cascade | kotlc

16. Combat Over High Seas

tw: wound/injury

 The reset was hard to look at. Mr. Forkle stabbed Sophie with the needle and injected the serum. It worked. He led Sophie out. But he also wanted to talk to June privately.

He showed her another vial. It was a murky, colorless liquid that seemed unsettled. The cloudly dust inside churned and flowed.

"This vial will improve your physical and mental strength. Increase your channeling strength, quicken your reaction speed and decision making, grant you near-perfect battle instinct, speed up your mind, and, most importantly, will always keep your mind clear. Do you know what that means?"

June shook her head.

"It means you can fight. You can hurt, wound, maim, even kill, without feeling the slightest trace of guilt. Your enemies will fear you. But there is a chance your friends will too.

"I can assure you that one day this extra power will be useful. You will have to battle -- potentially multiple times. And potentially for your life.

"If you choose to take the serum, it is up to you to decide if you wish to tell your friends and sister. I will remain quiet. This meeting will leave no tracks. If you do not wish to take the serum, I let you out, this meeting ends, and nothing happens.

"I will not attempt to influence your decision. The exit is behind you. I will leave this vial here. It can be taken normally. Remember everything I told you -- and good luck."

He set the vial down and walked behind them into a hallway, leaving June and her thoughts alone.

Does she take it?

Would Sophie be... afraid of her?

She found herself grasping the vial.

Would Fitz be afraid of her?

Would they blame her?

She uncorked the vial.

Would Keefe be afraid of her?

Biana? Dex? Marella? Jensi?

She lifted the vial to her lips.

It does not matter. I'll still love them.

She lifted the vial and drank.

June emerged from the cave and found Sophie and Keefe.

"I want to go home," she whispered.

Sophie nodded. "I'm hoping Silveny can teleport us back to Havenfield. We know where we're going this time, so we can take a shortcut."

"Ohhhhh, teleporting sounds fun. But do you need to rest longer?"

Sophie shook her head and slowly sat up. She clutched her chest.

"Whoa -- that is intense," Keefe said, his voice strained.

Sophie started. "You can feel my pain? I'm sorry, I didn't-"

June went over to her elemental crystals and disabled the wall of air, and the three blasts of wind were reabsorbed into the crystals. She let out a breath as the crystals took her energy, and after her decision June felt like she couldn't Gust anymore for today. "Let's go. We're running out of time."

Keefe lifted Sophie onto Silveny's back, and she grabbed the alicorn's gleaming neck. Keefe wrapped his arms around her.

Something around them shifted. June stiffened. Was this what Mr. Forkle meant by battle instincts?