A pile of lava stood where there Forest Sprite once was. The Firebird then landed and gazed into the cave. Suddenly, thunder was heard, and the Firebird had a look of fear on its face. Before it could fly away, the rain poured on down. The Forest Sprite's energy beam caused it to rain. The Firebird screeched in pain as it began to melt into the ground. And in an instant it had disappeared. The Fire began to subside in the forest, but the damage was done, the trees were stripped of its color and leaves, the animals had fled, and poor Alex was left weeping. Stitch nudged him on the side, but Alex smacked him a way. "Lemme alone…" Alex sniffed. Tears ran down his face. "It's all my fault!" Alex thought.
Chapter 28: The Disney Warriors grief…
When the rain stopped, our hero's emerged from the cave. The once lush, beautiful forest, was now bare, everything was gone in an instant. While his friends looked at the damage, Alex stood by himself, head drooped down in shame. Ariel walked up to the saddened boy. "Alex? Are you ok?" The Mermaid asked. Alex sniffled. "It's all my fault…" Alex whispered. "What?" Ariel didn't hear him. Alex spun around to face Ariel, eyes watering. "I SAID IT'S ALL MY FAULT!" Alex screamed. Ariel took a step back. "Alex, we wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for her, she gave her life…" Ariel began. "For me." Alex cut in. "Someone died out there, someone who didn't deserve it! And why? Because I had to go and play hero!" Alex threw the Disney Blade to the ground; it spun a bit before coming to a stop at Stitch's feet. Alex plopped down onto the ground. "I'm no hero, Queen Minnie made a mistake and so did the sword." Alex said as he buried his face in his hands and cried some more. Stitch moaned at the sight of Alex sad. All Ariel could do was hug him and comfort him. Jack however refused to give up on the boy; he walked over to him and nudged him with his shoe until Alex looked up at him.
Jack gave Alex a stern look. "Young man, I don't know what you believe in YOUR world, but in THIS world only two things matter, what a man can do, and what a man can't do…" All eyes fell on Jack as he kneeled down to the saddened Disney Warrior "Not many people CAN tell you what the inside of a whale looks like, not many people CAN walk into the kingdom of Hades and come back out alive, and not many people CAN stare into the eyes of the Flaming Bird and live to describe it!" Ariel nodded and nudged Alex as well. "Jack is right Alex, despite all we've been through, we all managed
to come all the way here. We stood by your side from the beginning, Alex, and we're still here. The sprite gave up her life because she believed you can make a difference. And so do we." Ariel said kissing him on the cheek. Stitch climbed up on Alex's shoulder. "Stitch, believe in you Alex." Stitch said.
Jack picked up the Disney Blade, and once again the blade disappeared, leaving behind the handle. "Well then mate, can you believe in yourself and become the hero we know you are..." Jack tossed the handle at Alex's feet. "Or can you not?" Alex looked at the three staring at him.
First he looked at Stitch, sure he could be a pain some times and bit disgusting, but he was loyal, and wiling to do anything to protect his friends. Alex then looked at Ariel. She had been with him since he dropped into Atlantica. Although she could not fight, she stuck with him, and over time, the two grew to love each other, she was usually the one to keep him and Jack in line, but she was still the kind girl Alex fell in love with. And finally there was Jack, Jack's antics had gotten them in a heap of trouble in the past, and he didn't hesitate to flirt with Ariel. Although his rude comments and semi-drunken state had gotten on Alex's nerve every now and then. The salty pirate had wormed his way into Alex's heart, he had become Alex's best friend, and Alex would trust him with his life. And even though Jack had no shame, and would sell his grandmother for a nickel, he was loyal to Alex and stuck by him thru thick and thin, even with the Firebird, Hades, and the Cave of Wonders! Alex then looked at the Disney Blade. Alex used hated this sword; it had dragged him into Hades and back, the belly of a whale, a collapsing cave, a war, and forest fire! But if it wasn't for that sword, he would have never met Ariel, Stitch and Jack. He looked back up to his friends. They were right! He couldn't give in now! Not when they were so close to their goal! And the Forest Sprite's death cannot be left for nothing!
Alex stood up and wiped away the last remaining tear, he picked up the handle and the Blade reappeared. "I don't know what I CAN do, but I CAN'T quit after all we've been thru!" Alex finally said. Stitch, Jack and Ariel's faces lit up, this was the Alex they knew. "I CAN'T Let the Maleficent get away with the Forest Sprites death! I CAN'T let the Sprites death be for naught! It's time to finish this!" Alex cried while holding the Disney Blade proudly in the air, It began to glow again, but with a light stronger and brighter than ever! "Now THAT'S the hero we know!" Ariel clapped. Stitch climbed up on his usual spot on Alex's shoulder. "I ain't throwing in the towel till its laundry day!" Alex shouted. Everyone gave him a blank stare. "Okay, you got the confidence part down, now we need to work on your one liners." Jack said patting his free shoulder. Alex laughed. "Yeah, but I'm lucky to have friends like you who'll stand by me and help me see clearly…" Alex said. "Aw, Alex!" Ariel said hugging him. "Okay, are we just gonna sit here hugging or are we going to stop the Syndicate?" Jack asked impatiently. Alex nodded. "Right! Bald Mountain isn't far!" Alex said breaking away from Ariel's embrace to point in the right direction. "Then let's get going!" Stitch said.
Alex nodded and ran toward their destination Jack and Ariel followed behind him. They came to a large hill; from there the sky began to get darker form there, after climbing the hill. The stood there and stared. They saw a small barren wasteland, across from there was a huge black castle, and behind it, Bald Mountain, it was so tall, it could be seen for miles. They stood on the hill overlooking the castle. "Well guys, this is it!" Alex said. "This is your last chance to back out guys…"
Ariel grabbed his shoulder. "No way Alex, I love you, and I'm not going leave you!" Alex looked over to Stitch. "Stitch?" Alex asked. Stitch shook his head. "Alex Ohana, Ohana means family, family means no one gets left behind, or forgotten" Stitch said. Alex then turned to Jack. "Jack?" Alex asked. "Well, someone has to make sure you don't do anything stupid!" Jack said. Alex grinned. "Thanks guys…you're the best!" Alex said. And so our heroes slid down the hill, into the wasteland and ran toward the castle. But the Syndicate leader was watching. "Maleficent, come look at the view." The Syndicate leader growled from underneath his black cloak. Maleficent walked next to him and looked out the window, and saw Alex and his friends. "Impossible!" Maleficent cried. "Your demon failed, so YOU take care of them!" The Syndicate leader yelled. Maleficent bowed. "Yes my master…" Maleficent said disappearing into a dark cloud.