Serena, Xander, and Isabella followed the procession of rats from a safe
distance. Finally, they came to a clearing in the woods, where a large bonfire
flickered in the center. Isabella wasn't the least bit surprised to see
Rhiannon there. Rhiannon put her hand towards the fire, and instantly the red
flames became silver. "That is better," she said in a taunting
voice."And how are all my faithful servants this evening?"

The fifteen rats gathered in a circle around the mystical rat and she
cackled."Justin, my dear, come forward." Justin stepped forward.

"Now," Rhiannon said with an evil smile,"Give me the
Stone."

Justin didn't move. Rhiannon looked irritated. "Did you not hear me?
Give me the Stone!"

"Justin!" Isabella shouted,"No!"

Xander clapped his hand to his forehead."Isabellaaa!" Isabella
looked embarassed."Sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Serena told the rat,"Be quiet!"

Xander and Isabella looked up to find five of the fifteen rats coming
towards them. They started to run, but they were much too slow.

The threesome was dragged before Rhiannon, who no longer looked sweet or
innocent. Her hair was a wild mess, and her aqua eyes flashed
angrily."Well, well, well," she sneered."Look who decided to
drop in. I really must insist that you call next time," she said
sarcastically."Let's see. We've got the psychic," she said, pointing
to Serena,"The fool," Rhiannon continued, pointing at
Xander,"And last but not least, Juliet." Isabella lunged forward but
was held back by Isaac and Matt. "Really," Rhiannon
taunted,"Isabelle, did you think for even a second that Justin would have
you instead of me?" She cackled.

"That's Isabella!" Isabella shouted, breaking free of Matt and
Isaac."And you're toast!"

She lunged at Rhiannon again, this time knocking her to the ground. It was a
full-on battle. Isabella tried several times to land a punch on Rhiannon's jaw,
but the sorceress rat blocked it each time."Oh, please. Is that the best
you can do?" The evil rat picked up a sword lying nearby, and Isabella
grabbed a stick. Rhiannon came at Isabella with the sword and Isabella raised
the stick, trying to remember everything Lita had taught her about swordplay.
Rhiannon may have been good with magic, but she was even better with a sword.
Isabella just barely managed to block several would-be blows, but she knew she
couldn't keep it up much longer."So sorry about your boyfriend,"
Rhiannon snarled."But you won't have to worry about that for much
longer." Isabella growled."We'll see about that! By the way,"
she added, ducking to avoid getting her head chopped off,"I'll bet that
hawk was you, wasn't it? You did all this!" Rhiannon grinned
evilly."But of course."

Isabella knocked the sword out of Rhiannon's hand."How? Why?"

Rhiannon smirked."Because I want the Stone. It contains what I need,
but it can only be used by one with a courageous heart." Isabella's eyes
widened."You're just like Jenner!"

Rhiannon smirked again."Jenner? That fool? Please! Do you really think
he could have come up with something that brilliant on his own? Of course not!
If it hadn't been for him, the humans would have been serving us. Nicodemus,
Jonathan, Sullivan and he thought that they were so smart, using the Stone to
stop us. But they paid for it, didn't they? My curse certainly paid off, but
the Stone and Jenner's family are my unfinished business." She laughed
hysterically. "Justin!" she called over her shoulder."Justin, my
dear!" Justin came forward."Be a good slave and take care of
her." the sorceress told the Justin, pointing at Isabella. Justin picked
up the sword and came at her. "Justin! Stop!" Isabella
screeched."Justin, I don't want to fight-" She was cut off as the
sword nearly took off her arm."Hey! Watch where you're swingin' that
thing!"

But Justin wasn't listening."Justin," Isabella pleaded,"I
don't want to fight you!" The sword almost stabbed her in the midriff. Now
she was angry.

"You asked for it!" Isabella shouted, and kicked Justin good and
hard in the stomach. He let out a yell of pain. Before Isabella knew what was
happening, Cal and Brutus were holding her down and no amount of struggling did
any good. Justin stood over her with the sword. "Justin! NO!"
Isabella screamed. "No!"

But Justin didn't seem to hear her. He raised the sword high over his head.

"Kill her, Justin!" Rhiannon screamed."KILL HER!"

"Justin! Stop!" Xander and Serena shouted.

"Please," begged Isabella,"Justin, snap out of it! You don't
have to be Rhiannon's slave! I'm not giving up on you!" she
yelled."Because I...." her voice faltered, and she had to start
again."I love you."

Justin paused for a minute. For one horrible moment, Isabella thought he
really was going to kill her.

But the glow in Justin's eyes flickered, then went out. He dropped to his
knees and in the process dropped the sword, horrified at what he'd almost
done."I know," was his reply."I know."

Rhiannon broke the mood just then."If you won't do it, then I
will!" White lightening gathered around her hands, and a whirlwind of
energy surrounded Isabella.

Isabella had never been in so much pain in her life. It felt like a thousand
swords were all running through her body at once. She screamed in pain as the
white light continued whirling around her and through her, causing sparks.

Justin was horrified, then his horror became anger. He started to move
towards the light, but it was like his legs were made of stone. He couldn't
move.

"Oh, my God!" he heard Xander shout."I'm drowning!"

Brutus dropped to his knees."Oh, man, I hate heights!"

Then it hit him. Rhiannon was attacking them with their worst fears.

"Jenner! Jenner, no! Don't do it!" Serena cried.

He felt the fear coming at him, close to him as a shadow.
"Nicodemus...." he groaned,"Nicodemus, help me!"

Justin had to shake himself free of the fear that surrounded him like a
think, impenetrable fog.

"Rhiannon!" a booming voice shouted. "Stop this at
once!"

Justin recognized that voice. Jenner!
He could only stare as Jenner materialized right in front of Rhiannon, a
transparent figure. She looked shocked, but not for long.

"Really," Rhiannon said in a dangerously calm voice."And who
is going to stop me?"

Jenner stood tall."I am! I kept you from killing my wife and son,
didn't I? I can certainly keep you from killing innocents like Isabella!"
He turned to his wife."Use the Stone," he told her. She was
absolutely speechless. Her face had gone dead white. But she nodded at him and
raised her Stone. Then he disappeared.

"Justin!" Serena yelled suddenly. "Use your Stone!"

The leader of the rats just looked at her."What?"

"Don't ask questions! Just do it!"

Justin struggled, still fighting his fear. Fear that he wouldn't be able to
use the Stone at all. But then he remembered Isabella. If he didn't do
something right now, she would die.And he couldn't let that happen. He raised
the Stone, and glowing red fire shot out of it.

Blue lightning shot out of Serena's Stone and the two merged together, forming
a brilliant violet. Rhiannon screamed in agony as the violet fire and
lightening enveloped her.

"NOOOOOOOO!!!!" she screamed. But it was way too late. The Stones'
energy seemed to make her more and more transparent, until finally there was
nothing left of her but her crystal.

"Oh, wow," Xander spoke up."She vaporized!"

Serena scooped the sword up off the ground and brought it down hard on the
crystal. It shattered, clouds of silver dust spreading from where the crystal
had been. The silver dust materialized into three shapes. Jenner. Sullivan. And
Jonathan! Justin was shocked.

The white lightening that had been holding Isabella prisoner disappeared,
releasing her.

Isabella, exhausted but happy, collapsed quietly nearby. Justin rushed
forward and caught her at the halfway point. He slowly lowered her to the
ground.

The two of them laughed, then looked up at the sky. It was almost dawn.

"I love you," Justin said simply."I don't know how else to
say it. I was too proud to admit it, until now."

Isabella grinned back."I know."

Serena flew into Jenner's arms, laughing and crying at the same time. The
reunited husband and wife turned to watch Isabella and Justin, smiling.

When they got back, Justin settled everyone into his office. He wanted some
answers, as you can probably imagine. Justin sat behind his desk, and Jenner,
Sullivan, Jonathan and Xander occupied the chairs in front of it. Isabella lie
on the couch in the office, half asleep, with Serena on another chair, watching
over her."Now," Justin said,"This is a little strange for me.
It's not every day three guys who are supposed to be dead sit in your office.
Can someone please explain what the heck happened out there?"

Jenner nodded."I can. You see, our group wasn't the only group being
experimented on. There was another, like ours, but with different
injections."

Jonathan spoke up."Those injections left them with superior mental
abilities and even a few magical. But it also made them evil."

Justin wrinkled his brow."That makes sense. But why did she....?"

Sullivan looked up."She and the others in her group had plotted to
escape using their powers and kill the scientists in charge of the experiment.
Jenner overheard them," he said, gesturning. Jenner nodded to acknowledge
this."And told Nicodemus, Jonathan and I. We created the Stone to stop
them When the day came, the Stone basically drained most of their powers. But
not all."

Xander looked facsicnated."Wow."

Jenner grimaced."Rhiannon knew what we had done, and she was mad as
hell. She cursed us all with violent deaths. But since I had been the one to
notify the others in the first place, she cursed me with madness and a violent
death." He smiled ruefully."I think we all know what happened after
that."

Isabella tried unsuccessfully to sit up."She was pretty methodical
about the whole thing, wasn't she? She knew that everyone thought Jenner
capable of doing what he did." She attempted sitting up again, but Justin
went to her and pushed her gently back down."Don't you dare move," he
cautioned her. "Try to rest."

She made a face at him, then smiled at him."All right."

Jenner cleared his throat."To answer your question, Isabella, yes,
Rhiannon was very methodical. But before he died, Nicodemus had fixed the Stone
so that it could only be used by one with a courageous heart. So the only way
Rhiannon could get the Stone was to have the wearer give it up willingly. But
the power of the red stone wasn't enough to destroy her. When I realized that,
I created the blue stone and gave it to Serena. I knew that when the time came,
she would know what to do." Serena smiled her approval."And you were
right."

Justin nodded, understanding."Ohhh....I get it. But..there's still one
thing that puzzles me. If you all and Nicodemus died, how....?"
"That's easy enough to answer," Jonathan told him."The first
rule of magic - always allow a way to escape. The curse stipulated that only
the ones who died before their time could ever come back. And, well...it was
Nicodemus' time."
Jenner looked sad."Rhiannon hated me, I knew that much. But I didn't know
she hated me enought to have me kill my friends."

Serena went to him and put her hand on his shoulder."It was not your
fault. You couldn't have stopped her. She was too powerful."

Jenner sighed in response."We are going to have a lot of explaining to
do."

"Oh yeah," Isabella agreed."Believe me when I say oh
yeah."

Jonathan looked anxious all of a sudden."Justin, now that we've
explained everything, I....I'd like to see my wife again. How on earth am I
going to get to the farm from here?"

Justin smiled secretively."You won't need to."

Jonathan was shocked."What? Why not?"

"She's here," Justin replied."Here in Thorn Valley. But don't
leave yet," he said to the already leaving Jonathan."Save that for
breakfast. There's just one more thing. About Rhiannon's group, are they still
around?"

Sullivan nodded."Yes. And you can bet they'll be back with a
vengeance."

Justin looked disgusted."Oh....great. Well, that's everything. Let's go
to breakfast. Everyone will be there, and I want to explain things to them."

The three uncursed ones nodded their agreement."Well, what are we
waiting for, a train?" Xander asked with a grin. "Let's go!"

At breakfast that morning, everyone was curious as to where their fearless
leader had disappeared to. Lita and Michaela tried to figure it out. "Oh
my lord," Lita said suddenly."Look!" Michaela turned in
amazement and saw Justin and his group enter."What the...?"

Justin held up his hands for silence."Please, everyone. I know what
you're thinking. And I have the explanation." With the help of Jenner,
Sullivan, and Jonathan, Justin explained as best he could about the curse,
Rhiannon, and the Stones."

"It's the truth." Jonathan told the crowd. They warned the crowd
that friends of Rhiannon might come for them. And they believed it.

Meanwhile, Paul and Jenny had just entered the room. All eyes turned on
them."Hey, sorry we're late," Paul said, holding up his hands in
surrender,"Couldn't help it...had trouble with the water pipes and....oh
hi, Dad. Anyway-" Paul and Jenny did a double take."DAD!" Jenny
cried, throwing herself into her father's arms. Paul followed, still wary this
rat who seemed to be his father.

Jenner stopped hugging Jenny and turned to his son. Their is a pause as
father and son try to conceal their emotions. Then both of them gave it up and
hugged. "Dad...I'm sorry....how did you.....?" Jenner
smiled."I'll tell you the whole story later."

Jonathan fidgeted. "Justin, where's...?"

Justin grinned, then pointed."Is that her?"

The entire place fell silent as Mrs. Brisby and her children entered.
"What are you all...?" Mrs. Brisby trailed off as she caught sight of
Jonathan. Everyone watched as a flash of red flew into Jonathan's arms. Justin
turned and started the applause. Sheila was crying with relief. "You,
sir," she told Jonathan in a false stern voice,"Have a lot of
explaining to do!"

Jonathan nodded, his eyes wet."Don't worry, I will. I will." He
had to stop as he was mobbed by his children.

"Dad, you're back!" exclaimed Martin.

"You're all right!" cried Teresa and Timmy at the same time.

Cynthia pulled on her father's arm."Daddy, you're home!"

Jonathan picked Cynthia up."I certainly am. And I'll never leave you
again. Not ever."

Later that day, Justin came out of the Infirmary after his visit to Isabella,
possibly the tenth one that day. He danced out of the room. He nearly crashed
into Jenner. "Whoa, sorry!"

Jenner grinned."That's okay. But why were you dancing like that?"

Justin smiled broadley."I asked Isabella to marry me. And she said
yes!" He started dancing agan. Then he stopped, and clapped his hand to
his forehead."Oh, no! She said yes!"

Jenner had to laugh at this."Getting cold feet already? I don't blame
you."

Justin was startled. In all the time that he had known Jenner, they had
never really connected. Not until now.

"Don't look so shocked," Jenner informed the leader. "I've
been down that road before. And all I have to say, Justin, is that if you love
her...you must tell her. Because you never know what could happen.""

Justin nodded.

"And one more thing," Jenner said in low, serious voice.Then he
grinned again."Congratulations! It's about time!"

Justin laughed."Thank you! Wow, you sure are, um....happy today."

Jenner looked at him."Being brought back from the dead does a lot for
your mood. And I should thank you, too."

Justin was puzzled."What?"

"It was you and Serena who set us free. And we are forever grateful to
you for that." Jenner said solemnly.

Justin nodded again. This was the old Jenner. The twisted, evil thing that
had been Rhiannon's creation was long gone. In his place was the likeable guy
that Jenner had been.

That just goes to show, Justin thought, Good always triumphs over evil.