Lighting cracks against a darkened purple sky. Not a single strike flickers again, as a mystifying new environment comes from across the sea. The emptiness trickles to the mere sounds of water, dripping off of guns and shields. The massive gathering of Lam Lathi soldiers lights up again, as the lilac storm rages above the lapping ocean waves. The midnight blue of Lam Lathi armor blends into the darkness, as a bright light in the distance cuts their tusked helms into view

Anxious shields and bayonets rest among the many covered faces as a new dawn approaches The darkness on the horizon slowly gives way to a massive light that rises like the sun. The pilot was invading the Ryoken lands. A massive battle was taking place near the Felokyle. I speak my mind.

“This is suicide.”

“Stay put, Atjani. We need to delay him.”

I ignore Alana. She was standing next to me, ready to leave her body as a Lam Lathi tempest. I was at the front lines of a new invasion. I stare down to my left and to my right. Endless rows of Lam Lathi recruits were waiting by the shore to kill the pilot and his creations. I could see thousand of covered faces. Their bandannas were wrapped tight, like a thousand love stories ready to die for their loved ones. Each smell brought with it the intimacy they remembered back home with those they suffered through life with.

I didn't know what we were up against. I knew the pilot had his flying leechers. They were strong against anything we threw at them. They could still be overpowered with enough tempests. The plan was to leech the pilot with his own creations. It was suicide.

The lighting strikes again and not a soul moves. Everyone was silent and ready to defend Lam Lathi against the pilots invasion. He had crossed the ocean first and would make his way to Capara in the end. We were his biggest threat and we had to make our fight count for something.

Behind me were shields planted with faces peering over. Others protected makeshift stages, with dancers chained to poles so they didn't run from battle. The messengers would try to influence our attackers and us as we fought. They would also create illusions to distract our foes. Behind the dancers, were the large weapons and cannons we stole from Neandeleria.

I glance at Alana. Melinal was gone forever. The strange creations that guarded The Far Away Dream could not be defeated. I felt let down and I let her know it. I was one of the rare faces that didn't wear a bandanna. I kept it tucked in my tribal belt out of spite. I felt like I had nothing to fight for.

“You'll help me find, Lani after this?.” I mutter.

Alana nods at me. She was too focused on what was coming to our shores. A horn sounds with several whistles, the first of the pilots creations were descending on us like a wall of light. The weather seemed to change around them, as if the violent storm was the border between his world and ours. The gusts of winds were howling and the clouds had abnormal movements. It made me stop in wonder. I lift my heavy shield and angle it as the first of the heavy cannons deafens me from behind.

Strange projectiles move across the sky, energized with writhing green light.

Several leechers fall from the sky dead, too damaged to redraw their vicious wounds. Some manage to reform themselves from their bits and pieces. They continue their flight, as the pilot redraws them from his tower. I could see his light break across the waves and touch them. The next group of leechers strike at us, using their wings to create pleasant feelings.

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My helm is torn from my head, as it is lifted by a leecher, and erased from from existence. I keep firing ahead of me striking several in the distance. I look up and shoot several times as well. Each cracking sound fills me with courage. More of my enemies fall to the ground, far ahead of the pilot's lofty tower. They weren't worth the energy to redraw and I could tell he was calculating his losses. Each leecher was redrawn in specific patterns, leaving many glowing carcasses on the sea below. It was a light show.

Orange and white bullet fire fills the sky, going every direction, as it's redrawn against us. Some of the bullets hit, scattering golden mist into the air. Some hit the soldiers near me, with screams and vapor of crimson blood. Horrific sounds ensue, all synchronized with every flash of our cannon fire from behind. I feel the energy of hate consume me from a nearby dancer. As well as the love of my old tribe. The feelings empower me, as I keep shooting form behind my shield. The flying creatures were already above us in formation. They were swooping down and gathering more souls from below.

More Lam Lathi soldiers rally and charge at our flying foes. Several dancers are attacked and lifted on the sky. I hear them scream as they are absorbed and tossed onto those of us below. Their chains had been erased. I look to my left and see a soldier walking toward a blinding light of loving feelings. To my right, another tries desperately to reload as his fingers are peeled and erased from existence. I watch him cry in pain, until he's pacified and leeched. The lights were becoming bright all around me, like shooting stars that had a specific destination. My eyes were clenched tight. I didn't know if I could open them in the presence of my enemies. More flying creations move above me. They head for the cannons and try to spot tempests from the sky above.

I glance at Alana. Her eyes were covered in silver tears. I was concerned for her as much as for my own safety. She was in her trance hunting with the other tempests. They ganged up on the leechers with uncountable numbers forcing many of them to attack their own kind.

My eyes squint. Bullet flashes pelt my eyes. I hear a roar of voices as a large wave of Lam Lathi recruits join us from behind. They raise their bandannas in the air and charge knowing they would all soon be dead. The soldiers next to me plant their shields again. We form an enclosure as the flying creations descend above.

“Here they come!”

My fear rises as my shield is torn away and a glowing hand strikes at my chest. I manage to stab at it with my bayonet, only to watch it heal and try again. I fall back as others shoot it down. It keeps erasing our bullets, until it runs out of energy and takes several wounds. The creature howls and starts reaching with convulsive motions. I manage to stab it through the chest over and over with those next to me. It keeps healing itself with energy from afar. The pilot was trying to keep this one alive. My breathing becomes full of sweat. Finally, the creature's wings stop moving and I exhale. I look up and stare at a beautiful and glowing body of another creature. Even thought it looked different, it still had the same purpose.

I look up at the pilot's glowing tower. He was absorbing his weakest creations and using their energy to change the world around him. Already a pleasantness could be felt on the shore from his approaching aura. I take a look at Alana and shake her. I didn't want her to die.

“Stop Atjani. I'm concentrating,” stares Alana. She was annoyed. The cannon fire behind us gets louder and more frequent. The pilots tower is hit several times, disturbing him, but never doing much damage. I watch his tiny figure creates several more beings and send them out toward us. I pick up Alana and she breaks her focus. She wipes her eyes angry that I was running away.

I wasn't the only one. The whole front lines were running off to regroup. They were trying to make it to the safety of the cannons. Some of us were avoiding the noise of our stolen weapons, but we were all running in fear.

I watch a several leechers land near me, lighting my face in the middle of the darkness. They redraw soldiers as they pass, making them legless and unable to fight. After, they reach in their chests and steal the energy of their souls. Others Lam Lathi recruits were attracted to their strange beauty and emanating feelings. They drop their weapons and walk to them like sheep being led to the slaughter. I whip through the tall grasses, until I see the glowing wings of a Lam Lathi flying machine.

No matter how much we forced the pilot to redraw his creations, his energy kept growing. Any damage we did was only a temporary set back to his transformation of our world.