Ollie: Okay, FROM THIS Chapter and onward it is probably my favorite!!!!! Lets see......this is chapter 14 and this story finishes at chapter 19...so only 5 more chapters to go!!!!! Well It was grand while it lasted. Go read this story...it's a heart breaker, but I promised myself that I won't cry!

(Holds back a tear)

Quest for Jezebel's Necklace

Rating: PG (very high for gore)

Chapter 14: Hassle in the Castle

At dawn the sun was rising slowly from the horizon. The sky turned into a blend of pink, orange and blue. The beautiful rays of the sun were covering the night, moon and stars. Right over the skyline, five heroes rose up and began to walk to the Forgotten worlds to save their friend and the rest of the world from Ripto's grasp. They were getting ready for battle; Mell kept going over with the group her master plan. "Okay, Spyro and me will go to the Mystic Marsh while you three wait far away from the Midnight Mountain Manor. Once we arrive, I'll tell what we're going to do, got it?" Mell asked. Everyone nodded.

"Where in the world are they?" Nazza complained as he waited for Mell, and Spyro to arrive from Mystic Marsh. While Nazza was pacing back and forth, Hunter and Elora were sitting on the floor, "Easy, Nazza," Elora said trying to sooth the anxious wolf, "They will be coming, they just left 10 minutes ago." Nazza didn't stop pacing; he just kept fidgeting and mumbling to himself. "Nazza?" Hunter asked, Nazza stopped and looked at him, "What?!"

"Are you nervous about this?"

"No!" he quickly said with a serious face, but then his face lost it seriousness, "Y-Yes." Elora patted on the ground next to her for Nazza to sit down. Nazza saw her hand and sat in-between Hunter and Elora, "Nazza, it's okay to be nervous." Elora stated, "I mean, even I am nervous about this." Nazza shook his head, "No, it's not that. It's just that I feel something bad is going to happen tonight, I just know it!" at the minute he said 'it' Mell and Spyro came out of the spaceship that brought them to Midnight Mountain. "We're back." Spyro said.

"Great, what took you?" Nazza asked. Mell smiled and pointed to the spaceship; inside, Nazza could see tons of Elephants, Rhinoceroses, lions, and monkeys. "Whoa, these are the animals that's going to help us? H-How did you get them tamed? Mystic Marsh's animals can be very vicious."

"Not with Spyro's blue rune, he got them tamed and ready for action." Mell said. Spyro gave a smile, "Yep, they said that they're always ready to help."

"Great!" Hunter cheered as he stood up, "Come on lets get this over with, I want to see Bianca." As everyone was heading towards the Midnight Mountain Manor, Spyro was instructing all the animals on what to do, "… Once all of you hear me Yell 'Go to Hell, you short lizard one horned freak!' That's going to be your line, got that?" All the animals nodded, "Good, now wait here." Spyro joined his friends who were already on the stairs to go inside of the castle. When Hunter was about to knock on the door, the door opened by itself. Everyone looked at each other and then proceeded inside. Inside the castle was pitch-
black; the lights weren't on.

Nazza was so nervous that he started to get paranoid, "We go in, we get Bianca, we do what we need to do and get out. We go in, we get Bianca, we do what we need to do and get out. We go in, we get Bianca, we do what we need to do and get out…" He kept saying this over and over again until he felt something grip his shoulder, "AHHHHH!" he yelled. "Someone got me! Someone got me-hhmmm…" the person put a hand around his mouth, "Nazza, Nazza, its okay, it's okay, it's only me, Mell" Nazza looked and saw that it was Mell. Once the wolf calmed down she took off her hand from his mouth, "Sorry Mell, I don't know what got into me, I guess I'm just nervous, that's all."

"Nervous about what? This isn't the first time you faced Ripto, is it?"Mell asked. Nazza shook his head, "No it isn't, but I feel something bad is going to happen. I don't know what it is, but I always get this tingling sensation."

"Nazza, nothing bad is going to happen." Mell got down into Nazza's ear, so no one else will listen in, "I already told you that I have a plan. Ripto is going to turn on us and we'll put my plan into action, okay? My plan is full proof!" Nazza gave a smile, "Okay, if you say so." After that, they came to a door with two Riptoc guards guarding the entrance, "Who goes there!?" One of the guards asked. Mell looked at the guard; "We are here to give Ripto the runes so we can have our friend back." Mell answered. The two riptoc guards looked at each other and smiled, "Okay, you my proceed." The other riptoc said.

After they went through the entrance they saw that only a chandelier lighted up the middle of the throne room; all around the corners of the room was darkened by shadows. As the gang walked into the light Mell asked everyone to give the rune to her. "Okay Ripto, show yourself!" she called out. After a couple of seconds waiting the gang heard uneven footsteps coming into the light as if more then one person was coming their way. When the group saw the owner of the noise they saw that it was Ripto along with Nezzer and Ruben.

At once, Ruben and Nezzer noticed Mell, and they gave her a venomous look. Mell returned the look with a stuck out tongue. As Mell turned her attention to Ripto, she saw that he wasn't surprised to see her with them, "So Mell," Ripto started, "I guess this is the way it has to be, huh?" Mell gave a sarcastic smile, "I guess so."

"Enough talking, give me the runes!" he commanded. Spyro walked in front of Mell, standing his ground, "Let us see Bianca first, to see if she's alright." Spyro said. Ripto sighed, "Huh, it's such a pity that we live in such skeptical time. You still don't believe that I took good care of her?" Ripto said with sarcasm.

"Umm...No." Spyro said. "Fine, bring out the rabbit." Ripto ordered. Mell, Elora, Nazza, Spyro and Hunter saw as Ruben and Nezzer went and then came out with Bianca. Everyone gave a sigh of relief to see that she's okay. Bianca looked up and the first thing she saw was her beloved boyfriend, Hunter. As Bianca was about to run into his arms, the two riptocs held her back. "Hey! Let her go!" Hunter said.

"Ah, Ah, Ah, the runes first then your friend." Mell sighed and tossed the bag with all four runes inside to Ripto. Ripto caught the bag in mid air. "Okay, you have your precious stones, now let Bianca go!" Nazza said.

"Not until I make sure these are the real thing." Ripto said taking out the device that he used to find them in the desert. As Ripto put the device next to the bag the machine started to shake, confirming that the runes are real. "Okay," Ripto said, "Let her go." The minute Nezzer and Ruben let go of Bianca's shoulders she dashed across the room into Hunters arms, "I've missed you so much!" Bianca said hugging him more. "Me to, Bianca. Me too." Hunter said. Nezzer was taping a piece of tissue on his eyes, "Isn't that a pretty site, Ruben?" Nezzer asked. Ruben just gave him a look, "What's up with you and romance?"

After the boyfriend, girlfriend reunion, someone finally broke the silence, "Okay, now that we have what we wanted and you have what you wanted, we'll just be on our way." Nazza said walking towards the doors. As he was about to take his step into freedom the two guards stopped him; Nazza turned around to face Ripto who was giving a sinister smile. "Where do you think you're going?" Ripto hissed.

"Uh, out?" Nazza said softly

"You can't go now," Ripto said snapping his fingers. As he did all the lights in the room turned on and they saw that thousands upon thousands of Riptoc soldiers ready with their guns drawn surrounded them. "The party is about to get started." Spyro looked around, "Why am I not surprised?" Spyro looked back at Ripto, "You small, ungrateful, dark hearted lizard! You lied to us!" Spyro said acting as Mell told him to act. "On contraire little dragon, I said I'll let the rabbit go," Ripto gave a small dry giggle, "I never said what's going to happen when I let her go, and now I have the runes and you, HAHAHA!" The gang came closer together in a huddle; "Any last words before you get fitted for a halo?" Ripto asked tossing the bag with the runes up and down in his hands.

Spyro gave a wink to the gang, "Yeah, I do." Spyro said. Ripto gave a suspicious look, but let him say his comment, "GO TO HELL, YOU SHORT-LIZARD-ONE-HORNED FREAK!!" the gang shouted. All the riptoc soldiers gasped and stared at Ripto to see what he's going to do, but he just stood there not saying a word. Ripto then calmly turned his head toward his army and just very smoothly said, "Kill them." All the riptocs pointed their weapons toward Spyro and the gang, "READY!" Ruben stated. All the riptocs knelt down; "AIM!" all the riptocs aimed the guns at the gang. "Where are they?" Mell thought nervously. As Ruben was about to yell, 'fire', there was a rumbling sound the came from the outside. Mumbling broke out into the crowd.

Suddenly, at the door a huge elephant broke down the doorway with triumph. Then all the other animals stampeded inside, making all the attention that the riptoc had on Spyro, Elora, Mell, Nazza, Hunter and Bianca fall on the animals. Hunter quickly pushed everyone to the side of the wall right before they interfered with a lion's pouncing. Everyone watched as the animal committed chaos. "Come on we have to find the runes before they get crushed!" Mell shouted over the noise. "I see it!" Elora cried, pointing to the floor. Mell scanned the perimeter and found the bag that contained the runes, "I'm going after them." She yelled about to run in.

"Mell, are you crazy?" Bianca shouted stopping her, "That's to dangerous!" Mell turned and smiled at Bianca, "Bianca, desperate times calls for desperate measures, I like living by that. Besides, Danger is my middle name." And with that she ran into the terrain. Mell jumped over monkeys who were going wild throwing stuff at the riptocs, she dodged between a Rhinos leg, right before he charged at a soldier. Finally she saw the bag; Mell slid and grabbed the bag right before an elephant's foot crushed her and the stones.

Mell quickly then ran back to the gang. "Come on," Hunter said, "Let's get out of here!" He said already going through the door. "NO, wait!" Mell yelled holding Hunter back, "Spyro, Elora and myself has some unfinished business to do," Spyro and Elora looked at awkwardly at her, but didn't ask anything, "You, Bianca and Nazza wait outside for us." Mell reached inside and gave Hunter, Nazza and Bianca the red and green rune. Bianca looked at the runes then at Mell.

"But…" Bianca started, but she was stopped by Mell, "Don't ask question and go!" Bianca, Hunter and Nazza quickly ran out the door. With one look back at the cheetah, the young sorceress and the blue wolf, Mell signaled Elora and Spyro to follow her. Ripto was trying his best at trying to get away from a Rhino. As Ripto dodged its charging he saw Mell, Spyro and Elora running into a room that led downstairs. As Ripto was about to follow them, the Rhino charged him from behind. Mell was leading the two down the stairs, "Where are we going, Mell?" Elora asked

"Elora, less talk and more action. I'll tell you when we get there." Once they got to the bottom of the stairs Spyro and Elora saw that they were in the boiler room, "What are we doing here?" Spyro asked looking around. Mell gave a smile, "You'll see." Mell took out her yellow rune and put her two hands over it. Mell began to concentrate hard; her hand began to glow bright yellow. Spyro and Elora closed their eyes from the blinding light. In a second, the light faded and Spyro and Elora opened their eyes and saw the yellow rune in one of Mell's hand then a small lightning bolt shape in the other.

"What it is?" Elora asked. Mell smiled, "I read almost the whole chapter of the yellow rune in Ripto's copy of the book about Jezebel's Necklace. I read that with the yellow rune, the owner can make a bomb with it." Mell said showing the lighting bolt shape to the two. "B-But how do you know how much time we have to get out before it explodes?" Spyro questioned. Mell showed the yellow rune and they saw that on the shape of the lightning bolt in the rune there was a timer which read 10 minutes. "The rune is the timer?" Elora asked. Mell nodded. "Once I attach this small explosive device to the boiler the time will start." Mell turned her head to the boiler and attach it.

Mell looked at her rune and saw the countdown has started, "Come on we have to go NOW!" Mell signaled to everyone to run up the stairs. Once back in the throne room they saw that there were tons of riptocs lying on the floor either dead or unconscious, the only creature that was standing was one of the lions. Elora almost threw-up from the site; there was blood spattered everywhere and other gory stuff around the throne room.

Mell quickly tossed the blue rune to Spyro, at an instant Spyro communicated to the lion to run out of the castle. Once the lion got the notice he ran out. As the three ran across the room, Ripto just got out of his state of unconsciousness and saw as the trio sprinted across to the exit.

Ripto got up and fired a fireball at a lever that made the gate slowly close. Mell looked behind her and saw Ripto chasing them. Mell began to think of her next part of the plan that hadn't told the gang. "Elora, Spyro!" she yelled, "Go, I'll stay here…and stop Ripto!" Mell said between pants from running. Elora looked blankly at her, "Mell are you crazy? The bomb is going to explode any second, if you stay here; you'll die!" Elora said trying to get Mell out of this crazy idea.

Mell sighed and noddedMell nodded, "The door is closing, if you wait for me you'll be locked in! If we all make it out, Ripto is going to follow us back to the necklace! Wait for me outside, we still have plenty of time left before the bomb explodes. But if I don't make it I want you, Elora to have the yellow rune. And tell Nazza that I've always liked him. NOW GO! Don't ask questions!" Elora and Spyro looked at Mell then quicken their pace.The door was almost closing, so by sliding, Elora and Spyro made it outside right before the door closed.

Mell stopped and turned around to face Ripto. Ripto stopped in surprise, she actually had the guts to try to betray him and face him in a battle. Ripto looked at her, "Well if it isn't little Melinda Crocus, I can't believe you'll go against me after I raised you like a father!" Mell steadied her face, "Don't ever say you've been like a father to me. You'll never change that fact, murderer!" Mell hissed. Ripto looked blankly at her, "Murderer?"

"Yes Murderer, you should have never let Tim go into that jungle! You don't care about the lives of others; you only care about yourself! You should have researched that Pond of Immortality before you send Tim and the other riptocs in that jungle!" Ripto started to laugh at her statement, "HAHAHAHA! You are dumb, aren't you? After all theses years and you still haven't figured it out? You are gullible!" Mell looked blankly at him, "Huh?"

"There was no such thing of a Pond of Immortality! I just made that up to get your brother and that bunch of geckos to get inside the jungle. Your brother wanted to betray me just like you did, he almost got away with it if it wasn't for my two little spies, Nezzer and Ruben." Mell was shocked, her brother's friend betrayed him? Suddenly she remembered the story that the two told her in the Forbidden Forest. The story that Ripto was about to tell her now was the same as the one Nezzer and Ruben told her! Ripto started his story again, "You see, for some reason, Tim wanted to over throw me, every night he had this tiny meeting with other skinny pathetic riptocs who wanted to do the same thing. His plan would have been successful if he didn't do a wrong turn. He asked Ruben and Nezzer to join, but what he didn't know was that they were my lackeys. After they heard what Tim was going to do, they told me and I made up that Pond of Immortality crap." Mell was so stunned she got caught off guard. Ripto leapt up and was about give Mell a blow to the head with his scepter.

With her reflexes, Mell saw Ripto. Ripto jumped on top of her and Mell held the sharp end of the scepter away from her neck. Inside of her, she kept thinking that she couldn't beat Ripto, he had more training in fighting then her and even if he was small he was still stronger. Mell was trying her best to keep the pointed edge of his scepter from piercing her neck, "Face it Mell, you're as weak as you're brother, you know you can't beat me. You couldn't survive without me. Your NOTHING!" All these words started to ring in her head.

Mell started to think of what she's been through flashed before her eyes, the time she rescued the guys in Mermaid lagoon. The time she didn't give in when her friends thought she betrayed them. The fun times with Nazza, the only person she felt a different emotion to. Her, finally being friends with Elora. The time Spyro and Hunter gained her trust. Her, escaping from Ripto's clutches when she got code red. The time she walked through the blistering desert to get the Yellow Rune. Her, doing the hard task and being proclaimed the Yellow Rune Holder. Her, having the plan of rescuing Bianca. What Ripto said isn't true; she is something!

Mell was almost losing her strength with Ripto. "You're wrong Ripto!" Mell shouted. Ripto looked baffled at Mell, with her courage. "Your wrong Ripto, I am something, All theses years I have been put down by you calling me that, then I started to think I was really nothing. Well guess what…" Mell took her yellow rune and shot a lightning bolt from it sending Ripto flying to the air. Mell stood up wiping the blood from her mouth from the fall that she got with Ripto. "I am something! I'm Melinda Crocus! Nothing, is someone who's weak and I'm not," Ripto raised his head and saw Mell walking up to him. He looked around for his scepter and found it a few feet away on his left. As he tried to crawl towards it, he saw another bolt of electricity push it farther away.

Mell continued to talk, "Nothing, is someone who didn't risk her life for her friends. Nothing, is a person who didn't walk over a hundred miles in the hot and scorching desert." Mell walked closer to Ripto; "Nothing is you, Ripto. You're the one who's nothing not me!" Mell grabbed the badly hurt Riptoc by the collar. "What are you going to do?" Ripto asked rather meekly. "You took the lives of too many people," Mell said shaking her head. "You don't deserve to live."

"Mell, you can't kill me. I was the one who took you in when no one wanted you around." Ripto said. "Please don't kill me, I beg of you." From the pleading of Ripto, she didn't have the guts to kill him, even if he did do a lot of damage in the past. Besides, she never saw Ripto whine like a little baby before. "No," Mell said, "I won't kill you. If I do, I'll be worse then you. But mark my words Ripto," Mell said putting Ripto's face closer to hers, "If I ever see you at least 50 feet from me or any of my friends, I swear I'll kill you with my bare hands, Got it?" Ripto nodded.

Mell then tossed Ripto aside like the piece of dirt he is, and she began to walk away. Mell then realized that she spent most of her time fighting with him, so she checked her rune to see how much time she has left and saw she only had 2 minutes left. Mell quickened her pace. As she was about to knock down the door with her rune she heard a call from behind. She looked back and saw Ripto standing up with his scepter in his hand, "Think fast!" he yelled, as he shot a fireball at her.

For some reason Mell just stood there, paralyzed looking at the ball of fire coming closer. When her mind began to work again, and she finally got the message to get out of the way, it was to late. The fireball hit her and by force sends her flying across the room until she hit the wall. Mell slowly sat up, and saw Ripto with rage written all over his face. Mell looked at her body and saw outcome of the fireball; she had a 3-degree burn all over her face, arms and chest. Her clothes that she was wearing were all torn and burned. Finally, from the impact that she had with the wall, broke both of her legs. Mell looked at Ripto with anger, as he came closer to finish her off.

Ripto came up to her and took her by the neck, strangling her. Mell tried to gasp for air, "So, how do you like it when you're the one whose being tormented, Huh? I should have killed you when I had the chance," Mell looked down and saw her rune close to her tail. She began the task of trying to pick up the rune with her tail. Ripto raised his scepter with the crystal pointing at her neck. The crystal began to glow scarlet; "You have made a foolish choice, Mell." Mell finally got hold of the rune, but now she had to bring it up to her hand. "See you in hell." He hissed.

At the nick of time Mell finally reached the rune from her tail and send another electric bolt sending Ripto flying throw the air, like a riptoc without wings and falling on the floor. Once Ripto lost his grip with Mell she fell on the ground with a thump and began to breathe deeply. Mell once again looked at her rune and saw that she only had a minute left. Mell took her rune and broke down the door that was blocking the exit. She then began to crawl with her arms, since her two legs were broken. Each breath that she took made the burn hurt more, she knew she would never look the same again. Every crawl that she took hurt her legs.

After a long period of time of crawling she finally saw the door ahead of her. Mell began to quicken her pace of crawling, but when she looked back at her rune she saw she only had 30 seconds left she knew she would never make it. Mell saw a small tabletop on the floor that some the riptocs were repairing for Ripto and took it and put it over her as a shield and began to crawl. Even though she knew she would never make it, at least she died trying.

Spyro and Elora finally made it outside and saw Hunter, Nazza and Bianca waiting for them. "Hey!" Bianca called out; "We were beginning to wonder about you!" Hunter looked at them and didn't see Mell, "Where's Mell?" he asked. Elora and Spyro frowned, "She's inside with Ripto." Elora said. Nazza's eyes widen, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S INSIDE WITH RIPTO?!? Why didn't she come out with you two?"

"Ripto was still alive when we came back from attaching the bomb-" suddenly Spyro was interrupted by Nazza, "Wait, hold up, did you say a bomb?" Spyro nodded, "You mean this place is going to blow up and Mell is still inside?!"

"Take it easy, Nazza." Elora said, "When we checked she still had 9 minutes and 30 seconds left." Nazza rolled his eyes, "That makes me feel better." He said with sarcasm. "Anyway," Spyro continued, "After we attached the bomb to the boiler and went up into the throne room, Ripto was still alive and so Mell stayed back to stop Ripto. She told us to wait out here." Spyro explained.

So they waited, and waited and waited until 9:00 minutes have passed. "Only 15 seconds left." Bianca said looking at the newly build clock tower in Midnight Mountain. Nazza began to pace back and forth, Hunter and Spyro couldn't stay in one place and Elora kept staring at the castle. "I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" Nazza shouted, "I have to help her!" As he began to run into the castle he felt a hand hold him back, "Nazza," Elora said, "If you go inside, you to will die." Nazza put his ears down as he heard Bianca say the final count down, "10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1!" at the minute she said 'one', the castle began to rumble and then.....

BOOM!!!!!!!!.

It exploded. Soon the castle all tumbled over with derbies falling everywhere and smokes rising out. As the gang uncovered their faces, they saw that there was nothing left only a pile of rubble. The five kept quiet in shock seeing as the smoke settles down. Nazza quickly dashed across the grass to what's left of the castle. Nazza began to dig viciously throwing huge blocks of rocks out of his path trying to find Mell.

As he pulled away a piece of rubble he saw a hand lying down, lifelessly. Nazza quickly pushed off the board that was on top of the hand and its owner and saw that it was Mell. Nazza gasped when he saw her condition. Her face was covered in burns, her body was covered in cuts, and she was all bloody. Nazza gripped on what's left of Mell's shirt and began to cry over her.

As Elora, Spyro, Hunter and Bianca reached Nazza they saw the riptoc on the ground; everyone bowed their heads and began to mourn. "Nazza, don't cry." A voice said almost breaking up. Nazza's head perked up and saw Mell's eyes half open looking at them, "Mell!" they all shouted with excitement. Mell smiled and coughed a bit, "Don't cry for me, this was all…" Mell coughed again, "…part of my plan."

"I don't want to lose you." Nazza said holding Mell's bloody hand. Mell looked at Nazza and smiled, "Nazza, don't worry about me I'll be fine, beside, I have all of you to thank." everyone looked perplexed at Mell. "W-What do you mean?" Spyro said wiping a tear from his eyes, which was rare, since you almost never saw the world's greatest hero cry. Mell coughed again and answered the question, "All these years, Ripto made me think I was nothing but his little slave, but I found out that I was more then that thanks to you guys. Hunter and Spyro, even though you two didn't believe me at first and when you finally did believe me you thought I betrayed you. That kept me going since I was determined so much to prove I was innocent, Thanks guys." Spyro and Hunter smiled, "Hey, anytime." Spyro said.

Mell gave a little moan of pain before proceeding, but Nazza was right there if she wanted to squeeze someone's hand, "Elora, you saved my life at the cliff, that finally clicked in my head about joining you guys. If you haven't rescued me, Ripto or someone else would of and I still would be reeking havoc, and thanks for being a friend to me when I needed it the most." Elora smiled, "Hey, what are friends for?"

Mell turned to Bianca, "Bianca," she called. Bianca looked at her, with tears filling her eyes, "Thanks for helping me out when I was in code red, if it wasn't for you setting me straight when I was panicking I would have been caught, thanks for trusting in me." Bianca blushed at her; "It's the least I can do." Finally she looked at Nazza who was still crying over her, "Nazza, stop crying." She said wiping his tears away with her hands, "You're the one who I have to thank the most, You were the first one that I have feeling for. You're adventurous, challenging and fun to be around with." Nazza smiled. "Same to you, but I don't want you to leave."

"You never will, I'll always be in here," Mell pointed to Nazza's chest, "And I'll never forget you, besides we will have to finish our match. Don't think that only because I'm leaving doesn't mean you win, we'll meet again, you can count on it." Nazza smiled, "I'll be ready when you return." Nazza said. Mell gave a sigh, "Elora," Mell called, Elora lifted her head, "Here," It took all of Mell's strength to open her hand. Elora looking inside and saw the yellow rune. Elora reached out and took it. "I want you to have it, to get Jezebel's Necklace. Go and get the necklace before its too late, see you on the other side."

"But Mell…" Nazza started, but was cut off with Mell's hand on his lip, "Don't call me that again, Mell is gone, she worked for Ripto and I don't want to be called that. For now on you will remember me by Melinda Crocus." Hunter smiled and hugged Bianca, "Okay, Melinda, we'll be looking forward to meet you again." With one last nod from Mell's head she slowly closed her eyes and laid her head on the debris from the castle. Her hand fell from Nazza grasp and her body became stone-still. Nazza began to cry clutching on Mell shirt once again. Hunter walked away mumbling something and Spyro followed. Elora looked at the rune that Mell gave her then looked at Nazza crying over the riptoc.

Elora went and touched his shoulder, Nazza looked up and saw Elora, he gave another sniff and stood up and followed the faun out of the pile of rubble. The only one standing in the pile was Bianca, as she was about leave the scene, she gave one look back at Mell and her eyes widen in astonishment. She was smiling, but not only that Bianca thought she saw her chest move up and down. Bianca walked closer to Mell and saw that she wasn't kidding herself, her chest really was moving up and down. Bianca turned her head and saw the gang waiting for her, "HEY, GUYS!!!" she called out, "I THINK MELL IS STILL ALIVE!!!" Once the group heard this they began to wildly run to where Bianca was. "That can't be possible!" Spyro said.

Bianca put her index and pointer finger on Mell's wrist and saw that she had a pulse, but it was very weak. "I'm telling you guys, she's still alive!" Bianca shouted. Nazza quickly went and saw her chest faintly moving up and down. "I can't believe this! How can she be alive?"

"She's probably in a coma or she just unconscious, either way, we better take her to the Professor, NOW!" Bianca ordered. Hunter went over to the unmoving riptoc and picked her up. "Wait 'til the professor hears about this!" Elora said as she and everyone else ran into the portal to the Professor's Island Laboratory.

A few seconds after the gang went into the portal, two dinosaur-like creatures came out of another portal; it was Gulp and Crush. Before Spyro, Hunter, Nazza, Mell, and Elora came into Midnight Mountain, Ripto purposely made the two go into one of the portals in Midnight Mountain to get his new crown of Kingship. Crush looked into the bag that contained the crown and other magic stuff that they bought. "Do you think this is the right crown for the boss?" Crush asked. "Of course it is, The boss said that he put it under his name in the customer service." Gulp explained. As Gulp looked ahead of him he saw that the castle wasn't there anymore, "Um, Crush." Gulp asked.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"When was the last time we moved the castle?" Crush looked thunderstruck at Gulp, "What? The boss never told us to do that."

"Well, one of us must have moved it Cuz the castle isn't there." Gulp said. Crush looked ahead of him and saw that the castle was all in rubble. Crush and Gulp looked at each other then ran to where the castle used to stand. "Come on, we have to look for the boss!" Crush yelled as he jumped inside what's left of the castle.

As Gulp was moving a gigantic boulder with his snout he saw Ripto, stone-still with his cloak ripped next to Nezzer and Ruben who was also motionless with tons of scratches from the animal attack. Crush and Gulp quickly got a hold of Nezzer, Ruben and Ripto and dragged them out. As the three laid motionless on the grass, Crush began to panic, "What are we going to do? We have to get the boss, Nezzer and Ruben to somehow wake up!" Gulp began to think and got an idea, "Why don't we give them mouth to mouth?" Gulp suggested not knowing that Ripto was almost coming out of his stage of unconsciousness. Crush nodded, "Good idea, I'll take the boss and you take Nezzer and Ruben." Crush went and knelt down beside him.

Crush looked at Ripto lying rather pathetic on the grass. He gave a deep breath and closed his eyes, "Okay, here it goes." Crush was slowly coming down towards Ripto's mouth. Ripto was still a little droopy, but he managed to open his eyes half way. You could imagine Ripto's reaction when he saw Crush's mammoth sized lips coming closer to his face. At the same time Ripto totally widen his eyes, Crush opened his. "AHHHHHHHHHHH!" the two yelled.

Crush tumbled backwards and Ripto got up wiping his lips ferociously, "EWWW! Yuck! Sick!" Once Crush managed to stand up he saw Ripto sitting up wiping his teeth and lips. Ripto then turned around with rage and spotted Crush standing helplessly next to Gulp who has successfully resurrected Nezzer and Ruben. "YOU SICK UNGRATEFUL ENORMOUS BLUE LIZARD! YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!!!!" Ripto yelled sending a fireball towards Crush hitting him and sending him soaring through the sky and landing in the castle ruins. Ripto looked at the three just standing and looking at him, "Yeah? What are you looking at?" he hissed wiping his lips once more.

"Well…um boss, we wanted to know how this happened." Gulp asked pointing to what's left of the castle. Ripto widen his eyes and his jaws dropped. Suddenly as his mind slowly came into place, piece by piece he began to remember the battle that he had with Mell. Each thought of being beat by Spyro, his friends and Mell brought hatred back into his heart. "That riptoc is going to pay!" he hissed his attention then turned to Nezzer and Ruben, "Where did that pesky dragon and his stooges went?" he ordered. The two siblings shrugged their arms, "I have no clue, we were out right after those animals stampeded inside the castle." Ruben said.

"You mean, the whole army is, dead?!" Ripto asked. Nezzer nodded. "Yep, every signal one of them, but you have us, boss." Nezzer said given a cheesy grin. Ripto raised an eyebrow; "I feel so much better, Nezzer." He said sarcastically.

"You really do?" Nezzer asked.

"Don't they have sarcasm where you come from?" Ripto asked. As Nezzer was about to answer, Crush wobbled out of the pile of rubble, from the fireball that Ripto gave him, "Oww, my head! At least when I battle Spyro it doesn't hurt that much." Crush looked at his hand and then at Ripto, "Uh, I found your spare scepter, your Excellency." With ignorance Ripto snatched the spare scepter away from his hand. As he looked inside the crystal on his scepter, Ripto somehow remembered about the runes, "Where did that infernal dragon, and the runes head off to?" He commanded again. Once again Gulp, Nezzer and Ruben shrugged. Ripto slapped his hand on his head, "Huh," he groaned in frustration. "Um…boss," Crush softly said. Ripto looked at him, "What?!" he yelled,

"Since the dragon got all the runes, don't you think they went back to that Laboratory Island again to find away how to get the necklace?" Crush suggested. Ripto began to think and a sly smile spared across his face, "Crush, that's the most intelligent thing that I heard you say from the day I found you." Crush smiled from Ripto's praise, you don't hear Ripto praise lots of people. Ripto turned around and saw the portal to the Professor's Island Laboratory in the distance. Ripto gave an evil grin and rubbed his hands together, "You may have won the battle pests, but you still haven't won the war." He hissed as a cold stray wind began to blow.

End of Chapter 14

(Ollie is trying not to cry)

Ollie: (Sniff) I said I (Sniff) Won't cry! I am not going to cry! (Sniff) I have to be strong....and....not...CRY!

(Ollie breaks out and cries)

Ollie: WHAAAAAA!!!! THAT WAS SO SAD!!!!!!!!! MELL DON'T DIE!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!! WHAAAAAA!!!! NO!!!!!!!!!!!

(Everyone was sick of Ollie crying so they just skipped to KT and Ashley in Russia. If you didn't read TDFR chapter 6 then you wouldn't understand. Ashley was waiting outside of a porta-potty waiting for KT to get out. KT got out and gave a groan)

KT: UGH! That's the last time I eat Chinese food. I puked like 20 times!

Ashley: Okay then, what you wana do now? The mail man won't be back to pick up the box in 4 hours!

KT: Where are we again?

Ashley: In Russia

KT: Cool! Lets go see the Eiffel Tower!

Ashley: Uh...that's in Paris.

KT: (Cheesy grin) Uh...I knew that. Then lets go see that Notre Dame place

Ashley: That's also in Paris

KT: (Cheesy grin again) and I also knew that! Then lets go see the Taj Mahal.

Ashley: That's-

KT: Let me guess! That's in Paris too, right?

Ashley: Nope, the Taj Mahal is right behind you

(KT turns around and see's the Taj Mahal. KT Turns Red)

KT: I so need to get better in History!

(Turns to the audience)

KT: While I take a look around the Taj Mahal just to warm you.....I DID NOT COPY OFF OF TROC!!! I wrote this chapter well before Wart was ever murdered! The next chapter is going to be up shortly.