Chapter 51
Mira hated to give up the orb in her hands, but what could she do with it? Malberic still held her friends captive.
"I will trade the orb," Mira said hesitantly. "For your goodwill to me and my friends."
"As a sign of that, you can have this," Malberic said, holding out the crown.
Slowly raising her hands, Mira held out the orb to him, and her fingers grasped the crown as he picked up the orb out of her grasp. But once the orb was in his hands, the brightness of the blue light appeared to grow dull and darken, though he appeared stronger and more vibrant.
The crown in Mira's hands changed shape and became manacles on her wrists. She gasped and tried to pull them off, but the pendant around her neck, displaying what would happen should she fail the challenge, grew heavy and began to glow.
Malberic ripped the pendant from his own neck that contained an image of her and the ducks' freedom.
"You have lost your chance at this, and now you are mine along with all your friends. The game is won!"
"No! What of your promise?" Mira asked.
"You are just as trusting as the dark elves. They believed I would grant them a gift, and look," he said holding up the orb. "This is all that is left of them. Their power is mine."
He laughed.
"You were always doomed to lose this game."
Mira suddenly felt too weak to resist as a darkness passed over her vision.
This is only one possible ending to this story.
To find a different ending, go back to Chapter 49.
In this ending, no one was able to return to Earth. Mira and all of the ducks remained Malberic's prisoners, and as he had betrayed the dark elves, he betrayed Mira with the promise of a trade. In the end, he gave her nothing and sought to keep everything for himself.
