Malum In Se
Summary: Sofia and her friends and family face their biggest challenge yet when the Never Realm rises up and unleashes the most dangerous magic wielders in the world. It's going to take the help of everyone, including some unexpected allies, to defeat the Never Realm and its most supreme evil being: Malum In Se.
Disclaimer: I do not own Sofia the First. However, I do own the Never Realm, Malum In Se, and several other OCs in here. Nana belongs to MarionetteJ2X.
A/N: Okay, guys. It's here… Probably one of the darkest and most dangerous stories I've ever written. And while you know that in my stories there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, we're going to take a really dark journey to get there. No one will be excluded from danger in this story, including the kids. You will see people you probably thought you'd never see again (from my stories, anyway). Some may surprise you. Some may not. Buckle up, because it's going to be a crazy ride!
Chapter 1: Reprehensible Realm
About a week after Cedric had returned from his Royal Sorcerer Meeting, on December 17, a blizzard hit Enchancia rather hard. In fact, it had gotten so bad that Roland had opened up the castle to the villagers so that they could stay safe during the hazardous weather. None of the staff who lived off the grounds could leave, even if they wanted to, because the snow had begun piling up in heavy, packed mounds around the area.
Air travel wasn't much better. Cedric's AutoCoach was useless in this storm, and he'd made sure to conceal it in his sealed-off tower until after the storm ended. All of the animals, including Minimus, were magically protected by a shield that Cordelia and Calista had created, so they were safe.
"This is insane," Jade remarked as she and Ruby stood next to Sofia, all of whom were staring out the window of the dining hall at the torrent of snow. "It's never gotten this bad in Enchancia."
Jade, now 18, had changed a great deal over the years. Her hair was now to her midback and swept back into a low ponytail, and she still wore her glasses. She had traded in her childhood blue dresses for a more muted cream and chocolate dress, which ended near her knees. She wore some wool stockings for the winter time and brown boots as well. She now worked with younger kids in the village, teaching them more about sports and how to be team players. In doing so, she herself had matured a great deal and had taken her own lessons to heart.
Ruby, also 18, looked very similar to her mother now, save for her hazel eyes and preference for a red bow to remain tied into her half-up/half-down hair, which now rested just below her shoulders. She wore a long-sleeved red top and brown skirt that reached to her ankles, and (like Jade) woolen stockings and brown boots. She was about two inches shorter than Jade, but they were both taller than Sofia. Ruby had taken over her mother's job as the troop leader for the Buttercups when Helen had retired, and she enjoyed it very much.
"It seemed to just come out of nowhere," Ruby added, frowning. "My mom doesn't think this is a normal storm."
Sofia gazed at her friend curiously. "What do you mean?"
"When she was training to be the leader of the Buttercups, she picked up a lot of knowledge about weather. She said Enchancia has seen storms before, but nothing this bad. What's worse is that it seems to be centralized in this one spot: Enchancia. And it doesn't seem like it will be letting up any time soon."
The princess sighed as she folded her arms. "At least we're all here together, where no one can get hurt."
"Unless we run out of food and start taking out our frustrations on each other." Jade smirked as the other two gave her pointed looks. "Just saying."
Sofia glanced down as she felt a familiar tightening on her wrist where the Enchantlet lay. "I've got to go. I'll see you guys later." She turned and hurried out of the dining room, and she'd just started up the stairs toward her room when the Enchantlet activated. She frowned in concern as she saw Chrysta, Orion, and Vega all at once. "This can't be good."
Chrysta shook her head. "Right again, Sofia. We heard about the blizzard down there, so we know you won't be able to come here right now. And that's probably for the best."
"It's not exactly safe right now," Vega added solemnly.
The princess opened the door to her room, entering and shutting it behind her. She smiled as she saw Amber and Desmond playing with Nana on the bed, which was now scattered with toys and blankets. She smiled briefly before placing a finger to her lips, indicating the call. Seeing them nod, she looked back toward the trio of Protectors. "What do you guys know that I don't?"
"It isn't so much that you don't know this, Sofia," Orion informed her. "It's the extent of the seriousness of it all, I'm afraid." He cleared his throat. "We received a distress call about a massive disturbance from the Never Realm."
Amber gasped softly, though she calmed down when she noticed the alarmed look on Nana's face. "Shh, it's okay," she whispered, pulling the little girl into her arms. She glanced toward Desmond, who placed his hand on her shoulder for comfort.
Chrysta continued the conversation, "Negative energy and dark magic are beginning to make appearances across the globe, and several strange people have been seen throughout all the kingdoms and realms. These people are absorbing magic and killing both magical and non-magical people on the spot before vanishing."
"That's terrible!" Sofia gasped. "What can we do? I want to help you guys solve this problem, but I feel like it's impossible right now. Even the villagers have been temporarily moved in to the castle, and we had to create accommodations to fit them all, and… We can't even open any of the doors with the blizzard at this point."
"That might be a blessing in disguise," Orion informed her. "I know you mean well and would like to help, but it's far too dangerous right now. And we can clearly see and understand that you have a great deal on your shoulders."
"It's not that I don't want to help, Mr. Orion… I do. I just don't know how."
Vega smiled knowingly. "We know that, Sofia. In fact, we will need your help, but we're working on figuring out how to make that happen. However, just realize that solving this issue will be more difficult than you think. We will need a great deal of help (magic, energy, and strength) to take down the Never Realm when the time comes, and I'm afraid it's coming far sooner than we realized…"
"I'll… I'll talk to Mr. Cedric and the others here. We'll work on getting some people to help us out."
Orion frowned worriedly. "I admire your bravery and loyalty, Princess Sofia, but just be aware that this is a dangerous situation. You must not act out of anger or fear. You must have a clear mind and a strong will, because the threat is heading to Enchancia. You must be ready."
Sofia nodded slowly. "I… I understand. I'll talk to you guys later." She deactivated the Enchantlet and turned to face the other three.
"So, this is it, huh?" Amber shook her head. "The Never Realm… I've heard you and others talking a lot about it, including Daddy, and I know how serious this is…" She looked up toward her sister. "I know you have pulled off some real miracles before, Sofia, but I'm really worried about this one."
"I know, Amber." She walked over to her bed and sat down, smiling as Nana crawled over to her and sat in her lap, leaning against her. "We just need to stick together and not try anything stupid."
The blonde girl frowned at her sister. "Look in the mirror and tell yourself that, because you're the one always putting yourself in danger for others."
"Amber, calm down." Desmond gently hugged his fiancée and kissed her cheek. "I think Sofia knows what she's doing. She probably even has a plan. Right, Sofia?" He glanced toward the younger princess, who seemed a bit distracted as she combed her fingers through Nana's hair. "Sofia?"
"Huh?" Sofia blinked before smiling nervously toward the prince. "R-Right. Sure." She shook her head with a soft sigh. "Okay, maybe not right now, but I'll come up with something."
"No." Amber reached out, grasping her sister's hand. "We'll come up with something. We're in this with you now, dear sister. Don't shut us out."
The younger girl smiled warmly and nodded, gently squeezing Amber's hand. "I won't, Amber. I promise."
To be continued…
Next Chapter: A Sign of Weakness