Chapter 1

Sinbad stood happily with the tiller in the crook of his arm. He could almost feel the ocean breathing as it carried him toward the horizon. It was barely dawn, and most of the crew were asleep. He closed his eyes and contentedly breathed in the cool, salty air. Hearing the sound of wings behind him, he turned to see Dermott perched on the wood above his head.

"Good morning," he greeted the smallest member of his crew. "You're up awful early. How's our little hero today?"

The bird made some general sounds and Sinbad smiled at the funny little bird. "Yes," he agreed as though he could understand what the bird was saying, "it is a nice morning. Is your mistress up yet?"

The hawk chirped a couple more times and then with a screech took off to land on the arm of Maeve as she exited the door that led to the lower-deck.

"I guess that means yes," Sinbad mused as he nodded hello to Maeve.

"So, Maeve," Sinbad asked as she came up to him, "do you feel happier now?"

"Now what?" Maeve asked looking puzzled.

"Now that we're back on the open seas and once again on our way to finding Dimdim?"

"Yes," Maeve said a bit hesitantly, "but lately I've been sensing something else." Maeve said, absently played with the feathers on Dermott's chest as she stared off the prow of the ship, "It feels to me as though Rumina is regrouping for another attack, but as though she's not alone. It's almost as if a new power has entered the game. She'll be coming for you, Sinbad, and she's not going to be very happy that you destroyed another one of her schemes. Especially one as world-altering as that one was."

"What are you talking about, Maeve?" Sinbad asked with one of his cocky grins, "it was Dermott that ruined that scheme, I had nothing to do with it."

"Right, and it wasn't your idea that Dermott fly into the grotto and drop the Griffen's Egg? It wasn't you who destroyed her rock monsters? Sinbad, you know even if you hadn't done anything, if you were even there, Rumina will blame you for it."

Sinbad shook his head, smiled and said, "We'll worry about that as it comes along. For now enjoy the day, it is going to be a beautiful one, I can already tell." They suddenly heard voices from below and out onto the deck plowed Doubar, Firouz, and Rongar.

"You don't understand," Firouz was saying to them, "I still think the Griffon's Egg was scientific, not magical. If I was able to compress enough of my exploding powder into a small enough space I still thing I would have been able to created the same effect. It's all a matter of pressure and force. If the pressure is large enough in the..."

"Good morning, little brother!" Doubar interrupted him in a loud voice as he went to greet Sinbad. Firouz looked slightly offended, but shrugged and approached, also grinning as he looked at the lovely weather.

"So, where are we off to today?" Firouz asked Sinbad, he face beaming with curiosity.

Sinbad grinned and stated, "Back to Baghdad. We are dumping our newest load of cargo, getting some more and heading to wherever we want to go in our search for Dimdim."

"I'm afraid that plan with have to wait, young captain," came a voice from the front of the ship. The crew started and looked to see Cairpra.

"Cairpra?" said Maeve looking startled. "What are you doing here?"

"Warning you. You were right in thinking that Rumina is still alive child. You were also right in feeling that she is not alone. Not only has the demon Scratch joined her, but so has Turok."

"Scratch and Turok? That's impossible. Turok is dead," said Doubar.

"Did Rumina do that, or does Scratch have that type of power?" Maeve asked horrified.

"I'm afraid, my dear, it wasn't Scratch who accomplished this feat, though it was well within his power. Instead, their Master, one who Dimdim bound many years ago, has finally broken free enough to interfere directly, and they are coming after you, Sinbad, and your crew."

"Their Master?" Sinbad asked curious, "Turok didn't strike me as the type to bow to anyone, and Rumina never mentioned any Master."

"Ha, Rumina might not have even known about him. I surmise that her introduction was cut short when you chopped off her father's head."

"That brings up an interesting point," said Firouz. "This might not have anything to do with the current subject, but I've been thinking about it for a while now. Alright, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't a spell wear off after a spell caster's dead?"

"Yes," Cairpra said, smiling at the clever little scientist.

"Well, when that Vizier monster of the Prince's sent Dimdim 'traveling a different path,' I was thinking that the spell that was causing him to travel it should have warn off, because Sinbad plunged a spear through the monster's head. Or even if it was Turok's powers that sent Dimdim down that path, the spell should have been broken after Sinbad cut off his head. So, why is Dimdim still traveling the different path?"

"This actually applies more than you could possibly know. You are very intelligent to have figured this out. The truth is, it simply wasn't Turok's or that flesh-eating creatures sorcery. It was the Dark Lord's power temporarily given to that vile creature. The Dark Lord has not died therefore the sorcery lives on. Do you really think my husband, would have been unable to defeat that spell if it had simply been the work of Turok? But that is not why I have come here. I came to warn you all, and especially you, Sinbad, that they are coming after you."

"Is it just for revenge?" Doubar asked with a large grin, "because I can understand how they might be the slightest bit miffed at us," he began to laugh loudly remembering their fortress crumbling. The others joined him, and even Dermott seemed amused.

"It is more than that. This time, revenge is secondary. A new battle is coming, but it will not be waged on a battle field, it will be fought in your own hearts." Cairpra stopped and looked around at the crew, "Now, more than ever, your Captain needs you. He needs your strength, loyalty, and above all, your love for all that is good. It won't be so easy this time to defeat them. And you," she said, turning to look at Sinbad, "you must understand you are possibly the most important person on the Earth right now."

"Great," Maeve said rolling her eyes, "it's not like he doesn't have a big enough ego." The crew softly chuckled but were silenced as Cairpra sent Maeve a stern look.

Cairpra shook her head, and softly murmured, "An old married couple."

Sinbad looked startled and then grinned slightly. Maeve looked highly offended, and opened her mouth, but Cairpra swiftly silenced her. "Something different is in the wind, and for once, I don't know what it is. The Dark Lord's powers are hiding their plans from me. However, I do know that if you fail, evil may very well win forever. Now," she said, smiling fondly at them, "take good care of yourselves, and no matter what, trust to the good inside of you." With that she vanished, and the crew was left staring at one another.

"Ah," Doubar said, "Dimdim chose well when he married that one."

"Aye," Maeve mused, "he did."

Firouz looked at Sinbad and then said, "So, where are we going?"

"Well, she didn't expressly tell us to change course so I suppose we might as well continue toward Baghdad. It would have helped if she had given us a little more instruction. Like how are we supposed to defeat this new evil?"

Rumina smiled as she stared into her newest spy-pond. She stuck a finger into the water as though tracing Sinbad's features and said, "You don't, dearest. You simply become the prize in this little game. Both sides will be after you, and although the side of good has a head start, we know your weaknesses."

"Having fun, my dear?" Turok asked, as he emerged from the shadows.

"Yes, father. Did the Master say anything else?"

"No, but explained some of the things you have been doing in my absence that you failed to tell me about. No wonder he thought you'd like the new plan."

"You disapprove, father?"

"Well, I'd assumed he was just a common sailor with extraordinary luck, but now I see differently. It is strange how the winds of fate entwine us, isn't it, my dear?"

"I've always known there was something special about him, but I didn't realize."

"Yes," Turok said with a cruel sneer, "and the fact that it was lying right under the old fool Dimdim's nose and he didn't realize it either, just makes the whole affair that much richer."

Looking at each other, the father and daughter began to laugh. Scratch, who was nearby listening, also smiled cruelly. The whole plan was to his liking as well. Nothing could possibly go wrong.