Chapter 38:
"So, when do we set our plans in order?", Paul asked as he, Nerissa, Phobos, and Necra sat at a table, in the main hall of the palace.
"Soon, my friend.", Phobos said. "Once we harness enough power into the Shadow Gem, Necra found in the Shadow Realm, we'll be able to open a fold to Kandrakar, and take it over!"
"And we'll do it in style!", Nerissa said as she held her staff tightly.
"And what of our guest?", Necra questioned. "We can't have them escaping, and ruining our plans!"
"They're being watched, by four of our Dark Guardians.", Nerissa replied. "They're not going anywhere."
"I love it when things go our way.", Paul said with a sinister smirk.
"Will they be okay?", Anna asked as she had Irma's head resting in her lap, like the other mother had their daughters.
"They're fine, Anna.", Yan Lin said. "The horn just knocked them out. But they won't be able to transform for a while. How long, I'm not sure."
"I just hope they're not to hurt.", Susan said as she stroked her daughter's head.
"I've been better.", Scott said as he slowly sat up, rubbing his head.
"I second that.", Hay Lin said doing the same thing.
"Oh.", Irma moaned sitting up. "What hit us?"
"I don't know, but man do I feel drained!", Tommy said.
"How long have we been out?", Taranee asked sitting up.
"And what was that horn, that took us down?", Ricky asked.
"And why are we our normal selves?", Sho questioned.
"You were out for about an hour and a half.", John said to Taranee. "And that horn, Ricky, was the Horn of Kandrakar."
"The Horn of Kandrakar?", Tommy said. "What's that?"
"A very power item, that was used to bring down rouge Guardians and Defenders.", Yan Lin explained. "But it also affected the good ones too."
"Paul used it full blast on Angelo and Will.", John said as he looked toward Angelo, who's head was resting on a pillow they were given. "The Heart of Kandrakar and the Star Heart were so weakened, that you all changed back."
"So, the horn is like kryptonite to us.", Irma figured.
"In a way, yes.", John replied.
"So, when will Angelo and Will wake up?", Hay Lin asked as she walked over and sat next to Angelo, and Sho sat by Ms. Vandom and Will.
"It shouldn't be long.", Yan Lin said. "The Star Heart and the Heart of Kandrakar should kick in and wake them soon."
"Oh! My head!", Angelo said as he slowly sat up rubbing the side of his head. "It feels like a drum is being played in their."
"Head, hurting!", Will said as she sat up, holding her head.
Happy to see that Angelo was okay, Hay Lin wrapped her arms around hm, hugging him tightly, knocking them both down.
"I'm so glad you okay!", Hay Lin said keeping her hold on him.
"Need...... air...... Hay Lin!", Angelo said said between breaths.
"Sorry! Sorry!", Hay Lin said as she jumped up from him.
After taking a deep breath, Angelo looked at Hay Lin, grinning.
"You got a powerful hug, girl!", Angelo grinned.
"Are you okay, Will?", Susan asked her daughter.
"Yeah, I'm okay.", Will said as she faced her mother. "So, how much do you know?"
"Just about everything.", Susan said looking at both Will and Angelo. "More or less."
"Surprise!", Angelo said with a cheesy smile.
"Boy!", John said as he popped Anghelo upside the head.
"Ow!", Angelo said as he rubbed his head getting a laugh out of the other kids. "It's just a joke, Uncle John!"
"Well, it's time to get serious!", John said.
"Yeah, you're right.", Angelo said as he got to his feet along with the other Defenders and Guardians. "How deep in it are we?"
"One, we're all trapped in this cage, that I can't pick.", John explained. "Two, you all aren't strong enough to transform yet. And once we manage to get out, you'll have to face four of the five Dark Guardians."
"While protecting our parents.", Will said as she along with everyone else looked to see Peter, Nigel, Eric, and Martin standing in front of the cage.
All four had little smirks on their faces.
"Hello losers.", Ricky said with a grin.
"You're trapped in a cage, weakened, and ripe for the picking, and we're the losers?", Nigel questioned. "Not to bright are you?"
"Maybe, but we're doing it with a smile.", Tommy joked.
"What's to stop me from taking you out right here and now?", Peter said as he formed a blade of air.
"If you're going to do something, stop talking about it and do it!", Tommy said.
"Why you........", Peter said as he was about to open the cage.
"Peter, stop!", Martin said. as he pulled his fellow Dark Guardian back. "He's just trying to get under your skin!"
"Remember, we have more power than they do.", Eric said.
"So that's what this is all about?", Will questioned. "Power?! Seriously?!"
"I though it was because we were with their ex-girlfriends.", Angelo said. "So where's Matt?"
"Paul and Nerissa couldn't get him to turn.", Eric said.
"So what he did at the dance.....", Will began to say.
"Was all him.", Peter said with a smirk.
"Now that's messed up.", Cornelia said.
"What's messed up is the fact that after you broke up with us, you all went running to the Defenders!", Peter snapped.
"For the last time, I was single, when I met Scott!", Irma yelled. "I never dated Martin!"
"I think they got it, Irma.", Scott said as he tried calm Irma down as she was breathing heavily.
"To think, Scott maybe married to her on day.", Ricky whispered to Taranee, getting a laugh out of her.
"I'm standing right here you know!", Irma said standing behind Ricky.
"I know.", Ricky said with a smile.
"You think you're so funny.", Nigel said glaring at Ricky.
"I do try.", Ricky said.
"Laugh this off!", Nigel said as he shot a ball of ice at Ricky hitting him against the back of the cage.
"Ricky!", Taranee cried as she ran up to him.
"Well, that hurt.", Ricky said sitting up. "Is that all you got?"
"I got plenty!", Nigel said as he fire lit up in his hands. "We can take all of you on!"
"Then put your money where your mouth is!", Angelo demanded. "You Dark Guardians verses the ten of us!"
"If you win, then you prove that you're stronger than we are.", Sho said.
"But if we win, you let us all go.", Hay Lin said.
"Sounds like fun.", Phobos said as he and Necra walked in to the room, with Frost at his side. "But let's add a little something to this."
"If our Dark Guardians win, you hand over the Star Heart and the Heart of Kandrakar!", Necra demanded.
"What do you say, gang?", Angelo said as they gathered in a circle. "This may end up being our last fight as Defenders and Guardians."
They all looked at each other, knowing what was at stake. Each knew what they had to do.
"Do you have to ask, man?", Ricky said as he held his hand out.
"We're Defenders until the end.", Scott said as he placed his hand on Ricky's.
"Through good times, or bad, we got each others back.", Tommy said as he placed his hand on Scott's.
"Besides, we can't let you have all the fun.", Sho said as he placed his hand on Tommy's.
"Let's do this, guys.",Angelo said as he placed his hand on Sho's.
Hay Lin then put her hand on Angelo's.
"Don't forget about me!", Hay Lin said.
"Me neither!", Irma said as she placed his hand on Hay Lin's.
"I'm in this too.", Will said placing her hand on Irma's.
"Same here.", Cornelia said placing hand on top of Will's.
"If we go, we go together!", Taranee said as she placed her hand on Cornelia's.
The ten of them then shook their combined hands and turned to face their enemies.
"Your on!", Angelo said.
"This is going to be good!", Frost said as they all walked out of the room.
"Rest up.", Peter said as the doors slowly closed. "You're going to need it."
"Are you all sure about this?", John asked them.
"Totally.", Will said.
"Once we beat them, we may be able to free the boys from Nerissa and Paul's control.", Angelo said.
"You going to be okay fighting your brother, if you have to?", Ricky asked Taranee.
"If it means saving him, yes.", Taranee said.
"You're not doing any fighting, young lady!", Theresa said as she walked up to her daughter. "I'm not about to watch two of my children fight each other!"
"Theresa! Stop this!", Lione said to his wife. "They have no choice in this! They're fighting to save us all!"
"No!", Theresa snaped. "I refuse to let my little girl go fight, knowing she may not come back!"
"Mom?", Taranee said facing her mother. "I'm only going to say this once. Shut up and stay out of this!"
"Whoa!", Irma said. "Didn't see that coming!"
"I did.", Cornelia whispered to Tommy.
"Taranee?!", Theresa said in shock!
"I'm not a little kid anymore!", Taranee said. "I'm sixteen for crying out loud! And I can handle myself! I also have my friends to back me up, if I need any help! And right now, they need me! And I'm going to help them! And you're not going to stop me!"
Theresa was silent as Taranee turned awy from her and walked to the other side of the cage with Ricky. No one said anything, as they were giving them their space. But deep down Lione Cook was proud that his daughter stood up for herself.
'Good for you Taranee.', Lione said as he went to be with his wife, seeing as she need to be comforted a bit.
"YOU WHAT?!", Nerissa snapped after hearing about the deal Phobos and Necra made with the Guardians and Defenders.
"Do not worry, Nerissa.", Necra said. "This will play well with our plans."
"How so?", Paul asked not sounding to happy himself.
"While the Guardians and Defenders are fighting the Dark Guardians, we'll have the time we need to put our plans to make this palace a floating palace, in motion.", Phobos explained. "We can then take it through the fold, made by the Shadow Gem, to Kandrakar and take it over!"
"You have a point.", Paul said. "We can't take the chance of them breaking out and ruining our plans."
"I suppose you're right.", Nerissa said. "Very well. Go along with your plans."
"Do not worry, my friends.", Necra said. "Everything will go as planned."
'I hope you're right.', Neriss thought to herself as she continued to gather energy in to the Shadow Gem, that was sitting on a pedestal. 'I hope you're right.
"How long have the Aurameres been like this Luba?", the Oracle asked his friend as they stood in the Chamber of the Aurameres.
Both were looking at the ten Aurameres that were connected to the Guardians and Defenders. The glow they had was very dim, but the glow was getting stronger, slowly.
"I do not know, Oracle.", Luba said. "When I awoke, their glow was weaker than this. Do you think.........?"
"I'm afraid so, Luba.", the Oracle said. "Nerissa and Paul have found and used the Horn of Kandrakar on the Guardians and Defenders."
"How long will it be before they are at full strenght", Luba asked.
"Of that I am not sure.", the Oracle said. "But I do know what must be done. We must gather their allies. Once we know where the Guardians and Defender are, we can send them to aid them and the Guardian's parents."
"I will send Orube to Metamoor and Valora.", Luba said. "As for the Regents of Earth....."
"They will be needed to.", the Oracle said. "Matthew was wrong in what he did, but his powers will be needed. I'll send Halinor to bring him and Kor here."
"As you wish, Oracle.", Luba said as the Oracle walked out of the chamber. "I just hope we can get to them in time."
Once all their allies were gathered, the Oracle explained to them what had happened.
"I know this is a lot to ask, but for once it is the Guardians and Defenders that are in need of your help.", the Oracle informed. "I will understand if you do not wish to take this task on."
"After all the Guardians have done for my world, this is the least I could do.", Caleb said as he stepped forward. "I'll help."
"As will I.", Drake said stepping forward.
"Blunk help too!", Blunk said stepping forward.
"The Defenders have done a lot for our world.", Thomas said as he and Tanara stepped forward. "To not help would be wrong!"
"So you can count on us to help.", Tanara said proudly.
"You do not even have to ask, Oracle.", Orube said stepping forward. "The Guardians and Defenders are like family to me. I shall go as well."
Mr. Huggles, in his Kor form stepped forward showing that he wanted to help. Everyone looked towards Matt, who was in his Shagon form. He stepped forward, without hesitating.
"I may not be close to them, but that doesn't mean that I want anything bad to happen to them.", Matt said. "I'll help. Besides, my four friends are involved in this. I've been in their shoes once. I'll do what I have to do to free them from Nerissa's hold!"
"I thank you all.", the Oracle said. "We must now wait until I can sense them. Somehow, our enemies have found away to block my vision when it comes to finding the Guardians and Defenders."
"If only we knew what world they were on.", Halinor pondered.
On Flarona, in the hidden palace, the Dark Guardians were eating a meal. Each was thinking of what they wanted to do when the battle began.
'Once I crush Scott, I'll make Irma mine!', Martin thought as he took a drink of his juice. 'This is going to be sweet!'
'Cornelia will see how wrong she was when she dumped me!', Peter thought as he at his food. 'And Tommy will be sorry he ever came to Heatherfield!'
'I'm going to enjoy beaing the crap out of Angelo!', Eric said as he was cutting his steak. 'Maybe then Hay Lin will see how wrong she was for leaving me for him!'
'Soon Taranee will be mine again!', Nigel thought as he ate his food. 'As soon as I crush Ricky, that is.'
'I'm going to take great pleasure in crushing the Guardian Leader!', Frost said as he drank his brew. 'Great pleasure in deed!'
"With the Guardians and Defender out of the way, Kandrakar will be ours!", Paul said as he held Nerissa in his arms.
"And with us in charge, the known worlds shall bend to our will!", Nerissa said as they kissed.
"We're so close to ruling it all!", Phobos said as he walked up to Necra.
"With us working together, we've defeated our foes and have the tools we need to get what we want.", Necra said as she turned to Phobos.
Phobos then took Necra in his arms and kissed her, finally happy to find someone just as bad as he was. Both feeling that soon they'll have what they want!
A/N: The Dark Guardians verses the Warriors of Kandrakar! That's going to be good! Unless their allies find them first. And who of thought that Phobos and Necra would get together! Honestly, did you see that coming?
Please review.