Ch. 12
A Fight to Remember

I barley registered my alarm going off. My eyes fluttered open as I became conscious of my head laying flat on the mattress and my arm and leg hanging off the side. My phone was flashing and ringing on my bedside shelf. I inhaled sharply as I scrambled to sit up and reached up for my phone, quickly turning off the alarm. I waited a few seconds to listen for my parents. The silence stretched on for several seconds. I released my breath as I slowly crawled out of bed.

I put on my robes, placed the magical necklace around my neck, and made sure all of my gear and leftover potions were on me. I began to reach for my headband and beanie but suddenly stopped. Was there any point in wearing the beanie anymore? I was only using it to keep my hair hidden, and I didn't really have to now, thanks to Clyde. I could feel myself growing angry as I thought of him. I should have been more honest before, but he had no right to do this to me. Once I was done with Cartman, I was going straight for him and knocking him in his fucking teeth.

I stared down at my beanie for a few seconds before reaching for my drawer, pulling it open and reaching for one of my hair ties. I quickly put my hair up in a half-up half-down style, just enough keep it out of my eyes. I picked up my headband and placed it on my head, feeling more comfortable than before. I was ready.

It was 4 am now. I figured I could at least try to sneak out myself, and just meet Butters on the way. I managed to leave my room and creep down the stairs without making any noise, something I had gotten very good at lately. But just as I reached the door, I saw that there was a chain and lock strapped to the door, keeping it from opening enough for me to even slip through. Dad must have just put it up. Was it because of what happened earlier, or was it something he had planned to put up anyway? Either way, it was a problem. I figured the key would be by the keychain next to the basement, but it was empty. The only other place it could be was in my parents' room, but they always kept their door locked at night.

Well fuck.

I shuffled back to my room, feeling defeated as I slumped onto my bed. What was I supposed to do now? Butters said he would try to help, but there was nothing we could do about the lock on the door. Maybe I could use my bedsheets to climb out the window? Did I have enough to reach the ground?

I sighed, resting my head into my hands.

Tink!

My snapped open as I heard the tiny noise.

Tink! Tink!

I blinked as I turned around to look at my window. A tiny rock flew up and hit the glass with another tink! I slowly crawled across my bed and made my way to the window. I waited a moment before sliding the window open and peeking out. My eyes scanned the side of my yard for a moment before they landed on something moving on the ground. My jaw fell opened as I stared down at Butters, Stan and Craig, all three standing in the snow, still in their robes and armor.

"Wha- Guys?" I hissed loudly. "What are you doing here?"

"We're here to help you get out!" Butters called out.

"Butters said that you might be grounded," Stan added. "He asked us to help bust you out."

I gaped at them, too shocked to speak. I knew Butters was going to try to help in some way, but I didn't expect this, and I certainly didn't expect Stan or Craig to show up with him. I figured Stan would still be upset with how our fight went, and Craig didn't seem too pleased when he realized I had lied. Yet, here they are, ready help me escape the confines of my room. A fairytale clique if I'd ever seen one.

I started laughing in spite of myself, leaning onto the window ledge as I grinned down at them.

"I guess I'm the damsel in distress this time, huh?" I asked. "You boys here to 'rescue me from my tower'?"

Butters seemed to puff up his chest as he nodded. "In a matter of speakin'."

"I tried to pick the lock on the front door, but it still wouldn't open," Craig spoke up. "It must be infused with some dark magic that's unknown to me."

"My dad has another lock on the inside. I'm sure he has the key in their room, but their door is locked."

"We don't have time to search for keys," said Stan. "We'll have to go with plan B."

Stan reached behind him and pulled out a bow and arrow. Craig pulled out some rope and began tying one end to the arrow. Stan loaded and arrow and aimed it up towards me, and I shuffled back just to be safe. He released it, and it embedded itself into the wall above my window. I blinked up at it, surprised that it actually worked.

"Find something to help you come down."

I nodded. "Okay… uh, give me a moment."

My brain was going miles a minute; I was acting before I even knew what I was doing. I ran over to my desk and pulled out a notebook and pencil and started to write.

Mom and Dad,

I'm sorry about making you upset. I really didn't mean to, and I want to make it up to you. I left early to go to the store to find something to make you feel better. I'll be home soon, don't worry. I'll have my phone and call you when I'm on my way home.

I love you, Ashley.

Quick and to the point. If I couldn't make it back home for some reason, I would have my tracks covered somewhat. I placed it on my bed, tucked under my pillow just enough to keep it from falling off.

"C'mon, Ash!" Butters urged. "We don't have much time!"

"Give me a second!"

I ran over to my closet and looked around for the biggest hanger I could find. The only ones I could find were the small, fragile plastic ones. I dug through some of my remaining boxes, and finally found a large metal hanger. It would have to do.

I ran back over to the window and hooked the hanger onto the rope, placing my feet on the ledge of the window. Stan and Craig gripped the other end of rope together, holding it tightly. Butters stood close to them, arms held out at his sides. I took a deep breath and jumped.

The cold air bit at my face as I started to slide down the rope. I was going much faster than I expected. Before I could let go to avoid crashing, I had already reached the end. Butters stood in front of me and managed to grab me in time to keep me from crashing into them all, but not enough to keep me from falling on top of him.

We fell to the ground, my face landing halfway into the snow. I groaned as I sat up and looked down at Butters; his gold headband was lopsided, and his hair was covered in snow. He blinked up at me, grinning sheepishly.

"Hehe… g-gotcha."

I grinned back as I quickly stood up, reaching hand out to him. He grasped it and I helped him to his feet.

"You okay?" Stan asked.

I nodded. "I'll live. I've walked away with way worse."

"I'll say," said Craig. "You're pretty bruised up."

"What?! Where?"

Butters walked up and grasped my arms, raising them up to examine them. His eyes widened as they fell onto my scabbed knuckles.

"Oh geez… hang on."

He reached behind him and after a moment pulled out a small roll of gauze.

"Butters, you don't have to…"

But he was already wrapping some around one of my hands. He somehow managed to tear it with his teeth before tying it in a knot, then moving onto the next one. I could feel myself blushing as he held my hands with such care, not seeming even a little bothered, though his cheeks did seem a little pink.

"There, that better?" he asked as he patted my shoulder the same way he always had.

I gulped and nodded. "Feeling brand new."

"C'mon, we don't have too much time," said Stan.

He led us over to a rope that was hanging over the fence, and we each took turns climbing up and over. Once we were out, we made our way to the sidewalk.

"Just follow us, we know the way," Stan told me.

"You got it."

Stan led our little group as we made our way down the sidewalk.

Nobody said anything, the others seeming content with the silence. I wasn't though. I knew that Butters was my buddy and I didn't necessarily need reassurance from him, but the others were a different story.

After a few minutes of walking, I marched up to walk beside Stan. He glanced over at me but didn't say anything. I stuffed my hands into my pockets as I prepared to speak.

"Hey, um… thank you," I spoke softly. "I know we didn't leave on the best of terms before, and… you didn't have to do this. But I appreciate it more than I can say. Just… thank you."

Stan blinked at me before shaking his head. "Don't mention it. The last thing I want is to see Cartman's ego inflated, and getting his ass handed to him by you would definitely put a dent in it."

I nodded. "Trust me, I plan to."

"Besides, I kinda owed you one. I didn't do anything to help you back at the school, if Butters hadn't stepped in you would've been banished. I just stood there…"

"It's alright, dude," I smirked. "Honestly, I figured you'd still be pissed after I kicked your ass."

Stan huffed and shook his head. "Yeah, you really did a number on me," he turned to look at me. "By the way… thanks for that health potion. I probably wouldn't have made it if you hadn't left it."

"Yeah, well, I felt bad."

"So, does this mean no more lies?" Craig pipped up from behind.

I turned to face him. "Yes, Craig. No more lies, no more cover ups. I promise to be upfront with all of you from now on."

Craig glanced away from me, looking at his feet. I couldn't tell if he was confused or unconvinced, and it made me worried. I stopped walking, and the others stopped too.

"Hey, listen…" I started. "I really appreciate you coming to help me out. I know I don't have any right to ask you for it after I lied, but I promise I'll make it up somehow."

Craig didn't respond. He just looked at me the same way he always did- bored and content. He glanced away for a moment, seeming deep in thought. I lowered my head, feeling a bit put out. I guess I should be glad that he wasn't acting angry, that was a step in the right direction.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked.

My head snapped up. "Y-yes?"

"Can I still call you "sir", or should I call you "ma'am"? Or do you wanna just be called "Commander"?"

Well, I wasn't expecting that. While I was a little surprised by the question, it did make me think. I had been called "sir" pretty much the whole time I had been here. At first, I knew it was because I was pretending to be a boy, but I had grown so accustomed to it. When the Elf King had offered me a place in his kingdom with a new title- Lady Ash- I liked how it sounded. But now it didn't seem to bother me that much. Was it because the truth had been revealed? Was it because I just liked how the title sounded, despite my gender? Either way, it didn't feel like a problem for me. If some of the boys wanted to call me "ma'am", it would take some time to get used to, but I wouldn't be upset by it. I do like "Sir", and I really like "Commander".

""Ma'am" would take some getting used to," I admitted. "But, you can call me whatever you'd like. I'd be happy with any of them."

Craig glanced around for a moment, looking deep in thought. After a moment of silence, he looked up and nodded.

"Okay, Commander."

I grinned and nodded. After a second, we continued walking.

"Your hair's really cool, by the way," Stan added. "I never said it before, I like it."

I reached up to fiddle with a few strands of my hair. "Thanks. I'm glad I don't have to hide it anymore; I love showing it off."

"How did you get it done anyway?"

"My parents agreed to let me dye it if I got straight A's. It was right before I moved."

"That's awesome," said Craig.

The rest of the walk went in moderate silence, aside from the crunching of snow and distant crickets. I was going far past any part of town I had been at. The trees became thicker and the area around us became darker. At one point, the boys and I pulled out our phones to turn on our flashlights.

Aside from following them, I wasn't paying much attention to anything else. I was too busy thinking about the upcoming fight. I had already mulled over what might happen if I lose, but what if I win? Will the boys be glad that I kicked that jerk's ass, or would they be upset that a girl bested one of the kings? Butters, Stan and Craig seemed to be on my side for now, but I had no way of knowing what the other's stance on this was. It was clear that nobody seemed particularly fond of Cartman- he seemed to be a source of entertainment than anything- but that was no guarantee.

I sighed. I supposed there was no other way than to find out once this was all over.

I heard the rest of the boys before I saw them. We rounded a section of trees and there they were, gathered in a large clear area next to a large lake, forming a large circle by the bank. I guess that was supposed to be the fighting ring.

As we started to get closer, I could feel my feet start to slow down, my nerves getting the best of me. Stan and Craig continued forward as I slowed down to a stop. A hand pressed against my back, patting it gently. I turned to see Butters smiling at me.

"Don't worry, Ash, you got this. You didn't become Commander for nothin'!"

I smiled and nodded. He tried to urge me forward, but I stood my ground.

"Butters, I need to ask you something."

I felt his hand stiffen. "Ah- c-can it wait?"

"No, it can't," I turned to face him completely. "Before my parents found us, when you and I were talking… about me…"

Butters gulped loudly as he retracted his hand, looking a little shaken. I took a deep breath.

"Butters… did you know?"

Butters held his hands together, visibly shaking now. Finally, after a moment, he nodded.

I felt more confused than satisfied at his answer.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I- I didn't know how," he muttered. "You never corrected anyone and… I was starting to think maybe you weren't, that it was just my imagination. Wh-when I told you I saw your hair after you showed the goths, you looked so scared so I- I pretended not to notice. I wasn't sure why you were keeping it a secret at first, but… ah, I guess now I see why…"

"But…how? How did you even know?" I asked, dumbfounded. "Hardly anybody else seems to have noticed without me actually saying or showing it. How?"

Butters face suddenly grew very red and he stared at the ground. "D-don't make me say it… you'll laugh at me…"

I frowned. "I promise I won't. Please, just tell me."

Butters gripped and tugged at his robes, looking flustered. He muttered under his breath, but I couldn't hear what he said.

"What?"

Butters gripped his hands into fists before forcing his eyes on me, face set and still red.

"I knew you were a girl the moment a laid eyes on you," his voice was barley a whisper. "Ash… y-you're probably the p-prettiest girl I've ever seen…"

It felt like whatever was clamped around my heart suddenly released, allowing it to thump painfully against my chest. My face felt like it was right next to a bonfire, and my knees felt weak. Butters didn't say anything else, just looked at me expectantly. I swallowed hard and spoke in a voice that was unnaturally faint.

"…You think I'm pretty?"

"Hey, what's the hold up?"

Butters and I both jumped at Stan's voice. He and Craig were standing close to the crowd, apparently watching us. I shook myself off and called back.

"Sorry! We're coming!"

Stan nodded before he and Craig made their way passed the crowd. Butters and I looked at each other.

"We should… talk about this later then," I said shortly.

"Y-yeah… after the fight."

"Yeah."

We stared into each other's eyes for just a moment before turning and making our way towards the crowd.

As we got closer, some of the boys began to finally notice. Everyone I could see was staring directly at me; some looked shocked, others confused, and a few looked disgruntled. I did my best to ignore them as we passed through, reaching our edge of the circle. The boys on this side seemed to be comprised mostly of elves, and most of the humans seemed to be on the other.

I stopped when I noticed Cartman standing on the other side. He hadn't noticed me yet. I could see Tolkien looking at me from the other side, and he leaned over and said something to Cartman. The wizard whipped around with surprising speed, and his eyes widened when they landed on me.

"Ah! The witch finally arrives!" Cartman declared, drawing everyone's attention. "I must admit, I didn't expect you to show up, but this is good. Would've been a shame not to kick your ass if front of everyone."

I glared at him. "Oh, someone's ass is getting kicked, and it's sure as fuck not gonna be mine."

"Uh oh, somebody's angry. Watch out, guys! I think this bitch is on her period!"

"FUCK YOU!"

"Wait!" Stan grabbed my shoulders to stop me from charging at Cartman. "Calm down, not yet."

I wanted to snap at him but managed to keep my mouth shut. Cartman stuck his tongue out at me and proceeded to make ugly faces from across the circle. I flipped him off before turning away from him, trying to steady my breathing. How did I put up with this guy's shit for so long?

Butters walked up to me, rummaging for something in his pocket. After a second, he pulled out a small lump of foil in one hand, and a plastic package in the other.

"It's a frosted cake, one of the strongest health potions I could craft. It'll help during the fight," he handed me the plastic package, then held up the foil lump. "This is a burrito, a very large mana potion. It'll strengthen your magic. You better eat it now."

I nodded as I placed the cake in my robes and grabbed the burrito. It smelled amazing but I didn't have time to savor it. I unfolded the foil and began munching down as fast as I could without puking. I could still hear Cartman gloating from the other side of the ring, causing me to chow down angrily.

"There you are."

I nearly choked when I heard that voice. I managed to force down the large bite I had taken before turning around, coming face to face with Kyle. I managed to wipe my mouth with my sleeve as he walked up to me, looking much calmer than he had earlier, as well as relieved. The other boys seemed to step away as he approached me.

"Stan sent me a message about your situation, I'm glad they were able to help."

"O-oh," I cleared my throat. "Yeah. I was kind of stuck for a bit."

"I was worried you wouldn't be able to make it."

He was worried about me?

I smirked. "What? And miss a chance to punch that bastard's teeth in? Fat chance."

Kyle didn't respond. His eyes seemed to glance down for a moment before he raised one of his hands. I raised an eyebrow, wondering what he was asking for, and then glanced down at my bandaged hands. Oh? I hesitated for a moment before slowly raising my right hand and placing it on his. I flinched slightly as he carefully grasped it in both of his own, seeming to examine the gauze. I gulped as his fingers brushed against my skin, hoping he didn't notice I was blushing.

"Cartman's stomach is a weak point," he whispered to me. "He's weak everywhere, but he's especially weak there. If you can land a few hits, it'll knock him down."

I was too busy staring into his pretty eyes that I didn't notice him slipping something onto my hand until I felt cold metal against my fingers. I glanced down to see he had placed a set of scratched up brass knuckles onto my fingers before he pulled the gauze over it. I blinked up at him, and he looked right into my eyes.

"What he lacks in anything physical, he makes up for in magic. He's an asshole, but he didn't become the Wizard King for no reason. You'll have to make an opening if you wanna get close enough."

"Kyle, why are you doing this?"

He tilted his head. "Well, I would love to see him get beaten to the ground, but I also wanna see you win. You got the short end of the stick on this one, Ash- no pun intended. You've done too much to deserve what will happen if you lose," he smiled at me, his grip on my hands a little firmer. "I know things were intense before, but I can guarantee almost everyone is on your side in this, and we're all counting on you to show fatass who's the better magic user."

I was almost certain I had stopped breathing for a moment. I tried to keep a straight face as I gave him a firm nod.

"Thank you, Your Majesty…"

The Elf King nodded, finally releasing my hand. "Good luck, my lady."

My whole head felt hot as he turned and retreated back towards the crowd. I stared after him as my fingers brushed against the knuckles under the gauze. Couldn't he have just given it to me? I was already flustered enough; I couldn't afford to lose focus.

Butters cleared his throat loudly, snapping me out of it instantly.

"Th-the fight will start soon," he said, his voice a little wilted. "Are you ready?"

I took a deep breath and nodded. "As I'll ever be."

I patted his shoulder as I walked past him, making my way further into the circle. Cartman gloated for a bit more, taking the time to stop and stretch, apparently trying to show off. It was kind of pathetic.

"You think you're ready for me? You're not ready for this shit," he groaned, already sounding out of breath. "I'm gonna- huff- make you wish you never came here."

"Stop wasting my time," I called out. "Are we doing this or not?"

"OH, we're fucking doing this!" he snapped. "All out brawl, you and me, no assistance, not that I need it."

"That the only rule?"

"No holding back either. Hit me with all you got… not like it'll do anything anyway."

I reached into my robes and pulled out my wand, clicking the trigger and igniting the end. Cartman grasped his staff in one hand and held it up, taking a stance. The crowd around us was surprisingly silent, apparently too invested in what was in front of them. The only sound that could be heard was the wind, blowing through my hair and robes. Scott Malkinson walked up to another end of the circle, holding a horn. He held it up and blew it loudly.

I was running before I even realized it. My grip on my wand tightened as I got closer to my target, who was holding his staff at the ready.

As soon as I was in front of him, I used my Dragonshout to launch myself into the air as I had countless times before, but this time I overshot and leapt over him, rolling on the ground to crouch behind him. The boys all gasped around me, clearly surprised.

I went to swipe with my wand, but he whipped around as I did, though I still managed to catch the edge of his robes on fire. He leapt back slightly, stomping on his robes to put it out, and I jumped up to swing at him. He was able to raise his staff in time to block it. I pushed against him, and he pushed back.

"I thought what we had together was real, Ash!" he yelled in my face. "I thought you were a warrior to be trusted, clearly I was wrong."

"I'm surprised you're even able to admit your own faults!"

Cartman grunted as he managed to shove me off, knocking me back a few feet. I straightened up and started to make my way towards him, but as soon as I did, he pulled out a large plastic bag from behind him and threw the contents at me. I shivered as ice cubes hit me and went down my shirt.

"Take that, you little bitch!"

"You're not the only one with magic, prick!"

I pulled out my extinguisher and unleashed my Funnel of Frost, hitting him right in the face. He spluttered and gagged, taking several steps back. I held onto my wand as I circled around him. We were both a little slower now.

Cartman glared at me before advancing on me, much slower than usual. He tried to strike me with his staff, but I was able to block it and managed to get a good smack on his leg.

"Ah! Bitch!"

"Serves you right, dickhead!"

I ran forward and began to swing at him with my wand, managing to smack him in his arms. I barley had any time to step back before he raised a spray can and a lighter. I had to throw myself onto the ground to avoid the ball of flames that came charging towards me. The edge of my robes began to smoke, and I had to pat it into the mud to keep it from burning. That definitely did some damage.

The fire finally ceased, and I turned onto my side to see the end of a staff pointing directly into my face. Cartman stood over me, a huge shit eating smirk on his face.

"Do you yield?" he asked mockingly. "Not that it would matter. I'll stomp you out no matter what."

I glared up at him. "But I haven't showed off all my goodies, yet."

I dug into my pockets and pulled out one of my roman candles. Being a powerful wizard, it probably wouldn't affect him, but that's fine. I didn't need to hurt him yet; I just needed a distraction.

I light the candle with my wand and launched Dragons Breath right into his face. Cartman yelled and raised his hands to cover his eyes, leaving the rest of him completely exposed. I quickly sat up onto my knees, raising the fist wearing the knuckles, and threw it right into his gut. Cartman let out a strangled gasp, dropping his staff as he grasped his large stomach. I threw the firework onto the ground before delivering another punch into his face then hitting his stomach again, and again, and again.

After the third punch, he finally fell to the ground in a heap. I wasn't done. I stood over him and began punching him in the face, causing him to groan and splutter. I whacked him a couple times with my wand, not even trying to light him up. I grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up as I threw my head down, headbutting him in the nose. Blood was dripping from his nostrils as I released him and stepped away.

The crowd around us remained silent as I stared down at my opponent. I glared at him for a moment before turning away to make my way over towards Butters, feeling surprisingly drained.

"Ash, watch it-!"

I turned my head just as something large and heavy hit me on my forehead, right above my right brow. The boys all around me echoed "Oooh!" as my vision went white and I fell to the ground, my wand falling out of my grasp. I groaned as I slowly sat up, noticing a rock laying right beside me. I raised a hand to my brow and lowered it to see it was already bleeding.

"Motherfucker…"

"You think that's enough to beat me?!"

I looked up to see Cartman was standing as best as he could, hunched over and clutching his stomach. He was shuffling over to me, and I quickly fumbled in my pockets in search of that frosted cake potion.

"I am the Grand Wizard of the fucking KKK! It'll take more than some cheap tricks to best me."

I found the package and quickly pulled it out, tearing it open with my teeth and shoving the cake into my mouth. I could feel blood dripping down the side of my face from my brow as Cartman got closer and closer.

"You think because I taught you some magic that you're all hot shit? Well, I haven't showed you everything I know."

"I don't need to see what else you got, bitch," I yelled through a mouthful of cake.

"You're gonna see it whether you want to or not!"

Cartman pulled his cape in front of him as he turned around and began lowering his pants. I shoved the rest of the cake into my pockets, and I scrambled to my feet just as he pulled out a lighter and lit it in front of his bare ass. I didn't give him a chance to light it up before I bent over and began to release a Dragon Shout.

My entire backside began to feel very hot, flames flying all around me but never touching me. I could feel the heat growing and growing, and I bent over to release more air. I could feel my mana draining faster and faster, the flames just barely missing my face.

I could practically feel Cartman smirking at me with his big dumb face. I could envision him laughing over my defeated form, forever dubbing me as Douchebag, and having to live with that embarrassment for my entire school career.

It made me furious.

I put my hands on my knees and released as much magic and power as my body could take, mana or no mana. The fire finally started to lessen. I turned my head to look behind me and saw that it wasn't shrinking but moving away from me and closer to Cartman. I could just make out his confused expression through the flames.

I gave one big push, and a blast of magic bigger than I had ever created before burst out of me, causing the fire to completely fall back and crash into Cartman. He screamed as the flames consumed him for a moment before dissipating.

Cartman lay on the ground, nose still bleeding and clearly unconscious. I straightened up, staring down at my fallen opponent. The crowd of boys remained motionless, not saying a word.

The silence broke as I heard Butters cheer. Then Stan and Craig, then Kyle, and soon everyone was cheering and clapping. I stared around in amazement at all the happy boys that surrounded me. I was happy, thrilled even. I wasn't sure how they would act if I actually defeated Cartman. I guess I was worried for no reason.

Suddenly, the crowd began to close in around me. Butters reached me first and threw his arms around me, hugging me tightly. I hugged him back as everyone else finally reached me. They were laughing and cheering, several slapping my shoulder, and a few patted my head, ruffling my newly revealed hair.

"You were amazing!" Butter said as he released me. "Oh shit! Hold on."

He used his cape to wipe the blood from my head as he rummaged in his pockets, clearly looking for a bandage. He eventually pulled one out and quickly placed it above my brow.

"Th-that better?"

"Very much."

Butters nodded, positively beaming. Princess Kenny marched right up to me, pulling the front of her parka down to reveal her bright smile. It was the closest I had come to seeing Kenny's full face.

"You were incredible, Ash!" she spoke in a surprisingly light, feminine voice.

Princess Kenny grabbed my shoulder with one hand and pulled me in for a long, affectionate kiss on my cheek. She giggled as I blushed, touching the spot on my cheek.

"Th-thank you, Your Highness."

"That asshole didn't stan a chance!" Stan jeered. "You wiped the floor with him!"

"I told you she was great!"

The rest of the boys all nodded and spoke in agreement, their voices blending in together. The boys directly in front of me began to separate, and soon the Elf King stood in front of me, arms held behind his back. He was looking at me with pride and glee.

"I knew you could do it."

I smiled back up at him.

I tried to move my feet, but the second I took a step my knees buckled, and I fell to the dirt, landing on my hands. The boys all around me gasped in shock. I tried to push myself up but found I didn't have the strength. That last blast of magic must have taken more out of me than I thought.

My eyes didn't leave the ground until a pair of shoes appeared in front of me, and a second later Kyle was crouching in front of me, his hand on my shoulder.

"Ash, are you okay?"

"I…"

I suddenly felt unbelievably drained, deprived of all energy. I took a deep breath, shaking my head, but only managed to make myself dizzy.

"I'll be fine," I sighed.

"Aw, I gotcha Ash," Butter muttered beside me, already rubbing my back. "Th-there you go, buddy."

I grinned at him. "Thanks dude… I needed that."

"She's used too much magic," I heard Tolkien speak from behind me. "Must've overexerted herself; I've seen it happen to the Grand Wizard once. She'll pass out soon."

"Can you make it back home?" Stan asked.

"Um, let me…" I attempted to stand up, but my knees gave way again. "Ah, no, I don't think so."

"My kingdom is closer," Kyle said. "You can stay there. I told my mom that some of the boys were spending the night, so you should be able to blend in with us."

I was so tired that I didn't have the strength to argue. "Yeah… Yeah, okay."

The Elf King held out his hands, and I didn't hesitate to grab them. He helped me to my feet and placed one of my arms around his shoulders to use him as support.

"The issue with Clyde and his supposed army has become a problem too great for us," he addressed the crowd, humans and elves. "I've sent some of my best scouts to gather information while he sleeps. I'll have a presentation ready by morning. I suggest everyone meet at my house so we can properly form a plan of attack. Agreed?"

Everyone nodded, not even attempting to argue. I guess all they needed to agree with each other was to have a common enemy.

"Alright, everyone meet at the Elf Kingdom as soon as the sun's up, we'll go over everything there."

The boys began to dissipate, walking past us. Several of the boys grinned at me, patting me on the shoulder and giving minor praises. Scott Malkinson even came up and gave me a high five. Despite being on the brink of passing out, I was smiling from ear to ear.

"C'mon, let's go," Kyle said as he put an arm around me.

But just as we started to move, I heard it. Sniffling. I turned my head to look back at Cartman, who was now sitting up with his back facing us. His shoulders shook slightly as he continued to sniff loudly. Was he… crying?

"Ignore him," Kyle said firmly. "He got what he deserved."

He started to move again, but I grasped his shoulder tightly to stop him. He blinked up at me, and I nodded over at Cartman. Kyle looked back and forth a few times before letting out an irritable sigh. He helped turn me around and we moved closer to the fallen wizard. Cartman didn't move as we reached him.

"G-go on! Fucking laugh!" he snapped in a cracked voice. "I-I know I would. Fucking- this is b-bullshit!"

"You're the one who challenged her in the first place," Kyle spoke in an unforgiving voice. "You should've known better."

"How was I supposed to know she would- sh-she would… J-Just fuck off!"

Kyle shook his head. I stared down at the angry boy in front of me, feeling a sense of satisfaction. He didn't think I was good enough, and I taught him otherwise. He couldn't say shit about me anymore. I was happy I kicked his dumb fucking ass.

But…

I rummaged in my pockets with my free hand for a moment before pulling out the remainder of my frosted cake. Kyle stared at me, but I ignored him. I slipped my hand from his shoulders and shakily lowered myself onto my knees. I reached up and tapped Cartman's shoulder, causing him to snap his head towards me.

"The fuck do you want?!"

He glared at me with wet, red eyes before they landed on the cake in my hands. His mouth fell open slightly as I held it out to him.

"You tried to banish and humiliate me, I kicked your ass and humiliated you," I stated. "We're even now. Whatever shit we had is behind us… for now. We're gonna need all the help we can get if we're gonna defeat Clyde."

Cartman used his sleeve to wipe some of the blood from his nose, looking from me to the cake. "R-really?"

"Just take it before I change my mind."

Cartman hesitated before taking the cake from my hands. He examined it for a moment before he began munching on it.

"I'll see you at the meeting tomorrow?"

Cartman didn't speak but nodded. I nodded back before shakily getting back to my feet. Kyle placed my arm back around his shoulders, his hand coming around my back.

"We should go."

We turned and began to make our way out of the woods, leaving the Grand Wizard behind with his treat.

It took a surprisingly long time to reach Kyle's house, though it would've taken longer to get to mine. Besides, there was no way to get back inside with the lock my dad set up. I was already close to fading out, and I didn't need the extra stress. The sky was just starting to brighten, barley becoming a lighter shade of blue. The sun would be rising soon.

The king had managed to create a doorway through a section of his fence, so we were able to slip into the kingdom with no problem. The handful of boys that came with us separated, making their way to their own little tents. I didn't expect to have a tent to sleep in. Honestly, I'd be happy to just sleep on the ground at this point.

"One of the boys couldn't make it tonight, so we have a spare," said the king. "Just over here."

Just as we began making our way around the large throne, two boys started making their way over to us. They were dressed in mostly black robes, armed with only bows and arrows.

"My king!" one said as they both bowed. "We have returned with the information you requested. It's… it's as bad as you feared."

Kyle shook his head. "Not right now."

"But-"

"Just wait a second, I'll be right back."

Kyle helped me move past the two boys, continuing our previous stride. He brought me to a small tent close to the throne area, a small lantern sitting beside it. Kyle held my hands as he helped me to my knees. I nearly sighed with relief when I saw a sleeping bag and pillow placed inside.

I didn't hesitate to crawl forward and sit in the center of the bag. It was fluffy enough that I could barley feel the rough terrain beneath me. I turned to see Kyle crouched on the outside, looking right at me.

"You need anything?"

I smirked. "Well, I could use some snacks and a fluffier pillow. Oh! Could you tuck me in and tell me a story while you're at it?"

Kyle chuckled as he shook his head. "How about I leave you in the snow instead?"

I snorted. "No thanks, I'm good."

"Alright, I'll send for you in a few hours. Try to get some sleep."

He made to stand up, but I reached out and grabbed his wrist. His whole arm seemed to stiffen as I touched him.

"Hey… thank you," I smiled. "Seriously, thank you."

Kyle's eyes lingered on my hand before looking up at me, his face flushed. After a moment he grinned and nodded.

"You're welcome."

I released his hand and he slowly stood up, making his way back towards the throne, no doubt to talk to his spies. My head suddenly felt very heavy, and I slowly lowered my head down onto the pillow. I was out the moment I closed my eyes.

Hey y'all! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

I wasn't sure how to do this fight at first, but I figured simply an extended version of the fight with Cartman if you choose to fight him would do fine. He walks behind you to dump an icechest full of ice on you in game, so I changed it to a plastic bag for the sake of the scene. You know, the one's you get at gas stations for a few cents? Those kinds.

Please leave a comment and tell me what you think of this chapter and story! It helps out a lot. Thanks