CHAPTER 6: THE FINAL SHOWDOWN

Tomorrow morning.

"Sinbad, all things are set. Eyolf and an army of 30 people are waiting under the moutain. Firouz is distributing his explosion sticks to everyone. But because the ingredients are not enough to make sticks, so he make it powder bags. Five capes are prepared. All await your order", Doubar reported.

"All right! Now we just wait for them to show up", said Sinbad while he was watching Maeve had a small conversation with Asif

"I want to go. I'm grown up. I don't want to be a babysitter for Sigrid…Maeve, please", he begged

"Listen…battle is not a playground. You aren't old enough to join us. But Asif, you know what. By staying at home and taking care of Sigrid, you did help us so much. You know Sigrid is so important to me so I'll relieve it I know that she won't be in danger by having you beside her…Know what I mean?"

"…I think I got it. Alrighty! I'll do it."

"Thanks! I owe you a lot", Maeve smiled

"She's so beautiful when she smiles, isn't she? ", Doubar whispered to Sinbad

"Aye…but she's married now. So it's not proper to look at her with those eyes…", Sinbad hurt himself when saying this…

"Li'l bro, yesterday I had a small talk with Asif and I think you should know the fact that…"

"Doubar! Over here! I need your help with these ropes", Bryn called the big man

"I'm on my way…", he talked back…"Sinbad, we'll talk later". Then he went to the brunette

Sinbad was wondering what his brother intended to tell him when Maeve came to him.

"All right! I have Asif look after Sigrid while I'm away…"

"It's good! Maeve…", stopped for a while he then said " Maeve, promise me, no matter what you'll come back safely, for the sake of Sigrid and…and Eyolf."

Maeve rolled her brown eyes. She didn't understand what he had just said

"What?"

But she got no chance to ask for more. Firouz called her

"Maeve, they gonna pass here soon. Come here.!"

Maeve ran to the scientist just in time to see a group of ten skeleton soldiers passed by.

"There you go, lass", Doubar told her

Maeve walked out of their hidden place and came toward those soldiers.

"Hey you!", said she.

The leader of the soldier group turned back to see who dared breaking his favorite gloomy atmosphere

"You? You are the woman Beelzebub is looking for. Seize her", he ordered

"No need to do that. I am offer you my life in exchange for the hawk you had captured yesterday. Now, take me to your boss"

The leader soldier surprised at what she said. He didn't know who was in charge of giving command. This sorceress or he? Confused for a minute, he said to his soldier

"Take her"

In the mean time, five skeleton which were standing behind the group were taken care of by Nomad crew.

"Fine, go back to hell", the brunette said as she turned the last of them into dust by her karate skills.

"All right!...Ready! Then, follow them!", Sinbad ordered as they joined the soldier group toward the castle in their disguise looks.

They went to the first post, there were about 20 soldiers here and the leader of the group which caught Maeve said

"Open the gate. I need to take this dangerous woman to the boss."

"Yes sir, please go here and say the password to the gate. It will open automatically if you say the right words.", said the guard

The leader skeleton soldier came near the gate and spoke out

"Darkness forever"

The door opened and he waived his hand to order the rest to follow him. Sinbad said to other under his cape.

"Hear it? Bryn, you stay here and wait until Eyolf and his people come, then take down the guard, tell him the password and join me up there."

"Roger !"

Then Bryn stayed behind, she hid herself behind a bush and waited for reinforcement.

The rest of Nomad crew continued their way to the second post. They were kind of shocked because there was no guard there. The leader soldier didn't seem to care saying password to some stupid gate again. He slowly walked toward a tree on the verge of the road and pushed aside a rock under the tree.

"Go on", he said as the gate was opening after the move of the rock.

"So, the rock is some kind of switch…Doubar, your duty is just like Bryn's. You know what to do?", the young captain ordered

"Count on me, captain"

So only Sinbad and Firouz were still in the group.

"I wonder how many post left? Those security gates are really get on my nerves", complained Sinbad.

"Maybe only one left. No matter what, we must move on. Maeve's life is in our hand.", Firouz tried to calm his captain

"…and Dermott", Sinbad corrected

"…right, and Dermott…" he smiled but Sinbad couldn't see for he was covered by the cape.

Then the group stopped suddenly. The leader soldier came to Maeve

"Drink it". He ordered as he was handing Maeve a small bottle filled with a green liquid.

"What?", she rolled her eyes as she felt disgusted of what he's holding

"Drink now! You're a captive so you must do whatever I say.", he shouted at her.

Maeve forced hersekf to drink the liquid. The red hair sorceress held her breath and tried to drink that liquid once and for all.

"Gosh! It tasted like…rotten fruit.", Maeve commented.

The whole group of soldiers burst into laughter as they found their joy in others' pain.

"Hahahaha…hahaha"

Only two soldiers kept silent, in fact they were wondering what the use of the liquid was. And they soon found out as the leader soldier asked his group to start going. Sinbad went on and fell down to the ground. Firouz came and help him stand up

"What's up, Sinbad? Why did you fall down all of a sudden?

"I…I don't know. As if there were something ahead prevent me from going forward."

"Now, that really concerned me. Let me try", said the scientist as he went ahead, step by step. Firouz could feel that there was something…something…invisible…just as in the vorgon's case

"Uh oh! It's not good! It's not good at all, Sinbad…I believe another invisible wall is set up here to prevent intruder."

"What? Those meat head seems to like the idea of invisible wall…Wait a sec, so…the liquid…", Sinbad thought of the liquid they gave Maeve

"I think…the wall was set up to stop only those who are not Beelzebub soldiers. If a normal person wants to pass through, he got to drink that rotten fruit liquid"

"Now, that explained why we can't get it through. But…but that gonna ruin our plan. We gotta find another way.", Sinbad became worry. He knew if he couldn't go through this gate, Maeve would be dead. And that he never wanted.

He slowly looked up into the sky and he discovered one thing. Sinbad called Firouz.

"Firouz, look! See the bird above? They…they are flying from our position to the position behind the wall. Know what that mean? "

"Well, I got what you mean. The height of the wall. Let's see, from here to up there…about 3 meters…", replied the curly hair scientist

"Good! I think I can manage it.", Sinbad said and went around looking for something

"Exactly what are you planning? You aren't going to jump over it, are you?"

"Indeed!...Ah yes! This is what I'm looking for", Sinbad said happily. He was holding a long bamboo. Then he warp a rope in his waist, held the bamboo in his hand.

"Hey, how did you manage to find it?...Ah, never mind. Now, Sinbad…you are trying to….", Firouz was worrying that his worry would come true.

"Pole…jumping", Said the captain. "Well, it's a little bit high here. But I think I can do it."

"So, you do know that this wall is higher than normal. Listen to me, captain, you're risking your life." Scientist tried to make his friend changed his mind but it seemed no use.

"Without Maeve, I see no hope in life. Now, will you stand aside, scientist? Yeah…ok! Now I'll try to jump over the wall. Then when I'll have passed it, I'll tight this rope to a tree. Next, you gonna use it to climb over", Sinbad explained the plan

Firouz got no choice but watched Sinbad perform the most dangerous jump he had ever done in his life.

Holding the bamboo in his hand, Sinbad receded, estimated how far he needed.

"All right! Now…or…never…Arrrghhh!", as Sinbad said those last words, he started to run faster and faster then he jumped…and for some miracles, he crossed the wall…

"Sinbad! You did it! You did it! Luckily, this wall is not as intelligent as the one in the Vorgon's case."

"Yeah! Thanks Allah! Now scientist, climb over here now. We gotta make it quick, we've lost so much time."

Firouz quickly did the order of the captain.

"All right! Just leave the rope here. Hope our reinforcement will know how to use it.", said Sinbad then he and Firouz left.

"Sinbad, before we go on, I want to tell you a news I heard from…"

"Firouz, I'd love chatting, but this is not a right time. C'mon, we can talk later."

In the time Sinbad and Firouz got stuck in the third gate, Eyolf, Bryn and the peasant army had broken the first gate, they were on their way to the second gate.

Maeve and the soldiers had come to the castle. The leader soldier left her outside the castle with some soldiers while he went inside and reported to Beelzebub.

"My lord! The red hair sorceress had given herself to our hands in exchange for her hawk."

"So…she was hooked? But why so easy? She didn't fight back?", doubtful Beelzebub

"No, my lord", replied the skeleton

"Then, Rumina had overrated her. She is nothing but a coward chick, yet stupid enough to sacrifice herself just because of a bird…Hahah…"

'Will you shut up you idiot!", Beelzebub was interrupted by Rumina who had just appeared in the magical mirror.

"Rumina…?", confused Beelzebub.

"I don't think this wildful peasant witch could surrender that easily. Why don't you check your security system again to see if it is still ok. I very doubt this…That wench… ", Rumina hadn't finished her words. The leader soldier had interjected her

"Oh my god! Now I realized the unusual thing. When we caught her, we had ten men not include me. But…but when we came to the castle, there…were only five…", he was so frightened of what might have happened.

"And now you tell me, you stupid? We were tricked. They had people disguised as our soldiers and followed us all the time…Hopefully, they had no way to pass the invisible wall…", Beelzebub felt relieve knowing that no ordinary men had ever passed the last gate.

"And you really think so? I would doubt it as the one you are facing is Sinbad…", Rumina said sarcastically

"Sinbad? The master of the seven sea? The unbeatable captain? The most handsome man in the world?...",exclaimed the skeleton soldier

"SHUT UP ! How dare you compliment your enemy in front of me?", said Beelzebub as he kicked the skeleton.

Beelzebub was a little shocked when he saw his minion's left hand bone was cut off.

"What happened to your hand?", angrily he asked

"I…I was attacked by a strange company. The leader of them was strong, he cut off my hand bone.", he answered in shame

"Shame for you! Lost to a normal person! Wait a sec…How many of them? And how did they look?"

"There were five of them, a very very big man, a black man, a curly hair man, the leader and a witch"

"Now, that sound like Nomad team…I am right! My crystal ball had never tricked me. It had shown me right before the time I met you that Sinbad and his stupid crew were here.", Rumina smiled victoriously.

"I see there is nothing worth being glad that you're right. Besides if that sea dog come here, I'll be ready to deal with him. And even in the worst circumstance, we're still having a hostage here…Right, feather friend?..."He stroke Dermott feather and laughed "hahaha"

"So, will I take her in, my lord?", said the skeleton at last

"Sometimes, I wonder why do I still keep such a fool like you beside me. Do I have to answer every stupid question?", angrily Beelzebub shouted

"I'll…I know what to do"…Then the leader skeleton went out

When the three of them were having conversation in the castle, Sinbad and Firouz had came to outside the castle. They spotted Maeve standing with five soldiers.

Maeve looked worried

"What happened to them? Why didn't they show up? According to the plan, after breaking all the gate, they will be here to defeat Beelzebub…What happened?", she thought

One of the skeleton talked to another.

"Hey, feel strange, don't you?"

"What? What strange"

"We used to be ten, but why are we just five now?"

Just as he finished, he felt someone was tugging his cape. He turned back and heard

"Wanna know why? Then this is the answer!"

As the last word was spoken, the skeleton fell over to the ground because of a fist Sinbad had given him. He and Firouz quickly took care of the four left. After that, Sinbad came to Maeve and released her from the rope.

"Where have you been?", angrily she asked

"Finding all the way to come here. Now, if you don't turn down your voice, you'll wake up the whole castle.", Sinbad warned Maeve

"Oh yeah! Really? Thanks for your warning. But do I have to remind you that I'm not the only got a loud voice here?", replied Maeve

"No, anyone else?", Sinbad answered.

"Yes, and this one is you. Big mouth", now the situation really got hot, no one wanted to lose and they started a fight.

"No, I'm not"

"Yes, you are"

"No, I'm not"

"yes, you are"

"Both of you", a voice came suddenly

"Shut up! Who said this?", both Sinbad and Maeve shouted.

"He!", Firouz answered and pointed his finger to the leader soldier who had just came out of the castle.

"Well I have to say that time for argument was over. It…is…time…for…BATTLE", he said and drew out his sword

"Your wish is my command" , Sinbad said and charged his enemy.

"GUARD !", the skeleton soldier shouted and soldiers from castle flooded in.

"Uh oh! We're gonna need help! Where are the others?", Maeve asked while defended herself from a slash of skeleton soldier

"They'll come here soon…or I guess so", replied Firouz and he didn't forget to thrust the nearest soldier to him

"Then they gotta make it quick. Three aren't compared to hundreds", Sinbad added when he gave a counter attack to the skeleton leader.

Feeling that the situation is not good at all. The sea blue eyes captain ordered.

"Maeve, Firouz! Retreat! Run! Run!"

Listening to him, the three ran away to an open field.

"OK! This is a good distance to use magic without being harmed. Maeve, time to show us what you've got over the past two years.", Sinbad asked his sorceress.

"You're trying to test me, right sailor?"…Maeve smiled and concentrated on a blue ball in her hand. It was bigger and bigger as she chanted some spell. Then, Maeve threw the ball to the soldiers which were running toward them.

"Go sleep with fish", she shouted as her magic started to show its usefulness.

Every soldier which was hit by her magic found themselves surrounded by a water ball. They looked like fish in its pond. But skeleton is not fish, it cannot stand the pressure of water. Just about two minute and each skeleton trapped in the water ball burst into dust.

Witnessing how powerful her magic was. Sinbad and Firouz almost dropped their jaws.

"Impressive!", exclaimed Sinbad

"Aye, thanks! I didn't use all my power in that spell …",she twinkled

"Maeve, you are stronger than the last time we fought together. So, this is the differences between a full sorceress and an apprentice one, huh?", Firouz smiled

"…But Maeve, why not use the fireball? I thought your element was fire", asked Sinbad for he used to see the fiery Maeve used her fire ball

"Sinbad, you don't know. Beelzebub's element is fire, too. That's why all of his soldiers got the fire element. If I use fire magic, it only helps increase their strength.", Maeve explained.

"So that's why you use the water ball…water is the opposite element of fire.", Sinbad said

"It sounds logic, Maeve…But in fact, there is a phenomenon called self-vanished. It is when two storms meet each other, both will disappear. So, I think if we can apply this theory here. Maybe using fire magic will help destroy them faster and more powerful…", the scientist suggested

"Sound weird, Firouz! I've never heard of this theory. Not that I don't believe in you, it's just that I don't want to risk. Besides, since coming to this island, I cannot use the fire ball. Beelzebub made it, he didn't want anybody else but him use the fire magic.", Maeve told Firouz.

"Oh…I see…OK! Forget what I said and…"

"Prepare for the next attack.", Sinbad interjected Firouz.