Board Thread:Short Stories and Fanfictions/@comment-44544645-20191211195811/@comment-44544645-20200101013721

Eighteen

“It’s good to see you again,” Empress Pernille began as she walked towards Luzia.

'''Empress Pernille looked different than she had when Sophie had seen her last, maybe a Stage Five troll. Trolls aged in reverse, going through seven distinct stages in their lives. '''

'''  “Glad you could make it, Empress,” Luzia replied. “How are the stellarlune experiments going?”'''

'''“They’ll be ready for the activation soon enough. NOT the removal. We can’t make the same mistake twice. Remember, stellarlune is…..” Empress Pernille went into an extensive description of stellarlune, and Sophie sighed with relief. They wouldn’t have to share Oralie’s secret now—all the information was in the memory.'''

'''“I know what stellarlune is,” Luzia reminded the Empress once she had finished speaking. “The Shade I am working with is extremely reliable. You’ll be pleased.” “I hope I will be.” '''

'''“I also have a report on stellarlune on the dwarves. It’s made them more likely to turn to our side.”'''

Sophie felt like she was being crushed, she couldn’t think, could hardly breathe.

OUR side?

Maybe that just mean the alliance between the two of them—but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something more sinister was at play.

'''“Wonderful. What about humans?”'''

'''“Vespera is still locked in Exile, and our effort to break her out is still in progress. I have read some of her research. It’s fascinating. But we should focus on the trolls now. We know stellarlune enhances dwarves and humans and makes them turn violent. Imagine the effect it could have on a newborn troll.” “Imagine,” Empress Pernille breathed.'''

'WHAT? '

'Luzia Vacker ''was a Neverseen member? Empress Pernille was working with the Neverseen? The memory stopped there–but it felt short, cut off, like Luzia had stopped it on purpose.'''

Luzia’s fingernails dug into Sophie’s wrist, yanking Sophie out of her mind.

“You can’t make me show you any more!”

She raised her hand, and that’s when Sophie realized—the yellow gem on her bracelet wasn’t a gem.

It was a leaping crystal.

One that lead to the Neutral Territories.

Luzia sparked a ball of of light that surrounded the crystal, smiling as she prepared to leap.

As Fitz lunged for Luzia—as Alden tried to shove her away from the light—as Oralie was closing in as well—as Terik shouted “NO!”, his prosthetic leg stopping him from doing any more—all Sophie could do was watch as the Neverseen member glittered away.

***

“Let’s go over this one more time,” Mr. Forkle said, rubbing his temples.

'''Despite being enormous, Havenfield’s living room was slightly cramped. Sophie, Fitz, and Alden were there, in addition to Grady, Edaline, and Della. All twelve Councillors were present, along with all of Team Valliant, Keefe, Marella, Linh, Tam, Maruca, and assorted bodyguards. The Collective was there as well, and Sophie noticed with a jolt that everyone, including Wraith and Blur, had dispensed with the disguises. '''

It was weird seeing Wraith in person—and even weirder seeing Blur’s smudged features take shape and form a face that was familliar and yet unfamilliar.

'''“Luzia Vacker is a Neverseen member, and has been since Empress Pernille was a Stage Five, which was about thirty years ago. Empress Pernille has been helping the Neverseen, so we need to hold a Tribunal for that. Luzia has light leaped away to a unknown place in the Neutral Territories, and may be trying to find the Neverseen,” Mr. Forkle summarized. “Am I missing anything?”'''

'''Councillor Emery shook his head. “I think that covers all of it.”'''

'''Sophie was still feeling dazed. Empress Pernille had tried to form an alliance with her. Did that mean that she thought Sophie was going to turn evil?'''

'''Then she remembered that the alliance had been to save the baby alicorns, which the Neverseen had no problem attacking now that they were living at Havenfield. Maybe the alliance had just been a ruse to keep the babies alive so they needed to be moved to Havenfield, so the Neverseen could attack them more easily and have a new way to threaten the Black Swan.'''

'''It made perfect sense, yet Sophie hated every bit of it. '''

'''“Great, how many Neverseen members are there?” Keefe asked. “It’s like everyone we know is betraying us!”'''

'''Tam shook his head. “There weren’t all that many when I was with them.”'''

'''“Wait!” Sophie sat upright with a jolt. “Didn’t Lady Gisela say she tried to hatch ten gorogodons, one for each Neverseen member? So if there are ten of them—”'''

'''“We might finally know them all, and have a real lead for once!” Dex’s eyes lit up. He grabbed a pencil and paper. He started scribbling, and finally came up with a list.'''

Gethen

Vespera

Gisela

Ruy 

Luzia

Trix

Some Technopath

Fintain

Alvar - dying/not really a threat anymore

Brant - dead

Umber - dead

Glimmer - motives still unclear 

'''As the adults were talking and deliberating and arguing, the rest of Sophie’s friends gathered around their group. Stina suggested adding what they knew about each member—motives, looks, special abilities, anything—and the list grew longer and longer.'''

Gethen - Telepath, recruited for his washing skills, blond 

Vespera - Empath, experimented on humans, not on good terms with Gisela, dark hair, pale skin

Gisela - Polyglot, Keefe’s mother, not on good terms with Vespera, blond

Ruy - Psionopath, ability may be damaged at the moment, wears an addler

Luzia Vacker - Flasher, troll hive stuff, ‘Vacker Legacy’, dark hair/skin, ambiguous

Trix - Guster, works with Gisela sometimes

Some Technopath - code name is Screen, wears an addler

Fintain - captured

Alvar Vacker - dying/not really a threat anymore

Brant - dead

Umber - dead

Glimmer - motives still unclear, Flasher, dark hair 

'''“Is Glimmer here?” Sophie asked Linh. “Maybe she could help us come up with more details.'''

'''Linh shook her head. “I haven’t seen her since earlier this afternoon.”'''

They stared at the list, trying to come up with more details.

After the years of searching and training and fighting—was this all they really had to go on?

'''Biana looked at the list and gasped. “Do you guys see this?”'''

'''“The list? All we know is that we have next to zero info,” Keefe muttered. “And we just lost a Neverseen member, AGAIN.”'''

'''“No.” Biana’s eyes grew wider, giant teal orbs set into her shocked face. “There are twelve Neverseen members. Eleven when Vespera wasn’t around. But only ten were mentioned by Lady Gisela. And two of the names on our list have the same appearence, the same special ability, and they’re both morally ambiguous.”'''

Sophie felt like her heart had stopped, she couldn’t breathe, she was drowning in missed opportunities and chances.

No.

NO.

'''But…..it fit. '''

“You think Luzia Vacker is Glimmer.”