by Onk Beakman
“Of course he does, FOOL!” interrupted Kaos. “He knows that I, KAOOOOS, have come from the future to help him defeat Nefarion.”
Chapter Eight
Big Bad Ice Bomb
Grim Creeper couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Wizbit,” the reaper pleaded. “He’s tricking you. Surely you can see that?”
The Mabu scratched behind his ear with his staff. “All I know is that Kaos told me that you would arrive, claiming to be Skylanders. Claiming to be my friends.”
“We are,” said Eruptor.
“Liars!” snapped Kaos. “I know you are agents of the Nightmare King, sent to capture brave Wizbit and stop him from carrying out his plan. I know the truth.”
“Truth?” exploded Eruptor. “You wouldn’t know the truth if it crept up and bit you on the bottom!”
“You leave my bottom out of this!” Kaos yelled. “Evil burns in your hearts, all three of you. I know it, and so does little Wizbit here.”
“Burns in my heart?” Eruptor scoffed, unable to keep his temper under control anymore. He was steaming, quite literally. “I’ll show you what burning really means.”
A deep rumble could be heard from Eruptor’s body. The other two Skylanders tried to inch away from their fiery friend, knowing what was about to happen. Eruptor was about to live up to his name and erupt into a pool of boiling lava. It would be worth it. As soon as the magma burned through Wizbit’s rope they would be able to teach Kaos a lesson once and for all.
Eruptor screamed, the rumbling reaching a climax. “I came, I saw—and I burned!”
Slam Bam screwed his eyes shut, ready for the scalding lava to roll over him, but nothing happened. He opened one eye to check, but could only see Kaos snicker to himself.
“What’s the matter, Eruptor?” the evil Portal Master asked. “Get cut off in full flow?”
“I—I don’t understand,” Eruptor said, looking down at the ropes as they glistened in the gloom of the cave. “Why can’t I erupt?”
“Those ropes do more than bind you,” Wizbit explained sadly. “They stop you from using your powers.”
“You are as helpless as a newborn sugar bat!” Kaos sneered. “Finally, I have you where I want you, FOOLS!”
“See?” said Grim Creeper, pleading with Wizbit to believe them. “Kaos just wants to stop us from stopping him. He’s using you, Wizbit. Don’t trust him!”
Wizbit looked at his accomplice. “Do they speak the truth, Kaos? Are you just using me?”
Kaos rested a hand on the Mabu’s shoulder.
“See how they seek to confuse you, old friend? If I was using you, why would I have promised to sneak you inside King Nefarion’s castle?”
“He’s promised you what?” Slam Bam asked.
Wizbit looked down at his sandals. “I shouldn’t say.”
“No,” Kaos said. “Do it. Talk me through your BRILLIANT plan, one more time.”
Wizbit looked nervously at the Skylanders, who were still trying to break out of the impossibly tight ropes. “You mean, in front of them?”
“They are powerless,” jeered Kaos. “Thanks to you. Tell them how you will defeat their master once and for all! Tell them how they’ve FAILED!”
Wizbit nodded. “Very well.” He wiggled his nose and a bomb appeared in the air, floating in front of him. Its surface was covered in frost, and icicles hung from its smooth bottom.
“This is the Big Bad Ice Bomb,” Wizbit explained. “One of Skylands’ most Legendary Treasures. It took me years, but I finally tracked it down.”
Slam Bam couldn’t help but be intrigued. Like all yetis, he was fascinated with anything connected to ice. “What does it do?”
Wizbit still didn’t look sure about revealing his plan, but with a little coaxing from Kaos he continued. “Once detonated, it will freeze Nefarion and his infernal kingdom in eternal winter. Skylands will be free of his tyranny forever!”
“Once inside the Nightmare King’s castle,” Kaos said smugly, “Wizbit will sneak the bomb under Nefarion’s throne. The Nightmare King is DOOOOOMED!” Kaos smiled at the aged Portal Master. It was the kind of smile that could curdle milk. “Isn’t that right, Wizbit, old buddy, old pal?”
The Mabu nodded, but Kaos wasn’t finished yet. “No, say it out loud, Master Wizbit. That’s what you plan to do, isn’t it?”
Eruptor felt his lava itching. Something was wrong here.
“Y-yes,” confirmed Wizbit—and the walls started rumbling.
Actually, that’s an understatement: The walls started shaking. Violently. Stones tumbled from the high ceiling as deep cracks appeared all around the cavern.
“W-what’s happening?” squeaked Wizbit.
“Oh, it’s nothing.” Kaos smirked. “Just more of my friends arriving.”
Behind him, boulders started rolling from the walls and joining together. They were forming into huge, hulking moss-covered figures.
“Wait a minute,” said Eruptor. “Those walls aren’t even walls!”
“Correct, lava breath,” cackled Kaos. “Meet the Stony Stone Golems of DOOM!”
Chapter Nine
The Stony Stone Golems of Doom!
The Stony Stone Golems stomped past Kaos and formed a circle around the tiny form of Wizbit. The trembling Mabu squeaked as a massive hand closed around his trembling body, plucking him from the ground.
“Let go of me,” he pleaded. “I don’t understand what’s happening.”
“Kaos has double-crossed you,” Slam Bam said with a snarl. “That’s what!”
“But why?” wailed the furry Portal Master. “You said you were my friend! You said you would help me defeat Nefarion!”
Kaos pretended to be shocked, batting his evil eyelashes. “Me?” he gasped in mock surprise. “Help you defeat my master?”
Eruptor did a double take. “Your what? Since when did Kaos serve anyone?”
“Since I met the Nightmare King,” announced Kaos. “Since I met the most evil person who ever existed. A monarch so menacing that he makes my own mother look like a Fluffkin. Behold, your lord and master. Behold, NEFARIOOOOON!”
The air above Kaos shimmered and a gigantic head appeared, glowing the sort of green shade most people only turn when they’re feeling queasy. It was bigger than Kaos’s own beloved giant head and twice as ugly, if such a thing was possible.
This was probably because the head was wearing the Mask of Power, not broken into eight pieces but complete. It was more hideous than Eruptor had imagined, encircled by a mane of snakes that writhed and hissed, spraying venom from their needle-like fangs.
This was Nefarion, the Nightmare King—and by the look of him, he more than lived up to his name!
“Master,” Kaos simpered, dropping to one knee. “How marvelous to look upon your wickedness again.”
“SLAVE KAOS,” Nefarion thundered. “YOU HAVE SERVED US WELL!” The voice was like a thousand noisy dragons roaring at once.
“Thank you, your Horrendous Majesty,” Kaos said, bowing even lower. “Did you hear what the traitor Wizbit said he was going to do to you?”
“WE DID!” replied the Nightmare King. “HE PLOTS TO FREEZE US IN ETERNAL WINTER!” The head broke into maniacal laughter. “HE IS A FOOL!”
“The most foolish of fools,” agreed Kaos. “But I, KAOS, have delivered him to you!”
“I am a fool,” Wizbit agreed from within the Stone Golem’s tight grasp. His voice was stronger than it had sounded before, and Eruptor noticed that his eyes were dancing with defiance. “I am a fool to allow myself to be taken in, and maybe even a fool to believe that I could beat you. But, as long as there is breath in my body, I will keep trying.”
“VERY WELL,” boomed Nefarion. Dark lightning flashed from his beady eyes, striking Wizbit in the chest. The Mabu cried out before falling silent, his body slumped over in the
Golem’s fist.
“No!” yelled Eruptor. He strained against his bonds, turning to face Nefarion’s head. “You’re nothing but a big bully. Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?”
“LIKE YOU, LITTLE LAVA ANT?” the Nightmare King mocked. He rocked with terrible laughter once again. “YOU ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO US! NOTHING!”
“We’ve heard it all before, Big Head,” scoffed Slam Bam, fixing Kaos with a hard stare. “And it always ends the same way.”
Kaos smirked at the yeti before spinning on his heel. “Don’t listen to them, my lord. They are just SKYLOSERS, every last one of them.”
Nefarion looked quizzical for a minute. “SKY-WHAT?”
“Um, I said sly losers,” Kaos quickly corrected himself. “Insignificant worms—although to be honest, that’s being unfair to worms.”
“ALL ARE WORMS IN OUR PRESENCE!” the Nightmare King bellowed.
“Oh, you do go on, don’t you?” Kaos hissed beneath his breath, his sickening smile never slipping for a second.
“Now you know how we feel,” muttered Eruptor.
“GOLEMS, BRING THE PORTAL MASTER TO US!” Nefarion ordered. “HE SHALL BE PUNISHED FOR HIS TREACHERY.” The Nightmare King fixed his eyes upon Kaos. “AND AS FOR YOU . . .”
“Yes?” Kaos asked, distinctly less confident than he had been before.
“BRING US THIS ICE BOMB. WE WISH TO EXAMINE IT!”
Relieved, Kaos bowed. “As you command, Your Repugnant Majesty!”
“ALL SHALL SERVE THE NIGHTMARE KING!” the head boomed before vanishing, taking Wizbit and the Stony Stone with him.
“Weeeeeeell,” said Kaos, rubbing his hands together in glee. “What shall we do now, FOOOOOLS?”
Eruptor gritted his teeth. “How about I burn through these rocks and then smother you in lava?” the lava monster suggested.
“Oh yes, the ropes. How’s that working out for you?” Kaos said with a sneer.
Eruptor looked down to see that his lava was having little effect on the golden cords. Beside him, Slam Bam was growling with frustration as his ice just slipped off the ropes. Only Grim Creeper remained quiet. The reaper had managed to snatch a sharp stone from the cave floor and was busy sawing it back and forth across the cords behind his back.
“Those ropes are resistant to magic tricks as well as extreme temperatures, SKYBLUNDERERS,” Kaos cackled. “Not even a Fire Viper could burn its way free.”
“What are you going to do with us?” asked Grim Creeper, getting straight to the point.
“Do?” retorted Kaos innocently, an evil smirk creeping across his horrible face. “Me? Why, absolutely nothing! Why would I want to do anything to three of my worst enemies, especially when A) they are tied up in a deep, dark cavern, miles underground; B) they are trapped five thousand years in the past, and; C) they’re about to be crushed beneath a freak cave-in?”
“What cave-in?” asked Eruptor, his superheated heart sinking.
“This cave-in,” Kaos replied, firing a bolt of energy from his fingers. It hit the cave roof, loosening the already unstable walls.
Rocks began to rain down as Kaos snapped his fingers and Portalled away with the Ice Bomb. “Bye-bye, SKYLOSERS. We won’t meet again. Mostly because you will be BURIED ALIVE! Bwa-ha-ha-HAAAAAAA!”
Kaos’s rotten laughter was drowned out by the roar of the roof collapsing on the three helpless heroes.
Chapter Ten
Buried Alive
“Okay, that could have gone better,” admitted Slam Bam as the rocks settled above them.
“No kidding!” replied Eruptor.
“Well, at least we haven’t been crushed,” pointed out Grim Creeper, trying to keep the mood light (which can be difficult when you’re buried beneath several thousand tons of heavy rock).
The reaper had a point though. At the last moment, as the roof had tumbled down, Grim Creeper had managed to saw through Wizbit’s magic rope. The golden cord had fallen away, restoring the Skylanders’ powers and giving Slam Bam just enough time to throw up an ice shield. Talk about a narrow escape!
The problem was the yeti had no idea how long the instant igloo could hold up the weight of the cave-in. It was holding for now, but was already starting to creak ominously thanks to the incredible weight bearing down on it. Plus, it was starting to melt thanks to Eruptor’s natural heat.
It wouldn’t last long.
Slam Bam tapped against one of the slippery ice blocks. “I guess I could create some icy supports for the ceiling,” he suggested.
“Where?” asked Eruptor. “There isn’t enough room to swing a chili dog in here.”
It was true. The Skylanders could hardly move without elbowing one another in the face.
“So, what’s the plan?” asked Grim Creeper.
“Simple,” said Eruptor. “We escape this inescapable prison, follow Kaos to the Nightmare King’s palace, and stop him from taking the mask.”
Grim Creeper broke into a smile. “Excellent. And how do we escape?”
Eruptor shrugged. “Yeah, I’m still working that bit out.”
“We could tunnel our way out,” Grim Creeper suggested.
“If we don’t get crushed first,” said Slam Bam, scratching his head.
“Eruptor could burn through the rocks,” Grim prompted.
“Yeah, but only after I burned through you two in the process,” sighed Eruptor. “Look, kid. You did well, cutting through that rope, but until we can think of an escape plan that doesn’t involve us being pulverized between rocks—”
“Or you grilling us by mistake,” added Slam Bam.
“—we have to accept that we’re stuck here.”
“Are you giving up?” Grim said, not quite believing what he was hearing.
“Of course not!” Eruptor said. “We’re just temporarily out of ideas, but we’ll get there. We’re Skylanders, and Skylanders never give up. Not even when we’re buried alive.”
Grim Creeper’s face lit up. “That’s it! Eruptor, you’re a genius!”
“I am?” Eruptor asked, sounding as if he didn’t quite believe it. “I mean, of course I am.” He leaned closer to Grim Creeper, which was quite an achievement as they were pretty close in the first place. “Why, exactly?”
“You said we were buried alive,” Grim said, repeating Eruptor’s words. “But we’re not—not all of us, anyway.”
“Did you get hit by a rock when the ceiling caved in, buddy?” asked Slam Bam, looking concerned.
The spooky Skylander laughed. “No! You two are buried alive, but I’m buried Undead! I’m a ghost, remember? And I can do this!”
As his friends watched in amazement, Grim Creeper slipped out of his leather armor and floated in front of them in all of his ghostly glory. “When I’m in my armor, I’m as solid as you two . . . ,” he said.
“Or these rocks!” realized Eruptor.
The ghost nodded. “But, when I’m like this, I can slip through the cave-in as easily as a hot scythe through Rotting Robbies.”
Slam Bam punched the air, accidentally punching Eruptor at the same time, but the lava monster didn’t mind. “Good thinking, kid!”
“I’ll get up to the surface and find help!”
“From who?” asked Eruptor.
“I’ll head to Nefarion’s castle,” the ghost replied. “There must be someone there who doesn’t like the Nightmare King. You two stay here. I’ll be back in no time.”
With that, Grim Creeper’s ghost was gone, slipping easily through Slam Bam’s igloo and disappearing into the rock.
“‘Stay here’?” Eruptor repeated. “Where does he think we’ll go?”
Beside them Grim Creeper’s empty armor shrugged, the hood and gloves floating in the air as if the Undead Skylander was still inside.
“Okay,” Slam Bam said with a
shiver. “That’s just spooky.”
Chapter Eleven
The Wailing Walls
“Wahoo!” Grim Creeper’s ghost shouted as he appeared above the ground. “I’m a free spirit!”
He had found himself in a storm-lashed valley. A rain forest lay behind him, but his target was ahead.
A massive castle rose into the stormy sky. Its jutting towers were illuminated by lightning between the heavy clouds. Grim Creeper set off, floating over the barren wasteland that surrounded the castle. The Undead Skylander hailed from the Underworld, one of the most terrifying places in all of Skylands, but even he was unnerved by this place. He could almost taste the evil in the air—and all because Nefarion had the Mask of Power. Grim Creeper didn’t want to imagine what terror Kaos could unleash if he managed to wrestle the mask from the Nightmare King.
It wasn’t just the atmosphere that was making Grim Creeper nervous. As he approached the formidable fortress he realized he could hear mournful voices singing the saddest of songs. It was only when he neared the black battlements that he realized where the singing was coming from.
The bricks that made up the massive walls were carved into the shapes of singing skulls. Grim Creeper couldn’t tell if their dreadful song was just to frighten away attackers, or whether the bricks really were that sad. Either way, it didn’t do much to raise his spirits. For a moment, he even considered turning around and floating away as fast as he could.
Grim Creeper frowned. Don’t be such a silly spook, he scolded himself. You’ve been in scarier places than this. The other guys are depending on you. You can’t let them down.
Closing his eyes, the Undead Skylander sped up and passed through the Wailing Wall.
Inside, the Nightmare King’s castle was even colder than the chilly air outside. Grim slipped down a corridor, passing portraits of Nefarion’s ancestors. Have you ever felt like the eyes of a painting are following you around a room? In this case, they did exactly that. The portraits’ eyes tumbled out of their painted heads and bounced after the reaper.
