Welcome back! I'm very glad so many of you continue reading and reviewing! It always makes my day! :) Enjoy this next chapter!
Mr. Forkle lead Sophie and Adrien to a hidden door she hadn't noticed before. He licked a small silver square next to the entryway. It took a second for the door to register his DNA, then it opened, making a rough scraping sound on the floor. She tried to look over Mr. Forkle's shoulder to see what was beyond the open door, but the small entryway and his enlarged form made it impossible. All three of them stepped through the frame, single file. Sophie gasped when they entered the stunning gold room.
Most of the places she'd seen in the Lost Cities where made of crystal or silver (in Atlantis). The walls and floors were made of white marble with gold tracing up the sides in intricate designs. The enormous domed ceiling was gold, too, and the giant chandelier that dangled down was dripping in clear diamonds. There was also a large round table in the middle of the room. Everything was so grand and intimidating. It made Sophie feel like a tiny ant scrambling on the ground.
However, the room itself wasn't the only thing that was intimidating. At the circular table sat Granite and the rest of the collective, and, oddly enough, Grady, Edaline and Councillor Oralie and finally, a man and a woman that resembled Adrien, especially the man. Same dark wavy hair and bronze skin. They were probably his parents. But why would they be here? Are they apart of The Black Swan? And if they were, did that mean Adrien was too?
Mr. Forkle stayed quiet as he pulled out a gold and red velvet throne for Sophie to sit in. She smoothed her dress and sank into the soft chair. Adrian was put between Sophie and the woman that might be his mother. Sophie was glad he blocked her view of the intimidating woman. Her sharp, pale blue eyes send shivers down her spine.
Once everyone was seated and murmured their greetings to one another, Granite cleared his throat and stood up to address their small crowd. "We've all been summoned at the request of Amira and Amiche Tesoro," So they must be Adrien's parents. Sophie thought. "We must address the situation we've all been forced in," He paused to look at everyone, lingering on Sophie for an extra second. "We believe that Adrien Tesoro is Sophie's match." Edaline gasped and everyone turned to look at Sophie and Adrien.
Sophies brain was trying really hard to catch up. What do they mean Adrien is her match? Match as in, the matchmakers and lists of "matches"? The word began taking over her mind, being echoed everywhere, over and over.
Match.
Match.
Match.
Someone made a squeaking noise than asked, "What?" very quietly. Edaline.
"Does this mean you signed Sophie up for a list when she's not even legally old enough?" Grady began to turn red. " And without her parents consent, nonetheless!"
"Mr. and Mrs. Ruewen," Wraith began, "You can't possibly think we would do such a thing? I think we can all agree she is much too young for this. Or anything else she's endured as well. Point being, no, we did not illegally sign her up for a list without your permission. But we have recently discovered that the legend is true." Everyone seemed to be just as confused as Sophie was, except the collective who were all looking down uncomfortably.
"What was the legend?" Edaline asked bravely. Sophie wasn't sure how she should be reacting to any of this, aside from feeling nauseous, but if one thing was for sure it was that she wanted to be brave about it, like Edaline was.
For 48 long seconds no one said a word, then Mr. Forkle began to tell the story.
15 years ago, Mr. Forkle's POV
I arrive home after a long day, no one else is here. I make my way down the hall and to the stairs to the secret laboratory in the basement. Everything is exactly where I left it. Good.
I sit down on my blue stool. I've spent hours on end sitting on this stool. Half the time with Calla at my side. I look down at the microscopic embryo in the glowing green tube. Someday this will change the world. I reach across the cluttered table for my gloves when I see a letter just a foot to the right of my outstretched hand. I didn't put that there. My hand changed direction, towards the slip of paper. Maybe one of my colleagues left it for me. The sheet wrote,
If The Moonlark fails, Civil war will come over the Elves, disease will consume the gnomes, and the planet will die. If the hybrid succeeds, all will be at peace, the timeline will be reset, the gnomes will be healed and so will the planet. I know how to ensure the project's efficiency. Meet me and I'll perform the spell. Bring the Moonlark and come alone. Remember that risks are something we all need to take, whether it's worth it or not is your choice. You have three days to decide. Choose wisely.
-A.T.
There are so many terrifying question this letter raises. Who knows who put it here or how they got in? How they knew about the project in the first place? What they meant by "spell" or where the leaping crystal left next to it will take me? Or all the possible results of what I could do with the letter? Should I ignore it or pursue it? What will happen if I choose one or the other? But the biggest question is, which option will have the outcome I'm seeking? Will Project Moonlark fail if I ignore the request? Was all this time and effort for nothing? Can I really risk the project's safety?
On these wonderings shall go, but the actions have been put to a halt. This decision has no need for haste. I must be patient and wise to choose the right path, both are equally risky.
After two days of processing and careful planning, I've decided to follow the notes instructions. I supply myself with weapons and a heavy cloak. As a disguise, I've eaten a dose of ruckleberries. I appear to be a heavy, elderly human. I have the embryo, an obscurer and weapons hidden among my dark clothing. I'm completely prepared, so I take a deep breath and step into the light letting the crystal deconstruct my body and carry me away.
I materialize in a dense rainforest. The first thing I do is listen for human thoughts. I hear nothing. Not that it matters. If there are any here, they won't see me; the obscurer will hide me from any humans.
I strain to listen for Elvin thoughts but none enter my conscience. That's odd. I take a cautious step forward. A stick cracks a mere ten feet before me. I freeze.
"You've finally arrived." A dark cloaked figure stepped out of the underbrush right where the stick had broken. The fact that I couldn't hear the figures thoughts tells me he's either a extremely powerful telepath, or he was an Ancient.
He seems to be carrying nothing, his hood casting a curtain of darkness over his face, making it impossible to identify him.
"Show yourself, you coward!" I holler at him.
He laughs. A ghastly sound. "Says the man who's consumed ruckleberries to hide his identity. But let's not get caught up in that. Now, where is the embryo?" The man holds out his dark colored hand.
"Not until I see your face." I may be hiding just as much as he is, but he already knew who I was other wise he would've never been able to get into my lab. The door takes the DNA of only a very select few. If I'm going to trust him, I need to know who he is.
The hooded figure growled. "Well, if you're going to act like a child," He threw back his hood swiftly. But his face is blurred.
The only thing I can make out wis his pointed ears. He really is an Ancient.
"Happy?" The man barks. I respond with an irritated grunt. "Good. Now for this process to work, the embryo must be visible to me. So hand it over."
I remind myself that this man is trying to help, then I step forward and pull the small green tube from my pocket.
He takes it gently and holds it to the light. Examining it he breathes, "Fascinating,"
"Can we just carry on with the process?" The man glances at me pointedly. Then he holds the tube in front of him with both hands. He releases it. But the project doesn't drop, it floats. Slowly, it begins to rise, too. The man, with his palms upright facing the tube, appears to be making it float with telekinesis. A low hum came over the forest. It takes me a second to realize what the Ancient is doing. He seems to be gathering energy from the forest and balling it up, eventually using a brain push to force the energy into the embryo.
But wouldn't all that energy only break the glass?
He begins whispering things I don't understand. Maybe he's chanting the spell he spoke of in his note. The figure thrusts his arms upward, toward the small green blip in the air that holds the future of this world. The man quivers and begins to wobble. His concentration brakes and the embryo plummets toward the ground. Out of pure determination and adrenaline, I strain all my energy to catch the falling tube with my mind. Just before it hits the damp floor of the rainforest, I manage to stop its decent.
A loud moan emerges from the cloaked figure lying in the lush plants. I tuck the embryo into my pocket after carefully examining it. Physically, it appears that the man had neither harmed nor helped the project. I make my way over to the man, hunching over his crumpled face.
"Sir, are you alright? Is this normal?" I asked. Small moans were my only answer. I tried to transmit that I would be invading his privacy, not waiting to listen for a response not even conserved that he was an Ancient and most likely couldn't hear me. I plunge into his head anyway but find only darkness and a yanking river of coldness. I rip my mind free from his before the dark, inky flow dragged me down.
For the first time in centuries, I'm not sure what to do. I begin to panic. I have no understanding of what exactly he did so I don't know how to help him or how to fix the problem. Not to mention his ancient mind refuses to let me in to take a closer look.
A hasty decision such as the one I'm about to make will most definitely have consequences, but it's impossible to tell what they will be from here. Taking a shot in the dark seems to be the only solution. I sling the mans limp body over my shoulder and wrap more than half of my concentration around him and the remaining scraps around myself. I pull out my crystal pathfinder and adjust it slightly before stepping into the daunting light, wondering if I'm making a fatal mistake.
Ok, this chapter was a bit short, even though it took me FOREVER to finish. (Sorry about that, by the way...) But I hope you guys continue reading and reviewing! Thanks! :)