We Stand United (After Legacy)

Chapter 40

Happy New Year!!! I'm soooooo glad 2020 is over and we're in a new year. Although the virus won't be going away anytime soon, there are so many things to look forward too (including KOTLC book 9). Please, please, please do everything in your power to stay safe, wash your hands, and avoid touching your face.

Stay safe, wash your hands, and enjoy the chapter!

-Rsurana216

----------------------------------Sophie's Perspective---------------------------

That unsettling feeling followed me around like a shadow for the whole week. I didn't know what it was or how I could get rid of it, and I could tell my friends knew that I was having second thoughts.

No one said anything about it until the day before our planned attack. "Hey Sophie, are you okay?" Marella asked.

"I don't know," I said, "It's just that every time we've planned an ambush or something, the Neverseen have seen it coming. Now that Grady's gone, won't they be anticipating the attack?"

"Three major members of the Neverseen are dead or captured, four if you count Glimmer, even though she's at Tiergan's house," Biana said.

"I know, but still..." I replied.

"Hey, it's not like they have a lot of members left or anything, plus, we have Maruca with us this time. She can be our secret weapon," Fitz told the group.

"That's true," I said, some doubt fading, "But I just can't shake this weird feeling."

"Would you feel better if we told Forkle and the others?" Linh asked.

I quickly shook my head. The Collective would only make things worse. The less people there were, the better this would go, "No, they shouldn't know."

Linh nodded.

Some weight was lifted off my shoulders when we all regrouped and went over our plan of action for the last time, but the Neverseen was always a few steps ahead of us. Nonetheless, with Keefe's new abilities and Fitz and my enhanced telepathic connection, not to mention Maruca, our secret weapon, I was confident that we could get the jump on them, if not wipe them out completely.

-------------------------------------The Next Day--------------------------------

"Okay, let's go in," I said, before I could change my mind.

We had just teleported to the location I had seen in Lady Gisela's mind. The Neverseen were most definitely here, but the threat I was focused on eliminating was Fintan.

"Is it just me or does this cave smell like Iggy burp?" Dex asked.

"Took the words right out of my mouth," Tam muttered. I had to agree. It wasn't a surprise though, I didn't think basic hygiene was a priority of the Neverseen.

Fitz put his hand on my shoulder right before I tripped on a rock and chuckled softly. "Hey, it's not my fault this cave isn't lighted," I hissed.

"I see the end!" Marella whispered from behind me. I mentally turned off my enhancing and reached for Biana, who in turn, shielded the rest of us from the Neverseen's eyes. Tam put a layer of shadow vapor over us, just in case Biana's vanishing didn't work.

We walked into an atrium of sorts, but instead of high ceilings and grand chandeliers, there were low ceilings and what I assumed was mold, lining the walls of the cavern. It was empty, unsurprisingly.

From there, we broke up into two groups. Fitz, Tam, Linh, and Marella moved to the right, Tam's shadow vapor concealing them. Keefe, Biana, Maruca, Dex, and I moved toward the left, I kept enhancing Biana so she could make all of us vanish.

Keep me updated, and if you find any members of the Neverseen, WAIT for us. I transmitted to Fitz, reminding him to not make the same mistakes as last time.

Of course, His mental voice said in my head, You too though.

Yeah... I said, turning a corner after Biana gave the all-clear.

The unsettling feeling came back as I reached out with my mind to try and find Luna and Wynn. I let Keefe guide me through the twisty, musty passageways as I tried using my Basequest trick. I think Keefe picked up on my discomfort because I felt a calming breeze. The moment it hit me, I picked up on a weak signal from what I thought was Luna.

"To the right" I hissed to Keefe, who conveyed it to Biana, Dex, and Maruca. Luna sounded so weak, that I thought she was sedated. I wouldn't put it past the Neverseen to do something like that.

I think I found Wynn and Luna, I transmitted to Fitz.

This is NOT a good time... Fitz's strained voice replied. I immediately got worried. What had Fitz found? Were they okay?

"Foster, are you feeling alright?" Keefe asked, "Did Fitzy say something?"

"Nothing," I bluffed, "Oh, we need to take the right passageway," I told Biana to take the attention off me.

Dex gave me an uncertain glance but followed Biana to the right.

We continued down the cavern, and I widened my concentration to try to tell who else was there. I could tell that three other elves were waiting inside, probably guarding the alicorns.

"There are three other elves in there," I told everyone else before we entered, "Dex, you can use your Blinders."

Dex gave me a thumbs up before passing out the special sunglasses we could use to shield our eyes. I knew that the alicorns wouldn't be affected because they were unconscious, but I still hoped that this wouldn't backfire in the worst way.

Dex threw in the Blinder and we all walked into the room, to see two writhing figures on the ground.

I looked up to see the smirking face of Fintan looking me straight in the eye. "You think that thing can blind me? After I spent my whole life looking at fire? Wow, you must really underestimate us," he taunted.

I have to admit, the words really hurt, especially because they were true. I had originally planned for this to be an in-and-out covert job. I was starting to realize that we weren't going to get out of here.

Dex looked utterly crushed as he motioned for us to take out our sunglasses. I knew the Blinder's after-effect wasn't going to last long. I slowly started to unravel my knot of emotions, but Keefe put an arm on me to stop. The look in his eyes telling me that he would use his abilities against Fintan. He looked so sure that I didn't even question it.

"You're going to use your fancy abilities aren't you?" Fintan sneered, "You think we don't have any defenses against that by now? Never going to learn are you?"

I tried my best to look crushed by what he said. Just as he started to laugh, Keefe nailed him with a jagged black and white arrow right in the stomach. Fintan groaned with pain as Keefe sent two other arrows to the other members of the Neverseen who were starting to rouse.

"Ruminstele," Fintan wheezed with the last bits of breath he had before he passed out.

I didn't dare to wonder what that word meant before I darted outside the caven and into the passageway, frantically transmitting to Fitz, Where are you?