Swan Song

Sacrifice

Fitz runs to the window and punches it through. Glass shatters everywhere, and I immediately understand his plan before he tells me. I'm going to teleport us out of there. I grab his elbow and we both jump out the window in silence.
As we fall, I focus on the first place that comes to my mind: Alluvettere .

We're in the void. The black, endless void. I haven't been here in a while, not since we brought down the Neverseen.  It brings back too many hopeless memories.

I can't believe we're back here. It's been so long...

As we approach the familiar landscape of Aluvettere, I hear voices. Whispering... Could it be the collective?

"Mr.Forkle!" Fitz shouts. He must be thinking the same thing.

The voices stop.

We creep around the corner to the room where we heard the voices.

We see two silhouettes. One of a wrinkled man. Mr. Forkle. I haven't seen his face in so long. What a sight for sore eyes. The other of a granite statue. Tiergen. My telepathy trainer. And Wylie's dad.

The familiar faces bring back a wave of nostalgia, and nightmares of the hooded cloaks with eyes. I think back to about a year.

...

I was sitting in my living room with the rest of the Black Swan and Council, definitely not thinking about a certain someone's teal eyes. I was getting bored of the repetitive "We haven't defeated the Neverseen yet and all our hope is resting on the Moonlark." Me.

They were all staring into space. Thinking. Pondering how we could possibly defeat the Neverseen. How much longer were we just gonna think? Things never go as planned.

We should be training and preparing instead of this drowning in our own thoughts. I whisper to myself.

Thinking had never worked in our favor before. When were we gonna start doing?

We heard a boom. A loud crash. I race outside, along with everyone else trailing behind me.

We saw what we should've been preparing for. We all knew this was the moment. The defining moment of our future.

Everyone grabbed the weapon closest to them. The bodyguards leaped in front of their charges. Keefe and Fitz both stood protectively in front of me.

Just great. I had 7 people trying to protect me. Plus Fitz and Keefe's bodyguards.  I was the Moonlark for elves sake! I had 5 abilities.  I could protect myself.

No one else seemed to think so. "Run! Sophie, Fitz, Keefe, all the kids! RUN!" Grady shouted from the kitchen. I didn't want to leave my family behind.

"No! Mom, dad, please! This is the moment we have all been waiting for! A chance to attack! A chance to show them what we can do!"

But all the adults had a similar look of determination and protectiveness. Them letting me fight was about as likely as Keefe shaving his head. 1 in a million.

That wasn't going to stop me. I will defy the odds.

I gestured for all of my friends to run. I had a plan. It may or may not work, but I know for a fact that I had to try,

    Silveny: Bold

    Sophie: Italics

Silveny! I need you to do something for me!

SOPHIE! SILVENY HELP!!! TELEPORT.    

Great! Bring Greyfell, Luna, and Wynn.

Fly! Fly! Play!

No silveny. We're not playing. This is important.

Sophie trouble?

Yes, the Neverseen is here. I need you to come. But be safe. Protect your family.

Silveny's thoughts shifted to fierce motherly protection, and I knew Wynn and Luna would be fine.

Silveny help!

We heard a loud crack in the air. I quickly transmitted a plan to Silveny.

"Fitz! Keefe! Biana! All of you! Follow me. Half get on Greyfell, the other half on Silveny. We're gonna try to escape!"

"What about the adults?" Linh asked.

"They told us to escape. They would only say that if they knew they didn't need us." I lied through my teeth.

Little did they know... escape was not my plan today.

They all gave me a curious look. They knew I wouldn't risk Silveny for nothing. I wasn't going to.

Silveny would be okay, and if anyone got hurt because of this plan, it would be me. That's why I'm fine with it. I was going to tell the Silveny people I was riding on Greyfell, and the Greyfell people that I was going on Silveny. The plan was really cheesy, and I knew that, but it just might work. And then, I would stay behind and let my friends and Alicorns escape.

After they flew off, I heard a desperate voice in my head. It was the crisp accented voice of the teal-eyed boy I loved.

Sophie! Where the hell are you?!

I'm on Silveny.

No you're not! Keefe just asked me how Foster's doing! And he's on Silveny.

Damn it. I got caught.

Just trust me. It's for the best. It's going to be okay. I can't risk you all. I'll sacrifice myself if I have to.

Sophie how the hell is you killing yourself good for anyone?! Why didn't you come with us?!

They want me. They want the Moonlark. That's what they're going to get. I'm not gonna let them have you too as a bonus treat.

Oh my gosh Sophie! What do you think will happen to us when you're gone? What will I have to go through?

What would that be?

I'll have to lose the girl I love!

Love? What did he mean?

Uhh... I mean... ugh! I'll admit it if it means you save yourself. I like you Sophie. Way more than necessary for just "friends".

I was frozen with shock. Fitz liked me? The boy I had a crush on since the moment my brown eyes met his teal ones? It was a dream come true. And then I heard a scream. A scream that sounded way too close to my adoptive mother's voice.

And my dream quickly became a nightmare.