Chapter Text
The car pulled up to the gates of McDuck Manor.
"Name and purpose of visit?" A male British voice asked over the intercom.
"Abner, Donna, and Dugan." A rough voice replied with annoyance. "Look, the old man asked us to come here. Said something about the 'end of reality as we know it', as if something like that doesn't happen every week..."
There was a buzzing and the gates opened.
"Finally." Abner grumbled, driving the car up the hill. They were barely out of the car when the front door burst open.
"Abner!" Fethry waved enthusiastically and ran over. Gladstone followed behind at his usual pace.
"Unca Fethry!" Dugan cried out in glee. Once his father freed him from the car seat he was promptly handed off to his uncle, who swung the laughing child into a tight hug.
"Donna. Looking lovely as always." Gladstone bowed.
"Gladstone. Still as flattering as ever." Donna smile.
"C'mon!" Fethry eagerly led them to the manor. "They've got snacks!"
"We're still waiting on a few people." Gladstone explained.
"It's like a family reunion! One where we plan on defeating an evil Sorcerer once and for all! There are so many new friends to make."
"Great..." Abner muttered and Donna gave his arm a comforting pat.
Inside the foyer was just as Fethry described; snack tables lining the wall while people milled about; a strange mixture of excitement and dread filled the air.
"This must be bad." Fenton paced back and forth. "Mr. McDuck never calls so many of us at once unless the fate of the world is at stake! First, it was the Moonvasion then it was against F.O.W.L! ANd we came so close to losing both times!"
"And they were both handled." Drake said smugly. "By none other than Darkwing Duck!"
"And the McDucks." Gosalyn corrected. "And at least five other people besides Darkwing Duck."
"I'm just saying there's a common factor between them!"
The redhead rolled her eyes playfully and walked over to a grey parrot. "So the general consensus is we're here because of a potentially world-ending threat."
"The data and pattern correlation from our previous meetings do seem to agree." Boyd nodded. "From the looks of things, he's gathered all of us to devise a decisive plan of action using our various abilities and skillsets."
"As long as I get to fire an arrow at something, I'm happy."
"I know this should be serious but...this is also very exciting!"
Webby and Huey then emerged from the living room with a large, covered wheeled board."
"HEY!" Gyro hissed when they bumped into him, making him spill his drink on himself.
"Sorry, Dr. Gearloose!" Huey called out.
"What's with the board?" Gandra followed them curiously.
"Please save all questions until the end." Webby said as they adjusted the board before leaving.
"This is officially the weirdest strategy meeting ever." Gandra told Manny and Lil'Bulb. "And Steelbeak tried to hold one in the dark to 'make sure it stayed secret'."
There was a knock at the front door and a woman with blonde hair entered. "Hello. I hope I'm not late."
"They haven't started yet." Maria explained.
"Thank goodness." Lyla looked around the room. "The interview I had ran late. Glomgold was showing me a new trap for Scrooge; something about switching his limousine and driving him into the desert, into a canyon, to a pool of sharks? Anyway one of the gimmicks was a top hat designed to keep him stuck in the limo, yes I don't fully understand it either, and it ended with Glomgold stuck to the ceiling. I felt too bad to leave before they got him down."
"Dios Mio..." Maria shook her head. "Sometimes I wonder how he got to be as rich as he did."
"Oh trust me, we're investigating that as well."
A loud, booming noise forced them to cover their ears as they turned to the source; Dewey, on the staircase blowing an airhorn. The rest of the manor's occupants and residents were around him and most did NOT seem to appreciate the attention grabber.
"Glad we could get your attention." He shouted eagerly, not noticing or not caring about the annoyed looks and grumbles.
Della ruffled his hair. "Just like his mama."
Scrooge looked over everyone gathered through narrow eyes before slamming a hand on the dartboard, making most of the guests of the jump.
"Alright, everyone. We know Merlock's plan, and we only have three days to stop it."
"He wants Hestiala." Elvira explained.
"Hestiala?" Gladstone exclaimed, Abner and Fethry looking shocked as well. "But that's just a bedtime story!"
"It's real. And I've learned more about it myself than in my whole life. For anyone who doesn't know; Hestiala is a legend to my people; a place that stores all the world's memories and is one of the greatest magical sources in the world. Although we had the Sunstone and Moonstone, we never found Hestiala. However, Merlock came across a scroll with directions on how to get to it. We have recently acquired one of our own from the goddess Selene."
Ludwig held up the scroll for everyone to see. "There are essentially five steps to finding the place. They certainly made sure no one could stumble across it by accident!"
"Step one; the Sunstone and Moonstone." Penny said. "He needed their power. Or...whoever wields their power." She tilted her head to Donald and Della. "That is the first and most crucial element."
"Step two; the elemental spirits." Huey said, holding out Bruni in his hand. Gale swirled through the crowd, seemingly enjoying their surprised noises. "They needed to be awake and 'tamed'. They went dormant when the original stones broke. But when Mom and Uncle Donald got their magic, the spirits started awakening." He snapped his fingers and a flame appeared in his hand. "And they gave us magic too. We're...still not completely sure why, but it has to be important!"
"Wouldn't gathering each of the spirits be the steps of step two/" Fenton asked. "Like, 'step 2A' and 'step 2B'."
"Steps within steps." Manny groaned. "I hate those! Just make them their own steps! Stop making the instructions even more complicated!"
"Step three!" May shouted to regain their attention. "Activating the Sun Temple in Mexico and the Moon Temple in Vietnam! They would act as 'anchors' to keep Hestiala in place once it actually shows up. And he needed Dad and Aunt Della to do it. Unfortunately, we failed to stop it from happening both times."
"We were there for the Sun Temple!" Panchito exclaimed and Jose nodded. "Maria sends her thanks! She's leading the expedition into it! She says the University's going gaga over it!"
"Glad to hear she's doing well." Matilda smiled. "Now step four; actually finding where and when Hestiala will show up. Turns out the place moves around and only rears its head in a few specific places for a few specific moments. The scroll lists ingredients for a potion that would show that. We already have it taken care of."
"Wow..." Gosalyn whistled. "They really didn't want anyone finding this place."
"And it's worked up until now. That's why yer all here."
"Let me take a wild guess." Gyro said dryly. "It's going to appear here. In Duckburg. Because this is where nearly every world-ending catastrophe has happened or will happen."
"Correct."
"And you said three days..." Lyly gasped. "That's the solar eclipse!"
"Also correct. Which leads into..."
"Steps five." Beakley pointed to the picture of the Bay, surrounded by pictures of the spirits. "Here's why the elemental spirits are so necessary. Hestiala will appear, but to actually have access to it; you need six 'keys'; the stones and the spirits. Currently steps one to four have already been completed. So this is our last chance to stop Merlock once and for all."
"Once he has Hestiala." Lena stepped forward. "There won't be anyone who can stop him; he'll have access to all the magic in the world and he'll be able to rewrite history as he sees fit. So...lots of pressure here."
"That's why we've called all of you in." Scrooge pointed his cane at the group. "We need all hands on deck for this. Merlock may think he's won, but he hasn't faced all of us at once! This isn't just fighting for Duckburg and our family; we're fighting for the fate of the whole world and all the other families in it! It won't be easy, but together, we'll show that malignant magician what for! NOW WHOSE WITHE US!?"
The foyer was filled with the sound of cheers and affirmations.
"Perfect! Now let's get started."
"Three days." Merlock looked at the scroll in his hands. "Thousands of years of searching and planning and now my destiny is only three days away."
"They'll be planning something." Hortense warned him. "Poe and Magica spotted quite a number of their allies heading into Duckburd."
"I have faced armies by the thousands. I have defeated Gods in duels. I have forced beings who could this planet on their fingertip into submission; I am not afraid of an old duck and his so called 'family'." He rolled up the scroll and tapped it against his fist. "That said; I am not a fool. I know they have a knack for succeeding when the odds are stacked overwhelmingly against them. I'm too close to my goal to be taken down by a mere oversight.
I already knew Scrooge would call in allies for this final fight and I have a plan. I have considered every detail and possibility. I've come too far to fail now."
He looked over his chessboard. "Let them have their plans. I still have a few moves of my own up my sleeve."