United (Magics AU - Part 1)

Chapter 48 - Falte

Falte wasn't sure if his heart could beat any faster, and if it did, he figured that there would be problems. Everything had gone downhill in a matter of seconds, and Falte wasn't even one hundred percent sure of what had happened. Just mere minutes ago, Chase and Caynen had been arguing back and forth about the Shadowbeasts that trapped them in the kitchen; but suddenly, they both had collapsed from an abrupt, unknown pain that seemed to leave them senseless. Kai and Marcus, notably both Darks (as much as it pained Falte to admit it), appeared to have the breath knocked out of them as they both stared at nothing in particular with shocked expressions. Even more confusing, the Shadowbeasts had either fallen silent or left the door, because the cafeteria was still and quiet. Falte wasn't sure what or who to be more worried about - what had happened, Shintaro, or the others that had seemed to be affected by the unknown event.

"What just happened?" Luke's voice asked, and Falte turned his head to the left to see Luke looking from one person to another, his expression stricken and panicked. His bright green eyes dropped to Caynen, but the Light still hadn't responded to even Artemis, who was shaking his shoulder frantically. 

Falte bit his lip nervously as he watched Artemis eagerly try to revive her friend, but suddenly Kai moved, snapping Falte's attention away from Caynen. Falte reached out and grabbed Kai's shoulder to help him sit back against the cupboards behind him; but when Falte's hands wrapped around Kai's arm, the teenager winced and jerked away. 

"Sorry," Falte said quickly, though he didn't know what he had done. "Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you." Falte searched Kai's arm eagerly for some sort of wound, but he found nothing - not even a rip of fabric. 

Kai shook his head to dismiss the act and apology, but he didn't speak. He sat down and leaned against the cupboards behind him, his eyes fixed on the floor as he lifted his right hand and rubbed his forehead. A dread-filled frown was creasing between his eyebrows, one that Falte found unsettling. 

From his spot by the closed doors, Chase slowly pushed himself into a sitting position, briefly touching his fingers to the bridge of his nose. He looked pale and shaky, but he too was frowning in a knowledgeable way that made Falte's insides twist in anxious nervousness. 

"Is everyone all right?" Rachel asked suddenly, letting go of Gabriel's hand and kneeling down at Marcus's shoulder. She rested her hands on his arm and peered around at his face nervously. "Your Majesty?" 

She got no response - Marcus's wide eyes were fixed distantly on his lap.

Gabriel lowered himself down on Marcus's other side, glancing shortly in concern at Marcus before looking around the room at everyone else. 

Falte noted that the only ones that seemed to be horribly affected by... whatever had happened... were Chase and Caynen. Kai and Marcus just looked unsettled and utterly shocked. Ozai, who was holding Nanami close like she was his life source, looked terrified and stunned, but Falte wasn't sure why. Whatever had just happened, it was obviously magic related. Did Ozai know? Did the others?

Because Falte didn't, but he wasn't sure he wanted to. Unfortunately, he had a guess that he didn't want to settle for. He just hoped and prayed with all his heart that it wasn't true, that somehow things had taken a wild turn. That they would be okay. 

"Wait-" Artemis voice suddenly cried out frantically, and it was followed immediately by a sharp whack!

Falte jumped back to attention at the abrupt sound, his eyes darting quickly to Artemis, Linda, and Caynen. The star girl was in a position that indicated she'd reached forward, but whatever she was trying to stop had already taken place. Linda's hand was raised slightly and a faint reddish color, and her icy blue eyes were fixed determinedly on Caynen. The Light's head was turned the other direction now, toward Amy and Caspian, and his eyes were open narrowly. A spot on his cheek was just beginning to turn red.