Chapter 13 - Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

The nine friends head straight for the time portal. Along the way they come across several guards, both robot and mutant. Luckily their superior numbers, plus the power of their magic weapons, Ariel's spells, and Ookla's strength, allows them to immobilize the sentries and keep them from sounding an alarm. They get to the chamber which holds the time portal.

"We must be swift," whispers Ariel, "I don't know how much longer our luck will hold."

"Then let's make haste," says Thundarr.

"What he said," says Bobby.

"On the count of three," says Hank, "One. Two. THREE!"

They all burst into the room. Standing there waiting for them, with a whole army of nega-knights, is Venger. There's a clamoring noise coming from down the hall as reinforcements, both robotic and mutant, come running towards the chamber.

"I've been expecting you," says Venger with an evil grin, "I knew it was only a matter of time before you made your way here."

"Yeah," says Bobby defiantly, "well this time we're ready for ya!"

Ariel waves her hand at the doors, which glow a bright yellow and slam shut. Then a chain and padlock appear on the doors out of thin air.

"That should hold them for a while," says Ariel.

"You'll need more than parlor tricks to defeat me, witch!"

"Hey!" Shouts Presto, "She's a sorceress, not a witch!"

"GET THEM!" Roars Venger, and all of the nega-knights raise their weapons and charge.

Presto hikes up his sleeves and takes off his hat. "Venger crossed the line when he called Ariel a witch," he says to himself. He waves his free hand over the hat and says, "Magic hat help me quick, conjure up an oil slick!" and a steel drum of oil appears out of thin air. Ookla, howling in rage, kicks the oil drum and sends it flying into the nega-knights. The drum tears open and oil spills out all over the floor. The nega-knights slip and fall all over the place, their feet completely unable to get any traction. Ariel smiles at Presto's growing proficiency with magic.

"Nicely done," she congratulates him.

Presto shrugs. "I learned from the best," he says.

"Your spells are improving, young one," says Venger, "Too bad it won't be enough to help you!"

With that Venger starts hurling bolts of energy at the companions. Eric bravely steps into the front and conjures a magical force field with his Griffon Shield. Venger throws bolt after bolt but they all bounce harmlessly away. Venger tries in vain to conceal his frustration.

"How many can you block Cavalier?" Venger asks, "How long can you keep this up?"

"Longer than you can I'm guessing," Eric replies.

Just then the doors to the chamber burst open and in walks Sabian with the reinforcements. The robot guards and the mutants start shooting at them. Their lasers bounce harmlessly off the force field. Sabian throws his own magical blasts at the friends, and those bounce harmlessly away as well. Hank's energy arrows and Ariel's spells leap out from inside the force field effortlessly and knock out mutant and robots with ease.

"Where are you planning on going?" Asks Venger, "Even if you make it back to your own time, I will simply follow you there. And your weapons are useless in your own time. I will destroy your world, and there will be nothing you can do to stop me!"

"Maybe not then," says Presto, "but there's something I can do about it now!"

He takes his hat off and waves his free hand over it. "Abrakaboom. Hocuskamite. Give to me, a stick of dynamite."

Presto reaches into his hat and pulls out a stick of dynamite. He holds it out to Ariel.

"Got a light?" He asks.

"No problem," she says and snaps her fingers.

A tiny flame, no more than that of a candle, springs from her fingertip. Presto uses the flame to light the fuse of the dynamite, then throws it at the time portal. Then he drops down and covers his ears. Ariel does likewise.

"Get ready!" She calls out.

The rest of the group covers up as best they can, and the guards all scatter if they can. The dynamite explodes and the whole building shakes. Chunks of stone fall from the ceiling and crash all around. When the dust settles, the nine heroes are a little shaken but unhurt thanks to Eric's Griffon Shield. The nega-knights and many of the robot guards are destroyed, or at least badly damaged. The force of the blast sent Sabian flying out into the hall, wear he lies unconscious. Venger is knocked out as well, and many of their mutant henchmen are lying injured on the floor. Where the time portal once stood, there's now a massive hole in the wall. The hole leads to the outside.

"Demon dogs!" Says Thundarr when he sees the damage the dynamite has done to the palace.

"Now what?" Asks Bobby.

"Now we get out of here," replies Ariel.

"We can't fight our way past all the guards in the palace," says Sheila.

"Speak for yourself, Sis," says Bobby, "I say 'Bring'em on'!"

"I've got a better idea," says Ariel. She raises her hands and conjures a slide of pure magical energy.

"Go ahead," she tells them, "Bobby, you go first."

"C'mon Uni," Bobby says as he picks up the baby unicorn, "It'll be just like the water park back home."

Then he takes a running start and jumps onto the ramp and slides down. "Weeeeeeee!" He says.

"Okay Sheila, your turn!" says Hank.

One by one, each of the companions slides down the magical ramp. Ariel goes last. Just as she's about to slide down the ramp, a group of mutant guards enters the room. She hops onto the slide and escapes. When she safely reaches the ground she looks back to see the mutants sliding down after her. With a simple gesture, Ariel causes the slide to vanish. The mutants sliding down fall to the ground and lay very still. Then they all run back to the farming community. Back at the barn, they sit around to contemplate their next move. The children are all very upset that they lost their way home again, especially after coming so close.

"So now what are we going to do?" Asks Sheila.

"I don't want to stay here," says Eric.

"Me either," says Diana, "but what else can we do?"

"I guess our only other choice is to go back to The Realm," says Hank, "Maybe we can even trap Venger here in the year 4000. Then we'll be free of him once and for all."

"At least in The Realm we'll have the Dungeon Master to help us," suggests Sheila, "and we might be able to get home."

"Especially without Venger always on our tail," adds Presto.

"It's agreed then," says Hank, "we go back to the amusement park."

"And Ariel, Ookla, and I will see you there safely," agrees Thundarr.

It takes many days of travel to arrive at the amusement park. Thankfully, the trip was extremely uneventful. They return to the Dungeons & Dragons ride where they met. Hank shakes Thundarr's hand.

"Despite everything, I'm glad to have met you," Hank says.

"As am I," agrees Thundarr.

Ookla picks up Sheila and Diana in a huge bear hug goodbye.

"We're gonna miss you too Ookla," gasps Diana.

Bobby wraps his arms around Thundarr's waist in a big hug.

"I'm gonna miss you," says Bobby fighting back his tears.

Thundarr kneels down and returns the embrace. Then he takes Bobby by the shoulder and looks him straight in the eye.

"I never really thought much about family," says Thundarr, "but if I ever have a son, I'd want him to be just like you." Then he takes off his animal tooth necklace and puts it around Bobby's neck. "Here," he says, "I want you to have this. For luck."

Then he and Bobby hug again. Ariel walks up to Presto. She places her hands on his shoulders.

"You're a fine young man," she tells him, "and you're going to be a fine sorcerer. Here, I want you to have something." She holds out her hand and conjures up a thick tome with a green cover. "This book of spells was written by one of the very first sorcerers to appear after The Great Catastrophe. It's very old and very powerful. I took it from my stepfather's library. I want you to have it."

"I can't accept this. . ." Presto begins.

"Take it," interrupts Ariel, "Study it. Become a great sorcerer, and a great man."

"But. . ."

Then Ariel gently kisses him on the lips. Presto looks completely shocked and surprised. Then he becomes embarrassed and blushes his deepest shade of red yet. Then the six young adventurers walk back into the ancient Dungeons & Dragons ride and return to The Realm once again. Thundarr, Ariel, and Ookla climb onto their mounts.

"Do you think they'll ever find their way home?" Thundarr asks.

"I'm certain they will," replies Ariel.

Ookla says something in his bestial tongue. "Yes," says Thundarr, "why are you so certain of it?"

"Because," says Ariel, "the name of the sorcerer who wrote that book, was Presto."

And with that she wheels her chestnut mare about and gallops off. Thundarr follows after her, and Ookla follows suit.

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