Notes Part 1: For those keeping score at home, “New Ventures” (Dubois 2.84) is “Season of the Witch 1”.

Notes Part 2: The characters from “Xena Warrior Princess” belong to StudiosUSA and MCA. The characters from Smallville belong to DC and the WB. The characters from the Marvelverse belong to Marvel Comics. All other characters belong to me. Please send comments to dante0220@yahoo.com  .


Introduction [Amidst the ruins of the Amazon Village c.88 AD]

Lana Lang-Kent writes….

Dear Diary,

Geez! Ummm…No wonder the Professor told us to stay back when they fought the “Dark Rider” in Amherst. I look around and see that the village is in ruins. Worse, Althanor and the Faerie Realms have been cut off from us by some sort of energy field. And if THAT wasn’t bad enough, Xena, Gabrielle, Eve and Varia lie unconscious along with most of the Amazons. The remainder of them are scattered in the woods, hiding and waiting for the signal.

Needless to say, the Child’s ticked off. I hear him and Hope crashing through the branches in the woods, hunting for the demon and Alti.

Jasmine has restored order and moves to get the rebuilding underway with the help of our new mutant classmates from the future. To assist Gabrielle with the scrolls, she asked me to keep the record.

Why do I feel like we’re going from bad to worse??



Chapter 1 [Amazon Village, 6 hours prior to Lana’s account.]

Xena stormed out of the hut she shared with Gabrielle in a really steamed mood. She had sat quietly, allowing the priestesses to heal the wounds inflicted by the Rider. Then for the next few weeks, she tried to keep it bottled up for the sake of her soul mate, daughter and sister Amazons. However in the end, she needed to get away to clear her head.

Jumping onto Argo II’s back, she spurred her on towards the woods. For fifteen minutes, the warrior rode her mount hard, putting as much distance between the village and herself as she could. Then she stopped and dismounted, feeling that this was as good a place as any.

“Why?” she demanded. “WHY IN TARTARUS NOW?” Then she felt a familiar twitch in the air—the telltale “stench”. “Nah! Can’t be!” she denied, drawing her sword.

In a flash, Ares appeared. “Oh it can be and it is. Surprise!”

She frowned. “Cut the crap! How’d you escape?”

“Blame our old friend, Alti. She’s back and this time, she has help,” he advised. “By the way, I like the attitude and the bruises.” He looked her over. “I hate to see what the other guy looks like.”

She scowled. “The damn bastard kicked our asses and left! All right?”

“Your asses?” he inquired with surprise. “You finally ran into someone or something that kicked your butt instead of the other way around?” He smirked. “How I hope my beloved brother was involved.”

“Don’t push it! He wasn’t there!”

“Wasn’t?” The grin grew wider. “That thing stood up to Dubois’ dark side!” He laughed maniacally. “FINALLY!”

“Yer just pissed cuz he kicked your ass so many times. Careful, Ares, he’s really pissed and might do it again for kicks!” she advised. “I’d bet that creep’s the one who’s helpin’ Alti. Ain’t this great?” She mounted Argo II.

“Leaving so soon?” he taunted.

“Gotta let Gabrielle and the others know. Besides, that creep’s on the Child’s shit list and he’s been stewing for a week and a half!” she retorted angrily before riding away.

Ares frowned. While he relished the thought of Xena and Dubois being taught a few lessons in humility, he wanted to be the one to do it. Worse still, he didn’t want to think of Alti running around with someone strong enough to do just that. “Unreal.” With that, he vanished.


****


[Fifteen minutes later]

Xena rode back into the village, driving Argo II on as hard as she could go. In what was probably a record setting time back there, she pulled up by the center where Gabrielle and Eve were training with the newest Amazons. “Gabrielle!”

“Xena, what is it?” the Queen wondered, watching her best friend leap off of the horse.

The Warrior Princess looked around anxiously. “I hate to break off the training but we got a problem.”

“Problem?” Eve inquired as she and Jasmine joined the conversation. “What problem?”

“Is this tied to the previous incident, Xena?” Jasmine queried.

Xena nodded. “Maybe. Alti just escaped from Althanor. Somebody helped her!”

“Who told you that?” Gabrielle insisted.

“Ares just popped up in the woods to get his jollies. That’s what!” she declared.

Jasmine took a deep breath. The Professor’s already on edge from the Jinn’s defeat. This might drive him over the edge. “You should convene the council, Queen Gabrielle.”

“Good idea, Jasmine. We’ll summon Deirdre to speak with us,” Gabrielle noted. “Come with me.”


****


[Althanor—By the mists’ edge—twenty minutes later]

Cybelle and Deirdre stood, looking across the Great Lake toward where they knew the shore to be. The obscuring fog wafted heavily over the water—more so than usual.

“Trouble stirs,” the High Priestess deduced. “We must remain on guard.”

Deirdre scanned their surroundings. “Auntie, something doesn’t feel right. It’s like a static in the air.”

“Yes. I shall check on it. Meantime, go and be with the Amazons. If this concerns our recent experience, it is dire indeed,” Cybelle agreed, feeling the same dread.

“I’ll return as soon as I can,” Deirdre concurred, disappearing into a mist portal.

By the goddess, hurry, Child. She hustled back, rushing toward the disturbance’s source. What is this? A minute later, she saw the ruptured containment field. “Ares, Alti and the other one gone? Where?” Then she realized, “The spell book!”



Chapter 2
[Guard house—retreat center]

In Althanor’s center, an ordinary looking hut stood in amongst the rest. Perhaps the two priestesses flanking its door made it stand out. Or maybe it was the fact that the most powerful artifacts and mystical items attracted attention. In any event, the hut provided a source of inspiration for the entire community.

On this night, the priestesses went about their business warily. As with Cybelle and Deirdre, they felt the negative vibrations. However, they couldn’t tell from which direction trouble would come.


****


Two hours into their vigil, the guards felt the vibrations getting stronger.

“It’s close whatever it is,” the white haired priestess on the left noted.

“Remain on your guard,” the other, a red-haired Celt, advised. At that moment, they saw a shadow approaching them through the mist. “Identify yourself!”

The figure advanced silently, refusing to acknowledge the guards’ command.

“By the goddess, identify yourself!” Red-Hair reiterated.

“Very well,” Alti growled and struck out at them faster than a cobra. Before the guards could react, she had grabbed onto both of them and started tearing into their minds.

The guards trembled, trying to deal with the onslaught of their worst nightmares hitting them over and over again like a vengeful boxer’s jabs. While they fought initially, the experience overwhelmed them and they collapsed to the ground.

The shamaness grinned wickedly; her eyes shining with glee at the rush from their pain and fear. “Not so eager to know me now, are you?” She swaggered up to the door and kicked it in. “Fools.” As she entered the hut, she felt her tome’s power. “Yes! Where are you?” Following the dark energy trail, she quickly discovered the spell book. “After all of these centuries!” She grabbed it and opened it to the pages, flipping through them. “It’s all here! The fools left it intact!”

“It’s not that we didn’t try to destroy it,” Cybelle disagreed, stepping into the area. “Don’t be stupid, Alti. We can deal with you.”

Alti laughed. “You—deal with me? Your brother and his demon can. You are nothing!” She opened the book. “Especially not when I have this!” Chanting in Latin, she fired a blast, catching the High Priestess by surprise and knocking her out. “Be lucky, I don’t have time for you. But I will be back…after I settle an old score with Xena and her girlfriend.” She stalked out of the chamber and disappeared into the mists with her prize.


****


[Modern Day—Mirabeau Chateau, Vendee Region, France]
[A/N: The events described below happened in “Timeswap” from Dubois Series 1 (c.1987) topped off with spoilers from “Spell” (Smallville Season 4)]

For a thousand years, the lands in the Vendee had prospered, providing much of France with healthy produce and grapes for the region’s award winning wines. Despite the modern world’s encroachment on its competitor sites, this place remained untouched. The breeze whistled through the trees. The moon shone down on the grassy meadows and fields.

On a hill overlooking this backdrop, Mirabeau Chateau stood watch. Within its walls, the counts and countesses had held this place in an iron grip for centuries. With only two exceptions, the two families who lived in the chateau retained control. One of those instances was the French Revolution which ended the regional dictatorship. The other, a curious series of events in the early seventeenth century, caused the first transfer in power. During that episode, three strangers exposed the count and countess as servants of darkness. When the mob rushed the chateau, the husband, Bertrand du Dijon, fled with the children into the dark forest beyond. The countess was tried and executed as a sorceress.

Beside the chateau, the Rider rode out of the forest and looked over the fields. He could feel the remnants of the former owners’ power still emanating from the structure. Unlike many others in the region, he knew that Dijon was the powerful vampire Enforcer and that his wife was a sorceress with ties to Dahak. They were fools to show their power so openly. He rode down the hill and across the meadow. Yes, this will do nicely indeed…once we resurrect her. He grinned sinisterly.

Behind him, the mists congealed, allowing Alti to step onto the French backdrop.

“Ye made it. Do ye have it?” he asked impatiently.

“Keep your britches on!” she snarled, producing the burgundy-covered tome. “This is it!” Her eyes lit up. “We’re ready!” She opened it and flipped to a certain page. “Maybe this wench was stupid but I’m not!” She chanted, calling up the powers of darkness from the structure and the land surrounding it.

The Rider gripped her hand, adding his power to hers. “Seal it! SEAL IT OFF! SEAL THEM BOTH OFF!”

Despite the lack of clouds in the sky, a deafening thunderclap echoed throughout the land.

“It is done,” he stated. “The Elf-Witch and the priestesses will not be able to help them this time!”

“We can hope. Still, Dubois and his brat pack are bad enough on their own!” she countered.

“I dealt with him and Xena before,” he declared. “The Child hungers for a rematch even now.”

She frowned. “Deal with Xena, her girlfriend and her brat first then him. They are in the Amazon Village.”

“Then we go there to enact Phase 2,” he agreed.

She opened the book and began to recite again.

In a flash of light, they vanished, heading toward trouble.



Chapter 3 [Amazon Village]

Gabrielle sat on her throne in front of the hastily-convened Amazon council. Eve and Xena sat on either side of her. Before them, the various Amazon tribal leaders, Ferali the gnome and Deirdre represented their groups.

“Thank you for coming so quickly, everyone. We have another emergency before us,” Gabrielle told the others. “Just a few hours ago, Xena discovered that Ares and Alti had escaped from Althanor.”

“There’s more with the Queen’s indulgence,” Deirdre added grimly. Getting a nod, she continued, “Alti stole the spell book she used as Anne Lichtenfeld. She knocked Aunt Cybelle out without batting an eye and disappeared.”

“That’s no mean feat,” Cyanne, the queen of the northern tribes noted.

“No it ain’t,” Xena agreed. “Ares said that Alti’s got help…an’ we ran into him a couple of weeks ago.”

“We, Mother? Was this the Rider?” Eve asked.

“Yeah. Get this—he brushed us all off…the Child barely slowed him down. Deirdre and he combined to drive him off,” Xena reported.

“He withstood the Child’s rage?” Ferali wondered aghast. “Only Lousain has done that!”

“And the Overmind but not like this,” Gabrielle agreed. “Who is he then?”

“He’s some sort of demon wizard according to Spider-Man,” Xena noted. “Supposedly he’s one of the last of his race.” She scowled.

“Last of the race, you said?” Ferali asked, scratching his chin through the beard. “He could be of Lousain’s foul brethren.”

“He also worked with Dahak,” Jasmine added, recalling Dave’s story.

That got the assembly’s attention. “DAHAK?”

Gabrielle turned to Eve. “Please bring Hope here. It is urgent.”

A flash of light appeared in mid-room, allowing Hope to appear. “No need, Mother. I am here.” She frowned as she stared at the room’s inhabitants. “Once again, you fear my father’s legacy and me. On this one, it is not my doing.”

Xena eyed her sarcastically. “Yeah. We know. Still, you might be involved.”

The half-demoness hissed, “Spit it out, Xena! What is this?”

Deirdre bowed her head as she brooded over things. How does Papa deal with such matters?

Finally, Jasmine asked, “What do you know of the name Lichtenfeld?”

Hope scowled, “HER? Damned insolent cow! Father lost faith in me so he used her and her entire line! Two women of that line were to be my replacements. Both of them crossed paths with Dubois! The first was burned like a sacrificial lamb. The second—ah the second, called on him. He sent his Deliverer, the demon rider, to start anew. Their spawn was to be me…and create the next Destroyer. But in that, the Two had laid one other seed. The first declared her the heir who would carry on.” She grinned darkly.

“Who is this heir?” Varia demanded. “We should kill it!”

“No,” Xena refused bluntly, glaring at Hope. “Cut the crap! We can’t kill her!”

“Mother, you know?” Eve asked.

“It’s Lana Kent,” Deirdre concurred.

“Lana? By the Prophet, how?” Jasmine inquired incredulously.

“The cow’s been branded twice,” Hope retorted.

Jasmine drew her scimitar. “Have a care, Creature! Lana is my dear friend and sister-in-arms! Insult her at your peril!”

“As say I,” Ferali stated. “Still, Princess, put your sword down. The Queen will deal with this.”

Gabrielle nodded. “Thanks, Ferali. Indeed, I agree with you both. Hope, please do not insult our friends here.”

“She can’t help it,” Xena muttered.

“I heard that!” Hope snapped. “You think you’re so wonderful, don’t you? You treat me like a prisoner and yet, you allow the two heirs to run around free?”

“They keep themselves in check. If you continue as you have, Hope, you will be able to as well some day,” Gabrielle noted. “I mean that, Hope.”

At that moment, Xena looked around, feeling the vibrations shift. “Great!” She drew her sword. “Trouble!” She ran outside to find Alti and the Rider standing in the middle of the square.

“Hello, Xena,” Alti crowed with a cavalier grin on her face. “Fancy meeting you here! Since when are you allowed?”

“I’m an Amazon now—no thanks to your crock of lies,” the Warrior Princess retorted sharply. “I thought they threw your sorry ass out as well.”

“I don’t take well to such treatment,” the shamaness challenged. “Including from you!” She focused on Xena, bringing forth images of the two crucifixions and the beating from their previous encounters.

Xena caved but remained defiant. “Fry in Tartarus, Bitch!”

“Stop this!” Gabrielle ordered.

“Be quiet, Little Girl!” Alti snapped, letting off a blast of dark energy. After the blast hit her and Eve, she laughed, “When that ghost came back, she merged with me. With her power, I’m still more formidable than you ever dreamed!”

Varia raised her blade. “Amazons, attack!”

As one, the warriors rushed the duo.

“Yer fools!” the Rider hissed, blasting most of the group into unconsciousness within seconds.

Jasmine managed to deflect some of it with her blade. With the other leaders down, she was the only one of royal blood left. “Everyone! To the forest! We cannot win!”

The others looked at her incredulously.

“GO!” Jasmine ordered.

Reluctantly, the Amazons concurred.

“And who are you, Little Girl? Hmm? I’d say Middle Eastern from the skin color. A little out of your element, aren’t we?” Alti taunted.

Jasmine stood tall in front of her fallen sisters and pointed her scimitar at the two intruders. “I am Princess Jasmine-A ‘isha of Javalastan and the leader of the Magi! I know of your power but I don’t fear you! Leave now!”

“Yer certainly one of my boy’s students,” the Rider observed. “Foolish!” He fired a blast.

In midstream, it was deflected away.

“You’re the fool, Dog! Bow before me!” Hope hissed, stepping into the picture.

The Rider laughed incredulously. “The Failure! My lord spoke of ye! Nay! Ye’ll perish!”
He fired another dark burst.

She repelled it. “This woman, my mother, was Dahak’s chosen! You have no claim on her, Dog!” She turned to Deirdre. “Fetch your father. I know the Demon will want these two.” She smiled darkly.

“You know you can’t take us!” Alti hissed.

Hope telekinetically pulled her mother’s scythes from the latter’s ankle sheathes and whipped them through the air, pinning Alti’s sleeves to the hut in back of the latter. “You both are about to learn what I can and can’t take!” She willed up a fire blast of her own, knocking the Rider back.

Deirdre opened a portal and managed to jump through before another burst hit her.

The Rider hit Hope with a blast of his own, knocking her off of her feet. “Yer less than nothing! And now, ye die!”

Now flying on Carpet, Jasmine zipped back, slashing away at the Rider with her blade. “Fall, Creature!”

“Bah!” he roared, firing at her but missing.

Hope pulled herself up. “Ungrateful slave! We’ll see who’s the better!”

Alti ripped her sleeves free from the scythes and picked up the spell book. “Yes, let’s!” With that, she began to read.



Chapter 4
[Tucson—New Talon complex]

April McKenzie shut her register and took another look around her refurbished floral shop. In the two weeks since she opened, sales had been high. She had been on the phone to suppliers at least twice as much as she had been in Amherst. Lex knew what he was talking about. She smiled. Maybe this might work after all.

“Excuse me, April?” Samantha asked, coming out of the back room.

“Yes, Samantha?” the owner inquired. “How’s it coming?”

“Just finished,” the student agreed. “I cooled the back room down a bit too if that’s okay.”

April grinned. Having Samantha and her control over air around is handy. She and Sebastian saved those flowers during the heat wave last week. “I was going to take a break. Did you want anything from next door?”

Samantha handed her a couple of singles. “Can you get me an iced coffee?”

“Sure. Just keep an eye on things here. Be back in about fifteen minutes,” April agreed, walking out the door.

Samantha continued to inspect things, making sure everything was in pristine order. April’s been great, letting me get a few hours in here and there between classes and the training sessions. I want to show her that this can work.


****


[New Talon]

As with most days after classes had let out, Lana and Miri hustled around the café, training the newly-hired help and insuring that their customers were content. As with April’s shop, Lex’s advertising campaign (and the word concerning Martha’s muffins) brought droves of students through the doors.

“Small town flavor hits the desert. Quite the reception, huh, Boss?” Miri wondered.

Lana arched her right eyebrow at her best friend. “Well, Lex did promise a solid advertising campaign.” She surveyed the scene where Kyla, Sasha, a male student and Serena all kept orders going out to the patrons. “And with Serena training them, the others are doing okay.”

“I mean we couldn’t top your first day at the Creamery, Boss,” Miri noted dryly.

That earned her a sarcastic look. “And you weren’t the fastest on your feet the first day either.”

“Point,” the sensei admitted. She looked across the room to where her uncle sat, reading through some notes. “I’m going to check on Uncle Dave.”

“Do that,” Lana concurred. For the last few days, she had felt the Professor’s mood-related vibrations skyrocketing. The Child is still steaming mad. I haven’t felt him like this since Ashlocke. Seeing April walk in, she waved.

“Hi, Lana. Wow! This is something, isn’t it?” the florist asked.

“You bet. This might be good after all,” the former cheerleader concurred. “And with Clark washing dishes in the back, it’s that much more productive.”

“And you get to be with him more,” April guessed. “But then, that’s why I’m here too.” She smiled and considered her ring again. “Thank you, Lana, for working with us on this.”

“My pleasure. Hey, ummm…I can’t get over there because of the traffic but you mind talking with the Professor?” Lana requested.

Dave’s still grumpy. I may not be psychic but I can sure feel the storm brewing in the corner. “Absolutely.” She headed over to the corner booth.

I hope everything’s okay. With that, Lana went about her business again.


****


Even with all of the activity buzzing around him, Dave reviewed his notes for the next day’s lecture carefully. With the campus being in exam mode again, he wanted to be sure he got through everything before the next batch of tests went out to the students.

In addition, he felt the Child’s fuming. Even after time to cool off, he still wants blood.

[“Course Ah do!” the Dark One snapped.]

[“Not in here, all right?” Dave requested, looking around.] He saw Lana staring at him with wide eyes. Terrific. She just picked up on it. Not that she or any of the other students would be surprised.

“Uncle Dave?” Miri asked, taking a seat across from him.

“Hi, Sunshine,” he greeted, albeit less than enthusiastically.

“I know you’re still down about that mess but maybe you can cheer up just a little bit?” she asked hopefully. “Auntie’s worried, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. I wish I could. I mean…I…” he started. Then he felt a sharp chill sweep through him. “Argh!” After that, a sharp hot pain burst knocked him hard up against the padded booth.

April rushed over. “Dave, what is it?” Then she looked down. “Oh no!” She pointed.

The scar glowed brightly.

“It’s worse…than that,” the medievalist declared, grabbing his coat. “I’ve got to…get to the UMC.”

Lana turned to Serena. “You and Miri watch the place!” She took off her apron and threw her coat on as well. “Professor, I’m coming with you.”

“Not if it’s what I think it is,” he countered.

“And the last time you went off alone, you nearly got killed! What’s going on?” she demanded.

“All right. Come on!” he conceded, rushing into the back room with her following closely behind. Once there, he opened a portal and they vanished into it.


****


Angie sat back in her chair, taking deep breaths. It was as if something or someone hit her with a large power burst.

“Geez!” Natalie Petersen exclaimed, trying to help her get comfortable. “What is it, Angie?”

“X..ena. Something’s hurt her…badly,” the oncologist guessed, fighting off her wooziness.

The coroner debated calling Nick. It’s still midday. He won’t be able to get here to help us.

Then the portal formed, allowing Dave and Lana to join them.

“Angie!” he called, rushing to her side.

“Wha…are…ya doin’ here?” she asked drowsily.

“I felt whatever it was across the street at the Talon,” he told her.

“I did too. Something is….” Lana concurred before wincing. “Ow!” She saw her symbol glowing too. “Professor? What is this?”

“I don’t know.”

[“Can ya feel it? The stupid mind witch!” the Child snarled. “Ah’m gonna kill ‘er!”]

Then he heard the familiar taunting laugh echo through the office space.

“Dave, it…can’t be,” his wife expressed.

“It’s her, all right!” he snarled, feeling the numbness creeping across his scalp. “Wha?” He turned to see another portal form and Deirdre pop through it. “Dee Dee?”

“Papa!” Deirdre huffed. “Thank the goddess I made it!”

“What is it?” he demanded. “I thought I heard Alti’s laughing but she’s stuck in that energy field.”

“No, Papa, she escaped,” Deirdre noted. “She did something to Auntie Cybelle and then, sealed off Althanor and the Faerie Lands from us! We’re cut off!”

“What about Xena?” he snarled, losing more and more control by the second.

“She and the other Amazon…leaders are out cold. Jasmine and Hope were holding them off,” Deirdre reported, finally getting her breath.

“Them?” Angie asked. “Dave! It’s him!”

Seeing the look in his wife and daughter’s eyes, he realized, “The Rider! He DID THIS?” He shook hard; the symbol glowing ever brighter by the second.

“Rider?” Nat wondered.

“The Dark Mystery Man,” Angie mentioned, managing to sit up.

“I’d better get us back there…before I totally lose it,” he determined, opening a portal. “Lana, be careful…that book’s going to affect you too.”

“I know but Jasmine and our friends are back there,” Lana pointed out firmly. “You know Clark and the others wouldn’t want you going there alone.”

“It’ll be the Child once we get there,” he snarled, opening the portal. “Dee-Dee, get your mother to Althanor. The healers will help her.”

“Right. Then I’ll be there with you,” Deirdre indicated, helping her mother up. “Come on, Mama.” Opening another portal, she helped the other woman through it before it vanished.

“Le…t’s go!” he hissed.

Lana nodded and jumped through.

“Let Nick know,” he told Nat before stepping through and shutting it behind him.

“Unreal,” Nat expressed before dialing some numbers.



Chapter 5 [Amazon Village]

Even as Dave and Lana headed off, Ferali forced himself to his feet. Caught in the Rider’s initial power burst, he was just now regaining consciousness. Why didn’t he finish us? Then he saw Jasmine and Hope engaging their adversaries. “Enough!” Ripping his axe from the wreckage around him, he charged the two attackers.

Seeing him, Alti grinned. “You? What can you do against me?”

“You might be surprised, Witch!” he snapped, swinging his weapon.

She fired another burst, knocking him back. “Nice try, Runt. Now that I’ve regained the power of my future self, I needn’t worry about you!”

Then the banshee scream echoed throughout the woods, calling out to the combatants.

The gnome noted grimly, “Maybe not but you’re in for it now!”

Hope’s eye gleamed as she drove the Rider back with her telekinesis. “Finally!”

“Keep your top on!” Dave commented, fighting to regain control while rushing into the clearing with Lana right behind him. “The bus was running late.”

“Pity it even showed up, Dubois,” Alti retorted gravely.

“Pity for you,” he retorted. “And our Mystery Man. Hey! Over here, Puritan Boy!” He fired a psychic pulse of his own, hitting the attacker in the back.

“Are ye daft?” the Rider inquired incredulously.

“Nah. Just incredibly pissed off!” the medievalist retorted. “Get Alti! Be careful! Jasmine!”

“Yes?” the Princess asked.

“Back Lana up,” he directed just before taking a blast in the midsection and flying back into the woods.

“That’ll teach ye, Fool!” the Rider admonished.

Hope shook her head. “You’re the fool!” She smirked. “Can’t you sense it?”

The familiar scream rose above the sounds of combat once again.

Having reasserted control, the Child stalked back onto the scene. “Hey, Twit! ‘Member me?” He threw a dark fire burst, knocking the demon back. “Tha’s yers!”

“Ye canna beat me!” The Rider threw another blast and hit the Dark One square.

The Child ground his teeth as the ebony flames enveloped him. Through red eyes, he glared at his adversary. “Now yer dead….” Feeling the dark power of the book nearby, he snickered, “She screwed up! Too bad!” Marshaling the darkness and adding it to the anger from the last two weeks, he knocked his opponent across the square and against two large oak trees.

“Mon, Meatball, git up!” the Child dared. “Move yer sorry ass!” With that, he stalked toward the other.


****


Alti glared at Lana. “Come for more, Little Girl?”

The teenager returned the gaze with one of her own. “I think that’s my line.”

“Do you?” the shamaness challenged as she opened the book and read another chant.

Lana winced as she felt the darkness from around them assaulting her. She felt the cold burning and recognized it as the feeling she usually got from the Child. “Ahh!!!!”

Alti laughed. “Good! I like pain! GIVE IT TO ME!”

Jasmine screamed, “Lana! Down, Carpet!” Speeding up, she rammed Alti from behind, making sure not to touch her in the process.

The impact stunned the witch, disrupting the spell. “You’ll pay for that!” She fired a dark fire burst.

The Amazon deflected it with her scimitar. “Better try again or let me help you!” Streaking overhead, she ran her hand through the air, allowing her mutant ability to change it to glue.

The sticky substance fell from the sky, trapping Alti and the book under it as it hardened.

“That takes care of that!” Jasmine exclaimed while silently commanding Carpet to hover as she jumped to the ground with her scimitar at the ready. “Are you okay?”

Lana shivered. “I’d be lying if I said I was. Whatever that stuff is, it packs a punch.”

“Let’s hope the Jinn can finish the demon off,” Jasmine declared, looking back toward the woods.


****


[Across the clearing]

The Rider glowered as he rose from the oak debris. “Curse ye!” As he stepped into view without his hat, his features were visible. His dark hair sprouted up in a Mohawk down the middle of his head. Fangs could be seen in his mouth. His eyes glowed yellow at the Child.

“Yer cute, ya know that?” the Child snarled, firing again and staggering the other in the process. “Ah hate cute!”

Seeing Alti trapped under the glue and realizing that the Child was stronger than in their first encounter, the Rider scowled. “Bah! The second round goes to ye! But we shall meet again soon!” He fired a burst, stunning the other. Before the Dark One could get up again, he had mounted his white steed and waved his hand.

The glue, Alti and the book vanished from the scene.

“Runnin’ ain’t ya? Wuss!” the Child challenged, shaking his hand at the sky. Calming down slightly, his appearance returned to “normal”.

“Where did they go?” Jasmine wondered.

“Don’t know,” he growled. “Hey!” He pointed at Hope. “Lessgo!” He ran off into the woods.

“As much as I don’t really care, watch them!” Hope insisted to Jasmine before rushing off herself.

Lana staggered over to her classmate’s side. “Are they dead?”

“Thank the Prophet, no,” Jasmine declared. “Lana, are you okay?”

“I’ll live,” Lana assured her, running her hands through her hair. “Although I’m not eager to get Clark’s lecture when we get back.”

“Ah the concerned husband, eh?” Ferali asked, joining them.

Lana rolled her eyes. “More like the overprotective one. He’s trying not to but there are times he still treats me like I’m made of glass.”

“He loves you,” Jasmine stated. “Speaking of Clark and the others, I wish Deirdre would get back here so we can get the others to help out.”

“Someone call for a ride?” Deirdre asked, appearing out of a sudden mist portal.

“Actually we need help rebuilding. Can you get the others back here please?” Jasmine requested.

“Right away,” the priestess concurred, vanishing back into the mists and leaving the two girls and the gnome to wonder what was going on.



Conclusion
[Althanor]

Cybelle fumed in frustration at the glowing energy field in front of her. “I can’t believe we can’t teleport through this!” She turned to the Empress. “Can’t you do anything, Milady?”

“Of course,” the Elf-Queen retorted. “This is a more powerful magic than even my own. It is in concert with the Witch’s book.”

“Terrific,” the High Priestess muttered. “Alti and that demon are out there, raising goddess knows what and we can’t get to them?” She felt a sharp pain between her eyes.

“You know that they have engaged your brother and his alter ego, don’t you?” the Empress inquired. “This time, it is the Child who proved the stronger with Hope’s aid.”

“We have to rely on two creatures created by dark magic. Why am I not thrilled by the notion?” Cybelle groused, not wanting to admit that her brother could deal with the situation.

“Mother, please! With all due respect, your brother is a worthy ally,” Genaria reminded her.

The Empress frowned. Cybelle doesn’t need to know about what happened with Lana Lang. Just as with David Dubois, she too is sensitive. This is a concern.


****


[Ruthwen—Hall’s End Palace, Healing Chamber]

Dave walked alongside the row of beds inspecting the unconscious Amazons. After cooling off and changing back, he and Deirdre worked quickly to get their allies from the village to that place.

“How are they, Papa?” Deirdre asked.

“I wish I knew, Kiddo,” he replied honestly, stopping to look at Xena and Gabrielle in particular. Both lay unconscious despite his best physicians’ ministrations. “At least, they’re still alive. That’s a start.”

“Thank the goddess that you and Lana came along when you did,” she noted.

“Yeah,” he agreed, nodding tentatively. I hope Lana’s okay.

“They’ll be fine before you know it,” Ferali assured them, joining them. He had only sustained a few bruises.

“We owe you thanks as well,” Dave told him.

“I stood by our friends, my Liege. No thanks are needed,” the gnome replied. “But they are appreciated.”

“If you’ll both excuse me?” he requested, heading for the door.

Deirdre looked toward it with concern. “I hope he’s going to be fine.”

“Your father has a lot on his mind but yes, he should. Right now, your mother is his prime concern,” he declared.

Papa, it’s going to be okay. She went back to watching the patients and trying to keep her mind off of her trapped sisters in Althanor.


****

[Royal Bedroom]

Dave entered the bedroom and quietly made his way over to his wife’s bedside. He frowned as he saw no change since his last visit a few hours before.

Then she twitched her nose and opened her eyes. “Hey,” she whispered.

He grinned. “Hey, yourself. I figured you’d find a way to sleep in one of these days.”

She smirked at him. “I figure I have a couple of those coming to me. How are the Amazons?”

“The injured ones are in the healing chamber downstairs. Gabrielle, Varia, Eve and Xena are sleeping with them,” he reported.

“Yeah, Xena’s fighting a bad headache right now,” Angie reported, rubbing her head. “She’ll appreciate the assist. What was Alti doing with that book?”

“That was Lichtenfeld’s spell book. Remember the one I told you not to touch? That’s it,” he indicated.

“I thought it was safe,” she assumed.

“We thought she was under wraps too, remember?” he asked. “She broke out and went after it. We haven’t heard the last of this mess, trust me.” He kissed her forehead. “Meantime, I’m glad you’re awake.”

“Maybe I might do this more often for some bedside TLC,” she cracked, letting her eyes sparkle at him. Dave has a point. What will we do when those two show up next?


****


[Amazon Village]

In the older leaders’ absence, Jasmine directed her classmates’ efforts. In only a few hours, they rebuilt the entire village from the debris of the old buildings.

“Well done, my friends! Gabrielle will appreciate this and so do I,” she declared.

“It’s our pleasure,” Martin Littleclaw agreed as he and Kyla Buckwater walked up. For the previous two hours, the shape shifters had used their animal forms to drag materials around the compound.

“Whatever we can do to help our friends,” Sebastian agreed. “Lex, can you give us a crack in the ground?”

“Maybe to match the one in your head?” Chloe teased.

The billionaire grinned. “Takes one to know one.” Focusing, he caused a crack to form in the earth. “Your turn, Sebastian.”

“If you insist,” Sebastian retorted, causing a geyser to spout upward into the air and then into a barrel. “Jasmine, you’re up.”

“Sounds good,” the Princess concurred, touching the water and turning it into lemonade. “Lemonade, everyone!”

After hours of work, the group eagerly started into the liquid refreshment.

Even as they did so, Martin and Kyla felt a spike in the vibrations around them.

“Did you sense that?” she asked cautiously.

He nodded. “They’re still out there. We need to be careful.”


****


Meantime, Hope stood off to the side, watching the students enjoy themselves. In her experience, being part of the group was a commodity for weaklings, the needy and socially dependent. Her formative experiences had taught her that while one used other beings for his or her own ends, the operative remained a lone wolf.

But these children had done something. They valued her, albeit cautiously, as a part of their group. Maybe it was the time around their professor but they understood her pain.

And they had accepted her help when she offered.

Finally, they had thanked her for it: a foreign concept.

“Hope?”

The half-demon turned to see Lana and Jasmine standing there; the latter holding a ladle out to her. “What is it?”

“We thought you might be thirsty,” Jasmine assumed.

“You did great. Enjoy,” Lana added.

The comment took Hope by surprise. She was more used to sarcasm than genuine insights. “I did?”

“If not for you, we wouldn’t be here,” Jasmine told her. “Why don’t you come back with us?”

For a second, Hope hesitated. Then slowly, she nodded. “A…all right.” She accepted the ladle and took a drink. “What is this?”

“It’s called ‘lemonade’. Good, isn’t it?” Lana indicated.

“It is….Thank you,” Hope expressed with great effort.

The two girls nodded. This was a definite start for Hope.

Together, they rejoined the others, letting all concerned be involved.

And for Hope, that was a fine thing for a change.


****


[Forest—Twenty miles away]

The Rider glowered at his surroundings. “They fell easily before!”

Alti finished removing the last of the glue from her clothes and checked the book for damage. “That’s because you underestimated him and Hope, you fool! And once again, I did the same with the brats.”

“Ye should have a care! I created ye!” he spat.

She retorted, “No. You created a vessel for my spirit. THAT’S IT!” She grinned snidely. “Although it was fun to play with those stupid villagers.” She stalked around the area, considering their options. “Being with you though has made me recall what a pain in the ass Dubois is. Ungrateful savage.” Then a twinkle came into her eye as she announced, “Wait until he meets Mommy.”

“Her? Where is she?” he demanded.

The shamaness replied, “Patience. The time isn’t right yet but soon—very soon, it will be. Now get us out of here.”

He frowned, hating to take orders from a mortal, especially one who was supposed to be his daughter. But with a wave of his hand, he did so, removing horse, Alti and himself from the scene, taking them to who knew where.

One thing was for certain. They would be back soon. And the world would rue that day indeed.


THE END (for now)
 

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