Hi, I'm back! 

*hides behind freezer*

sorry for the lack of PB quotes in this chapter, it didn't quite fit with what I was working with :(

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Previously: 

There was no way. No way Fintan had been able to figure out all of the clues by himself. He had to have had someone on the inside, helping him.

I channeled more energy into my legs, willing myself to go faster.

And as I crossed the end line, I heard Fintan two paces behind me.

I smiled and waved to the crowd, feeling ecstatic.

I had beat Fintan!

Wait until I saw Sophie, I wanted to hug her and kiss her and-

Then I remembered. And I swear I felt my heart shatter a tiny bit more.

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Sophie POV

All I could do was sit there in shock. My mind was in utter turmoil from the recent events. Keefe and I were...cousins. But how? I racked my brain for answers, only to come up empty.

I had always known that Grady and Edaline weren't my parents. They told me when I was 10, that my parents had perished when I was just a baby. But if the flashbacks I just had were true, they lied to me.

They lied to me.

I rose to my feet shakily. I was so done with everything.

Done with Fintan.

Done with the lies.

Done with the heartbreak.

A scream of anger fell from my lips as I ran toward the edge of the balcony and lept off of it. I heard the cries of Keefe and Dex behind me as I plummeted from the tower.

I wasn't a damsel in distress that someone needed to save. I was Sophie Foster, the girl who had everything taken from her. And it was time to take it back.

I split open the void and pictured the place where my life went to hell.

I wanted answers, and I was going to find them.

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I tumbled out of the void and into soft, green grass. As I stood up I brushed the dirt off of my dress and looked around.

There was a vast forest expanding around the large clearing in every direction. The clearing itself was more or less a meadow filled with swaying grasses and small flowers. But what was in the center of the meadow caught my attention.

The wreckage of what must've been a huge estate was in shambles. Charred wooden beams and fallen roofing gave it a menacing look as if daring someone to enter its gaping jaws of uncertainty. Fragments of shattered glass still littered the ground, glinting through the long grass. The door was hanging by one hinge, and there was old red paint chipping in some spots.

I slowly walked over to what was left of my old home, careful not to step on the glass shards. Upon coming closer to the house I realized what I thought was chipping red paint was actually blood smeared across the walls. I gagged and tried not to think about it.

Suddenly, a memory arose from the depths of my forgotten memories and I fell to the ground, holding my head. It was like I was watching the scene from a distance:

I was standing in front of three adults, just caught eavesdropping.

"Sophie, why are you still up? It's late, you should be in bed!" my mother gently scolded.

"Kalsi, control your child! She should not be here!" a woman who looked similar to my mother shouted.

"Do not tell me how to raise my child, Gisela! This is my household!" my mother raised her voice.

I trembled a little bit at the sight of the woman named Gisela - she looked awfully mad and a little scary.

"Stop yelling! Can't you see that Sophie is getting scared?" my father interrupted.

My mother's features softened as she looked at me. She kneeled before me and hugged me.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, I wasn't mad at you. I just want you safe, alright? That's why I want you in bed, k?"

"Ok, mamma," my 6-year-old self responded.

"Chris, can you take Soph upstairs to her room and tuck her in?"

"Of course! C'mon Soph, maybe we can read a story," my father responded.

His large hand encased mine as he led me up to the stairs.

"Why are mamma and Auntie fighting?" I asked. "I don't like it."

I gasped. So Gisela was my aunt? That would be worth-

My father sighed, interrupting my thoughts.

"They don't agree on certain things, Soph. Your aunt and your mother - they're a different race than I am," my father explained.

"Different race?"

"Yeah. You, mom, and Aunt Gisela are elves. I'm a human. Elves live longer than humans and live in a different place. But a lot of the elves, especially the ones who rule the country, don't like humans."

"But why?"

"A long time ago, the humans betrayed the elves by going to war with them. Lots of elves are still upset by that, and don't even talk to the humans."

"Oh. Did the humans ever apologize?"

"Believe me, Soph, they tried. They tried to reach an agreement and sent countless gifts to the elves to make up for the atrocities they committed. Generation after generation tried. The humans eventually gave up and forgot the elves even existed."

"That's horrible! But...how did you know about mom, then?"

"Well, your mother was in my country for a week, illegally."

"No! Mom wouldn't!" I giggled.

My father smirked. "She would! I ran into her on the street and...you already know that story. Anyway, your mother and I got married in secret. Her parents already knew and disapproved, yet didn't act on it. After all, they didn't want to tarnish the family name. However, your Aunt, who is your mom's sister, did not know. When she visited your mother and me, she was shocked to find a human as her sister's husband.

"Gisela was furious - she went to the Elvin council and everything. The elves didn't know what to do. They had never had this happen to them before. Around the same time this happened, your mother and I found out that she was pregnant - with you."

My father booped my nose and I laughed.

"So then what happened?"

"The council was not happy, but thankfully the decision was ultimately up to the king and queen. You remember Edaline and Grady from their last visit, right?"

"Of course I do! They always bring me the yummiest mallowmelt ever!"

"Don't let mom catch you saying that!" my father laughed. "Well, they allowed me to stay in the Lost Cities with you and your mother. Gisela was not happy and doesn't like the fact that I'm a human."

"But that's terrible! You didn't do anything - it was the humans from a long time ago!"

"I know, pumpkin. And I'm glad you see it that way too. But now it's time for bed, ok? Just remember that I always love you."

"I love you three thousand!"

"I love you three thousand and one."

And just like that I was ripped away from the memory and brought back to the real world.

I bolted upright, gasping for breath. These memories...they were definitely real. The world spun as I tried to stand up, causing me to stumble and lean against the wall. I groaned.

I opened my eyes and kept moving forward. Maybe if I could see more of the house, my memories might resurface.

With that thought, I walked deeper into the house. I ducked under a fallen support beam and entered a different room. It looked like it could have been an office at one time. A black fireplace sat in the left wall, completely charred.

I spotted a little glass compass amongst the ashes in the fireplace.

It looked familiar...

"Kalsi Sorensa Foster, how could you?" a woman who looked like the older version of my mother stood next to my father shouted.

"Mother, the Black Swan needs this information! I agreed to the cross-species experiment, and Chris did too! Our daughter will bring peace to the Lost Cities," my mother argued.

"Why couldn't you have married an elf? Gisela is engaged to Cassius Sencen - a rich young man. You are a disgrace to the family! You are no daughter of mine," my grandmother spat.

I gasped as my grandmother backhanded my mother and raised her leaping crystal and disappeared. My mother fell into her husband's arms and let out a choked sob.

"I-I'm sorry Chris, I shouldn't have-" my mother whispered.

"Shh, it's ok. Hey, I found something the other day and I thought of you," my father gently took her hands in his.

He reached out into his pocket and pulled out a round silver object. He placed it into my mother's hands.

"It's a compass - a human device. It shows people what direction they are traveling in. I asked Kesler to tweak it. Now it will always point to where I am. Because you are my compass in these times," my father said softly.

"It's...perfect. I'll treasure it forever," my mother said, keeping the compass close to her heart.

Something wet was on my cheek. I reached my hand up and found that I had been crying. My parents sounded like lovely people. I wished they were still there with me.

That...was, not my memory. But somehow it was planted into my head.

The Black Swan.

The name sounded familiar.

I reached for the compass and brushed the ashes off of it. A swan along with my parents' initials was engraved into the tarnished silver cover.

The needle of the compass suddenly swung around rapidly, until it settled down.

I stared at the needle. It was pointing west.

"It will always point to where I am."

Maybe, just maybe, I was going to find the answers I needed.

But first, I needed to make a few telepathic calls.

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I would never get used to the feeling of flying. In a good way, of couse. The wind ripped through her hair and gave her a sense of freedom.

Here, on Silveny's back, things didn't seem so bad. The real world could wait for a few more hours, couldn't it?

When I first found Silveny in the forest, I was shocked to find glittering wings on her sides and a graceful spire adorning her head. She had a hurt wing, and I couldn't just...leave her there. But how did one hide a such a hunted creature in the palace stables?

I asked Grady and Edaline, of course. Together, with the help of Dex, we embedded tiny obscurers in her horn and in each wing. As far as everyone else knew, she was just a really pretty horse.

But Silveny and I shared a special connection that I couldn't quite describe. So when I realized that the compass could take me to my parents, whether alive or...I didn't like to think about the other option (I had no idea what condition they were in), I needed a form of transportation.

We had been flying for about an hour and a half, to the west, and I was getting restless. Silveny overheard my thoughts and tossed her head in agreement. I hoped we were almost there.

I noticed that the sun was sinking into the horizon fairly quickly, and the realization hit me like Keefe's stupid wheelbarrow race.

I had left my tower and my friends.

What were they doing right now?

Dex had to be flipping out. He was always so overprotective! But I loved him for it. Keefe was either trying to lighten the mood with a prank or be somber for once and comfort Dex.

I smiled to myself. There was no in between with him.

Tam and Linh were probably worried, but not too concerned. After all, I didn't know them very well, but they seemed like nice people. I hoped my ships sailed.

Fintan and Brant were definitely sending out a search party so I would need to be careful. What an evil lot those two were. Fintan more so than Brant. At least Brant was good at one point. I don't know where Fintan went wrong, and I probably never will.

And then there was Fitz.

Fitz.

Fitz.

I shook my head and cleared away the thought of him.

Stop thinking about things that shouldn't be thought about!

To distract myself, I waved my hand through a puffy cloud next to me. Heavens, it was cold. I retracted my hand into my cape and burrowed closer to Silveny.

After about ten more minutes of flying and trying not to think about Things That Shouldn't Be Thought About, the compass I was holding started to glow a light blue.

I sat up straight and urged Silveny to fly faster and steered her closer to the ground. A sudden wave of uncertainty crashed over me. What would I find, if anything? Maybe this whole thing was a fluke and my memory was shot. Maybe-

Silveny's sudden descent cut off my thoughts, and I saw why. A beautiful shimmering lake was displayed before us, catching the last of the sun's rays. The lake was surrounded by prairie and near the shores of the lake was-

No. No. No. NO!

Silveny landed and I slowly slid off of her. I took slow, heavy steps towards two unique trees.

The first tree had an ivory trunk with sturdy, lanky branches. Off of those branches were light brown leaves and little round berries that looked like chocolate. The ivory trunk was swirled with an icy blue color - the same color as my mother's eyes.

The second tree had a ivory and chocolate swirled trunk with more delicate, but strong branches. The branches held shiny light yellow leaves with icy blue crystals.

The two trees stood side by side. A pedestal with a sign with writing read:

"Here lies Chris and Kalsi Foster-Eglas. Loving parents of Sophie Foster-Eglas and one imp. For those who wander are not lost."

Tears started to blur my vision and I stumbled towards the trees of my beloved parents and sat down in between them. Suddenly, a dizzying rush of memories flooded my brain. And suddenly, I could remember everything.

Good night kisses from my mom and dad.

Gisela trying to stop Keefe from playing with me.

Goblins and ogres stopping by our house to talk with my parents.

Mysterious figures in weird disguises meeting at our house to talk about me.

Keefe and I playing Base Quest.

Making mallowmelt with mom for the first time.

Dad and I building a fort.

My parents embracing me in their arms.

My mother telling me that I was supposed to save them all one day.

Looking at the trees' trunks, I realized that my parents had loved each other so much that their physical attributes had found themselves in each other's tree. I felt my heart shatter a little bit more.

"I'm so lost," I cried. It was silly of me to talk to my dead parents, but what did I have to lose?

"I wish you were here to guide me. Your compass led me here, dad. Thanks for still saving me, I guess," I chuckled a bit. "You know, I really miss you guys. I-I think I can remember everything now. Well, bits and pieces. I was hoping you could fill me in, you know?"

I sighed. "There's a lot of people depending on me right now. And I don't think I can do it. If I can't beat Fintan, how can I save the Lost Cities? Fitz doesn't even think I can protect myself. He's right, I'm just a girl. What can I do? I'm an experiment. A mistake-"

As I was talking, I had leaned against my father's tree. I must've activated some sort of tripwire because a hollowed out portion of the tree opened up for me.

Inside the cache were a scroll, an silver square, and a chain.

I grabbed all three objects and spread them out in front of me.

Attached to the chain was a note that said:

"For the compass. So you can always find your way back to us.

                       Love,

                         Mom & Dad"

I dug the compass out of my pocket and noticed that there was, indeed a small ring to attach it to a necklace. Without hesitation, I slipped it on the chain and clasped it around my neck.

When I tried to open the silver square, nothing happened. Huh. Maybe I'd give it to Dex. He'd be able to figure it out.

Finally, I turned my attention to the scroll. With shaky hands, I slowly opened it and began to read:

"Hi, Sophie! If you're reading this, it means you've discovered our favorite spot in the Lost Cities! We took you here when you were little, but we live in troubled times, so that might have to wait.

Anyway, we've probably passed on now, if you're reading this. Or something bad has occurred and Forkle flipped. You know how he is.

Ah, yes the Black Swan. We never told you about them because we wanted you to have a normal childhood - as normal as having a human and an elf as parents, anyway.

The Black Swan is a secret organization that reaches across the entire intelligent species - except for humans, that is. They work to protect the Lost Cities from danger and improve relations between species. Working from the shadows, they have members in the elvin council, the ogre court, and in countless other positions.

For years they have wanted the humans to rejoin the intelligent species. Their plan was to have a human and an elf get married and have kids. And guess what? It worked!

They recruited your mother when she was just a teenager. They that she was different than the other elves, that she had an open mind about race.

The Black Swan sent her out into the human world for a year. Told her she was going to study the humans for their research. And while this was partly true, they also wanted her to fall in love with a human.

You know the story from there.

After your mother and I got married, we were called to meet with the Black Swan's Collective - their version of the elvin council. At the meeting, they told us that our child was going to change the course of history and bring the intelligent species back together as one unit again.

You were to become a great leader and overthrow the outdated elvin council. Show the world what happens when two species came together to create something powerful and good. And you were supposed to defeat the Neverseen.

The Neverseen is the group that works from behind the council and some of the other world leaders, using their influence to sway things their way. They hate the Black Swan and would do anything to get rid of them. The Neverseen have agents everywhere, especially in the king's court. Please be careful and don't underestimate them.

But the plan didn't turn out the way we planned. Gisela found out and told the elvin council. King Grady and Queen Edaline couldn't do anything about it - they were overruled by the screaming public. The plan was abandoned.

You see, Sophie, you have the potential to become bad or good. We don't care whether you follow this plan or not. Things may have changed drastically since we've left, but you have a big heart - remember when you rescued worms on the ground after it rained?

We'll always love you, and we're not really gone. We're just there in your heart and in your memories.

Love,

Mom & Dad

P.S. Ask King Grady about your moonlark. He'll know what you mean. Consider it a gift for our strong daughter :)"

I stared at the scroll and reread it a few more times.

And when their words finally sunk in, I rose to my feet and faced Silveny.

"I hope you're up for more flying because we have work to do."

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Hey guess who's not dead (yet) 

I passed all of my exams and I'm ready to be writing again! 

Sorry that I made you guys wait so long :)

I made this a super long chapter (over 3,000 words!) for you 

And the aesthetic at the top is mine, so please give me credit! It was requested on Tumblr and it's for Kenric and Oralie. I was so mad when Kenric died!

Also: 160 days until Legacy! Who's excited?

~ Meels

P.S. did anyone catch my Endgame reference??