Next Mage
51.Restart-2

Curved, beautiful antlers pointed upwards as the lone gazelle grazed peacefully, unknowing of what terrible misfortune that was about to besiege it. And as the Ragnarok attacked, it, too, was unaware of what was about to happen next. ~Oliver's POV

Elvira's plan is pure genius, I observed as she explained it. Because she'll get to keep her power afterwards. She will, right? Whoops, I forgot to ask her, I looked at Elvira, who was explaining it for a second time to the people who had been guarding us from the Ragnarok mages, who were, surprisingly, still stationary.

"So. 'Restart'. Basically, I turn back time. Remember, we aren't time travelling, but only rewinding time, and you can choose what time you want to rewind to. Any ideas?" She said. Before anyone could speak, she started up again. "So, say we restart to a time when none of this had happened--"

"Like before the Elders and half of the Academy was destroyed!" Someone suggested, and Elvira shot them a look of annoyance before contemplating on the thought, her lips slowing tugging upwards into a smile.

"Yes. How did I not think of that earlier? Let's say we restart time to there--"

"Which we will, right?" Another added hopefully. Elvira nodded irritably.

"Yes, of course we will, ding-dong! Anyway, what I've been trying to say this whole time is that we'll restart time, yada yada, but," Elvira paused dramatically. "Everyone here who didn't know about the Academy and magic in that period of time will get the choice on whether to keep their memories or not. But of course, everyone has told me that they want to keep their memories. Oh, and the best part is that if we go back to a time when someone who's dead now is still alive--" Elvira turned to me ecstatically. "They'll be there! We can stop the fire from ever happening!" She squeaked.

I didn't know what to say.

It was brilliant.

But there was still that.

"Will you still have your power if we turn back time?" I blurted anxiously. "I mean, that would make sense, right? Turning back time would restore your power--"

"No." The dancing light in Elvira's eyes had flickered out. "Ultimates take so much energy that not even time can give me back my power. After this, I'll be--" Her voice cracked. "Normal," she whispered as she stared at her hands. "No more magic," she breathed. "No more teleportation, no more reading minds, no more conjuring up money or food, no more spells, I won't even be able to open a portal, Oliver!"

I put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You'd be a hero," I whispered, not knowing what else to say. She looked at me, her green eyes glistening with tears, not of regret, but of determination.

"No," she replied. "I'd be a human."

~Marilla's POV

Everyone hugged Elvira.

She came around to every single mage, giving each of them something. I even saw one mage holding a tiny bird, which she kissed and put in the small box she was holding in her other hand immediately. It looked like Elvira had just plucked it out of the air. I peered at her curiously when she headed in my direction.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Using my power for fun, for the very last time," she said bitterly. "Here ya go,"

A sock landed in my hand.

"Wow," I said sarcastically. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

"Just messing with you," she sniffled. I blinked, and suddenly, the sock became heavier, warmer, furrier. I looked down in awe. There, sitting in my hands, was a tiny silver puffball the size of one of those tiny boxes of raisins you would get at the supermarkets. I squinted and realized the puffball had two pink paws, a set of bright, cornflower-blue eyes and a tiny pink nose.

"A kitten?" I gasped. "But it's tiny!" Elvira nodded. With a wave of her hand, she produced a small, see through box with a few holes in it.

"Put it in there," she instructed. "The box is bullet proof, bomb-proof, magic proof...basically indestructible."

"Th-thank you," I stammered. Elvira smiled thinly before she walked away. I put the tiny ball of fur in the box and slipped it into my pocket. Elvira ordered us to form a circle. She stood in the middle of it, and for what seemed like forever, closed her eyes.

We waited.

And waited.

Nothing happened for a long, long time.

And then she glowed.

Shining brighter and brighter, Elvira began to scream. We covered our ears and eyes, the light too blinding to look at as it erupted from Elvira's body in powerful golden waves. The light seemed to fill her entire body until it streamed out of her mouth, her ears, her nose, her green irises becoming gold as the light encased her eyes...

Then we fell.

And flew.

We bounced between the sky and the ground, left and right, up and down, faster and faster, my whole body feeling like it was being sucked into a giant golden vacuum. The world disappeared in a searing flash, everything becoming too bright to look at, until the only thing left was Elvira's piercing scream.

And then, as if we had just traveled through a portal, we landed with a solid thump on what felt like soft new grass.

The first thing I felt was pain.

Rubbing my bruised tailbone, I gazed around blankly, my eyes still blurry with flashing golden spots. I blinked repeatedly until my vision cleared.

Elvira was lying in a crumpled heap on the ground, her glorious glow gone.

Oliver, mom, and the rest of the mages were sitting in dazed groups, rubbing their temples and complaining about broken necks.

I fumbled with the box in my pocket, relieved to find the tiny kitten safe and sound, not a broken bone in sight. The kitten mewled and pointed it's nose to the right. I tracked it's blue gaze. Then I noticed it.

Joy swelled in my chest.

Over the unscathed, grassy knoll, all towers intact and gleaming in the morning sun, colorful flag flapping cheerfully in the wind, was the Academy.