Hi everyone, thanks again for waiting. So, the last chapter was pretty crazy, hmm? Well, here we're dealing with the fallout of that as our heroes attempt to rescue their captured friends and allies, while finding new ones in the most unlikely of places. With that being said, let's get started.
Not So Black and White
The dungeons beneath Phobos' castle were filled to near capacity as over a hundred rebels and dozens of Section 13 agents were practically crammed inside. With so many prisoners, food was scarce among them all, some were even forced to eat the bugs that crawled their way into the cells. Vathek reached out to grab a large insect, only for a rebel to snag him by the wrist.
"I saw it first!"
The two looked like they were about to brawl, when Aldarn called to them. "Don't! Save your strength for fighting our real enemies!" This seemed to calm them down as Vathek allowed his fellow rebel to eat the insect. "We need more food!" Aldarn called out to the guards.
After a bit, a guard came by with a large sack of bread. However, rather than give it to them, the guard mockingly dropped the bag just outside their cell, where it was completely out of arm's reach. The guard laughed at the prisoners' misfortune until his comrade began scolding him.
"You idiot! If they're too weak to talk, Prince Phobos will have our heads!"
With reluctance, the first guard kicked the bag of bread closer, allowing the prisoners to grab it and pull it into their cell, where they began to share it amongst whoever was the weakest and needed the most nourishment. Once the guards left, Aldarn looked towards one of the Section 13 agents sitting next to him.
"Are you sure your leader will be alright?"
The agent smirked. "Trust me, the Captain's been through worse. He can take it."
In another part of the dungeon, Captain Black was in chains, covered in bruises with a black eye over his right eye as Cedric and Daolon Wong loomed over him.
"I will ask once more, human!" The massive shapeshifter began. "How did you cross the veil?!"
"Should be obvious, snake boy. A portal popped up." Black told him. "Think you might be over analyzing."
Cedric grabbed Black and pinned him against the wall. "And what are the chances a portal would just randomly appear and allow your forces to crossover into Meridian?!"
"Do I look like a wizard to you? How am I supposed to know how this magic-stuff works?" Black replied.
"You've been working with Chan and the Guardians…"
"Just because I work with them, doesn't automatically make me an expert on magic." Captain Black responded. "I mean, you're working with a wannabe Saruman right there, I don't see you wielding a magic wand." He said with a smirk.
Cedric hissed angrily as he threw Captain Black toward the ground. "I tire of this! Can't you simply extract the information from his mind as you have done with the wizard before?!" He questioned Wong.
"Unfortunately, I cannot." Wong replied. "Most of my magics are currently being used to erect a barrier around the castle to keep other forms of magic from entering." He then gazed at the recovering Black. "This means, that novice wizard will be unable to cast a spell to enter this castle; and the dungeons below are a maze. Nobody will be here to rescue you anytime soon."
"Then I'll just have to break out on my own. Not the first time." Black said with a grin.
"Wipe that smug grin off your face!" Cedric roared.
Black's grin only grew. "Make me, you wannabe Medusa."
Meanwhile, just outside the castle, a single portal hung over the moat as a rope was thrown down, allowing the small team consisting of Jackie, Viper, Caleb, and Blunk to climb down onto a tiny piece of land within the moat. The ex-super thief got a good look at the castle.
"Whoa, talk about going back to the dark ages." Viper commented.
"Viper, thank you for your help." Jackie said sincerely. "I really appreciate it."
"Hey, Black's my friend too, so are you, Jackie. Of course, I'm going to help." She replied. "And I'll help get the rest of your friends back too while I'm at it." She told Caleb.
"Thanks." Caleb smiled.
"Blunk not like water." The Passling said as he looked at the water around them.
"That explains the smell." Viper commented, causing Blunk's eyelids to lower as the group hid behind a large rock for cover.
"Alright, I'll see if I can scout the lower areas, just like with Cavirgor." Jackie reached into a small bag he carried, which contained the Dragon, Snake, Monkey, Sheep, and Horse Talismans. He pulled out Sheep Talisman first and activated its powers, allowing Jackie's astral form to leave his physical body, which fell as Viper caught it and gently lowered it to the ground.
Jackie's invisible astral form flew towards the castle, but just before he could phase inside, he hit something solid. "What…?" He pressed his hands forward, which were stopped by some kind of invisible wall that kept him from going any further. He felt along it in all directions before realizing he could not enter. With reluctance, Jackie's astral form returned to its body.
"Wow, that was quick." Viper said.
"I can't get in." Jackie revealed as he sat up. "There is some sort of barrier that is keeping my astral form from entering."
"Probably Wong's handiwork." Caleb assumed before picking up a pebble and throwing it at the wall, hitting only the wall and nothing else. "Looks like whatever he's got up only works with magic. Non-magic stuff can touch it just fine."
"Guess we're gonna do this the hard way." Viper said.
"Blunk no like hard way. Blunk prefer easy way." Blunk commented.
"Don't we all." Jackie replied as they walked into the moat, with Blunk hanging onto Caleb. The group swam towards a large metal gate that blocked what appeared to be the only entrance in this area. They pressed themselves against the wall.
"Alright, the barrier would be likely here…" Jackie reached out his arm, gesturing with his hand where he remembered feeling the invisible magic wall. "...So, we would be inside it at this point."
"Hmm, let's see here." Viper took out the Snake Talisman to test its capabilities. She briefly turned invisible before turning back. "Looks like the Talismans work inside the barrier. Guess it's only meant to keep magic stuff out, as opposed to keep them from working entirely."
"There should be a lever or something on the other side of the gate that can open it." Caleb said. "But somebody is gonna have to keep him busy."
"Keep who busy?" Jackie asked, only for the group to look in front of them and see a large eel-like monster swimming through the moat straight toward them. Blunk screamed at the sight of it as he held onto Caleb tighter. "Alright; Viper, you and Blunk find a way to open the gate. Caleb and I will distract it."
"Got it." Viper said as she pulled Blunk off Caleb before brandishing the Monkey Talisman. "Hang on tight, little guy." Using the Talisman's power, she transformed herself and Blunk into two snakes, which were easily able to swim through the bars and on the other side of the gate; leaving Jackie and Caleb to swim in another direction and lure the eel-monster away.
Earth – Heatherfield
The town seemed to be getting ready for the coming holidays as Christmas trees were being pulled up and decorated, with plenty of colorful lights being hung over the buildings. Even nature contributed with a thick blanket of snow that had formed the previous night.
"Wow, Christmas is already a week away." Jade commented as she, Will, and Cornelia walked down the sidewalk. "Guess time flies when you're kicking evil a new one."
"Hope Caleb and Jackie are okay." Cornelia said with worry.
"Cornelia, this is Jackie Chan and Caleb we're talking about." Will told her. "Plus, they got Viper and Blunk with them. I'm sure they'll be fine."
"Hey Will, is that your boyfriend?" Jade asked as the girls saw a certain guy walking in the same direction toward them.
"It's Matt!" Will exclaimed. "How do I look?!"
"Like you're about to have a panic attack." Jade joked. "Seriously, just go talk to him or something."
"I talk to him all the time!" Will stated. "We compare notes in class, we talk at lunch, we're total friends!"
"Just friends?" Cornelia questioned with a raised eyebrow, causing Will to blush.
"Well, it is a week away from Christmas. I can always pull out the mistletoe." Jade teased.
"Don't you dare!" Will exclaimed, her whole face turning as red as her hair.
"Oh, well good luck anyway." Cornelia teased as well as she and Jade walked away, purposely leaving Will with her approaching crush.
'I'm gonna get those two back for this.' Will thought to herself as she straightened herself out a bit to look a little more decent just as Matt walked up with a box and a bag in hand.
"Hey Will." He greeted.
"Uh… hey Matt." She greeted back, trying to act casual. "So, holidays are around the corner."
"Yeah… and since it's the season of giving, thought I'd give you something." He handed her the box in his hands.
She took the box and opened it, only to find a cute little dormouse inside with a fuzzy little tail. "Awe, so cute!" She practically gushed at the sight of it.
"It's a dormouse." Matt explained. "We had him at my grandpa's pet shop, but nobody seemed to want him. Maybe you would? I mean you did say you loved animals."
"Yeah… I do." Will said as she wiggled her finger in front of it. "But I'd have to clear it with my mom. My apartment lets us have small pets, but she gets the say. But if it doesn't work out, I promise find a good home for him."
"Glad to hear it." Matt nodded. "Here's some mouse food for him too." He handed her the bag, which she took, only to find it heavier than she thought.
"A lot of it, apparently." She said with a chuckle.
Meridian
Back in the moat, Jackie swung from vine to vine, avoiding the eel-like monster that shot out of the water to snap at him with its massive jaws. Unfortunately, the vine that Jackie grabbed onto next, snapped. Jackie screamed as he fell toward the open jaws of the giant eel, but he spread his legs and feet out to keep himself from falling in as well as forcing the monster's jaws open.
"Bad eel! Bad eel! Bad eel!" Jackie exclaimed, stuck in this unfortunate predicament.
Fortunately for him, this left the monster open for Caleb to run on top a large root, draw his katana, and leap toward the eel and stab it in the back, causing the eel to throttle in pain before flinging itself to toss Jackie and Caleb off.
"Guys! Over here!" Viper called to them as the gate had been opened. Jackie and Caleb both swam in that direction as fast as they could, the recovering eel swimming aft them. "Okay little guy, get ready to drop it when I say." She told Blunk, who held a rope tight that kept the gate from closing.
"Aye, aye! Blunk ready!"
Jackie and Caleb were almost there, but it seemed like the eel was about to close on them first. However, right as it opened its mouth to devour the pair, Viper brandished the Dragon Talisman to shoot a blast of fire straight into its open mouth and send it crashing back just as Jackie and Caleb crossed the threshold.
"Now!" Viper ordered, causing Blunk to drop the rope, allowing the metal gate to fall and close shut. The quartet looked outside to see the recovering Eel hack and thrash, smoke coming from its throat, before diving back into the water.
"Alright, we're in." Caleb said as the four were ankle-deep in water, walking deeper into the castle. The first room they found themselves in appeared to be a defensive station of sort, complete with a catapult that led outside, perhaps to keep intruders from coming in close.
"From this point forward, we have to stick together. We cannot afford to get separated." Jackie told the group.
"Yeah, good idea." Viper agreed. "Everyone join hands, we gotta do this quietly." Jackie held onto her left hand while Caleb held onto her right, with Blunk holding onto Caleb's other hand. Jackie held out the Snake Talisman with his free hand, allowing all four of them to turn invisible before proceeding onward.
However, the next room they walked into was revealed to be a pathway that led into four different pathways.
"Let's try this one." Caleb said, referring to the pathway on the far right. Seeing as they had no option but to guess, that was the path they choose. However, none of them appeared to notice a pair of eyes appearing from a wall, gazing in the direction and sound of water splashing. The face of Tarakudo appeared briefly before disappearing shortly after.
Heatherfield – Vandom residence
Will walked into her apartment with box and bag in hand. "Hey Mom, you here?!" She called out.
"Right here, sweetie." Susan said as she put a star on top of a Christmas tree in their living room. "Just finished decorating the tree." She turned to her daughter to see the box in her hand as Will set the bag down. "What do you got there?"
"Okay, Mom, you know how when we got this apartment, they said we could have small pets?" Will asked.
Susan looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Will, you didn't catch a wild rabbit or squirrel, did you?"
"What?! No, it's not a wild animal!" Will protested before opening the box to reveal the dormouse to her mother. "It's a dormouse. Matt gave him to me."
"Matt? You mean that boy you're always talking about?" Susan asked.
"Eh yeah…" Will confirmed, hiding her blush. "Anyway, I told you how his grandpa owns a pet store. This little guy was there, but nobody wanted him. So… maybe we could...?" She tried to give her mother a pair of cutesy eyes. "I mean, how can you say no this face." She showed the cute little dormouse for emphasis.
"Will, owning a pet is a big responsibility." Susan told her. "It's not like getting a toy or anything like that. You gotta feed them, clean them, make sure their healthy… give them lots of love." She practically gushed at the dormouse herself, waving her finger in front of him. She caught notice of Will's own grin, before straightening herself. "Like I said, big responsibility."
"I know." Will replied. "Which is why I'm thinking of a trial run."
"Trial run?" Susan asked.
"Yeah. We'll hold onto him till say… after the holidays." Will explained. "If things work out, we'll keep him. If not, then my friends and I will see to it he gets a good home somewhere else."
"And you're perfectly okay with that?" Susan asked. "If it doesn't work out, you don't mind at all?"
"Well, I'd be a little upset yeah but… it'd be for the best." Will accepted. "Just as long as we don't let him loose in the wild. It's cold out there, and I don't think he's wild enough to hibernate."
Susan thought about it for a moment before making her decision. "Alright. Like you said, if you can prove responsible to take care of him, we'll keep him. But if it doesn't work out, we'll think of something else."
"Totally." Will nodded. "I'll keep him in a shoebox in my closet for now, tomorrow I'll get a little pen for him. I've already got tons of food to last a while." She took the box containing the little dormouse as well as the bag and went toward her room.
"Hey Will?" Her mother called out to her.
"Yeah?" She turned back.
"I just wanted to say, I'm really proud of you." Susan began. "I know things… haven't been easy since moving here, especially at what happened with your old school." Will grimaced a bit, recalling what her old 'friends' did to her. "But you've really grown up since then. You're being more responsible with school, you're willing to compromise, you've just… really grown, and I'm very proud of you sweetie." She smiled.
Will smiled back. "Well, I had some pretty good influences. But thanks Mom."
Meridian
Jackie, Viper, Caleb, and Blunk had been going in circles since entering the underground of the castle. The first path they took ended up circling them back to the same chamber, the second was a dead end, and the third ended the same way the first did. The four of them continued to remain invisible via the Snake Talisman as they retraced their steps.
"This place is a freaking maze." Viper commented. "This is the third time we've been in here."
"This is actually quite similar to Egyptian tombs." Jackie recalled. "Ancient pharaohs had countless empty chambers and paths built in their tombs to confuse grave robbers. It seems Phobos went in a similar direction."
"Great, but how is that going to help us?" Caleb questioned.
"Blunk, can you smell any of the prisoners?" Jackie asked the Passling.
"No. Too many new smells. Blunk can only smell friends." Blunk said.
Viper sighed. "It looks like the one on the right is the only path we didn't take. Guess we have no choice. Keep together."
With that, the invisible group entered what seemed like the only available path for them, only to find it darker than the previous ones. "So dark, I can't see a thing." Caleb complained.
"Just stay together. We can still…" Jackie was however interrupted as he accidentally stepped into a pit that he was unable to see and ended up dragging his companions down with him. All four of them yelled and screamed in surprise as they fell down a water causeway and ended up landing with a splash, in the very first chamber they entered from the beginning.
The group, now fully visible looked around in frustration at their current location. "Aw come on!" Viper complained.
Phobos' Throne Room
"Chan and the Rebel leader have entered the castle?!" Phobos exclaimed.
"Yes, but they seem rather lost at the moment." Tarakudo confirmed as he, Cedric, Wong, and Miranda were present before the dark prince.
"Take Miranda and have them removed from the premises. As painfully as possible!" Phobos ordered.
"Consider it done, come along Miranda." Tarakudo ordered.
"Fine." Miranda rolled her eyes, being commanded by somebody else other than Cedric before shapeshifting into her spider-form and crawled up the ceiling and the window with Tarakudo simply flying through on his own.
"Anything from the prisoners?" Phobos asked Cedric and Wong.
"I'm afraid not, my prince. This 'Captain Black' is a strong one, unfortunately." Cedric said.
"Perhaps cutting off the prisoners' food could make them more eager to speak." Wong offered.
Before this conversation could continue, there was a knock on the door. Suspecting who it was, Phobos quickly brought up the illusion around his throne room as his sister entered.
"Phobos? Have you seen Miranda?" Elyon asked.
"I'm afraid not. She… tends to wonder around the castle grounds. She's quite an adventurous girl." Phobos commented.
"Tell me about it, but I need somebody to teach me all these weird Meridian dances." Elyon replied with some humor before her smile faded. "Listen, Phobos… about what happened at the battle… I know you told me to stay back but… I couldn't just sit by and…"
"Elyon, I'm not mad about that." Phobos told her. "Honestly, I'm rather proud." That took the princess by surprise. "You saw your home was in danger and made a stand to defend it. You've even shown how skilled you are with your powers, capturing all those rebels as opposed to just wiping them out. You've really grown since coming here. You're going to be an amazing queen, I know it."
She looked toward him with a smile. "Just… Just promise me one thing." She reached out and grabbed his hand. "Stay by my side. I might end up becoming queen, but I'll still need you. Not just as my advisor but… as my brother. We're family, right?"
Phobos kneeled to her level and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Elyon, I will never leave you. No matter what, I'll always be by your side. I swear it."
That was enough for her to wrap her arms around him, catching him by surprise. "I love you, big brother."
Conflicting emotions filled Phobos' being, but he nonetheless returned the gesture. "And I you, sister." He truly meant it. Which is why he was going to have her sent back to Earth once he had her powers and her memories of him erased, the memories of the heartbreak and betrayal she'll inevitably feel once the ceremony begins. It is best she lives a normal life away from all that Meridian has become, and away from him.
As their embrace continued; two separate parties observed with their own agendas. Cedric and Wong shared sutble yet sinister smirks with each other, a plan of their own was in the making, as well as their own individual plans to backstab the other. The second party, consisting of the Dark Chi Enforcers, observed everything from outside the throne room, just beyond the main doors.
"Awe, that's so sweet." Ratso gushed.
"Yeah, too bad everything he just told her was a big fat lie." Chow commented.
"She's a good kid, and she definitely does not deserve what's about to happen to her." Finn said.
"So, let's just tell her the truth." Ratso suggested. "We tell her how bad her brother is and leave with her."
"Uh dude… are you forgetting the fact that we're magically enslaved to short, dark and wrinkly in there?" Finn reminded. "No way he's gonna let us run off with the kid."
"And she probably won't believe us either. Phobos has got her wrapped around his finger." Chow added.
"So… what are we gonna do?" Ratso asked. "We said we'd protect her, but… we can't protect her from what she really needs to be protected from."
"No… maybe we can't." Finn said before an idea came to him. "But… I think we all know somebody who can."
Chow and Ratso both knew exactly who their friend was talking about, and knew it was probably the best idea they had.
"Well, time to swallow our pride." Chow said.
"Uh… do we really have any left at this point?" Ratso asked.
Earth – Uncle's Rare Finds
After having set up temporary 'nest' for her new pet Dormouse at her apartment, Will met up with the rest of the girls, along with Uncle, Tohru, and Yan Lin at the Chan family shop.
"Now way, your boyfriend gave you a pet rat?" Jade said, trying hard not to laugh.
"Mr. Huggles is not a rat, he's a dormouse!" Will quickly said. "And Matt is not my boyfriend!"
"Not yet anyway." Irma teased.
"You named your pet, Mr. Huggles?" Taranee asked.
"Yep. I even took a pic of him. Here, look." Will showed her friends a picture of Mr. Huggles on her cellphone. "And Mom is totally gushing over him. It might be a 'trial run' right now, but I think he's a keeper."
"Awe, he's so cute!" Hay Lin and Alchemy both gushed.
"Eh, he's not as cute as Scruffy." Jade said, as the aforementioned dog ran up to her and began to lick her face.
"You guys are busy talking about cute animals, but shouldn't Caleb be back by now?" Cornelia asked with worry.
"For the umpteenth time, he's got Jackie and Viper with him! Plus, they're packing Talisman heat!" Irma reminded.
"And it's only a scouting mission. They'll be fine." Taranee added.
"Aiya! Can you keep it down?!" Uncle chastised the group as he and Yan Lin were at the front desk with a certain deck of cards laid out in front of them. "Uncle most focus on Hanafuda cards!"
"Seriously? You still haven't figured that stuff out yet?!" Cornelia questioned.
"There's only one Oni mask left, right? Shouldn't we have figured out the Hanafuda cards already?" Will also questioned.
"You would think." Yan Lin commented. "But I think I figured out the issue. The cards have to be arranged in a specific order to find the location and appearances of each mask, as well as the necessary removal ingredient. But I think each individual card only contains one of these items. We have to match a specific mask to a specific location and specific removal ingredient before they're revealed."
"Then why not just get rid of the cards you've already used? Wouldn't that make it easier to narrow it down?" Taranee asked.
"As said before, once mask is found, cards are wiped clean." Uncle reminded. "We have no way of isolating used cards from unused ones."
"Talk about a needle in a haystack." Hay Lin commented.
"Well, maybe ask Tohru? Isn't he the expert on Japanese stuff?" Irma asked.
"Hey, where is the big guy anyway?" Alchemy asked as they couldn't seem to find him in the shop.
"I'm in the back room!" They heard Tohru's voice from said room as the group looked inside to see Tohru working at a the desk with various spell ingredients, potions, and a cauldron containing a green liquid.
"What you doing there, T?" Jade asked. "Working on some fancy spell."
"As a matter of fact, yes." Tohru confirmed. "As said before, Jackie and the others are on a scouting mission to find where Captain Black and the rebels are being held in Phobos' castle. But, even if they did find them, rescuing is going to be difficult with Tarakudo there as well."
"So, let's just throw another onion at him. It's worked before." Cornelia suggested.
"Yes, but that has worked far too often." Tohru replied. "Tarakudo is smart, he's likely caught onto our tricks at this point. So, I'm working on making a new spell that can help camouflage us from Tarakudo, making us invisible to him."
"Who don't we just use the Snake Talisman?" Hay Lin asked. "It's worked before."
"Exactly, they'll be expecting us to use the Talismans." Tohru responded. "This is an entirely new spell. If it works, we'll slip in without even Tarakudo noticing."
"Wow, you've really given this a lot of thought, haven't you?" Taranee said with an impressed smile, one that all the girls shared as they looked towards the sumo. Even Uncle and Yan Lin smiled as well.
"You've trained this one well, Jin." Yan Lin commented.
"Tohru has made a good apprentice." Uncle said with pride.
"Apprentice?" Irma questioned. "Dude, he made a spell all on his own. Pretty sure he's a full-fledged wizard at this point!"
"That's nice of you… but I still have a long way to go." Tohru said.
"Oh, don't act so modest, you're amazing Tohru." Jade told him, nudging him on the side.
"What she said." Will agreed.
"Totally." Cornelia added
"You really are amazing." Taranee also said.
"You'll be a super wizard one day!" Hay Lin praised.
"And maybe… I could be your apprentice." Alchemy said, somewhat bashfully.
Tohru couldn't help but smile and even blush at the praise of those he had come to trust and care for.
Meridian – Phobos' Castle
"Okay, this is getting ridiculous." Viper commented as the group was back in the exact same place they began.
"There has to be something here, something we missed." Caleb stated.
"Oh there is." A new voice spoke aloud as the Oni King's reflection appeared in the water below them before manifesting above the group. "But you're never going to find it."
"Tarakudo!" Jackie exclaimed as he, Viper, and Caleb readied themselves the later drawing his katana.
Blunk screamed. "Floating head thing!" As he said that, Tarakudo unleashed a powerful psychic wave to blast all of them back. However, the heroes quickly recovered and went on the attack, not noticing Miranda in her spider-form was crawling down from the wall nearest toward them. Miranda shot a strand of webbing, which managed to ensnare Viper's arm and draw the ex-thief's attention.
"Okay, that's just gross." Viper commented upon seeing the webbing coming from Miranda's mouth before drawing the Dragon Talisman and blasting a stream of fire that cut the webbing and freed her, but Miranda was able to dodge the blast by leaping to another area of the wall, leading the two to engage in a fire-fight with web and fire-blasts respectively.
Tarakudo, meanwhile, used his powers to pull out several bricks from the walls and send them flying towards Jackie and Caleb, with Blunk hanging onto Jackie's back. The martial artist did his best to dodge all the projectiles Tarakudo sent his way, ducking, jumping and rolling in every way he knew how; while Caleb used his katana to slice and parry any projectile that came in his direction before moving closer toward Tarakudo, slicing his blade at him, which Tarakudo flew up to avoid.
"Looks like you're all out of tricks." Tarakudo commented. "Well, you had to know it was only a matter of time, right?" He blasted the two back with another psychic wave.
"Um, Blunk think is time for strategic retreat." The Passling suggested.
"Blunk is right, we have to go." Jackie agreed.
"But what about…" Caleb attempted to protest.
"Caleb, we cannot win this! We have to go!" Jackie told him. "We'll come back and rescue the prisoners, I promise!"
Realizing he was right, Caleb grimaced in agreement. "Fine." The pair, along with Blunk, ran towards the catapult, seeing it as their only way out.
"Viper, we are leaving!" Jackie called to her as she backflipped to avoid another stand of webbing from Miranda while retaliating with another blast from the Dragon Talisman.
"Yeah, tactical retreat. Got it." Viper said as she leapt from the water, all the way toward the catapult just as Jackie, Caleb, and Blunk loaded themselves in. Tarakudo and Miranda both moved in to close the distance, but Caleb used his katana to slice the rope holding the catapult back, launching all four of them out the window and away from the castle.
"Well, that's one way to retreat." Tarakudo commented. "Points for creativity." He said as Miranda merely growled in annoyance.
Back outside, the launch from the catapult sent Jackie, Viper, Caleb, and Blunk landing just outside the portal that remained open for them, a rope hanging from it that would allow them to climb back up. As they recovered, Blunk's cheeks bulged before he opened his mouth and held out his tongue, which had a frog on top of it before it hopped off with a ribbit.
"Well that was a total bust." Viper commented. "I don't think we're gonna find the prisoners all on our own."
"You're right Viper." Jackie agreed. "We'll need the others to help. Perhaps Uncle can devise a locator spell for Captain Black and the others…"
The group then heard a familiar roar and looked off in the distance to see a small army approaching their location led by Cedric and Daolon Wong.
"How about we get out of here, first?" Caleb suggested as was the first to climb the rope and up through the portal, before Jackie could climb next, he noticed Viper wasn't moving from her spot.
"Viper?"
"They'll just follow us through." She said. "I'll hold them off, you get back-up."
"What?! No, I am not leaving anybody else behind! Not again!" Jackie exclaimed.
"You're not leaving me behind, Jackie! I'm covering your escape! I'm not going to let myself get captured!" Viper replied. "Trust me, I can handle this." She said with a smirk. "This is me we're talking about, remember?"
Jackie hated doing this again, he was already forced to leave Captain Black behind as well as his agents in the last battle, and the thought of leaving another friend alone to fend for themselves was not one that sat well with him. But at the same time, she had a point. Cedric, Wong, and their forces could simply follow them through the portal if they all went.
"Viper lady not fight bad guys alone. Blunk also stay and help." Blunk volunteered as he leapt onto Viper's shoulder.
"I'll be fine, Jackie. You just get that back-up." Jackie told her.
Jackie couldn't help but sigh in reluctance. "Alright but be careful. And take the rest of the Talismans, just in case." He tossed her the Sheep, Horse, and Monkey Talismans before going into the portal himself. Viper then brandished the Snake Talisman, allowing herself and Blunk to become invisible.
Cedric and Wong approached the general location of the portal as they saw the rope being pulled up. "They will not escape us this time." Cedric hissed. "Prepare to enter the human world!"
"Watch out boys." They all heard a voice coming from the middle of the group as they all looked in shock to see Viper and Blunk suddenly appearing in the center of the army, the ex-thief smirking at them as she brandished the Dragon Talisman. "Snake in the grass." She blasted Cedric point-blank to knock him back. Wong retaliated with a blast from his scepter, but Viper had turned invisible with the Snake Talisman again and dodged as Wong's own blast hit several guards. Blunk, still visible himself, had leapt into the air with the Monkey Talisman to transform into a giant Larvek and went on to attack Wong and several guards himself.
Earth - Uncle's Rare Finds
"Chameleon scales?" Tohru requested as he continued to work on the spell with Taranee and Alchemy providing assistance.
"Check." Taranee handed him a box of the substance, which Tohru added to the cauldron.
"Powdered onion?"
"Right here." Alchemy gave him a vial of white powder.
"This is from white onions, right? Not red onions?" Tohru asked.
"Wouldn't either one be fine?" Taranee asked.
"My studies have shown that white onions are stronger against the Oni then red." Tohru explained. "I'm not certain exactly how, but I know it works."
"Oh, well yeah this is from white onions." Alchemy confirmed.
"Good." Tohru added the powder to the potion.
Meanwhile, Will, Jade, Uncle, Irma, Hay Lin, Cornelia, and Yan Lin continued to watch from the side as Uncle couldn't help but smile with pride.
"That is my apprentice."
"Looks like we might finally get the drop on Tarakudo for once." Hay Lin said.
"Yeah, I'd love to see the look on his face when that happens." Jade smirked.
"Hopefully it'll be soon, Jackie and Caleb should be back any minute now." Will said.
"How long is a recon mission supposed to be anyway?" Cornelia questioned, still looking worried. "It's just a quick in-and-out, right?"
"Cornelia, when have things ever worked out so well for us?" Irma questioned with lowered eyelids. "It's pretty much routine at this point. We come with a plan at the beginning, something goes wrong, and we gotta improvise to get it done."
"She has a point." Will admitted.
"Have faith girls." Yan Lin told them. "I'm certain they'll be back any minute." As if on que, the shop door opened as Jackie and Caleb quickly entered. "See? What did I tell you?"
Before the girls could move to greet their friends, Jade noticed someone was missing. "Where's Viper?"
"She and Blunk stayed behind to keep Cedric and Wong from chasing after us." Jackie said.
"Oh no! We gotta go help them!" Hay Lin exclaimed.
"Tohru, how's that spell coming along?" Will asked.
"It's not quite ready yet." Tohru replied as he, Taranee, and Alchemy joined the others. "It'll take some more time."
"We don't have time! Our friends are in trouble, and we gotta help them now!" Caleb stated.
"And that's exactly what we're going to do." Jade stated. "We'll get Viper and Blunk, and we'll come up with a new plan to get Captain Black and everyone else back."
"Couldn't agree more." Will brandished the Heart of Kandrakar and said the magic words. "Guardians Unite!"
Meridian
After stepping through the same portal and back into the moat just outside Phobos' castle, the six Guardians, along with Jackie, Uncle, Tohru, and Caleb were greeted with the sight of what appeared to be a small warzone. Fires and debris were scattered everywhere, but there didn't appear to be any sign of their friends.
"Whoa… something big went down here!" Cornelia looked around.
"Blunk! Blunk, where are you!?" Caleb called out.
"Viper!" Jackie also called out.
"Blunk! Viper!" Everyone called out, trying to find them.
"You don't think they were captured, do you?" Hay Lin asked with nervousness.
"We left Viper and Blunk the Talismans; I don't think they were captured." Jackie replied.
Caleb clenched his fists. "I swear if those bastards hurt my friend…"
"CALEB CALL BLUNK FRIEND!" They all heard Blunk cry out as he and Viper turned visible, both looking a bit banged up before the Passling leapt toward Caleb with a hug. "CALEB LIKE BLUNK!"
"Like is such a strong word." Caleb grimaced as the others gathered around him and Viper, with Jade quickly giving the ex-thief a hug herself.
"Glad you made it out okay, Viper." Jade smiled.
"Barley… snake-boy and the anti-Gandalf put up a heck of a fight." Viper commented. "Sorry we couldn't get any closer to the castle."
"Castle not important. Safety of friends and allies, is." Uncle said with a smile.
"Uh oh, be careful Uncle, I thought saw a smile." Irma teased.
"Looks like the old guy has a heart after all." Cornelia also teased. "Somewhere underneath all the wrinkles and garlic breath."
"Come on, let's get out of here before…" Tohru suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
"Tohru?" Jackie looked with worry.
"I have the willies." Tohru revealed, something Jade felt as well.
"Same here."
"Aw crap." Will muttered as they all knew exactly what that meant.
"Excrement is the least of your worries." Tarakudo's voice rang through the air as he emerged from a large root in his usual fashion. "Especially when the King of all Oni has arrived."
"Tarakudo!" Most of them all exclaimed as they readied themselves for a fight.
"And I brought a little something extra too." He unleashed his psychic powers on several pieces of debris, causing them to break open as he telekinetically lifted several dozen scorpion-like creatures and shot them at the heroes.
"Morpions! Scatter!" Caleb exclaimed, with the group diving or flying away to try and avoid getting hit by the living projectiles. Taranee, however, wasn't so lucky as a Morpion hit her in the shoulder and quickly stung her in that location, causing her to cry out before falling.
"Taranee!" Will quickly flew out to catch her and find the Fire Guardian unconscious in her arms.
"Well, I'd say that was a nice warm up." Tarakudo smirked. "Now time for the main event."
"Dragon Ambushes Knights and Fairies!" The Dark Chi warrior form of Hak Foo suddenly shot down from the sky superman-style, shooting out his fist toward Jackie specifically, who just rolled out of the way in time as the impact caused a crater. And he was not the only one for Daolon Wong, Cedric, Miranda, and small army of guards all appeared out of nowhere and attacked.
"Great, an ambush." Cornelia grumbled as she and her fellow Guardians flew out of the way to avoid the psychic blasts from Tarakudo and spears thrown at them by the enemy soldiers; Wong shot a blast of dark chi magic at Uncle, who retaliated with his own chi-blasts from his blowfish; Cedric leapt at Tohru and tackled him into the water, Miranda shot some more webbing at Viper, and Jackie continued to dodge the strikes from Hak Foo.
As the battle continued to wage, nobody seemed to notice the Dark Chi Enforcers sneaking around one root and getting close to the still open portal.
"Alright, let's get going." Finn said.
"But what if they don't make it out of here?" Ratso asked.
"Come on, this Chan and those fairy girls for crying out loud. When do they ever not make it out?" Chow reminded.
"Oh right, or else we wouldn't keep losing all the time." Ratso replied before the three of them made a break for it and leapt into the portal without anybody noticing.
Meanwhile, Caleb drew his katana as he blocked and parried the axe and sword strikes from several guards, with Blunk clinging onto his back for dear life, before moving closer towards Will and Taranee to provide cover.
"Will she be okay?" Will asked, refering to her unconscious friend.
"Morpion bite. It's not fatal, but she'll be out for twenty-four hours." Caleb said.
"But we can use the Horse Talisman to fix her up once we get back through the portal." Will said.
"Easier said than done." Caleb commented as he parried another strike.
"Blunk say we all leave now!" The Passling complained.
Meanwhile, as Uncle and Wong locked themselves in a struggle, pitting magic against magic, Viper continued to back-flip and avoid the web blasts shot at her by Miranda before Viper brandished the Snake Talisman to turn herself invisible, much to Miranda's frustration.
"Where did you go?" She asked, looking around.
"Right here, spider-girl." Viper suddenly appeared behind her to point the Dragon Talisman and blast the giant spider away.
Tohru and Jackie found themselves back-to-back as Cedric and Hak Foo loomed over them respectively. The martial artist and sumo looked toward each other with nods just as their foes charged at them. Jackie leapt into the air as Tohru ducked, allowing Hak Foo and Cedric to crash into each other. Tohru quickly rose with a double-fist attack to each of their jaws, which Jackie added with his feet as he fell, landing on the back of their heads at the same time. Both attacks sent their enemies rolling back as Jackie landed back on his feet and shared a fist-bump with Tohru.
At the same time, Tarakudo sent another psychic wave towards Cornelia, Hay Lin, Jade, and Irma; which the Shadow Guardian attempted to block with a barrier of shadow-magic, allowing Cornelia to use her powers over plants to shoot up a series of tendrils from the ground beneath the water to wrap and ensnare Tarakudo, which Irma added to with a sphere of water to completely encase the trap, and Hay Lin finished it off with a cold gust of wind to freeze it solid.
The four Guardians tried to catch their breath, only to look in frustration as Tarakudo simply fazed through the trap of plants and ice like walking through thin air.
"Nice try girls." Tarakudo said before blasting Irma, Hay Lin, and Cornelia back with another psychic attack. "But it's gonna take more than that to bring me down."
"Then how about something that we know hurts you!" Jade exclaimed before sending a wave of shadow magic at him, which Tarakudo limboed to avoid as it barley trimmed his mustache. But the wave flew even further to slice and sever a large spiked-root, causing it to fall and land on top of a guard who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"Guys! We have to go! Now!" They all heard Will's voice call out as she, while still carrying the unconscious Taranee, made it back toward the portal with Caleb and Blunk.
"She's right, we must leave!" Jackie agreed as he and Tohru ran to join them as well, with Cedric and Hak Foo quickly recovering and giving pursuit. Viper was also quick to leap and jon her friends as well.
Cornelia, Hay Lin, and Irma also recovered as they attempted to regroup, but not before the later shot a wave of water at Daolon Wong, who was still locked in a duel against Uncle. The water wave knocked him away as Irma quickly flew in to grab Uncle and make her way back to the portal.
Jade was about to join them as well when suddenly…
"Help me!"
She stopped in mid-air as she glanced back to the direction of the large root-branch she had previously severed to see a guard trapped underneath it. What was most surprising, was the fact that Jade could see blood in the water underneath the trapped guard.
"Please! Help me!" The guard pleaded toward her desperately.
Jade briefly glanced in the direction of the portal to see most of her friends had already made it through before she turned back to the trapped guard.
"Ah nuts…" She muttered to herself before flying straight toward him. "Hold still!" She produced a shadow-katana to slice away at the branch and free the guard, only to gasp in shock to see several spikes from the roots had stuck out from his back, including one that pierced clean through his right shoulder. The look on his face told him just how much agony he was in. Realizing she was responsible for this, Jade quickly picked him up with her own enhanced strength as a Guardian.
"Hang tight." She told him as she flew straight toward the portal at high speeds, all her enemies in hot pursuit. Fortunately, she and the injured guard made it through just in time. The portal closed less than a second later, much to the frustration of the villains.
Back on the other side of the Veil, all the heroes, aside from Jade, have made it back to Earth safely as Viper quickly applied the Horse Talisman to Taranee, allowing her to recover from the Morpion venom that kept her unconscious.
"Whoa… what… what happened?" She asked with a startle.
"You got a nasty bug bite, but you'll be okay sweetie." Viper assured.
Suddenly, Jade and her rescue shot out of the portal. "Close it! Now!" She exclaimed.
Without needing to be told twice, Will brandished the Heart of Kandrakar and used its power to seal the portal shut, causing everyone to sigh with relief.
"Jade, you made it! We…" Jackie however looked in surprise to see whom Jade had brought back with her, with everyone else looking equally stunned.
"Aiya!" Uncle exclaimed in surprise.
"It's a castle guard!" Caleb drew his katana.
"Whoa, it's okay! Guys, he's injured! Just look at him!" Jade showed the kneeling guard all the injuries on his back, including the spike through his shoulder. There was already quite a bit of blood. Everyone looked with his or her own expressions of shock, even Hay Lin gasped while covering her mouth.
"What happened?!" Will questioned.
"He… He got caught underneath a large branch… I was the one who did it. I… I couldn't just leave him there!" Jade stated.
Jackie quickly took a look at the guard's injuries. "What is your name?" He asked the guard.
"It's Tynar."
"Tyanr, you are seriously injured. But don't worry, we'll take care of you." Jackie said in assurance.
"You can't be serious…!" Caleb protested. "He's an enemy soldier!"
"Caleb, the guy has a freaking spike in his shoulder!" Cornelia chastised.
"Looks like he's also lost a lot of blood too." Taranee added. "If we don't do something soon…"
"Wait, he's not gonna die, is he?!" Hay Lin questioned with a panic. Even though Tynar may have been an enemy soldier, nobody here was comfortable with the idea of somebody dying right in front of them.
"I don't think he's going to die." Viper said, getting a look at his back. "But… he does need some serious help. Maybe the Horse Talismans could help him."
"Those spikes must be removed first." Uncle said. "The Horse Talisman cannot repair if something is blocking the way."
"We have a first aid kit back at the shop." Tohru offered. "We could tend to him there."
"Not like we can take this guy to a hospital or anything." Irma added.
"Give me your arm." Jackie told Tynar as he helped the injured guard stand, his left and least injured arm slung over Jackie's shoulder as the group made their way back toward the Chan Family shop.
Uncle's Rare Finds
Tynar laid on his back in the back room of the shop as Yan Lin had used rubber gloves and tweezers to pull out all the small spikes from his bloodied and injured back, leaving only the large spike still embedded in his right shoulder.
"Tohru, help me hold him down." Yan Lin instructed.
"On it." The large sumo gently placed his hands on Tynar's arms to keep him stilled as Yan Lin grabbed the spike.
"Now Tynar… what's your favorite color?" Yan Lin asked.
"I don't see how... AAAH!" He suddenly cried out as Yan Lin quickly yanked the spike out of his shoulder, exposing the bleeding wound as the red substance poured out. Fortunately, Yan Lin quickly applied the Horse Talisman, allowing all of Tynar's injuries, both major and minor, to heal and leave not even a scar.
All the pain faded away as Tynar breathed in relief, with Yan Lin and Tohru helping him to sit up straight. "You'll be alright now. Don't worry." Yan Lin smiled as she patted his shoulder.
Alchemy quickly walked in with a steaming bowl in her hands. "Hey, here's some chicken soup. Trust me, this stuff really helps."
Tynar hesitated for a second, but nonetheless took the bowl into his hands and drank the delicious substance inside. "Thank you."
The three of them allowed Tynar to get some rest as they walked out into the main room of the shop where everyone else was discussing what to do next, and what had just happened.
"I don't like this. He's a castle guard." Caleb said in disapproval.
"The guy was bleeding on the ground! What, was I supposed to let him die?!" Jade argued. "Especially when that was my fault?!"
"Jade, I think you made the right call." Jackie told her, much to Caleb's and even Jade's surprise. "You saw somebody who was hurt and did everything you could to rescue him, even taking responsibility. He may have been an enemy, but you did the right thing. I'm proud of you."
Jade smiled sincerely at her uncle. When the others noticed the disapproving look on Caleb's face, Will spoke up next.
"Look, just because somebody works for the bad guys, doesn't automatically make them bad too." She said.
"Yeah, maybe the guy was only following orders." Taranee added. "And I don't think Phobos, Wong, Cedric, and Tarakudo are the kinda guys who take 'no' for an answer."
"If we just leave somebody to bleed out like that, how are we different from the bad guys?" Irma asked rhetorically.
"Tohru used to be a bad guy too, remember?" Hay Lin reminded Caleb. "He used to work for Valmont, but now he's one of our best friends!"
"You're even BFFs with a Passling, Caleb." Cornelia added, refering to Blunk. "Whom, you said were nothing but greedy thieves."
"Caleb Blunk bestie!" Blunk hugged the young rebel's leg, causing him to cringe slightly, but he couldn't deny that he did care about Blunk, or the arguments the girls.
"Hell, I used to be an international thief." Viper added. "I worked with some pretty shady guys, but I left that life behind me a long time ago."
"Alright, alright, I get it." Caleb raised his hands. "But… it's just hard for me, ya know. Guys like him put me and my friends through a lot of grief for years."
"And we don't blame you for feeling that sort of resentment, Caleb." Jackie said. "But people can change. Sometimes, all it really takes is a chance to do the right thing."
"Chan!" A familiar voice called out as the front door opened to reveal the Dark Chi Enforcers entering the shop as well, much to everyone's shock.
"Aw come on! Don't you guys know when to quit?!" Jade exclaimed as everyone readied themselves for a fight.
Finn, Ratso, and Chow brandished their weapons, before immediately throwing them down on the ground and getting on their knees before the heroes as they said two words none of them could expect.
"We quit!"
"HUH!?" Jackie, Will, Jade, Irma, Hay Lin, Taranee, Cornelia, Tohru, Uncle, Alchemy, Viper, Yan Lin, even Blunk all questioned simultaneously with wide, circular eyes.
"We're tired of never making money!" Ratso said.
"We're tired of being smacked around by crime lords, dragons, wizards, princes, shapeshifters, and floating demon heads!" Chow added.
"And most of all, we're tired of getting our asses constantly handed to us. By you guys." Finn said.
"Yeah, it hurts." Ratso added, rubbing his rear for emphasis. Everyone lowered their guard in surprise as they looked at the Enforcers who appeared to be begging before them.
"We wanna be good guys!' All three of them begged.
"A trick!" Uncle exclaimed. "They were sent by Daolon Wong! They are his Dark Chi warriors!"
"No, we're telling the truth!" Finn crawled toward Uncle and wrapped his arms around his leg. "Big D, P, C, and T don't even know were here!"
"We jumped into that portal-thing while you guys were all fighting." Chow said. "We even saw you bring that guard inside."
"Aw come on, please." Ratso begged. "If you won't do it for us, do it for Elyon."
"Elyon!?" Cornelia and Alchemy both exclaimed at the same time.
"Where's that coming from?" Cornelia questioned.
"Hey, she's a sweet kid." Finn said. "Not like that whacko brother of hers."
"She doesn't deserve to have her powers sucked out and her memory wiped." Ratso commented.
"Wait, wait, you guys… actually like Elyon?" Irma asked in surprise.
"She's cute, optimistic, a total sweetheart, what's not to like?" Chow replied.
"How do we know this isn't some kind of trap?" Caleb questioned skeptically. "Wong could have sent you hear to spy on us."
"No, I think they're telling the truth." Tohru said. "I used to work with the three of them, so I know them quite well. I don't know how exactly they came to truly befriend Elyon, but I can tell that they do indeed care for her."
"Blunk can tell when someone shifty. Orange guys don't look shifty." Even Blunk seemed to believe the Enforcers' plea.
"It's true." They heard Tynar speak up as he walked out of the back room. "I've seen the three of them with the princess, and she seems rather fond of them herself."
"Oh yeah? Well, if you guys like her so much, why don't you tell her what the bad guys are planning to do with her?" Cornelia questioned.
"Phobos has got her wrapped around his finger. She won't believe us if we did tell her." Finn replied.
"And I don't think Wong's gonna let us off the hook for trying to rat him out like that." Chow added.
"Plus, we don't wanna be enslaved to that guy for all eternity either." Ratso said.
"Aw come on Chan, please!" Finn begged. "You gave these guys a chance!" He gestured to Tohru, Viper, and even Tynar.
"They do have a point." Yan Lin seemed to be alright with it. "A foe turned to a friend could be the most powerful of allies. What did you think of that? Sounded pretty cool, huh?"
"Okay, let's say we all agree and you guys really wanna turn over a new leaf. How are you gonna help us?" Viper asked.
"I can take you to where the prisoners are." Tynar volunteered, getting all their attention. "I've patrolled those dungeons, that place is a labyrinth, but I know it like the back of my hand."
"And we can keep a close eye on Elyon till you're ready to rescue her!" Chow also volunteered.
"But why do you wanna help us?" Taranee asked Tynar. "These guys say they like Elyon, but what about you?"
"These three at least have the excuse that they're magically enslaved, but you… you know you're basically committing treason against Phobos by doing this, right?" Caleb told him.
"You saved my life." Tynar said. "I owe you a debt, I wish to repay it, and I'm not the only one. I know there are several other guards like me who can't stand working with Phobos and his allies any longer, and after what happened to the villagers' water supply… that crossed the line. I know I've done harm against the rebellion and probably other innocent people, but I can't stand it anymore. I'll help you free your friends and stop Phobos, and if I end up being punished for my crimes after, then so be it."
That took nearly all of them by surprise. This guy was really willing to betray Phobos and even face punishment for his actions. One look in his eyes told him he was dead serious. Tohru then walked up toward him at first and offered his hand to shake.
"Speaking as someone who was on the wrong side before, I understand. We could really use the help." Tohru said with a smile. Tynar was surprised at first, but returned the smile and accepted Tohru's handshake with his own.
"Well, looks like that's all settled." Jade said. "Tynar here can help us get Captain Black and everyone out of the dungeons, while the three stooges over there keep an eye on Elyon."
"Yeah, you guys should get back before Phobos finds out you're missing." Will told them.
"Don't worry, we got it covered." Finn said as they picked up their weapons. "We'll poof ourselves and Wong can just call us back no problem."
"We'll just tell him that we tripped and fell somewhere." Chow said.
"Yeah, and that actually has happened before." Ratso added.
Jackie gave a nod and smile. "I wish you luck."
"Yeah, may the Force be with you guys!" Hay Lin waved with a smile.
With smiles of their own, Finn, Chow, and Ratso struck themselves with their own weapons, causing them to poof away and vanish.
Once they were gone; the heroes, along with the newly recruited Tynar gathered in the back room with Tohru making the final touches on his spell as he twinkled some Japanese rice into the cauldron before chanting.
"Nukeru He Men Ja'aku. Nukeru He Men Ja'aku. Nukeru He Men Ja'aku." As he chanted, the liquid inside the cauldron briefly glowed a bright green before the light subsided.
"It is ready. With this spell, a small number of people will be completely undetected from Tarakudo. We can walk right in front of him, and he won't even notice." Tohru said.
"Unfortunately, we're not certain if that spell will work." Jackie said. "Daolon Wong has erected a magical barrier around the castle."
"We can't pass through with Talisman powers, but we can walk inside no problem." Viper added. "And once we were inside, the Talismans could work just fine."
"Hmm, such a spell could be difficult to conjure." Uncle began. "This barrier may protect castle from other forms of magic such as good magic, but the Talismans are strong natural magic that is neither good nor evil, which is why Talismans can work inside."
"But that would mean there is a possibility that Tohru's spell won't be able to work inside the barrier." Yan Lin added. "If Tarakudo helped in making that barrier, that could be the case."
"He has gotten used to our tricks by now, so I wouldn't be surprised." Caleb commented.
"Hang on a second…" Will took out the Heart of Kandrakar. "You guys said the Seal of Phobos could open anything, right? Like maybe a magical barrier surrounding a castle, for instance?"
"You found the Seal of Phobos?!" Tynar questioned.
"Yep. And it's really made things convenient for us." Jade confirmed with a grin.
"That explains how your allies from Earth were able to come to Meridian in that last battle." Tynar said.
"We're trusting you with some vital information, Tynar." Caleb warned. "If Phobos or Tarakudo find out we have the Seal, it'll jeopardize our plan to rescue Elyon on her coronation day!"
"Speaking of which, have there been any changes with that?" Cornelia asked. "Like did they move up the date or something?"
"No." Tynar shook his head. "Phobos hasn't changed the coronation date. Guess he's waiting for a specific moment."
"That's good news for us. It means we can still get Elyon out of there and bring down the bad guys all at once." Hay Lin said.
"One thing at a time, Hay Lin. First we gotta rescue the army we need to storm the castle." Irma told her.
"So, we bring down Wong's barrier, sneak in with Tohru's anti-Oni spell, and bust all our pals out?" Alchemy asked.
"I don't think it'll be that simple." Taranee shook her head. "If Wong made that barrier, won't he know if it goes down?"
"Daolon Wong will know." Uncle confirmed. "A spell that large must be fed constant supply of magic. He will know if it breaks."
"And my spell can only work on three people at maximum. I'm sorry but that's the best I can do." Tohru said.
"Then we will have to split into two groups." Jackie seemed to have an idea. "Tynar will lead two of us to the dungeons with Tohru's spell and free the prisoners, while everyone else will attack the castle to distract Phobos, Tarakudo, and the others. Even though that spell will conceal us from Tarakudo, I don't want to take any chances with so many lives on the line."
"I think it's best if Caleb and I go with Tynar." Will said. "I can use the Heart to open a portal inside the dungeon and get everyone out without anybody noticing."
"We can cover our tracks too, make it look like somebody busted them out instead of letting them know we have the Seal." Caleb added.
"One problem. What's gonna happen when the bad guys find out Will isn't with the attack?" Viper asked. "She's supposed to be the leader of the Guardians, right? If they're leader isn't with her team when everyone else is attacking, that'll make them suspicious."
"Hey, who's to say she can't be in two places at once?" Alchemy brandished the Monkey Talisman, using it to transform into Will's Guardian form and even fly around a bit before touching down and turning back to normal.
"Alchemy, you're a genius!" Cornelia praised.
"I try." Alchemy smirked.
"Welp, looks like we got a plan." Jade smirked.
"Agreed." Jackie nodded. "Everyone, get some rest. We're rescuing everyone first thing tomorrow. Be ready."
The Next Day – Meridian – Phobos' Castle
The dark prince sat in his throne room once again as Tarakudo, Wong, and Cedric were also present, discussing their current plans.
"The coronation ceremony is more than two weeks away." Phobos began. "The Rebellion may be scattered, but they're still a threat, just as Chan and the Guardians still are. One Oni mask remains, and our foes are getting more desperate by the day. What plans do any of you have that can guarantee our victory?!"
"With all due respect, my prince." Cedric began. "As you say, the coronation is merely two weeks away. Once you have absorbed Elyon's power, not even the Guardians will be able to stop you."
"But what can I do to eliminate our foes now!?" Phobos questioned.
"Patience, Phobos." Tarakudo spoke in a calm tone. "All will end as it should be." However, unbeknownst to the dark chi wizard and the shapeshifter, Phobos and Tarakudo already had a plan of their own. Once the so-called heroes retrieved the final Oni mask, it'll all be over.
Suddenly, Wong felt his head as he fell to his knees. "Wong? What is it?" Phobos questioned.
"The barrier… it has fallen!" Wong revealed.
Just outside the castle, hanging right by a gate near the moat that would lead to the dungeons; Will had used the power of the Seal within the Heart of Kandrakar to open up the barrier and bring it down. She stood alongside Caleb and Tynar before accessing the Section 13 communication's device in her ear to contact the others.
"Alright, the barrier is down. You guys are up." She spoke.
"Understood, we're attacking the castle now." Jackie contacted, right before a series of explosions erupted from up above.
"That's our que. Alright, time to potion up." Will took out a vial of the spell that Tohru had conjured up and poured it over her own head. It soaked into her body as a green aura briefly appeared around her before vanishing. Tynar and Caleb each had a vial of their own and did the same thing, getting the same results themselves.
"Hopefully this'll keep us invisible from Tarakudo, like Tohru said." Caleb stated before glancing toward Tynar. "Alright, you lead the way. But the first sign of a double cross…"
"I'll lead you straight to your friends, I promise." Tynar said as he opened the gate and led Will and Caleb inside. However, as they made it inside, neither of them appeared to have noticed the sinister Passling named Jeek spying on them before following them as well.
Meanwhile, in Elyon's room, she along with Miranda and the Dark Chi Enforcers heard a series of explosions as well from outside. The Enforcers shared glances with each other and faint nods before Wong contacted them telepathically.
"Minions! Chan and the Guardians are attacking! Do not allow the Princess to leave her chambers!"
"You got it, Big D." Finn said with a wink toward his friends.
"What's going on?" Elyon questioned. "Is the castle under attack, again?!"
"Elyon, let your brother handle this." Miranda told her. "I know you were a big help in that last battle, but we might need precision here as opposed to a blunt instrument."
"But…" Elyon attempted to protest.
"Sorry kiddo, but the big guys told us to keep you here." Chow said.
"Yeah, don't worry about it. Everything will be alright." Ratso added.
Elyon gave a sigh as she sat down on her bed in reluctant acceptance. "Alright, fine." With that, Miranda gave a subtle yet sinister smirk, which the Enforcers noticed.
Back on top of the castle, Phobos, Tarakudo, Wong, and Cedric entered into the courtyard to see the heroes attacking the guards and even several Lurdens present. Jade, Irma, Taranee, Hay Lin, and Cornelia unleashed their respective elements to keep the enemy soldiers at bay, with Uncle aiding them with chi-blasts from his blow fish. Tohru used his physical strength alongside Jackie's martial arts with assistance from Viper. Even Blunk had the Rabbit Talisman in hand as he ran at break-neck speeds to keep himself from being cut down by the soldiers and monsters, and Alchemy, who had used the Monkey Talisman to take the form of Will in her Guardian appearance, was flying around using the Dragon Talisman to add to the attack as well.
"Zen!" Wong had summoned the Dark Chi warrior Hak Foo to his side. "Attack!"
With that command, Hak Foo leapt toward the battle as Tarakudo unleashed another psychic blast at the heroes, Cedric transforming into his massive serpentine form, and Phobos generated a magic sword in his hand as they joined the battle.
Meanwhile, Tynar had led the real Will as well as Caleb through the underground maze. "So far, so good. No floating head in sight." Will commented. "Looks like Tohru's spell worked."
"Still rather not stay here any longer than we have to. Which way?" Caleb asked Tynar as they came toward the same area that he, Jackie, Viper, and Blunk were in before with five different paths that led in separate directions.
"This one." He pointed toward the one on the far right. "But watch your step, there are pitfalls everywhere." He led them deeper down the tunnel, with Will picking up Caleb to hover him over the pitfalls, which Tynar was able to identify.
Several turns later, and they appeared to have found their destination. "Right here. We're directly under the dungeons." Tynar pointed to a rope and closed entranceway in the ceiling where they heard a snoring-like sound.
"What is that?" Will asked.
"That's the sound that it's safe to go up." Tynar commented. With that, Will flew up to open the entranceway and lower the rope, allowing Caleb and Tynar to climb up into the dungeon. The first thing they found was a guard asleep on a chair.
Once the captured rebels and Section 13 agents saw them, they looked more than a little excited, but Caleb pressed his finger to his mouth, motioning for them to keep quiet; which they all understood, but were still nonetheless happy. Caleb looked and saw Aldarn, Vathek, Drake, and even Julian.
"Father!" Caleb exclaimed with a whisper, reaching out to touch his hand with a relieved smile.
Will even saw Captain Black. "Hey Captain, sorry it took so long." She noticed the black eye on his face, as well as the bruises and cuts. "Geeze, you look like you've been put through the wringer."
"Eh, I've had worse." Black shrugged with a grin. "And Cedric hits like a wuss." This earned a small chuckle from Will.
Tynar quickly approached his sleeping companion and awoke him by pressing his hand against his mouth to keep him from calling out.
"Don't struggle, it's me! Tynar!" He told his comrade. "Listen to me, I've been to the other side. The Guardians and their friends treated my wounds, even fed me! Everything we've been told about Earth is a lie! You must tell the others!"
"How about after we get out of here." Caleb suggested. With that, Will brandished the Heart of Kandrakar and opened a portal inside the cell that would lead all the prisoners straight to Section 13 back on Earth.
Back outside, the brawl continued to rage as the heroes threw themselves at the villains once more. Blunk continued to use the Rabbit Talisman to literally run circles around all the guards and Lurdens that attempted to attack him, while Viper had used the Snake Talisman to turn invisible, allowing her to get in and knock down the guards and Lurdens with attacks that they didn't see coming.
"Twister Shreds Fairies!" Hak Foo exclaimed as he spun his body around like a twisted, generating incredible surges of dark energy as he moved towards Cornelia, Hay Lin, Taranee, and Irma; the four Guardians flying back to avoid the devastating attack.
Taranee was the first to attack with a stream of fire at Hak Foo's twister-mode, but his attack seemed to bat away the flames, all the while moving closer toward her. Cornelia used this moment to catch Hak Foo by surprise as she pressed her hands on the ground to shoot up a large earth column underneath Hak Foo and send him flying through the air. While airborne, Hay Lin and Irma combined their respective elements into a single sphere of surging storm-like power, which they used to blast Hak Foo away from the castle. Where he landed was unknown, but it was with most certainty that he would poof once he landed.
Jade flew straight at Tarakudo, a shadow-katana in her hand as she attempted to slice at the Oni King, only for him to fly backwards before using his telekinetic powers to throw several pieces of rubble and rocks in her direction, which Jade attempted to slice through with her shadow-katana, but it proved too many for her to handle as she was knocked back and hit the ground.
"Your potential only continues to grow, my former Queen." Tarakudo commented, hovering over her. "It's a shame your gift is wasted."
"The only thing I ever wasted was my time ever working with you." Jade glared.
"Cause she's got friends who really care about her!" Hay Lin called out as she appeared and blew a powerful gust of wind from her mouth toward Tarakudo, catching him by surprise as he was blown back slightly. But he regained his senses as he faced the recovered Jade, who hovered alongside her fellow Guardians.
"I'll give you girls credit for persistency, but you know most of your attacks won't work against me." Tarakudo told them.
"Oh we know." Irma confirmed.
"By the way, you see where you're hovering over?" Taranee pointed straight down, causing Tarakudo to look in that direction as he saw he was hovering over a small garden.
"A garden. So what?" Tarakudo brushed off. "Am I supposed to be scared of a few flowers?"
"Nope. Just some certain seeds I put in the dirt before the fight started." Cornelia channeled her powers to rapidly grow a series of plants, revealed to be a large cluster of certain white vegetables, that Cornelia exploded into a powder that got all up in Tarakudo's face.
"Ugh! Onion powder!" Tarakudo coughed as green energy leaked from his eyes like usual. "My eyes…! It stings…!" He cried out before vanishing away.
Tohru and Cedric pressed against each other as they once again pitted their respective strength against one another. "Once again, we battle for dominance, human!" Cedric hissed.
"You may fight to see which of us is strongest, Cedric. But I fight for those I care for, something a creature like you could never understand!" Tohru reached down and grabbed Cedric around his waist while pressing forward to push Cedric into the nearest wall. However, Cedric was quick to recover as he raised his fists to bring them down on Tohru's back, causing him to loosen his grip before smacking his tail to knock Tohru back.
At the same time, Uncle and Wong locked their respective magic beams together. "How were you able to dissipate my barrier?!" Wong questioned his wizarding rival.
"That is for Uncle to know." Uncle replied as he drew a second blowfish with his other hand and added to the magic-clash, pushing Wong's attack back.
Meanwhile, Jackie leapt backwards to avoid the magic blasts shot at him by Phobos before the dark prince moved in closer to slice at him with his sword, which Jackie ducked to avoid before sweeping his feet to knock Phobos down. However, Phobos was able to blast a point-blank magic attack to send Jackie rolling across the ground, though he recovered quickly as the glaring Phobos however in the air over him before he was suddenly blasted in the back by a stream of fire.
'Will' blew the smoke coming from the Dragon Talisman like a cowboy with his gun. "Bullseye."
"Thank you… uh… Will." Jackie almost said her real name but saved it just in time. However, this left both of them open as Phobos suddenly flew out and ensnared 'Will' with magic before pinning her to the nearest wall. Jackie attempted to help her, but Phobos sent another wave of magic to knock him back.
"Even if you manage to achieve what you came here to accomplish, I will take the…" However, Phobos glanced down in surprise to see the girl he was holding down didn't have a certain jewel with her. "Where is the Heart of Kandrakar?! You shouldn't be able to transform without it!"
"Yeah, sorry pal." She said before revealing the Monkey Talisman and transforming into her real form. "But you got the wrong girl." Alchemy smirked, catching Phobos completely off guard.
"What?!"
This surprise was the opening Alchemy needed to use the Monkey Talisman again to transform into an elephant and charge Phobos, sending him flying with a thrust of her tusks. While airborne, Jackie leapt into the air and delivered a flying punch right to Phobos' face and knock him down.
Right as he landed, Jackie got a message from his earpiece. "Jackie, all the prisoners are out. Caleb's covering our tracks now."
"Good, head straight to Section 13. We'll meet you there." Jackie responded before calling out to the others. "It's time to go!"
Everyone appeared to be finishing the remaining villains off as Taranee and Hay Lin combined their fire and wind powers with a chi-blast from Uncle to send Daolon Wong flying. At the same time, Jade had used a rope of shadow magic to ensnare Cedric from behind by the throat, pulling him back with Tohru finishing him off with a powerful punch to the face and knock him unconscious. Irma and Cornelia had managed to knock away the remaining guards and Lurdens with their respective elements, along with Viper as Blunk ran straight to Tohru and gave him the Rabbit Talisman.
"Time for big man to run fast!" Blunk said.
"Everyone aboard!" Tohru said as Jackie, Viper, Uncle, and Blunk held on tight before Tohru used the Rabbit Talisman to speed his way toward the wall, straight up and it out of the castle grounds with Jade, Irma, Hay Lin, Cornelia, and Taranee joined by Alchemy, using the Monkey Talisman to transform into a hawk, flying right behind them.
It didn't take very long for the speedy Tohru and his passengers to make it to the hidden portal Will had set up for them ahead of time. They all passed through first, with Alchemy and the Guardians flying in right behind them.
"They're good!" Will stated as the dungeons were completely cleared. All the imprisoned rebels and Section 13 agents had made it through the open portal as Caleb used the strength of the Ox Talisman to punch down a series of walls and make it look like excessive force was used to break everyone out.
"That should cover our tracks, so it's time to go." Caleb said before he, Will, and Tynar entered the portal themselves. However, right as they entered, none of them noticed the sneaky and greedy Passling known as Jeek leap into the portal right after them just as it closed.
Earth – Section 13
All the freed captives cheered and celebrated, sharing high-fives and even hugs with one another as they were now liberated and in the government base back on Earth.
"Ah, it's good to be home." Captain Black said with a sigh. "Thanks for the assist." He told Will.
"You should thank Tynar here." Will gestured toward the defecting guard. "He was the one who switched sides and led us to you."
"Well, Tynar, thank you." Captain Black told him sincerely. "You saved not only myself, but my agents, and even former enemies. We could use someone like you in this fight."
"I would be honored." Tynar shook Captain Black's hand with a smile of his own.
"Okay, maybe I was wrong about him." Caleb admitted as he stood alongside Cornelia. "Guess not everything is so black and white."
"And if someone who used to work for Phobos can change, then there's still hope for Elyon." Cornelia said.
"We even got our own double-agents who are gonna keep a close eye on Elyon till we rescue her." Taranee added.
"Yep, all and all, I'd call this a solid victory." Irma said.
"Alright everyone, for all you first-timers welcome to Section 13!" Captain Black announced to everyone. "From this point forward, this will be your base. We'll do what we can to train you with our weaponry and gather all your scattered allies from Meridian. But first, it's time to celebrate with a nice hot meal! My treat!" That received a standing ovation from all the rebels and agents present as Captain Black turned towards the Guardians, Chan Clan, Caleb, Viper, and Blunk. "You guys too, you know you've earned it."
"How can we say no to free food?" Viper joked as she lightly elbowed Jackie, who couldn't help but smile and laugh himself.
However, despite the celebrations, all the gathered heroes were completely oblivious to the hidden Jeek around the corner as he chuckled evilly.
Later that day, Will met Matt in the park, snow lightly falling from the sky as they greeted each other.
"Hey." Matt waved.
"Hey." Will waved back.
"You look… like you've been through the ringer." Matt said, noting how tired Will appeared to be.
"Oh, things were pretty crazy these last few days." Will replied.
"Mr. Huggles that much trouble?" Matt asked.
"No, no trouble at all." Will replied. "In fact, my mom instantly fell in love with him, so… yep. I'd say he's a keeper. Thanks again for that."
"Hey, season of giving." Matt joked, referring to all the Christmas lights all around them. As the two shared a laugh, they were taken by surprise as a sudden mistletoe fell in between them, tied by a string to a tree branch hanging over them.
They both looked at it in surprise with red cheeks, though Will grumbled as she knew who was behind this. 'Jade, I'm so gonna get you back for this!'
"Oh… a mistletoe." Matt noted awkwardly. "I mean… we don't have to do… what people do under it… if you don't want to."
"Do… do you want to?" Will asked nervously, toying with her hair.
"I uh… I mean, why wouldn't I? You're… you're great, probably the coolest girl I ever met." Matt rambled, blushing along with her. "Not to mention pretty… and…"
He was caught off guard as Will wrapped her arms around him and pressed her lips against his. Though surprised by this, he returned the kiss himself and pulled her in close.
As they shared their moment, the invisible Jade (courtesy of the Snake Talisman) pumped her fist as she hanged back behind a nearby tree. 'Hey, what kind of bestie would I be if I didn't help set my BFF up with her crush?' She thought to herself with a triumphant smirk.
Done.
So, this turned out to be a tad longer than I thought, but I'm nonetheless pleased with how it turned out. The heroes have not only pulled off a clever and daring rescue but have even gained some new allies. Not only has Tynar defected as per the canon, but we even got Finn, Ratso, and Chow fighting for the side of good. (And this is for real. Those three are now officially good guys and won't switch back like they did in the canon JCA)
However, it seems they've also picked up a hitchhiker. Jeek is now on Earth and has a plan of his own.
I'm sure many of you have noticed that its coming close to Christmas in this story (I know it's only the first of September in real life here, deal with it), that being said I've got a very special Christmas-theme chapter planned next. It'll be similar to "A Jolly J-Team Xmas", but with some major differences that I'm sure you will all enjoy, I've got a very special surprise planned for that chapter.
Counting the upcoming Christmas-themed chapter, we have four more chapters remaining for J-WITCH. It's been one heck of a ride, and I'm grateful for all your support. Action, comedy, drama, plot-twists, suspense, and horrors await our heroes as we approach the finale, so look alive.
Until then, stay safe and stay healthy out there. Love you all.