A/N: HA HA! The Man thought he could keep me away! But I say NEVER! I'll tempt the fates and challenge the Gods by finishing this story! No one can stop me now!

XXXV


They all boarded the airship in silence. As Clyde piloted the Track One out of Coast City, leaving behind a trail of destruction, everyone couldn't help but feel a little uneasy after what Stephanie had done. She sat next to Clyde and gazed out at the damage she had caused, feeling the pressure of the amulets weighing down on her again.

"I…" She started. "…I don't know what to say."

"Just say you won't let it happen again." Demetrius said. "We're all counting on you, Stephanie. We can't afford you losing your head like that when it's your life that's at stake."

She nodded and turned her attention forward, helping Clyde with the controls. While they hurried back over to Aðalsteinn, Pixel reached into his pocket and switched on a cell phone much to Ziggy's curiosity.

"Hey, is that phone yours?" He asked.

"No, I swiped it from one of those drug dealers Stephanie shot down." He said as his eyes remained fixed on the little screen.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to see where these calls were placed. There's no number listed but I bet I can track down the location once we get back to the palace."

"Can you really do that?" Stephanie turned back. "Can you find out where they're holding our friends?"

"It's worth a try. But I'll need Claudette's computer in order to map out the signals."

"Hurry, Clyde."

"AYE-AYE, CAPTAIN! PEDAL TO THE METAL! AWOOOOOGA!"

The back thrusters of the Track One suddenly switched on and pushed the airship forward, piercing through the clouds in the sky.

---

The once shiny and vibrant walls of Mutari were now crumbling and falling down around those who hopelessly tried to flee. Hodge and Halla took to the ground running and blasting their high intensity blasters towards anyone who came their way. Depending on the frequency of their weapon, their victims either fell dead or disintegrated in thin air. Goggi, now sporting a cybernetic implant where his right eye used to be, scanned the area's weakest points and began shooting at them. Their minds were now set on murder and no one was going to stop them.

Near the fountain, Tarkin, despite having already taken a beating from Khan, remained standing and faced the evil sorcerer. "I know what you're after."

"Indeed." Khan reached into his belt and pulled out a dagger. "And you just won't let me pass through!"

"Stay away from the fountain, Reiko!"

"Oh… pretty please?"

"Never!" Tarkin swung around and unleashed his wand, pointing it at Khan's chest. "I should have killed you long ago instead of freezing you in time!"

"But it's done wonders for my skin! Look! No wrinkles!"

"You die now!"

Interrupting Tarkin, however, was a gunshot from Goggi's ray that reduced the councilman to a pile of steaming hot ash. Reiko looked down on Tarkin's remains and kicked them around, laughing like a maniac.

"Good work, Goggi."

"Thank you, sir."

"Now go and tear this stupid city apart."

"With pleasure."

While Goggi ran off to complete his mission, Khan stepped towards the glistening fountain and punched his hand through the golden statue. But before he could claim the prize that awaited him inside, a sudden shockwave ran through his entire body. He fell to his knees and turned his head around to see a familiar old face.

"Astral…" He chuckled. "My old student. Ha ha… old…"

"A Lunasphere, Reiko?" The old monk raised an eyebrow as he clutched his wand tightly. "Hidden within the fountain?"

"You fool. You know a Lunasphere wouldn't work for me." He growled as he struggled to get up. "Only a Vitasphere can revive my magic to its full potential."

"Not so long as I'm alive, Reiko."

"I was hoping you'd say that!"

With expert timing, Khan dodged Astral's second wand attack and swept the old man off his feet. He then picked him up from the ground and head-butted him repeatedly until the blood began to show.

"What's the matter, old man? I thought you were going to show me a real fight!"

"I…"

"You what?"

With a quick flick of his wrist, Astral sent Khan flipping in the air until he crashed head-first against the golden eagle statue.

"I'm just getting started!" The monk quipped before charging his wand again.

"Oh, you sneaky old bastard!"

---

Upon their arrival, Stephanie and her team rushed through the doors of the hangar and met with Jezelle and the others in the hallway. As they walked, Stephanie informed the queen of their current situation but the woman already knew what was happening.

"Yes, I know." Jezelle nodded. "Astral got the jump on Claudette but she woke up sooner than expected."

"How are we getting to Mutari?" Stephanie asked.

"In the study room. After Astral turned on the council, Hal decided to create a transport system that would take him directly to Mutari should they need his help again."

"Great. Pixel, head over to the lab and start working on those phone numbers."

"You got it, boss!" Pixel winked as he broke away from the group as they entered the study room.

Near the fireplace, Jezelle reached for the mantelpiece and removed a small golden object shaped like an eagle. Pressing the two diamond eyes, the head popped up and spread its wings open as a green energy began to surround it.

"Hurry." She gave it to Stephanie.

Stephanie took the device and called forth the rest of her team. "Let's go, Clyde. Demetrius and Trixie, you're with us."

"Oh, good." She grinned as she took her place by Stephanie. "I've been waiting to get into a scrap!"

"Please be careful." The queen implored.

"We will."

The flames in the fireplace matched the green energy emitting from the eagle and soon they swallowed the entire away team, sending them to their destination.

---

Another stream of energy unleashed from the wand wrapped itself around the evil one and flung him across the other side of the room. Preparing to inflict further damage, Astral focused his energies and levitated his opponent high above the ground with the intention of dropping him to his death.

"This was a long time coming, Reiko!"

"You'd kill your old master!?"

"You were never my master."

"If that's the way it is…"

Suddenly Khan's eyes began to glow an intense yellow energy as he broke free from Astral's magic grasp and lowered himself to the ground. With his abilities he lifted several shards of gold and flung them at the old man, cutting him in several places that forced him to kneel over in defeat.

"Reiko…" He breathed heavily. "You can't…"

"Yes…" He approached the old monk and placed a hand on his shoulder. "…I can."

"Hey!" A voice startled him. "Look what I can do!"

"What!?"

Khan was instantly blindsided by a quick punch to his face before finding himself being flipped over someone's shoulders. As he landed painfully on his back he was surprised to see a familiar pink blur glaring back at him.

"Stephanie?"

"Dear God, it talks!" She teased before stomping on his chest. "Let's see if it can bleed!"

"You…" He coughed hoarsely. "You wouldn't…"

"Of course I would."

She lifted him on his feet again and swung him back over to the broken statue. As he laid there near the fountain where the water washed away the blood on his forehead, Stephanie hurried over to him and landed several more punches on his face.

Meanwhile, the rest of the away team scattered about the now ruined city of gold and tried to disarm Khan's minions. Demetrius spotted Hodge and with a blast from his wand, he managed to shatter the boy's weapon.

"That's enough." He warned. "It's over for you."

"It's not over until one of us dies." He threatened, revealing a blade from his sleeve.

"If that's the way you want it."

Demetrius readied for another attack but Hodge was ready for him this time. Stingy's doppelganger dodged the magic attack with a quick swirl to the right and dropped to the floor where a quick swipe of his blade cut the magician's hand. Startled by his speed and the fierce pain in his hand, Demetrius was forced to drop his wand where it now landed in the hands of Reiko's henchman.

"The wand's mine now."

"Do you even know how to use that thing?"

"It can't be that hard. I've heard Reiko say only an idiot can screw up the simplest of spells."

"Oh really?"

"Take this shockwave I'm about to hit you with for example. One hit and you're dead."

"Very well."

"Goodbye."

Hodge thrust the wand forward but the red energy that began to pulsate within instead hit the young boy directly in the head, killing him instantly. His plan had backfired immensely.

"You're right." Demetrius looked down on Hodge's lifeless body and took back his weapon. "Only an idiot…"

Behind the foundations of a crumbled building, Clyde flipped away from Goggi's attacks and laughed like a maniac while doing so.

"Stand still!" The green-haired boy griped.

"Stand still?" Clyde froze in place, his facial expression resembling that of Clint Eastwood's. "So you want me to just stand here like a jackass while you shoot me down like the coward you are? You go ahead and do that, Goggi. But at the end of the day, what'll you have to show for your so-called victory? A corpse and a hunk of junk piece of plastic."

"My gun is not made out of plastic!"

"This here's the line…" Clyde continued his imitation as he drew a line in the sand with his boot. "…If you've got the balls to take me down like a real man, then you come over here and cross it."

"I don't have time for this." Goggi took aim.

"Go ahead, punk. Make my day."

The trigger was pulled and the energy blast shot forward, disintegrating everything in its way except Clyde, who was now creeping up behind Goggi. He reached down the boy's pants and pulled his surprisingly elastic underwear over his head and shoulders. Trapped in his own tidy whities, Goggi dropped his weapon and fell to the floor where he would spend the next few minutes rolling around.

"The winnah!" Clyde's voice shifted into a high-pitched squeal as he picked up the ray gun. "Tell him what he's won, Johnny!"

Back near the fountain, Stephanie grew weary of punching Khan's lights out and dipped the man's head into the water and waited several seconds before pulling him out.

"…You're… more aggressive…" Khan grinned. "I like that."

"Oh, you do?" She dunked him in again. "So do I!"

When she noticed Khan stopped squirming, she took it as a sign to let him go. Her opponent was now dead. She ran back over to Astral and helped the old man back on his feet.

"Astral? Are you okay?"

"Stephanie? How did you get here?"

"The queen."

"You must leave now! I have to settle things with Reiko!"

"I just took care of him, Astral. He's dead."

"What?"

"Don't be so sure, Stephanie." Khan said as he stood back up from the water.

"No…" Stephanie balled up her fist. "I killed you!"

"Yeah, funny thing about that. If you really want to kill someone, make sure they're dead."

"Fine by me!"

"Stephanie, the fountain!" Astral warned.

But it was too late. The dark magician reached into the hole he punched in and removed a small orb glowing with a dark purple and black haze. Etched around the ball was a diamond-shaped emblem and as Reiko squeezed his hand over it, his body began to glow. All his injuries received from his little scuffle with Stephanie were now healing themselves and his magic was regaining its full potential. When he opened his hand, the energy sphere was gone and his body was back to normal.

"Wow…" He sighed. "I feel like a new man!"

"No…" Astral shook his head. "It can't be."

"Uhh, yeah. It can." He grinned. "Now where were we?"

"I was about to kill you for good!" Stephanie charged for him, her amulets glowing brighter than ever.

"Come and get me."

Stephanie swung her arms at lightning speed and landed each blow against various parts of Khan's body. He laughed after each one and grabbed hold of the girl's neck, bringing her face closer to his.

"You're an incredible woman, do you know that?"

"Release her now!" Astral shot off a warning. "Your fight is with me!"

"Too true! Excuse us won't you, dear?" He tossed Stephanie aside and charged his fists with an intense energy. "Come then. If you're that desperate to die then at least die fighting!"

"Silence!"

Astral blasted his opponent from across the field and sent him flying against the fountain again. The old monk readied for his finishing blow but Khan stood up and unleashed a red swirl of energy from his fingertips that pierced through the old man's chest.

"ASTRAL!" Stephanie screamed.

The old man stood there as the blood oozed from his mouth and his vision started to blur. Stunned and unable to battle, he dropped to his knees and took another glimpse of Stephanie who was now struggling to get up.

Up above, where the water fountain began, Trixie used the rocks around her to her advantage as Halla tried to shoot her opponent down. Trixie saw the trail leading down and followed the rocks over to a cave that was well hidden behind the waterfall. Halla noticed this and went after her, her gun safely strapped to her back. When she jumped through the water and into the cave, she was met with a fierce punch to the face.

"Oh you little…" Halla growled as she wiped the blood from her nose. "I'm going to cut you up for that."

"Uh-huh…" Trixie crossed her arms unimpressed.

"Starting with that pretty face of yours!"

"Come on!"

The redhead slipped out a knife from her boot and swung it but as soon as Trixie grabbed hold of her arm, the game was over. Trixie twisted her opponent's arm back and kicked her in the gut, forcing her out of the cave.

"Oh crap…"

Trixie hurried over to Halla and grabbed hold of her arm, as she dangled over the falling stream of water.

"Give me your other hand!" She yelled.

The combined weight of Halla and the pressure of the water falling on her back made it difficult for Trixie to pull her up. But Halla had a different plan in mind. She took out another knife from her boot and instead of accepting Trixie's hand, she took another swipe at her. Trixie anticipated this and simply let the girl go, watching her plummet to her death.

Reiko was ready to finish the old man off when he heard a loud splash behind him. He turned around and was surprised to see Halla's lifeless body lying there in the fountain.

"Huh." He simply said. "Well then! I guess that's my exit cue!"

"Reiko!" Goggi came rolling over to his master, still wearing his underwear over his head. "Let's get out of here!"

"Oh, but I'm having so much fun!"

"We're not finished here, Reiko!" Stephanie shouted.

"You're right! But let's finish our little game for another day, huh? What do you say?"

"You can't run from me!"

"I don't need to run, you silly little girl." He then opened a portal. "Now that I have my power restored, I can reawaken the Shadow Dragon and bring all of Aðalsteinn to its knees!"

"You still need the Blackheart."

"I'm working on it."

"Even if you did find it, you'd still need Remus to tear open the dimensions with his magic. And if you'll recall, I took away his magic! He's useless to you now!"

"Perhaps. But I don't need him anymore."

"What?"

"Remus is irrelevant now that I have my magic again. Honestly, did you really think someone like Remus could be capable of commanding an entire army of warmongers? He had a good plan, I have to admit. But it seems he just wasn't up for the job."

"Reiko…"

"Bye-bye! Come on, Goggi!"

And like that, the two were gone. Stephanie rushed over to Astral and helped the old man up. He was pale and shivering and there was still blood coming out of his mouth.

"Astral…" She whimpered. "We're going to get you out of here."

"K-Khan…" He stammered. "H-he… m-must b-be stopped…"

"I know. I know, Astral."

"Only you… only y-you c-can st-stop him, Stephanie…"

"I will. I promise you I will."

"Astral!" Demetrius came running up to them with Clyde and Trixie following behind. "No…"

"We have to get him out of here, Demetrius!"

"I have the eagle."

As the vortex opened, Stephanie switched her earpiece on and radioed the palace. "This is Stephanie! Prepare to receive wounded! Get the medics ready! We can't waste any time!"

"Stephanie," Trixie started. "I don't think he's--"

"Don't say that!"

"Steph, he's…"

"That's enough, Trixie." Demetrius said. "We're going now, Stephanie."

As the portal took the crew away from the ruins of the once peaceful city, Stephanie shouted to the heavens the only thing she could think of:

"KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!"

A/N: Oh come on. Who didn't see that one coming?