The door creaked to a close behind Flynn and Cali as they joined the others inside, and the first thing they met with was expansive, all-encompassing darkness. The faint sound of toiling machinery could just barely be heard in the distance, and it intermingled with strong stenches of oil and gasoline to create something almost vaguely unnerving.

"Supposedly, there's a few machines in here that controls the robots scattered around this area, but this path ahead leads to the central one," Hex explained as she crafted as glowing skull. Hex sent the skull floating with a gentle push, and its light glowed bright enough to illuminate a rusted metal path underneath their feet. "If we can access that and destroy it, this should make our job much easier."

Hex frowned as the skull floated in place, waved out her head as the light grew brighter, yet it still barely touched the world around!

"Just leave the rest of the lighting to us," Ninjini remarked as her eyes glowed with a milky white light.

She grinned and pulled her bottle from her back, shook it up, and sent it floating out as pink and blue light poured from its glass. Bouncer grinned as beams of light shot from his own eyes, and warm embers crackled from the pits in Hot Head's hands and head as they brought a nice amber light to the world around. Even Crusher's own crystals and eyes glowed like shiny gems while they added a nice, cooler hue to the warm light that surrounded. More importantly, they could finally see their surroundings with all the light!

The dark room they entered was not a cavern, but some kind of mechanical hangar with puddles of oil and gasoline scattered around its rusted floors and oily graffiti painted on the walls. Metal lamps with no light swung from the top of the ceiling while barrels and crates made of metal piled up in plenty of places. But, after that was complete darkness yet again. Within that darkness, a handful of small, bright lights like glowing eyes poked out and scurried off!

Everyone else turned their weapons on while Flynn and Cali gasped and backed away, but Cali winced and clutched her teeth tight. Her eyes skittered over to her left; she gasped and shot out a hand—for the eyes locked back on her again!

"Over there!" Cali cried.

All weapons turned on them, but whatever held these eyes disappeared! The sounds of scurrying echoed faint but steady throughout the hangar, and then they disappeared. Everyone turned around in whatever direction they could, but there were no eyes to be found!

Flynn nudged closer to Cali, winced and rubbed his shoulder. "You think they're gone?" Flynn whispered as he glazed over the eyes' last spot.

Bouncer frowned and lowered his hands. "Seems like it," Bouncer replied as he clasped his robotic fist. "Let's just get moving."

They all gulped and held their weapons tight as they crept through the hangar, and up one of the massive metal ramps that lead to its next half. All of them still scanned the area, fingers twitching and hands rested close to weapons as they trailed through the hangar. After all, something latched onto them no matter where they walked; its eyes burned and seared into their souls as they crept. Something was watching them, they were all sure of it, yet they had no idea what it was or where it was from! Maybe they might've just been hearing things, but it sounded like something was whispering, too?

They hit the top of the ramp, and fixed their lights back on the never-ending stretches of darkness. Just before they could get a glimpse of the surroundings ahead, a bunch of glowing white eyes popped out from the darkness!

"There they are!" Flynn cried as he pointed to them.

"I knew something was watching us!" Bouncer cried as he flipped the tops of his fingers open. "Everyone, prepare to open—"

"MOLEKIN, ATTACK!"

"FIRE?"

Screams and footsteps echoed around the hangar, and out into the light burst a ton of molekin dressed in workers' clothing and baring crude hammers and swords! The molekin screamed as they banged their weapons against the base of Bouncer's legs, and Bouncer himself wheeled back and grunted.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Bouncer cried as the molekin rushed forward and continued to bang away, though they did little other than leave tiny dents. "What's got your processors fried?"

"Don't play innocent, you big bucket of bolts!" cried one of the molekin as they slammed a hammer against the top of Bouncer's wheel. "You're one of those fancy Arkeyan thingamambobs Kaos is using, aren't you?"

"We're not letting you destroy our home any longer!" cried another molekin as she banged her fist on Bouncer's rim.

"Yeah!" cried all the other molekin.

Bouncer snarled and spun around with such force that it sent the molekin flying! They all grunted as they hit the floors, and Bouncer scoffed and crossed his arms.

"What are you talking about? I'm not one of Kaos's machines or whatever, I came here to stop him!"

"That's what they all say, buddy!" cried the hammer-bearing molekin as they waved their hammer in the air. "But you can't fool us!"

"Yeah!" the other molekin shouted.

"Wait, did you say Kaos is using Arkeyans?" Hex asked.

Her skull's light flashed a bit brighter as she floated up to the molekin, who all shuddered in her presence abd finally blinked.

"Wait, a Skylander?" the hammer molekin exclaimed, gesturing up to Bouncer. "You're with that guy?"

"Yes, he's one of us." Hex waved a hand around her skull, and increased its light just enough that the rest of the group could be seen behind her. "We came here because we received your calls about Kaos invading."

The molekin blinked, chuckled and scratched their heads.

"Sorry 'bout the misunderstanding, then!" The hammer wielding molekin wandered up to Bouncer and patted his wheel. "We've been driven into hiding here for so long that we haven't seen a friendly face in ages!"

Bouncer scoffed, and loosened his arms as he bent down just a little to face them. "But just what are you even doing hiding down here, anyways?"

The molekin all sighed, and the one wielding the hammer fiddled with their weapon as they frowned.

"Name's Clay, I'll handle the explaining here. You see, this island used to be our home!" the hammer molekin explained. "It was a really nice place once, but then Kaos decided to take it over! Said it had everything he needed to rebuild his armies—lots of oil, lots of Arkeyans buried underneath…"

Clay sighed again. "We tried our best to fight back, but his armies were so powerful that we were forced into hiding! He turned our home into a gigantic oil rig, and worse, a drilling plant to dig up more Arkeyan forces!" Clay scowled, and his hands trembled as he clutched his hammer. "So, we've been biding our time down here, looking for ways to stop his forces!"

"And luckily, we found one!" perked up one molekin, who chuckled as they placed a hand on their chest. "All thanks to me, Pitts, of course~"

"And that is?" Hex prompted as she floated towards Pitts.

Pitts strode ahead and waved. "Follow me, I'll explain on the way."

Pitts cleared his throat as everyone else followed him down the way. "All these Arkeyan robots are being controlled by a signal-spreading box near the back of this place! Unfortunately, it's too big and fancy for us to take down…" Pitts turned around and winked as he turned to the group. "But, you Skylanders could probably knocked it down no problem!"

Hex nodded, her face cold and stoic as ever as she clutched her skull tight. She gasped as the lights in the hangar flickered on! Golden light poured above her and illuminated the hangar at all angles, yet she seemed hardly pleased as she floated back.

"Who turned on the lights?" Flynn cried.

The sirens screeched even louder, and everyone knelt down and shielded their ears while the lights grew harsher, almost blinding even! Underneath their harsh glare, everyone could just barely spy the shiny glint of armor as something red, gold, and bright all over marched up from the other side of the platform. Wait, no, it wasn't something—it was some things!

An entire army of Arkeyan robots with weapons in tow came marching in as the sirens sang and the lights shone. Their eyes glared with a particularly harsh shade of red as they glared down everyone else! Judging by the way they pointed their weapons kept in such a harsh grip, they weren't particularly happy with their visitors!

"Arkeyans? We must have set off the security system!" cried Clay as he turned back to the rest of the molekin. "Did anyone here press anything weird or something?"

One of the molekin chuckled, and sweat started to creep down his face at the very notion. "By any chance, would a panel with an angry face count as something weird?"

"… Muddy, what did you do?"

The molekin who was presumably Muddy chuckled and stepped away. Sure enough, underneath him was a panel with an angry-looking, crown-bearing face that glared at those above it! It sunk into the rest of the floors, and its color dulled considerably compared to the rest.

"I may have stepped on this when I wasn't looking."

Clay snarled as he prepared to chew out Muddy, but he didn't get the chance! The firm thunk of clanking metal sounded behind him. Whirring intermingled with the song of sirens above as the Arkeyans all charged right for them!

"Intruders will be punished by order of the great king!" the Arkeyans big and small cried as they raised their weapons.

The molekin all screamed as the Arkeyans came charging for them, but the Skylanders and Elder Elementals alike rushed in after them.

"We'll take care of this, sirs!" Drill Sergeant cried as his exhaust fumes huffed from his pipe.

While they ran, Cali yanked Flynn's hand and rushed right in.

"Wait, Cali, what do you think you're doing?" Flynn cried.

"You're always saying you're super strong and a super great pilot and stuff, right?" Cali shot back as she drew out a blade with her free hand. "Well, now's the time to prove it! I'm sure they're gonna need backup!"

Flynn gulped and adjust his scarf. "Yeah, yes, I was about to say, I'm sure they could really use some help!"

Cali let go of Flynn's hand as she dashed ahead, and the robots immediately swarmed Flynn the moment she did! He yelped as they all closed him in with their sparkling swords and maces and their glaring eyes, but gulped away his fear as he raised up his fists.

"Alright buddies, I'm warning you," Flynn proclaimed as the robots came closer. Flynn himself just inched further away with every inch they took. "I'm really tough, you know! I could beat twenty of you guys in your sleep, so if you wanna run away now, I'd highly recommend it—"

Flynn screamed and ducked as one of the robots swung for him; his instincts kicked in and he socked the robot right in the chest! Flynn yowled as he pulled back his pained hand, but at the very least, his punch seemed to work! The robot he socked reeled backwards, and a stray blow from Drill Sergeant wiped it clean in half!

"Well, I tried to warn you!" Flynn shouted, a look of pride on his face as he placed his hands on his hips.

But then, another robot swung for him and he was forced to duck! That robot's blow hit another one of its companions and knocked its head clean off instead. Without a head to guide it, the robot completely fritzed! It swung its mace in every which way as it tried to locate Flynn, and knocked down even more of the robots around it! Those robots hit the floor with a clang, screeched as they rushed in, and attacked the mace robot right back! Flynn was completely forgotten to them as they slammed and slashed and smacked each other.

In the midst of the anarchy, Flynn whistled and crawled out from underneath the heap! While the robots were busy scrapping each other to pieces, he smirked and crossed his arms.

"Yeah, I knew I was too tough for them," Flynn said with a firm nod.

A burst of fire exploded inches away from Flynn's face. He jumped away and gasped as bright flames coated the area around! He turned his eyes back to the front. Just ahead of him, the flaming remains of an explosion burned bright, with Cali at the center of it all as she held a shield about as big as she was.

"Pocket shields, always a good thing to have," Cali panted as the flames quelled themselves.

The shield became no bigger than a piece of candy with a tap of its top, and Cali smiled as she stuffed it back into her pocket. As she did, the sound of burning, creaking metal hit her ears and she yanked her head back up! Right then and there, the smoke that coated the area started to clear, and out from it came the very robots that Cali set aflame! They were smoking and coated in fire, yet they were no less enthusiastic as they charged after Cali!

Cali snarled as she yanked a canteen from her sack and uncorked it. "You guys just don't give up, do you?" Cali exclaimed as she tossed the canteen's liquid contents out. "How about you cool down for a change?"

The water splashed over the robots like a miniature tidal wave, and their flames quenched as the water seeped into their circuits and froze them in place! Sparks flew from their joints as they dropped their weapons, and they exploded for good. Their fried bits rained across the area as Cali wiped her forehead.

"Cali, behind you!" Flynn cried.

Cali gasped and spun around as an Arkeyan warrior tried to slice her down. She snarled, and yanked a sword and shield from the ground as the robot lunged for her once more—but she flung her shield in front of it as it struck! Its sword lodged into the melting metal of the shield and froze within, and Cali tossed the shield away as she slashed her own sword across the Arkeyan's chest!

Sparks and blue smoke flew from the Arkeyan as she kicked it backwards. Unfortunately, it also flew right into where Drill Sergeant chased after a couple Arkeyan imps. The Arkeyan soldier exploded the moment, and Drill Sergeant screamed as he went flying across the room!

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" Drill Sergeant cried as he bounced across the floor, and finally smashed into a pile of metal crates. Spirals formed in his bright eyes as he laid dented and upside-down on the crates' dented remains, and his wheels only spun. "My pain processors are at an extreme threshold…"

"Sorry, Drill Sergeant!" Cali cried as she rushed over and pushed Drill Sergeant back on his wheels. "Are you alright?"

"Perhaps if my optical sensors would stop spinning!"

The sound of pounding footsteps caught both their ears, and Cali snarled as she lifted her head. More Arkeyans soldiers charged right for them, and Cali yanked a grenade from her pockets. She jerked the grenade's pin out, and tossed it into the crowd.

"Eat fire, metalheads!"

Drill Sergeant squeaked and dashed off, but Cali stood and plugged her ears as the grenade exploded. It sent a burst of flames shooting off in all directions! The fires rained down on the Arkeyans, and burned away their metal arms before a gigantic skull bowled them all down into scrap!

The skull cackled as it flew back to Hex, who radiated with magic as several other skulls floated around her. That magic aura strengthened, and the skulls cackled harder as they set their sights on a group of medium-sized, shield-bearing Arkeyans. The skulls' glowing eyes rattled in their sockets as they bounced up like guard dogs raring for a bite at something. Hex didn't even have to say a word. She just pointed a finger at the Arkeyans, and the skulls rushed right towards them, jaws chomping and all.

The Arkeyans screeched and turned on their heels as they rushed away from the skulls, but the skulls caught up and tackled right into them! The whole fleet went barreling right towards where Chop Chop sliced down another mace-bearing Arkeyan. Before they could hit, a string of rockets flung forward and skewered their bodies!

The Arkeyans' hole-ridden hulls shot right towards Chop Chop instead, and he charged forward and slammed them with his shield. The Arkeyans flew right towards Bouncer, who turned around, smirked and caught them in midair! A faint explosion sounded in his tightened fist. He released it as the crumpled bits of the Arkeyan soldiers cascaded down onto the fields.

"They call this a defense system?" Bouncer remarked. "I've faced worse stuff in my sleep!"

Larger thunks sounded off from ahead, ones so massive that the lights above swung and shuddered, and Bouncer turned his head with a frown. Ahead of him, a trio of larger Arkeyan robots poured out from the hangar's doors, ones at least his size and coated from head to toe in shiny metal armor. Their eyes glowed with what was surely laser light as they came to a stop, and Bouncer smirked as they locked eyes with him.

"This, however, is more my speed!"

Bouncer's wheel revved underneath him, and he became little more than a blur as he zipped all around the room! Here one way and there the next, it was impossible for anyone sentient to keep an eye on him—much less the robots! They only spun their heads around as they shot off strings of lasers and tried to burn him down, yet they got everything but. They burned the walls, blew up barrels and crates, and even smashed a few lightbulbs in their unsuccessful attempts to nail Bouncer! Their lasers slammed into each others' faces and shattered their eyes; smoke poured out from their broken glass as they reeled back and held their heads! Their bodies creaked and groaned as they staggered up.

Bouncer chuckled and skidded right in front of them. "Guess you just can't deal with the wheel, huh?" Bouncer remarked as his eyes glowed a bright red. "Now, how about you get a taste of your own medicine?"

Bright, thick lasers screeched from Bouncer's eyes and latched onto two of the robots' chests, all with such power that it cut a massive midsection right through it! Smoke billowed from the robots' chests as they stumbled backwards. A shing sounded as wishblades shot up from down below, and they slashed the robots’ chests to pieces!

Ninjini teleported up and cast a shield before her and Bouncer as the robots exploded. They both smirked as the smoke cleared, and jolted up as the sound of pounding footsteps chased after them! As it turned out, the last of the robots survived the blow, and it was ready to kill! It bounded forward and summoned a gigantic cleaver as it stormed right for Bouncer and Ninjini…

Just before it could strike, Crusher flipped between them and blocked its cleaver with his hammer! Crusher grunted as he tossed the cleaver aside, and his eyes glowed bright as lasers from his own eyes seared into the robot! Instead of blowing it to bits, the robot got encased in a casing of solid rock. Hard granite covered it from head to toe as Crusher's eye lasers finally ceased. With a grunt, he slammed his hammer right through it and sent its rocky remains raining down on those below!

Everyone smaller than a giant screamed and sought shelter any way they could as the rocks smashed down on the Arkeyans below. The familiar rev of a motorcycle's engine stopped everyone in their tracks!

Behind them, Hot Head had screeched up in his bike form, slid around and winked.

"Anyone need a ride?" Hot Head asked.

Flynn and Cali both grinned, climbed onto Hot Head's back, and slowly lifted everyone else on as well, Hot Head cried out in utter glee as the last of the molekin climbed on, and he zipped right past the others with such speed that his tracks burned in his wake!

Crusher and Ninjini both chuckled as they trailed after Hot Head, and Bouncer was almost quick to follow. However, just as he wheeled after them, his eyes flickered and he grunted as he held his head in his hands! His metal teeth chattered, and his fingers twitched as pained grunts came out at just a loud enough volume to catch Ninjini's ears.

"Bouncer, is something wrong?" Ninjini asked as she floated up to him and lifted his head.

Bouncer forced a smile as he lifted up his head. "No, it's nothing," Bouncer sputtered despite the sparks that crackled from his chattering teeth. "Let's just hurry up and scrap this thing."

Ninjini warily lifted her hands from Bouncer's face, and her lips pursed with a frown. Yet, she didn't press the issue any further as she followed after Crusher. Bouncer winced and wheeled after her. The occasional spark popped from his joints as he held his arms, and his eyes flickered as he wheeled underneath the hangar's door and trailed through its dimly-lit halls.

"Chop, are you sure you're fine?" Hex's voice echoed from the halls. "You seem strange…"

"No stranger than your average living skeleton," Chop Chop croaked back.

"Same thing goes for you, Drill Sergeant," Cali asked. "You've been sputtering and sparking ever since we got in here!"

"Must just be a minor glitch in the circuits, sir!" Drill Sergeant sputtered. "One of those robots must have hit me pretty hard."

Bouncer groaned and held his head as he wheeled back in, and all eyes locked on him again.

"Bouncer too?" Cali asked as she walked up to Bouncer and rubbed a hand against his wheel. "What's going on with you three?" Cali raised a brow. "Wait a second, aren't you three Arkeyans?"

"Oh, forget about that! We found it!" Clay shouted. "We found the control box!"

"You did?"

Everyone else turned away, dashed across the room, but stopped short and ducked as Hot Head flung a massive panel aside and slammed it into the wall! There before them was a giant mechanical box with massive, steam-powered circuity for its inner machinations, all working away with vigor despite the rust that showed its age. Wiring and beeping lights could be faintly spied from within the guts of the machine, and a faint ringing seemed to emit from it.

"If we trash this thing, then those robots are toast!" Clay proclaimed.

"What are we waiting for then?" Hot Head asked as embers burst from his hands and vanished. "I've been itching to set something alight!"

A bright wail burst from ahead, and everyone stopped in their tracks as red light poured down from above.

"WARNING, UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS OF MAIN SYSTEM! ALL FORCES TO MAIN SYSTEM!"

"Well you better do it soon then buddy!" Clay cried as they turned to Hot Head. "The alarms are already going off!"

"Soon's my middle name!" Hot Head cried. "I'll get this thing burned off in an…"

Sparks and agonized screams shot off from behind, and Hot Head completely froze in his tracks as he craned his head back to the others! Back over there, everyone else jumped out of the way as Bouncer, Chop Chop, and Drill Sergeant screamed so loudly it shattered a few stray glass panels! Everyone else gasped as Bouncer, Drill Sergeant and Chop Chop sputtered out nonsense and fell to their knees. Sparks flew from the trio’s mouths as they wailed and battered their own bodies, as if something attacked them from the inside!

"Chop!" Hex cried as she flew over and brushed his face. "What's wrong?"

Chop Chop groaned and fell to his knees as his sword and shield clattered before him. His voice warped and crackled like static as he sputtered out nonsense of all sorts! His whole body shuddered, and sparks of undead energy cracked from his bones with every moment he stood further.

"Something, my mind… Something's digging its claws into my mind!" Chop Chop gasped! His normally strong and wavering voice trilled, and it was barely able to make more than a whisper.

He groaned, and collapsed back to the floor as his shield rolled out of his hands and spun in a circle. Sparks bounced off of it as Drill Sergeant sparked and popped at every angle! His limbs cracked, bubbled, and shuddered as if they were barely kept together, and all sorts of numbers flashed through his eyes.

"Error, system protocols malfunctioning!" Drill Sergeant cried as more sparks flew from his grate. "Logic circuits down, reasoning circuits down, memory circuits losing power, all systems shutting dooooooowwwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnn…"

A clunk and a pop of smoke sounded off as the lights in Drill Sergeant's eyes faded out, and his body slunk sideways and clunked over! Behind him, a massive crash so big it kicked up dust everywhere came as Bouncer crashed into the ground!

"Bouncer!" Hot Head cried. He reached out a hand, and the embers around him faded completely as he rushed for Bouncer—but, the sound of blaring sirens stopped him in his tracks!

"Hurry up and take care of that box!" Ninjini spat as she and Crusher heaved up Bouncer's unconscious body. "We'll take care of…"

"YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED TO DO THIS!" beckoned a trio of robotic, identical voices.

A bright red flash came from beside Ninjini, and she gasped as she turned back to Bouncer. "Them?"

Bouncer's eyes turned a bright red, and he merely wheeled out of Ninjini and Crusher's arms. He was alright, it seemed, but he didn't carry the same aura. He seemed much more ominous, malevolent, even as he pushed Hot Head aside and stood in front of the box. Behind him, Drill Sergeant and Chop Chop rose up while their own eyes turned red as well. The two of them said not a word; they just trailed up to Bouncer's sides and turned their weapons on their own allies!

"YOU SHALL NOT BE PERMITTED TO DESTROY THE MAIN SYSTEM!" they all cried with that same robotic voice!

§

Flameslinger, Spyro, Gill Grunt, Stealth Elf, and Trigger Happy all dove behind a wall, yet poked their heads out as the robots they followed trailed towards a distant building surrounded by tons more identical robots. With their red and gold polish and knightly aesthetics, there was no doubt these robots were of Arkeyan craft—but what in Skylands were they doing here on this rig, of all places? Well, there was one very likely answer for that, but it wasn't a particularly relieving one.

"If Kaos's already gotten some Arkeyans unearthed," Stealth Elf whispered, "that means bad news for us."

"But are those really things he got?" Gill Grunt asked as he peered down at Stealth Elf.

Down at the bottom, Spyro frowned and snapped his claws as a pair of magical walkie-talkies manifested in his front paws. He placed one to the ground. It slithered like a snake across the oil-stained metal floors while its sparkles dulled, and sat upright as the Arkeyans stopped before two gremlins wearing… Office clothes? Why would they be wearing something like that in a place like this?

Whatever the reason, Spyro placed the walkie-talkie still in his paw up to his ear. "We'll find out soon enough," he whispered as he tuned the walkie-talkie and frowned.

The volume increased as static crackled off of the speakers, but finally, the noise settled as voices crept over their speakers!

"No intruders to be reported, sirs," the Arkeyans' robotic voices crackled over the walkie-talkie.

The sound of smacking lips popped over the speaker, and Spyro winced for a moment as he pushed the walkie-talkie away before he pressed it closer to his ear.

"No intruders?" repeated one distinctly organic voice over the speakers. "Then what caused two of the generators to go down?"

"Maybe they petered out?" suggested another, slightly higher voice. "After all, those things did look pretty cheap…"

"Ah, I don't care!" cried the first being, and the sound of footsteps pattered over the crackle of radio static. "It's the one lunch break Lord Kaos allotted me this week, and I'm going to take advantage of it! That work is for the drones!"

The sound of a door shutting came over the speaker, and Spyro frowned and lifted his head as the gremlins walked inside the gigantic building ahead and slammed the door shut.

"So this was being run by Kaos after all!" Flameslinger cried before he hummed and rubbed his chin. "But, why didn't it have his emblem and stuff on it? He usually plasters his face everywhere he goes!"

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out," Stealth Elf added. "Spyro, give me that thing. I'm going in."

Spyro nodded, and with a single squeeze, the walkie-talkie in his hands transformed into a listening device. He handed it over to Stealth Elf, and she nodded as she took it from his paws and became invisible to the naked eye!

Stealth Elf leaped out from the barrels, yet one wouldn't have known if not for the faint sounds of rattling metal that gave away her movement. She was so silent as she crept on tip-toes across the metal, and dove behind the collections of barrels and crates scattered about the rig. Stealth Elf took one step forward as she drew closer to the house, but underneath her, a panel creaked and caught the Arkeyan robots' attention! She immediately dove behind a crate, stood still as the Arkeyan robots crept around and peered towards the empty space behind…

And the Arkeyan robots flew aside with thick slashes covering their chests! They bounced across the rig and fell on its side in moments. Stealth Elf herself dashed up, and planted herself on the side of the building. Her breath bated as she stood silent for a few mere moments, but she skittered aside as the door flung open.

"Ugh, back to the oil grind," moaned a gremlin in work clothes as they trod out the door.

Stealth Elf dove in just before the door closed, frowned, and lifted the listening device up as she glazed down the halls. Everything bore a shiny, polished red and gold aesthetic, something completely unlike Kaos's more somber tastes. Portraits and fancy tapestries hung from the walls, jewels lined the floors, and more importantly, gigantic glass windows lined halls of red metal. They all held different sights: workers talking around a cooler of water, Arkeyan robots coming to life through the efforts of scientists in stained robes, other robots getting repaired…

But which one would give her the information she needed? Stealth Elf slunk down, pressed the listening device to one of the doors, and frowned as she flicked her ears.

"So then I said, 'Do I love her? I hardly even know her!' But they said…"

Stealth Elf shook her head and pulled away the listening device. "Not this one," she whispered as she crept towards the room with the reanimated Arkeyan robot and pressed the device against it.

"It's alive! It's alive!" cried the scientist on the other side. "I've revived an actual Arkeyan robot!"

A loud thunk sounded off as the robot punched the scientist into a wall, but the scientist was hardly fussed as they popped out! Though their eyes spun in their head and a few of their teeth fell out, they grinned and gave a thumbs up!

"And it's super strong, too!"

"Not that one, either," Stealth Elf whispered as she passed the door by. Her eyes fell on the room where two scientists repaired busted and dusted Arkeyan robots, and her eyes raised as they fell on two of the sights. She crept up to the door and pressed the device to its side.

"This thing has all sorts of ancient tech in it! Squeedleblotches and rotary gears, boltentenders and more…"

Stealth Elf sighed, and her ears drooped as she pulled away the listening device. "I didn't understand a word of that."

Stealth Elf’s ears twitched as a faintly familiar voice hit the air. Behind her, two gremlins exited a door at the very end of the hall, but not just any two gremlins were they. No, these were the same gremlins Spyro eavesdropped on earlier! Stealth Elf gasped, pressed herself against the walls, and remained still as she could. Her eyes fixed on the gremlins as they trailed down the halls.

"Y'know," remarked one to the other, "Lord Kaos has been acting pretty strange lately…"

"Kaos is already particularly strange, I'd say," Stealth Elf scoffed, but she gasped and shut her mouth as the first gremlin paused!

"Did you say something?" the first gremlin asked as it twitched its ears. The second gremlin shook its head, and the first gremlin shrugged as it turned back to walking.

"Ever since that briefing a few days ago, he's been getting dressed up in all those fancy things and talking about kings and demanding all this fancy stuff! If I have to make him another exquisite stuffed turkey with the finest ingredients in all Skylands, I'll just shove it in his face!"

"Tell me about it," the second gremlin scoffed as they crossed their arms. "Not to mention him ranting all about Arkeyans and unearthing and old ruin sites and stuff! What does he think he's gonna get with all these old robots? Sure they're fancy and all, but I'm pretty sure hiking all across Skylands looking for them in this old junker is wasting our time way more than begging some unlucky saps to join." The gremlin rolled their eyes. "I've even heard he's planning to go to Arkus! Can you believe that?"

"Arkus?" Stealth Elf barely even whispered. "As in, the capital of the old Arkeyan Empire Arkus?"

"Going to Arkus, now that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" the first gremlin cried between bursts of laughter. "Even if he has one of those big fancy Arkeyan robots, that whole city's probably sixty feet under! What does he hope to gain from that?"

"I think that robot went to his head, and now he thinks he's some Arkeyan king or something!"

The two gremlins laughed it off as they disappeared down the halls, but Stealth Elf didn't find it nearly as funny as they did. Rather, sweat crept down her brow as she scrambled down the halls, and swept out the door.

"If he's already doing all this, he's way more ahead than we thought!" Stealth Elf whispered.

She side-stepped the squeaky panel that gave her away before, sprung behind a stack of crates, and flipped out completely visible! The faint sight of Spyro's horns drew her back to her allies' hiding place, and she stopped short as Spyro popped his head out the barrels.

"Any news, Stealth?" Spyro asked.

"Yeah, bad news!" Stealth Elf cried. "Not only is Kaos using this thing to unearth Arkeyans, but he's already trying to find a way to Arkus! With the way beings were talking, it seemed like he wasn't all that far off!"

"All that, already?" Spyro exclaimed. He popped back and away from the barrels, and winced as he clasped his claws. "I forgot how fast that guy works."

"Well, we're just gonna have to slow him down!" Gill Grunt cried as he hoisted up his water gun.

"Yeah, yeah, Gill's right!" Trigger Happy cried as he bounced from foot to foot. "We'll just blow us this rig! That'll definitely slow him down!"

Flameslinger smiled, unrolled the map and pulled his blindfold down. "The third generator should be right around here," Flameslinger said as his flaming eyes scanned the map. "Once we take that down, we should be able to take down the whole rig—"

"HALT, INTRUDERS! IN THE NAME OF THE GREAT LEADER!"

The map fell from Flameslinger's hands as he hastily fixed his blindfold over his eyes. Everyone else snarled as they turned around, and met with a faceful of sparking electrical swords! Behind them, a quartet of Arkeyan robots glared them down and thrust the swords further.

"Only four?" Flameslinger asked as he loaded his bow and arrow. "Now I'd hardly call that a challenge!"

Flameslinger let slip his bowstring, and four flaming arrows shot out from his bow, hitting the robots right in their chests! The robots skidded back, and exploded into flaming pillars as Flameslinger slung his bow over his back.

"Now, I'd say we get going before we get anymore unwanted attention," Flameslinger said.

Stealth Elf winced as the flames died. "Actually, I'd say we've already got it!" she cried.

The employees inside the factory poured out as the flames died, and they all gasped as their eyes fell on Flameslinger, Spyro, Gill Grunt, Trigger Happy and Stealth Elf!

"So that's what happened to our generators!" one of the gremlins cried as they pulled a pen from their coat, and morphed it into an electric sword with a click of the tip. "Skylanders happened!"

"You bet we did!" Spyro shouted as he flew over the barrels, and slammed down in front of the gremlins and ogres that surrounded him. Smoke puffed from his nostrils, and it served as warning enough for them to back away. "And we'll do the same thing to you!" More smoke puffed from Spyro's nostrils, but he grimaced and hung his head. "Okay, that sounded way better in my head, but the point still stands!"

Purple flames burned at Spyro's lips, and he leaped into the air as he shot a string of purple fireballs down on the ground! The minions below him screamed and backed away as they pointed their weaponry towards the flames. They ran off as suits of armor made of magic leaped from the flames and chased them down. The screaming minions made a beeline back for their building as the suits waved their swords in the air, but Gill Grunt and Trigger Happy slid right in front of them with guns fully charged right as the minions raced for the door! Blasts of water and bursts of golden light shot out from their guns. The minions went flying—all save for one gremlin who slid underneath them and hurried towards the building!

"That one's getting away!" Gill Grunt cried.

"But not for long!" Flameslinger cried as he loaded his bow with arrows.

He arched it high and shot off the arrows, which all rained down in fast pursuit of the gremlin— but the gremlin ran faster! An arrow exploded behind it, tossing it across to the building, yet it frantically opened up a panel and slammed down a bright red button underneath it. Stealth Elf popped up behind it and kicked it away shortly afterwards, but it was of no use.

Sirens only barely muffled by closed doors sounded off from within the building. the roof of it peeled open and out from it shot legions of Arkeyan robots! The robots all closed in and bolstered the minions' ranks, and Spyro and Flameslinger backed up. Even with Gill Grunt, Trigger Happy, and Stealth Elf joining them soon after, they were completely outnumbered.

"We've had worse," Spyro said as his lips twitched. "This isn't gonna stop us!"

Right as Spyro said this, the ground quaked below him and shadows rained down from above! Spyro craned his head up, grunted, and slammed into a stack of crates as giant Arkeyan robots crashed down and sent massive winds right into them all. Gill Grunt, Trigger Happy, Stealth Elf, and Flameslinger joined him in the pile as they flew down; all five of them winced and pulled themselves up as the minions cackled and climbed atop the large Arkeyans' shoulders.

"I just had to say it, didn't I?" Spyro grunted.

Above them, the gremlin grinned and glared them down.

"What are you gonna do now, Skylanders?"