𝐸𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑖𝑎𝑛:A KOTLC fanfic

Chapter 17

But that wasn't relevant right now.

What was relevant, though, was that Tam and Biana hadn't seen Elysian before. Sure, they'd heard about her, but, well, they'd never actually seen her in action before. They had listened to what Sophie had said, but they'd had trouble believing it.

And now...

Tam stared at her for a few seconds before blinking hard and sweeping his bangs back from his eyes coolly. "So..." he said, drawing out the word. "You're Elysian."

"I am," Elysian agreed.

Nobody seemed to know what to say after that.

Then Keefe, being Keefe, spoke up. "Seriously- how do you do that freaky stepping-out-of-thin-air thing? I've got to try it one day."

"You seriously think that's relevant right now?" Biana had to ask.

"All my questions are relevant all the time."

"Even the one about-"

"Whoa," Sophie interrupted, glaring at Keefe. "We're getting waaay off track here."

Keefe pouted. "Fine, Foster. I'll be serious."

Then, as an afterthought,he added, "For now."

Elysian cleared her throat. "Sophie's right-we really are getting off track. And I can see from their expressions that your two other friends have never seen me before."

"We haven't," Biana agreed. "You seriously manage to do all that just by being a Guster?"

Elysian gathered a small breeze, letting it draft through other wind, tangling with each small breeze. "Wind calls to me. It calls to all the elements. It's far more important than anyone realizes. This is why Stellarlune exists. It gathers power no one has ever seen before. Power a lot of people would do anything for." Her gaze shifted to Keefe as she added, "People like your mother."

Sophie knew she was just being honest.

But she could tell from the way Keefe flinched that the words still hurt.

The part of him that flinched probably also wanted to scream, I DIDN'T ASK FOR SOME CREEPY, MURDEROUS MONSTER FOR A MOTHER, OKAY?

Instead he took a deep breath and said, "So, there is a power source."

Just as Tam said, "Does it have anything to do with shadowflux?"

"Yes to both questions," Elysian responded."But I'll elaborate on the first question first.She turned to Keefe. "What made you think there was no power source?"

Keefe sighed. "I guess I always knew there was a power source. I just- didn't want to admit it. Then I'd know that we let my mom get what she wants for me- and I don't think I can live with that."

This isn't your fault, you know, Sophie transmitted.

Not wanting something doesn't necessarily mean it's not your fault for happening, he argued.

You do realize that with that logic, all of this stuff is my fault, right? she said. The death of Councillor Kenric and the other Mr Forkle. The hive at Everglen. All that would be on me, but it isn't. Because I'm fighting for it not to happen ever again. Because I don't want to redo those nightmares. And neither do you. That's what makes us different from villains. We want the GOOD- and we try to understand that there will be sacrifices along the way.

Her mind flashed back to a thought she'd had a while ago.

Any permanent solution would involve death.

Maybe it was about the power source, or maybe it as just her- but those words didn't feel so scary anymore.

And maybe she had transmitted the words, because then Keefe gave her a half smile and squeezed her hand.

"Okay," Tam interrupted, "if you two are done with your starefest," he emphasized the last word, "then I'd kinda like my question answered."

"Yes," Elysian said, facing him. She gathered a small draft of wind, releasing it and letting the wind rake through the strands of her silky, dark red hair. "Shadowflux is... a complex element. It dreams. It lies above our world, trying to find someone or something to hold onto. Through its pride, and its independence, it hides a broken, lost power that needs to be harnessed."

"So..." Biana said. "What does this have to do with wind?"

"Wind drifts. It carries a small fragment of everything it passses through. It harnesses that power. But the main two things it needs is light from Marsiresque and shadowflux."

A/N: Finally, hi! I'm back. I'm SO sorry it's been so long, I was very busy and I did have time to get on here but couldn't work here that much. Thanks for being so patient,you guys. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and see you soon!