//------------------------------// // Escape From Netherwhere // Story: Adventures in the Bermikun Triangle // by Rakoon1 //------------------------------// It was night at Marituga and its civilians were at the docks, reunited at a ship, celebrating. And the one they were celebrating was none other than Crow Gamble, who as at the top of his taffrail, receiving the ovations, while showing off his sword skills. “Yes!” he exclaimed. “Indeed, friends, it’s me, Crow Gamble, the hero of Bermikun!” And so he started giving golden coins to the ponies, while they sang his song. But this was short-lived, as one of the ponies spotted something and then said: “Hey, it’s Dusk Storm!” This caused everypony to turn around as they saw the Chaos approaching the port of Marituga, starting then approaching where Chaos would stop. Seeing his admirers turning their backs on him for Dusk caused Gamble to get disappointed and sigh. As the Chaos approached Marituga, Dusk told to his friends: “We have a lot to do, guys, so don’t waste any time. You got the shopping list, Opal?” “Everything is memorized and I uploaded the list to my suit just in case” Opal replied, while wearing her suit. “Hey, Dusk, there’s a welcoming committee!” Clover told from his post on the mast. They all turned to the port and got surprised for what they were seeing. “Shiver me timbers!” Calabrass exclaimed. “What’s got into them?” Dusk run to the bow and started acclaiming the Maritugians’ cheers, holding Calabrass. “Hey, it’s him! It’s Dusk Storm!” “He’s holding Calabrass, the legendary sword!” “Yeah, that’s me!” Dusk replied, proudly. “And I!” Calabrass added. “Is it true you opened the Aeria Waypoint?” “Aye, thanks to me!” Calabrass replied. “I’m the key to open Bermikun.” “Yeah, and I even surfed in the middle of a cyclone” Dusk told. “Like this.” He whistled, calling for the Plank and then Dusk jumped onto it, starting then showing off his movements to the crowd. “Dusk! Dusk! Dusk!” Opal called, from the deck, only to be ignored. “I’m afraid his ego is temporarily occupied” Star said. “He’s even more show-off than our father.” Dusk entertained the crowd a little more, until he stopped near Gamble’s ship, with the latter telling him: “Enjoy it, Dusk Storm. You may have your five minutes of fame. But Gamble has been famous forever!” “Jealous, Gamble?” Calabrass asked. “Maybe he has never opened a Waypoint” Dusk said, cynically. “No, I just managed to sneak into Netherwhere right under the nose of Skullivar and his fearsome crew to steal me some treasure” Gamble told. “But you already know that, don’t you?” The crowd turned to Dusk, waiting for his response, but he just asked: “Anypony wants to see how Dusk Storm destroys Bermikun Triangle monsters?” And the crowd celebrated that idea, much to Gamble’s irritation. “Dusk, we have things to buy, remember?” Opal asked him. “Can’t you see we’re busy here?!” Calabrass asked her. “Go ahead, Opal” Dusk said. “You don’t need a hero make the shopping.” That response really annoyed Opal who saw how Dusk continued to show-off before the others. “Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz!” The two of them transformed and Dusk shouted: “Blade of Fire!” A blast of fire was casted into the sky from Calabrass, creating a massive firework that marveled the crowd. Opal, however, didn’t share the same enthusiasm as the crowd, as she was still resentful of Dusk for the way how he dismissed her. She then got out of the Chaos, under the worried look of Star, and went to the bazar. Little did she knew she was being followed “What about me?” she asked, talking to herself. “I’m a hero too. We all are! Dusk wouldn’t have the success he have without me.” It was then that a pegasus pirate with a wooden back leg appeared, having a green coat with a cape over it, brown and dark brown mane and yellowish eyes and said: “That’s her!” She then turned around and saw herself faced with two other pirates that prepared to attack. She tried to fight them, but they were able to get her out of her suit and then put her on a chest with it, starting to go to their ship. After all Dusk’s showing-off and the crowd had dispersed, he returned to the Chaos, where he sat on his chair at the cabinet. There, Clover started to sing a song about him. When he ended, Calabrass replied: “Rubbish! There’s not even a rhyme to be heard on that noise you call a song!” Clover answered him by sticking his tong out on Calabrass. It was then that Star entered in the cabinet saying: “Dusk, sorry to interrupt your self-congratulatory convention, but Opal has still not returned. “Probably she just took a lingering stroll and busted far and wild that she’s part of Dusk Storm’s crew” Calabrass replied, with Dusk nodding slightly with the head. Sighing, Star informed: “Mallet and I will go and check on her anyway.” “It’s times like these that we need a war cry” Dusk said, getting up. “Like… Justice!” “Justice?!” Calabrass asked. “Blah… Not much of a pirate ring on that. What about something like Zaauunzz!” Star rolled his eyes, as it was a bad timing for both Dusk and Calabrass being self-centered, and exclaimed: “Dusk!” And then got out. Understanding what he meant with that, he said, following him: “Yeah, okay, I’m going.” Opal regained consciousness and saw that she was in a box. “What in the name of Obstang…” she said, struggling with the close space. Outside, was the trio of pirates that have captured her, who were at Netherwhere. The leader was holding a satchel, with a not so pleased look, and then he said: “This wasn’t out deal!” He was talking to none other than Golden Bones, accompanied by some of his soldiers, who replied to him: “Our deal was to you to bring her to me with her suit.” “We lost it on the way” the pirate leader replied. A pair of skeletons took the chest where Opal was and started carrying it away, much to her discomfort, following Golden Bones. “No, wait!” the pirate asked. But he had his path blocked by the other skeletons. After having his skeletons deal with Opal, Golden Bones headed to Skullivar’s room, where he was staring at his window. Kneeling before him, Golden Bones said: “Master… We can finally start building your machine.” “Excellent” Skullivar replied. The two skeletons, having taken Opal from the chest, threw her into a room, before locking her up. It was then that, when she was getting up, noticed someone in front of her. She got surprised when she saw that pony was none other than… “Steam?!” she asked. It was really him, Steam Forge. “Opal, mi carissima amica!” Steam exclaimed, while hugging Opal with his usual enthusiastic way. Despite loving to see Steam again and enjoying his hug, Opal had to return to reality and ended the hug and asked: “But what is going on here, Steam?!” “Bones wants to create una macchina that can fuse green crystallite with vapirium together” Steam replied, while inviting Opal to approach. She did it and then could see what machine he was talking about. She got very amazed by what she saw, with it being composed of a spherical upper part and a lower that was some kind of container. Remembering what Steam have said about the propose of that machine, Opal concluded it should be something big. Combining the green crystallite, crystalized energy from the Sea of Dezer, along with vapirium, the very mist of the Sea of Vapir, was a very demanding task. “He wants to create a powering weapon?” she asked. “No, no, no, no…” Steam replied. “But he said that his macchina needs the most brilliant scientists in the Triangle.” “The most brilliant?” Opal repeated, while advancing. “Someone finally recognizes my abilities.” “Sono contento that you’re here, Opal” Steam said. “Dusk Storm will save us, vero?” While exploring a big container with spare parts, she replied: “We don’t need Dusk. We’re the most brilliant scientists in the Triangle, right?” She took with her magic an energy generator and replied: “We’ll escape all by ourselves.” It was morning already and the Sea Raiders still didn’t have any news about Opal what caused them to get worried. They started searching for her on all Marituga, but it would appear nopony had seen her. Finally, they decided to return to the Chaos, thinking she may have come back. When they were descending the stairs to the port, they passed over Crow Gamble, who was leaning against a wall whistling his own song. He did in such annoyed way that was meant to call the attention of the Sea Raiders, what he did, under their not so pleased look, especially Dusk’s. “Well, Storm, you need the help of a real hero?” he asked. “Why, you know one?” Dusk replied coldly. Gamble chuckled and then questioned: “Don’t you want to find your princess friend?” “We’re doing just fine, thanks” Dusk told, not wanting Gamble’s help at all. But when he prepared to move away, Star told him: “Dusk, stop!” “Gamble knows something” Mallet noticed. “Gamble might” he said, causing Dusk to stop. “Why would you help us?” Star asked, suspicious. “Out of the kindness of your soul?” “Exactly!” he answered, while getting up. “And also because I want to recover something from the place where Orange… Opah…” “It’s Opal!” Calabrass corrected, whispering then to Dusk. “He’s bluffing. He just wants a free ride on our ship.” Being able to hear what Calabrass said, Gamble sighed: “As you wish. Good luck finding your friend on the Seven Seas.” And he started to climb the stairs back to down, all while whistling his music. The Sea Raiders traded a look and, much to Dusk’s dismay, they concluded it was best if they took any opportunity they had to find Opal. “Hold on, Gamble” Dusk told. And he stopped, while smiling. At Netherwhere, Opal was creating something to help her and Steam escape with the help of the latter. “It might be more prudente to wait for Dusk Storm and your amici, no?” Steam suggested, while passing a part to Opal. “If we get caught, who knows what Bones will do to us.” “Right now, Dusk must still be praising himself in Marituga” Opal retorted, while finishing her device and taking the power generator. “Put that near the door. It will overheat the electrical system and deactivate it.” He tried to get the device with his hoof, but it was too hot so he quickly dropped it, while attending his hoof. “There must be a swarm of skeletons behind the door” Steam said. “We won’t go far.” “I’ll handle them” she replied, while raising the power generator and charge it more with her magic. With Gamble on board on the Chaos with the Sea Raiders, they start sailing away from Marituga. At the captain’s cabinet, Gamble told them what he knew about Opal: “Sand Bolt’s ship left Marituga after dropping off a box.” “That proves nothing!” Calabrass replied. “I spoke with a griffon that said he heard a voice coming from the box” Gamble continued. “A voice that said, and I quote, By Obstang!” “And, of course, you know exactly where Bolt’s ship was heading to” Dusk said. “Right… here” Gamble replied, pointing to a point of the holographic map of Beru. “The trolls’ den?!” Star asked. “Opal’s diving suit!” Dusk exclaimed. “She was wearing it when she left the Chaos. The trolls wanted it for their collection. I could have figured that on my own.” But Gamble just smiled and winked at him. Dusk then dropped his contempt with Gamble and smiled at him too, with the two bumping their hooves, much to Clover’s happiness. The little ghost said: “Watch out, evildoers! Dusk and Gamble are teaming up today!” And so they zapped towards the location of the trolls’ den. In Netherwhere, Steam placed the device he and Opal made near the door and activated it. Once he did it, the door opened and the two guards there turned to him and one asked, pointing his weapon: “What is going on here?!” Despite Steam being scared of that, he bravely retreated to attract the skeletons so that Opal, who had hidden herself beside the door, came from behind with the power generator. Activating it, she stroke from behind and electrocuted the two skeletons. After that, she said: “Let’s go! There’s no time to lose!” The two of them started running through the corridor, but suddenly someone grabbed Steam from behind, with that one revealing to be Golden Bones. “Oh no…” Opal said. With him threatening to harm Steam with his hook, Opal didn’t have any other chance but to drop the power generator. The general skeleton then returned them to their room and then Golden Bones told Opal: “According to him, you’re the most brilliant scientist in the Bermikun Triangle. But I admit that I’m starting to have my doubts having in count what you just did. Forge insisted in having you help him with his machine. So, if you value your life, you will help him. Otherwise, you’ll become dispendable.” Turning then to Steam, Golden Bones said: “Take good care of your guest.” With that, Golden Bones got out of the room. Arriving to the place where the trolls’ den was located, Dusk, Star and Mallet (who had been taught to swim by his friends) prepared to dive. “Okay, let’s go” Dusk said. But before they could do it, Gamble told them: “Hold on! Sorry, but we have a deal. As you know, the trolls have something that belongs to me too.” It took from his saddlebags a picture of a safe, saying: “It’s a safe… my safe.” “Okay, that’s a little questionable, having in count that you stole treasure from ghosts when we met” Dusk replied. Star took the picture and then said: “Shall we?” “Okay, it’s time to save Opal and write a new chapter on the legend of Dusk Storm!” Dusk declared. They then dove and started swimming. Meanwhile, in Netherwhere, Opal and Steam were working on the machine. However, the relationship between the two had been strained after the reveal of Bones about the reason why Opal was brought there. While she was welding some parts and going to the containing get more, Steam told her: “Scusa, Opal. I made an errore in bringing you here. We cannot build this macchina for Bones.” “You could have thought of that first!” Opal exclaimed to him. It was then that she found something interesting in there. “A communication device?” Steam placed a hoof over her shoulder and told her: “Let’s buy some tempo.” But she swept his hoof of her shoulder and replied: “I’m not a traitor! I’m making the machine with a bomb in the activation system. This bomb will destroy the machine and Netherwhere with it.” Hearing that, Steam got very nervous and exclaimed: “That’s very pericoloso!” “Don’t worry, I don’t intent in being here when it detonates” Opal replied, putting Steam more relieved. Dusk, Star and Mallet had been able to infiltrate the trols’ den and were now heading towards their treasure chamber, while avoiding calling attention for themselves from the giant beings. Arriving there, they noticed the two guards protecting the entrance. “She’s got to be in the treasure room” Dusk said. “Come on!” And, without any other option, they started running towards the guards, ready to attack. “Ragnasala!” Mallet exclaimed, preparing to attack. Arriving to their edge, Dusk, Star and Mallet jumped, ready to attack. In Netherwhere, Opal was programming the communication device in order to contact the Chaos. “All right, it’s time to call for reinforcements” Opal said, starting to contact her friends. This activated the machine’s antennas she has put to enhance the signal. At the Chaos, Clover was waiting with Gamble for Dusk and the others to arrive when the former heard something. “Do you hear that?” he asked to Gamble. “What?” he asked. “Something is ringing.” “Your head is ringing, kid” Gamble replied, while Clover started to look around. “A side effect from your ectoplasmatic…ness.” “No, it’s…” Clover started, realizing then it was coming from the engine room. Teleporting there, he saw that somepony was calling them. Attending the call, he got surprised when he heard Opal’s voice saying: “It’s working!” “Opal!” “Clover!” “Dusk’s coming” Dusk said to Opal. “We’ve found you.” “You’re in Netherwhere?” Opal asked, surprised. That question confused Clover who replied: “No, why…” But before he could ask more, the call fell. “Opal!” Clover called. In Nethewhere, the static caused the communication to release a noise that was heard from the guards outside who entered to see what was happening. “Give me that!” the guard demanded. Opal tried to hide the communication device, but the skeletons were able to take it and then smash it. After that the guard told: “Keep working!” And he and his companion got out of the room. Clover appeared on the deck and then told Gamble: “I spoke with Opal. She’s not with the trolls! Did you lie to us, Mr. Gamble?” “Heavens, no!” he replied, pretending an offended look. “Did she… mention anything about my treasure?” “What?! No!” And so Clover run towards the prow and then said to Chaos: “Chaos, we have to go find our friends! Switch to submarine mode!” Chaos started to do it, summoning the back helm and summoning the dome around it. Gamble hasted to get inside of it along with Clover. After he recollected his sails, Chaos dove into the sea, heading towards the trolls’ den. Being able to defeat the two guards and open the treasure room, Dusk, Star and Mallet walked inside of the room, ready to any attack that could come to them. It was then that Mallet noticed something. “Look! Over there, Dusk!” And so they found Opal’s diving suit on an amount of golden coins. Arriving there, Mallet opened the helmet which revealed the suit was empty. “Where’s Opal?” Star asked. “What a coincidence” Calabrass said. “Gamble’s treasure is here.” They looked and saw he was right, as Gamble’s safe was lying not so far away from them. “We’ve been fouled!” Calabrass exclaimed. “He’s right, Dusk” Star said to his younger brother. “Opal is not here.” Suddenly, they heard heavy steps and saw to their dismay that the Troll King was entering the treasure room, saying: “You have desecrated the kingdom of the trolls!” Holding Calabrass against him, Dusk asked: “Where’s our friend?!” “You have no friends here” the Troll King replied. Something then hit the Troll King from behind he turned around, while being hit again. He saw the Chaos, using his metallic legs and shooting with his front cannon. Gamble was at the bow and told Dusk: “He’s right, Dusk. Opal is not here.” “Let’s go!” Dusk said to his friends, while Mallet took Opal’s suit. The three of them hasted towards the Chaos, while being pursued by an irritated troll king. Arriving to the Chaos, Gamble asked them: “Did you find my treasure?” “Now is not the time” Star replied, while landing on the deck. The Troll King prepared to attack, but the Chaos, once he got his friends back on his deck, hasted to head towards the exit. “Guards!” the Troll King called. “Guards!” Chaos was able to get out and headed towards the surfice. After that, everypony reunited in the captain’s cabinet. Clover, sitting on the chair, told them about Opal’s call. “And then the line got cut off. She just said she was in Netherwhere.” “Ye dragged us along the keel, Gamble!” Calabrass exclaimed. “No, he was right” Star replied. “We found the diving suit, so Bolt definitely came here.” Turning to Gamble, Dusk said: “Sorry about your treasure.” “Oh, well, I guess I must find something else to steal in Netherwhere” he replied. After finding a vortex to Vapir, the Chaos crossed it. Approaching Netherwhere, they found an echo island nearby where they were able to hide. Once they did that, they turned to Gamble, as he claimed to have been able to get inside Netherwhere and escape without Skullivar or Golden Bones noticing it. “I usually work alone so you have to follow my orders , if you want to avoid making mistakes” he said. “Ah, should I remind you that Dusk Storm is the captain around here?” Calabrass asked Gamble. “Yes, but I’m the only one that got in and out of that fortress alive or not?” Gamble said. “He’s right” Clover told Calabrass. “Uh, zip it, you!” the talking sword told to the little ghost. “We’re not going to have any problems, are we, Dusk?” Gamble asked. “There’s room for two heroes on this mission, right?” “Despite not liking to share the spotlight with somepony like Gamble, who built his reputation with lies and exaggerations, he knew it could be the only way to save Opal. So he sighed and said: “Right.” Gamble replied with a smile and a nod. And so the Chaos dove and advanced towards Skullivar’s fortress. Following Gamble’s instructions, they found a tunnel where they could get in. And so, Gamble, Dusk, Star and Mallet left the Chaos and entered, with the former taking the lead. Opening the grid that was at end of the tunnel, they passed to the halls of the fortress. They followed Gamble who suddenly stop reaching a fork. “Stop!” he whispered to Dusk, while showing him the two guards that were nearby. “Stay low.” Quietly as much possible, they passed by them. Despite having heard something, the skeletons quickly ignored it. Following Gamble, they run through halls, while avoiding skeletons. But, suddenly, Gambled stepped on one motion detector that activated the alarm immediately. Before that, and hearing skeletons approaching, Gamble directed Dusk and the others to hideouts nearby. After they found themselves in a safer position, Dusk asked him: “I thought you knew your way around here!” “They must have been expecting Dusk Storm, the Bermikun hero to come save her friend Opah.” “Blaming us, are ye?” Calabrass asked. “And her name is Opal, like a jewel. I thought it would be easy for ye to memorize.” “Star, Mallet, I’ll handle the boneheads, while Gamble takes you to find Opal” Dusk said, while taking Calabrass. “You’ll never make it on your own” Gamble told him. “You’ll find her easily. It’s the first hall on the right.” “I don’t need…” Dusk started “You don’t need my help” Gamble said. “Yeah, I know. Let’s just say I feel the need of having a little fun.” That caused Dusk to make a smile, realizing Gamble was really trying to help them and was not the treacherous pirate that once betrayed them. Dusk then raised Calabrass and exclaimed: “Calabrass, give me the Eye of Sino!” And so he and Calabrass transformed. Getting out of their hide-out, Dusk cleared the way of skeletons with the icing powers of Calabrass, while Gamble stayed on the back to fight the skeletons and cover the Sea Raiders. After dealing with them and taking a saber, Gamble advanced to help Dusk. Meanwhile, Star and Mallet advanced to save Opal. Golden Bones, after being notified about Dusk and his crew’s presence inside the fortress, went to warn Skullivar. “Dusk Storm is here, isn’t he?” Skullivar asked Golden Bones. “With the legendary sword…” “Yes, master” Golden Bones replied, while kneeling. “Is the machine ready?” Skullivar asked. “Yes.” “Then don’t let them escape alive.” Taking his orders, Golden Bones rose up and left the room. Star and Mallet were able to reach the room where Opal and Steam were. Seeing them, Opal exclaimed happily: “Star! Mallet!” Opal went to hug Mallet, while Star observed, curiously, the machine she and Steam have been working on. “What is that?” he asked. “Bones forced us to build this machine” Opal told. “Opal want Mallet to break the machine?” Mallet asked her. “Absolutely not” she replied. “Steam and I have prepared a surprise.” “Bones thinks this machine will fuse green crystallite and vapirium together” Steam said. “But we built him a bomb” Opal continued. “When he activates it… Boom! No more Neatherwhere.” “Finito Bones, finito Skullivar” Steam finished. “Bravo” Star congratulated. Suddenly, a squad of skeletons got inside and Star and Mallet prepared to fight, while Opal retreated. While fighting, Star noticed the increasing number of the skeletons and said: “They’re going to lock us in!” Fortunately, Dusk and Gamble arrived there and helped them with the skeletons. However, for their lack of luck, a member of a skeleton hit the activation system of the machine and activated it. Before that, Star turned to Opal and asked her: “Tell me you can stop it.” “I made this so that it can’t be stopped” Opal replied. “What’s the problem?” Dusk asked. “Netherwhere bomb” Mallet explained. “Boom!” “There must be way” Dusk said to Opal. She thought for a few seconds and then saw the device she and Steam have used to open the door before and said, while taking it and point to the upper part of the machine: “We have to break the link between the machine and the source of energy of Netherwhere so that is deactivated.” “How much time do we have?” Dusk asked. “Two minutes!” Opal replied giving the device to Dusk. “But we have to do manually. Magic will only be sucked by the machine.” Dusk looked around and found a ladder to the top and said: “Okay, Star, Mallet, go to the Chaos with Opal.” They nodded and went to Opal’s side. Then Star turned to Gamble and told him: “Gamble, will you help me?” “Not even think we’re getting all the glory for your own” he replied. And they traded a nod and a smile. “Uh, and io?” Steam asked Dusk. “Opal, what about him?” Dusk asked. “He’s coming with us” she replied. Her response left Steam very happy, appearing their friendship had started to repair. And so the four of them started moving away. But Golden Bones appeared not far from them, along with skeletons, and headed towards the room where the machine was. Seeing Dusk and Gamble, he said: “So, Dusk Storm, we’re dropping in my house without even telling me?” Golden Bones’ presence would turn things more difficult, but they couldn’t lose precious time. He turned to Gamble and asked him: “Can you deal with Bones by yourself?” But Gamble didn’t reply, opting to just advance to the fight while holding with his magic two sabers. He started fighting the skeletons, while Dusk advanced towards the ladder and started to climb it. Seeing him, Bones gave a big jump towards the ladder and also started to climb it. He then grabbed one of Dusk’s back hooves and the young captain told him: “Bones, your machine has been sabotaged! It’s a bomb! We have to stop it!” “And you think I’m going to believe you?” Bones asked him. “You think I’m stupid!” And he pulled Dusk down, along with the device. Thinking quickly, Dusk took Calabrass and exclaimed: “Give me the Eye of Dezer!” He hit the ground just as he and Calabrass transformed, with the latter turned into a club. Bones then landed not far away and the two of them started to fight. Even with Gamble coming for his help, Bones was able to beat them and kick them against the machine, causing Dusk to detransform. The latter turned to Gamble and asked him: “Any ideas, Gamble?” “I was just about to ask you the same thing” he replied, while passing him the device. “Great…” Dusk said, as he and Gamble prepared to engage Bones in battle again. As Star, Mallet, Opal and Steam were trying to escape, they found a hall that possessed a lot of skeletons. Before that situation, Steam asked: “Dusk Storm will succeed in defusing the bomb, vero?” “Don’t worry about that” Opal told him. “Then I have an idea” Steam said, talking about the skeletons. “I’ll create a diversion.” “What about you?” Opal asked, worried. “Despite everything, you’re still our friend.” “If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t be here” Steam replied. “I promise we’ll come back and save you” Opal promised. “I know you will” Steam said, while passing his hoof by Opal’s face. “You’re heroes.” With this, he kissed Opal’s cheek and then went to distract the skeletons. “Okay, this was… something” Star said. In the machine room, the bomb in the machine was near to explode and Dusk and Gamble were facing Golden Bones. After he pushed Gamble back to face Dusk, the former looked to the ladder and got an idea. He jumped to it and then said to Dusk: “I’ll do it.” “No, I got it” Dusk said, while blocking Bones’ blows. “There’s no point in a dead hero, Dusk.” “Okay, fine.” Dusk then pushed Golden Bones away and threw the device to Gamble. He received it and continued to climb. Meanwhile, Dusk called: “Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz!” They transformed and then attacked Golden Bones, creating a blast of fire. Despite distracted by the blast, Gamble continued to climb. Dusk got up after causing the explosion and saw Golden Bones coming from the flames. They started fighting again. Gamble, reaching the upper part of the machine, jumped onto it, grabbing it to not fall. “Enough!” Golden Bones exclaimed, while throwing Dusk against the floor. But Gamble connected the device to the machine and it started to overheat. He jumped to grab some cables as the machine started to explode and break apart. Using the cable, Gamble swung down and knocked down Golden Bones as he landed, causing the skeleton general to fall to the bottom of the room, while shouting: “No!!!” Star got up, detransforming, as the machine started to collapse. “Let’s get out of here!” Calabrass exclaimed. And so Dusk and Gamble got out of the room, while Golden Bones tried to climb his way up. Steam approached the skeletons that were blocking their way, saying: “Scusa, mi potete aiutare?” He then started running, causing the skeletons to follow him. With their path cleared, Star, Mallet and Opal got out of their hideout, with the latter saying: “He’s also a real hero.” Just as they entered the tunnel, Dusk and Gamble arrived as well. Together, they returned to the Chaos who then moved away from Netherwhere, coming to surface and sailing away. They reached the vortex and returned to Beru, where Dusk apologized to Opal: “I shouldn’t have left you in Marituga. I was stupid. It was not very heroic of me.” “Even heroes can make mistakes” Opal replied, with a smile. “What was Skullivar’s machine going to do?” Star asked Opal. “Create something from the powerful fusion of matter” she replied. “But I don’t know what.” “Well, Gamble made sure it won’t work again” Dusk replied, turning to Gamble. Clover appeared beside Gamble and started singing his song while raising his hoof, as they continued their way. In Netherwhere, Golden Bones and his skeletons put Steam back to the room, with the golden skeleton saying to the young inventor: “The only reason why I’m not going to kill you is that you haven’t finish your job! This machine has to work.” With that, Golden Bones and the skeletons got out, leaving Steam with a very hard and unwanted job to do: fix the machine and put it to work.