“Leave Atjani!” shouts Alana at me.

I run behind a planted shield with Alana. My ears become numb, as the pilot walks closer. He shoves his hands around unpredictable around his jacket. Bullets are erased from existence as they whip all around him. The metal wall of bullet shells forms, again and again, each time being erased, as he stand there. The gunfire continues like a river of metal that won't die. I start to fire at the pilot, but he erases my bullets in front of me. The flashes of orange and white disappear.

I watch as tempests try to take control of the pilot, dying by the hundreds as they vanish like small pockets of vanishing cold. My shoulders recoil as I fire my rifle several times. I watch as bullets are redrawn in midair, facing the other direction. They strike down several Lam Lathi soldiers. The soldiers fall in vapors of crimson, some screaming and holding their wounds.

I keep my aim. I watch as my bullet starts to get redrawn. Immediately, I am possessed and jerked out of the way. My eyes flood with silver liquid. Alana hand pulled me out of the way. I watch as Alana has me grab her and pull us aside. We move behind a different shield. My eyes squeeze with thick tears, as she releases her control. The pilot walks closer.

“What's he doing!”

The pilot starts to emanate loving feelings. The room fills with light. My emotions become numb, as if the suffering around me was an unnoticeable background noise. I stare at the pilot as he starts to re-create the world around him. Several Lam Lathi soldiers walk closer to him, lured in by his waves of energy. They smile as if they were being loved by a demon who never loved them. Nothing felt right, but the energy waves continue. The pilot sticks his hand into a nearby chest and sucks out the energy of a soul. The man howls as if waking up to a hellish nightmare.

A shoot a few more times. The pilot continues to defeat soldiers and tempests alike. He starts to shriek with delight. A wave of good feelings shoots out again. I begin to feel good and smile at Alana. I hold her hands with excitement and smile at her. Alana slaps me.

“Don't be so easily fooled!,” she motions to me silently.

The bullet fire continues as more and more soldiers are lured in. They walk entranced, some being cut down by friendly fire. My chest pounds. Alana tries to lead me away, but I stay. It felt like a warm shower, you never wanted to leave. It was too cold outside.

The tempests continue to attack the pilot. It was like Lam Lathi was bleeding them in a fatal wound. More and more arrive and try to overcome the pilot's strength. He starts to become angry and out of breath. His energy was expended, but he gathers more as hands reach out of his picture toward him. They fill him with energy. Alana tries to lead me away, but I grip her forearm. I'm immediately possessed.

“It's too late, Atjani. We underestimated him.”

“You promised me, Melinal!,” I seethe.

“Too bad.”

More Lam Lathi soldiers pour into the chamber. They continue their fight as Alana forces me to scoop her up and run away. We head back, pushing passed Lam Lathi soldiers who stare at us and run into the battle. When we reach the elevator, a large shock wave of energy shoots out. It even begins to redraw the world, erasing one of the elevator doors. An emergency lever is pulled and the elevator shoots up.

Outside the building, I lean against a fallen slap of concrete. Alana sets herself down with my arms. We stare at each other for a moment. I undo my bandanna and gasp for air. I felt betrayed, but I knew the reality of what was happening.

“I really don't like you,” I mutter at Alana. My green eyes stare into her being.

“Good,” she states back,

Alana walks over the bodies and rubble. Her boots move swiftly with her ribbon cords against her arm sleeves. Her scarf flows, as I follow her to the city street. Finally, she turns around and faces me. She gives a little smirk.

“Hate me or love me, Atjani. I still own your passion.” Alana pauses. “I'd prefer if you hated me, though. It keeps love rough around my edges.”

Alana moves her hands slowly with each other. “Control,” she motions, with a dirty smile. Alana moves swiftly, before putting her hands away. She tilts her head slightly and looks at me from a different angle to observe.

Alana felt bad about Melinal and was trying to hide behind one of her many tricks. I wanted to strangle her, but we couldn't stay here. My hope was vanishing with the destruction of Cepertine. It was just like the rubble around me. Lam Lathi had failed to steal The Far Away Dream and control it. Our entire world was about to be redrawn.