In a desperate attempt to save her dying mother, Spinel Crystal chases a rumor into the unknown Magical Realm, a place beyond time. There, she finds much, much more than she ever bargained for.
cw: this section contains magical violence, electrocution, and temporary main character death.
Firefly: Ha! Fast enough for you?
Mandarin: I would…mm. I would certainly say so.
Mandarin: Watcher, the anger in those spells…come here, child.
Firefly: Teacher, are you hurt? I can get Father–
Mandarin: No, no, I am alright. This is about you.
Mandarin: It would do you well to exercise more caution in your spellcasting. The power you put behind them risks sending you into overcharge.
Firefly: …What happens if that does happen?
Mandarin: I would imagine the curse would activate. Or perhaps you will be lucky and simply die then and there.
Mandarin: A bit of restraint would serve you well.
Firefly: …yes, Teacher. I understand.
Mandarin: …hm? Ah. Why not go and check on your friend? She seems a bit down.
Firefly: –Spinel!
Firefly: Did something happen?
Spinel: No, I just needed some air. How were lessons?
Firefly: The same as always, I suppose.
Firefly: Do you mind if I sit here?
Spinel: Huh? Oh, sure. Go ahead, I’m just…
Firefly: You are just…
Spinel: …worried, I guess. It’s already been four months. Even with the time difference, a week was the doc’s best guess. What if she’s already…she could already be dead, you know?
Firefly: She could, but she could also not be. You cannot let yourself dwell on such things, Spinel. You are making excellent progress.
Spinel: Am I? I’ve only got half the recipe figured out…
Spinel: It doesn’t feel like enough.
Firefly: I understand. But Lady Faba will have the rest, so do not worry.
Spinel: How can’t I? Mama could be dead and I didn’t even…I might have missed my chance to say goodbye…
Firefly: Spinel…
*soft piano music*
Firefly: What–oh. Oh, this song…
Spinel: What’s that sound?
Firefly: Father is playing piano. Here–stand up. May I have this dance?
Spinel: I–I don’t know the steps.
Firefly: That is alright. Just trust me.
Firefly: You do trust me, do you not?
Spinel: …I do.
Firefly: We will fix things, Spinel. I give you my word.
Spinel: …yeah. Yeah.
Spinel: I’ll hold you to that.
Mandarin: *humming*
Stone: You remember the tune.
Mandarin: How could I not? You taught it to us both.
Mandarin: We are different people now, Stone. What we had when we were young is gone.
Stone: Our youth is gone, my friend. That does not mean that we are.
Mandarin: …no, I suppose we are not. Tell me something pretty.
Stone: We will all be together again soon.
Mandarin: Hm…a most beautiful lie.
The next morning…
Mandarin: I cannot guarantee that Lace will be in a talkative mood after all this time. Are you certain of this?
Spinel: We are.
Mandarin: Very well. Stand back, then.
Mandarin: Oh, we Sages Three, blessed by the Watcher be, call upon the magics that guide this world.
Mandarin: As fire warms the hearth and water gives us life, so to does air give us freedom. Oh, great Watcher, we beseech you–
Mandarin: Guide our lost one home to us! Lace Faba, I call you back to hearth and home!
Mandarin: There. It is open–go.
Stone: Do you think they will be alright?
Mandarin: That depends entirely on your daughter.
Spinel: Oh, now where are we? Where did we get dumped this time?
Firefly: …the Sylvan Wood. Or…what is left of it, I suppose.
Spinel: You know this place?
Firefly: Of course I do. I was born here…I used to play in this glade all the time as a child…Watcher, to think it still stands…
Spinel: You’re home?
Firefly: …no. My people are gone, my family killed, my world destroyed. I…have no true home any longer.
Spinel: Firefly…
Firefly: It has been a thousand years…you would think I would have moved on already, but perhaps…perhaps I have not.
*twig breaks*
Spinel: What was that.
Firefly: A wild animal. Come–let us find Lady Faba and leave this place.
Spinel: …Are you sure?
Firefly: It is not home any longer.
Spinel: Ah–Sage Faba? We–
Lace: Hush, child. I know why you have come.
Lace: Enough magic yet remains in this place to activate a scrying pool. I know why you have come to me now.
Firefly: Then you know we have no time to lose! Lady Faba, please. Please, come back with us.
Lace: And why should I do such a thing?
Spinel: Because your friends are already back there? Because you get to help finish an Elixer of Healing?
Firefly: Because Venom will destroy you if he finds you alone?
Lace: Venom? Ha! I can handle myself against such an upstart.
Firefly: …Prove it. Lady Lace Faba, I challenge you to a Sage’s Three. Should I win, you will return to the Realm with us. Should you win, we will leave you be.
Spinel: Firefly–
Lace: You have a deal. Let us begin.
Spinel: Oh, this isn’t even fair.
Lace: Point to me. Again!
Lace: Your anger rules you, child. Mandarin must have taught you better than this.
Lace: Second point to me!
Lace: Third point to me! Now, leave me be.
Firefly: Absolutely not. Too much rides on you to be such a stubborn old hag, Lady Sage or not! You will not use my home to hide away from the world!
Lace: Child, mind your tongue.
Firefly: I shall do no such thing! As the last princess of the Fae, I, Firefly Serenade, daughter of Monarch and Corona, banish Sage Lace Faba from the Sylvan Wood, to never return!
Lace: What are you–argh!
Spinel: Firefly, what…Firefly!
Firefly: What? What is…
Firefly: What is this?!
Spinel: Firefly!
Lace: Stay back, child!
Spinel: What’s happening to her?
Lace: She has overcharged. Her magic has grown too strong and it seeks an escape.
Firefly: No no no–Father, help me!
Mandarin: Ah, Lace. I see the girls brought you to your senses–Firefly! What happened?!
Lace: Give me one good reason why I should not flatten you both!
Stone: My daughter is in need of medical attention, Lace! Save your lectures for another time–
Lace: You have been nothing but a poor excuse for a father–ah! Do not try and run away from this, Stone Silverwater! That girl overcharged herself banishing me from the Wood! Whose fault is that?!
Stone: If she saw the need–
Lace: Need? She did not see the risk, you old lump! What have you been teaching the girl? Have you been teaching her at all?
Stone: Lace–no. I do not have the time for this. Spinel, take her upstairs. I will join you shortly.
Lace: And there you go again, running away from the problems!
Spinel: Don’t die. Please don’t die…I can’t…I can’t do this on my own…
Spinel: I might have already lost Mama…I can’t lose you too…
Spinel: …Firefly?
Spinel: Firefly, where are you?!
Spinel: Think, Spi, think–upstairs. The roof. Check the roof first.
Spinel: Oh, thank Watcher. Are you alright?
Firefly: I am fine.
Spinel: Good. What the hell was that back there?
Firefly: I was exercising my right as the last of my people to force a threat from our home.
Spinel: She wasn’t a threat, Firefly, and you went back on your word.
Firefly: She would not be here if I had not! You would never get what you need if that was allowed to happen!
Firefly: So you do not get to lecture me on “getting things done”!
Spinel: Firefly, I’m not–
Firefly: I did what had to be done, as my father’s daughter–
Spinel: And you could have died doing it.
Firefly: …what..
Spinel: You scared the crap out of me. I thought…I thought I was losing you, too.
Spinel: I’m…I’m grateful you care so much to do that, but…please, don’t even take that chance again.
Firefly: Spinel, I–mm!
Firefly: Wait–stop.
Spinel: I’m sorry, I’m sorry, that was too fast wasn’t it–
Firefly: It is alright, I. I do not mind, I simply…
Firefly: You were right. What I did was reckless, and foolish, and dangerous. Had things been worse I might have killed you as well. My reasons are my own, but.
Spinel: You lost everything, didn’t you. To Venom.
Firefly: Yes. My people were all killed after he fled the Realm, but that–that matters little now. I do not want to lose you, either, Spinel Crystal, so…I will do better. I swear it.
Firefly: You are too precious a person to lose.
Spinel: Oh, now you’re just making me blush.
Firefly: I am serious. You have been a wonderful friend to me, and now…perhaps more?
Spinel: I’m…down for more, if you are.
Firefly: I am.
Firefly: …I am…glad that we met.
Spinel: Me too.
Spinel: I mean, I’d change the circumstances if I could, but…huh? Who’s that…
Firefly: Who?
Spinel: There’s. There’s a man in green in the courtyard. He just came out of the portal.
Firefly: That should not be possible–you broke through the barrier, but it must be–wait. No!
*alarm blares*
Firefly: No!
Spinel: Firefly?!
Firefly: Stay here!
Lace: That blasted wretch finally shows his face…
Stone: To arms, my friends! We shall defend this place!
-
Venom: Well well well. What have we here?
Venom: Three sages on the attack? Come now, is that any way to greet an old friend?
Mandarin: You are no friend of ours! One more step and I will remove your head from your shoulders!
Venom: You will, hm? Still seems firmly attached to me.
Mandarin: Why you–
Lace: Enough, Mandarin! Do not let him get to you. Why are you here, Venom?
Venom: Oh, I think we are all well aware of the why, my dear.
Firefly: You!
Venom: Ah, there she is. You are looking quite well, my dear.
Stone: Firefly, get back inside! Now, my friends! Force him back!
Lace: You will regret having returned to this place!
Venom: Will I?
Venom: I think not!
*heavy breathing and moaning in pain*
Venom: This is the might of the Three Great Sages? Oh, how far the mighty have fallen.
Firefly: Stay here, Spinel.
Spinel: What–Firefly, no!
Firefly: Just try me, you motherless waste of magic.
Spinel: Firefly, don’t!
Venom: Yes, Firefly. Do not do something you will…regret.
Venom: It would not do for others to be hurt by your actions.
Spinel: *gasp*
Firefly: Spinel–your fight is with me, Venom! Let her go!
Venom: Let her go? Of course. I shall let her go onto the next plane.
*crack*
Firefly: No! Spinel–Spinel, please, no, don’t–you can’t be–
Venom: There now, child. There is nothing to hold you back now. Come with me,as you should have done a thousand years ago.
Stone: Firefly…child, do not…
Firefly: …
Firefly: Venom…A thousand years ago I watched you kill my father. A thousand years ago my people died. A thousand years ago, you ended my life.
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