The Crystal of Ix

Written by Zelda

 

                Dragaunus leaned back in his throne.

                "My fellow evildoers, this is a truly great day!"

                "What makes you so sure?" asked the Chameleon.     

                "Because the Ducks haven't destroyed us yet." muttered Wraith.

                "Ha, you fools know nothing. Have a look at this!" commanded Dragaunus, and the three turned to see him stand and raised his clawed hand, which grasped a jagged, purple crystal.

                "So?" snorted Siege "What's the big deal?"

                "This is the great Crystal of Ix! Even mentioning the name is considered to bring death amongst the dragons of earth." laughed Dragaunus.

                "What does it do?" shuddered Chameleon.

                "When this Crystal is activated, it will meld the body of it's commander into the body of it's victim, making the victim controllable and the owner invincible!"

                "But, how does it..." stuttered Wraith.

                "It just does!" roared Dragaunus. "And I know exactly who to use it on."

 

                Zelda ran along the edges of the boards as the Ducks crisscrossed the rink, deeply involved in practice. Finally, they stopped play, and headed into the locker room for a break.

                "Good going so far guys." congratulated Wildwing, as the Ducks removed their helmets. Suddenly, and immense green shadow appeared behind Nosedive.           

                "Nosedive! Look out!" yelled Mallory, as Siege appeared, and loomed over him. Nosedive spun around, and Siege grabbed him by the waist, hoisting him up off of the ground. The others immediately went into a Quickchange, and Wildwing stepped up to the head of the team.

                "Let him go Siege!" ordered Wildwing.

                "Not a chance, Ducks!" laughed Siege, and disappeared before anyone could move. The Ducks ran quickly down to the Ready Room, getting exact coordinates on Nosedive's location from Drake One, the Duck's trusty supercomputer.

                "That goon!" snorted Zelda to herself.

                "He's at the old drive-in theater!" said Tanya, surprised.

                "What would Dragaunus want with a drive-in theater?" asked Duke.

                "Doesn't matter, let's go!" yelled Wildwing, and they all ran onto the Aerowing, powered up, and blasted off from the Pond.

 

                Just as the Ducks burst through the door of the old storage shed and garage, Nosedive was thrown up against the wall next to them. Grin stood angrily in front of him as he sank to the floor, struggling. Dragaunus stood in front of  his henchmen, ready to face the Ducks.

                "So, dino breath, what'da ya up to now?" snorted Mallory.

                "Oh, not much. Just thought I'd send you a line." he laughed nonchalantly. Suddenly, he whipped his tail across the floor, sending the unsuspecting Ducks flying in all directions.

Zelda bounded up first, and stood to face Dragaunus alone. "You have a strange way of keeping in touch." snarled Zelda.

                "Well, then allow me to let you see it through my eyes!" roared Dragaunus. He pulled out the glowing purple crystal from beneath his armor. "Recognize this?" he snarled.

 

                Wildwing stood up slowly as Dragaunus revealed the crystal, and happened to look over at Zelda. Surprised, he saw that her face was frozen in terror. She backed slowly away from Dragaunus as he advanced, holding the crystal out to her, glowing brighter by the second.

                "You...you wouldn't dare!" yelped Zelda, backing away steadily, eyes wide with fear.

                "Zelda?...What is?....." began Duke.

                "The Crystal of Ix!" she whimpered. "Even to say it's name is to evoke death! Stay away!" She continued to back fearfully away from Dragaunus.

                "I've never seen Zelda this scared before." remarked Grin.

                "Are you kidding? She's practically been reduced to a hatchling Bud!" coughed Nosedive. "Whatever that crystal is, it's gotta be bad news." Suddenly, Zelda yelped as her back hit against the cold wall of the large shed. She fell to scrabbling at the floor, whining and sobbing in blind terror. Dragaunus raised a taloned foot and placed it heavily on her side, holding the squirming creature in place. Wildwing stepped forth, but Siege stood in his way.

                "Watch it, featherbrain, or you'll wind up being stuffing for a pillow!" Dragaunus leaned closer back in, sneering in Zelda's face.

                "My mind, your body, foolish Dragon." He suddenly backed away and reared up. "Now, they shall become one!"

                "No!" screamed Zelda, as Dragaunus threw his arm down, and the crystal shattered on the floor between them both. The Ducks were powerless to stop what happened next.

 

                A huge, bright white cyclone erupted from the crystal's fragments, sucking Zelda and Dragaunus in, and shoving the rest away.

                "Zelda!" cried Tanya, as she backed against the wall. Zelda tried desperately to escape, to scrabble out. But she was held fast by the raging winds. Zelda became blurred as her color of purple smeared with Dragaunus's red, and she roared in sheer panic. Suddenly, the cyclone ended in a huge, bright white explosion, but there were no searing winds, no flaming heat, just a blinding flash of white light, and all was quiet once more.

 

                Zelda kneeled on the floor, with one paw pressed to her stomach. She sat there, breathing heavily, as the Ducks slowly regained themselves and approached her.   "Zelda?...Are you...okay?" asked Duke timidly. Zelda slowly removed her paw from her stomach and put it on the floor, and then, slowly, quietly, started to laugh! She continued to laugh louder, until she finally threw herself up, spread her wings, and cried in a roar-laugh that made the Ducks back warily away. Finally, she came crashing back down to the floor with a loud snarl, revealing that her eyes were glowing a blood red.

                "Hello, Duckies!" she laughed.

                "It can't be!" marveled Grin, recognizing the twisted voice.

                "Oh it is, my feathered foes, Zelda and I are one!"

 

                Dragaunus was actually controlling Zelda from the inside! This, Wildwing could not stand. He stepped up strongly and pointed his puck launcher strait at Zelda's possessed snout.

                "Leave Zelda alone, Dragaunus."

                "Oh, and what do you intend to do? You wouldn't dare to hurt your pet lizard!" Zelda suddenly coiled and sprang at Wildwing with a fury unknown. Wildwing, alarmed, raised his shield, and tried to defend himself, but the force of the blow knocked him flat against the ground. Duke and Mallory quickly flanked him. "Siege! Chameleon! Wraith!" cried Dragaunus. The evil henchmen came, snarling and seething, to his side. He turned to face the petrified Ducks, and snarled. "Attack!"

 

                The Ducks suddenly found themselves engulfed deep in combat with the henchmen. Some of the battle even spilled outside, where the Ducks had more open space to maneuver. Wildwing soon found himself alone, face-to-face with Dragaunus. Zelda paced up to him. Desperate, he tried to call out to her.

                "Zelda! You can't let Dragaunus do this!" he yelled.

                "Don't even try it Duck!" laughed Dragaunus. "If Zelda even dared to try and reverse the spell of the Crystal, she would be killed. She, and you, are at my mercy!" Dragaunus leapt at Wildwing, and caught him on the chest. Wildwing tried to block the blow, but fell back against the floor. Zelda's thick tail soon met his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. "Now, this ends." grinned Zelda. Suddenly, in mid-leap, Zelda's pounce was met with Grin's fist, and Zelda was sent sprawling into a corner, where she lay still on her side. Grin quickly helped Wildwing up, staring at the body the whole time. Dragaunus raised his head slowly, and started to laugh again. "You just don't get it, do you?" he snorted, standing back up. "You can't hurt me, I'm inside Zelda, using her as a shield. That was a good blow, Duck, probably would have broken a few ribs...to bad I didn't feel it at all!" Dragaunus then threw himself at Grin with all his force. Clawing at him, Grin was forced to back away, and Wraith took over the assault from there. Snarling maliciously, Zelda turned slowly back to Wildwing, who was trying to stagger away. Zelda threw herself upon Wildwing's back with a force that would be expected of a much larger animal. Wildwing was thrown onto his stomach, and Zelda snatched his Mask away from his face. Wildwing spun around in horror, to see Dragaunus holding the Mask in his claws. "One move, Duck, and the Mask your hero used to defeat my ancestors will be nothing but a few pieces of twisted metal."

 

                Dragaunus laughed, and slowly started to squeeze the Mask of Drake DuCaine into decommission. Everything that Mask had meant to the Ducks and the people of Puckworld suddenly ripped through Wildwing's mind. Suddenly, Dragaunus snorted loudly, and the red was squeezed out of Zelda's eyes, replaced by the usual blue. Her claws shook and clattered as they slowly released their grip, and the Mask fell to the floor. At the instant the Mask landed, Zelda suddenly bounced off to the side, snapping and snarling. Finally, she faced Wildwing again with an unearthly growl, eyes glowing red.

                "That Dragon of yours is quite a feisty little lizard. Too bad she will never fight for you again!" Wildwing darted out, snatched up the Mask, and ran from Dragaunus. Zelda was resisting! But he was tired out. He had to see how the others were fairing.

 

                Duke thrust menacingly at Siege's armor. Though he would never use his weapon on a living foe, save for disarming him, Siege was bringing him pretty close to the point where he would. He and Mallory were trying to buy the injured Nosedive some time to recover, and were having a hard time at it. Grin was nearby, trying his hardest to grab Wraith and wring his neck, if only he didn't keep disappearing like that...., and Tanya was trying not to get caught in the tentacles of the Chameleon, who had turned himself into a giant squid. Tanya was firing her pucks haphazardly, trying to hit Chameleon in the eyes, but to no avail. She was quickly ensnared in the tentacles, and raised high in the air.

                "Now, Duck, watch me turn into a python and squeeze ya feathers off!" Tanya winced and struggled as Chameleon's grip became firmer around her. Suddenly, Wildwing's exploding pucks snapped Chameleon across the face, and he quickly started to meld back into original form, letting Tanya fall. Wildwing ran forth and caught Tanya as she fell, and placed her back on the ground.        

                "Whoa, Wildwing, what happened to you?" asked Tanya, seeing Wildwing's exhausted state.

                "Been in a bit of a tussle." he snorted. "Where's Dragaunus?" Suddenly, a loud roar came from off the right, answering their question.

               

                Zelda had pounced on Mallory from behind, as she and Duke were fighting Siege. Siege took up Mallory's place with Nosedive, who had managed to recover. Mallory was thrown to the ground, and landed heavily on her back. Zelda leapt in immediately and tore at her arm, which was held out in defense. Mallory shoved Zelda away, but Zelda leapt at her again, grabbing onto her shoulder, and tearing down. Mallory cried in pain and slammed Dragaunus to the ground. Dragaunus recovered quickly, and flew up high into the air, crashing down on Mallory's head. Mallory fell uncontrollably back to the earth, and hit her head hard. Her sight swam and head ached, and she was knocked senseless for a moment. Finally, Siege tired and backed off, while the other Ducks closed in around Zelda.

                "Dragaunus!" yelled Nosedive.

                "Careful, Ducks, for your comrade is near her end!" Dragaunus sneered, and pointed maliciously at the duck that lay helpless beneath him. He turned and snarled savagely at Mallory, who could do nothing but stare in pain and fear. "Imagine the irony!" laughed Dragaunus. "One of the teams most loyal members, killing both you and herself at the same time!" he roared in bloodthirsty victory, and raised his claws to deliver the final blow.

 

                Suddenly, Dragaunus's claws stopped in mid-swipe. He snarled and ducked his head, thrashing back and forth. Suddenly, he leapt to the side, leaving Mallory, bruised and bleeding, on the ground, and bounced blindly about.

                "You...silly animal...do you wish your own end?" snarled Dragaunus savagely, tearing at the ground. Wildwing stepped forward, realizing what was happening. Zelda was fighting back! But would she be beaten again? From the deep and glowing red in her eyes, they swirled and flashed blue. A voice that was Zelda's, but a choked, twisted version, came snorting out of her mouth.                

"No matter what...you shall never win...against me, Dragaunus!" Zelda became clearer and louder with every word. "NEVER!" Zelda roared the last line, and then threw her head up and screamed in pain, throwing her wings out, arching her back into a crescent shape, and crimping her claws. From within her, there came a blazing red light, that seeped from every crack and corner until it filled the air, and made the Ducks back off once more. Finally, the light disappeared as quickly as it had come, and Zelda fell, cold and still, to the ground.

 

                They were gone. All evidence of Dragaunus and his henchmen were gone, and the Ducks were left alone. Mallory got up slowly, and kneeled on the ground beside Zelda, who had still to move.

                "Is she?" asked Tanya fearfully.

                "Yes, she's alive." sighed Mallory, relived. "Barely."

 

                Zelda lay still on the infirmary bed, still in a stupor an hour after the battle. Though she was completely unresponsive, her eyes remained squinted shut, her teeth remained locked in a wincing snarl. Other than this, it seemed as if her life was simply fluttering in and out of her like the gasping, shivering breaths she took. The team stood idly around her along with Mallory, who sat on the next bed with her forearm bandaged. After an hour, Wildwing saw that is was getting late, and advised everyone to get some rest. But nobody was very willing to leave Zelda's side. Finally, after a half-an-hour had passed, the team slowly drifted off into the Ready Room, leaving Zelda in Tanya's care. Tanya sat slumped in an office chair, with the TV on but mute. She was exhausted, but couldn't sleep. Suddenly, she thought she heard shuffling and movement behind her. Turning about, she saw Zelda shifting and crimping her claws, trying to raise her head. Tanya gently shook Zelda on the shoulder.

                "Zelda! Zelda, wake up." she cooed gently. Finally, Zelda opened her jaws and whined.

                "Tanya?" she whispered raggedly. "What....what happened?"

                "Everything's fine, Zelda." Tanya sighed, greatly relived. "Hang on, I'm gonna go get the others."

 

                When the rest of the team, who couldn't sleep either, came into the infirmary, Zelda sat with her paws draped over the edge of the table, her head up, her eyes tinted gray.

                "Hey guys." she smiled. The team came up to her gleefully.

                "Zelda! We thought you were a goner!" said Wildwing, patting her on the snout.

                "How do you feel?" inquired Grin. Zelda lowered her ears and ducked her head slowly.

                "Terrible. How could I have ever brought a claw against my own comrades?" she sniffed. "Zelda...Dragaunus.." began Mallory, puzzled.             

                "No, that's not the point. I could have killed you, Mallory. I can never forgive myself for that. You guys are like blood, like my own kind. What I did was disloyal and disrespectable to say the very least. I feel so ashamed." Zelda slowly raised her claw and buried her head in it.

                "Zelda, nobody's blamin' you." said Nosedive.             

                "Dragaunus was controlling you. It might have killed you to resist." agreed Duke.

                "But I fought him back, didn't I? Couldn't I have resisted sooner? Did I have to hurt you guys?" She snorted.

                "Zelda, you didn't hurt us, Dragaunus did. You can't possibly blame yourself." said Grin.

                "Zelda, Your deeds of self-sacrifice over us have proven your loyalty over your guilt." smiled Wildwing. "Put it behind you." Zelda looked up slowly, and smiled.

                "You guys, I am so thankful to have such great comrades." she sighed.

                "And we feel the same way." grinned Tanya.

 

The End

 

Mighty Ducks-The Animated Series, including all logos and characters (except me) are copyright and property of Disney. You may copy, print, or whatever with this document, so long as it is not altered and I (Zelda) am credited. Thanks!