CASTAWAY 'ˎ˗ kotlc

~EIGHTEEN~

Sophie awoke that morning with a fresh sense of life. In the moment, a blissful sensation overcame her and she almost forgot that Tam and Keefe had been taken. ALMOST.

"Oh gosh," she spat out, rolling out of bed in a spastic manner and scrambling to get dressed. She threw on a plain brown tunic and some leggings, tossing her hair in a messy bun before she tripped her way down the stairs.

Elwin, Fitz, Biana, Dex, Sandor, Forkle, Bo, Stina, all twelve Councillors, and her parents were waiting for her.

"About time," Stina scoffed. 

"Miss Foster, we need to get going. We've located a potential spot for Diversum," Forkle informed her. 

"Okay." Sophie replied. Forkle led the group out the door, and after everyone filed out, Fitz pulled Sophie aside. "Is everything okay?"

"Sophie, I know this is hard. But we will find Keefe and Tam. Everything will be ok." Sophie nodded, feeling tears prick at her eyes. Fitz embraced her.

When she heard footsteps through the door, she half expected to hear Keefe make some snarky Fitzphie remark, but then she realized he was gone. Keefe was gone.

"Come on, slowpokes," Biana called out to them from her position leaning against the doorframe.

When Sophie, Fitz, and Biana made their way outside to where Forkle, Sandor, Bo, and Stina were standing, Forkle handed each of them a glowing serum. "Drink this. It will help prevent from fading while we lightleap."

"But we don't fade when we lightleap-" Fitz started.

"We're leaping with a special type of crystal that's more dangerous, so we are taking extra precautions to prevent any more tragedy, Mr. Vacker," Forkle explained.

Sophie sucked down the sour serum, licking the goop off her teeth and stepping into the circle with the rest of the group. Forkle pulled an absurd looking crystal out of his pocket and held it to the light, forming a beam that expressed a spectrum of colors, all of the colors of the rainbow.

Sandor and Bo were the first to jump in, of course, and Biana and Stina quickly followed. Forkle shuffled his bloated form behind them, and Fitz twined his fingers with Sophie's before leading them both into the light.

When they emerged on the other side, they were standing in a thick grove of trees on the edge of a secluded cliff. An eerie glowing lake rested below them, where an old navy ship sat, drifting through the waters. 

"This place is creepy," Stina muttered under her breath. 

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

"You all see that ship down there?" Mr. Forkle pointed a swollen finger at the ship.

"Yes," Sophie said. 

"That's our target. We found traces of paranormal activity leading to this specific grove, and this ship was abandoned years ago when there was a nuclear explosion on board. We expect this to be a perfect hideout for the Neverseen." Mr. Forkle told them.

As they crept down the cliffside following Sandor and Bo, Sophie had her own suspicions. Why would Magnific willingly give them a hint of their location? She couldn't have let it slip on accident. She wanted them to find her.

"You guys, this could be a trap. You know that, right?" Sophie pointed out.

"Yeah. But we still have to try," Biana said. Stina and Fitz agreed.

They stood at the side of the water, not exactly knowing what to do, and then Forkle lept into the lake boldly, swimming through the vibrant waters. The clouds above thundered, and rain sprinkled on them.

"Are you sure this is safe?" Stina spoke.

"It's the only way," Forkle said, swimming further. The group reluctantly dove into the water, swimming after Forkle. When they reached the ship, Forkle climbed up the side, slowly pulling the group up, one by one.

They stood on the deck, pondering why no one was there. 

Sophie heard it first. She heard it just in time to lunge out and push her friends out of the way.

A purple beam blasted Sophie in the head, and she staggered to her feet, barely fazed.

"Magnific," she rasped.

"So nice of you to come and visit!" she smiled, swinging down on a rope.

"Where are Keefe and Tam?" Sophie asked. 

"Tell us now!" Fitz heaved.

"Why don't you see for yourself?" she cackled, turning to face Keefe and Tam, who were hanging from a cage about to be dropped into the lake.

"Let them go!" Biana screamed, lunging at Magnific. A plume of purple light knocked her down.

Sandor and Bo approached Magnific, but she blasted them down too.

Sophie focused her inflicting on Magnific, and through some miracle, it caught her by surprise and she fell to the ground, writhing in pain. 

Stina and Forkle rushed to get Keefe and Tam, opening the cage (which miraculously wasn't locked) and pulling them out.

By this time, Magnific was on her feet again, clutching her chest and breathing deeply. She pulled her hand above her head, swirling it around until a flaming purple ball appeared above her head. She blasted it around the ship, controlling it's movement until it knocked out everyone except for Tam, Keefe, Sophie, and Fitz.

"Surprise!" Magnific laughed.

"What ability is that?" Sophie gasped.

"I have no idea. It's not one I've ever heard of," Fitz seconded.

"That's because it's never been recorded," Keefe told them. "She's a Plasmer. She controls flaming plasma and shoots in the form of purple balls."

"We have to get out of here. Before she finished that charge," Tam panted.

Magnific was swirling just about the biggest ball of fire any of them had seen. Sophie grabbed her friends and levitated above the water, wondering why they hadn't done that in the first place. The rest of them did the same, dragging the unconscious bodies through the air.

"She's done with the charge!" Tam screamed. "Go! I'll distract her!"

Sophie grabbed Forkle's crystal, holding it up to the light and pushing her friends through. As she leapt through, Keefe holding one hand and Fitz holding the other, she glanced over her shoulder. Tam jumped into the hurtling ball of fire, and it surrounded him. Sophie screamed. 

Then Tam vanished. He was gone.