The following morning, Prince James of the Enchanted Forest strolled along the grounds of Morro Castle, one of two fortress which protected Havana harbor's mouth. Castillo de San Salvador to the west also guarded the strategic port city. Each fortress held a garrison of several hundred Spanish soldiers, while dozens of cannon lined their battlements. Any vessel intent on attacking the city needed to penetrate the gauntlet created by the twin forts; such an act was no small accomplishment.

The Prince himself was a fair man, with neat blond hair and a shaven face. He wore a blue officer's uniform complete with steel chestplate. A longsword hung at his side, and a pistol sat holstered on his hip. While he did not anticipate entering battle today, James thought it best to be prepared.

James approached Admiral Heathrow, commanding officer of the Enchanted Forest Navy. Heathrow was a veteran of the Navy, having been in the Crown's service for over thirty years. He was also one of James' closest military advisers. The Admiral was busy conversing with the fort's Spanish commander when the Prince tapped him on the shoulder.

Heathrow turned around and faced James. He offered a salute, which the Prince returned. "Can I help you, Majesty?" he asked with a slight twitch of his mustache.

"Has there been any word on the King Leopold?"

"Nay, sir. She still hasn't entered the anchorage. Likely still searching for your wife, she is."

Snow's loss had left James distraught. Being separated from his true love was certainly not easy. Still, he and Snow were apart for long periods before, and James held faith in Snow's refined survival skills. Snow would find him again; James was sure of that. She always did.

A booming noise sounded in the distance. Less than a second later, several bricks flew free off the ramparts. A sentry screamed as he fell from the wall.

"We're under attack!" The fort commander yelled in Spanish. "All hands to quarters!"

James and Heathrow rapidly ascended a staircase leading to the battlements. Together both men looked outwards at the ocean, facing the threat incoming to Havana.

The sight was one they'd carry to the grave.

A line of fifty vessels, all of then with black hulls and sails, was making for the city. About half of the ships were men of war, first rate vessels carrying up to a hundred guns. The remaining vessels were a mix of frigates, brigs, schooners, sloops, and even a pair of galleys. Straining his vision, Prince James just barely made out the dark ensign of a mirror flying from the nearest ship's mainmast.

"It's the Queen," James informed Heathrow. "She's found us, but where is she?"

"That's one hell of a fleet she sent." Heathrow commented.

James faced the Admiral. "Get back to your ship," he ordered. "Take command of the fleet. I'll remain here to assist the defenders."

"Aye aye, sir." The ferocious ships were fast approaching and time they didn't have was running out.

While Heathrow departed Morro Castle, James returned his gaze to the fleet. His eyes singled out the largest attacking vessel: the first rate, 120-gun man o' war Armageddon. Queen Regina was aboard: he could sense the witch's taint.

Prince James drew his longsword, pointing the blade at the massive fleet. "Come to your death, monster!" he roared.


"By the Gods," Thomas remarked from behind his spyglass. "That's a huge fleet! I've never seen anything like it."

"Nor I," Tony added.

"Any idea what nation they serve?"

"Yes. Some call her Regina, others call her the Devil's Wife. She is known all over the world, and throughout many different realms, as the Evil Queen."

He and Tony both stood on the Forsaken's quarterdeck, having been alarmed by the distant cannonfire. Even through the tangle of anchored warships, both men clearly made out the distinctive black sails of the incoming hostiles. Already the Spanish and Enchanted Forest vessels were weighing anchor and readying their guns. A fight to the death awaited.

Thomas pocketed his spyglass. "I doubt the Spanish will be able to hold the city against a force that size."

"Strength is in one's resolve my friend, not solely in numbers. If we are to survive this battle with the Evil Queen, we must have faith. She will stop at nothing to bring death to everyone we hold dear if we don't do something now"

The pirate captain looked at the warlock. "Tony, get yourself to the forts," he instructed. "The Queen will likely land troops on the beach east of town. From there, they'll attempt a ground assault. I'll remain here to assist the navy ships. We'll rendezvous at Cape Bonavista when this affair is over."

"No, Thomas. I won't leave you to fight the Queen alone. You don't have any idea what she's capable of!" Tony protested.

"Anthony we don't have time to argue. She will be here any minute! I can hold off her ships with my shipmates and the other ships, but I need you to help another location anticipating an ambush! I haven't got time to explain, just do as I say, please!" Thomas was desperate, the ships were halfway to the harbor.

"Remember Thomas: swords are no use against the Queen! You sink her ships and I'll kill her guards, but the Queen needs a different method! We will meet again. Ozspeed my friend!" And with that, Thomas nodded in salute, and Tony teleported off the ship in a flash of blue lightning (minus the thunder).

The guns of both Spanish fortresses boomed as the black ships came within range. The Queen's ships returned fire with cannon and mortar, striking the forts' stone walls with tremendous force. Smoke drifted off the water and into the city.

Thomas rapidly rang the ship's bell. "Weigh anchor and make sail!" he shouted to the pirate crew. "All hands to your stations!"

Five men immediately began heaving in on the capstan, dragging the ship's ponderous steel anchor up from the harbor floor. Another team of pirates climbed the rigging and worked to free the topsails forward and aft. Down below on the main and gun decks, all of the frigates forty-four cannons were loaded and run out through the gunports, their crews eager to engage the enemy. The mortar on the bow was uncovered and made ready. Boarding parties armed themselves with cutlasses, pistols, axes, and grappling lines.

At last the Forsaken caught the wind and began inching her way towards the harbor mouth. John Cromwell, the ship's Quartermaster, raised the frigate's black flag: a skeletal pirate crushing a crown. Steering around the anchored warships, the Forsaken made a turn to starboard and, on Thomas' order, fired a broadside at the nearest black man o' war. The shots struck the vessel, smashing holes in her hull and killing several of her crew. The Forsaken's mortar then fired, its explosive shell setting fire to the black ship's sails. Morro Castle's guns let fly at the burning vessel, which started to sink slowly by the bow.

Thomas raised a fist. "Today we send the Devil herself back to hell!"

The pirate crew of the Forsaken cheered in response. Cheers were replaced by cries moments later. The Evil Queens' flagship Armageddon fired a single salvo, but no cannon balls leapt from the gunports. Instead, a strange, disgusting black liquid shot out from all sixty holes in the hull, and poured in bucket loads all over people, rigging, decks, and (most shockingly), the open cargo hatches of a Spanish ship close to Thomas' Forsaken. A single fireball struck the oil-drenched ship while the crew was already screaming from swallowing some of the toxic liquid, and the entire vessel went up in flames.

"NO!" Thomas screamed, thinking of the friends and allies that were dying a terrible death. The carnage wasn't over yet, however. A second of the Evil Queen's men of war rammed the flaming ship dead center, breaking the ship almost in half, but not quite. Burning oil poured into the man of war's cargo holds, igniting both the powder reserves and the second gun deck. The man of war exploded in a flash of orange flame. Enormous sections of the two demolished ships flew in every direction, tearing the sails of the Forsaken, and peppering her with more holes in her thick hull.

"Muster whatever speed you can lads! Hard to port!" Thomas ordered. He had his ship motionless for too long it was time to fire back.

Anthony appeared on the watch tower of Morro Castle, the fort closest to the enemy fleet, which Anthony suspected the Evil Queen would use to capture the city. He saw the friendly ship explode, and instantly grew angry at the god-forsaken Evil Queen. He reached out a hand towards his friend's ship, and his eyes lit again. Clouds rolled in and darkened the sky.

Thomas, back on his ship, noticed that the planks of wood in the decks were flashing every now and then faintly blue. He stepped over to the edge of the deck and leaned over, what he saw made him laugh with relief and motivation.

"We're mended, lads. Fire at will!" Thomas ordered. Anthony extended his fingers again, enacting another spell on his friend's ship. The cannons did not shoot iron cannonballs, but rather spiked iron balls filled with gunpowder. One salvo from the Forsaken completely shattered the hull plating off of one of the Queen's men of war. Tony released his hand, but the spell remained. Another man of war moved abaft of the Forsaken, preparing to attack the Fort.

"TAKE COVER! LOAD THE CANNONS! READY ON MY MARK GENTS!" Anthony knelt down behind the stone wall, and listened as the men loaded and aimed their massive iron cannons. Around Tony, gun crews worked furiously to load and fire at the enemy fleet. He found himself standing directly beside Prince James, who turned to face him.

"Hey!" said the alarmed Prince as he raised his sword. "Who are you?"

"My name is Anthony the Blue, I'm the King of Oz and I've come here to help you take down a Witch Queen. Would you like my biography or shall we continue saving each other's asses?"

"No, you're right. When this is done we'll have plenty of time!"

"We'll talk at the parade for the death of the Queen! READY ON THE LEFT? FIRE ALL!" Anthony ordered as all of the fort's cannons began to open fire, and Prince James ran down to the opposite end, repeating his orders so gun crews farther off could hear and react as well. The first salvo tore down the threatening man of war's three masts, rendering her handicapped, but still loaded.

"TRIM YOUR GUNS MATES! FIRE AT THE DECKS BLOW THEIR CARGO HOLDS! FIRE WHEN READY!" He yelled. The tension of the battle was growing with every plank shattered, every echoing scream of a dying friend, and every thundering shot fired at his best friend's ship down below. "PRINCE JAMES! I need you to take every man from this fort not on a gun and mount horses! Protect our shores to the east! The Queen may not be there but her thousand-man army very well could!"

"Alright! I'll go and do that! You shout my name if you ever need help or are surrounded! Thank you so much for helping! Good luck friend! We will do this!"

"FOR SNOW!" Tony yelled smiling. The gun crews reloaded, then fired again. Prince James smiled with a tear, missing his dear wife now more than ever.

Thomas, back on the Forsaken, was getting his arse handed to him. He himself had been beaten to a pulp with enormous flying debris every five seconds, and his ship was just the same. There were three men of war left, and two Enchanted Vessels. The Spanish vessels had all sunk during the engagement.

One of the men of war was barely making headway, getting fired at from both sides by Anthony's gun crew and Thomas' stubborn vessel. But it was too late to stop her. The ship opened a massive hatch in the hull, and deployed an entire battalion of knights wearing black armor. The knights, each armed with a sword and musket, stormed ashore just east of Morro Castle. The Evil Queen's Guard had arrived.

Prince James had massed together hundreds of soldiers from both forts, but time was too short and they were outnumbered. Anthony climbed up on top of the fort's stone wall, hoping not to fall, and raised both of his hands. With one, he made a rain of fireballs, targeting the remaining men of war, and with the other he formed a massive ditch with razor-sharp spears between Prince James' army and the Queen's. Thomas saw this and yelled at his crew, limping in severe pain back to the wheel of his ship.

"FIRE!" Thomas screamed, and turned his ship hard to starboard, targeting not one, but two men of war. He fired one salvo from the main gun deck, which blew clean off the bow of one of the Queen's men of war, and exploded the powder reserves of another. His crew cheered immensely with pride as they watched their enemy go down aflame to a watery grave.

Anthony's spells were suddenly interrupted however, and he was blasted back on the ground, now bleeding from his arms and head. The Armageddon, the last remaining man of war, fired all of her starboard guns at the watch tower, blowing it apart and leaving only a few feet of concrete in its place. Anthony had fallen with the tower, and was seconds from blacking out. He struggled to stand back up, and another blast struck the center wall of the Fort, temporarily deafening his ears, and pinning him by one arm to the ground under a pile of debris. He yelled with the sharp, never ending pain, and tried as hard as he could to not pass out from the blood loss or trauma. Then he remembered what Thomas said. The Evil Queen was here. Where the fuck was that twisted bitch? The coward didn't even show her face! Anthony cast one more spell. His eyes lit bright blue, and his gaze saw through the destroyed fort, the flaming men of war, and the now two-masted Forsaken. With what little strength he had left, he raised a hand and whispered a spell. A rush of air blew over Thomas, and all his wounds were perfectly healed. Prince James had lured most of the Queen's Guards down into the ditch of death, but not all, and was fighting three at a time with his soldiers.

Thomas, now perfectly healed but still scarred and covered in blood, ordered one more shot at the last remaining man of war. Fire and wood and iron exploded together, giving a powerful blow to the mighty floating beast.

"Come on, ya dullards! Give me your best damned shot!"

He ordered a second broadside and his enemy lost a few guns, giving Thomas a statistical advantage.

Anthony still had his hand raised, though no spell was being cast. He couldn't move, couldn't think and now heard hooves approaching him. He strained to look up and to his left, where the Evil Queen rode in. She dismounted her horse, and was wearing a gown made entirely of metal. Shards of blades stuck out like an angered porcupine on her horrifying "do not touch" themed armor. It had a low v-shaped neck line, and she wore diamonds for the occasion. her dress clanged like wind chimes as she walked towards him.

"You! You're Regina, the... Evil... BITCH..." He spat out blood at her. The Evil Queen chuckled.

"Bitch? Please. If I wanted you dead, I would have ripped you apart without moving a muscle. I wanted you alive, and unable to move so that you can watch as I kill everyone that called you a friend." She got too close to Anthony and her armor sliced through his skin like a cheese grater, and he used what little energy he had left to scream, and dropped his head while panting. The Queen ran her cursed fingers over his wounds, and licked the blood off her hand, moaning like a child eating cake. She loved it.

"Death looks good on you! And agony is most certainly your color. You don't have it in you to fight. Instead you'll be left here to suffer with your own regret, and the horrible realization of knowing that everyone you care for is about to be killed. Oh and this little battle on the water? I was never on any of those ships. You just exhausted your only means of defense before the real battle begins. What kind of warrior is that? You're going to lose, and you're all going to die. Enjoy that!" The Queen stood up again, smiling wider than ever, and walked off, and then disappeared in purple smoke. Anthony screamed at her with more anger than ever. In a blast of blue light he threw the debris off of him, and ran off to help Prince James continue fighting.

Thomas and his crew were cheering so loud the whole island could her them. He had single-handedly defeated every one of the Evil Queen's men of war. And though his ship was almost lost herself, she wasn't defeated. Thomas could barely stand, but he stood victorious.

Until the second fleet arrived.

Another squadron of the Queen's warships appeared on the northern horizon. Though smaller than the invasion fleet (about twenty vessels in total), this new squadron still carried enough cannon and troops to annihilate the remaining Spanish defenders.

Thomas spotted this incoming threat, and knew that his ship could not stand against it. Her mizzenmast was gone, and many of the crew were wounded or dead. The Spanish fleet was a burning wreck, along with the Enchanted Forest ships. One ship, no matter how powerful, could hope to defeat such a colossal enemy force, but do little more in reality. Thomas had drifted to the shore in his crippled ship, and took a leap of faith off the stern to meet with Anthony who was standing next to Prince James. They both looked overwhelmed, severely wounded, and tired.

"Thomas, thank heavens your still alive," Tony said to his old friend and hugged him.

"You helped me right in the nick of time, mate. I didn't even ask," Thomas said with a broken voice.

"Get used to it lad, it'll happen until I no longer breathe. That was quite a bloody battle. I did not think it would be half that bad, Now as you can see, we have more on our doorstep. What's our strategy now?" Tony asked. Thomas looked at Prince James, who looked off to the side, knowing where this was going.

"Tony, you can't be serious. We have nothing left. That battle took every ship in our fleets, and destroyed half the city. We cannot survive another attack from the Queen. If we stand and fight the Queen alone, we're all doomed. Retreat is the only option. Time Regina spends attacking can be used by us to find the Pieces of Eden and regroup with reinforcements," Thomas said.

"We can't let our friends and allies die in vain!" Tony shouted emotionally.

"If you stay here, you will die! You're throwing your life away Anthony!" Thomas shouted back, equally as emotional.

"Are you saying you want to abandon me, then?" Thomas asked.

"No I am not, Thomas! I am saying I cannot ignore my duty, I would rather die trying than die running. I don't want to abandon you, but I can't leave these people to the false mercy of Regina."

"Then we have a stalemate," Thomas said, confused, stressed, and impatient.

Prince James, having been listening to this conversation, stepped in with a solution. "We can do both at once. Thomas, you sail on to find these Pieces of Eden, and regroup with the rest of your allies. I will sail with you. Anthony, that leaves the rest to you. Can you defend this island, on your own, from Regina and her forces of evil?"

They both looked at Tony. Thomas was the first to turn away. He thought this was a suicide mission.

"I swear on the grave of Ozma, I will use my last breath to stop the Queen. We can do this, Thomas. I know we can. I wish you would stay with me to help me fight, but I understand. And for the sake of , it helps too that you set out in search of the Pieces." Tony grabbed something out from his pocket and gave it to Thomas.

"What is it?" He asked.

"A Visionary. It will serve as communication between you and me, and if you smash it against your chest, it can send you back here to Havana. It is to be your last resort: a quick, safe getaway should you need it," Tony was having trouble breathing, his injuries and loss of energy made him severely weak, and now he was shedding tears.

"We can do this Thomas, you must succeed at all costs. Make haste, and I wish you safety in the next phase," Tony said. He gave a hug and pat his shoulder.

"I'll be back, with the rest of our Heroes. It's up to you now to stop Regina until we meet again, which we will," Thomas replied, returning the hug and pat.

On shore, Prince James and his army cut down the remaining knights. The surviving soldiers (only two dozen) let out a cheer as the last enemy fell. Tony then returned to the Prince's side, and together they sighted Regina's second fleet. With a heavy heart, Thomas ordered his quartermaster to set a course for Cape Bonavista. The defeated Forsaken cruised westward, away from the battle, leaving Tony to deal with Regina alone.

Prince James thought it a suicide mission, but decided that it might prove useful. After all, it was Tony's life on the line, not his own. And if Tony succeeded, the outcome could certainly benefit the people of Havana. "Goodbye, Tony. Best of luck to you."

"Keep Thomas safe," he asked of James.

Tony saluted James, then continued on his way. He entered the city by drifting onto its shores, posing as a shipwreck victim. The Queen's forces passed him by, unaware of a survivor amongst the many, many dead. When night fell, Tony crawled off the beach unseen and unheard. Tony tried to enchant the Forsaken again, but he was too weak from the battle and watched silently as Thomas and James sailed off to Cape Bonavista.


As night fell upon the Island of Havana, the moon illuminated the horrible scene. Tony was still wearing the black cloak, but it was now torn all over and burnt, and stained with blood. His once green shirt and black shorts were also largely torn and ripped all over, exposing more skin and making him more vulnerable. He needed water to recharge his energy, and his magic alike. He collapsed with dehydration on the beach, and waved a hand over a wave. Each time water got close to him, it was turned into fresh water, which he drank. The more he drank, the more he healed. Within minutes his cuts, sprained bones, bruises, and gashes were gone. His veins flashed blue, telling him his magic was fully restored as well. A sigh of relief left his mouth.

Anthony pointed at the ground with his index finger, then spun it in a circling motion like a drill. The water level in the port city of Havana then fell by a dozen feet. This would restrict a huge ship such as the Armageddon from getting anywhere near the shore. Then with his other hand, he quickly opened a fist, conjuring shoals of sharp rocks and large reefs to further threaten the bay. If any vessels were to navigate through, they'd have to be small and slow, like a fishing craft. No ponderous warship could hope to enter the harbor intact.

Satisfied that the harbor was closed to all military traffic, Tony turned his back to the beach, and began heading towards the ruined Fort.

Unbeknownst to Tony, Regina had reappeared. She was wearing a red velvet dress that was cut out from the middle, exposing her leather clad legs, and boots. The dress had diamonds all over the bell-shaped sleeves, and the large collar behind her neck. The bust and corset were studded in gems and glistened in the moonlight. She looked spectacular, showing more cleavage than usual.

Regina looked at the carnage as she walked on, smiling with the sight of so many corpses. Occasionally she would bend down and smile wider at individual dead bodies. It was as if she were walking through an amusement park with the excitement she expressed, but in reality it was a cold, recent graveyard, only the bodies were not underground. She truly was the Queen of Death.

"Victory always comes with great sacrifice, I know dear. But it would seem sacrifice is overrated!" She laughed to herself again, talking to one of the corpses. She looked behind her where another corpse was but now was gone.

Suddenly, there was a massive explosion, which sent Regina flying backwards into the water.

The Queen struggled to her feet, weighed down by her wet clothing."Who the hell did that?!" she screamed menacingly. "Show yourself!"

Tony complied, and his eyes never shined brighter.

"YOU! YOU KILLED EVERY ONE OF MY ALLIES TODAY AND ALMOST KILLED MY FRIEND. YOU'RE DOOMED! YOU'RE DOOMED FOREVER!" Anthony yelled at the top of his lungs, then cast three spells simultaneously at Regina. He wasn't trying to kill her; he knew he couldn't do that. He was instead putting up hundreds of layers to the shield he created, using everything he had to prevent Regina from resisting. He would stay there as long as it took. He was determined to use his magic to imprison Regina where she stood. He held on as hard as he possibly could, sweating and trembling with so much effort.

"I can stay here all day Regina! You're not going anywhere now!" Anthony cheered. He realized he would have to maintain this level of magic. If he slacked even in the slightest, Regina would take his heart.

"I'll finish you later," the Queen sneered. She shoved her beautiful hands towards Anthony's direction and he was flown through the air backwards, hitting his back on a nearby rock. He had literally been beaten to almost a pulp today and that was the last blow his human body could take. Regina walked up to him, as he was unable to do anything for the moment.

"It didn't have to end this way, King. You and those other idiots made me this way. And now? You're going to lose everything you fought so hard to build. Your world is burning under your own rotten fingers, and you will stay right here! Where you belong! NOTHING WILL TEAR ME AWAY FORM MY REVENGE! DID YOU THINK YOU COULD STOP ME SO EASILY? Stop denying who I am, Anthony. You cannot defeat me, so don't even try, that is if you enjoy... Thomas McNally, is it? Would be such a shame if anything tragic should happen to him on his noble quest to find Pieces of Eden, wouldn't it?" The Queen waved a hand and Anthony spun around in the air again, and hit the same rock, this time with his head knocking him out on the sand. The Evil Queen knelt down beside his unconscious body, and punched her hand through his chest. She held his incredibly brightly glowing red heart in her hands, and held it tighter. Normally this would be immeasurable amounts of torture, but he was unconscious and felt nothing.

"I'm going to rip your friendships apart from the inside out, and none of you will suspect a thing. By the time you wake up, I'll have blackened everything you hold dear," The Queen Turned on her heel and disappeared in a cloud of violet smoke and laughed, leaving the Blue Wizard standing alone on the sandy shore. He was now, with her absence, able to move again.

There was a rustling noise in the bushes a few yards away from Anthony the Blue, and though he had indeed saved what was left of Havana (it was true that Regina had not captured the island, Anthony stalled her and after she ripped his heart out, vanished), but it was devastated. the rustling continued, and a massive fifteen foot long werewolf crawled out, growling, looking where the Queen stood a few moments ago. The wolf trotted up to Anthony and sniffed him. Somehow the wolf knew he was alive, just barely. The wolf bit Anthony's collar in its mouth, and pulled him more ashore.