The Dream World
"All right, Jericho," Cassie asked the young man. "Exactly, where are we?"
Jericho shrugged. "I don't know what it's called, but I simply say the Dream World."
"The Dream World?" Cassie raised her brows in sarcasm.
"It's sort of where your spirit or you soul goes," he explained. "Kind of like a Limbo."
"Well, do you know how to get out of this place?" The teenager asked.
"I don't know." Jericho answered. "For me, I slip through other people's bodies when the time is right."
"Slip through other people's bodies?" Cassie wondered. "What do you mean?"
"I'm a meta, like you." The young man informed her. "My power allows me to possess people through eye contact."
Cassie tried to absorb the information. "So, you're possessing my body right now?"
"Technically, yeah." Jericho answered, putting his hands in his pockets.
"But I didn't see you back in the cave." Cassie argued. "How you were able to body snatch me?"
"My sister, Rose." He told her. "I was in her body and I told her to look at you so I can jump into yours before the ritual started."
The young girl flinched. "Rose is your sister? But how? When did you possess her?"
Jericho raised his hand to interrupt her. "It's a long story. To sum it up, our father killed me. I jumped into Rose's body and we both have been sharing the same mind ever since. It's all really complicated."
Cassie rubbed her chin. "Your father killed you? That sucks. And I thought my family was screwed up."
Jericho rolled his eyes. "Tell me about it. Anyway, he's gone and now Rose won't let me host her body. She won't even let me drive. It'll be nice if she'll let me take the car out for a spin every once in a while."
Cassie cringed at the idea. Light suddenly filled the room, brightening the empty void. The pair looked across to see a little girl in an ancient dress spinning.
"The five fruits of goodness are virtue, kindness, compassion, faith, and …"
She paused and started again.
"The five fruits of goodness are virtue, kindness, compassion, faith, and…"
The little girl frowned. "What can't I remember the fifth?"
Cassie recognized her. She turned to Jericho. "Wait, I know her." She walked up to the spinning girl and knelt in front of her. "Galina?"
The tyke stopped spinning. "Yes?" She smiled at Cassie.
"Your name is Galina, right?"
Galina nodded. "I'm happy you're here, Cassandra Sandsmark. Papa has been waiting for you!"
"Papa?' The teenager whispered. Shifting her head up, she saw an old man in robes walking toward her. Getting up from the ground, she stood and felt an immense feeling of warmth coming from the man. He stopped as Galina ran over and hugged him.
"Hello, Cassandra Sandsmark." The old man greeted her.
"Who is this?" Jericho whispered to Cassie.
"His name is Zalmoxis." Cassie answered, recognizing the man. "He's the one that created the seal."
"Of course," laughed Zalmoxis. "And now you're here!"
The teenager stared at him puzzled. "Here? Where's here?"
The sorcerer clapped his hands. "The place that will begin your quest!"
"My quest?" Cassie cocked her head.
Zalmoxis nodded. "The quest to finally defeat Urzkartaga!"
"But how?" Cassie clucked. "Derinoe succeeded in her ritual. She released the plant God. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here."
"Not completely," the sorcerer corrected. "It will take some time for him to fully walk through the gate. You still have a chance to prevent that happening."
Cassie folded her hands and pleaded. "Then tell me. Whatever it is, I'll do it!"
Zalmoxis grinned. "Only the most virtuous and pure of heart can succeed on this journey and you've completed the first part of the quest."
Jericho jumped in. "In what way?"
The sorcerer embraced his daughter even tighter as Galina squealed with laughter. "By being reborn. You see, Cassandra Sandsmark, you share the purest soul of my daughter, Galina. You are her and she is you. Reincarnated into another life. You are one and the same."
Cassie's mouth dropped. Those dreams of Zalmoxis and Galina were part of a former life. No wonder she felt such a deep connection to the magic user. The sorcerer continued.
"And as such. Only the purest heart can defeat Urzkartaga. You are that chosen hero."
Cassie swallowed heart. This was not going to be an easy quest.
In the cave, the battle raged on. Zatanna fended off the endless onslaught of Bouda men with her magicks, while Artemis squared off with the disfigured Alkyone. Dove had her hands full with a couple were-creatures of her own and Kory flew around the warzone as she took on Derinoe herself.
Toward the other end of the cavern, Helena shielded herself as Cyborgirl exhibited her robotic gatling gun and continued firing away at her. Bullets rained down on the Amazonia shield belonging to the demigoddess as Helena waited until the cyborg hacker ran out of ammunition. As soon as the last bullet expelled, the demigoddess made her move.
Darting at the hacker, she slammed fully at LeTonya. The impact felt like a mack truck. LeTonya Charles tumbled backwards, until her entire body hit the cave wall, cracking the foundation, causing an outline of a figure to be embedded inside the masonry. With the hacker dazed, Helena made her move. Pulling her fist back, she pounded Cyborgirl's face, knocking out her enemy unconscious.
With her opponent down, Helena concentrated on three were-creatures coming after her. A boar, panther, and hawk. Gripping her sword and shield, she sliced through the Bouda panther, removed the head of the hawk, and ran through blade the boar. Yet, even still this did not halt the other oncoming Boudas heading in her direction.
Far off on the battlefield, Henry had problems of his own. Hacking away at the Urzkartaga's attacking vines, as well as the charging Bouda monsters kept him busy, but his primary objective was taking down the chimera that the plant God summoned. Eluding the other enemies, he made his way to the enormous monstrosity and faced it with his sword and shield.
"Hey ugly!" Henry taunted the beast. "Come and get me!"
The chimera roared from both its goat and lion heads. The goat one took major offense and shot out a stream of flame at the demigod. Henry raised up his shield to deflect the attacking flare.
"Oh great," he groaned. "One of the heads shoots fire!"
A sharp claw swiped at him. The demigod blocked the attack with his shield, but the force of the assault knocked him down as the serpent's tail from chimera's hind quarters struck at him. The snake bared its fangs and tried to kill him with a venomous bite, but Henry slapped it away with the flat end of his blade. Too focused on the serpent, he failed to see the chimera's other paw behind him. The monster smacked him hard against the back, sending him flying into a large of group of Bouda men carrying weapons.
Landing in the middle of the horde, the demigod quickly got up as the were-creatures ascended upon him. Getting his sword and shield ready, Henry glared at the beasts.
"Who wants to go first?"
To no one's surprise, they all did. All at once, the horde bombarded him.
Kory hovered, set her focus on Derinoe, and aimed her powers directly at her. Once she targeted the witch, she released her starfire into her.
However, Derinoe was much craftier, deflecting the Titan's attack with an invisible barrier. Pulling her arms apart, the old crone mumbled a spell and shot a ball of lightning at the alien princess. Kory managed to dodge it.
"You won't dodge this one!" Derinoe laughed. Reciting another spell, she aimed her fingers at the flying Titan.
Kory waited for another lightning bolt from her enemy. Instead, an invisible force blasted at her, sending her upward toward the sharp stalactites of the cavern ceiling. Luckily, Kory got her bearings and preventing herself from being impaled. She sailed down to the witch and ignited her hands.
"Time to fry, bitch!" She gritted. Kory shot a bolt of orange and green flame at the crone, but sadly it barely made a scratch, as the witch called forth another invisible barrier to shield herself.
Going on the offensive, Derinoe blasted another streak of lighting; this time hitting Kory. Stunned, the alien princess plummeted, hitting the dirt unconscious.
"Kory!" Dove shouted, seeing her fallen friend. Preoccupied with dispatching a were-cheetah and a panther, she tried to race to help her comrade. A quartet of Boudas blocked her path and the Titan prepared for another fight.
Help quickly came along the way, as Rose stabbed two of the beasts, a hawk, and a hyena, with her katanas, leaving Dove to leap in and slash the neck of another hyena and the break the neck of a boar.
"Good, you're alive again!" Dove said to her teammate. She stared at the bloodstain on Deathstroke's chest and pointed to it. "You okay?"
Rose nodded. "Yeah, completely healed. Though I'm pissed that my new costume got ruined. I mean I'm rocking this outfit!"
"Don't worry," Dove said. "We'll ask Themyscira Industries to repair it, if we survive this!"
They looked all around as the battle continued.
"Damn," Rose noted. "I missed a lot when I was dead."
"No time to brief you," Dove explained. "Just get ready to fight!"
As soon as she said this, another horde of Boudas stormed in their direction. Rose knew this was going to take a while.
The Dream World
"How do I stop Urzkartaga?" Cassie asked the sorcerer.
"Remember the five fruits of goodness." Zalmoxis smiled.
Galina recited them. "Virtue, kindness, compassion, faith…" She stopped.
"What's the fifth one?" Cassie asked.
Galina chanted again. "Virtue, kindness, compassion, faith…"
Slowly, Zalmoxis and Galina faded out until they disappeared.
"Wait!" Cassie reached out her hand. "What does this mean? What's the fifth fruit of goodness?"
Jericho looked around. "What do we do now?"
Cassie shrugged. "I don't know. I thought you had some answers."
Jericho frowned. "Sorry, I can only guide you through this place. The rest of the cryptic stuff is your journey."
Annoyed, the teen girl folded her arms. "That's not going to help us…"
Her words were interrupted as she heard a rumble. Out of nowhere, a pair of long vines shot out, entwined Jericho, and began to cocoon all around his body.
"Jericho!" Cassie shouted.
She tried to free him, but the plants were too strong, their tendrils too thick to loosen the bindings. Leaves, twigs, and moss started to gather, and even her demigod strength had no effect on the greenery.
A sinister voice erupted in the room.
Surrender child…
You cannot…
Defeat me…
I am the green…
I am power…
I am eternity incarnate…
I am Urkartaga.
"Cassie!" Jericho pleaded, but it was too late as the plants covered him entirely.
"Let him go!" Cassie screamed.
A tendril whipped out and wrapped around the Amazonian bracelet of her wrist. She snapped her arm back and released herself, as the snakes of vines, leaves, and branches began to surround her.
You will…
Be my sacrifice…
Cassandra Sandsmark…
You will be one…
With the…
Urzkartaga!
Laughter echoed everywhere as the plants got closer. She turned to see the cocooned form of Jericho being pulled into the greenery, she tried to stop it but the Urzkartaga's vines kept creeping up. Unable to save him, she ran. She ran toward the light saw darkness ahead and jumped through.
Blackness.
Cassie waited until the room lit up again. This time nothing, but that it to be expected in the void she was in. Light finally did enter the area.
She heard tiny footsteps behind her and turned around.
Evie Hansen stood in front of the demigod, except this wasn't the pretty, mean girl from Saint Elias. In her place stood a corpse, pale and decayed with shallow features, hair matted and messy, white eyes displaying no soul, and a series of bloody gashes across her face and dirtied school uniform.
"Evie?" The teenager gasped.
The thing that was Evie cackled. "You wish it were the original me! Pretty, popular, the one you were always jealous of!" She raised her rotted arms. "Look at me, Cassie Sandsmark! Look at what you've done to me! You killed me?"
Cassie glared. "I didn't kill you! It was a hyena man that did this from an evil plant God…"
Evie smacked her hard with a punch. Surprisingly, she felt it and it hurt. She fell to the ground. The zombie teen paced around her.
"It's because of you I'm dead!" Evie hissed. "I could have had everything! Adulation! Adoration! Power! But you took that all away from me!"
The teen girl got up. "Evie, I don't why you're so angry with me, but I did nothing wrong!"
The zombie growled. Spinning around, she whacked Cassie across the face to stun her before landing a kick to her chest, sending the heroine flying backwards. Once again, the teenager landed hard on the ground.
"Shut up!" Evie snapped. "It's all your fault!"
Sore and angry, Cassie shook her head and got back up. "Fine, bitch. You want to fight, let's fight!" She stood in fighting position, like Nubia taught her, and went on the defensive.
Evie charged. She swung, but Cassie ducked and landed a punch to her side. The zombie girl cringed as she made anther strike this time to the Amazon girl's head. Cassie blocked it. Now with the advantage, the demigoddess tucked her thumb and planted her fist into Evie's chest.
Zombie girl flew, toppling over to the ground. Stunned but not defeated, Evie flipped back up, shrieked, and charged.
This time, Cassie was ready for her. As Evie tried to grab her, she leaped into the air, spun around to perform a roundhouse kick, and connected to the zombie girl's face. Evie now disoriented did not anticipate Cassie grabbing her by the neck and flipping her over her shoulder. The zombie girl landed hard on the ground.
Dazed and furious, Evie slowly got up and balled her fists. She screamed at her opponent. "IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU THAT I'M DEAD! YOU RUINED MY LIFE! I HATE YOU! WHY DO YOU GET TO HAVE EVERYTHING? FAMILY! FRIENDS! PARENTS AND PEOPLE WHO LOVE YOU? SMARTS! A HAPPY LIFE? WHY? I HAVE NOTHING! IT'S NOT FAIR! IT'S NOT FAIR! I HAVE NOTHING!"
Cassie noticed tears welling up in the corpse's eyes. She began to understand Evie Hansen. Galina's voice echoed.
The five fruits are…
Virtue.
Kindness.
Compassion.
Faith.
The Amazon girl began to comprehend the fifth one. She did something that surprised even her. She hugged Evie.
"NO! STOP!" Evie protested, flailing her arms as Cassie held her tighter. "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I…"
Tears streaked down the zombie girl's face. Cassie kissed Evie's dead cheek.
"I forgive you," she whispered. Slowly the zombie girl stopped fighting.
Through her blank eyes, Evie looked at Cassie as the demigoddess released her. "Thank you…" Quietly, she faded out until she completely disappeared.
The light from void grew even brighter, she closed her eyes as it blinded her.
She was in another place now. Once again, she searched. It was a different part of the void. She could feel it. Shifting her gaze, she noticed two figures in robes, looking omnipotent and ethereal.
"Is this heaven?"
One of the figures, a thick bearded man crown of leaves on his head, took offense.
"Not for our kind!" He snapped. "This is the place between worlds where Gods dwell!"
Cassie took a guess. "Mount Olympus?"
"Along the way, child." The other man in robes replied. He was a bit younger but wore dark curls and had regal appearance. "This is middle passage of your quest, Cassandra Sandsmark!"
She folded her arms. "And you both are?"
The bearded man spoke up. "I am King Zeus of Olympus!"
"And I am the Titan, Helios!" The dark, curly haired man replied.
Cassie gulped and bowed. "Sorry, I'm still getting used to this whole God thing. I guess you're my grandfathers."
Helios nodded. "We are, Cassandra. Our role here is to guide you on the next journey of your quest."
"To bestow upon you the gifts you will need to defeat Urzkartaga." Zeus added.
"Do you know how I'm supposed to do that?" She asked the Olympians.
Helios smiled. "If we were to reveal that, then it defeats the whole purpose of your quest."
Cassie rolled her eyes. "I was hoping for a summarized Wikipedia version of it."
"Do not be insolent child!" Zeus shouted. "Accept our gifts and fulfill your destiny!"
"Fine." The teenager groaned. "What are these gifts?"
"As the daughter of the great Helena of Troy," Helios began. "I grant you beauty, kindness and compassion. You shall have the strength and courage to defeat your enemies!"
"That's it?" Cassie twisted her mouth in surprise. "Um, thanks Grandpa Helios, but I think I already have those."
Zeus shook his head. "Then accept mine. As the daughter of the great Hercules, son of Zeus, you shall have the strength and speed of the Gods to battle your foes!" He paused, then remembered something important. "Oh, I give you a shard of my lightning to smite down your enemies!" He pointed to Cassie's lasso. Hestia's lariat lit up and sparked.
Cassie glanced down at her rope and touched it. It tingled but it didn't hurt her. She nodded to the Olympian God. "Thank you, Lord Zeus. I'll definitely use it."
"One more thing," Helios announced. "Every great hero needs a sidekick. Someone to guide a champion on their path to greatness!"
A bright light illuminated the room as Cassie stared at the two figures coming through the luminous energy. Her eyes filled her tears as she recognized them and called out their names.
"Nubia! Ferdinand!"
There stood her Amazon nanny, in her full warrior regalia, Themysciran armor and leather skirt next to a large Minotaur, sporting a subligaculum, manicaes, and a galerus. Cassie raced to the two of them and hugged them.
"I…thought you were dead," she sobbed into Nubia's shoulder.
"Now, now, Cassandra." Her nanny stroked her head. "We're here now and ready to assist you."
"Always, child," Ferndiand kissed her cheek. His furry, bull face tickled her skin. "We will always be with you!"
"It's time, Cassandra Sandsmark!" Zeus declared. "Accept your destiny and defeat Urzkartaga!"
Cassie wiped her eyes and nodded.
"And always remember," said Helios. "That your strength is your greatest power!"
An enormous illumination brightened the room. Cassie shielded her eyes to see where they were being transported to next.
They were back inside Urzkartaga's plant trap. The vines and leaves coiled around them as they now formed around the trio's feet.
A vine shot out. Nubia picked up her sword and began hacking away.
"Cut down as many of these plants as you can!" She ordered. "There has to be source that it's coming from!"
"Right!" Ferdinand nodded. The Minotaur ripped apart an attacking branch as another came up behind him. Cassie pulled it away.
"There's too many!" She shouted to her friends. "We won't be able to get to the source!"
Surrender…
Cassandra Sandsmark…
You cannot win…
Urzkartaga's voice taunted her. The Amazon girl finally had enough.
"Face me!" She screamed. "Fight me or do you fear me?"
I fear nothing…
The vines and leaves connected, forming an enormous skull. It circled Cassie and slithered around her.
You have my…
Attention child…
You think you can…
Defeat me…
Cassie turned to see Nubia and Ferdinand struggling to cut through the brush but every time, the vines and leaves multiplied and grew stronger. They began to bury her guardians in a field of green.
You have lost…
Child…
Surrender to me…
"Never!" The demigoddess shouted. "My strength is my greatest power!" The vines now slipped around her ankles. Cassie kicked them off with her boots.
Then perish…
I am Urzkartaga…
I am the green incarnate…
I am God…
I am hate…
The words started to dance around in her head. Virtue. Kindness. Compassion. Faith. The Fruits of Goodness. She realized the last one. She looked down at her shard of lighting sparking from her lasso. Touching the rope, she felt the surge of Zeus's bolt drifting through skin, entering her body, and sparking across her bracelets. Finally, she discovered her answer. The fifth fruit. She screamed.
"I AM LOVE!"
She slammed her bracelets together, igniting the lightning of Lord Zeus and the Olympian Gods. The clang of her vambraces echoed into the void, streaked in all directions as it flared through each vine, leaf, twig, moss, and branch and torched every piece of green around her. The foliage disintegrated, shriveling into nothing, as the tendrils retreated into the darkness.
NO…
This cannot be…
I am Urzkartaga..
God of the Green…
I cannot be defeated…
Cassie looked up to see the Zalmoxis seal glowing bright above her. The leafy skull roared, as she thought up everyone who loved her. Helena, Henry, Nubia, Ferdinand. Her new friends, the Titans. The Amazons of Themyscira. Vanessa, Julia, and finally, herself. Feeling the rush of Zeus's lightning inside, she smirked at the plant God.
"Urzkartaga! I banish you back to the world you came from! As per the seal of Zalmoxis and the Five Fruits of Goodness, virtue, kindness, compassion, faith! I imprison you back with the greatest power of all! LOVE!"
She clanged her bracelets together again. The greenery vibrated in fear as they lit up with even more powerful electrical charge. Branches, leaves, and vines decayed, shriveling into a mess of burnt green as the leafy skull of Urzkartaga exploded. Lightning and electricity shot out everywhere, killing the rest of the vines as Nubia and Ferdinand lowered their weapons to see the rest of plants deteriorating into compost.
NOOO…
I…won't…go…
Silence as Urzkartaga sinister voice slowly vanished back into the darkness. Cassie kicked away the dry leaves from her feet, as Nubia and Ferdinand joined her. The Amazon girl crushed her boots across the dry pile of leaves, toward the large pile nearby and pulled apart the dirty mess of dried twigs.
Jericho leaped up, anxious and nervous, as he patted off the last of the leaves from his body. "What happened? Did we die?"
"Not really," Cassie smiled. "We did win, though. Urzkartaga's gone."
"Oh, thank God," he said with relief. "I thought I would be buried in a pile of…" His eyes suddenly noticed the Minotaur. He screeched. "Holy shit! What is that thing?"
"Relax," Cassie reassured him. "That's just my chef, Ferdinand. He's harmless."
Ferdinand extended his claw. "Please to meet you…"
"Jericho," said the teen nervously, accepting it.
"And I'm Nubia," said the warrior woman next to him. "I'm Cassie's nanny. Now that we have the formalities out of the way. Let's search for a way out of here."
"I can help with that."
Zalmoxis entered, with Galina playing around his robes.
"You've done well, Cassandra Sandsmark. Urzkartaga is now defeated and banished back to the darkness where he belongs." He handed the teenager the seal. "As your reward, this seal grants you one wish. Use it wisely."
"Do I have to use it now?" She asked, seeing how they were still trapped in the Dream World. She took the seal from the sorcerer.
Zalmoxis laughed. "No. That would be a waste. I'll give you a freebie. I'll transport you all out of here but be aware a war still rages outside of this place."
"I'm looking forward to it." Cassie grinned, feeling more confident as a hero.
"That is exactly what I want to hear." He spread out his arms and muttered a spell.
Blinding light appeared, causing the four heroes to vanish back to their reality.
Zalmoxis picked up Galina and smiled.
"Your strength is your greatest power, Cassandra Sandsmark. Remember that!"