A/N- Sorry about how long it took to update. My computers being dumb. =(
Sky- Sorry if I upset you, or anybody else! I didn't mean too!
Here's the next chapter! I hope you enjoy it!! =D
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Five days earlier-
At a first glance, no one would have thought anything about the little town of Ferryport Landing, except that it was small, and looked boring. They would never have guessed that the town was in the middle of a war, an Everafter war. They would never have guessed that hidden somewhere up in the mountains was an army camp, filled with fairy tale characters and six humans. Two of those humans were staring at two of the new refuges coming in: a bear in a red shirt and a tiny pig.
Sabrina Grimm was staring in disbelief while Daphne's hand was inches away from her mouth, preparing to stick her palm into her mouth.
"You've got to be kidding me." Sabrina said, as the bear started to talk to one of the guards.
"Is that really. . . ?" Daphne asked the handsome, yet stuck up, man beside her.
"Yes," Charming said, "that's the one and only Winnie the Pooh." He groaned and pointed to one of the Merry Men, "You! Go hide the honey!"
Daphne let out a high pitched squeal and bit her palm, jumping up and down.
"Oh," Sabrina said sarcastically, "Now we're going to beat the Scarlet Hand. We've got Winnie the Pooh and Piglet on out side!"
"Is it true that if you blow him up, bacon will fly out?" Puck asked, staring hungrily at the tiny pig.
"RUN, PIGLET!" Daphne shouted, "RUN!"
Piglet dove underneath a table and put his arms over his head while Pooh Bear just looked around with a confused expression on his face.
"Did you really have to say that?" Sabrina said to the fairy.
"What?" Puck said, shrugging, "I'm hungry."
"You're always hungry." Sabrina muttered, casting another worried look at the cabin behind her. The Grimm family had come to the new and improved Camp Charming to visit Uncle Jake but he had been asleep.
"I hope he's okay." Sabrina said.
"Why wouldn't he be?" Puck asked.
Sabrina stared at him, shocked. Had he really not payed attention to what had happened a few days ago?
"You really are an idiot." She said.
Puck's chest puffed out, "No I'm not, you're just jealous because I'm smarter than you are!"
Sabrina laughed, "Oh, sure. This is coming from the boy who thought all you had to do to turn a treadmill off was to stop running!" She smiled at the memory. When the fairy had stopped running he had been flung against the wall.
Puck glared at her, "That was only because I was infected by your puberty virus!"
"Ugh, how many times do I have to tell you?" Sabrina said, "Puberty isn't a virus, you dolt!"
"Don't call me a dolt!" Puck snapped.
"Then don't act like one!" Sabrina snapped back.
"UGH! Will you two just SHUT UP?" Charming yelled, "You've been here for a few hours and you already make me want to claw my eyes out!"
Puck's eyes nearly popped out of his face, "Oh, do it! That'd be so awesome!"
Charming stared at him, "You are one deranged little boy." He said before walking off.
Puck's face lit up, "Thanks!" he shouted.
Sabrina stared at him and shook her head.
"What are you staring at, ugly?" he said.
"What did you just say to my daughter?!" Henry asked, "My daughter is not ugly."
Puck shook his head sympathetically, "Looks like someone's in denial. Now I see why you guys were so cranky when you woke up. Now you have to look at her ugly face every day."
Henry's face grew bright red, "Now, listen here young man . . ."
"Fairy." Puck and Sabrina said.
"Fairy," Henry said through gritted teeth, "you do not. . .
He was interrupted by shouts coming from inside the cabin. Uncle Jake burst out the door, looking around wildly.
His hair was sticking up in every possible direction and he had a half crazed look in his eyes.
"Briar?" He said, looking around and running towards the camp's door, "BRIAR?!"
"Jake!" Henry yelled, running after him and grabbing his arm before he could leave, "Jake! She's not here!" Henry said as Uncle Jake started to struggle.
"Yes, she is!" Uncle Jake said, "I saw her! I saw her!"
"It was a dream, Jake!" Henry said, his voice softening with pity, "She's gone."
Uncle Jake stopped struggling and stared into space, "No." he said, "There's got to be a way to bring her back! There has to be!"
"Jake. . ." Henry started but Jake shook his head.
"No. There has to be and I'm going to find it!" he said stubbornly, his jaw clenching the way it does when he's determined to do something. Sabrina knew from experience that when her uncle was determined to do something, it was next to impossible to change his mind.
"I'll look everywhere! Even if it takes me forever!" Uncle Jake said.
"Well, you don't have to look very far." A voice said.
Everyone turned to see an old man standing at the camp's entrance. His white hair had steaks of its old black color but the twinkle in his blue eyes and how he stood up straight seemed to contradict his old age. In his hand he held a long knobby wooden staff. A little brown owl perched itself on top of the staff and seemed to glare at everyone with its big yellow eyes.
"The only thing is," the old man said, his eyes twinkling, "are you prepared to risk everything to get it?"
Uncle Jake opened his mouth but a shout interrupted him.
King Arthur was staring wide eyed at the stranger, "Merlin?" he said, a giant smile on his face, "MERLIN!"
King Arthur ran over and gave the old man a hug, "Where have you been, old man?"
Merlin laughed, "It's a long story for another time." The wizard frowned at the owl and shook his staff, "Archimedes! How many times have I told you, don't sit on the staff?!"
Archimedes landed on the wizards head and ruffled his feathers, "I don't know," he huffed, "I lost count."
"Still as cranky as ever I see, Archimedes." Arthur said.
"You would be too if you were woken up from your beauty sleep and you're still as rude as ever, I see." Archimedes said, but, if owls could smile, Sabrina would have sworn that Archimedes was smiling.
Merlin eyed Uncle Jake, "Enough catching up. Right now we have something more important to address. Now, to get what you want, you're going to have to risk your life." Merlin said, his expression turning serious, "You're going to have to face down dragons and demons. Are you sure you're willing?"
Uncle Jake nodded his head without a moment of hesitation, "Yes," he said, "I'm sure."
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Merlin led the family into a cabin. It was a tight squeeze and it took a while for everyone to get comfortable but everyone managed to fit. Sabrina found herself uncomfortably close to Puck, who smelled like a sewer.
"How are we supposed to bring Briar back?" Henry asked; he still didn't believe that it was possible.
"With a potion." Merlin said.
"A potion? Do you have it?" Granny Relda asked.
"I have the bottle," Merlin said, pulling an empty bottle out of his pocket, "But you need to get the ingredients." The old wizard said to Uncle Jake.
"What ingredients?" Uncle Jake asked.
Merlin pulled a small piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Uncle Jake.
Uncle Jake grabbed it and read it out loud, "Blood of a Dragon, tear of a Phoenix, fire of a fairy and venom of a . . . a demon."
"A demon?" Henry said, "You expect him to go out and risk his life for some venom?!"
"It's his choice," Merlin said, "The potion might not work. Do you still wish to do it?" he asked Uncle Jake.
Uncle Jake stared down at the piece of paper in his hand. Everyone in the small cabin held their breath as they waited for him to answer. Sabrina hoped that he wasn't going to say yes and risk his life on something that might not work, but she knew her uncle.
Uncle Jake looked up and said, "Yes."
"Jake! You've got to be joking! You can't!" Henry said, jumping up.
"I have to, Henry!" Jake said, "What would you do if Veronica had died?"
"I . . . I. . . this is nonsense!" Henry said, sitting down again, "You're going to get yourself killed!"
"I don't care." Uncle Jake said.
"Well, I do!" Granny Relda said.
"Mom, please," Uncle Jake said and Sabrina saw all the grief and pain he had been holding in flash across his face. This was his chance to make it all go away and he was going to take it, even if it cost him his life, "I have too."
"Don't worry, Granny!" Daphne said quickly, "I'll keep him safe!"
"YOU WILL DO NO SUCH THING!" Henry yelled, "You and Sabrina," he said, giving Sabrina a meaningful look, "are both going to stay here!"
"Why? We can help!" Daphne said.
"Why? Why? Because you're only seven!" Henry yelled.
"You two are not coming." Uncle Jake said, "and neither are you Puck." He said quickly before the fairy could open his mouth, "I couldn't stand it if any of you died."
"Never seemed to stop you before." Henry muttered.
"Not now, Henry!" Uncle Jake said before turning to Merlin, "Tell me about this demon."
Merlin shook his head, "There's not just one demon but a bunch of them." The old man looked out the window, "I'll show you as soon as the sun sets. Now, once you get the potion you must pour it over her grave."
Uncle Jake looked down, "I . . . I can't. Her grave was in the old camp and the Scarlet Hand destroyed it."
Merlin frowned, "That complicates things."
Archimedes hooted, "You think?"
"Be quiet, you cranky old hoot!" Merlin said.
"Oh, I'm old? Look at who's talking!" Archimedes said.
Merlin muttered something and ignored the little brown owl, "What's that in your pocket?" he asked Uncle Jake.
Uncle Jake pulled the rose from Briar's grave out of his pocket. Sabrina was surprised that it hadn't died yet; it looked as fresh as it had days ago.
"This is a rose." Uncle Jake said, gently fingering the petals.
"Really, Einstein? I couldn't have guessed." Archimedes mumbled.
"It's from Briar's grave." Uncle Jake added, pain and regret flashing across his face. Sabrina felt a pang of sympathy for her uncle and found herself wishing that this potion thing would work.
"Let me see it." Merlin said, gently taking the rose from Uncle Jake. The old man ran his fingers over the rose and Sabrina saw a light purple hue form around it. Merlin nodded his head and handed the rose back to Uncle Jake, "It's magic." He said, "It has enough of her aura in it that it should work as well as if you were pouring the potion over her grave."
"If it does work." Henry muttered, "This is nonsense."
"You don't get it, Henry!" Uncle Jake snapped, "You didn't know her! She is . . . was . . . great! More than great! You'd understand if you had met her."
Henry shook his head and mumbled something else.
Merlin ignored him and stood up, "You already have one of the ingredients. I believe there's a fairy in the room."
Everyone turned to look at Puck, who had been trapping ants in a corner and smashing them. Puck looked up, "What?" he said.
"We need your . . . all he has to do is breathe fire into it right?" Jake asked Merlin.
Puck looked around with a confused expression on his face, "Breathe fire into what?"
Merlin nodded his head and handed Puck the bottle, "Just blow fire into that."
Puck stared at everyone and shook his head, "I have told you guys that you're all freaks, right?" he said, taking a deep breath and blowing into the bottle. A small puff of flame flew out of his mouth and circled around the inside of the bottle, changing colors.
"Is it supposed to do that?" Veronica asked, staring at the multi-colored fire.
"Maybe it's because his breath stinks." Sabrina said, grinning when Puck glared at her.
Merlin laughed and shook his head, "Yes, it's supposed to do that. Now, Jake, come with me and I'll show you the demons' castle."
As Uncle Jake stood up, Granny Relda grabbed his arm, "Jake, please think about this!" She said.
Uncle Jake gently pulled his arm free from Granny's grip, "I have, Mom, and I have to do this. I can't live without her." He kissed his mom on her forehead and followed Merlin out of the cabin.
Henry shook his head and walked out of the cabin.
Veronica smiled at Granny Relda and grabbed her hand, "I'm sure he'll be fine." She said, leading Granny Relda out of the cabin.
As soon as the adults left the room, Puck stood up in front of Sabrina and Daphne, his long insect wings popping out of his back, "So, what's the plan?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" Sabrina asked.
Puck sighed, "Do you really expect me to believe that you're going to just sit here instead of going after Jake? And if you're going, I'm going 'cause I smell danger and a chance to kill another dragon."
Sabrina was about to tell him to buzz off when an idea hit her. She eyed his wings and smiled, "Actually . . ." she said.
Puck grinned, "I'm way ahead of you." He said.
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Puck flew over the forest, just low enough for Sabrina and Daphne to keep an eye on Merlin and Uncle Jake. The two adults had decided to take the flying carpet instead of walking around the mountain at night.
"Puck! Not so low! They might see us!" Sabrina said.
"I'll fly as low as I want too, Grimm!" Puck snapped.
"Fine! Do that and watch us get caught!" Sabrina snapped back.
"We're going to get caught if you two don't be quiet!" Daphne said.
They watched as the flying carpet lowered itself into the trees beside a valley.
"Don't land right on top of them!" Sabrina said and Puck scowled, turning sharply and landing somewhere close to where Merlin and Uncle Jake were.
"Stop telling me what to do!" Puck said angrily to Sabrina.
"Shut up before they hear us!" Sabrina snapped.
"Oh, we've already heard you." Merlin stepped out of the trees' shadows, quickly followed by Uncle Jake.
"What are you guys doing here?!" Uncle Jake said, "Go back right now!"
Sabrina frowned; Uncle Jake never acted like this before. He usually wanted to take them along with him.
"No." Daphne said, "We're going to help you and we're not leaving!"
"Yeah, you owe me for the fire!" Puck added.
Uncle Jake opened his mouth but Merlin stopped him, "No. Let them stay. They could help you. Now, follow me."
Uncle Jake looked like he was about to say something else but just shook his head and followed Merlin. Sabrina and Daphne looked at each other, both shocked at their uncle was acting and then followed him into the trees, Puck walking behind them.
They found Merlin couching just outside of the forest, staring down at the valley, "Here's the castle." He said.
Sabrina stared down at the valley. It looked like a flat pancake. A giant grassy, empty pancake.
"I don't see anything." Sabrina said.
Merlin lifted his finger to his lips, his eyes twinkling the way a child's does when he's about to reveal a secret.
"Just watch." He said.
Sabrina frowned and stared down at the valley, thinking about how crazy the old wizard was when a cloud, that had been covering the moon, moved.
Moonlight rained down on the valley and Sabrina gasped. As soon as the moon light hit the valley a giant castle was revealed, but it certainly wasn't a fairy tale castle. It was made completely out of stone as black as the night sky. Hanging skeletons decorated the outside, warning intruders and thieves of the punishment that awaited them, and long twisted towers reached up towards the sky. It radiated a menacing air.
Daphne gasped and pointed up to the sky, "What's that?"
Sabrina looked up to see something flying around the sky. At first she thought it was another fairy . . . then it flew into the moon light.
Sabrina gasped. It looked like a mix between a human and a reptile. It was covered in dark green scales with two long black bat like wings extending from its back. As Sabrina looked closer she saw that it had long, deadly sharp claws on its hands and feet.
"What is that?" Sabrina asked.
"That is one of the demons." Merlin said.
The demon turned in the air and froze. Sabrina felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise and she had a strange feeling that it was staring at them. The thing jerked its head back and let out a piercing, high pitched scream.
"Uh-oh." Merlin said.
"Uh-oh? What, uh-oh?" Uncle Jake said, looking around uneasily.
"That, uh-oh." Merlin said as the demon let out another ear shattering shriek, pulled its wings back and rocketed straight towards the group.
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A/N- Just to let you know, it might be a while till I update again. 'mumbles' dumb computer.