Unlocked 8.5 (Keeper of the Lost Cities) Page 9

  ON THEIR OWN:

  When the Council banished Linh Song for causing so much destruction—and her parents did nothing to intervene—Tam opted to leave the Lost Cities with his sister, even though he wasn’t included in her sentence (and despite scoring incredibly high on the entrance exams to Foxfire). Many saw Tam’s decision as an act of rebellion (which, of course, it was). But it should also be noted that what he did was a tremendous display of self-sacrifice, loyalty, and love. Few siblings would likely do the same—particularly given the struggles that followed. Both Tam and Linh attended Exillium, where they were assigned to the Ambi Hemisphere and trained under the purple Coach (now known to be Coach Rohana)—and the program was a far cry from the healthy learning environment it has become today. It was a place of harsh rules and harsher punishments, where each Wayward’s identity was stripped away by strange uniforms and policies that forbid any kind of communication. And when Tam and Linh weren’t enduring their Exillium lessons, they were finding places to hide out in the Neutral Territories, since they had no actual home. Little is known about their lives during that time, but finding basic necessities like food, clothing, and shelter must’ve been a challenge. Thankfully, at some point, they set up a small camp near the gnomes’ Wildwood Colony, which gave Tam and Linh access to abundant resources and a measure of safety—until the gnomish plague forced the Wildwood colonists to flee, leaving Tam and Linh to fend for themselves once again.

  FAMILY STRAIN:

  Given the challenges cited above, it’s no surprise that Tam appears to have a poor relationship with his parents—especially his father. Numerous reports indicate that he blames them for refusing to move Linh to a residence farther from water while she adjusted to her ability, and for not appealing the Council’s decision to banish her. One note even suggests that Tam suspected his parents wanted Linh to be banished because they were embarrassed by the negative attention she was bringing to their family. Plus, it would’ve allowed them the opportunity to pass their son off as an only child and no longer have to deal with the twin-related scorn. But there’s no way to determine if those theories are true. What is clear is that even now, both Tam and Linh keep minimal contact with their parents—and the encounters they have look far from idyllic.

  A SILVER STATEMENT:

  Tam wears his hair cut with long, jagged bangs partially covering his eyes—and the tips of his bangs gleam with silver. Apparently he melted down the chain from his registry pendant and dipped his hair in the molten metal as an act of defiance and protest against the way that he and his sister had been treated. In fact, certain reports even indicate that he threw the registry crystal in his father’s face right before leaving the Lost Cities.

  AN UNIMPRESSIVE WAYWARD:

  Notes from the faculty at Exillium make it clear that Tam had a reputation for being a defiant troublemaker, both with the Coaches and the other Waywards. (One report even brands Tam as the worst Wayward at the school—though that report did seem biased against Tam because he was a Shade.) And Tam definitely did not excel in his skill lessons in the program, often receiving mediocre marks at best. But it’s difficult to determine how much his performance and attitude were influenced by the harsh atmosphere at Exillium during the majority of his attendance. As touched on above, the school was severely neglected by the Council, lacking the basic funds and supplies it needed to safely operate—which caused the Coaches to enforce a number of overly strict rules in an attempt to maintain some semblance of control. After Sophie Foster participated in the program, she convinced Councillor Oralie to give Exillium the aid it needed—and the situation has vastly improved. But Tam and Linh returned to the Lost Cities not long after, so there’s no way to know if Tam’s performance would’ve progressed.

  RELUCTANT CHANGES:

  Tam and Linh agreed to help Sophie and her friends when they snuck into the ogres’ capital (Ravagog). And that mission led to the discovery of vital information on how to cure the gnomish plague. But in order to escape the ogres’ city, Linh was forced to flood (and destroy) more than half of Ravagog. So she—and her brother—seemed surprised when their efforts were viewed by the Council as a victory. And both twins were genuinely stunned (and a touch reluctant) when they were welcomed back into the Lost Cities and offered admission into Foxfire. They made it clear that should they return, they had no desire to live with their parents again, so special arrangements were made. And with that, Tam and Linh’s banishment ended. The Black Swan also offered to let them join the order—and Linh seemed eager to swear fealty. But Tam had a number of reservations and only joined the Black Swan when he apparently grew tired of his sister “nagging” him about it.

  STILL SOMEWHAT ADRIFT:

  Since leaving their makeshift camp near the Wildwood Colony, Tam and Linh have floated from home to home. They stayed in an empty dwarven house for a period. Then in one of the Black Swan’s hideouts—until that location was compromised. And now it appears they’re staying with Sir Tiergan in Solreef (since Wylie has moved to [LOCATION REDACTED FOR SECURITY] to be with his father during Prentice’s recovery). But it’s unclear if Solreef is a permanent arrangement, or whether they’ll be moving again. What is clear is that Tam continues to refuse his parents’ invitations to return to Choralmere (and while Linh recently dwelled there, the move was not meant to be permanent). The rift between the Song twins and their parents obviously needs more time (and perhaps more effort on Quan and Mai’s part) in order to heal.

  A TEST OF TRUST:

  Tam refuses to trust anyone until he’s taken a reading of their shadowvapor and measured their potential for darkness against their illumination. It’s unclear how often his readings lead him to reject someone as an associate, but reports do indicate that he tested Sophie Foster, as well as the rest of her friends—and the Black Swan—before working with them. In his defense, the process is both quick and painless, and does seem to shed at least some light on a person’s character.

  FRENEMIES:

  While the above term may seem too gimmicky for a subheading in an official file, it’s truly the best word to describe the strange relationship dynamic between Tam and Keefe Sencen. The two boys are decidedly not friends—in fact, reports suggest they disliked each other almost immediately (and the nicknames they use for each other range from the clever and witty to downright mean-spirited). Some suspect it’s because Tam violated Keefe’s privacy and read Keefe’s shadowvapor without his permission when they first met, while others would argue it’s because Keefe refused to have his shadowvapor read as though he had something to hide. Others still might suggest it’s actually because the two have quite a bit in common—but prefer to think of themselves as uniquely alone in their challenges and principles. Whatever the cause, it’s doubtful that Tam and Keefe will ever truly be friends. But it’s important to note that they have never appeared to truly be enemies, either—a fact that became increasingly vital when Tam was taken by the Neverseen and Keefe’s mom (Lady Gisela) forced him to use his ability on her son. Had there been true ill will between the boys, Tam wouldn’t have attempted to warn Keefe about what his mom was planning—and Keefe would’ve tried to harm Tam in their final showdown.

  THE TRUE POWER OF DARKNESS:

  Tam’s skill as a Shade has always been impressive—particularly considering the fact that he’s had so little formal training. For instance, on the mission to Ravagog, he was able to hide his friends in shadow and help them move through the city undetected. He also lifted the veils of shadowvapor in Prentice Endal’s mind, bringing back what little remained of Prentice’s shattered consciousness in order for Sophie to perform a mental healing. But a truly astounding aspect of Tam’s talent was discovered after the Neverseen’s Shade (who called herself Umber) attacked Sophie and Fitz with shadowflux. Few Shades can detect the rare sixth element, much less control it. And only the best can store it within themselves to draw upon later. (Evidently, shadowflux does not like to obey and chooses to embrace only the most powerful Sh
ades.) But Tam was able to feel the darkness that lingered in Fitz’s and Sophie’s wounds and command it—which was enough to convince Lady Zillah (his Shade Mentor) that he should be training with shadowflux—and after some debate, Tam agreed to the lessons. Lady Zillah can’t actually command shadowflux, but she knew enough to guide Tam through special exercises at Foxfire—often at night. And the progress Tam made during those lessons proved vital in the showdown he and his friends had with the Neverseen at Everglen. Not only was Tam able to break through the Neverseen’s force fields and leave them defenseless against the newborn trolls, but one of Tam’s attacks also seemed to damage the ability of the Neverseen’s Psionipath, forcing them to flee. Unfortunately, that display of power also showed Lady Gisela that Tam could command shadowflux—and since the Neverseen’s Shade was killed in that battle, Lady Gisela set her sights on Tam.

  HOSTAGE:

  Lady Gisela lured Tam, Sophie, and Keefe to the hive where the alicorn babies were finishing the final stages of their development and threatened to harm the babies—and Tam’s sister—if Tam didn’t agree to leave with her and serve the Neverseen. Sophie and Keefe begged Tam not to agree, but Tam apparently didn’t see any alternative. He left with Lady Gisela and found himself bound to obey her commands by strange bonds made of light, which had been sealed around his wrists by the Neverseen’s Flasher (who calls herself Glimmer). And he soon discovered that Lady Gisela went to all that effort because she needed him to play a key role in what she was planning for her son’s legacy. Tam tried to warn Keefe away, but Keefe still showed up in Loamnore exactly the way his mother had arranged, and Tam was forced to dissolve the dwarven King’s magsidian throne and send the shadowflux into Keefe’s system. It seems Lady Gisela was hoping the sixth element would trigger some sort of transformation in her son, but it’s too early to tell if that’s what will happen. As of this writing, Keefe remains unconscious from the incident. And Lady Gisela escaped without explaining further.

  FINAL NOTE:

  The investigation into the events in Loamnore is still ongoing, but for now, it appears the Council won’t be holding a Tribunal for Tam or issuing any punishment. Whether that will change once they learn more about what Tam did during his time with the Neverseen—or what may happen to Keefe—remains unclear.

  REGISTRY FILE FOR Linh Hai Song

  KNOWN ABILITIES: Hydrokinetic

  RESIDENCE: Unclear. Possibly Solreef. Family home is Choralmere.

  IMMEDIATE FAMILY: Quan Song (father), Mai Song (mother), Tam Song (twin brother)

  MATCH STATUS: Unregistered

  EDUCATION: Current Foxfire prodigy

  NEXUS: No longer required

  PATHFINDER: Not assigned. Restricted to Leapmasters and home crystals.

  SPYBALL APPROVAL: None

  MEMBER OF THE NOBILITY: No

  TITLE: None

  NOBLE ASSIGNMENT: None

  SIGNIFICANT CONNECTIONS: Fealty-sworn member of the Black Swan; former Exillium Wayward

  ASSIGNED BODYGUARD(S): Urre (dwarf) and Timur (dwarf)

  THE GIRL OF MANY FLOODS:

  Elemental abilities are known for being overwhelming—and for Linh, the combination of manifesting so young, becoming a Hydrokinetic, and living in a house near the ocean proved to be an impossible combination. The water constantly called to her, and its draw became so strong that Linh was unable to resist, often with destructive consequences. Her first few floods were smaller, like [LOCATION REDACTED FOR PRIVACY] and [LOCATION REDACTED FOR PRIVACY]. But the problem escalated in [LOCATION REDACTED FOR SECURITY]. Then her parents made the unfortunate mistake of bringing her to Atlantis. Linh’s flood nearly destroyed the underwater city, and the Councillors felt they had to intervene. After a rushed Tribunal, a unanimous Council voted to banish Linh in order to “preserve the safety of the Lost Cities.” And despite Linh’s young age, Linh’s parents (Quan and Mai Song) chose not to fight the decision—much to the fury of Linh’s twin brother (Tam), who was convinced the Council would’ve given a different ruling if his parents had sworn to make changes (like moving Linh somewhere with less water exposure and hiring her a full-time ability tutor) to keep Linh’s hydrokinesis under better control.

  A BOND UNLIKE ANY OTHER:

  Linh was banished alone, and given her age and skill set at the time, it seems unlikely that she would’ve been able to survive for long. Fortunately for Linh, her twin brother (Tam) chose to go with her—despite her adamant protests that he shouldn’t give up his life. Reports indicate that Tam insisted they would be better off together—and that he would rather be with her than without her. Which is a true testimony to the connection between these two siblings. For all the judgment that gets cast on twins, it’s strange that no one seems to value the bond that children from multiple births have with each other. Tam and Linh are not the only example, but they are an excellent testimony of love, respect, and compassion that truly cannot be compared.

  A SILVER REMINDER:

  In a similar vein to her brother, Linh’s long jet-black hair is tipped with silver—and it seems safe to assume that the metal was applied the same way (by melting down the chain of her registry pendant and dipping the ends of her hair into the molten silver). But in Linh’s case, the style was not meant to be a protest. Instead, Linh has explained that her “look” was intended as a reminder to herself of what can happen when she loses control of her hydrokinesis, and likely motivates her to hone her power.

  NEW FRIENDS:

  After Linh’s banishment, it appears that Tam had no intention of trusting anyone ever again. But Linh refused to let her time in Exillium cause her to give up on the idea of friends. And when a new group of Waywards arrived rather suddenly—and one of them accidentally set their rope on fire during the dividing—Linh bravely used her ability to help douse the flames, even though it meant defying the coaches’ orders. She stepped back after that, observing as much as she could about these newcomers—and trying to convince her brother that making contact would be worth the risk—before finally reaching out to the one she’d helped that first day. The girl turned out to be Sophie Foster, who agreed to sneak away with Tam and Linh to learn more about them. And whether it was the fact that Sophie clearly didn’t judge Tam and Linh for being twins, or the strange color of her eyes (which surely proved that Sophie understood how it felt to be different), or the stories she told about trying to stop both the plague and an ongoing rebellion—or the fact that Tam’s reading of her shadowvapor showed no immediate warning of danger—whatever it was, Tam and Linh opted to trust her. Soon after, Sophie introduced them to the rest of her group—which turned out to be a monumentally important shift for all of them. Tam and Linh found a new sort of family, as well as the means to return to the Lost Cities. The Black Swan acquired two vital allies. And all of them became true friends.

  A MASTER OF HER ABILITY:

  Watching Linh’s hydrokinesis now makes it hard to believe that she ever struggled with control. Her aptitude with the ability is nothing short of amazing—particularly since she’s mostly self-trained. She’s learned to resist the water’s call unless it’s truly necessary for her to answer it. And she’s able to perform all manner of impressive feats—everything from entertaining tricks (like gathering small amounts of water into creative shapes) to lifting flowing rivers and bending them into an arch to allow someone to cross safely under. Technically, Linh has caused one additional flood since her banishment—but it most definitely was not a case of her losing control. She flooded Ravagog because it was the only way to get herself and her friends safely out of the ogre capital. Even the Council recognized the distinction, and instead of facing another Tribunal, both Tam and Linh were welcomed home to the Lost Cities—and granted admission to Foxfire. Linh now trains with a Hydrokinetic Mentor, and has even returned to Atlantis and managed to resist the pull of all that water. Control will never be easy for her—such is the challenge with elemental power. But Linh has reached a level of mastery that allows her to
make it look easy.

  CAREGIVER—AND MORE:

  When Wylie Endal was captured by the Neverseen—and then managed to escape—he returned to the Black Swan badly burned from what surely must’ve been a lengthy interrogation. Many might not have been able to face Wylie’s gruesome injuries, but Linh bravely stepped in to help, wrapping his scorched body in a cool water cocoon to draw out any remaining heat from his wounds. And when she’d done all she could for Wylie physically, she tended to his emotional recovery, visiting often and cheering him up with water tricks. (Apparently, he’s quite a fan of the water animals that Linh can make drift through the air.) And through of all those visits, Linh and Wylie became close friends—though some occasionally wonder if there might be more between them than friendship. That’s pure speculation, of course—and given the age gap between them (which is significant, since Linh has yet to register for the match), it also seems somewhat unlikely. All that’s known at this time is that Linh and Wylie do appear to spend a meaningful amount of time together.

  A QUESTIONABLE CHOICE IN PET:

  Much like Sophie, Linh appears to have a penchant for weirdly-cute-but-unusually-challenging pets. In Linh’s case, she chose to adopt a murcat—despite Tam’s protests, and the fact that murcats are known for having large venomous fangs. Records indicate that the murcat is named Princess Purryfins, and it’s highly possible the name was chosen specifically to annoy her brother.