I wince as the two Mogadorian ladies tug and twist my hair.

"Keep still!" the stout one scolds me.

I stare at my reflection in the mirror. Jet black hair. Thin, pale face. Is this really me? I rub the dark circles around my eyes.

"Done! Now stand up and let us make a final check," the skinny lady with a pinched mouth tells me.

I slowly get up, careful not to trip in the heels they forced me to wear.

"Now all you need is a smile."

I manage to fake a smile, but it quickly fades as I feel an icy cold hand touch me. I don't even have to look behind me. I know it's Setrakus Ra. It's just a dream. It's just a dream. I try to awaken, but nothing happens. These days, I can't even tell the difference between reality and dreams. I reach into my dress pocket for my top, but Setrakus Ra interrupts my thoughts.

"Now. All you have to do is follow what I told you to say yesterday. If you dare to disobey my orders, I will make you kill them instead. Remember, you are my heir," Setrakus Ra threatens.

"I am not your heir! I know this is just a drea…"

Before I even finish my sentence, Setrakus Ra lifts me into the air with his Legacy. If only I developed my Legacies! I thrash and kick to get back down, but I know I am no match for Setrakus Ra. Even when all seven of us Lorien worked together, we almost got defeated by Setrakus Ra. I try as hard as I can to force myself to wake up. I pinch myself. Nothing happens. Come on Ella! What would Marina do in this situation? My thoughts are disrupted when I suddenly drop. I clutch my shoulder as I cry in pain.

"Do as I say, or pain will come to you." Setrakus Ra motions for the two Mogadorian ladies to fix me up again as he stalks out.

"You should seriously learn how to cooperate. The execution is in ten minutes," the stout lady says, smoothing down my dress. They push me forward, and reluctantly, I stumbed over and sit in the throne next to Setrakus Ra's. I looked at the broken Lincoln statue, and Setrakus Ra, wearing seven Loric pendants, sitting in its place. Seven pendants? So seven of us are dead already? I try to stop shivering, so I tense my body and suck in my breath. I stare blankly at the humans in front of me, wearing torn and dingy rags. Now I get why I got put in this elegant, cream dress.

Suddenly, I feel someone grab my hand. What was that? That felt so…real. My mind races. For the millionth time, I close my eyes, and concentrate on communicating with one of the others. I sense someone. I knew it! Someone probably entered my dream that Setrakus Ra is controlling! I try sending a message. "Help me. I'm here." I feel the person come closer. Could it be? Is my Legacy developing? Is it Number Four? John? Something that I haven't feel for such a long time fills me. Hope. I concentrate again. "John? Help me. John."

"Ella? Where are you? How do we get out of here," I hear John say.

I try to reply. "John. This way, follow my voice."

I scan my eyes over the crowd again, and I quickly find John, looking bewildered and lost. I guess having these dreams everyday got me used to seeing this. A thought suddenly rushes to my mind. If John somehow entered this dream, does it mean he isn't dead? Another thought comes to my mind again, but it doesn't feel genuine. Something is wrong with it.

John is dead, you idiot. Setrakus Ra killed him. You saw it happen.

No! He isn't dead! I try to fight back my own thoughts. Sometimes, I don't even trust my own thoughts anymore.

Setrakus Ra drops my hand as stands up and hushes the crowd.

"Bring them forward," he shouts.

I try to cover my eyes, as the moment I've always dreaded comes to life. Ella, this is not real. It's just a dream. I close my eyes and force myself to awaken, but I'm still sitting here, as useless as I can ever be.

I silently watch Number Five, now a traitor, bring in Sam and Six, who both have their hands and feet shackled. I smile as I watch Six spit on Five, fighting to the very end. But my smile almost immediately fades as Six and Sam are forced to kneel before Setrakus Ra.

"Behold. The last of the Loric resistance!" Setrakus Ra shouts.

The Mogs all cheer. The humans stay quiet. I do too.

I watch Setrakus Ra pull free his glowing broadsword out of its shealth.

"Today, we cement a lasting peace between humans and Mogadorians. At last, we will finally stamp out the final threat to out glorious existence."

This can't be possible. The Lorien are far stronger than this. How can this be possible? I don't believe this.

My eyes widen as Setrakus Ra turns over to me.

"On this historic day, I have chosen to bestow the honor of sentencing to she who will one day succeed me as your Beloved Leader. Heir? How do you rule?"

I am about to shout to him, "I am not your heir! I will forever and always be Loric." But something makes me rise shakily to my feet and say, "Execute them." What? No! This is wrong. This is all wrong. It's just a nightmare. I am not a Mogadorian!

Setrakus Ra swiftly chops off Six's head. Sam falls over Six's body, sobbing.

"No!" I cry, but nothing comes out of my mouth. I try to run over to Six, but I feel someone using telekinesis pulling me back down.

I reach into my pocket again and feel the smooth surface of my top. I make sure nobody is paying attention to me, and swiftly take the top out and spin it on the arm of my throne. I hope and pray that the top keeps spinning, that this is just a dream.

As I stare at the top, spinning and spinning, I suddenly feel John's presence leave me. "John? John! Can you hear me?"

I squeeze my eyes and concentrate, just as I hear Setrakus Ra's blade slice through Sam's neck. I cry, but no tears come spilling out. I scream, but no words come out. I thrash into the air, but my hands remind limp at my side.

The Mogadorians all cheer, and I am escorted into the preparation room again.

I look over the skinny lady's shoulder and catch a glimpse of my top still spinning.