My Moonlark

Part 1-Sophie's POV

Sophie's shoulders ached.

It had been nearly a month since the fall of the Neverseen. The final battle had taken place in a spectacularly public fashion at the heart of Eternalia—it was something that would be remembered for a very long time. The capital of the Lost Cities was barely recognisable after the battle had ceased, having received several heavy blows. Sophie and her friends had been pitching in along with several other elves in the rebuilding process. They had been helping almost every day after school; clearing debris and aiding in the reconstruction of the destroyed buildings. At least, that's what Sophie assumed her friends were doing. She usually hung back in the side-lines, planning the blueprint of the soon-to-be-built buildings in Eternalia and avoiding watching the dilapidated condition of the capital as much as she could. It was mentally and physically draining to simply be amidst the ruins—let alone be a part of the rebuilding. The sharp smell of burnt crystals, the thin layer of haze that never seemed to clear out, the barren land that met her where she knew glittering buildings once used to be was too much for her to handle; it made her question who the true winner was in this long-standing battle.

Today, however, had been an extremely trying day, for Sophie had to survey the extent of the damage to further the planning of their future reconstruction. It was either that or stay behind at Havenfield for the day, and the lack of movement would have killed her. So she had resisted, preparing herself mentally and physically for the day. It had been just as exhausting as she had suspected. She could almost feel the energy seep away from her as she held onto the last bit of strength in her to remain focused on the task and not collapse under the strain. Now, with the worst of the day behind her, she was beyond exhausted. Fatigue settled into every inch of her body, weighing her down. Her shoulders were stiff from exhaustion, and a dull ache nestled in the back of her head. Her body was screaming for rest; a break from the stress she was under. But Sophie knew sleep was not the answer—she still couldn't close her eyes without reliving some of her worst nightmares. Succumbing to her exhaustion and sleeping would only worsen things. Sophie leaned her head against the braided bark of the Panakes tree and pulled her knees to her chest.

The sky was a brilliant swirl of purple and blue. Millions of stars scattered around the vast expanse lit the night with their occasional twinkle. A breeze picked up, cold and biting, bringing with it the distinct salty smell of the sea. Sophie closed her eyes against the wind, focusing on the distant crash of the waves that matched the rhythm of her heartbeat. The leaves above her rustled softly, and as whispers of peace reached her ears, Sophie felt her muscles uncoil ever so slightly. She gave a small sigh.

Sophie briefly wondered what was taking Keefe so long. He had hailed her earlier that evening and asked her to wait under the Panakes tree at night. When she had questioned for more details, he hadn't said anything except that it was for her to 'take a break'. After that, Sophie hadn't pried for more information as she usually would have. She was more than happy to be spending any amount of time with Keefe—she didn't care when or how or where. Her heart gave a flutter at the thought of seeing him again, and she felt her lips curl into a small smile.

After a while though, Sophie's excitement morphed to impatience. She bit her lip, contemplating on what to do. His continued absence seemed to propel her into making her decision, for she sighed and gathered up every bit of mental energy she could muster.

KEEFE!

Her head gave a painful throb in response, but it was worth it when she heard an answer almost immediately.

"Okay, I was wrong. That one was more desperate than every single one of Silveny's calls put together. You've finally surpassed Glitterbutt's enthusiasm to see me."

It took Sophie a moment to realise Keefe's reply was not in her head, but somewhere to her left. Her eyes fluttered open, her lips pulling into a large smile as Keefe came into view. He held out his hand to her, his trademark smile on his face, and she slipped her own hand into his. He tugged on her arm and she used the force to hoist herself up, immediately swaying as blood rushed to her head. She would have fallen entirely if Keefe hadn't caught the side of her arms around her and steadied her.