Chapter 5: I Promise my people

With the light in Leo's hand shining at the tan-colored sand on the ground only a few feet in front of us before the light is swallowed by the darkness of the hall. The humidity thickening the air, breathe, and charging through slowing me down the longer we go. We must have been walking for hours to only see sand covering the ground like a blanket. With Leo leading the way I stretched my arms up in the arm to feel the sweat roll down my back to feel the sticky sweat all over my person. "Leo, can we have a break for a minute to drink please?" I asked as I tilt my head with a cough the following suit. The dryness of my throat felt as if I swallowed sand. Which I probably did considering how we got down here in the first place. Leo looks down at me with a blank expression and his dark eyes. Placing a hand on my forehead knocking me out of my thoughts. With heat rushing to my face as he comes in close, closing his eyes. He looks sweaty and somehow peaceful, confused I ask "What are you doing?" With another cough following with gritty pain. Rubbing my throat Leo opened his eyes as he said "You're burning up. Your face is red too. Let's take a drink and find our way out quickly princess." He said with a raspy voice and a small cough following. "The heat is getting to you too?" I asked with my words flying out before I can stop myself. With a nod, he grabbed his bag swinging it around grabbing his water bottle.  

Kneeling to the ground I unbuckle my bag and swing it around plopping it into the sand pulling out my water bottle I find a small piece of fabric pouring some cold water and the rag I rub my face down to feel the cool liquid smoothing down the sticky sweat. Pouring some more water on the rag I hold it out to Leo as I demand "Take this and wrap it around your head it will help you cool." Waiting for him to grab it as he gulps his water down. Spilling some water down his chin to his shirt. "I don't need it I'm good princess." he said putting his water bottle away in his bag. Rolling my eyes I step closer to him I protest "If you want to protect little me you need to take care of yourself." Rubbing the cool reg across his face He tried to protest, but before he had any time I put my fingers over his lips not thinking as I scowled down into his eyes as I spoke "No butts." I tie it across his for-head and see him close his eyes and smile for the first time in a long while ever since we got stuck in this place. I open my water bottle and the feeling of the cool soothing water helps my throat more than ever humming at the feeling I get back to my feet taking another sip and put my bottle away. Waiting for Leo I take a few steps forward with Leo shortly behind "Ready?" I asked with a smile. He smiled back with his eyes helping my mind come back to ease to see his blue eyes glow. I take a deep breath and look down the hall. Then the light turned off engulfed in the darkness I reach out to my side as I yelped "Leo? Leo are you okay?" Calling to him over and over, but to only hear the echoing of my voice off the walls. Taking a few steps holding my hands out I trip over my feet to land onto cold, smooth, and damp a rock. The wind changed from hot and humid to cool with a light breeze blowing through my hair sending a chill down my spine. From the ground, I see the shadow of myself in the rock. Looking up to see a little light the color of blue lighting up the middle of a room flickering like a small flame of a candle. Stumbling to my feet rushing over to the flame it blows out covering the room in a black sheet of the unknown. A small light starts to flow from the floor to glow showing an image of a glowing flower with a light above me. The flower illuminated the room showing five crystallized mirrors around the walls with a white film covering them. Pacing around the room admiring the dark purple rock and light maroon around the edge of the mirror nearly being swallowed by the rock. Reaching out touching the cool rock walls it's smooth and slightly damp. Browsing around to hear "Alana Deli-Aswan." Echoing through the room then crash turning to the sound to notice a large stone roll and bang into the doorway blocking the way. I sigh and yell "What the heck really. Why am I somehow trapped in a room this is the second time." Rolling my eyes I snip "Really?" With a huff, I stomp over to the door.

Slamming my hand to the door the burning sting of the rock from the in-pack. With my hands tingling I throw them to my side when I spin on my heels yelling "Mom!!" Throwing my hands in the air scratching my head I take a few steps to the center of the room once again as I continue "What do I do? Where's Leo! Mom?" Pacing the floor my hands land on my hips and then down to my side with tears building up. The frustration building up in my throat as my thoughts start coming forth flowing like a waterfall. What are you doing here? Your nothing to them. You are nothing! Shaking my head I cover my ears hoping it would help as I fall to my knees as I snap "What should I do I'm no princess I'm just one girl. How can I make such a difference?" I feel tears falling down my face as I start to yell "What am I support to do? I am nothing! I'm not even sure I'm your daughter." Looking at the ground with tears rushing out I scream out all the pain"I'm a nobody that's why I'm an orphan! I've been alone all this time and somehow your telling me I never was! How can I trust that." I whimpered as I curled into myself to hear someone crying out. The echoing coming over the room. Glancing up I let my hands drop to the ground helping sitting me up. The crystal mirror eliminated with the little boy from the park crying under the table where I left him with the mirror facing me. Covering my mouth with my hand tears covering my red stained cheeks, the guilt covers my body in a blanket making me tremble. Shaking my head I yell at the mirror "I didn't want to leave him. Any of them!" Choking up on my words my body starts to shake uncontrollably. The other mirrors light up with Leo's figure as he snapped "You savor! How could you betray us?" Then Will with the same thing, but another unable to understand his words. Getting to my feet as my knees buckle I snap " I'm not who you think." Whipping the tears off my face feeling them burn. Holding myself up high the shadow of my mother's voice fills the room as she spoke softly "You're right. You're not who I think you are, But I know you are my child that's all I know for sure." When our eyes meet the figure of my mother only a few feet in front of me with a glowing blue light hugs her every curve when she has the same nightgown and robe covering her with the hem brushing the floor. As I listen carefully she takes a step closer when her voice leaves her lips "I know you're my child because you remember the purple blanket and you can see and hear me." With a gentle touch, she cupped my face with both hands whipping the tears away as she continues" You can also feel me." Leaning into her hands she explains "This is your greatest fear. I never knew." She said softly. "I let you down even before all this happened," I said grabbing her wrist giving it a light squeeze. Her hands grazing my cheeks she smiled "You never did." She whispered giving me a spark of warmth in my stomach sending a shock throughout my body as she pulls me into her embrace. "I will make sure I live up to it and take Gonolest back. I promise." With a smile painted on my lips, I snuggle up to her. Quickly she melted away leaving a small puddle of water before me.

Trying to grab her I yell "No! Don't leave me alone. Please." I fall to my knees as I whimper. With the promise, I made playing back in my head I breathe in and out calming me down. "I can do this!" I whispered to myself stumbling back to my feet to see the little boy still crying disappear. Placing my hand on the crystal to feel the smooth surface. I smiled as I said, "I will make you proud."Looking at my reflection I turn on my heels to look at the other mirrors as the echoing of the voices gets louder "Your a failure!" They said in unison. Snapping back "I will make you proud and do my best."  that everything melting away leaving pools of water where they sat. Sighing at the sight I come to the glowing flower in the center of the room a small post emerging from the ground with a blue gem hovering above it. Tilting my head in confusion I take a step closer making it glow. The warmth coming from it enticing me to come closer. Reaching out I barely lay a finger upon it the glow blinding me sending a shock-wave knocks me down to the ground I hit the back of my head sharply. Staring back at the gem sending a light up into the air blinding me. A burning throbbing pain came to my chest and then it was gone with a few words spoken in a deep voice "Wake up Princess." Opening my eyes I look to my right hand feeling the ground and then to my left as I lift it into my face. Sitting up I asked, "What was that?" Moving slowly rubbing my head feeling a light burning soreness all over. Putting my hand to my chest to feel the fabric burnt looking down to my chest lifting my shirt to see a burnt hole and a blue glow from my heart no bigger than a small coin. Getting to my feet I fall back to the ground as my body feeling numb and my head starts spinning I try again finally gaining my balance. With a loud squeak, the doorway opens with a light showing the way down the hall. Going down the hall I rub my chest still trying to figure out what happened to the gem. Then I asked myself. What if it's…? Looking to my chest it glows again and then it melts away.

Interrupted by screaming "Die you piece of crap!"  I snapped out of it. "Leo!" I yelped as my feet start to move. Turning a corner I see the sand on the floor again and the iguana we saw earlier attacking Leo. With the hills of sand surrounding the iguana Leo ducks behind it as sand comes over him.  Getting to his feet he starts to power up shocking the animal. I just stood still watching him throw his hand out pointing at the smocking animal as it hit the ground sending a dust cloud up in the air. As Leo takes his blade out dragging it in the sand as he gets closer. Lifting the blade over his head about to strike it I yell "Don't!" Running to the animal Leo turns in shock as he huffed. "Princess!" He dropped the blade to his side as he looks at me grabbing his shoulder "Are you okay?" Grabbing my forearm as he scans me. "What happened to you?" He asked as he looks at the burnt hole in the shirt showing a bit too much in my opinion. He turned red as he opened his mouth about to speak to hear a gruel from the beats behind him. The animal opens its eyes getting to its feet. Opening its jaws about to take a bit of us when Leo swept me off my feet and jumped over another hill of sand squealing and I wrap my arms around his neck and tightened my grip. Plopping down into the sand he put me down when he said "Stay here princess." A not formed in my stomach. I had a feeling of what to do. Then the echoing of my mother when she said "Make me proud my child." Grabbing Leo's arm before he leaves I snapped "Let me." Shocked by my action he crouched back down looking into his eyes he said sternly "No!" Tightening my grip not letting up I snapped "I know what to do!" Moving my hand to his I gave it a squeeze as I snapped "Let me do this." I said calmly as I let go of him go. Nodding he sat back down in the sand. Nodding back to him I get to my feet and glace over the room to see a few hills of sand the animal awaiting to strike. Kneeling back down I look to Leo and take a breath with determination in my eyes feeling the burn come over me I pounce from behind the hill to the ground to the animal. Glaring it down it came to me. Grueling and drooling as it rushes over I tighten my fist to see a flaming armor glowing the blue flames crawling up my arm to my shoulder over my body. Sending a shock wave with sand flying. Infected by that the iguana still running to me. Lifting my hand I open my palm facing the animal sending a glowing fireball from my hands hitting the animal on the nose making it crash and slid. Sending a cloud of sand and dust into the air engulfing me in it. Taking in a breath and blowing air out I send a whirlpool of air around clearing the air and the ground of sand. Turning my body to face Leo I said "I think I can take care of myself from not on." Coming closer to him a smirk painting my face he flew up in the air and onto me I couldn't see him wrapping his arms around my waist nuzzling his head into my neck holding me tightly he hummed "Yes princess. I knew you could do it." Tears fall from his eyes I hug back with one hand on the back of his head and the other on his lower back "It's okay I'm here now." Feeling him tense then relax as his grip tightens. "I'm sorry. I let my emotions get the better of me." He said loosening his grip and rubbing his eyes. With a smile coming across my face I cure his face as I leaned my forehead onto his "It's okay it got the better of me today." Standing in silence I turned red feeling butterflies in my stomach realizing how close we are I let him go as I said "We should probably get to the others." Looking away he scratching the back of his neck as he spoke "Oh yeah I think this is the way." Pointing to a doorway with the light showing the way I smile as we start to walk side by side.

Coming to moonlight eliminating the hall a bit shadowing the caged doorway. My lips curving into a smile I asked "Do you want to get this or me." Leo looking at me embarrassed as he said "No. Last time I shock that we fell down into a pit." Giggling at him I said "Okay. Okay, let me see if I can do this first of all." Taking a deep breath I close my eyes and feeling the light burn sensation come back as I open my eyes and walk closer to the bars and grab them melting them into a puddle of water. Taking a step over the pool I look up to see the bright moon lighting up the grass around the temple I spun around on one foot as I spoke "There we go we did it. Now let's go find…" My words being cut off by Liz snapping at me as she stomps over pointing a finger in my face tapping my shoulder roughly pushing me back a bit. Glancing over her shoulder I see Will, Daren, Adam, and Hailey with the same look of worry. Leo coming from the cave he said "Liz calm down. We are okay everything is fine." Grabbing her wrist she snapped her hand away as she started to yell "Calm down! I cant just calm down when this goody, goody doesn't listen to us even for one second." Raising her voice I see Hailey holding her hand out grabbing Liz's shoulder as she speaks quietly "Liz… this isn't." Slapping Hailey's hand away she starts snapping at her "This is a better time than any! So don't you darn defend her when you don't even know her! Nun of us knows her." Turning back to me she continued somehow getting louder "She can somehow save us all." Slouching her shoulders I can see her eyes getting darker the more she spoke as she grabs my arm pulling me to my knees."Also, she doesn't have any powers. Some princess she is." Throwing me down to my hands and knees I glare back at her as I get up she uses her hands to make quotations when she said princess aggravated me. With my blood boiling, Leo snapped at her "She the one that helped me out of there you have nothing to say Liz  when you have been doubting her from the very beginning." Liz ignoring Leo as she puts her face into mine as she starts to snap "What do you have to say, Alana? Everyone keeps standing up for you. If you can't protect yourself then how can you protect us?" After she was done Leo comes between us about to speak until I placing a hand on his shoulder I shake my head looking to me he stopped nodding to him he steps out of the way with his hands up in the air when he said "You asked for it, Liz." Looking into her eyes I started to speak "Your right how can I protect you guys when I can't even stand up for myself." Rubbing her shoulders I straighten up her clothes with a light giggle leavening my lips as I continued "Yet I don't need to prove myself to you. I'm just a princess anyway." Using my sarcasm and quotations on princess I walk by not bothering to argue with her. Will surprised by my action he had no words so I said "I'll tell you everything when we get the base if that's okay with you." With a smile on my face he nodded, but then a yell and a sharp pain hit my back to send me flying and land on my back in the dirt. Gasping for air I roll to my right side I cough into my hand then see blood in my hand. Lifting myself up a bit I  glance at the ground then at Liz staring me down. Everyone shocked and Will snapped "Liz!" Ignoring him she comes closer to me as she spat "Show me! Show me your great power! Prove it to me, princess!"

My backstabbing me in pain and my side squealing placing my hand on my side I fell it damp. Looking at my hand I think damn it, it opened up with blood lightly covering my hand. I get up to see Leo rushing to me till I hold my hand out and said "Don't step back if she wants to know my power she will. Make sure everyone is at a safe distance." Glaring to her then at Will he turned to everyone "Get back give them some space." With my feet in the grass and Liz coming closer she started to speak "So princess do you really think you're our savior?" Shaking my head I said, "No. I'm not." Standing tall in spite of the pain she continued "Then why are you here? If you not here to save us what are you doing here?" Liz grumbled. Taking a shaking breath I hold my to my sides as I speak "I am here to show you what you could do. To know who I am. To protect you. To change the way of this war. To make sure you are all suffering." As calmly as I could I spoke with purpose trying to get through to her. "So your playing god?" she snapped with an evil laugh coming over her she led back into it snapping herself back to me. Taking a moment to calm myself down by close my eyes. "Really your closing your eyes! Your that confident in your power." She snapped as she starts to walk then starts to run she comes rushing to me. Opening my eyes I send a shock-wave whipping the wind around when she's only inches away from me smiling at her I sending her flying into the dirt I start to glow with blue armor in-golfing my figure. With my eyes glowing green and the blue hue framing me taking each step closer to Liz as she tries to squirm I glare down at her as I spoke "Can you handle this I just turned it on." Seeing the fear in her eyes as she tries to push herself away as she screams "Oh my god! Please don't hurt me! I'm sorry for everything I said." Her body trembling as I kneel down to her. With the armor melting away I kneel down to her looking into her eyes as I smile. I grab a strand of her hair in her face and tuck it behind her ear. "I'm not going to hurt you. don't worry." I said softly cupping her face I find tears falling down her face. " I'm only a princess after all." Getting up on my feet holding my hand out as I said "Let's go back home we both need a shower." A nervous laugh leaving her lips as she grabs my hand. Pulling her up on her feet her body shaking from her nerves. Grabbing her arm I look at her giving her a smile squinting my eyes. Letting her go I glanced to Will as I asked "Is Abbi on her way, Will?"Stammering as he speaks "Yes….Yes. Princess…." Coming closer to him I assured him with a smile as I said "How long will she be?" Tilting my head he coughed and said "Any minute princess." To hear roaring engines breaking the silence.

Over a speaker, Abbi speaks "Come on you guys get on." Throwing a rope ladder down the little hole by the waterfall I can't help but smile knowing that I have a family and friends filling me with warmth. A hand lands on my shoulder making me jump from the touch I turn over to see Hailey with worry on her face, but still reassuring. "Yes?" I said calmly with a smile. "Are you an okay princess?" Taken aback I said "Yes. Why would I not be?" Shrugging my shoulders as a smile paints her face as she responded "When you and Leo were in the temple a bright light came from the top of it. Also, Liz hit you in the back really hard a moment ago." Reaching to my back I said "I am sore in my back I think I'm going to have a bruise or two for a week. And I think the light was me." With a shy smile, I place the hand behind my neck as I continued "I will need ice on my back with a new shirt too." Pointing at the hole on my shirt she giggled and said "Yeah I'll help you with that now we should get going." Looking to the ladder I start to climb and reach the ship then Hailey shortly behind me. Abbi puffing out her chest as she wines "Alana come tell me everything I hear you were busy." Giggling as I sit next to her as we start to fly back.