Part 5: Battle Royal

Note: This is the secondary ending that was suggested by my friends. I feel that it fits more with the Disney-ish style.

Please note that the story is similar until the first appearance of Aron, Miranda and Karsh in the text.

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"Seren?" Asked Cam and Alex, stepping back towards their guardian.

Ileana grabbed Camryn's hand and squeezed it hard. She only had to look at the expression on her face to see that they were in the presence of clear and present danger.

"Azoz, that was you!" He gave an exaggerated bow, like some old handlebar mustachioed villain. A cultured crook of the best kind.

When her eyes met with the final intruder, she gulped, "Murasa, I thought you were dead."

"I managed to escape."

"That's a little cowardly." Ileana couldn't believe she had let those words escape her lips, especially with the woman's reputation.

"You're in the worst possible position to speak like that."

Seren took a step further, "How is your husband these days?"

"My husband?"

"Yes, Karsh? The one who exiled me to the jails in the half dimension?"

Under her breath she muttered, "Oh dear," Before looking up again, "He's fine."

"That's nice."

"Wait, who are you guys and what do you want?" Demanded Alex, taking Camryn's free hand in her own.

"I'm Seren, your mentor's childhood friend. He had the audacity to banish me to jails after your parents and I had a little misunderstanding. As for what I want, " She sighed and looked at Murasa, "Kids today don't listen, didn't I just say I was coming to kill them?"

"What?!" Fairly shrieked Ileana, "We never did anything to you!"

"But your husband did, your parents did, and the best way to get back at them is through you. And I'm sure even Murasa will agree that you're in the perfect position for that."

The accomplice actually nodded vigorously.

"You'll have to get through us first."

"That's where the element of – "

Azoz and Murasa stepped and blasted the twins apart. The girls fell out of the window.

" – Surprise comes in." Finished a smug Seren, smiling at Ileana, "Just thought we'd take first round advantage."

The guardian stared up at her foe, trying not to show any pain. Hoping she had enough time, she concentrated her powers as best she could. Beams of light from Seren and Ileana met halfway between them, each holding their own for the time being.

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The twins landed in the pool, a lucky coincidence that Azoz and Murasa had not expected. The enemy pair sighed at finding their hopefully dead or unconscious foes climbing out of the water… merely wet. Azoz pushed them back under the water with his magic, holding their heads down.

Cam reached for Alex's hand, trying to swim to her. Murasa pulled the elder twin away, dragging her along the bottom of the pool.

"Hey Azoz." Yelled Murasa, "Do you want to bet on how long they'll last?"

"In five minutes, it won't matter anyway." He laughed.

From where they were, the twin's survival instincts were beginning to kick into their last resorts. Each one shot a bolt to the floor of the pool, the sheer power propelling them upwards and over the edge of the pool. For the one second that their enemies were stunned, the twins blasted them back. Azoz and Murasa were flipped over the pool furniture. A second strike followed, knocking them hard into the outside brick walls. For a moment the girls observed them and when the girls noticed that they didn't move after such a tremendous blow to the head, they ran back inside.

Flying up the stairs, they broke back into Camryn's room, "Ileana!"

Seren was using her powers to magically strangle their mentor and guardian. Ileana was back against the pillows, clutching at her throat. So deprived of oxygen was she that she couldn't work any of her powers. Seren looked over her shoulder at them but only intensified her grasp.

They clasped their hands together and screamed, "Let her go!" The force of their power rocked the walls of the house as Seren was flung backward.

Alex caught a look outside the broken window, "I'm stronger now." With the moon glowing, the older twin felt the surge of its magic in her veins.

Camryn ran to Ileana, "Are you okay?"

Holding her throat she was gasping for air, "I," she choked, "I'm – "

Cam grabbed her hands and held them, "It's okay, take your time."

"I'm – I'm not strong enough."

"How bad did she hurt you?"

"No, not strong enough, to fight her. I'm okay now."

All of a sudden, her grip on Cam's hands tightened and her teeth gritted. Camryn nearly yelped on her own, "Alright, it's okay, just breathe." Her eyes wandered over to where the printed directions lay, "Deep breaths, try panting instead."

Ileana nodded.

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Aron, Miranda and Karsh were flipping through spellbooks like there was no tomorrow.

"None of the contact spells have worked." Aron let the book drop to the table.

"We can't override the power of the council." Moaned Miranda, her hands pressed together in front of her, her lips pressed to the knuckles of her first fingers, "I can't lose my daughters again."

Karsh paced the room, "Have we checked every book?"

"Except the one that Alex left in her dimension, which is useless to us anyway."

"Every book and nothing?"

"Yes! Karsh, don't be so worried. It's not even been a few hours yet, what could've happened?"

So that no one could hear her, Miranda worried to herself, "Maybe nothing, maybe everything."

As private as her thoughts were though, the strength of them reached to Karsh, "Don't say that!" The guardian slammed his fists into the table, releasing a small jolt of magic. He ran his hands through his hair and walk towards the window.

"Karsh?"

He sighed, "I know, I'm sorry."

"No, Karsh?"

"What?" He turned around and stopped dead in his tracks.

There was suddenly a door in the center of the room. The door on it swung open and closed, signaling its instability.

"A portal?"

"Seren's power must be diminished at the moment."

"I'm not waiting around to find out." Said Karsh, running through the door. Miranda and Aron looked at each other before chasing him.

Behind them, the door slammed shut and faded.

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Aron, Miranda and Karsh found themselves in the front hallway of Camryn's house. For a moment they heard nothing, until the crash of magical energy alerted them to the upstairs.

"Ileana!" He yelled, dashing up the staircase, Aron and Miranda in hot pursuit.

When the trio came to Cam's bedroom door, they noticed a spectacular sight. Alex was holding her own against Seren. The older twin's eyes seemed to glow with the light of the moon as she dueled with the rogue witch.

Seren caught sight of Karsh in the corner of her eye, "You!"

Karsh held up his hands, "Seren! Please stop this!"

"I promised you that I'd kill you one day, and I intended to make good on it!" Upon seeing the object of her hatred, she got the same burst of energy that Alex obtained from the moon. Alex found herself slammed into the wall, knocking down Camryn's pictures as she slid to the floor.

The rogue made ready to attack her perceived enemy when she noticed Aron and Miranda in the doorway. The king and queen locked fingers and raised their palms to her. A quick decision was made and Seren flew out the window.

Miranda grabbed her daughter's hand and pulled her up, "She's got a great flight or fight response!"

Aron responded in a grave manner, "She'll be back, and she won't be alone."

Finally able to get into the room, Karsh ran to where Ileana lay on the bed. Camryn breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank God you're here. I thought I was gonna have to deliver this baby!"

"Deliver the baby? You're in labor?" Karsh asked his wife.

Ileana nodded her head, gesturing to her current state and condition.

"How can you be in labor? You're not due for another week!"

"You did this to me, you tell me!"

"Oh, like you didn't want a child too, you know!"

"Well you're not the one having the – " She was cut off by another contraction. Karsh instantly forgot any argument they might have been having and grabbed her hands. Despite her immense grip, he showed no pain anywhere except his eyes. Those eyes which had so often been sarcastic or exasperated in the past were actually scared.

Miranda walked to Ileana's other side, "Are you doing okay?"

"Not really."

"How close are they?"

"Less than three minutes."

Nodding, the queen realized what she'd have to do, "Aron! You and the girls seal this room. Use a spell so strong that nothing could enter here that wasn't good in nature."

While Aron took his daughter's hands and the trio chanted a spell, Miranda rolled up her sleeves, "Karsh, you hold her hands, I'll deliver the baby."

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Seren pulled herself from the pool and stood on the cement, watching the water puddle around her feet. Her once innocent looking face was pulled into a sneer of disdain. She snapped her fingers and released herself from the indignity of being wet.

"Having to run like a coward, and from that fool no less." She grumbled, "Now where are those two idiot – " Looking no further than a few feet, she found her henchmen passed out in a flowerbed.

There was no time wasted here, as a swift kick to each of their stomachs brought them back to consciousness. Both holding their throbbing heads, they got to their feet. Azoz and Murasa looked around, "What happened?"

"What happened is that you two morons were passed out long enough to open the portals and the damned king and queen got in!"

"Aron and Miranda are here?"

"What did I just say? Now they've probably got themselves all safe and sound behind some protection spell that we won't be able to break!"

Murasa's skin prickled, "I could call up the Darkness."

"Please do. Azoz?"

"Yes?"

"Call the others."

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"I don't see why you have to go out there, we're safe in here." Camryn pointed out.

"Until Seren is destroyed, none of the dimensions will be safe. The portals will shut down again and again. I have to end this now." Aron stared at the open door.

The king took a few steps toward where Seren and her band of renegades waited.

"Wait!" It was Alex now, "I'm going with you."

"No, you're not." He stated firmly, staring her right in her big bright eyes.

"So am I."

"Neither of you girls is coming out there. I won't allow you to put yourselves in danger. I can handle this."

Alex and Camryn linked hands, "We defeated the darkness, we can take on a few witches and warlocks."

"Girls."

"Dad, there's no discussing this. We're the daughters of the most powerful witch and warlock in Coventry."

"And if you think we'll just sit here while you go out on your own."

"You've got another thing coming."

"We're adults now."

He sighed, "You're right, you are adults and I can't stop you, but think of the danger."

"It's less danger than you went into – "

" – To sacrifice yourself for us."

Aron nodded and he hugged his daughters, placing a gentle kiss to each of their foreheads, "Just be careful, and remember to work together. No force on earth or Coventry can defeat twin witches when they act as one."

The girls nodded and walked over to their mother where they shared another hug. They managed to embrace Karsh and even hugged Ileana as best they could. Both of them gave their encouragement to the soon to be parents.

With that, Aron stepped out of the protection of the room. Almost immediately he threw up his hands to defend himself. The girls ran out into the hall after and found that there were at least 15 others that they hadn't seen before.

"Who are they?"

From where he was defending himself, Aron called to them, "Exiles from Coventry."

Two of the stronger ones were attacking Aron while the rest were waiting for their turn to get a shot at their former king. Putting their hands up, the girls blasted one of the exiled over the stair railing.

"We need that spell book!" The girls turned around to grab the book when a cloud of smoke got in their way.

"It's the Darkness!" Shrieked Camryn.

"No!"

The smoke became a solid figure, "Hi girls!" Both girls got a nasty shock that made their skin crawl. Murasa's face became visible, "You don't honestly think I'd go away that easily."

"I beat you once, I can do it again!"

"Doubtful." The smoke laughed and surrounded them.

Alex and Camryn held hands, "Alright, just like last time."

"You think love is going to defeat me? I'm not Thantos!" Murasa shrieked.

The combined power of the girls only made her laugh at them, "The sad thing is, you won't be around to watch the others die."

"We won't let you hurt them."

"You just wait, Seren will get her revenge. She'll end Karsh's family and yours by the time the sun rises!"

Something in Camryn broke, "You touch that baby and I'll – "

"You'll what?"

Holding Alex's hands tight, the anger of both the sisters burned the Darkness. Murasa was pulled back to human form. Camryn held her with her magic before she flung her over the stair railing. Though Camryn hadn't intended it, her anger had sent Murasa out the window as well. The sound of shattering glass filled the room and everyone turned to look.

This time, there was no pool for Murasa to fall into.

Alex grabbed Camryn's chin and held her face, "Don't get angry, if you do that, we're no better than them."

Breathing hard, she nodded, "I didn't mean to."

"I know."

Suddenly Cam screamed, "Alex, look out!"

Alex spun around and without thinking, shot her powers at whatever Cam had seen. Azoz found himself pushed back into the wall. As the power of the moon so empowered Alex, so was he more at her mercy than ever before. The pair fought with blue and red streams of magic meeting and sparking like a torch.

The elder twin gritted her teeth and forced him back to the wall, though her powers would not hold as long. Thinking fast, Camryn zapped his feet and pulled him to the ground.

"Bind him!" They yelled together, sending magic to their rival. Their powers bound him in red ropes and held him there.

"Let me go!"

"Whatever!" Alex snapped her fingers and Azoz found himself gagged as well, "I really have no interest in listening to you."

Aron had forced the exiled ones back, pushing them down the staircase. The power of the king was immense compared to their own and they were proving an annoyance at best.

Cam and Alex ran up to Aron and with their powers, helped him to restrain the others. A particularly pesky witch managed to distract the twins with her power, tripping them and sending them sliding down a few stairs. Alex slammed the doors in the house and Camryn held them at bay.

The king, once they were confined, began to recite something under his breath. Both of the girls gasped as all of the intruders and Azoz were swallowed up into a strange portal.

"What was that?"

"I sent them to the jails in the half dimension, back where they all came from in the first place."

Camryn sighed, "Something's not right."

"I know, it was almost too easy."

Aron nodded his head, "They were Seren's pawns, no real power."

"Where is she?"

"I don't know, but she's drained some of our power now."

"What about the others?"

"Don't worry; they'll be safe in that room."

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"I'm so tired." Moaned Ileana, laying back on her pillows, she turned to look at Karsh with pleading eyes, "I don't know how much longer I can last."

He let go of her hands to stroke her cheek gently, "I know you can do this."

Miranda rubbed her friend's clothed stomach, "He's right Ileana. You're strong, you can do this."

Another pain gripped her and Karsh grabbed her hands, absorbing her powers. The queen encouraged her, "C'mon, one more good push!"

With her eyes tightly shut and teeth clenched, the guardian bore down. Karsh stayed focused on his wife, whispering words of encouragement to her. A few tears made their way down her cheek's as she struggled against nature.

Finally with a small cry, she collapsed back into her husband's arms.

Miranda stood up, holding a wailing newborn in her arms, "It's a boy!"

Ileana began to laugh and it was the kind that filled the room with joy despite the situation. Karsh hugged his wife close to him, kissing her forehead, "We have a son."

The queen used her magic to clean the baby and grabbed a blanket off a nearby chair. Ileana noticed it immediately, "That's Camryn's baby blanket."

Miranda smiled, "I'm sure she won't mind."

Ileana sat up and Miranda handed her baby to her, "My baby boy, I'm so glad you're here."

Karsh rubbed his son's arm with his first finger, marveling at how small he was, "I can't believe I have a son, a little warlock."

"I know, isn't he perfect?"

From her spot in the room, Miranda smiled lovingly, "He's beautiful, you two."

Both of the new parents looked up at their queen, "Thank you."

Miranda turned to look out the window and give the pair a moment of privacy. Karsh engaged his wife in a long kiss, "I love you."

Ileana grinned and kissed him again, "I love you too."

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Aron and the twins looked cautiously around the room, "She's here, I can feel it."

Alex and Camryn linked hands and looked around the room; a noise from upstairs alerted them.

"Is that?"

Cam laughed, "The baby's here."

A smile played on their lips for only a moment and the girls found themselves being pulled from the ground.

"Artemis! Apolla!" Aron ran to them but they were already beyond his grasp. He tried his magic but it didn't work.

As had happened before with Azoz, a red rope bound the girls and held them confined in the air.

"What's going on?" Yelled Alex.

"It's Seren!"

The minute Aron spoke, the girls came crashing to the ground, crying out in pain. He ran to untie them, but stepped back when Seren appeared.

In a decidedly un-magical move, she held a knife to the elder twin's throat, "This situation is awfully familiar."

"Only someone as evil as you would know."

"What can I say? All of those years practicing to be bad, they've just made me… wickedly perfect."

Camryn rolled her eyes, "Puns."

"You shut up!" Yelled Seren, "Now, Aron, you're the only one who can lift that protection spell on the room upstairs. You can lift that spell, or I can kill your daughters."

"Don't do it!" Alex screamed.

Aron appeared deep in thought, staring back from the room to his daughters, and Seren tightened her grasp on Alex, "Your call."

"Fine!" Aron said, putting his hands up, "I'll lift the protection spell."

Seren grinned, "Alright, I'll follow you up the stairs." Hoisting Alex to her feet, the renegade, her captive, and the king made their way up the stairs. At the door, however, Aron paused.

"What are you waiting for?"

"I'm trying to remember the spell."

"You liar!" She pulled on Alex's hair, exposing her neck, "Do it!"

Aron chanted something under his breath and the magic on Camryn's door melted away.

Seren turned her magic on the king and Alex, throwing them over the railing.

"Now I can finally get my revenge." She murmured.

The door to the room suddenly swung open, Miranda and Karsh standing on the other side, "I don't think so." Karsh snarled at her.

Seren blasted them with her magic but the queen and the guardian's strength and love were too much for her. Their magic pressed her further and further back.

"You should've thought twice about taking off the protection spell. It protects you from us as well!"

"Miranda, can you hold her?"

"Not for very long." Miranda responded, pressing Seren back against the railing, leaning her back over it.

Karsh walked over to her and grabbed Seren by the throat, "You were my friend once, Seren, but, " He leaned in close to her, "I take your power, I take your strength, for all that you have done, for all that you will do, for all this, I banish you."

Seren's power died and she stood there against the railing, little more than a magic-less mortal.

The red ropes of banishment came for her. She and Karsh stared at each other contemptuously and in silence. The ropes pulled tighter and tighter until she and they shattered in a shower of red crystals.

For a few moments, the house stood in silence. Alex and Camryn were released from their bonds and each got to their feet. Aron and the twins transported themselves to where the queen and guardian stood. Without any words being exchanged, they embraced one another.

The somber moment was broken by the twins who suddenly remembered what they'd heard earlier.

"Can we see the baby?"

Karsh grinned, "Of course."

The twins girls ran into Camryn's room with Karsh following them.

Miranda hugged her husband and took his hand. They watched as their daughters got their first glimpse of Karsh and Ileana's son.

"Another normal day then?"

"Quite."