Neb: Guess it's been a while. Last chapter Vincent and the kids of the Duck family traveled to the lost cave of Glacius an Ocean was once a mortal man until he had eaten herbs that had transformed him immortal. The gods of Ithaquack welcomed the new sea god with open arms. What an exciting adventure, although the Shadow Syndicate appears to have beaten the Ducks to the cave. What mysteries and dangers await the duck children. I do not own Ducktales.
Vincent followed the kids into the cave. As far as he knew Webby could handle herself in a fight against the Shadow Syndicate and Lena had magic, but he didn't know much about the others. When he met them in the Temple of Helios Huey was able to decipher a way out of the temple's death trap, so that was something. But he still wasn't sure how well they would do if Mr. Elite decided not to show mercy. "Don't run to far ahead," Vincent called out to the group. "Remember what I said, we all need to stick together."
"Yeah but then you were going to leave us behind anyways," Dewey called back. "What's the point in sticking around with you if your just going to leave us again?"
Well Dewey did have a point. "I only did that because things are going to get dangerous. You guys don't know what that group is capable of. Their numbers continue to grow and Mr. Elite has a magic artifact that I'm not even sure what it does."
"The Mask of Helios probably draws power from the sun," Huey figured. "Since Helios is a Roman Sun God."
"What's with you and looking for god items anyways?", Louie jumped in. "Are you actually trying to become one? Was Scrooge right about you?"
"He wasn't," Vincent growled. "Most ancient temples you find are dedicated to a deity of some sort. Like Toth-Ra, Webby told me about your visit with him. He was an Egyptian Sun God."
"There's other gods of Ithaquack also," Webby pointed out. "We'll run into gods every now and then in adventures anyway even if Vincent is with us or not."
"I still think that's an odd coincidence," Louie figured.
"I told you already I learned about the herbs at the Shadow Syndicate's layer," Vincent defended himself. "They are the ones obsessed with becoming gods, not me."
"So then what's your angle?", Louie pushed. "Do you just want to stop them or are you really only in it for the prophet? Because last I checked the herbs aren't worth anything." Huey was about to speak up, but Louie then cut him off with, "Aside from my brother's dorky badges."
"It's not about value," Vincent grunted. "It's about making something of yourself that no one can take away from you. You wouldn't understand that, because you grew up in a mansion."
"I grew up on a house boat," Louie argued. "Not even a fancy one, the only one here who's grown up in a mansion is Webby and only as the housekeeper's daughter. I want to make something of myself just as much as the next person, but not if it means getting myself killed over some dumb old seeds."
"Then why didn't you stay on the boat?", Vincent pointed out. "Why are you pretending your being dragged along on a quest you clearly want to be a part of?"
"I-I... I could have stayed behind on the boat fine, but do you really think any of them would let me live that down?"
"We wouldn't," Lena pointed out.
"Not a chance," Huey agreed.
"So peer pressure is your argument," Vincent pointed out. "Really?"
"I'm eleven," Louie shot back. "Besides your just redirecting, a classic con trick."
"He's not a con," Webby yelled.
"Webby it's ok," Vincent assured her as he put his hand on her shoulder. "Louie, I've already explained my shady backround. I've worked with mercenaries and tricksters, so I understand why your hesitant to trust me. But I assure you, that my number one goal is keeping you guys safe. Even if it means losing whatever is at the end of this cave. Whether it's magic herbs or treasure."
"Yeah, I'm sorry man, but I just don't buy it," Louie sighed. "Sure I want to, I trust Webby and I believe if it's between us and your old work buddies you'd choose us. But there's always a bigger angle. Dewey wants glory, Huey wants knowledge, I want money, Webby wants to make friends, and Lena wants to hang out with Webby. If you don't ever find your real motive, then I don't see myself ever trusting you."
Louie was right again, everyone had their own motives, but Vincent had been charging in head first into danger for magic items he could honestly live without. Did he really only care about power? Was he no better than Mr. Elite? Vincent looked down for a moment before having Webby tug on his arm telling him to move forward. She smiled at him and he smiled back. To be honest he always wanted to make something better of himself. That's why he pushed himself into researching magic, learning to fight, becoming an adventurer, and writing about his findings. His larger angle was more petty then the duck kids would suspect, it wasn't about getting stronger, it was about being better than his old man who wasted his life in a gambling den and who constantly abused him. He wasn't some child beggar out in the snow like the people Duckburg thought whenever they passed by him. He was always more than that.
Vincent moved forward with the others and decided he didn't really have to explain himself. It was OK to not be trusted because that mean the kids were at least on the alert in case of danger. The group all had their own individual talents and things that each drove them go on these adventures, but they needed someone like Louie to see the angles that the others couldn't.
"Hey Vincent," Webby spoke up. "Don't let Louie get you down. He didn't really mean any of those awful things."
"I know Webby," Vincent smiled. "I am sorry for trying to make you all stay behind on the boat. I see that each of you have your own importance when it comes to adventuring. I hope to be able to see what each of you are capable of."
"It's too bad you won't be able to," a Scottish man laughed behind them. "Because your all going to be buried alive down here!"
"Glomgold," the duck kids responded.
"That's right," Glomgold boasted. "I get to take out all of Scrooge's next of kin and then I'll get to rub it in his face!"
Vincent saw Glomgold was holding on to dynamite as his choice of weapon. That could risk a cave in. "Don't you want the herbs? If you destroy this cave you lose them forever."
"I don't care about plants," Glomgold laughed. "Mr. Elite promised to fill my pockets with unimaginable wealth and power should I destroy this cave. Destroying you all is just a bonus!"
"So Mr. Elite doesn't want the Herb's of Glaucus?", Vincent questioned. "Why not? I thought he wanted to become a god?"
"He already is one," the rabbit girl spoke up as she, Ronny, and Donny came out from behind the Duck kids. "The markings you saw in our secret hideout wasn't Mr. Elite's goal, it was his past."
"He had already eaten the herbs," Vincent realized.
"Exactly," she nodded. "The cage we kept you in was his old cage, because those same herbs turned him into an immortal monster. It took him two hundred years to beat the curse and turn back to his original form. Now he walks this world as the immortal he always wanted to be."
"The herbs extended his life but didn't give him any god powers though," Ronny pointed out.
"That's why he wants to wield the mask of Helios," Vincent realized.
"And that's why we need your little brat," Donny growled as he looked down at Webby. "Something is blocking Mr. Elte from accessing the powers of Helios and she might be one of the few people who can figure out why."
"Mr. Elite didn't explain any of this to me," Glomgold realized.
"It was a need to know basis," the rabbit girl shrugged. "Just take your win already and be done with it."
"Wait a minute," Louie commented. "Time out, you didn't call Glomgold here because you need his resources!"
"They didn't?", Glomgold scratched his head.
"No, they're just using you to be the fall guy."
"Right," Vincent realized. "The Shadow Syndicate operate better when they operate undercover. A lot of them may be thugs, but they're a secret organization."
"And if Scrooge's nephews go missing it put them under investigation," Huey realized. "That's why they're having Glomgold do it."
"Yeah, no one is going to question why Glomgold attacked us," Dewey agreed.
"Looks like you got played Glomgold," Lena smirked.
"But... but... You all tricked me," Glomgold repeated. "How dare you? I am Flintheart Glomgold!"
"It's not a trick!", the rabbit girl assured. "Everything you ever wanted is right there! Just take it already!"
"If it was everything I always wanted," Glomgold spat. "Then Scrooge would be here to die with them!"
"But you could never pull this off if Scrooge were here," Ronny pointed out.
Donny facepalmed while the rabbit girl glared angrily at Ronny.
Glomgold was seething from that comment, he lit up the dynamite and chucked it in the direction of the Shadow Syndicate."
The rabbit girl immediately kicked it back towards Glomgold and the Duck kids.
"That's not good," Glomgold realized.
Vincent got in front of the group and pulled out one of his crystals. The blast went off causing the cave to shake and Vincent somehow managed to block the explosion with an explosion of his own. Of course he flew back from the impact of it, but he did manage to save the group.
Webby charged and started fighting with the rabbit girl. The cave was shaking after the explosion meaning it was now unstable. Meanwhile the other kids were running around avoiding the bears and Glomgold.
"I'm getting out of here," Glomgold decided. "Curse you McDuck's nephews, Webby, girl I don't know, and the Shadow Syndicate!" With that he bolted for the cave entrance.
"He's our ride," Ronny realized.
"We'll steal theirs," Donny assured his brother.
"Shut up and fight," the rabbit girl yelled before getting kicked back by Webby. "Such and annoying fighter! Most kids have to choose between brains and bronze, but for some reason a little girl gets both!"
"Get her Webby," Lena cheered. She then ran to Vincent to check on him.
Vincent grunted in pain, but he sat up. "That was dumb."
"It worked though," Lena shrugged before helping him up. "Come on Vincent, we're going to need you at full strength if were going to take on two bears."
Vincent nodded as he held onto his chest. "I need to cast a healing spell, but every time I tried my crystals would blow up."
Lena wasn't sure if she wanted to give herself away but then sighed. "Follow me." She lead Vincent around a stalagmite out of view from the others. "Show me how to do it and don't tell any of them that I can!"
"Why?"
"You know why!"
Vincent looked down and thought for a moment. "Because the Despells are hated. I'm sorry you have to go through that."
"I don't want pity, just tell me how to heal you so you can save Webby!", Lena yelled at him.
Vincent nodded as he pulled out a rose quartz and an amethyst. "You just need a calm mind and focus. Place hold these crystals tightly over my wound and allow your controlled breathing to guide your actions."
Lena did as instructed as she suddenly felt herself in a state of calmness. At first she was glowing purple, but then a blue energy emerged from herself as the crystals begun to heal Vincent.
"Your a natural," Vincent realized.
"Don't tell them," Lena repeated herself. "I mean it!"
"Your secret is safe with me," Vincent agreed. "Just, don't take to long to tell them."
"I'm going to run ahead back into the fight, you come in a minute after so no one gets suspicious."
"Got it," Vincent nodded once more. Lena ran ahead of him and he got his crystals ready to charge in after her. Once the minute passed Vincent moved in to help. He begun flipping around Donny and Ronny as the two bears tried to take him out with their claws, but he was moving faster then them. Honestly he was moving faster then ever after Lena healed him.
"Hold still," Donny yelled.
Vincent lead the two of them further into the shaking cave away from the Duck kids. "Help Webby!"
The kids did as they were told and all charged at the rabbit girl. The rabbit girl was holding her own against Webby well enough until the other kids started charging at her drawing her attention away. Because of this Webby managed to punch her in the jaw knocking her out.
Meanwhile Vincent slid under Donny's legs the moment he was comfortable with the distance he created between the bears and the kids. Vincent started chucking crystals at the two of them causing both of the bears to fall back. He then ran towards the entrance with the kids leading them away from the cave.
"What about the herbs?", Huey wondered.
"Mission's a bust," Vincent decided. "Let them destroy the cave, it's not worth getting buried alive over."
"I'm glad we're finally seeing eye to eye," Louie smiled as he opened a can of pep. "Good for you Vincent."
"Where did you get that?", Vincent wondered as they made their way onto the boat.