Disney Fan Fiction - Checkmate Ch 4

“Not to say I don’t appreciate your magic, Good Fairies, but do you know what would be really good right now?” asked Philip to them as he knocked away the sword of one of the Cauldron Born before beheading it.

“What?” said Eric for them as the trio was too busy turning the various weapons into flowers, bubbles, or stone. Eric himself had tripped another skeletal soldier before cutting off the limbs at the joints.

“A dragon of our own,” answered Philip as he blocked an axe before kicking away the soldier and cutting it in half.

“I would prefer if the Horned King’s castle would be closer to the ocean,” Eric sliced up through the jaw and skull of one skeleton. “We could use King Triton’s help.”

“For me this makes me wish I was a Beast again,” joined in Prince Adam, cutting off one skeletal arm holding an axe before whirling around and beheading the bearer. “I was a lot bigger, faster, and stronger back then. I also had claws and tusks.”

“That would be helpful,” agreed Philip.

Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Taran, and Mulan were in another corner a little distance away from them, with the four fighters in a circle surrounding Mickey, who casted spells. Florian and the Seven Dwarves surrounded Merlin leaving Peter Pan, Aladdin on Carpet, Hercules on Pegasus, Tinker Bell, the Lost Boys, Genie, and the Gods of Olympus to attack at random amidst the ranks of the undead. The Gods also provided a boost in morale especially whenever Zeus struck the horde with his lightning bolts. Despite the power between the magic users and the Gods, and the efforts by the other heroes and heroines, they still were hard pressed to make a significant dent in the undead throng that stood between them and the Horned King’s castle.

“This is hopeless!” cried Donald as he cut down one of the skeletons. “We kill or bring down one only for five of them to take its place, and then later that same one comes back. It’s like we’re trying to fight our way through molasses…that’s also covered in green mist and has lethal weapons. We’re getting nowhere with this!”

“We can’t stop now, Donald!” encouraged Mickey as he shrunk down the weapons of several of the warriors. “We’ve got to keep pushing!”

“We must push for that hill!” commanded Taran, pointing to the one in front of them. “The Horned King’s castle lies on the other side and can be only crossed by a moat.”

“But we have people who can fly you there,” said Mickey and he turned to Hercules. “Hercules! Get Taran to the castle! The rest of us will group together and try to hold out for as long as we can!”

Hercules nodded in understanding and urged Pegasus to dive down to pass beside them. He grabbed the boy warrior by the hand and hoisted him up behind him. To the surprise and appreciation of the others, Aladdin and Peter Pan flew up beside them and protected them from the mass of deathless warriors that threatened to strike at Pegasus’ exposed flanks. The Lost Boys soon followed their leader, each of them jumping from one skull to the next by pixie dust and striking at them with their unorthodox weaponry.

“We’ll join you,” said Aladdin for the group. “And if we get through this, remind me to help you out in rebuilding your country.”

“Thanks,” replied the demigod. “Also remind me to get you a free pass to visit Olympus.”

“Can you really guarantee that?”

Hercules jerked his thumb up to the thundercloud above them. “I’m sure my Dad wouldn’t mind.” He looked back at Taran. “Last chance to change your mind, kid. No one is stopping you from doing this…. apart from the Horned King and his legions. We can handle this later on better terms. You’ve got a good life waiting for you with that young girl.”

“I know but how long would it be before the Horned King sends this army out against us?” replied Taran gravely. “How many lives will be lost when he destroys everything in his path to get to us? There won’t be any world where we can’t go that he won’t reach us. He will destroy everything that we know and love to make us suffer before killing us and turning us into his slaves. I can’t allow that to happen to me, to everyone here, to the whole world, and the world’s beyond.”

“Wow,” said Peter Pan in astonishment. “If you hadn’t grown up, you would’ve been a great Lost Boy.”

Taran smiled and laughed. “Thanks but if I had been a Lost Boy then I wouldn’t be willing to do this.”

“And it’s outta here!” came the voice of Genie from below. A glowing baseball came soaring past them before crashing back down into the multitude and throwing dozens into the air and smashing against each other. On the ground he transformed into a bowler and hefted a red ball in his hand. He ran up to the enemy lines before slowing down and rolling it in front of him. The ball grew ten times its original size just before it struck the lines and crushed the skeletal soldiers

“Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrr-rike!”

“This battle is not going anywhere,” said Prince Adam as he beheaded another skeleton.

“What you need is something to boost up your morale,” said the Genie and he split himself into the members of the rock band, Queen, and started to play “We Will Rock You.”

“Although I do appreciate the message and the talent, Genie, there is a time and place for such things,” said Apollo as he soared past on his chariot.

“But it’s a classic!” he protested.

At that moment Hermes flew above their heads and stopped right above Mickey’s group. “Whoa, watch it! This helmet is an antique! And do you know how much it cost me to get this wings done?” He stopped in front of the mouse. “Mickey, Athena has seen that Hercules, Aladdin, Peter Pan, and the Lost Boys have been grounded by a spell before they could enter the castle. Reserve troops are coming from within the castle and they’re soon going to be surrounded.”

“Genie, we need to get everyone together to push forward,” called Mickey.

“Right away boss!” he saluted and called over to the god. “By the way, leave the jokes to the professionals, Hermes.”

“Really, Genie? You wouldn’t know a joke if it stared at you straight in the face,” countered the god before speeding away.

“Yeah, well – hey!”

“Genie!” urged Mickey.

“Done,” said Genie snapping his fingers and in a big puff of smoke all of those that were left on the battlefield appeared.

“Wait, where is Rumpelstiltskin?” asked Flora looking around.

“I haven’t seen him,” said Eric.

“And we don’t have time to search for him, look!” pointed Philip as the undead legions had recovered from the sudden disappearance and surged forward.

“Genie, clear a path to the hill,” commanded Mickey.

“This looks like a job for…” he transformed into Superman. “Oh wait, the big man doesn’t own this.” He transformed into the members of the Avengers. “No, wrong franchise.”

“Genie!” everyone shouted.

“Hold up! I’ve got it!” he then created a wooden battle car with a giant propeller and a prow on the front and steam chimneys at the rear. “Say hello to the twenty-first century!”

He took the pilot’s seat and charged forward. The blades cut the bodies to pieces while the prow pushed whatever was missed underneath where the wheels crushed the bones. The Olympian Gods took advantage of the effort and struck the lines of the soldiers that stood on the sides of the opening. Lightning sent the skeletons flying in pieces, while the gods and goddesses in chariots held off the horde.

“Go! We will hold fast while you aid your allies!” ordered Athena.

Without hesitation the company followed the Genie through the deadly mass all the while defending themselves against any warriors that got through. They arrived at the top of the hill and looked out to see the ominous structure completely enclosed by the green mist. A single drawbridge extended over the moat from the gates to the their side. Hercules, Aladdin, Taran, Peter Pan, and the Lost Boys were completely surrounded by the horde and reinforcements were pouring across the bridge to them like water from a drain.

The dire situation was enough to give them pause before they charged down the hill with a battle cry.  

Mulan dispensed with one Cauldron Born wielding a battle-axe before throwing its weapon at another that was about to stab at Prince Philip, decapitating the warrior.

“You’re not like any woman I’ve ever seen,” he complimented.

“Is that a good or a bad thing?” she asked.

He smiled at her. “I guess we’ll find out if we survive this battle.”

She smiled back.

To the surprise of everyone, the army of the dead began to fall around them. Weapons fell and limbs and bones dislocated as they crumpled down. All the while the green mist began to recede back into the Horned King’s castle.

“Gosh, what’s wrong with them?” asked Goofy.

“It looks like they’re dying,” said Peter Pan.

“That must mean…” began Mickey before looking toward the castle. “Oh no.”

“What?” asked Taran. “Come on, we need to go! This could just be a trick.”

“Taran, do you notice anything?” questioned Merlin.

Taran looked around. “What?”

“Rumpelstiltskin isn’t here,” answered Eric, looking around as well and soon everyone began to catch on.

“Did he-?”

“It seems that way.”

“Should we-?”

“What’s the point? There’s no chance he could have survived.”

“You don’t know, maybe he’s just too powerful.”

“No, we’re sure only a person’s life is enough to stop the Curse.”


A sound like thunder rumbled through the landscape. From their position they could see the many towers, ramparts, and walls sway. Another rumble sounded this time a tremor could be felt through the ground. Cracks began to appear on the many towers, walls, and ramparts and soon pieces began to collapse.

“Genie?” asked Aladdin but the magical being interrupted him.

“Sorry, Al, there is nothing I can do.”

“The Horned King had turned the castle into his own personal fortress with Black Magic,” explained Mickey. “With him gone his power and enchantments over this place will be destroyed.”

As if to prove his point, several of the towers went into a domino effect against others as well as the wall. Before long the foundations began to sink down into the moat. Everyone watched in helplessness as they saw what remained of the castle disappear underneath the waters.

“So that’s it then?” asked Eric dishearteningly.

“Well, I am half expecting him to appear within a few minutes,” said Genie checking a grandfather clock.

“Look!” pointed Aladdin.

A short distance away the water began to bubble. To the surprise of all the Black Cauldron burst through the surface and proceeded to float on the waves. The three Good Fairies waved their wands and a current was created that pushed the immense, midnight black kettle to the shore. Everyone gathered in a crescent shape around it all at a loss of what to do.

To the surprise of everyone, Taran drew his sword and, with a cry, brought it down upon the rim. He did it again and again until the blade broke in two but he continued to hack it with the broken half. Philip knocked the sword away as he and Adam gripped the trembling boy.

“Taran, stop! Stop!”

“It should have been me!” cried the young boy. “It should have been me! This was my fault and it should’ve been me to have ended it.”

“He knew what he was doing, Taran,” consoled Philip.

“I guess he did,” whispered Mickey.

“Well, what should be done with it now?” asked Peter Pan.

“It should be destroyed!” said Mulan.

“The Black Cauldron cannot be destroyed by any craft that we here possess,” said Genie taking the form of a wizened elf before turning back to himself. “Whoa, I just had an out of universe experience.”

“Then it should be hidden away,” said Aladdin. “Somewhere well guarded and hard to find.”

“I actually agree with you on this,” said Hercules. “But maybe not in the Cave of Wonders.”

“Our thoughts precisely, demigod,” a voice cackled above them.

Everyone looked up to see a gray cloud descend down to the lake. Within it three forms appeared with wrinkled, bluish faces, wild red hair, and wore dirty gray robes. They cackled again at the puzzled looks on each of the company’s faces. In a flash of light they appeared on the other side of the Black Cauldron, their eyes glinted with greed as they pawed at the iron.

“What do you think you’re doing here Orddu, Orwen, and Orgoch?” demanded Flora.

“Oh, we’re just here to collect what’s ours,” replied the leader, Orddu.

“Ladies, this is neither the time nor the place for such accusations!” huffed Merlin.

“It’s not an accusation, gramps,” she replied in equal manner.

“Enough!” said Orgoch, her hands glowing with magic. “Let’s turn them all into frogs and take the Cauldron! And maybe a few of them for dinner.”

The whole company drew their weapons in response. Mickey and Goofy were trying to restrain Donald, who was ranting unintelligibly. Orwen stepped in front of Orgoch to stop her from casting her spells while Orddu stepped in between the two parties.

“Listen here, uh, heroes,” she said trying to bring order to both sides. “You said that you needed to hide this object? Well, we have hidden it for hundreds of years before the Horned King took possession of it. No one had ever know where we were and no one ever has.”

“You’re not making any sense,” said Taran, who was the only one who lowered his weapon. “If you had kept it secret then how did the Horned King take it from you?”

“Ah, but he didn’t, my dear,” replied Orwen. “We would’ve known if he had come to us for the Cauldron.”

“No, the Cauldron had been stolen from us by a power greater than our own,” said Orddu. “And it can only be found by people who have a use for it. I don’t suppose that neither one of you have a use for it anymore?” No one answered. “Then I guess we’ll take it,”

“Wait,” said Eric.

Everyone turned to look at him and parted away as he made his way to the front next to Taran.

“Oh, I like you, handsome,” complimented Orwen, batting her eyelashes.

“I think we can set up a deal,” he began.

“Whatever for?” questioned Orddu suspiciously.

“The Black Cauldron for the life of Rumpelstiltskin,” answered the prince.

“Your highness, that’s against the laws of magic,” said Mickey.

“But didn’t you say that this Cauldron broke that law?” asked Eric, turning to Merlin. “That it was an abomination because it could raise the dead?”

“Well, I, uh, I suppose that I did, yes,” answered the wizard.

“Then couldn’t your magic along with the Cauldron’s bring him back?” asked Eric, who now turned back to the three witches.

The three of them stared back at him with surprised looks on their faces. They then stepped away from the company and onto clouds that carried them onto the water and out of earshot from the heroes. They huddled together and discussed urgently amongst themselves and at times threw glances back before resuming. Once they were finished, they traveled back to the edge of the lake.

“As you say, there is a law that no magic can be able to resurrect the dead,” began Orddu. “And the Black Cauldron is therefore an abomination to that law. But I’m afraid to say that we can’t change what Fate has decreed.”

Eric nodded solemnly and stepped back.

“As you say, the Black Cauldron must be hidden away from the world,” she continued.

All of the heroes mumbled and nodded solemnly in agreement. The three witches then took to the air and circled the Cauldron, forming a tornado. Clouds descended and hidden it from the site of the heroes. Once the witches left, the wind subsided and the clouds moved away to reveal an empty impression of where the Cauldron lay.


One by one each of the heroes and heroines turned and walked away from the lake. Each of them was silent in their own thoughts, their shoulders slumped, limbs heavy. Some of the company comforted each other, while others stared blankly ahead or at the ground. Genie took Carpet and blew his nose loudly. The downcast procession made its way over the forsaken hill, down into the death-like valley before entering into the forest.

Prince Philip joined with Mickey, Goofy, and Donald and spoke, “What are we going to tell the others?”

“We tell them the truth,” responded the mouse firmly. “That Rumpelstiltskin died a hero.”