The Enchanted Forest (Open; Backdated; Aftermath to Once Upon a Time plot)

[neriumoleander]

The metal pierces the dragon's chest, and through it, as the great beast crashes to the ground, its heart. The world quakes as the spell dies. Memories and realities ripple outwards in great waves of voluminous purple and sparks, though only the most sensitive to magic would see its traces. 

There is no time. Nerium apparates to the dragon's side in an instance, but the life has already gone. All is shattered. Her work, her dreams, the gift of magic she has brought upon all. But there is no time to mourn. No time to think of consequences. Traces of the dragon still burn, the spell is still alive within the wood. 

With a rush of whisper and prayer, Nerium closes her eyes and steps within the burning ash that was once a creature of magic. Her words offer sacrifice to the goddesses and to the great deities of old.

The final gust of wind rushes around her, through her, reaches inside of Nerium and pulls her apart. Something like a soul disperses through the woods, resting upon every tree, every trace of ground, every root and flower and animal until they are one. Nerium's magic leaves a silvery sheen upon all it touches. The quickly unraveling spell is repelled upon its boundaries and what remains is an Enchanted Forest, as wild and alive with magic and fantasy as Nerium's dreams.

And a woman. Just a woman. Whose magic has been sacrificed to a higher calling and lives within her no more.  

She stands there frozen for quite some time. Unsure now where the woods end and she begins. And when the final traces of magic finally leave her, Nerium collapses. 

The next several days are difficult. Even the most mundane tasks prove difficult without her innate skills. Steps heavy without levitation, candle flames exhaustively numerous to light. She still has her potions - her books and knowledge - but all that require a higher level of innate power are lost to her. 

It is no matter. She has brought magic back into the world. True, wild magic. When she walks into her wood, she is greeted by unicorns. The hooves of centaurs echo wild in the distance and the water nymphs which once lived only in her pond now inhabit all the waters of the wood.

Even if only a pocket, pure magic rests now in this world once more. And if this be her legacy, Nerium Oleander Grimhilde, Mother of Magic - it is all worth it. 

(ooc: Find Nerium in the woods or use this to address your character's aftermath of the spell)

Comments

[just_another]

Joel just feels tired now. Tired and sad. He pauses when Nerium speaks and shakes his head without turning back to look at her. It is a beautiful place, he hasn't once said otherwise, but beauty is more than sunlight and magnificent creatures. Beauty is found in love and kindness and warmth and sharing. It's found in other people and he doesn't know how to say that to her, not in a way that will make it feel the way he does inside.

"You can't live in a fairy tale, Nerium. Sooner or later, real life finds you," he says, his voice soft. "Any child of mine is going to know how to be kind to people and that doing things to them against their will, no matter the intention, is wrong. I'm sorry you won't be able to give my baby a gift, too, but it's not lack of magic that prevents that."

This is all she has left now, he realizes. And a part of him still wants to reach out to her, but he thinks of how horrified Coop had been, he thinks of his own memories gone, Charlotte and his parents simply willed out of existence and he can't. He's too afraid of it happening again.

[neriumoleander]

"You are a witch. Why is a world of magic any lesser reality?"

She wishes no debate, nor does she allow his words to hurt her which seems the intent, however confused Nerium may be by it. If he cannot see this world, he need not have any part of it. The magic remains, renewed and rebirthed nonetheless. Yet Nerium watches him go still, feeling a stirring of sorts she cannot quite place.

"You may still take a flower for her, if you wish." She points to a thick patch beneath a nearby set of trees. "The blue are healing. The yellow prevent nightmares."

"You need not return here if you do not wish. But it will remain open to all who are friends of magic."