"What's the matter, Sinbad?. You look a little dazed. Has Maeve's little secret deprived you of your tongue?"
"You might say that", said Sinbad, looking around and wondering where he was. "I usually recover in time to keep up with the current events. This time I'm not so sure"
The voice chuckled lightly. "So, how does it feel to have your memories back?"
"Considering they should never have been taken from me in the first place, you could describe my mood as upset and angry"
"I thought you would be. Still, could I persuade you to join me in a head to head wager?". The middle of the darkened room grew brighter, as if a white column of light was being shone from above. A square table, covered with a wine-colored cloth appeared and then two chairs, facing each other.
"I'm really not in the mood-"
"Come now,this is better than withering away under your alliance with Rumina, isn't it?"
Rushid materialized in one the chairs and gestured for Sinbad to take his seat.
"Rushid-ul-Azeem!", exclaimed Sinbad ,stunned. "Ally of Turok!"
"I am flattered", replied Rushid. "I had actually expected Maeve to recognize me. Her being a sorceress and all- but-"Rushid ended with a mocking sigh. "She is extremely single-minded. All she wanted to do was to get back to her world and destroy Rumina"
"My wishes exactly. What's this all about?", demanded Sinbad, his eyes full of suspicion and curiosity. "What do you want with me?"
"You know me, Sinbad. Despite my hatred for the human world, I hardly interfere in its petty issues. For me, it is a head-ache to be endured, a noise to ignore. But then one day, Rumina came to me with a plea that I should help her destroy you and your crew. And I gave her a special spell that stole away your memories and deposited each of you in different places where Rumina could easily trap and kill even with her depleted powers. But instead of following my instructions, she chose to spare your life and use you to form her alliance with the Kohlmar scepter. But over time, somehow, each of your crew has managed to break free from the memory curse. This is something that doesn't usually happen, you see, the memory spell is very hard to break!"
"Could you get to the point already?..!"
"I don't like to be defeated, Sinbad. I pride myself on being a great thinker. To have the perfect understanding of my opponent's mind. Now, all I want is a simple wager"
"What's that?"
"You are a hero to the humans. You have your ideals. Do you know that your trusted friend Asif-el-Quidar betrayed you by causing you to fall under the memory curse? It was he who poisoned your crew as well and caused all this heartache and pain"
"I'm sure Asif must have a good reason for doing what he did"
Rushid laughed out loud. "Now there's foolish faith for you. Do you want to bet on that?"
"Why not? He is one of my oldest friends"
"Good then, prove to me by showing mercy on Asif-el-Quidar. Take him to your bosom. Convince him to leave his duplicity. If you succeed in making him see the light, I promise you, that I will make everything as it was before!"
"And what if I fail?"
"Then", Rushid betrayed a hint of a smile. "You will join my servants and belong to me, all your life. You and your crew.."
"Why should I trust you?"
"Because I know that Rumina has made good her word and reduced Baghdad to a waste heap-"
"What?"
"Oh, you didn't know. That's right. You were fighting for your life"
"What about the Caliph? And..and his son?",cried Sinbad. "Send me back!"
"You need my powers to restore things back to the way they should be"
"Send me back!"
"Yes. But do we have a deal?"
"You have a deal with me. I will not put my crew in danger!"
"Well, wether you wish to place them in danger or not, Rongar has freely bet his life on you"
Suddenly a booming sound resembling a loud heartbeat shook the room in its foundations.
"What was that?",cried Sinbad,leaping up and stepping away from the table. Rushid smirked and got up as well. Sinbad once more heard the heart beat and whirled around to face a gigantic wall. It was gleaming in patterns of brown and muddy green.
"This wasn't here before",said Sinbad. He laid his hands on it and felt the heart beat, softer but as steady as before. "It..it's alive!"
"A living wall. Made from the souls of my slaves. I summon them whenever I wish"
"You are a demon"
"Your friends are already there. And soon you will be too."Go,Sinbad...on your noble mission. Be the hero, this one last time"

"He's gone". Doubar stumbled down clumsily, his sword clattering down by his side. He seemed more stunned than grieved. As if he couldn't believe that it had all ended so easily. "We were too late", he said in a muddled whisper. Beside Doubar, Maeve could hardly tear her eyes away from the spot where Sinbad had vanished into thin air. She looked forlorn. The face of the one who had just lost her best friend- Maeve couldn't trust herself to speak just then. She kept wondering where she had gone wrong. Why she hadn't been able to revive Sinbad's memories in time. If only he had remembered who he really was, he wouldn't have succumbed so easily to the powers of Rumina. After all, she was nothing without him. Maeve held out her arm and brought Dermott close to her – his feathery head just below her chin. Her fingers trembled as she absently stroked his crest. Then just as the dreaded feelings began to sink in, laughter, raucous and jarring to the ears,rang out from across the sea waves. Maeve instantly grew alert and tightened her grip on her sword. Doubar stood up as well. Rumina had returned from her trip to Baghdad!.

Rumina was not alone. She was accompanied by a few of the Kohlmar warriors, who were grinning like jackals and chattering animatedly together. Soon, Maeve and Doubar saw the reason why. Behind them,in tow, the Caliph of Baghdad, his son and daughter and Caipra, were being shoved and pulled along in heavy chains. "So, Caipra had surrendered after all!" Maeve's eyes widened in realization. Rumina stepped into the ship, her footsteps as light as a skillful dancer. She was in the happiest of moods. "Oh Sinbad, look who's here to see you!"
Of course, there was no response to this but it did not deter her. Rumina was much to ecstatic to be disturbed just yet. She snapped her fingers for the
creatures to push her prisoners on deck and bind them to the ship's mast. Rumina crossed her arms and smirked openly at Caipra. "A nice slow death for
you,old woman. For all the trouble you caused and more importantly - for thinking that you could ever defeat me". Caipra remained silent, never for a moment dropping her cold exterior. She looked away in disdain and spotted Maeve, standing next to Doubar. Instantly, Caipra's eyes narrowed and she shot a questioning look at Maeve, as if asking her why she had made the strange plea for Caipra to drop her solid defense at such a crucial time. Rumina caught the look and saw Maeve and Doubar as well. She smirked even more by way of greeting and swung a few steps closer to them. "Well,well.. Sinbad's happy little family.. So,where is your dear Captain? Here I am, standing in all the glory of an empress and I don't find him here to sing my praise...".Rumina conjured a throne for herself and planted the sceptre by her side. "Where is he? Has he fallen asleep below deck? Perhaps taken a break to revive his strength! Poor Sinbad.." Maeve could hardly contain her anger. She began to breathe faster and faster, her heart pounding away, sickened by Rumina's callousness.
"Or perhaps he is cowering somewhere in fright! Perhaps now that he's finally seen my true power, he is afraid of what I've become. " Rumina purred smugly like a greedy cat, thrilled with her spoils. "Sinbad!",she called in her sing song voice. "Come out come out. I won't hurt you"
"You monster!",cried Maeve, unable to bear her heartless words any longer. Doubar tried to hold her back but Maeve was so fired up that she pushed away his restraint and charged at the gloating witch. "Monster!",she cried, swinging her sword and slicing away the top of the throne's headrest. Rumina ducked just in time and stared at Maeve in momentary fear and surprise.
"What is this?",she sneered,pulling out her Kohlmar sceptre. "Round two?"
A surge of power shot from the stone on the scepter and was Maeve's turn to duck and evade the attack. Maeve leapt a few steps back and threw a fireball at Rumina. Rumina deflected the fireball with some difficulty and seethed in anger. "I tire of this game.. Ropes, do your work-"
A thick coil of rope shot out from behind the mast and flew towards Maeve like a flying viper. It fastened itself around one of her feet and made a grab for
her hands. Maeve burnt away the rope before it could wind around her wrists and aimed a fire blast at Rumina. Rumina counter-attacked with the scepter,
wheeling it around and forming a gigantic shield. She blinded Maeve in a green brilliance and used that moment to trip her up with more ropes which securely tied her to the mast and began to constrict her tight. Doubar quickly leapt to Maeve's side and broke away the ropes with his sword. Rumina sent him flying across the deck with such a blow that Doubar fell unconscious.
"There! The last of the madness..",gasped Rumina,breathless and trying to regain something of her composure. In truth, she was rather startled by Maeve's sudden attack. She couldn't help feeling astonished by the brazen boldness of the sorceress. Try as she might, she couldn't dismiss Maeve's magic as a parlor trick anymore.
"The only one who is mad is you. You murderess!",accused Maeve,spitting out her words in anger and disgust.
"Murderess!",echoed Rumina,laying a hand on her chest and feigning laughed out loud."That's a new one"
"Heartless and deceitful,selfish,cruel.."
Rumina held out her hand and rolled her fingers into a tight fist and Maeve began to gasp for air.
"Enough! Now this is what I call, choking on your words. I pity you,Maeve. With your powers, perhaps you could have submitted as my servant and found better meaning to your life than this miserable existence aboard this wretched ship. I know that you think you're a favorite of Sinbad. I suppose you even thought that he was in love with you once"
Rumina smirked and walked to her throne. "But he's mine now. Sinbad is mine and I want you to die, knowing that there is nothing you can do about it-"
Maeve's eyes began to black out,when she suddenly heard a familiar voice say,
"Did I hear someone mention my name?"
"Sinbad!",cheered Rumina, recovering her smiles and temporarily abandoning her fury. She released her hold on Maeve, who coughed desperately for air. "Sinbad",echoed Maeve,hardly believing her ears. "Could it really be?"

But it was Sinbad. He was standing on deck as plain as day.

"It's about time", snapped Rumina, in teasing rebuke. Sinbad gruffly pushed past her and strode along the deck of the ship. "What do you think of my handiwork, dearest? How do you like it?", effused Rumina, flourishing her hands carelessly over the city of Baghdad and fixing a pointed smile on Sinbad's face . Baghdad city was burning down a few miles away. The Palace looked like a hollow shell of itself with thick columns of smoke rising high from the crushed dome and being blown everywhere by the strong sea wind. The port was deserted, the harbor and dock crumbling away to bits. Many ships, trading or merchant vessels and small fishing boats had been smashed and their remains scattered along the white shoreline. Sinbad swallowed hard, his face contorting in jerky movements to control the emotions that were building up within him.
"I know that it's hard to accept things now", soothed Rumina, in mocking consolation. She was amused by Sinbad's reaction and watched him with a kind of morbid relish, as if she were watching a good tragic scene in a play. She laughed to herself, twirling the scepter carelessly between her fingers. "But you will get used to these things. And we will build a bigger, better Baghdad-"
Sinbad uttered a sharp exclamation when his eyes fell upon Rumina's prisoners. He ran quickly to the Caliph's side. Sinbad chopped away the ropes that bound the Caliph with his sword, much to the chagrin of the Kohlmar warriors and held him in his arms. "All is lost, Sinbad", mumbled the Sultan, looking up at Sinbad through weary eyes.
"I knew I made a mistake when I brought prisoners here", declared Rumina, to herself. "I should have killed them instead! Could have saved myself from being bored to tears by all this drama". She climbed up to her throne, noting with renewed irritation at Sinbad's blatant ignorance of her presence. "He will come around soon." she reassured herself.
"We have formed an alliance. It can never be broken!"
Sinbad freed Casib as well. The Prince was in terrible shape. He was covered in bruises and his arm was bleeding badly. Sinbad tore away his headband and made a temporary bandage. Adina nodded gratefully at the Captain, although fear still lingered in her eyes.

Caipra gazed steadily at Sinbad.
"Don't even think about freeing her,Sinbad", warned Rumina. "I have been tolerant enough. You are forgetting that I hold all the cards here.."
"Doubar!", cried Sinbad, at once rushing to his brother's side and pulling the big man to his feet. Sinbad shoved away two of the guards, who growled menacingly at him and gave Doubar a handhold by the ship's mast. Doubar nodded incoherently, still reeling from the blow.

Meanwhile Asif materialized at the other end of the ship, his hand firmly grasping the dagger at his belt.

Maeve eagerly glanced at Sinbad, wondering why she was unable to catch his eye. Sinbad seemed different somehow. As how he was during the last battle against Rumina. Focused and grim. Was he truly himself? Maeve spotted the pattern at the back of his hand. Sinbad was still under the spell of the Kohlmar staff. What was going to happen now?
"Dermott!", called Sinbad, peering upwards. With a long screeching call, the hawk flew down and perched on himself upon Sinbad's shoulder.
Sinbad gently stroked Dermott's feathers and finally returned Maeve's gaze. Maeve nodded uncertainly, happy for a moment that Dermott was soothed by Sinbad's presence. Then she realized why Sinbad's manner struck her so odd. It seemed the oddest now, as he continued to fuss over Dermott. The same way she used to show affection each time she was grateful to her younger brother for something he had done for her. Sinbad was indeed grateful to Dermott. He was grateful that Dermott had helped revive his memories. "But.. how?", wondered Maeve before figuring out the answer herself. She remembered Dermott pitting himself again and again at the greenish glow and her own frantic screams for Dermott to stop before he injured himself. Sinbad must have put two and two together, the hawk's screeches and her own voice calling Dermott's name and made the connection that Dermott was her own brother. Maeve breathed faster, unsure of what to think.
"Why shouldn't he know it now?", reasoned Maeve's inner conscience. "You've given away half of the secret yourself". A feeling of shame washed over Maeve. Her secret! Dermott suffering for her own stupidity…. For so many years! That Sinbad should know it was too much for her.

"You know, Sinbad, I am proud of myself. This has been one of the most satisfying days of my life. Father would have been very proud of me.", purred Rumina, in happy bliss. She conjured some wine and goblets of silver on a silver tray which floated in midair. "We can go far with our alliance. We can take whatever we want and destroy whoever stands in our way! Shall we drink to that, Sinbad?". She slipped her hand around one of the goblets and picked up her drink. The tray hovered up to the Captain. "Here's to our future!"
"Before we speak of the future, Rumina-", said Sinbad, answering her for the first time."… we must speak of the past". Rumina lowered the drink." The past doesn't interest me". She raised her drink once more.
"Something you did a long time ago actually…" pursued Sinbad, with strange deliberation in his tone which caught Maeve's attention at once.
"Really?", echoed Rumina, leaning back and throwing away her goblet in plain irritation. "Enlighten me"
"You cursed a boy to spend the rest of his life as a hawk-"
"No Sinbad!", cried Maeve, sharply. Her voice quivered with emotion. "This is my battle, not yours!" Sinbad ignored Maeve and still held Dermott on his shoulder.
"Striking change in subject, Sinbad!". Rumina pretended to think for a beat. She shook her head. "No, it doesn't ring a bell." Rumina smirked broadly. "But that transformation spell is a very handy curse. Dramatic and fun to watch. I use it all the time". There was a pause. No one spoke a word, and only the sound of the wind whipping through the sails could be heard.
Sinbad's voice was grim.
"Change him back"

"Change him back", laughed Rumina, incredulously. "That hawk, you mean?" She laughed some more and looked all around the deck in malicious glee. Her creatures began to snigger as well. "That hawk is a poor innocent victim of Rumina's curse!" chirped Rumina, in mocking scorn. "How terrible! Rumina must be killed! So, that's your lame excuse for all this false bravado,peasant witch!" Rumina directed the last retort at Maeve who stood silent, tears streaming from her eyes." To save your hawk-friend from his cruel fate! How touching... I suppose Sinbad finds your sob story touching as well...". Rumina spit out the words in open hate. "I hate touching…"
"Enough talk. Change him back, Rumina. This is your last chance", bellowed Sinbad with brute ferocity.
"You know, you are really starting to annoy me, Sinbad. If you think you can push me around, you're wrong. You are way out of your league here". Rumina's hands closed around the scepter of Kohlmar once again. "I think you need to be reminded of who is in charge". She gave a wicked smile and sang out, "Say goodbye to your feathery friend"
A surge of electrifying power shot through the scepter, directed point-blank at Dermott!
"Dermott!", screamed Maeve, "NOOO!"
Before any of them could move, a sharp jolt, from the depths of the sea, rocked the entire ship. Rumina, caught off balance, missed her aim at Dermott by arm's length. Dermott employed the diversion wisely, by taking a swift flight into the stormy skies." Sinbad held his ground and stole a look at Caipra, wondering if she was responsible for the timely distraction. But Caipra shook her head. She turned lightly towards Maeve and cheered in true appreciation, "Well done, Maeve. Well done!"
Maeve gulped once and smiled in relief that her brother was safe. She closed her eyes and concentrated all her powers into another jolt that knocked Rumina off her feet! Several things began to happen at once. Firouz and Rongar jumped on board, with their swords drawn out and ready for battle. Asif made use of the few precious moments by sneaking closer to the mast and towards Sinbad. Doubar jumped to his feet and pulled out his sword as well. Sinbad ducked and somersaulted to reach the mast. He freed Caipra and Maeve with a single blow from his trusty sword. Rumina yelled sharp orders at her minions but her attention was torn between Sinbad and Dermott who risked a circle or two around the ship's mast, screeching for all he was worth. The Kohlmar warriors leapt high in the air and assumed positions to attack. But, Caipra was faster with her hands. She sent a fiery surge which blew the creatures into dust. "Sinbad", warned Maeve in urgency, pulling away the sliced pieces of rope and holding Sinbad's arm in a grip. "Don't fight Rumina. This is my struggle". Twenty more of the warriors soared in from Baghdad city to the ship.
"I don't think we have time for this", replied Sinbad, peering into the sky. "You gonna be pretty busy taking out those demons." He pulled out her sword. "I need this."
"No"
"Fight fire with fire, Maeve. You know the drill. Use those goons for target practice!" Sinbad brushed away her hand but Maeve was persistent. She transferred her hold to the crook of his arm.
"I can fight my own battles!"
"I know you can. But, if you think I care lesser for Dermott…"
Sinbad's eyes flickered for a fleeting moment with hurt. Maeve took a step back and shook her head earnestly." It's not that.", she emphasized." It's not that at all!"
"…. than you, you are wrong. You should trust me…". Sinbad pushed away her hand and walked ahead with the swords. "…at least now"
Maeve traced the admonishment in Sinbad's tone but she didn't have much time to reflect, for the flying warriors were upon them in a flash.
"Aim for the medallions!", yelled Firouz, aloud. "That's the source of their powers"
Meanwhile, Rumina clicked her tongue in annoyance, pointing and aiming, hoping to hit Dermott. "Suddenly everything falls into perspective, Rumina!", called Sinbad advancing closer to the witch. "You are just as heartless as Turok!" Rumina grinned. "You know what they say, like father like daughter". Sinbad looked grim. "You give me no choice then-". Rumina ignored Sinbad and trapped Dermott in a ray that froze him in midair. "That's better. A sitting duck … just what I wanted!" She stole a glance at the Captain and grinned slyly. "It's all for the best, dearest. It all ends here…and now..." As the deadly beams emanated from the scepter, aimed at the frozen Dermott, Rumina fell forward in surprise. Something heavy pushed her over slowly and her hands closed around the blade of Sinbad's sword which had pierced her stomach and torn out to the other side. She lurched out and cried in shock. Rumina looked up and she saw Sinbad standing with the same grimness on his face. "You are right. It ends here…and now"
Maeve walked forward, as if mesmerized by the scene that was unfolding before her eyes. The very sight she had longed to see, for so many years. But the warning bells were ringing all too loudly for her comfort. She sensed deep down that something was about to go wrong! "S..Sinbad..", Rumina gasped incredulously, staring from the sword lodged in her stomach to the Captain. "H..how could you.. What have you done?" Rumina groaned out loud to her demons. "What are you waiting for! GET HIM!" She pulled out the sword and a shimmering blue light shone out from the slit across her waist. Everything went hazy. Everything except for the staff in her hand – "I curse you Sinbad-", she began, raising her scepter, high in the air. "I curse you to the same fate as you hawk friend…"
"Sinbad, watch out!", screamed Maeve.
Sinbad ducked the beam and rolled away just in time. Rumina clutched her side in pain and Sinbad used that instant to steal closer and slice away the head of the staff. A fierce thunderclap resounded through the skies. The clouds darkened and a cold wind blew across the sea. The sky began to turn green.
"No!", screamed Rumina, for the first time looking afraid.
"Give up, Rumina! ",yelled Sinbad, brandishing his sword.
"What have you done! Our alliance!", moaned Rumina, gazing at the rapidly vanishing symbol upon her hand. "You have sealed our fate.. Tomohkgraa will come for us!"
"Tomo.. what?"
Rumina fell weakly to her knees. She shook violently in fear. Suddenly her senses were calmed by a voice that spoke in calm instruction. "Be brave, my daughter. You must kill Sinbad"
"Father?", whispered Rumina, in child-like forlorn. "Is that you?"