Stellarlune - KOTLC Book 8.5 Fanfic

Chapter 21

"Wait!" Sophie asked. "How is Keefe even here?!"

Sophie had been helped up by her friends and taken to Bronte's home in Eternalia. He had taken one look at her, Biana, Linh, and insisted they come in. When Sophie finally arrived in Eternalia's healing center, she discovered that the center was far more superior to Foxfire's. It had elegant white lights hanging from the sidewalls, with somehow simple but sophisticated beds spread out. Shelves and shelves full of elixirs were scattered everywhere neatly. Tables were, as well. After she had been dropped onto one of the beds, she realized that in all the hassle, Keefe was back. The last time she had seen him was when he was dragged off by Lady Gisela with magisdan handcuffs chained onto him.

Was it some sort of trick?

Or was it the real Keefe?

If it was actually Keefe, she would break down in relief. But she also didn't want to get her hopes up. After all, how would Lady Gisela let Keefe go when she had him right there? He was incredibly convenient to the Neverseen.

Biana snuck a worried glance towards Bronte, but it quickly collapsed into a relieved smile as she turned to face Sophie.

"He came back! He won't tell us why, but it's still amazing! All of a sudden, he appeared in the preserves, and Rosei brought him to us. I'm sure he will be fine though... But I am worried," she answered.

Linh leaned in. "Everybody's fine, by the way. Even Elwin, but he's gotten some severe injuries. Physic is treating him right now. We just got a hail from Mr. Forkle while you were closing your eyes for a bit."

Sophie let go of a sigh of relief.

He was back.

No.

Keefe was back.

She tried to embrace the news happily, but she couldn't think through the disbelief clouding her muddy, unfocused mind.

"Wa - wait so -"

"Well, if you are done hiding your secrets from me," Bronte interrupted, standing with his arms somehow regally crossed. "we will need to treat Miss Foster soon."

Nobody spoke for a second.

And honestly, Sophie didn't blame them.

"That's the whole point of secrets, isn't it?" Biana asked slyly. Linh stifled her laugh as Sophie covered her mouth with her hand.

Bronte didn't say anything as he stalked over to Sophie and examined her bloody hands.

"I don't know why the Black Swan instructed you to come here, but..." he took one of her hands and looked closely at it. "I've done my fair share of studying medicine."

Bronte walked to a wall, while everybody else watched wordlessly. He shoved his body into it and Sophie gaped in surprise. Her eyes were still not used to the effects that Fluctuators made.

"Stay here," he instructed, his voice fading away as he went deeper into the mysterious room.

For a moment, all was silent, with Sophie slowly ticking down the seconds, wondering when somebody would speak.

Who would provide more answers?

Suddenly, Biana rushed forward, grasping Sophie's arm gently, but firm.

"After Bronte gets you the basic elixirs, we're going," she whispered-exclaimed. "We're going to leap to Everglen, and Wraith is going to meet us there. He's going to bring us to where everybody else is."

Linh nodded, stealing glances at the unique wall every few seconds.

"Then Mr. Forkle is going to tell us everything." Biana continued.

Everything?

So... All of the answers would be given to them?

It couldn't be that simple, right?

Well, obviously Mr. Forkle didn't have all of the answers regarding the questions directing the Neverseen.

But maybe the answers to this crisis?

Sophie honestly didn't know, but she found it hard to believe that it would be this easy.

The Neverseen never made it easy.

"He's here!" Linh hissed, breaking Sophie's train of thought.

Bronte walked towards Sophie, with several elixirs in hand.

"Most of our elixirs that heal emotional trauma," Bronte said, raising a confused eyebrow at Sophie. "have limbium in it. So I had to retrieve some from the back."

He handed her a clear flask with some weird glowing neon green liquid dancing inside of it. The elixir strangely reminded Sophie of unsuspicious fire that slowly grew and conquered, and she instantly recoiled from it.

"It's the only option," Bronte insisted, giving the elixir to Sophie's shaking hands. "Believe me, if there was another, I would give it to you. But here, we don't focus on those types of medicines as much."

Linh took the flask from her when she saw that Sophie couldn't bring herself to drink it, and opened the lid from it. Then, she tipped the bottle onto Sophie's lips, and Sophie drank it uneasily. It tasted like rotting wood, or what she imagined rotting wood to taste like.

Biana handed her a bottle of Youth, and Sophie gulped it down gratefully.

"Thank you," Linh innocently smiled sweetly at the unsuspecting councillor. "We have to go now."

Bronte raised his hand against them, like he didn't like the idea of it, but soon compiled when he noticed Biana helping Sophie hurriedly wrap a cloak around herself, and Linh shoving her hands inside her cape pocket to find her leaping crystal.

Sophie, Linh and Biana offered a deep quick bow to Bronte right before the light whisked them away.