D3 Time to Find an Ending
As Mira sat at the table in the dining hall with the ducks, she was relieved to see them looking more like the Mighty Ducks she had seen from a distance in Anaheim. They were acting like teammates and friends again.
The sun was still high enough in the evening sky to give them some more time together before sunset. Mira still wasn't sure how she was going to handle things during this upcoming night, but she knew that she had to try harder to find answers.
Suddenly, the fire in the hearth changed color. The flames began to glow with an odd red light, and then that light sprang into the air, and Alastrid appeared on one side of the room.
The ducks all stopped talking, and Wildwing started to rise as if to move between her and his teammates, but her magic shot out towards the ducks. It swept around them, and they suddenly looked more afraid and less certain than they had before.
"Did you fools really believe you could change the terms of my curse?" she said, staring them down. And then she turned her gaze on Mira. "Congratulate yourself, mortal. You convinced them to give way to false hopes. But this night will be no better than any other."
The sorceress turned her attention to Grin.
"In fact, perhaps it is time for a price to paid to remind you who rules this castle. I've been kind to let you escape injuring each other thus far, but I can certainly change that."
Grin rose from his chair and backed away from the other ducks, but Duke tried to stop him.
"Don't listen to her Gr…" but Alastrid's magic closed around his neck like a rope, and Duke's form grew dark and shadowy.
"I have the power to permanently silence you, fool," the sorceress said. "No one else can help you. Remember that all you can do is save yourself."
She released him, and Duke returned to his normal form as he gasped for breath and leaned upon the table.
"If you had any form of intelligence, you would have tried to escape through the gate."
"And leave the others behind?" Wildwing asked sternly.
"That is the price of your freedom…for one of you anyway," she said with a cruel grin.
Mira walked up to Grin and Duke, but she could tell they were both shaken by Alastrid's words. She stepped in front of them, but she hesitated to speak.
"But you can leave now," the sorceress said, looking again at Mira. "You have no part in this."
Mira stood still.
"I'm not going anywhere. My presence here is the only thing that seems to rattle you."
"You think it's a good idea to challenge me?" Alastrid asked coldly. "Then let's see how well it turns out for your friends."
She raised her hand toward the window, and the sun, which was still a few hours from sunset, was suddenly pulled down to horizon at a rapid pace. Grin rushed out of the room, but from the cries that echoed through the hall, Mira knew that he was being forced to transform already.
Tanya transformed in a cockatoo and flew around the room in an agitated manner. Mira looked over and saw Wildwing reaching for Mallory and Nosedive as their figures slowly transformed into glass and stone. But Wildwing collapsed in sleep on the floor, and Duke was flung back against the wall until his form became that of a mere shadow.
Mira ran over to Mallory as she saw her figure wobble, and she caught her and managed to lay her down upon a bench against the wall. Nosedive was frozen as a statue beside the table.
The sorceress laughed as she surveyed the scene, and another yell from Grin echoed through the castle.
"He will come for them," she assured Mira. "He'll destroy you as well if you stay."
Mira cast a glare at her, but she remained by Mallory's side as she tried to figure out what she could do.
Suddenly, a roll of parchment appeared in the air and landed in front of Mira. As it fell open, she recognized the words of the curse again.
She glanced back at the sorceress, but Alastrid appeared as confused by this appearance of magic as Mira did. Mira picked up the parchment and looked over the words again.
No chains exist to bind you here,
Strong enough are threads of fear.
And with the coming of each night,
With a foe of terror shall you fight.
One of six may leave the gate,
And so leave the rest to their fate.
If in these lines no hope you find,
You've heard them well; be resigned.
But if you would waste time considering what you lack,
Let your thoughts dwell on liberty and youth,
While here you remain in lasting bondage,
Naught can you do but repeat this riddle back.
Tanya, as a cockatoo, landed on a chair near Mira as she looked over the spell. And Mira knew that she had a limited time to figure this out.
"There's something about the end of this that doesn't fit with the rest," she muttered to herself.
If you think Mira should read the whole spell out loud, select D3 Repeat the Curse.
If you think Mira should ask Tanya to help her decipher the last four lines, select D3 Ask Tanya.