All was quiet as Chihiro, Spyro and Stealth Elf raced through the streets, the only soundtrack being their footsteps and the occasional breeze that tossed a tumbleweed here and there. It was… So unnerving to see things so quiet, almost, what with Kaos on the way and all.

"Now, it shouldn't be that hard to find him since he can't portal here," Spyro explained as he walked past Stealth Elf and Chihiro. "Chances are, he's probably at the docks if he's arrived."

Spyro took to the skies and looked down the way. "The docks should be down this path." Spyro looked over to Stealth Elf, as if he prompted her to reply.

"I believe so," Stealth Elf said with a nod.

Chihiro clenched her teeth and turned back to the dead forests while of two of them discussed directions. She wasn't sure what it was about, but she could've sworn she heard someone talking in there—more guards, maybe? Either way, somebody should check it out, just in case. She turned one last glimpse towards Spyro and Stealth Elf still knees-deep in conversation, turned around and ran straight towards the forest!

"Chihiro?" Spyro called as he turned around. "Where are you going?"

But, Chihiro only barely heard Spyro as she made her way through the dead trees and withered bushes. As she pushed forward and sneaked behind the bulkier foliage, the chattering sounds she heard grew louder and clearer, until whatever conversation they held finally came to light!

"Assuming you all took your fairy magic reserves before we arrived, all of us should have the upper hand over those pathetic Skylanders. Now, your job is to surround the facility's entrance and makes sure nobody gets in or out!"

Chihiro hid behind a collection of dead thrushes, poked her head over them and examined the source of the conversation. There, in a tree-filled clearing was a short, bald and super ugly-looking dude dressed in black robes, his stance tall and proud as he address a number of large troll and gremlin guards. Were those Kaos's minions? They had to have been, but why was Kaos himself nowhere in sight?

"Do you understand?" the bald man questioned, his high and scratchy voice like nails on a chalkboard.

"UNDERSTOOD, LORD KAOS!" the soldiers replied in unison as they saluted the man.

Wait… No way! That ugly-looking dude's KAOS? Chihiro thought as her eyes grew wide, their line of sight fixed on Kaos. That couldn't possibly be right! The guy who caused them so much trouble looked nothing like Chihiro had envisioned!

It was kinda funny, actually! Chihiro tried to suppress her laughter as Kaos turned around and held his head high, even though his underbite made him look more goofy than anything, but still, a couple muffled giggles escaped her mouth nonetheless. However, they weren't muffled enough, for Kaos's eyes widened and he stopped in place.

"LAUGHTER! WHO'S LAUGHING AT ME, THE ALMIGHTY LORD KAOSSSSS?" Kaos demanded as he turned around. "I WILL NOT TOLERATE LAUGHTER IN MY MIGHTY EVIL PRESENCE!"

Chihiro softly gasped and ducked back behind the dead bushes. Crap, so much for stealth!

"GUARDS!" Kaos turned back to his guards and jabbed a finger at them. "CHANGE OF PLANS! FIND WHOEVER'S LAUGHING AT ME AND MAKE THEM PAY!"

"UNDERSTOOD, LORD KAOS!"

As marching surrounded the area, Chihiro clenched her teeth, clasped her heart, and looked down to find that she was no longer visible! Good, the power-up she got from Persephone still worked; she didn't have to worry about things just yet! Chihiro closed her eyes and teleported away, and when she reappeared, she hovered just inches away from a large troll guard!

As she hovered in mid-air, she formed a hammer in her hands out of magic and smacked the guard right in the head! As the guard fell unconscious, Chihiro teleported around and did the same thing to the other guards. One by one, they all fell like flies, cold and unconscious. This surely got the attention of Kaos as he turned around and watched in shock as the guards fell unconscious in a circle around him...

"What, what's going on? What are you incompetents doing?" Kaos demanded as he went up to one gremlin and kicked it in the arm. "You're not supposed to sleep on the job!"

After a few moments spent shouting curses, Kaos grew bored of harassing that guard and moved on to the next. "Get up! Right now!" Kaos shook a fist at a sleeping troll. "Or I'll fire all of you! No, I'll toss you off the side of the island!"

Chihiro smiled as Kaos kicked his guards in the arms and yelled at them to wake up. He was completely caught off guard! Now's her chance! Chihiro crafted a magic sphere and shot it right towards Kaos—but before it could even get halfway across, he whipped around and shot an energy sphere right back at it! His own sphere slammed against Chihiro's in a collision so great it caused them both to explode in a miniature supernova!

"Who's there?" Kaos made a snarl and shook his fist at the open. "Show yourself!"

"ME!"

Chihiro huffed and landed back down on the ground right as her invisibility spell faded. Though Kaos seemed a little scarier than before, she wouldn't let herself get intimidated now. There was too much at risk for her to panic. Kaos's jaw dropped wide open as he stepped back, but that surprise was only momentary. Afterwards, he merely smirked and clasped his hands.

"Well, well, if is isn't the Portal Master Imposter, all lost and alone without any of those stupid Skyblunderers to protect…" Kaos stopped short as his eyes grew wide. "Wait a second, Portal-Poster!"

Kaos burst into roaring laughter at his own stupid joke, laughter so intense he had to hold his sides tight!

Chihiro, however, was less than amused. "I didn't come here for a comedy act, Kaos," Chihiro proclaimed as she summoned another magic sphere and shot it at Kaos, "I came here to stop you!"

Kaos, ever-diligent, snapped out of his laughing fit immediately and crafted a shield of dark purple and red energy that neutralized the sphere immediately!

"I may have liked the sound of that joke…" Kaos released his shield and smirked, his hands flared with bright red and purple magic. "But, that doesn't mean you won't be DOOOMEEED!"

Chihiro winced as Kaos reveled in his own egotistical laughing fit and looked down at her hands. If one energy sphere wasn't going to cut it, maybe a bunch would do the trick! Chihiro balled her hands into fists as they glowed cyan, lifted them to the skies and summoned a gigantic sphere! Chihiro cried out as she spun the sphere around and shot an entire barrage of magic spheres at Kaos!

Yet, Kaos didn't seemed concerned in the slightest! He waited and watched the spheres fly towards him with that ugly smirk on his face, and with a simple snap of his fingers, they all vanished into thin air!

"What the heck?"

Chihiro growled and summoned a hammer magic of magic. With a smack from her hammer, the gigantic sphere rocketed towards Kaos and slammed straight into him! The collision was so great that it created a magical explosion that engulfed the entire surrounding area!

Chihiro immediately threw up a shield, and let it go down as the light faded. All around her, the trees and other dead flora had been completely leveled—there was no way Kaos would've gotten through that! But, the awful cackling noise she heard proved her wrong. As she looked to her front, she saw who else but Kaos, firm and proud and decidedly in one piece as he sat in the safety of a magic bubble!

"Did you really think those elementary school magic tricks would stop an evil mastermind like myself?" Kaos simpered as he snapped his fingers and watched the bubble receded into nothingness. "HA!"

Chihiro winced as her own shield fell. That was probably one of her strongest attacks, but Kaos completely deflected it like it was nothing! Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to go in alone…

"Face it, portal-poster! You're a million years too early to face me!" Kaos summoned a gigantic crimson and violet magic flame as he lifted back his arm. "Now be a good portal-poster and stand there while I send you to YOUR ULTIMATE DOOM!"

As the flame shot forwards, Chihiro winced and immediately ducked down! Thankfully, the flame barely grazed her before it hurtled into the nothingness, never to be seen again.

"WHAT! HOW DID YOU DODGE THAT?" Kaos exclaimed as he stepped back and snarled. "I mean, that was just a warm-up, of course you'd dodge it!" Kaos's smile returned to his face as he set his hands alight with magic fire once more. "You'll never be able to withstand my full power!"

Chihiro gritted her teeth, dug her hands into the earth and closed her eyes. The magic bubbled in her veins as she teleported away and dodged the flames Kaos shot at her, all while he shouted obscenities and expressions of shock that barely rang within her ears! Soon enough, she got so far away from him that she could see what seemed like an exit!

"YOU FOOLISH WORM!" Kaos screamed as he chased after her, though his voice grew faded the further and further Chihiro ran. "GET BACK HERE AND FACE ME LIKE…"

I've gotta get out here and find Spyro and Stealth, Chihiro thought as she bit her lip. If we're all together, maybe we'll stand a chance!

From her view, Chihiro could just barely see the ruined town that signaled the end of the forest! She was almost there! Once again, she tried to teleport her way out, but before she could move in inch, the magic cut out completely and she fell flat on her face!

"Thought you could escape me, didn't you?" Kaos crooned as he manifested before Chihiro.

His awful, smug grin only widened by the second as Chihiro tried to scramble away from him, only to jump back as he cackled and teleported in front of her!

"You fool, there's no way someone like you could defeat me! You may think you're some big hero—" Kaos summoned a giant magic sphere with a wave of his hands and held it high above them both "—but in the end, you're nothing more than a helpless child impersonating a warrior!"

Chihiro growled as tears sting her eyes. Could this really be the end? Is this how she was going to die, alone in a dead forest at the hands of the enemy she swore she'd defeat? No, it couldn't be! She wouldn't let this be the end of her, no way!

"Now, stand there and let me show you what we do to you SO-CALLED HEROES!"

Kaos shot off his orb in an instant, and in one last act of defiance, Chihiro threw a sphere of her own! The simple, tiny cyan magic sphere seemed like an ant compared to Kaos's own sphere, but then, a gigantic fireball burst out of nowhere and fused with her sphere at the last second! With the sphere and fireball's combined power, Kaos's own sphere was extinguished in an instant!

"BUT HOW?" Kaos exclaimed as he tumbled backwards "THERE'S NO WAY A—" Kaos grunted as something pushed him down on the ground and tied him up tight "—OOF!"

"Chihiro!" Spyro called as he flew up to Chihiro and pulled her back to her feet. "You alright?"

"I am now!" Chihiro chirped as she squeezed Spyro's paw tight. "You two got here just in time!"

"No kidding," Stealth Elf said as she appeared out of thin air and glared down Kaos, "you're lucky you survived, Chihiro!"

You've got that right, Chihiro scoffed from within her mind's confines. Right now, she was a bit too shaken to talk any more.

"YOU FOOLISH FOOLS!" Kaos screamed as he struggled against his vine bonds. "DO YOU REALLY THINK SOME SIMPLE VINES ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO HOLD THE MIGHT OF KAOSSSSSSSSSS?"

"Quiet, you!" Stealth Elf hissed as she went to lift up Kaos, but the bonds she tied him with completely unraveled!

Kaos smirked as he pulled himself back to his full, albeit unimpressive, height, and glared down Spyro, Chihiro and Stealth Elf. His hands twitched while red and purple embers crackled at their tips. Everything grew tense, as if they were waiting any second now for the fight to begin, only for a series of loud beeps to echo through the battlefield!

"That noise," Kaos whispered, his eyes wide as he rolled up his sleeve, took a glance at the communication device on his wrist. Kaos smirked and let his sleeve fall back over it. "I'm sorry to disappoint, Skylosers, but I have important manners to attend to!" Kaos's eyes glazed over his unconscious guards. "But, I'll leave you with a little treat!"

Kaos snapped his fingers, and from his fingertips, flares of energy jumped away and delved into the guards' chests! One by one they pulled themselves off the dead ground and lunged up as their eyes and bodies glowered with power.

"Minions!" Kaos pointed to Spyro, Stealth Elf and Chihiro. "ATTACK!"

Kaos's smirking face was the last everyone saw of him as he teleported away, but with the guards lunging towards him they hardly had a moment to scoff at him!

Spyro immediately charged into a guard and knocked them sideways, with just enough time spared to torch down several others with a flame as bright as the morning sun.

Chihiro, meanwhile, used magic to create twin giant gloves that grabbed two guards and smashed them together! Normally this would probably be the point where she'd make some kind of joke or witty crack, but… No. She grunted and strained, as if she was distracted or unfocused, and in the process, she accidentally released them instead!

So, Stealth Elf slashed through the freed guards and knocked them out cold! As she looked over the unconscious guards to make sure they truly were unconscious, several others loomed over her. Yet, Stealth Elf seemed perfectly calm as she lifted up her head, twitched her ear, and vanished right as they tried to dogpile her! Instead, they only got a scarecrow!

While the guards stumbled about from the nice concussion their dogpile gave them, a still very tense Chihiro turned to Spyro.

"Wanna end this?" Chihiro whispered, her voice so light it was more of a breath than anything.

Spyro only nodded as his eyes flashed a rich brown, and he flicked his wings as he sent a number of sharp crystalline darts straight at the guards! These darts intermingled with a number of large magic orbs shot by Chihiro, and combined into a gigantic explosion that sent the guards around flying!

"Well, that's taken care of," Spyro said as he watched the guards crash down the skies, "not exactly the way I expected, but—" Spyro turned back to Stealth Elf and Chihiro "—anyways, we need to get going! I'm sure the others could use some help!"

Stealth Elf and Chihiro nodded in agreement, and all three of them took their leave back to the castle. But, as they did, Chihiro couldn't stop herself from looking back to the dead forest while a twinge of pain, or maybe numbness, flared in her arm and made her hold it without noticing…

§

Camo smiled as he held the Eternal Life Source tight, hopped off and rejoined Zook and Stump Smash. "Looks like our work here is done!" Camo proclaimed as he strutted towards the exit, "Now, let's go—"

Camo jumped back as the entrance locked itself tight with a vine and wood barrier.

"HOME?"

All three of them gasped and turned around as echoing cackles erupted through their arena. At the center of it all, a familiar blue light sparkled into existence; oh no, hopefully that wasn't…

"MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Kaos cackled as his gigantic, absolutely ridiculous floating head manifested into existence!

"Kaos!" Camo, Zook and Stump Smash all shouted at once as their confused faces quickly transformed into scowls.

"You again! Thought you could get away easy, could you?" Kaos crowed with a very self-serving smile on his face. "Well, YOU WERE UTTER FOOLS TO THINK THAT! THE MOST FOOLISH OF FOOLS, SO FOOLISH THAT…"

Kaos trailed off and scowled as he caught sight of the energy sphere remains that were once his minions, all scattered and cast among the stump field.

"Speaking of foolish fools—" Kaos gritted his teeth, "—those three can never do anything right! I don't know why I keep them around, especially that stupid tree!" Kaos's eyes widened. "Actually, maybe I can make some use of them after all!"

Kaos's holograph glowed an even brighter shade of blue than before, and as it did those spheres began to shake. Just what was he up to?

Camo tried to step forward and examine, but then the light flashed so bright that it blinded everyone around! And while they were completely blinded, nobody took sight of the spheres as they flew off and merged into one gigantic blob that strained and struggled. That is, until the light faded and the blob finally decided on a solid form! And that form, it was so horrifying that that Skylanders froze in place! Why?

Because it was the three evil minions as if they were stitched together from haphazard pieces in a science lab! Its body was large, hulking, and had an entire row of tree stumps and wilted bamboo stalks on its back. Its face was entirely square with bloodshot eyes and a torn mask across its face while long, hole-filled bamboo leaves made up its hair, and its large body throbbed and pulsed and shuddered, as if it could barely keep its form stable! It was like something out of a horror book!

"MINION!" Kaos proclaimed as the minion turned around and cocked its head at him. "Take back the Eternal Life Source for your ULTIMATE MASTER KAOS!"

"We won't let you!" Camo proclaimed as his eyebrows narrowed and his scales bristled like a cat's fur.

"HA, DON'T BE SO COCKY!" Kaos chided, his smile wide as his hodgepodge minion fell to the floor. "You will never possess the Eternal Life Source! After all, you face my super-powerful, newly-improved EVIL LIFE MINION!"

The Evil Life Minion lurched its head up and made a sickening roar, the kind that sounded like a dying animal's cry, before it lunged back down and heaved heavy breaths as it glared down the Skylanders.

"Now, I will laugh as it tears up LIMB BY STUPID LIMB!" Kaos took a breath and grinned. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA—"

And just like that, Kaos's holograph cut off—which the Evil Life Minion took as a sign to charge! It hooted and hollered as it ran on all fours towards the Eternal Life Source, perfectly ready to steal it away… But before it could, a bunch of vines wrapped around the Eternal Life Source and yanked it towards Camo!

"I'll keep the Source safe!" Camo shouted as he grabbed the Eternal Life Source and held it tight, his eyes fixed on Zook and Stump Smash. "You two keep that freak of nature away!"

"Got it!" Stump Smash shouted back as he charged towards the Evil Life Minion.

"Understood, little buddy!" Zook proclaimed as he positioned his bazooka and pulled the trigger, "Let's see if this guy can TAKE THE BOOM!"

A fleet of thorny missiles shot out of Zook's bazooka and headed straight towards the Evil Life Minion, but it just yowled and swatted them away like they were flies!

"Huh?" Zook's jaw dropped open as the Evil Life Minion beat its chest, but he snarled as he fiddled with his bazooka. "Alright, maybe we need something more heavy-duty!"

Zook knelt down and rolled the barrel of his bazooka, his eyes fixed on that and only that. He was completely oblivious to his surroundings, so unaware that he didn't even notice the Evil Life Minion pound towards him until it was just inches away from attacking!

Luckily, Stump Smash did! Before it could lay a blow, Stump Smash slid in front of Zook and slammed it right on the head! The Evil Life Minion groaned as it stumbled back, and whimpered as its head dropped right off of its body and dissolved right into a pile of sticky purple energy that seeped into the cracks of the stump.

Stump Smash's face grew pale (well, as pale as a tree could get, anyways), while he held a hand over his mouth. "Disgusting," Stump Smash gagged as he just barely prevented himself from throwing up.

The Evil Life Minion seemed just as confused as a new head slowly bubbled into existence! It grunted, looked around, and patted its bulky hands all over its new head. It gave Zook the perfect opportunity to get up and shoot!

Just like that, large bamboo mortars pushed the Evil Life Minion on its back, and while it struggled, the mortars exploded and sent bamboo sprouts everywhere around it, an ironic cage for a creature composed partly of a bamboo being. The Evil Life Minion groaned and cried as it got back to its feet, then it squeezed the bamboo and glowed a bright green. While it glowed, the bamboo around it slowly grew brown and wilted, and the Evil Life Minion itself grew even brighter while its arms grew much more muscular…

But it didn't get much time to appreciate this, for Stump Smash jumped forward and slammed it right in the face with his hammers! As it fell on its back once more and its muscular legs flailed about, the Evil Life Minion cried and held its sore face.

"And stay down," Stump Smash scolded as he shook a hand at the Evil Life Minion…

Right as blue light broke the scene! They all stood and bore their attacks as Kaos reappeared, but this time he didn't seem ready to rather. Rather, Kaos seemed kind of contemplative as he looked over the fight.

"Hmmm, if you won't yield to my Evil Life Minion…" Kaos's holographic head began glowing a little bright than before. "MAYBE THIS WILL CHANGE YOUR MIND!"

Just like that, the sound of his cackles was replaced by… Buzzing? Yes, the buzzing of what sounded like a very angry swarm of insects! As the buzzing grew louder and angrier, everybody poked their heads up and looked around.

"Incoming!" Camo exclaimed as he pointed a claw to the horizon, where a giant buzzing cloud got ready to land. "Angry bugs at four'o'clock!"

Everybody screamed and scattered, but the bugs were much faster than they were! Before they even knew it, they were surrounded by those swarms of angry bugs—and the bugs' bite was just as bad as their bark!

"Shoo! Shoo! Shoo, you stupid bugs!" Camo demanded as he flailed his paws in some faint attempt to make the bugs leave. "You give me enough grief at the garden as is!"

"THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR MAKING ME BREAK OUT THE TOTALLY EVIL LIFE SPELL OF ULTIMATE DEATH!" Kaos shouted. He directed his gaze towards the Evil Life Minion. "YOU, MINION!"

The Evil Life Minion grunted, turned around and pointed towards itself.

"YES, YOU!" Kaos boomed as his holographic head flickered in and out of existence. "THIS IS THE LAST TIME I'M HELPING YOU! NOW GET THE ETERNAL LIFE SOURCE FOR ME, OR ELSE!"

And just like that, Kaos disappeared once more—not that the Skylanders noticed, what with the ongoing infestation and all!

As he shooed the bugs away, it was like Camo completely forgot about the Eternal Life Source and Kaos! He didn't even notice that the vines he sealed it with slowly began to unravel and recede into the earth. However, the bugs certainly did! After all, they were quite quick to snag the Eternal Life Source and fly off with it.

"Hey, give that back!" Camo demanded as he spotted and promptly chased after the insect thieves. "That isn't for you to steal!"

However, the bugs paid no mind to Camo and continued to fly off! Camo growled, opened his mouth and shot a fireball right at the bugs! It was so fast and so hot that those bugs didn't even see it coming—they only watched in horror as it fried a hole in their swarm! This warning formally taken, the other bugs scattered in such a panic that they didn't even care that they dropped the Eternal Life Source!

Camo smiled and hopped over to claim the Eternal Life Source, but before he could, the Evil Life Minion caught sight of him and growled. It lunged forward, opened up its mouth, and shot an entire barrage of chestnuts that slammed right into the unsuspecting Camo!

"OOF!" Camo exclaimed as the chestnuts tossed him aside, his body now covered in visible stickers and scratches. While the chestnuts broke or rolled somewhere else, Camo brought himself back to his feet, promptly lost his balance and fell on his face. "H-hey, why's everything spinning around?" Camo groaned, barely able to stay on his paws as he tried to locate the Eternal Life Source. "Where'd the Source go?"

Camo looked to his right, and beamed as he fumbled and swung his way over to some bright green blur ahead. "Found it!"

Camo smiled as he grabbed the Eternal Life Source and went to take it back to safety, or at least, he would have if something didn't keep pulling it away from him!

"Camo, what are you doing?" Zook asked as he pulled the Eternal Life Source closer to himself.

"Zook, quit being stubborn and give me the Source!" Camo insisted as he continued pulling on the Eternal Life Source, though his paws could barely keep their grip. "I need to take it back to safety!"

"Camo, that's my bazooka!" Zook pointed a hand a little ways across… Maybe. Camo couldn't really tell. "The source is right over—" Zook jumped as something big and murky nearly bulldozed him and Camo over "—THERE!"

Camo himself was already so unsteady that the rapid blow knocked on right on his back! He frowned and shook his head, and blinked a couple times as his vision finally returned to him.

"Hey, everything's clear now!" Camo chirped as he got up and bolted after the Eternal Life Source. However, while his vision had returned to him, his balance certainly hadn't, as he immediately tripped and fell on his face again!

"Owch!"

Camo got up and shook his head, but his jaw dropped as he caught sight of the Evil Life Minion reaching out for the Eternal Life Source! He pushed himself back to trembling feet and got ready to charge, but before he could, he fell back down and shuddered.

Thankfully, shrapnel shot out beside him and knocked the Evil Life Minion off of its feet! As the Evil Life Minion rammed into a nearby tree, Zook barreled out and snagged the Eternal Life Source from under the Evil Life Minion's nose!

"Safe!" Zook proclaimed as he skidded back in with the Eternal Life Source, got up and shook himself off. "Anyways, you alright, Camo? You seem kind of…"

Zook grimaced as he looked over Camo, whose normally green scales grew droopy and pale while Camo himself was barely able to keep his head up.

"Not lively, heh."

Camo just groaned and held his head. "I'm getting there, I swear. Just—" Camo winced and laid down on the floor "—give me a minute."

Camo closed his eyes and curled up for a moment while soft snores resounded around him, but soon he and Zook both practically jumped out of their skin as they heard a familiar scream!

"GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU ABSOLUTELY PESTS!" Stump Smash wailed as he barged through with a bunch of insects hot on his tail. "I'M NOT THE KIND OF TREE YOU EAT!"

"Stump Smash, look out!" Zook and Camo shouted in unison.

But, Stump Smash didn't hear them! He was too busy flailing and running amuck as he tried to get the insects off of his tail! Before he even knew it, he hit Zook right on the head! Zook groaned and stumbled back as he rubbed the nicely-sized bump that had formed on his head. As he finally regained his senses, he frowned then opened and closed his hands.

"Wait a second," Zook said as he looked down at his now-visibly empty hands, "where's the Eternal Life Source?"

A loud, pleased rumble bellowed around the way, and in turn drew everyone's attention back to the Eternal Life Source—and the Evil Life Minion, who was just a few steps away from stealing it!

"Not today, you!"

With a couple quick coughs, Stump Smash hacked up a few chestnuts and cracked them open to reveal the rich, juicy meat. He smiled as all the bugs that tormented him immediately lost interest in him and went to eat the nuts instead, and soon his eyes widened.

"I've got an idea!" Stump Smash looked around and narrowed his eyes. "Anybody here got anything sticky?"

"You bet I do!" exclaimed a now fully rested and recovered Camo as he held up a paw. "In fact, I've got the pearfect thing!"

With a couple quick snaps of his claws, Camo summoned an entire arrangement of explosive fruit! Watermelons, pears, apples, and more much all manifested in his paws, all overly-ripe and ready to blow.

"Zook, you know what to do!" Camo nudged the fruit over to Zook and smiled.

"Do I?" Zook asked as he frowned and scratched his chin, but his frown transformed into a beam as he looked at the Evil Life Minion. "Actually, I do!"

With a few swings, Zook tossed the explosive fruit right at the Evil Life Minion! It was so quick that the Evil Life Minion only turned around and watched as the fruit exploded, and covered it in sticky juice and pulp! The Evil Life Minion wailed like a child as it wiped the pulp from its eyes, yet screamed as a bunch of chestnut meat flew right at it and stuck to the rest of the juice still on it! With a buffet like this, those bugs couldn't help themselves; they immediately swarmed after the Evil Life Minion and chased it in circles around the battlefield.

More importantly, this also left the Eternal Life Source open for the taking! Camo was quick to sweep it up in its grasp, and sealed it tight within the safety of his vines.

"To the gates, now!" Stump Smash ordered.

The three of them were quick to heed Stump Smash's command as they raced to the gates, but just before they could get there…

They heard a roar.

A loud, mighty, furious roar so great it shook the whole area and pulled leaves from the canopy of trees above!

As they all shuddered and tried to keep their balance, the Evil Life Minion jumped right in front of the gate, and its landing was so intense that it blew them on their backs! The Evil Life Minion made a low growl as the bugs flocked towards its food-covered body, and that low growl changed to a great roar! As it roared, both it and the bugs around glowed green, yet soon the fruit remains withered and dried while the bugs all dropped dead at once!

Zook's eyes practically bulged out of his head as he knelt down and examined the dead bugs, whose corpses soon exploded in faint lights that faded away immediately. He was so shocked he could barely look away until the Evil Life Minion slammed its fist on the ground and forced him to look up!

"What, what happened to that thing?" Zook asked, his eyes wide with fright.

"I don't know," Stump Smash replied as he stepped back, his teeth clenched tight, "but it isn't pretty, that's for sure!"

Stump Smash was right—the Evil Life Minion was more monstrous than ever! Its eyes became compound like bugs' eyes were, while gigantic, torn wings sprouted from its back. Rotted, wrinkled fruit hung from its back while its skin bubbled and popped, almost as if all the raw energy that pulsed within its body could barely be contained.

With everybody around captivated in fear, the Evil Life Minion stomped the ground and summoned massive bamboo plants filled with ripe, purple and green striped chestnuts! It stomped again, and these chestnuts all crashed onto the ground.

"I have a bad feeling about this!" Zook whimpered as he raised his hands.

Zook immediately created a bamboo barrier at just the right moment—because after those chestnuts landed, they exploded into a barrage of gigantic meat chunks and thorns!

"That thing sure is persistent." Stump Smash grunted as he gritted his wooden teeth. "Looks like we need a new plan!"

However, they didn't get much time to make one, for right then, gigantic, purple liquid-laden vines smashed right through Zook's barrier! The liquid from the vines dripped off and coated the barrier's remains, which in turn melted the remains until there was nothing but a visible crater left.

Now free of their poison, the vines wrapped themselves around Camo, Zook, and Stump Smash and squeezed them tight. They tried their best to fight back, but with every twist and squeeze of this vines, it was like their energy was drained straight from them! Before they knew it, they grew so weak they could only pant and try their best to keep their eyes open! Worse yet, those vines connected to the Evil Life Minion, so every little bit of energy the vines sapped went straight to it! It grew stronger and stronger from all the energy it absorbed, taller and more grisly, and the Skylanders could do nothing to stop it.

Thankfully, the vines withdrew soon enough and dropped the Skylanders onto the floor, though their weakened states made their landing all the more painful. Camo, Zook and Stump Smash all winced as the Evil Life Minion drew closer and closer, its hand raised to reveal sharp, poison-covered claws that would surely bring about their end.

But, it turned its gaze to the side and stormed away! The three of them all blinked in confusion, then gasped as they saw just what it was headed towards—the Eternal Life Source! In all this panic, everybody completely forgot that it was tossed during the Evil Life Minion's attack!

"Oh no," Zook croaked as he dug his hand into the ground and tried to pull himself ahead, but instead collapsed in a shaking, weak heap.

"Get, away," Camo grunted as he used every bit of strength left in his body to crawl forward, "from the source…"

The Evil Life Minion took one look down at Camo, grumbled and flicked him away! With Camo quickly forgotten, it grinned and wrapped its claws around the Eternal Life Source, and its whole body rippled and pulsated like a beating heart as the Life Source's energy flooded into it. Worse yet, it grew bigger and bigger by the second! By the time it grew bored and went back to attack Camo, Zook, and Stump Smash, it was as large as some of the tallest trees in the Great Forest!

The three of them could only watch as it cackled; its laughter was so intense that it blew the leaves right off the nearby trees while its entire body bubbled and shook.

"Crap, how are we gonna beat this?"

Camo, Zook, and Stump Smash laid completely frozen to the spot, for unfortunately they knew the answer. They couldn't. It was far too big and powerful for them to beat in their current state! All they could do was close their eyes as it raised its fist and got ready to squash them like bugs, but by some miracle, that didn't happen! They just heard a splat, and opened their eyes to see that the Evil Life Minion's fist fell onto the ground and splattered like a gigantic raindrop before it seeped into the stump.

The Evil Life Minion was just as confused as they were, going by the way it growled and looked at the stump that once held a hand, but it cried in pain as even more parts of its body exploded and rapidly reformed! That gunky energy substance it was made off became paint splattered to a natural canvas as it rained nearly everywhere, all while the Evil Life Minion wailed and moaned in utter horror.

In its moment of shock, the Evil Life Minion was completely blocked off by a rapidly growing barrier of vines! The monster growled and pounded away on the other side of the barrier, but no matter what it threw at that barrier, it stood tall and firm!

The Skylanders all watched in amazement, and blinked as the Eternal Life Source hovered above them.

"Wait a second," Zook whispered with a bit of light in his eyes as he glanced at the Eternal Life Source. "Are you protecting us?"

The Eternal Life Source glowed a little brighter as if it was affirming this and lowered itself to their level.

"Thanks, man!" Zook beamed. "Now we can actually make a plan!"

Despite the pounding sounds of the Evil Life Minion's attacks, the strength of the Eternal Life Source's barrier brought them a level of comfort and security. With the power of their element on their side, there was no way they could fall!

"Did you see that, when it lost its hand?" Camo asked as his eyes bounced between Zook and Stump Smash. As both of them nodded, Camo frowned and scratched his claw against his cheek. "I don't think that minion can handle all that power." Camo's small frown turned to a big grin. "Maybe, if we overload it with life energy, we can take it down!"

"And how'll we do that, exactly?" Stump Smash asked.

"Did you notice how it absorbed all that energy from others?" Camo smiled as the other two nodded. "We'll just have to trick it into absorbing the life energy from our attacks until it bursts like a ripe watermelon!"

Camo winced as the barrier took an incredibly loud pound and looked up. "Gonna take a lot of attacking, though."

They all examined the still-raring Evil Life Minion for a few moments more, but drew away from it as the Eternal Life Source glowed even brighter than before! The glow came with a jolt of energy that made all three Skylanders shudder.

"Lemme guess, you wanna help too?" Stump Smash inquired as he looked towards the Eternal Life Source.

The Eternal Life Source flickered for a moment as if to say yes, and nudged itself closer to Camo, Zook and Stump Smash. In turn, the three of them all smiled and placed their hands on the Source as they bathed in a bright green light while the vine barrier went down at last!

The Evil Life Minion leaped back and threw its arms in front of its face to protect it from the intense light, only for both of those arms to fall down and expose it full force! The light flickered out for mere moments, exploded and blew the Evil Life Minion back for a change! It screamed as it slunk down from a wall of trees and left behind a noticeable stain, and it opened its eyes just in time to see three silhouettes emerge from the light bomb.

"Can't keep it together, buddy?" Stump Smash's voice remarked while the sound of hammers banging together resounded across the forest. "Good!"

Sure enough, Camo, Zook and Stump Smash all emerged from the Eternal Life Source's glow, and they were more than ready to fight! They stood tall and proud while an aura of power glowered around them, one that was only emphasized by their confidence.

Yet, it did little to intimate the Evil Life Minion, who only growled and dug its newly-regrown claws into the wooden floor! With another roar, it opened its mouth, and out came a swarm of gigantic, angry bees!

"I'll handle these guys!" Zook proclaimed as he tapped his feet against the floor and summoned a gigantic patch of bamboo!

The force from the bamboo's immediately growth hurtled Zook into the air. In his moment of flight, he flipped his bazooka around and sent a wave of gigantic thorn missiles right at the bugs! The missiles exploded in mid-air and completely wiped out the bugs, though that was hardly their end. Spiky cacti mortars emerged from the clouds of spores and smoke with their path dead-set on the Evil Life Minion!

As he landed back onto his bamboo perch, Zook crafted a mushroom cap shield and positioned it in front of him, just in case. But no anticipated explosions happened—rather, the Evil Life Minion simply grabbed Zook's mortars and sucked the boom right out of them! As the mortars' empty husks clattered against the floor, the Evil Life Minion fell to its knees and shuddered. That recent burst had clearly been a lot for it, as its leafy hair fell out all at once and its wings crumpled in on themselves while its skin became magma that bubbled and popped as if it was ready to erupt!

"It's my turn now!" Stump Smash proclaimed as he jumped out of one leaf's way and banged his hands together.

Stump Smash stampeded forward and pounded away at the Life Minion's kneecaps, but it didn't want to give up yet! It snarled, then pulled itself up and created a gigantic cloud of purple and green smoke!

Zook and Camo watched as it backflipped over them, but Stump Smash hadn't even noticed! It wasn't until the smoke cleared that he stepped back and found…

"A decoy?" Stump Smash whipped his head right and left. "Where'd the real thing go?" Stump Smash gulped as a loud rumble sounded underneath his feet. "Actually, I think I might have FOUND ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!"

Before he could even retaliate, a gigantic, springy sprout bounded to life under Stump Smash's feet and vaulted him straight towards the Evil Life Minion! It opened its mouth as if to attack, but Stump Smash was quick to retaliate! Like a machine gun, he sent a rapid-fire barrage of giant chestnuts straight at the Life Minion and filled its mouth before it could even shoot back. Instead, the Evil Life Minion fell backwards and ate all the chestnuts in one bite! Its stomach growled and bubbled, but despite its massive stomachache, it still forced itself to trudge forward, yet fell flat on its face while its legs dissolved into goop.

Stump Smash smiled as Camo's vines wrapped around him and gently dropped him back on solid ground. "Will you do the honors, Camo?" Stump Smash asked as he turned to Camo.

Camo nodded and crafted a giant watermelon underneath his paws. The watermelon grew riper, riper, ripest, and finally it exploded and shot Camo towards the Evil Life Minion! Once he was close enough in range, Camo tossed out several large chili pepper bombs, spun around and smacked them straight at the Evil Life Minion!

The Evil Life Minion tried to get away, but without its legs it was a sitting duck—literally! It could only watch as the peppers landed in its chest, exploded, and sent the rest of its body everywhere! The Evil Life Minion moaned as its head slunk down from an avalanche of magical goop, yet it looked around and screamed as it finally realized that its body was entirely gone.

"Now," Camo said as he cascaded down on a vine's leaf and hopped next to Stump Smash and Zook, "why don't we finish this for real?"

"Gladly!" Zook and Stump Smash shouted in unison.

The three of them fixed their eyes on the Evil Life Minion's still-panicking head, then raised their weapons and fired! All at once, a fireball as bright and hot as the sun, a gigantic thorn mortar, and a chestnut the size of a boulder barreled towards the Evil Life Minion's head, fused into one and made contact! The impact was so great a gigantic explosion enveloped the area for mere moments, which forced Zook to summon a barricade of cacti.

As the light and barrier faded, everybody beamed. Why? Well, perhaps because the Evil Life Minion was finally gone! Instead, its spheres littered across the area and vanished in a puff of smoke, while the Eternal Life Source hovered in front of Camo, Zook, and Stump Smash as it glowed. The three of them nodded, placed their hands back on the Eternal Life Source and returned its borrowed power.

"Man, talk about a thorn in our side," Camo remarked as the transfer finished and he scooped the Eternal Life Source back into his paws. "I don't know about you, but I think I've had enough fighting for one day!"

"I don't know," Zook said as he rubbed his chin, "I think Stumpy is still raring to go!"

"Is that a challenge, Zook?" Stump Smash replied as he raised an eyebrow at Zook.

The two of them locked eyes for moments, and two pairs became three as Camo shot them a glare.

"Don't even start."

Stump Smash and Zook stared for a few moments, chuckled and wrapped their arms around each other. "JUST KIDDING!"

"You better be!"

As the two of them laughed, Camo made a small chuckle of his own and gazed over the main entrance. The wooden barrier that gated it off finally receded; they could go back now!

"Anyways, how about we head home and get this little sprout," Camo said as he lifted up the Eternal Life Source, "back in the Core?"

And so, they all made their way back to the beginning of the area with not one argument raised between them.