Disclaimer: I do not own Sofia The First.
A/N: Here's another Cedfiaweek Halloween story for you; and a follow up to 'Rebirth'. Prompt: 'Forbidden Magic'. Please enjoy.
The moonless night served an excellent cloak of darkness. Covering the figures as they traveled their way deeper into the forest. The crunching of the leaves beneath their feet, the only sound that accompanied them.
Cedric allowed Sofia to lead him by the hand listlessly. Unable to feel the cold night air as it brushed against his skin. In fact, he was unable to feel anything! One of the abject miseries of this reanimated form. He detested this cursed state his beloved had forced him into. He couldn't feel. He couldn't smell or taste. His vision, hearing, and mind were always blurry. It was like being trapped in some hellish fog, or an unending nightmare; and he often found himself thinking that perhaps it would be better if he could just end it all again...
But he was stuck like this; and the promise Sofia had made that she would make him well again, was the one thing keeping his sanity in tact.
There was some small solace in that at this point he'd at least grown accustomed the misery. But then again, he'd never been much of a stranger to such things to begin with...
At last they arrived at their chosen destination; and Sofia began to set about starting the revivification spell.
According to the book, it was the second and final step in order to restore someone to life; and as typical of all forbidden magics, it required "questionable" methods to accomplish. In this case, the transfer of another's life force into the reanimated being.
The options for such a transfusion were either, a human, an animal, or a forest.
Of course, Sofia was far too kind hearted and good to use a human (though a certain someone had strongly tempted her); and given the love she possessed for her furry and feathered friends, an animal was out of the question.
So forest, it was.
Cedric looked around, lazily taking in their surroundings. It looked like any other forest in the autumn at night. Save for the peculiar tree Sofia had stopped them at.
The fact that it's branches still remained burst full with lavender flowers, despite the dying foliage around it, was strange enough. But the enchanted silver sheen of it's bark, almost glowing in the night, just further amplified the obvious truth that this was no ordinary tree; and as such, this was no ordinary forest either.
"What is this place?" he asked. Having not cared until that point.
"The Whispering Woods," she answered simply, placing a hand upon the mysterious tree. "This is the portal to Elvenmoor, the realm of the elves. Roland, and I played there together once..."
His eyes widened at the revelation, and he sighed. So she was hoping to restore him by destroying the forest where she had shared a happy moment with her former step father. She really was determined to burn that bridge, wasn't she...
She was determined to give up her princess, and other roles, as well it would seem. Having abandoned her enchantlet to prevent the protectors from finding her at the king's request, even ignoring the summonings of the secret library, until it finally, apparently, stopped bothering.
Knowing Sofia, it was likely she was wracked with guilt over such decisions. Her sole goal in life seeming to be that of helping others. The fact she had stooped to such levels to save a wretched man like himself being a testament to that.
But she also had to be true to herself, and right now that meant saving the person who was the most important to her...
Getting back to the tree however. There was a more practical use, in that magic of the elf portal would likely increase the potency and effectiveness of the spell.
Of course there was also the risk the tree would lose it's magic... But that wasn't something she could bothered about too much about right now.
"Sit here," she commanded softly, tugging at his arm to urge him downwards and accidentally pulling it off.
"Oops," she chuckled nervously. The man regarding her with an unamused expression "Don't worry, I'll fix that right up." reaching into her bag for the needle and thread she kept with her. With expert ease she sewed the limb back on. Then after assessing that everything else was in order, placed a kiss right on his forehead. "Wait right here."
Standing in front of him, she reached into her bag again. Pulling out the potion she had painstakingly brewed. She frowned, remembering some of the gruesome ingredients she had used to make it. She did take some comfort in the fact that she hadn't personally harvested the ones that necessitated harm towards another living being. But the fact that she had sought to acquire them at all still left a nasty feeling in the pit of her stomach.
Still, she couldn't fold now. Not after selfishly keeping Cedric like this for so long. She had to follow through, for his sake...
She took deep breath, to steady herself. The quietly howling wind the only sound amidst the silence. Though this spell was supposed to only effect the plant life, she had still given a curtesy call to the animals to leave, and it seemed they had heeded it. Leaving the forest in an eerie stillness.
Pouring the potion a top his head, she took a few steps back and stood tall. Wand raised high as she started chanting the spell.
Magic rose up around them. The trees withering away to a blackened crisp in an instant. Their life force accumulating in a vortex between the necromancer and zombie. Golden and scarlet leaves leaves swirling violently in the storm of magic and wind.
With the final words, Sofia focused all her concentration onto Cedric. Directing every ounce of the collected energy into his very being.
Cedric could feel the life force of the forest flow into him. Healing his wounds, and restoring him completely to his former state.
At last the magic finally ceased. A quick examination revealed that his skin was no longer cursed with a sickly corpse's pallor, nor were his limbs held together by crude stitching. Having fully assimilated to his person instead. Though there were pale red markings where they'd once existed. Scars he would likely carry for the remainder of his second life.
But, his body no longer ached... His mind was clear...And he was...
Looking up he saw Sofia collapsing to the ground from the exertion of the spell. Quicker than he ever though he was capable of, he was at her side. Catching her as they both sank to the ground.
She looked up at him with bleary eyes. Tears filling up in his own as he gazed back at her. In his half dead state he'd nearly forgotten how beautiful she was.
"Oh, Sofia..." Pulling her into him, he squeezed her tight. Relishing the softness of her hair, the warmth of her body. A shuddering sigh escaping him "I can feel you..."
She sniffled "Cedric!" Burying her face in his chest as she sobbed in relief. Her dear Cedric. He was finally back again.
He pulled back for just a moment, but returned like a magnet to meet her lips to his own. The beautiful hum of her response making his heart swell with joy. Desiring nothing more than savor every bit of her for the rest of eternity. Her perfect beauty...the sound of her voice... her smell, her touch, her taste... He wanted it all!
They broke the kiss, and the two finally took time to observe the state of the now fallen forest.
"We should probably leave..." she suggested.
He nodded in agreement. Though they had chosen this particular time of year for the spell, due to the fact that bare trees were a common sight. Thus making it less likely to draw attention. The fact that a whole forest had shriveled away in a single night, would still not go unnoticed by those on the lookout for an ex princess and royal sorcerer.
Sofia stood, brushing herself off before looking up at the Elvenmoor tree. Still standing, as the only one that had survived the life force transfusion. Though it's magical sheen seemed to have faded.
"Is it going to be alright?" she asked.
Cedric approached the tree, placing his hand on the bark. Feeling a faint pulse of magic.
"It's weak, but it should be alright. The door will probably remained closed until the magic recovers however, but unfortunately I can't say how long that will be..." he admitted.
She nodded, the answer seeming to satisfy her well enough. Pocketing her wand she grabbed his hand and they began to disappear into the night. Leaving this place far behind them.
"...I'm hungry" he remarked simply after a while. A strange elation coming over him at the thought that the desires of the flesh were returning to him.
Sofia handed him an apple from the bag. Cedric offering his thanks before biting into the juicy fruit. Sighing in contentment at the sweet taste...
A/N: Thank you for reading. The process of revivification mentioned in this story actually came from apricotstarship's headcanon in regards to the Zombie/Necromancer cedfia AU.