Both the Ducks and STROBE had planned to take down Hydeous that day.
They stormed his fortress and were inside executing their mission as one whole team.
"Move out Ducks." Wildwing gave the signal and the ducks jumped out of their hiding places and took out the phantoms that were blocking the way.
"Set the bombs, guys."
Four members of STROBE planted special bombs on the entrance door to Hydeous's throne room.
"Get moving! All of you!" Nyre hissed to everyone as phantoms began to materialize before them. Following orders, the rest did so.
"Marri, set them off when everybody is at a *safe point*." Drake told her as he shot down three more phantoms that appeared.
"3... 2...1... now!" Marri pressed the detonation button and the door blew open. The team ran into the room, puck launchers armed and ready.
"Where is he?" Duke shouted, glancing around the room. The throne was empty. Hydeous nowhere to be seen.
"Come out Hydeous!" Dee growled, arming herself, an explosive puck in one hand.
A purple cloud descended onto the throne and Hydeous materialized for them all to see. "Ah..." The sorcerer drawled at the sight of the two groups. "I've been expecting you." Hydeous cackled and thirteen phantoms appeared attacking them.
A phantom shot two fireballs at the ducks, but Wildwing blocked it with his shield. Canard, Mallory, Nosedive and Tanya shot down four while Duke chopped two of them into pieces and Grin slammed the heads of two more together.
The last five charged STROBE with swords. Each one of them took down a phantom except for Drake, who was charging Hydeous at that moment.
"Foolish human." The visor, which was connected the duck skull started to glow a purplish color.
"Ungh. Why can't I move!?!" Drake tried to move but couldn't.
"I shall let you see your worst fear before you die." The sorcerer laughed devilishly and the visor began to glow an even brighter purple and Drake began to tremble.
"Why won't you move human? I've all ready let go of my hold over you." Hydeous laughed evilly as Drake dropped to his knees.
"No. No. This can't be. No." Tears started to roll down his cheek, and he held his head as if in pain. No...no....
"If you won't move, then just stay still. Because that would be the *perfect* place for you to DIE." He laughed once more and created a fireball made of black flame and hurled it at the defenceless human.
"DRAKE!!!" Mal shouted and rammed him out of the way, putting herself in his place. Drake burst into tears as he saw his worst fear come true. Mal... dying. "NOOOOOOOO!!!" Drake ran to her side and cradled her tenderly in his arms. "This can't be happening."
The tears kept flowing and Mal touched his cheek. "Drake...? What... happened?" her voice was soft... and weak... dying.
"Fool, *why* did you do that?!" Drake demanded clutching her close to his chest.
"Then you mean you aren't hurt or... anything?" She managed a weak smile.
"Stop asking me if I'm alright." He whispered, lips brushing on her cheek. "You should be worrying about yourself." He pulled back and the she reached up to caress his cheek.
"Drake...?"
"Yes... baby?" Drake looked into her emerald eyes, his voice quavering.
"I want you to promise me something." Her eyes pleaded that he listen.
"Anything... for you...."
"I may live... or I may die... but I want you to keep fighting. I want you to keep fighting for this world's safety, for the Ducks and Strobe, for our family... for me." her voice dropped to a whisper on the last word.
"Don't say things like that." Drake burst out, shaking his head violently.
"Just," she reached up and stopped him, "promise me Drake."
He paused for a moment and nodded.
"Thank you." She smiled and her hands went limp at her sides, her body seeming to drain of life.
"Mal," Drake shook her. "Mal! Wake up!" He kept shaking her. "*Don't* play around with me babe! You *can't* die yet. NOT YET!!! We said that we'd be together forever..." he shut his eyes and hugged her tight. "You promised me that." He whispered, feeling his soul being torn apart.
Drake remembered hours before, they were in the ready room before this whole event and she promised him that none of them would die. That everyone would be safe and that after this, they would live a happy life...
SHE PROMISED.
And Mallory McMallard NEVER breaks her promises.
It was like time had slowed down on them. Wildwing and Nyre glanced at each other, husband and wife passing a mental message. The ebony eyes of the human filled with tears. She pulled on her daughter and motioned a retreat to Dee, Marri, Ace and Mel. They had seen what had happened and were gambling no more with Hades.
Wildwing pressed a button on his com. The signal for Hacker to come for them.
"FALL BACK!" The Aerowing appeared outside a window of the throne room and it blasted a way out for them.
"Drake, *c'mon*." Dive slammed some sense to his friend and they ran into the Aerowing, Drake carrying Mal in his arms.
"Hacker. Get us back to the Pond." Wing commanded then turned just in time to catch Nyre as she collapsed in tears on the floor of the aircraft. "Nyre!"
"Momma!" Castel ran to her mother and father's side. Nyre was sobbing uncontrollably now. They could do nothing.
"No! Damn that Hydeous! MAL! MALLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Wildwing crushed Nyre against him, whispering comforting words in her ear.
Castel glanced up at Dive and the rest, and that look was the only thing the blond Flashblade needed to know as he flipped open his com.
"Krysta Avers here."
"Krysta! Call the best doctors in Anaheim... I don't care how! Just do it! Mal's in bad shape, get the medi-lab ready as well. Until those other specialists come, YOU be in charge."
"Mal? Bad shape? How?"
"Explain later... don't talk, just DO."
"I'm out."
***
Back at Hydeous Fortress.
"Why do I get weaker and weaker whenever I use the visors power." Hydeous looked at it.
***"So is she gonna be okay, Krys?" Dive asked several hours later, but the doctor just shook her head.
"So what about Drake?" Ace asked softly from where he sat.
"Go in," she managed to choke out, "and see for yourselves." Krysta walked towards Malcolm who immediately wrapped her in his arms.
The group glanced to each other. "You take the first glance Nyre," Tanya began softly as Duke hugged her from behind.
"Afterall... you're like siblings." Duke finished for her.
The petite girl nodded and turned to face the door. She reached out for the knob then pulled back in hesitation. She glanced to her teammates and reluctantly open it.
Peering inside she caught sight of Drake's back and his hand stroking Mal's. She knew he was speaking... but she didn't want to hear any of it. So she pulled back and latched onto Wing's left arm, her sobs echoing in the halls. Oh Drake... oh Mal... why...? Why...? WHY? You were so happy. Why THIS?! The questions ran through Nyre's mind.
The rest of the teens peeked in and saw something they thought they would never see. Drake was stroking Mal's red hair continuously and was speaking to her as if she was still alive.
"They're all wrong, Mal. You're not dead. You're just sleeping. You'll be okay, they'll see. You'll wake up in a while but for the meantime just rest. I'll carry you to your room later."
The teens couldn't believe what they were seeing and didn't want to either. Each member of the group left for their rooms with the same question Nyre had.
Why?
Nosedive was the last to leave. All he wanted at that moment was for Mal to be alive. So that she and his best friend could be happy again.
He left but Drake just sat there. Not taking his caring eyes off Mallory for even a second.
He just kept on stroking her hair.
***"Hey. Where's Drake bringing that tray of food?" Marri asked Ace.
"I have no idea."
"Let's go find out." Dive said and they started to follow him.
"I'm with you guys." Mel followed.
Drake walked down the corridor and knocked on Mal's door and entered. The teens exchanged glances then opened the door slightly so they could see what was happening.
"Hi Mal. I came to bring you your breakfast." Drake smiled putting the tray down on Mal's side table. He smiled again and stroked her cheek.
"I'll just go get your drink." Drake went out and the teens scattered. Drake just walked by not noticing the four hiding behind the boxes in the hallway. But he should have noticed them. Each and every time they had eavesdropped on him and Mal, he had caught them. Each and every time.
But not now.
"What's wrong with him?" Mar asked her sister.
"I quote from Ace, 'I have no idea'."
"Look out! He's coming back." Ace and Dive warned and the four ducked.
He didn't glance, he *didn't* see... or didn't want to. He just passed them again. He was acting very strangely indeed.
"Oh. So you're not hungry?" the four heard him say softly. "Just tell me when you want to eat and I'll cook something up and if you need anything, just ask." Drake left the room with the tray, silverware, pitcher and glass.
For the next ten days Drake acted in this manner. This weird manner of bringing Mal whatever she would need. He just kept on acting like Mal was still alive.
Then it happened.
Duke couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't stand the sight of Drake acting like a total nutcase.
"Drake!" Duke called to the human, who was carrying a tray of food, and Drake turned around. "Yeah, Duke?" he smiled.
"Stop it!" Duke said, frustrated.
"Stop what?" the human asked, eyes completely clueless.
"Stop everything you're doing!" Duke burst out, "admit it to yourself! Mal-is-*DEAD*!"
"No... she's not dead...." Drake said softly as he shook his head, his stapled smile faltering.
Duke growled, "She IS!"
"No. No. She's not dead." Drake closed his eyes and shook his head faster.
"She *IS*!!!"
"NOOOOOO!!!" Drake dropped the tray, punched Duke hard on the beak and ran off.
"Drake!" Dive was about to run after him when Duke grabbed his arm.
"Leave him Nosedive."
"Why!?! I've gotta help him."
"He'll come around."
"How do you know."
"Cuz' my beak wasn't knocked off my face. He pulled back his punch."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning if my beak had fallen off, there's no hope, but it didn't, so he'll come around." He paused. "He has to." Duke whispered to himself.
Krysta wondered. It's been ten days since Mal died but the body hasn't decayed yet. That's strange. She thought.
***A young female duck sat under a tree, on a patch of land beside a river. Across the river was a meadow of beautiful flowers whose sky above was clear and bright. A huge white, majestic castle stood in the middle of it all.
I want to go there... She whispered to herself. But...but I don't want to leave....
Why can't I go there...?
She buried her face in her hands. Moments later she looked up, tears in her beautiful eyes. Is there...
... is there...?
... is there something...
... something... I have to do...?
***Later in the afternoon, music, really, really *loud* music roared through the walls of the pond. Everybody ran out of the rooms to see where the noise was coming from.
"Dive! What happened?!" Wing shouted trying to beat the music's noise.
"I. Do. Not. Know." Dive told him in sign language.
"Where's Drake?" Wing asked, also in sign language.
"I think he went... NO. He went to the Rec room."
"Let's go check up on him." Thank goodness we took sign language lessons. Dive thought and accompanied his older brother to the Rec room, with everybody else following them.
Nyre slowly opened the door to the Rec room and were almost blown away by the pressure of the music. Wildwing reached out and caught her as she stumbled into his arms.
"Drake!" Wing ran to Drake who was sitting down on the couch.
"Drake! Lower the volume!" Wildwing told him, but he just raised the volume.
"Buddy! *Lower* the volume!" Dive started to shake his friend who just continued to raising the volume.
"I'll handle this." Duke unplugged all of the appliances. He leaned on the wall and sighed.
Tanya went over to him and hugged him, asking softly if he was okay.
"Thank God the noise stopped. My karma was taking it badly." Grin raised his hands in the air in a praising motion to the ceiling.
"What? What to who the what had what!?!" Dive rubbed his ears.
Suddenly, Drake stood up from the couch and left the room.
"Did you see his eyes?" Tanya glanced up to Duke who wrapped his arms around her. The grey duck glanced to the others.
Krysta shut her eyes and Malcolm embraced her tight. Melissa turned away and Marri tried to comfort her sister. Ace and Hacker shook their heads, tears coming to their eyes.
This is wrong. Castel dropped to her knees and Canard hugged the hybrid tight in comfort glancing to Wildwing who could only stare at the door where their friend had left.
"They were empty... so empty... like..." Dee choked on her words and clung tightly to her sister, "as if he were possessed or something..."
"We've lost him." Nyre hung her head.
"No." all eyes turned to Nosedive who shook his head violently. "He can't. He. Can't. Do. This."
Wildwing approached him but he swatted his brother's hands away. "He can't leave us. Not like this. Not NOW. Mal was enough." Hot tears began to roll down from his blue eyes. Eyes that reflected mixed emotions of pain... denial... hurt... absolute anguish... and sorrow.
"Dive." Wing started.
"No WING!" He pulled away, inching for the door. "I won't." He choked out. "I won't ever forgive him if he leaves us like this." He shook his head and rushed out the door.
Moments later the hard slamming of his door was heard.
"Oh God, Nyre!" All eyes turned to the petite human whose knees had buckled, fallen to the floor and had lost consciousness. Wildwing gathered her in his arms and rocked her back and forth gently.
***That night, Dive left his room quietly and made his way to Drake's. He opened the door a little bit and found Drake sitting cross-legged, eyes still empty, on his bed with a few knives at his side. Drake threw one at a picture stuck on the wall. Dragaunus.
Next. Chameleon.
After. Siege.
Then. Wraith. Then another at Wraith, and another, and yet another one. He continued throwing knives at Wraith... or is that Hydeous?
But what scared Dive was that Drake showed no emotion, no anger, no guilt, no nothing. He threw the knives blankly and emotionless.
Oh Drake. What's happened to ya buddy? Dive asked silently as he shut the door and leaned on it, sinking to the floor. Mal...
Why now? Why here? He's dying inside, Mally-girl. He needs you... why'd ya have to go?