A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry it took so long to update this but here is a nice long action-packed chapter to make it up to you. Don't forget to review. I love hearing from you!

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It took Maeve a minute or two to figure out where she was after opening her eyes. She looked around, desperately trying to make sense of what she was seeing but her foggy brain refused to work. She tried to move but felt a searing pain shoot through her back. She cried out.

She heard a noise somewhere near her. She froze. Someone was walking towards her. Staying alert, she listened to the sound of the footsteps. She couldn't recognize them.

"Who there's?" She asked.

A small voice answered her.

"Maeve?"

Malika. Maeve thought as she opened her eyes.

Frightened Malika.

Maeve forced herself to sit up.

"Malika, are you alright?" Maeve asked.

The little girl nodded, tears welling in her eyes. Maeve's heart broke at the sight.

"Come here." She told the little girl, extending her hand.

Malika sat down on Maeve's knees. The older sorceress wrapped her arms around the young one's small body and rocked her back and forth. But Malika didn't cry.

Maeve looked around, trying to remember what had happened. The back of her head hurt badly. She had been hit and had probably passed out from the pain. But where were the others?

"What happened?" Maeve asked. "Where is everyone?"

"Gone. The guards took them and they took off."

"How come they didn't take you?"

"I got scared and went to hide behind some rocks. They didn't see me."

Maeve nodded. Suddenly, a twinge of anxiety hit her.

"How's Sinbad?"

"He was hurt. He tried to fight the guards when they grabbed him from behind. One of the guards hit him behind the head and Sinbad fell on the ground. They kicked him a couple of times in the stomach then they picked him up and they left."

Maeve was too shocked to say anything. The thought of Sinbad getting hurt was unbereable for her. A feeling of vengence soon consumed her. Rumina wouldn't get away with it this time.

"It's the last time Rumina is hurting my husband. Come on Mal, we have to go free the crew."

The two sorceresses got up. The throbbing pain in Maeve's lower back was unbearable but it was nothing compared to the pain she was feeling in her heart. She just felt like it had been ripped out of her chest. Her friends were hurt, somewhere on this island and Maeve had no idea where they were. She thought of Dermott. Was her brother save? Had he been captured?

"Malika, where's Dermott?"

"Last time I talked to him, he was safe."

"Thank you for keeping an eye on him." Maeve said as she pulled the child into a small hug.

"No problem."

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The cave was bigger than Maeve had thought. They had been walking for hours when they finally caught a ray of sunlight coming from an opening above their heads. Maeve smiled. Rumina might have guarded the entrance to the cave pretty well but she had neglected the exit. The duo climbed the set of rocks leading to the exit and soon stepped out in the setting sun. Maeve looked ahead.

A huge mountain raised before them. At the top, Maeve could distinguished the form of a castle. Probably Rumina's hideout.

Maeve stopped when she realized Malika wasn't following her anymore. She turned around to see the child standing a few feet behind her, her eyes staring into space. A second later, she shook her head and violently came back to herself.

"Maeve." Malika whispered.

Maeve walked back to the child.

"The sources told me that Rumina isn't expecting us alive. She's too busy with the other members of the crew. If we can get there fast, we could surprise her."

"Good idea. Let's go!"

The two of them resumed their walk, picking up their pace as they stepped into the vast forest seperating the two mountains.

The forest was dark and was populated by beasts, animals and birds that made weird noises as Maeve and Malika made their way between the trees. Magic proved efficient for scaring off the animals.

"Let's just hope Rumina didn't hear that." Maeve whispered to Malika as a wolf collapsed to the ground, howling in pain.

The sun had almost disappeared and Maeve could see the first few stars beginning to shine. They needed to hurry. They were running out of time. They had until midnight to defeat Rumina, Dim-Dim had told them. Maeve wasn't quite sure as to why they had limited time to defeat her but she knew better than to question her master's decisions.

"Malika, can you run?"

The child gave her a weird look.

" 'Course I can."

"Good because we need to run for a while. We don't have much time left."

Malika nodded before running off behind Maeve. Branches and leaves cracked under their heavy footsteps as they ran through the darkened forest. But Malika was getting tired and she soon had to stop. The mountain was growing bigger and bigger and Maeve could begin to make out the top over the trees. A feeling of excitment swept through her. They were almost there.

The two sorceresses stopped running and Maeve motioned to the child to sit on the tree stump to rest.

"Just a litte bit more and we're there." Maeve told the child as she tried to catch her breath. "We'll need to free up the other members of the Big Five before we fight off Rumina. Lord knows how long it's going to take us, especially if she's used some spell on the chains."

Malika nodded. Maeve waited a few more minutes.

"Are you ready?"

Malika got up and followed Maeve through the rest of the forest. After a couple more minutes of walking, the sorceress emerged from the forest to find themselves at the foot of the mountain. Maeve turned to Malika and smiled. They had made it.

"Mal, I just need to talk to Dermott for a couple of minutes. You sit tight and don't move. It shouldn't take long."

Malika did as she was told. Maeve then sat down herself, closed her eyes and focused all of her thoughts on her brother. Seconds later, the contact was being made. She opened her eyes and stared straight ahead.

Her trance had taken her into Dermott's body. Through his eyes, she could see that the crew was locked up in a cell, tied up with enchanted chains. She had foreseen well. Rumina had used some of her spells to hold the crew captive. She noticed that her friends all looked tired and hurt. Some were covered in purplelish bruises. Only one person was missing: Sinbad. She felt her anger begin to rise once more.

Look for him. Maeve told her brother. Search the entire place. Come back when you found him.

No problem, Sister. Dermott replied before flying off.

Maeve snapped out of her trance.

She immediately stood up and pulled Malika to her feet.

"We have to hurry. Sinbad is missing and the others look awfully hurt."

"Where are they?" Malika asked, suddenly scared.

"They're in the northeast cells. The bars to the window are not cursed. We'll be able to get in by there. Come on. Let's go find these dungeons."

Malika and Maeve went on their way. They searched for a way to the dungeons but without Firouz's compass, it was hard to figure out which way was northeast. Several times, Maeve tried communicating with Dermott but his brother remained unavailable. Maeve wondered why her brother had tuned himself out.

They had been looking for nearly forty-five minutes when Malika pointed to a tree.

"Maeve! There! Look!" The child said, excited.

Maeve turned in a tree's direction and immediately noticed something weird about it. The tree stood awfully close to the mountain, as if it was planted there for a reason. Maeve walked up to it and crouched down. Moving uncut grass, Maeve discovered a window. She peered through it.

"Maeve!" She heard someone say from the far end of the dungeon.

Maeve immediately recognized the voice. It was Serendib's.

Maeve stood back up and backed away from the window. Five seconds later, the bars blocking entry had vanished. Maeve slipped in first, immediately followe by Malika.

The dungeon was humid and smelled of dirt. The two sorceresses immediately freed their fellow sorcerers. Fortunately for them, Rumina had neglected the captive spells as well.

"Where's Sinbad?" Maeve immediately asked her friends.

"Rumina took him about an hour ago." Firouz replied. "We don't know where they went but, if you want my opinion, he's probably not enjoying her company."

"Guys, I'm sorry to say this but you will have to stay here. It would do no good if you came with us. I'll ask Dermott to check up on you every once and a while and he'll warn me if you are in any kind of trouble."

Then, turning to the Big Five, she added:

"We are going to find Sinbad."

She had been about to turn around when Doubar called her name.

"Maeve?"

"Yes Doubar?"

He took a few seconds before answering.

"I really hope you kill that witch."

Maeve's heart immediately went out to him. He was probably as worried about his brother than she was.

"I will, Doubar. Don't worry." She replied, a new determination in her voice.

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The Big Five had left the dungeon a while ago and had searched the entire castle up and down, without any luck. Rumina and Sinbad were just nowhere to be seen. Several guards tried to stop them as they made their way to the castle but Dim-Dim, too quick for them, froze them all.

"They'll wake up eventually. But we'll already be gone." He said, laughing.

"Malika." Maeve told the little girl. "Ask Dermott where Rumina and Sinbad are."

"Why aren't you doing it yourself?" Bryn asked her friend, confused, as Malika began to concentrate on making contact with the hawk.

"It takes too much energy. I need to save mine for the final battle."

Bryn nodded.

"I see."

Dim-Dim looked worriedly around. Maeve immediately picked up her master's anxiety.

"What's the matter?"

A candle flickered on the wall.

"We need to get out of here." Dim-Dim simply replied.

Taking Malika's hand, Maeve began walking. The little girl, still in her trance, followed subconsciously. More candles flickered as they walked passed them which made Maeve wonder if Rumina had realized they were here.

Suddenly, in the stillness of the castle, Malika began to speak.

"They're in a hidden room. One more flight of stairs and we're there. The door is guarded by a gargoyle. We'll have to move it in order to get in."

She paused a few seconds. Her eyes grew wider and she stopped in her path. Her breath became ragged. The sorcerers all turned to look at her.

"We have to hurry."

There was a hint of urgency in her voice.

"Sinbad is in danger."

Malika collapsed on the floor. Maeve ran to her.

"Malika. Come on, wake up." She said as she shook the child.

But Malika wouldn't wake up. She looked up at her master. The old man crouched down beside the unconscious child and murmured words Maeve had never heard before. Seconds later, Malika was opening her eyes.

"What happened?" She asked, her voice small and weak.

"You fainted." Maeve replied.

She immediately helped the child up. They couldn't waste any more time. Maeve immediately started running towards the stairs, followed by the rest of the Big Five. They ran down the corridor, up the stairs and around the corner to stop in front of the horrendous gargoyle.

Dim-Dim tried pushing it. The stoned gargoyle didn't move.

"She used a spell to make sure nobody would be able to come in." Serendib said. "But which spell?"

They all looked at each other, questioningly.

On the other side of the door, Sinbad was taking what he thought were his last breaths.