Though the village laid far in the distance, the sounds of battle that came from it roared like thunder. The sights of something in vague, blurry shades of green, gold, red, and blue could barely be made out. Whatever it was kicked, it kicked up dust that shielded it from the distant view within seconds of its appearance. But, it didn’t prevent Luz from spying whatever it was when he ran up the road with his shield held tightly in hand.

"Seems like there's quite the ruckus going on up there," Luz whistled as he absentmindedly spun his shield around. Lifting it up, he set it into place on his arm with a soft clink, chuckled and turned to Dej. "How's about we show these troublemakers the light?"

Dej smirked while frost formed around his hands and dusted his knuckles. "Sounds good to me. I think they need to cool down a little!"

"You've got that right! they're sure full of hot air!" Luz grinned the widest, snidest grin he could as he elbowed Vaayu's arm. "How 'bout that, Vaayu? Huh? Huh? Come on, you know that made you laugh!"

Vaayu groaned and massaged his temples as the two of them laughed, but sprung back up as an explosion sounded! A severed robot arm crashed down beside Vaayu as he jumped out of the way. He cringed as he levitated it up and tossed it aside. With a tap of his heels, he sprinted off with a cheetah's speed, and ran so fast that he left only faint trails of clouds which wafted in the wind.

"Come on, you two! There's no time for cracking jokes!" he cried, clouds forming around his fists. "We've got Arkeyans to fight!"

Dej and Luz nodded at each other and beamed as they raced forward. They rushed into the heart of the small village where such big chaos formed!

Arkeyans and cyclopes alike swarmed the village like flies, ransacking buildings and upturning decorations! The molekin around all cried out as they raced to hide, or were unlucky enough to be found—as was the case for one molekin currently in the hand of a particularly bulky cyclops. Arkeyans crowded around the molekin's cyclops captor as the cyclops held them over the ground, and the molekin’s legs dangled as they coughed and choked.

"Alright, spill it!" shouted the cyclops as it yanked the sweating, shuddering molekin up further. The molekin cried out and kicked their legs in some attempt to escape, but the cyclops gritted its teeth and held them tighter. "Where's this high priest supposed to be?"

"I, I," the molekin sputtered, "I'll never tell you!"

The cyclops snarled and brandished an ax close to the molekin's throat with its free hand. Its snarl grew wider while its fangs shone in the sunlight. "You sure about that?"

"That's what I should be asking you!" Luz cried.

A few bright yellow lasers shot out, and sniped the Arkeyans surrounding the cyclops. While they collapsed, the cyclops gasped and dropped the molekin! It scoffed as the molekin ran for safety, squeezed its ax's handle as it turned around, but groaned as it laid eyes on Luz's group. Just the sight of Luz at the helm, his shield's core bright within the sun's warmth, left the cyclops shaking—but from fear or rage, Luz wasn't certain.

"The Skylanders! They're here!" cried some of the molekin who took shelter behind potted plants.

"We're saved!" cried another molekin as they leaped up from a crate.

Beside the crates, another molekin beamed and leaped out. "Show those awful cyclopes who's boss!" they cried as they punched the air.

Luz chuckled and spun his shield, but cocked his head as pounding footsteps shook the earth beside him. A shadow cast to his side and the sun blocked off as Swarm knelt beside him. The two exchanged raised brows and smirks.

"Sounds like the audience's pretty eager to see us in action!" Luz remarked, and fixed his shield in place with a click as he drew back. "I'd saw we shouldn't leave them waiting!"

"Read my mind!" Swarm shouted as his eyes and arm barbs started to glow. "And I know just the thing to brighten their day!"

Swarm thrust a barb to the sky as it glowed its brightest, and shot a bright laser of spiraling yellow and sky blue into the stratosphere! The laser exploded in a shower of sky blue and yellow sparks, but those sparkles could barely be seen, for the sunlight glowed brighter and harsher around Swarm. His carapace shimmered in the bright light, but it wasn't the only thing shining.

The whole area glowed with searing light, searing light so bright that the cyclopes around squealed in pain and shielded their eyes!

Swarm smirked as their weapons dropped down the floor, and raised a brow as the Arkeyans that came with them charged right for him.

"I'll handle these guys!" Luz cried as he swept out hands that glowed a bright yellow. "Let's see if they can take the heat!"

Luz clapped his hands together, and the light around swirled around him, consolidating in the center of his open palms! The bright orb of yellow light was a miniature sun in its own right, so harsh and warm it was hard to look at. Well, if one wasn’t Luz, that was. Luz slashed the orb in its heart with his shield, and its split halves burst into waves of white-hot light that cascaded over the robots. It burned so bright that for a second, the whole world melted away ahead of him.

He reeled back a bit as a warped, shrill shriek paired with agonized wails burst. The light faded, and the sight of the village returned, except it now held Arkeyans rendered half-melted and deformed!

The cyclops behind them all wailed as they hopped around, and yanked off their armor, which was so hot that it glowed red and white! One by one, they pulled off helmets, shoulder pads, breastplates, and boots and tossed them off. They left only their tunics and clothes behind, and panted, nursing their burning in the fading heat. A few moaned, rubbed burning red body parts, but turned around right as a torrent of water knocked them backwards!

The cyclopes tumbled back into a pile as the water formed a shallow pool around them, but quickly jumped to their feet. They snarled as their eyes laid on Gill Grunt, who glared back at them as he hoisted up his cannon.

Water splashed underfoot as the cyclopes went to charge, but the water around them cooled and crystallized into a sheet of ice, sending them slipping! The cyclopes slid back and forth as they skidded on the ice, all while cold mist wafted from it and swirled around them. The mist chilled the water that drenched their own bodies until the cyclopes froze in a solid case of ice! Not even the slightest echo could be heard from what remained of them; their bodies were little more than gawking statues that only barely moved their arms and legs.

Dej chuckled as he skated on an ice trail underfoot, spun around and yanked a particularly large icicle from the cyclops ice sculpture. Before he could really admire it, the sound of horns sounded overhead! He yanked his head towards the sight of raging armies as their stomping drowned out the horns, snarled and squeezed the icicle tight.

His fingers frosted over, and the frost seeped into the icicle as it stretched. It changed shape like it was made of clay, and transformed into a crossbow that fit comfortably in his grip. The crossbow pushed itself against his shoulder as Dej leaned back and drew it. With a single snap of its frosty bow, a trio of icicles fashioned into arrows smashed into the ground, completely freezing it over.

The first cyclops soldiers to jump down slipped and spun away, but the Arkeyans that followed floated off and charged right for Dej!

Dej smirked, twirled away on the icy floors below him as they jabbed at his chest, and spun away for a second before he tossed up his crossbow. Dodging a third blast, Dej leaped up as the crossbow fell back down and kicked it right in its center!

It shattered it into two identical halves that he yanked from the air as he planted his feet on the ground. The broken halves shifted once more, consolidating themselves into fat knives with long, sharp blades. Knives in hand, Dej skated back for two of the Arkeyans that once assaulted him. He slid with such speed that neither of them noticed as he slashed right through their bodies!

Dej twirled around and punched their broken halves right into the third Arkeyan. It turned around right as the broken Arkeyans exploded into furious, flaming showers! The fire melted away Dej's ice rink and even the iced-over cyclopes, who screamed and ran off as the fires spread around the floor.

The trails of flames crept along the cracks in the floor, hurtling first for one of the half-melted Arkeyan corpses and setting it alight! The corpse exploded, and fed the flames as they sped for the next Arkeyan. The fires ate away at its body, the next, and the next after that; they absorbed the melted robots until their flames brushed against the sky, and formed a ring of fire around the arena!

The ring bled further into the cracks, seeped through, and rushed towards several molekin as they screamed in horror. Right as the fires leaped for them, a purple glow surrounded them, and they disappeared as the fires crashed over the docks where they once stood! The molekin reappeared on a stone ledge right as a magical, purple blanket crashed over the flames and extinguished them. They beamed as Ninjini floated over to meet them.

"Is everyone alright?" she asked.

"You bet! Thanks, lady!" one of the molekin remarked as they walked up to meet her.

Beside them, another molekin strode up and hummed as they rubbed their chin. "You know, you look a lot like that Elder Elemental, Ninjini! Are you a history buff or something?"

Ninjini winced a bit, and clenched her teeth as she floated aside. "I, er…"

Ninjini pursed her lips as the sound of whirring blades bellowed from overhead. She craned her head up to find a fleet of red and gold helicopters as they flew in. Narrowing her eyes, she turned her gaze towards some spiky orange plants that inflated and deflated, merely cast out a hand, and hit the plants with a blast of magic!

The plants inflated to the size of a hot air balloon right before her eyes, and flew off like jets. They shot right for the helicopters, knocking them out of the air mid-flight! The helicopters burst into flames, a rare streak of warm red and smoky gray amid the cooling skies.

A whole rain of small, red things poured down from their smoky remains! The sounds of growling and gnashing teeth rang through the air as burning, bright red chompies dressed in blue and gold armor splattered on the floor, leaped up and bolted across the battlefield!

Eye grunted as he popped off of Brawl and flew into the eye of the storm, shooting off lasers and sniping them away as much as he could. He was only one eye, and they were many! He panted, tears of sweat pouring down his body and splashing against the battleground. The tears drowned out most chompies, but right as Eye went to shoot, one particularly large chompy smacked into him! It knocked him right into Brawl's arms. Eye grunted as he crashed into Brawl's chest, wiggled his way back up and coughed.

"Look out below!" he cried.

Down below, a couple of molekin screamed and ran off as a few chompies bolted after them, but the chompies leaped forward and sank their teeth into the molekin! They screamed as flames danced along their clothes, melding with the scent of blood. The molekin leaped around and futilely tried to flail off the chompies, and in their moment of distraction, another ring of chompies licked their lips.

The other chompies went in for a taste themselves just to get blown away by a massive gust! The same gust pulled away the chompies that sunk their teeth into the molekin as well, and tossed them all off the side of the island.

Vaayu and Whirlwind rushed into the scene as the chompies screamed.

"Here, let me take care of those!" Whirlwind said as she lowered her head so that her horn pointed for the molekin.

Whirlwind's horn glowed in the colors of the rainbow, shining like a prism as it shot rainbows towards the molekin. Its colors faded as the rainbows sank into the molekin's skin and mended their wounds. Whirlwind smiled and flapped her wings as the molekin cheered for her, yet her happiness lasted but a moment. The sounds of growling chompies aching for another bite echoed from behind, and Whirlwind snarled.

She flapped his wings as she turned around, her horn glowing in rainbows once more. The rainbow light of her horn glowed brighter, spreading to the tips of her wings as she flew up. With a single flap, a burst of rainbows leaped from her body and swirled around in the heart of the battlefield, forming a vortex of rainbow winds that drew in everything! It was a black hole with a rainbow shield.

The chompies squealed, and clung to whatever they could as the vortex's winds drew them in, but the winds were mighty and they were not. The winds sucked them in within a moment's passing, and the black hole ate them up in another! The vortex grew with every chompy it ate, and its colors tinged in warm tones as it spewed heat from its hear. The black hole towered over the village as the last of the chompies disappeared, and shuddered as it spewed out a volley of flames!

Brawl stomped his feet as the flames rained, ducked, and shielded Eye as towering bony brambles burst from the ground. The brambles wove themselves around the village. Their tall, strong bone blocked out the sun and glowed red as the flames cascaded down, but the glow quickly faded.

The bones crumbled away, and revealed an intact village with only a few stray cyclops invaders left straggling in its midst! The last wisps of rainbow light faded as the cyclopes got to their feet and charged.

Eruptor and Terrafin stepped forward and let go of each other's hands. Eruptor stepped forward first and clapped his hands, but what came from his hands wasn't a flow of lava. Rather, what emerged was a massive beast with cracked volcanic rock formed in the vague shape of a face at its front!

The beast roared as it charged for Terrafin, but he didn't run. He leaped up in turn with the beast, who charged right into his back and pushed him forward. Now piloted towards the cyclopes, Terrafin corkscrewed through the air and slammed into them like a bullet. He punched right into them with such force that they smacked right into the wall! Terrafin hopped back down, wiped off his hands as the cyclopes collapsed, and grinned as he gave a thumbs up to the rest of the group behind.

"Well, looks like things are cleaned up here," Luz remarked as he strode up to some of the barely-conscious cyclopes, and wiped his hands. "Now, for the important part!"

"What would that be, ghosty?" croaked one cyclops as he pushed himself up. His voice was grizzled with pain as he snarled. "Asking for directions to the underworld?"

The cyclops yowled as Luz bonked him in the head with his shield, but Luz chuckled.

"I dunno, you look pretty dead to me too! Didn't know you bad guy types resorted to grave-robbing for your armies! Your leader must be pretty desperate~"

The cyclops gritted his teeth, and a low growl rumbled in his throat as Luz walked circles around him. "How dare you insult our queen like this?"

Luz smirked and toyed with his shield; he rocked it back and forth as he paced. "I dunno what she's thinking, raiding a tiny village like this. Surely, she's got better things to do as a queen?" Luz raised a brow. "Unless, perhaps, there's an ulterior motive?"

"The, the queen—"

"Don't do it!" cried another cyclops as they slapped their hand over the first cyclops's mouth with what little strength they had. "The queen told us not to reveal anything!"

Both cyclops gasped as shadows cast over them. The rest of Luz's group encircled them with fists held tight and scowls on their faces, but it was Vaayu who came first. Lifting up one cyclops's head, Vaayu scowled as lightning crackled from his fingertips, and zapped the cyclops's chin as they yelped.

"Forget it! We already know why you're here, so go on and tell us," Vaayu said as he squeezed the cyclops's chin, shocking it further. "What does Arkilles need the Oracle for, and what is he planning?"

"I, I, I don't know who you're talking about! Our queen, she told us to storm this place! Said she, she said—"

"Yes?"

Luz frowned and glanced down at his shield. He spun it back and forth as it ticked like a clock, and hummed a tune as he glanced over to where Vaayu interrogated the cyclops. Luz shuddered and glanced back aside. His eyes narrowed as something akin to dark blue fog started to creep out from the cracks in the ground, and rubbed his eyes for a moment.

Still, the fog stayed and grew larger by the minute!

"Hey, Vaayu!" Luz cried as he rushed over and shook Vaayu's shoulder, shooting glances over at the creeping smoke, and then at Vaayu in sharp turns. "We've got trouble!"

Vaayu didn't move an inch. His glance was still stern, and focused on the cyclops he interrogated.

"What did she say?" Vaayu asked.

"Said, this guy… He wants the Oracle, to help him with something… Told us to find some mole to talk with him…"

"And that would be?"

The smoke raised further, and Luz winced as he shook Vaayu’s side. "Vaayu, Vaayu! Seriously, do you have clouds in your ears?"

Vaayu squeezed the cyclops's lower jaw, snarling as his hair started to raise, but grunted as something smashed into his back! It knocked him into the floor, and Luz collapsed beside him!

Vaayu fell on his side and grunted as Luz pulled him up. Both their eyes fixed on the swirling mass of dark blue smoke that now hovered in the air! The smoke churned and growled as it shot bullets of smoke all across the ground. It knocked the others off their feet as the bullets hit the ground and exploded, turned to Luz and shot one for him.

Luz whipped out his shield, and the smoke smashed against the shield before it exploded into harmless puffs and wisps. Luz shuddered as they vanished right before his eyes, and the shaking spread to his hands and legs as he fumbled with his shield. He spun it with trembling fingers as its core glowed faintly.

Sparks spat out, cast a single beam of thin, yellow light onto the ground. The beam exploded with one last spin, and created a wall of light that sliced the smoky ball in half.

Luz shuddered, lowered his arm as the smoke vanished right before him, and clenched his teeth and fist. "I, I know that technique. I'd, recognize it anywhere," Luz whispered.

"Just where did that come from?" Vaayu groaned as he scratched his head.

Vaayu turned to his side and back to where the cyclopes still laid, though their shadows grew suspiciously large. He gasped, and jumped back as the shadows pooled around the cyclopes, forming a pit! He could only watch with jaw and eyes wide as the cyclopes fell through while their pit disappeared. Vaayu flinched and turned around as the sounds of cackling came from above!

"Well, well, looks like we've got a few intruders here!" smirked a cyclops in heavily-decorated armor as he hiked over the cliffs. The ax he wielded was a mock walking stick that thudded against the ground with every step. "Wonder what brings you to this washed-up old place?"

All around Luz, the others got up and steeled themselves, hands nearing their weapons or charging with magic.

Luz shuddered, and his lip twitched into a frown as cold sweat started to pour. He panted as he stepped forward, tossed up his head, and pointed right towards the cyclops, eyes burning with hot flames!

"What do you think you're doing?" Luz screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Luz!" Ninjini cried as she glanced down at him with eyes wide.

The cyclops chuckled and ran his finger along the side of his ax. "Isn't it obvious?" he crowed as he spun his ax around. "I'm making sure you don't stop the king and queen from getting what they want!"

The ax struck the ground, the chime of its thudding metal ringing through the air like a gong.

Mist formed all around them as the skies dulled. The whole area turned cold and chilly as the mist blocked out the skies, and the scent of cold, dead air ran throughout. The faint sound of footsteps crunching the ground underneath rang, yet nobody moved. They stood in place as their shadows crept out from underneath their feet!

It was Gill Grunt who finally turned around and noticed as his own shadow stretched well past him with a mischievous glint. It leaped out of the ground and beamed! It towered over him as it bore its fangs and raised sharp, clawed hands!

Gill Grunt grimaced and shot it with a harpoon, piercing a hole through its heart. It reformed in moments! The shadow lunged, and Gill Grunt jumped away as it smashed into the ground before it pulled itself up!

Everyone else gasped as they grabbed their weapons, and warred with their own shadows.

Luz winced as his own shadow laughed in his face! It threw a punch, but he swung away and sliced off its head with his glowing shield! The light burst and burned away the shadow as it squealed. It wasn't its death that shook him. No, it was the sight of the shades around that left him trembling.

"That, that was his technique, too," Luz whispered.

His hand moved to his shield. His brows narrowed as he pulled its glowing body from his arm, and flung it like a disc.

"EVERYONE, DUCK!"

Everyone else bounced away as the disc flew and curved around the arena, but the shadows weren't so lucky! The shield sliced their bodies in half, yanked heads from necks, and cut off limbs as it circled around. The shadows collapsed as they went to reform. A searing light shone right then, and the shadows screamed as the light drowned them out! The light washed away the battlefield, its warm whites and yellows painting over the cold blues of the battlefield.

The shield flew back to Luz and latched onto his arm, but Luz scowled as he glared daggers at the cyclops atop the ledge.

The cyclops blinked, and stumbled back as his ax fell from his hand, clattering along the floor. "How, how did you know what I was doing?"

Luz grunted as he bashed his shield against the ground!

The floor rumbled and split as turrets of solid, rainbow-dyed prism burst through. The turrets set their cannons on the cyclops, pelted the cyclops with bullets of light, and knocked him backwards in short work! The cyclops cried out as his back hit the floor and cracked. He staggered up as a burst of yellow light leaped from turret to turret with incredible speed. One moment, the burst rested atop the furthest of the turrets, and the next, Luz pinned the cyclops down with shield raised and bright!

"GIVE HIM BACK!" Luz screamed as he slashed at the cyclops.

The cyclops disappeared into shadows, rolled away just as Luz struck, and dashed for his ax as he yanked it off the ground! He screamed as he ran forward and swung, but Luz turned around and tossed the blow aside with his shield. Luz swung next, his shield aimed for the cyclops's chest, but the swing of the cyclops's ax forced him to jump aside.

"Luz, what do you think you're doing, you numskull?" Vaayu cried. "Get down from there!"

"What in Skylands has gotten into you?" Ninjini cried. "Please, calm down!"

"I've never seen him this angry before," Eye whispered. His voice wavered as he rested in Brawl's hands.

The air turned tense as Luz slashed at the cyclops, who hopped back with every slash and left Luz to strike at thin air! Luz lifted his head, growled, and leaped forward at light-speed. He bashed his shield against the side of the cyclops's head at last! The cyclops hacked out blood as he collapsed onto the ground, yet still grabbed his ax and bounced away.

"I said, give him back!" Luz cried as he rushed forward and slashed once more.

The cyclops jumped back again, and pivoted to the side as he chuckled.

"What're you talking about? I haven't taken any prisoners lately!" the cyclops goaded, and swung back as Luz attempted to slice his head. "None that I can recall, anyways!"

The cyclops spun aside as Luz sliced again, and hopped back as Luz sliced further. Every blow came only inches towards his face as he escaped. With one last hop, the cyclops spun his ax around and smirked.

"Now, we've got a couple treasure thieves and loiterers in the dungeons. By any chance, would those be the being you're looking for?"

"Don't play dumb, you bastard! Give him back!"

Luz screamed as he charged forward, and the cyclops swung his ax, shooting a blade of darkness right for Luz! The blow came faster than Luz could, slammed into his chest, and knocked him back on the ground while his shield slipped from his grip! The shield rolled around as it rattled on the ground, and Luz fell next.

He hacked as he collapsed, and his pendant pulsed with light atop his chest. He hacked and coughed again as the cyclops stomped on his chest, yet he still held enough strength to snarl as the cyclops leaned down over him.

The cyclops hummed, rubbing his chin as he glazed over Luz's chest. His eye fell on Luz's sparkling, pulsing pendant, and he gasped! A wicked cackle rose from him as he fell back, and he chuckled as he dug through his shirt.

"Ah, I see, I see!" the cyclops crowed as he yanked a string from underneath his shirt. "I presume this is what you're looking for?"

Luz heaved heavy, labored breaths as he pushed his head up and forced his eyes open.

It was then that his breath stopped short and his eyes shrank. Their view fixed on the object that dangled from the cyclops's pendant.

There, sparkling before Luz in the light, was a cobalt crystal wheel as dark as the night sky! It just barely pulsed, and the runes carved into its surface shone in indigo as the wheel aimlessly spun!

"FINTSTER!" Luz cried as he flung himself up. "GIVE HIM BACK!"

The cyclops tsked, and the pendant clouded.

Shadows leaped from the ground and twisted around Luz's body, pulling him back to the ground! Luz grunted as he struggled. He thrust and flailed his limbs as he pushed against them, but the shadows grew larger, stronger as they pinned him down. He glared at the cyclops, who chuckled and drew his ax.

"Now, I'd say right now's the perfect time to gain her majesty's favor!"

The cyclops chuckled as his eye laid on Luz's pendant, and he swung his ax in turn, but right before it hit, a burst of wind blew the cyclops right off of Luz's body! The shadows all blew away with the cyclops as he smashed against the floor. his body let off an awful cracking noise, and the cyclops groaned as he staggered back up just to collapse. The cyclops hacked out blood as he clutched his side and snarled; he lumbered down, and just barely grabbed his ax from the ground.

"Stay away from Luz, you one-eyed creep!" Swarm cried as he flew up and landed on the ground behind Luz.

Luz scowled, jumped from the ground and rushed forward. Sparkles swirled and glistening around him as he leaped forward, propelled by the speed of light itself! In a flash, he came within inches of the cyclops, and just barely brushed his fingers against Fintster's pendant...

But, the shadows engulfed the cyclops and he vanished, leaving Luz collapsing wide-eyed on the floor.

"Luz, are you alright?" Swarm shouted as he crept forward and swept Luz in his hands. "I dunno what you were thinking, blowing up like that! I mean, it was pretty cool, but—"

Swarm stopped short as Luz screamed, and Luz pounded his fist against Swarm's palms! On instinct, Swarm dropped him back to the ground. A cloud formed at Swarm's feet, catching Luz just before he could hit the ground. Swarm backed away as Luz shot him a glare for only a second.

With another scream, light sparked at Luz's heels and he nearly ran off—but Dej and Vaayu jumped up just before takeoff, and grabbed him by the arms! Luz screamed and kicked back as he thrust against the grip. The two of them frowned and pulled him back.

"Let me go! Lemme go already!" Luz screamed, his voice strained with every yell as he squirmed and flailed further. "I, I have to go! I have to find that guy and—"

"You're going to calm down, is what you're doing!" Vaayu spat. "We can't have you running off and getting yourself hurt like that!"

"Vaayu's right, Luz!" Dej cried in turn, and frowned as his brows softened. "Just cool your head a little!"

"I, I can't!" Luz cried. His strained voice strung higher as tears fell down his cheeks. "I can't just sit around here!"

Luz's voice strained its furthest, until it was all he could do to croak out his words. Finally, the strength left him. His arms slipped out of Vaayu's and Dej's grip, and he collapsed to the floor in a heap. He curled up and sobbed with his face planted to the floor.

"I, I, can't, not when they have Fintster! I, I have to…"

Dej and Vaayu both gasped. Their own glances softened as they knelt down, but it was Swarm who took in Luz first.

Swarm knelt down and gently brushed Luz close to his knees. Luz curled up against Swarm's leg, and sobbed as Swarm brushed a finger against his back. His wings chirped with a soft, soothing sound as Swarm shielded Luz with his hand.

"Alright, change of plans," Swarm proclaimed as he gained a stern frowned, and the air around him became much more serious than normal. Swarm pumped a fist in the air as the others climbed up the cliffs. "We're finding that cyclops and getting Fintster back, no matter what! Who's with me?"

Eye-Brawl was the first to hike it up, and Eye nodded as he popped off of Brawl.

"I'm in," Eye said, before he floated down to Luz, and wiped the tears from Luz’s face with his wing. "After all, I know how hard it feels to lose family."

"And I'm coming as well," Brawl signed.

Vaayu and Dej both glanced at each other, nodded and stepped forward.

"Same here. Fintster's one of us, after all," Dej said as he placed his hand on his hips. "We've already lost so many of our friends, so I'm not losing anyone else."

"Agreed," Vaayu said. A small frown crawled along his face as he glanced down at his shirt's stitched-on sleeve. "None of us are getting left behind."

Ninjini and Hot Head both nodded as Ninjini clutched her wishblades. Beside them, Whirlwind flew up to Luz and gently patted his shoulder with her wing.

"Don't worry, we're not going to let them take him," Whirlwind whispered.

Luz sniffed a bit, and brushed away tears as Gill Grunt laid his hand on Luz's other shoulder. Though Gill Grunt said no words, he had a sort of kind, understand look in his yellow and orange eyes. It rang with sadness too, as if he understood Luz's anguish better than he let on.

"Well, guess we're going, too," Terrafin remarked as he crossed his arms, chuckled and turned to Eruptor as Eruptor nodded.

Luz blinked back tears. His eyes were still wide and red, but he quickly wiped off his face and nodded as he stepped out from the ground. His eyes trailed first onto the ground, and then to a string of shadows that carefully snaked along the ground, letting off faint wisps of blue smoke.

"Just like I thought! It's his shadow-stepping!" Luz shouted as he pointed to the trail. Taking a moment to snatch his shield from the ground, Luz hooked it back to his arm and held it out across the ground; he pointed towards a string of cliffs and bridges ahead. "He ran that way!"

With his head held low, and his eyes on the faint trial of smoke, Luz snarled and bolted forward, clutching his pendant the whole way.

"Follow me!"