Disclaimer: I do not own Sofia The First. Only my OCs, and the Kingdom of Baeldthoria.
An unsettling quiet hovered over the dimly lit room. Calista's sobs, the only interruption. The distraught sorceress having not ceased weeping since their arrival. Her pitiful sounds only adding to the already heavy atmosphere.
Sofia's body lay upon a table. Admittedly, Amos would have preferred to have just left it, seeing no point in carrying a corpse around. But Calista had refused, struggling to drag the fallen princess with them, despite his insisting they flee immediately. So he had relented, carrying Sofia over his shoulder, before finally mustering up enough magic from his reserves to attempt a teleportation spell. Transporting the four of them to his refuge deep underneath the castle.
Mina bit her bottom lip as she regarded the young sorceress. Though anxious herself, her heart ached with greater sympathy towards her friend; and she tentatively placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.
"I'm sorry about your uncle..."
"That's not my uncle!" Calista snapped, glaring up at her. A fury in her tear-filled eyes one rarely saw burning through her.
The princess flinched. Sighing heavily as she recognized that nothing she could say would help.
"She's right," Amos stated simply from his bookshelf. Still searching through it's texts. "That thing isn't Cedric. But a demon, born from despair and rage..."
The two stared at him. Calista having ceased her wails, leaving them in echoing silence.
"A demon?..."
Stopping, he turned to look at them. A pained and hesitant look on his face, as he opened his mouth to say more. When Sofia suddenly bolted up, gasping loudly.
"Sofia!" Mina and Calista cried, once the initial shock wore off. Rushing towards her, as Amos gaped in disbelief.
"You're alive?..." he whispered.
"Ugh!...wha...wher...where am I?" she groaned holding her head, trying to put the pieces of her memory back together. Gasping when she realized, "Cedric!"
She jumped to her feet, but was met with a intense wave of dizziness that nearly caused her to faint. "Watch out!" Calista cried. Firmly grasping her shoulders and preventing her fall. Mina helping to gently lay her back down.
"You should rest for now," Amos advised. "In the meantime," heading towards the door. "I need to check up on something..."
"But..." Sofia tried, reaching out to him. Groaning as her body refused her attempt to protest. Reluctantly she obeyed, laying back and praying she'd recover soon as he left the room. Shutting them inside.
With the others safe, or at least as safe as they could be in this situation. Amos started back up to the castle. The winding path seeming longer than ever as he fought back the grief constantly springing to his mind.
"Don't lose hope," that voice urged. "There may still yet be a chance to save them..."
One corner of his grim expression twitched into an almost smile. If not anything else, his not-so-wanted companion always had a way of keeping his head straight. A condition that was direly needed in a situation like this. Especially since falling to panic and despair, would only make whatever outcome fate decided to deliver to them that much worse.
But still, he loathed the idea of being too optimistic. No, he had already learned his lesson many times in that regard... It would be far better to prepare for, and expect, the worse. Merely tempering his reaction to it...
The doors of the throne room, stretched high above him. Calling forth memories he'd rather never had in the first place. But which always plagued the back of his mind...
...An echo of screams, and the smell of burning...A man weeping as he held his beloved in his grasp...that same maiden, his beloved as well, now lying limp in his own arms...a wretched mad mixture of weeping and laughter drilling itself in his ears...the sensation of something flying into him...then...darkness...
He scoffed bitterly, reaching for it's handles and opening that cursed door.
Inside, he saw exactly what he'd expected. Cedric sitting on the throne, a dazed, dead look on his features, and the wand still in his grasp.
That expression changed the instant Cedric caught sight of his guest. "Ah, you're here," he smiled. Eyes brightening as he suddenly animated like some spring work doll. "I was starting to wonder if you'd ever show up."
"I thought you might be here," Amos remarked.
"Well, I couldn't resist," Cedric grinned, kicking up his feet luxuriously. "Seems this new body is quite inclined to such things." Caressing the throne's arms, before his pleased expression instantly dropped. "Though I suppose, that was to my disadvantage this time... Considering the charm you placed here." Giving him a knowing look.
Amos resisted the urge to show his satisfaction well. Yes, he had placed a binding spell upon the king's seat. Assuring that his foe would remained confined to it for as long as it's power held.
"I'm also a bit disappointed with this new forms magical prowess, in comparison to my last ones." he sighed. "Though this face at least is rather handsome," roughly pressing a finger into his cheek, with a big grin. "If you like giant nosed goons that is." laughing with those same choking and wheezing sounds from earlier .
The songster said nothing. Though his head tilted ever so slightly at the self deprecating words. If he was behaving like that, then perhaps...
"Ah, but enough about me," Cedric continued, leaning forward and resting his chin in his free hand. "How's life been treating you?" chuckling in amusement as his opponents features darkened ever so slightly. "I see you finally managed to make yourself some new friends. It sure is a shame you couldn't be bothered to care about them well enough to warn them what was coming. Seems these long, long, long years have made you cruel, sorcerer," he mocked. "Not cruel like me mind you." adding with a shrug, and sitting back up. "As you take no delight from other's suffering. But you are rather indifferent to it." Flicking the wand lazily as he pointed it at him.
Again, Amos said nothing, ignoring the comment. His expression neutral as he considered a few things. When at last he spoke, it was as if he was doing so not to the man in front of him, but rather through him.
"By the way, Cedric. I thought you'd like to know that Sofia is alright."
Sofia...
It snuck out as the softest whisper. Cedric immediately clapping a hand over his mouth afterwards. But Amos had already heard.
"Eh?" that same knowing, almost terrifying, grin Sofia had seen weeks previous spreading on his face. "So you are still in there."
The sorcerer waved his hand. "I haven't the foggiest idea what you mean," he dismissed with another giggle, though there was an edge of nervousness to it this time.
"Hmm..." Amos's serious expression returning as he spoke. "Well, Cedric you would do good for her sake, and Calista's, to endure a little longer. I need to go back to tend them and Mina for a moment."
"What...you.." Cedric groaned, rubbing his forehead. His body twitching violently in short spurts.
"I'll return again later to deal with you," Amos stated simply, turning to leave. His back to the sorcerer.
An unnatural guttural sound issued from Cedric, lips curled into a snarl. Forcing himself to stand he flicked his wand hard, hurling a blast of destructive magic. Amos immediately deflecting it with a wave of his hand, and a spell. Sending the blow back, and knocking Cedric back into the throne with a pained grunt.
"Arrgh!" Cedric seethed. The weight keeping him in place growing ever heavier as Amos increased the power of his spell. Teeth gritting, he glared at he songster with a burning hatred. Muttering with murderous intent.
"Someday..."
Sofia sat upon the table. The silence of Amos's study having returned in full, and serving as a contrast to the anxiety brewing within her as she tried to process all that her friends had told her. Though finding obstacle in the fact that her informants didn't quite understand what was going on themselves.
But she knew who did.
They collectively flinched when the door clicked open. Feeling momentarily relief, when Amos stepped inside.
"So good news," he stated. "Seems that Cedric is still with us."
Her attention instantly caught at his name, and she attempted to stand up with the intention of questioning the man. Groaning frustrated when another dizzy spell hit her. Though it wasn't as intense as the last one.
Thankfully one of her questions was spoken for her. Mina's brow furrowed and head tilted as she echoed her thoughts "What do you mean he's still with us?"
In response he merely stared at her for a few moments, as though processing her question. Before continuing on as though he never heard her in the first place.
"I think it would be best if the three of you continue to hide down here while I take care of the problem upstairs," producing a small piece of parchment and writing something upon it.
"Wait..." Sofia murmured weakly, fighting back a mild headache. Her voice either unheard, or simply ignored.
What problem was he talking about?... What was going on with Cedric?...
"There's an escape route," he continued approaching Calista. "If the worse should happen, you should all leave through there."
"But..." Sofia tried, but failed again. What did he mean 'If the worse should happen'?
"This spell will activate it," he explained, handing the paper to the sorceress. Who grimaced, confused, at him.
"But what about my Uncle Ceddy?..."
"As soon as I gather my things, I'll go back up and see what I can do for him. Unfortunately there isn't much at my disposal..." he sighed, before leading her to a corner of the room. Soberly continuing his instruction. "Place your hand here," indicating a specific brick in the the wall, "and recite that spell. Keep goin onwards. Don't look back, for anything."
A fury boiled in Sofia. Both from the frustration of her current weakness. As well as the fact that the songster was refusing to explain anything to them. Especially when there was something clearly wrong, and not just with Cedric. She knew he had the answers she needed, for everything!. Yet he continued to dance vaguely around the topic.
Unable to take it anymore she finally shouted:
"Tell us what's going on, Micah!"
Amos froze. His attention now focused solely on her as his brow furrowed in disbelief.
"Where... where did you learn my name?..."
Sofia froze herself. Not surprised per say, but still shocked by the confirmation of what she had long suspected...
"So it is you... You are that sorcerer who defeated Belteshazzar all those centuries ago..."
He gaped at her a second more, before slowly heaving a resigned sigh through his nose.
"Yes... That was me..."