However, just as the anchor reached its maximum height, Tabet jumped from behind the monster and with his powerful hook sliced through the ice that covered its face.

The beast swung the anchor clumsily, letting out another yelp of pain.

Tabet landed next to Kaleb.

-Are yoo oo-keh? -he asked panting.

Kaleb nodded, gasping for breath in shock and exhaustion.

Tabet struck the tip of the spear with his hook, and the ice cracked.

-I think yoo found it's weakness! -the warrior told him-. I'll dis-toor-act it, yoo stand back and finish it off -and with that, Tabet launched himself at the beast, which was using its hand to regenerate its face mask.

Tabet quickly scaled the monster and began to hit the ice arm so that it could not regenerate. The Ma'ldema R'he moved frantically, trying to crush the huachi warrior.

-Shoot it now, Kaleb! -Tabet yelled as he dodged a blow from the monster and hit the ice arm.

Kaleb began to shoot at the face of the Ma'ldema R'he, who again used its anchor to cover itself from the shots, but Tabet, seeing this, ran at the darkness that held it and with a slice of his hook cut the chain of shadows that tied to the anchor like vines.

It caused the anchor to fall, causing the ice under the beast to break. It fell into the water and started to sink.

The Ma'ldema R'he used its ice arm to support itself. Tabet lost his balance but before falling he grabbed a piece of the monster's back.

-Now, Kaleb! -shouted the huachi warrior.

The boy fired into the center of the ice mask, and it began to crack. The beast tried to cover itself but by doing this with it's only arm it lost support and fell through the ice. As it began to sink again it had to use its hand to hold again onto the ice.

Kaleb continued firing and managed to destroy the mask, revealing that those two lights that protruded from the holes, like small eyes, were really a single purple light, pulsating and shadowy.

Kaleb charged the conch shot. The beast saw this and used its arm again to cover itself, but Tabet jumped up and destroyed the arm with his hook, slicing the ice in half.

Kaleb knew this was his chance, so he released the shot, and the plasma ripped through the center of that pulsating light, just before the ice could regenerate sufficiently.

The Ma'ldema R'he let out an agonized metallic shriek. Slowly the shriek faded along with its dark self burning to ashes as it sank into the lake.

Tabet, breathing hard, smiled as the ice that had captured the huachis and frozen the lake melted in an instant after the monster's death.

The huachis, who were still conscious when they lay frozen and saw everything, were released and instantly shouted with happiness, celebrating the victory.

-Woooo-hoooo! -Tabet shouted to the wind, full of joy-.

Yes! We deed it! I knew yoo would make a dee-foor-unce! -said Tabet, as he took Kaleb and hugged him. The other huachis also hugged, jumped, and celebrated with excitement.

Kaleb, also excited, partied with the huachis as he caught his breath and with it, the hope that maybe there would be a way to save Nango and the kingdom and get them out of this horrible place.

The huachis and the boy returned to their vehicle, victorious.

For the first time the huachis had managed to pass the fearsome Ma'ldema R'he and now they were heading to the cave.

-Get ready! -said Tabet, excited but wary.

The vehicle entered the cave and as it moved further and further, a strange light similar to the one that greeted Kaleb at the end of the maze engulfed them all...