Disclaimer: Hmm…Darkwing's not mine, Quiverwing's not mine, so that means that Gosalyn isn't mine either…Negaduck? No, not mine…Morgana…nope, not mine either…
I don't know if it'll show up, but I'm the same author, just a different penname. I think this one will probably stay.
Reviewers, you guys are awesome awesome AWESOME!
*~*~*~*
Quiverwing's bones rattled with fear. Her entire body overflowed with shocked agony but was completely numb at the same time. She was dimly aware of shouts directed to her from behind, but they seemed muffled and far away. She tried to swallow, but only gagged. She tried to breath, but only suffocated.
Her father, the one she could always turn to, always trust, always love, slowly advanced towards her. Never could Quiverwing remember being so sickened and horrified. His disgusting beak was twisted in a ferocious growl, and his eyes looked like two angry pools of blood. He let loose a scream that sounded like the roar of a jet engine, but it echoed as if from a distance.
"Now there's something you don't see every day," Negaduck remarked incredulously, then grimaced as a chunk of slime dripped from the brim of his hat and onto his beak.
"Gosalyn," Morgana the kitten breathed, "Dark, please, please stop!"
Darkwing marched on, oblivious to her desperate call.
"Dark!"
Aviana turned to her, "That isn't going to work. His soul's gone. He's under the cyborg's control now."
"Well, can we get his soul back?!" the kitten questioned frantically.
Aviana regarded the sorceress carefully, playing with the prospect.
"Yes, possibly…"
"How?!"
"We can work that out later. For now, we need Darkwing's body. Intact," Aviana informed, with an annoyed glance at Negaduck, who had shifted next to her.
The duckette turned back to the unsettling scene before her. An apparently devoted father, out of his own head, about to kill his innocent daughter. C'mon girl, just move. Run. However, Quiverwing stood rooted to the floor. And all of this because of the Devil's Eye. The Devil's Eye. She was sick of those two words and the pain they had caused. The pain she had seen, felt, and knew was more to come.
Darkwing crouched like a tiger before a cornered mouse, eyes locked on Quiverwing. Aviana's heart jumped into her throat.
"Get yourself back to normal!" the duckette commanded to Morgana the kitten and sprinted towards the confrontation.
Several things happened at once. Darkwing lunged at Quiverwing like a bolt of lightning. Sarah Bellum gasped, Quiverwing let out a strangled cry. Aviana leapt into a powerful web kick and collided with Darkwing in midair.
Upon striking the soulless mallard, Aviana felt like she had slammed into a brick wall. She hit the floor with a thud and a dull "ow", but her force was just enough to knock Darkwing Duck off course. He landed in a heap next to Quiverwing.
"Quick, come over here!" J. Gander shouted to Quiverwing Quack.
The duckling wordlessly obliged and bolted to the crew. She scooped Morgana the kitten into her arms and clutched her tightly.
Darkwing sprang back to his feet, various joints cracking as he did so. Within a second he continued towards his target.
"Hey Darkwing, over here!" Aviana yelled, trying to draw the mallard's attention away from the little girl.
Her words passed ineffectually by him, and the crime fighter persisted to stalk his prey.
Morgana thought quickly, the stress causing her to tug on her ears with her tiny paws. Darkwing would never hurt Gosalyn, but his soul was gone, so he obviously was not aware of his actions. If he was not aware of his actions, then maybe he was not aware of who Gosalyn was either…
"This isn't Gosalyn!" Morgana the kitten yowled to Darkwing.
The mallard stopped in his tracks, and grunted with confusion in his strange tone.
Morgana took a deep breath and added, "This isn't Gosalyn, this is Quiverwing Quack, so don't attack her!"
Darkwing cocked his head to one side, then miraculously turned away from the duckling and the kitten. Morgana let out a breath she did not know she had been holding.
Aviana was just about to praise the sorceress for her quick wit, but that was until Darkwing's crimson eyes locked on his next target. With an unearthly screech Darkwing charged towards Aviana.
"Hey wait, I'm not Gos – Christ!" was all Aviana managed to get out before diving out of the zombie's path. She landed on her feet, but her feet landed on Morgana's ectoplasm. She ran wildly in place for a moment before falling flat on her stomach.
"Dammit!" she cursed, her front covered in the sticky goo.
Suddenly Aviana noticed a shadow cast across her. Frowning, she looked up to see an enraged, soulless Darkwing Duck hovering over her. He raised his fists. Aviana shrunk back, not wanting to look but unable to rip her gaze from the terrifying visage.
Negaduck, who had been heading towards the chaos, saw Darkwing standing over the fallen Aviana. He had to stop and plan an attack; he had to pull out a gun, an axe, anything. He stopped running, but noticed he was still in motion. He looked down at his feet, which were currently sliding smoothly on their thin coat of slime.
Negaduck growled and mentally cursed all that was Morgana. He looked up. All he saw was Darkwing's wan face before he slammed directly into him, resulting in the two toppling end over end in a mass of arms, legs, and capes.
The black-masked mallard blinked and clutched his head, trying to stop the lab from spinning. He flopped over and lay on his back. Before he could blink again Darkwing's shadowed face loomed over him. His soulless opposite growled with impatience. Clearly he had forgotten his orders, and was acting on his own accord.
Darkwing balled his fist and drew back. Negaduck's eyes widened as Darkwing swung. The mallard squirmed to the left, narrowly avoiding Darkwing's fist as it crashed next to him, causing the floor to shudder.
Negaduck stared at the hole in the tiled floor where his head had been a second before and gulped. He looked up just in time to roll to the right as Darkwing swung with his other arm. Negaduck's tenacity rose and he glowered at the crime fighter.
"Cut it out, will ya?" he barked, then pulled his knees to his chest and kicked Darkwing as hard as he could.
Kicking the soulless Darkwing was just as effective as a midget poking a giant with a stick.
Darkwing bellowed something unintelligible and grabbed Negaduck by the collar, jolting the startled villain to his feet. Darkwing then lunged at him with abnormal strength. He collided with Negaduck, proceeding to slam him roughly into a lab wall.
Negaduck grunted and struggled with his enhanced adversary, his head throbbing. However, resistance was futile. Darkwing effortlessly pinned him to the wall with one arm and socked his body repeatedly with the other.
*~*~*~*
"NO!" Taurus Bulba roared.
The cyborg trembled with rage. Why was he bound to fail, to lose to this pathetic excuse of a hero and that little brat of a girl? No, he was not going to be defeated. Not again.
The bull turned to Aviana, who was watching the fight between the two mallards with a pained looked on her face. She set her jaw and made to go help Negaduck even up the odds, but Bulba grabbed her by the hood of her sweatshirt.
He lifted her up to his face. She could feel his breath upon her, and she wrinkled her beak at the smell of stale air and motor oil.
Off to one side, J. Gander's eyes flashed. He turned to Sarah Bellum and whispered something in her ear. Bellum nodded.
"Be right back!" Sarah said to Quiverwing cheerily, and she and Gander scooted off into the depths of the lab.
Bulba sneered in the duckette's face.
"Damn you for your meddling. Now you are going to get it!"
Suddenly Morgana's kitten ears perked up.
"'Get it?'" she repeated, "Genit! I remember the spell! Luoh genit nelavym!"
A bright flash and Morgana had sprung out of Quiverwing's hands and into her standard avian form.
"Ah, that's better," she commented.
"Um, Morgana…"
"Yes Quiverwing?"
"Look."
Quiverwing Quack pointed to the fluffy scarlet tail swishing to and fro on Morgana's backside.
"Hmm, that won't do," the sorceress sighed.
Taurus Bulba stared at Morgana, raising his eyebrow. Aviana took advantage of his distracted state to gather all of her hatred and anger.
"Hey, guess what?" she hissed to Bulba.
The bull turned and locked eyes with the duckette.
Focusing on his eye, she continued, "I hate cyborgs…"
*~*~*~*
"Let go!"
"RRROOOAAARRR!"
Negaduck gagged as Darkwing's hands found his neck. Each finger tightened like a small boa constrictor, trying to squeeze the life from their prey.
Negaduck coughed and gasped, trying his best to pry Darkwing's hands away. As the oxygen traveling to his brain slowed he stared into his soulless opposite's face, and now more than ever, it was like looking into a mirror. The edges of Negaduck's vision distorted and his mind was slowly fading away. The frustrated beak, the hate-filled eyes; was this him? Was this what he looked like to others?
The two mallards grunted with effort – one with killing, the other with surviving. Negaduck ground his teeth. If he did not do something soon he was going to die…Darkwing was going to kill him.
Darkwing Duck was going to kill him.
"I…don't…think so!" Negaduck wheezed, and kneed Darkwing in the groin with all his might.
Much to Negaduck's shock, the crime fighter barely batted an eye at the assault.
"What the…you freak! LET…GO…OF…ME…NOW!"
With an almighty tug Negaduck squirmed free of his captor. He got to his feet shakily, and within the second Darkwing had leapt to his own. The two faced each other. Darkwing growled horribly.
As Negaduck looked at his enemy's face, his mind's eye was launched backwards in time through dozens of battles, fistfights, thumb wars, and petty arguments. Not one memory consisted of any positive confrontation, only heated, almost automatic, animosity. So many face-offs, not one duck ever able to totally defeat the other.
Negaduck concentrated on his opponent and began to think methodically. The old Darkwing fought with his head and his gadgets, this Darkwing fought with his brute strength. Therefore, this Darkwing may be caught off guard by some of the old Darkwing's tricks.
Darkwing lunged. Negaduck sidestepped him and reached under the crime fighter's jacket. His hand found Darkwing's trusty gas gun.
"Suck gas do-gooder!" Negaduck jeered.
A capsule erupted form the gun's muzzle and struck Darkwing square in the jaw. The mallard roared and clawed blindly through the smoke while Negaduck crouched and made his way to safety.
"Ha! You're pathetic Dorkwing. You're given super powers and you still can't – what…"
The black-masked mallard felt a many legged something scramble over his foot. His eyes followed a small, brown ball until it disappeared into the cloud of smoke. He could hear Darkwing grunting and screeching with anger.
The wisps of smoke finally faded, revealing Darkwing tightly wrapped from the neck down in shimmering spider webs. The fuzzy creature sat atop his gray fedora triumphantly.
"Good boy Archie!" Morgana, without a kitten's tail, cheered.
For an individual devoid of digits, Archie the spider made a very convincing thumbs up.
Darkwing's sick beak twisted into fury as he strained against the webbing.
"Nothing is stronger than a spider's web," Morgana announced with a grin, "Okay, we've got Darkwing, now what do we do?"
"You die."
Morgana turned and found herself beak to muzzle with Taurus Bulba's blaster arm. The sorceress instinctively herded Quiverwing behind her.
"I am sick of nuisances like yourself. Nothing stands in the way of Taurus Bulba!" the bull declared.
Morgana frantically summoned energy while Bulba's arm prepared to fire. There was a single, heavy heartbeat, and suddenly the sound of rushing water filled the air. A neon blue liquid doused the cyborg. As if it had a life of its own, the fluid slithered into every hairline seam of his body.
The bull raised a fist and prepared to swing, but to Morgana and Quiverwing's surprise, he froze. His blaster arm sat motionless, still poised for destruction, his face remained bent in wrath.
"Anti-antifreeze," Sarah Bellum informed from behind Bulba while putting away a large hose, "It discontinues the function of all gears and hoses in any mechanical object. Originally intended for getaway vehicles and departing ice cream trucks. I'm not sure how long it will keep him frozen though…we've got either 37 days or 5.2 minutes."
"Thank you," Morgana breathed, her heart still rocketing about in her chest.
Aviana and Negaduck made their way over to the crew with Negaduck rolling Darkwing along with his foot. J. Gander looked dolefully upon the bound mallard. The director seemed more tired and old than ever.
Hooter adjusted his glasses and sighed, "This situation has worse consequences than I could have ever imagined. Dr. Bellum and I will gather the remaining SHUSH agents and relocate to our nearest headquarters. SHUSH has been trying to employ the Devil's Eye information to cross various dimensional boundaries, but it has yet to be perfected. If the project does come through we can possibly use it for Darkwing."
The old avian gazed at the soulless Darkwing for a few moments before continuing to Morgana and Aviana, "I thank you all for your aid. If I can still implore you further, I ask that you keep Darkwing under control until SHUSH can help. Miss Quiverwing, you have been very brave throughout this ordeal and I wish you and your family the best of luck. This sort of thing just happens when…when…"
"When you least expect it," Morgana finished softly.
"Yes, exactly," J. Gander replied wearily.
"When you least expect it?" Negaduck taunted, "Sounds like a sappy title that someone would use when they couldn't think of anything better."
Director Hooter scowled contemptuously at the black-masked mallard. He marched over to him and stared up into his face doggedly.
"I don't know what to make of you. If it were not for your assistance tonight I would have you interrogated. However, I suggest that you watch your tongue as well as your actions; there is no room for insolence here."
Negaduck gave him an ugly look and his hands formed into fists subconsciously. Aviana beamed at J. Gander. After saying all he needed to say, Director Hooter turned back to Morgana and Aviana.
"Will you be capable of returning to safety? If not, we can provide transportation."
"No, we'll be fine," Morgana answered for everyone.
"All right. Good luck to you all. I'm starting to believe that every person in St. Canard is going to need it soon."
With that, J. Gander and Dr. Bellum exited into the abnormally quiet halls of the S.H.U.S.H. building.
Quiverwing Quack wasted no time in getting down to business. She leapt onto Aviana, clutching her by the neck of her hoodie and securing her feet on her stomach.
Shoving her beak into her face, the duckling barked like a miniature drill sergeant, "All right you! You're the expert on this Devil's Eye stuff, how do we get Darkwing back to normal? And keep in mind that I use the term 'normal' very loosely!"
"Quiverwing dear, you know you're not supposed to jump on others," Morgana said calmly while she detached the pintsize hero from Aviana.
The duckette cleared her throat and readjusted the collar of her hoodie, eyeing the redhead warily.
"Well, if the legends are correct, there should be a way to retrieve his soul from limbo. You see, that SHUSH guy said that they were working on crossing dimensions, but they hadn't perfected it. I think the only reason they hadn't perfected it yet is because they're missing one thing: magic. The studies say magic's practically the key to the whole thing – it's pretty much all you need. So, even though I'm not sure if you really want to Morgana, I think you can help save Darkwing's soul."
"Sure, I'll save that piece of bat dung, but only for your sake, Quivering," the sorceress replied with a nod in the duckling's direction, knowing that what she had said wasn't entirely true.
"Okay. Um, you said you could get us to safety?" Aviana questioned.
"Of course, we can go back to my place, we'll be safe there" Morgana said confidently, feeling glad that Darkwing was not himself, "I can teleport us there."
Negaduck's eyes widened.
"Oh no no no, I don't think so, I've seen your attempts at this kinda stuff before! That's all I need – my body to be in China while my head is in Antarctica!"
Morgana looked at the mallard scornfully.
"And what makes you think I wanted you to come along anyway? Okay everyone, join hands and stand still."
Morgana placed a hand on the still squirming Darkwing's shoulder. Her other hand linked with Quiverwing's, who held onto Aviana's firmly. Aviana looked at Negaduck, who had his arms crossed and was staring the other way arrogantly.
"Don't be an idiot," the duckette snapped and snatched Negaduck's hand.
Negaduck attempted to yank his hand away when the lab around him disappeared. For a few moments his world seemed to be a blur of motion. However, the trip was over as soon as it had begun. The world spun back into focus, and he found himself in the middle of an unfamiliar dock. The air felt unusually warm for St. Canard.
"Morgana this doesn't look like your house," Quiverwing pointed out.
A full-bodied bear suddenly hopped out of a yellow plane floating idly in the water.
"Darn Karnage, nearly shot down the Sea Duck," the bear grumbled to himself, "wait'll Becky hears this, she'll have a – hey, who are you?"
"Oops! Sorry, wrong place!" Morgana chuckled nervously, not meeting Negaduck's gaze.
The masked mallard opened his mouth to give her a severe verbal lashing but was once again cut off. The dock disappeared and was replaced with a fanged toilet, a six-legged sink, and an incredibly ornate bathtub.
"Welcome to the bathroom of Macabre Manor," Morgana announced.
*~*~*~*
"Ah, here it is…So You Want to End the World."
Morgana lifted a hefty tome from the bookshelf. She let the spellbook drop on a table with a loud 'thud!' and began to page through.
Aviana watched her patiently, occasionally gazing about at the immense library surrounding her. Gosalyn paced back and forth with a determined look on her face, her Quiverwing Quack costume strewn haphazardly across the floor. The helpless Darkwing zombie grunted with rage and struggled with the webbing as Negaduck continually poked him in the shoulder for no good reason.
Minutes later Morgana sighed with satisfaction, "Trans-dimensional Thresholds: How to Create and Utilize. Let's see…Black holes…Death…Dreamworld…Eternity… Hades…Kindergarten…Left Oblivion…Ah, Limbo."
Morgana murmured to herself as she scanned the incantation. Aviana peered over her shoulder at the page, but could make virtually no sense of the strange words. Morgana grimaced.
"Oh dear, this looks complex…more complex than anything I've ever done before. It would be easy if we were actually at a doorway already, then all I'd have to do is open it. But we're not, so I'm going to have to summon one, then open it."
"But do you think you can do it?" Aviana demanded.
"Well, I can try," Morgana answered hesitantly, "What would we do if I'm able to open the portal?"
"Easy. We send someone in there to retrieve Darkwing's soul," Aviana said simply.
Gosalyn stopped pacing and dashed up to the duckette.
"Me and Dad read the history of the Devil's Eye online, and it said that a relative can go get the souls!"
"That's right," Aviana assured, "We need a flesh and blood connection to go into the portal and save him. So, if you want to, I guess you could do it."
"Okay," Gosalyn said bravely, trying to ignore a certain part of what Aviana had just said.
"Gosalyn…" Morgana chided softly.
The duckling scowled and crossed her arms, the threat of tears burning in the back of her throat.
Aviana's brow furrowed.
"What?"
"I'm adopted," Gosalyn seethed, too angry with herself for words.
"Oh," Aviana whispered awkwardly, "Well, um, does Darkwing, uh, have any, other, relatives?"
"None that he's ever told me about," Morgana said.
There was a moment's pause before the three turned their heads simultaneously in Negaduck's direction. The mallard stopped poking Darkwing and looked up.
"What?!" he barked defensively.
Aviana crossed her arms hotly.
"Aren't you a relative of Darkwing's?"
"Hell no!"
"What?! You're not his evil twin or something?"
"No!"
"Are you his brother?"
"No!"
"Cousin?"
"No!"
"Clone?"
"No!"
"Sister?"
"NO!"
Aviana growled, "Then what are you?"
"What I am is someone who is not affiliated with Jerkwing Dunce in any way whatsoever."
Aviana opened her mouth to object but Morgana beat her to the punch.
"You can't fool me, I KNOW you two are related somehow! And as much as it sickens me to admit it, you're our last hope, so you better jump on in there and save Darkwing, or you'll be an amoeba so fast it'll make your head spin!"
The sorceress's fingers cackled with energy and her livid eyes glowed. Negaduck's pride won out against his better judgment and he replied, "Nope."
Morgana saw red and promptly raised her hands above her head, gearing up for the mother of all firebolts. However, Aviana was not in the mood to smell burnt feathers, so she stepped in front of Morgana.
"Cool it Merlin, let me go talk to him."
Morgana swore under her breath while Aviana walked over to Negaduck.
"You're in a winning mood today Fuzzy," she commented.
"You bet," Negaduck returned sarcastically.
"Be honest, do you and Darkwing seriously have some kind of connection? I mean, you obviously look pretty much identical, and sometimes you act the same, but other times you act like you're from different universes – "
"You have no idea," Negaduck mumbled.
" – So tell me, are you guys related?" Aviana asked, searching his eyes.
Negaduck studied her carefully, and at long last replied, "Somewhat."
"Good enough. So you'll go in there and get his soul?"
There was a moment's pause before the mallard burst into harsh laughter.
"What?" Aviana demanded.
"You want me, Negaduck, to go save the soul of the person that I wish to salt the earth upon which he walks? I don't think so."
"But you have to!"
"Why?"
"Because!"
"'Cuz why?"
"Because, this Devil's Eye thing is really serious, I think it would be in your best interest to get Darkwing back on earth. There's something odd about the way you two keep meeting up."
"Hold the phone. Isn't that because I'm 'involved?' You wouldn't shut up about it before!" Negaduck yelled, completely exasperated.
"I know, but 'involvement' usually doesn't go this far. Trust me, I know the Devil's Eye, and this is serious," Aviana replied darkly.
"That's just wonderful, but the answer is still no. I'd never risk my neck for that assho – "
"Quiet, they'll hear you," Aviana scolded with a glance over her shoulder.
" – that son of a gun. I see no personal gain out of it, so no."
The duckette snarled, but then regained her composure. She regarded him coolly and whispered, "If you're going to be a selfish, immature brat, then so be it. But save Darkwing for this reason if for nothing else: if you don't rescue him, then I'll tell every newspaper within a thirty mile radius of here that not only was the 'mighty' Negaduck pummeled by Darkwing Duck, but it was Taurus Bulba, not Negaduck, who brought about Darkwing's downfall."
Negaduck's jaw dropped in disgust.
"You wouldn't dare," he hissed.
"Try me."
Negaduck stared at her with narrowed eyes, playing with the option in his head.
"All right, let's touch on the advantages," Negaduck said, more to himself than Aviana, "I rescue the dipstick from imminent doom. I then lead the simpletons to believe I'm on their side. I slowly work my way into their good graces until I find their soft underbelly, then…WHAM! I hit Dungfling Duck right where it hurts, once and for all. Heh, it almost worked before, and this time it's not Valentine's Day, so, whatever."
The villain's beak curved into a wicked smile.
"Fine by me," Aviana responded.
*~*~*~*
"Okay, let's run through this again. I will open the gateway. Gosalyn, what will you be doing?"
"I'll be keeping an eye on Darkwing."
"Aviana?"
"I'll be watching the gateway for Fuzzy and Darkwing."
"And Negaduck?"
"I'll be running in a circle flapping my arms and singing God Save the Queen."
"This is serious you twit!"
"Fine. I'll be jumping into uncharted territory and saving my worst enemy's soul. I can't believe I'm doing this."
"Good."
The sorceress sighed and turned to her spellbook. She shut her eyes and began to mentally overview the process, trying to pinpoint any complications. A screw up here would not be like turning yourself into a kitten – a screw up here could be permanent.
Gosalyn stood at attention next to her father, who was bound by spider webs to a chair. Archie stood loyally on her shoulder while the bats Eek and Squeak circled the air above them. The pure confidence of a child reassured her everything would be all right.
Negaduck and Aviana stood together, the tense air of suspense growing between them.
"I'm impressed that you're actually doing this," Aviana said quietly, breaking the silence.
"Yeah, well, him not having a soul kinda takes the fun out of thrashing him," the mallard replied.
"It's funny," Aviana murmured, "all those years of studying with the team and saying 'well if we only had magic.' And now here it is."
"I just hope Mad Madam Mimm over there knows what she's doing. A portal collapse isn't a pretty sight."
Aviana looked at him quizzically.
"How would you know what a portal collapse looks like?"
"Rule of thumb: whenever you have a question like that, just ask yourself if you're in St. Canard. If you are, then your question is answered," Negaduck said sagely.
"This city is pretty messed up," the duckette concurred.
"So uh, when I go in Limbo and everything, what exactly am I looking for?" Negaduck asked.
"Darkwing's soul."
"I know that! What does it look like?!"
"I don't know, it's not like I've gone in there before. But I think you'll know it when you see it."
There was a slight pause before Aviana continued, "I'm kinda jealous of you, actually."
"Jealous."
"Yeah, that you're going into limbo. It's just this weird thing I have, about…about death. I don't know, I can't really explain it," Aviana whispered.
Negaduck stared, taken aback by her sudden honesty with him. Being the resident multi-time felon of St. Canard usually prohibited the sharing of personal information with him. He opened his beak to respond, but Morgana's voice echoed through the library.
"Okay everyone – ready or not!"
The sorceress raised her hands above her head as if trying to touch the distant ceiling. She concentrated on the open spellbook before her. Her years at Eldritch attempted to pay off as the incantation poured from her beak. Her hands began to pulse with the soft glow of magical energy.
Gosalyn watched her with bated breath. Even the soulless Darkwing stopped fidgeting to witness the event.
The energy had reached its peak, and Morgana could feel her hands tingling with the intensity of it. Taking it as a sign that the doorway had at last been summoned, she proceeded with the next step. Time to open the door.
The sorceress extended an index finger and slowly brought her arm down.
"Keep the arm stiff, pivot at the shoulder," Morgana whispered.
The four ducks behind her were shocked to see a thick white line appear about three feet in front of the sorceress mimicking the movement of her hand. It was as if she was finger painting on an invisible piece of paper.
Finally Morgana retracted her finger. The vertical line stopped. Like a mime she reached forward into space and placed the backs of her hands together. Then she spread her arms wide.
The white line parted in two, seemingly separated by Morgana's hands. As it opened it revealed a vast, revolving vortex, the gateway to limbo.
Morgana held her arms apart, each hand clutching the sides of the metaphysical double doors. The effort of it was extreme.
"Go," she barely managed to grunt.
Negaduck stared at the vortex and decided that anyone who would go into that deathtrap would have to be on crack. He turned to Aviana to tell her that it was a no go, but their eyes met. In them he saw a terrible echo that meant there was no turning back now.
The mallard marched wordlessly to the strange hole in the middle of the witch's library. He looked into the vortex of spinning gray clouds crackling with bolts of energy. He swallowed, hoping this was worth it.
"I must be nuts."
With that, Negaduck leapt into the threshold.
NOTE: Again reviewers, thanks for making me feel better about my fic being a bit long, and I congratulate you on having a very long attention span if you read this whole thing. More to come.