Keeper Of The Lost Cities Together

Keefe : 2

Keefe raised his blue crystal to the light and stepped in.

He coughed a little once he got into the Forbidden Cities. He forgot how unhealthy the human air was compared to the Lost Cities. Though, it wasn't that bad, and it was definitely better than when the fires broke out.

He had brought an obscurer, but still wore his most human-like clothing just in case. Keefe blew out a breath. This is a crazy dumb thing to do. He thought to himself. I'm going to be fine. I'm going to be fine. I'm going to be fine. But was he really?

He tried not to think about how he had only left Sophie a note and none of his other friends received any. He tried not think about how brief and heartbreaking the message was. He tried not to think about how he'd barely formed a plan. He tried and tried not to think about many things.

What now? All he had done was run away to the human cities. With no plan, and no help. Alone. Part of him wanted to run back to the Lost Cities and pretend nothing happened. But the part of him that was set with determination took over. First things first, he needed a plan. He would transfer his elvin bank birth fund into human currency and buy—no. He needed a technopath to do that.

Nothing, nothing at all had gone right so far. But suddenly, he had an idea. He had told Sophie he was hiding they the Black Swan hid her. And the Black Swan had hid her in a normal human family... All he really needed is a married couple with at least one of the two having blond hair and blue eyes, and there sure seemed to be a lot of people that had those listed. But how? How would he be included in their family? 

He lifted his bag and dug through it—not that there was much to dig through—and searched for his imparter. "Show me Damel Kafuta." Keefe had remembered him from when he washed Sophie's parents.

Now he had to wait. And wait. And wait. He almost gave up and shoved his imparted back into his bag when—"Hello? Who is this?"

"It's Keefe—a friend of Sophie's. I was there when you washed her parents mind. I need you to do me a favor."

"And that is?"

"I need you to wash a couple's minds."

Painful silence followed. "Who?" 

"Well... the thing is,"

"Is?" Damel prompted.

"The thing is I don't know. I—I ran off to the Forbidden Cities. I need you to help me move in with a couple—or family—that looks similar enough to me. Then I need you to erase their minds and implant information that I have always been in their family."

"Keefe, no. No for many reasons. No, because erasing an innocent human's mind just because a random boy asked me to is illegal. No, because how am I supposed to find someone? No, because you need a telepath to implant information."

"Damel, please."

"I'm sorry, but a simple plea isn't going to change anything." The reflection of him flicked away before Keefe could respond.

He was done waiting. He was done relying on people, all the wrong people. He was going to do everything in his own to protect everyone. To protect Sophie. He didn't care if Sophie would be angry at him. He just wanted her to get what she deserved—to be safe and happy. She didn't need him, in fact, nobody needed him.

Tears blurred his vision until they fell onto the ground. I'm doing this for everyone's safety. He reminded himself. Nobody needed him, nobody wanted him, only his stupid mother did because she wanted a little puppet. But he could never give in.

Keefe wanted to run far, far away. Nowhere in mind, he needed to run. Needed to escape. He sprinted through the streets, dodging little kids and trash scattered among the ground. He sprinted out his anger until he was out of energy unable to gather energy, which was a good thing, because he couldn't hurt anyone this way.

Cold, icy hands grasped onto Keefe's wrists, making him realize the downside of being out of energy. He couldn't defend himself, couldn't fight. He only brought two throwing stars which were buried in his bag. If only he had Sophie to tell him how idiotic his plans were—how rushed and how he barely gave any thought into them.

"I knew I would find you here." Sharp, bitter words cut him out of his thoughts. "How delightful." She said with sour grin. "No one to defend you, not even your oblivious girlfriend."

Keefe's anger boiled inside of him, making it's way up to his throat. The anger expanded further and further, begging for freedom. But his feelings hadn't formed a word. Every word he thought of—like "stop" and "flee"—didn't fit. He could say the words, but they would do anything.

"So I've heard you haven't been talking. I thought that would change for me, since you don't seem to be very fond of me. But, I'm not complaining—in fact, this is great! You're cooperating much better, this will come in handy."

His throat itched and burned as his mind thought of words to use. But the process was a failing pattern. Come up with a word, test it, and nope. Until he came up with a word, but it wasn't a command, not at all. Somehow it fit.

Lady Gisella's grip tightened as she started to pull Keefe. "Let's get you somewhere more—fitting." She said, pulling out a leaping crystal.

"NO." Keefe blurted out. The one syllable caused Lady Gisella to loosen her grip and step into the light without Keefe. But it didn't seem to be because of the word, it looked like she was just shocked.

"KEEFE SENCEN!" She yelled, glittering away.

...

Keefe watched from a bench all the happy families laughing and enjoying their time. He felt envious, but mostly we wondered what it would be like not worrying about some evil group attacking you, not having mentally abusive parents. 

He sighed and kicked a nearby rock. Everything that happened today was a sign that the whole running away thing was NOT going to work out. It hadn't even been a day and he gave up. "Too weak." He mumbled to himself. "Always too weak." 

No. He had to think positive. He was doing it for Sophie. She would tell him if he kept thinking like this, he would never get things done, never change. And she would be right.

TOGETHER : CHAPTER 2

AUTHORS NOTE: Sorry the Lady Gisella Approach was kind of random and quick lol. Let me know what you think, and what would happen next! I'm writing part 3 Sophie's POV as we speak ;)