In Search of a Cure

[Demeter]

Flora was grateful that he lied - just a bit. She had meant to cast the spell - she just didn't know what the price was going to be. She sighed mentally, and she hoped that Cora could help her.

[Cora]

Cora smiled and lightly admonished, "I wouldn't deny you help, Lenwë; you should know that by now."

However, within a few moments, Cora's face became serious, her voice taking on a tone that clearly said she was no longer in the mood for teasing. Addressing Palladium, she began, "Releasing you from the mirror should be no trouble; I've seen it done a thousand times as a child - one would be surprised how often children stumble upon a mirror entrapment spell and decide to lock away a friend as a joke. I know the royal children my father used to tutor would always do it to each other, and he would always have to free them." Waving her hand, Cora continued, "Anyway, I am certain I could do it now, in fact . . ."

Closing her eyes to clear her mind, Cora tried to remember that one spell her father had always used. Something about release and freedom . . .

"Ah, yes; I remember," Cora replied triumphantly after a long pause. "Locked, locked, locked away, in a cold prison of glass, you seek your freedom, your escape, to join us in the warm, breathing world. If your heart desires it, you will come by it, just repeat these words after me: Mirror prison has no power, it can hold me no more. With these words I say, I have found my key; I have found my escape. I will rejoin the world of today."


OOC: Yes, I am very lame when it comes to making up spells so hush

[Palladium]

Palladium closed his eyes, feeling somewhat foolish, and repeated the words, "Mirror prison has no power, it can hold me no more. With these words I say, I have found my key; I have found my escape. I will rejoin the world of today."

Feeling a strange sensation, as though his body was being pulled through a small space, Palladium tentatively opened his eyes . . .

Immediately, a smile played across his face; freedom! Taking in a deep breath of the fresh air, Palladium felt his happiness soar uncontrollably - oh, how he was glad to be back, to feel warmth on his skin instead of cold glass -

Turning around to get a full view of his surroundings, Palladium immediately sobered as his eyes landed on Flora. Quickly, he hid his joy, not wanting to upset his student as she still remained in her prison. No, Palladium decided, he would have to wait to celebrate until after Flora had regained her sight.

[Demeter]

"Professor? Did it work?" Flora asked quietly, her voice quivering a bit. She was so afraid that it didn't and that they had gotten their hopes up for nothing.

[Palladium]

Palladium looked at Flora, and gave a smile that was filled partly with happiness and partly with sympathy. "Yes, Flora; Cora's spell worked . . . I am free."

Turning to Cora, Palladium grasped her hand, giving it a tight squeeze as though to say 'thank you.'

[Demeter]

Flora gave a small smile. "I'm glad. I admit, I was a bit afraid the spell wouldn't work." She cleared her throat. "Well, the next thing we have to do is reveal Stormy and fix whatever she's messed up."

[Palladium]

"No," Palladium replied softly. "The next thing we have to do is to find a way for you to regain your sight. Right now, that's more important than anything else; we'll deal with Stormy later."

[Demeter]

Flora blinked her sightless green eyes. She had forgotten the other reason they were there. She blushed.

: Wysteria looked at the professor and her daughter. She mentally sighed and shook her head. Really, they were too cute in denial.

[Cora]

Cora shook her head, hating to be the bearer of bad news, but she had no other choice. "I am afraid that off the top of my head, I do not know a specific spell to restore your vision, Flora. You must realize that when it comes to something so tricky as to this, there are many factors to take into consideration. At the moment, I know of at least a few spells that will restore sight - but they only work under certain conditions." Pausing, to let her words sink in, Cora continued after a moment, "Therefore, I need to know exactly what spell you cast that caused you to lose your sight, Flora."

[Demeter]

"Professor Palladium said it was a forgotten spell. It starts From the land beyond beyond... From the world pass hope and fear..." she said softly.

: Wysteria felt her legs go out from under her and she sat down hard on the ground. She had no idea that her daughter had cast a forgotten spell of that power. Now she'd really have to talk to the professor.

[Cora]

Cora's mouth fell open in shock. Struggling to keep her voice calm and soothing, Cora asked, "Flora, however did you come upon that spell?"

Glancing over at Flora's mother, Cora was glad to see that she was not the only one to understand the magnitude of the spell Flora had cast.

[Demeter]

"The book was in the school's library. I saw the book and thought it might help," she said quietly. "I was the one who found him, so I viewed it as my responsiblity to help him." She bit her lower lip. "I didn't think that this," she gestured at her sightless eyes, "would be the result of trying to help him." Tears streaked down her tanned features. "I just had to help him."

: Wysteria brought her hand to her mouth. Oh, how could her daughter have done this - no-one in the family was able to even cast magic of that level, remembered or forgotten. And all this, just to help her professor - the man her daughter admitted to having a crush on. 'This is not your ordinary school girl crush,' Wysteria thought.

[Palladium]

OOC: Because switching between accounts is tedious, for the sake of my sanity, I'm just going to RP Cora in this thread using Palladium's account

Cora shook her head, looking at Palladium helplessly. Not wanting to upset Flora, she pulled on her friend's sleeve, moving him to a spot out of his student's hearing range. Expelling her breath, her face tense, she began, her voice flat, "I will be honest with you, Lenwë: this is beyond anything I have ever dealt with. Restoring a person's sight would be tricky enough, but the fact that Flora's was blinded as a result of her using forgotten magic . . . that complicates the situation so much more. Not just any old spell is going to work and make her better. This is . . . big." Shrugging her shoulders, Cora looked away, unable to meet her friend's disappointed gaze. "This . . . I'm sorry to have to say it, but this may be out of my league."


Palladium closed his eyes briefly as his fears became real. After a moment he opened them and gave Cora a wan smile before leaning forward and placing a light kiss on her forehead. "I know that if you could do anything you would and that is thanks enough."


Biting her lip, Cora rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet. "Don't give up yet, Lenwë. There's still much research I can do and maybe something, some lead, will turn up. And you can help me with that - two heads are better than one, after all. And perhaps my father would be willing to help as well. He is a busy man, but he isn't cold-hearted. He would help if he was needed." Resting her hand lightly against Palladium's sleeve, she tilted her head so that she could meet his downcast glance. "We'll do everything we can to help her." Quietly she added, "I know she means something to you."

[Demeter]

Flora settled down on the ground, tucking her knees under her chin. She somehow had the feeling the two were discussing how very stupid she was. She wept silently, brushing away her mother, wanting to grieve in private.

[Palladium]

Palladium nodded thoughtfully, "I could request my father's help, as well. I think while we are searching for a way to restore Flora's sight, Flora would find it comforting to be in his company - after all, if anyone can relate to her condition right now, it's him."

Cora sighed and then replied, "I hate to be the bearer of bad news again, but my father decided to take a trip a few days ago to some other realm - Dagmar, I think it was. Since he formally retired from teaching last year, he's been on a kick to check off all these goals he's had forever - one of which is to visit the best libraries out of all the realms. Anyhow, he decided that the one in Dagmar was one he couldn't miss; to make the story short, he left - and your father went with him. Neither one of them gave a definite time when they would return so . . ."

Palladium smiled wryly, "What you're saying is that we're on our own."


Cora nodded, "Exactly."


"All right then," Palladium replied, trying to prevent this setback from getting to him, "I guess what I must ask next is what can we do for Flora at this moment?"

"We'll need time to do research - lots of research; it's anyone's guess how long that will take." Cora shrugged, "Beyond that, all I can think to do for Flora right now is to keep her as comfortable as possible. That's all there is to it."


Returning back to where Flora and Wysteria were located, Palladium smiled briefly. "It appears we've come to a bit of a road block. It's not that there isn't a solution," Palladium quickly assured, "it's just that we want to be absolutely certain when we cast a spell to reverse Flora's condition that it will not have any negative effects. Because we're dealing with forgotten magic, we must proceed with extreme caution." Nodding, Palladium added, "Cora and I will begin to conduct research as soon as possible, but until then . . ." Palladium trailed off, not certain what else to say.