CHAPTER 21: THE TWO

"It seems that we now have to tolerate a couple of choices. I had high hopes for you Trixiophiliosaur" T-Rexus said in pretense regret. "You might still have a choice, rejoin my army or your race will suffer my wrath!" T-Rexus threatened.

"I have watched my people suffer under your rule, listening to your empty promises of freedom. I served you to save them but you ignored their cries. I will never return to your army" Trix said firmly.

"Think about all you gave up to save your people, to deliver them from their misery. Think about the love you gave up. The love of the princess. You will never gain anything regardless of what you give up. Last chance, join me and my army. After the chosen one is dead, along with his companions and the traitors, I will return to you the freedom of your people" T-Rexus said.

Trix seemed to think for a while. T-Rexus sensed him weakening.

"Dinosaurs will walk the earth again and take back what rightfully belongs to them. The power, the riches, the glory, the throne" T-Rexus said.

These words kept echoing deep within Trix. Then Trix looked T-Rexus straight in the eye after some thought and said

"No".

"What? You are refusing my offer? Think of all the riches, the glory, the princess!" T-Rexus said.

Trix's eyes opened wide.

"Yes Trix, she is not dead. I will return her to you if you join me. Think carefully, if you don't, all that you have sacrificed will be in vain" T-Rexus said.

Trix thought of the princess then looked at T-Rexus.

"The princess will never have me betray her people for her sake. Besides…" Trix said as he looked at Sam.

"It's not what we sacrifice but the choices we make that decide the fate of the people we love!" Trix declared.

"Stupid philosophy! Almost as stupid as you are! Too bad, you would have made an excellent prince" T-Rexus said.

Then he raised his claws to the sky and pulled them back sharply and the next place they ended up in was Trix's chest, right through his heart.

"No! Trix! Trix! You can't die! Trix! No!" Sam cried frantically.

Two dinosaurs grabbed Sam and held him tight. Sam stretched his arms towards Trix as Trix fell. Trix turned to him and said

"Be brave Sam! Be brave!" and then Trix's head fell limp to the ground and his eyes slowly shut.

Sam broke free of the dinosaurs' grips and ran to Trix's side.

"Trix, you can't die! You just can't!" Sam shut his eyes as the tears streamed down his face while trying to deny the awful reality.

Lucy, Nancy and Jane too were weeping. John and George were comforting them but their voices were trembling and tears were streaming down their own faces. Then Sam said to Trix,

"I will save this world. I will free your people and save the princess, I promise!" then Sam wiped the tears from his face and pointed to T-Rexus.

"Tarantella! Your hatred will be your end!"

Sam walked to John, George, Lucy, Nancy and Jane. There was a huge lump rising in his throat. So huge that the underside of his chin hurt. It was very difficult to breathe but he knew he had to say this.

"Lucy, Nancy, John, George, Jane" he called their names. "We've been through a lot together. This is my last adventure with you. More than anything, I wish I could be there to see the world restored to its former beauty but my destiny seems to be clear" he said.

"No Sam! Don't do this, you don't have to do this, please Sam! Don't leave us" the others were pleading with him.

This only made the lump in his throat heavier. With great effort, he swallowed the lump but now his stomach was feeling heavy and strange.

"No matter what happens, I will always be with you, but not as I am now. I may not be visible to you but you will feel my presence. If my life is the price for saving the world, then I am willing to give it!" Sam concluded.

"No Sam, don't. Please don't leave" Jane pleaded.

"Sam listen to her besides if you go and die, then your ang…I mean happily ever…" John was saying but Sam shot him a glance and he stopped.

The glance wasn't of anger or sarcasm but of some great inner pain. It seemed to say,

"Don't remind me of what I have lost, isn't what I'm going through enough?"

"Lucy, Nancy, John and George, when you get out of here, don't hide anymore. The world needs you. That is your destiny. It is sad that I couldn't share in it" Sam said and they nodded.

Then Sam turned to Jane.

"Sam, please don't do this" Jane pleaded.

Sam wiped her tears with his hands.

"Jane, please try to forget about me and get on with your life" Sam pleaded.

"I don't think I can ever do that Sam" Jane replied.

Sam was half hoping she would say that, half hoping she wouldn't.

Then without warning, she leaned over and kissed him. For a moment he forgot the depth of his troubles. Then John began

"Twinkle twinkle little…"

"Shut up John!" Lucy whispered sharply.

Then the kiss ended. Sam walked to the edge of the half of the earth on which he was standing. The two halves of the Earth's core were joined together by a single hot beam of fire and lava, the only connection to the other half of the Earth. Sam began to feel hot and dizzy.

"There is your destiny O chosen one" T-Rexus taunted.

"Sam don't!" the others screamed frantically.

"My choice…" Sam spoke loudly. "…is to t-to…" Sam couldn't concentrate.

He saw scenes from the past. He saw the deaths of Edaphrogon and Trix.

"Go on chosen one!" T-Rexus growled.

Suddenly Sam felt as though there was a spell on him.

"My choice is to d-d-d…" he stammered.

He just couldn't concentrate. It was as though two opposing forces were clashing within him.

"Trix" Sam thought and felt another warm stream of tears flow down his face.

"It's not the sacrifices we make but the choices we make that decide the fate of the people we love" these words kept echoing in his mind.

"J-Jane, S-Saurian, T-Trix?!" Sam muttered in confusion.

Then he shook his head.

"My choice is to…" Sam paused as he began to think of Trix again.

"Wait a second!" Sam suddenly said.

"Huh?" the others raised their heads hopefully.

"Something's not quite right. Why do I feel like…" then he paused.

"Of course, T-Rexus is trying to stop me from giving my life to save the world" he thought.

Then he looked over at the beam. He was sweating profusely, ready to jump into the beam of fire. Then the drop of sweat at his chin dropped. Down, down, down and then it fell into the fire and there was a sizzling sound as the drop of sweat evaporated.

"NO WAY!" Sam backed away from the edge.

Then it struck him. T-Rexus was not trying to stop him from jumping. He was rather urging him on.

"What?!" T-Rexus exclaimed.

"What?!" Ophiacodon exclaimed.

"What?!" Lucy and Nancy exclaimed.

"Thank goodness" Jane sighed.

"Are you for real?" George asked.

"Are you on drugs?" John asked and Lucy kicked him hard.

"Oww!" he screamed in pain.

Sam actually thought for a moment that Trix was also going to get up and ask him "What?!"

"There is no way in a bazillion years that I am going in there" Sam said.

The others sighed in relief.

T-Rexus laughed as the last star moved into place.

"You have failed!" he roared. "You made the wrong choice!" T-Rexus mocked.

"I'm not so sure about that T-Rexus" Sam said.

"What do you mean Sam?" Lucy asked.

"T-Rexus has held you guys hostage. It is only logical that I would be willing to give my life to save yours. I'd be thinking that if I don't you will all die. I would then give my life in exchange for yours and I wouldn't have made a choice and all hope would be lost. T-Rexus wanted me to make that mistake!" Sam said excitedly.

The others understood. With them as hostages, Sam didn't have a choice to make.

Suddenly, a bright white star appeared in the forehead of the constellation. Part of the Sky lost its evil red glow.

"My choice is to stay on Earth and fight for its freedom! With all my heart, I wish to stay with you and end this together!" Sam declared.

The Sky grew brighter as another white star appeared on the nostrils of the constellation.

"No!" T-Rexus roared. "You may have a clear head and a good heart but your destiny is still uncertain!" T-Rexus thundered.

Sam removed the Sword Of Edaphrogon and slashed the energy bands freeing everyone. T-Rexus raised his arms to the constellation and chanted. Suddenly Sam's head began to ache and then in his mind he saw a flash of red light heading for his team. He screamed and flew over them, shielding them and the full force of the beam hit him. He flew backwards and fell straight into the beam of fire. There was a sizzling sound and Sam Anderson…was no more.