Survivor

Chapter 12

Sophie had long ago decided that the best way to take out your murderous rage without actually killing anyone was to spar. Sparring not only pleased lady Gisela but it also really did succeed in releasing tension. She and Zeph crosses blades, of course they had a rubber like guards on as to not accidentally kill one another. Next to her lightning dagger Sophie had another favorite weapon, she found a Rapier to be very much suited to her needs. She was not very large so it made sense that her sword had to be light. And her trainers had commented numerous times that the thing that made her truly devastating in combat was her speed. From there she and Zeph paired up, his raw strength against her speed and agility, it was bound to be interesting to say the least.

After her meeting with Gisela, Zeph had offered himself up as an outlet to channel her rage, challenging her to a sparring match. She had quickly changed out from the thick black robes to training attire, consisting of a silvery, slippery fabric that resembled leggings and a tunic made of the same fabric only in black. It almost felt like she wasn't wearing clothes, with the way the fabric allowed her to move and breath so she didn't overheat during training. Zeph's blade was a lot bigger the hers, being a broadsword. Meaning she had to work double time.

They fought like a dance, weaving in and out, spinning across the room in a deadly embrace. The sound of clashing steel reverberating throughout the empty room. She poured every ounce of emotions into her movements. Dodging under his sword and aiming a blow to his torso which he quickly blocked. She thought of everything she hated as she fought.
She hated how Gisela had such a hold on her, she hated she lied to her friends her family, she hated how easy it had been to lie and she hated that look Keefe had given her, as if there was no hope left in the world. Letting out a scream of rage she spun, blocking Zeph's blade with her own, elbowing him in the ribs and when he doubled over she snatched his blade from his hand. Her chest heaved with emotion and fatigue. His sword was pointed at the ground while hers was at his throat.
"Yield." He said, panting fast. She nodded her understanding and tossed him his blade. Too tired to form articulate words.
"Feeling better?" He asked rubbing his ribs tenderly,
"A bit." She replied still trying to catch her breath. Zeph didn't press her for any more conversation and eventually she retreated back to her room. It was a more proper room now with a bed instead of a cot along with other necessities. Peeling off her clothes she jumped in the small shower, the warmth a welcome escape from the day. she leaned up against the side of the shower her eyes closed and her hair falling in wet strands all around her. How long could she keep this up? how long could she stay away from her family? She missed them with a burning passion already and she had seen them only a few hours ago. Edaline has looked so sad, Grady had a look of loss as if he would never be happy again. And her friends had a looked at her with such pity and sadness. Except Keefe, he had looked at her with hope in his eyes. So much hope. She would kill to be in his arms again like she had been in his cell all those months ago. Had that kiss been enough to last this long. Did he still fell the same way? Did she? Then there was Fitz he had always been there and she had had a crush on him forever. She was just so undecided, and really she didn't have time for those emotions. She had to think of Amy, she has to follow orders and obey no matter how much she hated it.
"I'm getting out of here." She whispered to herself, as soon as the moment came along she would take it, her sister would be safe and she could finally get home. It had been a critical mistake to teach her to fight because she had excelled at it. The only problem was Zeph she couldn't just leave him, maybe she could help him save Eden and he could help her save Amy.

Shutting the water off she quickly towel dried and slipped on a pair of plush pajamas. Basically sweatpants and a tank top both black of course. She drifted off to a fitful sleep, her dreams haunted her just as much as her thoughts. She dreamt she was wearing her Neverseen outfit. Her sword drawn and pointed straight at Edaline. She dreamt she killed her friends, taking the side of the Neverseen for real and ruthlessly torturing and murdering her them, their blood coating her hands. She woke with a start, sobbing into her pillow she missed them so much.

A few days later

"You have got to be kidding me!" She Sophie yelled eyes wide as she read the brief for her newest mission. This one was solo, she was now trusted (more like threatened) enough that she was able to go out alone. Gaining intel by stealing documents from emissaries to Councillors. However this document just happened to be residing in Alden's office at Everglen. The mission was to take place that very day, she was chosen to go because she knew Everglen like the back of her hand. The gate was the main problem, the massive glowing things wouldn't allow her to light leap inside of them and teleporting would be too loud. She had to slip in when one of the Vackers opened the gate, no easy feat. But that was also why she was a good candidate to get in. Fitz would be able to detect the minds of anyone tailing him into Everglen but not her as long as she hid properly.

That day she was equipping herself with weapons, mostly non lethal except for her rapier. She had gladly switched out the lightning blade for her favored weapon, she shrugged on her black cloak the very same as last time and strapped a few mini devices should things go south. They were tiny but stuck to whatever she threw them at and delivered a small electric shock just enough to knock someone out. She sighed and looked at the time, an hour before Fitz and Biana would be arriving at Everglen from foxfire. She would be waiting a while.

She lounged up in one of the many trees surrounding the Everglen gate. She had made the mistake of looking at the gate and almost burned her frickin eyes out of her skull. After a while she heard the faint crunch of leaves and saw Fitz and Biana approaching the gate... with the rest of their friends in tow.

"Are you kidding me, Nothing can ever be easy!" She hissed under her breath as she swung down from her tree branch. They weren't laughing or joking around and instead seemed to be quite serious she heard a few snippets of conversation. Memories, blah blah blah, Base location, blah blah, Sophie. It seemed as if they were having a planning session and she knew from personal experience that those could last for a very long time. As soon as the gate was open Sophie slunk forward, along the gate. Waiting until the group was well enough inside before sneaking in and letting the gate close behind her. No going back now. She didn't go up the enormous doors instead sneaking up to one of the windows and silently slipping inside. From the sounds upstairs it seemed like they had gone it's Fitz's room, and it was fairly far away so she probably wouldn't have a problem. She walked silently up the stairs and slipped into the office, making sure there was none there before rummaging through the drawers and digging through the papers on the bookshelves. As she was moving books aside one slipped from her grasp and fell with a heavy thump on the floor.
"Alden?" She heard from outside.
"Alden, are you home? I thought you went to Atlantis." Della's voice was getting closer and closer. Hesitantly Sophie pulled out one of the tiny silver devices. Della was the kindest woman she had ever met, she really did not want to use this on her. So instead she hid behind the door, waiting for Della to open it fully before slipping outside once she had walked in. She was in the hallway in an instant, bounding to the stairs. Right before she got to the stairs the shadows seemingly leaped off the wall, encircling her in a oily black barrier.
Tam she looked around and her friends were once again standing behind her.
"We have got to stop meeting like this." She said as innocently as possible while trying to find away through the seemingly impenetrable shadows. Of course there was one easy way to get Tam to break concentration but that was a last resort.
"I disagree." Fitz said evenly, walking towards her slowly. "You don't remember us but will you at least let us tell you our side of the story instead of just theirs." She hesitated after his words, Della who had just joined them out in the hallway seems very worried about her son getting steadily closer to someone wearing a Neverseen cloak. Without waiting for her to say yes Fitz launched into the story telling her about how he had brought her to the lost cities and how they had been fighting the Neverseen. He finished his story by saying.
"And I love you Sophie." Immediately her emotional shield fell, and her eyes locked with Keefe's at the memory of their kiss in the cell. There was an audible gasp and Keefe walked over confidently. His eyes wide, when he was just a few feet in front of her when he spoke.
"You never forgot us." She nodded silently and shot forward wrapping him in the first hug she had received in close to eight months.
She had forgotten how good hugs felt.
Especially his hugs.
"No I didn't." she whispered through her tears.
"I would never forget you."