All of a sudden, Sam’s wings lit up, turning bright red. Small, red bullets shot out of his wings, hitting the women squarely in the chest. As soon as the bullets came in contact with their skin, they lost consciousness. Sam’s wings were light, as were his spirits. Alana gave him a warm hug and smiled. Although he felt bad that she had lost her horn, he hoped that she would get better.
Sam immediately began to feel energized, power surging through his body. He rose into the sky, spiraling into the clouds. Adrenaline gushed through his veins, and he felt a sudden rush of excitement. He was addicted to flight and experienced a few, brief moments of joy. As he rose higher he felt strange, as if he had forgotten something. Then he remembered...Max.
Sam flew off unnoticed, over the gate and to the clinic, hoping to remember the way as he went along. From above, he marveled at the numerous quaint restaurants that lined the pavement. He soon found a small white building with a red cross on it, and he immediately knew that he had found what he was looking for. He dropped straight down, landing firmly on the ground. He raced to the clinic, barging through the front doors and into the patient rooms. He saw Max lying on a white stretcher in the middle of the room. He rushed toward him and in a minute he was standing beside him. Max’s eyes fluttered open and he gave a tight smile. “Hi,” he whispered softly.
“Max, the key. . . in your heart. How can we destroy it?” Sam asked. Max didn’t respond. Sam patted him on the shoulder, trying to coax him into giving an answer. Max stiffened and said, “When I’m gone, it’ll be gone.” Sam was distressed, torn between the options he had. Max shook his head and said, “It’s OK. My parents warned me about this. My time’s up, Sam. I’ve got to go anyway. I might as well try and save our kind and help destroy the locket. The whole time I’ve been laying here, doing nothing. I want to make my mark, for once.” Sam completely understood what Max was getting at.
Max took a deep breath and said, “Sam, there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you. I haven’t told anybody, and there’s so much about me that no one knows besides my parents. I want my secret to live with at least one other person, and I think that person should be you.” Sam was moved to tears. He couldn’t believe that Max was going to die soon for such a good cause. He was a true hero.
Sam sat down on the stretcher that Max was laying on, making himself comfortable. Max began to speak hurriedly, “I am a robot. My parents built me and put the key in my heart. They had not yet mastered the art of robotics, but they had been given a key. This key was made out of a limited metal that enables a robot to function for a few more years than it normally would have. They were never told what the key did, so they just put it inside my artificial heart. They covered my body with synthetic skin, but gave me special functions. They raised me as a normal child, and didn’t tell me about my secret and their secret of being Transmalians until I was ten years old. They told me I would die approximately sixteen days before my twelfth birthday. Then, the day they were taken, I learned about the unknown world of the Transmalians and realized that I was the guardian of this hidden secret. When I came here, I knew that I needed to find the person who possessed the locket, and then destroy it with the key.”
Sam, who was appalled by the information, said, “I have the locket,” and showed it to Max, who said, “That’s fantastic. Take me to the volcano, so we can dispose of them.” Sam raised Max up to a seated position, saddened by how much Max was struggling to move. Max’s breaths were deep, and his movements were limited. His arms and legs trembled, shaking with every motion. Sam lugged Max out of the stretcher, and as soon as he did, Max’s knees buckled. He was slumped on the ground. His limbs were failing, and he was completely uncoordinated. Sam tugged his arms, as if controlling a limp puppet on strings. Sam managed to lift Max up to an upright position, allowing Max to lean on his shoulder. Sam wished that he could have flown Max over to the volcano, but the quick speed could possibly have caused him to become weaker. Max feebly tried to guide Sam to the volcano. They both stumbled through the streets, occasionally collapsing on the ground with exhaustion.
At last, they reached the base of the volcano. Max’s heart began palpitating, and a cold sweat came over his body. Sam was just as uneasy as Max. “OK,” said Max, composing himself. “Give me the locket. I’ll wear it on my neck.” Sam’s palms were sweaty and his heart was throbbing. He felt dizzy, and his head was heavy. His hands began shaking as he held the locket out to Max. Max slipped it over his head, and gave a watery smile. “Fly me up,” he said faintly.
Suddenly, a deafening explosion was heard, and a horde of men in green uniforms was blasted into the air. Men in beige uniforms stormed toward the volcano. A helicopter swooped in from above. “He’s there!” a man in the helicopter yelled. “I can’t fly you up,” said Sam. “Why?” asked Max, tears forming in his eyes. Sam was overwhelmed with emotion. “I don’t want to see you die.” Max wiped his eyes and said, “It would have happened anyway.” Sam couldn’t bear this anymore. “Take the locket off,” he commanded. Max tugged at the locket fiercely, finding that it was fused to his neck. Sam was shocked. Max’s body was melting, so he truly was about to die.
“It is sixteen days before my twelfth birthday Sam,” said Max feebly. “Remember what I told you? My parents told me what would happen to me, and how I would die.” So today really was his last day. Sam checked his pocket for more pills, which would help him transform. If Max needed to be flown up, Sam needed to transform quickly. Neither of them noticed the men in beige who had crept up behind them, forming a human barricade. Rough arms grabbed Sam, squeezing him like a boa constrictor. “This is the boy who has the locket and the key!” they all hollered. Sam was relieved. They had mistaken him for Max. They carted him away, leaving Max in the wake of his dust.
Sam gestured to Max, telling him to move aside and hide himself. The soldiers viciously dragged him through the streets, and to the battlefield. Sam was horrified to see many Transmalian men on the ground, golden blood oozing out of their lifeless corpses. Only a few men were left dueling on the edge of the island. They were significantly overpowered, tossed from place to place by the WAR force’s men. Flashes of blue ominously lit up the sky. Lightning crackled through the clouds, causing thunderous uproars.
Swords, shields, and guns were scattered on the ground, alongside their owners. The WAR force was ruthless; all they desired was control. Sam observed the scene of devastation that lay in front of him. The WAR force was probably going to destroy the entire island. Sam had no time to think about what was happening around him, and he had to focus on the terrifying man he was going to meet shortly. He was taken to a green tank and shoved inside. A tall, rangy man with a mop of dark brown hair greeted him menacingly.
“So, you’re the boy, are you?” the man asked gruffly. “Hand it over, sonny. I don’t have time to waste.” Sam laughed. “I would never give it to you, even if I had it,” he said mockingly. “Listen kid,” the man said, holding up his fist. “If you value your life, hand it over.” Sam frowned and pretended to think for a minute. “Well, you are at my mercy. I’ll tell you where it is if I want to. But first, why do you want it?” The man’s lips began to tremble, and he sat down on a swivel chair. Sam hadn’t taken much time to look around. The tank didn’t have much inside it beside a desk covered in piles of pap and the swivel chair that the man was occupying. The man began to speak again. “My name is William Reed.” “Wait a minute,” Sam interjected. “Are you the brother of Lucas Reed?” The man smiled and said, “Yes.” Sam was quieted, and William continued speaking.
“It’s true. I was born into a family of Transmalians. I was adopted, so I had no powers. My parents hid their secret from me for many years, till one day I found out what they truly were. I yearned to be just like them, to be a Transmalian. For so long, I begged my parents to teach me their ways, to teach me anything. They refused, so I decided to take my own steps.” He paused for a moment, clearing his throat.
Then he continued. “One
day, I stole my father’s Transmalian pills. I became a monster. A monster that no one could describe. My parents spent many days trying to turn me back to normal. After they finally did, they exiled me, claiming that I had gone against the family code and almost exposed them. They forced me to live in hiding. They said that I shouldn’t have broken a Transmalian law, and that my body was too young to handle the transformation pills. I was driven to be an outcast and not allowed to live with other people. While I was in exile, I discovered a plant whose nectar can be drunk to keep you alive for thousands of years. At that time, I had also heard about a legendary locket that could grant any wish. My only wish was to become a powerful Transmalian, just like I felt I was destined to be. My ultimate goal was to find the locket and make it mine. I offered some of the nectar to Lucas, asking him to help me in my mission. Lucas accepted the nectar, but did not grant my request. He and I have both been alive for the past thousands of years, I seeking the locket to make my dream become a reality, and he trying to protect the Transmalians. Over the years, I developed a series of weapons that not only freeze time, and break through the strongest barriers, but protect us from military weapons such as guns, bombs, and cannons. My men have easily been able to overpower every other force because of my unique inventions. I just beg of you to give me the locket. I need to gain what I never had. I never realized how valuable something was until I lost it.”
Sam considered his options for a few moments. William portrayed himself as a villain with simple intentions. However, Sam thought about the consequences. From what William had told him, he intended to become the most powerful Transmalian, which meant that everyone would be under the rule of a tyrant. In addition, William’s weapons were not only dangerous but could eliminate everything from the face of the Earth. William’s past actions told Sam that he was a precarious person, and couldn’t be trusted. Sam thought that since William had taken revenge on an entire race of people based on his treatment, he didn’t truly have good intentions for anyone. “I’ll take you to the locket,” said Sam, hatching a plan cleverly in his mind.
“That’s a good boy,” said William, contemplating his next plan. Sam wasn’t actually going to lead William straight to Max, especially when he was this vulnerable. No, Sam had a significantly more devious idea. Sam led William to the opposite side of the volcano, where they couldn’t see Max crouched to the side, hiding. Sam then fumbled around in his pocket, retrieving a small red pill. He tossed the pill into his mouth and immediately took off into the sky. He flew over the volcano, hearing shouts from the opposite side. Max was leaning against the volcano, his body a bright red color and his face covered in beads of sweat. “Sam,” he mumbled.
Sam grabbed his shirt tightly, lifting him up into the air with his sharp claws. He flew to the top of the volcano, pausing there for a few seconds. He couldn’t let go of Max. He just couldn’t bring himself to do it. He flapped his wings in place, trying to keep them both in the air. William, who was watching him, shouted, “Boy! What are you doing?” Sam gave no response. William pulled out a blue pen. He held the pen out, and a laser blade popped out of it. William began pushing the cap of the pen, and blue lasers shot out, aimed at Sam. Sam swiftly dodged the lasers, tilting his body. Max moaned, and Sam looked down to see that wax was dripping down his body, and metal was visible. “Let go,” said Max with the last ounce of energy he had. Sam felt a combination of emotions surge through him. Should he let go of Max and watch him fall? What would happen next? Max squirmed around, making it harder for Sam to keep a tight grip on him. Sam’s sharp claws were tearing Max’s shirt, and threads hung off the sides.
Sam was shaking, his hands were clammy, his heart pounding, his head aching. His ears twitched, and he found himself struggling to breathe. He felt very tense and warm, creating new colors. Sam’s sight failed him, his vision blurred, and hot tears streamed down his cheeks. Even the thought of hurting someone disturbed him, but now, he had to kill someone, and watch him die. This wasn’t just any person; it was his friend. Sam had to let go, and he knew it. Numerous lasers continuously shot out of William’s pen, nearly missing him, some, whirring inches past his face. “Just let go, he told himself. Just let go.”
Thoughts collided in his head. He felt nauseous, his heart tightening. He felt himself heating up, shuddering at what was about to happen. Sam couldn’t look down, so he kept looking straight ahead, at the empty space that lay before him. Hot air and smoke in his lungs made him feel as if he were about to burst. He held everything in, closed his eyes, and detached his claws from Max’s shirt, memories flashing through his head. He stayed still for a while, beating his wings gently, feeling serene and calm. Crisp wind blew through the air, and he felt as if he was frozen in time. Nothing stirred; there were no sounds, no movements. Sam opened his eyes, waiting for the array of blue weapons that would soon be pointed at him.
Surprisingly, he found that everything around him was frozen in black and white. Sam looked below, content to see that Max was frozen in midair, a few inches above the surface of the volcano. The only object that was in color was the green locket that was fused into Max’s body. It shone, streaks of green light shooting into the sky. He looked around, finding that William was frozen, a grim expression etched upon his face. A laser was inches away from his pen, as if it was just shot. Sam looked back down, where Max lay, a look of solitude carved onto his face. His eyes were shut, and his dirty blond hair was swept to the side. His pale face was paler than normal, and veins popped out of his neck. Lava was bubbling in the volcano, waiting to devour Max. Sam turned away from Max, looking into the distance, observing that the battlefield was still. Hopefully Alana is safe, he thought.
For a few moments, Sam’s mind was completely blank. What should he do? He looked down once more, only to find that the locket, stuck to Max’s neck, was glowing an even brighter green. Beams of light shot out of the locket, and it slowly began cracking. As it did so, Max plummeted straight into the volcano, his body disappearing. The volcano began bubbling, lava spewing over the sides. A million pieces flew into the air, spinning around, forming a circle. Sam flew straight into the circle, and as soon as he did so, his body felt as if it was on fire but he safely made it across. He found himself back at the battlefield and he saw Alana crouching behind a tree. He made a quick downward dive and was beside her.
“Thank goodness you are here!” she squealed in relief. “Why were you hiding?” he asked in a perplexed manner. “I can’t fight them. These soldiers are vicious. None of the attacks we learned had an effect on them. Almost everyone from the island is dead.” Sam peeked out from behind the tree, terrified to see a large number of WAR force soldiers standing on the field, and only a handful of AL men. Sam quickly thought of a plan in his mind, trying to imagine the worst that could happen. His thoughts were interrupted as he watched with horror the events unfolding in front of him.
A large helicopter flew in, and a ladder was thrown down. William began climbing down the ladder, and as he did so, he screamed, “Find those kids! Bring them to me!” After William descended from the helicopter, he was followed by two other people in hand cuffs and chains. Sam’s heart throbbed as he saw that they were his parents. “Show yourselves, children! We know you are there!” yelled William shrilly.
William continued screaming, hoping that the children would come out of their hiding place. Then, for good measure, he took out a dagger, held it against their dad’s neck, and pointed a gun toward their mom’s head. “Come out, and no harm will come to your parents,” said William menacingly. Sam could no longer contain himself. He fished around in his pocket, pulled out one of his last red pills, and put it in his mouth. Alana, who had lost most of her power, decided to fight with basic techniques. They both stepped out from behind the tree, and said loudly, “We’re here.”
William snapped his hands, and men dressed in beige began streaming in, surrounding Sam and Alana. “Don’t try anything,” William said harshly. Sam and Alana were pressed agains
t each other, guns, swords, tazers, and daggers pointed in their faces. The soldiers stepped aside as William appeared with their parents. They were now under his mercy. Sam swallowed a lump in his throat and blinked, holding back tears. One of the lead soldiers standing next to William stretched his arm out and grabbed Sam by the neck.
Sam felt as if life was being choked out of him, but did not move. The man’s hand was clenched around his throat, squeezing tighter and tighter. “Let him go,” said William. The hand released its grip, and Sam landed on the ground, his muscles aching. He slowly pulled himself up, watching as his parents were brought forward. He knew what he had to do. Someone would get hurt, but it was worth the risk. After transforming swiftly, he charged at the ring of soldiers who surrounded him, baring his teeth, and shooting sparks of fire from his mouth.
Suddenly, he felt his whole body heat up. He looked down at his feet, finding that they were on fire. As he held his arm in front of him, he found that it was on fire as well. He slowly rose into the sky, watching below as fire rained down on the soldiers who stood helplessly on the ground. Sam was so caught up in his short-lived victory that he almost forgot about Alana and his parents. Alana was working her way through the field of bodies, attempting to take down the few WAR force men who remained alive. Sam looked at the fiery field with satisfaction, but was soon overcome with dismay. William had taken his parents to the middle of the field, waiting for Sam to follow them. Sam did so, but witnessed one of the most gruesome things he had ever seen.
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