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Sophie

Sophie screamed, letting out the most agonizing screech as the pain buzzed through her. A thick blackness smothered her, and despite her numerous attempts, she couldn't wriggle free. And each cry for help was drowned out by the thickness of the shadows. 

She screamed again, but just like last time, no sound came out. The pain burned hotter now, spreading like an illness throughout her body. Each muscle burned, each bone ached, and every inch of her was shaking from the pain. She bit her tongue, pursed her lips, squeezed her eyes shut. But nothing could distract from the agonizing pain. It came from no real source. There was no fire, no torture device. Simply, it was something inside Sophie. Something pulsing through her veins and alarming each and every nerve inside her. 

She wriggled some more, but the darkness refused to release her. However, she managed to at the very least escape the darkness that kept her quiet. With her face now free from the hot, thick shadows, she could scream. She screamed and screamed and screamed, fighting her hardest against the darkness that threatened to silence her once again. Tears poured from her eyes as her screams became sobs and sniffles for help. Help that would never come.

"Alvar," her voice croaked. "Alvar." He was the only reason she hadn't given up on escaping. He'd promised she'd be okay if she just got through the pain. So, instead of giving in and letting it take over, she fought for control. And every time the thought of relenting would cross her mind, she'd fight back mentally, with 50 reasons she would not be doing that. And every time, it would work. Alvar had promised Sophie's safety, and as long as she lived, she didn't care what she went through. After all, she still had her promise to uphold: show the rest of the Vackers the truth about the council, and make them love him again.

She'd make sure they realized the truth. For Alvar's sake. And Fintan. She'd promised him the vengeance he so deserved after his own apprentice had lied to him. The Traitor. She'd promised his death. 

So, she kept fighting. When the darkness would attempt to trap her, she'd kick, flail, and fight until it stopped trying. When it threatened to take her voice, she'd scream at the top of her lungs, ignoring the scratching pain inside her throat. She'd rip her vocal chords if she had to. For Alvar. It was all for Alvar. Everything. But the pain still burned. And her will wasn't strong enough to continue for much longer. The darkness was winning, and it knew, growing eager with each failed attempt to restrain Sophie. It could feel her beginning to weaken. It knew. 

"Stop!" Sophie cried, as it attempted for what must've been the sixteenth time, to strangle her into silence. "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!"

Her legs flailed helplessly, and her arms became stuck to her sides as the darkness tightened its hold on her. 

"Stop it!" She continued, the salty tears trickling into her mouth as she screamed. "Stop it!" She begged. 

It was too late. Her cries were finally muffled by the shadows, and each new cry for help went unheard. Until, it stopped. The darkness fell away, shying back into the corners of this strange void, and Sophie collapsed onto the invisible ground, limp. 

It took a moment, thanks to the fatigue, but Sophie finally registered what had caused the abrupt disappearance of the darkness. The voice. It had returned, with the same powerful, shar, commanding voice Alvar had-- and yet, different. 

Sophie? 

Sophie was tired. So very tired. She'd been ready to fade away then and there, but... Alvar. She'd nearly forgotten about him until the familiar voice had spoken. The two voices were nearly identical, except for on difference Sophie couldn't quite place. 

She opened her mouth to speak one thing, the most obvious question: who. Though, Sophie's eyes grew teary as she again remembered how it had saved her. So, instead of questioning the voice, she found herself thanking it. 

"Thank you," she breathed in response, her voice barely a whisper. Silence passed, for so long Sophie had begun to think she hadn't actually spoken. But she perked when the voice finally returned, sounding somewhat confused, yet hopeful. If only the faintest sliver of hope. 

Sophie? What happened? Sniffling, Sophie wiped the tears onto her shirt and smiled-- a tired, relieved smile. 

"How do you know my name?" Another silence followed and for a moment, Sophie worried she might've scared him off. Her lips quivered at the thought of being left alone with the darkness once again, and nearly sobbed tears of relief when he spoke again. He hadn't left her. But he was confused. 

Where are the Neverseen? What are they doing to you? Sophie tensed at the question, growing defensive at the way the voice said it. 

"Doing to me?" Sophie asked, giving a suspicious glare to the empty abyss. "The Neverseen aren't 'doing' anything to me." 

I... don't understand. 

"Understand what? There's nothing to understand!" In those short seconds, Sophie had gone from breakdown, crybaby Sophie to defensive, Neverseen Sophie. The Sophie she'd always been before the Black Swan had ruined things. 

Sophie, you're scaring me. I'm going to come find you. The tension shifted, and Sophie felt him trying to break the connection. The fear returned in an instant and Sophie found herself holding tightly to the connection. 

"Don't go," she begged the voice, tears pooling once again. "Don't leave me alone." A second of reluctance, but when the voice spoke, it was agreeing. And for the rest of however long she sat in that abyss, Sophie clung tight to the voice's presence. Until she could finally feel herself drifting back towards consciousness. Whispering her thanks to the voice, Sophie pulled herself back into reality. 

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