The Neverseen's Last Resort

10

Biana

"Are you going to do it?" Biana asked when they returned. Dex and Fitz both looked up to Mr. Forkle, expectantly.

"No."

"But what about Sophie!?" Keefe protested beside her. Biana placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, her traitorous heart doing a series cartwheels when he replied with a grateful smile.

"We must find another way to save her. But turning in the council is out of the question. As is surrendering."

"What if..." Marella suggested from the corner, "We tricked them? Like- we pretend to go along with it, but we'll cause a distraction. Like a small battle or something. And then, we can just pick Sophie's location from their brains." Everyone nodded at the idea, not sure if there was a better option.

"It's the best plan we've got." Linh reminded, giving Marella a reassuring smile. Marella's eyes sparkled with confidence and gratitude towards her friend.

"It is well thought out. However," Mr. Forkle said, "We cannot risk the council in any shape or form."

"Of course not," Marella agreed, "We'll send in fakes. Maybe some random elves dressed in the council's silver cloaks, instead?"

"Risk random elves?" Fitz protested.

"Fine," Biana huffed, "I'll go. And whoever else." But Fitz wasn't happy with that either.

"No way. You're our only Vanisher. We'll need you as backup."

"Does Wraith not exist anymore?" Biana tried. Grumbling, Fitz finally backed down.

//

Biana pursed her lips, tapping her foot impatiently as her, Dex, Stina, Marella, Linh, Tam, Mr. Forkle, Granite, and Blur waited. Dressed in glittering silver cloaks as they waited for Illusion's arrival.

Fitz was in hiding with Wraith, tasked with stealing the information from Illusion's mind.

Meanwhile, underground, gnomes were ready and waiting for the battle. Biana bit her lip, praying it would work.

Minutes passed, but to Biana, they felt like an eternity.

"Ah," Illusion said as she stepped into view from out of nowhere, "Either the Black Swan obeyed. Or..." she added, followed by a tsk, tsk, tsk, "Or, the Black Swan takes me for a fool." Behind her, two other cloaked members appeared.

Biana swallowed, hoping Illusion was just talking. Either way, she reassured herself, this is only to buy time for a small attack so Fitz can slip into Illusion's mind undetected.

The thoughts seemed to settle Biana's racing heart, though she could still feel her breakfast preparing to come back up. She shook the fears away.

"No," she hissed to herself, "This will work. It has to work. Otherwise Sophie might..." she didn't dare finish the thought as she readjusted her focus to her friends beside her. She could tell they were uneasy and probably even queasier than Biana. But, they stood their ground. So she did, too.

Biana then glanced over Fitz's hiding place, but saw nothing. Wraith was still keeping them in hiding.

"So," Illusion continued, "Either you are the council. And when I unveil your faces I'll take you back with me. Or you aren't the council and I'll have to behead each of you." A laugh escaped Illusion's throat and it shifted into a full-on cackle.

"You know I'm the master of illusions, right? I mean- it's in the name!" Biana watched as the hooded woman pulled Marella's hoodie off her face. She did that with each one. And as Illusion neared Biana, she felt her lunch really coming up now. But she swallowed it, stinging her throat.

Biana winced as she remembered Illusion's words.

"I'll have to behead each of you."

So, she turned invisible and raced over to Fitz's direction.

"Fitz," she hissed, hoping he was nearby. No response. But Wraith did appear, Fitz beside him. But Fitz didn't seem to notice. He was probably inside her mind, already. Biana inhaled a deep breath. At least something was going right. And hopefully, he would be done soon. She really didn't want to see her friends severed heads.

Up ahead, she saw that the area had become a full-on battle ground. Everyone using their abilities to the fullest. Marella, with her fire. Linh, controlling Marella's fire. Tam and his shadows. And everyone else fighting the Neverseen off as best they could.

Even Dex was doing well, using his gadgets for defense.

But despite all the Blackswan's efforts, the Neverseen were still winning. Despite it being three to twelve.

Biana watched in horror as each of her friends were rounded up by the evil trio and bound together by ropes. They slithered out of Illusion's knee-length boots and up her friends legs until each her friends were tied up.

Could this be one of Illusion's... well, illusions? Biana didn't know if the illusions affected them physically or not but either way, they were trapped.

Biana went to assist, but stopped herself as her friends disappeared in a flash. Tears stung at her eyes and she had to bite back her screams. As, one Neverseen member still remained. And he was coming right for her.

She quickly went invisible again, but it was no use. Wraith hadn't managed to disappear again, leaving a confused Fitz visible.

"What the- where'd she go? I can't reach her anymo... oh." he said as the cloaked figure approached him.

"Fitz!" she called, desperate to at the least, save her brother. And she did. But only briefly. She snatched him by the wrist and pulled him as far away from the figure as she could. She dragged him and with her free hand, she retrieved her pathfinder.

They needed to get home. Screw Wraith. He was probably hiding like a coward. And he'd failed to protect her brother.

//

Biana collapsed onto the floor of the Black Swan's base, tears spilling from her eyes.

"It's my fault," she sobbed. She squeezed her elbows, pouring all her rage, guilt, and loss into her grip until her nails began to pierce her skin and she started to bleed.

But that was fine. She deserved to bleed. She'd failed to help them. She had been too slow.

"It's not your fault," Fitz assured her, but she could hear the rage in his voice. And it only weighed heavier on her shoulders.

"They're gone. Everyone."