The ship had just shot through a portal and into a very mountainous part of Kissteria. By the time KISS along with the Scooby gang arrived, it had turned into nighttime. The darkened sky was filled with vibrant stars, colorful planets, and swirling nebulas. The surrounding mountain landscape seemed to glow a deep shade of red, reflecting the brightness of the night sky.
None of the passengers had time to take in the sights around them as there eyes were immediately drawn to the Crimson Witch and Rory.
Behind her glasses, Velma's eyes blew wide at the scene before her. "Look, it's the witch!" she exclaimed while pointing at the scene in front of her. As soon as she processed what was going on, her breath hitched in her throat. Rory's screams had reached her ears, and her blood ran cold.
Tears of frustration and anger started to build up in Fred's eyes. Never did he wish to hear that sound coming from Rory's mouth, which were screams of pain. She was so young, and he was livid that the witch was so careless with the brunette, and that he was helpless to do anything. But he knew who could help her. "He's hurting her!" he hollered out to the only people he knew could rescue her from the witch's clutches.
KISS did not need any coaxing to jump into action as they simultaneously flew from the ship in unison with Fred's outburst. The Scooby gang could only watch as the four band members flew away at unimaginable speed and a flurry of colors, towards the witch and Rory.
Before KISS could reach them, though, the barrier finally came down. The swirling red and oranges of the barrier seemed to crumble away as disintegrating paper. With the barrier falling, Rory's anguished yells ceased as well.
The witch, with Rory in tow, flew towards a peculiar looking mountain inside the area where the barrier once stood. The mountain seemed to have been cut off at the tip, leaving a flat area that was only disrupted by a pedestal made out of the same red rock of the mountain itself, and an arch that stood magnificently at edge as a makeshift entrance.
As soon as the witch stepped foot onto the flattened mountain top in front of the entrance, KISS lands in front of her, successfully intercepting her on her way to the pedestal.
Catman takes a look at Rory, gauging her appearance. Although disheveled and on the brink of complete fatigue, he can see her muscles taut, still attempting to escape the witch's hold with every last bit of her strength. He internally smiles, proud of the determination that the brunette has inside her despite everything.
As if he was a magnet, the brunette's eyes instantly flicker up to meet his. It is a wonder how they always seem to know where exactly to look to meet the eyes of the other, no matter when or where. They simply just need to be near one another.
Catman sees a new fire come to life in Rory. Just seeing that Catman, and the rest of KISS, have come after them gives Rory new life. Catman wants nothing more in that moment than to go to her, and retrieving her from the witch once and for all.
As Catman begins to take a step forward, he feels a pressure against his chest. Looking down, he sees an arm, halting an advance my forward. Quickly looking to the owner, he sees Spaceman looking at him. Spaceman didn't need to voice his thoughts, because Catman understood.
Wait.
They both turned back to look at the Crimson Witch as she begins to speak. "You shouldn't have brought them here, KISS."
Rory's face twists in confusion, until she sees who the witch is talking about. She sees her friends atop the spaceship, looking down on them all with faces of fear, but not for themselves. Her eyes blow wide with the witch's next words.
"They will surely never leave Kissteria....alive!"
If everyone wasn't distracted by the Kissterian gargoyles the Crimson Witch brought to life, they may have noticed a glimmer of a faint, white hue that surrounded Rory. She had started fighting even harder against the red aura of the witch that rendered her immobile. Unfortunately, the witch noticed. It was only a matter of time for Rory to break free from the witch's power, so she harshly grabbed Rory's upper arm as insurance.
Rory's anger bubbled up inside her far greater than it has ever done when she felt the fingers of the witch digging into her arm, sure to leave a few bruises. Rory knew that her friends were sitting ducks upon the ship as the animated gargoyles took flight towards them, with intentions to rip them to shreds.
KISS knew that too, so while they were torn on what to do, the Crimson Witch took flight once again, still dragging along Rory. As long as the Destroyer was still in his mountain tomb, she needed the Wielder.
Catman was about to go after them, but yet again, his movement was stopped by a hand grabbing his arm. Though this time, it was Starchild to stop him instead of Spaceman.
On earth, Starchild was portrayed as the leader of the band. It wasn't mere coincidence that he was. When the Guardians were brought together all those years ago, he was instructed to be the leader of the Guardians. He never understood why he was appointed to be the head. The Demon was the strongest one. Catman was the most levelheaded. Spaceman was the smartest. So why him?
Starchild had to prove to himself that he was capable to bring down the witch. It was the only way, in his mind, to reassure himself that he was meant to be the leader, or at least that he was capable of protecting the ones that he cared about.
"I'll go after her myself. You guys protect the kids," he instructed his friends.
Spaceman and the Demon were quick to jump into action. Well, for the most part. The Demon couldn't quite depart without a quip.
"Oh great, more babysitting."
Catman was left facing Starchild. He knew that Catman was reluctant to leave saving Rory in the hands of someone else.
"I will do everything in my power to rescue Rory, Cat. I have to do this, please."
Catman looked into the pleading eyes of his leader. He knew this meant something more to Starchild then he would let on. Letting go a breath, he told him with a small smile, "don't let anything happen to my girl."
With a shared chuckle between the two at Catman's words, they flew off in different directions.
Catman somersaulted his way into the mix of gargoyles. Spaceman was rescuing Velma from the clutches of one, while the Demon was actually praising Scooby and Shaggy for defeating their own gargoyles. That left Daphne and Fred for Catman to rescue.
While the the were occupied, Starchild finally caught up to the Crimson Witch and Rory, who had finally reached the pedestal.
The middle of the pedestal had a ring of gold around a pit in the rock, presumably for the Rock of Kissteria to rest in. Rory knew deep down that if the rock was to reach the hole, it would all be over and they would all be doomed.
Starchild's voice rang over them, causing a smile to strectch across Rory's face at his good timing.
"It's over Crimson Witch. I'll be taking back the Rock of Kissteria."
He turned to face Rory with one of his infamous winks before continuing.
"And a certain someone's future girlfriend."
Rory rolled her eyes at Starchild's antics. She knew he was not-so-secretly waiting for her and Catman to make their infatuation become something more official. He was a hopeless romantic for sure.
Something inside Rory shifted at the exchange. With her thoughts on Catman and her newfound friends, a surge of power seemed to course through her from the Rock in her hands, through her fingertips, and through her entire body.
The witch was distracted by Starchild in that moment, but Starchild saw everything. A glistening white light surrounded Rory's body. Usually in Kissteria, a Kissterian's power was coupled with a hue of color, but this was the first time Starchild had ever seen a white aura. He was in awe at how it surrounded Rory and enhanced her every feature. Especially when her already green eyes seemed to shine as bright as a Kissterian star.
Rory had found her Kissterian powers.
With her blossoming new strength, Rory twisted away from the Crimson Witch, both breaking free from her vice-like grip and the powers that had previously immobilized her.
As Rory ducked out of the way, the Witch let out a furious and surprised yell at Rory's escape. Unfortunately for the witch, this gave Starchild an opening as she was distracted. Knowing that Rory was using the pedestal as a shield, he mentally applauded the brunette as he unleashed several stars full of his magic at the witch.
The stars stuck to the ground, surrounding the witch. Before she could react, the stars exploded, effectively causing a smokescreen over the area that the witch had been standing in.
Once the smoke disappeared, the only thing left was a crater in the red rock where the Crimson Witch had previously made her stand.
Rory cautiously stood back up from where she had been kneeling behind the pedestal. Not seeing the Crimson Witch, she began to walk around the crater towards Starchild, who was already headed around to meet her.
They came to a stop to stand next to each other. They both stared warily where the crater now was, also noting the rubble that sat next to it as the aftermath. There wasn't even a hint of the witch ever being there, causing them both to wonder,
Has the Crimson Witch been defeated for good?
_____________________________
Hi guys! I promised some of you a speedy update, so I tried my best! I hope y'all liked this chapter!
I already have the next chapter in the works, so hopefully it will be out soon!
Thanks for all the reads, but don't forget to give my chapters a like <3