It is finally here! Prepare for the longest, most action packed, chapter of the story. Chapter 14 has begun and the final battle for power rages. Where is the second half of the Element? Find out now.

Chapter 14

Total War

The sun rose over the horizon. It was a new day, the vegetation of Disney Creek dripping its collected dew back into the earth. An army waited on the great plains. It was over three hundred thousand strong.

The Mulldack licked his lips, pacing back and forth, crushing the grass at his feet. He stood before his army, but he did not speak. He was waiting, waiting until the army that had destroyed his Citadel returned. Waiting for Samos and Z and the 'recruit' who had failed him. He would slaughter them all.

As soon as his enemy appeared he would cut them down mercilessly. He had the element of surprise. No one would suspect another army, and certainly no one could know that he, the Mulldack, was powerful again. He would use this to his advantage. The final battle was approaching and the Mulldack was ready for it.

Z awoke, his eyes flicking open, rising into consciousness. He was lying on a stretcher carried by two Fairies and it was swaying back and forth. An immense heat shone down on him, burning his cheeks as he propped himself on his elbows. His entire body felt sticky with sweat and his throat clamoured for water, but it would have to wait.

Dropping down from the stretcher Z shouted a thank you to the Fairies and ran ahead, towards the horizon. He could make out the shape of Samos and he headed to him, ignoring the heat and pain emanating from his hands and shoulders. He checked his holsters and was relieved to see his guns were still there, neither of them had fallen while he had been hanging from the balcony's railing.

"Z, I'm glad to see your feeling better!" The deep, wise voice of Samos the sage drifted over to him.

"So am I Samos, believe me. Did you get the disk?"

"Its right here." He held it up between two fingers, the disk's edge catching the radiant light of the sun.

"I have to say, I wasn't completely surprised by the information it contained. The Mulldack was not likely just to sit back and watch while his army were destroyed. Unfortunately this creates rather more problems for us." Z nodded gravely. He was not sure he had the strength in him to fight another battle. But he must find it. He had no choice.

"I want to thank you Z. Without this disk we would surely have walked straight into a trap. You risked your life to attain this information." Z shrugged.

"Its part of the deal. I help you, you help me. Where are the others by the way?"

"They have already gone through the porthole. We sent Mickey the news as soon as possible and he's sending his army into Disney Creek to meet ours. The Mulldack's army have been spotted and as soon as our full force are present we shall attack on all sides. It's the final battle Z, our last chance."

"I understand. Send me through."

This time Z felt nothing. He passed through the porthole as if it were an open doorway. It reminded him of the events of just a few weeks ago. It seemed like a lifetime had passed since then.

Disney Creek was the exact opposite of the Dark Lands, the desert was replaced by lush green grass and thick flourishing plants and the blazing heat of the sun was gone, a mild cloudy climate in its place. Stepping from one to the other was like a breath of fresh air and Z welcomed it with open arms. He scanned the horizon, taking in his surroundings.

Two portholes were currently open, both feeding a constant stream of troops onto the plains, more appearing every second. Already countless thousands were positioned, the soft clink of armour whispering through the long grass. This would be one hell of a battle. It didn't take Z long to spot who he was looking for. Mickey Mouse was standing on a hill to his left, clutching his staff in one hand and a small pair of what looked like binoculars in the other.

"Mickey!"

"Z! Its good to see you. I got the information from the disk you retrieved. Thank you, it has no doubt saved all our lives."

"Does the Mulldack know we're here yet?"

"No, but his scouts are on the move. About half of our combined troops are in position and we hope to have them all ready before he spots us."

"Then what?" Z asked the question, despite the fact that he knew full well what the answer would be.

"Then its war. Total war."

"What can I do?"

"Our only hope is to go after the Mulldack. If we bring him down his army will quickly follow. I propose that we go in on the Paperwing and find the Mulldack, once we find him we take him out."

"How?"

"I don't know. Before we used the Crystal Element, but unless we can retrieve the second half…I just don't know. We'll do our best. Its all we can ever hope to do."

Z knew there was one last question to ask.

"Where are my friends?"

"They are by the second Porthole." Mickey smiled at him. "Thank you again Z."

Z left Mickey's side and walked over to his friends, his comrades. They saw him and waved, shouting as he approached.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Its been a rough trip."

He sat down amongst them, feeling the grass slide against his hands and neck. Z gazed at them, one by one, taking in what he saw. There was Kiz and Ruby, both held their weapons close, as if in constant fear of attack and their faces were streaked with black soot, probably from the explosion.

Daz sat next to them, his clothes in ruins, torn and battered. His face looked battle weary, as if all he wanted was to sleep, and his hands were splashed with dried warrior blood. And then there was Lirael, she lay between them on a stretcher, her injured foot bandaged with a dark shape lurking near its surface. Z knew it was blood. Lirael looked up at him, smiling, but it was a smile tinged with pain. Her wound obviously hurt badly and the bell bandoleer lay heavily across her chest.

Z looked at each of them and felt sadness. They shouldn't be here, they belonged to another world. But soon it would all be over. Not long now. He had to keep reminding himself of that.

"You feeling okay Lirael?"

"I'm fine. I can't walk though, I'm afraid I might not be able to help you."

"It dosen't matter. As long as your safe." She smiled again and closed her eyes, drifting into a light sleep.

Daz gazed upwards and nodded towards the figure of Mickey Mouse, approaching them through a small band of soldiers.

"Lets go." The four of them stood as one and walked towards Mickey.

"Is it time?" The king on Disney World nodded once.

"Yes."

A trumpet sounded in the distance, a fanfare. The Mulldack frowned, tilting his head to one side and straining to hear the distant music. Nothing…silence…a few seconds past by and the Mulldack almost turned away, but just as he was about to dismiss what he had heard it happened again.

The echoing beat of drums started up. A chanting and a marching of feet. The Mulldack turned to his army, searching the faces of his generals for any sign of knowledge. None of them knew what was happening. He turned back to the battlefield and watched in a mix of horror and confusion as the frontlines of a squadron marched into view.

"This is impossible! This cannot be happening!"

But it was. In a single instant, as suddenly as a bullet from a gun, an entire army had marched from the trees, from the cover of the bushes and the grass. Thousands, hundreds of thousands, began to march forwards through the field. They were chanting and the sound of drums accompanied them. Then they began to charge and all hell broke loose.

The Mulldack turned and ran, shouting orders as he went. By a stroke of pure luck he had chosen to position his army directly in front of the fortress of Disney Creek. Now he would take full advantage of this and retreat to the safety of the fortress itself.

"How did they know? How?" The sound of gunfire and of immense explosions almost muffled his words, but his general was close.

"I don't know master…it seems impossible."

"We must confront them head on. We will fight their army to the last warrior, but the result of this war does not matter to me. I am powerful enough now to claim the second piece of the Crystal Element. Then I will be unstoppable."

"How do you propose to get it if you're sheltered inside the fortress?" The Mulldack smiled. It was a smile that seemed to drench his features in darkness.

"I do not have to get it. I am sure of one thing; the boy will come to me and when he does I shall destroy him and the Crystal Element will be mine."

The merciless wind battered Z's face relentlessly, his hair whipping his eyes and obscuring his vision. The Paperwing flew just below the clouds, but the horrendous sounds of the battle below still reached them.

Kiz peered over the sides and watched as hundreds of thousands of soldiers engaged in a bloody battle, the frontlines pushing and slashing and stumbling forwards, forever fighting the opposing side and hoping to gain a few more metres of ground. Explosions littered the battlefield as both sides launched missiles over the heads of their comrades. The once lush, green grass of Disney Creek was now churned to mud by the feet of thousands, stamping and crushing and coloured blood red from the dying and wounded.

It was a horrific, yet awe-inspiring sight. Daz would not gaze upon it. He had, only a few hours ago, fought a battle himself and he did not intend to relive the experience. How was it possible that, when surrounded by thousands of people, you could feel so cold and alone?

"Not long now."

Mickey's voice called to them, shouting over the blasting wind.

"How will we find the Mulldack?" It seemed to Ruby this was an impossible task.

"I can feel him. He is nearby, the power he commands radiates from his body."

Z gazed over the Paperwing's tail, looking down onto the battlefield as they left it behind. There was a sound, like a quick intake of breath and something flashed over his shoulder. A second flash, accompanied by a ripping sound.

"They're shooting at us!"

Mickey let out a high pitched whistle and the Paperwing dived, almost throwing its riders to the battle below.

Z gripped tightly to one side, his stomach flipping wildly as the craft went through a series of evasive dives and swoops, Kiz and Ruby screaming as it bucked and tilted. Bullets tore through the Paperwing's rear, shredding it in seconds and battering the right wing, wind whistling through the bullet holes.

It was no use. All control was lost, a crash landing was inevitable. Mickey tried desperately to remain in the air, but the Paperwing was already diving, faster and faster, picking up speed with every second that flew by. The tail end was now on fire, spreading quickly to the rest of the craft. Z guessed they'd been hit by a stray laser.

And then the ground came rushing to meet them. They clung to the Paperwing, knuckles white with fear as it plunged onwards, travelling almost straight down. Scenery flashed past their eyes, everything a blur. Soldiers were visible, people running and screaming and a haze of green and brown and then nothing, everything blurred by the jerking of the craft.

A stream of light poured from Mickey's staff and the craft slowed its decent, almost as if it had been waiting to cushion the impact. Z realised with a flash of recognition that it the Mickey's half of the Crystal Element that had saved them, but they were still travelling fast. To fast.

The light flashed again and the Paperwing tilted, pulling up from its dive. It was seconds to late. The crafts tail end collided with the ground, flipping the Paperwing over in a tumbling ball of limbs and weapons. Z, Daz and Mickey were ripped from their positions on the first roll, smashing, face up, into the mud below and skidding violently across the terrain, spinning again and again before they finally slid to a halt, crumpled in a heap and groaning.

Kiz and Ruby held on to the destroyed Paperwing as it spun madly, toppling over and over and finally smashing into a small platoon of soldiers. They emerged from the wreck a few seconds later, cut and bruised but with no major injuries. All things considered it was something of a miracle.

"Now what?" Z spat into the mud, a small trickle of blood came with it. His lip was bleeding, he could already feel it swelling, and the wound on his palm had been sliced open in the fall, blood sliding down his wrist.

He surveyed the damage. The Paperwing was gone, devastated, but no one had been critically injured. They had been lucky, the Crystal Element had saved all of their lives.

"Where are we?" It was obvious by now that they were surrounded by their own troops, but they were quite far into the battlefield. An explosion sounded nearby, cannons were being fired and lasers seemed to scar the horizon, the constant chatter of gunfire pressed in on them from all fronts. The Mulldack's army hadn't retreated, they were still fighting, but they had been pushed back, right up to the gates of the fortress itself.

"It looks like we're winning…"

Mickey nodded, his eyes darting from side to side, as if he were accessing each soldier.

"Yes. The Dark Warriors and their comrades have retreated, but they will not surrender unless we kill the Mulldack. We need another way into the fortress." Daz's eyes looked haunted, never settling in one place, the pupils moving swiftly from one thing to the next, like a fly on a dinner plate.

Then Z saw it.

"I've got an idea." Mickey turned to him and, despite the chaos surrounding them, his eyes were totally focused.

"Shoot."

"We commandeer a tank. Shoot our way through to the fortress and crack it wide open. Then all that stands between us and victory is the Mulldack himself."

Mickey nodded. They all did, it was a good plan, risky, but it was the only way.

The Mulldack was waiting. He could sense Mickey's power, the power of the Crystal Element. They were drawing closer.

He grinned to himself, displaying a set of dagger-like teeth. They were playing right into his hands, soon the full power of the complete Crystal Element would be his!

A messenger approached him from the darkness.

"Lord…?"

The Mulldack turned to him, spreading his hands wide.

"Good news I hope?" The messenger ignored this.

"Mickey has a tank, he's using it to wreak a path to the fortress."

The Mulldack grinned once more, a grin that would have turned water to ice and cracked the ice.

"Excellent."

It was almost time.

The roar of the engine was shattering, blasting through Z's head like nothing on earth. It was almost unbearable to be inside the machine and he was sweating already, feeling the effect of the hot, cramped interior and the slick, oil coated controls.

The tank itself was a colossus, an almighty leviathan that surged forward, scattering and eliminating all in its path. It was the perfect weapon. Unfortunately for Z, it was far from perfect to control.

"I don't know how this thing works!"

"Calm down Z, just yank whatever!" Z stared at Daz. Mickey said nothing, so Z spat on his palms, rubbed them together and grabbed the two closest sticks.

The tank began to turn, slowly at first, then faster.

"I think its working!"

Then Z glanced up, gazing through the plasma view-screens into the destruction ahead. There was no destruction. There was another tank.

Z blinked.

"Shit."

Kiz and Ruby were in control of the tanks weaponry. Kiz crouched in the turret, firing shell after shell into the fleeing army of Dark Warriors before her, decimating every barrier in her path.

Ruby was beside her, resting a huge high-powered rifle over the turret's edge. The weapon fired like a machine gun, letting loose a constant barrage of bullets, the barrel heating as it did so and the rifle bucking as it let out its constant stream in a chatter so loud it blocked out all else. Ruby had to grit her teeth and hold tight, firing almost constantly and ripping through the opposition like a knife through cardboard.

Kiz fired again, the shell engulfing an entire defensive station in a mass of fire and debris. The intercom crackled and a voice could be heard over the link. It was Daz.

"Tank! There is a tank to your left, I repeat, incoming tank!"

Kiz grabbed the controls, turning the turret a full ninety degrees. Ruby was already there, but the rifle was having no effect, her slugs bouncing from the armoured plating.

The turret fired, two shots in quick succession.

Both impacted perfectly, thudding into the belly of the Dark Warriors tank and exploding with such force that they almost toppled it completely.

"Good work Kiz!"

Mickey's voice sounded over the intercom.

"Nice shooting."

Kiz had been smiling, but now her grin faltered. Ruby was staring over her shoulder and, turning to look, Kiz felt her smile of satisfaction evaporate. Tanks were approaching them from the west, not just one tank, but an entire squadron. She turned back to the intercom.

"We're not done yet."

Z thumped the tanks dash board, gritting his teeth.

"Can't this hunk of metal go any faster?"

The intercom crackled. It was Kiz.

"We're not done yet." Mickey frowned, gazing intently at the plasma display. Nothing.

"Z, set the screens to rear view."

"How exactly?"

"There a button on the screens underside, just there, see?"

Z tapped it. Daz choked.

"There's a fleet of them!" It was no exaggeration. As they stared, a good five, maybe six tanks stared back at them. Z shook his head.

"Lets just hope this tank can take a beating."

Kiz rotated the turret with speed. She knew their lives depended on it. Tanks are strong, but nothing could withstand the fire power that five could unleash. To her credit she managed to fire a full three shells before they were hit.

The sound was unimaginable. So loud that Ruby's ears felt as if they had been blown from her head. Kiz was screaming and the sound rose above the fading boom. Her arm had been torn into, three deep lacerations where debris had cut into her skin.

Ruby scrambled for the intercom and hit the button.

"Z, how is everyone?" For a second there was no reply and Ruby feared the worst.

"We're fine, but this tank can't take much more and I'm pushing it to the max." Ruby nodded, wasting no more time she grabbed the turret controls and fired at their attacker.

Kiz winced with the pain and tried to regain her seat, but she could not. It was up to Ruby to save their skins. She fired again and again, the shells incapacitating the nearest tank and blowing another onto its side. Two down, but still three more to go.

Quickly, almost without thought she aimed and clicked the triggers. Nothing. Ruby's stomach lurched. She clicked again. Still nothing. That was all there was, just a hollow click evaporating into the chaos surrounding them. Kiz pointed at a small screen to her left, groaning as she did so.

"It needs time to reload!"

"Reload! Reload dammit!"

Their pursuers fired. Three shells, one from each tank. The first one missed, soaring over Ruby's head with an audible whistle and detonating on a battalion of Dark Warriors attempting to charge their tank. Kiz could hear their bullets pinging against the turrets armour. Then the shell hit, a fireball rising through the air and the pinging stopped.

Their luck ran out and the second and third shells hit, lifting the tank into the air with an almighty blast. Z actually rose out of his seat, his head slamming into the cold metal of the tank. The blast had knocked Kiz unconscious and Ruby's arms had been slashed and scorched by the fiery inferno.

Then the tank landed, slamming hard into the mud of the battlefield. With a jolt of recognition Z realised the tank was, in fact, still upright. They still had a chance. He slammed hard on the controls, turning the tank to the left and surging forward, the tread ploughing onwards through the thick, treacherous mud. The fortress was not far, he could see it through the plasma view screens. Just a little further.

Daz was shaking his head, quick, jerky movements.

"We're not going to make it!"

"Yes we will. Not long to go, just a few hundred metres."

It felt as if the entire army of the Mulldack was fighting against them, they could hear the pinging of hundreds, thousands of bullets as they impacted against the tanks sides, resounding through the interior.

It was a strange, uneasy sensation. All around them war was raging, they could hear screams, explosions, bullets, yet simultaneously they were cut off from the outside world. Ruby, however, was not so lucky.

It was a colossal struggle just to keep conscious. Ruby could feel her arms burning with pain, his muscles aching and protesting at every movement, her vision hazy, yet she knew she could not stop.

She turned the turret to face her adversaries and for a second she could not spot them. Then they appeared, the three leviathans coming in for the kill, emerging from the smoke of a thousand explosions.

For a second Ruby faltered. She could not hit all three before they finished her, surely her efforts could achieve nothing? And yet…why were they taking so long…then she remembered the reload time. Despite the haze creeping into her line of vision, the edges of unconsciousness, she forced her mind to focus. Aim. Fire. Aim. Fire.

Two shells, battering the opposing tanks. One slipped forward in the blast, its cannon becoming stuck in the thick, churning mud of battle. The second and third tanks were still on track. Ruby aimed once more, knowing full well that time was against her, and set her palms against the triggers, waiting for the exact moment………NOW!

BOOM!

The shell impacted, the front of her target crumpling like paper and the tank sliding to a halt, its interior control destroyed. Ruby almost collapsed there and then, but her job was not complete. One more. Just one single tank to destroy.

Then she saw the screen. A picture of a single bullet flashing red. They were out of ammo. Ruby felt like she was going to retch. All this for nothing. She turned to look down the barrel of the opposing tank. In seconds a shell would be ready, it would fire and they would be blown into fiery corpses, trapped in a metal tomb.

A voice drifted in over the intercom.

"Ruby? Ruby?"

"We're out of ammo."

"WHAT?"

"We've got nothing left to fire."

Before them the tank roared onwards, taking time to select its target. This time the shell would not miss. That was when it exploded. Ruby watched, an expression of total awe etched into her face, as the Dark Warrior's tank was enveloped in an immense fist of flame and smoke.

"Ruby, are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Ruby merely nodded, barely realising that the group within their tank's interior could not see this gesture. Then she looked up and almost gasped in surprise at what she saw. Above them, soaring and swooping through the air, dodging swarms of bullets, was a second Paperwing.

From her vantage point atop the tank Ruby could make out three tiny figures inside it, any further detail was vague, but she already knew who they were. Goofy, Donald and Lirael. She was sure of it.

"Z! it's the others, they're in a second Paperwing!" Even Mickey was surprised at this.

"Who exactly?"

"Donald, Lirael and Goofy, it has to be."

Mickey turned to his comrades.

"It must have been them, they must have destroyed that tank." Z nodded, turning back to his plasma screens. The last thing he wanted was for Lirael to get killed, she was already injured, but he could not help but be grateful for their help. They were going to need all the help they could get.

"We're approaching the fortress gates…can this thing break through?"

"I hope it can. If it dosen't then…well…we're a little stuck." Daz snorted.

"The understatement of the century." But nobody laughed. They were all staring intently at the plasma view screens before them. The end was drawing close, one way or another.

Z hit the controls up to maximum acceleration and the tank roared forwards, scattering the last of the defending Dark Warriors.

"Here we go!"

From the turret Ruby watched as Z steered the tank towards its destination. She should have felt relieved, but she did not. She knew what waited for them in the fortress.

Not far now. A mere twenty metres to the gate. The tank tilted as it climbed the incline and crossed the metal bridge to the fortress. The Dark Warriors were throwing all they had, bullets cascaded from the armour of the tank and lasers scarred its side. Grenades were thrown in the hope of toppling it, but the explosions barely dented the behemoth.

This tank had taken three shells and it would not stop now. Just one final hurdle. Then it arrived. The cannon slammed hard into the metal gate, the entire, immense power of the tank focused on that one point, its engines thundering louder and louder as it strained.

The gate buckled, but it held. At the controls Z pulled back his levers, coaxing the last drop of power from its engines, and thrust forward. The tank slammed its cannon onwards and this time there was a terrible screech of metal and the gate crumpled, dropping to the floor with a resounding clang. The tank surged through the gateway, crushing the gate beneath its immense treads.

They were in. Z paused to wipe the sweat from his brow.

"That was the easy part. Now we find the Mulldack. Mickey?"

"He's in the throne room. I can feel the residue of his power."

Z stood from his seat, attempting to stretch his legs in the cramped, tight space of the tank's belly. Daz moved towards the ladder.

"Lets get out of this thing. Its like a metal crypt, I can almost smell death in here."

They climbed the ladder quickly, and emerged through a hatch within the turret. Ruby barely glanced at them, she was crouched beside Kiz, attempting to treat her wounds. Kiz's arms had been cut deeply and Ruby had torn the sleeve from her shirt, wrapping it tightly in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Kiz's eyelids flickered as she rose from the pit of unconsciousness, wincing at the pain.

Mickey knew that they were both hurt and needed rest, but he also knew there was no time for a such luxury.

"We need to get out of this thing now!"

Together they helped Kiz to her feet and climbed down from the tank, Daz snatching the rifle as he went. Seconds later he was glad he did. Already a good thirty or so Dark Warriors had emerged from the fortress and were slowly circling the group, more and more joining them with every second that passed.

"Mickey, where's the throne room?"

Mickey pointed to a set of huge wooden double doors, a towering marble pillar on either side, supporting a grand balcony overhead. Dark Warriors blocked their pathway, there would be no entry to the fortress. Not without a fight.

Z slid his dual pistols from their holsters, twirling them on his finger tips. Daz hefted the rifle onto his shoulder, where it sat, like a black hawk of death. Ruby unsheathed her mighty sword.

The crowd of Dark Warriors were baying for blood, stamping their feet and holding their weapons high. Then, without warning, the legions parted, two dark figures emerging from the ranks. The first, the tallest of the two, saw Mickey and smiled, a grin that could only be described as demonic.

"So you have come. The Mulldack thought you would."

"Who the hell are you?" Z shouted across the courtyard of the fortress, raising his pistols as he did so.

"I am Dark Goofy and this is Dark Donald. We are the servants of the Mulldack and have come to destroy you and take back what is his!" At this, Mickey stepped forward and addressed the two devilish figures that so resembled Donald and Goofy but with a dark, evil twist.

"Dark Mickey is dead. I killed him. If you wish to take the Crystal Element you must prise it from my cold, dead hands."

Dark Donald laughed at this, his partner licking his lips at the thought.

"We intend to."

Z frowned. One of the Warriors had collapsed, though no one else seemed to have noticed. Then another fell, sprawled against the floor. Coincidence? No, it couldn't be. So what was…then Z remembered. Looking up he spotted it immediately. The second Paperwing!

Almost as if Z's thought had been its cue, the Paperwing soared from the sky, diving into the fortress and spiralling through the air. At the helm was Donald, cradling an assault rifle and, with a chatter that filled the courtyard, he sprayed bullets at the Dark Warriors like rain drops from a cloud.

Panic reigned. Warriors began to drop like flies, but for every one that fell two more emerged through the fortress gates. Screaming and shouting filled the air as Dark Goofy attempted to take control. But the situation was beyond him now and, after a few seconds of helplessness, he abandoned all pretence and dived headfirst into battle.

Z knew this was his chance. He must fight his way through the chaos and, in the confusion, break his way into the fortress. Aiming his pistols he fired at the two nearest Dark Warriors, skipping over their corpses as Mickey joined him, firing blasts of energy from his staff.

A sniper appeared on a battlement and the Crystal Element jerked, a bolt of electricity was sent flying and the sniper was knocked from his perch, spiralling to the floor below.

Kiz was on her feet now, but she had no strength to fight. Daz and Ruby circled her, protecting her from attack as they fought the surging mass of Dark Warriors. Ruby swung her sword and the shrill slash of metal on metal filled the air, the tang of blood and sweat on her lips. Daz loaded a clip into his rifle and pulled the trigger, the rattling shots of machine gun fire blasting into the ranks of the enemy.

It was a futile battle. Despite their valiant efforts, Z knew that they were outnumbered twenty to one and the odds were continually growing, shifting against them.

Then, just as the Dark Warriors were on the verge of the final push to victory, the Paperwing swooped once more, landing in a hail of gun fire, Donald with his rifle and Goofy drawing his sword, slashing and twirling into the melee. Between them Lirael stepped from the Paperwing, brandishing her own sword, the sword Z himself had given her at the battle of Abhorsen's House.

The three fought their way through the mass of Dark Warriors, joining their comrades at the fight's centre.

"Lirael!" Z shouted through the combat, his own pistols darting back and forth as they fired, an almost constant stream.

"Lirael, your leg?"

"Healed." Z understood. Fairy magic had done it, the ability to heal was one of their special attributes. Even as he thought this Fairies were gathering above their heads, their lasers surging into the battle below.

He knew, however, that this was not enough. They needed something big and they needed it now. Z reached for his belt, feeling a Concusser Grenade at his hip. Plucking it free he let it slide into his palm, the pin resting against the butt of his gun, still firing with his second pistol. It took an immense effort of concentration, but somehow he managed it. Dodging the falling axe of his closest assailant, Z shot him between the eyes with one pistol, taking his thumb from the grip of his second, sliding it into the pin of his grenade.

He moved quickly, firing his way through the swarms of Dark Warriors, some twice his size, dodging and weaving as he went. Z found his vantage point. He worked quickly, climbing atop the body of a fallen Warrior. A second beast ran at him, waving a huge knife and Z lashed out, kicking into his chest. The Warrior fell back and Z silenced him with a bullet.

Now it was time. Z jerked his thumb upwards, popping the pin from the grenade, and dropped his pistol into a holster. One hand was now free and, mustering all the power he had, Z chucked the grenade as far as it would go, leaping back from the Warriors corpse.

BOOM!

The explosion was huge, an all encompassing fist of flame and smoke that punched through flesh and bone, sending a wave of renewed screaming and panic in its wake. A path had been carved and Z intended to take it.

"Mickey, this way!" The fighters stormed forward, Mickey's staff blazing as he directed jagged forks of power. Blood and sweat filled the air, the taste of it seeped into Z's throat. Daz and Ruby, shielding Kiz with their weapons, followed, Lirael at their side.

Z stumbled forward, bursting from the mass of Dark Warriors that attacked from every side. The door to the Mulldack lay before him and Z felt his stomach lurch. No time to think. Two Dark Warriors leapt at him, one at his left and the other his right. Z spread his arms wide, a gun in each hand, blasting them to the floor.

He turned, Mickey was behind him, facing the battalions of the Mulldack's army, fighting them back with his staff, the Crystal Element blazing with white fire. Z had never seen it shine like that before, it was enchanting.

Then Daz appeared, his rifle blazing as he fought back the onslaught of Dark Warriors, now joined by groups of Metalheads in their assault. Kiz, Ruby and Lirael followed him, ducking low under the path the rifle's bullets cut. They were at the door, hundreds of Warriors pressing them to its surface. Could they hold out?

"Inside!" Mickey shouted the single word over his shoulder.

"Get inside, now!"

Ruby turned, flinging the doors wide open and the group backed through them, still firing as they went. As soon as they were over the threshold the double doors where slammed shut, Mickey ramming a security bar across it and slamming the thick metal locks into place.

They were in. For a second the hallway was silent, with only the faint murmur of shouting, screaming and explosions from beyond the doors. Mickey was the only one of the six who stayed upright, the rest sliding onto the white marble of the floor and breathing heavily.

It was only now that they fully realised just how tired, how beaten and bruised, they felt. Z's entire body was slick with sweat and, he realised with a sick feeling in his gut, blood. His hair was matted and greasy, his face dark with traces of dried mud. His body heavy with cuts and bruises. Why was he doing this? Because it was all he could do.

The doors was shaking now, rattling as Dark Warriors pounded and sliced at them from the courtyard.

"Where are Donald and Goofy?"

The truth was quickly apparent; they'd left them behind.

"They'll be slaughtered!" Mickey shook his head, stepping back from the rattling doors.

"No. The Warriors are not interested in them, only their commanders. Dark Goofy and Dark Donald, they will fight our two friends."

"We've got to do something!" Ruby stared up at him, looking so helpless as she crouched beside Kiz.

"We can't go back. This is their battle, we cannot fight it for them. We must continue with our own."

Z hung his head for a second, then raised it once more and turned to Mickey.

"Where are we headed?"

"I will guide you there Z. Everyone else must stay."

At first Ruby and Daz protested, but they gave in quickly. They did not want to face the Mulldack. Lirael shook her head.

"No, I'm coming with you. I will not stay here while you fight the Mulldack. My leg is healed, I can barely feel the pain."

Z smiled. He admired her courage, but knew she could not come.

"No. I will not allow it. I brought you here and, as I have said before, I intend to take you back. The last thing I want is for you to get yourself killed."

Lirael rose to her feet, standing above Z with defiance.

"Get myself killed? And what about you? How is it that you feel so certain the Mulldack would kill me and yet you would survive?"

Z was stumped. In truth he did not know why, but he felt certain that the Mulldack wanted him. Why had he sent Daz to him? He wanted the Crystal Element, of course, and Z did not have the second half, yet still the Mulldack wanted him. Did it matter why?

"You are not coming!"

"And why not?"

"Because…" Z looked around, gazing at the tired, dirty faces of his friends. "Because the others need you. This fight isn't over. Do you think that door will hold them? The Dark Warriors will destroy it, they'll tear it apart and then come looking for us. You need to wait here, block the door and defend it for as long as possible."

Lirael struggled to find a reply, but she knew there wasn't one. Z was right. She was needed. She leant forward, her eyes shining. Was that her eye? Z wondered. Was it a tear, a solitary tear, that he saw?

There was no time to think of that, for she leant forward once more, further this time, and kissed him, her soft lips brushing his cheek. Then she drew back, a hollow smile on her lips. Z knew it was not the moment it should have been. It was tainted with sorrow.

He pulled her forward, hugging her tight, and then squeezed her shoulder as he stepped back.

"This isn't the last time." He whispered. "I'll be back. I promise."

Then he turned and joined Mickey and they walked together to the corner. Z looked back one last time, waved and departed.

Mickey and Z turned corner after corner, through the soft, caressing light of the oil lamps that hung from the ceiling above them. The carpet beneath them was read and pristine and seemed almost like blood in the lamp light.

It was not long before Mickey stopped, concentrating hard. Z glanced over his shoulder.

"You sure there's no Dark Warriors in here? They could swarm us."

"No. the throne room area is sealed off from the rest of the fortress."

They continued. It seemed to Z that every step was a step closer to his grave. He tried not to think like that. Mickey was with him, he controlled half the Crystal Element, surely the Mulldack could not defy its power?

"This is the door." Z studied it, but it seemed nothing special. There were no hugely elaborate carvings or emblems. It was a simple structure, but was beautiful in its own, more simplistic way.

Mickey did not ask if Z was ready. He gave Z no advice. It was not needed. Mickey knew very well that you could never be ready for something like this. He opened the door and they stepped inside.

The room was awe inspiring. Its ceiling rose a good forty feet and the roof was painted with inspiring patterns and swirling colours. They were barely visible for the room was very, very dark. A large glass window leant it some light, but the main source were the hundreds of flickering candles.

As the pair walked to the centre of the room it was obvious the Mulldack had laid these out personally. This was his domain, darkness punctuated with sparks of light. Each candle was set in a solid gold holder that reflected the swaying light beautifully. At the rooms end, underneath the slight light provided by the thick but exquisitely carved window there was a small seat.

In comparison with its surroundings the chair looked strikingly modest, but on closer inspection it was made obvious that the throne had been built from thousands and thousands of pearls. Each pearl had been placed with great care and sealed there with melted gold, which was then heated until it solidified into place. It was amazing.

The Mulldack sat upon this throne and, as they walked towards him, he stood, spreading his arms wide. The gesture was friendly, but the smile on the Mulldack's face was filled with hatred.

"Mickey Mouse. How good to see you again. You remember me of course?"

It was not a question. Mickey said nothing.

"And this must be Z? Yes. I've heard all about you, how your bravery destroyed my plan for conquest."

For a second a look of annoyance flickered onto the Mulldack's gaunt features, but it was replaced just as quickly with one of renewed hatred. The Mulldack approached them, taking the three marble steps down to the floor. Now he stood before them, a mere ten feet away. Z felt his blood run cold. He could almost feel the Mulldack's evil, as if it ate away at any warmth the room contained.

"Why have you come? It was foolish of you."

"We have come to settle this. One final time."

The Mulldack laughed at Mickey's words, a short, sharp bark. A laugh that held no humour of any kind.

"Settle this? Your words of bravery are almost as foolish as that of your actions. You have played right into my hands and now I will kill you."

The Crystal Element blazed at these words, as if sensing the danger. The Mulldack laughed once more, this time long and filled with a devilish glee.

"You have brought the Element? Even I did not reckon you that stupid Mouse. I will kill you and prise it from your staff. You have even brought the second half."

This time Mickey's emotionless features crumpled into a frown. The second half? Z could sense something. He knew now that the Mulldack knew something they did not.

"The second half? Of the Element?"

"Yes Z. The second half. I see that you are oblivious to it."

Z's throat was dry, his arms felt limp and useless. He was afraid, terrified. The Mulldack stood before him, at least seven feet tall. Even wearing his black cloak Z could make out his features perfectly, the tiny blue eyes, icy blue, the small pale streak of a mouth, a mouth lined with teeth like knives. The Mulldack's arms were long and powerful and his legs thick, unnaturally so. Z could hear the scratching sound as his claws scarped the marble floor.

Mickey stepped forward, gripping his staff.

"This ends now. We defeated you all those years ago and this time we will destroy you."

The Mulldack growled, baring his teeth. He actually growled, his eyes becoming large and the pupils shrinking to tiny black dots.

"You try it mouse. See what happens, eh? See what I do to your friend here." Z gripped his pistols, removing them from their holsters.

"Nice guns kid. You think they'll be any use?" Z did not reply. Instead he fired, both guns at once.

The Mulldack chuckled. The slugs had, it seemed, disappeared. Then Z noticed the small drops of grey liquid splattered on the marble floor. The bullets had melted. The Mulldack was grinning.

"You want to try that again?"

Z dropped his pistols, letting them clatter to the floor, the sound resonating through the room, piercingly loud in the darkness. He had no use for them, bullets would do nothing this time.

"Give it your best shot." The Mulldack was enjoying himself. It was obvious from his smile, his cold eyes dancing in the candle light. The Crystal Element jerked, a blast of pure energy shooting from it, impacting on the Mulldack with immense force.

For a second he was totally enveloped in white light, the room illuminated with it, every inch laid bare by the glaring brightness. Then it stopped. Time seemed to freeze. The Mulldack emerged, like a shadow from the darkness.

"Dear dear, Mickey. I had hoped that you'd put up a fight, but that was simply pathetic."

The Mulldack's grin evaporated, a sneer of hatred in its place. Then he struck out, a shard of glass flying from his open palm. At first Z thought it was glass, a transparent missile, its jagged edge glinting in the pinpricks of golden light.

Impact. The glass hit Mickey's staff and shattered, each piece attacking again and again, hovering in the air and swooping, hundreds of glittering glass spear heads, slashing through Mickey's defences and tearing the staff from his grasp.

It hit the floor with a resounding clang, bouncing barely two feet, yet Mickey could do nothing and Z was as helpless as he. Then the slashing stopped, the glass pieces sucking together like drops of water to form one single missile. Then it hit, as powerful as any blast of energy, knocking Mickey across the room and slamming him into the hard marble wall.

He fell to the floor and collapsed, making no move to stand. Z knew he was unconscious. The Mulldack had dispensed of Mickey as if he was nothing more than a rag doll. Z was alone.

The Mulldack was moving now, a step at a time, turning slowly as he did so. Z knew he was circling him, perhaps waiting for the right second to launch his attack.

"So, its just you and me now. A little defenceless boy. Do you really think you can hope to compete with my power?"

Z said nothing. He knew he had to buy some time. He needed time, time to formulate a plan. He racked his brains for something, anything, he could use to slow the Mulldack's inevitable assault. What was it he had said? Yes. He remembered now.

"The second half." Z blurted it out before he had a chance to contemplate his words. The Mulldack stopped. Then he smiled.

"Ah yes, the second half. I have been searching for the Crystal Element for so many years now. I knew that I must have its complete power. I needed both halves. Mickey carries one, on his staff and I have sought the other for so long. Now it is within my grasp."

"Where is it? How did you find it?" The Mulldack smiled once more, this time a grin of satisfaction and superiority. He revelled in revealing his own genius. Perhaps it would be his downfall.

"How did I find it? It was a simple matter. You see Z, I can sense power. The greater the power the more obvious it becomes. I passed on the gift to a Dark Warrior and sent him in search. It did not take long. You ask where it is? Is it not obvious?"

The Mulldack could see the look of confusion on the human's features.

"No? It amazes me that you have not seen it yet. Haven't you noticed the signs?"

Z knew he should be concentrating on the present. He needed a plan, it would not be long before the Mulldack grew bored and finished him. Despite this, he could not help but wonder what the Mulldack meant. The signs? What signs? Z thought back. He thought back to the time in Abhorsen's House, when Daz had cornered him with the laser cannon. He still remembered his words…

"Give me the Crystal Element!"

"I don't have it!"

"Give it to me!"


"I don't have it!"

"I'm giving you one last chance. Give me the Crystal Element or I'll empty this double barrel into your head!"

The Mulldack had sent Daz to retrieve the Element and Daz had cornered Z…but that must mean…

Z glanced up from his thoughts, a look of clarity dawning on his features.

"Me?" The Mulldack smiled, but it told him nothing.

"Its me isn't it? Somehow I have the second half…you sent Daz to get it, and it was me he asked!"

"Yes it was you. I'm amazed its taken you this long to work it out. Why do you think I sent those Dark Warriors after you?" The words hit Z like a sledgehammer. Those Dark Warriors? He remembered the men in the masks, the men who had chased him, cornered him and forced him through the Fiction Dimension Port with poisonous gas. He remembered what Samos had told him…

"It seems these particular Dark Warriors were ordered to transform into human form. That way they could go unnoticed. They were probably sent to the world of reality to look for the Crystal Element, but what I don't understand is why they were following Z here."

Samos has not understood, but now Z did. They had been following him, trying to kill him, he had thought, because it was he who had the second half of the Element.

All along they had been looking for it, and it was he who had possession of it. He had stood next to Mickey, listened to him talking of the second half, and all that time it had been right under his nose.

"I've got it. You sent those Warriors to take me to you." Now the Mulldack laughed once more, a laugh of almost insane cruelty.

"No. I sent them to take your corpse to me. They were specially trained, I needed them to kill you without spilling a single drop if your precious blood. That was why they used gas, you remember? It wasn't until after the first assault, when I ordered my men to hit you with grenades, that I realised I needed you to die with no blood spilt."

Still Z was confused. He felt that he was in the centre of a huge jigsaw puzzle and every piece was in place. Except one. The last one.

"Why my blood? Where is the second half, how is it possible that I have it?"

"Ah, Z. Poor little Z. Still no clue? Let me tell you and put you out of your misery. Its because the Crystal Element is in your blood stream, that is why!"

For a second Z did nothing. He did not believe it.

"How?"

"I don't know how. My guess is it was deposited inside you via a warp gate. An amazing coincedence, wouldn't you say? Beyond understanding. The fact remains, however, that the second half is in your blood. Millions of tiny crystal particles, swirling inside your viens as we speak."

Z looked down, staring at his wrists and the criss crossing viens beneath his skins surface. Did the Crystal Element really exist inside his body? It was the only explanation.

"Didn't you wonder how you got so powerful in such a short amount of time? When my Warriors knocked you half to death with a Concusser Grenade you were taken to hospital, correct? I estimate that it was around this time you noticed your body improving drastically."

Z thought back, his head swimming. Now he remembered…

"Your reaction times, your speed, your aim, your stamina and physical abilities. Even your intelligence. All improved with the help of the Crystal Element. Do you see now? You have had it inside your very blood. All this time."

Z looked up, staring directly into the Mulldack's cold, desolate eyes. He knew what was coming.

"You know, of course, what this means, don't you Z?"

Z gave no response. He knew what it meant.

"It means I'm going to have to extract the Element from your viens. A pity really, I had so hoped that you would see me at my full power."

The Mulldack tightened his fists and Z felt every muscle in his body contort. He could not move…the Mulldack had trapped him, he was unable to lift a finger.

"It is time, I think."

The Mulldack strode towards Z, stopping inches from his outstretched arms. Z struggled, but it was no use. He could not even scream, all he could manage was a deep throaty growl. An invisible power held him in place. The Mulldack opened a fist and extended a claw, razor sharp and glittering in the candle light. He leant forward and placed the claw's tip on Z's wrist, a single drop of blood springing from the pierced skin, the claw absorbing it in seconds.

The Mulldack sighed.

"Ahhh. Its been so long. I am so very sorry Z, but for you, this is the end."

With a roar of pure rage, the Mulldack sliced his claw across Z's wrist, slashing through the vien.

Lirael crouched in the corridor, the double doors exploding inwards to the chatter of gunfire, splinters cascading to the floor. The Dark Warriors, it seemed, had gotten hold of a gun an

d they were using it. In seconds they had blasted through the wooden doors and were proceeding to slash their way inwards with swords, shattering what remained of the barrier.

Daz and Ruby had found what furniture they could, a few chairs and some small tables, and piled them up against the door, but the Warriors would quickly rip them to shreds once they were inside.

Kiz was conscious now, sitting upright. She was not badly injured, but she knew she was too weak to fight. So, for that matter, was Ruby. All they had was Daz's rifle and three ammo clips. Once that was gone they would have to retreat.

A Dark Warrior stuck his head through the hole in the doors, ramming his axe in and tearing it back feverishly. The door splintered, huge sections falling away, Warriors pressing their bodies through, crowds forcing their way inwards. They were mad with bloodlust now, using every ounce of strength to attack the door. Again it splintered. The group knew they had ten minutes, max, before they were corpses in the corrdior.

Daz fired through the piled furniture, the force of the bullets pushing back the assault. Then it returned, even stronger than before, stamping and shouting and growling.

"Daz, how much longer?"

"Not long I'm afraid. We have two clips plus this one. Enough to keep them back for a few minutes once they break through. After that…" Ruby stood, clutching her sword.

"We can fight them." Her voice carried no conviction.

"No. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, all waiting to pour inside. They'd tear us to shreds." Kiz nodded.

"Z and Mickey are our only hope now."

Daz glanced around, scanning the corridor for any sign of their return.

"Wait a minute…where's Lirael?" All three turned to look, but, sure enough, Lirael was nowhere to be seen.

Outside the noise was horrendous. Thousands of Dark Warriors had swarmed back into the fortress, most for security against Mickey's army. The Dark Warriors were mostly dead, only forty thousand or so remained, about a quarter of which had taken shelter inside the fortress, the rest fighting in a hopeless last stand.

Donald and Goofy, however, had been forgotten. In a small corner of the courtyard they fought, twirling their blades with skill as they battled their clones. Dark Goofy and Dark Donald, servants of the Mulldack.

Then Donald fell, blood spilling from his wound and splattering upon the grass. Goofy appeared at his side, knocking back the final blow with his own blade. He fought them both, with a ferocity that defied his character. Then the first of Mickey's troops broke through the gateway and rushed to his aid.

Dark Goofy and Dark Donald were killed, and the injured Donald carried away on a strecther. The first battles had been won and Goofy knew that the end was close, but despite this he did not feel safe. Not yet. He would not, not until the Mulldack was defeated once more.

Z could feel the perspiration sliding down his brow, his heart beat quickening with each second, yet he could do nothing, he could not pull away. He knew it was over, it was all over. What hope was there now? The Mulldack had control.

"Ahhh. Its been so long. I am so very sorry Z, but for you, this is the end."

Then he roared, a snarl that made Z's blood run cold. Blood the Mulldack would now extract.

He brought down his claw, slashing through Z's left wrist and slicing the vien in two. Z tried to scream, but he could not, he could not even close his eyes. The Mulldack moved his claw, carving open Z's right wrist and standing back as his blood spurted out like a fountain from the two horrific wounds.

Z could do nothing but stare in horror at his wrists as his heartbeat pumped the life blood from his body. The pain was like nothing he had ever felt, it was intense, excruciating, an all-consuming fiery agony that burnt like the flames of hell.

He wanted to scream, to fight, to plummet into unconciousness. He could do nothing. Z could not even tend to his wounds, or clutch his arms or writhe in pain. He was utterly fixated.

All the while the Mulldack absorbed his blood, and with it half the power of the Crystal Element. With every drop of blood that fell the Mulldack grew stronger and Z grew weaker. It was as if he was sapping the life force from Z's body.

The pain had lost its edge, the searing agony dulling slightly, but Z knew that this was not a good sign. He could feel himself slowly slipping into death, years evaporating with every second that passed. Z knew he would die, and die horribly, if he did not do something now.

Yet nothing could be done, his energy was leaking and death was advancing. Now Z's vision grew dark and hazy, the ground seemed to sway beneath him and the darkness beckoned for him to give in. Make it easy on himself.

No. Fight to the last breath. Fight for each second. He could see the Mulldack before him, growing stronger and more powerful and knew he could not let it happen. His hatred would give him strength.

On the edge of death, Z barely noticed the noise at first, but then he heard it, a faint note on the edge of his hearing. He felt his strength returning, hope propelling him onwards, and the sound grew louder. It was a note…like…the ringing of a bell…Lirael!

The Mulldack screamed with rage, the moment of his triumph interrupted by this girl. No matter, he thought, he would finish with Z and then dispose of this weakling. She would be powerless to stop him.

Lirael herself almost threw up when she saw the scene, having come to help Z and Mickey. The king himself lay unconscious, perhaps worse, and Z was standing before the Mulldack, unable to move with blood spurting from his wrists and splattering the floor like water from a tap.

She controlled herself, knowing instantly what she must do. Reaching, her hands shaking with fear, for her bell bandoleer, she removed Kibeth, the bell of movement.

Kibeth, she knew, has the ability to take or grant movement to whoever hears it. Lirael focused her will, ignoring the severity of her situation, and rang it, its deep tone echoing throughtout the cavernous throne room.

Z scrambled back from death's edge, his senses returning to him. He had a minute to live, no more. The pain was almost unbearable and Z fell to his knees, crossing his arms over his chest.

He could move! How? Z focused all his strength and turned his head, wincing at the pain. There was Lirael, standing in the flickering candle light. She had come to help them. She was ringing a bell and Z knew instantly that it was the bell's power that had saved him.

Had it saved him? No. He had, perhaps, thirty seconds to live. He had lost to much blood, even if the flow was stopped he would still die. Was there a way out?

"NO! How is this possible?" The Mulldack screamed with anger. "What kind of magic do these bells possess?"

"Z…" A voice croaked. It was not Lirael, all her energy was concentrated on the bell. Who else could it be?

"Z…take the staff…" Mickey! He was alive, but barely conscious. "Take it…touch the Crystal Element. You need its power, the two halves will combine through your body…hurry Z. Take it…"

Z crawled to the staff, but he knew he would not reach it. It took all his concentration to move a few feet and the pain was immense. Z realised with a sick lurch that he was caked in blood, he had pressed his wrists to his chest and bled into himself, soaking his shirt and skin.

"Help me…" Z spat the words, the pain dulling once more as he lapsed into unconciousness. He knew he would never wake. The Mulldack growled, leering in hatred.

"What have you done little girl? I have lost precious blood due to your magic!" He struck quickly, electricity exploding from his palm. Lirael screamed, falling backwards, but she was unhurt. Kibeth, her bell, was destroyed.

The Mulldack spat, stepping forwards through pools of Z's blood, absorbing its power as he went. When his thirst was quenched he walked forwards, striding past Z's corpse, and stopped before the two figures, Mickey and Lirael. The Mulldack grinned.

"The girl and the mouse. You will die next. Then the full extent of the Element's power will be mine at last."

"No…" Mickey rose to his knees and steadied himself, climbing awkwardly to his feet.

"You dare defy me? You do not have a prayer mouse. I have destroyed you once, I will do it again." Mickey bent low, gripping his staff in both hands and picking it from the marble floor.

"Not if this has anything to do with it."

"What do you hope to achieve mouse? The last time you used your staff, despite it holding half the Element, it did not help you. You can not hope to control the Element's power."

Mickey smiled. For a second the Mulldack's stare of hate fueled arrogance faultered.

"It is not for me."

"No? Then who is it for?"

"Its for Z."

Then he threw it. The Mulldack barely had time to register what had happened before the staff was twirling through the air, like the blades of a magnificent chopper. Mickey had thrown it with all his strength and his aim was true. The staff sailed over the Mulldack's head and landed next to Z's corpse, stopping there, but continuing to twirl where it rested.

"That is your plan? To throw it away from me?"

The staff was still twirling, making slow progress as it went. With one last shift the staff moved an inch to the left, an inch closer to Z's outstretched palm. Then it happened, the staff completed one final revolution and the Crystal Element swept against Z's fingers, gently brushing each and settling against his thumb.

Z's body jerked, as if hit by a stream of electricity, and sparks began to pour from the Element, seeking out his wounds.

"No…NO! What have you done mouse? What have you DONE?"

The sparks were streaming now, racing to Z's wrists and flowing into his wounds, returning power and life to his body.

"NO! This is not possible! No one can rise from the dead, it can't be happening, how can you do this?" The Mulldack charged towards Z's body, but he was to late.

The Crystal Element that had once been fixed to Mickey's staff was gone. It had been replaced by ten million sparks of pure power, each one absorbed by Z's body, replacing the blood he had lost. Returning his life.

Z's eyes flicked open. The Mulldack stopped in his tracks.

"IMPOSSIBLE!"

Z smiled, pushing himself to his feet. He was smaller than the Mulldack, much smaller, but somehow Z managed to tower over him. For the first time the Mulldack looked scared, terrified even.

Looking down at his wrists Z saw the last of the sparks dissapear inside him. Then a glaring white light shone for an instant, sealing his wounds. Two viscious scars stood out from his flesh.

Z walked slowly forwads, edging towards the Mulldack. Then he stopped, holding up his arms to give a clear view of the duel scars.

"I'm gonna make you pay."

"NO! Get back, stay away from me!" The Mulldack looked truly scared.

"What did you call me? A poor, defencless little boy? Lets see how defenceless I am now, shall we?"

The blood that had caked Z's shirt was disappearing, his skin sucking it back inside, every Crystal particle increasing his strength. Now Z stooped low, brushing his hand across the remaining pools of blood. They evaporated, sparks swarming across his arms.

"Now I am ready." Z advanced on the Mulldack, stalking him. Now the demon was screaming in terror.

"No! NO! You can't do this, please NO! NO!"

Z grabbed the Mulldack by the shoulders, digging his fingers in with all his strength, draining the Element's power from his body.

More sparks rushed, this time draining the Mulldack of his power and strength. In less than a minute Z stopped and the Mulldack fell back, whimpering in fear.

Now Z was charged with the full power of the complete Crystal Element. For the first time in hundreds of years the Element was complete again, both halves brought together in one body. Z possessed their full power. His vision buzzed, his heart beat at double the speed, everything he saw he saw with a new clarity. He could feel the immense strength pulsing through his viens.

He could do anything! Z looked down at his body and realised for the first time that his skin was white. Not just pale, but actually white, snow white. His eyes, although he could not see them, had coloured gold.

He looked terrifying, but also magnificent, every inch of exposed skin white with the Element's power. Then he spoke and his voice boomed, five times its normal volume, with great authority.

"I cannot let you leave. I know that once before you were defeated, but you came back to power. This time you will not be so lucky, Mulldack. It ends here. Now."

The demon screamed with anger and rage, bitter sorrow at his defeat.

"You cannot kill me!" He screamed each word, building all his vocal power. "I am the Mulldack, the greatest of all Dark Lords! If you, a mere boy, can return from death, as can I!"

Z shook his head, gripping the Mulldack with both hands.

"Your not coming back from this."

"NO!"

Pure energy buzzed through Z's body, swirling and building, shooting through his arms like a bullet from a gun. The Mulldack, writhing in his grip, was blasted with the power of an atomic bomb.

The demon's eyes melted in their sockets, his skin shrivelling, his arms burning with white flames, the unnatural fire licking his body. In a second the scream of anguish died in his throat and life left him. The Mulldack was gone, nothing more than a husk of flesh and bone.

Z let the gortesque corpse fall limp, then he heaved it upon his shoulder and, charging his strength with the power of the Crystal Element, threw it across the throne room.

The sound of broken glass. The shrill shriek of a thousand shards plummeting to the ground. The great glass window, beyond the throne itself, had shattered as the body of the Mulldack impacted upon it. Light poured into the room, spreading its cruel, harsh gaze upon it and Z saw the shadow of the Mulldack's corpse suspended for a second, visible in the air as it began its decent. A shadow cast mometarily against the sun, a thousand shards of glass surrounding it as they fell to the marble, each refelecting the rays of light.

Then it fell. The dead, cold body of the Mulldack plunged down, crashing hard into the wall of the fortress as it went, until it came to rest, slamming into the earth, shattering the bones and splitting open the corpse. The Mulldack was no more.

Z turned back to Lirael and Mickey, both now on their feet. He walked back towards them.

"He's gone. He won't be back."

It was over. It was finally over.

"Its time to go home."

In the corridor the final remanants of the barricade were crushed and the Dark Warriors swarmed inside. Mickey's army had broken inside the fortress, but this would not stop them. They were mad with bloodlust and the remaining Warriors would not hold back.

Daz fired, the sound of machine-gun chatter filling the corridor. There was nothing left between him and the Warriors, all they had left was the rifle. With trembling fingers Daz loaded the final clip, spaying its contents through the doorway, slashing the demonic assault in half.

Then there was a dull click and Daz realised they were out of ammo.

"I've got nothing left!"

Kiz and Ruby charged forward, Ruby with her sword and Kiz holding a single giant star blade. They fought bravely, steel clashing with steel, but there were to many Warriors. For every one they killed two more would appear in its place. In seconds they had worn away any energy that had built and their attacks began to slow.

"Retreat! There's nothing you can do!" Kiz turned, a Warrior's sword catching her arm as she went, causing her to scream with pain. Now the demons swarmed the corrdior, destroying all in their path.

The little group ran, using the last reserves of their energy in a final sprint. Then they stopped. At the end of the corridor three figures had appeared.

"Mickey! Lirael!"

The Dark Warriors stopped in their tracks, gazing at the white figure. Who was he?

"Z…is…is that you?"

"Yes. I have absorbed the power of the complete Crystal Element. The Mulldack is dead. This battle is over."

The Dark Warriors could not believe it. The great Mulldack, dead? It could not be possible. Z approached them.

"You want proof?"

Energy blazed through his veins and his skin shone with renewed power.

"Take this as proof!"

For an instant the corrdior shone a glaring white, then jolts of power shot from Z's fingers, each spearing a Warrior.

Slowly Z stepped forwards, his white light cutting down any Warrior in his path.

"Retreat!" They screamed the words, but it was already to late. By the time Z stepped out into the courtyard of the fortress, Mickey's army had them surrounded. They surrendered, any one who fought onwards was slashed down by the power of the Crystal Element. The battle was finished, the Mulldack defeated and his army all but destroyed.

There was work to be done. Bodies to bury. War does not come without a price to pay. For now, however, Z had done his job. He, along with his friends, collapsed upon the grass of the courtyard and fell into a deep sleep.

This day was finished and tomorrow it would start anew.

And so it ends. Next week: Chapter 15, the final chapter of Dimension Domination. What will happen in the stories closing stages, will Z return to Earth? Which secrets are left to be revealed? Return next Monday for the answers to these questions and the climax of DD.

Z