Captain Hook’s dark green eyes narrowed at Petra dangerously. “I am not your sister! You lost the privilege of calling me ‘sister’ the day you betrayed me and left me to die!”

Eirwen was glancing back and forth between Petra and Captain Hook now. “Whoa, whoa, whoa…you two are sisters? That definitely wasn’t in the stories!”

A haunted, guilty look settled over Petra’s face. “Yes. We’re sisters,” she confirmed, her voice laced with sorrow.

“Once upon a time, perhaps,” Hook sneered, her lip curling in disdain. “But now we are mortal enemies!”

Petra gave Hook an urgent, beseeching look. “But we don’t have to be, Sister. Please. Give Eirwen back Excalibur. He needs it to defeat Tezcatlipoca.”

“Defeat Tezcatlipoca?” Captain Hook glanced at Eirwen and cackled madly. “You think you can defeat him? Fools. I won’t let you get anywhere near Tezcatlipoca with Excalibur. I plan to present Excalibur - his foretold weakness - to Tezcatlipoca. I shall surely be greatly rewarded. The treasure of El Dorado will be mine!” There was a manic gleam in Hook’s green eyes as she licked her tongue along the sword’s blade.

“El Dorado?” Eirwen muttered to himself. “The Lost City of Gold?”

Petra paled as the blood began to drain out of her face. “Sister, no! You can’t trust Tezcatlipoca. He will betray you. He’s pure evil. He must be stopped. He must be defeated!”

“I trust him more than you!” Hook snapped hotly. “You are the one who left me to his mercy! Besides, Tezcatlipoca is too powerful - he cannot be stopped. It is better to be the right hand of the devil than in his path! Ta-Ta!” Hook began to climb up the side of the volcano using the rope she’d descended into the cavern with.

“Lost Girls, to arms!” Petra called out to her companions in an authoritative voice. “Shoot the rope! Stop Hook from escaping!”

Nibby, Slightly, Curly and the Twins all nocked arrows to their bows, aimed at the rope Hook was dangling from, and fired. A wicked barrage of arrows soared through the air in the pirate captain’s direction.

Hook glanced over her shoulder and fearlessly used Excalibur to cut the arrows down. But one found its mark and sliced through the rope. It was Nibby’s arrow that had found its mark. Hook shrieked as she fell to the ground, and let out a frustrated growl, lip curled back in hateful sneer. Recovering quickly, Hook leapt to her feet though.

“Give it up, Hook,” Petra said urgently. “You’re outnumbered, and we have you completely surrounded!”

By this time, Nibby, Slightly, Curly and the Twins had their spears pointed in Hook’s direction in a threatening manner. Little Tootles had a small handheld crossbow raised in the pirate captain’s direction, but her hand was trembling slightly.

Hook didn’t appear to be at all concerned or intimidated by this hostile display. “Am I outnumbered?” The corners of Hook’s lips curled into a wicked smile. “Think again!” Hook stuck her fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly. “Get your butts down here, lassies!”

“Aye, aye, Captain!” Swinging down into the cavern on ropes from the mouth of the volcano were several female pirates. “Arrrr!”

Eirwen couldn’t stop his gaze from traveling over the pirates’ forms appreciatively. They were dressed in colorful silk corsets that their ample bosoms were practically bursting out of. Tight leather pants hugged and showed off their curves. Cutlasses and pistols were strapped to their waists by thick leather belts with shiny, gold buckles.

The pirates were all wearing boots with large cuffs. One of the pirate girls was covered in tattoos lending to her fierce appearance. Another was dressed like a proper English lady, and looking a little out of place among her crewmates with her frilly dress, umbrella, and bonnet. Although, when she managed to pull a concealed sword out of her umbrella, Eirwen thought that she was looking a little more fitting.

“Pirates!” Petra exclaimed, her voice tinged with a mixture of surprise and alarm. “Lost Girls, on your guards! Prepare for battle! Get them!” Petra whipped out her short, wicked dagger, and pointed it in the pirates’ direction.

The Lost Girls set their sights on the pirates that were swinging down into the cavern from thick nautical ropes. The Lost Girls nocked arrows to their bows, aimed at the pirates, and loosed their arrows. The arrows flew through the air, and many hit their marks. Several pirates cried out in pain, let go of the ropes they were holding, and fell to the ground.

Eirwen thought it was like watching a movie until the pirates retaliated by whipping out their pistols, aimed at the Lost Girls, and fired. Pistol shots echoed loudly through the cavern.

Eirwen watched in horror as one of the Twins pushed her sister aside and took a bullet to the chest. She cried out in pain and crumpled to the ground. Another bullet hit Curly’s shoulder and the purple-haired girl, too, was down. The two girls didn’t get up from their prone positions on the ground where they lay bleeding onto the volcanic rock, pools of bright red blood forming around them.

The Lost Girls were…being killed. They were dying. Eirwen felt bile rise up his throat at the sight of so much death.

But the Lost Girls didn’t give up. They tossed their bows and quivers of arrows down before whipping out their spears that had been strapped to their backs. The remaining Twin, Lulu, had a ferocious gleam in her eyes. She was prepared to avenge her Twin.

As soon as the pirates’ booted feet touched the ground they unsheathed their cutlasses. With baited breath, Eirwen watched the Lost Girls and pirates charge each other, letting out fierce battle cries. They engaged in battle, spears clashing against cutlasses.

“Ayayayay!” Tiger let out an Indian war cry before charging one of the pirates and engaging her in battle. He spun and his tomahawk clashed against her sword’s blade.

“Hook!” Petra cried out to get her sister’s attention before rushing towards the pirate captain. Her usually carefree voice was laced with anger and despair at having watched some of her beloved companions fall.

Frozen in shock, Eirwen just stood there watching everything that was happening. He couldn’t really digest what was happening in front of his very eyes. People were fighting for their lives and getting killed. People were dying. This was no magical fairytale. This wasn’t a dream. This was harsh reality.

A flash of red caught his eye and he watched Slightly fighting a pirate. Only another pirate was sneaking up on her from behind. “Slightly, look out!” Eirwen called out a warning.

But it was too late. The cowardly pirate behind Slightly mercilessly shot her - right in the back. Slightly cried out and collapsed to the ground face-first.

A horrified expression fell over Eirwen’s face. “Slightly!” Eirwen called out as he ran over to her. Once he reached her, he flipped her onto her back. “Slightly…”

Slightly opened her eyes and looked up at Eirwen blearily. “My King…” She smiled weakly. “Eirwen, please, look after Petra. She really loves you.”

“I know.” Eirwen took Slightly’s hand and squeezed it to offer her comfort. “I will. Just, hold on, Slightly. I’ll get help. Tink can-”

Slightly shook her head in objection. “My time is up. Until we meet again in another life, Eirwen Darling.”

“No.” Eirwen’s amber eyes filled with tears. “Don’t give up, Slightly.”

Slightly just continued to smile up at Eirwen until a gasp slipped past her lips and then she stilled. Eirwen watched as the light left Slightly’s eyes and felt numb with shock. Slightly…was dead. A pirate had killed her. That evil, cowardly pirate had ended Slightly’s life. Eirwen felt nauseous, and dizzy as his head spun.

He looked around at what had become a bloody battlefield. Then he spotted a group of pirates heading to the tunnel opening where his sisters were hiding. Unfortunately, his sisters had been peeking out to see what was going on, and had just been spotted. Bloody hell! Joan! Michelle! Eirwen took off running.

The pirates smiled devilishly as they raised their cutlasses and threatened Joan and Michelle, who were hugging each other out of fear. The squirrel that was perched on Michelle’s shoulder sensed her unease, and leapt at one of the pirates, sinking its sharp teeth into the pirate’s hand.

“Ah! Get off of me, you disgusting bilge rat!” the pirate roared, grabbed the squirrel roughly around its waist, and threw it at the nearby stone wall. The squirrel let out a yelp, slid down the wall, and remaining unmoving on the ground.

“No…” Michelle murmured sadly as her lower lip started to tremble.

“Stay back, you bloody pirates!” Tinker bravely fought against the pirates - pulling on their hair and biting their ears, but a quick backhanded slap sent poor Tink flying into the cave wall. The fairy’s head hit the stone wall hard, and he was instantly knocked unconscious.

Joan and Michelle both cried out when they watched what happened: “Tink!”

The pirates raised their swords, prepared to bring them down on Joan and Michelle. “Join us. Or die.”

Joan held up her chin in defiance. “We’ll never join the likes of you!”

“Yeah, you…you bullies!” Michelle agreed, trying to follow her sister’s lead and act bravely.

“Have it your way then,” the pirate sneered and slashed her sword down through the air.

But then Eirwen was there, intercepting her. “Oh no, you don’t! I won’t let you lay a finger on my sisters! Ah!” Blood boiling in his veins, Eirwen unsheathed the rapier the Lost Girls had gifted him with, and brought it up to deflect the cutlass blow. Eirwen moved his sword lightning fast, got past the pirate’s defenses, and stabbed her in the chest.

The pirates hadn’t shown the Lost Girls mercy, so why should Eirwen show them any?

The pirate gasped in shock, sank to her knees, but then she smiled. “Long live…Captain Hook! Hail, Hook!” Blood dribbled down her chin as she forced these last parting words past her lips.

That was the first time Eirwen had ever killed anyone before. Tears threatened to blur his vision, but he couldn’t allow himself the luxury of breaking down now. He had to protect his sisters, and there were two pirates left.

They attacked him with their cutlasses at the same time, intending to skewer him. Eirwen blocked one attack, and swiftly dodged the other. A fierce battle ensued as Eirwen fought against the two female pirates.

Eirwen spun, blocking one cutlass, and then the other. With a twirl of his rapier he disarmed one pirate, and stabbed her throat. Without waiting to watch her fall, he spun to engage the remaining pirate. He slipped his rapier past her defenses and killed her next. Blood splattered onto his green tunic. Panting for breath, he turned to check on Joan and Michelle. They were looking at him with wide eyes.

Eirwen wondered what he must have looked like in that moment, rapier dripping blood, and his blood-splattered tunic. He probably looked…demonic. He started to take a shameful step back, away from his sisters.

Abruptly, Joan ran to him and hugged him before burying her face in his shirt. “Brother, you saved us! Thank you!”

Following Joan’s lead Michelle tentatively approached her brother, and then hugged him tightly. “Brother, I was so scared. I want to go home.” This was the first time since Michelle had woken up in Neverland that she’d even mentioned their past home. It made Eirwen’s heart twist painfully inside of his chest.

He felt a wave of relief wash over him, however, as his sisters continued to hug him tightly. He was so grateful for their love, forgiveness, and acceptance. He didn’t know what he’d do if they started to think he was some sort of monster. Eirwen hugged his sisters back, and ruffled their hair affectionately. He glanced around searchingly after a moment when he remembered the fairy. “Where’s Tink?”

“Goodness, Tink!” Joan let go of Eirwen and rushed over to the fallen Tinker. She scooped Tinker up into her hands carefully and checked him over for injuries. “He’s breathing, and there’s no blood. He was probably just knocked unconscious. He should be alright,” Joan assured.

Eirwen nodded. “Good. Look after Tink, Joan.” Eirwen turned his attention back to the battle at hand. His eyes scanned the battlefield until he spotted Petra and Hook fighting - locked in a deadly dance. Hook was fighting with Excalibur and her sinister golden hook, and Petra was forced to block dual attacks with her small dagger. “I…have to get to Petra. She may need me. Stay out of sight, girls.”

“Okay,” Joan said. “Go kick their butts!”

Michelle went over to pick up her fallen Never-squirrel, and it too appeared to be miraculously alive. “Yeah!” Michelle said as she cradled the squirrel protectively to her chest. “Make them pay for hurting our friends!”

Eirwen took off running across the cavern and headed for Hook and Petra.

Meanwhile, Petra and Hook were engaged in mortal combat. “Hook! See reason!” Petra beseeched, a plaintive look on her face. “It doesn’t have to be this way! Join us. Together we can defeat Tezcatlipoca. I know there is still good in you. You don’t have to be the villain of this story!”

“I am what you made me to be!” Hook sneered, her lip curling. “A monster.”

Petra winced, and a flash of sadness and guilt crossed her green gaze. “Sister, I…”

A manic grin spread across Hook’s face. “Sentiment will always be your greatest weakness, Petra Pan!” Hook swung Excalibur down upon Petra.

Excalibur clashed against Petra’s dagger and shattered the small blade. Petra gasped in shocked surprise as small shards of steel whizzed through the air. She would have been cut in two if she hadn’t flown backwards and out of the way of Hook’s next vicious attack.

Hook stalked forward doggedly, however, sword raised, a menacing glint in her green eyes. “You can’t escape me, Petra Pan! I will have my revenge! An eye for an eye! A hand for a hand! Die, Petra Pan!” The pirate captain swung her sword towards Petra’s wrist.

“I don’t want to fight you, Sister, please,” Petra begged, her voice cracking. “I am not your enemy! It’s time for us to end this game.”

“Game?” Hook arched an eyebrow at Petra. “This has never been just a game to me!”

Petra landed in front of Hook and spread her arms wide at her sides. “I will not fight you, Sister.” If it must be Hook or me this time, then let it be me. She thought to herself stubbornly.

“Then…you shall die!” Hook swung Excalibur down towards Petra.

“No!” Eirwen shouted and moved to stand in front of Petra. He raised his rapier to block the attack. Excalibur clashed against his rapier and shattered the blade. Excalibur continued its downward arching slash and sliced deeply into the front of Eirwen’s chest.

“Eirwen! No!” Petra shouted in alarm.

Blood splattered onto Hook’s green jacket. She looked equally stunned and bewildered by this unexpected turn of events, but also darkly amused. “Huh. He must love you to sacrifice his life for yours. Lucky you. Too bad he’s going to die from all that blood loss. Such a pity,” Hook cackled evilly.