Chihiro winced, ducked her head underneath the quite cramped ceiling, and just barely avoided slamming right into Tree Rex's back as they shuffled up the halls. Their eyes forcibly drifted away from the massive pile of split, cracked lumber and stone they left behind from when they fell through the break room's ceiling just moments earlier. While these stone halls were quite intricate with their carvings of past battles and victors, and they seemed quite pretty, they were so small, even more so than the halls from before! It was a miracle that those super-bulky guards could even fit inside. The walls seemingly pressed and squeezed against her, and there was barely any room to walk up the stairs.

In front of her, Tree Rex awkwardly bent down so his horns didn't scrape the ceiling. Behind her, Chihiro could just barely pick up on the faint whispers of a petty argument between Cynder and Trigger Happy as they pushed against each other with occasional intervention from Spyro and Stealth Elf. Seems like nobody was enjoying this. Hopefully, the battle wouldn't be nearly as bad as the journey.

"Alright, just pass right through here and you'll be en route to the arena," the drow guard in front of them said as they pushed open the door.

Tree Rex hummed a tune as he squeezed through the door. Chihiro winced and turned back to where Cynder and Trigger Happy argued, next the door, and finally shrugged as she passed through. The sound of those two's bickering grew even louder then before, and Chihiro couldn't help but wince as she peered back to see Cynder, her teeth unveiled and snarled as Trigger Happy hovered a finger between her eyes.

"Trigger Happy, if you don't get your finger out of my face—"

"But why? I'm not running into you or anything!" Trigger Happy replied. "See? I'm not even touching you!"

Cynder snarled, but Trigger Happy just gleefully kept waving his finger in Cynder's face, the smuggest of grins on his own!

"Trigger Happy…"

Spyro, Tree Rex, and Stealth Elf all gulped, stepped back, and cast wary glances at each other as their eyes turned on Cynder and Trigger Happy.

"I'm not touching you, not touching you, not touching you!" Trigger Happy waved his finger in circles around Cynder, and hopped back and forth in front of her all while Cynder's snarl grew even wider. "Still not touching you~"

"Are you two gonna knock that off?" one drow guard asked. "Or will you—"

Cynder shot a glare back at the drow guard, and even though she was robbed of her powers, Chihiro could've sworn that lightning cracked in the air around Cynder! The drow guard gulped and quivered in place like they’d seen the Ancients themselves return to Skylands, but Cynder turned back to Trigger Happy. She grabbed him by the shoulders, and yanked him right in front of her face as her snarl unveiled rows of sharp pearly white fangs!

"Let it be known that if you don't knock this off right this instance, I will shred you like a pile of wet paper!" Cynder hissed as she squeezed her paws further into Trigger Happy's arms. "Now get your furry little fingers out of my face!"

Trigger Happy, however, just whimpered! His eyes went all wide and watery as he struggled his way from Cynder's grasp, though she kept him tight enough that he couldn't quite break free.

"I'm telling on you!" Trigger Happy exclaimed.

Spyro forced a smile as he flew up and pushed Cynder and Trigger Happy away from each other, but Trigger Happy wailed and leaped into his front legs before he could say anything!

"SPYROOOOOOOOOOOOO! CYNDER'S BEING MEAN TO ME!"

Spyro winced as Trigger Happy nearly knocked him out of the skies, and placed Trigger Happy on the ground.

"Now, you two," Spyro said as he lifted his head and crossed his front legs, "if you're itching for a fight, save it for when we get to the next arena match."

Cynder and Trigger Happy both scoffed and turned around, and Cynder folded her wings as she strode ahead.

"… He started it."

Chihiro only sighed and buried her head in her hands. If the arena itself didn't kill them all, something in her gut told her all this tension would! As she turned her gaze back to the path ahead, the sight of a large marble building covered in flags and banners caught her eye, and she sighed in relief. Guess she wouldn't have to worry about that for much longer considering the arena was just up ahead.

"Anyways," the drow beside her remarked as they strode off, "the arena battle will begin shortly. Just follow me!"

The drow strode ahead, yet Chihiro couldn't entirely bring herself to follow suit just yet. Instead, her eyes turned to the bracelet still slapped tight to her wrist as that obnoxious little electric creature gleefully bounced back and forth inside its steel confines. If it weren't for that little nuisance, she could've ripped these darn things off and be on her merry way, but with that thing in there, if she tried anything she'd get shocked to death! If only there was some way to just yank them out, but how? Maybe she could yank a water bottle from someone and drench it until it short-circuited? On second thought, that also sounded like a really good way to get electrocuted, so she decided to hold off on that.

"We're here!" the drow cried as they came to a stop in front of a large coliseum!

Chihiro froze in place, frantically yanked her head and sighed, hands drooped down and all. "Oh joy."

Chihiro perked back up as the drow pushed the doors open and shuffled them all inside, the enthusiasm on the drow guards' faces like that of children the moment Chihiro’s team stepped through.

As Chihiro’s team came inside, they met with the sounds of jeering, angry crowds who booed and crowed, and now that Chihiro got a look at it, the stadium was covered in what seemed like splattered tomatoes. At least, hopefully it was that and not blood. The disgusting metallic scent that flitted through the air seemed to say otherwise, but Chihiro was going to ignore that right now! Behind them all, a shing sounded as gigantic silver bars shot up in front of the door and completely blocked it off—guess they weren't getting out of here anytime soon.

"Alright, alright, so Brock knows the first round was disappointing," cried Brock as he strode across a balcony, "but that was just a warm up! Brock the Arena King promises ya that the second round is gonna be way more interesting!"

The crowd cheered and pumped their fists as Brock finished, yet their cheers weren't that of goodwill! Instead, cries for blood, carnage, and death echoed from the stands while spectators pounded their feet and clapped their hands, a rhythm that pounded like a drum in Chihiro's ears while her head spun.

Chihiro craned her head up to the stands, and a faint wince came about not from the putrid smell of blood/tomatoes or their awful shouts, but from the stunning lack of Flynn and Cali amid the spectators. They still weren't here? Surely they would've found a way to sneak in by now! Chihiro didn't want to assume the worst, but the jeering crowds and their shouts set her mind blazing and burning with every possible worst-case scenario that could happen. Then again, she was sure the sight of those crowds would make anyone nervous. Their twisted smiles could only barely be seen from where she stood, yet the very sight pierced arrows into Chihiro's heart! Her chest tightened at the very sight of all those sneering, jeering faces and their snide looks, so instead she turned to Brock, yet flinched at the similar look he held as he waved his hand.

"Now, the second match is gonna be a team battle! Our finest gladiators will go to bat against the Skylanders here," Brock explained as he pointed down to the arena fields. "Boys, that's your cue!"

A gate made of silver bars cranked open before them all, and out from it rolled five shiny, round balls that leaped out and transformed into trolls as they hit the ground! All the trolls dressed in color-coordinated armor lined with gold accents, capes, and fancy tassels, all the kinds of flashy, showy stuff one would expect some stage show hero to have rather than a gladiator. They all had the smuggest grins on their faces as they basked in the crowds!

"A fantastic mind with fantastic muscles to match!" the first troll proclaimed as they flexed and made an F rune with their arms. "Farley, the F!"

"Outrageous speed and outrageous strength, all wrapped up in one package!" exclaimed the second troll as they ran in place, punched the air before them, and made an O rune with their arms. "Orson, the O!"

"Radical and righteous, I'll raze you to the ground!" cried the third as they flipped their hair, slashed the air beside them with their lance, and made an R rune with their arms. "Raquel, the R!"

"The curiosities of magic are my greatest comrades!" exclaimed the fourth troll as they spun around, glowed, and made a C rune with their arms. "Carl, the C!"

The last troll groaned and shook their head, but lifted it up nonetheless and halfheartedly waved their arms. "Extremely excited to be here and extra excited to support my team," the troll groaned, their voice flat and monotonous as they just barely formed an E rune with their arms. "Ernest, the E."

Chihiro winced, turned over to Spyro and leaned towards his ear. "Think we should let these guys finish?"

"WE'RE TEAM FORCE!" cried the trolls as they posed together.

"Seems they already have," Spyro replied as he leaned back towards Chihiro.

Team Force grinned as they held their heads high, and the crowds all cheered and clapped! The Team Force members bowed with those same smug grins on their faces, and as they stood back up and waved, Farley came up and rubbed a fist against his chestplate.

"Thank you, thank you!" he cried. "I, Farley, leader of Team Force, thank you all for coming out to support us for our latest match!" Farley winked and blew a kiss to the audience. "Without all our fans, we wouldn't be half the team we are today!"

A couple of audience members cheered and squealed, and some even fainted in their seats as Farley's kiss drifted in their space. But, while Farley chuckled as the others smiled, Ernest just grumbled and crossed his arms as he turned away from Farley's view. Though, despite Ernest’s best efforts to seem uninterested, he still shot glares and mumbled under his breath as he glared back at Farley.

Brock smacked a hand against the balcony's railing, and the ground trembled as the audience's cries drew to a close—or maybe the tremors were so loud that they silenced everything else with their mighty roars.

The earth below split open as massive wooden pillars shot up from the ground and blotted out the top of the arena. Massive flags waved and danced in their air from their very tips—one red, one blue, but both stood tall at the tip of their pillars. Granted, the blue one that marked Chihiro's team seemed like it was barely hanging on from the masses of shaky, barely-kept-together wood tied in place with ropes dangerously close to fraying and rusty metal plates. It was completely unlike how Team Force's red flag stood tall atop a sleek pillar crafted with fine craftsmanship, and full of little nudges, panels, and other sorts of secrets. Which, in all honesty, was probably symbolic of just how stacked the odds were against them.

"Alright, here's the rules for this round!" Brock cried as he drummed his fingers against his biceps. "Each team has a flag atop their tower, and whoever can get the other team's flag first wins! Now" — Brock grinned and pumped a fist in the air — "LET THE GAMES BEGIN!"

The cannons shot confetti in the air as the trumpets sounded, and the crowds roared as Team Force ran into play!

"I'll get these guys!" Tree Rex cried as he charged ahead, scowled…

And gasped as they rushed past him with such speed that it spun him around! Tree Rex groaned and fell on his rump, but Team Force didn't even notice as they passed him by!

"Alright, team! Formation C-O-E-R-F is GO!" Farley cried as he turned back to the rest of his team.

The other members of Team Force nodded, and all five of them stood silent and tall as they lingered just half a ways away from where Chihiro's own team pillar stood, bolted back and chased right for them! Just what were they thinking? Chihiro wasn't sure, but she immediately jumped and rushed off towards Team Force's unguarded pillar—because she certainly didn't want to find out!

"Come on, guys, their flag's unguarded!" Chihiro cried as she waved to the others. "Let's get it!"

Chihiro grinned as everyone else sped after her and bolted towards the pillar, but as they vacated the premise, her eyes immediately fell on where Team Force came hot on their heels!

With a clap of his hands, a whole bundle of magic ropes appeared in Carl's arms, and he immediately tossed them to Orville!

"You know what to do with these!" Carl cried as the ropes landed in Orville's grip!

Orville smirked, nodded, and zipped right past his teammates—and Chihiro as well! A bright green blur surrounded her, Tree Rex, Spyro, Cynder, Stealth Elf, and Trigger Happy just before they could reach the pillar, and they all flew into the heart of the circle! Just the sight of that green blur rushing around them spun Chihiro's head around.

In fact, not just her head, either; her chest was kinda tight, like the blood rushed around it or something because she laid upside down for too long. Wait, that wasn't her blood at all! A purple glow came from below her, and when she peered down at it, those magic ropes Carl held tied tight around her chest! Not just hers, either—her entire team was tied together, and all stuck like glue. They all grunted as they shuffled and nudged against each other, but no matter how hard they tried, the ropes were too tight! They stuck firm around their chests, and not a single string frayed in their failure to escape!

Team Force's members all grinned and smirked as they loomed over Chihiro, and Chihiro's own attempts to escape came to a quick stop as she glared them down.

Tree Rex grunted. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it. Just let me bust these ropes!" Tree Rex cried as he pushed and strained against the ropes, but finally panted and slunk back down as sap crawled down his forehead.

"You might be all dressed up as Tree Rex, but you sure don't have the strength to match!" Orville sneered.

Tree Rex snarled and gritted his teeth as he glared back at Orville. Chihiro was sure Tree Rex probably had some choice words in mind, but he just sighed and hung his head as he turned away. Poor guy, must suck not having his powers.

"Alright, Carl, Orville, you go guard our tower," Farley ordered as he turned back to the two of them. Carl and Orville nodded and ran off, and Farley turned his eyes on Ernest. "Ernest, keep an eye on our friends here to make sure they don't try any funny business." Farley and Raquel both turned around, and the faintest of smiles formed on their faces as they made a beeline for Chihiro's tower. "We'll take care of the rest!"

"Hey, that's our flag!" Chihiro cried as she pushed herself up. "Come on everyone, we've gotta stop them—OOF!"

Alas, gravity took hold and immediately dropped her back down onto the ground! Chihiro moaned as the earth stung her legs and held her head, and for a moment, she glared back at Carl and Orville as they cackled. They were so smug and self assured as they laughed to the heavens and lingered around their tower. Surely, Farley and Raquel had those same awful grins on their faces as they made their way towards her own team's flag. Chihiro couldn't see them from this distance, but she could hear their awful laughter across the horizon, all mixed in with the cheers of the crowd, the snide cackles of their teammates, of Carl, Orville, and…

Oddly enough, not Ernest. In fact, despite his assignment to watch them, he seemed not the least bit interested! He just turned his back from them and scratched it while he yawned and clicked his tongue.

In fact, it seemed like it gave Cynder an idea, judging from the way her eyes narrowed as she glared at him!

"Psst, hey! Hey!" Cynder whisper-hissed as she leaned closer towards Chihiro and Spyro. "Everyone! Look here! I have an idea!"

Everyone else grunted and shuffled around a bit so that their eyes faced Cynder, and she just nudged her head over to where Ernest had changed to laying on his side as he yawned yet again.

"See that guy? He doesn't seem the least bit interested in watching us at all! Something tells me we can use that to our advantage." Cynder narrowed her eyes. "But, we'll need to be perfectly in sync. On my mark, we all get up, get back, and charge right into that dude!"

Everyone nodded, and their eyes all fixed on Ernest, wings twitchy, hands clammy and all!

"One, two, three, four… NOW!"

Right as Cynder cried out, everyone jumped up from the floor and scuttled around! Admittedly, running around with so many pairs of legs led to them scuttling from side to like dizzy crabs, but they quickly found their footing. They all grinned as they turned to each other and scurried backwards! The crowds all gasped, and low rumbles of curiosity even came from a few, but nobody seemed to notice what they did as they scurried backwards.

"What's this?" Brock cried from the balcony. "Seems like the Skylanders managed to bounce back! Literally! They've bounced up and they're raring to go!"

Carl and Orville both grunted, turned back around, and raised their brows just as Chihiro's team rushed off to charge!

"Hey, what do they think they're doing?" Carl asked as he turned to Orville.

"Hmm, I dunno. They can't really do much when they're all charged up like that," Orville chuckled back as his eyes walked down the path… And stopped right where Ernest was. "But they can tackle Ernest!"

The two of them knelt down and prepared to run after Chihiro’s team, but alas, they were too late!

Chihiro and the others already scurried off fast as they could, fast enough that dust clouded everything behind them, and they were just inches away from Ernest! Ernest grunted and turned around; his mouth dropped open right as everyone leaped forward and slammed right into him. Ernest screamed as he flew across the battlefield, and gasps came from the audience as he finally came in for a landing! He cried out as he bounced across the floors like the world’s most misshapen ball. With one last bounce, he slammed into Raquel right as Raquel hoisted Farley up on his shoulders, and knocked all three of them into the tower!

They all cried out, but not as much as the tower itself! The tower creaked and groaned, and it seemed as though it was prepared to completely collapse! That single blow teetered it sideways and back, its wood creaky as metal plates slunk out from snapping ropes and collapses!

"The tower!" Spyro cried.

"Ernest, Farley, Raquel!" Carl and Orville cried!

Magic sticky hands burst out from Carl's hands with a flick of his arms. He yanked away the rest of his teammates just before a particularly large metal plate could squish them like insects, but there was still the tower to take care off!

"We've gotta do something!" Chihiro cried. "Without that tower, we'll be toast!"

"But what?" Stealth Elf hissed as she nudged against the ropes. "With these ropes, we've got our hands tied—literally!"

"Not quite!"

Chihiro grinned, and leaned forward as her eyes fell on the swaying tower. "Everyone, follow my lead and run as fast as you can" — Chihiro drew her foot against the dirt and pushed against the ropes — "NOW!"

They were all off and in one smooth sprint!

"Oh, oh, the Skylanders are doing it now!" Brock cried as they dashed across the fields and rounded the tower's back. "They're rushing back to defend their tower! But, Brock doesn't know what they're thinkin'! They've got no chance of savin' it with that rope tying them up!"

Chihiro grunted and panted as she pushed back across the tower's back, and a faint hollow thunk came from within. She knew it! This thing was super weak within. No wonder that single attack was enough to knock it out!

"All right, everyone, push!" Chihiro cried!

Everyone grunted as they pushed back against the base of the teetering tower, sweat raining down their brows as their feet drug into the dirt, and in a miraculous occurrence, it started to work! The tower creaked as it fell back into its place. The ropes keeping it tied together still frayed and collapsed in places alongside rotted wood and haphazard metal panels, but at least it was upright again!

"WHY, THEY PUSHED THE TOWER BACK UP! THE SKYLANDERS SET THEIR TOWER BACK UP!" Brock cried!

The audience gasped and Chihiro just chuckled. A pop sounded underneath her as she did, and her body was noticeably less tense, so she lifted her arms—and they came! The ropes, they disappeared!

While everyone else marveled at their banishment, Chihiro turned back around and grinned at where Team Force stood completely dumbfounded as their jaws dropped. Save for Ernest, who just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms as he mouthed something that earned him glares from the rest of his team. Chihiro couldn't piece together what he said from her distance.

Spyro flew up above them and pushed the flag upright, dove back down, and grinned from horn to horn as he planted in front of Chihiro!

"Alright, everyone! They're distracted!" Spyro cried as he flicked his tail towards their tower. "Get 'em!"

Tree Rex nodded, leaned forward and headed the charge as he sped right towards Team Force! Their members broke out of whatever their petty argument they had just in time to catch Tree Rex, but not enough to stop him! He grinned and tackled Carl into Ernest as he charged towards the tower. Right as he bowled towards Orville, Orville gasped and zipped right past him! Tree Rex turned his head around while Orville dashed towards the tower, turned back to Team Force's tower and clasped his lips, but grunted as Farley and Raquel tackled him down to the ground! Tree Rex shouted out as they pushed his back to the dirt, and shot a glare back at them, but he couldn't do a thing against their combined strength with his diminutive stature. Though he pushed, it didn't phase them at all!

"Oh how I hate being this small," Tree Rex lamented as his eyes fell over to where Orville rushed right for the tower!

Spyro and Cynder gasped as he zipped right past them, and Orville laughed to the heavens as his eyes fell on their flag. Right as Orville sprinted forward, something snagged him and tripped him back onto the floor! Orville grunted and pushed himself off the ground as a dazed Trigger Happy popped up below him; he snarled, dashed over and kicked Trigger Happy across the battlefield!

Trigger Happy squealed as he flew across the air, eyes wide and arms flailing and all, but he finally came to a stop as he smashed right into Ernest! The two of them slammed right into each other and grunted as they both hit the ground, but while Trigger Happy was quick to recover, Ernest just slowly rose as he gritted his teeth.

"Alright, I've had it!" Ernest cried as an ominous glow surrounded him! His armor started to crack, and his teeth gritted and chipped as he loomed over Trigger Happy and cracked his knuckles. "I'm tired of getting dragged into these stupid tournaments and matches, I'm tired of getting all the work saddled on me, I'm tired of my brothers getting all the glory for it, AND I'M ESPECIALLY TIRED OF THINGS KNOCKING INTO ME!"

Ernest's armor cracked, and shattered into a tiny pile of metal shards below his as his body turned muscular and tight; he doubled in size as that glow became even brighter. Sharp tusks burst from his jaws, and he heaved heavy breathes as a red glow washed over his eyes! Trigger Happy gulped and skittered backwards, but right before he could escape, Ernest yanked him off the ground and slammed him down! He squeaked like a squeaky toy as Ernest slammed him back and forth, and worse yet, he was completely unable to do anything!

The audiences all gasped and cheered as Trigger Happy received the beating of his lifetime, but back at the tower, Chihiro and Stealth Elf just gasped.

"Trigger Happy!" they cried as they both stepped forward and prepared to run.

Right before they did, Carl popped up right in front of them in a puff of smoke! "Hello there!" Carl chuckled as he yanked a mirror from his pocket and fixed his hair. "Don't mind me, just going to prep up a bit before I pick up that little flag of yours!"

"Yeah? You and what army?" Chihiro spat.

Carl chuckled again and held his mirror up to the sun. "This one!"

The sunlight hit the mirror, and his reflection immediately fractured within its surface. The reflections all turned to Chihiro and Stealth Elf, smirked and cackled. The light completely drowned out the reflections while they jumped out from the mirror's surface! A full army of Carl clones burst from the mirror's reflections, and magic radiated off of them like the sunlight they came from. They hovered above the ground and zipped towards Chihiro and Stealth Elf. The clones swirled around and cackled as they surrounded Chihiro and Stealth Elf, and both of them broke into cold sweats. The clones moved so fast, and they all looked so similar that it was hard to tell them apart! Which one was the real one?

Chihiro wasn't sure, but she had to do something. She screamed, and punched one right in the face as it hovered in front of her. The clone screamed as it vanished in a puff of faint purple smoke. As it did, she just barely caught Carl floating his way towards the tower! Chihiro dashed right for him, or at least she tried. The moment she stepped forward, the clone formed back into existence with a pop and punched her back! Chihiro grunted and clutched her stomach as she skidded against the dirt as the burst of pain nearly shut her eyes. Yet, she forced them open long enough to catch sight of the clones as they all cackled, and they all summoned sparkling magic orbs that they cast into the ground!

Stealth Elf pulled Chihiro from the ground just before one could blow her up, but another exploded by their feet and tossed them both down as it erupted! They both shouted out as their backs hit warm, hard stone, yet the explosions around them didn't relent. They could only hastily roll away as purple flames and smoke exploded this way and that, with not a safe avenue to be found!

"Geez, talk about an unfair fight!" Chihiro spat as she narrowly dodged another explosion. "These guys have all their fancy powers and stuff, and we're completely defenseless! As long as they've got those powers and stuff, they're unbeatable!"

"No kidding," Stealth Elf spat back. She flinched and ducked underneath another orb as it exploded behind her, lifted her head just as it took out a few of the clones, and gasped as their smoke faded into nothingness. "Wait, that's it! Chihiro, you're a genius!"

Chihiro hacked and pointed to herself. "I am?"

Stealth Elf chuckled, and jumped back to her feet right as a clone shot another round of orbs right towards her! The orbs screeched and glowed like stars as they came in, yet she just leaned forward and tackled right for them. With a single kick, she cast one orb right into another, blew them both to bits, and shot another orb right into the clone! The clone screamed as the orb slammed into it and exploded, but Stealth Elf just chuckled as she hit the floor and crossed her arms. The clone disappeared in the explosion's flames, and the ones that surrounded it were engulfed in the fire as well. All that remained was thin wisps of smoke blown away by the wind!

"Oh, now I get it!" Chihiro cried as she turned around and faced another clone with orbs at the ready. "Use their own powers against them!"

The clone growled as it shot the orbs at Chihiro, but she just leaned up and spiked them like volleyballs!

One slammed right into the clone and exploded, but the other sped right through the smoke and fire and beaned Raquel in the head! Raquel grunted and lifted his head up for a moment, but as the orb landed in his hands, he shrugged and flung it aside.

"Wonder where that came from," Raquel remarked. He grinned and cracked his knuckles, and his eyes turned back to Tree Rex once more. "Anyways—"

KABOOM! Purple plumes of smoke poured in and sent Raquel and the audience alike into a coughing fit. Raquel fanned away the smoke, and Ernest stomped out from the clouds as he tossed Trigger Happy aside, his scowl even wider than normal as flames singed his frazzled hair.

"Did you toss that, Raquel?" Ernest demanded as he stomped his feet.

Raquel gulped and leaned away from Tree Rex, sweat crawling down his brow as he twiddled his fingers. "N-No, I swear, it just came out of" — Raquel grunted as Tree Rex slugged him in the face — "OOG!"

Raquel fell down and rubbed his sore face, but Tree Rex leaned up and grinned.

Tree Rex took a moment to shake Farley from his arm, and pointed to Raquel. "He did, actually!" Tree Rex proclaimed. Raquel gasped and frantically shook his head, yet Tree Rex just kept that simple, smug look and nodded. "In fact, I heard him say he was aiming right for you because you were making too much noise! He just couldn't take all that racket..."

Ernest growled a guttural growl that rang in his throat as steam poured from his nose, and he stomped around as he glared down Raquel. Raquel sputtered our some vaguely comprehensible nonsense about it not being his fault, but it was too late by then! Ernest leaped forward and pounded Raquel in the face, all while the audience gasped!

"Whoa, what a turn of events, folks! It seems like Team Force's Raquel and Ernest have forgotten 'bout the enemies and made enemies outta each other!" Brock cried. "Talk about sibling rivalry!"

Farley scowled as he shot one last glare at Tree Rex, rushed between Raquel and Ernest and held up his hands.

"Calm down, you two!" Farley cried as he craned his head between Raquel and Ernest. "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for this, so stop fighting with each other and—"

"Hey!" Trigger Happy shouted as he pushed himself up and spat out a tooth. A wide grin spared of several teeth crossed his face, and his blackened eyes narrowed as he pointed to Farley. "Who came up with those goofy costumes anyways? You look like a buncha silly comic book beings!"

"GOOFY?" Farley inhaled, and a deep, wrinkly frown crossed his face as he shook a fist at Trigger Happy. "These costumes aren't goofy in the slightest! They're made with the finest materials we could afford and were hand-crafted by me, specifically!"

Farley snarled and gritted his teeth, but grunted as Ernest pinched him right in the mouth and knocked him back into Raquel! The two of them slammed each other into the dirt, rubbed their heads and groaned. But, the sound of Ernest's grunts and hollers showed that things weren't done yet! The two of them lifted their heads and screamed as Ernest stood above them, and Ernest smashed their faces in with his fists!

Chihiro's attention turned back to the tower as Ernest pounded away, and she grimaced.

Spyro and Cynder circled around the tower as Carl and Orville scrambled up. Despite every attempt they made to dash into him and knock him off, Carl and Orville always skittered or teleported away just in time for them to escape. Spyro and Cynder could really use some help!

Chihiro knelt down and prepared to run off, but just before she did, a bright orange blur bounced beside her and scrambled up the tower. Wait a minute! Chihiro shook her head, and shielded her eyes from the sun as she glanced over the blur.

"That's no blur!" Chihiro cried. "That's Trigger Happy!"

Carl grunted and blinked as he peered down, and in that moment, Trigger Happy jumped onto his back and tickled his arms!

"No, no, stop! I'm ticklish!" Carl cried between a helpless laughing fit!

His legs kicked into the tower as he writhed and squealed about, and, he lost his grip and crashed into the ground! Yet, he couldn't even cry in pain. He still laughed his head off!

"I'm okay!" Carl cackled as he held his sides, oblivious to how Trigger Happy moved his tickling attack down to Carl's pockets.

"Carl!" Orville cried as he peered down.

"Don't worry, you'll be joining him pretty soon!" Cynder shouted!

Orville turned around, and grunted as both Spyro and Cynder tackled right into him and knocked him off the tower! He screamed as he crashed down, and cracked a huge hole in the ground, one that even Brock and the audience winced at, before he groaned and gave a thumbs up. He panted as he climbed out of the hole while the audience sighed in relief, and collapsed just inches from where Carl and Trigger Happy laid.

Trigger Happy grinned as he yanked Carl's mirror from his pocket, hopped away and admired his battered reflection in its surface. "Hmm," Trigger Happy remarked as he rubbed his chin. "Looks kinda beat up!" Trigger Happy shook his head, and his injuries disappeared as light from the mirror shone over him. "Good as new!"

Trigger Happy grinned as he slicked his hair back, but lowered the mirror as footsteps drew close. In front of him, Carl snarled as he staggered back to his feet, and low breaths came from him as purple flames crackled from his palms.

"Nobody tickles me and gets away with it!" Carl cried as he flung out his hands, and he shot those magic flames towards Trigger Happy. "Take this, you overgrown furball!"

Trigger Happy screamed, held the mirror in front of him as the flames came burning for him, and amazingly, the flames leaped right in! Trigger Happy blinked as he peered in the mirror's glass while it reflected the fragmented, bright flames. As the metal heated up, Trigger Happy turned the mirror back on Carl and grinned as the flames leaped out towards Carl with ten times the heat! Carl screamed as his own flames engulfed him and rushed off, but Trigger Happy only laughed as he bore witness to Carl making an utter fool of himself on the arena ground! Carl bounced on his feet, and spun around screaming in some attempt to free himself of the flames.

Orville just sighed and rolled his eyes. "Seems like I'm the only one left here!" Orville cried as he stretched his legs and cracked his knuckles. "Luckily, I'll have this finished up in a snap!"

Orville snapped his fingers and grinned as he rushed back to the tower. Right before he could jump back on, Spyro flew in his face and slapped Orville away with his tail!

"Not so fast!" Spyro cried as Orville crashed onto the ground. "You're not going anywhere!"

Orville gritted his teeth as he leaped back off the ground, and his eyes drifted around the tower. "Alright, front might be backed off, but in that case," Orville said, "I'll just take the back way!"

Orville zipped right around the back, screamed, and flew off as Cynder flew out from behind and grinned! The audience oohed and aahed as Orville soared. He tried desperately to gain some footing, but he tried a moment too late. He just crashed into his own team's tower, and a massive boxing glove punched him into the ground! Orville groaned and collapsed as the boxing glove receded back into the tower itself.

"Their tower gets a ton of cool defenses and we don't? So not fair!" Trigger Happy cried. He huffed, crossed his arms, and flicked his ears as the crowd whispered!

"I can't believe it, those guys knocked out Team Force!" said one spectator.

"But, Team Force is one of the best newcoming teams!" cried another.

"Forget them, my bet's on the new guys! I shouldn't have expected any less from actual Skylanders!"

Team Force's members staggered back up as the audience started to cheer. They wiped the dirt from their faces, scowled as their eyes narrowed, and their ears twitched at the sounds of Chihiro and her team members' names being praised—which only furthered Team Force’s frowning.

"Alright, you guys haven't won yet! You may have pulled the wool over our eyes, but that won't slow us down any!" Farley proclaimed as he pointed towards them and scowled. "TEAM FORCE, CHARGE!"

The crowds screamed and cheered as Team Force's members charged right after Chihiro, Spyro, Cynder, Trigger Happy, and Stealth Elf, but the five of them just screamed and charged right back into the fray!

Farley immediately dashed for Cynder, yet right before he could attack, Tree Rex jumped up behind him and kicked him in the back! Farley grunted as he hit the floor and rolled away, jumped back to his feet and snarled as he shot a punch at Tree Rex. Tree Rex held up his arms and blocked it! Tree Rex slugged Farley and tossed his aside as Farley started to relent, and right as Farley flew off, Raquel slammed forward and body-slammed into Tree Rex!

Raquel cackled and puffed out his chest as Tree Rex collapsed to the ground, but grunted as Spyro tackled him right into Farley! Raquel slammed into Farley right as Farley got up and crashed them both into the wall. While the wall dented and the audience gasped, Spyro smirked and dusted himself off, yet turned around and tackled right into Carl right as he teleported behind Spyro! Carl flew into Trigger Happy and Stealth Elf's grip, and they both punched him away!

Carl cried out as he slammed into Orville and tackled them both into ground. A bunch of dust from their fall kicked up around Ernest.

The odds were a tricky lot to cast. On one hand, all of Ernest's teammates were out cold, and it was him against Chihiro, Tree Rex, Spyro, Cynder, Trigger Happy. and Stealth Elf! On the other hand, Chihiro’s team was practically powerless save for the basics, and Ernest was a hulking, howling monster that could strike them all down with a single blow if he chose so! Who would win? Nobody was quite sure, so the spectators just clasped their clammy hands together and bit their lips as their eyes fell on the battlefield.

Ernest heaved as his arms trembled, but despite the way they shook, he still kept a smile on his face as he banged his fists against his chest! He yowled as he fell down to all fours and bolted right for Chihiro and Trigger Happy. His screams and howls continued as he came inches within them and leaped, but right as he jumped up, Tree Rex bounded forward and punched him in the face! Ernest yowled as he crashed down and rolled across the floor. He groaned, and shook his head before a kick at the back of his head left him hacking out mouthfuls of sand!

Trigger Happy and Chihiro both split, passing by Spyro and Cynder. Spyro and Cynder both grinned as they flew up and shook their heads, and below them, Stealth Elf zipped up and stomped down on Ernest’s head! Ernest fell back into the sands and groaned as Stealth Elf leaped off, but Stealth Elf just dropped down beside Trigger Happy.

"Take this!" Trigger Happy cackled as he kicked sand into Ernest's eyes!

Chihiro chuckled and grabbed Tree Rex by his finger while Ernest screamed and flailed about, and ran off with Tree Rex in tow.

"We're gonna get the flag, so just hold down the fort over here!" Chihiro cried as she staggered behind and leaped on Tree Rex's back!

Spyro, Cynder, Stealth Elf, and Trigger Happy all nodded as Chihiro and Tree Rex left them in the dust, but the fallen gladiators had a much different reaction! Orville yanked his head from the sand, and he jumped from his place as he grabbed Farley by the shoulders.

"Farley, Farley, wake up! We've got a problem!" Orville cried as he shook Farley so hard that Farley himself turned into a blur!

Farley hastily shook his head, grabbed back onto Orville's shoulders and steadied himself. "Orville, calm down!" Farley cried. "What's going on?"

Orville only pointed to where Chihiro and Tree Rex rushed off to where Team Force’s tower was. "They're already headed to the tower! We need to stop them!"

"Don't worry about the tower, it's got defenses up the wazoo! Let's just worry about getting their flag!" Farley pushed himself off the ground and his eyes narrowed. "Alright, boys—"

"But Farley, you said we'd be fine out here, and they completely wiped the floor with us! If we're not careful, they'll get our flag!"

"Forget about what I said then, I'm saying we go after them now!"

"But, but—"

"Farley, Orville, forget the arguments!" Carl cried as he jabbed a finger back to where Team Force's tower stood. "They're already getting on the tower!"

Orville and Farley both turned their attention back to the tower and found that Carl was right! Tree Rex already jumped onto it! He made his way up as he grabbed onto metal plaques that stuck out from the wood, and flipped from plaque to plaque!

Farley gritted his teeth, punched the sand below him with a growl, and quickly jumped to his feet. "Forget the petty arguments! Orville and I will make for the Skylanders' flag, so you guys just shake them!" Farley cried.

"Right!" the others cried as they split their separate ways!

The sounds of screamed and crashing came from below as the fight raged on, but Chihiro just winced and clung tighter to Tree Rex's back as the blows flew. Just below, she barely caught sight of Spyro tackling one of Team Force's members off his feet. She could hardly tell which one from the height! The wind blew in her hair, and just looking down was enough to give her vertigo, so she just turned around and winced as she buried her face in Tree Rex's shoulder. The crackle of flames sounded off a little too close for comfort, so Chihiro lifted her head and turned back around right as a fireball screeched for them!

"Tree Rex, go right, go right!" Chihiro cried as she practically squeezed his head off!

Tree Rex hacked from the tightness of Chihiro's squeeze, and shook his head as her grip loosened. "What for, Chihiro…" Tree Rex started. He turned around, screamed and skittered off as the fireball crashed into the tower!

The fireballs burst into embers and disappeared as Tree Rex hung tight and flipped onto the next plaque.

Below them, Carl stamped his feet and shook his fist in the air. "Stand still, will you?" Carl demanded!

The tower rumbled in response to his shouts, and the panel his fireball singed popped out and shot a cannonball right at him! Carl screamed and teleported away just before the cannonball could hit him, but right as he breathed his sigh of relief, another one popped out and smacked him right on the head!

Chihiro just snarled as Carl groaned and collapsed into the sands. They only got the basic of basics when it came to tower defenses, but these guys get all the cool fancy stuff? Talk about unfair! Chihiro scoffed when the sound of panels flipping open came from above. She lifted her head up and with good timing, too! A trio of cannons emerged from the tower, and they quickly charged up!

"Tree Rex, look out above!" Chihiro cried and cringed as a panel flipped open below her feet. "And below!"

Tree Rex grunted and flipped onto the plaque he clung to. Both he and Chihiro ducked as a massive boxing glove leaped up from below, and the boxing glove slammed right into the cannons just before they could fire! Tree Rex leaped away to the next plaque, and climbed back up just before the crumbled remains of the cannons smashed the prior platform to bits. Chihiro gulped and turned her attention down to the battle below as he hopped from plaque to plaque.

There, Farley and Orville staggered up from the sands and hunched over as Spyro, Cynder, Trigger Happy and Stealth Elf surrounded them, and though they were too far away to have their expressions seen, their body language showed well enough that they were on the ropes, all hunched over and shaky!

"Raquel, Carl, we need backup!" Farley cried. "Hurry!"

Raquel and Carl dashed across the sands and away from their own tower. Cynder and Spyro both winced as they dashed forward and blocked them off—but right as they did, Ernest burst up from the ground and dashed past them on all fours, hooting and hollering as the glow around him grew bright! He was so fast that he knocked friend and foe alike on their backs as he latched onto Chihiro’s team’s tower and scurried up!

Farley groaned and rubbed his head, but he cracked a grin the moment his eyes fell on Ernest. "That's it, Ernest! Get that flag!" Farley cried as he pumped a fist!

"Whoa, would ya look at that?” Brock bellowed. “Ernest of Team Force made a speedy recovery, and he's makin' a beeline for the Skylanders' flag!"

Tree Rex grimaced and turned around as Ernest climbed up the tower. In that moment, the platform he held onto sank back into the tower! He screamed out as his grip slipped, but his other hand dug into the remains of the platform long enough for him to swing up and grab onto a second one! Chihiro cried out and clung to his shoulders as he did, yet she climbed back on his back once he hiked up. Her eyes fell on one of the panels as it slowly started to open, and she crawled closer to his horns.

"Tree Rex, go right!" Chihiro cried.

Tree Rex grunted, flung himself to the right as a flamethrower jumped out from the tower and sent flames spewing, and grabbed onto another platform as he yanked himself up.

"Duck!" Chihiro cried. She squeaked, ducked her own head as a large boxing glove narrowly grazed their heads, and shuffled to the left as a panel popped off beside her. "Left!"

An ice bomb leaped out from the tower and slammed into its surface right as Tree Rex dodged. Tree Rex leaped for the rocks on a rock wall, and scaled it as the shouts and cries around grew more omnipresent than before. The faint shouts of the rest of his teammates cried out as Tree Rex scaled the wall, and he gritted his teeth as he restrained himself from looking back down.

But, while he didn't, Chihiro did! She clung to him tight as she turned back, and just barely caught glimpses of Team Force and her own team warring against each other. Back on the tower… Oh no, that Ernest guy was just inches away from the flag! In fact, he already reached for it!

"Looks like Team Force and the Skylanders are neck in neck!" Brock cried, narrowed his eyes and gasped. "But wait, Ernest's almost to the Skylanders flag! In fact, he looks like he's gonna get it!"

"Tree Rex!" Chihiro cried as she turned back to him.

Tree Rex grunted and heaved himself up the next rock. "Don't worry, Chihiro!" Tree Rex cried as he pulled himself up another few rocks. His eyes fell on the flag that waved above, and he grunted as he reached out for it. "I've almost…"

With one last grunt, Tree Rex yanked the flag off the tower and swung aside.

"Got it!"

The world rumbled, and the tower sank right back into the ground as it dropped Tree Rex and Chihiro back off. Across from them, Ernest screamed as he planted face-first onto the floor! He returned back to normal as he groaned and pushed himself up, and the rest of his teammates immediately surrounded him.

"Look what you did, Ernest!" Farley cried as he gestured to where the towers once stood. "You blew it!"

"I blew it?" Ernest shot back as he jumped to his feet and pointed a finger in Farley's face. "You were the one who did all the planning! If anything, this is all your fault!"

"Well, if you just stuck to the plan instead of losing all your marbles, maybe we'd have won!"

Spyro, Cynder, Trigger Happy, and Stealth Elf just rolled their eyes as Team Force's members all bickered with each other, and they all rushed up to meet Chihiro and Tree Rex as they ignored Team Force. The six of them all grinned as they stepped into the center of the arena. The flag still laid tight in Tree Rex’s grip, yet everyone’s confidence wavered as eyes fell on the crowds around them.

The crowds all frowned and whispered among each other as they glazed down the unexpected victors… But then, a couple of beings started to cheer! Their voices were small and barely carried along the acoustics of the arena, but then those around them started to cheer. Those cheers spread to the beings around their seats, and the ones around those seats as well. Soon, the entire arena cheered just for Chihiro’s team! The confetti flew down, the trumpets sounded off, and even though they hadn't won the entire game, it really did feel like an earned victory!

"Woo-hoo!"

"Talk about a match!"

"More, more! I wanna see them fight again!"

Chihiro and her teammates all grinned and basked in the cheers, but right as they did, Farley stumbled in front of them and growled as he pointed at Brock!

"Hold on a minute, you lied to us!" Farley insisted as he stomped his foot.

"Yeah! You said there was no way they'd be able to win!" Orville added.

"You gave them all the awful shoddy stuff and everything, just like you said!" Ernest exclaimed as his brows twitched, and that glow came from him again as he pointed at Brock. "So why'd they win?"

"Don't tell me you lied to us!" Carl and Raquel demanded in unison!

The crowd's cheers changed to gasps in that moment! They all turned around and mumbled to each other as their eyes fell on Brock, who only gulped as he tugged on his hood’s collar.

"Er, Brock, uh, NEXT MATCH!" Brock cried as he slammed his hand against the throne. "Time to get to the next match!"

The gates behind Chihiro’s team yanked open, and out came a gigantic mechanical hand! Chihiro turned around and screamed as the hand yanked her, Tree Rex, Spyro, Cynder, Trigger Happy, and Stealth Elf right off the floor and dragged them out of the arena. With a single fling, they all went soaring through the skies.

"NOW, THE THIRD ROUND OF THE GLADIATOR GAMES WILL COMMENCE!" Brock screamed as they flew across the skies. "DON'T MISS IT, FOLKS!"