This Part 3 was actually part 2, I opted to split it off in order to make the transition between both chapters easier, and less at a stand still like the first part did. Making the transition between chapters without having a point of editing that meshed nicely already was a pain.
Hope you guys have enjoyed the story thus far. And as always, let me know if you find any errors, or if anyone is interested in being a beta. Without further delay, enjoy.
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING WARNINGS! THIS STORY IS FOR MATURE READERS ONLY! IT IS NOT FOR CHILDREN OR YOUNG TEENS. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
WARNING: This is not a story for the faint of heart!
This is not rated for Disney.
This will be a very dark take on the Isle of the lost, and what really happens when villains who are known to make people's lives living hells, or in Maleficent's case, cursing a baby to die, or what happens when not rated for children.
This includes dark themes, nudity, slaves, mentions of abuse, neglect, rape, violence, murder, theft, burglary, magic, blood, gore, nudity, and other shady behaviors and substances. These may be subject to change!
***** On Ao3 explicit scenes, these will only be mentioned in passing on , note both stories have the same plot and direction but may read differently due to this. *****
Disclaimer this is a FanFiction! I have no rights to the original works, or the characters from them.
Chapter Summary:
Outside the barrier Mal meets someone from the past as she works against the clock to get what she needs to save Diego's life.
Home on the Isle of the Lost
The First Days
Part 3:
Free falling five hundred yards, was terrifying for a short time, and then very boring for the rest.
I mean there were highlights.
It was actually night time in Auradon, and I got to see the Stars and Moon for the first time in person. Which would have been nice if I was paying it any attention.
On the downside, going to the island in the dark to hunt for the herbs I need and hunt for a highly dangerous snake to harvest it's venom was not looking to be ideal.
Not to mention on the fall I found that I could now physically feel the influx of magic around me, and it was nothing like the life magic of the occupants of the isle. Even my own body gave off white sparks constantly during the fall, as the magic came and went in quick succession. It was interesting to see and feel, frustrating to try and harness.
I keep my bag clutched close to my side as I continued descending through the air. But hey, who knew falling so far, from a magic barrier, in water, would take so long.
Throughout the fall I had time to think of every lesson, and every book of magic I'd come across in my life, as I kept trying to find a way to stop my descent, it was not going well. Not even the magic spells and casts I'd read of in the grimoire were helping. Neither was my faith in my magic, if it could just take the fucking hint and work.
Goddammit all to hell. "Magic be rational, take me to travel. Not looking for adversary, take me to a mainland apothecary." Hoping that if it works and that I'll have enough luck and time to steal what I need before magicking myself away was a long shot. For one I'm not lucky, for two I have no idea what I'll find.
Nothing happens after I otter the rhyme, and I'm about to try another spell only to suddenly feel my body crashing into solid ground and a woman's scream filling my ears.
So much for hoping to go unnoticed. "Please don't call the authorities." I cry covering my ears to block out the sound. I don't want to jinx myself in faith that the women would stop her incessant scream, but I wish it anyways.
My plee does the trick, the scream cutting off into silence that carries for a long moment. Soon though, I can hear the clicking of a cane and lumbering of off tempo steps making their way along, to what I wasn't sure.
Finally, the familiar light of an oil lamp is revealed coming around a door frame. It bothered me that the woman screamed at the bang,due to the fact, back on the isle that would get her killed, especially during a robbery.
But at least now I know the mainlanders are more trusting, something that they should not do.
When I see the first glimpse of the woman herself, I almost wish I'd been anywhere else until I remembered this was Auradon proper.
The woman whom came was easily old enough to have known the Ravenna's great aunt in her youth.
The oldest Neve, who didn't suck the youth and beauty out of girls; but did fatten up children with the intent to eat them, looked all to similar to this women.
Sadly, that just meant she's lived a long life.
The fine white hair and pale blue eyes were the most noticeable features. She also had many fine lines that came with her age, though they did not take away from the beauty that her face still held even as she frowned from the doorway.
I could only hope that she would take pity on the sob story I'd spin.
The only plus side to the harsh landing in the shop was that I no longer had white magic sparking off of my skin, for now I'd appear mostly human, as I was thankfully not having been born with the common fae traits of unique hair colors, and pointed ears.
Even still I felt saddened that I did not suddenly sprout wings or horns, nor that the brown strands in my face didn't change.
"How ever did you fall into my shop child? You scared this old women near to death. Are you unwell?" Her voice sounded like the grandmother from one of the ads back home, it was uncomfortable knowing someone could sound so concerned for a girl they didn't know. Even back on the isle concern was for allies and partnerships, and very rarely family, and friends, even if you found yourself brave enough to claim any as such.
Thanks be to Mab half truths still made truths to fae, I just had to keep honest in heart. "I- Not me, its my brother. Our mother though, won't use new medicines. I was hoping to find what she'd need to make the elixir to save him." I utter softly.
While Malevolent was sick, it wasn't anything we couldn't cure back on the isle. He just needed to stop going back to the same whore and contracting the same disease and we'd stop having to cure him all the time. I hoped she wouldn't ask to closely into his story so that I won't have to tell her his issues.
Seeing her hesitate I cringe, I'll need to try harder. "Please, I don't have much to offer now, but he's my only brother. I don't know what I'd do if we lost him, not after the fire." my mouth tastes like ash as I outright beg for it, I sound like a whiny child.
Unfortunately, I really did appear to be a whiny child right then, at least no one else is around to know.
The woman's face softens, the frown and look of concern less worry some. "What is it you need, child?"
Thinking on my feet, I recalled one of the few potions that needed all three items, even if it was unlikely that she'd recognize the truth of what I needed it for, it was better she didn't know I was from the Isle. The elixir I had in mind though was not a counter curse, but it was for an illness seen only in infancy and when not treated properly was fatal. Unsurprising it also only affected fae, much like the curse plaguing the older Devil.
Thinking silently, I hope with faith that the magic will listen as I reach my hand into my bag grabbing to pull a piece of paper out, Magic be rational, help me to unravel. Write before I waver, the following on this paper: Avens, Buckthorn, Ginkgo Leaves, Coriander, Mint, Bay, Bloodroot, Lemon Rind, Parsely, Basil, Plantain, Anise Seed, Wolfsbane, Cinchona, Arbutus, Honeysuckle, Blueberry Leaves, Blackberry Leaves, Adder's Tongue, Barberry, Death Benzoin, Pine, Aspen, Devil's Bit.
Breathing I remove the paper from my bag, though when I see the last ingredient written my mind flashes back to the sources of my recent troubles. Diego didn't have time for me to waste, and if she didn't have what I need. Well I would have to brave the early morning to hunt the Death Adder out on the small Isle I'd originally intended to make use of.
Moving forward I hand the women the paper, watching closely as she mouths the words as she continues standing in the doorway from wince she came, "Child, this is need to cure… But no ones had that in over a century, even the last child of the fae to be stricken with it nearly- Oh my." Her shock and urgency in words, isn't misplaced. The illness loosely translated to old English was child killer.
"His father was fae." The statement catches me off guard, none of my sibling's paternal genes were fae, Maleficent had said so in her notes when she started to plan to have me, and Cecil de Vil was human.
Was I... No, did my belief that Carlos was fae let me... I can't focus on it. Not now, not without more information. "Please, my mother's aged, but she remembers the tales. She even book that contained the recipe, it's the only book the fire didn't burn." The tale of how my mother came to possess the old leather grimoire was not a pleasant one, and it is the only book ever recorded to have ever survived dragons fire.
She nods finally moving out from the doorway, "Then we should hurry to get you what you need." I watch as she hobbles by a switch on her way, moving it up it flickers on fluorescent yellow lights forcing me squint. "You'll also need magic inducing agents for the following weeks after you've starve the parasite eating at his magic. Did your mixing pot survive?" I shake my head; a mixing pot would be better than the cooking pot I was planning on using. "I have several spares, I'll send you with one. Very few people follow the old world choosing to buy my stock for decoration instead of its purpose." She wrinkles her nose in disgust, and I'm sure my face matches, decoration, really.
I watch her face change again as she returns to her train of thought, "Now for the death benzoin, you are to not mess around with it, it is still a very deadly poison, let your mother handle it." I had to working on keeping my mouth shut as she spoke of me needing to give the death benzoin to my mother, as long as I do not promise nor confirm that I'd bring it to her, I'll be fine.
I keep an eye on her as she leaves the list on the counter before heading down one of the many aisles. Slowly she starts bringing ingredients back and forth.
My head hurts as I watch, perplexed as an arrangement of jars begin appearing on the counter. They ranged from a quarter of a pint to a gallon, and it was much more than I had asked for. Some of the ingredients I didn't even recognize. "I... Are those all that I need?" I ask in awe as two gallons filled with dried ginkgo leaves were placed next.
What in the name of Queen Mab. I think I've died.
The women laugh despite the entire situation, and I can't really blame her, I was very much going to laugh at myself later once Diego was in the clear, "Of course not. I need to make sure that you and your mother get back on your feet after the fire. And anyone who practices the ways of old, never really move into modern medicine, I haven't and neither did any of my children. They all moved out towards Camelot and old practicing states. I can't bring myself to when there are people whom still come here who practice."
I want to nod, really I do, but I can't really fathom that she's simply doing this. Her explanation not making any sense to me, "Besides I have more than enough to share, and several things that you nor your mother will be able to get in Auradon due to the bans. But you'll keep quiet on where you got it from, yes?"
Finally she asks something of me that I can promise, "I won't tell the anyone in Auradon that you gave it to me. But how will I pay you back?" After all everything comes at a price. On the Isle I had plenty to trade, though I doubt she'd need any of it.
The woman's eyes twinkle as she peeks out from behind a shelf to see me. "Payment? I suppose all I ask of you is that you let me help you in your times of need. Though the next time you drop in, if your landing skills haven't improved I'm going to have to ask that you come in through the cellar to not scare this old woman."
It's not just the words she speaks, but the way she's watching me that tells me she isn't buying my act. But it makes me wonder, what act am I buying? "You don't believe me, then."
"Oh, I believe you just fine dear. Your truths cross nicely." She laughs lightly, abandoning the slouched hobble and cane, she's much more nimble than I expected, and the differences between Granny Neve and this woman were dwindling.
It takes me another moment to figure out who I was speaking, and when it finally clicks in place, I feel like a fool. "You're the Seer, and you already know where I am from."
The grin does not put me at ease, making me I wish not for the first time that I had my staff out, "That I do, I just haven't got a clue of how you got out! I've never in all my years seen such a thing." She leans against the wood tapping her foot, "When I gave the book to your mother when she was but a girl, I'd never even known she'd have children of her own, faith bless her soul."
I shrug, not too worried about my mother's damaged soul, "You wouldn't want to meet her now. I'm afraid they didn't get all the pieces back together correctly when they brought her back from the dead." I move to look closer at the growing assortment on the table. "This really is more than I should accept."
The hum from the women makes me look up, she's studying me for a moment, a thoughtful look on her face, "What you should accept, and what you will aren't always the same thing. Some fae I've met will only except what they want, others take what is offered."
I get that, even the grimoire mentions it and what one or the other could mean. While accepting it all could put you in the others debt, not accepting could offend the one who offers it to you. "And why would you want me to accept all of this?"
"The largest reason I want you to take it, is simply because I don't have a clue what you actually need and what for. In all my years with the sight, this is the first time I'm in the dark." She remarks popping out of an another aisle disappearing down the next, I have to strain to hear the end as she travels farther down.
"And your happy about that?" I ask quite confused, why would a seer like to be in the dark? "Wouldn't that mean you don't know if I'm going to kill you."
The woman has a spring to her step as she came back around with several gallon jars and a few bundles of wood, twine, and other miscellaneous branches and strands. "Look child, for the last three hundred years, I've known everything about everyone, seen the past, present and future. You are a breath of fresh air, and I very much doubt you're here to kill me, you asked for my help. What are your trying to cure anyways or whom? Is it really your brother?"
She's at least has the decency to look sheepish when she realizes how excited she sounds, when clearly my situation is dire if I'd traverse outside of the barrier and risk getting caught to come to her. "I don't feel comfortable telling a seer I don't even know the name of, that kind of information." I retort, looking for something to grasp, why was this little old woman throwing me off my plans.
And if her name didn't match... or did...
I hear her steps falter a moment before she gains her barring again, "Oh right, my birth name is Nadia Villers, but it's been a long time since anyones used it. I just go by Granny Dia now."
Well I'll be damned, this was the very seer whom gifted my mother the grimoire. Though it was more of a potioneering book prior to the notes, spells, casts, and runes she added over time.
Mab bless my soul, did I really find luck when I thought it had abandoned me. Or did I steal the luck of the Devil?
Steeling myself, I try to find the words, "A little over eight hours ago, a partner of mine in school came to me with an issue looking for medicine. I was a bit perplexed since he and his cousin have never used the apothecary, they had a basic understanding of first aid, and have never been sick enough to need anything else. He opted to ask after a few things I was collecting in the woods a week prior, juniper berry seeds and hemlock." She nods, they were very common in almost every apothecary, "Taking a guess I asked how sick his older cousin was. His symptoms include loss of vision, loss of equilibrium, chest pain, difficulty swallowing, shallow breathing, high fever, a rash sprouting from his right arm, black veins originating from his right hand, and several others I'm sure you could guess." I pause as the look of horror appears on her face. "I need to get him the cure. His cousins been laid up in a bed for six days prior to my trip out here, and that was without any painkillers or curse suppressants, which I dropped off for them after getting us excused from school for a fortnight. At the rate we're going, and how his condition is I won't be able to save him unless I'm out of here by noon at the latest."
Nadia's posture grew more and more rigid as I spoke, the history books did her injustice when they spoke of her resolve to aid any in need, her spine was not only as straight as an arrow, but hardened in steel. Her blue eyes were hard, I was dealing with a woman who survived wars and plagues, one whom still chooses to believe the best in the worst. "How in the world did the boy catch The Magics Grim? Those curses were quite nasty, but they've all been banish and their practices lost, long ago. I'd know."
I laugh humorlessly, yeah, lost and banished. "The funny thing about living in a place called the Isle of the Lost. Is that lost things don't stay lost, they just end up collecting on our shores." I shake my head, "Most of the Fae Kind know better than to touch them, but the boys were raised by humans. I just found out that they can sense the magic, but they didn't realize it was going to harm them. And it's not even the first case of it being found on the isle either. There were three three cases my mother treated prior to my conception. My siblings had all contracted it after touching an amulet they found in the castle. It was destroyed by the one of her goblins throwing it into the volcano nearby. I was only able to diagnose him due to reading my mothers notes and journals, very few illnesses cause the black veins and on top of everything else, his symptoms alone are enough to confirm it. My mother used the last of the avens plants, ginkgo leaves, and death benzoin for the others, it's why I left the barrier to travel to the mainland." My voice sounds feint to my own ears as I glance out the lone window wishing that for once to see the barrier in my sights. "The boy whose afflicted, he doesn't deserve to die, not like this."
Her voice is harder, I have no doubt she's realized the truth, that the curse is still very much a threat, "Then let's make sure we have you out of here by sunrise. We'll need to make something to carry it all, I think there are old rune books in the cellar from my late husband. We might be able to make a bottomless crate." She rambles, her voice fading as she disappears farther down the aisle. "You'll also need much more death benzoin than I was initially expecting, I'll get you all I can in case this occurs again and I haven't infused more."
"There isn't a need for the crate now, though maybe next time it will be good. My bag with me has the runes." I call once her ramblings ceased.
I jump feeling a bony finger in my side as she appear behind, setting everything in her arms down on the table. "Then get packing. Crates are that way we need to get it organised enough for travel. Be sure to sort through it so that you can get everything you need right away when you make it to the boys. Also pick up new brewing gear, and all the potions books you don't recognise from the closet. Hurry now."
She waits for me to go to the closet before returning to the whirlwind of collecting more and more things for me to pack. I chance another glance while opening the closet to see the entire context of the grimoire magical ingredient directory is being deposited on the counter.
"You sure you want me to take your books?"
"Hum, oh yes, they'll be donated if they stay. Auradon's outlawed magic sometime ago, science and technology are the new magics. And in case you weren't aware, the two don't mesh. Besides it I can get them to someone who's going to use them, Id feel much better about them being gone." My already poor opinion of Auradon, gets worse the more I learn. Who in their right minds would ban magic, it's the reason most of them are alive!
"I'll use them, the family apothecary is the only reliable source of medicine on the entire Isle. And while I don't care for my older sister who runs it, you just can't make it through the winter months without some of the brews." I traverse the titles, I only recognize two, and I'd gladly still take them with all the rest seeing as I could finally have copies of my own. "Do you want me to take them all? We have two of them in the castle, but I'd be very happy to have my own copies."
She looks so pleased when I meet her eyes, "Of course, dear. If you can fit it all in your bag take everything in there. That's all the things that aren't allowed any longer." I want to know whose bright idea that was. Though seeing the small spinning wheel I'm not surprised. "I would rather it go with you instead of ending up like the Fairy Godmother's wand, did you know they put it on display in a museum?"
"Granny Dia said what. Why is the wand of the stars in a museum, it's entire power comes from being wielded by its chosen master, if she doesn't cast with it actively it can choose a new holder. One who can harness the star, and I don't know bring down the barrier!" I feel like hitting something, are they dumb, "What drugs are these people on!"
Nadia hums in agreement at my outburst, "None of the good kind. I don't hear packing."
I nod, grabbing one of the many wooden crates from behind the counter to pile the books in. I wasn't going to share any of them if I can help it. IT was funny seeing titles of magic when Nadia Dia was only a potioneer in the history books, "Can you cast?" I call seeing the second volume of a book of casts we had in the castle.
"Oh no, I helped a young woman on the run hide that a century ago. Never really found anyone to take it off my hands. You might find use in it if you can now get on and off the Isle." I hear a heavy bag hit the floor to my right, "I'll be sending plain lindera benzoin with as well. Do you need any others that are infused?"
I shrug my shoulders, "Whatever you're willing to send I guess, I'm sure I'll have uses for them all."
I listen to her move as I pull the rest of the things from the closet into two more crates, even one that I'm sure is for magic metal working, not potioneering, let alone casting. Once it is completely cleared out I glance at the mess, it would have to wait for further inspection on if any of it could be traded or used.
Sling my bag off my shoulder I carefully reach in to hold the stabilizer/drill before sliding the first three crates in. Once they were situated I felt more at ease, it was the first step to getting what I needed and leaving.
Approaching the very cluttered counter, I want to just sit and take it in. If Diego hadn't gotten sick, would I have ever gotten the chance to see this, let alone know it was going to be all mine?
The much more delicate items were made to next. An entire jar of toads eyes caught my attention as I move for a closer look. "Do all your containers have preservation runes?"
"Yes, I found when the practice was dying my stock would go to waste if I didn't. I have a huntsman who gets me most of them for common spices and creams." Nadia hums, "Pass me a crate would you. I'll start packing plants from the mint family, do you have a list of what we shouldn't pack away, or at least not all of it?"
I look up, "Sure, give me a second." I reach into my bag searching for my notebook, feeling it I hope it will hear me, Magic be rational, help me to unravel. Write before I waver, the following on this paper: five gallon cauldron, brewing tools, ginkgo leaves, avens buds, death benzoin, coriander, mint, bay, buckthorn, parsley, basil, anise seed.
Pulling the book out I set the open page near her. "Sound's good. The cauldron's that way." She points before going about what she said. "I want you to also take a full set of cauldrons, mixing pots, table flasks, and tools for each as well. And I do mean a full sets."
The way she says it leaves no option of refusal, so I just start packing them as I should, leaving a thirteen inch, five gallon cauldron and a set of tools on the counter for her to put the things from my list in.
We spend the rest of the night going through and packing everything away, the herbs by family and class, the wood by alphabet, the strands and spools by density, and the animal organics by strength and purpose.
I heard more and more tales from Nadia about the world of old during the hours of work. Things I'd dreamed of, and things I'd yet to ever know I wanted.
In return, I filled her in on my lone six years of life on the isle. She even got to know my hatred for tier two, through several rants on my part. Though personally, I think she finds it more amusing than anything else. She doesn't judge, nor pity me, despite the more gruesome things I reveal. Nor does she brush me off, when I speak.
As I'm lifting the final crate that contained what I'd need to save Diego, Nadia finally speaks up again, "I wish I could tell you if it will work out little one, but I'm not able to see you in time, you are in my blindspot." She sighs, glancing to the window. "I think it's time you left."
I nodded setting the rest into my bag, once again making sure the stabilizer/drill is still within reach. While I trusted Nadia enough to tell her about my life, I had yet to tell her how I got her, let alone my name. "I suppose it is."
She hums, watching me as I put my bag to my right side, ready to leave, "Before you do. I want you to promise that you'll come back here in a fortnight for me, I have some more things I think you could use that I need to gather." Nadia's voice had grown on me over the night, despite the fact I found it revolting when I first arrived.
"I'll try my best." I can't promise her, not when I don't know what I'll be up to by than, it would be more than nine full months back home. Not that I'd mind coming back, I liked the freedom to speak my mind.
The first rays of sun touch the horizon as she pulls me in for a hug. It was different as I've never given, or received a hug in my entire life, and I wasn't entirely sure what to do. "Be safe little fairy, and good luck." She whispers before releasing me. "Now off you go."
I'm already stepping to where I landed earlier in the night, before waving to her, "Be safe, Dia."
Thinking I clear my throat, "On land I stand, bring me under my homeland." The white sparks spring up around me until I begin to fall. My eyes are greeted with a very familiar purple bubble, though for once I'm on the outside. Reaching for the drill I quickly turn on the power supply making it hum to life.
It takes a moment for the compressed trigger to cause the ripple I'm looking for, which signifies the magical energy is disrupted. "Magic be rational, take me to travel. Now on the skies, bring me to the place where... my de Vil lies." I don't question the rationality of claiming either boy as mine, only that I need to make sure I can reach them as fast as possible. The longer the curse lingers the harder it is on the body.
I blink as I feel myself crashing onto another hard wooden floor, only this time it's followed by a knife digging into my arm. At least I know I made it to the right place, I grin through the pain, so very Devilish, "Time?" I ask grabbing for the hilt to pull the blade from the floor and then out of my arm without causing more damage.
Carlos whom had very clearly been sleeping when I finally see him, is still sitting on the floor, blinking blindly at me. "Fairy? How did... Magic?"
He actually looked his age with the sleep and confusion showing on his face, it was... cute? Ignoring the fact I just called a killer cute, I snort, "Well how else did you expect me to get back on the isle? Now I won't ask again, how much time passed."
He finally shakes the sleep, returning to the Devil I am most familiar with, "How much do you think?" he moves to stand holding his hand for the blade. I don't bother cleaning it before passing it back, if Carlos need my blood, he'd already have it.
I roll my eyes moving to the desk, almost every ingredient on the list I gave him had been collected making me feel slightly better about not saving all of them off to the side. "If the conversion is one Auradon day for every eight on the isle, the seven hours would make it just over two days. Is that correct?"
Carlos nods, as I watch him tuck the now clean knife away, "You got what we need?"
The fact he thinks I'd come back without it when I clearly had time to spare irritates me as I move taking the crate out of my bag setting it beside the desk, "We still need goldenseal, feverfew, and lemon balm." I note before smacking Carlos' hand away when he goes to pick up the death benzoin. "Unless you know how to handle death benzoin, you do not touch that jar."
The unimpressed look from Carlos, and the fact he doesn't seem to recognize it from its name, makes me finally ask what I wanted to back in supervised study, "Do you even know how a potioneer makes death benzoin."
He shrugs, not concerned cementing my theory, "I'm sure I'm about to find out."
He's not wrong. I had always planned on explaining the more intricate items I had to leave for anyways, I highly doubt he'd let me off without doing so once he found out we'd be feeding his cousin a very toxic poison. "I told you I had to leave for avens buds, ginkgo leaves, and death benzoin. While there are a combination of flowers and herbs that can replace avens bud, they lack the magical potency required, their used in several different potions. The first being love potions, the next being purification and exorcism, which is why we need them. To exorcise a curse and purify the body it hosted in. Ginkgo leaves come from a maidenhair tree, the trees feed off of the magic of the natural world which we are severed from and cannot grow here. They are used in potions to strengthen the mind and give mental clarity. With the cursed illness Diego's body is combating ginkgo leaves will help him combat mentally as well. Death benzoin is not naturally grown, you have to harvest two separate ingredients. The first being lindera benzoin, or more commonly known as spicebush. The second being death adder venom which you spend three long hours infusing it into the allspice." I explain, making sure to emphasize my point, "So unless you are ready to sit and learn how to handle and brew with it, you will not touch the container. Do I make myself clear."
Carlos looks like he wished he'd killed me when I crashed into the floor, not simply pinning my arm, "And why is death adder venom required for the cure, last time I checked it's used in death curses."
"Looks like you aren't an idiot when it comes to potioneering, and you aren't wrong about what it's most known for its use in death curses. However, what you failed to notice, it it's also used to combat death curses, and has other very useful effects. When added with lindera benzoin it strengthens the additive effects of it." I move itching to change chemistry kit off, but I felt it better to keep it running for now, not wanting to pull out even more equipment from my bag when this will work fine. "The poison's strength used when infused with lindera benzoin dictates how strong the effects of the magical qualities become in the mixture. This is why I wouldn't have been able to safely sub in other venoms for the cure. Benzoin is used in potions for purification, prosperity, banishing negativity and astral travel, all things when in tandem with ginkgo leaves and avens buds make a very potent counter curse."
Carlos looks doubtful, "You do know I'm going to be helping, I'm not letting you poison my cousin." Do you know nothing about me after two years, Devil? My inner voice whispers, my nemesis you forget I know you better than most on the isle.
"Wouldn't dream of it." I finger through the pile of herbs on the desk, cementing my earlier observation "I picked up some goldenseal, feverfew, and lemon balm while I was out so that should be fine. Do you have a clean vial?" I ask glancing at the still dripping wound from where he'd stabbed me when I landed.
It takes a second before he produces one for me. Carefully I scoop up the blood dripping from my arm, taking care to not spread it anywhere else. "Here, mark that as blood of fae would you. I need to clean this before we risk contaminating anything. When your done, come back so I can show you what we need to start brewing this. We'll b using the full length of time recommended, since I made it back earlier than expected." I don't check if he's taking the vial where I left it, he wasn't about to risk Diego's life by ignoring me. It takes me only a moment to clean and bandage my arm, how odd that he got me in the same hand I used for my deal with boy.
I have to focus to hear his breathing as he continues looking out the sole window the blood vial in hand, whatever's going on in his head, I'm sure he can handle without my interference, so I let the silence lie. It only takes a moment before I hear the clink of it meeting the table, "Have you eaten since you left?"
I shake my head grabbing out the other things we'll need. "No, didn't find a reason to."
It was normal to go days without eating for occupants, not having a reason, just meant many things, "I have to get food in Diego, you will eat, then you can show me the recipe before we start brewing this thing." He doesn't really wait before grabbing whatever he needed from the wardrobe.
It wasn't a bad idea, some brewing had to be done on an empty stomach to avoid upsetting it, but this wasn't one of those. The fumes would be more sweet than anything else. "Alright, but only if you eat as well. No need to risk you eating poisons." It was more of a joke than anything, but I still made sure to wait until he nodded, a lot of the poisons we'd mix were sweat smelling, death benzoin was no different, and having a Devil die because he stupidly ate it, would be very bad. Very, very bad.
It's mostly silence as Carlos starts to reheats what looks to be rice porridge on the hot plate. Glancing at the unconscious figure in the corner, I sigh, "How has he been?"
Carlos doesn't acknowledge me for a long time, I just hold my breath hoping he'll through me a bone, if we could work together, and accomplish this much, pushing a little father may prove if graduation is possible.
I wasn't the type of person who wanted a partner who didn't value my opinion, or couldn't try to meet me halfway, if I did I'd become a henchman.
At last I felt I could breath as he gives in, "Better, though he's been asleep most of the time you've been gone. How did you find all of it so fast? I don't think you stopped to make the death benzoin before coming back." He doesn't look up as he stirs the pot.
I promised not to tell people in Auradon, not a nemesis. "I didn't want to go hunting snakes in the dark. So while I fell five hundred yards trying to get a spell to work to stop my descent, I choose to try a different route and have magic take me to an apothecary on the mainland where there would hopefully be the ingredients I need. I wasn't wrong about them having what we needed, though I didn't have to steal it." I let the silence laps, did I mention Nadia, did I not.
He doesn't push for more as he begins serving three bowls, extending one to me, which I take mine gratefully. I spoon some of the gruel up before finally giving in and asking of Granny Dia, "Have you ever heard of the seer Nadia Villers?"
Carlos didn't disappoint my expectations, he was after all far more studious than others I know, despite the fact I often referred to him as an animal, "I have. Why does a women who live three hundred years ago matter right now."
Not a bad question, "She matters in the fact that she was the one who gave my mother the recipe for the cure. At the time she introduced herself to her as Grandmother Dia, but her recipe and handwriting matched that of the original Nadia Villers. When my mother asked on, she admitted most no longer knew that name, and she simply changed her name to fit the time. As for now, well I found her living in Auradon and running the very apothecary I landed in." Carlos pauses from eating, his other hand is stirring the third bowl evenly cooling it to make it easier for the sleeping party to eat. "You could put the next dose of painkiller in the porridge, it would dilute it, but it would soothe his throat from hurting since it likely feels like the arabian desert."
He shakes his head, ignoring the afterthought I made letting the porridge sit. "You met Nadia Villers, the Nadia Villers. And you just took her word for it."
"No, but put it this way. The amount of people who know what The Magics Grim is, and are alive exist only in my family outside of Nadia Villers, and she's the one who gave it its name. The fact that I only told her how he contracted it, his symptoms and what I needed from her apothecary to cure it, were enough for her to utter the name. Besides I don't really have a reason to doubt a women who's more upset over Auradon banning magic for technology, and is willing to give me what I need for a price."
He nods before the rooms lapped back into silence, once I've finished the last of the gruel I stretch, "Where can I clean the bowls and set up prep, the desk won't be big enough for all of this." Carlos nods towards a bucket in the back, I rise moving where he'd indicated, happy to find white suds and lueke warm water quickly clean the dish and utensil before I remove them to let them dry on the rack beside it, where several others are. "Did dishes before you fell asleep?"
"Yeah." I reach up for his bowl and spoon sensing him behind me, only giving them when I don't budge. "You don't need to do that."
"We need the space, and you already made it clear you want to sit through all the steps. Now go feed the other Devil." I wave him off before washing his dishes.
As soon as I've finished them, I rise and start getting prep ready, firstly placing the cauldron in the center of where we will work before slowly depositing the correct ingredients in the order that we'd need them around it. Moving clockwise around the pot across from each other would allow even distribution on both sides as well as more space for the pair of us to work.
The soft brush of fabric as Carlos kneels on the bed snags my attention, "Come on D, you need to eat." Devil utters bring his cousin back to the land of the living. This time I'm less startled by the small sounds I hear from the older boy, and the wheeze which I am assuming is him trying to talk. "Shh. I know. You'll be okay-"
I force myself to stop listening, comfort was not my expertise, and family bonds were not mine to intrude on. Though much to my chagrin, my mind flashes anyways back to the hug I received an hour ago. Nadia was the first person to show me open kindness. My brother may have taught me, and took care of me. But my brother never showed he cared, nor did he try to.
What they had was a very foreign concept. One I fear I'll never know.
To preoccupy myself, I start taking out more ingredients from my bag, feeling through the many crates. I'd need them to create strength supplements to rebuild what Diego's lost being laid up in bed. Finally after I've got all I need, I head for the chemistry set I choose to leave alone.
I don't need my potion notes persay to do this, but I carry them with despite the fact I've been making this since I first started to learn potioneering. "What are you brewing?"
I jump clutching the pine branch to my chest to keep from burning too much to soon into the brew. "Has no one ever told you not to scare a potioneer when they are working! I could have made the entire thing blow up in our faces. As for what I'm brewing, it's strengthening elixirs. Once he's taken the cure and starts getting back on his feet they'll help his progress as his body works on returning to its proper state. Pine." I lift the branch, "Burned into the mix helps create balance in the elixir." I push the notes to him, "I use to brew it a lot for handling back to back trainings with Malevolent."
He hums softly not pushing further, before picking up the book. "You write these?"
I nod my head once, before resuming my task of burning the pine in the flask with the elixir. "Most of the recipe's are modified from my families grimoire. Lots of what I do is targeted to the mutations I've come across, there are some herbs that don't work for me. I did write the original composition and recipe in the left margin. Judging by what I know about you Devil's, and what mutations I've observed I went stronger on the ague root and banyan, and will burned less aspen prior to the pine." I shrug my shoulders, "Thankfully or not so thankfully the mutations don't change anything in The Magics Grim curse, which means the cure won't need any changes. I marked the first page of the notes and drawings I copied over for it, if you want to study while I finish this."
I watch as he takes the book settling by Diego. Nodding to myself, I move to make several more vials of the supplement. As soon as I have enough to last him a month I turn off the equipment.
"You ready to get started on this?" I ask moving to settle on one side of the pot with my back exposed to them.
I nod for him to take the spot across from me before I start talking, "First we need to strip the roots of..." Carlos doesn't comment as I continue speaking the entire way through as we brew the mixture. With the death benzoin already made, and the preparation of the mix taking only two more hours with the pair of us keeping a steady pace.
Once it's time to heat it, I get up to preheat the hot plate he'd used earlier for the food. "Why does it want us to put it on the burner for an hour without interference?" He mutters lifting the now full pot that weighs as much as we do together.
"The mixture will naturally burn through and alter the composition of the magical properties until a small dense amount is all that's left behind. If we interfere we could upset the process causing a different outcome altogether." I mark down the date and time the mix is set on the preheated plate, "In exactly one hour we'll pull it off. Do you want to help make the stabilizing mixture we need to add when we remove it, or are you going to sleep while I watch this?"
Carlos looks like he's going to protest the sleep, but thinks against it. "I need to sleep. Wake me before the hours up." Which is good as I wasn't going to let him come close to brewing anything else when he's having issues keeping his eyes open.
Nodding I grab another pot and begin the much easier portion of the cure. The rhythmic breathing of both boys and calm that comes with brewing brings me to a sense of peace.
With to much time on my hands my thoughts wander despite the fact I should be giving my attention fully to the potion. But so much had happened in the span of 200 hours, and I wasn't sure if I was fully processing it. If I kept at this rate, I'd burn out and die long before graduation or going to see Nadia again.
Keeping an eye on the wrist watch, I keep working.
Each ingredient is ground to dust and either added to water, or burned and then added to water, before being boiled off leaving behind a blue green sand like substance.
When it's done, I sit watching them sleep, putting my faith that we weren't to late and that the cure would save him.
Seeing the time I rise moving over to where Carlos was resting, "Time to wake up Devil." Thankfully I didn't end up with another knife in my arm for my efforts as he comes to, nodding to me, "You've got three and a half minutes until we have to pull the cauldron from the heat and add the stabilizing potion."
The smell of the cure reminded me of cooked berries, though it was sweeter than that. Even still, I knew from the notes that it was revolting in taste despite the smell, I could only hope we wouldn't have to brew it again and that Diego would drink it the first without difficulty. "I thought you said that it would boil off." Carlos noted looking at the pink mixture that was almost bubbling over.
"It will condense down when we remove it from the heat. If we don't get the stabilizing agent in right away when it does, we're going to have a very large mess to clean up." And forever smell like cooked berries when unsaid in my mind. "Do you want to grab the pot or pure this in?" I ask holding up the blue green stabilizer.
He shrugs his shoulders heading for the pot. I follow him uncapping the flask of sand and bringing my watch to my immediate line of sight, "Okay... I'll handle the potion. Remember to not put it back on the burner no matter what once it's removed." I remind him before starting, my countdown seeing the time approaching, "You have fifteen seconds... ten... nine... eight... seven... six... five... four... three... two... one... now."
I hold my breath as he removes it and the sand meets the pink bubble over the substance before the whole thing deflates becoming nearly untraceable in the dark pot. "How the fuck- Why is it, the pot gained ten pounds despite the fact you added a handful of sand to it." Carlos grits, "Don't we need to get this in a flask?"
I nod holding up a funnel and flask I'd set on the desk. "Convenient, I know." Setting the two down I move to help him as we slowly tip the cauldron.
The resulting mix is a soft yellow like substance that shimmers and glows as it goes into the flask not sticking to the funnel or the cauldron. "So, that's the color of the sun." he comment recalling what the books said making me snort. "Did you get to see it?"
"No, I kind of wish I did. I got to see the stars and the moon, while I was falling out of the barrier. Didn't really get time to appreciate them while trying to magic myself away." I comment, ignoring the fact we could now leave any time we choose. "But hey, we just made a successful Magic's Grim cure, which is one of the most advanced and volatile potions I've ever had to make. And we are now in the clear as long as he drinks it the first time keeping us from having to make a second batch."
He nods before looking at me strangely, "You should sleep." When he speaks I finally notice that I am yawning.
I guess only having a couple hours the night before last has finally caught up with me, shrugging I turn away, "I will once I've cleaned this up. You can give that to him once the pain medication worn off. The strength and balance supplements are over there, make sure he takes one a day until there gone."
I move to grab my things only for him to stop me. "Sleep Fairy, you've been up more than a day, and just brewed several potions. You can clean after that. We can't graduate if you die before the years even started." I'm actually surprised by his words, despite what I'd said my vision begins to tunnel, why the... I feel him as he hauls me to my feet from where I was sitting to clean, and pulls me over to the bed before pushing me to sit on the side Diego's not occupying. "Now go to sleep."
The exhaustion I'd been fighting finally wins floods through me covering my world in darkness. His voice fading away.
I'm not sure how much time has passed, but Carlos is already awake and skimming through my notes on the supplements again, when I finally come to, the bags that had been under his eyes are substantially smaller. "How long have I been out?" I ask sitting up trying to not fall over when black dots fill my vision.
He glances up a second when I speak, "Long enough for Diego to wake up and eat five times as well as take the cure. When's the last time you slept through a night, Fairy?"
I look to the other boy still laying beside me, he looks significantly better, the cure doing it's job. I continue to try think of when the last time I slept was, and I wish I could just say recently, but I didn't even know of a time I'd ever actually made it through the night asleep.
Malevolent, no matter how much I liked to paint him as the good sibling, wasn't a kind caretaker. Ever since I was a baby keeping him awake and taking his time, he's always held a grudge. When I was old enough to stand he forced me up for long days with gruesome trainings and exhausting lessons, never letting my body or mind truly rest. The largest reason I was as smart as I was could be attributed to him.
Giving up trying to remember, I turn my attention back to Devil. "You cleaned." I note seeing everything placed in the crate near my bag. The cauldron, tools, and chemistry set as well. "Thought I was suppose to do that when I got up."
The unimpressed look he gives me makes me smile, "I had time, most of us do when we aren't sleep deprived. He's still sleeping a lot, that normal?"
The change in topics is welcomed, "It depends on what you mean by normal. The cases my mother treated off the isle bounced back very quickly with the aid of magic and other fae magics. But here, yeah it's normal. My older siblings, they slept constantly for a number of months, and their recovery took a full year. Mother wasn't actively feeding the supplements to help their bodies heal after the ordeal though. As long as you listen to me it'll be only a couple of days until he does more than sleep and eat. Just make sure he stays fed and hydrated in addition to taking the potions. I've got some others I'll bring back to you that he should take when he's able to keep himself awake for eight or more hours." I finally roll out of the bed, leaving my companion behind.
The series of cracks and pops as my bones shift feels both relieving and concerning. I really had been a sleep along while. But the question is how? "And you're just going to give me more potions?"
"It's not like I don't have my reasons Devil. I made a deal with boy, and if Diego's to keep his job I need him on his feet and well in eleven days." That or betray my blood and faith.
I step around him grabbing the notebook, "But if you want to pay me back, keep out of sight until then, I'd rather not explain why we both have class off to Malevolent who somehow took my request to mean we're working on tier two the second I use words like project and unsupervised study." I repeat what I'm sure he's forgotten since the day he last tried to actively kill me. The knife incident when I crash landed not included.
I throw the notebook into my bag before cramming the crate in as well, happy to note I still have the stabilizer/drill. "Where will you be headed?"
I want to ignore him, but I know if I do he'll find me anyways, "Where I always hide from my brother when Boy's isn't an option." Jasper Creeper wasn't the best plan, but if Carlos was planning on coming to see me for any reason, I'd rather not lead him to the Iron Mountain.
When I reach the trap door he's already there lifting it, "I owe you a favor Fairy, so do try not to die. I hate owing people."
And that's a wrap! Wow I took eight pages that were once apart of part 2 and turned them out to be twenty.
Write it down folks.
I'm having an absolute blast typing out the pages and editing them. I hope you've been enjoying them as well.
Some of you may have noticed chapters 1 & 2 got re uploaded. I noticed I wasn't being consistent with Devil and devil so I went and fixed that and a few grammatical errors I found.
Let me know if you spot anything that needs to be fixed.
And if any of you have theories on how the stories going to go, I'd love to hear them.