(Some days pass after our ordeal in Russia. I hear a knock at my office door.)
Me: It's open.
(The door opens and I see seven guppies and a beagle puppy)
Me: Ah, welcome. You must be the Bubble Guppies.
Pink-haired guppy: That's us. I'm Molly. This is Gil, Goby, Deema, Oona, Nonny, Zooli and this is Bubble Puppy.
Bubble Puppy: (barks)
Me: Oh, I've been expecting you. Let me take you on a tour.
(I take the Bubble Guppies on a tour)
Pirate101: The Pirates of Lore
Chapter 4: The City that Time Forgot
The crew has been hoisted through a hole in the cave ceiling expecting to find a city made entirely of gold but instead found a city that appears to be made in the past. They encounter one of the lizard people, and he has requested their help.
"You need our help?" Lola asks. "First off, who or what are you?"
"What am I, you ask?" The tribesman replies. "I am Oxlahun Zotz, an Aztecosaur, from doomed Azteca. My ancestors built this city long ago and then entombed themselves, leaving the city to the jungle. Azteca is doomed – the Queen of Shadows has come and enslaved the Lords of Night. The shaman Itzan Halach led the people of my city here to escape."
"And your escape from one doom brought you to another, right?" Ryan asked.
"Yes. An evil force in these ruins unleashed dark magic that drove many of our warriors mad!" Oxlahun explained. "My people are trapped now, and their food supply is diminishing. I led some Hunters out to gather more meat, but the frenzy took them – only I kept my wits."
"And you want us to get this meat back for you, is that it?" Sarah asks.
"Correct. Once you have taken enough, bring it to the Plaza of the Portal, where my tribe waits, starving." Oxlahun pleaded.
The pirates huddled together. "I don't get why we should help him. We came up here to find a city of gold, remember?" Lindsey asked.
"Yeah, but we can't just leave them for our gain, Lindsey." Hunter reminded her. "Remember the oath we made when we first formed this crew?"
"Always help those in need, never give in to greed," Kyle spoke the oath.
"That's right, Kyle." Hunter smiled.
"How could I forget the oath?" Lola grinned. "Alright, I'm convinced. Let's help these guys out."
"That's the spirit, Lola! Let's go!" Hunter leads the crew to fight and gather the meat from some crazed warriors. Once they got enough, they went to the Plaza of the Portal.
"What's this? A smoothskin – an agent of the Shadow Queen! Crush it, slash it!" A tribesman shouts.
"Wait! Stay your hand!" A green-scaled tribesman called out. "Three Winds! Five scaleless ones? In Xol Akmul?"
"Yes, and we arrived through that hole over there," Kyle spoke up pointing to the hole they came in.
"The Well of Stars? Impossible!" The green-scaled tribesman noticed the meat they collected. "If you five took this meat from our Hunters, then you are mighty indeed. Perhaps you were sent by the Lords of Night to help us when aid is sorely needed. Why have you come, tailless ones? Speak."
"One of your tribesmen, Oxlahun Zotz sent us to assist you by bringing this meat to you and your people." Hunter clarified.
"You have done us a great act of good, tiny strangers. But there is more to do." The tribesman told the pirates. "Tailless ones, you have fought to help us. I am impressed… we have seen your kind's capacity for destruction. Now, I see you Humans can do good."
"Are you mad, Itzam? You would treat a Smoothskin?" The red-scaled tribesman asked. "Let my horns deal with these before the Lords of Night abandon us!"
"Is Lamac Chol now Ahau of our people? NO!" The green tribesman barked. "It is I, Itzam Halach, who was chosen by the Lords to lead our people through the Portal to safety. And it is I, Itzam Halach, who sees that the Scaleless Ones are sent here to aid us. These five will help protect us all."
"How do you know so much about this city?" Kyle asks.
"Eons ago, this was a city of my people. We have returned only now, seeking refuge from the Cataclysm to come. But trouble has befallen us again." Itzam Halach told the pirates.
"What kind of trouble?" Lola asked.
"As soon as we came, the curse fell upon us," Itzam explained. "Dark magic, a great spell that would make slaves or mindless killers of us. I try to hold his magic at bay, but without powerful Talismans, I cannot hope to succeed."
"So what do you plan to do to boost your magic?" Hunter asks.
"The Court of Aztecozuma holds the great Crystal of Chan Chich. The Tzib'Chac priests went to recover it, their I'chan Tun Amulets protecting them. But the evil spell was too great – the Finskulls fell into madness – go to the Court, recover the Amulets and the Crystal, and bring them to me."
"Come on, my crew. Let's get those Amulets." Hunter said. They tracked down some Finskulls and defeated them to gather the Amulets.
"That takes care of the Amulets. Let's go and get that Crystal!" Sarah said as they find a crystal skull on the pedestal and Ryan picks it up.
"There, that's done." Bonnie Anne confirmed.
"Let's head back to the Plaza and return these to the good lizards there," Kyle said. With everyone in agreement, they return to the Plaza of the Portal and returned the crystal skull and the Amulets.
"You have done well, scaleless ones." Itzam thanked. "But I fear your efforts may not be enough."
"What else do we need to do?" Lindsey asked.
"The counterspell will only hold so long – we will not be safe until the spell is broken." Itzam Halach clarified. "To do that, you must defeat the Ancient One who wove the spell: the Heir of Darkness, Ch'ok Ak'ab!"
"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" Ryan asked.
"Ch'ok Ak'ab entombed himself long ago, as did so many of our ancestors." Itzam Halach explained. "Now he is awake, but a shadow twisted his spirit, driving him to evil. The risen sorcerer lurks in his tomb, deep beneath the Pyramid of Fire."
"If you know so much about this Ch'ok Ak'ab, why haven't you fought him yourself?" Hunter asked.
"Though we have the power needed to fight him, we cannot: to raise weapon or claw against an Ancestor is forbidden amongst our tribe. And even if we could, his spell would drive us mad." Itzam Halach told them. "You have shown your might and spirit by helping us, scaleless ones. Now show us your bravery – go to Ch'ok Ak'ab's lair and defeat him."
"And if we fail?" Ryan asked.
"Should you fail, we must leave this place – we shall crush your Skull Island, and make of it our new home!" Lamac Chol exclaimed.
"Peace, warrior! Remember what these favored ones have done for us." Itzam Halach retorted.
"Bah! A blight upon these "favored ones," and all their tiny kin!" Lamac Chol scoffed. "The dark-haired Wizard, Morganthe, promised many gifts. Lies! These five lie also."
"Be silent! The tailless ones stand under my protection! You will remember your place." Itzam Halach argued. He then faced the pirates. "Three Crystal Statues stand in the Chamber of Fire, Ch'ok Ak'ab's tomb. Shatter them, and his dark power will be forever broken. Good luck!"
Now that they know their mission, the pirates fight their way to the Pyramid of Fire. "Quick – run up the stairs and get to the top. The entrance will be up there. So will our welcoming committee, no doubt." They continue to climb when they're blocked off by a possessed Doomhorn.
"Crush them!" The Doomhorn shouts as they attack them. Ryan and Hunter dealt with the Doomhorn while the others kept the raptors busy. They were able to defeat them.
"We are nearly there – press on!" Yojimbo said. They reach the top and enter through it. They see an open doorway.
"Looks like somebody pried that stone door recently – there's our way down! Be careful…" Bonnie Anne warned them. They made their way down to an upper chamber, where they encounter guards to the entrance to the tomb.
"For the glory of Ch'ok Ak'ab, Lord of New Azteca, destroy the smoothskin barbarians!" The Kawil Raptor Ch'ai Hulud shouts as they attack the pirates. Ryan provided cover fire from a distance while the others fought off the raptors. Their teamwork was enough to beat them.
"We fought our way up here… now we're going to fight our way down too. Lovely." Sarah sighs. They make their way to a much lower chamber, where they find another crazed raptor and some Sky Snakes.
"Fools! You will never reach the Chamber of Fire alive!" The raptor barked. "Destroy them my pets!" The Sky Snakes start attacking the pirates. Ryan shot some down with his rifle and Lola took more down with her ax. Kyle takes down the raptor with his sword and some support from Hunter and Lindsey. Once they're defeated, they feel some heat coming from the doorway.
"Do you feel that heat?" Ryan asked.
"Yeah. That means the Chamber of Fire is close." Hunter confirmed. "Let's move!" They take the stairway and reach the Chamber of Fire.
"Man, it's hot down here!" Lindsey exclaimed.
"Well, they don't call it the Chamber of Fire for nothing," Ryan confirmed. "And look! I see the Crystal Statues!"
"Good eye, Ryan." Hunter complimented. "Once we take down these guards, all we have to do is smash them and Ch'ok Ak'ab's evil will be purged for good." They take on the raptor guards. Ryan and Lindsey provided cover fire while the others took them down from close range.
"That takes care of the guards! Now smash the Crystal Statues, quick!" Bonnie said.
"Right! Lindsey, smash the West Statue. Lola, get rid of the East Statue." Hunter commanded. Lindsey smashed the West Statue with a spell and Lola smashed the East Statue with a swing of her ax. Only when both statues fell to pieces when the Undead Dino Ch'ok Ak'ab appeared.
"Interlopers. I will destroy you all!" Ch'ok Ak'ab yelled as he and his followers attacked the pirates. They fought the Undead Dino as much as they could, but whenever they back him into a corner, he rejuvenated himself with a healing spell.
"We can't beat him!" Lindsey gasps.
"How can we kill something if it's already dead?" Barnabus asked. Sarah then noticed the third Crystal Statue.
"Pirates, the third Statue! We must smash it!" Sarah told them.
"Of course! Only through the three Statues' destruction will we put this wicked spirit to rest." Kyle realized it. "Keep him busy! I'm heading for the statue!" He makes a mad dash to the statue.
"Kyle, wait!" Lola called out, but her words fell on deaf ears. The undead Dino attacked Kyle, but he blocked with his shield and leaps over him. Kyle sliced the statue in two with his sword. When the statue fell to pieces, Ch'ok Ak'ab screamed in fright as he evaporated into dust.
"There, the fiend's power is broken at last," Sarah said.
"Come on! Let's get back to Halach and tell him the good news!" Bonnie suggests.
"Good call, Bonnie." Hunter agreed. Everyone returned to the Plaza and informed Halach of Ch'ok Ak'ab's defeat.
"Halach, it's done. Ch'ok Ak'ab's curse is lifted." Kyle reported.
"You have lifted the shadow from our souls, scaleless ones. We are in your debt." Halach thanked them. "We will build our new home on this isle, and live here in peace."
"No need to thank us, but we are looking forward to some kind of reward," Lola said.
"Ah, yes. If gold is what brought you here, we are glad to repay you with it." Halach nods as he hands them some gold medallions. "Go forth, and may the stars guide your path.
"Now that that's done, let's bring some of this gold to old Zadok – I figure he's earned his share!" Bonnie suggests. They return to the Cave where they met Zadok.
"Manny! Is that you?" Zadok asks before recognizing the Pirates. "Wait – no, ye're the ones Manny sent. Ye're back! The city, was it up there?"
"Yes, there is a city and the lizards up there are very friendly," Lola confirmed.
"They rewarded us for our assistance with gold!" Kyle said, revealing the gold medallions.
"Ye found it! Bless me! Well done, well done indeed! I can't believe it." Zadok cheered. "After all these years… I'm not dreaming, am I?"
"This is no dream, Zadok," Emmett told him.
"Lizards not eat us. Lizards very kind." Mormo nods.
"The lizards up there are friendly, ye say? I'll have to see this with my own eyes." Zadok said. "Ye go on – tell Manny he's forgiven."
"Thank you, Zadok." Hunter nods as they return to the ghosts. They tell Manny what happened.
"Good news, Manny. Zadok is alive and has finally found his City of Gold." Lindsey reported.
"I thank you, young Pirates." Manny thanked them as he began to fade. "May your lives follow a better course than mine ever did. Go an' tell Lasko Manny's bound for a better home." With his final request fulfilled, Manny fades away to the Great Beyond. They report Manny's departure to Lasko.
"Manny haunts this cave no more, thanks to you. Well done." Lasko smiled. "But your work's not done – I'll not put ye on Ratbeard's trail until all three of me shipmates know peace. Speaking of me shipmates, of all the chains of wrongdoing that bind them, Moe's are the strongest. You should try helping him next."
They went over to Moe, who glanced at the pirates with saddened eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Pirates, I had betrayed my true love, Wilhelmina," Moe explained. "She and I were to marry but she was swept off her feet by the noble and dashing Captain Gordon."
"A tale of lost love. That's sad." Lindsey said.
"You don't know the half of it. Out of jealousy, I stole her mother's wedding ring and hid it in a sea chest in the caves above us. She won't be married without it." Moe told them. "I ask you to find that ring and return it to her and ask for her forgiveness. If she can forgive me for my actions, I'll know peace."
"Okay, since Manny is happily departed, we need to help Moe out with forgiving his lost love," Hunter said. "Let's go. We have a Ring to look for." They make their way up to find a lost ring and mend a broken heart caused by jealousy.
(After the tour, I'm in the game room with Gil playing Super Mario Party when we heard a spooky laugh)
Gil: What was that?!
Me: Sounded like someone was laughing.
Gil: Yeah. It sounded like a witch. But I'm not scared.
(A witch approached us from behind with a wicked smile)
Me: Uh, Gil, there's something I should tell you.
Gil: She's right behind me, isn't she?
Me: You…could say that.
(Gil turns around and sees the witch.)
Witch: Boo!
Gil: (screams and runs away)
(The witch and I laugh)
Me: Wow! I did not see that coming! Way to scare him, Rosalina.
Rosalina: Thank you. Marinette made this for me.
Me: And it's a good thing she did. Halloween's next week. I should put together a haunted castle party.
Rosalina: A spooky idea. I'll help you set up.
Me: Thanks, Rosalina. I'll go and get the decorations. You readers know what to do here. Excelsior!