Myrkr was suspended in a green plasma-liquid bubble that was surrounded by giant roots, curled up in the fetal position, eyes closed, not breathing. Voices could be heard nearby, but they were muffled and garbled. The only clear sense was sight. The scene wouldn't change from that view, and none of the speakers walked into the range of view. On the outside of the plasma bubble there was something the color of emeralds. The smooth surface was mostly covered in the dust, making it not look as smooth as it was supposed to have been. Even then, though, it was obvious the emerald dust had minds of their own, since other, bigger clumps of the darker green could be seen inside the bubble. They all seemed to be heading for Myrkr, though for what reason was unknown.

✦ ✦ ❦ ✦ ✦ 

     Cedric woke up with a sense of dread and excitement. He knew exactly where the dread came from, but the excitement he wasn't so sure about. It's my fault, he thought, and the painstakingly accusing glare Myrkr gave him that last time he had seen her all too clear in his mind's eye. Her emerald green feline eyes, holding betrayal and hurt before they were closed. Her madly twitching tail, emerald dust all over, shooting at her enemies like missiles and bullets. The last words she had said, screamed, to him, "Why, Cedric?! How could you?!" when he had watched his nightmare unfold into reality. He remembered her commanding the dust around his wrists and hands, effectively cuffing them behind his back, even as he shifted form. He watched in horror as she fell to the ground, stock-still and limp, all emerald dust disintegrating to dust, inanimate, and nothing more.

     He glanced at the next bunk over, where Sanguine was sleeping. The ruby Dromdí's human face was scrunched, and his forehead was shiny from sweat. She was like his little sister. Cedric quietly got out of his bed and slipped into the hallway that led away from the dorm rooms. He didn't dare try to go and see Luna and Shimmer in their room, which now was out two students: Maple and Myrkr. Both Cí'mehia, both adept fighters, both quick thinkers.

     And both were gone.

     Cedric made his way to the cafeteria, only to find it was closed. He checked the clock above the giant door, which was when Cedric realized he was up in the middle of the night, at 2:13am. He didn't register the lack of light, even with his night vision, since he was caught up in the memories of the previous day.

     Turning around and breaking into a light jog, Cedric made his way back to his room, Sanguine still in his troubled sleep. Cedric got back into his bed, closed his eyes, and tried for five more hours of sleep.

✦ ✦ ❦ ✦ ✦

     This time, the scene played in a bigger field of view, and the two voices could be understood.

     She had fought with all her strength, all her will, all her everything. Every ability at her disposal wasn't enough. The scene played, over and over, without change.

     Two humanoid figures in dark coats were taking notes as they watched the emerald dust slowly make its way into the plasma bubble, and as it clumped together.

     "Ysamaldrí's sense must be what's causing the dust to go to her," one said.

     "Gemstones of Ysamaldrí have been said to be more powerful than other Mythics, though this Cí'mehia Gemstone hasn't had her official training in the ability," the other said.

     One of the emerald clumps made its way to one of Myrkr's fingers. It was slightly bigger than the others, and it moved slightly easier through the plasma substance. Once it touched the Cí'mehia finger, under her eyelids an emerald flash was emitted, cut off just as abruptly as it had initiated. Otherwise, she stayed as still as a statue.

     "Xar, did you see that?" the first voice asked. "Her eyes."

     "Yes, Chald. I will go and report this. Also, it's been a few hours. Give the plasma another dampening, will you?" Xar turned around and headed toward the hidden exit.

     "Of course, sir," Chald said, nodding. He turned back to watch the young Cí'mehia as more emerald clumps made their way to her a bit faster. Chald noted it down.

✦ ✦ ❦ ✦ ✦

     Luna got out of her bed, the memories from the skirmish coming back to her. Far, far too late had she and Shimmer arrived, both in dragon form. She had seen Sanguine get shot out of the sky in his dragon form, and heard Myrkr scream, "Why, Cedric?! How could you?!" at Cedric, who was bound by something distinctly green. Myrkr fell down, unconscious or dead, Luna couldn't tell through the tears and distance. A smoke cloud had enveloped Myrkr, and as Sanguine broke free from whatever or whoever was holding him, he immediately tried to clear the smoke with his wings. When the spot Myrkr had been was visible, an ear-spliting, savage cry escaped him, echoing far and wide in the mountain range, as he plummeted to the ground a short distance below. She was gone, as was Maple, who had been fighting her. Myrkr had the advantage. She wasn't trying to simply disable Maple at that point, though Maple was fighting to disable Myr. She was fighting for escape, with any means possible. I just can't believe she's gone. Oh, Sanguine...

     Luna flinched. His cry had broken her heart. She felt his agony and loss inside herself, and she couldn't bear to see him in pain. Sanguine's breakdown at the fight's conclusion had her surrounding him, in his human form, in her wings after she changed back to human. Luna had heard Shimmer growl something to Cedric, which was followed by a loud flap of her icy wings, a sign she was going to fight.

     Luna shook off the memory. I'll go and see Sanguine this morning. She left the room and headed for Sanguine's and Cedric's room. Once there, she knocked on the door.

✦ ✦ ❦ ✦ ✦

     As Chald watched Myrkr, he noted that the multiple emerald dust clumps that had made contact with her started to cover her in an emerald layer. Even through the green plasma bubble, splashes of green were all over her by now: one covered a hand, part of her side, one knee, one foot, and part of her head. Each time emerald dust touched her, her eyes emitted the green light, which grew in light intensity. Every new thing was written down. "I had better add that dampening dose to the plasma," Chald murmured. He turned from Myrkr to place down the notes and grab the dampening substance's plasma container.

     When he turned around, Chald walked over to the plasma bubble and placed the container partly inside, which it automatically started absorbing. The purple liquid flowed into the green plasma, spreading around Myrkr. The emerald clumps not yet in contact with her slowed down their advance.

✦ ✦ ❦ ✦ ✦

     Sanguine was roused from his nightmare by a thunderclap. No, that couldn't have been it, he thought groggily as another knock sounded at the door. Cedric was already out of the room when Sanguine looked over at his roommate's bunk. "Hold on," he grumbled, quickly grabbing clothes and throwing them on. He then opened the door a sliver to see Luna standing there, in her usual quiet way. "Luna?"

     "May I come in, Sanguine?" she asked, quietly.

     "Uh, sure," Sanguine mumbled, opening the door a bit wider to let her in. "What's up?"

     "You, Sanguine, is what's up," Luna replied, entering. "You basically just lost your sister figure. I want to help you get her back."

     "But how?" Sanguine asked, tears threatening to spill from his eyes.

     Luna smiled reassurance. "I've got a plan. But you have to take the lead."

     He nodded. Myr, I'm coming. "Tell me the plan. I'm in."

✦ ✦ ❦ ✦ ✦

     Xar returned from the report, and he was accompanied by someone else. "Why is she here, Xar?" Chald asked. "She's not a genetic specialist, she's a Lady of Her Majesty. She has no reason to have returned here."

     Xar shrugged. "Queen Tahl'drí sends Lady Maple here a few times a month to see what we are actually doing. I have to thank her, actually. A few times she's caught others who shouldn't have been here and took care of them for us, as well as figuring out what they were trying to do. Lady Maple's good here in my book."

     "Alright." Chald shrugged and returned to taking notes.

     "Actually," Maple started, turning toward Chald. "I was sent to personally see what Myrkr is doing, other than you two taking notes. More eye witnesses, you know the drill, Xar."

     "Of course."

     "So you think that Ysamaldrí herself is interfering with this? You did mention in your written report that something was commanding the emerald dust to Myrkr's aid, not that anything can help her now." Maple paced slowly in front of Myrkr's plasma bubble thoughtfully. "And you had verbally reported that her eyes flashed an emerald green every time the emerald dust came in contact."

     Xar nodded, even though Maple wasn't focused on him. "Yes, Lady Maple. That is all true."

     "Very well. It would have been better if you had disabled her as we planned, Maple, but I suppose knowledge can come with a price. This way, too, Myrkr Mkhoal will no longer be a threat to us, and we can perform any experiment on her body to find out more," a new voice sounded, and Chald and Xar turned to face their queen.

     "Your Majesty," Xar said, bowing his head slightly as he turned to face her.

     "Find out Ysamaldrí's connection to Myrkr's abilities. I don't think it was a soul connection, otherwise the emerald flashes and the emerald dust that are heading for her wouldn't be happening. It's something within her body." Tahl'drí glanced once at Myrkr, and nodded, satisfied. "No more trouble from her, indeed, but watch for her friends. They might be seeking revenge. Maybe we can bag two Cí'mehia, hm?" The queen turned to leave.

     "We won't let you down, Your Majesty." Xar turned to his assistant. "Chald, make sure Myrkr's body is watched at all times by someone competent and with notes."

     "Yes, sir."

✦ ✦ ❦ ✦ ✦

     Shimmer glared an icy fire at the ceiling, remembering the previous day. After she and Luna had gotten to the scene, she watched as emerald dust disintegrated off of Cedric's hands as Myrkr fell to the ground. Quickly putting two and two together, she assumed Myrkr was a secret Gemstone and had used her ability to bind Cedric. After hearing Myrkr scream "Why, Cedric?! How could you?!" as she and Luna were flying frantically to help, she also assumed Cedric was part of whoever tried—and succeeded—to capture or kill Myrkr. While Luna went to comfort Sanguine, she had stood guard between them and Cedric.

     "Go," Shimmer snarled, and flapped her wings once, loudly. She, Cedric, and Luna had fought side-by-side enough for him to know that action's meaning. "Or I will make you."

     "Shim, I'm not—" Cedric started, then got another, clearer look at Shimmer's eyes. She herself knew she had a fiery anger in them, and that it might even amount to murder. Cedric shook his head and looked Shimmer in eye once more. "I just wish I could have told her I'm sorry." He ran, knowing he couldn't take on three dragons at once. The ice dragon turned back around to see Luna comforting Sanguine, her white moon scales and the normal black scales surrounding him.

     Despite her cold exteior, she silently thought, We'll get her back for you, Sanguine. We will, or we'll all die trying. We'll get her, or her body, back for you.

✦ ❦ ✎ ❦ ✦

This might be the last chapter for Mysterious Realms: Revak Feykro, but I'm not sure yet. Wow, I made this in two days. Nice.

And I keep editing. Grr, Char staaappppp ittttttt