A/N: As usual, I would recommend putting the video on loop.
Lucian never mentioned how long he was going to be sleeping for and so you assumed that he would find you when he was going to make the dolls. Leaning back in your chair, you crossed your arms across your chest and debated on what to do. You heard dishes being set on top of each other and wondered if Nafera would want to play another game of cards or perhaps something different, but then you remembered her saying that she would be busy all day cleaning the mansion. Not wanting to read, you decided to just go visit Pastel, since you would have to go to the potions room later anyway.
Getting out of your chair, you pushed it back in and left the dining room. Once in the foyer, you looked at the places where the statues used to be. There were no longer cherubs and a woman in the entrance hall. In the cherubs' place were just four candelabras standing on their own. As for the woman she was replaced by a statue of a Pegasus whose wings were filled with various lights. You knew that Lucian had placed the Pegasus there, since you had admired the one in the sky. It was a thoughtful gesture, but part of you wished that there was no statue in the entrance hall, since you were constantly worried of it coming to life. This would now be impossible due to the barriers unless Lucian made the statue come alive, but still the idea of it attacking you remained in your head. Thus you quickly made your way through the foyer and went to the potions room.
Putting in the right combination of gemstones, you allowed the door to open. Going inside, you were surprised to find the nezati not on the small stone round table. Closing the door behind you, you searched the room for the small pale pink animal. Now at the back of the room, you reached the last shelf filled with books, potions and other various objects, however you saw that there was a space behind the shelf. Peeking around the shelf, you saw a simple wooden door along with a plain wooden rectangular table across from you. A square window at the top of the wall let in a stream of light from the outside. You smiled lightly at seeing the nezati on top of the table, sleeping in a miniature wooden four-post bed, which seemed to be specifically designed for the creature. Pale blue sheets covered Pastel, as he nuzzled into the pale blue pillows.
Walking over to the table, you noticed that there was a miniature wooden door in the wall behind the table. Curious, you opened the door, finding that it led outside. Well at least Pastel had a way to go outside easily. Closing the door, you stood back up and turned your attention to the other door. Going over to it, you rested your right hand on the doorknob. Turning the knob, you found that it was locked. Not having access to the room, you looked back over at Pastel. You didn't want to wake him up, so you decided to just look around the room, since you never got the chance to look at all the different potions before.
Picking a random shelf, you scanned over the potions and found one that intrigued you. Pushing other bottles aside, you picked the bottle up.There was no name on the bottle; rather it merely had the picture of someone's head on it. The intriguing part was that the person's hair in the picture kept changing color. You easily guessed that it was a hair color potion due to the picture and tried to imagine Lucian with different colored hair, though every time you pictured a different color, you found that Lucian could probably pull it off.
"Hmm, maybe I should secretly give him this one day and see if he really could pull off any color," you mumbled to yourself.
"What do you mean, Miss _____?"
You jumped slightly hearing Pastel's voice, expecting him to still be asleep.
"Umm, well I was just looking at this potion. Anyway when did you get up?"
"A few moments ago when I heard someone moving potions around, so I thought it was Master Lucian, but maybe I should start expecting to see you more often in here," Pastel stated, climbing up onto the table, so as to get a better look at the potion in your hands.
"Well, I do like it in here. There are so many interesting items."
"I'm glad you enjoy it in here, Miss ____. Hmm, hair color changing potion, oh please don't give that to Master Lucian."
"Why not?"
"Well when he was making the potion, he accidentally got some on his hair and it turned horrible neon green. He had quite a difficult time getting his color back to normal, since the potion is rather strong. Council members apparently made fun of him for quite some time. It just brings up bad memories for Master Lucian."
"Well, I guess I don't want the council to torment him any further. Do you mind explaining some of these other potions to me Pastel?"
Pastel nodded eagerly, as you set the potion back on the shelf. He seemed so excited to have someone interested in the various mixtures. Thus he explained a multitude of potions to you, which passed the time rather quickly. Eventually the two of you just began to talk, since Pastel was interested in the human world. You happily answered his questions. It was rather nice to talk to someone about your previous life, to have someone to share the memories with.
After spending five hours in the potions room, you heard the door open. Lucian walked in, wearing purple pants and a simple black peasant shirt. Instead of his usual riding boots, he wore plain black slippers. Pastel eyes gleamed at seeing Lucian, showing the admiration that the nezati had for him. Giving Pastel a small smile, Lucian came over to you two and placed his hands on your shoulders.
"My pet, it seems that your eager to see me make the dolls. I expected this to be the last place that you would visit."
"Well I wanted to know more about the different potions and talk to Pastel," you stated, moving so that his hands no longer rested on you.
He sighed at your action before replying, "I see, well shall we attend to the doll making. Pastel do you remember the materials that I require?"
"Of course Master Lucian, I'll get them for you," said the nezati before jumping off the table and running towards one of the shelves in the room.
With Pastel retrieving materials, Lucian motioned you to follow him. Doing so, you found yourself back at the wooden door that was behind the back shelf. Lucian unlocked the door, revealing a square room, which was illuminated by three windows in the room. The only items in the room were a single wooden table that had a red cloth on it and various limbs made out of plastic. A one drawer dresser rested in the far left corner of the room. Furthermore, jars filled with organs outlined several shelves in the room, though the organs were made out of plastic as well. Entering the room, Lucian began to gather the various plastic limbs before assembling them together. Seeing a painted blue chair in the room, you pulled it over next to the table where Lucian was setting the limbs.
When he had them all assembled, he began to grab the organ jars, setting them on the table as well. You watched as he placed each organ in its proper place, since the torso of the doll was opened. There were no reproductive organs, since the dolls didn't need them. Having finished, Lucian closed the opening in the torso. At this point, Pastel came into the room, carrying two jars in his tiny hands. You were still amazed at the nezati's strength. He held the two jars up for Lucian, who took them before telling Pastel that he could leave. Each jar glowed in bright fluorescent colors of blues, greens, yellows and purples. Inside the jars flew a small glowing butterfly that looked rather otherworldly. With the added two jars on the table, Lucian put all the organ jars back on the shelves.
Next he started to mutter quiet phrases, which were incomprehensible to you. You watched in amazement, as the limbs all began to connect together and the opening in the torso became forever closed. When this was completed, Lucian opened another jar before asking you what eye color the doll should have. Personally, you thought it would be cool if the doll had two different colored eyes. Thus you stated that one should be green and the other blue. Merely nodding, he placed the eyes into the doll's eye sockets before waving his hand over the area, securing them in place.
"Now my pet, could you open the dresser and pick out clothing for her as well as a wig."
Nodding, you went over to the dresser and looked for something that would suit the doll. Taking out a black dress that resembled a casual maid's attire and a long black wig, you handed the items to Lucian. Arranging and securing them on the doll, he grabbed one of the jars with the butterflies in it. Muttering once more, he began to open the jar. The light in the room seemed to dim, as your gaze became fixated on the flying creature. Moreover, you noticed that the doll's limbs were starting to look less and less like plastic, but more like actual skin. The butterfly neared the doll's mouth before flying inside. At once the doll's chest began to beat and her eyes began to blink.
She cast her gaze over at Lucian, answering with a blank expression, "I'm here to serve Master. What do you wish of me?"
"Please exit the room and wait for me there."
She merely nodded, got off the table and left the room, leaving you stunned.
"Lucian, I don't understand; what was that butterfly?".
"A female lost spirit, the jar is imbued with magic that attracts such spirits. After reciting the proper incantation, the spirit will move into its new body. This gives the spirit a purpose in this world and if its new body dies it will move on. Thus it frees the spirits from an eternity of being lost in the magical world."
"Wait, so the spirit has no recollection of its former life?"
"No, but if its new body should die and moves on then it will remember who it previously was."
"I see, so you're doing them a favor then."
"Yes, many in the magical world wouldn't want to meddle with lost spirits, finding them only nuisances. Now shall we move onto the next one?"
"Yeah," you stated still pondering this information.
This meant that Nafera was once a sorceress in the magical world, who died and became lost due to something holding her back from moving on. You became curious about her past life and decided that soon you would question her on it. She probably wouldn't know anything, since Lucian said that they don't remember their past lives, but maybe you could get her to remember something of her former self.