Phineas paced back and forth, thinking about how he was going to put everything back on track. The locket was gone, and the girl refused to tell him where it was. She was a stubborn one indeed. He hated that he of all things right now was PACING. The Shadow is never confused! The Shadow is never stumped on how to whip a plan back into place. The Shadow was never not feared by someone. It was infuriating. Nothing was working on her.
"Sir."
"WHAT!" Phineas roared only to see Baljeet with Carl right behind him, "Oh, I see. How are you, intern?
"The name is Carl," Carl replied with almost a zombie-soldier-like tone.
"Whatever," Phineas replied, "I trust the turn everything evil inator has done its purpose?"
"If you mean whipping me into shape into serving you, Master Shadow, then yes," Carl replied.
"Well, there's one thing I can say is going to plan. Now, perhaps you two can help me come up with a plan."
"For what?" Baljeet inquired, "that girl has told you everything she knows. Has she not?"
"Yes, but there is one thing she remains stubborn about, two things at that; she refuses to reveal to me where those ingrates have taken the locket. She also refuses to fear me! NOBODY DOESN'T FEAR ME!"
At Phineas' sudden roar of anger, Carl and Baljeet flinched a bit. Indeed, their master was powerful and one to be feared. Carl quickly recovered from the flinch though. Phineas levitated now, his dark aura pulsating in the room. Perhaps the boy himself knew where they'd gone. No, that's impossible. He'd been trapped in that cage and not even known about this sister of his. Not even the threats of her not being able to meet her brother were working! He didn't know what to do about this stubborn little brat. He pondered and pondered until Carl spoke up.
"Sir, I think I might have an idea," he said.
Phineas just paced in his cage, bored out of his mind. It wasn't a matter of depression anymore. He was absolutely bored! He hated boredom more than anything in the world- -next to the situation he was in with The Shadow of course- -and he didn't like one bit that all he had was the bars of the cage.
"I can't take this!" he yelled, "Let me out of here! At least give me something to do, Shadow!"
There was no answer of course, and Phineas just sighed. Seeing the ghost of Marivere however seemed to calm him down. His curiosity compelled him to ask her something. Despite The Shadow's order, he couldn't help but look at her. He wanted to know who she was in his world. He'd put the pieces together that Excaliferb really was just an old story with his own ancestors who even parallelled his family. Who did Marivere parallel? Then again, if Marivere was the ancestor, then the descendant would probably not exist since she was killed by The Shadow. He wished he could find more. He wanted to stop The Shadow. He couldn't just sit there and do nothing while he waited for Ferb and the others to save him.
With a glare, he rattled the bars, "LET ME OUT!"
Marivere looked over at him, and she sighed. She couldn't help but feel she could have stopped this. She could have prevented Medieval Phineas from going dark. She could have even reset it back, but no, she just sat there and let it happen. Now she was forced to watch as her brother destroyed many.
Marivere opened her eyes to see she was floating in a dark void.
"Hello?" she called but nobody answered, "Phineas? Ferbalot? Candivere?"
"They can't hear you."
Marivere gasped, and she could see her brother, no, The Shadow standing before her.
"Welcome to your eternal afterlife prison, dear sister," The Shadow said as he spread his arms out gesturing to the void, "Here, you can sit and watch as I destroy everything we once held dear. You could have prevented this. I DESERVED JUST AS MUCH IF NOT MORE RECOGNITION AS FERBALOT! What did you do? You SAT THERE and let Ferbalot have all the credit! You saw that stupid sword fell apart! Ferbalot has imprisoned me in that very sword now, so guess who you get to spend an eternity with. However, make no mistake, my sister, I will escape the sword and invoke my wrath on this world for imprisoning me! I will RULE THE UNIVERSE! And who better to have a front row seat than my dear sister, Marivere?"
"Please, Phineas-" Marivere pleaded.
"I AM THE SHADOW!" The Shadow roared, "Phineas is no more! Don't you understand that?! I've evolved into something better than that little weakling of a wizard."
"You don't have to do this...please...I...I'm sorry I didn't give you the attention you deserved. Just please, you can change all of this."
"I could...but I won't. See, NOW you respect me, even fear me because I'm a monster in your eyes. That's just how things work in the world. The dark ones are always respected, feared and even obeyed. It's much too late to go back now, not that I ever would. You and Candivere and Ferbalot never respected me as a little wizardling. So cute, annoying little potions, innocent and imaginative. You all laughed at my spells and potions. Well, who's laughing now?!"
"I always respected you, Phin-"
"Finish that with 'eas' and I swear you'll regret it," The Shadow seethed, "no matter, not like you can do anything here. You only respected me because I was adorable, innocent, a little weakling that needed protection!"
"No! That's not it!" Marivere replied, "I always knew you had the potential to become a great wizard someday just not like this!"
"You had your chance to respect me the way I deserved, Marivere, now you pay the ultimate price. Your punishment is to watch as countless times I'll be freed and trapped in this sword, but one by one, I'll take more victims. You'll go on for years knowing it's all your fault. You helped birth The Shadow. How does it feel, Marivere, that cute little Phineas is no more?"
Marivere hugged herself as The Shadow cackled.
Marivere sat with her back against her cage. She hugged her knees feeling like a lost little girl. The Shadow was right. She'd failed her brother, and she was paying the ultimate price.