Elixer 3
by Hilary Duff
Sage is having a rough time adjusting to being in Nico’s body. The transfer healed the stab wound, but he keeps getting sick as he, Clea, and Ben start making their way home from Vermont. He goes to get sick in the woods and hurts himself. Ben calls for an ambulance and sends Clea to flag it down while he applies pressure to the wound. After the doctors are done with him at the hospital, he tells Clea that he only remembers his life after meeting her.
After Sage is released from the hospital, the trio makes their way to a hotel to get clean and sleep. When they start heading home, Sage falls asleep in the backseat instantly. Ben tells Clea that he plans to see what he can find out from her dad’s research when they return, but warns her to be cautious with Sage until then. Clea agrees and prepares to tell Rayna everything that has happened.
Rayna knows something is wrong after not hearing from anyone in days. She thinks about her last moments with Nico and the plans he made for their future together. When a car pulls up, she knows it is them. When they pass her house to get to Clea’s, Rayna knows Nico isn’t alright. She runs outside and into Clea, who confirms that Nico died. Rayna is overcome with anger because Sage is okay, but Nico isn’t. She tells Clea she will never forgive her before she runs off.
The next morning, Piri catches Sage in her kitchen making breakfast. Clea is able to shoo him upstairs and after he eats both of their meals, he falls asleep. Clea goes to talk to Rayna but her best friend’s mom, Wanda, sends her away. Clea is distracted by Sage not being in her pictures when she hears Piri scream because Sage is in her kitchen again. When Clea tells him he already made breakfast, he gets angry and says she is lying. He sleeps again. Clea decides to send Piri on vacation to avoid her suspicions. Clea writes down Sage’s memory loss for Ben, who is off researching Sage’s condition. The lovers have a day together and Sage recounts what he remembers.
After a week of lost memories and short fits from Sage, Ben comes up with an explanation of what is happening. Nico’s body is rejecting Sage’s soul because it wasn’t prepared for the transfer. If they can’t find some way to fix it, he will most likely go mad. Ben agrees to have him committed if he starts getting to the point that he might hurt others. Clea tries to cheer him up by ordering art supplies, but Sage is furious when she asks him to draw himself (old body). He pushes her and storms out. She ends up driving a few hours to get him when he forgets what happened. They start making up and Rayna comes in to see them together.
Rayna has been a mess and won’t leave her bed. Her mom tells her about Nico’s funeral in Montana and how there isn’t a body. Her mom then gives her a box labelled “One day,” in Nico’s handwriting. She finds a large ring that she puts on a chain around her neck. Rayna needs to talk to Clea and finds her with Nico. Rayna attacks Clea, but Nico stops her. Before she passes out, Rayna hears Clea call him Sage and she notices Nico’s eyes are no longer blue.
When Rayna comes to, Clea explains everything. Sage goes to sleep in the spare room so they can talk without the distraction. The girls make up. Later, Sage wakes up and accuses Clea of lying to him about forgetting that Rayna already knows about him. He storms off after yelling at them and Clea follows to check on him. He apologizes, unable to explain the anger.
Ben comes over to explain his latest discovery. Walk-ins are when one soul is ceremoniously put into another body. Ben thinks that if people can really do this, they might be able to give them some advice about Sage. While Clea uses her magazine contacts, Rayna researches on the internet. Clea finds a name and location. Rayna finds a story about eye color change that firms up her belief that both souls are in Nico’s body.
Clea, Sage, Rayna, and Ben head out to Arizona to go see Brightly, a man who supposedly transitions souls. With fake names, they claim that Clea whats to be released and given a new soul. At the facility, Transitions, they are told that Clea has to do it alone. She agrees, figuring she will have enough time to interview the residents before she goes through with the hoax and reports back to her friends.
Sage is on the edge and ends up frightening the owners of the bed and breakfast they are staying at. Ben and Rayna convince the couple to let them stay. Ben tells Rayna that part of Nico’s soul could be trapped in his body which is why Sage’s soul is being rejected. Ben is worried that if they “cure” Sage, Nico’s soul won’t be able to rest. He asks Rayna for something personal of Nico’s and she gives him her necklace with the ring. They want to free both of the souls.
Clea goes through the motions to get registered and settled at Transitions. She asks the residence if they have seen any issues, but none of them have. She notices that all of their stories have horrible trauma, so she tells her edited story in therapy. Everyone gets really excited that Spirit Lianne has transitioned into Spirit Maggie. When Maggie comes to talk to everyone, she asks to see Clea. She reveals that she is really Magda and says she can help Sage. Clea is skeptical that she is sincere. Magda says that he suffered enough and tells her to “appease the ancient healers” and “seek the Greeks.” Clea tries to get more information, but her actions seem too violent and she is sedated. She is told she may have to be sedated for a few days.
Rayna is debating her decision to release Sage and Nico’s souls. She has Sage help her with a yoga pose to get close to him. She focuses on Nico’s soul, and it appears in his body (blue eyes and all) for a few seconds. The group is worried about Clea and calls Transitions, but they are told they aren’t allowed to visit. They have the Inn keeper’s wife, Molly, call saying she is having trouble with a Walk-in. She drives Ben, Rayna, and Sage over and they rush the door when Spirit Bitsey opens it for Molly. Ben explains who Clea really is and Sage demands to see her. Brightly sends Bitsey to get her. Clea is obviously drugged and they get her out of there.
Clea wakes up at the inn and remembers everything. Sage comes into her room and isn’t acting like himself. She notices that he has green eyes when he starts to strangle her. She pokes him in the eye and runs out of the room. She meets up with Ben and Rayna and Ben tackles Sage, who starts crying. Clea goes to him and he is himself. They lay down together while they wait for their flight back home.
On the plane home, Clea and Sage have some time alone together and pretend to be normal. The drive from the airport to home is tense while Sage tires to hold in the rage. After Ben drops them off to go check if he knows what Magda is talking about, Rayna walks home. Sage asks Clea for help. She gives him Vicodin, but she is not sure how much he took. She checks on him to make sure he doesn’t overdose and hopes they aren’t too late.
Rayna tries to keep herself occupied while waiting on Ben. When he arrives, he shows her crystals that represent the greek healing goddesses. He also pulls out Magnetite, the symbol of the goddess of discord, Eris. Ben believes that if they throw this into the ritual, Sage and Nico’s souls will be released rather than binding them. Rayna makes Ben promise that they are doing this for the right reasons, not because they are jealous of Clea and Sage.
Clea takes care of Sage until Ben and Rayna arrive. They need to take Sage to a place that would be sacred to the goddesses, and luckily Ben knows of one nearby. He finds the spot and starts the ceremony. As it is about to end, Sage starts screaming in pain. Rayna tackles Ben.
Rayna read Ben’s notes and knows that he just wants to get rid of Sage so that he can have Clea. The Smile on his face confirms it and Rayna is able to get the black Magnetite out of the ceremony. Departed souls start appearing, including Nico’s. Rayna is able to say goodbye.
The ritual ends and Sage’s soul is healed in Nico’s body.
Six months later, Clea is in college studying photography and living with Sage in New York City. Rayna took a year off and found an internship with a fashion magazine in Paris. Though Sage is indifferent, Clea refuses to let Ben (who is teaching out in California) back into her life. Everyone seems happy.