Fitz

Legs aching, vision blurring, and breath shaky, Fitz continued towards the once-glittering city he now recognized as Atlantis. He'd already accepted the Neverseen were powerful, but this? He pushed the thoughts down. Right now, his only focus was Sophie. She was the only reason he hadn't fallen to his knees in sweat and tears. She was the reason he pushed through. She was the reason he hadn't given up hope. Still, he knew with every passing second he wasted, she was suffering. 

Running, he imagined Sophie, letting the thoughts of her fuel him-- Her snuggling close to his chest, breaths in sync, and Fitz staring down at her as she slept in his arms. He imagined the two sharing stories after a long day, inside before the fire while a snow storm outside raged on. Of course, it hardly snowed in the Lost Cities, but he'd seen enough in the Forbidden Cities while looking for her that he knew it would be perfect. He'd watch her play in the snow, flakes sprinkling her hair like white glitter. 

The scenarios in his head played and replayed, and Fitz's heart fell as it remembered they'd broken up. No, he told himself. He'd already promised that the minute she was safe in his arms, he'd make her love him again. He'd make her take him back. He'd finally kiss her. The thought brought an entire new energy into him, and the channeling in his legs sprang him forward. Until finally, he was there. The city, though large, was easy enough to navigate, especially thanks to the cries of some voice. Liar? Was he hearing that right?

Turning a sharp corner, his channeling stopped as he slowed, preparing to sneak. Because, knowing the Neverseen, he wouldn't be able to take them head on-- not without that extra second. He stopped beside a building-- it being the last thing keeping him from seeing the Neverseen, and hopefully his friends. 

Though his lungs screamed for air, he kept his lips sealed, unable to afford the risk of blowing his cover. So, he controlled his breathing and exhaled through his shirt to stifle the gasps and wheezes. Legs like noodles, he propped himself against the building, collapsing to the ground in a sweaty mess. He needed to get up, he knew. Sophie was waiting for him to go be a hero. But he couldn't. His legs wouldn't let him, his head was spinning, and his tongue was coated in the metallic taste of blood. He'd pushed himself too hard. He didn't regret it, though. Because he'd done it for Sophie. 

Sophie... Another image, this time of the two laughing during Fitz's Winnowing Gala-- something that was yet to happen, and another spark of energy pulsed through him urging him to climb to his feet. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, and Fitz was ready. 

Shaking away the last remnants of exhaustion, he turned the corner as silently as possible. However... As his eyes landed on the scene before him, all thoughts left him entirely. 

Eyes blurring over with tears, and heart racing-- he stared at her. Her hair was a mess, frizzed and falling just past her collarbone, slightly longer than it had been last time he'd seen her. And though it had only been a few months, she looked so much... older. No... Mature. Stronger than before. 

Her beautiful brown eyes burned into her target, spilling with tears of anger. 

"Sophie..." he uttered her name in the softest whisper. While she glared at the target in front of her-- identity not yet confirmed, he saw her eyes, once a warm brown with golden glints inside, were now cold with hatred and loathing. The gold was missing, replaced with a burning hatred for the world, it seemed. He wasn't an Empath, but he could practically feel her emotions wafting throughout the entire city. 

It didn't make sense, he thought. Until... His eyes landed on the cape. The black cape that reached down past her ankles, a white eye crested onto the shoulder of the cloak, hood thrown back. She was wearing a Neverseen cloak. Blood running cold, and mind racing, Fitz thought up any and every reason she might be wearing it. A disguise to escape? To fool the Neverseen? His list was short, and nothing compared to the proof she was.... The hate in her eyes said it all. She didn't recognize him.

Finally in realization, he looked around. Keefe, alongside the rest of his friends, were imprisoned in shields of gold. Was that Sophie's doing? Had she helped do it? No. Surely she wouldn't hurt her friends, even if she were siding with the Neverseen. The council was there, too. However, his parents and the rest of the civilians that were meant to be fighting... They were gone. He'd been right-- the dome had locked them out. So how had he gotten in?

His eyes finally found the Neverseen. Gisela lay sprawled a good distance away, out cold. Fintan was spatting a string of unfriendly words towards--

Fitz saw red. Alvar-- standing across from Sophie while arguing with Fintan. Anger boiled beneath his veins as he realized who Sophie was glaring at. Alvar. Slowly, the pieces came together. Alvar had kidnapped Sophie, hurt her, and... What? What had happened while he'd been gone? What had he done to her? Fintan seemed angry with him, too. Had Alvar gone rogue? Had he been the one to hurt Gisela? 

The theories spiraled through his mind, though no matter how long he pondered them, he came no closer to any answers. He did know one thing, however: 

Alvar had hurt Sophie. Alvar had to pay.