A Fanfiction Angstier Than Tam

the darkness

Keefe didn't know what was happening. One second he was trying to comfort Sophie, the next... she was inflicting on him. Keefe felt what he knew Sophie was feeling, only now with equal pain to Sophie's.

Keefe never fully understood Sophie's emotions, no empath ever did. But now, he did. In the most painful way, this Empath finally understood her feelings. And they hurt. The short two seconds Sophie inflicted on him, he was immediately brought to tears as dark thoughts filled his head. All he could focus on was the darkness sweeping through his head.

The only thought he could understand was one that no elf had ever thought before, except for Sophie, and now, Keefe. For a painful two seconds, the only thing he could make sense of was that he wanted to kill himself. Those two seconds lasted a lifetime as Keefe crippled to the floor. When the two seconds were over, the increasing pain stopped. But he still felt it. In every inch of his body, he felt the lingering darkness and pain. It wasn't as intense, but it was there. And it was going to haunt him for the rest of his life.

He ran out of the room, he couldn't look at Sophie. This was all his fault. He was the one who brought this darkness upon Sophie. Sophie was feeling the same thing he was feeling for those two seconds, except she felt it every second of her life, and it didn't die down.

And it was all because of him.

The guilt consumed him, the lingering darkness growing his guilt and shame until he couldn't think straight. He didn't know where he was, or what was happening. He didn't know how long he was there, he couldn't think straight.

All he saw was darkness.

All he felt was darkness.

The darkness had consumed him, breaking him. But then he felt a pull. There was light. A small flame that will soon become an ember, reaching out to him weakly, with everything he had.

"Foster?" Keefe whispered weakly. The light grew larger. Just a little larger.

Keefe pushed the darkness away out of his mind, separating it from the light, growing the light. He grabbed onto it. Clung to it with desperation, letting his hope fuel the light as he let it bring him to safety. The light grew as he travelled up, getting larger as the darkness swelled and hid in the shadows again. Right now he was the only person in the world who knew what Foster was feeling. And he was going to save her from herself.

Keefe gasped as his mind cleared. He found himself in one of the guest bedrooms in Everglen, his memory was foggy. What just happened? He clutched his head. The light was gone and the darkness was back, waiting for another chance to attack. He looked to the nightstand where a bottle of youth and a glass of water were sitting. He drank them quickly, throwing himself out of bed and heading to the kitchen. As he walked, he held himself up using the wall.

Keefe came across a mirror, and he finally got a good look at himself. He was wearing the same clothes he was wearing before the incident, except his cape and jacket were missing, along with his boots. His face was sweaty and shiny, eyes red, and face stained with tears. Worse, he was fading, his skin pale and translucent. He ran his hand through his messy hair, then headed to the bathroom instead, looking through the medicine cabinet for fade fuel. He immediately drank it, his mind clearing a little bit. He walked to the kitchen again, this time not stopping, now able to walk.

He searched the kitchen for food, settling on leftovers he found on the table. As he ate the scraps, he wondered why Everglen was empty. He hasn't seen the Vackers, or any gnomes, or whoever took him here. But it didn't really matter. He was too hungry to care.

Finishing his last bite, he decided to head home, but all his belongings were gone, including his home crystal.

"Hello?" He called. "Fitz? Fitzipoo!" No answer.

"Biana? Alden?" Still nothing. "Della?" He was getting frustrated now.

"Is anyone here? Anyone who knows what the hell is going on?" Only he didn't say hell.

"Anyone at all?" He collapsed. He was so tired. He limped to the leapmaster, which seemed to be missing.

He couldn't be trapped here. He had too much to do. He needed to get to Sophie. Sophie was in danger. So he ran. He searched every room, calling Sophie's name. He was so tired. What day was it? How long was he knocked out? Is Sophie okay? Where was everybody? Why isn't the leapmaster there? Who brought him to Everglen? Is this even Everglen? The more he wandered the house, the less it looked like Everglen. There were too many questions going through his head, and not one had an answer. He felt the darkness surge. No. Not again.

Not after everything.

Not again.

No.

Every shadow in Everglen grew until there was no Everglen. Just Keefe, wilting in the darkness, alone, afraid. And so tired.

Not again.