"Danny, leave," Jimmy spat, "When Max gets back, I really hope she tells you where to stick it."

"I'll find her myself. You'll all look like morons, but that isn't out of the ordinary for this department. Wait until they find out about your theory on portals," Danny sneered, as he slammed the door behind him.

"Great," Jimmy said under his breath, as he turned back to Matthew, "You're sure about what you saw? This isn't some crazy story?"

"Dad! I wouldn't lie about this!"

"Fine. Carter? Do you have your book?"

4444

Kenny held her close to him, as they wrapped themselves around each other, "Max."

"Kenny," she whispered, as they kissed again, "Mmm."

"I want you so much."

She nodded, unwilling to pull away, "I'm yours."

"Ahem. Am I interrupting?" a voice broke in, "I didn't realize before."

"Marbruk," Kenny stated, as he looked up to see the wizard towering above them.

He smiled, "Taking a break, I see? There is a lot of road to still travel."

"Why are you here?" Max asked, very aware of Kenny's arms still wrapped around her, "Somehow I thought you just threw us to the wolves."

"I want you to succeed, believe me our entire existence depends on it. Not just in our world, but in all worlds."

"So you've told us."

"There are some people who would like to stop us," Marbruk continued.

"Yeah? I think we've met them," Kenny retorted.

"No, not them. This quest that you're embarking on, it wasn't set up by the evil. You have to survive it get to them, it tests if your worthy fight them. The people working to stop us are from your world," Marbruk continued, "They seek to bring you back."

"Can they do that?" Max asked, "I thought you said that it wasn't possible to go back until we finish this?"

"I can't open a portal to your world until you do. That doesn't mean that they can't open one to here."

"How do they know?" Kenny asked, "I mean where we are, or even how to do that? Can they?"

Marbruk shrugged, "Anything is possible."

"And we could go through it? Go home?" Max asked.

"Would you?" he asked, "Just leave in the middle of this?"

"I . . . I don't know," she trailed off, as she looked over at Kenny.

"Be responsible for the end of the world," Kenny added.

She shook her head, "We're here for a reason . . . we have to stay until the end."

Kenny nodded, "Yeah. Can you do us a favor, Marbruk?"

"I can try."

"Can you let our friends know that we're alright? Alive, and somewhat safe? That we'll be home soon?"

He nodded thoughtfully, "I can do that, when they try to open their portal. I'll let them know."

4444

"This is where they vanished," Jimmy said, as they gathered around the place that the cruiser was found, "Matthew?"

"Yeah, Dad," he said.

"Do your thing, Carter," Jimmy added, not sure if he believed that anything would happen.

"I've never done this before, so it . . . it might take awhile."

4444

"Nice trick he has, vanishing like that," Max commented, as Kenny pulled her to her feet, "Who do you think is trying to open a portal at home?"

"My guess would be Carter," he replied, "Max?"

She shook her head, "Can we not . . . What happened?"

He smiled, as he brushed back her tangled hair, "Something I wouldn't mind doing again."

"Kenny," she trailed off, "We can't . . . I'm getting married."

He pulled her closer to him, and just studied her intently, "I know, but . . . I don't care, Princess. I want you, I need you. It's always been you."

Max swallowed, "It's this place, this isn't reality. We can't."

"You don't feel it? Max, look at me."

"Let me go," she whispered, despite the safety she felt in his arms. It feels like home, she realized, "I can't . . . I can't do this with you."

"You already did," he countered, realizing how much he wanted to kiss her again.

"It was a mistake," she countered, as she found herself unable to turn away from him, "No . . . Oh, Kenny."

"Ssh," he whispered, as she pressed his lips to his.

4444

"Stop!" a booming voice demanded, as a bright light appeared before Jimmy, Morell, Carter and Matthew, "You don't know the forces that you're dealing with!"

"It worked!" Carter exclaimed, "Who is there?"

"My name is Marbruk. Your friends are safe, they are doing my people a favor. They asked me to tell you that. You have to let them be!"

"They're alive?" Jimmy asked, unable to believe what he was seeing, "We're just supposed to take your word for it?"

"Ah, I know this dimension well. Always asking questions," Marbruk said, as he advanced upon them, "Your friends are very brave."

"This place is insane," Morell breathed, as Marbruk paused in front of them, "Put your hands in the air! Whatever you are?"

"You think that you can shoot me with that?" Marbruk asked, "I'm the only person who can bring your friends back to you."

"We seemed to open a portal pretty well on our own," Carter countered.

"They won't go through it. I made sure of it. Their only request was to let their friends know that they're okay. If you would lower your gun, I will show you that they are. They looked quite content when I left."

"Why should we trust you?" Jimmy demanded, "What are you?"

"In short, I'm a wizard."

"A wizard?" Jimmy repeated, "Why did you take them?"

"They seemed right for the quest, but then again a lot of people did. They've made it as far as anyone else, but what happens next is up to them," Marbruk sighed, "I hope that they don't let other issues effect what they've accomplished so far."

"If you are who you say you are, show us."

4444

"You feel so good," Kenny whispered in her ear, as they lowered themselves back down onto the damp grass, "You do things to me that no one else could ever . . ."

"I want you," she whispered, "Touch me, Kenny."

"Max," he moaned, as he lowered his head to kiss her again, "What?"

"Not again," she groaned, as the ground shook beneath them, "I think we better get out of here."

"Run," Kenny agreed, as they stumbled to their feet, "North?"

"This dimension really hates us!" she shouted over the rumbling earth, as they ran hand in hand into the woods, "Do we really want to know what is behind us?"

"Or what is waiting in here?" he shouted back.

4444

"My god," Jimmy said under his breath, as he watched them running through the woods, "What are they running from?"

"Our world is different that yours, and many monsters and demons lurk in the woods," Marbruk said, "The challenges ahead aren't easy, but they must be completed."

"Why Kenny? Why Max?"

Marbruk shook his head, "Right place, right time. They're warriors, whether they know it or not. They have a good shot at completing, maybe the best out of everyone we sent so far."

"Can we watch?" Matthew asked.

"It is exciting," Marbruk agreed, "I've been keeping an eye on them throughout."

"This is absurd," Morell interjected, as he stared at the images unfolding before his eyes, "How is it even possible?"

"Anything is possible," Marbruk said, as a shot rang out

4444

"The ground stopped shaking," Max said, as they came to the shore of a lake surrounded by mountains, "I don't hear anything behind us."

"I don't think I ever moved that fast before," Kenny commented, as he gazed out the lake in front of them, "What do you think?"

"I bet it's full of those red shark things, or something worse."

"Loch Ness Monster?"

"Jaws?"

"There is a boat over there."

"And I bet it's for us," Max replied, following his gaze, "Somehow I think that we're supposed to head for the mountains."

Kenny nodded in agreement, as they pushed the boat into the calm waters, "I guess they don't believe in motors in this dimension. Oars? It's a long way across."

"Would you rather swim?"

"Here," he said, passing her one, "It's going to take both of us."

"I didn't know that a Princess was supposed to row a boat."

"You're hilarious," he shot back, as they slowly made their way across the lake, "What was that?"

"They sure aren't taking their time with is," Max said quietly, as she grasped the side of the boat, as something hit it from below, "You want to turn back?"

"Uh, that isn't a choice. Look."

"Where did the beach go? It's nothing but fog! Shit! Would they cut that out?"

"Row."

"What do you think that I'm doing? Working on my tan?"

"Max! What . . . Your legs!"

She shrieked, "Oh god . . . you too!"

"What's happening?

She reached down in wonder, and felt her new found fish tail gently, "We're . . . mermaids? This wasn't . . . he didn't mention this. We weren't supposed to change species!"

"Look."

"Are we supposed to go with them?" she whispered, as more mermaids appeared by their boat.

He nodded, "I think so. Uh, hi."

The blond one smiled, "Hello, friends. Marbruk said that more we're coming. Welcome to our home. If you would follow us?"

"Wait," Kenny demanded, "Why? Who are you? Why are we . . . why are we fish?"

She chuckled, "It isn't permanent, it's all part of the quest. Time is short, if you and your mate would dive in?"

"What do you think, Max?" Kenny asked under his breath.

She reached out and stroked his tail gently, "Is this anymore insane than the rest of this? I say go."

4444

"Someone shot him! Our one link to Kenny and Max!" Carter yelled, as Marbruk fell to the ground and the portal closed, "What we're they thinking?"

"Who is there?" Morell demanded.

"He's not breathing," Jimmy yelled, as he radioed for back up.

"Do wizards even breathe?" Carter added, as he pressed his jacket to the bleeding wizard's wound, "How are they going to get back now, Jimmy?"

4444

Diving into the crystal water, Max marveled at the ease of which they traveled to the depths of the lake. Flapping her tail gently, she glided alongside Kenny, as they followed the others towards the underwater caverns. It's beautiful, she thought, I don't think I've ever seen anything more beautiful. Gliding through the cavern entrance, she reluctantly followed the others to the surface.

"You okay?" Kenny asked, as soon as they broke the surface.

She nodded, "Can you believe this? That was amazing."

"We're fish, Max. I want this part finished."

She smiled at him, and smoothed back his wet hair, "You look pretty good with that tail."

"Ahem," the blond mermaid interjected, "This is a lot to take in, I'm well aware. This is where we must leave you both though. When you finish this part of the journey, the tails will vanish and you will receive the fourth orb. Good luck, my friends."

"Why do they keep doing that?" Kenny asked, "Would it kill them to give us some clue about what is going to happen? Or even hang around to help us out."

Max giggled, as she swam swiftly on her back, "I could get used to this."

"It's temporary, Max. You aren't a mermaid."

She splashed him with a quick swish of her tail, "At least for the moment I am. Come on, Kenny. Stop being such an ass."

"Careful, we might be turned into those next. Look."

She swam back over to his side, "Is that where were supposed to go next?"

"Follow me," he said, before diving back under to swim through the narrow tunnels.

Kicking her tail gently behind her, she glided behind him through the maze. Not too sure where they were going, she stuck close, as she studied the under water surroundings. Light, Max thought, as it began to penetrate the caves. We must be getting close. Choking suddenly, she froze, as she watched her legs suddenly return. Gasping, she reached out for Kenny.

He grabbed her hand in his, as his tail vanished as well. Kicking, as fast as their legs would let them, they sprinted out of the caves. Swimming toward the surface, Max was sure her lungs would burst from being so far down. No, she argued with herself, keep swimming up. You aren't giving up, you aren't dying here. You're not letting Kenny die here.

"Ahh," she cried, as they exploded onto the surface and gasped for air, "Kenny!"

"What happened down there?" he gasped, "And now! Hold on!"

Clinging tight to each other, as the rapids swept them down stream. Max stifled a scream as they crashed around rocks.

"Kenny!" she screamed, "Up ahead! Look!"

"Shit!" he yelled back, as the waterfall came into view, "We can't . . . Look! That tree branch. Grab it, Max!"

Gritting her teeth in determination, she held fast to him and lunged for the branch overhanging the water, "Got it!"

"Hold on!" he yelled, over the rush of water, "Do not let go of it, Max! Don't worry about me, pull yourself up!"

She dug her nails in, as he reached up to grab on as well, "You're bleeding."

"Yeah, well so are you," he countered, as they pulled themselves on top the branch and crawled toward shore. Collapsing onto the riverbank, "I see why no one made it through that!"

"We did," she whispered, as the fourth orb appeared in front of them.