Disney World: The Age of Tears

Beginning of the End


The morning dew was still fresh on the grass and plant-life as a low cloud of fog flowed throughout the area, stretching like fingers reaching for something to grasp. The morning was cold and cloudy with a strange mist hanging in the air that dampened the clothing and armor of the soldiers moving slowly forward. They moved as quietly as possible in the various forms of armor they were wearing, some in heavy plate armor etched with the sigil of Notre Dame. Others bore the stamp of Prince John upon their lighter armor and some were barely clothed in rough spun tunics or tanned leathers, likely conscripted locals forced into battle by the Sheriff of Nottingham or Captain Crocodile. The soldiers of Agrabah were probably the coldest as their armor was thin and light made for survival in the harsh desert environment they were used to. Mixed among the soldiers were the bulk of Scar's hyenas each with looks of hysteria in their eyes and giggles on their tongues. Their laughter blended with the sounds of marching and men breathing making the noise even more erratic.

Standard bearers struggled with the slippery flag poles they held as well as trying not to get them caught up in the lower hanging branches of some trees as they marched through the forest. The flags of Prince John flapped softly in the light breeze that chilled the men to the bone. Frollo had made sure that everything had been put into motion so that the scouts of the Merry Men would undoubtedly know Prince John had taken to the field.

The cowardly wannabe king was fully armored in a splendid golden plate and with chainmail hanging from beneath it for added protection. His horse was draped in matching chainmail to protect it from arrow fire and some close-range attacks. John had voiced that the armor was too heavy for him to properly do battle, among numerous other complaints, but Frollo would hear none of it and simply silenced him with orders to do as commanded. John was very well protected with a company of soldiers dedicated to simply protecting him at all times. His armor had never seen battle and the jeweled sword and shield hanging from his horse had never once been stained with the blood of anything. It was highly likely that John himself had never killed a thing in his life.

Scar padded along with a squadron of hyenas stalking near him, their slobber dripping constantly while they giggled unpredictably at one another. Jafar had donned his armor again and was near Scar, as usual, walking with the confident air that always seemed to emanate off him since he'd become Sultan of Agrabah. The two had formed a tight friendship after rising to power in their respective kingdoms at nearly the same time. Both shared a passion for personal advancement that had drawn them close together in hopes of gathering even more power amongst themselves.

Being sent to Nottingham had only worked in their favor and they'd eagerly accepted the assignment knowing full well that the leadership of this land was in danger of facing Chernabog's wrath for their repeated failures. Setting up for Frollo's plan had taken a day and a half so upon the third day the armies had begun their march towards what was most assuredly victory for them. They outnumbered the Merry Men three to one even without Frollo's reinforcements. The only advantage Robin's paltry forces had was the terrain itself, although they had shown through their endless stream of victories over the years that this was all they needed. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy being amongst them was also a problem as they were worth an army each in the right situations. Still, everyone felt confident and looked the part except for the Sheriff.

The Sheriff of Nottingham was surrounded by more men than Prince John. Captain Crocodile, Nutsy, and Trigger along with several Wolf Archers and Rhino Guards lumbered near him as if he was the royalty on the field. One of his arms was in a sling and he looked as though he was going to fall over at any moment. The Sheriff had nearly keeled over when Frollo presented himself and chastised him for his repeated failures telling him that this was his last chance to redeem himself in the eyes of their God. Jafar smirked at the distant and drawn look the Sheriff held, he was an idiot undeserving of the station placed upon him.

The forest near the castle had been untouched by the flames of the previous battle but as the march continued they began to encounter more and more burned landscape further showing the Sheriff's incompetence. Why in the world would the Sheriff have thought setting the battlefield on fire was the best option, Jafar had wondered numerous times. He was grateful for Frollo's sudden appearance yesterday.

"What do you think of Frollo's plan?" Scar's voice broke Jafar from his deep thoughts bringing him back to reality.

Jafar eyed the few people around him before replying, none were close enough to hear over the sounds of marching and heavy breathing. One had to be careful when speaking about Lord Frollo, "I find the plan itself sound and reasonable..." Jafar absently stroked his thin beard. "...but I find it strange that he suddenly chose this time to bring such force to Nottingham."

"I as well," Scar replied, not taking his eyes off the road ahead of them. " I think he arrived to curb our increase in power, my friend."

"Makes sense," Jafar thoughtfully said. "With Notre Dame and Chernabog's ear, Frollo is unchallenged by any leaders of the dark god's forces. However, if we were to gain influence in Nottingham and say, pool our forces together, he would have a significant challenge on his hands."

Scar scoffed, "Not to mention the person who delivers Nottingham to Chernabog is likely to gain much favor as well."

"Persons," Jafar winked at Scar.

Scar laughed, "I do love the way you think. Let us speak of this no more for now. We know what we must do if the opportunity arises."

Jafar nodded his head and thought, 'Take out the competition. Wherever and whoever it may be.'


"What are we going to do here, Mickey?" Goofy asked as he sat with his feet kicked up on a table. There was a tankard next to him filled with ale and his burp showed a sign of some intoxication. "Every battle here whittles down the Merry Men's forces. Even victories come at too high a cost now."

"Goofy is right," Donald agreed. "But we cannot abandon Nottingham. Not at such a crucial time in the war. Walt's forces need a boost of inspiration and a complete victory here would certainly provide that."

"Aye," Mickey agreed in a solemn voice. "but there isn't much we can do at this point either. Reinforcements are days away. We need to consider new leadership in the absence of Snow White and Prince Charming." Mickey gazed at his friends. "We have to consider the possibility that they may truly be dead and not just in hiding."

The three of them were alone in a private chamber provided by Robin for discussions such as these. Usually, Mickey liked to have Daisy, Pluto, and Minnie in such talks but this was one of the times he felt only the three who had been there when Walt passed should be present.

"What if he never comes back?" Goofy slurred.

"Don't speak like that!" Donald snapped. "You're just drunk!"

Goofy took his leg from the table and sat upright staring intently at both Mickey and Donald before saying, "No. I mean it. It's been centuries now." The slur and drunken tone was gone for the moment and his eyes held a seriousness that they had only seen on the battlefield. "What if he is never returning? What will we do?"

Mickey said nothing. "What can we do?"

"You have his power," Goofy pointed to the Sorcerer's Hat. "What if you become the new God of Disney? What if you took up Walt's mantle?"

"I...I..." Mickey was speechless. 'Could such a thing even be possible?' he wondered for a split second before casting away such silly thoughts. "No. I'm nowhere near strong enough. Even with this portion of Walt's powers the three of us together can only hold Chernabog off for so long. And that is only if he's alone."

"So then we find you more power." Goofy's voice intensified. "There are legends. The Sword in the Stone...Hercules...the Black Cauldron-

"No!" Mickey immediately cut Goofy off. "No," he reaffirmed even stronger but whether it was for him or them he could not say. "We cannot afford to be chasing after fairy tales right now. Hercules is a myth and chasing after fairy tales is what lost us King Richard in the first place! And I refuse to use evil against evil. The Black Cauldron will remain where it lies for all time. No..." Mickey sat back in his seat heavily and sighed. "Too bad Hercules isn't real," he finally broke the momentary silence caused by his shouting. "We could use a general of his fabled strength and prowess right now."

"Aye," Donald agreed. "That we could."

"Let's rest on it and come together tomorrow with fresh minds in hopes of new ideas?" Mickey offered.

Goofy grumbled something inaudible before snatching up his tankard and draining it dry. "Goodnight, my friends." He stumbled a bit from the room.

"Don't let him get to you Mickey," Donald said as he stood up and stretched. "He gets like this after a battle. You know that."

"This is different, Donald. His drinking increases by the day and I can see it in his eyes." Mickey looked at Donald. "He grows tired of this constant war and death cycle we live in." Mickey scoffed, "Hell, I do as well."

"As do I. As do I. Yet we must fight on for the good of all things." Donald placed a hand on Mickey's shoulder. "And you must lead us."

Mickey nodded. "I know. Thank you, old friend. Now go, I'm sure Daisy is very much in need of your attention."

Donald smiled. "As Minnie requires yours." Donald squeezed Mickey's shoulder and then he too left the room.

Mickey stood up and left after a few moments of quiet contemplation. The walk to his and Minnie's chambers seemed to pass in the blink of an eye as he absently greeted guards and Merry Men that he passed in the halls. He couldn't even recall what time it was. As he entered he found Pluto fast asleep near the fireplace and Minnie awake and waiting for him in bed.

"Hello, my love." Mickey began to remove his robe to join her.

"You look tired," Minnie remarked. "Did it not go well?"

"No," Mickey admitted as he climbed into the simple bed that they shared here and underneath the covers where she cuddled up into him laying her head on his chest. "Goofy suggested we use the Black Cauldron..."

Minnie looked at him. "Again?" her face was worried. "Do you think he would do it behind your back?"

"No. Never," Mickey said strongly without hesitation. "He only seeks a quick end to all the bloodshed but he would never turn from us. To seek out the Cauldron and use its power would only invite doom upon us all."

Minnie sighed and snuggled her head back into Mickey's chest. "I trust him as I do you, my love. Think of these things no more. For now, let's just enjoy the bit of quiet time that we have." She looked up once again and kissed Mickey, softly at first and then more fiercely. Mickey kissed her back and soon the two were lost in the passion of lovemaking.

Not long after they had finished Mickey lay with his beloved wife sleeping soundly on his chest. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled a little, planting a kiss on her head before sleep took him as well.

Ever since he'd donned the Sorcerer's Hat Mickey had dealt with strange and sometimes powerful dreams but nothing like what he was experiencing now. It was as if he was asleep but awake at the same time, fully conscious that he had just been in bed with his wife.

He was whisked away from his body, sucked skyward by some unseen force of immense power. He felt dread fill himself as the clouds passed by him and he was pulled higher and higher until he could see all of Disney below him and nothing but stars and blackness above.

He almost shouted when a bright light began to approach him and suddenly he felt all the fear leave his body and a strange hint of recognition as the light grew closer and closer. As it did it began to take form and shape itself into a figure Mickey had longed to see for as long as he could remember.

"Walt!?" Mickey screamed as he suddenly stopped and there before him, standing in the blackness of space was Walt in all his splendor.

Walt smiled brightly, adding to the piercing white light that was emanating from his body. He was covered in white robes but the lower half of his body was lost in the darkness around them. "Hello, Mickey."

Tears welled up in his eyes and he wanted nothing more than to fall into Walt's arms and cry. "What...what is happening. Is this a dream?"

"In a way yes," Walt replied, and his voice seemed to echo throughout the cosmos. Bright sparkling colors flashed here and there like thunder in a storm off in the distance. A swirling mass of brilliant green passed them sending a cooling wave of refreshment through Mickey's body. "And no," Walt said after a moment.

"I don't understand." Mickey reached out to touch Walt but as he did it seemed that his beloved creator always stayed just out of reach.

"It is not for you to understand," Walt told him. "I still sleep, resting until I am fully healed. But while I sleep I see. I've watched you over the centuries, Mickey, leading and doing exactly as I knew you would. Becoming the great hero I always knew you would be."

"But how...?" Mickey asked.

"As I sleep my powers return to me," Walt said simply and left it at that. "We don't have much time. Listen, for there is much I need to tell you. I see you three grow weary and I am here to offer aid in the small way that I can along with an explanation."

"Explanation? About what?"

"About why Chernabog was able to harm me. Why I was weakened so." Walt waved his hand and the stars and colors swirled together until they formed an almost mirror-like object where Mickey could see Walt sitting in his room weaving great magics.

"What...what is this?"

"This, my friend, is why I was weakened. I was plagued with visions of my downfall. Nightmares of Chernabog defeating me and taking control of my heart. For the longest, I knew not what to do but then I remembered the beginning. The beginning of it all when I was alone and just created. That was when the answer dawned on me. I had to create. And so I did." Walt waved his hand and the image zoomed in so that Mickey could see what the magic Walt was using was created.

He saw a realm of strong warriors, their King, a large man with fire-colored hair with a beautiful queen, and four children whose hair matched his own. His daughter stood proudly with a bow in her hands. The image flickered and Mickey then saw a beautiful girl locked away in a tower with a river of golden hair that seemed never-ending. Again the image flickered and Mickey was presented with a vision of a frozen wasteland, snow falling fiercely, and standing in the midst of it was a girl barely clothed for such weather who looked to be perfectly fine and at home seemingly singing a song. Again a shift happened in the mirror and Mickey saw an island of beautiful men and women, their Chief and his wife looking down proudly at their daughter who was directing preparation for some kind of ceremony. The mirror shuddered and began to sparkle then faded away.

"I...I don't understand...what have I just seen?" Mickey rubbed his eyes for the brilliance of what he had been shown had brought tears to them.

"I created another world, Mickey. A world I had hoped to keep apart from Chernabog's dark influence so that if the time ever came we could use their might to turn the tide against the dark armies."

"You mean...?" Mickey could barely comprehend what he was being told.

"Yes, Mickey. There are heroes out there yet untouched by the evil that plagues Disney. Heroes that you must find and teach. For while I tried to protect them from Chernabog I did not know at the time we share a connection. Somehow his darkness managed to sweep into their world as well."

Walt waved his hands again and another mirror appeared before Mickey but the images it showed were frightening and deeply disturbing to see. An immense bear with eyes like flames and a back full of arrows and spears, a psychotic woman laughing into a hearth, her eyes swelling with madness. A handsome Prince, regal and noble in all appearance who smiled brightly but behind him whirled the dark energies of Chernabog. Mickey then saw black tendrils of oozing death stretching across the oceans, swallowing islands in shadowy gloom. It was all Mickey could do not to turn away before the mirror began to slowly fade from vision.

"The heroes...they..." but Mickey couldn't finish his words so stunned was he by what he had seen.

"You must find them, Mickey. Find them and teach them what I never had the time to do. They each have abilities that can change the fate of Disney but they know not how to use them. I did not suspect creating another world would weaken me so but it did. It gave Chernabog the edge he needed to injure me and set in motion all that has happened since I went to rest. His evil threatens them and if he can fully corrupt their world as well he will be too powerful for even I to stop." Walt's voice had taken a grave turn but his eyes still smiled and held the vigor Mickey remembered.

"But how? How do I-"

"When the time comes you will know..." Walt interrupted him with a gentle hand gesture.

Mickey hesitated, tears beginning to grow in his eyes again. There was so much he wanted to say to Walt. Oh, how he missed him. Mickey reached out to embrace Walt and again found that no matter how hard he tried Walt was forever far from his grasp. "Walt...I...I..." but the words would not form.

"I want you to know how proud I am of you, Mickey. How proud I am of all of you." Walt's voice and the light seemed to dim and Mickey saw that he was slowly fading away.

"Walt! Wait! Please! There is so much I need to say! So much I want to ask!" Mickey struggled to reach him, swimming through the voice of space while crying frantically. "Please don't go! Come back to us! Please!"

"I am always with you, Mickey. I will return. Never forget. I will return..."

Mickey sat up in the bed screaming, "Walt!" he looked around, sweating profusely, his shouting had awakened Minnie and Pluto.

"Are you alright?" Minnie pulled him into her arms.

"I...I..." He couldn't find a way to describe what he had just seen. Was it real? Had he just been visited by Walt? He couldn't know for sure. He opened his mouth about to speak when heavy knocking at their door interrupted him. "Yes? Come in," he said sitting upright in the bed.

The door opened and Alan-A-Dale came inside with urgency about him. "Sorry to wake you sir but we've just gotten the word." he seemed out of breath from running. "Nottingham's forces are on the march and Prince John is leading them personally."

Mickey and Minnie's eyes both widened knowing what this meant. "We'll be ready in a few moments."


"This is too good an opportunity to pass up!" Robin bellowed as Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto rushed into the meeting room. Little John, Friar Tuck, Lady Kluck, Maid Marian, Alan-A-Dale, Daisy, Donald, and a somewhat hungover-looking Goofy were already in attendance. "If we can kill Prince John, Nottingham is as good as ours!"

"It's too convenient, Robin." Lady Kluck interjected. "Why take to the field? Why now?"

"Perhaps he felt the need after their latest shameful defeat," Marian offered. "It is customary for the leadership to take the field and inspire their troops. Perhaps morale was so low he had no choice?"

"Prince John is a coward. He would never-"

"But with Scar and Jafar here and the Sheriff wounded maybe there was little choice ." Little John interrupted Friar Tuck.

"Irrelevant," Robin said. "This may be our only chance to take down not only Prince John but Jafar and Scar as well. A decisive blow here, today, could mean a true turn in the tide of this war. We could free Nottingham, the Pridelands, and Agrabah in one fell swoop."

"And if it's a trap?" Alan-A-Dale posed.

"It is undoubtedly a trap," Daisy said with her arms folded. "But a trap is something we can handle." She motioned to her and her allies.

"How fair our numbers?" Robin looked at Alan.

"With the reinforcements, you called from our borders we have a sizable force. Surely not as many as them but if we can keep the fight on our terms we should be able to clinch victory," Alan replied with a bit of reluctance.

"We can handle the access soldiers," Goofy told them. "As long as you all can keep the battlefield from being spread too far I think we can handle this."

"I agree," Donald said firmly before looking to Mickey. "What say you?"

Mickey's eyes were distant, he'd barely even heard any of the conversations as his mind was still heavy with the dream he'd just had. Should he tell them? Even if he did what good would it do? He knew nothing outside of what he'd dreamed and what if it had been just that, a simple dream? His mind could have easily cooked up such thoughts in his desperate moments after the talk with Donald and Goofy.

"Mickey...Mickey are you alright?"

Mickey snapped back to reality to find Robin and everyone looking at him with concern on their faces. "Yes, yes...I'm fine," he assured them quickly. "Long night." Minnie glanced at him, knowing that he'd been shouting in his sleep but said nothing.

"What say you then?" Robin repeated Donald's question.

Mickey inhaled and exhaled. "I do feel that it's a trap," he said at first. "However, Robin has the right of it. This is too good an opportunity to pass up. We have the chance to free up three major kingdoms and it's still dawn so we have several hours of daylight left to do it. I suspect they plan to lure us out into a prolonged battle in hopes that their god will arise and finish us. However, should night begin to fall we can retreat well before Chernabog can rise and at the very least kill one if not all of their leaders."

"It's settled then." Robin stood up. "Little John, you and Alan see to the men and give them their orders. Marian, I want you and the others to prepare everything else. We march in two hours."


Prince John looked uncomfortable after nearly two hours of riding a horse in his flashy and heavy armor. He hadn't been atop a horse in years and his crotch was aflame. His fur was soaked with sweat under the weight of armor he'd only worn one time in the privacy of his room. He had just received the armor from the smith and decided to try it on. Only Sir Hiss and two servants had been present and the weight had been too much for him within minutes. John was practically dying at the moment.

Feeling faint, he said to the soldiers marching next to him, "Halt. I need water and rest." He tried as hard as he could to sound regal and commanding but his voice broke several times and his throat itched with dryness.

The soldiers immediately went to work helping Prince John down from his horse and removed his helmet where a bit of sweat began to leak from it from the buildup inside. Water was brought forth as John was helped down onto a nearby log. The forest around them held signs of the fire from days ago but some trees and plant-life remained untouched. The soldiers gave the signal and the rest of the army began to halt as well as the word was passed back that rest had been ordered. Prince John drank the entire contents of the water skin he'd been given without thought for who else wanted some then demanded more.

Minutes later Jafar and Scar made their way to where he was. John ignored the condescending look on Jafar's face and would not meet eyes with Scar for he knew his fellow lion looked down on him and in truth, John was afraid of Scar almost as much as he feared Claude Frollo.

"The march has taken its toll on you?" Jafar asked quietly.

"A few moments rest is all I need and we can continue," John replied swiftly in the strongest voice he could muster. Surprisingly it had come out stronger than before. Perhaps the water had given him some strength again.

"The men could use some rest," Scar noted. "We don't want them tired when we finally meet the Merry Men in battle."

"And when will that be?" Prince John inquired with sincerity in his voice. The prospect of battle frightened him but it meant no more riding as well. And the quicker they killed the Merry Men the quicker he could return to the comforts of his palace.

"Not long now I suspect," Jafar told him. "I'm sure their scouts have seen our march and word has traveled to Robin Hood. If he has taken the bait they will likely be heading for us now."

"Then we should prepare some sort of defense should we not?" Prince John suddenly grew worried. Robin Hood was his most hated adversary and he had never been this vulnerable before. What if he was killed? Damn Claude Frollo for placing him out as bait like some common soldier.

Scar nodded in agreement so Jafar turned to one of the soldiers near him. "Give orders for defensive positions at once. Expect attack soon." The soldier ran off and the three leaders could hear the shouts of form up and defensive positions carrying through the army with them.

"Where is the Sheriff?" John asked.

"Near the rear with a sizable squadron of men guarding him. Captain Crocodile, Nutsy, and Trigger are among them," Scar said.

Prince John looked to the nearest soldier. "Send the word, I want the Captain, Nutsy, and Trigger added to my guard at once." If anyone could protect him in such a precarious situation John knew the valiant Captain Crocodile could. The soldier stood and ran off to do as he was told.

"The Sheriff won't be happy about that I think." Jafar chuckled.

"The Sheriff can rot in hell for all I care," John snapped. "I'm the King. He's replaceable." Several of the soldiers around him made faces of obvious disgust but they went unnoticed by the oblivious Prince John.

Around them, the soldiers were forming up but with a slow and sluggish pace as many were still tired from the march and lack of water. The cool morning had begun to warm a bit but there was still a chill in the air and many rubbed their shoulders or were breathing in their hands to warm them.

Minutes passed in relative silence, the only sounds being the that of armor clanking, footsteps, and heavy breathing throughout the army. "I'll never lead another campaign again..." Prince John wiped the nonexistent sweat from his forehead with the back of his paw, "I swear-

Several arrows flew from seemingly nowhere killing a dozen or so guards nearby.

"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" someone screamed.

The soldiers near Prince John, Jafar, and Scar quickly stood up raising their shields just in time to stop a rain of arrows that flew for at their King. "Oh no! Oh no!" Prince John whimpered frantically as someone shoved his helmet onto his head.

"Protect your King!" Jafar instructed before slipping out of the circular ring around Prince John, Scar closely following him. Neither of them wanted to be near John knowing full well he was likely going to be attacked with the most force during this battle.

Arrows flew from Wolf Archers who had no idea where they were shooting while numerous arrows came back at them killing men left and right. "The Merry Men are in the trees again!" someone screamed.

The sound of a horn blowing was heard and a roar echoed through the forest.

Without warning a wave of men led by Little John charged forward clashing with the leftmost flank of their forces mowing down dozens before the others were able to regroup and begin fighting back. As this happened a wave of water swept upward and bowled into the rightmost flank carrying all in its path upward. Behind the wave were Robin Hood and his most trusted rushing headlong at their troops.

"Charge!" Scar roared and sprang forward unleashing a massive shockwave that split the watery wave apart. Around him, the forces of Nottingham, Agrabah, and the Pridelands charged at their enemies but the ground opened up in a huge chasm and many soldiers and hyenas fell into it before it slammed closed. "Damn them! Jafar! With me!"

Jafar didn't hesitate, sending a fireball forth from his staff that turned several Merry Men into bone and ash while Scar bit the head from another and spat it aside. The initial battle had gone to the Merry Men but their forces still held the greater number. The two of them had to engage with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy to prevent them from killing large numbers of their troops like their previous engagement.

Another wave of arrows arched upward and landed amongst their forces killing another dozen and injuring several others. Then a familiar call rang out and all that had been in the battle a few days ago gazed upward as Dumbo broke through the tree line and landed amongst the soldiers batting many into the air with a swing of his mighty trunk.

"Jafar! The snake!" Scar called out while killing another man with his claws.

"Right." Jafar tossed his staff down and in a burst of reddish smoke, it transformed into the massive anaconda from before. "Kill the beast!" Jafar pointed at Dumbo. The snake hissed and slithered towards the elephant, knocking men of both armies out of its way as it did. Dumbo didn't notice the snake's approach and was wrapped up quickly around the waist as the snake attempted to squeeze him. However, Dumbo flapped his ears and took to the sky carrying the snake with it. Their battle carrying on into the air above the fighting on the ground.

Jafar turned and waved his hands beginning to weave the magic when a loud gunshot rang out and the soldier next to him was suddenly headless. Looking around quickly he spied Daisy in a tree not far off aiming her long rifle at him. He continued his magic and unleashed a blackish-purple beam that hit the tree she was in. The tree began to dissolve and Daisy dove from it just as it collapsed in on itself.

Mickey and Jafar's magical energies flew across the battlefield from here and there causing massive amounts of damage to both armies. Bodies tumbled through the skies from explosions of magic, sudden bursts of earth and water, and sonic screams from Scar's powerful roars.

Little John led Friar Truck and Lady Kluck along with numerous soldiers in an epic display of battle prowess, cutting a swath through the enemy forces nearly unopposed much to the anger of Captain Crocodile who was commanded to stand firm near the Sheriff of Nottingham as they watched from a safe distance along with nearly two dozen or more Rhino Guard. He wanted nothing more than draw his blade and charge Little John to get revenge for their previous battle that he had lost but the Sheriff was content to cower in the rear not even giving orders. Fear was apparent on his face and the sweat was visible on his fur.

Another horn blew and from their left, they watched as more Merry Men charged in their direction, a rooster with an eye-patch leading the charge. Captain Crocodile silently thanked Chernabog for the chance to bloody his sword as he drew it from the scabbard. "Weapons!" he bellowed and the Rhino Guards with him pointed their pole-arms and prepared while the Sheriff looked near ready to run. "Charge!" the Captain pointed his sword forward and the Rhino Guard rushed headlong into the Merry Men.

The fight was bloody as the Rhino's horns and pole-arms cut through the Merry Men with ease. Only the rooster seemed to pose a threat as he nimbly moved around killing with his sword and dodging where he couldn't block or parry. Captain Crocodile rushed up and swung for his head but the rooster blocked and sprang backward.

"Little John spoke of you to me," the rooster teased as he lunged at Captain Crocodile with a thrust.

"A pity I can't say I know you." the Captain easily deflected the thrust and begun his counter attack.

"Alan-A-Dale." The rooster smiled. "You won't be forgetting it." he lashed out and sliced across Captain Crocodile's thigh but such a wound wouldn't stop a battle-hardened warrior like the Captain.

The two fought one on one for a moment before Captain Crocodile began to get the upper hand and pushed Alan backward. With a glance, Alan noticed that his men were being overrun and made a decision as he ducked beneath Captain Crocodile's wide swing. "Retreat!" Alan rolled onto his back, grabbing a handful of dirt in his feathers as he did. When he stood up Captain Crocodile was rushing forward with his sword held high so Alan threw the handful of dirt into his eyes.

"Argh!" The dirt stopped Captain Crocodile completely in his tracks, rubbing his eyes furiously. "Damn you, Alan!" By the time he cleaned his eyes most of the Merry Men had retreated into the trees. He'd suffered a few losses but was victorious.

"Get back over here!" the Sheriff's weak voice demanded. "I'm at risk, damn you!"

Captain Crocodile felt his blood begin to boil and rage grow inside him, anger rising at the rooster escaping his clutches just like Little John. If the two of them didn't die in battle today he knew they would be talking about this and laughing. He could see the Sheriff still yelling but couldn't make out the words but his hand shook as he gripped his sword handle tighter.

"Damn you, Captain! I gave the order to protect me not to charge into battle like some-"

Captain Crocodile drove his sword straight through the Sheriff of Nottingham's lower belly to the hilt. The Sheriff let out a childlike whelp and tears began to leak from his eyes. The Captain twisted the blade roughly causing the Sheriff to choke and cough up a spatter of blood that leaked down his lip. The old wolf looked as if he was trying to say something but the Captain ripped the blade free and sent a trail of blood streaking across the grass beneath his feet. The Sheriff reached out with his hand and then fell flat on his face.

As the Sheriff of Nottingham's body twitched a little, blood pooling beneath, the Captain thought back to the conversation he'd had with Jafar and Scar after their shameful defeat. Then he remembered another more important conversation that came before they had begun the march.

He had been giving instructions to men when Claude Frollo had seemingly appeared from nowhere. The men with him bent the knee and the Captain had begun to do the same before Frollo said, "Please, rise. There is little time for formality." His voice was leveled and easy but the power he exuded was thick and heavy in the air.

"My lord." was all Captain Crocodile said, awaiting orders that were most assuredly about to be given.

"Leave us." Frollo flicked his hand sending all the men nearby away then motioned for the Captain to follow him. "I have spoken with both, King John and the Sheriff about their positions and purpose in the coming battle. I've come to tell you yours."

"Whatever you command, my lord."

The deep grainy voice of the large crocodile rubbed roughly against Frollo's ears but he ignored it with a tempered and patient smile. "That is good to hear for the task I bring you is one of great importance and I fear I can trust only you to carry it out."

"I'm honored, my lord."

"When the battle grows heavy, if the Sheriff of Nottingham should become a threat to victory again I want you to kill him where he stands." Frollo's eyes flickered and he stared deep into Captain Crocodile's eyes to assess if there was anything other than obedience there.

"As you wish, my lord."

"Upon completion of this task, I'll see you named the new Sheriff of Nottingham," Frollo told him and to that Captain Crocodile smiled.

"So it's done then, Captain?" A Rhino Guard walked up beside Captain Crocodile bringing him back from his remembering. All of the guards assigned to watch the Sheriff had been told what might transpire so there would be no surprises.

"That's Sheriff..." the Crocodile chuckled and spit on the dead Sheriff's body.

Soldiers and hyenas were dying left and right as the pace of the battle remained relatively stale with no clear victor presenting itself. The Merry Men fought valiantly while the opposing forces gave as good as they got. Bodies both alive and dead began to pile up here and there with the injured and maimed screaming for help or the sweet release of death. The smells of shit, piss, and blood became more pungent as the fighting raged on. Men cried out to one god or another for aid but none would come even if they were listening.

The Merry Men did their best to keep the fighting contained with forces engaging in direct conflict while small pockets of men used hit and run tactics to push the opposing forces back into the main battleground as they'd been told to do. Magic blasts, scattered bullets, and arrows flew in all directions killing and injuring any unlucky enough to be hit. At this point, it seemed as if aiming had been cast aside as there was no shortage of foe for either side of the fight to kill.

While all this happened Prince John had been led a good length away from the fight by his protecting force of men but still within reasonable distance to see and give commands if necessary. Nutsy and Trigger had arrived not long ago and were standing guard with the other Rhino Guards around him. "Should we maybe get further away from this? It seems so dangerous and chaotic."

Nutsy scoffed, forgetting who he was talking to for a moment, "It's battle. This is what it is..."

"Excuse me?" John snapped.

Nutsy straightened up, "I, uh- ...my King, what I meant was-"

Several arrows took a few Rhino Guards in their necks and chest instantly slaying them. "It's him! It's him!" Prince John pointed to the nimble figure of Robin Hood with an arrow notched and aimed directly at him. A dozen or so of the Merry Men were with him with weapons drawn. Robin released the arrow and it flew right at John's head. Prince John saw a grin on his hated foe's face but the grin quickly turned to a frown when the arrow crashed into an invisible barrier of some kind.

Now it was Prince John's turn to grin. "Give the signal and kill him," he commanded and the soldier nearest to him produced and blew a horn once, twice, three times.

Robin and his band of soldiers stopped in their tracks another horn blew in the distance somewhere and the sound of heavy footfalls could be heard. Before Robin had time to think properly from the forest rushed soldiers in garb he'd never seen personally but had heard about. His heart sank as he quickly notched another arrow. These were the soldiers of Notre Dame. A trap he had expected, but nothing like this. If Notre Dame were here then that meant Claude Frollo was as well. Had Robin known this he would never have led his men into such a battle. The enemy had played him and he had fallen right into their trap.

All around the battlefield, Notre Dame's forces began rushing into the backs of the Merry Men completely cutting off their retreat. Many were caught by surprise and cut down instantly before there was even time to react.

Robin shot three arrows at once killing as many men but was forced to put his bow away and draw his sword. A glance showed him that his path of retreat was covered and the only way out of this was through the enemy. Prince John sat grinning atop his horse and Robin felt a swell of burning anger boil in him.

"Charge! If we can kill the pretender, John we can still win the day!"

Without hesitation, the men with him rushed into the Rhino's guarding Prince John, much to the false King and his guard's surprise. Robin and his men began hacking away in an attempt to kill Prince John, blades meeting blades and poleaxes but the soldiers of Notre Dame rushed into their rears and began cutting into their backs. Still, Robin fought on, brave as ever with hatred and determination in his eyes he lashed out cutting through several poleaxes and killing another Rhino Guard.

As he did this something cut him across his shoulder and then another blade dug into his thigh causing him to scream in pain. He fought through it, killing another with a swift stroke to the neck but he couldn't move anymore and was surrounded, the final of the Merry Men with him died, impaled by a spear from behind. Robin turned in a circle swinging his sword wide to keep the enemy away and trying to figure a way out of this situation.

"Da-damn you, John!" he cursed and spat blood in the face of a Rhino Guard before stabbing him deeply in the belly as another blade dragged across his back and drove him down to one knee screaming in agony. With no energy left in his body, Robin couldn't get his sword free and two more cut him across his arms.

The leader of the Merry Men was down on his knees in the soupy mix of blood and dirt beneath him, breathing heavily and unable to rise no matter how much he willed his body to do so.

"Well, what do we have here, Nutsy?" a familiar and sly voice filled with cockiness said as the Rhino's and Notre Dame soldiers spread and allowed the two vultures through.

"Looks like we finally got 'em, Trigger," Nusty replied with a laugh.

Trigger lifted his crossbow and aimed for Robin's head. "Wait!" Prince John commanded and again the Rhino Guards and Notre Dame soldiers broke away allowing Prince John entry. "He's mine."

"Curse...curse your name...you bastard..." Robin weakly spat onto the jeweled boot of Prince John. "...you are...you are no King...long live...King Richard..." his vision blurred, going in and out from the amount of blood he was losing from his wounds. He heard more than he saw Prince John draw his sword.

"At long last, I will have your head." Prince John laughed maniacally and raised his sword. Robin Hood opened his mouth to say something else but John swung with all his might driving the sword into Robin Hood's neck attempting to cleave his head from his shoulders. The sword jammed itself in and stopped halfway through while Robin's body twitched and he began to choke on blood, his eyes rolling around.

"Damn you!" John struggled to remove the sword for a moment then swung and the blade again found itself stuck in Robin's neck, his body now limply falling to the ground, slightly shaking still. Blood splattered across John's armor and it only seemed to enrage him more. He lifted the sword and began to furiously hack down at Robin's neck with his eyes closed. "Damn you! Damn you! Damn you!" he screamed in a childlike and broken voice. Bloodshot upward spattering across John's hands, arms, and chest, some even making it to his face.

When he opened his eyes he saw that he had accomplished his goal and reached down with a sick smile on his face lifting the head of Robin Hood in his paw. He raised it high and laughed, "Robin Hood is dead!"