"Is that... I mean, is she...?" he trailed off.

 "Yes, it's Fiera, and yes, she's dead," mumbled George, from behind his handkerchief.

 "So, the gang is all here?" asked Phu-Tan-La. "Good, take a seat, why don't you. The game is about to begin..."

 "I said sit down," bellowed Phu-Tan-La.

 "I'm non-negotiable," Benny grinned. "Tell us your plan, so that we can defeat you and then we can go home."

 "With this lot?" Phu-Tan-La laughed as he looked towards Robin, Arthur and George. Robin stood up to object but Arthur rested a hand on his shoulder and he sat back down.

 "These little bratty dangerous foolish boys, I admit they're a burden but I can handle things on my own." Benny made her away to a statue in the room. She noted that it was a relic from the old days of Phu-Tan-La.

 "You're quite the charming character, Summerfield. I bet all your students fall for you in a big way." Benny continued to ignore Phu-Tan-La.

 "Haven't you heard of the phrase, get on with it?" I'm tired she thought to herself. And in desperate need of a long soak.

 Phu-Tan-La stood and walked over to the statue Benny was examining. "This was one of mine," he said devilishly, "Everything here belongs to me."

 "Is that regret I detect in your voice?" Irving joined into the conversation.

 "Regret for years I have never seen?" Phu-Tan-La thought. He turned to Irving. "If anything I should be enacting on my revenge on my jailer. You're the best thing in this room."

 "Ah yes, with this thing." Irving held up the dagger, he eyed it carefully before placing it into his pocket. Phu-Tan-La ignored the man's smugness.

 "Very good, applause for the jailer who managed to lose the keys and let the demon out." Phu-Tan-La offered polite applause. Irving sat down. "Very well, the name of game is Monopoly." Benny raised a curious eyebrow to his suggestion. "I own all the streets, built all the hotels and you've just landed yourself into a difficult situation." Phu-Tan-La turned towards Benny. "My empire, through my cult I own all the planets and everything on them. The houses, the temples, the streets and the people."

 "The tighter you control your grip the more star systems will slip through your fingers," Benny said. She walked over towards the others and sat next to George.

 "But no power," Irving said. "You can't control their lives and that's what you want. You want to be honoured and feared, held up as a hero or a saviour."

 "And you can't..." George spoke aloud, "... you can't be a hero without making the necessary self sacrifice."

 Benny smiled. "All you know how to do is kill and destroy other lives, that's not something worth honouring. No monster is worth that."

 Phu-Tan-La ignored their chattering, "I shall do that with my apotheosis!"

 Benny considered what Phu-Tan-La had just said. Not that she was scared at his megalomaniacal delusions of godhood, but because it was something she had heard before. She wondered about how many people out there thought they could achieve what just one or two people every millennia ever achieve (and that's usually after they're dead). Benny knew her history, especially the twentieth century. These things happen inadvertently, not everyone goes out to drive their car through Parisian tunnels. These things happen by tragic circumstances.

 "So demon of the month, why don't you amuse us with your little plans of self delusion? I suggest a luxury cruise--you're bound to be murdered on one of those. Coming back to life's gonna be tricky, but if you believe you've found a way of becoming the next Elvis I won't stop you from dropping dead."

 "Bitter cynicism doesn't really suit you, Professor Summerfield."

 Benny said nothing.

 Phu-Tan-La considered himself for a few moments before addressing his audience. "Currently my agents are travelling out over my empire to run my plan for power. There actions will be the beginning of a thousand year darkness, and the reign of my glory will bring a chaos that has never been seen before."

 "You're going to live for a thousand years?" Benny spoke cynically. "Your ego may last that long but your life wont, but let me guess you've got a plan to become immortal. The blood of a thousand virgins? Well sorry we ran out of virgins a long time ago."

 "Benny," Arthur whispered, "I think you're getting him angry."

 "Immortality is a child's dream Summerfield!" Phu-Tan-La pressed his hand over the statue, a compartment slid open. He reached in with his hand a pulled out a dagger that was identical to the one Irving had in his pocket. "This isn't about immortality, it's about storytelling, about those who sing songs to your glory after you're long gone."

 Irving took out his dagger and looked over it with amazement. Benny knew as Irving did that the two were identical.

 "So you want a series of books published after your gone?" Benny suggested. She then turned her attention to the three boys, "And get a couple of trainspotters to re-enact your greatest moments, in a centuries time."

 "Summerfield you know you have an annoying habit of jumping to the most ridiculous conclusions." Phu-Tan-La took his dagger and then stabbed at the heart of the statue. The blade slid in and then began to glow.

 Above their heads a sphere of blue light formed and began to slowly dilate. Everyone stood up and couldn't believe the change of events.

 "THIS!" Phu-Tan-La pointed above, "IS WHERE IT ALL BEGINS! The games, the chaos all things will burn. He looked up at the 'gate:' "The keys to all the heavens and their hells!"

 "Phu-Tan-La!" Irving said sternly, "what the *hell* are you playing at!"

 The sphere continued to grow until it was three metres wide. It pulsed with a cool blue electric light.

 "I will unleash all the demons from all the planes of existence into our own. There will be a battle of apocalyptic proportions. The universe will weep and shake at the unholy battle, life will be destroyed on a scale never before seen..."

 "And you," Benny spoke softly, she looked at George, Arthur and Robin, "will play the hero. The saviour of all life."

 Phu-Tan-La nodded wisely. "My agents are at this moment executing massive changes in the life of various planets. Setting-off earthquakes, setting-off biological viruses, plagues, locusts, fire will rain from the heavens flooding entire worlds!"

 "To put everyone in danger, so that you can save them." George said nervously.

 "A most dangerous game," said Arthur and Robin in unison.

 Phu-Tan-La twisted the dagger in the statue clockwise, the sphere of blue light changed to a lucid green. Benny could just make out strange figures just beyond the portal. And they were coming towards her. Spirits of green light blazed out of the portal, floated around the room before making their way to the ceiling. They disappeared through the walls and out towards destroying various worlds.

 The dagger now rotated on its own accord and the sphere changed to a golden light. This time, yellow spirits did the same. One came close to Benny and wrapped itself around her before deciding she wasn't worth its interest.

 Now the sphere turned to blue and blue spirits came out, one made its way towards George and passed through him. George stepped and fell to the ground: "I looked at them! I didn't want to!"

 The sphere then turned red and darker spirits made their way through the portal. The blue spirits noted their presence and immediately attacked them.

 Phu-Tan-La screamed: "What is this?" The various light blue and red wrapped around each other in a struggle that Benny had never seen before. George stood up and shook his head. She noted that his posture had changed. He stood up straight and his face bore little fear in fact it was resolutely cold. Benny could only wonder what the blue light had done to him.

 "Phu-Tan-La, you forget the universe looks after itself. Where there is evil, good is there to keep it in balance!" Irving made his way slowly towards the statue. "You've unleashed wonders both horrific and good!"

 One of the blue/red struggles was reaching its end... a loud ear piercing noise raged out as the red light consumed the blue, before the blue had dispersed in a firework brilliance. The red light moved around the room frantically looking for its next victim. It considered one of the mortals.

 Phu-Tan-La stood aghast as the red spirit lurched towards him. Not only had the spirit touched him, but it began to wrap and twist around the resurrected creature.

 Irving took his chance and took hold of the dagger. In other parts of the room the others moved far away from the battle between all the blue and red lights, and in the centre of the room Phu-Tan-La struggled with his demons.

 "Benny get over here!" Irving was struggling with the dagger trying to stop its twisting. Benny ran towards the statue and wrapped her hand around Irving's, both were struggling to stop the movement. Around them the struggle was ending, the blue light were winning and the red was dying, fading into the shadows.

 George strode casually towards the statue and gently pushed Irving and Benny away. He reached out towards the dagger. When he touched it blue light drained out of his body and was absorbed into the statue. George moved away pulling the dagger from the stone. The sphere had changed back to blue again. Beyond it Benny could see Elysian green forests, that reminded her of Earth.

 The whole room burst into white light. When Benny's eyesight returned, the blue light surrounded Phu-Tan-La, who was twisting with the only red light still present. She saw before her a change, a metamorphosis. Phu-Tan-La began to grow. A tail unfurled from his body, his face grew longer, his teeth turned into razor sharp bone. His body began to be covered with red scales, and large leathery wings sprouted from his back.

 "Oh the great goddess!" George stared up at his fantasy and nightmare rolled into one. The dragon of legends, the dragon he held in respect and awe was now staring down at him.

 Benny couldn't believe what she saw (on reflection she noted in her diary that despite seeing "spirits" and "resurrections" this was far too personal to be believed). She looked to where George was standing. He held up the tiny dagger out in front of him and made his way to the dragon. "No, George, it's suicide!"

 The dragon raged and screamed at the blue light surrounding it. It knew it was trapped and so it took the only option open to it. The dragon flew into the portal and escaped into the unknown.

 Everyone stared at each other trying to work out what to do next. The building began to shake and rumble, the earth on which the building was on began to rise. Outside Benny saw the sky turn red, and witnessed fire falling down to the ground.

 "Phu-Tan-La's agents have begun their programme of apocalypse," Irving said calmly. "His plan is still in action."

 "And those other spirits are out there somewhere!" Robin said loudly, "How the hell do we get rid of that!"

 "And the dragon," George spoke calmly, "it's out there destroying unknown lives." He looked down at his dagger in deep thought.

 The blue lights merged into each other and began taking a blue translucent form. It moved towards Benny. "We cannot chase your demon for you, we are not permitted to enter that world." It spoke with a thousand voices in a lyrical unison. "Nor can we stop the destruction of this planet and others like it." Benny was fascinated by the sound of their voices, it was incredibly beautiful and frightening at the same time, it reminded her of the legends of the sirens. "But we are bound to take away from this world the spirits that do not belong here. We are few in number and cannot guarantee success."

 "But you'll die trying..." Benny continued and nodded her head.

 The blue spoke again. "We can assist one of you in your quest for the dragon-demon." The Blue form turned towards George.

 "No!" Benny said defensively, "George you don't have to do this."

 George walked over to the form and held out his dagger, a tiny piece of blue light broke off from the main body and absorbed itself into the dagger. The dagger began to transform into a longer weapon, a sword that no one in the room could help but admire.

 "A broadsword!" gasped Arthur, "far more beautiful than fair Excalibur."

 "Yes I'm quite a fan of them myself," Benny said.

 George pulled his dragon's tooth necklace from his neck and handed it to Benny. She took it and was about to thank him but George turned his back and made his way to the portal.

 Irving took out his dagger and gave it to George. "This belongs to time now."

 Robin and Arthur stood back and bowed down when George stepped into the portal, he hadn't said anything nor looked at them... the portal began to close.

 George disappeared into mythical history.

 "Is this a happy ending?" Robin asked. The castle began to shake even more violently in reply to Robin's question.

 "We have to stabilise this moon from destroying itself." Irving took control of the situation.

 "That's more your area of expertise than mine." Benny joked. "Okay we get off the rock before it explodes?"

 "Nonsense. We have to stop the destruction," said Arthur.

 "What do you propose, Brax?"

 "We have to find the right harmonics to counteract the vibrations of the planet." Irving searched frantically through his pockets pulling out a gold Spanish doubloon. He flipped the coin in the air. Everyone in the room followed its movement. As the coin began to fall it began to slow down, accompanying the movement the sound of old engines began echoing its ages of neglect, and when the coin landed and rolled on the floor a bookcase materialised in its place. Irvng pulled one of the books out and a door swung open. He ran inside and closed the doors behind him.

 "What the hell is that?" Arthur asked.

 "Legends that you're not ready for." Benny replied.

 The doors opened again and Irving walked out shouting and carrying out an antique microphone and amplifier. "I've analysed the readings and we have set up an repeated wave of certain harmonics." He plopped the devices onto the ground. "Here," he said slightly out of breath. "Read and Learn." He handed Benny a sheet of paper.

 Benny looked over it quickly, "You've got to be joking." She handed the paper over to the boys and Gordy.

 "They're exactly what we need!"

 "Can't you just play a recording?"

 "No it needs five voices."

 "Can't you set up an electronic equivalent?"

 "There's no time and it needs something distinctively organic."

 The microphone had been placed in the middle of the room and the five of them stood around it. The entire sky outside was raging with fire and the earth continued to shake.

 "Right none of this gets out to my students okay?"

 Irving grinned and nodded, "All right, a one, a two, a three."

 The five sang acapella, Benny took the lead vocal.

 When you're alone and life is making you lonely you can always go - down town. When you've got worries all the noise and the hurry seems to help, I know - down town.

 Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty. How can you lose?

 The lights are much brighter there You can forget all your troubles, forget all you cares. So go - down town. Things will be great when you're - down town. No finer place for sure - down town. Everything is waiting for you. (down town, down town).

 Don't hang around and let your problems surround you there are movie shows - down town. Maybe you know some little places to go where they never close - down town.

 Just listen to the rhythm of a gentle bossa nova You'll be dancing with them too before the night is over Happy again.

 The lights are much brighter there You can forget all your troubles, forget all you cares. So go - down town. Where all the lights are bright - down town. Waiting for you tonight - down town. You're gonna be all right now (down town, down town, down town).

 Downtown Downtown

 When you're alone and life is making you lonely You can always go - down town. When you got worries, all the noise and the hurry Seems to help, I know - down town.

 And you may find somebody kind to help and understand you Someone who is just like you and needs a gentle hand to guide them along.

 So maybe I'll see you there, We can forget all our troubles, forget all our cares.

 So go - down town Things will be great when you're - down town Don't wait a minute more - down town Everything is waiting for you (down town)

 Down town, down town, down town, down town, down town down town, down town, down town, down town, down town, downtown.

 And whether Irving was right about the harmonics or the planet was terrified of the singing, the earth and its heavens returned back to its normal, stable state itself.

 Benny looked at Braxiatel and punched him in the face.

 "Never Again!"

 Gordy came back to Dellah and took a job as security guard at the archaeological museum at St Oscars. He swore himself to be Benny's bodyguard, she just smiled and bought him a pillow for those exhaustive hours of sleeping his job required.

 Braxiatel had disappeared again, probably skulking after losing everything he wanted. He left behind a package for Bernice which she suspected was another picture frame. Joseph had opened it and stuttered that it was a genuine work of art from one of the great masters.

 George was... somewhere. Braxiatel had said the portal led to some ungodly period of Earth history that had little archaeological value to her and hence she didn't know anything about. She looked at the dragon's tooth George had given her and wondered if it was actually Phu-Tan-La's. The boys played horrible games it was fake but they at least thought it was real. Now George was somewhere, buried long ago. Perhaps he had become the hero he always wanted to be.

 Not to become a hero, not because of legends but because these things have to be done, justice's must be righted. Not for honour, not for glory but for life.

 He drew a red cross on his lips.

 "It was the end of the earth year 1998, the eve of when the millennium came upon us all. It was year many would marvel and admire. It was the year when Geri left the Spice Girls, the year George Michael got caught. It was the year someone though Godzilla was a good idea, and the year of Lost in Space. Yet it left everyone wondering with anticipation what the new Star Wars movie was going to be like." G'Kar shuffled in his seat, and stopped and paused to wonder what to write next; he was also wondering what the hell he was doing in a Bernice Summerfield Internet Adventure but he guessed that he took on any job now that his five year gig was over. He continued "It was the year of..." G'Kar felt something hit the back of his head and he blacked out.

 Professor Bernice Summerfield looked over his body and laughed out loud. "Your time is up, but then again so is ours. But we'll be back in the new year."

 I was shocked when the IA I was reading had just become self referential and then even more so when my own thoughts were printed before me. I guess it must have been a New Years hangover. But I'd swear Benny leaped out of the page and kissed me on the cheek and wished me a happy new year.

 Strange.

 ..the End.