A/N)
*Sobs are heard throughout the room as a sleek, black casket is carried by Fitz, Keefe, Tam, and Dex, who are all dressed in green. Sophie, Biana, and Linh follow behind them with the adults and the Black Swan. The Neverseen are also there, surprisingly, and everyone is dressed nicely in green.*
Keefe: I think she would've wanted a normal funeral before the planting.
*The boys place the casket down gently onto a velvet stand surrounded by white and blue teteleses (wow do you guys even remember those?)*
Dex: *sniffs* she didn't deserve to go so soon . . .
Tam: *quietly* No one ever does.
Fitz: *wraps Sophie up in a hug* I'm gonna miss her pies
Biana: *crying* She was one of my best friends . . . so beautiful.
Linh: She did so much for us.
Della: I loved her like she was my own.
Alden: She was indeed a-
*Casket rattles*
Alden: *freezes and stares at casket, which has stopped rattling* Uhm . . . she was-
*Casket rattles*
Alden: -was indeed a-
*Casket lid flies open and I sit up, wide eyed and panting for breath*
Me: WOAH WOAH WOAH WHAT'S WITH ALL THIS PAST TENSE?
*Everyone screams*
Fintan: WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH THIS WOMAN
Gisela: WE'RE LEAVING BEFORE ANYTHING HAPPENS
*The Neverseen leaves before they get caught up in the mess*
*Everyone else is frozen, just staring as I hop out of the casket*
Me: Ew, who put me in this giant skirt? *fluffs out the red poofs* This is so much fluff. *nearly trips over heels* AND WHO PUT THESE DEATH TRAPS ONTO MY FEET? How about . . . *snaps fingers and my clothes change into a simple tunic and leggings, with knee-high boots* ah *slumps in comfort* much better
Keefe: *snaps out of it, realizing I'm alive* DECI *lunges and pounces on me, squeezing the life out of me* DECI WE MISSED YOU SO MUCH DON'T EVER DO THAT TO US AGAIN
*Tam and Dex join in the hug cuz they love me too*
Dex: *sobbing* DECIIIIIII
Tam: *trying not to cry but is crying anyway* I'VE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY TO SEE THE GIRL WHO KEEPS ABUSING ME IN HER STORY IN MY ENTIRE LIFE
Me: Guys, as much as I appreciate the love, I need to breathe
*No one cares and everyone else hugs me anyway*
*After lots of hugging and crying and me laughing my eyes out cuz everyone was so worried when in reality school and life has just been burning me out*
Me: I can't believe you guys thought I was dead.
Keefe: I mean, your readers have been harrassing us, so we had to give them closure. And ourselves too. *looks away and sniffs*
Me: *is touched by their concern* Aw, you guys . . .
Dex: *hasn't let go of my arm ever since I came out of the casket* Deci, please stop almost dying.
Me: No promises, buddy *ruffles his hair* But you know what I can do? Answer reviews!
keefsterforever122.x: Hey! Thanks for your reviews! Fintan made a little comment earlier, but I'll bring him in for a real interview soon! If I haven't already done so . . . to be honest, I can't remember haha.
Sinistersmirk1: Oh my lord, thank you so much! I'm so glad that the work doesn't go unnoticed! I appreciate those compliments so much! I'm glad you're enjoying the story!
Guest: Hey you! I know. Thanks XD
Yasss queen: I KNOW RIGHT AAAAH!
DragonMoon88: Hey there! I know, I hate cliffhangers...but I love writing them! AND NO I HAVE NOT FINISHED LEGACY I KNOW I'M A DISGRACE BUT NO SPOILERS PLEASE I'M TRYING.
Guest: Oh wow! All 54 in one day! That's such a huge compliment you have no idea!
Guest: Hey you! Hope you guys are doing well! It'd definitely be a late Christmas present, but . . . I'll see what I can do. *winks* Muy bien! Hasta luego!
Sleyire: Or else...nothing. Ahaha, thanks! Here's the next chapter!
Sparkly14: Hey! Thank you so much! I actually don't use social media so sorry about that. Love you too! Until the next review!
Guest: Honestly, I don't mind the spam. Thanks for showing me how much you like it with all the "PLZZZZZZZZZZ UPDATES!" Here's the next chapter! I've updated!
Me: ALSO HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS WE'VE REACHED 32,000 SOMETHING VIEWS 200 PLUS REVIEWS AND 40 FOLLOWS AND FAVES I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!
Fitz: She's so loud . . .
Sophie: Oh be quiet. She just came back from the dead, give her a break
Me: All right, I think that's enough talking for now! Everyone, say it with me!
Everyone: ONTO THE NEXT CHAPTER!
Chapter 55
"Do they always take this long to discuss things?" I groaned, looking up at the cloudy sky. I was still sitting with Umber and Alvar, waiting for the Neverseen leaders to come out and tell me my plan was brilliant and that they underestimated me.
"Well, depends," Umber told me. "What exactly were you guys talking about it there?"
I gave her side eye. For the past hour, she and Alvar had been pestering me about what the meeting was about-well, if it could even be referred to as a meeting.
"Nothing, Umber. At least, nothing for now."
…
The silence was dead.
The room, cold and dark.
In any other situation, a group of people stuck in a room that went dark all of sudden would start screaming their heads off.
But this group couldn't. The air was cut off from their throats, their vision ripped from their eyes. A suffocating heaviness rested on each chest. No one knew what was happening.
Inner turmoil arose in Sophie's mind as she began panicking. Her shadow-touched hand was in a pain so gruesome that she wanted to rip it off. Pins and needles poked at every nerve, her knuckles felt like they were cracking and popping all over again. She wanted to scream, but nothing came out of her mouth. It was as if she was trapped in a nightmare. And lately, every one of her nightmares starred the same group.
The Neverseen.
Were they behind this?
Was this their final ambush-the same one the Black Swan had just been discussing?
Was Ebony here? Her arch-nemesis-to-be? The Flareadon?
Sophie felt her mind shutting down. The panic was too much for her to handle. She couldn't breathe. Couldn't see. Couldn't move.
She could only hope the others were okay.
...
Was this the true power of shadowflux when it got out of control?
Tam's body felt overwhelmed with darkness. A sludgy, smothering darkness that seemed to absorb his ever thought and breath. Sharp pains shot through his head. He felt cold. Alone.
For some reason, he couldn't even seem to think for himself. It was as if the shadowflux was controlling him instead. Thoughts of his sister came into his mind.
Linh.
Keep her safe.
Is she okay? Where is she? Why isn't she with me?
I need to protect her. No matter what.
Was the shadowflux trying to tell him something? Tam didn't understand, but he couldn't try to comprehend for much longer. He was slipping away. Slowly . . . slowly . . .slipping away into the darkness . . .
NO.
Don't fall subject to it.
Embrace it.
Embrace us.
We know you as a capable master, but you must accept that first. We only try to help.
Don't let us swallow you whole. Grab onto us and embrace the darkness.
…
What was this pain? It was so heavy . . . like a mastodon was sitting on his chest. If that was the case, then someone must have attached a million daggers to its rear end.
Fitz's heart felt like it was being crushed and stabbed in a million different places. His lungs were limited. His tongue felt glued to the roof of his mouth. He could hardly breathe, hardly think.
He hadn't felt a pain this sharp since the last Neverseen attack.
If they were here . . . then that means . . .
Sophie was in trouble. They came after her. No one was safe. They had finally come out with their next attack-and Sophie was in the middle of it all.
You need to protect her. She needs you.
No . . . you need her.
An image flashed in Fitz's mind before getting swallowed by the darkness. Her smile. It was the only light he had left.
He couldn't let anything happen to that smile.
But what could he possibly do now? He couldn't see or hear anything. All he could feel was immense pain and vulnerability. He was helpless. Helpless when Sophie needed him most.
…
An overwhelming flood of emotions had knocked him down. An overwhelming flood of emotions was keeping him down.
Never in his entire like had Keefe ever felt anything so strong from someone else. His head was having the migraine of the century, practically pulsing and overflowing with pain and confusion. It blocked out his thoughts. Shut down his breath. Clouded his eyes with darkness.
He had never felt so terrified in his entire life. And if he was this scared, he knew that it wasn't solely his own emotion.
Foster's in trouble. But where is she?
Where's everyone else?
Was this . . . oh no.
The final attack before their demise. How the Black Swan be stupid enough to believe they could stand up against his mother? With her twisted, evil mind, how could he have believed it? She had finally taken everyone away from him. She had left him utterly alone in his cold, dark mind with pain as his only companion. It was a fear Keefe had always thought he would be prepared to face. But now that it was happening, he couldn't have been more terrified.
He had to find Sophie. With her, he felt safe. And he knew how to make her feel safe too.
He needed her more than anything. She was his lifeline. And now, he might never get her back.
…
A bright, shimmering light filled with the colors of the spectrum suddenly filled the air with a blast. It started off as a small sphere, the size of a marble. But its growth came on so fast it couldn't be seen with the elvin eye. But with the light came redemption. The heaviness was cleared from the air, along with the darkness. The pain began to subside, and oxygen flooded everyone's lungs, feeling as sweet as cold lushberry juice on a blistering summer day. Everyone's gasps for breath filled the room, and soon each elf, ogre, goblin, and troll could see each other.
Keefe was the first to recover, his eyes carefully fluttering open and adjusting to the scene. As he sat up, his head spun. He paid no attention to Ro's mutters on how if he had died on her, she would've brought him back just so she could kill him again out of disappointment. All he could focus on was the beautiful brown eyes flitting open and dancing around the room, going from person to person as they adjusted to the scene as well. He felt his heart break a little as Sophie embraced Fitz tighter than he'd ever seen-and would probably ever feel-as he woke up from his own daze. Shouts of confusion and relief filled the room as parents and friends went to hug, kiss, and hold each other as they spoke of what the heck just happened. But a sudden cry brought everyone back to the present.
"TAM IS STILL OUT!"
It was the agonizing cry of his twin sister, Linh. She knelt beside him, caressing his head and brushing his bangs carefully off his forehead. She looked up desperately at Elwin and Physic.
"Help him. Please. I . . . I don't know what's wrong-" Her voice cracked with a sob. Wylie crouched beside her, wrapping a reassuring arm around her shoulders and Elwin and Physic began to analyze the issue.
"He'll be okay. I just know it," Wylie told Linh.
"How do you know?"
"Because . . . I felt it." Elwin and Physic stopped working to look at him for a moment as the room went silent.
"What are you talking about?" Mr. Forkle, who still seemed out of breath from the whole ordeal, asked.
"The light that just flashed in the room," Wylie started, "I made that. But before you say anything, you all need to know-I'd been trying to break through the darkness ever since it came over us."
"Wait a minute," Dex cut in. "How long, were we in there." He rubbed the base of his neck, taking in a deep breath.
"Wasn't it only a few minutes?" Biana commented quietly from beside Keefe.
"No," Alden's familiarly accented voice jumped in. Sweat trickled down his brow as he held his wife and son. "It's been an hour."
"We were stuck in that-that coma for an hour?' Grady asked in disbelief.
Alden nodded grimmly, double-checking the clock on the wall and then his watch.
"But what I'm trying to say," Wylie continued, getting back to the original topic, "is that the only reason I was able to break through the darkness"-He looked directly at Linh, his gaze softening as he looked into her watery eye-"was because Tam took control of the shadowflux and weakened it. Just enough for me to get rid of it."
"We were trapped in shadowflux?" Sophie's voice, now raspy and dry, cut through the following silence. She shuddered when he nodded. Before anyone could say anything more, a sudden gasp for breath was heard.
All eyes turned towards Tam as he sat up, his eyes wider than they'd ever been, his skin as white a ghost, confusion written all over his face.
"What's going on?" He asked, breathless. "Where-where am I? Where's Linh? Linh?"
"Tam, I-I'm right here-"
"LINH! Oh, thank goodness you're okay!" He cried, enough emotion in his voice to make a stranger's eyes water. He grabbed her and held her against him, cradling her against his chest and rocking her back and forth as he . . . sobbed into her neck. Linh began crying as well. It was some sort of emotional connection only they understood, and all the others could do was watch.
Edaline brushed Sophie's blonde locked back, looking at her carefully before asking, "What happened?"
Sophie shook her head, one of her hands in Fitz's and the other in Grady's. "I . . . I don't know. I thought it was the Neverseen. I thought . . . we were done for."
The following silence only confirmed that everyone had been thinking the same thing. But it was broken by a surprisingly quiet statement.
"I have a theory."
A/N)
Keefe: Deci, you really need to stop leaving your readers with these cliff-hangers
Me: It's called stalling-I mean, uh . . . Yeah so I get that this chapter didn't accomplish much in the story, but I needed to give you guys SOMETHING. And I promise (this time actually promising) that I will update with another chapter MUCH sooner than before. Cuz I actually have time coming up, and I actually have an idea on what's going on again teheh.
*meanwhile we're all at Everglen having a party to celebrate my "resurrection"*
Sophie: *mouth full of mallowmelt* Are you sure you can keep this promise?
Me: Pfft. Duh. *looks around awkwardly trying to think of a subject change when BAM the lights go out*
Dex: HEY WHAT'S GOING ON?
Me: *sighs Keefe, you didn't have anything to do with this, did you? *waits for his answer but only receives silence* Keefe? Keeeefe? Ugh, I don't have a good feeling about this.
*lights come back on, revealing an entirely different setting than Everglen. The only ones in the room are me and the rest of the KotLC gang, excluding Keefe and including the bodyguards. In front of us is a stage covered in lights. Music starts playing*
Me: *groans* KEEFE I DIDN'T SHOW YOU "TREAT YOU BETTER" BY SHAWN MENDES SO YOU COULD SERENADE SOPHIE! *looks at you* Or did I? *Chuckles evilly*
Sophie: Wait, so he could do what now?!
Fitz: *grumbles* I would also like to know this information
Biana and Linh: *grinning like idiots* Oooooooh this'll be fun
Tam: I didn't come here for complicated romance.
Dex: *sighs* none of us did.
Wylie: Why am I here?
*no one can say anything more because Keefe has finally walked out onto the stage-a fancy elvin mic on his face so his hands are free-and started singing. And he's actually really good at it. Well, what AREN'T elves good at-aside from keeping secrets and flexing their sparkles waaay too much*
Keefe: *looks directly at Sophie as the room lights dim and a spotlight (which is being controlled by a very enthusiastic Ro) shines on Sophie* I won't lie to you. I know he's just not right for you.
Me: Oh, he means Fitz, by the way.
Literally everyone in the entire world: We know.
Sophie: *blushes intensely*
Keefe: *continues* And you can tell me if I'm off
Fitz: *shouts* YOU'RE EXTREMELY OFF
Keefe: *makes a face at Fitz before turning back to Sophie* But I see it in your face when you say he's the one that you want
Fitz: *looks at Sophie* Wait . . . you want me?
Me: *bursts out laughing* BRUH THAT SOUNDED SO BAD PFFTHAHAHAHAHA
Fitz: *glares daggers at me as Dex and Tam join in the laughter*
Keefe: *starts walking off the stage towards Sophie* And you're spending all your time in this wrong situation-
Me: He's referring to the love triangle, by the way
Everyone: WE KNOW.
Me: *puts hands up in mock surrender* okay, geez, I was just saying
Keefe: *stops in front of Sophie and gives her his signature smirk* And anytime you want it to stop . . .
Me: OHP HERE WE GO
Keefe: I know I can treat you better *glares quickly at Fitz* than he can. *grabs Sophie's hand and spins her around a bit* And any girl like you deserves a *bows and kisses her hand* gentleman *winks*
Sophie: *is practically dying inside as she giggles quietly*
Me: *chuckles and looks away awkwardly, then noticing Fitz going backstage with Grizel* Wait . . . oh crap.
Keefe: *pulls Sophie closer* Tell me, why are we wasting time on all your wasted crying, when you could be with me instead? *leans down close enough for Sophie to stop breathing, and then he suddenly pulls away with a sly smile* I know I can treat you better *cups her chin so she can look up at him* Better than he can-
Fitz: *walks out onto the stage. He also has a mic and starts singing, which he is also really good at* I'll stop time for you
*Everyone starts oooh-ing and knows its about to go down*
Keefe: *turns to look at me faster than the speed of light* YOU SHOWED HIM THE SONG?
Me: LISTEN HE WAS CURIOUS ABOUT HUMAN STUFF TOO OKAY?
Fitz: *looks at Sophie, who had backed away from Keefe* The second you say you'd like me to. *starts walking towards her* I just wanna give you the loving that you're missing
Baby, just to wake up with you-
Me: wOAH WOAH WOAH THERE, BUDDY, THERE ARE CHILDREN HERE *covers Dex's ears* CHILL BRUH
Dex: Seriously, Deci
Me: Hush, baby, Deci will protect your innocence *pulls him against me* no one will take it.
Fitz: *takes Sophie's hand and gives her his perfect smile* Would be everything I need and this could be so different
Me: Oh, he's talking about-
Everyone: WE KNOW
Me: *blinks* okay then.
Fitz: *pulls Sophie close against his chest and winks* tell me what you wanna do
Keefe: *is seething*
Sophie: *her face couldn't get any redder*
Fitz: Cuz I know I can treat you better
*Keefe is about to interrupt but Ro holds him back*
Ro: Hold on there, Lord Hunkyhair, let's let that fire sit a bit before letting it out. Things are about to get hot up in here
*Meanwhile Fitz is finishing the chorus, dancing around with Sophie, who's a melting, flustered, adorable mess*
Me: *shaking my head* This girl gets way too much attention
Biana and Linh: Agreed.
Fitz: I know I can treat you better *let's go of Sophie's hand* Better than he can
*During the instrumental Sophie backs off and Keefe and Fitz have a stare down*
Keefe: Better than he can *walks over to Sophie and looks deeply into her eyes* Give me a sign, take my hand, you'll be fine *takes her hand (duh)* Promise I won't let you down . . .
Fitz: *cuts in* Just know that you don't have to do this alone *takes Sophie's other hand* Promise I'll never let you down *glares at Keefe*
Me: *face immediately falls* Wait . . . he just hit Keefe in his weakest spot. The Neverseen . . . he's referring to the Neverseen betrayal . . .
Everyone: *sadly* We know . . .
Me: How could you stoop so low, Fitz?
Keefe: *only let's the thought boost his confidence, determined to get Sophie as his own* I know I can treat you better than he can *pulls her away from Fitz, brushing some of her hair behind her ear and cupping her face* And any girl like you deserves a gentleman.
Fitz: *changes up the lines a bit to hit harder, causing Sophie to turn and look at Fitz* But with him you're always wasting time on all your wasted crying, when you could be with me instead.
Keefe: *immense guilt is trying to take over him*
Me: *under my breath so no one can hear* Just breathe.
Keefe: *takes in a breath* But I know I can treat you better *looks directly at Sophie* Better than he can.
*Music begins dropping*
Fitz: *glares at Keefe* Better than he can
Keefe: *doesn't take his eyes off Sophie* *quietly, taking her hand in his and standing there as if they're the only two people in the world* Better than he can.
*music stops. Everyone stares in silence.*
*Fitz is about to say something but I snap my fingers, causing everything to freeze*
Me: *to you* So that was fun! Like, genuinely I loved writing that! To the Guest who requested that, I hope you enjoyed! I know it was long, but it was so so fun, I absolutely loved it! Yes, I did freeze everyone, which means we'll have to continue this in the next chapter. *snaps fingers to unfreeze Tam and Dex*
Dex: Woah, what just happened?
Tam: Did you just freeze us?!
Me: Hush, no questions. I just need you guys to say the closing line with me. What do we say, boys?
Me, Tam, and Dex: UNTIL NEXT TIME!
Me: Which will, hopefully, be very soon.
(Side note: Hey guys! Serious Deci here. I just wanted to remind you all that I actually have not finished reading Legacy so please leave comments and reviews spoiler-free. Also, please forgive me if there are any typos in this chapter. I got lazy and didn't proof read it. Thank you! Lots of Love! ~Deci)