The Sea Raiders were sailing calmly through the Sea of VapirI. Dusk was at the helm with Mallet and Opal beside him. While steering, Dusk said:
“I feel like we're sailing in circles. There's nothing out here.”
It was then that, suddenly, the Sea Beast immerged out of the water, much to their shock. Before that threat, Mallet pulled out his sword and charged against the Sea Beast.
“Ragna...” he started, while trying to hit one of its tentacles, only to have the creature disappearing once he made contact with it. “…sala?”
Mallet landed at the bow, only to see the giant beast fading away.
"How could something that big just disappear?” Star asked at the lower deck.
"Vapir is a sea full of illusions, echoes of ghosts and monsters from other seas” Calabrass explained.
“Ghosts?” Opal asked, a little nervous.
“Draugers?” Mallet asked. “Mallet doesn't like draugers?”
“Wait, so you’re saying we’re been haunted by these ghost creatures for so long, tried to escape them at all cost and they’re just illusions?” Dusk asked. “Why didn’t you tell us that?”
“You didn’t ask” Calabrass replied, while Dusk rolled his eyes.
Suddenly, a light from an island started to shine.
“So, is that some kind of ghostly illusion, too?” Dusk asked.
“It looks like some sort of code” Star replied. “It is a message.”
“Barse code” Opal said.
“Barse what?” Dusk asked.
“It’s a encode text made of standardized sequences of two different signal durations” Opal replied. " And it happens I have to know a little of it. SOS. Prisoner in the lighthouse. Send help. Crow Gamble."
Having heard that, Clover immeadiatly slid down the mast and appeared next to Star, saying:
“Crow Gamble? We have to save him, Dusk. Let's go! Crow Gamble!”
“Who's Crow Gamble?” Dusk asked.
“A legendary hero of the Seven Seas” Opal replied to him. “Everyone in Marituga knows his stories.”
And then Clover started singing about Crow Gamble, how he was a pirate with a big heart and that gave his silver and gold to the ones who needed. While he was singing, Calabrass told Dusk:
“Argh! Dusk, if ye believe in such fairy tales, you'll be in for disappointment. There are no heroes here in the Triangle, lad!”
“That's not true, Dusk!” Clover told. “Crow Gamble is the greatest champion of all time and the whole universe! Save him, save him, save him!”
“Him or me, boy” Calabrass told Dusk. “Who ye be believin'?”
Despite knowing Calabrass usually had some reasoning in his pirate exclamations and skepticism, Dusk couldn’t help but being moved by Clover’s enthusiasm and begging face. And so he told his trusty sword:
“The Triangle needs heroes, Calabrass. If we have even the slightest chance to help one, I say we have to take it.”
That caused Clover to jump and sing Crow Gamble’s song as happily as he could, as the Chaos sailed towards the island. As they advanced, Star used his sextant to see the way, beside Dusk who told his older brother.
“There's no way you can see, Star”
“And yet I'm certain that we're going in the right direction” he replied. “Opal?”
“Our radar is scrambled, but there's a slight chance the island is...” she told, while looking to her device. “Uh-oh!”
“Uh-oh?” Dusk asked, who then understood why she said that as the island just appeared right in front of them, threatening to cause them to hit it. “Uh-oh! Hang tight!”
And so the Chaos crashed into the shore of the island, causing his crew to fall down. As they got up, Dusk asked:
“Everypony okay?”
Everyone appeared to be okay, except for Chaos who couldn’t move for how much he tried.
“The Chaos is stuckified” Clover said.
He tried to get back to the water, but he just couldn’t do it. Meanwhile, Dusk looked around and couldn’t help but finding that island familiar.
“Does this island remind anyone else of something?” he asked.
“Looks like Marituga, but haunted” Mallet replied, while hiding behind Star.
“Even worse, lad!” Calabrass replied. “It's the ghost of Marituga, an echo of the whole island!”
Clover then pointed at the lighthouse, gasping:
“There! There! Crow Gamble! Crow Gamble!”
“He's a prisoner in the echo of the lighthouse?” Star asked.
“Not for long” Dusk told. “Opal, you take care of getting the Chaos free. Something tells me we'll have to get out of here fast. Let's go find Gamble!”
As Dusk leaped out of the Chaos, Calabrass asked:
“You're not going to risk your hide over some tavern myth, aren’t you?”
“He is!” Clover replied to him, while landing nearby, with the chain connecting him to the Chaos appearing. “And I'm going with him!”
But before Clover could go forward, he was launched back onto the Chaos.
“Crow Gamble...” he said, dismayed.
“Do not despair, Clover, we will get your idol back” Star reassured him.
“If the draugars don't eat us first” Mallet replied.
As the two colts headed to get out of the Chaos, Opal said to Opal:
“If there’s one thing I know about Mallet is that, when even him is afraid of some haunted island, we're better off here.”
Dusk, Star, and Mallet started walking to the lighthouse, climbing its stairs, with Mallet having his sword ready. Suddenly, a screech was heard, causing Mallet to jump in fear. But he continued following Dusk and Star, despite the fact of walking around a ghost version of Marituga, with its empty streets and alleys, being very disturbing. When a window next to him slammed, he got out a scream. Turning to him, Star asked:
“How can a brave warrior of the Mighty Helm like you be afraid of ghosts? You've battled much more stronger opponents.”
“What Mallet can see, he hit” Mallet replied. “But what Mallet can't see...”
He didn’t even dare to finish the sentence. And so the trio continued walking.
“I get the feeling we're totally not welcome here” Dusk said, while looking around.
“Perhaps because we've not business bein' here” Calabrass replied. “Your so-called legendary hero may be a ghost as well. Could be a trap, this.”
“We may be about to meet the bravest pirate in the Triangle” Dusk said. “Aren't you the least bit of curious?”
“The boldest pirate in the Triangle is right there on your back, matey!” Calabrass protested.
“Oh! I get it” Dusk said. “You're just jealous of him, hmm?”
“Me? Jealous of Crow Gamble?” Calabrass asked, apparently offended. “Ha! I am Calabrass! I'm the power of the Seven Seas! I'm the one they should be writing terrible songs about!”
And at that moment they came across a treasure chest, filled with golden coins and other jewels.
“Aha!” Calabrass exclaimed. “Just look to this beautiful image… Booty at last!”
“A treasure right out in the middle of a haunted island?” Dusk asked. “Total set-up! Even I know that.”
“And you call yourselves pirates?” Calabrass asked, as Dusk, Star and Mallet continued their way. “Come on! Just one diamond! A pearl? They won't miss one pearl!”
Back at the Chaos, Opal was trying to get to the Chaos out of shore. Looking to her radar, she continued to have interferences.
“Oh, Vapir is sending all my screens haywire!” she said. “And if I don't aim straight, I'm going to break one of Chaos' legs!”
“Don't worry” Clover said, sitting at the bow. “Crow Gamble will save us all.”
Meanwhile, Dusk, Star, and Mallet have arrived to the entrance of the lighthouse and they opened the doors. Before they got in, Mallet asked to anyone who could be inside:
“Hello! Any draugers in there?”
“Don't tell me, you're afraid of the dark too?” Dusk asked him.
“Mallet can see the dark” he replied, as he went inside. “Dark does not scare Mallet.”
The trio got inside and started to walk up the stairs to the top. Despite the interior being very much close in resemblance to the original one, Dusk couldn’t help but feeling himself getting tired of climbing.
“This is like climbing up Mount Everhoof. I can't feel my legs…”
“Well, when we were trying to save the lighthouse, we were in a hurry” Star commented. “I guess now we don’t have the help of the adrenaline.”
At the lantern room of the lighthouse, they found the same place where the crystal with Freonus should be, only with the crystal being green instead and the platform turned into a cage, with metal bars filling the arcs of the branches. Inside there were crates and barrels that appeared to contain sea food and also the one that could only be Crow Gamble.
He was a tall and yet well-fit unicorn stallion with brownish blue coat with steer and a compass as a Cutie Mark, bluish green mane and moustache with some greying highlights and dark green eyes. The Barse Code the Sea Raiders received were being made by him Crow is seen using a reflective shield. There was also a shackle around his legs.
“Crow Gamble, big-hearted buccaneer, right?” Dusk asked, while approaching and remembering Clover’s song.
Hearing him, Gamble turned around, throwing the shield away, and said:
“Ah! Pirate without fear, the one and only!”
“The none and only, more like” Calabrass grunted.
“To whom do I have the honor?” Gamble asked.
“Dusk Storm, captain of the Chaos” he replied.
“Captain?” Gamble asked, appearing surprised. “So young. Bravo!”
“I’m Star Knight, Dusk’s brother. But you can call me Star.”
“Oh! Noble blood flows in your veins, I see” Gamble replied, while bowing to Star. “For you to be an alicorn just like Princess Celestia, you can only be.”
“And Mallet… is Mallet!” Mallet said.
“Oh, a noble warrior of the Mighty Helm…” Gamble noticed. “I have to say I never got the honor to meet one.”
“Anyone introducin' me?” Calabrass asked. “Or do I stink of stale fish?”
While dropping a chuckle, Dusk introduced:
“This is Calabrass.”
“Calabrass?” Gamble repeated. “Of course! I've heard tales! A clumsy old pirate, who ended up trapped in a sword by a little filly, yes?”
“Pah!” Calabrass replied, much to Dusk’s amusement. “Just for you to know, that little filly is one of the most powerful beings there is.”
“Mallet open the door!” Mallet said, while trying to force the door of the cell to open, but not working.
Suddenly, it started to open on its own, what caused Mallet to look around nervously. But then saw it was Dusk, who was pulling a lever there was there and opening the door.
“Easy when you cheat” Mallet told him.
“Yes, too easy” Star said, a little suspicious. “That is what troubles me.”
“Hey, guys, he's still chained” Dusk said, pointing to the shackle.
“Mallet break it” the Mighty Helm warrior said, while taking his sword. “Mallet not scared of chains.”
However, his sudden approached scared Crow, but he calmed down once he saw that the sword had broken the shackle which then disappeared.
“Ha, ha, ha!” Gamble celebrated, as he got out of the cage. “My friends, I am eternally in your debt! I have been stuck in here for ages eating dried seaweeds. Urgh!”
Hearing that, Mallet turned to the crates and barrel there were inside the cage and said, while recollecting his sword:
“Mallet help with that too!”
Suddenly, everypony heard a sound and a bunch of ghosts wielding weapons appeared, apparently saying:
“Prisoner!”
“Drauger...” Mallet said, with some fear.
The ghosts surrounded everypony, with Dusk taking out Calabrass to try to fight them. One tried to hit Dusk, but he was able to dodge.
“Those ghosts seem pretty solid” Star commented.
“Not all the time” Gamble replied. “Watch out!”
Dusk tried to hit one, but he couldn’t land a blow.
“What the...?” Dusk started, while dodging some of the ghosts attacks. “We can't hit them?”
“Take my word, young Storm, they're invincible!” Gamble replied.
“Now who thinks my idea of taking the treasure and gettin' out wasn't so stupid after all?!” Calabrass asked. “Anyone?”
With the ghost closing their siege on them, Mallet said:
“We can't win against draugers.”
“Mallet may be right” Star said. “We cannot hit them, but they can certainly hit us!”
“If we don't like the rules, Star, then let's change ‘em!” Dusk replied. “Time to unleash the Storm! Calabrass, give me the Eye of Vapir!”
And so Dusk and Calabrass gained the powers of Vapir.
“Concrete mist!” Dusk said, while advancing and starting to defeat the ghost with blows from Calabrass, something that clearly impressed Gamble very much. After he was able to defeat the ghost, he said:
“There! How's that, Star? Now we can fight them. Gamble, what do you say?”
“Impressive, young hero!” he replied, while taking with his magic a swords dropped by one of the ghosts.
“Thanks!” Dusk answered. “Come on, crew, let's clear the road!”
At the shore of the island, Opal used a blast of magic on one of Chaos’ metallic legs and was able to get it free.
“One clear!” she said, as Chaos started to get up. “Only three to go! Actually, this island isn't that scary at all. To think Mallet was afraid of it. What's to be afraid of?
Suddenly, various cutlass swords appear out of the sand, much to Opal’s shock.
“My goodness!”
And so those cutlass swords started all flying up, causing Clover to shout, while ducking down at the Chaos:
“Cutlass shower! Cutlass shower! Take cover, Opal! Take cover!”
And those cutlass started going in direction of the lighthouse.
At the lighthouse, as they went down the stairs, Dusk, who was leading the group, used Calabrass to clear the way from the ghosts. When arriving to the base of the lighthouse, more ghosts appeared and Dusk took care most of them, Star was also able to dispel some with his magic. After that, Dusk and Calabrass both detransformed and then the former told Gamble, while approaching him:
“We totally smashed those ghosts, Gamble!”
“You have my eternal gratitude” he said. “Thanks to you, I'll get back to my quest. To bring justice to the Seven Seas!”
And he opened one of the doors to get out, but suddenly a cutlass smashes through it, completely catching him by surprise. Seeing the shower of cutlass approaching, Dusk said:
“Uh, yeah, maybe not right this second? Weather's turned kind of slicey outside.
Dusk and Gamble both close the door, preventing the cutlass from entering.
“Any other ideas?” Dusk asked, to his friends.
“See?” Mallet asked. “Dusk is scared of draugers too!”
“The island's ghosts are just echoes of pirates driven by the strongest of pirate emotions, greed” Gambled explained.
“Pirates? Greedy? No...” Dusk said, playfully teasing his sword friend.
“I resemble that remark!” Calabrass replied.
“The ghosts are outraged because you stole something precious from them: a prisoner” Gamble said. “I've got to go back to their jail.”
“You're willing to sacrifice yourself so we can leave this island?” Star asked. “That’s very noble of you.”
“It is my duty, as the Triangle's greatest hero” Gamble said. “My quest shall wait.”
“Is anyone listening to this gust of hot wind?” Calabrass asked, still skeptical to Gamble’s claims.
“Chill out, Calabrass” Dusk replied, turning then to Gamble. “We can't allow you to sacrifice yourself for us.”
It was then that the ghosts returned, all saying, while cornering Dusk, Gamble, Star and Mallet:
“Prisoner! Prisoner!”
“We'll find another way out” Dusk said, before a cutlass stabbed through the door, right next to his head.
Seeing that blade, Gamble said:
“Yes, some other way out indeed… Dusk Storm, I have a plan, but it is wildly dangerous. I will understand, if you're too afraid to join me.”
“Too afraid?” Dusk asked. “Me? Please.”
Gamble released a laugh and said:
“As I thought! Hand me your sword, quickly!”
“You think he'd fall for that, ya scurvy snake?” Calabrass asked.
“Here you go” Dusk said, handing Calabrass to Gamble, much to the former’s shock.
“Hey!” he protested.
“I don’t know, Dusk” Star said. “Handing Calabrass to someone we just met, even if he is a renowned hero…”
“You can trust me, believe it” Gamble said. “Now, why don’t you stand against that wall, there.”
After Dusk positioned himself, Gamble said:
“Perfect.”
It was then that Gamble opened the door, allowing the cutlasses to get in and then follow the Sea Raideirs.
“Treachery!” Star said. “Dusk, here!”
The Sea Raiders run to escape the cutlasses, but the cutlasses tried to attack Dusk who managed to dodge them. However three more prepared to strike him, only for them to be shot down by Dusk.
“Thanks, Star!”
Suddenly, two ghosts appeared around Star and capture him, securing his legs and wings.
“What?!” he asked, completely caught off-guard.
“Star!” Dusk called.
“Release me, you slimey, anaemic jellyfish!” Star demanded, as the ghost started to take him upstairs.
Mallet followed the ghosts, while Gamble said:
“I told you the ghosts would calm down once they regain their prisoner.”
“Take yer filthy hooves off my skull!” Calabrass shouted at him.
“Gamble, what are you doing?” Dusk asked, with the ghosts between him and Gamble.
“Leaving this accursed island and leaving you with it!” he replied. “I'll take good care of your ship, Captain Dusk. You have my word.”
Having said that, Gamble left the lighthouse. Despite wanting to go after him and recover Calabrass, Dusk was more worried about his brother, so he started heading towards the lantern room while Dusk.
There, the ghosts dragged Star. Despite his best attempts, Star couldn’t cause them to drop him.
“How can you hold me if I cannot strike you?”
Mallet, arriving there, was able to grab one of Dusk’s hind legs and started to pull him, while saying:
“Draugers, let go of Star right now!”
“Let go of me!” Star told to the ghosts.
It was then that the ghost dealt with Mallet by throwing him to the cage, along with Dusk, while saying:
“Prisoner…”
The door was closed and then a shackle appeared on Star’s hind hoof and then a ghost proceeded to remove the level. Once they left, Dusk arrived, calling:
“Mallet! Star!”
Noticing the lever was gone, he told them:
“Hold on!”
Approaching the cage, he tried to pull the cage door open, but he couldn’t do it.
“It's...too...heavy!” he said. “I have to save Calabrass! Don't go anywhere! I'll be back!”
As he headed to the exit, Star asked:
“Where does he expect us to go?”
Meanwhile, Gamble was walking with Calabrass, holding him with his magic. Calabrass told him:
“Release me, ya pitiful pond prawn, or I'll write you a new ballad, one that tells you how you really are, ya scum!”
“My legend is indestructible” Gambled replied to him. “And why not? I've spent years crafting it. A little lie here, a big lie there… Unfortunately, those ghostly pirates are not so easy to charm. But seriously, who could resist such a treasure?”
It was then that they saw saw the treasure chest from before. Knowing what would mean if they took it, Calabrass warned Gamble:
“No! Don't steal that, ya brainless lumpfish! The ectoplasm will lash at us again!”
“And they will indeed, but this time I have a magic sword!” Gamble replied, while putting on a crown that was on top of the treasure chest.
As soon he did that, various ghosts appeared. Seeing them, Gamble started running away in fear.
At the shores, Opal and Clover both noticed the ghosts and Opal said:
“Okay, no time for subtly!”
She then casted a bigger magic blast that caused Chaos’ legs to get freed from the sand. With that, he walked back to the water.
In the meantime, Dusk was running through the streets of the ghost town. Arriving to the bridge at the edge of the town, he saw Gamble at the beach running towards the Chaos. Suddenly, Dusk heard a voice calling:
“Gamble!”
He turned around and saw an immense quantity of ghost flying, passing by him and heading towards Gamble. They were so many, that Dusk ended up slipping and almost fall down the cliff. Fortunately, he luckily grabbed onto a rope from a bridge. After the ghost have passed by, Dusk was able to climb himself back up.
“Those ghosts are even madder at him than I am!” Dusk commented. “And I'm not even sure that's possible!”
He crossed the bridge and then descended the stairs.
As Gamble was running away from the ghosts, he told Calabrass:
“Come on, blade! Time to show us your pretty powers!”
“Didn't say the magic word, Gamble!” Calabrass replied. “Me powers cannot be unleashed by nincompoops!”
Turning to the ghosts, Gamble replied to him:
“I appreciate your cooperation, rust tooth. Calabrass, give me the Eye of Vapir!”
“Oh, I'll give it to ye, all right!” Calabrass replied.
And so he electrocuted Glamble, which knocks him into the water, all while dropping Calabrass who fell on the sand, saying:
“Ye think just anyone can master the Eyes of the Seven Seas, you squalid squid?”
Recovering from the blast, he saw the ghost approaching, stopping right at where the sea meets the land.
“Stay back!” Gamble asked, cowardly. “I'll return your treasure! I'll…”
It was then that a ghost got into the water, but, as soon it touched, it got itself electrocuted and was sent back. Seeing that, Gamble released some laughs and then said:
“Stuck on your stupid island, ghosts? You'll never catch me again!”
And so he started swimming towards the Chaos.
Inside the lighthouse, Mallet was trying to use his strength to open the door of the cage, while Star was trying to use his magic to destroy the shackle, only to fail.
“I bet if I had my full powers or just a little more, I would be able to break free from this thing” Star said.
“When Mallet get free, he go squash Gamble!” Mallet told.
“Assuming he has not fled on our ship already” Star replied.
It was then that Star noticed a shield nearby. He then realized it was with that Gamble was able to send a message to them about being imprisoned and then concluded they could do the same, as he knew Opal would understand the message. He picked it up and shone it onto the light, starting to use Barse code. Seeing that, Mallet told him:
“Star warn Opal and Mallet get food!”
At the Chaos, Opal and Clover were side by side at the deck, looking around, and then Clover asked:
“Can I believe my eyes?”
Looking to where Clover was looking, Opal saw Gamble swimming to the ship.
“No, you can't, Clover” she said. “It's just another illusion!”
“No, it's him!” Clover exclaimed. “It's him! Crow Gamble!”
He then went to grab a rop and drop it down to help Gamble get on board, all while singing Gamble’s song.
“My legend precedes me!” he said, while getting on board. “Good. It is I, the big-hearted buccaneer! The pirate without fear!”
“Crow Gamble!” Clover exclaimed, full of joy, while singing and teleporting around Gamble.
Noticing Clover was a ghost, Gamble reacted as if he was there to punish him, exclaimed, while dropping the crown he had taken:
“Ghost! No! I didn't do it! I… I didn't steal anything!”
“Me?” Clover asked. “I'm Clover, your biggest fan!”
That statement really let Gamble a little disconcerted who then said:
“I've had some fans, son, but never one like you.”
“I’m Opal, the inventor and engineer of this ship” Opal introduced herself. “Did you happen to see our shipmates, Dusk, Star and Mallet?”
“Yes, yes, I…” Gamble replied, while trying to figure out a way to draw away their curiosity. “I created a diversion so they could escape. Yes, that's it. They're probably back in Marituga, safe and sound!”
“Wait…” Opal said, not very convinced. “They left you with the ghosts and ran away to safety? That surprises me. Dusk is usually so…”
It was then that Opal noticed the lighthouse's light. Because of the way it was flashing, she deduced it was a message and so started to decipher it.
“Trea-che-rous?” she said, quickly realizing what that meant and hasting to say. “Oh, I mean, uh… te-na-cious. That's it, he's tenacious.”
Fortunately for Opal, Clover started fanboying over Gamble, causing him to let go of that moment, saying, while hugging one of his legs:
“He's so cool!”
“Oh! Ha, ha, ha… The colt Dusk got a bit scared” Gamble told, while releasing himself from Clover and then replying to Opal. “The Mighty Helm warrior more so. It happens to everypony. Except me, of course!”
“Of course!” Clover said, taking one hoof from Gamble, while he put back the crown on his head, and directing to the helm. “Crow Gamble, will you steer our ship? Say yes! Please! Please!”
As they moved away, Opal looked again to the lighthouse and then to Gamble, doing it angrily and suspiciously. Knowing what she had to do, Opal whispered:
“Chaos, pretend nothing's happening and send the Plank to Dusk.”
At the shore, Dusk was taking cover at some rocks, seeing the ghosts at the edge of the see and the Chaos preparing to move away.
“He's taken the Chaos!” Dusk exclaimed, really upset. “We're doomed!”
“Well, now, who was right about Gamble?” a voice asked.
Able to recognized it anywhere, Dusk looked around, while asking:
“Calabrass? Where are you hiding?”
“Under your hooves, barnacle brain!” he replied.
Dusk looked down, seeing him, and then told him, while picking him up:
“We're gonna teach that zero not to gamble with a real hero like Dusk Storm! Ready to bring back that treasure?”
“Actually…” Calabrass started.
But before he could finished, Dusk climbed the stone and then shouted:
“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Aeria!”
However, he and Calabrass didn't transform and his shout caused the ghosts to turn to him.
“Uh… Calabrass?” he asked.
“Sorry, bub” he replied. “That bathtub barracuda got me so bothered that I be out of juice now.”
Fortunately for them, the Plank had just arrived to save them.
“Don't sweat it, Cal” Dusk said. “We don't have to do everything by ourselves. We've got friends! Prepare to board!”
Arriving to Dusk’s edge, the Plank positioned itself and Dusk hopped onto it which then flied towards the Chaos, with the ghost extending then limbs to try to get him.
At the Chaos, Gamble was steering the ship, with Clover by his side. At the lower deck, Opal was trying to think of what to do next.
“What can I do against a legendary pirate like Gamble?” she asked to herself. “He can disarm me right away!”
It was then that, much to her happiness, Dusk appeared on board, silently shushing her to let her know he would sneak behind Gamble.
“Oh, tell me how you beat One-Eyed Jake!” Clover asked. “Giving his booty to the kids of Scorpion Crab Island was so excellent!”
“So that's why they locked you up, huh?” Dusk said, arriving to the bow. “You already stole that chest from them!”
“Dusk?” Clover asked.
“Sorry, Clover, but he's no hero” Dusk said.
“No!” Clover replied. “This is Crow Gamble, the one and only, the real deal!”
With Dusk now there, it would be impossible for Gamble to continue with the charade, and so he said:
“Sorry, kiddo, but legends are stories and stories get told. You can't believe everything you hear...”
“But I thought...” Clover said, while retreating, really heartbroken.
“No time for more buts” Dusk said, turning to his trusty ship. “Chaos, set a course for the island.”
Hearing him, Chaos recollected the helm from Gamble and Dusk then told him:
“And you, you thief, are going to return that chest!”
“That I can't do” Gamble replied, while taking his sword. “Pirates don't give back treasures. Ha, ha, ha! En garde!”
“All right” Dusk said, while taking Calabrass. “Legend has it that you're a mighty swashbuckler. Let's see if that's just a story too.”
Dusk and Gamble both start swordfight and the young unicorn colt got surprised by how easily he blocked his sword thrusts.
“The best lie is the one that holds a grain of truth” Gamble told, while being able to kick Dusk against the deck.
He tried to hit Dusk with a sword, but he rolled and got up, being able to not do much but dodging and defending.
“I am unbeatable with a sword” Gamble said.
“He may not be fibbin', mate!” Calabrass told to Dusk. “He's good!”
Their fight brought them to the tip of the bow, where the Plank was. After dodging an attack from Gamble, Dusk took advantage of his size and weight to pass over Gamble to the other side and then point his sword to his neck. But Gamble didn’t give up that easily and moved the blade away with his sword. The two of them continued swordfighting, until Gamble found himself right at the end of the bow. Realizing the position he was, Gamble told Dusk:
“If you hold any hope of freeing your friends, give up this fight. Because if you lose sight of the island, you'll never find it again!”
Despite Dusk becoming really concern about what Gamble said, it didn’t take long for things to have a turn-over, as the Sea Beast immerged from the waters.
“The Sea Beast!” Opal exclaimed.
“Everyone drop!” Dusk told.
Gamble laughed and then said, mocking Dusk and the others:
“There's a bold crew, scared of the first illusion that comes along.”
But the Sea Beast proved to be not an illusion when it grabbed Gamble with one of its tentacles, causing him to drop the crown he was wearing. The crown went to fall on the deck, while Clover said:
“Sometimes it's good to believe what people say.”
“Help me!” Gamble shouted.
“Help ye?” Calabrass asked. “It's just an illusion. Help yerself, lumpfish!”
“He may not be a hero, Calabrass, but no one deserves that!” Dusk told.
And so Dusk got onto the Plank that flew to the Kraken. Dusk used Calabrass to force the Sea Beast to drop Gamble who then fell on the deck, while Dusk continued and was caught by the Sea Beast’s mouth, with the creature then going underwater.
“Dusk!” both Opal and Clover called, with them going to see if they spotted him. “Dusk!”
Turning to Gamble who caught the crown and prepared to leave, Clover told:
“This is your fault, Gamble!”
“Why isn't he using Calabrass' powers?” Opal asked.
“Hmm, I might have used up all your talking sword's powers earlier” Gamble confessed.
“You're the worst, Gamble!” Clover exclaimed. “You're not without fear, you're without heart!”
Seeing then Clover starting to sob over the apparent loss of his dear friend caused Gamble to start feeling guilty over what he has done.
It was then that a light started coming out of the water and Opal, noticing that, shouted:
“Calabrass has recharged!”
And they heard an explosion of lightning and Dusk then immerged on the Plank, transformed with the Eye of Aeria. He detransfromed and then he started flying back to the lighthouse. Arriving there, he jump off the Plank and approached the cage. Seeing him, Star asked:
“Dusk, where is Crow Gamble?”
“Don't worry about him” Dusk said, directing then to Calabrass. “Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz! I need some welding fire!”
And so he and Calabrass transformed.
Using the fire of the Eye of Blazz, Dusk was able to burn the branches of the cage, causing the bars then to fall. However, as soon Dusk detransformed, the ghost immerged, saying:
“Prisoner...”
“The draugers!” Mallet exclaimed. “They're coming back!”
It was then that they just stopped, lowing their weapons and staring at the trio.
“Dusk, the ghosts have calmed!” Star told, as the shackle on his hoof released him.
“And the chain no longer resists” Dusk observed. “How is that possible?”
His question was answered with Gamble’s arrival.
“Gamble?” Dusk asked, totally not expecting him.
“I've decided to try to live up to my legend, for once” he replied. “I couldn't let down my biggest fan.”
In fact, Gamble had returned the crown to the chest and Clover, who was at the top of the mast, knowing this, said:
“He gave the treasure back! Just like in the song!”
And so he started singing Gamble’s song.
As Mallet and Star got out only to have the cage occupied by Gamble, the latter said, as the doors of the cage closed down and the shackle returned to get him:
“When words of this selfless deed reaches Marituga, they'll add another verse to my song! What rhymes with Crow Gamble Ghost Hunter? I have a fine legend, Dusk Storm. And that may be worth about than any new stories.”
Despite the troubles and the betraying Gamble had caused to them, Dusk couldn’t help but admire this act of courage of Gamble. He could have go away and leave them, but he decided to do the right thing in the end and that was something worth of admiration. And so he shared a hoof-bump with him.
With Dusk, Star and Mallet now at the Chaos and with him sailing away from the island, Calabrass said as he and the others saw the ghost of Marituga getting behind:
“That putrid pirate wasn't so bad after all.”
“See that, Calabrass?” Dusk asked. “Heroes don't only exist in fairy tales. They may be all around us.”
And so they heard Clover singing Gamble’s song again at his post at the mast and pointing. They all looked and got surprised when they saw Gamble on a small boat with chests of treasure and waving them.
“Hey, what happened to that heroic legend stuff?” Dusk asked, with a smile.
“Fairy tales and illusions” Calabrass replied. “Aye.”