Mythlands: THE HEIST

Part Two: The Rise of Evil: a Hare Raising Tale

'Excellent!' Future Hare turned to the newcomers and explained. 'We maintain radio silence until we hit the edge of the distortion area around the valley, which extends a few miles each way. That way we can't be tracked from the city or by the mythicals. Fierce, check Velveteen's group in when they get here and call me when Peter reports in.'

Then, with Thumper and Bigwig taking their places at a booth by the door, Future Hare began to speak.

'I'd bought an incendiary bomb to the Wood Between Worlds and was all set to blow the portal to Charn out of existence when this guy ...' he glared at SC, '...shows up and said we'd be trapped in the Wood forever. So we moved to Plan B. Get into Charn, scope out the sitch and then put a stop to what Glass Cat had planned. Of course at that point we didn't know what was inside the Vault of Myth and the cat was unable to follow us through, so it's just me, Jess and Goosey so I took matters into my own hands.'

Jessica leaned forwards and took Future Hare's paws in her hands. 'Hare, what did you do?'

For a moment he couldn't hold her gaze, but then ... 'The first opportunity to get you and the Goose out of the way came when we were at the final obstacle. I still had the rings and while they were distracted, I told you both to get back to the entry point and then I set off the bomb. I threw it right into the middle of them and I ran like hell!'

Future Hare paused, overcome with emotion. 'I didn't know ... how could I know!?'

Jessica squeezed his paws and spoke gently. 'What didn't you know?'

Hare was looking aghast as his hard bitten future self started to break down and cry. Eventually he regained control of himself. 'The Promethean Flame,' he whispered. 'It was ... alive and it was there. The explosion was magnified and it didn't kill them all. Moriarty, Renard, that puppet thing and Lucrezia Borgia ... they all died, but the super cats ... they shielded Glass Cat and ... him ...' he glared at The Gingerbread Man. '...and The Cheshire Cat sort of warped away. They were all still alive when it was done and the way was clear. I'd opened it for them!!'

'What happened next?' Hare found himself asking.

'The things emerged ... we'd thought Loki, his gods of evil and the dark forces in the Mythlands were enough of a threat, but they were only a fraction of the characters and the ... evil, locked away in that place. The White Queen was first, followed by her resurrected army. Somehow they knew to leave the Glass Cat and his remaining thugs alone. They flooded past us ... I was about a thousand yards away and I saw it all. They ... they headed west, the way we had come, the way I'd sent you and ...' he couldn't go on.

'You're sure Hare?' The Golden Goose wanted to know. 'We didn't get away?'

Future Hare began to shake uncontrollably. 'N no ... I f found you ... later ... what they had left. B both of you!!'

Jessica put her hands to her face and shuddered. 'God! SC, you were right ... we needed to see.'

The mysterious cat looked sad. 'Yes Jessica, you did. Even with George and Miss Lochs there and the Gingerbread Man switching loyalties because of her, the end result would have been the same.'

Griffin's eyes had been gradually widening with terror and now he turned to his friend. 'SC, you brought us here because it can be changed. It can still be changed, right?'

All eyes were on the other cat who nodded. 'Yes, it can. By showing you this and by making alterations to the players, there is still a chance. Hare?'

'Yes,' answered both Hare's in unison.

SC looked at Future Hare. 'We need to get to Domain City. Can you take us north?'

The older Hare nodded. 'I can but this part of the Lands, bad as it is, is safest. It only gets worse once you hit the Magic Forrest, though ... I did hear a rumour that most of the Domain isn't as bad as other countries, because those damn Zodiac bastards made a deal with Loki.'

He turned to his younger self. 'You should be aware that I took the fall for pretty much everything and you'll be in danger showing that handsome face ... well, pretty much anywhere. I would especially steer clear of the godlands, Wonderland, Oz, Narnia ... oh about 80-90% of the world in fact. I came here for a reason, even though they hate me in the city and the mythicals are on my tight fluffy white ass!'

'We won't be heading anywhere except North,' said SC quietly. 'Part of my task was to show your younger self and the others what would happen and with the Magic Mirror's help I can tap into scenes in the wider Mythlands to show them the bigger picture, but I must also warn you that bad as the state of the world five years into the future is, my premonitions of the future did not stop at this point. Unlike Magic and Professor Chicken-Licken, I saw well beyond and things will only get worse until darkness takes over all that has ever existed!'

Future Hare stood up. 'In that case, you guys had better damn well go back and stop this. You can rely on the Rabbitz to get you out of the desert at least.' He raised the bottle of beer he had in his hand. 'To heroes, damn few of us left.'

Jessica and Goldie sighed as Future Hare puffed out his chest, but Hare looked inspired and hope and admiration was writ large all over Griffin's face. The rest just looked thoughtful, except for The Gingerbread Man who was only thinking about getting drunk and having sex with Goldie later.