Chapter Eighteen

About an hour later Prince Vamier returned to the parlor, where the empress had been patiently waiting for him. She looked at him with sheer pity. The poor fellow had so much to deal with right now.

"How is she?"

"Weak, but not dying, yet.'

"This is more serious than I perceived."

"Yes, it is."

"I was going to take care of the whole mess tomorrow at first light, but I don't think it can wait.... You need to take me to the cursed mushroom."

"Do you think you are ready for it?"

"I have to be."

"Thank you for all you have done."

"You're welcome, now let's go... With a hint of luck we may get it taken care of by the nocturnal hour."

"Okay, come I'll walk you to it."

"Good."

He nodded, leading her out of the golden tower and then into the forest; going east. After a quarter mile of walking, he turned to her.

"When we get there, do you need me to do anything?"

"I don't think so, but It depends on what happens."

"Sounds fair enough."

"How far away is it?"

"A few miles. Just down this left hand path." He said, pointing a few yards ahead of them.

"Good, I'd like to find out who would do this to an entire race of people."

"As would I.. How will you find out?"

"One way or another, I'll find out."

"What will you do?"

"You'll see my friend." She gave him a little wink..

They looked to see just beyond the blue hills, lay the dreaded silver mushroom. Vamier had been right, this thing did look to be the size of a small cave. She was in awe at it's gigantic mass. Shaking her head and turning to the prince.

"Wow you weren't kidding, that thing is beyond huge."

"Yes, it is."

The empress took a minute to focus and just breathe, looking up and back to the royal gremlin.

"Alright, I hope this works."

Sitting down in the grass, opening her magickal bag with hope and determination; pulled out a few things. First she made a circle of rainbow crystals around them, for protective reasons. Grabbing the magick potion she stared at the mushroom of doom, throwing it as hard as she could at it.

"Stand back."

The empress prayed to the goddess and then spoke the incatation. Staring blankly as nothing happened for a good thirty seconds. Suddenly a loud boom thundered through the forest as the giant mushroom exploded into bright blue flames letting off a deep purple smoke. She looked at it for a long time, it was an unbelievable sight, mesmerizing. As the flames died out, it left a huge pile of blue dust where the mushroom had resided only moments ago. It glittered in the moonlight like stardust.

"That was the most outrageous thing I have ever seen. I saw it with my own eyes and still don't fully believe it."

"Welcome to my universe."

After a good ten minutes, he looked at her for a long deep stare, then clearing his little throat, spoke up.

"Is this curse broken?"

"It is. It will take a few hours but those who have been affected should begin to heal soon."

"Now what?'

"We wait."