The Battle/ Adventure's Conclusion

There Merlin stood all alone as the Villains of Darkness all surrounded him. The Old Wizard's eyes shifted from one side of the room as he observed each of them.

"The World's Most powerful Wizard?" Said Maleficent getting Merlin's full attention."

"And what would the world's most powerful wizard want here?" asked Jafar stepping up. Merlin looked past the Villains to see both Arthur and Taran tied up as their prisoners.

"Those two boys." Merlin pointed to them, getting all the Villains to look back at them." That Lad there is my pupil and the other is in the care of a friend of mine. They are my responsibility an under my protection." The Villains slowly one by one began to turn back and look at him." Let them go."

"And why?" said Maleficent. "Would we ever want to do a thing like that?"

"They have nothing to do with this." Merlin said flailing his arms around." Let them go." But the smirks on his enemies faces made it seem like they wouldn't comply with his request. Merlin lifted his hat up and ran his other hand through his hair." I will ask once more, Let them go or I will be forced to take them from you."

But all alone the Wizard did not seem to form just a formidable threat.

"You and who's army?" chuckled Hades. But Merlin just smirked.

"This army." He said. And with a sudden tap to the floor before him a magical portal opened. Then running right out of it were all the heroes who had gathered to fight the darkness. All the Princes and animals, all of them came running out bearing their weapons.

Out in front ran Prince Henry wielding his sword with Robin Hood and Hercules to his left, John Smith and Jack Skellington to his right. And that was only the beginning as more and more continued to rush towards the Villains.

The sudden attack was shocking and forced many of the Villains to jump back in fear. Some Gunfire rang out as McLeach and Captain Hook fired their weapons, only to be fired back by John Smith and his Virginia Company.

Maleficent looked around as the heroes continued to push forward. In a fit of rage she took to the sky, looking like a big green ball. She took into the sky and headed off into a different room. But Merlin saw her trying to escape and took off right after her, his feet like a rocket with smoke coming out.

Jafar stood his ground and fired a fireball from his staff. But luckily the heroes managed to jump back and out of the way, but now the floor was covered in fire. But still the heroes fought against the villains as the fire roared around them.

But still Arthur and Taran were tied up and with the fire roaring all around them, their situation seemed more dire than ever. They struggled against their bounds but it seemed futile.

Just then someone jumped up over and fire and landed down next to them. Arthur looked up in shocked surprise to see John Smith smiling back at him.

"Don't worry boys." He said as he pulled out his knife. "I'll have you out in just a minute." Then with one cut to the ropes he had freed them both." Now." Said John getting both their attentions as they got up." You'd both better get out of here quick. Things have really heated up here." He turned around and saw everyone fighting all around them.

Captain Hook was retreating up the stairs as he crossed swords with Robin Hood. The Seven Dwarfs all climbed on Oogie Boogie hitting him with whatever weapons they had, bugs being spilt everywhere. Faciler was surrounded by Hercules, Prince Phillip, and Bambi. But with a simple tap to the floor with his cane the shadows came alive and grabbed them. So the three began punching, kicking or swinging their swords to get free. Simba was under attack from both Scar and Shere Khan but luckily Bambi came to his aid and was able to knock the Tiger off him.

"Where's Merlin?" asked Arthur. The three of them there starting looking around for the wizard.

"There!" pointed out Taran. Arthur looked up just in time to see Merlin's disappearing figure retreat into the next room as he followed after Maleficent. But their time was cut short as suddenly Clayton jumped over the fire and landed before them. The Hunter pulled a machete from his belt and lunged at John Smith, taking him to the ground.

"John!" screamed Taran in alaram. But then John managed to kick Clayton off him and onto the ground.

"Don't worry about me boys." He said getting to his feet." I can handle him. You two just get out of here." Clayton got back up to his feet and once he did John Smith jumped over and tackled him.

Taran turned to leave but when he turned around Arthur wasn't there. When he looked for him he saw Arthur running towards the stairs.

"ARTHUR!" he called. "Where are you going?"

"Merlin needs my help!" he called back. Then he ducked down under all the combat and made his way into the next room. Just then the crow flew down at Arthur hitting him on the top of his head. Arthur looked up to see the crow flying above him and coming back to strike again. Arthur shielded himself but as the crow got close to him Archimedes flew in and slammed the crow into the wall.

"HOHO!" he laughed." How's that for payback!" He mused about his hurt wing, which was all but healed now.

Arthur jumped through the door narrowly dodging a fireball that landed in his place only a few seconds afterwards. The door now ablaze in fire the only way for Arthur to go was forward. He walked down the hall and began to hear voices echoing.

"Hold it right, there madam." Merlin's voice said. A short silence followed until Maleficent voice replied.

"What was it you called yourself? The Great and Powerful."

"The world's most powerful wizard." Merlin said.

"A pretentious name. Do you know what they call me?"

"Afraid I do not madam."

"Do you know who I am?" There was a silence afterwards, most liking Merlin nodded or shook his head as an answer." I am Maleficent, the Mistress of all Evil!" Then a great flashing great light filled the hall and Arthur was forced to cover his eyes.

The next thing he heard was the sound of roaring winds and flashing lights coming from the room. When careful feet he got closer and closer to it. Then he poked his head into the room to see Maleficent and Merlin locked in a battle of Magical Combatants. But unlike Merlin's battle with Madame Mim this one was much more ferocious. The two moved left and right firing their magical attacks at each other.

But for each gust of wind or snowball Merlin would fire it would appear that Maleficent fire or thunder would easily destroy it.

Maleficent jabbed her staff forward making a gust of wind, the force was strong enough to take Merlin off his feet and knock him against the wall. Merlin literally having the wind knocked out of him fell to the floor. His cane fell out of his hand as he fell to his hands and knees, his glasses falling from his face.

Arthur watched as Maleficent raised her staff to prepare for another attack, and he saw Merlin was not ready for it so the boy did something.

"NO!" he yelled as he ran into the room. Both Merlin and Maleficent looked up and saw Arthur run into the room. Maleficent then shifted her attack from Merlin to Arthur, causing other gust of wind.

Now Arthur was very small for a boy his age, the wind picked him up and blew him like a feather. He was lifted up off his feet and into the wall where the back of his head struck the wall.

Arthur fell to the ground in a great daze. Maleficent began to laugh with an evil smirk on her face. Merlin picked up his glasses and put them back on his head. He looked up and saw Arthur laying there and the old Wizard feared the worst.

"Arthur." He whispered in concern. He turned now to Maleficent picking up his cane, a grim look on his face." ALAKZAP!" he yelled. And a snowball the size of a house flew from his cane and stuck Maleficent.

The Mistress of all evil stood unhurt form Merlin's attack and she simply brushed the snow off her shoulders. The two looked across the room and starred each other down.

However despite what Merlin thought Arthur was not dead but was fighting for consciousness. In a daze he watched what happened next.

"Now you shall deal with all the powers of Hell!" said Maleficent. And she raised her arms up as a fire of purple and green rose up with her filling the room with smoke.

At that moment Merlin was joined by several others. The last thing Arthur saw before he lost consciousness was two large green eyes staring down at Merlin from the black smoke in the room. Then everything went black.

The next thing Arthur saw when he woke up was a white ceiling. His eyes burst wide open and he shot him. He now realized he was back home sitting in his own bed.

"Easy now lad, easy." Arthur looked over to see Merlin. He was resting in a chair next to Arthur's bed his cane in his hands and Arthur's sword excalibur resting against the old wizard look the same as ever except for a bandage wrapped around his head.

"Merlin! You're alright!" exclaimed Arthur as he reached up and hugged the Wizard, who was startled at first but then began to chuckle.

"Yes, yes my dear boy. I'm fine and so are you." Arthur sat back down and it was not that he noticed the bandage on Merlin's head.

"Oh but your hurt." He said.

"What? Oh, this." Merlin pointed to it." Nothing to worry about lad, just a minor scrap." Merlin began banging away at his wound to show he was alright, however that was a bad move as his head really did hurt." Oh ow!"

"Don't overdo it now Merlin." Said Archimedes as he appeared on the windowsill.

"Archimedes! You're alright."

"Indeed. And looking a lot better than you, boy."

"But what about Taran? And is everyone else alright?" asked Arthur yo Merlin.

"Everyone is fine." Reassured Merlin." A few scratches and scraps from the battle but nothing to serious." The battle had not lasted long after Arthur was knocked out, the combined might of the heroes proved strong enough to scatter the villains out of Hollow Bastion.

"How did you find us?" asked Arthur.

"Well let's just say we had some help." He chuckled his reply. Just then the hound dog Copper jumped up next to Arthur's bed.

"Copper!" he smiled. The dog barked in reply and licked Arthur's face.

"Ah yes." Merlin smiled." Your friend her rushed right into the meeting, where we were discussing at that very moment what to do about you two boys. He barked and barked until I followed him back to the cliffs of the mountains. From there, well I think you know." Arthur stopped petting Copper now and looked back at Merlin.

"What happened to Maleficent?" Merlin took on a serious look for the first time as he remembered her vowing revenge before she flew off into the sky." Will we ever see her again?"

"I don't think we've seen the last of her my boy. She'll be back. But I don't think that'll be for a long, long time.

"Then we won, right? The darkness is it really gone?" Merlin turned and looked at Arthur with a grim look. But slowly that look melted away into a warm smile.

"Don't worry about such things my boy." He said leaning Arthur back and tucking him in." You just get some rest. We resume your studies in the morning!" He announced. Then he turned and walked to the door, Archimedes leaving the window and landing on the Wizard's hat." But for now." Merlin said turning back to Arthur." I do believe someone would like to see you." He stepped out of the way and Arthur saw Alice standing there in the doorway.

Arthur's heart jumped into his throat as Alice ran across the room and hugged him.

"You're alright." Said Alice as she released him.

"Y-Yes." Arthur replied.

"Well I told you something like this would happen." She said. "I told you didn't I?"

"Y-You did." Arthur stammered.

"But I'm glad you're safe." Alice said with a smile. Copper barked his agreement.

"Ha mush." Said Taran as he came into the room and leaned against the wall. Merlin smiled to himself as he saw the three children there in the room. He turned and left the room, closing the door behind him. He made his way down the steps with Archimedes done his hat. Once they got to the bottom of the steps they saw the Restoration Committee sitting down and waiting for them. Each of them bandaged up slightly from their own confrontations the night before.

Merlin walked between them using his cane to lean on, until he stopped and stood before them.

"So what do we do now?" asked Tifa.

"We must stay vigilant." Said Merlin shaking his fist in the air." We know now that the darkness has truly returned, more powerful now than they were before."

"What's to be done than Merlin?" asked Cid." Stay and wait for the inevitable."

"Not entirely." Merlin said." I think for now, we've all earned a long quiet rest."

"But what about next time?" asked Yuffie." When the darkness does come back?"

Merlin picked his head up and smiled at all of them." That my friends, is another adventure."

The End