When Shadows find Light (SOTAM FF) ✔️

Dreams - Sophie's POV

I woke up panting.

The dreams just wouldn't stop!

The dreams... no, the nightmares. I usually couldn't get a wink of sleep because of these terrible visions. They usually were about me, dying slowly, painfully, screaming out in pain and terror. My heart was pounding and I was in a cold sweat, my hands clammy. The worst ones, though, by far, were the ones where it wasn't me that suffered, but my friends.

I'm not going to say more, except that I just couldn't seem to tell the others, especially Grady and Edaline. I was too worried they would come true. And I would probably most likely have an Elwin visit.

I sighed and sat up straight in my bed, light streaming from the huge windows. I sluggishly slid from my bed and into the bathroom. After I had freshened up, I walked downstairs. "Good morning, Sophie." Edaline said, setting something on the table. They were moist, purple leaves that looked less than appetizing, but if there was one thing I had learned from the elvin world was that you couldn't judge things by its cover, ugly or not. "Hi, Edaline." I said. I sat down on the table and scooped up the leaf into my mouth. It was technically a moist, warm, fluffy, purple pancake. I shoveled the rest down my throat. The door opened. "Woah, slow down there, Sophie!" Grady said, covered almost head to toe in fur.

I smiled. "I'd hug you, but..." I said, tracing my finger around his furry body. He laughed and nodded. "Hey, Grady? Is it alright if I visit my friends?" I asked carefully. He looked thoughtful. "Sure. Be back, and make sure Elwin doesn't bring you!" he joked. I smiled and ran outside. I ran to the Leapmaster. "Alluvetere." I whispered, letting light engulf me. I braced myself, trying to concentrate on where to go, and not to be dragged into the overly-comfortable patch of light.

I felt my body tingle, and I realized that I had made it! And I didn't fade! I thought. I took a deep breath and regained my posture. Wait, why did I go here first? I wondered. I sighed and knocked. The door opened, revealing a... Linh. I waved and she smiled. "Hey, are you here for Tam?" she asked, a knowing tone evident in her voice. I arched my brow, confused. "Huh?" She smiled wider. "You know." Linh said. "I... Wait, do you mean... Oh. Oh no." I said, realization hitting me. "Why would you think of such, Linh?" She smiled. "He's... just woken up." she said. "Lucky for you," Linh said quickly, covering it up with a cough. I looked at her and raised a brow before shaking my head.

She signaled for me to go inside. I saw him, hair matted and everywhere, and his clothes were messy. "Tam?" Linh asked. "Yeah, what is it, Linh-" He paused when he saw me. He froze for two seconds. Then his hands raced to his hair and urgently patted it down and combed through his hair. "Uh, Sophie, what're you doing here?" asked Tam. I shrugged. "I just wanted to visit my friends. I have no idea why this is the first place I thought of though!" I exclaimed, trying to ignore Linh's little knowing, mischievous grin.

Tam looked away. He clicked his tongue absently and turned to me. "I'm just going to change. I'm going somewhere early, anyways." he said after a while.

I sighed. "So, why are you here?" asked Linh. "Oh, just wanted to say hi... And apparently also good morning." I mumbled. "So, where are you going? I might be able to come along, since I'm ready." he said. I looked at him and noticed him in clean, wrinkle free clothes. His hair was in his usual bangs now and was properly combed.

"Where are you going, Tam?" asked Linh. "To Everglen." he mumbled. We were all silent for a moment. Tam? Going to Everglen? After all... that? I wondered.

Tam looked thoughtful for a minute then walked outside calling, "I'll be going now, Linh, Sophie." I ran outside. "Actually, Tam, I'm going with you." I said. he seemed to freeze in place. "Because...?" "Because Biana's my friend too..." I said. He nodded at me uneasily. What's his problem? I wondered. I shrugged. "So, who's leaping who?" I asked. "Your choice." he said. "I'll leap with you. My concentration is "very risky"." I mimicked Elwin's words. "But don't you think I've improved?" I asked.

"Yeah, well of course, after all we've been through. Anyway, let's get going."

I grabbed Tam's hand tightly, making sure I wouldn't fade in any way. He was still for a minute. I turned to him. "Why aren't we going-?" I stopped after seeing his red face. I turned back around and he cleared his throat.

"Actually, I think it might be better, just so you won't fade, for me to do this..." He wrapped his arms around my shoulders. I blushed and tried to hide my face behind my hair. What in the actual heck is going on? Gods above, help me and kill me already! I thought, burning red.

"So you won't fade..." he whispered, his warm breath hitting my face. Says the one who just said I was good at leaping...! I couldn't help but look into his eyes, but almost got hypnotized by his clear, strong, misty eyes. They were such an intense shade of bluish-silver, which threw me off nearly every time. I blushed harder when I realized that I had been thinking about his eyes in this way; like, why though?

Sadly, he averted his eyes and he pulled out his crystal, pulled away from me, and aimed it to Everglen.

Then, quietly cursing under his breath, he pulled me back into his arms and whispered ever so softly, "Everglen." And off we went.

it's 3am