RMW
Chapter Thirty-Four
Poison in the Flagon with the Dragon
~SV~
Kolo’s Craftroom, Night, 677, 28th, October
Nepathi comes back around to her seat, grabbing a pinch of graveyard dirt that had spilt on the table. Rushing to Kolo’s tall glass, she tosses the grave dirt into it then dumps out the packet, to put ‘Poison in the Flagon with the Dragon’ on it. Watching, Darciana smiles at the Egyptian. Using her fingers, Nepathi stirs the poison into Kolo’s blood drink, but she cannot touch the bottom.
Samala silently thinks about her plans. Darciana says, “He is getting us coins and cloth. Too bad he does not have copper cuffs.” The tall cup is too narrow for Nepathi to get her fingers to the bottom; she struggles to get the poison mixed in his blood drink, wishing she had the knife to stir it. She moans, “Is he coming back yet?” The Rambler says, “No. I will warn you.”
Nepathi keeps stirring it, Darciana smiles, “Hopefully, I can get him to drink it before it settles.” The Egyptian says, “I wish I had more poison. I would love to kill him instead of just making Kolo weaker.” Darciana agrees, “I am hoping it will be enough, so we can escape.” Samala urges, “Stop Lola now. Before Kolo gets back; you must keep Lola from returning.” Nepathi scoffs, “With what? I hope to kill him before he makes me finish it. So far, I did it correctly.”
She adds, “If I finish the potion and spell, Lola shall rise.” Sighing with tension, Darciana says, “I saw one common mistake and it gives me some hope that the potion will go awry, enough to fail.” Nepathi perks up, “Really?” The Rambler thinks darkly of Lola and hisses, “I cannot stand that Ghostly Wench.” The Egyptian agrees, “Me too.” Samala states angrily, “You should have used more poison on him and let Lola’s spell fail!”
Still stirring, Nepathi glares at Samala, “As if you want him dead, your words are as unbelievable as you are.” The Egyptian is suspicious of Kolo’s affections for Samala, believing that they are intimate despite the Queen’s unkind words, sensing it is an act or just their form of gross foreplay. Nepathi shutters at the thought of them together, and fears trusting Samala any further.
Darciana defends the Egyptian, “It was too risky to try keeping more poison out of the brew, and he is more likely to see the poison in his cup. It does no good if he will not finish drinking it.” Nepathi says, “At least I am trying, something to weaken him, what are you doing?” Samala scoffs, “We will die again anyway, you need to risk it.” Darciana quips, “He watched her every move!”
She adds, “He checked to see that every ingredient went in, and even rechecked what was left over. It was daring for Nepathi to keep any out, I watched as closely as he did-.” The Rambler warns, “He is heading back.” Nepathi pulls the packet apart as she rushes to her chair, and drops them. She sweeps the bits of leaf and stem under the table with her feet. Sitting she places her foot over the remains.
They nervously wait for Kolo’s return, while hoping for his death and their freedom. Nepathi sees her long lock on the floor and scoffs at Darciana, “Did you have to mess with my hair?” The Rambler replies softly, “I felt I had to retaliate for your very nice scorpion-message and your skillful throw of the knife. Our anger must be convincing.” Nepathi admits, “True; it was wise. I have wanted to show you that Scorpion Messenger Hex, for a while.”
The Egyptian adds, “It was best, otherwise, he would suspect us, as he did in the beginning, only waking one of us at a time.” Darciana says, “He is desperate or he would not dare raise three of us when he is alone and so weak.” Nepathi asks, “Can you tell me how much hair is going to fall out?” Darciana shrugs, “Just that lock.” Nepathi pleads, “Do you have time to reverse it, before Kolo enters?” Worrying it is unwise, the Rambler gives in, and nods.
Darciana reopens her bloody finger, and makes a blood rune. She whispers, “Reverse the spell.” The Egyptian’s lock of hair flies up from the floor into her scalp. Nepathi pats it, reassured, she says, “Thank you.” Samala huffs, “Still, the Egyptian did not need to be that crude about the caterpillar.” Coldly, Nepathi smiles, “I know, you poor little whimpering Queen of Maggots.” Darciana grins.
As Kolo enters, Samala whines to him, “How do you expect me to focus when I am so sticky?” He looks at the three red, blood-caked forms, and giggles at their displeasure. Grinning, the Evil One says, “Any who succeeds in their task gets a bath, will live a bit longer, and can pick how they will die.” Samala huffs, “That does not help me to concentrate to get a vision, right now, does it.”
Kolo ignores her as he ties a cloth on their wrists, and kneels to tie it on their ankles and slides it between their skin and the iron cuffs on the two cousins. He then goes to tie a cloth on the Egyptian’s leg between the shackle and her skin; Nepathi nervously holds her foot very still, hoping he will not see pieces of the packet.
~*~
Pitsville, Witches Shack, Night, 677, 28th, October
Hauling the heavy bags of grave dirt into the old Hag’s shack west of Pitsville, Prince Rorik is tired and sore. Jacque points to a spot, saying, “Set te dirt over there.” Rorik does, letting it drop. The old Witch is digging around in her things, after a few moments she finds her crystal, then presses it to the wall. The Dark Door opens, Rorik has hope, she waves for him to follow her. Walking out of the Hag’s Dark Door, they come into her much cleaner hut.
Rorik asks, “Are we in the Black Forest?” The Hexing Hag snorts, “Oh, poor Pampered Prince, did ya get over done, by a wee bit of work? Has it got me hut lookin’ like te grim woods ta ya?” Cackling, she closes her Dark Door, putting her crystal in a drawer. Jacque motions for him to follow, as she goes outside. They exit into a busy camp; the Prince stops in fear. Their odd apparel, and the men’s ornate weapons cause Rorik to gasp, “Warlocks!”
~*~
Kolo returns the burner and caldron to Nepathi and she re-lights the burner, setting the caldron over its flame. Kolo warns in a darker tone, “If the Egyptian fails to bring Lola, she will endure a new death. Then it is Darciana’s turn to try bringing Lola back to me.” The Rambler scoffs, “Oh goodie.” He ignores her sarcasm, “Aw, night is upon us! I feel a bit renewed.”
Giving them each a copper coin, he says, “If you hold the coin while chanting, it should improve the outcome of your spells.” Kolo is tired from rushing to get the cloths and copper coins. The three watch him as if they are hyenas eyeing a straggler in a zebra pack, nearly licking their lips at their weakened prey. Exhaling, Kolo sits with a moan, “Get it done, and do not fail me, or you go to the Playroom for a new form of torture!”
They cringe at the games he plays with their lives and deaths. Darciana makes him choke, and as she hopes, he grabs his glass. The two hide their smiles as he drinks of ‘the Poison in the Flagon with a Dragon’ on it. Samala muses about her plan, believing Nepathi’s poisoning will fail. She also has a backup idea, but it requires Rorik’s help. She frowns at her son’s unfaithfulness and simmers at Rorik’s ineptitude, ‘How dare he refuse to be where I need him?’
Kolo startles the Mad Queen, as he hisses, “Well Samala, tell me how Sidonia left the Castle!” Kolo takes another sip of the poison. The Queen lies, wanting to keep this information as a bargaining tool, if needed. Samala responds, “I wish I could.” Kolo replies venomously, “I have given you everything! Why are you still denying me?” The Mad Queen smiles at this. Samala foolishly feels his comment means she still has the power of desire over him.
Softly, Samala replies, “Did you forget? None of us can see inside the barrier, so why ask me to exhaust myself trying?” Kolo hisses, “What a pleasure, it sounds like you are looking forward to your next death.” The Queen gasps, “I am not refusing.” Acting hurt she adds, “You are not recalling that it was you who told me that no one can see inside the mystical boundary. So why ask me to drain what energy I have? You should not even expect it!”
Samala then adds, “Let alone threaten me with harm!” Furious, Kolo does not care for the Queen seeking to point out his faults. He contemplates, “I procured a new beetle and plan to try it on any who fail me!” Glowering, the Evil One adds, “It is a delightful type of beetle that eats its victim slowly. I am so curious, how much of you is eaten before death, and how long it will take for its victim to die.” Samala gasps in horror, “You would not dare.”
Kolo smirks, “Oh, trust me, I dare!” The Mad Queen states, “Surely, there is no returning from that!” Darciana and Nepathi watch them, as Samala insists, “You need me, simply give me a task that is not impossible.” Kolo continues as if she has not spoken, “I also want to document how much longer after death it takes for you to just be bare bones. I have not tried it yet.” Nepathi shudders at the idea of being eaten alive. They grin as Kolo takes a deep drink.
He adds, “I will need to perform it several times before I can confirm the times of my observation.” He sways a bit, they have hope, “I-I am actually hesitant to do it at all on my collection. This or reducing any of you to ashes may prove to be quite a challenge… or permanent.” Mockingly, Darciana says, “Trust me, I am past ready for it to be permanent.” He ignores her, saying, “When so little of you is left for me to work with, I am unsure-.”
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Suddenly he loses his thought, “Uh, unsure that I can bring you back. I have been meaning to investigate-.” Again, he cannot recall what he was saying. Kolo then remembers, and finishes his threat, “Ah, oh yes, the Spirit Bottles, so I can continue to see and keep you with me. Even though my charms around this place will not allow you to leave, I think having you in a jar will be very satisfying. I am so looking forward to enjoying and watching-.”
He thinks, “Oh yes, the process. Hopefully, you will not tempt me into risking it on you. For it would be wise to wait, until I try it with someone, I do not care for first. If it works, I can enjoy killing you this way and not be as concerned. By doing it to one, I do not care for, if I fail, it will still be fun.” Darciana scoffs, “As if you care for us.” He admits, “I care that you are useful. I am never- ah- certain any of you will come back, from any of my experiments.”
The Evil One sighs, “It is part of the thrill for me.” The three Witches hate the reminder of this being an endless torture. Samala glares, and her voice holds venom, as she changes her mind, “I hope you hate me that much and fail to bring me back so I will not have to endure these two, nor ever look upon you again! I would rather be in hell!” Darciana states, “You mean Nifl, Hell is for Humans, cousin.”
Samala rolls her eyes, at her and fumes at Kolo, “I used my gift to help you, while you-you were capturing and killing women every year, likely for decades! Odd that the visions never showed you, nor your red-haired other image!” Darciana listens to Samala, to see if this is actually how she feels about him. Kolo laughs, “Well thank yourself. It was your betrayal that allowed me to fully blossom.” She hisses, “If I had known who you were-.”
The Mad Queen seethes, “Or later became-. I never would have let you in my home.” Stung by her words, the Evil One recalls something that will hurt her, Kolo carelessly uses it. He giggles, “Speaking of your home, I had such fond times, being there with you. When you abandoned your cottage I bought it, I even kept the things you left behind.” Samala’s eyes go wide in horror, “You are lying!” Kolo has just tarnished any good memories of her cottage.
Despite not wanting those items, she hates anyone else, much worse him touching them. The Evil One gleefully says, “It is all true. In fact, your cottage is how I got enough strands of your hair to hex your necklace. It is also where I was meeting your daughter. It was so fun to see her eyes as she gazed around it the first time, I lured her there. Imagine her dislike of your dingy place.” He giggles, “Never guessing it was once her mum’s home.”
The Evil One adds, “I was ready to glamor it from her; but it was clear you had never pointed it out to the poor child. Sidonia would have been astonished to learn that you invited me in; giving me readings there!” The look on Samala’s face is truly priceless, as she seethes, “I should have burned it to the ground!” Kolo grins, “Look for your dear sweet Princess, or are you not the oracle you claim to be? So far, I am very disappointed in your feeble abilities.”
Samala fumes, “I am the strongest oracle here, and you know that. If anything, it is your vile blood causing my pure blood to be muddled!” Ignoring her, Kolo seethes, “Must I point it out, to you again?” Samala glares at his tone. Fuming at her insult, Kolo mocks her, “If Sidonia left Blackstone Castle the barrier is no longer an issue!” Conceding, the Queen only says, “Now you know how death causes confusion.” Darciana says, “Maybe she is still at the Castle.”
Kolo shakes his head saying, “The guards also told me that she moved all of her furniture out of her room. It is a complete mystery how she did it. I felt it was so I would know she left. It is mystifying. Sidonia acted as though she was not capable of such magic.” Darciana is impressed, and hopes she eludes him. She knows the spell Sidonia used, and is glad that she is capable of doing it. Kolo says, “I wonder why she hid her abilities from me.”
Darciana grins as the reducing spell is common in the Rambler Cauldrons, and essential to being able to move their things with fewer wagons. The Rambler remains disgusted by Samala’s anger at her own child, wondering what caused it. Clearly, Kolo knows of it and likely knows why she has such hatred. It is obvious that he is purposely speaking of Sidonia to sprinkle salt in Samala’s wounds. It is as if the Queen did something cruel to him.
It must have been recent to have Kolo still hurting over it. Darciana suspects he is renewing Samala’s hatred, in order to get her to betray her daughter by finding her, giving him her location. Nepathi feels he is getting stronger, where before he seemed to be weakening. She frowns feeling confused. He adds, “I would love to reunite you two, and I will even get a tomb to place beside yours so you can hear her. Samala cringes at Kolo’s admiration for Sidonia.
The Queen’s envy makes her reveal too much, “You know exactly how I feel about her foul betrayals!” Samala’s eyes glow; it reveals that her mist is the darkest of the three Witches, and it makes Nepathi grin. Her murky, dark forest green exposes her sinister acts, as Samala seethes, “I told you never to speak of her! Why the grave would I want to see her again?” Her outburst has Kolo second-guessing himself. He fears his remarks might have been unwise.
The Evil One fumes at himself, ‘I should not have told Sidonia and them so much.’ Still, Kolo’s rage holds true emotions, “I gave you several chances; you no longer get to request anything! You are not here for me to please you. Nor do I care about your dislikes. You have forgotten your place my Queen. You are here for me! Do as I ask and things will be pleasant. Deny me and they will be very unbearable.” She scoffs, as he comes around the table.
Kolo sneers, “Your defiance will cause me to not wish to see you at all.” He points at the two tombs he did not open. He comes down to hiss into her face she turns away, Kolo grabs her chin, pulling her back to him. He threatens, “You will be like those two who only get the pleasure of rising each January! You experienced how long that hurts, as you starve. I can make it worse. The longer I wait to wake you the more pain you will endure.”
The Evil One leans forward, glaring at the Mad Queen, as he asks, “Is that what you really want?” Darciana cannot resist scoffing, “I should be so lucky to remain asleep rather than be useful to you!” Kolo does an odd limping skip to the cupboard. He grabs the knife from the drawer, coming to stab it into the Rambler’s cuffed hand; impaling her palm against the arm of her chair. Darciana pulls energy from the armrest, fighting the pain, and manages to deny him.
The Rambler barely keeps from passing out. The Evil One bends to watch, wanting to see Darciana’s pain. He loves the idea of enjoying her agony. As she denies him, the Evil One whispers into Darciana’s ear, “Be careful what you wish for, my wicked little Rambler!” Even though Kolo stabbed Darciana’s hand, the Rambler knows Kolo was really venting his anger at Samala. She barely holds in her scream of agony. Darciana even forces a dark smile.
The Rambler robs Kolo of the pleasure of seeing her suffer. Nevertheless, he knows it hurts, and gloats, “I am so glad I raised you three, each within the last three months.” He grins, “Killing you so recently makes the revival time quicker. Very fortuitous since I require all of your help so urgently.” The Evil One’s foolish skipping has him limping even more, he sits down admitting, “I must have my sister back and need Sidonia as well as that bloody book.”
Kolo fumes, “Now finish; get me the book, Sidonia, and Lola. Nepathi you must do this spell right, do it perfect.” The Egyptian asks, “May I have the bowl?” She points at it. He frowns turning to see the decorative glass dish that he left on the side table, out of her reach. Kolo gets up limps over and struggles to carry it. As he tries to set it down, he loses his grip and Nepathi grabs it before he drops the bowl. Reluctantly, Kolo says, “I appreciate your help.”
She sees he broke open his palm wound, when he stabbed Darciana’s hand. It left his bloody handprint against the bowl. She turns it out of his view. Nepathi thinks about how to use his blood as he slowly goes back to his seat. The three Witches appear to comply. Nepathi gets the potion in her caldron back to a boil. Some of her rune filled, murky-moss colored mist, now comes from her and swirls into the caldron’s brew. Nepathi raises her voice chanting,
“Stand in the Devil’s Pulpit.
As you command, give breath,
To the Angel’s Trumpet.
Blow her onto your Webcap.”
The Egyptian does symbols with her hands, bringing it from the flame, she pours it over Lola’s bloody ashes. Mixing all with the ashes in the bowl. Nepathi chants,
Don the Skullcap and make a crack.
Let her see a way to come back.
On bat wings let her fly with might.
Return Lola to this realm’s grave this night.”
Reluctantly, Nepathi stirs the potion, loudly chanting, saying the spell a final time, as it needs to be said thrice,
“Stand in the Devil’s Pulpit.
As you command, give breath,
To the Angel’s Trumpet.
Blow her onto your Webcap.”
For the final part of the spell, Nepathi suddenly grabs the burner, dipping it toward the potion, setting the brew on fire. As the flames shoot up, the Evil One panics. Shocked, Kolo jumps to his feet demanding, “What in the Dark Realm are you doing!” Nepathi sighs, “Just wait.” She raises her hands, nearly yelling the last of the chant. The Evil One is furious that she seems to be destroying Lola’s remains, as Nepathi’s voice rings loudly through his catacombs,
“Don the Skullcap and make a crack.
Let her see a way to come back.
On bat wings let her fly with might.
Return Lola to this realm’s grave this night.”
Nepathi’s moss-green mist flows out again, as it enters the mixture, she makes symbols and signs with her hands. The flame goes out leaving a cloud of dark green misty smoke. In the center of the potion, a blue bulge rises up. As it hovers above the bowl facing Kolo, they see it is a ghoulish skull of blue mist. It now wails a loud banshee type screech, which lasts all while it moves toward its goal.
Fear has Kolo phasing into a Vampire in an attempt to protect himself. His mist comes to his eyes, covering his brown color making them a navy blue. The Evil One’s veins darken and come bulging out below his eyes and on his neck. He starts to stand but unexpectedly falls back into his seat. Kolo finds his foolish phasing, has weakened him substantially, now he cannot run nor escape.
The terrifying skull has a trail of smoke coming from it into the bowl, as it shoots down the table straight at the Evil One. Wide eyed, Kolo screams in horror as the blue skull hits and penetrates into him, thrusting him backwards off his feet. Kolo’s head hits the back of his throne like seat with enough force to knock him out, and topples his heavy wooden chair to the floor, with a loud thud.
Samala shouts in terror, “You crazy witch! What have you unleashed upon us? You are going to get us all killed!” The other two Witches ignore the Mad Queen, smiling in delight at the Evil One’s horror. He comes to and shouts, “What in the grave was that?” Awkwardly he stands, lifting his chair. Kolo sits down looking like he might pass out. He then wails, seeing the mist is still inside of him. Kolo jumps up, backing away, and spins around; it remains.
The Evil One yells, “Help get it out of me!” Two Witches grin, as Kolo and Samala continue screaming in fear. Nepathi and Darciana are very pleased with their efforts. The frightening skull comes out of the Evil One; it has a long trailing fog as it swirls down, and slowly around him. Kolo screams in horror, until it turns back along the top of the table and shoots by the Witches, to the far wall and now the blue mist skull goes under the hidden door.
Kolo drops into his seat exhausted. “What the Nifl?” It disappears from sight, as Nepathi muses, ‘Hmm, there must be a hole in those catacombs and a way out, maybe big enough to escape through.’ With dark glee, she watches Kolo as his terror continues; she wishes his torments never end, or at least hopes to make it worse. Samala shouts in horror, “You nearly killed us.” Darciana smirks with glee, “You did say, you preferred death to seeing us.”
~RMW~