CASTAWAY 'ˎ˗ kotlc

~SEVENTEEN~

"Try this," Tam suggested, pouring a juicy serum down her throat. "Elwin suggested this medicine."
Sophie's ability burns had been slowly getting better, but they weren't completely gone. And Forkle had informed them that there was a large Neverseen hideout that needed to be infiltrated ASAP. Fitz had already volunteered to go on the mission.

Sophie wanted to go. She didn't care if she was still hurt. She just didn't want to hurt anyone else like she hurt Keefe.

Suddenly, Sophie felt a sizzling in her throat, and her brain tingled and hummed with energy. A vein in her wrist began to pulse uncontrollably, to the point where Sophie thought it was about to pop out of her skin.

"Ack!" Sophie screeched, the pain consuming her and then quieting down just as quick as it had started.

"Sophie," Tam grinned, setting his finger on her pulsing wrist, "I think that we just found your access point."

"Wait, really?" Sophie sat upright in her bed, a smile spreading across her face.

"Hold on, I'm going to call Elwin." Tam stepped out of the room, grinning widely.

Suddenly, a flash of black circled the room and pulsated with an eerie glow before it exploded into a cloud of luminant smoke to reveal a girl with dark hair and green eyes.

"Sophie Foster. You think you could escape from us, huh?" The girl whispered into her ear.

"Who are you?" Sophie jumped back, trying to use her inflicting, but it backfired and nailed herself in the head, sending her into a full on body thrash accompanied by some intense screaming. Tam pounded against the door.

"SOPHIE! ARE YOU OKAY? LET ME IN!" The girl opened the door slowly and whispered to Tam.

Tam's eyes turned a sickening purple and he approached Sophie, a look of evil in his purple eyes. He grabbed her wrists and yanked her towards him, pinning her into an uncomfortable position while binding her wrists with twine.

"You don't remember me, do you?" the girl rasped. "Well let me refresh your memory. She extended her hand, twisting her fingers oddly before she yelled an incantation, and a purple beam shot out of her hand.

Sophie squeezed her eyes closed, hoping for the best, when she heard an agonized scream. Her eyes shot open and she caught a glimpse of the beam hitting Keefe in the head as he lunged in front of Sophie. And then he vanished.

"NOO!" Sophie screamed, collapsing on the ground.

"Oh, don't be such a crybaby. It's me, Magnififc? Your old bestie, don't you remember me?" Magnific cackled. "Your friend isn't gone, he's just, in a different place."

Magnific linked her arm through Tam's and pulled out a bizarre looking leaping crystal, creating a beam of light and stepping through, taking Tam with her.

"NOOO!" Sophie yelled at the top of her lungs, falling on her face and sobbing. She was overcome with despair.

"Sophie? What's going on?" a perfectly accented voice called out from behind her. Sophie lunged towards Fitz, grasping his jacket like if she let go she would die. She sobbed into his shoulder, for once not caring if she got snot on his fancy shirt.

She heard hushed voices coming from the doorway and spotted Linh, Biana, and Elwin standing there.

"Keefe...Tam...gone..." she whispered.

"What?" Fitz questioned, sounding shocked.

"Magnific..." she uttered. "Neverseen."

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The next morning was different. Elwin finally let Sophie get out of bed and walk around, after weeks of lying there like she was a paralyzed person. 

Elwin had successfully reset her abilities, so the burns were no longer effective, but if triggered correctly, they could come back at any time. But that was the least of Sophie's focus. Why did Tam willingly go with Magnific, the Neverseen's horrible...

"She was a mesmer," Sophie stuttered.

"Yes, she was. The same one that took you, right?" Linh asked her while sipping a cup of chamomile tea.

"She said something to Tam, and then his eyes went all purple and he followed her through the beam of light. She mesmerized him." Sophie concluded.

"But that still doesn't explain Keefe." Biana sighed.

"I think I can help with that." Wylie spoke from the corner of the room.

"Wylie!" Linh jumped up and embraced him in a hug.

"Okay, how can you help?" Biana asked Wylie.

"I've been researching the abilities lately, and I just talked to Elwin about the situation. The way you described the powers used in this event doesn't match any ability. At least, any known ability." Wylie explained.

"What do you mean, you think this is a new ability?" Sophie pondered aloud. It was the only possibility. It had to be true.

"I think it's something we should definitely put into consideration." Wylie responded.

"Did Magnific give you any clues as to where they were going?" Linh asked Sophie.

"She said, 'he's in a different place.' I don't possibly see how that could be a clue.

"Wait, what was the name of that Neverseen research vessel that was abandoned a few years back? Diversum, I think." 

"Wait a sec, isn't that different in latin?" Linh gasped.

"It has to be a trap. There's no way she would hint off the location of her captives on purpose. It just doesn't make sense."

"I agree." Wylie stated.

"We have to at least check it out. Their could be a clue there." Biana suggested.

"Yes. That's a good idea. But we have to do it ASAP in case they evacuate. And we have to be careful so we don't lose... anyone else." Linh said.

Then it was settled. They would set out to find the Diversum the next day.