Nosedive was beyond scared. As soon as the sun set over the horizon, an omen of dread had entered his mind. Morpha saw his expression and rubbed it's head across his knee while showing it was all black symbolizing it was scared.
"I know boy.", Nosedive said trying to sound brave, "I'm scared too."
Julia looked thoughtful.
"Something we see and hopefully can stop.", she thought out loud.
Thrash and Mookie looked on board.
"Okay, Titanic is going to hit an iceberg sometime tonight.", Thrash said.
Mookie checked her watch.
"Which is in about thirty minutes."
Nosedive swallowed his fear and then looked more eager.
"Then let's get to the bow and stop it before it happens."
They dashed on to the deck with Foxy right behind them, but a small rift opened and Foxy fell into it before anyone noticed anything. The air was chilly and each duck blew on their hands to warm them.
"Keep an eye out.", Julia said firmly, "We might be early."
Then the ship went to the side suddenly almost making the ducks lose balance.
"What was that?", Thrash asked looking a bit scared.
"Um, large sea wave?", Mookie guessed.
A low growl came over the air and the duck's nerves got on edge.
"That doesn't sound good.", Julia said nervously.
That was when the waters erupted revealing an enormous iceberg that shifted into an equally large dragon that took flight and flew effortlessly alongside the ship's side.
"Definitely not good.", Thrash said grabbing his nunchaku.
The dragon roared and tensed like a cobra.
"Look out!", Nosedive screamed.
The dragon fired a gale of ice that the team nearly missed and Nosedive quickly invoked Arrow and got some arrows loaded.
"Thrash, you take Morpha and Mook to help keep this ice from spreading.", he instructed, "Julia and I can take this beast."
"Copy that.", Thrash said.
Julia looked unsure.
"Dive, I'm not sure I have what it takes."
Nosedive smiled her way and touched his medallion. Siren's gem lit up and in less than a few seconds, the familiar nautilus shell necklace appeared around Julia's neck.
"Keep that safe for me girly girl."
Julia looked braver right away. Thrash and Mookie were seen with Morpha clearing away most of the ice that was forming where the dragon's breath had hit.
"Let's kick some ice.", she said firmly.
/
Tanya and Grin hurried down the road with Adam flying alongside them.
"Why does it have to be another elemental attack?", Adam complained.
The ground behind them cracked and split revealing glowing green waves of energy forming into a humanoid shape, but with large scythe blades for hands and a skull for a head.
"Probably a result of toxic waste and radiation.", Tanya guessed.
Grin frowned.
"I'm greatly disturbed by the mere presence of this creature."
Adam looked just as concerned.
"Man what I'd give for my saurian powers to kick in."
The elemental gave an unearthly roar as it tore through the landscape and formed a wall around the trio. Grin quickly invoked Earth to create a gap for the team to go through, but he didn't follow.
"Grin? What are you doing?", Tanya asked.
Grin gave a smile.
"One must take matters into his own hands."
Adam looked alarmed.
"Grin, no! There must be another way."
Grin turned showing he wasn't listening and Earth formed around him as he walked towards the elemental.
"What do we do?", Adam asked looking to Tanya.
Grin by now had jumped towards the elemental and was about to collide, but Tanya quickly invoked Empower which made Grin glow before he did. The elemental swayed and fell, but didn't show it was hurt.
"Go!", Grin yelled.
Adam looked worried.
"But what about-"
"Just go!", Grin yelled, "I'll be fine, but I can't put my friends in danger!"
Tanya looked a bit shocked, but she then turned and ran pulling Adam with her. Grin smiled.
"Perfect, now I can topple this thing without worrying about them."
He invoked Freeze and Force which both fused with Earth on his body making him quite a sight.
"Now, let's rumble.", he said with determination.
The elemental got up and set for battle, but Grin placed his hands together.
"I accept my death, therefor I am one."
His enchantium flared brightly as he took a running jump towards the elemental that was about to slice the air with it's blades, but they met Grin's fists and the result was a huge explosion like a nuclear bomb had just gone off. Far off, Tanya and Adam saw it.
"He sacrificed himself, for our safety.", Tanya said.
Adam looked ready to cry.
"Whyyyy?!", he screamed before falling to his knees and tears flowed down his face.
Tanya put her hand on his arm.
"I know. We can't spend this time mourning."
Adam wiped his eyes and took a couple deep breaths.
"Yeah. Grin would say the same thing."
/
Zeral's enchantium flickered as he raised a hand over the wasteland.
"Arise from our deaths my messengers of might. Arise, and serve your master!"
Huge streams of energy flowed from his fingers and split into many more that flowed over the entire area and seeped into the ground as Harzep, Gerazi, Darcel, and Geoff observed from their bindings alongside Dragaunus and Charyus.
"I trust your henchmen are holding their own?", Charyus asked.
Dragaunus looked disgusted.
"They'll handle the job."
"They'd better.", Charyus said smiling, "If Draco should alert the emperor of our coming, we'd lose the edge."
"Our victory will be assured my far sighted friend.", Zeral said calmly, "Just need to revive some old allies that we lost during our last encounter with those pests."
A sprinkle of gold dust floated over the plains and landed near Charyus' feet and Dragaunus looked amused.
"It seems your pet has failed it's task.", he said coldly.
Zeral didn't look his way.
"I knew it would. It was merely a test. Behold, my fallen soldiers rise once again."
The ground split revealing black shadows that rose and formed saurian soldiers and heavy weaponry as the streams of energy waned and faded. Zeral dropped his and and turned to the four captives.
"Bring him.", he said pointing to Darcel.
Charyus waved his staff and Darcel came forward before the emperor's feet.
"Your wrath is legend.", Zeral said still smiling, "Course is the patron who bestowed it on you."
Darcel's face darkened.
"I'd welcome death before I serve you monster."
Zeral didn't look phased.
"Rebellious even in defeat. Touching."
Dragaunus looked ready to lose his patience.
"When are you going to deliver what you said?", he demanded.
Zeral looked his way.
"If you're so impatient, you can leave."
That was all Dragaunus had to hear. He activated his teleporter and warped away, but then the four prisons warped with him.
"Traitor.", Charyus sneered.
"It matters not.", Zeral answered, "He served his role. And for his execution."
He snapped his fingers and a huge plant grew near his side.
"Find him, tear him apart.", he instructed.
The plant slipped back underground and stayed there.
/
Duke cleaved apart seven more vines, but the thing kept growing. Clyde and Danielle were feeling the pressure as they strained against their bindings.
"I'm suffocating.", Danielle strained to say.
Clyde got his own saber out and set the dial for blue for cold and cleaved his vines which froze and broke off before he cut Danielle loose.
"Thanks Clyde.", Danielle said to him as he helped her down.
"No problem my lady.", Clyde said politely.
Duke smiled and invoked Smoke and a huge cloud of it billowed out causing the plant to whither and choke. Mallory used Sword and chopped the base apart making the whole thing fall over.
"Nice moves L'Orange.", she said giving Duke a thumbs up.
Duke smiled.
"Pleasure's all mine McMallard."
"Any idea what jungle we're in now?", Clyde asked.
Danielle looked a bit worried.
"I just hope that Derek and his family are-"
She was cut off cause there was a huge thud nearby and the trees fell down revealing Derek, Rosie, Benny, Snowdrop and Timmy in a mine cart all looking frazzled.
"Derek?!", Duke asked shocked, "How did you guys get here?"
Derek and Rosie didn't answer at first cause they had jumped off with their kids just as the cart sped off again.
"I am really starting to hate this rift.", Derek huffed.
"What happened to you?", Clyde asked.
"We got turned into fish, explored a creepy house, almost got decapitated by a headless horseman, and fell through a mine shaft of horror.", Benny said looking excited, "Let's do it again!"
Rosie rolled her eyes up to the sky.
"Where did I get such a son?", she asked.
The ground shuddered as the group staggered to keep standing.
"That can't be good.", Snowdrop said looking ab it scared.
That was when the ground split apart to reveal a wall of fire that slowly crawled towards them. Mallory clutched her fist and Sword turned a light blue.
"I'm cutting a path!"
Duke looked shocked.
"Mal?"
Dance and Water materialized around Mallory as she charged with Sword and cleaved a path through the flames.
"Move it!", she screamed.
Derek, Rosie and their kids didn't hesitate and jumped through, but Timmy slipped and almost fell to the flames if Danielle hadn't got him. Before Duke could grab Mallory, the flames were upon her and she managed to give a smile and nod before it did and the wall dispersed instantly in a flash of light that blinded the group for a moment, but when they regained their sight, Mallory was nowhere to be seen.
"Rest well McMallard.", Duke said giving a salute.
The others gave one as well as the ashes of the once flaming walls died away under the cold moon rising in the twilight air.
/
Dragaunus warped to an open field and with the four captives following.
"You had nerve to do that.", Harzep said firmly.
Dragaunus' sneer darkened.
"Don't grow attached to it.", he said coldly raising the remote in his hand.
"What are you going to do now?", Gerazi asked, "Kill us?"
Dragaunus pressed the remote and the bindings on all four captives dissolved instantly.
"Or you could...let us go?", Geoff asked a little confused.
"Why?", Darcel asked.
Dragaunus sighed.
"Draco needs you.", he answered.
Darcel's expression didn't let up.
"How do we know you're not lying?"
"Would you rather let Zeral decide your fate?", Dragaunus countered.
A short while after, Siege, Chameleon, and Wraith showed up with Draco and Drake.
"We found them my lord.", Siege said calmly.
Drake looked a bit confused.
"You're helping us?", he asked Dragaunus.
"No.", Dragaunus answered, "I'm helping me."
"So you're Dragaunus huh?", Draco asked, "What made you turn on our race?"
Dragaunus sighed again.
"I allied with the wrong person at the time when we were desperate and exiled.", he admitted, "I made the wrong choice, but don't think this changes anything between us."
"I don't know.", Geoff answered, "Even someone like you sees reason sometime."
"That's what I said.", Chameleon stated as he shifted into a bouncer and back again.
Wraith looked glum as usual.
"Good to see my old student hasn't lost his magical lessons."
Geoff looked complimented.
"I learn from the best Master Wraith."
As much as Drake admired the assistance, there was more important matters right now.
"Okay, we're grateful Dragaunus, but Zeral is amassing a force to take over again."
"How can we stop him and Charyus?", Gerazi asked, "He has prophecy now."
"Not yet.", Dragaunus stated, "That spell requires a couple days to recharge and now you have a day left to take him out."
"I agree.", Darcel admitted, "There's no telling what Zeral will do to Sauria if he takes over."
Dragaunus activated his teleporter again and he stated vanishing along with Siege, Wraith, and Chameleon.
"Don't miss this shot.", he warned before he vanished with his underlings.
/
Wildwing ducked as a plasma blast fired past his face. His team had been warped to some kind of outer world planet which hinted at the stars and galaxies hovering in the sky overhead, but the glassy landscape had ghostly inhabitants that bared the appearance of fighters throughout history. Canard was clearly holding his own against a couple samurai and Klegghorn was up against some World War II vets with Phil fleeing from some cavemen.
"Why is it that we end up in the craziest places?", Wildwing asked himself.
The fighting lasted a while, but eventually the ducks prevailed and took a moment to catch their breath.
"Everyone alright?", Wildwing asked.
Phil looked annoyed.
"Can we go home now?"
Canard applied a patch to his wounded side with Klegghorn helping.
"Tell me this is as bad as it gets.", Klegghorn said.
The ground rumbled and the skies overhead started to turn from night to day rather quickly.
"I don't think so.", Wildwing said.
As the sun rose over the horizon, a door came into view on the side of a nearby hill. Phil darted towards it, but the ground in front of him gave way revealing a seemingly bottomless pit that he almost fell into if Klegghorn and Wildwing hadn't caught him.
"We have to learn to expect the unexpected.", Canard mused, "We don't know what the Keepers are throwing at us."
The door on the other side opened and a glowing wave of water burst forward and flowed into the pit and kept falling until a small glowing light was seen rising fast.
"Now what?", Klegghorn asked.
The light came to the surface and erupted across the area causing the ducks to close their eyes to block it out. Wildwing felt strange as if he was being lifted off the ground like a balloon. Soon the light dimmed and Wildwing opened his eyes to reveal that he was on icy ground. He looked around and saw Canard nearby, but Phil and Klegghorn were nowhere to be seen.
"Where are we now?", he wondered.
Phil and Klegghorn fell over a hill nearby and face planted into the snow before all four looked in another direction to see a familiar city nearby.
"Hey, we're back on Puckworld!", Phil exclaimed looking more relieved.
Wildwing didn't look so sure.
"I don't know Phil. I got a bad feeling this isn't over."
To be continued...
