Chapter 9 Carelot's demise
It was 4 A.M. in Carelot and all the carebears had gotten up preparing for the battle ahead. Wishbear and Tenderheart talked together while they were checking there gear.
"Do you think we can get through to him?" Asked Wishbear.
"Of course we can get through to him! We have to," replied Tenderheart, "Why do you ask?"
"I don't know. I just remembered our last battle and how he looked so determined to put an end to us. I've never seen so much hate in someone's eye's before. I was so scared." Wishbear said with a shiver of fear. Tenderheart bear positioned himself in front of Wishbear and put his paws on her slumped shoulders.
"Listen Wishbear. His hate has been misplaced. I believe if he knew the truth, he never would have joined Noheart," Said Tenderheart looking right into her eyes. "And he never would have attacked you" Whispered Tenderheart bear compassionately to his companion.
"You think so?" Said Wishbear now looking right into Tenderheart's eyes.
"I know so." Replied Tenderheart bear confidently as he embraced her affectionately in a soft hug. "Now let's finish setting up these traps for our uninvited guests." Said Tenderheart as he looked Wishbear in the eyes up close with a smile. Wishbear smiled back and they continued working together.
Meanwhile, Trueheart and Nobleheart spoke to one another as they prepared for the battle ahead.
"Trueheart, do you have the place in mind where Wishbear will talk to Darkage one on one?" Said Nobleheart horse.
"I do," Replied Trueheart. "Now let's hope this works. Because if we fail..." Trueheart said shaking her head in fear.
"This will not fail," Said Nobleheart sternly. "We will win Joaquin over once he realizes the truth. We must have faith that the truth will alway's prevail!"
"And it will succeed!" Said Trueheart with conviction. "No one can stop the carebear family!"
"That's right!" Replied a familiar voice as Trueheart and Nobleheart both turned to the source of the voice. "And we can finally put this thing to rest!" Said Braveheart Lion.
"Now let's finish setting up these barriers."
Its was now 4:55 A.M. in Carelot and the carebears were now set in there defensive positions as they had all worked through the night with no sleep. So far there were no signs of Noheart and the bad guy's yet.
"We are clear here. How about your position Grumpy?" Tenderheart said through his caring communicator.
"Clear also. How about you Wishbear?"
"Clear also." Replied the teal bear. "Maybe the're not coming since they know we are prepared for them."
"Not likely Wishbear," Replied Nobleheart horse. "Noheart is cocky and thinks we're finished just because he has Darkage as his apprentice."
"But that won't be for long." Said Wishbear. "Once he knows the truth about the situation."
Boom!
"What was that?" Said Wishbear. Boom!
"Someone just destroyed the rainbow bridge!" Shouted Grumpy Bear.
"Be on your toes carebears!" Shouted Nobleheart Horse.
"Mohahahaha," All the carebears knew that voice all too well. "Your doom has arrived carebears! ATTACK!!!!"
From out in front of the carebears perimeter, ice beams, lightning, and long range magic attacks were being blasted by Noheart, the Vizier, Coldheart, and Antifreeze. The carebears ducked in response then countered with there stares at random. The carebears held their ground for several minutes, but the evil villains alliance was closing in gradually at a slow pace.
"Rat king, attack!" Hollered the Vizior. A bunch of rats came charging in all at the same time against the front line of the carebears who stood behind the cloud barracks.
"Hold your ground carebears!" Hollered Braveheart. The battle raged on as the rat king with his fellow ratty companions came charging into the heart of things. The rat king led in front and was immediately confronted with a flurry of stares coming from all directions. The rats got knocked over from every which way, but continued advancing forward. As there formations were broken up, now it was all single battles taking place. The rat king encountered Grumpy bear.
"You won't win this time carebear!" Shouted the Rat king.
"Will just see about that," Shouted Grumpy bear. "Stare." The King avoided the stare with a spin move and closed in on the carebear and shoulder tackled the bear to the ground.
"Now I've got you. ayukyukyukyuk." Said the Rat King.
"Stare!" The rat king fell right to the ground right off of Grumpy bear. Grumpy bear looked around to see who saved him.
"Thanks Funshine," Said Grumpy bear smiling. "Now, how about we show them a little something extra!"
"I couldn't agree with you more!" Said Funshine bear. "Stare!" They both said together. Wham! The stare hit the other rats and sent them flying backwards into one of the caring barracks. Grumpy bear and Funshine both gave eachother a high five. In other spots of the battle, Tenderheart was surrounded by a flurry of rats. Tenderheart tried to use his stare, but was immediately subdued by a bucket of sticky bubble gum thrown at them by two tall rats.
"Way to go dim," Said a Grey rat. "Now let's go capture some more."
Nobleheart faired better because he and Trueheart stood side by side staring off the rats as they stood back to back of one another. "Work together carebears! That's the only way to send these rats packing!" Shouted Nobleheart horse. The carebears immediately began working in pairs of two's fighting in the same manner as Trueheart and Nobleheart. The battle was turning in their favor. "We've got them on the run. Get them!" Shouted Braveheart Lion. The rats began to retreat in haste with the carebears going after them.
"Stop carebears," Shouted Trueheart. Everyone of the carebears stopped. "Remember, our objective is to defend Carelot! Now stand together." They all gathered together in one line facing their adversaries.
"Give up Noheart!" Shouted Nobleheart. "You will never beat us!"
"Cha, just because you managed to chase away some rats, you think you have won," Chided Noheart with sarcasm. "You forget that I have my weapon. A weapon that will aid me to defeat you for all the evils you have committed!"
"We didn't commit any evil!" Shouted Tenderheart bear.
"Liar," Everyone looked to see where the voice came from, it was Darkage. "If you had committed no evil, then why am I here to execute you!"
"It wasn't us," Shouted Trueheart. "We didn't kill your parents. We only came to help people escape the fire." Said Trueheart defensively looking right at Darkage.
"Then how do you explain this," As Darkage got the locket out, he opened it up as it shimmered in the dimly lit morning. Then like magic it projected white light with a message taking form. It said, "We are the carebears! We leave this locket as a reminder that we killed your parents to make them pay to serve as an example to anyone who doesn't take caring seriously!"
"That's not the message we left in that locket!" Argued Trueheart Bear.
"Wrong!" Shouted Darkage. "You left that there because you wanted to see me suffer! Now that I am old enough and able to fight back, you will pay for this crime!
"But we didn't do it." Said Trueheart bear unhardening her face a bit.
"I investigated the crime of where the fire was started and all of the evidence points to you," Said Darkage. " You set the fire and left that message to boast thinking you could get away with it! Will no longer will you get away with such treachery!"
"We didn't do it," Shouted Braveheart lion angrily. "We help people not hurt them!"
"Then where were you when my parent's funeral was taking place?" Asked Darkage.
"Funeral?" Said Braveheart.
"Yes," He said angrily. "You know the trouble I had to go through preparing their caskets? Not to mention the cost and the time I spent mourning over their death's?" He said with his eyes tearing up. "You don't care what happened to my parents or for anybody for that matter! You only care about yourselves! If you did care about others, you would have been their at my parents funeral and maybe then I would have believed you! But ots obvious to me you only want to hurt and take advantage of others!"
"We didn't know," Said Braveheart Lion. "We would have come had we known! Also, we are not the ones who killed your parents!"
"Liar," He projected back with Braveheart lion stepping back in fear of him. "Ignorance is not an excuse and now you will pay!" Said Darkage looking down at Braveheart lion like a hawk eyeing its prey before it dies.
"Get them!," Commanded Noheart. Darkage sprinted forward at the bears but stopped abruptly as a Aqua colored bear stepped in front of him showing him no fear.
"Stop," Shouted Aqua bear rasing his paw. "We are telling you the truth! Please listen to us and we could avoid this whole misunderstanding!" The caring guardian reasoned.
"Pah," Said Darkage throwing up his hands up in disbelief. "Then give yourselves up and will have a trial to prove your innocent!" Said Darkage.
"If we surrender, we will not receive a fair trial!" Argued Aqua bear.
"This only serves as further proof that you are all guilty!" Said Darkage as he got his double edged saber out.
"Fine," Aqua bear said with fire burning in his eyes. "Though I don't wish to fight you, you give me no choice!" He said as he grabbed his saber. "I'll prove our innocence with a one on one battle. I challenge you Darkage!" Challenged the guardian as he activated his saber.
"I accept your challenge," Responded Darkage raising his saber and getting into his fighting stance with his legs split apart with his duo saber behind his back. "No one is to interfere!" Aqua came charging in!
"I will prove my families innocence!" Shouted Aqua bear as he swiped at Darkage with a over head strike which Darkage blocked placing his saber just above his head. They were now pushing against one another with Aqua clinching his teeth, while Darkage wasn't even breaking a sweat.
"Though I admire your bravery, you will fail and all of the carebear family will follow suit!" And with that, Darkage pushed forward with a great heave pushing Aqua back onto his back. The caring guardian quickly got back to his feet and charged in again with another over head strike which Darkage easily avoided ducking underneath the saber then reached out with one hand pushing the bear back forcefully to the ground. But Aqua quickly recovered yet again as Darkage advanced upon him slashing with relentless speed attacks fueled by Darkage's fury moving and striking faster, and faster, with both blades swiping at Aqua bear who was now on the defensive.
"Your anger and hate is misplaced," Said Aqua bear as he blocked a over head strike and countered with a side swipe that Darkage deflected. "Your heart is so hardened and black, that you won't let anyone in to try and reason with you." Aqua said feeling the sadness inside Darkage along with the pain from when he probed his mind. Darkage ignored him and attacked with more fury and aggression. "Noheart blinds you with lies, hate, and anger. You must open up your heart!" He said as they now were pushing up against one another yet again.
"Whether or not my hate is misplaced," Said Darkage determinedly as the sabers caused some sparks to fly in random directions. " Isn't the point. The point is your family killed my parent's and now this day I will have my revenge!" Darkage thrusted the bear away yet again, but this time, Aqua didn't get knocked to the ground as he timed it right to regain his balance. " Why do you fill yourself up with so much hate when you don't know for sure it was us," Argued Aqua bear as he placed his saber in front of him anticipating Darkage's next attack. "If you only would open up your heart and listen for the truth, you would know that we are not your enemy!" Argued the caring guardian.
"He speaks the truth," Said Wishbear. "We help everyone! Doesn't matter who you are or what you've done." Said Wishbear softly.
"Enough of this!" And with that, Darkage charged in at the bear swiping at him several times until he managed to lock swords with him again, instead this time, Aqua was on his knees feebly pushing against Darkage's saber. He then raised his hands at the sky "Dark spirit of uncaring! Drain this soul of all caring power!" A flow of misty black energy appeared on Darkage's hands and quickly surrounded the caring guardian. Aqua was now weakening and feeling his strength diminishing.
"Even if you defeat me, remember, its not too late for you to change." Said Aqua bear as the black smoke now engulfed Aqua bear.
"Noooo," Shouted Wish bear with a tear in her eye. After the smoke had cleared, she saw Aqua bear drained of all of his color as his body slumped upon the cloud from where he stood. "What have you done?" She said angrily as she ran embraced Aqua bear in her arms.
"I drained him of all feelings and caring," Said Darkage with a satisfied grin. "Want to join him?" Smiled Darkage rhyly showing his teeth.
"You truly are evil," Said Wishbear as she looked up at him. "Even if the truth was right in front of you in plain sight, you would still choose to do the wrong thing. Lonesomeheart was right. There is no hope for you once you choose to go down the path of the dark side!" She said with a tear running down her cheek, "The carebear family will stop you!" She stated bravely. Darkage laughed at her idol threat.
"Don't make me laugh! Now its time for you to all join your friend!" Darkage said as he reached out to grab Wish bear.
"Not so fast," Said a hot pink furry bear who dashed in front of Darkage. "You'll have to get through me first!" She challenged while activating her hot pink saber.
"It doesn't matter if I take you on one by one or all at once! I have more than enough power to be victorious!" Replied Darkage as he began slicing away at Lonesomeheart bear. Lonesomeheart Bear blocked a overhead strike and quickly countered with a side arm with her saber. Darkage avoided the counter while executing a backwards flip. Lonesomeheart bear stared quickly knocking Darkage backwards who now lay flat on the ground before he could land on his feet. Lonesomeheart bear followed up by jumping up in the air and swiped down with a overhead strike at Darkage's chest. Darkage rolled to his right just before Lonesomeheart's saber hit nothing but the ground. Lonesomeheart turned and engaged her enemy again and tried another overhead strike but missed Darkage again as he rolled out of the way before Lonesomeheart could connect. Darkage tried to get up, but Lonesomeheart reached out with her nonweaponed hand and pushed Darkage onto the ground again using the heart. Darkage now turned laying on his back. Lonesomeheart seeing her opportunity jumped towards Darkage using the heart and now stood over him with both her feet with one on each side of him and began to strike downwards towards his chest. Darkage blocked the strike with his saber pushing it steadily against Lonesomeheart's saber.
"I will avenge my brother!" Shouted Lonesomeheart Bear with a tinge of anger.
"Then stop talking and do it carebear!" Replied Darkage managing to hold her off despite her advantage.
"I will!" Shouted Lonesomeheart bear.
"Lonesomeheart bear, you disappoint me," Darkage mocked smiling rhyly. "I sense much fear and anger in you! I thought that you carebears were forbidden from embracing such feelings!"
"Arrrrgg!" Lonesomeheart screamed as she tried pressing down with her saber with all of her might. But Darkage held his own as he thrusted his saber up with a great heave pushing her away. Darkage then kicked her in the chest causing Lonesomeheart bear to lose her balance as she in a drunken motion fell to the ground. Darkage kicked his feet up over and out and now stood over Lonesomeheart bear.
"Like I said, victory is mine," Darkage said with a smile as he raised his hands. "Now you shall join your friend! Dark spirit of uncaring! Drain this soul of all feeling and caring!" A flow of misty black energy appeared on Darkage's hands once again quickly surrounding Lonesomeheart. She yelled out one last time before she too fell victim to the surounding smoke. Once it cleared, Lonesomeheart fell into the same state that Aqua bear had fallen into with her body grey and lifeless.
"No!. Not Lonesomeheart Bear too," Shouted Birthday bear who had been a close friend to Lonesomeheart bear ever since she joined the carebear family a year back. "I've had enough of you causing us all of these troubles and despair. Stare!" Darkage executed a back flip avoiding the stare while landing on his feet. "Stare!" Birthday bear shouted yet again. Darkage merely batted it away with his right hand.
"Can't you carebears come up with different tactics," Smiled Darkage. "At least make this battle a little more interesting for me so that I can at least say I defeated a halfway decent opponent."
"I'll show you decent," Shouted Tenderheart Bear. "Carebears line up!"
"Here we go again." Said Darkage rolling his eyes disappointed and unconcerned.
"Darkage," Said Noheart. "Show them what happens to those who oppose us!"
"With pleasure," Replied Darkage with a wry smile looking up at Noheart before returning his attention to the carebears. "Give me all you got carebears!" Shouted Darkage who put his Saber away in his ninja pants.
"Carebears count down, 4, 3, 2, 1, Stare." Shouted all the carebears.
"Koshikakayha!" Shouted Darkage as he cupped his hands together unleashing red energy. The carebear stare and Darkage's blast collided against one another. Neither one giving way to the other.
"Yes! Let your hate flow through you! Show them that they are no match for you!" Noheart said cheering his apprentice on. Darkage didn't reply or nod because he was to busy with the task at hand.
"Joaquin if you only would open your up your heart and listen to it, you would know that weve been speaking the truth to you." Shouted Tenderheart bear.
"Lies lies lies," Shouted Darkage angrily. "Now its time for me to win!" The clouds began to shake as Darkage began to groan as he focused more power into his energy blast. That extra boost of energy began shifting slowly into Darkage's favor with his blast creeping closer to the carebears.
"Oh no, he's over powering us!" Said Lovalot bear.
"Never give up hope Lovalot bear!" Shouted Trueheart.
"Carelot is mine!" Said Darkage as his wave of red energy continued to creep closer. Only four feet now separated the carebears and Darkage's wave. Three feet. Two feet. Bam. The Carebears dispersed in all directions. Darkage recomposed himself breathing heavily while leaning both hands on his legs panting a bit. Then he looked up to the sky and shouted...
"Mom and Dad the time has come for you to be avenged," Said Darkage who now stood tall with his duo red saber drawn. "Prepare for your final hour carebears. Faith has delivered you into my hands!"
"The carebear family will prevail," Shouted Nobleheart Horse. "Because we told you the truth and you would not listen!"
Darkage didn't respond, rather he began charging right after the carebears. Many of them dispersed away from Darkage, but unfortunately, Wishbear now became Darkage's hostage hanging onto her with one arm wrapped around her neck while his saber drew within inches of her throat. "Now surrender carebears or she dies!" Said Darkage.
"Not on your life!" Shouted Nobleheart horse as he faced Darkage. Then Darkage squeezed her with his arm that was around her neck causing her to pant for breath.
"Then watch her suffer before she dies!" Wishbear was now beginning to lose consiousness.
"We have to surrender Nobleheart!" Shouted Trueheart.
"But Trueheart," Stammered Nobleheart horse. "If we give up now, then the whole earth not just carelot will die and be drained of its caring!"
"We don't have a choice," Said Trueheart tearing up. "I can't stand to see Wish bear suffer like this!"
"So what its going to be?" Said Darkage. "Surrender, or this one dies!"
"Stop!" Shouted Nobleheart horse. "Let her go. We'll go quietly." Said Nobleheart horse lowering his head in shame as a tear escaped from his eye. "Just please don't harm Wishbear anymore."
"Good," Darkage said contentedly. He then turned and faced the rat king. "Go and capture the carebears and put them into the cage!" Commanded Darkage. The rats along with some of the other evil minions lined them up and tossed them into a single huge sized cage. It took them only five minutes to round them all up. As they about to throw the caring guardians inside of the cage also, Darkage commanded not to put them in due to the fact that they were no longer a potential threat so some of the rats carried them upon there backs on the way back to Noheart's castle.
"I did it!" Boasted Noheart. "Now I can conquer a world without caring!"
"Whatever!" Said Darkage.
"What!" Said Noheart upset at Darkage's comment.
"Do I need a megaphone? Or are you just getting old and need hearing aids from miracle ear?" Said Darkage with no fear in his voice.
"WHaaaaat!" Yelled Noheart angrily.
"Okay guy's," Said the evil Vizior. "There is no need to argue or fight over such petty things since we accomplished our goal here." Everyone of the leaders all nodded in agreement.
"Your right Vizior. I'll deal with your disrespect later my young apprentice!" Said Noheart.
"Oh I'm so scared." Said Darkage with a smirk on his face. Noheart turned away from Darkage and balled up his hand into a fist. 'Just you wait Darkage! Soon you will pay for your insubordination. You think you are in control but I am only playing along until the carebear family is done away with then I Noheart will rain supreme!' Noheart now focused on the task at hand with the captured carebears now inside the cage.
"Now carebears, you shall all return with me to my castle to be executed," Said Noheart. All the carebears gulped as they knew the situation was not good. "But first, my apprentice has something he wanted to show you first." Said Noheart relishing upon the fear of the carebear family. Darkage took a unlit torch from one of the homes of the carebear family.
"Darkheat," Shouted Darkage. The torch immediately lit up with a black flickering flame which surrounded the grey in the center of the fire on the torch. "Eleven years carebears, I have waited for this moment of revenge! And I thought, should I burn you all with Carolot, or just kill you all with my Red Saber and be done with it." Darkage said happily as he continued on with his charade. "Unlike you heartless bears, I am going to spare you from burning alive like the way my parents did. However, I want you all to feel the same pain that I felt when my parent's died. So I thought what better way to do that than to have you all watch everything that you ever valued, loved, and cherished, burn right in front of you with no one to rescue you or your home."
"No," Said Wishbear. "Please don't burn down our homes! Its, its all we have." Said Wishbear with tears in her eyes.
"Why shouldn't your homes be burned," Said Darkage unsympathetically. "You burned my parents alive in the trailer and left me with no place to go and what's worse, you left this locket on my parents tombstone throwing it to my face that you committed this crime." Darkage said pointing to the red locket around his neck. "So consider this retribution for the crime you bears committed."
"Darkage, please don't do this," Pleaded Wishbear. "I know at one point you weren't so heartless."
"That all changed inside me when my parent's were taken away from me carebear." Said Darkage. "I have purged every feeling from my heart so that it would not be a weakness! Now its time to burn Carelot to the ground!" Just when Darkage took the lit torch, he saw all the bears staring at him sobbing in tears. Darkage didn't expect this reaction from them. Instead he expected them to look at him with great hatred, anger, and sorrow. His heart became moved by this but he managed to hide it from his face and mind because if anyone ever found out that he still had some compassion left in his so called blackened heart of his, he knew his life would be disposed of along with the rest of the carebears.
"Joaquin, we are truly sorry for what happened to your parents," Said Wishbear. "But I still speak for everybody here when I say, even if you burn our homes and our beloved Carelot, we still forgive you and won't hold this against you." Darkage probed Wishbear's mind to see if she wasn't lying to him. Her words were consistant with her feelings as he felt them dwelling on him, not with hate, but with great sympathy, love, caring, and compassion. Something he hasn't felt for a long time ever since his parents had passed away. If only she could read his true feelings right now which he hid deeply away inside his hallow heart, she would know that he wasn't completely transformed over to the will of the force! But Darkage managed to hide this from his face as he continued to show his hatred. If only the carebears knew of the dilemma that dwelt deeply within my heart of heart's, they wouldn't of given up on me so easily. Thought Darkage to himself in his mind.
"WELL, what are you waiting for my young apprentice, vengeance is at hand! Or do you wish for them to get away with what they have done to you and your family!" Yelled Noheart.
"Shut up Noheart," Darkage said a bit irritated for he grew tired of Noheart's ramblings. After a long pause, Darkage finally spoke up again. "I've decided I will not burn there homes after all...," Said Darkage. There was mixed reactions on both sides. The carebears cheered while the bad guy's grumbled and bitched in discontent. "Silence!" Shouted Darkage as all commotion halted. "Instead we will inhabit this land and make it a base for training our armies to purge the world of all love and caring!" The bad guy's cheered while the carebears groaned at this. "Take them to the castle!"