"Are you sure it's going to work?" A voice interrupted the darkness. My head foggy, eyelids stuck shut.

"No, but I'm still confident," a second voice said. "Based on what we know about her ability, this is a reasonable solution." I tried to move, my body staying limp.

The first voice growled, "You realize if this doesn't work, we're back to square one."I know that voice...but from where?

"Such little faith." A gentle hum in the background, white noise mixed up with the hushed tones. "We're all after the same thing, a remedy."

A remedy...The word cemented in my brain, lost within the recesses.

I took a wild gasp, sitting upright in a small grey room, the voices out of reach. Filling my lungs with air, shivers ran up my spine. Where am I?

Deep breaths didn't clear the fog in my brain. I pulled my knees to my chin, burying my head. My skin felt antsy, little needles down my arms. This weight is not just in my thoughts, it's in my lungs, my limbs, holding me in a death grip. What's wrong with me?

White noise ringing in my ears, I tried to shake this off. Something is different. I pressed my thumb to my wrist, searching for my heartbeat. I found a steady beat, shutting my eyes. I searched for the rhythm. Where is it? My eyes flew open, holding my breath. It's just not there...it's gone. My brain screaming, the hollow silence pulled me under. There's nothing behind my heartbeat, no rhythm, no song. The world is quiet.

Hyperventilating, I gripped my head. I'm drowning, I'm drowning. The emptiness swallowed me up like the depths of the abyss. I'm never getting out. I pressed my fingers along the scar, digging my nails in my skin. Back to the sting of the blade, a bird-wizard's snarl...Luca's teary eyes. The pain sliced through the panic, air refilling my lungs. I rolled off of the cot, my heart beat slowing. There is nothing more they can take from me...whoever they are.

A steady ache in my chest, I rubbed my face, brushing the hair out of my eyes. I need to get out of here. A door with no handle stared back at me. I crawled closer, shoving my palms against the door. Shouting curses, I pounded my fists against it. My voice hoarse from shouting, my knuckles hurt.

I got to my feet, backing away from the door. If the pulse is gone, does that mean I can't teleport? Before Emery's lessons, I didn't even know it existed. My hands trembled, tears stinging my eyes. But this feeling...it feels completely empty. I shook my head. Get a grip, Phyn, you're fine.

I shut my eyes, building up an image of my apartment. Listing off details, I focused tightly. I willed myself back in my apartment. No burst of energy, no shift in the atmosphere. I opened my eyes to the same grey walls. How can it be gone?

Static ripped through the ceiling, a voice came from above, "Phynley Okie, take a breath and sit back down."

I jumped back, a speaker above the door. "What is this? Who are you?" I hissed.

"Your questions will all be answered in due time. For now just stay calm. I am sending a representative as we speak."

A representative? My hands shook, backing away. "Calm? How can I stay calm when I wake up in some strange room? I'm being held against my will!" I shouted.

"The door will stay shut until you calm down.You do want to get out of your cell, now don't you?"

"I'm not playing your game," I growled, shaking my fist at the speaker.

"Game? Your behaviour is erratic. I will not risk the safety of my representative."

"You can't be serious!" I hissed. "I'm not listening to you."

"I am always serious. Sit down and you can leave this room."

I rolled my eyes, marching back. Getting out is getting out. I crossed my arms, sitting on the cot. "This alright?" I snarled.

"...I see you can be reasoned with, that is comforting."

I glared back, biting my cheek. I only have to play along a little while. The door released, hissing as it slided up. I held my breath.

A woman stood in the doorway, shadow lifting as she entered the room. Long white hair hung over her shoulders, a bright red pantsuit pulled out the earthy tones in her skin. She had tattoos wrapped around her arms, swirling up in patterned bands. A crimson ribbon strung over her eyes….almost like Valerie.

I scampered back against the wall. "Stay back."

The woman smiled, pointing up to the band around her eyes. "Is it this that scares you? I would take it off but my eyes aren't a pretty sight. The victim of an unfortunate accident, but I make do."

"But, you..."

She stepped closer. "I what? Move around confidently? This is my home, I know it well." She chuckled into her hand. "You don't think I'm some sort of witch, now do you?"

"No," I muttered, crossing my arms. I guess it's unfair to assume.

"Good, now come here." She held out her hand, fingers outstretched. I sighed, taking her hand. Alright, fine. She swung her hand around, latching a band around my wrist.

"Hey! What is this?" I hissed, pulling my arm back. The grey cuff locked around my wrist, linked around her arm.

"We can't have you wandering around, now can we?" she said, motioning for me to follow. "This will make things simpler."

Simpler for you. I frowned, picking at the band. She turned her head back. "Don't bother, you won't be strong enough to break it."

"This isn't fair…" I grumbled, rubbing my wrist.

"Chin up, Phynley, you are safe within the walls of Idyllic," the woman said, smiling back at me. She led me through the exit, the door closing behind us as. Idyllic...I remember someone mentioning an Otto of Idyllic. Where was that city-state again? It wasn't in Tetrad...no it was...I loosened my shoulders, my heart beating faster. Idyllic is inside of Vitriol.

"Why am I here?" I hissed, my voice scattered.

She walked with her hand along the wall. "It's hard to say exactly. I can assure you that our intentions for you are good, although our intentions aren't the ones that matter."

"Reassuring…" I muttered, tracking down the long corridor. Not sure what that even means.

Huge windows lifted to a sparling landscape, lush greens rolled around deep blue waters. The sun rose in the distance, stars dying out. My breath lost at the view, the cool breeze rushing in. The strange woman sighed, "The fresh air is good for the soul, is it not? You will not find cleaner air, not in the whole world."

"What should I call you?" I asked, eyes glued to the view. "If that's allowed…" Birds flew through the sunrise, their shadows traveling over the wall.

"Kismet," she murmured.

"That means destiny, does it not?" I slowed my steps, brushing my hair behind my ears. "I guess that makes us enemies."

She loosened her fists, walking beside me. "Why would you say that?"

I raised our linked wrists. "My life is cursed by destiny. I can never seem to lose its grip."

She laughed. "Cursed is a strong word, many people wish to have their own destiny…" she said, pointing ahead to a door down the hall. "Maybe a shift in perspective would change your mind."

Reaching the door, we stepped inside. High domed ceilings, walls carved in stone. New beams were built into the stonework. At the end of the room stood a large glass case. The light glared off it, blurring a stone mural encased inside. Crushed, the picture shattered into a disfigured image.

I walked ahead of Kismet, studying the lines. I've seen it before. The handiwork familiar to other great stone pictures I've seen. I turned my head back. "Is this from the Catacombs?"

She stopped her steps, the tension on the band pullin me back. "You've heard of the Catacombs?"

I frowned. "Ya...I've been there."

"I see," she muttered, her lips in a fine line. "That's interesting."

I pulled her along, moving closer to the mural. "Someone must've really hated their fate to destroy it this badly," I said.

Kismet wrinkled her nose. "Why would you say something like that?"

"I was told that's why they were destroyed?"

She shook her head. "Prophecies are only destroyed if they fail to come true."

"What?" My voice faded off. The lines of the image formed together, the image staring me down. No...it can't be. I shook my head, an ache steady in my chest. Wanderer's arise, the black bird's demise. This is the mural Emery showed me, this is my prophecy. I took a breath, trying to strengthen my voice. "How can a prophecy fail to come true?"

Kismet pursed her lips, voice solemn, "There's some probability in everything. Sometimes things simply don't mean what we think that they mean." She stepped closer, resting fingers on the glass. "This particular piece is a favourite of the Pacesetter. One of the more prominent failed prophecies in our collection."

"The Pacesetter?" I turned my head.

Kismet nodded. "Yes, the keeper of Idyllic. The Pacesetter is the last guardian of ancient knowledge, rites."

"That sounds very cryptic," I snorted. "Is it this Pacesetter that wants me here?"

She tilted her head, turning away from the mural. "I suspect your presence here is the combination of many people's interests."

I frowned. "Well...does Vitriol know I'm here? Do they know who I am?"

She chuckled, "They've known about you since Redemption Day." She adjusted the cuff on her wrist. "If they don't know your location now, they will soon."

"I see...so they're not behind this?" I moved to sit on the steps, the link pulling at Kismet's wrist.

She stumbled, catching her balance. "Warning, please." She hissed, before sitting down herself."To answer your question, no Vitriol is not behind this, nor is it by they're order that we keep you here."

"Who's order then?" I asked.

The red band over her eyes stared back at me. "That I cannot answer." Her shoulders stiffened. "Like I said, many people are curious about you, the Pacesetter is no exception."

I narrowed my eyes at the door. "Is the Pacesetter the voice on the intercom? Is that who we're waiting for?"

"Yes, I guess so." A smirk on her lips. "How did you come to that conclusion?"

"The voice called you his representative, you seem to know a lot about the Pacesetter and if he's the leader."

She nodded, leaning back on the stairs. "You're an observational one, so maybe you can tell me this...why are you so special?"

"What?" I scooted back. She raised an eyebrow. I wrung my hands, pouting back at her."If you're talking about my gifting, that's not that strange. There are other people-"

"You and I both know you're different from the experiments," she snickered. Standing up, she pulled me along the edge of the case. "And not just because you weren't created in a lab."

"What are you doing?" I hissed, following her pull. She pushed the glass case, rolling it aside. A small cavern behind it, inside hung a large perfect circle of glass. The seamless mirror sent chills down my spine. The Looking Glass...so this is where it ended up. A little nick in the top corner, I squinted up at it.

Kismet's reflection in the mirror, she pointed at the empty space beside her. "Care to explain this?" My reflection is missing.

"I- I-" Stepping back, the chain stopped me."Who even are you?"

"So you know what this is?" She grinned. "Another theory proven."

"What theories? I don't know what you're talking about," I growled.

"Don't deny it, Wanderer, your life power doesn't match up to the world around you. You are not as decayed as the rest of us."

I shook my head. "That's only because of my ability! And that has nothing to do with your weird mirror."

"Yes sure, but abilities are dependent on life power. There is nothing else with your potency, even in those with created giftings." She stepped closer to the mirror pulling me along. "And my mirror theory is an explanation for something else entirely."

"What are you talking about?" I spat, digging my heels in.

She brushed her white hair over her shoulder, twisting her mouth in a frown. "I've heard of a process to remove oneself from the mirror, but how you knew of it, or even completed it, is a mystery. The mirror's been in our possession for fifty years."

"I'm a teleporter." I crossed my arms.

"Yes that is true." Her smile returned. "But that still doesn't answer where you learned such ancient rites. This is not something written down."

"Excuse me, ma'am," a voice echoed through the chamber. A white haired boy knelt with his head hung low.

"Reed, I'm in the middle of something," Kismet said, stiffening.

"Yes...I know, but he called. I repeated what you told me, but he just started shouting-"

Kismet raised her hand. "Alright Reed, I'll deal with it." She sighed, turning back to the mirror. "We can discuss this more later." She rolled the case back in place.

"Who's he?" I asked, getting a scowl from Kismet. She led me down the steps, towards the young man.

She flicked her armband, latching it onto the young man's wrist. "You'll have to watch her for me," she said.

"What?" His eyes went wide, backing away from me. "I'm not babysitting."

Kismet laughed, "If it is beneath you, send her to Helios, he should be ready by now." Helios...is he the Pacesetter?

"Oh, okay," Reed stuttered.

"Wonderful then, I'll deal with the temper," Kismet said, walking towards the exit. Reed stood as far away from me as he possibly could, a slight quiver on his lips. Kismet paused in the entrance. "You'll be fine, Reed," she said, slipping out the door.

"C'mon," he growled, eyebrows locked down. A stiff tan shirt and pants, his sleeves too big. He really was basically a kid, fourteen at the most.

I gave him a smile, he moved his eyes away. Leading onward, we turned down a different hall. I cleared my throat. "So do you live here?" I asked.

"We're not going to be friends, " he snarled, eyes fixed forward.

I raised an eyebrow. "No? Why is that?"

"You're from Avarice," he grumbled.

"And what's so wrong with Avarice?" I laughed.

He turned back with a wicked glare. "...lots of stuff."

I nodded. "Mmhm, fine, but if you can't name anything-"

He stopped in the hall, his fists tight. "The slums...those hell pits are more than enough reason to hate Avarice."

I dropped my grin, shivers travelling down my spine. "True..." I muttered. Snow dusted streets, covering strung out trash. Giant cracks in the plaster walls, roofs caved in. An elderly man slumped dead in the snow, his skin a twinge of blue. The cries of hungry children, the only sound loud enough to shake off the shroud of death. Little hands reaching up, pulling at the edge of my coat. The hopeless glow of skyscrapers in the distance.

The graveyard of the abandoned. I didn't stay long in that place...I abandoned them too. Left for the middle district as soon as I got the chance.

Reed loosened his shoulders, dragging his feet. "Then you know why any friend of Avarice is an enemy of mine." The heaviness in his steps weighed on my heart. He's too young to have that look in his eyes, same as me at that age.

"I admire your principles." I took a breath, frowning at the window light. "But...I can't let hatred get in the way of fixing things...I have to keep fighting, moving forward," I said. Reed's eyes wavered, his shoulders loosening. A small crack in his hostile expression, he continued onward.

Passing under an archway, we entered a room painted like a starry sky. "Helios," Reed called, dragging me inside. "Are you here?"

Helios raised his chin, a thin face and brilliant silver eyes. "What is it Reed, I-" his voice stopped, eyes on me. "Oh...she's here."

Reed clicked off the cuff, holding it out to him. "Ya, Kismet said you would be ready."

Helios sighed, taking the cuff. "She shouldn't just assume…what if I wasn't?" He pulled me over to a chair, latching the band to one of the barst. His voice...he's the one from the cell.

"What did you do to me?" I growled at him, "Why can't I use my gifting?"

Helios moved to a metal tray, shuffling metal instruments. "Yes, that must be strange for you. We've injected you with a serum I formulated, as long as it's in your bloodstream you can't act on that external energy you dip into. Now you get to enjoy being like the rest of us." He glanced back, filling a syringe with liquid from a tiny bottle.

"Wait, what are you doing? What is that?" I pulled at the cuff, the chair bolted to the floor.

"We have questions, this will make you more talkative." He squirted a bit of the serum out, tapping the needle with his finger. "What, did you think we'd just answer all your questions and expect nothing in return?" He tilted his head, tired bags under his eyes.

"You stay away from me!" I shouted, stepping back. I tripped over the chair, slamming into the floor. I struggled to raise my head. "Stay away from me," I hissed.

"We've been very nice to you up until now, do you want that to change?" Helios said, towering over me. He turned his head back to Reed. "Can you hold her still."

"No, don't!" I cried, trying to twist myself back around. I need to break free.

Reed's eyes wide, he moved his eyes between us. "Does, you-know-who, know about this?"

Helios laughed, straightening the edge of his lab coat. "Of course, Reed. You don't think I'm going rogue now, do you?"

Going rogue? Helios isn't the Pacesetter… I grabbed the band on the chair, trying to figure out how to unlatch it. Reed bit his lip. "But-"

"But, what?" he sighed, "You were told to bring her here, yes?"

"Yes." Reed hung his head.

Helios raised an eyebrow. "Then she knows."

Reed shuffled his feet closer. "This just doesn't feel right."

Helios shook his head, snickering , "I know we don't get many pretty girls visiting, but this is no time to go soft."

Reeds cheeks went red. "That's not it! I could care less what happens to her...I just don't want to cross Kismet." Wait...what? I looked between them. Why Kismet?

Helios rolled his eyes. "Ya, sure. Just help me." He held up the syringe.

"Kismet is the Pacesetter," I muttered, my face falling. "She lied."

Helios's silver eyes went wide, his head whipping back to Reed. "Look at what you just did!" He shook his fists at me. "You can't even keep your stupid mouth shut!" He stepped towards the boy, clenching his fists. No you don't.

I swung my leg around, kicking him in the shin. Helios stumbled, the syringe slipping from his fingers. He hissed curses, reaching as it fell. I grabbed the syringe, jamming it in his shoe.

Helios screamed, arms flailing. I snarled at him, "Not so nice now, is it?"

He dragged me up by my collar. "You're going to regret this," he hissed, dots of spit in my face.

I coughed, smirking back at him. "I don't know, that look on your face was pretty hilarious."

He threw me back against the ground, walking around to a shelf on his tray. "She thinks she can win." He pulled out my backpack, shaking it at me. "What a misguided belief."

"How did you get that," I gasped, reaching after it.

"Sounds like there's something important in here?" Helios laughed, turning the bag upside down. The contents spilled across the floor. Wait...no.

Reed stepped back, stiffening. "Helios…should you really," he mumbled.

"This doesn't involve you," Helios hummed, picking through my stuff. "Go cry to Kismet." Helios threw my stash of cash, bills over the floor. "This one needs to understand actions have consequences." Reed crossed his arms, staring silently.

I tightened my fingers on the chair, tugging at the bolts. Don't find it, please don't find it. He pulled out my account book, ripping it in half. The pages rattled. Helios shook his head, meeting my eyes. "No, there's something else you're scared I'm going to find."

He slipped out a piece of paper from under my sweater, unfolding it. "Now this looks important." He held up the little ink drawing of Broc's cabin. My eyes went wide, clawing at the cuff, trying to rip it free. Anything but that.

"What a cute little picture," he laughed, his hand slipped inside his pocket. "And so carefully folded." He smiled at it. "It's just so nice." He pulled out a lighter, clicking a steady flame. The light danced, reflected in his eyes. "How much does this mean to you?"

"No, stop! Please stop!" I whimpered, my voice hoarse. "I'll answer your questions, I'll do anything please."

"Anything?" he laughed, "You should've thought about that before stabbing me with a needle."

"No, please!" I threw my whole weight against the chair, reaching after him. The fire licked the paper, traveling across the edges. "Stop!" I screamed. The ink lines twisted together, the edges curled. Desperately reaching for it, the fire burned out my heart...Luca's deep brown eyes unsure as I handed him back the picture, "Are you okay?"...The image faded into the flames, a tear slipping down my cheek. Fire ate it to blackened charcoal, the remnants crumbling to the floor.

Helios scraped the ashes under his heel. "There is no winning here," Helios echoed, his laughter danced through my head. The painted stars spun, mixed up with his silver eyes. That was it...Tears slipped off of my chin, my vision blurred. That was all I had left.

I took a shaky breath, wrapping my fingers around the broken syringe. A chip in the glass, I traced my fingers over it. It's almost sharp enough. Helios's cackle hurting my ears, I smashed the glass against the metal chair. He stopped, his smile falling. I wrapped the restraint around my hand, slashing at the band with the broken end. Reed ran out the door. His footsteps thundered down the hall. Glass cut my fingers, I broke through the band. The cuff snapping, it fell off my wrist. Helios backed up, wide-eyed. "Now...wait…"

I stood up, gripping the piece of glass. Wiping the tears from my eyes, I took a breath. "I don't have to win to make you bleed."