What would you choose?

Chapter Twenty-Two

I can't believe I'm going to lose my family again. I really don't want to do this but it's the right thing to do. My mum's right. People are dead and it's my fault so I need to do whatever I can to save them. I want to scream in anger and depression.

Me, my family and Jay are walking back into town to look for the others. We've been gone for an hour so we're hoping they're still around the area we left them as I have no idea where else they'd go, possibly back to Raven's? We're almost at the car park. "You okay?" Jay asked as he took my hand.

"I'm about to lose you and my family so no."

"I know. Stupid question. But we'll always be with you. You're dream world will still be there just in your head."

"It won't be the same."

"I know ba..." Suddenly, multiple screams interrupted Jay. We ran towards the sound then hide by an abounded car. I looked through the window and saw Aiden, Luka and Raven being chased by hardlings. Raven's shooting at them but it's not stopping the hardlings. Bullets may have scared them off at the ditch but this time they look hungry and determined.

"We've got to help them," mum stated.

"Stay here." I ordered. I slid over the car's hood and ran towards the others. How do I help? I looked around for a solution. There's loads of broken glass, debris and a pile of smashed up cars. I used all my mental strength and lifted the cars then threw them towards the others. I got all the cars to land right on top of the hardlings flattening them. I dropped to my knees exhausted. Jay ran over and helped me up followed by my family then the others. "I think you actually managed to kill them. I guess hardlings aren't indestructible," Jay laughed.

"What are you doing here?" Aiden shouted. "If you're here to gloat that you get to stay safe than get lost."

"Or if you're here to try to get us to come with you then don't bother. Also, thanks for the help but I'm still very mad." Raven said.

"I'm not." I replied.

"Then why are you here?" Luka asked.

"I'm here to help. I want to fix everything." I said trying to seem confident.

"What changed your mind?" Raven said, shocked.

"My mum actually. We had a talk and she made me realise I need to do the right thing."

"But this means you'll lose your family again and be back with your uncle," Luka stated.

"I know but I'm willing to sacrifice it. My family shouldn't be alive whereas yours should be and so should everyone else who's dead because of me. This is my fault and now I need to fix it."

"Are you sure about this?" Luka asked.

"Don't try to change her mind. We get to go home. I get to see my dad again," Aiden cheered as she hugged me and it's the weirdest thing I've ever experienced.

"How exactly do we fix things?" Raven asked looking to Jay.

"Whatever it is I'll do it. No matter what it takes." I stated. I wasn't lying. I'll do whatever's necessary. Even if it kills me. I need to fix things.

"What needs to be done won't be easy. All great villains have a fail-safe or a backup plan in case things go wrong. The devil, being created by Autumn and her knowledge of villains from books she's read, has a backup plan. In his lair, located at the top of the surviving skyscraper, is a crystal called the dream gem that's the anchor for the dream world. The dream gem can be used to either revert things back to normal and send everything from the dream world back into the dream world or completely destroy everything in this world except the one who destroyed the gem. Because of the barrier between the realms and the fact that the dream world will be thrown at the barrier to revert things, nothing living will make it through and will be vaporised. I don't think the devil knows."

"So, if we destroy the gem every living thing from the dream world will die?" Aiden asked.

"Correct. The devil and the hardlings die, the world goes back to normal as if nothing ever happened and you all forget apart from Autumn," Jay explained.

"You and my family will die too," I stated.

"Because I can teleport, I can hop over and I've now got enough energy to teleport your family and I back to the dream realm. We'll be fine. I promise." I paid attention to see if Jay rubbed his ear but he didn't so he's telling the truth. My family will be safe and the devil along with all the hardlings will turn into dust. I can finally rid the devil once and for all, he won't be able to haunt my dreams anymore.

"There's a slight problem though," Jay slowly said.

"Which is?" Raven asked.

"As I said before, Autumn's the only one who can fix things as it'll take a lot of power to destroy the dream gem and like I said the dream world will be thrown at the barrier and so will the one destroying the gem meaning so will Autumn."

"What? Why?" Raven interrogated.

"Because it's the devil's escape plan," Jay answered.

"Then she can't do it. We'll have to find another way. She'll die." Luka shouted.

"I agree with Luka." Aiden continued, "this may be her fault but she didn't mean to and she doesn't deserve to die."

"I'll do it. I said I'll do whatever takes."

"Autumn you can't. You'll die." Luka said, upset.

"I know and I'm okay with it." I really don't want to die but I have to do this. I was supposed to die that crash so maybe it's now my time.

"Isn't there another way?" Aiden asked, hopeful.

"I've spent months looking and there's not. I don't want Autumn to die either, I love her more than anything but I also know how stubborn she can be." Jay answered but it's not the answer we wanted.

"I guess now we go destroy this gem?" Aiden said.

"There's no chance of convincing you not to come, is there?" I asked.

"Nope." Aiden replied as she walked off followed by Raven and Luka.

I went over and said goodbye to my family and Jay. "I love you guys so much."

"You stay safe out there," my dad said.

"Well saving the world means I die so I'll do my best to stay safe," I nervously laughed.

"I love you sweetie," my mum said as she hugged me. "I'm glad I got to see the amazing young women you've turned into."

I picked up Tommy, "you've got to be a big boy now for mummy and daddy."

"I wuv you," Tommy said as I passed him back to my mum. I turned to Jay and jumped into this arms, he gave me a big bear hug whilst I cried into his shoulder.

"I don't want to lose any of you," I cried.

"You won't love. We'll always be in your hearts. You're stuck with me unfortunately," Jay laughed. "You can do this. I believe in you. I love you and don't forget that. You're the strongest person I've ever met and I'm so happy it's me you fell for." Jay kissed me goodbye and slowly walked over to my family. He grabbed their hands. I waved them off and just like that they were gone. I ran after the others as I wiped away my tears. I'm going to miss them so much. Once again, my family are dead.

We reached the building and it was surprisingly easy to get here. There wasn't a single hardling in sight. I looked up and the skyscraper and it was in perfect condition. I don't remember what used to be here but I know for a fact it wasn't this. The building reached into the heavens. According to the sign at the front there's only nine floors so the ceilings on each floor must be really high to create a building this tall. We cautiously walked towards the entrance. The entrance wasn't like a normal one where you walk into an entrance way, it's a lift. "Shouldn't this place be guarded?" Luka asked.

"You'd expect it be." Aiden replied, "guess they're expecting us."

"So, this is probably a trap then?" Luka stated.

"Yep." I replied as I pushed the button on the lift.

"Can I say something?" Aiden said, "in case we die."

"Sure," Luka replied as the lift arrived.

"Doesn't matter. Let's go." The lift doors opened and we stepped inside. This is it.