KOTLC Sokeefe One-Shots, Alternate Endings, etc

Elysian (1 of 4)

A/N: Decided to take another pass at what might happen after Stellarlune...and that turned into four chapters!

Sophie's mind was reeling from the story Elysian had just given them. It was a true tale of immense raw power, natural elements and self-inflicted solitude.

And she understood why Elysian was hidden—though it seemed like a lonely existence.

But then, that much raw power... it was dangerous. For Elysian and for the rest of the world.

All Elysian really cared about was being left alone. Gisela had tried to garner Elysian's favor, but mercifully, Elysian had listened to Sophie as well.

After hearing Sophie's story, Elysian had scolded Gisela for messing with things she didn't understand—and had shared Sophie's disgust for the way Gisela had inflicted that experimentation on her own son.

"Next time," Elysian said coldly, "run those foolish experiments on your own body rather than risking an innocent. Perhaps then the world could be rid of your imprudence."

For a moment, Sophie was tempted to laugh. But then a dark thought occurred to her. "Be rid of her because of her experiment?" She blurted out. "Does that mean Keefe could..."

She couldn't finish her sentence, but Elysian understood.

"I feel your panic, young one," Elysian replied. "I do not mean that this one's life is in danger. I do not believe he will die because of what this absurd elf did to him."

Sophie breathed a sigh of relief and locked eyes with Keefe. She tried to transmit to him—not wanting to convey the full scope and depth of her relief to anyone but him—but felt blocked. She got the same feeling when she tried to transmit to Fitz, and knew that Elysian's numbing power had rendered even Sophie's telepathy useless.

"However," Elysian continued, looking at Keefe now. "You have a choice to make. Your mother's ill-advised attempt at creating a new ability has left you with unstable, incomplete raw power that is too much for your body or your mind to handle. Am I right in assuming that you're experiencing a loss in your abilities?"

Something like shame crossed Keefe's features, and Sophie thought she understood why.

Abilities were everything in their society. They probably shouldn't be, but...they were.

"Yes," Keefe mumbled. "I can sometimes pick up on a little bit of emotion from Foster," he added, gesturing toward Sophie, "but not much, and it's unclear."

"It is impressive that you have anything left," Elysian told him. "You are clearly a powerful Empath."

"I am? Or I was?" Keefe asked.

"That is up to you. I cannot know for certain the effect my actions will have on you—I do not know how difficult your new abilities will be to manage—but I can restore proper balance in your system. Certainly your empathy will return to normal, but with that comes the restoration of the new abilities this fool forced upon you. They will be different—stronger, perhaps, but also hopefully more bearable and easier to control. But I cannot guarantee that."

"And if I say no?" Keefe asked.

"If you say no, then you can leave here today unchanged. But the damage will be permanent, because you will not meet me again. You will no longer have these abilities you clearly do not want, but your empathy will be lost also."

Keefe would become Talentless.

Keefe looked wordlessly at Sophie. She may not have been able to read his thoughts, but it was pretty clear from his expression that he was asking her "what do I do?!"