I want it to end, it needs to end. This battle has gone on far too long, and has done way too much damage. This battle killed my best friend, so it's time to kill the battle.
"Are you okay?" Rylee asks. I look up into her ocean blue eyes. "You spaced out," Rylee adds. "I'm not okay, I don't think I'll ever be okay," I confessed. Rylee wipes a tear from my face. "I know," Rylee noted. "And I'll always be here for you, I'll love you through the pain," Rylee remarks. I pull Rylee into a long hug.
"Promise you won't die on me?" I fretted. "I promise," Rylee whispers. "Promise you won't harm yourself?" Rylee asks. I don't know if I can stop hurting myself, it lets me see the pain. "I will try," I mutter. Rylee pulls away from the hug and holds onto my shoulders. "Promise me that you'll stop," Rylee insists. "I promise," I whisper.
Rylee wraps me in another hug. "I can't live without you, so don't get yourself killed," I speak. "I won't," Rylee responds. I'd actually kill myself if Rylee died. If I had never met her I would have killed myself already. Rylee's the only thing that keeps me from dying. Kacey used to be the reason I stayed, but she's gone now. I would be dead if Rylee wasn't here.
"We should get back to the others," Rylee speaks. "Yeah I guess we should," I agree. My stub's still aching like mad. "You want a piggyback ride?" Rylee questions. I don't want one, I have a better idea. "No, but I could fly with you in my arms," I suggest. Rylee gives me a huge smirk. "Okay Teag," Rylee beams.
Rylee jumps into my arms, she wraps her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck. I levitate us into the air and begin flying us back. I kiss Rylee, I can feel her smile as she kisses me back. It feels real, unlike most things these days.
We fly upon our campsite, everyone's still here. I land us beside Cannon, Rylee jumps out of my arms. I collapse to my knees, my stub hurts worse than it has ever before.
"I need Brynn," I groan. Brynn shuffles over to me. She takes my prosthetic off my stub and lays her hands over my scar. "Shit," Brynn says, there's confusion in her face. "Why the hell does it hurt so bad?" I clenched my jaw.
"Remember your illness you had back in Germany?" Brynn questions. "I thought it was fucking gone," I groan. Rylee sits down and grabs my hand. "There was a chance it would come back, and it came back worse," Brynn reports. Brynns body glows as she tries to fight my illness, her light fades.
"It still hurts," I complain. A sad expression comes over Brynns face. "It's fighting me, I need to get stronger," Brynn speaks.
"Why's Teagan not passing out, and what does the pain have to do with this?" Rylee questions. "The illness evolved or something, the fainting becomes chronic pain," Brynn explains. "Will it kill me?" I ask. Brynn says nothing back to me. Cannon walks over and stands beside Brynn. "Will it kill her?" Cannon snaps. "Yes" Brynn squeaks.
Fuck this shit. I can't die, not when the war needs to end. "How long do I have?" I question. "A week and a half, if you don't use your recs," Brynn informs. "And what if I do?" I ask. "Two days at best," Brynn gulps.
I squeeze Rylees hand tightly. "Why can't you heal her?" Rylee snaps. Brynns face turns dark red. "Because I'm not strong enough. Even if I was stronger, we would need another person to help," Brynn blurted.
I lean into Rylees chest, I'm scared I know I'm going to die. We might even find someone who can help heal me, but I know I'm going to need to use my recs.
I don't know how we are going to get help, but I know we need it. "Grayson, Gregor, I know you're watching this, send some fucking help that'll actually get here in a decent time," I stammered.
I can feel Rylee's eyes studying my face, I refuse to look back at her. "You are going to get through this," Rylee whispers. I feel my tears roll down my face. "I hope so," I gulp. Rylee takes my hand back in hers. "Squeeze because it hurts," Rylee insists. I squeeze, I want to squeeze harder but I don't want to hurt her.
Rylee holds me tightly. "I'm going to die," I whisper. I feel a tear from Rylee drop on my face. "No you're going to survive this," Rylee confirms. I really wish Kacey was here, she would know what to say.
"They're here," Cannon snaps. I look up at Cannon. "Who's here?" I question, even though I already know. "Tringers" Cannon stammers. I give Rylees hand a squeeze. "Put my prosthetic back on me please," I insist. Brynn straps my metal leg onto my stub.
I climb off the ground and to my feet. "Show yourselves," I demand. There's a rustling in the thick tree ling, fifty or so Tringers appear. "Fuck" I mutter. I raise my hand to begin the battle, but before I can a Tringer speaks.
"We are the rebels, we want to help you," A small female Tringer announces. "Why?" I call back. "Because we want peace, we want all this fighting to be over," The female Tringer speaks. "What is your name?" I question. "And what is the catch?" Cannon booms. "There is no catch, and my name is Theana," The Tringer states.
"Theana, I would like to chat with you. Leave the other scum behind," I order. I can feel Rylee looking at me, the same way she does every time she's worried about me. "I'm coming with you," Rylee whispers in my ear. I nod in response to her statement, I need her with me.
Theana follows Rylee and I, off to the side of the camp we set up. "Why did you guys come?" I bark. Theana gives me a surprised look. "I already told you most of our reasoning, if you want, I can tell you more," Theana remarks. "Please tell us everything," I insist. Theana nods in response. I grab Rylees hand and I squeeze it.
"Us Tringers, we have killed dozens of other planets. It's not right of us and it's not okay, it needs to end. The last planet we killed had I fallen in love with one of the Feegers, that's what lived on that planet. I made a promise to them that it would end, that I would end the killings," Theana explains. "And what if we don't end it?" I question. Theana gives me a dark look. "You, me and everyone else on this planet will die, and they'll move on to kill another planet. It'll never end, unless we end it," Theana states.
That's exactly what I was thinking. I still don't trust Theana though, I will let her stay for now. I don't think we have any other choice except to let them stay, and if they're against us then they'll kill us anyway.
