"You have no right to the throne!" Wildwing yelled. "We know who you are!"
Menta raised an eyebrow. He signaled the guards to leave.
The current king leaned on his hand. "Now that *is* interesting. Would you like to inform me of how you obtained that information?"
"Our team mate who killed Canard was still on Puckworld when we left. She told us the name."
Menta leant forward suddenly. "She was present at the attack of the Resistance building?"
"Yes." Wildwing wondered where this was going.
"Jadestar Flashblade." Menta growled, his face darkening. "Shes the one who tipped the Resistance off! If it hadnt been for her I would have been ruler of all Puckworld with out this ridicules disguise! And Canard never stopped talking about heain compound, a certain stream, a certain girl "
Wildwing pointed an accusing finger at him. "You shot her!"
Menta waved his hand. "Oh no. Rather, Im the one who saved the other one."
"Nosedive?"
"If thats what you call him, then yes. Thats not my point however." Menta leaned forward and hissed directly into Wildwings face. "Wildwing Flashblade, because thats who you must be, you owe me." He sat back, and rubbed his hands together. "Oh, this is good. Ive got the third best thing to killing her. Wheres the second? Wheres her brother?"
"Dead." Duke and Grin said at the same time."
"You dont have a good record for keeping siblings alive, do you Wildwing?" Menta said, choosing to go for a little mental torture.
"It wasnt his fault." Duke jumped in.
"Hes your leader, isnt he? Hes the one with the Mask. Its the leaders responsibility to look after his team members."
Duke jumped up onto the throne, and grabbed Mentas shirt. "Thats enough, you dirty, good for nothing scumbag." he growled, losing his temper completely.
"Oh please." Menta said in a disgusted voice. He morphed into a dragon, and threw Duke off. He hit the wall, and slid down, but stood back up shakily.
"Whats whats the matter? Im still standing " Duke said groggily, trying to challenge the Saurian. His legs suddenly gave way, and he collapsed into Grins waiting arms, who had had a feeling that was how the thief was going to end up.
"You arent helping," Grin told him firmly. "Behave."
Wildwing stood still, not moving.
"Hes wrong Wildwing!" Mallory yelled, shaking her leader. "Dont listen to him!"
"Im not. Im just thinking." he told her. "Go help Duke." He shook her off, and she obeyed, taking Duke from Grin.
"Youre such an idiot Duke LOrange." she hissed into his ear, upset.
"Hey baby, but thats why you love me " Duke was only slightly conscious. Mallory groaned, and slid him to the floor.
"Shut up." Shed lost all patience, and turned back to Wildwing and Menta, who seemed to be involved in some kind of staring competition. She moved over to Tanya.
"What are they doing?" she asked.
"I dunno." Tanya sounded more stuffy than usual. "But it must be important, because they arent stopping."
"Menta, I challenge you to one on one." Wildwing suddenly said. All his companions turned to him in shock, except Duke, who had finally passed out.
"Wildwing, no!" Tanya squeaked. Wildwing ignored her.
Menta considered the proposition. "What does the winner get?"
"The winner," Wildwing paused. "Rules Puckworld." he said with a slight twinge of regret.
"What about the other?"
"The loser dies."
"Fight to the death?"
"Exactly."
"But Flashblade," Menta locked his hands together. "Im already king. Why should I fight?"
"Youd do what Dragaunus was never able. Youd rid yourself of the last Flashblade. Thered be no more contesters for the throne." Wildwing lied on the last one, and Menta knew, but refrained from commenting, though his look said it all.
"Youre on, Wildwing Flashblade. May the best Saurian win." Before Wildwing could reply, or Mallory could blow up, he pressed a button, and they were escorted back to their prison.
***
"Wildwing Ive heard some pretty stupid ideas in my time, but this has got to be the dumbest!" Mallory stood defiant against her leader, hands on hips, glowering at him. Duke sat behind Wildwing, and he couldnt help smiling at the fire that sprang in her eyes. She saw it, and redirected her anger. "And you! Stop smirking!" she yelled. He wiped the smile from his beak quickly.
"Sure thing." Duke closed his eyes and listened.
"Look Mallory, its for your own good!" Wildwing sighed, having told her this before.
"How? How on Puckworld is this going to benefit us? We need a leader!"
"And youll have one. Duke."
"Oh no. No thank you. Dukes the one who lost his temper and sprung at the shape-shifter. Fine leader hed be!"
Duke winced. "That hurt, princess." he mumbled. She relented slightly, but turned back to Wildwing on a different tack.
"Wildwing, if you dont win, were far worse off! Whats your sacrifice going to do for Puckworld?"
"Its Puckworlds only chance. Were trapped here, dont think that we arent. While Im fighting, you four can escape, and try and find help. Create another Resistance."
"What do you think you are, some kind of saint?"
"Far from it Mallory, far far from it." Wildwings eyes clouded over, and Mallorys harsh words died. "But this is a question of kill or be killed. If Jadestar really did prevent a bombing, hes very peeved. Didnt you hear him? Hes after revenge. I wont sit around here and wait to be killed!"
"But well miss you." Tanya said softly from the back of the room.
"Do you really have that little faith in me Tanya?" Wildwing said gently, almost tenderly. Tanya turned away, and Mallory went to talk tor, fool that he was."
"What did she do?" Tanya asked.
"She saw me place the bomb at the Resistance H.Q. They found and disarmed it. We had to fight them. We won, but with casualties, and the Resistance defeated me when Canard returned." Menta cast a sharp eye on Wildwing. "Whats in your hand?"
"Its our proof that we, well Jadestar, killed Canard. It was around his neck." Wildwing held the locket.
Menta laughed. "Poetic justice, I love it. Killed by his own girlfriend. Give me the necklace."
Wildwing handed the necklace over reluctantly.
Menta held it up, and it rotated slowly. He opened it, and sighed. "He really was obsessive, wasnt he?" He took out the photo. "Well, Flashblade," he spoke to the photo. "This makes us even. Almost." he looked up again. "Where is she?"
"Shes dead." Wildwing growled.
"Canard? They killed each other?"
"No. Jadestar held the bomb that did it." Mallory took the attention off Wildwing for a second.
"What a shame, I would have liked the pleasure." He suddenly looked up at Wildwing. "Youre the older duck who was with her."
"What?" Wildwing was confused.
"You dont remember me? Thats odd, I would have thought you would have had the incident etched in your mind. A cert Grin, who in her mind was the only sane duck currently.
Wildwing sat next to Duke. "What do you think?"
"You want my opinion, but not Mals?" the duck opened his good eye to look at Wildwing for a minute.
"I want some one wholl think with their brains, and not their hearts."
"And you picked me."
"Duke, be serious."
"You want to know what I think? I think you were damn stupid, but its too late now. Youre gonna have to fight him."
"Exactly. I have to. You have to get the others out."
"We arent going anywhere."
"But its for the good of Puckworld!"
"Blood runs thicker than water."
"How hard did you hit your head? You arent making sense."
Dukes eye flashed open. "Were all family. One big happy family." he said, half mocking. "So we arent about to leave without you." He closed his eye again. "Go to sleep Wildwing."
"Youre all crazy!" Wildwing sat by himself, depressed and despondent.
"If you were thinking straight, youd appreciate the irony there." Tanya muttered, but nobody heard.
***
"You know, Id never imagined Jadestar doing anything so pivotal to Puckworlds future." Duke commented, fiddling with his hair. Theyd all slept, a little bit, but they were too tense for anymore rest, so theyd settled for conversation. "I mean, shes a good kid and all, but I never thought, well "
"She was capable of saving the Resistance." Wildwing finished. "Trust me, I was kinda surprised too. But shes been doing quite a bit of heroics lately."
"Why did she never tell us? She must have been the only one who knew that Menta was Saurian, even King Canard wouldnt have chosen a Saurian for second command."
"Maybe she didnt want a fuss?" Grin suggested.
Mallory sighed. "I guess well never know." She looked up suddenly from her place next to Duke. "She sure had a few secrets Wildwing!"
"Thats one thing I dont understand. Why didnt she tell us about the attack of Resistance Headquarters?" Wildwing was puzzled.
"She probably wanted to forget." Tanya pointed out. "I mean, from what Ive pieced together from her story and what Menta said, I dont think it would have been a pleasant experience."
The Ducks pondered this over silently. They had nothing else to say. Mallory snuggled into Duke for extra warmth, and they went back to sleep. The others waited and watched for morning.
***
"One thing," Menta smiled as he and Wildwing prepared to fight. "No weapons."
"WHAT?!" Wildwing yelled. "Thats not fair."
"I dont have a weapon, why should you? Bare fisted fighting."
"Fine. But if I cant have my weaponry, then you cant shape shift."
Menta considered this. "Well spoken. Very well, use your armor."
They started to circle one another, like two wild animals preparing to fight. Menta made the first move, suddenly shifting into lion, and leaping at him. Wildwing tried to fire, but Menta was on top of him before he could. Wildwing held Menta at arms length, and the rolled around on the ground, neither having the advantage, until Menta morphed into a small whale, squashing the duck. Menta lay there flicking his tail lazily, as Wildwing struggled out from underneath. He was gasping for breath, and could have been easily killed then and there, but Menta allowed him time to get himself together. Hes toying with me. This is just a game.
Wildwing shot at Menta, catching him off guard, and drawing blood. Menta retaliated by changing into a huge man, and throwing Wildwing on the ground, stomping on him. Wildwing passed out as he was kicked in the face. Menta picked his limp form up, and was about to break his neck, when he suddenly groaned, and fell to the floor.
Behind where the two fighters had been standing, near the door, stood a small female duck with long brown hair and impossibly green eyes. She also bore brown rabbit ears and a bobbin tail to match. She held a small smoking gun, still pointed. She lowered it and blew the smoke off, grinning.
"Looks like I got here just in time." she smiled.
"What the heck are you?" Duke asked.
She stepped over the prone bodies on the floor and held out her hand. "My names Thlayli-rah. Call me Thlayli. And you must be Duke, Mallory, Tanya and Grin."
Duke shook her hand, with lack of anything else to do.
Tanya overcame her shock and bent down to check her leaders health. "Hell be OK." she decided.
"Did you kill him?" Mallory pointed to Menta.
"Nah, hes just stunned. I dont kill." Thlayli somehow pocketed the gun in her leotard, and headed for the door.
"Youre the Dimensional Traveler." Grin stated.
"In the feathers. Now, someone grab Wildwing and lets get going. I worked my tail off for this meeting, and if were late you guys are sunk." Thlayli grabbed her DC, and set it. "Im afraid this is going to be a much more interesting journey than with the elements, but Im sure youll manage." She eyed Wildwing. "Hell wake up in a moment. Could someone please carry him?" she asked again. Thlayli then bustled them all into the portal, ignoring any protests.
***
They came out in Destinys place. Destiny was looking rather put out.
"I cant believe I let you talk me into this." Destiny complained to Thlayli.
"Do you have any idea how many times Ive heard that? Look, you were just going to leave them there! You had two sets of people in the same time! I might not know many elemental rules, but I do know that was one broken." Thlayli seemed unconcerned with Destinys displeasure.
"Whats going on?" Wildwing muttered. Destiny turned to look at him.
"Oh Thlayli, you let him get hurt!"
"Well, if I hadnt been held up here by red tape I wouldnt have been late! Besides, hes fine. Wheres Time?"
"Shell be here." Destiny started checking over Wildwing. Thlayli rolled her eyes.
"Hes fine. Tanyas already checked him over."
She spun suddenly, and another black haired duck appeared. Her distinguishing mark from the other elements was her pure black eyes.
"Sorry Im late." Her voice whistled and sighed like the wind, in sharp contrast to Destinys musical one, and Thlaylis cheekiness.
"Forget it." Thlayli waved the apology away. "Do you agree to do it?"
"Look, excuse me?" Wildwing broke into the triangle of females. "Could we have an explanation? This has got to be the most confusing adventure " Wildwings voice trailed off.
"Oh, sorry!" Thlayli threw her hands in the air. "I always forget the explanation! Anyway, I was Dimension-hopping, and I heard from Destiny here that Chaos had gone and trapped you guys." Thlayli pulled Destiny close for a half-hug. "Me and Destiny go a little way back, would you believe? Shes how I got started on Dimension Traveling."
"Worst decision I ever made." Destiny smiled reluctantly.
"Anywho, I couldnt leave you guys there! So I came and convinced Destiny to get Time for me so that, with Times help, I could get you back on track with the Prophecy. Any questions?"
Mallory raised her hand. "Is there anything to eat around here? Im starving."
Destiny shrugged. "Im an element, I dont need to eat."
Thlayli gave Mallory a sympathetic look. "I ate before I came. Sorry. If Time agrees, then youll be back in your own kitchen before you know it."
"Cant we stay here?" Duke asked suddenly. All eyes turned to him. "Were back on Puckworld. Why do we have to go back?"
Destiny turned away. "You have work to do on Earth."
"Remember Nosedive and Jadestar." Grin pointed out to Duke.
"So we have to leave."
"Yup. What do you say, Time?" Thlayli asked.
"Ill do it. Mostly because the whole continuum is going to be wrecked if they dont go back." Time agreed.
"Great!" Thlayli cheered. She ushered the ducks over to Time, and the formed a circle, holding hands. Time closed her eyes, and then opened them again.
"Thats it?" Mallory asked.
"Yes." Time disappeared.
"OK ducks, everyone in!" Thlayli made the portal, and they went through.