The shape-shifter was currently in his human form. His golden eyes with slit pupils held ancient wisdom and malice. He had long, emerald green hair with black highlights, and an ornate headdress made up of black, green and yellow feathers sat on his head regally. Tezcatlipoca was wearing a lot of gold: square-shaped gold earrings inlaid with emeralds, a matching necklace, thick gold bracelets, and anklets. The flickering firelight was causing the gold to glow.

A long rectangular piece of dark green material embroidered with golden thread had been wrapped around his waist like an elaborate loincloth, leaving Tezcatlipoca’s tanned, muscular chest on display. Tiger knew that the sight of all those bulging muscles was meant to be intimidating. And it was.

The god’s expression was stoic and he almost looked bored as he drummed his fingers against the arm of his throne.

Apparently not intimidated by the god’s powerful aura, Hook strode forward with confident steps and with her chin held high as she approached the throne. Her crewmates followed cautiously a few steps behind her.

Tezcatlipoca arched an eyebrow at Hook as he observed her approach. “Why have you come here, Hook? I did not summon you.” There was a dangerous edge to his deep, gravely voice that sent a chill up Tiger’s spine.

Hook removed the sheathed Excalibur from her belt, dropped to one knee, and presented the sword to Tezcatlipoca, the sword’s scabbard resting horizontally on the palm of her right hand and over her hook. “I bring you a gift, Master. The sword that was foretold to bring about your destruction - Excalibur.”

Greed flashed across Tezcatlipoca’s face and then his expression settled into one of triumph.

Tiger clenched his hands into fists out of indignation. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Hook was going to give Tezcatlipoca Excalibur - relinquishing Neverland’s only hope of salvation. That selfish bitch! Tiger ground his back molars in frustration, but there was nothing he could do. He was no match for Tezcatlipoca - he knew this deep in his bones.

Tezcatlipoca stood up from his throne of skulls, a pleased smile curling his lips. He started to walk down the couple of steps that led to the dais his throne was on. “Well done, Hook. I knew I could count on you, my loyal pet.” His smile widened until it was gloating. “Now, give me the sword.” Tezcatlipoca urged as he eagerly reached his hand out towards the sword’s hilt.

“As you wish, Master,” Hook purred before she suddenly unsheathed Excalibur and drove it upwards - aiming for Tezcatlipoca’s heart. “This is for eating my hand, you sick bastard!”

Tiger watched in shock as Excalibur cleaved through the air towards Tezcatlipoca’s bare chest. However-

Instead of piercing Tezcatlipoca’s heart the tip of Excalibur appeared to hit some kind of invisible energy shield. The shield flickered for a moment with green light making it temporarily visible as it was attacked.

Hook shot the sword in her hand a betrayed look. “No. This cannot be. Excalibur you must obey me!” The pirate captain tried to push the sword forward past the shield, but Excalibur ignored her pleas, for she was not its true master.

The hilt of Excalibur began to grow molten hot in Hook’s right hand until painful blisters started to form. A scream of pain was wrenched from Hook’s lips, but no matter how hard she tried to persevere the sword would only obey its true King.

Tezcatlipoca’s gold eyes glowed like two red coals in his face from the anger that was coursing through his veins at Hook’s obvious betrayal. “You would dare to kill me? Your Lord and Master!” The mage snarled and backhanded Hook hard across the face.

Hook cried out in pain at the force of the blow and was sent flying sideways, Excalibur flying from her grip. The sword clattered to the stone floor and skidded across it.

Hook curled up on her side, looking at her blistered hand. “It didn’t work. I failed to kill him. It’s over. Everything I’ve endured until now for this moment has been for nothing.” Hysterical laughter started to bubble up Hook’s throat until it slipped past her lips.

Tiger was blown away by this unexpected turn of events. Captain Jasmine Hook had just tried to betray Tezcatlipoca! What the hell is going on? Wasn’t Hook Tezcatlipoca’s loyal pet and ally? But now…it appeared as though Hook was having some kind of nervous breakdown on the floor. She looked…broken. The sight caused something to stir inside of Tiger’s chest.

Tezcatlipoca approached Hook while a menacing aura that looked like black flames flared around him. “Jasmine, you shouldn’t have done that. You shouldn’t have betrayed me. How ungrateful you are, after I showed you mercy, long ago by not eating you. My little virgin sacrifice.” Tezcatlipoca sniffed the air in Hook’s direction.

Hook watched what Tezcatlipoca was doing and suddenly stopped laughing. She grew stiff and held her breath.

“Ah, you’re still a virgin, Jasmine. Good. Very good.” A sinister smile spread across Tezcatlipoca’s face and widened until his shark-like teeth were visible. “You have outlived your usefulness. Now, you shall be more useful to me dead. Your virgin flesh will help sustain my immortality and powers once I consume you!” He licked his lips hungrily. “Your flesh is quite delectable as I recall. It’s been hell resisting eating you all this time.” He unconsciously fingered a necklace of finger bones that was hanging around his neck. “I desire more. This time I shall have all of you.”

Hook’s crewmates were shooting their captain worried and questioning looks as they awaited her orders. “Captain…?”

Hook glanced in their direction and shook her head in denial. “Go…go now! Run!”

“Before I eat you…you have something that belongs to me, Jasmine.” Before Hook could properly react Tezcatlipoca’s hand shot out, wrapped around her throat, and he started to lift her up off the stone floor. When his hand clenched painfully around her throat she started to struggle in his hold. Her struggles were futile, however, and the mage grabbed the golden hook that had been attached to Hook’s left forearm and cruelly ripped it off.

Jasmine howled in pain as the hook came free from where it had been imbedded into part of her arm bone. Blood gushed down from her forearm in a torrent.

“Captain!” “Jasmine!” Hook’s crewmates cried out in a mixture of shock and concern. Angry fires blazing in the pirates’ eyes they whipped out their pistols and fired them at Tezcatlipoca in retaliation.

The bullets soared towards Tezcatlipoca, but hit his invisible magic shield and ricocheted off. As the bullets hit the shield it flared with a green light.

“Stay away from the Captain!” “Let her go!” “Leave Jasmine alone!” The pirates shouted furiously.

Tezcatlipoca snarled in annoyance at the female pirates and tossed Jasmine carelessly aside. Jasmine hit the floor and rolled across it. When she finally came to a stop she coughed, gasping for breath. Bruises were already starting to form on the pale, delicate flesh of her throat.

The female pirates unsheathed their cutlasses next, and pointed them threateningly at Tezcatlipoca.

Tezcatlipoca narrowed his golden eyes at them, and then sniffed the air in their direction. He bared his shark-like teeth at the pirates in a wicked grin. “You’re all still virgins…excellent. I will consume you all!” Tezcatlipoca let out a fierce, animalistic roar as he began to transform.

Unable to move from the fear that had temporarily paralyzed her, a horrified expression settled on Jasmine’s face as she watched. “No. Run. Leave me!”

The transformation only took a handful of seconds, and then Tezcatlipoca was a forty-foot-long crocodile with dark green and black scales, black foot-long claws and razor sharp teeth that looked like daggers. Tezcatlipoca’s eyes were very similar just much larger in this form. Tezcatlipoca opened his maw and loosed a ferocious roar. It echoed throughout the temple and caused the stone walls to vibrate.

“Captain, you must retrieve Excalibur, and get out of here!” one of the female pirates shouted desperately.

“We’ll buy you time, so you can escape!” another female pirate added, her voice laced with resignation.

“If Petra’s knight is still alive take the sword to him,” a third pirate advised sagely. “He’s our only hope. If he’s alive, he’ll be with your sister. Go to her.”

“Girls, I…I can’t,” Hook said brokenly. “It’s over. I failed. And I’ve failed all of you. Go. Leave me.”

“We won’t abandon you, Jasmine,” one of the pirates was quick to object.

“We owe you our lives and freedom,” another pirate said fiercely. “It is time we repaid that debt.”

The pirates raised their cutlasses high in the air. “For Captain Jasmine Hook!” “For the Captain!” “Attack! Charge!” They let out battle cries as they charged towards the crocodile, cutlasses raised. They ruthlessly attacked the beast and swung their cutlasses through the air towards the crocodile. However-

The steel blades of their cutlasses shattered upon impact with Tezcatlipoca’s thick, impenetrable scales. Jasmine watched in horror as their swords shattered as they impacted against the crocodile’s scales, pieces of sharp metal whizzing through the air.

And then the slaughter began.

Tezcatlipoca turned his head and chomped a pirate in half, swallowing half her body in the blink of an eye.

The pirates bravely held their ground though, and continued to attack Tezcatlipoca, but it was no use. Their swords shattered and once they were weaponless and defenseless Tezcatlipoca ate them. Those he didn’t rip apart, he swallowed whole. It was a gruesome display.

Hook watched in mounting horror and disbelief as her crewmates were being eaten right in front of her eyes. They were sacrificing themselves for her sake. “No…” She couldn’t move. Couldn’t find the strength to act. Her crew believed in her, but she was letting them down. She had had all her hopes pinned to Excalibur, and the sword had failed her, betrayed her…

Blood and gore splattered across Hook’s face and she blanched.

Tiger watched the pirates fighting the enormous crocodile and dying bravely. Heroically. They were obviously sacrificing themselves for Captain Hook. What had Jasmine done to gain such loyalty and respect from her crew? Tiger felt their urgency to save Jasmine. It was contagious.

Maybe Captain Jasmine Hook was worth saving.

Tiger took a deep breath to steel his nerves and pushed himself up off the floor. He couldn’t continue to cower in a corner like a child that was afraid of the monster that lived under his bed. He was no child. He was a proud warrior of the Piccaninny Tribe!

And the pirates were doing an excellent job of distracting Tezcatlipoca. How could he ignore the golden opportunity they were giving him?

Tiger ran out from his hiding place and raced across the chamber. He grabbed Excalibur and headed towards the fallen Jasmine next. Without her golden hook it was hard for him to think of her as being ‘Hook’ anymore. “Jasmine!” Tiger called out to get her attention.

Startled, Jasmine looked up at Tiger. “Tiger.” A bitter smile formed on her face. “Have you come to kill me? You might have to get in line.”

“No. I’ve come to save you! Don’t let your crew’s sacrifice be in vain!” Tiger held his hand out to Jasmine. There was a determined expression on the Indian prince’s face.

Jasmine stared at Tiger’s offered hand in disbelief and suspicion for a moment before a spark of hope ignited in her green eyes. She took Tiger’s hand with her right hand and allowed him to help her to her feet.

Tiger grinned at her, flashing bright white teeth. He didn’t let go of her hand. “Come on. Let’s get the hell out of here, Jass.”

Hand in hand Tiger and Jasmine took off running, heading for the temple’s entrance. They had to be careful not to slip on the blood that was covering most of the floor by this time. The floor beneath their feet trembled when the crocodile spotted them, let out an enraged roar, and tried to pursue them. But two pirates quickly stood in the crocodile’s way. They held up something in front of them that resembled a round black ball with a lit fuse.

“Hail Hook!” the pirates cried as the bombs exploded.

The fiery explosion created a shockwave that pushed Jasmine and Tiger out of the temple where they ended up crashing into and rolling down the stone steps. The explosion caused two of the stone columns inside of the temple to collapse and neatly block the front entrance so that Tezcatlipoca was unable to immediately pursue them.

His angry roar followed them as Tiger and Jasmine pushed themselves to their feet and took off running through the city. They had no idea how long that temporary barrier would stall Tezcatlipoca in his pursuit of them, and so didn’t look back as they continued to run through the gilded streets of El Dorado.

A few crocodiles tried to stop them from leaving the city, but Tiger barely spared them a glance as he sent his tomahawks spinning through the air at them. His tomahawks unerringly embedded themselves in the crocodiles’ skulls. If Jasmine hadn’t been in such a shell-shocked state she would have been impressed by Tiger’s battle prowess.

As soon as they managed to make it past the magical camouflage shield that concealed El Dorado they were able to breathe easier. Tezcatlipoca was unable to leave El Dorado for reasons unknown, but probably having to do with the fact that he considered Neverland to be his prison.

Tiger was leading Jasmine through the forest when she tugged at him. “No. This way. Follow me.”

Tiger gave her a curious look, but allowed Jasmine to lead him through the forest. Half an hour later, they were exiting the edge of the forest and entering a beach. A group of horses were tethered to the palm trees there. Tiger noted that there were enough horses there for Jasmine and her crew. Sadly, her crewmates - at least the ones who’d accompanied Jasmine to El Dorado - would no longer be needing them.

Jasmine appeared to be thinking something along the same lines as her expression turned grim. Silently, they both picked two horses to mount. With one hand wrapped around the reins, Jasmine took off, galloping down the beach, and headed for Pirate Cove where her ship was either currently anchored close to shore, or docked there at the harbor awaiting her return.

Rounding a corner of the island, Jasmine’s ship suddenly came into view, and it was closer to shore than usual - docked at the harbor there. The gangplank was down and easily accessible from the long wooden dock that jutted out from the beach.

Jasmine smiled slightly at the heartening sight of her ship. “There she is…home.”

They were only a few yards away from the dock when Jasmine suddenly leaned sideways in her saddle and then fell right off her horse.