DISCLAIMER: I do not own Sofia the First nor do I claim to. I just like the show and wanted to write a little something for it. However, I do own the OC Zwick and Megumi as well as the concept of the Rune Mage I'll be using for this story.
_[ STORY ]_
Silence was the response Megumi received, she looked over to see shocked faces staring at her, "not what I was expecting, I thought there would be more shouting," she said laughing as she turned away to the table tucked further down the room, "follow me now there is much to discuss."
Megumi leads them to the back of the room, and through a hidden door, they walked down a curving hallway a mirror hung silently as the group pass, if any of them had looked into the calm surface, they would have seen a shadowy figure pounding on the glass and screaming.
Cedric hung back behind the group, as they moved, he was off-put by the information he was told; even as a young apprentice he was wary of the Tertium Megumi. Honestly, he was wary of all the Sedet Maleficus as most where, but the few times he had an encounter with the women a knot would form in his chest, and he wanted to run.
'Maybe she is a Rune Mage as well,' Cedric mused as he studied the woman.
Megumi entered another chamber it was bathed in bright colors and ornate decoration, a u-shaped table lay at its center with five chairs, three of which are occupied. Behind the chairs stood a Sorcerer or Sorceress and their traveling companions.
One, in particular, caught Cedric and Sofia off guard, "Greylock!?" Cedric called.
"Ceddrick old boy, fancy meeting you here," the Rudistan Sorcerer greeted.
"I'm surprised to see you, I figured King Magnus would have you still locked up in the deepest dungeon," Cedric said ignoring the wrong name.
"And I heard you were stripped of your title," Greylock rebuttal with a laugh, "something about be unable to do your job for OVER a year."
Cedric's eyes narrowed at the man before he could say a word, Sofia pulled him away, "he's not worth it Mr. Cedric," she told him.
"That he is," Megumi added, "the only reason he's here is because Nik thinks with his knowledge of the magical underworld he will come in handy. Grimtrix would have been a better option, but we all know what happened to him," she continued looking sideways at the Sorcerer who swallowed hard at the uncomfortable topic.
"What's going on that you would bring in a criminal?" Rene asked.
Cedric and Sofia both looked at him, "what?"
Realization crossed Cedric's face, "wait you don't mean Quintus* Nik?" he asked, Megumi nodded, "I thought he retired."
"I was getting ready too, when all this started," a voice said from the table, they looked over to see an elderly man in a dark blue robe and hat.
"What do you mean?" Cedric asked.
Before an answer could be given the doors flew open and in marched a salt and pepper man dressed in a black suit and purple robe decorated with a moon and sun motif.
"My fellow Sedet Maleficus I asked you to bring people who are at the top of their fields instead I get an Alchemist apprentice, a Hexley hall teacher, a convicted traitor and an invalid," the man said, venom dripping from his mouth, "not to mention you allowed outsiders into this hallowed space."
Megumi slammed a fist into the surface of the table, "THAT IS ENOUGH!" she shouted, "Maish you hold the title of Primis* start acting like it. We are desperate, the people we bring are not the top of the fields you wanted, but they possess knowledge we can use. Nickelson was the apprentice to the very man who started this and has intimate information about him, Mrs. hydrangea may be a teacher, but she is in charge of the detention hall, she knows when someone is up to something well before anyone else, an excellent trait if we need to enter hostile territories. I agree with you about Greylock, but he may be of use at some point. As for my 'invalid' as you called him, Cedric the Sensational possesses magic only held by one other in this realm and both the knowledge and skill to wield it. As was demonstrated when he defeated Icban the Immoral."
"Tertium Megumi you will hold your tongue, my predecessor may have tolerated you, but I will not," Maish said pulling out his wand, he cast a spell and Cedric along with the others all vanished in a gust of wind.
A moment later Cedric, Sofia, and Rene all found themselves, back in the dining hall Megumi had met them in, "what in the world happened?" Sofia asked looking around it was only the three of them, "where are the others?
"I don't know, we were teleported away," Cedric said, "that is some powerful magic…"
"Who was that rude fellow?" Rene asked.
"Primis Maish, um, did I ever tell you about the Sedet Maleficus, I feel like I did," Cedric asked.
"No," came the response.
The three of them took a seat around the dining table as Cedric explained to both Sofia and Rene who the Sedet Maleficus were, Rene was shocked well Sofia was livid.
"Someone in such a position should not be insulting people," she said a scowl gracing her features.
Cedric couldn't help smiling at her, "my dear Princess, it's sweet of you to be upset, but the Primis wasn't wrong about me as of now I'm not much help," he said.
Sofia turned to glare at her mentor, "Mr. Cedric your still recovering from saving an ENTIRE kingdom and liberating another from an evil Sorcerer's control, that man was rude," she said.
"I'm inclined to agree with the Princess," Rene chimed in, Cedric was taken back by the words.
"As am I," Megumi said as she glided into the room, "that insufferable man..." she muttered.
"There's not much time so listen up. Six months ago a man known as Fungi Toadstool an Alchemist from the far kingdom of Swampbell was sanctioned by his queen to create a potion that would calm the wild beast population of the kingdom, fast forward until two weeks ago when he tested the potion it worked, but it turned whatever it touches into stone. Somehow it was transformed into a gas that was picked up by the wind and has started to spread across the world."
The three Enchancianes shared pointed looks, "it must be what's heading for our kingdom," Sofia said, Cedric took her hand as tears formed in the girl's eyes.
"I'm afraid so."
"Is there a way to stop this or at the very least reverse the effects?" Cedric asked.
"As of now, no, but the Wizards of Cloud Top City can track it," Megumi said, "you come in at this point."
"I highly doubt a couple of low-level Sorcerer and Sorceress can be of use," Cedric said.
"I don't care about those others Maish teleported away nor do my counterparts, your the one we wanted, but they still had to bring someone."
"Why me?"
"They know you have a potent kind of magic, its origins unknown to them; I know you're a Rune Mage a descendant of Mignola and that old grouch Rothschild, grandson," Megumi said.
Cedric stared wide-eyed at the woman, "how did...how did you know that?"
"I did say Icban was my relative, I'm a Rune Mage as well or was, I gave my power to my grandson," she told them.
"That doesn't explain how you know anything about Mr. Cedric's family," Sofia said.
"True, Rothschild and I had a long history, as the last Rune Mages, we were often at each other throat. I hated that man, and he heated me, but after I tied killing you to bring him out of hiding, I never knew how dangerous he was, even without his magic he bested me in a magic duel."
"You tried to kill Mr. Cedric!?" Sofia practically shouted.
"No wonder I get an uneasy feeling around you," Cedric said.
"Ha, I don't care anymore if you live or die Icban is dead the curse of my family is gone, the powers that we tried to fill by killing others have returned. Either way that is a story for another time* what is needed now is action."
"Why should we trust you?" Rene asked, "if you find no problem in killing others why should we believe anything you have to say. It could be a trap."
"You have no reason, but you will go on this mission because what lies in Swampbell is something you've been looking for Cedric," Megumi said.
Cedric rose from his seat to look the women in the eyes, "and what might that be?" he asked.
She gave a knowing smirk, "Mignola spellbook."
_[ TO BE CONTINUED ]_
Note: Quintus - Latin for fifth, Primis - Latin for first
Note2: I'll be moving my weekly updates permanently to Monday.