Descendants Beyond

by AndrewK9000

Several dark conspiracies threaten to destroy Auradon as Ben and Mal prepare for their wedding. As Ben is forced to lead his kingdom into war, Mal must endure a quest to save another world. Will the two halves of the same heart be reunited? And what of the various outworlder heroes converging on Auradon? What brought them on? And just who is the true enemy?

10. Chapter 9: Delving Deeper

Happy Hanukkah, fellow readers and writers! I am so sorry to keep you all waiting for the next chapter. So much has happened in the past few weeks, I barely had time to write. Hopefully things have calmed down enough for me I can get some work done and I promise to have another chapter up by Christmas, New Years at the latest. And now, without further delay, enjoy.

Chapter 9: Delving Deeper

1

"As you can see, oh most honored guest of Empress Camilsama," said Professor Anaeduseus as he showed Maleficent through a vast laboratory, "the process of refining harvested Magicka into N'Maka is a tedious and convoluted means of alchemy."

"Hon, I once brewed a potion that took four years to finish," said Maleficent as she watched Elf technicians take the crystal spheres of glowing aura and connect them to a series of tubes and flasks. The stolen magical energy was then piped through the tubes and subjected to a vast array of spells and infused with reagents, while waste elements were distilled and reduced from the main catalyst.

"What was it you were attempting to brew?" Elanmanwe Aelsonifeth asked.

"Some poison to settle some sort of grudge," said Maleficent, "it was a long time ago."

"It must have been some grudge worth waiting four years," said the Elven Sorceress Supreme.

"And oh so sweet when revenge finally came," said Maleficent, "Anyway, what makes this N'Maka stuff so precious to you Elves? Surely there's other immortality potions and spells that require less of…off," she indicated the alchemical apparatus, "all of this."

"I beg your pardon?" asked an irate Professor Anaeduseus, "this process is the result of centuries of experimentation and refinement dedicated to producing the most potent of N'Maka for the sake of the Ohachuand Empire! Without N'Maka, our people would wither away and go extinct. Every piece of equipment you see here is essential to the process."

"I'll bet you your weight in gold I can make it simpler," said Maleficent as she smiled with malicious confidence.

"As if you could," said Professor Anaeduseus contemptuously, "it took hundreds of Elven mages and scientists centuries to get where we are now, whereas you, without your powers, what can you do to improve the N'Maka process?"

"Take out that part and that part and that part," said Maleficent as she pointed at seemingly random pieces of equipment, "and you'll get more bang for your buck."

At that Professor Anaeduses laughed cruelly, "the only result will be poorer product and a potential explosion."

"Yet she's confident it'll work," said Elanmanwe Aelsonifeth, "why not experiment with fewer apparatus? It's not as if it would permanently ruin the process? Why not try with just one batch?"

"And waste the Magicka? I think not!" said Professor Anaeduses, "no, we shall stay with tried and true methods. Ah, here comes the first of the new batch."

A technician brought over a small vial full of concentrated fluid so white it almost hurt to look at. Upon further inspection, the fluid, the N'Maka, produced an optical illusion of a shadow deep inside it.

"Now," said Professor Anaeduses, "who to test it on?"

"Perhaps I can be of assistance, dear professor," said Empress Camilsama as she walked in with Charmore beside her.

"Your Grace!" said Professor Anaeduses as he bowed deeply, "yes…yes of course. Here," he handed the vial to Camilsama, "for your approval, here is the first batch of N'Maka distilled from Auradonian Magicka!"

"Yes…yes," said Camilsama as she examined the vial, "yes, this looks promising."

"Very promising, my Empress," said Professor Anaeduses as Camilsama handed the vial back.

"So she gets to play Guinea pig?" Maleficent asked in a hushed tone as Professor Anaeduses bade Camilsama to sit down. Under the baleful eye of Charmore, the Elvin scientist prepared a syringe and loaded it with the white fluid.

"As Empress, it's her prerogative," said Elanmanwe Aesonifeth, "to ensure that the product is safe for her subjects."

By now a technician had rolled up Empress Camilsama's right sleeve and was sterilizing the crook of her elbow. Maleficent saw multiple track marks going up and down the inside of Camilsama's arm, displaying the extent of her addiction.

"Well, what if it's not safe?" Maleficent asked as the technician tied a tourniquet around Camilsama's arm, "what if she OD's and dies?"

"Then her eldest son becomes Emperor," said the Elven Sorceress Supreme, "naturally, he'll have to go through a rigorous series of rituals to prove that he is not only Camilsama's son, but also of pure Elvin Blood. Ironically, any Elf, be he or she of High, Dark or Wood Elf stock, can assume the throne, but he or she must have no trace of human Blood."

"And the rest of Camilsama's kids are half-breeds?" Maleficent asked.

"Only those whom she fathered by a worthy human male," said Elanmanwe Aesonifeth, "an honor King Benjamin scorned to his own misfortune. In time you will meet the more successful results of The Empress' liaisons."

Maleficent then saw Professor Anaeduses inject the N'Maka into Camilsama. He removed the tourniquet and stepped away as the drug coursed through the Elf Empress' veins. Camilsama's eyes rolled back in her head as her body lit up with a white effulgence with an inner shadow.

"YES!" exclaimed Camilsama as she stood up, "I feel the power flowing through me! Mirror! Bring me a mirror! Now!"

"Oh, you are so lucky, my friend," said Elanmanwe Aesonifeth to Maleficent as servants wheeled in an enormous mirror, "The Empress, she is going to remove her mask."

"I've wondered about that," said Maleficent, "why the mask? Was she scarred when she was a teenager by a jealous rival? Or an abusive parent?"

Elanmanwe Aesonifeth looked as if she had endured the most grievous insult, "if she had heard you say that, your head would be on a silver platter and kept alive for a thousand years. That mask is a symbol of her title and power as Empress. Now keep your filthy mouth shut and watch!"

With a dramatic flourish of her hands, Camilsama removed her mask and stared at her reflection. Her Elvin beauty was enhanced by her age and stature, yet the eyes, the eyes were lifeless like a doll. But then they eyes lit up with the same white glow as the N'Maka, glowing brightly with an inner shadow.

"I feel youth and vitality in every atom of my being!" Camilsama decreed, "Professor, you have delivered a triumph! An extraordinary triumph! I commend you the highest honor of Elven science!"

"You honor me more than this humble scientist deserves, your grace," said Professor Anaeduses as he bowed gratefully.

"Yes, Auradonian N'Maka is a triumph," said Empress Camilsama as she donned her mask again, "my people will be most pleased with the product," she then smiled seductively, "and rather productive themselves. Tell me, Professor, did you intend this batch to have aphrodisiac qualities?"

"Aphrodisiac?" the Elven scientist asked, "no, not intentionally."

"Well, Professor," said Camilsama eagerly as she walked over and placed a finger on his shoulder knowingly, "you've earned yourself quite a bonus. Perhaps we can discuss matters in a more intimate setting?"

"I…uh..." said a visibly aroused yet fearful Professor Anaeduses, "if…if that is what you wish, my Empress, then…"

Just then General Tahromiath stormed in, holding a tablet with a cracked screen, "My Empress, have you seen the latest reports from the field!?"

"Not now, general!" snapped Camilsama as she seductively placed her arms around Professor Anaeduses's neck and pulled him closer, "the dear Professor and I were planning a romantic evening together."

"The new batch of N'Maka," said Charmore.

"Oh, well, I see," said General Tahromiath in a subdued tone, "it can wait, your grace."

"That it shall," said Camilsama as she took Professor Anaeduses by the hand and let him out of the room laboratory, giggling passionately as the Elvin scientist sweated nervously.

"I don't know if I should curse him or wish him well," said Charmore once the Elvin Empress and her new paramour were out of earshot.

"I think he should tweak the formula," said Maleficent as she examined the N'Maka apparatus, "'cause if it can make your boss lady this frisky, then your whole species is doomed to endless frisking."

"There are those who wouldn't mind such an extinction," said General Tahromiath, who then growled furiously, "then again, there are those who shouldn't be allowed to breed."

"Seralin?" Elanmanwe Aesonifeth asked in an irritated tone, "what's that ass done now?"

"It's his troops that are grinding my gears!" said the Elvin General, "in the past hour I've received multiple reports of deliberate acts of hostilities on the part of Seralin's men, after they were given strict orders not to open fire unless attacked!"

He handed the tablet to Elanmanwe Aesonifeth, who read it with Charmore and Maleficent reading over her shoulder. "it's a little hard to read with the screen damaged," said Maleficent, "then again, what do I know about technology? Give me a crystal ball any day."

"I'll tell what it says," said General Tahromiath, "Fighters strafing civilians, Ornithopter gunners randomly firing on civilians and dropping bombs, and worst of all, Auradonians fighting back and destroying some of our war machines!"

"Well, we can't always be invincible," said Charmore, "just a matter of time before some Auradonian soldiers got lucky. May the gods rest the souls of our fallen heroes."

"These were no soldiers firing back," said General Tahromiath, "these were civilians, and one law enforcement officer, according to the telemetry reports."

At that the gathered Elves looked at Maleficent for an explanation. "What?" asked the mortal Mistress of all Evil, "I told you many times that Auradon has its share of Heroes."

"Not like these, you didn't," said Elanmanwe Aesonifeth, "one downed an Ornithopter with a thrown war club, another was shot down by a laser pistol. Auradon has better defenders than you lead us to believe."

"I was out of the picture for a while," said Maleficent, "Twenty years on The Isle, who knows what kind of super freaks grew up in the kingdom?"

"It's a shame one of these super freaks didn't dispose of Seralin for us," said General Tahromiath, "When I questioned him about the behavior of his troops, he had the nerve to lie to me, saying his men never instigated any of the violence, that they were merely patrolling the skies in search of The Dark Chest of Wonder and were defending themselves.

"When I pointed out the telemetry, he said the data was flawed, that the rumors of his men being out of control were started by his fellow commanders, jealous of his ability to lead and envious of the loyalty of his men. And when I asked him if he made any progress in locating The Chest, he yelled at me about interrupting his vital mission. The Ass, he yelled at me!"

"Okay, if he's such a pain," said Maleficent, "why don't you just kill him yourself?!"

At that the gathered Elves looked at Maleficent as if she had just said something incredibly stupid.

"We do not resolve our issues with assassination," said Elanmanwe Aesonifeth, "such deplorable actions are human traits."

"Then get a human to assassinate him," said Maleficent, "I don't see what the big deal is, we Villains use assassins all the time. True, they're not always competent assassins, you can thank The Evil Queen for hiring such a lily-livered Huntsman."

"We do not use assassins," said Elanmanwe, "not after what The Dark Brotherhood did to The Aldmeri Dominion."

"We will deal with Seralin in our own way," said General Tahromiath, "such as if he were to openly defy an order from Empress Camilsama. Then he will be put to death, but only after a proper and fair trial."

"Which he'll weasel his way out of with his connections and slick tongue," said Charmore, "but we would never lower ourselves to assassination."

"Shame," said Maleficent, "I could've solved your problem. Still, you could get rid of him another way. His lack of control over his men have cost you the element of surprise."

"True," said Elanmanwe Aesonifeth, "by now all of Auradon is on the alert and preparing for another assault. Even with our military superiority, another harvesting won't yield as much Magicka as in Auradon City."

"Too true," said General Tahromiath, "but we do have another element of surprise; the humans do not know when or where we shall strike next. Perhaps our honored guest can suggest the next population center to attack."

Before Maleficent could respond, she saw an all too familiar glyph appeared on a nearby table. It was there only for an instant, yet Maleficent got the message.

"Oh, but there's so many to choose from," said the mortal Mistress of all Evil, "I'll need to think it over," she then dramatically touched her forehead, "after I've had a rest, all of this excitement has given me a slight headache."

"That I can cure," said Elanmanwe Aelsonfieth, "shall we adjourn to a more comfortable setting so I can brew up a remedy?" With that she and Maleficent left the laboratory, yet once outside, the Elven Sorceress Supreme grabbed Maleficent by the arm, "you don't have a headache, so why do you want to be alone?"

"Can't a girl get some privacy to think?" Maleficent asked as she forced Elanmanwe Aelsonfieth off of her, "you've given me so much to ponder."

"Such as?" Elanmanwe Aelsonfieth demanded.

"Such as The Dark Brotherhood and why you're so freaked out by it," said Maleficent deviously, "what, are they so powerful as to pose a threat to your mighty nomad empire?"

"They are no threat to us!" snapped Elanmanwe Aelsonfieth, "but…it's a long story. But, since you won't be satisfied without some explanation, The Dark Brotherhood was a guild of assassins in Tamriel. They were instrumental in the downfall of The Aldmeri Dominion that lead to our ancestors fleeing Nirn for another world. The Brotherhood was so effective in their methods, they left a lasting memory in the collective psyche of the Ohachuand Empire. To this day, no respectable Elf of the Empire will degrade him or herself in the use of assassination. If we wish someone dead, we set them up to fail or challenge them to a duel. And before you ask, General Tahromiath cannot challenge Seralin to a duel to the death without due cause, such as a personal insult or if Seralin seduces a female relative of the General."

"You Elves are such complex creatures," said Maleficent, "now, if you'll excuse me, I've a great deal of thinking to do."

"Just one more thing," said Elanmanwe Aelsonfieth, "my sorceresses in Auradon have been searching for any information on The Dark Chest of Wonders and have learned nothing."

"And this concerns me, how?" Maleficent asked, "I don't know anything about the darn thing."

"But you do know where such knowledge is kept," said Elanmanwe Aelsonfieth, "The Archives of Auradon, where all the books of magic were stored at the founding of the kingdom."

"Ah, yes," said Maleficent, "that busy body Fairy Godmother and her fear of magic, she had all the interesting books locked up and warded with spells that'll put anyone who tries to get them in the hospital and in therapy." She then smiled contemplatively, "but just the ones in Auradon City are so well protective, not so the other archives. Yes, I'll have to pick a city with such an archive." She then looked at Elanmanwe Aelsonfieth, "you'll have my choice soon, dear friend."

"Then I'll leave you to your thoughts, honored guest," said Elanmanwe Aelsonfieth.

---

2

Minutes later Maleficent was alone in her chambers, that is, alone save for Sarvola.

"What is your major malfunction?!" Maleficent demanded of the albino sorceress, "I thought we'd agree you wouldn't call me unless I was alone."

"We are alone now, aren't we?" Sarvola asked, "I was getting a little lonely. So, what's the status of your little play acting?"

"You mean my getting in deep with the Elves?" Maleficent asked, "I actually got to see the works where they make their drug."

"You saw the N'Maka apparatus?" Sarvola asked, "what did you think of it?"

"A convoluted mess, that's what I thought of it," said Maleficent, "I can improve the works if that turbo nerd Anaeduseus would let me touch it."

"Slight change of plans, my malicious ally," said Sarvola as she took a small scroll from the folds of her robe, "I'd like you to get the dear Professor's permission to improve the apparatus, not only the mechanical aspects, but to improve the formulae for N'Maka."

"It already needs improvement," said Maleficent, "by now Camilsama's bonking Anaeduseus' brains out."

"Truly, now?" an intrigued Sarvola asked, "I never would've guessed Auradonian Magicka would have such an aphrodisiac effect. Perhaps we can use this to our advantage, but in the meantime, we should focus on gaining control of the apparatus."

"They also want me to pick the next city to attack to get more Magicka," said Maleficent, "and that twit of a Sorceress Supreme, she wants me to pick one where she can find clues on The Dark Chest of Wonders." She frowned slightly, "just what is in The Chest that you and Camilsama are so hot and bothered to get?"

"Something that will tip the balance of good and evil in evil's favor," said Sarvola, "something I have sought far longer than Sarvola has, that's all you need to know."

"Well, what am I supposed to be looking for when I get to the archives?" Maleficent asked.

"You'll know it when you see it," said Sarvola, "just as dear King Benjamin will know it when he finds it."

"About that," said Maleficent, "why are you having me and Benny Boo looking for The Chest? I hate teaming up, it took me a lot of tongue biting just to hang out with Evil Queen, Jaffar and Curella back on The Isle when our kids were supposed to be working to break us out."

"It's all a part of the great game," said Sarvola as she gave Maleficent a shudder-inducing smile, "now, is there anything else before I leave you to your malevolent musings?"

"Yeah," said Maleficent indignantly, "what's taking your guy so long with making Mal undo her juju and restore my powers?"

"Oh, that," said a mildly embarrassed Sarvola, though her beyond pale complexion wouldn't say so, "there was a slight snag and I've lost contact with my cohort in the other world, yet I've other operatives in place to ensure that your daughter is driven to the breaking point. Fret not, my felonious friend, your powers will be yours again in due course."

"They'd better be," said the fuming former Mistress of all Evil, "now leave me alone, turns out I really do have a headache."

"Then I shall trouble you no further," said Sarvola, "feel better."

"Yeah, right," said Maleficent as she turned to lie down on her bed, then turned back to face Sarvola, "oh, there's just one more thing I need to tell you. The Elves, they don't use assassins. Turns out they've got some racial fear of something called The Dark Brotherhood."

At that Sarvola laughed cruelly, "oh, that old gang? Yes, they were effective in eradicating The Aldmeri Dominion and leaving a scar on Elven DNA. I'd like to see what happens if you were to recite The Black Sacrament in the presence of Camilsama or one of her inner cabal."

"Black Sacrament?" Maleficent asked.

"The ritual to summon a member of The Dark Brotherhood and agree to a murder-contract," said Sarvola, "'Sweet Mother, Sweet Mother, send your child unto me, for the sins of the unworthy must be baptized in blood and fear.' Say it enough and eventually one of their assassins will show up, but that was a long, long time ago. I doubt there's a Sanctuary of The Dark Brotherhood anywhere near Auradon."

"Were they really that special?" Maleficent asked.

"They were good enough to murder kings and emperors and get away with it," said Sarvola, "now, if you'll excuse me, I've my own affairs to attend to." With that she vanished in a flash of negative light.

"Well," said Maleficent to herself, "things keep getting interesting." She then lay down on her bed for a nap, then sat and smiled with malicious mischief, "'Sweet Mother, Sweet Mother, send your child unto me, for the sins of the unworthy must be baptized in blood and fear.'" She then laughed, "yeah right."

---

3

"I am so jealous of you, Ben," said Carlos as he, Ben, Evie and Doug sat outside in the training yard of the Tangletown guardsmen headquarters, cleaning their various weapons, "you have a cool sword and I'm stuck with a regular old fashion steel sword."

"If we could figure out how the forging method for Ben's sword," said Doug, "we could have the edge in the war." At that he and Evie laughed at his pun.

"What's so funny?" Harry asked as he practiced a sword style that mixed a cutlass and his family Hook, while elsewhere, Lonnie and Shampoo dueled with Elven blades taken off the dead from the crashed Ornithopter. Shampoo wielded a Longsword with one hand, while Lonnie was content with a shorter sword. Roxie practiced with an Elven sword and shield, while Ruby sat with a pile of books on warfare and strategies.

"Nothing," said Doug, "you wouldn't get it."

"I so would," said Harry to himself.

"Seralin was very protective of this blade," said Ben as he polished his Glass sword, marveling at its translucent luster and how its inner imperfections caught the light, "but I think I'll give it a better home, I'll certainly use it for a better purpose. He wanted to run me through with it for fun, I'll use it to defend my kingdom."

Ben and the others heard a loud exclamation of effort, followed by metal smashing stone. They ducked as fragments of rock rained down around them.

"Sorry!" said Akane as she leaned her war hammer against her shoulder, standing next a demolished boulder.

"Wow, that was of the toughest rock in Auradon!" said an impressed Doug as he walked around the remains of the boulder. "You must be the strongest girl in the whole kingdom, Akane."

"You really think so?" a slightly blushing Akane asked, "I really wasn't trying to be," she then hefted her warhammer, then looked at her biceps, "then again, I am one of the founding members of The Nermia Wrecking Crew."

"Is that some kind of superhero team?" Carlos asked.

"No, we just have a reputation for senseless destruction," said Akane, "which was never what I wanted, it just happens we end up wrecking things." She sighed and sat down, "I never wanted this kind of reputation, I just wanted to inherit the family fighting style."

"Anything Goes Martial Arts?" Evie asked, "just what is Anything Goes Marital Arts?"

"Just that," said Akane, "Anything Goes. Basically, it's a style without a style, where you can adapt and evolve to meet every challenge thrown at you. There are actually two schools of Anything Goes; Saotome and Tendo," she laughed ironically, "there might as well be one since the Tendo Style will die out with my father."

"Why's that?" Ben asked.

"Because I'm the heir of Tendo Style Anything Goes and my father never taught me anything more than the basics," said Akane, "he basically fell apart after my mother died. He hasn't had a student in the dojo for years; he's been moping around the house in endless lamentation, worrying about my future and my sister's futures.

"Then Ranma and his dad showed up and my dad finally perked up. He thought the wedding pact he and Mr. Saotome made years ago would bring the two schools together as one, but since my dad refuses to teach me the family secrets, it's all on Ranma's head to carry on the two schools."

"That's so unfair," said Evie.

"Don't I know it!" snapped Akane as she gripped her warhammer, "why should he have to carry the burden when half of it is mine by birthright!? Why couldn't I inherit my family's Art style? I'll tell you why! Because my father is a pathetic pile of spineless jelly who cries more than a ward full of newborn babies!" with that she swung her warhammer at another boulder, shattering it into pebbles.

"DUCK!" shouted Akane as she and the others took cover against the pebble fallout.

"Duck? Where!?" an annoyed Shampoo asked as she walked over, only to get pelted with pebbles.

"Oh, Shampoo," said a much calmer and mortified Akane, "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you."

"Kitchen Destroyer Girl live up to her reputation as reckless muscle girl," said Shampoo as she felt where the pebbles stung her.

"That's not fair!" said Evie as she walked over, "anyone with half a brain can tell that Akane has a lot of emotional baggage."

"Humph! Emotions are crutch for the weak," said Shampoo scornfully.

Akane then laughed derisively, "this coming from the girl who kept using love potions and various magic artifacts to make Ranma fall for you?"

"Woah! Wait a second?!" exclaimed Ben. He looked at Shampoo, "you used love potions and spells to force love?"

"Yes," said Shampoo proudly, "Ranma is one Shampoo loves, it only natural he should love Shampoo."

"Guess people are alike all over," said Ben in a disapproving manner.

"Who's alike all over?" Lonnie asked as she and Harry walked over.

"Your new BFFL uses love spells and potions for personal gain," said Doug.

"Shampoo do what Shampoo must do to win Ranma's heart!" said the purple-haired Amazon, "Ranma must marry Shampoo for sake of Amazon tribe! 3,000 years of Amazon tradition demand it!"

"You see what I've had to deal with for so long?!" an exasperated Akane asked as she pointed an accusing finger at Shampoo, "she's always rubbing her 3,000 year old traditions and tricks in my face, not to mention her boobs. Oh, didn't you guys didn't know? Underneath Shampoo's outfit, she has the body of a porn star."

"Really?" an intrigued Harry asked as he lustfully eyed Shampoo, while Doug, Carlos and Ben involuntary looked on in an appraising manner.

"Humph! This why women rule Amazon tribe and men obey," said Shampoo as she irately crossed her arms, "men think with lower horns!"

"Ah, now I get it, why you hate her so much," said Lonnie teasingly to Akane, "you're jealous."

"What? I am not jealous!" said Akane.

"Oh, yes you are," said Lonnie, "you're jealous of Shampoo as a warrior and as a woman."

"Can you blame her?" Roxie asked, "who wouldn't be jealous of such a sensual beast?" With that she playfully blew kisses at Shampoo. She then flinched back at the wrathful glare from the purple-haired Amazon, "okay, so you don't swing that way, sorry!"

"About time you tasted bitter rejection, dear sister," said Ruby.

"As if you'd know what rejection tastes like," said Roxie.

"At least my pallet is clean," said Ruby, "whereas yours is so polluted, it's a miracle the rest of you isn't a toxic wasteland of sickness."

"Here, let me share some germs!" said Roxie harshly. She then spat at her twin, only for the wind to blow the saliva back in her face.

"Just like you to spit into the wind," said Ruby, "I guess your collection of diseases have rotten your brain. I wonder how many others you've infected?"

"BITCH!" bellowed Roxie as she rushed at her twin, grabbing Ruby by her massively braided blond tresses, while Ruby grabbed her sister's much shorter brown locks. The two fell to the ground wrestling and screeching at each other.

"Now this is what I call entertainment," said Harry as he and the others couldn't help but watch the twins roll across the ground in their fury, "anyone wish to place bets? Five to one says the blonde wins."

"Harry Hook, you're despicable," said Doug.

"I know," said Harry.

"Someone needs to stop them!" exclaimed Lonnie, "they could seriously hurt themselves!"

"They be fine," said Shampoo, "sisters may fight, but leave no permanent damage."

Just then our heroes heard Roxie cry out in agony. The twins broke apart from their scuffle as Roxie sat up, covering the left side of her face as blood dripped between her fingers. "MY EYE!" cried Roxie, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY EYE!?"

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Ruby pleaded as she reached out to comfort her twin, "I didn't mean it!"

"Don't touch me!" spat Roxie as she smacked Ruby's hands with her free one, "you're not satisfied with taking one eye, you want the other? You want me blind, do you, bitch?!"

"What the frick is going on here?!" exclaimed Rapunzel as she ran in, "what happened?"

"My evil twin took my eye, mother!" wailed Roxie as she ran up to and embraced Rapunzel.

"It…it was an accident, mother!" said a distraught Ruby, "I didn't mean to hurt her, I swear!"

"You won't be satisfied until you've put me in the ground, you prudish pustule!" said Roxie.

"Shut up, both of you!" said Rapunzel, "now, hold still, Roxie!" she gently pried Roxie's hand away from her face, revealing two small bleeding gashes, "it's just some deep scratches on the eyelids, that's all."

"Then…I'm not…I can still see?" Roxie asked, "wait, of course I can see," she then glared wrathfully at her twin, "no thanks to you!"

"I said I was sorry!" Ruby pleaded.

"Sorry won't save my face from permanent scarring!" said Roxie.

"SHUT UP! BOTH OF YOU!" Rapunzel yelled, "I've had just about enough of this! Ruby, go home and get in your room! Now!"

"Oh, you're gonna get it, bitch," said Roxie venomously as her dejected sister walked away.

Rapunzel smacked Roxie upside the head, "if I ever hear you call your sister that horrible word again, I'll lock you up in a tower for eighteen years!"

"But mother!" wailed Roxie, "look what she did to my face!"

"You should think how she'd feel if you did the same to her face!" said Rapunzel, "Lonnie, please take Roxie to the castle infirmary. When the family doctor has her patched up, take her to her room and keep her there, and keep Ruby in there as well. I'll deal with them soon enough."

"Come on, Roxie," said Lonnie as she lead her friend out of the area, "it's really not that bad, and it is kinda your fault for letting Ruby goad you."

"Good grief," said an overwhelmed Akane as she and the others let out collected sighs, "and I thought my life was dysfunctional."

"I honestly don't know what to do with them," said an emotionally exhausted Rapunzel, "they were so close, so loving, and now, now…this."

"I honestly don't know what to say, Rapunzel," said Ben as he comfortingly placed a hand on her shoulder, "being an only child and what."

"Yeah, a lot of us are only children" said Carlos, while Doug and Evie nodded in agreement.

"Not I," said Harry, "having a twin sister of me own and a younger sister, and a proud nautical tradition to uphold to boot, I can honestly say I have no advice to give whatsoever."

"Then pirate boy should sit down and keep his mouth shut," said Shampoo.

"Well, maybe this might be a turning point for the twins," said Evie, "maybe all it takes is one of them to hurt the other in order for them to realize their bond is stronger than their petty differences."

"Or just another phase in their cycle," said Rapunzel, "they argue, they fight, they make up and promise never to do it again, they're nice for a while, they argue, rinse and repeat."

"It can't be that bad, can it?" Akane asked.

"Just wait, you'll see," said Rapunzel, "you know, maybe I should take my girls to a therapist, but you know what's gonna happen, right? He or she will spout a stream of psychobabble and utter nonsense and prescribe bran-altering drugs."

"Well, if their relationship is so toxic, then why not separate them for a while?" Ben asked, "give them a chance to get their perspectives in order."

At that Rapunzel smiled brightly, "Ben, if I wasn't madly in love with Eugene, I'd marry you in a heartbeat! That's perfect! The girls were going to different colleges in the fall, so why not separate them now? Yes, yes, that could work!"

"What could work?" Eugene asked as he walked over, "oh, Ben, it's your turn to talk to the prisoner."

"You and Mihoshi didn't get anywhere with him?" Ben asked.

"Nothing more than what he's been saying since he woke up," said Eugene, "'Camolock, Braaer, Corporal, 3492-88-6115.'"

"Name, rank and serial number," said Ben, "like any soldier would say when captured," he sighed, "I'll try, but if he's as loyal to Camilsama as Iachyon Chaeihle, then what's the point?"

"Who's Iachyon Chaeihle?" Evie asked.

"The Herald who took me to meet Camilsama," said Ben, "he's actually a decent person, Herald Chaeihle, way more decent than Seralin."

"Every Elf is more decent than Seralin," said Carlos, "but we have to get some information about the enemy, and our PE…I mean, our guest," Carlos saw the reproachful look from Evie, "he's the best shot we have of gaining that info."

"There is another way," said Shampoo, "Shampoo could get physical with prisoner."

"Oh sure, that'll work," said Harry, "I mean, who wouldn't spill his guts for a gorgeous lass?"

The purple-haired Amazon smacked Harry across the face, "Shampoo would never degrade herself like that! Shampoo would beat truth out of prisoner!"

"No," said Ben firmly, "we're not resorting to torture."

"But Shampoo would do the dirty work," said the purple-haired Amazon, "you Auradonians would not have to get hands messy. Shampoo, she…"

"No!" said Ben.

"But Shampoo knows really effective interrogation methods," said the purple-haired Amazon, "some sharp pokes and prods, a few hours of water dripping on his face, a red-hot coal or two under his feet and…"

"NO!" Ben roared loud enough to make Shampoo and the others flinch back, "We will not resort to such deplorable measures, not while I'm king, and that's final!" with that he walked away with an irate spring in his step.

"Wow, when he puts his foot down," said Akane.

---

4

Ben entered the jailhouse of the Guardsman headquarters and was shown to a room with a one-way mirror. On the other side of the glass was Mulan and, oddly, Chad, sitting opposite of a disarmed Elf soldier. Two Guardsmen stood at the door, sternly watching the prisoner while Mulan and Chad did most of the talking.

"Oh, good, you're here, Benjie," said Mihoshi as she watched the interrogation, "he's not talking at all. We've tried everything and I'm all out of ideas."

"Not everything," said Ben, "but I'm not going down that road."

"Oh, we're taking Cpl. Camlock for a drive?" Mihoshi asked.

"No, we're just..." said Ben. He then sighed, "I really didn't expect this when I became king. Just keep watching him, Mihoshi."

"Can do, King-man!" said Mihoshi as she saluted smartly.

Ben walked out into the hallway and was about to enter the interrogation room, when he saw Roxie and Ruby rushing towards him, with Roxie's left eye was covered with gauze and bandages. Trailing after the twins was a frantic Lonnie.

"Your Majesty!" said both twins with encouraging smiles on their faces, "we have an idea!"

"He doesn't want to hear it, you two!" said Lonnie, "you heard your mother tell you to stay in your room until she could deal with you."

"Mom will forgive us for this, trust me, said Ruby, "anyway, Ben, we have a plan to make the prisoner talk."

"It was actually her idea," said Roxie, "but get to tell it." She then looked at her sister, "unless you want to tell the king."

"No, go on," said Ruby, "be my guest." At that both twins laughed at Ruby's pun.

"Right, anyway," said Roxie, "there we were, sulking in our room, felling pretty sorry for the rotten way we've treated each other…"

"While Lonnie was trying to make us feel better," said Ruby, "and not doing a good job at it," she looked at Lonnie, "sorry, I know you were trying."

"I'm more worried at how tiffed your mom will be when she finds you disobeyed her when she's already tiffed," said Lonnie.

"So anyway," said Roxie, "there we were, and to make up to Ruby for attacking her, I asked how we could help the war effort."

"We realized the best thing we could do right now as get the prisoner to talk," said Ruby, "without resorting to torture, because torture never really works."

"The one being tortured will say anything to stop the hurting," said Roxie.

"That's what I believe," said Ben, "so, what's your idea?"

At that both twins looked at each other and giggled.

"What?" Ben asked, "What'd I say?"

"Sorry," said Ruby as she and her twin calmed down, "we just remembered thinking how mom and Pasqual got dad to take her to the festival of lights."

"You want a chameleon to stick its tongue in the prisoner's ear?" Ben asked, "I'd feel more comfortable letting Shampoo at him."

"Oh, she's got some torture ideas?" Lonnie asked, "I've got some. We could make a few small cuts and tell him we'll keep cutting until he bleeds to death, or we could use mobile stocks or hang him by his waist and beat him like a piñata, or…"

"NO TORTURE!" bellowed Ben loud enough to knock the girls head over heels.

The door to the interrogation room opened and Mulan stuck her head out, "what is going on out here?"

"Sorry," said Ben as he helped Lonnie and the twins up, "we were figuring out how to proceed with the prisoner and I kinda lost my head for a bit."

"Well, we'd better think of something," said Mulan as she closed the door behind her, "because this nut isn't cracking anytime soon."

"We could always try isolation and sleep deprivation," said Lonnie, "that's technically not torture."

"Not physical torture, you mean," said Mulan, "but we may have to resort to something like that."

"Not if we use this," said a grinning Ruby as she held out a simple wooden box for Ben to examine.

"What's this?" Ben asked as he looked at the box, then opened it, "it's just an empty box."

"Exactly," said Ruby as she took the box back.

"How's an empty box gonna make Corporal Camolock talk?" Mulan asked.

"You'd be surprised what an empty box can do," said Roxie.

"Just let me talk with the prisoner for a few minutes, your majesty," said Ruby, "alone."

"HELL NO!" exclaimed Rapunzel as she and the others hurried down the hall, "there's no way in hell I'm leaving you alone with an enemy soldier! And what the hell are you two doing out of your room?!"

"I told you you'd get in trouble," said Lonnie to the twins, "but did you listen? Nope, nobody listens to me."

"It's alright, mom," said Roxie, "we kissed and made up," she then smiled at Ruby, "I even washed my mouth out with soap."

"It was a nice, peak hall after dinner flavor," said Ruby, "heady, but with just a touch of mellow smoothness. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've a nut to crack." With that she boldly walked into the interrogation room.

"You see, mom?" Roxie asked, "I didn't even make a dirty joke at that. Ruby and I are doing just fine."

"You see what I mean about a cycle?" Rapunzel asked in a hushed tone as she and the others relocated to the other room and watched through the one-way glass. Ruby had sat down across from Corporal Camolock and placed the box on the table.

"It's alright, Chad," said Ruby, "you can go."

"No way!" said Chad, "no way you're gonna get him to talk when I couldn't! And what's with the box?"

"That's between our Elvin friend and myself, thank you very much," said Ruby, "you may go now," she then looked at the two Guardsmen, "you too, gentlemen. I have this covered."

"She really does, mom," said Roxie to Rapunzel, "just give her a chance."

"Bad idea, ma'am!" said Carlos, "there's no telling what that…that…"

"You can call him a Pointy Eared Creep," said a disgusted yet relenting Evie, "just don't make a habit out of it."

"Right," said Carlos, "there's no telling what that PEC might do. He's not even handcuffed!"

"At least keep the guards in there," said Lonnie.

"No, let her try," said Akane, "I think I know where Ruby's going with this,"

"As do I," said Harry, "give the blonde beauty a chance."

"Ben?" Rapunzel asked.

"We might as well," said Ben, "but keep the guards outside the door, just in case."

"Right," said Rapunzel. She then rapped her knuckles three times on the glass, signaling for the guards to step out.

"You too, Chaddy-waddy," said Ruby as she gave a teasingly flirting smile.

"I always hated and loved it when you called me that," said Chad as he gave an annoyed yet devoted smile. With that he left the room.

"Sorry about my friend there," said Ruby to Corporal Camolock, "nothing in his head but air but if you know what you're doing, he's like putty in your hands." She then saw the confused look on the Elf prisoner's face, "oh, I forgot to introduce myself, I'm Ruby, daughter of Rapunzel."

"Camolock, Braaer," said the prisoner, "Corporal, 3492-88-6115."

"I know," said Ruby, "but is that all you can say? Didn't you learn anything else in school?"

"Camolock, Braaer, Corporal, 3492-88-6115."

"Oh, come now," said Ruby playfully, "just pretend for a few minutes the war is over, or at least on hold. We've got a nice little truce going on in this room." She then adjusted the box so it sat more squarely on the table.

"Camolock, Braaer, Corporal, 3492-88-6115."

"Yeesh," said Ruby, "you're like a broken record, except the scratch isn't in a funny place. When my sister and I were like six or seven, we had some records from our favorite edutainment TV show and one of the records would skip in a place and repeat four words. We played that record so much just to hear that funny skip, we wore it out."

"Oh my God!" laughed Roxie, "I remember that. We wore out that record and begged mom to buy another copy, just so we could scratch it in just the right spot."

"You made me buy more copies when you couldn't get the scratch right," said Rapunzel.

"My sister and I tease each other a lot," said Ruby to Corporal Camolock, "and lately we're in a rough patch, a very rough patch. You got a brother or a sister back where you call home?"

"Camolock, Braaer, Corporal, 3492-88-6115."

"I don't know if I should feel envious or relieved if you have family," said Ruby as she flicked some dust from the box, "with such a brick wall of an attitude like yours."

As she flicked another speck of dust from the box, Ruby finally got a reaction from the prisoner. "what's with the box?"

"Oh, so you can speak," said a genuinely pleased Ruby, "and here I thought you were nothing but a brainwashed grunt in the Elvin war machine."

"We are not brainwashed," said an irate Corporal Camolock, "I volunteered for this campaign, just like every Elf in the ranks."

"What made you volunteer?" Ruby asked as she playfully toyed with the box.

"A chance for honor and glory," said Corporal Camolock, "not just personal honor and glory, but for the empire and Empress Camilsama."

"She must be a great Empress to inspire such loyalty," said Ruby as she stood a box on one edge, then on a corner and spun it around a few times.

"What is with that box?" a somewhat unnerved Corporal Camolock asked, "what's in it?"

"You tell me," said Ruby as she set the box back on the table, "what do you think is in it."

"How should I know?" the Elf prisoner asked, "it's your box!"

"No, it's yours," said Ruby, "or rather, what's in the box."

"What's in it?" Corporal Camolock asked as he began sweating with unease.

"You tell me," said Ruby, "what do you want to be in it? Sorry, I should be asking you what you don't want in it."

"Oh, I get it now," said an impressed Ben.

"I don't," said Carlos.

"Me neither," said Chad, "it's just a dumb old box."

"That's because your head is stuck inside one," said Evie, "it's not what's in the box, but what Corporal Camolock thinks is in it."

"Fear," said Ben, "Ruby's using psychology to inspire fear in the prisoner."

"Isn't that torture?" an annoyed Lonnie asked, while Shampoo looked just as mad.

"A torture victim will say anything to make the pain stop," said Ben, "but the fear of torture, that can get the truth out."

"And my sister is using the oldest and strongest fear of them all," said Roxie, "fear of the unknown."

---

5

True enough, less than five minutes later, Corporal Camolock had reached his limit and was begging to be let out of the room and far away from the secret terror in the box

"Someone get in there and write down everything he says!" Ben ordered as he and the others saw Ruby comfort the emotionally broken Corporal Camolock, "I want a full report of every military matter he cares to divulge."

"You got it, boss!" said Lonnie, "come on, Shampoo, let's hear our Elf friend's confession."

"Shampoo wouldn't have minded getting her hands dirty," said the purple-haired Amazon as she and Lonnie hurried into the interrogation room.

"This way you don't have to clean up after," said Roxie as she went with them, "all you need something to write with and a lot of Kleenex.

"It's amazing how in tandem the twins can be," said Mulan as she watched through the one-way glass. Both Ruby and Roxie were taking turns hugging the still sobbing Corporal Camolock, while Lonnie took down his confessions and Shampoo stood nearby in case of trouble.

"And how quickly they went from complete opposites to completely in sync," said Ben, "Rapunzel, your girls need help."

"I know," said Rapunzel, "I know."

"So, now what?" Akane asked as she and the others exited the observation room and went outside.

"Now, we wait until Corporal Camolock finishes spilling his guts," said Ben, "then we sort through his confessions and figure out what's relevant to the war and what's not. For all we know, he could be telling his personal dark secrets and his mother's favorite dessert recipes. All we can do is wait."

"I hate waiting," said Chad, "have I told you guys that?"

"I think you mentioned it once or twice in school," said Doug, "in and after class, like, every day."

"Well, I'm saying it again," said Chad irately, "I'm bored! Let's go fight some Elves! I'm serious, guys, I want some action! Let's go find the enemy and kick some Elf butt!"

"You were actually attracted to this guy?" Akane asked Evie.

"I was in a different place back then," said Evie, "why, you wanna have a go at him?"

"No way," said Akane, "he reminds me of way too many of the boys I know back home."

"He is right about something," said Evie, "all this waiting isn't helping. Hey, Ben? There's got to be something we can do but wait around."

"Like finding The Dark Chest of Wonders?" Carlos asked, "and figuring out how to get Jane, Mal and the others home."

"That's right, I had all but forgotten that little issue," said Harry, "where are we in the rescue department?"

"I've got a suggestion," said Carlos, "we go talk with Fairy Godmother and make her tell us what she knows about The Chest. I'll grab a box and sit down with her."

"I don't think that'll work," said Ben, "but that gives me another idea," she looked at Rapunzel, "do you mind if we have a look at Tangletown's archives?"

"You want to see the books of magic?" Rapunzel asked, "by all means, but it's not that big an archive; just a few potion recipes collections and tomes on enchantments, charms and curses."

"I'd still like to go through them for clues," said Ben, "at this point I'll take the vaguest hint possible."

"You leave that to us," said Evie eagerly, "Rapunzel, if you'll kindly show my boys and I to the archives," she indicated Doug, Carlos, Harry and Chad, "we'll peruse them for information."

"Wait, why me?" Chad asked, "I don't want to read some dusty old magic books."

"Neither do I," said Harry, "I'd rather be out there trying to bring Audrey and the other lass's home."

"Well how do you think we'll bring them home if we don't know what to do?" Evie asked, "and don't think you can weasel your way out of this one, Chad. You've got a good pair of eyes, so let's put them to use."

"I'd rather stick with Ben, if you don't mind," said Chad.

Just then came a blinding flash of blue fire that forced our heroes back several paces as they covered their eyes. When they could see again, there stood Hades.

"Ben," said the mohawk-sporting God of the Underworld, "we need to talk."

"Have fun, Benny-boy!" said Chad as he grabbed Evie and Rapunzel, "we've got some magic books to read. Doug, Carlos, Harry, you coming?"

"Uh…yeah, right behind you," said Carlos nervously as he, Doug and Harry also backed away.

"Best of luck to you, mate," said Harry as he and the others hurried off. Ben could only sigh inwardly as he realized his friends were leaving him alone to explain to Mal's father what happened to her.

"What's going on?" Akane asked as she realized she and Ben were alone with the formerly exiled Olympian.

"Tendo Akane," said Ben, "this is Hades, Mal's father and my future father-in-law. Hades, this is Akane, a friend."

"How's it going?" said Hades as he shook Akane's hand, then gently pushed her aside, "so, Ben, glad I could catch you in a free moment, I kinda need a favor."

"Uh…what sort of favor?" Ben asked as he felt both confused and relieved, mostly relieved that he wouldn't incur the wrath of his future father-in-law, not yet anyway.

"It's kinda an embarrassing story," said Hades, "and I was hoping to talk to you and Mal about it together, where is Mal, by the way?"

"She's…not here," said Ben as fear dripped down his face, "didn't you hear what's going on in Auradon?"

"I haven't heard anything," said Hades, "I just flew back from Olympus and boy are my arms tired. Sorry, just a little joke. Anyway, I don't mind telling you first, it'll give me practice for when I tell Mal." He then eyed Akane, "what about her? What's her stake in all of this?"

"Akane is a friend," said Ben, "I trust her to keep whatever you say in the strictest of confidence."

"Girl Scout's honor," said Akane.

"Why? Were you a Girl Scout?" Hades asked.

"No, but I was always prepared," said Akane.

This caused the Lord of the Dead to laugh heartily as his electric blue mohawk flared up for an instant, "missy, you're alright! Alright, so, Ben, I sort of need to crash with you and Mal for a while, like…a week or two or a hundred or so."

"Wait…what?" Ben asked, "why do you need a place to stay? I thought you were working things out with your brother."

"Yeah, me and Zeus did kinda forgive me for the whole 'Take over the universe with the help of The Titans' incident," said Hades, "it really did go better than I thought. Nothing like twenty-one years to help cool the temper of The King of the Gods.

"Anyway, there I was, shaking hands and hugging my brother and the rest of the extended family, when guess who showed up for the reunion? Go on, Ben, guess."

"Ummm…a god or goddess from another pantheon?" Ben asked.

Hades laughed heartily at that, "oh, if only it were that. Yeah, the party sure would've blown the roof off if Osiris and Isis showed up, or Vishnu and Lakshmi, or one of the Mayan Death Gods. Believe me, those guys are freaks. No, the party crasher was none other than Persephone."

"Persephone?" Ben asked, "you mean your…?"

"Yep, my wife," said Hades, "Goddess of Spring, Nature and fellow ruler of The Underworld, and boy, was she madder than a wet cockatrice. The instant I saw the look on her face, I knew I had to cheese it faster than Hermes with an express letter."

"Wait, you ran away from your wife?" Akane asked.

"I could tell she wanted to tear me a new one," said Hades, "and she didn't want to use it to serve chips and dip, so I ran, and kept running for weeks. Persephone's been chasing me across the cosmos, back and forth across the universe, from planet to planet and even around a few black holes. I think I lost her around a pulsar, but just in case, I'd like to hide out with you and Mal for a while, Ben."

"Uh…sure," said Ben, "you're more than welcome in Auradon, but…now's not really…"

"You're worried what'll happen when Persephone catches up with me?" Hades asked, "well, hopefully it'll be a while before she picks up my trail again, so maybe by then she'll calmed down enough not to want me chopped up and feed to Cerberus."

"Wow," said Ben, "I hope Mal and I can get along half as well." He then inwardly cringed, realizing Hades was going to ask about Mal, and ask he did.

"Where is Mal, by the way?" Hades asked, "I've got years and years of fatherly affection and meddling to catch up on."

"That's…well…" said a flustered Ben.

"Why do you think she's mad with you in the first place?" Akane asked, coming to Ben's rescue.

"Isn't it obvious?" Hades asked, "I got stuck on The Isle of the Lost for twenty-one years and never sent so much as a postcard, not like I could've sent a postcard through The Barrier, so yeah, Persephone's a little irked I got sent up the river Styx and didn't tell her."

"Oh, I'm more than a little irked, husband!" said a furious disembodied voice.

With a flash of earth-toned fire mixed with green leaves and flower blooms, Persephone appeared, looking ready to kill.

"Uh…hey, honey bunny," said a visibly unnerved Hades, "uh…how's it going?"

"You! Mortals!" said Persephone to Ben and Akane, "this is an Olympic matter, so flee if you value your lives."

"Now, hold on a minute!" said Ben as he stepped towards Persephone, yet paused as he realized he had gotten himself involved in a feud between gods, "uh…whatever grievances you have with Hades, I cannot have you taking your frustration out on him while in Auradon. Innocent lives could be endangered."

"I've no intention of endangering innocent lives," said Persephone, "just one that's guilty as sin!"

"What? What'd I do?" Hades asked, "if this is about leaving you for twenty-one years, honey bunny, then…"

"Don't you dare use pet names with me!" snapped Persephone, "not after what you did!"

"Well, I'm sorry," said Hades, "Sorry I got roped in with Evil Queen, Jaffar, Curella and the other nasty freaks. I didn't want to get stuck on an offshore gulag for two decades and change, but…"

At that Persephone laughed cruelly, "if only that were the worst of your crimes, husband! Yes, you disappeared without so much as a by your leave for twenty-one years, leaving me to run The Underworld with those bumbling buffoons, Pain and Panic."

"They're still at work?" Hades asked, "yeesh, you'd think they would've handed in their notice once I got kidnapped."

"Don't change the subject, you faithless felon!" snapped Persephone, "you left me in charge of countless dead as well as my responsibilities as Goddess of Spring and Nature. That, I may have forgiven in return for more time with my mother."

"You want more time with Demeter?" Hades asked, "you got it! I'm sure the world can handle a few years without winter and some longer growing months."

"As if that alone could forgive you," said Persephone, "no, you've committed a far, far more heinous crime, one in need of lasting punishment."

"What'd he do to make you so mad?" Caroline asked as she walked in.

"Caroline, get out of here!" Ben asked, "you don't want to see two gods fight each other. Oh, Hades? This is Caroline, another friend."

"You certainly have a lot of friends of the female persuasion," said Hades, "makes one wonder where you have the time for Mal."

"DON'T YOU MENTION THAT BASTARD!"

Persephone's near-deafening outburst forced Ben, Akane and Caroline to flinch back and cover their ears.

"Oh…I get it now," said a truly frightened Hades.

"About time you did," said Persephone coldly, "you had the nerve, the sheer gall, to father a bastard!"

"Hey!" said an outraged Caroline, "Mal is no bastard! Well, technically she is, since Hades and Maleficent weren't married, and…"

"That's right, they weren't!" said Persephone, "and you should feel fortunate I don't crush you like an insect for your daring do, mortal!"

"Uh…well, thanks," said a shaken Caroline, "I guess."

"I don't understand," said Akane, "yes, Hades was unfaithful, but it's not like he could've walked away from Maleficent's advances, that is, I mean…"

"Yeah, M seduced me," said Hades, "she was very persuasive," he then saw the rage flare up in Persephone, "I was trapped by The Barrier and rendered powerless!"

"And that gave you the right to hurt me the way you did!?" Persephone asked, "you gave that whore of a Dark Faerie the one thing I wished for more than anything else in all of the cosmos: a child, and that, out of all your crimes, worse than you abducting and trapping me in The Underworld half the year, is the most unforgivable of your crimes."

"I still don't understand," said Akane, "I mean, so what if Hades had Mal out of wedlock? Zeus had more than one child out of wedlock and Hera always forgave him, I mean, not always, but…"

"I don't think your mythology covers the full story," said Hades as realization dawned on him.

"Now you understand," said Persephone, "but I will explain to your human homies." She turned her baleful gaze on Ben, Akane and Caroline, "when this lustful louse tricked me into a reverse shotgun wedding, he failed to realize that the pomegranate seeds did more than bind me to The Underworld for half the year. The seeds made it so I could never have children, ever. You know how heartbroken I was when I found out I was infertile! Me! The Goddess of Spring and Nature, unable to bare children!"

"I said I was sorry, Seph!" said Hades, "I apologized about the seeds like a million times! And we can still adopt, you know that."

"SHUT UP!" bellowed Persephone, "don't you dare make excuses for your crimes! I may have forgiven you for abducting and enslaving me to the Underworld, I may one day forgive you for making me infertile, I might forgive you for your long absence, but I will never, never, forgive you for your betrayal!"

With that the vengeful goddess pulled out a long, wickedly curved knife that had an unearthly glow about it. "You see this? I had to pull a lot of favors with Hephaestus to forge this, but he listened when I said there was only one course of justice for what you did to me!"

"Whoa! Take it easy, honey bunny!" said Hades as he backed away from the uncanny glint of the knife, "I don't think my brother would take it kindly if you killed me. Ambrosia's a hell of a food!"

"Oh, relax, you mint jellyfish!" said Persephony contemptuously, "I'm not going to kill you, I'm just gonna make sure you never father any more bastards!"

"Oh jeez!" Hades as he covered his crotch.

"Is…is that really necessary?" Ben asked.

"And what would Zeus and the other Olympians say when they find out you pulled a Lorena Bobbit?" Akane asked.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, mortal," said Persephone, "now bare witness as I deal with my unfaithful husband, and then I deal with his half-breed bastard."

"What did you say?" asked Hades as the fear in his eyes was replaced by rage.

"You heard me," said Persephone as she gave a malicious smile, "after I cut you, I'm going to cut your freak of a daughter, I'll cut her so bad, she'll wish I didn't cut her so bad."

"NOOOOOOO!" roared Ben as his fangs and claws grew out and he stood in front of Hades, ready to charge and maul Persephone, "you stay away from Mal, you vindictive shrew!"

"Stay out of this, Ben!" said Hades as his hair flared up, "If anyone's gonna protect Mal from my vindictive shrew of a wife, it'll be me!"

"You'll get yours soon enough!" said Persephone as a crackling gold aura appeared around her, "and you, insolent insect!" she pointed her knife at Ben, "don't think I don't know who you are, another half-breed freak! You wish to die to protect the little bastard, that's fine by me! But know that any human killed by this knife shall have their soul burned out of existence!"

"I'll die to keep Mal safe from that knife!" said Ben, "I'll pull it into me and never let go!"

"That a boy, Ben!" said Hades as he charged up a pair of blue fireballs, "together we can take her! For Mal!"

"Yes, for Mal!" said Ben.

"This wrong!" said Caroline as she and Akane watched Ben and the two Olympians circle each other, all three waiting for a chance to strike first, "they shouldn't be fighting each other! If anything, we need all the help we can get against the Elves."

"I'm not arguing with you," said Akane, "but I've gotten involved with more than a few supernatural beings back home and hated all of it."

"But, if they could just forget about their anger for just a moment, they'd see reason," said Caroline, "we need to get their attention."

"You want to get in the middle of that?" Akane asked, "nice knowing you."

But then Caroline's eyes widened as she smiled as an idea occurred, "you could get their attention with your warhammer."

"How's that gonna help?" Akane asked.

"I just thought you'd feel better smashing the ground," said Caroline, "vent some frustration, after all the grief your fiancé put you through."

"What's Ranma got to do with this?!" Akane snapped as her anger rose.

"Didn't you know?" Caroline asked, "he was here just a few minutes ago," she pointed at the ground between Ben, Hades and Persephone, "he was standing right there, asking where his uncute tomboy of a fiancée was?"

"RANMA YOU JERK!" bellowed Akane as she charged forward with her warhammer, her battle aura blazing like a bonfire as she raised and slammed her warhammer on the ground. The impact released enough kinetic energy to shake several nearby buildings, shattering windows, felling trees and setting off car alarms, as well as knock Ben and the two Olympians off their feet.

"Oh wow," said Akane as her rage dissipated. She looked around at the devastation she caused, "I…I really didn't mean to do this."

"Dear me," said a calmer Persephone as she sat up, "what a blow. Are you in some way related to Thor, child?"

"Huh? Oh…uh, no," said Akane, "I'm just…I've got issues, really serious anger management issues."

"A shame," said Persephone, "with such raw emotion fueling your strength, your heart might just be pure enough to wield Mjolnir."

"I just want to help out Auradon until I can go home," said Akane. She then frowned and glared at Caroline, "you triggered me on purpose!"

"And it worked out as planned," said Caroline as she helped Ben up, "you got them to calm down."

"Yes, we're all thinking more clearly now," said Hades as he helped himself back up, "how's your head at, Seph?"

"Don't call me that," said Persephone as she stood up, "I'm still pissed. What were you thinking when you laid with that demented Dark Faerie?"

"I…it's not like what you think," said Hades, "please, understand, Persephone, I was in a really dark place. I'd all but given up hope of ever getting off The Isle and getting home. I didn't care about revenge against Zeus or my meathead nephew, I just wanted to get back to you."

"Really?" Persephone asked as she lowered her knife, then raised it slightly, "then why'd you impregnate Maleficent?"

"She tricked me!" said Hades indignantly, "she…she…."

"She what?!" Persephone demanded.

"She got me drunk," said a flustered Hades, "really, really drunk. And then, well, you know what happened next. I wanted to do the right thing and help raise Mal when she came along, but Maleficent, you know how horrid she can be. Please, Persephone, if I could've, I'd have grabbed Mal and busted off The Isle and come home to you."

"You…you would have?" Persephone asked.

"In a heartbeat, I would've," said Hades, "I never forgot how much you wanted a baby, so I figured bringing one home to adopt might've made you feel better."

"Technically, you still can," said Caroline, "since you two are still married, and what with Maleficent undeniably the most unfit mother in all of existence…"

"But isn't Mal eighteen?" Akane asked, "I don't think you can adopt an adult."

"It's complicated, but it can be done," said Ben, "I'm sure there's a tone of red tape to clear up and we'd have to get Maleficent to give up her parental rights, or declare her out of the picture since she really is out of the picture, but there's nothing under Auradonian law preventing Persephone declared as Mal's mother."

"If you'd just meet her, honey bunny," said Hades, "you'd love her like the daughter you always wished you had. Come on, would I lie to you about this?"

At that Persephone cried happily as she vanished her knife, "oh, why can't I stay mad at you, you big pumpkin pudding pie!" with that she rushed at Hades, flinging her arms around and kissing him passionately, which he eagerly returned.

"I'm glad it had a happy ending after all," said Caroline as she platonically held Ben's hand.

"Me too," said Ben.

"I don't think it's over yet," said Akane, "you still haven't told him about Mal."

"Yeah, where is Mal?" Hades asked, "where is she, my future son-in-law? I'm sure my lovely wife is eager to meet her soon to be adopted daughter."

"Uh…well…" said Ben as nervous sweat ran rivulets down his face.

---

6

"WHAAATTT!?"

"Did you guys hear that?" Evie asked as she, Rapunzel, Doug, Chad, Carlos and Harry sorted through dozens of tomes in the Tangetown magical archives.

"And what's that out the window?" Carlos asked as he looked out onto the city, where a pillar of red fire had flared up near the city guard headquarters.

"That's the rage of a parent," said Rapunzel as she and the others looked outward, "I'd know it anywhere. And if who I think is mad is mad at who I think he's mad at, then I'd hate to be in his shoes."

---

7

"YOU LITTLE TWERP!" Hades bellowed; his whole body lit up with red fire and his eyes glowing like tiny suns, "YOU HAD ONE JOB! ONE FREAKING JOB!"

"Take it easy, pumpkin!" said Persephone as she, in a dramatic reversal of roles, held out her knife to shield Ben from her husband's wrath, "remember what Asclepius said about your blood pressure!"

"Screw my blood pressure!" said Hades as smoke blew out with each breath, "I told this idiot to keep my daughter safe and he blew it!"

"Technically you didn't tell me anything," said Ben as he tried to push his way past Persephone, "you just gave me a threatening look."

"Please, don't make him madder," said Persephone, "you think he's terrifying now? What until he burns white hot."

"I don't care!" said Ben, "he should've been more coherent in his message!"

"It was an understanding between man and god," said Hades, "one I thought you were smart enough to understand, 'take care of Mal.' And what did you do as soon as my back was turned? You let her get kidnapped!"

"The hell I did!" snapped Ben as he struggled to get free of Persephone's protective grip, "I would die for Mal, I'd kill for her, I'd craw my way through the entire Underworld for her. But…"

"But he couldn't help it, uh…your godship, sir," said Caroline as she rushed in, but shied back at the intolerable heat radiating from Hades, "it was Camilsama, she and her Elves took Mal."

"And Audrey, Jane and Uma," said Ben, "it was a plot to weaken Auradon's defenses against an invasion. I'm sorry I couldn't stop them from taking Mal, but I swear, I won't rest until she is home safe and sound, and the others too. I'm sorry I let you down."

At that Hades's red flames puffed out and he slumped on the ground, "no, Ben, I'm the one who's sorry, sorry to be the worst father in the cosmos. I should've been here to stop it. Now," he got back up, "tell me everything, and I mean everything. I want to hear every detail however insignificant. Anything you can tell me; it might be a clue that could bring the girls back before something happens to them."

"Then…Mal's alive?" Ben asked, "you…you can sense her?"

"I can sense The Ember," said Hades, "remember? I passed it to her after I pulled Audrey back from the brink."

"You gave her The Ember?" Persephone asked.

"It's her birthright," said Hades, "it wasn't doing me any good stuck on The Isle of the Lost."

"But…you do sense her, right?" Caroline asked.

"I sense The Ember," said Hades, "and through it I sense Mal. Yes, she's alive, but I can't sense where she is, only that she's alive. And if she's alive, then she's doing her darndest to keep her friends alive too."

"Well, that'll make Evie and the others feel better," said Ben, "okay, then, about what happened. But before I tell what happened, do either of you know anything about The Dark Chest of Wonders? Or a sorceress named Sarvola?"

"Dark Chest? Sarvola?" Hades asked, "nope, neither ring a bell."

"I know naught of either," said Persephone, "but if the sorceress is responsible for what happened to Mal…"

"Then she'll regret even thinking about hurting Mal," said Hades, "I may have lost a good bit of my powers when I gave Mal the Ember, but I can still do a savage burn."

"Count me in too," said Persephone, "no one hurts my future adopted daughter and gets away with it."

"Now it's a happy ending," said Caroline as she and Akane watched Ben talk to his future in-laws.

"This chapter, at least," said Akane, "Mal must be a really great person to make such a fuss over."

"You'll get it when you meet her," said Caroline, "just knowing she's alive makes me feel better."

---

8

"I feel terrible," said an exhausted Mal as she, Audrey, Jane and Uma crouched in their makeshift shelter. After holding out against a seemingly endless horde of ravenous mutants for a seemingly eternity, though it was only an hour, our heroines were at their mental and physical limits.

After Uma and Audrey exhausted the bullets for their weapons, Mal used her magic to fend off the creatures hungry for their flesh. Yet even with the power of her dual heritage at her command, there was only so much Mal could do in the cramped space of the ruined building. True, she could have assumed her dragon form and incinerated the mutants from the air, but the transformation would have shattered the shelter and left her friends vulnerable to attack.

Nor could Mal use the more powerful spells in her repertoire for fear of accidentally harming Audrey, Jane and Uma. Instead, Mal focused on blasting any mutants that got past the makeshift barricades and produced flaming barriers to hold off the ravenous fiends while her friends repaired the barricades as best as they could. Mal would've kept the fire barriers up longer had they not taxed her concentration and energies.

Let it not be said that Uma didn't do her part. Using the limited water our heroes had with them when they fled from the mutants, Uma formed water bullets that pulverized whatever she aimed them at, namely mutant flesh. Audrey and Jane helped with their limited magical abilities too; with Jane blasting back with concentrated wind gusts and Audrey with levitated rocks and calcified building fragments.

Yet after a full hour of sheer terror and the maddening cries of the mutants, Mal and the others were reaching the ends of their ropes, knowing full well that if the mutants came at them in full force, they'd be overrun.

"I'm glad they're so stupid," said Mal as she looked out one of the small peepholes in the shelter. "They should've come at us all at once and we wouldn't've stood a chance."

"Aren't you a bitter ray of sunshine, Mal," said Uma, "why don't you say it louder so they can get with the program?"

"Like they could hear me," said Mal, "I'm surprised they're not deaf and dumb after all their shouting."

"Wait, something's wrong," said Audrey as she sat while Jane used a first aid kit to disinfect and bandage a small cut on Audrey's arm.

"Yeah, this whole situation is wrong!" said Uma irately, "I knew I should've packed my gear and set sail with Harriet and her crew when I had the chance, did you know Harriet Hook offered to take me with her? Of course, she insisted that she'd be the captain and asked me to be First Mate. I wished her bon voyage and hoped she'd never come back. Can you imagine it? Me, with Harriet Hook as my captain?"

"You'd started a mutiny within a day," said Mal.

"In an hour," Uma insisted.

"Am I the only one who realizes how quiet it's gotten?" Audrey asked, "or have I gone deaf from all the 'MEAT' and 'FRESH MEAT' shouting?"

"She's right, it's way too quiet outside," said Jane. She hurried to another peephole, "hey, they're gone!"

"I don't see them either," said Mal as she looked out her peephole.

"You…you think they've given up and looked for something to eat somewhere else?" Jane asked hopefully.

"Nah," said Uma as she went to another peephole, "they're out there somewhere, sharpening their knives."

Jane helped Audrey limp to another peephole and they both looked out, "there! They're on this side!"

Uma and Mal hurried over and all four girls saw over a hundred mutants gather around a particularly large specimen as it gestured wildly with its proportionally larger knife.

"Oh great, they're organizing," said Audrey.

"I knew it," said Uma, "they're going for position to wipe us out!"

"I really don't want to get eaten," said Jane.

"Just hope they kill us first before they start cutting us up for cooking," said Uma, "you really don't want to watch your meal squirm while you're butchering it, trust me, my mom made me…"

"No one's gonna get butchered alive," said Mal with grim determination, "not while I still have one last trick up my sleeve."

"You're gonna teleport us all out of here to somewhere safe?" Audrey asked.

"I can't teleport all of us at once," said Mal, "even if I could, I don't know where I'll end up. Unless you know exactly where you want to go, you can teleport someplace random, or worse, end up 'splinched,' don't ask."

"Well, then, what's your secret spell you've kept up your sleeve?" Audrey asked.

"If it'll save us, I'll take it," said Jane.

"Well, it won't exactly save us," said Mal hesitantly, "more like save us from a slow death full of mind-shredding pain," she then glanced out the peephole, seeing the big mutant direct its lesser comrades to encircle the shelter, "and take those jerks with us. It's called 'The Final Strike' spell. It's in my mom's spellbook and she insisted I learn it before I learned anything else. I'm sure she never intended to use it herself, but she had it in her book just in case."

"What does it do?" Uma asked.

"Basically, I explode and take out everything within a mile radius," said Mal, "that's why it's called The Final Strike; it's the last resort of a magic user with no other options."

"And you want to use that on us?!" exclaimed Audrey, "I'd rather take my chances with the cannibals!"

"Me too," said Uma, "no way you're gonna commit suicide for all of us, Mal, not while there's still a chance."

"You think I want to use Final Strike?!" Mal shouted as a fiery blue aura inherited from her father lit up her body, "you think I've given up hope of getting home back to everyone and everything we live? You've got way too much water on your brain if you think that, Uma!"

"Whoa! Okay, okay!" said Uma as she raised her hands placatingly, "I'm just saying we still have options."

"Darn right we've got options," said Mal as her fiery aura faded, "I just can't think of any right now, that's all."

"Well, I've got an idea," said Uma as she pulled out the black marble Barssa gave her, "we make a wish."

"You want to use one of the wishes that demoness gave us?" Audrey asked, "that's not a good idea, that's a terrible idea!"

"You want to use yours?" Uma asked as she pocketed her black marble, "that's fine, I'll save mine for later."

"I mean using any of the wishes is a bad idea," said Audrey, "we don't know what they'll do. For all we know, asking Barssa for help will make things worse."

"I don't see how things could get worse," said Jane as she looked outside, "I think they're almost ready to attack."

"Bring 'em on," said Uma as she cracked her knuckles, "this fish ain't going out without a fight!"

"What do you think we've been doing for the past hour?" Mal asked.

But then Jane tensed up, "wait, what's that?"

"What's what?" Mal asked.

"That sound," said Jane as she leaned her ear against the peephole, "like…like…"

"Like what?" Audrey asked as she, Mal and Uma leaned closer in anticipation.

"Like a car engine," said Jane, "I swear, it's a car engine…no, three car engines!"

Mal, Audrey and Uma hurried over to different peepholes and listened, "I don't hear anything except how hungry our friends out there are," said Mal.

"I swear there's a couple of cars coming!" said Jane.

"Jane, either you're tired or going crazy," said Audrey, "maybe both."

"Wait! I hear engines too!" said Uma.

"Me too!" said Mal as she listened. True enough, she heard three approaching vehicles.

The mutants outside heard too. Their demented shrikes of hunger were replaced by cries of terror as they scattered.

Mal and the others then heard the approaching vehicles brake to a stop, followed by car doors opening and slamming shut accompanied by several running boots. To their startled relief, the four girls heard gunfire mixed with screams of terror and pain from the mutants.

"They're running! They're all running!" said Jane as she looked out. She then saw to her delight several seemingly humans wearing elaborate body armor and gas masks and wielding assault rifles and other weapons, "Girls! We're saved!" she then ran for the main barricade and tore through it in desperation.

"Jane! Wait!" Mal shouted as Jane burst through the opening and ran outside.

"Come back!" Audrey shouted as she ran after Jane. They ran through the ruins and stopped once they reached the armed men.

"Oh, thank goodness!" said Jane as she hurried towards her apparent saviors, "you guys are my heroes!"

"DON'T MOVE!" shouted one of the armed men as his comrades aimed their weapons at Jane and Audrey.

"Huh?" an understandably confused Jane as she and Audrey raised their hands, "what? Oh, you think I'm one of those things. I can assure you, gentlemen, I'm not one of those mutants."

"We're both human!" said Audrey, "human as you men are."

"We'll see about that," said the apparent leader of the armed men, "take them!"

Before Jane and Audrey could resist, they were each grabbed by two of the men and forced to their knees.

"Hey, now wait a second!" said Audrey as her arms were handcuffed from behind, "we're on the same side, aren't we? Those mutants were trying to eat us alive!"

"You may wish for such a fate," said the leader of the armed men, "put them to the test."

"Test?" Jane asked, "what test?" She then cried out in pain as another of the armed men jabbed her with a needle and squeezed out several drops of blood into an analyzing device.

"Don't you dare poke me with that!" shouted Audrey as she fruitlessly struggled to get free, only to bite her tongue as she too was jabbed.

"They both read positive, sir!" said the man with the analyzer showed the results to the leader.

"Shame, such pretty girls," said the leader, "make it quick, then fan out and search for more. These abominations, they're like roaches; where there's one, there's more."

"We're not roaches!" Jane pleaded as one of the men pulled out an energy pistol, "we're girls, human girls!"

The leader backhanded Jane hard across the face, "you abominations are far from human! Both of you are contaminated by the filth of magic! You spread magic like a disease and must be expunged from the world!"

"Oh no," said Audrey, "you…you're the magic hating fanatics Barssa warned us about."

"Don't try and confound me with your filthy words of power!" said the leader, "you think you can compel me and my men to let you go? We've been augmented against such mental heresy! You shall be expunged from the world! With your deaths, the world will be one step closer to a rebirth of Logic and Reason!"

"Logic and Reason!" said the other fanatics. The one with the energy weapon pressed a button and the pistol began charging up.

"You, blonde one," said the leader, "you shall be expunged first, then your mousy friend."

"I'd turn you into a mouse if I could!" snapped Audrey as she tried one more time to get free, yet her captors' grip was too strong.

"She doesn't even deny it, men!" said the leader, "such heresy must be expunged before her contamination spreads! Do it now!"

The fanatic with the energy pistol aimed for Audrey's heart, only to find himself engulfed by blue flames. Screaming in agony, the fanatic dropped his energy pistol and flailed about as the fire consumed him. He fell to the ground and rolled about for several seconds, before laying still.

"LOOK!" shouted one of the fanatics as they saw Mal, tossing another blue fireball from one hand to the other.

"Come and get me, you jerks!" Mal shouted as she threw her fireball at the fanatics, forcing them to scatter. Mal ran deeper into the ruins, laughingly taunting the fanatics.

"CATCH THAT HERATIC!" shouted the lead fanatic as his comrades picked themselves back up. Eight of the men ran after Mal, leaving the leader and two more to guard Audrey and Jane.

"Your friend may have a head start," said the lead fanatic, "but my men are trained in hunting magic users; she won't last long."

"Don't underestimate Mal," said Jane, "she'll run rings around you jerks and by the time she's done with you, you won't know what hit you!"

The lead fanatic slapped Jane hard across the face, knocking her to the ground, "did you see that coming, freak?" at that the other two fanatics laughed cruelly.

"You bastard!" Audrey shouted as she struggled against her handcuffs, "you hurt her again, I'll…I'll…"

"You'll what?" one of the fanatics taunted.

In truth, Audrey didn't know what she'd do, except stay alive as long as she could. There was no way she was giving up hope, not yet anyway. Yet as she struggled to think of something, anything to stave off the all but inevitable, a glimmer of hope struck in a most unexpected manner.

"NOOOOOOO!"

The sudden exclamation of negativity was punctuated by multiple small explosions from the ruins.

"What the frak was that?!" the lead fanatic demanded as he and his comrades saw smoke rise from the ruins.

"I'll bet every expensive item I've ever owned that was Mal," said a grinning Audrey, "taking care of your fellow bully boys."

"You, get back to the ATV's and call for backup," said the lead fanatic to one of his remaining comrades. He then looked at the other, "you, collect our fallen friend's data, then kill the bitches here."

"Yes, sir!" said both fanatics. One ran off to the parked vehicles, while the other walked over to the one Mal burned to death. He pulled out a large knife and started cutting into the charred flesh.

"Oh, that's just sick," said Jane as she sat up with a large bruise forming across her face, "what, are you salvaging cuts of meat for lunch?"

The lead fanatic slapped Jane hard enough to knock her over again, then kicked her roughly in the side.

"You bastard!" screeched a franticly struggling Audrey, "you sick, twisted bastard! Oh, just you wait until I get free!"

"Look at you," said the lead fanatic, "the little witch doesn't realize we use magic-resistant metal in our equipment. Unlocking spells won't work."

"I don't need magic to get free!" said Audrey through gritted teeth, "I can break these cuffs!"

This caused both fanatics to laugh cruelly, "as if a weakling heretic like you has the strength. You cannot break those cuffs."

"Oh yeah?" Audrey asked, "watch me!" screaming with effort, Audrey summoned the last of her strength and strained against the handcuffs. She could feel the metal cutting into her wrists and blood dripping, yet she still pulled. Yes, she knew it was futile to try, yet she kept going, for her efforts were paying off as through her squinting eyes, she saw Uma sneak up behind the lead fanatic with an energy pistol in one hand.

"This has gone long enough," said the lead fanatic as he drew an energy pistol of his own, "your distractions won't save you from your righteous castigation! Only through death shall you atone for your heresy!"

"Sir! Watch out!" shouted the fanatic with the knife as he aimed an assault rifle at Uma, only for Uma to fire first. The pistol shot a glowing green burst of ionized gas that hit the fanatic in the torso, knocking him down. He flailed about and screamed in pain as he tried to get his armored vest off. Audrey watched in sickening fascination as the green energy dissolved the vest, then ate into the fanatic's flesh, leaving him dead in seconds as his innards fell apart.

"Heretic witch!" shouted the lead fanatic as he aimed his energy weapon at Uma, "you may have gotten off a lucky shot, but like an amateur, you had the plasma pistol at maximum setting. It takes two minutes to recharge after a shot like that!"

Uma aimed and pulled the trigger, only to hear a beeping sound from the pistol.

"This, on the other hand," said the lead fanatic as he indicated his energy weapon, "has a much more obvious power setting selection." He pressed a button on the pistol, "I'll just burn a whole right between your disgusting eyes!"

But then he was hit from behind by a rock, a rock thrown by Audrey.

"You want to burn someone in the head, jerk!" shouted Audrey as she managed to get to her feet, "burn me!"

"Okay, I will!" said the lead fanatic as he aimed his pistol at Audrey, then spun around and shot a red energy beam at Uma, missing her by inches.

"Nice try!" said the lead fanatic as he adjusted the setting on his pistol, "this time I won't miss! Goodbye, heretic!"

But then a large shadow covered the lead fanatic. He looked up to his horror as a furiously roaring Dragon Mal swooped down and grabbed him in her enormous claws. Flapping her wings, Dragon Mal flew up, and up and up, carrying the screaming lead fanatic higher and higher in the air.

"Hang on, you two!" said Uma as she hurried over to Audrey, a bobby pin in one hand as she began working on the handcuffs, "I'll have you free in a tick or two."

"Forget about me!" said Audrey, "uncuff Jane, she's hurt the most!"

"No…I…I'm alright," said a disoriented Jane as she sat up, another bruise forming on her face and her lips swelling up, "you're the one who's bleeding, Audrey."

"Huh? Oh, right," said Audrey as she realized her wrists were still cut from trying to break the cuffs, "yeah, my hands are hurting something fierce."

"Now that you mention it," said Jane, "I think I'm bleeding in my chest. Where'd that piece of garbage that kicked me go? I wanna kick him so hard, his ancestors and descendants will feel it."

As if in answer, the lead fanatic crashed back to earth. He bounced twice before settling on the ground.

With a gust from her wings, Dragon Mal landed, returning to her human form with a puff of purple smoke.

"Is he dead?" Mal asked as she smothered a few smoldering spots on her sleeves, "did I drop him from high enough?"

"If he's not dead, he will be," said Audrey as Uma finished uncuffing her, "wait, aren't there supposed to be more of those creeps?"

"Oh, I took care of most of them," said Uma, "I just psychoflexed the pins off the grenades they were carrying."

"There was one more at their cars," said Mal as she helped Uma unhandcuff Jane, "he was talking into a radio, but I think I took him out before he called for help. Either way, I think it'd be a good idea to get out of here before anyone else shows up."

"Yeah, let's get going while the going's good," said Uma, "how's your head, Jane?"

"I've been better," said Jane as Mal helped her stand up, "wait a second," she then walked over to the fanatic Mal burned earlier, clutching her side.

"What are you doing?" Audrey asked as Mal used a First Aid kit from her subspace pocket to bandage her wrists, "we've got to get back to The Vault and pack up our stuff!"

"We can't stay here, Jane!" said Mal, "this is fanatic country!"

"I have to know what they were taking from the body," said Jane, "they were after 'his data,' I need to know what it is." Holding her nose against the stench of burned flesh, Jane knelt beside the charred fanatic and poked where his comrade was cutting. After a few seconds she found what she was looking for, and she didn't like it at all.

"Uh...girls?" Jane asked, "I think you need to see this."

"Whatever it is," said Uma as she, Audrey and Mal hurried over, "it's not worth wasting our time, I kid you not."

"I think it is," said Jane as she pulled out from the body a bloody piece of metal, "he's got a computer chip in him."

Her curiosity perked, Mal bent over and began rummaging through the cuts on the body, then began cutting elsewhere on the corpse.

"Uh! Seriously, Mal?!" a disgusted Audrey asked.

"It's not just a computer," said Mal as she cut into the arms, revealing metal parts and circuitry on the bones and in the muscles, "he's like this all over!"

Grasping the knife, Mal walked over to the fanatic Uma shot and cut into the body, revealing more metal parts and circuitry, "I think they're all like this."

"Okay, so? They've got a fetish for metal and computers," said an uncomfortable Uma, "so what?"

"Don't you realize what this means?" Jane asked, "the fanatics, the ones who hate magic so much, they're cyborgs."

…To Be Continued…