Chapter Thirty-five

The Island

Janeesa and Robbie were returning to the island where they had left the Pirates after their rescue. Herbert had remained behind to keep a watchful eye on what Janeesa had discovered that had now made her heart be full in anger. Her father was a fool, and his latest escapade only stood to prove that more! Janeesa had thought that they had rescued all of the Pirates, but when she, Herbert, and Robbie had returned home, they had found out that some of the merpeople had captured a prisoner and now had him locked up and waiting to be the official sacrifice for their yearly Festival of the Gods. He was human, and her father had every intention of sacrificing a human to his Gods!

She was so angry that her tail whipped fiercely through the water. She had to reach the Pirates. She had to find the females she had talked to that night! They would know what to do to rescue the human! She was more than willing to lead the rescue party. In fact, she knew she would have to in order for them to be able to breathe under the water, but there was no way Janeesa would ever stand for any human to be sacrificed.

For the most part, her people looked down their perky noses at humans, but Janeesa had always been fascinated by them. She would no more harm them than she would the other fish in the vast ocean. They were not her enemy, especially not the three she had actually spoken to. Her anger spurred her on to the point that Robbie was having a hard time keeping up with her.

A Shore

As Sir Didymus stood, looking on as Will, Wolverine, and Elizabeth began to help Jack first to sit up and then to get to his feet, he paid rapt attention to their surroundings. The predators were still going at it in the water that was quickly filling with blood, and his sharp ears could clearly hear each snap, snarl, bite, and gallup that was made as they ate each other. The others were barely beginning to help Jack to his feet when Didymus heard a faint mewing. He turned, his keen eyes sweeping first the shore and then, as the mewing grew louder, the ocean. His one eye shot as wide as the patch that covered his other, and he yelped. "My Gods! There's a wee one out there!"

Raising his sword high, Didymus barked out. "Never fear, little one! Sir Didymus is here!" It might be a cat but it still needed help, and so he, being the brave Knight that he was, would rush to its rescue, save it, and cleave the beasts away! He heard the others calling after him and questioning about where the meowing was coming from and whether or not there was truly a cat caught amongst all the battling predators, but he neither slowed nor granted them any attention. Reaching the water, he dove in with no regard for his own safety.

Somewhere

He ran as though his life depended on it, his tongue hanging out in a most undignified way and panting like a dog's. It had been years since he had ran this fast and far in such a short amount of time, and yet they were still close behind him. He could tell from the way the earth trembled as he ran, and still he pushed himself forward. He had to lose them. He had to escape them or there would be no chance for he or his men to be freed!

He had to do this! Salem reminded himself yet again. He couldn't take the herd on and win. Hell, without his magic or even a human body, he couldn't even take one bull on and win. He had no choice but to outrun them, and no matter how hot or tired he grew, no matter how much his heart felt like it was going to leap out of his throat and spin across the desert ground, he had to outrun them! For himself. For his men. For the people who had put such trust in him and were risking life, limb, and love in hopes of saving he and his people. Like Faith.

If she was here, these bulls would regret it! But where was she? he wondered. Where could she be in this nightmare of a land, and what were those idiots on the Council doing to her? She had just barely survived the Hellish encounters with Judson, Lilah, and the evil Piratesses, and now . . . Now what was being done to her? What was she being pushed through this time? Where was she?

She'd save him, Salem knew, if only he could find her! He raised his head and sniffed the air. There were so many scents, and all carried their own varied brands of panic and angst with them. But there! There, on the breeze from the West, was that Faith? He sniffed again. No, just the kid. His green eyes shot wide as he turned in the scent's direction and it became stronger. Faith was with Dawson! Or Dawson was with Faith, more apt.

Salem started running in their direction, and still the herd remained hot on his tail . . .

Somewhere

The three women gazed down at their fallen comrade with great concern showing in their eyes. Xena and Gabrielle looked to each other, both wondering the same thing. Had they been in time, or was it too late? Ororo was breathing, but she'd shown no signs of returning to them. Piper's eyes never moved from Ororo. She wanted to sit upon the ground and pull her godmother into her arms, but she feared what her hands might do and kept them clenched before her as she prayed.

Finally, after what seemed to the trio like a lifetime, Ororo's head began to turn from side to side. Her eyes did not open, and she made no sound. Inwardly, however, she was screaming at the monster inside her head. It would not be silenced, though, and when her blue eyes flew open, she flung herself upwards into the air.

"RUN! HIDE!" she yelled to those she had sensed nearby her when she'd came around. "YOU MUST COVER YOURSELF AND NOT COME OUT FOR ANY -- "

Her words broke off. Piper stared up at her godmother. "Auntie 'Ro?" she asked uncertainly, fear and concern shining in her brown eyes and her forehead creased by confusion. The sky was swiftly darkening, and an enormous clap of thunder drowned out her aunt's next words.

The Island

They approached the island cautiously, and Janeesa knew that she would probably have to get out and walk upon the land to find her new friends. Find them, she would. They must know, and they must save that poor male human! She had already attempted to break him free from his prison, and her father had beaten her for her efforts. Her face was bruised from his strong, right fist. She had had beatings from him before but none quite so soundly. He recalled his words, that he would beat the human-loving part of her, but she knew that no matter how much he beat her, she would still love her friends, especially her golden Angel. She could hardly wait to meet him and hoped that her new friends would introduce them.

As she raised her head above the water, she heard screams, and she trembled. Robbie blocked her from the island. Something horrible was going on, and he had no intention of her getting into the middle of it! She heard a human voice calling for help, and all of her instincts made her want to go to help him, but her fear of the unknown kept her where she was, safe in the water. She drew close enough that she could see something attacking something but couldn't make out what it was.

Then she saw movement to the right, and there appeared some one she had not seen before . . .

Jack & Will's Bedroom

As Phillip's panicked words screeched the room, every one turned to face him. The Pirates in the room wore looks that ranged from concern and worry to pure terror. "Well, don't let 'em, whatever it is!" Joxer told Phillip as though it was the most obvious solution in the world. Crystal rushed toward the mirror, and ice began springing up from the floor in its attempt to separate the others from the mirror.

Carlos had found himself gazing into Trent's blue eyes until all the shouting suddenly erupted. The trio parted, the men looking nervously away from each other, before all three turned their gazes to the mirror. Trina sniffled, began quickly wiping her tears away, and tried to stop more from falling. Trent placed a comforting hand on his sister's shoulder but remained ready to pounce into attack mode at any time.

Carlos moved to the bed and picked up another sword. He wanted to return to the Malloys but waited to see if the weaponry would truly be needed. If it would, he had to be able to toss a blade to each of them. Trina was excellently skilled in a variety of weapons that eclipsed both his and Trent's training. Trent could use a sword but preferred using his own body, but if the enemy was as great as the mirror seemed to think it, he was going to need a sword . . . regardless of whether or not he wanted one.

Cindy roared and leapt over the ice that was beginning to come up from the floor. She landed smoothly beside Crystal, and Elvira followed suit. Blue winged his way to them with a cooing call.

Delvira's black eyes snapped open. She looked dazedly around the room from where she was being held in some one's strong arms. "Wha -- ? What's going on?"

Autolycus' eyes grew larger as he watched to see what was coming out of the mirror. What would possibly come through that mirror from the icy cold regions of the North Pole? Could it be Him coming after them?

Angel laid Delvira on the bed and turned to face the mirror. He knew she was not recovered enough yet to fight whatever was coming through. That left him the strongest person in the room. He moved closer to Phillip and watched in amazement as a form began to take shape. He breathed a sigh of relief that it was not him.

Clark, too, let out a sigh from where he stood at the ready next to Angel. He relaxed his guard and waited for the creature to clear the mirror so that he could ask to see his beloved Lex and make certain everything was all right with his love.

Lorne reached out and pulled Crys back to him as a tiny creature slithered into the room. He wanted to ask, "What is it?", but his voice had not returned.

Eddie had been staring holes in the mirror, wondering whether he should turn around and give it the hoof treatment. Instead, his ears perked forward as he recognized the creature. It was the same tiny fellow he had talked to before, but he couldn't remember what it had said it was. "What are you doing here?" Eddie asked him.

Crys had been too surprised to make much of a protest when Lorne had snatched her back. When Phillip had screamed that there was something coming through him, she had been able to only think of Frostbite. Never would she have thought that one of the animals might follow her. Her eyes remained on him as she awaited his answer to Eddie's question, and her ice disappeared as she realized that there was no threat coming.

"Euuw! Euuw! Get it off of me! Get it off of me!"

"I'm not getting it off of you!" Phoebe told the mirror. "I'm not touching that disgusting thing!"

The tiny, white snake hung its head. "Really, you two!" Crystal scolded. "There's nothing wrong with it! It's neither slimy nor disgusting -- "

Crystal's words were interrupted by a loud meow. She turned to see a tabby cat springing from the bed and pouncing toward the snake. She moved swiftly, lifting the tiny snake with gentle hands from the mirror's base before the cat could reach it. "And, whoever you are," she told the cat, "he is not food!"

"Mrrw?" Willow questioned the foolish woman even as he sat down, his tail swishing wildly and thumping the floor angrily. He had not been the one to make such a fuss over the creature. They had awakened him with their panick, and he had merely been about to put an end to what they were all carrying on about as though it was a giant rat. He looked at the tiny snake and made a face. It wasn't as though he had wanted to eat it. After all, it would have probably frozen his entire mouth and tasted absolutely awful to boot!

She then raised the snake to where she could look at it eyeball to eyeball. "But what are you doing here, little one?"

"It's not the only one," a soft voice spoke up from the bed. Delvira looked at Autolycus, who had been staring holes in her since Angel, who she still wondered how he, of all beings, had been the one to end up carrying her, had lain her on the bed. Her black eyes glared at him, and she rearranged the skirt of her dress. "Snap your eyes back into their sockets," she snapped at him low enough that the other humans could not hear them, "or you might lose one of them."

Autolycus turned his eyes quickly back to Phillip as he saw another animal coming through. A small arctic fox. He wasn't about to reach out and grab it. He had never been too good with animals. "Why are these animals following y'all?" he asked Crys.

Eddie peered intently at the fox. "They claim they know Crys, and they want to be with her. He says there's another one coming."

"How many are coming?" Autolycus ventured.

"There's no telling," Angel said, looking at his sister, "but perhaps you should send them home? As badly as they want to be with you, our climates are not the same."

Crystal batted away the tears that glistened in her ice blue eyes. She had already decided to send them back, but it wasn't exactly for the same reasons that Angel was thinking of. After all, she had managed to keep Cindy, Blue, and Elvira at the temperatures they needed over the years, renewing the spells once a year that blocked the heat from them. However, these animals could not stay with her. They should never have come through, never have followed her in the first place, but they had and it was that thought that made her eyes so moist and touched her heart so deeply.

Her voice was thick with emotion as she spoke, choosing to speak first to Phillip before verbally approaching the animals again. "Phillip, can you stop them from being able to come?"

"No. If I were to do so now, I would cut one off in the middle."

Crystal held her hands before the mirror. She was just about to send the snowickle back through when it slithered up her arm with such speed that even Clark was surprised at its swiftness. It delved into Prue's cloak and clung to the fabric.

Crystal looked to the young fox for help. "I appreciate what you are doing," she told the fox as she knelt before her and gently stroked her head. "I thank you all for the love and loyalty you have given me over the years and are still so intent upon doing so, but you really must return to your home."

The fox lifted her head and looked up into Crystal's eyes. She smiled sadly at her. "I will not leave you. My mate refused to leave, and so do I. Please," the fox spoke, seeing the tears in the Elemental's eyes, "do not cry for him. He went as he wanted to go, being valiant and striving to help you. We all wanted to help but . . . "

Crystal shook her head. "It was not your place, and you must return. I am so sorry I cost your mate his life. Was he . . . " She could not find the right words or make her tongue work to form them.

The fox nodded understandingly. "He was the same one you once played with as a child. You played with so many of us then, Crystal, and we've all missed you. Please do not send us home."

A Cavern

She stepped silently back, her tall frame merging with the shadows as she did so. She did not take her eyes away from the young Vampiress for even a heartbeat, but all her other senses remained on full guard. Nothing would creep up on them again. This latest threat also had not; they had both heard her coming well before she had reached them. The only surprise came in her face.

Kyna knew exactly who this latest enemy represented, and it burned her to her core to see how They treated her beloved William and be unable to do anything about it. She was the one on trial here, not him, and as she was the one being tried, the one who had been selected as Jack's co-Captain, They had every lawful right to do to her whatever they would. Not that she wasn't going to question the heck out of certain individuals on the Council seats about the voting procedure to force her to face off against Sheng's apparent double. However, just as much right as they had to do what they would to her and even with her, they had absolutely no right to do anything to Spike, lest of all to force him to face this Demonic image of his baby sister.

Though fury roared in her deepest soul, Kyna carefully turned that fury into strong determination to see the trial through, Salem and his people victorious, and their people survivors of these wretched trials and back home safely. Home. The thought brought a flicker of uncertainty to Kyna's otherwise calm face as she watched William being circled by the young Vampiress who wore his sister's face like a battle mask. Where was home? It could no longer be Destiny's Ghost, as her husband had worked her into seeing their ship a long time ago, as their vessel was now upon the ocean floor. No, she thought, home was no ship. It never really had been for Kyna. Home was beside the man she loved. Her thoughts shattered and her mind snapped to alert at a sudden yell . . .

Somewhere

Smee followed at a distance behind James and their boys. He kept them in sight at all times but remained as far back as he could, his mind raking over his dilemma. There wasn't an inch of his big body that did not want to run back, throw himself over that cliff, and let the crocodiles feast on him. Without James' love, he simply didn't want to live, but he knew that if he died now, the same fate would await Vang. For the second time in his lowly existence, he was caught in a life he did not want to live with no way of escaping. At least, before, he had had James, even though it had taken James so long to admit his love and Smee had been on the brink of despair when he had finally announced his love. A few days more, and Smee probably would have ended up taking his own life. He'd had that option open to him then, but now he had no way of escape.

Smee's eyes checked James and their boys to make sure that none of the three were looking at him, and then he glanced over his shoulder back at the cliff that was quickly disappearing from sight as they continued their trek downwards. He sighed. At one time, it would have been so simple to take his life, but now, now if he died, Vang would . . . Smee's body and brain froze at once, and even his heart forgot to beat as something gigantic suddenly appeared at the very edge of the cliff.

Smee stared, his wide eyes bigger than dinner plates, at the thing that now proceeded to jump up and down and head in his direction. His mind flashed back to a time when he and James had just began to fall along the path of love. Smee had never been much of one to celebrate his own birthday, but James had somehow managed to find out that it was his birthday and had insisted upon learning to cook just so that he could make him a cake. Smee hadn't known anything about it until he'd shown up for James' lessons on that day, and James had surprised him so thoroughly . . . That had been the first truly happy birthday Smee had ever experienced.

After that and up to the trial where his curse had included old age, James had made a more elaborate cake for Smee with each year, but never had Smee witnessed a cake with as much frosting, candles, or size as that which was now moving steadily toward him. The top layer of the cake was opening swiftly and slamming back down against the second layer, which made the cake look as though it had a huge mouth that was chomping in its eagerness to eat him. Frosting flew everywhere as it moved rapidly. At last, Smee found his voice, and as he turned around, he hollered. "RUN!"

Somewhere

Holding Kat close in his arms, Ace listened to Spot's muted thoughts. He knew Spot was very hungry. "Have you seen anything yet?" he called up to his big friend.

"Yellow," Spot told him.

"Go toward it," Ace demanded. He got to where he could see what Spot was looking at. It seemed to be a bunch of trees baring bananas. He wondered if Spot could eat a banana and if it would do any good for the big lizard to eat it. Would a bunch of bananas fill him up or just leave him craving for more? "I'm coming up," he told Spot. "Put me on the tree."

Spot knocked his head up against the tree, and it felt good. He rubbed it some even as Ace climbed out. "Have you ever ate one of these before?" Ace asked as he passed a couple of bananas into Kat. He figured she was starving, as well.

Spot eyed the yellow thing. "Small," he commented even as Ace peeled a couple and threw them into the big thing's mouth. Spot bit down, and his reaction was instant. He spit it. "Nasty," he roared with a toss of his head. He then looked back down and eyed Ace suspiciously.

Before Ace or the dinosaur could do anything more, however, something buzzed the T. Rex's nose. The tiny bug slipped inside the gigantic nostril, and Spot began to itch. His nose twitched violently. He tried to contain it, but the sneeze erupted. The bug flew out of his nose along with his snot, and all hit the tree and Ace. Spot's head jerked back as he sneezed again, and this time his head shook so violently that Kat was thrown out of his ear. She spiraled through the air with a Gaelic curse and disappeared from sight.

Somewhere

He cowered inside the safe spot he'd discovered in the tender earth beneath the tree. His tiny body trembled so greatly that he could scarcely hear, but still he dared to listen. He dared to listen and hope, even now, that his King would somehow, by some miracle he longed to deserve though he wasn't sure he did, find him and rescue him from this most horrible nightmare.

Didn't he deserve to live? Didn't he deserve a chance to do all the things he'd wanted to do but always been denied? He'd been a good worm. He had, always listening first to his mother and then to his Missus. He'd never once stepped out of line with either of the women in his life or the King or the Queen . . . Surely the one time he'd given the castle's location away to the Queen's sister didn't count? He'd thought she was Delvira, after all, and had truly believed that she was suffering some sort of amnesia due to a large bump he'd witnessed on her head.

A tear trailed down Worm's microscopic cheek. Was he not a good worm? Was he not a good enough loyal and faithful servant to warrant a rescue? Surely it was not due to his inferior species or ranking that Jareth had yet to sweep in to his rescue? Never once did it enter Worm's mind that perhaps his Master had not shown because he was unable to show.

Worm sniffed again and then stilled himself as he heard a great noise happening outside. His head lifted; his small, beady eyes lit with hope. Maybe that was the King now?! He hurried outside to meet him.

The Island

The light of the full moon that had come back into the open shone upon the silver blade of the sword he wielded high and at the ready as his bare feet raced across the sand. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched the movements of his taut, muscular body. She had never seen such a strong human nor had she ever seen a human male so nearly naked. One small piece of cloth flapped around his groin area as he ran, and Janeesa blushed as she caught sight of something she shouldn't. She looked quickly back up to his face before she could see more of the long thing that swung between his legs.

This new human was every bit as handsome as he was muscular. His face was hardened with determination, however, and long, silverish hair flew behind him in the wind as he ran. He had passed her in a heartbeat, and she knew he hadn't seen her for his attention was concentrated solely upon the other human and his attacker. She watched as the man flew into the monster, and her heart cried out in pain as the monster raked at him with claws. She still could not get a clear shot of the monster, but its long, deadly claws seemed almost to glow in the moonlight.

Janeesa was completely enthralled by the battle as the human fought the beast, sword to claw. He was a valiant fighter, greatly skilled and determined, but he was no match for the monster. All too soon, the beast had knocked the sword from his hands and leapt upon him. Janeesa winced and looked away with tears in her eyes as the beast clawed at the human.

When she looked back again, Janeesa saw that the monster had returned to the first human. Neither human moved nor made any sound that she could hear. She feared they were both dead and wondered why the beast had returned to the first one. She tried to push past Robbie, but the dolphin hovered steadfast in the water. He refused to be moved or to let her pass.

Janeesa froze again in rapt attention as another figure appeared. This one had somehow managed to sneak up on the monster. She could see even less of the newcomer than she could the monster, however, but could tell that the being was fighting to save the other two. This fight lasted longer than the one before it had, but again the creature gained the upper fist. Something loud slammed down against the earth, and the trees shook. The creature, who had had its claws raised to strike at its latest opponent, who it had just downed, turned and ran.

Somewhere

Concentrate, Emma. You must concentrate. This can not be real! He can not be dead! Not now, not after all we've been through, not after just finding each other again! This can't be real! Tears continued to pour from her eyes, and as she wiped each fresh tear away, more fell in its place.

She had to concentrate. This couldn't be real. It had to be a trick. They were trying to rip her apart, mind, heart, and soul, and they were managing to do a Hell of a good job of it. Emma forced herself to pull up into a sitting position. She closed her eyes and tried to block out the images of the dead bodies of every one she'd ever loved and every one she'd ever caused the death of. She struggled to concentrate even past the vicious laughter of her sister.

Even then, Andrienne snarled down at Emma. "Go ahead and try, sister. You can't read my mind, and you won't find them alive. They're dead! They're all dead, and it's all because of you!" Her laughter echoed in Emma's mind even as the blonde telepath reached out mentally, searching . . . searching for her love . . . searching for a reason to continue . . . searching for a ray of hope . . . no matter how slim it may be . . .

Jack & Will's Bedroom

A defiant roar suddenly sounded through the room as a small figure only slightly bigger than the tiny snake leapt through. The pink animal landed on his feet on the floor of the room and twirled a tiny stick around, using it like a bo staff and wielding it at the ready to ward off any who might dare to try to send him back. "We ain't going back! We wanna see the world!"

"And we want to be with you," the snowickle spoke from deep within the cloak Crys wore.

"And what are you?" Angel asked, his eyes glued to the small, defiant creature. "I've never seen anything quite like you."

The small creature pointed his stick straight at Angel. "I'm a mole rat!" He looked up at Angel as though asking the Vampire if he wanted to make something of it.

Angel looked from the mole rat to Crys. "You know him?"

Crystal inclined her head once in a nod. "Raphael. You know it is not good for you to be here."

Raphael kept his stick in one paw as he folded his tiny arms together in front of his chest. "I've already thought of that," he declared. "You can take my fur off!" Several mouths dropped open at that statement.

"What do you mean take your fur off?" Angel asked, concern showing in his voice. "Won't that be painful?"

"Nah. I have cousins down here who're naked. All that has to be done to it is to cut it off."

Crys shook her head. "It is not that simple, Raphael."

The white fox was just beginning to raise her paw to place it on Crystal's hand when Joxer screeched. Phoebe was the first to look from Joxer to the mirror, where he was staring at, and she too screamed for a pair of antlers was sticking out. The deer suddenly leapt the remainder of the way out of the mirror, and he, too, stood in the midst of the room.

Somewhere

Wolverine shook his head as he watched the small dog go. What had the idiot discovered this time? Something about a cat? He walked to the edge of the water and looked out, his eyes following the small dog's progress. Far out in the water, there seemed to be something about the size of a coconut shell bobbing up and down. Whatever was in trouble was in the coconut shell. He continued to watch as Didymus got closer to the shell.

Jack came to stand beside his father, still clinging to Will's hand. "What has he found now?" he wondered aloud only to hear his father mutter something about a damn cat. "There's no cat out there! It would not survive in so much water!" Jack didn't know whether or not to believe that, but he knew that Didymus would not have just jumped out there for show. He was a brave, little dog. There had to be something out there. He peered anxiously at the small object that did not seem to grow any nearer and wondered what it could be.

"Are you two daft?" Elizabeth questioned Jack and Wolverine. "There must be a cat out there! As absurd as it seems, there has to be! What else would be meowing so?"

Though Will wondered about the same questions as his adopted sister, he, too, could not imagine what a cat would be doing out in the ocean or how it could have possibly survived. He watched, his brown eyes narrowed intently and his hand clinging just as tightly to Jack's as Jack was to his, as Didymus swam out. The predators had not yet turned on the weird dog man, but soon they would. They had to help him somehow, but Jack was too weak to go back into the water. If he went, he knew Jack would follow him. There had to be something they could do to help!

"Look!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "There! Sticking out of the shell! What is that?"

Will narrowed his eyes more and looked closer. It certainly did appear to be a paw, but surely it could not be?

"Will, we have to help them!" Elizabeth shrieked as she saw one of the sharks turn its beady, hungry gaze onto Didymus.

"Yes, we do!" Jack agreed with Elizabeth. "But how?" He looked around, trying to spot any way that they could get out safely to where the shell was, but there wasn't anything.

"I'm goin'; I'm goin'!" Wolverine told them. He jumped into the water and began to swim his way toward the maddening dog and whatever was in the coconut shell. He could feel the shark closing in on him, swirled around, and flew into attack on the shark. There was so much thrashing in the water and blood spilling that the three watching on shore could not tell whether it was Wolverine or the shark who was receiving the losing end of the battle . . .

Somewhere

Sean was singing at the top of his lungs, floating on his back in the river of whiskey. He didn't know when he would come to a place that he could get out of the river, but he hoped it would not be long. It seemed the longer he was in there, the more relaxed he became, the more carefree, and the louder he sang. What Sean was not realizing was that the longer he stayed in the water, the more it seeped into his sink, and that he would never come to an embankment or any other way that he could possibly get out.

He heard a loud voice calling from out of the darkness. "SEAN, ME BOYO! WHY ARE YE HERE?"

"Shamus, me ol' friend," Sean called back. "Haven't heard from ye in a long time!"

"Pull yerself taegether, lad. Tell me ye haven't drank any o' the river."

"Nae, I haven't," Sean told him. "I fear tae taste o' it. I fear that I will climb into its murky depths an' disappear."

"That ye would, me boyo," Shamus told him. "Ye must pull yerself taegether an' get out o' here. As long as ye lay peacefully upon yer back an' sing a song, nae matter how pretty the song, ye will nae be saved fer as long as ye're in here, it'll be seepin' through yer very veins. Ye'll be trapped here fere'er."

Sean could now see his old friend, Shamus. "What're ye diin' here, Shamus?" he asked, his head beginning to clear a little.

"It 'tis me job, Sean. Actually me punishment. I'm put here tae stir the river o' whiskey fer the rest o' me life, always tae want a drop but ne'er tae be allowed one."

"An' 'tis there tae be nae escape fer ye, then?" Sean asked.

"Nae fer me, me friend," Shamus told him, "but there is fer ye. Grab hold."

Sean peered at Shamus again and saw that Shamus was holding out an oar to him. He grasped firmly the end that he would reach, and Shamus, despite his tiny size, pulled Sean out. "I will nae ferget ye fer this, Shamus, an' I will try me best tae find a way tae get ye out o' this awful place."

"It could be a whole lot worse," Shamus told him. "I could be like those poor souls."

He pointed, and Sean looked. He saw men in rags and chains. "Why're they here?"

"They, too, are bein' punished fer they took a sip o' the river. As soon as ye come to clean water, take yerself in it an' wash yer body thoroughly. Dunk under the water three times, an' ye shall be completely free o' the river. Ferget that ye have seen me here fer there is nae way out fer me."

Sean was just about to protest Shamus' last words when the tiny Leprechaun, who had been looking warily around the entire time he had been talking to Sean in whispers once they were near enough, looked up and squealed. Sean's gaze snapped upwards. "By Holy Aphrodite!" He dove for Shamus, planning on tucking the wee lad into a roll that would deliver them from the gigantic hand that was reaching down, but the hand plucked Shamus up and snatched him away before Sean could ever reach him.

Sean could hear Shamus' screams. He jumped upward and began to fly after Shamus as quickly as he could. The hand pulled back even faster. Sean followed hard but could not reach him in time as he saw Shamus jerked through a cloud and, when he reached the cloud, there was no sign of either Shamus or the hand. He hoped that they did not give greater punishment to his friend. He planned to ask the Wizards when he saw them again what could be done to save Shamus for he did not want to leave him in this awful place. He flew away from the cloud and landed upon the earth once more, beginning to walk on the bank next to the river, hoping that it would bring him somewhere that he could get out of this awful place and find Emma. He feared that she was in even more dire straits than he was and prayed for her safety.

Somewhere

Xena gazed skyward at Ororo. "'RO! GABRIELLE, PIPER, AND MYSELF . . . WE REALLY NEED YOU DOWN HERE! YOU'RE OKAY, YOU KNOW!" Xena talked quietly to 'Ro even though she had to call a little louder than normal. She tried to keep her voice self-assured and peaceful. "'RO, WE COULD REALLY USE YOU DOWN HERE!" She looked around for shelter, figuring her words were not going to do any good, but there really wasn't anywhere for them to get out of the weather.

"Piper, talk to her. Reassure her that everything's going to be okay, that she's safe now."

There had been something different in Ororo's voice, a panic greater than even that which she had, on occasion, heard in her godmother's voice over the last couple of days. There had been a wildness and deep concern flashing in Ororo's blue eyes when Piper had last seen them as she'd flown upwards. She wasn't sure what was going on with her godmother and realized that she seemed to have been trying to warn them about something but nodded nonetheless to Xena and rose her voice. Though she had to shout to be heard over the growing thunder, Piper kept her tone calm and soothing, as though she were trying to ease the fear out of one of her sisters after they'd had a nightmare.

"AUNT ORORO, IT'S FINE. EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE OKAY. REALLY, IT IS. YOU KNOW I WOULDN'T LIE TO YOU. I LOVE YOU. WE'RE HERE TO HELP. TOGETHER, WE CAN DEFEAT THE COUNCIL."

Gabrielle had been about to add her voice to the others' when Ororo suddenly screamed. "NNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Gabby jumped, throwing Piper to the ground and rolling them both out of the way as a lightning bolt hit the ground where Piper had just been standing. Ororo threw another bolt at Xena.

Xena flipped and barely got out of the way. "She's just too far up there, Piper! I can't flip that high! She's not responding. Do you know any magic spells?" She knew Piper and her sisters were supposed to be Witches, but all she had seen come out of Piper so far had been freezing and exploding, neither of which would help them to capture Ororo. She looked hopefully at Piper.

Piper was still on the ground, but Gabrielle lowered a hand to her from where she stood at the ready. Piper hesitated in taking it as she raked her mind for an answer to their dilemma. "I've never seen her act like this. It's not one of her claustrophobic attacks, Xena, and I don't know how to help her. We've only recently come into our powers and gotten the Book. I haven't even had time to really look into its pages that much." She wished she had it now. There had to be something in that great Book to help!

The winds were picking up, Gabrielle noted, and complete darkness was settling in around them. Complete darkness except . . . "Hades! Xena, look at her eyes!" Taking Piper's hand, Gabrielle pulled the younger woman to her feet but did not let go of her hand.

Xena gazed into Storm's eyes. "Holy Aphrodite! She's Demon possessed!" she exclaimed even as Ororo's blood red eyes looked straight at her. "We are not going to be able to reach her without some help, and we've gotta get her down from there!" She looked at Gabrielle and then began to call for Ditey.

Thunder roared its anguish, and rain pelted down. Lightning again shot out at the trio. Xena flipped out of its way smoothly enough, but the lightning that was flung at Gabrielle and Piper headed straight in the middle of them. One woman dove one way, but the other dove the other. Their hands ripped apart, and each landed hard on the ground with more lightning bolts barely passing over the top of them. The maniacal laughter that erupted from Ororo as she hurled more lightning bolts chilled the three women's hearts.

Somewhere

She watched, with flames dancing in her eyes, as the conjured fire devoured her enemy, and she thought. She thought over all that had happened to bring her to this stage in her long life. She worried over what might yet come. Mostly, however, she contemplated her next move.

The entire time, her eyes remained upon the giant snake who had just come so close to ending her life once and for all. She never saw the change, but suddenly the burning form was no longer that of the snake's. Minerva's scream ripped through the jungle, sending birds flying, beasts roaring, and the shyer creatures of the woods scurrying for a hiding place.

Tears sprang to Minerva's eyes and began pouring down her withered cheeks. What had she done?! Finding her voice, she pointed her wand toward the heavens and yelled out a spell. Rain clouds immediately began to gather, but she feared they would not be in time even as she ran to the burning, crumpled body of none other than Albus Dumbledore . . .

To Be Continued . . .