That guilt was more powerful than anything else. The dreams were horrifying but no more horrifying than his guilt, that horrible, terrible guilt. He hated himself. He honestly and truly believed that he hated himself. How could he have let Zorlock do such horrors, such terrible things? He was still in his body! Why hadn't he been able to fight off the force? To fight off that evil? That evil that had inspired such pain hurt and fear that he saw reflected in the other gummies' faces. Martinni had been a fierce reminder.

He had just gotten the other squires to accept him. Now, with the news of these dreams, he no doubt had lost their friendship. There was fear in their eyes for him now; he could see it. He hated it. He didn't want them looking on him with fear! He felt enough fear in his dreams. Martinni and the other squires and paiges…they were friends and he had finally started to feel familiar with them, to feel comfortable. Now, the facts about his dreams were out. He bet that they didn't have those problems.

He growled under his breath. Why did Tavi hafta open her mouth! If she had just kept her mouth shut, then….then…

Then, Plucki still woulda found out and Cubbi knew it. He hated admitting it though. He dreaded sleeping but his body wouldn't last much longer and he was starting to feel it. His eyes were heavy as they could be; his limbs felt oddly like lead, his heart beat oddly, almost like it was tired. His entire body felt weird. His skin felt like it was crawling underneath his fur. His hands shook like leaves. But he forced himself to stay awake. He couldn't sleep. The fear was still way too close, way too real.

He sat down on his bed and just drank his juice. He couldn't eat but the juice he could stomach for now. He looked at the pink stain on the wall and having nothing else to do; he rose and cleaned it off before sitting down again. The meal was hardly unappetizing. In fact, it was one of his favorite meals: cheese pasta with vegetable and meat stew and a biscuit. But his appetite was not there today. He set it on his side table and lay on his stomach, slowly nursing his mug of sweet juice. He couldn't go get Plucki yet, he wasn't ready…not yet.

"Shh,"

"It's not fair!"

"I know."

Tavi buried her face into her aunt's chest. The tears and pain had finally overwhelmed her. She was screaming at herself to stop crying, to buck up and to pull away but she couldn't. Sweet Gum, she missed the feeling of arms around her. She missed her mother, her father but most of all, she missed her brother. Lucki had been her best friend in the world, even though he was her older brother. They had still argued, as all siblings did but they got along remarkably well. Her parents' deaths cut deep enough but the loss of her brother was like a dagger to her heart. She knew it was horrible but she found herself saying that her parents' deaths she could handle but why did her brother have to be taken as well?

And now, since she had told on Cubbi…

"Cubbi hates me, doesn't he, Aunt Toffi."

"No," she answered immediately, "He is a little upset but he'll recover from it. You were not in the wrong, Tavi."

"I wasn't?"

"No, my niece. In fact, Cubbi is very lucky to have a friend loyal enough to break her word."

"But…I gave him my word, isn't that wrong to break?"

"Sometimes, it's necessary Tavi."

"It…is?"

"Of course,"

"You mean, it's okay to break a promise?"

"Sometimes, child. Was Cubbi hurting himself or someone else?"

"Yes…"

"Then you did just fine."

Tavi gave a nod and pulled away from her aunt, finally forcing her tears to stop. Her aunt didn't say anything, knowing how her niece could be. She merely nodded and said,

"Why don't you get your bath and get ready for bed? I'll be in to tuck you in in a little bit."

Tavi only nodded, surprised a bit that her aunt didn't mention the magic gone awry. But then, she supposed she'd mention it in the morning. In any event, she took her aunt's advice and got her bath and her nightclothes on. But she couldn't go to bed yet. Despite her aunt's reassurance, she had to get someone else's…she had to talk to Cubbi!

Cubbi sighed, looking over his storybooks. He didn't really know which one to select. He didn't want Plucki to think he was a baby after all. He admitted that as immature as the prospect sounded…he did want to be read to. Grammi had been doing it up until the war…even in Ursalia; she'd pull out his storybooks at night and read to him. For the first few weeks, she'd even rocked him in a rocking chair. He didn't deny, even to himself, that that had given him a comfort.

"Cubbi?"

The cub looked up and his eyes narrowed,

"Whatta ya want Tavi?"

"I wanted to…talk to you."

"Well, my ears are open. Whatta ya want?"

"I didn't betray your trust for the heck of it, Cubbi!"

"You embarrassed the heck out of me, Tavi!"

"What?"

"Did you have to announce it on the training field?"

"You were killin' yerself out there! What would you have told Plucki when you collapsed if I hadn't said anything? You really think Plucki woulda let ya just get right back on the field?"

"I--"

"Not in this lifetime! He'd had drug you to sick bay!"

"Tavi--"

"I'm not sorry about what I did…you were scarin' me... I just wanted you to know that I'm still your friend, even if you hate me."

She turned to walk out; she'd said what she needed to say. She wanted Cubbi to tell her that he'd forgiven her, that he didn't hate her at least. She wanted that more than anything else. Her steps were slow, for that reason. She paused at the door, her violet nightdress fluttering a bit in the hall. She turned around, her eyes still a little wet from that overwhelming wave of sorrow.

Cubbi was silent for a bit. His anger for Tavi was still harsh and he still was beyond humiliated from what she did. His cheeks burned at that mere memory of it. He could still feel everyone' s eyes on him, hear everyone's audible gasps at what she said. But despite all that, he didn't hate her. He never could. He could see why she'd acted like she did even if he didn't wanna admit it. But he wasn't ready to forgive her yet but still…

"I don't hate you Tavi."

Tavi didn't make a reaction to that except to sigh in relief. She said simply,

"Cubbi…I felt pain too, you know."

"I know…"

The two cubs locked eyes for a brief moment before Tavi walked out. Cubbi sighed and got up. Grabbing some pajamas, he retreated into his bathroom for a warm bath before he went to go and get Plucki. He was sick of the fear and his body couldn't stay awake much longer. It was going to fall soon and he could feel it. He would rather have a chance to get rid of these horrid dreams before he fell into darkness again.

Several Miles from Gummadoon…

"Yes…almost there…"

A wrinkled old hand pulled with all the strength it could muster. Old and ancient eyes peered out, hate and a lust for revenge shining in them. The dress she wore was torn and tattered, almost in rags. Anyone stumbling along the figure would have thought it to be an old beggar. The woman was certainly old enough. By all rights, she should have been long dead. Her face, wrinkled and weather torn, was beginning to show it.

But the eyes, mirrors of the soul, were far from crippled and disabled. They were still strong with every ounce of eagerness and thirst for power that they had always possessed. They were focused, determined. Those dark eyes centered on the target at hand, a large and neatly kept castle before her. It was as she had left it. She cursed, seeing the shattered window, left by the Kuson Pi.

Stumbling through the doors, barely able to stand on her own, the old woman made her way into the main hall. The remains of the Kuson Pi beast still lay on the floor. By now, it had gathered maggots and flies and it made a dreadful stench. The ancient sorceress scowled and cursed in an ancient tongue. She made her way over to her magic books. Her power had all but been extinguished. However, she had revenge to rank on three cubs, those three that had brought such disgrace on her, led to the downfall of a plan perfect in all aspects. But, no…not all at once. And not yet. She had to regather power, regather magic somehow. Yet, as she thought back over that battle…that war.

Her thoughts locked on Gummadoon and the littlest one.

Gummadoon

Everything was dark. There were a few candles and torches along the walls of Gummadoon but they didn't flicker with the warm and joyful orange heat that Cubbi had grown accustomed to. Instead, they were steady and strong and they were a dark black. There was no light or heat from them. These fires were dark and cold. Wind whistled through cracks in the walls...

Cracks!

Yes, as Cubbi looked around, he saw that the stone fortress of Gummadoon was weakened, failing. Bricks fell in shattered chips and flames spread over the ground. The cub darted through them and towards the outside, screaming for help. How could no one being doing anything! They had to fix this up. It was vulnerable like this!

He darted out into the courtyard and froze.

"No…no…not this…"

The knights knew. Or more accurately, they had known. Weapons lay sprawled across the ground, shattered and blood strain. Sleep horns shattered at impact, swords broken from their hilts, bolas tangled about gummi necks; killing the air supply…it was a massacre at his feet. His feet stepped down into the courtyard slowly. Everything was quiet.

His steps came slowly and shaking. He had to grasp at the decaying walls and statues to keep upright. He felt sick to his stomach. As he gazed over the courtyard, he felt his knees starting to give out. Gumlittle and Blastus were the closest. Blastus had more cuts and gashes on him than Cubbi could count. Gumlittle…was in pieces.

Ramsei and Ecri had fallen together, pierced together with one spear. Cubbi fell to his knees and threw up. He couldn't stand and stumbled, landing onto top of someone. Sitting up, he screamed.

Tavi was laying on her back, her face a dark blue. Bruises covered her neck, in the shape of hands. Cubbi stared, stunned and gently put his hands over the bruise marks…

They matched.

"NO!"

He scrambled backwards, scooting over rocks and blood. "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"You're only fooling yourself!"

Cubbi jumped up, looking around, his eyes wide. "Show yourself!"

"I don't need to."

"You did all this! You're a murderer! And a demon!"

"Am I?"

A burst of wind knocked Cubbi down and he found himself onto of his mentor's body. Plucki's face was blue, his mouth eternally locked open. A cord was tied around his neck.

"PLUCKI! NO!" Tears filled his eyes and he jerked his head up, "COME OUT!"

"I am already out…look."

Cubbi looked down and found the same cord around Plucki's neck in his hands. His paws were smeared with blood.

"You can't escape me."

Turning, Cubbi found his reflection in a pool of blood…as Zorlock.

"NOOOO!"

Cubbi jerked up in bed, sweat pouring down his face, his sheets twisted around his legs. A horrific feeling took over his heart, a feeling more intense than any previous nightmare had put into him. Was it true? Was Zorlock coming back? Was he back in him? Was he!

Cubbi jumped out of bed, no longer able to stand it. He didn't care at the moment what he looked like. Plucki had given him an order to come to him if he needed him. Cubbi couldn't disobey a direct order and he had to see…was that dream true or just a dream? Was Zorlock back in him and if he was, Plucki'd know what to do…

"PLUCKI!"

The cub slammed the Gummi Captain's door open and jumped onto the captain's bed, wrapping his arms around his waist as he sat up, sobbing his heart out.