Monsters and Magic

By: DJ Rodriguez

(Author's Notes: Hey, everyone! How are all of you doing? I got a couple more reviews, so that makes me feel better. Glad to see that I'm getting comments and such from those that read and like my story. Right now, I believe we are at the halfway point here for this adventure!

In this chapter, the heroes, heroines, civilians, soldiers and small monsters manage to escape and hide from their enemies. Meanwhile, Maleficent's cruel and sadistic nature is shown full blast, in her usual aristocratic style that shows her she is a true-blue Disney villainess! And also, a new song is added in it! I call it Naturally Bad, and it is about on how naturally evil Maleficent is and how she can exploit that in people. It is like a mix between the music of In The Dark Of The Night from the animated movie Anastasia, and Poor Unfortunate Souls from the classic Disney movie The Little Mermaid.

Also, just to recap. This story features the 90's version of Godzilla and the others, but I do give a healthy and hearty tribute to the Godzilla of 2014. He is much more then the 1998 version that was directed by Roland Emmerich, that much is certain! And also, this be a tribute to the classic Disney of old, when it was at its prime in the 80's and 90's!

I do not own Godzilla nor any of Toho's creations, and I do not own any of the Disney characters. I do own my creations, the OC's, and also the songs I have put up here so far. I will give proper rights and tributes to songs that belong to other writers and artists should they appear here.

Now, on with the fanfic!)

Chapter 21

Screams filled the conical spire that was now a part of Maleficent's new dwellings. The witch had invaded the kingdom of Sennen, England, forced the armies of the royal family to retreating, captured said royal family minus their children who got away, recreated the palace she destroyed in her own twisted image, and was now checking the minds of three of the bandit prisoners that somehow survived the transformation of the destroyed palace. The sorceress let the screams of pain coming from two of the prisoners, Tightfist and Springy, fill her heart as it was a source of joy for her. She did frown a little when Shadowsneak, the leader of the bandits, did not scream but his body was thrashing around during the process. Using her evil side of mind magic, Maleficent peeked into their memories and saw on what had occurred.

To the magic-wielder, the process took only a few minutes. But to the ones being held under her mental probe, it felt like eternity. Springy and Tightfist screamed loudly as the black magic felt hot and leeching on both their bodies and minds. Maleficent stated as she continued to probe, "Hmmm… the Monster bandits you are called, quite an apt group. And… ahh! What irony I see, the group being taken down by said monsters. So that is how they arrived, like falling stars here to this land. And what power they possess, even though they are now pale shades of their former selves. And… oh! The leader you call Shadowsneak, he tried to escape on his own and it seems he would have succeeded in taking down the green-skinned beast had it not been for those two girls that acted so wildly. Hmmm… interesting.". She ceased her probe, the magical energy retreating back into her form while the three bandits slumped to the ground. Needless to say, Springy and Tightfist were sweating profusely, panting and shivering slightly. It seemed that the probe laid open bare their lives to the witch, and they felt quite violated.

Maleficent walked slowly to the prone form of Shadowsneak, the injured leader of the bandit group very much sweating and his body shaking slightly. The witch glanced down at the leader, and a cruel, sadistic smile was on her face. She looked at the bandaged being and asked, "I sense much hatred and anger within you, Shadowsneak. You resent the royals for imprisoning you, especially the little royal brats who ruined your dreams of power, wealth and respect. I also sense such deep hatred for the creatures that injured you so. Tell me now… what would you say if I gave to you what you crave?". Maleficent had always played on the minds of non-magicals, seeing their weakness and wanting to exploit it for her own gain. To her, these bandits would be excellent soldiers or pawns in any of her plans. She waited for the bandit to answer.

The slightly arrogant bandit looked at the magical woman with a calculated look. Even though his body was seriously injured, his mind was still sharp as ever, and he sensed that if this lady promised him something… it would come with a hefty price. He managed to whisper out, "What is the price I have to pay to get what I crave, witch?". Even though she was a woman, Shadowsneak felt the immense power coming from her. Plus, he felt that she was different then other rouges that he met in is life. Instead of using sheer power and strength, she relied on a keen and sharp mind… just like him.

Maleficent rose one of her aristocratic eyebrows slightly at this question, intrigued that the leader was not as dumb as he looked. She answered in a smooth, cool voice, "The price is that you all pledge your loyalty to me. Your strength, abilities and other usefulness that made you formidable as normal humans will be at my beck and call at all times. This is my price. In return, I will not only restore your bodies… but make you much more stronger and better then you were before. In addition… you will all get revenge against the ones that put you in this prison. You will gain an advantage against those that injured your bodies and pride, and will be able to return to them… what they did to you.". This kind of promise looked very good in the eyes of both Shadowsneak and his two minions. That, and they knew that if they refused… chances were high that their fate would be death, or perhaps worse.

"We accept your offer… Mistress." all three bandits stated as one. Maleficent's wicked smile grew, and she raised her staff as she began to keep her end of the bargain. Black and green magical energies escaped from the orb on top of her staff, splitting into three streams as they seeped into the bodies of the injured humans. Upon contact, their bodies started to convulse and contort! Screams once again tore from the throat of Springy and Tightfist, but not Shadowsneak was joining in. The pain he was feeling was immense, and he could not stop the noise rising from his throat. Maleficent cackled in glee as she saw the bodies soon enveloped in cocoons of black and green magic! Within the glowing orbs, the bodies and minds of the bandits started to twist, warp, contort and convulse like nothing else! Light from the staff showed shadows of the humans, and the shadows dancing showed to all that the beings were changing! This light show and display of magical imagination lasted for about ten minutes, and slowly the cocoons of magic disintegrated like broken glass. Once the orbs had disappeared completely, the cell doors opened, and stepping out were Maleficent's new Generals.

Coming out first was Springy, the fiend with frog-like jumping ability and reflexes now looked like a tall humanoid toad! His human eyes were gone, replaced with froglike ones. And his skin was now black, with tiny white spots all over him. However, his chest and belly area sported fiery red splotches, the color of flames. And amazingly, the red areas were glowing, flicking on and off like real fire! If any animal expert were to see him now, they would claim that Springy was now a tall European fire-Bellied toad. His feet were webbed, and also a cloth was provided to cover his lower area. Springy looked around, never feeling such power in his life! He tested his legs a bit, and felt that his jumping ability was now perhaps ten times greater then before! He would have loved to test it out, but in a confined space such as this, it was not possible. He looked down at his hands, seeing that they were webbed like his feet and he stated, "Now this is more like it… now I am truly more frog-like! I bet I could leap over the old palace in one bound!". He looked to his comrades to see how their transformation went.

Tightfist was monstrous now, about two feet taller then he was before and a little more wide in girth. His skin was now a dark green with a pebbled texture, his neck area blue in color with the same pebbled look. His eyes kept their human quality, but it seemed that the pupils were more expansive then before. It looked like Tightfist had turned into a huge humanoid European Green Lizard, even his hands retaining their human dexterity though they were now scaly and elongated. He now sported a tail, one that was brown and gave him a sense of balance. Tightfist looked at his hands first, then down at his body, seeing that he still had some clothing on his lower area to cover his decency. He flexed his arm muscles, and felt that he was now ten times stronger then he was as a human. He looked back at his tail and gave it an experimental wiggle, finding that there was little difficulty in controlling his new appendage. He laughed and shouted, "I feel incredible! I feel like I could take on Eric's whole guard, and beat them all to the ground!". His happiness showed as he slammed his tail hard on the stone floor, making a good-sized crack. He looked at his partner, and saw that Springy approved of his new look. He also saw his friend's frog-like appearance, and nodded, showing that he too approved of his friend's own transformation.

"Hey, Boss! What do you…?" Springy called out, when both of them turned to see what happened to their leader… and their voices died a swift death on what they saw. Emerging from the place where Shadowsneak laid was a creature, one that was about a half-foot shorter then Godzilla. Bandages that once held the leader together as a human fell to the ground like snowflakes, his physique now too tall for them. Shadowsneak was reborn, and apparently a little more hideous then his fellow cohorts. He was muscular in both upper and lower body area, but with no bulging muscles. His new appearance showed a lean build, and his skin was now black like the shadow itself. His eyes were now a solid green color, with no pupils of any kind. On his arms were extended appendages, white as bone and yet having a sheen to it like metal. He gave a small flick of the wrist, and the bone-like appendages shot out to show a three foot bone blade of sort! It was in the curved shape of a blade, and looked to be able to cut through the thickest of walls… or the thickest of flesh. Shadowsneak's hair was also bone white, and his face had a sinister smile to it like his new mistress. He looked down at his new body, and he realized that he was now a true monster! The former human looked to his creator and owner of both his body and soul, giving Maleficent a smile that she found fit hers.

"I feel alive… more invigorated then every before! Thank you, Mistress! Thank you! By the way, what is your name so that we may address you properly?" he inquired. Though his body had changed, not his mind. It still possessed the intellect and quality of tone of his old self, and that surprised the witch a little. She had assumed that the transformation would warp his mind into a loyal beast of sort, but it seemed that Shadowsneak retained his human mind. She sent a little pulse of magic out, a subtle one that no one noticed, and saw that his loyalty to her was strong. She smiled, hoping that she would have a worthy General on her hand to mind her troops. She answered him to call her either by Queen Maleficent or Mistress, which seemed to suit the trio just fine.

Springy hopped up and down eagerly as he said, "Come on! Let's test our new powers! I can't wait to see what I can do!". However, he was silenced by a small glare from Maleficent.

The sorceress stated, "All in due time, my new servant. But come, there is much to be done for the night before anything else can be done.". She then turned and walked out of the conical spire, Diablo on her shoulder and her new servants following her. Shadowsneak and the others believed they made the right choice in aligning themselves with the witch, for her powers had changed them into something that could more than likely take down the creatures that humiliated and defeated them.

When the four beings and familiar raven arrived back at the Throne Room, they saw that the room was quite crowded. Maleficent's minions had managed to find their way to the top place of the earthen palace, and were now squealing and screeching in delight as they terrified and tormented the royal humans that were still bound in the witch's magic. The queens were scared and disgusted at the humanoid half-animal demons that poked and pressed at them with either their fingers or spears, and the kings were grimacing a little as they were being slashed and cut by the demonic soldiers. Their fun would have continued, had they not seen their evil leader looking at them. Maleficent gave her hordes a piercing gaze, one that told them to back off immediately from her prisoners. The entire armed horde shrunk back and parted for their mistress, but they gasped upon seeing what followed her. Shadowsneak, Springy and Tightfist looked down in disgust at the minions of Maleficent, but their disgust quickly turned to surprise and wicked delight upon seeing the royal family bound up in magical energy rings. Ariel, Eric and the other human adults were surprised and shocked to see the former bandits as they were, and all suppressed a little shiver when they saw the evil glee on Shadowsneak's face. Said person looked to his new mistress and declared, "This is turning out to be more spectacular then I thought! The royal family is bound and helpless, while I stand tall refreshed and renewed! Oh, this is just excellent!". The humans and minions were a bit surprised to hear such a sophisticated tone coming from such a monstrosity.

Maleficent walked to her new throne, turned and slowly sat down. She gave her new addition to her army a small but intimidating glare as she stated, "The royal families are my prisoners, Shadowsneak. I have use for them in my plans to acquire more land and power. Until I command it so, you nor your fellow monsters will kill them. Am I making myself clear?". The three former humans groaned in disappointment, very much disgruntled about not being able to harm, let alone maim, the royals. Springy complained that it wasn't fair that they should be spared, but a wicked smile that spread on Maleficent's face made him stop his ranting and look at his new boss. Maleficent stated that she found slow torture was the best way to go, to slowly drain and bleed hope and life out of her victims. To her, making them feel both physical and mental agony was a sweet nectar for her soul. Much more insidious then a quick death. Shadowsneak and the others grinned, very much liking their new leader's sense of taste when it came to being evil.

The family members struggling, apparently wanting to say something but the magical energy rings around their mouths prevented them from speaking up. Maleficent looked at King Eric and Queen Ariel, nodding slightly and waving her hand at them. It caused the magical bindings around their mouths to vanish, but the bonds on their arms, wrists, and legs remained. The royal Marcel couple glared at the witch and Eric stated angrily, "You will not get away with this, sorceress! We will find a way to defeat you, and reclaim what belongs to us!". The minions, including Shadowsneak and his two cohorts laughed loudly at the statement, mocking Eric's claim and making the father of Melody all that much more determined to not show any weakness to the magic user. The mocking laughter lasted for a few minutes, then Maleficent raised her hand in the air. The laughing quickly ceased, no one wanting to go against her wishes. Maleficent rose from her throne and calmly went to the king and queen, her lips in a small but sinister smile. She used her magic to levitate the two to her, the Marcel's now at eye level to her.

She chuckled softly and replied, "I believe that you are greatly misguided, your Highness. All that is left is your children, and even with the shrunken monsters at their side… they WILL be caught and crushed beneath my forces. Be it my minions over here… or my titans that are still rampaging outside.". Maleficent gestured to her minions, who cackled, screeched and wailed in glee when their mistress mentioned them. The witch then gestured to her other side, where it showed that Biolantte and the others were going more inland… trampling the village in the process. Eric and Ariel tried to be brave, but what Maleficent just stated hit right at their hearts. The children were still out there, and though Godzilla and his allies were strong and fierce… and their current size, they would not stand even a ghost of a chance against monsters that big. The sorceress saw the fight leave them, and she cancelled the spell, dropping them to the stony ground harshly. The two winced badly at the sudden drop, but their physical pain was the least of their worries. They were now concerned for their kids, and were hoping that they were safe somewhere away from the feet of the monsters.

Maleficent cackled as she saw her titans rampaging everywhere, destruction and devastation now showing on the landscape below. She saw Ebriah turning around, apparently wanting to go back to the sea. She assumed that it was due to wanting to be back in his natural habitat, and she figured that it was for the best. It was good to have back up, and Ebriah would best be used as a sort of shield against any kind of attack from the sea. She never knew if an attack would come from the sea, but she was a cautious one and always felt it was better to be safe than sorry. 'I cannot come back like my original self did when she performed that ritual long ago. If I die… it is truly the end.' she thought. She looked at her followers and her new soon-to-be Generals and showed off a little for their amusement, plus to remind them on who was in charge, a flare of her mighty magical aura.

She levitated the royals once more with her magic, lining them up side by side. From left to right was Ariel, Eric, Belle, Léandre, Snow White, Florian, Aurora, Philip, Cinderella and Asce. She declared loudly, "As you see, my royal guests… it is so easy and sweet to be naturally evil!". Suddenly, eerie music came forth a pig-like humanoid demon played on a huge organ that appeared from the far right side of the Throne Room. Soon, Maleficent used her magic to conjure up more instruments for her minions to play, and the melody and atmosphere turned sinister and unusually catchy. Shadowsneak and his two monster companions moved to the music, letting the feel of evil flow over them. Maleficent prepared herself to sing:

The world is so full of hope and light, but I love to snuff it out like a candle.

I'm so full of malice and evil, it is more then any mere mortal can handle!

I love to cause despair and confusion, to stir up chaos and strife.

To me, I feel great joy when I bring about the end of innocent life!

To have smiles turn to frowns, to see mortals go from happy to sad…

All I can say is that I enjoy being naturally bad!

Shadowsneak and the others started to jump around and dance to the song, the music having a dark tone that played on their very beings. For the royals, it was a sound that they rather not hear every again. The demons cheered and yelled out for their mistress:

Naturally Bad! Naturally Bad!

We enjoy to cause pain and misery where we go!

Naturally Bad! Naturally Bad!

We love to draw out sadness and agony, sweet and slow!

Maleficent was enjoying the moment, sitting in her throne again and enjoying the wicked display before her. Her forces teased and antagonized the royals, taking sweet joy in their immense displeasure and fear. Tightfist now started to sing, and while his voice was not near as elegant and sophisticated as Maleficent's, the demons agreed that it was not that bad.

At first, I was just a normal human. Strong and large, but just as plain as can be.

Now thanks to my new mistress, I am now much better as anyone here can see!

My new form and my strength, my real self revealed to all is sweet.

And pretty soon, all of the humans will bow down to my feet!

After experiencing this thrill of evil, I'm frightfully glad…

That I am my true self, naturally bad!

The minions once again cackled in delight, and some took pleasure in making the queens feel very uncomfortable. Some had touched and felt their skin, making the beautiful humans very sick to their stomachs at such vile creatures touching them in such a manner. The kings were enraged, and the look in their eyes said that if it were possible, they would have been beaten badly by them. The minions took wicked delight in seeing that the human princes could do nothing to them, and they took advantage of it. Springy was now bounding all over the place, actually spring-boarding outside and on various places of the earthen palace. His voice showed both delight and surprise of his improved jumping ability.

As a human being, my jumping prowess was second to none.

Now that I have been changed, I can now hop all over this large place! Ha, it's so much fun!

I used to love to scare people out of their wits, showing off agility that made it hard to pin me down.

And now that I'm transformed into my true self, I can now really go to town!

Full of mayhem and mischief, I am now more than just a rouge cad!

Thanks to my new Mistress of Evil, I can finally be more then naturally bad!

Everyone was now cheering and screeching as they saw Springy hopping all over the darn place, showing that he was more strong and agile then he was as a human. When he landed back in the Throne Room, everyone quieted down and all parted for Shadowsneak was about to sing his part. Maleficent conjured up some stone statues that had the likeness of the royal children and the monsters that guarded them well. As he sung his part, Shadowsneak flicked his wrist to bring out his three-foot bone extensions. He walked around the statues as he sung, like how a mighty predator would circle his or her prey before striking.

To let loose my true nature, to bring fear and terror to the people… that is what I love to do.

I used to bide my time, waiting for the right moment to strike… to run my blade through!

And now I am free from the mortal bounds that used to limit me, to be like my true namesake!

To sneak more in the shadows, to blend in the darkness… to be more of a devil, now it's a piece of cake!

To get revenge on those that ruined me when I was human, to think how they fell me makes me so mad!

But now thanks to my mistress Maleficent… I am free to be who I am, naturally BAD! HAHAHAHAHA!

During his time singing, he sliced through the heads and bodies of the statues of the children and monsters, the parents cringing in fear and hoping that would not truly be the fate of their flesh and blood. Shadowsneak then smashed the entire statue collection to dust with his strength, and the minions were very impressed and gleeful of his display of destruction. The demonic hordes kept on chanting and singing, their evil auras rising to the top! That look on Shadowsneak's face told it all; he was going to enjoy his new form, and also finding out what other abilities it held. Soon, all quieted down when Maleficent walked from her throne, going to the eastern part of the Throne Room to look out in the distance, where she saw her monsters continuing their destructive path.

My time has come at long last, to secure all of the known lands and hold their treasures in my hands.

To pluck each and every nation, to take their most magical and mystical items, it all feels so grand!

To finally find the secret of immortal life, to become an evil goddess so all bow to me.

And to unleash fear and chaos on all, for all people to be free!

To make every man and woman, make every lass and lad… to feel what I feel… naturally BAD!

Upon singing her last part, Maleficent cackled loudly over all her minions when lighting broke through the clouds! It was like now nature herself was responding to her song, lighting bolts dropping from above as thunder shook the sky and made the land tremble. The minions all cheered and praised their mistress, while Shadowsneak and his cohorts looked on in glee. It seemed that they were glad they made the choice in joining Maleficent's side. The royals, however, were disgusted and frightened by this. To them, Maleficent had twisted up a solid truth. That being good and full of love and life was more rewarding then being bad and evil, and that is what really made people free. The witch then looked at her monsters that were continuing with their destruction, and used her magic to relay telepathic commands to them. She spoke in their minds, "My faithful pets… my beloved monsters from another universe… come back to me. I have new orders to give before you resume your destruction of the countryside.".

~Back with Melody and co.~

The townsfolk were running as fast as they could into the woods, to find the secret grove that Sarah Brown told them about some time ago. The small girl explained that she and her mother, Angelica, used to go to this special place to gather medicinal herbs to make their medicine. While the townsfolk's were in front, the royal children and their bonded monsters brought up the rear. Kathrin was holding onto the Twin Fairies, very worried about them when the passed out shortly after their magical golden barrier was broken through by the titanic monsters that were on Maleficent's side. Godzilla and Anguirus ran as fast as they could, and Rodan was flying low and sticking close to the group. Since the monsters had strong abilities, it made sense for them to take up the rear, in case the witch got the idea to send troops after them. The entire group kept on running, when they heard the thunderous footsteps stop. The royals and their bonded beasts turned around to see that Biolantte, Titanosaurus, and Megalon had stopped in their tracks. They also saw that Ebriah was no longer with them.

"What is going on? Why have they stopped?!" Tracy exclaimed, the group in front of them halting their progress to see for themselves if it was true. Indeed it was, the titans were now moving at all, as if frozen in place. The moment only lasted for a few minutes, when the massive monsters slowly turned around and went back to where the palace was at. The royal children and the common folk could not see beyond Biolantte due to her large girth, thus they did not see what happened to the Marcel abode. However, it was Joshua and David's mother, Pamela, that shouted out that now was their chance to make a break for the grove. She added that with them distracted and leaving, it would give them all a chance to escape with their bodies intact. Seeing the wisdom in her words, the entire lot resumed their race deeper into the forest.

Angelica soon spotted a large drape of hanging ivy vines that was hanging over some old beech trees. She pointed to the natural drapes and exclaimed, "There! That's it! We got to go past those ivy vine drapes!". To prove her point, she and her family went to the green foliage and the wife/mother used her right arm to part the dangling ivy. She showed to all that a little worn path was showing, one worn by her and Sarah due to their trips to the grove. The citizens of the destroyed village went in first, one by one, and Rodan landed behind Godzilla and the others. The children leapt off of their bonded monsters, and upon going to the opening, they saw that the opening would be enough for the monsters to go through, if just barely in Godzilla's case since he was taller then any of them. Kathrin ushered in Mothra first, Sebastian on her shoulder while the knocked-out Twin Fairies were still in her cupped hands. Next up was Mainard and Anguirus, the prince leading the mutated Ankylosaurs into the grove. Following them was Edgard and Dianne with Rodan, the pteranodon hopping after his bonded. Lastly, Melody and Trace helped Godzilla through the opening, the saurian bending down a little to pass through the overhead. Once he was through, Angelica was the last in, closing the vines and the path hidden once again.

~With Maleficent and her minions~

The witch was delighted when she saw her monsters returning to her new palace, very glad that her mind magic was still holding strong and that the titans wills was still bound to hers. Maleficent saw her monsters stopping near her abode, and it seems they were awaiting some new instructions. She then turned and looked at her minions, her latest allies, and finally at her bound captives. She then declared, "My faithful followers, we have achieved a victory here this very night! We have captured several royal figures of great importance to many lands, we have acquired a new magical weapon of immense power, and now… we have three new Generals that will lead all of you to the far reaches of this kingdom and conquer all that lay within it!". Upon speaking the part of the magical weapon, she held up the trident and Ariel plus Eric gasped upon seeing the once mighty and beautiful symbol of Atlantica now perverted into some out of a deadly nightmare. Fortunately for them, their gasps was swallowed by the cheers and screeches of the demonic horde. Shadowsneak and his two bandits, now turned monsters, grinned as they gave a little bow to their mistress.

"You honor us greatly, my Queen. We will do the best we can as your generals." the former human Shadowsneak addressed, Maleficent giving them a cold smile as she graciously accepted their bows and words.

The sorceress turned and looked to her titans and exclaimed, "Now, go and do my will! Travel to the very edges of this new land, go deep within the territory and lay waste to any and all things before you! Spread chaos, fear and misery to the masses as you come crashing through their doors!". Biolantte, Megalon and Titanosaurus roared/screeched their response, turning around and going their own way to spread the destruction. The amphibious dinosaur went southeast, wanting to be close to the water so he could take a dip in it when he felt like it. Biolantte went straight north, passing over the town and heading towards near the area where the grove was at. Megalon went northeast, preparing to fly rather then walk or burrow at the moment, wanting to stretch his wings a little. Maleficent turned to Ebriah, who was still in the ocean but visible to her eyes, and ordered the giant red lobster to patrol the ocean here. He screeched loudly before going into the depths.

Maleficent then turned her attention to her prisoners. She looked to one of her demonic captains, a tall and elongated pig humanoid in silver armor, and stated, "Be ready to take our prisoners down below. We shall find a suitable place to be this palace's dungeons, and see what we can do to make their stay here less… accommodating.". The captain saluted to his queen, and ordered his minions to hoist the royal human adults up. Struggled they did, but as of the time being, they were not able to break free. The binding spells were still on their arms, legs and wrists. Plus, the combined strength of the demonic soldiers was much greater then their strength. The witch undid the leg-locking spell, but quickly put in magical bonds that chained their ankles, making walking possible but not running away or using offensive moves. Once her spell was in place, she held both her staff and the mutated trident close to her sides.

The sorceress turned to her new generals and stated, "Now, all of you are to lead my armies. Follow the paths of the monsters, and whatever they do not destroy… you pillage. Take any and all resources, bring back any beings with usefulness to me, and lay waste to anything you see fit. Now, go!". Shadowsneak and the two other generals bowed to their mistress, and turned to leave when suddenly… they were hit with a blast of magic! The trio stumbled a little, and saw that dark and green magical energy was creeping up on them. It did not harm them, but it was doing something to their bodies. Before they could inquire on what she was doing, the magic flashed briefly and they looked down to see that they had armor on. The armor looked to be made of gold, and was similar to the ones worn by Maleficent's hordes. However, they saw that each armor was unique and made to accommodate their unique features and abilities.

The magic user grinned at them and said, "A gift, to those I deem worthy. This will also separate you from the other minions in my army. You are to stay here though, since I do not want my finest of soldiers to leave my sight.". Shadowsneak, Tightfist and Springy had to admit that their leader had good taste in armor and such. The three generals rallied to their new troops, and about seventy-five percent of the soldiers left the Throne Room. They headed for the gate down the stairs, which lowered to let the army of evil out. Maleficent and her General Trio looked out to see that the troops were spreading out far, making sure to check the areas that the monsters passed over. Shadowsneak was pleased to see that he now had troops that would obey his word to the letter, and Springy and Tightfist were glad to now be giving orders out like their boss did to them when they were mere mortals.

Maleficent went to her captives and turned to face her generals. She said, "I will return shortly, after I have seen to the imprisonment of our guests. And also after I test out my new weapon here, to see what it does and how it reacts to me.". Seeing her new minions nod, the sorceress turned and guided her captain and soldiers to the depths of the earthen palace, the royals being forced to follow.

~At the secret grove~

Once they were inside the grove, the monsters and royal children saw that they were among giant, ancient trees. They were tall, strong, and healthy, and the air itself seemed to be also old but not intimidating. On the contrary, they felt like they entered another world, one that was old and strong in nature. Even Godzilla, one who was a mixture of both nature and man's arrogance, felt at peace within these natural settings. Beautiful flowers and plants of various kind bloomed around them, and it was Angelica that snapped them out of their little trance at seeing this beautiful wonder of nature. She smiled at their looks of awe and quiet wonderment and stated, "Believe me, I know. It was me and Sarah's first thought when we stumbled upon this area by accident. Come, follow me.". She then walked on the path before them, the children following her while their bonded beasts brought up the rear. The prince and princesses looked all around, feeling a protect peace in the air and land, comparing it to how their mothers held them when they were quite young. Angelica then stopped, showing them the heart of the grove.

In the center of the ring of ancient trees was a large, ash tree. It was a sight to see; its many branches covered in thick, emerald green leaves. Its trunk was thick and strong, and it seems that it radiated a faint hint of magic. The air around it was clean and good, and it seemed to bring a certain peace to the grove. However, the sight of this tree was overshadowed quickly when they saw that they were not the only ones here. The citizens of the village that escaped with them were now joined by some soldiers, among them was Captain Jackson and his family. Also with them was Minos and Fatima, making the grand total of visitors to this natural place thirty-five. All but the princes, princesses, and monsters were underneath the tree, and it seems that some of the arrivals were looking worse for wear. When the group started to approach them, Captain Jackson Dashboard looked up and saw them. He formed a faint, tired but true smile and stated, "Your Highnesses, Godzilla and company. Thank God you are all safe.". The group looked up to see them, and it seems that only Will showed a little dissatisfaction upon seeing them.

Melody smiled slightly and returned the greeting, as did the others. Godzilla and the monsters just nodded their heads, secretly a little touched that someone would thank their deities for their safety. Edgard went to the captain, who rose up slowly from his sitting position beside his wife Minnie. The prince inquired, "Captain, how…? How did you all manage to find this place? Little Sarah spoke that only she and her mother knew of this place. Captain Dashboard sighed and answered that it was his son William that found this place, and mostly by accident. When he deserted his post, Will had fled into the forest and ended up going into the village, driven by terror and going about like a chicken with its head cut off. However, due to the lack of training over the years, he did not have the stamina that most of the other soldiers possessed. The entire companies caught up with him, as did he. Jackson was surprised to see Minnie in the village, and with William, they fled from Biolantte and the other monsters. As they were running, Will was trying to come up with any excuse that explained his desertion, but as he did so, he turned and tripped on a root. It was then that he saw the path underneath the vines, and Minnie parted the natural ivy curtains to show the way to the grove. About seven of his own men were able to follow them in there, but the rest opted to keep on running, to retreat as fast as they could from the monsters.

Minnie Dashboard added, "I was in the village, wanting to wait there for my husband and son instead of evacuating with the others. That is how I was able to meet up with them as we all fled together.". The royal pre-teens nodded their heads, accepting the story. However, all was soon silent as they heard and felt the ground rumbling. Hadrian and Oliver jumped and climbed on the massive ash tree, going up to look over the grove. It only lasted for a few moments, then the two came back down, and the others saw that their eyes were wide and also showing seriousness. The two reported that the vine-monster was heading their way, which meant it was Biolantte. Godzilla and the small monsters tensed, preparing to go out of the grove and meet their enemy like always. However, Melody and the other royals told them to not rush out, but to be still. The princess turned to the group and told everyone to be quiet and still, that running out now would be suicide. William looked to retort, and most likely a nasty one, but his mother held him down and told him to shush. All of them were now still and quiet, except for the King of the Monsters and his allies/rivals growling softly. The rumbling intensified, and all were hoping that the titanic beast would simply pass them by. The sounds of cries and screeches filled the grove, and some of the citizens covered their ears. This all lasted for about five minutes, and gradually the cries and trembling started to lower. Five minutes later, the ground ceased their rumblings and the cries were now long gone.

Edgard and Mainard braved to peek out from the ivy vine curtain, and when they did… they saw a LARGE trench area before them! The trees, plants, and other forms of plant life were flattened by the immense bulk of Biolantte. The two were amazed to see such devastation and all from the beast simply slithering about. They went back inside the grove and Mainard stated, "It's okay… Biolantte passed us by. Just barely, but she passed us by.". That got a sigh of relief from their friends, but there others were a bit amazed to hear that the creature had a name and that it was female. The royal children turned to the group and explained the situation to them; tell them everything about the monsters they just saw and what happened at the palace prior to them meeting all of them here in the grove. Captain Dashboard, William and his men heard the story some time ago from Prince Eric when he told them what the Twin Fairies reported to him, so they were not as shocked as the others were. Dianne then saw Minos and Fatima, going to them and asking on how they got here, the princess assuming they left long ago with the rest of the villagers.

Minos replied, "We did, but we ran into some problems. Fatima developed some pains in her stomach, and it seemed that she was unable to complete the journey more inland. We put our cart that had all of our belongings in it to the side, and I searched for some medicine herbs that I heard through rumors that grow in this part of the kingdom. I felt some wind coming from the vine drapes, and we saw this grove. I brought Fatima in, and we managed to find some herbs that helped her with her stomach pains. However, it took some time for the medicine to work its wonders, and when we left the grove… our cart was gone, most likely taken from some greedy townsfolk when they left the village. So, we decided to stay here since it was a big dangerous to continue going on foot.". Dianne nodded her head, then looked at Fatima and asked if she was alright. The beautiful blonde nodded, smiling in gratitude at the princess's concern and stating that she was fine for now.

As everyone was getting acquainted with one another, the Twin Fairies woke up. It seemed that the grove had some faint but strong magical force that accelerated the healing process of the mystical beings. Their magical reserves were now nearly full, and even Mothra was enjoying being in such a place immensely. Kathrin looked at the tiny exotic women and inquired, "Lora, Moll! How are you two doing? Feeling better?". Both fairies replied that they were better, and the daughter of Snow White and Florian put them down on the soft grass. The two tiny women walked to the ash tree, and when they put their hands on it, a soft blue glow was surrounding them. The humans backed off a bit, a little amazed at the display of magic before them. Mothra scuttled to her retainers, the humans giving the brown worm more room. Lora and Moll had a look of serenity on their faces, and it lasted for a few minutes when they disengaged from the tree and the glow slowly subsided.

Moll and Lora looked to their human friends and explained as one, "It seems that this tree here is magical, and it is of good magic. It has refilled our magical energies, but I believe that is all it can do. It cannot directly heal injuries and such.". This was good news indeed, a little silver lining that had formed during this massive dark cloud of evil. The twins looked at each other, nodded, and started to chant in their native language. The royal pre-teens had come to understand some of the language, but it was a rough translation for them at best. They still needed some practice. The other citizens were perplexed and curious about the language, especially the Bingwen's since they heard that the mystical being's language was close to their own Chinese language but not completely. As they continued to chant in their native tongue, a golden glow form around them and the light started to pulse steadily.

The twins stated, "Earth, come to our aid in this time of evil. Shield us from those that try to snuff out the light… Protect us from those that would do us harm… Hide us from the darkness!". After saying the words, the entire area pulsed with a bright golden light! The citizens, royals and monsters gasped as they felt the golden magic wash over them. Will shivered a little, apparently the good magic not agreeing with him completely. The rest felt at ease, at peace, like they were wrapped in a warm blanket and cradled by a loving mother. Godzilla, Anguirus and Rodan looked a bit curiously at the light, while Mothra seemed to sing with it. The whole grove seemed to hum with the song of the Twin Fairies, and soon the entire fifteen-acre wooded area was covered in golden light. The trees seem to absorb the magic, and in a few minutes, the glow died down and all looked to be normal. Every person looked at one another, the monsters, then at the fairies.

Moll explained, "We have just set a protective barrier over this grove and the surrounding woodland around it. This place is now protected from evil magical forces that might try to locate us, and also from those that wish to do us great harm.". This was good news for everyone, more sprinkles of light on this very dark night.

~Back at Maleficent's palace~

While there was some sprinkles of light for the children and citizens in the grove, there was none whatsoever with the royal adults. Maleficent and her soldiers were in the deeper part of the palace, near the base where the land met the sea. The witch had given herself credit for when she constructed this place from her own wicked mind, it seemed that the deeper you got down to the building… the more ominous and frightening it was. The group had traveled for about twenty-five minutes, until Maleficent found the place in which to put her captives in. Using her magic, she formed five large rooms for cells, the bars and opening of said cells looked to resemble sharp teeth on that of a maw of a terrible creature. She ordered her servants to toss in each couple; first was Ariel and Eric, then Belle and Léandre, Snow White and Florian, Asce and Cinderella, and finally Aurora and Philip. When each couple was thrown into their cell, the teeth-like bars slammed shut via Maleficent's magic. Also, their bonds were taken away so the adults could stand and move around on their own. As soon as they were free from their magical shackles, the men flung themselves at the stony bars.

The witch laughed as she saw the kings recoil from their attacks, seeing that there was not so much as a dent on the stone bars. She said with cold amusement in her tone, "You can try and ram yourselves silly if you like, dear royal men. But these earthen bars are stronger then iron. They will hold you here for as long as I will it.". The demonic escort that was with her squealed and laughed in delight, taunting the princes as they felt that her words were true. They were rubbing the shoulders they used to try and ram through their prison, pain shooting through said part. Maleficent then held up the green and black trident, the symbol of ocean pulsing a little. Ariel could not bear to look at it, the proud symbol of the ocean and the tool of her father Triton now warped and twisted thanks to the vile sorceress. Said magic-wielder studied her new weapon, and decided that now would be a good time to test her latest catch to her magical inventory.

"I would like to take the time to torment all of you even further, but I have more pressing matters to attend to. Excuse me…" she stated before going further ahead, following a path that dipped down at a slight angle that would lead her to the ocean. The minions preferred to stay behind, not wanting to be anywhere near the water. When the witch was out of sight, the husbands went to their wives to console them. After everything that had happened to them to this point in time, the ladies were pretty shaken up and needed the strength and presence of their husbands.

Eric looked at Ariel, very hurt to see tears coming from her beautiful blue eyes. He asked if she was alright, but he knew the answer to that one, it was like an automatic reflex question. The former mermaid sniffed softly and answered, "No, I'm not Eric. We're captured by such a vile creature, the bandits are now more powerful then ever, monsters that not even the legendary titans of legend could stand up to are now roaming our kingdom, and Melody… Melody…". She put her hands to her face to muffle a sob, the woman very worried about the welfare of her flesh and blood. It was the same for the other ladies in the cells; not knowing the fate of your loved ones is a heavy weight to have on one's mind and heart, and these parents were not afraid to show it. Eric hugged his wife, trying to bring some comfort to her. The husbands did the same to their wives, comforting them as best they could.

Ariel whispered, "What's worse… my father's trident has been warped. It's been twisted and perverted by that… that… that monster!".

The Marcel king hugged his lady tightly and replied in the same soft tone, "It's okay, Ariel. I'm sure that Melody and the others are fine. Godzilla and the others are with them, and I believe that they will keep them safe. Also, I believe that Triton and any other that came before him put some kind of safety charm or something on a weapon that powerful.". Eric was silently betting on that the trident would only function at half potency if any land creature tried to use it, and that its full power would be unleashed if used by someone that came from royal ocean blood. Ariel held her husband tight to her, hoping that his words were true.

For now… it seemed that evil had scored a victory in the battle. But the war was far from over!

(Author's Notes: And… cut! That is it for this chapter here! I hope you all liked it! I'm saving my longer chapters for the better ones, especially during fights or critical moments in the novel. So, what do you all think of this? What do you think of the transformation of Shadowsneak, Springy and Tightfist? What kind of abilities should they have, and how they discover them? And also, what do you think of the magical grove? I got the idea from watching Disney classic Robin Hood and the Tinkerbell movies that featured the tall Pixie Dust tree.

In the next chapter, the times weigh heavy on the side of the light. But from the ashes of the dark rise the spirit of courage, hope, strength and faith! Hope it's enough for the royals and their bonded monsters! Trust me, this novel is going to rock, true classic Disney and Toho style!

R&R, no flames, enjoy, and leave long reviews!)