Things Left Undone Book 2, Chapter 1
Changing Sides
By CuteLucca
"Allright. Slash, run through the checklist one more time." Ozzie stood before a large table, laden with wonderfully unpleasant objects.
"Snake tongues?"
"Check."
"Large intestine of a cow?"
"Check."
"Frontal lobe of a Rhodesian monkey?"
"Check."
"You know, we had better get ahold of Magus after all this work." Slash finished the checklist, and called for Flea. "Flea! You can start the communication spell now!!"
"Goodie." Flea rolled up her sleeves, and looked over at the opened spellbook on the table. "Okay. Large intestine goes in first." She dropped the intestine in a large copper pot. "Boil in swamp water for thirty-five minutes. Prepare the frontal lobe by julienning with a sharp knife." Flea began to cut up the brain piece. "Why do all these spells require such repulsive ingredients?"
"I dunno, Flea. Probably just to disgust people like you." Slash took a deep sniff of the intestine on the fire. "Smells pretty good. You sure we can't eat it?" He began to reach into the pot, but a slap from Ozzie stopped him.
"If we ever want to find Magus, you can't. Hey, Flea, what's next?" Ozzie waddled back over to Flea, not noticing it when Slash snatched a bit of the intestine from the pot and popped it in his mouth.
"Did you get the carrots and celery?" Flea reached out to take the vegetables Ozzie handed to her. Deftly, she chopped them into slices, and dumped them into the pot, along with the brains julienne.
"Heh, heh. To think, Flea. You kept everyone convinced you were a guy in drag for over twenty years!!" Slash laughed and patted her on the back. "Even Magus couldn't tell you were really a girl!!"
Flea added the snake tongues and salt and pepper to taste. "Yeah. Not bad, huh!! Although, I don't know why I told you guys and not someone else. You two idiots aren't worthy of the knowledge."
Flea glanced back at the spellbook. "Hey, Ozzie, hand me the parsley and thyme." She poured a handful of each into the steaming pot, and stirred it with a wooden spoon. "Allright. I think it's almost done." She removed the pot from the fire and poured the contents into two large clay bowls. A final sprinkling of pepper and a garnish of mint completed the potion.
Ozzie and Slash each carried a bowl of the potion over to the design on the floor. They then dumped them both into the central circle. Flea shook her head and sniffed "What a waste." as the carefully prepared potion seeped into the cracks on the floor.
Flea then got onto her knees and began muttering the words to the incantation. Ozzie and Slash stood behind her, wide-eyed as there was a flash of light and a rumbling of thunder. A figure stood in the circle then, his cape fluttering in the miniature storm.
But it wasn't Magus.
"What-" Ozzie stared at the blond man while he looked around, disoriented. "Flea," he whispered, "what did you do wrong?"
"N-Nothing." She was backing away slowly from the stranger. He had long blond hair, and was wearing a blue suit with an orange cape. His most distinguishing feature, though, was the patch over his right eye.
Slash stammered. "Uhhh, guys, I think it’s my fault. Ummm, Flea?" She looked back at him, an angry expression on her face. "Uhh, does it matter if I ate part of the intestine?" Flea jumped up then.
"You MORON!!" She knocked him a good one right in the kisser. "Of course it matters, you idiot!" She was stopped in mid swing by the stranger.
"Excuse me, but I seem to have been transported here by some strange force." His grip on Flea's wrist was excruciating. "My name is Dalton. Even though you three are incredibly stupid and bicker like spoiled children, I can tell that you are evil and would be able to help my cause incredibly." He dropped Flea onto the floor. He turned to Ozzie and Slash then, who were huddled in the corner whimpering with fear. "I'll be nice and give you a couple choices. I don't give choices to just anyone, after all." He casually leaned against the wall and adjusted his thick leather gloves. "Ahem. Choice number one. You come with me, and help me take over the world. I will give you each a kingdom. Although... You would have to forfeit your souls." He stopped and cleared his throat. He was silent.
Flea prompted him. "Choice number two..."
"Ah, yes. Choice number two. Well, let's just say that choice number two is not particularly pleasant."
Slash and Ozzie, who were still pale and trembling in the corner, launched themselves at Dalton's feet. "Oh, how may we serve you, master." Ozzie groveled. Dalton kicked them away, and turned his attention to Flea. "And you, young lady, what might your choice be?"
Flea, still on the floor, stared at Dalton with hatred in her eyes. "You come in here uninvited, you grab my wrist and make me bruise, you give us two choices which involve losing either our lives or our souls, and you expect me to help you!" She scoffed and turned away. "Choice number two, thank you."
Ozzie and Slash, still gripping Dalton's legs, were shaking their heads violently, trying to get Flea to stop. "Oh, please excuse her, Dalton master sir. She's not all that bad! Puh-leez!!!" Slash pulled on Dalton's cape to get his attention.
"GET OFF OF ME!!" Dalton roared. Ozzie and Slash scrabbled across the room and hid behind a statue. He looked at Flea then, and closed his eyes. "Fine, then. Choice number two it is." He shook his head slowly, pity on his face. "Such a waste of a perfectly good magician." At that, he thrust his arm at her, his fingers spread open. A bolt of magic shot at the defiant Flea, who curled up and absorbed the magic. She disappeared in a flash, only a pile of dust remaining.
Ozzie and Slash shot out from behind the statue. They dropped to their knees by the pile of dust, and sifted it through their fingers, sobbing all the while. "You killed her! Our poor Flea..." Slash turned to Dalton, who yawned and tapped his foot. "You killed Flea! How could you?" he whispered.
Dalton sighed, and said, "If you don't want to suffer the same fate, I suggest you help me now." He grabbed Slash and Ozzie by their necks and carried them to the table. "You can start by remodeling this place more to my taste." He kicked his boots off and lounged in the chair. The terrified Ozzie and Slash rushed to do his bidding.
* * * * *
Flea hesitantly opened her eyes. She didn't see anyone. "Whew. Thank the gods for transportation spells." She rolled over, and screamed when she saw a man staring at her. She shot to her feet, and slapped the grinning man. "Who are you?" She growled.
"Uhh, I'm Toma, babe!!" The man said. "An' I'm your dream come true." Flea slapped him again, and ordered him to take her to Magus. "Yes, ma'am." Toma bowed, and attempted to put his arm around her, but another slap stopped him. Grudgingly, he started to walk. "Come on."
.