I don't know how I feel about this chapter. It was a bit of a struggle about half way through because I ended up getting sick for a week and got writers block again. This chapter was originally around 16,000 words but I cut the chapter in half so now it's 9584 words. Next chapter is going to be short but at least you guys know that I have it written already!
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Lalea's point of view-

It had grown dark rather quickly after we had set off. The sun had set, it's golden glow vanishing over the horizon. Once again we headed straight into the dark clouds but patches allowed light to shine down from the stars and the bright first quarter moon. The water from the ocean waves crashed far below the airship, the peaceful sounds it made were silent from how far away we were from the soothing noise. Silence filled the night sky as the darkness of the night threatened to grip us and pull us in unconscious. We could not afford to sleep, not yet at least.

"I don't know why it's taking so long. I guess we're further away than it appears on the map." Grayson explained, holding the map in different positions to figure out if he had read it wrong.

I turned around, standing with my back straightened as he grasped my attention. It was only he and I who remained awake, the others resting within the interior captains quarters with the exception of Drake. He was below deck, separated from everyone else after Nathan went to check up on him. He saw Drake collapse out cold, getting orders from the ex-commander to take him below deck so he could sleep without disturbance.
Not getting much rest the previous night and the energy drained from our bodies during the battle was beginning to take it's toll. The bags under his emerald eyes were heavier than when the sun was up. He stepped away from the wheel, rubbing his eyes as he let out a yawn. His gloved hand slipped into his pocket, then pulled out a bright object with a tremor in his limbs. The blonde held up his compass into the light, watching the small red dial point north.

"At least we're on track." Grayson said before putting it away and taking out his map.

I walked up to his side and looked down at the map along with him. The island where the Drago hatchery was supposed to be was depicted on center of the map. There was no sign of any building, instead the island was covered in vast green forests and mountains that were lined with white from currently falling snow.

I rubbed my arms to warm them up. "I thought we were supposed to be there by sun down, and you don't seem like you would read the map wrong. I know that you're more intelligent than that."

"Well the map showed the imperial walls to the empire long before we arrived there. So this might have been a case like that. I'm sure we'll get there in no time!" He said before swallowing a lump forming in his throat.

Grayson shrugged his shoulders, stuffing the map into his satchel before he returned to manning the wheel. "I hope so, at least."

It grew quite, leaving only the faint sound of propellers and a silent creek from the old floorboards. I moved a strand of hair away from my eyes and moved it behind my ear. He looked off into the distance, attempting to remained focused on where we had to go but I could sense that something was troubling him. His baggy eyes looked to me without shifting his head.

"Lalea...is Drake's condition...is it really that serious?" I could tell that he was in somewhat of a denial. He didn't want to lose Drake, and neither did I.

I looked away, gazing at the vast sea hundreds of feet below. "Unfortunately..." That was all I could say before my eyes began to tear up.

He was not satisfied by my reply. "This can't be how he goes out... I don't want to see my best friend die. You know...he and this dumb dragon egg were the only ones that kept me going for a long while. That and my stupid need for vengeance... He was the only good thing in my life before we met Mia. Then they were the only two people that...made me feel at home."

"I know Grayson. I know that you're scared for him, and so am I, but just because you know this new piece of information doesn't mean that you should become any less hopeful that we're going to save him."

After a moment of nothing, he finally smiled and gave a weak chuckle. "Right. You do always know what to say. No wonder Drake likes you so much!"

I blushed a bit. Despite that the relationship between Drake and I was now out in the open, I still became embarrassed whenever someone mentioned it. It just was not something I was used to, and it would probably take me awhile to get used to the others remarks on our dating status.
Then he yawned yet again, looking down with droopy eyes. He head turned to look at me, his form looking exhausted and sluggish.

"Lalea, do me a favor and go below deck to check on Drake. I think I'm going to wake Xavier and have him fly for a bit."

I lowered a brow. "Well... does he even know how to read a map?"

He took out the map, turning to walk to the steps. "He better. He and I are the only ones that can fly one of these, and I'm not sure if I can keep myself awake much longer."

I followed behind him, both of us going to the door that lead to a small room inside. The candles and lanterns were out, giving the others darkness so they could sleep peacefully. Luckily it was still bright enough to make out details such as who was who and where things were. This room was where Nathan saw Drake pass out a few hours ago. Imagining Drake collapsing like that sent a chill of dread through my body.
Mia was asleep on the leather chair in the far left corner, with Jane sleeping seemingly peacefully on her lap. She used Mia's green cape as a replacement for a blanket.
Nathan was asleep at the desk. He rested on the wooden chair with his legs up on the desk and his hat slipping down to cover his face.
Endy and Xavier were asleep on the floor, with Endy shivering in the comfort of her black cape that she had wrapped around her body. They were both right next to each other, with Xavier right up against her back.
Xavier also trembled in his sleep from the withering cold. He was curled up in a little ball close to the raven haired Mage, with his arms wrapped across his chest for warmth. I could see his breath rising and teeth chattering. I felt bad that they were sleeping on the floor.
Grayson kneeled down next to the unconscious ex-spy, placing his hand on his padded shoulder. He lightly shook him, whispering out his name until Xavier groaned with his eyes fluttering open.

  "Wh-what? Is everything alright?" He asked as he rubbed his tired eyes with his gloved right hand.

Grayson answered with a quiet, soft spoken voice. "Can you man the ship for a bit? I'm exhausted and I need someone to look out for any islands while I get some rest."

Xavier sat up with another groan escaping from behind his pale lips. "Sure thing."

Xavier's eyes were dim unlike what they usually were but that was to be expected when first awakened from slumber. His head was still dressed and bloodied, along with his neck that bore the plaid scarf that he had taken from the mercenary he had impersonated. His hair was of course a mess, with his limbs hanging sluggishly from his body trying to pull itself into full consciousness and awareness.
The blonde nodded, taking out his map and handing it to him. Xavier took it, unrolling it to examine what was drawn onto the old withering piece of paper. He smiled before pushing himself up to his feet. He was wobbly on them at first, but once he grew used to standing once again, his back straightened and he gave us his usual cheerful grin.

  "Alright, I think I got it. So if I spot any islands around then I should settle the airship there?" He asked for confirmation in case he was about to get the ex-commanders orders wrong.

Grayson confirmed. "Yes. If you spot any land, then take the ship down so we can all rest for the night but be sure that we don't land anywhere that might be hazardous."

The chestnut haired gave a nod with his head. "No problem bud."

With that, he walked past us and left through the doorway. He turned to head to the steps, with Grayson and I listening to the sound of creaking floorboards as he made his way to the wheel. Once we knew that Xavier had everything under control, our gazes shifted to each other. I looked up at his emerald eyes that were dark with the lack of light, yet also bright from the light of the moon. He looked down at Endy, then back up to me as I whispered, being sure to keep my voice low enough as to not wake the others.

  "You should get some sleep."

He smiled. "Yeah, and you should go check up on Drake now. For all we know, he could be awake and freaking out down there." His smile faded, guilt creeping up on him for leaving Drake down there alone.

I gave a weak nod. "I'll go check up on him right now. Good night."

He laid down on the wood, grabbing his cape and covering himself as he rolled onto his side. He let out a deep breath as he tried to slip into an unconscious state. I could tell that he was now bothered by the possibility that something had happened to Drake while we were not watching him. I knew that despite that he was tired, the thought of his best friend was now keeping him awake.

I tilted my head and forced on a smile to help him relax. "Don't worry about Drake. I'll take care of him. Just try to get some shuteye before morning."

It took him awhile but eventually he let out a long heavy breath. I watched him close his eyes before I turned around and headed to stairwell that would lead me down to Drake.
...

Drake's point of view-

I laid in a bed that was resting against the west wall below deck. A lantern was lit at the door on the east wall, letting a calming dim light illuminate across the room from the small flame. I continued to shiver, less from the cold that still lingered and more from my fever that was becoming increasingly worse. Goosebumps and sweat covered my burning skin, the burning becoming too unbearable until I kicked away the white blanket from on top of my body.
The bed was not completely sanitary, which had me grossed out for a moment before it completely slipped my mind. Stains of blood that had long turned stale and tinted brown covered the once pure white sheets. Mercenaries once used it when they were too injured or unconscious after escaping from battle on the front line. At least the stains were faint and old enough to not really get on my nerves too much. Besides, my mind was wandering elsewhere.
I stared up at the wooden ceiling, my mind blocking out the sounds of the creaking wood that echoed as the airship sailed across the sky. My heavy breathing was coming out more staggered than usual, my lungs aching as I struggled to take in air. My burning, watery eyes barely blinked with my chapped lips slightly quivering. I did not move much, lying with my sore body almost completely stiff. Another tear traced the lines of stains going down the Enderman side of my face.
A hiss rose in the back of my throat, my migraine feeling almost crippling. My brain felt as if it was being crushed by my own skull; throbbing and aching from the constriction. I was staring into space since I awoke, my vision more blurred than usual but my focus remained on the thoughts and voices running through my head. The walls felt like they were closing in, claustrophobia making my mental health deteriorate fast. My fingers clawed at the sheets, letting the condescending voices get to my head yet again.

You just let them die. You don't deserve life when you've taken the lives of people you claimed to care for.

My sore arm rose up and laid on top of my burning face to cover my burning, teary eyes. I couldn't help but choke and sob as the weight of the world once again pushed against my body and chiseled away at my mental state. I can not take much more of this. I could not stand the memories. I could not stand the guilt. No matter what happened once we reached the hatchery, no matter if they somehow managed to save me from Herobrine and this illness, it was already too late. My mentality as well as my emotional health and stability was already broken and scattered across the darkness of my mind. I was already wounded by Herobrine's words that were now embedded into my distasteful memories that I would never be able to let go of.

They needed you...tried to help you...

They sacrificed everything for you, and you let them all die...

I sniffed then began to hiccup from my overwhelming sorrow. My eyes shut tight once again, my burning eyes allowing more warm liquid to slip down my sore skin. The pounding and aching in my head and chest made tears form more rapidly in my eyes as I was consumed by physical and emotional agony.
Everything has been my fault...if I had just given in years ago. If I had just drawn Herobrine completely out of Armen's body and put him onto myself then none of this would have happened! Armen would not have had to suffer and die, Sylvia would be living happily with her loving husband and cherished daughter, and Luke would at least still be alive! I don't know what kind of life he would have, but I knew that he would still be alive.

Luke and Sylvia and Armen...They never would have died if you had just given up long ago. You're just a devil trying to fit in with mortals. You're a monster.

My eyes snapped open with a gasp leaving my lungs when I heard the knob to the door click and beginning to turn. I turned my head and let my arm fall back to my side, a sore pain running through the nerves in my body with every slight movement I made. My body felt heavier with a feeling of redundant anxiety and dread, feeling as if I was sinking into the sheets.
The door on the other side of the room slowly creaked open, with a figure peering their head through the crack. I squinted my eyes in attempt to see the person through my blurry eyesight but even though my vision did not clear, I knew that blur of blue from anywhere. Her soft, low toned voice quietly called out my name to ensure that I was awake but I knew that she was aware of my conscious state.
I grunted and turned over on the bed to face away from her. I sniffed and forced down a lump in my throat as I made a weak effort to wipe away my own tears without her noticing. I did not want her to see me as the emotional train wreck that I have become. I am ashamed of who I have turned into theses past few weeks.

You are weak...

Pathetic.

She must have a death wish if she wants to be with a murderer like you.

I sniffed again as I dug the side of my head into the thick pillow beneath it. My head sunk into its soft surface yet it felt somewhat suffocating as a part of it covered one of my nostrils. Even with the comfort of the bed and pillow, I could still not find the peace of mind nor the relaxation to allow myself to fall into a blissful sleep. Even so, I am sure that if I had managed than my sleep would be anything but blissful.

"What's wrong?" Her soothing voice called out to me, but I gave no reply. The sound of her voice and the feeling of her presence made my heart skip a beat in it's pounding state.

I heard a single creak on the floor before she spoke once more. "I know that you are awake...I'll leave you alone if you want me to. I'll understand."

I curled up a bit more as I heard the disappointment in her tone. I did not want to upset her. I let out a heavy sigh, having a bit of a jolt of mixed emotions running wildly through my mind. I wanted to be alone but yet I wanted her company. Besides I can't trust myself when I am alone. I turned over and suddenly I became defensive.

"No, it's fine! I-" I cringed and bit my tongue in pain as I tried to sit up.

I fell back down flat onto the bed, taking in deep breaths of air until the pain and dizzy feeling passed. My eyes remained closed, listening to her light footsteps as Lalea slowly began to approach the bed. My body tensed up as I felt her small hands slip beneath my head and begin to lift my head up. She did not push me into a sitting position, but instead she gave herself enough room to sit down and let my head rest on top of her lap.
I opened my eyes, gazing up into her beautiful ocean blue eyes. While my entire vision looked as if a fog had covered most of my sight of her, I was still able to see the gleam of her eyes and her pink lips perked into a weak smile. I sniffed, hating the feeling of tears welling up in my eyes once again. My face continued to burn as I let out shallow gasps for breath. My body still had a tremor from the cold, illness, and my weeping.
Her index finger traced my left cheek and and below my eye. I could feel her touch smear the warm tears on my face, myself flinching as she did so. I was developing a problem with anything that came close to my right eye. I have my reasons. It just reminded me of the horror from when I was that b*****d scientists little guinea-pig.

"You were crying..." Her voice was low and sympathetic with her expression showing distress. The corners of her lips lowered and her eyes were drained of happiness.

My head turned to look at the door as I tried to avoid eye contact with her. A soft growl vibrated within my throat. Her gently touch vanished from my skin. I tried to hold back a nervous twitch that caused me discomfort as I tried to resist letting the involuntary movement lash out. Of course it was unsuccessful, a muscle spasm causing my neck and right shoulder to twitch. She tensed up from it, but her body relaxed again soon after. A nauseous feeling was beginning to make me feel like I was going to vomit.

"Yeah..." I hated to admit it to her, despite that it was obvious. I was so tired of crying and feeling weak both physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I closed my eyes and took in a few deep breaths. My body relaxed slightly when Lalea began to rub my skin and run her hand through my messy hair.

I struggled with getting words out of my mouth with my shortness of breath. "I'm tired...of e-everything... I'm tired of feeling depressed and sc-scared. I'm tired of feeling stressed and guilty and feeling like everything I do is wrong!" My voice grew louder and drew more air out of my lungs. I gasped for breath as I clawed at the mattress, my fingernails digging in so deep that I felt that they would rip the sheets.

"...I'm tired of thinking that I could have saved them...even though deep in the back of my mind... I know that there was nothing I could have done."

Do you really think that she wants to listen to you cry? You always find ways to make yourself seem more and more pathetic!

I was aware that she was upset with my outburst. The guilt continued to build up inside of my, causing my chest to hurt, my stomach to twist, and my nausea to worsen. I silently gagged by for once nothing like bile rose up in my throat. That was a good thing at least.

"It's going to be okay." She attempted to reassure me that everything would turn out alright by the end of all of this.

She continued, her other hand unconsciously rubbing against my burning, pain filled chest. "We're going to do whatever it takes to help you get better. We all love you and we're not going to leave you like this."

She doesn't love you...she has only taken pity on you.

Her hand reached over and was placed against my cheek that was pressed against her lap. She turned my head so that our eyes once again locked onto each other. Her smile caused myself to smile in return. She always made me feel better, even if being around her caused my heart to race so painfully fast. She shifted her position slightly to make it more comfortable to lean down and place a kiss against my lips.
My aching arm rose up, grabbing her hood and pulling it down so I could dig my fingers into her silky hair. Although I could not exactly feel it, I could remember it texture from before my hands were burned so severely. She quickly pulled away, her face hovering above my own before she sat up straight. I loved how her cheeks still turned red whenever she spoke to me, especially when we showed affection to one another. It brought a smile to my face and a light feeling in my beating heart.

I chuckled before I spoke with my voice low. I could not get it very high. "Thank you, love...Thank you for helping me feel better."

Her cheeks grew a darker shade of pink with the sides of her lips perking up in a cute smile. "It's no problem. I'll always be there when you need me. Now..." Her hand continued to play with my hair.

"You should get some rest. We both probably should." She exclaimed as she gently moved my head and slipped away.

Once I knew that she was about to leave me down here alone, I felt a bit panicked. What would I end up doing if I started to hallucinate again? Would the voices get to me again? Would I end up hurting myself or lose control again? My breathing was picking up, slowly becoming a slight hyperventilation. I sat up, hissing as sore pain flared up in my weak body. I could feel that hunger was also beginning to wear my body down.

My hand unconsciously shot out, reaching to her and grabbing her cloak. "Wait!"

Her head turned to look over her shoulder, then the rest of her body twisted so that she faced me. I let go of her cloak and slowly retracted my arm. She gave a light hum and a cute tilt of her head, causing some of her beautiful lapis hair to fall to one side. I swallowed a lump in my throat before I tried to catch my breath so I could speak again. I knew that despite the fact that my face had been burning all day, I just somehow knew that my face was becoming red at the cheeks if they had not been red already.

"Could you...stay here with me? I don't want to be alone and...possibly do something stupid."

For a moment she was completely still and showed no shift in emotion, but her eyes were still quick to light up. A blush spread across her face as she looked down and messed with her fingers. I never really noticed how cute she looked while she was embarrassed! Yet a part of me felt bad and awkward for asking. I was just too paranoid to be alone again.

She walked back up to the small bed and sat down again, this time with myself scooting closer to the wall to give her room. "Okay. If you insist!" She giggled.

I laid back down as she did the same. I laid with my back against the wall, and with her facing me. I could tell that she was glad to be laying down, obviously tired considering the bags underneath her eyes. Her hand reached out, her fingers entwining around my own. I felt the warmth of her heat, welcoming on my cold skin but uncomfortable on my skin that already was too warm for comfort. I ignored it and just let myself enjoy being with my love; enjoying being able to fall in love before my possible upcoming death.
I took the blanket that I had kicked off of my body earlier and put it onto Lalea to keep her warm.
My body began to feel heavy, but this time it was not because of dread. Relaxation was finally beginning to sweep upon me. I smiled at Lalea who laid across from me, with one of her hands underneath her head. She returned the smile, whispering goodnight before her eyelids fell close. I smiled, my arm wanting to reach out and move some of her hair away from her face, but my body was becoming more fatigued and slowly drifting away from consciousness.

"Good night, love."

A deep breath of air was released from my lungs as I finally felt the peace that I had repeatedly slipped away from time and time again. My heavy eyelids fell over my eyes. I did not know if I was to have a nightmare once I slipped into unconsciousness, but I was just glad that I was able to see Lalea happily laying next to me instead of a scared or sorrowful face. I pushed away any negative thoughts that crept into my thoughts before I was finally able to drift off into the open arms of a blissful darkness.
...

Endy's point of view-

I felt as if I was floating as I began to regain consciousness. My eyes opened, blinking a few times so that my eyes adjusted to the light. It was brighter than when we had fallen into our states of slumber. I groaned as I lifted up my head to see a few candles lit of the desk and a few lit lanterns on the wall. Someone must have lit them last night or early this morning to keep us warm.
Nathan was no longer sleeping by the desk, giving me the assumption that he had already awoken.
I pushed myself to sit up with my left arm and shook my head to be rid of the tired feeling that lingered. A yawn rose up in my throat, my mouth opening wide as I let it out. My left hand rubbed my eyes, myself irritated and frustrated that I could not use my right arm. It sucks not being able to move your dominant arm, but hey, I might become ambidextrous after it heals.
My mouth was dry and my stomach was growling from hunger. None of us had really eaten much yesterday, only a small portion of cooked meat for breakfast. It was no wonder we were all feeling so weak last night.
My head turned to look over at Xavier who had fallen asleep next to me. I gasped and jumped when I saw blonde hair instead of chestnut. Grayson was were Xavier was before I fell asleep. His brown, tattered cape covered his body that acted as a thin blanket. They must have switched places over night to fly the airship.
With a grunt, I pushed myself up to my feet then readjusted my black cape around my neck and shoulders. My eyes scanned the rest of the room, seeing Mia and Jane still asleep on the leather chair. I smiled, not being able to stop the warm feeling that engulfed the inside of my chest. Jane really had a strong bound between Mia and I, almost as if she looked up to us like motherly figures.
I enjoyed being able to be there for Jane. Really, I enjoyed the thought of being like a motherly figure to her. After what happened to her real mother...she needs a role model. I was more than glad or willing to take on that task. I enjoyed not only being around her...but Xavier too...
I stood up and waited until my feet stopped swaying and I was able to stand still. I walked around Grayson, my body tensing up whenever the floorboards squeaked beneath my feet. I got to the door and slowly turned the knob, leaving the room. I squinted at the light of the low morning sun, blinking until my eyes stopped burning and adjusted. Then I slowly closed the door behind myself, the door quietly clicked as it was shut.
I could not help but to gaze in awe at the vast forest surrounding the airship. We must have landed some time earlier. The sky was barely clearing up, yet the light from the sunrise was bright against the landscape. I could hear birds chirping in the evergreen forest, and a distant sound that mimicked that like the faint fluttering of wings. Bugs buzzed in the distance along with a very faint sound of running water. The noises were quite peaceful, even more so with the enchanting scenery.
The trees surrounded us, our airship settled in a rather small clearing. The spruce trees were towering in the sky, the leaves dripping cold water from melting snow. I took in the aroma of the flourishing nature around us, finding a pleasure in the smell of moisture like rain and the strong smell of pine. Of course it was familiar to where we had been before settling off, but it was definitely a lot more pleasant than the airship.
I could hear two voices coming from above me at the ship's steering wheel. The English accent and the light, soft voice made it obvious that the ones having a conversation were Xavier and Nathan.

  "Hay, las! Good morning!"

I looked up, smiling as Xavier frantically waved his arm to greet me. I could not help but giggle. "Good morning to you too! Is everything going alright?"

He leaned on the wheel with his arms crossed and his usual bright grin that showed off his his bright fangs. His eyes were that bright green color that was beginning to make my heart race when I saw them.
As he leaned without needing his legs to keep him, his right foot only had his toes resting against the wood. A large piece of paper was in his belt, torn and browning which gave it an appearance that made it seem to be many years old. I assumed that it was Grayson's map that would get us to the hatchery.

He jerked his arm up as if he wanted to pull his goggles over his eyes, but then recalled that they were broken. His smile then faded with caused my heart to drop. "Yeah. This should be the island that Grayson wanted us to go to."

He stood up straight then walked over to the railing. I expected him to lean on them or to just simply speak to me from up there but I was mistaken. I gasped in surprise when he jumped over the railing began to fall to the deck. Even Nathan was cringing as we expected him to get severely hurt when he hit the floor, sustaining some injury like a twisted ankle. Instead he landed with ease and quickly recovered. He stood up straight and showed no signs of pain.

I lowered a brow. "Do you always do stuff like that?"

He laughed. "Of course! I like to take the risky route, you know? Besides, it's more fun than taking the stairs!"

I unconsciously rolled my eyes and chuckled. I rubbed my arm where it was not broken, so it did not hurt. I felt my pale cheeks grow a bit warmer. I didn't know why I was feeling so strange all of the sudden.

  "I suppose... I'm glad that you're talking again. It doesn't hurt or anything, does it?" I felt the need to ask despite that the answer was kind of clear now.

He nodded, his chestnut hair bouncing slightly. His hand rose up and gently rubbed his throat. "Yeah. It's feeling better now, especially after I was able to get a good night's sleep."

Once again I lowered a brow and tilted my head. I could see through his exaggerations. "Really? A "good" night's sleep? The bags under your eyes make you look like you haven't slept in days!"

He scratched the back of his head then shrugged. "Alright. It was not the best nights rest I've had but it was better than no sleep at all."

I couldn't help but to giggle. I looked over my shoulder to the forest, sensing various life forces out within the vegetation. They did not belong to any human, only small animals and insects. So far at least. My gaze turned back to Xavier as he took out the map and looked down at it. I walked around him so I could look at the map as well. We were definitely on an island, but caught our attention was a little red "x" on the center the map, more specifically, the center of the island.

"Once everyone is awake and ready, then we head out on Grayson's orders." He rolled the map up and put it away.

Nathan spoke up as he stood by the railing. "Why specifically Grayson?"

Xavier turned and looked up at him. "Well, he's the one with the dragon egg and has the best navigation skills other than myself. Besides, he's not gonna want to leave unless we know that Drake is alright."

I began to think about the hybrid and Lalea. I hoped that they were okay. Honestly, I was terrified by the possibility that Drake could have killed or hurt Lalea during the night since I'm positive that she was with him. I did trust Drake, I just did not trust that demon in his head that played with him and his mind like worthless toys. I growled at the thought of that demon and how he tormented Drake and got Sylvia killed. Well who knows, today could be the day we finally abolish Herobrine and avenge the ones that he has slaughtered.

  "Speaking of Drake, do you guys think that we should check up on him and Lalea?" The auburn teen asked. "What if something bad happened to them overnight? I mean...what if Drake lost control or something?"

I gave a nod. "Don't worry. I'll go make sure that they're alright."

They nodded back, watching as I turned around made my way to where the staircase to the lower deck was located. I could hear Nathan laughing after he said something that was muffled to my ears as I walked further away. Xavier's response was muffled as well.
...

I walked down the stairwell, relighting the torches that had extinguished over the span between the sunset and nightfall. The small new embers began as a vibrant violet color then became the usual orange hue of a dim flame. I let out a breath as I momentarily stopped walking, letting my skin take in the welcoming warmth.
Finally I reached the door, politely knocking with my left arm before I dared enter to ensure that I did not wake them. I did not get any response, but I opened the door anyway. It creaked as I pushed it open, seeing more light within the square room beyond the door. Immediately I was greeted by a bed directly across from the doorway, and there I was easily able to recognize my friends.
I smiled as I stepped closer, seeing both Drake and Lalea asleep next to each other side by side. A light snore came from both of them as they held each other close in loose embraces. Lalea's head was pressed gently against the hybrid's chest as they faced towards the other. Their eyelids were closed, continuing to enjoy the blissful realm of the dreamscape. I couldn't help but to be happy, not only because they were finally showing their love for one another, but for once while unconscious, Drake did not have a troubled aura. He was able to enjoy his sleep for once.
I leaned against the doorway, smiling. Should I wake them? They did say that Drake needed his sleep...but the words slipped from my mouth without a conscious thought.

"Hey, lovebirds!"

Drake and Lalea both gasped and sat up straight with small yelps. Immediately their faces were consumed with deep blushes that worsened when they looked at each other. They looked away from the other, rubbing their eyes and stretching as they tried to hide the mild embarrassment.

Lalea turned to me as she got out of the white sheets and stood. "Endy! Don't flipping do that!"

I laughed as I walked forward. ""I'm sorry! I couldn't help myself."

She rolled her eyes before Drake caught our attention. We turned our heads to look at him, watching him cough into his arm. He pulled his head away from his arm, gasping with saliva and blood on his lips. His looked back and forth between us, his faint purple eye and white eye mainly looking at Lalea. His Enderman eye was so faint that it was actually kind of scary. From far away, it would be easy to assume that both of his eyes were white.
My eyes widened with a small gasp of air slipping from my lungs. Drake's aura shifted from one emotion to another in an instant. One second it was fine then the next...it was like I was able to feel how broken his mind and emotional state was. It was like all h**l was being unleashed inside of his head. His eyes were wide as he stared blankly ahead of himself, his lips moving with quiet, indistinguishable words slipping from behind his teeth and quivering lips.

"No...no..." That single word was all I was able to make out as he mumbled it over and over again.

His fingers were clawing at the bed, his chest rapidly rising and falling as he started to sweat. It was like he was having a miniature panic attack. All because I startled them? No...no, that was not the reason. It was something he was seeing in his head, something more serious than what I could even imagine.

Lalea turned around when she noticed, gasping when she noticed his condition. "Drake? What's wrong?"

He did not reply to her, nor did he show any sign of being aware of our presence. He screamed out in pain as he started to claw at his head. Tears streamed down his face from an unbearable headache. His head suddenly shifted, a sudden look of fear and hate as he gazed at my eyes. I took a step back as my blood ran cold in his even colder stare. I could hear him growl and see his throat vibrate as he did so. My heart began to race and my skin began to sweat.

  "Wh-who are you?" He hissed through his teeth. "What do you want?!"

What is he talking about? Can he not recognize me? Before I could open my mouth and speak my thoughts, he stood up and lunged. He screamed for me to get away from Lalea as he pushed her defensively behind himself. I stepped back, watching a bright white light coarse down his arm. His nose started to bleed as he tried to ready a spell, a look of insanity in his eyes as I caught a glimpse of him smiling. I stumbled back until I fell over onto the floor.
I gasped as the ball of white light suddenly exploded in his gloved palm. A bright blinding light shined, causing Lalea and I to have to turn away. All I heard was a cry of pain before I opened my eyes and saw Drake collapse onto his knees in agony. My heart was racing and my body trembled from nearly being murdered by my own friend. If he did not have that mana corruption, I'd be dead right now.
He started coughing up blood until he vomited onto the floor. Lalea got down next to him and put one hand over his chest with the other patting his back as she tried to help him breath again. He took in a few deep breaths, trying to get himself to relax. He looked back up at me, his eyes no longer full of mistrust or hate.

Lalea tried to remind him that I was on his side. "Drake, this is Endy! We met her after we crashed in the airship, remember?"

Drake hissed as he clawed at his head yet again. He looked around the room frantically, then seemed to calm down once he noticed his surroundings. "R-right...I'm sorry. Had a bit of a memory gap for a moment."

The fear and anger in his aura faded. "I forgot that I escaped the palace...I thought I was back at the palace and...Grayson and Mia were sentenced to be hanged awhile ago."

Lalea shrugged. "Well, they were sentenced to death but they didn't die. At least you remembered everything now, right?"

He nodded, wiping the blood off of his chin and lips. "Yeah. I'm good now."

Lalea help him stand up to his shaking feet. He dusted himself off, then held out his hand to me with red cheeks and a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry about that Endy. I was just a bit... scared."

I smiled and gently took his hand in a warm handshake. "It's okay. Has stuff like that happened before, you know, the memory gaps?" I asked.

He pulled away his hand then scratched the back of his head. "Only once that I can recall. The other day I forgot how I met Mia, although I'm sure that I've had many other minor ones along with that."

At least he did not forget about her entirely. Although he did remember me, the whole situation rose a few concerns, such as if he would forget something important again or the possibility that he has forgotten something important that we just don't know about yet. I sighed in relief that he seemed fine for now.
Drake then rubbed his eyes, properly letting himself wake up despite that he had to have been fully awake already after that episode.

"So are we close to the hatchery?"

I smiled again and nodded. "Yeah. We're on the island but it looks like we're going to have to walk a bit. We are also going to have to wait for Grayson and the others to wake up before we head out."

He let out a sigh of relief. "Finally. Soon this will all be over with..." He said as he readjusted his cape.

Despite the dark circles around his eyes, bags and stains of old tears going down his face, he looked more...hopeful. Yet something tugged in the back of my thoughts that at least half of the happiness that he displayed was false. Just a mask to hide the pain. I knew that he had been suffering for a long time now, and I also knew that when you were in pain for as long as he has been, then it becomes simple to hide your sorrow behind a fake smile.

He put his hands into his pockets, tilting his head as he giggled and smiled. "We'll hatch the egg and get rid of this monster in my head!" He let out a deep breath, the corners of his lips falling.

Lalea smiled and hugged him, her eyes closed and a bright smile that showed off her pearly white teeth. "I'm glad you think so, honey! Keep that hope up for me."

He chuckled and gently pried her hands off of him. Judging by the red on his once pale cheeks, nose, and human ear, his fever was acting up yet again. I could see ever so slowly that he was beginning to sweat and once again starting to shake violently. Every so once in awhile I could catch a glimpse of either his left eye or his fingers twitching.
He did lean down and place a quick kiss against her right cheek as he told her that he would try to keep his hopes up. Drake grabbed his backpack that was laying on the ground, putting the straps over his shoulders and ensuring that the backpack was not on top of his cape. He then took her by the hand and lead her to the door.

"Come on. Hopefully Grayson and the others get up soon."

He stumbled as he walked up the steps, tripping on the steps and falling to his knees on occasion. He started leaning on the walls for support, the sound of his heavy breath echoing on the enclosed walls. I hated the sound his covered fingernails made as they scraped against the wood as he tried to keep himself up. Lalea eventually took his arm and helped him stay upright.

She asked him what was wrong when he growled and covered his eyes. I expected him to say that he had a headache, but his response was not what I had expected. "I can't s-see very well... Everything is blurry and wh-white."

He removed his hands as he pressed his back against the wall. His eyes were tearing up as he hissed in what seemed to be pain. He sniffed mucus that was trying to leak from his nose, then wiped his eyes and blinked in hopes that his vision would clear up. Lalea put her arm on his shoulder and slowly turned him so she could help him walk up the steps.
...

Xavier's point of view-

It was a bit of a struggle to keep my eyes open, but I have went twenty-four hours without sleep many times before so staying awake should not be so difficult. My fingers were jittery and I was continuing to feel side effects from my concussion. Every once and awhile I would become dizzy or fatigued and need to sit down. I guess I'm lucky that I did not feel like that too much while I was flying the airship.
I was sitting down with my back against the railing, my eyes closed as my body yearned for rest. It was not only because I was tired, but my head was pounding on the site of injury. Luke was right. My goggles were cutting into my injuries but I refused to take them off. For some reason I now looked to them as a reminder of my best friend and how he cared my well being when so few others did.
I tried holding back tears at the thought of him. I still could not believe that he was actually gone. I tried with all the strength of my will to stay positive but it was more difficult that it seemed to stay happy when you're best friend died just a day ago.

I flinched when Nathan finally spoke. "Are having a headache or something?"

I opened my eyes, noticing that I was clawing at my scalp and my eyes were watering. My head was indeed pounding and throbbing, which made me a bit irritable. I let out a deep breath and told him yes in a tone lower than my usual tone of voice.

"Well, it's most likely because of the concussion. Are you feeling dizzy or nauseous? Perhaps a ringing in the ears or confusion?"

Now that he mentioned it, I did feel like I was going to hurl. I had felt like that for a few hours but it was probably because I had not eaten since yesterday morning. There was an irritating ringing in my ears along with the pounding headache.

"Yeah, all except the confusion...I think. How do you know so much about concussions?"

He walked closer to me, getting down on his knees. I hissed and flinched when he touched my head, trying to examine my wounds. I closed my eyes as he began to unwrap the dressing around my head, letting the cold air sweep across my sweaty forehead that was covered. I hissed again as he applied pressure to one of the few wounds I had sustained. My eyes opened, seeing him looking at my wounds with a expression of concern and slight discomfort or disgust.

He finally replied to me. "I know a lot about medical treatment, just as you do. Remember, we were both trained at the empire. You and I are the ones that stitched Grayson up so I assumed that you'd figure that." I growled, not giving any reply.

He took off his backpack and began searching through it. "Before I joined you guys, did you start bleeding at the eyes or anything?"

"No, but that's a good thing. It means that it was not too serious, or at least not as bad as it could have been."

Nathan then began to wrap my head in the few bandages he had left on the roll. Luckily I could see that he had extra supplies in his backpack. Once he was done wrapping the new set of bandages, he let out a sigh and closed his backpack. He stood, telling me that the largest sore on my head was already healing fairly well. That for some reason made me feel a bit relieved.
My ears perked up when I heard the sound of a doorknob turning and wood creaking. I stood up and looked over the railing, watching Grayson step out of the room, followed by Mia and Jane. I smiled, jumping over the railing and landing next to them. I couldn't help but laugh as they all screamed and jumped back.
Grayson growled and turned around, but his look of irritation was quickly replaced with a smile and a giggle. I took the map out from my belt and looked over to my daughter. She laughed and ran up to me, hugging my leg since she was too short to reach very high. I laughed, getting down on one knee and hugging her.

  "Morning sweetheart! Are you feeling okay?" I asked as I pulled back and rubbed her head.

Jane smiled, but something about her was off. Her eyes and smile were not as bright. "Good morning, daddy! I'm feeling...okay."

My smile lowered slightly, but I kept it on in hopes that it would make her happier. I could only assume that she was bothered by the memories of her mother, but wondered why she was bothered now and not as much yesterday. Oh well, that's not my area to question, but that did not change my concern for my daughter's emotional wellbeing.

Grayson's voice caught my attention. "Do you know where we are, Xavier?"

I stood up straight and held out the map for him to take. "Yes. This should be the island where the hatchery is located."

He gently snatched the map from my hand, then opened it to look down at it. His emerald eyes scanned the paper, nodding in satisfaction that we were so close to our destination. I wandered what I would end up doing once this whole thing was over with. After we hatched the dragon egg and got rid of that god forsaken demon. As far as I know, I'm not allowed back at the empire and am now a criminal, but with the emperor dead...am I still wanted for treason? As an accomplice to the murder the emperor of the northern empire?

I shook my head and tried to remain focused on Grayson as he spoke. "Good. According to the map, the hatchery is just a bit east from here. We should be able to reach it within an hour or so if there are no complications."

"About that...this island is swarming with creatures that I've only read about and ones that even I haven't see." A female voice called out.

We all turned our attention to Lalea as she approached us, supporting Drake as she helped him walk. Endy was too his left while Lalea was holding him up by his right. Instantly I could tell that his condition was near critical, even for a simple fever.
The hybrid was sweating as if he was surrounded by lava and breathing as if he had run three miles without rest. His body was trembling so violently that he almost looked like he could be having a seizure, but the shaking was not as intense that you could mistake him for having one. His baggy eyes were closed with his head swaying as if struggling to stay conscious.

Grayson walked towards him, eyes full of worry and concern. "Drake, you look awful!"

Drake looked up, opening his eyes. "Yeah, thanks for the compliment." He replied in a sarcastic manner.

Grayson stepped between him and Endy, taking his arm to keep from collapsing incase he suddenly fell out cold. He looked back up at Lalea as she spoke. Drake's arm was over her shoulder as she kept him standing. Her eyes were full of just as much concern as Grayson's.

"He's getting worse... even his eyes are starting to become a problem. He can't see clearly anymore."

Grayson's back straightened, his blonde hair falling over his face. "Is that a side effect from the illness?"

Lalea shook her head. "No, it's not. His eyes are even starting to lose color. This is getting bad! We have to get to the hatchery and find something to rid of the illness and him!"

Grayson stepped in front of Drake, looking into his eyes that were barely opened. I looked at them, a chill running down my back at the frightening sight. Both of his eyes were almost completely white, but his right eye still had a shade of purple to it.

Grayson let out a growl, clutching his fist as he turned sharply and walked to the rope ladder. "Well then we have no time to lose. Let's get going, now!"

No one gave any objections, instead we all followed him. He took the rope ladder and swung it over the railing, letting it hang and sway calmly from side to side. He stood there, letting Nathan climb down first, followed by Lalea then Drake. The hybrid was slow on his way down, occasionally clawing at nothing but air until his fingers wrapped around the rope, then he would struggle with putting his feet firmly in place. I knew that it was because of his deteriorating eyesight. Next went Endy, Myself, Jane, then Mia. Last but not least, the blonde ex-commander made his way steadily down.
He jumped down with a grunt, then he unfolded the map and gazed down at it. His gloved hand then slipped into his pocket and pulled out and old compass with a bright gold rim. He nodded and looked back at the map before looking up and putting the compass away.

"It should be this way. Follow me."

We walked past us and wandered into the vegetation. As we followed, it stayed close to Endy with intentions of keeping my promise to protect incase anything went wrong. I was a man of my word. I was just a bit jumpy with the bizarre sounds of strange animals and insects echoing all around us, but I was not nearly as jumpy as Drake.
My chest felt a slight pinch within it as I gazed at him. Admittedly I do still have a bit of fear towards him, but also sympathy. That demon within him killed my wife and is now slowly killing him. I don't want to lose another friend so I, along with all of us, will fight to save him from this h**lish fate.