"Future Rewoven" Book 3 of "Secrets Unraveled" Trilogy |COMPLETED|

Chpt 45: Transformations.

Pink lights began to surround Gabriel, starting the transformation.

"Yes!" Gabriel cried, raising his right fist up in front of his face to examine the pulsing ring on his finger. "I can feel the power!"

The pink lights continued to swirl, joined by a stream of black lights that started to twist within the pink, weaving in and out. The weavings got tighter and tighter, mixing the two colors together until the black lights took over with only a few pink dotted lights remaining in the center. More and more lights surrounded Gabriel until he was so covered with the light that he could no longer be seen.

Cheval Noir appeared from the other side of the platform where the portal he had luckily had just enough time to call for as he fell had safely deposited him.  He slowly walked toward Gabriel, keeping some distance between himself and the churning mix of lights that had encompassed his father.

"Ugh!" Marinette groaned and Cheval Noir quickly dropped down to her side to check on her.

"Here, let me help you," he said, slowly bringing her to a sitting position.

"What's happening?" she said, eyes wide as she took in the swirling black lights a few feet away.

"I don't know. My father had just activated your Miraculous and this started happening. Is it part of the process for the wish do you think?" he asked her.

An anguished expression crossed Marinette's face when she finally comprehended his words. "Oh, Adrien! I'm so sorry I failed you! I tried a bunch of new plans with each reset of time but none of them worked! And then when Gabriel grabbed me I couldn't reach the bracelet to reset it again! If only I'd known that he knew where I was I could have—" said Marinette as she tried to choke back her tears.

She was interrupted by a change in the lights and a low pitched, long drawn out anguished scream. The pink lights were suddenly extinguished and the black ones completely took over, spinning so quickly and forming into a thin column that lengthened and soared off toward the ceiling, flying through the roof. Clanging sounds were then heard, the noise reverberating through the lair.

When the echo stopped, the room was left in complete silence. Gabriel was gone. A moment later footsteps were heard coming up the metal walkway behind them and from the side. Alya, an unfrozen Maya, and Nino came to join Marinette and Cheval Noir, sitting down next to them. They all first looked at each other in shock, unsure as to what just happened, before turning their attention to Cheval Noir to see how he was taking the abrupt disappearance of his father. The superhero's face was completely blank and he wouldn't return any of the concerned glances, instead looking down at his hands that were now clasped tightly in his lap.

Suddenly Cheval Noir detransformed, releasing a tired Kaalki. Adrien slowly offered Kaalki a piece of chocolate from his shirt, which she gratefully took. He also handed one to Sass, who shrugged, and tried a bite, smiling at the new taste. Alya and Nino also took the opportunity to feed their kwamis while they tried to process exactly what happened.

"Should we . . . do you think all of that was part of the wish process? Is he out in the city now doing something else that we need to stop?" asked Nino tentatively.

"Yes, should we be rushing up there or . . . what were those lights doing to Gabriel? And the scream?" asked Alya, trying not to think about what might have happened to Gabriel.

Marinette had the feeling that Gabriel was no longer anywhere, though she didn't know for certain what had happened. It took a moment for what that actually meant to sink in. "Adrien, your father . . . I'm so sorry. I can't believe—" Marinette started to say and then stopped with a gasp as something else occurred to her. "Tikki and Plagg! Where are they?" she asked as she frantically searched the room for them with her eyes.