A/N) Helloooooooooooooo my wonderfuls! I have returned after my extended and totally unplanned absence, heheh. SCHOOL AND LIFE SUCK, OKAY? Anyway, answers to reviews!

A very obsessed fangirl: Honestly . . . I'm not sure if I subconsciously put it there as a Hamilton reference or not. I have been listening to some of the songs and watching some animatics . . . so maybe? Oh, thanks! Glad you liked it! Huh? What Black Swan meeting? I don't remember any Black Swan . . . meeting . . . Wait . . . DID I GO TO A BLACKSWAN MEETING AND THEY ERASED MY MEMORY? LETO, YOU LITTLE-

Guest: It did take them a very long time, didn't it? Although, when you think about it, to us, it was forty-eight chapters. To them, it was only eight days. So, maybe not that long. I think I'm the one taking so long. But, alas, we're reaching the end. I have no idea when, but we're getting there. Yeah, I hope someone stops Alvar, too. Thanks for reviewing!

sparkly: Nah, you're fine. Nice to know you would wanna be my friend solely based on my writing and author's notes, I suppose. But, if you do want to know a bit more about me, you can read my profile. But here are a few random facts about me: I had a dog when I was six but only kept her for a week because i was allergic and it was the saddest day of my life when she left; I've broken both of my arms before (not at the same time, but still); I like anime. Your turn!

KotLCWoF: I DON'T KNOW I'M STARTING TO QUESTION MYSELF AND MY SUBCONSCIOUS. I hope you like the story, though! Thanks for reviewing!

Yay! Reviews! Love you guys! Um, I don't really feel like having anyone over today for an interview, so I'll just wait till next chapter, CHAPTER FIFTY! So, that being said . . .

ONTO THE NEXT CHAPTER!

Chapter 49

"Alvar, for the last time, NO!" I practically screamed as the dark-haired elf grabbed my wrist, trying to pull me towards the light.

"Would you keep your voice down?" He hissed, yanking his hand away when I wrapped pulsing white energy round my wrist, zapping him. "Why you little-"

"At least-" I interjected, finally giving in. "-let me leave them a note."

He scoffed. "A note. Are you crazy? What are you going to write down? Sorry, Della, but your 'dead' son took me away to join the Neverseen, who I secretly work for. Thanks for the custard bursts. Your precious Flareadon, Ebony? Come on, don't be stupid." I'd already gone to the desk, deactivating the force field hiding my journal as he spoke. I hastily opened it and ripped out a page, scribbling furiously onto it with a silver pencil. My heart ached, doing this, but I knew it was my fault in the first place. I shouldn't have gotten so attached. I knew that I finally needed to leave. To do what I was made to do.

To help save the world.

"Huh," Alvar muttered mindlessly, snatching up the paper after peering over my shoulder. His eyes scanned over it a few times before he grunted his approval. "I suppose it's fine. But don't say anything to the others about it. They'll have a fit," he chuckled. He paused, his expression softening for a moment as he noticed the sadness tinging my own. He offered his hand, the corners of his lips turning up a bit as he said quietly, "Ready to go follow the path to your destiny?"

I inhaled sharply, recognizing the words as they knocked around in my brain. I couldn't help but smile, knowing that I must have really, truly belonged with them.

But, even after taking his hand and stepping into the warm, glittering path of light and being smothered by a million, cuddling kittens, the drop in the pit of my stomach wouldn't be ignored.

"Well?" Dex said expectantly as everyone gathered quietly around Ebony's bedroom door. After several more minutes of discussion, they'd finally settled on taking her in. She could be holding very valuable information.

That thought alone made Dex's stomach ache. He wanted to mutter a curse at his recklessness, but Keefe had already reached towards the doorknob.

"I suppose I can confront her," he said lazily, trying to mask his anger and hurt at the discovered betrayal.

"Oh, no you don't," Ro mumbled, slapping his hand away with her ogre one. "If anything, I'm going in there first."

"Er, I believe you mean that I will be going in first," Sandor announced. "I won't risk having anything happen to Miss Foster." The bodyguards began bickering amongst themselves, Leto adding a few remarks in here and there, about who would go in first, evidently agitating the elves waiting as well.

"Oh, screw it!" Tam grumbled, shoving his way through and swinging open the door, barging in. It was extremely out of character for Tam to act in such away, but it definitely had everyone moving.

But the room was lacking of any life.

"Crap," Fitz muttered.

"She's . . . gone," Della added quietly, turning pale right before everyone's eyes.

"I can't believe it," Biana said, mimicking her mother's complexion. Everyone filed into the room wordlessly, fanning out and looking around with blank expressions.

Well, all except Keefe.

His fists were clenched and shook by his sides, his face twisted with anger.

"Damn it," he spat. "I knew it. I fricken knew it. And yet, I didn't do anything to stop it . . ." He turned slowly to face the brown-eyed elf behind him, guilt flickering over his icy blue eyes. "I'm sorry, Foster. I should've trusted my gut. Having one of them here is the worst thing that I could allow to happen around you. I'm sorry."

"Keefe, you don't need to apologize," she began, blinking out of her confused, frustrated state. Alden interrupted from beside the room's desk.

"I found something," he stated simply, picking up a piece of paper that had everyone drawn to him like bees to honey. "It's . . . a note." Della rushed up beside him and leaned close from behind his arm, her eyes scanning the paper as Alden read it aloud in his crisp, accented voice. "I'm sorry I had to leave so quickly. I very much appreciate everything you've done for me. Thank you for giving me a chance-especially you, Della. You were . . . like a second mother to me. I don't want to break your hearts, so I'll keep it short and sweet. You'll all understand someday. From, Ebony."

Alden's hand shook as he wrapped his other arm around his fragile-hearted wife. She didn't move for several seconds, her pupils seeming to contract as her mind processed what had just been read. Ebony was gone.

No.

She left.

Della turned slowly, sinking into Alden's embrace as his face turned to a rock-hard expression. She cried, shaking against him as Biana's hands balled into fists.

The young Vacker girl trembled, her jaw rigid and her bottom lips quivering. The rest of the younger elves reflected the same emotions, some angrier than others. Linh seemed to calmest, though her jaw was clenched all the same. The female Song twin made her way over to Biana, wrapping her up in a hug as the hot, unwanted tears ran down the Vanisher's face.

"Don't cry," Fitz said quietly, directing it to his mother and sister. "Ebon-she doesn't deserve tears. Don't waste them on someone like her."

"Fitz is right," Tam agreed as Biana pulled away from Linh, hastily wiping her palm against her damp cheeks and sniffing softly. The Shade timidly made his way over to Biana, hesitating a moment before placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "That liar doesn't deserve your tears." He pulled his hand away, shoving it in his pocket as Biana tried to give him a small smile. As the others tried to settle things, he extended his shadow over hers, glad she didn't jump when he whispered, "But I promise I'll get her-and the entire Neverseen back for everything they did to you and your family."

Keefe seemed to be making a similar promise to Sophie while the others were distracted by discussing other matters.

"I don't know how," he said softly, "but I will. Even if . . . even if you don't want anything to do with me right now, I promise I will."

"Finally," Fintan barked as Alvar lead Ebony into a large, dark, one-room building located in some sort of desolated woods. "Took you two long enough."

"Ebony, I apologize for the sudden change of plans," Gisela began as the young girl's sapphire eyes worked their way around the room. It was bare of any furniture and had a steel-like floor. Soft click-click-click sounds were heard as one might walked around, their heels tapping the floor. The ceiling was high up and black, though she could see several tiny, purple crystals scattered about it, giving off some sort of starlight affect.

"Why are you apologizing?" Gethen cut in. "She's the one who ratted out on us."

"Well, can you blame her?" Alvar defended calmly. "She was in a tight spot, and the others were already suspicious. I guess that's what happens when people get paranoid. They suspect anyone-even a cute, innocent girl like you," he finished, ruffling the top of Ebony's head. A low growl escaped Ebony's throat as she flicked his hand away, her eyes darting back to Gisela.

"I'm sorry," she told the woman. "I tried-I really did. But they just kept asking questions. I found out as much as I could, I even . . ." Her voice trailed off as a sharp pang cut threw her skull. Her sapphire orbs glanced at Alvar, who gave her a reassuring nod to tell off the discovery. He himself had no idea who the Collective members were, no matter how many times he asked on the walk there. Ignoring the pounding in her ears, she looked up at the head members cloaked in black and finished, "I even found out who some of the Collective's identities are." Ebony's eyes darted to a corner of the room that was darker than the rest. The usually white energy particles that seemed so eager to cling to any living being were now suddenly turning to a deep, murky purple as they gather around a figure lurking in the dark.

"But before any of you say anything," Ebony continued after shocked silence was delivered, "I need to be able to trust you. I see Gisela, Ruy, Fintan, and Gethen. I've met you all and Alvar before. But I don't appreciate having you-" she shot out her hand towards the dark figure, white energy surging through her veins and erupting from her fingertips, seemingly encasing the hidden Neverseen member. Ebony clenched her fist as the others watched in an unsuspecting manner, retracting her arm and dragging the unknown figure into the dim light.

"Ooh, you found her," Alvar whistled. "But that doesn't necessarily mean you can keep her trapped."

"Who are you?" Ebony snapped, tightening her hold on the woman with her mind and squeezing her through the skin-tight force field. She didn't know why, but everything about this woman-simply her presence-made Ebony want to force herself backwards like a positive magnet to another positive. And at the same time, she wanted to learn as much about her as she could. And fight her. And talk to her. And challenge her ability and see who was stronger.

So Alvar's remark made Ebony want to hold her against her will as long as possible.

"Woah, woah, woah, hold on there, sweetheart," the figure rasped in a soft voice, her back arching and head flipping backward. Ruy had made his way over to Ebony in a hurry.

"I know what your feeling right now," he told her. "But you need to let it go." She glanced up at him, a bit unsure at first.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, blood rushing to her face in a flurry of emotions that she didn't understand. It was a strange sensation-with hints the same emotions she felt whenever she was around Tam, but multiplied by one hundred and manipulated by hatred. So much so, that Ebony had no idea these emotions even existed whenever she had been around Tam. She glared back at the trapped figure, who's body pulsed black energy against her white. Ruy cautiously placed a rough, callused hand over Ebony's balled-up fist, gently lowering it back to her side.

"I'll teach you everything I know," he said, which for some reason calmed her nerves a bit. "But let her go before something goes wrong. You have a lot to learn, Ebony."

The young Psionipathic-Telepath took in a deep, shaky breath. Her fist came undone and the force field seemed to shatter, the dark figure taking in deep breaths and leaning over slightly. Her hood was thrown backwards as she straightened, but her face was covered with shadows. All the energy particles in the room seemed to avoid her aura like the plague now.

"Damn," she muttered, curling and uncurling her fists in front of her, revealing black, claw-like nails that loomed from her fingertips. "This girl's got my attention." She moved closer to Ebony, the shadows scattering from her face and revealing shiny bronze skin and deep blue eyes stiff and delicate as porcelain, accented by long, thick lashes and dark, thin brows. She had jet black hair that fell in short, layered waves around her chin and covered her ears. She was a few inches taller than Ebony and barely looked twenty, but the maturity behind her eyes said otherwise.

She raised a hand to Ebony's chin, the younger girl shuddering as soon as the shadowed claw brushed across her pale skin. The scowl never left Ebony's face.

"I can tell your all you're cracked up to be," the unnamed woman said as everyone watched the encounter. "Impressive." She retracted her hand. "You should feel honored. I never reveal my face to anyone this quickly. But there's something special about you." She chuckled as Ebony glowered. "Looking forward to working with you, Flareadon. You can call me Umber for now."

A/N) Yes I know Umber's dead. And yes I know we never found out what she looked like or her identity, but as soon as I read her character, I just imagined this hot, badass-looking chick with this appearance. I dunno. Excuse my language XD I swear, if I said that in front of my mom she'd slap me. So that's why I didn't. Goodness, I'm such a good daughter.

But, anyway, back to the point: Since we're still catching up with the Flashback canon, I needed to introduce a few things. The next chapter (CHAPTER FIFTY) might sum up a few things and hurry us along with the plot pleasantly. So, ye. We good? Cool.

Alright, sorry I took so long with this chapter. I love you all very much! Please review! I'll try to not take as long with the next chapter, but I ain't makin' any promises.

Also, announcement: Yay! I've started a new fanfic for the anime My Hero Academia! I fricken love that show. Bakugo and Kirishima are like my Keefe and Tam for KotLC. I love them so much! But, anyway, for those of you who watch MHA, you should check it out! It's a BakugoXReader type thing (something I've never ever tried before). If you want to find it, just click on my username at the top of the page and (perhaps after reading my profile, heheh), just scroll down to My Stories and click on Left Out (Katsuki Bakugo X Reader). I mean, if you want to. I dunno, you don't haftoo. *Mumbles incoherently*

Enough. This chapter's over! So, uh,

UNTIL NEXT TIME!