after unlocked: a sokeefe fanfic

Chapter 49-Keefe

Keefe hated how small and weak she felt.

He hated that Sophie Foster, the bravest, strongest person he knew, was lying limply in his arms—barely breathing.

He hated that he couldn't keep her awake, that he couldn't get to her in time, that he couldn't help her somehow.

He hadn't gone for his mom. He'd followed the little voice in his head (not Sophie's, though that had helped too) that had been fueling him, and had managed to get to the entrance in a matter of minutes—mostly by cutting through formations and the several ditches.

He'd found her in the spot where he'd left her. And somehow, before she'd gotten hit over the head, she had taken out three other ogres with a single dagger.

Though, it was strange that there weren't any wounds or bruises on their bodies. They all wore the same expressions though—fear.

Keefe strode towards the door, trying not to trip over the bodies.

Sophie's eyes had closed, and were fluttering gently every so often. Her skin was pale and waxy, her body trembling.

"Just a little further, Foster," he whispered. She stirred, her eyes fluttering open and meeting his. She smiled weakly, and let them shut again.

Minutes and minutes and minutes that felt like hours and days and years. Finally they made it towards the light, and Keefe almost smiled at the sight of actual sunlight.

By taking Gisela's route, they'd somehow emerged from a clump of rocks directly to the left of where they'd landed earlier that week when they'd light leaped to Arcadia on accident.

Keefe gently put her down, and searched for their pile of clothing they'd discarded. He made a triumphant noise when he found his cloak, and fished a pathfinder out of the pockets of his tunic. He didn't know if Sophie could manage lightleaping, but she definitely wasn't strong enough to teleport.

He cursed under his breath as he fumbled with the different facets.

Sophie's soft voice drew his attention back to her. She pointed wordlessly behind him, eyes frantic.

He wheeled around and saw the ogres. There were at least twenty. In front of them, Orangey and the Creepo Empath.

There were more standing behind them.

"Send me a breeze," Sophie hissed, her teeth clenched. Her face was tight with pain, but Keefe tried to ignore the ache in him that she was probably making it worse.

They'd get it Elwin in time.

They had to.

They stood back to back as she hurled thowing stars at them (where the heck had she found those?) and Keefe yelled at the ogres to attack each other. He couldn't focus on enough at a time, and Vespera and Co. had disappeared in the fray.

Hopefully, the former would get caught between a sword or two.

Sophie turned so that they were shoulder to shoulder. "When I say run, run."

Keefe made two ogres knock each other out. One fell on his sword. He winced. Then he turned half his concentration to Sophie. "What?"

"Run!" She grabbed his hand and sprinted towards the ogres. They stepped back, apparently not expecting two teenagers to charge them. Keefe felt his body shift and suddenly they were past the ogres. They ran towards the far off cliffs, phasing again. Then they were freefalling, hurtling towards the jagged rocks below. Sophie ripped open the void and then...

Darkness. They were drifting through a timeless space. The only heat was Sophie's hand in his.

"Foster?" She didn't answer. "Sophie!" He felt her move slightly.