Two hours later after a filling dinner and hot baths for all who needed them, everyone was spread out on pallets around the living room. Everyone except Shaggy who resigned himself to the corner furthest from the fireplace and waited for the sun to rise. Pantaloon, Cal, and Duncan were nearest the door. Scooby slept closest to the fireplace while Operetta curled up on the comfiest chair, one hand on her banjo. Christina slept on the sofa with her back to everyone, wings twitching in her sleep. A reaction to her dreams?

I wonder what she dreams about? He couldn't help but ponder

...

Christina felt like she was running in confusing circles trying to get away from the spreading darkness and wicked laughter at her back, tumbling from one bizarre place to another, relentlessly chasing the pulsing light on the horizon. Grab it, grab it, something was urging her but the closer she got the farther away it seemed, splashing into frothing waters, surrounded by a haunting melody. Must get closer. Out of the water and away from the music she fell onto her knees, Rows and rows of wooden soldiers stood at attention around her. Almost like her brother's toys but these sported a thick layer of dust.

You're almost there keep moving.

But could she?

Part of her didn't want to. It would be far easier to just give up where she was.

You have to keep going, hurry, hurry, you have to claim it.

What?

You can't give up, you're so close.

Hurry, hurry.

"I'VE GOT YOU, YOU AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE" Drew materialized, seizing her around the middle.

She screamed and thrashed desperate to get loose as smoke and fire filled the space around them.

"Christina"

"Christina"

"Christina!"

...

She woke with a start, practically falling off of the sofa. Her heartbeat loud enough to drown out everything else.

"Christina, are you alright?" Shaggy loomed above her, hand extended to help her up, "You've been crying"

"Nightmare," she choked, "I don't wish to speak of it"

"That's alright," Shaggy assured, "If you'd rather be left alone-"

Christina seized him by the arm, "No, no, please, please stay"

"Like, how about another story?"

"Please?"

"Of course, let's see-"

They talked long into the night as the multi-colored stars faded from the sky and the sun began its climb into the sky. They didn't even realize how much time had passed until the front door was thrown open in a panic by Ginger.

"Oh," she placed a hand on her chest, gasping in relief, "When I saw you were gone I got worried, are you okay?"

"Yes," Christina got to her feet, brushing off her dress before helping Shaggy up, "I'm sorry we scared you, Ginger"

"I'm just glad you're okay now come inside and have some breakfast before you leave, it's but a few hours walk to the coast"

The others were already crowded into Ginger's kitchen, eating a breakfast of waffles and fruit. No one spoke, their minds heavy with thoughts. What, if anything, awaited them at the coast? They were so close but yet, so far at the same time. Once breakfast was finished, Ginger filled their basket with tea sandwiches, gave Cal a new knapsack with warm blankets, a compass, and a rough map to follow, hugged him tightly, wished them all luck, and bid them goodbye.

"Come back and visit after you've saved us all," she waved from the porch.

"We will, Ginger," Duncan assured, "Thank you for all your help"

"Anytime"

The hours passed slowly, the woods continuing to thin the closer they got to the coast. Operetta spent the time strumming her banjo, and Duncan kept busy by keeping clumsy Cal upright. Pantaloon spent his time hashing and rehashing a plan while Shaggy and Scooby hung back, keeping Christina distracted with stories of the way things used to be. Just after lunch, they arrived at the coast, finding the one village that had been there had been utterly destroyed. Everyone had been taken to be Drew's slaves. If there had been boats they were also useless now.

"Now," Pantaloon declared, turning to face the others, "Cal, Duncan and I will find a boat to make seaworthy, the rest of you can gather provisions"

"How are you planing to make a boat seaworthy without tools?" Operetta asked seriously.

"I'm sure we can find some"

"You can magic a boat, right?" Shaggy whispered to Christina nervously.

"Yes"

"Good, like, let's just humor him for now, there like, should be an orchard nearby"

"Scooby and I can go to tha' orchard," Operetta offered, "I don't think Cal can be left unsupervised"

"Good point," Shaggy agreed.

So, Scooby and Operetta headed off to the orchard with the basket while Shaggy found a good place to watch Cal and Christina combed the beach for a discarded sail.

Christina still felt off. Like a piece of her was missing. Something that wanted to found. Something that wanted her to find it. Sifting through the sand she couldn't help but think about her confusing dream. What did it mean? Did it mean anything? Was it just her worries getting the best of her again? She was brought back to reality when her hand brushed against metal.

"There's something here"

Digging deeper into the golden sand she slowly uncovered a large, person-shaped, clumsily wrapped lump.

"Christina," Shaggy clumsily trod the sand.

"It's a girl," Christina peeled back the dirty sailcloth.

"Robecca!"

"You know her?"

"She like, lived in our village for a few years"

"She's missing pieces," Christina observed.

"They like, have to be around here somewhere"

Christina continued to comb the beach finding one piece and then another until she had a handful of gears. Returning to Robecca she quickly figured out where the pieces belonged before shutting the dented chest door.

"How do we like, wake her?" Shaggy fretted when Robecca didn't move, "She could like, tell us what happened here"

"I think I can help," Christina carefully laid her hands on Robecca, letting the magic flow from her heart down her arms and into her hands, the violet magic seeping into the comatose girl and jolting her back to life.

"Hello," Robecca blinked up at Christina, "You look familer but I can't place it"

"I don't see how," Christina softly smiled helping Robecca to her feet, "I've never been here"

"Impressive, Miss Christina"

The three collectively jumped, Shaggy falling into the sand.

Duncan, Pantaloon, and Cal stood behind them.

"All the tools have been damaged," Pantaloon explained, "We have nothing to work with"

"I'm sure I could conjure a boat but I can't do anything about the lack of wind"

"I think I could help", Robecca lifted from the ground.

"And if we tie a rope to the boat I could pull if Robecca gets tired," Duncan extended his wings.

Before Christina could gather enough magic to conjure a boat the ground began to violently shake. Cal fell into Duncan who stumbled a few steps.

"GIANT, GIANT!" Scooby and Operetta came running onto the beach, the orchard forgotten.

"Did they just say-" Pantaloon.

"ROCK GIANT!" Cal pointed to the towering creature headed right for them.

"Drew's doing no doubt," Duncan growled.

"What do we do?" Christina fretted.

Shaggy drew his sword with a growl, "We fight"

"I'm not certain that-" Pantaloon replied but the nutcracker sprinted ahead catching the giant's attention.

"We have no choice in the matter," Duncan extended his wings, a fireball at the ready as he took to the air, "HEY, UGLY, OVER HERE"

"RAGGY! RATCH OUT!", Scooby yelled, tackling the wooden Prince out of the way of a stone arm that would have smashed him to splinters! The stone giant turned and raised its arm again to crush them where they tangled on the ground... only for Duncan to slam into its side and knock it down!

"I don't think your sword will do much good against that thing, Prince", Duncan said. "And wood loses against stone. Go help protect the others and work on the boat! I'LL deal with this rogue pet-rock!"

Shaggy nodded, and he and Scooby ran back to the others. Duncan shot a fireball into the giant's face. It did no damage but seemed to annoy the brainless brute. It tried to smash him into the sand like a croquet stake, only for Duncan to meet it with his fist, shattering the end of the offending arm! If Duncan was expecting it to roar in pain, he was disappointed, as the brute simply looked dumbly at the broken stump of its arm, then looked back at him to swing the other horizontally at him! Duncan ducked under that swing, then jumped over the back-swing. It tried to stomp on him, but he caught the foot and shoved the heavy thing stumbling backward.

"Christina-"

"I'm trying, I'm trying! I can't magic when I'm nervous!" the hybrid gripped her wand, eyes scrunched tight as she tried desperately to recall the gestures she needed to make.

"Just get us started," Shaggy laid a calming hand on her shoulder, "We can finish the boat"

"O-okay"

The beginnings of a boat appeared, half built with wood missing from it.

"You did it," Shaggy smiled reassuringly, "We only have to finish it"

This fight was taking too long! They HAD to leave as soon as the boat was ready, because if Drew created and sent this thing here, then his other forces might not be far behind! Wait...the cliff! He looked up and over at the point where an old lighthouse stood. Down below, the surf crashed on the tidal rocks. He shot it in the face with several fireballs again, angering it.

"Come and get me, peeble-brain!", he taunted and headed for the cliff.

Felix watched as Duncan was easily keeping the rock golem busy while the others crafted some kind of boat. He admired their courage, but what could he do? What SHOULD he do? His 'beloved' brother ordered him to babysit the walking rockpile and make sure his minions brought back the Nutcracker Prince and the fae girl when they arrived. He didn't want to help his brother, never did. But if he disobeyed... he didn't even want to think about it. BUT, he didn't have to go out of his way to help beyond those specific orders, did he? After all, it wasn't HIS fault that this 'band of misfits' was holding their own, now was it? Silently, he hoped they would escape before the brigade of boar-riding rat soldiers Drew had sent along arrived.

"That's it, that's it, keep coming, Stoneface!", Duncan urged, backing toward the edge, hoping the golem was as dumb as it looked. Stepping backward off and using his wings to keep hovering level with the cliff-top, he shot another fireball at the rock giant. "Just a liiiiittle further, rocky! Come on!"

Stepping forward, it stopped, and took a couple of swipes at him, which he easily dodged.

"I'm right here! You can do better than that!", he taunted. 'C'mon! just one step further!', he thought to himself.

The giant stepped right to the edge, looking down to see it had no more ground, and rumbled angrily, waving its remaining arm and the shattered stump in the air.

"Gotcha!", Duncan smirked, and shot an explosive fireball... at the cliff edge just beneath the giant's feet! The thing went over like an avalanche, arms and legs breaking as it tumbled down the nigh-vertical drop, and shattered completely on the tidal rocks in the surf below!

"DUNCAN, LET'S GO!" Pantaloon yelled, hammering the last plank in place.

Felix admired them as they dragged their improvised craft toward the water. They hadn't seen him, still in bat form as he was. Just as it looked like they were going to make it, the approach of the soldiers could be heard! Three boars carrying armored rat soldiers burst through the treeline to bear down on them. Shaggy, Pantaloon, and Cal rushed to meet their charge!

"Christina!", Duncan called her attention. "You take that side and I'll take this one! Set fire to the treeline as far as you can! Block any more from reaching the beach!"

She nodded and took flight as he did, going in opposite directions. The treeline became an inferno for hundreds of yards in both directions. Everyone could hear the rat-like screeches of anger and the terrified squeals of the boars as the intense flames cut them off from their intended victims.

Meanwhile, Shaggy had raced toward the center rider, who aimed his lance at the living nutcracker with a malicious grin... until Shaggy twisted aside to dodge and knocked the tip downward into the sand! The rat screeled in terror as it was violently pole-vaulted out of the saddle far through the air to splash into the shallows. The boar kept coming and tried to gore the wooden target before it, but again Shaggy twisted aside just enough, and stabbed his sword through the beast's thick neck, killing it.

To Shaggy's right, Pantaloon faced the rider attempting to thrash him with a five-chained mourning-star flail. The old soldier blocked with his sword, and when the chains wrapped around the blade, he yanked the oversized rodent off his mount by it. The boar turned to join its rider in fighting the man... until Duncan landed feet-first on its head! He grabbed the killer tusks and twisted until the thing's neck audibly SNAPPED and then it went limp. By then, battle-seasoned Pantaloon had easily dispatched the undisciplined rat.

On the other side, Cal trembled as he charged at his opponent with a spear... and tripped. He looked up just as they were bearing down on him. Panicking, he tried to raise his spear-the butt-end of which was still UNDER him!-and ended up impaling the boar! Its squeal of pain was quickly cut off by death as it fell. The enraged rat drew a short sword in one hand and a battle half-axe in the other and stomped toward him with murderous intent! Scrambling, Cal managed to draw his rapier and grab his small shield just in time to defend himself. The rat attacked furiously, swinging his blades wildly, screeching ferociously the whole time. Cal could only focus on blocking and parrying at first, so afraid was he that his clumsiness was about to get him killed. But as he fought, he began to realize, this rat HADN'T killed him yet! As fierce as it was, this thing had no real skill or training, while his own was starting to kick in. An opening! Cal caught the axe with his rapier and deflected the axe with his shield in a way that let him then smash the rat in the face with the edge of his shield. It staggered back, squeaking in pain from the shattered front teeth. When it realized that its pride and joy as a rat-it's TEETH-had been ruined, it screeched in rage and charged with both weapons raised high... enabling Cal to easily skewer the rat through its black heart with his rapier.

"Well Done!" Pantaloon smiled, "Let's get to the boat before more vermin arrives"

Scooby scrambled into the boat alongside Opperetta, Duncan tied a rope around himself to pull from the front while Robecca pushed from the back. Cal, Pantaloon, and Shaggy were next in. Christina was last, swooping in as the boat touched the water.

"Which way?"

"Like," Shaggy rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "I don't know"

"Let's just focus on getting far away from there for now," Christina nodded to the receeding shoreline.

"I second that plan," Opperetta shivered.

"Then I guess it's forward for now"

...

Meanwhile, Amora arrived at the hot fudge pass to discover it was no longer hot. More like lukewarm. Bits of candy shrapnel and semi-frozen pools of fudge dotted the path confusing her further. What had happened here? Upon reaching the very center of the path she discovered Duncan was long gone. Only broken links and puddles of water remained.

"Run as far as you like, Duncan, I'll find you, I always do!"

...

"Excuse me?"

Startled the party peered over the side of the boat to see a beautiful mermaid with a stunning blue tail swimming alongside them. Though she offered a friendly smile Christina had a gut sinking feeling about her.

"Yes?" Shaggy asked taken aback.

"I saw your fight on the beach, such bravery and I couldn't help but overhear you were headed to Fairy Isle, I'd be happy to guide you"

"That would be great," Shaggy smiled, "Thank you, Miss..."

"Rachel, My name is Rachel"

...

Okay, that took WAY, WAY, WAY longer than I would have liked but here is the end of the chapter. The impressive battle was written by my good friend, DRAGONDAVE45 he's a real lifesaver. Please review and I'll hopefully see you soon.