Sokeefe - After Neverseen

Chapter 2

"Alden? Is everything okay?"

Sophie thought his reply would be: "Yes, there's no reason to worry." But his usual self isn't here today.

Instead, worry took over.

Sophie didn't need to manifest as an Empath to know that 

"Sophie! Who is it?" Grady called from the dining room, then hurried over.

Alden closed his eyes, and after a few seconds, Grady gasped. Alden was probably transmitting, and Sophie was tempted to invade their privacy and break the most important rule of telepathy. 

But she was thankfully saved by Grady's response.

"H-He couldn't b-be, could he?" Grady stuttered, cradling his head.

"It seems like it. We have enough evidence to know where Kenric is." Alden whispered.

It was Sophie's turn to gasp.

"What's wrong?" Edaline asked as she gracefully crossed the marble floor. Alden must have transmitted again because ten seconds later, tears streamed down Edaline's cheeks, and sobs broke out as she leaned against Grady for support.

"How?" Sophie asked. "How could he still be alive?"

"I don't know, and neither does the collective. Quinlin was searching for more Neverseen members when he found a football player who looked exactly like Kenric." Alden said. "And please keep it a secret from the Council, some of them are not ready to handle this..."

It is well known that Councillor Oralie and Kenric was in love before he was gone.

"B-But, could it be a mistake? I mean, you saw the Everblaze Fintan set devour him." Sophie felt her knees banging against one another.

"I did. Or I thought I did. I don't know what to think right now."

"Me neither."

They stared at the ground in silence.

If Kenric's alive, then what about Jolie? Sophie thought. Everything blurred until Grady cleared his throat.

"Well, we need more proof. Can you bring us to Quinlin to see for ourselves?"

"I suppose," Alden said.

"Would you like some Mallowmelt before we go?" Edaline asked through sniffles.

"If you insist," Alden smiled half-heartedly, wiping his face with a handkerchief before he stepped inside Havenfield's mansion.

Surprisingly, he only ate one, but Sophie could tell Alden could eat the whole batch.

They stumbled upstairs to the Leapmaster 500 and Alden whispered: "Atlantis."

Sophie was back on a patch of dark rocks surrounded by white-capped waves with seagulls screeching. It was like the first day she'd been to Atlantis. Alden grabbed a vial and hurled it into the ocean, creating a whirlpool. Even after all these years in the Lost Cities, she still wasn't used to the idea of its entrance.

Alden jumped first, followed by Grady and Edaline. Sophie hesitated.

Do I want to find Kenric?

Yes.

She jumped.