Sorry for the delay. I was updating my fanfics. :)

*.*.*

Parker leaned back against the wall, watching Qua'ra as she stopped in front of him, smiling at him. It was as if things hadn't turned evil here. It was just their world… oh, he couldn't stop thinking about Eliza! Was she okay? What would happen if she knew about his empire? Would she approve of it? Would she do something to stop him?

He couldn't bear the thought of her finding out that he was Parker Dooley again. He cringed as those twisted thoughts resurfacing in his mind. Maranguan was still present, watching him, waiting to capture him.

Why don't you do something? Maranguan whispered in his ear.

"Because I'm not evil, like you," Parker said, moving his head back against the cold, stone wall.

"Who are you talking to?" Qua'ra asked, concerned.

Oh, Parker wanted this to end! For a moment, he thought Qua'ra might be the best choice to run his empire, should the situation occur. But would she live up to the job? Would she perform well? He feared for the worst. He feared she would turn his empire evil. And that was something he couldn't afford to lose.

No! He needed to run this empire. He would not see it fall to ruin. Still, he had to choose a successor, one that would work to make his empire the best it could be.

"Are you alright?" Qua'ra asked, bringing Parker back to the present.

"Well… ahhh!" Parker winced, softly. He checked his hands. Jagged scars, tiny scars, and burn marks appeared on half his body. The pain was too much! It was like he was on fire again! He couldn't concentrate! He had to sit down. He had to take a seat on a nearby bench. He was grateful when the human woman brought him over to a cushioned bench, giving him enough room to breathe. "Thank you."

By the time the pain ceased, the damage was already done. He couldn't believe it. The monster returned.

See? Maranguan said with joy and mischievousness. Even you cannot hide the pain you caused. You want to be good again. Apologize. Apologize for everything you've ever done! It's time for you became Parker Dooley again, not just in this form. He added with remorse, You are Parker Dooley. Use that to your advantage.

"Parker?" Qua'ra asked, returning Parker to the present. "You sure you're alright."

"No," Parker said, softly, "no, I'm not alright." He looked at his hands, finding clean pale skin in some places. He smirked, telling her, "Some wounds never heal," He said, gazing into her eyes. "Look at me! Do I look human to you?" He shook his head. "No. No, I'm a monster. I don't know how I'll ever get home. Not like this."

"Then make use of your time here," Qua'ra said, softly. She too was concerned for him.

"Thank you for everything," Parker said as if knowing what to say. He stood up, admitting to her, "I must run this empire. We need allies. Maybe find a team of heroes, willing to be on our side."

"What?" Qua'ra asked, confused.

Parker smiled. "It's an idea, one I came up with recently." He explained, "We need to find a group of heroes, misfits, outcasts. The like of which this world or any world has ever seen. I don't know how long it will take to find them, but when I do, I'll make them join our squad."

"You can't make somebody do what they don't want to do," Qua'ra said, concerned. She took a breath, telling him, "They must make that choice themselves."

"That is if they're willing to work together," he said, grinning. He added, "They'll be called the Shadow Squad."

"Will this Shadow Squad help us?" she asked, curious.

"I may not be emperor by the time we find them." He said, curtly. "I need a successor, should I go on this path. I'll stay emperor, so long as Vitiate is still alive. If I fail, I'm passing the title of emperor to you." He patted her shoulder, "You always wanted that title, didn't you?"

Qua'ra was shocked. This never happened before, not to her! "I don't know what to say!"

"Say? Say 'yes'," Parker said, smiling.

"Yes, of course, I'll do it," Qua'ra said, still shocked. "But Parker, Maranguan is still inside you. Will he not leave you alone?"

Parker shook his head. "As long as I'm like this, I remain emperor of this empire. No one would recognize me without these scars. I will not have this empire go down in vain. I need to be emperor until this deed is done."

"Then we'll see to it that it gets done, emperor," Qua'ra said, softly. She asked, curious, "So, what's next?"

"We need those allies," Parker said, curtly. He gave it some thought. There was someone he wanted to speak to. He smiled, "and I think I know just the man who can help us."

~o~

Parker made his way to the end of the hallway. He hardly looked at Qua'ra as he approached the wall, punching in some letters on a number pad, forming the name Beleriand. As soon as he pressed the Enter button, he returned his gaze to the wall. A barrier opened, revealing a green grassy land with a house standing next to a farm.

"This is it," Parker said, "This is Manwë's house."

"What are we waiting for? Let's go," Qua'ra said, making her way towards the barrier. Parker stopped her, watching as an elderly man wearing brown robes walked out of his house and approached the barrier. The man shook his head, watching the two with cautious eyes.

"Parker Dooley," Manwë said, unsurprised. "My, my, how you've changed."

"You're the one that did this to me! Why?" Parker shouted.

"Parker, calm down," Qua'ra said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"We have much to discuss," Manwë said with ease. "Can I come in? I trust you know that Godric Gryffindor has given up his therapeutic duties. He's now a full Founder of Hogwarts and works there now, at the school."

"What is he talking about?" Qua'ra asked Parker, confused.

Parker looked at the man in understanding. Clearly, Manwë knew something. "Alright," he told the Vala, "you can come in. Just don't try anything."

"No need for that. I've done my time," Manwë said, making his way through the barrier. By the time the barrier closed, Parker and Qua'ra kept their eyes on the Vala. Manwë looked at them, asking out of curiosity, "So, you're in charge of this Shadow Empire? How fascinating."

Parker was about to say "what do you want?" but that may not have been wise. Manwë did cause him to turn evil. He was the reason why the red dragonoid started down this path in the first place, next to his companions dying and him being whipped by those boys in Oz. Still, he had to say something.

"I won't be here long," Manwë admitted, waving his hand at the barrier, forcing it to stay open. He looked at Parker, asking him, "What are your conditions? This is your empire."

"It's simple," Parker said, "we keep the peace between our realms. I get to look at Middle-earth's records, spanning over centuries, even when I'm not the emperor of the Shadow Empire – I'm passing that title to my apprentice, Qua'ra, just as soon as I finish my business with Vitiate. I also want to make sure that nothing happens to us, so long as we carry out this alliance. Am I making myself clear?"

"Crystal," Manwë said with a nod. "We'll make those arrangements now." He whispered in Parker's ear. "I hear the Infinite Empire may want to make an alliance with your empire. Eru Ilúvatar's orders." He retracted, admitting aloud, "I'm sure we have an understanding. It's not Ilúvatar's fault, nor mine, nor Aslan's over why you turned evil. Just that you learned a lesson."

"And what lesson is that?" Parker asked, watching Manwë leave the temple through the barrier.

"Oh, that good can always win, even in the bleakest times," Manwë said with a smile, walking through the barrier. The barrier closed, leaving Parker and Qua'ra alone in the temple.

Parker was shocked. Manwë was trying to teach him something. That was unheard of. But what did it mean? He didn't get any answers for how he turned back. Aslan told him how to stay in the light fully. He had to make a sacrifice, show that good can triumph over evil, while embracing the darkness and the light. He'd be powerful… well, not as powerful as Aslan or Eru Ilúvatar, but still worthy of the title of hero, if he could reach such a goal.

"Now what?" Qua'ra asked him, curious.

"Now," Parker faced her, determined to get their next task done, "now we find the Infinite Empire."

"Do you think they'll listen?" Qua'ra asked, concerned. "Didn't we also just come from the Galaxy Far, Far Away?"

Parker smiled. "Trust me. The place we're going, time has frozen. It's going to take a lot before time resumes on that planet, and we'll be the ones to see it through. Come on! We'd better hurry." He said, leading his apprentice through the temple and into the hangar, where his disc-like ship awaited.

*.*.*

References:

Manwë, Eru Ilúvatar, and Beleriand come from J.R.R. Tolkien's book, The Silmarillion.