Dreamwatcher | KOTLC

Prologue

"Sophie," whispered a soft, familiar voice that Sophie knew quite well but just couldn't remember who. "Come."  Sophie was so confused yet so determined to find out who this voice belonged to. What is going on? Sophie wondered. Aren't I dreaming? Sophie's mind finally concentrated on her surroundings, and Sophie figured out where she was: Alluveterre!

"What? Why am I in Alluveterre?" Sophie wondered aloud. "I was in my bed sleeping a minute ago . . ." She suddenly realized what she had just pointed out. Sleep! Sophie thought. I should be sleeping! But why am I awake? And in Alluveterre, of all places? Sophie needed proof to know that this was a dream, but she didn't have anything on herself that could tell her. Wait . . . that voice!  She remembered. I can ask the voice!

"Uh . . ." Sophie started. She didn't know how to respond or even what to say. "Hello? Is anyone . . . there?" While Sophie waited for a reply, she started walking down a path that quickly appeared in front of her. She took in her surroundings and noted how different everything looked. There seemed to be fewer trees, which should've brought more light but it was ironically darker than it should've been.

Sophie continued down the dirt path which seemed endless. She had gotten bored out of her mind walking down an endless path with nothing except for the clothes on her back and her Imparter.

"Wait; my Imparter!" Sophie exclaimed. "I could hail Grady or Alden or Keefe"ーSophie groaned at the mention, disappointed in herself to have thought of him so soon.

She and Keefe had left on bad terms, and their relationship immediately fell apart. The last time she had seen him was weeks earlier when this mess had begun.

Sophie regained her senses and whipped out her Imparter, then shouted into the Elvin technology, "Show me Grady!" Sophie was done with this dream; at this point, she just wanted to wake up, which is quite rare for Sophie. Sophie waited and waited and waited, but nothing different than the ringing noises of her Imparter was heard. 

"Sophie," said the recognizably warm voice once again. This time, seeing all the trees around Alluveterre, and all of the familiar parts of it immediately gave Sophie an idea of who she was listening to.

"Calla . . . ?" Sophie breathed in wonder. Calla had died a while before, sacrificing her very own life to save the lives of many. Calla's spirit now rests in the form of a Panakes tree, which served as a cure for the plague caused by King Dimitar. Calla was one of the gnomes who contributed to creating Sophie, and Sophie developed a strong connection with her . . . Sophie's thoughts were interrupted by that same voice filling her mind again.

"Yes, Sophie. It's me. And there's something you need to know."

Sophie's emotions were suddenly all mixed up. She didn't know what to think. And she couldn't help but notice that during that message, Calla's voice squeaked one sole time. But that was enough to help Sophie figure out something even more (odd or daunting). Sophie was about to ask if the voice was actually Keefe until that voice started speaking in Sophie's mind again:

"Sophie, there's something crazy that's about to happen, so I need you to stop thinking about that boy and listen to me."

Sophie's eyes widened to its full extent. How did Calla know what she was thinking? And so easily? The only response she could come up with was, "Go on . . ." She waited for a response, and boy did she get one.

"Okay, Sophie. I need you to concentrate on my voice for you to really understand what's going on. I can sense that something dangerous is coming to Havenfieldーand I have no doubt that it has something to do with you. You must warn your family immediatelyーand your friends, for that matter; they're probably involved in this, too."

Sophie paused.

"That's . . . a lot to take in. What does it want with me?" Calla cleared her throat before answering, "I think it'd be better to explain this to you in person. I'll be over where you are in a moment."  That last sentence did have a couple more squeaks, which then reminded Sophie of her earlier thought. But just at that moment, she heard someone approaching. She turned around just as quiet footsteps increased to loud, muddy footsteps. However, when her head glanced around, she didn't see Calla with her soft caramel hair and her shiny grey eyes. Instead, there stood Keefe, wearing a dark blue cloak covering most of his body and black leather boots.

But that wasn't what caught Sophie's attention; Keefe's unmistakably icy blue eyes and Barbie-Blond hair was recognized right away. Oddly enough, Sophie found herself attempting to straighten out her hair and the aqua nightgown she was wearing.

"Keefe," Sophie started, "what are you doing here?" Keefe's reaction gave away enough information that Sophie needed. He looked as if Sophie had instead asked, "Why is your cloak blue?" She quickly rephrased her question in her head. Sophie cleared her throat and asked, "Okay, Keefe, what are you doing in my dream?" That got his attention.
"Keefe?" Keefe questioned that name in confusion. "Who's Keefe?"

Sophie was so lost in her thoughts. What do you mean 'Who's Keefe?', Keefe?! You're Keefe! Obviously, she wasn't going to say that to his face, but she did retort something quite like it.

"Keefe! You're Keefe! Keefe? The Prank Master? That one kid who calls Silveny 'Glitterbutt?'" Sophie strutted up in front of Keefe, grabbed both his shoulders and shook them very, very hard.

"WHOA, Foster. Geez, chill out. I was just joking. Ugh." Keefe clutched his shoulder in pain. The very moment he touched his shoulder, he winced in pain. "I was just joking, Foster. I think you might've moved my socket . . ."

Sophie backed away, almost stumbling over her own feet. But Sophie wasn't interested in him in pain, or if she might fall, or his shoulder. There were a couple of things she needed to know first.

"Keefe, were you imitating Calla?" Keefe returned a disappointed face. He sighed, then said, "Aw man, I thought I was getting better!" That did make Sophie let out a little giggle, but moreover, it had upset her.

"So, everything that Calla ー or you, for that matter ー said was a lie?"

"No, no. That part is all true. And you're probably thinking 'What do you mean, King Keefe-of-Amazingness? Is Calla alive?'"ーfunny thing, she was thinking that aside from the silly nicknameー "well, no. But I went to visit her spirit in the Panakes tree, and she said . . ." Keefe trailed off, not saying a word after that.

"What? What did she say? Keefe . . . ?" Sophie watched as Keefe started to fade away, legs fading first. "Keefe!" Sophie said. She ran over to him and took his hand, ignoring the fact that they were still not talking to one another anymore. However, when she reached for his hand, her hand went right through his, like he was some ghost or something.

Sophie was running out of time; his waist and down were becoming completely transparent. She thrust her arms around him just to end up in a heap on the dirt behind what's left of him. She glanced behind her, to see the last of Keefe's face fade away.

Unfortunately, Sophie was too occupied to notice that not only Keefe had disappeared, but everything was. The dirt path in which she walked on was now glittering to crystal dust. And it was closing in on her; she had nowhere to go. Sophie now had to stand on her tiptoes to stay on the ground. But it didn't last long. She started to fall. As she was descending, her Imparter flew out of her hands.

"My Imparter!" Sophie cried. But words couldn't change the past; all she could hear was her echoes as she disappeared into the black abyss.