The Burning Light with Shadows (A SOTAM Fan Fiction)

Wonder (Sophie's PoV)

"Another message?" I asked. Then Marella and Dex came storming into the Healing Center behind Fitz. Fitz nodded. "It was on the kitchen table."

I widened my eyes in surprise. "Inside?" Dex bobbed his head up and down. "I looked for any signs that they had been inside, but there was nothing."

"Did you open it yet?" Tam asked. Fitz shook his head. Tam gave him a look that said, well, open it now! Fitz obliged, taking off the cap and unfurling the scroll. He read the message out loud, Marella and Dex reading over his shoulder.

"Dear Elves,

"I'm sorry I was unable to help this time. Truly, I am. The Neverseen attacked so rapidly I didn't get the chance to react.

"But I can inform you about the shadowy substance the Neverseen used at Sophie's winnowing gala.

"It is a mix between shadowflux, soporidine, a type of nightshade, and a special species of ivy. I haven't had the chance to try to create an antidote, but I can give you three of the ingredients to experiment with. However, the shadowflux will have to be acquired by a shade. I would assume Tam Song will accomplish this. I will leave the ingredients in the cave near Havenfield.

"The substance that the Neverseen created is a type of mind control potion. It makes it so that those affected will want to carry out the Neverseen's orders, specifically, Umber's. That's all I can explain for now. I will try to investigate more about it.

"We'll meet again."

"What is that supposed to mean?!" Tam demanded. His cot was only a couple feet away from mine, so I touched his hand, holding it lightly. "I think that means we'll meet them in the near future. M- maybe they'll actually help this time."

His expression softened. I stared into his misty silver-blue eyes. "Enough with the Tamphie moment! Who's going to the ingredients?" Marella interrupted. I flushed. I saw a hint of red on Tam's face as well.

Dex stepped back with a worried look, waving his hands away from him. "Uh, definitely not me. That place gives me way too many nightmares." Marella and Fitz looked at each other. "I guess we're going," Fitz sighed. I peeked my head up. "Doesn't Tam need to get the shadowflux though?"

Tam groaned. "Ugh, not again." He leaned back into his pillow. "Like I said before. That stuff just feels way too creepy to be controlled. And second, remember the last time I tried controlling it?" I had a flashback to the incident with Wylie. "Come on, Tammy. This time, you're just getting normal shadowflux," Linh pleaded. She gave him a sad baby puppy expression. "Is there such thing as normal when it comes to shadowflux?" Tam grumbled. "But alright. Fine."

"But not yet," Elwin added, implying the fact that everyone had forgotten he was in the room. "Both Sophie and Tam need a couple days to recover. Perhaps the day after tomorrow night?"

"I guess," Dex said. He eyed Fitz and Marella. "You two going to get the ingredients or what?" Both of them coughed and briskly left the Healing Center.

"Why'd you kick them out like that?" I asked Dex. Linh looked a bit disappointed. Dex flinched. "I just... I wanted to talk to you guys about something. Specifically you and Tam and Linh." He looked to Elwin. "Elwin can listen, I guess." Elwin frowned, rolling his eyes.

"I've been having these... dreams. I see images of a large pine tree, and pictures of cabins. And different monsters. Like one looks like a giant lizard with multiple heads, and there was an animal like Silveny, except without the horn and a darker color," he explained. "But sometimes you show up, Sophie. You're throwing a dagger at a Neverseen member. And then I see Tam and Linh consumed by shadows. An- and..." he looked frightened to near-tears. Everyone in the room looked disturbed.

"Consumed by shadows?" Linh asked quietly, voice quivering. She held Tam's left hand, while I held his right. I almost inwardly laughed. It was as if he were our anchor to keep us in touch with reality. Which... he probably was at that point.

"It's like... there was a wave of shadows that just covered you like... a blanket?" Dex tried. "And then I saw our... ally. And next to her was a boy wearing all black clothes, walking toward a field at sunset. All I could get was that the boy had black hair. I couldn't see much about our ally." I raised an eyebrow. "And how do we know this boy isn't Tam?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood. Tam scowled at me. Dex shook his head. "No. This boy's hair was longer, and from the way he walked, he looked almost... sad? Depressed?" This time, Tam raised an eyebrow. "How do you tell someone's emotions from how they walk?" he asked. Dex shrugged. "I mean... it just kind of felt like that."

"And how do we know those aren't just dreams?" Elwin pointed out, making us all jump. "Forget I was here?" he asked, sighing. Dex shivered slightly. "They just felt... really real."

I shrugged. "Unless seeing the future or something is an Elvin ability, they're probably just dreams," I said hopefully. Elwin held up a hot pink elixir. "Do you want to take-" he started, but Dex widened his eyes, quickly said no, and bolted out of the Healing Center.

"That just happened..." Linh said softly, watching him leave. Elwin cleared his throat. "Well, now that that's done with, you two have to go through your daily round of elixirs." I groaned. Tam looked just as grumpy about it.

Linh got a call on her imparter and quickly departed.

Elwin placed a tray on each of our laps. Then he left, going into his office. I glared at the bottles. "Are you trying to make them disappear with your eyes?" Tam joked. I turned my glare on him, and he widened his eyes, acting fearful.

He only had two, so he quickly downed them in two gulps. He gagged from the taste. Me, on the other hand, had five, and one hand immobile. "You want me to open them?" he offered. I nodded enthusiastically. "Yes please!" I begged. He smirked, opening them. I swallowed them hesitantly, the taste bitter on my tongue.

"You got some on your face," he noted, brushing his finger on the corner of my mouth. I could feel my cheeks turn warm. That was probably the closest we'd ever been. His face turned tomato red as well.

"S- sorry. I probably shouldn't have-" he apologized, but I shook my head. "I- it's fine," I assured him. Elwin popped his head out of his office. "It's nighttime. Turning off the lights!" he said, and the lights flickered off.

I leaned back into my pillow, sighing. Before, the dark had seemed so... terrifying. Now, it felt comforting, knowing that someone was nearby. For the first time in a long time, I closed my eyes, welcoming the darkness as it surrounded my mind.