The pieces of the locket were scattered. In its place, a crystal was revealed. Her dark curls turned silvery and the light lifted her up gently. Like a mother picking up a baby from the crib. Everyone was open-mouthed as the body of the girl entered the crystal and disappeared from everyone's view. The stone faces began to go around it.

Faster.

The size of the crystal was diminishing.

FASTER.

The hair of everyone was blown away.

FASTER!

The light became almost unbearable to look directly at.

FASTER!

It almost seemed as if they were in the presence of a real star.

Then, just as sudden as it had begun, the pace became slower until it resumed its normal speed but the huge crystal was no longer there, instead, the figure of Eydís took its place. Then, she began to come down.

Slowly.

As she was about to touch the water, a sort of platform formed under her feet.

– Eydís? – Kida whispered.

She opened her eyes, pure light came from them.

– Eydís, – she said with a worried tone now.

The Princess walked as slowly to shore as she had levitated down. In doing so, the stone faces began to fall loudly, splashing everything but Eydís. She seemed to have a shield around her. Once she reached land Rourke was about to touch her but Milo stopped him.

They ascended.

It was a huge surprise to everyone what they saw and in the middle of the confusion, Milo got the chance to sneak away for the briefest moment. He got near a guard and told him:

– "Tell Sheshkala to retrieve the girl's satchel. She left it in the washroom. Hurry.

The guard seemed puzzled but nodded.

The crew, except for Dr. Sweet and Kida, left the palace, following Eydís. When she finally got to the bottom of the stairs, they guided her towards an iron box. Putting no resistance, the girl got in and permitted them to cage her up. Milo was furious, they wouldn't allow him anywhere close.

– So, I guess this is how it ends, huh? – Milo began his speech. – Fine, you win. You're wiping out an entire civilization but hey, you'll be rich. Congratulations Audrey. Guess you and your dad will be able to open up that second garage after all. And Vinny, you… you can start a whole chain of flower shops. I'm sure your family's gonna be very proud. But that's what it's all about, right: money.

There was something in the crew's heart that moved, at least the ones that Milo had had more contact with. Rourke mocked Milo's idealism and, out of nowhere, he punched the thin man on the face. Milo never stood a chance and practically flew backwards, smashing painfully on the floor. That was the last push for the crew.

Audrey, who was ready to go, kicked the door of the truck violently, jumped out and, with one last deep breath, walked resolutely towards Milo. Carefully, she helped him up. Now both looked at the rest of the people defiantly. Vinny was next, then Cookie, Mole and, finally, Mrs. Packard.

– Oh, you can't be serious, – Rourke told them as if he couldn't believe his eyes.

– This is wrong and you know it! – Audrey said loudly.

– We're this close to our biggest payday ever and you pick NOW of all times to grow a conscience?

– We've done a lot of things we're not proud of, – Vinny answered. – Robbing graves, plundering the tombs, double parking, BUT nobody got hurt. Well, maybe somebody got hurt but nobody that we knew.

– If that's the way you want it, fine. More for me.

Everyone saw them ignite the cars and began leaving. The farther away the crystal got, the less the pendants of the atlanteans glowed until they went out, like candles that had consumed itselves completely.

– We can't let him do this! – Milo tried.

– Wait a second, – Vinny stopped the boy by pulling him by the arm.

Rourke blew up the bridge.

– Okay, now you can go on.

– Milo, you better get up here, – they heard Sweet call out.

When he finally got to the throne room, he saw Kida holding her father's hand with watery eyes, Sweet just behind her.

– How is he doing? – he asked.

– Not good I'm afraid. Internal bleeding, there is nothing more I can do.

– What a nightmare. And I brought it here.

– It is not your fault Milo, – Kida said.

– She is right. Rourke has been after that crystal since Iceland.

– I had almost forgotten. Is Sheshkala already here?

– Kala? Whatever for you need her? – Kida asked confused.

– I am here, – she said right on cue. – I am sorry for taking so long.

She had the satchel in her hands and that calmed Milo.

– Ok, let me see. Eydís told me to look for a vial with golden liquid if there was any internal complication. How hard can it be? – he said while taking the bag from Kala.

– She what? – Sweet raised an eyebrow. – When did you talk with her?

– It's hard to explain without sounding crazy.

– Man, I think we're beyond that.

– She,… sort of… talked in my head.

– Aha, – Sweet said disbelievingly.

– Oh my God, – Milo said when he reached in the bag. – This thing is bigger than I thought.

Everyone watched as the young man got his right arm all the way up his shoulder in the satchel without, apparently, hitting bottom. There was the sound of glass meeting glass. Milo began getting out vial after vial. There were vials with red liquid, green liquid, orange liquid, purple liquid (which Milo remembered fondly). He had gotten out eleven glass bottles when the King woke up.

– Where is my daughter? – was the first thing he said.

– I am here father. Do not worry, – she caressed him lovingly and with a smile.

– Kida, – he answered in kind.

Finally, Milo found the right phial. Unlike the other ones, this had a dropper attached to the lid.

– Alright sir, we're gonna make things better. Kida, may I? – he said.

Kida scoot over.

– What is that?

– Eydís left me instructions. Please, let us help and open your mouth.

– Eydís?

– Yes, we want to help, – Milo pleaded.

– Please father. It will be fine.

The old King complied and Milo gave the hurt man four drops of the liquid. This one smelled real sweet, like a flower that had just bloomed in spring. The breath of the monarch sped up for a moment and then he relaxed. He even smiled, evidently feeling better. Sweet began checking him up again.

– Where is Eydís? I much desire to speak to her.

– Well she… she… uhm… – Milo couldn't bring himself to say it.

– The crystal called her to it, – Kida aided.

– What?! How? – he sounded perplexed.

– We thought you might know your majesty.

– It can not be, unless… – he trailed off.

– Unless what?

– In times of danger, the crystal would choose a host. One of royal blood. To protect itself and its people. It will accept no other.

– Wait, wait, wait a minute. Choose? So this thing, is alive?

– In a way. The crystal thrives on the collective emotions of all who came before us. In return, it provides power, longevity, protection. As it grew, it developed a consciousness of its own. In my arrogance, I sought to use it as a weapon in war but its power proved too great to control. It overwhelmed us and led to our destruction.

– That's why you hid it beneath the city. To keep history from repeating itself.

– And to prevent Kida from suffering the same fate as my beloved wife, – he said taking his daughter's hand into both of his.

– What do you mean father? What is gonna happen to Eydís? – Kida said worried.

– If she remains bonded to the crystal, she could be lost to it, for ever.

– But how could this happen? She might be royal but not atlantean, – Kida wondered.

– If she is not atlantean, then where did she get that crystal? – Milo pointed out.

– What crystal? – the King asked.

– Remember that locket she showed us? When the great crystal chose her, it cracked open and it revealed a crystal like ours, – she made a pause. – One last thing. She spoke to us before she went to the great one. She called me Kiki. Father, why does that sound familiar?

– It can not be, – he said in a hushed voice. – It can not be her.

– Father, please, speak, – Kida urged him.

– Your mother was chosen by the crystal long ago, but what you might not remember was that she was not lifted alone. That fatidic day you not only lost your mother but your sister as well. I thought she had been absorbed by the crystal too but a few nights ago I got a dream. The great crystal showed me. She was far away, just a baby all alone in strange woods. My beloved daughter, frightened and cold but found by a boy with emerald eyes. Your mother's voice softly telling me the baby was fine.

– Sister? I knew I was not imagining it. I knew I was not always alone but, how?

– That I do not know.

– That's not important now. Is it? We gotta go and help her.

– Milo is right. We need to bring her back. And the crystal too, – Kida added.

– Here, take this Milo, – the King took off his own necklace and gave it to the young man.

– Sir, I can't take it.

– Think of it as a loan. It is the only way I can help now. May it serve you well.

– Do not worry father. We will bring her home, – Kida said kissing his forehead

– Please, be careful.

They went out the palace again, all following Milo.

– Where're you goin? – Audrey asked

– I'm going after Rourke.

– Milo, that's crazy, – she continued.

– I didn't say it was the smart thing but it is the right thing.

Audrey sighed in defeat as she saw Princess Kida walking right besides the brainy man.

– Come on. We better make sure he doesn't hurt himself.

They saw him climbing on a fish-like statue.

– Milo, what do you think you're doing? – she asked again.

– Just follow my lead, – he answered.

Kida watched him activate the fish, what she didn't notice was in what moment Audrey had climbed on as well.

– It's simple. All you gotta do is…

– Yeah, yeah, yeah, – the young mechanic interrupted. – Shut up. We got it, ok?

– No, no, wait, – he tried.

Too late, Audrey had touched the pad and the fish responded by going on reverse, crashing with the wall and proceeding to deactivate.

– Gently, – Milo said, – just, gently.

Kida smiled but that had got the people's attention. Some warriors even got close and asked how it worked.

– Allow me to show you, – Kida said.

She got on an other type of vehicle. This one looked like a hammer shark.

– Use your crystals. Half turn right. Quarter turn back. Keep your hand on the pad.

The people became excited. Everyone looking for the vehicles that for so long they had mistook for statues. Milo hopped on an identical transporter to Kida's. Even the crew got excited to fly their own fish (some had to share but that was no problem).

– Alright, this is it, – Milo told Kida.

– My people, we are going to rescue the Princess, we are going to save our home or we are going to die trying, – she screamed. – Who will follow me?

All the warriors yelled their affirmative responses in unison and together they sped up to the upcoming battle, the rest of the civilians cheering and waving as the fighters flew by.