Nosedive and Wildwing stood apart from the rest of the group, about half a mile outside of the proposed meeting place.

It was also just outside of the protection spell the Worshippers had casted an hour ago.

While the Saurian's technology and magic were far more advanced than Puckworld's, it was apparent that in the few years the Mighty Ducks had been gone the Council had been working hard to catch Puckworld up.

When the Saurian War was finally over the government had ample leftover Raptors and Saurian engineering debris to comb through and replicate. In addition, they'd manage to catch a few stray Old Ways Worshippers along the way to study and, through vigorous therapy, reform.

By being given the knowledge of dark magic, the Council could detect the magic being used, learn reverse spells to protect their officers during battle, and even use specially-built technology to hinder the magic's effects.

In the case of Nosedive, he was wearing such an item now in the disguise of a vest.

Nosedive adjusted the piece of clothing, which would apparently stop the worshippers from casting any spells on him. The Council told him that a reformed worshipper had casted a reverse spell on the article of clothing, and that it'd been successfully used in many other missions involving the capture of dark magic users.

It didn't make Nosedive feel like any less of a fool, though. He wore the article over his battlegear, but it basically looked like something a construction worker would wear.

Wildwing, standing next to him and fidgeting in his battlegear, looked downright anxious compared to his little brother.

In his defense, however, in Wildwing's head this was his first mission.

"Doing okay there, bro?" Nosedive asked, watching out of the corner of his eye as nearby officers scrambled to get their plan into action.

Wildwing startled at his voice, obviously zoning out. He looked down at him and smiled. "Best as I could be, I guess," he answered. One of his eyebrows quirked slightly and he added, "It's so weird seeing you like this, Dive. I know I'm missing years of us going into war together, but I gotta say, it's changed you."

Nosedive frowned slightly. "Changed me? How?"

Wildwing shrugged, though the movement turned out to be awkward in his heavy battlegear. "You're headstrong, calm, and you actually think through your actions. I used to have to pull you out of trouble daily when we were kids. Hell, it was like that a week before the Invasion. But now … now you're the responsible one, and I'm the one that feels like the new kid on the first day of school."

Nosedive scoffed slightly, waving his brother off with a flick of his hand. "Nah, it's still the same. It wouldn't be a good week if I didn't play a prank on somebody. And you're a leader, Wing, inside and out: you've even gotten worse with age.

"'Sides, it might feel like it, but I promise you this ain't your first rodeo," Nosedive added a western accent to his voice, causing Wildwing to laugh.

"Thanks Dive," Wildwing added gratefully.

Nosedive smiled at his brother and patted him on the back. "It's good to have you back, Bro, but we're not quite there yet. We'll fix this."

Wildwing nodded in affirmation and looked up as Tanya approached the duo.

"Are you, uh, ready Wildwing?" she asked, looking almost as apprehensive as Wildwing himself.

"I think so," he replied, "but it wouldn't hurt to go over it one more time."

Nosedive smirked. "Yup, definitely like our first mission."

Tanya smiled, despite the situation, and tapped on Nosedive's vest. "We got about, uh, 20 or so officers with vests on that'll keep, uh, the worshippers from knowing when we enter their barrier spell." Tanya glanced at Wildwing, adding, "You're not wearing one, because we need them to—uh, be none the wiser."

She pointed back at an older raven-black female duck, standing by herself with her arms crossed and looking anxious. She had an aged scar on her face half-covered by her gray hair, forever linking her past with the Old Ways Worshippers. "Junip will cast a spell on you, that—when you come in contact with someone else feather to feather, will teleport you to the border of—uh—the barrier spell they've, uh, cast."

"Which wouldn't work if Wildwing was wearing one of these anti-magic vests," Nosedive added, pointing at his own added attire.

"Correct. We want to get you and, um, Mallory as far away as possible and as quick as possible. The, uh, Old Ways Worshippers have started to figure out what these vests are, so uh, hopefully they won't be suspicious if you approach Mallory without one on.

"But at the same time, it does put you at, uh, risk for their spells," Tanya warned. Wildwing swallowed hard in return, having been keenly aware of the risk since the rescue plan had been made hours ago.

"And once you guys are teleported, we'll enter with our own fancy anti-detection vests and attack without them knowing the wiser!" Nosedive added, pounding his fist into his other hand in obvious anticipation.

"Question," Wildwing interrupted. "Why doesn't the anti-magic vest work on stopping the spell that's on me now?"

Junip, unbeknownst to them, had quietly approached the three as Tanya had been explaining things. She answered for the blonde duck: "Because it wasn't an accurate spell. If Sprocket had cast it appropriately, you'd have been frozen and subsequently shattered to bits."

The trio stared silently at her, which pushed her to add, "I mean, it's good that it wasn't cast properly. But he completely mucked up the phrases. You're lucky the miscast spell actually worked, because when that happens the target usually just deatomizes—depending on the spell, of course."

"Of course," Nosedive added rather sarcastically.

"Look, I'm just saying that it's going take some time to listen to his spell and reverse it safely, all right?" Junip had uncrossed her arms and held them at fist by her sides. She was small, so it wasn't outright intimidating, but you could tell she had a temper. Nosedive had called her Mallory's grandma at one point during the evening.

"I'm sorry, it's just a lot to take in," Wildwing apologized for his brother before even realizing what he was doing. Junip looked at him and shook her head.

"Old Ways Worshippers are not evil, or at least most of them aren't. You have to remember that when many of us became that way it was either obey or starve. But once you're in it you can't just leave—the magic is encompassing, and lures you back to it. Trust me, I'm two years out of it and I still fight the feelings every damn day."

While still silent, the trio looked more sympathetic than they first did upon her approach. She sighed and turned to Wildwing. "Shall we cast the spell?"

Wildwing looked to Tanya and Noesdive, who both nodded to him. He looked back to the small, older duck and said, "Lead the way."

"If things go south, use this," Tanya handed Wildwing a small flashlight, which he took and looked at quizzically.

"Point it up at the, uh, sky, and click it on—it's a flare in disguise. Junip said it should, uh, penetrate the barrier spell."

"Oh, I see," Wildwing said, pocketing it inside his gear.

Nosedive, Junip, Grin, and Duke all stood with the two at the border of the barrier spell. While it could not be seen by them, Junip had helped officers in placing markers at the edges of the spell. Once Wildwing entered, the Old Ways Worshippers would know where he was.

"Good luck, Bro," Nosedive said, almost reaching out to hug him. Tanya and Duke both leaned forward and stopped him.

"You want to get teleported a mile away, eh?" Duke asked Nosedive, indirectly reminding him of the spell currently on Wildwing.

"Heh, oh yeah," Nosedive grinned cheekily. He nodded to his brother. "Sorry, Wing."

"The spell isn't strong enough to cast you out of their barrier spell," Junip reminded. "If I made it that strong it'd be sensed by them for sure."

"You're sure d'ey won't sense it on 'im now?" Duke asked.

Junip shrugged. "There's always a possibility unfortunately, but it is well cloaked. They would have to know what to look for to sense it … if that makes sense."

"Not really, but we'll take yer word on it," Duke answered, shaking his head. He looked to Wildwing. "Be safe, Wing, and get 'er back."

Wildwing smiled, but his face was laced with anxiety. "I'll do everything I can."

Farrin, handcuffed and wearing his own special anti-magic vest to prevent him for casting his own spells, walked to the side and slightly in front of Wildwing as they made their way through the dense forest.

"Oh, I do love snow! So magical," Farrin called out in glee, putting a skip into every step as Wildwing followed closely behind.

"Well, considering where you live I guess that's a good thing," Wildwing lamely replied, his mind clearly elsewhere as he stepped over branches and around bushes layered in a thick white blanket.

"Indeed indeed indeed," Farrin responded, looking up at the sky. "They know where we are, and what we do. They laugh at my silly attire, for you will not live through the night for it to matter."

Wildwing's concentration came back in full gear and he looked at Farrin suspiciously. "Well, if they refuse to let me live I guess that means I can't let you live. Wouldn't be very fair, now would it?"

Farrin cast a quick glare at Wildwing, but there was a gleam in his eye as he smiled ruefully. "We shall see who lives and dies this day. We shall see."

Wildwing sighed at Farrin's attempt at terrorizing him and remained silent. It wasn't worth trying to converse with a lunatic.

A low hum could be heard as they continued their trek through the trees, and it wasn't until they were both in a clearing that Wildwing realized it was low rhythmic chanting from the followers that created the noise.

They had formed a tight circle, but two of them parted ways so that Wildwing and Farrin could enter. Inside, a hooded Raptrin stood behind Mallory; she was on her knees with her back to him, her arms cuffed behind her. Her head sagged, but she looked up when she heard their approach.

"Welcome," the Raptrin said, his arms spreading wide as if to embrace the two in front of him. "I am glad to see my brother alive and well."

"Yes, my Lord Craithin, I have returned to you," Farrin replied, falling to his knees in a sign of worship. He bowed his head as far as he could, since his hands were still handcuffed behind him.

Mallory looked at Wildwing incredulously, and shook her head as delicately as possible in a show of warning to him. Wildwing already knew, however, that this would not end well if they made the exchange. He saw Mallory's lack of attire, however, and angrily looked to Craithin.

"Where's her gear? Why would you just leave her here without anything to keep warm?"

Craithin stepped forward, his hand brazenly resting on Mallory's shoulder. "Why, my good sir, at least introduce yourself. Or do you not remember?" he smirked, and Wildwing's rage fumed more.

"I didn't hear you making any introductions."

"My word, you're right. Excuse my barbarism. I am Craithin, leader of the Fire Brotherhood. And you?" Craithin's hand squeezed Mallory's shoulder hard enough to make her flinch.

Wildwing relented. "Wildwing Flashblade."

"I'm glad the spell did not completely ruin your mind," Craithin said, though his words were biting. "Tell me, then, with that spell still clearly a part of you, what don't you remember?" Craithin took a step back, reaching behind Mallory. He bent down and pulled her ring off her hand, standing back up and letting the jewelry glisten in the bright moonlight. "Do you remember your teammate here? The one who wears a mated band with your name on it?"

Wildwing swallowed hard. A part of him was glad he couldn't remember his past, because the anger and fear he felt now for Mallory would have become unbearable. "I am here for the exchange. Are we doing this or not?"

Craithin sighed, letting the ring drop into the snow. Mallory was stoically still, but you could see the constant shivering she was trying hard to suppress.

"I guess marriage is only as good as the memories you can keep." Craithin took a few steps away from Mallory, looking at his brethren encircling them. "And how do you propose we do this, Lord Slayer?"

Wildwing grinded his teeth but remained calm. "Farrin is yours. Let me take Mallory and leave."

Craithin smiled and patted a pocket on his robe. "And what about this lovely mask?"

"Keep it. I just want her." Wildwing looked at Mallory, who shook her head vigorously this time. Wildwing ignored it, but realized quickly that Mallory wasn't choosing not to speak—she couldn't. Without anything visibly holding her beak shut, Wildwing guessed that the Raptrin had casted some kind of spell on her to keep her quiet.

Craithin's eyebrow raised in obviously suspicion at that remark but he played along. "I doubt that was the Council's intentions of you coming in here for the exchange."

"Probably not."

Craithin smiled again, this time with more menace. He nodded to Mallory. "Very well, go ahead and take her."

Mallory's eyes almost pleaded with Wildwing to not approach her, but he did so anyway. He cautiously kneeled down next to her, and removed one of his gloves.

"Hey," he said gently, fully aware the Raptrin was watching his movements closely. "Let's get you home, okay?"

Mallory looked at him, and though she had stopped shaking her head her eyes were still laced with a worry she could not express. Wildwing's unclothed hand gently caressed Mallory's cheek.

The last thing Wildwing heard before they teleported away was Craithin's enraged holler.

In their same positions, Wildwing and Mallory ended up somewhere else deep in the forest, supposedly near the border of the barrier spell. They'd have to move quickly before the followers caught up to them.

Wildwing helped Mallory stand. "Can you walk?" he asked her, realizing very quickly that she wasn't even wearing shoes.

The distance between Mallory and Craithin was enough to dissolve whatever spell he'd used to keep Mallory quiet. She looked at him with fear and exclaimed, "Wildwing, there's a—AAGGH!"

Mallory was yanked from Wildwing's grasp, and flew backwards about ten feet before landing roughly on the ground.

"Mallory!" Wildwing frantically chased after her, looking around for the perpetrators. "What's going on?!"

Mallory was breathing heavily, the wind knocked out of her from the pull. "He has me in a binding spel—" she was quickly cut off again as the spell pulled her back another ten feet, this time almost pulling her into a tree. She tried to stand but couldn't.

Wildwing reached her in time for the spell to pull on her again, this time for much longer: the closer she got the stronger the binding spell became.

Wildwing pulled out his flashlight and shot the hidden flare into the air before chasing after Mallory, knowing full well he was probably running back to his death.

Mallory reentered the clearing roughly, landing on her back and skidding to a halt in front of the Raptrin. She rolled onto her stomach and tried to pull herself up into a kneeling position, but her cuffed hands and recent rough handling made it almost impossible.

The Raptrin didn't give her time to try, however, and brutally pulled her into a standing position. He looked her in the eye. "Your darling mate was obviously going to try and pull a fast one on me, but to use my magic against me?" He growled and turned her roughly around, so that she faced the clearing. A small dagger made its way precariously close to Mallory's neck.

"He and you will both pay."

Wildwing was not far behind, and Mallory saw him slowly enter the clearing, breathing heavily from chasing after her.

"Just let her go and take me in her place," Wildwing offered, his hands in the air in a sign of surrender.

Craithin was out of smiles and charisma, however. He kept Mallory close with one hand holding the dagger against her throat; his other hand outstretched towards Wildwing.

"It's a shame to kill her without you knowing who she is, and yet at the same time how gleefully awful it'd be for her to die knowing you'll never remember her as your lifemate. I hate being indecisive though, so why don't we have both?"

Wildwing made a grab for Farrin—or more particular, Farrin's vest—as the latter still remained kneeled before the Raptrin, waiting to be forgiven. Craithin's incantation was quick however, and midway to Farrin Wildwing dropped to the ground, clasping his head in pain.

"Wildwing!"

He looked up at her, and without words Mallory could see he knew who she was. He was confused at the situation, however, and tried to get up, but before he could another wave of pain washed over him and he fell to the ground, his memories once again gone.

"Watch your mate die, Wildwing! Feel the anguish and then forget all about it as she lies in her own pool of vile blood."

"Drop the dagger, weirdo!"

Nosedive, Duke, Tanya, Grin and over a dozen officers surrounded the group, with many of the followers already forced into vests after being caught by surprise. Nosedive and Duke stood with a cautious distance from Craithin, while Grin attempted to approach Wildwing.

"I recommend you stop your advances, lest you want one less duck." Craithin tightened his dagger on Mallory, causing a small amount of blood to trickle down her neck as she flinched in pain.

Wildwing was still on the ground, the curse causing his mind to jump from normal to amnesic at such a fast rate that no actions could be performed. His hands grabbed at his head in pure agony, and brief cries of anguish could be heard.

Seconds felt like minutes as Craithin held the knife to Mallory's throat, with Duke and Nosedive waiting in tense silence for the next move to be made. Mallory watched out of the corner of her eye as Grin removed some odd vest he and the others were wearing. He had been approaching Wildwing with it, appearing to want to put the vest on the spellbound duck. He stood still, however, his eyes also on Craithin.

Mallory, kick away from his touch.

Mallory's brow furrowed, the voice in her head seemingly coming from all directions. She looked around but could not find the source. No one else seemed to have heard the female duck.

Do it now!

The voice was strong and bellowed in her head. Mallory decided not to hesitate. Taking some advice from Earth-style fighting, she kicked up and behind her, catching the Raptrin in a very sensitive area.

He hollered and loosened his grip enough to allow Mallory to duck under his arm, falling to the ground below. She looked back to see him ready to cast something on her, but before he could his entire physique became frozen. The action had happened in seconds, and Nosedive and Duke looked on in surprise, having had no time to react.

Mallory noticed a small black duck approach from behind Nosedive, startling him as well. The female looked to Mallory and said softly, "He's petrified, you're safe." The older duck's voice was the same one she had heard telepathically. She appeared to be an Old Ways Worshipper, a telltale jagged scar making its way across one side of her face.

The situation at hand flooded back into her mind and Mallory cried out, "Wildwing, he—" before turning to him. The rest of her sentence remained unspoken, however, upon seeing Grin's vest around Wildwing's shoulders, and Wildwing seemingly unconscious. "Is he okay?" she instead interrupted herself, trying to stand.

"That vest stops spells," Duke answered for her as he approached. Are you okay?" he emphasized his question, kneeling down and using his saber to cut Mallory's cuffs in half. She gingerly rubbed her wrists as she kept her eyes on Wildwing.

"I…I think so." Mallory took Duke's outstretched hands and used them to help stand. "Does that mean the other spell is gone now too?" she asked a bit too hopefully, not even bothering to ask how a vest managed to turn spells off.

"Hard ta explain, Sweet'eart, but da short answer is no." Mallory didn't say anything in return, but she didn't have to. She involuntary shivered, causing Duke to pull off his coat and wrap it around her. "Come on, let's get you outta da cold." Mallory began to walk with Duke but stopped, turning around and kneeling on the ground.

"Mal?" Duke asked quizzically.

Mallory felt in the snow and, after a few sweeps, pulled out her ring. She shakily placed it on her finger as she stood, staring at Craithin anxiously. He still stared at the ground where she had fallen, his arm outstretched in a threatening manner.

Seeing at what she had retrieved, Duke walked up to Mallory and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Come on," he repeated softly.

As the two made their way out of the clearing, Nosedive and Grin helped place Wildwing on a stretcher brought out by two officers. Tanya hovered nearby, using her portable Medi-Com to check on him. The black duck—the one Mallory had heard in her head—stood off in the distance, quietly watching the situation unfold.