, and seeing that it was cooked enough and cooling down. He started dividing it up so each of us had something to eat. I took a piece, looking down at it as I waited for it to cool off just a bit more. Even just looking at it made me feel sick to my stomach. I knew that I'd just end up vomiting it back up, but I was too starving to care.
I took at bite, the meat burning my tongue and the roof of my mouth. I chewed it, savoring the texture and flavor. It tasted so much better than what I had been eating, just a few fruits and the meat and bread I ate the only time I was able to eat at the palace. Definitely tasted better than that taste of blood stuck in my mouth. I tried to swallow, but I kept gagging as I felt like my throat had closed up.
Finally I was able to get it down, but it didn't settle for long. My hand rose up to cover my mouth as I choked on vomit rising in my throat. I stood up and dashed outside, falling to my knees as I let the contents of my stomach spill out. I watched with my tear filled eyes as it splattered to the ground, the bile a mix of food, water, and blood. I gasped for breath, my body getting dizzy and collapsing.

Third person point of view-

Grayson, Lalea, Mia, and Nathan all stood and ran outside as Drake ran out. Endy ran out last, while Xavier calmly stood up and walked outside to join the others, pulling Jane gently by the hand. Luke still sat where he was, eventually getting up to see if the hybrid was okay.

Nathan looked over to Mia. "Does...stuff like this happen a lot?"

Mia didn't turn to look at him, but replied, "Sort of."

Drake gasped for breath and he laid on his side upon the wet, bloodstained grass. His head throbbed and ears rung with a rapid beating to accompany it. Grayson's voice called out, but it was distant and echoing. The hybrid opened his eyes to see the hazy world. His body was once again beginning to sweat and burn, that pain in his head and chest becoming incredibly intense. The edges of his vision were becoming a familiar faded crimson color.
Slowly he looked up as the mumbling voices returned to his head, most undistinguishable but he could head just a few of the words trying to make him give into sickening temptation.

Kill them.

Make it end, stop the pain.

Nothing matters anyway, just like you.

Take your own life. All of the pain will finally go away.

His two different colored eyes looked up to see everyone staring down at him. Grayson got down on one knee in front of his trembling body, his hand reaching out to help him back to his feet. Drake's heart was racing at what felt like a thousand beats per second, causing his hybrid blood to rush far too fast within his weak body. He was panicking from what he was seeing, starting to question if he was just unconscious this whole time or not.
Grayson's form was the same as it was in the h*****h nightmare. He had that slit throat and mangled ankle and wrists with his side torn open. His eyes were bloodshot with tears covering his cut up, bleeding face. Everyone else was just as nightmarish as him. Luke's right eye was gone, with multiple fingers gone and intestines visible as they hung out from his cut open abdomen. Mia had a piece of her ear gone as if her earring was ripped off and took some of her flesh with it. Her body was covered in large bleeding scars and her ankle was twisted backwards.
Nathan had his entire right arm gone, with bone and tendons visible with blood dripping out of his body. His body was filled with stab wounds and gashed, each with blood still gushing out. Xavier also had his throat slit, as well as Jane's. Blood came out of their eyes and with red also sliding down Xavier's head. Jane looked like she was covered in burns and deep cuts.
Endy had blood dripping from her lips, with bleeding scratches going across her right cheek. She also look burned on multiple spots on her body with red, raw flesh showing from where holes formed in her scorched clothes.
Lalea was standing there with a tilted head. A large gaping hole was in her chest that let you see the forest behind her. Her bright blue eyes were gone, with only dark sockets that let blood roll down on her cheeks. Her pale skin looked gray and her mouth moved as if trying to say the other Mage's name.

"N-No! Stay away!" He kicked his legs as he pushed himself back, stopping once his back hit a tree trunk.

His breathing was becoming unsteady as he hyperventilated with his aching lungs. This isn't real! This isn't real! It's just a hallucination! He kept screaming at himself with his thoughts beginning to run wild. It didn't matter that he was aware of it. It was still a terrible and horrifying sight to gaze upon. He felt like he was going to throw up again as tears streamed down his face once more.

  "Drake, what's wrong?" Lalea begged for an answer.

His body was beginning to twitch more violently, fear and nerves consuming his ill form. He blinked a few times, and the image of his comrades was rendered back to normal. No missing limbs or blood other than the old brown stains on bandages and clothing. He watched Xavier gently put his arm on Jane and push her back in fear. While everything now looked normal, his was still toying with him as the voices continued to mumble but became slightly more distinguishable, and disturbing.

Kill them all...

Slit his throat.

Chop her to pieces.

Rip him apart.

Set him on fire.

Slaughter them all...

Drake scampered up to his feet that struggled to hold up his trembling legs. The voices rambled on nonstop as the hybrid was beginning to feel things he had no want to be feeling. It was happening again... That need to drain blood from a victims body, to hear cries of agony; to watch and listen for begs of mercy. He wanted to feel a life force slip away and watch someone suffer in agony.
Drake's hands grabbed his gray hood and pulled it over his head as his aching fingers yearned to wrap around something. He refused to let them grab his diamond sword or someone's neck. His teeth bit into his lip even after he felt it begin to bleed, letting blood run down his chin. He felt his tears getting thicker as his eyes started to bleed. He wanted to get away before he lashed out and hurt someone.
His whimpers began to mix with dark chuckling. The red still surrounded the edges of his vision, his white eye dimly glowing. He looked up when Grayson was in front of him, his hand shooting down to grab the handle of his blade. Grayson's emerald eyes widened as he saw this, and jumped back as the hybrid unsheathed his blade and swung it at him. The tip of the blade cut a small gash into on his shoulder, ripping the fabric and skin.
Grayson looked down at the wound as his heart rapidly thumped within his chest. His wide eyes watched blood soak into the bandages that were already on him, still in shock of what his best friend had just done. His shaking hand rose up, covering the bleeding wound as he hissed in pain, shutting his eyes tight. His emerald eyes opened, looking at Drake with a pain filled look of shock and a glimmer in his green orbs.
Drake gasped as his white eye dimmed and both eyes became wide. A wide bloody grin that was on his face slowly vanished as he looked at the injury he had inflicted on his best friend. The red around his vision cleared and the voices stopped, but his migraine remained. The sword slipped from his grasp, falling onto the mud and dirt. He couldn't believe he had done that.

"Grayson... I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me..."

His back hit the tree again, and he slid down as he covered his face with his hands. Tears and blood covered his gloves and the bandage on his ripped Enderman cheek. Of course when he was beginning to feel better, everything had to go down hill once again.

Grayson removed his hand, looking at his glove with slightly fresher blood now staining the fabric. He forced himself to chuckle, trying to make his friend feel better. "I-It's not deep at all! Just a little cut. I'm f-fine, Drake."

Drake choked on his breath and hiccuped as he spoke. "H-he wants me too k-kill you guys. I don't want... I d-didn't mean to..."

Look at the fear in his eyes. So enough he'll just want to kill you himself, not out of sympathy but just so he could get you out of his life. He doesn't care about you, but he's too scared that you'll kill him if he tries to leave.

Lalea finally stepped up, kneeling down in front on him. Her arm slowly reached out, but she didn't expect him to swat her hand away. She gasped as she pulled her hand back, rubbing her now sore skin. Her eyes were starting to fill with tears, absolutely hating seeing him like this. He growled, beginning to push himself up from the ground before suddenly screaming at the top of his lungs.

"I'm so sick of being tormented by that f***ing devil and his h**lish voice! Sometimes I just want to die and never have to go through this f***cking h**l or have to always feel so guilty with every f**cking thing that happens is my fault! I'm tired of hurting people!" He screamed with his hands going underneath his hood, grabbing and pulling the hair on the sides of his head.

Grayson once again felt his aching eyes tear up. It hurt hearing his best friend say that he wanted to die. It made him feel like no matter what he was doing to help him, nothing was working. He felt like there was nothing he could do. He clutched his fists and choked on air as his breath staggered and tears dripped onto his cheeks. They rolled onto his lips, still pale from losing so much blood the day before, leaving a salty taste in his mouth. He couldn't take hearing Drake say anymore nonsense.

  "Don't say that! Do you know how much I wanted to die after my own wife and son were killed?!... And after I found you... I was thankful to still be alive. Don't blame yourself for everything, and quite letting him get to you! I only want what's best for you, because I care about you... We're family and like I said before, I'm going to help you even if it kills me!"

Drake let go of his hair, slowly moving his back so he was standing straight and let his arms fall back down to his sides. His fingers were almost locked in place, but after moving them a few times, they felt more lose and able to move more freely. The hybrid sniffed, feeling guilty for everything he had just said, but now he was keeping his mouth shut. Everything he said and did made everything worse...
No one said anything further for what felt like forever. The only sound was distant chirping of birds and the hybrid's and ex-commander's gasps and heavy breathing. There was still tension lingering, and no one was mustering up the courage to break that tension. Drake and Grayson both starred at each other with their teary eyes, both not wanting to be the first to look away from the other. For a moment it felt like time had stopped for the two.

Finally, the hybrid spoke. "...I'm...sorry... With everything going on in my head... I just forget how...you care and how...you'd never leave me. You wouldn't leave me, right?"

Grayson took in a deep breath, his throat now dry from crying. "Never. I will never leave you."

He's lying, you fool.

  "Look!" Jane's voice suddenly called out.

Everyone looked at her, seeing that her look was fixated on something in the distant sky. They followed her gaze, gasping at the airstrip armada flying overhead. Tons of ships, holding hundreds, if not thousands of soldiers of all ranks. Slowly they moved in the blue morning sky, a few miles away from the where their own ship had crashed the other night.

Luke spoke with a low voice, and his breath nearly stripped from his lungs at the sight. He had never seen so many in the air at once. "Imperial ships..."

The ships were preparing for landing, slowly and steadily descending form the sky. The amount of the airships sent shivers down many of their spines. Drake remembered being on one of those. The beatings and taunting he had received still made his blood boil with the memories. He refused to go back, he especially wasn't going to bring his friends down with him again.

  "That one is massive." Endy said in awe.

One ship stood out from the others, catching everyone eyes. It was twice the side of the others, filled with twice as many men and weapons to take down the escapees. The helium filled balloon that helped the propellers hold it in the air was the familiar dark red and navy blue color. Men were scattered on the massive deck, preparing for battle.
Grayson instantly knew who that massive airship belonged. It was out of commission for years after the king stopped going out into battle with his armies. The sight made his body quiver and nervousness fill his body, but mainly shock. He couldn't believe the monster was actually this determined to get them.

He couldn't help but gasp out. "The emperor. He's here."