Chapter 4:
On Gardania, in the Palace of Light, Mavos watches as only five of the Protectors of the Multiverse come through the fold with his brother, instead of seven.
"I take it something happened.", Mavos said.
"It turns out that those Guardians, that we've heard so much about, know about us!", Devos said. "Zala must of went to them for help!"
"So, they were able to free two of the Protectors, I see.", Mavos said.
"Unfortunatly, yes.", Devos said. "Good thing I was there to get these five out before the archer could free anymore of her friends."
"We must hurry with our plans and go after a world where the Keeper of it's Heart isn't so large!", Mavos said.
"And I have just the world we can go to.", Devos said with a smirk.
"And this time, I shall be the one to take the remaining Protectors there.", Mavos said with a smirk. "They won't know what hit them!".
Meanwhile in Kandrakar, Taranee, Hay Lin, Irma, Zala, and Tala were sitting in a room where Mandy and Martin were laying on seperate beds, still knocked out from the blast Devos hit them with. Will, Matt, Cornelia, and Caleb went to Metamoor to warn Elyon about what was going on. Zala watches as Mandy and Martin are doing a little tossing and turning.
"Are they okay, sister?", Tala asked as she tugged on Zala's robe.
"Of course they are, Tala.", Zala said as she smiled down at her sister. "They're just dreaming right now."
"Oh.", Tala said. "So, they'll be waking up soon?"
"Only time will tell.", Zala said as she watched Mandy and Martin sleep.
Suddenly, Martin sits up as sweat runs from his forehead. He looks around the room to see Mandy laying on a bed.
"What the heck happened?", Martin qustioned as he looked down at his hands.
"Martin!", Tala shouted happily as she jumped at him giving him a hug.
"Tala?", Martin quetioned as Tala sat in his lap.
"Welcome back.", Zala said as she sat on the bed Martin was on.
"Where were we?", Martin questioned rubbing his forehead. "Wait! I remember! Sort of."
"What do you mean?", Zala asked.
"I do remember Devos hitting us with a beam of energy from a crystal shard.", Martin said. "The rest is bit fuzzy, but I remember fighting giant trees and then some big guy with wings and a gold mask, another guy with a sword, and this may sound wierd, even in our line of work. Five life-size fairies."
"Why is it every person that sees us for the first time thinks we're fairies?", Irma questioned.
"Well, we do have the wings.", Taranee replied.
"And then there's our outfits.", Hay Lin added.
"Can somebody tell me what's going on here?", Martin asked.
"We'll be asking the questions here, Mr. Tubbs!", Irma said in a professinal way as she walked up towards Martin. "Do you care to explain all of this?"
"Do you care to explain the wings, Ms. Lair?", Martin countered with a small smrik.
Irma was about to say something but stopped seeing as Martin had a point. Taranee and Hay Lin couldn't help but giggle at it all.
"Oh, my head.", Mandy said as she sat up looking around. "Where am I?"
Tala then jumped over to Mandy hugging her.
"Hey, squirt!", Mandy said as she hugged Tala. "How's it going?"
"Not good.", Zala said getting Mandy's attention. "What do you remember?"
"After, Devos hit us with that beam from the shard, everything gets fuzzy for a while.", Mandy said. "Then I blackout. I then wake up to see two of Will's friends looking down at me. Then, after they tell me what's going on, I help Martin break free of the mind control Devos had on him. Then me and Martin try to stop Devos, but got blasted by him."
"And now you're here.", Zala said.
"We have to go get the others!", Mandy said as she sat Tala on the bed and stood up. "Let's go, Martin."
"Gotcha!", Martin said as he stood up out of the bed.
They both grabbed their weapons and were heading out the door of the room with the others right behind them.
"Hold it!", Taranee said as she jumped in front of them. "You don't even know where they are!"
"They're back at the Palace of Light.", Martin said. "It's the only place Devos knows of in this universe."
"Which is why we're not going there.", Mandy said. "We'll head to the world they plan on going to next."
"And do you even know which world that is?", Irma questioned.
"If I'm right, Devos said it was Metamoor.", Martin said.
"We've been there once, to get a crystal shard.", Mandy replied. "So, using our Fold Crystals to go there should be easy."
"Once there, we wait for the others to show up.", Martin said. "They shouldn't be to hard to sense."
"Once they do, I'll try to free them, one at a time, while Martin holds off the others.", Mandy said.
"That does sound like a good plan.", Hay Lin said. "Can we help?"
"Sure.", Mandy said. "The more the merrier."
Just then, a fold opened in which Will, Cornelia, Caleb and Matt in his Shagon form.
"Did we miss something?", Will asked.
"Will and Cornelia, too?", Martin questioned. "Is there anybocy else involved in this, that I know?"
"Now that you mention it.", Matt said as he changed back to normal.
"Matt?", Martin and Mandy questioned in shock.
"Hey guys.", Matt said.
"I am glad to see that two of the Protectors of the Multiverse are free of Devos's mind control.", the Oracle said as walked into the room.
"And you are...?", Mandy questioned.
"Mandy, Martin. This is me and Tala's big brother, Himerish.", Zala introduced.
"You told us about him.", Martin said. "He's a bit taller than you said he was."
"So what is your plan to save the others?", the Oracle asked.
"Well, I was thinking that we could...", Will began to say.
"Actually, young Guardian, I was asking young Mandy.", the Oracle said.
"What?", Will questioned. "Last time I checked, this was our mission."
"It is.", the Oracle said. "But right now, we need someone who knows who we're fighting against."
"Plus, Mandy is third in command if something happens to Angelo and Joel.", Martin added.
"Plus she already has a plan to free the others.", Hay Lin said. "I say we give it a shot."
"Way to stick with the team, Hay Lin!", Cornelia said.
"I'm still loyal to the team!", Hay Lin said. "But it's like the Oracle said. We need someone who knows who we're fighting against."
"And we know how to fight them.", Martin added.
"No offence, Tubbs.", Cornelia said. "But, all I saw you do was shoot your guns at us. That bearly counts as fighting."
"Believe me when I say I can hold my own, Hale", Martin said as he looked at Cornelia.
"Well, I've seen you how you are on Earth.", Caleb said as he walked up to Martin. "And there, you're not the toughest looking guy there."
"Your point?", Martin questioned as he looked Caleb square in his eyes.
"My point is, what makes you think we can trust you in the next battle when we don't know if you can fight or not?", Caleb said as he poked Martin in his chest with his right index finger.
"That wasn't smart.", Tala said in a sing-song voice as she stood next to Hay Lin.
Martin then grabbed Caleb's right wrist and began to squeeze it, causing him to drop to one knee, surprising not only Caleb but the girls and Matt.
"Let me clue you in on something, Caleb.", Martin said as he bent down towards Caleb. "Right now that nut case, Devos and his brother, have Alchemy and the others under their control! And I'm not going to let anybody or anything stop me and Mandy from freeing them! Got it?"
Martin then released Caleb and walked off towards Mandy, Tala, and Zala. Caleb got up to his feet as Cornelia walked up to him, still surprised at what just happened.
"Guess you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover.", Taranee said.
"Cause Caleb learned that the hard way.", Irma whispered to Hay Lin getting a giggle out of her.
"You know that was uncalled for.", Mandy said to Martin.
"Well, he shouldn't of questioned my abilities.", Martin replied.
"He has a point.", Taranee said. "How would you feel if someone questioned your abilites, Caleb?"
"Not to happy.", Caleb said as he rubbed his wrist.
"So?", Taranee questioned.
"Okay. I get it.", Caleb said looking at Martin. "I'm sorry about judging your strenght and abiltites."
"Sure.", Martin said as he shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever."
"May I suggest we head to Metamoor and head off the others before they start attacking.", Mandy said.
"Good luck to you all.", the Oralce said as he opened a fold to Metamoor. "This will take you straight to Queen Elyon's palace. Make haste! For we do not know when the attack will happen."
Not waisting anytime, the Guardians, Matt, Caleb, Mandy and Martin ran through the fold.
"I hope they will be okay.", Zala said as the fold closed.
"As long as they work together, they shall be fine.", the Oracle said.
Zala then looked around to see that Tala wasn't there.
"Where's Tala?", Zala questioned. "She was here a minute ago!"
"I saw her standing by one of the Guardians before they left through the fold.", the Oracle said.
"You don't think she...?", Zala said with worry.
"I'm afraid so, sister.", the Oracle said. "But I believe that her going with them is meant to be."
"What are you talking about?", Zala said.
"You shall see, Zala.", the Oracle said.
On Meteamoor...
"So, this is the Meridian palace.", Mandy said as she and Martin looked up at the palace.
"Big palace.", Martin said.
"Really big!"
Everyone turned to see Tala looking up at the palace.
"And what are you doing here?", Mandy asked with a grin as she looked down at Tala with her hands on her hips.
"I want to help!", Tala said as she looked up at Mandy smiling. "I can trap the others in bubbles, while you free their minds."
"That's cute, but we may need more than some bubble to hold the others.", Cornelia said as she knelt down to Tala and patted her head.
"Oh yeah?", Tala said with a smirk as she trapped Cornelia in a energy bubble.
"Hey!", Cornelia yelled as she began beating against the bubble. "Let me out!"
"Wow!", Hay Lin said as she knocked on the bubble. "That's a strong bubble."
"Just because I'm a kid, doesn't mean I'm weak.", Tala said with a smile as she released Cornelia from the energy bubble causing her to fall on her butt. "I am the Oracle's sister after all."
"And what have we learned?", Irma asked Cornelia as she bent down towards her with a teasing smile.
"Oh, shut up!", Cornelia said as she got to her feet.
"Hey guys!", Elyon said as she came walking up to them. "You're back earlier than I exspected."
"Well, they wanted to get here to get the jump on the others before it was to late.", Will said pointing towards Mandy and Martin.
"Elyon?", Martin questioned in surprise.
"Martin? Wow!", Elyon said as she saw Martin standing there. "I guess you guys weren't kidding when you said Martin was one of those Protectors of the Multiverse."
"Weird, huh?", Irma questioned.
"A little.", Elyon said. "So, what's the plan, Will?"
"Well, it seems that the Oracle wants Mandy in charge on this.", Will said. "Seeing as she and Martin know who we're going against."
"Really?", Elyon questioned as she walked up to Mandy. "Well, don't take this the wrong way, Mandy, but I don't know you that much to trust your plan. But I've known Will long enough to trust any plan she came up with."
"But,...", Mandy began to say.
"And seeing as this is my kingdom, I say we go with whatever she has planned.", Elyon said.
"But Elyon...", Martin begn to say.
"I've made my decidsion!", Elyon said in a stern voice as she turned to go back into her palace. "Now, let's head inside so we can hear Will's plan."
"Sorry, Mandy.", Hay Lin said as she went to catch up with the others leaving Mandy, Martin, and Tala walking behind them.
"This won't end well.", Martin said as they went into the palace behind the others.
"Well, the queen wants to go with Will's plan.", Mandy said. "It can't be helped. We'll just have to pray and hope her plan works."
"And if it doesn't, we're toast!", Martin said as they walked down the halls of the palace.
Meanwhile, Matt who was walking next to Will, saw the proud, yet cocky look in her face.
"You don't have to look so cocky you know.", Matt whispered.
"Hey! Elyon made the call.", Will whispered back. "Who am I to go against it?"
"Well, you can at least hear what Mandy had planned.", Matt said.
"Don't worry.", Will said. "I can think of anything better than what Mandy had planned."
"You do reliese that is one of my best friends that your talking about.", Matt said.
"And I'm your girlfriend.", Will said.
"Doesn't mean that you can talk about my friends like that.", Matt said. "I don't talk about yours like that."
"He has a point, Will.", Cornelia said from behind. "Maybe we should hear what Mandy's plan was."
"Don't sweat it guys.", Will said. "When the fight is over, Angelo and the others will be free of Devos's mind control."
"And if it doesn't, Irma, Taranee, and Hay Lin will be seriously ticked off at you.", Caleb said as they entered the dinning hall.
"They won't be that mad.", Will said.
"Remember how you were when you thought Shagon did something to Matt?", Cornelia questioned.
"Aw, crap!", Will said as they sat at the dining table.
"So, what's the plan, Will?", Elyon asked as she sat at the head of the table.
"Okay. Here's my plan.", Will said. "I was thinking that when Devos and/or Mavos come to Metamoor to go after the Heart of the world, aka Elyon, Tala can trap two of the Protectors in seperate energy bubbles. If she can."
"I can try.", Tala said.
"Once that is done, Mandy can work on freeing one of them, while Taranee and Irma can work on the others.", Will explained. "And while they're doing that, we'll be keeping the others busy."
"And once we're done with them, we can go after two more of them.", Taranee said.
"Right.", Will said. "We could use your help on this Elyon."
"Sure.", Elyon said. "If it means helping Alchemy, then I'm all for it."
"Not a smart move.", Mandy said getting everyones attention.
"And why hot?", Will questioned as she narrowed her eyes at Mandy.
"Well, for one, you're giving Devos and Mavos what they want.", Mandy said. "The Heart of this world out in the open. Once he sees her, and senses her power, he'll know that Elyon has the power of this world's Heart. They'll then send the guys right after her."
"But we outnumber them.", Caleb said.
"We've faced worst.", Martin said. "They'll pull out their best moves to get you all out of the way just to get to Elyon."
"And once they have her, they'll go after you, Will.", Mandy said. "Seeing as you have the Heart of Kandrakar."
"And if Devos has read their minds, he may send Alchemy after Elyon and Angelo after Will.", Martin added. "It's the way Devos does things."
"Past experiance?", Irma questioned grin.
"You have no idea.", Martin said as he got up and walked out of the room.
"Something I said?", Irma asked.
"When isn't it something you said.?", Cornelia questioned causing Irma to stick her tounge out at her.
"It's not that. Sort of", Mandy said getting everybodies attention. "You see, Devos was one of the first enemies we busted when we became the Protectors of the Multiverse two and a half years ago. He escapsed before by using his power of mind control, he discovered he had while in prison."
"I take it, he used it on Martin once he got out.", Caleb figured.
"Yeah.", Mandy said. "Once he did, he saw that Martin and Alchemy were 'close'."
"When you say close, do you mean...?", Elyon began to ask.
"They're a couple.", Mandy said surprising everyone.
"No way!", Cornelia said. "Why would Alchemy be with someone like Martin?"
"What was that?", Tala asked as she floated behind Cornelia with her eyes glowing.
Before Cornelia could do anything, she was trapped in another energy bubble. Irma was the first to bust a gut at it all as she held her sides laughing.
"I'll never get tired of that!", Irma laughed.
"Now, Tala.", Hay Lin said as she walked up to her. "I know what Cornelia said was wrong, but do you think you can let her out of the bubble?"
"As long as she doesn't say anything bad or mean about nice people.", Tala said as she looked at Cornelia.
"Then she might as well stay in the bubble.", Taranee whispered to Elyon getting a giggle out of her.
Tala then release Cornelia from the bubble and went back to her seat. next to Hay Lin.
"As I was saying, once Devos saw that Martin and Alchemy were a couple, after reading his mind, he sent Martin after Alchemy.", Mandy explained. "Once I was able to free him of Devos's mind comtrol, we told him what happened. He didn't get over it for a while. Alchemy forgave him and all, but he hasn't forgotten about it."
"Something like that would haunt anybody.", Elyon said.
"I can vouch for that.", Matt said remembering his days as a Knight of Destruction.
Will then grabbed his had and squeezed it gently. Matt looked at her and smiled before Mandy continued.
"And now, Devos has gotten himself a power boost with a crystal shard.", Mandy said. "And with that boost, he was able to get all seven of us instead of one or two of us."
"What's the deal with that crystal shard anyway.", Irma said.
"Well, they're shards of a larger crystal that was shattered a very long time ago.", Mandy explained. "We've been searching for them ever since Zala recruited us to be Protectors of the Multiverse. Some we've found on Earth, here on Metamoor, and on other worlds and in other Universes. Some stay on one world while others travel to other places every few years, months, days, or hours."
"And I take it, that each shard gives anyone who holds it a certain power or ability.", Taranee figured.
"That or boost to a power they already have.", Mandy said.
"Are you sure your plan is going to work, Will?", Hay Lin asked.
"Yes.", Will say. "It's like Caleb said. We outnumber them ten to five. We can take them on two to one each. We'll trap two them in Tala's energy bubbles and Taranee, Irma, and Mandy can break them free of Devos's hold two at a time. It's fool proof guys."
"Let's hope so.", Cornelia said. "Or else we all may end up under mind control."
A/N: Well, even though Mandy had her plan on how to free her fellow Protectors from Devos's mind control, Elyon decided to go with Will's plan. Let's hope it works. Or else they may never free them. Or worse, they'll all be under Devos and Mavos's control!
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