Logan proceeded, though carefully, to melt the padlocks, taking care not to cause any sort of damage to the prisoners after the rough treatment they had been through. It was only a minute before finally, all who were still alive were free.
"Thank you.", Gill quickly went up to thank the duo. "We all feared that our time would be up fairly soon; especially when the guards were talking about us having to fight each other for some better entertainment.".
Logan, after having shifted back to normal, smiled, "It's no problem. Now, any other issues we should know about?".
Jack-Jack the griffin shapeshifter frowned, "Yeah, there's the royal family. They have been slaves and servants to Cruella and her most devoted followers. She's probably on the top floor.", thinking worriedly about Morgan, the ex-princess and heir of the royal family.
Jasmine smirked, "Oh, don't worry about it. We're part of a team, no doubt Emma and Adam is rescuing the royal family and doing something to Cruella...Now, let's get you all out of this place. The animals are already freed, and waiting for us, no doubt that they're really anxious to be out into the fresh air.".
"I would be advised about that witch... she's... she's much more powerful than you realize.", Gill warned.
"So are we.", Logan quickly countered. "They still have plenty of help coming... if she's even here, she could've bolted first chance she got when the fighting started... or saw our forces coming.".
Nemo the young fox cub shapeshifter spoke softly, "You think so, sir?", looking at Logan, and Logan smiled reassuringly at him, ruffling his hair, "Kid, we are the United Talons, a team of unique combat skills and wicked talents which includes shifting into dragons.".
Penny gasped softly, "You mean, it's not just you?", and Logan grinned, "My leader, Emma is a dragon, so Cruella is so in for it. She has bitten more than she could chew.".
Cody whistled, "Boy, I sure wish I would see the look on her face!", with a grin, and Jasmine smirked, "Never mess with a dragon. Now, come along, let's go get you out of here. The battle in the courtyard's done by now, I'm sure. It has been a while...I hope Silver's out of the woods with his wounds...", biting her lip anxiously as she helped guide the prisoners out, opening the door with Rajah prancing and walking by her side as he purred, relieved to know that she's all right, intending to stay with her no matter what.
"He may... but then again...", Logan bit his lip. He knew it was never a sure bet that one could pull though; especially with those recent wounds he had, the odds were much more in his favor of being fatal.
Jasmine glanced at Logan, "Nobody ever had said it, but it's so obvious that Emma and Silver are meant to be together.", and Logan sighed, "We all thought the same thing...You saw how she reacted when she saw Silver lying on the ground...", before hearing a faint roar far up above, "Sounds like Emma...I think she found Cruella.".
"That's either a good thing... or a bad thing...", Jasmine gave a low tone.
Indeed, somewhere on the top floor of the castle, in the royal bedrooms that has been transformed into Cruella's tastes, in the middle of packing her beloved furs, Cruella is now trapped in there, facing a half-shifted Emma, having wings, spikes, tail, and fangs, while Adam is currently killing off McLeach and Joanna with twin broadswords, having passed the armory on the way up.
"Packing up so quick, Cruella? I thought you would honestly stick around to at least not lose the place for a moment there.", Emma said as she stared at the cruel woman.
Cruella glowered at the strange woman before her, "Sometimes one knows when to lose and when to win, and this is one of those times. You are the leader of the rumored United Talons group, correct? I have allies who knows things, though I hadn't expected truly about the rumor that you and some others are able to shift into dragons when the ability has been ended centuries ago with the last dragon.".
"Big mistake on your part, not believing it, nor running while you had the chance.", Emma growled as the two of them circled each other in the room. "You're going to pay dearly for what you've done; not only for today, but the past as well, Cruella.".
Cruella narrowed her eyes with a cackle, "I have been watching the battle down in the courtyard, true. I do hope that man down there is dead despite your healer's aid.", her hands lighting up with dark magic, glad that she saw the foresight to increase her borrowed dark magic from Tremaine in a ritual many moons ago.
Emma knew that Cruella was obviously trying to rile her up, to cause her to make a mistake. The look on Cruella's face obviously was one of still keeping control of things rather than sheer desperation at the situation.
"Oh, did that strike a nerve?", she suddenly cackled. Emma's eyes suddenly slitted into shape like a dragon's eyes, and she growled, "Enough talking, Cruella. Or are you too chicken to fight me, woman to woman?".
"I should ask you the same question.", Cruella snickered. "Despite your gifts, do you think that I wouldn't be prepared to counter them? To outclass you with powers that you wouldn't even begin to believe?".
Emma suddenly cracked her neck and rolled her shoulders, "Let's find out, shall we?", before skin became scales, her lungs became stronger to hold fire, and she screamed out, sending a fireball at her as she charged at Cruella, glad that she knew from seeing Pippa and Logan's dragon forms that dragon skin is impregnable against any kind of magic, but up close, if hit, it can be nasty bruises, never deadly wounds.
Or at least that is what she thought since Cruella very much was well aware of the advantage and had made plans to counter it; she never got to where she was by not thinking ahead of things as she quickly responded back with magic.
Adam, having killed McLeach and Joanna, stood back, watching the battle as it went so fast almost like birds fighting each other, barely making out flashes of dark magic and dragonfire, hearing shouts and roars, seeing claws drawing blood on Cruella and bruises barely appearing on Emma.
It was almost hard to believe with what he was witnessing; for starters, the room was much bigger than he thought so it wasn't really cramped for either combatant had room to maneuver in their fight. It looked like Emma already was having the upper hand, but Adam knew better than that to think it would mean Emma was victorious. One thing about evil magical beings... they tend not to go down so easily.
Sure enough, Cruella became even more snarky with her battle techniques, but unknowingly to her, she exposed a weak spot soon when she saw that Emma isn't even giving in, and she underestimated her when Emma grew bigger to the size of a bear, attacking her through her weak spot, pinning her down where she cannot even move to do a spell.
Emma growled lowly, smelling fear on Cruella, seeing the several claw injuries on her, weakening her at last, and without even looking up, "Grab one of the curtains off the bed. Cruella doesn't deserve even death by my hands. I have a better idea for her.", with a dangerously furious snarl.
"You sure?" Adam asked as he walked in. "It might be better to finish her off now..." It was a bad idea to leave a foe that lived for your death alive; he had heard of one too many times when that had ended up backfiring on those that spared the foe.
Emma snorted, "Oh, I believe either the prisoners or anyone else that Logan and Jasmine rescued, they would want to exact revenge on Cruella herself. Plus, I wonder if she would prefer death at my hands over being forcibly changed into a helpless animal permanently with no choice...After all, Jason changed Medusa into a lizard.", seeing Cruella's eyes widen in horror and shock upon hearing the demise of one of her allies.
"Oh.", That was all Adam said as it clicked to him. While it might just be easier to kill Cruella here and now; what Emma had in mind was probably much more deserving. It worked with Jason before, why not this time as well? He then nodded before he spoke up again, "Need me to get the others or can you handle this on your own?".
Emma looked at Adam, "I have a better way. You obviously saw the portal I made back there during the battle to...John...I need to see him. I can make a portal from here to the courtyard, and besides, by now, Pippa and Zuri probably got the royals out since we found them on the floor below us on the way up here. But first, the curtains from the bed. I ain't letting go of Cruella until she's all tied up like a mummy with your help, understand?".
"Certainly; last thing I think we'd need is- sorry, one moment.", Adam punched Cruella hard in the face, knocking her out. "Didn't want to give her an idea or anything, but, able to escape and finish the job on John, you know?".
"I know what you mean.", Emma said as Adam started to grab the curtains.
Emma and Adam went to roll and wrap Cruella, tying her into the curtains after Adam took them off the bed posts, and with a deep breath, Emma focused on creating a portal where the other side is showing the courtyard, and with a sprint through the portal, they made it to the courtyard where the rest of the team is now standing by, with all the rescued animals and prisoners including the royal family, having eyes on one of the still standing ballast towers.
The rescued animals snarled and growled at the unconscious Cruella while the team turned their attention to Emma and Adam. Zuri whistled lowly, "Whoa, you've done a number on her, Emma!".
Emma smiled wryly, "Thank you, Zuri...", looking around, frowning anxiously and worriedly, "Where's John?", and Jasmine spoke, "He's in the tower. Jason had to conjure up a...what was it again, Logan?", glancing at Logan who explained, "He was alive when we saw him a few minutes ago before he was brought into the tower, Emma. Haku had to ask Jason to make a stretcher bed on wheels.".
"Will he make it?", Emma asked as the group clearly didn't have any answers. "Have to ask Haku on that one.", Zuri admitted. "I'm not sure myself...".
"Hey, now's not the time to think negative about his condition. Unless he's, for sure, passed this realm, he's going to make it, got it?", Adam told them.
Emma sighed, nodding as she rubbed her arms, looking lost and tired, and Rajah head-butted Jasmine, growling as he gestured at Cruella, and Jasmine smirked, "Hey, Emma, can you wake up Cruella, and at least free her legs? Rajah and his friends look like they want to chase her.", realizing that she could distract Emma with that request for a few moments.
"Sure that's a good idea? Last thing we want is for her to get away.", Logan reminded.
"Well, maybe we can do that if we first fix Cruella, as you said, Emma. About Medusa and all?", Adam winked as Emma had a small smirk on her face for a fraction of a moment there.
Pippa laughed, "I like what you're thinking! I'll get Jason.", sprinting to the tower door, knocking on it, and the door opened just enough to peek and talk in low tones, and with some muffled calls, Jason walked out, closing the door, and smirked.
"Wake her up at least. She deserves to know that she's being changed when awake.", Jason nodded with a growl, and Adam smirked, waking up Cruella who has been laying on the ground, and she then saw everyone she had tortured, jailed up, and more, and the United Talons surrounding her with shock, horror, surprise, fear, and confusion.
"Any ideas, ladies and gentlemen?", Jason chuckled devilishly, and Logan hummed, "A dalmatian puppy is too cute and innocent.". Pippa suggested, "A ugly hyena?".
"Nah...", Emma shook her head. "Certainly should be something she would despise.", Adam pointed out as Jason chuckled.
"A hairless cat? No fur at all, I bet that would certainly be a fate worse than death for her.", Zuri smirked.
Emma raised an eyebrow, "Make her an ugly hairless cat, and make it permanent. If anyone agrees, say aye.", and all the prisoners, the royal family, and the United Talons rang as one, "Aye!".
Emma nodded, "We're all agreed, then. Any last words, Cruella DeVil?", with a glower at Cruella, all tied up and wrapped up like a mummy, with only her face showing.
The woman said nothing; she just glared at all her captors. If looks could kill, she would be getting away at the moment but instead, she was at the mercy of them and more than likely would be dead very soon, especially from the looks the tiger near Jasmine was giving her like he was ready to get some meat back on his bones with her as a meal.
Emma nodded, and looked at Jason, "Do it.", and Jason grinned, using his magic ring, and focused on asking it, and sure enough, there's a stream of golden-silver magic heading straight for Cruella, destroying the clothes and curtains at the same time as it's changing Cruella from the outside with the skin and hair, to the inside, deep inside her bones.
Screams of pain filled the courtyard, but nobody moved, stoic faces as they watched Cruella's punishment. After a minute, right before them, is now a shaking, standing, big-eyed, and ugly hairless cat in the color of gray with coal black eyes.
Jasmine chuckled and glanced at Emma who nodded at her, and spoke, "Rajah, playtime.", and Rajah looked beyond happy, telling in his own way to his friends to join in, and with a roar, he and the other animals went straight for Cruella who gave a water-wauling yowl as she ran for her life, not realizing that she had grown used to two legs, not four.
The others looked away from the sight; Cruella wasn't going to get away before she would be ripped to shreds by the very animals she had planned to make into furniture and clothing. "Good riddance.", Logan huffed as Jasmine rubbed his back.
Jason nodded, "Indeed. I better head back in. Haku may need me. Good thing you quickly stopped the bleeding, Emma, but we had to do a lot; stitches, the IV bag blood infusion with Jim's blood, he's currently in there with Eilonwy, thanks to the signal with the magic mirror that Adam gave Pippa before you went into the castle...Silver really looks bad, I can't lie.", with a sigh before he quickly headed back to the ballast tower, opening and closing the door.
Emma seemed very disheartened at the moment; just the sounds of things... and what she saw, it would be amazing if John even partially recovered, much less lived.
"Do you need some time to yourself?", Jasmine asked her. Emma sighed heavily, "I need to distract myself.", looking at the royal family who had been the slaves/servants of Cruella, "Are you the royal family?".
King Edward nodded, "I am the king...Gods, I need to take the crown back in the throne room. The magic itself will let Andalasia know that I, the rightful king of Castle Malaga has reclaimed the throne...".
Queen Nancy touched his shoulder, "No, we cannot do that yet, my love. We cannot risk the chance of Tremaine feeling the magic. Best thing we can do right now is cleaning the castle right now, starting with those fiends who attacked us in the first place!".
Emma nodded, "We can do a cremation fire here to rid of the traitors completely. And many apologies for destroying much of the castle surroundings and all.", with a bow to King Edward.
High Prince Robert nodded, "That would do it.", looking to the freed prisoners, "Let's get some food and water for all of us.", with High Princess Giselle and Princess Morgan smiling in delight, in the mood to cook a much-needed meal.
"At least we've freed the area... for the moment.", Logan gave a small sigh. "I assure you, sir, Tremaine will not take this kingdom again; once is too much.", Edward boldly declared.
Zuri sighed, "Looks like Tremaine is the last one to defeat in Andalasia...I can't believe what this war has come to, and to think, it has been happening for barely four years now.".
High Princess Giselle smiled softly, "We can't thank you enough, United Talons, for saving us. The stories about you all, they have exceeded our hopes and dreams.".
Emma chuckled softly, "We have been soldiers, so we are the kind of people that never leaves the innocent alone to face the dangers of war. And our gifts in this world have served us well.", and the rest of her comrades agreed to that, nodding and murmuring.
Then Jasom emerged out once more, calling out to Emma, "Emma, he pulled through! He's awake, asking for you!", with a huge, relieved smile.