What would you choose?

Chapter Eighteen

We reached what used to be a car park. Jay said this is where the hardlings took my family. We looked around for a bit and eventually found my family sat on the floor being circled by so many hardlings. We quickly hid behind some debris. "Now what?" Luka asked.

"I've got guns but they won't help much," Raven said as she passed everyone but me a gun.

"Now Autumn's not focusing on keeping the shield up her full potential is released," Jay said.

"So what? I'm still the worst at controlling my powers," I replied.

"You're amazing and if what we've seen so far isn't your full potential then damn," Luka laughed.

"Now let's get in and pray we don't die," Raven nervously chuckled.

"Do we have a plan or we winging it?" Aiden asked.

"Here's the plan: I'm going to be a distraction whilst you lot grab my family and escape," I said as I went to jump over the debris but Jay grabbed my arm and dragged me back.

"Slow your horses there babe. You can't run out there screaming you'll get yourself killed. I don't want to see you hurt." Jay stated, "I can teleport in and get them out but not all at once and it won't be that far."

"New plan: I'll still be a distraction but so will Aiden and Raven whilst Luka goes with Jay to get my family," I said.

"Why me?" Luka asked.

"Still doesn't sound like a good plan," Aiden moaned.

"Ready?" Jay asked.

"No." We replied.

"Wait. I have an idea. We need to make sure the hardlings stay away from my family," I said as I slowly shifted along the wall of the debris so I'm in line with my family.

"Aiden and Raven, you come here and you two on my signal save my family," I loudly whispered.

"What signal?" Luka asked.

"You'll know it when you see it," I replied. Everyone's in position so it's time to put the plan into action. I hope we can pull it off.

I climbed out from behind the debris, put my hands on the ground and focused. Fire emerged from my hands and headed straight towards my family and created a circle of fire around them. The hardlings growled at my family. Part one's done so now part two. I jumped up and screamed, "look at me I'm a target!" All the hardlings turned their attention to me and sprinted towards us.

"Was that the signal?" Jay asked.

"Yes. Run!" I shouted. I started running, Aiden and Raven followed whilst the others sneakily crept towards my family. I ran faster than I've ever ran before, having to jump over chunks of gravel and duck under fallen lampposts. I looked back and saw Luka and Jay have reached the fire so I quickly opened a gap allowing them through. They've got where they need to be and now, we need to distract the hardlings long enough for Jay to teleport my family out.

I noticed my family were gone and so were the boys meaning they're all safe. "Split up and lose them," I ordered. We ran in opposite directions: Aiden ran left, Raven ran right and I went straight. I decided to try my gymnastic abilities. I ran as fast as I could then jumped up grabbing a hold of the scaffolding that's somehow still standing. I let my body take control. Just as hardlings were about to chomp on my leg, muscle memory kicked in and I swung around the pole, went flying upwards and landed perfectly on a platform on top the scaffolding. The hardlings didn't take this kindly and started smashing into the already unstable scaffolding. Suddenly, I heard my family screaming. I could see them in the distance being chased by hardlings. Jay and Luka had one job but apparently couldn't do that. The scaffolding started to collapse so I quickly jumped to the building the scaffolding was attached to. I missed by a few centimetres. I was falling when someone's arm popped out of a hole in the wall and grabbed my arm. They pulled me in. I led on the floor trying to get my breath back. I slowly crawled to the look out and saw the wreckage landed on the hardlings, hopefully that'll keep them down for a bit. "You okay?" Raven asked.

"Yeah, but my family, Jay and Luka are in danger."

"Jay's fine he can teleport out."

"He wouldn't leave my family."

"Looks like they're not the only ones in danger." I looked where Raven's pointing and saw Aiden being chased by a hardling. It pounced on top of her and held her to the ground. Aiden's doing her best to hold it back but it's a lot stronger than her, she won't last long and looks like she can't reach her gun.

"Can you shoot the hardling?" I asked.

"I might hit Aiden."

"Will that be so bad?" I laughed.

"Autumn!"

"I'm joking. Now what?"

"I don't know. She's a dead girl walking." I'm not going to let her die. I can't. It's my fault she's here. It's my fault she's about to die. She can't die. I won't let her. But what am I supposed to do? We're stuck listening to her screams. "I can't watch this," Raven said as she turned away and started to tear up. Aiden may not have been the kindest person but she doesn't deserve to die. I don't want her to die. The hardling leapt up ready to take one final swipe and end her life. I need to do something. Anything. "Please don't hate me for this Aiden," I stated. I stood up and focused. I can do this. I need to do this. I used my telechensis and grabbed a hold of Aiden's body lifting it into the air. I pulled her towards us and Raven turned around in time to grab her. The hardling growled at us in anger. "Aiden?" I asked but she didn't reply. Was it too late? I pray to god she's alright. Raven laid her on the ground.

"Aiden! Come on wake up." Raven pleaded.

"Don't ever do that again," Aiden said as she started coughing her guts up.

"Glad you're okay," I laughed in response.

"I might be but the others won't be if we don't help them." We helped Aiden up and rushed to the others.

I used telechensis and threw rocks at the hardlings. We ran to the others side. Luka and Jay are out of bullets. We were backed into a corner. Raven and Aiden were repeatedly shooting at them but there are too many. I lit a fire surrounding us but they just stepped through. I really should've gave them a weakness. "Jay get of here you can escape, I said.

"I'm not leaving you," he replied.

"Then you're as dead as the rest of us," Aiden stated. Magic isn't going to work and Jay can't teleport us all out. We're trapped. We're dead. This is the end. I kept trying to make a force field but couldn't focus. "This is my fault. I've killed us." I grabbed a hold of my family and hugged them tight. Jay grabbed my hand, "I love you Autumn."

"I love you to Jay." This is it. Goodbye world.