Title: Myth or not?

Summary: Canard searches for the legendary Mask of Drake DuCaine.

Author: Kaladan Flashblade

Feedback: Constructive reviews alright, flamers can keep their hands silent.

Archive: Archive is okay, if you ask me first.

Rating: PG

Pairing: none mentioned.

Main Character(s): The members of the cartoon show The Mighty Ducks and my new characters.

Disclaimer: I'm not making any money out of writing these stories. No harm will come to them. Please don't accuse me of trying to harm them.

Myth or not?

Canard searches for the legendary Mask of Drake DuCaine.

Canard was running as hard as he could. The Saurians had attacked the military base that he was at. He barely had a chance to escape serious injury with a few men behind him. They found sanctuary away from the base. The first night was scary as they heard the screams and gunfire coming from their people and the Saurians. Canard got patrols to watch out for possible Saurians raiders heading their way. They moved into the mountains during the day and covered their tracks as soon as they were made.

It was a day later that they found ducks were escaped the first assault on their world. They begged for protection from the Saurians. Canard couldn't refuse as they may prove to be helpful later on. It was from these ducks that the fabled Mask of Drake DuCaine was mentioned, Canard sat back listening to one of them talking about it.

"It is told that only someone with DuCaine blood in them could go into the maze and be guided by the Guardian himself. The Mask itself is said to be made out of pure gold and it owner will become the savior of our world just like Drake DuCaine himself." The drake said, to the young children that were listening to his words.

"Where is the Mask hidden at?" asked one of the children.

"They say it is hidden within a maze at the foot of Twin Beaks, but I warn you only a DuCaine can find the Mask itself all others who tried has failed."

"Tried and failed, how did they fail?" asked one of the children.

"They were lost within the maze for weeks without food or water; they died within the maze itself. Only the Guardian knows the correct path to go to the Mask itself," said the drake.

"Who is the Guardian?" a child asked.

"I don't know, wish I did, we could really use the mask about now."

A little red haired Raptrin girl spoke up. "You could try and get it yourself sir."

"I would have to be a descendant of Drake DuCaine himself. I am not of his bloodline. His bloodline is dead. There is no one alive that is Drake DuCaine's direct descendant, only from his aunts and uncles but not through his blood." The old Drake said.

' "Yeah, right, and I am Drake DuCaine's son," snapped Canard.

The whole classroom laughed at Canard's comment before the teacher got everyone to stop laughing.

Lola grinned, "Well then I'll have to start calling you Canard DuCaine." '

Canard sighed, this was not the time to be remembering childish arguments, but Lola kept to that threat, she called him DuCaine, he was glad when she moved away, the tormenting stopped. The sound of gunfire was getting closer. If they stayed here they'd be dead, if he tried to find the mask he's be dead and Lola would be wrong, but if he did get it, he could get the upper hand on the Saurians…but Lola would be right. He yelled the order to break camp quickly and hurry. They left the area as quickly as they could. They ran into the mountains and it was then that he realized that they were near the supposed mountain of Drake DuCaine's grave and where the Mask might be at. He told them to set up camp away from the cave itself so no one would be drawn to enter the cave. He stood there in front of the cave when he heard a voice come from the cave itself.

"Greetings, son of Drake DuCaine, I see that you have finally come," spoke a female voice.

"Guardian of the Mask of Drake DuCaine, I greet thee. But I am not his son," said Canard.

"But that is where you are mistaken, son of Drake DuCaine. You are the son of Drake DuCaine. I can see it in your blood, you even look like him," spoke the Guardian, as she walked into view. The Guardian was a black feathered female duck, holding a wooden staff in her left hand.

"If I'm the son of DuCaine, that means my mother was Lady DuCaine, she died a long time ago."

"Yes, she was, I can see her blood in you," spoke the Guardian.

"But how is it that I am alive here in this time and not back then?" asked Canard.

"They say she was a time traveler. She may have jumped to our time and gave you to the people who raised you," the Guardian stated.

Canard nodded, and mentally cringed if he ever found Lola he'll have to have a word with her. "So may I take the mask? I need it to help the people out there."

"Follow me, very closely, son of DuCaine as I will take you to the tomb and the mask of your father's," said the Guardian, as she turned towards the maze. She took hold of the torch and stood in front of three entrances. "Which one do you think is the correct entrance?"

"The left one," Canard said. He was not sure at all which one to take.

"Correct, young DuCaine, your mother implanted the correct path in your mind," Guardian stated as she walked to the left entrance.

The walk must have been for an hour as they went one way and another way before they came upon a block of some sort. The Guardian placed the torch at the unlighted torch and it flashed to life as the light of the two torches shown what it was – the entrance to Drake DuCaine's tomb.

The door was rotted away and the Guardian walked through the door way. Canard followed her into the room. The light of the torch shown upon the walls painted with the history of Drake DuCaine. And there upon a pedestal was the Mask of Drake DuCaine himself. Canard walked towards the Mask.

"Young DuCaine, come and look upon the face of your mother, the Lady DuCaine," spoke the Guardian, standing next to a painting of a woman standing next to Drake DuCaine.

Canard turned his attention from the mask itself to the portrait on the wall. He looked at it carefully and then he realized that the image was of his sister who was looking back at him.

"A picture of my mother, I thought there was no images of her…no, it can't be! NO!" Canard cried out.

"What ails you, young DuCaine?" asked the Guardian.

"She's…K...K...Kaladan. My sister," Canard said.

"Your sister is an Ancient, correct?" asked the Guardian.

"Yes, but how do you know that?"

"Then, she is a time jumper and she is the Lady DuCaine, your mother," spoke the Guardian.

Canard turned from the portrait to the pedestal and the mask. He reached out to the mask and removed it from the pedestal. He opened his pouch by his right hip and placed the mask within it. "I wish to leave this tomb."

"Do you not want to see your father?" asked the Guardian.

Canard shook his head. "I do not want to see him. I wish to leave now."

"Very well, I'll take you back to the entrance, from there do as you wish."

It was almost dawn when they emerged from the cave. Canard knew exactly what he needed to do. He needed to get a team gathered but that meant returning to Keltor and start searching for the best of the best. He was going to also strike out on his own to search for the base of the Saurians so he may lead a team there to destroy it. If he stayed with the refugees he'd put them in more danger then necessary, he looked out to the horizon. It didn't matter what it took to free Puckworld, he'd fight till he was dead or Dragaunus was gone from Puckworld.

Stay tuned, the next one is coming.

© Copyright 2004 Kaladan Flashblade