Chills ran down everyone's spines as the pirates lead them off the ship, though whether that was because of the misty, chilly atmosphere of where they were led, or the tension from Ninjini's oncoming confrontation with this Solavita person, remained to be seen. After all, for all the tension the battle wrought, the graveyard itself had it fair share of creepiness to match!

Thick mist coated every angle of it, and instead of floors, it held chilly, slimy, green water that squished and sloshed with every step. Strung across the sides were old ships in all shapes and sizes from tugboats and cargo ships, to full-on tankers and airships in every make and model; all of them held notable wear and tear, like they hadn't been used in ages. All the ships bore the ghost pirates flags and sails, and their hulls decorated with a ghastly glow. The rotting stench of death reeked from every angle with an eye-watering intensity, and dead trees and gravestones covered in cobwebs occasionally cropped up of nowhere amid the mist. Perhaps, they’d always been there, but stayed masked by the mist. Either way, the sight was enough to put anyone on edge.

Flynn shuddered as his eyes fell on the rows of ghost ships.

"Geez, these ships gives me the creeps just looking at 'em," Flynn whispered as he leaned closer to Cali. "They look like they haven't been repaired in ages!"

Cali scoffed as she glazed over the ships. "Somehow, I get the feeling repairs aren't exactly first priority in these pirates' minds."

Flynn shuddered again, and he opened his mouth—but quickly bit his tongue before he could speak! His eyes swelled with tears as he held back a scream, and Cali raised a brow.

"Flynn, what's wrong?" Cali asked. "Bit your tongue again?"

Flynn nodded, and his eyes popped wide as he frantically shook his head! He grunted as he nudged towards Cali, but she in turn snarled as he pushed against her and pushed back!

"Geez, Flynn, don't need to push!" Cali rolled her eyes and turned aside. "What's got you in such a—" Cali gasped, and her eyes turned wide. "The Dread-Yacht!"

"The Dread-Yacht?" the Elder Elementals cried as head turned in every direction. "WHERE?"

Cali and Flynn both hastily shushed the Elder Elementals. as everyone's cries drew to a close, the two of them pointed their heads off to the side.

Sure enough, the Dread-Yacht laid there! It didn't have the ratty condition it was in during the ambush at all, or even the disheveled and disrepaired condition the other ships did. No, it was completely shiny and brand-new, almost! It even bore those ghastly decorations that all the other ships held too!

"I can't believe it, she's alright!" Flynn whispered, his eyes bright before they fell on the sails. "Not liking the taste in attire though" — Flynn shook his head — "but, I suppose we can fix that when we get it back!"

"How are we gonna get it back, though?" Cali whispered as she nudged Flynn's shoulders. She gestured to the many pirates that crowded around them and marched like zombies. "We're surrounded by pirates at every angle!"

Ninjini leaned down and frowned. "Actually, I think I know!" Ninjini whispered. "Once I go to fight Solavita, see if you can distract these pirates and take it then. I should be able to keep her occupied long enough to keep these pirates—"

"What exactly are you whispering about?" asked the pirates behind Ninjini in Solavita's booming voice.

Ninjini gasped, turned around and chuckled as she hid Flynn and Cali behind her back. "Nothing, nothing at all!"

The pirates gave Ninjini an odd look as they walked ahead, eyes raised and frowns paused and all, but a rumble shook the area and they all became groaning zombies once more!

Ninjini gasped and turned around. There, she found that at the end of their path was a rusted gate with all sorts of fancy undead decorations carved in it: rotting roses, ghosts, skulls, bats… It was much more befitting of a manor that a graveyard such as this by design, but the eerie glow it held fit all the same.

"I suppose this is the place," Ninjini remarked as she untied Flynn and Cali and handed them off to Bouncer.

The two of them shared a nod, and Ninjini turned around right as the doors slowly creaked open. Ninjini's hands trembled, but she settled them with a tight squeeze. Everyone around her frowned and tilted her heads, yet she only smiled.

"Don't worry about me," she said as she turned to the gates and glared them down. "This is my fight to face, after all."

Ninjini gulped and dove right through the gates! The others tried to follow, but the gate shut back up the moment she entered, and a massive stone rose behind Ninjini—she truly was alone now. Ninjini tensed; on instinct, she whipped out her hands and summoned her wishblades as she crept in the hall ahead.

"Solavita, I've arrived!" Ninjini cried as she stepped into the light of a round, cavern room and pointed her wishblades ahead. "Show yourself!"

But, Solavita was nowhere to be found! The only thing that laid in the cavern room besides Ninjini herself was a simple stone throne that lacked a carrier. All seemed oddly peaceful for a moment, but then, cackling sounded off as red smoke flooded into the room!

"Why, I'm right in front of you, Fatimah!" Solavita cackled.

A puff of red smoke popped out from the throne, and as it cleared, those cackles grew less booming, less cackling, almost normal. The smoke finally all vanished, and in its placed it revealed… Oh dear Ancients!

There on the throne laid what could only be described as a living corpse! Its skin was bone white, so thin and ragged that it clung to the bones; it could have been mistaken for the actual stuff if not for the wrinkles! Its red hair was thin and strained, and its eyes were little more than sunken sockets with no color to them. It wore a tattered purple and red dress that draped over its body like a sack, so thin that the sparkling silver crystal wheel pendant it wore could barely be seen, and the matching-colored headdress it donned barely fit its head. This, this couldn't have been Solavita, could it?

That same cackle sounded off again as the corpse sat upright in its throne, and the laugh perfectly matched—yes, this was Solavita alright!

"My, my, why the surprised look? I know it's been ten thousand years, but I haven't changed that much," Solavita chuckled as she waved her hands back and forth. Her eyes narrowed, and she drew a hand to her face as she chucked. "If anything, I'm more surprised by you!" Solavita pointed a wrinkled hand towards Ninjini. "All these years and you haven't aged a bit!"

Ninjini hissed through her clenched teeth, and furrowed her brows as she pointed a wishblade towards Solavita. "Nevermind that!" Ninjini cried. "Answer me, Solavita! Why are you doing all this? Why are you taking innocent lives for your own gain? How are you still alive after all these years?"

Solavita broke into a hearty laugh, though it was more chilling than anything with her warped, twisted cackle, or perhaps, the sight of her old foe just threw Ninjini off guard. Solavita quelled her laughter in that instant, lifted herself up and hovered off of her throne.

"I'll tell you alright!" Solavita cried. She hovered for a moment, zipped right up to Ninjini and shoved her face in Ninjini's own. "After I sealed you away in that little bottle, I'd thought I'd be satisfied!" Solavita turned away and scoffed. "Now that you were out of the picture, I was finally the strongest sorceress in all Skylands! I thought I'd feel proud, confident, powerful even…"

Solavita scoffed, and the smug smile she held on her face disappeared. She held her head and squeezed her hands into a fist.

"But, I only felt nothing!" Solavita turned around, and a bright red glow burned around her eye sockets.

"You may had been gone, but I never truly bested you! I couldn't rest knowing that my title hadn't truly been earned, that it was only won by sheer deception. So, I went to unleash you and truly earn the title for myself…"

Solavita narrowed her eyes and the glow became even brighter.

"But you. Were. Gone!"

Ninjini gulped, leaned backwards and gave Solavita a small nod. "That's right," Ninjini whispered, "I broke free of the bottle you trapped me in, and was crowned one of the Elder Elementals soon after."

"Do you have any idea how demeaning it was to hear that?"

Solavita shuddered and panted. The red glow that once laid around her eyes spread to the rest of her body. She screamed and her voice gained the volume of a thousand!

"That bottle was one of my strongest spells, yet you still broke free of it like it was nothing! Worse, you were chosen by the Ancients! You! Even though I was the most powerful sorceress in all Skylands by then, you still found a way to get ahead of me!"

Solavita's body shuddered, but she breathed in and floated back down to the ground.

"I knew then that I couldn't rest until I proved myself by defeating you, but by that time, you disappeared," Solavita said, and a wicked smile crossed her face as she chuckled again. "Everyone around me was completely convinced that you perished, but I couldn't believe that." Solavita's smile turned to some strange combination of a grin and a snarl. "After all, my fated rival couldn't possibly have died, not when she still owed me a final confrontation!"

Solavita chuckled, floated back to her throne and sat down. She drew her fingers across her face, and Ninjini only shuddered and floated back. Just the sight of this withered, wicked corpse that was Solavita sent chills down Ninjini's spine—but, Ninjini couldn't bring herself to turn away.

"So, I spent these past few millennia traveling Skylands, capturing others, and absorbing their life essence to keep myself alive and powerful, all so I'd be prepared for the day when we could finally have our fated battle." Solavita sighed and peered down at her bony arms. "But, as time passed and I grew older and older, it became harder and harder to sustain my body. It wasn't something I could keep doing alone."

Solavita clasped her hand and sighed, but her forlorn status disappeared as she turned back to Ninjini with a smirk.

"So, I implemented the bodies of those I stole life essence from with my spells, and fashioned them into a formal pirate crew! With them as my puppets, I can just sit back and let them do the work while I get all the spoils!" Solavita cackled and placed a hand to her chin as she grinned. "Brilliant, is it not?"

Ninjini's face paled; her wishblades nearly slipped out of her hands, but she gripped them back and gulped. She was sure Solavita could smell her fear, shock, and disgust—just the sickening smile on Solavita's face was enough to show that. Instead, Ninjini snarled.

"It's horrendous, that's what it is!" Ninjini cried! She squeezed the wishblades once more, and her snarl grew deeper. "You killed so many beings all for the sake of a confrontation that might not have even happened! Not only that, but you robbed them of their very souls, of a chance to live on after death as well?" Ninjini's vision turned red and hot, and she swung a wishblade just inches away from Solavita's face, "You're not brilliant! All you are is selfish!"

"Call me that all you want!" Solavita cackled as she hovered over her throne. A sickening mixture of red and purple light radiated from her body. "I finally have the chance to prove myself the superior warrior I've yearned for" — Solavita's eyes shrank as she summoned swords of her own — "and now that I have it, I'm going to take it!"

"Bold of you to assume I'd lose to a wretched corpse such as yourself!"

Ninjini rushed right towards Solavita and slashed forward, but Solavita teleported away as Ninjini cast her blows. The only thing Ninjini sliced was Solavita's throne! Solavita growled; with a snap of her fingers, she summoned blasts of magic that shot straight for Ninjini! Ninjini turned around right as the blasts closed in on her, and she summoned purple orbs that shot right back—but the orbs cracked and shattered the moment they got caught in the magic blasts!

Ninjini gasped and rolled away just as the blasts smashed into Solavita's throne and blew it to bits, but bright red ropes wrapped around her as she caught her breath, and they squeezed her tight! Her wishblades clattered against the floor as she squirmed and struggled. A powerful zap of electricity came from the ropes, and Ninjini knelt down, shuddering as the static coursed through her veins. Her flesh pulsed and seared with intense, throbbing heat as she panted.

"Ah, that throne ran its course," Solavita chuckled as she held a hand to her face, "but what a pity, I'd have thought you'd last longer, at least."

Ninjini scowled as Solavita's smug smile glared her down. Ninjini stretched out a glowing hand from the confines of her roped self, but only screamed as the lightning shocked her once more! The sharp buzz of electricity set her body on fire, yet she still kept her focus as she fixed her attention on her scattered wishblades. If she could just get even one of them over to her side… Ninjini narrowed her eyes, and one wishblade rattled as it fluttered off the ground! The wishblade dashed over, slashed the ropes apart with a single slice, and Ninjini claimed it just before it hit the ground.

"And for a walking corpse, you still have quite a lot of fight in you!" Ninjini remarked as she summoned her second wishblade back and pointed it at Solavita's face! Solavita drew back a bit, and Ninjini herself tensed as she lowered her wishblade.

Looks like I'll have to get a bit more creative than I thought, Ninjini thought as she clasped her wishblades' handles a bit tighter

"My, my, Fatimah, didn't all those years as an Elder Elemental teach you to pay attention during your fights?"

A thick shadow cast over Ninjini. She craned her head up, and screamed as a gigantic skull crashed down towards her and yanked its jaws open! The skull ate her up with a single gulp; it chuckled as it hovered just inches above the ground, but completely shattered as sparkling bottle rockets smashed its cranium to bits! In the center of it all, Ninjini's bottle hovered where the skull once laid, and Ninjini herself popped out as she glared down Solavita.

"How did you do that?" Solavita cried as she floated backwards, jaw agape.

Ninjini scoffed. With a wave of her hands, lavender sparkling smoke burst from her bottle and covered the entire room! The faint sound of cold, rattling coughs echoed from between the sound of hissing, screeching smoke, but Ninjini just waved her hands.

The smoke transformed into all sorts of weapons: missiles, swords, drills, and cannons all formed in their grip, and they all pointed straight at Solavita! Solavita was none the wiser as she hunched over and hacked. Solavite lifted her head as the sound of screeching echoed through their fighting chamber, and screamed as a missile slammed her right in the chest! She shot her into the wall with a sickening crack; Solavita groaned as she slid down, and parts of her skin torn off to reveal cracked, brittle bone underneath. Solavita fell over and collapsed as smoke poured from her face.

Ninjini held a wishblade to Solavita's throat, lifted Solavita's face to hers, and scowled.

"Your reign of terror ends now, Solavita!" Ninjini proclaimed as she pushed the blade closer to Solavita's throat. "No longer will you take any more innocent lives and manipulate them for your own selfish gain! Your petty grudge has driven you to evils innumerable." Ninjini's brows narrowed, and her gaze almost faltered into something more somber as she looked away. "All I can hope now is that the Pits are harsher to you than I was."

Ninjini drew her blade and prepared to chop, but a rattling, bone-chilling scream from the other side of the door caught her ears! She turned around and glanced, but the crack of lightning, and a massive flash of red light drew her attention back to Solavita. Ninjini gasped as the red light stained the walls like blood.

In the heart of it all, Solavita hovered from the ground—but more than that, Solavita changed! Her dying body grew spry and flush with color once more; her death-white skin became a warm peach, and her hair long and silky. Blood red eyes popped from what once were empty eye sockets, and even her clothes fitted and adjusted as if they were brand new! Solavita cackled as she hovered back down to the ground, and an aura of red energy flared around her.

"Ah, finally!" Solavita cried, her voice booming, and fresh with youth and power. She held up a glowing hand, splayed it to admire her lively form, and stretched out the hand as it glowed with bright red magic. "Now, I can finally get serious!"

§

Hot Head, Crusher, Bouncer, Flynn, and Cali all pressed their ears to the massive, gritty stone wall that blocked them off from the world inside. The sounds were muffled, and the five of them could barely make out what was going on, but from what they could glean… It wasn't good. The cries of shouting, clanging weapons, and shattering rock all came from the other side, and they sounded pretty intense despite the muffled volume!

Cali winced as she turned herself away from the wall. She hummed as her eyes turned back to the masses of pirates behind them all, who only stood mindless and wide-eyed like zombies. Her hums continued as she waved her fingers, and she gently nudged Bouncer's head.

"Guys, guys!" Cali whispered! They all turned to her, and she grinned as she pointed back to the legions of ghost pirates. "It looks like her control on them broke! Now would be the perfect time to get the Dread-Yacht back!"

Bouncer, Crusher and Hot Head all grinned as they turned to each other, but Flynn just cringed back on Bouncer’s other shoulder.

"I'm not so sure about this," Flynn remarked as he glanced back at the ghosts and shuddered, then shook his head and forced a proud, but still quivering smile. "I mean, there's a lot of ghosts out there! Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not worried at all—I'm one of Skylands toughest, I'll be fine! Probably." Flynn shot a wary eyeball down at the ghosts, and his smile faded as he turned back to Cali. "But I don't know if you all could do it!"

Cali sighed and rolled her eyes, her arms crossed and pressed tight against her chest. "In that case, we'll need a diversion." Cali craned her head up to Bouncer. "Think you guys can come up with something?"

"Oh, I already have," Bouncer remarked. He winked as he placed Cali and Flynn down on the ground, held out his fingers and grinned as their tops popped open. "Hey, ghost guys!" Bouncer called as he turned around. All their eyes fell on Bouncer, and Bouncer's opened finger started to glow. "Catch!"

Bright red bouncy balls leaped out of Bouncer’s fingers right as he said this, and they bounced in every direction! They leaped from the walls and slammed into the pirates' backs; they hit the pirates in the guts and exploded upon contact; they even jumped from wall to floor and back again in a hectic, hasty single motion. The pirates all screamed as they raced around in circles and shouted as they took cover, yet the balls' reign of terror wouldn't relent!

With the pirates distracted, Hot Head transformed into a bike, and slammed into the murky waters with a massive splash! His engines revved in spite of the muddy water that dripped off his body and evaporated in a flash. He grinned and nudged his head aside as he glanced at Flynn and Cali.

"Hop on!" Hot Head urged.

Flynn and Cali did just that! Flynn clung to Cali as she clutched onto Hot Head. Hot Head, in turn, jumped up and revved his engines, mud and water screeching and splashing behind him as he raced across the swamps!

The shouting in the distance grew fainter underneath the splash of mud and water. Hot Head zoomed past rows and rows of abandoned ships, snarled and slid underneath a ship that freed itself of its chain as it flew off. Hot Head flung himself back up as he passed underneath the ship's hull, right as the living passengers of the ship grinned and shouted something about freedom. Hot Head scoffed and lowered Flynn and Cali to the ground with a gasp.

"There it is!" Flynn cried as he poked his head over Cali's shoulder and pointed towards the ships. "The Dread-Yacht!"

Sure enough, the Dread-Yacht's green hull poked out from the massive rows of dully-covered, cobweb-coated ships! better yet, it looked completely unmanned, to boot. Getting it back would be a piece of cake!

"Alright, time to blaze this trail!" Hot Head cried.

His engines revved ever further, and with so much power that smoke poured from the exhaust. He zipped off with such speed that the water below him evaporated to make way for his blazing fire trails! The Dread-Yacht grew closer and closer with each roll of Hot Head's tires, so close that he completely passed it and zipped back around before he transformed to normal.

Flynn and Cali screamed as the sudden transformation launched them in the air, but Hot Head just snatched them out and tossed them right towards the Dread-Yacht! Not that their screaming ceased any, though. In fact, it grew even louder as they bowled straight for the deck and slammed face-first onto it. They both groaned and sat back up. Behind them, Hot Head gave them a thumbs up, transformed back into a motorbike and zoomed off.

"Talk about a rough landing," Cali remarked as she got up and brushed herself off, "but, at least we got here."

Both their eyes fell on the engine room's door. Surprisingly, it was open still, in spite of the fact that everything around it was closed tight. For that matter, a kind of eerie feeling wafted from it, something that chilled the air around—or maybe it was just the chilly breezes that rushed out from its halls. Either way, it wasn't exactly a welcoming sight.

Flynn shuddered as he forced himself to puff out his chest. His teeth chattered so furiously that it was a miracle they hadn't worn themselves down yet.

Cali grabbed a flashlight from her pocket and turned it on. "Come on!" Cali said as she held out her flashlight. "We can't dawdle around!"

Flynn reluctantly nodded, and gulped as he tailed Cali down the stairs, their sole source of light the flashlight in Cali's hands. The air grew chillier the further they went down, to the point where it was a miracle the area hadn't frozen over. Though, the thin streams of mist that hovered across the area indicated the chill enough. For that matter, soft, gentle moans whistled through the hallway's panels, ones that sounded more like actual voices than the cold songs of wind.

Cali glanced from side to side and held her flashlight ajar. Beside her, Flynn puffed his chest out and forced a smile.

"Do you hear that, Flynn?" Cali asked, her eyes still stuck on the halls themselves. "It kinda sounds like voices."

Flynn winced as another howl resonated through the halls, yet forced himself to smile and hold his head high still—even if his arms and legs trembled furiously still.

"Oh, I hear it alright! Sounds like it's one of those ghost dudes!" Flynn proclaimed between the chatter of his teeth. His eyes fixed on the walls as he trekked down the stairs, and they were wide as they took in the mist and howls. "Don't worry, Cali! Whatever they throw at us, you'll be perfectly fine as long as you have me by your side! After all, I am the—"

CRACK went the path ahead as a fury of bright lights shone from ahead, and Flynn screamed as he leaned backwards! He completely lost his balance, left to flail as he tottered back and forth across the steps, but finally, he fell forward and rolled down the stairs!

"Flynn!" Cali cried as she bolted down after him.

Flynn screamed as he hit his head on the floor and bounced off, groaned, and sat up as thin, wispy, mist birds circled around his head. He leaned back as Cali came down with a frown.

"Did… You know… You look extra pretty today?" Flynn groaned as his head spun in circles.

Cali rolled her eyes and shooed the birds away with a wave of her hands. The crackle of electricity above snapped both her and Flynn back to their senses! Cali turned her flashlight on the source of the light ahead, and found none other than the engine. Bright lightning burst from its open heart in shades of yellow and purple, while its panels and wires had turned charred from the heat and shock! Heck, the heat that radiated from it was so hot that it warmed the room in bursts, crafting clouds of steam and mist with every pulse and rattle.

"The engine! Those ghosts must have done something to it!" Flynn cried as he jumped to his feet and adjusted his hat. "Luckily for us, I know just how to fix it!"

He stormed over to the side of the wall, punched it, and grinned as a panel fell out, offering him a toolkit. Flynn yanked the toolkit from the walls, dashed over and yanked a wrench out, his eyes fixed on the engine… But he screamed and jumped backwards as another flash of lightning burst from its inner workings!

"Maybe?"

The sound of howls and moans echoed from around the halls once more, and Flynn gasped as he turned his head around! He glanced from left to right to back again, and yet not a single direction lead him to the source of the howling—in fact, it seemed as though it was coming from all over the place! It whistled from the holes in the left wall, echoed from the ceilings and floors…

WhoooOOOOooooh!

OOOOOOoooooohhhhhHHHHHH!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Flynn gritted his teeth. His trembling hands fumbled with the toolbox's handle, but the engine before him rattled and shuddered! He screamed as bolts flew out of its confines and banged against the walls, and ducked back down as one nearly slammed him in the face!

"I'm warning you, engine!" Flynn cried as he held the wrench with both trembling hands. "You don't wanna mess with me! I'm the greatest pilot in all Skylands, and I've dealt with way worse than an angry bunch of bolts!"

The moans grew louder and louder as the engine rumbled more furiously than before. The engine clunked, and even more mist burst from its confines as ghosts leaped out! The ghosts all moaned and wailed as their eyes fell on Flynn, and their fanged jaws unhinged as they floated closer to him. Flynn screamed and ducked as one ghost glazed over his back, then he turned back and rolled out of the way as another one tried to snatch him up!

"Ghosts in the machine are new, though!"

Cali grimaced and jumped aside as one of the ghosts tried to snatch her up as well. She shone her flashlight right in its eyes! The ghost wailed, shielding its eyes and writhed in place, and Cali dug her paws into her pockets in its moment of distraction.

"C'mon, c'mon, there's gotta be something in here," Cali whispered. Her brows leaped up as she hit something cool and hard; she yanked her hand and grinned as she found a dagger in her palm. "Got it!"

Cali twisted her flashlight and intensified its glare so that it lit the entire dim room. She tossed it aside and grinned as she held up her dagger.

"Flynn, you just worry about getting the engine working again!" Cali cried as she dashed forward with her dagger held tight. "I'll take care of things here!"

"Roger that, Cali!" Flynn cried as he saluted Cali back! He yanked his toolbox off the ground, claimed his wrench from the floor and glared down the engine. "I'll have this baby ship-shape in no time!"

Cali nodded, jumped aside and rolled across the floor as another one of the ghosts lunged for her! The ghost grunted and swayed from side to side as she staggered up. Cali screamed as she leaped forward and slashed it with her dagger in its moment of hesitation, but her eyes popped wide as she phased right through the ghost. Cali shuddered, rolled across the deck while all the ghosts turned their eyes on her, and jumped up just as they raced back for her. She slid apart and slashed at them again, yet her blade phased right through their bodies once more! Cali winced and stumbled backwards as the ghosts moaned and hovered back for her, diving into her pocket once more.

"Guess I'm gonna need something a little more powerful!" Cali cried as she yanked out her hand and showed off a trio of grenades. "Good thing that trip to the Angolmois Ruins taught me to always have a couple of these handy!"

Cali leaped back and slammed the grenades into the ground. They exploded in flashes of shining light! The ghosts screamed, shying away as the lights seared against their bodies and sizzled their ectoplasm. Cali smirked as she basked in their horror. She yanked out a vial from her pockets, popped a cork, and poured its deep purple liquid over her dagger.

"This ghost-repellent oil should give me just the boost I need!" Cali cried. She tossed the bottle aside, dashed right up to the ghosts and leaped in the air. "Take this!"

Cali slashed her dagger right across the ghosts' bodies—and it actually worked! The ghosts let out unholy screeches as they shot backwards and slammed against the walls. Murky teal smoke poured from their wounds. They groaned and gnashed their teeth as they floated upright; their bodies turned red hot as they charged after Cali!

Cali slid out of the way just before they could ram into her. Two of them slammed back into the walls and shook their heads, but one dove right into the engine! The engine shuddered and tossed out bolts and screws as the ghost shook within, and beside it, Flynn screamed and clutched his wrench. The ghost popped out and shook its head, oblivious to how Flynn attempted to hit it, and zipped right back after Cali!

Cali gasped, jumped out of its way, but spun aside as another ghost narrowly charged into her! She ducked down as the third ghost zipped right over her head, then staggered up and wiped her head. Just then, a fourth ghost popped up behind her and blasted her in the back with a ball of ectoplasm! Cali screamed as she tumbled backwards and hit the wall, pushing herself up.

Right as she tried, the ghosts swarmed her and pinned her down to the floor! The cold metal brushed against Cali's fur and set it on edge as she squirmed and wiggled against their grip, but they held her down too hard. She couldn't escape, not with all four of them on her! Cali yanked her dagger off the floor with her teeth and stabbed one of the ghosts right in the eye. The ghost wailed and flew backwards as it held its leaking eye, but Cali spat the dagger back out and jumped to freedom!

"Flynn, are you done yet?" Cali cried as she yanked her dagger off the ground and slashed at the ghosts once more. "I can't keep this up forever, you know!"

"Getting there, Cali!" Flynn cried back as he screwed a few bolts back into the engine. "I think she's almost back to normal!" Flynn grimaced as the engine released a mass of thick smoke from its pipe with a ka-put. "That can't be good."

Cali winced as she drew another dagger and ghost-repellent oil bottle from her pocket. "Well, guess now's the best time to practice dual wielding," Cali remarked as she reached for the bottle's cork.

Just before she opened the bottle, a loud crash and howl sounded off out from outdoors! Cali turned around, gasped, and flung her arms across her face as the ghosts all dashed up the stairs. She lifted her head as the last of the ghosts disappeared up the stairway, leaped forward and hiked the stairs two at a time.

Cali panted as she rushed out the open door and back to the deck. There the sight of ghosts flying off in the distance could barely be seen—but, the sight of Hot Head's flames and Bouncer's lasers was clear as day! Cali grimaced as she climbed off the side of the deck, latched onto one of the many tires hung over the Dread-Yacht's side, and swung the tire around as she leaped back into the muddy water.

The mud clung to her boots the best it could, but it didn't impede Cali's speed any as she raced across the floor. The world rumbled as the sound of Bouncer, Crusher, and Hot Head's shouts resounded across the battlefield, all melded with the gnashing and blood-curling screeches of angry ghosts, while the mist around thickened and gained a sickly aura to it. But, just amid the mist, Cali vaguely spotted the coattails of fleeing ghosts that leaked with smoke! So, Cali bolted past the mist and right into the heart of the area where Bouncer, Crusher and Hot Head had laid…