The Ninth Star
Summary: An evil enigmatic being known as The Ninth Star was once in a group known as the Nefarious Nine, all of whom were destroyed. The sole survivor of the attack, The Ninth Star takes up residence in a new host, and has now been tracked down to Valestrai, where there are nine powerful magic wielders under investigation. Sofia and company are called in to help question the suspects, but nothing could have prepared them for the outcome when the mystery begins to unravel. *Takes place two years after The Tainted Ten*
Disclaimer: I do not own Sofia the First. The following characters belong to me: Jastin Butterford, Muscles, Malango the Magnanimous (mentioned), Corban, Charlie, Serena, Angel, Shikoba, Alo, the Ninth Star (and other Stars), and several others not mentioned in the other lists. MarionetteJ2X owns Nana, Tanya, and Terra. Mr. Shortman92 owns Christopher Crowley and Amaya. NerdsinaTree owns Captain Nereus. Royal Detective owns Gabriel Sebastian. Allyrwhitney owns Feya. Jettmanas owns Davidius. Creepy-Pasta owns Neoma. Pinkscarlet08 owns Amerie. Theblackraven2.0 owns Malcom "Mac" Woodruff. Also, the "Nefarious Nine" title belongs to NerdsinaTree, as the title was originally supposed to be used in "The Tainted Ten" until we added a tenth character.
Chapter 8: Davidius
Davidius was led to the usual chair and sat down, brushing some of his hair from his striking blue eyes. He was in his mid-forties, and some of his hair was beginning to gray on the sides, and a few age lines had etched themselves into his skin. He was 5'10" and thin, with some freckles on his forearms, perhaps indicating his time in the sun in the past.
He wore a simple gray, short-sleeved collared shirt, blue trousers, and short brown work boots. Around his neck was a black cord with a silver coin dangling from it. His attire suggested that he was both casual and also used to some sort of job, though it was hard to tell just based off looks alone.
Greylock was the first to notice the man's downturned lips and quiet demeanor. "Everything all right, sir? Would you like a drink?"
"Only if it's a bit stronger than water," the man chuckled, shaking his head and waving a hand dismissively. "I'm fine. I'm just tired. My-um… I was kept awake most of last night…" He yawned, frowning. "She never finds a good time to…talk…"
Sofia smiled in understanding. "Relationships are like that sometimes. You've just got to make time for each other."
Davidius blinked at her words before smiling lightly. "Yeah… I suppose so…" He sat up a bit straighter, though he still seemed somewhat detached. "How can I help you all?"
"Could you offer a bit of background information about yourself? And afterward, we will do our magic test." Orion was more at ease this time, especially after the conversation with Shikoba. Also, this man didn't seem the least bit interested in anyone in the room, specifically a certain Protector next to him. Therefore, his mood was considerably lighter.
"Sure… I am from Borrea, which is nestled in the mountains among some of the elite and well-off individuals. I myself am from a middle-class family." He lifted his hand to the coin around his neck, sliding it along the cord. "When I was younger, I was very social and outgoing. I played the courting game with several women, none of whom wanted to commit. They all preferred the dukes and barons, neither of which I was. No matter, though. I had my magical training, which allowed me to travel around the world."
"We have a little bit in common then," Cedric suggested, smiling at the other man. He frowned when the brunet sighed, folding his arms.
"Well… It got a bit boring and monotonous after doing the same thing for nearly thirty years. With my quickly aging form, brought on by overexertion of magic in my youth, I was unable to travel as much. It led to me being confined to my home, where I spend my days working through tasks, especially deciphering codes, inventing, and repairing magical items."
"That sounds…exciting," Sofia attempted, shrugging as Greylock shot her an 'Are you serious?' look.
"So exciting that I often nod off during the process," the man chuckled, though it didn't quite meet his eyes. "Of course… I still enjoy walking to the market when I need to, and I've spent time investigating changes in local kingdoms and the emergence of technology when possible. Magic still fascinates me—just not as much as it used to."
"Do you not have other ventures that could improve your experiences?" Shikoba wondered, feeling genuinely sorry for the older man.
"Oh, I still have some ventures…adventures… She, um…" He cleared his throat. "A…prospect or two…or one…"
Alo tilted his head, eyes narrowing at the man in the chair. He glanced up toward Shikoba, who lowered her hand to his head to keep him steady.
"I…see…" Orion hummed and nodded before standing, gesturing toward the other man. "Please, Davidius, follow me over here for a magic test, and then we'll let you head back to the others."
"Oh, sure, sure…"
Sofia leaned over to Cedric and whispered, "He seems a little distracted, doesn't he?"
"That's a nice way of putting it, my love," he whispered back, his eyes never leaving Davidius. He had subtly reached for his wand earlier, keeping it enclosed in his hand just in case.
Orion pressed his hand to Davidius's head and blinked when the other man groaned in apparent pain. "Are…you all right?"
"Yeah, just… I fell last night, and heh… Might have gotten a slight concussion…" He shrugged, his hand seeking purchase against the wall. "I… I'm fine. I'm fine. Doc said I was good…"
The Windwalker frowned in concern before glancing toward Shikoba and Vega, both of whom nodded. Silently, he conducted his test, his frown deepening in confusion. "Hmm…"
Davidius gazed at Orion with a sad expression, some of his hair brushing against his brow. "I know I'm not…magnificent with magic… So I'm sorry if this is disappointing…"
"Um, no, no… Not a trouble. You may go. And um, please send in Neoma next, if you don't mind."
"Sure…" Yawning, the brunet left the room, the door half-shut behind him.
"That was odd," Greylock told them, cleaning his monocle. "A concussion, hmm? And he just mentioned it…"
"Concussed people do tend to act a little strangely," Cedric reminded him as the door slammed wide open, startling him and the others. "M-Merlin's Mushrooms!"
A woman with short white hair and startling turquoise eyes entered, a grin on her red-painted lips. "Someone ask for Neoma?"
To be continued…
Next Chapter: Neoma
