Unedited.

An explosion. That's how Sophie could describe her first kiss. Fitz's lips had brushed hers for only a second when the explosion happened. It could hardly count as a kiss, but it was still hers.

Shaking the ground, shattering whatever it was Fitz and Sophie had at that moment. Looking at the mansion made Sophie's stomach twist. A small fire was in the middle of the stage, actors hurried to put it out. Sophie knew the Neverseen had struck.

That was merely a distraction for a bigger plan. Sophie bolted off the bench. "Sophie." Fitz called after her, but she ignored him. What had he done? How did he know his brother had been here? Lifting her skirts, which was hard enough, she ran.

She could feel her dress billowing out behind her, she could hear Fitz running after her. Her heart was felt like it was about to thunder right out of her chest. Sophie made it back into the party to be greeted by chaos. Still masked in the smiling face that never looked completely happy, Ruy was watching as small fires caused elves to panic and rush to get it out. On the curtains, on the stage at the refreshment table. Every place Ruy had been a small fire had started. Sophie spotted her friends glancing around for herself and Fitz wildly. Sophie started towards them, Keefe was first to spot her but looked horrified.

Sophie saw it to late, to do anything about it. A shield encased her, she slammed her fist against the shield, as she saw her friends being trapped themselves. Sandor's fist slammed into the shield Sophie was in, causing cracks to web around Sophie. Sophie ducked her head, and covered it with her arms as Sandor's second hit made the shield shattering, with the sound of Ruy yelled in pain, Sophie jumped next to Sandor, pulling him to her friends. Just ad Sandor pounded his fist into shield Sophie felt something like a rope wrap around her and pull her back. Swinging through the air.

Flying back she slammed to the ground. Right at Ruy's feet. "We should finish our fight." Ruy said showing his hands, his fingers poised in claws. Sophie saw the metal shine. "Yeah we should." Sophie grunted as she stood up. Tearing off her mask, Sophie raised her fists. She would finish this.
Sophie didn't see a jester slink up behind her, she didn't see him raise a candle stick, and swing at her head. All she saw was her vision blur as her knees gave out, Ruy's smiling masked face staring down at her. The smile never leaving, as it went with her to haunt the hazy darkness that she fell into.

~

"Tie them up."

"No! Let go of me!" Biana's voice was to loud and Sophie heard a loud grunt. "Did that cat scratch you?" The loud voice asked. "Sophie wake up!" Biana shouted as it sounded like a struggle went down.

Sophie however was stiff, and her head was pounding, and the loud voices weren't helping much. "What should we do about this one?" Asked a second voice, Sophie felt the toe of a boot, press into her stomach. "Leave as she is, she won't be coming to, anytime soon. We're coming back to interrogate her anyways." Said the first. "I always expected the Moonlark to be more grown up." Said the second voice. "With all the stories we've heard...I didn't expect her to be so...unimpressive. She hardly even fought." Sophie wanted to fight, but her friends were in danger and she couldn't risk having them hurt.

"Trust me, that's a she devil living in an elf body." Ruy said, as his boot kicked Sophie's leg. Sophie wanted to cry out from the pain, but she bit her tongue. "Bloody thing she is." Ruy called her a name Sophie dared not repeat. "I heard she destroyed half of Ravagog." Said the first voice. "It doesn't matter." Ruy snapped. "Let's just give our report. Danson stay here and watch them, if the freak shows any sign of waking ring the bell." Ruy said, as a door slammed with a clang. Sophie listened to two pairs of footsteps fade away, as another pair stomped, grumbling under his breath about being a babysitter. Sophie cracked her eyes open, she was in a cell. Her friends were tied up and Biana had a gag in her mouth.

Fitz looked as if he had been hit with a medler. He was slumped down, his whole body leaning away from the others. Sophie looked over to see Danson pacing in front of the cell. His boots stomping as he grumbled and cursed. Sophie snapped her eyes closed as Danson looked over at her. She felt his eyes on her for a long moment as he stopped pacing before he started up again. "She doesn't even look like a she devil. She's just a kid." He grumbled. Oh he'd see...

Sophie gather every bit of cold fear she felt, every bit of burning guilt for getting her friends into this, and every dark emotions she could muster and opened her eyes to meet Danson's who was staring at her, she smiled as his eyes went wide, she shoved the dark energy out of her mind, and Danson fell in a heap. "What was that?" Tam asked, "Sophie." Dex's said as Sophie shakily pushed herself up. "Bloody she devil my foot!" Sophie snapped as she lifted up her skirt. "Uh Foster...what are you doing?" Keefe asked. Sophie managed to pull the knife out of her garter and walked to Biana, who she set free. Instantly Biana pulled another knife, that was big enough to be considered a sword, from the back of her corset, I ruffled her skirts, and it must of been as long as her torso, neck to waist.

"Am I the only one who didn't get the hide weapons in your clothes memo tonight?" Keefe asked as Biana set about freeing her brother. Sophie slashed Linh's bindings "Looks like it." Linh replied as she pulled throwing knives from her hair. "Oh great." Keefe's scoffed, Linh went to her brother who had already had himself half untied. Sophie had Dex and Keefe out of the ropes, by the time Biana brought Fitz to. She had out one hand over his mouth to make sure he didn't make a sound, as her other hand, dug two fingers at the base of his skull. Fitz squirmed and his eyes snapped in.

"Sophie!" Sophie winced at his loud voice. Her head was still pounding. "So Bangs boy what weapon did you bring?" Keefe asked Tam, Tam shook his bangs out. "I didn't bring any." He said. "Oh so you missed the memo too?" Keefe asked cheerfully. "What'd about you Fitz?" He asked as Fitz accepted his sister's help to stand. "What?" He asked. Sophie ignored Keefe as she kneeled next to the cell door, reaching through, she grabbed the keys from Danson's waist. Dex was beside her, keeping watch as she unlocked the cell door. Sophie opened the door, and as if of one mind she and Dex each grabbed one of Danson's legs and dragged him into the cell. Dex locked the cell once everyone else was out, he tossed the keys in the darkest corner if the cell.

Sophie looked at Dex as he pulled his mask off. "You ready?" She asked. She and Dex had been kidnapped before, they'd escaped together so they had more experience then the others. Dex tossed his mask aside. "Yes." He said as he shoved his cloak off, leaving himself looking like thief worth western bullet straps across his chest. On each of the straps squares dotted it. As he did that, Sophie tore the hem of her dress, to a knee length dress, with the back remaining long.

Sophie kept her knife up as they ran as quietly as they could. Slowing at a corner Sophie heard voices, "That is cheating!" One voice shouted. "Is not! I won fair and square!" Came a second voice.  Dex's hand went to Sophie's shoulder as he pulled her away from the corner he pulled a square off his tunic, leaning out, into the next hall, he tossed it, before ducking back he crouched down and covered his ears, the others copied him.

Boom!

Dust burst out of the hall, with small bits of gravel. Sophie stood first, braving the dust storm she started hurry down the hall, the others at her heels. "That was pretty awesome Dex." Keefe said. Sophie spotted one Neverseen getting up, trying to shake off the blank out, three other Neverseen were hurrying down the hall to see what was wrong. Sophie jumped, using the downed Neverseen's shoulders as a spring she launched herself to the beam above her head, grabbing it with her hands she used her momentum to swing her legs out, slamming her feet into the first Neverseen, she let go of the beam as the Neverseen fell back.

Sophie flipped her knife, using the handle to hit the next Neverseen's temple, making him fall like a rock, Sophie ducked a swinging fist, before driving her own fist into the gut, the Neverseen bent over in pain, Sophie brought up her knee as she slammed the Neverseen's face down. She felt the strong nose break, as blood squirted onto her knee, she tossed the limp Neverseen aside. She needed to get her friends to safety.  Glancing around at the four way split around the corner she glanced at Dex who pointed right. Sophie didn't doubt him and his navigation skills. She turned right.

Running, faster and faster, Sophie did let Dex throw any more squares, the Neverseen seemed to be in groups of two or three, which she easily struck down, with every bit of momentum she had from running. Those who got past her, faced Dex, who stuck a square to their chest and shoved them away, making them fall to the ground with every sense blocked and blanked.

Sophie found herself running across marble, black and white checkered floors. Past huge statues, elegant paintings and art hung on the walls. Stained glass windows were high above their heads, casting colorful patterns across the floors, as sun burst through them. Sophie's senses felt alive, every single thing she seen around her was sharp with detail, clear and unblurred. Her feet pounded across the floor, she could hear Neverseen Boots marching down hallways, she could hear her friends panting behind her, she could smell her own sweat, she could taste the salt on her lips from perspiration. She felt every bead of sweat that slid down her temple.

Then they came to the center of the building, the strong hold of the building. It was dome shaped, with priceless looking art placed prestigiously around the round room. However at the other end of the room, a group had formed...waiting. At the front a man stood for once his smile not in place. His eyes were dark and hard with cold malice, his stance was tense and angry.

"Sophie Foster...and company." He said. Sophie stopped short, panting for breath. "Iver." She spat.
"You have cause me many problems." Iver said as he rolled up the sleeves of his blood red tunic. "You ruined my evening." Sophie said as she twirled the knife in her hand. "Tell you what. Let's call it even, you walk away from this all." Sophie offered. Iver gave a laugh that was more like a snarl. "Look at you and your useless group. Have you found the answers to my questions Sophie? Did you realize I am right about every single person in your group?" Iver asked.

Sophie had to play it cool. Her heart was galloping, but she might just get her friends to safety. "As I said. We each have faith." Sophie said stepping forward. Iver stared at her for a long moment. "I'll give you one last chance, Sophie." He crossed his muscled arms. Sophie was pulling her fear and weakness out of her, as Iver spoke. "Join us...join me." The pressing darkness filled Sophie's mind, as she spoke clearly, her voice ringing through the dome building. "I'd rather die." Iver frowned. "So be i-" he seemed to freeze, in confusion as the energy hit him. Every doubt Sophie had in that moment poured into his own mind.

His jaw clenched as he tried to fight the pain. "So...be...it." He managed before he raised his crystal and leaped away. Sophie stared at the group off Neverseen approaching. Ruy, Fintan, Brant, and eight others. Sophie cracked her knuckles. "Dex, time to bring down the roof." She said. She had explained to Dex that at parties people said bring down the roof meant get crazy, but he seemed to understand what she was saying and scuttled behind her, past Biana, Keefe and the others he ran to where they had come from. Sophie felt Tam and Biana step up, to her sides prepared to fight.

Tension could be felt like static in the air. Sophie was afraid...she was afraid but she had faith. Fitz, Keefe and Linh stepped up, Sophie refused to let her legs shake, but she did tremble. Brant sneered, "The only thing that's going down is you." He said, his raspy voice threatening to send Sophie into a work of hazy flashbacks. "If I go down I'm bringing as many as I can with me." Sophie said. The farthest Neverseen in the back, dropped to the floor causing the group to look back, Sophie broke into a run.

This. Was. War.

(Oooohhh, I'm listening to epic battle music right now. If you want to listen to it it's on YouTube:
Rise of the Villains|1 Hour of Powerful Dark Epic Music Mix.

You people should listen to it, while reading. It makes the chapter sssooooo much better.)