Forgotten Remains

Dex's POV

"I'm so sorry Dex, please know that it wasn't your fault. Find your way back, tell everyone what happened, and please, please get me back. I don't know what they will do with me but I know it won't be good."

Sophie's message echoed in his brain once he'd awoken from being unconscious. They'd thought he was out when they took her. They were wrong. He saw all of it. Dex could feel tears threatening to flood over. He didn't care and let them.

His best friend. His first friend even. Who had tried so so hard to get them both out of there alive, was taken again. He couldn't help but feel guilty as he cried. No, it wasn't his fault, it wasn't hers either. It pained him to think that she thought it was hers.

What were they doing to her right now? Erasing her memories? Torturing her? Something worse? None of those had good outcomes. Dex winced at the thought. He tried to get up to move but was still partially paralyzed from the melder's blast.

He thought back to the sight of Sophie being taken away, had his mind been playing tricks on him? He distinctly remembered Sophie looking immensely pale. Transparent even.

Dex thought back to even before then. How had they gotten here again? They had to have light leaped, but he had been unconscious. Neither of their nexuses had been full yet, how had either of them survived?

It hit him then. When Sophie's abilities were triggered, her concentration must've strengthened. Maybe she wrapped too much of it around his body. That's why he was laying here at the moment. That's why she was so pale and see through. Sophie was faded. Probably almost entirely faded away. Dex took a shaky breath.

After lying in the bright sun for what felt like hours, Dex managed to gain feeling back in his body and move to get up. He winced in pain at the soreness of his body and felt stinging on the side of his abdomen. He lifted his Jerkin to see a bright red welt. He brushed a finger against it and breathed in deeply through his teeth. He set himself back down.

How would he get out of here? He needed to tell everyone what had happened as Sophie had instructed.

He was in the middle of Lumenaria, the chances of people being in the grand sparkling castle was pretty slim. Besides criminals. But Dex doubted it. Maybe there was a leaping stone somewhere in the castle. But Dex knew it wasn't the best option, the castle had been built as a maze so only trained people could navigate it. There wasn't much a chance Dex could get in, find a crystal, and get out.

But he had to try. For Sophie.

He placed a hand against the tree for support as he lifted himself up, instantly getting dizzy and lightheaded as he rose. He hadn't eaten anything since the sandwhich in Paris the day before. Was it the day before? Dex didn't have any sense of the time here. He looked towards the sun and saw that it was a good hour or two after midday so he had time to wander.

Would it even be smart to leave the tree? Dex thought to himself. He ran his fingers through his hair. Man did he wish he was a
Telepath right now. He wouldn't be as skilled as Sophie at all. He sighed as he thought of Sophie again. She'd already been through so much. His heart ached.

He decided he'd walk around, perhaps he could find some gnomes to guide him. The faster, the better. The faster Sophie would be saved. The lesser the chance that her memory was gone, or too far gone at least.

He first began by walking the exterior grounds, inspecting the walls for any crystals that could potentially be for leaping like the one on the bridge in Paris. His body still ached but he couldn't give up. Touching his fingers to the cold, smooth luminite. Searching the spiraling swirls and patters that were spread up and down the pillars and throughout the exterior walls. Nothing.