All three ships then moved farther from the great massif, and started sailing down the large mountain valley. The Cloud Wanderer was above the Cloud Dancer and off to port, and the Dawn Sprite was just in front of that ship.The dawn was brightening into a clear, blue sky, and everyone was enthralled by the view of the spectacular alpine scenery. But then one of the crew shouted, "What's that?" This cry was immediately followed by, "Ship ahoy," and then by "Two ships ahoy." Several crewmen pointed to the starboard and the line of mountains to the southwest, and everyone stared in that direction. There were two sky ships approaching. Both were black with black sails, fully extended and turned to the side because of the contrary wind, and they were hard to see because of the mountain wall behind them. It was Captain Kapatric who first voiced the fact that they might be dangerous. The two ships were below and in front of three Hualalai ships, but were climbing and approaching fast. They all watched as the first of the two black ships approached the Dawn Sprite and the Cloud Wanderer. Arrows flew from the marauders as the four ships closed, and there were cries of disbelief, alarm, and anguish from the people on the Cloud Dancer. Arwen's were the loudest, as she repeatedly shouted, "My father is on that ship! They cannot attack the King!" The Dawn Sprite had ducked under the larger pirate ship and was now sailing downward and to the southwest-which seemed to be the direction the wind was pushing all of the combatants. The Cloud Wanderer had not been so lucky, as that same wind seemed to be moving the vessel directly at its attacker. That ship continued to shoot arrows, and now everyone could see that many of these contained the bright color of fire. The Cloud Wanderer now rolled onto its port side, and began sliding toward the ground. They all watched in horror as it fell several hundred feet, in a slow spiral motion, while the flames engulfed more of the ship. It crashed into a snowfield with what could only be called a big splat, as snow flew everywhere. It sat there for perhaps two seconds, and then the area where it had hit slipped and became a small avalanche that flowed down toward a narrow valley. Then the ship and the snow it was riding on dropped into the valley. Then the ship and the snow it was riding on dropped over a cliff and disappeared from sight, and its resting place was marked by a rising column of dark smoke.