Unlocked: Rewritten

Chapter 12

Sophie

"What is he doing here?" Dex asked. "I thought you said that the Neverseen left him to die last time you saw him."

"I have no idea," Sophie admitted, then turning to Alvar, said, "Care to explain before I inflict on you?"

Alvar looked up from his crumpled position on the floor. He looked as terrible as the last time Sophie saw him. His gaze shifted from Biana, to Dex, to Sophie, and landed again on Biana. "Nice to see you all again. Especially you, sister. How have you been?"

"Actually, I've been really great," Biana said, "No thanks to you."

"Really? Last I saw you, you stood by and watched as I was drowned in toxic goo."

Biana's gaze dropped to the floor. "That... was complicated... I-I didn't know..."

"Sure you didn't, Biana. You can deny it, but we all know that you enjoyed watching me die."

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Dex shouted, startling Alvar. "Biana doesn't have to explain herself to you! I can see you're still not in a great condition, so just tell us. Why are you here?"

"I'm a prisoner."

"You really expect us to believe that?" Sophie scoffed. "You told me before that you just wanted to 'die on your own terms' and then leaped somewhere you could die in peace. And you want us to think you just happened to stumble on a Neverseen hideout, so they took you prisoner?"

"Actually, sort of. The Neverseen found me. I don't know how, maybe some sort of hidden tracker. They must be so intent on making my dying days as miserable as possible, because they have beaten me, starved me, and threatened me with another soporidine dose, one even bigger than the last." Alvar shuddered. "Look," he said holding up a shaky, bony arm with a metal band around it. "They even have me cuffed. If I misbehave, they'll shock me. They don't think I have much time left, and frankly, I don't either. The only reason I'm wearing their uniform is because it keeps me warm and helps block out the awful smell in here."

"I believe him," Biana said softly. "He could be lying, but... I believe him. Either way, we should lock him up." She spoke without remorse.

"I agree," Dex said. "The only place we can monitor him is in Exile."

Alvar paled. "No! Please, no."

"You don't get to bargain anymore. This time, we're putting you where you belong," Sophie said.

"Wait! He's too weak, Sophie! If you inflict on him, he'll die!" Biana exclaimed.

"Look who has a heart after all," Alvar taunted.

"Yeah, unlike some people," Biana shot back. "I'm not afraid of you. You don't deserve any mercy. But I refuse to become like one of them. One of you."

"Here, I'll take care of him," Dex said, pulling a silver orb from his cape. "Just a sedative," he explained.

Sophie nodded to him. Dex threw the orb at Alvar, who tried to dodge it, but was too weak to crawl more than an inch. The silver container hit him on the shoulder and let out a white, powdery looking gas. Alvar's eyes closed and his head drooped.

"Better back up," Dex instructed, "Or you'll be asleep too. It should be safe to come back in a few minutes, once the gas has dispersed."

"Okay," Sophie agreed, "Let's keep looking for the soporidine and antidote."

They walked down the pungent halls a little more, checking every room until they found one that was filled with shelves and shelves of bottles.

So many bottles, of all different sizes, filled with all different colors and thickness of liquids.

"That's a lot of soporidine."

"I didn't know it came in so many different varieties, Dex remarked.

"Me neither," Sophie said, "I don't know how we're going to take it all."

"And how do we know which one is the antidote?" Biana asked.

Sophie didn't know that, either.

"Maybe Ruy will recognize it," Dex said.

"I'm gonna hail Bronte and Oralie, and Mr. Forkle to tell them that we found the stash. They'll probably send someone to help carry it all. Or a Conjurer."

Dex and Biana agreed and started checking the rest of the hideout to make sure they hadn't missed any other stashes. Sophie hailed her two council contacts, but neither answered their imparters, which was strange. When she hailed Mr. Forkle, there was no answer either. A couple seconds later, though, Sophie received a transmission from him.

The Collective and I are in Eternalia with the Council, and the rest of Team Valiant. There's someone here who's trying to take Gisela. She claims to be her sister.

Keefe

"Excuse me?!" Keefe shouted. He couldn't believe this lady.

She shows up out of nowhere wearing a Neverseen cloak, says she needs to take Gisela from them, and now she is claiming to be Keefe's aunt? Keefe regretted alarming the Black Swan that this elf was a threat; she was obviously insane!

"That's right," the woman replied. She narrowed her eyes at Keefe. "You don't believe me, do you, nephew? Your mother was right. You really are nothing but a scared, confused boy."

Insane and annoying. Just perfect.

"I don't know who you are," Keefe spat, "but you're wrong!"

"Am I? Your mother lied to you your whole life, and you refuse to believe that she would lie about having a sister?"

Keefe didn't know. All he knew was that he was so angry. Angrier than he'd been in a long time. He felt hatred take over, and his new ability was calling him, tempting him, begging to take over too.

This lady was wrong to underestimate Keefe. He could control her. Put her through so much suffering. All he had to do was concentrate.

But then a part of him remembered that he could not let himself become like the Neverseen. He thought of Sophie, who fought only when she had to out of self defense because she didn't want to hurt anyone.

If Keefe couldn't be as strong as Sophie, he didn't deserve to have this power.

Keefe stepped back, still shaking with anger, but knowing he had to control it.

Mr. Forkle looked at Keefe with a glint of pride in his eyes, and nodded.

"What's your name?" Wylie asked.

The woman smirked. "My name is Esme Allaband. I will be taking Gisela now, or else you all will be burned alive."

Esme held out her arm and flames erupted around them. The Collective, the Council, part of Team Valiant, and the prisoners were trapped in a circle of flames.

Then, Sophie glittered into view just outside the flames. "What on earth is going on?"

Esme looked at Sophie and smirked creepily and said, "Look! The Moonlark herself has decided to join us! This should be fun."

A/N 

Hope everyone liked this chapter! What did you think about Esme? 

This chapter was written by SleepyKeefeMuffin.