what happened after unlocked

chapter forty-eight ~ impossibility

Taking up an armchair each, Linh, Marella, Prentice and Sophie were discussing everything they could think of to do with the Lost Cities. With every sentence he learnt more and more about the struggles the elven world had endured, but also the advances they'd made since Prentice had been sent to Exile.

He seemed to have already learnt about most of it, but he was still keen to find out even more about everything he possibly could.

"There's this gnomish thing called Panakes," Sophie told him, trying her best to recall everything she knew. "Obviously you know how that came about with the sickness, but Calla, one of the gnomes, sacrificed herself to save her colony and stop the virus spreading. And now her tree's at Havenfield."

Linh smiled wistfully. "It's really beautiful."

"When I'm buried, it's not gonna be with the others," Marella added fervently. "It's gotta be special, or else."

"Well, the good thing is, you don't really have to think about death!" Prentice advised. "We're elves, we live indefinitely, so unless you happen to get caught in your fiancé's fire or burned to a crisp –"

"But Kenric and Fintan are both still alive," Marella pointed out.

"Never mind," Prentice said, shaking his head. "My point is, don't worry about your burial place. Or don't get buried at all! I want my ashes to be sprinkled under one of those extra-tall trees."

"Ashes!" Linh said abruptly. "That's a good idea! I mean, it would be kind of ironic...and then you can get your body encased in ice or something!" She turned to Marella, you burst into a fit of giggles.

"Nah, I'd just like to be drowned by one of your waves," Marella said through laughs. "Death by friend or no death at all! I'd rather disappear knowing Linh Song killed me."

"I could never!" Linh said. "And you're not going to kill me with a fireball either, okay? I want to die knowing that it was not one of the people I dearly love who killed me."

"Suit yourself," Marella shrugged. "I guess I'll die holding someone's hand then. It sounds sappy, but I want to die knowing that whoever I loved was there. Or it'll be too awful."

"This is so sad," Linh sniffed. "Sorry, guys, sometimes we start going off on a completely different topic."

Prentice grinned at them.

"So, um, what were we talking about?" Sophie said, losing her train of thought. "Ah...the difference between a Stage One and a –"

"Oh yeah, Sophie," Marella said, looking at her. "Who'd you like to hold hands with while you die? Vacker? Dizznee? Sencen?"

Linh bit her lip, frowning at Marella.

Marella shrugged at her.

"Um...I..." Sophie fiddled with her Cognate ring, which she'd barely noticed lately.

Prentice, having realized how uncomfortable she was, butted in. "What were you telling us about Princess Purryfins before, Linh?"

"She's a master of finger-biting," Linh said somberly. "And Tam hates her."

"How come?" Prentice asked, steadily steering the conversation in another direction. Sophie sent him a quick grateful transmission.

He nodded back at her.

"Oh, well, she bites," Linh said vaguely. "And he hates saying his name...so where've you been lately, Mare? I never got to ask."

"You know I hate it when you call me –"