Fantasia Crisis

By Lord Akiyama

Inspired by "Crisis on Infinite Earths" by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez

Chapter Three

---

"Attend to the wounds of Ms. Sinclair, my apprentice," Yen Sid said. "If we are to battle this evil threat, we need all to be of excellent health."

"Hold on a minute," Helga said, "you still haven't answered my question. What exactly is this 'evil threat' and why are 'we' battling it?"

"Your questions shall be answered, Ms. Sinclair," the master said. "Yet we are in a race against time and you must all be of excellent health. Please allow my apprentice to attend to your wounds, if you may."

Helga arched an eyebrow. "What reason do I have to trust you or your apprentice?" she asked.

"Why, none of course," the master said. "I could give you quite a number of reasons for you to trust us and manipulate them to assure your trusting us, yet I will not. You are all true in heart and soul and that is essential in this battle against the threat. To trust is to believe in one that they will do as you expect them to and deliver on their word. You of all should know that trust can very easily be masked and false. Do you truly need trust?"

Helga pursed her lips and scowled slightly, but she didn't argue.

Mickey nervously approached Helga, an equally nervous chuckle escaping his mouth. He raised a hand in the air, muttering in a quiet whisper words that few would understand. He slowly brought his hand down and waved them like a conductor. Stars and mist gently appeared above her wound. Though it took only a moment's flash, it felt as though it were a gentle hand that took away the pain and healing all that was damaged.

"Now then, I shall explain as much as I can with the little time we have," the master said. He waved a hand in the air and a long table with fourteen chairs to them, one at each end and six on each side. "If you all shall take a seat." The master and the apprentice sat themselves at the ends of the table, the twelve taking their seats in the remaining chairs on the side.

"Like Ms. Sinclair asked," Amelia spoke, "what exactly is this 'evil threat' and why us?"

The master nodded. He closed his eyes and raised his hands high into the air. He muttered in a quiet whisper words that few would understand, forming a sphere at the center of the table. The twelve gazed their eyes upon the sphere, clouds of mist filled within.

"Look closely and listen carefully," Yen Sid said. "My words will form images within the sphere before you. I shall answer the questions for which you seek.

"In a world far from here, far from your own, there were two deities who ruled. One benevolent, the other malevolent. The people were ruled by The White God Byelobog and The Black God Chernabog. They were brothers and were always at odds with one another. They reflected the dualistic nature of the universe, representing the forces of good and evil. Byelobog was good, Chernabog was evil. According to the legend within the world, their constant battles shaped the world and cause it to come into being.

"The battle ended when Byelobog imprisoning Chernabog upon Bald Mountain. Without full strength, The Black God was trapped from the waist down to perform nothing more than the conjuring of evil and dark spirits under the moonlit night. This was all that he could do and for eons this remained so. It was not until it was far too late to realize that his conjuring of evil and dark spirits was a distraction to his slow process of regaining his strength. I am unsure, though I suspect the regaining of his strength was done by the attraction of evil from other worlds. How this was done remains a mystery to even me.

"Chernabog more than regained his strength when he released himself from his prison upon Bald Mountain. Byelobog learned just then when the brothers once more battled. This time, Chernabog was victorious and ended Byelobog. Enraged by what his brother had done, he destroyed the world they created and moved on. His anger unquenched, he destroyed another and another. He then stopped upon the world called Avalon. His intention upon entering was destruction, but he then set his eyes upon the ideal of domination. To force all to worship him and only him. He gathered together forces to aid him in this dark quest and has since been plotting."

The clouds of mist formed once more within the sphere, ending the visions spoken. "I have the power to imprison him, but he must be weakened for me to do so," Yen Sid said. "Sadly, I do not have the will to accomplish this deed."

"And this is where the twelve come in?" the Beast asked.

"Precisely," the master answered. "You each possess unique skills and abilities that differ from the other. Such is enough to find the will to defeat Chernabog and weaken him enough for me to imprison him. Though you must act swiftly, it is essential that you succeed in this quest. If Chernabog cannot be weakened in time, he will be unstoppable and all will fall to him."

"And exactly how much time do we have to stop him?" Amelia asked.

"That to remains a mystery," the master said. "I stumbled upon his evil deeds fairly recent and sadly I have no agents to spy upon him. I am not certain how long he has been plotting his scheme and I am not certain how much longer before he is ready to make his claim."

"So we can only guess how long before he strikes?" Aladdin said. "Like he could be ready by nightfall?"

"Unfortunately, hypothesizing is all that we have for how long it will take for him to achieve his deed," Yen Sid said. "Your task will take you to many worlds and unearth any sign of his influence. You must destroy these influences, which will weaken him but a little."

"Sounds like my kind of adventure," Amelia said. "You are speaking to a spacer, sir."

"Indeed, Captain," he said. "However, not everyone is. Though the twelve have been gathered, three are not ready to venture outside their own worlds or this mystical plane of mine.

"Ariel cannot move about being a mermaid. Only in water can she be effective and there are not many worlds containing large bodies of water, I am afraid. And I can change her form, but her being a mermaid is essential. For her mermaid form to survive above land, we shall need the magic of a fairy.

"The Spring Sprite is a spirit, but that based upon the nature of seasons. She can only exist in a spring environment and my powers, I am afraid, is incomplete in altering the rule of nature. There is a wizard, bumbling though he be, who can assist me in helping her.

"Hercules is a God, but one who is mortal. He gave up most of his powers to live with the woman he loved. Additionally, he was not one who created or destroyed a world as Chernabog did. Traveling to other worlds will likely cause his being to adapt terribly. We need to seek the aid of a God who could likely be an agent of Chernabog."

"What?" Hercules said. "Hold on a second, we have to deal with an enemy for me to actually be of use?"

"He has the potential of an enemy, Hercules," Yen Sid said, "but he has yet to make up his mind. Unfortunately, he is one you are likely not to have pleasure meeting."

"You can't be serious," Hercules said. "I have to deal with Hades?"

"He is the only one," the master replied. "Neither of the Gods upon Mount Olympus have the power to help you. Only Hades."

"So where is this fairy that can help me as I am?" Ariel asked.

"It is a world where souls are ageless, especially the children," Yen Sid replied. "If I sense correctly, however, the fairy and her companion are in a bit of a mess with one who will no doubt be in the services of Chernabog. The fairy is named Tinkerbell and her adversity is Captain Hook."

"I am vaguely familiar with him," Amelia said. "From what I understand, he is a pirate. Having dealt with pirates before, I believe I can be helpful in retrieving the fairy for you, Ariel."

"And what of the wizard," Simba said. "Where can we find this wizard to help the Sprite?"

"The wizard is assisting a child upon the path of kings," the master said. "At the moment, however, he has engaged in a wizard's duel with a witch for the fate of the child. Those sent to retrieve the wizard should be wise not interfere in the duel as it might cause terrible harm to the body. His name is Merlin."

"Merlin?" Robin Hood said. "Now that's a name I'm familiar with. The old chap is as cookie as a bird, but his magic is the stuff of legends. And like me, he's English. You can count on me to help retrieve him for you, Spring Sprite."

Yen Sid began to nod. "I see. Very well, you shall all form groups to meet with the three needed. Ariel and The Spring Sprite shall remain here with myself and my apprentice. Amelia will lead a group to retrieve Tinkerbell. Robin Hood will lead a group to retrieve Merlin. And Hercules will lead a group to meet Hades."

"I request all those will military status to assist me," Amelia announced. "As I understand, the bizarre creature shall be coming with me as well considering there are few of us who understand his bloody language." Stitch replied verbally that made Amelia.

"I, uh, am part of the Chinese army, ma'am," Mulan said. "I guess that means I'll be going with you."

"Was a Lieutenant where I come from," Helga said. "Guess you want me, huh?"

"Beast, Simba," Hercules said. "If anything from Hades, he's likely to have some sort of creatures in mind to attack me. I might need you two to help me out."

"Well, I guess I could go with you," Simba said. "I would look really out of place elsewhere."

"The same with me," Beast said. "Though I wish to get all of this over with. I am concerned with what Be-- ... my guest is doing at my castle."

"Guess I got you two fellas," Robin said to Aladdin and Tarzan. "You gents nifty with a sword?"

"I, uh, guess..." Aladdin said. "I-I'm not really that good with one."

"I use my weapon," Tarzan said, showing his custom made spear to Robin. "Useful in fighting danger back home." He made gorilla grunts a few times as he spoke.

"So the groups have been decided," Yen Sid spoke. "Look upon this as a test, seeing how you fair together. This shall be your first task upon a quest to defeat Chernabog. My apprentice shall provide the leaders with a device that will have you return to this mystical plane of mine. Act swiftly as we are in a race against time. I wish you all luck."

---

The Firebird appeared before his master as a cloud of black mist appeared next to him. Moments later, the clouds vanished and there stood the sorceress he retrieved. Maleficent stood tall and proud, looking upon the master of The Firebird with a smile.

"Interesting," she said. "Interesting that you of all would seek my council, Chernabog. May I ask why?"

"As an act of caution, my dear Maleficent," Chernabog said. "The master of masters appears to be putting forth a plan into motion, yet I do not know what exactly. All that is revealed to me is that he is gathering twelve and one of them is The Spring Sprite."

"The Spring Sprite?" she said. "Then it must be a serious plan to require her. Perhaps he has figured out how to unleash the true power within her."

"There is no doubt that that is what he wishes to do," he said, "but I believe that is not the true intentions. If anything, Yen Sid seeks to foil the plans I have carefully crafted. It is my final bid for conquest, Maleficent, and I shall not allow even him to stop me."

"Hmmm..." Maleficent thought. "Any clues as to when his plans shall truly be set into motion?"

"None thus far," Chernabog said. "I believe he is preparing the twelve. After all, the Sprite in her current state cannot function outside her own world nor the mystical plane Yen Sid rules. What I require is who the other of the twelve he has gathered together."

"I see," she said. "Then perhaps I shall remain here in your company in aiding your search, if I may be granted so."

"I grant you stay," he said. "My servant will do the traveling."

"The Firebird is quite a splendid beast," Maleficent said, looking upon the eyes of the servant. "Truly a force to be reckoned with."

"That and more so," Chernabog said proudly. "Like his adversity the Sprite, he too has a true power within. Perhaps it may be more powerful than the true power within the Sprite."

The Firebird made a screech filled with flame, as though he were agreeing with his master. He grinned as he watched the master and the sorceress plot the next course of action against Yen Sid.

to be continued...

Thanks to GoblinQueeen, who provided the dialogue and some action for Helga.