Unedited.

Bronte looked angry as usual, but sat pompously. Sophie could hardly believe he was Mr. Forkle.

Oralie looked to be staying calm in the middle of the storm. Noland looked to be his nervous self as usual, and Terik sat looking a little shaken, but was hiding it well. Sophie looked at the elves below, they were all innocent... Yet there was impending doom over them, more as below them, but they still nervously stood about as if sensing it.

They didn't deserve this.

The sickening feeling in Sophie's chest churned and her mouth turned dry. She could do nothing to stop the deaths that were to come, what she could do was try to prepare herself. But how was someone supposed to prepare to watch innocent lives slaughtered before their eyes? How was one supposed to look at somebody and know they might not be alive in a few minutes?

Sophie's eyes flicked to the platform as a movement caught her eye. Tam and Linh had appeared.

"Tam!" Sophie practically screamed through transmission. Sophie could see him jump at the sound and look around, as Linh embraced the Vackers. "Tam get everyone out of here. Please. Grady and Edaline are near the back with Dex and his family. Please get them out of here." Sophie begged. Tam looked around. As he pulled Linh back his shadow spread beneath the Vackers' feet. "Now." Sophie persisted. Tam looked angry, and his shadow reached to Keefe who showed up beside Linh. Keefe froze and looked around as if he could feel her panic, worry and dread, he tugged on Linh's arm and his mouth moved but Sophie couldn't hear it.

Alden spoke next, but was nodding. Della clutched on to his arm looking upset, but Alden kissed her, causing the worry to wash away. Fitz pulled his mom away as Biana hugged Alden tight, before stepping back. Fitz shot his Dad a look who smiled encouraging, Sophie didn't even have to read his lips to know he was saying 'there is no reason to worry' before he took his seat. The others walked through the crowd to the back. Where they joined Edaline, Grady and the Dizznees.

Tam's shadow spread to them and they nodded. Tam looked around, but Stina showed up next to him. Before she took he hand, and followed him and the others to the very back of the crowd. Alden sat in the front row, calmly, he looked at peace. He was staying. Sophie switched her view to one of her identities she had named Beth.

Beth hurried after the group, she slipped out of the crowd and met Tam's eyes, "Tam." Beth said. "Beth?" Tam asked. Beth nodded. "Follow me." Beth said, Sophie couldn't look at the others as she knew she'd make Beth fling herself in their arms. "Wait who are y-"

"Now is neither the place nor time." Beth cut Keefe off. "Right now all you need to know, is that you can trust me. I'm here to protect you." Beth said as she walked through Eternalia. "It's alright." Tam told the others before following Beth. "Where are we going?" He asked. "Somewhere safe." Beth replied as she ducked into an ally. "Is Eternalia not safe?" Juline asked. Beth stopped in front of the dead end and looked at her. "We can't risk it can we?" Beth turned back to the blank wall, she counted the bricks. "What is she doing?" Rex whispered. Beth however found the brick. Glancing back at the ally, she pushed it. The wall slid open. "Watch your step and wait until someone gets at the bottom, I'll be sure to get Alden to safety." Beth said. "Are you positive?" Tam asked, not exactly to Beth but to Sophie.

"Yes. Be careful." Beth said. Tam held out his hand. "You as well." Beth shook his hand, before he started walking down the dark staircase. The others shot Beth glances but she ignored them. But as Della passed Beth grabbed her arm, stopping her. "I promise I'll protect your husband." She said Della smiled before hurrying after her daughter, Fitz passed and Beth couldn't look at him as he passed. Once they were all safely in the walls, Beth slid the wall closed before hurrying back to the gathering.

She reached Alden just as the first emissary stood up. Beth sat beside Alden, he looked surprised.

Switching back to her view above the gathering, transmitting to Physic that she had sent her family to chamber three. Sophie stared down, before her eyes caught sight of Eli, Joanne, Rowan, Blossom and Marella and their families. Her heart wretched, she realized Sandor had placed some of his new identities around them, pushing them farther to the back of the crowd, Harley was with them, apparently he and his family were related to Eli. Sophie wanted nothing more than to have her identities to swarm around them and rush them away, but she couldn't do that.

Then she spotted Alina, and her newly wed husband Gordon, a hardly noticeable bump had appeared in Alina's stomach. There was an unborn innocent life. More identities went around the three, ready to rush them away. Sophie realized Demise had attracted a small group of children as he made a small show of lights telling a story, the parents looked relieved when he promised to watch them near the back.

The lights were different colors and took shapes of different animals, the more Demise stepped back the more kids joined and followed him, farther away from the crowd. It was a creepily endearing sight. Just out of caution Sandor and Sophie followed, Demise was still a part of the Neverseen. Sophie's muscles hurt from sitting in a crouched position for so long, and her legs hurt from being scrunched down for so long.

The emissary weakly spoke of strength, he was a complete contradiction to his speech, next was a woman who spoke of unity and strength in numbers, another woman went up and spoke peace, then it was Alden's turn. Beth and Sophie both tensed. Alden stood up and walked up the platform.

"We've all felt the loss of Sophie Foster. She was a light in all this darkness, a light we needed, she gave us something we forgot to have, she gave us hope.
I'm sure she'd want us to continue hoping through all of this, she gave us strength and unity, she eased our fears and kept the peace. But we also must remember... We all are only one elf, but together we can fight darkness, together we can fight the impossible. To you I introduce to you Emer-"

Boom!

The platform cracked and smashed, screams sounded through the air. Beth was in action immediate she was at Alden's side, where he had fallen, yanking him up, she could hear snarls ripping through the air.

Pushing Alden in front of her, Beth placed her hand on his head, making him stay low. The sound of rattling chains made every demon freeze. They knew what happened to their kin. Looking up, Sophie and Sandor swung down landing in the middle of the stilled havoc. Beth and the other identities pushed people forward. Towards the secret passages, splitting up through the city. Small aspects of dust hung heavily in the air, being swished and disturbed as people panicked. Beth continued pushing Alden forward, like a body guard escorting the president.

The stones beneath their foot trembled and gave off a rumbling tremor. Cracks appeared through every stone, mortar broke and crumbled, the flash out of the corner of her eye made Beth shove Alden to the ground and throw herself over him, something pierced her side, letting out a grunt Beth looked up to see one of Sandor's identities tackle the demon. "Go!" He shouted. Beth pushed herself up and pulled Alden forward. Pushing through the crowd, Beth saw a shoe lost in the chaos. Alone and undisturbed, it stood, as a crack appeared beneath it in the ground, like a city splitting apart the crack grew bigger stretching closer and closer to the edges of the boot. Beth hurried Alden to the ally, she slammed her palm against the brick, shoving the door open, she pushed him in.

"Go! Go!" She screamed yanking it back closed as she pushed Alden down the steps where he ran.

"Those elves-"

"There's more people up there." Beth shouted. "Dad?" Biana asked. Alden soon forgot about those elves as he reached the bottom steps and embraced his family. "Alden." Della breathed hugging him tightly. Beth breathed a sigh of relief. They were safe. "She's hurt." Dex said drawing attention to Beth. Fitz stepped forward but Beth held up a bloody hand. "I'm going to die. That's my purpose for being here, was to get you all to safety, even if it meant dying." Beth said. "What? No!" Della gasped. Then the sound a pounding feet reached them. "Physic!" Beth shouted pushing herself off the wall. Physic skidded in to sight. "What's going on up there? What- oh...you're dying." She said more calmly.

"Yes. Help her!" Alden said. "No. I'm meant to die. It's how it's supposed to be." Beth said, "Physic, I'm sending more people down here." Beth said, as she yanked the knife from her side with a cry of pain. Physic caught her arm. "Keep them safe." Beth said as the cold seeped in she slumped down, her body turning to shimmering silver dust.

Sophie felt the twinge in her chest, as her vision returned to herself. Her chains swung wildly, inflicting shoving every bit of emotion she had out of her. Sandor was at her back using darts, medlers and weapons he picked up from fallen demons. Between them stood two kids Sophie had recognized from when she had looked at Fitz through the spy ball. The two kids that constantly seemed to be getting in trouble. They were clutching each other crying, as they stayed in the safety circle Sophie and Sandor made. More and more elves were escorted down to Physic.

Sophie looked up at the destroyed platform. Brant and Fintan called down everblaze at Iver's command. Before tossing it on on the councilors. Engulfing them, there was no hope for them to live through that. Sophie felt anger churn in her stomach, ducking she whipped her chain out as Sandor swung his arm over her head, throwing three darts. Sophie watched as they sunk into Brant Fintan and Iver. Tearing her eyes away she looked at the chaos before her. Elves were still caught in the middle.

Panic and fear made them stand up and fight the demons that now didn't have anyone to control them. Sophie spotted Demise fighting better than Myth and Bad Dog, protecting a group of cowering elves. Fighting their way over, Sophie, Sandor and the two kids reached them just as Demise was attacked by a group of armored demons. Sophie covered the eyes of  the two kids, she couldn't look as Demise went down fighting.

Sandor and Sophie were now protecting the group. "Stand up!" Sophie screamed at the crying elves. "Fight! Fight for your family! Fight for us! Fight!" She shouted, her inflicting taking down ten elves that had snuck up on the left flank. One elf shakily stood, she picked up a knife, tears streaming down her dark skin, she gave a battle scream as she plunged the knife into the nearest demon. Sophie swung her chain out wrapping it around the thick horn she yanked, the tar like blood splattered over the girl as the head ripped off. Gradually the older elves surrounded the younger ones, they fought with Sophie and Sandor who continued forward the safety circle growing larger, they reached more elves who were fighting.

Warriors are not born, but instead they are made.
Through fear and instinct combining with cold hard anger or love. Whichever it was the warriors that fought, went down, the once innocent children were now scarred for life, and the cold fear of these demons were struck in the hearts of every elf. Finally reaching the ally, they back up. Farther and farther. "It's a dead end. We'll be blocked off!" Cried on elf. "Keep backing up!" Sophie barked, as she and Sandor held front defence line. The sound of stone grinding together for a second sounded through the air. "Hurry, we've got a hold." Physic shouted. Sandor and Sophie turned and ducked, racing for the entrance. Stumbling down the stairs after the other elves that had made it. Physic slammed the brick door shut, lopping off a hand of a demon.

Sophie ran down the stairs looking around the terror stricken faces. Looking around, they held on to each other. Sophie looked up at Physic who nodded. Taking a deep breath Sophie straightened her shoulders, this was it.

(Well that just happened...)