A Rift in Time

7. The Next Right Thing

---Evelyn's POV---

Sophie lugged a large brown parcel onto Evelyn's bed and plopped down next to it.

"I knew a human that had it once. Before I came here." She said. Evelyn rolled up her sleeve, revealing the small device on the top of her upper-arm.

"Humans have them too. I don't know what they call them, but here in the lost cities we just call them fixers. Of course, they're not actually fixers, but apparently positivity is a thing." Evelyn rolled her eyes.

"What's in the box?" She asked curiously. Sophie shrugged and teased off the ribbon before tearing of the paper and throwing it across the room. Evelyn gave her a look before catching it with her telekinesis and lowering it gently into the metal (or as close to metal as elves can get) can in the corner of the room. Sophie lifted out a medium sized glass orb with a note:

You must help them.

Connor, Kate and Natalie Freeman.

Evelyn's eyes widened.

"Sophie, that's a spyball! Do you know how illegal that it?" She breathed. Sophie shook her head.

"Show me Connor, Kate and Natalie Freeman." Sophie told the spyball. An image of three people sitting on a small, metal bed blurred into focus on the screen. A large sign above them read:

EVACUEE CENTRE

Sophie gasped. Evelyn knew what that must mean. They were near the fires.

"I just know it's Everblaze." Evelyn could practically see the gears whirring in Sophie's brain. She was about to say something, but darkness closed in on her mind and twisted her views.

"I know, we could sneak into the forbidden cities, then bottle some fire to prove it's Everblaze, and show it to the council. But not tonight. Tomorrow, maybe." Evelyn offered. Sophie grinned.

"You know, that could work! Okay, let's do it."

---Alvar's POV---

---Time skip---night time---

Alvar quietly closed the door to his Father's office, locking it from the inside. Upon looking around, he noticed a small board on the wall, and all kinds of different coloured crystals with labels hung from it. Alvar took his pathfinder and tiptoed over there, before picking two blue ones. He opened the window and climbed out of it. Raising his pathfinder up to the moonlight, he selected Havenfield and stepped into the light...

He saw a short figure in a dark red cloak standing by the empty pastures. She could only have been around 5 foot. Alvar drew closer until he was standing beside her. He held the two blue crystals out.

"The crystals. Take them and leap to the forbidden cities."

"I'm not a Pyrokinetic, Alvar. The flames are Everblaze, and you know it."

"I don't care. Do it. She wants you to."

The figure faltered.

"Wait...why am I even here, answering to you?" Alvar panicked. He needed Gethen, he was the telepath. He fiddled with his imparter, still in his pocket, and sent a message to Gethen. Calm down, Alvar. Just convince her she's meant to be here.

"You requested this meeting, remember?" Lies. He tries to keep his voice calm, but she wasn't having it.

"No...what time is it?" She looked around, her dark red velvet hood still drawn over her head.

Another figure, taller this time, glittered into view. He shot Alvar a look, like why couldn't you just not mess up for once? Alvar shrugged frantically. Gethen approached from behind, before pressing his fingers to her temples and closing his eyes. She fell still. He brushed past Alvar, stepping on his foot as he went. The figure snatched the crystals from Alvar's hand.