Episode 10: End of an Era

By the next morning, the Ducks and the two princesses gathered in the locker room. Pearl's fever went down a little, but she was still a little weak and drowsy.

"You should get some more rest," Wildwing said to his sweetheart.

"I refuse to miss any of your games and tonight, I don't want to miss it," Pearl replied.

"And for one thing, Howel might take her if she is down in the bed and we're up here," Subria pointed out and the Ducks nodded.

"Ducks, I have something to tell you," Pearl said and everyone stared at her. "The thing is, I can't sense any more spells here in Anaheim. I have a feeling that some may have stayed in Avalon in the past," Pearl explained and continues, "I must ask you this; are you willing to go back to the past with me?"

"I am," Wildwing said.

"So am I," Canard added in.

"Me too," Nosedive replied.

"Count me in," Tanya said.

"And me," Mallory added.

"And don't forget us," said Duke and placed an arm around Subria.

"As a warrior," Grin said in his meditated way, "I will also join the struggle."

"Okay Grin," Nosedive replied, "Your meditation ways are starting to bum me out."

Pearl gave a nod and smiled, but then, she sat down on the bench. Wildwing and Tanya came to her side and Tanya checked Pearl's vitals. "I'm alright, just tired," the princess said.

"You should lay down just for a while. Subria, can you watch her?" Wildwing asked the African warrior princess and Subria nods and takes her friend down to the headquarters.

The Ducks went on the ice for practice as tonight was their game against the Carolina Hurricanes. Wildwing did his best in focusing on the practice, but his mind wandered away as he was concerned for Pearl's condition.

"C'mon Wing," he said to himself, "Pearl is fine, Subria is a strong warrior, she'll protect her."

Just then, Nosedive took a swing at the puck and it flew towards his older brother. Wildwing saw it coming and was able to hit it away from the net, but he hit it a little too hard and the puck slid across the ice.

"Hey Wing," Canard said as he skated up to his friend, "Are you alright?"

"I'm trying my best in not concentrating on Pearl, but with her being sick and with Howel, he is due to attack us any time today, maybe tonight," Wildwing answered, rubbing his temple.

Canard placed a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder, "We are ready for any attack, we always are. Plus, I would think Howel would reconsider in attacking our stadium as I have a hunch that he is a bit soft towards Pearl," he said and leans his head in towards Wildwing's ear, "And for the record, I'm glad that we have Pearl, otherwise I would've been stuck in Dimensional Limbo for eternity I bet."

"I don't know about eternity, but...I don't know," the leader replied and they shared a chuckle and went back to practice.

Down in her room, Pearl slept in the bed, while Subria, like a true bodyguard, kept watch for anything suspicious.

()()()()()()()()

In the dark cabin in the woods, Howel made sure that everything was ready for tonight. "We only have one shot, if we fail, I'm taking it out on you three," he said to his three henchmen.

"Everything will go according to plan, sir," Morholt said to his master, "Once you have the princess and the spell book, you'll be invincible. Not even those pesky Ducks can stop you."

"If I wasn't so soft toward Pearl during the passed two days, I would've taken her and the book, but of course, I want to give the Ducks a good show that they'll never forget," Howel replied and held up a hand. In his palm, a ball of fire formed and it swirled around in the air.

"Now Wildwing," he said, "How far will you go in getting back someone you love?" Howel asked the question and he gave an evil chuckle.

()()()()()()()()()

Evening came and it was game time at the Arrowhead Pond Hockey Stadium. A huge crowd had turned up and every seat had been filled with faithful Duck fans and for those who were loyal to the Carolina Hurricanes.

At the Ducks' bench, Pearl and Subria took a seat with Phil as they watched. "Are you sure you want to be up here?" Phil asked his niece, Pearl. "I mean, I think you'll get sick even more if you don't get enough sleep."

"I'm fine Uncle Philip, besides I wouldn't miss this game for anything else in the world," Pearl replied and Phil ruffled the top of her head.

The Ducks were leading the game with 2 to 1 and they were eager to score another point. Right now, Duke had the puck and he passed it to Mallory. Grin and Canard protected their comrades from the Hurricanes' wringers and defense.

"Go Mallory!" Nosedive shouted, but the celebration was cut short when a wringer stole the puck and he headed toward Wildwing. The leader took a deep breath and waited for the right moment.

The Hurricane wringer passed the puck to another and he took a swing. The puck went flying, but Wildwing hit it away, making it a perfect save. Nosedive picked up the pace with the puck.

The young drake passed the puck to Mallory, who passed it to Tanya. She then did a mental calculation and took a hard swing with her stick and the puck flew into the Hurricanes' goal net, scoring another point.

"GOAL FOR THE DUCKS!" the announcer shouted and the Duck fans cheered.

Suddenly, the lights went out and the ground rumbled for a minute. People cried out in terror and the Ducks looked around, wondering if it was an earthquake or something else.

Just then, someone appeared in the middle of the ice, it was Howel. "Well now Ducks, didn't I say that something will happen in a fortnight? And that I would take something valuable to one of you?" he asked and featured an evil grin.

"You haven't taken it yet!" Wildwing shouted, pointing a finger at the dark wizard.

"True, because I have yet to do this," Howel answered and a fire ball formed in his palm.

"Do you really think you can burn this place down?" Nosedive asked.

"Why don't we find out?!" Howel replied and shot the fire ball toward the score board. The fire ball hit the score board with such force that it fell toward the ice and it crashed.

Electrical wires crackled and fire balls flew out from the ceiling and the seats caught fire.

"You had to ask!" Mallory shouted at Nosedive.

"There's no time to argue, we have to get these people out of here!" Wildwing ordered and the Ducks changed into their battle gear and hurried to assist the crowd.

"Single file! Please, stay calm!" some of the Ducks commanded the people as they led them outside.

Pearl, Subria, and Phil were behind the crowd, but Pearl kept turning her head around, checking to see if Wildwing was anywhere in sight. The white drake decided to check the other side of the stadium for anymore people.

Pearl decided to go back, but Phil calls out, "Pearl, come back!" Then, a ceiling beam crashed down in front of him and he had no choice to go out and he had to pull Subria away from the fire.

"Wildwing!" Pearl called out, but the fire roared and the heat was intense. She felt the sweat trickle down her forehead and she was getting dizzy from the heat.

"Princess," a voice said and Pearl looked up to see a dark figure and its hands reached for her.

Wildwing saw that no one was in the arena, not even his comrades. He went on his com, but it crackled with static, and he was unable to reach any of the Ducks.

The whole stadium was now engulfed in flames and he had to get out, but Wildwing was not sure if Pearl made it out.

Just then, a familiar voice was heard and it sang a familiar tune.

Wildwing, Wildwing,

Fly away home,

Your house is on fire,

And your friends are all gone,

All except one,

Dear sweet Prywden,

And she hid under Howel's arms.

"Show yourself!" Wildwing shouted above the roaring fire.

Then, the dark wizard appeared, floating above the white drake. Wildwing took aim at Howel, but he held up a finger. "Haven't you been paying attention?" he asked, "I did say 'Dear sweet Prywden and she hid under Howel's arms'."

He then revealed the princess under his robe. Pearl looked out cold as she seemed not to be responding to Howel's touch.

"Let her go!" Wildwing demanded, but Howel just laughed.

"You really do love her, don't you?" the dark wizard asked and Wildwing's face showed nothing, but anger, yet he was worried for Pearl. "Let me ask you this; how far are you willing to go to get back someone you love?"

"A die for," the white drake answered.

"How about you die trying?" Howel replied and laughed, again. Pearl than awoke, but she still felt dizzy. However, she was able to notice that she was hovering above Wildwing, her boyfriend and that's when she noticed that Howel was holding her.

Pearl opened her jaw wide and bit hard on Howel's hand. He wailed in pain, loosing his grip on Pearl and she began to fall to the ground. Wildwing ran up and jumped to catch his beloved and they landed on the ice.

"Oh, you stupid girl!" Howel shouted, holding his bitten hand. "If it wasn't for me, you would not have captured those two spells!" he added, but Pearl angrily stared at him.

"If you weren't so soft on me, you would have had me and the spell book already!" she shouted back and revealed the Book of Avalon that she had under shirt.

"I have had enough of your nonsense! One day, one day, I will take you and you will love me!" Howel yelled back.

"You can't win her love by making her your prisoner!" Wildwing shouted and he pulled Pearl away, just as a ceiling beam crashed on the ice.

Howel decided to leave, despite that his agenda was not fully complete, but he had to wait once more.

Wildwing and Pearl coughed and chocked on the smoke as they made their way through the flames. Wildwing used the mask to see a path to the outside more clearly.

Just then, Pearl, unable to take more of the heat, fainted in Wildwing's arms. "Pearl! Wake up!" he commanded, but it was no use and he carried both the princess and the book in his arms towards the exit.

Outside at the parking lot, firefighters used hoses to water down the flames, while the civilians were checked by paramedics or were looking for missing loved ones.

The Ducks, Subria, and Phil looked around, but they could not locate Wildwing or Pearl. "I haven't seen any of them!" Duke said to his comrades when they gathered.

Subria then gave a look of shock, "What if they're still inside?!" she exclaimed and wanted to go back in, but Duke held her back.

"There, look!" Canard shouted, pointing to a shape at the entrance. It was Wildwing and he was on the verge of collapse from exhaustion, but he pushed himself to carry Pearl to safety. The other Ducks hurried to their aid, just as they heard a noise.

"Hurry, it's ready to come down!" Nosedive exclaimed, taking one side of Wildwing and Canard on the other. Subria took Pearl onto her back and Tanya took the book and they carried their friends away.

Suddenly, the front end of the roof came crashing down, but the Ducks were able to move away in time. Pearl and Wildwing chocked on the smoke they inhaled and paramedics came in with oxygen.

"Bro, are you okay?!" Nosedive asked Wildwing, but the leader assured his young brother that he was fine. He then stood up and stared at the flaming wreckage of what once was the Mighty Ducks' stadium. The other Ducks, the two princesses, and Phil also looked on in horror as the stadium burned to the ground.

()()()()()()()()

Back at the cabin, Howel screamed in rage at his own failure in capturing the princess and the spell book.

"I was so close!" he yelled and his henchmen coward in fear, but Morholt decided to brave himself in trying to calm his master down.

"Sir, I think it's best-" BAM! Howel punched Morholt hard in the face that the henchman fell on his back.

"Remember this," Howel said to them, "I am willing to risk your lives and my life to get what I want. Is this in any way unclear to you three?"

The three brothers shake their head hastily and Howel went to take a seat, while Ozanna and Teihti attended to Morholt's injuries.

Howel was thinking of what Wildwing had said to him, "You can't win her love by making her your prisoner!" Howel was deeply disturbed by what the drake had told him. The dark wizard did not want to make the princess his prisoner, but he wanted her so badly that he would do anything to take her.

()()()()()()()

The morning light shone on what remained of the Arrowhead Pond Hockey Stadium. It was nothing, but twisted or melted metal. The Ducks' headquarters was also destroyed, not just from the fire, but from the water from the firemen's hoses.

Drake 1's screen was cracked and it exposed some wires. The stainless steel floors were flooded and the Ducks' private rooms were badly damaged from both the water and fire.

Captain Kelghorn had come to give any support to the Ducks. "I'm very sorry, Ducks. I never thought a fire would take down a place like this," he said.

"Wait until I get my hands on that Howel!" Mallory shouted, "I'm going to rip every hair fiber he has!"

"Calm down Mal," Nosedive said, holding down her arms.

"Sorry, I'm just so angry that everything we had here is gone," she replied.

"Everyone listen," Wildwing said to his comrades, "The one thing we should be grateful for is that we made it our alive."

The others nodded, but not Phil. "What am I going to do?! With no stadium, I'm not making money! And if with no money-" "Uncle Philip!" Pearl shouted and the obese manager hushed, but the princess coughed.

Wildwing came to Pearl's side, "I'm fine," she said and looks at her friends, "Now, it looks like we have a good excuse to go to Avalon."

"I agree," Wildwing replied, "We're going to need a lot of help. Do you think your people would offer?" he asked.

"I don't know, but we must try," Pearl said, "Let's use the Aero-Wing, I don't know if I will have the strength to use the 'Time' spell," she added.

The ice arena's floor opened up and the Aero-Wing revealed itself. The plane had miraculously escaped from any damage.

"I'm coming, too!" Phil said, "I've always wanted to join a fight!"

"Captain Kelghorn," Wildwing said to his human friend, "Can we trust you in looking after Anaheim while we are away?"

"As I am an officer of law, I will certain protect this city in your absence," Kelghorn replied and saluted.

The Ducks, their manager, and the two princesses got into the Aero-Wing and the platform raised up. The plane than fired up and it went up into the sky, heading east.

"Good luck Ducks," Kelghorn said as the Aero-Wing vanished from sight and everything goes black.

From the author: With the Pond destroyed, what will this mean for the Ducks for they don't have their headquarters? You will have to find out for yourself later!