Rise and Fall- The Fight Inside

To Dream a Nightmare

Reagan watched, mesmerized by the sudden change. She flinched as Olivia's cold hand touched Ryland's shoulder. 

"Not my son!" Grainger shrieked as he leapt into action. 

It was the first time since the death of Sofia he had truly fight with purpose. Ryland stared blankly into Grainger's eyes as he held the rage in his hand. Fire gathered and coarsed through his finger tips.

"I will be fine." Ryland reassured.

"You will not take him from me!" Grainger yelled as his entire appearance was altered by the fire. 

Ryland watched on as Grainger turned to a older version of himself. He seemed much older, taller, and frightening. He towered above Reagan, Olivia, and Ryland. His face hidden by a grey mask. It gave the appearance of a robot. Grainger was coved head to toe in dark grey robes with knee high, metallic, silver boots. His arms covered by matching cloves. Ryland turned away, falling to the ground. He opened his eyes enough to see the fire carry through the air, nearing Olivia. He saw the flurry of her ice surround the fire. His eyes closed once more but this time they didn't open. 

"Ryland!" Reagan interrupted the battle, noticing he had collapsed to the ground. 

Grainger paid no attention to this and continued to fight. His face pale, lacking any brightening emotion. 

Ryland rolled to his side, his head touching the chilling floor. He saw briefly as Reagan thundered over to his side, falling beside him and shaking him rapidly. 

"Ryland! Ryland!" she shouted over and over again. 

Ryland only saw a serious of flashes. At first he saw a serine ocean that stood still. It was class like. Out of the ocean rose a beautiful girl. She seemed young and wise. Her light brown hair was untouched by the water. Her hazel eyes glimmered in the setting sun. 

"Ryland." her voice echoed throughout his head. 

He woke up on the dusty sand.

"Hello?" Ryland responded. 

He stared at the woman, walking across the water to him. She held out a hand, pale and ghostly. He took her hand, pulling himself off the sandy beach. Suddenly, he saw a flash of a girl, the same girl, falling to the ground and reconiged Reagan standing over her.

"Mother..." Ryland stated, putting together that this was Sofia. 

"Very good, I was afraid you wouldn't recongzie me. It has been a long time, my son." she whispered.

"I don't understand, what is going on?" Ryland asked.

"You are special. You have the Kracht just as I did. You possess the ability to visit those who have moved on." Sofia answered.

"Am I dead?" Ryland asked, shivering.

"No but you need to wake up. The things you saw, about your father, that hasn't happened yet." Sofia responded.

"Y....yet?" Ryland stuttered in panic. 

"The darkness has been building inside your father for a long time now. Though he has won many battles against his inner dark side, he can't win them all." Sofia explained.

Ryland's dreams were nothing but emotional roller coasters. He experienced several thoughts of someone watching him. Every now and then he would hear a voice telling him to 'wake up' but he couldn't.

Time stood still as Ryland and his mother discussed important topic and future events. 

"What will happen to me?" Ryland questioned.

"Only time will tell. Goodbye, Ryland. It was nice to meet you." Sofia stated as she began fading to the background.

"No! Don't leave me, not again!" Ryland shouted. 

His eyes opened with a flash. The bright light blinding him.

"Ryland! Are you okay?  He's awake!" Reagan shouted.

Ryland sat up as Reagan came to his side. He looked to his left and saw a screen with several lines forming points were the lines met. He turned  his head to his right to see bags of blue liquid flowing through a tube that stopped in his arm. Without hesitation. he pulled the tube from his skin, throwing it to his side and ripping several other objects from himself. He jumped out of the low sitting bed and ran to the door. Blocking the doorway were several medical droids. Ryland's neck swiveled as someone grabbed him from behind, dragging him from the doorway. He was thrown back into the very bed he had escaped as the droids closed in on him. 

"Ryland! Ryland, stop. You are okay. We are on Albea Point, in the hospital." Reagan exclaimed. 

Ryland raised an eyebrow, chest heaving as he rested his head against the wall. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in a mirror. He reached up slowly touching his face, noticing the drastic difference. He noticed that his face was slimmer and more sculpted. Puzzled, he ran his finger across the scar that moved from his left ear to his chin. 

"How old am I?" Ryland asked.

"Sixteen." Reagan replied. 

Ryland froze looking at himself in the mirror. He was older and by a great amount of years. His hair was wavy and down to the back of his neck. His pale skin was brought to life by light freckles. 

"What happened to me?" he whispered, directing his attention to his father who was much older now.

"Many years ago, Olivia came and she tried to take you away. Grainger engaged in a battle with her as you collapsed to the ground. I ran over beside you, picking you up and carrying you to safety. I heard another ship blast off in the distance but when I returned, Olivia and Grainger were gone. So I hurried and brought you here. They told me that you had experienced something traumatic and it sent you into some kind of unconscious state. Ryland, I'm so sorry but I have been looking for your father for years now and I can't find him. However, I did find remains of his ship in and asteroid field very far from here. I don't think he made it." Reagan cried.

Ryland gasped in shock. Everything was gone.

"That's not possible! He is alive, I can feel it!" Ryland whined. 

Reagan shuttered as she pulled a piece of heavy metal from her pocket. She handed it to Ryland. Ryland rolled it over in his hand, inspecting it. There was no doubt in his mind that it was a piece of  his father's ship. He could feel Grainger's presence attached to it. Ryland looked up at Reagan with a grim expression. He smiled in a very crooked and menacing way.

"Ryland, what is going on with you?" Reagan yelled, jumping out of the way.

"Don't you see? This is all an elaborate plan for us to give up and let her win.  She only wants us to thing that he is dead so we stop looking. She is in for a rude awakening." Ryland announced.

"What is wrong with you? Your father is as dead as your mother!" Reagan yelled.