Hi everyone, welcome back to more J-WITCH. I really don't have anything to say about this particular chapter other than it has a pretty big reveal at the end, something different from the cannon series. So anyways, with that being said, let's get started.
The Seal of Phobos
Vathek practically gnashed his teeth as he was brought before the large shapeshifter known as Cedric in chains, with a guard escorting him. "Release me, fools!" He exclaimed in defiance.
"No freedom for traitors. No freedom. No freedom. For traitors. For traitors." The flowers around Vathek spoke in hushed whispers creepily.
"Whisperers, what prince shall Vathek pay for betraying us to the Guardians and their allies?" Cedric hissed to the talking flowers known as Whisperers.
"He shall be imprisoned in the Shadow Realm, face the wrath of the King of the Shadowkhan." The Whisperers decreed. "He shall be imprisoned the Shadow Realm, face the wrath of the King of the Shadowkhan."
Cedric chuckled. "Tarakudo shall enjoy this." He leaned closer to the guard who brought in Vathek. "Good work. You'll have extra rations tonight." He slithered away to retrieve the Oni King as well as Phobos for the punishment that was planned for Vathek, however, right as he left…
The guard leaned in close to speak to the Whisperers. "What are your master's true intentions for Elyon?"
"Secrets, secrets. Look in the Book of Secrets. The Book of Secrets." The Whisperers replied as Vathek slipped out of the shackles that weren't locked.
"The Book? But the Guardians already have the Book."
"Oh? Is that so?" A familiar voice spoke from the flowers, a pair of eyes manifesting from two of them before the King of the Shadowkhan himself emerged. "I'd love to hear more about this 'Book of Secrets'."
"Tarakudo!" The 'guard' backed away in shock along with Vathek.
"In the flesh." Tarakudo said before unleashing a psychic wave to blast them both back, causing the fake guard to drop the Monkey Talisman and reveal himself to be Caleb in disguise. "You certainly are a glutton for punishment, aren't you boy?" Tarakudo leaned closer towards the young rebel leader as well as Vathek.
"Yeah? So, are you for a certain vegetable, right?" Caleb smirked as Blunk, having turned visible thanks to the Snake Talisman threw an onion right at Tarakudo, causing the Oni King to cry out in pain, feeling the burning sensation in his eyes.
"Ugh! My eyes! My eyes!" Tarakudo vanished in a flash of magic.
"Blunk not eat onions this time." Blunk laughed, but the commotion drew the attention of several guards, who sounded the alarm and began to mobilize.
"Time to go! Hang on everyone!" Caleb quickly retrieved the Monkey Talisman and used its power to transform into a giant bird-like creature, which Vathek and Blunk quickly mounted as he flew away, even with several guards threw their spears or shot arrows, the rebel trio had already flown away quite the distance.
Meanwhile, inside the castle's throne room, Elyon had sketched what appeared to be a forest for her brother as well as her guards and the wizard around her.
"Wow, you really drew this by yourself?" Chow asked with surprise.
"Yep." Elyon smiled.
"Not bad Little E. You'd give DaVinci a run for his money." Finn commented.
"Yeah, you'd make a good artist someday." Ratso also complemented, with Daolon Wong discreetly rolling his eyes in annoyance.
"What do you think, Phobos?" Elyon asked her brother. "How does my idea sound to you?"
"I think a nature preserve is a wonderful idea." Phobos replied. "I never realized you were so fond of nature."
"Excuse me." Cedric, in his human form, walked into the throne room and spoke toward Phobos specifically. "A moment, my lord."
"Vathek and the rebel leader escaped?!" Phobos exclaimed with rage as Cedric bowed apologetically toward him, having told him what had happened.
"My legions are in pursuit as we speak!" Cedric tried to plea.
However, Phobos' expression of rage turned into a calmer disappointment. "At this point, I really shouldn't be surprised. When you have already failed to retrieve simple masks, how can I expect you to catch people?!"
Cedric did his best to hide his snarl at Phobos remark. "Surely sire, none of that will be of any consequence when you have drained Elyon of her powers!"
"Elyon is not yet ready! Her powers have yet to fully mature!" Phobos stated. "And if our enemies attempt to use the Oni masks they've already required before that happens, not even I will stand a chance!"
Suddenly, the aforementioned princess walked in. "Phobos, I think I've got an idea for an outdoor theater." Elyon said as the Dark Hand trio, along with Daolon Wong entered the hallway, fortunately she didn't hear the conversation exchanged between her brother and Cedric, but she did notice the troubled expression on his face. "Is something wrong?"
"It would seem your old friends continue to cause trouble." The prince responded to his younger sister. "I am sorry Elyon, while I know none of this is their fault, I am also responsible for my soldiers as well as the people of this kingdom. If these attacks do not abate, I may need to take more… drastic measures."
Elyon looked in genuine concern. "Wait… you're not going to…!?"
"No, I have no intention of killing them, I promise." Phobos quickly assured causing Elyon, and even the Dark Hand trio some relief. "But I may have to hurt them."
"Please, there has to be something I can do!" Elyon pleaded. "I can't… I can't stand the thought of my friends being hurt, especially when they're just being brainwashed!"
"Perhaps there is a way." Daolon Wong began as he addressed not only Elyon, but Phobos as well. "While we were searching for you on Earth, I discovered the identity of a certain individual living the life of an Earthling, while in truth, she hails from Meridian." That got their attention. "With how strong your magic has grown, your highness, I may be able to assist you in making contact with her. Perhaps she may provide us some assistance."
"Really?" Elyon asked, to which Wong nodded. "Alright, what do you need me to do?"
"Please, follow me." Wong gestured.
"Eh, maybe we should tag along too." Finn suggested as he and his friends stuck a little closer to Elyon.
"Yeah, were the kid's body guards. You never know when something might blow up in your face." Chow put in a similar excuse.
"Or if you accidentally summon some kind of monster." Ratso added, causing Finn and Chow to elbow him slightly. The truth was, if Wong was going to use this as a chance to hurt Elyon, they would grab her and escape the castle with her.
Wong narrowed his eyes slightly, seeing through their deception, but as they were Dark Chi Warriors under his control, he was certain he could discipline them if they stepped out of line. "Very well, come princess." Wong gestured for Elyon to follow her, with the Dark Hand trio following close behind.
As Phobos watched his sister vanish, he turned back to Cedric. "Find the rebel leader. I don't care how you do it, just do it." He spoke to him in a stern whisper, just in case Elyon was still within earshot.
"By your command." Cedric bowed before walking away, seemingly leaving Phobos alone. However, the dark prince glanced up toward a statue perched near the ceiling and could see its eyes move.
"Is there something you need from me, Tarakudo?" Phobos questioned as the Oni King emerged from the statue to address the dark prince.
"Yes, there is, actually." Tarakudo remarked as he hovered closer towards his partner. "Do you know anything about something called the Book of Secrets?"
"It is a magical text that is said to contain all the thoughts of its owner." Phobos replied. "However, it said to merely be a myth as nobody has actually seen it."
"Au Contraire, it may very well be real, because the Guardians apparently have it." Tarakudo revealed, causing Phobos to look in surprise.
"Are you certain?!"
"That's what the young rebel said." Tarakudo confirmed.
"Do you believe the Book may have secrets pertaining to the Guardians or even Jackie Chan? Such as a weakness, perhaps?" Phobos asked.
"I don't know, but the Book may also have something in regard to your sister." Tarakudo said, getting Phobos attention. "That rebel asked those little Whisperers what plans were in store for Elyon, and they said the answer lies within the Book."
"But whose plans, are they?" Phobos questioned with narrowed eyes.
"The Whisperers did not have an answer for that. I questioned them myself." Tarakudo answered. "But I think it's clear that somebody is plotting behind your back."
Phobos' fists clenched as he tried to maintain his composure. "I can't simply execute people on suspicion alone, I've already made that mistake once." He thought back to his mistake of having Raythor cast into the Abyss of Shadows when he was framed for a crime he did not commit. "I need real evidence."
"I agree." Tarakudo remarked. "Let us simply play along and wait for our little backstabber to reveal himself or herself. Patience is a virtue, young Phobos."
Phobos chuckled almost evilly. "Your wisdom is most appreciated, Tarakudo."
The Next Day – Earth – Uncle's Rare Finds
"Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao. Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao. Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao." Uncle, Jackie, Tohru, and Yan Lin chanted as they had prepared a special chi-spell to try and open the Book of Secrets, which was placed on a pedestal in front of Uncle, who pointed a dried lizard at it, both in the middle of a circle drawn on the floor with green chalk. Jackie, Tohru, and Yan Lin stood at separate ends of the circle, each holding an old lantern in their hands as they continued to chant.
"Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao. Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao. Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao. Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao." The lanterns began to glow green as they shined brightly, streams of chi-magic shot from each of them and toward Uncle, who channeled the spell directly into the Book of Secrets, that had green chi-magic surge around it before shinning brightly. When the flash of light subsided, the Book remained unchanged.
"Did it work?" Tohru asked as Uncle attempted to open the book, but he was unable to.
"Book of Secrets continues to remain sealed." Uncle said, causing the group to look disappointed.
"We have tried virtually everything to open this book, but nothing seems to be working." Jackie stated.
"The Book of Secrets is ancient magic, originally believed to only be a myth." Yan Lin said. "But if it was found in Phobos' castle, all his secrets lie within."
"Perhaps what exactly he intends to do with Elyon." Tohru added. "We already know that he intends to take her power for himself."
"But without knowing what exact method Phobos intends to use, we remain in the dark." Uncle said as he got another good look at the golden book.
Jackie's cell phone suddenly rang, prompting Jackie to answer it. "Hello? Yes, this is Jade's uncle." He responded to the caller, thinking Jade had done something wrong, but was surprised at what he heard on the other line. "Oh? Why? Is something wrong? Alright, we'll be there." He hung up. "That was Jade's teacher, Mrs. Rudolph. She wants to meet us, all of us."
This caused the other three adults to look toward each other with concern and confusion, clearly not expecting this.
Jackie, Tohru, Uncle, and Yan Lin arrived in front of the home of Mrs. Rudolph, just outside the gate that led into the garden. Before they entered however…
"Jackie?! Uncle!?"
"Grandma?!"
The group turned to the side in surprise to see Will, Jade, Cornelia, Hay Lin, Taranee, Irma, and Alchemy walking down the sidewalk, the girls looking in surprise to see the adults here.
"What are you guys doing here?" Alchemy asked.
"Your teacher called us and told us to meet here." Tohru answered, this caught the girls by surprise.
"No way… That's what Mrs. Rudolph wrote on my math test." Will reached into her backpack to present said test to Jackie, with the message written at the bottom saying to meet at the house. "But why did she call you guys?"
"We don't know, she didn't say." Yan Lin replied.
Uncle got a good look at the house as he felt a slight chill down his spine, not as bad as his normal batch of willies, but still noticeable. "Magic resides here."
If they weren't surprised before, they were now and were immediately placed on guard. "Everyone, stay close." Jackie stated as he took point and slowly opened the gate before the group cautiously entered the garden, keeping any eye out for anything suspicious.
"Nice place, doesn't seem very 'evil'." Jade observed.
"Appearances can be deceiving." Taranee noted.
Uncle took a whiff of the air. "Magic is near, but it is good magic."
"You can tell all that just by sniffing?" Cornelia asked skeptically before sighing in annoyance. "Of course, you can."
Suddenly, the Heart of Kandrakar began to shine around Will's neck, drawing everyone's attention. As Will looked into the crystal, she saw the silhouette of a large creature that didn't look completely human.
"What the heck is that?" Hay Lin asked.
"I suspect it's me."
The group turned in surprise to see what appeared to be a humanoid slug-like creature emerging from the bushes, immediately putting the heroes on guard as Jackie and Tohru took combat stances, with the girls readying themselves as Will held the Heart of Kandrakar and prepared to say the magic words.
"Wait… Wait!" The creature held up its hands, showing it meant no harm as it took the shape of a middle-aged woman the girls all recognized.
"Mrs. Rudolph?!" Jade exclaimed.
"It's good you all came." She stepped out to address the group. "I apologize for the secrecy, but I felt it was urgent for all of us to meet."
"Who are you?" Jackie questioned, still standing protectively in front of the girls. "And what do you want?"
"You're from Meridian, aren't you?" Yan Lin asked.
"Yes, I am." Mrs. Rudolph confirmed, taking the group by surprise. "I can understand why you all feel so defensive, but I don't intend to harm any of you. I came here to Earth many years ago, with Elyon."
"You brought Princess to Earth?" Uncle asked as Mrs. Rudolph led them to a set of chairs and benches on her patio for them all to sit and talk.
"Many helped save her from her brother, but I was the one chosen to carry her across the Veil." Mrs. Rudolph continued to explain.
"But how could you have crossed the Veil?" Tohru asked.
"I used the Seal of Phobos to open a portal." She answered.
"The what?" Alchemy asked, as this was the first time, she heard about it.
"A magic relic that is capable of opening virtually anything." Yan Lin explained. "But it has been lost for many years, with not even Phobos capable of finding it." She turned to Mrs. Rudolph. "Can I assume that you hid it somewhere here on Earth?"
"No, I lost it in my haste coming to Earth."
"Why didn't you retrace your steps and look for it?" Will asked.
"To be honest, I thought 'good riddance', I still do." Mrs. Rudolph replied. "Plus, the Seal can only open things, not close them."
"Then how did the portal you used to travel close? Why couldn't Phobos minions follow?" Jackie asked.
"I could only suppose, even as a baby, Elyon's great power crossing the Veil was enough to seal it behind her." Mrs. Rudolph answered.
"Her great powers don't seem to be doing her or any of us that much good now." Cornelia commented.
"I foolishly thought after all these years that the princess was safe." Mrs. Rudolph continued. "That someday, I could tell her who I was and what I saved her from."
"Why wait till now to tell us?" Taranee asked.
"Last night, Elyon contacted me." Mrs. Rudolph revealed, which immediately got Cornelia and Alchemy's attention.
"Contacted you?! How?!" Alchemy questioned as she and Cornelia both stood from their chairs.
"Is she okay?!"
"She appears to be fine for now." Mrs. Rudolph explained as she told them what she experienced the previous night.
"While I slept, I encountered Elyon in my dreams. At first, I thought it was only just a dream, but I could feel the vast amount of magic power that was being used, so I knew right away that it was real."
Mrs. Rudolph hovered in a void of energy as a transparent form of Elyon addressed her.
"Please! If you're really from Meridian and you knew my parents, you have to get the Heart of Kandrakar away from Cornelia and the others!" Elyon pleaded. "They're being brainwashed! You have to help them!"
"…Those were her exact words." Mrs. Rudolph finished telling them.
Jade gave a slight scoff. "We already know she thinks we're brainwashed; this isn't news to us."
"The fact that Elyon is powerful enough to contact somebody else across the Veil into their dreams however shows that she's getting stronger." Tohru commented.
"Powerful, yes. But such a complex spell is too complicated for someone so young as her." Uncle said.
"Ten bucks says short, dark, and creepy helped her out." Irma said.
"With Daolon Wong instructing Elyon on how to control her ever-growing magic, and with Phobos' manipulations, she could grow into a powerful threat if we do not rescue her soon." Yan Lin said.
"But she's still our friend!" Cornelia tried to say. "There's gotta be something we can do!"
Jackie then turned to their newly revealed ally. "Mrs. Rudolph, how exactly did Elyon know you were from Meridian? How would she know to contact you, specifically?"
"Cedric came here to Earth to find Elyon, right?" She questioned in response, which Jackie nodded to in conformation. "I'm guessing he must have found out about me, but he didn't think of me as a threat, so he left me alone."
"So… what? What do we do?" Will asked around, looking toward Jackie thinking he had an answer.
"We know that Phobos intends to steal Elyon's powers, but we do not yet know how." Jackie began. "However, we also know that he hasn't yet done so."
"Of course, he hasn't. Because Elyon's power is not at its peak yet." Uncle began to explain. "Elyon was born in Meridian, but she spent her life on Earth, unaware of her vast powers. Because of this, her powers have dwindled. However, now that she is in Meridian and is aware of her abilities, they will grow. If Phobos truly desires to procurer her powers, they must be at their peak."
"So, what you're saying is, Elyon's gonna get even more powerful than she already is?" Alchemy questioned.
"Yes." Uncle confirmed.
"That's just great." Taranee sulked into her chair.
"However, this also means that for the moment, Elyon is safe." Yan Lin explained, catching the group's attention. "Phobos cannot harm her, nor can any of his allies. In order for her abilities to return naturally, he must keep her in a state of serenity, he must keep her safe. In a twisted sort of sense, Phobos will not allow any harm to come to Elyon."
"Which could buy us some time to figure out what his plan is and come up with a way to stop him." Tohru seemed to follow Yan Lin's train of logic.
"So, let me get this straight." Irma began. "We're trusting an evil prince, a dark wizard, a giant snake, and a floating demon head to keep our friend safe? Sure. Why not?"
"So, we don't do anything?" Cornelia questioned. "We just let Elyon stay with her psycho brother?!"
"Cornelia, we don't have any other options." Will told her. "Look, I get it. Elyon's been your friend since forever, but remember what happened when you tried to sneak into Phobos' castle by yourself?"
"I wasn't by myself; I was with Jade!" Cornelia protested, only for Jade to give her titular scoff.
"Because I knew you were being an idiot back then." Jade answered. "And if I hadn't left that note for Jackie, Will, and everyone else, we'd probably be hanging by our toes in Phobos' dungeon."
"Exactly." Will responded. "I'm sorry Cornelia, but there's nothing we can do right now."
When it looked like Cornelia was about to protest some more, Jackie put a firm hand on her shoulder. "I promise, we will find a way to save Elyon. But, we need to figure out what Phobos' plan is first, and we need to come up with a plan of our own to stop him. We cannot afford to charge in without thinking. But once we do have our plan, we will do everything in our power to save her. You have my word, Cornelia."
Though she didn't like it, hearing Jackie's comforting words was enough to calm her down slightly. But what truly convinced her was Alchemy gently grabbing Cornelia's hand and looking toward her childhood friend with an expression that silently told her she agreed with everyone else.
"Alright…" Cornelia accepted reluctantly as she sat back down.
"Mrs. Rudolph, thank you for telling us all this." Jackie told their new ally. "I'm sure we'll find a way to make use of it."
"I know you will." Mrs. Rudolph nodded. "I know you'll succeed where I failed."
"So, what now?" Taranee asked.
"My best bet, for you girls to take a step back." Yan Lin told the girls. "You've been fighting monsters and looking for demon masks for a long while, I think you're due for a break."
"That's not a bad idea." Jackie agreed. "It's important for all of you to rest your bodies as well as your minds."
"Well, if we're clear to do some fun today…" Hay Lin said with a wide smile. "We got the extreme sports tournament later this afternoon!"
"Sounds like a plan to me." Jade nodded with a grin.
Meridian
The guards had been pursuing Caleb, Vathek, and Blunk ever since the previous day. Though they rebels have illuded them for some time, it seems their enemy had caught on to their trail and had chased them into town. But, for the moment, it seems the guards have lost them yet again.
After rounding a corner, Caleb approached the side of a house underneath a chimney and pressed a few bricks before it opened to reveal a hiding spot that nobody would be able to find unless they knew where to look.
"Only room for you, big guy." Caleb told his friend.
"But Caleb, what about you?" Vathek asked.
"Don't worry, I can hide in plain site with this." Caleb assured as he showed the Monkey Talisman.
"Caleb take invisible power too." Blunk tossed him the Snake Talisman, taking Caleb by surprise.
"Blunk? What are you doing? Why give me this?" Caleb questioned.
The Passling cleared some wood from the ground to reveal a hole that led into the sewers. "Blunk have hiding spot. Too big for Caleb. Caleb need invisible power more than Blunk."
Caleb was quite speechless. Blunk was actually offering him an additional Talisman that could help him to hide from the enemy, while he wouldn't have any at all. True, Blunk had found a good enough hiding place, the fact that Blunk was actually offering something without requesting anything for trade was what surprised him the most. It was a rather selfless act, one that he'd never expect from a Passling, but one he would accept regardless.
"Thanks, Blunk. Guess you're not so bad after all." Caleb smiled before he used the Snake Talisman to turn invisible.
Blunk then dove into the hole and found himself in the town's old sewers. He scurried through the tunnels, looking to get as far away from the guard patrols as quickly as possible. However, as he continued to move, he came to a stop as he found something shinny right below a pair of bars and a hole.
It appeared to be a diamond-shaped pendant with a string attached. It had a circle in the center with triangles at the top and bottom. Blunk picked it up and looked at it with curiosity.
"Oooh, shiny." However, Blunk heard a growl above him and looked to see a Lurden having found him. He tried to get in through the hole, but the bars kept him from going in at all. "What wrong, Lurden?" Blunk mocked. "Too big to follow Blunk!" He laughed as he continued down his way through the tunnels.
Suddenly, Blunk heard over a dozen rat-like squeals coming from behind and looked in shock to see the man-eating rat-like creatures racing toward him. "Sewer Troopers!" Blunk screamed as he ran for his life, carrying the mysterious pendant with him, as the Sewer Troopers in hot pursuit toward their next meal. But as Blunk turned around a corner, he found himself in front of another large group of the Sewer Troopers. They had him cornered and proceeded to move towards him in predatory fashion.
"Blunk not tasty! Go away!" He waved the pendant toward them, threatening to throw it at them in self-defense. However, as he waved it, he unknowingly activated its magical power to create a portal right behind him. Blunk turned around and saw the portal, not taking the time to question it as it was his way out, he leapt through the portal and to safety.
A few hours later, Caleb had let his guard down for a moment and turned himself visible, thinking he was in the clear, only to get spotted yet again by several more guards. Caleb cursed himself as he ran into a nearby forest with the guards in hot pursuit, but the young rebel was not unprepared.
"Now you're on my turf, creeps!" He activated the Snake Talisman, turning himself invisible as he continued to run. Though he also knew that he'd be leaving footprints, which the guards would be able to follow, but he could use that to his advantage.
The invisible Caleb ran into a small clearing and seeing how he was out of sight from the guards for a moment, he took out the Monkey Talisman and transformed into a normal bird, flying away toward a tree that had other similar-looking birds with him, blending in perfectly as the guards came into the clearing, having lost sight of Caleb, leaving them all more than a little baffled.
Getting frustrated, the guards began to cut down some of the tree branches, bushes, and any other place where they thought Caleb might be hiding, completely unaware that he was hiding with the other birds. However, Bird-Caleb quickly took note of the immediate presence of both Phobos and Elyon.
"Phobos!" Elyon exclaimed to her brother, upset at the guard's actions.
"Didn't you receive the order?!" Phobos shouted angrily to the guards, causing them to stop as they addressed the pair. "This forest is to be preserved! How dare you violate it!"
The head of the guards quickly bowed to the siblings, Phobos specifically. "Forgive us, your highness! Please! But the rebel leader came through here!"
"Caleb was here?!" Elyon exclaimed.
"Yes… we lost him!" The guard replied. "But he couldn't have gone far!"
Phobos glanced around, taking note of the trail of footprints that suddenly came to an end. He also took note of the birds that were in the trees but didn't seem to think Caleb was literally hiding in plain sight.
"Somehow he has illuded you." Phobos said. "Continue searching, just be careful not to damage the environment." He looked towards his sister. "Forgive me, Elyon. But we are dealing with a dangerous criminal."
"It's okay, I understand." Elyon nodded as a disgusted look formed on her face. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised that he's such a coward."
"He'll be brought to justice, I promise." Phobos assured her before turning towards the guards. "Cedric and Daolon Wong will join you shortly. Do not stop until you find him."
Earth – Heatherfield
Having escaped from not only the carnivorous Sewer Troopers, but also the forces of Phobos, while also getting a shiny new piece of treasure, Blunk was in a celebratory mood as he hopped down the sidewalk and sang a catchy tune.
"Me mother smelled bad, and so did me dad! Along with me brothers and aunts!" Blunk sung with a laugh, swinging the mysterious pendant he acquired, not knowing about what kind of magics it held. "We pass down our shirts, full of grease, grum, and dirt! And even our underpants!"
However, as he swung the pendant, he didn't notice that he had accidentally opened a portal in a nearby park.
Meanwhile, back in Meridian, Caleb had made considerable distance from the enemy search party and walked through a grassy field, looking for a place to hide until the heat dies down. But he came to a stop once he saw an open portal, just on the other side of a gorge at the bottom of the hill.
"There!" Caleb turned around in surprise to find both Cedric and Wong, along with a small army of guards, right behind him. The guards were the first to give chase, throwing spears at the fleeing Caleb, who quickly used the Monkey Talisman to transform into a wolf and run at faster speed.
"He is using the Talismans!" Wong exclaimed with a scowl. "Zen!" With a wave of his staff, Wong had summoned the Dark Chi Warrior Hak Foo. "Capture the boy!"
"Dragon Chases Fleeing Puppy!" Hak Foo shouted as he ran at super speeds, easily catching up with wolf-Caleb and leaping toward him to try and grab him. But before he could reach him, Caleb used the Monkey Talisman to transform into a falcon and slip through Hak Foo's grip and fly away even faster.
Back on Earth, several dozen kids were getting ready for the race, adjusting their roller-skates, helmets, along with elbow-and-knee pads. Jade, Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, Hay Lin, and Alchemy were making their last adjustments as well when a certain dislikable boy skated toward them.
"What do you know, in-line cheerleaders!" Uriah mocked.
"We're in the race, Uriah." Will told him.
"That's cute." Uriah replied. "Maybe I'll wait for you, at the finish line."
Jade scoffed. "In your dreams zit-boy."
"No, I'm Uriah. Rhymes with Winner! Well… the 'ur' part." He laughed before skating away.
"Can we please put another Oni mask on him?" Cornelia asked with a low grumble. "That way we can beat him up and not feel guilty."
"I'd be cool with that." Taranee said.
"Uh guys, we're supposed to be having fun, remember?" Alchemy reminded.
"Oh, but kicking his rhyming-challenging butt is gonna be extreme fun!" Irma stated.
"Skaters! Take your places!" The announcement was made as all the kids made their way to the start-line, which was at the top of the hill that had the street lead straight down.
"This hill is a whole lot steeper looking down than it is looking up." Taranee said nervously, looking down the hill.
"Don't worry Taranee, I'll hold your hand." Jade joked, causing Taranee to comically pout.
"Five… Four… Three… Two… One…!"
The horn was sounded, signaling the start of the race as everyone skated downhill. At the moment, it seemed like Uriah was in the lead.
"Later ladies!" He held a loser L over his forehead toward most of the girls, only to look in surprise as Jade skated past him, even more surprising as she was skating backwards!
"You know, the 'ur' part also rhymes with 'looser'!" Jade blew raspberries at him before turning around to get to the lead. "So long looser!" She chuckled, causing Uriah to scowl as he gave pursuit. It wasn't long before everyone else, as well as the rest of the girls, began to catch up as well. Taranee passed Uriah next, with Irma about to do so as well.
That is until Uriah purposely bumped into Irma, causing her to lose control, the momentum gathering from skating downhill took control and sent her tumbling into the forest just around the turn that everybody else made.
Hay Lin came to a stop as she saw her friend get wiped out. "Irma!" She was joined by Cornelia, Will, and Alchemy, while Taranee and Jade continued with the race, not noticing their friends stopped.
"Irma! You okay?!" Alchemy asked as the girl silently stared and pointed in front of her to an open portal.
"Well, what do you know?" Will said. "Remind me to thank Uriah for tripping you." She took out the Heart of Kandrakar from her pocket and used its magic to seal the portal shut.
Back in Meridian, Caleb, still in the form of a falcon, flew as fast as he could to the portal, only for it to close just an inch before he could make it, leading the transformed boy to slam face-first into a tree, causing him to transform back to normal.
Caleb didn't have much time to recover as he had saw Daolon Wong use his dark magic to construct a bridge from several trees so that he, Hak Foo, Cedric, and all the guards could cross the gorge. He quickly got up and used the Monkey Talisman again to transform into a wolf again and ran as fast as he could.
"Okay, let's go." Will said as she put the Heart of Kandrakar away.
"Uh… Will…" Cornelia pointed to her right to see half a dozen open portals scattered through the woods.
"What the hell…?" The redhead muttered in surprise.
Caleb ran toward a series of portals, still in his wolf form, already having ganged considerable distance from the enemy forces, only to find each of the portals closing one-by-one. Soon, he saw only one left as he quickly turned back to normal to look at the Snake and Monkey Talismans in his hand.
"Can't let Phobos get his hands on these…" Making a strategic decision, Caleb threw both talismans into the final portal, just before it closed. Breathing a sigh of relief that the Guardians would find them, suspecting they were the ones closing the portals, he quickly ran on his own two feet to keep moving, but he was already more than a little exhausted.
Will was using the Heart to close off what appeared to be the final portal as she looked in a mixture of confusion and frustration. "Why are there so many? Is the Veil disintegrating?!" However, right as the portal closed, two small objects flew out and hit her in the head, causing her to fall over.
The other girls scatted over to help Will up as Hay Lin picked up the two small objects that were thrown. "The Talismans?"
Cornelia got a good look at them as well. "The Snake and Monkey…?" She gave a gasp of realization. "Those are the ones Caleb borrowed!"
Realization dawned on the girls as it just occurred to them, they had figuratively and literally slammed the magic door in Caleb's face, trapping him in Meridian. "Crap…!" Will muttered.
"Use the map!" Alchemy suggested. "Maybe there's some more nearby!"
Will quickly took out the magic map and shined the Heart of Kandrakar over it to show all the portals in the area, those that were recently closed and those that remained open. "Okay… we closed off all the portals here, but where's this?" She pointed to an area a bit further away that had an open portal.
"Isn't that the old junk yard?" Irma recalled. It didn't take long for the girls to put two-and-two together.
"Blunk." They all said simultaneously.
"I'll call Jackie. Hay Lin, you text Jade and Taranee." Will instructed. "We're probably gonna need everyone on this."
Jade and Taranee were both neck-and-neck as they were in the homestretch of the race, with Uriah attempting to catch up to them. But it seemed like they had a plan as Taranee skated directly behind Jade and gave her a push, which Jade used to her advantage to give her a boost and cross the finish line, coming in first place, with Taranee in second, and Uriah in third.
"No! Darn it!" Uriah took off his helmet in frustration and slammed it in the ground as Jade and Taranee exchanged a high-five. "You two must have cheated!" He pointed to the girls.
"It's technically not against the rules to give your friend a boost, so it's not cheating." Taranee smirked.
"Sorry zit-boy, better luck next time." Jade smirked as well, causing Uriah to grumble as he stormed off.
"Even though it's not against the rules, Jackie probably wouldn't have approved." Taranee quickly said to Jade, who shrugged.
"Eh, it's only a race, not like we're fighting demons or anything life threatening. At least right now." Jade said before she felt a vibration in her pocket, prompting her to take out her cellphone and read the text Hay Lin sent her. "Speaking of Uncle Jackie…"
Back in Meridian, Caleb had all but ran out of steam. He came to a stop near a tree to catch what little breath he had. Running non-stop, even with the power of the Talismans from before, had taken its toll on his physical body. He only intended to stop for a second by a tree.
Suddenly, the tree itself was ripped from the ground by Hak Foo, causing Caleb to fall over as the Dark Chi Warrior loomed over him. "Dragon corners fallen knight."
Caleb attempted to pull himself up, only for a surge of Dark Chi magic to keep him immobile as Daolon Wong, Cedric, and their party of guards quickly surrounded him.
"Your physical prowess, albeit a strong one, is no match for the raw power of magic." Wong told the boy.
"But let's put the prowess of his to good use, shall we?" Cedric hissed as the captured Caleb only glared at the villains. Though they were successful in capturing him, he was inwardly glad they didn't get the Talismans he borrowed from his friends.
After meeting up with the rest of the girls, the seven of them made their way to the junkyard, where they met up with Jackie, Tohru, and Uncle as Will had already explained to them the situation over the phone.
"How are multiple portals opening all at once?" Jackie questioned.
"Don't know." Will replied. "Figured you guys would have an answer."
"This is not natural." Tohru shook his head. "From what we've seen so far, portals opening in the veil have all been isolated incidents. So, for several to be opening at once, and in both single and multiple locations, would mean that something else is at play here."
"You think Tarakudo might be behind this?" Taranee asked. "We have seen him move from Earth to Meridian before without a portal."
"Tarakudo can bypass the Veil by moving through the Shadow Realm." Uncle replied. "He is incapable of opening portals. We must quickly discover the source! Hurry!" The old man gestured as they entered the junkyard, where they can already see one portal in the middle of a junk pile.
They also heard a certain someone rummaging through the hood of an old car. "Oooh! Metal goodies! Blunk need bigger pockets!"
"Blunk! Blunk stop!" Jade called to the Passling, who leapt from the car hood, accidentally opening a portal behind him.
"Aiya!" Uncle exclaimed as they saw the new portal.
"Blunk, you are opening portals all over Heatherfield!" Jackie told him before noticing the pendant in his hand. "Where did you find that?" He asked, thinking it had something to do with this situation.
"An amulet that opens portals…" Will's eyes widened in shock. "Oh my god! Guys, I think that's the Seal of Phobos!"
"Yeah, I think you're right." Jade agreed as everyone was immediately put on guard as Jackie kneeled closer to Blunk.
"Blunk, I need you to hand me that amulet. Right now." Jackie told him.
"Blunk talk trade... Ow!" The Passling felt a dope-slap on his forehead.
"Seal is not a toy! Seal is dangerous magic!" Uncle chastised. "Do you want to tear the Veil asunder? No? Then hand over Seal and do not protest!" Uncle exclaimed.
However, before anyone could do anything, the Seal of Phobos began to glow as it hovered into the air. It then began to spin at rapid speeds, taking the form of a dark sphere as it surged with its own magic. The string that was attached to it had fallen off and landed on Blunk's face, which was enough to scare him as he dove into an old car for cover.
"It yours!" Blunk screamed to the heroes.
The spinning Seal then hovered high above the junkyard as it began to shoot dark energy bolts all around the area, causing many of the girls to scream as they all scattered to find cover.
"What's going on?!" Alchemy exclaimed as she hid behind a car with Uncle.
"Seal's power has been overused!" Uncle shouted. "Magic is out of control! Power can slice through dimensions!"
Immediately after finding her own cover, Will took out the Heart of Kandrakar and said the magic words. "Guardians Unite!" In a flash of bright light, Will, Jade, Irma, Hay Lin, Taranee, and Cornelia had all transformed into their respective Guardian forms of J-WITCH. Their transformations helped the girls to evade the erratic bolts of destructive power, but it was still incredibly dangerous.
"That's one wicked disco ball!" Hay Lin commented as she flew back to avoid a bolt that cut the crane behind her clean in half.
"Bad day! Bad day! Bad day! Bad day! Bad day!" Jackie shouted repeatedly as he ran, swerved, and jumped, using his agility to avoid all the bolts that were shot in his direction. He leapt toward an old car and landed on his hands to flip and land over it, but when it looked like a stray bolt was about to strike at him right as he landed, Jade suddenly flew in and used her shadow magic to try and construct a wall of shadows to block it, but the bolt cut through like a hot knife through butter. Though it did also allow Jade and Jackie a chance to get out of the line of fire.
"Geeze what kind of power does this thing have?!" Jade exclaimed.
Irma pointed a finger-gun at the Seal and shot a condensed stream of water, shooting with the kind of power and precision as a pressure washer on the highest setting, hopping to cut or shatter it to pieces. But once it made contact, the attack was dispersed around the Seal as a bolt was shot at her almost in retaliation. Irma screamed as she leapt back and avoided the bolt that cut the car she was standing on, completely in half, exposing Blunk who had been hiding in the driver's seat, right before he screamed and ran away.
Tohru grabbed a pair of old engines that were just lying around before throwing them at the Seal, but they each shattered once they made contact. Tohru then ran once he noticed a bolt was shot towards Alchemy and tried to cover the magicless girl with his body, but Cornelia was quick to provide cover by landing in front of them and rose multiple rocks from the ground for a make-shift shield. But the rocks that were struck were blown apart or cut in half, though it did give Tohru, Alchemy, and Cornelia time to find cover.
"Nothing we do seems to be working!" Tohru stated.
"Uncle, you're the magic expert!" Cornelia called to the elderly chi-wizard, who was hiding behind an old car for cover. "Don't you have a spell that can shut the thing down or something?!"
"When would Uncle have time to study magic from Seal of Phobos!?" Uncle called back. "None of my spells will work! Will, you must use Heart!" He called to the Guardian leader.
"What?!" Will exclaimed as she and Taranee took cover behind a car, with the later shooting fireballs at the Seal to try and stop it, but it didn't seem to be working. "You want the Heart to get sliced to pieces!?"
"The Heart of Kandrakar can absorb magic!" Uncle reminded her. "It can absorb Seal of Phobos! Do you wish to stop Seal?! Yes?! Then absorb it into Heart!"
"How the hell am I supposed to do that?!" Will called back.
"Touch Seal to Heart! Touch Seal to Heart!" Uncle shouted.
Jackie heard Uncle's words, he and Will exchanged glances as they both nodded with serious expressions to one another. "Everyone! Throw or shoot anything you can at the Seal! Cover Will and allow her to get close!"
"You got it!" Jade was the first to move as she shot a stream of shadow-fire at the seal. The other Guardians followed suit with multitude of fireballs from Taranee, a whirlwind from Hay Lin, another condensed stream of water from Irma, and a cluster of rocks, big and small, from Cornelia. Uncle took out his blowfish and shoot a constant stream of chi-magic as well; followed by Jackie, Tohru, and even Alchemy, who used the Monkey Talisman to transform into a gorilla, as they threw whatever piece of junk, they could get their hands on. Even Blunk joined in throwing whatever small piece of scrap that was near him.
The constant magical attacks and physical objects seemed to prevent the Seal from unleashing any more destructive power, which gave Will an opening to fly straight toward the Seal. However, an even more powerful surge of destructive energy was shot out from the Seal, blasting away everyone's attacks, with the shockwave itself knocking nearly everyone back, all save Will who pushed herself closer as she held out the Heart.
"Come to Mama!" Will exclaimed as the dark bolts from the Seal shot toward her, only for them to be directed and absorbed into the Heart. All the Seal's energy then began to gravitate toward the Heart, being absorbed into it like a black hole before the Seal itself merged with the Heart of Kandrakar. One it was all set and done, the chaos came to an end, causing Will to breathe a sigh of relief as she flew down to regroup with her friends.
"Is everyone alright?" Jackie asked the group.
"I am never playing laser tag, again!" Irma exclaimed.
"You and me both, sister." Jade agreed.
"So, did it work?" Tohru asked.
Will held out the Heart of Kandrakar as she could not only feel the greater power it wielded, but also see the emblem that was previously on the Seal of Phobos, now surging within the pink crystal.
"Yep, I think it worked." The redhead confirmed.
Suddenly, the Heart of Kandrakar began to glow more, almost like an alarm, as it showed what was happening in Meridian this very moment, specifically a certain young rebel imprisoned in a work yard.
"Caleb!" Cornelia exclaimed.
"That's right!" Hay Lin recalled. "He threw us the Talismans before! He was in trouble!"
"Looks like he still is." Alchemy noted. "Where is he?"
"Blunk know." The Passling got a good look at the Heart. "Workcamp in Hoogoon Gorge."
"Well, we're gonna go help him, right?" Cornelia said rather urgently.
"But we would have to find a portal." Jackie said. "We'll need the map to…. OW!" He felt his forehead where Uncle delivered his titular dope-slap.
"Did you not pay attention!?" Uncle chastised as he gestured to Will, specifically the crystal she held in her hand.
Will looked at the Heart curiously and held out in front of her, not quite sure what to do. "Um… Open Sesame?" However, much to hers and everyone else's surprise (save for Uncle), a portal opened up right in front of them. "Whoa!"
"Heart of Kandrakar can absorb magic." Uncle reexplained. "It once absorbed tattoo-removal potion to cure Jade of the power of the Shadowkhan, now it has absorbed the Seal of Phobos and can open portals to the user's will."
"To Will's will, huh?" Jade smirked, playfully nudging her friend.
"Very funny." Will smirked back as she and her friends all looked toward the portal, knowing what they needed to do next. "Time to kick some evil butt."
After being left in the gorge by Cedric and Wong, both of whom returned to the Castle, assuming the rebel leader had been thoroughly dealt with, Caleb and several enslaved men tried to move a large boulder out of the way, but it wouldn't budge an inch. Knowing they couldn't do it; Caleb quickly addressed the pair of guards closest to them.
"That one won't move. We need the rest of the men."
The guards seemed to understand as they called for the rest of the slaves to come and provide assistance, just as Caleb intended. With all the slaves in the workcamp gathered in one place, and all the guards gathered just below…
"Okay, let's go bowling! Now!" Caleb exclaimed as he kicked the rock out from under the boulder that kept it from moving, just as the other slaves gave it the necessary push to send it rolling toward the guards, forcing them all to run and scatter.
"Is it just me, or all bad guy minions this stupid?" Jade asked with a smirk as she suddenly appeared behind Caleb.
"Tell me about it, Jade." Caleb replied, only for his eyes to widen in shock as he turned toward her in surprise. "Jade?!"
"Hi Caleb." Jade waved.
"Miss us?" Cornelia also appeared in the same manner, on Caleb's left, rather close to his face.
"Cornelia?! What… what are you guys doing here?!" Caleb exclaimed.
"Oh, we just happened to be in the neighborhood." Cornelia said. "Decided to drop in and do some liberation." She and Jade pointed toward the workcamp where Caleb could already see the rest of their friends at work, fighting and beating the guards before they even had time to recover from Caleb's game of 'bowling'.
Will used the Snake Talisman to turn invisible and get the drop on several guards, knocking them out before they could even know what hit them. Jackie used hand-to-hand and kung-fu skills to disarm and disable any guards that tried to surround him. Uncle shot down several more with stun spells from his blowfish as Tohru used his raw physical strength to knock down any that tried to ambush his sensei from behind. Taranee expanded a ring of fire, Hay Lin shot a whirlwind up, Irma unleashed a geyser-attack from the ground in a similar manner, and even Alchemy used the Monkey Talisman to transform into a mammoth and chase away several guards.
"So, what do you say rebel boy?" Jade offered. "Wanna let them hog all the fun?"
"Oh no way." Caleb smirked. "But first…" He gave a kiss to Cornelia on the cheek, causing her to blush before Caleb picked up a shovel and leapt into the fray, followed by all the other slaves as they used their tools as make-shift weapons to fight back.
"So, when's the wedding?" Jade teased Cornelia as she saw her dreamy smile.
"Oh, be quiet, Jade." Cornelia replied, still having that smile on her face, before they flew in to help finish the job.
The workcamp was liberated a lot sooner than expected. But with the combined efforts of the enslaved rebels, Guardians, and the Chan Clan, a one-sided battle was to be expected. Using the Heart, the Guardians opened a portal to Earth, followed by another one that led to the Infinite City in Meridian for the freed rebels to find sanctuary and recover.
Caleb followed everyone to Uncle's Rare Finds, specifically in the back room where the Book of Secrets was still located, where they explained to him and Yan Lin what had happened recently.
"You actually found the Seal of Phobos?!" Caleb exclaimed.
"Yep." Jade confirmed.
"Well, technically Blunk found it." Taranee added. "But it got absorbed into the Heart and it can now open portals into Meridian."
"I see a lot of ambushes in our future." Irma smirked almost evilly.
"While I agree that the Seal's power can be useful, we can't be too reckless with it." Jackie told everyone. "Not just because of its incredible power, but if Phobos, Tarakudo, or the others were to learn that we have it, it would make them all the bolder to steal the Heart of Kandrakar."
"Yes, I agree." Yan Lin nodded. "Just because we can use a powerful magic relic, doesn't mean we should."
"So, use only when we need to." Will seemed to get it. "Sounds fine with me."
"Well, that's one magic artifact dealt with, now what about this one?" Tohru asked, referring to the Book of Secrets.
"The Whisperers said that everything Phobos has planned for Elyon is in this book." Caleb said.
"Well, we've tried everything to open it!" Hay Lin complained in frustration. "Magic spells to super high tech!"
"Don't worry, I got us covered." Jade said as she took out a chainsaw from out of nowhere, much to everyone's surprise.
"Is that a chainsaw?!" Alchemy exclaimed.
"Jade, where did you get a chainsaw?!" Jackie also exclaimed.
"Borrowed it from Irma's garage." Jade shrugged.
"Do my parents know about that?" Irma questioned with an irritated tone. "Cause I'm not in the mood to get grounded."
"Eh, I'll put it back when we're done. They'll never know it was missing." Jade replied, but before she could even rev it up, Uncle delivered his dope-slap to Jade's forehead. "OW! What?!"
"We do not need chainsaw!" Uncle told his great-niece. "We have everything we need already." He looked toward the Heart of Kandrakar that Will held in her hands. "The Seal of Phobos does more than open portals. It can unlock anything, even ancient tomes sealed by magic. Magic must open magic."
Will then held the Heart over the Book of Secrets, using the same kind of power she channeled to open a portal before. Both the Heart and the Book shined briefly before the Book of Secrets finally opened, revealing seemingly blank pages.
"Blank?" Jackie questioned in surprise.
"It's a magic book." Tohru said. "So, I'm assuming there is some form of magical message, rather than written content."
True to his word, the transparent image of the Book's owner materialized in front of the group. But it was not the person they were expecting.
"Aiya!" Uncle exclaimed. "Daolon Wong!"
"But I thought this was Phobos' book!" Cornelia stated.
"Everyone, ssshh!" Yan Lin silenced the group as the transparent image, or rather a magical recording, of Daolon Wong spoke.
"Elyon's power continues to grow at a steady pace. By the start of this coming year, her magic will have fully matured, and she will be ready for the extraction. Phobos believes that he will absorb her power in its entirety, and once it's done, he says he will erase the girl's memories of everything magic-related and return her to Earth to live her life as a normal girl." That took everyone, especially Caleb, by surprise as the image of Wong scoffed. "Even after becoming a pariah to his own kingdom, that fool still has a soft spot for his only blood relative. How pathetic. But, what neither he, nor the King of the Shadowkhan, suspect… I will take the power for myself at the ritual! Once the power of the Heart of Meridian flows through my veins, there will be nothing to stop me from absorbing the power of the Heart of Kandrakar, and then, my power will have no equal! I can easily overpower Tarakudo and make him submit, granting me full control over all nine tribes of Shadowkhan! With all that power at my fingertips, nothing will stop me from taking Meridian, Earth, and every other realm as my own! I shall be darkness incarnate! And I will use my power to cast Phobos, Elyon, Chan, and even those wretched Guardians into the Shadow Realm for all eternity! HA! HA! HA! HA!"
Daolon Wong's laugh came to an end as the transparent image of the dark chi wizard vanished, leaving everyone in brief silence, clearly not expecting all of that.
"Okay… didn't see all that coming." Irma commented.
"This just got all Game of Thrones." Jade also commented.
"Daolon Wong is planning to betray Phobos." Uncle stated. "If he does take Elyon's power, as well as the Heart of Kandrakar, I fear he may indeed become unstoppable."
"I'm honestly still surprised Phobos is planning to let Elyon go after all this." Taranee said.
"It's… actually kinda nice of him." Hay Lin said. "I know he's an evil prince and all, and that he's technically manipulating Elyon, not to mention erasing her memories is morally wrong, but… it's better than killing her."
"There's no way! I don't believe!" Caleb exclaimed. "Phobos has made Meridian suffer for over a decade! There is no possibility that he would consider showing Elyon mercy!"
"She is his sister." Alchemy put in. "I mean, even bad guys have at least one person to care about, right?" She shrugged, sounding unsure of herself.
"Yeah, in a dark and twisted sort of way!" Cornelia stated. "If he thinks I'm gonna let him mess with my best friend's memories, he's got another thing coming!" She stated as she punched her fist into her palm.
"That's enough." Jackie managed to calm to group down as he spoke rationally. "Yes, I agree that this is all rather shocking. However, we now have vital information, primarily when they plan to steal Elyon's power."
"By the start of this coming year." Tohru recalled.
"So, in January?" Taranee questioned.
"But that's only a couple months from now." Will said.
"But now we have a deadline." Jackie said. "This gives us time to come up with a plan."
"I can work on creating a chi-spell, one that can stop the extraction and save Elyon." Uncle said.
"You can also use this time to find the remaining Oni masks." Yan Lin added.
"Hey, yeah." Jade seemed onboard as well. "I mean, there's only three left. Between now and then, we can find them no problem."
"We can also begin planning a major attack of our own." Caleb added. "With the Seal of Phobos, as well as this information, we might even be able to bring down Phobos, Tarakudo, and Daolon Wong in one strike!"
"Alright, looks like we got a plan." Will said with a smirk. "Bring it in, everyone!" She put her hand in the middle of the circle, with Jackie and Jade right behind her. This was followed by Irma, Tohru, Cornelia, Hay Lin, Caleb, Taranee, Alchemy, Yan Lin, and even Uncle. "One… Two… Three…"
"VICTORY!" The girls and Caleb all cheered, while Jackie, Tohru, Yan Lin, and even Uncle simply smiled.
Done.
This chapter was a lot more fun to write than I thought. The heroes now have the Seal of Phobos and have finally unlocked the Book of Secrets, only to discover that Daolon Wong intends to take Elyon's power for himself, and use it to take the Heart of Kandrakar, steal the power of the Shadowkhan from Tarakudo, and conquer the universe himself.
But the heroes now have a deadline, they know when the bad guys plan to extract Elyon's power and have begun to formulate a plan to finish the fight. But… their fight is far from over. They still have to find the remaining Oni masks, as well as continue helping the Rebellion in slowing Phobos down until they're ready to attack.
Up next, we deal with the seventh Oni mask and I've got special plans for that chapter. I hope you guys find this chapter to be enjoyable, and that you all stay safe and stay healthy out there. I also encourage you to get vaccinated as soon as possible (my parents have both been vaccinated, and I'm working on getting mine soon).
Peace out.