Tree Rex frowned and examined the bracelet that laid around his wrist with a few moments taken to twist and flex his wrist around. His deep blue eyes drifted down to his hands as he flexed them open and closed. His eyes glazed over to the many buildings and structures that lined the world outside of the stone fences the drow guards led him down now. He gasped as he wandered over to the stone fences and leaned over them and kicked his legs against the stone. The sights of tall buildings and trees towering over him instilled a sense of humility in his old soul with their mighty girth, but he grunted as a drow guard pulled him away.

"Hey buddy, keep the line going!" the drow spat as they pushed Tree Rex back into the group. "Those spectators didn't pay tons in gold to watch an empty stadium!"

Tree Rex cringed as he rubbed his arm and backed away from the guard, but a gentle pat from Chihiro brought a smile to his face. He turned down to where she grinned back at him, and chuckled a bit as he lifted a finger and prepared to rub her head, but paused and extended his whole palm as he ruffled her head.

"It feels strange being this small," Tree Rex remarked to himself as he scratched his chin. A couple of autumn leaves swirled around his horns and flew in the distance, but as he lifted his hand, they drifted just far enough that he couldn't reach. "I'd completely forgotten how it feels to have everything tower around you."

Another glare from the guards, and Tree Rex promptly shuddered and shushed himself as he crept back above and twiddled his fingers. These drow guards seemed awfully testy, didn't they? Then again, he supposed running the biggest gladiator games these towns have must take its toll on them. The glares they shot him still pierced him all the same, so he just sneaked his way back into the crowd with Chihiro and her Skylanders, which was much easier to do now that he was their size.

The purple dragon, who Tree Rex believed was named "Spyro," carried himself with his head tall and a smile on his face. He immediately perked up and raised a brow as his eyes fell on Tree Rex; he looked as if he wanted to speak, yet not a peep came from him. Tree Rex just waved and forced a smile. Spyro returned that smile, but it was smaller, a bit more tense even as his lips quivered, as he flew back up with the rest of the group and whispered something to Chihiro.

Tree Rex lowered his hand at the sight and his smile faded away. Even with his size diminished, the Skylanders still seemingly regarded him with all the respect and reverence saved for the hero of legend he supposedly was, it seemed. Or perhaps, something about the upcoming trials and the silence of their allies jabbed at Spyro’s mind?

Whatever Tree Rex supposed it was, the roaring thunder of the crowds ahead drowned out Tree Rex's mind, and he turned ahead as a shadow fell over them.

A massive arena, one bigger than any of the ones they had been in before (or maybe that was his more diminutive stature making it seem larger than it actually was, who knew), towered over them all. The crimson flags that lined its top flapped in the breeze. The sounds of trumpets and cheering echoed out from the many ovular openings in the coliseum itself, but as Tree Rex drew closer, those cheering noises revealed themselves to be jeering instead! Cries for blood, gore, and action mixed with the sound of trumpet music. The sickening scent of both butter and blood mixed together, and just the very presence of it churned Tree Rex's stomach. Banners bearing that drow Brock's face rolled out from some of the windows; they stood tall despite the occasional breeze that shuddered them. The banners’ very presence made it known that this was the King's Arena, the final destination of any gladiator who hoped to fight to the finish!

"Well, what're ya waiting for?" the drow guards asked as they slammed into Tree Rex and pushed him forward. "Get in there and fight!"

Tree Rex grunted as the guards shoved him and the others through the entrance. He fell to his wooden knees the moment he passed through the halls, and ended up on warm sand stained red in some parts with the presence of blood that long since dried into its grains. A couple of pained, twisted groans came from ahead. Tree Rex lifted his head just in time to catch a few drow take away muscular gladiators left gravelly wounded and twisted on stretchers.

Tall spell punks, muscular drow, and even more gladiators all donned in the finest armor Tree Rex had ever seen leered over the fallen gladiators, which wasn't exactly a reassuring sight. Tree Rex gulped as that stench of blood grew thicker and he swallowed down a massive lump in his throat. It didn’t help that the jeers and cries of the crowds echoed around him.

"Death! Death! Death!"

"Blood! Blood! Blood!"

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"

They droned like bees, all of one mind as their voices pounded against the walls and shuddered the strings of thin flags that decorated the walls above them. Some beings even got so into it that they brawled with those who sat in the seats next to them! Several drow guards pulled the fighting spectators apart and bonked them on the heads. The fighting spectators collapsed to the cold stone floors that made up the arena bleachers, and the cries of the crowd only grew louder and intenser in a desire for action!

Their voices rattled stray bags of popcorn and bottles of liquid, but even they couldn't shake Brock as he sat on a polished throne placed upon a decorated balcony over the arena floors.

"Well, those guys fought pretty hard, Brock'll admit," Brock said as he yanked a chicken drumstick from a large plate held by a miniscule drow who strained to even keep the thing up. Brock waved the chicken drumstick around with one hand, and he dropped some box-shaped remote onto the arm of his throne with the other. "But they just weren't a match for Rumbletown's finest! Give it up for the Rumbletown Rampagers!"

Those gladiators in the polished armor shook their hands in the air and puffed out their chests. The crowds cries turned to cheers as confetti shot in the air from massive cannons! A couple of beings threw roses, food, and even a few garments into the ring, yet the gladiators were hardly fazed! They all just smiled ever so small, ever so slyly, as if they’d done this a thousand times! The gladiators drew back and turned to Brock as a few spell punks zipped out from the catacombs and swept everything away.

Brock cleared his throat, and his smirk turned wide as his eyes fell on Tree Rex's group. The way he looked, though, it almost felt like Brock glared at Tree Rex himself! Tree Rex gulped and stumbled back just a little, and Brock cackled.

"But, we're not done yet, folks! There's one more team left!" Brock proclaimed. He jumped to his feet and took another bite from his chicken. He chewed as he strode across the balcony with a frown, his excitement dulling by the moment. "They're the heroes of Skylands, protectors of all things good, fighters of evil, and cleaners of stray chompies, but today, they've entered our little games! In one corner we have…" Brock droned away as he held out his free hand and offhandedly gestured to the arena. "The Skylanders!"

The spotlight fell on Tree Rex, and he just shuffled into the background, as did everyone else around him. They nudged each other away from the light, but who could blame them? The moment the harsh, burning light fell on them, the crowds jeered, booed and tossed rotten fruit! One spoiled tomato nearly hit Tree Rex in the head, and beside him, Cynder screamed as she wiped mushy banana from her eyes. These guys really didn't seem to like newcomers, did they?

The spotlight crept away from the as Brock cleared his throat, and Tree Rex breathed a sigh of relief. He never liked that kind of attention anyways.

"Over here, they've fought countless foes, been outmatched and outpowered, left stripped bare of weapons and abilities, wrestled off enemies in their very sleep, all for this moment! In our other corner, we have our undefeated champions, the RUMBLETOWN RAMPAGERSSSSSSSSSS!"

Those Rampager fellows all posed and tossed out their weapons—from sharp swords and spears, to orbs of pure magic, and even gigantic quills—and the crowds went wild! They jumped from their seats, whistled and screamed in joy, and cried out declarations of love and adoration, all for the Rampagers! If them being hometown heroes wasn't obvious enough, that definitely sold it, or maybe it was the way Brock talked with all the joy of an announcer who was paid especially to bring up a certain team and get everyone on their side. Bouncer told him all about those kinds of types from his days as a Roboto-Ball star, and apparently they were some of the worst.

"Now, don't worry about those guys," Chihiro whispered through clenched teeth as the spotlight started to fade, though the tight frown on her face said otherwise. "I'm sure the others busted Ermit out and got him to safety by now. We just need to bide our time until our backup gets here and wipes the floor with these guys."

"If they're coming," Spyro added as he dug his claws into the sands. "They've should've been here two matches ago!" Spyro's claws dug further into the ground, and he hung his head as he hissed. "I hope nothing happened to them."

Both Spyro and Chihiro winced and turned to each other, but turned back to Brock as he cleared his throat.

"Now, folks, Brock know these matches haven't had as much carnage as much as you'd like, but don't worry!" Brock grinned and wagged a finger as he drew back to his throne. "All you bloodthirsty animals will get all the gore and guts you've been waiting for! After all..."

The gate behind them closed down and slammed to hard that it jostled the sands, but where one gate closed, another opened! The sound of pulling chains drew the audience into silence as the Rumbletown Rampagers parted, and out from the back drew open a gate where… Oh no, it couldn't have been!

But, right there past the gates' bars were the rest of the Elder Elementals! They’d shrunk in size till they were no taller than Tree Rex himself now was, and bore those same electrically-charged bracelets on their wrists (or wings, in Eye's case). All of them winced and turned away as the crowds gawked, oohed, and aahed like they were looking at caged animals! But, they said they were getting Ermit and leaving—what happened to them?

"If they don't lie down and get beaten, their little buddies here are gettin' executed for snoopin' around the coliseum!"

"Ninjini! Bouncer! Everyone!" Tree Rex cried as he rushed forward, but Stealth Elf and Spyro pulled him back before he could go any further!

"Tree Rex!" the other Elder Elementals called from within the cage, but soon, they winced as their bracelets zapped them! Sparks crackled from their bracelets as they winced and slunk back, and their cell rumbled as Brock stomped on it.

"Be quiet down there!" Brock spat as he stomped his foot once more. He cleared his throat, shot a smirk back down to the arena fields as he yanked the remote from his throne, and waved it in the air with one hand. "If you don't, Brock'll just zap ya down before your buddies get downed!"

The crowds all gasped in awe and Chihiro stormed forward! Her face was red with fury as she pointed a finger towards Brock and ground her teeth.

"You're a coward, you know that?" Chihiro cried.

Brock just smirked as he casually gulped down another large bite of chicken, and he rested his head on his hand. "Brock would say Brock's more of an opportunist. Whatever that means." As Brock waved his freshly-cleaned chicken bone in the air, his eyes narrowed. "So, what'll it be? Are ya gonna save your friends, or yourselves?"

"We're not choosing!" Spyro cried. "We'll save our friends and get out of your little circus!"

"But how're ya gonna do that? Yer no match for Rumbletown's finest, especially in the shape you're in!"

Brock let out a haughty, hearty laugh as he tossed the chicken bone, and he hit the head of the drow carrying his chicken plate. Brock just grabbed another chicken drumstick as the drow fell down and screamed while the chicken piled over them in an avalanche of meat, and he waved his drumstick like it was a baton.

"That being said, LET THE FINAL ROUND BEGIN!"

The trumpets sounded off, and the Rumbletown Rampagers immediately jumped into action!

The drow swept in first. Their swords bared sharp as they slashed at thin air and kicked sand into the walls as they sprinted forward. As one drow hurtled towards Tree Rex’s group, they raised their sword and screamed as they swung it down. In fact, they'd had nearly cleaved Trigger Happy in half if Chihiro hadn't pulled him away and dashed off at the last minute!

Trigger Happy and Chihiro panted as they slowed down just a bit. Right when Chihiro pressed her hand against the wall and took a breath, a spell punk slid in front of her and tossed an orb right in her direction! She and Trigger Happy screamed and rolled away just in time, but the orb's explosions exploded in a wave of sand that washed them into Spyro, Stealth Elf and Cynder! The five of them slammed into the wall, groaned, yet staggered up right as a bulky drow turned a spear on them.

Right before they could get skewered, Tree Rex charged forward and tackled right into the drow's side! Though he wasn't big enough to knock the drow off their feet, he did throw the drow off their balance enough to toss their spear out of their hands. The spear jabbed into the walls as the drow stumbled back, yet they growled as they charged forward and slammed back into Tree Rex!

The drow's hands locked onto Tree Rex's shoulders, digging into his skin as he grabbed their arms the best he could. Tree Rex pushed against them with all his might! Without his larger stature, it took everything in him to not give in; the crushing grip of the drow dug into his arms, and numbed his muscles so much that he could barely feel his own arms, but he still pushed nonetheless. He was the only one who stood a chance against these guys, and he needed to get through and get to the other Elder Elementals! Tracks drew in the sand as the drow pushed further against him. Tree Rex's eyes started to close, but he dug his fingers in again and strained to push.

He brought the pushing and shoving to a standstill for a moment, but right as he did, something smashed into him from the side and tossed him away! His face crashed into the sand first, next the rest of him. Tree Rex spat out bloody sand grains as another drow heaved a sword up and prepared to strike, but he rolled away and dashed off just before they could. The faint shouting of the gladiators behind him could only barely be heard from amid the crowd's shouts and the scent of lingering blood, but maybe that was just the sand's aftertaste. Either way, Tree Rex pushed it back as he ran between two gladiators, slid across the sands and rushed up to the cage.

"What happened, everyone?" Tree Rex cried. He latched onto the bars as he tried to lean in closer, yipped, and pulled them away. He rubbed his hands as a static shock burned him. "Are you alright?"

"We got ambushed is what happened!" Bouncer shouted back. "There were a lot of them, and we thought we could take 'em since they were so small, but, well" — Bouncer winced and peered down at the bracelets on his wrist — "you can guess what happened."

"We weren't able to get to Ermit, either," Ninjini added as she turned away and crossed her arms. "They tricked us into falling for their diversions, and it seems like we blew the mission."

"Don't talk like that, you two! I'm sure there's some way to get you out!" Tree Rex retorted. "I'll—"

"But what? We're completely locked up here, and there's no getting out of this cell without our powers! Much less freeing anybody else!"

Well, they were right; they were locked up and unable to do anything. But, Tree Rex was certainly able to do something!

"Looks like it's all up to me," Tree Rex whispered as he gritted his wooden teeth.

A burst of warmth came from above, and everyone screamed and scattered as a giant fireball crashed into the ground and heated the sands! Tree Rex rolled out of the way just before he could become kindling. He grunted and pushed himself up as the fireball crashed into the ground behind him, and it blew up into a burning bonfire for moments before vanishing.

As Tree Rex got up, his eyes fell on Chihiro, Spyro, Stealth Elf, Trigger Happy, and Cynder, and he frowned. They all just stood frozen and wide-eyed, but why? Were they enchanted? A couple more spell punks cackled, swept down and prepared to snatch the five of them off the ground as all five turned around and talked to each other.

Tree Rex gasped as he jumped to his feet. "Look out!" Tree Rex cried as he stampeded across the arena!

Everyone turned around right as Tree Rex slammed into the center spell punk and knocked it into the ground, but the other two spell punks turned around and shot their attacks right into his back! Tree Rex's back cracked, and he yelled at the top of his lungs as he pushed himself off the ground. The cold, wet feeling of sap creeping down his back pushed him down just a bit. Around him, the gladiators all crackled their knuckles and cackled as they ganged up on him, but Tree Rex just snarled as he staggered back up to his feet.

"What're you doing?" Stealth Elf cried as she shook her head, her eyes tensing as drops of his sappy blood collapsed on the ground by her feet. "You're way too hurt to take on all these guys at once! Even for an Elder Elemental—"

Tree Rex lurched down, but heaved himself up and forced a smile. "Don't worry about me," Tree Rex groaned as he turned back to Stealth Elf. He dropped his smile as he turned back to the gladiators. "You little guys just stay out of this. I'll take care of this guys!"

Tree Rex grunted as he tackled into a tall cyclops, but it immediately threw him off and tossed him into the arms of a drow! The drow cackled as they squeezed Tree Rex like a ripe fruit, and Tree Rex cried out as the blood flew faster. Spots danced in his vision, and his head spun as the gladiators doubled, no, tripled in number! When did they get so many? Tree Rex didn't know, but his head was full of moss and couldn't piece together a thing; it was all he could do to keep his eyes open!

A surge of pain shot through him, and Tree Rex slammed into the ground as the sound of cackling, screaming, or perhaps even both boomed around him. His vision grew darker and darker. His head was so heavy that he couldn't even lift it to see whatever dug into his back! He just groaned. Within the distance, he could barely spy a bright green glow come from that spell punk he downed, and some kind of tiny blur rushing towards it? Maybe he just saw things.

Another strike came to his back and cracked it wide, and Tree Rex screamed as something pushed his head into the ground! The whole world pounded against him with screams and shouting, but all of it just hurt to listen to. It hurt to listen, it hurt to look. Tree Rex groaned as sap pooled by his arms, and his blurry vision started to give in on him.

He prepared to close his eyes with one last blink, but just then, something slammed into him and his blurry vision turned green instead! The energy flooded back into his body, and his heavy head became light again! A faint cracking sound came, but after it finished, that cold wet feeling of sap disappeared and he immediately rolled away from underneath the ground! His vision cleared enough that he could catch the shocked gladiators talking among each other, but he quickly dove between a gap in the crowds and fell to his knees.

"That was my healing spell!" screeched that spell punk from before as they waved their hands in the air. "You weren't supposed to give it to that overgrown weed!"

"Hush it!" Chihiro cried as she kicked the spell punk in the hand!

Chihiro dashed up to Tree Rex and leaned onto his arm as the spell punk shouted out nonsense. "You alright, Tree Rex?" Chihiro asked as she peered up at him.

Tree Rex blinked, and though the whole thing was still kind of a blur to him, he nodded.

"Alright, next question." Chihiro cleared her throat, and that concerned look she held vanished in favor of a frown and scrunched brows. "What were you thinking. taking all those guys on at once? You were almost killed there!"

A holler came from ahead, and Tree Rex snatched Chihiro from the ground! The two of them rolled out the way of a pikestaff's blow, and Tree Rex frowned as he dropped Chihiro on the ground.

"I have to! I'm the only one who can land a blow on these gladiators, and everyone else's powerless!" Tree Rex's frowned even further as he clasped his hands. "I have to save everyone, because I'm the only one—"

A fireball exploded beside them as Spyro tackled into a spell punk above, and Chihiro and Tree Rex both clung to each other.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Chihiro asked as she drew away from Tree Rex.

Forgetting something? What could he possibly be forgetting? Tree Rex blinked, and Chihiro just tapped his chest.

"Right now, you're part of our team, and nobody works alone in our team, no matter what's happened."

"Huh?"

Chihiro pulled her hand from his chest. "Listen, I get it. You're worried about your friends and you wanna protect them, but you can't do it all alone!" Chihiro frowned for a bit, but beamed as she leaned closer to Tree Rex. "I've got a plan to break everyone out, but I'll need everyone's help, including yours. Think you're up for it?"

Tree Rex warily nodded and Chihiro came up to his ear. "See those bars over there?" Chihiro asked as she pointed to the bars on the cage.

Tree Rex frowned and glanced back over to the cage, where… Wait a second, those bars started to melt! Their metal was red-hot and slightly watery as liquid slid off them in small drips, but when did that happen? Tree Rex rubbed his chin, and he vaguely recalled when that one spell punk nearly burned him alive with a fireball as he talked with the other Elder Elementals.

"Listen to this."

Chihiro whispered something into his ear quick and quiet, and his eyes lit up! Yes, that was perfect! Tree Rex glanced back to Chihiro and nodded; both of them dashed across the sands and kicked them right in the other gladiators' faces! Spyro, Cynder, Stealth Elf, and Trigger Happy dodged underneath the sand wave and got to safety just before they could get hit, but the gladiators cried out as they tried to wipe the sands from their eyes.

"Everyone, keep them distracted!" Chihiro cried as she turned back to them and waved. "We're going to try something!"

The four of them nodded as Chihiro and Tree Rex prepared to leave, but while Chihiro sped ahead, Tree Rex paused and peered back at the Skylanders. He knew Chihiro said to let them handle this, but he was sure that they could use a little push. His eyes fell on one of the smaller drow warriors. He strode forward, grabbed them by their chestplate, and tossed them right into another gladiator! Tree Rex grinned and rushed off as those gladiators knocked into the ones behind them and fell like a string of dominoes. The cries of angered gladiators sounded behind him, but flapping wings joined them as well!

"You're not getting any closer!" Spyro cried. "Or else, you'll taste sword!"

"Actually, I have a better idea!" Cynder cried as the sound of a gun being cocked sounded in the distance. "EAT FLAIL!"

A cry of pain sounded in the distance, but Tree Rex paid no more mind to it than he did the rest of the battles raging below him. He and Chihiro rushed up to where the Elder Elementals were kept prisoner! The sound of explosions and Trigger Happy's cackling laughter rang in his ears as Tree Rex and Chihiro finally rushed in, and both their eyes turned to the skies as the rush of wind burst around them and nipped at their skin.

"What do you think you're doing, soliciting with the prisoners?" cackled a large spell punk as flames manifested in his palms. "It's not going to save you from your impending demise, you know!"

The spell punk cackled as he shot the fireballs towards Chihiro and Tree Rex, but the two of them immediately bolted and left the fireballs' course! The fireballs slammed into the metal bars of the Elder Elementals' cell instead, much to the spell punk's disdain as they cried out. The Elder Elementals screamed and backed away as the spell punk's flames heated the bars and melted them further.

"Alright, you may have escaped me once, but that was just a lucky break!" The spell punk insisted as he whipped up another barrage of fireballs. "But this time" — the spell punk grunted as he cast his fireballs all over the battlefield — "you'll meet your fiery end!"

The fireballs screeched as they slammed across the battlefield, and pillars of fire erupted everywhere they went! A couple spectators screamed and backed away as one fire pillar came dangerously close to the seats. The other gladiators jumped away and abandoned their matches before the flames could eat them alive. Most of all, the fireballs slammed further into the bars and continued to burn them as their metal relented and melted underneath the flames’ heat!

The spell punk still couldn't land a single hit on Chihiro and Tree Rex, who still dashed across the battlefield and skirted the flames with ease. Another round of fireballs cast down on the fields and lit it alight, but the spell punk just cackled as a massive ring of fire trapped everyone inside! Its fellow gladiators backed away from the flames, the Skylanders themselves dropped their weapons and scattered, and the spectators all gasped as the flames blocked off everything from view. The spell punk didn't care in the slightest; he just cackled as he cast even more flames down onto the battlefield!

"Well folks, looks like we've got a flaming hot match on our hands!" Brock cried from above. "Literally! Brock can't even see what's going on through all the fire!"

The flames burst up even higher as another round of fireballs cast down, and the heat turned oppressive and more reminiscent of aestival warmth than fallish chills! Though the heat raged on, the gladiators just grinned and bore it with their eyes fixed on Cynder, Spyro, Trigger Happy, and Stealth Elf instead!

Cynder gasped and flew back as the flames grew and blazed in front of her. Spyro crashed into her and slammed them both into the ground! They both groaned as they lifted their heads up to where a bulky drow loomed over them. They only gulped as the drow yanked them by the scruff of their necks and spun them around! Their screams intermingled with the flames' crackle as they flew off towards another drow, who just punted them right into Trigger Happy. Poor Trigger Happy, he could only turn around and gasp as they crashed right into him and knocked all three of them into the ground. They all groaned and slunk into the ground, for the heat of the battlefield wore them down at last!

The two drow gladiators cackled and banged their hands together as their eyes fell on Spyro, Cynder, and Trigger Happy. Before the drow could reach them, Stealth Elf dashed in front of the drow and kicked one right in the throat! The drow stumbled backwards and broke into a hacking fit as Stealth Elf twirled off, but as she did, the other drow yanked her by the arm and slammed her right into the hot, hot sands! Stealth Elf screamed and tried to push herself up, yet her shaking limbs gave out on her and she just collapsed. The drow kicked her into the pile, and all she could do was scream and clutch her stomach!

The drow glared over the pile of weakened, fallen Skylanders, and they raised their hands to strike—but another fireball cast down behind them and brought attention to a pair of screams! The flames below cleared away instantly, and their eyes fell on where Chihiro and Tree Rex dove into the sands to escape another fireball! The drow both smirked at each other, and they changed course and charged right for Chihiro and Tree Rex.

Tree Rex gasped, rolled away from another fireball, and winced as his eyes fell on the drow. "Chihiro, are you sure this is going to work?" he asked as he rolled away from another fireball and trembled. "I'm not sure how long I can hold out!"

Chihiro grunted as she dashed away from the flames. She peered over through a gap in their fires just big enough to catch a glimpse of the cell, grinned and turned back to Tree Rex.

"Just a little longer, Tree Rex! We'll—"

Chihiro screamed as a cyclops gladiator tackled her into the ground, rolled right into Tree Rex and grunted! The gladiators around them all closed them in, but the pile of collapsed Skylanders could clearly be seen between the faint gaps in their circle. Chihiro herself gasped and scrambled backwards, but yelped and jumped forward as the flames brushed against her back! The gladiators closed in on her at front, and the flames licked against her at the back. From all angles, the situation looked pretty grim!

The spell punk cackled as he floated in front of the rest of the gladiators, and his eyes glinted with malice as a smirk crossed his face. "Looks like you can't run away anymore!" the spell punk bellowed as he crossed his arms. "What'll you do now?" The spell punk raised a brow, and a stifled chuckle came from him. "Cry? Beg? Regret every decision you made?"

Chihiro clenched her teeth and balled her hand into a fist, sneaking glances in the few moments that the flames parted. "C'mon, just a little further…"

"Sorry, what was that?" the spell punk cried as he summoned another round of fireballs. "I couldn't hear your answer!"

The crowds roared as the fireballs came shrieking towards Chihiro and Tree Rex. Tree Rex swept Chihiro into his arms, and pressed her against his chest in some attempt to shield her from the oncoming flames! They both cringed and closed their eyes; they were unable to do anything but embrace their fiery doom as the fireballs came in…

When something leaped in front of them and took the brunt of the blow full force!

"Mmmmmm, toasty!" chuckled a familiarly gravely and worn voice. "Just how I like it!"

Tree Rex and Chihiro both popped their eyes opened. They turned around as both gladiator and spectators alike gasped, and the two of them did as well—for right in front of them was none other than Hot Head! True, he was still shrunk down, and those bracelets were still clamped tight to his wrists, but he broke out of his cell! Not just him, either. All the other Elder Elementals stood by his side and formed a wall around Chihiro and Tree Rex!

The flames all vanished as the Elder Elementals smirked, and the spell punk gritted his teeth as he floated backwards.

"H-How? How'd you prisoners break out of there?" the spell punk demanded.

"Turns out those bars aren't fireproof!" Ninjini smirked back as she crossed her arms. "Those fireballs you threw everywhere slammed into our cell's bars and completely melted them! They're nothing more than a puddle of melted metal now!"

The flames vanished and Ninjini was right. The cell she and the others were once trapped in was completely open, and a puddle of warm reddish-gray metal rested by its base!

"WHAT? HOW'D THE PRISONERS ESCAPE?" Brock screamed! His eyes fell on a shuddering drow, and he immediately pointed a finger in their face. "BROCK THOUGHT BROCK TOLD YOU TO REINFORCE THOSE THINGS!"

"Well, but, sir, it was kind of short notice—"

Brock shoved his face in the drow's and snorted. The drow squealed and gestured to the remote in Brock's hand. "But, sir, don't worry! We still have the remote!"

Brock's eyes popped, and he grinned as he waved the remote high in the air.

"That's right! You lot might've gotten out, but you've still got those bracelets on ya! Yer completely defenseless!" Brock held up the remote like a trophy and sneered. "And Brock's got the remote that'll make those lil' lightning thingies shock ya to bits!" Brock lowered the remote and frowned as he twisted its dial. "Now, how d'ya get this thing to work?"

The quivering drow stumbled over, nearly tripped on their own feet in the process, and reached for the remote. "Well, you see, sir—"

Brock smacked away the drow's hand and snarled. "Brock didn't say you could take it, Brock said to show Brock! Now hurry up and—"

The crackle of fire sparked before them, and both Brock and the drow gasped and leaped away as a fireball crashed down before them! The remote slipped from Brock's hands and clattered onto the floor as the fireball came in and set the entire balcony alight. Brock and the drow, however, were more concerned with sputtering and screaming at the flames!

"Somebody, quick! Put that thing out!" the drow cried as they swerved their head back and forth. "Just who threw that, anyways?"

A cackle broke the surface, and the spell punk gladiator burst into laughter from above the battlefield as a ring of fireballs spun around them! The fireballs crashed down and erupted into flames before vanishing, but the spell punk didn't even care as it glared down the Elder Elementals.

"You lot are mine, understood? I'm not letting this battle be cut short by some unwanted intruders!" the spell punk cried!

A couple of smaller spell punks donning blue robes flew over to the balcony, and they tossed buckets of water onto the flames. The fires themselves vanished, the only remnants of their appearance being scorch marks that coated the balcony like snow. Brock's throne remained unscathed by some miracle, but the remote that he once held was reduced to a smoldering lump of burning metal!

"The remote!" Brock and the drow both cried.

The spell punk gladiator blinked, and his confidence facade disappeared as he craned his head up to the balcony. "Huh?" he narrowed his eyes, and gasped as those eyes fell on the smoldering and burnt remains of the balcony. "Sweet spells, I missed!"

A massive wave of feedback burst from the remote and shot right through the battlefield! As it faded, a series of pops and clicks sounded from down on the battlefield, and the bracelets that Chihiro, the Skylanders, and Elder Elementals wore unlocked and collapsed onto the group as bright, rainbow glows now surrounding them! The crowds oohed and aahed as the Elder Elementals grew back to their full height.

The gladiators now stood dwarfed by the Elder Elementals’ appearance, but the gladiators themselves were not nearly as impressed by this show as the audience was! No, they just gulped and clutched their weapons with trembling hands!

"You see that, everyone?" Chihiro asked as she cracked the knuckles of her glowing blue hands. "There's nothing holding us back now!"

"You bet we did!" Spyro and Tree Rex both cried!

Tree Rex stepped forward and kicked up sand below his feet. Below him, Spyro just swooped in and grinned as Cynder, Trigger Happy and Stealth Elf joined him. All their eyes placed on the trembling gladiators, whose confidence disappeared as they faced their foes. Skylanders, heroes of ancient legend, and a portal master—they had no chance in hell at winning!

"Guess Brock'll just have to send in reinforcements!" Brock cried as he stumbled across the balcony and thrust a hand in the air. "Bring in the next round of gladiators!"

The gates all around opened, and the whole stadium rumbled and shuddered as something stampeded out with such force that dust cropped up everywhere! The spectators screamed as the dust settled. The spectators all gasped and whispered among themselves as they sneezed and rubbed their eyes, for another army of gladiators arrived, all decked in armor and ready to fight! The first wave of gladiators all grinned and turned back to Chihiro, the Elder Elementals, and the Skylanders. Would they relent? Would they pull through?

Chihiro and Spyro stepped forward as they both smiled.

"We can take these guys!" Chihiro cried as she set her hands alight with magic fire with a simple snap of her fingers.

Spyro thrust a paw forward and pointed towards the gladiators. "Everyone, attack!"

"On it!" Cynder shouted as she spiraled through the crowds!

A pair of drow gladiators screamed out as they charged for her, but Cynder turned to pure shadow instead and disappeared as she leaped past them. The drow grunted and turned back around, yet Cynder was nowhere to be found! They frowned and turned away, oblivious to how their shadows snarled and turned more draconic in appearance. That was their biggest mistake, for Cynder leaped out from behind and zapped them the moment they turned their backs and ran! The drow grunted, turned around as they trudged through the pain of lightning coursing through their bodies, and swung punches at Cynder, but she just backflipped into the shadows and disappeared! The drow snarled as they scanned the battlegrounds for any sight of Cynder. The soft crackle of static drew their attention down to their shadows, which turned jagged and crackling like electricity…

And the drow screamed as a massive storm of lightning burst out from their shadows! The lightning coated the entire arena in sharp flashes of black and white as the drow's screams of pain intermingled with the cracks of lightning. Finally, the drow collapsed to the ground, fried and groaning as they fell on their sides. Cynder just slunk out from the shadows and grinned as she stood over the fallen drow, but cackling from behind forced her to duck!

"Hey everyone!" Trigger Happy squealed as he thrust a sack filled with bombs above his head. "Look what I found!"

Trigger Happy cackled as he sunk his hand into the bag, shrugged and flung it into the air as all the bombs spilled out! The bombs crashed into the ground, bounced off as they exploded and coated the arena in smoke. All the gladiators in the arena coughed and hacked as the thick smoke blocked everything from view! Even Trigger Happy himself hacked as he grabbed the bag and held it over his mouth like a mask, but as he did, he caught sight of a pair of glowing eyes and gasped!

A faint cackle knocked Trigger Happy down on his feet as a vampire gladiator emerged from the shadows. The vampire lunged for Trigger Happy, but got bowled over by a glowing green blur! A tiger's growl sounded as the blur batted away the vampire. The blur revealed itself to be a large, green tiger who turned to Trigger Happy and purred as it walked over and sniffed him.

Trigger Happy gulped and skittered backwards as all his fur stood on end. "Er, nice kitty?" Trigger Happy sputtered.

The tiger blinked and chuckled. "It's just me, Trigger Happy!" the tiger replied, its voice guttural but still holding a familiar ring to it. The tiger flipped backwards, and transformed into none other than Stealth Elf as it hit the ground. "Looks like that trick still gets you, huh?"

Stealth Elf lifted a pair of daggers from the ground, and a green glow surrounded her as she leaped back into the smoke clouds. The sounds of cackling, screaming, punching and kicking came from within! Several of the smaller gladiators flew through the clouds, and collapsed bruised and beaten. As the smoke finally cleared, it unveiled Stealth Elf locked in combat with a winged human bearing a sword! The two of them grunted as their blades pressed against each other, but Stealth Elf flipped backwards and kicked the blade right out of her opponent's hand. The blade flipped through the air and fell into the sands, but right before the opposing gladiator could retrieve it, Stealth Elf flung forward and slashed at them once more.

The opposing gladiator snarled and blocked off the blades' blows with their hands, their fingers clasped tight enough around the blade that Stealth Elf couldn't possibly slip them out! Stealth Elf grunted as she flung up and kicked the gladiator in the chest, snatched her borrowed blades back and flipped away as the gladiator collapsed in the sands. The gladiator quickly jumped up and charged after Stealth Elf! Stealth Elf smirked beneath her mask, flipped backwards and slapped her hand against Chihiro's.

"It's your turn now!" Stealth Elf cried as she slipped away.

Chihiro grinned, and her hands flared with cyan magic as she cracked her knuckles. The gladiator that tailed Stealth Elf came right for her, but Chihiro just squeezed her hand into a fist.

"What perfect timing!" Chihiro remarked as she flung her hand into the air. "There's a new spell I've been wanting to test out!"

Cyan magic burst from her palm and soared into the air. It crackled and sparkled as it melded itself into the form of a sword before it landed back in Chihiro's hand. Chihiro grinned, squeezed her hands around the handle, and bolted straight for the gladiator!

"And you're the perfect test dummy!"

The gladiator and Chihiro both grunted as their swords slashed against each other, or so it seemed. Rather, Chihiro's sword morphed into a magic shield the moment their swords made contact! The gladiator's sword stuck tight into Chihiro's shield, and it just wouldn't budge despite all the yanking and pulling they did!

"Spyro, now!" Chihiro cried as she turned back to him and waved!

Spyro nodded and his eyes flashed purple with a single blink. He zipped across the battlefield, charging right into the gladiator! The gladiator screamed, and clutched their trembling side as their sword slipped from the shield and into the sands; they themself fell to their knees.

Chihiro chuckled as she lifted the sword from the ground, and thrust its blade towards the sun. "Nice, dual wielding!"

A growl sounded from behind her. Chihiro winced and turned around as her shield transformed back into a sword. Though they already wiped down a few of the gladiators' forces, plenty of others still remained! The other gladiators all raised their weapons and banged their fists together as they closed in on Chihiro, and Chihiro only stepped backwards as she clasped her swords' handles tight.

"And good thing, too!" Chihiro cried as Spyro, Cynder, Stealth Elf, and Trigger Happy flanked her sides. "Looks like we've got company!"

Chihiro leaned forward and prepared to run, but right before she did, a massive stomp tossed the gladiators in the air! She squeaked as she herself went flying, but as she did, her look of shock turned to something more curious as Tree Rex stomped a second time and winked.

"Leave this to us!" Bouncer cried from beside Tree Rex. He crackled his knuckles, and shot a handful of the gladiators into the ground. "We'll finish this game in no time!"

Chihiro blinked as her eyes fell to where the gladiators fell into the sand, all groaning, dazed and confused. She grinned, and saluted Bouncer and Tree Rex as she fell back down.

With her salute taken, the Elder Elementals leaped into the charge! A couple of the gladiators jumped up from the sands. The haughtier ones of the group rushed up and stabbed their weapons into the Elder Elementals' legs, but their weaponry snapped against the Elder Elementals’ might! The gladiators gasped in tandem with the audience as they pulled back their broken weaponry, screamed, and crashed on a wave of sand as Tree Rex pounded the arena floor with his fist. The gladiators rode the wave, but several of them flew off as rockets and lasers courtesy of Bouncer and Eye smacked them in the chest! As the gladiators slammed into walls, crashed into stands, bonked unsuspecting spectators on the heads, and landed face-first in the sand, a large explosion of sand cascaded in a wave over the stadium! The sand wave washed over the stands, and cast sand all through the bleachers while the gladiators collapsed.

Over in the skies, however, the battle was far from over! The spell punk that freed the Elder Elementals snarled and squeezed his fist as another group of spell punk gladiators flew up beside him. A group of glyphs formed above the spell punks with a wave of their hands, and the glyphs shaped into a pentagram that shot a massive blast of magic right for the Elder Elementals! Ninjini leaped forward and held out her hands as she shot a blast of magic right for the pentagram. The blast became a laser that pierced right through the heart of the pentagram, and her own blast blew it to bits! Her laser fragmented into many as it shot the spell punks right out of the sky, and all but the very spell punk at the heart of it all collapsed to the ground.

"Ha! You missed!" the remaining spell punk cackled as it pointed towards Ninjini.

Ninjini smirked and crossed her arms. "Did I?"

The spell punk blinked, turned around and screamed as the laser shot right for it! It tried to fly off, but a stinger blast courtesy of Swarm stopped it in its tracks. The stinger and the laser collided exactly at the same time, and the spell punk screamed as it went flying out of the stadium from the explosion!

The remaining gladiators warily backed away, screamed and made a mad dash for the entrances. They all attacked the bars in futile attempts to break them open and escape, but as their weapons clanged back, pillars of stone leaped from the ground and blocked off the exits!

Crusher smiled and cracked his knuckles. With a clap of his hands, the towers all came crumbling down! The gladiators screamed, and scrambled away as the crumbling stones toppled towards them, some knocked unconscious as the rocks hit them on their heads. Those who escaped the towers just got doused by a massive torrent! The gladiators coughed and hacked out water as the rain parted, and rushed forward just to slip on the water that remained! They all grunted as they slammed into the ground, and above them, Thumpback just chuckled and turned to Hot Head.

"Hot Head, will you please?" Thumpback asked as he held out a hand.

"Please what?" Hot Head asked.

"Please finish this?"

Hot Head blinked, grinned and whipped out his hands. "You bet!" Hot Head cried as his palms heated up. "Let's finish this with a boom!"

Sparks crackled and flew from Hot Head's hands as they heated up, and a massive volume of flames burst out as it scorched the battlefield! The already-singed battlefield turned bunt and scorched as the gladiators screamed, and when the flames faded, the singed, flaming gladiators just groaned and collapsed! All around the battlefield lingered burned, exhausted, beaten gladiators that could barely even lift themselves from their posts across the battlefield. The audience blinked at first, all in silent awe of their defeat…

But soon, they all cheered as confetti shot through the air!

Chihiro grinned and crept out from behind Tree Rex's legs, as did Spyro, Cynder, Stealth Elf and Trigger Happy. They all grinned and posed for their adoring audience!

"Who's next?" Chihiro cried as she flexed her arms!