"You knobs have gotten in my way for the last time," Negaduck addressed his cowering gang. "And now, you're gonna go the way of Quackzamelket himself." He pointed the scepter at them, fully intent on annialating all of them on the spot, and then paused. "On second though, I have a better idea. I got a job for you losers."
"Wha... what do you want us to do, Negaduck?"
"I want you to find Liz. I never properly thanked the little darling for helping me get this," he waved the scepter.
Quackerjack was up in a flash, "You're not gonna hurt her, are you?!"
"Whaaaaaat?" Negaduck scoffed. "Perish the thought. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have my new toy. I simply want to give her the reward she so richly deserves."
"But we don't know where she is," Megavolt spoke up, "No ones seen her since you came back with the scepter."
Negaduck shrugged, "If I know Lizzy, shes with that idiot counterpart of mine. You find Darkwing Duck, you find our dear friend Elizabeth." He paused, then added, "And if you don't bring her to me, I'll just kill you all then tear this city apart until I find her myself."
The others exchanged nervous glances before quickly scrambling away. Negaduck watched them go, then turned his attention to the scepter in his hands. "Show me what else ya got." Raising the rod above his head, he grinned as the ground cracked open around his feet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~****************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"How could I let this happen!?" Liz was practically beside herself. "I tried to prevent this and I may have brought about the destruction of St. Canard."
"Or the world," Neptunia mumbled sarcastically.
Darkwing glared, then turned his attention to the panicky young girl clutching the ancient book. "Liz, calm down. I need you clear headed to translate that book."
"What happens after the water turns red?" Stegmut asked.
Liz opened her book again and flipped through it, "Uhh...hang on, I'm not sure what this one says. Just give me a moment... okay, that symbol means..." she trailed off as she stared at the lines and pictographs. "I think that says, the world trembled in fear." She started to read on, but stopped as the tower began to shake. "What... whats happening?"
"Earthquake!" Darkwing shouted, "Time to go!" He darted across the large room toward the Thunderquack. The others followed, all of them piling into the plane as Launchpad started the engines. The jet lifted up, sputtering slightly, then flying from the tower as the bridge collapsed. The occupants of the plane stared out the windows in horror as the Audubon Bay bridge sank into the waters below.
"Liza, honey," Morgana turned to the girl next to her, "what does the book say next?"
Liz shook her head, "No way! Every time I read something from this book, it happens in real life!"
"I think its gonna happen anyway," Launchpad replied, glancing over his shoulder at the girl.
"Hes right," Darkwing added. "That book is all we've got right now."
Liz sighed heavily as she reopened the book, "I dunno, something about the fires of hell spreading over or engulfing the world."
A loud explosion caught the groups attention as a large ball of fire shot up in front of the plane. "Oh crap!" Launchpad jerked the controls hard to the right, "Everyone hold on to something!"
"Where the heck did that come from?" Darkwing peered down at the city below.
"My guess would be that huge fissure in the street," Neptunia replied.
"I told you!" Liz was hysterical. "The fires of hell will engulf the earth!"
"Lets not get carried away," Darkwing reassured her. "One ball of fire is hardly the fires of hell."
"What about two balls of fire?" Stegmut asked.
"Or half a dozen," Gizmoduck added. The Thunderquack lurched violently as several more fire balls erupted around it.
"LP, look out!" It was too late, a ball of fire hit the nose of the plane and it spun out of control, its passengers screaming in terror as they plummeted to the gound below.
"Is everyone okay?" Launchpad asked, pulling himself from the smoking wreckage.
"I think so."
"A little bruised, but still alive."
Darkwing dusted himself off and straightened his hat as he surveyed the damage. The city was in chaos, its citizens fleeing in panic as the fires spread and huge cracks began to open up in the street. "We need to get out of here before the whole street falls in on itself," the hero turned, darting through the panicked crowd, his companions right behind him.
"Miss Liza?" Stegmut called to the girl, "How did all of this bad stuff happen so fast?"
"The scepter thrives on the emotions of its wielder," Liz replied. "Since Negaduck is filled with so much hate, it must be enhancing the scepters powers."
By now the crowds in the street had grown as St. Canards citizens attempted to escape the destruction around them. Many of them had taken to looting, but the group of heros paid them no mind as they weaved in and out of the mass. "Darkwing!" a voice from the crowd caused the group to stop and turn. A young red haired girl of about fifteen or sixteen was making her way toward them.
"Gosalyn!" Not giving a second thought about the fact that he still had a cover to keep, Darkwing rushed forward, throwing his arms around the girl. "Oh, thank god! Are you alright?"
"Mmph..." the girl groaned, squirming uncomfortably in the mans vice like hug. "I'm fine, dad. Honker and I were at the movies when the earthquakes started."
Darkwing blinked, glancing around his daughter, "Where is Honker? Is he okay?"
"Hes fine. He went home to make sure his parent were safe. Whats going on? Half the citys on fire."
"Negaduck," her father replied.
Gosalyn raised an eyebrow, "Negaduck did THIS?"
"With the scepter of Quackzamelket," Liz told her.
"Quackzamelket?" Gos thought for a moment. "I think we read about that guy in school. What a piece of work he was. I guess this means the legends are true, huh? Cool!"
"It most certainly is NOT cool!" Her father shouted. "Negaducks destroying the entire city and we don't know how to stop him. Come on," he grabbed his daughters hand and continued down the street. "We need to find a place to regroup and think of a plan."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~****************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"How are we supposed to find Darkwing Duck in this mess?" Megavolt asked as he and the other three villains darted through the crowded streets. "He could be anywhere."
"Do... do you really think Liz is with him?" Bushroot asked.
"Survey says: Most likely," the Liquidator replied.
"We're not really gonna hand her over to Negaduck, are we?" The plant-duck looked worried. "He'll kill her!"
"Of course not," Megavolt replied, "but we need to find her before he does."
"Maybe we should split up," Quackerjack suggested. "We'll cover more ground that way."
"Wait," Megavolt turned, heading back down the street, "I have an idea!" The others exchanged confused looks, before hurrying after him. They watched as Megavolt hauled himself onto a nearby telephone pole, and began to climb.
"Whatcha doin', Sparky?" Quackerjack called up to him.
"Finding Darkwing and Liz," the other man replied, "and don't call me Sparky!" He stared at the mass of cords and wires, before unhooking two of them and attaching them to the prongs on his hat. "I sure hope they see this."
A few blocks away, Darkwing paused as the low hum of electricity caught his ears. A second later the entire street was illuminated as the street lamps and lights in the surrounded buildings suddenly flared to life. Then, as quickly as they had come on, the lights went out again.
"What was that?" Morgana asked. She glanced at Liz, "Another of the scepters powers?"
"I don't think so..." Liz replied. "Of course, there was no electricity during the time of Quackzamelket, so..." she trailed off as the lights suddenly came back on and began to flicker rapidly.
"Probably just a fluke caused by the earthquakes," Gos said.
"No," Darkwing shook his head, "theres a pattern to it."
Liz's eyes widened. "Morse code!" Her and Darkwing glanced at each other, "Megavolt!" they cried in unison.
"Whats he saying?" Launchpad asked.
"They're looking for me and Darky," Liz replied as she watched the lights. "They wanna help us... corner of... fifth and main!"
"Thats just a few blocks from here," Darkwing told them. He turned and darted back down the street.
High above the city, Negaduck watched the carnage from the roof of one of the skyscrapers. St. Canard was helpless, and with the scepter, not even Darkwing Duck and his merry band of losers could stop him. The masked villain narrowed his eyes as a flicker of lights down below caught his attention. Those idiots, did they really think he wouldn't notice their little message as well?
"I should have known those knobs wouldn't bring me the girl." Good help was always so hard to find. "Well then," he held the scepter out over the city. "Maybe its time for some help from the oh so wonderful citizens of St. Canard."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~****************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Liz!" The four villains practically tackled the girl as she and the others appeared from down the street. "You're okay!" Quackerjack threw his arms around her, hugging her tightly. "We were afraid Negaduck had gotten to you."
"Where is Negaduck?" Darkwing asked.
"We thought he was back at the hideout," Bushroot replied. "He sent us out to find Liz."
Megavolt nodded, "He said he'd tear the city apart to find her."
"Well, if he wants me, hes got me."
"No," Darkwing held a hand up, "I can't let you do that, Liz."
"But this is my fault!" The girl cried. "I have to stop him!"
"We have to stop him," Darkwing replied. "I'm not about to let you go running off into a situation that could get you killed. You did that once and I had to save your ass."
"At least let me help. I'm the one with the book."
"Alright, fine," Darkwing sighed, "whats the book say now?"
Liz opened the book again and flipped through the pages. "Uhh... the armies of Quackzamelket shall rise up and crush his enemies under their might."
"What armies?" Gosalyn asked.
"No clue," Liz shrugged. "Last I checked, Negaduck didn't have any armies at his disposal."
"Hey guys," Launchpad was staring past the group, "would a possessed mob count as an army?"
"I... suppose..." Darkwing replied, "Though I guess it would depend on the size of the..." He trailed off as he caught sight of the mob that was moving toward them. "Hooooboy..." At least a hundred of St. Canards citizens were advancing on the group, their eyes glowing with a strange yellow light.
"Wha-whats wrong with them?" Bushroot asked.
"The curse of Quackzamelket," Liz replied. "Negaducks using the scepter to control them!"
"This would be a good place not to be," Megavolt remarked.
"Popular vote is, its time for us to get the heck outta here," the Liquidator added.
"Ye...yeah," Bushroot nodded, taking a step backward, "Lets make like a tree and leaf."
"This way," Darkwing hurried away from the approaching mob and the others followed him. "Liquidator, can you and Bushy here stall that mob?"
"I think so," the salesman replied.
"Good, try to buy us some time to come up with a plan."
Bushroot and the Liquidator fell behind as Darkwing and the others made their escape down an alleyway. "Here they come!" The plant-duck held his hands up and the pavement cracked as vines sprouted up from the street and began wrapping themselves around as many members of the mob as possible. A moment later a torrent of water rushed forward, sweeping the rest of them back down the street.
A couple blocks away the rest of the group stopped to catch their breaths and Liz began to look through her book again. "Theres gotta be a way to stop this."
"Maybe a magic spell?" Stegmut offered.
"At this point I'd be willing to try anything," Darkwing told him.
Liz shook her head, "No magic spells... but it does say that only someone pure of heart and soul can lift the curses. According to the legend, Quackzamelkets brother sacrificed himself to save the life of a young slave girl that he'd fallen in love with. This act of love was so great that it negated the power of the scepter long enough for the people to rise up and attack the pharaoh."
"Oh no," Darkwing shook his head, "no ones sacrificing themselves while I'm around."
"Would any act of love work?" Morgana asked.
Liz shrugged, "I don't see why not."
Darkwing thought for a moment. "I have an idea. Wheres Negaducks hideout?"
"Lower east side," Megavolt replied.
"Come on," Darkwing continued down the street, "before that maniac destroys anymore of my city."
-End part two
Part Three