RE:WRITTEN

021: Hide and Seek

"We need to find her."

    I watch Soveliss as he paces around the room we entered. I look over to a large device atop of a circular table. There's a blue screen, but its lights are currently off. I walk towards it with Allisa.

"Are we going to be using this, Sovi?" Allisa asks.

Soveliss looks over as he slowly stops pacing around. He taps his staff to the ground a few times. The screen over the table lights up, and I watch as a three-dimensional map rises from the blue. I can see the Forest of Vibrance, the observatory, and the Taruna Mansion. There are areas I don't recognize on the map, but it probably isn't far if the map can pick it up.

"Eventually," Soveliss answers. "I need to transfer my energy into this device in order to track your sister. Luckily, I was able to pick up on her energy when we saw her in the Forest of Vibrance. We should be able to locate her so long as I can sense her throughout Destiny."

Allisa looks to the other elf with a worried expression. "Is that... safe? Will you be alright?"

"I'll need both of you to be ready incase I use too much energy," Soveliss answers quickly. "Amai, I know you haven't discovered any special abilities of your own... but stay in your Written Form for me, please. It could be useful."

I nod. I put my hands near the translucent, chiffon fabric of my skirt. "I can do that." I say quietly. I notice my voice shakes a little, but I inhale. I gotta stop this pounding in my chest.

I have to calm down.

"It'll take a moment for me to transfer my energy," Soveliss says. His eyes start to glow blue as he puts a hand out to a small trackpad. "Please wait a moment while I get this working."

I look to Allisa.

"Has he done this before?"

"Once," She answers. "But it wasn't for something serious like this." Allisa moves some near-white strands away from her face. "And it was a while ago, too. So I'm unsure as to how he'll endure using this much power this time around."

I purse my lips. "I hope he'll be alright."

Allisa grins at me. "He'll be okay. No need to worry about him." She says with a wink.

I nod. "Alright."

Soveliss looks at us, and I see his blue eyes glow once again. He smiles at us with a calm expression. He directs his attention to the map.

"I think I can sense her," He says. "Violet isn't too far from the observatory."

As he speaks, a purple light shines within the heart of another forest. As I look over to the area on the map, I feel my heart sink. When I look back to Soveliss, his expression appears to be solemn. His eyes narrow as he looks to the area. He shakes his head with a hum as his ears twitch.

"However, that's not a spot I wished for her to be."

"Why not?" I ask.

"That was the Forest of Tranquillity," Allisa answers. "It's where the Corruption was originally released, according to our parents. Since that event occurred nearly twenty years ago, the Forest has been slowly dying. It isn't a safe place anymore." Her gray eyes appear to be welling with tears. "That's the one place you're sure to find Corruption lurking around at any point of the day."

"And if your sister is there, then her life or sanity could be on the line." Soveliss informs us. "The Corruption is capable of indescribable things. I was a baby when Corruption came to be; so was Allisa. Naomi... I don't think she was born yet. But the three of us have all heard the horror stories of Corruption."

My eyes widen. "But we have to go there!" I demand. "My sister... If I don't bring her home-"

"I know how important it is for you to bring her home, Amai. We all do. But please... you have to realize how dangerous this situation is. We need to prepare."

"Prepare?! We don't have all the time in the world!" I say. "Violet is in danger, and my mother can't take another heartbreak!"

"Your sister could get hurt or killed," Allisa says. "We really need to think things through before we charge in there."

I cross my arms. "There's enough of us. One of us will get her back here."

"We'd be risking-"

"I don't care! Violet needs to come home!"

Allisa and Soveliss look at one another in silence. They each nod.

"Allisa, go tell the others to prepare for departure in the morning." Soveliss instructs. "It's far too late for today. We need to rest up before heading in."

Allisa nods. "Alright."

She leaves the room. I look at Soveliss again. He sighs.

"This won't be easy, Amai. You realize this, right?"

"I don't care," I say. "I want my sister to be safe. Violet has to be saved."

He smiles.

"I'm glad you care for her. But you need to care for yourself too."

He goes to take his hand off the trackpad. Suddenly, Soveliss yelps, falling to his knees. Blue energy swirls around him as he visibly shakes. His ears twitch a few times as he coughs.

"Dammit."

I rush over to him. "Soveliss?!"

"I'm alright." He looks at me as I crouch down. "I'll... be okay. I haven't used this device or that much energy in a while. I knew something like this would occur." Soveliss smiles a tad with a cough. "Don't worry about me."

I purse my lips. I want to help. He needs help, he shouldn't be suffering due to an energy drop.

I put a hand on Soveliss's shoulder.

"Hey. It's gonna be alright. I promise."

As I say this, I suddenly notice my hand glow a bright pink. The two of us gasp as we watch the magic swirl around the elf. He closes his eyes as his hair floats up. As his ears twitch again, his hair floats down and the glow fades away. He exhales. Upon opening his eyes, they glow blue for a moment, then go back to normal.

"Did you just... restore my energy?" He asks. "A healing spell?"

I look at my hand. "Uh... I think so. I just wanted to help you!" I answer. "I don't want you to be in pain just because of an energy drop. That's not fair to you."

Soveliss grins a little. "I think you found a special ability." He says. "That... I don't see that often in Written folks." He looks at me. "May I ask you something, Amai?"

"You already did, but sure."

"Are you ready for whatever may happen in the Forest of Tranquillity?" He asks. "We don't know what will happen when we go there, nor do we know what will happen when we find Violet. We have to be prepared for everything."

I nod at Soveliss. "I'm ready for anything." I answer without a second thought.

"Then you'll want to get some rest," He sighs. "We're going to need it."