Lost In Time Chapter 9:
"Useless." the man spit out, kicking Marella in the side. She couldn't even cry because it hurt too much to do so. "I told you, tell me where the necklace is!" he yelled, inflicting more pain on them. "WHERE. IS. IT." Keefe thought he was going to die. His insides were twisting and twisting. He couldn't breathe, but he couldn't tell his kidnappers anything. "At least we know what they want," Keefe thought, grimacing through the pain. Fitz was doubled over on his side, throwing up who knew what. "This isn't working," the man said as he stopped inflicting his pain on them. "Bring in the empath."
With those four words, Marella, Fitz, and Keefe looked up. Out walked Vespera, striking terror through their hearts. "Vespera?" Fitz asked, confused. "How did you get here." he said, rolling back over on his knees.
"I've always been here, Fitz. You three are the ones that have trespassed into my time." Marella spat at her, "we trespassed? More like you sent us here!" Vespera put a finger to her lips, pretending to contemplate what Marella had said. "Well, you are still here nonetheless. Now, let's have a little fun, shall we?" Vespera smiled as she walked up to Keefe. "What memory should we bring up? I got it! Grief for the criminal, embarrassment for the knight, and loneliness for the King."
Keefe had to laugh. "And what do you think this will do to us?" Vespera cackled as she stepped back into the dark. "Just wait." She snapped her fingers, and all three fell asleep.
Keefe.. Keefe...
"Keefe! Watch out!" Biana called to him. He dodged yet another attempt from his mother to kill him. "Ugh! Why can't you just stay still?!" Lady Gisela yelled, charging at her son with a shamkiv, which she stole from King Dimitar. Keefe scoffed, "Well you are trying to kill me, so that's another thing I'm trying to avoid." From behind him, Fitz ran up and tossed him a sword. "En garde," he said to Lady Gisela, running up to fight. Behind him, Wylie and Linh were engaged against three trolls, Biana was in a heated battle against Alvar, Sophie and Fitz were fighting Trix and Gethen, and Dex was helping Mr. Forkle take down Vespera. The odds were in their favor, they should have won. Keefe turned back to his mother, and noticed the hatred in her eyes. It didn't sting like it used to, he was used to not feeling loved.
He held his own against his mom, but she was too powerful. Pulling a Passata Soto, She had Keefe on the ground. "Any last words?" Lady Gisela laughed. "I hate you," he spat, trying to wriggle free from his mother's grasp but it was no use. Suddenly the world stopped, just for a moment. The satisfaction in his mother's face was adament. Funny, parent's felt pride in their child when they did something good, but when he was about to be killed, that was when she looked happy.
Time started again, and Keefe heard someone shout his name. Sophie was running to stop Lady Gisela, but she wouldn't get there in time. Just as the tip of the sword hit Keefe's shoulder, an object flew towards Lady Gisela, knocking her down. Keefe looked over, and there was Mr. Forkle, standing tall. "You won't win, Lady Gisela." charging toward her, they fought. Keefe couldn't do anything but watch. Mr. Forkle was winning, and has his sword at Lady Gisela's neck when a throwing star came out of nowhere. "NO!" He screamed as it hit Mr. Forkle's shoulder. He hesitated for a moment, and that was all that his mom needed. She grabbed her shamkiv, and stabbed Mr. Forkle. Keefe could only hear his heart pounding, forcing himself up, even if his shoulder was in searing pain. Sophie ran to Mr. Forkle, pulling him away from Lady Gisela. The rest of the group took that adrenaline and fought harder against their own opponents, but Keefe and Sophie were in shock. "You lose, you lose!" Lady Gisela cackled, bring up her shamkiv to stab the heartbroken Sophie. But Keefe grabbed his sword just in time and sliced her hands.
"Keefe, don't let the darkness overtake you." Sophie whispered as she clutched Mr. Forkle's head. But it was too late. His mother was screaming in pain, but he didn't care. He backed her up to the edge of a cliff. "We will not lose." he said, not looking at her. Something deep and powerful was stirring inside him, something dangerous. "Keefe, Keefe look at me! Look at your mother!" Lady Gisela yelled, grabbing his face. "You wouldn't kill me, would you?" If Keefe was in his right mind, he might have stopped and thought about what he was about to do, but something was different. But his eyes fell on Mr. Forkle, the only adult that ever believed in him besides Alden. Mr. Forkle, his own father figure, was lying in the grass with blood spilling everywhere.
"Please Keefe, I love you, I'm sorry." Lady Gisela whispered as Keefe turned to face her. Tears fell out of his eyes as he looked at his mom. Her eyes weren't full of love, they were full of fear.
"Mom," Keefe whispered, sobbing as he hugged her.
The last thing Keefe felt before he drove a dagger through his mom was Sophie's pain and sadness. Lady Gisela stood in shock as Keefe then pushed her off the cliff. Behind him, he could faintly hear Vespera scream in anger. Alvar created a light path, and the Neverseen escaped, except for Gethen, Lady Gisela, and two trolls. Sophie walked up to Keefe with Forkle's necklace in her hands. She hugged him as the tears spilled out. Even though he hated his mother, he still regretted killing her. He could have brought her back.
Keefe was on the floor, bawling. He was reliving that memory over and over again. Marella, on the other hand, was thrashing in anger, yelling "It isn't my fault!" over and over again. Fitz was sitting still, but tears were streaming down his face. Each were living in their own hell, and Vespera just watched, cackling.
Author's Note: We've seen Keefe's story, but what about Marella and Fitz? :o