Stealth Elf winced as she deflected yet another blow from the still-hypnotized Camo and backflipped out of his range. "Camo, please!" Stealth Elf begged as she jumped out the way of yet another fireball. "Come back to your senses! We're friends, we shouldn't be fighting like this!"

Camo growled as he opened his jaws wide, like he was ready to shoot off another round of hot fireballs, but instead his eyes closed and he passed out onto the platform!

"What's going on?" the drow that took control of Camo demanded as he raced forward to grab Camo.

Before the drow could, Stealth Elf poofed next to him and elbowed him back! With the drow sent reeling, Stealth Elf crept next to the unconscious Camo and got ready to lift him off the ground, yet jumped back as a green light enveloped Camo!

This green light hardened around Camo and took the shape of a cocoon made out of leafy vines, but soon slowly unraveled itself as it dropped Camo back down to the platform. Camo stood tall as he was unveiled, and for that matter, so did his horns! They’d grown bigger and thorny while a new power radiated off of his body! It was like nature himself gave him a boost!

"Camo!" Stealth Elf took a step back, her daggers clasped tight in her hand. "Are you alright?"

Camo stood silent, yet finally made a soft chuckle as he gave Stealth Elf a thumbs up, or rather, toes up given that he didn't have thumbs.

"Right as rainydew melon!" Camo proclaimed.

"Yep, that's him alright." Stealth Elf sighed, and would have probably rolled her eyes if she had pupils, but nonetheless walked towards Camo and patted his shoulder. "Glad to have you back."

"I'm glad to be back!"

Camo chirped as he looked towards Stealth Elf, and both of them fixed their eyes towards the drow that tried to take over Camo's mind, who now looked EXTREMELY worried. The drow whimpered for a few moments, frantically scrambled towards the vines and tried to pull them apart! Before he could make an escape route, however, a large shadow imposed over him and pulled him back towards a very testy Camo and Stealth Elf.

"Alright, buddy, you've got one chance!" Stealth Elf demanded as the trembling drow was brought before her eyes. "Where's your leader?"

"Why should I tell you that?" the drow spat back as magic sparked around his body, as if he were getting ready to teleport away once more. "I have no idea where she is!"

Stealth Elf clasped her daggers tighter and shot the drow the stink-eye. "You don't, do you?"

"And even if I did, I still wouldn't tell you!" The drow huffed and turned his nose up at Stealth Elf, and sparks grew brighter.

"We have ways of making you talk, you know," Camo broke in as he stepped forward witha smirk played on his bright green lips.

"Like what?"

The drow glared down Camo, yet gulped as Camo's small smirk grew wide. Camo only stepped forwards and tapped the ground under the drow's feet, and in moments, a bunch of gigantic, bright red peppers sprouted out from the cracks in the ground and exploded completely!

Stealth Elf and Camo were lucky to escape in time, but the drow was not! He could only helplessly squirm and scream as the peppers exploded and coated him in a cascade of spicy red pepper juice!

"AUGH! NOT PEPPER JUICE!" The drow cried and moaned as he fell down with the sparks faded and his whole body shaken. "IT BURNS! IT BURNS! THERE'S NO WAY I COULD PRESENT MYSELF TO OUR LEADER BEFORE THIS!"

The drow hung his head and winced. "It's a good thing she's got forces at the Tree of Life!" The drow snarled as he glared down Stealth Elf and Camo. "At least she'll have others that can take care of this"

Camo and Stealth Elf smirked at each other as the vines that crafted their makeshift arena receded back into its wooden platform. With their access to the world around them regained, the two of them raced up to the drow and swiftly patted the drow on the arm before they bolted off.

"Thanks for the info, buddy!" Camo chirped as he left the drow in the dust.

"Crap, did I really just say that?" The drow's eyes widened with pure, terrified realization to his mistake. "No, get back here!" The drow growled and began sparkling once more, though the sparkles fizzled out just as quickly as they came. "Don't think you can outrun me! You insolent fools, you'll rue the day…"

As the drow's shouts became little more than distant cries, Camo and Stealth Elf looked at each other and shrugged, but both jolted up as they heard a sharp creak followed by a loud THUNK!

"OUCH!" The drow screamed from afar. "I HATE CHESTNUTS!"

Camo and Stealth Elf paid no mind to the drow's cries, however. They already left the drow in the dust as they headed down the winding wooden paths of the platform. Unlike the ones before, these paths were long and complex, much like an actual forest trail. Oh, and they were filled with drow soldiers. That was quite an important detail that couldn't be missed, either.

All down the winding pathway before them, gigantic goliath drow rested with spell punks saddled in backpack carriers protected on the drows' backs, soldiers talked among themselves as they polished their spears, and there were even a few sorcerers who waved their staffs and made birds manifest out of magic and thin air from sheer boredom!

The only thing that shielded Camo and Stealth Elf from the drow forces was a gigantic ball made of sticks and twine that seated right at the beginning of the path, just a few feet away from the army.

"Okay," Stealth Elf said as she leaned against the giant twine ball, "you handle the drow on the left, and I'll—" Stealth Elf lost her balance as the twine ball nudged forwards from her pressure. "WHOA, WHOA!"

The twine ball became a mighty boulder as it rolled down the way with Stealth Elf stuck within its grasp! Drow soldiers went flying into the depths of the forest, stray twine and twigs scattered everywhere, and the whole path clouded with scattered dust!

"Stealth!" Camo called as he bolted down the pathway. "I'm coming!"

Camo charged down the pathway as fast he could, but the ball gained too much momentum! He was only left in its dust, literally! Camo coughed and fanned away the dust with his tail, but grunted as he jumped over a fallen goliath drow and made a mighty leap! It was a valiant effort, but not valiant enough, unfortunately, for he only dove headfirst into the twine ball! His screams melded with Stealth Elf's as the ball rolled the fastest it could, jumped off a ledge and smashed into a wooden platform!

The ball was now completely decimated. All that was left was Camo and Stealth Elf, who both sat in a dizzy haze while surrounded by the twine and stick debris that once made up their spherical prison.

"Well, that's one way to get rid of them," Stealth Elf remarked as she stood up and picked twigs out of her hair, "Camo, are you—"

Stealth Elf stopped short as several blades shoved in front of her face! She gazed around and grabbed her daggers, because all around here were none other than more drow soldiers! Several of them charged towards Stealth Elf, but before they could even nick her with their spears and swords, she teleported away and blindsided them with a slash of her own blades! More encroached in on her as those soldiers fell unconscious, but she only blasted them away with a cloud of poisonous spores.

While the guards fell asleep one by one, Camo groaned and awakened at last from his dizzy haze. "What's going on?" Camo moaned as he stumbled around like he had four left paws. "Why's all the fruit dancing?"

Camo stumbled forwards, and reeled back as several sharp blades swung just inches away from his face! With a shake of his head, he lowered his horns, charged straight into his attackers, and tossed them aside like they were nothing more than cottonballs!

"These new horns sure are something!" Camo whistled before he glared down the other guard. "Who's next?"

The guards looked frantic as they pointed towards one or another or argued among each other, but Camo paid no mind! He just stormed through and charged into them all! While they all tossed into the skies and crashed down onto the platform, Camo paused for a moment to bask in his victory. As he stood though, a large shadow cast itself over his body!

Camo looked up to see a gigantic Goliath drow before him with its toothy sneer wide as it cracked its knuckles. Camo backed up a few paces, opened his mouth and released a fireball as hot as the still-shining sun! While the drow flew back, Camo backed up further, but stopped short as he bumped into Stealth Elf.

"That all of them?" Stealth Elf panted, her grip on her daggers sweaty but tight.

"I hope so," Camo replied in between labored gasps.

The two of them caught their breath as they watched the unconscious and defeated drow soldiers, but gasped as a bright, green light enveloped the drow!

"What the heck?" Stealth Elf and Camo exclaimed in unison.

The enemies they once fought slowly got back to their feet and reclaimed their weapons as Stealth Elf and Camo stood shocked. Their smiles were wide as they flexed their muscles and stood tall, as if the damage from earlier was completely healed and vanquished! With loud cries, they all charged back at Stealth Elf and Camo!

"What's going on?" Stealth Elf demanded as she tossed a spear-wielding soldier aside.

While several more drow went to charge, a proud cackle echoed from somewhere close by! Stealth Elf's ears perked up, and she teleported out the way of the drow that had tried to bulldoze her with only a cursory glance back taken to see them crash into each other. Stealth Elf chuckled as she reappeared on a tree branch and looked down.

It was hard to see at first, but hidden away in a grassy nook was none other than a spell punk! It had a wicked grin on its face just barely masked by its fingerless hands, and the green and yellow robes it wore did well to camouflage it from the rest of the fight, even if the colors did make it look quite garish. However, the nook it hid away in was consolidated with drow forces all scattered around like security guards!

"There sure are a lot of drow there," Stealth Elf whispered as she rubbed her chin. "Even if I teleport in, it would be hard to land a blow without getting their attention. Unless…"

Stealth Elf teleported off the branch and back to Camo's side! With a yank of his shoulder, Stealth Elf pulled Camo out from where he fireballed drow and teleported away to the branch once more.

"What is it?!" Camo demanded as he regained his footing, "I'm kinda busy HERE!"

Camo hissed as he looked down at the vast space below them before Stealth Elf turned his attention to the nook—literally.

"I found out what that weird glow was!" Stealth Elf pointed down to the spell punk. "It's a spell punk's magic!"

"Huh?" Camo narrowed his eyes, and widened them once more. "Nevermind, I see it!"

Stealth Elf crossed her arms. "If it keeps healing them, we'll never be able to get past this place! I'm gonna take care of it, but there's a lot of drow around that place."

"So what you're saying is—" Camo playfully smirked "—you need a distraction?"

"If you please."

"Already on it!"

Stealth Elf grabbed Camo's shoulder and teleported him back to the battlefield. As he fell to the ground, Camo leaped forwards and stomped his paws. From those simple stomps, gigantic vines exploded from the wooden platforms and burst to life with gigantic, ripe watermelons! These watermelons, however, were maybe a little too ripe, for the moment they came to life, they exploded and sent juicy, gooey fruit everywhere!

Stealth Elf merely giggled and teleported away while the drow screamed and trudged and fought their way through the watermelon storm! When she reappeared, she popped up next to the spell punk that now watched the battlefield with concerned eyes. It turned its gaze to Stealth Elf and squawked! The spell punk tried to zoom off, but Stealth Elf only teleported right in front of it!

"Sorry buddy," Stealth Elf said as the spell punk skidded back and dashed north, "but you're not getting away!"

She teleported in front of the spell punk once more, only for it to high-tail it east! So, she vanished, and teleported again as the spell punk headed back to its first choice of escape, only to slam into a worn scarecrow with an uncanny resemblance to Stealth Elf herself. As it haphazardly floated around, Stealth Elf thrust her palms forwards and sent out a gigantic cloud of green spores!

The spell punk's gaze shot every which way as the cloud of spores enveloped it, ever frantic and confused, but soon it groaned and fell backwards. Judging by the snores it made, it was now completely asleep! Stealth Elf placed her hands on her hips, pulled down some vines from above and tied them snug around the spell punk.

"Don't go anywhere~"

As Stealth Elf said this, a dull green glow enveloped her and she teleported back to Camo, who was really not in a good position. Even with his strange new power boost, Camo just barely fended off the drow while they threw themselves at him like mighty predators who ganged up on their prey! It was no surprise that he looked extra relieved as he saw Stealth Elf.

"Just who I wanted to see!" Camo exclaimed as he shot off a round of cherry tomato bombs and looked back at Stealth Elf. "Is the thing taken care of?"

"It's catching some Zs right now." Stealth Elf cracked her knuckles. "Ready to finish these guys off?"

"You bet!"

Camo jumped up and down with a mighty force, and from his stomps, vines grew all around him and Stealth Elf! Stealth Elf slowly rubbed her hands in the meanwhile, and in one rapid movement, cast them out and sent spores flying every which way! The spores hung in the air for moments before they drifted down onto the vines and covered them in a spring green powder.

As the vines stood stagnant, flowers that soon bloomed into brightly-colored fruit emerged from the vines, much to the confusion of the drow who only paused to examine the fruit… Before it all exploded! A rainbow cacophony of dusty clouds cast over the battlefield as the fruity chunks burst everywhere, and from them, the spores spread like dandelion seeds en mass! The dust cleared as tired moans were heard all about, and from its lifting, hordes of unconscious drow soldiers unveiled.

In the center of it all were Stealth Elf and Camo, who both stood tall as Stealth Elf held up some kind of worn scroll that acted as a barrier. Stealth Elf dusted off her hands while the scroll rolled itself up and vanished,.

"Talk about a fruit punch!" Camo exclaimed as he did a backflip.

Stealth Elf cast a smirk at Camo. "I'll let you get away with your awful puns this time."

With the drow cast aside, the two of them fixed their eyes on the now clear path ahead. It seemed oddly straight and linear compared to the twisted paths they had previously traveled. Could it be that they had finally reached the end?

Camo and Stealth Elf both nodded and walked down the pathway. As they passed by, the trees and open pathways soon gave way to a short, grassy, mossy green tunnel with a carpet of leaves and mushrooms underfoot, and finally, that itself gave way as well! When they exited, they found themselves in a small grove vacant of all trees. Well, save for one…

"Is that?" Stealth Elf whispered as she stopped right in her tracks.

"The Tree of Life!" Camo exclaimed as he bounded forwards.

The two of them walked up to the tree in all its noble, majestic glory. It was absolutely massive with bright green leaves that seemed to glow against the sunlight that filtered in from above and the rainbow veins etched into its trunk.

"It's even more beautiful than I imagined," Stealth Elf whispered as she clasped her hands together.

Camo spoke not a word, but the concerned gaze on his face said all. With a gulp, he carefully stepped up to the Tree, gulped again and went to place his paw on its sturdy trunk. Before he could even brush his paw against it, however, a stinger narrowly whizzed past his face and forced him to duck!

"I was wondering if you'd show up, Skylanders!" cried a shrill voice from not that far ahead.

Stealth Elf and Camo turned around, then gasped as they saw none other than a drow witch! This witch had minty bluish-green skin and was dressed in worn blue and dark green robes, but her blank white eyes shone with anger like any other. In one hand she held what looked like a gigantic, enchanted box remote, while in the other she clasped twin, intricately-made, golden blades. All around her, gigantic insects who wore enchanted headsets flanked her as bodyguards did, their eyes red with malice.

"You're the one behind all this, aren't you?" Stealth Elf proclaimed as she stepped forwards.

"How'd you guess?" the drow witch chuckled.

"Leave the Tree of Life alone!" Camo demanded as he stormed forwards with teeth bared and eyes narrowed.

The drow witch whimpered as she stepped back and rested a hand on her forehead in some overdramatic fashion. "Oh, so scary! It looks like I really will have to pack it all up—" the drow witch smirked "—NOT!"

The witch pointed towards Stealth Elf and Camo, and her smirk soured into something more malevolent. "Now's the perfect time to enact my revenge!"

As the drow witch spoke, the insects that surrounded her buzzed even louder.

"MINIONS, ATTACK THOSE SKYLANDERS!"

"Revenge?" Stealth Elf exclaimed as she dodged a hornet that zoomed towards her. "What are you talking about?"

Stealth Elf's ears twitched as she heard buzzing, and she teleported away as the hornet charged back at her like an angry bull!

"What did we ever do to you?" Camo shouted, but soon screamed out in surprise as a ladybug zoomed after him.

While the ladybug chased after Camo in a twisted game of tag, and the hornet continued to charge after a teleporting Stealth Elf, the drow witch scowled.

"Oh, you specifically never did anything to me," the drow witch said, her voice filled with a tranquil kind of rage as she squeezed her blades tight. "It was your comrades!" The witch's scowl only deepened. "When Lord Kaos found out that I lost the Eternal Air Source to your little buddies, he threw a fit! I barely survived with my life!"

The drow witch gritted her teeth as she spoke, her voice laced with anger.

"Because of you, I got demoted to the lowest of the low! I used to be a decorated officer, now I'm reduced to petty errands with a bunch of loons, and I want payback!" As the drow witch finished speaking, however, the anger in her voice lifted just a little. "And what better way to get it than killing you right as you try to obtain the very thing you need to get an Eternal Source and restore your dingy little Core of Light?"

With a snap of the drow witch's fingers, the insects all froze in their tracks while bright red light enveloped their bodies! All eyes focused on the bugs as they stood still, and charged straight at Camo and Stealth Elf!

Camo put up a vine barrier just in time! The insects rammed straight into it and fell on their backs, completely dizzy and harmless.

"Get up, you worms!" the drow witch exclaimed as she stomped her feet. "You have Skylanders to kill!"

However, her cries fell on oblivious ears. The insects remained still as they rested on their floor in a trance.

"Now's no time for a nap!" The anger in the drow witch's voice was only exemplified by her groaning and withdrawing her blades. "Well, you know how the saying goes. If you want something done right…"

With a flick of her wrist, the blades shot out of her hands and slashed through Camo's barrier of vines!

"Sometimes you just have to do it yourself!"

Camo and Stealth Elf jumped out just in time, but it wasn't enough to deter the blades! Rather, those blades turned right around and continued to chase them back and forth across the platform!

"Run, my babies!" the drow witch cheered as she shook a fist. "Tear those nasty Skylanders to bits!"

It was a mad chase as they narrowly avoided getting grazed, but finally Camo grew fed up!

"ENOUGH OF THIS!" Camo yelled as he stomped the ground and summoned vines that caught the blades mid-flight!

The drow witch was so taken aback by Camo's display of anger that all she could do was sputter and stumble back from shock.

"You tried, you really did." Camo narrowed his eyes, which now fixed on the remote in the drow witch's hands. "But, you made one big mistake!"

Camo stepped forward, and as he did, his whole body glowed with life!

"You messed with my home, and my family," Camo snarled as the glow became brighter in tandem with his words, "and nobody messes with them on my watch!"

"Give me back my blades!" the drow witch demanded as she pointed towards Camo.

Camo only shrugged and made a sly smirk. "If you insist!"

With a snap of his toes and a flick of the vines, Camo shot the blades back at the drow witch—but instead of returning to her, they broke her remote instead!

"My mind control device!" The drow witch screamed as she fell to her knees and frantically picked up the fragments. "NOOOOOOOOOO!"

The drow witch was so deep in mourning that she paid no attention to the fact that the insects completely broke from their trance! One by one, their headsets released and harmlessly dropped onto the wooden floors. They all seemed quite confused as they tilted their heads and made low buzzing, but the moment they saw Camo, their confusion turned to joy! All at once, they swarmed towards him and sounded off with glee!

"Hey, hey!" Camo chuckled as the insects nuzzled him, "I know we haven't seen each other in a while, but this is a but much!" Camo's lighthearted attitude grew more serious as he shot a glare towards the frantic drow witch. "Besides, we've got something we need to take care of!"

The insects buzzed in agreement, huddled together, and made some kind of strange insect noise that sounded vaguely like whispering. When their huddle released, they all glared down the drow witch.

"Alright, everyone!" Camo proclaimed as he lowered his head and scraped the earth beneath him.

"Huh?" The drow witch uttered as she looked back, only to scream and scramble back as she saw Camo and the now-free insects. "NO, NO, NOT THIS!"

"CHARGEEEEEEEEE!"

All at once, Camo and the insects stampeded straight towards the drow witch, and with a collective thrust, shot her into the skies!

"I'LL GET YOU FOR THISSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!" the drow witch exclaimed as she disappeared into the stratosphere, hopefully never to be seen again.

Once the drow witch finally disappeared from view, the insects all crowded around Camo once more and tossed him into the air! They all buzzed with what sounded like joy and pride, the kind a parent held when their child finished a vast achievement.

"Okay guys!" Camo said as the insects tossed him into the air one last time. "Can I have a moment?"

The insects nodded and parted with Camo right as Stealth Elf walked up to him and nodded. With the two of them now reunited, Camo and Stealth Elf walked up to the still thankfully intact Tree of Life and took a breather. After all, being around the thing that birthed most of your element has a way of intimidating you.

Finally, Camo worked up the courage to step to the Tree's trunk and placed his paw on its mighty surface.

"You were right!" Camo whispered as he nuzzled the Tree's trunk while his massive horns glowed green before they returned to their regular size and shape. "I did have it in me!"

Was there ever any doubt, Vitali? the Tree replied as the breeze gently caressed its leaves. After all, you are my utterly precious little appleseed~

The bugs that still surrounded all made what vaguely sounded like laughter, while Camo himself jumped back and cringed.

"Hey, stop it!" Camo hung his head and scratched his cheek. "You're embarrassing me in front of the bugs!" Camo made a soft chuckle and pulled his head back up with a proud smile. "But, you're not wrong!"

Oh Vitali…

Both the Tree and Camo, parent and child, stood in simple silence for a few moments, but finally Camo frowned and sighed.

"But, there's one thing I still don't understand," Camo said at last as he sighed, "Why didn't I remember you, or the bugs, or anything here until now?"

In response, the Tree of Life made a sigh of its own.

That was my doing.

Camo's eyes widened as he scrambled backwards. "But, but why?"

I thought it would be for the best, Vitali. The Tree's leaves drooped with what seemed like regret. As you got older, you grew tired of your home and begged me to let you see the rest of Skylands. But, I feared that there would be beings who would persecute you for your connections to me.

The Tree's leaves shuddered and turned a tinge of red.

Your powers are already something unlike anything before, Vitali. Had those of evil known of you being my child, who knows what they would have done to you!

The Tree stretched out a root and brushed it against Camo's cheek. I had thought that if I hid your memories of me, of your home, you would be safe! If I had known it would have caused you so much pain, I never would have done it!

"Mmm." Camo hummed as he brushed a paw against the Tree's root, a look of slight confusion on his face. "I, guess I understand."

But, nonetheless, I could not be prouder of the splendid blossom you have become Vitali. I could not have asked for a better child. And to think, you protect all of Skylands now…

As the Tree of Life and Camo carried on with their conversation, Stealth Elf smiled and crossed her arms.

"I don't understand a word they're saying," Stealth Elf remarked as the breeze brushed against her dark blue hair.

Camo, meanwhile, let out a soft chuckle and stepped back. With a nod to the Tree, Camo cast a glance aside as a bag filled with seeds popped out from the grounds below.

"So, these are my sibs, huh?" Camo asked as he picked up the Life Seeds and smiled. "You know, for Life Seeds, you guys sure are small!" Camo stuck his tongue out at the seeds and glanced back up at the Tree. "You want me to take them back to the base?"

As the Tree's leaves rustled once more, Camo smiled and nodded. "I'll take good care of them, I promise!" Camo said as he picked up the bag of Life Seeds.

All was silent as Camo walked up to Stealth Elf and handed the bag of Life Seeds off to her.

"You did it!" shouted a very goofy-sounding voice, "You saved the Life Seeds!"

Stealth Elf and Camo both screamed and jumped back, their grip on the Life Seeds tight, but caught their breaths as they caught sight of the voice's owner.

"Oh, it's just you," Camo sighed as he looked over to Arbo, who stood tall on the leaf of a giant beanstalk.

"Come now!" Arbo commanded as he waved his wooden arms. "We must hurry back and plant the Life Seeds, so they can point the way to the Eternal Life Source!"

Camo and Stealth Elf looked once more back at the Tree of Life and smiled.

"Goodbye!" they exclaimed together as they jumped on the beanstalk and waved to the Tree of Life.

As the beanstalk began to recede, Camo ceased his waving and placed a clasped paw next to his heart with a warm, genuine smile on his face.

"And," Camo whispered, "thanks, Par."

§

While the building around them crumbled to bits, Hugo and Master Eon raced around the machine with a sense of urgency—Hugo maybe a little moreso than Eon.

"THIS IS IT!" Hugo wailed as he took cover under a table. "THIS IS THE END FOR US!"

"Hugo, stay calm!" Master Eon ordered as he jumped to and fro in the chaos and desperately tried to toss away chunks of stone ceiling. "Have you found something that can replicate the fly?"

"Not yet, Master Eon!" Hugo crawled further under the table. "I'm trying, but it's hard to focus when the entire island's—ACK!"

Hugo screamed further as a gigantic stone slab fell from the ceiling and crashed straight into the floor! With a gigantic hole formed in its center, the floor started to crack and cave on itself in some kind of slow-motion death.

Master Eon noted this immediately as he jumped into action and held the floor together with his powers. Even then, it took all the magic in him to keep the floor in place. As he worked his hardest, however, he couldn't help but notice the ceiling crumble above him, and a pebble from the ceiling as it dropped down near the machine! His aura glowed brighter as the pebble lodged itself into the open panel they worked on—he had an idea.

"Hugo, start the machine now!" Master Eon commanded as he looked towards Hugo.

"But, Master Eon!" Hugo shouted back as he crawled out from under the table. "I haven't found—"

"Just trust me!"

The urgency in Eon's voice was conveyed well enough, for Hugo jumped across the floor and started up the machine! As it whirred and beeped, Master Eon floated over and landed on its top.

"Farewell, Hugo!" Master Eon proclaimed as the whole room was enveloped in a flash of light.

All was white and blinding for moments, and when the light cleared, Master Eon found himself in the lab room still! However, everything was now grayscale and noiseless saved from the faint, distorted screams of Hugo as he raced back under the table.

Master Eon bobbed towards Hugo, and dashed right through the wall to find himself outside in the gray, crumbling ruins of Ancient's Peak. The very sight shook him to his core, but he had to persist nonetheless. After all, not just young Chihiro, but everybody on this island was in danger and counting on him.

"Now, where could she be?" Master Eon asked as he flitted down and scanned the area, only to shudder as something large and not of this world phased right through him!

"And what was that?"

Master Eon turned around and saw no culprit—but in the distance, he was sure he barely heard young Chihiro's voice crying out for help!

"Young Chihiro!"

As he spied the remnants of a dully-colored cloth disappear into the distance, Master Eon hastily teleported after them. Though it took a few stops, he finally managed to bring up the rear of these strange cloths, which in turn belonged to demonic-looking reapers! Thankfully, he seemed to have flown under their radar, and that gave him enough space to pop over and catch them chase after Chihiro! Chihiro turned around, but she didn't take notice of Master Eon. Rather, she only saw the reapers and screamed before she ran faster than Master Eon had even seen her run in his life.

Master Eon and the reapers both chased after her, but found themselves cornered away in the remains of a wrecked building. All the other exits were blocked off either by debris or the reapers. There was no place more to turn.

Chihiro fell to her knees and caught her breath, sweat heavy on her face. For a moment, all seemed perfectly calm, but…

"ANOMALY!" cried the strange reapers.

Chihiro gasped and turned around, but her face fell as she realized the reapers had her cornered! As she stepped back, her whole body glowed with magic as if she was getting ready to teleport, but all she did was fizzle out.

"This is it, isn't it?" Chihiro whimpered as she slunk down. She only watched in horror as the reapers got ready to swing. "This is gonna be how I die."

Before they could land a single blow, however, Master Eon crashed into Chihiro and enveloped her in light! His whole ghostly body felt warm with magic for mere moments as the light faded, but that warmth still remained as he found himself back in the lab!

"Master Eon! You really saved me back there!" Chihiro exclaimed as she hugged Master Eon tight. "Thanks a billion!"

"Do not thank me just yet, young Chihiro," Master Eon warned as he floated away from Chihiro and towards her machine. "We still need to leave this strange dimension!"

"Right!"

Chihiro nodded and raced towards the machine's lever, but as she reached out to grab it, the whole floor finally caved in and took them with it! Chihiro was completely unprepared as well, only able to scream as she and her machine fell through the gigantic hole that was once a floor!

"Young Chihiro!" Master Eon called as he swooped down to Chihiro.

Chihiro, meanwhile frantically swam through the air and latched onto the machine! As Master Eon jumped on her shoulder, Chihiro grimaced and reached a hand towards the machine's lever.

"C'mon, c'mon, just a little," Chihiro grunted as she reached her hand further, "closer!"

With a firm yank, the lever slid down and the machine enveloped them in a bright flash of light! The light faded quickly enough to reveal that they were back in their home dimension, and they were floating up, apparently?

As they were lifted back to the lab room, everything around them slowly repaired itself! Soon enough, it became as if time had been reversed and nothing had ever happened. The room was just as relatively pristine as it was when Chihiro began!

"Master Eon, is that you?" Hugo asked as he poked out from under the table. "Did you find Chihiro?"

"You bet it's us, Huges!" Chihiro said as she turned around and gave Hugo a smile.

"Oh!" Hugo stumbled out from under the table and held his heart, his eyes weary. "Thank goodness!"

Hugo fell face-first onto the floor while Chihiro and Master Eon chuckled. As their laughter passed, Chihiro walked over to her machine, looked inside the inner works and magically flicked the pebble out of its place. Her normally cheery and youthful aura faded into a bit of solemness as she closed the panel and frowned.

"Hey, Master Eon," Chihiro said as she brushed her hand against her machine's surface and looked towards Master Eon. "If it's alright, could we try this test again?"

"We could," Master Eon replied as he flew down towards Hugo and nudged Hugo up, "but I think we should wait for Hugo to recover first."

"Besides," Hugo panted as he lifted up a claw, "we, should see, if everything's, okay first."

And with that spoken, Hugo groaned and passed out from complete exhaustion, while Chihiro and Master Eon only made faint smiles towards each other.

§A little bit later§

"Alright, this machine should be free of dust, rocks, flies, or anything else that should mess it up!" Chihiro proclaimed as she drew back from the Missionator, but her eyes widened as she looked inside it once more. "But maybe I should check again to be sure…"

"Young Chihiro, you've checked sixteen times now!" Master Eon reminded as he floated to her side. "I'm sure it’s fine."

Chihiro warily closed the open panel in response to Master Eon's words, then they all looked at the machine and gulped.

"Maybe."

All was silent for a few moments, but Chihiro walked towards the lever and gripped it tight.

"Well, guess I'll do the honors."

Chihiro pulled the lever down, and rushed back as the machine started to whir. For once, it seemed to have actually worked! Its satellite spun around with a hiss, and as it did, rows of information scrolled down the screen. Everything was as it should have been!

They all exhaled their held breathes as Chihiro skipped up to the keyboard and typed something in. Within moments of her input, a list slowly trudged out of the printer slot, a list soon taken and examined by Hugo.

"This is perfect!" Hugo said as he smiled and tucked the list away in his pocket. "This will definitely streamline patrol organization!"

"So," Chihiro said as she turned around and twiddled her fingers, "does that mean I pass?"

"Indeed!"

While Hugo and Master Eon smiled in affirmation, Chihiro made a smile about as wide as her following jump was high. That is to say, very!

"Yes! Finally!"