Strangerville Mystery - Ch 14 - Eye of Newt

Classified Ministry of Defense Research Facility, Rangerville Crater, Monday, May 17, 2021, 7:20PM

"OK, what's the plan?" Molly asked. "Why did we come back here? Let's just go back down and fireball Her."

"Fireball her?" Lucius looked genuinely puzzled.

They had climbed back up from the Project Orchid labs, leaving the raging Mother of Flowers in her deep cavern. Lucius, however, hadn't made for the exit but instead headed down the side corridor to the other lab.

"Seriously? You don't know anything about Dungeons & Dragons, do you?" Molly chuckled.

"I've known my share of both, actually, but I don't see how that's relevant." Lucius said.

"Wha? ... You know what, don't wanna know. Moving on," Molly blinked. "The plan?"

"A Mother of Flowers is an incredibly hardy being," Lucius said. "She could endure great physical harm before yielding and, if attacked, her thralls will rush defend her. Worse, she can bespell those who come against her, turning foes into more thralls. We only escaped now because of our hazmat suits... but as armor goes, those are too fragile for use in a true fight." 

"But you've fought a Mother before," Molly said. "Right? That war... you beat them."

"The Tuatha De did, in ages past," Lucius said. "Our alchemists discovered a potion that would not only protect us but free the bespelled."

"Ok, mix us up this potion," Molly said.

"You must remember, Molly, I was only a youth then... just a foolish young man, seeking adventure and glory," Lucius said. "I wasn't then a mighty warleader or a great hero... or a learned alchemist. Also, more than a few centuries have passed."

"You don't know how to make the potion," Molly groaned.

"Not precisely, no, but don't despair," Lucius said. "I was a foolish young man. While I am still foolish at times, but I am no longer young and, as I have said, I am now quite a talented alchemist. Knowing what I recall of the old potion, and understanding the fundamentals, I should be able to recreate the work of those ancient alchemists." 

"OK, so what do you need?" Molly said. "Cauldron on misty moor? Eye of newt? Toe of frog?"

"The chemistry lab here should serve, and likely have the basic reagents I'll need," Lucius said. "I already have some of the Mother's fruits, but I'll need as many spore clusters as you can find."

"No newt?" Molly grinned.

"Maybe a little, but just for flavor," Lucius replied.

Molly never could tell when he was joking. 

She understood, at least in principle, what he was doing. Knowing a thing was even possible was often the hard part. Once you knew it could be done, if you understood the principles behind it, you could recreate the process. She did the same kind of thing all the time, salvaging troubled engineering projects. At this point, it was down to detail work, trial and error, and a bit of luck.

As she searched for spore clusters... and she supposed she shouldn't be surprised by how plentiful they were in the lab, so close to the Mother... she hoped that having a witch on her side would at least help with the luck.

10:30PM

"You've done it? Tell me you've done it," Molly said when Lucius finally emerged from the lab.

"I have... something," Lucius said, uncharacteristically hesitant. 

"Something?"

"The principles are sound but honestly, Molly, I don't know if this will work," Lucius said. "I can't know without testing it."

"OK, I get that. Product testing," Molly said. "So, we test it."

"In order to test the potion, we need someone bespelled by the Mother," Lucius said. 

"It's dangerous, isn't it?" Molly sighed. "If we just give it to some random person, we could hurt them."

"Yes," Lucius replied seriously.

Molly took a deep breath. "Give it to me," she said.

"Molly..." Lucius began. 

"You've still got some of that fruit," Molly said. "I eat some, I become infected or whatever. Then we can test the potion."

"Molly," Lucius said again.

"We can't ask anyone else," Molly said. "The thralls can't consent. You can't do it because..."

"... if it doesn't work the first time, there's no one else to refine the potion," Lucius concluded.

"It's got to be me," Molly said. "I was getting hungry anyway. Give me the fruit."

"Tastes pretty good actually," Molly said, biting into the strange fruit. "Really sweet but kind of... umm... ugh..."

Her stomach cramped, even as her mouth watered, wanting more.

"It's... ugh... strange," she grunted, gulping down the last of the fruit. "Tastes... really... oh God..."

The cramps doubled her over. 

"Lucius, I think this might... oh crap... not have been... ugghhh... such a great... oh, God... idea," she panted.

"Molly," Lucius cried. 

The pain was staggering. 

"Molly!" 

At the same time, she felt lightheaded, almost disconnected from her rebelling body.

"... molly... don't... i'll..."

Everything seemed so far away...

“I AM THE MOTHER, BEHOLD MY BEAUTY. 

“I AM THE MOTHER, BEHOLD MY GLORY.

“YOU EXIST TO SERVE ME.

"I AM THE MOTHER!"