Lucretia regained her footing as her previous attempt to undo what Adam did to her failed miserably.
"All right, so the past several times blew up in my face, but I will triumph."
Ever since her encounter, Lucretia had found the icy landscapes of Puckworld more unbearable. She didn't mind them before Adam came along, but now she had to use a heating system in her cave just to make sure she didn't freeze. After going through her stuff, her face fell into an expression of annoyed and anger.
"Adam had to know that one saurian spell that reveals one's inner beauty.", she muttered to herself before an idea came to her, "Hmm, if I'm looking for something, there's one place in Dimensional Limbo where I can find it."
"Don't bother."
Lucretia turned to see Zarel's image beside a floating vial of gray liquid.
"My lord, forgive my failure.", Lucretia said bowing the moment she saw him.
Zarel raised an eyebrow.
"Consider this your second chance to get even with those who have wronged you.", he said before the vial hovered over to her.
Without thinking, Lucretia took the vial and drank the whole thing. She then fell to the ground in agony as pain wrecked her body. The reptilian features melted until her former self became visible and when she looked in a reflective surface, she felt relieved and in awe.
"Don't grow attached.", Zarel warned gaining her attention again, "This change isn't permanent, but there is a way to make it so."
Lucretia looked at the saurian with a pleading look.
"Tell me how to.", she said.
Zarel smiled.
"Drain the blood of a direct descendant of Drake DuCaine before the next full moon and the change you see becomes permanent, but fail, and the moment the full moon reaches it's zenith, you die."
Lucretia's resolve hardened, but she looked more eager than she was earlier.
"Shall be done."
"Just remember the bargain.",Zarel stated before he vanished away.
Lucretia looked over at the network of spy cams she had around Puckworld and one showed Danielle looking a bit haunted by something.
"Hello innocent sacrifice.", Lucretia said smiling devilishly.
/
Canard helped Grin lift a pillar into place while the construction crew worked. The Pond had risen up after the whole invading forces were sent back to wherever they came from, but the arena looked pretty busted up. The other ducks and Morpha helped.
"Dive are you sure Create is offline?", Thrash asked as he and Mookie gathered some seats(or at least parts of them) from the rubble.
"Trust me, it is.", Nosedive answered, "I had to use a huge chunk of what was leftover to fix up Anaheim enough so people could take it from there."
Tanya checked her pendent after helping Wildwing sort out some wall parts.
"Empower should be back enough to bring Nosedive's Create enough power to fix this place in about a minute or two."
"Well, that's good news.", Duke stated as he and Mallory finished getting a door out from under a couple large rocks, "Cause this dust is seriously messing up my do."
Wildwing rolled his eyes, but was smiling.
"Hey, we just saved the whole world before Zarel could bring his personal world destroyer and blow Earth into space dust."
Canard smiled back.
"Yep, could've been-"
"Don't say that!", Mookie screamed, "As soon as you say things can't get any worse-"
A loud clap of thunder rumbled and it started raining very hard.
"They do!", she finished.
Morpha noticed the rain and after setting down the large girder pieces it was handing off to the construction crew, extended itself upward and opened into a large umbrella that covered a large part of the Pond allowing the construction crew(who were thinking of calling it quits cause of the rain) to resume working.
/
Quasleet patched up a wall with help from a working bot while Julia and Clyde helped clear up the rubble on the floor. Danielle was nearby looking a bit overwhelmed by what had happened only yesterday, but Adam noticed.
"Hey, you okay?", he asked as he sat beside her.
Danielle sighed.
"I never thought I'd see the saurian war fleet up close like that.", she stated knowing that it was better to admit her feelings rather than keep it to herself, "Lucretia almost won and would have if you and Quasleet hadn't come."
Adam put a hand on her shoulder.
"I know. Danielle, it's okay to feel scared at times. I've been there myself."
Danielle looked a little interested.
"How so?"
"After I got...well, you know, I thought about reporting what I had to Lucretia, but then I found out she was urging me for a reason: to give the saurians the perfect soldier. After I found out, I was devastated. My own sister sold out me and my work for her own gain and she couldn't care less how I felt about it. I tried to hide myself after I got away, but Dragaunus sent drones after me. I spent so many nights half asleep that I had almost given up."
"Then Canard's resistance drew attention away?", Danielle guessed.
"Yeah.", Adam answered, "They didn't know I was helping, but I did. Kind of like a 'behind the scenes' helper if you will."
Danielle looked confused.
"Then why the belt?", she asked.
"Cause he's not from this time line.", Clyde answered(he overheard), "That belt helps him stay in this time zone so he can carry out Chroma's interactions."
"Kind of like you were with the endgame the Keepers had?", Adam guessed.
"Yep.", Clyde answered, "So Adam, mind giving us a hand?"
Danielle had gotten over her feelings and was happy to lend a hand as well. It went easier cause Adam could use his power to lift things into place and they could be fixed faster. Quasleet observed Adam and looked concerned.
"Adam, would you mind if we kept these...abilities of yours a secret? I don't know how the other ducks around here might take it if they found out."
Adam smiled.
"Smart choice."
/
Back on Earth, the Pond was almost up and back to normal since Tanya used Empower to energize Nosedive's Create spell and after a quick scribble, a huge tornado of tools blew over the rubble and after a couple minutes, the wind lifted to reveal the Pond up and sparkling new like it hadn't been touched all day.
"Well, that takes care of that.", Wildwing said turning to the other ducks, "Who feels like taking a break?"
The other ducks fell to the ground exhausted, but Morpha became a giant mattress for them settle on and Wildwing fell on to him also to relieve the tense pain in his back from lifting the rubble around and standing.
"Well, at least the storm cleared out.", Mallory stated as she rubbed her shoulder, "I could swear my shoulder was going to fall off."
"Just another relaxing moment for us after that huge three part episode of drama, adventure and fighting.", Nosedive sighed(breaking the fourth wall as usual).
After a bit, the ducks went inside to see that the Pond was fixed up there as well. Phil was looking over his schedule and looking a bit unnerved.
"This arena has been demolished by alien insects, dimensional elements, angry mobs, and the end of the world three times.", he griped, "What's next?"
Thrash and Mookie didn't look worried. In fact they looked excited.
"I can't believe we faced off against two of the elite saurian guards just yesterday.", Thrash stated as he flinched from touching his scarred arm.
"You two almost died.", Canard pointed out, "Those two would've executed you if Wildwing and I hadn't intervened."
Mookie shrugged.
"Oh well, all the more reason for us to get back to training so we'll fare better next time."
Morpha tapped Nosedive's shoulder and Nosedive noticed that Morpha looked a bit dried out.
"Sorry boy.", Nosedive said sympathetically, "I almost forgot to water you today didn't I?"
Duke came forward with a thermos of water and handed it over. Nosedive poured a glass which Morpha drained and then looked less dry and more like it should look. After heading down the elevator, they met up at Drake 1 where a transmission was coming through.
"You guys okay over there?", Clyde asked when they picked up.
"We're cool.", Grin said sagely.
"How about you?", Mallory asked, "How are things back home?"
"Well, we still need to figure out the tampering Lucretia did to Quasleet's portal, but we should have it back up and running by tomorrow for further testing.", Clyde answered.
"Clyde, could you get some spare plating?", Julia asked from the background, "Some parts are worn from the last big portal it opened."
Danielle came into view and paused as she and Canard made eye contact. After a shy smile and a wave, Danielle went off, but Canard didn't mind. She knew he cared.
"Well, thanks for the update.", Wildwing said, "You guys care to keep an eye out in case Lucretia tries anything?"
"Will do.", Clyde said giving a salute.
The screen went blank and the ducks went off to see if anything in the base was misplaced or not fixed yet.
/
Servain slumped to a mountain's side as he staggered across Sauria's surface. Varc and Cerox were alongside him looking equally winded.
"Well we got those rifts closed.", Cerox stated wiping his brow.
"Though it wasn't supposed to be so difficult for beings of our rank.", Varc said as he waved his blood drenched fingers over each other and they reformed and healed themselves.
Servain only sighed.
"The others are supposedly sealed away or who knows what?"
Cerox had gained enough of his strength to stand up straight.
"And by your hand I might add."
Servain glared his way.
"Do not test my limits Lord of Valor.", he warned as the skies around him grew dark and stormy, "I did what I thought was right."
Varc could feel the tension in the air and then he noticed a wisp of autumn air wash across the desert like area. Servain and Cerox paused to see the wisp shift and then reform into another deity resembling a parasauralophus with large fins across it's sides and changing color like autumn leaves.
"So you answered Servain Lady of Seasons.", Varc stated.
The new deity looked to Servain and bowed.
"What does the high father ask of Junaria?", she asked humbly.
"Only for your audience.", Servain said growing calmer now.
At that very moment, twin balls of light formed two more resembling triceratops with flowing silk garments who bowed to Servain.
"The Twin Heralds are at your service high father.", they said in unification.
Servain nodded.
"Good you could send your astral images Herald of Dawn and Herald of Dusk."
"So why call us here?", Junaria asked.
"To assist in restoring Sauria.", Servain answered, "Although I've tried, I'm found lacking the power to hold on to the home we stand for."
The other deities didn't look assured.
"We receive word of you wishing a council and we're reduced to sending astral images of ourselves to attend?", Cerox asked, "What's really going on?"
Servain looked annoyed.
"Just listen and I'll explain everything."
The others gathered as thrones matching the one who sat there formed a circle in the air and Servain took his followed by the rest taking theirs.
"Now, to allow me explain why I telepathically asked you all here."
/
Charyus rubbed his still scorched side as the medical herbs worked their way through. Dragaunus was a bit battered himself, but still his rage was undeniable.
"Malevolence tries to band us together and still the ducks prevail!", he roared as he blew a nearby drone to bits.
"A minor setback.", Charyus answered, "I doubt Malevolence saw this as a failure."
Chameleon looked unsure as he flinched from being patched up.
"You're telling me bub.", he said shifting into a mobster and back again, "This whole team up ideal sounds fishy to me."
Wraith held the two pieces of his staff in despair.
"I was quite attached to this.", he said glumly, "And those meddlesome pests cleave it in the struggle earlier."
Charyus waved a hand and Wraith's broken staff mended itself. Siege was fuming and smashed his tail to the ground.
"We had the fleet this close and then we slip at the last minute."
Dragaunus settled into his seat still brooding and tapping his claws deep in thought.
"What to do? What to do?", he muttered to himself.
At that moment, the panel nearby lit up and Cerebellum's projected image came in.
"Um, Dragaunus, may I trouble you for a second?"
"No!", Dragaunus snapped.
Cerebellum gulped, but be wasn't going to back down.
"Lucretia ran into a situation. She tried to summon the fleet through her end, but then Adam intervened and-"
"Adam?!", Dragaunus asked looking both shocked and interested, "As in Adam DeCoy?"
Cerebellum nodded.
"Yep. That scientist who tried to merge his DNA with saurian and gained wings and power because of it."
Dragaunus then looked confused.
"But that can't be him. He's dead."
Charyus looked curious and snapped his fingers.
"Chroma. Meddling again."
Dragaunus only looked more concerned.
"Get me Lucretia immediately!", he ordered, "He must be stopped!"
/
Adam observed Danielle as she skated in the ice rink. Julia and Clyde had gone off for supplies for Quasleet and the two thought they deserved some time together.
"Don't you want to try?", she asked as she paused in front of him.
Adam looked nervous.
"Um...no, but...it...it's been so long since I did this."
Danielle only smiled and took his hand and led him into the ice. Adam was wobbly and almost extended his wings to prevent falling, but Danielle lifted his head to meet her eyes and he gained footing. Adam snapped his fingers and a pair of skates materialized on his feet before he tried to skate with Danielle. After a few tries, Adam started to skate without his wings coming out and Danielle let go of his hand so he could skate on his own.
"You know, I don't recall the last time I did this.", Adam said.
"You're kidding right?", Danielle asked.
Adam shook his head.
"No I'm serious. I admit that when I was full duck, I got so caught up in my work that I just..."
"Lost sight of what was important?", Danielle asked.
Adam sighed.
"Yeah. Guess I should've looked at what I could've done before giving into despair huh?"
Danielle smiled, but that only lasted for a second because a couple bolas came out of nowhere and snared her causing her to fall and Adam got hit in the belt by plasma shot as Lucretia came out of the shadows.
"Thought I'd just fall and die?", she asked wickedly.
Danielle and Adam both looked surprised to see Lucretia the way she used to look before Adam changed her and Lucretia noticed this.
"It's not permanent, but that will soon change.", she purred.
"What do you plan to do?", Danielle asked, "Kill me?"
Lucretia's smile got bigger as she turned to Adam who was fading and reforming as his belt sparked.
"After I'm done with Danielle, I know the perfect place to bury you: right over your grave."
Adam's face hardened as a couple hunter drones came out and retrieved Danielle and followed Lucretia away. His time belt had been damaged, but Julia and Clyde showed up just at that moment.
"What happened?", Julia asked.
Clyde's eyes narrowed.
"Lucretia.", he answered before turning to Adam, "Let's get that belt fixed."
Adam shook his head.
"Lucretia wants Danielle for something. I can make it back, but promise me you'll stop her."
Julia and Clyde both nodded.
"Count on it.", Julia said before she and Clyde headed off and Adam warped away.
To be continued...