The Tower

They took her and Raw back to the Tower. DG began to understand just how twisted her sister was when she discovered that the nurture units she'd loved so much had been reprogrammed to interrogate her about the emerald. And her sister seemed to be behaving like someone with a split personality, pleasant one minute and malicious the next.

Azkadellia, her light infused with love for her sister kept pushing at the chains around her soul yet she could not break through and now the witch was channeling Azkadellia's memories of precious moments with them to weaken their defenses.

My sister is not going to surrender!

Fool! Do you think you can still fight me after all these years?

You can't hold me forever nor will you find the emerald. It belongs to me.

The western guardian is dead and the eastern guardian is lost. You have nothing.

The witch pushed back with a powerful spell that sent Azkadellia back to her dark cage, her light dimming. Unfortunately for the witch, the bitch had been speaking the truth. Her manipulations had failed. The younger girl refused to devulge her secrets.

"If you remember nothing else, remember this: the next time I snuff out your insignificant little life there'll be no one standing by to save you!" the witch hissed as Zero dragged the terrified girl away.

After several attempts DG was as impossible to read as her counterpart and for the same reason, her memories were locked by powerful magic. The witch ordered her to be placed in a cell near the Mystic Man's. If they talked she would overhear their conversations.

"I have a theory," Jeb Mysticos said from his cell. "Which can't be unproven."

"Mystic Man? You're alive."

"It is called the 'Or Not' theory."

"Oh, I have so much to tell you.." DG began.

"Ahh you know they wouldn't put you in a cell close to mine unless they wanted us to talk," he cautioned.

"She's listening?" she whispered.

"First you must journey to the north...or not?"

"Yes I journeyed to the north. I went to the ice palace and I know who my mother is. Are you sure you're not still on the vapors?"

What are you doing? she mouthed.

"I have never been clearer in my whole life. It's all coming back to me. My troubled childhood, a rich life of scholarly pursuit, my brief but glamourous life in show business...although that part is a bit hazy." They felt a tremor. "Did you feel that?"

"Yeah."

"They're testing a machine."

"What sort of machine?"

"The complete destruction of the OZ," he said sadly.

In the dungeon the two prisoners spoke carefully yet the Mystic Man was determined to give the girl some clues she could follow.

"Your light must brighten a place that is dark. In the south. It's where you'll find a message about your future and your past."

That's going to hard to do without Mr. Cain, she thought sadly. "I'm not good at finding places and now that Mr Cain is..."

"He's what?"

"Dead," she croaked. The Mystic Man shook his head in denial. He wouldn't believe it. He couldn't believe it. He brushed away his tears.

"How?"

"Zero," she moaned. "He...he tried to fight off Zero so that we could escape...and I heard a shot, glass breaking and oh God I heard him screaming!" She sank to her knees in her cell, her body shaking as she sobbed. It was the first time she allowed herself to grieve for the brave man who had been at her side almost every step of the way.

In her office, the witch was enraged. They were both masking but she had another weapon at her disposal. She made her way down to the dungeons where the girls magic tutor was being kept. She tossed him a bag of video disks. In exchange for his freedom, his purpose was to help lead DG to the emerald and leave a trail for her mobat demon Zora to pick up and return to her. Toto however, was hoping that he could somehow trick the witch and lead DG to the emerald anyway.

"...So eager to please the wrong sister," the witch said softly as she sauntered into the Mystic Man's cell.

"Azkadellia...as I live and breathe...so far," he laughed, knowing that it was not Azkadellia in control of that body but Bastinda.

"I don't know which is more pathetic...you on the vapors or off."

"Your sister is more powerful than you."

"She will never be as powerful as me."

"Then why are you so scared?"

The witch reached out with her magic to find his life force.

"I know you...witch!" he hissed.

"What do you know?"

They'll put an end to you.

We'll see.

She began to pull his life force out of him. In the other cell DG was screaming but she saw his essence reach out to her.

Unlock your memories.

The Mystic Man's body fell to the floor while the witch staggered back, sighing with pleasure as his magic now flowed into her. She turned to DG. "Not so great and powerful after all, huh?" she panted and left the dungeon with her cohorts in tow.

The Northern Island

It was too much to hope for yet once the words had been spoken they played over and over in Wyatt's mind.

My family's alive?

A door opening made Wyatt tense and he pulled out his gun. A hand gently pushed it aside. He opened his eyes to see Glitch inside the back of Demillo's truck carrying a load of firewood.

"You've been sleeping for hours like a baby with his pacifier."

"I thought you were dead," Wyatt said groggily.

"Ditto. You know I may have saved you from hypothermia but this is what saved your life." Glitch showed him the toy horse with a bullet from his own gun lodged in it. "It stopped the bullet."

Wyatt took the horse in his hand and held it tightly against his heart. "DG?" he asked sadly.

"Azkadellia." Glitch answered.

That said it all. Wyatt silently cursed himself. Dammit, he should never have left her! Once they got to Central City, that had been his plan but he couldn't let Zero get to her. He didn't even want to think of what Adora suffered at his hands all these years.

"Raw?"

"I don't know. I can't find him. Either they took him too, he's dead or...

"Or maybe he ran away," Wyatt said bitterly.

Damn coward. Here I thought the kid would be the one to cut and run but she's a helluva lot braver than that furball.

"You know you really should do something about that bitter cynicism of yours, Cain!" Glitch said angrily.

"Why? Somebody's gotta keep your wide eyed optimism in check."

Glitch slammed down a piece of firewood. When did anyone get the benefit of the doubt from Cain? Never as far as he could tell.

"Hey Glitch?"

"What?"

"I owe you one," Wyatt said and closed his eyes, the toy horse still in his hand.

Glitch smiled. "You know Cain profession psychiatric therapy is only a crow's call away these days. I think a man with your issues of masculinity and what we call Boy Scout syndrome would benefit from it."

"I don't want medicoats messing with my head," Wyatt grumbled. He struggled to get up. "We have to find DG."

"Cain, you're not strong enough yet to..." Glitch warned just as Wyatt fell, the sleeve of his shirt catching on something sharp and tearing a large hole in the upper arm. Glitch grabbed hold of him to prevent him from falling, gasping in shock when he saw a tattoo of two crossed swords on the older man's arm.

"I...I don't believe it!"

"What?"

"Take off your shirt."

Wyatt glared at him as he lay back down. "What did you say?"

"I need to see your shoulder. Take off your shirt."

"Have you lost your mind...wait...no I already know you have. My shirt stays on." Wyatt said firmly.

"Cain, you don't have to hide it from me."

"Hide what? You're not making any sense Zipperhead."

"Oh cripes. This!" Glitch took off his torn jacket and pulled up his shirt sleeve to reveal the same tattoo as Wyatt's and DG's on his own arm. "I don't know why I didn't see it before," Glitch went on. "You were on the Mystic Man's protection detail. It made sense that he would have named you his successor. You have the dragon on your shoulder, don't you?"

"Yeah. You?"

"No. My training wasn't completed. My master betrayed the order when he joined Azkadellia."

"Who was your master?"

"General Lannot."

"Lannot was a Tin Man before I started but I didn't know he belonged to the order. He must've been the Mystic Man's first apprentice. I was his second. How far did you get in your training?"

"I'm not sure."

"Once all this is over, your training needs to be completed."

"DG is marked too."

"I saw it. Her dragon tattoo is the same as mine although I have no idea who marked her and why. She shouldn't have either tattoo because she's never been trained. Nor should the dragon tattoos be alike."

"Her dragon is exactly the same as yours?"

"Yeah, why?"

Looks like you don't remember your Talon legends, Cain. And are you gonna be in for a shock when you do remember!

Glitch had barely been able to conceal his own when he first saw the image of the sleeping dragon on the young girl's shoulder while she was wearing the dress Demillo had given her. Even more bizarre, hers would disappear and reappear at random but the meaning was the same. If Cain's tattoo was exactly the same as DG's, it meant they were the Talons prophecized as being bound not only to each other as mates but also to the OZ as its heart. It was now his duty as an apprentice to protect them at all costs. For now his purpose was to protect Cain and soon they would have to find DG. Then he would fight until his last breath to protect them both.

"She's marked to be no other Talon master's apprentice but yours," Glitch explained. It was only a half truth and he hoped that Cain didn't have enough magic in him to sense he was lying.

"The Mystic Man..." Wyatt muttered.

I want your word as a Tin Man. You will not leave her side at any cost.

You have my word.

"...For my word as a Talon is my bond," he went on. "He couldn't reveal me as a Talon in that room so he made me restate my vows as a Tin Man. And I have to honor them." He sat up and reached for his coat.

And I have to honor mine. My duty is to protect the South Guardian, Glitch thought.

He watched Cain tuck the toy horse back into the breast pocket of his shirt, another wave of memories flooding back. He saw himself fifteen years younger carrying DG as a small child over to a chair where a younger Wyatt Cain was sleeping and linking their hands, finding himself trapped outside a magic shield that formed over them and heard a female voice in his head...one that sounded just like DG did now.

"Bound now by the light are we, the heart of the OZ

One half is he, the other half me DG

Together we will stand against the dark

At full strength we are not, lacking our spark

Guard us well for this bond can be undone

We are only complete when in love two become one

The heart with our soul, we form a trinity

Through our heirs forever will we protect the OZ."

This was not going to be easy. Cain's House of Gale symbol was missing as was his magic and any memories he had of his past with DG signifying that he somehow severed their bond and paid a high price for it as the prophecy dictated. And they couldn't consummate their bond if that stubborn mule insisted on treating DG like a kid. She was the one who held the key to unlocking his memories and they had to find her before it was too late.

The Northern Island

Hours later

The travel storm deposited Archie and Elmer just outside the doors of the Northern Island palace. Archie went inside and ran up the stairs to the room he'd once shared with Azkadellia and sat down on the bed, his eyes filled with tears.

"It was colder than Alaska but we were so happy here," he croaked.

"Who?"

"Dellia and me."

Elmer gaped at him. "You and Azkadellia were lovers? But...but...but she's a helluva lot younger than you!"

"It was the will of the OZ Elmer but I don't love her because it was what the OZ wanted me to do. I love her because I choose to. And I'm getting her back. I have to reserve as much of my magic as I can from this moment on but it's a long journey to the tower. At least a few more days."

"Archie!"

Azkadellia appeared in the mirror.

"Dellia!"

"DG's been captured Archie and Bastinda tried having her read but Mother cloaked her memories with her magic. DG thinks it was me talking to her and not Bastinda. She won't help me," Az buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

"Then we'll do it alone. That's the way it's always been Dellia. You and me. I'm going to reserve as much of my magic as I can but I am getting that bitch out of you if it kills me!"

"Don't say that! Never say that...I wouldn't want to live without you!"

"Come to me tonight," he pleaded.

"Oh, I will...I will. I've missed you so much," she sobbed joyfully. "Who is he?"

"That's Elmer Gulch, Dellia. One of Jeb's Tin Man." She lowered her eyes. "What is it?"

"She killed him, Archie. I couldn't stop her..."

"I know. I know," he said soothingly. "I'll be waiting for you here."

Her image vanished.

"She's fighting her?"

"She always has but she can't do it alone. She needed her family and they all abandoned her. I was all she had for the longest time until she had to send me to the other side to protect the Strogoff heir but I'm tired of her being made to wait. This ends on the day of that damned eclipse. I want my wife back and nothing is gonna stop me. Rest up. We leave in the morning."

Come to me tonight.

He intended for their meeting to be in their dreams but it would not be enough, not after so many years of seperation.

"Perika," she commanded softly. The mobat demon flew off her chest.

"We're going back to the Northern Island. I need to see my husband."

"Oh at last! And I will see my Pallux but what of your sister?"

Az smiled. "She'll be headed to Finaqua. My plan is working perfectly. She'll get the emerald, Bastinda will take it back and be exactly where we want her when Archie arrives."

"Surely she senses his presence."

"Ah but she doesn't because I am cloaking his aura from her. Come, let's go. I can't wait any longer."

She clapped her hands and vanished in a puff of smoke.

He was sleeping in their old bed, just as she knew he would be. He was older and the mustache and beard he'd kept during those years in exile had been shaved off years ago but underneath he was still the same. She pulled back the covers and slipped into bed beside him .

"Archie," she whispered softly.

"Dellia?" His eyes fluttered open. "Am I dreaming...or are you really here?"

"I'm here darling."

"I've waited so long for this. I love you Dellia," he moaned and pulled her to him, the years they'd been apart becoming nothing more than a distant memory as they rekindled the love they'd been denied with so much distance and time between them. As they reached the peak of their passion they were unaware of the golden light emitting from the pendant around Archie's neck and the ring on her finger, the light glowing brighter until it produced a powerful wave of magic that incinerated the closed double doors to the bedroom and shattered all the windows of the palace. Soon the light began to fade and the exhausted lovers drifted off to sleep.

A puff of amber smoke appeared in the room and a tall young girl with ginger hair stepped out of it.

"You conceived me on this day, all those years ago," Ambrosia said softly, pulling the covers up over them and gestured, the broken windows and doors to their chamber repaired and a warm fire burning in the hearth. "As you've done so again tonight." Her fingers touched the pendant around her father's neck. "We'll free her together, Daddy and we'll never be parted again, even in death!" She leaned over and kissed their cheeks before she vanished.

Storybrooke

The thunderstorm seemed to come out of nowhere. Regina turned on the wipers and defrosters, slamming on the brakes when a car pulled out in front of her.

"You asshole!" she yelled. "When I find out who you are I'm gonna have your license revoked!"

But another sight left her uncertain whether her eyes were playing tricks on her or the dead had somehow managed to rise from the grave, but there he was staring at her and just as handsome as he'd been that final, tragic day when she was forced to watch while her mother crushed his heart into dust. Her love hadn't been a weakness only Cora would never understand that.

"D...Daniel!?"

When she looked again he was gone.

"It's not possible..."

She turned down Mifflin Street and jumped out of the car, running like her life depended for it to her vault, telling herself that her mind had been playing tricks on her and Daniel was still in the vault where she left him. She moved her father's coffin and descended the stairs into her underground storage chambers. The glass casket was still there but Daniel's body was gone.

"No! NO!" she screamed. "That...that...damned GHOUL!" she snarled. There was only one other person who knew about Daniel and have a reason to take him and that was Dr. Whale. She stormed out of the vault ready to make certain Dr. Frankenstein couldn't put himself back together once she was done with him...and it wouldn't require the use of magic. Her Mercedes would do the job nicely. She drove downtown to the hospital hoping to find Whale in the autopsy room and stop him before he dared to desecrate the remains of her beloved.

"Dr. Whale?' she asked, opening the door. The room was a disaster and on the trolley lay a severed arm. She backed away, fighting back the urge to vomit. She pushed it aside and found an armless Whale lying on the floor.

"Whale? Whale? I know you took Daniel's body and you took one of my hearts. Why? Why?! Did you bring him back?"

"I did it."

"He's alive?"

"Yes. I brought him back but… He's not Daniel."

"What?"

"He's… He's a monster."

"You damn ghoul! What did you do? What did you do?" she sobbed.

"Regina, I swear to you...I didn't know..."

"Liar!" she growled and went upstairs to alert his staff that he needed attention.

"What's going on? I just got a call that Dr. Whale was attacked." Charming asked when he arrived at the hospital. Regina was in Whale's room while he slept. He'd been given emergency surgery to stop the bleeding on the stump and needed several transfusions to replace the blood he'd lost but they were at a loss as to how to reattach his arm.

"You'll have to ask his doctors."

"No. I am asking you."

"I came here to speak with him and discovered he was hurt. It's the truth!"

"What else? What did you come here to speak with him about?"

"Someone from my past. I believe he's come back. Daniel – his name is Daniel."

"The man you were supposed to marry. Snow told me what happened and… How it was her fault that he died."

"Yes, he did."

"Well, then how could he be back?"

"Whale. He believed he could bring him back from the grave and… I don't know how… But he has."

"You don't know how? Guess."

"He practices something more powerful than magic. Or, so I was told. All he needed was a heart, and he took one of mine."

"You have hearts here?"

"In my vault. From our land."

"Whose heart did he take?"

"I have no idea. I took so many, it was impossible to keep track. I need to go. I have to help him."

"No. Where is he? Look what he did – he's dangerous." Charming reminded her.

"Not to me. He won't hurt anyone else, David, I promise."

"You know I can't take that chance. You have two choices Regina – tell me where he is, or jail."

"I think it's like when you awoke from your coma. He's following his final thoughts to where he last met me – the stables."

"No. Henry. Henry's at the stables!"

"Oh my God!" Regina cried and ran out of the hospital with Charming at her heels. "Get in the car! Get in the damn car!' she screamed at him. He opened the door and jumped inside.

"Floor it!' he ordered.

He didn't need to ask her twice.

Henry was in the stall brushing his horse as he'd been instructed to do many times by his grandfather, eager to take him out for a ride but the horse it seemed was not yet ready.

"Gramps says that you'll tell me when I'm ready to ride you. So… Anytime. Like, soon?"

The horse suddenly pushed Henry down and raced out of the stable. Henry looked up to see a strange looking man lingering at the doorway. It took him a moment or two to realize it was the stable boy from the book, his mother's dead fiance Daniel.

But if he's dead, why is he here? he mused.

"You… You got to stop. You're… You're scaring the horses. A-Are… Are you hurt? Can I help you?"

He held out his hand and Daniel roarer in anger, not seeing the innocent child but the evil witch that had caused his death by tearing out his heart.

"Let me help you."

Daniel seized the terrified by by the neck and lifted him into the air. Henry gasped and struggled to free himself.

"Daniel! Let him go!" Regina cried when she ran into the stable with Charming behind her. Daniel released Henry and he fell to the ground. Charming grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the stable.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Henry coughed. "But...he...he's supposed to be dead..."

"Never mind that. Go. Go!"

Henry ran out of the stables and into his mother's car, diving into the backseat.

"It's true. You're really here." Regina said softly. He was covered in blood, his clothes were torn and dirty but he still looked like the man she loved, not a monster. Something had gone wrong with Whale's experiment. It was the only explanation for Daniel's sudden violence. The man she'd known and loved never harmed anyone.

He growled and lunged for her. Charming pushed her out of the stall and locked the door. They could hear a furious Daniel growling on the other side while he attempted to break it down.

"It won't hold for long. Can you cast a spell to subdue him?"

"No, I won't use magic on him."

Charming drew his gun from its holster.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"He's a monster, Regina! If you won't put him down, I will!"

"David, please! Just let me talk to him,: she pleaded desperately as she tried to hold him back.

"It's too big of a risk. There's no telling what he'll do."

"You have to at least give me a chance!"

"Out of the way, Regina! Now!" he ordered and shoved her out of the way.

"No! I won't let you hurt him! He'll listen to me! Please! Let me talk to my fiance." she begged again and pulled David back.

She unlocked the door and stepped inside. Daniel seemed calmer, approaching her slowly. She held her breath as he raised his hand, longing to feel it caressing her cheek as he used to in their intimate moments. Her eyes widened with horror when it closed around her throat and he dragged her out of the stable and slammed against the wall.

"Daniel… Stop. It's me. I love you…" she sobbed.

"Regina…" He released her.

"Daniel…" She threw her arms around him, the stench of blood and death clinging to him but she didn't care. She would love him regardless.

"I can't believe it's really you."

He backed away, grimacing.

"Daniel?"

"Stop. Just stop the pain," He pleaded weakly.

"How?"

"Let me go. This heart...filled with so much pain and rage...I can't control it. I'll become the monster again. Please, let me go!"

"No. No, I won't lose you again. Without you, I'm lost."

"Daniel. Daniel, come back to me."

"Can't…"

"But I love you."

"Then love again."

His face contorted and he he stalked toward her. She reached out a shaky hand and froze him, her vision blinded by her tears. She gestured and his body began to disappear until it was nothing but a pile of ashes at her feet.

"Goodbye, Daniel," she sobbed. She stood there for a few minutes before she swept up the ashes and conjured a small urn to place them in. Henry and Charming were waiting for her when she walked out of the stable.

"Mom...I'm sorry," Henry said softly.

"Oh, it's all right Henry," she murmured. "David...will you...take him with you tonight please. I...I need to be alone."

"Call me if you need me, okay Mom?" Henry pleaded.

"I will," she sniffled. "I will."

She could barely see the road when she drove back into town and barely remembered going inside the building until Archie opened his door to her persistent knocking.

"You're back."

"I used magic," she sniffled.

"Why don't you come in and tell me what happened?" he said softly and led her inside, shutting the door.

Oz (The Outer Zone)

The Fields of the Papay/The Northern Island

Jeb and Xenia walked into the Fields of the Papay. Jeb saw the body of a Papay runner on the ground in front of one of their own traps. He could see a single bullet hole in the animal's head, a bullet fired from his father's silver pistol. Once again he picked up the scents of pine, the rose, the corn and another that nearly made him gag.

"Are you all right?" Xenia cried.

"Brimstone," he murmured. He walked over to the tree where the Papay hunter trap remained and studied it. The scent of the brimstone was the strongest inside the trap that had been opened by a sharp object. The scent was mixed with pine...his father's scent and that of the rose.

"The scent of cowardice," Xenia spoke up.

"Father...you know better than to take a runner's dinner," Jeb said with a smile. "She must've talked you into it." He stepped back and picked up another scent, blood. He turned back to the runner's corpse seeing blood on its fangs, blood with the scent of pine. He looked up at Xenia. "He shot this one after it bit him."

They continued into the fields, spotting more Papay runner corpses felled by silver bullets fom Wyatt's gun. The trail took them to the edge of the cliff. They opened their packs and took out some rope, tying it to the strongest tree they could find and began to climb down the cliff and jumped into the river below.

Outside the Tower Wyatt and Glitch were hiding in the hills. They needed a way to get inside but they were severely outnumbered if they staged an attack.

"...I'm not saying they called me twinkletoes but I cut quite a rug," Glitch rambled.

Remind me again how I ended up being part of this pointless conversation?

"Oh, you can make a face Cain but it's true. There was a time when I was a fantastic dancer."

And this is important now, why?

"She may have taken my brains but rhythm that comes directly..."

"Do you have any bright ideas how to get in there?" Wyatt demanded.

"I mean I don't mind taxing my half a brain for DG but I wish someone would acknowledge me for my rhythm. Which I was about to say before I was so rudely interrupted comes directly from the soul."

Are you done yet?

Wyatt asked, looking at him with a frown.

"Sometimes Cain you make me feel just like those ladies at the dance did. Like I blend right into the wallpaper!"

Wyatt watched a small group of Longcoats. Finally he'd been able to find something in those mad ramblings that actually made sense. "That's a good idea."

Glitch turned and saw that Wyatt was smiling. "Wanna dance?" he asked.

"I'll lead, you follow."

Jeb and Xenia picked up the trail on the shore and retrieved their horses. The trail led them to the cyborg village of Milltown and the residents were not too happy to find more humans invading their territory. As DG had before her, Xenia was able to calm their wrath by explaining that they were in search of the humans who had passed through the village before them.

"One of them was my brother and the other was his father," Xenia said, indicating Jeb. "Please, you must tell us where they were headed."

"The girlchild was to see the Mystic Man in Central City," Father Vue answered. "The man with the hat knew him. I believe he said he worked on his protection detail."

"Thank you," Jeb said softly as he and Xenia mounted their horses. They stopped just outside the gates of Central City. A group of Longcoats was still outside the gates inspecting vehicles.

"Someone had to have smuggled them in but who?" Xenia asked.

Jeb kneeled down and placed his palms in the dirt, bursting into laughter when he caught his father's scent and the scent of cheap cologne.

"Good one, Father."

"Jeb?"

"Demillo took him in."

"Antoine Demillo? The Whoremaster of Central City? Your father's an ex-Tin Man. How would he have gotten Demillo to sneak them in."

Jeb grinned. "My father had something on him that involved Zero's first wife. I remember him telling Mother about it once."

"Oh, well I can see how that would have made him squirm. Too bad he can't get us in too."

"Maybe he can...look!"

Another truck, this time blue with the same elaborate designs was making its way up the road. Jeb stepped out onto the road and stood there, forcing Demillo's mother to stop. The side door to the truck opened.

"Aww shit, not again! I swear Cain I'm gonna...who the hell are you?" Demillo demanded.

"A chip off the old block," Jeb answered. He grabbed Demillo and shoved him against the truck, unsheahed his sword and held the blade against the other man's neck. "Where is he, you son of a bitch? I know you got him into the city."

"Who are you?"

"I asked you a question first where is my father!"

Demillo groaned. It was bad enough dealing with Cain Senior but Junior was more scary. He actually had the look like he wanted to take that sword and slit his throat.

"He took my other truck and left."

"Where?"

"I don't know!"

"Think harder," Xenia growled as she took out her own sword and pointed it lower. "Or you can kiss your livelihood goodbye!"

"I swear I don't know. He didn't tell me."

"Well can you at least tell us what direction he was headed you pathetic piece of shit?" Jeb hissed.

"N...North." Demillo gasped.

"Looks like you're gonna be walking from here on out," Xenia said as she got in the truck and chased out the occupants. She started the vehicle.

"Not again!" Demillo moaned.

"You're gonna have to find another truck," Jeb said with a grin as he climbed into the passenger side. "Thanks for the ride!"

"You Cains are real assholes, you know that!" Demillo shouted.

"We aim to please," Jeb taunted as he and Xenia sped away.

The Longcoats were too busy paying attention to something they were watching on a portable monitor that they didn't see the two figures sneaking up behind them until they attacked.

For the first time Wyatt was able to see his new apprentice in action. Glitch did not yet have the skills to call on his inner dragon yet the martial arts techniques he demonstrated were a clear signal to his new master that he was at least partially ready for the trial.

"You're a deep well Glitch," he said proudly.

"It's all about rhythm," the younger man said confidently.

"Well, it seems that dancing you brag about does give you the ability to move faster." Wyatt tossed him a leather coat belonging to one of the unconscious troops while he donned the other one over his duster and they followed another group of soldiers into the Tower.

I have to get out of here! DG thought frantically. She held up her hand but her light didn't seem to be cooperating. A small squeak made her focus her attention to a small rat outside her cell, begging for food.

You want food, I want out of this cage. Let's make a deal, she thought as she reached into the bowl of what was the OZ's version of a decent prison meal...mashed up fruit. She tossed a piece of fruit out of the cell onto the ground. The rat scurried over to it, chewing eagerly.

There's more where that came from now be a good boy and fetch...

She threw another piece onto the ledge just above the crank that lowered the cell doors. The rat eagerly followed. She tossed another one onto the crank itself. The rat jumped on and a door opened...just not her own.

Shit!

She heard footsteps and a dog barking, The rat ran away with a terrified squeak.

"Hey!" she yelled at the dog.

You chased my key away asshole!

Still there was something oddly familiar about that dog. "Do I know you?"

The dog was now above the crank, pushing down with his paw in the opposite direction the rat did, opening the door to her cell. "Hey..." she said softly. "Thanks."

She could've sworn she heard it say 'you're welcome'. "My friend's this way," she said to it as she raced down the hall toward Raw's cell with the dog close at her heels. They finally found Raw's cell and let him out but when they saw two Longcoats coming around the corner, they hid, Raw holding a wrench in his hand. He slugged one of them on the head.

"Ow! That could bust a zipper!" Glitch cried as he glared at the viewer.

"Glitch!" Raw gasped.

"Hey there Princess," Wyatt called out.

"Cain, you're alive!" she cried as she threw her arms around him and held him tightly.

You have no idea how glad I am to see you!

Seeing how uncomfortable he was by their closeness but not being able to understand why she pulled away from him.

"Barely. Furrylips here really packs a punch," Glitch complained.

"We gotta get out of here!" DG cried.

"Well we can't go out the way we came in," Wyatt reminded her.

DG could see the dog running down the hallway and followed him with her friends behind her. They were now a few feet away from a huge machine, Wyatt acting as lookout. He motioned for Glitch to take his position on the other side of him. Raw crept up behind Wyatt, grabbing his shoulder.

You mind?

The alarms sounded and a group of Longcoats headed to the dungeons. The dog scurried out and DG chased after it much to Wyatt's irritation. The dog was leading them through the maze of a machine before it stopped.

"Which way?" DG asked it.

"You're taking directions from a dog?" Wyatt asked. Making matters worse, Glitch seemed to want to follow it too.

No way in hell I will.

"Longcoats!" Raw warned.

"I think he wants us to go in there," DG said as the dog was standing in what looked like a tunnel.

Got no choice now, do I?

"I think we better hurry," Wyatt finally agreed as they raced after it.

Through the windshield Xenia spotted something bright orange in the distance. She stopped the truck and she and Jeb got out.

"It's the other truck. Father!" Jeb called out over the howling wind.

"Ambrose!" Xenia yelled as they ran to the other truck and looked inside. It was deserted.

"Dammit, we missed them!" Jeb growled in frustration.

"Can you still pick up the trail?" Xenia asked hopefully.

"I'll try but we'll never be able to make it through the snow in the truck. See if you can find something we can wrap ourselves in."

They trudged through the snow, Jeb following the scents his father and his travelling companions had left behind. Suddenly they found themselves standing in front of an icy mountain.

"The Ice Palace..." Xenia breathed. "They're not supposed to be here now...unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless they've consummated their bond."

"Why would that bring them here?"

"This is where it must be done," Xenia explained. "At the curse's point of origin."

Jeb blushed. "I really don't want to catch my father in the middle of...doing that."

"It would have been done by now," Xenia said as she opened the double doors. There was nothing but silence.

"Father!" Jeb called out, his voice echoing throughout the halls. They ran up the stairs.

"Where was the curse's point of origin, Xenia?" he demanded. She led him to a bedroom at the end of the hall and opened the door. Jeb froze as he saw the broken stained glass window and smelled blood.

"No...no..please don't be his..." he moaned. He knelt on the floor and touched the fading drops of blood on the marble floor, the scent of pine mixed with it. He stood up and gazed down at the lake. There was a hole in the ice where someone had fallen through, condemned to an icy grave. The young man sank back to his knees, sobbing. He barely felt Xenia's hand on his shoulder. He couldn't feel anything anymore. He'd been a fool to hold on to hope. It only led to heartbreak.