by Patrick Hatt
“Now I ensure our survival.” Oxom’s entire body glowed and then it encompassed the machine. A rainbow beam of energy gathered around it, growing and giving off a loud buzzing throughout the room.
“Sorry, children. You’ve had a good run, but it is time your fate has been sealed. I’m sure there will be another way for me to find the fourth piece. Would have been easier with you though, Mr. Blizzard. You were the clue after all.”
Max gazed at Trudesile thinking it was their final moments while Lester could only concentrate on Adam. He realized the beam was going far too slow for something that had already been charged and that Adam spoke slower than normal. He knew something was truly up when Adam glanced to the ceiling moments before Bazooka even appeared.
“Time to die again, chap.” Bazooka shoved Adam toward the trio as the beam fired, forcing him to shove the trio aside and take the full brunt of it.
“I’m sorry I failed you, my love.” Adam’s tear-filled eyes gazed upon Trinny. He then faded from existence and the beam ran out, leaving Olympus unharmed.
“No! This can’t be it.” Oxom attempted to charge it again but found himself bound and gagged by Trinny before he could move.
“Your madness ends. You will not hurt another being.” Trinny opened a portal to their jail and tossed Oxom through, leaving him trapped in a cage of his own making.
“That ends that. I hope.”
“I’m afraid not.” Trinny smiled and stuck out her arms. She hugged Trudesile tightly after she ran into them. “You don’t know how long I have waited to hold you.”
“Get back to the afraid not, please?” Lester shrugged at Max, both eager to know but they wanted to give them their moment first.
“Maxy!” Dina hopped through a portal that she opened and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him. She then saw her mother and ran to her, hugging her.
“You have many decisions left to make. Adam forced you to make them.” Trinny gazed upon her two daughters, never wanting to let them go. “I only wish his confusion hadn’t left us in such a mess.”
“Mom, what do you mean?” Dina asked.
“I mean that we are only in this fate for a finite amount of time. With three pieces now used.” Trinny picked up the pieces with a strand of rainbow hair and dropped them in Max’s hand. “We may have weeks or months in this fate, but it shall end. And then…”
“We have to go back and battle all of them again?” Lester sighed.
“Unless we find the fourth piece and make all of this right. We could save the memories of this fate and then make sure Sir Dreadvent never left the sandwich. Then none of this would happen, but we could find a way to bring Momentus back to the realms so that I can be with Dina and you can become whole again.”
“I like the way your mind works, Max Blizzard. But Adam was right, you change one domino and so many more fall that you can’t control. You must be cautious with your words or everything could fail. It is the reason my husband tried to destroy it. But I had the idea to hide it. I knew what Adam was capable of. I hate that I had that thought now. I really wish he never created the infernal thing because I loved him without it.” Trinny looked to Trudesile. “How is your father?”
“Just fine, Mom.” Trudesile enjoyed calling her Mom, wanting to say it as much as possible after not having one for so long.
“So we find the fourth piece, slap the thing back together, write Sir Dreadvent stays whistling his tune, and then call it a day. Sounds easy enough, chaps.”
“Rabbit! Never say it sounds easy,” Lester scolded.
“He learned that the hard way,” Max added.
“Both your friends are right. It must be done, and it won’t be easy. When you find it take it to God. Only the touch of one of the four can activate it. That’s why Adam kept me so close.”
“Mom, what about Dad?” Dina asked.
“I’ll explain, Honey. For now you must go. With the time difference here and back in the realms, there is no telling how long we truly have. If it reverts to our fate now, thousands will be destroyed due to Adam’s, Oxom’s, and Sir Dreadvent’s actions that don’t have to be.”
“We’ll find it and then we’ll find a way to free you and Dina as well, Mom.” Trudesile stepped through to Olympus.
“You can count on that. See you soon.” Max kissed Dina and then stepped through behind Trudesile.
“Hold on. When we go back to Camelot it will be under siege again, right?” Lester asked.
“I’m afraid so. Those who come can only leave to the exact point where they left. You can go to that point in any realm, but it is still that point.”
“By me pot of gold. We beat him once, we beat him in other realities, we beat him in other fates, we…”
“The leprechaun likes to ramble.” Bazooka snickered after he shoved Lester through the portal and jumped in behind him.
“Mom, wouldn’t it be better off if they never found the fourth piece and waited this out? Max already proved he can beat them. No harm will come to him that way.”
“It would be, Honey. And the truth is, I hope it is so. Not many died but I knew if I didn’t tell them that they’d never leave us.” Trinny closed the portal. “Now there is no way back and fate will be restored to how it should be. Only we few shall remember and ensure Adam never comes to full power again.”
“But Mom, I sense Max will try to get back. I have so many fates in my head of so many beings.”
“It will calm when things reset, Honey. I’m sorry feelings were forced upon you, but with time they’ll fade. Let’s go home and wait for your father to return when things reset.” Trinny opened a portal and watched Dina step through. She turned back to where the other portal used to be and eyed the spot. She wiped the few tears from her eyes and whispered, “I’m sorry, Trudesile, but fate is too big to be messed with or controlled by anyone.”
Trinny then stepped through the portal to her plot in Momentus and closed it behind her. She knew what God would do, which made her love him even more, no matter if she could never feel his touch again. She now only wished she had let him do it eons ago.
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Max, Trudesile, Lester, and Bazooka hopped through a portal to Camelot, landing in the middle of a battle raging on.
“Don’t take this lightly. Just because we did it before doesn’t mean we can do it again,” Max stated.
“Sure we can and we will.” Lester spotted the other Trudesile and made a portal open beneath her feet, sending her to the dungeon.
“Max, I’ll help Dad. You end those.” Trudesile turned into a rhino and ploughed through Eve’s sand creatures after pointing to the Sevesties.
“King Arthur, get clear!” Max brought forth a huge Gem of Camelot and let it fly, frying the Sevesties.
The Freleom all stopped cackling at once and stood like statues while the battle raged on around them.
“So much easier when you know what the problem is.” Brozen nodded to Dregg and Dregg stomped on the Freleoms.
“Get out of here, land lubbers.” Davy Jones bounced some Sons of Dreadvent away as they tried to get into the throne room.
“Screw it. We’ll deal with it later.” Lester opened a portal to Atlantis and sent them all back there as they bounced his way.
“Max!” Mimi screamed and then caused a stone wall to appear behind him.
Max knew what was happening and waited for his chance, pretending to guard the fate device that he had made appear.
“This will be the end of you.”
“Don’t just stand there, chicken legs.” Trudesile jumped in front of Max as Vlad tried to plunge his sword into Max’s back. It hit her chest and only resulted in a clang.
“Not today, Vlad.”
“Not any day.” Trudesile grabbed his sword and shoved it through his chest, smirking as he toppled over. “How you ever believed I’d fall for a pathetic Daddy’s boy is beyond me.”
“Quickly, go!” Max pointed to the Pedestal of R
ealms after opening a portal to Earth.
“You’re letting me go? What’s the catch, chicken legs?”
“There is good in you. Go to Earth and create a life for yourself. But be good or I will find out.” Max brought forth a bag of gold coins and handed it to her. “This should get you started.”
“You’re a strange one, chicken legs.” Trudesile tore off the armor Max had made appear over her chest. “If you ever want to come play with the fun one, look me up.” Trudesile winked at Max and then stepped through.
“Are you sure that was a wise choice?” Merlin asked.
“No. But she did save my life, she deserves a chance.”
“That she does, my son. Now let’s end this together,” Evienne stated.
Oberon and Titania once again took care of Puck more swiftly than before while Lempilightess, Pemestra, and Bandaid cleared out the stranglers. Brozen bopped the rest of the Freleom on the head, turning them to ash, and God trapped Eve once more with the help of Trudesile, Bazooka, and Torenie.
Max and his parents cornered Slister and Trillon, who each dropped to their knees. Max nodded to Lester and he opened a portal beneath them, sending them to Atlantis.
“That was far easier without Sir Dreadvent around,” Lester stated.
“I thought you said never to say it was easy?” Bazooka eyed him.
“I said it was easier than last time. Big difference. By me pot of gold.” Lester jumped into the air as the castle began to shake and the Pedestal of Realms erupted into a rainbow light.
“Dad, what is this?” Trudesile asked.
“Momentus. It’s coming back.”
“Dad, how is that possible?” Max questioned.
“I haven’t the foggiest.”
“Get ready everyone. Another war may be upon us,” King Arthur declared.
“The leprechaun had to open his big mouth,” Bazooka stated.
“Don’t blame me. Stupid Scroll of Fate. Stupid Fate.” Lester continued mumbling as the Pedestal of Realms and the whole castle quaked.
Davy Jones kept himself extended over the throne room door, protecting the kids, while everyone else gathered behind Max, Trudesile, Lester, Bazooka, Merlin, King Arthur, God, Evienne, Oberon, and Titania, each of them fearing the worst was yet to come.
Chapter 12
Bait and Switch
The Pedestal of Realms stopped glowing and silence set over Camelot. No one flinched as they waited for an attack. Their confusion rose as minutes passed without anything happening, but it faded when a portal opened and each then readied their imagination power.
“This better not be a Frelestie. That’s like the only thing we didn’t face,” Lester whispered.
“Don’t go jinxing us, chap.”
“Whatever it is, we’ll take it down,” Max stated.
Everyone’s eyes widened as Dina and Trinny stepped through the portal with many of the first beings following behind them. Dina ran to Max, wrapped her arms around him, and kissed him.
“Max has a girlfriend.” Mimi giggled while she watched from the throne room door.
“Is this who you spoke of?” Merlin asked.
“That it is,” Trudesile mumbled.
“How are you here? How did you get back on the pedestal? How…” God stopped questioning Trinny as she threw her arms around him and kissed him.
Trudesile smiled while her parents remained lost in the others embrace. She ignored Max and Dina, part of her hoping the love willed on them would wear off soon.
“Did you dispatch them?” Trinny whispered.
“Not yet. I haven’t had time.” God turned to Max and stuck out his hand. “We must make sure they can never be completed. I will see those scattered to the far realms of our universe.”
“No. We have to complete it and fix things,” Max stated.
“We can’t mess with fate. I’m sorry, Max. But things will be reset as they should be, and no one will find these again.”
“Yeah, because your plan worked so well last time, chap.” Bazooka rolled his eyes.
“Doing the same thing over again. I hate to agree with the rabbit, but that is dumb.” Lester stepped beside Max and Bazooka.
“Dad, we can’t. We need them to fix everything. We can do it.” Trudesile joined her friends.
“Maybe we should let them,” Trinny whispered, no longer sure it was the correct course after arguing with Dina on Momentus.
“No. It can make matters worse. I never should have created it. It is my cross to bear and I will see it lost to the universe.” God waved his hand over Max and the pieces flew from Max’s hand and into his.
“Merlin, shouldn’t we do something?” Evienne asked.
“Things are complicated, my love.”
“Give me those. This will end, and we’ll fix your mistake,” Max demanded.
“I’m with the lad.” King Arthur stepped to Max’s side. “They’ve beaten the odds before and I say we let them try again.”
“Land lubbers have a way of winning out,” Davy Jones chimed in.
God held up his hand, refusing to listen to anyone as they joined Max’s side. A glow then appeared overhead, and an arm of fire reached out from it, grabbing the torn pieces. Max knew it had to be Ra and when he heard “just be” in his mind his suspicions were confirmed. Ra’s head popped out and he slyly smirked toward Max. He then winked at Max before disappearing back into the glow.
“Things will be as they should when this wears off. For now we should enjoy this glimpse of a new fate that we have been given and not waste it.” God wrapped his arm around Trinny and reached his other hand for Trudesile, who pulled away.
“You’ll understand in time, my daughter.”
“I understand you are scared. Not trying is the same as letting Adam get his way.” Trudesile stomped off to the throne room as Davy Jones lowered his shield.
“I’m with her,” Lester mumbled.
“Chap, don’t expect any love from me.” Bazooka followed Lester to the throne room while searching for his kids.
“Dina, get to know your extended family. I want nothing to do with them right now.” Max kissed her on the cheek and pretended to be angry as he caught up to his friends.
“Merlin, did you sense that?”
“I haven’t the foggiest what you speak of, my love.” Merlin smirked at Evienne. “But if I did, I’d say keep it to yourself.”
“I second that, dearies,” Bandaid whispered to the pair.
“So you are my mother’s first husband?” Dina asked.
Trinny, God, and Dina went to a nearby bench and chatted, Trinny and God never letting go of the other.
The remaining beings in Camelot mingled with the first beings, wanting to learn about their ability and where they themselves had come from ages ago. Each treated them with respect, surprising the few first beings who knew the truth of their past.
“Davy, warn us if anyone tries to come this way,” Max whispered.
“Will do, scallywag.”
“Go enjoy the fun,” Max said.
“Are you sure you are okay?” Mimi asked.
“I’ll be fine. Go find Mom and Dad.” Max hugged Mimi and then nudged her out the door.
Bazooka strolled back into the throne room with his kids while Max waited for everyone else that had been hiding there to leave. He then silently closed the door and nodded to the roundtable.
“What is it, chap?”
“Give it a minute.” Max smirked while he pulled a chair out, signaling for an angry Trudesile to take a seat beside him.
“You guys aren’t coming out? What are you up to?” Brozen questioned while he took form through the cracks in the stone floor.
“I was waiting for you. Lester, if you would.”
Lester created an encasing around Brozen with his imagination and the pair sat at the roundtable with the others.
“Daddy, what are they doing?” Megan asked.
“Shh, Honey, just listen. I think he pulled a fast on
e.”
“What’s a fast one?” Graeme questioned.
“You’ll see.” Bazooka watched Max reach down and take his shoe off. He smirked when Max turned it upside down and dumped the three pieces of the Scroll of Fate onto the table.
“By me pot of gold.”
“Max, how did you do that?” Trudesile asked.
“You went against a ruler. Are you sure you know what you are doing?”
“Shush, pucker up to the rulers later.” Lester threw his hand over Brozen’s face, hoping it would stop him from speaking.
“During the battle I created duplicates and hid these ones in my shoe, just in case. I knew some would want us to let it go.”
“Always the wise one, chap.” Bazooka grinned at his kids. “That’s what you call a fast one.”
“I didn’t really think God would be the one or fall for it. I think the return of your mother blinded him a bit.”
“Max, great job. Now we can fix all of this and make sure Sir Dreadvent never escapes to cause any harm,” Trudesile stated.
“We can fix a lot of things. And we will do it right.”
“But Max, a lot can go wrong. What if Sir Dreadvent gets out again?” Brozen questioned.
“I know, Brozen. That’s why we need your help. You have more knowledge than anyone here besides Dregg. And he was too big to fit in here.” Max smirked at Brozen.
“I’ll try my best to help.”
“And keep your mouth shut,” Lester warned.
“But we all have to agree because, as Brozen said, this is going against a ruler.”
“Only sorta, chap. We fix it and it will be like it never happened.”
“Right. So here is what we are going to do.” Max began instructing the others on what needed to be done.
******************************
“And then the land shook, everything became as one like the realm used to be, and we all felt the connection with the other realms again. I don’t know why it happened, but it did,” Trinny finished explaining.
“Maybe Adam had Momentus somehow connected to him. When he died the connection severed and it moved back to its rightful place,” God theorized.