UNLOCKED, kotlc

Chapter 71

"Maruca?!" Sophie shouted over the crackle of Everblaze surrounding her.  "Why are you protecting her? How can you even-"

"She can't hear you, Sophie," Lady Gisela informed her dismissively.  "She's under the bonds that we put Tam in- except instead of letting inexperienced members control her freedom, I myself am the only one who has the power to let her go."

"But you're not a Flasher!" Sophie argued. "The bonds are made from light-"

"To counter Tam's Shade powers," Lady Gisela finished for her. "Maruca is not a Shade. She's a Psionopath.  And my ability can easily trap hers."

"A... Polyglot?" Sophie asked quizzically.

"Can manifest twice," Gisela reminded her with a vindictive glare. "Has it ever occurred to you that I could have another ability? One that was more powerful that all of your little ones combined?"

"You're bluffing," Oralie piped up from beside Sophie. "You can't really have another ability, we would've-"

"I could've kept it a secret," Gisela pointed out, seeming to enjoy the fact that she was safe behind her little force field while Sophie and Oralie were being slowly pinned by the ring of flames.  "It wouldn't really be that hard."

"Prove it then!" Sophie challenged her.  "What's your 'special ability?'"

Sophie smirked at her when she hesitated.

"I'm not lying to you," Lady Gisela warned, noticing Sophie's mocking. "I'd be careful if I were you-"

"And thank you for your empty threats," Sophie cut in, trying to stall.  She could teleport out of there... but she needed room to sprint and she was also leaving Keefe's mom behind and unguarded, which was a very bad idea.

Something slapped her out of her thoughts- wait, slapped? Somebody slapped her. Was it Oralie? She looked down to see her own hand...

She stumbled backwards, her knees giving in against her will, dragging her closer and closer to the flames- and stopping.

"You're... a Mesmer," Sophie breathed, feeling herself slowly gain control of her own body. "You weren't lying. When did you manifest?"

"After our fun little encounter in Loamnore," Lady Gisela told her smugly. "I can make Maruca do whatever I wish her to do.  And even better- I can use the moonlark and make her do anything I say. I make her do something to my son, she'll do it. I make her set her precious little school on fire, I can consider it done. I can even make all the Councillors declare whatever I want on the Lost Cities, and..."

She shrugged.

"That's why I could control Keefe," Lady Gisela explained. "But our mother-son bond let me work inside of his DNA in the moment and basically 'reprogram' him. I do wish I'd had this ability when he was first being born, it would've made the whole process of Project Phoenix a lot easier..."

"Is Keefe alright?" Sophie asked, figuring that was really the most important thing at the moment. "And Biana? And everyone else?"

"Maybe they are. Maybe they aren't." She shrugged so casually it enraged Sophie.  "But that doesn't matter now."

She locked eyes with her but Sophie didn't back down. Letting her know that she would still keep fighting, however many creepy, powerful abilities that Keefe's mom got.

"Finally. I come face to face with the moonlark," Gisela whispered.

"Enough sweet talk," Sophie snapped back at her. "I can still inflict on you-"

"And I can easily make that little beam of energy attack your dear little Councillor," Lady Gisela countered. "Face it Sophie- you weren't expecting this."

"It was definitely... a surprise," Sophie said carefully. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to stop fighting."

Lady Gisela shrugged happily. "Your loss."

And Sophie felt her knees bend despite everything she was doing to keep them straight as Keefe's mom sent her leaping towards the flames.