Love of the Lost

by Culanaluana

Barnaby is struggling in the woods after his banishment from Toy Land until he discovers an injured fairy named Mabel who may be able to lead him to the very key to Toyland's destruction. However getting what he wants may not be as easy as he anticipates as what he longs for most may not even exist. He finds that no amount magic is going to prevent him from falling in love.

3. Tears Of Jahaxa

Mabelyn collapsed onto the forest floor but she pushed herself up by her arms, painfully getting on her knees.

"Oh please allow me to help you".

I swiftly bent down in a pretentious act of gallantry.

"Oh goodness me that ankle needs some attention.

Let me fix that up for you.

I have just the spell for that."

I laid my hands on her ankle and i spoke the words of healing which was one of the first spell i learned to do that was actually successful.

Let's just say the first spells i tried didn't work out so well.

There appeared a dark orchid ribbon of magic that wove around her ankle and soaked into her skin like a newly engraved tattoo.

The Magic mark usually disappeared after 30 minutes or so.

I heard Mabelyn gasp and she coughed sporadically and wildly as if she had breathed in some sort of low grade poison.

"Now call me master."

I awaited her response.

"You love me now don't you?"

Foolishly i thought that perhaps she was still lost in the effects of the darkness.

"What's there to love?"

She smiled at me cruelly and she glowered at me in a challenging sort of way.

"How are you still- how are you still functioning right now?"

"I'm cursed remember.

What part of Dark Fey do you not understand?

We are called Dark Fey for a reason.

We are dark creatures that enjoy toying with the simple minds of humans.

Besides do you have any idea what that stuff is?"

"It's distilled essence of darkness.

At least i think so".

"You don't seem too sure but I'll be happy to enlighten you.

That bottle is the distilled tears of Jahaxa."

"Distilled tears Of what?"

My voice was comically too high which was actually hilarious since my voice was always a natural baritone.

"Not what, but who.

Those are the sweat and tears of the great Rhino Jahaxa.

Jahaxa is said to be so evil that the very tears and sweat are pure concentrated evil.

It's in the realm of magic and sorcery the tears are usually distilled by the light of the full moon for 3 nights, the liquid then turns to vapor but when it not distilled and it's still in it's liquid form it can create a very deadly poison.

Sorcerers often use it as a sort of mixer.

It's more powerful when you mix it with other things.

Anyhow i must be immune to it's vapors."

"Yeah i can see that which is highly inconvenient.

You were supposed to transform into a hideous monster that would serve me for all eternity.

Oh of course, i should have thought of that, when magic is used on magic the magical effect can lose it's potency.

Sometimes it can even cancel the magic out.

This concoction was made through magic and you're magic, so that's why it didn't work.

Then of course it didn't help that I used magic to heal your ankle."

"That does make sense but That's not what canceled out the magic.

A Strong will can also override the effects."

"Yes I've had that happen before.

Well it only happened once, everybody else i had no trouble with but you, you are trouble.

You know i wasted what little i had of that stuff ,on you, i should get rid of you for that."

"I really wish you would.

Then i wouldn't have to deal with this life anymore.

Kill me and I'll be free".

"Why are you so morbid?

I mean why are you so eager for death?

What made you so tired of life?"

"Life is tired of me.

I don't have much to live for nowadays.

Everyone i love ends up either leaving me, trying to kill me or betraying my trust.

It's just too many disappointments, too many regrets, too much pain and heartache.

It makes you question why you exist if everybody exists just to torture you".

"You know everyone deals with that, disappointments, regrets, heartache pain and betrayal.

I've dealt with all of that myself but i don't want to kill myself or have somebody kill me instead.

I question my purpose but I don't end wanting to take my own life."

"That's because you're far too vain to do such a thing but me i have no vanity.

I literally don't care what happens to me because i don't care for this life and I don't care for myself either.

You on the other hand have a reason to live.

You have your revenge, you have your league of monsters to look after, you have that book to keep you busy and you have your magic you can use to lure people away to the woods.

You have no idea how fortunate you are.

You have a purpose.

All i have to look forward to now is death".

"What book?

I don't remember ever mentioning a book to you but now that you mention it i wonder if there's anything in that book about an attitude adjustment.

Mood wise you're a bit lackluster and to be perfectly honest you're kind of a drag.

Maybe there's a recipe for some sort of mood enhancer in here.

Something to change the mood you're in.

Aw yes a mood changer...here it is."

I took my black bound book out and found a recipe for a certain potion that was titled Mood Stabilizer.

"The moon has it's tides and so does one's mood.

When the moon changes from waxing to waning, from crescent to quarter to full, the mood will change with it.

Depending on the light the moon provides the mood of the subject will differ in intensity.

This is a most unusual potion because it is more magic than it is a potion, since when it is made correctly it will cast a long lasting spell over the subject of your choosing."

I read the description out loud.

"I doubt if anything is going to improve my mood."

Her voice was flat and expressionless.

"Oh i wouldn't be so sure about that.

I'm no amateur when it comes to the ways of magic after all so this should work very nicely not to mention very smoothly."

"I quite prefer the mood I'm in thank you".

"Well i don't and that's what matters.

Thankfully i have this vial which will guarantee your full cooperation".

I held out a vial of blood that i collected from her.

"In that case may all your potions fail."

"Oh by the way i have this strange ability, call it a quirk, that whenever I touch people they tend to... become powerless...only for a little while, the effects are temporary of course so your curses won't have any power for at least another hour.

If you aggravate me anymore i can make it 2 hours instead."

"I don't believe you.

You're just trying to mess with me, scare me, keep me line.

You can't just zap the power out of me".

"Oh I don't expect you to but try cursing me again i dare you."

"I wish every spell and potion you create will end in failure".

She nearly spat those words out in her hate for me.

"Oh wow... that was spectacular.

I feel absolutely wretched now.

Wasn't that fun?

Why don't we try that again?

It was just so thrilling the first time why not do it one more time?

Oh it didn't work.

Oh my that's too bad isn't it?

You know what this means?

Why it means I'm not that dishonest and deceptive cad you think i am.

Well i must admit i am a cad but at least i told you the truth."

"You know what?

I don't usually have any real hatred for anyone and i rarely ever keep any grudges but you, i despise you.

You are despicable, you are disgusting and i hate you."

She even seemed surprised at those words herself.

"Well i must say that's a improvement from this lack luster apathy you've been putting on.

I wasn't expecting admiration from you.

In fact I'm flattered by all these intense feelings of hatred you have for me.

Seriously i almost blushed.

Are there any tears in my eyes?

It's been so long since I've actually been despised and hated.

The venom in your voice gives me chills.

It certainly is wonderful to be seen as the true villain that i am inside.

I can hardly keep back the tears.

Oh joy is that you again?"

I laughed at my cleverness and my fake display of emotions.

"It wasn't meant to be a compliment".

"It was meant be a insult i know but all i hear is sweet words of sentiment.

Now that you know I'm not fooling around, get moving.

Nothing is wrong with your ankle now, it's fixed, you're fine, get up, I helped you one time, I'm not helping you again."

I had a wonderful snarl in my voice.

"I don't feel like helping you again either."

"What?

When did you help me?"

"I gave you my expertise by telling you what the stuff was that you've been using like no tomorrow."

"Oh now I've used that so called stuff very sparingly.

It lasted me a whole decade or two.

Look I don't know how long it lasted but all I know is I'm not happy that I wasted it on you.

You are going to have to make it up to me by doing far more than giving me a few tidbits of information.

I don't want information, i want power and you are going to give that to me."

"Why don't you just drain it out of me? it might save you all this trouble."

"Now that's an idea but call me a glutton for punishment, a glutton for trouble so to speak.

I mean just look at me. Do i look someone that stays out of trouble?

I am trouble and so are you so we deserve one another, we belong together, call it fate, call it destiny and I'd really hate to ruin that.

So yes i could drain the very power from your body and i could have you destroyed, i think i better keep you alive because as much as i love hearing you beg for death, giving into those little petty demands would be very foolish of me.

I have to use my head and as much as you anger me I'm not going to let a little anger get the better of me.

Power is power no matter where it comes from and you missy have power far greater than any power I've ever encountered".

"Suppose I'm not as powerful as you think i am.

What will you do with me then?"

"Oh here we go again.

I'm not going to kill you if that's what you were expecting to hear.

You'll just me slave for all eternity, you'll grant me eternity, immortality will be mine and then I'll be ruler of the entire magical realm possibility of the whole entire world.

Yet I'm getting ahead of myself, if you don't end up being the most powerful fairy of all the realm, you can become the queen of this this unholy legion of monsters, you can rule this entire wilderness with me.

Oh i have a splendid idea, if you fail me in anyway, you will become my bride.

Yes I'll marry you and you'll become my wife, that way you'll have no choice but to serve me.

You know i always wanted a wife, you know someone to make me feel wanted and welcome me when i get home.

She'd smile at me, take off my shoes and fix me my dinner.

It's sounds rather corny and cliche but I'm somewhat of a romantic.

You know it almost gives me something to look forward to... if you should fail."

"I will serve you but i will never marry you.

You're the most hideous creature I've ever seen, you reek like a dead carcass, your nails are far too long, your teeth are so yellow I'm surprised they don't fall out your head and you have a reputation that stinks even worse than you do.

So no there is no way i will ever marry you".

"Good, that should give you some motivation not to fail.

So a word of advice don't fail."