𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐈 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔 + sokeefe and horror

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟓: crystals make good machetes

"Keefe?" A voice said. "Keefe?"

Biana was sitting over him, her face pursed in concern. 

"Yeah?" He said dizzily, his stomach threatening to come up again.  "What just happened?"

"You just passed out." Biana replied. "And mumbled about sexism for about thirty seconds. You're lucky you're not dead."

"What?" He whispered.

"Moexii -" Linh said, her gentle voice heaped with anger, "the second you collapsed, she kind of... choked. And now she's not moving."

"What?" Keefe looked up.

It was true. Moexii was standing still, the crystal still in her hand, not moving. She wasn't even blinking. Sophie hadn't moved from the spot where she was crumpled.

"Well, why didn't any of you grab it?" He cried, jumping up. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, we were a little bit worried making sure you were alive." Tam said, looking pale and sick. However, his sarcasm was apparently still very intact.

Keefe grabbed the crystal now and shoved it to the ground. It made a soft sound, but didn't break. Fitz burst out laughing. 

"Let me do it." He said with a maddening look of superiority. 

But he couldn't break it. Neither could Tam or Biana. Even when Linh tried to smash it, nothing happened. Only the smallest shard broke off, which caused an idea. Keefe grabbed it and touched the edge. Razor sharp. Sharp enough that...

He walked over to Moexii, resting the shard on the back of her neck. The sudden realness of it hit him. Could he do it? Could Keefe end someone's life? He had to, to save him and Sophie and their friends. Moexii suddenly awoke and screamed. The startling motion made him jump - and the crystal pierced her neck. Now Moexii shrieked, bloody murder curling through his ears. It wasn't long, though, before she collapsed, blood spilling out of her neck. Keefe's breath quickened. He couldn't breathe, his stomach curling. He wanted to vomit out everything in his body.

Then Sophie groaned softly. She lifted her head as Keefe bolted over to her. Sophie's eyes were hers. Brown and golden and gorgeous. He loved her. 

"Sophie." He whispered.

"Hey Keefe." Sophie said sleepily. "What did I miss?"

He let out a strangled choke of laughter. They helped Sophie up and started their way to an escape. They were bruised, hurt, tired, and traumatized... but they were okay. Keefe looked one last time at the throne room, Moexii's body lying limply there. Something felt instinctively wrong. But it was too late to go back, so they continued down the hall.

Everything was quiet. They had escaped.

---

"Fascinating." A voice said, staring at the throne room's scene. "I didn't know they'd be that fast. That is..."

"Interesting." A woman's smooth, oily voice said. "Very interesting indeed."

"Correct." The other voice agreed. "Send in the next one!"