J-WITCH Season 2

by Iron117Prime

Jackie Chan and the Guardians have defeated Phobos and freed Meridian. But, as before, a new evil has risen, this one from the past and is ready to reap its revenge and its own brand of justice on the present. An even more difficult battle awaits for J-WITCH and the Chan Clan, one that could decide the fate of not only their world, but the whole universe!

19. Shadows of the Past

Hi everyone, welcome back! I'm so glad the previous chapter was so well received, but of course the bombshell that was the last chapter is nothing compared to this one. The one chapter that details how a certain sorceress and former Guardian fell from grace, and what had befallen the previous team. Expect an emotional storm here because this may very well be the darkest chapter in my J-WITCH series, and one of the darkest in my whole career. So have the handkerchiefs ready and expect some more mature content than usual here.

Now, without further delay, let's begin.

Shadows of the Past

Night had long fallen over the land of Egypt, a blood red moon shined in the sky as a single individual stood on the head of the Great Sphinx of Giza, clad completely in a black robe. The individual in question was a man with pale white skin and a bald head who gazed up at the blood red moon with a sinister smile.

"The time is now." He took out an ancient book made from a black material and opened it. "The Tome of Anubis… the moon of the hunter… With these combined elements, I can summon the army that was commanded by the god of the dead himself!" He then began to recite the chant that he read from the tome, the engravings on the page turning just as red as the moon that hung above the valley.

The red glow from the tome then went directly into his eyes before the man shouted one word. "ARISE!" From his eyes, a large red spectral light was shot over the deserted valley at the base of the Sphinx.

After a few seconds, the light soon faded. An eerie silence fell over the valley before hundreds of mounds of sand began to rise up from the ground. Each of these mounds began to take more solid and distinct shapes, resembling humanoid dogs, all bone-thin and black, wearing armor and wielding weapons akin to Egyptian warriors. There were at least two hundred of them in total, all of whom gave loud and moaning roars to the sky, causing the robed man to cackle.

"Finally! The army of Anubis is under my command! They all fought me a fraud, a fool! All who dared to mock my archeological intellect shall now suffer! Suffer the wrath of their new god, Herbert Fitzgerald!"

"Herbert Fitzgerald?" The man looked up towards the sky to see five women hovering above him, courtesy of the wings on their backs. "Word of advice, if you're going to go the whole 'evil overlord route, at least come up with a decent name."

This snarky remark was from a young woman with red hair and light-blue eyes, who wore a green sleeveless shirt with green armbands, and a purple dress-robe that was short on the sides, but not the front and back, exposing her green striped leggings and purple shoes. The woman on her right was a blonde Caucasian with her hair tied in multiple braids at the back and brown eyes; she wore a similar outfit herself with a long-sleeved purple shirt and green pants and purple shoes. The woman on the far left had dark skin with black eyes and long black hair tied back in a long ponytail; she wore a purple shirt and long dress with an opening in the midriff to expose her left leg and the striped tights with purple boots, and a dark green sash from her left shoulder to the right side of her waist. The woman next to her was of Chinese ethnicity with black eyes and short black hair; she wore a long-sleeved purple shirt with green pants and purple flat shoes.

The last woman, the one in the middle, wore a purple dress robe with an opening in the middle to expose her own stripped leggings and purple shoes. She had long black hair and green eyes. But what stood out the most was the scepter she wielded with the glowing pink crystal at the very end of it.

"Hard to believe this man was a simple archeologist a little bit ago." The blonde woman said.

"One who was frequently bullied and overshadowed by his colleagues." The Chinese woman commented. "We need to remember that Halinor."

"He has clearly lost his mind, Yan Lin." The dark-skinned woman stated. "His past does not justify his actions."

"I did not say that they did, Kadma." Yan Lin replied.

"Guys, can we not fight and embarrass ourselves in front of the evil bad guy right now?" The redhead said to her teammates.

"Listen to Cassidy." The black-haired woman in the middle began. "This man is unworthy of the power he wields. Let us teach him the error of his ways."

"Bah!" Herbert scoffed. "Defilers! You shall not stop my conquest! Army of Anubis! Strike them down!"

The Anubis warriors below all roared as many of the had drawn bows and arrows and launched a volley of hundreds right at the flying women. However, the one with the scepter merely scoffed as she opened her hand to create a large barrier of electrical energy that blocked and vaporized the arrows with little effort.

"Nice one, Nerissa!" Cassidy smiled.

"I know." The woman named Nerissa smirked back. "Now then, let us show these beasts what true power really is! Guardians, attack!" She commanded as the five women flew down towards the army and began to unleash their own elemental attacks. Halinor unleashed a stream of fire, Yan Lin blasted a tornado from her hands, while Cassidy created a wave of water just as Kadma raised her hand to create a large blade of sand from the ground, and Nerissa once again unleashed a blast of Quintessence energy.

As the Guardians battled the Army of Anubis below, Herbert gave a sinister chuckle. "Fools. I've already mastered this spell. While they are distracted, I shall make my escape and simply try again elsewhere. They've only delayed the inevitable. The time of Herbert Fitzgerald is still…"

"HIYA!" He didn't have time to react as someone had suddenly appeared and gave a flying kick to the side that knocked the robbed man towards the edge of the Sphinx's head. This also caused the tome to go flying from his hands, only to be caught in the finger of a man who had suddenly appeared.

The man was of Chinese ethnicity with brown hair and eyes. He wore a black long-sleeved shirt with a white sleeveless jacket over it, a pair of white pants and brown shoes, along with a white cap on his head.

"This wouldn't happen to be of importance to you, now would it?" He spun the tome on his finger like a basketball with a cocky smile.

"Another defiler?! How many pests must I deal with before I can finally ascend to godhood?!" Herbert exclaimed.

"I am the only one you need to be worried about. Jin Chan!" The man named Jin threw the tome up in the air and took several Kung Fu poses and made several 'hiya' noises before he caught the tome and put it away behind him. "Master of Kung Fu and the disco! Now, shall we dance?" He waved his finger to bring it on.

Herbert growled. "I need the Tome to only raise my army… I've still learned many dark powers on my own!" His hands glowed red as he shot energy beams at Jin, who easily limboed under them before rushing towards his opponent who was about to throw out another beam attack, only for Jim to swipe his hand at Herbert's wrist, causing him to miss fire before he gave a roundhouse to the face and knock him back down.

Jin's cocky grin only grew. "Is that the best you can do?" This only spurred Hebert's ire further as he went on the attack once more.

Back in the valley, the Guardians were quickly making short work of the Army of Anubis with their extraordinary powers. Halinor appeared surrounded by twenty Anubis warriors before she erected a ring of fire around herself, and quickly expanded it to blast all of them away. She flew upwards once again and appeared above a group of fifteen enemies and proceeded to throw a series of explosive fireballs at them, blasting them all away with little issue.

Kadma stood on the ground, unmoving as two dozen Anubis warriors all charged at her, but she remained confident and unphased before extending her hand forward. Suddenly, the sand in front of the charging warriors opened up to create a large pit, causing them all to fall in. Kadma then clenched her fist as the ground all around the fallen warriors turned from sand to solid rock, and when she clapped her hands together, the rocks all closed in to completely crush the monsters underneath.

"Wahoo!" Cassidy surfed on a wave of water that washed away ten enemy monsters before noticing how Nerissa was surrounded by over fifty of them. She directed her wave to surf towards Nerissa's direction and flew off it, letting the wave wash away about half of the enemy forces before landing at her leader's back. "Don't worry Nerissa, I got you covered."

"I appreciate that, Cassidy. But It's unnecessary." Nerissa then opened her palm and shot out an all-encompassing wave of Quintessence at the remaining Anubis warriors in front of her. When the wave passed, all their eyes glowed white before they bowed to their new master.

Cassidy blinked in surprise. "How'd you do that? Quintessence doesn't have mind control powers."

"Perhaps not, but these beings aren't truly alive." Nerissa explained. "They are basically statues made of sand, mindless and obedient to the source of magic that animated them. I just overrode that magic with my own."

"Leave it to you to find a loophole. That's why I love you." Cassidy kissed Nerissa on the cheek, causing her smirk to turn into a genuine smile.

"And I, you." She replied before smirking once again as she turned to her newly commanded army "Now then… attack!"

With that single command, all the Anubis warriors under her command went on the attack to slay their whatever brethren they could find. Hacking and slashing their weapons to destroy the mindless horde. Though Nerissa's warriors were severely outnumbered, the power of the Guardians quickly closed that gap and surpassed it.

One such example was Yan Lin creating a tornado to suck in multiple enemies before sending them all flying in multiple directions. She then happened to notice steams of red energy shooting up and out from the head of the sphinx.

Back at the statue's head, Jin easily dodged all of Herbert's attack. "Nope!" He smirked as he performed a split to duck underneath an energy blast and then jumped to avoid another one and make a hand-stance. "You need to work on your aim." He vaulted with his hands over the next blast and landed directly in front of Herbert. "I think you need glasses, old man. Your vision is more foggy than the summit of Mount Tai."

"Grrra!" Herbert roared as he raised his hands, generating a sphere of red energy and was ready to blast it at Jin, only for a whirlwind to be shot at the sphere, blasting it away before it exploded in the sky.

Jin only smiled, using one hand to keep his hat from glowing off as he looked up to see the hovering Yan Lin having just appeared.

"Don't mess with my man." She smirked.

"Well, somebody call Heaven, because the gods are missing an angel." Jin flirted.

"Oh, is there an airport nearby, or is that just my heart taking off?" Yan Lin flirted back as she descended closer towards her boyfriend.

"If I could rearrange the English alphabet, I would put U and I together." Jin motioned the letters and gesture with his fingers.

"And if you were words on a page, they would call you 'fine prince'." Yan Lin teased back.

However, while they flirted, Herbert growled like a rabid animal. Were they seriously ignoring him?! Him!? The man who gained a taste of the power of Anubis?! Oh they would surely regret that!

"Worthless… Insignificant insects…! I shall… UGH!" He was suddenly struck in the back as a bolt of Quintessence of energy passed through him, right before he fell over, all courtesy of Nerissa as she hovered in the air behind him, her fellow Guardians appearing right beside her.

"That was quick." Jin commented. "Might be a new record."

"Nerissa took control of half of the army and sicked them on the rest." Cassidy summed up.

"Technically it was only about a quarter, but yes." Nerissa said smugly.

"Impressive, but unnecessary as we were more than a match for those mindless brutes." Kadma commented.

"Regardless, the Army of Anubis is no more." Halinor said with a smile. "We've won."

"And we can take this madman into custody…" Yan Lin was about to apprehend Herbret, only to find something unusual about him, particularly from the smoke that came from his back where he was shot. She kneeled down and flipped him over on is back to feel his pulse before gasping.

"Yan Lin…?" Jin was surprised to see the frightened look on her face.

"He's dead…"

That took nearly all of them by surprise.

"What?!" Kadma questioned.

"Dead?!" Halinor also questioned.

"B-but how…? I don't…" Cassidy stuttered.

"Of course, he's dead. That was my intent, after all." Nerissa revealed with a straight, face much to the shock of her team.

"Nerissa…? Y-you… You killed him…?" Cassidy couldn't believe it. "Why…?"

"Why?" She questioned back in confusion. "This madman murdered his wife to gain the power he wielded! He stole the Tome from the museum and killed all the guards to do it! What is to stop him from doing that all over again?! It's a fate he deserves!"

"That is not our call to make, Nerissa!" Halinor told her. "We're Guardians, not judges and certainly not executioners!"

"While I do agree this filth of a man deserved what was coming to him…." Kadma began, but Nerissa had interrupted her.

"Don't give me one of your speeches, Kadma. We've done this before, and you know it. You all know it!" She said to everyone.

"In the heat of battle, yes. Maybe." Yan Lin granted. "But to execute someone like that… even someone as vile as that…"

Nerissa rolled her eyes. "I just eliminated a threat! One that could return if we let him live! That has happened before, has it not?" She looked towards the only man in the group. "Jin, how many times have we thwarted the same enemy only for them to return and plot again? Aren't you sick of that?"

"I do find it annoying." Jin granted. "But…" He looked to Herbert's body with an uncertain look on his face. "I have never taken a life like that. It is not my style and I do not wish it to be anytime soon."

This caused the black-haired woman to growl. "Have you forgotten who is leader here?! Who wields the Heart of Kandrakar?!" She slammed the bottom end of her scepter, the Heart being the jewel at the top of it, on the ground.

"We haven't forgotten, Nerissa!" Cassidy stated as she reached out to gently grab her lover's hand with both of hers. "But have you forgotten that we're not just leaders and subordinates? That we're friends? A family, even?"

Nerissa's anger slowly faded as she looked into Cassidy's pleading eyes. She gave a sigh and appeared to have calmed down. "I don't regret doing what I just did, and I probably never will. But… how many times must we keep fighting like this? I… I just wish there was a way to end all of it."

"We'll find a way. And we'll keep helping as many people as we can." Cassidy smiled as she caressed Nerissa's cheek with her hand. "Okay?"

"Okay." Nerissa accepted as they took off, followed by their teammates and friends. Halinor carried Herbert's body while Yan Lin carried Jin, both of whom looked towards each other with concern as they flew away from the scene.

---

Two Weeks Later

Jin was in what appeared to be a gym with multiple wooden dummies and rotating arms around him. The man quickly moved in, delivering punches and kicks to various dummies, causing the rotating arms to spin around, meaning he had to be quick to block and parry, but he was successfully able to do so. After about twenty minutes of practice, Jin decided it was time for a break as he walked away to get a bottled water, throwing a towel over his shoulder.

Suddenly, a Fold had opened up in front of him, much to his surprise. But that surprise turned into annoyance as he also knew what a Fold opening up like this meant. "Aiya… what does he want this time?" He asked in mental exhaustion before stepping into the dimensional rift, which closed right behind him.

---

Jin had stepped into Kandrakar, in the Council Chamber where he spotted not only the Oracle, but also Cassidy, who was wearing her casual clothes which consisted of a blue sleeveless tank-top with bracelets and a necklace, but also a dark red skirt that stretched down to her knees and white flats. But the fact that it was just Cassidy and nobody else from their group that left him concerned.

"Cassidy… What is happening?"

"Jin, we need to talk." Cassidy said with a serious and concerning look on her face. "Its about Nerissa."

"What about her? Has something happened? Is she hurt?' Jin asked somewhat worriedly.

"She's fine… but that's the problem." Cassidy answered.

"I don't understand." He said in confusion.

"Jin, we fear that Nerissa is becoming addicted to the Heart of Kandrakar, and it may be corrupting her spirit." The Oracle told him.

"Corrupting her? You are worrying too much." Jin replied. "Sure, what happened with that archeologist was excessive but…"

"It happened again." Cassidy revealed, much to his surprise.

"What?"

"Just last night, when the two of us were walking home… we saw a bank robbery." Cassidy explained. "They were driving like there was a fire at their tails, causing all sorts of trouble. I felt we should just let the police handle it, but Nerissa just took out the Heart without even telling me and transformed us."

That caught Jin's attention. "She used the Heart to transform in public?!"

"No, she at least pulled me into an alleyway so that nobody could see us." Cassidy answered. "But, when the robbers were driving away, Nerissa used her Quintessence to take control of the car and force them into an alley and cornered them. The car they were in was totaled and all of them had broken bones after that. But she didn't even stop there…" Cassidy stopped for a brief moment as she recalled the incident. "She attacked them without even telling them to surrender, and they were all injured even before that! She even used her powers on the guns they had and turned them on the robbers!"

As if Jin wasn't surprised enough. "Did she…?"

"Kill them? No." Cassidy replied, much to Jin's relief. "But she was going to." He was once again shocked and worried. "She said that she had to because they saw us and that we had no choice! But I used water from a nearby pipe to knock them all unconscious before she could do so and I pulled her out of there before the police could arrive. All of the robbers were concussed and had to be taken to the hospital. On the positive side, nobody is going to actually believe they saw a couple of fairies attacking them because of that."

"While I do applaud Nerissa for taking the initiate, the fact that she went to excessive force so quickly leaves me more than a little concerned, especially on non-magical foes." The Oracle spoke up. "Now that I look back on it, ever since I gave her the Heart, Nerissa has been using her powers far more frequently, and to more deadly effects."

"What exactly are you saying?" Jin asked.

"I'm worried that if she's allowed to keep holding the Heart, she may become too corrupted and lose sight of herself." The Oracle said. "That's why I brought you two here as you are the closest to Nerissa."

"And what is it exactly that you intend to do?" Jin questioned, looking toward Cassidy who only shrugged before responding.

"He hasn't told me. I only just told him about what happened and then he used a Fold to summon you." She said.

"Cassidy, I believe the wisest course of action at this moment is to relieve Nerissa of the burden of the Heart of Kandrakar, as well as leadership of the group, and pass it to you." The Oracle revealed, much to both their surprise.

"Wha…? Me?!" She exclaimed.

"Wait… is that even possible?" Jin questioned. "I had thought that all the previous Guardians were led by the Quintessence wielder who also wields the Heart."

"While this hasn't been done in the past, it is possible." The Oracle revealed. "You and Nerissa will still have your respective elements, Cassidy. But only you would be able to transform the group. Looking back on your past adventures, there were many instances in which you took charge and showed sound judgement compared to the rest of your friends, so I do believe you would best serve as the new leader, and relieve Nerissa of the burden so that she may grow out of her impulses and addiction."

Cassidy saw the logic in the Oracle's statement. There were many times where Nerissa wasn't around that she had to take charge of which ever friend was around, and it's usually ended well. She had also seen how Nerissa has never once let go of the Heart and even found her staring into it like it was her child or something. But even if she did agree to relieve Nerissa of it, there still presented one problem.

"She is not going to take this very well." She said with caution.

"Which is another reason why I feel it is best that you take the Heart." The Oracle said. "You are the closest to her as her partner, so she may be more lenient with you. And Jin, you see her as like a sister, if you were able to help ease her into this transition…"

"I will try…" Jin said cautiously. Even he had to see how the Oracle thought this way as he too was concerned for Nerissa. "…But she won't be very happy with me. But what of the others? Do Yan Lin, Halinor, or Kadma know of this?"

"I will tell them all tonight, and we will all talk to Nerissa personally tomorrow." The Oracle said. "But we must be cautious here. Never once in the history of Kandrakar have the Guardians undergone a change like this…"

This caused Jin and Cassidy to exchange concerning glances with one another. Even if they didn't like it, they at least saw that Nerissa needed help. And they would give it to her. She was someone they cared for very much.

---

The next day, Nerissa sat in her own personal apartment, staring at the Heart of Kandrakar in an almost mesmerizing state. Her apartment was simple, just a shared kitchen-living area with a bedroom and bathroom, nothing too special. It was the best she could really afford after working part-time jobs most of her teenage years, bouncing from foster home to foster home, ever since her parents died at the age of five, whom she barely remembered. Nerissa didn't necessarily have any hard times in any of those foster homes, the host parents she stayed with weren't terrible and she wasn't physical abused or anything of the sort. But no matter which house she stayed at, she never quite felt at home, just bouncing from one place to another.

And then, she was chosen to be a magical Guardian alongside Cassidy, Kadma, Halinor, and Yan Lin, with her old friend Jin Chan from China joining up with them shortly after, with the two ending up in a relationship soon after. For the first time, Nerissa felt some genuine connections with people, though it wasn't exactly a smooth process. Between Nerissa being made the leader and given quite a bit of responsibility, as well as many of the personalities of her teammates, notably Kadma and her stubbornness and borderline irresponsibility, but for the first time, she felt some form of stability because these people were always by her side, especially Cassidy, whom she would soon develop feelings for.

But it wasn't long before she began to get a similar feeling with all the many battles they've endured. They've battled villain after villain, monster after monster, evil wizard after evil wizard… maniacs who want to conquer the world and/or universe, or a force that wants nothing more than to destroy it all. No matter how many enemies they defeated, a new one seemed to be waiting in line for them to fight. Surely there must be a way to stop all this fighting entirely. A way to eradicate the concept of evil itself. And once that was done, perhaps she and Cassidy could settle down somewhere and just spend the rest of their lives relaxing, living alongside the friends they had all made. That's really all she wanted… but how to make it happen?

Looking at the Heart of Kandrakar again, which currently remained in its jeweled necklace form, she began to think that maybe if she could have all that power for herself… the whole Heart… maybe…

Suddenly, a Fold had opened up in front of her.

Getting serious, Nerissa stood up from her spot, the necklace form of the Heart once again transforming into its scepter-form before stepping into the Fold.

---

The leader of the Guardians had entered into Kandrakar, where she found not only her whole team, as well as Jin, waiting, but even the Oracle. All her friends were clad in casual clothing; Kadma wore a light green sleeveless top with a black sash tied around her waist, and a long green dress with green heels; Yan Lin wore an orange shirt underneath a brown jacket with blue jeans and brown shoes; and Halinor had a red sleeveless tank top with an auburn-colored skirt, black tights that went down to her ankles and red flats.

"What's the emergency this time? What villain do we have to hunt down?" Nerissa questioned.

"No villain this time, Nerissa. But there is a serious matter that we need to discuss with you." Kadma told her.

"Okay, what?" She asked.

All eyes set to the Oracle as he gave a sigh before speaking. "Nerissa, I am sorry, but I am relieving you of the Heart of Kandrakar and your responsibility as leader of the Guardians."

It all became silent as everyone looked towards the woman herself with nervous expressions, curious and fearing her reaction. The woman herself said absolutely nothing as her eyes widened and her face became almost pale.

"Y-you're… you're kicking me… out…?" She stuttered. "I'm no longer a Guardian…?"

"No! No, you're still on the team, Nerissa!" Cassidy quickly told her. "You're still a Guardian! You're just… not leading the team, anymore. At least not right now… You won't be using the Heart… I will."

Nerissa looked towards her lover with the same sort of wide-eyed expression before looking to the rest of her supposed friends. "You all think this?" She looked to the only man that was on her team. "Even you, Jin?"

"I…" He didn't quite say anything right away, still unsure exactly of what to say.

"If this is about what happened with that archeologist turned sorcerer…" She began.

"Oh let us not forget how you almost executed a group of non-magical bank robbers." Kadma put in.

Nerissa then turned with a glare towards Cassidy. "You told them about that?" This caused the redhead to look away with a look of shame as she rubbed the back of her neck.

"Nerissa, please listen…" Halinor began. "We're worried that you might be becoming too dependent on the Heart and its power. That you're addicted to it."

"I'm fine!" Nerissa exclaimed. "It's not as if I am inhaling all it's magical power or anything!"

"You are abusing the power!" Kadma argued.

"Kadma…" Yan Lin tried to dissuade her, or at least speak in a more subdued tone.

"This is my power! I was given the Heart of Kandrakar when this team was first formed!" Nerissa exclaimed before looking toward the Oracle. "It was you who gave it to me! You who made me the leader of this team!"

"Yes, I did." The Oracle admitted, keeping a calm mood despite the growing tensions. "And you have used it well. But I fear that you may end up losing yourself to it…"

"I can handle it! You expect me to give up the Heart after all we've been through?!" Nerissa exclaimed, holding the scepter close to her like it was a loved one that she was protecting.

"Nerissa, it is only a jewel!" Yan Lin told her.

"A jewel that contains so much power! Power that I think we may be not using to its fullest potential!" She stated.

"And what 'potential' are you are talking about, exactly?" Jin questioned.

"How many times have we traveled to different worlds to advert apocalypses only to find that another one is happening in the dimension next door?!" Nerissa began. "How many tyrants, monsters, and maniacs have we fought, only for someone worse to rise in their place?! Where does this end?! How long are we going to keep fighting?! Until the day we die and then just leave it to our children or grandchildren to fight these endless battles!?"

"What would you have us do then, Nerissa?" Halinor asked. "We can't just eradicate the concept of evil entirely."

"Can't we?" Nerissa replied.

Everyone looked towards her with eyes of wide-eyed shock. They saw the serious look in her eyes and saw that she wasn't joking or saying this on a whim. This was something she had been considering for a very long time.

"Y-you're… you're not joking…" Cassidy muttered.

"If there was a way to wipe out all evil…" Nerissa said, looking towards her scepter, her own face reflecting in the glowing jewel at the top. "A way to at least eliminate the concept of evil from everyone's minds… make it all vanish…"

"By taking away their free will?" Yan Lin questioned. "Brainwashing?!"

"They would still make their own decisions! They just won't be able to think of anything negative!" She argued.

"Cutting their freewill in half, essentially." Kadma said with a glare.

"Nerissa, such a thing is beyond the power of even the Heart of Kandrakar. It can't be done." The Oracle told her.

"Then let us get more power." Nerissa said, much to her friends' further shock and concern. "There are other worlds, other mystic hearts…"

"Nerissa…are you suggesting that we steal power from other worlds?!" Halinor exclaimed in horror.

"It's only a thought, and we would return it all once we're done with it!" Nerissa stated.

"That is insane!" Jin exclaimed. "We are not gods! We do not have the right to make that sort of decision!"

"We're the Guardians these dimensions, not their overlords!" Yan Lin argued as well.

"So you would just rather let this endless battle continue, is that it?!" Nerissa argued.

"Nerissa!" Cassidy exclaimed, getting her partner's attention as she stepped forward with a stern and understanding expression. "Please… just… give me the Heart…" She saw Nerissa pull it away with a distrustful look, which made Cassidy all the sadder. "Nerissa… this isn't you…"

"And what makes you think you even know me?" She questioned, which only caused Cassidy to hurt more, before looking away.

"Alright. No more debates." Kadma said before using her own telekinetic power to try and wrench the Heart from Nerissa, but she held it firm, only to get dragged closer. "Nerissa! Let it go!"

In an act of pure defiance, Nerissa activated the Heart's power and said the magic words. "Guardians Unite!" This caused a bright pink light to envelop the area as she, Cassidy, Halinor, Kadma, and Yan Lin all transformed into their respective Guardian forms, much to the shock of the Oracle and Jin.

Once she was transformed, Nerissa wasted no time in using her Quintessence powers to erect a barrier of electrical energy over all of them. "This is my power! And you won't take it away!"

Halinor created a dome of fire over herself and her friends, just barely under the electrical barrier, and expanded it to blast away the Quintessence energy and free them all. Kadma was the first to attack as she slammed her hands on the ground to break it up and unleash several large rocks at Nerissa, who tried to blast them all away, only to get struck by one and knocked down to the ground, the scepter that was the Heart of Kandrakar bounced from her hands, which Yan Lin tried to capture by creating a with her hands to pull it away…

Only for Nerissa to blast a bolt of Quintessence directly at Yan Lin, striking her in the stomach and sending her flying, only to be quickly caught by Jin. But that didn't stop them all from being surprised by what just happened, even Nerissa herself.

Did she just attack her own teammate? But Nerissa tried to get over it as they were the ones who attacked first! She was only defending herself, and the Heart!

She quickly flew to claim it, only for Halinor to grab onto the scepter just as she did. "Nerissa, don't do this!"

"Then stop making me!" An electrical barrier expanded from around her body before rapidly blowing out, casting multiple electric bolts that began to tear up eh chamber before Halinor was also blasted back.

Kadma then lifted a pair of boulders from Nerissa's sides and used her powers to reshape them into a pair of large hands, which she used to grab a hold of her. But Nerissa was contained for only a few seconds before she freed herself explosively with her own powers and struck Kadma with a bolt to knock her down.

"You've had that coming!" A water wall was raised behind Nerissa to keep her from flying back before Cassidy flew in to grab her in the form of a bear hug.

"Nerissa, please! Just let it go! We can still work this out!" She pleaded, only for Nerissa to slam the back of her head into Cassidy's face and forced her to let her go. Cassidy rubbed her face for a moment but gasped as she saw Nerissa aiming the Heart directly at her, electricity surging at the tip, but there was a conflicted look on the wielder's face.

"Then stop fighting me…! The Heart is mine! That is final!"

"Enough!" A powerful magic barrier appeared in-between Nerissa and Cassidy, with said barrier morphing into a sphere to completely trap Nerissa inside, with the Oracle walking forward as he caried a stern look on his face.

"Surrender. Even if you were to wield the Heart of Kandrakar's full power, you cannot match me in combat. You know that." The Oracle told her.

This only caused her to scoff with a laugh. "All that power and you only use it to watch. And nothing else." She spat at him venomously.

"I am done arguing. Hand over the Heart. Now." The Oracle demanded.

Nerissa looked him dead in the eyes and saw just how serious he was. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew she couldn't beat him in a direct fight, especially since he turned all her friends against her. "Fine. I surrender."

The Oracle lowered his barrier. But the second he did, she quickly turned around and used the Heart to open a Fold. But right before she could even enter it…

Jin quickly rushed in to grab the staff of the scepter, prompting Nerissa to throw a bolt of Quintessence at him, but Jin ducked while simultaneously striking his elbow into her stomach, which ended up causing her to fall into the Fold, which closed the second she fell in.

Jin Chan held the scepter of the Heart of Kandrakar in his hand, which quickly morphed back into its true jeweled form. For some reason, Nerissa always preferred it in the form of a scepter, but that wasn't his concern right now. He looked towards the Oracle and his recovering friends as they all shared a look of equal concern with one another.

---

Earth

A Fold had opened in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada during a thunderstorm, a rare occurrence in this particular environment, but not as rare as the dimensional rift that had just opened with Nerissa falling out and landing near the top of a mountain, rolling across the ground hard, still in her Guardian form, which quickly lost its appearance as she turned to normal.

After a few seconds, she pushed her aching body up, just in time to see the Fold close. But that wasn't nearly as concerning to her as something was now missing from her person.

"The Heart…?! Where is the Heart?!" She came to the realization that it was indeed taken from her. And by her own friends no less. "How could do they do this…?!" She questioned as thunder boomed louder in the sky above her. "After everything we have been through, how could they take it away?! Those naïve… pathetic… stupid… FOOLS!" She screamed as Quintessence energy surged around her body.

Just as a bolt of lightning struck the top of the mountain, which caused a rockslide, much to Nerissa's own shock as she tried to run down the slope of the mountain to escape the rolling rocks, only to step and slip up on a puddle, causing her to fall and slide down the slope, with a rock striking her in the head, just over her left eye, and knocking her unconscious as she continued to fall, coming to a stop in a rather deep ditch that was big enough to hold her whole body as the rockslide passed over and came to a stop, essentially burying her while she was still unconscious.

Nerissa continued to lay in the darkness, some blood coming down the side of her head, alone and completely knocked out.

That is until a series of red eyes appeared in the surrounding shadows, followed by hands of black-clad individuals that grabbed a hold of the woman's unconscious form and pulled her into the darkness.

---

Her eyes slowly flickered open as Nerissa came to. She laid on the ground of a darkened underground tunnel, the only source of light being a series of torches that had been placed along the cavern walls. As she pushed herself up, she felt the right side of her face where she had been hit, there was now a scar over her right eye. It was nothing too deep, but it would be a permanent mark from this point forward.

"Wha… What is this…? Where am I?"

"Awake, I see."

A raspy and sinister voice had caught her attention, with Nerissa turning around to see the tunnel she was in had rounded one particular corner, the voice coming from there. Nerissa walked past the corner and looked to see what it was that was speaking to her.

It appeared to be a statue of sorts, one that resembled a Chinese dragon with its body wrapped up in a swirl. Twelve open slots were lined across the statue's form while the face of a dragon appeared in the center with glowing red eyes.

"It has been so long since I received a visitor. Now, to whom do I owe the pleasure?" The statue spoke.

"What is this place? Where am I? And what are you supposed to be?" Nerissa questioned.

"A rather rude way to speak to the being who saved your life." The statue stated.

"Excuse me?" Nerissa questioned, only to gasp as several shadows moved across the tunnel before said shadows grew and expanded from the ground, taking the form of ninja-like beings.

"You were caught in a rockslide on the surface, but my minions found and treated you." The statue revealed. "Were not for them, you would have been buried alive, left alone to suffocate in the darkness."

Nerissa scoffed as she crossed her arms. "You expect a 'thank you'? I'm not foolish enough to think that you saved me without expecting something from me in return."

"Ah, a smart one." The statue granted. "But we'll get to that later. For the sake of an easier conversing, names will be essential. I shall start, you may call me… Shendu."

She looked at him with a distrustful but curious expression. "Nerissa."

"Ah, a rather entrancing name." The statue form that was the imprisoned Shendu commented. "These are my minions, the Shadowkhan." He introduced the ninjas that bowed their heads toward her.

"They aren't living creatures, are they?" Nerissa noted.

"Very clever." Shendu complemented. "Indeed, the Shadowkhan are not truly alive. They are spiritual warriors made from demonic powers and completely subservient to me."

"And where exactly are we?" Nerissa questioned.

"This was once a mine for rare metals, constructed by humans well over two centuries ago." Shendu explained. "But there was an incident in which the tunnels collapsed, leading the humans to seal off said mine, not knowing what true values laid deep beneath."

That was only a partial truth. There was indeed a collapsing mine, but only shortly after Shendu had tried to form an alliance with a mayor of a certain wild west town a couple centuries ago. The alliance didn't last long as that mayor and his minions failed to deliver the Talisman that would free him from his imprisonment. The mine collapsed not long after that, leaving Shendu trapped.

"So, I am trapped here with you. Is that what you are saying?" Nerissa questioned before glancing back to the Shadowkhan surrounding her. "And they could not free you from this pit?"

"While the Shadowkhan's ability to traverse through the darkness is impressive, as can they do so for others like they have with you, they cannot do so for me." Shendu's eyes glowed, prompting one Shadowkhan to walk forward and place its hand on Shendu's stone form, causing a glow of green energy to appear around the stone form and erased that specific Shadowkhan entirely. "The spell used to imprison me prevents all forms of dark magic from touching me. Only mortal souls can do so."

Nerissa chuckled. "Is that so? You may indeed be trapped here, but I can fix that." She walked toward the statue and placed her hands on the stone face of the imprisoned demon.

"And what exactly are you doing?" The Fire Demon questioned.

"You will dig my way out of this pit. And then you will help me to reclaim what is mine." Nerissa sneered before activating her powers. "Quintessence!" Bolts of electrical power surged from her hands and into Shendu's stone form. Despite not having her full powers as a Guardian, she still had the ability to use Quintessence and bring inanimate objects to life. This shouldn't be all that different.

The power of Quintessence surged through the statue, the power of life itself reanimated the demon as stone became flesh. The statue's serpentine form untwirled, prompting Nerissa to back away before the enormous fire demon emerged, free from his imprisonment.

"I LIVE!" The humanoid dragon roared, his unholy breath echoing throughout the abandoned and collapsed mine.

"Yes… for me!" Nerissa sneered. "Now, serve your new master and make a new exit! Make use of those rather impressive claws of yours!"

Shendu looked down towards her with his glowing red eyes. "I think not."

Her surprise turned into further shock as Shendu grabbed her with one hand and slammed her to the wall. "What…?! How is this possible…?! My power… Everything I've used it on has been mine to control!"

"Perhaps for inanimate statues or other such things… but I am no statue." Shendu told her as he leaned in close with a growl. "I am a Demon Sorcerer! That statue was my prison, one that you have now freed me from! And I… serve no one!"

Nerissa glared back. "Just as I have given the power, I can take it back!" The same kind of bolts that were used to reanimate Shendu were pulled out from his body and returned to Nerissa, recalling her power, much to Shendu's own surprise. He gave a scream as his body once again turned to stone, forcing him to drop Nerissa as the statue form that he was once imprisoned in laid flat on the ground.

But that still didn't take away the surprise she had before. Everything she had used her Quintessence power on, she could control like a puppet. But it didn't work this time? Granted, she never used it on a being that was already alive. She had assumed that this Shendu was just a cursed statue or something, but was it truly a living creature simply imprisoned in stone?

She didn't get much time to contemplate on it more as the Shadowkhan once again appeared around her, Nerissa prepared to fight as her hands surged with electrical power once more.

"No."

That one command caused the Shadowkhan to back away as Nerissa once again looked to Shendu's stone form, his face now staring directly up.

"Quintessence… The power of life itself…" Shendu muttered. "A very powerful form of magic… one that is rarely used by mortal hands… Tell me, my dear… how is it that you had come to wield such power? And to have fine mastery over it, no less?"

She glared. "What concern of it is yours?"

"Let me propose a deal… you tell me who you are exactly and how you wield that power, and not only will I tell you my own story… I will help you to escape this pit." Shendu offered.

"Or I can just simply leave you and find my own way out." Nerissa countered. "And don't even think of sending your minions after me. I can easily blast them away."

"I'm certain you can. However, you are trapped deep underground." Shendu replied. "Despite the magnificent power you wield, it cannot move mountains. You are just as trapped here as I." This caused her to glare hard at him. "But that can change. Let us share stories and get properly acquainted with one another. What is it you humans say? You scratch my back, I scratch yours."

Her eyes narrowed even further, but she also realized this demon had a point. She was trapped here. There was the hope that her friends would save her… but then again, given how they not only tried to take the Heart form her, but she even attacked them… perhaps they may have just given up on her. The Oracle has no doubt given Cassidy the Heart and found a replacement Guardian in her stead.

So much for her found family. Well, if they won't help her here… she will help herself.

"Shendu, was it? Let's talk."

---

Kandrakar

"What do you mean you can't find her?!" Cassidy angrily questioned the Oracle. She along with Yan Lin, Kadma, Halinor, and Jin had all recovered with the women still in their respective Guardian forms. "How can you lose sight of Nerissa! You're the all-seeing Oracle! Literally! You can see into every other dimension!"

"Yes… but for some reason… she has vanished from my sight." The Oracle tried to explain. "I'm not sure how…"

"Please explain it as best as you can for us." Jin said with crossed arms and an annoyed expression, one he shared with Cassidy and Yan Lin while Halinor looked worried and Kadma had a serious look herself.

"I… I know that Fold opened to Earth, and I can normally see that realm easily enough." The Oracle explained. "But… there is this area around it… in the Nevada desert…. That is covered in a patch of shadows that I cannot see through."

"So, a… blackspot on your radar?" Yan Lin tried to phrase it in a way that could be understood.

"Something like that." The Oracle responded.

"Well, we at least know the general area of where she is, right?" Cassidy said for the sake of optimism. "I'll Fold us over to Nevada and we'll just look for her the old-fashioned way. We can…"

"Cassidy, should you really be so quick to rush into this?" Kadma questioned.

"Excuse me?" Cassidy questioned back.

"Did you forget that she just attacked us?" Kadma reminded. "You really think she's going to be so happy to see us again after all that?"

"So, what, we just leave her there? We have no idea what's happened to her!" Cassidy exclaimed.

"Maybe she just wants to get rid of her entirely." Jin suggested somewhat spitefully, causing everyone to wince as Kadma turned towards him.

"I'm sorry…?" She glared at the man.

"It is no secret that you and Nerissa have rarely gotten along." Jin said as he walked closer towards her, an air of hostility forming between the two. "Almost as much as you and I cannot stand one another. This would be good for you if she just disappeared, correct?" He accused.

"Jin…" Yan Lin tried to put a hand on his shoulder to dissuade him.

"Nerissa and I may not always get along, but I do not wish her dead!" Kadma stated.

"You do not seem all that concerned for her safety, so I suppose I am simply fooled by your indifference or is there some other English word for that." Jin glared.

"This coming from the man who's not even supposed to be on this team and is only here because Yan Lin is interested!" Kadma argued.

"Please stop this!" Halinor stated as she and Yan Lin tried to break them apart.

"Alright, that's enough! Out of all of you!" Cassidy stepped into the middle with a look of finality on her face. "Look… what just happened with us… it was rough. But, whatever Nerissa's going through… she needs us. We're a team. After everything we've all been through together…" She hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "We can talk about the Heart or leadership or all that stuff later but right now… I just want to know if my girl's okay."

That last statement seemed to bring all hostility to an end as Jin, Halinor, Yan Lin, and even Kadma, all felt the same way.

"Yes, you must find Nerissa for the sake of her own well-being." The Oracle said. "However, you should also be cautious as she has just shown us that she can be hostile to even us."

"We'll be careful." Cassidy said before turning to her team. "So, are you with me?"

"Yes." Halinor nodded.

"Of course we are." Yan Lin said without hesitation.

"I am not a Guardian, but Nerissa is my friend, and I will help." Jin stated firmly.

"Let us go find her…" Kadma muttered.

With that, Cassidy held up the Heart of Kandrakar and used its powers to open a Fold, allowing all of them to enter, which closed just behind them. This left the Oracle alone as he could only hope for the best.

---

"…The Heart of Kandrakar…" Shendu muttered as Nerissa sat against the wall of the abandoned mine, having told him about the Guardians and some of their adventures together the past couple of hours. "I must say… it is rather interesting to meet someone with similar circumstances to my own."

"You're a Demon Sorcerer that has lived for thousands of years. How are we alike?" Nerissa questioned.

"For one, we are both held back by those around us." Shendu began. "I told you of my siblings… whose desires for power rival my own. That is why I left them in the Netherworld to claim Earth as my own without all the annoying squabbles and fighting amongst ourselves. It is also the reason your so-called friends tried to expel and steal the source of your power for yourself."

"We're protectors, not destroyers." Nerissa told him.

"Is there really a difference?" Shendu questioned rhetorically. "For whatever reason, we both destroy to protect what we hold most dear, do we not? Me, a world all for myself. And you, for those you care for… or rather, the whole universe." He caught Nerissa's glance towards him. "My dear Nerissa… I can see it in your eyes, you long for power… the power to make things your own, to create the world that you see fit. A world without conflict or destruction, a world where you can just sit down and enjoy what it has to offer and not constantly fight for it. But how did your so-called friends respond to that? They expelled you and tried to take that power from you. They would rather remain content in this never-ending battle of good against evil, always putting their lives on the line for people they don't even know. But unlike myself and my siblings, your friends are mortal. Should they die, they cannot return. And who would be with you? Who would continue the fight? Would this Oracle simply recruit a new generation to keep this battle going? If that doesn't count as damnation, then I don't know what does."

Nerissa looked away, pressing her back in the shadows as she wrapped her arms around her legs, huddling herself against the wall. As much as she wanted to deny it, she couldn't help but think that Shendu was right. What was the point of it all? What was the point of all this fighting if some other enemy was just around the corner? What was wrong with trying to get rid of all evil entirely, making a new world where there was no more need to fight? But there was no way for her to accomplish that now. Because nobody was going to help her.

"What does it matter? My friends turned on me… even her…" Nerissa felt heartbroken over the idea of Cassidy simply finding a new Guardian to replace her. "And now I'm trapped here. There's nothing that I can do."

"Oh, but there is." Shendu said, getting her attention once more. "I told you that I would help you to escape this place, and I intend to do not only that… but provide you a way that you can have the world you desire."

"And how do you plan to do that?" She questioned.

"You… my dear Nerissa… will bear me a child." Shendu revealed.

Nerissa stood up in absolute shock and disgust at that. "What…?!"

"You wield the power of Quintessence, of life itself!" Shendu explained. "That power combined with my own into a single offspring can create a being of untold potential. But, more importantly, as the bearer of the Heart of Kandrakar, once you have this child, you will create an heir that will inherit the power!"

"Except for the fact that it doesn't work that way!" Nerissa exclaimed. "It's not like a throne where the first prince or princess becomes the next king or queen! And I don't even have the Heart anymore! It was taken, or have you forgotten that?!"

"Perhaps that's how it is traditionally…" Shendu began. "But, we can find a way to make it work. The Shadowkhan, for instance, were not even under my direct employ. They were the minions of another group of demons whose origins are different from my own kin, yet I was still able to find a way to command them. This will be no different. We'll find a way to harness the Heart's power, and our child will become the most powerful being in this universe."

"What in the world makes you think I intend to have you inside of me!" Nerissa stood over Shendu's statue form and looked down on him with a glare. "I've seen what you really are… Assuming I survive… that…" She cringed in disgust. "How do I know you won't just kill me and take your child for yourself?!"

"Oh, you do not have to worry about that, my dear." Shendu assured. "I'm well aware of how humans mate with one another, but there is an easier way."

Before she could ask what he meant by that, the Shadowkhan once again appeared from the surrounding darkness and one carried a goblet in its hand and presented it to Nerissa.

"All you need do, is take a piece of myself." The imprisoned Fire Demon explained. "Even if I am but a statue, a piece of my stone flesh will still suffice. Place it in the goblet and use your marvelous power to bring life into it. Stone will return to flesh. Once it has, ingest it. I will handle the rest."

She turned his glare to him once more. "You still end up inside me! Why don't I just mix my blood with yours…"

"You may get a homunculus or something similar in nature, but it wouldn't be a true lifeform." Shendu said. "I realize this may be hard, bearing a child is difficult for females from what I gather…"

"Don't speak about it like that." Nerissa muttered.

"But this is the only way to create one. It takes a male and a female, does it not?" Shendu asked.

"And how do I know I'll survive?" Nerissa questioned. "How do I know it won't explode out of my stomach or something?"

"You will bear it like any other child, I assure you." Shendu promised.

"You assure me?" Nerissa questioned blankly and rhetorically. "The word of a demon who so readily abandoned his own family. How can I take your word for any of this?"

"You are wise to distrust me… and that is what makes you perfect." Shendu replied. "But to gain what you want is only as valuable as the effort you put into acquiring it. Drink my flesh, and my Shadowkhan will escort you out of this pit. With this, you will create an heir that will help you in creating the world that you desire! All I ask for in return is that after you have given birth, you will help me in reclaiming my lost powers, and together… we will change the fate of the universe!"

Nerissa had a strong feeling that Shendu was playing her. Aside from having a literal child with him, even if it wasn't in the traditional sense, she could not take his word at face value. No doubt he was planning on taking the universe for himself once he has gained his powers again. But, did she really have any other choice? Her friends had all abandoned her and taken her power from her. An alliance with Shendu could help her to regain it all again. She would just need to find a way to dispose of him before he would betray her.

"I suppose this is my only option. Alright." She accepted.

"Then let us begin, shall we?" Shendu said as a Shadowkhan handed Nerissa a hammer and knife.

Using this knife, Nerissa chipped off a small piece of Shendu's stone form and showed it to him. "Will this do?"

"It will suffice." He accepted.

She then put the stone piece into the goblet she held and pointed the finger of her free hand towards the piece inside. "Quintessence." With a tiny flicker of electricity, the stone had turned into flesh. The flesh of a demonic dragon.

Nerissa looked at it for a few seconds, a nervous expression filling her body. This thing was about to go inside her and she had no control over what would happen. This was a nightmare. But… without her team or anybody else to help her… this was her only path forward.

With a deep sigh, she opened her mouth and swallowed the flesh, letting it slide down her throat. God, it tasted awful. However, the second it entered her body, Shendu's eyes glowed as he used his own powers to work his magic, figuratively and literally speaking.

Her pupils shrank as she dropped the goblet, a sharp pain was felt as she could practically feel it worming her way inside her body even as she fell to the ground and moaned in pain and agony.

"It is done." Shendu said as Nerissa continued to write in the ground in pain. "My flesh has met with yours. The child will grow, rather rapidly. I suspect we'll have it in a couple of hours."

A couple hours?! Did she really hear that right or was she just delirious from the pain! A mother is pregnant with a child for only nine months! But then again, no human mother ever gave birth to a demon child, did they?

"It will be a male." Shendu revealed. "And his name will be… Drago."

Already Nerissa could feel a strong pressure in her lower body. She could even see a large mass forming at her belly, her womb rapidly expanding inside her as something began to grow inside her and take form.

"Please, escort her back out and watch over her until the child arrives." Shendu commanded his minions, prompting the Shadowkhan to surround and pick her up as she was now crying and moaning before vanishing into the shadows, leaving the imprisoned demon alone once again. "I can feel it… my son will be here soon. Oh… this will be quite interesting."

---

The storm had long passed, but it was still nighttime when the Fold had opened up on the side of the mountain and the Guardians all flew out, with Yan Lin carrying Jin in her arms.

"Okay, so let's spread out." Cassidy was already giving her instructions. "Halinor and Kadma, you guys search the north side of the mountain. Yan Lin and Jin are with me, we'll search the south side. Halinor, are we all linked with your telepathy?"

"All of us except Jin, yes." Halinor communicated through their mind link.

"The second any of us find Nerissa, we alert the others. But let's try and be gentle with her." Cassidy said. "Despite what happened, I'm not giving up on her. Right, Kadma?" She stared at her in particular.

"I didn't say we should 'give up'." Kadma said.

"It sounded as if you did." Jin glowered, causing Yan Lin to bonk him on the head.

"I only said that we should be cautious given her mindset." Kadma put in.

"We'll be careful." Cassidy said. "Now let's go." With that, the two groups split off and flew in different directions.

As they flew, Yan Lin noticed the worried expressions on both Cassidy and Jin's faces, and she understood why. "We'll find her. Don't worry."

"Yes. Let us hope that she just hasn't gotten into any trouble." Jin said worriedly, only for that look to turn into horror as they all heard a loud scream coming from down below, a scream they recognized instantly.

"Nerissa!" Cassidy flew like a bat out of hell with Yan Lin and Jin being right behind her. It didn't take long for the Water Guardian to find her lover, who had been set down on the ground by men in black.

"LET HER GO!" She shouted as she blasted a wave of water from her hands to wash away the Shadowkhan, destroying them as she quickly came to Nerissa's side with Yan Lin landing right behind her as she set Jim down.

"Nerissa! It's me! It's Cassidy! I'm here!" She tried to help her up, with Nerissa's eyes opening to see her lover looking at her with a mixture of worry and relief.

"Cassidy…? You… You came for me…?"

"Of course I did! I love you!" Cassidy said with tears in her eyes as she kissed her on the lips. The sight of this caused Jin and Yan Lin to look in relief.

However, the relief didn't last long as Nerissa screamed once more, much to their shock. "Nerissa!" Cassidy held her close as Jin and Yan Lin joined them.

"What's wrong?" Yan Lin questioned urgently.

"A child… Inside me…!" Nerissa said in-between painful moans.

"Inside you…? What are you…?" Jin happened to look towards Nerissa's belly to see it was already grown quite a bit and was more than a little swollen. Such a sight caused him, Cassidy, and Yan Lin to look in absolute shock.

"Y-you're…. You're pregnant...?!" Cassidy stuttered.

"H-how… it's only been a few hours…!" Yan Lin also stuttered.

"It's coming… Help... Me…! It's coming…! AGH!" Nerissa screamed as Cassidy held her tightly while Jin looked ready to panic at any moment.

"Halinor! Kadma! We found Nerissa!" Yan Lin contacted via their telepathic link.

"Where are you?" Halinor replied.

"On a slope on the south side of the mountain! But we need your help! She's pregnant!" Yan Lin communicated.

"PREGNANT?!" Both Kadma and Halinor exclaimed.

"That's impossible! She couldn't be!" Kadma tried to deny it.

"We don't know how, but she is, and it looks like she's about to have it right now! We need your help!" Yan Lin communicated.

"We're on our way!" Halinor informed.

"Cassidy… you know about this… right?" Jin asked her nervously. "Weren't you studying to learn about this?"

"I was studying to be a pediatrician, someone who cares for babies and little kids!" Cassidy exclaimed in a panicked tone. "I've seen how doctors help deliver babies but I've never actually done it myself!"

"Well, we have to do something! I doubt there's a doctor nearby!" Yan Lin stated.

"I… I…" Cassidy had absolutely no idea what was going on right now. Just a short while ago, she was fighting her lover to relieve her of a powerful jewel that was corrupting her like a drug, now she found her lover was not only pregnant but about to give birth! How was this happening?! Why was this happening!?

Her racing thoughts came to an end as Nerissa had reached out to grasp her hand like a lifeline and looked toward her with a pleading expression. "Help me…!"

That was all she needed to hear. Her lover was in trouble and Cassidy was not about to let her down. "Yan Lin, I need you to help take her lower clothes off. Right now."

"I'm on it." She said as she went to Nerissa's legs and began to take it all off just as Halinor and Kadma had arrived.

"Kadma, we need shelter right now!" Cassidy told her.

Wasting no time at all, Kadma used her powers to create a large dome from the ground and cover the area, with all of them right inside.

"Halinor! Light!"

The blonde nodded as she created multiple airborne flames along the dome walls to provide warm illumination for everyone.

"She's ready!" Yan Lin said, having taken all of Nerissa's lower clothes off.

"Alright, I need you and Jin by her side and holding her tight." Cassidy instructed, prompting Yan Lin to be at Nerissa's left and hold her hand tightly while Jin was on the right. "And Jin, take off your belt!"

"M-my belt…? Why…?" He asked.

"For her to bite down on something and not bite her tongue off!" Cassidy exclaimed. "Now do it!"

"Aiya!" Jin exclaimed as he quickly pulled off his belt and put it in Nerissa's mouth, which she bit down on. "I'm sorry! But this should help! Thank you!" He didn't know why he said 'thank you' though. Probably still in a panicked state.

Coming to Nerissa's legs, Cassidy tore off a long piece of her Guardian's dress as she kneeled down with Kadma and Halinor right beside her with Nerissa panting from the intense pain.

"You are going to be okay." Yan Lin assured her. "We have your back."

"We are always by your side." Jin followed his girlfriend's lead as well, both of them smiling toward Nerissa.

The second she saw their smiles; she was once again reminded of all the time they had all spent together. All the adventures, all the battles, and all the memories. Everything that told her that these people were like her real family. They hadn't abandoned or betrayed her like she had thought.

'I was such a fool…'

She then felt a sharp pain in her lower area as something was moving out of her.

"Here it comes!" Cassidy announced as she held the torn cloth to catch whatever came out. "Get ready to push… One… Two… Three… PUSH!"

Nerissa's muffled screams echoed throughout the magic-made shelter and that side of the mountain, catching the attention of many nearby animals.

---

Shendu's glowing eyes lit up within the darkened mines. Despite not being able to see it, and being imprisoned in stone, he could feel his own flesh and blood.

"My son has taken his first breath."

---

It was done. The birth appeared to have been a success as Cassidy had stood up with something wrapped in the cloth, her back turned towards everyone else as they inspected Nerissa, who laid flat on the ground with her eyes closed.

"Nerissa…?" Jin looked more than a little worried.

"She's unconscious… but she'll be alright." Yan Lin assured, much to Jin and Halinor's relief, with even Kadma closing her eyes with a small smile. But that smile quickly faded as she got serious.

"Now then… what of the child?" She looked towards Cassidy, who still had her back turned and didn't give a response. "Cassidy?"

"The child… is alive." She answered hesitantly, but still kept her back turned, much to everyone's concern.

"Well… what is it?" Halinor asked. "Is it a boy…? A girl…? Or…?"

"That's just it…" She turned around to reveal her shocked and confused expression. "I don't know what it is is…" The second they all saw it, their eyes widened like dinner plates as their pupils shrunk followed by a series of gasps.

The infant she held in her arms, the child that was wrapped in cloth… was a humanoid reptile with green scales and a tail. Its eyelids slowly opened to reveal the yellow sclera and red eyes.

---

The Next Morning

The sounds of birds chirping filled the air, making way to her ears and slowly stirred her awake. Her mind was groggy, but as Nerissa opened her eyes, and her vision cleared, she tried to get a sense of her surroundings. She appeared to be in the same rock-made dome from before, only it had several small holes that let in the sunlight, indicating it was early morning.

A blanket had lain over her body to give her some form of cover. She slowly pushed herself up and glanced to her side to see two baskets, one having food and the other a fresh change of clothes, the first one having a note tied to it, which she took to get a closer look and read.

'Take your time. Eat up and gather your strength. We'll be right outside whenever you're ready. Cassidy.' The note read, there was even a heart drawn at the end.

Almost as if on cue, her stomach growled. She wasted no time in grabbing an apple from the basket and bit down into it.

After eating her fill and getting changed, Nerissa crawled her way out of the dome and into the sunny outdoors saw all her team talking with each other.

"Um… Hello…?"

They all turned towards her, with Cassidy on her in a second, wrapping her arms around her. "Nerissa…! I was so worried…!"

"I… Cassidy…" She was so much at a loss for words, but it didn't stop her from returning the hug. "About before I…"

"It doesn't matter. I'm just glad you're okay." Cassidy muttered.

"As are the rest of us." Jin and Yan Lin, both holding hands, walked towards her as they smiled before wrapping their arms around her and Cassidy.

Halinor joined in as well. "Nerissa don't worry about what happened back at Kandrakar. We're just happy that you're still here."

That caused her a great deal of relief. Even as she saw Kadma walking toward her with a slight smile of your own. "I trust you've recovered your strength?"

Nerissa sighed with a small smile. "I'm still standing…"

"Good." Kadma's smile then faded. "Because we need to talk. About this…" She stepped aside to reveal the humanoid infant dragon that was curled up on a rock, bathing in the sun. It was almost adorable.

All relief faded into pure terror as Nerissa saw the half-demon child she just bore. This was the child she had with Shendu. The one that they intended to use as per a plot to conquer the universe. She only participated in the insane ritual because she felt her friends had abandoned and betrayed her. But since that was not the case… how could she tell them about this? How could they accept her if she did?

"Nerissa… that… child…" Yan Lin began.

"Creature." Kadma interrupted.

"Whatever it was… it came from you." Yan Lin said, paying a brief glare to Kadma before turning to Nerissa.

"We understand if you're going through a lot, but we need to know what happened. So that we can help you." Halinor said almost pleadingly.

"I…" Nerissa hesitated for a moment before Cassidy placed her hand in both of hers as she smiled lovingly toward her and helped her sit down on a rock.

"Take your time." Cassidy assured. "We're not going anywhere."

Even Jin had placed a hand on Nerissa's shoulder and gave her a smile before sitting on a rock himself, the smile still there, one that showed he had faith in her, just as much as Cassidy did.

"I… is there anything to say? Wouldn't the Oracle know from watching it all?" Nerissa asked.

"Actually, he didn't see you." Jin revealed, much to her own surprise.

"He… what…?"

"Yeah, funny story." Cassidy explained. "After you left, the Oracle said you landed in a darkspot. A place that he couldn't see into."

"This whole area is covered in it. He can't even see where we are." Yan Lin added.

"And you… haven't told him about…" Nerissa glanced towards the sleeping demon infant.

"We stayed with you all night, to make sure you were safe." Halinor said.

"And to get a proper account of what happened to you so that we can assess whether or not this thing is a threat." Kadma stated.

"I suppose the English word for 'sensitivity' is loss to you, Kadma." Jin commented with a glare, prompting her to glare back.

"No fighting! Guys! Please!" Cassidy pleaded with an annoyed groan and then turned back to Nerissa. "But… yeah. The Oracle can't see us, and we didn't tell him anything. So, whatever it is… take your time… and we'll listen to you."

"I…" What exactly was she supposed to say to them? That she bore a demon's child to try and take over the universe?! They would all hate her for that! But… what about the baby itself? What would they do with it? Wait… why was she so concerned with… her… son… Right… this was her son. Her child. Even if it came from a demon, it was still hers. She was told the story of Shendu and his own siblings, if the Oracle knew about a child like that, he and maybe even Kadma may just dropkick him into the clouds from the Fortress of Infinity themselves. Rather than lose her friendships, or her child, she would only tell them parts of the story that were true… and maybe put her own spin on it.

"After I fled Kandrakar… I was caught in a storm. I fell into a pit… an old mine…" Nerissa began and everyone listened. "It was the home of a demon…"

"A demon?" Yan Lin questioned as everyone was now paying close attention.

"Yes." She nodded. "It saw what I could do… it saw me with my Quintessence. And it thought that if it could combine its own powers with that… it could make an unstoppable heir. So… it had me bear its child."

Everyone gasped in shock and audible horror, even Kadma looked more than a little disturbed while Cassidy covered her mouth.

"Oh my god… Nerissa…!" She was already crying.

"It didn't exactly force itself on me in the literal sense… I… was forced to drink a piece of its flesh…" She muttered, looking away. Only to be caught off guard as Cassidy, Yan Lin, and Halinor all leapt at her to hug and comfort her.

"I can't even imagine something so horrible…!" Halinor sobbed.

"Oh Nerissa… I'm so sorry…" Yan Lin cried as well.

"Yes… I… I too am sorry that you had to endure that." Kadma lowered her head.

Jin stood up from his spot with a look of vengeance. "Where is that demon? Tell me where he is so that I may introduce him to my fists?!" He clenched his fists together in rage.

"Don't waste your time, Jin. He's dead." Nerissa answered.

"Are you sure?" Cassidy asked as she and the others slowly pulled away.

"Yeah… I'm sure. I did it myself." Nerissa felt a tad guilty about lying, but they couldn't know the truth.

"Good." Jin nodded.

"Well, with that out of the way… what about this one?" Kadma looked down to the sleeping infant. "Perhaps we should send it to join its father…"

"No!" Nerissa immediately rushed forward to pick up the child and held it close in her arms. "Don't you dare!"

To say everyone was surprised was an understatement.

"Nerissa…" Yan Lin muttered.

"Are you defending the child of the demon that forced itself onto you?!" Kadma exclaimed in shock and anger.

"The father was a monster, but this is my child!" Nerissa shouted with fierce protectiveness. "He is my son!"

"Son?!" Everyone all exclaimed.

"Nerissa… out of all the brazen… audacity…!" Kadma couldn't find the words that she wanted to shout and scream to her former leader. "It is a demon!"

"He is a baby! He has not done any harm!" Nerissa shouted, still holding the sleeping child in her arms.

"Not yet… but when it does…!" Kadma argued.

"And since when are you capable of seeing into the future!?" Nerissa questioned.

"No good can come from…"

"Okay! Okay! Break it up!" Cassidy got in-between them and pushed Kadma away. "Nerissa's right! It might be a demon, but it's still just a baby! He hasn't even done any harm since he came into this world! And last time I checked, Guardians don't take innocent lives!"

Kadma glared slightly but saw that Cassidy wasn't budging and neither was Nerissa. So with reluctance, she backed away.

"So… what do we do about this, then?" Halinor asked.

Cassidy tried to think for a moment before turning to her lover. "Nerissa, are you sure that Daddy is dead?"

"Yes. I'm sure."

"Alright… then… let's raise him ourselves. All of us." Cassidy proposed.

As if they weren't surprised already. Jin, Halinor, and Yan Lin, even Nerissa, they all looked in complete and utter surprise while Kadma looked towards Cassidy as if she had just grown a second head.

"Raise… a child…?" Halinor muttered.

"I mean… sure he's a demon… but if we were to all raise him… between the six of us… we can turn him into a force for good." Cassidy said. "Look at all the good we've all done together. Having all of us as a family would be such a good influence."

"But… where can it go…?" Halinor questioned.

"I have to agree. It's not as if we can take a demon into daycare or anything." Jin said.

"It's a good idea on paper, Cassidy. But I'm not so sure the Council will think so." Yan Lin put in.

"They don't have to know. At least not right now." Cassidy said, much to their further confusion. "Think about it… this whole place is a blind spot for the Oracle…" She gestured to the environment around her. "He won't be able to see what goes on down here. We can use our powers to build a little house, there's not a lot of people living nearby so we don't have to worry about exposing anything magic-related to the public…"

"And we all just live here from now on?" Yan Lin questioned.

"Nerissa will stay here and look after the kiddo." Cassidy answered. "We're all still Guardians and we still have a job to do, but we'll swing back here and help as much as we can. We'll just tell the Oracle that Nerissa needs some space and time off as a Guardian. I'm sure he'll understand."

"Except for the fact that we'd be lying to him and the Council!" Kadma stated. "We could be stripped of our powers for that!"

"I will tell him!" Nerissa spoke up, getting all their attention. "Should the Oracle find out, I will be the one to tell him and I will take responsibility for all of it." She sat down and looked to the infant demon in her arms that slowly unfurled himself and opened his tiny mouth like a yawn, opening his eyes to look at the face of his mother who couldn't help but smile lovingly toward him.

"You would really do that?" Kadma questioned, not expecting this from Nerissa at all.

"Yes. Without hesitation." Nerissa confirmed.

"Then it's settled." Cassidy said as she sat down next to her partner. "We're raising him together. And if and when the Oracle does find out, we'll talk and face him together too." She said that last part to Nerissa specifically as she nuzzled her cheek against her own, causing Nerissa to giggle and blush.

"I'm fine with it." Jin said as well as he joined them. "When he's old enough, I'll teach him Kung Fu. He certainly seems like a fighter."

"And if he has magical abilities, we can help him to master it." Yan Lin added, joining them, leaning down to look at the baby demon.

"Demon or not, he is still a baby. And if we do raise him… then I think he'll turn out alright." Halinor had also seemed in favor of this decision as she joined the group.

Even Kadma had to give a reluctant sigh. "I suppose if all of us are in control… then the child could become a force for good." She too joined them.

The baby demon looked around at all the faces that stared at him. There was a look of curiosity in his eyes as he reached out with his tiny little hands, to which Cassidy wiggled her finger at.

"Awe, hey there little guy." Cassidy smiled even as the baby demon grabbed onto her finger. "Ooh, got a grip on ya."

"He's adorable." Halinor smiled as well.

"He looks almost like a baby dragon." Jin said before he too smiled. "Which means he will grow into a big and strong one."

"And dragons are symbols of good fortune and wisdom. Perhaps this little one is a blessing to us." Yan Lin also smiled.

As she looked at the baby's face, a small smile formed on Kadma's face as well. "He will need a name, of course."

"Drago." Nerissa said with the loving smile of a mother. "That is his name. Drago."

"I like it." Cassidy said looking at the baby demon. "Welcome the world, little Drago."

---

Three Months Later

Nerissa sat at an outdoor fire pit with a chicken roasting over the flames just outside of the house that her friends had helped to make for her. It was a large stone building that had only a single bed inside with a table and a flat rock that was in front of one of the holes that served as a window. It was simple, but that was fine with her as she mostly spent her time outdoors. The forest that occupied the side of the mountain was somewhat dense, so it provided plenty of shade and cover, but the mountainside was rather beautiful as well. She could honestly get used to this kind of simple lifestyle. It suited her and her son well.

Speaking of, a noise down to her side caught her attention as she turned to her right and looked down to see the infant Drago, crawling on all fours and giving a reptile-like noise from his mouth, looking at her with puppy-dog eyes like he was ready to eat, smelling the cooked chicken.

"Okay, okay, it's ready. Hold your horses." Nerissa told him with a laugh as she picked up the stick that the cooked chicken was skewered on and handed it her son, whom he took with his claws and ripped it apart with his fangs, devouring nearly everything in no time at all. "Careful, you don't wanna choke." She told him, but it all went on deaf ears as Drago had already devoured the whole chicken, save for the bones, and gave a burp. "That's my boy."

A Fold then opened up to her side as Cassidy stepped out with some bags in her hands. "Hey." She greeted with a smile.

"Hey." Nerissa greeted back.

"Got some more food. Plenty of meat, like you said. But I also got some fruit and veggies." Cassidy said as she put the bags down. "Demon or not, you gotta give him those nutrients."

"I wouldn't worry about him not hating vegetables. He's an omnivore at this point." Nerissa said as she picked up an apple from the bag. "Watch. Drago! You still Hungry?"

Drago gave an excited roar as Nerissa handed him the apple and he took it and consumed it in less than a second, seeds and all.

"Wow. What an appetite." Cassidy commented.

"He's a growing boy." Nerissa smiled. "So, how are things with you and the others? Guardian work not being too much trouble."

"We haven't had a whole lot to deal with recently, but we've been managing." Cassidy answered. "But Kadma's been trying to assert herself as the unofficial 'second-in-command'." She said with air-quotes.

"Can't imagine Jin is happy about that." Nerissa commented.

"Nah, but Yan Lin and Halinor are keeping them from killing each other." Cassidy joked, causing them both to laugh. Drago then ended up climbing on his mother's lap and curled himself on her for a nap, causing Nerissa to smile lovingly as she patted her son. That smile… Cassidy never imagined Nerissa would have that kind of smile. But it suited her very well.

"You seem to be doing very well out here." She said.

"Well, when you're not fighting for the sake of the universe with lives on the line… it gets rather relaxing." Nerissa said as she looked up to the blue sky. "Honestly… It feels… liberating almost."

"Being a Guardian was pretty tough for you, wasn't it?" Cassidy asked.

"I didn't mind it. I enjoyed all our adventures." Nerissa replied. "I just didn't want to spend my whole life fighting a non-ending battle with one villain popping up after we defeat the one before."

"I see what you mean…" Cassidy understood. "Do you want to come back?"

Nerissa's smile faded slightly. "I guess I do… but…" She sighed. "I do miss you and everyone else. You all visit me very often and help me with Drago as much as you can, which I'm grateful for. And I admit I do miss being a Guardian… I just don't want to spend all of my life fighting. I was hoping that there would be a way to end all of evil entirely so that we could stop and nobody would have to keep suffering."

Cassidy sighed as she leaned closer to Nerissa. "Honestly, if there was a way to do all of that, I'd probably do it. A universe where people no longer fight sounds good. But… it's not that simple."

"I figured as much…" Nerissa looked away, but she looked towards her sleeping half-demon son with a loving smile. "Anything to keep him safe though. We may not change the course of the universe or anything… but as long as he's still here and happy… that's all I need."

Cassidy smiled, loving this side of Nerissa. She really has changed these past few months, hasn't she? Not once has she asked for the Heart back or seemed eager to rejoin the fight. Guess being a mother can have that sort of effect on her. Regarding Drago himself, he seemed like he'd cause no harm. He may be half-demon, but he was downright adorable. There was no trouble at all from him, and Nerissa was doing a great job raising him so far.

"Hey, whenever you feel that you're ready to tell the Council about Drago, I'll talk with the Oracle about giving you the Heart of Kandrakar back." Cassidy said.

Nerissa looked towards her with wide and circular eyes. Give her the Heart back? "I… Are you serious…? Y-you'd… you'd give it back…?"

"If you're responsible enough to look after a child… I think we can all trust you with that." Cassidy said. "But, when you're ready. Nobody is going to force it. But when you are, we'll all be here for you. I will be here for you."

"Cassidy…" Nerissa had no idea what to say to any of that.

However, the redhead looked at her watch. "Oh, I gotta go! Sorry to leave, but I got to help my mom with something." She took out the Heart again and opened a Fold. "But I will be back soon, I promise."

"Cassidy, wait." Nerissa stood up, holding Drago in one arm, while gently grabbing onto Cassidy's wrist with her free hand. "Thank you… For everything."

Cassidy smiled as she pulled in Nerissa to kiss her on the lips, something that Nerissa herself returned before they pressed their foreheads against each other. "I'll always be here for Nerissa. No matter what. I love you."

"I love you too." Nerissa said with happy tears in her eyes.

Cassidy then looked down towards Drago. "Take care of your mama, okay little Drago?" She kissed the baby demon on the forehead, earning a happy moan from him before she walked into the Fold, leaving the two behind.

But the minute she was gone, Nerissa was hit with a truckload of guilt. All these months, and she still didn't tell Cassidy or the others about the whole story with Shendu. How could she? But she was even more surprised that Shendu's Shadowkhan minions haven't arrived to try and get her or Drago back to him. He was probably letting Nerissa raise the boy himself until he was old enough to help him. Given the demon waited centuries as a statue, he must have developed quite the sense of patience, so it wasn't impossible to think of that. But still, even if they were living in a darkspot outside of the Oracle's sight, it may be only a matter of time until someone discovers Shendu, and everything is blown wide open. They may kick Nerissa out of the group permanently. Or worse… harm Drago!

No! She won't let that happen! She won't let any harm come to her child! She already had a plan in place. The next time one of her friends comes for a visit, Nerissa would tell them that she feels ready to talk to the Oracle about her story and get the Heart back. She would then use it to Fold back into Shendu's lair and open another one that would lead into the mouth of an active volcano in some other realm and throw him in there. He wouldn't use or harm Drago, and nobody would know what went on between them. Her secret would be safe, and so would her son.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Drago suddenly became agitated and growled in her arms. "Drago? What is it?"

Drago looked southward, down the slope of the mountain, much to Nerissa's concern before she walked in that same direction. After passing some trees, Nerissa came to a cliffside where she got a clear view of the valley below…

Where she saw dozens of trucks parked with men coming out, loading their rifles up and unpacking their supplies.

"Hunters… Suppose it's open season." Nerissa thought. She noticed her son's angry growl and tried to calm him down with him in her arms. "Don't worry. This side of the mountain doesn't have many animals, they won't come here. And if they do, I'll find a way to get rid of them. I won't let anyone lay a hand on you, my boy." She kissed her half-demon son the forehead, which seemed to calm him down. "Now, let's get you back. I think you're due for your sun nap."

---

Later that Night

Nerissa laid in her bed, sleeping very soundly. Until an odd scent had reached her nostrils, as well as a sudden wave of heat inside the house. She tossed somewhat before slowly opening her eyes to a flash of orange…

She shot out of bed, wide awake, to see a fire burning in the middle of the floor of the house! All courtesy of the infant Drago who gave a sneeze that let out some flames from his mouth and nose.

"Drago!" Rushing to claim her baby, she quickly pulled her child away from the flames and tried to extinguish them by throwing a bucket of water over them, but the flames were too much and were quickly spreading. She grabbed her child once again and ran out of the house, where the fire could be seen from the hole windows, growing rapidly inside.

Nerissa cursed herself for not thinking of this sooner. Of course, Drago had fire magic! His dad was a demonic dragon for crying out loud! But no time to worry about that! She had to stop these flames before they got out of the house and started a forest fire.

Thinking quickly, Nerissa spotted a nearby tree and set Drago down. "Stay here, okay baby?" She rushed to the tree and put her hands onto it to activate her powers. "Quintessence!" The tree grew to enormous size, twice as big as before, and tipped over, crushing the stone building to literally stomp out all the flames.

She breathed a sigh of relief, quickly moving to claim her baby one again who looked at her with a confused expression. Quickly inspecting to see that he wasn't hurt, she was relieved to see that he didn't have any injuries.

"Don't worry. We'll fix it up." She assured her son. "We just need to…"

"Hey, you there!"

Her pupils shrunk at the sound of someone's voice from behind, followed by a multitude of footsteps. She tried to hide her child behind as she turned around to see more than twenty hunters, the same people from before, all arrive on the scene.

"What are all of you doing here?"

"Hunting game. We get a better chance to nab a deer at night." One hunter said. "What about you lady? This ain't no man's property."

"I… uh…" She tried to think of something, but her expression turned into one of terror as Drago climbed up onto his shoulder to growl and snarl at the hunters.

"Holy…! What the hell is that?!"

"Some kind of lizard thing!"

"I ain't seen nothing like it!"

"It's nothing!" She tried to put her child away. "Just get back! All of you! Get back now!"

"Look lady, nobody supposed to be living out here." One hunter walked forward. "And you got something there that nobody ever seen before." He grabbed her by the arm. "You're gonna tell us what you're doing here, or we're gonna call the station…"

The infant Drago bit onto the man's arm, causing him to yell in pain before Nerissa kicked him back, while she still held her child who growled at the man like an animal.

"The hell…?!"

"Leave! Now!" Nerissa ordered. "I won't tell you all again!"

In response, most of the hunters had their rifles drawn and pointed directly at her. "That lady is crazy!"

"Shoot her and grab the little beast!"

Nerissa quickly turned around and ran with her child in her arms just as the hunters fired. Most of the bullets all missed, but one did scratch her left shoulder, causing her to wince, but she kept on running.

"After her!" Another hunter ordered as they all ran in pursuit, with one hunter helping the one that had its arm bit into up before they joined the chase.

Nerissa hid behind a tree, the tiny Drago snarling and growling. "Sssh, sssh." She tried to shush her child while desperately thinking of a plan. If she were a full Guardian, she could easily overpower all of them. Or just fly away with her baby. But she was alone and only had her basic powers, in the middle of a darkspot where the Oracle couldn't see what was going on.

But then an idea came to her. She may end up regretting this, and it will probably reveal Drago's existence to the Council, but it could also get her friends here to stop this. Tapping her hand on the tree she put her back against, she used her powers once more.

"Quintessence!" Bolts of white energy surged through the tree as it shot straight up into the air, as high as it could possibly get. Hopefully something like that will at least alert the Oracle to something.

"Over here! I found her!"

One hunter had spotted her and aimed his gun at her, but she ducked and avoided the shot before resuming her run as she still carried her baby. But the rapidly growing tree also caught the attention of the other hunters.

"How in the hell did she do that?!"

"She must be some kinda witch!"

"We gotta get her before she puts some kind of crazy spell on us!"

"Get her!"

All the hunters resumed their chase as the tree continued to grow, well above the top of the mountain before comping to a stop. That was all the power Nerissa could give in her human form, and hopefully it was enough.

---

Kandrakar

The Oracle suddenly felt a disturbance. Using his own powers, he waved his hand to create an image of the mountain in Nevada where Nerissa was staying. Though most of the area was covered in shadows, the darkspot he was unable to see through, he was able to feel a surge of Quintessence energy, as well as see a growing tree that just barely escaped from the void.

A clear sign of trouble if he had ever seen one.

Acting quickly, the Oracle opened a Fold, from which Cassidy fell out, clad in her pajamas, she was probably sleeping when he pulled her into this realm.

"Oracle…?! What the heck..!?" She pushed herself up. "I was sleeping…!"

"Forgive me Cassidy, but you and your friends must go to Nerissa now!" The Oracle told her. "I fear she is in danger."

---

Earth

Nerissa continued to run as fast as she can, running for her own life and the child she still carried in her arms. The hunters were trying their best to catch up to her, only stopping to try and shoot at her, but they weren't the best at aiming as most of the bullets clearly missed, with a few close calls. But she had to get as far away as she possibly could. Maybe make it down the mountain and find a place to hide until her friends showed up.

But she came to a sudden stop as she exited out of the trees and found herself just inches away from a steep cliff with a waterfall nearby. The pit was so deep and dark, that she couldn't see the bottom. She would certainly die from a fall this high.

"Nowhere left to run, witch-lady!"

Turning around, Nerissa saw that all the hunters had caught up with her, all had their guns aimed directly at her, but she held her snarling and growling half-demon child as close as possible as she too glared at all the men.

"Stay away from us! I am warning you…!"

"Get her in the leg!" One hunter ordered, prompting the one next to him to aim and fire his rifle, the bullet hitting Nerissa in the left leg, causing her to fall over…

And drop her child into the pit behind her.

"NO!" She tried to reach and grab Drago, but her fingers just barely missed, and she could only watch as her half-demon baby fell into the dark pit. "DRAGO!"

Time had come to a stop for Nerissa as she felt her own heart shatter, tears flowing from her eyes and down her cheeks as her horrified face could only stare down into the darkness that took her child from her. Her child… her son… gone. Just like that.

"The little lizard fell off the cliff!" One hunter exclaimed.

"It's probably dead now." Another one waved off. "Just grab some rope to tie up the witch so we can…"

Suddenly, a ring of fire formed around all the hunters as they were forced together in a circle. They could only look up in shock and terror as they saw the Guardian forms of Halinor, Kadma, and Yan Lin glaring down at them.

"Don't move if you value your lives!" Halinor warned, clenching her fists as the flames closed in closer, forcing the hunters together more.

'They've seen us in our Guardian forms.' Kadma thought. 'That could be problematic, but first…' She glanced towards Nerissa as she saw Cassidy, also in her Guardian form, with Jin approach the woman as she remained in her kneeling position, staring deep into the pit.

"Nerissa!" Jin put a hand on her shoulder, but she didn't even seem to notice him, nor her partner.

"Where is Drago? Where is…?" Cassidy followed Nerissa's line-of-sight off the cliff and into the pit below. It didn't take long for her to put two-and-two together as she only gasped in horror. "Oh no…"

"More witches! Holy crap witches are real!"

"Are they gonna burn us alive?!"

"Calm down! We got our damn guns! Let's just shoot…!" That hunter was interrupted as his gun, as well as all the other guns they had were telekinetically pulled from their persons by Kadma.

While she didn't appear to hear or notice her friends, still focused on the darkness where her son was lost… she did hear the hunters shouting. The hunters… the men who took her child away… the monsters who stole everything from her. It was their fault! They had to pay! They had to die for daring to steal what was hers!

That's when she noticed a glint of light out of the corner of her eye… the Heart of Kandrakar that Cassidy wore around her neck.

Her eyes narrowed as she quickly grabbed the Heart, much to Cassidy's surprise and said the magic words. "Guardians Unite!" She even channeled her own Quintessence power into it for good measure to make sure the power would activate her own transformation, even if Cassidy was now the bearer of the Heart.

All eyes turned to the flash of light of where Nerissa once stood before bolts of energy were shot forward to extinguish the ring of fire that surrounded the hunters.

"You call me a witch….?" She slowly marched forward to the hunters, now in her full Guardian form. Her fists clenched as Quintessence energy surged through them. "You think me a monster…?" Her eyes surged with the same power, speaking in such a venomous tone that all of her friends, even Kadma, couldn't help but feel nervous. She now stood directly in front of the terrified hunters before hovering above the ground as Quintessence power surged like a violent storm around her before she screamed with such unbridle rage. "YOU WANT A MONSTER?! I'LL SHOW YOU A MONSTER!

She threw out her arms to blast two bolts of her power to blast and kill four of the hunters in front of her, causing the others to scream as they ran into the forest. Meanwhile, Cassidy, Halinor, Jin, Yan Lin, and Kadma looked in absolute horror at that.

"Nerissa…! Wait!" Cassidy tried to fly and reach out to her, but Nerissa, while keeping her back turned, flicked a finger towards a nearby tree to send a bolt of Quintessence energy there, causing the tree to grow as its branches extended to ensnare and bind all of them.

"Stay out of my way…" She warned before flying into the forest after the hunters.

"No…! We have to stop her!" Yan Lin exclaimed.

"I'll handle this." Kadma used her own earth powers to cause a tremor under the tree that entangled them, uprooting it and setting them all free.

"Let's go." Jin stated before they all went in after her.

As Nerissa hovered through the woods, the Quintessence energy still radiating from her, she saw the hunters scattering and running as far and fast as they could.

"You can't hide from me…! Not with the power I wield…!" She outstretched her arms to send more bolts of her power, striking multiple trees, causing them all to grow and transform, putting them under her control.

Jin and the other Guardians had likewise scattered throughout the woods to capture the hunters, but it seems that all of them were too slow to really change the outcome. Yan Lin watched in terror as one tree extended its branch to impale four hunters in a row. Kadma could only witness the roots of one tree grow ensnare three hunters by their necks before crushing them completely. Halinor was terrified to find one tree exploding its trunk as the bark shredded through the bodies of four hunters like shrapnel. Cassidy covered her mouth in shock to see two hunters pulled into the stump of one tree by the roots, only to be crushed completely.

There was one terrified hunter, who held a hunting knife, hiding behind a rock as Nerissa loomed nearby, not even noticing him as she shot a bolt of Quintessence to kill another hunter on the spot.

With terror-filled adrenaline, that very hunter ran out with a charge and swung his knife down at Nerissa, who turned around and instinctively held her right hand to try and block it, only for her hand to be cut off entirely.

Nerissa cried in pain as she held her wrist with her only remaining hand, falling to her knees, as the knife-wielding hunter shakily and angrily held it up, ready to cut her down right there.

"Damn witch…!"

Fortunately, as he swung down, Jin appeared in-between them just in time to strike his right hand with a chop to the wrist of the hand that held the knife, knocking it from the hunter's hand before he punched the hunter in the face.

The hunter didn't even get a chance to recover as Nerissa shot another bolt of Quintessence to blast a hole clear through him. Jin turned around in clear shock, only to get pulled down by some roots that she had used her Quintessence on to keep him bound to the ground.

"Stay down." Nerissa warned darkly, having used roots and leaves with her powers to create a makeshift bandage around her severed right wrist. "Final warning."

As she flew away, Jin could only look in terror at seeing just how bloodthirsty his friend had become. Granted, she just lost her son but… to be on the receiving end of such venom… it genuinely frightened him.

"Jin!" Yan Lin quickly flew down to him. "Hold still!" She spun the air around her hand like a makeshift saw to try and cut him free.

Only one hunter remained as he was now backed against a boulder with Nerissa hovering over him with deadly intent.

"Please! No! Spare me!" The hunter pleaded as he got on his knees.

"How does it feel…?" She muttered ominously. "To be cornered…? To have someone come and try to take what's most precious to you…? To beg for mercy…?" The terrified hunter looked up to her with tears in her eyes, just as Cassidy flew onto the scene. "Only to find the monster you're running from… has none to give…"

Cassidy's eyes widened with terror as she saw Nerissa extending her only remaining hand, a condensed bolt of Quintessence energy forming at her palm.

"Please…" The hunter begged one last time.

"Die." Nerissa said just as she shot the bolt forward.

It was all in slow motion as Cassidy tried to fly in. As she tried to create a shield of water… and all their friends had just arrived on the scene… the bolt moving closer towards its intended target.

Cassidy had flown in front and tried to extend the water barrier to deflect the bolt… Only for said bolt to pierce through the barrier… Cassidy herself… and the hunter behind her.

When it was all done… Nerissa's eyes widened like circles. Her rage vanishing and replaced with utter terror as Cassidy's form fell down in front of her. Smoke coming out from the front of her chest and her back, with the hunter behind her having the same effect, he was clearly dead. But the hunter may as well not even exist for Nerissa at this point.

"Cassidy…?" She muttered as she set down on the ground to pick up her partner by the shoulders. "Cassidy…! Cassidy!" She tried to shake her awake. "Come on… Don't do this…! You're okay…! You're okay… right…?" She spoke rapidly and desperately, only for Cassidy's head to fall limp, along with her hand.

Yan Lin covered her mouth in terror as Jin next to her felt his heart stop. Halinor fell to her knees while Kadma couldn't stop herself from shaking.

This can't be happening…? Right…?

"No…" Nerissa muttered. "No… nononono, no! No! No!" Nerissa held her close. "Quintessence!" She channeled her power through Cassidy's body in a desperate attempt to revive her. Only for nothing to happen. "No! This has to work! Quintessence!" Once again, nothing happened even with the use of her power. "This power is life itself! If it can bring objects to life it can do the same here! Now bring her back to me! Quintessence!" But once more, she wasn't moving. "No! Cassidy! Please! Not you too! Not you too! Cassidy!" She cried, looking all around her to see the rest of her team still having the same horrified and sorrowful expressions as before.

They all knew, as much as they didn't want it to be, they all knew it. And deep down… she knew it too.

Cassidy was gone.

Holding her beloved partner's body close, Nerissa let loose the loudest scream she could, one that would echo throughout the entire mountain.

---

Meanwhile, back in Shendu's cave, the imprisoned demon felt something unusual as it stirred him from his slumber.

"How odd… I no longer feel my son's presence." With a glow of his eyes, the Shadowkhan all reappeared around him. "Search the area. Find my son, and the woman who bore him." The Shadowkhan all melted into the shadows once more to follow their master's instructions.

---

Mount Thanos, a desolate mountain on Earth that may as well be forever stuck in winter. It was so cold and barren that no living being could possibly survive in it. Yet, there were living beings inside the cavern that was located on top of the mountain.

Nerissa sat on the stone, trapped in a cage made from magic iron. Her right wrist had been treated and was now bandaged to cover the join where her hand once was. As she sat, her long and disheveled hair covered most of her face as she listened to the argument taking place outside the cell.

"Why is she imprisoned?!" Jin exclaimed. "The hunters attacked her!"

"Maybe so… but she's proven to be dangerous." The Oracle spoke in a more calm tone. "She could have used her power to subdue them. But instead she killed them."

"They killed her son! What more do you need for her anger to be justified?!" Jin exclaimed.

"We don't know that!" Yan Lin tried to pull her boyfriend back and stop the argument. "Halinor and Kadma are searching! They'll be back and maybe…"

Right on cue, a Fold had appeared as the aforementioned Guardians entered the cave, but it was only them.

"Well?" The Oracle asked, with Nerissa slightly lifting her head, but her hair still covered most of her face as they couldn't see her expression.

Halinor shook her head. "We searched everywhere… no sign…"

"There was a river at the bottom of that cliff…" Kadma child. "Given it was still an infant… the baby more than likely drowned…"

Jin, Yan Lin, and even the Oracle hung their heads down in sorrow.

"I'm sorry… Nerissa…" Halinor apologized sincerely, but she just hung her head down and offered no response.

"The child of a demon… I never would have expected that." The Oracle muttered. It was no surprise now that he knew. Given what had just happened, they had to tell him everything they heard from Nerissa, the story that she had told all of them.

"What do we do now…?" Yan Lin asked. "What do we do about… Cassidy… Oh god…!" Yan Lin was already sobbing, prompting Jin to pull her in for comfort as he too had tears in his eyes. Halinor put a hand over her own mouth as he too cried, while Kadma did her best to hold back her own tears.

The Oracle closed his eyes in sorrow before approaching the cell where Nerissa sat, her face still covered by her messy hair. "Nerissa… I am sorry that…"

"No, you're not…" She muttered.

"I don't…" The Oracle tried to speak, but she wasn't done yet.

"What do you know of sorry? What can you possibly now…?!" She clenched her only hand as her chin shook. "You sit in your little fortress and just watch… all that chaos… all that suffering in this damn universe… and you just watch…!" She practically growled. "You have all that power, but you don't use it…!"

"What would you have me do then, Nerissa?" The Oracle questioned.

"Find a way to use it and look for a way to destroy all evil!" She exclaimed, still in her sitting position, her face still unseen. "Combine it with the Heart! And if that's not enough, get more power! Use what you have and end it! But no! You would rather have all of us just fight one insignificant battle after another! Conflict-after-conflict! War-after-war! If you could end it all, then there wouldn't be a need for Guardians! We wouldn't need to risk our lives for you! For strangers we don't even know!" She finally revealed her face, her eyes red with the tears she continued to say, as well as all the hate and venom she could muster. "If you had done that, then Cassidy and Drago would still be alive!"

"Nerissa…" He didn't even get a chance to talk back as she leapt at the bars, grabbing a hold of it with her only hand as she looked at him like she was ready to murder him on the spot.

"THEY'RE DEAD! THE WOMAN I LOVED! MY SON! THEY'RE ALL GONE AND IT'S YOUR FAULT! YOU HEAR ME?! IT'S YOUR FAULT!" She screamed.

"No, it isn't!" Kadma stepped forward. "The Oracle couldn't see anything in that darkspot that you chose to reside in!"

"So, you're saying it's my fault?!" Nerissa turned her rage to her former teammate.

"You were the one who struck her after all…" Kadma muttered angrily, only for Nerissa to quickly reach through the bars, grab Kadma by the collar and slam her face repeatedly into the bars with a yell of rage.

"Nerissa!" Halinor yelled as she, Jin, and Yan Lin quickly rushed in to break them apart.

"Stop it!" Yan Lin exclaimed as they were finally able to pull Kadma free, who fell to the ground as she felt her face, where her nose and mouth were already bleeding. She turned back to glare at Nerissa, who continued to snarl at her.

"All of this happened because you attacked us before." Kadma stated.

"Kadma…!" Yan Lin said warningly.

"Had you surrendered the Heart, you wouldn't have fled and been taken advantage of by that demon." Kadma continued, causing Nerissa to glare even more at her. "That child wouldn't have been born only to die so quickly, and Cassidy would still be among us!"

"Kadma! Stop! Now!" Halinor tried to pull her away.

"And why didn't you try to stop it, then?!" Jin argued as Yan Lin also tried to pull him away. "Why didn't the 'incredible' and 'flawless' Earth Guardian use her 'mighty power' to stop her rampage?!"

"And why didn't Nerissa's closest friend and surrogate brother try more to reason with her?!" Kadma argued back, despite both being held back, they looked ready to rip each other apart.

"Enough!" The Oracle said firmly as he created a transparent magical wall to separate them. Taking a moment to collect himself, he addressed them all as he now had their undivided attention. "It is best that all of you return to your homes." He opened a Fold for all of them to enter. "Take this time to grieve. To process your loss."

"What about her?" Yan Lin asked, referring to Nerissa.

"Leave her to grieve as well." The Oracle answered as a more sympathetic look formed on her face. "I am hoping that with enough time and solitude, she will find a way to accept and move past this." He turned one last tme towards her. "But Nerissa, I truly am sorry for your loss."

With that, he entered the Fold.

Kadma was about to enter it next. "Leaving already?" Jin questioned spitefully.

"Someone has to tell Cassidy's mother what happened." She then turned in Nerissa's direction. "But I will tell her that it was an accident, and that you had no part in it. I wouldn't want that poor woman to go through the pain of knowing her own daughter was killed by the one that she loved." She then entered the Fold before anyone could say anything else.

Jin, Yan Lin, and Halinor turned towards the cage one last time, as Nerissa pulled herself away so she wouldn't look at any of them.

"Nerissa…" Yan Lin wanted to say something.

"Go away… Just… just go. All of you… Let me grieve in peace…" Nerissa muttered, her form shaking, causing all three to look in sorrow, a feeling they all felt.

"I am sorry Nerissa…" Jin apologized sincerely. "Truly… I am…"

"We all are…" Yan Lin was already crying again as Jin put an arm around her shoulder, the couple turning around with Halinor to step into the Fold, which closed shortly after.

The minute they were gone, the dam broke as Nerissa cried in solitude. Holding herself as tight as she could as she sobbed alone, the only thing keeping her company were the echoes of her cries and moans.

---

Nevada

The Shadowkhan returned to Shendu and lowered their heads, indicating they had found nothing.

"So, it would seem that my son is no more… and even Nerissa is lost." Shendu lamented. "I had hoped that a mighty 'Guardian' one who wields the power of Quintessence would be powerful enough to protect him until he came of age, but I suppose I was expecting too much. Such a shame. Ah well… I suppose I have no choice now but to wait another few centuries…"

*BOOM!*

An explosion on the side of the cavern wall had not only interrupted Shendu, but also blew away all the Shadowkhan. Multiple lights shined in as several men with flashlights entered the chamber.

"See boss? I told you dynamite would get us in faster." One man said to the others. "And look at what we found." He shined his light on Shendu's stone form.

"You could have also caused a cave-in." The man who appeared to be the leader of the group commented somewhat bitterly. He was an English man who wore a suit with tan skin and blonde hair. However, he smiled as he saw the imprisoned demon "But adequate result nonetheless. You must be Shendu…"

"Well… it pleases me to know that even after all these centuries, my name is still well-known and feared." The trapped Fire Demon commented.

"Actually, no. Any trace of your name has long since been lost to myth." The man said. "I only know of you because my great-grandfather, who was once mayor of Black Rock, had kept a journal about you. I believe you had once made a deal with him, yes?"

"Ah… I see. You are the descendant of that failure of an ally." Shendu noted.

"Yes, my great-grandfather did indeed fail you, but I think you and I can reach a better arrangement. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is William Valmont." He introduced himself with a formal bow. "You see, I live in San Francisco, and my wife has just recently given birth to my son. It is my wish to build a powerful criminal empire for him to inherit. But I lack the means to build such an empire. You, on the other hand, do. You, a demon who has once ruled over all of Asia know better than anyone how to build an empire. Help me to build this for my son, and I will help you."

"I can see why such an arrangement would benefit you, mortal." Shendu said. "But how would this benefit me?"

"From what I've read in my great-grandfather's journal, you require the use of magical artifacts to free yourself from your stone-encasement." William Valmont tapped his fist on Shendu's stone form for emphasis. "The crime syndicate that I hope to build will have the resources necessary to scour the world for these artifacts. I just need the foundation to build it all. And if I am unable to gather it all for you, my son shall do so in my stead. Now… do we have deal?"

Shendu contemplated for a moment. "I have waited almost nine hundred years to be free. What's another couple decades? Very well, we have a bargain."

"A pleasure doing business with you, Shendu." He then turned to his men. "Do our partner a favor and load him up. We have a long drive from here to San Francisco."

---

Mount Thanos - Many Years Later

How long has it been since Nerissa had been placed in this cell atop the desolate mountain? A very long time. So much so that she may as well have lost count of the many years that it has been. For the first couple of years since her imprisonment, she has received some visits. Many were from the Oracle who had hoped to 'reform' her, but she pushed him away, cursed him, and even spat at him whenever he showed his face. Though the Council did arrange to give her a prosthetic metal hand to replace the one she had lost, which made it a little easier for her, not that she would ever thank them for it.

Her old friends would sometimes come to visit as well, with the exception of Kadma. She heard from Yan Lin one time that she decided to become the Queen of Zamballa. How that happened was beyond her, as if she didn't have enough to feed her ego already. Around that same time, she also heard that Jin and Yan Lin had ended their relationship, not from a fight or anything like that, it just didn't work out. Things between them were apparently never the same after… Cassidy… Jin had become far more serious and decided to train in becoming a Chi Wizard. Halinor even became a member of the Council of Kandrakar, hoping that she could use her experiences as a Guardian to try and improve the system… a nice idea, but Nerissa didn't see her making a lot of headway, mostly because Halinor was always the more nervous of the group. Yan Lin had simply retired. Suffice to say, her team of Guardians was pretty much done.

And she hadn't heard from any of them since. The years just simply went by as Nerissa continued to sit in her cell, disconnected from the Auramere that once supplied her with power. She could still use her Quintessence, but doing so would drain away at her lifeforce.

As time had passed, Nerissa was now a shell of her former self. Her hair turned grey, her skin far paler, and any hope she had has long since vanished. She was all alone now, no family, no friends, trapped in the cold and darkness. Maybe it was time she just gave up… it wasn't like there was anything worth living for in this life anyway.

She sat with her back against the wall when she noticed a small charge of electricity just outside her cell. That small charge turned into a bolt, which erupted into several more bolts, surprising Nerissa as she looked to see a large sphere of electrical power appear out of nowhere in the cave outside the bars. She closed her eyes and covered her face to avoid the blinding flash of light that resulted. When it vanished, someone had appeared out of nowhere.

A reptilian humanoid clad in black was in a kneeling position on the ground, residual sparks emanated from his body before it all died down as the individual stood up, looking around the general area before he noticed the elderly woman behind the cell door.

"I made it…" He spoke with a growling smile before reaching into his jacket to pull out a small orb. "Better do this before he notices anything." He quickly slammed the orb on the ground, which shattered and created a large sphere of magical energy that encompassed not only him, but even passed through the cavern walls and into Nerissa's cell around her as well.

"What is this? Who are you?" Nerissa demanded, grabbing a hold of the bars.

"Huh, that actually hurts." The humanoid reptile said as he stepped closer. "I know it's been years, but I would have thought my own mother would recognize her own flesh and blood."

That caught her attention as she looked at the face of the individual standing in front of her. Into his red eyes. That's when she gasped as she saw the same eyes of the half-demon baby that she had given birth to.

With the same shocked face, she slowly reaching her hand through the bars, and caressed the face of her son whom she thought she had lost before.

"Drago…?" She muttered emotionally. "Is… is that really…?"

A smile formed on his face as well as he gently grasped his mother's hand. "In the flesh, Mom."

Her eyes watered as she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "B-but how….? You fell…"

"I survived." Drago revealed. "Half-demon after all."

Tears flowed down her face as she smiled for the first time in years, feeling all kinds of emotions in this one moment. "My boy…" Her son had come back to her. She couldn't believe it. "You've grown so much…"

"I know… and I'm here to bust you out." Drago said as he grabbed the bars from the cell and easily pulled them away, opening the way for his mother.

"But the Oracle…. You can't…"

"He can't see us." Drago revealed, much to her surprise. "This little magic sphere we're in shields us from his sight. But it won't last long."

"How…? You made this…?" Nerissa muttered, looking at the energy sphere that continued to encompass them.

"My old man is a Demon Sorcerer, so I would know a thing or two about magic." Drago revealed, but it was what he said before that caught her attention.

"You know of your father…"

"And who my mother was. A Guardian of the cosmos, one of five." Drago said. "Well, six if you count that kung fu disco Chan guy."

"How do you know all this?" Nerissa muttered.

"It's been a long time. I've learned everything I need to know about who my parents are and what kind of families and friends they had." Drago said. "I also know that my mother had a vision for this universe, a desire to change it all. You were sick of all this 'balance-between-good-and-evil' bullcrap, and you wanted to destroy it all. You wanted to remake things so that there would be no more war or conflict, so that everyone else can live in peace. Well, let me just say that it is possible. I know how it can be done, but I can't do it alone. I need your help."

Nerissa looked towards her son once again in further surprise. "You… you want to change the universe…"

"Because you were right." Drago told her as he grasped both his mother's hands in his own. "Because it's broken and unfair. But we can fix that, together."

Was he serious? Did he really have a plan to try and fix this broken and corrupted universe? A way to end the endless battle? She looked into his eyes and saw that he was dead serious about it. That same ambitious look in his eyes, it was the same one she had whenever she looked into the mirror. This was her son, and he was trying to make her dream into a reality. When she saw that look in his eyes, something sparked inside her. It was as if she had a reason to live again. And, a way to finally get her revenge on the one who wronged her and take back what is hers.

"So, what sort of plan do you have in mind, my dear Drago?" Nerissa sneered. "I'm not sure what has been happening in the outside world, but I do know that my team has ended. The Oracle has no doubt replaced us with a new generation."

"No he hasn't, at least not yet anyway." Drago said, much to his mother's surprise.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. There are no Guardians right now." He confirmed. "But that could change soon. So, I have an idea on how we can be better prepared to fight them and take the Heart of Kandrakar. You know the old saying, right? Fight fire with fire? Mystic Heart with Mystic Heart?"

"You have a Mystic Heart?" Nerissa asked in surprise.

"No, but I know how we can get one." Drago replied. "You know about Meridian, right?"

"Yes, one of the realms whose power actually dwells within their queen, passed down from mother-to-daughter. We've saved that realm once before." Nerissa responded.

"Well… I know how we can get that power for ourselves." Drago explained. "You already know that even if a Mystic Heart is stolen, the thief still can't get its full power. But if the power was actually given up of the user's free-will, the recipient will get full access to all that juicy energy. If we infiltrate the queen's inner circle, earn her trust, and create a… situation… where she feels trapped… she may be inclined to give her power to us. With the Heart of Meridian under our control, we'll have enough power to seize the Heart of Kandrakar. With both of those combined, we'll have more than enough to begin remodeling this whole cosmos and make it the way we want it to be."

"That's…" Nerissa thought about it for a moment. "A rather ingenious plan… You've been planning this for a while, haven't you?"

"Yep. And to make sure the Oracle doesn't get in our way…" Drago handed Nerissa a magic crystal, which she took into her hand. "You know how Astral Drops work, right?"

She smiled sinisterly as she held the crystal and said the magic words. "Pord Lartsa." The crystal in her hand glowed before an identical Astral Drop of hers manifested in front of her. But the crystal shattered right after.

"A one-time use, but I think it will suffice." Drago said as he put the bars back where he tore them off from and even used his strength to straighten them out and make it look like they were never torn off in the first place. When it was done, the Astral Drop of Nerissa was now inside the cell while Nerissa herself was outside. "That'll keep Mr. Know-it-all from getting wise while we get to work." He pulled out a certain ring and used it to create a Fold. "And that's your way into Meridian. I'll let you handle getting into the queen's inner circle."

"Me? You're not coming?" Nerissa asked in surprise.

"I'll be there soon, but there's something I gotta take care of." Drago answered. He grasped his mother's hands and put his forehead to hers. "We were both wronged. But we're gonna set things right, Mom. We'll make this universe into something better than the crapfest that it is now."

Nerissa sighed emotionally as she let some tears fall from her eyes, caressing her son's face. "Yes… we shall. I'll see you soon, my dear Drago." She parted ways from her son before stepping into the Fold, which closed shortly after. Right on cue, the energy barrier that had blocked the Oracle's sight had also vanished.

"Huh, perfect timing." He commented. Taking one last look at the Astral Drop of his mother. It was life-like enough that it could fool anyone. It'll suffice until they had what they need. "Alright…" He grinned maliciously. "Let's get to work."

---

Meridian – Present Day

"I don't understand! Elyon's gone?!" Caleb questioned as he had been told what had happened by the Enforcers and the queen's adoptive parents as they, Blunk, and the Mage were all in the castle's dining hall.

"Captured by a sorceress hiding in our midst! Trill!" Alborn stated, sitting at the table, while his wife sat next to him, holding his hand while she tried to hold back her tears, terrified for her adoptive daughter.

"You mean she was posing as Trill." Caleb said.

"No, apparently 'Trill' was just an alias for the hag, who set the whole thing up!" Finn stated. "She's been working with Drago this whole time!"

"But Trill helped the Rebellion!" Caleb stated.

"More like she started the war." Chow countered. "She was the one who killed Elyon's parents and framed Phobos for it!"

"What?!" Caleb exclaimed.

"She played both sides like some kind of female version of Darth Sidious or something." Finn said.

"Oh, and she's also Drago's mom too." Ratso added. "So… yeah."

"His mother?!" Caleb practically screamed at that, slamming his hands on the table in shock.

"And if things weren't bad enough, dear-old-dad's also out now." Finn put in. "It's a regular family reunion of freaks."

"Shendu is free?! That can't be possible!" Caleb stated. "We just…"

"Caleb!" Vathek suddenly entered the dinning chambers, covered in blood and injuries, looking ready to keel over at any moment, which he almost did if Caleb hadn't quickly moved in to catch him.

"Vathek!" Caleb tried to help him up as the Enforcers were there as well.

"Easy there, big guy. We gotcha." Chow said.

"Shendu… is free…" Vathek muttered. "We tried to fight back but… not even half of us were able to escape…" He looked down in shame and remorse.

"What about the Knights of Vengeance?" Caleb asked. "Or Phobos? Or Wong?"

"Still in their cells…" Vathek muttered. "Shendu didn't even bother with them…"

"Well… at least he doesn't have the Talismans… right?" Ratso said to provide some kind of optimism for the situation.

"That's something at least." Finn commented.

"Maybe so, but Drago and his mother now have Elyon and all her power." Miriadel said as Caleb and the Enforcers helped the injured Vathek to sit down.

"So, we fetch some power players of our own. Jackie and the Guardians." Caleb stated, looking toward Blunk, who was ready to use the Tonga Tooth that he wore around his neck.

"No! Stop!" The Mage quickly shouted, much to Blunk's surprise as she approached him. "Your tooth… did Trill touch it?" Blunk nodded in confirmation as the Mage herself tried to reach for the Tooth, only for it and her own ring to suddenly glow. "It is as I feared. Trill… the sorceress… Also touched my ring." She said as the glow died down. "She cursed our talismans. Whomsoever uses them to Fold will be destroyed."

Blunk gasped in shock at that. "Blunk too pretty to be destroyed!" He pulled the Tonga Tooth from his person and held it away for safety.

"Wait… so we can't even call for back up?!" Finn questioned. "That old hag thought of everything…"

"The hell we're gonna do now?" Chow also questioned as the Mage took the Tonga Tooth.

"I will try to counteract the spell." The Mage said as she left the chamber, leaving everyone else to try and come up with some sort of plan.

However, when she entered the hallway and saw that there was nobody else around, the Mage used her Teletransporting ability to disappear from the castle entirely.

---

The mage then reappeared on the top of a hill on a nearby valley where Drago and Miranda, in her human form, were waiting for her.

"Got what you needed?" Drago asked.

"Of course." The Mage replied before she dropped her glamour spell and assumed her true form as Nerissa. "No need to spoil our fun so soon." She chuckled.

"Ah, I thought I felt a familiar presence." All eyes turned towards the bottom of the hill as the enormous form of the recently liberated Fire Demon, Shendu, had made his way to join them. "Nerissa… the years have not been kind to you."

"Yes well… I do plan on changing that." Nerissa said as she felt her own face for a moment before brandishing a certain jewel. "After all, with the Heart of Meridian under our control, we are one step closer towards our ultimate goal!" As she snickered, she looked inside the jewel to see the trapped Elyon trying to fight her way out, screaming for help, but nobody could even hear her.

Miranda gave a slight scoff, glaring in Shendu's direction. As satisfying as it was to knock Elyon off her pedestal, it didn't do well for her optimism to be working alongside the same beast that killed her first lover. And Shendu himself noticed her glare.

"I see you have a pet, my son." He observed.

"Pet?" Miranda growled.

"Yeah Dad, she has her uses." Drago said, putting a protective hand in front of her. "She'll definitely contribute."

"Good. If there is one thing I cannot stand, it is incompetent allies." Shendu commented, causing Miranda to growl.

"Just go along with it." Drago whispered to her. "We need him."

"I understand, doesn't mean I have to like it though." She whispered back.

"So, my dear Nerissa… what is first on the agenda?" Shendu asked the sorceress. "This is your plan, after all. So I assume you have something planned for after my liberation?"

"Indeed, I do. But for now, why not just enjoy this moment." Nerissa said as she looked past the hill to a nearby village. "After all, laying waste to this realm and causing chaos does sound like a good means for some 'family bonding'."

"Read my mind, Mom." Drago said before flames appeared in his hands. "Who's up for a family barbecue?"

Done.

Okay, if you hadn't shed even a single tear while reading this, then you are not human. Even I had to stop once to cry a bit as I wrote this… and I freaking knew what I was going to write ahead of time!

But yeah, I told you that this would be a real tear-jerker of a chapter as we got to see the details of how Nerissa met Shendu and had Drago, and what led to her fall from grace. For those of you who are wondering why Shendu was in Nevada, if you recall the episode in JCA Season 2 "Showdown in the Old West", the mayor of Black Rock was once in league with Shendu at that time in the same manner Valmont was.

Oh, while it's never confirmed whether the mayor of Black Rock was related to Valmont was (as Jade more-or-less imagined the story that Jackie read and pictured Valmont's face when thinking of the corrupt mayor), I decided it would be a nice way to transition how he ended up from Nevada to San Francisco, after being found by Valmont's father and helped to build the Dark Hand crime syndicate that the Valmont we all know and love would one day inherit and run (guess corruption runs in the family).

I also added the tiny detail of Nerissa being an orphan and moving between foster homes throughout her childhood because we never really explore much of Nerissa's past or her family outside of being a Guardian, so I just added a little something to give it a bit more depth. And it's also never confirmed whether or not she and Cassidy had romantic feelings for each other, but it was strongly implied (at least in the show) as Nerissa admitted that she had meant so much to her. I decided to write it like that so that her death would have more of an emotional impact on Nerissa and it would further push her into the darkness.

We also learn how she escaped to Meridian in this timeline, because Drago busted her out and left an Astral Drop in her place to fool the Oracle and his all-seeing powers. But where has he been all this time? What happened between then and when he fell into that pit when he was a baby? You'll learn that later on. No spoilers.

But back to the present… Shendu is free, but while he currently doesn't have the Talismans, he has reunited with Drago and Nerissa, who has the Heart of Meridian under her complete control, and they are about to have some "family bonding time" by laying siege to the realm, and they can't even call Jackie and the girls for help. Phobos, Wong, the Knights of Vengeance, and the other villains however remain trapped in their cells in the Infinite City as Shendu didn't even bother killing them, feeling they weren't even worth his time.

So, what's going to happen now? It's not looking good for our heroes. Can they find a way to bounce back from this, or are things going to get worse before they get better?
Find out next time on J-WITCH!