Notes: This story takes place after the Season 1 finale. I really liked the song "Ready as I'll Ever Be" from the Tangled series and I wrote this with that song in mind. I changed the lyrics slightly to fit this story but I will include a link so you can hear what it sounds like. I hope you like it and thanks to all my friends on Discord who helped me write this story! Love you guys!
watch?v=BRbx6GTK71Y
"Why are we out here again?"
Donald grumbled as his foot slipped on the loose edge of the cliff they were scaling.
"Because we can't let Felldrake get his hands on the phoenix egg. Who knows what could happen if he harnessed its ability of reincarnation and immortality?"
Xandra called down from the top of the cliff. She was the first of the group to make it up and she sighed as the rest continued their struggle to climb the steep cliffside. Her eyes scanned the area while she waited. It was dense with foliage and flora. Trees expanded high in the sky, full of green leaves swishing in the wind. Bushes and flowers littered the ground, with the edge being the only place bare of plant life. Though she scanned for the barest hint of her foe, she found nothing.
"I hope this is not another trap."
José pulled himself over the edge. He waited for Panchito to join and then extended his umbrella for Donald. The two hefted the duck up and joined Xandra, who was now standing over the nest. She cast a protective magic barrier over it and beckoned the Caballeros closer.
"Can you guys add a little of your magic to the shield as well? That should be more than enough to prevent Felldrake from getting it."
The Caballeros formed a triangle around the nest and held their hands out. Each one concentrated on fortifying the shield. Their magic, each in their respective colors, joined in with the magic of the shield Xandra had cast.
"Great! I guess we can go then!"
The group gathered around Xandra and just as she started teleporting them away, a bolt of purple magic struck Donald, careening him from the group. The others screamed his name but their calls were cut off from teleporting away.
"Augh!"
Donald slammed into the dirt and slid several feet away. He saw another flash of purple before pain overwhelmed him.
"-ald!"
The group appeared in the foyer of the mansion. Xandra immediately started flipping pages in the book, trying to find the one that would take them back to the cliff.
"What's going on?"
April asked as she worriedly glanced at the group.
"And why isn't Donald with you?"
May added, looking between them as she waited for a response.
"Felldrake laid a trap for us. He separated us from Donald just as we were teleporting away. Since he wasn't close enough, he didn't get teleported along. Be prepared to fight when we arrive."
Xandra responded.
They teleported back to the cliff but found no one around. She remembered the direction the bolt came from and focused on scouting that area, bow in hand. Panchito and José went towards the blast mark and skid marks on the ground.
"Oh, no…"
Panchito whispered. Xandra turned to look at what Jose was holding. It was a burned sailor's hat. She growled and punched a nearby tree so hard it fell over.
"Darn it! I can't believe I fell for his trap!"
José and Panchito walked over to her.
"He must've been captured."
Panchito tucked the hat into his pocket.
"We don't even know where they are!"
José added. Xandra pulled the atlas out.
"Let's head back to the mansion. Hopefully, we'll be able to think of something."
Ari and the nieces were waiting for them when they reappeared. June covered her beak in horror as she noticed Donald still wasn't with them.
"Oh, no! What happened?"
Panchito sighed, "Donald was captured by Felldrake. We need to head to the cabana and see if we can find Felldrake on the map."
Everyone rushed to the cabana. However, the map for tracking Felldrake had no signal for it.
"What do we do now?"
June questioned.
Suddenly the front door fell down.
"Oops. Sorry about that."
Daisy apologized. She stepped over the door and watched as Ari fixed it.
"Where's Donald? I was at the mansion and since I didn't get an answer, I thought he'd be here?"
Everyone frowned as they looked at each other. May looked at her sisters before turning back to her aunt.
"Donald's… been captured."
Daisy gasped.
"What? Captured by who?"
José stepped forward.
"He has been captured by Felldrake."
Daisy's face scrunched up in anger.
"How dare he? Have you figured out where he is? We need to rescue him as soon as possible!"
"We?"
Panchito questioned. Daisy glared at him.
"Yes, 'we'. Donald is in danger and there is no way you are leaving me behind. Now, do you guys have a way to find him?"
José tapped his umbrella on the ground as he thought.
"Can we track him through the power of our amulets?"
Xandra grinned.
"Of, course!"
She turned to Panchito and Jose.
"You guys need to think about your connection to Donald. I don't think you'll be able to pinpoint an exact area but anything that can give us a general location would be great."
José and Panchito closed their eyes and focused. They could sense each other and focused on searching for Donald's magic instead. The pull was strangely nearby.
"That's odd… he's really close by?"
Panchito told the others. José nodded.
"It's almost as if he's still in town…"
Xandra flipped through the atlas.
"There isn't much in this area though. If Felldrake made a new evil lair, it has to be in the forest or in the mountains. What's the most notable landmark in this area, Daisy?"
Daisy thought about it.
"Well, I'd say 'Old Demon Tooth Mountain'."
May snapped her fingers.
"You're right! And if I were an evil villain who wanted to make a secret lair…"
"I'd build it on a mountain close to home with a creepy name!"
June finished her sentence.
"Alright everyone, at least we have an idea were Donald is. Now we need to get ready to storm the place."
Felldrake grinned as he used his magic to sculpt the inside of the cave. The room he was in looked almost like the one in his old basement. One of the three heads was carved along the walls and there was also a stone altar in the center. He turned around and walked to the chained figure that was glaring daggers at him. He pulled Donald up by the collar of his shirt.
"Soon, duck, your powers will be mine. You were only able to stop me because there were three of you. After today, well, that will cease to be an issue."
Sheldgoose regained control of his body.
"And I'll become president of the Quackmore Institute again!"
He started to laugh evilly but Felldrake took over again.
"Shut up and get back to work. We need time to prepare the sacrifice and get the defenses set up. I must kill him before the others arrive."
Sheldgoose reacted strongly.
"What?! I-I thought you said we were just taking his powers?"
"I am, you moron! However, in order to obtain that magic, we need every scrap, including the magic from their life force! Now, shut up and get back to work. I need to rest if I'm going to perform the magic draining ritual."
Sheldgoose regained control of his body.
"B-But wait a second! Felldrake! I don't want to k-kill anyone! I just want my presidency back!"
Felldrake took over again.
"I knew you would be too much of a coward to do what I needed you to do. His death means that the contract is void and guess who'll have the power to take the presidency back?"
Felldrake let wisps of his magic flow around Sheldgoose. As he spoke, he willed the magic to make him more suggestible and willing to Felldrake's plan. Sheldgoose's protests died down and his eyes had a slight purple tinge to them.
"That's right, if he's out of the picture, then I can become the president again!"
Felldrake, knowing Sheldgoose would continue to complete the work, retreated back into his subconscious to continue resting for the ceremony. Sheldgoose stared at the altar for a moment before shaking off his doubts and turning back to Donald. Donald watched him approach.
"Please, Sheldgoose! You don't have to do this. If you really want the presidency back we could help you. Do you really want to be a murderer?"
Sheldgoose sighed. The idea made his stomach roil but he wouldn't be able to separate from Felldrake anyway without the magic of the Caballeros.
None of this would've happened had it not been for the Caballeros. Ever since Donald trespassed on his property, it had been one disaster after the next.
His expression hardened.
That's right. It's their fault he was forced into this position in the first place.
He glared at Donald.
"Believe me, I know. I've sunk pretty low,
But everything I've done, you deserved."
He let the magic pool into his hands.
"I'm the bad guy that's fine,
It's no fault of mine,
And some justice, at last, will be served."
He started to form the next figure for the cave.
"Now, it's time to stand up or it's time to back down,
And there's only one answer for me."
He turned back to Donald and gripped him by the chin. He leaned in close.
"And I'll stand up and fight,
Cause I know that I'm right."
He shoved him as he turned away. Donald gasped in pain as his head hit the stone wall. Sheldgoose closed his eyes and felt Felldrake's magic course through him.
"And I'm ready,
I'm ready,
I'm ready.
Ready as I'll ever be."
Sheldgoose returned to preparing the area.
José and Panchito donned their armor. Everyone gathered around the two Caballeros as they prepared for battle. José turned to face the group, raising his sword in the air.
"Now it's time to rise up or it's time to stand down,
And the answer is easy to see."
And I swear by the sword,
If you're in,
Get on board.
Are you ready?"
"I'm ready!"
Daisy brandished her own sword.
"We're ready!"
The nieces held up a spear, staff, and a whip.
"We're ready!"
They all called out at the same time. José faced Xandra and gestured at the atlas.
"Ready as I'll ever be."
She held it out and teleported them halfway up the mountain. The wind was blowing fiercely, the dark clouds flickered with flashes of lightning, and rain poured from the heavens. The group began scaling the mountain.
"Make sure you keep your guard up. Who knows what defenses Felldrake is utilizing to stop us."
Xandra warned. She took up a position in the front of the group. Panchito and José took the rear, making sure that Daisy and the nieces were guarded on all sides. While the nieces were determined to save their kinda-uncle, Daisy was nervous. She wasn't an adventurer like the others.
"Are you quite sure we can do this?"
The girls smiled at their aunt. April and May lightly hugged her as June pushed her forward.
"Together we will guarantee!"
"No one can stop me!"
Sheldgoose beheld all his hard work. The statues were carved, the altar ready. All that was left now was to sacrifice Donald Duck.
Lightning flashed as they approached the entrance to Felldrake's lair. Xandra released an arrow and blasted the door open. José led the way.
"We have to hurry!"
Daisy's face hardened with determination.
"We'll save our world and family!"
The group came upon a spiral staircase leading down into the mountain. They marched down the steps, weapons at the ready.
"Now the line's in the sand,
And our moments at hand!"
"And I'm ready,"
Panchito clenched his lasso to his chest.
"I'm ready,"
José could feel his magic pulse in response to being near Donald's. They reached the bottom of the stairs.
"We're ready!"
Sheldgoose spun on his feet and walked over to Donald. Donald mustered a glare but even Sheldgoose could see through the flimsy defense. He was terrified.
"Ready as I'll ever be."