Spyro's footsteps pattered against the wooden deck below him, their sound almost completely muffled by the raging wind and rain around. He and his team left the lower decks of the ship behind a long ago, and the upper decks with their polished wooden boards and shiny metal detailing took their place. But, the sheer amount of guards didn't change from below! In fact, Spyro was fairly certain that the forces got even more numerous than before, or maybe they just seemed more intimidating. Massive, bulky pirates lurked around the deck, and their chains and weapons dragged behind them like toys as they groaned and hulked over.

One pirate passed right behind Spyro’s team, and the four of them all gasped and dove behind some crates right as the pirate did a double-take! The four of them snarled and readied themselves to fight as a shadow cast over them, but the roaring sound of footsteps pounding across the deck turned the pirate away. Loud shouts and grunts came from the crowd of pirates that fled to the lower decks, and the pirate that stalked Spyro’s team joined them in the ruckus. That pirate drew up a hand cannon and made a beeline for the stairs below!

Spyro wiped his forehead. He breathed a sigh of relief as he popped his head over the crates, and beside him, Stealth Elf popped up and sighed.

"So, do you think we're going the right way?" Stealth Elf remarked as she narrowed her eyes and glazed over the emptied decks. "'Cause I'm not seeing any Elemental Gates here."

"Patience, my dear elf!" Trigger Happy remarked as he whipped out a solid gold deerstalker cap and pipe. Bubbles flew from the pipe as Trigger Happy blew into it, but he smirked and held it aside as he donned the cap. "We've only just begun our hunt! Oh, how I do love the smell of a good hunt…"

Stealth Elf quirked an eyebrow. "Where did you even get that?"

"Trig does have a point though," Gill Grunt remarked as he drew out from behind the crates and adjusted his water pack. "The thing should be around here somewhere. I'm sure of it."

Stealth Elf seemed like she was about to protest, but Gill Grunt started up his jetpack and flew off before she could. However, it was not before he shot a harpoon right through one of the ship's sails and tore it to shreds. Stealth Elf sighed, drew out from the crates and buried her hands in her pockets.

"Guess we're following Gill then," Spyro remarked as he flew up and right past Stealth Elf.

Trigger Happy giggled, and hopped after Spyro as he stowed his cap and pipe in the back of his fur.

Stealth Elf just sighed and trailed up to Spyro's side. "How are we even certain we have the right place?" Stealth Elf asked. She turned her head down as she kicked a piece of splintered wood away, and casually ducked aside as a blast of water blew a dummy shaped like a pirate into her former spot. "All we're going on is that prisoner's word, and for all we know, they could've been lying through their teeth, or even just plain wrong! After all, they seemed like they were locked up there for a while."

Stealth Elf teleported away as another barrel's splintered remains washed over her old path in a wave. She scoffed as she cast a glare at Gill Grunt—not that Gill Grunt cared, as he was too busy muttering under his breath and blasting away barrels with his water cannons.

"And our leader here seems a bit trigger happy."

"But that's Gill Grunt!" Trigger Happy cried as he pointed to himself. "Trigger Happy's me, and I'm right here!"

Stealth Elf scoffed again and rolled her eyes. "Not what I meant."

Spyro sighed and clasped his front paws. He dropped back down to the deck and folded his wings in.

"I can't blame Gill for being worked up, though," Spyro remarked, and his frown tensed further as he watched Gill Grunt. "He's been looking for Rita ever since those pirates took her away, and hearing she's in a place like this… He must be worried sick about her."

Spyro winced as Gill Grunt smashed another barrel, and winced again—but not from Gill Grunt's strange rampage! No, a burst of chilly wind slammed into him and sends chills down his spine. Stealth Elf shuddered and held her arms beside him, and Trigger Happy's fur stood on end before he frantically patted it down. Fallish chills, perhaps?

Spyro frowned, but a soft sky blue glow garnered his attention. He lifted his head towards the path before them, and grinned. There just ahead was an Air Element Gate, so they were on the right path after all!

"Looks like this is the place!" Spyro shouted!

With one flap of his wings, Spyro flew over to the gate while his eyes shifted to a cool sky blue. He reached his paw out as gentle winds swirled around it, but his eyes narrowed and he whipped around! Behind him, a tiny greeble pirate tilted its head and glazed him down until a burst of wind that came from a flap of his wings blew it off its feet. With the greeble taken care of, Spyro placed his paw on the gate and grinned as it unfurled before his eyes!

Stealth Elf, Trigger Happy, and Gill Grunt all hopped up beside him as the gate sank back into the ground. The four of them nodded as they stepped inside. The gate closed back up behind them, and they took one step forward as they landed straight on a warp. Light swirled around them as the world shrieked, and they whisked away in a flash!

They all gasped and craned their heads around as the light faded away around them. After all, the world around was absolutely beautiful! The skies were a crystal-clear blue with hardly a cloud in sight, the islands around were lush and full of grass and flowers, and even the waterfalls that poured over the islands' sides were crystal clear, shiny, and so bright a blue they practically blended in with the skies! The smell of fresh flowers and cool air wafted over gentle breezes that kissed the face. Everything around was so peaceful, from the way the grass danced in the wind, to the clouds float across the sky's oceans…

"It's beautiful," Spyro gasped as he took a step forward.

"I'd hardly call a place like this a prison," Stealth Elf remarked as she crossed her arms and gave an approving nod.

Gill Grunt, however, wasn't quite as accepting. He cocked his harpoon gun as he stepped forward, and his brows tensed as he glared down a butterfly that flew past him.

"There's probably some kind of trick to this," Gill Grunt reasoned. "Be on guard."

Spyro frowned as he glanced at Gill Grunt, but Gill Grunt just fixed his eyes on the archipelago ahead.

"It doesn't look like there's any way to get around besides flying." Gill Grunt smirked, and adjusted the straps of his jetpack. "Good thing I've got a jetpack!"

Gill Grunt leaped in the air, and behind him, his water jetpack rumbled as it shot out pumps of scalding hot water! He grinned and cheered as he zipped forward—but, he completely stopped in midair just as he hit the skies! Gill Grunt frowned, lowered his head and jiggled his jetpack's straps.

"What's going on with this thing?" Gill Grunt snarled as he fussed with the straps some more as his eyes fell to the skies below. "Wait a second… I forgot!" Gill Grunt blinked, and his snarl turned to a wince as the water started to peter out. "Without any ground to fly off of, I can't FLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"

Spyro gasped as Gill Grunt fell into the depths below, and immediately leaped off the side of the island as he raced into action! The wind snapped at his face as he plunged into the cloudy depths after Gill Grunt, but with a few flaps of his wings and a shift in eye color to sky blue, he was off like a rocket! White streaks like a comet enveloped him as he burst through the clouds and latched on tight to Gill Grunt. Spyro came to a sharp stop and hovered in place.

"Close one, Gill!" Spyro remarked as a cloud manifested underneath his paws. The two of them dropped down, and Spyro grinned as the cloud floated back up. "But in places like these, just leave the flying to me."

The cloud split in half, forming one for each party. Spyro and Gill Grunt floated up to greet Trigger Happy and Stealth Elf, and two more clouds formed between them all! Trigger Happy and Stealth Elf both hopped on the newborn clouds, and the four of them zipped across the skies. The sound of birdsong became their soundtrack as they glazed over the islands. Not that there was anything remarkable; it was all just the same stretches of islands, waterfalls, and clouds wherever they went.

"Doesn't look like there's any prisons or anything here," Spyro remarked as he shielded his eyes with his paw, and turned back to the others. "Keep looking, we're bound to find it somewhere!"

"Find what?" asked a chilly voice from behind!

Spyro's eyes popped open, and he turned around as a cold cackle came from behind him! There before him laid a ghastly man dressed in some mixture of mage and pirate clothes. His clothes were all covered in spiral markings that brought to mind the Air Element's emblem and cloudy patterns. The man's icy blue eyes were as cold as bitter winter winds, and the sharp, sly smile he held on his face only exemplified it!

"You must be jailbreakers," the mage pirate cackled as he held out his glowing sleeves, "but you're not getting away on my watch! I've already had my perfect record broken once, and I'm not letting it happen again!"

The mage cackled as bursts of wind shot from his palms and headed straight for Spyro and Trigger Happy, but the two of them swept away just before the blasts could land! Spyro snarled and leaned down as the blasts slammed into the side of an island and exploded. His cloud zipped off with a racecar's speed. His eyes flashed red as he shot a fireball right for the mage, but the mage just cast a blast of wind with a simple swipe of his hands, and that blast blew the fireballs to embers!

Spyro cried out and stumbled backwards as the winds hit him. As he sat upright and came to, Trigger Happy and Gill Grunt zipped right past him with such speed that he went spinning again!

"No gold, no glory!" Trigger Happy cried as he whipped out his golden pistols and clutched the triggers. "Bang bang bang!"

"Fins of fury!" Gill Grunt cried as he shot a trio of spiraling harpoons right for the mage.

A swarm of golden coins burst from Trigger Happy's pistols, and shielded the harpoons as they all came right for the mage, who gulped as they came in! The mage's eyes shrank. For a moment, he seemed genuinely scared, but then, he just smirked and blew the storm aside with another burst of wind!

The harpoons and coins flew off to the side inside. They nearly blasted Stealth Elf off her seat as she flew across! Luckily, she dove underneath just in time; she thrust out her palms, and shot a burst of green spores towards the mage. Just as the spores went to hit, the mage turned around and blew them away with another gust of wind. Stealth Elf dodged out of the way, grunted as the spores disappeared, but gasped. She dug her hands and knees into the cloud itself as a mighty gust spiraled around.

Everyone screamed as the winds swirled around and took them with it. They all tossed around in the tornado as their clouds disappeared into thin puffs of smoke, but finally, the winds stopped and they breathed sighs of relief. That is, until they all looked down and realized their rides were gone! Once again they screamed as they plummeted into the depths, but just before they could fall to their doom, Spyro snapped his claws and his eyes flashed purple! Magical purple wings appeared on Gill Grunt, Trigger Happy, and Stealth Elf's backs. All four of them flew up and glared down the cackling mage.

"Looks like we're gonna have to try something different!" Spyro cried as his eyes turned to sky blue.

Spyro took a deep breath in, exhaled and shot out a massive, funneling tornado. He blew backwards as the tornado's winds raged straight for the mage, whose eyes popped open as the sound of screeching winds hit his ears. Te mage gasped and shot back a tornado of his own! The tornadoes pressed and pushed against each other as their winds grew stronger and stronger, so strong that the grass around them cut clean in half, and everyone else nearly got tossed aside.

Finally, the two tornadoes burst into one last, chilly gust of wind and vanished! Spyro and the mage both panted and lurched over. Spyro lifted himself up and flapped his wings with all his might! The gusts of wind that burst from his wings hurtled towards the mage, who in turn just shot off wind blasts of his own. Each blast slammed into each other and exploded with only faint shockwaves left remaining; they were perfectly matched, and nothing they did would work!

Spyro drew back and bit his lip as his last blast got completely nullified. "Maybe I should call on some good old firepower instead!" Spyro cried as his eyes flashed red. He chuckled, and flames burst from his muzzle as he yanked it wide open. "Hope you're ready for some SPYROMANIA!"

Right as Spyro finished his cry, a bright burst of orange flames shot out from his mouth and slammed right through the mage! The mage squealed as the flames seared a hole right through his chest, looked down and gulped as he lifted his head up.

"Oh no," was all the mage said as he burst into winds with a scream.

Spyro gasped as the mage disappeared and lowered his paws. "Okay, maybe that was a little too much firepower," Spyro winced as he turned around. "Either way, that guy should be gone now. Let's get going before we get any more unexpected visits."

Spyro glided forward…

"Oh ho ho, but the party's far from over!"

… And stopped in his tracks as a chorus of cackles ruminated around the skies! He turned back around to where the piles of winds the air mage pirate left behind laid, except they formed into a ball of pure wind and split. An entire ring of these windy orbs formed and stuck in place; a bright azure glow came from them, formed a vaguely humanoid shape, and the lights burst as from them came identical clones of that same mage!

Spyro gasped and flew back, but a massive burst of wind knocked him backwards and sent him tumbling into Gill Grunt! The two of them wheezed as they crashed into each other, and gathered their bearings. Around them, the cackling only grew louder and louder! The winds turned bitter and chilly as the mages all flickered and burst into blue, and the mages divided even further! There were so many of them now that it could make one's head spin. Worse yet, they had Spyro, Gill Grunt, Stealth Elf and Trigger Happy completely surrounded!

"We're not giving up until we get you jailbreakers corralled back in!" the mages all cried at once.

"We're outnumbered!" Stealth Elf cried as she flitted backwards.

Spyro grunted and flew out of Gill Grunt's grip. "In that case, there's only one thing we can do!" Spyro cried as he turned tail and zipped off. "RUN!"

Stealth Elf, Gill Grunt, and Trigger Happy all zipped off after Spyro. The mages cackled and zipped after Spyro’s team, all while they shot off bursts of wind and blasts of solid breezes. Spyro and his team members were quick to swerve and dodge, but with so many shooting at them, it wasn't exactly easy! Every blast dodged with just a hair's breath, every blast filled with two more, and the attacks were all so tightly packed in that Spyro and his teammates could barely move! Elbows jabbed against each other as bursts of wind soared narrowly over their heads; screeches rang along with minute cries of pain; cold wings nipped at exposed skin, fur and scales; and the cackling only grew louder and closer with every moment they dodged!

"Alright, this has gone on long enough!" Gill Grunt cried as he turned around and cocked his harpoon cannon. "EAT HARPOON!"

A trio of harpoons shot from Gill Grunt's cannon. With the extra wind, they gained so much speed that they slammed right into a trio of mages, and blew them into thin air without even stopping! The other mages gasped as the last traces of their fallen brethren vanished, but they wouldn't be alone for long. Bursts of flames and shiny gold coins shot forward, and even more of the mages' rank fell to their wrath!

Trigger Happy and Spyro grinned and high-fived each other. Trigger Happy screamed as an azure blur slammed into him and rammed him into the side of an island!

"Ugh," Trigger Happy groaned as his eyes spun around within his head. He popped off, straightened out his crooked wings with a few flaps, and his ears pricked up as something beeped behind him. "What was that?"

Trigger Happy turned around as a fan emerged from the side of the island. He mused it over as he rubbed his chin, screamed and tumbled off as the fan spun off a massive gust of wind! Luckily, Spyro flew over and caught Trigger Happy in the nick of time, but that didn't make Trigger Happy any less dizzy. While Trigger Happy groaned and sat in Spyro's arms, Spyro teleported out of the wind stream and turned back to its path with a grin. The wind blew away the other mages as well! Only the original remained, and judging by the way he held his arms in front of his face, it seemed as though he barely hung on!

"Alright, he's distracted!" Spyro cried as he zipped off. "Let's get going!"

Gill Grunt and Stealth Elf nodded and flew back after the Spyro, the mage long forgotten in their minds. Just then, another powerful gust blew from behind and dragged them back! They all screamed as they tumbled backwards and clung to the side of a nearby island, but even that wouldn't last. Though their hands dug tight into the island's top, the wind was so powerful that it pulled them backwards and drug their hands through the earth.

"What's going on?" Gill Grunt cried as he tried to pull himself onto the island, but slid back down.

Stealth Elf turned her head around and winced. "I'll tell you what's going on!" she cried, her normally-quiet voice strained as she tried to shout over the gust's roars. "Looks like that mage isn't quite done with us yet!"

Behind them, the mage they abandoned sucked in the gust like it was an afternoon snack. As he ate the last of the winds, he grew huge! He was now a giant's size, so big he would have towered over an entire island—in fact, he did! He loomed over the entire string of islands that dotted the skies, all pleased with himself as he wiggled his hands above, and he cackled with all his might. With his gigantic size, his cackles became bigger, too. They were so powerful that the islands below flew off like tumbleweeds at the mercy of his breath, and Gill Grunt, Trigger Happy, and Stealth Elf were quick to follow!

Gill Grunt clung to Spyro's leg as the cackles continue, and Stealth Elf and Trigger Happy clung to the others' legs in turn. Even with their grips held tight, they barely hung in there, and Spyro wasn't much better off! Spyro snarled and dug his claws further into the earth while the island around him rumbled. As the cackles died, he slung against the side of the island and panted, as did the other three.

Gill Grunt snarled as his eyes fell on the gigantic mage. He whipped out his harpoon gun and shot a round of harpoons at the mage! The harpoons twirled in the air as they slammed into the mage's gut, dug in, but bounced off like they were nothing! Gill Grunt gasped and swung everyone aside just as the harpoons shot back and dug into the side of the island.

Trigger Happy smirked below him. "Alright, so harpoons didn't do the trick," Trigger Happy remarked as he whipped out a golden pistol with one hand, "but what about the golden treatment?"

Just a few squeezes of the trigger from Trigger Happy sent his golden coins shooting off like golden comets, but they fell to similar effects. Once they hit the mage’s belly, they bounced off and tumbled down below! Trigger Happy gasped, snarled and dug into the back of his fur with both hands.

"Alright, some gold coins might not take you down, but how about these?"

Trigger Happy windmilled his hands, and screamed out gibberish while all manner of golden weaponry came from his arms: golden safes, golden pots, gigantic gold pennies, gold rockets and cannons that fired out gold cannonballs… Even a gigantic golden hammer! No matter what he threw, it was of no use. The moment they hit the mage, they just bounced off like the rest! Trigger Happy's jaw dropped wide open as they all fell down like the rest, but the wind ruffled his fur and he looked down to find that he clung to Stealth Elf's leg no more!

He turned back up, gulped, and screamed as he fell as well. He frantically flapped his wings in some attempt to fly again, yet the wind's power was so great that it pushed him back down. He didn't have to worry much, for somebody snatched him and yanked him back up! Trigger Happy wiped the sweat from his brow as he lifted himself upright, but a low cackled turned him to his savior's face. He gulped as it came to light that he hadn't been saved at all, for the one who caught him was the mage!

Spyro, Stealth Elf, and Gill Grunt all gasped as Trigger Happy's shrill screams blew several nearby clouds to bits. The three of them flew off the island's side and huddled together.

"Gill, you go on ahead!" Spyro cried as he zipped away. "We'll get Trig back and meet up with you later!"

Gill Grunt nodded as he zipped right off, his blue form barely visible among the skies themselves, and Spyro craned his head back as he winced. Spyro shook his head and narrowed his eyes as the mage came in view.

"Hey, blowhard!" Spyro cried. "Over here!"

The mage frowned, turned around, and screamed as a fireball as big as the sun itself slammed into his face! The mage screamed and wiped the flames off his face as the fireball exploded, and completely dropped Trigger Happy in the process. The mage grunted and grappled his open hand as a screaming Trigger Happy fell right into Stealth Elf's arms. The mage snarled and blasted Spyro with puffs of solid, stormy clouds!

Spyro's eyes flashed sky blue as the clouds glowed and rammed themselves into the mage's gut, but with little effect still! Spyro just turned back and winced as Stealth Elf rammed into him in her giant tiger form, and Trigger Happy shot the mage once again to little effect. Gill Grunt was no longer visible in the distance, and the lack of him deepened Spyro's frown. Spyro clasped his paw for a bit, but a massive gust of wind blew him backwards! Spyro screamed as he tumbled backwards, hovered in place and shook his head as the mage cackled. A snarl crossed Spyro's face, and flames circled his horns as he screamed and rammed into the mage's gut! Once again he bounced off, and Spyro tensed as he shot a round of fireballs at the mage.

"I hope Gill can pull this off," he whispered just slightly.

§

Hot Head, Crusher, and Bouncer winced. They stepped out from where they hid as all eyes turned to Ninjini, but Ninjini herself hardly seemed to care that she was the center of attention. She gripped her wishblades tight, and the snarl on her face grew uglier as she leaned towards the ghost pirates, winced and drew backwards. The wishblades pointed right towards their faces, and all anyone could do was gulp.

"Where are you, Solavita?" Ninjini demanded as fires burned in her eyes. "What exactly are you doing to these beings? How in the Ancients' names are you still alive?" Ninjini pressed the wishblades closer to their throats while those flames grew brighter. "ANSWER ME!"

The ghost pirates all screamed as they scrambled back from Ninjini's wrath, and the glow around their bodies faded! They all groaned and lurched over as their bodies dulled. They lifted their heads, took one glance at Ninjini and screamed like rabid monkeys as they swarmed her! Ninjini spun around and tossed the ghost pirates off at all edges of the ship!

"Get back her, Solavita!" Ninjini boomed as a bright purple flare of magic formed around her. "I'm not finished with you yet!"

A couple of the pirates snarled, leaped forward and went to attack Ninjini, but she just summon shiny purple orbs and blasted them off the deck! As they fell off-ship, Ninjini snarled and clasped her wishblades tight, whipped around and slashed through a particularly large pirate that poised to jump on her! Ninjini heaved heavy pants as the pirate slammed backwards and collapsed against the floor, her brows scrunched and her lips twitching with every breath.

Someone laid a hand on her shoulder as she did. She turned around and prepared to slice, but dropped her blades as Bouncer pulled her away from a blast of ghastly energy! While the energy blast slammed against the floor and dissipated, Bouncer shot down the pirate that shot it, and frowned as he turned to Ninjini.

"Breath, Timah, breath," Bouncer panted as he pulled them both back up. "Whoever this Solavita lady is, I have a feeling she's long gone now."

"I doubt it, Bouncer," Ninjini replied. Her lips kept pursed and tense as she summoned one of her wishblades, and drew it across the deck where all those pirates laid still. "I wasn't sure at first, but now, I'm certain" — Ninjini slashed away a greeble pirate as it tried to attack, leaned back and snarled — "all these pirates, they have parasitic spells with her essence in their bodies!"

"Parasitic spells?" Bouncer repeated as he tilted his head. "What are those?"

"Only one of the worst kinds of forbidden magic."

Ninjini shuddered, and her grip on her wishblades nearly slipped. Her shudders only continued As she caught them just before they hit the floor.

"It's a spell that destroy the victim's soul from within, and replaces it with an extension of the host's own soul. When it's completed, it renders the victim little more than an extra body for the one who cast the spell, with their very essence and existence completely destroyed!"

Bouncer gasped, and Crusher and Hot Head did as well behind him! Their eyes were wide, and Crusher and Hot Head's faces started to pale. The air around them chilled even more than before, and not from the fallish weather that surrounded. All these beings that surrounded them were once living beings who had their souls, the core of the very beings, eaten away and wiped out of existence!

"I'd never have imagined that she'd stoop to such a low," Ninjini shuddered as her eyes narrowed. "I have to find her and put an end to this!"

Ninjini leaned forward and prepared to rush off, but low zombie-like growls and rumbles from behind her caught her attention. She turned around right as the pirates all slunk together. The pirates all leaped into piles and melted together until their ectoplasmic bodies formed gigantic mish-mashes dressed in pirates' clothes! These fleshy blobs with fifty faces and more eyes than they probably should have all snarled, leaped forward and aimed straight for Ninjini! Ninjini flicked her wrist and summoned an entire ring of large purple orbs. With another flick of her wrists, the orbs all crashed into the monster pirates and tossed them away—all but one, that was!

One of the pirates, the smallest of the bunch, but still around Ninjini's size, swept underneath the orb Ninjini summoned and barreled straight for her! While the others splatted on the walls, it just grabbed a massive twin-bladed cutlass from its belt and sliced for her. SHING! Ninjini whipped out her wishblades and pressed them against the blade just before they could take her head off.

The two of them both strained and groaned as they pressed against each other's weapons, and just behind them, the other pirates pulled themselves off of the walls and prepared to engage! Ninjini swept away and turned around as the pirates growled and licked their lips.

"Bouncer, Crusher, Hot Head!" Ninjini cried as she ducked underneath a slash from her opponent's sword. "Cover me, I'll take this one!"

Bouncer smiled as Ninjini blocked another blow with her wishblades. "You heard her!" Bouncer cried as he cracked his knuckles. "Let's roll out!"

Bouncer's wheel screeched as he streaked against the floors below, and Crusher and Hot Head cried out as they pounded after him! With his allies at his heels, Bouncer smirked and fixed his eyes on several of the pirates that set their sights on Ninjini. Those eyes of his glowed a bright red, and he mowed them down with bright lasers! The pirates collapsed and screeched as they held their sides, yet two of them jumped up nonetheless. They wailed as they charged after Bouncer, but he just blasted them away with rocket fists! Bouncer smiled and reloaded his fists as one of the pirates fell off the deck, yet the other one just skidded to a stop. It gripped his fist, tossed it off deck, and it waved its own fists in the air as it charged after him!

Bouncer smirked and drove backwards. "Hey, Crusher!" Bouncer shouted as he held up his hand. "Think it's time for you to drop the hammer!"

"GLADLY!" Crusher cried.

The pirate squealed as it came just inches away from Bouncer's face. Before it could lay a single hit on Bouncer, Crusher leaped forward and slammed it into the deck with his hammer! Crusher lifted his hammer up, and shook the ectoplasm for it while the flattened pancake of a pirate glared at him.

"How's that for hammering it home?" Crusher remarked as his eyes glowed with bemusement.

The pirate didn't seem quite as pleased with his puns, for it just sprung up and wailed to the heavens. Crusher gasped and jumped backwards as it swiped at him. He snarled as his eyes glowed brighter. They shrieked and shimmered for a moment, and out from them came a green laser blast that shot right into the pirate's chest! The blast tossed the pirate backwards. It squealed as it landed on its feet and skidded; it got up and prepared to move as it finally came to a stop—but it couldn't!

Its legs were solid stone, and this stone infection spread to the rest of its body in moments! It only screamed as its body encased completely in stone. While it stood still and silent, Crusher slammed the stone pirate into a nearby wall! The stone casing cracked open as the pirate slammed into the wood and dented it, and the dizzy pirate inside only moaned and whimpered as it slunk down, falling unconscious.

Crusher smiled as he slung his hammer over his shoulder, but screamed as Hot Head rammed into him and smashed him into the deck! Crusher exploded into a bunch of smaller rocks as he made contact and bowled down several smaller pirates. He reformed immediately and scoffed as he glared down Hot Head.

"Watch where you're going, Hot Head!" Crusher scolded.

"Sorry, Crusher!" Hot Head cried back as he stepped in front of Crusher. "Got a bit of a problem here!"

A roar so massive it spat out spittle like rain nearly blew Crusher and Hot Head down. As it settled, both of them winced and glanced up at the massive ghost pirate that hovered above them. It had to be twice their size, and probably just as powerful to boot. Judging by the way it licked its lips, it was definitely itching for a fight too!

"This thing's been on my tail since the battle began, and I can't get it off!" Hot Head exclaimed. "Nothing I do stops it!"

Hot Head snarled as he shook his arm, shot it forward and doused the giant pirate in a thick coat of shiny oil! The pirate wailed and flailed around as it tried to wipe the oil from its face. While it struggled, Hot Head shot a pillar of fire and set it alight! The pirate screamed and writhed as the flames coated its body, but it dropped back to the ground and yowled as it bolted straight for Hot Head. Hot Head screamed as his flames' volume increased, yet even the brighter flames did nothing; they just made the pirate burn brighter and stronger! Hot Head just screamed and transformed into a motorbike before he zoomed across the deck.

Crusher just sighed and shook his head while the pirate made off after Hot Head. "Looks like I'll have to deal with this myself," Crusher remarked as he squeezed his hammer's handle. With a mighty groan, Crusher slammed his hammer into the ground and fissured the decks!

The pirate hooted and scrambled right onto the cracks. It screamed as massive rock pillars burst out from the cracks, and it flew backwards onto the ship's deck! As it rolled backwards and groaned, all the flames on its body extinguished, and all that was left was a very charred, very pained pirate who moaned as it slunk down.

Bouncer and Hot Head wheeled up to Crusher and grinned as Crusher held his hammer tight, but a burst of lavender smoke flew in and sent them all into coughing fits! As the smoke faded and they regained their breath, all three pairs of eyes turned to the lower half of the deck.

There, Ninjini snarled as she faced off against the pirate she claimed before! It still rared to go, but Ninjini herself seemed a bit more battered with her frayed hair and the scratches on her face. The pirate growled as it sprung forward and grappled for Ninjini, yet she just escaped into her bottle and fell to the ground! The pirate's eyes went wide as it flew right over her. It screamed as she sent bottle rockets soaring into its gut, and the pirate itself rolling across the deck! The pirate hit the edge of the deck and moaned as it stood up, buy screamed as another round of bottle rockets flew forward and exploded right in its face!

While the pirate squealed and held its face, Ninjini emerged from her bottle and waved her hands around. Orbs formed and floated around her with every wave. With a snap of her fingers, they shot forward and smacked right into the pirate one by one! The pirate squealed with every blow; as the final one struck it, it groaned and fell unconscious, tongue lolled out the mouth and all!

Ninjini scoffed as she flew beside Bouncer, who only frowned as his eyes scanned the battlefield and the groaning, shuddering, beaten pirates that coated it.

"Isn't there anything that can be done for them?" Bouncer asked as he placed a hand on Ninjini's shoulder.

Ninjini only shook her head. "I'm afraid not," Ninjini explained as she clutched her blades' handles tighter. "The original souls died long, long ago. At this point, they're nothing more than puppets."

The pirates around all groaned and glowed as they split back into their original components, who were still just as beaten and bruised as the originals, and Bouncer hung his head at the sight of them.

"Well, seems as though they're beat." Bouncer lifted his hand from Ninjini's shoulder and wheeled off. "We'd better find Flynn and Cali" — Bouncer squeezed his hand into a fist — "and while we're at it, give this Solavita lady a piece of our minds."

Crusher and Hot Head nodded in agreement as they trailed after Bouncer, but Ninjini shuddered and frowned.

"This isn't over yet!" Ninjini proclaimed as she squeezed her wishblades' handles tight. "I can feel her presence!"

Crusher, Hot Head, and Bouncer all whipped back around. The ghosts floated upright right as they did,—and as the ghosts floated, their eyes shot wide open! They dropped back down to the deck with glowing eyes, but they didn't seem as confident as they usually did. Rather, their eyes flickered and they groaned as they held their heads.

"What in Skylands happened?" their booming voices cried as one, "The connection has never been severed before, and not with such speed! Could it be that I…"

One pirate turned around as Ninjini shoved a wishblade between its eyes. Soon enough all eyes faced her yet again! The pirates' jaws all dropped in tandem as they faced her, but they only smirked and bellowed with laughter! Ninjini hardly found it funny, for she only scowled as they floated up to face her.

"Fatimah, it really is you!" they all cried at once, and their voice filters lifted so that they echoed this Solavita's voice once more. "You're alive, I can hardly believe it!"

"But you won't be for much longer!" Ninjini cried as she held her wishblades out. "Doing something as awful as robbing beings of their lives, of their very souls… It's unforgivable!" The soft glow of magic glinted against Ninjini's wishblades as she turned them around. "You'll be lucky if I even leave your own soul after this! Now, give me some answers—why are you doing all this? How are you still alive after all this time?"

The pirates all just cackled and reeled backwards as they kicked their legs in laughter! They all wiped ghastly tears from their eyes as they leaned forward. One elven pirate tapped Ninjini’s nose as as reeled backwards in disgust.

"I've been waiting quite a long time for this moment! To think, it's finally come!" The pirates all chuckled and turned around. "If you want your answers, meet me at the ship graveyard for a duel. I'll explain everything then and there" — the elf cocked a brow — "and, I'll give you back those little mabu that I caught wandering around there talking about you too! I can only presume they must be friends of yours." The elf chuckled. A few of the other ghosts fluttered up and smirked in Ninjini's face as the elf talked. "I'm sure you're so eager to get them back!"

"Mabu?" Ninjini gasped, though she quickly stowed her shock away as she turned around. "Don't tell me, does she have Flynn and Cali?!"

Crusher, Bouncer, and Hot Head all winced and turned towards each other.

Bouncer wheeled towards Ninjini and nudged her shoulder. "I'm not so sure about this," Bouncer whispered as he leaned closer to Ninjini. "This seems kinda suspicious."

"I'm with Bouncer on this one," Crusher added as he walked up and shot a glare towards the pirates. He wrung his hammer's handle tight as they chuckled, and he turned back to Ninjini. "Something's not right about all this."

"Yeah, yeah! This whole thing is giving me cold feet!" Hot Head cried as he gestured towards his feet, which turned chillier and nearly hardened as they trembled. "Just look!"

Ninjini paused and pursed her lips, but she nodded and floated towards the pirates. "Very well then, Solavita," Ninjini said, "I accept your challenge."

The pirates all cackled, and with a snap of their fingers, an orb of greenish-white light burst before them as it manifested none other than Flynn and Cali! The two of them stood tied together and cringed, teeth chattering and eyes dashing and all, but they grunted as they dropped into Ninjini's palms. They both shuddered a bit, and winced again as they found themselves looking straight at Ninjini.

"Oh, hey there, genie lady!" Flynn cried with a wide grin. "Good news, we found the ship graveyard! Bad news, is, uh, we" — Flynn clenched his teeth and hissed — "ran into a bit of trouble along the way." Flynn coughed and held his head. "Of course, I, as the greatest pilot in all Skylands, wasn't too tied up by it, but—"

Cali shot Flynn a glare, and he only turned away and gulped.

"Shutting up now."

Ninjini shot another glare towards the pirates, but the pirates only smirked and floated off.

"Follow me," they all said as one.

Ninjini took a breath, and clutched Flynn and Cali tight as they all followed the pirates through the ship's depths.