Board Thread:Short Stories and Fanfictions/@comment-44544645-20191211195811/@comment-44544645-20191219234422

Here's chapter 8:

'''“Oralie? Sophie? Are you guys okay?” '''

'''Sophie blinked, finding Biana staring at her. “I’m fine.”'''

'''“I’ll be okay,” Oralie whispered. '''

'''“Do we need to hail Elwin?” Dex asked. “You both look a little shaken.”'''

'''“I’ll be okay,” Oralie repeated. She turned to Sophie. “Thank you.”'''

'''“What just happened?” Dex asked. “You two were staring into each other’s eyes, and then there was this freaky Inflictor thing, and then all of a sudden it stopped. What happened?”'''

'''Sophie was still trying to make sense of it herself. '''

'''“Oralie’s mind got stuck on the memory, and I had to inflict on her to fix it,” she explained. '''

'''“What do you mean, stuck?” Dex wondered. '''

'''“Everything else had disappeared from her mind…..it was really weird.” She turned to Oralie. “Can you recall the memory now without getting stuck in a loop?”'''

There was a long pause, as if she was testing it out, and then, “Yes.” 

Dex and Biana started asking questions, and finally, after half an hour of discussing and agonizing and theorizing, they had a plan.

'''Oralie would show Mr. Forkle the memory. The two of them would review it and figure out its implications, and decide who could be told about it. Dex, Sophie, and Biana would go to the Healing Center to try and fix Keefe. '''

'''After hailing Tam, Elwin, and Mr. Forkle—and dealing with even more questions and theories and agonizing—Biana and Dex headed for the Leapmaster. '''

Oralie looked as if she was about to go as well, but at the last second, she turned back, whispering “Did you mean it?”

'''Sophie knew what Oralie was talking about—but wasn’t sure how to respond. '''

Finally, she replied, “Yes.”

It was what needed to be true.

It was slowly becoming the truth.

***

'''“So you were breaking into the Seat of Eminence WITHOUT ME?” Fitz asked. '''

'''“And me,” Tam added. “You could have included us. NOTHING exciting was going on, aside from discovering that Glimmer can mimic.”'''

'''Sophie hadn’t expected Fitz to still be at the Healing Center, but she wasn’t that suprised, either. “I’m sorry, but we didn’t need anyone else—and Biana can’t vanish all of us, even while being enhanced.” “Besides, we’re updating you now,” Biana added. “Give us a little credit.”'''

'''“So….who gets to know about all this?” Fitz asked. '''

'''“Mr. Forkle’s going to gather everyone for an update session in a few hours, but this needs to be kept secret. When do we get to try and fix Keefe?” Sophie directed the last question to Elwin.'''

'''“Right now is probably as good a time as any.” Elwin snapped his fingers, creating a large orb of purple light. “I’m guessing the memory didn’t have any instructions?” “I wish,” Sophie muttered. “But no. Just that we’ll probably need a Flasher and a Shade to do some extremely weird stuff to deactivate the shadowflux. Which is why I’m going to be enhancing you guys—hopefully your instincts will take over.” '''

“This seems kind of shady...see what I did there?” Dex joked.

'''Sophie laughed, and Tam and Elwin moved to stand on either side of Keefe. She turned on her enhancing, then moved in between them. '''

“Ready?”

“Yes,” Elwin said.

“Bring it on,” Tam replied.

'''Sophie grasped hands with each of them. '''

Shadows loomed from Tam’s free hand, and Elwin gathered an orb of light in every color of the spectrum, before they shot the elements down at Keefe.

'''The smoky, foggy orb seemed to sink into Keefe, and then there was a ringing sound like rain on a tin roof. Keefe stirred faintly, like he was trying to wake up.'''

Please, please, please….

'''Tam reached out his hand, pulling out the shadows, now murky grey with a hint of shimmer. Elwin spun another orb of rainbow light into Keefe, and Tam sank more shadows into the shimmering grey cloud, and when that sank into Keefe, he mumbled something about elf-shaped cookies.'''

It’s working, it’s working…..

'''The cloud doubled in size, then evaporated, and Elwin and Tam repeated the process. Sophie held her breath, watching, hoping, waiting….'''

'''After the third try, Keefe sat up. '''

“Did you guys miss me?”

'''Sophie smiled so widely, it felt like her face was going to hurt. “You’re okay!” '''

'''“Of course I am. Though I have no idea what ability Mommy Dearest was planning for me, so we should probably start testing for that.”'''

'''“Not until you’ve had a chance to recover,” Elwin interrupted, coming over with about twelve different elixirs. He set the tray down and snapped his fingers, forming an orb of red light that surrounded Keefe’s torso. “The stellarlune got deep into your cells when it was activated, and although we mostly got it out, your cells still look traumatized, and there’s a subtle shift, so you definitely have a new ability. I’m just not sure what.”'''

'''“Wait—stellarlune? I thought it was just ethertine and magisdan.”'''

'''While Elwin took over with elixirs and orbs of light, Sophie, Dex, and Biana took turns explaining what had happened over the past few days. '''

'''Keefe grinned when they were finished. “So…..I made a Councillor voluntarily break one of our world’s most fundamental laws? Clearly, my influence is spreading.”'''

'''“Keep in mind that that information is secret,” Elwin said, handing Keefe a pale green elixir and a small-silver wrapped item. “Drink that in one gulp, and try not to barf it back up. The candy is for after—you’ll need a chaser.”'''

'''“My confidence in you is increasing exponentially.” But Keefe downed the bottle, grimacing as he swallowed. '''

'''“Wait—how come Elwin is allowed to know about stellarlune?” Fitz asked. “He’s not a member of the Black Swan. Is he?” '''

'''Elwin smiled and held up a monocole pendant, causing everyone in the room to gasp. “Wait, what?” Dex asked, expressing what they were all thinking.'''

'''“Happened right after we fixed your abilities,” Elwin smiled, tucking the pendant away. “Livvy and I realized we had a lot to learn from each other, and that working in tandem would probably be the best way to keep all of you safe. And I know some of your secrets already, so…...why not?”'''

“Can we start testing now?” Keefe cut in.

“Wait until tomorrow,” Elwin urged him.

'''“Won’t testing for Keefe’s new ability take waaaaay too long?” Fitz asked. “Ability detecting can go on for months or years before anything is triggered.”'''

'''“Do you have a better idea?” Sophie asked. '''

'''“Yeah. You know what happened with Mr. Forkle and how he triggered Marella’s pyrokenisis by giving her extra mental energy? We could do that to Keefe, Sophie. After all—”'''

“We’re Cognates!” Keefe exclaimed.

'''Fitz rolled his eyes. “Do you like my idea or not?”'''

'''Sophie nodded, and Keefe admitted, “It’s a good plan. Unleash the Fitzphie!”'''

'''Elwin sighed. “Just be careful. Don’t push yourselves too far.”'''

'''“Okay…..Fitz, if I enhance you, how about you send me all the mental energy you can? Then, I can send all of your energy, and all of mine, to Keefe.”'''

'''Fitz nodded, and Sophie turned her enhancing on, then reached for Fitz’s hands. Their thumb rings snapped their hands together, and Fitz sent a rush into Sophie’s mind, making her feel powerful and amazing and strong.'''

'''She wanted to keep that energy for herself, but instead she yanked her hands away and placed them against Keefe’s temples, sending that rush into his mind. It swirled and dipped and looped until…'''

'''There was a fizzing sound, like an Alka-Seltzer tablet in water, and then Keefe’s expression shifted from smiling to shocked. And a little afraid.'''

“Do you know what your new ability is?” Fitz asked.

“I think…..sort of.”

'''“Just tell us. It’ll be okay,” Sophie urged.'''

'''Keefe took a deep breath. “I’m an illusionist.”'''