After a long trek across the sandy dunes, Greyfang, Ilere and Kanrik stumbled onto a city called Sakhmet.
"I wonder where the others are." huffed Kanrik, tired and weak.
"I've no idea." Greyfang responded "But I feel they are near."
After walking halfway through the city two guards spotted them from the alley as they passed by.
"They are the ones." said one of the hooded guards.
"It looks like it." said the second guard behind the first.
"Then let's go."
The two guards climbed to the top of the building and made their way to the temple.
"Keep your eyes open." commanded the Bandit Leader to the other bandits "This trip will be worth it."
"Trust me." chuckled Eliv Thade "It will be.
The guards at the top floor of the temple opened the skylight so the bandit ship could land inside.
"Ah, we finally meet."
A fiery visage dressed in a black robe enters the room as the bandits step off the ship.
"You must be Emperor Razul." said the Bandit Leader.
"Precisely." answered Razul "I see Eliv has guided you well. Lady Frostbite!"
A blue female Krawk stepped into view. Icy auras around her hands.
"What is this about?" asked the Bandit Leader.
Razul shows the Bandit Leader a piece of the Shadow Amulet. Eliv hands him the other piece.
"Oh you will see." Razul responds "Freeze them!"
Lady Frostbite points her palm at the bandits, freezing them instantly.
"Now we just need the final piece." said Razul.
"And I know exactly who has it." says Eliv, rubbing his paws together.
"Tell me."
"There is a band of explorers. An old Lupe leads them."
"Intriguing. Frostbite, hunt them down."
"Yes Emperor."
Frostbite leaped out of the window and landed on a rooftop below. Immediately she spotted a three characters that she had never seen in Sakhmet before and two guards following them.
"Hurry, they're getting away."
"Stop right there."
The two guards stopped in their tracks as Lady Frostbite landed in front of them.
"Who are you?"
"I should be asking you the same question."
Lady Frostbite reaches for their masks and rips them off their heads. The two guards were none other than the Emperor of Shenkuu and Hanso.
"Now I'll ask you again. Who are you?"
"My name is Hanso, and he is the Shenkuu Emperor."
"Yes, we are here to stop the three we were following from collecting the next piece of the amulet."
"Ha! Next piece. Emperor Razul has all but one."
"WHAT?!?" shouted both the Shenkuu Emperor and Hanso in unison.
"Precisely. And I am guessing those other three have the final piece."
The two said silent. But Lady Frostbite knew good and well what the answer was. She turned her palms onto both of them, encasing them in a thick layer of ice.
In the dungeon of the temple sat Anshu and Miet. They stared at the outside world from their cells, hoping their friends would come by.
"It's like things keep getting worse." Miet frowned.
"Cheer up my friend. I'm sure the others will find us in no time." said Anshu.
"But when?"
"How about now?" said a familiar voice from behind.
"Haraku!" both Miet and Anshu cheered.
"Come on, let's get out of here." said Haraku.
"Wait, do you know where the others are?" asked Miet.
"No, but I feel like they're nearby."
Miet and Anshu followed Haraku out of the dungeon, but just outside Greyfang, Kanrik and Ilere found themselves in a scrape with the temple guards.
"I should have known there'd be trouble." huffed Greyfang, knocking out a guard with his staff.
"Isn't there always?" joked Kanrik, slamming a guard into the wall.
"AHHH!!!" screamed Ilere, her left foot encased in ice.
Lady Frostbite blasted both Ilere and Kanrik with ice and then she turned to Greyfang.
"Who are you?" asked Greyfang.
"Your worst nightmare." hissed Lady Frostbite, before trapping Greyfang in ice.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
Greyfang opened his eyes. He saw himself in a darkened room with Kanrik, Ilere, Hanso, Miet, Haruku, the Bandit Leader and the bandits, the Emperor of Shenkuu and Anshu.
"What are you all doing here?" asked Greyfang.
"We have come to prevent you from gathering the pieces of the Shadow Amulet." said the Emperor.
"I don't understand."
"Let me explain. As I stood in the royal chamber I was visited by a dark spirit."
Five days earlier, the Emperor of Shenkuu paced the chamber. A tall, imposing spirit appeared before him.
"Where is the amulet?" the spirit demanded.
"I still haven't gotten it." cowered the Emperor.
"What is taking so long?"
"What is your hurry? Why do you need it so quickly?"
"Fool! It's the only thing that can awaken me!"
"But you seem to be pretty alive now. Why not receive the amulet yourself?"
"I am bound here. Once I am free... this world will suffer."
"Suffer?"
"Ha ha ha. You didn't think I would let you go free did you?"
"I'll stop you from ever returning."
"How so?"
"I'll find the escaped prisoners and I'll tell them to stop searching for the amulet."
"Very well. But I still have ways of getting what I want."
The spirit disappeared, leaving the Emperor to ponder how he'll find Greyfang and the others before finding the pieces of the amulet. Soon he thought of it. He would allow Hanso out of his cell and the two would use a bandit ship to find them.
"And that is what happened." the Emperor finished.
"So all this time we've been trying to find something to resurrect a dangerous spirit?"
"Unfortunately yes." frowned the Emperor.
"Kanrik, did you know?" asked Grayfang.
Kanrik lowered his head.
"I did."
"Then why did you lead us on this hunt?" asked Miet.
"Revenge." replied Kanrik "I wanted to reawaken him to destroy him myself."
"Well now it looks like you're going to get your wish." said Haraku begrudgingly.
The doors opened revealing a crowded arena. The adventures stepped out into the open. Emperor Razul, Lady Frostbite and Eliv Thade watched them from above.
"Welcome our competitors!" spoke an unseen announcer "These brave adventurers will face the Emperor's army!"
The crowd cheered as the army surrounded them.
"Lady Frostbite will lend her power to aid the Emperor's army!"
Lady Frostbite jumped down from above, her ice powers ready to go.
"I hope you are all ready for the fight of your lives." said Anshu.
"I am always ready." answered Kanrik, his daggers aimed for Frostbite.
The fight began. The Emperor of Shenkuu swung his blades. Hanso and Haruka used their agility. Miet used his brain. Anshu used his wisdom. The bandits used their cunning. Ilere used her staff. Kanrik used his daggers and Greyfang used his expertise.
"Wait." said Miet, taking off his backpack to let out Kazeriu.
Kazeriu slithered across the arena, scaring the soldiers and biting them.
"You are weak!" seethed Frostbite, locked in a deadly dance against Kanrik "Once you are all done for we will salvage what little belongings you have! The amulet will be ours!"
"Fools!"
Everyone in the arena paused and looked up to see Eliv Thade holding the three pieces of the amulet in his grubby little hands.
"How did you..." hissed Razul.
"With the aid of my companion of course."
The Bandit Leader and his bandits climbed the walls, leaving the others behind.
"Sir?" cried Hanso.
"Come bandits! Back to the Shadow Temple!"
Eliv and bandits flew through the darkened sky in the direction of the Shadow Temple. Razul, dumbfounded, pondered how to exact his revenge, but the heroes in the arena attempted to make their escape.
"I know where to go! Follow me!" said Haraku.
Haraku led everyone to the top of the temple. There they found the bandit ship and began to fly.
"Shenkuu here we come." whispered Haraku, settling sail for the sky, leaving everyone behind, including the bandits.
Everyone except Lady Frostbite.