"SITARA!"

Peter's stomach felt as if several fists had maltreated it simultaneously and then turned upside down around himself. He didn't know what to think or feel. No clear thought remained, and his emotions tripped over themselves. Peter's throat was constricted. His heart was beating so fast it hurt as he tried to free himself from Mullin's grip and to reat the bonds, entirely out of his mind. But the damned rope was tied too tightly and only tore his skin until it was smeared with his blood. Hot tears burned in Peter's eyes.

Had he really lost EVERYTHING now?! After all, he had promised to protect her and bring her back to heaven... Peter sank and couldn't believe it...

"Hook..." His jaw ached as he clenched his teeth so hard they gritted.

Smee also stumbled forward and fell to his knees before the precipice. Wide-eyed, he stared into the depths, and his mouth opened and closed several times as if he could not believe what his captain had done.

The mountain rumbled as if to condemn this act, and the cavern of walls trembled under a new, furious quake. Larger stones came loose from the cave ceiling, cracks disfigured the effigies, and huge gaps opened their gullets. A reddish light fell into the interior through the further cracked opening above them, and small, black flakes tumbled down on them like snow. The air became noticeably thicker and heavier. There was an unhealthy smell in it, increasingly bitter and of sulfur.

"Captain! That's how we're all going to die!" Mullins now rumbled, his eyes glinting dangerously defiantly. "It wasn't planned that way!" the broad-shouldered giant roared, approaching them in long strides. From the wild shaking of the ground, even he swayed, and Smee coughed, for he was not an undead creature immune to the poisonous gases.

"You dare to question my decision?!" thundered Hook, straightening to his full height.

The enraged Mullins, however, did not seem intimidated this time, for he dared to grab his captain by the lapels of his coat.

"WE WANT TO GO HOME AND NOT DIE!" the pirate roared, baring his teeth like an angry mutt. Glowing pits of coal stared toward each other, and the Captain raised his hand with the gleaming hook, the point of which he aimed at Mullin's throat.

"We are already dead ... and our souls damned in this hell," growled the pirate captain.

"AND WHOSE FAULT IS THAT?!" cried Mullins, who lunged to slam his fist into Hook's face-a fatal mistake.

Within the blink of an eye, the captain dodged the blow. His hook drilled into Mullins'chest with deadly precision as he purposefully kicked the other's knee. A cracking sound like rotten wood accompanied the breaking of the kneecap. The pirate might not feel pain but buckle, and Hook used his lack of footing and momentum to drag him forward. Mullins stumbled dangerously toward the abyss - where Hook kicked him mercilessly. A scream of anger turned to shrieking fear - then a loud crack sounded as the body presumably hit a rock, and the scream died away.

Hook, meanwhile, slowly turned toward Smee, who backed away with a hoarse whimper.

"Would you like to doubt my decisions, too?" murmured Captain Hook sweetly, raising the sharpened weapon meaningfully. The light of his red eyes climbed like a deadly promise over Mullin's blackish blood clinging to the hook, and Smee hastily shook his head.

"Very well, "Hook purred, reaching into his coat pocket to clean his weapon with a handkerchief. "Then go and bring Pan here ... the sooner we get rid of this pest of a changeling, too, the better."

Staggering, Smee scrambled to his feet. He swayed as if his legs were made of rubber as he vigilantly circled Peter and settled behind him.

"Dirty hellhound...," Peter clenched between his teeth. But he could not hide the bleeding heart as he did so.

"Come on, let's go," Smee ordered in an effortfully stern voice as he pushed Peter toward Hook.

The prodigal clenched his hands so tightly that his nails dug into his palms. His gaze was fixed on his enemy, who would slit his throat before throwing him down. And then the Neverland that Sitara had loved so much would simply perish. What would happen faster? Would the mountain erupt and engulf everything with lava and death because of the gases? Or would the shadows destroy the island and its inhabitants?

"You must save Neverland, Pan," it suddenly murmured behind him.

Peter blinked, thinking he had misheard. But then a new pressure pulled at his wrists, and the rope that held him captive loosened. Peter was about to turn his head and stare at Smee in surprise but quickly steered his gaze forward again. "Please. Smee likes the island... and the stars too ..." the pirate murmured softly. "You dream of daylights ..." he babbled on softly.

Peter understood. The pirate had always been the most soft-hearted. Even if he was punished for it, he was easily overpowered by the lost, who were sometimes caught or even forgot to tighten the shackles. And Peter remembered how often he had seen the pirate staring into the night sky.

'... You always found a way. And you will this time too!' murmured Sitara's voice in his mind. She had believed in him until the last moment. And now even Smee was betraying his captain ... for Neverland. For the hope that HE was doing something!

Peter stretched his fingers and closed them into a fist again. His thoughts raced, driven by his heartbeat and the hope on his shoulders.
What could he do? Could Sitara have survived the fall?
Peter's gaze clung to the glowing star in the moldering chest. The first thing he had to do was finish Hook. But how? Perhaps by pushing him into the depths as well? Would that finally leave the undead dead?

'Only a timeless blade can cut through equally timeless webs.'

Peter inhaled sharply when he remembered Queen Titania's words. Why hadn't he thought of that right away?

"Time to die, Pan," the sinister fiend purred at him. Smee led Pan close to the Captain, who raised his hook to Pan's chin and looked his archenemy in the eye. "Our fight comes to an end today."

Peter's eyes flashed.

Hook was so distracted and confident of victory that he didn't notice Peter loosen a hand behind his back and wrap it around the saber's hilt at his side. The parrying basket nestled his hand as if to encourage him.

"You're right about that, Hook," Peter replied, grinning, "But it's YOU who's going to die again!"
The golden blade hummed as Peter pulled it from the scabbard in one jerk. He backed away to put enough distance between himself and Hook.

"What?!" groaned Hook angrily, his eyes blazing with the realization of betrayal as the cut rope landed at Peter's feet. "SMEE!" he thundered and set about his revenge against Pan and the treacherous pirate. He reached to his side to draw the parrying dagger.

At that moment, however, Peter thrust forward with lightning speed. The blade trailed a glowing streak like a tail, and Hook was not quick enough to dodge this time. The point penetrated the undead's body without effort and struck the cold stone of corrupted starlight there. With a strained groan, Peter suddenly felt the resistance and pushed with all the strength he possessed. The blade in his hands seemed to groan under the weight, and his arms shook from the effort - but then, at last, a loud crack sounded in Hook's chest.

The tip penetrated the star. First, tiny cracks formed around the embrasure, then the small star cracked and burst. White light, black shadows, and golden fairy magic discharged in a wave, illuminating the place for a tiny second. The force of the clashing powers made the tomb tremble under the violence. Hook hurled it against one of the rock walls, where a chunk dislodged from the ceiling and buried the captains remains with a rumble. Peter rolled across the floor and crashed into the gate, whose wood caught his body painfully, Smee landing a short distance away. Some crystals shattered, plants withered instantly, and others blossomed.

A chaos of magic that collapsed as quickly as it had erupted.

Wordcount: 1.387 Words