Chapter 52
"Even if I try to use it to persuade you to send us back, I can't ever trust you enough to return it," Mira said as she looked from Malberic to the orb. "There's only one way to keep you from ever doing this to us …or to anyone else ever again."
"No!" Malberic shouted as Mira thrust the orb down upon the stones with all of her strength.
Although the orb did not smash, cracks splintered up its sides until power began to burst forth from within, and finally, the orb shattered as power exploded from it. Mira was thrown to the ground, but in the brightness of the light, she saw Malberic reaching for the power as it escaped.
Suddenly his hands began to wither and decay. His proud face sagged with wrinkles, and his dark hair turned gray and then white.
"My immortality…" he groaned as he cast a chilling glare upon Mira.
She watched him with horror, yet without pity.
"It wasn't yours to keep."
He began to reach for her as he collapsed on the ground, but his body began turning to dust in an instant, and soon there was nothing left of him.
The grove of trees vanished. The labyrinth was gone. Mira noticed that the tower remained, but it was just part of a ruin now of the ancient city of the dark elves.
A part of the blue light returned in the shape of an elf, and it bowed its head to Mira. She nodded back, understanding that the dark elves could be at peace now that Malberic no longer held their life force in his keeping. It vanished, and Mira was left alone with the ducks.
"Can you explain what just happened?" Tanya asked, helping Mira up.
"It's a long story, but Malberic's gone forever now."
"What about our ride back to Anaheim?" Nosedive asked.
Mira dropped her gaze.
"Sorry guys. I'm not sure how to manage that. But Malberic had to be stopped. We were never going to be able to trust him."
The ducks appeared dismayed as they looked as the barren landscape around them.
"So we're stranded here?" Mallory said.
Wildwing walked over to where Malberic had stood, and he stooped and picked up something.
"Not necessarily," he said, raising a green jewel. "Now I have Borg's gift back."
"It can open a portal?" Mira asked.
"No," Wildwing said. "But I think I can use it to contact Borg now that Malberic is gone."
He closed his hand around the jewel and shut his eyes as he focused. For several minutes, they all waited in silence.
Then a bright light shone upon the dreary land again, and Borg jumped out of the light.
"Greetings, my friends!" Borg said as he landed onto the ground beside them.
"Borg, dude, you came!" Nosedive said excitedly.
"Yes, I heard Wildwing's call. Is it true? The evil fiend, Malberic, is vanquished?"
"Mira took down another magical villain," Duke said with a smile.
Mira blushed.
"Well done, brave maiden!" Borg said clasping her hand. "The tyrant stole many poor souls from other worlds. My magic was not strong enough to take him on."
"Yes, but can you help us get back to Earth?" Mira asked eagerly.
"Of course, now that he no longer has bound this world with this sorcery, it is no longer a prison. My magic can operate freely here."
Borg opened up a portal in the air, and they all took hands and passed through it. The light faded, and they were back on the streets of Anaheim. Mira took in a deep breath.
"I was so afraid I'd never see it again."
"You came through for us, sweetheart," Duke said gratefully. "Thank you."
"Not only that," Wildwing said. "But do they know what you did to save us?"
Mira felt her face grow warm again, and she didn't answer.
"What do you mean, bro?" Nosedive asked.
"Mira could have come back to Earth when we were taken as Malberic's prisoners. He was willing to let her go, but she stayed and risked her freedom to save us."
"A noble deed," Grin said as he put his hand on her shoulder.
The other ducks thanked her, but Mira waved them off.
"I just did what I needed to. You don't have to make such a big deal out of it."
"There should be a feast in your honor!" Borg said. "I will go back and tell the tale of your quest to my people!"
"Wait, I just remembered that Malberic said Dragaunus made the deal with him for your imprisonment. Malberic said he gave him some kind of weapon."
"That is something we'll have to deal with," Wildwing sighed.
Borg stepped in to ease their fears.
"Whatever Malberic has given your enemies will be weakened now that he is dead. I doubt your enemies will find it of much use."
Wildwing opened his com and saw that there were signs of teleportation energy downtown.
"Great, no rest for the weary," Mallory said when she observed it on her own com.
"Hey, Borg, you up for this?" Nosedive asked.
"I am sorry, my friends. I must bid you farewell and return to my own realm. But good fortune go with you!"
He disappeared in a flash of magic, and the ducks began walking back to the Pond to get the Migrator.
"So now that I have helped defeat a sorceress and whatever Malberic was, some kind of sorcerer, I guess, can I be a bit more involved with saving the world in Anaheim?" Mira asked.
"I guess we could give you some training," Wildwing said.
"Facing Dragaunus is dangerous. You do understand that?" Mallory warned.
"Hey, she's been in danger a lot lately," Duke protested. "It's not like we've really spared her that."
"Yeah, but magical danger is not quite the same as getting shot with a blaster, right?" Tanya said.
"We don't have to jump right to the line of fire part," Mira said with a nervous laugh. "I just want to tag-along, maybe watch from the Migrator. Maybe drive a duck cycle?"
"We'll see," Wildwing said with a grin.
"Learn to use a sabre," Mira said, glancing at Duke, as she continued her list.
"Uh, I guess," Duke said hesitantly.
"Take a glider out for a night," Mira persisted.
"Whoa, I don't think…" Mallory started to say.
"Fire a puck cannon in target practice."
"One step at a time," Tanya protested.
Mira laughed.
"Just seeing how far I can push this line. That's all guys."
"You're right that we should let you come off the bench," Wildwing said. "But as to what that means, we'll see."
Congratulations! You defeated Malberic and his labyrinth! Mira and the ducks have safely returned to Anaheim.
I'm curious to know which ending you like better, Chapter 52 or Chapter 53? You could vote and let me know by leaving a comment!
Comments are always important to me even if you're not voting on an ending. It encourages me to write more if I hear from you.
If you haven't read my prequel to this story, it's titled Danger Comes at Twilight, and it's also a story with choices.
One last note, if you didn't get to read the other version of Day Six in Chapters 46-48, you could go back and check that out if you want.
