“Maur! Don't die Maur! Keep fighting!,” I think to myself. “Look here. It's me, Lani!”

I watch as Maur falls to the ground in pain. I grip my jet-pack controls. I was so distraught. I wanted to bring everyone back. The wind rushes passed me like the many fleeing people. The tears run off my cheeks and fly off into the breezes. I land with a rush near Maur and turn him over. I strap off his jet-pack to carry him away. He was choking on his blood. My eyes become sad and my throat numb. I didn't know what to say.

I hold Maur's hand as he struggles to breath. His eyes were petrified and his controller was lying on the ground. I hold him up as Mona comes running over to us with Nahlia. The three of us surround him. I get to my knees.

“Maur?,” I say.

Maur spits more blood from his mouth. I could feel him becoming cold. He musters more strength and tries to answer me.

“Lani?,” he starts. He tries to speak again. “You served your king well, Lani.”

My eyes become floodgates as I take off his helmet. We lock eyes with each other. Even with the blurs he seemed to know where to look by my voice. Maur tries to push his words through his blood, but nothing comes out. I grip his hand tighter. Maur tries again only to remain silent as his voice is squandered by more flooding blood. Finally, he manages to speak.

Maur hand-signs the word “true” against my chest. He tries to smile. Maur struggles again pressing the word “love,” against my chest with his other hand. I wipe my blurry wet eyes. Maur had finished reading my diary and wanted me to find true love no matter what.

All our memories in the Ryoken lands circulate my mind. I start crying harder as his grip starts to loosen. Maur's head tilts back and I shake him. I look up at Nahlia and Mona and try to find reach for solace with my tears. They were just as shocked and sad as me. No one says anything. I didn't know what to say or think. Before I have a chance to answer, Maur passes. The mechanisms of his mind come to an end. I hold his lifeless body in my arms and stare.

The pain in my chest twists and knots, until it becomes unbearable. Suddenly Luer appears. He throws a young man at us named Tayt Milonas.

“A true king keeps his word,” smiles Luer.

I stare angrily up at Luer. I reach for my knife, but Mona grabs my hand and stares into my eyes. She shakes her head as Nahlia and Tayt are re-united. I glare at Luer as he walks away tilting his shoulders as walks to look like a bad ass. He smiles back at me and gives a careless shrug. After, he joins the high priest and his massive swarm. In a burst of rage I pick up my jet-pack controller. I tear into the sky, ready to leave it all behind.

“I'm bringing everyone back!” I cry.

I felt like my body could fall apart into a million pieces and I wouldn't care. I just wanted to hurt someone and not feel the pain myself.

My watery eyes dart to the people below me as I start to rise. Other Caparans were shouting at me, but are quickly silenced from my mind. The approach of the pilot had created a riot. Everyone was trying to leave the city. My vision shakes as I'm lifted high above the arena. I click my controls. I head straight for the pilot and his glowing tower. I had to kill him and make sure everyone was with me again!

The wind whistles around me. My eyes dart behind me. I feel a sense of foreboding as the arena leaves my view. The refugee camps pass beneath me, until I'm all alone above the arid badlands. In the distance, I could already see the flying leechers. They were swarming like a mass of loving lights.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

“My dreamer. I know I can do this!,” I gasp.

I start to weigh my approach as the flying killers start to approach me. I spin and take a quick look behind me, catching sight of others to my rear. I could already see Neandelerian dune buggies trailing across the landscape below. Specialize weaponry was already starting to echo from the distance, coming straight out of Capara. Projectiles shriek by me with rockets and I close my eyes. Machine guns pepper the sky and ground with specialized bullets. I change course, dodging several leechers as they fall in behind me.

I pause to hold myself together. The leechers fall, gunned down by the Neandelerians.

Several gunships fly by me as more armored Neandelerians with magical battle axes join me in the fight. I stare in awe as a giant light overtakes me from above. The pilots towers was getting closer.

My eyes dart to my people as they rally below, with the Neandelerians. They were heading straight for the tower. I see the last of the Lam Lathi tempests coat their eyes with silver tears, as they shout at me from passing flying machines. Lam Lathi soldiers were with them, joining the fight with new and magical swords and weapons. Everyone was running toward the pilot to make a last stand. Even a large part of Luer's swarm was joining us, refusing his commands to stay put and join the pilot.

I finally make it to the pilot. I crash into the side of his tower as leechers swarm me. I felt so relaxed and good. My worry had left me and start to smile. It didn't feel natural. Immediately, I focus and hold out my hands. I slowly erase the door in front of me, surprised at my own success. Above me, I hear the pilot shriek and crawl away from his throne. He felt me leeching his energy. I couldn't believe how easy it was to draw with his strength. I move into the tower.

Inside the tower, holograms of the Pilot's vision flicker across the floor. He could see everything in a twisted way. At the center of the room a miniature fountain spewed, radiant and loving feelings. They made me want to drink forever just looking at their beauty. I felt ready to draw anything I desired into existence, just by looking at the fountain. I felt entranced, feeling everything was ok. Nothing really mattered only standing there and easily getting what I wanted. I grip my arm.

“No! Don't touch the honey water!” I yell at myself.

A smiling face appears on the walls, whispering hopeful words that held no value. It bothered me. I would have rather heard something that reassured me with something true. Even a hopeless shrug would have been better than an echo that told me everything was fine as it was. A vaporized hiss pushes mesmerizing scents into my face. The perfumes try to make me relax and accept the world around me without question. My eyes begin to water, until the feelings smooth them. I didn't feel so sad anymore. It was like my pain was slowly being erased with my memories.

I think about redrawing my friends, but I didn't have time. Leechers were swooping into the room and emanating their pacifying feelings. They try to swarm me and say comforting and loving things that I knew weren't true. They wanted to erase my pain and memories. No more suffering or hate. Only love. Only positivity. I quickly erase their wings and they fall to the ground.

I begin to head up the pilot's tower and I focus. I start to draw a flaming wings on my back. I control my mind. They start to form, but I never get to finish. The pilot lands in front of me and smiles with satisfaction. His scarf whips in imaginary wind and he snaps his goggles moving his eyeballs lower on his face with them. I gasp and force myself against the spiraling stairs. I stumble and smile back.

“Welcome home. I made us a new home!.” shrieks the pilot.

The pilot reaches out to hug me. I could sense the mania in his arms. I stare at his elongated fingers that seemed to grow faster as they reached out to touch me.

The pilot lets out another shriek and I cover my ears. I erase the noise and start to counter the many spots around me. He continues to draw positive and loving feelings, as well as new creations to erase me. I erase them again and start to draw my own creations. The pilot struggles and we stare at each other. He slowly overpowers me.

“Why are you doing this!?” I yell at the top of my lungs.

“Love. Only love for everyone and a world of no suffering. Positive smiles only! Peace and safety for all. No more loneliness. No more hate. No more Lani!”

The pilot smiles with gritted strength. I continue to struggle as the he tries to erase my vision. I counter him with my dreamer and he gasps, becoming out of breath for the first time. I could feel my soul energy weighing against his. Slowly, he begins to weaken more me. I wasn't strong enough. I needed help. The pilot shrieks with delight!