The Heart of the girl and the Shadow of the dragon.

 Western tower, Castle of Shadows

 Jack looked once again outside the small, bared window of the tower and cursed his luck. It had been three days since the attack on the Camp and there was still no sign of Roxanne.

“What the heck is that girl doing? Three days have passed!” and he kicked his chains.

“Calm down Jack, there is no use shouting now.”Hercules argued and held Meg closer to his chest.

“And what if she abandoned us? Perhaps she thought we are dead and left for Earth.”

“That’s something you would do! There is no way Roxanne deserting us here!” Peter and Aladdin shouted and Mickey got up.

“Calm down everyone! I don’t believe that Dragen would destroy us without tormenting Roxanne more.”

A humming suddenly was heard from the other side of their big prison; Snow White and Aurora were humming a melody and soon the rest of the girls joined this silent rhythm, expressing their hopes and fears.

Mickey looked from the caged window and prayed for both the safety of the Guardian and Roxanne’s.

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Crypt of Evil

Roxanne and Hook checked the last of the bombs and closed the box. Hook asked her if there was anything else she needed and she nodded “no”. In three days they had managed to gather all the artillery they could find but also learn some bad news; the Fire had also reached the jungle and the savannah and Tarzan together with the lions had also disappeared.

Roxanne was hoping that Dragen hadn’t really destroyed them all; if he had, more destruction would befall upon the Lost Star. She gathered her thoughts and went to check Maleficent and Hades, who were preparing potions and checking the capacity of their wagons.

With their powers were able to summon moving wagons who would work as both carriages and fortresses. They had done an excellent work and Roxanne looked at them amazed.

“I believe they will hold.” Hades commented with pride and Maleficent moved her staff.

“Of course they will!” she hissed at him and looked at the girl.

She nodded in agreement and left their room, heading outside. She walked the narrow corridor and climbed the stone stairs, pushing the trap door above her head. Roxanne climbed outside and got out from the Crypt.

The night was quiet and the girl sat again on the ground, holding the necklace tightly. The last days she wasn’t using its powers at all but she still was lacking rest. She felt a poke and she saw Max appearing from her shadow.

“Do you fancy hiding in my shadow Max?”

“It’s comfy and the best place to hide if needed.” And he took the form of a parrot.

Roxanne smiled tiredly and leaned back to the rock. She was sitting to the same spot for three nights, trying to gather her power and search the insides of the Castle, using the enchanted powers of the Rose. Once more she held the Rose in her palms and started to whisper the spell Sapphire had taught her and the floating blue orb started to form.

“Now I must concentrate on them.” She said to herself and tried to picture her friends.

The orb shined and a dark dot appeared on its blue surface. Soon the dot became wider and wider, until a picture was formed. Max scowled with happiness and Roxanne signed with relief.

Inside the orb she saw all of her friends chained together talking and humming a melody. Her attention fell on the small cage where something familiar was shining.

“Tinkerbell…” Roxanne murmured and she caught the fairy’s attention.

Quickly the fairy moved and Peter turned to her. The boy understood the fairy’s words and quickly everyone were looking around them searching for her.

“Tinkerbell, I cannot be seen by others; tell them that tomorrow I will be there and also stay away from the window. I will come for you I promise.”

Tinkerbell quickly explained to everyone and hope made them smile again. Roxanne averted the Rose’s power and tried to search for Sapphire. She saw the picture on the orb moving frantically around the Castle until it moved into a different spot and stopped.

Roxanne could see a huge room with a wide corridor which was leading into a black throne. A man was standing kneeled before the throne and he was talking. When Roxanne observed better with Max’s help she found out that this was the Throne Room of Dragen’s and the kneeled man was Servus.

“Do you believe that she will come, my Lord?”

“She will come; I have her friends and her dragon after all. Now retire Servus and check once more the army’s preparations.”

“Yes, Sir!” and Servus disappeared from the picture.

Roxanne watched silent as Dragen got up from his throne and walked into the middle of the throne room. His hand formed a punch and black smoke appeared on it as it spread to the floor, revealing Sapphire who was chained to the ground with huge black chains around his neck, wings and mouth. A satisfied expression was on his face and he undid the chain on the dragon’s mouth.

Quickly Sapphire blasted his blue fire but Dragen extinguished it with a gesture of his hand as if it was a fly.

“Don’t be so harsh Guardian. After all it will be a new day tomorrow.”

“What makes you think she will come?” the dragon shouted with anger and Dragen laughed.

“Do you honestly believe your words? Your Rose chose her after all. She will come in order to be sacrificed.”

“Watch your words Dragen. Roxanne will not become a sacrifice! I will not allow it!” Sapphire hissed at him and growled.

“Oh really? And then how are you supposed to defeat me? Without your powers you can’t win! So the human’s life is more important for you than the salvation of the worlds?” Dragen asked with pleasure written all over his face.

When Sapphire didn’t speak Dragen burst on lughter, making the dragon groan.

“Don’t tell me you fell on the same trap again!”

“Watch your words Dargen…”

Dragen sat on his throne and he smiled at the dragon sardonically.

“This brings back so pleasant memories? Do you remember Guardian?"

The dragon's eyes flashed red but that didn't stop Dragen from continuing.

"Then how about a story? I believe this one is your favorite. Let’s see…humans begin with “Once upon a time”. I will begin with this: In the eternity of all magical worlds, between the worlds humans are fabricating unconsciously, and the worlds of magic and power, a small world existed. It had no name but its residents were living peacefully and their princess was helping them with her powers as the pillar of their world. But when the long peace ended and the Shadows appeared, the Princess asked the help of the most powerful being; the Guardian. He rushed to their rescue as he was supposed to do and together they fought for her world and for the freedom of the others s well.

But the Guardian became soft; he had started to fallen in love with the Princess and so did she. When the final battle was given between the Lord of the Shadows and the united forces of the Princess and the Guardian, she died trying to protect her beloved and he, instead of erasing his enemy, he preferred saving her dying world, sealing the Shadows outside of it.”

“But then you did what you knew best Dragen. You destroyed the other worlds in order to gain more power and you returned more powerful than before.” Sapphire continued his story.

“But you saved those who escaped and brought them here. And since then our tag game still continues. Until the moment you casted away a part of your powers and you sent it to Earth. You believed in their so called 'strength of the heart' and so, that human girl came here.”

Dragen's expression became wary as if he was thinking of something and Sapphire smirked at him.

“Why the puzzled face Dragen? Did you lose your cool expression?” Sapphire asked with irony and the chains became tighter.

“I was wondering…why did the Rose choose that human girl? Was it because of her humanity or because of her blue eyes? They do resemble the Princess, don’t you think?” Dragen asked and smirked with his words.

“There is no resemblance! Roxanne is unique on her own! Don’t compare them!” the dragon hissed with fury.

“Why? Because the human is weaker?”

“No, because Roxanne is stronger.”

Dragen burst into laughter with Sapphire’s words and got up from his throne.

“That human reeks of death. I first sensed it when I saw her. Her life was supposed to end at some point back to Earth. You do know what is keeping her alive, don’t you?”

The dragon lowered his head, accepting the horrible truth.

“The Rose is keeping her alive! She is balanced between life and death thanks to your powers! Normally a healthy human was supposed to give you your powers and with his strength he would help you fight. But she, if the necklace is taken from her, she will die! The story is interesting so far don’t you think Sapphire?”

The dragon screamed with fury and sadness when he heard the name Roxanne had given to him and Dragen walked outside the Throne room and the doors opened as he was getting ready to get out.

“If the human continues using your powers her life will be saved but you will remain an incomplete creature. But if she willingly gives you the necklace, and your powers, back to you she will die. Either case I am the winner on this game Guardian.” And the doors closed behind him.

As the darkness fell on the room Sapphire’s eyes turned from the red of anger to the shiny green and a sob was heard. Quickly, the image disappeared and the blue orb became dust on Roxanne’s hands.

Roxanne left the necklace fall heavy on her neck, while she moved her brown long hair back.

“What…was…that.” She wondered and then she opened her mouth.

Her screams echoed to the deserted scenery and there was no response to her continuous soar. Max had curled his Shadow body away from her, in fear from her sudden burst and was mopping at her with sadness.

When Roxanne stopped screaming, her eyes filled with tears and she fell to her knees, crying out loud. She was sad; sad for the story behind Sapphire’s painful expression, the misery of all those who suffered because of his choices and the choice she had to make. She curled herself and lied to the ground, sobbing silently and moaning from her pain.

Max moved slowly closer to her and he turned into a wolf cub; he leaned close to her face and started licking her tears, whimpering sadly.

“That tickles Max…” Roxanne murmured sadly.

“Don’t cry…please…” and he rubbed his muzzle on her cheek.

Roxanne hugged the wolf cub and brought him closer to her chest. Max felt comfortable and rested his wolf head on her chest, close to the necklace. He felt her sadness and her pain and wished he could do nothing in order to help her.

“You know Max…there is one thing I never was afraid of.” She said silently.

“What was that?”

“I was never afraid of dying…I have lived long enough balancing between life and death, so the thought never scared me…but now…” and new sobs came from her chest.

Max looked at her and howled; he was a Shadow, a formless being which knew nothing of human emotions. So he stood there, watching his Master struggling all alone.

“Now I am scared! I don’t want to die! But if I don’t give Sapphire his powers my home will be in danger…my friends and my family.”

“You have family?” Max asked with pure question.

Roxanne’s expression soften as she smiled to the Shadow.

“Yes, my mother, my father and Mitsi.”

“Who is Mitsi?”

“My little sister; she is 14 years old, 2 years younger than me. You would like her Max; she is really funny.”

Roxanne laughed at the memory of their trip to Paris and new tears came to her dark, blue eyes. She got up, placing Max down to the ground and took a deep breath; she had her loved ones to save and suddenly Sapphire’s actions became clear to her. His angry voices, his reason for not taking the necklace had resulted to this.

But he was not at fault; he was living the same story like a de javu. And she was one of the main characters on this story. He had suffered long enough, he sacrificed his powers in order to save the heroes of all worlds; and he sent his powers on Earth, looking for a miracle.

Roxanne remembered that night on the clouds, when she was hopping on them and Sapphire was looking at her. He discovered that night her situation; he knew since then and he couldn’t come to tell her. She grinned and turned to Max.

“Max!”

“Yes!”

“Polish your weapons; we are going to have a good battle tomorrow!”

The wolf cub transformed into a mighty soldier and soared countless war cries as Roxanne touched her necklace taking her final decision.

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Autohr's note:

Sorry for the short chapter! I was so nervous revealing the truth and i messed it a little XD Still i would love your comments or votes! Thank again for reading my story!! :) XD