Monsters and Magic Special: Sofia's Imagination
By: DJ Rodriguez
(Author's Notes: Hey everyone! How are you all doing? I hope that you are all prepared and set for Christmas when it comes! It is my most fave time of year, and I really hope that each and every one of you has a blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year when it comes! I also want to thank God and Jesus Christ for once again helping me in making this mini-novel possible. All credit and glory go to Him!
I want to say thank you as well to any and all who have read and reviewed my story! I'm still learning a great deal though on how to be a better writer, so I will do my best to become better with each chapter regarding characters, plots, places, and much more. I can only ask the Lord to help me improve as I continue on with this mini-novel. I just remember that this is taking place in December… in winter! So I got to account for conditions places are in while in the season. I should have thought of that last chapter… I will remember this now.
Now here are some reviewers I would like to thank very much!
To Darkness Rissing: I really appreciate any and all honest comments, critiques and constructive criticism. In fact, it was your words that made me see another issue to deal with that I believe will make this story more in tune with Disney. I would not have even known about it had you not brought it up in the reviews! So again, a big hand to you for helping me out with this chapter! Come on everyone, give my friend here some props!
To DRAGONDAVE45: Thank you once again for your kind words in the review! As for Cosmina going to interrogate the royal prisoners the true-school way instead of using her mystic items… well, some things are better than using the easy way. Besides, sue only uses the artifact to get knowledge on really important stuff that one cannot find anywhere else. Also, I believe I will let the kaiju gain voices like they did in my Burning Finale trilogy. Jet Jaguar already has a voice, as seen in Divide and Unite, the second novel of my series. It is Travis Willingham, the one who does the voice of Col. Roy Mustang from the anime series Full Metal Alchemist.
And finally to LORD DESTRYUK: Thank you for granting me permission to use your OC creations! I promise to put them to good use, and also with some background stories and such of their own in my story. Hopefully they will be worthy in your view. Also… heh, they will be given Scenario #1 as you have put in your review! So no worries! And another grateful thank you for letting me know their names.
Sadly, it seems I only gained about five new reviews. Oh well… I hope to get more in the future!
I do not own Godzilla, or any of the characters and/or monsters that officially belong to Toho. Nor do I own any of the Disney characters or places that are officially owned by the Walt Disney Company. I do own my OC's, except for Solta Runzi & Magric Korastor who belong to Lord Destryuk. And most of the songs that will be used here. If I use a song that is by another artist/artists, I will give him/her/them their just dues and credits as it is their right.
Now, on with the mini-novel!)
Learning and Remembering
It was the middle of the night, and most living things would be asleep at this time. The only ones that would be out would be nocturnal animals such as owls, wolves and the like. However, loud crunching that came from the mixture of fallen leaves and snow echoed all over the land. The night was clear and crisp, the moon nearly full as it illuminated its glow upon the land. The ones that were making the sounds was Godzilla and his assortment of kaiju allies, pushing their way through the thick forest as they continued westward on their way to Razorwood. Sofia was still perched on Godzilla's shoulder, looking at the land that was alit by soft moon glow and had an air of both serenity and mystery. Of course, she was not afraid since she was with the King of the Monsters.
Also, she was quite warm. She had bundled up in her purple winter wear outfit before going to the Royal Prep school to find the Headmistresses, and was comfortable in it. However, the nights did get awfully cold fast and not even her clothes helped much in keeping out the stinging icy wind and low temperatures. However, that was not the case now as Godzilla's body heat was making sure that the plucky & brave princess was very much warm.
Sofia was looking at the party around and behind her, seeing that her human friends were staying close to their bonded monsters to keep warm. Snow White was kept warm even in the air due to Mothra's fine fur, and that the Twin Fairies riding with her applying a subtle but strong warming magic around her body. Aurora was also pretty toast upon Fire Rodan, whose body heat was very much welcome to the former queen due to the power that was coursing through the pteranodon. However, she did see that Biolantte was a bit lagging behind the others. Not enough that was very far behind, but that her movements seemed a bit sluggish and slow.
Sofia looked down to Tracy and asked, "What is wrong with Biolantte? Is there something wrong with her?".
The daughter of Cinderella looked behind her to see the massive hybrid plant-animal monster and answered, "I think she's a bit slow due to the cold, Princess. She is part plant, and I believe that particular part is not fond of cold weather.". Sofia had to admit that it did make sense. She had heard up on Biolantte back in Enchancia, along with many of her friends who really had taken a liking to the other-universal monsters like she did. The behemoth was indeed part plant, a rose to be more precise. And most roses did not survive in cold weather or environments that did not have the right kind of conditions. She believed that it was Godzilla's part that also made up Biolantte that was keeping her warm and thriving in weather like this for the moment.
The brave little lady also saw that Rapunzel was shivering slightly, indicating that she too was getting the chills despite having her fairy friends surrounding her to try and keep warm. She looked down to her new companion and asked, "Excuse me Godzilla, but how about we let someone else take the lead while we go to your sister to help her and Rapunzel?".
The saurian looked to his new bonded, understanding her words and turning his head to see his half-sister lagging behind slightly. Seeing the sight of Biolantte made him narrow his eyes, snorting loudly before turning his head to keep pressing on. Sofia was now confused on her friend's action, wondering on what was up.
Melody saw this and put in, "I think Godzilla still has a bit of a history with his sister, Sofia.". She asked why, and that is when Ariel came in.
The former mermaid answered, "We read up on Biolantte's origins back in the universe where they came from, and it seems that she and Godzilla are similar yet very different. Godzilla was made on a place called Lagos Island long ago, when he was just a regular dinosaur called a Godzillasaurus. He was soon hit by a power called nuclear radiation, a very strong energy that is also poisonous & deadly to most life forms. Instead of killing him, it changed him over the years to become the Godzilla we see now. Biolantte, well…".
It was Anna that spoke this time. The fiery sister of Elsa said, "Biolantte was created in a laboratory, a kind of place that is like a workshop that magic-users have but the ones back in the other place studied science and stuff. In any case, she was made by fusing together a piece of Godzilla with a rose petal. It mutated, changed and grew to something that was half-plant, half-animal. Or in this case… half-Godzilla.". Sofia was intrigued by this, wondering on how it could be possible to fuse a plant with an animal without magic.
Melody picked up, "When she was first born as a rose monster, she was calling out to Godzilla. I believe she wanted to fight him, I think wanting to see if she could measure up to him. The two fought, and Godzilla won. But… as it turns out, Biolantte was special as she dissolved into pollen dust and got raised into very high up in the air. In a way, she is immortal. Not like a true immortal, but somewhere in that area.". Now that really got the princess's attention while Godzilla merely snorted and continued on forward.
Cinderella put in, "I believe the real reason that Godzilla is ignoring his sister is because… well, they were created differently. He doesn't see her as a natural creature, and doesn't trust her as much as he should. You can relate to that a little, right Sofia?".
The princess nodded, seeing that Godzilla and Biolantte had something similar to her situation concerning herself & her family. Sofia and Miranda were not royal or noble women by blood, only commoners with no impressive background history like most royals/nobles had. Thus in the beginning when her mother had married King Roland, there was some tension between her and Amber due to status. However, as time went on and the duo spent more time together, that tension and wall seemed to fade away. Not completely, but enough so that it was no longer a major issue for either of them. Amber and her were soon like real sisters.
Sofia was now determined to see if she could try to help Biolantte and Godzilla, for the two to put aside their differences in how they were created and become more together like a family should. The princess knew it would be a challenge, but it was really one worth tackling.
When the notion of family came into her mind, she started to remember hers. Sofia looked towards the moon and stars, the celestial objects glowing in the velvet-black sky like ornaments on a Wassalia tree. She whispered, "Mom… Dad… Amber… James… I hope you all are alright.".
~At the Carpathian Mountains~
At the moment, Amber was not alright as she was facing her captor. Despite being cold, dressed only in her night robe that offered little to no protection from the cold temperature & rocks, and very much hungry and scared… she was presenting herself like a royal woman should. One had to give her credit for bravery, something she had learned overtime with her adventures with her sister Sofia. The little blonde princess looked in the cold, black eyes of Cosmina and answered her question, "The what? The Amulet of Avalor? What is that?".
The sorceress glared hard at Amber before replying, "Do you take me for a fool? The gemstone that sits upon your sibling's neck, the very thing that is coveted by many a magical user in the land.".
Amber was confused as she remarked, "Sofia's amulet? What is so special about that thing that you need so badly?". The blonde beauty would have stated more, but something started to pulse in her mind. It was soft and slow, like the tiny waves that break upon the shoreline on a beach. It was indicating that something was stirring within her memories, something that had always been there but was erased by magical means.
Cosmina answered, "That amulet possesses strong magic, a kind that is quite rare even in this world. It can grant blessings to its user, summon beings from beyond time itself, and much more! I need its power in order to bring my four gigantic monster creations to life from the rock.".
The daughter of Roland shook her head, both hearing that this woman in front of her was loonier than she thought… and also from the throbbing pain that was starting to form in her head. It was subtle now, but it started to gradually increase as the memory within her mind was really starting to fight against the magic that was trying to contain it. Amber spoke, "Than why not take it from Sofia?! Why do all of this?!".
The beautiful but evil lady laughed lightly, in an aristocratic way that would have made Maleficent proud. Cosmina answered, "I am no fool, little princess. I know about the rules that were placed upon the amulet, and simply taking the gemstone from your sister would not allow me to tap its power. If I did take it by force, it would put a curse on me that would no doubt hinder my revenge.".
Amber was about to say something, when she let out a soft gasp. It would appear that the words Cosmina spoke was a trigger of some kind, the last thing the memory inside of the princess's mind needed in order to break through completely! Amber slumped to her knees, clutching her head as something she had forgotten came back to her full force!
~Flashback~
She started to remember on how she figured out that Sofia was different in more ways than one, after seeing her converse with her pet bunny Clover. And also remembering on how strange things tended to happen around her, such as seeing the legendary Princesses from the past that were well-known throughout the known world. So she managed to corner Sofia, and her sibling had to swear her to secrecy before telling her about the amulet. Needless to say, Amber was very much surprised about the gemstone's abilities though the very thing that got her attention most was that it was able to summon the legends such as Jasmine and Mulan. She inquired if their father knew about this when he gave Sofia the amulet, and the purple-clad sister stated that he did not & that no one else had to find out about the amulet's power.
Amber was delighted to hear this, and asked for a turn on wearing the amulet. But Sofia was steadfast, saying that Roland told her to keep it with her at all times and not let it out of her sight. When it came to things spoken to by her father, she always took them to heart. Of course, this upset Amber and thus started the plot within her mind to take the magical artifact for her own.
So when Sofia was asleep, she took it without her permission and tried to summon a legendary princess. However… the object put a curse on Amber and unleashed a beautiful yet evil & clever princess by the name of Ivy. Amber was taken by the black & white princesses' charm and manners, until Sofia came along and her true nature was shown. Ivy wanted to take the realm for herself, slowly turning everything black and white with her butterflies. And also to destroy the amulet once she learned that it was the only thing that could send her back to her exiled place.
The princess duo had to get help from Cedric the royal sorcerer, who knew much about the amulet. It was from him that Amber learned of the necklace's true name. The trio had to race against the clock to prevent Ivy, who had heard about how to destroy the amulet thanks to her butterflies who spied on the heroines and sorcerer, from getting the help of Everburn the oldest of the talking dragons. The dragon had a unique fire that was hot enough to help the gemstone down completely.
The group managed to catch up to Ivy, but even when they got the amulet back… the evil clever princess was still in the realm. Amber had not learned her lesson, so thus the curse was still upon her. Ivy escaped, but Amber and the others were able to escape thanks to some help that came in the form of Rapunzel, Everburn and his loyal dragon followers! They made it in time back to the castle, but that is when the black & white royal lady started to really level up the ante. She had started to summon dragonflies… one that had a special ability to erase memories on whomever they came into contact with.
Princess Ivy had tried to rid herself of the meddlesome princesses and Cedric by sending out her special creations on them. Cedric was struck and taken out of commission, and Sofia would be next… but that is when Amber did something selfless, taking one of the dragonflies that was meant for her sister! Her sacrifice broke the curse, and thus Princess Ivy was sent back to her own time and place. When she went, so did the dragonflies and butterflies plus restoring the color back to the castle and land!
However, Amber had taken the brunt of the dragonfly's special ability and thus lost her memory of the entire affair. The memory was erased, and thus Sofia's secret about the Amulet of Avalor was safe.
Until now…
~End flashback~
While Amber was remembering what she had lost, Cosmina stood over her while looking intrigued. She truly did delight in the pain of others, weither it be physical or mental, just like her role model Maleficent. Upon seeing the young lady clutching her head, she thought, 'Interesting… it seems that a powerful magical memory block of sort was just removed. Now to see if it has any relation to the amulet.'.
It took a few moments for everything to be re-adjusted in the mind of Amber, but the princess slowly came back up. She now felt more complete, more sure… and also more resolute in keeping her sister safe. She turned to look into the eyes of her enemy and spoke, "I must thank you for your words. They have restored to me something that was lost.".
Cosmina smiled and replied, "Than I suppose you will tell me about who has trained your sibling into tapping into the full power of the amulet?".
Amber shook her head slightly as she answered, "I do not know who trained her. And even if I did… I wouldn't tell you.". The sorceress eyes flared up, along with her power, as she was annoyed by the insolence shown to her. However, Cosmina saw that Amber was going to be of no use to her and that time was not on her side at the moment.
She turned her back, proceeding to walk out of the cell with her loyal guards at the ready to defend or to bring the stalagmite bars back up. She spoke without turning to Amber, "You are brave, little princess. Foolish, but brave. I'll be sure to tell Sofia of this when I have her & the amulet. Hehehehehe…". Chuckling in a sinister way that made Amber's skin crawl, the magic-user left the area to try and interrogate the other royal family members.
Amber stood tall until she saw her captor fully leave the place, and released a breath she had been holding before slumping to the floor. She said softly to herself, "Oh dear Lord… that was too much for me… Sofia… I just hope you're doing alright…".
While Cosmina was walking through the corridors that would take her to the upper levels, she started to think. She said to herself, "Hmmm… who to talk to now? Certainly not that prince, since I highly doubt he is apt at magic of any kind. The king and queen… hmmmm… they may hold the information I need. First the brat's mother, than I will speak to the king.". The sorceress burned with the need to learn on who taught Sofia how to fully control the power of the amulet, so that perhaps she could be prepared next time. And also to force the child to show her how to tap into the magical artifact fully as well.
After all, she did not want to do anything halfway.
~Morning~
The night was a long one, and the hike towards the village that Sofia described seemed to lag on for most of the company. The sun was slowly rising in the east now, its golden rays touching down and warming the land. Sofia was waking up, the princess having slept on Godzilla's shoulder the entire time. She yawned as she rubbed her eyes, her mind slowly coming to as she awakened from her slumber. Sofia looked in the distance, and saw a sight that really welcomed her. She smiled and exclaimed, "Hey! Look! I can see the village of Razorwood!". Melody and the others, who had been doing well so far into the night which showed they had an impressive amount of will and strength, looked past some trees to see that indeed a village was in sight. The monsters all ceased their motion as they too gazed at the human dwelling, Fire Rodan and Mothra landing on the ground with their passengers hopping off to be with the others.
The village was small, but quaint. Houses of good design and size were close together, with a few that looked different from them. Razorwood had a decent-sized forge shop, black smoke already escaping from it as the owner started to heat it up. A church building was there, the tallest of the other buildings with a simple cross showing above its entrance/exit doorway. And another building was next to it, showing the insignia of a golden sun with what seemed to be a silver wand within it. It indicated that it was a shop that dealt with magic. Sofia saw the people leaving their homes to start the day; men going to the woods in the back to cut down some old trees for logs to put in their fireplaces, while the women folk stayed behind to tend to either the children or to work on something in the village.
The princess asked Godzilla to let her down, which he did gently. Sofia looked at the village a little bit longer, then turned to her friends who were now around her. She stated, "Okay, here we go! Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jasmine, Belle, Mama Odie, Aurora, Snow White. Can you take Godzilla and the monsters to that particular part of the woods? It should be thick and far away enough so that the villagers won't spot them.". She pointed to her right, showing to all a part of the woods that seemed to be untouched and thick together for cover. Cinderella answered that it would be no problem, the mentioned people going to each of their bonded kaiju and guiding them to the place.
The Twin Fairies Moll and Lora opted to stay with Mothra, saying that they would be able to help hide the monsters with a spell that they knew. Melody and some of the others knew this, since the tiny exotic beauties used the exact hiding spell that shielded them when Maleficent's copy briefly ruled over the Marcel kingdom.
The pixies took off into the sky, Tinkerbell telling them that they needed to go back to Neverland to get more pixie dust. Since it was daytime now, it was safer for them to travel back to the magical realm without worrying about any shadow beings. Fawn did assure the company that they would return, which would most likely be at early evening before the sun went down. It would be cutting things close, but better that than not returning at all.
Sofia looked to the remaining group and added, "Okay, now we go in and see if we can get help of any kind. Just be careful on what you say or do. I hope the villagers are friendly. Even though I was told they were loyal to my dad and peaceful, it has been awhile.". All nodded, hoping for the best in this case. Sofia straightened up herself as best she could, the others doing the same before they all went towards Razorwood.
The village was indeed a peaceful town most of the time, self-sustaining and also a very tight community. The citizens were indeed loyal to the royal family of Enchancia, and earned their living through four main jobs. One of them was the selling of personally-crafted wands & staves by the magic-user Solta Runzi, a sorcerer who was also a strong warrior. He was once a promising student at Hexley Hall, the place where Cedric had gone to become a sorcerer himself. However, he tried something that was considered not suitable for any magic-user. Solta had managed to combine magic-casting with physical fighting, always on the move & using weapons along with his wand. He was ambidextrous, casting spells with his wand with the left hand while using any kind of weapon such as a sword or even shield with his right. It was considered very revolutionary, as there were very few who could do such a practice.
However, the teachers and students at Hexley Hall frowned upon that as they were more traditional with their ways of utilizing magic.
Solta was expelled from the school, returning back to Razorwood but he was determined to put his skills he learned to some use for his family and friends. So he started to craft tools for magic-users, using his strength to find good & different kinds of wood that would make suitable wands or staves. He practiced with each other diligently, making sure they worked fine while also keeping his warrior abilities in shape. Those that passed his tests were sold to buyers who came to the community to gather them for other magical schools in the realm. Those that did not were worked on more until they worked properly. Solta never believed in wasting anything, especially potential. Be it with items or with people.
He soon met and fell in love with a beautiful young woman named Lisa Lamour, who was patient and understanding. The two soon married, and had three children of their own. Two sons, whose names were Herman and Edward, who were loved to explore the land. And a daughter named Lulu, who was quite the fighter and wanted very much to become like her father. A warrioress that could wield both magic and weapons! Herman was now nine years of age, Edward eight years and Lulu about seven years of age.
Another job that sustained Razorwood was farming, a moderate amount of farmland just a bit away from the village but the soil was very fertile and a lot of good crops were grown there. A majority of it was kept for the people to eat, while only a small amount of it was sold.
The third kind of job was the forge, which was run by another magic-user named Magric Korastor. He was a self-taught sorcerer who had studied up on spells and casting in books he learned at one of the magical schools that was near the castle. However, he wanted to do something different than mere wand-making or crafting spells. He loved to work with his hands, and thus started to pick up smithing skills from his parents. Magric was very meticulous, wanting to make sure any kind of magical enchantment he forged directly into his work was exactly how he wanted it to be. Such as a magical shield on a breastplate that would protect the wearer from above-average spells or physical strikes. Or into an arrowhead that would have a particular spell that would activate upon impact, either an explosive spell of energy or a kind of gooey substance that would hinder the target.
Magric was very imaginative and creative with his work.
However, he felt that his talents were not suited for the main villages since there were already so many crafters that stuck with more traditional making. So he left his home village and soon came upon Razorwood, which had all of the materials he needed and the community accepted his way of the forge and crafting. So he settled down in it, soon finding true love in the form of a lovely little lady named Barbara Xenos who really encouraged his work but made sure he didn't go overboard with some of his smithing. They were married, and had some little ones of their own. Two children, a boy and a girl. Their son was named Roger, who was about ten years of age. And their daughter was named Cindy, who was eight years of age now.
The final job that helped keep the village stable was masonry work. Razorwood was close to the Carpathian Mountains, and thus there were spots around the community that were rock quarries that had top-quality limestone. Men, and also women who were strong & capable enough, went to these quarries to cut and shape the rocks for various purposes. A majority of it went to be sold to those that wanted said rocks, and the rest were used to make houses and such for the village.
Right now, Solta was walking out of his home in the crisp early morning to practice with a new magic staff that he made a week ago. It was a short staff, but it was beautifully made. Made from solid alder, a pure light gray with a fist-sized gemstone on top of it. The top was crafted and made to be like an eagle's talon, with a precisely cut red beryl in a hexagon shape on top. The gemstone acted as a magical focus, allowing the user to channel magic from the top as well as the rest of the staff. Solta had put just two enchantments on the staff, which was all it needed according to him. The staff was made to be strong as steel, and very light so it could be used expertly.
The magical warrior looked at his work, a bit perplexed on why he had decided to make such a thing when it looked only to be wielded by a child. He thought, 'If only Lulu was a bit older and taller, it would be perfect for her. Still… I have a feeling that this staff was not meant for her. But for someone else… but who?'. While the young man was one who worked with magic, he had a very strong faith in the Higher power that be. In fact, most of the community had a rather strong faith to the Lord and Jesus Christ. And at the moment, he believed that he made this particular staff for a good reason. What it was exactly, he was not sure of.
Solta was about to practice with his creation when he heard some light footsteps coming his way from the east. He turned to see that a group of people were coming this way, strangers that seemed to be following a little girl that was dressed up in a warm purple outfit. The young man was a bit perplexed on this, since the village rarely got any other visitors other than the usual vendors who came to buy their goods. He went back to his home, looking in to see his wife Lisa already up and preparing breakfast for the day. He said to her, "Lisa! It seems we have some visitors coming our way. Better go and tell Magric and the others. I'll go and see them.".
The beautiful young woman looked to her husband, curiosity also written on her face but she obeyed and left the house quick to go tell her friends. The kids were still asleep in their rooms, so they were fine for the moment. Solta held his staff close as he went over to the strangers, who stopped in their tracks when they saw him.
Mr. Runzi sized up each person, seeing that while they did look a bit strange, each had a strong spirit that was impressive. Thanks to his training in the art of fighting, he could sense the strength of one's spirit & also tell if the person was good or evil. He felt an overflowing amount of goodness coming from all of them, especially from the little girl. He relaxed his stance, but was always at the ready. He inquired, "Hello strangers. What kind of business do you have here at Razorwood?".
Sofia answered, "Good morning, sir. My name is Princess Sofia, and these are my friends. We came here to ask for some help and…". She was interrupted when a gasp escaped the man's mouth, and saw that his eyes were a bit wide.
Solta spoke, "Y-You're Princess Sofia, daughter to our beloved ruler King Roland and Queen Miranda?!". Though news from the main villages and castles rarely came to their little spot, Razorwood have heard of the princess and his queen. They also heard on how she was an exceptional little lady, who had a heart & spirit of a true royal one even though her blood did not.
The little lady smiled and answered, "Yes sir, I am. And who are you if you don't mind me asking?". Solta got on one knee quickly, bowing to his superior and ruler. He firmly believed in showing honor and respect to the royal family very much.
He answered, "My name is Solta Runzi, your Highness. I am a crafter of wands and staves, and a warrior as well.". Sofia was very much impressed and glad by this; impressed on how the man before him was showing much respect in this manner, and also glad that he was a creator of magical items. In her mind, that could be a big help in the fight against Cosmina.
Sofia stated, "Please stand up, Mr. Runzi. You don't have to bow to me like that. It's a pleasure to meet you.". The young man stood up to his full height, very pleased to see that Sofia indeed have some manners & a kind of air about her that was welcoming.
More was about to be said between the duo when a voice called out, "Dear! We're coming!". Solta turned around to see that his wife was coming his way, followed by Magric and some of the villagers. Once she got close, Lisa went over to her husband and gave him a hug before looking at the company before her.
Solta turned back to the group and stated, "Everyone, this is my lovely better half Lisa. And Lisa, Magric, everyone… this is Princess Sofia!". Multiple gasps were heard as the villagers quickly realized that they were in the presence of royalty, all bowing now to the blushing princess who was a bit embarrassed on how people seemed to bow to her like Mr. Runzi did.
She stated, "Everyone, I thank you for welcoming me. But please rise up.". The villagers did so, very much amazed to have royalty visit after so long. An elderly woman called out if she was really the princess of Enchancia, and asked on who her friends were.
Sofia answered, "Yes, I am Princess Sofia, daughter of King Roland and Queen Miranda, my mom. And these are my friends…". She started to introduce each and every one who stayed with her, and needless to say… the welcoming party was just astounded to see so many royal figures with the little princess! And also people that came from beyond the ocean to the vast west of the known land. Sofia answered that more were to come soon, which really made the people's head's spin a bit.
Magric went to Sofia and stated, "Your Highness, you.. this is… wow! Oh! Where are my manners?! My name is Magric Korastor, and I am forger of both magic & weapons! It is an honor to meet you and your friends! Please, come with us! I believe the entire village will be delighted to have you all, especially the elder of Razorwood!". The young man turned and started to walk back to where the houses were, Sofia getting the message and following him. Very quickly, the entire welcoming party were now escorts of sort for the royal and non-royal beings that had graced their land.
Barbara decided to be a tour guide of sort when they officially entered the village, showing the princess and her entourage certain buildings like the school area, the forge, the shops and a large silver fir tree that stood in the middle of the entire village. The wife of Magric told Sofia and her group, "This silver fir tree, we call it the Gathering Tree because everyone in Razorwood gathers together to decorate the tree for Wassalia. It was true, as the tree was now decorated with many handmade ornaments. While it may not have been fully decked out like the one at the royal castle, Sofia could feel so much love, care and energy put into the natural gentle giant.
Magric soon led them to the church, where waiting for them outside the doors were two men. One was tall and lean, wearing a simple gray robe but had an air of confidence and vitality that was rather impressive. He had light brown hair that was cut short, brown eyes and while he did have some wrinkles on his face, it only showed a kind of wisdom that one would gain through life's challenges and come out for the better. The other man beside him was slightly shorter & wearing clothing that the villagers wore, but the clothes seemed to be more neat and well-kept. He did look much older than the robed man, his hair and beard white as snow with gray eyes, but he exuded a strong aura of kindness and patience that was again impressive.
The well-dressed elderly man spoke, "Ah, welcome to Razorwood, your Highness Princess Sofia. My name is Garza Greenstore, the elder & leader of the village. Beside me is our church leader, Pastor Rick Wing.". Sofia curtsied to the duo, Garza bowing slightly as did Rick.
The brave princess smiled and replied, "Hello there, sirs. It's very good to see you! I'm really glad that we came upon this village. We have been walking for a while, and needed a place to rest for a bit before we continue on our way.".
Rick spoke, "I beg your pardon, your Highness. But… why are you traveling with your friends and not your family? Are they not with you?". That was a reasonable questions, since most royal little ones would often be accompanied by their parents.
Sofia quickly weighed her options, and saw that telling the truth at this point would be the only way. Any kind of lie or misdirection would only lead to more questions, and possibly raise some distrust which they did not need at the moment. She started off, "I believe that it's a rather long story to explain, and I would like to wait until the rest of my friends get here.".
Solta, Magric and the rest of the community that was now gathered around them felt that something serious must be happening at the moment. And many were now very interested to hear Sofia's story…
~Back at the castle~
While Sofia and her summoned companions were handling the situation at Razorwood, things were getting a bit crazy at the princess's home. It has been two nights and almost two days since Flora, Fauna, Merryweather and Clover masqueraded as the royal family. The red-clad fairy had managed to gain the help of Mia the bluebird to look like Princess Sofia while the real one was out. If anyone else would see this kind of plan in action, they would have thought that the former guardians of Aurora had finally flipped their caps. Had done something that was as crazy in the ways of the legendary pirate captain of the sea, Captain Jack Sparrow whose infamy reached even Enchancia!
However, surprising as it may seem, the charade was enough to fool most of the servants and caretakers of the castle. Alas though, the only one that was suspicious of anything of the royal family's 'new' behavior was Cedric. The sorcerer was very much suspicious of the royal's actions, especially when he saw Prince James eat vegetables. He said to himself, "Strange… the prince eating his greens? He hates vegetables very much. And the way he eats… ugh! Almost reminds me of a certain rabbit pet that Sofia has.".
He became more aware that something was wrong when Princess Amber seemed to be very nice now. She was polite most of the time yes, but she now lacked the usual haughty air attitude that had made her well-known throughout the castle. She was also very helpful to the servants, which shocked said caretakers of the home since Amber NEVER helped anyone willingly!
And finally, Sofia was also acting a bit strange in the eyes of Cedric. She was a bit more flighty, more prone to be easily distracted whenever something new flew her way. She also seemed to be more impressed with her body like jumping up and down & grabbing stuff with her hands. Cedric knew that was something was up… especially when he saw that the Amulet of Avalor was no longer around the princess's neck!
So now, the crafty & sarcastic magic-user was now in his laboratory with his raven familiar Wormwood on his perch as usual. He was looking for a specific spell in his book, one that would allow him to see what was really going on with the king, queen, prince and princesses. He muttered, "Hmmm… not this… not that… CERTAINLY not this spell… ah! Here we go! This is what I want! The Revealing Light spell! This spell produces a light that can pierce through any illusion, revealing what has been concealed by physical or magical means!".
Indeed, this seemed to be a spell that would uncover the mystery on what was going on in the castle. However, Cedric was a bit more cautious about this. He said to himself, "Hmmm… if I used this out in the open and something very wrong indeed reveal itself, it could put the entire realm in chaos. I better do this when I get all of them in one place with no other prying eyes around.". Many would call Cedric foolish, but he was not stupid when it came to delicate situations like this.
He then started to plot and plan, wanting to see who these imposters were and how he could use it to his advantage in a way that would not bring the kingdom to utter chaos.
~At the Carpathian Mountains~
Deep inside Cosmina's lair, the sorceress was not a pleased woman. She had worked much through the night on trying to get any kind of info from Queen Miranda and King Roland, but she had gotten nothing that she believed could help her. She now sat upon her throne, thinking upon what to do next. Cosmina said to herself, "It is a shame that the king and queen knew nothing of the amulet. Both did not know of its powers, only that the king said it was special and that was all he knew. Such a shame that the fool had one of the most potent artifacts in all of magical history, and he didn't even know about it.".
She took the time to calm herself, to try and center her focus on the next task at hand. Even though it was now morning, she didn't need much sleep like most living things did. Cosmina's magic allowed her to go at least twelve or so days without sleep, but any longer and it would put a strain on her health and mind. Seeing that she did not find the information that she yearned for, Cosmina focused now on Sofia. She unveiled her All-Seeing Eye once more, the artifact active once again as it showed the princess with her companions. However, she noted that the monsters or fairies were not near them & they seemed to be in a village that looked familiar.
She spoke softly, "Ah, the quaint village of Razorwood. That little spot near my domain that I found two maidens that helped me with my ritual in maintaining my youth and beauty. And also where I allow my shadow minions to practice at. Hehehehe…". Cosmina had been more or less of a plague for the small village of Razorwood and the many other small neighboring ones that were scattered along the land. She enjoyed sending her creations out there to terrorize and create mayhem for the people, though it seemed recently that two formidable mortals had decided to fight back against her Shadow Soldiers in Razorwood. Of course, she did not mind much since the two fools had merely staved off her forces instead of destroying any of them. Still, she did find seeing their struggle against her forces amusing entertainment at least.
Cosmina observed the little girl telling her story to the villagers, and a plan started to formulate in her head. She said to herself, "This looks to be a good opportunity to really see what this princess is capable of, her companions included. With her bothersome guardians out of the way, I can put more fear into her & that will certainly show her that I am truly one not to be taken lightly.". She turned off her magical artifact, rose up and summoned a thick old tome to her being before walking out of her chambers.
She spoke, "I believe that my large stone servants have not had a chance to play. I think it's time that they show themselves to Razorwood and the people. About ten of them should do.". The sorceress was now walking to a place deep within the mountain, to a place that was separated from where her shadow beings were kept at. After about fifteen minutes of walking in the dark with only her staff giving her light, she arrived at her destination. A massive area that housed her Rock Rooks, humanoid beings of solid stone that were ranged in height from ten to fifteen feet tall. She had modeled the rooks after a picture she found in a book that described magical creatures that were often found in the desert lands.
Looking at her creations, she walked on a catwalk that lead to another chamber that oversaw the entire area. It was a place that she made so that she could have another area to rest and think on things on. Cosmina tapped her staff, and the light from the tip glowed brighter until it filled the room. In addition to this, it also activated the Heart Stones that were inside each of the 1,000 stone minions she created. She had created 9,000 shadow beings that made the bulk of her army, and the remaining number were made of the stone giants and the four unique monsters she had carved out in the rock. Losing 200 of her Shadow Soldiers last night now reduced her army number to 9,800.
A minor loss, to be sure.
The Heart Stones were different from the rest of the stone material that made the rooks, for they were about the size of basketball & were of solid gold. The creations of Cosmina that gave the giant soldiers of stone incredible properties, like the ability to regenerate any kind of lost material quickly by absorbing any kind of objects made from earth such as stone, gemstones, dirt and raw metal. It also allowed the beings to form plans and such, but they were often simple ones & they could not come up with another one quickly.
She called out, "LISTEN, MY LOYAL ROOKS! GO FORTH AND DECIMATE THE VILLAGE OF RAZORWOOD! DESTROY ANYTHING THAT STANDS UP TO YOU, BUT TAKE HEED… LEAVE THE ONE CALLED SOFIA THE FIRST ALIVE! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD? NOW MY TEN SOLDIERS… GO!". The ten she had chosen, their eyes lit up with golden light and they started to move! With groans coming from the place that a mouth should be at, the giant stone minions of evil lumbered out of the area and towards the entrance/exit that led to the outside. It would take them time to reach Razorwood, as they were built for endurance and strength, not speed & agility like their smaller shadow comrades. They would reach the village at about early evening, just before the sun went down.
Cosmina sat down upon the chair in the chamber, opening the tome that she brought with her earlier. She stated, "Ancient Book of Identification, you know of all who have come into this world so far. Possessing knowledge on those that even are from beyond the stars. Reveal to me the ones I wish to know… show me so I can strike them a deadly blow!". Upon speaking the words, the tome glowed a brilliant blue color like that of a star, causing Cosmina to laugh lightly as she started to look up information on all of her foes.
~At Razorwood~
It was about mid-morning now, and the villagers were very much stunned on the story that was told to them by Sofia. They didn't have to wait long for the princess's remaining companions to arrive, and when they learned it was the legendary Princesses whom they also heard of, all knew that something truly epic was unfolding. And when Sofia told her tale to all, the citizens were convinced that something incredible was unfolding before their eyes… and they were a part of it! Sofia finished up, "And that is why we're here. My friends are going to help me free my family, and also put a stop to Cosmina's plans of revenge!". She told them ALMOST everything, leaving out the part of Josiah the arch-angel, Godzilla and the other kaiju. She believed that if they were included in the story, it would have caused more problems.
Solta spoke, "I see… Sofia, you are one incredible princess! Risking a lot to go save your family, and also being able to call the truly legendary ones from the stories we all know! I believe that you are truly like the nobles and royalties of old, who did a lot to protect the kingdom and the people.". The princess blushed very much from the compliments. Jasmine and the rest showed proud smiles on their faces for their friend, showing that they approved of Mr. Runzi's words.
Garza spoke up, "At least we know the name and face of our enemy now. Perhaps that will give us more of a chance to defend ourselves from her.". Seeing Sofia's quizzical look, the leader allowed Pastor Rick to explain more.
The follower of Christ stated, "For some time, our village was peaceful and serene. However, it soon fell underneath a dark cloud that stemmed from the Carpathian Mountains which is about a day or so journey from here.". He pointed to the mountains in the distance west from the village, the impressive peaks rising for all to see.
He continued, "Many years ago, two young ladies from our village were kidnapped along with many others that were taken from neighboring communities. We searched for them, but when we found them… it was too late.". Rick didn't want to say anything further, not wanting to give the little ones including Sofia the gruesome details.
Rick moved on, "Shortly after that, we started to receive more of those shadow beasts that you said you fought last night. They came into Razorwood, terrorizing the people and destroying what we have built or planted! However, they do not come near the church & I believe for obvious reasons. In the past, we hid within the place for protection until those black human-like creatures left. But now recently, we have gained hope and help in the form of Solta and Magric. Their skills, courage, imagination and strength have really helped this village out very much. The other villages… I cannot say.". Razorwood had lost contact with the neighboring communities bit by bit over the years, so now it was believed they were the only ones left near the mountains.
Magric spoke, "For too long, we did not know who was sending these creatures to us or for what purpose. But now that we know thanks to you Sofia, we can really strike back now!". He and his friend Solta now knew the weakness of the shadow beasts and could come up with a suitable defense next time the Shadow Soldiers attacked.
Radelle remarked, "It's good that you got spirit boys, but never underestimate this Cosmina lady. After what we had to do last night to defeat those nasty shadow monsters of hers, and the number she sent after us, it shows that she may have more of them. And that she doesn't mess around!". Many of the citizens agreed with the ebony-skinned mature woman, even Solta and Magric who knew that underestimating the sorceress who had brought such pain to the area for some time was a mistake.
Sofia inquired, "Can you allow us to eat and rest here for a while until we get our strength back? And also can you help us in any way when we go to the mountains later on?".
Garza answered, "Of course! We actually have a surplus of food stored up, an unusual but welcoming good crop was harvested recently. And we will be more than happy to assist you all with anything!". The villagers showed their agreement with their leader by cheering loudly, wanting to help Sofia and her companions in any way possible.
Dianne asked, "Do you think we can have some better clothing? I don't think what we have on right now is really suited for winter, especially in these parts.". Barbara answered quite happily that she would be more than happy to help, showing that her job was making suitable clothing for the people.
The princess of Enchancia went to Solta and asked, "Do you have anything that can help me? I'm not much of a fighter, but I can use magic! But I don't have a wand with me…". The magical warrior started to see why his latest creation, the staff that he was still holding at the moment, was now created. It was like a sign from Heaven itself that Sofia was the one meant to wield it!
He smiled at the brave little lady and answered, "My dear, I believe I already have what you are looking for. Come, I will take you to my home and see what it suited for you.". He just wanted to make sure that any of the wands or staves in his place were suitable for Sofia, but he deep down the warrior knew that the staff he was about to practice with earlier… it was THE one for the girl to wield.
It would seem that things were looking up so far for Sofia and her allies!
(Author's Notes: And… cut! That is it for this chapter! Whew… this was a real tough one to write! Believe me when I say this, I really racked my brain trying to figure out how to this should flow and such! But after a bit of relaxing and also praying to Jesus for help, things just started to click together. So again, thank you Lord for helping me out with this one! I really needed it! Also, my two OC creations Garza Greenstone and Rick Wing… they were inspired by real life people I know! I used my Dad's middle name for the village's elder leader's name, and I used my own pastor Rick Godwin as inspiration for the other character!
He is an awesome and excellent man of God, and believe me, he says it in a way that is just excellent! He has served as a pastor for quite a while, from Eagle's Nest Christian Fellowship to now where it evolved and changed to become the Summit Christian Center in San Antonio!
Godzilla and his monster companions are hidden for now, but they will be revealed in the next chapter! Also, you will see Sofia and some of the bonded try to help the saurian in getting to accept his half-sister better than before. It won't be easy, but it will be a start. Also, expect to see an original song here! One created by me! I hope you all will like it! Also, the Rock Rook design I modeled after the Monster card Destroyer Golem which is from the famous car game/anime series Yugioh!
I have been recently watching all of the excellent and classic shows of old when I was little, such as The Three Musketeers which is a Disney film that was made in 1993. In my view, it was one of the excellent real-live movies Disney made! The scene between D'Artagnan and the Cardinal when the hero was captured and interrogated… I was inspired by it and used it when Amber finally remembered what happened when she summoned Princess Ivy. I really have to admit, Amber is braver than one gives her credit for.
Before I ask the official questions, I would like to ask Lord Destryuk to send me what his OC's look like so I can put their physical descriptions in the next chapter. In addition, would any of you care to lend me a hand in giving some of the Disney bonded beings some new winter threads? Credit and recognition will be given to those that help out! Now for the questions:
How would you help Godzilla to get along with his half-sister Biolantte?
What would you say to Amber after her memory is restored, and when she told off Cosmina?
What do you think will happen to Cedric when he tries to use his revealing spell on the disguised fairies and animals?
If you were either Solta or Magric, what kind of preparations would you make in case Cosmina sent more of her shadow beasts to the village?
And finally… what do you believe will happen when Godzilla and his monster allies are exposed and shown to the citizens of Razorwood?
R&R, no flames, enjoy and leave long reviews!)
