Lying by the riverbank that only an evening before had seemed so beautiful, Maleficent let darkness take hold of her heart. She lay there for hours, occasionally feeling the flapping of phantom¹ wings. She wanted to stay there until her heart stopped. There was nothing left for her in this cruel world. So she closed her eyes and waited for the end.

But the end didn't come. For as night fell once more, Maleficent slowly awoke, aware of the sounds of nature all around her. Keeping her eyes closed, she heard the trees rustling² overhead and groaned³. But the trees just rustled⁵ louder, as though trying to rouse her. Their branches began to thrash angrily and the wood creaked and groaned.

Opening her eyes, Maleficent watched the trees shake. She knew they were trying to help, but she didn't care. Reaching into her robe, she pulled out a broken, crooked⁶ branch of the Rowan, a piece of home that she often carried with her. With a sigh, she let it fall to the ground.　

To her surprise, the branch began to straighten out. Then it began to grow. It grew longer and thicker until it was the size of a staff. As Maleficent picked it up, her fingers wrapped tightly around it. She felt a surge of power, and despite her misery⁷, she began to pull herself up. When she was standing⁸, she leaned on the staff. It was hardy⁹ and bore her weight well.　

Interesting, she thought as she began to limp forward. With each step, her resolve grew. True, Stefan had taken her wings. True, he had broken her heart. But she still had her magic. And now she had something stronger than magic. She had a mission. She was going to make Stefan and the humans pay for what they had done.

Maleficent wandered the countryside, and wherever she went, destruction and chaos¹⁰ followed. When she passed by a shepherd's paddock, the gate magically swung open and the flock of sheep ran out and scattered¹¹ in all directions, their bleats¹² slowly fading away as they disappeared into the nearby woods. The sky grew darker and the clouds thundered. As she walked through the middle of a farmer's field, the scarecrow rotted and the wheels on a nearby cart fell off. Moving down the road, she raised her staff high. The ground shook and then broke apart, rocks and debris¹³ flying high in the air. Pointing at a mound¹⁴ of hay in the distance, she smiled maliciously¹⁵ as it caught on fire and began to burn, the flames licking the sky.　

With each step Maleficent grew stronger, and with each act of destruction she grew more intense, her focus fiercer. She leaned less and less on the staff until, finally, she didn't need it at all. Still, she kept it in her hand, unwilling¹⁶ to let go of the last part of her old life.　

After a few weeks of wandering aimlessly, Maleficent found herself outside the ruins of a long-abandoned castle. Birds' nests had replaced the panes¹⁷ of glass in its many windows. Whole sides of the massive building had fallen down, and only a few of the outbuildings still had roofs. Moss¹⁸ had overtaken the stone floors and walls, giving the whole place a green, muted atmosphere, and where horses had once munched¹⁹ hay in stalls, nothing remained but a few empty, rotting buckets. But as she made her way amid the broken stone and around the fallen timber, Maleficent felt at peace. This place was like her. Left to rot and ruin. And like her, it held on despite being broken. Lying down on the grass that had grown in the middle of the ruins, Maleficent looked up at the stone gargoylesperched on the roof. They glared back at her, their mouths frozen in grimaces²⁰ that Maleficent found oddly comforting.　

Hearing the rustle⁴ of wings, Maleficent watched as a large raven²¹ flew into the castle. The bird was carrying a piece of corn in his beak²². Landing on the ground, the bird dropped the corn and then began to preen²³, clearly proud of his prize. As the creature pecked at the corn, Maleficent watched him sadly. The black bird's wings reminded her of the ones she had lost, and she wished, not for the first time, that she had never allowed them to be taken.

As the bird flew off, Maleficent sighed and got to her feet. It was no good to wish for things that could never happen. She had done that before and it had only ended up hurting her. She had to focus on the real things that could be done. Like making this abandoned castle her home.　

For the next few days, Maleficent kept busy at the castle. There was not much she could do to rebuild, but she could at least try to make parts of it livable. And it wasn't like she needed a lot. Just a place to stay dry and hidden from any snooping humans. Having grown thirsty from her efforts, she made her way to a nearby stream. But as she bent²⁴ over to drink, she heard the frightened cry of a bird from somewhere nearby. Quietly she made her way to the high reeds that lined the stream, and looked through them, kneeling down to keep herself out of sight.

On the other side, she saw the raven that had visited the ruins trapped under a thick net. Two farmers were approaching, clubs in their hands and dogs at their sides. The dogs growled²⁵ at the raven, causing the creature to flap his wings frantically²⁶. But there was nowhere for him to go.　

Feeling the familiar rage toward the cruel humans building up inside her, Maleficent waved her hand. "Into a man," she said.　

There was a shimmer²⁷ of magic, and before the shocked farmers' eyes, the raven transformed into a man. Throwing off the net, the raven-man climbed to his feet unsteadily.

"It's a demon²⁸!" one of the farmers cried. The two men turned and took off, the dogs following close behind.

When she was sure they were gone, Maleficent stood up. Her gaze fell on the bird she had transformed. As a human he was tall, with silky black hair and dark eyes that darted²⁹ around nervously³⁰. While man wasn't her first choice of form, at least she had saved the creature.

Catching³¹ sight of the faerie, the raven-man cocked his head. "What have you done to me?" he asked, gesturing at his body, clearly unhappy with its present form. His voice was surprisingly rich and melodic³² for one not used to having the power of speech.

"Would you rather I let them beat you to death?" Maleficent asked.

The raven-man lifted his wingless arms into the air. "I'm not certain," he replied.　

"Stop complaining," Maleficent said as she began to walk around him slowly, scrutinizing³³. She had to admit he wasn't terrible to look at, even for a human. She could have created far worse. "I saved your life."

Uncomfortable with her penetrating³⁴ stare, the raven-man shifted on his feet. "Forgive me," he said.

Maleficent nodded. "What do I call you?"　

"Diaval," he answered. "And in return for my life, I am your servant. Whatever you need."　

Whatever I need? Maleficent mused³⁵. Well, that was certainly an interesting twist. There were so many things she did need and so much she could use. Then a smile slowly spread across her face. There was one thing she needed more than anything. "Wings," she said, nodding. "You'll be my wings."

 

玛琳菲森躺在河堤边，任由黑暗蚕食着她的内心，就在前一夜，这里还是那样的美好。她躺了好几个小时，有时仍会有种翅膀在身后扑腾的幻觉。她想一直待在这里，直到心跳停止的那一刻。她对这残酷的世界再无留恋。所以她闭上双眼，等待着生命走向终点。

她终究还是没有等到终点。夜幕再次降临，玛琳菲森渐渐醒来，大自然的声音再次将她包围。她闭着双眼，听到头上树木的沙沙声和嘎吱声。不过树木像是想要唤醒她一样，沙沙声越来越大。树枝开始剧烈地摇晃，整个树林都在咯吱作响。

玛琳菲森睁开眼睛，看见大树在颤动。她知道它们想要帮她，不过她已经不在意了。她从长袍下拿出一根折断的、弯曲的龙湾树枝条，她常常将其作为家的一部分而随身携带。一声长叹之后，她松手任其落到了地上。

让她惊讶的是，枝条渐渐变得平直起来。紧接着，枝条开始变粗变长直至变成魔杖般大小。玛琳菲森将它捡起，五指紧握在上面。她感受到一股涌动的力量，开始试着让自己站立起来，尽管这很痛苦。她站起来后，便倚着魔杖。魔杖很稳当，能支撑起她的全部重量。

真有趣，她一边蹒跚前行，一边这样想。每走一步，她的决心就多了一分。的确，斯戴芬夺走了她的翅膀。的确，他让她心碎。不过，她的魔力尚存。而且现在她拥有了比魔力更强大的东西。她有了新的使命。她要让斯戴芬和人类为他们的所作所为付出代价。

玛琳菲森漫步在乡间，所经之处，都留下一片狼藉。她路过一个牧羊人的围场，围场的门奇迹般地打开了，羊群蜂拥而出，四处逃窜，它们跑进了附近的丛林，咩咩声也渐行渐远。天色慢慢暗了下来，云层堆积。她又穿过了一片农田，稻草人腐烂了，一旁马车的轮子也滚落了下来。她高举着魔杖，继续一路向前。地面颤动着分裂开来，岩石和碎片被抛向高空。她指着远处的一垛干草，不怀好意地笑了，草垛立即着火燃烧起来，火焰 舔舐着天空。

她越走越有力量，摧毁的动作越来越猛烈，眼神也越来越凶狠。她对魔杖的依赖越来越少，直至最后，她完全不需要依赖它了。不过，她还是拄着魔杖，不想丢弃最后一件和过去相关的东西。

漫无目的地闲逛了几周之后，玛琳菲森发现自己来到了一座早已废弃的城堡前。众多空空的窗格上，玻璃已经被一个个鸟巢所取代。整个巨大的主建筑都坍塌了，只有少数附属建筑的屋顶还健在。石阶和墙壁上都铺满了青苔，营造出一种绿色静谧的氛围。曾经有马儿吃草的马厩，现在除了几个破烂的空水桶，什么也没有了。不过玛琳菲森走在这一片断壁残垣之间，内心却一片宁静。这地方和她多像呀，任其堕落腐朽。也和她一样，即便已经千疮百孔，却仍然坚持。躺在废墟中间的一片草地上，玛琳菲森看着栖息在屋顶上的滴水兽，它们也在瞪着她。玛琳菲森看着它们鬼脸上那石化的大嘴，觉得莫名地欣慰。

随着一阵翅膀的沙沙声，玛琳菲森看到一只大乌鸦飞入城堡。他的嘴里叼着一根玉米。落地后，乌鸦将玉米扔在地上，开始梳理羽毛，显然是对自己的收获十分满意。玛琳菲森悲伤地看着这个正在啄玉米的小东西。这只黑色鸟儿的翅膀让她想起了自己失去的那对，她也不止一次地希望过，自己从未失去它们。

鸟儿飞走后，玛琳菲森叹了口气，站了起来。想着不切实际的愿望毫无益处。她之前已经傻傻地希望了一次，然而却以深受伤害而告终。她要专注于实实在在又力所能及的事情。比如，把这个遗弃的城堡变成她的新家。

之后的几天，玛琳菲森都在城堡里忙碌着。她所能重建的东西不多，不过她至少得让这里有一块地方适合居住。而且她似乎也不需要多大的空间。只要一个能躲避人类侵扰的、干燥点的藏身之所就好了。她忙累了，就来到附近的小溪边。正当她弯下腰想要喝水的时候，她听见附近传来了一声受惊的鸟叫。她悄悄地向溪边高耸的芦苇丛走去，蹲下身子隐藏起来，从缝隙中向外看去。

在小溪另一边，她看见那只昨天来过废墟的乌鸦被困在一张大网下。两名手持棍棒的农民带着狗慢慢走近。在狗的狂吠下，鸟儿的翅膀扑腾得更厉害了。不过他已经无处可逃。

玛琳菲森的内心再次燃起对残忍人类的愤恨，她挥着手说道：“变成人。”

一道魔力的微光闪现，农民震惊地发现乌鸦变成了一个人。刚获人形的乌鸦掀开了网，他还有些站不稳。

“魔鬼啊！”一位农民尖叫道。两人转身跑开了，他们的狗也紧随其后。

确认他们都离开了以后，玛琳菲森站了出来。她扫了一眼被她变身的鸟儿。变成人形的他长得很高，有着乌黑柔滑的头发，一双深色的眼睛正不安地四下张望。尽管她并不太想把他变成人，但她至少还是救了他。

感受到这位精灵的注视，乌鸦先生立起了脑袋：“你对我做了什么？”他指着自己的身体问，显然对现在的身形并不满意。对于一个还不习惯拥有语言能力的人而言，他的声音竟出奇地浑厚且富有旋律。

玛琳菲森问道：“难道你宁愿我任由他们把你打死？”。

乌鸦先生举起他那没有羽翼的手臂回答说：“也说不定。”

“别抱怨了。”玛琳菲森边说边慢慢地绕着他走，上下打量着他。她得承认哪怕是作为一个人来看，他看起来也还不算太差劲。她本来可以把他变得更丑的。“我救了你的命。”

在她洞察一切的目光下，乌鸦先生感到很不自在，他来回踮着脚说：“对不起。”

玛琳菲森点了点头，问道：“你叫什么名字？”

他回答说：“迪艾瓦。为了报答你的救命之恩，我愿做你的仆人，无论你需要什么。”

无论我需要什么？玛琳菲森陷入了沉思。好吧，这可真是个有趣的转变。她需要的太多了，而她可以利用的也很多。她的脸上慢慢漾出了一丝笑意。她最需要的只有一件东西。“翅膀，”她边说边点了点头，“做我的翅膀。”

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