Adventures in the Bermikun Triangle

Chapters

Prologue
Getting in the Triangle
The Great Key
Training With the Sea Beast
Recruiting a Crew
Morlock, the Unstoppable
Freezing Point
The Voice of Chaos
Troll Diving
Infiltration
Spirited Away
The Swap
A Jellyfish of Legend
The Eternal Forge
Lighthouse of the Soul
The Shipwrecked in the Sand
Prison Break
Flying Up
Mallet the Terrible
Eye of the Cyclone
Escape From Netherwhere
Thermal Shock
Trials by Fire
Calabrass' Old Friend
Wrath of Blix
Calabrass' Body
Tanah Lost
Between Stars
The Stowaway
Dusk's Choice
The Lost Orb
A Vortex Away From Home
Epilogue - The Omen of Shadows
The Last Guardian
Surfing to an Adventure
Mutiny on the Demoniac

Prologue

Centuries ago…

At the Bright Shore, things seemed to be quite quiet, but it was then that a portal opened above the ocean. There was a pause of a few seconds and then two ponies came out from there, landing on the shore. They were Heartbeat and Bright Night.

As soon they were out of the portal, Bright Night turned to it and pointed her Light Mirror. Its glass started shining and released a light that closed the portal.

“It’s done…” she said.

“Wow, that was wild!” Heartbeat exclaimed. “I’ve never been in an adventure like this one for ages!”

“Are you kidding?!” Bright Night asked. “Do you have any idea what a realm inside a realm can do to the integrity of the main realm? I should have dealt with it as soon you took care of Discord.”

“Come on, it was not all that bad” Heartbeat said. “We’ve taken care of it. It is contained and sealed.”

“Only from the inside” Bright Night said. “Nothing can’t get out, but it is still possible to get in. Anyone who ventures themselves inside the area of the seal is risking themselves to be suck in.”

“So… what do we do with this?” Heartbeat asked, while taking out a blue pearl with a symbol of a wave.

“We need to keep it safe” Bright Night said. “The Eye of Beru must never return to the Triangle, otherwise we may have to deal with the seal being completely destroyed.”

“Okay, then I’ll keep it safe” the General of Affection replied.

That made Bright Night to look at her with a serious look.

“What?” Heartbeat asked.

“Let’s just say you’re not the most reliable pony when it comes to keep powerful important objects safe” Bright Night said.

“Oh, I feel offended by that statement…” Heartbeat told. “Despite it is quite true though… Trust me, Bright Night, I am pretty capable of doing this.”

In the present…

Heartbeat was lying on her bed, all while savoring a big chocolate cake.

“Ah… this is life!” she exclaimed, while levitating a piece of cake to her mouth. “I may be grounded, but everything I need to endure this punishment is right here.”

It was then that a portal opened inside her room and, seeing it, Heartbeat said:

“Oh great… another sermon is coming.”

Bright Night passed through the portal, which closed after she had crossed it.

“Bright Night, what a great surprise!” Heartbeat exclaimed, while getting up and going to hug her. “It has been forever ever since we saw each other. I think the last time we saw each other was…”

“It was after we got out of the Triangle and you got the Eye of Beru to be protected” Bright Night answered. “And it’s funny that you bring that out, because… I thought you would keep the eye protected! Why did you give it to Prince Dusk Storm?!”

“You look tense, dear sister” Heartbeat said. “Why don’t you take a little piece of chocolate cake?”

And she made a plate with a piece of chocolate cake approach Bright Night, but she just swept it away.

“Not a fan of chocolate?” Heartbeat asked. “I can get you another type of cake. What about cookie cake?”

“I don’t want cake, Heartbeat!” Bright Night exclaimed. “I want an explanation. Golden told me about the gift you gave to Prince Dusk Storm and I want to know why you gave the Eye of Beru to him.”

Adopting her serious look, Heartbeat said:

“Because we need to take care of the Triangle. It has been centuries and the Triangle had already been integrated in the Pony World. Don’t you think it’s time to open the seal?”

“No, it’s not” Bright Night told. “When we put that seal, we’ve agreed to keep the power of the Triangle away. If it falls on the wrong hooves, then it can be used for nefarious purposes. And now you gave the only key to the Triangle at the hooves of a colt.”

“First of all, it is around his neck, not at his hooves” Heartbeat replied. “And second, Dusk is not a regular colt. He is Twilight and Blue’s son, Star’s younger brother. He has a lot of potential, Bright Night. We can trust this power to him, believe me.”

“It’s not about that I’m worried” Bright Night told.

“Yeah, I know, but trust me” Heartbeat said. “Did I ever fail you?”

Bright Night was about to say something, but Heartbeat told:

“You know what, forget I asked that. The thing is I have faith in Dusk. Besides, he already has the eye and it’s a matter of time for him to get in the Triangle.”

“You do realize that, if that happens, Princess Twilight and Blue Sword will come to you and you’re going to get in even more trouble, right?” Bright Night asked.

“Please, you know me” Heartbeat said. “You know being grounded can never get to me.”

Sighing, Bright Night replied:

“I just hope things don’t go south and that things really go as planned.”

Using his Light Mirror, Bright Night created another portal and, before crossing it, said:

“Just for you to know, I won’t take any responsibility for what may happen.”

“Okay” Heartbeat replied, as if she was not worried of what could happen.

And so the General of Portals crossed the portal she had created and it closed behind her.

Getting in the Triangle

Author's Note

I'm sorry if this chapter was mostly taken from the series Zak Storm, including the villains and all that, but I promisse that, after the next chapter, things will change as it's when the differences will happen.

Getting in the Triangle

Star and Dusk were both inside the tube of water, surfing to advance.

“Dusk, are you okay?” Star asked.

“Yeah, how about you?” Dusk replied.

“I’m okay too” the older brother said. “But it’s starting to be hard to hold the balance.”

“Don’t worry” the younger brother replied. “Concentrate. Just surf. Keep your balance. As long as you make it to the other side, everything's cool.”

Suddenly, a tentacle of light appeared from the depths of the tube, connecting itself with the stone on Dusk’s necklace, which started shining with an even strong light. It then pulled Dusk off-balance and send him and his surfboard to the other side.

“Dusk, no!” Star called, extending his hoof in a futile attempt to reach his little brother.

There was a flash of light and, when Dusk came to himself, he was swimming back to the surface, taking hold of his surfboard once he reached it. After regaining his breath, Dusk climbed on the surfboard.

“Whoa, I can’t believe I just survived that…” Dusk said. “That was awesome! Did you see that, big bro?”

But when he looked around to find his brother, he discovered that he was all alone and that there was nothing more than an infinite horizon.

“Where did Star go? And also, where’s the shore? I must have gone mega far. I bet I’m going to get a serman. Mom is not going to get very happy.”

It was then that he noticed something way high on the sky. It looked like a bird, but Dusk couldn’t see it clearly because of the sun. However, as soon the creature got closer, it only got bigger and bigger. It was then that Dusk saw what it was: a dragon-like creature with a slim brown rocky body. It started hoovering above the surface, as if preparing to attack. Seeing that, Dusk started panicking and shouting:

“Mom! Dad! Star!”

When it would appear Dusk would be taken by that creature, another one immerged from the depths of the sea: an immense green sticky monster with only one eye, gigantic tentacles and a threatening set of fangs. As soon it revealed itself, it swallowed the flying creature, without even chewing, diving again. All that action caused Dusk to be thrown away, with the young colt holding to his surfboard. Fortunately, he ended up keeping on his surfboard.

“ Dreaming, dreaming, dreaming, dreaming” he started saying to himself, hoping to be truth. “Still in bed and safe and...”

The stone on his necklace started glowing again.

In the distance, over the vastness of the waters, there was what appeared to be a pirate ship, waiting calmly. It was a mixture of conventional and technology. It was mostly gray and white with yellow, green, and orange accents and the prow almost resembled a skull face. The sails were made of a blue glass-like substance that looked like to be solar panels, with them possibly being able to come apart from the middle. At the top of its mast there was a skull resting in a seven-pointed gear, with it having a different pearl-like jewel placed in each point (a red one with the symbol of a flame, an ice-blue one with the symbol of a snowflake, a yellow one with the symbol of rocks, a purple one with the symbol of a tornado, a smoky-white one with the symbol of mist and a green one with the symbol of a star), having only one point with no jewel.

Suddenly, the eyes of the skull on the mast started glowing, while the gear started moving, positioning the point with no jewel on top.

Dusk, sitting on the surfboard, looked to the jewel on his necklace and told it, annoyed by its light:

“Shut up, necklace! And here was I thinking Heartbeat gave you to me for luck.”

It was then that the same green sea monster immerged again, this time looking at Dusk. Panicking, the young colt started paddling away as fast as he could, all while saying:

“Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up!”

As if sensing the danger he was in, the glow in the skull’s eyes intensified and same happened to the eyes on the face at the ship’s prow. In a matter of moments, the ship divided its sail and extended each part like they were wings. Behind, two big propellers activated and boosted the ship forward, in an amazing speed. It was in a rescue mission.

Elsewhere, in a dark green smoky room where a structured designed to act as throne place, having including staircase, a figure stood at its top. It was a tall humanoid creature with a black cloak covering most of his body, with only his superior limbs visible and with them being skeletal. He possessed a green skull-shaped-mask-like face and an ornament with seven spikes on his head.

At that moment, another character came in the chamber, starting to advance towards the figure. It was a tall pony, but with a body of a robotic skeleton made of golden bones. He was using a black pirate captain’s hat and a black cape. His face possessed the shape of a skull missing its lower jaw, giving the impression it was a mask, with green eyes with yellow pupils. But the greatest trait he had was his enormous gold sickle-like hook he had instead of a right front hoof. Reaching the base of the structure, he kneeled before the figure on top of it, as a symbol of loyalty, and the latter told him:

“Golden Bones, I sense… a presence. Something ancient awaking in the vastness of the Beru Sea.”

“We'll scour every league of ocean, Master Skullivar” Golden Bones said.

“I don’t expect anything less from you, Bones” Skullivar ordered, turning his back on his lackey. “There have been murmurs of a return of...”

But he paused, something that surprised Golden Bones. Skullivar then opted to say:

“Whatever is out there, bring it to me.”

With his mission assigned to him, Golden Bones gets up and heads towards the exit. The entrance of the building opened like a mandible, allowing the exit to a ship, Golden Bones’ ship, which was massive and made of steel, equipped with multiple powerful weapons. The ship then advanced through a sea of greenish water covered in a thick dark fog, getting out of a fortress shaped like a spider, whose pillars looked like articulated legs with one single tower at the center.

Meanwhile, in Beru, Dusk continued to try to escape the sea monster. He could try to fight it, but his skills were not as great as his parents’ or his brother’s. He was nothing more than a normal colt. The monster opened his big mouth, preparing to swallow Dusk.

“I gotta get out of the water!” he exclaimed, while keeping paddling. “I gotta go home!”

At that moment, he saw the ship from earlier approaching. Seeing it, Dusk become more hopeful.

“Hey, a boat!” the young unicorn colt exclaimed, while agitating his front hooves. “Help! Hey, help!”

But something unexpected happened, as the ship dived in the waters and Dusk stopped seeing it. However, he didn’t have time to think about it, as the creature used one of its tentacles to launch both him and his surfboard into the air. Fortunately, the surfboard landed first on the water and Dusk, using his skills as a surfer, was able to land on it perfectly. The beast continued to approach him, creating a wave that Dusk didn’t get any other option but surf. It opened his giant mouth, preparing itself to close it over Dusk.

It was at that precise moment that the ship got out of the water, jumping and revealing a set of metallic crab-like legs located below it that it used to give a strong blow on the monster. With the shock, the beast sank in the turmoil of waves, while Dusk started a vertiginous fall. But he didn’t end up falling in the sea, as the ship takes him with one of its legs and throws him on deck, landing then on the water, stopping and then returning to how it was before moving.

After opening his eyes, lying on the deck, Dusk said to himself, while getting up:

“Okay, brain, this has been a very fun nightmare and all, but we’re done. Like for good! Like I never want to sleep again! All I want know is wake up and be with my family.”

Without Dusk knowing, he was being spied by what seemed to be the ghost of a younger earth colt with a hoodie, all covered in a pearl blue aura, who was observing him through the sail of the ship.

“I don’t know…” he said to an unknown entity. “He’s small.”

Having heard him, Dusk looked around and asked:

“Who’s there?!”

The ghost popped his head out of the deck, causing Dusk to get scared and fall down again, and said:

“Maybe we should throw him back.”

He disappeared again, only to appear again from the deck, but near Dusk, and say, while circling around Dusk:

“Sorry! Kidding! Sometimes I have a hard time with proper joke-a-fying.

He rose up, keeping hovering in air and keep talking:

“All this time floating. Alone. Without anyone else. Please be my friend.”

Still shocked for the little ghost’s appearance, Dusk asked the only think that came to his head, while passing his hoof over his transparent head:

“Are you… a ghost?”

“You mean dead? Me? No!” the ghost replied, turning his back. “It's just that I don't know where my body is.”

He turned to Dusk and continued:

“I lost it somewhere between here and there.”

He flew to the ship's steering wheel that was located at the bridge, saying:

“Lack of concentration, really. I'm a little hairy brained.”

He then teleported next to Dusk again, coming from the deck, saying, while sitting next to Dusk:

“I've been hiding on the Chaos ever since. And from what I've seen: he might like you even more than I do.”

That last sentence confused Dusk even more than he was already confused.

“Who's he?” he asked. “You mean the boat?”

“Of course! The Chaos!” the ghost replied, as he and Dusk got up. “He doesn't like most people but he rescued you from the Sea Beast on purpose! There must be something special about you.”

The ghost then started singing:

“You're special, you're special”. We're gonna have a blast! I've been waiting ages for a buddy to come along! Did you bring toys? Do you want to my ghost toenail collection?”

And he come to hold up and show Dusk a jar full of toes, completely grossing him out.

“We are gonna have so much fun! I can tell you're a winner.”

But Dusk’s attention went to the skull present at the highest point of the master, whose green eyes started to glow with this weird light. At the same time, the stone of the necklace also started to glow as well. It was full of a strange energy that he didn’t know how to explain.

“What's happening? Why's it doing this? I'm not dreaming, am I?”

As soon he asked that question, the ghost pinched him, causing Dusk to release a groan of pain.

“Noope” the ghost replied.

Using his magic to take off the necklace and pointing the stone in it to the skull up there, it was shown they glowing even more.

“This is pretty weird, isn't it?”

“Cool, it's kinda like music!” the ghost gasped “I bet you're an awesome music maker.”

That moment was broken when they heard an explosion and three firefalls started coming at them.

“Watch out!” the ghost exclaimed.

And he passed through the deck, while Dusk threw himself to it, avoiding the fireballs that passed by Chaos. With the ghost looking through the hulk, Dusk looked to where the fireballs came from and saw Golden Bones’ ship, with its canons pointed at him. Thinking that could be a misunderstanding and seeing that as a possible way to get help, Dusk started agitating his hooves, while saying:

“Hey! Hey! Don't shoot! I need help!”

At his ship, Golden Bones was at the bridge of his ship, looking on his periscope, looking to the stone on Dusk’s necklace, while saying:

“Ancient indeed! Skullivar was right! The Eye of Beru! At last! However, I was expecting it to be with either Heartbeat or Bright Night. It doesn’t matter. The fact it’s with a colt makes things even easier.”

He turned to his first-mate, one of his skeletons that were similar to him, but smaller, normal colored and dressed like sailors, with the first mate having a tricorne, and said:

“All hands deport! Get ready to attack!”

“At your command, Golden Bones!” the first-mate replied, saluting his captain.

On Chaos’ deck, Dusk, seeing the strange ship approaching and having a bad felling, started calling:

“Hey, ghost! Where are you?!”

“My name is Clover, by the way” the ghost replied, appearing behind Dusk, with his head out of the deck. “And I am not a ghost, except when I call myself a ghost because it's easier than ectoplasmic specter of awesome!”

But he stopped, as he gasped and disappeared again. That confused Dusk, but when he turned around, he saw Golden Bones jumping on him, trying to hit him with his scythe, failing to do so because Dusk was able to dodge at the last moment. Feeling intimidated by Golden Bones, Dusk placed himself against the edge of the Chaos, while exclaiming:

“Help!”

“With pleasure, young colt” Golden Paladin replied. “But first, I'm going to help remove that trinket from your neck.”

He tried to use his scythe again, this time hitting at the space between Dusk’s hind hooves. The young colt started running around and Golden Bones said:

“I love it when they run.”

Dusk climbed to the Chaos’ prowl, where the bridge was, with Golden Bones following him. The young colt didn’t understand why that strange looking pirate wanted his necklace, the one Heartbeat had given to him.

“What do you want?!”

“Me? Nothing at all” Golden Bones replied. “My master does the wanting. And he wants absolutely everything!”

Dusk climbed to the plank that there was at the end of the pow, right above the prowl, retreating, while Golden Bones approached.

“Sorry, mister skeleton guy. I just want to find my brother and go home. If I give you the necklace, will you...?”

But when he hold the necklace again, the stone there started glowing and the same happened with the Chaos’ eyes and the skull at the mast. A mechanism released the plank beneah Dusk and then it activated and flew away from the ship and into the sky. It was an overboard! An overboard that drove him away from that pirate.

“Are you making fun of me, you miserable sea snail?” Golden Bones asked, not liking that colt’s attitude at all.

“No, I didn't do anything!” Dusk replied. “I didn't even move!”

“In the name of Lord Skullivar, Master of the Seven Seas, slice up that slippery eel and bring me that gem!” Golden Bones ordered to his crew, that was at their ship.

The skeleton pirates take hold on their guns and started firing beam bullets on Dusk. The young colt, finding a great dislike for that Golden Bones and deciding to be like his brother and parents, said, while dodging the shots, using the overboard, like it was his surfboard:

“You know what? Enough! I don't know what's going on here, but I know when it's time to run and when it's time to fight!”

Without hesitating and holding tight to the plank, he directed it and knocked out the soldiers like he was bowling, causing them to fall into a big pile of bones, before surfing back up through the sky. But, for his despair, the plank started losing its power, leaving him to scream as he begins to fall back down. The Chaos, reacting to that, lowed his sail to let him land safely back on the deck, all while the plank went back to its original place on the bow.

Dusk, who had landed against the entrance to the captain’s quarter upside down, couldn’t believe something like that happened. He was able to surf on the sky! That was something he always wanted to do. If it wasn’t for the circumstances, he would be thrilled. Clover popped his head out of the deck, besides Dusk, and the young unicorn colt asks the little ghost, while getting himself straight:

“Did you do that, Clovis?”

“No, it’s the Chaos” he replied.

“Incompetent foals!” Golden Bones exclaimed, at the bow, forcing Clover to disappear again. “Get him!”

The skeleton pirates, having assembled themselves, got on board on Chaos, holding their sabers and trying to attack Dusk. Putting in practice some evasive moves his father taught him, Dusk was able to dodge them. However, he was no match for Golden Bones who pinned him against the deck with his scythe-hook.

“I'll show you how it's done” he said to his underlings, turning then to Dusk. “There is no escape, boy! Look around!”

Using the scythe-hook to get hold on the necklace, he was able to pick up Dusk and told him:

“You’re facing Golden Bones, the most feared blade of the Seven Seas.”

“Hey, let me go!” Dusk exclaimed, while trying to escape Golden Bones. “I didn't do anything!”

“And you never will” Golden Bones replies, as he reaches his hook to the open water, holding Dusk like a puppet. “Normally, I would feed you to the sharks! But Master Skullivar's interested in you! The Scourge of the Seven Seas, the devour of dreams. He wants to know where you found this” he showed Dusk the Eye of Beru. “He wants to know how did you get it from Heartbeat and Bright Night.”

“Wait, you know Heartbeat and Bright Night?” Dusk asked, surprised to hear that a pirate would know the General of Affection and the General of Portals, especially when most ponies don’t even know who the latter is.

“Who doesn’t know about those treacherous scums?!” Golden Bones exclaimed. “But enough small talk. Where did you get it?”

“It was a gift, nothing more” Dusk replied. “But Mr. Golden Bones, sir. I'll be happy to tell your boss everything you want. If you untie me…”

When the pirate was close enough, Dusk tried to kick him, only to fail, as Golden Bones was able to dodge it. He laughed and said:

“You have a salty spirit, boy. I'll give you that.”

Golden Bones then tossed Dusk to the other side of the deck, all while keeping the necklace on his hook.

“Nothing ever gets between Skullivar and his desires” he said. “Especially when what he desires is as powerful as one of the mythic Eye of the Seven Seas.”

Getting hold of the necklace with his remaining front hoof, the stone stopped glowing and the same happened with the eyes of the skull at the mast.

Opening the door of the captain’s quart, the skeleton pirates threw Dusk in there.

“You'll wait here like a good boy.”

And he closed the door.

“No, wait!” Dusk exclaimed, going to the door and trying to talk to Golden Bones, who was locking the door, throw the closed porthole. “Take the necklace! I'm done with skeletons and monsters. Just let me go! I want to go home and be with my family.”

As he stepped away from the door, Golden Bones looked to the blue stone on the necklace, while saying:

“Ah, the Eye of Beru. Skullivar been searching for you for so long.”

The Great Key

Inside the captain’s quart, Dusk tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. But he had to get out of there so that he could go find Star and return home. The captain's seat, a big spinning armchair, span around to reveal Clover sitting there, with him saying, while catching Dusk by surprise:

“You really don't have a single clue rattling inside of your solid head, do you?”

The little ghost made a gest with his hoof and the blinds of the windows opened, revealing the room to Dusk. He got amazed for what he saw. The room was sumptuous, furnished with many maritime objects, charters, compasses, dipping compasses, and so on… That quarter, much like the rest of the Chaos, was a mix of amazing precious woods and high technology.

“Let me guess” Clover said, appearing beside Dusk. “First day in the Triangle, right?”

“The Triangle”

“Duh, the Bermikun Triangle.”

“Get out” Dusk said, heading towards the captain’s seat and sitting there, melancholically, not believing that Clover was saying that he was stuck in a place that was considered to be a myth.

“Nothing gets out. That sort of the Triangle's thing. We have a lot to go over.”

At the exterior of Chaos, Golden Bones was at the deck of his ship, wearing the necklace with the Eye of Beru, observing it while making it pass through his hoof. His troops were there too, having his first-mate beside him.

“Where did the boy find the Eye of Beru?” he asked. “We've been searching for it all these centuries. He said it was a gift. Maybe Heartbeat or Bright Night gave it to him. But why? One thing is certain, that colt is a light pony, from the same kingdom as that annoying Heartbeat. But that doesn’t explain why the eye was with him.”

“Let me talk to him” the first-mate asked.

“No, I'll handle it myself” Golden Bones replied. “This is a too much important matter to be handled by anyone who isn’t me. Bring him to the Demoniac!”

While Golden Bones started heading to the bridge, the soldiers saluted him and prepared to go the Chaos. But the ship, provided of a will of his own, just moved away a few hooves away while making a light noise similar to a roar, causing some of the soldiers to fall in the water. Noticing that, Golden Bones said:

“There is another one hiding somewhere! Search this old tub!”

And so the soldiers did what their captain ordered.

In the captain’s quarter, a globe made of glass, with a luminescent hologram shaped like a pyramid at its center, came down from the ceiling, on a table-like structure, while Clover said:

“You heard stories, right? Whenever you're from, everyone knows that if something's lost at sea, in the air or on Earth it ends up here, in the Bermikun Triangle! Every weirdo freakish crazy mate or missus you meet in here fell into the Triangle and can't get out. So welcome to the club, friend.”

“That’s impossible” Dusk said. “The Bermikun Triangle is just a legend. I know that, I live right at one of the points.”

“At first, everyone said, that’s impossible, it doesn't exist and then they see sea monsters, talking skeletons, and… an incredibly handsome and jaunty ghosts” Clovis said, while appearing either beside Dusk or at the other side of the globe. “Not to mention many other stranger things you don’t find on the Pony World. Then, slowly, they believe.”

Appearing beside Dusk, Cover continued:

“Right now you're in one of the Triangles' seven magical seas. The Sea of Beru, to be precise-icle.”

And the same symbol that was in the stone on Dusk’s necklace appeared on one of the sides of the pyramid.

“You need a vortex to go to the Sea of Blazz or Aeria” Clover ended his explanation.

“A vortex?” Dusk asked. “You mean, like a portal? Isn't there one to take me home?”

“Oh, I tried to get out of here plenty of times before I lost my body” Clover told, while seating beside the captain’s seat. “But no go. The Triangle's sticky.”

He got up and continue saying, while walking away to one of the windows, speaking in a serious, and yet sinister, voice:

“There is an old legend whispered in dark corners that someone, someday will reunite the Seven Seas and command them. Only then will the Triangle open again.”

Dusk became a little uneasy with all that, especially by the way Clover then looked at him.

“I actually I creep myself out there a little bit” the little ghost said.

“Who commands the Seven Seas?” Dusk asked.

“No one” Clover replied. “Not yet anyway. Maybe you?”

“Me?” Star asked, as the globe was recollected, while getting up and advancing towards the door. “I'm nobody. I’m just Dusk Storm, surf rat and a formerly forgotten little prince. And I just wanna go home.”

“Oh, don't we all?” Clover asked. “Wait, you’re a prince?”

He then saw Dusk trying to open the door.

“What're you doing?” he asked

“If this is for real, then my older brother Star is also here at the Triangle” Dusk said. “We were together when I came here. He is the one who can help us. But first I gotta get out of here.”

But despite his best efforts, Dusk couldn’t open it. It was then that he remembered something…

“Wait, you can get out” he said, turning to Clover. “But you don't have a weapon!”

“Oh, oh, if you're looking to give Golden Bones a headache, I don't need a weapon” Clover replied with a mischievous smile.

Having said that, he disappeared by phasing through the floor of the captain’s quart.

Golden Bones was at the bridge, when one of the soldiers approached and said to him:

“We've finished searching the vessel, Golden Bones. There's just a kid.”

“That’s impossible!” Golden Bones exclaimed.

Clover appeared suddenly, while shouting:

“Fart attack!”

He farted green fog at Golden Bones. He coughed heavily before that attack. After recovering, he turned to Clover and shouted at him:

“Feel my blade, foul ghoul!”

He tried to attack Clover, but the little ghost easily dodged his attack, saying, while advancing through the other skeletons:

“Good luck with that, slow-poke!”

While advancing, Golden Bones caused two of his soldiers to have their bones disassembled. Positioning himself in front of the door, Clover said:

“Correction. Numb skull!”

Golden Bones swung the hook to attack Cover, but, with the ghost dodging, the pirate accidentally unlocked the captain's quarter door. Clover then farted another fog at Golden Bones, before going away with the golden pirate following him.

Seeing that Clover was able to do it, Dusk said:

“Way to go, Clovis!”

Dusk opened the door to get out, only to smell Clover’s ghost stench.

“Huh! Gross!” Dusk exclaimed, covering his noise with a foreleg. “Blast from the past!”

Eventually, Golden Bones was able to reach Clover with the hook, passing him then to his hoof. Surprised that he was able to get captured by Golden Bones, Clover said, while trying to get freed:

“That's not how this ghost thing works! How'd you grab me when I don't want to be grabbed?!”

Noticing Clover was in trouble, Dusk picked a skeleton head with his magic.

“You're not the only one who's gone to the other side” Golden Bones replied to the young ghost.

“Not fair!” Clover protested.

“Hey you bag of bones!” Dusk called. “Let's trade!”

And he threw the skeleton head at Golden Bones, hitting him right in the head, causing him to release Clover who took that moment to take off the necklace from evil pirate and tosse it to Dusk who caught it. However the skeleton army re-assembled themselves. One of them shouted:

“For Skullivar!”

Dusk became a little intimidated by the amount of soldiers, but that didn’t last for long. He advanced, avoiding their swings and hopped up onto one of the Chaos' sails so he could climb up. However, it would appear that it was too much difficult for him to climb. As if hearing him, the sail inclined, facilitating the climb to him. Did the Chaos just did that to help him climb up?

The young unicorn prince noticed the stone on the necklace shining again and moving, trying to direct him to the skull at the top of the mast. It was obviously attracted to it.

“Okay, necklace, you obviously want me to take this thing, so…” Dusk said, as he made it to the top.

He picked up the skull figurehead, which was stuck into a grip, with his magic, sitting then on top of the sail. Observing it carefully, he shook it when it stopped shinning like the stone.

“I was expecting something to happen” Dusk said.

Suddenly, the skull became animated, much to Dusk’s shock, and shouted:

“Yeah!”

The skull laughed as the stone on the necklace is pulled from Dusk's haoof and then out of the necklace to be placed on the empty point of the gear that was the skull's cross guard

“Yum-yum!” the skull said, as the cross guard spins around and the skull's eyes glow blindingly green, with a blade appearing from the skull's cross guard.

Golden Bones became disbelieved when he saw that.

“It's… it's the Great Key!” he exclaimed, turning then to the skeleton army. “I told you to search this wreck!”

“The Great Key?” Dusk repeated confused.

“Arr, call me Calabrass, matey!” the skull said, much to the young colt’s surprise. “Are ya gonna just stand there with your mouth gaping like a landlubber or are ya gonna give me a hoist? What's yer moniker, kid?”

“Dusk. Dusk Storm.”

“A powerful name. Get us out of this here mess, Mr. Storm!”

Calabrass meant that Golden was climbing up the sails.

“I don't know how this mess has got so... messy” Dusk confessed.

“And it's about to get messier... for them” Calabrass replied. “Turn the ring and invoke the power of the Seven Seas!”

“That's sound really cool, but, like, I didn't take magical swords lessons.”

“Ask me to give you the Eye of Blazz, matey!”

“Do I really have to say it out loud?”

“Well, would ye rather walk the plank?” Calabrass asked.

He really made a really good point, especially because Golden Bones was getting really close. Without any other choice, he said:

“Um, give me the Eye of Blazz!”

As soon he said those words, a new and intense strength took over him. Calabrass’ eyes started glowing orange and the cross-guard started moving, positioning the red stone with symbol of fire at the top. It started glowing too, followed by the other stones which glowed with the same light, and, in a flash of light, he saw that he got a red eye patch over his left eye with an flame-style orange lent, his left foreleg became covered in layered crimson armor, reminiscent of flames, with golden trims on each layer and Calabrass’ blade got covered in flames.

“This… is… way… too freaky!” Dusk exclaimed, excited for the power he just got. “What's happening to me?”

“Confound it, what did ye mean what's happening to ye?” Calabrass asked. “You have magic armour and a talking sword, laddie. Do I have to hold your hoof?”

And he was able to take control over Dusk’s hoof, putting it in a fight position.

“Now fight!”

“Now, lose!” Golden Bones replied, swinging his hook, only for Dusk to duck down. “I'm going to take your sword now, and your foreleg with it!”

Golden Bones advanced towards Dusk, but Calabrass, controlling his foreleg again, stopped the evil pirate from striking him. A little confused by how he was doing all that, Dusk asked Calabrass:

“How'd you do that?”

“Keep a good grip on Calabrass and I'll teach you everything a great mate needs to know” the talking sword replied.

As the fight continued and Dusk blocked Golden Bones’ attacks, he said:

“I'm doing it!”

“I'm doing it!” Calabrass corrected him. “You just hold on tight, that's all.”

When Dusk’s hoof positioned itself to attack, Calabrass shouted:

“Turn!”

Dusk did just that, causing the flaming blade to hit Golden Bones’ hook.

“It's not that hard, actually” the young colt said, causing Calabrass to roll his eyes.

As the fight continued, Calabrass could sense a resistance coming from Dusk and told him:

“Don't fight me! Fight him!”

After another one of his blows was defended by Dusk and Calabrass, Golden Bones told the former:

“Only a coward hides behind others.”

But Dusk didn’t get affected by his words and, while fighting, he started to realize one thing.

“It's like surfing, keep your balance and react super-fast” he said. “I know how to do that at least.”

To avoid a blow coming from above, Dusk rolled forward only to defend another attack. Clover appeared between Golden Bones and Dusk and asked, while making air punches to Golden Bones:

“Can I fight too? I love scufflies and brawly-brawls.”

But the golden skeleton pirate just flung Clover to his soldiers, while saying:

“Blasted idiot! Catch him!”

The soldiers surrounded Clover, but the little ghost didn’t get intimidated and just said:

“You're mean and ugly!”

He laughed as he pulled out a ball and chain and knocked the soldiers apart. However, more soldiers got aboard from the Demoniac, leaving him to release another gas attack.

“Good job, Clovis” Dusk praised, only to smell Clover's fart again. “Ooh! Yuck! Maybe not.”

“You know what goes well with gas?” Calabrass asked to Dusk. “Fire!”

And so, using Dusk’s hoof again, he unleashed a fire attack on the reinforcements, causing an explosion on the Chaos.

“Exploding stinkballs…” Dusk said. “Nice.”

“Really?” Clover asked, appearing beside Dusk, raising his hoof to the young unicorn. “Cool! Friends!”

But before Dusk could do it, Golden Bones appeared behind Clover and, with blow, disarmed Dusk from Calabrass, who swung in the air until it got stuck on the inferior deck, with him getting dizzy from all the spins. As Clover disappeared in a poof, Golden Bones pointed his hook at Dusk, advancing and causing the young colt reacing the edge of the sail, while saying:

“And so ends your moment of glory.”

“That’s what you think” Dusk replied.

He then tried to levitate Calabrass to him, but he was too much stuck to be able to take it and his magic wasn’t strong enough.

“I guess I’ll have to improvise then” Dusk said.

When Golden Bones was about to attack Dusk, Chaos tilted the sail, unbalancing the villain. Dusk took advantage of that and slid off to the deck, grabbed Calabrass with magic and jumped onto the other sail. He got clumsy at the landing, but was able to hold it.

“Not so spineless afterall” Calabrass commented.

Skeleton soldiers appeared on the deck of the Demoniak and started shooting on Dusk, but he was able to dodge them. Taking hold of Calabrass with his right hoof again, Dusk shouted:

“Give me the Eye of Blazz!”

And so he returned to the form of before. Jumping to there, he attacked the skeleton soldiers with the fire of Calabrass. After causing all the soldiers to fall into pieces again, Calabrass congratulated:

“Yarr, a fast and fiery study!”

“Nice work, Captain!” Clover said, appearing beside Dusk.

"Captain?” Dusk repeated, not very comfortable with that word. “Let's start with not dead friend".

“That's enough!” they heard Golden Bones say, on one of the sails of the Chaos. “The Eyes of the Seven Seas belong to Skullivar and by the marrow of my bones, I will have them!”

But Dusk wasn’t afraid of him anymore and prepared to attack Golden Bones, but, suddenly, he detransformed with Calabrass.

“Hey, I didn't drop you!” Dusk said to the talking sword. “Light up!”

Calabrass seemed exhausted and he said:

“Sorry, lad. Haven't crossed swords in ages. Arrr, and I'm washed out!”

"Washed out?” Dusk repeated.

“Too busted up to do any busting” Clover clarified.

“Thanks for the translation” Dusk replied, sarcastically.

It was then that Golden Bones got aboard the Demoniac. Clover was able to get out of there with a puff, but the same could not be said about Dusk and Calabrass.

“There's no shame in making a tactical retreat, laddie” the latter told to the former.

An attack from Golden Bones caused Dusk to jump off, but, for his luck, the plank from before arrived just in time for Dusk’s joy.

“Oh yeah!” he shouted. “Thanks, uh… I think I’ll call you Plank, so I know how to address you.”

“Enough!” Golden Bones yelled, now completely infuriated. “We'll sink these rebels and fish up that blasted sword!”

The Plank brought Zak to the bow of the Chaos before returning to its place and he tried to steer the ship away, but the wheel wouldn’t budge.

“Move it, you old crate!” Dusk said, turning to Clover who was by his side. “Clover, how does this thing work?”

It was then that the steering wheel moved on its own, making him fall

“Ow!”

“He's a bit moody, but… shh, don't tell him that” Clover replied.

“Okay, got it” Dusk said, while getting up, directing then his words to the Chaos. “Mr. Chaos, would you please blast that crazy skeleton to bits? Please?”

There was a grunt and the Chaos responded to what Dusk asked. He collected his sails, facing the Demoniac, and turned around and opened his mouth, revealing a canon. He fired at the Demoniac, with the force of the shots pushing him away.

“Oh yeah!” Dusk exclaimed, bumping hooves with Clover.

And so the Chaos sailed away, using his propellers to move faster. After seeing all that, Dusk said:

“Wow! So this boat really is alive then?”

“In the Triangle, everything is possible, Cap'n” Clover replied, while saluting to Dusk.

"Captain?” Dusk asked, thinking about the idea. “Let's make a deal. I have to find my brother and go home. And you, you have to find your body. Why don't we team up?”

“If you want my opinion...” Calabrass started.

“No one's asking you” Dusk replied to him, turning then to Clover. “Well? What do you say?”

"Um, I don't think anyone ever manage to escape the Triangle” Clover replied. “No one even knows where the bolts are to get out of this bizarre-o world, and you don't know beans about boats or swords or...”

“Clovis?” Dusk called, in a way to stop the little ghost’s brambling.

Stopping the blambling, Clover turned to Dusk and replied:

“I'm with you all the way. But you better ask him too.”

Knowing he was talking about the Chaos, Zak said:

“Okay…”

Putting his free hoof over the wheel, he said:

“Hey, Chaos, do you think maybe I could...um, be your captain? You know, just a trial run? To see how it's goes.”

“Like a boat can decide anything” Calabrass grunted.

The Chaos responded with a squeaking sound and lights up the jets on the aft of the ship.

“I'll take that as a yes” Dusk replied. “I just hope I can find my brother and that he’s okay.”

“Uh, stop with that sentimentalism, sea snail” Calabrass replied. “It makes me as green as seaweeds.”

Sighing, Zak asked:

“Okay, Calabrass. Now what?”

“Yer asking me?” he asked back “Yer the one playing Cap'n.”

“Well, like my father would said, a Captain has to make a right decision for his squad…” Dusk said. “Although, in this case, it’s a crew.”

Turning to the Chaos, he said:

“So, straight ahead! And make it snappy!

However, the Chaos didn't move.

“Please?” Dusk added.

Grunting and illuminating his eyes, the Chaos moved.

“Talk about a captain” Calabras grunted.

“I'm working on it” Dusk replied.

At Skullivar’s fortress, Golden Paladin was reporting what happened to his master, kneeling before him.

“To say that I'm disappointed would be grossly understating, Bones” Skullivar said.

“Yes, Master” the golden pirate replied. “But as I said, the kid… the villain… has power that we've never encountered before! At least, after the Generals.

“Those are the powers of the Seven Eyes of the Seven Seas!” Skullivar exclaimed. “Powers that belong to me. Powers that were denied to me by those two!”

“I'll find the villain, the sword, and...”

“Stop whining and get after him. Before the kid who beat you realizes what he has.”

Golden Bones rose up and replied, while bowing:

“Yes, Master.”

And then he walked away.

Author's Note

I'm sorry if this chapter was mostly taken from the series Zak Storm, including the villains and all that, but I promisse that in the next chapter things will change as it's when the differences will happen.

Training With the Sea Beast

Author's Note

Sorry, I miscalculated. Only the next chapter will get changes to the series.

Training With the Sea Beast

Dusk was having a nightmare, finding himself reliving the events that preceded his arrival to the Bermiken Triangle. He could see himself on his surfboard, noticing the bright on the Eye of Beru and the sky being covered by dark thundering clouds. He could hear his parents calling for him and Star, with the twins and Timber beside them. And then he and Star getting in the portal and being separated.

He then woke up saying:

“Star! Mom! Dad!”

He looked around and saw that he was sitting on the captain’s sitting in Chaos’ captain’s quarter, facing the windows.

“Finally awake, Cap'n?” a voice asked.

A little jumpy from the sudden voice, he looked down and saw Calabrass on his lap. That only confirmed his worst fears of not being dreaming.

“No, this can't be…” he said.

“You know you snore when you sleep?” Clover asked, appearing next to Dusk. “And talk in half-sentences when you wake up?”

After saying that, Clover pulled a lever to turn Dusk’s chair around.

“Okay, Calabrass the talking sword and Clover not-really-a-ghost” Dusk said, while holding Calabrass with his magic, while Clover nodded in response. “So I wasn't dreaming.”

He stood up and started walking away, while Clover, a little offended by Dusk’s sentence, said:

“Okay, you think you're dreaming a lot. Wake up and smell my farts, Captain! This is your life!”

“Listen, you're nice, but I can't stay here” Dusk replied. “I have to go home! My brother is out there and my parents are gonna be worried...”

“You can't just leave the Bermikun Triangle! I thought I already explained it to you. Maybe that was a dream.”

Taking Dusk’s hoof, Clover pulled him to the door, but, since he was a ghost, he made Dusk bump into the door. Dusk then opened the door before closing it behind.

On Chaos’ deck, Dusk looked around and saw nothing but a vastness of ocean and his last hope of all that being a dream. As if noticing his worry of never be able to come back home, Calabrass told him:

“There are seven seas in the Triangle and a lock that binds each sea. You have to open the first six locks so that together they'll show you where the seventh one is.”

“Just open seven locks?” Dusk asked. “How hard can that be?”

“Well, first you have to find the locks” Calabrass replied. “Magical, of course. Hidden in the most treacherous depths. Then, ye must defeat their Guardians: pitiless creatures born from nightmares.”

“And then there's Golden Bones, Skullivar’s general” Clover added. “Also a general pain in the rear.”

“I beat him once, he doesn't scare me!” Dusk replied.

“You have a short memory, Cap'n” Calabrass told. “I did everything.”

“So help me again” Dusk said. “Come on, guys! I want to get out of this crazy place and get home!”

“Yer gonna be needing a crew before ye go anywhere” Calabrass replied.

“Then let's find one” Dusk said. “There must be others who want to get out of here, right?” he turned to Clover. “Don't you want to leave?”

“Oh, I do!” Clover exclaimed. “Yes, I do, I do!”

“Yer not a real Cap'n, yet!” Calabrass retorted. “You haven't mastered the powers of the Seven Seas. Yer serious about this fool's quest, yer gonna have to do some serious training!”

That gave Dusk an idea and, lowering Calabrass, he walked to the bow of the ship.

“Hey, what're you doing?” Calabrass said, turning then to Clover. “What's he doing?”

“I don't know but I'm all for it! Go, Dusk, go!”

“If I have to become the best captain in the Bermuda Triangle so I can get home, then let's get training” Dusk said, while walking on the prow until he reached its very end, starting then to talk to the open-sea. “Hey! Here I am! You wanted me, come get me!”

“Me thinks yer off your rocker, kid” Calabrass commented. “Must be seasickness!”

“You want me to train, right?” Dusk asked, as the Sea Beast started rising up in front of him and roaring at him. “Get ready, Calabrass. The training is about to begin!”

“That boy's crazy” Clover observed. “I like it!”

“What kind of superpowers you got for a giant octopus?” Dusk asked to Calabrass.

“This isn't training!” he protested. “It's madness! Acts of stupid heroism only lead to idiotic problems. I just hope this brother of yers isn’t as mad as ya, boy.”

The Sea Beast tried to attack Dusk with a tentacle, but the young unicorn was able to make a jump to retreat.

“You want to end up as a toothpick for a mega-monster?” he asked to Calabrass.

Knowing there was no other choice, the talking sword replied:

“Try the Eye of Aeria!”

Taking hold of Calabrass, Dusk said:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Aeria!”

After the tap beneath Calabrass, the cross guard turned until the purple jewel reached the top and it shone with a purple light, causing a burst of light and revealing Calabrass turned into an ax with a purple blade charged with lightning. Dusk gained a dark purple eye patch with a curved tornado shape with a light purple lent and also a sleek, clawed, purple gauntlet covered in white diamond patterns covering its left foreleg full of lightning.

“Awesome!” Dusk exclaimed, seeing his brand new transformation, turning then to the Sea Beast. “Let's see how you like whatever this does!”

Holding Calabrass tight, Dusk leaped against the Sea Beast, but the creature tried to attack him with a tentacle, but Dusk used a simple spell on his other hoof to hold on it and then jumped to another tentacles, before striking electricity from Calabrass to the Sea Beast's eye. The creature roar painfully, while launched Dusk back to the Chaos as it sank back to the ocean.

Dusk landed on his back, dropping Calabrass, what caused both to turn back to normal, and Calabrass, now a saber again, got stuck to the deck.

“Ah, electricity when you're soaking wet?” Dusk said, while sitting up and taking a hoof to his head. “Not cool! I think I knocked my teeth loose.”

“Mine too” Calabras said. “Lesson one: learn to choose the right power! Seven Seas, seven powers. Eye of Beru…” the blue stone shone “Sino…” the ice-blue stone shone “Dezer…” the yellow one shone “Zite…” the green one shone “Vapir…” the smoky-white one shone “or Blazz!” the red one shone. “Place your bets!”

Getting up, Dusk approached Calabrass, while saying:

“Okay, then…”

“Last thing: each transformation uses energy” Calabrass advertised Dusk when he prepared to take him with his magic. “And I'm not as spry as I used t'be.”

At that precise moment, the Sea Beast reappeared again, ready for a rematch.

“I don't know what to choose!” Dusk exclaimed, thinking that angering the Sea Beast was not a good idea after all.

“You're the one that wants t'train with a Sea Beast” Calabrass replied to him cynically, while Dusk took him.

The Sea Beast used its tentacle grab Dusk with Calabrass. Clover appeared where Dusk was and said in a motivating way:

“C'mon Captain! Give him the bam! And the pow! And the skiddly-boom!”

“Why don't you help instead of cheerleading?!” Dusk asked him.

“I love helping with fights!” Clover exclaimed, teleporting away.

“The captain gives precise orders” Calabrass retorted.

“He'll be fine” Dusk said, while grabbing Calabrass, knowing that, despite knowing Clover just now, the little ghost was very resourceful. “We need the Eye of Beru!”

Activating Calabrass’ power, Dusk made the Eye of Beru to move to the top position. It shone with a blue light, turning Calabrass into a circular shield with four nozzles, while giving Dusk a large blue oval-shapped water drop eye patch with a blue lent and water completely encasing his left foreleg. capable of shooting water from four nozzles.

While pointing Calabrass to the Sea Beast, the former said to Dusk:

“You shouldn't let that sprite do whatever he fancies.”

Appearing a part of the Chaos that had some bottoms, Clover replied:

“Don't worry, Capt'n, I got it under control!”

Taking hold of those controls, he fired from one of the corners of the Chaos a grappling hook to the beast's mouth, causing it to let Dusk and Calabrass go. However, because the grappling hook got stuck at the Sea Beast’s palate, the beast started to pull the Chaos with it.

“Clover, what're you doing?!” Dusk asked, as he Calabrass fell and landed back on the Chaos' deck.

“A dash of pepper, some lemon juice… and there you go, Sea Beast for everypony!” Clover replied. “We'll need a big lemon, but hey!”

The Chaos started to be pulled harder.

“He's doing just fine, huh?” Calabrass asked sarcastically to Dusk.

“You're gonna sink us!” Dusk said.

Underwater, the Sea Beast started to swim in circles, thus causing a whirlpool to appear and the Chaos to spin too as well. That was a bad situation for them. They needed to do something or else they would really sink.

“Yarr, we're done for!” Calabrass exclaimed. “It was fun knownin' ye for ten seconds!”

Sensing the problem, The Chaos placed the propellers in reverse and activated them, halting the ship from moving. Now that they were still, they just needed to do one thing, release them from the Kraken, but there was a problem…

“Too bad you don't have a sword” Calabrass commented with cynicism.

Dusk thought for a moment and then had an idea. He leaped down to the sea to where the Sea Beast was and, using Calabrass, he shot missiles at the beast's eye, making it let go of the grappling hook and swim away. To get back to the surface fast, Dusk fired down the missile to launch himself back up and he landed back on the Chaos' deck, detransforming along with Calabrass.

“Incredible!” Clover exclaimed, as he came out of the deck beside Dusk. “You are the best colt captain I have ever just met! I...”

But he stopped, as he started to be seasick.

“Time out” the little ghost said, while bending over the rail to to throw up into the sea. “Astral puke!”

Turning to Calabras, Dusk asked:

“Not bad for a beginner, huh?”

“One attack more and you would have spent all my energy” Calabrass scolded. “And more whirlpool equals no breathing underwater!”

After he said that, the Chaos started making an uneasy sound, while black thick smoke started coming off his left flank.

“Arrr, and you went and scuppered the old tub!” Calabrass exclaimed. “He's panting like a queasy musk ox! It's the clutch!”

“The clutch?” Dusk asked, looking there. “On a sailboat?”

“Land ho!” Clover exclaimed, pointing ahead.

Looking to where Clover was pointing, Dusk saw the most weird view: a small island, alone in that immense sea. But the island itself was also weird, as it was topped by an amazing lighthouse that, like a giant tree, seemed to cover completely all the extension of land with its knobby roots.

“Confound it!” Calabrass exclaimed. “That's the lighthouse in the mythic bizarre of Marituga! That swarming haven of monsters, thieves and villains. Arrr!”

“And candy!” Clover added with gluttony.

“Aye, they make a good caramel, they do” Calabrass agreed. “Then use it to steal teeth from birdbrains!”

“Awesome!” Dusk said. “There's gotta be somepony that can help fix this clutch.”

Turning to Chaos, he told him:

“Set a course for...over there, Chaos. We'll get you fixed. And then we'll set out to find the seven locks and get out of this crazy Triangle.”

And so the damaged ship started moving slowly towards Marituga.

Recruiting a Crew

It didn’t take long for the Chaos to arrive to the docks of Marituga. Now that they were close, Dusk could see now that there were hundreds of buildings there, many of them seemed to be shops. But the most impressing thing was the lighthouse, which was even more impressing seen at close. It looked like a very tall tree with a thin and gnarled, housing in almost all its height small colorful chambers, tiny shelters. A ball of fire incased in the lighthouse’s branches dominated proudly its peak. Something like that caused Dusk to let out a wistle.

As Dusk put his hooves on the docks, holding Calabras with his magic, along with the clutch, he exclaimed:

“Ahhh, dry land! Civilization!”

“Wait until you visit before you call this civilization” Calabras warned.

Rolling his eyes before that, while smiling, he turned to the Chaos and said to his ghost friend, who was still on the Chaos:

“Come on, Clover! The candy isn't gonna come to you.”

Clover leaped down to the dock, with a chain appearing, connecting him to the Chaos. He started charging to Zak, but his chain wouldn't budge in any way.

“My runner's not running, Dusk!” he exclaimed.

It was then that the chain pulled him back to the Chaos. After getting up, he told to Dusk:

“I'm not really a ghost, but I do haunt the Chaos and only the Chaos. He and I have bound for life, until I find my body. Aye, it's complicated.”

“No kidding” Dusk commented.

“Believe me, it's better that way” Calabrass replied. “That’s one less chance we get spotted.”

Despite everything, Dusk knew he should listen Calabrass’ advice for once. So he walked away from the docks to the stairs that led to the marketplace. Once he got there, Dusk became amazed by the amount of smells and colors he was seeing. Having passed most of his life on the Bright Shore, he had never been in a place so loaded of ponies as that one. And it was not just ponies, as there were also griffons and deer. Many seemed to be sailors, ones that were unlucky to sail through the area of the Bermikun Triangle back on the Pony World. Dusk was so distracted that ended up bumping against some of the inhabitants.

“Unbelievable!” Dusk exclaimed, while walking. “So cool! Everything here is amazing. I mean, when it's not trying to eat, stab or drown me.

“The Triangle is a weird place” Calabrass warned. “And anything but calm. Arrr, keep yer eyes open and try to be discreet, by Jove.”

It is then that he passed through two particular ponies, both teenage-looking: one was a big earth pony with a moderate amber coat with an axe and a hammer crossed as a Cutie Mark, a luminous vivid scarlet and pale and using a helmet with wings on each side, light grayish cobalt blue eyes, having a large hammer with a propeller on his back; the other was a unicorn filly that shouldn’t be much older than Dusk with a moderate blue violet coat with two gears and a wrench as a Cutie Mark, a moderate rose mane with a golden tiara with three spiky points and persian bluish gray eyes. Having noticed Calabrass talking, the colt said to the filly:

“Princess, dah sword: it's speaks!”

She looked to where he was pointed and then saw Dusk talking to Calabrass, while the former chose a scabbard with a white buckle with a skull-like shape with a black crossed bones design at the middle. Seeing what he meant, the filly made a certain smile and said:

“Not very discreet. First chance we get, we steal that sword.”

“Mallet always ready to rumble!”

Taking the scabbard, Zak places Calabrass in the holder of the scabbard and then put the scabbard around his shoulder before paying one bit to the seller. He started walking away, but, unknown to him, he was being followed by the filly and the colt.

In Skullivar's lair, the villain was talking to Bones, who was kneeling before him.

“Losing the Eyes of the Seven Seas and the sword Calabrass, the Great Key, at the same time because of a little colt?” Skullivar said to Golden Bones. “Has my faith in you being misplaced, Golden Bones?”

“I'll find him, Master Skullivar!” Golden Bones promised with servility. “Spies have reported that he reached Marituga. I'm going to tear the sword and the Stones of Power from his little hooves and...”

“See to it” Skullivar interrupted. “Or my skeleton army will have a new general.”

And the general bowed his head to Skullivar, before leaving the room.

Dusk was walking on the alleyways of Marituga, searching for someone to help fix the Chaos. Finding a mare passing by, she asked:

“Hi... um... excuse me, we're looking for a mechanic? My ship is broken. It's the clutch, I think.”

As the mare instructed him where to go, the filly and the colt were watching him from the top of a nearby building. The filly was using a special spyglass that allowed her to read Dusk’s lips.

“Looks like our friend here is looking for a mechanic” she said. “Well, that can give us the chance we need.”

Following the instructions he got, Dusk advanced until he reached a workshop full of spare parts.

“Hello?” he asked. “Is somepony here?”

“I’m here” a voice came from behind him.

Dusk turned and saw the same filly from before.

“Ah, you scared me” Dusk said.

“If ya ask me, you scare pretty easily” Calabrass commented.

Ignoring him, Dusk addressed the filly:

“Are you the mechanic?”

“You bet I am” the filly replied. “Why, did you expect somepony but a filly?”

“Certainly I wasn’t expect that, but I wanted to know if you could help me” Dusk said.

“For sure” she replied, while getting in the workshop. “Tell me what you need.”

“Can you fix a ship?” Dusk asked, while handing over the clutch. “This is what's busted.”

“Impressive…” she said, while taking the clutch with her magic. “A perfect blend of magic and technology. Okay, just wait here for a moment.”

And she turned her backs to Dusk and Calabrass, while taking a few steps to a working desk.

“Between you and me, kid, she doesn’t inspire any trust” Calabrass replied. “Let's walk outta here!”

“But we need to fix the clutch” Dusk replied to him. “Besides, you said we need a crew. Why not try to recruit her as our mechanic? Why are you always so negative, Calabrass?

“Because we're in the most dangerous place on the Pony World and I'm in the possession of a colt who has no idea what he's doing!”

When Dusk was about to reply, a big noise was heard from the ceiling that crumbled under the weight of the same colt that was with the filly, while he shouted:

“Ragnasala!”

Sensing trouble, Calabrass told to Dusk:

“Get us out of here, Captain!”

“Let's see how you like this!” Dusk exclaimed, preparing to attack.

It was then that he was caused to trip by a low kick that was given by the filly, all while she took Calabrass from Dusk’s scabble. That really got him by surprise, as he didn’t expect that filly was trying to get Calabrass.

“Have a seat” she said with an arrogant look. “Don't move. Good boy.”

Having said that, both she and the other colt run out of the workshop.

“Calabrass!” Dusk called.

He got out of the workshop and looked around, trying to find Calabrass and the ones who had stolen him. It was then that he noticed them climbing to the tops of the rooftops.

“Hey, give me my sword!” he exclaimed.

But they didn’t listen and just continued. Dusk couldn’t feel more frustrated than he was at that moment. He didn’t have ways to go to the rooftops and keep following them.

“Looks like you need a hand… little brother” a voice said.

Hearing it, Dusk paralyzed and then turned around, to see a pony using a hooded cloak. When he took the hood down and revealed his identity, Dusk became full of joy when he saw.

“Star!” he exclaimed, going to hug his brother. “I’m so happy to see you. I thought I have lost you after that portal.”

“I ended up appearing nearby Marituga” he replied. “I knew it was only a matter of time for you to appear here. But I never expected it would be in this situation. Looks like you need help.”

“You can’t imagine how much I need it” Dusk replied.

“So… care for a lift?” Star asked, taking off his cloak and extending his hoof.

Smiling, Dusk nodded and handed his hoof to Star.

While their were running on the rooftops, the filly was holding Calabrass with his magic. He then told her:

“Young lady, you ought to bring me back on the double. Ye don't know who yer messin' with...”

“Oh, but I do” she replied, as she and the colt stopped. “Calabrass, the Great Key of the Triangle.”

That really surprised Calabrass, but he didn’t get too much impressed, as he said:

“Okay, so ye read a book once. Big deal. I already picked the boy.”

“We will see about that” the filly replied.

The colt then took Calabrass, while chuckling, said:

“Magic sword, can you open oysters super-fast?”

“Mallet, it's not a toy!” the filly scolded. “It's the Great Key to get us out of this awful place!”

But then Star and Dusk approached, with the former taking the latter, while flying, and the younger brother took Calabrass com Mallet’s hoof with his magic.

“Hey!” the filly protested.

“Finder's keepers, little tinker” Dusk replied.

"Tinker?” the filly repeated with indignity. “I am a princess!”

She then took a gun that turned into a crossfire and then she fired a blast on Star. The young alicorn prince was able to dodge it, but, in doing so, he ended up dropping Dusk who started falling. Fortunately he was able to use his magic to slow down his fall. Landing beside him, Star asked:

“Are you okay, little brother?”

“Yeah… I think so” Dusk replied, while massaging the back of his head. “Thanks for that save, Star.”

“So you are Star” Calabrass said. “It’s nice to finally meet ya.”

“Likewise… Calabrass” Star replied.

“Ah, so you know who I am” Calabrass replied.

“Let’s just say I like to get informed about the places where I end up being” Star told.

“You've no right to wield Calabrass, street rat!” the filly’s voice came from the nearby rooftop.

“And you do, mini-tinker?” Dusk asked.

“The name is Opal Gear” she replied.

“Like I care?” Dusk said. “I'm Dusk Storm and Calabrass is mine.”

“Wait a minute…” Star said. “Opal Gear?”

“You know her Star?” Dusk asked.

“Just by name” he replied. “She is the princess to Obstang, King Stronghold’s daughter.”

“So you know who I am, hein?” Opal Gear said. “Big deal. It doesn’t change our situation.”

She then noticed Star’s horn and wings.

“It can’t be…” she said.

“What is it, princess?” Mallet asked.

“That colt… the bigger one… is an light alicorn” she said. “There’s only two existing light alicorns.”

“Yeah, I know that” Star told. “I’m one of them and the other is my mother.”

“So… you are Prince Star Knight of the Light Kingdom” Opal Gear observed. “Having the jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails in the Triangle clearly is unexpected. Especially, when helping a street rat.”

“The street rat is my younger brother” Star told.

“Younger brother?” Opal Gear asked. “I thought you have only two sisters.”

“What can I say, Creation is full of surprises” Star replied. “Just like is a surprise to see a member of the Mighty Helm with a princess of the Enchanted Forest.”

“Mallet’s name is Mallet and Mallet likes clobbering!” Mallet replied, taking his hammer than then turned into a broadsword with three propellers.

Before that, Star tried to use his magic to defend any possible attack. However, a wave of weakness came to him.

“Star, are you okay?” Dusk asked.

“I’m fine, but…” he started. “I don’t know, a wave a weakness came to me.”

“That’s the magic of surrounding the Triangle” Calabrass said. “It messes with the other’s magic… except for me, Calabrass, the Great Key. Looks like this is our cue. Show this brute what we know how to do, Dusk.”

He nodded and, holding Calabrass, he shouted:

“Give me the Eye of Blazz!”

However, instead of the Eye of Blazz being activated, it was the yellow one, the Eye of Dezer. It turned Calabrass into a shield made entirely of rocks, while Dusk gained an eye-patch that was a flat stone with a yellow lent, while the left foreleg became encased in rock armor. The skull on the buckle of his scabbard also got the same symbol than the one in the activated eye.

“I see…” Star said. “So this is the power of the Eyes of the Seven Seas.”

“Wow…” Dusk said, while looking to himself. “Hold on. But this…”

“It's the Eye of Dezer, the Sea of Sands” Calabrass replied.

“But that's not what I asked for” Dusk told.

“No, but it's what you need” Calabrass responded.

And he was right, as Mallet jumped down from the rooftops and preparing to strike Dusk, while shouting:

“Ragnasala!”

However, he was only able to hit Calabrass's rock shield instead. With that, Dusk was able to throw Mallet away.

“Wow!” Dusk exclaimed, impressed with the power of that shield.

“This is not a game, boy!” Opal replied, up there, pointing his weapon and shooting missiles at Dusk.

Dusk was able to block them with Calabrass, but then he saw Opal making a great leap and then kick Zak, causing them to retreat and detransform. Having recovered from his wave of weakness, Star positioned himself in front of Dusk, in a defensive position in case Opal attacked again.

“You don't know what the sword means to...” Opal started.

“He means our ticket home” Dusk replied. “That's all that's matters!”

He and Star started fighting Opal, but she was doing pretty well, dodging their attacks. After a brief pause of their fight, Star asked:

“Why is Calabrass so important to you, Princess Opal?”

“Yeah, he's just a sword!” Dusk replied.

“What do you mean just a sword?” Calabrass asked, a little offended.

“Calabrass is the Great Key” Opal replied, making another physical attack, only to have Star creating his barrier.

But she used that as a trampoline to attack Zak and knock him down, causing Calabras to get stuck on the ground.

“The only one that can open the Triangle's secret locks” Opal continued. “A destiny he claimed before he was cursed and turned into a sword.”

“Hold up” Dusk said to Opal, before turning to Calabrass. “So you were like, a real pony?”

“With the finest mustache in the Seven Seas!” he replied with great pride. “That is before that cursed witch Heartbeat turn me into a talking sword!”

“Wait, Heartbeat?!” Dusk asked, surprised.

“Of course she had to do something with this” Star sighed, as he landed beside Dusk.

“Calabrass is returning to the hoofs of a hero” Opal replied.

“And how do you know he is not already with heroes?” Star asked.

“Just because your mother is the Princess of the Light Kingdom and your father a General of Order, it doesn’t mean you’re heroes” Opal replied, as Mallet arrived to her side.

“You have been in the Triangle for more than one year” Star replied. “There’s so much that have happened out there.”

“As if that mattered” Opal replied. “You're still nothing more than a little minnow lost in the Seven Seas! How can you…” she talked to Dusk “ever hope to carry him when you don't know anything about the legends, the triangle, and all of its danger?”

“He has me and I’m not that bad with facts and research” Star said. “Besides, you shouldn’t underestimate your adversary.”

Having said that, Dusk threw pebbles at Opal, distracting her enough for he to get Calabrass and point his blade at her.

“I'm a fast learner!” he exclaimed.

It was then that Opal and Mallet’s face changed as they retreated a little.

“Behind you!” she said, seeing someone behind Dusk.

“Really? Behind me?” Dusk asked. “Even where I'm from that's the oldest trick in the book.”

“Ah, Dusk…” Star said, also retreating to near Opal. “I think she is not kidding with you.”

And so a golden hook taps onto his shoulder, making Dusk to turn around and see Golden Bones, along with some of his soldiers.

“So we meet again, young Captain” he said to Dusk.

“Friend of yours, little brother?” Star asked.

“You know each other?” Opal asked. “Well then, perhaps my colleague and I shall leave you alone to chat.”

When Dusk prepared himself to attack with Calabrass, Opal took him out of Dusk's hold.

“Hey!” he protested.

“Let go of me!” Calabrass protested, as Opal and Mallet started running away.

Dusk tried to go after them, but Golden Bones grabbed him and hold him up, while saying:

“I haven't finished with you, runt!”

“Hey, drop my brother, now!” Star protested, while charging his horn with magic.

However the task proved to be too hard for him at the moment, causing to skeletons to hold him. Golden Bones laughed and said:

“Looks like the little alicorn has found his match” Golden Bones replied. “The magic of the Triangle is too much for you to handle?”

He then turned to the other soldiers and told them:

“If that filly escapes, you lose your heads! Get that sword!”

Meanwhile, Opal and Mallet were trying to get away fast, but they ended up having their way blocked by the skeletons, with more coming from behind. While Mallet dealt with the skeletons they had before them, Opal said to Calabrass, while holding him and raising him in the air:

“Now Calabrass, give me the Eye of Vapir!”

But then he realized something was amiss.

“Why have I not transformed?” she asked.

“If you know the prophecies, you should also know that only a real captain, my captain, can invoke my powers” Calabrass replied.

Golden Bones then appeared, holding Dusk, along with the skeletons that were securing Star.

“Skullivar will be pleased” Golden Bones said. “The sword, the seven Eyes, a would-be captain and his rebel scum, all in the same day.”

“I am no scum and he is no captain” Opal said, while pointing Calabrass' blade at Dusk. “Look at him, he's a disaster!”

“For a smart lass, ye don't seem to understand a basic rule of the Triangle: nothing is as it seems” Calabrass replied.

That last statement, along with what Star have said before, caused her to come to one decision: give Dusk at least the chance for him to prove he could be a good captain.

“Fine” she said, turning to Dusk. “Show me what you can do, Captain!”

She tossed Calabrass to Dusk who used him to give a blow on Golden Bones and force him to release him.

“Yeah, this is better!” Dusk exclaimed. “Wanna break some bones, Cal?”

“Sorry boyo, no more energy” he said, as he closed his eyes.

“Dude!” Dusk exclaimed, while shaking Calabrass. “Since when does a magic sword take a nap! Cal!”

“Ha, I knew it” Opal said, while shooting to approaching skeletons, as she, Dusk and Mallet got back-to-back. “You're no captain.”

Golden Bones laughed and then said:

“Capture these amateurs!”

More skeletons advanced and Golden Bones told to Dusk:

“I've said it before, you do have guts, boy. Would you like to see what they look like?”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t let you do that” Star said to Golden Bones, looking down.

“And what can alicorn that can’t use his magic properly do when he’s contain by skeleton soldiers?” the general asked cynically. “Don't make me laugh, worm.”

“I’ve already told this once and I’ll say it again: never underestimate your adversaries!” Star exclaimed, while raising his eyes that had turn toad-like.

And he was able to knock down the skeletons that were containing him like they were a house of cards, doing the same with other skeletons. He even sent Bones away with one punch only.”

“Bro, that was awesome!” Dusk exclaimed, while his brother landed beside him. “How did you…”

“My magic may be a little out of control, right now, but now I’m using the energy I have around me” he replied.

“He can use natural energy?” Opal asked to herself, surprised. “Now, that’s impressive.”

“I think we are doomed” she replied, while pointing to the horizon, where they could see an army of skeleton soldiers coming towards them from the air with their robotic pterodactyls.

“Even with my reserve of natural energy, we won’t stand a chance against all of them” Star told.

“Then I suggest we run for our lives” Dusk told.

And the two brothers started run away. Seeing them going away, Opal said to Mallet:

“We must follow him. If Skullivar gets the Key, we're all doomed!”

And so they did. As they were running, Dusk said:

“If we reach the Chaos, we're safe.”

Stopping to avoid getting spotted, Opal asked:

“Your ship is called the Chaos? Fitting.”

“I didn’t even know you had a ship” Star said.

“It’s a long story” Dusk said to his brother, turning then to Opal. “And about my ship’s name, I'm gonna pretend that means cool in Obstang.”

They continued to run, only to stop at the last line of buildings before the stairs to the dock. Looking at the pterodactyls the skeletons were riding, he commented:

“They're really robot pterodactyls? If I wasn't about to shake in fear, I'd think that was really cool.”

“Yer a strange colt, Zak” Calabrass commented.

“That and he has our dad’s sense of humor” Star commented.

“Hey, dad has a great sense of humor” Dusk replied, turning then to Opal. “Do you have a boat?”

“No” she replied.

“If you want, I can take you on mine” Dusk said. “That is if we can take make him go.”

“Okay, I don’t know why you’re addressing your ship as a him, but I think I can help you with that” Opal replied, as she showed him Chaos’ clutch that she took from her satchel. “I thought I would get a use for this.”

“Well then, you’re welcome to join in” Dusk said, going then to grab a pouch from a merchant. “If you pay for this candy!”

And he and Star continued to run, with the others following and Opal paying the merchant while running.

“I'm not sure I want to be on the same boat as you” she replied.

The group started going down the stairs to the dock, but they all stop when they see the skeleton soldiers blocking their way.

“Big guy, do you think you can clear us the path all the way to the bay?” Dusk asked to Mallet.

“One thing Mallet likes more than seaweeds: bashing bone heads!” he replied, while taking his sword which got activated again.

And he charged toward the skeleton soldiers to clear the path for them. Above Star, Dusk, Calabrass and Opal, the skeleton soldiers on the pterodactyls started shooting at them. Star took off to deal with some of the soldiers, while Opal used her gun to shot a light rope on one of the pterodactyls’ tail, launch herself up and get onto one of the pterodactyls, knocking the pilot out, while Dusk and Mallet tried to take the soldiers down from the land.

Appearing at the top of the mast, Clover saw what was happening and said to the Chaos:

“Look, he's been chased by blood-thirsty Pteros. That would otherwise be totally cool.”

Realizing that he was babbling again, Clover hasted to exclaim:

“We have to help him!”

Answering to that, the Chaos launched the Plank in the direction of Dusk. Seeing it approaching, Dusk said:

“Awesome.”

Once the Plank was close enough, he leaped onto it and flew up to the sky and knocked down the skeleton soldiers and pterodactyls. Appearing next to Opal, she said:

“You're full of surprises, Dusk Storm.”

Dusk winked at her.

“Get ready!” Star said, approaching. “There are more skeletons coming!”

He was right, as more skeletons on pterodactyls started appearing. The three of them took down some of the soldiers and their pterodactyls. However, one of them caused Opal to fall from her pterodactyl, but Dusk caught her just in time, allowing her to land on the Plank.

“Did you learn to fly at the same place you learned to handle a sword?” Opal asked.

“You can hop off whatever you want, Opal.”

“It's Princess Opal to you.”

“Whatever.”

Dusk and Opal came down and jumped down from the Plank and landed onto the Chaos' deck, right at the stern, followed by Star, as the Plank went back to its original location. Dusk then proceeded to give Clover the pouch of candy he had requested.

“You thought of the candy!” he exclaimed, while going to hug Dusk. “Oh, you're the best captain ever, Dusk!”

Mallet also arrived on the Chaos just in time.

“We sort of make a good crew, don't you think?” Dusk asked Opal.

“Enough!” Golden Bones’ voice boomed.

“If we escape, I will let you know” she replied.

Golden Bones was at the top of a building at the docks, having his land soldiers all pointing crossbows at them. He then proceeded to say:

“Has it gotten through your tiny skull yet, young Storm? You are not equipped to lead. This is a battle you will not win. Ever.”

Turning to Opal, Dusk said:

“Opal, can you fix the boat? We’ll handle the rest!”

“Despite I wouldn’t take any orders from you, I guess it would be preferable to have a way out.”

Having said that, she went below deck. After that, Golden Bones said:

“You can put an end to all this. Give me the sword, the ship, and swear an oath of loyalty and I'll spare your life. I could even whisper a word to the Master so that he sends you home.”

“Skullivar could take me and my brother home?” Dusk asked.

“Skullivar is all-powerful” Golden Bones replied.

“Calabrass, what did you think?” Dusk asked.

“I'm not the Captain” he told.

“Star?”

“You already know my answer” Star told him. “The question is: what is yours?”

Closing his eyes for a moment, Dusk thought very carefully of what to do and then came to one conclusion:

“I want to go home. Bad. But I could never look my Mom and Dad in the eye if I sold out to you. Plus, when I finally do go home, so do my friends. We're in this together!”

“That’s my brother” Star told.

“Yeah, very captainish of you” Clover commented.

“And very, very stupid” Golden Bones replied, turning then to his soldiers. “Ready to attack at my command.”

“Dude, I don't think you caught the part about my friends” Dusk said. “I have a living sword, a brother, a bone-crushing Mighty Helmet warrior, an almost-ghost, a living ship, and...”

He didn’t finished, closing his eyes.

“And?” Golden Bones asked.

“And?” Mallet asked too.

Star also looked at his brother with curiosity of what he was about to say.

“What're you doing, Zak?” Calabrass asked.

“And...” Dusk said.

It was then that Dusk was able to hear the engine of the ship working again. Opal came out of below deck saying:

“Finished!”

“And the fastest princess mechanic in the entire Pony Reality!” Dusk exclaimed, holding Calabrass. “Calabrass, give me the Eye of Sino!”

There was a burst of light, after the Eye of Sino moved to the top, and Calabrass’ blade turned to ice, while Dusk gain a diamond-shaped eye-patch made of ice-blue lent with an ice-blue left foreleg became encased in ice armor. The buckle of his scabbard also got the symbol of Sino.

“Charge!” Golden Bones exclaimed.

But before any of the skeletons could fire, Dusk leaped up and stroke ice all over the docks, including Golden Bones and his army who got frozen solid.

“What in blazes is that?!” Golden Bones asked, before being frozen.

Landing on the bridge, detransformed, Dusk said, while turning on Chaos’ engines:

“Chaos, let get outta here! Full steam ahead!”

The Chaos then started sailing away from Marituga. Golden Bones was able to break free from the ice with his hook. Seeing Chaos getting away, he exclaimed:

“I loathe that child!”

After they were at high sea and away from danger, Dusk, placing Calabrass in his scrabble, went to the lowest deck where the others were and said to Opal:

“Thanks for fixing Chaos. If you and your viking don't want to stay, I can take you back to Marituga.”

“Why would you want us to stay?” Opal asked. “We tried to steal Calabrass!”

“Yeah… but you sort-of kick major butt in a fight” Dusk said. “And I'm never gonna do this on my own. I need a crew.”

Opal looked at Crogar who nodded to her in agreement.

“And a crew you shall have, Dusk Storm” she replied to him.

“Great… Princess Opal.”

“You can call me just Opal” she replied.

“Deal, Opal” he said, while bumping hooves with Opal.

“And I hope to have a first-mate I can trust and that can help whenever I’m in great need” Dusk said, turning to Star. “What do you say, big bro?”

Star smiled and said:

“You can count on me, little brother.”

“We should give ourselves a name!” Clover said, sitting on the bridge. “How about the Courageous Corsairs? Or the Treachery Team?! Or...”

“What about… The Sea Raiders?” Star asked. “It’s a sounding name and it fits our mission to search for the locks.

“It’s not a bad name” Opal said. “What do you think, Captain? The Sea Raiders?

“The Sea Raiders…” Dusk said, liking the sound of the name. “Let's do this! The Seven Seas are waiting for us! Sea Raiders, full steam ahead!”

Morlock, the Unstoppable

A few days have passed ever since the Sea Raiders have been formed and the members of the crew started to get to know each other.

Clover didn’t share much about his life before he got to the Bermikun Triangle, much less how he lost his body and got bonded. However, Dusk and Star got to know a little about Mallet.

According to him, he was from a small island called Ragnasala that was part of an archipelago at the north of Celestia Ocean where the Mighty Helm were known to live. He had become a member of the Mighty Helm and was pretty happy with that until the day he ventured in the area of the Bermikun Triangle and got stuck there.

Despite knowing about Opal being a princess from Obstang, there was still many things her newly friends didn’t know about her and that she was keeping from them. But nopony pressed her to tell anything.

But Calabrass was one of the greatest mysteries, as, even if he talked a lot about his days as a pirate, he didn’t talk about how he became a sword and what drove Heartbeat to do that to him. But the greater mystery was Chaos, as all of the Sea Raiders didn’t know how Chaos came to be. Who had built him and how they managed to turn him into a living ship?

For the time being, the crew was able to stay as far as possible from Golden Bones and his army of skeletons, specially when it came Netherwhere, Skullivar’s fortress, located in the Sea of Vapir. However, they knew it was only an eventuality for them to meet again those villains, being the reason why they tried to stay ready for anything, with Dusk trying to master the power of Calabrass and Star managing to use his magic again, at least the most basic spells.

Dusk, however, was still very unsure about his role as captain and so he wanted to prove himself as such in every opportunity that came to him. That opportunity came when they found an island in the Sea of Beru containing a hill with a large X-shaped hole on it.

Getting out of Chaos and landing on the shore, he exclaimed to his fellow crewmates:

“Guys, check this out, you are totally not gonna believe what I just found! That's an actual spot in the shape of an actual X! X marks the spot. X is the spot!”

From the Chaos, the others were observing him and the hill and Opal asked:

“Does he have to this much enthusiastic over an X?”

“Does a bear do its business in the woods?” Clover asked, in his usual odd way. “You know. In an office, a desk, with a paper and pencil.”

“For what I know about Dusk, I’d say that, whenever there’s the potential for action, he can get a little carried away” Star replied, as he and the others (except for Clover) started to get out of the ship.

“Mallet doesn't get it” Mallet said. “Big hole. Lots of big holes on lots of islands. So what?

“And this is why I'm captain” Dusk told to his friends, turning then to Calabrass, as advancing towards the hill. “Calabrass, what do we do when X marks the spot?”

“We plunder it!” he exclaimed. “I sense ancient riches hidden in the darkness. Me jeweled teeth are jumping!”

“I suggest patience” Star advised his brother. “We must formulate a sensible strategy to move forward…”

“Charge!” Dusk and Calabrass exclaimed, not hearing not even a word the alicorn prince was saying, running towards the X-shaped hole and sliding down to the cave.

“Maybe he didn't here strategy and just heard forward?” Opal suggested. “Seriously, are you sure you two are brothers?”

Ending to the end of the slide, Dusk found himself in a domed cave. When he stood up, he saw that it was already occupied by Golden Bones’s skeleton soliders who were, at that moment, transporting a black chest.

“Treasure!” Calabrass exclaimed. “The teeth never lies!”

“Thanks for doing the heavy lifting, guys” Dusk told the skeletons, while grabbing Calabrass, as they started to head towards him. “That's very considerate for an army of the undead. Calabrass, give me the Eye of Sino!”

And he transformed. After that, Dusk charged forward, starting hitting the skeletons, causing them to break into frozen pieces. After doing that, Dusk, satisfied with his work, started heading towards the chest, while detransforming and saying:

“Like taking treasure from a bunch of boneheads. Plan sh’man! When you’re captain you have to think fast, act fast, and...”

It was then that Calabrass, while being agitated by Dusk, saw Golden Bones approaching from behind and shouted:

“Move!”

He turned around, to see Golden Bones preparing to attack him with his hook. Dusk then hasted to shout:

“Eye of Sino! Ice Shield!”

Transforming again, he caused Calabrass to form an ice shield to prevent Golden Bones from striking him. While Dusk was trying to hold the golden skeleton’s attack, the villain exclaimed:

“You're in over your head, whelp! This is Skullivar's chest! I'll keel haul you and hang your hide from my mast!”

He pushed Dusk, knocking him away and causing him to drop Calabrass for a few moments. But Dusk was able to picks up Calabrass soon enough and casted a freezing wave that froze Golden Bones's hook. Detransforming, Dusk said to Golden Bones:

“Stay frosty. And P.S. what’s a keel haul?”

“Get him!” Golden Bones ordered, as the unfrozen skeleton soldiers started to re-assemble themselves. As soon that happened, they started to advance towards Dusk.

“Oh, yeah, that happens here” Dusk said, remembering that fact about the skeletons, while fighting off the soldiers.

Golden Bones broke the ice and got his hook free, picking up the chest and starting to head to the exit. Dusk, over a boulder while fighting, saw him do that and told him:

“Get your hooves off my pirate booty! Wait, that's sounds wrong.”

“My master claims this treasure as his own, and so it shall be!” Golden Bones replied, while keeping walking. “You will tire eventually, my army will not!”

“You're not the only one with an army” Star’s voice was heard saying.

And he, Opal and Mallet all arrived and ready to fight. Using his magic beams, Star was able to knock down some skeletons and, with a fast flying, he stood back-to-back with his brother. While shooting at the skeletons, Star said:

“Tell me there was more to your plan than running in like aunt Rainbow Dash does.”

“No, that's pretty much it” Dusk replied. “Thanks!”

“I think we need to spend a little time defining the word plan” Star commented.

At that moment, Dusk noticed Golden Bones trying to leave the cave with the chest.

“You bet, right after I open that treasure!” Dusk replied, starting then to jump rock after rock until he reached Golden Bones by landing in front of him, getting ready to battle him and his skeleton soldiers.

Looking to the chest, Star had a bad feeling so he entred for a brief moment in the sage mode and could feel strange vibes coming from there.

“Zak, I'm getting some bad vibes from that chest” he warned his brother.

“Aye, your brother makes some sense” Calabras said. “Somethin' about that booty doesn't feel right.”

“You were the one with the jangly teeth” Dusk replied to him. “If there's treasure let's snag it!”

But he didn’t get much time to say more, as Golden Bones advanced ready to attack with his hook. Using his magic to hold Calabrass, Dusk blocked the attack. They continued to fight and Golden Bones said:

“Tenacious brat! You're in over your head, as usual! Yield!”

But Dusk ignored him and, instead, he grabbed Calabrass and said:

“Eye of Sino!”

Transforming again, the young unicorn prince exclaimed, while stabbing Calabrass’ frozen blade on the ground:

“Frozen Path!”

And so he created a path of ice under Golden Bones, causing him to slip and hit the skeletons that were behind him, like they were bowling pins.

“Strike!” he exclaimed.

While that happened, Star and Opal were taking down the skeletons, one with his magic and the other with her gun.

“Do you think he knows what he's doing?” Opal asked Star.

“I'm not sure, but he does do it with style” Star replied. “Of a sort.”

At a lower level, Crogar, while holding his sword that had been activated, said:

“Mighty Helmet style! Battle first, think later!”

Meanwhile, Dusk was trying to open the chest with Calabrass's blade. While doing that, the talking sword said to him:

“Dusk, I have t'point out that y'r plans seem a little off. Are ye that hungry for gold? Why is that treasure so important to ye?”

Knowing he could open up with Calabrass, Dusk told him:

“It’s not about treasure. Look, I’m still new to the whole captaining thing. I have to show them that I can do this. Especially when my brother is a big hero… Now let’s open this puppy!

As more skeleton soldiers continue to come, Opal said:

“Captain! Speaking from a purely mathematical standpoint, we’re about to be kicked from behind!”

Dusk looked around and saw that his friends were in a real trouble. The focus Star was providing to keep attacking the skeletons was preventing from taking off, while Mallet was being subdued by skeletons. That put Dusk in a position where he needed to choose: the treasure or his friends.

“Dusk!” Star called. “We need you now!”

Making his decision, Dusk made a big jump into the fight while shouting at the skeletons:

“Get your bony fingers off of my friends! Sino! Total blast!”

Transforming again and craving Calabrass on the ground, while landing beside Star and Opal, he blasted a huge freezing attack at the skeletons, who turned into frozen statues which broke in thousand pieces.

Golden Bones, arriving to the edge of the chest, laughed and then proclaimed:

“The chest is ours!”

Two skeletons grabbed the chest and started heading towards the exit. However, in their clumsiness, they ended up dropping the flag that was covering the top of the chest. Golden Bones then turned to the rest of his army and told them:

“To me, you scurvy dogs!”

And the rest of the soldiers also got out, with Golden Bones following them, leaving the Sea Raiders alone. Turning to his friends, Dusk asked, while putting Calabrass back at his scabbard:

“You guys all right? Sorry, I was stuck with…”

He then remembered the reason why they were there and exclaimed, while turning around:

“The chest!”

They went all to the place where the chest was, finding nothing but the flag that was dropped from the chest.

“Sure, they got the chest, but we’re fine and that’s what matters, right, Captain?” Opal said.

“I guess…” Dusk said, while taking the flag with his magic, still not liking the fact they have lost.

“No one wins been every fight, Dusk” Mallet told.

“We’ll be ready for them next time, Dusk” Star said. “Have no fear.”

And he left with Mallet and Opal. After they were gone, he said to Calabrass:

“We lose like that and guess who they don’t want as captain any more. I gotta be stronger, Cal. Whatever it take to...”

In Netherwhere, Golden Bones presented the chest to his Master, while kneeling before him.

“Bring me that chest, your exact words, and your humble servant delivers” he said to Skullivar.

“So rare…” he said.

“What’s that?” Golden Bones asked. “Th-the treasure, my Lord?”

“No. The times that you actually do something right.”

And gliding to where the chest was, he passed his hand over it and it opened, revealing a helmet inside.

“While I'd like to accept the...compliment, I think we’ve been hornswaggled” Golden Bones said, as Skullivar made the helmet come to him with telekinesis. “This is just junk.”

“How little you understand, poor Bones” Skullivar told, as he advanced forwards, followed by Golden Bones, gliding towards the window, as a big headless pony armor rose up from the trapdoor. “This acquisition will complete my collection.”

And he made the helmet hover toward the armor and assemble itself. A red glow started coming out of the hollow parts of the armor.

“After all these years, Morlock the Unstoppable” Skullivar said. “Finally, a worthy emissary!

“The position of emissary is already held, Skullivar, and quite capably...” Golden Bones said.

“I’ll be the judge of that” Skullivar replied, starting to zap electricity and powering up the Morlock armor, with its red glow turning green. After it was fully charged, it was seen that it was connected to Skullivar’s movements.

In Marituga, Dusk, Star, Opal and Mallet were walking through its streets, with the captain still pouting about their defeat.

“Dusk, I know you don’t like to lose” Star said.

“Correction, I hate to lose” Dusk replied. “Worse than brussels sprouts. Worse than stink hoof.”

“So do I, but on occasion it happens” Opal said.

“And it’s my fault, right?” Dusk asked.

“Of course not!” Star replied, as the group stopped, while putting his hoof over his brother’s shoulder. “There were more of them. They were stronger. They were faster.”

“But if I was a better leader, we’d be plundering booty instead looking for Sassafras’s stupid moving shack” Dusk replied, while moving a few steps away, referring to the witch that lived in Marituga and that was known for her greed.

As he kept moving, Mallet released a chuckle, while saying:

“Booty…”

That caused Opal to give him a poke in a disapproval way. And the group continued. As they advanced, Calabrass exclaimed:

“A-ha, Next left! Down this alleyway. I’m picking up on her weird Voodoo!”

Arriving to Sassafras’s shack, Dusk opened the door and walked down the stairs, along with his companions.

“She need some nice curtains. Place creepy. Always creepy.”

Arriving to the end of the staircase, at the right side, there was an open door that gave access to a room full of shelves with books. At the center, there was an elderly earth mare, sitting before a crystal ball. She possessed a pale green coat with a crystal ball as her Cutie Mark, a greyish mane and bluish green eyes. Her mane was styled in a bun with two bones and a shawl over her shoulders.

“Yeah, but she’s always right” Dusk replied.

They started to approach her, but then she told, noticing their presence:

“It’s called a doorbell. You should try.

But Dusk just dropped some coins on her desk that immediately caught her attention.

“You like money, I like not losing” Dusk said. “Let’s talk. Today we got kicked in all Seven Seas over this.”

And he picked up the flag, showing it to Sassafras.

“And I want to know what is this...” Dusk started, before Sassafras casting a spell that burned the flag. “Hey!”

“I cannot have such dark enchantments within my walls” she replied. “Besides, it clashes with everything.”

“Seeing this place, I thing none of those are quite true” Star commented, earning him a harsh look from the witch.

“Why did you fry that flag?” Dusk asked.

“It bears the mark of Morlock!” she said.

Despite telling that in a sinister way, it didn’t had a very big impact on the Sea Raiders.

“Oh, great, she just added a creepy name to the chest” Opal said. “That doesn’t sound so good.”

“Morlock the Unstoppable” Sassafras said, while releasing from her hooves a luminous green cloud that quickly takes the form of the Morlock armor. “A haunted suit of indestructible armor, controlled by its remote host.”

“That chest wasn’t big enough for armor” Dusk replied.

“The armor was scattered a century ago” Calabrass replied. “Skullivar has sought control of the Morlock ever since! If that chest contained the last piece he was seeking, we are surely doomed.”

“And it’s my fault” Dusk said, falling again into his depression. “I failed to stop Bones.”

“Dusk, this isn’t anyone’s fault” Star said. “Every plan falls apart if the center doesn’t hold. You’re our center, little brother. Right?”

“I’m trying” Dusk replied.

“I hope you do better than trying” Opal replied. “Otherwise, I would have joined you for nothing.”

It was then that Star sensed the same feeling he had felt before.

“Guys? Remember that strange energy from the chest? Well, I’m sensing it again.”

Hearing that, the Sea Raiders rushed out of the shack, with each one preparing to engage in battle if necessary.

“Is it another piece of the armor?” Dusk asked his brother.

Entering in sage mode, Star tried to concentrate and then said:

“I don’t think it’s a little piece. This is bigger and coming right this way. I mean, really, really close!”

“How close is really, really close? Mallet asked.

A that moment, the Morlock armor suddenly arrived behind them, making a huge stomp that casted them away, while creating a thick dust cloud that soon cleared, revealing the big armor to the four teenagers.

“You had to ask” Opal said to Mallet.

“That must be Morlock” Dusk said. “Does anypony knows how to stop the unstoppable?”

It was then that Skullivar’s voice came from it, as the villain was talking to them at his fortress, saying:

“You cannot escape Morlock, boy! It is unstoppable. It never tires, it never fails!

And he made Morlock do another stomp that knocked down the Sea Raiders.

“I’ll lead him away!” Dusk told to his companions. “Skullivar may have his armor but what he really wants is Calabrass.”

“Slow down, captain” Opal said. “Let’s put our heads together and…”

But Dusk didn’t let her finish and, holding high the sword, he started heading at full speed towards Morlock.

“Hey, Mor-dork!” he called, before sliding underneath Morlock and running away. Just like he predicted, Morlock turned around and went on his pursue.

“And watch you run down the street” Opal ended. “Seriously, he has to stop doing that.”

“Hurry!” Star said to Opal and Mallet, with them following Morlock.

Dusk was giving chase, but behind him, Morlock didn’t contain itself. To get to Dusk, he destroyed buildings that would get on its way until he arrived in front of him.

“Wow!” Dusk exclaimed.

“Your sword will be mine and you will fall beneath it!” Skullivar told.

And he tried to punch Dusk, but he escaped by rolling forward and continued to run. But the armor resumed its pursue, destroying everything in its path while chasing him. But one of the debris caused Dusk to trip, with him ending dropping Calabrass.

“Calabrass, no!” Dusk called.

Morlock arrived to Calabrass’ edge and Skullivar laughed, while saying:

“Too easy!”

When it was about to take Calabrass, Mallet arrived just in time and strikes the armor with his sword, with his power being increased by the propellers. Opal then jumped, using Mallet’s back as a trampoline, and prepared to attack, only for Morlock to punch her, sending her backwards to Mallet and knocking them both down. Star arrived and fired his magic, freezing Morlock with electricity. He then picked up Calabrass with his magic and tossed him to Dusk. Arriving to his brother’s side, Star told him:

“They call Morlock unstoppable for a reason. The only way we’ll take this monstrosity is together.”

“You’re absolutely right” Dusk replied. “We’ll beat him together right after I beat him first! Calabrass, give the Eye of…”

“Aye, wait, boy!” Calabrass interrupted. “The Morlock processes enchantment I cannot predict or counter! Through it pains me to say it, this is not a beast I can defeat alone. Nor can you.”

And he started controlling Dusk’s foreleg, much to his annoyance, as he fought for control.

“Seriously?” he asked. “This isn’t one of Calabrass’s life lessons, is it? So what do we do?”

“Running away is nothing to be ashamed of under certain circumstances” Calabrass replied, as he saw Morlock recovering from Star’s attack.

And he started to pull Dusk away from Morlock, while the young colt said:

“Hey! Calabrass! Get back here!”

“Dusk, we need…” Star started to say. “Uh, younger brothers…”

He turned to Morlock who started to advance towards him.

Calabrass continued to pull Dusk, who was holding as much he could, while going down the island stairs to the dock. Opal approached there and asked:

“Dusk Storm, what are you doing? Is this some new attack where you run around the whole Triangle and hit your enemy from behind?”

“It’s not me!” Dusk protested, turning then to Calabrass, while holding him tight to prevent him from pulling him. “What is your problem, Cal?!”

“You have no idea what you're dealing with!” he replied.

While he continued to make Dusk to come with him, Opal approached and said:

“Actually, I do. The Morlock armor is a repository vessel for the consciousness of its controller. In this case, Skullivar has commandeered the…”

“Opal, there’s no time for that now!” Dusk replied. “I need to take this thing out or…”

And suddenly they heard Morlock behind them, knocking both Star and Mallet down the stairs, right to their side.

“…or that'll keep happening!” Star ended. “You guys chose a leader, I’m leading!”

And he started advancing towards Morlock, saying then:

“I don’t care what you’re wearing, Skullivar! I’m gonna open you like a can of…”

But when he was about to land a hit, Calabrass dodged away from the armor. Again, much to Dusk’s frustration, Calabrass continued to control his foreleg, making Dusk to hang onto him. Morlock then kicked Dusk down the stairs. While getting up, Dusk told to his talking sword:

“Calabrass! You missed on purpose!”

“Aye, bet yer scurvy breath, I did!” he replied. “I don’t want t'be corrupted by evil enchantments! I’m tryin' to tell ye that…”

But he didn’t finished as, he and Dusk both saw Morlock rolling barrels toward them. Having no other choice, Dusk slammed Calabrass on the stairs, forcing him to access the Eye of Dezer. Once he transformed, with Calabrass turning into a rock hammer, he said:

“Dezer Stone Wall!”

And he created a huge wall to protect themselves and the others from the barrel. After the wall disappeared, Dusk said:

“I’m telling you that we go big or go home. That’s what a captain does.”

And he started charging toward Morlock.

“Yes, fool” Skullivar said to Dusk from his lair. “Come to me.”

Dusk tried to fight off Morlock, but Calabrass wouldn’t help him.

“Calabrass!” Dusk called. “I need you now or we’re street pizza!”

“Fine!” he replied, done with Dusk. “Ye were warned!”

Now that Calabrass wasn’t resisting him, Dusk could now use his power at will and exclaimed:

“Stone Crusher!”

And, after a big jump, Dusk hit the hammer to the ground in front of Morlock and unleashed a giant attack, creating a powerful shockwave that created a dust cloud.

“Yes!” Dusk exclaimed, victorious, that is until he saw that Morlock was still in place. “Really?!”

Laughing, Skullivar asked:

“Is that your best?”

“Perhaps now, ye've learned the definition of unstoppable” Calabrass said to Dusk.

Appearing beside his little brother, Star said:

“Dusk, we have to try a different tact!”

“Star’s right!” Opal said, with her gun ready, positioning herself along with Mallet.

“We stand together” the latter added, with his sword also ready.

Seeing them all at his front, Skullivar said:

“Excellent. Right where I want you.”

And he made Morlock hover itself up and separate its hands from its torso. They then advanced and just captured Star and Opal with one and Mallet with the other.

“No!” Dusk exclaimed. “Star! Opal! Mallet!”

Seeing his friends, pinned to the ground by Morlock’s hands, he started to feel that everything that happened was his fault, for is inability to be a good captain. So he could only say:

“I…I’m sorry.”

Skullivar’s laugh was heard, as Morlock’s armor approached him, hoovering, and then he said:

“You don’t know the meaning of the word, yet!”

Having said that, Morlock's head separated itself from the body and hit Dusk so hard that he got knocked out.

When Dusk came to his senses, he found himself inside of a cage that was hanging from the ceiling of the Demoniac’s bridge. He felt a little stunned and asked to himself, while sitting up:

“Who’s sitting on my brain?”

It was then that he noticed where he was and that Calabrass wasn’t with him anymore, seeing Golden Bones behind the steering wheel of the ship. In another cage, he saw Star and Opal, unconscious.

“Star! Opal!” he called, turning and then seeing Mallet in a third cage, also unconscious. “Mallet!”

Feeling everything was lost, Dusk sit against the bars of his cage, saying:

“Great… I guess now I messed up big time. I don’t even know how, really. All I wanted was to be a good Captain. But the truth is I have no clue what I’m doing half the time. I’m no big adventurer. I’m just a surf rat who got lucky.”

“You think we didn’t know that?” a voice asked.

Dusk turned around and saw that Star was awake.

“Hey!” he said. “You’re supposed to be out cold!”

“Is that why you’ve been running half-cocked all day?” Star asked. “To impress us?”

“To lead you” Dusk said. “You trusted in me to be the captain. I wanted to prove I could do it. I mean, if I have to ask for help all the time, what sort of captain am I?”

“Dusk, being a great captain isn’t about being the smartest or the strongest or the fastest” Star told, as Opal and Mallet started to wake up. “Look at our mother. She faced many foes, but she didn’t do it all by herself. She had help, friends that she inspired and that inspired her. Being a good captain it’s about knowing you’re a part of, well, a family, and knowing how to bring out the best in everyone. From the first time I saw you with Calabrass, I just knew you would be a good captain and that I would follow you anywhere."

“Really? Even when I screw up royally?”

“Really.”

That gave some confidence to Dusk who then replied:

“I would be more comfortable if you were the captain.”

“I’m tiring of leading” Star replied. “I have a long time for that. A little pause to help others to lead will serve me right. So any ideas, captain?”

Immediately after that, they all hear Morlock hitting Calabrass at the stairway that lead to the Demoniac steering wheel. As it was doing that, Skullivar said to Calabrass:

“I want the Seven Eyes! Spit them out!”

While enduring the hits, Calabrass said:

“You got yer enchantments, Skullivar! I gots mine! Thank Heartbeat for that.”

“Not for long, sword” Skullivar replied to him. “Once I get you to the Netherwhere, I’ll have all the time I need to pilfer your secrets! Not even Heartbeat’s curses stand a chance against me!”

The Demoniac was very close of the vortex, a triangular portal from where a glimpse of the Sea of Vapir could be seen, where the Netherwhere could be seen.

Inside, Dusk, seeing the vortex getting closer, turned to Opal, who was more knowledgeable about Calabrass, and asked:

“If we enter the Netherwhere, can Calabrass be broken?”

She just made a slight sighed, but Dusk knew what that meant and then said:

“Okay, new plan. A plan that needs all of us.”

Getting tire of trying to make Calabrass to give him the Eyes of the Seven Seas, Morlock turned to Dusk and Skullivar said:

“You, whelps. Command the sword to spill out the gems.”

“Um, yeah, that’s not gonna happen” Dusk replied. “Like ever. Like even if you put bite-acudas in my cage and...”

But he didn’t finish, as Mallet’s cage suddenly lowered down.

“Mallet!” Dusk called.

The cage reached the floor and was opened, with Morlock going there and taking him, while saying to Dusk:

“Do you value your crew, Captain? These poor fools followed you on your merry adventures, by is their faith deserved?”

They were taken outside of the Demoniac, where Dusk and the others were being watched by the skeleton first-mate, with Golden Bones and the other soldiers a little behind. Morlock was at the plank, about to drop Mallet to the sea, where a band of bite-acudas was waiting for him to be dropped.

“Don’t, he can’t swim!” Dusk exclaimed.

“Don’t worry about Mallet drowning” he said to his captain. “The bite-acudas'll eat me way before that!”

“Hold it!” Dusk said to Skullivar, while falling on his knees. “You win. I-I’ll do what you want. I'm in way over my head. I don’t wanna play captain anymore. The sword is yours, if you just promise to let me go.

“What?” Opal asked. “What did you say?!”

“No, Dusk!” Star exclaimed. “You can’t!”

“You would abandon your crew, which include your own brother?” Skullivar asked. “Sell them out to save your own skin?”

“It’s not like they like me anyway” Dusk said. “Even Star only knows me for a matter of days. I was only in charge because I had Calabrass. I was the strongest and now I’m not.

Before that, Skullivar laughed and put down Mallet, advancing to say, while approaching Dusk and showing him Calabrass.

“Stripped of all your power and see yourself as you truly are! Tell me how to loosen the stones!”

“The truth?” Dusk asked. “Just like everything else in this crazy place, I don’t have a clue.”

“Then you are no use to anyone!” Skullivar exclaimed, while picking up Dusk. “Except, perhaps the bite-acudas!

And the armor tossed him to the water. But when he was falling, Dusk whistled and the Plank rose from the water, saving him from being eaten by the bite-acudas. While hoovering around the Demoniac over the water, he said:

“Good plank! Good plank!”

Turning then to the rest of his prisioners, Skullivar said to them:

“Huh, I've wanted to do that for a long time!”

He turned then to Calabrass and told him:

“Now, sword, you and I have some unfinished business.”

“Do your best, skull king” he replied. “You're not worthy to wield me.”

“I will enjoy attempting to convince you otherwise” Skullivar told him.

“Anyone ever tell you that your bad guy banter is totally stale?” Dusk’s voice asked, causing Morlock to turn to him and seeing him on the Plank. “Don’t you have like, a bad guy speech coach or something?

And he started to surf around Morlock, all while dodging his attacks and, because Morlock was not great in speed, Dusk was able to get Calabrass out of its hand, throwing him out of reach and causing him to be stabbed on one of the cannons at the top of the Demoniac.

“Ouch!” the sword exclaimed. “My coccyx!”

“Impossible!” Morlock exclaimed, not believing Dusk was able to survive all that.

The plank got low beside Mallet, allowing Star to untie his hooves, while saying:

“Before you go taking over the Triangle you should learn how to count. There are seven of us! Clover! Chaos! You're up!

And the Chaos rose from the water and got ready to fire, preparing the canon in its mouth.

“Let's put this Lead-Head to bed!”

Clover was sitting at the end of the bow and said:

“I give you guys shore leave for one afternoon and look what happens!”

The Chaos fired a blast at the Morlock armor, sending it backwards and hit Golden Bones and breaking apart some soldiers along the way. Dusk then proceeded to release Opal and Star, including the latter’s wings, with one of the swords of the skeletons and Star commented:

“A very convincing execution of phase one of our plan… Captain.”

“Thanks” Dusk replied. “Now if I can get Calabrass back, phase two might actually work.”

“If we do it together” Star remembered.

“Somepony slightly smarter than me once said The whole thing falls apart if the center doesn't hold. Together!”

And the Sea Raiders and Skullivar's army, with Golden Bones now standing up and his soldiers assembling, were ready to battle.

“For the Mighty Helm! For Ragnasala! For the Sea Raiders!” Mallet shouted, before charging toward Golden Bones, with the propellers of his sword activating.

“Really?” Golden Bones asked, before he and some of the skeletons being knocked by Mallet.

The skeleton first-mate went to attack Dusk, who blocked his attack, but he was broken apart by Clover, who appeared there, swinging his ball-and-chain. Seeing him, Dusk asked:

“Hey, Clover, how good are you with machinery?

“Awful!” he replied. “I break pretty much everything I touch.”

“Perfect!” Dusk said. “I have a mission for you!”

Morlock was at the top of the Demoniac and Skullivar exclaimed through it:

“You only delay the inevitable! I wield the Morlock! I have the Sword of Seven Eyes! It's over!”

Going back to the Plank and taking flight, Dusk said:

“We can't let him get Calabrass into that portal! Hit him from all sides!”

And so Mallet, Opal and Star started to attack Morlock.

“Have you learn nothing?!” Skullivar asked.

And the Morlock armor hovered up and started separating its limbs from its torso to assault the crew, each one dealing with one limb. When Dusk was about to rescue Calabrass, Morlock's right front hoof knocked him away and grabbed the sword. After recovering his balance, Dusk continued surfing forward, while being chased by the armor's right front hoof, while the rest of his crew hold onto the seperate body parts. Star and Opal were able to completely subdue the parts they were fighting.

“Stick together or fall apart!” Dusk said.

Mallet then got hold onto one of the armor's legs.

“Perfect!” Dusk exclaimed. “Keep it up, guys! Almost there!”

“We're almost there” Skullivar said. “The Netherwhere!”

Dusk looked and saw the vortex really close.

“It is over, boy!” Skullivar exclaimed.

Dodging an attack from the hoof that was pursuing him, Dusk started flying back toward the Morlock torso. As he was getting closer, Dusk said:

“You wanna know how Calabrass works, Skullivar? The same way we all do. As part of a team!”

And he leaped out of the Plank and held onto the armor’s right hoof.

“Are you mad?” Calabrass asked him.

“No, just a little crazy” Dusk replied him.

“It's the same thing!” the sword told.

Getting hold of Calabrass, Dusk exclaimed:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz!”

With that, he and Calabrass transformed and gained fire abilities. He then fired a burst of magma at the Morlock armor. The lava quickly cool off, turning into stone. Sensing that, Skullivar said, holding to his throne place:

“Arrgg! Something's wrong. Bones, get them into the portal, now!”

Getting over the mechanical hoof, Dusk turned to Opal and asked:

“Opal, are we in position?”

“Now or never, Zak Storm!” she replied.

He then headed towards Mallet and told him:

“You're up, big guy! Let's finish it. Together!”

As he jumped of the hoof, Mallet hit it really hard, freeing Calabrass, only for him to be grabbed by Dusk who landed back to safety.

“Everyone, now!” he shouted to his crew.

He fired magma at the armor, causing the torso to be pushed back and sink into the sea. Star then used his magic to throw the part he was fighting with, while shouting:

“Go!”

And Dusk fired magma at it right before it fell and sank into the sea as well.

“Seperated from the torso, the Morlock limbs are still indestructible, but vulnerable to entrapment in magma, which, upon hitting the water cools into a solid mass of rock!” Opal exclaimed. “Now that’s a very good plan!”

And so they did the same with the other three limbs that were still free and, after the last one was casted into the sea, the four of them hoofbumped.

“Together we stand…” Star started.

“…divided he falls!” Dusk ended.

“Yeah!” Opal and Malled exclaimed.

“This is far from over!” a voice said, ruining their celebration.

They turned and saw Golden Bones and his skeleton army surrounding them.

“Oh, we forgot to plan for this part” Opal said.

“Don’t worry, Opal” Dusk reassured her. “Bones is no better at counting than Skully. Right, Clover?”

He looked up to where the bridge was. Chaos was there, using its metallic legs to get hold to it. Clover appeared inside the bridge, right behind the ship’s steering wheel.

“Yummy!” he exclaimed. “I love the taste of a collision course! Woohoo!”

After increasing the Demoniac’s speed and spinning the steering wheel around, Clover before broke a circuit wire. He chuckles, before he teleporting away.

Outside, the alarm started ringing, alerting everyone that the ship was malfunctioning. The Chaos arrived with Clover on deck, causing Bones to get out of the way, with the little ghost waving towards his teammates. Dusk, Star, Opal and Mallet all run to their ship and Chaos jumped to the water, getting away from the Demoniac.

As the Demoniac continued to spin around towards the vortex, Golden Bones cursed:

“You’ll pay for this!”

As he saw the Demoniac entering the vortex to the Netherwhere, he said:

“No!”

And the vortex disappeared.

As the Chaos sailed under the twilight sky, Calabrass, now secured again on his scabbard, said to Dusk, who was behind the steer wheel:

“Not bad, Dusk. Played like a true captain. Maybe ye’ll earn yer stripes yet!”

“It’s basic strategy: nothing can hold together if the center falls” Dusk said, looking then to his brother. “A smart alicorn prince taught me that.”

And he gave him a small punch on his shoulder, causing him to get out of the steer wheel platform.

“I prefer First-Mate” Star replied, clearing his throat. “Chaos?”

Responding to his request, Chaos caused the platform where Dusk was standing to launch him up, causing him to be flung into the sea.

His teammates all laugh, while seeing Dusk swimming back to the surface.

“I totally did that on purpose” Dusk joked to them, smiling.

But Calabrass just spitted out water at Dusk, saying then:

“So did I, ye landlubber.”

He also laughed.

“Bathroom break!” Clover exclaimed, preparing to leap down from the Chaos to join the fun.

Freezing Point

At the Sea of Beru, Golden Bones and his soldiers were after a wyvern. It was heading towards a vortex, while carrying an egg with his hide legs. Two skeleton soldiers were after it mounting their robotic pterodactyls.

Noticing it was being chased, the wyvern tried to mislead them, but they kept at its tail. Fortunately, it was able to get rid of one at some rocks, using then its tail to knock out the other. But, as soon those guards were down, three more appeared on their waverunner.

Behind his steer wheel, Golden Bones was looking at the wyver through his telescope. He then told to his soldiers on the waverunner through radio.

“Don't let the wyvern get through the vortex! I need that egg!”

They then started to fire on the wyvern. The creature tried to use the rocks again, but found itself cornered by a fourth soldier. However, it was able to use a shot from that fourth soldier to hit another and then shot an ice blast, creating icicles that knock down two others.

When it turned to the other that had blocked its way, a blast hit one of the big rocks, causing debris to fall upon the tank that had blocked the wyvern. It has been a shot from the Chaos. Dusk on the bow, with Calabrass always beside him. Standing proudly he said:

“Nothing starts a day off right like blasting at boneheads.”

From the Demoniac, Golden Bones could see that the wyvern was heading towards the vortex. Irritated, he exclaimed:

“Idiots! It's getting away!”

He then noticed something pursuing one of his tanks and, when looking through his telescope, he saw the Chaos.

“Dusk Storm?!” he asked, not believing that brat was again meddling with his duties for Skullivar.

And so he turned to the skeletons and told:

“All hands! Target the Chaos and destroy this plague of a colt once and for all!”

Dusk was now steering Chaos and, while doing it, Calabrass asked him:

“You're willing to sacrifice your ship to rescue a big flying lizard?”

“No one's sacrificing anything, Calabrass” Dusk replied, turning then to his faithful ship. “Chaos, freecarving!”

And so the Chaos started escaping the blasts from the skeletons that are on their pterodactyls, all while pursuing the Demoniac which was pursuing the wyvern.

“Wyvern season is over, Bones” Dusk told. “We won't let you hurt it!”

As Golden Bones made his periscope come down, he chuckled and said:

“Those fools will not spare your hide, you dirty beast.”

Commanding one of his ship’s cannons, Golden Bones aimed the wyvern and then fired. Seeing that, Dusk exclaimed:

“No!”

The wyvern was hit and the shock caused it to drop the egg it was holding, all while being thrown to the vortex. The egg starts falling and Clover was able to see on the extended sails of the Chaos, asking:

“What's that?”

One of the skeletons' tanks caught the egg with its grappling hook. Seeing that with a telescope, Star said:

“An egg! Dusk, Skullivar cannot get his hands on a wyvern egg! If he does… I can’t even imagine!”

Noticing his brother’s concern, Dusk realized that egg was really important.

After getting to know his soldiers had the egg, he told them through their communicator:

“At last! Haul the egg onboard, now!”

Clover saw the egg with the skeletons and said:

“Yep, he's got the egg!”

With that knowledge in mind, Dusk speeded up the Chaos and chased the tank to get the egg. The tank dodged the vortex, heading towards the Demoniac, but it didn’t take long for the Chaos to get side by side with it.

“Let's get it back!” Dusk exclaimed. “Go, Chaos, go!”

The Chaos then shoved the tank to slow it down and put it out of balance. The skeleton piloting the tank did the same with him, but Chaos was too much bigger and studier to be affected. Turning to Mallet, Dusk told him: “You're up, big guy!”

Laughing at the prospect of giving those skeletons what they deserved, Mallet jumped onto the taffrail, preparing to board the tank. Despite another bump from the latter caused Mallet to lose his balance, he was able to get hold on the tank. Opal then used her magic to hold Mallet, doing her best to pull the tank closer to the Chaos through Mallet, who seemed was having fun with all that.

“That’s so ragnassalan!” he exclaimed.

However, when saw a pillar was very close, Opal was forced to let go Mallet, with the latter barely making through. Once they got passed by it, she resumed to do what she was doing. Once the tank was close enough, Dusk told Clover:

“Clover, you're in range, snag the egg!”

“My turn! My turn!” the young ghost chanted, excited, while flying around Dusk.

He then went up and said, wanting to look cooler like Mallet:

“Oooh! I need a good war cry! How about...um...um... Biscuits!”

And he went down while shouting, going to get the egg. In response to that, Mallet replied:

“We'll work on it.”

Clover tried to get the egg out of the grappling hook, but it wouldn't budge. Noticing Clover was having trouble, Dusk turned to his older brother and asked:

“Star, can you free the egg without damaging it?”

“After years of training with dad and Golden Paladin at shooting?” Star asked, while aiming his horn. “At least give me a proper challenge.”

After having his target aimed, Star fired a magic blast that hit the arm of the grappling hook, forcing it to let go of the egg. Clover then landed on the deck of the tank, while catching the egg. But its surface was so hat that he had trouble to secure it.

“Hot potato!” the ghost exclaimed, after being able to secure it. “Well, technically a hot egg but that would be an omelette. I'm so hungry all of a sudden.”

Seeing the Sea Raiders have been able to get hold of the egg, Golden Bones exclaimed to his soldiers:

“Blast these thieves to pieces!”

The Demoniac then sent out a torpedo from its bow towards the Chaos. Both the pilot of the tank and Dusk saw the torpedo coming in their direction. Reacting to that, Dusk said to Mallet:

“Mallet, give Bonesy a Mighty Helmet hello!”

And he spun the steering wheel around which caused Mallet to let go of the tank and him being pulled back by Opal’s magic, as well causing the Chaos to sail away from the torpedo that ended up exploding the tank instead. The spin also caused Clover to be pulled back to the Chaos because of his bond, but the sudden pull caused him to drop the egg. Fortunately, before the egg could hit the water, Dusk, riding on the Plank, caught it.

“No extra breakfast today, Bones!” he told, while surfing back to the Chaos deck, with the ship now trying to sail away from the Demoniac who started to pursue him.

Once Dusk landed holding the egg with his magic, causing the Plank to return to its place, Mallet told:

“That's a catch worthy of the Mighty Helm Rock-Ball league!”

“Absolutely!” Clover agreed, appearing with his head from the deck. “So about breakfast...”

“I don’t want to spoil this moment, but if you're here, who's steering?” Opal asked Dusk.

“No worries, I told the Chaos to keep going straight” Dusk replied.

Looking to where they were going, Star asked:

“You mean, straight towards the ice vortex that's about to close?!”

Chuckling, Dusk replied:

“Great plan, right?”

Noticing the Sea Raiders heading towards the vortex, Golden Bones said:

“The Sea of Sino… Do not let them breach that portal!”

And so the Demoniac tried to fire at the Chaos, but before their shots could land a hit, the Sea Raiders’ trustworthy ship managed to enter the vortex right before it closed. Seeing that his prey had been able to escape, Golden Bones released a frustrated shout and then shouted to his soldiers:

“What are you lot waiting for?! Find me another vortex to Sino! I need that egg!”

After crossing that vortex, the Sea Raiders found themselves in the Sea of Sino, which was nothing more than a mass of cold water surrounded by a frozen land.

“Ah, Sino, the Bermikun Triangle 's own epic ice bucket” Dusk said, when beside his friends.

"Where the foolhardy sailor be frozen forever" Calabrass added.

“Let's get this egg back to its parents before we catch a cold then” Dusk said, turning then to his ghostly friend at the top of the mast. “Clover?”

“No mommy lizard in sight” he replied, while shivering. “Hey, can someone burrow me something furry to wear? I'm freezing.”

Placing the egg on the deck, the Sea Raiders tries to understand Golden Bones’ interest in it.

“What did Bones want this egg for?” Dusk asked. “Is there a biggest omelet in the Triangle contest we don't know about?”

“Owning a wyvern would be a great tactical advantage, though I'd hate to be in charge of picking up wyvern droppings” Opal replied.

“This is no ordinary egg” Star replied. “Look at these marks, Dusk. I’ve seen in one of the books at your quarter. This egg holds a red-crested wyvern. A royal wyvern!”

“If Skullivar controls a royal, the other wyverns will all do his bidding, and he'll rule the skies” Calabrass told. “Ye saw what their frosty breath can do!”

“Yes, they can be as much problematic as dragons” Star agreed with Calabrass.

“Mallet eat the egg, problem gone” Mallet replied, picking up the egg.

“Mallet, no!” Opal replied, trying to prevent Mallet from doing it. “Have you no heart?!”

“Mighty Helm have no heart, Mighty Helm have big stomaches!”

“I’m certain that’s not completely true” Star replied.

But before Mallet could reply, the red lines surrounding the egg broke and the same happened with the rest of it, much to the Sea Raiders’ surprise, revealing then a wyvern hatchling who looked upside down to Mallet.

“Oh no…!” Star said, charging his horn for any eventuality.

“Watch out for its breath!” Opal warned, also charging his horn.

The baby wyvern made a strange sound for a moment, but then it licked Mallet instead.

“Aww, looks like this blood-thirsty beast adopted you, Mal” Dusk said, smiling.

A little embarrassed, and yet unable to stop smiling, Mallet said to the baby wyvern, while reversing her possition:

“Uh, okay, you too cute to eat or throw away. I will call you Iceface.

Later on, as the Chaos sailed on the frozen waters of Sino, some of its parts started to freeze. In the captain’s quarter, Dusk, Star and Opal were looking at the holographic map of Sino.

“According to the legends I’ve read, wyverns nest somewhere in a hidden bay at the center of this cluster of glaciers” Star told, pointing to a part of the map.

“Many a buccaneer's tried his luck in this maze but none's come back to tell the tale” Calabrass replied.

“We're not ready for Sino” Opal told. “Our power supply is depleted, and with this cold...”

“So you would rather risking having Golden Bones capture the baby wyvern and use it to control a band of ice-breathing lizards that he’ll use against us?” Dusk asked her.

That really caused Opal to reconsider everything and then she said:

“I vote for the maze.”

On the Chaos deck, Mallet was opening a barrel, with the baby wyvern resting on his head.

“This is Mallet's lunch, Iceface” he said. “Mallet couldn't eat the egg, so now Mallet will...”

But before he could say anything else, Iceface leaped down from his head and start to eat his lunch.

“Iceface! We didn't wash hooves.”

He picked her up with her tail. He gasps when he saw that she has already eaten all of his seaweed.

“Mallet's lunch!” he shouted, irritated, to the little wyvern.

But then Iceface belched at him.

“You…” Mallet said, before a smile appeared on his face. “You've got a warrior's stomach, Iceface! No, you need a Mighty Helm name! What about Boreal? It makes Mallet remember home and it sounds cooler.”

At that moment, Dusk, Star and Opal arrived from the captain’s quarter and the princess dropped a laugh and commented:

“So Mighty Helm have no heart, hum?

Mallet made a shy smile, before turning to Boreal and taking a piece of seaweed.

“Boreal, catch” he said, tossing the piece of seaweed.

Boreal reacted by freezing it with her breath.

“Fascinating…” Star said. “Their freezing breath is fully formed at birth.”

Mallet went to catch the frozen seaweed and then Boreal whimpered to him what caused him to chuckle. He then turned to Opal and said:

“Boreal thinks you smell alike.”

“Uh, preposterous!” she replied, in an insulted manner. “I do not smell like seaweed!”

Despite enjoying seeing Opal’s offended look, he contained his laugh and asked Mallet:

“You can understand her?”

“When Mallet was little, he lived with winterzillas” Mallet told. “So Mallet talks beast language.”

“Right...” Opal said, a little skeptical.

“Come on, Opal, it’s not an uncommon ability” Star told her. “One of my mother’s friend can also talk with animals.”

Suddenly Boreal started biting on the side of the Chaos, causing the ship to rumble in displeasure.

“The little monster's attacking our ship!” Opal exclaimed, while she and Dusk tried to hold their balance, as Star just used his wings to keep himself in the air.

“Hey, no nibbling on the Chaos, Iceface” Dusk reprimanded. “You'll make him jittery.”

“Not Iceface” Mallet protested. “Boreal.”

“Whatever you say, Big Guy” Dusk replied.

Chaos’ rumbles had caused Clover to swing around the Chaos’ sails with his chain, all while saying:

“Boreal, I like your style!”

All those rumbles caused a barrel to accidentally knock Boreal overboard and she landed on top of an ice flow.

“Wyvern overboard!” Clover shouted.

“She's too young to fly!” Opal exclaimed.

“I’ll get her!” Star told.

He prepared to go get Boreal, but then he found out he couldn’t move his wings and fell on the deck. Star then noticed that there was ice covering some of his feathers.

“My wings!” he exclaimed. “They are frozen! I can’t fly!”

“Hang on, Boreal, uncle Mallet's coming!” Mallet exclaimed.

Things got worse when they saw that an ice shark, the greatest predator that swims in the Sea of Sino with hard scales with big sharp teeth that are as white as snow. It was very big, capable of swallowing ponies with only one bite. Seeing that, Mallet almost jumped off the Chaos to be stopped by Dusk who told him:

“Uncle Mallet. You can't swim!”

“Do something!” Mallet begged him. “Save Boreal!”

“Clover, with me!” Dusk exclaimed, while going ahead and taking Calabrass.

He and Clover leaped out of the Chaos and landed on the ice flow where Boreal was. At that moment, the ice shark appeared, opening its mouth open, which caused everyone on the ice flow to scream. Before that, Dusk, grabbing Calabrass, said:

“Calabrass, give me an Eye of Aeria!”

And he transformed, turning Calabrass into an axe of lightning. The shark closed its mouth on everyone that're on the ice flow, while starting to move away.

“Dusk! Clover!” Star and Opal called.

“Boreal!” Mallet called.

Despite appearing the ice shark had gotten away, the truth was the chain that connected Clover to Chaos was preventing it from getting away. Suddenly, static electricity appeared from the water as they heard the shark roaring in pain. It was then that the chain pulled Dusk, Clover and Calabrass all out of the water with Boreal, with her being held by Dusk, right to the Chaos. While Clover returned to the mast, Dusk was about to hit the deck, if it wasn’t for Star who caught him with magic and then made him land safely.

“And that, my friends, is how you go extreme monster fishing” he said, while Boreal jumped out of his hooves and scampered toward Mallet's, who chuckled and then said:

“Poor little Borealy! You scared Mallet you know!”

“Mallet, this wyvern is not a harmless baby” Opal told him. “She's a danger to the Chaos, and a danger to us!”

“On my ship, we wouldn't allow monsters out of the hold” Calabrass told.

“Anyone tries to put Boreal in prison, they'll talk to Mallet's sword!” Mallet replied.

“Guys, guys, we're all trapped here in the Triangle” Dusk said, trying to settle the argument. “We're all trying to escape, and we all want to be free. We didn't rescue Boreal from Golden Bones to deny her freedom.”

“Dusk is right” Star said. “I know we are a little tense, but we have to think clearly. So let's get her back to her mom before we all wind up with a case of permanent frostbite.”

“Fine, just don’t let that monster get to my engine room” Opal replied, what caused both Mallet and Boreal to stick out their tongues at her.

Meanwhile, at another part of Sino, the Demoniac had been able to found another vortex to Sino. After they got in, Golden Bones noticed something in his screen: a heat signal that could only come from one place.

“You can try to run, Dusk Storm, but your ship's the only source of heat in this frozen wasteland.”

The Chaos continued to sail ahead, until they reached the entrance to an ice cave, the ship is about to enter the maze)

“The iceberg maze…!” Dusk exclaimed in admiration.

They got in and, while he was steering, Star got a call from Opal, who was at the engine room, through the communicator he had next to the steer wheel.

“The Chaos's power supply is at 15%” she said.

While they were advancing, one of Chaos’ engire hit lightly on a rock. Before that, Calabrass told Dusk:

“It be better to float without grace than to go down in style.”

“I don't think that's a thing” Dusk replied to him.

“Old pirate saying” Calabrass told. “It means: don't go too fast, icebergs will slice through your hull like butter.”

And so they continued, advancing slowly and carefully. But, because they didn’t know how to navigate in the maze, they had to choose their way by chance.

Concurrently, the Demoniac was about to enter the maze as well. At the bridge, Golden Bones was talking to an hologram of Skullivar who was communicating with his general.

“Master, we've tracked the Chaos in a cluster of giant icebergs” Golden Bones told Skullivar.

“The boy is taking the egg back to the wyverns” he realized. “Allow him to succeed and it's your head!”

After making that threat, he turned off the communication. Not wanting to face his master’s wrath yet again, Golden Bones turned to the skeletons and shouted:

“Deploy the bowblade!”

And the mouth of the Demoniac’s bow opened, revealing a type of drill that started to break the ice that was in front of it to create a shorter route through the maze.

The Sea Raiders were still trying to figure out their way out. Clover turned to Star, who was beside Dusk, and asked:

“Star, are we there yet?”

“I can't navigate Clover” he replied. “I can't see the stars.”

“The instruments aren't working in these tunnels” Opal said from the engine room. “Every signal bounces off the ice. And the worst part is that we're running low on power and we're lost.”

“Stay cool, Princess Worriedness, I know exactly where I'm going” Dusk said to her, whispering then to his brother. “Didn't we pass through that tunnel twice already?”

“Don’t ask me” he replied. “Everything looks the same to me. And all this ice is interfering with my concentration, so I can’t get in sage mode.”

Boreal was sitting on Mallet’s shoulder and whimpering in fear.

“Yeah Boreal, it's a big, big ice cave” the Mighty Helm warrior replied.

They entered in another cave that was even darker than the tunnel. But what made it even scarier was what existed there.

“Lots of boats ahoy!” Clover shouted. “And starboard! And sternport! Everywhere!”

He was right. For anywhere they looked there were only remains of ships.

“All the sailors that went looking for the wyverns' territory” Calabrass said.

“Okay, this place is really creeping me out” Opal confessed.

“Don’t worry about that, Opal” Dusk said. “They were not like us. We're not going to end up trapped in this maze. We're the best crew that ever sailed the Triangle. Right, Star?”

“Right” he replied. “We are going to find the wyverns' home, Opal. Stay strong. Clover, can you see anything?”

“No, nothing at all!” he told. “No exit, no light, no breeze, no sound.

Suddenly, the crew all heard rumble, causing Clover to scream.

“What was that?!” Star asked.

Dusk thought quickly and then he asked Star:

“I know your sage mode is a little out of control right now, but can you focus long enough to see what’s causing this?”

“I can try” he replied.

Focusing the most he could, Star was able to get in sage mode. Despite it lasted for a few seconds, Star was able to see what was happening.

“Oh no!” he exclaimed. “I think Bones found a way to cheat his way through the maze! He's just going straight through it!”

Because Bones was forcing his way, ceiling of the cave started to crack, with the stalactites above them being about to fall.

“We have to speed this up” Dusk putting his hoof over the level. “Getting iced would totally wreck my week.”

He pulled the lever, prompting the Chaos to move forward, while they tried to evade the falling stalactites.

“Opal, power!” Dusk commanded. “Star and Mal, protect the ship! Clover!”

“I have to check the thing in the place where we keep the stuff” he replied, flying then below deck to one of the ship's rooms.

“Smart move” Dusk said, remembering then what he did was pointless. “Wait, you're a ghost! Oh, nevermind. Everyone, eyes on the sky!”

As the Chaos sailed uncontrollably, it tried to dodge the fallen stalactites, but the task was becoming harder and harder.

“Boreal, stick to Mallet!” Mallet told the baby wyvern.

When a big stalactite was about to hit the deck, Mallet took his sword out, which extended, and jumped high, while preparing to make a blow.

“Sword, guide my arm!” he exclaimed, while he sliced the stalactite in half, while Star used his magic to levitate some of it out of the way.

“I can't do this forever!” Dusk exclaimed, while steering the Chaos. “We need a way out pronto!”

“The Chaos has almost no energy left!” Opal told, while trying to do her best to keep the ship at his best to face the present situation.

While Dusk continued to evade the fallen debris of the cave, he noticed something at the ceiling: a big hole.

“Look, up there!” he exclaimed, while changing the steering wheel’s mode. “Chaos, get your legs out! Surfer-style, Off the lip!”

“The Chaos is not a surfer, Dusk!” Star said.

“A wave is just a wave, ice or not” the younger brother replied. “I just need to figure out how to ride it.”

As the Chaos got close to the hole, it leaped up, revealing its legs that he positioned like skies and then started to slide through a wall. That caused everyone on board to hold on.

“Ragnasala!” Mallet exclaimed, taking hold on Chaos’ prow.

“Dusk!” Star called, while getting hold on his younger brother.

“Opal, on my mark, push the engines to the max!” Star ordered.

“We're at 5%” she said. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Dusk Storm!”

When the Chaos almost reached the exit, he extended his sails.

“Opal, now!”

And so she transferred the very last bit of energy that Chaos had on the engines and the Chaos zoomed out of the cave. He went up for a moment and then landed on the cold water of the sea, in safety. However, that feat caused his engines to die and the sails to be collected.

At the engine room, Opal looked to all the instruments and then said:

“That's it, we've used all the power we had left.”

“One thing at a time, Opal” Dusk replied. “Look!”

“I can't believe it” Star said, while Mallet returned to the deck. “We made it. It is Wyvern Bay!

They were facing a massive tower-like pillar of ice, where wyverns could be seen flying around. It was then that a wyvern that looked a lot like Boreal because of the red crest. It should be the Wyvern Queen, which flew past above them and went into her territory, right at the top of the pillar, covered in spikes of ice.

“At least Skullivar won't have his flying ice squadrons” Star said.

“You got to give Boreal to her mom, Mal” Dusk said to Mallet.

“But it's cold here, and Boreal's tired” Mallet said, with Boreal over one of his forelegs, going then to pet her. “Maybe she should stay with Mallet a little longer.”

“We already talked about it” Star said. “She's a wild animal, Mallet. You can't keep her.”

Boreal rubbed her head on Mallet’s face, while groaning at him.

“Boreal says she wants to stay” Mallet said. “You can't force her to go.”

“Come on, Mal, wouldn't you want to go home?” Dusk asked.

That caused Boreal to whimper at Mallet, while the two looked at each other. Mallet knew what he had to do, despite it was the hardest thing he had ever done. Moments later, Dusk and Mallet were both climbing up to the ice pillar where the Wyvern Queen lived. It would be easier if Star could use his wings, but they were still were frozen and the most possible thing to happen was they freezing again.

“What if we do not find her mother?” Mallet asked, with Boreal over his head, still trying to find a way to keep her. “Think about it? Boreal might get rejected by the others. Or eaten!”

It was then that a rumble was heard behind them. They all turned around to see that the Demoniac has finally arrived, breaking the ice that was on its path.

“Oh no” Star said, with Clover at his side, turning then to Opal through the communicator. “Any bright ideas from our Engineering Department?!”

“Well, we can't powers the cannons, but I can still use my own energy!” she said.

“But in that way, you can…” Star started.

“Don’t worry, it’s just a bit so we can protect ourselves” Opal replied, charging her horn. “Besides, I’m always careful.”

She then started charging the Chaos. After she was done, she felt a big wave of weakness, but she managed to stand still and then exclaimed:

“Chaos! Now!”

Chaos's eyes started glowing, as he was back on.

With the Chaos in front of him, Golden Bones commanded:

“Slice that rotten raft in half!”

The Demoniac was about to hit the Chaos with its bowblade, but he was able to move away just enough to dodge the attack, causing it to hit the pillar. Seeing what was happening down there, Mallet said:

“We have to go back! Too bad, means Boreal will have to stay with us!”

“No, I'm going, you stay” Star said. “Find her mother. You speak wyvern, so I'm counting on you. Taking Calabrass, Dusk used his blade to slide down the pillar, speaking to Calabrass while doing it. “I'll transform when I'm down there so we could hit Bones with a full power blast!”

“Great plan” Calabrass said. “Provided we make it in one piece!”

Down there, Golden Bones had the Chaos surrounded. Standing outside of his ship with his soldiers, he said to Star:

“No more games. Give me the egg, now.”

“You're too late, Golden Bones. Dusk and Mallet took the baby to its mother. Take that instead!

And he fired a magic blast at Golden Bones, which he dodged.

“No, thank you” he replied. “But your vessel, and your crew might make a meager consolation prize.”

And he made a sign to the skeleton army that proceeded to attack the Chaos with Star and Clover both trying to defend it. Opal got out of the engine room to help, but even with her help things were pretty complicated. It was then that they heard a familiar voice souring:

“Look out for falling ice.”

And Dusk landed onto the ship and took down some of the skeletons.

“And good guys!” he added.

“Foolish boy” Golden Bones said. “You are trapped. Powerless. I'm going to defeat you and bring Skullivar an army of wyverns as well as the Eyes of the Seven Seas.”

“All you're gonna get is a headache!” Dusk told. “Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz!”

And so he and Calabrass transformed. Dusk didn’t lose time to attack Golden Bones with a blast of fire, but the flame didn't reach far enough, extinguishing as soon it was casted, much to Dusk’s confusion.

“There can be no fire on Sino, Zak Storm!” Calabrass replied. “The whole sea is covered in everlasting magic cold. Our fight hasn't even started yet and you've already lost.”

“He's right, Dusk” Calabrass said. “I gave everything for that strike.”

“He's wrong” the young unicorn prince replied. “I don't need magic power to teach you a lesson, Bones!

And so he detransformed and started charging the skeletons.

Meanwhile, Mallet managed to climb to the Wyvern Queen's home. Arriving there, Mallet found her, with her back turned to him.

“This is your mommy, sweetie” Mallet said to Boreal. “The Queen of the Wyverns. Mallet is just your uncle, you need to go with her now.

It was then that the Wyvern Queen turned around and roared at him.

“Mallet isn't afraid” he said. “A Mighty Helmet warrior has no heart, and a Mighty Helmet warrior isn't afraid. Ever.”

Approaching the queen carefully, he started to hand her Boreal, while saying:

“Nice mommy. Very nice.”

The Wyvern Queen returned to roar.

Simultaneously, Golden Bones and Dusk were battling each other on the Demoniac, while Star, Clover and Opal were surrounded. But then the skeletons surrounded him, stopping them from fighting.

“Well look who can't fight his own battles” Dusk said. “Afraid to fight me one-on-one?”

“Surrender, Dusk Storm” Golden Bones offered. “Give me Calabrass and I'll grant you and your friends safe passage. You have my word.”

“You still don't get it, Boney” Dusk replied. “I won't let anyone be Skullivar's prisoner. Pony, wyvern, or enchanted sword.”

“Arr!” Calabrass shouted, in support for Dusk’s words.

“Then I'll have my skeletons pry your cursed sword off your frozen body” he replied, kicking Dusk out of the Demoniac.

Dusk was about to fall into the freezing water, but then a wyvern caught him. Grabbed by the wyvern’s legs, he saw Boreal actually flying next to him.

“Boreal, good girl! Who's a fast learner? Yes you are!”

The little wyvern made a sound similar to the one of a laugh.

Mallet appeared at the other side, riding another wyvern, shouting:

“Ragnasala!”

And with them there were other two wyverns and they prepared to attack Golden Bones and the skeletons. Before that, Golden Bones commanded:

“The cannons! Fire! Fire, you idiots!”

The cannons were ready to fire, but the wyverns froze all the Demoniac's cannons, along with some soldiers. Dusk landed on the Demoniac and, together with his brother and friends he helped fighting the skeletons. Turning to Star, Clover and Opal, he said:

“Mallet found us some new friends!”

And they saw Mallet approaching on the wyvern. They all then returned to the Chaos, including Mallet. Boreal arrived to nuzzle Mallet, while Clover said:

“And for today's dinner: frozen marrow-bones! We won!”

“Now, how do we get out of here?” Opal asked. “I don’t know about you, but I’m dying to get out of this cursed sea.”

“So do I” Star said, while massaging his wings. “I can barely feel my wings. I need to warm them.”

“If only the Chaos could fly, right, Boreal?” Dusk said.

Noticing what he meant, Opal replied:

“Don't fool yourself, Dusk. Boreal is just a wild beast. She cannot understand...”

Boreal suddenly roared very loudly and then three wyverns appeared and started lifting up the Chaos, much to Opal’s surprise.

“See?” Mallet asked, while petting Boreal. “Dusk speaks wyvern now. Like Mallet!”

“Yeah, that’s what it seems” Star said, going to pet Boreal too. “What do you think, Opal.”

She ended up smiling and went to pet Boreal too.

Going to the prow, Dusk said:

“Hey, Bones. Next time bring Skully a chicken! He'll get a new egg every day!”

And the Sea Raiders all laughed in amusement as they see Golden Bones is frozen into a huge block of ice on the Demoniac.

The Voice of Chaos

At that moment, the Sea Raiders were in a tight situation, at the Sea of Aeria. This sea of storms was little at the sky, with the clouds serving as if they were water, with the Chaos positioning the sails as if they were wings, and floating diamond-shape rocks serving as little islands. The sky above possessed thundering clouds, despite it being clear. But that was not the tight situation the heroes were in…

“Pteros ahoy!” Clover exclaimed. “And they're coming in hot!”

In fact they were being pursued by the Demoniac, with skeletons riding their pteros and shooting at them. Clover was at the prow with Star and Mallet, with the alicorn shooting and the Mighty Helm warrior using his sword to defend and reflect the shots. Despite the two of them eventually managed to get rid of the skeletons piloting the pteros, there was still one threat to deal with… at it was approaching quickly.

“The Demioniac is getting closer, Zak!” Star exclaimed to his younger brother.

“Not for long!” he replied, while steering. “Trust your captain! We're sure to lose Golden Bones in that insane sea.”

He then turned to the communicator with the engine room and told:

“Opal, give me an update!”

“Disastrous!” she replied. “This lightning is wrecking havoc on the Chaos' intruments! I don't think he likes the Sea of Aeria, Dusk… and neither do I!”

Searching for a solution around, Dusk said:

“Disastrous okay…”

It was then he saw something that caused him to say:

“But not hopeless. Hard to port!”

And so he turned the helm around very hard, causing the Chaos to make a hard turn that unbalanced his friends for a few moments. It was then it was shown he was heading to an immense tornado.

“Some action, at last!” Calabrass exclaimed.

“You want it, you got it” Dusk told him. “Chaos, full power!”

Changing the mode of the helm, Dusk squeezed one of handlers, what activated the Chaos’ turbo.

“Captain, I've done the math on all the data and we're going to die!” Opal shouted.

But Star didn’t listen to her and kept going. The Demoniac kept pursuing the Chaos, but that would change. With sails acting like wings, Chaos jumped after Dusk squeezed another handle, with Dusk using the steer to try to get around the tornado, surfing it like it was a wave. His friends were not enjoying it one bit, but Dusk was too much focused on what he was doing to even notice. And, after spinning around, the Chaos landed right at the other side.

With the tornado blocking their way and with no signs of the Chaos, the Demoniac stopped and Golden Bones exclaimed to his soldiers at the bridge, while breaking one of the soldiers apart:

“Idiots! You let them get away!”

As the Chaos returned to its normal speed, and with the clouds starting to adopt a darker tone, Dusk turned to his friends who were still recovering from Dusk’s stunt and asked them:

“Everyone okay? Nothing broken? Much?”

Swinging on his chain and landing on the stairs to the bow, Clover asked:

“We did it? We ditched the Demoniac! Good one, Dusk!”

And he went to Dusk’s side and they made a high-five.

“That was too close” Star said, not very satisfied, to his younger brother. “Did you even take a moment to consider what you were doing?

“Uh, to be honest, Star, I find that thinking gets in the way of doing.”

“Arggh! Pirates just plunder” Calabrass said, backing up Dusk.

“Sometimes you need to think ahead before doing something like that” Star reprimanded his brother. “Believe me, I know what I’m talking about.”

“Hey guys!” Clover called, advancing towards the edge of the bow. “Didn't we just go through that tornado? Oh, look. Another one. And another one. And another. And another.”

Clover was right, as they found themselves surrounded by a considered number of tornados.

“Well done, Captain” Star said, sarcastically. “You put us right in the middle of a tornado field. Do you have any more of your brilliant ideas?”

Despite knowing he had made a very big mistake, Dusk knew that talking would serve them no good, so, returning to the helm, he said:

“Come on, Chaos, let's get out of here.”

He tried to do something to make Chaos move, but it wouldn’t as he went powering down.

“Chaos?” Dusk called. “Not a good time for nap, buddy.”

He turned to the communicator and called:

“Opal?”

“Sorry, Captain” she said. “Turbine T16 isn't working. All engines are down!”

Flying and landing next to Dusk, Star told him:

“Next time you do, you might want to think what the cost will be!”

“What's action without risk, big bro?” Dusk asked. “I think you of all ponies should understand.”

“Some actions may be worth the risk, but that doesn’t mean you have to take the risk all the time” Dusk told. “A real captain assesses the risks.”

“Risk gives Mallet an appetite” Mallet said, arriving there too, with one of his barrels of seaweeds.

“Tornado ahoy, again” Clover told, coming from the edge of the bow.

And then he vomited, causing some disgust to the other three.

“Appetite, gone” Mallet told, dropping the barrel.

“Sorry” the little ghost said. “I'll go back to my lookout post.”

And he moved away.

“How, odd” Star commented. “Clover never gets seasick.”

“Technically, he's airsick” Dusk said, placing then his head down, hanging at the entrance to the engire room. “Opal, please tell me you can fix the turbine.”

“Therorictally I can” she replied. “But actually, it's kind of impossible.”

“Impossible?” Dusk asked, getting in the room and approaching her. “But you do this kind of fixing all the time.”

“Normally I would fix things from here” she said. “But the turbine room is somewhere over there.”

She pointed to the deepest part of the engine room, where there was a door.

“I don't want to go down there” she said. “I know it may sound strange coming from me, but I don’t like it. Sometimes I hear weird noises and cracks and yells.”

“Wait, are you telling me the great Princess Opal is scared of something?” Dusk asked. “That’s a first.”

“I’m not scary!” she exclaimed, a little offended. “Okay, maybe a little bit. It’s just I’m not very comfortable with… depths. Being here is okay, but… further than that…”

Dusk realized Opal’s fear of being further down the Chaos could be a problem, but they needed her to fix the turbine. So an idea came to him. Directing to his friends on deck, he said:

“Mallet and Star, you handle the tornado! Opal, I'm with you.”

“What!?” Star asked, while dealing with the helm as the winds started to blow harder. “Handle the tornado!? And how do you propose we do that!? I don’t know if you have noticed, but I don’t have my jinchuriki powers and my alicorn magic is diminished.”

But he got no answer from his brother, as he and Opal had opened the door to the turbine room, finding then a vast set of halls.

“Wow, this is pretty cool!” Dusk exclaimed, as they came in with the lights turning on and started moving forward. “We're actually in the Chaos's body.”

“It's the magic of the Chaos, Dusk” Opal told him. “Even I and Star don't totally understand it. Now let's hurry to the turbine room.”

And she took a device from her bag that generated a map of that maze of halls.

“It should be right over there” Opal said to a green sign on the map.

“Right” Dusk said, noticing then something moving. “And that red dot is us?”

“Dusk, I know you don't like to think, but if you look at that dot you'll notice it's moving whereas we are…”

“In danger!” Dusk exclaimed, realizing.

With that, the two of them turned around and saw what appeared to be mechanical creature with five elongated legs and one eye.

“A monster!” Opal exclaimed. “I knew I shouldn’t have come!”

Grabbing Calabrass, he said:

“Calabrass give me the Eye of Beru!”

And so he and Calabrass transformed. As soon he had transformed, the creature advanced to attack. Dusk was able to defend the attack and then gave it a buck so that it would get back. Taking that into his adventure, Dusk shot water at it, forcing it to retreat a little. It was then that a big sound was heard, as the ground shook. When the metallic creature advanced again, Dusk turned Calabrass into a canon that shot a bubble that incased the creature and moved it away.

“Let's go” Dusk said.

“Go back?” Opal asked. “Above deck?”

“To get to the turbine room before that thing does” Dusk replied as the two of them continued their way.

The creature then released itself from the bubble and then started to pursue Dusk and Opal.

On Chaos’ deck, he was starting to be sucked by a nearby tornado. Clover was having a big attack of seasickness and he asked, while bended over the taffrail:

“Do you know what you're doing, Star? With all that wind?

While steering the Chaos, Star said to Mallet:

“Hoist the main sail, Mallet.”

He then used to ropes to get the two halves of the sail and, using his own strength he started to push them.

“Hoisted” he replied.

Star then turned the helm and the Chaos turned, what, combined with Mallet hoisting the sails together, allowed the ship to not be sucked by the tornado.

“It's working” Mallet said.

However, all that caused the Chaos to land a hit on a rock and then head towards another tornado.

Inside Chaos, Dusk and Opal continued to run from that metallic creature. It then started to shoot a sticky substance that was able to hit one of Opal’s hind hooves, causing her to trip and fall.

“Dusk!”

He went to try to free her and, when the creature prepared to attack, the young unicorn prince was able to release Opal, all while the creature impacted its head on the sticky substance, causing it to get stuck. The two young unicorns took that moment to run away from it. It was then that Dusk saw something and conducted Opal to a door.

“Here” he said.

“The bowels room?” Opal asked.

He opened the door, seeing the machinery of the Chaos working, stomping all the way.

“I think I know how to lose it” Dusk told.

“There's a million ways to get crushed in here” Opal replied. “Squashed. Pounded. Not to mention die!”

The metallic creature was then revealed to be approaching and Dusk said:

“Stop counting and start running!”

Taking her hoof, Dusk pulled Opal through the machinery, with the creature still following them, despite the machines prevented it from keep a close following. But when one block their way, Opal and Dusk saw the creature coming to them. Fortunately, Dusk was quick to think and grabbed himself to the machine and then took Opal, causing them to go up and escape the creature. They fell and landed and the metallic creature went against them again, but, when the machine came down, the creature went against it, becoming damaged and allowing Opal and Dusk to escape and get out of the room.

They continued their way to another room, with Dusk saying while getting in:

“Chill out. We're safe.”

When the lights went on and they got to know where they were, Opal gasped:

“Zak look.”

They were in a big room full of platforms connected to each other through stairs and the walls covered with portraits.

“Wow… What is this place?” Dusk asked.

“The Chaos…” Opal said, while walking around the room with Dusk. “The Chaos is everywhere in those paintings. We're surrounded by his memories.”

“You're right” Dusk agreed, while looking to some of the portraits. “Look! That's the first time we all met.”

It was then that they saw the portrait of something they quickly recognized.

“That looks like the monster we ran into” Opal observed. “Why does Chaos have a memory of a monster we just met?”

"You should have taught this tadpole a lesson!” Calabrass told Dusk. “A true pirate never ever backs down from a fight!”

It was then they saw the monster had found them in Chaos’ memory room, probably following Calabrass’ voice.

“And a true pirate sword never ever whispers?!” Dusk asked.

The monster started heading towards them and Opal and Dusk started advancing through the platforms, eventually getting out of the memory room and keep running through the halls again. While running, Dusk realized something and stopped, saying:

“Hold on! Calabrass is right!”

“Always!” the talking sword exclained, proudly, making then a confused look. “Wait, about what?”

“We'll never fix the Chaos with this monster on board” Dusk told, while grabbing Calabrass. “We have to face it head on!”

It didn’t take long for the monster to appear in their sight.

“You sure?” Opal asked, uncertain. “Because it doesn't look very friendly!”

But Dusk didn’t listen her and just shouted:

“Calabrass give me the Eye of Vapir!”

And Calabrass gave Dusk access to the power of the Eye of Vapir, what gave him an eye patch with the form of a grey smoke cloud and encased his left foreleg in a grey metallic armor with claws. Just like always, the skull on the scabbard also turned into the symbol of Vapir. Calabrass, on the other hoof, got a grey double edged blade.

Just like last time, the monster didn’t waste time and attacked Dusk. He dodged the first attack and blocked the second, starting then to attack. After an unsuccessful attack from the monster, Dusk casted smoke at the monster with his left foreleg. But, despite the lack of visibility, the monster kept attacking, forcing Dusk to dodge, even more after it get rid of the smoke.

Dusk then noticed a conduct above him and used Calabrass to deliver a cut on it, causing steam to hit the monster that screeched. With Calabrass, Dusk then casted an intense shot of smoke that knocked out and disabled the mechanical monster.

“Got ya!” Dusk shouted, victorious, turning then to Opal:

“See, Opal, no need to be afraid of one little monster!”

She then looked into her device and then asked:

“Um, can I be afraid of lots of little monsters then?!”

And she showed him the radar that started detecting multiple red dots approaching their location. And then they saw the monster they had just defeated being activated again, this time with its eyes turning red and rising up.

“Short answer: yes!” Dusk replied.

And they started running away again, this time with more monsters after them. Arriving to another fork in the hall, Dusk asked, while putting Calabrass back on his scabbard:

“Exactly how big is the Chaos?”

“Fascinating…” Opal said, taking her device. “It looks like space magic. I’ve never seen one this complex. If you give me a few seconds I can find an optimal path.”

Seeing the monsters getting closer, Dusk just said:

“Or we can just pick one! Come on!”

And they went running through one of the ways, with the monsters always chasing them. But it didn’t take long for them to find themselves before the door to the bowels room again. Frustrated, Dusk turned to the monsters and said:

“Alright, I guess we're going to do this the hard way.”

But when he was about to take Calabrass, Opal, with her device, told him:

“Wait! If my calculations are correct, the exit hatch is right… here!”

And she used her horn charged with magic to a certain part of the floor and she and Dusk were surrounded by a circle that turned into a hole for where they fell. They went down until they reached another part of those innumerous halls.

“Nice!” Dusk said, while he and Opal got up and he took Calabrass with his magic. “Which way now?”

But then Dusk saw Opal with her attention on her device and talking to herself:

“More monsters! Oooh! Where are they coming from?”

“Hello?” Dusk called her, but only to have Opal ignoring him.

“How did they get in undetected?” she asked.

“Earth to Opal?” Dusk called, finally getting her attention. “We've got a ship to fix. So keep moving!”

And Dusk continued to move, taking another hall. Despite hesitating while dealing with her fear of being deep below Chaos’ deck, she ended up following Dusk.

Outside, Star and the others were still trying to dodge the tornados and, despite their best efforts, they were being unsuccessful in their efforts.

“We are heading straight for the tornado!” Star exclaimed.

“Keep trying!” Mallet exclaimed to him, all while keeping the hold on the ropes.

“It is no use!” Star told, while securing the helm with Clover’s help. “I cannot hold on any longer!”

The helm was so strong that released itself from Star and Clover. With their attempts to control the Chaos failed, Star went to think of another way to escape the tornados and then he saw a rope and had an idea. Clover wanted to ask what Star was about to do, but the only thing that came out of him was vomit.

Star took the rope with the grappling hook and, hopping to the taffrail of the prow, he told to Mallet:

“Stay strong, Mallet! I will be back!”

And he dove into the cloudy sea beneath them.

Inside the Chaos, Dusk and Opal continued to look for the turbine room, with the latter guiding them through her device. Noticing Opal’s look, Dusk asked:

“So, are we lost?”

“I… I don't understand” she said. “It should be right here.”

“Forget your map, Opal” Dusk told, while putting a hoof over her shoulder. “We just need to forge ahead.”

“But we might get even more lost” Opal protested. “Just, give me a minute to think.”

Dusk went to say something, but Calabrass was first and told Opal:

“Why don't you just say you're too scared to walk, sailor?”

Agreeing a little with Calabrass, he told her:

“Come on, Opal. We're wasting time.”

“I have to analyze our position” she said, without taking her eyes from the device.

“Can't you take a break from analyzing everything?” Dusk asked, taking her device with his magic.

“I can't help it, Dusk” Opal replied, taking her device back and putting it back on her bag. “I have to.”

“But, why?”

“Because it prevents me from failing again!” she replied. “It prevents me from disappointing ponies… like my father.”

Dusk was not expecting something like that.

“I don’t understand” Dusk said. “For you’ve told us, you and your father get along nicely.”

“He never showed his disappointment, but I know that deep down he feels that way” Opal said.

“But why do you say that?” Dusk asked. “What happened for you to think your father is disappointed on you?”

Opal took a few seconds, before taking a deep breath and telling:

“My kingdom is built in a volcanic region of the Enchanted Forest. One of our greatest prides is the geothermal water that reaches most of it. We use the energy we get from there in our contraptions. Since I was little I always invented things and some were incorporated to our kingdom and used to better ease my subject’s life.”

“That looked great” Star said.

“Yes, it was” Opal replied. “My father was very proud of me for that. But then… something went wrong. One of my inventions failed and that caused some considerable damages. I guess from that day the pride my father had for me went away. All that happen because of a mistake I made. Just one. It’s my greatest shame. That’s why I’ve been terrified in coming here. It’s not just my fear of coming down here. It’s also my fear to fail and disappoint all of you.”

“I get it, Opal, more than you can imagine” Dusk said. “I’ve already commited a lot of mistakes, many also putting the ones I love in harm’s way. You messed up, once. I mess up ten times a day. Overthinking won't help. Now come on!”

But despite that, Opal took out her device and went to examine it, saying:

“Just one more teeny tiny second.”

That really left Dusk frustrated, but, after a quick deep breath, he said:

“Alright, change of plans. I'm going to find the turbine room.”

Having said that, he moved away.

Outside, Star was swimming in the cloudy sea that, despite being condensed water, it acted just like the water of a regular sea. He swam until reaching one of the floating islands nearby and tied the rope around its base. After he was done, Star swam back to the Chaos.

Inside the Chaos, while Dusk was running, Calabrass told him:

“You made the right call, sailor! We'll move. Just the two of us.”

At that moment, Dusk started feeling regretful for leaving Opal so he stopped and said:

“No. I shouldn't have left her. A captain never leaves his crew behind. I'm gonna…”

But before he could move back, a trapdoor opened above him and sucked him up. He went through the tunnel until he fell into a room full of green goo. Getting up, Dusk exclaimed:

“Ew, this smells worse than Mallet's seaweed stew!”

“Alas” Calabrass said. “Get us out of here Captain!”

“Got it” Dusk said. “How about the Eye of Sino?”

However, the green goo was preventing him from using his hooves to reach Calabrass. Instead, like quicksand, it pull Dusk in until he was completely under it.

“Good work Mallet” he said. “Keep at it.”

And so Mallet started pulling the rope that was connecting the Chaos to the floating island, while Star returned to the Chaos, doing his best to put the ship as close as possible to the island.

After hearing a loud noise, Star told:

“The thunder is getting closer!”

“No, that's Mallet's stomach” Mallet replied. “Still hungry. Mallet need to eat.”

His hunger was causing him lose the strive to pull the rope, what was causing the Chaos to be sucked by the tornado. Before that situation, Star knew he needed to motivate Mallet as much as he could.

“Mallet, think, once we get home, you get to eat much more than your seaweeds” he told him, why helping him pull the rope with his magic. “You can eat all of the delicacies you love so much.”

With that thought in mind, Mallet started to recover the strengths and then shouted:

“Ragnasala!”

And so the Chaos started to approach the suspended island. However, the rope started to be teared apart. Seeing that, Star shouted:

“Mallet, watch out!”

The rope broke and then the Chaos was sucked by the tornado.

Inside the Chaos, at the room with the green goo, a sudden cold wave froze the goo and then Dusk erupted from there, while under his Sino transformation.

“Yeah!” Dusk exclaimed, detransforming. “Now let's go save Opal!”

He returned to the many halls, but it didn’t take long to notice he was always getting to the same place.

“Come on!” he shouted, frustrated. “We're going in circles.”

It was then Dusk saw that those monsters were coming from all the halls towards him.

“Ready Calabrass?” Dusk asked to his sword companion.

“Always captain” he replied.

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz!”

And so he transformed, gaining his fire abilities.

“Let's see how you like this” Dusk said, while waving Calabrass and releasing a wave of fire that caused the monsters to move back and then fall, after being hit. But then, the same grunting sound was heard again, what caught Dusk’s attention. But he hadn’t time to think about that, as the monsters regained conscious again, ready to attack him again.

Outside, Star, holding to the steer, was doing his best to keep everything standing. But he knew eventually he would lose control and they would be completely sucked by the tornados. Knowing they needed Dusk back on deck, he addressed to Chaos:

“Chaos? Are you listening? I have to speak to Dusk. Right now!”

Those last words echoed inside of the ship and so Star called:

“Dusk! Dusk! Can you hear me, Dusk?!”

Dusk stopped, as he heard his brother’s voice. Followed and headed towards Chaos’ memory room. He could see Star in all of the portraits that were there, as he was steering Chaos.

“I'm listening, Star” he said.

“We are caught in a tornado” Star told. “We will not be able to hold on for long. Have you fixed the turbine?”

Dusk heard movement and he saw two monsters inside the room.

“We've got some unwanted guests to attend to first” he replied, while starting running from them, which were joined by two others.

“Guests?” Star asked. “What Guests? Dusk!”

But at that moment he couldn’t replied, as Dusk found himself surrounded by the monsters, only escaping them by jumping off the platform and grabbing to one of the tentacles of another. The creature, feeling his weight, started flying around, with the others following.

However, Dusk knew he couldn’t keep holding for long, especially when more of those creatures entered. Seeing the open door as an opportunity, Dusk threw himself there and, making a double kick on those two creatures, managed to get out and continued running. He continued running until he was pulled to a corner by magic that was Opal’s, what caused the monsters to follow the wrong way.

With them safe at the moment, Dusk said, surprised:

“Opal. How'd you find me?”

“Easy” she replied, showing him her device. “I followed the angry red dots. And guess what?”

For the smile on her face, Dusk understood what she was trying to say:

“You found the turbine room.”

She nodded with her head and Dusk said:

“Yes! Lead the way, Opal.”

“See, analyzing data is useful” Opal told, while starting to advance.

It was then they came face to face with one of the monsters, which didn’t take long to get company.

“Now we rush!” she shouted as she and Dusk started running away.

They run through the way Opal had designed to lead them to the turbine room. Finding the door, they opened it and get inside, closing it, right at the monsters. They tried to force the entrance, but then they apparently gave up, as they didn’t try to force the entrance again.

“We're safe” Opal told. “I think…”

They then turned to the room where they were and Opal got amazed by it, saying:

“Wow, the turbine room…”

The room possessed a spherical structure at the center that should be where the energy was generated, with the turbines around.

“It's even more beautiful then I imagined…” Opal said. “Such technology, such craftmanship.”

“Yeah, yeah, Chaos is awesome” Dusk said. “But remember we’re in a hurry. Which turbine do we fix?”

“T16, there” she replied, pointing.

They went there, but when they reached the turbine, some kind of alarm started ringing and a trap door beneath them opened and Dusk and Opal fell through the hole that existed beneath the spherical structure. Using their magic, they were able to slow their fall and so they landed in a round room full of what appear to be cages.

“Oh no…” Opal said. “We're trapped! In a hole! I… I don’t like it one bit!”

Seeing Opal getting close to a panic attack, Dusk told her:

“Come on, Opal, breath. It’s okay. We'll just go back the way we came.”

But before they could do anything, some of the doors of the cages started being unlocked and opening, revealing more of the monsters. Before that, Dusk said:

“Okay, now we're trapped.”

With the monsters cornering them, they did something Dusk and Opal didn’t expect: they combined themselves into a bigger monster who screeched at them.

“Oh no…” Opal said, intimidated, retreating.

“Alright, let's do this” Dusk said. “Calabrass, give me an Eye of…”

But before he could summon any of the Eyes of the Seven Seas, the monster swiped Calabrass from him with one of his tentacles.

“Let go of me squid-face” Calabrass demanded.

It was then that the monster just swallowed Calabrass.

“Calabrass!” Dusk called.

The monster tried to attack Dusk, but he dodged and then said to Opal, while keeping dodging:

“Opal, you said something about a theory. I'd love to hear it.”

“I can't… I can't think” she said, paralyzed with fear. “Too scared…”

“Just focus, would you!” Dusk told her, while keeping dodging. “Opal!”

She was about to be grabbed by the monster, but Dusk was able to get her and drag her around to avoid being captured by the monster. But then the monster was able to grab one of Dusk’s hooves and started to pull him, preparing to swallow him as well. Dusk then said to Opal.

“Analyze the data! Find its weakness!”

However, Opal was being overwhelmed by her fear.

“Do something, Opal!” Dusk shouted, while trying to prevent the creature from swallow him.

While in fear, Opal was able to notice something about the monster that seemed really weird for her.

“Interesting texture…” she said.

“Texture?!” Dusk repeated. “Come on, remember what your doing!”

Opal thought as fast as she could and then came to one conclusion that explained everything that has been happening.

“Stop moving Zak!” she told. “Stop talking!”

“That's your master plan?” Dusk asked. “To let the monster eat me?”

And the monster started involving him with his tentacles and Opal kept saying:

“Don't be scared, Zak. Please, trust me on this.”

Despite the instinct told him to fight, Dusk decided to trust on Opal, as he knew she wouldn’t tell him that if she wasn’t sure. And so he stopped moving. The monster was about to swallow him, but then it stopped and dropped him. After Dusk landed safely, the monster divided itself and the creatures returned to their cages that then closed and locked up.

“They had to understand we're not a threat” Opal told Dusk.

“A threat?” Dusk asked. “We're not the threat? They're the threat!”

“Argh!” they heard Calabrass shouting.

They turned and saw him on the floor, covered in goo. Opal and Dusk approached him and the latter asked, while grabbing him with magic and sweeping the goo out of him:

“Are you okay, Calabrass?”

“Worse than Davy Jones' Locker” he replied.

“He's fine” Dusk said, turning to Opal. “Come on. Let's fix this turbine. Calabrass, give me the Eye of Aeria!”

Turning Calabrass into a purple shield, he summoned a purple wind that pushed up Dusk and Opal out of that room.

Outside, the Chaos was being sucked into a tornado. Before that, Star said, at the helm:

“I guess this time it really is goodbye.”

“Not goodbye” Mallet replied. “Mallet trust our captain. And Opal.”

Dusk, Calabrass and Opal returned to the turbine room and then they went to the damaged turbine. While Opal opened it to repair it, Dusk asked:

“How'd you know the monsters wouldn't attack us if we stayed still?”

“Because of their texture” Opal replied, while taking out her tools and started to repair it. “The monsters are made of metal and wood. They had the same components that make the Chaos.”

“What?!” Dusk asked, shocked. “They're part of the Chaos?”

“They're his antibodies” Opal explained. “The Chaos makes them when he's feeling ill. And like any antibodies, they defend against anything that sneaks into the ship's body.”

“They thought we're a virus” Dusk realized.

“Exactly” Opal confirmed. “And these turbines are the ship's heart.”

“They don't want us to put our dirty virus hooves on it” Dusk said, while noticing the approach of Chaos’ antibodies. “Fix the turbine, Opal. I'll take care of those mucky microbes.”

They prepared to attack, but Dusk pointed Calabrass to them and the latter said:

“I'm with you.”

And he released a wave of electricity that pushed the antibodies away.

“Done” Opal said, while closing the turbine. “But, it's not working.”

“Are you sure?”

“Captain, I don't know what to do!”

Dusk, who had turned to normal along with Calabrass, returned to the turbine, while fighting the antibodies.

“Okay, the Chaos may act like a living body, but it's also a machine” Dusk said. “And when a machine refuses to start, there's always one thing you can try.”

And so he kicked the turbine, causing it to start working.

“I can't believe it worked” Opal commented.

The central structure started pumping like a heart.

“Sometimes it’s better to not overthink it” Dusk replied. “Come on, let's get out of here!”

And they advanced towards the exit.

Outside, the Chaos was spinning around the tornado when the Chaos regained his strengths back. Noticing that, Star exclaimed:

“He made it! To the helm!”

Mallet was able to get there first and secured it, while Star pulled the level saying:

“Chaos! Forwards!”

The turbines were activated, while Chaos extended the sails like wings, and the ship was able to get out of tornado, starting to get out of that tornado field with Star steering it. Dusk and Opal then arrived to the deck and Star told his younger brother:

“You certainly took your sweet time, captain.”

“Yeah, we took time… to think” Dusk replied.

“Brainy pirates…” Calabrass retorted. “A travesty!”

Clover then came down with his chain, landing beside the helm.

“Well, but you look at that” the little ghost said, noticing he was not seasick anymore. “I’m healed!”

“Just like the Chaos” Opal observed. “Interesting…”

“Come on, Opal, you think about that later” Dusk told. “Now’s the time to celebrate!”

“Mallet think maybe we forgot about someone” Mallet told.

And he was right, as the Demoniac appeared in front of them. Seeing the Chaos, Golden Bones said:

“There they are! Don't miss them this time.”

Dusk returned to the helm and, taking her gun, Opal asked him:

“Ready to board the enemy ship, captain?”

“Let me think for a minute” Dusk replied, while thinking. “Okay, got it. Chaos, head for the tornado field.”

“WHAT?!” the others asked.

Dusk turned Chaos around, starting heading back to the tornado field. Preparing to increase the potency of the turbines again, Dusk told them:

“Trust me!”

It was then the Chaos started surfing the tornado, just like last time. Golden Bones, seeing the tornado, prepared to dodge it. However, just as he was doing it, Chaos jumped from the tornado and over the Demoniac, landing at the other side, much to Golden Bones’ shock, as his ship was sucked by the tornado.

“That's how you do it” Dusk said. “And we'll be in Marituga before they can even turn around.”

“Yeahah!” Mallet shouted happily. “Mallet finally get to eat.”

And they all started laughing as they headed to the nearest vortex.

Troll Diving

At that moment, in the Sea of Beru, the Sea Raiders were resting. At least, most of them were. Opal was at that moment was using a golden diving suit she had designed and was scrapping. Meanwhile, the others were lounging around, while taking some sunbath, on lawnchairs, with Star reading a book.

“See guys, this is what I'm talking about” Dusk said. “Inbetween the adventuring and exploring, sometimes you need a little rest and relaxation.”

He went to drink a little juice. Star was trying to read, however Mallet’s snoring was a little distractive. Clover, on the other hoof, was observing Mallet sleeping. Seeing some droll coming out of his mouth, the little ghost, smiling, started approaching his hoof on it. It was then that the radio that allowed them to communicate with Opal started working and she was heard, saying:

“Hey, can you hear me? Dusk, Star, Mallet.”

“Opal” Dusk said. “How's the scraping going?”

“Almost done” she replied. “Did you finish cleaning the deck?”

Hearing her asking that, Dusk looked a little worried to the messy deck. He then replied:

“We're right in the middle of it.”

It was then that, suddenly, a big wave hit the Chaos, causing it to shake and disturbing the ones on the deck, even making Clover fall over Mallet.

“Wow, that was a rough one” Dusk commented.

That caused Mallet to wake up and find Clover over him. He then asked him with an angry face:

“You messing with a Mighty Helm warrior's nap, ghost boy?”

“Who, me?” he asked, as both him and Mallet got up. “No way.”

But Mallet tried to hit him with the lawnchair, but Clover was fast to teleport to the mast, where he said:

“Unless it was really funny, then I might. But this time, nope, not me.”

Putting his book aside, Star got up and said, while looking around:

“Odd… There is wind. No current. There should not be any waves here.”

But then something hit the Chaos, causing a great bang in the water that caused the ship to shake with violence. The radio that was allowing them to communicate with Opal fell there and they could hear her say:

“Oh my… Oh no…”

They heard some screams before the transmission was cut.

“Opal?” Dusk called. “What do you see down there?”

But there was no answer. Dusk went to the taffrail at the prow and called:

“Opal? Opal!”

But there was no answer. After that, Clover, that was looking around, said:

“Um, so, adding to the weird, creepy feeling I'm getting, those waves are going bye-bye.”

Star then took a telescope and watched at where Clover was pointed. Seeing how the waves looked like, he said:

“I recognized those. It’s sea trolls.”

“Trolls?” Mallet asked. “Ha! Mallet was best troll hunter in his land.”

“Well then, Mallet, get ready!” Dusk replied, going to the helm. “We're going troll hunting!”

And he pulled the level, making the Chaos collect his sails and start following the sea trolls. As they advanced, Clover said:

“We got her!”

It was then that they suddenly stopped, meaning the trolls may have dived. That forced Dusk to make a sudden stop that throw Clover out of the mast and against some barrels. He got up and then said:

“No worries. Just ghost bones.”

“They have stopped moving” Star said, as he and Mallet joined Star at the helm. “We must be close to their cave.”

“Let's take a look” Dusk suggested, turning then to the screen at the center of the helm. “Sea floor.”

And so the screen showed him a graphic map of the sea floor. They looked carefully until the radar showed something to them that could mean something.

“There!” Mallet told. “Mountain! Trolls love mountains.”

“Mallet is correct” Star agreed. “Where there are sea trolls, there are always shipwrecks.”

And he pointed to a possible location of the sea trolls.

“How do you know so much about sea trolls?” Dusk asked.

“I once accompanied Golden Paladin in a mission to Seaddle, where some sea trolls were causing some troubles” Star told. “They like to bully ponies because they are bigger and we’re small in comparison to them. Me and Golden were able to drove them away from Equestria and we made sure they wouldn’t return. But also they don’t tend to appear much.”

“And now we know where they relocated” Dusk said. “Let's go!”

“Dusk, wait! Trolls are very powerful and very dangerous. I and Golden Paladin were able to drove them away because together we were more powerful than them. But at this moment my magic is not at its peak and we don’t have a General to help us. Not to mention their lair will be fortified and we don't know how many there are. We need a detailed plan and…”

“Right!” Dusk said. “I'll go save Opal by myself. It will be easier that way.”

“Not what I was going for” Star commented, not very convinced of his younger brother’s plan.

“Think about it” Dusk said, climbing to the taffrail. “With my powers and the element of surprise, I'll be in and out so fast, they won't know what hit them.”

“But Mallet best troll hunter” Mallet told. “Mallet goes with Dusk. Alone.”

Listening that, Dusk quickly realized it was not the best idea to bring Mallet as he was everything but discrete. And then he tried to find a way to convince him to stay:

“But… No… That's… That won't... I need a great troll hunter to protect the Chaos. Just in case the trolls attack while I'm gone.”

He then took Calabrass with his magic and then knighted Mallet while saying:

“So I hereby name you… Grand Protector of the Chaos!”

“Grand Protector?” Mallet repeated, while thinking on it. “Yes. Fit Mallet. Trolls beware. This is Mallet's boat.”

Appearing next to Dusk, Clover asked him:

“What about me?”

Dusk then whispered to the little ghost:

“I need you to keep an eye on Mallet. You can't have the element of surprise when you bring the loudest warrior around. Okay?”

“I'll do my best” Clover replied.

“Great” Dusk said, seeing then his brother also on the taffrail, stretching. “Uh, Star, where are you going?”

“Underwater” he replied. “I know a simple spell that allows me to breathe underwater. I think you may need me. So… can you keep up, little brother?”

And having said that, he dived. Dusk then grabbed Calabrass and said:

“Alright, Calabrass! Give me an Eye of Beru!”

And Dusk and Calabrass transformed and the formed dived as well.

After what happened, Opal regained conscious.

“My head…” she said. “But where am I?”

She took out her diving suit and then looked around, becoming amazed for what she was seeing. She was inside of a very big treasure room, filled many golden objects and coins.

“Wow!” she exclaimed. “Don't see that everyday. I’ve never seen this much gold since… Well, never. Not even in my dad’s treasure room.”

It was then that she started hearing heavy steps approaching. Knowing that whatever brought her was coming back, she hasted to put back the suit, but she tripped and ended up falling from the shelf she was, falling to the ground.

Outside, three sea trolls approached the door. They were giants that looked like sharks and two of them seemed to be guards, while the third one was wearing golden ornaments and a king cape.

Outside, Star and Dusk reached the entrance of the sea trolls’ lair. Finding a hiding spot, Star said, looking to the impenetrable door they had in front of them:

“I cannot find any alternative entrances.”

As they approached the door, Star asked Dusk:

“Any suggestions for moving ten tons of sea stone?”

“Just one… Water Blast!” he replied, shooting water shots from Calabrass, but it wasn’t very effective. “Hello? Full Water Blast!”

Turning Calabrass into a cannon, he fired another water blast that did nothing.

“You are using your energy too fast” Star told. “If it runs out, you will not be able to breath. At this depth, you will never make it back to the Chaos.”

At that moment, they started hearing heavy steps and they saw a sea troll approaching, holding something. Star took Dusk and the two went hiding. That sea troll arrived to the door and pressed a knob at the door and it opened, allowing him to get inside.

“Now!” Dusk exclaimed. “Hurry!”

They both swam to the door and, arriving there, they crossed it, right before it closed. After they passed, they found themselves falling right into a dry stone floor. They looked around, while getting up. Dusk then saw the stones at the door and got to understand what happened.

“Magic water stones!” he said. “They created a field of energy that repels water. Trolls cannot breath underwater, so their entire cave system is air-based.”

“Well, aren’t we a bunch of lucky ones” Dusk commented, turning then to Calabrass. “Calabrass, save our power.”

“Aye!” he replied.

And the two of them detransformed back, with Dusk saying then, while putting Calabrass on his scabbard:

“We're going to take a nice air-filled stroll on this mission. Which I could have easily done solo.”

The two brothers started running through the hallway. While doing it, Star told his brother:

“We are hardly safe yet, Dusk.”

At the surface, Mallet was looking to the water, still wanting to have gone with his friends face the water trolls.

“Mallet should be in troll caves” he said. “Helping Dusk and Star rescuing princess.”

“Right… but, but…” Clover said, trying to find a way to make Mallet forget about his idea to follow Dusk and Star. “What would happen if the trolls attack the Chaos and there was no Grand Protector to protect it?”

“Eh, Chaos would sink” Mallet replied.

“Exactly” Clover told. “That's why we have to wait here. We can't move from Chaos, so we can't go down there.”

And he summoned his chain and ball, prepared for the case Mallet decided to go anyway. However, he didn’t expect Mallet would be so smart to suggest what he would suggest.

“We can't move from Chaos, but Chaos can move to caves” he said. “Clover knows how to transform Chaos to big whale, right.”

Seeing Mallet starting to head towards the helm, he used his chain to make him trip and then say:

“No. No, no, no, no, no. We won't switch to submarine mode. That's not what Dusk told us to do.”

Inside the treasure room, Opal was trying to climb back to get her suit, as it was more than just a diving suit, as she made some adjustments that she knew it could come in handy. However, she had only able to reach the first shelf and, at that moment, the door started to open, causing her to go hiding, and the sea troll with the golden ornaments got in. He seemed to be the sea trolls kings. He said, while heading towards the shelves at the end of the room, where Opal was:

“My sweet, sweet beloved gold…” the Sea Troll King said. “Did you miss me?”

And he went for the cup where Opal was hiding, taking it up, forcing her to hide behind the book that was there. He then drank something from there and then he took the mount of coins that was there, saying to it:

“I missed you too. Every second without you feels like forever. My love…”

And he went to kiss some of the coins, much for Opal’s disgust.

Meanwhile, Dusk and Star were walking when the latter said to the former, while arriving to a crossroad:

“We are lost, Dusk.”

They then saw a sea troll coming out of a room carrying two buckets and so Star and Dusk hided. Seeing him advancing, Dusk observed:

“He looks like he knows where he's going. Let's follow him.

“I…” Star started to say, trying to find a better way to counter Dusk’s idea, but finding none. “I wish I had a better idea. Lead on.”

And so they followed the troll.

In another room, three trolls were sorting what appeared to be gold, all while being supervised by another. The troll that was being followed by Dusk and Star came in, with the entrance being in a higher level, throwing the content of his bucked on a ramp that would lead it to the sorting process. Seeing that, Star realized why they took Opal.

“Of course!” he said. “That is why they took Opal. They saw her golden diving suit and thought she was treasure.”

“Someone's going to be really disappointed” Dusk commented.

The two brothers slid through the ramp and then jumped to the floor of the lower level, hiding under the desk.

“If there’s something I’ve learnt is that trolls do not get disappointed” Star replied to Dusk. “They get angry. We have to save Opal before they realize their mistake.”

“If they were dumb enough to think Opal’s diving suit was made of gold, maybe they're dumb enough for this” Dusk said, winked to Star, proceeding to imitate a troll voice. “Whatever happened to that weird little golden pony doll we found?”

“I think the king took it” one of the trolls replied. “Not fair.”

“What are you blabbering about?” the one in front of him asked.

“The golden pony doll” the first troll said. “The king took it.”

“So what?”

“Stop talking and get back to sorting” the troll that was supervising the operation said.

Before his successful feat, Dusk commented:

“I call that ventrolliquism. Get it? Ven-TROLL-iquism?”

“No, I do not” Star replied, as he didn’t want when Dusk, just like their father, used jokes like that.

“Never mind” Dusk said, as the two brothers advanced to get out of that room. However, another troll that was sorting hold saw the two of them running and, kneeling to see them, he tried to get them. The two brothers were able to escape him, with Dusk going from beneah and Star making a big jump back with the help of his wings.

“This way” Dusk said.

“That way” Star disagreed.

And the two of them crashed into each other. That allowed the troll to get hold of Star, saying:

“Got it!”

Reacting, Dusk took Calabrass and told, in a whisper:

“Calabrass give me the eye of Aeria.”

After transforming, Dusk was quick to go behind the troll and, using Calabrass who was know an electric axe, casted some lightning on the troll’s behind. This caused him to let go a moan of pain, while opening his hand and releasing Star who flew away.

“Back to work!” the overseeing troll shouted at the troll. “You useless sea slug!”

“But tiny ponies!” he replied. “There!”

Looking down again, the troll tried to catch Dusk, but he dodged and electrocuted him again, causing the troll to lay down and suffer from the electric shock.

“Taking a nap now?” the overseeing troll asked. “Stop goofing around! Tiny people are no laughing matter! Creep. Vermin.”

“Dusk, stop” Star told his brother, as he and Calabrass detransformed. “No more powers. Unless you plan on sprouting gills.”

“That's it” the overseeing troll said. “I'm taking those barrels to the treasure room! You'd better be done with sorting today's loot when I get back!”

Seeing the barrels the troll was talking about, Dusk had an idea.

“I've got an idea on how to get to the treasure room” he said. “Suddenly. Without powers.”

And so the two brothers head to the barrels, getting there. The troll then advanced to them and took them, climbing then the stairs to the exit of the room.

At the Chaos, Mallet was still impatient and willing to go help Star and Dusk. He started going to the bow, with Clover still trying to hold him with his chain around Mallet’s hoof, but only resulting in him being dragged by the big colt. Getting to the helm, Mallet started pressing some of its buttons, while trying to figure out how to put Chaos on his submarine mode. While doing that, Clover continued to say:

“Mallet! Don't!”

“Chaos turns into whale now” Mallet told, still pressing buttons. “Mallet orders you!”

The last one he pressed caused the Chaos to activate his cannon instead. As more buttons he pressed, he caused Chaos to start spinning, while shooting from his main cannon and the little ones, with the shots all hitting the water. Seeing all that, Clover exclaimed, while clapping his hooves, in an enthusiastic way:

“Ooh! Explosions! Yay!”

But then he remembered the mission Dusk entrusted him with and then adopted his serious look and said:

“Oh wait. I'm pretending to be responsible today.”

He then turned to Mallet and told him:

“Mallet, you're going to wreck something.”

Meanwhile, in the troll cave, the troll that was bringing the buckets with gold to the treasure room kept going on his way. Putting their heads out of the mount of golden coins, Dusk commented, while looking around:

“This place is huge. How do many of these trolls live here?”

“Trolls are an infestation” Star told. “It took a lot of my power and Golden’s to defeat them. These stupid monsters caused a great deal of destruction in Seaddle just to steal a few golden trinkets. They're parasites! Stupid! Stupid!”

But he had said those last words so loudly that the troll that was carrying them heard it. Fortunately, he was passing by another one and said, while turning to him:

“Stupid? Did you just call me stupid?”

“I didn't say anything” the other troll hasted to say.

Rolling his eyes, the troll that was carrying the buckets continued his way, with the other one thinking he was getting crazy, while saying:

“What's with the young ones these days? No respect!”

Despite they were safe now, Dusk had to shush Star so that he didn’t lose control again.

In the treasure room, the Troll King was still admiring his treasure. After he moved away from the shelf where Opal was, she hasted to put the diving suit on again, so that she could use it to escape.

“Come on, I have to hurry…” she said, while preparing to leave, only to face the Troll King looking at her. “Oh no!”

“Oh, a golden ball that talks and moves” the Troll King commented, while grabbing Opal through her diving suit. “That's new.”

“I demand you to release me” Opal said. “I am not a shelf decoration.”

“Feisty little thing” the Troll King commented. “Maybe I should melt you in a furnace! And then you'll shut up.”

“Wait!” Opal exclaimed, realizing she would need to come up with another approach. “Do you have another talking golden doll in your collection?

“No, I don't think so” the Troll King replied. “You're the first.”

“Then it would be a shame to lose such a rare and valuable item” Opal continued to say. “I'm such a collectible. I bet all the other trolls would be jealous, right?”

“You're right, talking pony doll” the Troll King said, dropping her on the shelf. “Stay right here! Wait till the land troll queen hears about you! She'll be green! Well, technically, she always is.”

Having said that, the Troll King started heading towards the exit. Opal, despite relieved for being able to avoid the furnace, couldn’t help but getting worried. Now her escape would be everything but stealthy.

At the surface, the Chaos was still spinning and shooting around as Mallet was trying to put it in the submarine mode. He tried many times, but the only thing he could do besides the spinning and the shooting was releasing the Plank and causing Chaos to release his mechanical legs.

“Quit it” Clover said. “You'll never guess it's this button.”

And the little ghost, accidently pointed to the correct button.

“Oops…” he said.

Before that, Mallet smiled and pressed the button, causing a glass dome to appear around the area of the helm.

“Now Mallet go to crush trolls!” Mallet exclaimed.

And so, recollecting his sails, the Chaos dived in the sea, heading towards the Troll Cave.

The troll who was carrying Dusk and Star had finally arrived to his destination: the treasure room, whose door was above a pit of magma and guarded by armored two trolls.

“Treasure Room!” the troll shouted, reaching the area of the entrance.

But one of the guards stopped him and said:

“There are rumours of an invasion. You see any…”

“If you say tiny ponies, I'll smash you!” the troll shouted at him.

It was then that the guard troll saw Dusk and Star in the middle of the golden coins. They tried to hide, but it was too late, as the troll exclaimed:

“Tiny ponies!”

“That's it!” the troll who had brought the buckets said. “I'm smashing you!”

“Wait…” the guard troll said, while grabbing Star by his wing. “What have we here?”

Seeing that, the troll that brought the buckets said, confused:

“But… What?! How?!”

“I wonder if it speaks” the guard troll said. “It has wings and one of those pointy things. Like one of those two ponies who attack us back in the Pony World.”

“Let me go!” Star exclaimed, trying to use his magic against them, however, because of the Triangle’s effect on his magic, he was only able to make a beam that was like a bee sting against the troll’s thick skin.

“Ouch!” the troll exclaimed. “Bad pony!”

“I could use a little help here!” Star exclaimed to his younger brother.

“I'm saving my energy” Dusk whispered to him. “See. I'm listening to you.”

“Dusk!” Star called.

“Alright!” he said, getting out of the bucked and taking Calabrass. “Back off, trolls! Or feel my wrath!”

“It's an invasion!” the troll who had brought Dusk and Star exclaimed. “Tiny ponies everywhere! Run for your lives!”

And he got out of there, running and screaming, much to the guards’ amusement. Star was able to get free from the trolls and landed beside Dusk.

“Looks like this one's going to give a fight” one of the guards said to the other.

“Any regrets now, about leaving the great troll hunter behind?” Star asked his brother.

“Maybe” Dusk admitted, feeling now that not bring Mallet was a mistake.

“Use your powers, Dusk, or your a troll burger!” Calabrass told.

“We'll do this quick!” he said. “Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blaze!”

And so he transformed and, as soon he did it, he told to his older brother:

“Open the door, Star. I'll keep them busy.”

And so Dusk ran against one of the trolls and, with a blow of Calabrass, he was able to push him back, causing him to fell over one knee.

Meanwhile, Star headed towards the other door. The other guard tried to hit him with his hammer/axe, but Star used his flying skills to dodge it easily. He arrived to the door, landing at the edge to the magma. The guard he was facing prepared himself to hit him from behind. Dusk noticed that and warned:

“Star, watch out!”

Hearing him, Star flew to evade the attack, landing on the cable of the hammer/axe and running through the trolls arm and going out of his field of vision, causing him to run around, trying to reach him. Taking advantage of that, Star flew over to the lock of the door and try to use his magic to unlock it, but it was a hard task to do. The troll saw that, but before he could think in attacking her, Dusk told him:

“Hey! Surrender now and you'll only feel half of my wrath! A quarter!”

But the troll he was facing approached him and said:

“Tiny ponies humour. Not funny.”

And with that he kicked Dusk into the magma.

“Dusk, no!” Star shouted.

The trolls laughed at their apparent victory. But it was then that something they didn’t expect at all happened: Dusk immerged from the lava

“Dusk!” Star called, relieved to see that his younger brother was okay.

Landing on the platform above the magma, he said to the trolls who positioned themselves in a defensing pose:

“Get a clue guys. I'm wearing fire armor. That was like taking a bath. Let me show you how it was!”

And he casted a wave of fire that overheated the weapons, causing them to melt. Before that, one of the guards said:

“No gold is worth this.”

“I'm out of here” the other said.

And they run away. After they were out, Star said to Dusk:

“I was not worried.”

“Not even a little bit?” Dusk asked, teasingly.

“If I say yes, will you help me with this blasted door?!” Star asked.

With Dusk joining his magic to Star’s, the two managed to unlock the door who opened to them, with them getting in.

At the Chaos, Mallet was preparing to get out, while Clover tried to stop him, saying:

“Mallet! Wait! You can't go! The Chaos needs a Grand Protector!”

“You are now Grand Protector of the Chaos!” Mallet replied, pointing to Clover.

Despite knowing he should keep Mallet in the Chaos, Clover couldn’t help but get happy to be the Grand Protector of the Chaos.

As Dusk and Star got in the treasure room, the former said to the latter:

“We're in. And I still got some juice left. See! My plans always rock.”

“Look around lads” Calabrass said. “Have you ever seen that much booty in your lives!?”

Seeing her friends coming, Opal called them from the shelf:

“Over here!”

Star noticed him and said, pointing to him:

“Look! It’s Opal!”

“Dusk! Star” Opal called.

The two brothers were happy to see their friend safe and sound, but another problem was about to hit them, as they heard heavy steps approaching and a voice saying:

“What's with all the ruckus?”

It was the Troll King.

“Oh. Tiny thieves!” he said, seing Star and Dusk. “In my treasure room!”

“Uh-oh” Dusk said, seeing their cover blown up again.

Elsewhere in the Troll Cave, the guards from before where catching their breaths. One of them asked to the other:

“Is this a drill? To test us?”

“Can't be” the other replied. “I think one of those tiny ponies was one of those two who drove us away from our hideout in the Pony World. You know, the alicorn one.”

“Alicorns?! The scourge of the scourges!”

“Ah-ha, Mighty Helm warriors are even scourgier!” a voice said, revealing to be Mallet who was advancing towards the trolls with his sword. “Ragnasala!”

In the treasure room, seeing Star as one of the intruders, the Troll King asked:

“Has my fortress been invaded by the same pony who invaded my last hideout?!”

“Yeah! And a mighty pirate captain!” Dusk replied, who turned to his faithful talking sword and whispering to him. “Calabrass, can we kick his big, troll but?”

“Keep him talking while my energy recharges” he replied to him.

With no other choice, Dusk started using his stalling abilities, saying after clearing his throat:

“Uh, Sire… Mr. Troll King… We meant no offense, we're looking for our lost shipmate. We don't want to steal from you.”

“We deal harshly with intruders in the Troll Kingdom!” the Troll King replied.

“You call this cave a kingdom?” Star snorted. “And here was I thinking trolls’ taste couldn’t get worse.”

“Having in count you and your friend were the ones to drive us away from our former home, you’re the one to talk” the Troll King replied.

“Star, you’re not helping…” Dusk whispered to him, directing then to the Troll King. “Would you consider a trade? Our shipmate in exchange for something more valuable.”

“What do you propose?” the Troll King asked.

“A great treasure lies buried in this Sea of Beru” Dusk told him.

“What treasure are you talking about?” Star asked, whispering to Dusk.

“There’s a lot of stuff hidden in the sea” he replied to him, while keeping a fake smile to the Troll King. “Who says there isn't some great treasure there?”

But it would appear the Troll King got interested in what Dusk was saying to him.

“Tell me more, tiny thief” he said to Dusk.

“A treasure so mythical it's value is unknowable!” the latter replied.

Scratching his chin, the Troll King replied:

“I'm tempted to accept your trade.”

But just as things were appearing to be working, Mallet appeared in the treasure room, preparing to attack the Troll King.

“No, Mallet!” Dusk shouted.

“Mallet will defeat these trolls!” he exclaimed, jumping and preparing to hit the Troll King.

However, he was able to give him a punch that threw him against the ground, with Mallet being able to land on his hooves.

“If you've come here to fight, I shall oblige you!” the Troll King replied, taking out his golden hammer/axe.

“Seems the negotiations be over, Dusk” Calabrass observed.

Knowing that Mallet would need help against the Troll King, but that they needed to save Opal as well, Dusk turned to Star and told him:

“Go get Opal! And if you have a plan B, feel free to share!”

Star took flight and Dusk grabbed Calabrass, while saying:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Dazer!”

After transforming and turning Calabrass into a hammer, Dusk threw him against the Troll King helmet, causing him to turn to him, while Dusk grabbed Calabrass.

“Mallet, I'll take care of this troll king. Get Star and Opal back to the Chaos before he wakes up an army of trolls.

And so Dusk started fighting the Troll King, but their fight involved him basically evading the Troll King’s attacks. While he kept the troll occupied, Mallet passed by them and headed towards the shelves, with Star bringing Opal down near him. After they landed, Mallet told them:

“Follow Mallet.”

And they started to run.

The Troll King was about to hit Dusk, but he turned Calabrass into a shield of rocks to defend himself. After he moved the Troll King’s weapon away, Dusk turned Calabrass into a weapon again and then hit with it on the floor, causing a big tremor that caused the Troll King to fall, ending up sitting. While getting up, he saw Mallet, Star and Opal escaping.

“My golden pony doll!” the Troll King shouted.

“We're not finished yet, big guy!” Dusk replied, advancing.

And then the two clashed with their weapons.

“Dusk!” Star called, seeing his brother struggling.

“I’ll be fine!” Dusk replied to him.

“But you don’t have enough energy!” Star told.

“I’ve already told you I’ll be fine!” Dusk replied. “I'll meet you on the surface! Go!”

“Wait, what does he mean with surface?” Opal asked. “Don’t tell me we’re not in the surface.”

“There’s no time for that, Opal” Star said. “We have to go.”

And so they continued.

While facing the Troll King, Calabrass said to Dusk:

“You know you won't be fine you scurvy idiot, right? I only have enough energy for a single strike!”

“I know” Dusk replied.

The force the Troll King was using forced Dusk to move away. He then saw a big golden spoon and so he had an idea. Climbing to the tip of the spoon’s handle, he turned to the Troll King who then said:

“I'm tiring of this foolishness!”

He then prepared to attack Dusk, but during the time he was about to make a strike, the young unicorn jumped to the other tip of the spoon and, when the Troll King hit the handle, the spoon acted as a level to throw Dusk way high, much to the king’s surprise. Taking advantage of that, Dusk made a strong blow on the Troll King, causing him to fall unconscious.

“Strike!” the young one shouted, happily.

After that, Dusk run out of the treasure room, heading towards the entrance of the cave. He tried to open it, but it didn’t work.

“No!” he exclaimed, turning to Calabrass. “Calabrass, give me the Eye of…”

But before he could say the Eye he wanted, Calabrass powered down. That was not good, as now he was defensless. It didn’t take long for the Troll King to arrive and then asked:

“Where's your strength now?! Where is your magic? Where are your friends? You're all alone now. Tell me your plan, tiny pony!”

“Being alone kind of was my plan” Dusk replied. “But maybe not the greatest one. You know hindsight is 20/20 and all.”

It was then that he heard his brother calling from the other side:

“Dusk!”

It was then that entrance door started to be forced, with the Chaos being the one forcing it with his metallic legs.

“How did you…” he started, smiling. “You guys… You’re the best!”

“What?!” the Troll King asked, not wanting to believe what he was seeing.

“Adios, Your Trollness!”

With that, Dusk passed the barrier the Trolls had to prevent the water from filling their cave, with the Troll King shouting in frustration. Once Dusk was in the Chaos, he started heading back to the surface, while Dusk said:

“Hang on everyone! Chaos, full speed ahead!”

The Chaos immerged from the surface, placing his sails like wings to balance himself, and, once he landed on the surface, he placed the sails back on their original position. The group was all together near the helm that Dusk was using to piloting Chaos. Star then said:

“The triangle is a dangerous place… when you are alone.”

“Mighty Helmets are best troll hunters” Mallet said to Dusk. “Without Mallet, Dusk was troll meat.”

“And I was a great Grand Protector of the Chaos!” Clover told, proudly.

“And Opal is good bait” Mallet said. “Good bait is secret to good troll hunt.”

“Ah, ah, very funny…” Opal said, as all the others started laughing.

Infiltration

Somewhere in the Sea of Beru, something was found: an hexahedron with a hidden side located inside, something that Skullivar was looking for so long. Seeing an image of it, he said:

“Finally… the Heptahedron.”

The Chaos was sailing peacefully in Beru and, at that moment, Mallet was playing chess with Star with a set they had bought in Marituga. Star was teaching Mallet how to play for some time and now they were playing a game for real. But it would appear the young Mighty Helmet warrior was having a great difficulty. While waiting for Mallet’s turn, Star went to gather natural energy, getting in sage mode. Meanwhile, Clover, who was watching the game, started waving his forelegs like wings, as if telling Mallet to use the pegasus.

“You know, Mallet, Clover is right” Star replied, without opening his eyes. “Play your pegasus. You do know how, right?”

Mallet tried to remember how to do it, when Dusk slided through the taffrail and landed in a show off pose on the deck, hoping to have caused an impression on the others, asking:

“What do you think of this captain pose?”

But Mallet and Clover only shushed him, focusing on the game. Because of that, Dusk turned to the Chaos and told him:

“Chaos, the Plank!”

The ship grunted and released the Plank that went to Dusk who said:

“Dusk to Dusk, full steam ahead!”

However, when he was to jump onto it, the Plank just hit him and caused him to drop the barrel where the chess set was. That caused the others to turn on him and then Mallet said:

“Mallet was winning the battle of the little pieces!”

“Technically, you were not” Star replied to him. “And don’t be mad on Dusk, as that’s not him.”

And in fact there was some static and Opal appeared, having a device on her chest. That let Mallet and Clover a little confused as Dusk appeared beside them and then helped Opal get up, with her saying:

“It still needs a little adjustments.”

“Your holoprojector is awesome, Opal!” Dusk said. “They all fell for it! Well, except for Star…”

“My sage mode allow me to read energies” Star replied. “As long it is activated, you can’t fool me like that. However, I have to say it was really convincing. You got Dusk’s posture quite right. That is, until you tried to ride the Plank. No gadget can help you…”

But it was then that his sage mode captured something, what was causing a great headache to him.

“Star, are you okay?” Dusk asked.

It was then that he started having a vision of Golden Bones taking the heptahedron. Releasing his sage mode, while falling on his knees, Star said:

“The Heptahedron of the Triangle… An ancient relic and terrible weapon capable of shattering the boundaries of dimensions. It was created by Bright Light and hidden in the Sea of Beru. For what I’ve read, it was lost for centuries. Bones… Bones just found it!”

The Demoniac was crossing the Sea of Beru until they found and passed through a vortex to get to the Sea of Vapir. It was not too long for Chaos to arrive there as well.

“We’re too late” Opal said, with the others beside the helm that was being handled by Dusk. “They have already crossed into Vapir. Bones will retrieve the Heptahedron to his master.”

“This be bad news, champs” Calabrass said. “Skullivar will use it to bring fire to the ice sea of Sino, dry up the Sea of Beru… He’ll forever disrupt the balance of the Seven Seas, using a weapon created to defeat any evil that would come to the Triangle.”

“The Heptahedron is protected by powerful runes” Star told. “For what I’ve read, Bright Night wanted her to be the sole user of the Heptahedron to prevent it for being used wrongly. But knowing Skullivar as we do, I bet he knows how to bypass that protection. However, it will take him time to do break those seals.”

“Looks like we have time to get the hepta… whatever it is called, away from them” Dusk said. “Let’s set sail.”

“You want to attack Netherwhere?” Clover asked, sitting on his place at the top of the mast.

“That’s so Mighty Helmet!” Mallet shouted, holding his sword. “Let’s!”

“Dusk, nopony has ever entered Skullivar’s sanctuary and lived” Opal said. “It’s the most protected place in the Triangle.”

“Well, there’s a first time to everything” Dusk replied. “I hope…”

And so the Chaos crossed the vortex, getting into Vapir, the Sea of Darkness, a sea with dark waters and a green sky and a thick green fog. Floating around, there were many islands of rock and apparent scrap metals. While crossing Vapir, Opal told:

“The Vapir islands are ghost echoes that disrupts signals.”

“Wow, this place is so wierdo cool!” Dusk admired.

“The good news is that we’re invisible to radar” Opal said. “The bad news is that there’s a lot of skeleton patrols.”

“Netherwhere is filled with Skullivar’s most elite troups” Star continued. “Even if we managed to get inside, we cannot possibly defeat all of them.”

“But that’s why we have Opal” Dusk said.

“Me? Against the elite troups?” Opal asked. “Perhaps you didn’t notice, but I’m not exactly a warrior like the rest of you.”

“No, but you’re a super tinker” Dusk replied. “And I got a super plan. You should make more of those.”

And he pointed to the holoprojector.

At the Netherwhere, Golden Bones delivered the Heptahedron to Skullivar who used his telekinetic abilities to bring it to himself, saying then, while placing it in a kind of an altar:

“I will need complete concentration to break Bright Night’s runes. At no pretext I should be disturbed.”

The Chaos was hidden, waiting for a patrol to appear and then a tank and a waverunner passed by them.

“Skeletons ahoy!” Clover shouted.

Seeing their target and to, Dusk said:

“Okay, everypony take positions. Star, Mallet, ready to attack. Opal, scramble communications.”

“Communications…” she said, while using her device. “…scrambled.”

With everything ready, Dusk made the Chaos advance. Reaching the waverunner, Mallet, going at the turbines, knocks the skeleton riding it, causing it to crash on one of the scrap islands. Having noticed that, the tank increased its speed.

“They are trying to get away!” Clover shouted. “Hurry!”

Dusk went to the Plank and then said to Mallet, who had returned to the deck:

“Mallet, let’s get our new ride. Chaos, Plank!”

The Chaos shot the Plank, with Mallet going and hanging himself with his hoof on it. They advanced towards the tank and Mallet throw himself to the back of the tank, knocking off the skeletons there.

“Ragnasala!” he said. “You call this troops elite? That made Mallet sad?”

“Those ones, no, but these ones, yes” Dusk said, pointing and going to take Calabrass, as more skeletons appeared at the back of the tank that looked different than the others. “Calabrass, give the Eye of Sino.”

And he and Calabrass transformed, while Mallet found himself knocked back by the skeletons. Fortunately, Calabrass froze one of them, what distracted the other, allowing Mallet to break the frozen one and punch the other. However, that was not enough to defeat the skeleton. When it advanced towards Mallet, Dusk exclaimed:

“Sino Storm!”

He shot another blast and froze the skeleton, allowing Mallet to knock him away as well. After that was done, Dusk went to the cop pit, opened it, and faced the skeleton. After dealing with him, Dusk brought back the tank to the Chaos, while the Plank returned to its place. On top of it, Dusk and Mallet bumped hooves, while the former exclaimed:

“Success! Opal, are you ready?”

“Opal is gone” Clover said, appearing with what appeared to be two skeletons. “And I’m being attacked by those mean and nasty little skeletons. Save me!”

For a moment, Dusk really thought those were skeletons, but after seeing their performance he realized what was happening. Smiling, he said:

“Good one! You almost had me. As long we don’t have to rely on Clover’s acting skills, everyone will think we’re real skeletons.”

Star returned to normal, with his alogenerator causing some static.

“Ah, are the fireworks part of the show?” he asked, while trying to endure it.

“I know, I know…” Opal said, while returning to normal as well. “I told Dusk I needed more time to adjust these holoprojectors so they won’t…”

But he didn’t finish as Star was able to feel Skullivar meddling with Bright Night’s runes. Even without his sage mode he was able to feel it, probably because of the recent connection that was still persisting.

“I can feel Skullivar…” he said. “He’s manipulating the runes. The barriers are close to breaking.”

With a flap of wings, Star went to the tank.

“All right, who’s ready for the breaking in of the century?” Dusk asked. “Clover, cover us.”

“Consider yourselves covered” he replied.

“Good luck, gentlecolts” Opal said, while passing the holoprojector she was using to Dusk.

After receiving it, Dusk told her:

“You better wish yourself luck too, Opal. You’re coming with us.”

“Wait, me?” she asked. “Coming? With you? Oh no…”

And she also embarked with his friends in the tank which they programmed to return to Netherwhere. During the drive, Opal said:

“Dusk, I don’t know I’ll be efficient on the field. I may have my weapon, but it is more for self-defense and it doesn’t really work much on the skeletons.”

“But you got your brains” Dusk replied. “You’re the only one who can guide us through Netherwhere.”

And she sighed, knowing that, in a way, he was right.

At his room, Skullivar was still trying to deal with the runes. It was then that he was able to solve the first part, unlocking one of the sides, which activated with the symbol of Blazz. A torrent of fire was released from it and raised into the air, even out of the Netherwhere. Star was able to sense that and exclaimed:

“Fire! Skullivar has already unlocked one side of the heptahedron!”

“He codfish!” Calabrass shouted. “The barriers between dimensions are weakening!”

As the tank approached Netherwhere, they were detected by the central command room and the skeleton which detected them called through the radio:

“Patrol four, report. Coming in, Rusty.”

It was then that Opal, trying to disguise her voice, replied:

“Alfa Patrol Four reporting. Immediate landing. Access requesting.”

“Enter your identification code” the skeleton requested.

Opal was using her device and was preparing to send the code.

“Here goes nothing” she said. “Cross your hooves.”

And she sent the code and the skeleton said:

“Access… granted.”

“That worked?” Dusk asked, a little surprised his plan had actually gone as planned. “Wow!”

Going by one of the sides, the tank advanced towards the front entrance of the Netherwhere which opened, granting them access. However, Opal had been dropped at the junction of one of the legs to connect herself to the system of the Netherwhere.

“Okay, I’m in the system” she said, through her device. “But are you sure I’ll be okay here?”

“Opal, it’s me” Dusk replied to her. “Did I ever steered you wrong?”

“Well, we are still stuck in the Bermikun Triangle” Opal grunted.

Skullivar was then able to unlock another side, with another side shining and causing the symbol of Zite to appear. A burst of stars came out of it, while Skullivar laughed, while he grabbed the dust released by the stars with his hands twice, before it returned to the Heptahedron. Star was able to sense that and he said:

“No! The stars burned out in Zite!”

He felt a wave of weakness, being supported by Mallet.

“Maybe it’s better you get back to the Chaos, Star” Dusk told to his brother. “Your connection to the Heptahedron can let you vulnerable. We got this.”

“No way, I’m coming with you” Star replied, while recovering his stand and activating his holoprojector. “Bright Night created the Heptahedron so it could be used for a greater good and made sure no evil would get hold of it. I intend to make sure her wishes are honored.”

Motivated by his words, Dusk and Mallet also activated theirs as the tank reached its destination.

Golden Bones got in the central of communications and the skeleton that had contacted the Sea Raiders told him:

“General, Patrol Four has returned, but without their rafts.”

He pointed to the video that showed Dusk, Mallet and Star getting out of the tank in their disguised forms.

“Send out waverunners and find those fools” Golden Bones ordered. “And, whatever you do, do not disturb Skullivar.”

With that, Golden Bones exited.

At her place, Opal noticed the position of her friends and then said.

“Dusk, you’re heading towards those skeletons.”

“Exactly” Dusk said, while he, Star and Mallet advanced, talking to Opal through the auricular she gave him. “Because your holodisguises are perfect.”

One of the skeletons approached them and send them to stop, telling them:

“Return to your hover. General Bones wants to find the missing rafts.”

“Uh, that’s a negative” Dusk replied. “I have to report to Skullivar immediately.”

“Nega…” the skeleton started. “What’s your code and regiment number, soldier?”

“Code and regiment number?” Dusk repeated. “Easy.”

Whispering, Dusk directed to Opal:

“Help me here, Opal.”

But when Opal was dealing with that, she noticed two waverunners approaching, so she jumped to get out of their sight, but that caused her to lose focus of her magic and drop her device, which fell deep down.

“Oh no… This is not good…”

“Hey, Opal, I need those numbers now… as in right now!”

“But what code is that?” the skeleton asked, as the others approached. “Give me a proper code or else…”

And they positioned themselves in a very threatning way.

“Well, then, I guess I’ll have to ask for… else?” Dusk said.

“Code and regiment number or you will be pulverized” the skeleton demanded again.

“Relax…” Dusk said, trying to solve that predicament. “I’m a skeleton, you’re a skeleton. We’re all skeletons here. What we need codes for? Now, if you were to say you’re looking for a nice warm sweater I could…”

But he didn’t finish, as static started being released and that perturbed Calabrass disguise as a normal saber, with him also saying:

“Aww, my eyes!”

That caused the skeleton to point his saver and ask:

“What’s going on here?!”

Mallet approached him and said:

“Mallet’ll explain.”

He then attacked the skeleton, breaking him apart. But one of the other skeletons went to press a button that sounded the alarm, causing more skeletons to approach.

“Switching to plan b” Dusk said, but changed after seeing more skeletons coming. “Make it plan c.”

Where Opal was, she was trying to get down, doing it carefully so she wouldn’t slip. However, she ended up doing it. Fortunately, she was able to hold on tight and then she noticed her device.

The others were fighting the skeletons that were there. Dusk was fighting one of those skeletons he had faced with Mallet that seemed to be bigger than him.

“You’re pretty big for a bone clone” he commented.

But it was then that the skeleton disarmed him, with the saber getting with his blade stuck on the floor, but revealing its real form as Calabrass, who commented:

“Big, but brainless.”

“What’s this?” he asked, approaching Calabrass.

“You don’t recognize me?” Calabrass asked. “A talking sword? Seven stones of an immeasurable power?”

“Calabrass?!” the skeleton asked.

“Bingo!” Dusk replied, while sliding to get Calabrass back and then making some blows that caused him to break apart. “And his best bud… Dusk Storm.”

Mallet was able to knock out one skeleton, but then another shot at him and hit the holoprojector, causing his real form to be revealed, much to the skeleton’s shock.

“Mallet felt cramp” Mallet said.

The skeleton tried to shoot him again, but Star said:

“Not so fast!”

And he shot a beam against him, making it look like it was from a weapon, thus breaking him apart. After all the skeletons were broken apart, Dusk turned to Mallet and asked him:

“Dude, ever you heard of subtlety?”

Meanwhile, Opal, despite barely, was able to get her device back and she went to contact Dusk, who was with Star and Mallet running through the halls of the Netherwhere.

“Dusk, I’m back! I had a little technical problem, but are you okay?” she asked.

“Mallet has lost his disguise and the alarm has been set off” Star told her.

“I can deactivate the alarm, but there are skeletons between you and the Heptahedron” Opal said, as her friends stopped. “You’re surrounded!”

“But, Opal, your holoprojector can make me look like anyone, right?” Dusk asked. “Let’s try plan d.”

Touching the holoprojector, Dusk became Golden Bones and said:

“The skeletons will be sure to let us pass.”

And then, imitating Bones’ voice, Dusk said to Mallet:

“Keep stepping Mighty Helmet. I’m taking you into a cell. Understand?”

“Mallet never surrounders!” he replied to him.

“Mallet, it is a trick” Star told him, thinking he wasn’t understanding.

“Yes, and Mallet good actor” he replied to him.

With Dusk pointing him Calabrass (who was the hook) to Mallet from behind, they advanced until they crossed with some skeletons.

“General Bones…” one of them said, while signing with his head.

“Bow lower” Dusk ordered, trying to be as mean and prideful as the real Golden Bones.

Doing just that, the skeleton said:

“General Bones, intruders have infiltrated Netherwhere…”

But Dusk hit his head with hook and told him:

“You boneheads! I captured the intruder. Obvious, isn’t it?”

“Of course, General Bones” the skeleton replied. “My apologies.”

He, turned to the other skeletons, told them:

“Squad, escort the general and his prisoner to the brigue.”

They then started moving.

At the central of communications, the skeleton said to the real General Bones:

“Debris of the patrol were found around the base, general.”

“And what was that alarm about?” Bones asked.

“A technical problem with a squad bringing up a prisoner with a strange helmet” he replied.

“A strange helmet…” Bones said, curious, wondering if that was who he thought it was, advancing.

“Affirmative, with a strange helmet” the skeleton confirmed.

“A Mighty Helm warrior… in Netherwhere…” Bones said. “Then Dusk Storm can’t be far away. I want a complete lock down. Now! Double the patrols! I want to speak with this prisoner.”

Dusk and the others continued to follow the other skeletons when Star, suddenly, felt an immense pain, as a stormy wind hit them all. That happened because Skullivar was able to break another rune, the one on the face corresponding to the Sea of Aeria.

“Only three sides remain, Dusk” Star told to his brother. “We’re not going to make it in time.”

“We will” he replied. “We have to. Opal, how far away are we?”

“Well, you’re going in the wrong direction, so I guess pretty far” she said.

“We have to get rid of these annoying skullheads” Dusk told Mallet.

“Mallet has plan d too” he replied. “Destroy them!”

“No, Mallet, we can’t draw attention or…” Star told.

But he was interrupted by an unexpected arrival.

“What’s going on here?!”

It was the real Golden Bones.

“General Bones?!” a skeleton said.

The skeletons looked around, confused to know which one was their general. Taking a quick action to make sure his plan worked out, Golden Bones said to the skeletons:

“Isn’t it obvious? He is an imposter. Get rid of him.”

“You really think you can fool my troops, Storm?!” Golden Bones asked, who could see through Dusk’s façade.

“My troops” Dusk corrected. “My elite troops. Impossible to fool. The real Bones here is me!”

However, at that moment, Dusk touched the hologram and the holoprojector started working badly, causing Dusk to change between forms.

“Ah, Opal…”

“It’s not my fault” she told him. “But then again, who touches in an hologram?”

Returning to his real form, Dusk said:

“Okay, we’ll improvise.”

And he threw the holoprojector which caused the hologram of a ptero to appear, what terrified the skeletons. But Golden Bones didn’t get impressed and commanded:

“Arrest Dusk Storm!”

“Plan e: escape!” Dusk said to his friends.

And they started to run.

“After them, fools!” Golden Bones shouted.

The pirates did that, passing through the hologram. Bones, while following them, crushed the holoprojector, causing the hologram ptero to disappear.

While running, Dusk asked, getting to a fork:

“Opal, which way?”

“Try right…” Opal replied. “No, go left!”

And so they did it, all while being pursued by the skeletons.

Accompanying her friends through her device, Opal saw them going through the way she wanted.

“Yes… Yes…”

“Opal, it’s to crowd here” Star said.

It was then that a door closed behind them, preventing the skeletons from following them.

“Yes!” Opal shouted.

With that, Dusk, Star and Mallet continued their way, more relieved now.

Arriving to the closed door, Golden Bones hit with his hook with frustration on the wall and ordered:

“Open this door! And send a squad to hoof bridge 5. I’ll corner them!”

Skullivar continued to deal with the Heptahedron, causing another side to be unlocked, causing a burst of yellow light to happen. Star sensed that and exclaimed, while leaning against the wall:

“No! Skullivar had just folded Dezer into Sino. Soon he will control all of the Seven Seas.”

It was then that they found themselves cornered and Golden Bones appeared, laughing and saying while approaching:

“You have no chance. Surrunder.”

“No chance?” Dusk asked. “Those are my kind of odds.”

“Opal, where do we go?” Star asked.

“I can’t find an exit” she told them. “You’re trapped!”

Hearing that, Dusk took Calabrass, while Star nullified his hologram.

“Farewell, boy” Golden Bones said. “It wasn’t a pleasure.”

“Okay, think… think… think…” Dusk said, while looking around.

At that moment, Dusk found what could be a possible exit.

“Squad…” Golden Bones started.

“Wait!” Dusk exclaimed. “Can I just say one last thing?”

“Another bad joke?” Golden Bones asked.

“No, just a letter: c” Dusk said, approaching a certain point a wall. “C as in…”

And he gave a kick into a panel on the wall, revealing a hidden slide, and then said:

“See you later!”

And he jumped through the slide and Star and Mallet followed him. While they were sliding, Opal warned them:

“Dusk, you’re in the energy capacitor. It’s filled with lasers that supply the base with power. Get away from there fast!”

Golden Bones was at the entrance of the slide and just replied:

“See you later indeed.”

Dusk and the others soon found the lasers, doing their best to evade them. While doing it, Dusk told Opal:

“Opal, stop the program before we’re all fried!”

“Stopping the program is not like jumping into a trap” she replied, while trying to do that. “It takes time!”

They arrived to another part of the energy capacitor, with more lasers being shot at them. But then their space started to get smaller and Dusk said:

“Opal?”

It looked like they would be either vaporized by lasers or crushed by the walls and they screamed before that idea. However, just like that, all the energy in Netherwhere was shut down.

“The generator is down!” Opal exclaimed, happily. “Dusk, Star, Mallet, do you read me?”

But they didn’t respond, what caused Opal to fear the worst.

“Oh no…” she said. “They have been burned into a crisp! I ruined everything! I told them I shouldn’t have come.”

It was then that, for her happiness, Dusk responded:

“The next time you shup off the lights, Opal, warn us first.”

With Star’s help, the three infiltrated Sea Raiders started going up the conduct.

At the central of communications, the skeletons were doing their best to restore the energy.

“Functioning generator activated” the skeleton said to Golden Bones. “Main generator will reboot in a minute.”

“Someone is helping that fool from beyond” Golden Bones realized. “Search the outside of the base with a fine tooth comb!”

Dusk, Star and Mallet continued their way, while guided by Opal.

“At the end of this path, you should find a metal cover that you have to unscrew” she told them.

Looking around, Star found what Opal was talking about. However, Opal was so focused in helping her friends she didn’t noticed the skeleton on a ptero that was flying nearby. It flew against her and grabbed her.

At Skullivar’s room, he was still trying to pass through the runes of the Heptahedron. Meanwhile, Dusk and the others were able to open the metal cover and enter in his room, just under the suspended division of the room. They were able to see Skullivar working on the Heptahedron.

“He’s in a trance” Star said. “Everyone, quiet.”

Dusk then directed Star and Mullet so that they would surround Skullivar and then approached, with him going from above and the others from below. But when Dusk was considerably close, Calabrass talked:

“Well, well, stick wad, not even able to open a little box?”

“Calabrass…” Skullivar said, turning then to him and Dusk. “You dare to venture here inside Netherwhere?”

“He isn’t alone” Dusk said, putting himself in a combat position. “Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz.”

And so he and Calabrass transformed.

“Fireball!” Dusk shouted, while casting a ball of fire against Skullivar.

However, to his surprise, Skullivar was able to catch the fireball with ease and then extinguish it.

“You’re not worthy of the powers of the Seven Seas, boy” Skullivar said, while approaching Dusk who kept casting fireballs, only to have them blocked by the villain. “You think your pathetic little magic trick have any effect on me?”

“A goof magician would know that a big flash usually means…” Dusk started. “A misdirection!”

And Star and Mallet appeared, behind Skullivar, with Star taking the Heptahedron and Mallet covering him. Star then used his magic to seal the Heptahedron again.

“You little alicorn brat!” Skullivar exclaimed, extending his hand and catching Star with his telekinesis and tormenting him.

“Let go of my friend!” Mallet exclaimed while charging against Skullivar, tackling him strongly, what caused him to drop Star.

However, Skullivar got up, all while spinning around and creating a tornado of smoke that casted Mallet and Dusk away. The villain then laughed and then asked, while his adversaries got up:

“You really think you can defy me?! In my own kingdom?!”

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Aeria!” Dusk asked.

And the Eye of Aeria was activated, transforming Dusk and Calabrass, who turned into a shield. Skullivar then shot a green beam from his fist that Dusk blocked with Calabrass. But the power was so big that Dusk knew he couldn’t hold it for long. He said to his friends:

“I won’t be able to hold him for much longer!”

Dusk deflected the attack, all while casting a wave of energy against Skullivar. However, the villain casted another beam to counter the attack and counterattack, which Star blocked with Calabrass again. Star and Mallet headed towards the door, but when it opened, they faced Golden Bones who entered with his soldiers who had brought Opal with them.

“Not so fast” he said.

“Dusk, I’m sorry” Opal said. “I didn’t see them coming.”

And Dusk returned to his normal form, along with Calabrass, and Skullivar said to him:

“You have lost… as we both know you would. Give me the Heptahedron and the Eyes of the Seven Seas and your pathetic little crew may live.”

Dusk returned to his friends’ side and Star said to him:

“Skullivar cannot have it back, Dusk. The Triangle will crumble and who knows what effect it may have in the Pony World.”

“I’m sorry” Opal said. “It’s all my fault. I’m just a princess who is also a tinkerer.”

“Don’t say that, Opal” Star told her. “This is not your fault.”

At that moment, Dusk just had a great idea to escape that situation. All he and his crew needed was to put on a show. Blinking to Opal, he said:

“Sure it is. You’re not even a very big tinkerer. You don’t invent, you only copy.”

Opal got a little confused over Dusk’s words.

“What? But it was you who told me…”

Getting Opal was not getting it, Dusk asked his brother:

“Right, Star?”

On the other hoof, Star quickly realized what Dusk was trying to do and played along.

“Do not blame on Opal” he said, while showing his holoprojector.

“All he does is put command after command on her little device” Dusk continued.

“What, but I don’t even…” she started, realizing then what they were trying ton say.

And so she went to her device to access the holoprojector.

“Enough, Dusk Storm!” Skullivar shouted, while advancing. “Surrender or perish!”

“Fine” he replied, while putting down the Heptahedron and Calabrass. “Release our useless friend and I’ll give you what you want.”

“Don’t forget what you promised, Skullivar” Star told. “We are to be released.”

Turning to Opal, Skullivar told her:

“Go!”

And she returned to his friends’ side, telling then to Dusk:

“I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“Leave!” Skullivar commanded, all while calling the Heptahedron and Calabrass telekinetically. “With the Seven Eyes and the Heptahedron, I’m…”

But, at that moment, a burst of light occurred.

“What?!”

It was then that the Heptahedron and Calabrass just turned into the holoprojector which fell on the floor. Neither Skullivar or Golden Bones couldn’t believe what had just happened.

“Yes!” Dusk exclaimed, while Mallet and Star revealed to have been holding Calabrass and the Heptahedron behind them, respectivally, with the former delivering Calabrass to Dusk. “Our super tinker saved us all! Calabrass, give me the Eye of Dezer!”

And so they transformed, with Calabrass becoming a hammer that Dusk used to break the big big window behind them so that he and the others could jump before Golden Bones and the skeletons could get them.

“Destroy them!” Skullivar ordered.

While they were falling, Chaos appeared, using his sail to help Dusk, Opal and Mallet land on the deck safely, while Star landed using his flying abilities.

“Now that’s a plan c” Clover said, while at the helm. “C as in Plan Clover.”

“I think you mean, C as in Chaos” Dusk replied, as Chaos jumped back to the water and started moving away. “We’re going to hide in the Vapir echoes before Skullivar’s army get to us.”

Seeing the Sea Raiders getting away, Skullivar shouted with pure frustration.

“NO!!!!”

After making sure the Heptahedron was placed in the deepest part of the Sea of Beru where nopony, not even Skullivar’s army couldn’t reach, Star returned to the Chaos, where everyone was congratulating Opal for what she did.

“That was great, Opal” Dusk said. “We would never made it without you.”

“And Skullivar would have ravaged the Seven Seas” Star added.

“And that wouldn’t be a very pretty sight, believe you me” Calabrass ensured.

“So I did good?” Opal asked.

“You’ve always did good, Opal” Star said. “Your inventions have always helped us in a way or another.”

“No Opal only needs to invent something so that she can fight” Mallet said. “And not with little light shooter.”

“Well, I do have been working on something” she said. “I was thinking in modifying my diving suit so that I could have a little boost when it comes to fight.”

“What do you know?” Dusk said. “Apparently there’s nothing the princess of tinkers can’t do.”

And so they all laughed, all while enjoying their victory against Skullivar’s plan to take over the Bermikun Triangle.

Spirited Away

The Chaos was anchored somewhere in the Sea of Beru, with the Sea Raiders trying to do some chores… at least most of them. After making sure it was everything right with the helm, Dusk turned to his friends and asked:

“How are you doing with the chores of the Chaos?”

“Proton agitators were discharged, captain” Opal replied, after using her device, having some batteries in front of her.

“High sail repaired and better than ever” Star told, landing on the deck.

“And seaweed is all prepared to dry too, captain” Mallet said, having extended their seaweeds like if they were cloths.

“You know, Mallet, not everypony here like dry seaweed like you” Star told him.

“Or seaweed for that matter” Opal added, while using her magic to put clean her working area, putting what she didn’t needed in her engine room.

“Ah, friends will learn to like it” Mallet replied. “Mallet knows what he talks about.”

Dusk then turned to Clover who was floating around doing nothing and the captain asked:

“Clover, what about you? The deck is not going to swab itself. And, ps, I know that means mob. I looked it up.”

After going around Dusk, Clover said, while running around his captain:

“Over my dead body. Oh, wait, I don’t have one.”

And he casted a mocking laugh, while preparing to descend the stairs.

“Oh no, no, no, no!” Dusk exclaimed, following Clover through the stairs. “You’re not skipping up again. This time you’ll suck it up like everypony…”

But he didn’t finish, as he tripped over the mob that was left on the stairs and fell on the deck, with it falling over him. Star approached him, as Dusk took the mob off him and sit up, while scratching his sore head, and said, with a little smile:

“Looks like somepony has to do it. And you did look up the definition of swab, right?”

Clover, who was floating nearby, laughed of Star’s joke, causing Dusk to look at him angrily, with the little ghost still mocking his captain.

“You missed a spot” he said.

However, what nopony on the Chaos didn’t know, was that they were being observed by some mysterious entities.

“Very nice…” a male voice said, looking upon Star and Dusk. “Do you think they would be a good fit?”

“They’re perfect” a female voice replied. “So… solid.”

“Ah, ah…” Dusk said, making a fake laugh, while getting up and a green portal silently opened above them. “Phasing through objects and skipping chores… You got it so easy.”

“Sometimes I wished I had my body b…” Clover started.

But he didn’t finish, as he was sucked up by the portal and pass through it, with the chain that connected him to the Chaos appearing and being pulled with him, but when it got strained, it just broke, instead of pulling Clover back.

“Clover!” everyone called.

Before that, Dusk whistled to call upon the Plank and then he flied to the portal, along with Star, while saying:

“Clover, hang on!”

But when they were to pass through the portal, they were just pushed back. Despite Star was able to balance himself, Dusk was pushed against the Chaos, along with Calabrass and the Plank. Dusk was able to get hold and descend through the mast, while Calabrass got his blade stabbed on the deck. After he arrived to the deck, at the same as his brother, he asked:

“But what just happened right now?!”

“A vortex to Zite happened” Calabrass replied, continued as he saw Dusk’s confused look. “Zite, the Sea of Stars? You brainless scallywag…

“But Clover is bound to the Chaos” Opal said. “He can’t go anywhere.”

“Except to Zite” Calabrass told. “As weird the rules of the Triangle can be, Zite breaks them all.”

“I and Star noticed” Dusk said. “That portal totally bounced us back.”

“Only immaterial beings can enter the Sea of Stars” Calabrass clarified. “Lucky for you, the Eye of Zite can release a spirit from its body, then you can follow the little ghost. But there’s a catch. A star spectrum only lasts seven hours. If you don’t make it to your body in time, you’ll be a ghost… forever.”

“That’s some catch” Dusk commented.

“I’ve heard worse, but it’s nevertheless very unpleasant” Star said.

“It’s not all” Calabrass said. “The Eye has only juice to send only two of you.”

Hearing that, both Mallet and Opal take a step back, with the latter saying:

“Sorry, guys, but I’m not quite fitted for a mission like that.”

“Mallet stays too” Mallet said. “No way Mallet is leaving his muscles behind.”

“I will go” Star said. “I always wondered about the Sea of Stars.

“Cool, thanks bro” Dusk said, turning then to Opal. “Opal, start the countdown. Seven hours.”

She then programmed her device and prepared the countain. Dusk then grabbed Calabrass and called:

“Calabrass, give the Eye of Zite! Star Spectrum!”

The Eye was activated and, instead of transforming Dusk and Calabrass, it caused them and Star to just fall on the deck, unconscious, while their astral formed appeared. Seeing their translucent look, Star asked:

“Did it worked. Are we really… spirits?”

“There’s only one way to find out” Dusk said.

And he dived, being able to phase through the deck. Appearing then with his head out of it, he exclaimed, while getting out:

“It worked! This is one hundred per cent pure awesome!”

And he gave a big jump, while phasing trough the high sail and flying around. He can’t believe how good that felt. Maybe that was how his brother and Clover felt when flying. It was then that, while hoovering, he saw Mallet touching his face, turning then to Opal and asking:

“Are they…”

“…very much alive” Opal replied, showing her device that was showing Dusk and Star’s vitals. “Their vitals are stable. It’s like they’re sleeping.”

With the two brothers appearing behind Mallet, Dusk called:

“Hey, Guys! We’re right here! Can’t you see us?”

Star passed his hoof in front of Mallet, but he didn’t react.

“We’re spirits” Calabrass’s voice was heard, as they saw his astral form lying on the ground only to levitate. “No being can see or hear us on this plane.”

Dusk took Calabrass and said:

“Then let’s take our poltergeist back. Put your spirit belts, because we’re going to the Sea of Stars.”

And he and Star took flight in direction of the portal and they passed through it, as the time countdown started.

Once they got into Zite, they saw that it was nothing more than an endless purple void with the only sources of light being the stars and strange silver-like threats. While looking around, Dusk asked:

“How are we supposed to find anything? Besides the stars, this place is totally empty.”

“Look again, matey” Calabrass replied.

It was then that they noticed giant transparent figures walking around vaguely.

“The Ziteans…” Star said. “According to what I’ve read, they are between the first creatures in the Triangle, with a power similar to Discord, despite not as powerful. Dusk, do not agitate them. Do not even talk to them. In fact, look away.”

“Relax, I can hang with the stars” Dusk said. “Besides, they are our only chance to find Clover.”

Arriving to a pink Zitean that was nearby, Star called:

“Hey there, sir… uh, miss… We’re looking for a friend…”

But the Zitean just ignored him, continuing to advance. Turning to another one, Dusk called:

“Hey, big guy. Are you there?”

But all the Ziteans did was to ignore Dusk and continue their way.

“And they say pony starts are stuck-up. It would be logical that star beings would be more down-to-earth.”

“Maybe we can help” a female voice replied.

They turned around and saw a pink Zitean, along with a blue one. Like all the Ziteans, they had two appendices on their heads, with the pink one’s being longer, proving she was a female, with her also having a longer neck.

“Salutations, Ziteans” Star told. “We’re looking for our friend, Clover. Small, with a pearl color…”

“Talks a lot” Dusk added, who then received a reproving look from his older brother. “What, it’s accurate.”

“We know where your friend is” the female Zitean replied, much for Dusk and Star happiness.

“Follow us, nice mortals” the male Zitean told.

They started moving and Dusk and Star followed them.

“Can’t we hurry this, star shine?” Calabrass asked to the Ziteans. “I can feel my power drain in this wretched place.”

“Calabrass, stay courteous” Star told him.

Directing to them, the male Zitean said:

“Time is meaningless in the Sea of Stars.”

“As Zite has no boundaries” the female Zitean added.

“That’s great for you, but Cal is right” Dusk said. “We’re on a schedule.”

It was then that Dusk saw something and said:

“Look!”

He pointed to a big web where Clover was there, tied and gaged with the same type of web and doing his best to try to get rid of his binds.

“Clover!” Dusk called.

He took Calabrass and advanced towards Clover, trying to use the blade to cut through the threads of web, but they seemed to be unbreakable. However, it would appear Clover, even with Dusk trying to release him, was still very agitated. Suddenly, a very strange screech was heard.

“What was that?” Star asked, worried.

“That would be the yellow gamundray” the male Zitean replied.

And so they saw a very big spider coming at them. It was black with bright yellow accents and four big bright yellow tentacles at its head. It also had four yellow frightening eyes and fangs. It screeched again, while approaching Clover and Dusk. Its appearance frightened Clover even more. Before that, Star approached to help Dusk and started shooting magic beams against the gamundray, but its attacks only bounced on it.

“My magic… it’s useless” Star told.

The two Ziteans then just moved away, leaving Star, Dusk and Clover alone to fend for themselves.

“Time to unleash the storm” Dusk said, preparing to use Calabrass’s power. “Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz!”

“I would love to, matey” Calabrass replied. “But the Eyes are back in the Chaos with the real me.”

“Are you telling me that all the seven Eyes are off limits?” Dusk asked.

“All except the one that brought you here” Calabrass told.

“The Eye of Zite…” Dusk said. “All right, got it. Nebula Blade!”

And so Dusk transformed, along with Calabrass, using the Eye of Zite. He got an eyepatch with the form of a glowing green four-point shuriken and his left foreleg became encased in silver armor with a glowing green four-point shuriken on his shoulder and a glowing green multi-point shuriken on his hoof. Calabrass, on his turn, turned into a glowing green star-shaped axe.

He then advanced and used Calabrass’s blade to cut off two of the tentacles of the gamundray, what caused it to screech in pain.

“Even as a ghost, I nailed it” he replied.

However, his victorious claim was short-lived as the tentacles just regenerated.

“But it nailed back” Star replied.

The gamundray started using his tentacles to attack Dusk who defended the attacks with Calabrass.

“Astro Shuriken!” Dusk called, turning Calabrass into a shuriken attached to a flail.

Dusk swung Calabrass, while using him to defend himself from the tentacles. But it was then that one of the tentacles trespassed one of the tentacles and then went back. Despite it didn’t let a scratch, the feeling was very real.

“That hurted!” he exclaimed. “What’s good of being all ghosty, if I still take the hit.”

While Dusk was fighting the gamundray, Star was trying to release Clover. But the web was very strong.

“Hurry, Dusk!” he told. “There must be another Zite power.”

“There is, but it’s lame” he replied.

“Have some faith, lad” Calabrass told him.

With no other choice, Star replied, while swinging Calabrass:

“All right. Here goes nothing… Starlight Showdown!”

And a bust of light immerged from above that went to surround the gamundray, with sparkles involving it and then making it disappear. That move really impressed Dusk who said, while detransforming:

“Wow! Suddenly, I love glitter.”

Star then was able to free Clover and asked him, while the latter got up.

“Clover, are you okay? Who did this to you?”

“Those two wierdos that brought you here” Clover replied.

“The Ziteans!” Star exclaimed, looking around. “They’re gone.”

“But why would they kidnap Clover and then agree to lead us to him?” Dusk asked, putting Calabrass on his scabbard. “That doesn’t make sense.”

“Unless it was part of their plan” Star replied. “They must want something from us.”

Back on the Chaos, the night had already fallen. Mallet was sleeping, while Opal was attentive to the countdown that showed that there were four hours left. The fact they didn’t get any news from their friends worried her. She turned to Mallet and called:

“Mallet? Mallet! Dusk and Star have been gone for three hours. What if don’t make it in time?”

The two Ziteans, invisible because of being in astral beings, crossed the portal, approached the Chaos, looking then to Dusk and Star’s bodies with a smile. They then went and got in them, with the male Zitean getting inside Dusk and the female one inside Star. Opal could feel something had happened and asked:

“What was that? Probably I’m hearing things.”

And so Dusk and Star opened their eyes, but they were not Dusk and Star. The two Ziteans stood up and then looked to their new bodies, with a smile, and then bumped hooves. Opal and Mallet (who had awaken) saw them and the latter said:

“Do you see? Friends are good. Opal worries too much.”

“Thank goodness!” Opal exclaimed, while approaching her friends. “You’re back to your bodies.”

“Yes, it’s good to have a body” the female Zitean replied, while observing Star’s wings.

“Well… again” the male one added, in order to not raise suspicion.

“Hold on” Opal said. “Where’s Clover?”

“He’s… here, but…” the female Zitean replied, trying to find an excuse.

“He… doesn’t want to be seen” the male Zitean lied.

“He always plays silly ticks” Mallet told.

“Yes, he’s perhaps somewhere… farting, right?” the male Zitean said.

Mallet’s stomach then growled.

“What is that unhallowed sound?” the female Zitean asked.

“Mallet hungry” Mallet said. “Mallet says to go grab some grabbing at Marituga.”

“Marituga…” the male Zitean said, sharing a look with his companion. “Yes… Let’s experience it.”

Despite Mallet didn’t notice anything strange on his two friends, Opal was clear able to say that something was off with Dusk and Star.

In Zite, Dusk, Star and Clover were floating around, trying to find their way to the portal they crossed. While on their way, Dusk said, tired:

“Floating is tiring…”

“Oh really?” Clover asked, cynically. “I thought I had it so easy.”

“We’re lost, lads” Calabrass said. “Those stars make no sense whatsoever, even to the greatest pirate that ever roam the seas. I’m talking about me here.”

“If we don’t make it in time, we’re ghost toast” Dusk said.

“Hey, I prefer the term bodily challenged” Clover replied. “Besides, you get used to it after a few hundreds of years.”

“If only you had the best navigator in all the Triangle” Star said in a joking way, while starting to go in a different way than his brother and Clover.

“Yeah, but would be really…” Dusk said, turning to Star and now seeing the portal where he was going to. “Oh…”

“Follow me, boys” Star said.

“Yeah, Star!” Clover congratulated as he and Dusk followed Star. “I take back most of the things I say about you when you’re not around.”

They crossed the portal and found themselves in Marituga, where the Chaos was moored. The lighthouse had its light on with it going around to illuminate the sea.

“There it is” Star said, as they got out of the portal.

“Oh no, look!” Dusk exclaimed, pointing to where they expected their bodies to be.

“They’re gone!” Dusk and Star exclaimed.

“Our bodies!” Star said.

“My swordy!” Calabrass exclaimed.

Dusk looked around and then saw his body and Star walking around with Opal and Mallet. With that, he then realized the two Ziteans’ motives.

“That’s what those two cosmic clowns were after: our bodies” he said.

Star and Dusk started heading towards them. Meanwhile, the two Ziteans were exploring everything they could. The male one was trying to peel an orange from the market, while the female one was tasting a door with a lick.

“Hey, come an touch this door” she said to her companion.

Seeing her friends behaving like that, Opal asked to Mallet:

“Don’t you think things are a little off here?”

But Mallet didn’t have the same opinion as Opal, as he replied:

“Our friends are hungry. Mallet acts strange too when he’s hungry. Strangely hungry…”

Dusk and Star appeared before them and tried to call for their attention.

“Guys! Guys!”

But they just passed through them.

“It’s us!” Star told. “These two are imposters!”

However, they just continued their way.

“It’s no use” Dusk said. “They can’t see or even hear us.”

“That’s because it takes a lot of practice for spirits to communicate with the living” Clover said, appearing next to them. “Just watch and learn.”

And so he advanced, with the chain bonding him to the Chaos appearing and starting to be pulled. Arriving next to Opal and Mallet, he cleared his voice and called:

“Hey, guys, listen up.”

They turned and Opal said, while the two Ziteans were observing from a little a far:

“Ah, Clover, thank goodness! But what happened?”

“Oh boy, oh boy, do I have a juicy secret about those two” Clover said to Mallet and Opal about the Ziteans. “Ready? Get this. Dusk and Star are…”

But he didn’t finish as the chain just started to pull him back to the Chaos. With Clover not there to help them, Dusk and Star’s situation just became even direr.

“Uh, we’re no longer in Zite” Star said. “Clover is anchored to the Chaos again.”

“I don’t understand” Opal said, turning to the Ziteans. “What secret? Do you have a secret?”

“Are you acusing me?” the male Zitean asked Opal.

“Come on, little friend” the female Zitean said, in order to prevent her companion from raising even more suspicions. “Let us experience the joy of eating the Mallet is raving about.”

“The Mallet?” Opal repeated, even more suspicious.

As the female Zitean took Opal and Mallet away, the male one turned to the real Dusk and Star and waved at them cynically. That really angered Dusk who exclaimed:

“That’s it! Get out of me right now!”

He took Calabrass and tried to attack the male Zitean, but the attacks only passed through him. The Zitean dropped a laugh and then replied:

“You can’t get into an already occupied body, mortal. You’re powerless, but we are not.”

He extended a hoof against them and casted a beam of energy that hit Dusk and pushed him away, while catching Star as well. They fell into a wagon and causing a noise that caught Opal’s attention.

“Did you hear something?” she asked.

But the male Zitean placed himself in front of her and told her:

“You worried too much, little friend.”

“That’s what Mallet says” Mallet told. “But I call her Opal.”

Meanwhile, Star, Dusk and Calabrass were lying on the floor, with the latter saying, while the other two got up:

“That was pretty powerful and I know power. Well, I did, when I had the Eyes of the Seven Seas in my hilt.”

“Wait, what about you, Calabrass?” Dusk said, putting his sword friend on his scabbard. “We can’t return to our bodies, but you can return to your sword. Then you can warn our friends.”

“At last, the moment I return to the sword” he replied. “It will end the Star Spectral spell.”

“But we would lose our bodies… forever” Star told.

“I love my body” Dusk said. “I don’t want some lame space ghost living in it.”

And so they continue to pursue them.

The Ziteans, Mallet and Opal arrived to the market of Marituga, where the former started eating what they could put the hooves on, with Mallet following their example as well.

“Wow, your trip to Zite must have really got you very hungry” Opal noticed.

It was then that she heard a sound that she really didn’t like to hear. It was the marching of the skeleton army. A small patrol arrived to the mark and its leader looked around and it was then saw the Ziteans, along with Opal and Mallet. Mistaken the Zitean possessing Dusk’s body as being Dusk himself, the leader said:

“Dusk Storm!”

“A skeleton patrol!” Opal exclaimed. “This is not our lucky day!”

Mallet, securing a big pumpkin to eat it, also noticed them. Turning to the skeletons, he told them:

“Mallet does not like to be disturbed while Mallet is eating.”

And he threw the pumpkin, hitting on one of the skeletons, breaking him apart. He then took his sword, activating it, while Opal took her weapon.

“Soldiers, prepare for battle!” the leader of the patrol commanded.

The real Dusk and Star arrived to the market and saw what was happening, while the Ziteans were too busy eating.

“Those two are gonna get us killed” Star said, putting his hooves on his eyes. “I do not want to see this.”

“Your ghost hooves are seen through” Dusk told him, causing Star to release a frustrated grunt.

Taking out his saber, the leader of the patrol shouted:

“For Skullivar!”

And the skeletons advanced. Mallet soon started to fight them, along with Opal.

“They’re outnumbered!” Dusk exclaimed, while taking Calabrass.

“Dusk, wait!” Star called.

But he didn’t listened, as he advanced against the ghost. However, his blows against them only passed through them. Stopping his attacks, Dusk said, frustrated:

“Okay, I’m officially over that going through stuff thing.”

Knowing they needed to conserve their bodies as much as possible, Star headed towards the Ziteans and told them:

“Behind you! I mean, behind me!”

The Ziteans turned around, while a skeleton fired at them, hitting them causing them to experience pain.

“What is that strange unpleasant feeling?” the female Zitean asked. “It… it hurts.”

“I didn’t like that either” the male Ziteans said. “Not one bit.”

While waving his sword to keep the skeletons away, Mallet said to the male Zitean:

“Dusk, maybe you can draw your sword now.”

The Zitean then took Calabrass’s sword, where they could see his unconscious self. But their attention went to the Eyes of the Seven Seas.

“Can you feel it too?” the male Zitean asked to his companion.

“Yes, I was so entranced by this solid world that I didn’t notice it” she replied. “This artefact is infused with powerful magic.”

Seeing them interested in the Eyes of the Seven Seas, Dusk said:

“If those two get the power of the Seven Seas…”

“Don’t worry, lads” Calabrass told them. “I’m the only one who can activate the Eyes.”

The male Zitean, however, proved him wrong when he used his magic to take the Seven Eyes off Calabrass’s hilt and place them around the wrist. Before that, the ghost sword said:

“Kiss your bodies goodbye.”

“Well, at least they haven’t notice that I possess the power of a tailed beast inside me” Star said.

“You know, if your vessel possess such powerful object, I wonder if mine has some power too” the female Zitean wondered.

“Okay, now we’re doomed” Star said.

The female Zitean closed eyes and focused. It was then that she found herself, in her astral form, in a strange place.

“Interesting…”

She then reached a very big cage and then she could feel it: a tremendous power coming from there.

“I can believe it… The power here is even greater than the one of that sword!”

She then approached the cage, preparing herself to try to take it. It was then she heard a loud grunt and then she saw two red eyes appearing from the darkness of the cage, the ones belonging to Kurama.

“Go away, Zitean” he told her. “My power is not yours to take.”

“Who are you?” she asked Kurama.

“I’m your worst nightmare if you don’t get out of here now” the nine-tailed fox replied. “There’s only one pony allowed to use my power and you just made sure he was out of his own body.”

“Ah, you don’t tell me what to do” the Zitean told.

She extended his arm to get to Kurama, but then he revealed himself, growling at the Zitean who got shocked for how big he was and then the tailed beast roar at her with such power that send her away.

The Zitean opened the eyes, startled, and her companion asked:

“What happened?”

“You won’t believe it” she said. “This vessel possess an even bigger power. However, it would appear accessing seems to be impossible at the moment.”

“It doesn’t matter” the male Zitean said, while showing her the Eyes of the Seven Seas. “We have more than enough.”

“It would appear Kurama can fend for himself even inside his cage” Star said. “That old fox doesn’t stop to impress me.”

“That’s good, but we still need to do something” Dusk said. “If they have control over our bodies and the Eyes…”

The Ziteans advanced against the skeletons and the male one told them:

“You! Come and face us!”

Channeling the power of the Eye of Sino, the male Zitean shot a freezing beam that froze all of the skeletons. The female Zitean then focused the power of the Eye of Blazz to shot a blast of fire that shattered the ice and blasted the skeletons away.

“That felt… good” the male Zitean told to her companion, who agreed with him.

“Uh, guys, wasn’t that a little… over the top?” Opal asked them.

“Move away, solids” the male Ziteans told to Opal and Mallet. “You’re boring us.”

He then made a repulsive wave that sent Opal and Mallet against a wagon right behind them.

“This solid world of yours is far more unpleasant than we thought” the female Zitean said.

“Agreed” the male one told. “I suggest we destroy it.”

And they took flight and started shooting destructive beams all around and then move away. Seeing them going away, Opal asked Mallet:

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Mallet still angry?” Mallet replied.

But Opal’s reproving look caused him to deliver another answer:

“Friends are coocoo in the heads?”

And so they started to follow them. Dusk and Star were on their way, with the former calling:

“Guys, wait! You don’t know who you’re up against. Guys!”

But they just passed through them.

“Save your breath” Star told him. “They cannot hear us, remember?”

“How much time do we have left, Calabrass?” Dusk asked.

“The Ziteans are draining the Eyes’ energy faster, Dusk” he replied. “The seven hours just went down to… about twenty minutes!”

“I can’t live like this forever” Dusk sighed, while he and Star run to catch up with their friends. “I like eating and surfing… and bumping my head once in a while. What do we do?!”

It was then that they heard a familiar voice say:

“Uh, for the sake of all that is gold, enough with the whining already!”

It was Sassafras who had come out of her house and was talking directly to Dusk and Star. They get to her side and Dusk asked:

“Sassafras? You can hear us?”

“Unfortunately, yes” she replied. “Being a clairvoyant isn’t a gift, I’m telling ya. It’s a curse! Now scuttle away and take your loud friends with you.”

And she closed her door, while returning inside. However, Dusk and Star just passed through the door, while the latter told the old witch, as they went down the stairs:

“We need your help to contact our friends and get our bodies back.”

“Sassafras never works for free and ghost don’t carry bits last time I checked” she replied.

“But you’re our only hope” Dusk said.

“Tough break, kid” she replied, while going to her working room. “Now beat it! I got a date with my crystal ball and I need peace and quiet.”

With Sassafras refusing to help them, Dusk could only see one way to force her to help them.

“You know what Clover does when he wants something” he said to Star.

Realizing what he was talking about, Star told:

“I am not doing that!”

“I meant that he gets annoying” Dusk told. “Follow my lead.”

And so the two then started annoying Sassafras with loud and irritating musics, all while floating around her. Sassafras couldn’t really stand all that noise. She tried to throw things at them like her crystal ball, but they just passed through them, as they didn’t have solid bodies. Unable to find another solution, she shouted:

“Fine! I’ll help you! Just stop that screeching torture already!”

Now that they got Sassafras’s help, the two brothers stopped with their singing and bumped hooves.

Meanwhile, the two Ziteans were spreading destruction through Marituga, causing its inhabitants to start running from their path. Opal and Mallet were observing them from an alley.

“Mallet thinks Dusk and Star need a little wake-me-up” he said

“Are you out of your mind, Mallet?!” Opal asked him. “They may have gone crazy, but they’re still our friends.”

But when an attack of them got very near of them, Opal told:

“On a second thought, it’s time for them to wake up from their madness.”

Mallet prepared himself to attack, but then Sassafras appeared before him and told him and Opal:

“Hold your horses! I’ve got a message for you. Two Ziteans have taken control your friends’ bodies. The real Dusk and Star are right here… in spirit form.”

Mallet appeared to not have understood what the old witch just said, specially when she talked to the empty, saying:

“There, happy? Would you stop haunting me now?”

Despite Mallet didn’t get what Sassafras said, Opal did and she said:

“That would explain a lot of things. But how can we be sure?”

Sassafras told her to wait and then she said:

“Star says that you really don’t like Mallet’s rotten and uneatable seaweeds. Wow, that kid really knows how to use words.”

“Uh, the witch really speaks the truth!” Mallet said. “Princess really hates my seaweed!”

“Saved by Mallet’s seaweeds… who would have thought?” Dusk said.

“Dusk? Star?” Opal asked, while looking around. “How do we get you back inside your bodies?”

“The Ziteans must have a weakness” Star said. “We know Kurama is stronger than them and that we could use his power to take them out, but he is in his cage.”

“Wait, my Starlight Showdown attack worked perfectly against that crawling thing back in Zite” Dusk said. “Maybe we can clear them out of our bodies.”

“I’m afraid I’m about out of juice, captain” Calabrass said.

“Where are we going to find a bright mystical light in the middle of the night?” Star asked.

At that moment, the light of the lighthouse just passed by them and, seeing it, Dusk just had one of his ideas.

“Oh, I just had an idea explosion!” he exclaimed. “Okay, we need a volunteer to play bait, a catapult, a large shiny surface and, most importantly, a banana.”

“A banana?!” Star and Sassafras asked at the same time.

“Banana?” Mallet and Opal asked, even more confused.

The Ziteans continued their path of destruction.The male one then said:

“Once we have destroyed this awful place, we’ll build a new home, one to rival Zite itself.”

They then continued their destruction until they spotted Opal who was securing a banana with her magic.

“Stop!” she told them, while showing them the banana. “You almost destroyed it.”

The two Ziteans shared a look and the male one asked:

“Why would we care?”

“Because it’s the most delicious, magnificent and special fruit ever” Opal replied. “It’s called the ban-a-na.”

The way Opal was selling the idea to the Ziteans really caused the female one to desire the banana. She ordered:

“Surrender the ban-a-na at this instant.”

“Sorry, this is the only ban-a-na in the world as we know it and it is all mine” Opal replied. “See you later.”

And she started to run away. The Ziteans followed her and the male commanded:

“Come back here, solid!”

He casted a blast against Opal, but he failed. He continued to fire, along with his companion, but Opal was always able to escape, all while keeping hold on the banana. Dusk and Star were accompanying everything through the rooftops, so that they could act at the right moment.

“Hand over the ban-a-na and we won’t hurt you” the male Zitean told Opal.

And the Ziteans continued to shoot at Opal, while she kept running away, eventually leading the Ziteans to the stairs that led to the port.

“Come and get it” she told to the Ziteans. “I guess…”

Dusk and Star were on a rooftop nearby. Now that they had the Ziteans right where they wanted it, Dusk said:

“All right, let’s do this.”

And he made a sign to Sassafras which was at the top of a tower.

“Okay, okay…” she said, while waving a banner made of seaweeds. Seeing her waving the banner, Clover turned to the Chaos and said:

“Ready, Chaos? Crogar lauching!”

And Chaos released the Plank which had Mallet on it. The Plank advanced towards the light the lighthouse was emanating, while Mallet prepared his sword. When they got there, Mallet put himself on top of the Plank and used his sword to start reflecting the light.

The Ziteans were about to attack a cornered Opal when the light started heading towards them. When they saw it coming, they shouted in fear. However, it was too late, as the light hit them, causing them to be expelled from Dusk and Star’s bodies that just fell on the floor. The Ziteans were casted away and against the floor. Seeing that his plan had worked, Dusk said:

“Yes! Let’s go, Star!”

And the two brothers jumped into their respective body and they woke up like themselves.

“Yes!” Dusk said, looking then to the Eyes of the Seven Seas which returned to their rightful place on Calabrass’s hilt, which awakened him after he had his spirit back.

“We’re back on business!” Calabrass exclaimed.

Defeated, the Ziteans went to the portal, but, before crossing it, they turned to the Sea Raiders and the male Zitean told them:

“Don’t think this is over.”

“Well come back for your bodies and, this time, we’ll bring our friends” the female Zitean said.

And they crossed the portal to Zite which then closed.

As the sun started to rise, the Sea Raiders returned to sail. As the Chaos advanced, Mallet said to his friends:

“Those two never fooled Mallet.”

“Right…” Opal said, sarcastically. “You were really smart back there.”

Turning to Clover, Dusk told him:

“Now I really know what it is to be in your ghost shoes. It’s not all giggles and sunshine being separated from your body.”

“Finally you understand my deep, deep, deep suffering” Clover said. “It will give me all the comics I want.”

“Ah… no” Star replied. “But we will find your body one day, Clover.”

“That’s a deal” he replied, but with his smile dropping as he saw Star handing him a mob.

“But, in the meantime, somepony still needs to swab the deck” Star told.

“Not it!” Dusk exclaimed, as he started run away, with Clover not so far, both laughing.

The Swap

At the Sea of Beru, the Chaos was stopped at the end of a trench of pillars of rocks. There, the Sea Raiders appeared to be looking for something, with Clover using his telescope and the others looking around, with Dusk securing himself against the helm.

“Mallet said to not be here so early” Mallet said to Dusk.

“That’s how an ambush works, Mallet” he replied to him. “Be there before the guys we’re ambushing.”

“A quick question: are we one hundred percent, absolutely certain about this… plan?” Opal asked, with her adjusting her weapon.

“Golden Bones is bringing the map of Sino to Skullivar” Star told her. “If it makes it to the Netherwhere, the map is lost to us. We have no choice.”

“But if we try to put our plans together, even Clover’s, then we can come up with a less dangerous plan” Opal said.

“This plan is awesome” Dusk replied. “When Golden Bones sees the Chaos, he won’t be able to resist and he’ll chase us.”

“Allowing us to bring him to the reef channel” Star continued.

“Where the Demoniac will run into the narrows” Dusk proceeded. “Big crunch! Trapped!”

“Ok, but then what?” Opal asked.

“I’ll tell you what” Dusk replied. “We’ll board the ship, show them how the Sea Raiders kick skeleton butt and get out with the map. Don’t worry, Opal, Mallet knows Mighty Helm sea battle stuff. He came up with half of the plan.”

“The crunch plan” he told, with a proud smile. “Good plan.”

“Yeah, a good plan if our look-out actually looks out for the Demoniac” Dusk said, looking to Clover in his look-out post, with him playing with the telescope.

“I could spot that mount of scrap a gazillion miles away” he replied, while still playing with the telescope. “You should worry about the obvious flaws in the plan.”

“What flaws?” Dusk asked.

“Not enough Clover” the little ghost replied. “I have to stay behind guarding, while you get to do the fun stuff.”

It was then that Opal’s device started ringing and she went to it to check it out and then she shouted:

“Demoniac!”

Hearing her saying that, Clover said, a little frustrated:

“See, I even couldn’t do that part!”

He looked around and then saw the Demoniac immerging from the under the sea.

“Oh, by the way… It’s them!”

“Battle stations!” Dusk told to his friends, as they prepared themselves for the ambush.

The young captain made Chaos move forward and he advanced towards the Demoniac. The Chaos summoned his front cannon and started firing againt the Demoniac. After that, he turned around and move away and, just like the Sea Raiders predicted, the Demoniac started following them.

“Sweet!” Dusk told. “Bones took the bait. Hold on!”

He started directing the Demoniac to the narrow part of the reef. However, as they entered the narrow, Golden Bones was able to predict what they were doing and told to two of his soldiers:

“Cut off the chase.”

“Are you sure, commander?” one asked.

“The channel is too narrow” he replied. “It won’t make it pass the reefs”

“But the Chaos will get away” the soldier said.

“Perhaps not” Golden Bones said. “Ready the Eel.”

As they reached the narrowest part of the channel, the Chaos stopped and Dusk said:

“Okay… any second now… Crunch…?”

However, they saw that the Demoniac didn’t move despite being a little distanced from them. It was then that its front started to open and what appeared to be a replica of the Chaos, but made of dark metal, came out of it, with Bones piloting it, followed by some skeleton on pteros.

“What is that?!” Dusk asked, not believing what he was seeing.

“I’m certain I have no idea” Star replied. “And that’s a bad thing.”

“Whatever it is, Bones is driving” Clover replied, while observing with his telescope, noticing then something on Bones’s side. “Oh, and he has got the map!”

Before that unexpected variable, Dusk didn’t had any other choice but start moving away as fast as they could.

“What are your orders, captain?” Star asked his brother.

Dusk looked at Mallet who replied:

“Don’t look at Mallet. Mallet came up with the crunch.”

It was then that Dusk got an idea and so he slowed down. Noticing that, Star asked:

“Why are we not going faster?”

But then he realized what his brother was up to.

“Oh no… Dusk, are you really thinking in letting them board us?” he asked him.

“Yes, let them board us!” Clover exclaimed, appearing before Dusk and summoning her ball and chain. “I’ve been polishing my skull-crushing balls all week.”

“Have a little faith, Star” Dusk told him. “In me and the Chaos.”

He then put the Chaos in flying mode and then jumped, using the ship’s legs to get some impulse from one side of the reefs and then jump over the Eel, Bones and his soldiers, returning to sailing mode as they landed on the water. After that, Dusk turned the Chaos around again and advanced fast against the Eel, hitting it from behind.

With the two ships now connected, Dusk grabbed Calabrass and shouted, while advancing towards the Eel:

“Charge!”

“Is not fair!” Clover said, causing the others to turn to him. “I want to fight to! Why can’t I do what you do?!”

“We still need somepony to guard the rear, Clover” Dusk replied. “Your part of the plan is totally important, okay?”

Turning to the others, Dusk exclaimed:

“Let’s take them down!”

And so Dusk, Star, Mallet and Opal advanced through the bow to the Eel and landed on its deck.

“Mallet charges ahead” Mallet said, as skeletons started coming towards them.

“Stay in formation” Dusk told his friends.

And they started fighting the skeletons.

“Strike as a single unit” Star said, while casting his magic beams.

After they were able to take down the soldiers, Bones, from the bow, summoned his gun and started firing on them, forcing the Sea Raiders to take cover. However, this allowed the taken down skeletons to start assembling themselves.

“Not our best moment” Dusk said, seeing how they were getting cornered, turning to his friends. “Ideas?”

As Golden Bones continued to fire, Star took advantage of a pause to fire against a soldier, taking him down and causing his torso to come to Mallet’s hooves, which he used to block some of Bones’s shots. Seeing that, Dusk came up with a big idea.

“Mallet, you’re a genius!” he said.

“This Mallet?” he asked.

Taking a skull near him, Dusk told his friends:

“Pick up some bones. We’ll make a shield out of them.”

And so the Sea Raiders started assemble the bones one over the other and then started moving forward. Bones kept shooting at his enemies, but his shots only were blocked by their shield. Despite the soldiers who were assembled, they didn’t do it in time to prevent the Sea Raiders from getting close to Golden Bones. When they were near the bow, Dusk get out of the shield and exclaimed while advancing:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz!”

Dusk and Calabrass transformed, with the latter turning into a shield made of black stone with small veins of lava. With it, he advanced towards Golden Bones, whose shots were blocked by Calabrass. When he was close enough, Dusk jumped while transforming Calabrass into a blade and started fighting Bones. However, the general skeleton was able to block and contain both Dusk’s forelegs. He then threw Dusk against his friends, with that causing him to drop Calabrass, detransforming both, with him spinning around towards the Chaos.

“Calabrass!” Clover said, being able to get him. “I got you.”

He then turned to Golden Bones and told him:

“Uh-uh, the real battle is this way or are you scared of a little ghost?”

“Clover, throw me Calabrass” Dusk told his ghost friend.

“No worries, Dusk” Clover replied to him. “It’s your plan, right? I’m protecting your rear.”

“I love your plan, fool” Golden Bones replied.

He then run through the Eel and then made a big jump towards the Chaos. Clover was able to teleport himself towards the top of the mast, when Golden Bones landed where he was, what totally caught him by surprise.

“No!” Dusk exclaimed, seeing how bad the situation had gotten.

“Dusk, watch out!” Star exclaimed.

And he turned around in time of dodging a skeleton attack. The other Sea Raiders found themselves again fighting the skeletons, unable to go help Clover deal with Golden Bones. After they were able to defeat them all, Star said:

“Good work, guys.”

“Clover!” Dusk called, going to the prow.

At the top of the Chaos’s mast, Calabrass told Clover:

“Give me back to Dusk, you fool ghouly! We’re going to be turned into Sea Beast food.”

“I have to protect the Chaos” Clover replied to him. “That’s my important job. And now it’s yours too.”

“Since you’re determined to do something stupid, you might as well do it with style” Calabrass told him. “Eye of Vapir!”

He activated the Eye of Vapir, turning his blade double-edged and gray. That really surprised Clover who said:

“But… only Dusk can use your powers.”

“Normally, but, as a ghost lad, you’re linked to Vapir” Calabrass explained. “But be careful! This…”

But before Calabrass could explain, Clover said:

“The age of Clover the Conqueror and Kicker of Butts has begun!”

And he jumped towards Golden Bones.

“No, wait!” Calabrass tried to warn.

Arriving to Golden Bones, he tried to struck him with Calabrass, but, whatever he did, the blade just passed through the general skeleton.

“This looks a lot easier when Dusk does it” Clover commented, after stopping. “Why isn’t it breaking?”

“Ah, the Eye is unstable with ye” Calabrass told Clover. “It keeps my blade in the ghost state.”

“While ye become solid” Bones ended, while kicking Clover, sending him back, while dropping Calabrass.

While Calabrass detransformed without Clover holding him, the little ghost was casted through the deck. Appearing through it, he exclaimed to Calabrass:

“That was a very important detail!”

It was then that skeleton soldiers fell right on Chaos’ deck from pteros, forcing Clover to disappear. The one that landed next to Golden Bones told him:

“Master, they are taking control of the Eel!”

“True…” Golden Bones replied. “Skullivar will be furious to lose his prototype. But what I’m bringing him will largely calm his anger.”

And he took Calabrass.

“The Demoniac will return home without us! Take control of this ranker and take sail to Neatherwhere!”

While Dusk and the others were able to throw the skeleton soldiers on the Eel overboard, they saw Golden Bones and the rest of his soldiers moving away on the Chaos, while the former was laughing. Seeing them from a far, the Sea Raiders got really worried and Mallet replied:

“Not so great plan after all.”

“This… has to be a joke” Star said. “Tell me it’s a terrible joke.”

“The Chaos!” Opal panicked. “We lost the Chaos!”

“And Calabrass” Dusk said. “And Clover. And the map.

“And… our honor” Star said.

“Is there anything we haven’t lost yet?” Dusk asked sarcastically.

“Mallet is still genius” Mallet said, in a way to light up the mood. “But genius Mallet no understands why the Chaos and Clover obey Golden Bones.”

“Bones must have taken Clover hostage” Star said. “Or…”

“Or maybe it’s Clover’s plan to…” Opal tried to suggest, despite being unable to think of any kind of plan the little ghost could come up with. “Okay, I have nothing.”

“If Clover had a plan, he would have put it in action before ruining ours” Star replied.

“Plan or not, hostage or not, we don’t have a choice” Dusk said. “We have to catch them.”

“The Chaos is the fastest ship in the Seven Seas” Star told. “I could try to reach him by flying, but it would be tiring and I wouldn’t be able to face Bones and his goons.”

“True, but we’re the best crew” Dusk replied to him. “Opal, get this thing started.”

She nodded and then went to the Eel’s engine room.

“And what do we do?” Mallet asked.

At that moment, a pair of skeletons that haven’t been thrown overboard just assembled themselves, as Mallet took out his sword.

“Why don’t you guess, genius?” Star asked his Mighty Helmet friend.

That caused him to smile.

Meanwhile, Dusk went to the helm, trying to move it, but it couldn’t do it. In the engine room, Opal looked around and said, scornfully:

“This is their cutting-edge engeniring? My device is way more complex than this…”

But it was then that she was slightly electrocuted, what caused to reevaluate her perspective.

“This may take a second…” she said.

“We don’t have a second, Opal!” Star exclaimed to her from the helm.

“Then a minute” she replied. “You can’t rush a genius.”

Mallet and Star were able to throw the skeletons into the afterdeck, where Mallet sat over the entrance, saying:

“Mallet genius!”

Opal looked upon some buttons and then pressed one, unlocking the helm and turning the Eel on.

“Yes!” Dusk exclaimed.

And so they started moving, however Dusk noticed they were sailing really slowly.

“Yeah… We’re not going to catch Chaos like this.”

While exploring the engine room, Opal said:

“I can stretch our clutch, but it’s going to be hard on the engines.”

Using her magic on the clutch, she was able to put more energy on the engines and the Eel started moving faster.

“Now we’re talking” Dusk said.

It was then that a voice came out of the helm, saying:

“Welcome aboard the Eel. Systems are ninety-nine percent operational. Please, identify yourself.”

“What?” Dusk asked, confused.

“Incorrect identification” the voice said.

“What?”

“Activating anti-intruder measures.”

“What?!”

“Exterminate the intruders.”

And then four canon weapons appear around Dusk and were pointed at him, causing him to raise his hooves.

“Uh, this is what I get for having a plan” Dusk said.

At the Chaos, Bones was at the bow looking forward, while he had one of his soldiers holding the helm. Clover, appearing from behind the skeleton soldier sneakily, tying a rope around his ankle and then to the helm.

“Stupid boat” the skeleton said. “Obey me!”

Clover appeared behind him to tease him, causing the soldier to turn, only to see nothing, as the little ghost disappeared. Suddenly, he appeared in front of him, while saying:

“BUUU!”

He then span the helm, causing the skeleton soldier to be thrown against the floor many times.

“This is how is done” Clover said, proudly.

But then Golden Bones approached him from behind. He prepared to attack him, but Calabrass, who was at Bones’ waist, warned:

“Clover, behind ye!”

And he turned around, in time of seeing Golden Bones preparing to attack him with his hook, while shouting:

“Enough!”

Fortunately, Clover was able to disappear before he could be hit. Bones turned to his soldiers and then shouted:

“Find that rotten ghost!”

The lasers were about to shoot, but, when they did, they hit a barrier created by Star from afar, allowing then Dusk to escape their grasp once the shield was out, landing on the lower deck.

“Thanks, bro” he thanked his brother, who was a little exhausted for doing a spell like that in a place where his magic was so limited.

However, the lasers continued to shoot at Dusk who did his best to evade them.

“Dusk, we’re in a collision course!” Star warned.

They were about to hit a big rock, but then Dusk said:

“No, we’re not! Star, give a hoof!”

Star then took flight and grabbed his brother’s hoof, starting to take him to the helm, throwing him once they got there and Dusk kicked the helm, causing it to turn and allowing the Eel to evade the rock.

“Hey, robot, if we wipe out, you’re going to be in trouble too” Dusk told the computer of the helm.

But the weapons were pointed at him again.

“Hold on!” Star said, landing at the lower deck, while charging his horn. “I got this.”

Dusk jumped out of their way again, saying:

“I got it under control.”

And so he continued to dodge the weapons, but Star took advantage of that to go to the helm, taking control of it.

“New intruder detected” the computer said, pointing the weapons on him. “Redistributing defenses. Eliminate.”

Star was fearing he would be shot by the weapons, however, for his luck, Opal was able to disconnect the weapons, causing them to depower, much to the young alicorn’s relief.

“Take that, quote technology quote!” Opal exclaimed.

Returning to the helm, Dusk told Star, a little upset:

“I told you I had in all under control.”

“You did, then you did not” Star replied, while giving the helm to Dusk. “You’re welcome.”

After looking ahead, Dusk said:

“Chaos in sight. Opal, speed this thing up.”

“That might kill the engine” Opal warned.

“Who cares?” Dusk asked with mischief. “We’re going to get our ship back.”

Seeing the vortex to Vapir, Golden Bones said, while standing on the bow:

“Ah, it feels good to return as a champion.”

It was then that he heard an engine and asked, turning around:

“What?!”

He then the Sea Raiders on the Eel, approaching them.

“Dusk Storm!” he exclaimed, pointing then Calabrass to them and ordering. “Stop them!”

The skeleton on pteros started heading towards the Eel. Golden Bones laughed, as he saw that victory was at his grasp. Calabrass, meanwhile, noticed Clover hidden nearby Bones, blinking at him, what caused the sword to draw a smile. The little ghost then used his ball and chain to disarm Bones of Calabrass who got stuck on the deck. That really irritated Bones who turned around only to see the ball coming to him and hit him, throwing him away. Clover then did the same with the skeleton piloting Chaos and said, while landing on the helm:

“Winner by knock out!”

“For Skullivar!” one of the other skeletons shouted, while leading the others against Clover.

Two cornered Clover, but Chaos, this time, reacted, shaking himself off, causing the skeletons to go overboard.

“Bingo!” Clover exclaimed, while taking control of the ship’s controls. “Good work, Chaos.”

However, unknowing to Clover, Golden Bones was still securing himself to Chaos’s rear, while he was heading towards the Eel.

Seeing the pteros attacking them with everything, Dusk told to Opal:

“Opal, we need some fire attack.”

“Oh-oh” she said, knowing how hard it would be for her to do that.

“Yeah oh-oh” Dusk replied to her. “That’s why you have to pull up one of your tricks.”

She then returned to the engine room and, using her magic, she put her efforts to connect herself to the weapons, all while Star occupied the pteros with his magic beams. Dusk did his best to dodge the pteros, while Clover tried to keep up with them. Fortunately, for Dusk and the others, Opal was to succeed in her task.

“I’m taking control of the weaponry” she said.

She then started shooting at the soldiers on the pteros, being able knock out some of them. While the Chaos was still pursuing the Eel, Calabrass said to Clover:

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but good work, laddie. Don’t screw it before Dusk gets here.”

“Oh, the job is not done, yet” Clover said, while piloting the Chaos. “Dusk’s rear is still exposed.”

He then went to activate Chaos’s big canon. The ship opened its mouth, preparing the canon to shot the ptero that was still pursing the Eel.

“Clover, no!” Calabrass warned.

“Don’t worry, Clover the Calamitous has the situation under control” the little ghost replied. “Target in sight, shot on go!”

He then fired, however the ptero got out of the way and Clover ended up hitting the Eel, causing a lot of damages.

“Why do I bother?” Calabrass asked.

Having witnessed that, Golden Bones commented, amused:

“And the ghost scores on the same goal.”

With the Eel severely damaged, Opal told the others:

“Hang on, gang! We’re about to go boom!”

“The steering is dead!” Dusk exclaimed, trying to command the Eel.

“Hang on!” Star said, as they started heading towards a rock.

And they hit there, causing an explosion, before the shocked reaction of Clover and Calabrass. The little ghost couldn’t believe what he had just did and that caused him to not see Golden Bones sneaking into the deck and then jumping on him, grabbing him and threatening him with his hook. Directing then directly to the Chaos, Bones said:

“Hoy, boat, turn around!”

With Clover at Bones’s mercy, the Chaos didn’t have any other choice but turn around and head towards the vortex to Vapir.

“That’s a good creature” Bones said.

Despite the explosion having destroyed the Eel, the Sea Raiders were able to survive, with Star, Dusk and Opal having combined their magic to create a shield that protected them and Mallet, while they landed on the rock they hit.

“Did Clover just sink us?” Dusk asked.

“I’m afraid so” Opal said. “I would do anything for that to not be true.”

“We’re not out yet” Dusk replied. “Let’s think of a solution, guys.”

“A solution?” Opal asked. “You need a miracle!”

“Star, you could fly me to the Chaos” Dusk said to his brother.

“I’m sorry, little brother, but that last feat of magic drained most of my strength” he replied. “Unless you somehow get a new pair of wings…”

It was then they heard a sound and looked up, seeing a ptero without a pilot landed on top of the rock. Seeing it, Dusk got an idea.

“Star, you’re a genius!” he exclaimed, starting to climb the rock.

“Him too?” Mallet asked.

“Dusk!” Star called, realizing what his brother was planning to do.

“I’ll come back as soon I have taken the Chaos” he said.

The ptero, seeing Dusk approaching, took off, but Dusk was quick to jump and grab its tail and then make his way to the saddle. Despite some struggling, Dusk eventually was able to get some control to direct the ptero towards the Chaos. After seeing the Chaos getting in the Sea of Vapir, Dusk said:

“Easy now…”

But then the ptero went wild and throw him off of it, with Dusk crossing the vortex, to an area of Vapir where the Netherwhere could be seen from afar. At the Chaos, Clover, still at Golden Bones’s mercy and unable to teleport, saw Dusk crossing the vortex in midair and knew he had to help him. Noticing the controls near him, he made a struggle to hit one specific button. Before that, Golden Bones asked:

“What the…”

And the Chaos released the Plank that flew directly towards Dusk and caught him in time. After stabilizing his balance, Dusk said:

“Good job, Clover.”

And so Bones saw the one pony he loathed.

“Dusk Storm…”

The ptero that had thrown Dusk arrived and tried to attack him, but Dusk was able to dodge it and then cause it to hit in one of the islands of Vapir.

“I’m tired of your little tricks!” Golden Bones exclaimed to Clover. “The master can do it without you.”

And he prepared to descend his hook on Clover, a hook that would be able to hit a ghost. It was then that the Plank arrived to the Chaos and Dusk jumped from it only to kick Bones, throwing him overboard and against an island. Now in control of the Chaos, Dusk turned the helm around, while saying:

“Chaos, you turn!”

And so the living ship turned around, starting to move away from the Netherwhere. Skullivar, who was able to sense his enemy nearby, shouted in his room:

“No!”

And he activated from his controls a pair of canons of his fortress that shot green magic static that caught Chaos and started pulling him back.

“No!” Dusk exclaimed, feeling the Chaos out of his control.

Golden Bones, having climbed the scrap he was thrown against, saw his master catching the Chaos and pulling him back, what caused him to drop a laugh and say:

“Too late.”

He then made a big jump against Dusk and Clover. Seeing him, Clover disappeared and Dusk jumped to the lower deck, while Bones landed on the helm.

“You can’t escape from Skullivar now!” Bones told to Dusk.

The young unicorn prince noticed Calabrass not far away from Bones. Getting him was his only chance of getting out of that situation. When he was about to do his move, Clover appeared beside him, grabbing his foreleg, and he said:

“I’m coming!”

“No, go hide!” Dusk told him. “I got this.”

He started advancing to get Calabrass, but when he was inches away, Golden Bones was able to take him.

“Ah, maybe I don’t got it” Dusk said, while dodging Bones’s hook.

He started moving away, with Bones following him, getting to the prow, where the general skeleton started making blows at Dusk with Calabrass, with the young prince always dodging. With a jump, Dusk went to one of Chaos’s sails and then told him:

“Chaos!”

The living ship joined the sails, allowing Dusk to get to the top of the mast. Clover appeared by his side and said:

“I’ll take it from here.”

And he disappeared again, appearing behind Bones and trying to get Calabrass. But the golden skeleton was able to throw him away against the taffrail of the prow. Bones advanced to attack Clover, but he disappeared again before he could do it, returning then back to Dusk.

“It’s not that bad up here” he said.

“Coward” Bones told. “Raise your weapon and fight.”

“Hey, afraid of heights, bag of bones?” Clover asked. “Come get us!”

“He doesn’t need to” Dusk said, looking to Netherwhere that was getting closer and closer. “He’s just waiting for us to reach his friends.”

“Oh, I have made quite a mess, haven’t I?” Clover said, disappointed with himself. “Now wonder you always leave me behind.”

“Made a mess?” Dusk repeated. “Clover, you single-handle fought Golden Bones and half of his army. Yeah, you did sink the ship we were on and everypony may drown, but… we all make mistakes.”

Those words caused Clover to start make a smile and Dusk continued:

“Clover, look, I asked you to watch my back because, as crazy as you are, sometimes, I trust you, bud. We’re a team. And this is not over. We’re going to get Calabrass, the map, the Chaos and settle a score with that bag of bones… together. You lead. I got your back.”

Clover then nodded with his head and then teleported away.

The Chaos had arrived to the edge of Netherwhere and Golden Bones said, looking the big fortress:

“The master will be proud of me.”

“Proud of what?” Clover asked, appearing behind Golden Bones and making him turn around and start trying to hit, only to have the little ghost always teleporting away. “That you couldn’t handle a little ghost like myself. He has low standards.”

“I shall have my reward” Bones replied, while trying to get Clover. “But ending you will be a bonus!”

“Nice try” Clover said, while teleporting. “A little to the left. Try a little less strength and a little more accuracy. Ops, you miss again.”

Dusk took advantage of Clover’s distraction to descend from the mast and reach the helm, turning it to the right and saying to his trusted ship:

“Chaos, let’s get out of here.”

The Chaos turned himself towards the Netherwhere and prepared his front canon and fire against the weapons that were holding them, what allowed him to land on the water.

“No!” Skullivar shouted, seeing his controls going fritz.

Now that the Chaos was free, Dusk was able to take full control and started moving away from the Netherwhere. That situation distracted Bones, allowing Clover to disarm him from Calabrass with his ball and chain and then go to the map he had, without him realizing of the last.

“No!” Bones exclaimed, seeing Calabrass being taking from him.

Clover was able to get Calabrass and then teleported away right to the bow, where he passed the talking sword to Dusk who grabbed him with his magic.

“I got the map!” he said, showing it to Dusk.

“Good work, Clover!” Dusk congratulated.

Dusk then turned to Golden Bones, with the Chaos separating the sails to clean his path.

“We were so close!” Bones protested.

“Calabrass, let’s finish this” Dusk said, jumping then towards Bones.

“Dusk Storm!” the golden skeleton shouted, jumping too to confront his most hated enemy.

“Eye of Sino!” Dusk called.

Dusk and Calabrass transformed and then he and Golden Bones started a fight on the lower deck. However, with the ice power and Clover’s help, Dusk appeared to have the control. But after trying to freeze Golden Bones entirely, the latter was able to get free almost immediately and then throw the young unicorn against the deck. Laughing, Skullivar’s general asked, while preparing to attack:

“Is that the best you can do?”

“Me, yeah” Dusk replied, with a smile, while detransforming. “But him…”

He was talking about Clover who used his ball and chain to make some hits on Bones before throwing him overboard.

“And it’s over the fence!” Dusk exclaimed to Bones, turning then to Clover. “Good job.”

“Well, I’m getting used to it” the little ghost replied.

The Chaos then passed the vortex as it closed. Returning to Beru, they headed to the place where the Eel had sank, searching for their friends, but they were anywhere to be found.

“I don’t see them” Dusk said, while Clover was at the point of the bow looking out.

“Do you think that…” Clover started.

It was then that they saw them… on a raft made of pieces of the Eel.

“Hello, geniuses” Opal said. “What took you?”

“They’re geniuses too?” Mallet asked, much to Opal’s dismay.

After everyone was back on deck, Mallet said to Chaos, while tapping the taffrail:

“Oh, good boat! Mallet missed you.”

“I thought you would lose there, for a while” Star admitted.

“Luckily, we had you, Dusk” Opal said. “If we had to count on Clover…”

“Switch that around, Opal” Dusk told her. “Without Clover, we would all be toast. I never could have done it alone.”

“No, I just did my part, which was… most of the parts” Clover replied. “Actually, I pretty much saved everypony. I more amazing that it can be even imagined.”

“And what am I, chopped liver?” Calabrass asked. “Without me, ye would look like idiots! Silly landlubbers…”

Clover replied by sticking his tong out on Calabrass, while all the others laughed.

A Jellyfish of Legend

It was night at the Sea of Beru and a vapor boat was sailing around, with its crew being made of two earth ponies and a pegasus as a captain. They seemed to be looking for something, as they had a spotlight that they were using to look around. It was then that they saw something glowing underwater.

“There it is!” the pegasus captain exclaimed, pointing. “Tonight, we make history!”

Seeing the immensurable size of the thing that was emanating that glow, one of his sailors asked:

“Are you sure about this, Iron Block. We’ve never attacked or seen anything like it before?”

“Exactly!” he exclaimed. “We’ll bring that trophy in and we’ll be legend! It will make Dusk Storm and his clueless crew look like a bunch of sardine sailors.”

And so the thing immerged and its looked scared the three sailors. It was a gigantic jellyfish with a sparkling light blue color and three blue circles at the front. The two underling sailors were both really scared, but their captain soon tried to live up their spirits by saying:

“Got up, boys! What are you?! Fresh water sailors?!”

“No!”

“Who’s the true king of this Seven Seas?”

“Iron Block!”

“Well, then, let’s fish!”

They prepared an harpoon-like weapon, with Iron Block ready to shot. He said:

“All right, make your aim through!”

And so they shot, hitting the creature. But it screamed with a very high screech, while turning purple and having static going through his body. As it recovered, it turned blue again.

“Did we get it?” one of the sailors asked.

The jellyfish released a sound and then extended to the air one tentacle, making a blue vortex to appear, much to the three sailors shock, and it passed through it. However, the vortex started also sucking the boat, along with the sailors, as well. After the boat passed though the vortex, it closed.

Elsewhere, the Chaos was sailing, with his sails lowed on each side, with his eyes emitting light. Clover was on one of the sails, looking around, telling then to Dusk who was at the helm of the prow:

“Still nothing, Dusk.”

“Trust me, there was a vortex right here” Star told his younger brother from the bow where she was with Opal and Mallet.

“But there are no vortexes on the scans” Opal replied, with her device.

“Opal, check Star’s holographic charts, please” Dusk asked, while Opal went to see the helm of the bow. “Sounds like it’s going screwy… again. And while you’re on it, run an eye on Calabrass here. He’s being smarting off to his captain a little too much.”

“Nopony runs an eye over me unless they want to lose it” he replied.

“Ah, guys, something weird ahead!” Clover told.

“Clovis think something is weird?” Mallet asked. “Bad sign…”

And so, out of nowhere, the same blue vortex appeared above them.

“Wow!” Dusk exclaimed. “We found your vortex, Star.”

“Impossible…” Opal said. “My scanners…”

“Were wrong” Star replied to her.

And the same boat from before got out of the vortex and started falling on Chaos.

“It’s throwing ships at us!” Dusk exclaimed.

He made a tough turn, what caused his teammates to lose a little of their balance, but was able to avoid the ship that landed on the sea.

“What the…” Star started, as he and the others got up.

And they saw the vortex disappearing. Not only that, Clover saw something and said, pointing while trying to get hold on the sail:

“Port side… more weirdness.”

They all looked and saw something diving in the sea.

“You’re right, Clover…” Dusk said. “Weird…”

They brought Iron Block and his crew to their ship so that they could explain what had happened after they were sucked by the vortex, as the dawn was breaking in.

“We were stuck in Vapir” one of Iron’s underlings told.

“Being tossed around” the other continued.

“When the hole opened again” the first said.

“I steered them through opposing currents, but… that blasted jellybeast escaped my grasp” Iron Block finished.

“What’s all the fuss on this jellybeast?” Dusk asked.

“I for one thought it was just a legend” Opal said. “But then again, I’m not in the Triangle that long to get to know things like the jellybeast.”

“Besides the brief information on the books, I also don’t have much” Star told. “I also thought it was a legend.”

“Oh, but it is real” Mallet told. “A giant that used to live in cold waters of the Frozen North. We, Mighty Helm, call it Blixtar Storra.”

“Blixtar… what?” Dusk repeated.

“It means lightning star in Old Ponish” Star explained to his brother. “What is well suited. According to legend, it wanders from sea to sea and it is said to have destroyed countless of ships with the stung of its tentacles.”

“The most wanted prize of all this waters” Mallet told.

“No, Mallet” Calabrass contradicted. “The most wanted prize of all this waters is me!”

“Maybe, but you can’t create a vortex” Clover replied, while sitting on the stairs. “Can you?”

“Too bad it got away” Dusk said. “It would make going around much easier.”

“If I could examine a piece of this jellybeast, I could create a vortex machine” Opal suggested.

“For real?” Dusk asked her. “That would be great, Opal. What are we waiting for? Let’s get that jellybeast.”

“What?!” Iron Block exclaimed. “No! Don’t! Believe me. It’s too dangerous.”

“Nothing is too dangerous for the pony who has this!” Dusk replied, as he extended Calabrass high.

“This?!” Calabrass asked, insulted. “Ye call me a this?”

Ignoring him, Dusk asked Iron Block and his sailors.

“So, I guess you guys are not coming with us, right?”

They just shrugged their shoulders at him, while making a nervous smile.

After separating paths with Iron’s crew, the Sea Raiders advanced through Beru, looking for the jellybeast.

“Star, any leads on this legendary jellybeast’s location?” Dusk asked his brother, while steering from the helm of the prow.

“I’m not taking any vortex activity on the charts” he replied, while on the helm of the bow, turning then to the communicator to the engine room. “Opal?”

“One moment, please” she asked, while using her device. “There, the radar can know take any electrical phenomenon.”

“Good, now we should be able to track the energy released by the jellybeast and find its position” Star said.

Meanwhile, Calabrass was annoying Dusk for the way how he had addressed to him before, saying:

“You could refer to me as the Flashing Infuriated, the Untamed, the Bones Bane, the Villain Breaker, Defender of the Triangle… But no! You named me this! Are you even listening? You want ponies to admire you, then you need to make them know how important I am.”

“Sure, sure, okay…” he replied. “Yeah, really important.”

Star then was to get some activity and said:

“Got it. Three miles starboard.”

“Awesome” Dusk said. “And starboard is… which way?”

“That way” Star replied, pointing to the right.

“It’s true” Calabrass said, still talking about how important he was. “I’m much more than just this. I think! I have a brain!”

“Not now, Cal, I have reefs everywhere” Dusk replied, while doing his best to not go against the reefs that were crossing their way. “Here we come, jellybeast. It’s no use running from us. I’m not letting something as important as you slip away. Everypony, prepare for battle!”

Mallet then prepared his sword and Clover appeared on the bow, ready to help.

“It’s not everyday we got to meet a legend” Dusk said, unknowingly hurting Calabrass.

He then turn off the propellers, as they saw the jellybeast.

“Wow… that’s a lot of jelly!” Dusk admired.

“I’ve seen jellier…” Calabrass replied in a grunt.

“You sound jealous, Calabrass” Star noted, with a sly smile.

“Me? Jealous of that?! Bilged water!”

“Uh, we got company” Mallet warned, while pointing starboard.

“We know, we all see it” Dusk said, while looking to the jellybeast. “It’s kind of hard to miss it.”

“No, not that” Mallet replied, pointing to the other side. “That!”

Dusk and Calabrass turned around and saw the Demoniac approaching.

“The Demoniac!” Calabrass said, getting excited. “Back for me again. Will they ever rest?”

But then the Demoniac changing its course from the Chaos.

“Where are they going?” Calabrass asked. “I’m over here.”

Bones was at the top of the Demoniac’s tower, as the cannons were being prepared, shouting to his soldiers:

“A golden tooth to the skeleton who bangs the jellybeast. And remember, Skullivar wants it alive, so aim well, boneheads.”

As the Demoniac got close to the jellybeast, it extended one of its tentacles and started creating another vortex, ready to escape. But the skeletons wouldn’t let it go away that easily and so they started to fire on it. Each shot caused the jellybeast to release a hurtful cried, as it turned purple.

It then extended its tentacles to involve the Demoniac, causing static to pass through it. The skeletons there started running away.

“Come back, you cowards!” Golden Bones called.

But when he saw the jellybeast approaching, even him became terrified of it.

Before that situation, Dusk told Star:

“Big brother, take the helm!”

He then whistled and the Chaos released the Plank to where Dusk jump onto.

“I’m not let Bones kill that jellyfish” Dusk said, with Calabrass prepared. “It’s mine.”

“Your jellyfish?!” Calabrass asked, irritated. “Ahrr!”

“Let’s grab our chance while it is busy with the Demoniac” Dusk said. “Calabrass, give me the Eye of Aeria!”

However, when he tried to activate the Eye, nothing happened. Noting only Calabrass could hold on the transformation, Dusk said:

“Calabrass!”

“I’m not some object you can dictate your wishes to” he replied. “I am Calabrass! A true legend that…”

But he didn’t finish, as the jellybeast was able to hit Dusk with one of his tentacles, causing him to start falling. Fortunately, the Plank was able to stabilize and Dusk got hold on it. Turning to Calabrass, Dusk told him:

“Calabrass, seriously, this is no time to play around!”

He was able to return to the top of the Plank and headed towards the jellybeast again. As he went beneath it, he used Calabrass to put the tentacles out of his way, but then he was grabbed by one and then shook around.

“Look out!” Star exclaimed, while charging his horn so that he could help his brother.

He then fired a magic beam and hit the tentacle that was grabbing Dusk, cutting the tip, what caused some pain to the jellybeast. The tip fall onto the Plank and the jellybeast then released the Demoniac, only to turn its attention to the Chaos, grabbing it. Before that, Dusk moved towards the Chaos, saying:

“Hold on, I’m on my way!”

Returning to the bridge, Golden Bones said to his soldiers:

“To your stations! Submarine mode!”

The skeletons did what he told them to do and the Demoniac dived in. While calling for the periscope, Golden Bones said:

“We’ll let them tire themselves out and we’ll pick up the pieces.”

Arriving to the Chaos, Dusk told Opal, who had come to the deck:

“Opal, get this!”

And he threw the severed tentacle to Opal who caught it, while getting a shock from it. This caused her to toss it to the one being in the Chaos that would be shocked: Clover.”

“Clover, help me” she told him. “Take this to the cabinet, please. I have to check out if the Chaos wasn’t damaged with all this shocks.”

As she moved away, Clover said, making a funny face:

“Ah, that’s some smelly jelly.”

And he disappeared, while Star and Mallet fought the tentacles of the jellybeast and Opal returned to the engine room. Clover appeared on the captain’s cabinet, placing the tentacle on the holographic map.

“Be a good tentacle and stay” he told it, before teleporting away.

Outside, Dusk advanced again towards the jellybeast, while saying:

“Okay, let’s try this again. Calabrass, give the Eye of Blazz! And this time, give it all you got!”

But just like how it happened before, Calabrass didn’t summon the power of the Eye Dusk asked for.

“Now what’s the matter?” he asked to the talking sword.

“Oh nothing” he replied. “Go ahead and take care of your legendary jellyfish. I’m just going to take a nap.”

“Fine, I will” Dusk replied. “You big bony baby…”

And he approached the jellybeast, going beneath it again.

“Everything has a weak spot. It’s just a matter of finding it.”

He then saw the central place between the tentacles that was the only exposed part the jellybeast had and he concluded that should be the weak spot.

“Oh yeah!” Dusk exclaimed.

He advanced and then stabbed Calabrass’s blade on it. That caused the jellybeast to release a big screech and then explode, causing jelly to shower on the Chaos.

“Oh, so gross!” Clover yelled, covered in jelly, on top of the mast. “Even for me.”

Dusk, after that, lost control of the Plank and then started falling with it to the Chaos. After he recovered from the fall and got up, he noticed the jelly that was on him, much to his disgust.

“Dusk!” Star called, while approaching with Opal and Mallet. “You did it! You beat the jellybeast!”

“What about Bones?” Dusk asked.

“Gone” Mallet replied. “Run like a golden stinky cowards.”

Turning then to Calabrass, Dusk asked:

“Calabrass, do you have anything to say to me?”

He took a few seconds, but then said:

“Yes, it was… a mistake.”

“You can say that again” Dusk replied. “But I forgive you.”

“But, Dusk…” Star started, noticing the way Calabrass said what he said. “I don’t think you’re talking about the same thing.”

“The jellybeast…” Calabrass started. “When I was stuck into it, it spoke to me.”

“I didn’t hear anything” Dusk told. “And don’t try to change the subject. You put us all in danger with all of your pouting.”

“Yes, that’s true” Calabrass admitted. “I was jealous. But I promise the beast spoke to me. It kept saying it didn’t mean any harm to anypony. It begged… for our mercy.”

“Mercy?” Dusk asked. “What are you talking about?”

“Let ask her ourselves” Opal replied, looking to the cabinet.

They all went there, but when they arrived there, Clover, who was the first to arrive, exclaimed:

“The tentacle! It was right there! I swear! I put it right there!”

Dusk then picked something there with his magic: what seemed to be gelatinous substance. Making a disgusted look, Dusk asked:

“What’s this stuff?”

“It’s a cast” Opal replied. “The tentacle is regenerating.”

“That doesn’t sound good” Mallet commented.

They then heard static and turned around, only to see a very small jellybeast feeding on the cabinet’s light.

“Fascinating…” Opal said, amazed for what she was seeing. “Not only it creates vortexes, but can regenerate. It’s feeding on the electric currents of the Chaos to grow.”

Star then fire on it with a low-powered beam, causing it to get scared and then run away.

“I can see why Golden Bones was around” Star told. “A power like these at Skullivar’s possession… The very thought scares me.”

It was then that, for everypony’s surprise, the jellybeast, now bigger fell right in the front of them and started moving towards the exit.

“Catch it!” Opal said. “We have to examine it.”

“But don’t hurt it!” Calabrass warned.

The jellybeast exited to the deck and headed towards the engine room. The Sea Raiders came out of the cabinet, looking around for it and then, noticing the opened door of the engine room, they headed there. Clover arrived in time to see the jellybeast passed through the entrance to the inside of the Chaos. As the others arrived, Clover told them:

“It went down there.”

Suddenly, the lights started to fail.

“Now what?” Dusk asked.

“A short circuit” Opal replied, taking her device. “I’m going to activate the auxiliary generator. We need to find that baby jellyfish back, or it will suck all of our energy and totally turn off the Chaos.”

Going to the inside of Chaos as the lights went on again, they started advancing, with them splitting up once arriving to the fork, with Dusk and Calabrass going with Mallet, Opal going with Clover and Star going alone.

Outside, the Chaos was stopped in order to conserve his energy, so the Demoniac emerged, with the skeletons taking aboard of a new version of the Eel to get close and then board the Chaos.

Inside, each member of the Sea Raiders were walking on their respective hall, very attentive to any sign of the jellybeast. Star then took a look on it and prepared to cast a magic beam, but it was too fast for him to hit it. Using the communicator, he told the others:

“I found it! It’s heading to the deck!”

“Roger, Star” Opal replied. “Everypony, get out back! Don’t let it go away!”

With Bones on board of the Chaos with some of his soldiers, he told to his underlings:

“Find me some of that jellybeast!”

They then saw it coming out of the engine room. Noticing the skeletons, it positioned itself in an offensive mode, while releasing electricity, what really intimidated the skeletons. Noticing their fear, Golden Bones told them:

“The first one to run will be cut to pieces.”

Dusk, arriving to the deck, was about to catch the jellybeast, but then noticed on the uninvited guests on his ship.

“Bones?!” he asked.

“I thought to drop by for a visit” he said sarcastically, while the others arrived. “Be a good knave now and share. It’s not nice to keep it all to yourself. Get me that jelly!”

And the skeleton soldiers advanced.

“No!” Calabrass shouted. “Leave it be!”

The skeletons then started forming a pyramid, but it was able to knock them down with the tentacles, while going higher.

“With me, you bunch of bilge rats!” Bones said to his soldiers, as they reassembled.

But Clover then knocked down the ones who had just reassembled with his ball and chain. The other Sea Raiders prepared for battle too and started fighting them. Meanwhile, the jellybeast went against Bones and wrapped him with his tentacles, starting shocking him. It then release an explosion of light that casted Bones back to the Eel, along with the bones of the soldiers that were with him.

Now facing the jellybeast that had grown even more, Dusk told it, seeing how threatening it looked:

“Bring it on, jelly!”

“Dusk, stop! I want to talk with it.”

“What?” Dusk asked him. “First you refused to obey and now you’re giving me orders?”

“Dusk, whatever do we have to lose to listening to it?” Star asked.

“Jellyfish don’t talk” Dusk replied. “Calabrass made up that story because he’s trying to teach me…”

But then the jellybeast extended his tentacle and grabbed Calabrass, starting to pull him. Dusk started to pull Calabrass back. Electricity could be seen being released, as Calabrass eyes turned purple. However, Dusk that electricity didn’t seem harmful.

“I don’t get it…” he said, confused. “They’re like… bonding.”

“Then, I’ll unbond them!” Mallet replied.

“No!” Star told Mallet, as he prepared to raise his sword. “Stop! Look!”

Seeing what Star was trying to tell, Dusk said:

“They’re… communicating?”

And so the jellybeast let go of Calabrass, whose eyes returned to normal. Clover then, appearing from behind, used his chain to catch the jellybeast’s tentacles.

“Got it!” Clover said, while starting to pull. “One jellyfish.”

It then started to pull back, wanting to be released. Turning to Clover, Calabrass told him:

“You puff of air… Leave it alone! Before I carved you into clouds!”

“Uh, what?!” Clover asked. “Can you do that?”

“Everyone, listen!” Calabrass said. “It just wants to go home!”

Hearing that, Dusk looked, confused, to the jellybeast and then descended it to Mallet who was just in the way.

“Don’t look at me” he replied. “I’m just a warrior. You’re the captain.”

Sharing a look with Star and knowing his opinion on the subject, Dusk said to Calabrass:

“You’re one odd skull sword. Guys, release it.”

“Can we just take one tiny sample?” Opal asked.

“Would you like it if I removed one of your bones?” Calabrass asked back.

Realizing what he meant, Opal sighed:

“Fine… It looks like a vortex machine is out of question, now.”

Clover then made his chain disappeared and then the jellyfish just stood where she was.

“What’s it doing?” he asked. “Why didn’t it clear off?”

It was then that the jellybeast started absorbing Chaos’s energy, all while growing big.

“I’m willing to sacrifice a great invention, but not the Chaos” Opal said. “Dusk, you have to do something. It’s sucking off all our juice!”

Having an idea, he turned to Calabrass, Dusk said:

“Calabrass, I need the Eye of Aeria.”

“But…” Star started.

“You have to trust me” Dusk said to Calabrass. “Please.”

Noticing Dusk didn’t have any ill intentions against the jellybeast by looking into his eyes, Calabrass consented. And so he went to activate the Eye of Aeria, transforming Dusk and himself. After that, Dusk jumped to the bow and then attacked the jellybeast with a blast of lightning. The attack threw the jellybeast into the sea, where it dived.

The night fell and the Chaos arrived to Marituga.

“I don’t know about you, guys, but I need a hot bath” Dusk said, as he and the others were leaving the Chaos.

Before leaving, Opal said to Star:

“What happened to Chaos doesn’t make sense. The batteries are almost flat, but my readings show an overload.”

“Do you want some help?” Star asked.

“It’s just a little problem” she replied. “I’ll join you once I figure this out.”

Star nodded and then flapped his wings, flying to catch up with Dusk and Mallet.

As they started moving away from the Chaos, Iron Block’s underlings approached, with one asking:

“Did you see it?! Did you see it?!”

Dusk didn’t know exactly what to say, but Calabrass then asked:

“Why do you all want that poor creature?! Leave it alone!”

It was then that a big shadow immerge and the two sailors, seeing where it was coming from, started running away. Calabrass said:

“What? I’m not that scary when I’m angry, am I?”

It was then they all turned around and saw what they were running away from. The jellybeast was back, but now it was as big as it once was.

“Something tells me it doesn’t like to be alone.”

Seeing that from the Chaos, Opal realized the discrepancy of her readings.

“The jellybeast…” she said. “It never left the Chaos! It drained it! And now it’s looking for another source of energy.”

The jellybeast, passing by the Chaos, started crossing Marituga, with everyone running from it. It started absorbing all the energy around as it passed by, increasing in size as it was doing it. However, the jellybeast only had one target in sight…

“Oh no, the lighthouse!” Mallet exclaimed.

“What happens if that goes out?” Dusk asked to his brother.

“If it sucks the energy of the lighthouse, the barriers of the seas will collapse and the Triangle will implode on itself” Star replied.

“That… doesn’t sound healthy” Dusk replied.

“But, Dusk…” Calabrass started.

“The whole Triangle wasn’t under threat before, Cal” Dusk told him. “We can’t let it reach the lighthouse.”

And they returned back to the Chaos, with it waking up and getting ready. Using his metallic legs, Chaos started climbing the lighthouse, with Dusk saying, while steering:

“We’re going to cut it off.”

Calabrass, seeing all the others preparing for battle, got very worried for the jellybeast. However, the worst was still to come, as the Demoniac had also arrived to Marituga. The Eel was released, along with some tanks and pteros.

“This time, we do not leave empty hoofed” Golden Bones said at the helm of the Eel.

The jellybeast was getting closer and closer to the top of the lighthouse, with Dusk and the others not so behind. They arrived there first, with Dusk and Mallet on the taffrail to not fall and Star hoovering. The young alicorn said to the talking sword:

“I’m sorry, Calabrass, I wished there was another way.”

He prepared to fire at the jellybeast.

“No, wait, Star!” Calabrass said.

“Calabrass, if you have any other ideas, now’s the time” Dusk replied.

“Let me talk to it” Calabrass asked.

“Again?!” everypony asked at the same time.

“Like, let’s go take a smoothie or something?” Dusk asked.

“Do you think it would work?” Star inquired.

“Dusk, stick me into it” Calabrass told.

“I don’t know, Cal” Dusk replied, unsure. “We did that earlier and then it exploded.”

“This time call the Eye of Vapir” Calabrass replied. “Trust me… please.”

The jellyfish was getting closer and closer and, despite still having his doubts, he decided to trust on Calabrass, just like he did with him before.

“Okay” Dusk said, while grabbing Calabrass. “Give me the Eye of Vapir!”

And so they transformed. After that, Dusk jumped from the Chaos heading towards the jellybeast.

“Dusk, no!” Star shouted.

When Dusk was about to hit the jellybeast, he passed through it because of the power of Eye of Vapir. So he find himself in a dark place. A voice then called:

“Dusk Storm?”

Dusk turned around and saw the same circles existed on the jellybeast’s face.

“Did you just talked?” he asked.

“I told ye” Calabrass said. “Now listen what it has to say.”

“Dusk Storm, do not hurt me, please” the jellybeast said.

Noticing the tone of his voice, Dusk asked:

“You’re just a kid? Call, she’s not a jellybeast. She’s a jellybaby.”

“Dusk Storm, I wish you no harm” the jellybaby told. “Please, move aside.”

“Move? Sorry, jellybaby, but I can’t let you get close to the lighthouse.”

“But… I need energy.”

“Is that why you attack ships?” Dusk asked. “For their energy?”

“I did not attack them” the jellybaby replied. “They attacked me. I only defend. Each time drains my strength more.”

Outside, while they were waiting, Mallet said to Star:

“Mallet do not like this.”

“Mallet, I think we have bigger problems” Star told, pointing to the approaching pteros, who he started to attack.

Sensing the skeletons, the jellybaby told Dusk and Calabrass:

“Danger… It’s coming. Danger!”

“If you absorb that lighthouse, we’re all in danger” Dusk told him.

“But we need energy” the jellybeast replied. “I need to leave.”

“All right, jellybaby” Dusk said. “Let’s find you some energy. But no lighthouses, got it?”

Instead of replying, the three circles closed and Dusk went up, getting out of the jellybaby, as the pteros attacked, and landed on the Chaos, who had positioned itself to level the deck. Seeing his brother, Star asked:

“Dusk?”

“Sea Raiders, to your battle stations!” he exclaimed.

The skeletons on the pteros were attacking the jellybaby that did her best to defend herself as she attacked them back. In order to escape, she tried to create another vortex.

“Look, that’s what she means by leave” Dusk told his friends. “Vortexes. She needs energy to create them in order to escape.”

But before the jellybaby could cross it, something fired against her, hitting her and draining more of her energy, causing the vortex to fail. Dusk looked around and saw where that came from: the Eel.

“Bones…” he said. “Of course…”

Advancing towards the bow, he told to his friends:

“Keep creating a diversion while I get some jellybaby food.”

Getting onto the Plank, Dusk asked Calabrass:

“What do you say, buddy? Me and the one and only, the most wanted being in the Seven Seas, Calabrass!”

Getting excited by how Dusk was exalting him the way he deserved, Calabrass exclaimed:

“Yeah!”

And the Plan then was released, with Dusk going to the jellybaby and calling her attention:

“Hey!”

After making sure she noticed him, Dusk started heading towards the Eel, with the jellybaby following him. Despite the pteros wanting to follow them, Star made sure they didn’t do it. When they were closed to the Eel, Dusk told the jellybaby:

“Come on! Have a feast!”

And so the jellybaby started absorbing the Demoniac’s energy, while getting bigger. After dealing with the pteros, Mallet said:

“Hey, I’m hungry too.”

“We’ll have grain some bones to make our bread” Star replied, pointing to the Eel and the tanks that were getting closer to Marituga.

Extending his sails and activating the propellers, the Chaos jumped from the lighthouse to land on the sea, in front of their enemies.

After finishing with the Demoniac, the jellybaby started creating another vortex and passed through it, with the vortex closing as soon she passed through it.

Seeing that the Demoniac had become powerless, Dusk asked Calabrass:

“What do you say, pall? Shall we rescue the others?”

“Sounds like a plan” he replied.

And so they returned to the Chaos that had all the skeletons pointing their weapons at them. Once Dusk arrived and put Calabrass on his scabbard, Golden Bones told him from the Eel:

“I may not have the beast, but I’m not leaving empty-hoofed. The choice is yours, Dusk Storm: your friends or the sword.”

“At last somepony is interested in me!” Calabrass exclaimed. “Actually, Dusk, I don’t have any energy left.”

“It’s okay, bud, I think we know someone with enough juice to finish the job” Dusk replied, while looking above.

A vortex just opened and a big shadow started to appear. All the tanks just run away and Golden Bones, before that, said:

“Come back, you bunch of cowards…”

But then he noticed the jellybaby right above him. She took him with one tentacle, shocking him and then throwing him away to the sea. After that, she charged the vortex and then looked to Dusk and the others, trying to say something.

“Dusk, I think she’s saying…” Calabrass started.

“Yeah, I know” Dusk replied.

She then passed through the vortex and it closed.

“When I come to think of it, that jellyfish was an incredible creature” Opal said.

“Legendary even” Mallet added.

“I’m going to miss it” Clover said.

“Sure it would be nice to have her vortex power” Dusk told. “But not as much as Calabrass’s, the only true living legend of all the Seven Seas.”

“You know, actually, I wasn’t really jealous, right?” he said. “I was trying to…”

Dusk drop a chuckle, making a knowing look to Calabrass. The latter, in order to get out of that moment, asked:

“What are we waiting for, you bunch of sea cucumbers?!”

“You heard the legend” Dusk said to his friends, while extending Calabrass. “Let’s move!”

And so Chaos activated his propellers and started moving away from Marituga.

The Eternal Forge

The Chaos was at the Sea of Dezer, a vast sand desert where pyramids with strange runes lurking around. Clover was alone at the deck, playing with some marbles. He tossed one against another in order to put some inside of three cups. Meanwhile, Dusk, Calabrass, Star, Opal and Mallet were investigating the inside of one of the pyramids. With the two unicorns and alicorn providing light with their horns, they walked through the hallways.

“I don’t know about this, Dusk” Opal said, as they walked. “The former inhabitants of Dezer protected their pyramids from plunderers with all sort of traps and curses.”

“We’re just looking for one of the waypoints of the Triangle so I can get us all home” Dusk replied. “There’s no plundering ahoy. You can relax, Opal.”

“No plundering?!” Calabrass asked, offended. “You do know I got up of bed, right?”

They then arrived to a door where there was a figure of a triangle with an inverted triangle inside and circles at each endpoint, with a symbol of flame on each side.

“Wow, a symbol!” Dusk said. “So, whatever is behind this door, I bet it’s important.”

“I’ve seen that shape somewhere before” Star said.

Mallet advanced and tried to move it, but without success.

“Why don’t we take a long step back and analyze the situation first?” Opal asked.

“A true pirate never backs away, mate!” Calabrass replied to her.

“Exactly!” Dusk agreed.

He then approached the door, while Mallet tried to pull it, and then pressed the inverted triangle. However that caused the ceiling to start crumbling.

“Oh no, it’s going to collapse!” Opal shouted. “And right on top of us!”

Pieces of rock started to fall hard from above and Star, seeing that, said:

“We don’t have time to escape!”

“No worries, I’ll get us out of here” Dusk replied.

“I don’t reckon any one of my powers is strong enough to get us out” Calabrass told him.

“Not one power, but what about all of your powers?” Dusk asked, while going to grab Calabrass.

Hearing what his brother planned to do, Star yelled:

“No, Dusk!”

“Calabrass, give me all the Eyes of the Seven Seas!” Dusk exclaimed, while raising Calabrass.

Calabrass released an intense light, as all the Eyes of the Seven Seas started glowing and an immense burst of energy came out of Calabrass, going up and piercing through the pyramid, blowing it up. That explosion was so intense it was sensed by Skullivar’s radar. Seeing that, the villain said, while chuckling:

“Dusk Storm… you are doomed.”

At Dezer, the wind of the desert started clearing the dust released by the explosion and, when it was all cleared out, Dusk appeared, standing and panting, while the others were sitting against the ground after being thrown by the explosion.

“I knew Calabrass was powerful, but… I had no idea he could do this” Star said.

Dusk turned to Calabrass and told him, amazed:

“Dude, you completely vaporized the pyramid! Way to go, Cal!”

But seeing that he was not responding, he called again:

“Cal?”

He again didn’t replied, appearing to be unconscious.

“Calabrass!” Dusk called again, now really worried.

At Netherwhere, Skullivar was sitting on his throne, with Golden Bones and one of his soldiers facing him.

“All powers of the Seven Seas were unleased at the same time” Skullivar informed Golden Bones. “Not even Calabrass can bear a burst of energy of that magnitude. The Eyes are within our grasp.”

“You’ll have them, master” Golden Bones ensured. “I will dispatch all our forces to find them.

“There’s no need, Bones” Skullivar replied. “I know exactly where they’re going.”

The Sea Raiders returned to the Chaos, with Star telling his brother as they climbed back onboard:

“If you had just given me time to figure out what the symbol meant, we wouldn’t have triggered the trap and Calabrass would not have been damaged.”

“He’s fine” Dusk told him. “He just needs time to sleep it all.”

“What are you talking about?” Clover asked, confused. “What happened?”

“Not now, Clover” Star and Dusk replied at the same time, while moving away.

When Opal got onboard, Clover made her the same question:

“What happened? What was that…?”

“Not now, Clover” Opal told him, while going to her engine room.

Clover, still confused, went to ask Mallet, but changed his mind when he heard him saying:

“Mallet hungry!”

The little ghost really hated to be left behind when his teammates had all the fun.

The Sea Raiders returned to Beru and, while Chaos was sailing, Dusk, Star, Calabrass and Mallet were at the captain’s quarter. Star was looking through the books of the library, while Dusk asked his trusted talking sword, who was placed in the retractable table:

“Calabrass, back me up here. Tell Star the only way to know if the waypoint was there was to see for ourselves.”

“A pirate never… steps back” he said, in a weakened voice.

“Come on, shake it off!” Dusk said, frustrated and at the same time saddened.

Star placed a hoof over his brother shoulder, while securing a book with his magic, saying:

“We will find a way to heal him, Dusk.”

“But how do you heal a talking sword?” Dusk asked. “It’s not like we have mom or Mirror Coat to tell us. Calabrass, tell us what to do.”

“Heat…” he mumbled. “Fire… The Primordial Fire… Blazz…”

“Fire?” Dusk repeated. “A blaze? You’re talking about the Sea of Blazz, right?”

“That’s it!” Star exclaimed, while opening the book he was securing. “The symbol of the pyramid… I saw it in this book about Blazz. It belongs to an ancient civilization. They caused their own destruction by invocating a… pyrogenon, or something like that. They were weapon builders, the Pascuanites, and this is where they lived.”

He showed them a picture of volcanic island.

“Weapon builders…” Dusk said, thoughtfully. “If they built Calabrass, we can find a way to heal him there. Star, find us a vortex. Set a course to the Sea of Blazz.”

And so they started searching for a way to Blazz. While Dusk was at the helm with Star and Mallet by his side, Opal was at the lower deck working on her suit, modifying it so that she could use it on the Sea of Blazz. Seeing her working, Clover approached her and said, with a smile:

“Oh, I can give you a hoof. Look, if I do this…”

And he passed his hoof through the suit, with Opal then saying:

“No, don’t!”

But it was too late, as static started passing through the suit and then started attacking all the metal around, including her tools and gun. Opal then made a look of disapproval to Clover who said:

“I just wanted to help.”

“Clover, go back to your crow’s nest and let me work!” Opal replied.

And so he did it.

At the vortex to Blazz, the Demoniac positioned itself in front of it, with Golden Bones saying to his crew:

“Position the Demoniac in front of the vortex! Deploy all combat units!”

Chaos was approaching the vortex, while Opal joined the others and Clover was performing his duty as look-out. While steering, Dusk said, noticing the Demoniac and taking Calabrass from the scabbard with his magic:

“If Skullivar is keeping us from going to Blazz, that means it’s the right direction.”

“Captain, my gun is currently… stuck to my diving suit which is also not done” Opal said to Dusk.

“No problem, Mallet hit double hard” Mallet replied.

“Without Calabrass, there is no way we can fight all of them” Star replied. “We have to turn around and find another way in.”

Dusk looked to Calabrass, who was still in apparent unconscious state, and then remembered his words.

“A true pirate never steps back…” he said.

Seeing the Chaos approaching, Golden Bones laughed and then said:

“That’s it. Bring the Seven Eyes to me.”

And some skeletons in their waverunners and tanks started heading to the Chaos, along with others riding pteros.

“Get in your positions!” Dusk shouted to his teammates. “Don’t let them get onboard.”

And so they did it, with Mallet taking his sword out and Opal going to one of the side cannons. A few skeletons jumped from the pteros to the deck, but Mallet soon got rid of them with a simgle blow, throwing their bones away. The skeletons coming from the waverunners also couldn’t get closer, as Star was hitting them with his magic, with the young prince using his flying abilities to hit them from all the ways, having Opal as a back-up, all while Chaos tried to evade the tanks that tried to get him with the grappling hooks only to have their ropes cut by Dusk using Calabrass’s blade. Clover also helped, using his ball and chain to hit the skeletons that tried to climb onboard.

However, with the numbers of skeletons increasing, it was starting to get more difficult to fight them off. After getting rid of two skeletons, Dusk said to his friends:

“The Demoniac is not even firing at us. They must know we lost the powers of the Seven Seas.”

Seeing his brother overwhelmed with the amount of skeletons, even with him getting hit on one of his wings. Dusk went to help him and asked him:

“Are you all right, Star?”

“Yeah, but I have a feeling I won’t be able to fly for some time” he replied. “But there’s too many of them.”

Opal, Mallet and Clover went to join them, but they were already cornered by an overwhelming number of skeletons.

“Any ideas?” Dusk asked to his friends. “Hopefully like… right now?”

Opal, noticing her diving suit was near her, she had an idea and said:

“If only I can reproduce what Clover did to my diving suit earlier…”

“What, this?” the little ghost asked, putting his hoof through the diving suit.

And the suit started reacting the same way, attracting all the metals around, which included Mallet’s sword and all the skeletons aboard. Casting then a spell on the diving suit to nullify that effect, the one she used to release her gun, Opal caused all the skeletons to be thrown in pieces overboard. Now they only had to deal with the tanks that were pulling Chaos to the Demoniac.

“I’ll distract the others” Dusk said to his friends.

Going to the Plank, Chaos launched it and Dusk surfed around and then headed towards the tanks. Using Calabrass’s blade, he cut all the ropes that was connecting the tanks to the Chaos. Arriving to the deck of the Demoniac and seeing Dusk surfing on the Plank, Golden Bones said:

“I guess I’ll have to finish this myself” Golden Bones said, turning his hoof into a canon and starting shooting on Dusk.

But the young prince was able to evade the shoots, all while Chaos continued to approach the Demoniac with Star commanding it. Chaos got in his flight mode and then, using his metallic legs, climbed the Demoniac and passed over it, passing then through the waypoint, followed by Dusk.

“Foal’s play…” Golden Bones said. “That’s all they are capable of without the Seven Eyes. And they can’t run forever.”

Returning to the bridge, Golden Bones told to the soldiers nearby:

“Call back the troops! We’re going through!”

Arriving to the Sea of Blazz, which as an immense sea of lava with volcanic islands, Opal has returned to fix her diving suit, while Clover was playing with his marbles. Meanwhile, at the helm, Dusk was driving with Mallet and Star (who had his wounded wing bandaged) by his side and the latter consulting the book.

“None of my charts mention any Primordial Fire” Star said.

“Aye…” Calabrass said, weakly. “I can feel its heat…”

“Hey there…” Dusk said to his sword friend. “Feeling better? Do you want me sing you a song?”

“Keep your songs to youserlf, you scurvy landlover” Calabrass replied.

Dusk smiled, seeing that Calabrass’s grumpiness was only a good sign that he could only get any better. But it was then that the Eye of Sino got loose and casted in the air.

“Quick, the Eye of Sino!” Star exclaimed.

“Grab it!” Dusk replied.

The three of them tried to get it, but the Eye of Sino started to fell to the lava.

“No, no, no, no!” Dusk shouted.

Reacting to the situation, Clover said:

“I got this!”

And he threw one of his marbles, being able to hit the Eye and, with this, throw him back to Dusk who hasted to get it, releasing then a sigh of relief.

“Trick shot!” Clover exclaimed. “I save one of the Eyes! Did you see that?! I can be a hero!”

However, Dusk ignored that and said to Star:

“We have to reach the Primordial Fire before Golden Bones finds us again.”

Feeling ignored, Clover asked:

“Hello? Anypony?”

But nopony replied to him.

Arriving to the volcanic island the book was referring, Dusk, Star, Mallet and Opal (which was using her suit designed to help her support the heat) got out, with the first telling to Clover:

“If you see anything, Clover, give us the signal.”

“You’re sticking me here again?” Clover asked, a little frustrated, as his friends moved away. “Come on!”

They started passing through a way sided with what appear to be pig-like statues. Dusk then said, talking about the Pascuanites:

“I don’t get it. They built all this and then destroyed themselves?”

“Yes” Star replied. “The Pascuanites and their mad pursue of power.”

“Yeah, they must have been strong” Mallet commented.

“Strength is not just knowing how to destroy” Opal replied to him.

It was then that, suddenly, Mallet stepped upon a level. This caused the statues beside them to open some furnace and revealing fire in them.

“Fire!” Dusk exclaimed. “Run!”

And the statue shot the fire at them and the Sea Raiders tried to do their best to dodge them. They fortunately reached the end of that path, arriving to some stairs that they climbed. Finding another path but sided with what appeared to be lasers, Opal advised them:

“Wait!”

Using the visor of her suit she had modified, she became capable of seeing infrared light and saw some infrared beams coming out of the lasers.

“Just as I suspect…” she said. “There’s a laser detection system.”

“Can you deactivate them?” Dusk asked.

“Better, I can guide you through them” Opal replied.

Saying this, Opal took from her back some powder that she spread through the use of her magic, revealing then the lasers. She said then:

“I was hoping to use that powder for another thing, but I guess this situation is pretty special.”

At the Chaos, Clover was rolling, bored, one of his marbles when he noticed the Demoniac appearing. Before that, he went underdeck. Golden Bones and his soldiers get out of their ship and started heading forward. Appearing at helm, he started calling Opal’s decide through the commands there.

“Hello, can you hear me?” he would say. “Hello?”

Receiving the signal, Opal replied to the call through her suit, to which was added a communication device she had created to stay in contact with Chaos when from afar.

“Clover, stop playing with the radio!” she replied, as she and the others tried to pass through the lasers without touching them.

It was then that one of Mallet’s shoulders hit a beam and Opal shouted at him:

“Mallet, whatever you do, don’t move!”

“I’m not playing around” Clover said. “The Demoniac is hear! Golden Bones is right behind you!”

Hearing that, Mallet went to the hand of his sword, but Opal warned him:

“Mallet, if you move, you’ll set off the trap.”

“But we have to do something” Dusk said. “Calabrass is getting worse and Bones is almost on us.”

“What are our options?” Star asked.

“Only one” Dusk replied. “Calabrass told us to never step back and we’re doing exactly that. Run!”

And so the four of them started running, while traps of fire were activated on the ground. As they did their best to get out of there, Dusk told them:

“Come on, guys, don’t stop!”

But it was then that Dusk fell through one trapdoor which closed immediately. When getting there, Star called:

“Dusk!”

He was inside of a small chamber. Looking for a way to get out of there, Dusk said:

“Nothing. No way out. These Pascuanites’ traps are really getting on my nerves!”

“Dusk, can you hear me?!” Star called from out of the trap.

“There must be an opening mechanism somewhere” Opal said, while looking around.

Mallet then started trying use his sword to open the trapdoor while saying:

“I’ll use the Might Helm opening.”

While on the trap, Dusk noticed something.

“Is it me or is starting to get really hot here?” he asked.

Looking to Calabrass, he saw static coming out of him and then realized what was happening:

“We’re cooking in a giant oven!”

But that was not the worse of part, as the chamber walls started to move, causing it to get smaller.

“Hey, get us out!” Dusk shouted to his friends. “Oh… we’re so toasted.”

Opal went to a strange statue nearby and started to analyze it carefully, hoping it would hold the key to open the trap where Dusk was. In a triangle shape there, the surface opened, revealing a set of commands.

“Hey, I found it!” she said to Star and Mallet.

Opal then pressed one button but that caused the statue to shoot a fireball against Star and Mallet who were quick enough to dodge.

“Hey, Opal almost fry Mallet” the young Mighty Helmet reclaimed.

“I’m terribly sorry, Mallet!” Opal replied. “But these symbols make no sense to me!”

“Keep trying” Star said. “We have to get Dusk out of there.”

Dusk was trying to hold the walls, but that was a futile task.

“I’m sorry, Calabrass” he said. “I’ve failed. I couldn’t save you and me.”

“Use my last strength to get out of here, mate” Calabrass told him.

“Are you crazy?!” Dusk asked.

“You’ll prevail” Calabrass said. “It’s in your blood. I give you the Eye of Aeria.”

“NOO!!” Dusk shouted, as the walls prepared to meet each other.

Outside the trap, Opal was trying to open it, but without success.

“Try again” Star told her.

“But I’m putting all of us in danger!” Opal replied.

However, that was necessary, as Dusk was able to pass through the doortrap using the power of the Eye of Aeria, landing then, with the others going to him. As he landed, detransformed, the Eyes of the Seven Seas fell at his hooves. Turning to his sword friend, Dusk called:

“Calabrass! Calabrass!”

But he didn’t answer, having lost consciousness completely.

“It’s all my fault” Dusk said, with tears starting to come to his eyes. “He sacrificed himself… because of me!”

“Using all of Calabrass’s power at the same may have seemed a bad idea, but it worked” Star said to his younger brother, kneeling before him and putting his hoof over his shoulder. “You saved us… both of you.”

“You’re right” Dusk replied, cleaning his eyes and taking the Eyes that were on the ground. “Calabrass never gave up and he would keep fighting right to the end. And so will we.”

“But isn’t this the end?” Opal asked, as Dusk and Star got up, with the former putting Calabrass at his scabbard.

“Not until we try everything” Dusk answered.

He looked and saw Golden Bones and his soldiers down there. Star, noticing them as well, told to his brother:

“Go for Calabrass. We will handle Golden Bones.”

“You’re the best, big brother” Dusk told him. “And I will save him.”

And Dusk continued to climb the stones. After he was gone, Opal asked Star:

“You do realize there’s more of them than us, right?”

“Yeah, too bad for them” Mallet said, holding his sword.

“You’re all forgetting where we are” Star replied. “Let us introduce them to the charms of this island.”

It was then that Golden Bones, as he was passing through the first path, enacted the trap there, starting to face the fire shots. Despite some of his soldiers were broken apart, he just said:

“Forward!”

Despite a little scared of the traps, the remaining soldiers followed him.

Dusk followed his way, running, until he reached his destination.

“The Primordial Fire… We made it!”

The place was a giant pit with lava down there. At the center there was a round platform with three pillars guarding an altar. The platform was connected to the outside of the pit through five stone bridges.

“Don’t worry, Call, this will fix you up” Dusk said.

Golden Bones and his soldiers reached the path with the lasers and saw Star, Opal and Mallet at the end of it, they all ready for him.

“Forward!” he commanded to his soldiers.

And so two advanced, but Opal was already prepared and pressed one of the buttons of the controls and a fire erupted from beneath one of the skeletons, breaking him apart.

“Uh, enough!” Golden Bones exclaimed, tired of all those traps, sending his other soldiers.

However, as they advanced, more traps were activated by Opal, breaking them one by one.

“No more traps!” Golden Bones shouted, as he advanced.

“That’s what you think” Opal replied, pressing another button.

The statue of the controls shouted fire at Bones and then Opal reacted by casting then a freezing spell that immediately froze Bones.

“I got him!” she exclaimed.

But then the ice started to break and Opal said:

“Looks like he’s harder than I thought to put on ice.”

Mallet advanced to hit Bones with his sword, but the skeleton general’s released caused a shock wave that sent Mallet back against the ground. And, before any of them could react, they were surrounded by skeletons.

“Keep an eye on them” Golden Bones told to his soldiers, heading then to the stairs. “Second squad, with me.”

At the Primordial Fire, Dusk started crossing one of the bridges to get to the center, doing it carefully. When he found the same symbol from the pyramid, he said:

“Not again!”

And so he crossed without touching the symbol. Reaching the suspended island, Dusk advanced towards the altar that was filled with lava and so he placed Calabrass’s blade there. He then retreated a few steps back, waiting for anything to happen.

“Come on, Calabrass…” he said. “Come back to us!”

Outside, Star said to Opal and Mallet:

“We have to get out of here.”

“Mallet has idea” Mallet said, with a smile. “But needs a hoof.”

And so he grabbed one foreleg of one skeleton, crushing him then, and tossed the foreleg against the controls, activating something Mallet, Star and Opal really knew about.

“Heads down!” Mallet said.

And the statue shot fired that hit the skeletons, breaking them apart. After the danger was over, Star told to Mallet:

“Nice touch.”

At the Primordial Fire, Dusk was still waiting for Calabrass to recover.

“Come on… Please, work.”

At that moment, he heard steps and saw Golden Bones and his skeletons getting to the suspended island.

“Looks like I got here just in time” the general said and advancing, causing Dusk to start retreating. “You’re alone, unarmed and yours won’t be coming to your rescue. So, save us all a little time and hand over the Eyes of the Seven Seas.”

Showing Bones the seven stones, Dusk asked:

“Is this what you want? Go fetch!”

And so he tossed them away to the lava. However, it would appear the lava was not hot enough to melt them. Seeing that, Golden Bones laughed and shouted to his soldiers:

“Go get me those damned stones!”

And the skeleton soldiers formed a rope, with them almost reach the Eyes. Star, Opal and Mallet got there and, seeing that, Star said:

“Oh no… It’s too late.”

After retrieving the stones, the rope of skeletons was retrieved and the soldiers who got them gave them to Golden Bones who said, while holding the stones on his hoof:

“You gamble, you lose. Say goodbye, boy.”

However, Dusk just laughed and said:

“Looks like you forgot one.”

And he revealed the one Eye he hadn’t tossed to the lava.

“I’m afraid the Eyes can’t be activated without a catalyst, Dusk Storm” Golden Bones replied. “And your sword is out of order.”

“You’re right to be afraid, Boneybutt!” a voice shouted.

It was Calabrass who had regained his strength back.

Despite that, Golden Bones didn’t show any concern, as he asked Dusk:

“You really think I’m going to let you put the Eye back on your sword?

“Yeah, and I even think you’re going to help me do it” Dusk replied. “You know, a little ghost I know taught me a little trick.”

And he threw the Eye, while advancing towards Calabrass. The Eye hit Golden Bones’s hook, being then thrown against the nearest pillar who went to hit another and after that, the Eye of Aeria was placed on Calabrass who was grabbed by Dusk, who said, while taking his trusted sword out of the lava:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Aeria!”

“My pleasure, laddie!” Calabrass replied, as he activated the Eye.

Using Calabrass (turned into an axe), Dusk casted a light against Golden Bones, blinding him and causing him to release the other Eyes which magically returned to Calabrass and placed themselves in their rightful place, as he and Dusk detransformed. Before that, Golden Bones shouted:

“Stop him!”

“Hey, Calabrass, up for a fight?” Dusk asked.

“I feel newly forged” he replied. “Let’s give your powers a test-run, Dusk. Ahoy!”

“If you say so” Dusk replied. “Give me the Eye of Blazz!”

And the Eye was activated. As Dusk used his fire attacks against some skeletons, he said:

“It works… Now give me the Eye of Sino!”

Dusk got the ice powers who used it to freeze the floor and cause skeletons to slip into the lava.

“The Eye of Dezer!”

He used his rocked foreleg to hit a pair of skeletons.

“The Eye of Beru!”

He shot a blast of water against another pair of skeletons.

“The Eye of Zite!”

He turned Calabrass into his shuriken form, using him against other skeletons.

“And Vapir!”

With this power, Dusk didn’t had to anything much. When the skeletons went to get him, they just passed through him, falling then on the lava. After that, Dusk turned to Calabrass and told him:

“You’re in a perfect shape, Calabrass! This is awesome!”

He turned then to Golden Bones and asked him:

“So, Bony, who’s alone now?”

But the villainous golden skeleton just laughed. And so more skeletons appeared from the entrance, threatening Dusk’s friends.

“Give me the sword or your friends will take a one-way ticket to die in a very hot pot” Golden Bones demanded, while approaching Dusk.

“We ain’t surrender, you scuffed brain!” Calabrass replied, turning then to Dusk. “Use all my powers again and blast those bony fools to smithereens!”

“No way, I’m not risking your life again” Dusk replied, looking around to find a way out.

Suddenly, he noticed then the mark he had seen before, the one he knew it would activate a trap and saw it as his only way to escape Golden Bones.

“I’m sorry, Call” he said, while retreating. “I know a real pirate never steps back. And neither does a good friend.”

He then stepped on the symbol and then the ground started shaking, what really caught Golden Bones by surprise. Taking advantage of that, Dusk called:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Aeria!”

And so he transformed, giving a big jump and landing on the skeletons, breaking them apart. He then told his friends:

“The all place is going to collapse!”

“Again?” Star asked.

“We can talk about it later” Dusk replied. “Let’s move.”

As his friends started retreating, Dusk turned to Golden Bones and told him:

“Hey, Bones! Watch your head for falling…”

But then he noticed the way the lava was forming what appeared to be a face.

“Look out! It’s another trap!”

“The pyrogenon…” Golden Bones said, fearful. “It’s real!”

“Forget everything I said!” Calabrass exclaimed to Dusk. “Now’s the perfect moment to step back! Dusk, step back!”

“Friends never step back, Bones” Dusk said, while starting to follow the exit of the Primordial Fire. “I’ll leave you with yours.”

From the lava beneath the Primordial Fire emerged the pyrogenon, an immense three-legged creature made of lava. Bones intended to fight it, but the creature was so immense he and his skeletons didn’t have any other choice but run away from it, as it released an intense fire from its mouth.

As the Sea Raiders returned to the Chaos and sailed away, the volcano of the island started erupting. With Star at the helm, Dusk told him:

“Find us a vortex home, Star.”

“Aye, aye, captain” he replied.

Dusk then turned to Clover, who was leaning over the taffrail, with him seeming to be pouting for being ignored.

“Clover” Dusk called him.

“I didn’t do it!” he said, while turning to Dusk, expecting to be about something bad he had done.

“Really? Because I was going to say you saved us all.”

“Really? Me? In that case, I did do it. Yey!”

“You’re a hero” Dusk told him. “Remember your shot you did with the marble? I used that trick before to trick Golden Bones. We were completely surrounded, with no way out. Bones had the seven Eyes… or so he thought. And Calabrass was too far away from me when I…”

But he stopped as he saw that Clover was too much occupied making a celebratory dance than listening.

“Are you even listening to me, Clover?” Dusk asked.

Turning to him, Clover said:

“Hey, you had me at You’re a hero.”

And he continued to celebrate, while Dusk just gave up the attempt to tell his friend the events and just watched him have his moment of happiness.

Lighthouse of the Soul

At the Sea of Vapir, the Chaos was trying to escape a shark-like creature that seemed to be an echo of the ice sharks of the Sea of Sino.

“Oh my goodness!” Opal said, looking the echo shark pursuing them at the prow with Mallet. “Please, let this end well… Captain Dusk, it is getting close!”

Dusk, who was at the helm, turned to his brother, who was at the bow using a special sextant that was at the captain’s cabinet, and told him:

“Star, where’s the vortex?”

“I cannot locate it until I know where the lighthouse is” he replied. “Without the lighthouse, the Seven Seas cannot be navigated.”

“Oh, come on!” Dusk exclaimed, frustrated, turning above. “Still nothing, Clover?”

“Just fog, fog and more fog” he replied.

“Open your eyes wider, sailor!” Calabrass told him. “You’re looking for an enormous light over the water! It’s not that hard!”

After a few seconds, Clover told:

“Over there! Fifteen degrees sertboard… I’m mean starboard!”

Looking to where Clover have told, Star positioned the sextant having the light of the lighthouse in consideration and found the vortex.

“The vortex is that way” he told Dusk. “One hundred and twenty hooves of distance. Five degrees to port.”

“You heard him, Chaos” Dusk told to his trusty ship. “Get us out of here.”

And so the Chaos started heading towards the vortex. When the shark was really at their tail, Dusk boosted their speed, while sailing with zigzags to evade the shark. Fortunately, they arrived at the vortex and crossed it, with it closing before the shark could reach them.

Passing the vortex, the Sea Raiders returned to Beru. As the Chaos’ stopped to rest a little, Dusk said:

“Pew… Set a course to the Marituga bazar, turning then to Clover who was beside him. “Clover, we’ll need to get some glasses.”

“Captain, I think there’s a problem with the lighthouse” Opal told Dusk, pointing to it.

She was right, as the light of the lighthouse was flickering. After a burst of energy, the light just went out, while a big wave was created and sent against them. Fortunately, the Chaos was able to surf it and remain still. And so the Chaos started heading towards Marituga.

At Netherwhere, Golden Bones was kneeling before Skullivar, who was at his throne. While descending from it, Skullivar telekinetically handed Bones what appeared to be a necklace made of crystals, while saying:

“This is a very powerful artifact, Bones. Use it at the right time.”

Bones received the necklace with his hook and replied:

“I will not let you down, master.”

“Of course you won’t” Skullivar replied. “You know the penalty for disappointing Skullivar.”

And he laughed, as Golden Bones returned to the Demoniac and got out of the fortress.

With the Chaos stopping at the docks of Marituga, they could see that many were embarking on their ships and sailing way, with the flyers who didn’t have boats flying away. And they were right to do it, as the lighthouse was starting to crumble, with not only the debris falling over the buildings of Marituga, but also causing the all island to shake.

“Something is definitely wrong here” Dusk commented, as he, Star, Opal (who was using her suit) and Mallet got out of the Chaos.

A female griffon appeared before them and told them:

“Run! The all island is falling apart!”

“But why?” Dusk asked. “What’s going on?”

“Sassafras says the lighthouse is cursed” she replied. “Maybe if that witch is right, I’m not going to stay here to find out.”

Having said that, she took flight, moving away as fast as she could.

“Okay, we need to know what is going on” Dusk said. “Star and Mallet, you’re coming with me. Clover, you’re in charge of the Chaos.”

“Aye, aye, captain!” Clover replied from the deck, saluting Dusk.

“Convenient…” Star said, with a smile, noting that was Clover’s duty as he was the only member of their crew that couldn’t leave the Chaos.

“And, Opal, you’re the mechanical pony of the team” Dusk told her. “Go and try to figure out what’s going on with the lighthouse.”

“By myself?” she asked, a little nervouse. “Don’t you think I would be better helping Clover, as he may need help with…”

But she didn’t finish, as Mallet took her, pacing her over him, and then followed Dusk and Star.

“Hey, put me down!” she demanded.

“Have fun!” Clover said to his friends as they moved away, waving his hoof. “Heading toward certain danger…”

They advanced towards the streets of the Marituga bazar, with Dusk directing Opal to the lighthouse, while he, Star and Mallet went to Sassafras’s house.

“Sassafras!” Dusk called, as they arrived to the area.

“Sassafras!” Star called.

“That gnarly hag probably left the island long ago” Calabrass told. “And we should too.”

Noticing how many debris were falling now, Dusk observed:

“Is getting worse.”

“A walking chest!” Mallet told, pointing.

He was right, as a big chest was appearing to move on its own. However, they soon noticed it was being pulled by Sassafras. When some debris from the lighthouse started to fall over her, Star called:

“Sassafras, look out!”

Seeing that, Sassafras, instead of running away, jumped over her chest, hugging it while shouting:

“My ointments!”

The big debris hit the ground, appearing to have hit Sassafras. Dusk, Star and Mallet, fearing the worst, run towards her, but then saw for their relief that the debris didn’t hit Sassafras.

When another big piece of the lighthouse threatened to fell on them, Dusk grabbed Calabrass and told him:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Dezer!”

Activating the Eye, he and Calabrass transformed. With Calabrass turned into a club, Dusk hit the big debris that almost hit Sassafras, creating then a shield of stones that protected them all from the falling debris. After the shield was down, Dusk turned to Mallet:

“Mallet, take Sassafras to safety.”

The big colt then went to take the chest handle, causing Sassafras to fall on the floor, saying:

“Careful with my stuff! It’s fragile!”

But Mallet took her and told her:

“Under!”

And he made Sassafras go under the chest, which he had positioned against a wall to serve as a shelter.

As more debris started falling on them, Dusk asked Mallet, as hitting the debris with Calabrass:

“Have you ever played tennis?”

“Crogar doesn’t know ten…” he started, before crushing some debris with his sword. “…nis.”

“You might like it” Star replied, while launching magic beams. “It’s a game we play back home. You have to hit a ball with a racket.”

“A game of hitting?” Mallet asked, while crushing and dodging. “Mallet like tennis!”

A big debris started falling vertically on them.

“Hold on” Dusk said. “This one’s mine.”

Jumping and using a market tent to give him a boost, Dusk headed towards the debris and then hit it with Calabrass, crushing it to pieces. After he landed, the transformation was ended, as the lighthouse stopped throwing debris on them. Sassafras got out of her shelter and told them:

“If you have just damaged a single jar of ointment…”

“Uh, did you just noticed we saved your life?” Dusk asked, while putting Calabrass on his scabbard. “We even talked about tennis. It was a quality save.”

“And you expect me to thank you?” Sassafras asked.

“We rather wanted you to tell us what is going on here” Star replied.

“Okay, okay…” she answered. “If you carry this… gently.”

The three colts rolled their eyes.

Meanwhile, Opal climbed the stairs all the way towards the entrance of the lighthouse. As she reached the big doors, she used the computer of her suit to translate the runes around them, with the translation appearing on the lent of her helmet.

“It says: The light of a soul illuminates the world… Not creepy at all. Not at all…”

As they headed towards the docks, Star and Dusk were using their magic to carry the chest, while Mallet carried Sassafras who explained:

“As you may know, the lighthouse of Marituga is not an ordinary lighthouse.”

“Yes, we know” Star told. “It is the one thing that sustains the walls between the Seven Seas. Without it, everything crumbles apart.”

“Now that is a big of an exaggeration” Sasafrass told. “It is a powerful nexus created by the General of Portals and the heart of the Triangle… Oh, turn left.”

“So what happens if it goes out?” Star asked.

“Well, Marituga goes poof, along with all the vortexes linking the Seven Seas” Sasafrass replied. “Which means we’re all getting very wet, very fast.”

Her answer caused the three colts to stop, putting her chest on the ground and causing her to almost fell.

“But… if we can’t jump over the vortexes, we won’t be able to reach the waypoints” Dusk said.

“Much less leaving the Triangle” Star added.

“We can’t let the lighthouse go out!” Dusk told.

“Yeah, yeah, that sounds really heroic and all that, but nopony won’t dare to enter that cursed tower” Sassafras told. “The mystical texts are clear. Nopony who climbs up, comes down unscathed. It’s game over, that is.”

“No, we have to try” Star said. “Something.”

“Mallet not afraid of tower!” Mallet replied.

“Oh well, that’s your funeral” Sassafras replied. “Me? I’m hitching a ride on a crew ship looking for a magic hat. So, if you don’t mind…”

“You’re going to miss your boat, witch!” Calabrass replied. “My band of heroes has decided to save your island!”

“Nopony asked you, toothpick” Sassafras replied back. “Anyway, the doors have been locked ever since the Generals of Affection and Portals got out of the Triangle. How you expect to open them?”

“Opal’s already working on it” Dusk replied, pointing.

However, a blast hit the entrance of the lighthouse.

“Opal!” Dusk called, worried.

Hearing the familiar sound of pteros, they turned around and saw the Demoniac approaching, sending skeletons on pteros as first response. Golden Bones was on one of the pteros and he said:

“Forward!”

“Bones…” Star said, as they passed by them. “What is he doing here?”

“Making a bad situation worse” Dusk replied.

With Bones now involved, the three colts started heading towards the lighthouse, leaving Sassafras behind. She told them:

“Hey, we were going that way! Uh, it’s impossible to take advantage of good free helpers these days…”

The three helps climbed the stairs and, as they got near the doors, they saw the pteros moving away, without pilots, meaning Golden Bones and his skeletons had already landed. They arrived to the entrance and a bunch of debris of what left of the doors.

“Opal!” Dusk called, as he and Star moved the debris with magic, while Mallet used his strength.

They then found her, who said, while getting up:

“I’m okay… My suit protected me from any serious damage. But we better get out of here, before we are crushed!”

She was right as debris of the lighthouse started falling there.

“Move it!” Dusk said. “This way!”

And so they went inside, with their entrance getting blocked.

“If we waited longer, we would have been pancakes” Dusk commented.

They then looked inside the lighthouse and got amazed by how big it was, with many staircases to the top.

“Anyone here can also feel the power that is coming from the top?” Star asked, while trying to flap his wings. “I can’t even use my wings. There’s no flying up there, apparently.”

“Look, up there!” Opal said, pointing. “Golden Bones!”

She was right. Golden Bones and some of his skeletons were already climbing the stairs to the top. He then also noticed his enemies.

“Hurry, we can’t lose them!” Dusk exclaimed.

He and the others started running, starting to climb up. Golden Bones and the skeletons also started running.

“We have to get to the top before Bones does!” Dusk said.

As they kept going up, they tried to go through a path in order to get ahead of Golden Bones, but they found a dead-end.

“This lighthouse is a total maze” Dusk said.

And they saw Golden Bones and the skeletons passing by through another path.

“Well, we can’t wait for anypony to build an elevator” Dusk said.

And they all jumped and landed on the path Golden Bones was and they continued to run.

“Opal, did you managed to figure out how to turn the light back on?” Star asked.

“No, but there were some instructions at the door” she replied. “The light of a soul illuminates the world.”

“Riddles!” Dusk exclaimed. “I love riddles! Let’s put our brains on that.”

Stopping for a moment, a skeleton told Golden Bones:

“General, they’re right on our tail.”

“Get them!” Bones ordered.

And three of the skeletons headed towards the Sea Raiders. But Mallet took his sword and exclaimed:

“Tennis time!”

And he attacked the skeletons, easily defeating them. But that allowed Golden Bones to get a little more distance from them, being now passing over a wooden bridge. The Sea Raiders continued their way up. But when they reached the bridge, two skeletons stayed behind to fight them, but Mallet and Dusk defeated them. However, Golden Bones had already crossed and then said:

“We cannot be disturbed.”

And so, using his hook, he cut down the bridge.

“Oh no!” Opal said, as Golden Bones and his remaining three skeletons advanced towards the doors that existed at the end of the last staircase. “We need a detour… or something that can take us there.”

It was then that they heard a sound and a voice told:

“Strength can’t conquer the darkness…”

The four youngsters got really nervous hearing that voice.

“And now I’m scared…” Dusk said. “Anypony has a clue of what that was?”

“Somepony stupid” Mallet replied, as he headed towards a pillar next to them and used his sword to cut it and then pushed it to make it fall and form a bridge. However, that bridge wouldn’t last long and the Mighty Helmet warrior told his friends, while trying to secure the improvised bridge:

“Go on! Hurry! Mallet can’t hold it for long…!”

And so his three friends climbed on and crossed the pillar. Once they were able to do it, Mallet let the pillar go and it fell down.

“Mallet want to crush bonehead!” he exclaimed, frustrated.

“That’s okay, buddy” Dusk replied. “We’ll do it for you.”

“Fine” Mallet told, as his friends continued their way. “Mallet will wait for you here.”

Outside, as the lighthouse continued to crumble, Sassafras arrived to the docks and to the Chaos and, cleaning her voice, she caught Clover’s attention and told him:

“Excuse me, there’s no other boat left on the island but yours, little colt. But that’s okay, ‘cause Dusk said you would take me far from here.”

“Really?” Clover asked, finding what she just said odd. “My Dusk? About this tall, surfist, smells like lemons…”

“Absolutely” Sassafras replied. “He even said you would carry my luggage. Now get to it. Chop, chop…”

Clover still found it difficult to believe Dusk would say something of the source.

Inside the lighthouse, Dusk, Star and Opal were now climbing a single stone staircase up to the top. As they climbed, Star said:

“So somepony lives in this cursed tower…”

“Who could survive in here?” Opal asked. “Captain, what if Bones came to free something nasty? Something worse than Skullivar?”

“Hey, we’re the Sea Raiders” Dusk replied. “We can face anything… specially with my magic toothpick.”

“It wasn’t funny when the witch said it and ain’t funny now” Calabrass replied.

But then Dusk noticed some debris on the way and then he saw a reflection coming from there and he could only come to one conclusion.

“Ambush!” he exclaimed.

And he and his friends dived into some debris for shelter, as shots from Golden Bones’s remaining skeletons were casted against them.

“There aren’t many of them” Dusk observed, while taking Calabrass. “Dusk.”

The older brother stood up to shot magic beams, but they easily dodged. Returning to his shelter, he said:

“They are well protected.”

“So am I” Dusk replied. “Calabrass, give the Eye of…”

“The toothpick needs an apology before any and all transformation” Calabrass replied.

“Uh, come on!” Dusk said, as Star casted some shots to cover for them.

“Wait, do not apologize” Star said, while taking cover.

“What?!” Dusk and Calabrass asked at the same time.

“I mean, we’re still a long way to the top” Star replied. “Bones wants you to use your powers. You cannot transform yet.”

“Okay, but we can’t go around them” Dusk said. “And, if we charge them, we’ll get toasted.”

“I have a solution” Opal said. “A localized field of concealment.”

“You can make us invisible?!” Star asked.

“Awesome!” Dusk exclaimed.

“But the thing is…” she started.

“What thing?!” Dusk said. “Come on! Make me invisible or I’ll jump on them!”

The same sound from before was heard again and the voice then said:

“Courage can’t conquer the darkness…”

“Courage…” Opal repeated. “Is the voice reading my thoughts?”

“What are you talking about?” Dusk asked.

Opening her helmet, she explained:

“My field of concealment unit. When it works is only for a few seconds and only on me.”

“No, it’s too dangerous” Dusk replied.

“I can do it” Opal told. “I just… have to stop shaking.”

“We will find another solution” Star said.

“Not this time” Opal voiced. “Courage can conquer… if, you know, I can find some.”

She closed her helmet and then looked to the hidden skeletons.

“Okay, we believe in you, buddy” Dusk told Opal, who raised her hoof to him in response.

It was then her suit became camouflaged, becoming completely invisible.

“Go, I’ll cover you!” Star replied, going to shoot over the skeletons, this getting their attention.

While the skeletons were too busy shooting at Star, Opal approached them quietly. But Opal’s nerves caused her to release some grunts that the skeletons heard and then they started shooting to her. Fortunately, they missed but then an unexpected short circuit caused Opal to get exposed.

“Ups!” she said, advancing then against them.

She got to hold them and used the short circuit to prevent them from moving.

“Go ahead!” she exclaimed, as Star and Dusk approached. “I’ll hold them back!”

“Are you sure?” Dusk asked.

“Not really, but… as long I have energy in my suit, I’ll keep fighting. Hurry before it runs out!”

And so Dusk and Star advanced, with the latter saying:

“Looks like we’ll have to fix the lighthouse without our engineer.”

“Something tells me we won’t fix the situation with just a screwdriver” Dusk replied.

Arriving to the top of those staircase, they passed the doors and entered in a room with branch-like pillars. They found the place to be too quiet. It was then that Golden Bones came out from his hiding place near the next set of stairs, with his cannon ready, much to the two brothers’ surprise. He started fire, forcing the two brothers to dodge and find shelter on opposite branch-like pillars. But Star was able to retaliate his shots with his magic beams, while using his agility to dodge. Taking refuge, Golden Bones said:

“Pathetic. You hope to stop me with that?”

And he went to shoot again, with Star going to shelter. Turning to his younger brother, he told him:

“In terms of fire power, with my current magic, I’m no match for him.”

“We’re going to shift the balance” Dusk replied, holding Calabrass. “Calabrass, give me the Eye of Beru.”

But Calabrass only said:

“I’m sorry, the toothpick didn’t hear what you said.”

“Okay… I’m sorry for calling you a toothpick. You’re a stubborn, whining, sermonizing bonehead, how’s that?”

“Now it sounds good!” Calabrass exclaimed. “Now let’s go kick that golden sack of bones.”

With that, Dusk activated the Eye of Beru, transforming with Calabrass. But before he could shot a water blast, he had to defend from an attack from Bones, all while the tower continued to shake and crumble.

Outside, the debris were starting to fall on the Chaos, causing him to start shaking. Wanting to get out of there quickly, Sassafras, now on board on the Chaos said to Clover:

“You have to raise the anchor now! Can’t you see that the island is lost?!”

But Clover didn’t do what she told, as he knew exactly how his captain and friends were.

“Not yet” he said. “I have faith in Dusk.”

Back inside the lighthouse, Dusk and Star’s fight with Bones continued, with them trading shots that always failed as they were always dodging. Star was able to make it to his brother and then told him:

“Bones is playing for time. We have to change tactics.”

And so the same sound was heard and the voice said:

“Intelligence can’t conquer the darkness.”

“This guy is really trying to depress us” Dusk commented. “Go on, Star. I for one trust your intelligence.”

Star nodded, while winking, and then made him a sign to advance. Dusk replied with a nod, while advancing diagonally, evading Golden Bones’s attacks, while attacking him. Star took advantage of Golden Bones’s distraction to go around him and then attack him by surprise with a kick. He turned to his younger brother and told him:

“Hurry! I will hold the door! You go save the Triangle!”

Despite costing to leave his own brother facing Golden Bones by himself, he advanced. Dusk then arrived to the top of the lighthouse, with Calabrass ready to shoot in case any surprise attack was launched against him. He then looked and saw a wooden platform with roots, decorative branches and a pond of water. A big crystal was suspended over it, shining with an immense pure light.

Dusk became fascinated by it, approaching while putting Calabrass back on his scabbard, undoing the transformation, and climbing the stairs to the platform. Looking to the pond, he could see an image coming together: his family all together, with him and Dusk.

“My parents… and my sisters…” Dusk said.

“Abandon the idea of conquering the darkness, Prince Dusk Storm” the same voice from before told him, this time very clear.

Dusk raised his head and then saw something inside the crystal. It was a rather strange creature. It had small structure with a big round head with green skin and opaque blue eyes, wearing a white robe with a cape and dark adorns at his back.

“What…?” he asked. “How do you know my name?”

“My name is Freonus” he replied. “I am the Guardian of the Triangle. I’ve been watching from the beginning. You have come to prevent the lighthouse from being extinguished.”

“Right, but I don’t know how to stop it” Dusk said.

“The light of a soul illuminates the world” Freonus replied.

“I… I don’t understand” Dusk told.

“This inner light is hope” Freonus explained. “Real hope doesn’t rely on strength, courage or intelligence. It can only appear through an act of faith in the future.”

“Okay…” Dusk said, still puzzled.

“You have to abandon what is most precious to you into the Well of Hope” Freonus told, pointing to the pond beneath him.

“Wait, that’s it? Just toss something in there?”

“The most precious thing you have.”

“I don’t have much…” Dusk said, thinking. “What do I have that is precious.”

It was then his look reached Calabrass and immediately replied.

“No…”

“What?” Calabrass asked, not understanding.

“No, not Calabrass” Dusk replied to Freonus. “I can’t sacrifice Calabrass!”

“What?!” Calabrass asked. “Of course you can’t sacrifice me!”

“Hold on, first, he’s not an object” Dusk said. “He’s a pony… sort of.”

“Exactly!” Calabrass motioned.

“And, without him, I won’t be able to escape the Triangle and go home with my brother.”

“Darkness is closing in” Freonus told. “You hold your destiny in your hooves… along with the destiny of many.”

Dusk, in a way, knew what he was talking about. His friends had trusted in him to solve the problem, taking risks or letting themselves get behind, with them all putting their hopes on Dusk: Clover waiting on the Chaos, Mallet at the broken wooden bridge, Opal trying to contain the skeleton soldiers and Star who had stayed to fight Golden Bones, a fight that he had lost, lying now on the floor, defeat, leaving the leader of the skeletons to start heading towards the top.

His arrival to the top of the lighthouse was noticed by Dusk. Reacting, Dusk jumped off the platform, while taking Calabrass and asking:

“What did you do to Star?”

“Nothing, compared what is waiting for you” Golden Bones said, while taking the necklace Skullivar had given to him.

He then dropped it to the ground, breaking it and releasing darkness.

“I don’t have a good feeling about this” Calabrass said.

And from the darkness, a three-eyed fish-like dark creature appeared, extending its tentacles towards the crystal where Freonus was. The wood around them started to get dark and, when the tentacles grabbed the crystal, Freonus could be seen suffering a great deal of pain.

“Cal, what is this?” Dusk asked.

“How should I know?!” Calabrass replied, while Dusk tried to use him to cut the tentacles, only to not avail. “But I can’t do anything against it unless I become immaterial too!”

“Very well…” Dusk said. “Eye of Vapir!”

And so he activated the Eye of Vapir, starting using his blade to cut the tentacles.

“Ah! Looks like you’re not so clever…”

But the creature just roared and then hit him with a tentacle, throwing against the ground. However, Dusk quickly recovered and advanced to cut another tentacle, but the creature just became bigger and bigger.

“It feeds on energy” Calabrass realized. “Each blow only makes him stronger.”

It would appear the creature was doing the same thing to Freonus, being feeding on his energy as well.

“Hang in there, Freonus!” Dusk told.

And so he tried to cut the tentacles, but now they have become more dense and now Calabrass just passed through them, as the creature continued to grow, with its tentacles now visible from the outside. Seeing that, Clover commented:

“That’s the opposite of what the lighthouse does.”

“Uh… that’s a creature from the depths of Discordia!” Sassafras exclaimed. “It’s over. There’s no hope to anyone or anything in the Triangle.”

The shadow fish monster had been able to grab Dusk with his tentacles, with Dusk then trying to cut them but to not avail.

“How can we fight this thing?!” Dusk asked, now incapable of moving.

“Dusk, there’s nothing I can do” Calabrass told him calmly.

“Come on, we have to!” Dusk replied.

“The Guardian warned us” Calabrass said, as the darkness of the creature filled the lighthouse as it grew bigger. “Abandon the idea of conquering the darkness.”

“You’re not going to ask me to sacrifice you, are you?” Dusk asked.

“Sacrifice is a big word” Calabrass replied. “Just through me into this bottomless pond filled of mercury. I’ve already got worse.”

“I don’t want to lose you” Dusk said.

“Me neither, but you have to” Calabrass told.

And so Calabrass undid the transformation, causing Dusk to slip through the tentacles of the creature and land on the floor.

“Run, before it’s too late” Calabrass told Dusk.

He then run towards the creature and, when it opened its mouth, Dusk jumped into it, right into the middle of a mist of darkness. The young colt then heard Golden Bones’s voice saying:

“Your sword is powerless… but it still an interest to Skullivar.”

Dusk looked around, looking for Golden Bones. He then felt someone approaching from behind and turned around, in time of defending with Calabrass and attack of Golden Bones with his hook. Golden Bones sent him back, but Dusk was able to land on his hooves. But he lost Bones again, only to be attack by him in a surprise attack. Even able to defend Golden Bones’s surprise attacks, Dusk couldn’t stand his strength. After being thrown to the floor, Golden Bones told him:

“It’s over.”

Dusk then looked and saw it: the Well of Hope, right behind Golden Bones. Knowing what he had to do, Dusk stood up while saying:

“To me, maybe. But I hope someone, one day, releases all the prisoners of the Triangle.”

He then threw Calabrass over Golden Bones and then advanced, only to be caught by him through his neck. Bones raised his hook, ready to land his blow on Dusk. But when he was about to do it, Calabrass landed on the Well of Hope and sank in it. That released on immense light.

“No!” Bones shouted, noticing it.

That light blasted the creature, which went away taking Golden Bones with it, while Dusk was casted to the floor of the room. He started to rise up and Freonus told:

“Thank you, Prince Dusk Storm.”

“Okay, okay, enough with the full title” Dusk said.

It was then that Calabrass immerged from the well and was delivered to him.

“Wow, you’re giving me Calabrass back?” Dusk asked, while grabbing his sword friend.

“Did you miss me?” Calabrass asked him.

“You demonstrated the purest light of your soul, just like your mom and your brother have done in the past” Freonus replied. “Like them, you demonstrated hope for other in a happy future.”

“Wait a second, so all that was some kind of test?” Dusk asked.

“Much more than a test” Freonus answered. “Ever since I’ve been watching the inhabitants of the Triangle, they have been covering in wealth and power. I have lost faith in them.”

“Not everypony is like them” Dusk told.

“I see that now” Freonus said. “You gave me hope again. Hope is an inner light that one can give without ever losing it. A light that will once again guide everyone who wanders in the Seven Seas.”

And so the light of the lighthouse was reignited. Once that happened, as if time started running in reverse, all the debris returned to the lighthouse, repairing it, and the same happened with the damages caused to the Marituga bazar.

“You’re not just a lighthouse guardian” Dusk realized. “And since you can see everything, you must know where the waypoints of the Triangle are.”

“Now is not the time for answers” Freonus replied. “Ignorance is necessary to reveal heroes, as darkness is to reveal light. Goodbye, Dusk Storm.”

“Wait, what do you mean…” Dusk started.

But before he could finish the question, Dusk was teleported away. He, along with Star (recovered from his battle with Golden Bones), Mallet and Opal, appeared at the deck of the Chaos, causing Sassafras to jump of fear, much to Clover’s amusement. He then turned to Dusk and said, while floating around Dusk:

“I knew you would do it, captain.”

“What exactly happened at the top of the lighthouse?” Star asked, approaching his brother.

“I’m still trying to figure out myself” Dusk replied.

They then all turned to the lighthouse, admiring its light.

“The lighthouse has never been much brighter” Star commented, with the others agreeing.

At Netherwhere, Golden Bones was brought by the power of the lighthouse right into Skullivar’s room. Seeing his master appearing before him, he heard him saying:

“You are a glutton for punishment, Bones.”

A look of fear invaded Golden Bones’s face as his screams could be heard throughout the Sea of Vapir.

The Shipwrecked in the Sand

The Chaos was walking through the sands of the Sea of Dezer. While he did that, his crew was at the captain’s cabinet, looking to the holographic map of Dezer. Looking to the representation of the sun, Mallet said:

“Um… That doesn’t look like a waypoint.”

“Because it is the sun, Mallet” Star replied, by his side, pointing then to the map. “Here. We are here.”

And so a red line came from their location and then advanced until it stopped.

“This is the waypoint.”

“Are you sure, Star?” Dusk asked.

“I have plotted our course referencing all the ancient astral courts” he replied. “Not mention what mom taught me. Believe when I say I’m not mistaken.”

Suddenly, a gaming music started to be heard, as pillars started to appearing.

“Whoa!” Dusk exclaimed. “Well, what just happened?”

“I don’t know” Star replied, confused. “The map is… What?”

The holographic map then showed the Chaos sinking into a quicksand, and the words “Game Over” appearsed over it.

“Looks like it’s Game Over” Dusk said, joking and laughing.

“Ha, ha…” Star said, not amused. “Your sense of humor is so… dry.”

He then looked at Opal, the one that could have done something like that, and she hasted to say:

“Don’t look at me. Your brother is the captain here, he gives the orders.”

“Dusk, a captain should set an example, not behave like a circus clowns” Star reprimanded.

Dusk made a last laugh, before saying and sitting on his chair:

“Okay, okay. Opal, give us the real chart: Star’s one. Sorry, Star, but you should have seen your face. Priceless!”

“Argh, your brother’s right!” Calabrass told him. “The captain doesn’t behave like a buffoon. He only encourages others.”

Star really was upset with Dusk who then asked him:

“Come on, Star, where’s your sense of humor? Last time I checked, you still had one.”

“Humor has a right time and a right place” Star replied.

“But Dezer is dead boring” Dusk told, in a way of defending himself. “Look around: sand, sand, sand. I was just trying to lighten up the…”

It was then that a roar was heard outside, while something passed through the window of the cabinet.

“…situation…” Dusk ended.

Suddenly, they heard Clover screaming at the outside and Dusk hasted to tell the others:

“Battle stations!”

The Sea Raiders all run to the stern of the Chaos and saw what was pursuing them: a gigantic robotic scorpion.

“Uhh… what is that?” Dusk asked.

“An insect” Mallet replied. “But bigger.”

“Tecnically, Mallet, scorpions are arachnids” Opal replied, receiving then some looks from her teammates. “But I guess this is not the best time to mention it…”

Star then headed to fire a magic blast against her the scorpion and hit it in its eye. But scorpion resisted to that and fired acid to the Sea Raiders. Fortunately, they were able to move out of the way, causing the acid to hit two barrels and melt them.

“The supplies!” Star exclaimed.

“Okay, that’s it!” Dusk told. “No one messes with snack time!”

Taking Calabrass, Dusk leaped to the rail and called. “Calabrass, give me the Eye of…”

Bur before he could call the Eye he wanted, the scorpion knocked at the Chaos, causing Dusk to lose his balance. Fortunately, Star was able to pull him back to the deck.

The scorpion continued to shoot its acid, with the Chaos dodging every single one. When one hit right in front of him, the Chaos changed its direction, always having the scorpion right behind.

“Who gave the order to turn about?” Dusk asked.

“The Chaos!” Clover replied.

“Hey, I’m Captain here” Dusk said. “We turn when I say…”

“But it was a wise decision” Opal told. “That big buster will scour us to our keel if we fight it face to face.”

“Running from a fight?” Dusk asked. “That’s setting a bad example!”

“Dusk is right, we must hold our course” Star said, making the back helm appear with its map turned on. “The Navigatrix shows the waypoint is within reach.”

He was right, as they were really near the waypoint’s location Star had previously calculated.

“See, I’m right!” Dusk said, putting Calabrass back at his scabbard. “Let’s crew up and sting that bug!”

With Dusk now at the helm at the bow, they tried to escape the scorpion as they tried to reach the waypoint’s location, but the creature was still at their tail.

“Don’t give it any ideas, Captain” Mallet told.

“Star, are we positive about the waypoint’s location?” Dusk asked.

“Trust me, hold course” he replied. “I will take care of the creature.”

“Are you serious?!” Opal asked. “You intend to attack that thing?!”

“We are!” Dusk replied, spinning the steering wheel.

This caused the Chaos to skid and Mallet, Star and Opal both slid past Clover and hit the rail of the stern. The little ghost, passed his hooves over his body and then replied to the others:

“Uh, that’s unpleasant for me too, you know. No need to ahhh about it.”

“Warn Mallet next time!” the young Mighty Helmet warrior told Dusk as he and the other two got up. “I get dizzy.”

Seeing the scorpion approaching, Dusk exclaimed:

“Go!”

And he made Chaos advance at full speed, again catching his friends off-guard.

“Go is not a warning!” Opal protested.

Pulling up the helm, Dusk made the Chaos to raise his front metal legs and pin the scorpion against the sand. However, the creature started to fight and so Star pointed at him and fired at it, hitting its eye what this time scared it away.

“That, my friends, is how you squish a bug” Dusk said. “Now, Chaos, set a course for the waypoint!”

The Chaos groaned in accord and walked to where the waypoint was.

“Nice zapping, Star” Dusk complimented.

“When we are trained by both our father and the General of Peace, we tend to get good at aiming” he replied.

Clover looked around Dezer and then said:

“It could be playing possum.”

“Scorpions don’t play possum…” Opal said. “Do they?”

Suddenly, Calabrass shouted:

“Starboard, ho!”

However, Dusk looked to his left, causing Calabrass to reply:

“The other starboard!”

A little embarrassed, Dusk looked right and then saw what Calabrass wanted to show him: the scorpion was coming fast against them.

“What?!” the captain asked.

The scorpion knocked the Chaos aside, throwing him a great distance and shutting down his power.

“Uh, Chaos?” Dusk called. “Chaos! Oh… no, no, no! He’s hurt!”

“It’s his turbines!” Opal replied, taking out her device. “And power couplings! And oil pumps and…”

“And it’s coming back for us!” Mallet told, pointing to the scorpion.

Before that, Dusk took Calabrass and called:

“Calabrass, the Eye of the Aeria!”

And so they transformed.

“Axe of lightning!” Dusk shouted, jumping towards the scorpion.

He hit the ground with Calabrass, causing electricity to be sent to the scorpion and electrocuting it. This caused it to be thrown into the air, do some flips and land hard. After that happened, the Chaos powered up and Opal said:

“False alarm. All he needed was some T.L. Me. And a minor pneumatic re-calibration. The Chaos is like new.”

Despite Dusk was happy that Chaos was okay, he turned to Star who seemed a little odd.

“Well, don’t all thank me at once” Opal told him. “Sheesh!”

“Uh, sorry, Opal” he replied. “Good work.”

Turning to Star, Dusk asked him:

“I don’t like that look, Star. What’s the matter? Other than, you know, the obvious monster scorpion.”

“The chase has brought us to our destination” Star said. “But…”

“No waypoint” Clover said, sitting at the tip of the bow. “In fact, way offpoint.”

The fact he had missed considerably the waypoint’s location caused Star to become very disappointed… disappointed on himself.

The Chaos walked away, but, as soon he was gone, someone else appeared, beside the scorpion. It was a big and muscular jackal with a headdress and mummy bandages wrapped around his forelimbs. He also had two mechanical golden tentacles with claws, as well a golden mechanical scorpion tail.

“More for my collection…” he said in a very deep and cold voice.

Inside the captain’s quarter, Star was looking through a few books on the shelf, with Dusk there, saying:

“It’s not that big a deal, Star, we all make mistakes. Some of us bigger than others, but…”

“That’s just it, Star, I can’t make mistakes!” he replied. “I am the navigator! It’s my duty to find not only the waypoints, but also guide us through the Triangle. And because of my mistake… I put the crew in danger. I got us lost. This is a colossal failure.”

“Aren’t we being a bit dramatic?” Dusk asked. “We just push on and look around. I’m sure that…”

“I am not worthy of being second-in-command” Star said.

That statement really shocked Dusk, as well Mallet, Opal and Clover who were all eavesdropping the conversation from the outside the door. It was then that it opened and Star got out, causing the three of them to pretend they weren’t listening the conversion, with Clover innocently whistling, Mallet pretending to think and Opal looking confused. Dusk followed Star and asked him:

“Are you crazy?”

“You think me insane?” Star asked, looking to his brother.

“What? No! Moody maybe, but…”

“I am to blame for this mess, right?”

“No! Well, I… We…”

Desperate for some back-up, he turned to the other members of his crew and told them:

“Guys, tell him we don’t blame him!”

But they didn’t say anything.

“Guys!” Dusk exclaimed.

And so Clover decided to say something to Star:

“We don’t blame you for getting us lost in the middle of the desert with no waypoint in sight.”

“And you did save us from the scorpion’s claws that you made us fight in the first place…”Mallet told.

“And stopped the Chaos from being completely destroyed in the process that you started… accidentally” Opal added. “Sorry…”

That really frustrated Star and then all the Sea Raiders went in different directions, much for Dusk’s dismay.

Hours later, the sun could be seen setting down and Star was sitting at the point of the bow, near the Plank, sulking. Noticing him there, Dusk told to the others:

“He’s been up there for hours now.”

“You shouldn’t have said he was insane” Mallet told.

“I said crazy” Dusk corrected. “It’s an expression.”

“In my day, such a navigation error meant a walk down the plank!” Calabrass replied.

“Oh, those were the days…” Clover said.

“You two, that is not helping” Dusk replied.

However, Star was able to hear them talking and he became even more depressed and filled with guilt.

The night fell and Dusk was sleeping on his bed in the captain’s quarter. The door opened and Star entered, seeing Dusk snoring.

“I wish I could take things as lightly as you” he said. “But I must be the one to fix my mistake. I shall find the waypoint. You have my word, little brother.”

At Kurama’s place, the tailed beast asked his jinchuriki:

“Please tell me you’re joking about doing this.”

“I have to do it, Kurama” Star told. “Because of me, my friends were almost harm… All because of a certainty that ended up being a wide fail. My arrogance put us all in danger.”

“You know, your brother, is right, you’re being too dramatic” Kurama commented. “You’ve always been this way. That’s why I’m not saying anything more. When you got an idea planted in your mind, there’s nothing that can remove it. Just make sure you don’t get yourself killed by those things or even quicksand.”

And so Star left the room.

At the next morning, everyone went to search Star all around the Chaos, but they didn’t get any luck. When Clover returned from below deck, he said:

“No Star, not anywhere. I even checked the galley, a couple of times.”

And he burped some electricity.

“He was looking pretty miserable” Opal remembered. “You don’t think… Actually, I do think. He went off on his own!”

“We have to find him” Dusk said. “Everyone to their stations.”

And they went to do what Dusk told, but then Mallet stopped and said:

“Dusk, Mallet wants a different station.”

“What? Why?” Dusk asked, turning around and seeing an army of scorpions heading to the Chaos. “Ooh! I’m starting to hate the beach.”

“Outnumbered and out-stinged” Calabrass said, while being held by Dusk.

“This would be the perfect time for Star to shoot them up” Dusk said. “Even without his full strength, he could handle them.”

“Or pass out warm doughnuts” Clover said.

“Ha-ha!” Mallet exclaimed, while taking out his sword. “It is a good day for bashing a scorpion.”

“Hoof to hoof?” Opal asked. “You are all crazy!”

Dusk then whistled to the Plank, while Mallet got off the ship and started battling the scorpions, only to be caught by one. Meanwhile, a scorpion was now attacking the Chaos. Fortunately, Dusk was now on top of the Plank, surfing in the sky.

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Dezer!” he shouted.

And so they gained the powers of Dezer. Heading towards the two scorpions that were with Mallet first, Dusk was able to block some of their attacks with Calabrass, that had a club form. After that, he went up and shoot from the club a blast of energy that hit the ground between the scorpions, causing an explosion that turned the scorpions into a bunch of stones, from where Mallet was able to break free. The two of them bumped hooves, but then saw the other scorpion on the Chaos, trying to attack their friends. It was able to grab Clover who told it:

“Now you grab me, now you don’t!”

And he phased through the scorpion's claw. Dusk then started heading towards the Chaos who was able to throw it away, allowing his captain to turned it into stones, like the other ones. After that, the crew got out of the Chaos to watch one of his legs that was damaged.

“We can’t sail anymore” Opal said. “It’s impossible for the Chaos to retract his leg. All we can do is just… uh, limp along.”

“Agh, singe my beard!” Calabrass exclaimed. “A ship with a wooden leg.”

“Star couldn’t have gotten very far” Dusk said.

Suddenly, he started hearing a beeping coming from the nearest scorpion.

“What?” he asked, approaching the scorpion.

He noticed the device at its head whose beep accelerated and then stopped. He picked up the device and then the group went to the captain’s quarter to examine it.

“Wow, fascinating!” Opal exclaimed. “An electronic excrescence connected to the part of the brain that controls movement.”

“I had one of those” Clover said. “A brain, I mean. That’s normal right?”

“Of course it’s not normal!” Opal replied. “These monsters are remotely controlled.”

“Who is this remotely?” Mallet asked. “Mallet would have words with him!”

“Remotely isn’t a…” Dusk started, giving up what he was saying. “Oh, forget it. Opal, can you track the signal?”

Using her device, Opal was able to do what Dusk requested and, outside the Chaos, she told, while holding the device and handling it to Dusk:

“I found it! Just over that dune. A phenomenal source of energy.”

“As in, waypoint phenomenal?” Dusk asked, looking at Opal’s tracking device.

“What is that dot?” Mallet asked, pointing to something at the device. “More scorpions?”

“No… something smaller” Opal replied. “Something… Star-ish.”

“Opal, how much time do you need to repair the Chaos?” Dusk asked.

“One, maybe two…” Opal started, hesitating by seeing the look at her friends’ face. “A half hour?”

“Good!” Dusk replied, turning then to Opal and Clover. “You two stay and repair the Chaos. I’ll go look for him with Calabrass and Mallet. Let’s roll!”

As the two of them started to move away, Opal asked:

“Uh, what do we do if the scorpions come back?”

“I’ll think of something glorious!” Clover replied.

“That makes me feel so much better…” Opal replied, sarcastically.

Following the way Opal told them, Dusk and Mallet arrived to the outside a large floating pyramid.

“He’s that way!” Dusk said.

“Ya think we can walk in here, rescue Star, and up anchor just like that?” Calabrass asked.

Dusk replied with a nod and Mallet said:

“Simple. Mallet like that.”

And Dusk and Mallet headed towards the staircase that led to the inside of the pyramid, entering in it.

Inside of the pyramid, the mysterious jackal had Star uncounscious over a tablet and then proceeded to wrap up mummy wraps around Star. As the young alicorn woke up, the jackal said:

“Rejoice, child. Your search is over. Anpu, Guardian of the Waypoint, shall take good care of you. Just as he cares for all the beautiful things in his collection! Wrapped, anointed and preserved. Forever!”

In the hallways, Dusk was looking at Opal’s device, noting Star’s signal.

“Star’s close” he said. “Let’s sneak around back and see…”

“Mighty Helm warriors do not sneak” Mallet replied, as he rose up his word to hit a door.

“Mallet, no!” Dusk called.

Mallet slammed his sword at the door, causing an alarm to be activated. Anpu, hearing it, said:

“More for my collection…”

And he left his collection room.

Back to Dusk and Mallet, the door behind them closed and various traps had been set, causing Dusk to take Calabrass and say:

“Calabrass, quick! Eye of the Aeria!”

Dusk and Calabrass gained the powers of Aeria and so, powered by the lightning, Dusk headed with an immense speed against the door Mallet tried to slam and broke it into pieces.

“Sorry, Mallet” he apologized. “I got better tools.”

They then proceeded their wait, with Dusk and Calabrass now detransformed. They then found the room where Star was and headed towards him, still on the table and wrapped in bandages like a mummy to his mouth.

“Star, we’ll get you out of here!” Dusk said, removing the wrap that’s around Star’s mouth.

“No!” he exclaimed, after being able to talk. “The waypoint! It is here! Anpu said he was its guardian!”

“What did he say?” Mallet asked to Dusk.

“He’s really happy to see us” he replied, looking then to the device.

“No, you don’t understand!” Star exclaimed, while Mallet tried to tear the wraps out of Star’s body. “I have to redeem myself. I must find the waypoint.”

“Cursed linens!” Mallet shouted, having difficulties in freeing Star.

“What are you talk about?”

“It’s my code of honor” Star replied. “It forbids me to return to the ship. It demands that I prove myself.”

“Look, I don’t give a hoot to your code of honor, Star” Dusk replied. “We got to blow!”

That caused Star to sit and angrily glare at Dusk who then said:

“That’s not quite what I meant. Your code of honor is very important, but can’t it wait until…”

Mallet grunted as he finally teared the mummy wrap.

“Argh! Finally! No linen would even beat a Mighty Helm warrior!”

“Okay, now we have to get out of here” Dusk said, getting hold of Calabrass.

But then Dusk was captured by Anpu, using one of his tentacles and pulled him in, while saying, putting wraps around Dusk’s body, while Star charged his horn and Mallet took his sword:

“None of you shall leave this place. You shall be part of my collection. You desire the waypoint of Dezer to free yourself from the Triangle?”

“Uh, something like that” Dusk replied.

“The Triangle is like death: once you’ve crossed over… you never return!” Anpu exclaimed.

“Mallet, Star, go back to the Chaos!” Dusk told. “That’s an order!”

He made sure they would see Calabrass on his hoof. And so Mallet took Star and carried him away. Turning to Dusk, Anpu told him:

“Your life force will mingle with those who, like you, sought to escape my grasp.”

“Sorry, Anp, I’m not collectable” Dusk replied. “I’m an original! Calabrass, Eye of Vapir! Now!”

Activating the Eye of Vapir, Dusk and Calabrass transformed and so Dusk used mist power to get out of Anpu’s grasp and evade his attack. After that, he flew away, phasing through walls to get out of the pyramid and then return to the Chaos, while the weather started to get gloomy.

Having barely reached the Chaos before Calabrass run out of energy, Dusk fell on the deck and, while grunting in pain, he got up and asked to his friends (with Mallet having already returned to the Chaos):
“Ah-ah, how awesome was that?! Do we rock or…”

But he didn’t finish as he noticed not everypony was on board.

“Where’s Star?”

“Tried to stop him, Cap’n” Clover replied. “Turns out he can punch ghosts.”

“Wait, he’s gone? Again?”

“To look for the waypoint” Mallet replied.

“Impossible. Nobody’s that stubborn!”

“Apparently, he has not been informed of that” Opal replied.

“Starboard!” Calabrass shouted.

Everypony looked at their left side of the Chaos, causing Calabrass to clear his throat.They then all looked at their right side and saw an army of scorpions marching. The Chaos started running to the direction of the scorpions, with Dusk at the helm and Opal and Mallet beside him.

“I have a signal!” Opal told, looking to her device. “No claws, no tail…”

“You found Star?” Dusk asked.

“And, from these power readings, it appears he’s found the waypoint” Opal told.

“So did Mallet!” Mallet replied, pointing ahead. “Look!”

And they all saw it: the waypoint of Deser. It was a platform with the symbol of Dezer at the base and with an altar where there was a lock that was a perfect fit for Calabrass’s blade. Star was standing beside it, saying:

“I am redeemed!”

It was then that Anpu immerged from the sand, right behind Star, saying:

“Redeemed? No. Doomed? Yes!”

He tossed Star aside and captured him.

“I am Anpu, master of sand and scorpions! Guardian of the gate! No one leaves the Triangle!”

He then extended his paw, pointing it to the waypoint. It then started to get out of the sand, with its base being a drill.

The Chaos reached the place where the waypoint was and Calabrass told Dusk:

“Quick! We must activate the waypoint before it disappears!”

“But what about Star?” Dusk asked.

“We cannot save Star and open the waypoint” Calabrass said. “It’s one or the other. The choice is yours, Captain.”

And so the Chaos started to head towards Star. Seeing that, he told:

“No! The waypoint! The good of the many before the good of just one!”

And so the Chaos changed direction, heading towards the waypoint. Seeing that, Star smiled and said:

“You acted like a true captain, Dusk. I’m proud of you, little brother.”

But then he saw something that really surprised him. It was Dusk was coming while surfing on the Plank.

“Yo, Anpu dude!” Dusk called. “Heads up!”

And he charged Anpu, causing him to fall. Dusk took that to grab Star and pull him to the Plank.

“No, this is not what you should have done!” Star told. “You fool! You cannot give up the waypoint!”

“First off, you’re welcome” Dusk told him. “Second, who says we can’t do both?”

Getting up, Anpu noticed Dusk and Star approaching the waypoint and so he started running towards them.

The plank returned to the Chaos and Dusk and Star landed on the deck.

“Coordinates set” Opal said. “Next stop: waypoint!”

Seeing the waypoint, Dusk took Calabrass and proclaimed:

“I am Captain Dusk Storm! And in the name of the Seven Seas, I claim this way…

Suddenly, the waypoint disappeared, moving to a much distance point, making Dusk to gasp. Noticing Anpu nearby, he said:

“That dog-nosed so-and-so moved it!”

“That means… I never made a mistake” Star realized. “It was Anpu. He has the power to move the waypoint!”

It was then that Anpu leaped onto the Chaos.

“Anpu!” Dusk shouted. “You cut me off right in the middle of my awesome speech!”

Star then started firing at Anpu, but he didn’t feel any harm. He then summoned a thunderstorm and an army of scorpions, ordering them to attack. Commanding the Chaos with the helm, Dusk tried to evade the attacks of the first two scorpions, causing them to run into each other. Mallet then jumped out and, using his sword, he crushed the eye of two scorpions, with more starting to approach.

Meanwhile, Star was fighting Anpu. Nearby, Clover was also fighting against the scorpions, using their beams to make them attack others. When one was about to attack him, the Chaos blasted it, saving him. Dusk was fighting and beating the scorpions that tried to climb into the Chaos. But then he noticed that Anpu is summoning more scorpions that started coming.

“Concentrate your attacks on his head” Dusk told his friends. “Maybe we can knock some sense into him!”

“Yes, together we can distract him” Star said. “We can weaken him long enough to beat a retreat.”

“Retreat?” Mallet asked, on top of a pile of defeated scorpions. “Mighty Helmet warriors know no such word!”

“Mallet, not you too!” Dusk said.

“I suppose we could charge… the other way” Mallet said, returning then to the Chaos.

Seeing Mallet returning, Clover also returned to the Chaos, teleporting.

“Okay, let’s try this again” Dusk said, summoning the Plank and jumping onto it. “Only this time… together!”

Mallet also jumped to the Plank and they started flying around.

“Yes” he said. “Come to me! Come to your end!”

“Not today!” Star replied.

And he and Opal both fire at Anpu. Despite not doing any effect on him, prevented him from moving.

“Push him!” Dusk told them. “It’s working!”

And so Dusk and Mallet both jumped down from the Plank, with Dusk exclaiming:

“Eat justice, Anpu!”

And the two of them both punched Anpu off the bow of the Chaos. After that, while everyone was celebrating, Clover said:

“If I were funnier, I’d crack a clever joke about dogs digging holes! But I’m not…”

But he didn’t finish, as one of Anpu’s claws appeared and grabbed Dusk, pulling him out. Not only that but two scorpions surrounded his crew.

Dusk started to recover from his fall and then Anpu grabbed him by the belt of the scabbard and then told him:

“No one leaves the Triangle!”

The scorpions were piling onto the Chaos, what really worried Dusk. Anpu prepared to strike Dusk with his tentacles, when the young unicorn then noticed the thunderstorm and got an idea. Grabbing Calabrass, he told:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Aeria!”

Once they transformed, Dusk used Calabrass as a rod to attract lightning and electrocute Anpu and the scorpions. Anpu fell down, while releasing Dusk who detransformed, and the same happened with the scorpions. The storm cleared and Dusk leaped back onto the Chaos, saying:

“Now, where was I? Oh yeah! To the waypoint!”

And the Chaos started walking to the waypoint. Seeing them approaching the waypoint, Anpu said, while extending weakly his paw:

“Nobody… Nobody escapes my grasp!”

Making a gesture, he made the waypoint to disappear. Seeing that, Dusk said:

“What?! Ah, man! Not again!”

With his duty accomplished, Anpu also disappeared in the sand.

“When he said no one leaves the Triangle, he meant it” Star commented.

Later, while Chaos was walking towards the nearest vortex, Dusk said, while Opal applied bandages to Mallet’s right arm:

“Well, we’re not mummies in some noob’s collection. I’m calling that a win.”

“This requires exemplary punishment” Calabrass said. “Star has stranded us all on this ocean of sand.”

“What are you talking about, bone brain?” Dusk asked. “He found the waypoint! He’ll find it again.”

Star nodded to him, now confident he could find the waypoint.

“Hey, Star, I don’t know about your code of honor personally, but I do know you’re the best second-in-command I could ever hope for” Dusk said. “More than that, you can be a better leader than I am. I believe in you, big brother.”

Having said that, he hugged Star.

“Even though my stubbornness put us all in danger?” Star asked.

“Not stubbornness, honor” Dusk replied, ending the hug. “Honor is one of the most important things to have. That, and friends.”

“And perhaps, a good wrench” Opal added.

“And handsome calves” Clover said. “Definitely.”

All that caused Mallet to tear up and then say, while trying to hide it:

“Mallet has headache in his eyes.”

“If you thought my code of honor for failure is extreme, you will definitely not like what it says about determination.”

Hearing him saying that caused them to gasp, but then Star started laughing and said:

“You should see yours face! Priceless!”

And he continued to laugh, while the others continued disconcerted.

Prison Break

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.”

Flying Up

The Sea Riders were on an island apparently looking for something. Star flew around it and then landed nearby Opal who was noticed a peculiar crab laying on the beach and poked it while saying:

“Interesting texture…”

After he landed, Star told Dusk:

“I cannot find any alternative entrances.”

“There's nothing here” Dusk replied, disappointed. “It's not the right island.”

“It's the only one in this zone” Star told. “If this Forge guy is not here...”

“You think he doesn't exist?” Dusk asked. “That his flying machine doesn't exist? Whatever, Star. I'm telling you, we've got to find some way of reaching it.”

And he pointed up, where there was a star-like glow at a very high altitude.

“It's just a glow” Star said, putting a hoof on his brother’s shoulder. “There's no proof that it's the Waypoint.”

Later, Star, Dusk and Opal returned to the Chaos, where the former was looking at the Navigatrix of the back helm, trying to see if that glow was the Waypoint, while the captain was leaning against the taffrail of the prow.

“If this Waypoint led out of the Triangle as you say, it would be bound to appear on the hologram” Star said. “But there's nothing. This so-called Waypoint is a legend, Dusk.”

“Back home, so is the Bermuda Triangle, remember?” Dusk replied, turning to his brother. “And not only that, but many other things.”

Suddenly, an alarm went off, making the Sea Raiders all gather up to look at the map.

“Have you got something?” Dusk asked.

“Approaching the port side” Star told. “Unidentified amphibious object!”

“Uh, a submarine attack?” Clover asked, appearing next to them.

“Let's go before we're scuppered” Calabrass told.

“And never find out what it is?” Dusk asked. “Let’s dive!”

And the Chaos made the grass dome appear around the group and the Chaos went to submarine mode and dived down. As they explore the bottom of the sea, they were attentive to the radar.

“Stand by...” Dusk said, while steering.

It was then that they saw what appeared to be a pony in a diving suit and with a breathing tube walking around the seafloor.

“Whoa!” Clover exclaimed, seeing that.

It was then they noticed a band of bite-acudas swimming towards the pony.

“Oh no…” Dusk said.

“Look out!” Star exclaimed.

The pony turned around and saw a lonely bite-acuda, reacting almost immediately by ducking down. Despite he tried to run away, the bite-acuda just followed him, while preparing its teeth.

“Star, protect him!” Dusk told.

Star then pressed a button and the Chaos shot at the bite-acuda with his front cannon. Despite the shots were not very harmful, they were able to scare it and it swam away from the pony.

“Yes!” Dusk and the others celebrated.

The pony, noticing that his breathing tube had a leak, started panicking, while he could feel his air running out. He then started calling the Sea Raiders’ attention.

“Look, he thank us” Mallet told, pointing at him.

The pony started showing his leaked breathing tube to the Sea Raiders.

“Don't mention it!” Clover replied, while waving.

“Uh, guys… I don’t think he’s thanking us” Star told.

And it was then that the pony fainted, making Dusk and Star both to gasp. Reacting to that, Opal got out of the Chaos using her swimming suit and swam to the pony. Seeing her through the glass of his helm, he said:

“Oh, what a heavenly diver…”

And so he fainted.

Opal brought him back to the Chaos and took their helmet off. Once he woke, the Sea Raiders came to now that he was the pony they were looking for. He was about Star’s age and had a dark grayish brown coat with two crossed wrenches as a Cutie Mark, a dark vermilion and very dark scarlet mane with light green eyes. He also used a pair of googles positioned above his forehead and a sash with pockets around a shoulder. He then started admiring Chaos around, while saying:

“What a stroke of luck to have been rescued by this ship” he said, with a slight accent. “Miracolo!”

Mallet, who didn’t understand what he was talking about, turned to Star and asked him:

“Is he crazy?” Mallet asked. “He not say any sense.”

“He’s just happy, Mallet” Star replied. “Besides, he seems to be Britalian, for his way of speaking. I know that because my aunt Cadance is from Britaly.”

“Not so miracolo” Dusk said to their guest, who had gone to the lower deck. “We were looking for you, Mr. Forge.”

“Call me Steam” he replied, turning his attention again to the Chaos. “This ship truly is a… a work of art!”

That compliment caused the Chaos to moan and so his front lights and sails suddenly turned into a hue of pink. It really surprised the Sea Raiders, as Chaos has never done that.

“What the…?” Opal asked. “The Chaos is reacting to… Steam's compliments.”

“He's blushing?” Clover asked, in a mocking way, not wanting to believe. “Fantastic!”

Curious about Clover’s spiritual body, Steam approached him and touched him, with his hoof passing through him, what really offended Clover who moved one step away from him.

“Um… Mr. Forge…” Dusk said. “Steam… They say that you built a plane. You know, that flies.”

“A plane that is not subject to the magnetic influences of the Triangle” Star told. “One that can fly even higher than any winged creature can around the Seven Seas.”

“If you really had one, it would be sensational!” Opal said.

“What's really sensaxional is this ship that blushes” Steam replied, happily. “The missing link between science and life!”

“This ain't no blushing ship!” Calabrass protested. “It's the Chaos!”

“A talking sword!” Steam exclaimed, looking with interest to Calabrass. Che meraviglia! I love it!”

Before that, Mallet told to Opal:

“Mallet still think he is crazy.”

“He’s not crazy, Mallet” Opal said. “He’s just… dazzled.”

The Chaos sailed back to the island and the Sea Raiders and Steam all get onto it. Once they landed, Dusk asked:

“But where is your workshop? We went all over the island.”

Steam, instead of replying with words, just pulled onto the crab that was there, revealing to be a fake and a level that caused two rocks to reveal the entrance of a cave, much to his new friends’ amazement.

“I knew there was something about that crab!” Opal exclaimed.

And so they all entered Steam’s workshop. It was a very fascinating place, with many layers connected to each other by wooden stairs. There were many shelves, closets, tables and also many intentions all around, including what appear to be prototypes of flying machines hanged around. Despite everypony became amazed with all that, Opal was the one to get the most.

“Wow!” she exclaimed. “It's all mechanical. Not an ounce of electronics.”

“An ounce of what?” Steam asked.

Noticing he was unfamiliar with a much modern technology, Opal tried to find a way to explain, but then Steam said:

“With logic and common sense…”

“The impossible becomes possible!” the two of them ended together.

That caused both of them to laugh, while blushing slightly.

“That's what I always says!” Opal told.

“Me too” Steam replied. “I sometimes talk to myself.”

“Sorry to interrupt, but what about that flying thing?” Dusk asked.

“Pipo” Steam replied. “That's what you need.”

“Pipo?” Dusk repeated.

“Yes, yes. My little bird.”

Steam gestured Dusk to follow him, while, bearby, Mallet chuckled at Steam's wacky personality.

“Steam, Dusk is looking for a flying machine, not a feathered friend” Star told, as Steam passed by him while climbing the stairs.

Arriving to a big level, Steam started to pull it around, while laughing and exclaiming, with the others approaching:

“Pipo!”

It was then that a mechanism pulled a platform inside of a pillar to the top of it, revealing then, much to the Sea Raider’s surprise, a flying machine with two seats with pedals and a turbine at the back.

“Pipo, my friends” Steam presented. “My friends, Pipo.”

They approached Pipo and Dusk exclaimed:

“That's exactly what I need!”

“If you want to kill yourself, in my opinion” Star told, not liking very much how the machine has been built.

“I like to give my inventions a nickname” Steam told. “That way I don't feel so lonely. The pilot pedals and then Pipo flaps his wings, like a bird. And then, hop, you fly away!”

“Up to the Waypoint…” Dusk said.

“Uh, the Waypoint?” Steam asked.

“Freshwater sailor's poppycock!” Calabrass exclaimed, not believing how clueless that pony was.

“According to legend, when Heartbeat, the General of Affection, and Bright Night, the General of Portals, got out of the Triangle, they left the Waypoint behind them so he could leave the Triangle after locking the seventh sea, that of Beru” Opal explained. “The news did not fall on deaf ears.”

“Leave?” Steam asked. “To go where?”

“Back to the Pony World” Dusk replied. “Like all of us want to do. With this machine, I am gonna open that Waypoint.”

“If that lantern up there is the Waypoint” Calabrass told.

“It is!” Dusk said. “Opal said so. It's too low to be a star and there's no machine or being that could fly at that altitude because of the magnetic influence.”

“No way you can take off with just pedal power” Star told.

“I used a catapult as a launch ramp” Steam said. “Except, then, you have to pedal hard. Otherwise...”

And he imitated a crashing sound, adding then:

“I tested it. It hurts.”

“There's no greater muscles in the Seven Seas than Mallet” Dusk said. “He's coming with me!”

Despite getting proud of himself when Star told about his muscles, Mallet became less enthusiastic when he heard he would go with Dusk on Pipo.

Elsewhere, the Demoniac was sailing through the waters of the Sea of Beru. At the bridge, Golden Bones came to see the radar picking up the signal of something that was very familiar to the golden skeleton.

“The Chaos…” he said, turning then to his soldiers. “Set a course to him! Action stations!”

And so the Demoniac speeded up, heading towards to where the Chaos was.

Meanwhile, Steam and the Sea Raiders were on the Chaos, not much away of Steam’s island. Opal and Steam had been able to put a catapult on Chaos’ bow and put Pipo on it, being now readying it. Star was steering the Chaos with the back helm, with Clover by his side. He then stopped the Chaos and told:

“We have reached the launching point. From here, the ascent of the presumed Waypoint...

“It's the Waypoint!” Dusk told his older brother from the stairs to the bow. “I'm telling you!”

“The distance of ascent to the presumed Waypoint would be the shortest” Star ended, ignoring his younger brother’s statement.

“Perfect!” Star exclaimed. “Let's go!”

When he prepared to climb into the bow he noticed his flying partner was not around.

“Where's Mallet?” Dusk asked Star, who just shrugged. “Mallet!”

Clover let himself pass through the deck and went to the engine room, finding a nervous Mallet, sitting in a corner. Approaching him, Clover told him:

“Just think how lucky you are! I'd give anything to go in your place!”

“If the Creator wished ponies like Mallet to fly, he would have given us wings like Star’s” Mallet replied.

“Oh, don't tell me that a great big warrior like you has got the willies?”

Hearing Clover saying that, Mallet felt that now he really had to go, not to face his fear, but to prove he wasn’t scared. He then sit on the chair of Pipo, along with Dusk who was sitting next to him. It was visible Mallet was seating nervously.

“Relax, Star, it's only a reconnaissance flight” Dusk said to his brother.

“What?!” Mallet asked him. “This not last one?!”

“Only if we crash, Mallet” Dusk joked, while putting a two-way radio onto Pipo’s dashboard.

However, his joke, which was intended to cheer up the moment, only caused Mallet to become even more nervous.

While Steam was oiling Pipo’s joints, he noticed Opal spraying something onto the turbine of Pipo.

“Uh, what is that?” he asked, appearing not very pleased.

“Reversal paste” she replied. “It inverses the gravity of heavy materials, thus making them lighter. Star helped me created it, thanks to his alchemy knowledge. Is there problem that I'm adding my personal touch?”

“Give me that!” Steam exclaimed, while taking the reversal past from Opal. “You ruin the balance of Pipo.”

As he moved away, Opal angrily stared at him. Meanwhile, Star was confirming with Dusk if he knew what to do in every situation.

“If there's any trouble, turn back” Star said. “I would hate to explain to mom and dad how their younger son stupidly crashed on a flying machine.”

“You got it” Dusk replied. “Blast off!”

Clover pulled the lever of the catapult and Pipo blasted out, with Dusk and Mallet peddling. While Dusk was pretty calm, Mallet was not, as he screamed.

“Come on, faster!” Dusk said to Mallet. “We can do this! Yeah!”

At the Chaos, seeing his invention going up and up, towards the glow at the sky, Steam got pretty enthusiastic and exclaimed:

“Fly, my Pipo! Fly!”

Noticing the others looking at him, Steam said:

“It's just that Pipo has never flown so far, nor so high.”

Hearing that, both Star and Clover got pretty worried. In a way to dissuade Dusk, Star told Dusk through the radio.

“You are chasing an illusion, Dusk.”

“You just watch, I'm going to prove you so wrong!” Dusk replied.

“Right or wrong, it doesn't matter” Star told.

“Are you so sure?”

“My Lord!” Mallet exclaimed.

“You can say that again, Mallet” Dusk said, still awestruck about being flying like his mother and brother. “It's fantastic!”

“No, by Lord, we losing wing!” Mallet replied, pointing. “Look!”

Dusk looked to the wing of his side and saw that Mallet was right. A bolt fell off from the wings, causing Pipo to start to fall down. The others, seeing that, became very worried too. Before that situation, Dusk told Mallet:

“Mallet, pedal! Faster!”

“That's what I'm doing!” he replied.

Realizing peddling wouldn’t do them any good if the wing was loose, Dusk took Calabrass and said:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz!”

After they got the powers of Blazz and transformed, Dusk leaped onto the top of Pipo and fired at the area where the bolt fell off, what caused the two parts of the joint to fuse together.

“Now!” Dusk told Mallet.

He peddled as fast as he could, while Dusk returned to his place, back to normal. Pipo passed by the water, but it continued to fly, despite not going any higher.

“Dusk!” Star called through the radio. “Answer me!”

“Everything's fine, Star” he answered. “We're still in contention.”

“Weren't that a sufficient shot across your bow, pipsqueak?” Calabrass asked Dusk. “We have to get back to dry land.”

“The Waypoint is waiting for us, Calabrass” Dusk replied to him, while peddling. “Right there. We just need a little boost! Give me the Eye of Beru!”

After he and Calabrass both gained the powers of Beru, Dusk told his flying partner, while securing Calabrass who had took his water gun form:

“Mallet, hold on tight!”

“Mallet never stop holding on tight” he replied, while keeping peddling as fast as he could.

Dusk then pointed Calabrass down and fired a water blast into the sea, causing Pipo to fly up.

“Come on!” Dusk said. “Our ticket home is right in front of us.”

Mallet continued to scream of terror, as Dusk continued to use water blasts to push them up. Suddenly, Dusk and Calabrass detransformed with the latter having become without energy.

“One last effort!” Dusk told, while peddling and putting Calabrass back on his scabbard. “We're there. I can feel it.”

At the Chaos, Star was following Dusk and Mallet with his telescope when the alarm went off. Before that, he looked around with the telescope and saw the Demoniac nearby.

“Dusk, Bones is here!” he warned his brother through the radio.

“We're... there!” Dusk told, starting to lose his breath of so tired of was from peddling.

“You have to come back” Star told. “Now!”

As they got closer to the shining object at the sky, it became even clearer.

“The Waypoint!” Dusk exclaimed. “I can almost touch it! I was right, Star! It's magnificent!”

As they got closer to the think Dusk thought it was the Waypoint, the think revealed itself to be some kind of robot that opened and revealed some weapons that pointed at Dusk and Mallet.

“What the…” Dusk started.

And it started to fire at them.

“The Waypoint is firing on us!” Dusk exclaimed.

“Better and better” Calabrass said, sarcastically.

Despite their best efforts to dodge, they were blast from the robot satellite which hit a wing of Pipo, causing the flying machine to fall down.

In the Demoniac, a skeleton noticed the explosions up there and said:

“Explosions in the sky, General!”

“Send in the pteros!” Bones ordered.

And the Demoniac sends out a few skeletons riding on their skeleton pterodactyls to Pipo. As they were falling, Dusk noticed to his relief that the fire at the place where they were hit went out. Now they only needed to control the fall. With Mallet having put his hoof over his eyes in order to calm himself down from falling, Dusk told him:

“You can open your eyes, Mallet. The worst is over.”

Mallet took his hoof off his eyes, but then he screamed again, pointing at the skeleton army who were flying towards them.

While they were dodging the pteros, Star kept watch on them with his telescope and said:

“They've taken damage.”

And so Steam and Opal started bickering with each other over the situation.

“Your paste has ruined the balance of my machine!” Steam told.

“Pardon me?” Opal replied. “It's your machine! It can't withstand the combined effects of pressure and friction.”

And so Opal and Steam turned their backs against each other.

“Dusk and Mallet has nowhere to land!” Star said. “They're going to crash!”

Meanwhile, Mallet and Dusk were still trying to avoid the skeletons. While peddling, Mallet told to himself, trying to get the courage he needed.

“Mallet is a Mighty Helm. Mighty Helm knows no fear. Mallet knows no fear.”

It seemed to be working, as Mallet was able to peddle along with Dusk to dodge the skeletons, even causing two to crash into each other. Dusk realized they needed a place to land or else they would clash really hard. It is then that he noticed the Demoniac nearby.

“Mallet, I have an idea for getting us out of this flying disaster” Dusk told to his big friend.

Dusk and Mallet flew Pipo to the Demoniac and they landed at its stern, all while causing a ptero and skeleton to clash on the water. Getting out of Pipo and seeing Mallet with his hooves over his eyes, Star told him:

“You can open your eyes. See? We're not dead.”

“Not yet!” Calabrass replied, turning around. “Look.”

And Dusk saw a squad of skeletons coming to them. The skeletons all formed an expanding ball by assembling their bones together and then rolled against Dusk and Mallet. But before they could hit them, they were shot, causing them to break apart.

“The Chaos!” Dusk exclaimed, pointing to their ship, who had been the one to shoot under the orders of Star.

The Chaos, sailing side by side with the Demoniac, started turning all while firing at it. A skeleton went to one of weapons and fired back at him. This forced the Chaos to leave in retreat.

“It’s Star!” Calabrass said. “He's abandoning us!”

Realizing they would be to exposed there, Dusk and Mallet run into the Demoniac, as the skeletons started to reassemble.

The Demoniac continued firing at the Chaos with its cannons, but the Chaos didn't fight back, just moving away.

At the bridge, Golden Bones noticed from his security camera that Dusk and Mallet have entered the Demoniac and so laughed and then he projected his voice through the speakers and told to the ones at the Chaos:

“Chaos, Dusk Storm is my prisoner. Surrender, or else... It's farewell, Captain!”

“Star, we can't leave them there!” Clover told.

“In order to overcome Bones, we need to double the fire power of the Chaos” Star replied. “That is impossible. Unless...”

And he looked down at Steam and Opal who were still mad at each other.

At the bridge of the Demoniac, Golden Bones was watching through his cameras Dusk and Mallet sneaking into the brig. He then said:

“The Chaos have abandoned the battle. Dusk Storm is aboard with Calabrass. I have everything I need. Set course for Netherwhere!”

In the brig, Dusk and Mallet were trying to find a way out. While they were walking, Calabrass said:

“Never trust your ship to your mate, especially when he's family.”

“Star knows what he's doing” Dusk said. “I believe right now he’s trying to get a plan to get us out of here.”

Suddenly they heard steps and then saw a squad of skeletons heading to them, what caused them to start running.

In Chaos’ captain's cabin, Star, sitting on Dusk’s chair, was trying to get Steam and Opal to make up. But it was not being an easy task, as they were still with their backs turned on each other.

“Well, I'm waiting for an answer” Star told them.

“If this period of observation means that I realize that my machine would be of great use to us” Steam said. “Unfortunately, Opal broke it.”

“How dare you?!” Opal asked. “It wasn't me, it was Dusk! Anyway, if you hadn't…”

“Enough already!” Star shouted, tired of all that, getting up. “I need both of your brains. The sum total of your talents!”

That sudden outburst of Star really caught Opal and Steam by surprise and so the latter said:

“Uh… My catapult can be improved.”

“I have a few gadgets on board” Opal said.

“We shall turn the Chaos into a perfect weapon!” the two of them said together.

“Good” Star said, relieved that the two inventors on board have finally decided to work together. “Let's hope that Dusk and Mallet can hold out.”

“We can rely on Dusk to give those skeletons a hard time” Clover told him. “He'll never let himself be taken.”

At the Demoniac, the skeletons were chasing Dusk and Mallet, with them firing at them.

“There are too many of those bone bugs” Dusk said.

He and Mallet arrived to a fork and Dusk told Mallet, as they turned right:

“This way!”

However, that way led them into a dead-end.

“No!” Dusk exclaimed.

“Like rats in a trap!” Calabrass told.

Mallet took out his sword to prepare to bash on the skeletons. After that, Dusk took Calabrass and said:

“Calabrass, now give me the Eye of Blazz!”

“I'm in no condition to take on Bones and his bony back-up” he replied to Dusk.

“We just need a little boost”Dusk told him. “That's enough for now. Activate!”

And so he and Calabrass transformed with the Eye of Blazz. So, using Calabrass' fiery blade like a blow torch, Dusk tried to cut a door that led to the vent open. When the skeletons that were pursuing them arrived to the fork, Mallet bashed them. However, they quickly started to reassemble.

“They're regrouping” he said. “Hurry, Dusk!”

It was then that Dusk cut the door open.

“This way out!” he said.

Dusk and Calabrass both detransformed and Mallet, after recollecting his sword, tried to get inside the vent, but his large size caused him to get stuck.

“I'm stuck!” he told.

“Sorry for this, Mallet” Star said, before kicking Mallet inside and jumping inside afterwards to the capacitor, sliding down the vent.

Dusk and Mallet got out of the vent, with the latter hitting the floor first and the former falling over him. However, for their lack of luck, they both had fallen down into another room where an army of skeletons surrounded them.

“Uh-oh” Dusk said.

At Steam’s island, he and Opal started working on perfecting the catapult on the bow of the Chaos. While doing that, it was visible they have started to work together far much better. It was then that they were able to finish their work.

However, back in the Demoniac, the skeletons brought Dusk and Mallet to Golden Bones, with a skeleton holding out Calabrass for Golden Bones.

“Your powers are exhausted, young Storm” Golden Bones told Dusk. “Without them you are nothing.”

Turning to the skeletons, he told them:

“Throw them in the hold!”

But before they could do that, an alarm went off.

“What now?” Golden Bones asked.

“The Chaos is attacking us!” a skeleton answered.

That caused Dusk and Mallet to trade a smile of joy, as that was the chance they needed to escape. Looking through the window, Golden Bones saw the Chaos approaching, with his catapult ready to go.

“What exactly is that?” he asked, looking at the catapult.

Star steered the Chaos to approach the Demoniac and then said:

“We are within range.”

“Be my guest, Steam” Opal said to Steam, inviting him to pull the level.

“Con piacere, Opal” he replied.

And so Steam pulled the lever and a grappling hook was fired from the catapult, landing on the one of the sides of the Demoniac. Before that, Golden Bones asked in a mocking tone:

“Arrows? What next? Stones? Ah, pathetic!”

However, that grappling hook was connected to a generator and Steam told Opal, as they prepared to turn it on:

“Be my guest, Opal.”

“Volentieri, Steam” Opal replied.

And so she pulled the lever that turned the generator on and an electric current was sent to the grappling hook, what shocked every skeleton that were providing energy to the Demoniac, causing them to break apart and the submarine to get shut down.

“No!” Golden Bones shouted.

Taking advantage of that, Mallet and Dusk acted, with the former attacking the skeletons that were guarding them and Dusk going to rescue Calabrass from the one that was holding him. After that, Dusk and Mallet run towards the exit. At that moment, Golden Bones turned around and saw, to his shock, that his skeletons have all been break into pieces.

“What up, Bones?” Dusk asked him in a scornful way. “You need a bigger boat?”

And the two colts got out of the room.

“No!” Golden Bones shouted, turning then to the skeletons that were reassembling. “Fire at will! Sink that ship and bring me those prisoners back!”

The Demoniac opened fire on Chaos, but he was able to dodge every blast, while Opal and Steam put some spiky balls on the catapult. They made signal to Clover who pulled the level, sending them towards the cannons, being able to blast one set.

The alarm was going crazy inside the Chaos, with skeletons rushing around. Dusk and Mallet had been able to hide in a room in the brig. Dusk then held out Calabrass to check if the coast was clear in the hallways.

“All clear!” he replied.

They gots out of their hiding place and Dusk started heading right.

“The deck is the other way” Mallet told Dusk.

“I know what I'm doing” he said.

“That's what scares me” Calabrass replied.

“I have to save Calabrass' power” Dusk told to his Mighty Helm warrior friend. “The skeletons are your job, Mallet.”

That really pleased Mallet as he loved to break down skeletons. He then started following Dusk towards the bow of the Demoniac. Outside, the Demoniac opened the bow to let some pteros get out and face the Sea Raiders. At that moment, Dusk and Mallet arrived and saw that Pipo was still where they left it. Seeing what was Dusk’s plan, Mallet exclaimed:

“No!”

“Yes!” Dusk said.

Once the cost was cleared, Dusk and Mallet both tried to push Pipo forward, but one of Pipo's wheels caused a screech and the skeletons were able to hear them. Seeing them approaching, Mallet got off of Pipo and he fought back the skeletons.

“Mallet!” Dusk called, once he had sit down. “We're going back to the Chaos!”

Mallet got back onto Pipo after defeating the skeletons and then asked:

“No higher? No further?”

“Promise” Dusk replied, as the skeletons started reassembling.

Mallet then pushed Pipo forwards and, while that, Calabrass exclaimed:

“We have no momentum! We have no momentum!”

“Where we're going, we don't need momentum” Dusk replied, seeing then the skeletons approaching. “Mallet, we pedal!”

“What?”

“Pedal! Quick!”

Mallet got onto the passenger seat and he and Dusk both quickly pedaled. However, Pipo was about to fall into the water. Fortunately, they were able to produce enough strength to allow Pipo fly up into the sky.

Star was doing his best to dodge the shots from the skeletons on the pteros and, after he was able to position the Chaos, Opal pulled the lever of the catapult that launched and a large fishing net towards the skeletons, trapping them and causing them to fall in the water. The Sea Raiders and Steam all cheered with their victory, with Opal and Steam hugging happily, only to break the hug once they realized they were hugging, blushing.

Just then, Dusk and Mallet both made it back safely to the ship. After they landed on the catapult. Once he and Mallet got out of Pipo, Dusk told:

“Quick! Fall back!”

Spinning the helm, Star turned the ship around and the Chaos sailed away from the Demoniac. However, it started following them, while shooting.

“They must not escape!” Golden Bones exclaimed to his skeletons.

Near Steam's island, the Chaos was heading back there. While steering, Star noticed his brother preparing the catapult, and asked him:

“What are you doing?”

“Star, you were right” Dusk said. “That's not the way out of the Triangle.”

“I'm sorry.”

“But it is our emergency life-saver!”

“That's what you need” Steam said, while handing Dusk the reversal past.

Dusk then received an encouraging nod from Opal that then share a look with Steam. And so the captain of the Chaos started applying the reversal paste onto himself.

“Hey, not too much” Opal warned him.

After applying Opal’s reversal paste, Dusk could feel himself become so much lighter. He then gave a big jump, landing right at one of Pipo’s seat.

“Recharged?” Dusk asked Calabrass.

“Aye, aye, Captain!” he replied.

And so, for Dusk’s big surprise, Mallet arrived, spraying the reversal paste onto himself too.

“Mallet, you don't have to” Dusk said.

“When Mallet fall off drakkar, Mallet get back on drakkar” he replied, with assertiveness.

“Mercy, I'm begging ye” Calabrass said. “Will somebody just stick me in the mast?”

“Go for it” Star told them. “We'll give you liftoff.”

Steam and Opal then pulled the lever together and Pipo lifted up to the sky. Dusk and Mallet peddled as soon they were launched and started heading towards the robot they have encountered. It was then that three pteros appeared on their way, shooting at them. Dusk and Mallet tried to avoid the skeletons and so Dusk said, while taking Calabrass:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Beru!”

They transformed and Dusk fired a water blast into the sea, causing Pipo to fly up, passing the skeletons and arriving to where the robot satellite was. It started shooting and they started avoiding the shots, all while having the pteros receiving them instead. It was then that Dusk said:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Vapir!”

They transformed with the Eye of Vapir and then jumped off Pipo, heading towards the robot and landing on it. Dusk then proceeded to cut some of its parts what caused the robot satellite to fall down. After that, Dusk used Calabrass' blade as a turbine and directed the robot satellite to the Demoniac.

“No!” Golden Bones said, seeing what was happening.

“Express delivery for Mr. Golden Bones!” Dusk exclaimed, jumping off the robot satellite and landing himself back onto Pipo's passenger seat. The robot satellite crashes into the bridge and prepared to shoot.

“No!” Golden Bones shouted.

And the robot satellite fired at everypony inside the Demoniac. The ones that were at the Chaos started cheering Dusk and Mallet, as well their victory over Golden Bones.

Later at sunset, Steam was talking to Pipo on the Chaos, saying:

“Pipo, I am so proud of you! Two aerial combats in one day. Daddy is going to freshen you up.”

Opal then arrived and said:

“Steam?”

Her sudden appearance caused Steam to gasp and say:

“I never said, Daddy. I promise you.”

But that was not the reason why Opal was there and so she said:

“On behalf of the Chaos, I came here to ask you if you would like to join our crew. It would be sensational!”

“Oh, thank you, Opal, but I am happy on my island” Steam replied. “And action is not my thing, unlike your captain.”

“I see…” Opal replied, a little disappointed. “Well, I hope we get to see each other sometime.”

“Yes, that would be…” Steam started, before Opal giving him a kiss on the cheek, causing him to blush. “…glorioso.”

Nearby, Star was watching Dusk, looking to the sky at the other point of the Chaos. Calabrass then turned to him and told him:

“Hey, winged boy. I must admit, you amazed me.”

“Thank you, Calabrass… I think” Star replied, turning then to Dusk. “Are you sorry the Waypoint does not exist?”

“A little” Dusk said. “My stubbornness nearly got my wings burned… in a way of speaking. And it also got you burned away. I'm sorry.”

Suddenly, Dusk started floating up and he looked down, revealing that he had a rope tied around his leg to the steering wheel.

“Um, Star, why is the effect lasting longer on me than on Mallet?” Dusk asked, referring to the reversal past.

“Metabolism” he replied. “Mallet is more solid.”

“Okay, I always wanted to know how to fly like you and mom, but this is becoming a drag” Dusk confessed.

And Star laughed as he held onto the rope to prevent Dusk from flying away.

Mallet the Terrible

At the Sea of Beru, the Chaos was approaching a vortex. Star was using a special tetrahedral stone with runes that he was manipulating with his magic. Keeping away the stone, he said:

“The chart leaves no doubt. This vortex leads into Vapir, the Sea of Mist.”

“Mist and malevolence” Opal told.

“If we have nothing to take us to Vapir, may as well stay out of trouble, right, Opal?” Dusk said, while steering, seeing then something strange from the vortex. “Wait a second. What's that?”

And they saw something that appeared to be some kind of marine creature, moving like it was swimming. When it crossed the vortex, Calabrass replied:

“Typhoons and Tornados! A mermare!”

It really looked like a mermare, but nothing a pony like Star, who have already met mermares before, have already seen. Her upper torso was of a mare, but her lower torso possessed a very long tail and she possessed a blue color that seemed to radiate. A tiara with a big white jewel rested on her head. She seemed to be dancing around judging for how she was able to circling on the air, like she was entertaining them:

“Pretty fish lady” Mallet admired.

“Yeah, but nothing like I have ever seen” Star said.

“Flying fish folk!” Clover exclaimed, enthusiastically. “Fantastic! Flap those flappers, you fabulous thing, you! She seems nice…”

Suddenly, her pretty appearance turned into those of a monster with a grayish skin that scared Clover who teleported to the side of his friends who got also shocked by the sudden change. She then went underwater and started attacking the Chaos from beneath. Before that situation, Dusk said:

“I'm not letting that thing sink its teeth into my ship.”

Having said that, Dusk got onto the Plank.

“What are you doing, Dusk Storm?!” Star asked. “The vortex will suck you in!”

But he ignored Star and just told to his friends, while taking Calabrass:

“Stay on board! Calabrass and I will deal with this one! Go!”

And the Plank was released.

“No wait!” Star asked, to not avail.

As he was surfing in the air, Dusk told:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Beru!”

And so they transformed. After that, Dusk fired water blasts at the creature, when she came to surface. To avoid the blasts, the creature released the Chaos and dived down into the water and then try to attack Dusk. When she saw she couldn’t get him, she returned to dive. Dusk stopped the Plank and asked:

“Where is it?”

“It skedaddle when it saw me!” Calabrass replied, laughing. “I don't blame it. It's tough to face Calabrass, the Tiger…”

But before he could end what he was saying, the creature appeared out of the water, scaring Dusk and Calabrass and causing them to detransform, all while capturing them in her tail.

“Dusk!” Star called.

“It's trying to draw us into the vortex!” Dusk exclaimed, seeing to where the creature was going.

He try to attack her with the Calabrass, but then she looked at him with her more beautiful look and then she casted a light beam from the jewel of her crown that hit Dusk’s eyes. This caused him to get in a hypnotic state.

“What are you waiting for, laddie?” Calabrass asked, turning to Dusk. “Stick me between its eyes!”

The mermare placed her hooves over Dusk’s chin, while approaching her face to his, increasing the power. This caused Dusk to get completely under her influence and loose the grip he had on Calabrass.

Noticing his brother was doing nothing against the mermare, Star asked:

“What is he doing?”

“Oh no!” Opal exclaimed. “It'll swallow him up!”

“Clover, bring the Chaos closer to Dusk!” Mallet told to little ghost.

“No, Mallet!” Star replied. “We will get sucked in too!”

But Mallet ignored him and just told Clover coldly:

“Do as Mallet order!”

As if getting offended by Mallet bossing him around, Clover teleported to the top of the mast. That really let Mallet immensely frustrated as he advanced towards the helm. Seeing what he intended to do, Star exclaimed to him:

“Mallet, no!”

And so Mallet pulled the lever and the Chaos charged towards the creature. She noticed the Chaos coming to her, but that, instead of intimidating her, only caused her to draw a smile. Calabrass also saw that happening and then said:

“Suffering sea serpents! Get away! You'll get us all sucked in!”

But Mallet didn’t listen Calabrass as well, saying:

“Mallet always rescue his friends!”

And so he took out his sword, activating it, and then he advanced, leaping out of Chaos and smashes his sword at the creature, causing her to let go of Dusk and Calabrass.

“No!” she screamed, while falling into the water.

Dusk recovered from his hypnotized state and quickly got hold of Calabrass and was caught by the Plank, all while the creature got up again. Doing this, she went and captured Mallet.

“Mallet!” Star and Opal called.

Having seen that too, Dusk called:

“Mallet!”

And so he surfed the Plank so he could follow the creature. She headed towards the vortex and crossed it, at the moment it started to close. Dusk tried to reach it, going as fast as he could, but the vortex closed before he could get a chance to rescue Mallet. A feeling of frustration and anger invaded Dusk who went back to the Chaos. Once he arrived there, he said:

“Agh, I said to stay on board! Mallet went blindly on that monster! He rushed without thinking!”

“But you weren't moving” Calabrass told.

“What do you mean?” Dusk asked, not having any recollection of that. “If Mallet haven't interfered, I'd…”

“He tried to help you” Clover said.

“You seemed to be hypnotized” Star stated.

“I had the situation under control!” Dusk protested.

“My eye you were!” Calabrass exclaimed. “And I don't mean the blind one!”

“Anyway, Mallet never hesitated” Clover told. “He's more heart than brain, I guess.”

“Is there any chance he survive going through the vortex?” Dusk asked Opal.

“Absolutely!” she replied. “One chance in 254 229. Approximately...”

Despite those chances, Dusk knew he had to do his best to save Mallet.

“Well, that's good enough for me” he said. “Let's go find him! Chaos, set the course for the nearest vortex to Vapir!”

And the Chaos started moving. It didn’t take long for them to find another vortex that brought them to Vapir, heading towards a certain island. Once they arrived, Dusk, Star and Opal got down and advanced, with Star saying:

“Even if Mallet survived the vortex, his chances of surviving here alone are slim.”

“Not to mention the others” Calabrass said.

“What others?” Dusk asked.

“Vapir is inhabited by creatures with pony form” Clover replied from the Chaos.

“To be precise, they are poteiform” Star clarified.

“That means they can assume several forms” Opal explained to Dusk.

“I didn't plan on having a chat with the locals” Dusk replied. “We just find that mule-head, Mallet, get him back on board and get out of Vapir. It's as simple as that.”

“I hope so” Opal told. “I hate being in Vapir…”

As Dusk, Star and Opal moved away from Chaos, Clover told them:

“Have fun saving the Mighty Helm warrior! In the not at all creepy misty place!”

As they advanced, with Dusk with Calabrass at the ready and Star and Opal with their horns prepared to cast any magic blast. As they advanced, Dusk said:

“Stay on guard. You never know what might come out of the mist.”

After a while, they stopped and Dusk asked Opal:

“Opal, any sign of Mallet?”

She took out her device and consulted it. She replied:

“No pony presence. My radar isn't picking up any heat signatures.”

Star, feeling being observed, looked around, charging his horn with magic. After seeing that they were alone, he said:

“There is no one.”

“It's funny how we feel vulnerable without Mallet, isn't it?” Opal asked. “Without his strength. I speak for myself, at least. I guess that’s what happens when we get used to have him around.”

The trio continued to walk away. However, they were unaware that they were being watched by some weird ponies with masks.

“Hey, shipmate, ye've still got me to protect ye!” Calabrass told Opal.

“Well, I'd feel even safer if Mallet were with us” Opal said.

“Don't forget he's the one who got us into this mess, jumping on everything that moves like a lunatic” Dusk reminded.

Opal would reply, but then Star told:

“Look, over there!”

They all looked and saw Mallet's sword stuck on the ground.

“Mallet's weapon!” Opal exclaimed. “Thank goodness!”

They all approached it and Dusk told:

“Aw, yeah! He survived the vortex!”

“The laddie's got a tough hide!” Calabrass observed.

Star looked around, observing the ground, and said:

“Signs of struggle… Mallet was fighting!”

“Fighting what?” Opal asked.

Her question was answered when a hooful of ponies like the ones who were observing them approached, appearing to want to attack them. Their movements seemed rigid and slow and their color seemed bleached. The trio prepared to defend themselves from any attack those masked ponies could throw at them, with Opal saying:

“The radar isn't picking them up, because they're… cold.”

Their attacks attacked, with the trio then doing their best to defend from their attacks. Eventually, they were able to knock them down, however their happiness disappeared when they started to get up and grunted, ready to attack again.

“Oh no… they’re zombies!” Opal exclaimed.

Star tried to attack, but a zombie threw a rock at his horn, hurting it and disabling his magic. Star couldn’t believe that. Despite his horn would be able to heal itself, that injury would prevent him from using magic. But just because he didn’t have magic, he wasn’t defenseless. And so he started fighting the zombies hoof-to-hoof, proving his immense skills on that.

Dusk then prepared to call upon one of Calabrass’ eyes.

“Calabrass, give me the…”

But before he could finish, a zombie wrapped a chain around Calabrass and pulled him off Dusk's hoof.

“No!” Dusk exclaimed.

The zombies surrounded Dusk, Star and Opal and so they heard a female evil laugh. Seeing someone from afar, Dusk asked:

“Who's there?”

And so the same creature from earlier appeared.

“It’s… the mermaid!” Opal told.

“I'm Queen Akana” she introduced herself. “Welcome to Vapir. What are you doing lost in the mists? It's very dangerous, you know?”

“We're looking for our shipmate, Mallet” Dusk replied.

“But, if you haven’t, we won’t bother you anymore and be on our way” Opal told.

She retreated, but was prevented from doing much more because a zombie blocked her way.

“Let us pass!” Dusk demanded, as the zombies closed the circle around the Sea Raiders.

A zombie then approached Queen Akana and handed Calabrass to her, while the talking sword said:

“Let me go, ya' bilge rat! Argh!”

Queen Akana laughed and said:

“A talking sword and a bold young colt. Bring them to the camp! I feel like some amusement.”

She then started slithering away and the zombies started directing the Seven Seas after her. They entered Queen Akana’s lair and she, sitting on what appeared to be her throne, said, after laughing, while holding Calabrass:

“I'm so happy to have company. Such a rare occurrence!”

“By Neptune's beard! Let me go, ye fresh water buccaneer!” Calabrass demanded.

“Thank you for your hospitality, but…” Opal started, courteously.

“We're here to look for our friend” Dusk said, less courteously.

“Just one friend?” Queen Akana asked. “You're going to have lots of new friends! What do you say to swelling the ranks of my subjects?”

“Not in my lifetime!” Calabrass replied.

Star, who has been studying the situation carefully, couldn’t help but notice something familiar on that situation. It was then that he figured out.

“Wait a minute…” Star said, turning to Queen Akana. “You… You are one of the seven sirens, the ones who defeated by Melody.”

That statement surprised Queen Akana, but she remained composed and said:

“So we have a know-it-all, here. Yes, I was one of the seven sirens. I was Crystal Note, holder of the blue pearl, before becoming this wonderful creature you know see.”

“You know, I’ve met Adagio and Allegro and they’re much nicer than you” Star said. “I dare to say even more beautiful.”

Those words really upset Akana, but she did her best to keep herself composed and then said:

“Ah, so soon with the fine words. Oh, no, no, you'll see. I’m the nicest of all the sirens. And you’ll see that in a few moments. After all, you’re going to have a bunch of new friends…”

The glow in the zombies’ eyes became even brighter and then Queen Akana, just like how she did with Dusk previously, casted from the jewel of her crown a beam that hit Opal’s and tried to hypnotize her. However, Opal snapped out of the trance quickly.

“Clearly, she must be from the Enchanted Forest” Queen Akana told. “All that fairy dust magic on her is interfering with my power. But not to worry. I still have other friends in my sight.”

She then turned to Star and put him into a trance. He grunted while trying to resist and, eventually, snapped out of the trance.

“Oh, well done!” Queen Akana congratulated. “You have a very strong mental will. One cannot take control of your mind.”

“After my encounter with Allegro, I’ve trained my mind to resist to most controlling spells” Star replied. “You need to do much more than that to hypnotize me.”

“I see…” Queen Akana replied. “Very well. I'm sure I'll have better luck with your other comrade.”

And so Queen Akana started putting Dusk into a trance. He tried to resist, but, unlike Star, he didn’t have any train on that. He had to do something before he fell under her control. Reacting to the situation, he was able to subdue the zombie that was holding him and demanded to Queen Akana:

“Release us, or else!”

“Or else nothing!” she replied, waving a hoof.

Once she did that, the zombie Dusk was holding turned into dust, making Queen Akana laugh and then say:

“Well, now. I've never had such bad luck in recruiting new subjects. But it doesn't matter. I can still have some fun with you. Take them to the pit!”

And the zombies started taking the Sea Raiders away, while Queen Akana laughs. They were taken to a room where there was a hole with a turbine at the middle. Queen Akana was at her seat, with Calabrass with her blade stuck in the seat, beside her. He told her:

“Hey! Your majesty of the living dead! Do you think I'm gonna sit here and do nothing?”

“I do!” she replied, while spinning Calabrass’ hilt playfully. “Oh, I adore this pit. It really is very, very treacherous, you know.”

“Wait!” Dusk exclaimed. “You're gonna throw us in the hole and that's it?”

“Yes” Queen Akana told. “I want to have some fun!”

“You call that fun?” Dusk asked. “It's not very imaginative. You can release us and see if your underlings could catch us again. A wild hunt. Now that would be fun.”

Understanding what Dusk was trying to do, Calabrass encouraged the idea.

“Yeah, that's a good idea!” he said.

“Silence!” Queen Akana ordered Calabrass, before turning to Dusk, laughing. “You're very smart. But do not take me for an idiot. I'll offer you a bargain. If you can defeat my finest warrior, I shall spare your life. On the other hoof, if you lose to give me greater entertainment… your opponent will kill you.”

“Dusk Storm! Have you gone mad?!” Star asked.

However Dusk winked at him.

Standing up, Queen Akana told:

“Allow me to introduce my finest warrior. I believe you already know each other.”

The bars of the entranced were removed and the one to get in was…

“Mallet?!” Dusk, Star, Opal and Calabrass called at the same time, not wanting to believe what they were seeing.

It was really him. However, it would appear Mallet was under Queen Akana’s control as his eyes were shining like the zombies’. The evil siren laughed, while admiring the situation.

“Mallet, we found you!” Dusk exclaimed. “Quick, help us!”

But the only think Mallet did was starting to warm up himself.

“Mallet!” Dusk called. “Mallet, can you hear me, buddy?”

“Look at his eyes...” Opal told.

“The queen bewitched him” Star said. “The magic stone did something to his brain.”

When Mallet stopped warming up and saluted Queen Akana, she commanded her zombies who started to guide Star and Opal away.

“Mallet's going to make mincemeat out of you, Dusk” Opal warned him while being taken.

“I appreciate the moral support, guys” Dusk thanked sarcastically.

Queen Akana laughed while commanding Mallet to advanced. Once he entered the pit, Dusk turned to him and said:

“So, Mallet, you…”

But before he could finish what he was trying to say Mallet tried to punch him, but Dusk was able to duck and dodge. Mallet didn’t stop there and tried to hit Dusk. Fortunately, Dusk was faster and more agile and was able to dodge his attacks, but the pit prevented Dusk from moving as freely as he wanted and it didn’t take long to get cornered against it.

“Ooo, amusing!” Queen Akana exclaimed to Dusk. “But you won't be able to avoid my champion for very long.”

“Argh, if I had me body, you wouldn't be able to avoid me foot for very long!” Calabrass told Queen Akana.

While avoiding Mallet's punches, Dusk almost fell into the pit.

“Watch out!” Star exclaimed. “The hole!”

Seeing he didn’t had any other chance, Dusk tried to charge against Mallet, but he was to big and steady that his own block was enough to push Dusk to the pit. Fortunately, he was able to grab onto the ledge. Queen Akana laughed, as Dusk climbed back up.

“Mallet… this isn't funny anymore!” Dusk told.

But he didn’t hear him and so Dusk tried to fight Mallet, but the latter, thanks to his strength, knocked him to the ground. When Mallet tried to step onto Dusk, the latter grabbed Mallet's hoof and tosses him aside, with Mallet land at the ledge of the pit.

“Mallet!” Opal called, while Dusk tried to pull Mallet up to avoid having him fall into the pit.

“This is bad” Star said. “This is a fight we will never win. We'll lose a friend no matter the outcome.”

Queen Akana took a sip from her cup, as she watches Dusk pull Mallet away from the pit. But he didn’t get enough time to catch his breath after the big effort he had to prevent his big friend from falling, as Mallet got up and got ready to fight Dusk again. Before that, Dusk run into the other side of the pit, while saying:

“Mallet, try to remember. We're a team! You're the…”

But before he could say anything more, Mallet gave a big jump forward, over the pit, and landed onto Dusk.

“Dusk!” Star and Opal called, immensely worried.

Queen Akana laughed as Mallet picked up the defeated Dusk and started taking him to the pit.

“Mallet, no!” Dusk shouted.

“His grammar may be weak, but he's a warrior whose loyalty you can depend upon” Queen Akana told.

“That's enough!” Opal exclaimed, being able to free herself from the zombie that was holding her.

She then run towards Mallet and jumped onto him. The zombies prepared to act, but Queen Akana told them:

“No! Let her be. It's been a long time since I had this much fun!”

“Crazy lunatic!” Calabrass insulted. “I'll slice you apart!”

With Opal over Mallet caused the latter to start spin himself around to get her to drop him, all while Dusk said:

“Opal, no! All three of us will fall!”

“Free yourself” Opal told Mallet, while he tossed Dusk aside. “Free yourself! Mallet, you have been bewitched, but your mind is stronger! Listen to me! It is me, Opal! We've come to take you back. You're one of us!”

It was then that Mallet was able to get Opal and pick her up, while shouting:

“Mallet crush you!”

When he was about to throw her into the turbine, Opal called:

“Star!”

And so Star pushed away the zombie who were holding him. Extending his wings, he charged against Mallet, shoving him and preventing him from throwing Opal into the pit. While Mallet started competing with Star, Dusk noticed Calabrass still stuck by Queen Akana’s side and then noticed a zombie nearby holding chains. That gave him an idea and so he run and punched the zombie, grabbing the chain.

Once he got the chain, he turned to Calabrass and threw the chain, wrapping it around him, much to Queek Akana’s surprise. After having him at his reach, Dusk pulled Calabrass back to him, but a zombie grabbed Calabrass' blade to prevent Dusk from getting him back. The zombie laughed evilly as Dusk tries to pull the chain back. It was then that Dusk noticed that Mallet had been able to toss Star aside and then he grabbed Opal by her leg towards the pit.

“Help me, Star!”

He tried to move, but he was too sore to move quickly. Mallet tossed Opal to the turbine, making her scream, but Star was able to catch her with his magic just in time, as she was inches away of the turbine. However, because Star’s magic was limited because not only of the seal that was containing the Curse of the Poisoned Heart and the Triangle’s magic interference, he was using all of his focus to secure Opal. That left him exposed to Mallet who advanced towards him to attack and kick him into the pit.

“Now that really is enough!” Dusk exclaimed, pulling the chain back harder, causing the zombie to fall down and let go of Calabrass. Dusk caught Calabrass and then shouted:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Vapir!”

And they transformed, getting the powers of Vapir. Dusk then advanced to fight the zombies that came to him, using both Calabrass’ blade and smoke powers to vaporize them. But then he had to face Mallet who approached him.

“I could get rid of you by using Calabrass' powers, but I don't want to harm you, Mallet” Dusk told his friend.

Mallet prepared to attack Dusk, but hearing him saying those words, doing that act, caused the Mighty Helm to snap out of the trance. Seeing that, Queen Akana shouted:

“Enough! I am your queen! You owe me allegiance! Mallet, finish him off!”

Mallet got put into the trance again and advanced towards Dusk, who kept saying:

“Look at us! Star, Opal, Calabrass, we're all on the same crew! Friends till the end.”

“Mallet has queen!” he exclaimed. “Mallet has no allegiance!”

Mallet tried to fight Dusk, but he dodged his attack and knocked him down.

“Dusk!” Star called, as he and Opal joined him. “The jewel acts as a key into his mind. He will be loyal to whoever wears the crown!”

“Then we have to take it!” Dusk exclaimed, while jumping to charge Queen Akana.

“Keep him away from me!” Queen Akana ordered.

And so two zombies advanced towards Dusk, but he was able to defeat them and reach Queen Akana’s throne. He pointed Calabrass' blade at her and said:

“No more fun now. Give me that crown!”

“You will pay for this!” Queen Akana told, as she tried to put Dusk into a trance again.

“Look out, Dusk!” Star exclaimed.

And so, to help, his brother, Star took flight and reach him, covering his eyes with his hooves. Now that Dusk was in full control of his actions, he laughed and then was able to grab the jewel off Queen Akana's crown, with Star pulling him out of there. But once they arrived there, Mallet, still obeying Queen Akana, was able to pick up Dusk and then he threw him near the pit. The jewel got out of Dusk’s possession and fell into the pit.

“My crown!” Queen Akana shouted.

The turbine cut the jewel into pieces, causing Mallet scream, as he felt an immense pain. Star and Opal advanced towards Dusk and then the former said:

“Without the crown, we have no chance! Mallet will never be himself again!”

Queen Akana got near them and then transformed into her monster form again and roared at the Sea Raiders. The zombies appeared and they all surrounded them, including Mallet. Having no other choice, Dusk shouted:

“Vapir, ultimate vaporization!”

And he blasted vapor to the zombies blocking their way to the exit, making them disappear, but that came with a price.

“No more energy…” Calabrass said, as he and Dusk both detransformed.

With their best weapon without energy, Dusk told to his friends:

“Retreat! Back to the Chaos!”

“But what about Mallet?” Opal asked.

“There are too many of them!” Dusk replied. “There's nothing we could do. I said, to the Chaos! Do it!”

With the zombies starting to advance towards them, Star and Opal saw they have no other option and so they followed Dusk out of Queen Akana’s lair. They run as fast as they could until they could see the Chaos at the shore of the island. Dusk looked back, seeing Mallet from afar. It was hard for him to let him, but he had to secure the others.

As they returned to the Chaos, Star shot magic blasts at the zombies to give them time. Seeing them coming, Clover told his friend:

“Get aboard! Get aboard! But not them!”

Star landed on the deck and Opal got there too, with Dusk being the only one to remain outside.

“Where's Mallet?” Clover asked, who then saw him hypnotized. “Whoa! What's wrong with him?”

“Long story” Opal replied. “Start the engine! Hurry!”

When the zombies were pretty close, Dusk asked Calabrass:

“Have recharged any?”

“Hardly. Why, you don't intend to…”

“I can't leave him here!” Dusk told. “Give me the Eye of Vapir!”

And Calabrass transformed himself and Dusk again, starting fighting with the zombies. Fortunately, he had Star and Opal’s assistance from the Chaos.

“Get aboard, Dusk!” Opal told. “We're going!”

“I'm not letting Mallet vanish into the mists of Vapir!” Dusk replied.

“Mallet is lost!” Star told. “And if we stay, so are we!”

“Hurry!” Clover said from the helm. “We have to get away from the shore!”

“He is no longer Mallet!” Star claimed. “He is bewitched forever!”

“He's right” Calabrass said to Dusk, as he fought.

“If I hadn't hesitated when faced with that thing, Mallet wouldn't have dived in to save me” Dusk said. “I can't abandon him.”

Dusk and Calabrass continued fighting the zombies, until Calabrass' energy run out.

“Sorry, laddie…” he said, as he and Dusk both detransform.

Despite there were no more zombies to face, Dusk still had to deal with a bewitched Mallet, who approached, ready to attack Dusk with his sword.

“Mallet, it's me, Dusk!” Dusk said, stepping back in order to keep the distance between him and Mallet. “Dusk Storm! I'm sorry! I was angry. I felt responsible because my mind was weak and I put you in danger. This morning, you saved my life.”

Seeing Dusk saying that, while making his friendly smile, Mallet was able to hesitate, becoming immobile. Queen Akana arrived and told Mallet:

“Mallet! Kill him! You must obey your queen!”

“Mallet, you're not just a simple member of my crew” Dusk said. “You're not just my ally. You're not just loyal, courageous, brave, powerful, bold. Uh, slightly stubborn. But most importantly, you're my friend!”

Those last words Dusk have said echoed in Mallet’s mind, as he started to remember the last thing he did before Queen Akana captured him and the words he had just said.

“Mallet always rescue his friends!

That caused the glow in his eyes to disappear, as Mallet snapped out of his trance.

“Mallet!” Queen Akana shouted. “If you won't do it, then I will!”

But when Queen Akana was about to attack Dusk, Mallet attacked her with his sword. Happy to see that his friend was back, Dusk knew they needed to get out of there quickly.

“Quick!” he said. “Mallet, to the Chaos!”

The two colts started heading towards the Chaos, with Queen Akana grunting as she followed them. Dusk was able to get back to the Chaos with a little help from Star, but when Mallet was about to get in, Queen Akana grabbed his his legs.

“No!” Dusk shouted.

Transformed into her monstrous form, Queen Akana exclaimed, while pulling Mallet, with a demonic voice:

“You will never leave Vapir! You belong to me!”

“Mallet!” Dusk called, while he jumped off the Chaos and attacked Queen Akana with Calabrass' blade. His blow caused her to be thrown away, on her mermare form, while more zombies appeared. Dusk and Mallet take that opportunity to run back to the Chaos. Once they were there, Clover pulled the lever to start the ship engines and the Chaos sails away from Queen Akana's island.

“No!” she shouted, seing the Sea Raiders getting away.

Returning to Beru through the vortex, Star examined Mallet’s eyes, saying:

“We better be sure there's no remaining signs of the hypnosis. Nor any side effects.”

During the exam, Mallet turned to Dusk and told him:

“Dusk, today you saved Mallet's life. Well, Mallet think so. Mallet not remember so good.”

“And you saved my life today too” Dusk replied.

“So you're all squared, shipmates” Calabrass told.

“Everything seems normal” Star said, ending examining Mallet. “How do you feel?”

“Hm, Mallet feel hungry” he replied.

Dusk chuckled and said:

“The real Mallet's back!”

“You can say that again” Clover said.

“Mallet now, Mallet forever!” Mallet proclaimed, causing all the Sea Raiders to laugh with joy.

Eye of the Cyclone

In Marituga, Dusk and his crew were at the market buying a new part for Chaos. However, it would appear the merchant, a grizzly griffon, was not being very fair about the price.

“Are you kidding?” Dusk asked him. “That's twice as much as last time!”

“So is my rent, kid” he replied. “You can't afford it, don't buy it. Not my concern.”

“Uh, I totally get it” Dusk told calmly. “Times are tough. You got your cashflow problems, but… my big buddy here is gonna think you're trying to rip us off.”

Realizing what his brother was trying to do, Star told him:

“Let us try another shop.”

But it was too late, as the griffon hit the crate between him and the Sea Raiders with his talon and asked, angrily:

“Are you calling me a crook?”

“No, I would never!” Dusk replied, still with calm. “But that's because I'm a reasonable pony. But I don't think they were so forgiving in Mighty Helm times. Mallet…”

And so, while Dusk, Star, and Opal walked away from the merchant, Mallet approached him, snapping his hooves. That really scared the griffon that hasted to say:

“Wait! Uh… half price, okay? 50 bits.”

And with that, the Sea Raiders were able to buy the engine part and then they started heading back to the Chaos, with Opal carrying the engine part with her magic.

“My princess engineer asks, I deliver” Dusk said, as they walked. “And at a reasonable price. What do you think, Opal?”

“The Chaos will be super powerfull with this engine part” she replied.

“Ya didn't let him bilk ya, Cap'n, good job!” Calabrass complimented Dusk. “Though a true pirate would've gotten it for free! And probably stole a bunch of other stuff too!”

“Do not encourage him, Calabrass!” Star protested. “Our needs do not justify your behavior with that merchant.”

“Sorry, Star, but you don’t live in the Triangle long enough to know that, sometimes, we need to go low with some of the ones that live here” Opal told. “Even I already used Mallet to get some of the parts on my workshop.”

Before Star could reply, a stranger run up the stairs and shoved through the Sea Raiders. He was a strange muscular pony with blueish green coat using a gray suit with a hooded cloak that possessed feather-like layers that made him appear to have wings with a hoodie that had a feather-look top and googles over his pale blue eyes. He passed through them with so abruptly that he caused Opal to drop the engine part.

“Hey, watch out, you idiot!” she reclaimed, picking the engine piece with her magic again.

But suddenly, an army of skeletons shove through Opal, making her drop the engine part again.

“Ugh! Really?! Skeletons too! Terrific…”

“Do we need to justify our behavior to those guys?” Dusk asked to Star.

“Absolutely not” he replied, while opening his wings and charged his horn.

“Mallet do some exercise!” Mallet exclaimed, while taking out and preparing his sword.

“Let's break some bones!” Dusk proclaimed.

And so the Sea Raiders followed the direction to where the mysterious pony was being chased. Despite his best efforts, he was hit by one blast, causing him to fall on the ground. The skeletons cornered him and prepared to attack him. It was then that Dusk landed between them, coming from the rooftops and ready to face the skeletons.

“Good morning, stranger” he said to the mysterious pony, as Star and Mallet landed beside him. “We're the Marituga welcoming committee and pest removal service. Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz!”

Having said that, he and Calabrass transformed.

Seeing Dusk ready to fight, the leader of the skeleton squad exclaimed:

“For Skullivar!”

And a fight between them started, with Dusk going ahead and hitting the skeletons with a sword blow and with his armored foreleg. Meanwhile, Star and Mallet found themselves trapped in a cage of skeletons that they easily broke through. Star’s attacks were so intense that were causing too much damages than necessary and scared everypony away. After he had apparently got rid of the skeletons, he said to the citizens of Marituga:

“All the help you need is right here folks! You're welcome.”

It was then that two skeletons appeared behind Dusk.

“Watch out, Dusk!” Star warned.

He turned around and then blasted fire at the skeletons. However, his attack was so powerful that threw the skeletons against a structure that started to crumble on the mysterious pony. Seeing that, Star flapped his wings and quickly pushed him out of the way. Dusk then approached them and told the mysterious pony:

“Dude, you gotta be careful around here! Lots of dangerous, wall-smashing bonehead types everywhere.”

“You did this!” Star replied to him, in a disapproved tone.

“Probably… not!” Dusk said, turning to the mysterious pony. “Don't worry, man, the enemies of our enemies are our friends. I'm Dusk Storm.”

“Ah, help me, please” he said, weakly, while handing Star a scroll he was holding. “Here. Bones… He can't have this.”

And then he fainted, with Star then picking up the scroll, wondering why Golden Bones couldn’t have it. After that, Star turned to his younger brother and told him:

“And now us, little brother.”

“Wait, you want to talk about the merchant now?” Dusk asked.

“I want to talk about the mysterious stranger unconscious at our hooves” Star said.

“Yeah…” Dusk said. “I sort of feel responsible for him since I used this great line and now we're bros.”

“Dropping a wall on him makes you responsible!” Star admonished.

“I think you need glasses, Star” Dusk replied.

“And what about all this, Captain?” Star asked, while pointing at the damages Dusk caused by using the Eye of Blazz, with some of the civilians sticking their heads out of their hideouts.

“Um… Sorry!” Dusk told them. “I was in the heat of the action!”

And he started spinning Calabrass around, unintentionally scaring the civilians away.

“Hey, that was another good line!” Dusk replied, returning to normal and putting Calabrass on the scabbard, directing then to his crew. “Let's take him to the Chaos. Mallet?”

And so Mallet took the mysterious pony, putting him on his shoulder. Star, however, was still a little upset with his brother and how clueless he was regarding how reckless was becoming.

They returned to the Chaos, with the ship then sailing away from Marituga. At the engine room, Dusk and Calabrass were seeing Opal installing the engine part. After she activated it, it didn’t take long for the part fuse blow out.

“This doesn't work, Captain” Opal replied.

“What?!” Dusk asked. “We're going back for a refund! And by refund I mean Mallet's gonna shake him by the ankle.”

At that moment, Clover appeared right next to him, causing him to get startled.

“Clover, we already discussed this!” Dusk exclaimed. “Don’t ever do that!”

“Sorry” Clover said. “But that stranger you bought at the bazaar is awake! And ah… hold your nose.”

And so he teleported away, releasing his usual stinky smell that caused Dusk to cover his nose.

“Ugh… That ghost ain't right!”

He then went to his cabin, where the stranger was at the chair. He was awake and with Mallet giving him something to drink. Arriving to the entrance, he found Star who was observing the stranger. The young alicorn prince, who was holding the scroll the stranger had, seemed to not trusting him very much.

“Our enemy's enemy, and therefore our friend, seems to be getting better” Dusk noted.

“He is not our friend” Star told.

But Dusk ignored him, chuckling and approached the stranger, saying:

“Welcome aboard the Chaos, Mr…”

“The map!” the stranger exclaimed. “Where's the map?”

“Easy, guy” Dusk told him. “A thank you and my name is would go a long way to keep everyone cool.”

The stranger coughed and then Mallet told him, while handing him the drink:

“Drink.”

After he sipped a little of the water in the cup, the stranger told:

“Thank you. My name is Iron Feather. Now, please do you have the…”

“Your map of Aeria?” Star asked, showing him the map. “We do. Why would Bones want this so badly?”

“Fool!” Iron Feather told. “Did you look at it?”

“Fool?” Star asked, offended and approaching. “You should watch your tongue, sir, lest it fly loose from your mouth!”

Dusk was surprised to see his brother like that, having to block Star’s way so that he wouldn’t want to attack Iron Feather.

“I am from Aeria” he told. “That map is mine. That's all you need to know.”

Turning to Dusk, he said to him:

“Young colt, thank you for your help. But you should give me that and let me leave.”

“Whoa, whoa, chill” Dusk said, while Star noticed a purple symbol on the scroll. “You're not our prisoner. You're our guest. Right, Star?”

But he didn’t reply, as he walked to where the shelves were and started searching for something, while saying:

“I have seen this symbol somewhere before…”

He then pulled out a book and opened it. After a while, he exclaimed:

“Exactly as I thought! It is how the Aerians depict the Waypoint.”

Hearing that, Dusk approached his brother, asking:

“The Waypoint as in the Waypoint? Cool!”

“What's it to you?” Iron Feather asked. “No one can open the Waypoints of the Seven Seas without the legendary sword.”

“Well, feast yer eyes on a legend!” Calabrass replied, proudly.

“Can we just once keep a secret from a stranger?” Star asked him.

“What? Someone's bestowing kind words upon me for once!” Calabrass replied.

But Star just cleared his throat.

“It's okay, Star” Dusk said to his older brother, approaching then Iron Feather, while Opal entered in the room. “I'm Dusk Storm. My friends and I want to leave the Bermikun Triangle and we'd like to use your map.”

“What about Bones?” Iron Feather asked. “And Skullivar? They won't let you. They're looking for the Waypoints too. They'll track you down the same way they're tracking me!”

“Oh, don't worry” Dusk answered. “They already hate us. Team up with us, Iron Feather. Thanks to your map, we can open our first Waypoint to go home. We're already our enemies' enemies.”

“And it would be great to have someone that can fly” Clover said, appearing behind Iron Feather.

It is then that Star cleared his voice again, causing Clover to look at him.

“Oh, yeah, besides you, Star, of couse” Clover said. “But of course your wings are not as cool as his! They look like a cloak… Or is it a cloak that look like wings. Ah, who cares! It’s still awesome!”

“What an odd bunch you are” Iron Feather commented with a smile, while getting up. “But you saved my life. And if I can help you, I'll join you.”

“Welcome aboard the Chaos, Iron Feather” Dusk said.

Despite the other members of the crew were very glad to have Iron Feather joining them, Star was not and his dislike over him didn’t pass unnoticed to Dusk.

Later, at the deck, Iron Feather was having a drink with Mallet, while Dusk went to the bow to talk with Dusk.

“All right, it's sharing time. What's your deal with Iron Feather?”

“There is much about the Triangle that you still do not understand, Dusk” Star told. “Things that even Opal is overlooking, despite being here longer than us.”

“Which is exactly why I have a smart older brother like you to show me the ropes” Dusk replied, while taking the helm.

“According to the history books of the Triangle, ages ago, Aeria was a peaceful sea like Beru. But its inhabitants wanted to control the power of the sky. They attempted many unnatural experiments until they eventually caused a cataclysm. The Aerians destroyed their own civilization, Dusk!”

“Seriously?” Dusk asked. “Wow… That counts as big info.”

“That is why I do not trust Iron Feather” Star replied. “Why would Iron Feather be any different from the other power-mad Aerians?”

Dusk then looked to Iron Feathers talking with Mallet, as they headed towards the captain’s cabinet, and then told Star:

“This doesn’t sound like you, Star. Normally, you’re the type that doesn’t judge a book by its cover.”

“I know, but… there’s something about him that makes me not trust him” Star replied. “It’s… a feeling. And it’s not just me. Kurama doesn’t trust him as well.”

“Not wanting to offend your tailed beast friend, but I remember that he didn’t trust anyone… even you.”

There was a pause and then Dusk asked Star:

“Why don’t you give Iron Feather a chance to prove himself?”

Despite what he felt, Star had to admit that Dusk did have a point in what he said. But, unable to let go completely his mistrust towards Iron Feather, he told his younger brother:

“Only if you promise to keep a close eye on him.”

“I'll keep two, alright?” Dusk replied, turning then to his trusting ship. “Chaos, set a course for Aeria!”

He then pulled the level to activate the engines, but instead of moving forward, the Chaos suddenly shut down. Thinking Chaos was being snob because he didn’t ask nicely, Dusk said, while holding the helm:

“My bad! Chaos, please set a course for Aeria, my most awesome of ships!”

However, he still didn’t move. Contacting Opal through the helm, he asked her:

“Opal, did you fix the engine?”

“The engines are functioning at 100% capacity” she replied.

Clover then appear near Dusk, levitating, and told him:

“It's not yer engines, Cap, it's the Chaos! Got a shiver in its timbers or something.”

After he moved away, Star told Dusk:

“Maybe the Chaos does not trust our new passenger either.”

That caused Dusk to get some doubts. If Star and Chaos were having the same doubts about Iron Feather, then perhaps there was more into him than he appeared to be.

Suddenly, they felt the Chaos being attack by blasts. Clover went up to the mast to see what was happening and then he told:

“We have visitors!”

They looked and saw the Demoniac approaching while firing its cannons at the Chaos.

“The Demoniac!” Dusk exclaimed. “Bones found us!”

Inside the captain’s cabin, Iron Feather, having felt the disturbance outside, looked out of the windowns and saw the Demoniac approaching.

“They're here for me” he said.

“You stay here” Mallet told him, while taking out his sword. “We explode skeletons!”

And so Mallet left the room to get to the deck, unaware that Iron Feather had secretly smiled evilly.

As the Demoniac got even closer, Dusk started to beg to Chaos, as they only chance was for the ship to get away from there as fast as possible:

“Come on, Chaos. I'll steal you a shiny new anchor if you just move it!”

“Swear on me blade, he's a moody old tub!” Calabrass exclaimed.

“If this keep going, we’re going to be pulverized!” Opal exclaimed, having got out of the engine room and heading to the prow.

“Prepare to be boarded!” Star told, charging his horn with magic.

Dusk got out of the bow and headed towards the prow and jumped onto the taffrail, while calling:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Sino!”

And so they transformed. After that, Dusk blasted ice onto the sea, freezing the water between them and the Demoniac, what prevented it from going further. But the skeletons didn’t give up and so the Demoniac opened its bow, allowing an army of soldiers to run onto the ice.

While Dusk blasts ice at some of the skeletons, the rest started climbing onto the Chaos. Fortunately, they weren’t able to get to the deck as Star, Opal and Clover dealt with them, with the former using his magic blows, the second using her blaster and the latter knocking them with his ball-and-chain. When a skeleton appeared behind Star and prepared to attack him, he was frozen and then broken into pieces by Dusk who arrived just in time. After that, he looked directly to Chaos and told him:

“Chaos, this is not the time for you to take a stand. A float… a whatever! We need to go right now!

The skeletons continued to board the Chaos, with many now climbing onto it. Fortunately, Mallet had arrived and helped them keep them away. Meanwhile, a small group of skeletons got to the prow and cornered Opal. Despite she was ready to attack, she didn’t know if she could face them all at once. Suddenly, Iron Feather arrived and fought the skeletons for Opal, using his cloak as an advantage. Opal couldn’t have been more grateful.

It was then that the Chaos' powers were back on and he sailed away, breaking apart the remaining skeletons that were trying to climb him.

“Thank you very much” she told Iron Feather. “You saved me back there.”

Watching that scene, Dusk asked Star:

“We still judging that book?”

But Star didn’t reply, only taking out the chart and consulting it.

“The Vortex for Aeria is at twenty-five degrees North, eighty-six degrees West” he said.

“Chaos, full steam ahead!” Dusk told.

The Chaos moved forward and reached the vortex to Aeria, crossing it.

At the Demoniac, Golden Bones was watching the Sea Raiders going to Aeria, with the vortex closing behind them, through his telescope. After that, he contacted his master and told him:

“Master Skullivar, everything is going as planned!”

At Skullivar's lair, Skullivar was at his throne room talking to Golden Bones.

“For your sake, Bones, it had better” he replied.

He then turned around, where a strange creature could be seen, held hostage there. It possessed a serpentine dark grey body with four red and yellow wings, red spiky hair and a monstrous face.

At the Sea of Aeria, the Sea Raiders followed Iron Feather’s map until they reached a big cyclone.

“Congratulations, you are one of the few non-Aerians to see Aeria's one true Waypoint” Iron Feather told them, at the bow.

“You put it in the Cyclone?” Dusk asked, impressed. “Hard core.”

But the others didn’t share the same opinion, with Opal saying:

“If we go in there, we could destroy the Chaos!”

“Destroy?” Iron Feather repeated.

Clover appeared next to him, sitting on the taffrail, and told him:

“You know, it means crush, damage, smash, wreck, going kaput…”

“Opal think tornado destroy Chaos” Mallet said. “You not funny.”

As they approached the cyclone, they could hear all thundering that existed there, what was very threatening.

“Aye, not funny one bit” Calabrass agreed.

“Dusk, I do not detect a Waypoint in there” Star told his brother, using the chart.

Seeing that his shipmates were nervous about all that, Dusk asked Iron Feather:

Uh, Iron, are you sure about your map?”

“We are in the right place” Iron Feather said. “Trust me.”

It was then that the Chaos’ radar started to beep and Star’s chart started reacting. Indeed there was something in that tornado, but there was no certain that it was the Waypoint. However, they needed to take the chance.

“Places everypony” he told to his crew. “Let's open us a Waypoint!”

“We've never put the Chaos through anything like this, Dusk” Opal told him.

“I agree” Star seconded. “Without a strategy…”

“Count on me to help you navigate the cyclone” Iron Feather interrupted. “This is my home! I know its secrets.”

The way how Iron Feather interrupted him and talked with that confident tone caused Star to grunt, irritated. Dusk then went to say to his friends:

“Listen guys, we all want out of this dang Triangle, right? So then we have to open the seven Waypoints of the Seven Seas, starting with this one. I'm ready to take a few risks to do it. What about you?”

His speech really inspired his friends and so Mallet was the first to speak.

“Mallet ready.”

“After all, what could happen to me that would be any worse than being a ghost?” Clover asked.

“I’m in too” Opal replied.

Dusk looked at Star, waiting for his response. It was then that he told:

“There is a first time for everything… even finding a trustworthy Aerian, I suppose.”

Turning to the cyclone, Dusk asked Calabrass:

“Ready to open your first Waypoint?”

“Hold me handle tight, Storm, we're in for a bumpy ride!” Calabrass replied.

“Chaos, full steam ahead!” Dusk commanded.

The Chaos rumbled as he flew towards the cyclone. With Mallet’s help, Dusk was able to keep the Chaos as much steady as they could, as they went to inside the cyclone. But even so the turbulence they were feeling was immense. In the engine room, Opal was doing everything she could to keep study. The only one who was enjoying all that was Clover, who couldn’t stop screaming joyfully.

Dusk was doing everything he could to endure those strong winds from the cyclone. He power up Chaos’ engines to the fullest and repositioned his sails. With a lot of work, he was then able to get them all inside the cyclone.

But the situation there was not better. Suddenly, some winds forced Star to open his wings and he started to be blown away by them. However, Iron Feather was able to caught his hoof and bring him down once the young alicorn was able to close his wings, what really surprised Star after all the mistrust he showed him. After he get a rope nearby and tied it around his wings to prevent them from opening again inside that cyclone, he turned to Iron Feather and told him:

“Thanks you.”

Iron Feather replied with a nod.

As the Chaos was surfing through the cyclone, Dusk was able to spot something, while steering the ship.

“There it is!” he exclaimed, pointing.

And they saw the Waypoint. It was a triangular platform with an altar with a lock, suspended inside the cyclone, with the symbol of Aeria at the base.

“We're going to use the Cyclone's power to close in on the Waypoint!” he exclaimed, trying to make his voice be heard over the strong winds.”

Changing the position of the sails, the Chaos flew closer to the Waypoint, but he got blown back.

“Or… not” Dusk said. “I pictured that so differently in my head.”

“I have an idea” Star said.

He then casted a light rope from his horn that grabbed the Waypoint like a grappling hook.

“Nice shot!” Dusk complimented.

“You expected less?” Star asked his brother back, turning then to Mallet. “Mallet, the rope!”

Hearing him, Mallet grabbed the rope and started pulling to bring the Waypoint closer to the Chaos.

“Yes!” Dusk exclaimed. “We're doing it, Sea Raiders! Keep rocking! Iron, Star, help Mallet!”

But Iron Feather placed himself at the tip of the bow. He raised a hoof and a lightning stroke onto it. Seeing that, Dusk asked, worried, leaving the helm and approaching Iron Feather:

“Iron! Are you okay, Iron?”

“I don't like the looks of this, Cap'n!” Calabrass told Dusk.

It was then that Iron Feather started laughing an evil laugh. Hearing that, Star could feel his suspicions getting confirmed, while Dusk was still oblivious to that.

“What's with the wicked, bad-guy style laughing, Iron?” Dusk asked. “It's not very enemy of my enemy of you.”

And so Iron Feather turned to Dusk and blasted lightning at Calabrass, causing him to fly to him. After that, he blasted lightning at Dusk, knocking him down.

“No one will open the Waypoint of Aeria!” Iron Feather shouted, as he used the winds on his cloak to take flight. “No one!”

“Get your dirty hooves off me, you crazy…” Calabrass started.

But before he could finish, Iron Feather electrocuted Calabrass.

“Calabrass!” Dusk called.

“Bad news, Dusk Storm” Iron Feathers said. “You won't be leaving this cyclone!”

Star fired magic blasts at Iron Feather, but he blocked the blasts with his wings. He then turned around and claimed:

“I have the sword! Free the Guardian!”

“Who is he talking to?” Dusk asked.

His answer was answered when the Eel immerged from the winds of the cyclone, with Golden Bones on it.

“Bones?” Dusk asked, not wanting to believe it.

“Well done” Golden Bones congratulated. “Skullviar will be pleased, Iron Feather.”

“Worm!” Calabrass shouted at Iron Feather. “You're nothing but Skullivar's dogsbody!”

“I only serve one master, and it isn't Skullivar” he replied to him.

“I warned you!” Star told Dusk. “Aerians cannot be trusted!”

“I'll make up for this, Star” Dusk said. “I promise you!”

With those words said, Dusk got onto the Plank and surfed to Iron Feathers. Seeing him approaching, Iron Feather blasted lightning at Dusk, making him and the Plank to fall down.

“Dusk!” Star called.

Fortunately, Dusk was able to get himself back onto the Plank. But the hard part would be get back up.

“Come on, Dusk, you've surfed bigger and badder!” he told himself. “It's just a big roller. Just a big roller.”

While Dusk was trying to get back up, Iron Feather demanded to Golden Bones:

“Free the Guardian.”

“Give me the sword” Golden Bones replied.

“The Guardian first” Iron Feather answered. “Or I'll destroy the sword.”

And Iron Feather charged his hoof that was holding Calabrass with electricity. With no other option, Golden Bones turned to his skeletons and told them:

“Free the Guardian!”

They obeyed and then the Guardian of the Aeria Waypoint was summoned, roaring after appearing.

“Master!” Iron Feather exclaimed, with a smile, while bowing.

The Guardian seemed to acknowledge him and then looked to the Chaos and his crew.

“The Guardian of the Aeria Waypoint!” Star said.

The Guardian positioned itself behind Iron Feather and then Golden Bones told to the latter:

“Give me the sword.”

The Aerian threw Calabrass to Golden Bones, but when he was about to get it, Dusk appeared and replied, while getting Calabrass:

“That's my sword!”

“What the…” Golden Bones started, still processing what happened and then turning to Iron Feather. “Our transaction is not complete! Seize him!”

But he just laughed evilly and replied:

“I only serve one master. And it's not you!”

He and the Guardian got covered with electricity, with the latter roaring at Golden Bones. Turning to his skeletons, the general told them:

“Shoot it down!”

The skeletons started firing at the Guardian, making it roar, but Iron Feather was able to block those blasts, while saying:

“You never should've come here! Earth-dwelling rat!”

He blasted lightning at the skeletons and Golden Bones.

Nearby, Dusk noticed that his friends were still holding to the Waypoint and so he started surfing to the latter. However, the Guardian noticed him and roared. Seeing him to, Iron Feather told the Guardian:

“Take your revenge, my master! I'll handle the boy.”

And so Iron Feather started flying towards Dusk, while the Guardian continued to attack the skeletons with lightning blasts.

When Dusk was very close of the Waypoint, he received a lightning blast that hit the Plank and caused him to dodge the Waypoint. After stabilizing and turning to Iron Feather, the latter told him:

“You're out of your depth, Dusk. Stand down!”

But Dusk ignored him and flew back to the Waypoint.

“Stay away from the Waypoint!” Iron Feather demanded.

He fired lightning again, forcing Dusk to dodge the Waypoint again, and then followed him.

“What the dook, Iron?” Dusk asked him. “Bones and Skullivar are our enemies!”

“All who want to open the Waypoint of Aeria are enemies of the Guardian” Iron Feather replied. “And my master's enemies are my enemies. Even you!”

Iron Feather continued to fire lightning blasts at Dusk who continued to dodge. As he defended himself from Iron Feather, he noticed the Guardian blasting out electricity to the Eel. Before that situation, Golden Bones exclaimed to his soldiers:

“Fall back! Fall back!”

It was then that the Guardian hit the Demoniac away with its tail and the Eel flowed to the tornado.

“Skullivar tricked my master once while he was weakened” Iron Feather told, as the Guardian joined him. “None shall defied him or this land ever again!”

“So you're willing to do anything?” Dusk asked, noticing the Guardian heading towards the Chaos. “Even trap us when we saved your life?”

“I've been manipulating you from the start!” Iron Feather revealed. “You were willing to do anything to open the Waypoint. So I allowed you to rescue me from Bones.”

Dusk couldn’t believe how fool he was to fall for Iron Feather’s trick, especially when that led to his friends being endangered by the Guardian of Aeria.

“You were a necessary pawn in a bid to free my master from Skullivar” Iron Feather continued. “Now that the deed is done, I have no quarrel with you… if you turn away.”

Having said that, Iron Feather started heading to where the Guardian was. But Dusk wouldn’t let himself be persuaded to give up that easily.

“That's great, but I've got a quarrel with you!” Dusk said. “Calabrass, give me the Eye of Aeria!”

And so Dusk and Calabrass transformed. After that, he advanced against Iron Feather and the two started fighting. While doing it, Dusk asked Iron Feather:

“You wanna be enemies?! Good! I'm not like you. I'm not willing to do anything and use good people to get what I want.”

It was then that Dusk, charging Calabrass’ axe blade with electricity, was able to lend a powerful blow on Iron Feather, sending him flying away. After that, he turned to the Guarding and blasted lightning at it, causing him to stand back from the Chaos. Approaching his ship, Dusk told Star:

“Star, get the Chaos out of the cyclone!”

“We can still hold on” he replied, at the helm. “Open the Waypoint. It is so close!”

“If we open the Waypoint, but lose the Chaos, none of this matters” Dusk answered back.

“Captain right” Mallet said to Star, while holding the magic rope. “Chaos in trouble!”

Clover appeared at the bow and told:

“He can still do it! He's Dusk Storm!”

They heard a roar and the Guardian appeared again. Before that situation and knowing the Guardian would destroy them as long they got hold on the Waypoint, Star told Mallet:

“Mallet, cut the cable!”

Mallet did so, releasing the Waypoint from the Chaos. After that, the Guardian arrived and blasted electricity to the Chaos, shocking everybody who was on the ship. However, the Guardian unintentionally powered up the engine part that the Sea Raiders have bought from the merchant earlier. Seeing that, Opal exclaimed:

“Incredible! The engine part works! Full power!”

With that, Opal redirected the energy to the engines and they got full power. With that, they were able to surf the tornado.

“Chaos, catch the Guardian!”

And so the Chaos took out his metallic legs and started fighting around with the Guardian. Seeing that, Iron Feather, who had been able to recover from Dusk’s blow, screamed:

“Master!”

He then noticed the Waypoint and that Dusk was approaching it. Going to him, he shouted at him, while preparing another blast:

“You'll never open this or any other Waypoint, you pathetic little pirate!”

Iron Feather chased after Dusk while firing lightning strikes at him, but Dusk managed to dodges every one. Seeing the Waypoint in front of him, Dusk jumped off the Plank and landed himself onto the Waypoint, securing himself to it.

“Pirate, yeah, but also a surfer!” he replied. “And more importantly, I'm the guy who takes care of my friends!”

“Fine job, Dusk!” Calabrass congratulated.

“Try to surf on this, Captain!” Iron Feather replied, appearing behind Dusk.

But when he was about to attack Dusk, the Plank, sensing his owner was in danger, knocked him away.

“Don't mind if I do, enemy of my enemy's enemy!” Dusk said. “Is that right? Triple negative?”

“Focus, lad!” Calabrass told. “It's time!”

And so Dusk placed Calabrass' blade onto the lock of the Waypoint, opening the Waypoint. Once he did that, Calabrass’ eyes and all the Eyes of the Seven Seas shone with a purple light. The symbol on the Waypoint shone as well and then release a giant pillar of light that caused both the cyclone and the Guardian to disappear. Now that they were freed from Guardian, the Chaos landed safely in Aeria. After that, Dusk rode on the Plank from the pillar of light and got back onto the Chaos.

“I told you so!” Clover exclaimed, as Dusk landed and the Plank returned to its place, going with the others to congratulate him. “He did it! Dusk opened the first Waypoint!”

“Dusk Storm, you've got pirate's blood in your veins!” Calabrass replied.

“I don’t know about, but he most certainly has captain's blood” Star said. “You know how to take risks, but you also know how to protect your crew.”

Dusk thanked his brother’s words with a nod and a smile and then said:

“Only six more Waypoints and we're home free! Hey, where is the Guardian?”

“Gone, with the Waypoint” Star replied.

“Mallet wanted eat creature stew!” Mallet replied.

Despite the disconcerted look on the others, Dusk just laughed, as nothing would take him the happiness he felt for being able to give the first step to get back home.

“Knock-knock, Captain” Clover said, pointing ahead. “We're reaching the Beru vortex!”

“Great, something a little calmer after that storm” Dusk said.

And so the Chaos entered the vortex to get back to the Sea of Beru.

Escape From Netherwhere

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.

Thermal Shock

At the Sea of Blazz, the Chaos was walking with his metallic legs on an isle of solidified lava. Getting on a stone bridge, the Chaos allowed a perfect view of the Sea of Fire. Dusk looked into his surroundings and sighed, disappointed. After that, started walking around the deck, while Mallet and Star were looking to each side of the Chaos, with Clover lying over one of Chaos’ sail joints and Clover sitting against the door of the captain’s cabinet. Frustrated and tired of all the heat, he asked Star:

“Where’s this vortex?!”

“Patience, Dusk, it will open” Star replied, while opening his flask to drink some water, only to find out it was empty. “Hey, who drank the water rations?!”

Dusk and Opal just shrugged his shoulders and, since Calabrass was always with Dusk and was a sword and Clover was a ghost, then there was only one option. And so Star made an angry look to Mallet. Noticing he had been discovered, Mallet saying, a little nervously:

“Patience, Star, Mallet was thirsty.”

“And now how are we going to cool ourselves?” Opal asked.

“Don’t worry, Opal, in a moment we’ll be at the Sea of Ice” Dusk replied. “So, cheer up. Things could be worse.”

As soon he said that, shots started to try to hit the Chaos and Clover was able to see where they were coming from.

“The Demoniac!” he shouted.

And so they looked and saw it emerging from behind an island, with it starting to fire as soon it could.

“And this is how worse it can be” Dusk said. “Patience rewarded.”

With the open fire over him, the Chaos started to move out of the bridge as fast as he could. Meanwhile, Golden Bones was at the deck, as a platform with twelve skeletons riding six pteros (two skeletons on each one) immerged behind him.

“Unlease the inferno!” he exclaimed. “Reduce them to ashes and sink their vessel!”

And so the pteros took flight, with Bones saying:

“I’ll recover that cursed sword from Dusk Storm’s burning carcass!”

The pteros quickly arrived to near the Chaos and got out of the robotic creature, starting advancing towards the ship. More pteros arrive, as the skeletons started to join together to form a pyramid to get to the deck. Fortunately, Dusk was quick to react and knock them down. But they kept coming and the others also joined him. Clover used his chain-and-ball, knocking the skeletons and breaking them apart, while exclaiming with joy:

“Breaky, breaky…”

“Good swing, Clover” Opal told, while shooting with her gun a pair of skeletons trying to come on board. “But they’re still coming.”

Mallet punched another pair of skeletons and then said:

“This is no battle worthy of warrior from Ragnasala.”

“What?” Dusk asked, while breaking skeletons.

“The Mighty Helm are known to be warriors who want to die battling” Calabrass explained to Dusk, as they fought. “That’s how they see how an honorable death is.”

“Mallet has been careful since foal” Mallet told, proudly, before smashing a skeleton.

Dusk retreated towards his brother and told him:

“Star, are you sure a vortex will open here?”

“Have I ever disappoint you?” Star asked.

At that moment, a light immerged and the vortex opened nearby, at the other side of the bridge.

“Finally!” Dusk exclaimed. “Sorry if I ever doubt in you, brother. Chaos, get us out of here!”

Chaos started running towards the vortex, all while shaking off the skeletons that were trying to climb on him. Meanwhile, Mallet, at the prow, saw a skeleton on a ptero and said, preparing his sword:

“Mallet want to smash more skeletons.”

And so he jumped high from the taffrail, ready to attack the skeleton, while shouting:

“Ragnasala!”

“Mallet, no!” Star called.

He was able to hit the skeleton and, just as he was about to fall, Clover appeared and grabbed him, being then pushed by his chain while saying:

“How’s that for toymaking?”

They all then crossed the vortex, with it closing as soon as they passed. Once they did, they arrived to Sino, with the Chaos landing on the frozen land and start walking. Star, feeling himself frozing, commented:

“From the fire to the ice age.”

“Tell me about it” Opal said, get in the bow. “My weapon and many of my devices are frozen.”

“By the bearded lady goat, nopony in this ship is ever satisfied!” Calabrass shouted.

“Quit rumbling, Calabrass” Dusk said, also feeling the freezing. “We’re near our goal. The Sino Waypoint is almost ours. We’re going to be one step closer to freedom as soon we get to the calculated position. Let’s move.”

They descended to the lower deck, still freezing.

“I can’t believe this is happening” Opal said. “How am I going to defend myself without my inventions?!”

“It’s the thermal shock” Star told. “Going from extreme heat to extreme cold damages things… Ponies…”

It was then that they heard the Chaos rambling, as his eyes turned orange.

“And ships” Star added.

As he went inside along with the others, the only one that remained outside was Mallet who seemed very satisfied.

“Ah, finally!” he exclaimed. “A temperature worthy of a Mighty Helm!”

It was then that Clover flicked away an icicle coming from Mallet’s nose and told him:

“Looks like even Mighty Helm warriors get running noses.”

“Mallet is going to prepare secret Mighty Helm recipe to warm up Mallet’s crew” Mallet said.

Appearing next to him, Clover asked:

“Uh, what’s in it? Tell me!”

“No, it’s Mallet’s grog” he replied. “Um Grollet!”

Despite Mallet said that in hopes of causing some laugh, Clover didn’t appear very amused. Noticing that, Mallet just continued:

“To prepare Grollet, need seven secret ingredients.”

“Well, you got my curiosity… and a little of my concern… But I’m in!”

At the captain’s cabinet, Dusk, Star and Opal were seeing the holographic image of what appeared to be the Sino Waypoint: four crystals joined together, with three serving as base.

“So that’s the Sino Waypoint” Dusk said.

“Yes” Opal confirmed. “I shouldn’t have much trouble locating it at all.”

“The problem will be getting pass the Guardian that protects it” Star said. “According to what I have read, it’s the biggest and most fearsome creature on Sino.”

“Like what, a giant snowpony?” Dusk asked.

Suddenly, Opal noticed something on the radar and said:

“Oh no, another vortex is forming behind us. It must be the Demoniac!”

“Then put our pedal to the metal!” Dusk said.

“Careful, Dusk, the Chaos has suffered a thermal shock” Opal warned. “He’s fragil.”

“He’s not going to give us hull flew neither” Calabrass replied.

As Chaos was walking through a frozen river, Mallet was at the deck with a big cauldron and Clover observing. The big colt was trying to remember the ingredients for his Grollet, but, despite his struggle, he couldn’t remember the final one.

“Mallet must find final ingredient” he said. “Grollet is perfect for sinusitis.”

“You mean, sinolarangitis?” Clover joked.

Mallet then tried to enumerate the ingredients, saying:

“Gunpowder, sawdust…”

“Mighty Helm booger?” Clover asked, joking about the type of ingredients Mallet was saying.

“No…” Mallet said, while Clover chuckled. “That’s for Ragnasala stew.”

That reply could only cause Clover to prevent himself from puking.

Dusk, Star and Opal got out of the captain’s cabinet as Chaos was getting out of a tunnel and, when Dusk was starting to climb the stairs to the bow, Star saw something that left him worried and say:

“Dusk, over there!”

Dusk saw to where Star was pointing and so he saw the Demoniac. However, when looking forward, he saw a giant iceberg that looked exactly like…

“The Waypoint!” Dusk exclaimed with a smile, going to the helm. “Dead ahead! To stations, everypony! Engines full speed!”

He pulled the lever to activate the engines and Chaos’ movements increased, with him jumping through pieces of ice floating on the sea.

“The Chaos is in no condition for that!” Star told Dusk.

“The Chaos is a sound ship” he replied to him. “Don’t worry, big brother.”

The Chaos continued to jump on the ice pieces, doing his best to not slipper. The shaky balance caused Mallet to lose focus in remembering and he protested:

“Quiet! Mallet trying to remember.”

As they reached the land where the Waypoint was, Dusk said:

“See, no prob…”

But before he could finish, Chaos crushed, falling onto his legs, right at the shore of the land, causing many things on it to fall into the ice, including Mallet’s cauldron.

“My Grollet!” he called.

The crush was really violent and Dusk could feel some pain.

“Oh, my head…” he said.

“And our ship” Star said, jumping and landing on the ice and heading to Chaos’s front, looking to his face-look bow.

Dusk and Opal joined him and the latter said:

“Oh my goodness…”

“How bad is it?” Dusk asked, worried for his trusting ship.

“It’s a lot of damages” she replied. “I’ll have to do repairs on that icy water… Very bad!”

It was then the Chaos made an effort to get up, but he couldn’t do it. Opal went to dress her diving suit and, after connecting it to an oxygen tank, she dove to look at the damages below the water and couldn’t believe what she was saying.

“It’s… it’s… it’s…” she said through the radio.

“It’s fixed?” Dusk asked. “Great! Let’s get moving.”

“No! It’s… worse than I thought!”

Dusk released a grunt and then noticed the blaming look his brother gave him.

“Okay, I’m to blame for forcing the ship” Dusk admitted. “So I’ll take my plank and you can join me later.”

“Bad idea, boy” Calabrass told him.

“Why?”

His answer came in the form of a roar and then a big wyvern appeared, flying at the sky.

“Oh, yeah, the Guardian…” Dusk said. “Right…”

“So much for a harmless snowpony” Star commented.

The fact that the fiercest creature in all Sino was the Guardian of the Waypoint really surprised the Sea Raiders, as they were expecting a monster like the one protecting the Aeria Waypoint. But nevertheless it was really a big challenge due to how powerful and dangerous wyverns could be.

But the worst part was the Demoniac which was getting closer to them. It started to fire against the Chaos and Star said:

“This just got colder.”

“One problem at the time” Dusk replied, heading towards the helm. “Starting with that ice wyvern.”

He then prepared Chaos’s main cannon and then prepared to shoot the wyvern. It was then that Mallet noticed something at the screen of the aim, right on the Waypoint. Looking directly there he saw what it was: a nest with three little wyvern babies. Before that, he slammed his hoof over the helm to prevent Dusk from shooting and the captain asked:

“Why are you attacking me?! Do I look like a wyvern.”

“Mallet ready to fight the Guardian, but not with babies.”

He pointed to the nest and they all saw the babies.

“Oh, so sweet!” Clover admired.

“A fine cut of future Guardians” Calabrass agreed.

“Yeah, very adorable, but if we don’t do something, their mom will turn us into snow cones” Dusk replied.

That was very true as the Guardian shot an ice blast that that caused Chaos to retreat, what was not good having in count his current condition.

Observing the Guardian, Mallet then realized something they could do and told:

“Mallet has idea.”

“The Triangle help us…” Calabrass said, fearing what could get out of that big mouth.

“You go get the Waypoint” Mallet told Dusk, while advancing to the point of the bow. “Mallet take care of wyvern.”

“I don’t think frozen Mallet is part of your Grollet recipe” Clover commented.

Opal then arrived, freezing and with her suit full of ice, saying:

“He can’t! It’s a suicide mission!”

Mallet didn’t listen, as his attention went to the Guardian, as he got up to the tip of the bow. The Guardian descended and headed against Mallet. But he dodged and then got up her. Feeling Mallet over her, the Guardian tried her best to shake him off, but he didn’t let go. It was then that she was able to throw him up high, causing him to land over her head.

“Sorry, mommy wyvern, but Mallet can’t let you hurt his friends” Mallet told, as he tried to make her go away from the Chaos and to the Demoniac. “Don’t hurt Mallet’s friend. Hurt Mallet’s enemies.”

And so, conducting the Guardian, Mallet cause her to shoot ice, creating a wall that prevented the Demoniac from moving forward. Before that obstacle, the ship started moving in reverse so that it could move around it, what would give Mallet’s friends some time.

“Good job, mommy wyvern” Mallet congratulated.

Seeing the Demoniac retreating, Dusk exclaimed:

“Great job, Mallet! The way is cleared.”

“I knew it was a good idea” Opal said, now confident. “I have blind faith in our Mighty Helm warrior.”

“Sure… blind faith” Star replied, teasingly.

After that, Dusk, Star and Opal started heading towards the Waypoint. Seeing them approaching, the little wyvern started making little noises.

“Oh, they’re really cute” Star said, noticing then something. “But they are not!”

And tanks coming from the Demoniac approached them quickly. Arriving to the icy land, they opened, revealing skeletons, ready to attack.

“I’ll turn them into bone icicles” Dusk said, taking Calabrass. “Calabrass, give me the Eye of Beru!”

After he and Calabrass transformed (the latter in his cannon form), Dusk advanced towards the skeletons, along with Star. But the slippery floor caused Dusk to almost fall. Fortunately, Star, who had his wings to balance, was able to grab him, saying:

“I got you, brother.”

But when he finished helping Dusk stand on his hooves, they found themselves surrounded by skeletons who then joined to make a cage around them.

“I suppose you couldn’t carry us away from this, big bro?” Dusk asked.

“Have you forgotten my feathers freeze when I try to use my wings on this icy wasteland?” Star replied.

“That’s… unfortunate” Dusk said, turning to his Mighty Helm friend. “Opal, back-up! Pronto!”

Opal was struggling with all the ice that was covering her suit. Trying to aim her blast, she ended up firing wrongly, even almost missing Dusk and Star by inches.

“Back-up for us, not Bones’ boys!” Dusk replied.

“Sorry about that” she said. “This ice is really messing up my suit!”

“That’s because ye took that ice bath” Calabrass replied.

“Hold on tight!” she told. “I’ll adjust my aim!”

But when doing it, she ended up firing in many directions, including the nest. Fortunately, the little wyverns flew away from that in time. However, because they were still unexperienced in flying, they started falling down.

“Oh no!” Opal exclaimed.

Focusing her magic, she was able to hold the three babies and then bring them to her. Finding a hideout where they could stay, she placed them there. Now that the babies were safe, her worry was now with her friends. It was then that Dusk and Star started to take down that cage by firing against the skeletons, one by one.

Meanwhile, the Demoniac was fighting against Mallet and the Guardian, firing at them, but with the latter always dodging. It was then that the Guardian shoot ice that started to cover the Demoniac’s deck, ending up frozen the cannons.

“Bull’s eye!” Mallet shouted. “Frozen!”

Skeletons came to the frozen deck, ready to fight, but the Guardian flew down and then frozen them with her icy breath.

“Two against an all army!” Mallet exclaimed. “A battle worthy of a Mighty Helm!”

Seeing the Guardian and Mallet returning back from the bridge, Golden Bones ordered:

“Regroup! The reptile is lowing its guard! Now’s our chance to shoot it down.”

And so they moved the cannons the best they could and were able to fire, hitting the Guardian who casted Mallet away, while he shouted:

“Ragnasala!”

While Star and Dusk were shooting the skeletons, they end up sending one near Opal and, when him started to reassemble, she started to retreat, trying to figure out what she would do. But when the skeleton prepared to attack her, Mallet crushed right there, smashing the bones and making a big crater. Seeing that, Opal approached it and told her friend:

“Mallet, it’s nice that you decided to drop in.”

She helped him get up and Mallet then said:

“Babies…”

She then pointed to where she put them and said:

“They must be safe there.”

“But their mommy needs help!” Mallet replied, looking towards the Guardian that was trying to dodge the Demoniac’s attacks.

As the two brothers shoot the skeletons, Star said:

“Some reinforcements would be nice!”

“Mallet, Opal, we need you!” Dusk called.

“But mommy wyvern needs us too” Mallet replied.

He was right, as they didn’t know for how long the Guardian would be able to dodge the Demoniac’s attacks. She headed towards the Waypoint and tried to get to the top. Despite struggling because of the tiredness of fighting and dodging, she was able to stand there.

“It’s Mallet’s fault if she is injured” Mallet said, getting then an idea of how to help her. “She needs Grollet!”

“But we need you, Mallet” Dusk replied, detransformed. “Clover has the recipe, right? He can mix your grog in the Chaos, while we fight the skelegoofs.”

“Mallet just needs final ingredient” he said, trying to remember. “Rusty metal, sawdust, salt, sugar, gunpowder, extra extra hot pepper and…”

A silent was made while everypony watched Mallet trying to remember the last ingredient. It was then that Opal suggested:

“Water?”

“Water!” Mallet exclaimed, finally remembering and then turning to Opal. “You know Mallet’s secret ingredient?”

“Great!” Dusk said. “We have all that on board!”

“Except water” Mallet replied. “Mallet drink it all.”

That caused Dusk, Star and Opal trade a look and then the former asked Mallet, while pointing down with Calabrass.

“And what is that?”

“Ice” Mallet replied who then understood. “And ice is water!”

As Mallet started celebrating for having all the ingredients, they noticed the ice blocking the Demoniac starting to crack and break through the ship’s ice-breaker. It then approached shore, along with two tanks that were coming ahead.

“We’ll get stuck” Dusk said, turning to Mallet. “Get the ice to Clover and then come back to help us finish them off.”

And so he, Star and Opal advanced to face the skeletons, while Mallet went to the crater he had created and punch some ice, saying:

“Pretty ice cube for pretty for a pretty Grollet.”

He then took an ice piece that possessed the same shape as the big iceberg guarded by Guardian and then called:

“Clover!”

He appeared at the point of the bow of the Chaos and asked:

“Hoy?”

“A Grollet with water!” he replied, while showing the ice he had picked.

He threw it to him and Clover was able to catch it, saying:

“Coming out.”

He then went to gather all the ingredients and then started to prepare them and put them in the cauldron, which had been placed over some wood. After placing the ice, the last part, on the cauldron, he asked:

“Chaos, give a low flame.”

Making a slight noise, the Chaos shoot a small laser beam to the wood under the cauldron.

“Good flame” Clover said. “But what am I saying?! Full blast!”

Chaos intensified the beam and then a fire was lit.

“Wonderful!” Clover said, as the containing of the cauldron started boiling, with the ice crystal starting to shine.

After given the ice to Clover, Mallet joined the others to face the skeletons. And so Dusk called:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Aeria!”

After he and Calabrass transformed, Dusk asked his big friend:

“Ready, Mallet?”

Preparing his sword, Mallet replied:

“Mallet are if you are.”

With Calabrass on his shield form, Dusk created a blast of electricity under Mallet and threw him up.

“Ragnasala!” he shouted, as he used his sword to cause a big smash on the ground that casted away the skeletons.

“Nice work, buddy!” Dusk congratulated, starting heading towards the iceberg. “Ten on one blow! And now we’re going to find the Waypoint.”

It was then Opal noticed something on the crater and asked:

“Doesn’t the Sino Waypoint look something like that, Dusk?”

They turned to where she was pointing and he exclaimed:

“Exactly like that!”

He then looked between the iceberg and the hole left by the piece of ice picked by Mallet and then concluded they were after the wrong target.

“Mallet, how did your slice of ice looked like?” Dusk asked.

“Like iceberg” he replied. “But smaller.”

“The Waypoint… we found it!” Dusk exclaimed, glad things had worked out.

“We just got the size wrong” Star said.

“Wait, doesn’t that mean that Clover…” Opal started.

“He be cooking it” Calabrass replied, already looking at their ghost friend.

They all turned, seeing Clover stirring the grog while singing.

The Guardian recovered, preparing herself to recover what she was guarding, but then she saw the Demoniac arriving to shore and took flight, turning to it.

“The reptile is back on the attack!” Golden Bones said to his skeletons. “Concentrate fire to her children! Let’s see if she rather attack us or save them.”

“What happens if we cook a Waypoint?” Dusk asked Opal.

“Well… Boom” she replied.

“What sort of boom?” Dusk asked, regretting immediately having made that question.

“Well, having in count the size of the Waypoint, the explosion must be… a thousand times bigger” she replied.

“Oh no, the Chaos!” Dusk exclaimed.

But they got other things to worry about, like the Demoniac that had opened fire on them. They run from the shots as fast as they could, but then the Demoniac turned its attention to the baby wyvern, shooting at their hideout that collapse. They got so scared that they run away to get exposed.

Noticing that, Mallet stopped and said:

“The babies!”

The Guardian noticed that her babies were in danger and so headed towards them, but a shoot from the Demoniac prevented her from getting any close.

“Babies too young to die like a Mighty Helm” Mallet said.

“You take care of them and I prevent the end of world from coming” Dusk said to Mallet, while pointing to where Clover was.

And so Mallet, along with Star and Opal, started heading to help the babies, all while dodging shoots from the Demoniac. Unfortunately, a shot caused Dusk and Opal to fall down, while Mallet continued to head towards the babies, saying:

“Hold on, babies! Mallet coming!”

He then slid through the ice and caught the babies, with one going to his head and closing his eyes with its paws.

“Hey, Mallet need to see!”

They continued to slide away. Observing that, Opal asked:

“Should we do something?”

“No, look, they’re getting cover” Star replied.

He was right as Mallet and the babies ended up going under the iceberg.

With her babies safe, the Guardian turned her attentions to the Demoniac and started to shoot an icy blast that covered the ship completely with ice.

“NO!” Golden shouted as he saw his ship get frozen without being able to do anything.

With one enemy down, the Guardian turned her attention to where the Waypoint was.

“Clover!” Dusk called.

Seeing him approaching running, Clover teleported to his side and Dusk told him:

“The Waypoint is in the cauldron! Cut the fire and throw everything overboard.”

“What about the Grollet?” he asked. “It’s almost ready.”

“Clover, the Waypoint is going to blow and take us with it!” Dusk replied.

It was then that they saw the Guardian land on the bow and look at them, looking angry.

“Not a good time to drop in” Dusk told her.

Dusk tried to go to the cauldron without sudden moves, but the Guardian roared at him.

“Easy now, Guardian” Dusk told her. “If you don’t let me by, there won’t be a Waypoint left to protect.”

But she continued to not appear to let him pass. At that moment, Mallet arrived with Star and Opal and, placing himself in front of Dusk, he told to the Guardian:

“Trust us, mommy wyvern. Think of your babies.”

“Don’t waste your breath” Star told him. “She’s the Guardian. Her job is to protect the Waypoint. She’ll not give it up without a fight.”

“Then it’s up to us to protect her from herself” Dusk replied.

“I can handle it!” Clover exclaimed.

He teleported to the side of the cauldron, but the Guardian noticed that. As Clover took the cauldron to move it out of the fire, he got hit by the Guardian’s icy blast, freezing him. After that, she returned her attention to the others. Taking Calabrass, Dusk said to his friends:

“I’ll get the wyvern’s attention and you get the cauldron. Let’s see if Star’s new spell works. Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz.”

And so Dusk and Calabrass were able to transformed.

“Great!” he exclaimed. “It worked, Star! Your spell is protecting Calabrass from Sino’s cold and let me use the Eye of Blazz.”

“Thank me after we prevent the Waypoint from exploding” Star replied.

Dusk then whistled, calling for the Plank which came to him. He jumped onto it and started flying around the Guardian, causing her to try to shoot at him. It was then that they got stuck in a power fight between her icy blast and his fire blast.

“This is it!” Star told to Opal and Mallet. “Go, go, go!”

They started to run, but the Guardian still noticed them and blocked their way with a blast. The Waypoint continued to resonate, this time harder. While handling the Guardian, Dusk noticed the Waypoint and said:

“If that thing blows, Blazz’s inferno is going to seem like an ice rink in comparison.”

“Oh no…” Opal said. “We don’t have much time!”

“We have to cool the Waypoint” Star said. “Stop it from exploding.”

“What if we dunked it in ice?” Mallet suggested.

“Too late for that” Calabrass replied. “Waypoint is too far gone.”

“We need a thermal shock” Dusk said, remembering how they got into this situation. “Chaos, deploy your legs!”

The Chaos, obeying his captain’s command, was able to get up, still with the Guardian over him. Dusk then passed under him and caught the cauldron, heading then to the Guardian, telling her:

“I got a present for you!”

He then caused the Waypoint to be thrown inside of her mouth, with her closing it soon after.

“Bull’s eye!” Dusk exclaimed.

The Guardian reacted to that and, disliking the taste, she decided to barfed it out. At that moment, Dusk appeared and grabbed the Waypoint with his magic, saying:

“Jackpot!”

“Oh no, Dusk!” Opal warned, pointing.

Dusk turned around and saw the Guardian right in front of her. She roared at him and Dusk endured her icy breath. But, because of the Eye of Blazz, he was able to endure it and say:

“Not even a chill.”

Realizing she had lost, the Guardian just flew away and returned to her nest. Landing on the ground, Dusk told:

“Sorry, mom, but it was either you or us.”

Placing the Waypoint on the ground, Dusk prepared to tap it with the blazing tip of Calabrass’ blade.

“To return home, guys” he said. “To return home.”

He touched the Waypoint with Calabrass and it elevated a few inches from the ground, rotating and resonating. It then started to raise up in the air, while leaving a trail of light and formed a very high pillar of light. The power was such that even created an aurora.

“Such power in such tiny thing” Dusk commented, as he and the others observed that wonderful moment. “Amazing…”

The pillar of light crossed the Seven Seas until it reached the lighthouse of Marituga which absorbed that same light. The citizens of Marituga, noticing that, couldn’t help but cheer, as they knew that another Waypoint had been opened.

After their mission was completed, the Sea Raiders returned to the Chaos and started sailing away, while passing by the Demoniac, Dusk said:

“With the time that takes to unfreeze all this, Golden Bones shall remain here for a long time. How are we doing with Clover.”

At the lower the deck, the others were watching Mallet finishing the Grollet, while they waited for Clover to get unfrozen, with only his head being already freed.

“Almost ready” Mallet replied.

He then tasted it and seemed to enjoy it.

“Is it tasty?” Opal asked.

“Me first!” Clover told. “I’m in an emergency!”

“Careful, Clover” Dusk warned. “This is a big colt drink.”

Taking a piece with the ladle, Mallet approached it to Clover. Despite not liking the look of it, he opened his mouth and took it. After a few seconds, Clover’s normal pearl-blue color turned red and started screaming, feeling it so hot. He was so hot that all the ice covering him melted and then he jumped overboard to the water to cool off, while his friends laughed.

“Mallet did say it would warm you up” Mallet teased Clover, while drinking a bit and burping fire.

Trials by Fire

A few days after they opened the Sino Waypoint, the Sea Raiders returned to the Sea of Blazz. While Chaos flew over the sea of lava beneath them, Dusk and Clover were playing against Star and Mallet in a variation of buckball Dusk had come up with where they could pass the ball between themselves to pass it over the baskets that were positioned in a high position.

At that game, while Mallet was blocking Clover, Star was trying to take the ball from the Dusk. Since the two brothers had experience with the game and their skills were practically even, it was taking a while for each one of them to try something.

“Hey, Dusk!” Clover called. “Here!”

But because of Mallet’s size, it would be hard for Dusk to pass him the ball. So he decided to teleport to the other side of the deck.

“Clover a cheater!” Mallet protested.

With Clover completely alone, Star thought for a moment that Dusk could pass the ball to him. However, that little doubt caused Star to drop his guard and allow Dusk to throw the ball to the basket, making it pass through it.

“Yeah!” Dusk celebrated, while being joined by Clover, climbing to his shoulders.

“Great invention, this game!” Clover exclaimed, teleporting then to Dusk’s side. “And you made it up all by yourself.”

“I had a little help, but you could say that” Dusk said.

“Dusk, you do realize we’re from the same place and time, right?” Star asked. “Even Opal must know about buckball.”

“I don’t know if you have noticed, dear brother of mine, but this is not buckball” Dusk said. “It’s just a little variation I came up with to better pass the time.”

“Ok, point taken” Star replied.

“Hey, Opal, how are we?” Dusk asked to his engineer who was at the bow with her device.

Ignoring his question, she replied:

“The seismic activity is increasing sharply. The Blazz Waypoint can’t be far away.”

“No, I meant where were we with the score” Dusk clarified.

“Oh that…” Opal said, not so enthusiastic. “You’re tied with thirty-eight points each. You have one more game to play.”

They prepared for the game, with Dusk saying to Star and Mallet:

“Look at this way, guys. If you’re going to be beaten, at least you’re losing to the best.”

Mallet took the ball and passed it to Star who then replied to Dusk:

“I wouldn’t be so sure, little brother.”

And the game resumed with Star and Mallet with the ball. While the latter had the ball, Star moved to near the basket, while both Dusk and Clover tried to take the ball. It was then that Chaos suffered some turbulence that caused Mallet to drop the ball. Seeing it, both Star and Dusk headed to get it, but Dusk was faster to take it, but Star placed himself in front of him to prevent him from getting to the basket.

“Hey, Dusk, I’m opened!” Clover said to his teammate.

But, appearing to ignore him, Dusk was able to pass by Star and then head towards the basket to score. He jumped but it was then that he found Mallet appearing right in front of him. Because of his size, he was able to take the ball from Dusk and he went to score on his adversaries’ basket.

“And with that, Star and Mallet win” Opal proclaimed.

Star and Mallet celebrated, while hoof bumping.

“That was just luck” Dusk commented, not very pleased for losing.

“Or stategy” Star replied. “Given the choice of passing to Clover or trying to score, you always go for the shortest route. Predictable.”

“Oh yeah?” Dusk said, taking the ball again. “How’s this for predictable?”

And he tried to advance for the basket again, being able to dodge Mallet easily thanks to his size and agility.

“Well played” Calabrass congratulated.

Dusk advanced for the score and jumped to pass the ball through the basket, but a sudden turbulence caused him to fail.

“Ok, but you have to admit in a real buckball field it would have gone in.”

Suddenly, the alarm started to ring and Opal said, consulting her device:

“We have to talk about it later. We’ve arrived to the Waypoint.”

They all looked ahead and then Star said to Dusk:

“Looks like game is over. We win.”

“Not even” Dusk replied, while throwing the ball and making it pass through the basket. “I want a rematch as soon we unlock that Waypoint.”

After saying that, he went to the helm and said:

“Sea Raiders, to your stations! This one is going to get toasty!”

And they headed towards the Waypoint.

Nearby, the Demoniac was stopped, with the lava boiling with intensity. Bones was at the bridge looking through the periscope observing the Chaos. It was then that his new first-mate, a skeleton named Carver with a metal piece covering half of his face, approached and said, after saluting Bones:

“General, we cannot continue our pursue by getting any close of the volcano.”

“Clearly” Golden Bones agreed, while letting the periscope go. “Get a squad and prepare the pteros.”

Carver saluted him and then retreated to do what Bones had ordered him. After he had left, an hologram of Skullivar appeared and he said:

“Bones, the machine is ready. All that it requires is the legendary sword… and for you to succeed for a change.”

“Your confidence is inspiring, master” Golden Bones replied. “I swear, I shall wretch from Dusk Storm’s hooves myself.”

The Chaos arrived to the volcano and started to climb it with his metallic legs. Arriving to the top, they noticed that the crater was nothing but a single hole at the middle with some stone protrusions around. Before that, Calabrass said:

“There’s definitely a Waypoint somewhere in that smoking chimney. I feel as hard it colds. Like I’m going to explode.”

Those words caused Clover to get worried and step back away from Calabrass.

“It’s okay, Clover” Dusk told him. “Calabrass was forged on Blazz, so, whenever he comes here, he charges himself up to the max.”

“And you’re hundred and twenty-three per cent sure that he’s not going to go boom?” Clover asked.

“Don’t worry, Clover” Dusk reassured, while chuckling. “It’s just a figure of speech.”

Clover then approached himself to Calabrass, all while looking carefully to him. Suddenly, Calabrass shouted “Boom!” causing Clover to jump in fear and teleport away to one of the sails of the Chaos, while the talking sword laughed.

“What a lily-livered that ectoplasm is!” Calabrass exclaimed, laughing.

Clover didn’t enjoyed very much that prank of Calabrass on him, but he didn’t get time to think about it, as something caught his attention.

“Lily-livered, but eagle-eyed” he replied. “Skeletons ahoy!”

They looked and saw skeletons on pteros approaching, including Golden Bones.

“Battle stations!” Dusk told to his crew. “Chaos, hook me up with the Plank, please.”

“What madness are you planning?” Star asked Dusk, after hearing him requesting the Plank.

“I’m going to draw Bones away” Dusk replied. “You take the helm.”

And so he jumped onto the Plank and flew away.

With the skeletons approaching, Mallet took the ball and then used his sword to bat it against a skeleton, causing him and his ptero to crush.

“Mallet invented ptero-ball” he said, proudly.

“Where I come from, that is called baseball, but you go for it, big guy” Dusk said, while going to knock down one skeleton.

After he saw Golden Bones, Dusk said:

“Watch this awesome move.”

He then positioned himself at the other side of the volcano, head to head with Golden Bones.

“What game are you up to now?” Calabrass asked Dusk, not so sure about that.

“This one’s called chicken and I never lose” he replied, starting to go against Golden Bones. “Bones will bail out first.”

Bones laughed, as he also headed towards Dusk.

“Is the chicken fried or boiled?” Calabrass asked.

“Bones is a coward” Dusk told him. “He’ll chicken out.”

But Golden Bones continued advancing.

“He’s not moving!” Calabrass said, becoming worrier.

“He will” Dusk ensured.

But moments later, Dusk realized that wouldn’t happen, but it was too late. Dusk and Golden Bones burst into each other, with them and Calabrass falling from the Plank and the ptero and then into the volcano through the chimney. While Calabrass ended up in a stone platform, Duks and Golden Bones continued to fall deeper, ending up at a lower level, near the magma. Dusk tried to stand up, but he ended up passing out.

Outside, Clover was trying to see if he could find Dusk, Calabrass or Golden Bones from the crater, with his chain connecting him to the Chaos.

“Can you see him?” Dusk asked him from the helm.

“There’s too much smoke” he replied, while trying to withstand it. “Smoking is bad for you, volcano. Stop it!”

Carver and the other skeletons, after seeing their general falling, stopped, but Carver, from his ptero, ordered them:

“Don’t stand there just swinging. Surround them!”

And the skeletons continued their attack on the Chaos. Reacting to that, Opal advanced to one of the side cannons and started firing at the skeletons, with the Chaos helping with his main cannon. The shooting caused some debris to fall down the chimney and into the magma, causing the inside to shake. That caused Dusk to start wakening and then rise up.

He saw that he was on a pillar and that Golden Bones was lying on a lower level, not very far. It was then that he remembered about his trusting sword.

“Calabrass! Calabrass!”

“Up here” his voice replied.

Dusk looked up and saw his blade coming out of the platform above.

“How are we going to get out of here?” Dusk asked him.

“You’re the chicken master” he replied.

“This is no time to get snarky” Dusk told Calabrass, while looking for a way up. “And, PS, that makes no sense.”

He sled down to the lower level and then said:

“I’ll climb up to you.”

While trying to find the best route for him to climb, he approached Golden Bones, passing by him quietly to not wake him up. He found the best route and prepared to climb. But little did he know that Golden Bones was waking up. When Dusk jumped to get to a ledge, one of his back hooves was grabbed by Golden Bones. But the damages he had suffered caused him to let Dusk go, allowing the young colt to climb into the ledge.

“Come back here, Storm!” Golden Bones demanded, kneeling. “Come down and face me!”

“Sorry, Bones, but you don’t understand the life of a hero” Dusk replied, continuing to climb. “I have a sword to rescue and a Waypoint to open. No time for chitchat.”

He continued to climb, but Golden Bones wouldn’t give up that easily and so he also tried to climb to get to Dusk. However, unlike the young captain, he wasn’t so light and agile, not to mention he wasn’t at his best.

“Be careful, the water is warm around here” Dusk said, while keeping climbing. “I’m certain your skeleton buddies will find you one of these days.”

“Hurry up, captain” Calabrass told Dusk. “I can feel the Waypoint. It is really close.”

His last words echoed through the chimney and were heard by Clover.

“Oh, I heard Calabrass’ voice!” he exclaimed. “And… wind whistling through my head. Being a ghost is so weird!”

“Is… Dusk alive?” Mallet asked, while he knocked down a skeleton trying to get on board.

“I’m certain of that” Star replied. “But he won’t be for long if left alone in a volcano.”

He dodged a shot from a flying skeleton, before shooting him with his magic beams.

“Chaos, we must rescue him now” Star told to the living ship.

With him pulling Clover back, the Chaos started approaching the chimney. But Carver shot near his legs, causing Chaos to start sliding down and get big debris to fall inside the crater.

“No!” Clover shouted.

The debris ended up covering the crater, preventing anyone from getting in or out. Inside, the tremors caused Dusk’s balance to fail, but his biggest problem was the debris falling down that caused him to fall down again to where Golden Bones. Falling right at the general’s hooves, he was picked up by him who told him:

“I waited so long for this moment, Storm.”

And he placed him right above the magma, preparing to drop him. In that situation, Dusk hasted to say:

“Exactly, it would be a pity to rush things. Let’s enjoy the moment.”

“I’ll take good care of Calabrass” Golden Bones told him. “Trust me.”

It was then that Golden Bones sensed something coming behind him. He turned around and he and Dusk saw a monster appearing before them.

“The Guardian of Blazz…” Dusk said.

This Guardian looked like a big canine made of volcano rocks and dark orange in color. It had a feather-type tail and three large yellow eyes with no pupils that blinked sideways. It roared at Dusk and Golden Bones and the former, taking advantage of Golden Bones’ distraction over the Guardian, is able to free himself and started climbing to get Calabrass.

The Guardian attacked Golden Bones, but he jumped away to a lower level and continued to run away from it, when the monster continued to attack him and pursue him. Golden Bones then found a cave that he used to try to run away. The Guardian breathed fire at him, but it would appear Golden Bones was out of its reach.

Meanwhile, Dusk was able to get to Calabrass and take him.

“I’ve never been so happy to see you” Dusk told Calabrass, placing him at his scabbard.

After that, Dusk hasted to hide himself, as the Guardian went to look for the other intruder he had detected. Noticing another cave at the other side of the volcano, Dusk started running towards it, but the Guardian, seeing him, started running after him. Reaching him, the creature casted his fire at him, but Dusk dodged it, as well the Guardian’s attempts to bite him. Like Bones, Dusk eventually reached the cave and run through it, with the Guardian unable to pursue him.

“You made a new friend” Calabrass observed, sarcastically, as Dusk run.

“Yeah, I’m a winner…” he replied.

Outside, the Sea Raiders and the skeletons to fight each other. However, it would appear the Sea Raiders couldn’t handle all the firepower of the skeletons, forcing them to search for shelter. It was then that Star noticed their fight was causing the crater to get even more blocked. Knowing that fight would not help neither side, Star decided to end all that.

“Clover, drew out the white flag!”

“What?!” Clover, Mallet and Opal exclaimed at the same time.

“Trust me!” Star exclaimed. “Do it!”

Clover then teleported, appearing then at the tip of Chaos’ bow, spreading two white flags to the skeletons. But Carver didn’t care about that and shoot, ending up hitting one of Clover’s flags. Before that, Star started telling him:

“Listen up, you ossified idiot! Your chief is trapped down below with our captain.”

“So what?” Carver asked.

“The volcano may blow at any moment” Star replied. “If we continue battling, everyone will lose.”

His statement was supported by another tremor.

“What do you say about a very temporary truce?” Star suggested.

All that made Carver considerate Star’s suggestion. He then ordered to the skeletons:

“Cease fire!”

The skeletons obeyed, despite doing it with a little confusion.

“Very well” Carver said, recollecting his weapon. “Come closer.”

Star looked to Mallet who nodded his head to him and said:

“This is trap.”

“We have no choice, Mallet” Star replied.

Star then took flight to meet Carver at the middle of the distance between them, with the latter landing his ptero and going to meet the former.

“I agree to your truce” Carver said. “Let’s settle how we’ll proceed.”

“Simple” Star replied. “Once the rescue is over, you go your way and we go ours.”

Carver thought for a moment and then advanced towards Star and extended his hoof. Star bumped his hoof with his, settling the agreement.

Meanwhile, Dusk was walking through the cave he had used to escape the Guardian, who was still looking for the invaders.

“The Waypoint is this way” Calabrass told Dusk. “Straight ahead.”

After a few steps, Dusk noticed the Guardian through the holes of the cave to the chamber and so he went into hiding, hasting to passed the holes. Soon after that, Dusk found Golden Bones, lying on the ground and standing up. Pointing Calabrass to him, Dusk said:

“Look who we have here all tired and shaky.”

“You weren’t so clever without your sword” Golden Bones replied, getting up while using his hook to move away the blade from him, forcing Dusk to move back.

“I was still clever” Dusk told. “Just not as dangerous.”

They clashed their weapons again, with Golden Bones trying to punch Dusk, but the latter dodging it, allowing him to kick Bones in the ribs. After that, Dusk cut some of Bones’ cape and then kicked him down. Despite that strong blow from Dusk, Golden Bones didn’t give up and attacked the young captain, who dodged. They continued fighting until Dusk made a jump using Bones’ back as an impulse, but when he went to attack him with Calabrass, the skeleton general blocked it with his hook.

After they moved back from each other, Dusk grabbed Calabrass with his hoof and called:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Sino!”

After transforming, Dusk waved Calabrass’ blade and shot a blast of ice against Golden Bones, freezing him hard.

“Naughty skeleton…” Dusk said, detransforming and putting Calabrass back on the scabbard. “This is too easy.”

Dusk then continued his way until he reached a well.

“Jump in there” Calabrass told Dusk.

“Are you serious?!” Dusk asked him.

“When am I not? Me blade is being attracted by the Waypoint. I bet me body it is this way.”

Dusk kicked a pebble to the well to see how deep it was and it took some seconds to hear when it hit the ground.

“It’s deep” Dusk said.

“Fortune favors the bold” Calabrass replied. “So does surviving a volcano.”

“Good point.”

And so Dusk jumped in.

Outside, the Sea Raiders and the skeletons were trying to come to agreement about how to help their respective leaders.

“We dynamite the rocks blocking the entrance” Carver suggested.

“I think it would be better to remove the rocks with Chaos’ legs” Star replied.

“Ah, typical royal, all bluster and now boom” Carver commented, with some skeletons laughing.

“Excuse, are you insinuating something about me?” Star asked, displeased.

“Oh no, I’m not insinuating, I’m telling it” Carver replied.

Fortunately, before the arguing could escalate, Opal went to the middle of the two and said:

“Okay, let’s put an end to it. Boys…” she turned to Carver. “You, if you blow up the rocks, you can trigger a complete collapse of the volcano” she then turned to Star. “And you, if the Chaos tries to take out the rocks all by himself, he risks being pushed down by his weight. We must work together. We go down with ropes attached to the Chaos to hold him when he gets to a rock and use the pteros to lift them.”

Before that plan Carver and Star traded a look. Silently they agreed that strategy was the best they could follow at that moment. Carver then turned to the skeletons and told them:

“You heard the pony! So get to work!”

“By the way, you better not call me the pony” Opal told him. “It’s very rude. My name is Opal. Unless you want me to call you bonebag.”

There was a pause and then Carver told to the skeletons:

“And make the ropes tight. Miss Opal will show you.”

“That’s better…” Opal replied.

And so they were all do their respective task.

Inside the volcano, Dusk went down the well, ending up crushing at the bottom of the chamber, right under the Guardian. When getting up, Star started to comfort his sore parts, but Calabrass told him:

“Save your bodyache for later! Look!”

Star looked ahead and then saw it: the Waypoint. It had a triangular form and positioned against a wall, having a red lock at the middle with the symbol of Blazz. But it was located at the other side of the magma, having only a bridge of rocks to jump on in order to cross it.

“The Waypoint!” Dusk told. “We just need to jump onto the ledge to reach it.”

Dusk prepared an impulse and jumped to the first rock, making his best to not loose balance. He continued to jump from rock to rock, all while making no much noise to not call the attention of the Guardian. But then he reached a rock that was further away than the others.

“Ye can do it” Calabrass reassured Dusk in a whisperer.

“I need more power” Dusk realized.

“No, you’ll attract the Guardian” Calabrass replied.

“Don’t worry” Dusk told him. “I’ll be faster than it.”

Grabbing Calabrass, he called:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Sino!”

And Dusk transformed again. Like Calabrass anticipated, the Guardian noticed that and hasted to place itself on the next rock, blocking Dusk’s way to the Waypoint.

“Ice explosion!” Dusk exclaimed, casting an ice blast against the Guardian.

But it would appear it didn’t do anything against it who casted fired against Dusk. The young captain reacted by turning Calabrass into a shield and defend himself.

“Dusk, ice can’t fight fire” Calabrass told him.

“Then, give me the Eye of Blazz!” Dusk replied.

Now transformed with fire element, Dusk casted a wave of fire against the Guardian, but it only absorbed it and became bigger.

“Genius…” Calabrass said, sarcastically, while Dusk run away from the Guardian. “You’re wasting my energies.”

Dusk jumped the stones back to where he started, while the Guardian went after him. However, to Dusk’s luck, because of the creature’s new size, it couldn’t move much. But that didn’t prevent it from shooting fire that casted Dusk against the ground when he jumped to the beginning of the bridge of rocks, causing him to drop Calabrass and ending the transformation.

When Dusk came to himself he noticed the entrance had been blocked with rocks.

“Yeah, I don’t thinking is going to cut it, pal” Dusk said to Calabrass.

Getting up and putting Calabrass on his scabbard, Dusk prepared to climb the well again, but a new tremor caused more debris to fall.

“The volcano is going to blow in any second” Dusk said. “We can’t fight the Guardian and I can’t count on being rescued. We’re on our own.”

“But at least, finally, we got rid of Bones” Calabrass replied.

“Wait… Bones!” Dusk exclaimed, getting an idea. “We’re not on our own. He can help us.”

“Is your brain boiling?” Calabrass asked, thinking that idea the most ridiculous Dusk ever had. “That bag of bones will never help anycreature.”

But Dusk didn’t listen to him and called, while taking Calabrass:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Aeria!”

After transforming, Dusk said:

“Whirling!”

And he elevated himself up until he reached the top of the well. After that, he approached the frozen Bones and prepared himself to free him.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this” Dusk said.

“Neither can I” Calabrass replied.

And so Dusk pointed Calabrass and casted lightning that broke the ice covering Golden Bones, what also caused him some pain. Kneeling, he saw Dusk and said:

“Storm! You’ll pay for this!”

“Normally, I know that’s what you would say and normally I would say something cool like I’m shocked that you think you can beat me. But this isn’t normal. We don’t have time.”

Golden Bones got up and tried to attack Dusk with his hook, but he blocked it and said:

“If we don’t join forces, we’ll both disappear!”

They moved away from each other and Golden Bones replied, while holding to his sore ribs:

“I don’t join forces with rats! I’ll never help you, Storm!”

They continue to fight, but Dusk then kicked Golden Bones to move him away and continue to try to convince him, detransforming:

“Just listen! With that fire-breathing watchdog around, we can’t escape. But if we can open the Waypoint of Blazz, it’ll disappear. Poof, we win. And even better, we don’t get burned into a crisp. But I need you to distract it.”

“Why don’t we do it the other way around?” Golden Bones asked. “Give me the sword and you distract the Guardian.”

But then another tremor happened and Bones could feel his pain increasing. He then found Calabrass’ blade pointing at him and the latter said to Dusk:

“If he doesn’t want to help, we can feed him to the Guardian. That will distract the beast.”

“Make up your mind, Bones!” Dusk told. “The volcano is going to blow in any minute.”

“I’m sure we can find another way out of here if we go for collaboration” Calabrass said.

It was then that Golden Bones noticed the Guardian and then Dusk could see the fearful look he was giving it.

“Wow, Bones, are you scared of the Guardian?” Dusk asked.

“I fear nothing!” Golden Bones replied, standing up. “We will survive today, so that I can destroy you tomorrow.”

“That’s your bad guy way of saying work together, right?” Dusk asked.

But all that Golden Bones gave was a grunt that Dusk considered as being a yes.

The Guardian continued looking for the intruders, as it could feel they were still around. It was then he heard Dusk calling:

“Hey, firing barky!”

The Guardian looked up and saw Dusk on top of a pillar, waving to it.

“Looking for me?” he asked it.

“This is your last chance” Calabrass said to his wearer. “After that, there won’t be another truce for a while. You’ll have to manage for yourself… with Bones.”

“I know” Dusk replied, taking Calabrass. “Calabrass, give me the Eye of Zite!”

And Dusk and Calabrass transformed. The Guardian climbed to where Dusk was and then he casted light from Calabrass that blinded it. Taking advantage of that, Dusk hasted to climb down, while the Guardian found itself losing its grip on the pillar.

After recovering from the temporary blindness, it restarted his pursue on Dusk. But when was about to get it, someone pushed its tail, with that being, for Dusk’s glad, Golden Bones.

“Guardian of Blazz, I, Golden Bones from Netherwhere, challenge you!” he shouted at the creature.

The creature turned to him and attack him, while waving his tail, causing Bones to be dragged by it. But he was able to jump off and land of the bridge and go to safety. With Bones’ distracting the Guardian, Dusk hasted to go down and to the Waypoint, detransforming.

“The Waypoint, Dusk!” Calabrass exclaimed. “Hurry!”

Dusk then started jumping through the stones, but, suddenly, he got knocked down by the Guardian, throwing Dusk to a side stone, causing also Calabrass to be thrown to the other side and get stuck to a stone. It was then that he was picked up by Golden Bones, who raised him, laughing, while the Guardian was focused on Dusk who had got into a hiding place.

Seeing that Bones had Calabrass, Dusk told him:

“Bones, throw Calabrass to me!”

“Your destiny is to become the sword of Netherwhere, the sword of Skullivar, not of that runt” Golden Bones told Calabrass.

“If that runt doesn’t open the Waypoint, I won’t become the sword of anyone” Calabrass replied.

“Bones!” Dusk called from his hiding place.

Golden Bones then turned to the Guardian and told it:

“Guardian, is this what you want?!”

He then started to climb the pillars to attract the Guardian and then threw Calabrass to Dusk who caught him with his magic.

“Do it now!” Bones said to Dusk.

He then run through the stones and reached the Waypoint. Once there, he inserted Calabrass’ blade in the lock. A red light came out of it and then the Guardian dissipated, before it could attack Golden Bones.

Meanwhile, outside, the Sea Raiders and the skeletons were working together to take out the rocks blocking the crater. With Chaos being held with ropes by the pteros, where Mallet was riding one, the ship was heading towards the rocks, commanded by Star with Clover telling him the directions:

“A little to the right… Left… A bit further… Stop! That’s it!”

Stopping the Chaos, Star made him pull the rock, but it was too heavy to move.

“It’s too heavy!” Clover said to Opal. “The Chaos will be smashed!”

“We can do it” Opal said, turning to the pteros. “Over to you!”

The pteros started pushing and, together with Chaos’ turbines and sails, they were able to start moving the stone, eventually getting out of the cratter. Everyone got very happy for their accomplishment and Opal said:

“We should work together more ofter.”

It was then that they saw a light coming from there what could mean what thing: the Waypoint had been opened. That caused immense joy to Clover who said:

“Unless some other crazy pirate had opened the Blazz Waypoint, Dusk is still alive!”

Suddenly there was another tremor and Star said:

“We’re almost out of time! Go!”

And he took flight, followed by Craver that nodded to him. They entered the chamber and found Star on a pillar, holding Golden Bones.

“Hey, guys, what took you so long?” Dusk asked. “Bones and I can’t do everything, you no?”

And so Dusk took Star, while Carver took Golden Bones. Seeing them, the Sea Raiders and the skeletons went to where Carver’s ptero and Star landed. Dusk had a great reception from his friends and then told them:

“Guys, thank you so much.”

It was then that Golden Bones stood up and said:

“Carver, seize the sword!”

Now that the truce had come to an end, the Sea Raiders and the skeletons returned to their battle positions.

“Yeah, we’re not doing that right now” Dusk said. “We were hugging and being thankful and stuff. It’s over.”

Turning to Carver, Star told him:

“A promise is a promise.”

Carver agreed with him and commanded the skeletons:

“Low down your weapons.”

“What are you doing, Carver?!” Golden Bones asked. “I ordered you to arrest them!”

But despite receiving orders from their general, the skeletons knew the best thing to do was honoring their agreement with the Sea Raiders.

“Assist General Bones back to his quarters” Carver ordered. “His wounded and not fit for command.”

“Carver!” he shouted, while two skeletons took him. “Traitor! You’ll pay for this!”

Carver then turned to the Sea Raiders and told them:

“Now get out of here before I change my mind.”

“Thank you for keeping your word” Star said.

“And you” Carver replied. “But this truce has come to an end.”

“Does it have to be?” Star asked.

“Next time we meet, we shall be enemies once more” Carver told.

And so he and the skeletons headed towards the pteros and flew away. The Sea Raiders also went back to the Chaos and, in a matter of moments, they were sailing away from the volcano which came into eruption. Dusk observed the lava getting out of it, while the Chaos moved away and then told to his brother:

“I’ve seen crazy stuff ever since we came to the Triangle, but I think teaming up with Bones has been the craziest of them all.”

“No contest on that” Star replied.

“Speaking of contest, ready for a rematch?” Dusk asked. “I promise I’ll pass the ball more often than try to do it all by myself.”

At that moment, Mallet made an awkward smile and said:

“We have no ball now.”

“I can make you a new one, if you want” Opal said. “I can even modify it with some boosters.”

“Vortex ahoy!” Clover exclaimed from the end of the bow.

As they went to the vortex, Dusk said:

“Just four more Waypoints to open and we’re going to be home in no time.”

“So does that mean we won’t have more time to play improvised buckball?” Star asked.

“In your dreams!” Dusk replied.

And so he pulled the level of the engine and Chaos advanced and crossed the vortex.

Calabrass' Old Friend

At the Sea of Beru, three skeletons were riding waverunners and heading towards a path between big rocks. However, unfortunately for them, the Sea Riders were there, having set a trap for them. They have set a rope hidden in the water, with Dusk and Mallet on one side and Star and Opal at the other.

“Time to bust some skulls” Dusk said.

Mallet grabbed one end of the rope and Dusk made a signal to Star and Opal, with the former taking the other end with his magic.

They waited and so, when the skeletons were right there, Dusk exclaimed:

“Now!”

Mallet and Star pulled their respective ends and the rope was stretched, causing two skeletons to break apart. But the third one, who was holding a rolled parchment, was able to dodge in time and continue his way. However, Dusk had already prepared himself for that, having the Plank right there. He jumped onto it and followed the skeleton. He, noticing him, started to accelerate his waverunner. Before that, Dusk took Calabrass and exclaimed:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Aeria!”

The two of them transformed and, after that, Dusk casted lightning against the skeleton, blasting his waverunner and throwing him into the air. He ended up dropping the parchment that Dusk was able to grab with his magic. Once he had the parchment, he headed back to his friends. Arriving to the Chaos, he jumped into the deck, where the others were waiting from him.

“Got the map!” Dusk exclaimed.

“Great!” Opal replied. “Now we have the location for the next Waypoint. Soon the Bermikun Triangle will be nothing but a bad memory.”

“Between the seven of us, nothing is getting in our…” Dusk started, while unrolling the parchment.

But he stopped once he noticed the map was not complete.

“Wait, what am I looking at?” he asked, showing the map to his friends.

“Nothing” Star replied, while Opal grunted in dismay.

In the captain’s cabin, Dusk was frustrated for the twist their mission suffered.

“Uh, all that trouble for half a map?! I can’t believe it!”

Star, who was analyzing the map on the table with a magnifying glass, noticed something and said:

“Wait, there’s something there… harshly erased. Some figures. And a word… T…Torg.”

“Torg?” Calabrass repeated, surprised. “Did ye say Torg?”

“Yes, Torg” Star confirmed. “I’m sure of it. Opal, please, try to see if you can decipher those figures.”

Handing the map to Opal, Star headed to the chair and start looking in the data of the Chaos. While they did that, Dusk turned to Calabrass and asked, knowing he was hiding something:

“Calabrass, what’s up? You know something about this Torg?”

“Oh, no, no…” he replied. “Not really. But I knew a fellow with that name once. He was a loser, a yellowbelly, a milksop. We used to call him…”

“Torg, the Terrible” Star completed, as he put an holographic image of a big earth pony, with a pirate cloth, a hat and an eyepatch, possessing a greenish orange coat, a dark cyan mane and a green eye. “He was a pirate and a cutthroat with a nasty reputation.”

“You know him?” Dusk asked Calabrass.

“In passing” he replied. “He died a while ago. Wingy, turn that off, will ye?!”

“Wow, it’s the first time I see another pirate’s name have such an effect on you, Calabrass” Star commented, while turning off the holographic table and retract it.

“Looks to me that you got the willies” Clover replied, floating to Calabrass. “Or weevils? I forget which.”

“Me?” Calabrass asked, making a laugh. “That will be the day when I fear any pirate. I’m Calabrass, the Cruel! Scourge of the…”

But he didn’t finish, as Opal exclaimed:

“Eureka! I’ve got it! Sorry, is that I was reading one hundred and twelve, when it was one and twelve. Hilarious, right?”

She let out a laugh, but when she saw no one was laughing with her, she said:

“Okay, let’s go for more serious things. I was able to get the coordinates for a location on Vapir.”

“Yes!” Dusk exclaimed. “Now we can have the other half of the map! Great work, Opal!”

“Aye, great work…” Calabrass said, sarcastically and looking away.

At Netherwhere, Golden Bones was scolding a skeleton, while there was a line of others at the other side, in Skullivar’s throne room:

“Incompetent dork! We do not… do… do-over!”

And he kicked the skeleton away and then turned to another skeleton and told him:

“You! You are now my lieutenant for this mission! Find me Dusk Storm and get me that map!”

The skeleton saluted him and then went away with the other skeletons. After that, he turned to Skullivar, who was at the top of the throne stairs and told him:

“Temporary setback, master. I shall deal with this personally.”

Hearing that, Skullivar released a chuckle.

The Sea Raiders went to Vapir, heading towards the coordinates Opal had found on the map. While Dusk was steering, with the others with him at the bow, Calabrass kept talking trash about Torg:

“Torg the Terrible was the worst sort of lying, cheating, swindler scallywag that ever wore boots! He held no trust. A non-calling friend.”

“You didn’t answer me, Calabrass” Dusk told him. “Did you know Torg? Personally?”

“What is this inquisition?!” Calabrass asked.

“Here we are!” Opal exclaimed, looking to her device. “One and twelve! That ship!”

And they have arrived to a massive weaponized pirate ship. Their mere look caused a great impression on everyone on the Chaos, who looked like a little rodent when in comparison. When they stopped right by its side, where they could reach a rope to climb, Calabrass told Dusk:

“This doesn’t feel right, laddie. Could be a trap set by… whoever build the map.”

But Dusk decided to risk and he and Mallet started to climb it, with Opal, using her suit, taking a ride on Mallet and Star flapping up. They got in from a big window and then started to walk around.

“Nothing so far” Dusk told. “Looks safe to me.”

Opal went to the helm that was nearby and said, looking to the handles:

“Look at this ringing… This ship must have been magnificent in its day.”

Star prepared to touch it, but Calabrass turned to her and shouted:

“Wait! Don’t touch that!”

But it was too late, as Opal touched it and that caused the help to start spinning. That could only mean one thing: a trap.

“Take cover!” Dusk exclaimed.

Missiles started being shot from the walls and everyone tried to dodge them.

“For all that is sacred!” Calabrass shouted, after the missiles were all avoided. “I told you to not touch it!”

Opal answered him by shrugging her shoulders.

The Sea Raiders got out to a bridge over the deck, ready to anything that could come against them. Mallet was even holding his sword. When he started advancing, Calabrass shouted:

“Stop, metalhead! Booby traps!”

Mallet immediately stopped moving when he was about to make a step. Using Calabrass’ blade, Dusk touched the board Mallet was about to step on and it and the ones around it just crumbled down in a high height.

“This Torg not a welcoming host” Mallet commented.

They continued to the other side of the bridge arriving to where should be the captain’s cabin, behind a big pair of doors.

“This metal…” Star observed, looking into the metal parts of the door. “It immunizes the doors against any magic. They can’t be magically opened.”

Dusk extended his hoof to try open the doors, but Calabrass warned him:

“If you like your hoof, I wouldn’t touch that. Just saying…”

“Allow me to open this” Opal said, making a small drill from one of the hooves of her suit.

She inserted the drill on the lock and started spin it. This caused the mechanisms inside to move, but a bell ringing sounded and Opal said:

“Oh-oh!”

“Oh-oh what?” Mallet asked.

“Step back” she replied to her friends who obeyed her. “I shall be able to diffuse it quickly.”

She continued working on what she was doing. While she did that, Dusk told Calabrass:

“You know, Cal, for someone who claimed to only know by passing, you seem to know a lot about this Torg.”

“It’s just… pirate intuition” he replied. “If I had booby trapped the ship…”

Opal stopped working and then made a safe sign to her friends. But then there was an explosion, what didn’t affect Opal that much, as she was protected by suit, but it sure startled her.

“…that’s how I would do it.” Calabrass ended.

The five Sea Raiders got in, finding a gloomy room, with a big chair, acting as a throne at the end and, nearby, there was a frame containing the other half of the map.

“Yeah!” Dusk exclaimed.

Mallet, seeing it too, prepared to advance, but Dusk prevented him from doing it and asked his talking sword:

“Calabrass, another trap? Something that can prevent us from walking, fly or use magic?”

“I… I don’t know” Calabrass replied. “This cabin has changed.”

“What do you with changed?” Dusk asked.

“I… I didn’t say changed” Calabrass said, nervously. “I meant strange.”

“Changed indeed, old friend” a voice replied, echoing around the cabin.

They turned around and saw the ghost of Torg, with him possessing a rather reddish color.

“You a sword and me a…”

“Torg!” Calabrass exclaimed.

“So, finally you came to visit your old shipmate” Torg said, while raising in the air. “Ye took your time. I’ve been dying to have a chat with you.”

And he laughed and then addressed to the others, noticing their look of surprise:

“I can tell by your openmouthed faces that Calabrass ain’t told you about me. Sad… He and I shared many adventures. Didn’t we… old friend?”

“Calabrass, how could you have hide this from us?!” Dusk asked him. “From me?”

“Don’t be too shocked, boy” Torg said. “Old Calky isn’t exactly is a true pirate. Meaning, he doesn’t share much blood or treasure. Just like me…”

“I am nothing like ye!” Calabrass protested. “I have a code of honor.”

“And look what good it did to ya” Torg said. “Because of that code, Heartbeat cursed us both! You became sword…”

And he dived into the floor, passing through it like Clover normally does, continuing to talk, with his voice echoing:

“…and I’m a ghost.”

Suddenly, he appeared right behind Calabrass and Dusk and said:

“Of course, that’s all what is going to change… at least for me.”

“Change?” Star repeated. “What do you mean?”

“Mr. Torg, we don’t want any problem” Opal said. “We only came here for the other half of the Waypoint map.”

Torg dived again, but this time appeared through a wall behind Star and Opal, saying:

“Only over my dead body.”

Taking Calabrass, Dusk said:

“Torg, I don’t know what your beef is with Calabrass. But the map is too important for us. Either you hand it over willingly or…”

“Or what?” Torg asked, approaching. “What will you do then?”

“Calm down, Dusk” Calabrass told the young captain. “Don’t do anything reckless.”

“If you have anything to tell me, you should have told me before!” Dusk replied, harsly. “I’m teaching this spook some manners… Dusk Storm style.”

He started attaching Torg with Calabrass, but the blows either passed through him or were dodged, with Torg taking advantage of his spiritual form. While Dusk was attacking Calabrass said to him:

“Listen to me, lad. He’s trying to urge you into making a rushed move.”

For a moment, Dusk, despite being angered with Calabrass for lying to him, wanted to listen Calabrass, but then Torg told him:

“You have to be quicker than that boy.”

That set Dusk off and he continued to attack, failing when Torg disappeared through the floor, causing the young captain to grunt.

“Dusk, Calabrass is right” Star told his younger brother, approaching him and putting a hoof over his shoulder. “The ghost is playing with you. He’s up to something.”

“Not so airhead as you look, alicorn” Torg commented, with him appearing floating in the air, upside down right between Dusk and Star. “I’m teaching this minnow that he’s not fit to wield such a weapon as Calabrass.”

Dusk tried to hit him again, but Torg just teleported away to a more distant point.

“Airhead?” Star repeated

“Don’t worry, Star” Dusk said. “He won’t be talking so smart in a minute. Calabrass, give me the Eye of Vapir!”

Dusk activated the Eye of Vapir, transforming himself and Calabrass. After that, he tried another attack on Torg, but he teleported again to another point. The pirate ghost then said, while looking to the power Calabrass was emanating:

“What a wonder… Just what I needed!”

Dusk went for another attack, but Torg teleported again, appearing before a table.

“Teach me, boy!” Torg teased. “I’m waiting.”

After saying that, Torg grabbed a scabbard that was located on the table. Dusk, filled with rage, advanced against Torg, raising Calabrass for another blow.

“Dusk, no!” Star tried to warn him, feeling Torg was luring Dusk into a trap.

It was then that Torg extended the scabbard to Calabrass at the moment when Dusk was close enough, causing the blade to slide in. Torg pulled the scabbard to him when it locked itself onto Calabrass. There was a burst of light and static and Torg’s spiritual body became solid once again. While that happened, Dusk lost the Vapir powers he had.

“Calabrass, what just happened?”

Torg then made some strength and pushed away Dusk from Calabrass.

“At last!” Torg shouted, while raising Calabrass. “Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz.”

“Bilged water on barnacles!” Calabrass exclaimed. “I never helped ye before, Torg. I’d be cursed if I help you now.”

But Torg just laughed and then replied:

“But you are cursed, old friend. Eye of Blazz.”

It was then that the Eye of Blazz was activated and fire erupted on the scabbard where Calabrass’ blade was in. Before that, Star started to shoot magic blasts on Torg, but he used Calabrass to defend them all. Quickly, he then advanced against Star and hit him back, throwing him to the floor. Mallet tried to attack from behind, but Torg dodged and then pushed him away to.

“I’m not finished with you yet, Torg!” Dusk replied.

“But I am finished with you” Torg answered him back.

He then heard movement. Turned around and saw Star coming and preparing to give him a kick, using his wings to impulse his speed. The kick was strong enough to push Torg back a few steps, but he swang Calabrass, making a fire cut head towards Star, forcing the latter to flap his wings, but not before one of his wings was slightly burned, and flew back next to Dusk who said:

“Calabrass, stop him!”

“I’m sorry, Dusk” Calabrass replied. “I can’t. Torg is in control. Arr, I can’t do a thing! Surrender, please.”

“Listen to him, tadpole” Torg said to Dusk. “Surrender. I will be generous… as a favor for my old shipmate here.”

“Why don’t to shut your damned mouth?!” Dusk replied.

“Tough to the last, hein?” Torg observed. “And your friends are willing to pay for your pride?”

He swang Calabrass again, tossing flames to Star and Opal. Despite Star could easily deal with the flames, his magic (weakened because of the seal and the Triangle’s influence) wouldn’t be able to shield him for long from the power of the Eye of Blazz, and Opal would be too vulnerable if her suit overheated.

“Shall I put you all walking on the plank, or will you surrender?” Torg asked.

Dusk’s rage over Torg was boiling, but he was right. He couldn’t do much with him having Calabrass and his friends getting weakened.

In Beru, the Demoniac was sailing. Inside, a skeleton turned to Golden Bones and told him:

“Sir, we’ve located the Chaos.”

“At last…” Golden Bones said. “I’ve got you, Dusk Storm!”

At Torg’s ship, he placed Dusk, Star, Opal and Mallet in a cell, with bars that, much like all the metal in that ship, was impervious to magic.

“Not bad, hein?” he told Calabrass. “You recognize your old scabbard, forged with the steel of Blazz? It’s the same matter used to create you.”

“Figures” he replied. “Ye always wanted to be like me.”

“True, but, since I cannot be like you, I did the next best thing. With this scabbard, I can control you.”

Turning to Dusk, Torg said:

“I have to thank you for delivering Calabrass to me, boy. I’ve dreamed with this moment for a very long time. At last, I can leave Vapir and sail again across the Seven Seas… with Calabrass by my side!”

“Don’t get too comfy, Torg” Dusk warned. “This isn’t over.”

“Silly boy!” he replied. “Don’t you know there’s no such things as do-overs?”

And he placed the key of their cell on a holder at a wall. After that, he told Calabrass:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz!”

Just like last time, the Eye of Blazz was activated and the scabbard was set on fire again. After that, Torg made a line of fire on the floor, intending to let it deal with the Sea Raiders, and then went away.

Outside, Clover didn’t understand what was happening there, seeing all that fire. Suddenly, Torg landed on the Chaos’ deck. Before that intruder who was in possession of Calabrass, Clover reacted and summoned his chain and ball, throwing it to Torg who just grabbed it with his free front hoof. Pulling the chain in an attempt to retrieve it, Clover asked to the talking sword:

“Calabrass, who is this?!”

“No time to waste on this ectoplasm” Torg said, preparing to use Calabrass on Clover.

“Wait!” the former asked, while Clover covered his head. “This ectoplasm knows every inch of this ship. We’ll go much faster with him.”

“The years have made you soft, Calabrass.”

“All ponies change, Torg. Even me. Specially me. Look, I’m a sword now!”

Turning to Clover, Torg said:

“My shipmate wants me to spare you, ectocolt. Swear to obey my every command. Or else…”

He showed him Calabrass to demonstrate what could happen to him. But, in doing so, he allowed Calabrass to blink on Clover. Seeing that, Clover knew that Calabrass wanted him to play along and so he said to Torg, saluting:

“At your service, captain.”

“Good” Torg replied, recollecting Calabrass. “Get the Chaos on the way! I’ve waited an eternity. I will not wait any longer.”

After Torg walked away, Clover turned to the burning ship and said:

“Okay, Clovy, I know there’s two things you’re not very good at, but you need to think… fast.”

He then teleported to the engine room and then he noticed through the radar that something was approaching their position. Feeling it could not be nothing good, Clover tried to make Chaos working, but he could not find himself able with levels and the buttons.

“How can Opal make this thing work!”

It was then that, while doing all that, he ended up playing with the radio and reach a certain frequency that he did not expected:

“This is the Demoniac. You’re on our reserved frequency.”

Despite connecting with the Demoniac was something he shouldn’t do under normal circumstances, that gave Clover an idea to deal with the situation they were on.

The Chaos started to move away, when the Demoniac was getting close. At the latter’s bridge, a skeleton approached Golden Bones and told him:

“Captain, we just received a mayday call.”

“Stay on the Chaos, lieutenant” Golden Bones replied. “We’re a warship, not a hospital.”

“But, captain, it came from the Chaos” the lieutenant replied.

That really surprised Golden Bones who asked:

“What are you up to, Dusk Storm?”

At the cell, Dusk were trying to use a spear they were able to get to reach the key. While doing it and trying to not inhale all the smoke from the fire, he said:

“Calabrass is going to get an earful when I get my hooves on him.”

“He did try to warn us” Opal said. “Oh, we should have listened to him.”

“I would have done that, if he hadn’t hide his past” Dusk replied.

“We all have things we’re not proud of, Dusk” Star told him. “I’m a big example of that. You don’t know about many of things I’m ashamed of. Maybe he did not feel he could share his feelings.”

“Well… Mallet can’t read, so…” Mallet said.

“Uh…” Dusk said, not knowing what to say for what Mallet just said. “Let’s worry about that later. Right now, let’s get out of here.”

After working hard to get the key, Dusk was able to get it and bring it to him.

“Gotcha!” he said, hasting to open the cell.

“Good job, captain” Mallet said, as they got out of the cell.

When they were climbing the stairs out, Opal noticed Mallet was leaning over a closet.

“Mallet, what are you doing?!” she asked. “We must go!”

“Go ahead” Mallet said, with a confident look. “Mallet catch up.”

And so she continued.

Meanwhile, Torg was steering Chaos, saying:

“I can’t believe it! It’s good to feel a stiffed salty blow on your cheeks!”

“Uh, ye sounding like a pirate coming from the river” Calabrass commented.

It was then that the Demoniac immerged on their front, with tanks siding the Chaos and then block the way. One of the tanks opened and Golden Bones appeared with an army of skeletons behind.

“Well, Storm, surprise!” he exclaimed.

Bones jumped onto the Chaos and said.

“Finally, I…”

But he stopped once he noticed that it was not Dusk who was at the helm.

“Where’s Dusk Storm?!” he asked Torg. “And what are you doing with Calabrass?!”

“Get out of me deck, you sack of bones!” Torg demanded, taking Calabrass and preparing to fight. “Before I use ye as a toothpick.”

“You dare?!” Golden Bones exclaimed. “That sword belongs to Skullivar. Hand it over or perish!”

Torg then noticed that skeletons were climbing on board and then said to Golden Bones:

“What a great crew you’ve got. Let’s see how they fight. Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz!”

The Eye of Blazz was activated again and flames immerged on the scabbard.

“Fire them up, old friend” Torg said. “I missed a good fight.”

“For the love what is most sacred!” Calabrass exclaimed. “Stop calling me your friend!”

“Fine, you old carrion” Torg replied. “Obey. That is an order!”

Torg then casted a blast of fire against the skeletons and, said, while jumping to fight:

“Bust them to dust!”

He started fighting the skeletons, breaking them apart. When there was no more left, he exclaimed, victorious, raising Calabrass:

“At last! I revived the brutality in me.”

“Enough!” Golden Bones shouted, jumping to attack Torg who blocked his attack with Calabrass’ blade.

The two fought, but Torg soon realized Golden Bones was not that easy to defeat as the other skeletons.

“Good, somepony with skill” he said. “But you can’t beat me.”

He then was able to kick him against a wall, causing him to fall over his behind, and Torg said, raising Calabrass, while the fire disappeared:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Aeria!”

The Eye of Aeria was activated and electricity covered the scabbard.

“Why does this always happens to me?” Golden Bones asked, knowing what was coming.

Torg hit Calabrass on the deck and a tornado was form around him and carried Golden Bones, tossing him away. That attack was so strong that was noticed by Dusk, Star and Opal that were on the deck of the old ship.

“We’re too late!” Opal exclaimed.

“If only I could fly there” Star said. “But this burned wing won’t let me.”

“Don’t worry, bro” Dusk said. “I can still get there. It’s never too late to save a friend.”

He whistled and so the Chaos sent the Plank. Dusk jumped onto it and told the others:

“Join me as soon as you can.”

And he flew back towards the Chaos, while Opal told him, worried about the flames:

“You better do it fast. This ship is going down and we don’t have much time before that happens.”

At that moment, Mallet arrived, carrying the closet from before, while saying:

“We must go!”

He threw the cabinet to the water and then jumped onto it, now serving as a boat.

“All aboard!” Mallet exclaimed.

Star and Opal shared a look and a smile and then jumped to the improvised boat as well. Once they did it, Mallet starting rowing using a piece of wood.

Dusk approached stealthily the Chaos, landing on the ledge of the prow, while the Plank returned to its place. As he climbed to the deck, he could hear Torg saying to Calabrass, at the bow:

“It’s funny, actually. I stole this scabbard, because I wanted something of yours. Then, just before I was killed, I learned it was the scabbard of a powerful sword… you.”

“Oh, ah, ah, that’s hilarious” Calabrass ironized.

“Never did I think that by possessing both, I would be able to escape Vapir and become a pony again” Torg continued, as Dusk started moving quietly towards the engine room. “Two glorious heads in one stroke!”

“You haven’t changed” Calabrass replied, as Dusk entered the engine room. “Treachery, traps, trickery…”

“You’re a sour looser, Calabrass” Torg told. “But look on the bright side. We’re going to do great things together.”

Dusk walked in the engine room and found Clover who said, noticing him:

“Dusk? Dusk! You’re alive!”

“Hush!” Dusk said to his ghost friend. “We have to stop the ship. Do you know how?”

Clover nodded with his head, happily, and then teleported to the control panel, opened it and took one of the batteries, showing it to Dusk who nodded to him with a smile. Without the battery, Chaos went down and stopped. Torg became confused by that and said, while trying to make the ship work again:

“What?! I should have melted that ectoplasm when I had the…”

“I told you this wasn’t over, Torgy” Dusk replied to him, appearing on deck.

Torg and Calabrass turned to him and the latter said:

“Dusk? Dusk! You’re alive!”

“Why is everyone saying that?” Dusk asked.

“Minnow, don’t you know when to drown?” Torg asked.

“I have news for you” Dusk replied. “The Chaos is my ship and Calabrass is my sword! Return them both right now or else…”

“Again with the or else?!” Torg said, while taking Calabrass. “Haven’t you learned already? Calabrass, give me the Eye of Beru!”

Calabrass tried to fight it, but he didn’t have a choice and so the Eye of Beru was activated, with the scabbard being covered with water.

“I’m sorry, lad” he said to Dusk.

Torg then started to cast blasts of water towards Dusk who could only dodge. It was then that the attacks caused him to land at the rail, but then he jumped overboard. Torg laughed, thinking he had managed to get rid of Dusk, but became shocked when he saw him appearing on the Plank.

“Well, now that was playing pathetic, Torg the Tired” Dusk commented.

“It’s Terrible!” Torg protested. “It’s Torg the Terrible!”

“If you say so” Dusk replied. “Terrible in a lame sort of way.”

“Dusk, don’t” Calabrass told him. “You’ll make it worse.”

And so Torg casted another water blast, but Dusk jumped to avoid it, while landing again on the Plank and fly around with the evil pirate attacking, saying:

“Worse? How can it get any worse with Torg the Tacky trying to copy my style?”

He then stopped over the bow and told:

“And you, let him believe he is as tough as you.”

Torg continued to attack Dusk, who calmly kept dodging around and say:

“You know, Torgy, Cal has told me tales about his pirate past. I couldn’t figure why he never mentioned you… until I met you. I wouldn’t ruin a good story talking about a big zero like you either.”

That really set Torg off and he jumped, ready to land a physical attack on Dusk, but Dusk dodged quickly, causing Torg to hit the rail.

“Oh, I’m so scared” Dusk mocked. “I’m fighting the mighty slayer of ship rails. Come on, wobbly knees, show some spirit.”

Torg’s angered only grew as he tried to hit Dusk, but he kept dodging and mocking, landing on the rail, securing the Plank:

“Calabrass, is your friend pretending to use your powers? Why are you holding back? I know you can do better than this.”

“Dusk…” Calabrass started.

“Wait, are you holding back on me?!” Torg asked the talking sword.

“Who, me… no…” Calabrass replied, a little confused.

“Enough games” Torg said. “Time to end this.”

“End?” Dusk asked. “I’m only getting warmed up.”

Torg tried to attack Dusk, but he dodge, causing the evil pirate to hit the rail again. While that, Dusk whispered to Calabrass, while blinking at him:

“Give him your max, Calabrass. Discharge yourself completely.”

At that moment, Calabrass realized what Dusk was trying to do.

When Torg tried to attack Dusk again, he rode the Plank again and went above a little, saying then:

“You two deadweights want to rule the Triangle? You’re yesterday knews.”

“He’s right, Torg” Calabrass said. “He’s making us look foolish. We can do better than this.”

That really confused Torg, as he didn’t expect Calabrass to say something like that.

“I can only stand so much before I go crazy” the talking sword said, while Dusk was provoking and mocking Torg. “Do you know how it hurts to obey his childish commands? I can’t pretend anymore. Show him how a true pirate plays.”

“At last!” Torg exclaimed, joyfully. “There you are, my old shipmate! Treacherous and cruel.”

“Aye, a terror like yourself” Calabrass replied. “What a foul I’ve been. Time to be great again. Let’s start by teaching this long-tongued scallywag a lesson!”

“Yes!” Torg agreed. “Enough talk! Calabrass, give me all you got!”

And thanks to Calabrass, he started making a lot of attacks on Dusk, with him always dodging. The others, as they were rowing towards the Chaos, noticed that and Mallet said:

“Look, Dusk needs help.”

Dusk dodged the best it could, but then one of the Plank’s propellers was hit, causing him to lose height and force a land, reaching the deck of the bow, while the Plank returned to its place.

“Outch!” he said.

He then saw Torg pointing Calabrass against him and say:

“Enough games.”

He laughed, as he got ready to attack Dusk. However, to his shock, the Eye of Beru deactivated.

“What?!” Torg exclaimed, turning to Calabrass. “Calabrass, you eel gut, what are you doing? Why are you slowing? We almost got him!”

“I’m… I’m out of energy” Calabrass replied, tired.

“Out of…” Torg started, realizing then what happened. “Calabrass, you… You betrayed me?”

“Don’t be too shocked, old friend” Calabrass replied. “A true pirate doesn’t share not even blood or treasure. But, for old times’ sake, here’s one for free. I only have one true friend… and you ain’t him.”

“Hurr! With or without you, I’m going to destroy him!” Torg exclaimed.

“I’m cool with that” Dusk replied, preparing to fight. “Come fight like a real stallion.”

“Uh, what is it, Torg?” Calabrass said in a mocking way. “Are you afraid of measuring yourself against this pipsqueak?”

“What treachery is this?” Torg asked.

“It’s just our code of honor” Calabrass replied. “The pirate’s code. I’ve you forgotten that, Torg? Stallion to stallion.”

“Stallion to stallion?” Torg repeated. “But he’s a colt.”

“Aye, perhaps, but Dusk is the finest captain I’ve ever met” Calabrass continued. “And he knows how to use me powers.”

“Well, why not?” Torg replied, while recollecting Calabrass. “After all, what can a foal do to me? Pass me over with his plank?”

And he also positioned himself to fight, with Dusk replying while dodging Torg’s blows:

“Don’t tempt me, Torgy.”

And so they continue their fight, with Dusk being able to calmly dodge Torg’s attacks, while mocking and, occasionally giving him a kick.

“Take this” Dusk said, while fight. “Too slow. Can’t get me.”

The others arrived to the Chaos and Star called, while climbing to the Chaos:

“Dusk!”

While they were fighting, Star and Mallet arrived to the bow.

“Dusk!” Star called.

“Mallet coming!” Mallet said, with his sword ready.

“Mallet, no!” Calabrass told, causing the Mighty Helm warrior to stop. “They must settle this between them.”

“Playtime is over, Torg” Dusk said.

It was then that, when Torg went to attack, Dusk was able to make a quick move and take Calabrass from him, all while making Torg trip and fall on the deck.

“Good move, Dusk!” Star said. “I can see you’ve learned something with dad.”

“My scabbard!” Torg said, while sitting up. “My sword!”

Dusk then unlocked the scabbard with a laugh and removed Calabrass from there. After that, he placed it on the deck and prepared to destroyed it. Seeing it, Torg tried to stop him, but was too late, as Dusk cut it in half. That caused Torg to turn back into a ghost and pass through Dusk when reaching him. Dusk then turned to Torg and said:

“I’m going to slice this ectoplasm into pieces!”

“Dusk, no!” Calabrass exclaimed, turning to him. “We don’t kill a pirate when he’s down. That’s part of our code of honor too, Captain Storm.”

“But if we don’t destroy Torg once and for all, he’s going to try to separate us again.”

“I was able to change, lad” Calabrass said. “And I became what I am now at your side. He can do it too.”

Dusk didn’t know much about that and so he turned to his friends who nodded to him, agreeing with Calabrass. With that, Dusk returned Calabrass to his scabbard and extended a hoof to Torg. But before the latter could decide to take it, Clover, on his post at the mast, shouted:

“Oh no! The Demoniac is maneuvering again and… coming closer!”

With that situation and seeing Dusk being merciful on him, Torg made his decision and said, accepting Dusk’s hoof and raising up:

“You beat me fair and square, lad. Now, I understand what Calabrass can see in you.”

“What are you going to do now, Torg?” Calabrass asked.

“I’m going to haunt that bag of bones” he replied, while advancing. “That will give you time to get out of Vapir. I feel like some fun.”

Having said that, he turned into red smoke and headed quickly towards the Demoniac, hitting it and causing it to go haywire. They could even hear Bones’ cries.

“Sure looks like Torg is having fun” Dusk observed.

“To think that we came to find the other half of the map and we’re leaving empty-hoofed” Star said.

“Mallet took map before getting out of ship” Mallet replied, showing the other half of the map. “Don’t know what it say, but it look important.”

He handed the map to Dusk who grabbed with his magic and said:

“Great! We’ll be able to open another Waypoint! Here, Opal.”

He gave the half of the map to Opal and said:

“Okay, let’s go. And, Calabrass, no more secrets from now on, right?”

“The past is in the past” he replied, while he and Dusk were at the bow. “Ye and I are the greatest pair of pirates in history.”

“Yeah, but I’m the boss” Dusk replied.

And so they all laughed, while Chaos started moving away.

Wrath of Blix

The Sea Raiders were stopped at the middle of the Sea of Beru. Dusk was helping Opal fix some device, holding it while she was drilling it.

“My fingers are going numb, Opal” Dusk told her.

“Almost” she said. “Just a little longer… done!”

She let go of the drill and there was a click, causing a metallic part to close on Dusk’s hooves like a trap, causing him to release an immense scream of pain. He then started shooking the hoof as much as he could, trying to get rid of the device, while saying:

“Congratulations, Opal, you’ve invented a hoof-eating monster.”

When he tried to use Calabrass’ handle to open, Opal told him:

“It took me ten days to make that part. I can fix it.”

“This is no time for gentility” Calabrass said. “You should blaze that thing to bits.”

But before Dusk could do anything, Star approached him, using his magic to put Calabrass back on his scabbard, and said, while taking the device and trying to open it:

“You should listen to Opal and let calm prevail for once. A little patience and…”

He was able to open it, allowing Dusk to recover his hoof and tender it.

“There you are” Star said, while holding the device. “Oh, come on, Dusk, it couldn’t have been that bad.”

At that moment, the device closed again, this time catching Star who also released a scream of pain while shouting:

“You son of a…!”

“Mallet can crush it for you” Mallet said, while taking his sword.

“No, Mallet, stop!” Opal exclaimed, trying to stop Mallet while Star tried to shake the device off.

It was then that Clover’s whistle, that came from the top of the mast, called their attention to him and he said:

“Hoy, do you want to smash something, my Might Helm friend? Eyes ahead!”

They looked forward and then saw Skullivar’s forces on their tanks that were pulling something big. Taking Star’s telescope, Dusk looked and then said:

“Skullivar’s trops and they’re trying to capture… No way!”

The victim that was being pulled by them was none other than the giant jellybeast they had previous encountered.

“Hey, it’s that Blix-what-you-call-it” Dusk said.

“Blixtar Storra!” Mallet exclaimed. “The jellyfish of legend!”

Knowing that creature was very peaceful and didn’t mean any harm to anypony, Dusk knew there was only one thing to do. Turning to his crew, he told them:

“Sea Raiders, let’s make a legend of our own and bust some boneheads.”

“Okay, just let me get rid of…” Star said, while trying to release himself from the device. “Opal!”

Opal then advanced and was able to take the device from Star and put it away. After that, Chaos activated his engines and headed at full speed towards the skeletons. Arriving there, Dusk positioned himself on the bow with Calabrass and the others ready to combat. Star was the first to make a move, using his magic to hit one of the skeletons, and Dusk told:

“Cut your losses and go home, skeledorks. Blix is under our protection.”

He then activated the Plank and then flew against his enemies, cutting off the ropes that were binding Blix, all while knocking down the skeletons. With Star piloting the Dusk, he and the others helped Dusk, with Mallet on the hull beating skeletons with his sword.

When Star noticed skeletons coming their way, he shot at them. One was left, but he ended up being rammed by the Chaos. One skeleton came from behind and then jumped to the Chaos, starting to climb on board, but once he made it, he was hit by a ball and chain from Clover, with him saying:

“Breaky, breaky!”

Using the device from earlier, Opal started scanning Blix and then said:

“The cables! They are draining Blix’s energy!”

Before that information, Dusk focused entirely in cutting the cables. But while doing it, he noticed that there was somepony on Blix, playing a long and strange instrument that looked like a flute. Noticing that flute possessed a blade at the tip, the young unicorn prince feared he would harm Blix, so he exclaimed:

“Stop!”

He then went against him, pinning him down. It was then he noticed who that pony was.

“Iron Block?”

He was really him, the jellybeast hunter he had encountered at the time he met Blix. However, unlike last time, he had a set of three round burn marks on his forehead.

“Wait, you’re a hunter for Skullivar?” Dusk asked him.

“What?” he asked. “Just the opposite.”

That answer both surprised and confused Dusk, but he didn’t have much time to process it, as he heard Clover shouting:

“In coming!”

And the Demoniac approached the scene. At the bridge, Golden Bones told his skeletons:

“Get me that jelly!”

The Demoniac prepared its cannons, pointing them at Blix.

“Oh no, he’s back!” Iron Block exclaimed, after being released by Dusk. “Let us go, Dusk!”

“Not until you tell me what’s going on here” Dusk replied, while Iron Block went to get the flute back.

Before playing it, he told Dusk:

“Follow us. Quickly.”

And he started playing the flute again, playing the same deep and sounding musing from before, while Dusk returned to the Plank. Responding to the music, Blix extended one of its tentacles and started creating a vortex and prepared to pass it, followed by the Chaos.

“Come back here, you cowards!” Golden Bonex exclaiming, seeing its target getting away. “Fire!”

While the Demoniac started firing its cannons, Dusk, from the Plank, told to his friends, while returning to the Chaos:

“Everypony! Into the vortex!”

And so they all crossed the vortex which closed to the Demoniac. Infuriated for what happened, Golden Bones grunted:

“Storm! You’ll pay for this!”

Passing the vortex, the Sea Raiders noticed they had arrived to Aeria.

“That Blix is incredible” Opal admired. “We we’re on the Sea of Beru and, in a wave of a tentacle, we were teleported to Aeria.”

“No wonder why Skullivar wants Blix’s power” Star said, while steering.

Suddenly, they felt a turbulence caused by the proximity to a tornado. Turning to their jellybeast friend, Dusk said:

“Uh, Blix, we’re not exactly tornado proof.”

After hearing that, Blix positioned herself over them, using her tentacles to shield the Chaos. After that, she got in the tornado. Once they were inside, where the winds couldn’t affect them, she let go of the Chaos who advanced above her and landed. Once he did that, Dusk went down and Iron Block told him and the others:

“Don’t worry, they won’t do us any harm.”

“Who are they?” Dusk asked, trying his voice be heard through the whistling wind.

And Iron Block replied, while pointing above:

“The matriarchs, my new family.”

Looking above, Dusk and the others couldn’t believe what they were seeing. It was a group of a dozen of jellybeasts, both as bigger as Blix.

“But… how?” Dusk asked, without words to express himself. “I thought Blix was the only one of her kind.”

“To protect themselves, they rarely appear together” Iron Block explained. “Such clever creatures…”

“If they are so clever, so why is a notorious jellybeast hunter coming as their companion?” Star asked, while he, Opal and Mallet approached.

“When I discovered their sanctuary, they could have killed me” Iron Block told, as Blix joined the others that started to use their tentacles to explore the new arrivals. “But they are infinitely peacefull. They’re gentle creatures. They forgave me my past mistakes. Knowing them has changed my life.”

The touch of the jellybeasts, expected to be rather shocking, was actually quite tickling, especially to Clover who couldn’t stop laughing.

“Hey, that tickles!” he exclaimed.

“Incredible!” Opal exclaimed, while touching one tentacle. “The energy circulates in them like the air circulates in our lungs.”

When one tentacle touched Calabrass, he didn’t like the sensation and replied:

“Ar, take your frisky whiskers off me!”

The jellybeasts retreated their tentacles. After that, Iron Block started playing the flute again and Star then recognized it.

“Hey, this is an emotional flute!” he said. “Heartbeat and Melody created it together. They made two, one for each of them. Melody has hers, but it would appear Heartbeat left hers here.”

Stopping playing, Iron Block replied:

“The emo-flute is most useful in conversion with the matriarchs. All jellybeasts are linked by a powerful bond of empathy.”

He gestured to the burn marks on his forehead and continued:

“Their natural language consists not on words, but emotions.”

“Human words not clear” they heard one of the jellybeast say.

“Incredible!” Opal exclaimed. “I know I can’t stop saying this, but they really are… incredible.”

But Dusk interrupted the moment by saying to Iron Block:

“You used to hunt them for glory. But what does Skullivar want?”

“I don’t really know” Iron Block replied. “But his skeletons prey on every jellybeast that leaves the sanctuary.”

“Even if they teleport?” Dusk asked.

“They spot us so quickly that we can only make rapid outings” Iron Block replied. “We managed to hide here for now, but staying in such big group is dangerous.”

Opal, who had been thinking about it, said:

“Skullivar must have a long-range detector and this cyclone protects you from it.”

“Whatever it is, I fear for the young ones” Iron Block told, looking to about seven little jellybeast that were nearby and that approached. “We’ve lost several of them during the last attack. Since then, we kept them here, in safety. But also we have to feed them.”

One of the babies approached Mallet and touched his face with its little tentacles. The Mighty Helm warrior said:

“Oh, it’s a baby!”

Blix then extended one of her tentacles to one of the babies and it touched it, with them sharing electricity. Others soon joined it.

“Oh, the adults share their energy” Star noticed.

The baby that was with Mallet headed towards the Chaos and started absorbing his energy.

“Careful!” Opal warned. “It’s draining out energy from the Chaos!”

Responding to that, Blix recollected the baby with her tentacle and shared her energy with it. Iron Block sighed and then said:

“We were so harassed by the skeletons, that their stock is so low. And the young ones are famished.”

Before that situation, Dusk tried to think of a solution and then had an idea, sharing it then with the others:

“We know a place that their tentacles can suck all the energy they want: the ship’s graveyard on Sino. There’s no way we can cross with any Skullivar’s minions there.”

Iron Block liked that idea and soon shared it with the jellybeasts through the emotional flute. It didn’t take long for the Chaos and Blix teleport to Sino, right inside the Iceberg Maze.

“Introducing the all-you-can-eat buffet” Dusk said, while steering the Chaos to Blix. “Tons of old batteries just waiting to be drained.”

Blix soon started feeding on the ships. Feeling the Blix’s joy, Iron Block said:

“We’ll be able to feed the young ones for months!”

“We know loads of cozy spots like that” Dusk told.

Hearing a familiar sound, Clover, who was at his post, looked up and saw through an opening a band of skeletons on pteros approaching, followed by skeletons on waverunners.

“Dusk!” he called, desperately.

The skeletons started attacking soon enough and the Sea Raiders starting dealing with the attacks, with Mallet and Dusk blocking the attacks with their swords, while Star shot magical blasts.

“How did they find us so fast?!” Dusk said.

“Oh no, look!” Opal exclaimed, pointing ahead. “A dead-end!”

She was right as the Demoniac appeared, surrounding the the Sea Raiders, Iron Block and Blix. At the bridge, Golden Bones said:

“Skullivar wants the jellyfish first. Then we can deal with the boy.”

The Demoniac prepared the cannons and, seeing that, Iron Block said to Dusk:

“We have to run. Now!”

He started playing the flute and Blix initiated a vortex. But the Demoniac shot three cables that passed through the forming vortex and grabbed Blix, starting to suck her energy and undoing the vortex.

“No… No!” Iron Block shouted, losing balance and starting to slide down through Blix.

Their situation was dire and Star told Dusk:

“Dusk, what do we do?”

Dusk thought on the best course of action and then said:

“Okay, crew, you take care of the Demoniac. Calabrass, give me the Eye of Sino!”

They transformed as Dusk went to the Plank and took flight, heading towards the cables that the Demoniac was using to grab Blix. While he did that, Star took control of the helm and said:

“Prepare to intercept.”

Putting the engines to the maximum, the Chaos went ahead at full speed, while enduring the skeletons’ attacks. Opal used the side cannons to shoot some skeletons and was able to make one go against a rock.

Seeing that things were going well to his side, with them absorbing Blix’s energy, Golden Bones released a laugh, but then he saw Dusk approaching.

“What?” he asked.

Dusk shot ice blasts towards the cables, freezing them, what caused them to break soon after. Approaching Iron Block, he told Blix:

“The juice is loose, Blix.”

The jellybeast extended one tentacle to the Demoniac and started to discharge her energy on it. Golden Bones reacted by ordering:

“Fire!”

But the skeletons couldn’t comply to his orders, as they were being shocked by Blix.

“What…?” he said.

After that, Blix summoned a new vortex.

“Time to bail!” Dusk exclaimed. Everypony through!”

Blix then passed through the portal, followed by the Chaos, and the vortex closed.

Returning to the tornado in Aeria, Blix shared with the babies the energy they had gathered. Iron Block, who was watching that scene on the Chaos, told Dusk and the others:

“Blix virtually discharged herself to fight the Demoniac.”

“So… that was all for nothing” Dusk said, depressed.

“Not so” Calabrass replied to him. “Bones got really shaken.”

“That won’t feed the babies” Opal told him.

“What I’m saying is that Bones got his bones kicked by a single jellybeast” Calabrass said, winking his eye to Dusk.

“Jellybeast very strong” Mallet agreed.

“Of course…” Dusk said, getting another idea. “And in numbers, they can defend themselves.”
´
“No, you don’t understand” Star told Dusk, knowing what he was thinking. “The matriarchs flee and hide because violence is not in their nature.”

“Bilge water!” Calabrass replied. “Violence is in every creature’s nature.”

“They wouldn’t need to hide anymore” Dusk said.

“And babies never hungry again” Mallet reforced.

“But… they are so peaceful” Iron Block told. “And they are so afraid. I could never persuade them to fight.”

“Use your flute” Dusk replied. “Fire them up with an emotion that is stronger than fear: anger.”

“I’m not accustomed to translate them that sort of thing!” Iron Block said.

“Maybe it’s time to learn, Iron” Dusk answered. “Or it’s the end for them.”

Iron Block thought carefully on that, while looking to his flute. He really didn’t want to meddle with the jellybeast’s peaceful nature, but he couldn’t possible let them find their end like this. It was a hard decision, but it was necessary for his adoptive family.

While Dusk ascended to talk with the matriarchs while on the Plank, Iron Block played his flute to translate him using emotions. Dusk told them:

“Most wise matriarchs, Skullivar has kept you in fear for too long. Things must change! And, today, that is possible. But you must be ready to take risks. You’re afraid and that’s normal, but you can’t hide out while your children die of hunger. No more misery! Forget fear! Today, you can call Skullivar for what he has done! Show him your anger! It’s his turn to be afraid. Hit him hard enough that he will never attack you again! Are you angry?! I can’t hear you!”

It was then that, feeling their anger being rose up by Dusk’s speech and Iron Block’s flute, they started to make louder noises, as they got an angry look and a reddish color.

“Are you ready to rage?!”

They replied with a roar, while immense electricity went through their bodies. Their anger was such that all the cyclone became irradiated in red. Dusk returned to the Chaos, where he was greeted by Clover who exclaimed:

“Wow, captain! You really put them on edge.”

“Worthy of a Mighty Helm chief!” Mallet exclaimed, while putting a hoof over Dusk’s shoulder.

“Ah, I do my best” he replied, proudly.

“And tell me one thing, dear brother” Star said, not very pleased. “Did you ever think what will happen next?”

“A really big battle” Dusk replied.

“And did you think of the consequences that may come from that battle?” Star asked.

That question really disarmed Dusk who didn’t know how to reply to that. Star then said, while addressing to the stairs:

“I’m only following this plan of yours because you’re the captain. But believe me when I say that attack with anger is never the best solution.”

Those words from his older brother really made Dusk’s certainty on his plan to frail, but that thought went away when Calabrass said:

“I can’t wait to see Bones’ face when these lasses hit him.”

In Netherwhere, in Skullivar’s throne room, he was sitting on his throne, while he had Steam Forge kneeling before him, shaking, with Bones standing beside him. The machine Steam was being forced to work on for Skullivar was not far away.

“Tell me, Steam Forge, what excuse have you invented for me this time instead of finishing my machine?” Skullivar asked.

“Mercy!” Steam begged. “I still need more bioenergy for the condensers, signore.”

“So you hear him, Bones?” Skullivar asked to his general. “More jellybeasts!”

Bones bowed to Skullivar and started heading to the exit.

A vortex opened in Vapir near and Blix got out, with Iron Block over her. The Chaos followed her and Star told Dusk, who was at the helm:

“I hope we’re not doing a big mistake.”

In a way, Dusk also hoped that.

Blix started feeding on the echo islands that were nearby.

The Demoniac was sailing nearby and, in the bridge, it was revealed the skeletons had a baby jellybeast in a cage. When it started to cry, the skeletons guarding it approached it and one told Golden Bones:

“General, it is detecting one.”

“Make it open a passageway” Bones ordered.

A skeleton started shocking the jellybeast that cried in pain.

Meanwhile, at the Chaos, Clover was looking for the Demoniac to appear. When he saw it, he said:

“Look at that! They’re here!”

Mallet then blew a horn he had and, hearing it, Iron Block started to play his flute. Once he did that, many vortexes opened around the Demoniac, from where the matriarchs came out, surrounding it. The alarm started ringing in the bridge, as they detected the danger. However, Golden Bones didn’t get intimidated and said:

“What are you doing?! All cannons fire!”

But the matriarchs started shocking the Demoniac, causing pain to both Golden Bones and his skeletons. The Sea Raiders observed the scene with joy, seeing their enemy having what they deserved. Even Star seemed to be enjoying that, happy that his brother’s plan seemed to be working. Calabrass cracked a laugh, while saying:

“What a bone raddling…!”

Knowing he had to do something before those jellybeasts blasted the Demoniac, Golden Bones headed towards the cage where the baby jellybeast was and threatened it with his hook, while saying:

“Get us back home or else…”

Feeling immensely scared and fearing for its life, the baby jellybeast complied and created a vortex in front of the Demoniac. Seeing that, the matriarchs stopped their attack and allowed the Demoniac to cross over.

The Sea Raiders released cries of joy before that victory and then they headed to the matriarchs. Landing on Blix, Dusk jumped off the Chaos and approached Iron Block, saying:

“That was awesome!”

It was then that he noticed Iron Block’s worry look and asked:

“What’s wrong?”

“They’ve realized how Bones is able to track them so easily” he answered. “He has one of their lost babies. And she’s on her way back to Skullivar!”

“We can get her back” Dusk said, turning to his friends. “Can we?”

They all nodded with Star saying:

“We’ve been inside of the Netherwhere fortress and escape… more or less intacted.”

“Go back with Blix and the others to feed the babies” Dusk told Iron Block. “We’ll bring back the one that is prisoner.”

“All right…” he said. “Their bond of empathy will tell us when you’ve rescued her. Do not fail, Dusk.”

The young unicorn prince nodded with his head and then headed back to the Chaos. While they were leaving, Star noticed something on Iron Block and told it to Mallet:

“He used to look like that… when he was hunting.”

In fact, Star did have a bad feeling about that. The matriarchs, including Blix, then summoned vortexes and crossed them to return to Aeria.

The Demoniac returned to Netherwhere and Bones, arriving to Skullivar’s throne, said to him, while approaching and kneeling:

“They are too powerful, master! If they rise against you, it would be…”

“It would be perfect” Skullivar replied, while passing by Bones and approaching his machine, laughing.

Approaching Skullivar’s fortress underwater, the Chaos approached the spot where the Demoniac was. Dusk, stealthy, climbed the submarine, while avoiding being spotted by the passing skeletons. It was then that Opal talked to him through their communicator:

“Dusk, I picked up the energy trail of the baby jellybeast. It’s in the bridge.”

“Roger” he replied. “Be stealthy, everypony.”

After saying that, Dusk was able to get in one of the Demoniac conducts and arrived to the entrance to the room where the baby jellybeast was, guarded by two skeletons.

“Do you think this can get nasty too?” one asked the other, talking about the baby jellybeast.

“Not her, but me? You know I can.”

And Dusk burst his entrance and broke down the skeletons. After that, he cut the bars of the cage and gently extended his hoof to the baby jellybeast, while saying:

“Come on, little one. I’m taking you home.”

Despite the fear, the little jellybeast could feel Dusk’s good intentions and so she went to his hoof.

Not very after that, Bones appeared and then he sensed something under his hoof. He looked down and saw a foreleg of a skeleton.

“What the…” he said.

He entered in the bridge and saw the empty cage.

“No!” he shouted.

He looked through the window and saw Dusk getting away with the jellybeast.

“Don’t worry, baby Blix, you’re getting home.”

But as he was approaching the Chaos, various vortexes opened and many matriarchs immerged, all red and furious.

“Someone got the tentacles turned around” Clover commented, seeing that.

Dusk passed by the matriarchs, not believing what he was seeing. They were really heading towards the Netherwhere, following the sound of Iron Block’s flute. He then stopped and shouted:

“Vengeance!”

And the matriarchs, charged with electricity prepared to attack.

Dusk arrived to the Chaos and entrusted the baby jellybeast to Mallet and asked:

“They’re attacking?! Are they crazy?!”

“You can bet that” Star replied. “Crazy with anger. What have we done?!”

One jellybeast extended its tentacle and started shocking Skullivar’s fortress. All the skeletons there were suffering the attack, but Skullivar was not, just watching the jellybeasts attacking, calmly.

“Come to me” he said. “No more hunting. Deploy the ray.”

The skeletons that were there nodded and got out. They did what Skullivar order and two weapons started pointing to the nearest jellybeast.

Dusk, on the Plank, flew over there, approaching Blix and telling to Iron Block, who was playing:

“Stop this, Iron! Fighting Skullivar on his own backyard is too dangerous!”

He stopped playing to reply:

“You said it yourself. You have to overcome the fear. Let your anger speak.”

“Yeah, I know, but…” Dusk started, not expecting having his own words turned back against him. “Not like this. Not here. And we have the baby!”

“Take her to safety” Iron Block told Dusk. “We’re going to raise Netherwhere to the ground!”

He continued to play the flute, fueling the matriarchs with anger and rage. Skeletons on pteros were released and they started attacking them all, all while the jellybeasts attacked.

It was then that the skeletons activated the weapons that created a ray that hit one of the matriarchs, absorbing all her energy at once and making her disappear. That energy was transported to the machine (that was beside Steam), behind Skullivar, who chuckled.

All the matriarchs become shocked for what happened, and Dusk and Iron Block had the same reaction.

“No!” the former shouted. “Is… is she gone?”

What he had just saw shocked him so much that Iron Block dropped the flute.

“What have I done?” he said, covering his face with his hooves.

“Iron, sound the retreat” Dusk said. “Get them out of here or Skullivar will destroy them all.”

The matriarchs became even more enraged for the loss of their fellow jellybeast and continued the attack. The weapons prepared to the fire again.

“I… I’ll try” Iron Block replied, taking the flute and starting playing, in an attempt to calm the jellybeasts and make them retreat.

To help him, Dusk started telling the matriarchs:

“Stop this! Come on, guys, stop!”

Seeing the weapons charging to attack, Dusk shouted:

“No!”

Before they could fire, Dusk headed there fast and said:

“Cal, give me the Eye of Aeria!”

They transformed, turning Calabrass into a shield and started to block the ray, while getting inside the weapon, causing it to explode. Dusk then headed towards the other, but before getting there, Golden Bones appeared right in front of him, riding a ptero, and attacked. He caused Dusk to fall over the Plank, but, fortunately, it came to him.

“Dusk Storm!” he called, while following him.

The weapon fired and hit another matriarch, absorbing her energy and causing her to disappear. That second loss caused confusion on the jellybeast who were now trying to avoid the weapon. It fired again and hit another one. While dodging another ray, a jellybeast hit Blix and caused Iron Block to be tossed from her, starting to fall along with the flute.

Meanwhile, Dusk and Golden Bones were battling in mid-air. While they crossed blades, Golden Bones told Dusk:

“Today, it’s Skullivar’s victory day!”

In Skullivar’s throne room, the villain laughed, as a fourth matriarch was hit and absorbed. Steam couldn’t stand hearing the excruciating screams of pain of the jellybeasts, but he couldn’t just leave so he had to endure such moment.

Star and the others were able to get Iron Block out of the water, but as they were bringing him on board, he wouldn’t stop moving, exclaiming:

“Let me go!”

They dropped him on the deck, and he cried:

“I deserve to share their fate!”

Approaching him to become face to face with him, Star told him:

“Enough! You’re getting them out of here!”

“I can’t!” Iron Block replied, moving Star away and standing up. “They are not listening to me anymore.”

“Iron saved baby” Mallet said, while putting the baby on Iron Block’s hooves.

Seeing the little one give him the reason he needed to try it again.

“The babies… Yes, I must do it! Where’s the emo-flute?”

Clover then appeared there, floating, and said, point:

“Over there!”

It was at the edge of an echo island. They approached it and Clover went to retrieve it, handing it to Iron Block who took it, saying:

“Great!”

At Dusk’s fight with Bones, the former made a bold move and jumped onto Bones’ ptero and fought him there. While they were fighting, they approached the weapon and, during one of his attacks, Bones hit the turbine of the ptero, causing it to start falling, right in direction of the weapon. But even with that happening, he wouldn’t let Dusk go.

“You’ll never give up in a fight, hein?” the latter asked, noticing where they were going against to. “But I will!”

Dusk then jumped off the ptero what confused Golden Bones. It was then that he realized where he was going and screamed:

“No!”

And he went inside the weapon, causing it to explode. While Dusk was falling, he whistled and the Plank came to get him and he returned to the Chaos, where Iron Block was playing his flute to calm down the matriarchs who returned to their normal color. They opened a big vortex and they all crossed it.

That setback irritated Skullivar who hit the arm of his throne and shouted:

“Dusk Storm!”

The matriarchs and the Chaos returned to the cyclone they were hiding in Aeria, with the matriarchs going to the babies. Listening the song Iron Block was playing, Opal wondered:

“What is it about?”

“Isn’t obvious?” Star replied, while on the helm. “It’s a song of love.”

Dusk, noticing how many jellybeasts they have lost, said, dismayed:

“Half didn’t make it back… because of me.”

Stopping playing, Iron Block told him, while putting a hoof over his shoulder:

“No, you just wanted them to defend themselves. I drove them to attack. I let my own rage infect them and…”

“I was the brain, so I take the responsibility for the disasters” Calabrass said.

“No disaster” Mallet told them, while releasing the baby that went joining the others. “We brought back baby.”

“And the jellybeast will no longer be hunted or reduced to famine” Star added.

It was then that Blix approached and started saying something that Iron Block translated:

“She says that the matriarchs have forgotten who they were: beings that are guided not by fear nor by hate, but sorely by love. Now that Skullivar can’t no longer hunt them, they can leave this refuge.”

And they saw the other matriarchs creating a portal to where they and the babies crossed.

“And we can go back to Marituga” Dusk said, while Blix created a vortex to them.

“Thank you all” Blix spoke.

“Can I go with you?” Iron Block asked Dusk. “I have no place here now. I’m… no longer worthy of them.”

As soon he said that, Blix grabbed him and told him:

“Iron… family.”

Despite a little surprised to see the jellybeasts were willing to accept him despite what he had caused, Iron Block smiled and waved to the Sea Raiders, while he and Blix crossed the vortex to join the others, with it closing behind them.

After that, Calabrass looked to Dusk and noticed some tears on his eyes.

“Are ye crying?” he asked.

“No!” Dusk replied, hasting to clean his tears. “No… it’s the wind.”

“Ah, right…” Calabrass said, not very convinced. “You’re a pony of peace, Dusk. That’s very great. You won't be blinded by anger. That’s why Skullivar cannot win. Just… don’t tell anypony I said so. I got an image to protect.”

He winked to him and Dusk winked him back and so the Sea Raiders crossed the vortex Blix created for them, returning to Marituga.

Calabrass' Body

At that moment, the Sea Raiders were in a tough situation. As they crossed the Sea of Beru, they tried to run away from the Demoniac, which kept firing at them. Fortunately, Chaos was able to dodge them all.

“Dusk!” Clover called at the prow, where he was with Mallet. “Looks like Bones is extra mad today.”

“Don’t sweat it, Clov” Dusk replied, while steering the helm of the prow. “Chaos, our fine ship, is about to give me all he has got.”

He pulled the level to increase Chaos’ speed to his fullest. While the Chaos dodged the Demoniac’s fire, Bones looked into them with his telescope, while saying:

“That vermin Storm think he can just steal my planetarium?”

He turned to a skeleton next to him and ordered:

“Teach him the consequences!”

The skeleton saluted to him and went to obey his general’s orders. It was then that the Demoniac opened fire with missiles that were to hit the Chaos directly. Noticing that, Dusk had an idea and spun the helm, causing the Chaos to make a sharp turn and evade the missiles. After that, Dusk returned Chaos to his full speed and continued their way. After that, Opal contacted him through the communicator and told him, while trying to deal with the alert warnings she was getting:

“Dusk, the engine is running out of maximum power already. If you continue this way, it will go boom!”

However, the fact the Demoniac continued to fire on them was really troubling. Calabrass, looking around, told Dusk:

“Port! Now!”

Dusk looked port and saw nothing but rifts.

“Into the rifts?” he asked. “That’s crazy! Besides, the Dezer vortex is starboard.”

“I’ve scoured this sea from end to end when I was a pirate” Calabrass replied. “Bones will never be able to follow us while smashing his ribs into those rifts.”

But it was then that Star told Dusk, while using his sextant and pointing starboard:

“Dusk, the vortex is two northern miles that way.”

Dusk pondered on the options he had and decided to follow the one he knew it was best.

“Sorry, Calabrass, but Star is our navigator” he replied, starting to turn starboard. “Set a course to Dezer!”

“Sure…” Calabrass grunted. “Don’t listen to the advice of the greatest pirate of the Seven Seas.”

Noticing the Chaos changing course, heading towards the vortex, the Demoniac also followed them.

“Fire!” Golden Bones ordered.

And they launched from the bow a missile that went underwater while heading towards the Chaos. It hit the ship, causing the crew on it to lose their balance for a moment. After that, Opal told Dusk:

“Captain, the Chaos is completely out! Another hit and there’s a sixty-seven per cent chance of sinking!”

“Which means there’s still a twenty-three per cent chance we’ll make it” Dusk replied with a smile. “I like those odds.”

Dusk pulled the level to make the Chaos goes as fast as he could having in count the damages he got, right when the Demoniac made an attack. The explosion caused by it caused Chaos to make a big jump that was intensified by the power of the engines, allowing the ship to pass through the vortex which closed before the Demoniac could cross.

Infuriated by their failure, Golden Bones punched the nearest skeletons, causing him to break apart.

“One day, Dusk Storm, you’re luck will fail and I swear I will be there to see it.”

Chaos arrived to Dezer, but he crashed into its sands, completely out. The crew got all up, while recovering their senses from the crash. Opal got out from the engine room, from where smoke came out, and said to Dusk:

“Captain, the husk has only thirty-seven percent of resistence and the engine is only at twent-six point zero four percent. We have to stop to do repairs now.”

“See, if you have followed my advice, the Chaos would be fine” Calabrass told Dusk.

“And we would be nowhere near Dezer” Star replied to him. “It’s a good thing you’re not steering the ship.”

“Before getting trap on this sword, I was the greatest pirate in all world, wingy!” Calabrass exclaimed.

“Untill ye were cursed and now ye’re just key” Clover replied, doing his pirate voice, appearing in front of Calabrass. “Yeah, yeah, we all know the story.”

That little remark of Clover really upset Calabrass, who grunted and said, while looking to the helm in front of him:

“If only I could hold the helm once again, I…”

“Come on, Cal, quit your bellyaching” Dusk told his talking sword, while taking him. “You’re my right-hoof dude. One day, you’ll totally save us from this crazy Triangle.”

“Aey, perhaps…” he replied. “But what about me? Who’ll save me?”

That question really confused Dusk. In fact he had not thought about that. What would be of Calabrass when all the waypoints had been unlocked?

Later, inside of the captain’s cabin, all the crew was looking into the planetarium they had stole from Golden Bones. It was made of many golden rings, with two exterior ones having measuring scales and the ones inside possessing pyramids. At the center there was six-pointed star.

“That’s the thing we stole from Bones?” Clover asked. “It looks like a puzzle. I hate puzzles!”

“It’s a diagram, Clover” Star replied. “A diagram of Dezer. These are the flying pyramids.”

“By Rockhoof’s shovel!” Mallet shouted, while looking the rings with the pyramids moving. “They’re moving!”

“Thanks to this planetarium, we’ll be able to discover the exact location of the Dezer Waypoint” Dusk said, while seating on his chair.

“And open it” Calabrass added.

“If the Chaos doesn’t go kaput completely” Opal told. “Not to mention if Bones doesn’t completely annihilate us and…”

“Bones shouldn’t be your biggest worry on this waters, lassie” Calabrass answered.

Opal didn’t understand what he meant, but Star did.

“Anpu…” he said, remembering the jackal Guardian that almost turned him into a mummy and was the main reason why they couldn’t unlock the Dezer Waypoint at the first time they located it. “He still guards the Waypoint and last time he nearly crushed us.”

Suddenly, Clover interrupted his thoughts by shouting:

“The pyramids, there! They’re lining up! Oh, I like this puzzle… It’s easy.”

And they saw the pyramids of each ring forming a perfect line and Opal said:

“Those are the exact coordinates for the Dezer Waypoint.”

She hasted to take her device and place the coordinates there, resulting in the location they were needing.

“There…” Star said, pointing to the screen of the device where there was a big pyramid located where the coordinates were, with it being guarded by two lines of three other smaller pyramids. “This pyramid…”

“And those pyramids are moving” Dusk said, while looking to the planetarium. “This means the Waypoint won’t stay there for long. Okay, guys, set a course for the Dezer Waypoint!”

They all went to their stations and Dusk started conducting the Chaos, who was now using his metallic legs, to head towards the Dezer Waypoint. While they were climbing a big dune where they would find the Waypoint, the ship started to have signs of tireness, all due to the damages he had.

“Come on, Chaos, get a move on” Dusk told him. “The Waypoint is close. Now is not the time to give up.”

But then the Chaos just stopped, all while struggling. It was then he lost his strength and fall from the dune, hitting the ground and falling over his left side, all while tossing out his crew who was at the deck. Recovering from that, Dusk turned to the engine room and asked:

“Opal, what’s wrong?!”

She came out, a little disoriented, and replied:

“The Chaos blocked completely.”

“You should have listened to me, lad, but no…” Calabrass said. “Your airhead navigator brother has more credibility than me.”

“Call me airhead once again and my hoof will be navigated towards your mouth” Star threatened the talking sword, while approaching him.

“That’s enough, you two!” Dusk told them, while getting up and turning to Opal. “Opal, hand over the repairs and we’ll secure the Waypoint.”

She nodded to him and then took a communicator from her bag and handed it to Dusk, saying:

“Take this. That way I can keep you posted if the planetarium changes.”

“Excellent” Dusk replied, while receiving the communicator and guarding it, turning then to Star and Mallet. “Let’s move out!”

They then started walking through the sand of Dezer. The blazing sun was really making them uncomfortable, specially Mallet, who was not very used to very hot temperatures. Even Star had to avoid flying in order to not waste too much energy. It was then they arrived to the location of the seven pyramids. While they were advancing, Dusk told his companions:

“Hurry up, guys. The Waypoint won’t wait for slowpokes.”

As they continued to walk, Star said:

“The Waypoint is not very far… There!”

It was then they saw it. The Waypoint was not very distant from them, looking exactly like the last time they found it.

“I can’t believe it…” Dusk said, while Mallet took his sword and he and Star prepared for anything that could come to them. “The Dezer Waypoint!”

They run to it and, once they reached it, Mallet and Star positioned themselves to cover Dusk who said:

“Mission accomplished!”

“No monsters to bash, mission easy!” Mallet said, while hoof bumping Dusk.

“Too easy…” Star commented, not liking how they had found the Waypoint without facing any of Anpu’s forces, knowing how protective he was of it. “And still… no Guardian in sight.”

“What’s to complain about?” Dusk asked. “Relax, Star. After all, it’s thanks to you we got here so fast.”

Hearing Dusk telling that made Calabrass really get saddened, as it was like his own experience as a pirate captain was getting insignificant to their mission of finding the Waypoints. He was only a sword and a key, nothing more.

“One more Waypoint on the way back home” Mallet replied, happily.

“You said it, Mallet” Dusk said.

He approached the lock of the Waypoint and asked his trusty sword:

“Ready, Calabrass?”

“Great key at your command” he sighed, without any enthusiasm.

Dusk took Calabrass, but, at moment, suddenly, there was a big yellow light and Anpu appeared right in the middle of the Dusk, Star and Mallet.

“Anpu?!” the Sea Raiders called.

He then proceeded to grab Dusk and raise him in the air, while trying to crush him. Star and Mallet tried to attack him, but one of his tentacles swept them away, causing the latter to fall over one of former’s wings. Hearing Star scream of pain, Mallet told:

“Oh Mallet is very sorry” he said to Star, while hasting to get out of his wing. “Is Star okay?”

“Yes, a little rest and my wing will be fine…” he replied.

With another tentacle, Anpu took Calabrass from Dusk who called:

“Calabrass!”

After that, he threw Dusk away and laughed, while making the tentacle give Calabrass to him. With a yellow light, he teleported away.

“Calabrass!” Dusk called again.

At the Chaos, Clover was at the captain’s cabin looking to the planetarium. He then noticed the pyramids starting to drove away from each other. Knowing what that meant, he teleported away to where Opal was repairing the Chaos and told her:

“Opal, I think we have a problem. The puzzle is getting hard again.”

Before that information, she took her communicator and contacted Dusk.

Near the Waypoint, Mallet said:

“Without Calabrass, we’re stranded.

Feeling the communicator activating, Dusk took it and he heard Opal saying:

“Chaos here. You better hurry. The pyramids are leaving the alignment.”

“Roger, Opal” he replied, while turning down the call.

“We need to find Anpu and rescue Calabrass” Star said. “The Waypoint is going to disappear again.”

They looked around, trying to find the pyramid that could belong to Anpu.

“This is useless” Dusk said. “There’s many pyramids in Dezer. Just here we have seven. It will take forever to search through them all.”

Using all he had experienced the last time he encountered Anpu, Star was able to determinate which one was.

“That one!” he said, pointing to the big one that was nearby. “That’s Anpu’s.”

“Are you sure of it?” Dusk asked.

“Trust me” Star replied. “Once you’ve been there, you never forget.”

Inside the pyramid, Anpu was in what appeared to be the throne room. It was a decorated room with what appeared to be a manufacturing system. There was also two sets of stairs, one at each side, that were leading to a upper level where there was a big throne at the middle sided between two big snake statues that were a little ahead. Anpu was sitting on the throne, while he had a guard made of eight pony mummies, four on each side.

“I had suspected that Dusk Storm could try to open the Waypoint” Anpu told Calabrass who was being held by one of the tentacles. “So I just had to wait.”

“Ah, you’ve made a fatal mistake, dog” Calabrass replied. “You shouldn’t have wasted your trap on picking me. Dusk Storm and his Sea Raiders don’t let themselves be caught twice.”

“Perhaps…” Anpu replied. “No doubt they will come for you. But when they do, are they coming to save their friend or reclaim their possession?”

That question really caught Calabrass off-guard, as that was the exact same doubt he was having.

“What if I offered you a new chance, Calabrass?” Anpu asked. “I wonder if you would still think I made a fatal mistake.”

Dusk, Star and Mallet went to Anpu’s pyramid and got in. Once there, they started to move quietly and attentive. But then they found themselves surrounded by an army of mummies. Star and Mallet didn’t hesitate to start battle, but Dusk found himself trying to reach Calabrass, only to remember he had been taken.

“Without Call, I’ll have to improvise” he said.

He then started fighting the mummies, but, despite being able to knock down some of them, he soon was pinned down by one. He tried to get the mummy off him, but it was a very hard task to do. Mallet and Star noticed that and the former hit the mummy with his sword, while saying:

“No touch Captain Dusk!”

“Thanks, Mallet” Dusk said, while getting up. “I can do just fine by myself now, you know. I’m still…”

“An easy prey without Calabrass” Star replied, approaching. “I really need to teach you some magic moves.”

“Wait a minute…” Dusk said, remembering what his brother said about him being an easy prey. “That’s it, Star! You’re a genius! Follow me!”

And he started to move away, much to the confusion of Star and Mallet who followed him.

At Anpu’s throne room, he started to make Calabrass a proposition:

“What would you say if I offered you a prime position in my army?”

“You mean your team of walking papyruses?” Calabrass asked, referring to the mummies. “Hardly a prime position.”

“Think about it” Anpu told. “You wouldn’t be just a tool anymore. In exchange for you brilliant counselor, I’ll give you a new body.”

That offer really shocked Calabrass, as that was everything he always wanted ever since he was cursed to be the Great Key.

“A new body?” he repeated.

“Do you doubt my powers?” Anpu asked, while putting Calabrass on one of the vases that existed at each point around the throne.

Using a tentacle, he pulled a level and a set of coffin-like rail wagons with mummies inside came from beneath the upper level and headed towards the center of the room, where a machine came down and involved the wagon at the front, coming up and allowing it to proceed, doing the same with the next one. When the wagons reached the end of the rail, they went up and released the mummy that was fully functional.

“So, what would you say?” Anpu asked Calabrass. “Do you want another chance to live?”

“Sounds tempting” he replied. “Except in my prime life I didn’t look like an old dried bandage.”

It was then that a mummy approached Anpu and whispered something to him. After that, he got up and said:

“I must go away. So I will leave you here in this room so that you think better.”

Having said that, he moved away, while Calabrass turned to the machine that was giving life to Anpu’s mummies.

Meanwhile, Dusk was walking casually, while whistling, through the halls of the pyramid. It was then that a bunch of mummies appeared right in front of him. He started to run away, while calling:

“Help! Giant bandages!”

But the truth was that was a ruse to lure the mummies to a crossroad, where Star and Mallet were waiting. Star made a sign to Mallet when the mummies were close and he then hit them with his sword, sending them to the floor, allowing Star to then shoot them with his magic and pulverize them.

“Nice” Star said to Dusk, who approached them. “Good call for a disarmed captain.”

“I’ve learned a few tricks in the Triangle” he replied, as he and the others continued their way. “Cal would have loved that one.”

The three of them reached the room where Calabrass was and Dusk saw him, calling, happily:

“Calabrass!”

He started running towards him, as Calabrass noticed him:

“Dusk?

“What are you doing just laying around and make us all do the hard work?” Dusk asked, as he, Star and Mallet approached the stairs to the upper level.

“No!” Calabrass exclaimed. “Don’t! It’s a…”

But before he could finish, a trap door opened before them and they fall, with the trap door starting to close, causing the walls to start to close as well. Anpu appeared laughing beside Calabrass and said:

“Your friends aren’t as clever as you claimed. Perhaps I misjudged your intelligence.”

“You dog-headed vulture…” Calabrass replied. “If I could, I would make ye eat that headdress of yours.”

“Perhaps if you have hooves” Anpu taunted.

Suddenly, a great shake happened in the pyramid, as if something big had gone against it.

“Who would dare?” Anpu asked, before he teleported away.

“Keep barking dog!” Calabrass shouted, as a pair of mummies approached. “I may be a sword, but I’m also Calabrass, the most feared pirate that ever lived!”

The mummies arrived to his side, as Calabrass sighed, as neither he believed on that anymore. He looked again to the machine that was awakening the mummies and that gave him an idea, one that would give him what he wanted and help his friends.

“I will live again.”

Outside, the Demoniac was approaching Anpu’s pyramid, firing at it. Anpu appeared on top of his pyramid and, seeing the Demoniac, he said:

“Golden Bones… More flies to swap.”

Inside the pyramid, Dusk and Mallet were trying to slow down the moving walls, while Star was trying to climb up, but the surface was to smooth for that.

“The walls are too smooth and I don’t think I have the magic to lift us” he said. “We have to find another solution.”

“Solve it fast” Mallet said, while using his sword to keep the walls from moving. “Mallet cannot hold long.”

Noticing how their friends were getting out of time, Calabrass knew he had to act fast. Turning to a mummy, he said:

“Hey, bandage! Yes, you! Bring your legs over here to see me. I want to talk with your dog boss now.”

The mummy approached him and replied:

“He’s busy destroying.”

“Oh, well, then bring me to him” Calabrass said, while turning around to direct the handle. “Come on, pick me up. I won’t bite.”

The mummy extended his hoof to pick up Calabrass when suddenly he turned around and bit it. The mummy reacted by trying to shake off Calabrass, but when he did it, he threw Calabrass into one of the coffins and it didn’t take long for him to arrive to the machine that awakened the mummies.

After he passed by it and the coffin elevated to make the mummy stand up, Calabrass was on the command, with his skull and handler at the place of the head. When he recovered from the headache of passing through the machine, he saw that he could control the body he was on.

“It’s not how I wanted to make my big comeback, but somepony has to do the thinking in this crew” Calabrass said, while turning to the mummies that were there.

He then gave a big jump to where they were, near the trap where his friends were. It was then that they got blades, but that didn’t intimidate Calabrass who advanced, while knocking down the mummies that appeared on his way. Arriving to the top of the stairs, he turned to the last mummy while holder the last one he knocked down and said:

“I wanted to do that for centuries!”

Calabrass then advanced towards the last mummy and knocked him down. After that, he pulled the level that was there and stopped the production of mummies and deactivated the trap where Dusk, Star and Mallet were just in time. They got confused with what happened but then a rope appeared to let them climb up. They looked up and saw Calabrass’ head appearing and saying to Dusk:

“Hey there, lad. Need a hoof?”

And he extended his mummy hoof, what completely let his friends astonished.

“Cal?!” Dusk asked, not knowing what to say.

Outside, Anpu teleported to ahead of his pyramid, as the Demoniac reached him. It stopped and the bow opened, while Golden Bones appeared.

“Surrender yourself, fool” Anpu demanded. “Or die like the rest.”

However, Golden Bones just laughed and replied:

“Don’t threat me, Guardian. You’re going to find very quickly there’s a third option.”

Turning to his army, he ordered:

“Send this dog back to his home!”

And the skeletons started running towards Anpu, ready to attack. Using his connection with the sands of Dezer, Anpu made his army of mummies immerge, all armed with swords, and they engaged in battle with the skeletons.

Inside, Dusk, Star and Mallet all got out of the trap and, after they did that, Calabrass said to Dusk, while making a bow to him:

“Behold new Calabrass, reporting for duty, captain.”

It was then that the mummies that Calabrass had knocked down started to stand up, what really worried Dusk, Star and Mallet. The former then said to Calabrass:

“Well, thanks for getting us out of there, Cal. But, can you go back to be a sword, because I have to fight.”

After punching and kicking two skeletons that were sneaking behind him without any effort and even look, he replied:

“I just got myself a body and that’s all you got to say? Okay, I admit it, it’s not the best body, but still!”

“No, I’m totally glad for you” Dusk told, as Star and Mallet dealt with the mummies. “But, you see, we’re surrounded by mummies and… I don’t have a weapon, so…”

Calabrass sighed and then said:

“You should open your pupils wide and I’ll show you how a real pirate fights.”

When a group of four mummies approached, Calabrass used a wall to make a big back jump and then, with amazing acrobatics, he was able to knock down all the mummies.

“Even wrapped in old bandages” he added, while blinking his eye.

“Wow!” Dusk exclaimed, impressed, but this distraction caused two mummies to prepare to attack him.

Fortunately, Star was able to shoot them down and then said:

“We have to get out of here! Now! The Waypoint won’t not wait.”

He and Mallet started running to the exit, with the latter opening the way through the mummies with his sword, while saying:

“Mallet cleans the way to the exit.”

Dusk turned to Calabrass, who was still fighting, and said, seriously:

“Calabrass, come on!”

While holding a mummy’s neck, he said, disappointed:

“Oh, I was just starting to have fun.”

“Great, now we have two Mallets…” Dusk grunted.

Calabrass made the mummy spin while holding his bandage and then threw him against the others that were coming from the upper level, knocking them all down. After that, he advanced to the exit, passing by Dusk and asking:

“What are we waiting for? Let’s get going. There’s no rest for the awesome.”

And the two of them started running away, as more mummies appeared.

Outside, the battle between skeletons and mummies continued. As Dusk, Star, Mallet and Calabrass got out of the pyramid, they noticed that. Golden Bones noticed them and said:

“Storm?”

Turning to the skeletons that were inside the Demoniac, he told:

“Exterminate those cockroaches!”

The Demoniac pointed his cannons at the Sea Raiders and fired. Seeing that, Dusk asked:

“Seriously?! Everypony…”

“Take cover!” Calabrass shouted, as he threw himself to Dusk and Star and pulled them to a rock nearby for safety, with Mallet joining them.

The missils hit nearby, but didn’t hit them. Calabrass and the others put their heads out of the hideout and saw the broken skeletons nearby assembling and they, once they did it, noticed them as well. Hiding, Dusk said:

“We’re trapped!”

“We need reinforcements” Star said. “I’ll call…”

But before he could say anything more, Calabrass got out of the hideout.

“Calabrass!” Dusk called.

“And… he’s gone” Star said.

Calabrass advanced towards the fight, happily, all while breaking skeletons that approached him. With the situation only getting worse, Dusk said to Star and Mallet:

“We have to get out of this trap.”

Two skeletons then appeared before them, with four more appearing from behind.

Calabrass passed through the fight and then advanced towards to where the Chaos was being repaired. Opal was making repairs at the prow with Clover sitting nearby, bored. It was then he saw Calabrass approaching. But thinking he was a real mummy, he shouted:

“A mummy! Run for the hills!”

He teleported away, while Opal retreated, with fear, as Calabrass jumped to the rail, saying, while getting on board:

“Now that’s a look of fear I can get used to. Opal, how’s our ship?!”

After recovering from the shock, Opal noticed that was Calabrass and Clover put his head out of the deck, both openmouthed for what they were seeing.

“Calabrass?” they both asked.

“How do ye like me new look?” he asked.

The two of them traded a look and Opal said:

“Calabrass, Dusk got you back? Wonderful!”

“How’re the repairs coming?” Calabrass asked Opal. “And don’t give me any of your excuses.”

“Engineering is a very complex art” she replied. “You have to see that…”

“Listen, girl, we don’t need explanations!” Calabrass interrupted. “WE NEED THE CHAOS NOW!!”

Opal got so intimidated by Calabrass now that he possessed a body that she immediately accessed to his order, replying:

“Aye, aye… If I relink the coupler to…”

“No time” Calabrass said, while turning to the helm. “Get the beast running.”

“But… but… I still didn’t replace the lateral turbine…” Opal started.

“Do as I say, it’s urgent!” Calabrass exclaimed, while grabbing the helm. “Dusk and the others need some of our saving! Chaos, ready? Calabrass is on the control.”

He pulled the level and Chaos reinitiated and started walking in direction of Anpu’s pyramid. As he was running, Calabrass said:

“Quick in your horseshoes, you sand vermins. Calabrass the pirate, the scourge of the Triangle, is back and he’s looking for a dog to bite.”

The Chaos reached the pyramids, enduring the shots of the skeletons who shot at him once they saw him approaching and knocking them down.

“Ah, for my gritting teeth!” Calabrass exclaimed. “This is better than I remember!”

The Chaos jumped, passing over Golden Bones and Anpu, reaching where his friends were and knocking down most of the enemies. The entrance plank was extended to them who were dealing with the enemies they were fighting.

“Let’s go!” Dusk said to Star and Mallet, once they got rid of them.

They returned to the ship who recollected the plank and restarted running.

“Welcome aboard, sailors!” Calabrass told the three new-arrivals.

“Where are you going?!” Dusk asked, while heading towards him. “The Waypoint is that way!”

“Ar, we’re out of time” Calabrass replied, as Dusk arrived to his side. “It’s over. We’ll come back another day.”

“We’re not giving up when we have the smallest chance!” Dusk told, taking back the helm from Calabrass. “Steer for the Waypoint. The mission comes first!”

And he made Chaos change direction. Calabrass, who didn’t like how Dusk took the helm from him, told him:

“I’m not a prop, boy. I’m Calabrass and I say…”

“Hey, Cal!” Clover told Calabrass, putting himself in front of him. “Hum… Love the bandages, but the hospital doesn’t scream I’m in charge.”

“So, a mutiny, hein…” Calabrass said.

“A mutiny?!” Dusk repeated, with the others beside him. “What are you talking about?! We’re your friends, Cal. We’re just trying to keep you real. Look at yourself.”

“Yeah, I know, I’m hideous and I crack and I’m squeezed tight by these bandages…” he said. “But I like this body. Haven’t you seen what I can do with it?”

“Calabrass… I’m sorry” Star said. “For everything. But we need to open the Waypoint.”

“The fate of every creature in the Triangle depends on you” Opal added.

“As a sword” Dusk told.

Getting to remember all of his responsibilities he had as a sword, how many creatures depend on him to open all the Gateways, made Calabrass fell to reality. Sustaining himself over the rail, he said:

“I know… But it’s just that I… I don’t want to be left behind.”

“Never going to happen, budy” Dusk said, putting a hoof over Calabrass’ shoulder. “We’ll find a way to turn you back into pony. We can even have a talk with Heartbeat once we get out of here. But it has to be the right way. We’re a team. We’re the Sea Raiders! And that means we never leave anyone behind. We never give up and we always find a way… together.”

Understanding Dusk’s words, Calabrass nodded, while making a smile. It was then they all saw Anpu appearing in front of them. He grabbed the Chaos with two tentacles and then tossed him and everyone on him away. The ones inside were tossed out, while the Chaos continued, heading against Golden Bones and the skeletons that were with him.

“NOOO!!” the general skeleton shouted, as he and the others were hit by him.

Anpu approached the scene, heading towards Dusk, something that Calabrass noticed.

“I am the Guardian of the gate!” he shouted at him. “And you belong to me!”

He made his mechanical scorpion tail prepare to attack. Fortunately, Dusk was able to dodge the attack, while getting up, and continued to dodge the Guardian’s attacks, until he was cornered by Anpu’s tentacles. The latter laughed, as he prepared to the last attack.

“NO!” Calabrass shouted, running towards his friend.

Calabrass pushed Dusk out of the way, while his mummy body was pierced by the scorpion tail. Dusk couldn’t help but get shocked for such sighed. But then Calabrass told him:

“Take me, Dusk!” Calabrass exclaimed, while directing the handle to Dusk.

His mummy body disintegrated, with only bandages remaining. Dusk then got Calabrass with his magic and got up, saying almost immediately:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Sino!”

They transformed, getting the ice power of Sino. After that, Dusk provoked Anpu to come to him and the jackal started attacking with his tentacles. Dusk was able to freeze one of them with a blow with Calabrass. After that, he found an opening and advanced, making a blow that was able to freeze Anpu’s body completely. Dusk then turned to Calabrass and told him:

“Calabrass, I know how much you had to give up…”

“All right, all right, kid, enough of your mushy talk” Calabrass replied. “Open this blasted Waypoint.”

“Thanks, Calabrass” Dusk said, with a smile.

Dusk then started running towards the Waypoint. As he did that, the ice covering Anpu started to crack. The young captain, arrived to the Waypoint and prepared to insert Calabrass. But before he could do it, he noticed Anpu had released himself from the ice and he prepared to attack him with his scorpion tail. However, Dusk didn’t let himself be intimidated and hasted to insert Calabrass’ blade in the lock.

Calabrass’ eyes and the Eyes of the Seven Seas all shone with a yellow light, creating a shock wave that revolved all the sand around them, strong enough to blast away the skeletons and mummies that were still fighting, all while a pillar of yellow light went into the sky.

“Ah ah, ye see lad?” Calabrass asked Dusk. “I’ve said it a thousand times. Ye talk too much. A real pirate blast first and talk later.”

Smiling on what he said, Dusk took Calabrass and placed him on his scabbard. Turning over he saw Anpu groaning in pain and then disappear, with his body dissolving into sand. Star, Mallet and Opal all came up and Star, seeing his brother, said:

“Dusk? Dusk!”

He went to hug his little brother, relieved to see he was right.

“Mallet has a headache” Mallet said, taking his hoof to the head.

The Chaos approached and Clover asked, from the bow:

“What was that?!”

“An angry ex-Guardian” Star replied.

“Whose bark is now worse than his bite” Dusk added.

That caused Clover to drop a laugh.

Getting on board of the Chaos, the Sea Riders started to move away. While the crew was at the prow seeing the pillar of light of the Waypoint, Calabrass said:

“I’m sorry. That body made me lose me head. It felt good be a real pirate again.”

“In the future, I’ll hear more carefully to your advice… you old sea dog” Star promised.

“And he taught me some awesome moves” Dusk said, trying to imitate the moves Calabrass made during their battle against the mummies, only to end up falling on the deck.

“I know, but ye still need more learning, because it’s painfully obvious you can’t manage without me.”

That remark caused Calabrass and the others to laugh. Dusk took a few seconds, but he ended up joining the laugh.

Tanah Lost

In Beru, the Sea Raiders were sailing around, approaching a certain island. While using Star’s telescope, Dusk looked around the island and asked Opal:

“Are you sure, Opal? There seems to not be anything special about this island.”

“Well, maybe not to a naked eye, Dusk, but I detect a very strong energy” Opal replied, while looking to her device.

“Maybe there’s treasure” Calabrass said, while Dusk rolled his eyes with a smile, as that was always what his talking sword normally said.

“Whatever it is, we’re going to find out” Dusk said.

Arriving to the shore, Dusk turned off the engine. He, Opal and Mallet got out of the Chaos, with Dusk saying:

“Opal, Mallet, with me.”

As they wandered on the sand, Opal asked:

“Okay, why is Star not here, instead of me? Normally, he’s the one to join your three-pony team.”

“You know he has to focus in finding the other Waypoints” Dusk replied. “I mean, there’s only three left. Don’t worry, Opal, I don’t think we’re going to face anything serious around here.”

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but, most of the times you say that, we really get into trouble” Opal answered back.

After a few moments, Dusk noticed something shining and said, pointing:

“There!”

They runned towards the source of the glow and found an old chest.”

“Ah ah, a treasure!” Calabrass exclaimed, happily. “I told you so!”

It was a weird looking chest, with it possessing a figure that was a creature of bizarre look with long fangs, three horns, a fire-looking hair and orange eyes. On the top, there were some symbols.

“There’s a lock” Dusk observed.

“And look at this inscriptions” Opal said, looking to the symbols. “Maybe we should decipher them before opening it. Perhaps Star may be able to do it.”

“Okay, Opal, look, while my brother is trying to read hieroglyphics, I’ll try the fast Dusk Storm method” Dusk replied, while taking Calabrass.

“Go ahead, laddie” Calabrass encouraged. “Show her how a real pirate opens a chest.”

Using Calabrass’ blade, Dusk tried to force the chest’s top to open. When he was able to do it, it was released a blast of energy that casted them all back. It was then that a strange glow came from it and an immense creature appeared, possessing the same face that was on the chest.

It stepped out of the chest and tried to attack Dusk, who dodged and went to get Calabrass, while Opal used her weapon to attack. But the creature resisted it and then, using a finger, touched with his nail on one of Opal’s hidelegs, causing an immense pain to her, while a green glow emanated from there and spread through her body. Feeling dizzy, Opal couldn’t resist and passed out. Before that, Dusk said to Calabrass:

“Hurry, Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz!”

And they transformed, getting the fire power they needed. They shot a blast of fire at the creature, but it, despite stopping from attacking a defenseless Opal, didn’t seem very affected by the fire. It tried to grab Dusk, but he dodged and again when it tried to do the same it did to Opal.

But then, giving a big jump, Dusk casted a fireball that hit the creature right on the face. It seemed to have worked, as it screamed in pain and stepped back. After that, he used fire to surround the creature, allowing Mallet to get Opal. The creature made a big jump to attack Dusk, but he made another fire attack that hit it and cast it back. Dusk made another big jump and shouted:

“Fire Storm!”

And he released a very big explosion of fire against the creature, knocking him down. Dusk prepared himself to attack it again, but the creature jumped into the water and swam away. After it was away, Dusk detransformed and went to Opal and Mallet, worried about the former.

“Opal!” he called, arriving.

He saw that her coat had adopted a greenish color, what really worried Dusk and Mallet. With the latter carrying Opal, they all returned to the Chaos. Arriving there, Clover approached as Mallet went to place her against a wall, as Star appeared from the captain’s cabin, and asked:

“What happened?”

“A creature attacked us. Star, please, can you look at her. We have to do something fast.”

Star flapped his wings to reach her faster and then, after getting into sage mode, he started to examine her. He was able to feel some infective magic in her.

“She was poisoned.”

“Oh, no kidding…” Calabrass said, sarcastically.

“A patch of ash and leaves” Mallet suggested. “It’s the Mighty Helm way of healing snake bites.”

“I’m afraid it won’t work” Star said, as Opal moaned with all the pain she was feeling. “It’s not a natural poison.”

“Isn’t anything you can do?” Dusk asked. “Come on, Star, this is your specialty.”

“Even with all my knowledge, I still know so little about the Triangle and the creatures that inhabit it” he replied.

“Well, we could cut off her legs to prevent it from spreading” Calabrass told, making Dusk glare at him angrily. “What? Are we or are we not pirates?”

“Even if that could work, it wouldn’t do anything by now” Star replied. “It’s already circulating through her all body.”

Reuniting some of the forces she still had, Opal tried to say:

“The inscriptions on the chest… Get it… We need…”

And so she passed out.

“She’s right” Dusk said, standing up. “We’ll take the chest to Sassafras. With the inscriptions on it, we should definitely find a cure.”

Without anything more to be said, Mallet got out of the Chaos to get the chest, while Star said:

“It’s a long way until Marituga, Dusk.”

“I know, but it’s our only option” Dusk said. “We just need to go as fast as we can to get as much time as possible.”

“Wait, that’s it!” Star said. “We can get some time by slowing down the process of the poison using ice.”

“Star, you’re a genius!” Dusk told, while taking Calabrass. “Calabrass, give me the Eye of Sino!”

They transformed and then Dusk used Calabrass’ blade to incase Opal inside a block of ice.

“There we go…” Dusk said, after finishing freezing Opal, detransforming soon after and placing Calabrass on the scabbard. “That will buy us some time, just like you said, Star. Now, to get that chest…”

But before he could get out, Mallet came in with the chest.

“Great…” Dusk said, impressed by Mallet’s promptitude. “Good job, Mallet. Chaos, set a course to Marituga.”

Preparing the sails, the Chaos activated his engines and started sailing away from the island. Arriving to Marituga, they went to get Sassafras, bringing her to the Chaos so that she could read the inscriptions on the chest. Using her magnifying glass, she analyzed them. After a while, she made a shocked sound and asked Dusk:

“You opened it, you fools?! Didn’t you read the inscriptions?!”

Despite Dusk made a confused look, while shrugging his shoulders, Calabrass replied to her:

“Uh, we didn’t come to hear your lectures, Sassafras.”

She replied with an angry look, but Sassafras let it sly and so went to consult the book she had brought. After a while, she said:

“Okay… I thought I recognized these symbols.”

“What language is it?” Star asked, curious. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“It’s the language of Beru’s oldest inhabitants” she replied. “You know, I’m a descendant of them… Of course that comes with the disadvantage of having to endure the damages of the time here in the Triangle, unlike you who came after those two Generals sealed it. It’s a good thing I was able to come up with a little something to extend my life and…”

“Sassafras, could you please focus?” Dusk asked, not wanting at all get to know about Sassafras’ personal thoughts.

“Oh, right, right…” she said. “It’s a good thing I can read some of it. Here we go… Oh!”

“What?” Dusk asked.

“The inscription on your chest reads: Here in is locked the evil spirit Buto.”

“Buto?” Dusk asked. “You mean that was the monster?”

Sassafras nodded.

“It must be an evil spirit that came from the same place as Discord” Star said. “The Triangle was formed with that residual chaotic magic around the portal he made to come. Buto must have followed him and ended up here. What can you tell us about what he did to Opal, Sassafras?”

“When his poison runs through your veins all antidotes are in vain.”

“What?!” the Sea Raiders asked.

“Let me finish” Sassafras said, continued to read the book. “Except for the spring in Tanah Lost Temple. The only thing that can heal someone poisoned by Buto’s sting.”

“Tanah Lost?” Dusk repeated. “Well, we don’t have a minute to lose. Find the route, Star.”

He nodded and went to do what he asked, while Dusk said to Sassafras:

“Thanks, Sassafras.”

He extended the hoof to receive the book who had additional information they could use. But the old sorceress just made a nervous laugh and said:

“Well… I could give you the book… for a small price, of course.”

But Dusk, who had no patience for her greed, just kept extending the hoof, while making an angry look.

“But I’m certain we can discuss it as soon you return” she said, nervously, handing the book to Dusk. “Good luck.”

After Sassafras left the Chaos, they sailed away, trying to find Tanah Lost.

“I hope we can find it” Dusk said.

“Don’t worry, Dusk” Calabrass tranquilized. “Opal is brave. She’ll make it.”

Meanwhile, Mallet went to place a big plate full of seaweed in front of Opal, while positioning himself in a praying pose. Clover then appear there and, noticing all that, said:

“Uh, you know, I don’t really think she’ll be able to eat.”

“This is an offering to the higher beings” Mallet explained, proudly. “That way, Opal won’t be hungry when she comes out of ice. Good luck.”

“Oh, okay” Clover said, as Mallet moved away. “These Mighty Helm are so weird.”

At the bow, while Dusk was steering, Star was consulting the book, saying:

“The old inhabitants of Beru spoke an amazing language. Very complex. I want to know more about it.”

“We just need to find the spring, get Opal drink some water and, boom, she’s healed” Dusk said. “That’s what was written, right?”

“According to my experience, nothing ever goes as planned, Dusk” Star replied.

It was then that Clover, at the top of the mast, shouted:

“Hey, there it is! Tanah Lost!”

And so they approached the island. As they were sailing around it, Star said:

“Wait, wait, I found something!”

They stopped and Star continued:

“It’s about Tanah Lost!”

“Can you understand the symbols now?” Dusk asked.

“Yes, but slow down” Star said, while looking to the book. “For what I can see here, this place is protected by a… I can’t cypher this one…”

But the others didn’t need to know the meaning of that symbol as they knew what kind of creature protected Tanah Lost, as it had just immerged from the sea, impressing everyone on board with its size.

“Could it be a snake?” Dusk asked.

“Yeah, that’s it” Star replied. “A snake. How did you know?”

It was then that Star noticed the creature.

“Just a guess” Clover told.

The creature was indeed a very big snake with green scales and a very big red eye.

“I’m sick of evil spirits!” Calabrass exclaimed, as the others prepared for battle. “Is that all they got in the old Beru civilization?”

“Evil spirit or not, it will not gonna stop us” Dusk said. “This is about saving Opal. Chaos, straight ahead!”

And he pulled the level of the engine, causing Chaos to go at full speed, as the big snake dived to make an attack. Dusk saw the entrance of the island, but when he prepared to go there, the big snake jumped out and then dived again, causing its body to serve as an obstacle that forced the Chaos to dodge. He started moving away, with the snake following him. It forced Dusk to make sharp turns, but that only caused Opal to be thrown around. Clover, while trying to get her, told:

“Careful, Dusk!”

When Opal was about to go overboard, Mallet was able to grab her just in time. But when another attack from the snake, forced Dusk to make another sharp turn, he threw Mallet to the other side, causing him to drop Opal and she flew to the other side, about to fall on the sea.

“Okay, let’s play…” Clover said, invoking her ball and chain.

He threw it and was able to get Opal, pulling her back to the deck and said, while on her and moving around because of the movements of the ship:

“I got her! I got her!”

As Clover continued to slide around the deck with the Chaos still trying to evade the snake, he said to Mallet:

“Get ready.”

Understanding what he meant, Mallet went to one of the sides of the deck and Clover, reaching the other one, pushed back the chain, causing Opal to be thrown again, but this time being caught by Mallet who placed her safely on the deck.

“Victory!” he shouted.

It was then that the snake immerged right in front of them, between the Chaos and the entrance to the island, with her body surrounding the ship completely. Annoyed and frustreated, Dusk said:

“If we can’t avoid it, we’ll fry it.”

Taking Calabrass and jumping the helm to go face the snake, Dusk shouted:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz.”

They then transformed with Dusk landing at the edge of the bow, exclaiming:

“Firestorm!”

He casted a blast of fire that hit the snake right on the head. It was then that he started to talk on some strange language. That really confused Dusk, as the snake continued to speak on the strange language.

“He’s been in the Triangle for so long that he could at least try to speak our language” Calabrass commented.

Star arrived to his brother and said, while consulting the book:

“We’re on his territory, so we should speak his language.”

“Oh, I can teach him the language of steel if he wants” Calabrass said. “It’s very easy to learn.”

“Hush!” Star told him, needing silence to concentrate in finding the right words to say.

He went through the symbols, seeing how they could be said, and then told:

“Okay, I got!”

“Be careful, big bro” Dusk said. “If he attacks, I’m not sure either of us can stop him.”

“Thanks for the support” Star replied, sarcastically, while flapping his wings to get at the same level as the snake.

After that, Star said something on the same language as the snake. But he reacted by spatting a green smoke that hit Star. Despite being stinky, it would appear it was harmless.

“Are ye sure about his?” Calabrass asked Star.

The young alicorn tried to get another thing to say, consulting the book.

“Does anyone has a flute?” Clover asked. “Maybe we can make him dance until he drops from exhaustion.”

It was then Dusk tried to speak other things he found in the book and that could be useful to prove the snake they weren’t his enemies. After that, the snake looked at him and then to the others and seemed to relax, what really made Dusk become relieved, as he detransformed and put Calabrass back on the scabbard, while Star landed.

While observing the Chaos, the snake saw the chest from earlier and said:

“Buto…”

Dusk, however, was able to tell what he meant.

“Oh, I get it” he said. “He must thing Buto is inside that chest.”

And so he jumped to the lower deck, approached the chest and told the snake:

“Don’t worry. No Buto inside. We’re here for Tanah Lost spring… for injured friend.”

And he pointed to Opal, whose frozen body was still being held by Mallet. The snake just stood there, staring and hissing.

“See him?” Calabrass said to Dusk. “I don’t think he gets it.”

“Look” Dusk said to the snake, while going to open the chest.

“Easy there, Dusk” Star advised.

Dusk opened the chest and, at first, the snake seemed to get agitated, but then saw that the chest was completely empty.

“You see?” Dusk asked. “Buto is not in here.”

Clover teleported to Mallet’s side and whispered to him, while floating:

“Luckily, he doesn’t know we let the bad guy go free.”

The snake continued to observe them and Star knew it was up to him to tell the snake Opal was sick. He started to say it in old Beruan, saying they needed to get to the spring of Tanah Lost to heal their friend. The snake noticed Opal and then talked to Star and started to move away. Star landed on the bow, as Dusk approached him, and Calabrass said:

“Well, it was about time!”

“See, Calabrass, it’s good to use an encyclopedia” Star told the talking sword.

“Yeah, yeah, okay…” he replied, not very amused.

And so the Chaos followed the snake into the entrance of Tanah Lost, where the spring was located. They got amazed by the beauty of it. The stone walls glimmered as the entering sunlight touched them, while the spring sprouted water in a magnificent waterfall, complementing the beauty of it even more. The snake guardian was resting on the stone shore.

“But what marvelous architecture!” Star admired.

“There’s no time for sightseeing, Star” Dusk said, while going to take Calabrass. “Come on, let’s free Opal now.”

He then proceeded to cut the ice that was covering her, releasing her. She was caught by Mallet and Star told him:

“Mallet, carry Opal to the waterfall.”

He then got out of the Chaos and headed to the waterfall, followed by Dusk and Star. Arriving to the waterfall, Mallet took a cup and filled it with water that he then gave to Opal to drink. Once she swallowed the water, the greenish tone on her coat disappeared and she started to wake up, feeling herself get her strength back.

“Thank you” Opal said to Mallet.

“It worked!” he replied, while Star and Dusk bumped hooves.

“So we just battled a giant snake, but she thanks him because he carried her” Calabrass grunted.

“Cut it, Cal” Dusk replied.

“Blimey!”

“Opal, I’m really sorry for what happened” Dusk told Opal, as she and Mallet approached. “I shouldn’t have put you in danger.”

“Do not worry, Dusk” she replied. “Everything is fine now.”

“For what I can see, you really seem in top shape” Star observed. “Completely healed.”

Opal got relieved to hear Star saying that and then looked around the spring.

“What a magnificent place this is!” she exclaimed.

“You mean you’re glad I opened the chest?” Dusk asked in a teasing way.

“No, I would not go that far” Opal chuckled.

Dusk returned the chuckle and then said, also admiring the spring:

“I didn’t even know that places like these existed in the Triangle.”

“Aye, it almost makes you want to stay put” Calabrass agreed, as they headed back to the Chaos. “A hammock, an orange juice, a cool air… We liked here.”

As they got on board, Clover said to Opal:

“Wonderful! You look super healthy! And since you missed some of the adventure… One, we played hoofball with you. Two, we found a giant snake, which turned out to be nice and now he’s our friend. And three, we found the famous spring of Tanah Lost.”

As they started to move away, Opal commended:

“Impressive…”

“Yeah, now it’s time to get back to action” Dusk said, as they got out of the island. “Should I remind you we should be trying to escape the Bermikun Triangle? Let’s go! Full steam ahead, Chaos!”

He pulled the engine level and Chaos advanced. However, unknowing to them, Buto was grabbing himself to Chaos’ hull and then let it go and started swimming towards Tanah Lost. He reached the entrance to the spring and immerged from the water while the snake guardian was sleeping calmly. He approached the snake and extended one of his fingers, preparing to sting him.

As the Sea Raiders were sailing away from Tanah Lost, Dusk was sterring the helm, having Opal and Mallet beside him, and then the former asked:

“Star, how long until we reach our next port?”

But, as he didn’t receive an answer from his brother, he called him:

“Star?”

He then found him reading the book they got from Sassafras at the lower deck and told him:

“Star, enough with the reading. I need you. Tanah Lost was nice. It was lovely. But visiting time is over.”

Star then sighed and said:

“Too bad… It’s just the old inhabitants of Beru had a fascinating civilization.”

“Come on, Star, you think about it later.”

It was then they got a very big turbulence that caused Star to drop the book overboard. Something was attacking the Chaos from under the sea, while grabbing his hull.

“Over there!” Clover shouted.

It was then that the snake guardian immerged in front of them. His eye had been turned green. He then started to say something to them, but it was Old Beruan and so they couldn’t understand it.

“Translation?” Opal asked Star.

“Well… I lost the book before I could truly master the language” he replied. “It fell on the water.”

“I’ll get it” Opal said, making her diving suit come and putting it on. “Deal with him.”

She then dived and went to the book, being able to grab it. Once she had it, Opal started to swim back to the Chaos.

The snake prepared himself to attack and Dusk and Mallet also did the same, but Star said:

“Wait, let me try something.”

He then started to say something to the snake, but he just tried to bite him. Fortunately, Star was quick on his wings to dodge the attack.

“Okay, at least I tried” Star replied, landing.

“Looks like you’re not a friend anymore” Dusk said to the snake. “Calabrass, give me the Eye of Aeria!”

And the two of them transformed, with Calabrass becoming a shield, and Dusk used him to create a pulse of purple energy that pushed the snake back. Dusk then run towards the tip of the bow, using Calabrass to defend himself from the snake’s attacks.

“Wall of the Tempest!” Dusk shouted, while shooting electricity from his transformed hoof.

That attack really had some effect on the snake who went down a little, but his tail whipped on Dusk and threw him in direction of the snake’s mouth. Fortunately, he was able to land with his hooves on both sides of his mouth, using Calabrass to shock the snake to prevent him from eating him, what caused Dusk to be thrown back to the Chaos, hit the sail and fall on the deck, causing him and Calabrass to detransform and the latter to say:

“Oh my, I’m getting tired!”

To their luck, Opal returned and threw the book to Star who caught it with his magic and started reading it. While he was doing it, Clover teleported to the top of the mast and attack the snake with his chain, what really pained him. Clover teleported to the side of his friends and said:

“Hey, look, he’s not that tough.”

“That’s weird” Dusk commented. “He was pretty much invincible before.”

“Of course!” Star exclaimed. “Okay, I think I got it.”

Flapping his wings to get at the same level as the snake, he started to say something. But then the snake grabbed him with his mouth.

“Star!” the others called, worried.

The snake then started swimming away, going towards Tanah Lost. Hasting to save his brother, Dusk run towards the bow and told Chaos:

“Chaos, give me the Plank!”

Once he jumped onto the Plank, the Chaos deployed it and Dusk followed the snake, while asking Calabrass:

“Ready, pirate?”

“I was ready before I was born” he replied.

The snake arrived to the spring and then spat out Star who fell on the stone shore, along with the book.

“Oh boy…” he said, noticing his situation.

It was then that Dusk and Calabrass arrived on the Plank and hit the snake, whose head fell on the shore. Landing next to his brother, Dusk asked:

“Star, are you alright?”

“Yeah, he didn’t hurt me” Star said, getting up.

The Chaos also arrived at the precise moment the water started to become green.

“Look to the water” Opal said.

Heading to the spring, they saw that it was becoming green too.

“Oh no…” Star said. “The spring has been poisoned.”

“That’s what’s wrong with the snake” Dusk realized.

“But why is snake attacking Chaos?” Mallet asked, as he arrived to their side.

They turned and saw Opal approaching the snake.

“Be careful” Dusk told her.

Opal got to his side, with the snake just standing quiet.

“Do not worry” she told him, while massaging his head. “I experienced this too. It is Buto’s poison. He followed us here.”

“That’s it!” Dusk exclaimed. “We were his bait. That’s why the snake attacked us. He thinks we did it on purpose.”

“Well, I say, if Buto is lingering, we shall teach him a lesson” Calabrass said. “We will put him back into his box.”

“Yeah, but, this time, we won’t do anything stupid” Dusk said, while taking the book. “We won’t survive unless we use the encyclopedia. Star, try to find a solution in the book.”

Star took the book and said, while consulting:

“There must be a formula to send him back to his chest.”

At that moment, they heard a familiar sound and so they saw Buto immerging from the spring. Mallet and Opal took their weapons and Dusk said:

“Okay, everypony, protect yourselves.”

“He looks stronger than he was last time” Opal observed.

“It must be the spring” Dusk theorized.

But was about to attack when Dusk called:

“Give me the Eye of Sino!”

The Eye of Sino was activated, transforming Dusk and Calabrass. Dusk started dodging the evil spirit’s attacks, until he made a blow that froze one of his arms. After that, it was Mallet’s turn to attack, hitting him with his sword, which Buto defended and then hit Mallet with his frozen arm, throwing him away, while unfreezing it. Opal started shooting him with her weapon, distracting him enough for Dusk to cast an icy blast that froze must of Buto’s body. When the young captain went to attack, Buto was able to free himself from the ice, causing Dusk to be pushed away, landing and been pushed back to the edge of Star who was consulting the encyclopedia beside the snake.

“Star, did you find anything?” he asked him.

“Almost… Almost” he replied.

“We won’t let him destroy Tanah Lost!” Dusk exclaimed. “Hit him from both sides.”

Opal then started to shoot hard on him and Mallet tried another attack. However, Buto turned to him and stung him with one of his nails, poisoning Mallet who fell on the ground.

“Oh no…” Opal said. “Mallet is down!”

“I’m going to freeze Mallet to slow down the poison” Dusk said.

They advanced and, while Opal distracted Buto, Dusk passed by him and got to Mallet.

“Sino Ice Block!” he said, while putting Mallet on ice, just like they did with Opal.

Buto then tried to sting Dusk too, but he gave a big jumped, while whistling to the Plank to get him. After that, he went to Star and told him:

“Well, Star, anything?”

And so Star tried to chant some kind of rite in Old Beruan to the snake.

“What is he doing?” Calabrass asked.

“Not the snake, Star!” Dusk said. “Buto!”

But Star continued to do it, pointing then to Buto. The snake then turned to Buto, who was fighting Opal, and got up, with his eye becoming red once again, and attacked the evil spirit, catching him with his mouth.

“Nice work, bro!” Dusk exclaimed, while detransforming. “Quick, the chest!”

Grabbing Opal, Dusk returned to the Chaos on the Plank, while Star followed them through flying. The Chaos then started following the snake which was taking Buto away from Tanah Lost, while fighting him.

“Star, tell him to follow us to the Chaos” Dusk said.

But seeing how he and Buto were fighting, it would appear the snake wouldn’t be able to listen them.

“The chest!” Dusk said, looking to it on the lower deck. “We have to get him back inside.”

“There must be a magic formula for that” Star said, looking in the encyclopedia.

“Hurry up!” Calabrass told.

It was then that Star found what they needed.

“That’s it! I have the formula!”

“Okay, go ahead! Do it!” Dusk told.

And Star started to chant the formula. After he did, the chest started moving and then opened, with green mist coming out of it.

“It’s working!” Star exclaimed.

He continued to chant the formula, while the green mist headed towards Buto. It reached him and started to pull him back to the chest. Buto tried to resist, but there was nothing he could do to stop it. It was then that, when he passed by the Sea Raiders, he grabbed Opal’s hideleg, intending to bring her with him. But Dusk and Star were able to hold on tight on her. But Buto was too strong and it looked like he would let her go.

When they were running out of strength, Dusk noticed the encyclopedia nearby and used his magic to take it and then threw it at his head, causing Buto to drop Opal and then being pulled in to the chest completely which was closed by Clover.

“Done” he said. “He’s in the can.”

That caused an immense relief to the others.

They all returned to the spring and Dusk said:

“Look, the spring! Its colors are coming back!”

It was truth. Now that Buto was gone, the spring of Tanah Lost had recovered its normal appearance. The snake then started saying something to them.

“What did he say?” Dusk asked Star.

“What out for evil spirits” he translated. “Well, at least, I think.”

“That means: Translate inscriptions on chests before opening them” Calabrass said. “It’s not very pirate-like, but it’s true.”

“The Seven Seas are vast, filled with different civilizations” Opal said, while touching the snake’s snout. “A multitude of cultures. It kind of remains me of the Enchanted Forest. We have to try to understand them all and, more importantly, respect them.”

Turning to the snake, Dusk said:

“Thank you.”

But the snake just hissed, with them not knowing if he understood what they said.

“What about we unfreeze Mallet now?” Opal suggested. “We don’t want him to catch a cold.”

“He can handle it” Dusk replied. “He’s a Mighty Helm, isn’t he?”

And so they laughed.

So, after unfreezing Mallet and cure him from Buto’s poison, the Sea Raiders set sail, leaving Tanah Lost.

Between Stars

It was night in Marituga and the Sea Raiders were following a lead that could potentially allow them to reach the Sea of Zite so they could open its Waypoint. The lead led them to a bar. While descending the stairs to there, Dusk said:

“Okay, Mallet, you cover me, okay? If anything goes south, I’m counting on you.”

“Dusk Storm, south is not a number” Mallet replied.

Star then noticed something, stopping and calling:

“Dusk?”

“What is it, Star?” Dusk asked, turning to him with the others.

He then pointed to Sassafras who was not too far away, saying while trying to move away:

“On second thought, I think I’ll make you go alone. There’s no need for me to get involve in this.”

“But you have to show us this famous Azurite” Dusk told. “We don’t know how she looks like.”

“Oh, you can’t miss it” Sassafras replied. “She’s a… formidable witch.”

“You old hag… we paid you good money for this tip!” Calabrass protested.

“And I brought you to the door!” Sassafras riposted. “My job is done.”

And so she started moving away.

“I don’t like this” Calabrass commented to Dusk. “Sassafras is more bonkers than usual.”

“It doesn’t matter” Dusk replied, while approaching the bar with the others. “We know we are to find a witch named Azurite. How hard can that be?”

“Right” Star agreed. “Be on your guards.”

And so they got in. The bar was filled with many pirates and sailors that, just like them, had lost themselves inside the Bermikun Triangle. As they walked around, Dusk asked:

“Do you see a formidable witch around or is Sassafras just blowing wind as usual?”

“Well, if this witch is anything like Sassafras…” Opal said, while looking around. “Why don’t we try the bartender? She looks like the one we’re looking for.”

And so they started heading towards the bar, but the two of them didn’t realize they were being watched by a teenage filly with a dark blue coat with a crescent moon together with a four-pointed star, black mane with some white streaks and light gray eyes. She was also wearing what appeared to be crescent-shaped medallion. She then advanced, approaching Mallet and Opal and she said to them:

“Hi! Hey, how you’re doing? You guys look to be adventurers.”

Seeing her, Mallet couldn’t help but feel himself awestruck by her who continued to say:

“Funny enough, I’m mounting an expedition to an hostile territory and I need… well, bold adventurers… possibly with a ship?”

“Mallet can take you to where you want and back” Mallet advanced to say, while bulking up.

But before he could say anything else, Opal told him:

“May I remind you we’re on a mission?”

And so she made him go away.

Dusk and Star approached the bartender and the former asked her:

“Hello. By any chance is your name… Azurite?”

She laughed and then replied:

“It depends? Are you with the gorgeous warrior there?”

She was talking about Mallet who was talking to Opal about the filly they have met:

“Did you see, Opal, how beautiful filly looked at Mallet?”

“More like she was trying to get a free ride on our ship” Opal replied.

“But Mallet so big and strong” Mallet replied, while bulking up. “She must have be impressed.”

It was then that accidentally he hit on one pirate, causing him to spill the drink he was taking. The pirate got very angry at Mallet and it didn’t take long for a fight to start that ended up spreading through all the room. Star and Dusk, noticing that, thought it was for the best to intervene on it before Mallet got himself in trouble. With Dusk taking out Calabrass, they went to join the fight.

During the fight, Dusk, noticing the difficulty of battling so many at the same time, called:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Aeria!”

Using Calabrass as a shield, Dusk was able to knock back some of the fighters. Meanwhile, Star was dealing with some pirates, effortlessly dodging their advances and using nothing but counterattacks to knock them. When one was to attack him, the bartender hit him with the frypan, much to Star’s gratitude.

Opal, who didn’t like to fight that much, tried to stay out of it. But then she noticed the filly who had come to talk with Mallet, who went over a table and then said, while raising her crescent-shaped medallion with her hoof, which shone, while she said:

“Hey, everypony calm down!”

That caused everypony to stop fighting. That caused Dusk, who detransformed to say:

“That’s Azurite! Got to be her.”

There was a tense silence and seemed that the pirates were preparing to attack her. But then she threw the crescent that went to hit every pirate on the face, knocking them down all, all while emanating a certain glow. It then returned to her hoof, but one pirate approached her from behind.

“Be careful!” Opal warned.

“Nebula Star!” she shouted.

There was an immense glow and then she disappear, when the pirate tried to attack her with his sword, much to his confusion. But then Azurite reappeared right behind him and then hit him in a way that threw him to outside the bar. She went outside, looking to the pirate who started to crawl his way out of there, fearful.

Dusk and the others also got out and the former asked:

“Azurite? My name is Dusk Storm.”

“The famous Dusk Storm?” she asked, in a excited way, while Mallet waved to her behind Dusk, causing Opal to make him stop. “And his crew! You’re here to help me on my expediction?”

“Uh, actually, we want to go to the Sea of Stars” Dusk told. “But, without the right magic, beings of flesh and bones can’t go there.”

“But we heard about a witch with a magical medallion called Nebula Star that allow her to come and go when she pleases” Star continued.

Azurite looked to her crescent, now acting as her pendant, and then smiled and said:

“A witch? Hardly. But the rest is true. Why would you risk to enter in the Sea of Stars?”

“We’re planning on escaping the Triangle” Dusk explained. “Before we can do that, we have to unlock a gate inside that domain.”

“Perfect!” she stated. “I’m on a quest looking for my father who disappeared before I was born.”

There was a pause where the Sea Raiders couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. Azurite then continued:

“I’ll go with you, if you help me to find him.”

“Sounds like a deal” Dusk replied, extending his hoof.

She bumped her hoof with Dusk’s and then they returned to the Chaos. While the Sea Raiders got on board, Azurite looked with some sadness to Marituga, before following them. When Dusk (the one at the front) got on board, he and Calabrass noticed Sassafras there and the latter asked:

“So, Sassafras, changed your mind? I thought you have said you didn’t want to see that Azurite girl.”

“Shut your mouth, toothpick” she replied. “I didn’t say any such thing. I simply said she may not want to see me.”

“Oh, and why would that be?” Calabrass asked.

His answer came when Azurite passed through the Sea Raiders to face Sassafras while saying:

“Mother?”

“Calm down, I come in peace” she said, while retreating.

“Why are you here?” Azurite asked, turning then to the Sea Raiders. “Did she tell you about me?”

Turning again to Sassafras, she asked:

“So apparently I’m a witch now?”

The Sea Raiders were still caught off-guard regarding the revelation of the type of relationship Sassafras and Azurite had.

“Mallet must have been hit too hard” Mallet said. “Beautiful filly is daughter… of Sassafras?”

The others just shrugged their shoulders in response.

“Is she coming with you in this mission?” Azurite asked Dusk. “If so, I’m not.”

Before she could leave, Dusk blocked her way and said:

“Wait… What?! Why?”

“Don’t be like that” Sassafras requested to Azurite.

“Like what?” she asked. “How am I like? Like you? Like dad? I wouldn’t know…”

She moved away a few steps and then Sassafras told her:

“I’ve told you everything I can.”

“That is a witch’s answer” Azurite replied. “He had to have a name. Or a nickname. He was more than a grand adventurer that had nothing better to do than disappear into the Sea of Stars.”

Sassafras looked dismayed. She sighed and then said:

“That’s all I can tell you.”

Before that answer, Azurite said:

“Why do I even waste saliva talking to you.”

She turned her backs on Sassafras and Dusk, knowing that little grudge between them could cause trouble to everyone, approached Azurite, telling her:

“Azurite, is no problem. Sassafras is not coming. She didn’t…”

“Oh, I am coming” she interrupted, approaching. “If she’s going, I’m going. You thing for a second I would let you take my daughter into that dangerous sea? No way.”

“Wait… what?!” Dusk asked, now completely lost, moving away. “My head hurts…”

“That was a good start…” Calabrass said.

Azurite, after hearing Sassafras saying things like about her, made a slight smile, happy that her mother really cared about her.

The Chaos was in open sea when the new day started to dawn. They were all at the prow, where Dusk was steering the ship with Sassafras not so far behind him. Azurite was by the taffrail when she said:

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.”

“We promised to help you and help you we shall” Star replied.

“With or without that old hag” Calabrass added.

“I am right here you know!” Sassafras replied to him.

“We’re approaching the Edge Waters” Dusk said, referring to the place where the Sea of Beru ended and the waters just fell into nowhere. “Whenever you want, Azurite.”

“Hold on, then” she replied, taking the Nebula Star and then shouting. “Eye of the Stars!”

She then threw it and it circled the Chaos many times and caused him and everypony on board to teleport. When he reappeared, he and the others were in Zite, the Sea of Stars.

“Wow, that thing is really cool!” Dusk gasped, amazed.

Azurite collected it and replied:

“It’s all in the wrist. I can show you if you want.”

“It worked…” Star said, while looking around. “I can’t believe it. We made it!”

“Such beautiful sight…” Opal admired, seeing all the stars that were surrounding them.

“Yeah, very beautiful…” Mallet said, talking about Azurite.

But that changed when Sassafras put herself between them, causing Mallet to dodge his look. Turning to her daughter, Sassafras said to her:

“Be careful. The Sea of Stars is much more dangerous than it looks.”

“You’ve always tell me lies about this place” Azurite replied. “Why should I start believing in you now?”

Sassafras looked behind her daughter and saw to her horror a gamundray approaching.

“What are you looking at?” Azurite asked.

But she then turned around and screamed when facing that terrifying creature which screeched at them. Two more gamundrays approached and already started getting on board, causing Clover to teleport away. The four monstrous spiders surrounded the Sea Raiders, Sassafras and Azurite and two then started to extend their tentacles towards the Nebula Star, but Azurite made them retreat them and said:

“Tentacles off, you gross things! Nebula Star!”

The medallion then emitted an intense white light that changed the bright colors of the gamundrays to white that turned them more docile.

“Wow!” Dusk exclaimed. “Uh, could somepony tell me what just happened? Last time I checked, those things were not that friendly.”

“It looks they obeyed Azurite” Opal told.

“I just told them to stop and… they listened” she replied, looking to the Nebula Star. “It must be the Okul.”

“What did I tell you?” Sassafras said to her. “This place is dangerous! We should get out before we get in real trouble.”

“I would rather die trying than living without knowing who my father is” Azurite replied coldly.

“Yeah!” Dusk exclaimed in an encouraging way. “Except for the dying part. Besides, we’re not leaving until we open the Waypoint of Zite.”

Azurite nodded, agreeing with him, and then turned to a gamundray and ask it:

“Hey, can you help us cross the Sea of Stars?”

It turned to her and nodded, positioned itself to let her mount it. And then she made a gesture to the others, while the other two gamundray approached. Because the Sea of Zite was like a big void, Star couldn’t exactly fly like he used to, so he decided to mount a gamundray together with Dusk, while Opal and Mallet went to mount the other. The only one that won’t do it right away was Sassafras who asked:

“Why is that nopony listens to me?”

And so she went to mount the one that was carrying Azurite. After that, the gamundrays advanced through the Sea of Stars. As they advanced, Mallet couldn’t stop but admire Azurite.

“Ah she so beautiful…” he said. “Such great beauty…”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, you like her” Opal said. “We all got that. Now can you please focus on the job? She’s just a filly.”

“Hey, what’s that thing over there?” Dusk asked, pointing ahead.

They all looked and saw an intense light.

“That’s Nix, the heard of the Sea of Stars” Sassafras replied. “It’s where the Ziteans live.”

“Sassafras, you seem to know a lot about the Sea of Stars” Star observed.

“Yeah, one would think it is not the first time you were here” Azurite replied, suspicious.

“Well, it’s just… stuff that I read in my books” she answered, nervously.

“Right, of course it is…” Azurite said, not convinced.

She then noticed that her mother was looking carefully to her.

“What are you looking at?” she asked.

“You have the gift” Sassafras replied. “I should know. I had it too when I was your age.”

“I am nothing like you” Azurite replied, looking to her mother.

“You would be surprised” she told.

“Ladies, this family feud won’t be solved this way” Star declared.

“This is not of your business!” the two replied to him at the same time.

“Uh… they’re from the same family, all right” Star commented.

“Believe me when I say this, Star” Dusk said. “That is a kind of storm you better stay away from.”

“I think their wrangling is fun” Calabrass told.

And so they continued, with mother and daughter keeping arguing, while Opal continued to admonish Mallet for his drooling over Azurite.

While those arguments happened, Ziteans started to appear around them, but they didn’t noticed. Calabrass then exclaimed:

“Why don’t you just shut your mouths?! You’re giving me a headache and I don’t really have a head!”

“Could you please stop fighting!” Star exclaimed. “I can’t even hear myself think!”

It was then that, when the silence arrived, they noticed the Ziteans.

“Oh no, the Ziteans!” Dusk said.

There were a total of four Ziteans, two females and two males. Their presence made everypony nervous, but nopony was more nervous than Sassafras.

“What are you doing here?” a female one asked.

“This is a free world, right?” Dusk asked. “We can sail wherever we like.”

The other female got her look close to Sassafras and said:

“I know this solid. She ignored our ban. She dared to return.”

“Mother?” Azurite asked. “What are they talking about?”

“You let me worry about it” she answered her, directing then to the Ziteans. “Fine, you can take me. But let my friends go.”

“You do not dictate to us” the first female Zitean said. “The council will decide what to do with you.”

“Council?” Dusk asked, taking Calabrass. “No way. Calabrass, give me the Eye of…”

But before he could finish, the first female Zitean made a gesture and the Eyes of the Seven Seas were removed from Calabrass and taken by her. That caused Calabrass to be deactivated.

“No!” Dusk exclaimed, worried about Calabrass.

Azurite prepared herself to use the Okul, but Sassafras tried to stop her, saying:

“No, daughter! They can’t know you have the Okul!”

“Why?”

“I promise, I’ll tell you the all truth. Just don’t use your necklace.”

Azurite looked to her mother’s eyes and saw that she was being truthful to what she was saying. Beyond that, there was a tremendous worry as well. She then nodded, agreeing to that.

The four Ziteans closed more the circle they had around the solids and rose their arms, causing them all to teleport. The solids then reappeared, without the gamundrays, standing on a circular structure with seven pillars. It was then that, in front of each pillar, a Zitean appeared. At that moment, there were six, with four being the ones who brought them, along with two other Female Ziteans. Before that situation, Dusk knew they could only try to reason with the Ziteans and so he advanced and said:

“Listen, we’re really sorry about trespassing and everything, but we won’t be long, we promise. We just want to open the lock of the Sea of Stars.”

That statement caused the Ziteans to start laughing as if Dusk had told a very funny joke. When they stopped, a female Zitean told:

“Even if you went so far as the Temple of Zelos, you would never open the lock.”

“You’re just a solid” a male Zitean replied. “No one, but a true Zitean can open that lock.”

It was then that the tallest Zitean, a female one, addressed to the Sassafras:

“Sassafras, come closer. Let me look at you.”

She did so, approaching the female Zitean, addressing to her after that:

“Vidal..”

“You’ve aged” Vidal commented. “A lot.”

“Great…” Sassafras said, not very surprised to that blunt comment. “Just great…”

“Sassafras the solid, years ago, you came to sow discord among us and we banished you” Vidal claimed. “And, today, you ignored that ban. No more shall we show you our mercy.”

“Cast her into a black hole!” a male Zitean exclaimed.

“No, Vidal!” Sassafras said. “I accept the punishment. But you must let my friends go. They did not know.”

“Sassafras, no” Star told her. “Surely we can reason this out.”

“Silence!” Vidal demanded. “We will let your friends go once you have suffered your punishment!”

Sassafras seemed to resign herself to her fate, much to Azurite’s shock.

“The Council of Seven has spoken!” Vidal declared.

She and the other Ziteans rose their arms and created above them…

“It’s a black hole!” Opal exclaimed. “Stand away from it!”

Sassafras then stepped ahead and prepared herself to be sucked by the black hole. Seeing that, Azurite couldn’t contain herself anymore and shouted:

“No!”

After that, she took the Okul and prepared to launch it.

“No!” Sassafras told her, looking at her to remind her of the promise she made.

That caused Azurite to stop, but then Dusk told her:

“The necklace… You said it was all on the wrist, right?”

He blinked at her, while taking the Okul from her. Despite Azurite had promised Sassafras to not use it, Dusk had not made that promise, so, after getting it, he threw it, while glowing, it started to pass by the six members of the council, who reacted to it by putting themselves in a defensive position. It also took the Eyes of the Seven Seas from them which returned to their respective place on Calabrass, awakening him.

“Took you long enough” he said to Dusk.

The Okul returned to Azurite who caught it and placed it back to its place as a pendant. Without the Ziteans focusing their powers, the black hole just closed.

“The Okul?” Vidal asked. “This solid has the Okul! That would be… Sassafras’ daughter?!”

Directing to the other Ziteans, she said:

“Destroy them all!”

And some recreated the black hole, while others casted physical attacks on them. Before that, Dusk took Calabrass and said:

“Give me the Eye of Zite!”

They transformed and Dusk span Calabrass to create a barrier against the beams from Sassafras, while Mallet used his sword as a shield and Opal and Dusk used their magic to defend themselves. They closed to each other and Dusk said:

“These guys mean business. We need to find a way out and fast!”

“Gather together and hold on tight” Sassafras told them, turning then to her daughter. “Hold the Okul with your hooves and think very hard about your father.”

“But… I don’t even know his name” she replied.

Without any other choice, Sassafras said:

“Zelos.”

When a Zitean was about to hit Azurite, Mallet saw that and said, while running:

“Watch out!”

And so he used himself as a shield to protect Azurite, being hit by the attack.

“Mallet!” his friends called.

They approached him and Star said:

“We need to leave… now!”

Doing what Sassafras told her to do, Azurite took the Okul and shouted:

“Nebula Star!”

There was a burst of a bright light that blinded the Ziteans and, when it went out, they had disappeared.

At another part of Zite, at a metallic structure with a crescent shape with an halo around it at the bottom. There was a flash of light at the platform of the structure and the Sea Raiders, Sassafras and Azurite appeared.

“The Okul worked!” the latter exclaimed.

They then rushed to Mallet who only knew to say:

“Mallet… saved… beautiful filly…”

“Really?” Opal asked. “You used yourself as a shield and that’s what you have to say? He’s fine, he just needs to rest. I’ve seen he being hit with so much worse.”

Now that they knew Mallet was alright, Dusk and Star turned their attentions to the place where they were, looking to the entrance of it.

“It looks like a temple” Star commented.

“The Temple of Zelos” Dusk realized. “The Zite Waypoint must be inside. Except I have no idea how to open it. We need a Zitean.”

Azurite then approached Sassafras, saying:

“Mom, care to explain what just happened? Why did you come along, if you knew you could die?”

“I… I told you never to use the necklace” she replied.

“Enough, Sassafras!” Dusk exclaimed, while approaching with Star. “All those secrets are going to cost us in the end.”

“They almost costed us back there” Calabrass said.

“A little honesty may solve our problems” Star added. “You wouldn’t want to have Azurite mad at you for the rest of her life.”

It was hard for Sassafras to admit, but she knew they were all right. Sighing, she said:

“Fine… I was banished because of your father, but… I can’t be mad at him. I can’t forget about him. And… I wish I could see him again.”

Hearing that, a doubt came to her mind and that caused her to run towards the inside of the temple. Dusk and Star thought it was better for them to follow her. Before doing it, Dusk told Opal:

“Keep an eye on Mallet.”

She nodded to him and the two brothers went to inside the temple, arriving to Azurite’s side. They then saw it: the Zite Waypoint, a two-stair platform with an altar where was the lock with the symbol of Zite both on the pillar and the base of the platform. They started to approach it, but then someone started to appear in front of them, with that someone being a male Zitean, who told Dusk:

“You’re wasting your time, solid! Go away, before it’s too late!”

And he summoned a ball of fire on his hand.

“Dusk, watch out!” Star warned.

The Zitean shot the ball of fire against the three foals who went to different directions to avoid it. The Zitean continue to shot at them, with the three of them always dodging. When Dusk tried to approach the Waypoint, he found himself unable to advance forward because of the Zitean’s attacks. Dusk, Star and Azurite regrouped and the Zitean prepared a new attack.

It was then Azurite took the Okul and shouted:

“Nebula Star!”

She threw it and it flew around going against the Zitean who just grabbed it. Seeing it, he said:

“No… That’s impossible! How did you…?”

At that moment, Sassafras arrived and said to the Zitean:

“Zelos…”

Turning to her daughter, she told:

“You wanted to know who your father is, Azurite? Well, here he is.”

Azurite had a look of surprise on her and turned to Zelos, asking:

“Dad…?”

It was then that Zelos made a big smile at her.

Noticing what was happening, Dusk asked:

“A pony… with a… Zitean?”

“Uh, I’ve seen weirder” Calabrass replied.

Zelos then diminished his size to be at the size of a normal pony. He and Sassafras went to each other and hugged, with him then saying to Azurite:

“Our love was forbidden by the Zitean law.”

“The Council of Seven banished me from the Sea of Stars forever.”

“When I heard your mother was expecting a child, I stole the Okul, the only weapon that can harm a Zitean” Zelos continued, while handing the Okul back to Azurite. “I gave it to your mother to protect you and made her swear to never told you my name. What I did caused me to get outcasted from the council and forced to become the guardian of the Waypoint, bound to never get out of the temple… but I don’t regret my actions.”

That story was really moving and caused Star to drop a tear.

“Wait, are you… crying?” Dusk asked, surprised.

“What, it’s a really good romantic story” Star said, while cleaning his tear. “Also… it made me remember Moonlight and how much I miss her.”

“Okay, bro, try not get yourself dehydrated from all the crying” Dusk replied.

“Ah, ah, you’re so funny” Star said, sarcastically.

“The Council of Seven would have condemn you to death, if they learned about your existence” Sassafras continued.

“And rightly so” a voice said.

It was Vidal who had arrived together with four other Ziteans, the same ones that had captured the Sea Raiders, Sassafras and Azurite.

“A half-solid, half-Zitean child is an abomination!” Vidal declared. “And we must destroy her right away!”

“Mother!” Zelos called, while advancing to the entrance of the temple, followed by Azurite and Sassafras.

“Mother?” Dusk repeated. “This story is only getting better and better.”

Arriving to the outside, Zelos said, while the others approached:

“I’ve always lived by your rules. I’ve lost everything. My love, my daughter… I even accepted your punishment and never left this place ever since. I was weak. But no more! I will never let you harm her!”

And he summoned balls of fire with his hands, with Vidal doing the same.

“Wow!” Dusk exclaimed, while advancing. “Time out! I just have one thing to tell you and then you can all kill each other if you like.”

“Such insolence…” a female Zitean said. “Who does this solid think he is?”

“Where I come from, we can’t do what you do here” Dusk told. “A normal pony can’t turn on the stars and we can’t create black holes. But, back home, when a law is so unfair that separates two beings that love each other in spite of their differences, well, we fight to get that law changed. And that’s exactly what we’re trying to do here today.”

The words Dusk was saying was causing the Ziteans to talk to each other, while Sassafras moved to Zelos’ side and gave his hoof to him. Star then moved to his brother’s side and said:

“You may think that an hybrid between a pony and a Zitean is an abomination, but I think otherwise” Star said. “Just look at Azurite. She has the best that both ponies and Ziteans can offer. And I should know about that. The pony I love is also a hybrid and she is wonderful… not an abomination.”

“The only question that is left is: whose side are you on?” Dusk continued.

After the Ziteans stopped they talking, Vidal said:

“We do turn on the stars, but, today, solids, through your words, you helped us look at them… differently. My son, you’ve been suffering for too long.”

The loving couple traded a smile and Vidal continued:

“Sassafras, we rescind your ban. You’re now welcome here and so is your daughter Azurite.”

“Such is the decision of the Council of Seven!” the Ziteans declared, while raising their arms, disappearing soon after.

“Okay, now we just have one thing to take care of” Dusk said, while taking Calabrass and heading towards Azurite, giving him to her. “Since you’re half-Zitean, would you mind open this for us?”

She smiled at him and nodded, heading towards the Waypoint. Arriving there, she rose Calabrass, spinning him.

“Hey, easy there!” he exclaimed to her. “Do I look like a frisbee?”

And so she inserted his blade in the lock and the Waypoint glowed, releasing then a pillar of light to the sky.

After that, they all returned to the Chaos, where Azurite was saying goodbye to her mother, as she had decided to stay with her father for a while, with him waiting for her at a not very big distance.

“And will you be careful to eat right?” Sassafras asked her.

“I will, mom” she replied to her, while hugging her. “I’ll see you soon.”

After admiring that scene, Star turned to his brother, saying:

“Well done, captain. And all of this without spilling a drop of…”

But then he noticed a tear at the corner of his brother’s eye.

“Well, well…” he said, in a teasing way. “What am I seeing here? Could It be a tear?”

“Ah, what?” Dusk asked, hasting to clean his tear. “No… I… had dust on my eye. Stardust.”

But Dusk couldn’t hide the truth from his older brother. However, Star would let him have that.

Azurite went to say goodbye to Mallet with a kiss, saying then to the Sea Raiders, while climbing the taffrail:

“Goodbye, my brave adventurers. Thanks for everything. I owe you… my family.”

“Are you sure you want to stay here?” Dusk asked.

“Yes” she replied. “I have a lot of catching-up to do with my dad.”

With that, she started floating away, while she started to use the Okul to transport the Chaos back to Beru. While that happened, Mallet said:

“Mallet is sad to be away from beauty… but at least have this kiss to remember her.”

“Looks like we’ll have to deal with his non-stopping talk about Azurite for a while” Opal said to Star and Dusk.

“Ah, we can manage it” the latter replied. “It can’t be worse than your non-stopping talk about Steam.”

“Hey, I only did that once… okay, twice” Opal replied.

And the two brothers laughed, while the Chaos teleported away.

The Stowaway

The Sea Raiders were sailing around Sino, with Dusk at the helm of the bow, with Star, Mallet and Opal with him. They were looking for a vortex to get out of the Sea of Ice. It was then Clover told him from the top of the mast:

“Dusk, vortex ahoy! Fifteen degrees south, at port! I mean, starport.”

They turned and saw the vortex and started heading towards it.

“Just like I calculated” Opal said. “Prepare yourselves for a thermal shock. We’re going straight to Dezer in a hot season.”

“Right on, Opal” Dusk replied. “I’m so over this Sea of Ice.”

“But Mallet like cold” Mallet said. “It remain it of home.”

“First we need to find another Waypoint and then it will be home, Mallet” Dusk said.

“Here comes the heat of the Sea of Sand!” Clover exclaimed.

And so they crossed the vortex which closed as soon they did it. But when they arrived at the other side, they found themselves in midair and going to crush on a high cave. Dusk reacted by activating Chaos’ legs, with him using them to land at the entrance of the cave and stopping just in time to no slip off.

“This isn’t normal” Star said. “That vortex should have taken us into Dezer.”

“Maybe cold season isn’t finish on Dezer” Mallet suggested.

“No, it seems to me we’re still on Sino” Star said, looking to the sea with floating pieces of ice.

It was then that Chaos started moving on his own.

“What is happening?” Dusk asked, seeing the helm moving.

“I have no idea” Opal replied, as the Chaos reached a set of ice bridges and started to go down through them.

“Little princess here must have done some mistake” Calabrass said.

“Okay, Calabrass, as of now, you really should have realized I barely make mistakes when it comes to the Chaos” Opal replied. “Perhaps he’s the one that made a mistake.”

“Listen to you…” Calabrass said. “Putting the blame on the ship.”

“This ship has his own personality” Opal reminded him. “It is not invaluable.”

Clover then appeared, laying on the bow and touched Opal to get her attention and told her:

“I know the Chaos inside out. I’ve never seen him make this kind of mistake.”

“There’s a first time for everything” she replied.

“You worry too much, princess tinker” Calabrass replied. “You’ve got to chill out, that’s all.”

“I think it would be easier to have Golden Bones being nice to us than Opal chilling out” Clover replied.

That caused him and Calabrass to laugh, much to Opal’s displeasure.

“That’s enough, you guys” Dusk told to Calabrass and Clover, while steering, turning then to Star. “Star, try to find us another vortex to Dezer.”

Taking his sextant, Star started looking for another vortex.

As the Chaos was passing by an ice bridge, Clover said:

“I hope the Chaos doesn’t make another error this time.”

Suddenly, the ice beneath them started to crack and broke, causing them all to fall into a deep hole.

When Dusk came to his senses, he rose up, seeing the Chaos there, standing on his metallic legs, while the others were nearby, also waking up.

“Anything broken?” he asked.

“Mallet didn’t even feel bump” Mallet replied, standing up.

“What are we doing here?” Star asked, while he and Opal stood up.

“That’s right” Opal said. “Why aren’t we on board?”

“I think the Chaos ejected us to protect us” Dusk replied. “He really is the seventh member of the Sea Raiders. Hey, Calabrass…”

Dusk extended his hoof to take Calabrass, but found that he wasn’t there.

“Hey, Calabrass!” Dusk called, looking around, but not finding him. “Calabrass! Calabrass! Guys, I can’t find him!”

It was then that they all heard him calling:

“Dusk! Dusk!”

Trying to see where he was calling from, Dusk noticed a cave.

“It came from there. We’re coming, Cal! Hold on!”

He and the others went to the cave, following Calabrass’ voice. It was then they found him, lying on the ground.

“What are you doing here, buddy?” Dusk asked Calabrass, while going to pick him up.

“Stab me, I’ve no idea” he replied. “But I heard some funny noises down here.”

Hearing that from Calabrass and not liking the place where they were, Dusk said to his friends:

“We better return to the Chaos. Clover can tell us more. Ghosts don’t pass out.”

His friends started to move back, when Dusk noticed something.

“Wait” he said.

They stopped and they saw an intense light coming from the end of that cave.

“Oh, what that?” Mallet asked.

“No idea” Dusk answered him. “Let’s go see.”

They all advanced towards the light and, when they arrived to its source, they become intrigued to see it was a strange obelisk of light surrounded by little block-like stones.

“So you see that?” Dusk asked, impressed. “Is that… a Waypoint?”

“That is not possible” Star replied, while approaching it with the others. “We’ve already opened the Sino Waypoint.”

“Incredible…” Opal said, touching it. “Captain, can we take a sample for analyses?”

“I’ve got a better idea” Dusk said, while preparing to insert Calabrass on it.

“Hey!” he came to tell Dusk. “Steady, laddie. I’m a self-respected sword. I just don’t stick myself anywhere.”

“Come on, Calabrass!” Dusk said. “What happened to your taste for adventure?”

“Look, Opal is right. We can do a test first. Opal! Where are you, princess tinker? Come and test this thing.”

“Well, well, aren’t you afraid I may… worry too much?” Opal teased him.

But before any of them could say anything, Dusk inserted Calabrass on the obelisk.

“Hey!” the magic sword exclaimed to his wielder.

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist” he replied.

At the moment, Dusk inserted Calabrass, the obelisk emanated an immense light that blinded them all for a moment. Once the light disappeared, Dusk asked:

“Calabrass, are you okay?”

“I’m not sure…” he replied, appearing to be tired. “I feel drained, as if someone has pumped out my energy.”

“Hey, ladie!” a voice called.

Dusk looked and saw to his shocked and confusion, and also to the others’, another Calabrass, floating on the air, not far away.

“I… don’t believe it” the young captain said.

“Are you just gonna leave me here?!” the other Calabrass asked.

“We found a replicator!” Dusk realized.

“What is a… replicator?” Mallet asked.

“But… what is that thing?” Opal asked, while trying to look the second Calabrass more carefully.

She tried to use her device to scan him, but the second Calabrass just made an angry look to her. After that, he tried to attack Dusk, who was quick to dodge.

“Hey!”

He attacked again and Dusk started using the real Calabrass’ blade to defend himself.

“Hey, guys, do you mind giving me a hoof here?!” Dusk asked to the others.

“Come here, you!” Mallet said to Calabrass’ replica.

But he moved him back by using his blade and then attacked Star who was able to dodge, thanks to his flapping, which he could not hold on for long because of the intense cold threatening to freeze his wings. Noticing how close Calabrass was from hitting him, even with with him using his flying skills to dodge, Star said:

“He’s too fast! He will chop us to pieces!”

Understanding the seriousness of the situation through Star’s words, Dusk turned to Calabrass and told him:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Aeria!”

And so he and Calabrass transformed. When the other Calabrass prepared to attack him, Dusk counterattacked with lightning, hitting him and causing him to explode in tiny pieces of rock that showed over the present Sea Raiders.

“There can only be one… and that’s me” Calabrass said.

After Dusk detransformed, he and the others started heading back to the Chaos. Before following her teammates, Opal noticed some of the little pieces of Calabrass’ clone and realized she could use them to determinate what happened there.

After they returned to the Chaos, Opal, knowing after what happened Dusk wouldn’t allow her to study that obelisk, said, omitting the fact she had picked some of the rocks:

“It’s a pity we couldn’t take a sample… for analyses.”

“I don’t want anypony to bring that sort of stuff on board” Dusk said. “It can be radioactive or something like that.”

Star then returned to their side, landing, and asked:

“Have any of you seen Clover?”

“You know him, he must be playing his favorite game” Dusk replied.

“Haunt the ghost” Mallet added.

“Or else he’s still sulking because of our quarrel earlier” Opal suggested.

“Don’t overestimate yourself, you know-it-all princess tinker” Calabrass told her, upsetting Opal.

“We still don’t know what happened on the ice” Star said. “How did we get so far from the Chaos?”

“Clover probably saw it all from the deck” Opal proposed.

“You’re right” Dusk agreed. “We have to find him. Star and Mallet, you’ll go search for him at the cabinet. I’ll check the engine room and below deck.”

Mallet and Star nodded and they advanced towards the cabinet. Dusk then turned to Opal and told her:

“Opal, while we are looking for Clover, you analyze that sample you stole.”

“Oh, you saw that?” Opal asked, a little embarrassed, while taking a piece of Calabrass’ clone she had put on her bag.

Star and Mallet entered and searched through the cabinet, but they didn’t saw any sign of Clover.

Dusk and Calabrass were checking the engine room.

“Clover!” Dusk called.

“Where are ye, you ectoplasm scum?!” Calabrass asked.

When they reached the entrance to below deck, one of Chaos’ antibodies immerged from there, much to Dusk and Calabrass’ surprise.

“It’s a Chaos’ antibody” Dusk said. “They show up when the ship is not feeling well. Opal was right. It was the ship himself who screwed up in passing the vortex.”

It was then that the antibody started to scan Dusk.

“Easy, easy now…” Dusk told it. “It’s me, all right? Your captain.”

But the antibody just started to attack him with its tentacles, causing Dusk to use Calabrass to defend himself.

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Beru!” Dusk called.

They transformed and Dusk shot a blast of water from Calabrass, hitting the antibody that returned to below deck.

“What is going on here?” Dusk asked, while detransforming. “Is the Chaos going haywire?”

Suddenly, he received a message from Opal at the engine room communicator saying:

“Everypony! Meet me at the deck!”

They all went there, meeting Opal who was holding some of the fragments she had taken.

“It’s the remains of Calabrass’ clone” she said. “It’s a metamorphic entity that is able to clone anything that touches it immediately.”

“Metamorph… what?” Mallet asked.

“So it’s like changelings…” Star said. “Wait, we all were hit by particles when the sword exploded, which means…”

“That this creature could already have taken the appearance of one of us” Dusk concluded.

That statement cause some suspicion between the five of them. To break the ice, Calabrass told Dusk:

“Now you see why the Chaos’ antibody attack ye.”

“It detected the particles of your clone on me” Dusk said.

“Unless it detected you were the clone yourself” Star said.

Despite feeling a little hurt that his brother thought he could be an imposter, he knew he didn’t say it out of suspicion, but rather to make a point that they had an imposter between them.

“I didn’t leave Dusk’s side since the cave” Calabrass said. “If he’d been cloned, I would have seen it. Now the rest of ye… Ye have been alone for some time.”

“Mallet know he Mallet” Mallet said, proudly.

“If I wanted to pass myself as you, I would say exactly the same thing” Star replied.

It was then everypony turned to Opal who said:

“I have a machine down below that can analyze genetic material. With that, we can be one hundred percent sure if one or several of you are clones.”

“If one or several of us, Opal” Dusk corrected.

“Right… if one of us… is a clone” she said. “Of course… I’ll be right back with the machine.”

But before she could go anywhere, Star put himself on her way and said:

“Stop! There’s no way you go down there alone.”

“Star is right” Dusk agreed. “From now one, we stay together.”

With that decision being made, they all went to the engine room and went to the halls inside Chaos. As they were moving, Opal turned to Mallet who was close to her and told him:

“Don’t stick so close to me, Mallet. A princess like me must always protect her personal space.”

“Mallet protect everypony” Mallet said.

“The real Mallet knows very well I do not need to be protected” Opal replied.

“Mallet is real Mallet!” he protested.

“That’s still to be proved” Opal replied.

“Okay, guys, calm down!” Star said. “I know this situation is stressful. I have already let myself be affected by, but we need to be calm, besides careful and watchful. The imposter may be provoking arguing to create disharmony on the group.”

This caused everyone of them to move away to a safe distance from each other, while keeping a close look. While they traded suspicious looks, Dusk remembered one thing:

“Clover!”

“That’s right!” Calabrass said. “If he’s hiding, it must be for a good reason.”

“Accusing the one who is not here?” Opal asked. “It’s also a clever tactic to throw out suspicion from someone else.”

“Hold on, princess tinker” Calabrass said. “I have already been cloned.”

“So what?” Opal asked.

“Relax, everypony” Dusk said, in order to not let suspicions to increase any further. “We’re all going to test ourselves with Opal’s machine, okay?”

Opal took a deep breath to calm herself and said:

“Right… you’re right.”

They all got to the turbine room where Opal took a machine with a place to put a hoof and an analyzer with a light on it that she had hidden inside of one turbine.

“This machine is simple to use” Opal said, while getting to the others’ side. “You just put a hoof on the hole and wait for the result. Who wants to go first?”

“Mallet, why don’t you have the honor?” Star asked him.

“Royalty first” he replied, nervously.

Star then turned to Opal and asked:

“Tell me, what exactly is in that machine?”

“Uh, let’s do this!” Dusk exclaimed, getting enough of all that extreme caution. “We’ve already wasted enough time talking.”

He put his hoof in the hole and the machine started processing. When it was over, a green light went on, meaning Dusk was clear, much to the others’ relief. After taking his hoof, Dusk said to Mallet:

“Your time, big guy.”

Mallet prepared his hoof, but seemed a little hesitant.

“Go on” Calabrass said. “It is not going to bite ye.”

Mallet tried to put his hoof in the hole, but the size of it made it difficult.

“It won’t go in” he said.

“Push it” Dusk replied.

He did so and Opal replied:

“Careful. It’s fragile.”

The machine started analyzing Mallet and he was cleared. Sighing, Mallet said, while taking back his hoof:

“I told you.”

“Star, it’s your turn” Dusk said.

Star put his hoof in the machine which started to analyze it. However, it would appear the machine was having troubles. Despite looking suspicious, Opal commented:

“Maybe your alicorn genetics, together with the fact you’re a jinchuriki, is complicating the calculation.”

“Or not” Mallet said, while grabbing the handler of his sword.

The situation was clearly tense for everypony, but then the machine cleared Star. He took his hoof, while cleaning his sweat, while Mallet let go of his sword.

“Okay, Opal, you’ve tested all of us, now it’s your time” Star said.

“Star is right” Dusk agreed.

“I was about to do it” she replied, while turning the machine to her and placing her hoof in it which cleared her. “Looks like we’re all cleared.”

“Yeah, but you could get any results you wanted with that machine” Star told.

“Wingy, is right” Calabrass said. “Little princess here has spent a lot of time playing with that bit of a clone. She’s more likely than any of us not to be who she pretends to be.”

“Hey, I can ensure you I am Opal” she replied.

“Well…” Mallet said, while preparing his hooves.

“Stop it!” Dusk told him.

“Sorry, Opal, but if you can’t convince us real fast…” Star said, while charging his horn with magic.

Feeling even more cornered seeing her friends convinced she was the imposted, Opal couldn’t keep her secret any longer and ended up exploding:

“Wait! It was me!”

“What?!” the others asked, a little confused.

“Well, no, I’m not the clone, but…” she started. “It was me who miscalculated the coordinates for the vortex.”

That revelation caused them to trade looks and then ask:

“What?”

“You tried to lead us into a trap?” Star asked.

“No, I made a mistake!” Opal admitted. “There, I said it! Yes, I got it wrong. It was me who got it wrong, not the Chaos.”

“If she is a clone of Opal, he couldn’t have known that” Calabrass said.

“Guilty secrets cannot be cloned” Star said.

“There’s the answer!” Dusk replied. “We each admit something we dare not admit in order to prove we’re not a clone. I’ll start. For example, I… uh… I never managed to read that book you gave me about Star Swirl’s dissertation about multiple alternate worlds all the way through.”

“Don’t worry, I know about it” Star replied. “You told it was a fun reading. A fun reading… Who says that about the work of one of the greatest minds of all ponykind?”

“Sorry, Star” Dusk apologized.

“Well, just for you to know, I never got Clover’s jokes… neither yours” Star said. “I just pretend to laugh. Actually, it’s not that hard after having years pretending to like dad’s jokes.”

That revelation caused Dusk to open his mouth of surprise, while Mallet laughed on his reaction.

“Mighty Helm humor more simple to understand” he said.

But then he noticed nopony else was laughing and so he stopped. Knowing it was his turn, Mallet said:

“Okay, well… Mallet prefers sun of Beru to ice of Sino.”

That revelation really surprised the others, as Mallet was always bragging about how good he felt of being at the cold weather of Sino.

“Please, tell nopony” Mallet pleaded. “Mallet has reputation.”

“Your turn, Calabrass” Dusk said to his sword friend.

“I’ve never been a pirate” he told.

“What?”

Calabrass laughed and said:

“Pirate’s humor… You make me seasick with all your fine feelings. You’re like a bunch of lassies.”

“Well, you cannot make confessions like those” Dusk said. “So none of us are clones.”

“Don’t forget the ghosts along the way” Star told.

“What bring us back to Clover” Opal said.

With that though in mind, the five Sea Raiders returned to the corridors and Dusk said:

“If any of us find Clover, we keep him covered and immediately warn the others.”

It was then they found another of Chaos’ antibodies who started to scan them. But as soon it finished it, it attacked them. Fortunately, Mallet was able to grab it and pin against the wall, telling:

“No move!”

Directing to his friends, Mallet said:

“Mallet no understand. If it attack us, it does not mean we’re all clones?”

Having in count that what Mallet was correct, Dusk looked around and then realized who the imposter was.

“I know why the antibodies are attacking us” he said. “We’re not six. We’re seven! The metamorph has duplicated the Chaos!”

The antibody was able to get free from Mallet, emitted an immense screech and moved away. It didn’t take long for they all hear the same screech approaching from all sides. A big quantity of antibody appeared, ready to attack them.

“Attack!” Dusk declared, while taking Calabrass and fighting the antibodies.

The others joined the fight, with Dusk shooting magic blasts, Mallet using his sword and Opal using her weapon.

“They’re too many!” Dusk said.

“We’ll never deal with all these antibodies!” Star added.

“Looks like the best solution is to withdraw” Opal replied.

“Then let’s get out of here!” Dusk exclaimed, while starting to open his way through the antibodies. “Fast!”

The others started following Dusk, while more antibodies arrived to pursue them. They managed to get to the deck, but found more antibodies there. As they were keeping the antibodies at bay, Dusk asked, while slicing antibodies:

“Do you remember? We woke up next to the Chaos.”

“Well, next to his replica” Opal said.

“Exactly” Dusk continued, while keeping fighting the antibodies. “Which means, somewhere on the ice it’s the Chaos, the real one. We have to find him as fast as we can.”

They then searched for a way through the antibodies, with Mallet battling the antibodies and using all of his strength.

“Ragnasala!” he shouted, while roaring at the antibodies.

“Such violence…” Opal commented. “That’s you, all right, Mallet. There’s no doubt about it.”

Dusk, Star, Opal and Mallet then jumped out the fake Chaos and started running away as fast as they could. It was then that the fake Chaos was activated and started pursuing the Sea Raiders. Reaching a big wall, the Sea Raiders didn’t had any other choice, but to climb it. But the fake Chaos continued to pursue them, easily climbing the ice thanks to the metallic legs. Opening his mouth at the bow to reveal the cannon, the fake Chaos started firing at them.

“If this keeps this way… we’re not going to live for much longer!” Opal exclaimed, seeing how determined the fake Chaos was to hit them. “Unless…”

“Spit it out, Opal” Dusk told.

“Unless we shoot back at him” Opal replied.

“Fire at the Chaos?” Dusk asked.

“It is not the real one” Star told him. “Opal is right. We must not hesitate.”

“I know, but… what if I’m wrong?” Dusk asked.

“Chaos real or not real?” Mallet questioned.

The fake Chaos continued to fire at them, with the aim started to get more accurate.

“Obey your instincts, laddie” Calabrass told Dusk. “They’ll tell you what you should do.”

“All right…” he replied. “Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz!”

After he and Calabrass transformed, Dusk shot a blast of fire against the fake Chaos, setting him on fire, causing a big explosion. But when it cleared out, the fake Chaos seemed to not have been affected.

“Fake Chaos not even hurt” Mallet told.

Suddenly, the ice beneath the fake Chaos broke and he started to fall down. However, he was able to hold on.

“We’ve got some time” Dusk said, detransforming and putting Calabrass back on his scabbard. “We need a plan b.”

“And what is that?” Star asked.

“Run!” Dusk exclaimed.

And they continued to climb, hopping to keep their distance from the fake Chaos. They were able to arrive to the top and then started running away. The fake Chaos also reached the top and continue his pursue on them. The Sea Raiders started running through the ice bridges, but Dusk step on one part that cracked and crumbled, only not falling thanks to Mallet who pulled him back.

“That was close…” Dusk said.

They tried to go on the other ice bridge they had, but it also crumbled, leaving on the only where the fake Chaos was on.

“Dusk, your plan b is getting complicated” Star told.

With the fake Chaos arriving to their side, they prepared to fight it. At that moment, the real Chaos arrived, coming from beneath them and landing right in front of them, shielding them from the fake Chaos, much to their happiness.

“Hey, hey, mates!” Clover shouted at them from the top of the real Chaos’ mast.

“Clover!” Dusk exclaimed, glad to see their ghost friend once again.

“Where have you been?” he asked.

But he couldn’t get the answer at the moment, as the two Chaos were engaging in a battle, with Clover cheering the Chaos and even giving him advices. It was then that the fake Chaos sent his antibodies attack Dusk and the others.

“Shipmates, prepare for battle!” he told to his friends.

Meanwhile, the fake Chaos was able to corner the real one at the edge of the ice bridge, while the antibodies did the same with Dusk, Calabrass, Star, Opal and Mallet. It was then that Opal, seeing Chaos’ situation while battling his clone, got an idea.

“I have the answer” she said, starting to advance towards the Chaos.

“Opal!” Dusk called her. “Are you crazy?! Come back!”

“Don’t worry, this time I’m sure what I’m doing” she told him. “But, if I’m wrong, what is unlikely, then good luck to you.”

Using her own moves to avoid the antibodies, she was able to get to the Chaos and then headed to the engine room, while the fake Chaos was about to push the real one off the ice bridge. Once Opal got to the engine room, she activated Chaos’ propellers, what caused him to get the boost he needed to push back the his clone and then shoot at him, with the blast throwing him off instead into the bottom of the hole. The impact caused the clone to crumble away into many fractions of the stone pieces and the same happened to the antibodies.

With all the battle, ice fell down to the hole, filling it. Beofre that, Dusk said:

“I guess will never know what that think really was.”

“Another mystery of the Triangle” Calabrass commented.

Once they all returned to the Chaos, they got back to the sea, sailing away. On the deck of the bow, Clover asked to the others:

“Well, are you gonna tell me what I missed?”

“Ah, not much” Dusk replied, while on the helm. “We just played the secrets game.”

“What?!” Clover asked. “You played without me?!”

“Opal believed Mallet not Mallet” Mallet said, while laughing.

“And you thought I was the clone too” she replied too.

“Let’s be honest, okay?” Star asked. “We all thought the other could be the clone.”

That caused some tension, as they started trading looks, as if wondering if there was any other clone between them. But then they just released laughs. Clover, who was not understanding anything, just said:

“Well, nobody can take my place. I’m not a clone, I’m a clown.”

“You’re right, ectoplasm” Calabrass replied, laughing. “No one, no better how go the mimic, can make jokes as bad as yours.”

“At least, I didn’t got my Chaos mix up” Clover replied, before teleporting away.

“Well, anybody can make mistakes” Opal replied, while going to the stairs. “But we all not I’m not just anybody.”

And she laughed, while leaving, making the others also laugh, as they continued to cross Sino in search of a vortex.

Dusk's Choice

The Sea Raiders had arrived to a certain place on Beru surrounded by some reefs. It would appear they were waiting for something, with Dusk appearing bored and impatient on the helm. Turning to Opal, he asked:

“Opal, are you sure this is the right place?”

“The energy calculated corresponds to the triangulation of…” he started.

“Okay, okay, I get it” Dusk replied. “But there’s nothing here.”

He turned to his brother who was using the hexahedron he used to located Waypoints and asked him:

“Got anything, Star?”

“All of our data points to this coordinates” he replied.

“That’s what you said last time and the time before that” Dusk told. “We’ve wasted two weeks looking for the stupid Beru Waypoint.”

“Bunch of airbrain this crew” Calabrass told.

“Waypoints are not easy to find, Dusk, you know that” Star said. “Have you forgot about what we went through with the Dezer Waypoint? We’re all doing our best.”

“Then move from best to actually getting things done, okay?” Dusk replied, coldly.

He started descending the stairs, while Star told him:

“Be patient… and a little nicer.”

But Dusk just gave him an upset look and moved away. While passing by Mallet, who was making something to eat, the latter asked him:

“Dusk want Mallet’s new seaweed stew? Cheer him up…”

“Is it Waypoint stew?” Dusk asked sarcastically. “Then no thanks!”

While he started going to the prow, Mallet replied:

“Mallet doesn’t know how to do that…”

Before Dusk could get to bow, Clover appeared before him and asked him, while holding a ball:

“Hey, dude, let’s play while we’re waiting.”

However, Dusk just passed through him and replied, while going to the rail of the bow:

“Give me a break! It’s like I’m the only one here who wants to go home. We have two Waypoints left. Are you doing this on purpose or what?!”

But none of his shipmates dared to say anything… that is until he saw something that caused him to shout:

“To port! Flying… bite-acudas?”

He was right, a school of three bite-acudas were approaching them quickly. The only difference those bite-acudas had from the others were their size what caused them to become even more intimidating.

“Oh no, giant bite-acudas!” Clover shouted.

Seeing them, Dusk took Calabrass and exclaimed:

“Calabrass, give the Eye of Blazz!”

After he and Calabrass transformed, Dusk turned to the others and told them:

“Everypony stand down and let me handle this.”

He jumped to the Plank and took flight, heading towards the giant bite-acudas. He shot a blast of fire to one of them, but it would appear it did nothing to it which started to try to bite him. While trying to escape it, Dusk asked:

“Since when bite-acudas can fly?!”

It tried to bite him, but another just went against it, allowing Dusk to avoid them.

“All this time in the Bermikun Triangle and you still don’t get it that everything’s possible?” Calabrass asked.

It was then that one bite-acuda jumped to attack the Chaos and everypony on him. Fortunately, Dusk was able to shoot a fire blast against it, sending it away. The impact caused the Chaos to lose some balance, but with Star on the helm, the ship was able to hold himself, while the bite-acuda just sank.

“Maybe these rascals just don’t like water” Calabrass said to Dusk.

With him seeing the other two approaching and, knowing the Eye of Blazz couldn’t do much for them and taking Calabrass’ suggestion to the heart, Dusk said:

“Give me the Eye of Beru!”

Calabrass did what he said and they both transformed. Dusk then advanced towards the two bite-acudas and, when they prepared to attack him, he jumped highly as much as he could, using then a blast of water from Calabrass to pull him up. After he got the altitude he needed, Dusk shot water against one bite-acuda and then against the other, detransforming and landing on the Plank after that. The two bite-acudas, after being hit by the water blasts, just moved away quickly. Putting Calabrass back on his scabbard and started returning to the Chaos.

“Quick thinking, captain” Calabrass replied. “Surely bailed out the dead weight.”

“Right…” Dusk said, while jumping out of the Plank onto the prow, letting it return to its place. “Which means we can get back to…”

“Sorry, Dusk, but the Waypoint energy has disappeared” Opal told him.

“What?!” Dusk exclaimed.

“Let’s take it down a notch” Clover told him, appearing next to him. “Or fifteen. We’re all a bunch of good friends on the same boat, here.”

“Maybe that’s the problem” Dusk replied, moving away after that and going to his cabinet, closing the door loudly.

Sometime later, when the sun was setting, they returned to Marituga, where the lighthouse was casting an intense light because of all the Waypoints that have already been opened. Once they arrived there, Dusk started getting down, while saying:

“I’m going for a walk… alone.”

He had added that once he noticed Mallet wanting to go with him. Dusk then started moving away.

“He does know he is with Calabrass, right?” Clover asked to the others.

“Why is Dusk so angry?” Mallet asked.

“It’s my fault” Opal said. “I couldn’t find the Beru Waypoint. I just hope he doesn’t want to replace me.”

“Nah!” Clover replied. “Where else would we find a princess with a knack for tinkering?”

“He will come back” Star reassured. “He just needs to calm down. I know what he’s feeling right now… The more we come close to our goals, it’s easier to lose hope when we have an obstacle that may seem impossible to cross. But don’t worry. If he doesn’t come around, I can handle him.”

Dusk had gone to the beach, watching the sun setting with Calabrass stuck in the sand.

“When I was a pirate, I spent half of the time wanting to throw my crew overboard” the magical sword said, wanting to comfort Dusk for his behavior with the others.

“I’m sick of this place, Cal!” Dusk vented out, while lying down and looking into the sky. “I want to go home… With Star, my parents, my sisters… Hanging out in my room, surfing in the golden waves of Bright Shore… I’m sick of being the captain!”

After a brief pause, Dusk sighed and sit up and said to Calabrass:

“You must think I’m a loser.”

“You’re not worse than the first time we met, lad” Calabrass replied.

“Yeah, but… it still feels like we’re in a mess” Dusk said.

“But you’re less of a loser” Calabrass told.

“Good talk” Dusk replied, finally making a smile.

Suddenly, Dusk started hearing a strange sound. Getting up, he asked Calabrass:

“Do you hear that?”

“Your whining?” Calabrass asked. “Aye.”

Dusk heard the same noise again. It was like a siren that was resonating in his head. Turning around, Dusk was able to know where it was coming from: the lighthouse.

“It’s Freonus!” he exclaimed. “You know, the lighthouse guardian.”

“Hold up!” Calabrass said, while Dusk took him up. “I don’t hear a thing. It might be a trap.”

“Freonus isn’t an enemy” Dusk replied, while putting Calabrass on his scabbard. “

“Well, we have very different definitions of enemy” Calabrass replied, while Dusk started to run towards the lighthouse.

After they arrived to the entrance of the lighthouse, Dusk remembered the last time he and his friends entered and how Freonus tested them.

“We’ve passed his trials once, we can do it again” Dusk said.

With that, he opened the doors and entered, starting running towards the top of the lighthouse. Once he reached it, he found Freonus once again.

“I’m happy to see you again, Prince Dusk Storm” he told.

“Me too… I hope” Dusk replied.

“I have followed your adventures, Dusk” Freonus said. “You’re closer to your goal than ever before.”

“At least someone else thinks so…” Dusk said.

“You doubt it” Freonus observed.

“I feel like we’ll never make it” Dusk confided. “Like… we’re not strong enough.”

“Do you think you’d be better off alone?” Freonus questioned.

“Right now… I wish that this has never happened” Dusk confessed.

“Do things happen by chance, Dusk, or do we provoke them?” Freonus asked.

“A fine chat this” Calabrass said. “Come now, Mr. Twenty Questions, get to the point and don’t have me boy throw me into a hole again.”

“I didn’t you bring you here” Freonus told. “You came to me.”

“You called me” Dusk replied.

“Calabrass, did you hear me call?” Freonus quizzed.

“Hum… no” he answered.

“You’re looking for another way, Dusk” Freonus said. “Your mind obviously hope that I can help you.”

“I’m confused…” Dusk said. “Can you help me or not?”

Instead of answering his question, Freonus just extended his hand and made a vortex appear.

“Where does that go?” Dusk asked.

“It’s another way” Freonus answered, while making a slight smile.

Dusk approached the vortex, but Calabrass told him:

“Hold on, it’s a rather nebulous explanation.”

“What do we have to lose?” Dusk asked back.

And so the young unicorn prince got closed to the vortex, looking one more time to Freonus before passing through it which closed soon after.

When Dusk reached the other side, he fell on sand and so he noticed where he was: the Golden Shore, right at his beach house.

“Calabrass…” he said, smiling, while getting up. “I’m home…”

“That’s impossible!” Calabrass exclaimed. “It’s witchcraft!”

Dusk then saw his mother there, staring at the ocean.

“Oh my gosh…” he said. “Look, it’s… my mom. This is insane! I’m home!”

“Dusk…”

“Freonus sent me home!” Dusk exclaimed, still overjoyed with the fact he had returned back. “Mom!”

He approached her, running.

“Mom!”

But it would appear she didn’t listen to him.

“Mom?”

“Star… Dusk…” she said, sadly, while looking at the sea.

“Mom!” Dusk called, while trying to get her attention, but to not avail. “But… why isn’t she seeing me?”

“I knew we couldn’t trust that light bulb head” Calabrass said. “If it was that easy to get out of the Triangle, I would have done it ages ago.”

“Is all this real or not?” Dusk asked, confused.

“Probably another blasted test” Calabrass replied. “Maybe you’re supposed to throw your mother into the ocean this time.”

“A test…” Dusk said. “But what can it be?”

Dusk then headed towards the beach house and got in. Seeing its inside caused Dusk to travel back to the time before he and Star went to the Triangle.

“Everything is exactly how it was before” he said. “It’s so weird…”

He then got in his room, something he was so glad to see.

“Look, Cal, it’s my room!” he exclaimed, while going to lie down on his bed. “Ah, a real bed at last!”

Using his magic, Dusk caused a radio nearby to play some of his favorite music.

“And also real music!” he exclaimed, while enjoying it.

While he was dancing, something fell and Dusk looked to it. It was the necklace he used with the Eye of Beru. He picked it up, thinking about how everything changed when he was using that necklace at the time he was surfing when that storm happened.

It was then that he heard hoofsteps. Getting out of his room, he saw his mother coming inside and going to pick up a family photo they have taken when they finally got reunited. Tears were on her eyes, as she said:

“Star… Dusk… I miss you so much…”

Heartbroken, Dusk approached his crying mother, but it would appear she didn’t see him at all.

“It’s like I’m a ghost” he said.

But then he noticed something. It was the magic calendar that it was in the living room. It was marking the same day he and Star had gone to the Triangle. With all that, an idea came to him.

“Now I get it… This was the same day me and Dusk went to the Triangle. Sometime later. Maybe… if I put the Eye of Beru back on the necklace and concentrate just enough… maybe I can reverse things. Calabrass, give me… the Eye of Beru, please.”

“Hold on a sec” Calabrass replied. “Freonus is crafty and wicked in his way. Don’t forget when we fought that shadow monster at the day we met him.”

“I know, but…” Dusk started. “I’m sorry, Cal. I’m just so desperate. And it’s not only my selfish desire. Look at my mom. She’s devastating. She probably thinks she won’t see her sons again. If at least I can make it back home, that will make her a little happier. Besides, I know Star will find a way to get back. He’s a hero, after all. Compared to him… I’m just a loser.”

“Hey, kid, you’re anything but a loser” Calabrass reassured him. “You’ve become a great captain. I bet Star shares the same opinion as me, despite our differences. But I get you’re feeling. We may have shared a lot of experiences, but… you’re home.”

And so, he made the Eye of Beru get out of him and delivered it to Dusk.

“Thanks…” Dusk told him, grateful.

And so Dusk placed the Eye of Beru on the necklace, but, before he could do anything, he told Calabrass:

“I’ll never forget you, buddy.”

“Me neither, Dusk Storm” the talking sword replied.

Dusk then started to focus on the Eye of Beru his desire to come back home. Once he did that, the Eye started glowing.

Back in the Sea of Beru, the other Sea Raiders were still waiting for Dusk. His delay was starting to cause some worries on them.

“Perhaps he found some trouble” Opal commented.

“No, he’ll be back” Clover replied to her, while standing on the base of one of the sails. “No worries there, mate.”

It was then the all crew noticed the light at the top of the mast. After it was gone, Star asked:

“What was that?!”

Clover went up there to find out and shouted:

“Calabrass!”

It was really him, on the same place he was before he had met Dusk.

“How did you get there?” Opal asked him from the deck, while she was joined by Star and Mallet.

“Where’s Dusk?” Clover asked.

“Can someone get me down here first?!” Calabrass replied to them, in his grumpy voice.

While Clover started to try to pull him out, Star flapped his wings to be at Calabrass’ level and asked:

“What happened to you, Calabrass?”

But the sword didn’t answer the question right away, as he didn’t know how to do it.

At Bright Shore, Twilight was looking at the picture of her family, when she heard a voice saying:

“Mom?”

Hearing Dusk’s voice caused Twilight to get out of her sadness abruptly, what made her to be unable to move for a moment, thinking she was dreaming. But when she turned around and saw his younger son staring at her, tears of joy came to her eyes, while she smiled.

“Dusk!” she exclaimed.

The two of them went to hug each other. After the hug ended, Twilight told him:

“I was so scared I wouldn’t see you again… and your brother. Wait… where’s he? Why isn’t he with you?”

“Calm down, mom, I can explain everything” Dusk said. “Where’s dad?”

“He’s helping the others on finding Heartbeat” she replied. “We got to know that you were to the Bermikun Triangle and she is the one that knows the most about it.”

“And we went there” Dusk told. “Actually, we’ve been there for months! But I got back.”

“What about Star?”

“Star… he’s still there. I… I found a way to return home, but… it was only for me. I… left him in the Triangle… I’m sorry,mom, but… I just couldn’t stand be there for much longer and… I knew Star would be able to get out… to get everypony there out. I know it sounds selfish, but…”

But before he could continue, Twilight embraced Dusk again, but now in a way to comfort him, while saying:

“It’s okay, my son… I’m here for you.”

Back in Beru, Calabrass told the others about Dusk’s choice. After he ended, Clover, who was sitting on the mast beside him, asked:

“Dusk abandoned us?”

“Oh no… don’t tell it’s all my fault” Opal said.

“Calabrass, you’re missing a stone” Star noticed. “Where’s the Eye of Beru?”

“Dusk took it back” Calabrass replied. “It was the one thing that brought him here, so it was the only thing that could return him.”

“Dusk come back?” Mallet asked the old pirate.

“I’m not sure about that, metalhead” Calabrass replied. “Captain is back on home, now.”

“But, without the Eye of Beru, we won’t be able to leave the Triangle” Star said. “And we won’t be able to see Dusk either… Or our families.”

That statement caused an immense silence to the other members of the Sea Raiders. Seeing them glooming like that, Calabrass told them:

“Come on, now, what are you: fresh water pirates?! You’re the Sea Raiders and friends of the mighty Calabrass, so behave like that! Dusk may not be here, but that’s not excuse. Listen to me, wingy, your brother couldn’t stand the despair, but he believes you can find a way to get out of this place.”

Star got caught by surprise by Calabrass’ words, but, at the same time, got inspired by them. Calabrass was right: they couldn’t give up now.

“So, what are you waiting for, guys?” he asked to the others. “Let’s get Calabrass out of there!”

“Yeah!” they all replied.

At the Bright Shore, dark thundering clouds covered the sky, while the wind started to blow harder. Inside the beach house, Dusk told Twilight about some of his adventures inside the Triangle.

“So, this Golden Bones, the general of the skeletons… you fought him?” Twilight asked.

“Big time!” Dusk replied. “With Cal, Star and the rest of my crew.”

“I see…” Twilight replied, with a chuckle. “It’s good to see you had a great adventure. Luckily you came back.”

Despite knowing he could have come back along with his brother, Dusk couldn’t help but make a slight smile to his mother. It was then that a thunder caught his attention. The Eye of Beru, which was left on the necklace on a table started to glow.

Dusk approached it and then noticed something that was on the wall. It was a nautical chart that Heartbeat had given him some time ago and that Dusk used to adorn the living room. Taking it with his magic to have a closer look, he noticed something that looked familiar: three triangular stones with something at the center that looked like the Beru symbol.

“This chart… It shows the location of the Beru Waypoint!” he exclaimed. “It was always here?! Of course it was! Heartbeat was the one who gave it to me!”

Seeing the look on his son’s face, Twilight realized what he was thinking. He had the same look she once had when finding the solution to many crisis she and her friends had already faced. It would appear he was about to go back.

“Let me guess” she said. “You’ll return to the Triangle.”

“I have to, mom” Dusk replied. “This is exactly what we need for all of us to escape and it was right here. That’s why Freonus sent me here.”

Taking the necklace, he put it on and said:

“I can’t abandon them, especially when I have the solution we need. It’s not just for Star. It’s for all of my friends. I got tired and frustrated and I abandoned them. I wouldn’t be able to get back knowing what I have done.”

“I understand” Twilight said. “And you know what? I won’t stop you.”

“Really?”

“Yes, after all, it runs in a family. We are protectors and we must act like one. Your crew and the ponies of the Bermikun Triangle need you. Just promise me you won’t stop fighting.”

“I won’t” Dusk promised. “I’ll come home, dad, along with Star.”

“I know you will” Twilight said, while putting a hoof over his shoulder. “As much as it hurts, I believe in you,son.”

The fact his mother said those words made Dusk draw a big smile on his face. Now he knew he could do anything.

Taking one of his surfboards, Dusk went outside and, before going to the sea, waved goodbye to Twilight who waved him back from the entrance of the beach house. After that, Dusk got in the water, went onto his board and started surfing the waves that were starting to be formed.

“I love you, Dusk!” Twilight shouted. “And your brother too! Please, tell him that for me!”

“I will!” Dusk shouted back. “And I love you too!”

The Eye of Beru around his neck started to glow with more intensity, as the dark clouds approached, forming a shape of a skull. A wave was formed right in front of him and a portal opened on it. Without hesitating, Dusk jumped into it and, once he did it, it closed behind him.

“Good luck, son…” Twilight said, after seeing him disappear.

“I wouldn’t be too worry about him” a voice said behind her.

Twilight turned around and saw Heartbeat who was with Bright Night.

“Heartbeat!” Twilight said. “Blue and the others were looking for you!”

“I know, that’s why I avoided them” she replied. “I knew they wanted to know about the Bermikun Triangle. They probably figured I was responsible for what happen.”

“What is true” Night Night replied. “You gave the Eye of Beru to Prince Dusk so that he could go to the Bermikun Triangle.”

“Okay, normally, I would demand you to explain yourself and, if the excuse wasn’t good enough, I and the others would give you an even greater punishment than the one before” Twilight said. “But now… I just don’t have the energy for that. Golden told me and Blue that you gave Dusk the Eye of Beru so that he could go to the Bermikun Triangle.”

“Yes, because he is one that can fix it” Heartbeat replied. “I mean, that place has been put on hold for too long.”

“In a way, I have to agree with Heartbeat” Bright Night said. “Through our connection to the Bermikun Triangle, we’ve been able to notice the changes he is doing there. And with him and the others about to open the Beru Waypoint, they will be one step closer to open the Bermikun Triangle. Just be patient, princess, and have hope… cause that’s the only thing you and everypony else can do right now.”

And with that, the two Generals teleported away.

In Beru, Star, Opal, Mallet and Clover were trying to pull Calabrass out of the mast. The Chaos had split the sail to be easier to do it.

“Come on, you bunch of landlovers” Calabrass told them. “Pull harder!”

They tried to do it, but Calabrass was really stuck to the mast, causing the others to just fall to the deck.

“Need a hoof there?” a voice asked.

They looked up and saw, to their delight, Dusk, standing on the bow.

“Dusk?” Star asked. “Is that you?!”

“You can bet on that, big brother” he replied.

“Dusk’s back!” Clover exclaimed, appearing beside him. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”

“What are you doing here, kid?” Calabrass asked Dusk.

Smiling, Dusk climbed the mast until he got to Calabrass and replied to him, while taking the necklace with the Eye of Beru:

“Ah, I just thought you’d never make it without me.”

Seeing the Eye of Beru and noticing Dusk was really there to stay, Calabrass just said:

“Yum-yum!”

Dusk released the Eye of Beru from the necklace and the stone just floated towards Calabrass and placed itself on its place. That allowed Dusk to remove Calabrass and hold him, while the blade appeared.

“Ragnasala!” Mallet shouted, happily, expressing what everyone was feeling at that moment.

“If I have to go home one day, it will be at the same time as you” Dusk told. “We lose together, we win together.”

He sled down the mast and landed on the deck and then addressed Star and Opal, while putting Calabrass on his scabbard:

“Star, Opal, I’m sorry. I was being a major jerk for no reason. I was just thinking on myself.”

“Don’t worry about that” Opal replied. “We all have bad days.”

“You had me on jerk” Star said. “Just don’t let it happen again.”

“I think I can do that” Dusk replied. “Oh, and P.S. mom told me to tell you she loves you.”

“Thanks, little brother” Star thanked. “At least she came to have one of us to tell her we were fine. At least one good thing came out of this mess.”

“Actually, that’s two good things” Dusk rectified. “You were right. We were sitting right on top of the Beru Waypoint.”

And he delivered to him the chart that he had found. Taking it and observing it, Star asked:

“Where did you get this chart?”

“From the beach house” Dusk replied. “Turns out Heartbeat had given it to me before.”

“That little rascal…” Star said. “She always finds a way to surprise us.”

“I can agree on that, laddie” Calabrass said.

“We didn’t find the Waypoint because I was impatient” Dusk said. “If we had waited, the Waypoint would have appeared.”

“Of course!” Star exclaimed, getting what his brother was trying to say. “The tides!”

With all that, the Chaos activated himself and, with his captain behind the helm with the others by his side, waited for Dusk’s command:

“Chaos, set a course for the Beru Waypoint, please.”

And so, Chaos moved away from the docks of Marituga, joined the sails and advanced towards the open sea. Arriving to the location, the Sea Raiders started waiting for the appearance of the Waypoint.

Looking to her device, Opal said:

“The energy calculation are positive.”

“Nothing in sight, captain!” Clover claimed at the top of the mast.

“It’s not time yet” Dusk replied. “We’ll wait.”

And so they did just that. Clover looked so bored after sometime, but then he noticed something bubbling in the water and said:

“At port!”

And so the Beru Waypoint appeared from the waters and started go up into the sky. It looked like the Dezer Waypoint, but it was blue and had the Beru symbol instead.

“It was hard to find but it appears to not have a guardian” Dusk commented.

“Don’t celebrate too soon, kid” Calabrass warned him. “Nothing on this journey is ever easy.”

Dusk walked to the tip of the bow holding Calabrass and then asked him:

“Ready, Calabrass?”

“Never been more ready, captain” he replied.

And so Dusk whistled and the Plank was activated and launched, with the young captain jumping onto it. They flew up to the Waypoint and, when Dusk was close enough, he jumped and prepared to insert Calabrass in the lock. At that moment, however, the Waypoint started to return to water and then sank in it. With them falling, Dusk could only do one thing and said:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Beru!”

They transformed and then dived. As Dusk followed the sinking Waypoint, the Sea Beast appeared, proving to be the Waypoint’s guardian. It’s appearance and movement caused the water at the surface to become unrested and shake the Chaos.

“I think it’s moving under water” Star said. “Dusk must need help.”

Having said that, Star used his magic to make a bubble around his head to be able to breath under water and then dived. Meanwhile, Opal, Mallet and Clover went to the helm and activated Chaos’ submarine mode, with the ship diving as well.

As Dusk continued to try to reach the Waypoint, the Sea Beast extended its tentacles to him, grabbing one of his hind hooves and preparing to send him into its mouth. It was then that a magic beam hit it in the eye, with that beam having come from Star who was sided soon after by the Chaos who shot against the Sea Beast as well, causing it to let Dusk go. However, the Sea Beast started to swim away towards the bottom of the sea.

“Hey, come back and fight, you fat codfish!” Dusk exclaimed.

But the Sea Beast didn’t listen, as it approached the Beru Waypoint and put it inside its mouth.

“Nothing is ever easy” Calabrass reminded Dusk.

Dusk followed the Sea Beast with Star and Chaos nearby.

“Be careful, Dusk” the older brother warned the younger one. “You’re not a fish.”

“Neither are you” Dusk replied. “And Opal and illuminate the way with the Chaos.”

After Calabrass cleared his voice, Dusk added:

“Oh, and we have Calabrass too.”

They continued to go deeper and deeper. But it was then that the pressure started to affect the Chaos, with the glass around Opal, Mallet and Clover starting to crack and the engine of the ship starting to fail as well.

“Are you okay, Opal?” Star asked.

“Well… no” she replied. “The pressure is too much for the Chaos!”

“Go back” Star told her, while Dusk made Calabrass to irradiate enough light to illuminate the way. “We can continue without you.”

And so the Chaos started to return back to the surface, while Dusk and Star continued to follow the Sea Beast. They reached the bottom, but they didn’t have any sign of the Sea Beast.

“Ah, we lost it!” Dusk exclaimed, frustrated. “We can’t see much. It can be anywhere.”

As they looked around, Star told, while pointing to a cratter:

“He’s hiding in there.”

They looked inside and saw the Sea Beast sleeping, with the Waypoint not so far from it at the furthermost corner.

“I’ll draw him out” Star told Dusk. “The Waypoint is inside.”

“Be careful” Dusk said, while Star advanced.

“I got nothing to fear” he replied. “I have my little brother and Calabrass with me.”

When Star was close enough, he attacked the Sea Beast with another blast and started to swim away, with the creature following him soon after. After they were away, Dusk came out of his hiding place and got in the crater, advancing towards the Waypoint. However, as they were getting closer, the Eye of Beru started to flick.

“Oh-oh, I have some bad news, captain” Calabrass said. “I think we’re running out of juice.”

“Not now, Cal, we’re almost there!” Dusk exclaimed.

“Sorry” he said.

And, with Calabrass out of energy, the transformation was undone. Without it, Dusk found himself unable to breath. He turned to Star who was still fighting the Sea Beast. The alicorn prince noticed that his brother was in trouble, but he was not the only one, as the Sea Beast noticed Dusk as well and started advancing towards him.

With no other choise, Dusk decided to use all the air he still got to make it to the Waypoint and open it, as that would destroy the creature that guarded it. But, before he could insert Calabrass in the lock, the Sea Beast grabbed him and pulled him in a way that caused him to drop Calabrass, throwing him away.

Star, seeing his little brother unconscious and unable to breath, wanted to go help him, but that would not be possible with the Sea Beast there, still going after him. He knew there was one thing he should do. Looking to the Waypoint, he saw that Calabrass was right on there. Noticing the Sea Beast was about to devour Dusk, Star swam as fast as he could.

As the Sea Beast closed its mouth around Dusk, Star arrived to the Waypoint, grabbed Calabrass and inserted him inside the lock, turning him. This caused a pillar of light to be released and the Sea Beast to disappear. After that, Star, holding Calabrass, swam to get Star and take him back to the surface.

Back in the Chaos, Mallet performed CPR on Dusk, causing him to spit out the water in him and be brought back. After he had spat out the last water he still had, Dusk found himself be embraced by Mallet, Opal and Clover, while the former said:

“Dusk alive! Mallet made miracle.”

Star chuckled and then looked to the tower of light created by the opening of the Waypoint. Dusk approached him and asked:

“We did it? Wow… Thank you, Star.”

“Thank you for coming back… captain” Star replied.

“Arr, my blade is numb!” Calabrass exclaimed, while leaning against the stairs to the prow.

Dusk went to grab him and said:

“One more Waypoint to open…”

Turning to his crew, he asked them:

“Are you ready to go home?”

They all cheered for that question and Dusk said:

“Let’s finish it… together!”

“Yeah!”

The Lost Orb

The Sea Raiders were at that moment in Aeria, with the Chaos using his metal legs to jump from rock to rock that were going up. The only one that seemed to be enjoying all that jumping was Clover who didn’t stop cheering.

“Again, again!” he told Dusk, who was at the helm from the prow with Opal, from the tip of the bow.

“Don’t worry, Clover, we still have a lot to go” Dusk replied to him.

“Exactly” Star replied, while consulting Opal’s device and holding tight to her position. “The Lost Orb is higher, Dusk.”

“More, more, more!” Clover continued to cheer.

The Chaos continued to jump, but all that was not being very nice to Opal, who was at the deck with Mallet with a sickly look.

“Why couldn’t it get lost more down?” she asked, while trying to contain herself to not puke.

“Mallet like pure air” Mallet told her. “Pure like the mountains of Ragnasala. Breath!”

He took a very deep breath that he enjoyed, but Opal kept being airsick, something that only got worse with another jump.

“Sorry, Opal, but that’s what the map we got from Torg’s ship tells us to go” Star replied. “When we got it, at the first it made no sense as it was indicating Aeria and we had already opened that Waypoint. But after we opened the Beru Waypoint, we caught a signal coming from here which is the location descripted in the map.”

“Great, so we’re basically following a theory…”

“I think it’s much more than just a theory” Star replied. “There are reports about the Last Orb that contains the location of the last Waypoint. I think Torg had found the map with its location before he… well, you know.”

“Okay, let’s just end this… quickly as possible” Opal replied, while containing her puking reflex.

“Looks like our tinker princess is getting the quizzys” Calabrass commented to Dusk, causing him to chuckle.

The Chaos then gave a bigger jump, causing Opal to release a scream. After they landed on another rock, Calabrass asked cynically to Opal:

“Don’t feeling so good, are we?”

“I’m a princess of a kingdom mainly set inside a volcano and a sailor” she replied. “My natural environment is… well, anywhere but up here. Besides, you’re a sword, Clover is a ghost, Star is an alicorn used to fly, Dusk is a thrill seeker and Mallet… well, he’s Mallet. I’m the only one in an disadvantage here.”

“Just hang loose, Opal” Dusk advised her, while looking up to the highest stone where there was something shining. “We get the Lost Orb, use it to find the Waypoint of Vapir and we’re good.”

“Quickly then” Opal told. “It’s all I ask.”

“Hey, Captain Dusk, can we go on or is this a picnic?” Clover asked.

“It’s no picnic” Dusk replied. “Chaos!”

And the Chaos jumped again, with that being accompanied by Opal’s screams and Clover’s cheers.

“Ten out of ten of awesomeness” Clover said.

“Zero out of ten” Opal replied, while over the rail. “Sickness!”

She started to puke when she noticed something down there.

“What?” she asked, as she saw pteros approaching. “Dusk, we got company!”

“What sort?” Dusk asked.

Before she could answer, shots started to be fire at them.

“The bony kind” she said.

Leading the pteros was Golden Bones who shouted, while firing with his canon:

“Dusk Storm!”

“Oh-oh…” Dusk said, taking Calabrass, while he found the Chaos surrounded by the skeletons who kept firing. “Sea Raiders, to your battle stations!”

Star then went to the deck to help the others fighting off the skeletons on their pteros, with Mallet going to use one of Chaos’ side cannons. Dusk dodged the best he could the shots from the skeletons, jumping to the taffrail, and then said to Calabrass:

“Calabrass, give the Eye of Aeria!”

And so they transformed, with Calabrass becoming a shield. While using Calabrass to protect himself when the skeletons attacked, Dusk casted lightning from his hoof to hit some of the attackers.

“They are moving fast” Calabrass observed.

“I can be fast too” Dusk replied.

The young captain whistled and the Plank took flight from the bow and came to him, with Dusk jumping off the taffrail and landing on it. He then started moving around to better hit the skeletons.

While trying to shoot with her weapon, Opal started to feel the effects of her airsickness which caused her to drop her guard. Fortunately, Dusk was able to cover for her and blew up with the skeletons who were trying to attack her. After recovering, she continued to defend the Chaos from the skeletons.

With Calabrass now turned into an axe, Dusk continued to attack down the skeletons. After stopping for a moment, Calabrass asked him:

“While you’re up here, why not cease our chance to grab the orb?”

“Bored already?” Dusk asked.

“Just thinking about our dear tinker princess” he replied, motioning to the Chaos.

Using the binocular over his left eye, Dusk noticed how sicker Opal was getting. He already had to save her before and he didn’t know how long she would be able to hold on.

“She looks green…” Dusk said.

“Yeah, it looks like it is her new color” Calabrass commented.

At that moment, Dusk defended himself from a shot that came from Carver who started coming after him. The young captain started to move away from him, but the lieutenant skeleton kept tailing him. It was then that Bones appeared behind Carver and told him:

“Carver, leave Storm to me!”

“But I got right on my aim” he protested, while pointing his gun.

“It wasn’t a suggestion!” Bones replied.

Having no other choice, Carver turned his ptero around and moved away, leaving Bones pursuing Dusk instead. He started shooting at him, but the young unicorn was able to dodge all the shots.

“Did you come to give your farewell, Bones?” Dusk taunted. “That is, before we get out of the Bermikun Triangle?”

“You’re not out yet, Storm!” Golden Bones replied, while catching up with him. “Give me the sword of legend!”

“Sword of legend…” Calabrass said, while Dusk continued dodging Golden Bones’ attacks. “How can you say that with a straight face?”

“Lightning!” Dusk exclaimed.

“With pleasure!” Calabrass answered.

And they shot lightning on Golden Bones, hitting him and electrifying his ptero. While the ptero started to fall, Golden Bones shouted:

“No!”

With Golden Bones falling to the sea of clouds beneath them, Dusk exclaimed:

“Yeah!”

Now that Golden Bones had been dealt with, Dusk flew to the highest piece of rock and landed there, while detransforming and putting Calabrass back on the scabbard. For a moment, he looked into the fight that was happening down there, before Calabrass turning around and say:

“There she be!”

Dusk then headed towards a small crater on the rock where there was a shining orb.

“This is it?” he asked, while taking it with his magic.

“Aye, laddie” Calabrass answered. “And inside it tells you where to find the Waypoint of Vapir. However, it can only be unlocked once the other six Waypoints are unlocked.”

“So we just need to open it and…” Dusk started.

“We can all go home” Calabrass finished.

However, they had to cut short the celebrations as they started being attacked again. Golden Bones are returned to the skies and tried to hit Dusk again. His attacks caused Dusk to make a sudden dodge that made him drop the orb which started rolling to the edge of the rock.

“No!” Dusk exclaimed, unable to go after it because of Golden Bones’ attacks.

Annoyed by Golden Bones, Dusk did his best to better evade his attacks while trying to go after the orb. When it started to fell down, Dusk jumped as well and was able to grab it. Fortunately, Chaos, in his flying mode and steered by Star, was able to catch him.

“Nice work, Chaos!” Dusk congratulated, turning then to his crew. “Did you get them all?”

His question was answered when skeletons regrouped with Golden Bones who told them:

“At my command, maximum power! Fire!”

They all started to fire with everything they had. It was then that some of them caused some damage on Chaos, causing him to start falling, pushing Dusk back. Fortunately, he was caught in time by Opal’s magic and she brought him back to the deck. Chaos continued to fall down, heading towards the sea of clouds that existed beneath them. Before that situation, Dusk commanded:

“Chaos, submarine mode, now!”

He did so and they all dived into the clouds, with the pteros reaching the diving place seconds later.

“Dusk Storm is slivering away, Bones” Carver told his general.

“Silence!” he replied. “We’ll return to Netherwhere.”

And so they all started heading towards a vortex to Vapir.

As the Chaos advanced through the sea of clouds, Dusk asked to his crew:

“Anything broken?”

“Only my funny bone” Clover replied, laughing before releasing a painful moan.

They went then to the captain’s cabinet, where they placed the Lost Orb on the table.

“Why so much for little ball?” Mallet asked, while looking the orb closely.

“This is our map for out of here, Mallet” Dusk replied.

“Map is flat” Mallet said.

“This one isn’t” Opal told.

“I love this adventure!” Clover replied, appearing on Opal’s back. “What’s next, Captain Dusk?”

“We take this orb to the Great Library of Sino so we can see what’s inside of it” Dusk said. “It’s a good thing Star found out about it in the books.”

“Actually, it was in one of the books we got from Sassafras” Star replied. “So the good thing was that she decided to lend us some books for reuniting her family.”

“Any who, we have no time to waste” Dusk said. “After this little encounter with the skeletons, no doubt Skullivar will do anything to prevent us from leaving the Triangle.”

In Netherwhere, Golden Bones and his army were before Skullivar at his throne room. Golden Bones was walking with Skullivar, while the other skeletons were in line, heading towards the machine that Steam Forge had been forced to build, with him beside it.

“Yet again, you failed to seize the sword of legend” Skullivar said, while moving. “Yet again, you failed me, Bones!”

“Master, I promise you that…” Golden Bones started.

“I heard the same excuses before” Skullivar replied, turning to Bones. “My machine is ready and it needs a fitting chief. Carver!”

Carver stepped out of the line and Skullivar told him:

“You are now on command.”

“What?!” Golden Bones asked, not believing what he was hearing.

“As you wish, mighty Skullivar” Carver replied, turning then to Golden Bones. “You heard the master, Bones. It’s time to change course.”

“This is an outrage!” Golden Bones told Skullivar as he passed by him to head towards his throne.

“You have no choice” Carver said to him. “Steam Forge!”

Steam approached Carver a little nervously and gave him what appeared to be a golden sphere with a bottom surrounded by five blue circles. Once he had it, Carver told to Golden Bones:

“With this, I shall achieve in one minute what you failed to do in months.”

Irritated by Carver’s words, Golden Bones shouted, while preparing to attack with his hook:

“You insolent dog!”

But when Golden Bones prepared to land his attack, Carver pressed the button of the sphere, causing the circles to illuminate and he disappeared, much to Bones’ confusion.

“Dogs have sharp teeth, Bones” Carver’s voice was heard, echoing.

He reappeared, right behind Golden Bones, but when the latter realized that, it was too late, as Carver punched him and threw him against the floor. Turning to Carver, he asked:

“What Devil’s work is this?”

“An individual vortex inducer” Skullivar replied, nearby. “A portable teleporter, if you prefer.”

“This is how I will take the sword of legend from Dusk Storm” Carver told.

Not even Golden Bones had words to say anymore before that.

The Sea Raiders were able to find a vortex that took them from Aeria to Sino.

“Library ahoy!” Clover exclaimed, as they approached land.

“Finally…” Dusk said, while at the helm, with Star and Mallet beside him.

And they approached what appeared to be a fortress made of giant icicles. They sailed through the entrance and then advanced with Chaos using his metal legs. Inside, they were before what appeared to be a massive vault labyrinth, with each safe box containing an orb like the one they had. Despite it appearing deserted, there was someone there that could help them.

“Ahoy there!” Dusk called from the bow, sided by his friends, holding the Lost Orb with his magic.

After a few seconds, a voice said, while Chaos stopped:

“Yes, yes, hold on already. What do you want? What? What?”

And a troll appeared before them, but this one appeared different from the ones they had already encountered, as he didn’t appear to be dangerous and was wearing a white tunic.

“My name is Dusk Storm” Dusk introduced himself.

“Storm?” the troll repeated, gradually showing some enthusiasm. “Dusk Storm? The Dusk Storm? Oh my… I should have cleaned. The library is not ready for a legend.”

“I’m looking for the Waypoint of Vapir so my friends and I can finally leave the Bermikun Triangle” Dusk explained.

“Leave…” the troll meditated. “Well, yes, I imagine that your ghostly friend would like to restore his true form.”

“My true… form?” Clover repeated.

“Naturally” the troll replied. “Naturally yes. Whosoever leaves the Triangle is free from any Triangle curse.”

“You don’t say…” Calabrass said, thinking that maybe that also applied to him as well.

“How do you know that?” Dusk asked to the troll.

“Well, this is a library” the troll answered. “Ah, this young generation… so clueless. Each of these orbs contain part of the knowledge of the Seven Seas. What else there is to do here besides read?”

“Clover and Calabrass go home?” Mallet asked.

“Yuppi!” Clover celebrated. “All right!”

“Honorable, Keeper, we need your knowledge” Star told the troll.

“Ah, somepony who knows how to speak properly” the Keeper observed. “Well, I’m here for that. Proceed.”

“For ages we have searched for the Waypoint of Vapir” Star spoke. “We know the location lies inside this orb. Now that the other Waypoints are opened, that knowledge is at our grasp.”

“So let’s go to reading it” the Keeper replied. “Mister Storm, please hold the orb out.”

Dusk advanced to the tip of the bow and did what the Keeper told him to do. Before anything could happen, the Keeper asked him:

“Are you sure you are ready to learn all that lies hidden within?”

“I think so” Dusk replied.

“I hope you are” the Keeper told, while his eyes started to glow with the same happened with Dusk’s, while the orb started to move away until it got between the two of them. “That is because knowledge has a cost. Always a cost.”

And the orb emitted an intense light.

Meanwhile, outside, the Demoniac approached the Great Library of Sino. At the bridge, Carver was at the helm, holding the teleporter. He said:

“This teleporter works in a limited distance. It’s critical that we’re not detected until we are at least five hundred meters from the Chaos. So says your captain.”

“Enough with the titles already, Carver” Golden Bones said, between the skeletons that were before the new captain of the Demoniac. “You’re a fake. You step over your superiors and use gadgets to fight your enemy.”

“It hurts seeing someone succeeding in place of your failure… dog?” Carver asked.

“Enough of this!” Golden Bones shouted, fed with all of Carver’s arrogance.

He wanted to attack him, but he was prevented by the other skeletons.

“Na-ah-ah” Carver said, while turning around. “Before the sun sets, I will deliver the sword of legend to Skullivar and your fate will be sealed.”

Inside the library, Dusk was about to see what was inside the Lost Orb. It was then that he found himself advancing through the Sea of Vapir, reaching none other than Netherwhere. Getting inside of it, he entered Skullivar’s throne room and approached his throne, whose base opened and revealed Waypoint, whose appearance resembled the ones from Dezer and Beru, but with the color and symbol of Vapir.

“The Waypoint…” Dusk said, while getting out of his transe and turning to his friends. “The Waypoint… We found it!

Outside, the Demoniac was approaching the Great Library of Sino so that Carver could teleport to where the Chaos was. While Carver was at the front of the bridge, preparing himself, a skeleton was at the help, while verifying the distance they were from the location of the Chaos, counting it down:

“Seven hundred… Six hundred and sixty… Six hundred and twenty… Five hundred and eighty meters…”

Carver prepared himself to press the button, but Golden Bones was too much furious for seeing another about to have the glory that should be his. Unable to contain himself, Golden Bones decided to take back that glory and so knocked down the skeletons that were guarding him and then did the same with the skeleton at the helm. Carver noticed that, but it was too late, as Golden Bones activated the cannons which fired against the library.

The impacted caused the library to shake and, inside, some of the orbs fell down from their safe boxes and got smashed when hitting the floor.

“No!” the Keeper exclaimed. “My orbs!”

“Don’t worry, we know how to deal with this” Dusk replied. “Chaos, let’s move!”

And so the Chaos started heading towards the exit of the library.

In the Demoniac, after seeing what happened, Carver turned back and asked:

“Who opened fire?!”

“That button is too sensitive” Golden Bones replied, cynically, from the helm.

“You!” Carver exclaimed.

He pressed the teleporter and appeared behind Bones, punching him against the helm. Bones tried to attack, but Carver teleported back, beside the skeletons that had already reassembled. He took a saber from one of them and prepared to face Golden Bones who advanced to attack him. The golden skeleton tried to attack Carver, but he teleported to avoid the blow, reappearing behind him and preparing to land a blow. That blow was however defended by Golden Bones who tried to counterattack, only for that try be fooled by another teleportation by Carver. The latter prepared another attack, but Golden Bones avoided it and grabbed him, however Carver teleported away to escape.

After that, Golden Bones looked around, ready to face Carver from any possible direction, but he was able to attack him even so. At the second tried, the two crossed blades, but Carver continued to evade Golden Bones attacks one after the other thanks to the teleporter. It was then that the two got into a position where they started to measure their strengths.

Meanwhile, the Chaos got out of the library and Dusk, who was at the helm, summoned Chaos’ front cannon and started firing on the Demoniac. After that, he made Chaos return to his boat form while getting into the water and used his legs to jump over the Demoniac and run over it, returning to the water and sailing away as fast as he could.

Noticing the Demoniac was standing still, Clover asked:

“Why are they not chasing us?”

“Worry about that later” Dusk replied, while steering. “I saw what’s inside the orb. The final Waypoint is hidden inside the fortress of Netherwhere.”

That new shocked the others and Opal said:

“But that’s Skullivar’s home.”

“If he is waiting for us, let’s not keep him waiting” Dusk proclaimed. “Set course!”

He activated the full power of Chaos’ engines and they started heading towards the nearest vortex to Vapir.

Inside the Demoniac, the fight between Golden Bones and Carver continued, but Bones continued to be at the disadvantage because of Carver’s use of the teleporter. It was then that Carver was able to throw Golden Bones against the floor and then told him, while pointing him the saver:

“I arrest you for mutiny. You deliberately sabotaged our mission. Put him in the brig!”

The other skeletons hesitated before that order as, despite Carver being their captain, they still didn’t know if they should obey it, as Golden Bones had been their leader for so long. Noticing they were not obeying, Carver shouted:

“Now!”

And so they started doing what he commanded, surrounding Golden Bones who got up who started advancing.

“It is I who must bring back the sword to our master” he said to Carver. “And it is I who will.”

After giving that warning to Carver, Golden Bones was escorted to the exit, while Carver replied:

“You will do nothing other than rot!”

And Golden Bones got out of the bridge and then Carver turned to the helm and asked to the skeleton that was at the helm before, while advancing towards him:

“Now where is that ship?”

“The Chaos?” he asked. “Ah… He took a vortex to Vapir while you were fighting the general.”

Indeed Chaos had taken the vortex, arriving to Vapir.

“Vapir, the Sea of Mist…” Dusk said, while they got into a quiet movement. “Take a good look, friends, this may be the last time you see it.”

“Not so fast, Dusk” Star replied. “We’re not there yet. First, we have to face Skullivar and his troops.”

“And, if there is a Waypoint, it means there’s also a Guardian” Opal added.

“We’ll need to be awfully clever” Clover said, appearing next to her.

“And nothing of that scares me one lick” Dusk told, approaching them. “After all this time, all this adventures, I have the perfect team for what lies ahead.”

That speech caused Mallet to get tears on his eyes and say:

“Mallet have beautiful memories.”

“So will we all” Star said, while looking ahead.

They continued to move ahead, however they were being tailed by the Demoniac which had been able to return quickly to Vapir and was now following the Chaos underwater. Using the periscope, Carver was able to have a look on the enemy. Releasing it, he said to the others, while holding the teleporter:

“Success, mates, where there was only failure.”

Reaching Netherwhere, the Chaos stopped behind an echo island in order to avoid being detected by the radars of the fortress.

“Netherwhere…” Dusk said, while looking to Skullivar’s fortress, taking then Calabrass and addressing to his friends. “Get ready.”

Mallet took his sword, preparing it, while Clover checked his chains, Opal her weapon and Star charged his horn.

“Ready, Calabrass?” Dusk asked his trusty sword.

“Never been more ready, captain” he replied.

Dusk then noticed that Opal was making some adjustments to her weapon.

“You’re making adjustments now?” he asked her.

“We have to surprise Skullivar” she replied. “Think outside the box. Not follow old patterns.”

After finishing the adjustments, she took some gravel they had there and threw it, firing after that. With one shoot, she was able to create multiple blasts that hit each of the fragments.

“She be right” Calabrass agreed. “Ye should hold me by the blade.”

“Arr, arr…” Dusk said, faking laugh, while the others smiled.

At that moment, there was a flash and they saw that Carver had just appeared on the prow of the Chaos.

“Carver!” Dusk exclaimed.

Both Star and Opal shot, but Carver teleported and avoided the attacks.

“He has some kind of mini vortex” Dusk noticed.

“Everypony stand guard” Star said. “He can reappear anywhere.”

They all looked around, but Carver appeared right between them. Opal tried to fire, but Carver was able to hold her and her weapon. Despite her efforts to fight back, Carver caused her to trip down the stairs to the deck below.

Carver then started fighting both Star and Dusk, while trying to grab Calabrass, but then teleported when noticed they would be able to subdue him. He then was able to make a quick attack on Dusk, attacking him and throwing out of the bow.

After that he made quick attacks on Star and Clover (who teleported away) as well. Mallet tried to attack him with his sword, but Carver teleported away, appearing right behind him and throwing to the deck below as well. Addressing to Dusk, Carver said:

“There’s a new captain on the Demoniac, Dusk Storm, and this one takes no prisioners.”

At the brig of the Demoniac, Golden Bones was inside a cell with a skeleton guarding him.

“Soldier” Golden Bones called.

“Yes, general?” he asked, while turning to him.

“Under whose orders have you served longer? Mine or Carver’s?”

“Yours, general.”

“And whom do you trust more?” Golden Bones asked. “Me or Carver?”

“This is a tricky question, isn’t it?” the soldier asked back.

“Do you consider yourself smarter than Skullivar?” Golden Bones asked.

“Oh, never, general!” the soldier replied.

“And do you think Skullivar will be pleased to learn that his most faithful general had been put in the brig by his own soldiers?”

“Well, I’m thinking that…”

“He will not!” Golden Bones shouted. “Open this door and I’ll ask Skullivar to forgive you for this treason.”

“Me?” the soldier asked.

“You have the keys…” Golden Bones told.

At the Chaos, Dusk had enough of Carver so he said:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Sino!”

They transformed and, after that, he jumped to attack Carver, but he again teleported away.

“That bag of bones is starting to get on my nerves” Calabrass said, while Dusk looked around for Carver.

It was then that Carver reappeared on the bow and so Dusk casted a blast of ice, only for the skeleton to teleport again. He reappeared again behind Dusk, but teleported again when the young captain tried another attack. He continued to try to attack Carver, but, much like how he did with Golden Bones, Carver kept teleporting. During one of those attacks, Dusk accidently froze Mallet.

“No!” Dusk exclaimed. “Mallet!”

His worry for Mallet distracted Dusk enough for Carver to appear behind him. Fortunately, Star saw him and told:

“Behind you!”

Dusk reacted just in time, moving Calabrass away when Carver tried to get it. The two engaged again in battle, but again Carver teleported away when Dusk prepared another blow.

“Two can play this game” Clover said, teleporting as well.

While Dusk continued to fight Carver, Clover appeared nearby and tried to use his chain and ball on Carver, only for him to teleport to the bow. But Clover also teleport and this time was able to hit Carver, throwing him overboard. But before he could hit the water, Carver teleported again. He reappeared before Clover and tried to grab him, but the young ghost was quick enough to teleport and reappear on him, fighting him. But Carver got rid of him by teleporting, with Clover following the same way.

The two continued this battle of teleportation around the Chaos, what clearly confused the others, mainly Opal, who had just recovered from her sickness. It was that she noticed something.

“Demoniac!” she shouted.

It was then that they saw the Demoniac immerging from the waters of Vapir. Even Carver was caught by surprise by that.

“More uninvited guests” Dusk said.

Golden Bones was at the command of the bridge, looking at the Chaos through the periscope.

“Fire at will!” he commanded.

“Yes, general” the soldier that was guarding him replied.

And so they started firing at the Chaos. Before that, Carver shouted at the Demoniac:

“Cease fire! Cease fire!”

“They’re crazy!” Clover said, turning to the Demoniac. “Hey, we got your buddy on board!”

But the Demoniac continued to fire.

“What treason is this?!” Carver asked.

The shots of the Demoniac caused the Chaos to balance so hard that caused Opal to fall down on Carver’s hooves. He took that chance to grab her and then teleport away.

“Opal!” Dusk called.

It was then that Carver reappeared in midair.

“Dusk!” Opal called.

“No!” Dusk replied.

Carver dropped her, teleporting soon after. Dusk was quick to try to reach her, grabbing her hoof just in time.

“Thank you” she thanked.

“What are friends for?” Dusk asked.

At that moment, Carver appeared right next to Dusk and said, while starting to snatch Calabrass:

“That’s your weakness.”

He took Calabrass from Dusk, undoing the Sino transformation.

“Calabrass!”

“You lose, Storm” Carver said, while using the teleporter to teleport away.

“No!”

Carver reappeared behind the helm of the Demoniac and started to make the ship move away as quick as possible. After Star came to help Opal get back on board, Dusk advanced to the bow and got onto the Plank which was dispatched by the Chaos and the young captain tried to reach the Demoniac.

There, Calabrass shouted at Carver:

“Let go of me, you skullyslag!”

Feeling someone approaching, Carver turned around and saw Golden Bones.

“Bones!”

He tried to use Calabrass to attack Golden Bones, but the latter was able to defend the attack and replied:

“That’s General Bones to you, Carver.”

And, with a quick movement, Golden Bones was able to take Calabrass from Carver and cut his armor with his hook. With that wound, Carver saw any other option, but teleport out of there. He reappeared in midair, right in front of Dusk who collided with him. The two then fell on a nearby echo island. Raising his head, Dusk saw the Demoniac getting further away and shouted:

“No, Calabrass!”

Finding himself on Golden Bones’ possession, Calabrass asked:

“So, Bones, ye always get others to do your dirty work?”

“It keeps my hooves clean for the important stuff” he replied, while laughing, turning then to the soldier. “Set a course to Netherwhere.”

“Aye, aye, captain” he replied.

At the echo island, Carver, who had some of his bones scattered, said to Dusk, in a mocking tone:

“Looks like we both lost out.”

Dusk stood up, approached him and replied:

“Speak for yourself, bonebag.”

And Dusk proceeded to take the teleporter, telling then:

“Your loss, my gain.”

Whistling, Dusk called back the Plank. After it arrived, Dusk placed himself onto it and flew away. Watching him, Carver said:

“I don’t wish you good luck, Storm, but, if you can smash Bones for me, be my guest.”

Dusk returned to the Chaos, where Star was able to unfreeze Mallet who was now fast asleep. Jumping to the deck, Dusk asked Star:

“How’s he doing?”

The others made him a sign that he was okay, but Star noticed that Dusk had returned alone.

“Where’s Calabrass?” he asked.

“They took him away” Dusk replied, saddened.

“What?!” they all asked.

“Don’t think I didn’t try” Dusk said.

“If Skullivar gets that sword, all is lost” Star told.

“We were so close in going home” Opal said. “Now… it’s all over.”

“Not necessarily” Dusk replied, showing then the teleporter.

“Is that the teleporter?” Opal asked, while taking it.

“It took some damages” Dusk told. “Do you think you can fix it?”

“I can try” she replied.

“What’s your plan?” Star asked his brother.

“It’s like Opal said: we have to adapt” he answered. “We may not have Calabrass for the moment, so let’s find the solution.”

Moving to the prow, he continued:

“We’re going to get Calabrass back and we’re getting out of the Triangle together. Let’s do this!”

They all nodded with him, even Mallet who had just awaken.

In Netherwhere, Golden Bones approached Skullivar’s throne, kneeled before his master, while showing him Calabrass, and said:

“I have what you sought, master.”

Extended his hand, Skullivar used his telekinesis to bring Calabrass to him.

“I’m warning ye, Skull, you can’t force me to do anything” the talking sword told him, while Skullivar grabbed him.

“I will not force you” Skullivar replied, while moving away from his throne and advancing towards the machine. “You will obey on your own free will. Steam Forge!”

Steam appeared from behind the machine and asked, while kneeling:

“Yes, master Skullivar?”

“Start the machine” Skullivar ordered.

Steam nodded with his head and, with a very heavy heart, he activated the machine. His activation started to cause something on Calabrass, as he felt a great pain, while Skullivar laughed.

A Vortex Away From Home

With the last Waypoint unlocked, all the pillars of light released from the opening of the other Waypoints came together in Vapir and, before the amazement of everypony, a vortex appeared at the other side of the room, one that seemed different from the others in the Bermikun Triangle.

They all approached it and Dusk exclaimed:

“Wicked!”

“It’s the way out of the Triangle” Clover said.

“Once we step into the vortex, everypony will return home” Star said, with a little sadness in his voice.

“Mallet won’t see friends again?” Mallet asked.

“Oh no…” Opal said, also sad.

“We really were an awesome team, but don’t you want to go home?” Dusk asked. “You finally got to have your body back, Clover.”

“I’m gonna miss you, guys” he said, while hugging Opal and then Star.

“I’ll never forget you” Dusk told him.

Mallet then came to give a big hug to Dusk.

“I’ll miss your cooking, Mallet” Dusk replied, while massaging his shoulder after Mallet released him from his tight hug. “And, Opal, I hope you can fix your relationship with your father.”

“You can bet on that” Opal said. “Thanks to you, I was able to overcome my fear to disappoint him… or anyone for that matter.”

After that, Dusk took Calabrass and told him:

“Calabrass, I really would have like to see your face.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want to make you jealous, captain” he replied, while blinking his eye to Dusk.

“Are we all going at the same time?” Dusk asked to his friends.

But when they all prepared to advance towards the vortex, a voice said:

“Change of plans, lads.”

They all turned and saw Golden Bones, who was holding Steam hostage while holding a saber with his hoof.

“I’m going home” he said, while starting to move towards the vortex. “And you’re all staying here… for eternity!”

“Bones!” Dusk exclaimed, with his rage starting to boil, as he and the others prepared their weapons.

“Step away from the vortex…” he said to the others.

It was then that Chaos hit him with one of his legs, causing Bones to release Steam who went to Opal’s side, hugging her, while the golden skeleton rolled over to the vortex. He stood up and laughed, while retreating to the vortex.

Suddenly, a beam came out of the vortex and hit him. Golden Bones felt an immense pain, while he felt the beam starting to pull him.

“But… what sorcery is this?!”

And the beam pulled him over to the vortex, crossing it. Everypony got confused for what just happened. It was then someone crossed the vortex into the Bermikun Triangle, with that one being none other than Heartbeat, who was holding the cell blaster with a life cell that now contained Golden Bones.

“The best type of sorcery around, my dear Bones” she said, replying to what Golden Bones had just asked. “I hope you enjoy your new cell in Tartarus. It’s even smaller than the brig of your ship.”

Having said that, she summoned the prison-book and proceed to place the life cell there. After that, he made both the prison-book and the life cell disappear and turned to the others, saying:

“Hi, guys! Miss me?”

“Oh great…” Calabrass said. “What are you doing here?”

“Come on, now, Calabrass” Heartbeat said, always with her childish smile. “Don’t be such a grumpy. I just came to congratulate you all.”

“I think what Calabrass is saying…” Bright Night’s voice was heard, as she also crossed the vortex. “… is that he is not very pleased to see you. And I don’t blame him after what you did.”

“Hey, he was the one who wanted the Eyes of the Seven Seas so desperately” Heartbeat said. “I just gave him what he wanted.”

“Tell that to my blade, you blasted witch!” Calabrass exclaimed.

“Hey, calm down, Calabrass” Dusk said to him.

“I am calm…” Calabrass said. “If I wasn’t, I would be saying much worse to her!”

“You haven’t changed a bit, have you, Calabrass?” Heartbeat noted. “Now, I hope you can put that behind now that I got you a good influence… I’m talking about Dusk, if you’re not getting what I mean.”

“Oh, I’ll show you how I will do that, you…” Calabrass started.

“Chaos!” Heartbeat exclaimed, turning to the living ship and advancing to him, cutting what Calabrass was saying and ignoring him completely. “Oh, I miss you my little baby…”

She started caressing his husk at the bow, while Chaos released sounds of contempt, much to everyone’s shock.

“Wow, Chaos is looking enjoying that” Opal observed.

“I’ve seen Heartbeat do many weird things, but this…” Star commented. “I don’t know what say.”

“What’s weirder is that Chaos is enjoying it” Dusk replied, knowing how peaky Chaos was.

“Of course he’s enjoying it” Heartbeat said. “I’ve the one who made him.”

That revelation clearly caught up the others of guard.

“You… What?!” Dusk asked.

“How do you think we crossed the Seven Seas to create the Waypoints?” Heartbeat said, addressing then to Chaos. “I’m sorry to leave you here for so long. But you won’t believe what I’ve been through. First I got my star seed out and turned into stone for a thousand years, got back but without memories for two decades and then I had to deal with all the Lord of Chaos drama with the tailed beasts.”

“I think you’re forgetting I also helped creating the Chaos” Bright Night told. “I was the one who built his internal complexity with my space magic.”

“But I was the one who gave him life” Heartbeat replied. “And it’s thanks to me his antibodies can recognize danger. You have to admit that is much more impressive.”

“Okay, can you two stop with this ridiculous competition and tell us what is happening?!” Star asked in a way that surprised everyone else, including Dusk.

The two Generals looked at him for a moment and then Heartbeat told Bright Night:

“Oh, I know that look. He’s very serious, like Goldy serious. We better give him the answers he wants.”

“Yeah, I agree with you” Bright Night replied, turning then to Star. “What do you want to know?”

“Everything” he replied. “Starting with… Why did you do all this… with the Triangle? We all know about the reason why you sealed it, that it was to prevent it from causing some major damages to the balance. But why wanting to unseal it, even more why give Dusk the Eye of Beru?”

“Star…” Dusk started.

“Dusk, you know how the things went for us here” Star replied. “Sometimes, we barely got out of the problems. I want to know why.”

“Well, that question is for you” Bright Night told Heartbeat.

“I know that…” she replied, turning to Star. “The reason why I did the Eye of Beru to Dusk is because I knew he was up to the challenge. Even more with you helping. It was quite a surprise when you ended up going with him, but it worked out even better. As for the reason of all this… Well… You know how we sealed the Triangle, right? With the Waypoints and the guardians… The thing is the Waypoints were made Bright Night, so that means…”

“You were the one who created the Guardians…” Star realized.

“Not all of them” Heartbeat replied. “I bound the lineage of that wyvern in Sino and the Ziteans looked after the Zite Waypoint. But others… Yes, they are my creations. The one in Aeria, in Blazz, in Beru, that jackal in Dezer and…”

“Skullivar…” Dusk finished. “You created Skullivar?!”

“So basically everything was her fault!” Calabrass exclaimed. “I knew you were a villainous traitor!”

“Hey, Skullivar was the one who betrayed me!” Heartbeat replied. “He was supposed to guard Vapir and get rid of any treat. It’s not my fault he got greedier. Besides, that only happened because I got in a stone sleep and then in an amnesic state… You all heard what I told Chaos, right?”

The others just rolled their eyes and Heartbeat continued:

“The thing is I would have stopped Skullivar when he started to get out of line, but that was not possible. However, I knew everything would be fine.”

“And how is that?” Dusk asked.

“Because everyone that was stuck in the Triangle and got out returned to their respective places in the timeline” Bright Night replied.

That answer confused everyone and Clover asked:

“Okay, I’m not the only one who got lost with that answer, right?”

“The thing about the Triangle is that time doesn’t pass to the ones who arrive here” Bright Night explained. “That is because they are still connected to the world outside. Once they leave the Triangle through that vortex, it would be like they had never left. It was a little magic I got from Time Turner to not interfere with the timeline.”

“That is true” Dusk said to others. “When I went home when we opened the Beru Waypoint, it was like no time had passed at all, only a few hours.”

“This vortex will remain open until everypony who wants to return to their old life passes it” Bright Night said. “Once this vortex closes, time will resume to those who are here and the Bermikun Triangle will get connected to the outside world like a normal realm.”

“So, when you said you already knew everything would be fine… you really meant it” Dusk said.

“Yeah, but we didn’t know how they got out of the Triangle” Heartbeat said. “I was the one who had the Eye of Beru, so either the stone would be stolen from me or I would give it to one who would be able to open the Waypoints.”

“Why didn’t you do it yourself?” Opal asked.

Heartbeat just limited to point to Calabrass and asked:

“Do you thing he would let me use him? Or Bright Night?”

They all looked to Calabrass who then asked:

“How did I just became the villain here?!”

“Okay, okay, let’s end this conversation now!” Dusk said. “We all got the answer we wanted so… isn’t time to go home?”

“Right… so, who’s going to be the first one?” Heartbeat asked.

“I think it should be Clover” Dusk said.

Clover got surprised to hear that and he saw that the others agreed with him.

“Really?” he asked.

“You’ve been a ghost for too long” Dusk said. “You deserve this.”

“But… what about Calabrass?” Clover asked.

“Don’t worry about me, kid” he replied. “You’ve earned it.”

Clover looked to the others who nodded with their heads. Clover smiled emotionally and said:

“I love you guys!”

And he proceeded to hug all of his friends. After that, Clover approached Chaos and told him:

“I’m going to miss you, buddy. You’ve been through a lot.”

Chaos replied with a gentle sound. Clover then approached the vortex, with the chain connecting him to Chaos appearing. He took one last look to his friends before crossing it. After a while, the chain that connected Clover to the Chaos broke, disappearing after that, meaning that now he was free.

“Who’s next?” Bright Night asked.

The others seemed hesitant, but then Mallet took a step forward and replied:

“Mallet go.”

“Mallet…” Opal said.

“It was a honor for Mallet to be by your side, Princess Opal” Mallet told.

“As it was for me, my dear friend” Opal replied, with tears on her eyes. “I’m going to miss you, you big dummy.”

“We all will” Dusk said, with Star by his side nodding.

Mallet exhibited one of his big smiles, followed by tears.

“Mallet now goes!” he exclaimed, running then to the vortex and passing by it.

“Mallet will never change…” Dusk said. “He’s very tough on the outside, but, on the inside, he’s so soft.”

There was a pause and then Opal turned to Steam and told him:

“Why don’t you go now, Steam? After everything you’ve been through under Skullivar’s mercy, you deserve to go home.”

“Returning home would be un sogno come true” Steam said. “Ma… Io have come to feel like home qui, nel Triangle.”

“Seriously?” Dusk asked, surprised.

“Io have been living here for quite some time” Steam replied. “Io have mie invenzioni in my island and… the Triangle is not così male. Ma…”

He turned to Opal and told her:

“Io will miss you, Opal.”

The two engaged in a hug, but when they separated, she told:

“You will not have to.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m staying as well.”

“What?!” everypony asked.

“Opal, are you sure?” Star asked.

“I thought you wanted to go home and fix your relationship with your father and work to improve the life of your kingdom” Dusk said.

“And I still do” Opal replied. “However… according to what you’ve told me, my father is missing me for quite a while. If what they told about the time here in the Triangle is true, then I didn’t make it through that vortex. And I think I know why.”

She then placed her hoof over Steam’s, much to his embarrassment what caused him to blush, and she continued:

“It’s because I did what you have taught me, Dusk: follow my heart.”

She and Steam traded a smile and the former added:

“Also, it’s not like we’re not going to see each other again. Hopefully, I will be able to see him again.”

“If that’s what you want…” Dusk said, understanding her friends and accepting it with a nod.

Dusk then saw that there were only him and his brother remaining… or so he thought that. Turning to Heartbeat, he took Calabrass and told her:

“Turn him back to what he was.”

“What?” Heartbeat asked.

“You heard what I said” Dusk said. “Break your curse on Calabrass so that he can have his pony form back.”

“Dusk, I admire your courage to demand that to the General of Affection, but you’re wasting your Latin with her” Calabrass said. “I doubt she will…”

“Okay” Heartbeat replied.

“What?!” Calabrass asked.

“I’ll do it” Heartbeat said. “I can give you back your pony form. However, I won’t be able to break the bond between you and the Eyes of the Seven Seas. And since it’s necessary for the eyes to remain in the Triangle…”

“You won’t be able to leave the Bermikun Triangle, Calabrass” Bight Night concluded.

“Wait, so Calabrass will have to remain here?!” Dusk asked. “That’s… so unfair!”

“Don’t worry, laddie, I’ll take the offer” Calabrass said.

“But, Calabrass…”

“I’ve been in the Triangle for long enough that now I don’t see myself elsewhere” he said. “This way, I can get my body back and be the pirate you helped me become, my friend.”

“You… you mean that?” Dusk asked, touched by his last words.

“Of course!” he exclaimed. “You made me become a better pirate, Dusk Storm. You can be sure of that.”

“Thanks, Calabrass” Dusk told.

“Okay, okay, no more sappy moments” Calabrass said, turning then to Heartbeat. “Do your worst, red witch. I’m ready for it.”

“You could at least ask it with proper manners” she replied.

Heartbeat charged her horn and then casted a magic beam against Calabrass. He was raised in the air and was involved with a red light. From the top of the skull a star seed immerged and, once it left the sword, it fell on the ground, with no life in it. The star seed then summoned a pony body, disappearing then inside its blossom. The body descended and landed and, when the light disappeared, they all could see what Calabrass really looked like.

He was an earth stallion with a light orange coat, a light amaranth and moderate scarlet mane and mustache, vivid tangelo hooves and deep green eyes. He had a pirate attire, which covered his Cutie Mark, and included a tricorn hat. When he noticed his body, he exclaimed:

“I can’t believe it! That’s actually me!”

“Wow, Calabrass, so that’s how you look” Dusk said.

“I have to say, it’s rather surprising you weren’t kidding about the mustache” Opal commented.

“Tinker princess, if there’s one thing I never lie is about my mustache” Calabrass replied, while curling his mustache, proudly.

Bright Night approached Calabrass while holding the sword he once inhabited and told him, while extending it to him:

“I hope you can be the keeper the Eyes of the Seven Seas need or else you can be sure the next curse will be far more severe.”

“You don’t have to worry about that” Calabrass said, while taking the sword.

“Looks like you’ll be a lot busy” Dusk said. “Are you sure you can handle watching over seven different seas at the same time?”

“Isn’t that what we’ve been doing all this time?” Calabrass replied.

“I guess you’re right” Dusk said. “So, I guess you’ll need a ship. I bet Chaos will be more than pleased to sail around the Seven Seas with you.”

The Chaos moved towards Dusk and appeared to not get away from him.

“Sorry, kid, but I don’t think that busted ship is suited for me” Calabrass said. “I like to be the one to command the ship, not the other way around. Besides, it would appear he has no intention in coming with me.”

“Yeah, mustache face here is right” Heartbeat said. “Chaos really took a liking with you, Dusk. And since his mission here in the Bermikun Triangle is finished, I suggest you take care of him.”

“Well… I guess I can do that” Dusk said, turning to Chaos. “What do you say, Chaos?”

The ship just made a sound that appeared as a yes.

“At least, we’re going to get back home in style” Star commented.

“That’s for sure” Dusk replied.

The two brothers got on board on Chaos and turned to their friends, with Dusk saying:

“Don’t turn into a stranger, Opal. You can visit us whenever you want.”

“You too, Steam.”

“The same goes for you two” Opal replied.

“Yes, don’t forget about us” Calabrass said.

“As if that was possible” Dusk told, turning then to Star. “Are you ready?”

“Ready to return home?” Star replied. “You can bet I am… captain.”

“I have to admit, I’ll miss be called captain” Dusk said.

“You’ll always be the captain of the Chaos, don’t forget about that” Star said.

Dusk made a smile, agreeing with what Star said, and then taking the helm, he told to his trusty ship:

“Okay, Chaos, full steam ahead.”

Walking with his metallic legs, the Chaos advanced and passed through the vortex which then closed behind them…

Epilogue - The Omen of Shadows

After crossing the vortex, Clover had found himself in a big library that also served as a kind of laboratory. Looking around, he saw where he was and that made him quite happy.

“I can’t believe it… I’m home!”

He tried to fly up like he used to do when he was excited, but he couldn’t do, only falling on the ground.

“What the…” he started.

It is then that he noticed the reason why he had fallen, as he had become solid.

“My… my body is back…” he said. “My body is back! Yess!!”

“Clover, is that you?” a deep voice was heard.

And so a pony entered in the library. That pony was a unicorn stallion with an imposing posture. He was none other than Star Swirl the Bearded.

“Master…” he said, getting up.

“I was wondering where you were” Star Swirl said. “We have a lot to do, today, remember?”

Clover was still caught by surprise by the sudden appearance of his master. He couldn’t help but feeling very happy about that, exhibiting a big smile.

“Yes, master!” he exclaimed.

Star Swirl got a little surprise by that sudden burst of happiness.

“Are you okay, child?” he asked. “You seem a little… off. More so than usual.”

“I’m okay, master” Clover replied. “I just had the greatest of adventures you’ll never believe.”

“And I’m happy to hear about them… once we have this job done” Star Swirl said, while taking with his magic some of the books.

“Sure… but, just for you to know, I’ve learn a lot since we last see each other. I wouldn’t be surprise if ponies started to call me… Clover the Clever.”

“Clover the Clever, hein…” Star Swirl said, chuckling. “Your jokes surely have become more refined, young one. But if you really want to be known by that name, you’ll have to become pretty knowledgeable and wise and caught up with your reading is an important step for that.”

“Okay…” Clover sighed.

It was then that he removed his hood, revealing a horn behind it, which he charged with magic and then used to levitate a book to him.

“It’s a good thing Star made me start like reading…” he whispered, while opening the book. “I wonder how they are…”

After Mallet had crossed the vortex, he had ended up returning to his home, Ragnasala, where he reunited with his fellow Mighty Helm, as well his family, what caused him to get very happy, besides having a lot of stories to tell them how he and his friends from the Bermikun Triangle had ventured through the Seven Seas to unlock the Waypoints and defeated the terrifying Skullivar and his army of skeletons.

In the Bermikun Triangle, Opal and Steam had reopened the former’s shop, using also the latter’s island to make their greatest inventions.

Back in the Bright Shore, Twilight was with Blue, the twins and Timber looking at the see, expecting for the return of Dusk and Star as the sun was going down. Suddenly, there was a flash of light and they saw the Chaos immerging, with Dusk and Star there, much to their happiness. The living ship stopped at the shore and the two brothers went to reunite with their family.

The Lord of Chaos was watching that scene through his mirror, while sitting on his throne. Just the mere visage of that happy family made him sick.

“Just to think that this sickly happy family almost remained separated with me doing practically nothing…” he said. “Fortunately, my next plan will do just to trick. Chrysalis!”

And the image of the Queen of the Changelings appeared on the mirror.

“Did you call me, my lord?” she asked.

“I want to know if you already found them?” he asked.

“Ah… not quite” Chrysalis replied. “But don’t you worry. I and my changelings are pretty close, I can feel it.”

“Well, then, hurry up!” the Lord of Chaos demanded. “I can’t wait to put my new plan in motion.”

“Of course” Chrysalis said, while bowing her head.

“Once you have them, I want to you to go to Ponhenge” the Lord of Chaos directed. “It’s time to awake an old friend.”

“As you wish, my lord” Chrysalis said, disappearing from the mirror while making a final bow.

“Let’s see if my brother’s little ponies will be able to stand the villain I’m about to put on their path” the Lord of Chaos told. “The time for sweet revenge has arrived.”

The End

The Last Guardian

In Netherwhere, Steam Forge was explaining to Skullivar how the machine would work.

“Here we have il cristallito verde and qui the vapirirum” he explained. “E con questo the fusion will be done to make la stone.”

“I have endure your babbling for long enough, Steam Forge” Skullivar said in a threatening way, with Golden Bones behind him. “Begin or I’ll use the sword on you.”

With Calabrass’ blade pointed against him, Steam thought it was better to do what Skullivar was saying and replied:

“As you wish, maestro.”

Steam Forge activated the machine and it started to release static. The window was opened and so the machine started absorbing to itself the vapirium. That vapirium was mixed inside with the green crystallite and result was a stone like the ones on Calabrass. But this one was dark and had the same symbol that was on Skullivar. Golden took it and then handed it to Skullivar, saying, while kneeling:

“The eighth stone, master Skullivar: the Eye of Netherwhere.”

“At long last…” Skullivar said, while taking the stone.

Turning to Calabrass, he proceed to insert it inside his mouth, but the talking sword refused to comply.

“Accept your destiny, Calabrass” Skullivar demanded.

It was then that, at that moment, a soldier got in and said:

“General Bones, the Chaos has been spotted on Vapir, heading this way.”

“Dusk Storm has come to open the last Waypoint” Skullivar said, turning then to Calabrass. “He will meet the last guardian instead… and foe.”

“Storm will teach a good…” Calabrass started.

However, Skullivar took advantage of that moment to insert the Eye of Netherwhere inside Calabrass mouth, preventing then the sword from spitting it out. Laughing, Skullivar told:

“You never learn when to keep your mouth shut.”

After a few moments struggling, Calabrass ended up starting to feel the effects of the stone, with his eyes becoming filled with green fire and his expression changing drastically. The cross guard had also changed, becoming dark and having a new form.

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Netherwhere!” Skullivar ordered.

“Aye, aye” he replied, while proceed to activate it.

After that, his blade turned into a much bigger one made of a dark hard material with green highlights and spikes on the edge. Not only that, but Skullivar also changed, with his skeleton structure being turned into a strong armor-like one of the same substance as the sword and his cloak disappearing.

“Let Storm come to me” Skullivar said.

“He will have the honor of being our first victim” Callabrass added.

The Chaos started approaching Netherwhere.

“Netherwhere fortress in sight, captain” Clover informed from the mast.

Turning to Opal who was fixing the teleporter, Dusk asked:

“How much longer to fix the teleporter, Opal?”

“It’s difficult to say” she replied. “There’s a lot to work with.”

“Try to do the best you can the fastest you can” Dusk said.

“Ah, Dusk, I think it can be a little too late” Star replied from the bow, where he was with Mallet.

Dusk went there as well and saw what his brother meant, as there was a strange energy coming from Netherwhere.

“No matter what happens, we have to get Calabrass, Star” Dusk said. “He’s not just a sword. He’s one of us.”

“Of course he is” Star said. “And just because it’s too late, it doesn’t mean we can’t still get him back.”

“Calabrass sword of the legend” Mallet said. “Key to return home.”

Clover appeared there and asked Dusk:

“We’re going to win, right, buddy? We’re going to open the last Waypoint.”

“Until we fight, we haven’t lost” Dusk replied.

“That was not an answer” Clover told, unsatisfied. “Ah, we’re going to die. Well, you are… I’m already dead.”

Once they were close enough, the Sea Raiders went to the prow and gathered together around the helm. Holding it, Dusk told Chaos:

“Chaos, submarine mode.”

After summoning the glass around them, Chaos submerged, heading towards the secret entrance they used to get in Netherwhere without being detected. After returning to the surface, Dusk told to Clover:

“Clover, tell us if the coast is clear.”

“Clearing the coast, captain” Clover replied, while saluting.

He teleported to the top of the mast from where he jumped onto the fortress, while leaving behind the chain that connected him to the Chaos. He phased through its walls and looked around. Seeing no one around, he run towards the turn and also didn’t see anyone. He pretended to look around a little more, but he reached the limit of the chain and was pulled back to the Chaos. Phasing through the sails of the Chaos once he got there, he saidm in a irritated tone:

“If I ever get my body back, I’ll never where necklaces or bracelets. Ugh! Not a bone in sight, captain.”

Nodding to him, Dusk turned then to Opal and told her:

“Opal, I’m counting on you to finish fixing the teleporter.”

“And I’m counting on that you’ll be careful, Dusk” Opal told him back.

“Don’t worry about that” Dusk replied, turning then to Star and Mallet. “Let’s go take Calabrass!”

Using one of Opal’s drills, Dusk force the entrance in the fortress, using it then as a weapon, with Star following him with his horn charged with magic and Mallet with his sword ready. They started following the halls that would lead them to Skullivar’s throne room. However, there was something strange, as all the halls were empty.

“Where are the skeletons?” Mallet asked.

“Bones must be waiting for us” Star said. “It’s a trap, Dusk.”

Hiding at the corner, Dusk noticed the door that would lead them to the throne room and replied:

“It wouldn’t be the first time.”

At the Chaos, Opal was working on the teleporter until she finally ended it. Wanting now to test it, she told Clover:

“Back up, Clover. It might be dangerous.”

“Are you for real?” the little ghost asked. “I’m already a ghost. What else can happen to me?”

And so Opal pressed the button and she disappeared, with her reappearing later at the prow.

“It works!” she exclaimed, excited.

Clover teleported to her side, but then Opal teleported to the bow, with Clover following her there through teleportation.

“Oh, you’re awesome!” Clover applauded. “Hey, do you think you can teleport further than me?”

He then teleport to the furthest point he could without being dragged back to the Chaos that was somewhere on Netherwhere.

“Wow, that’s quite impressive” Opal complemented.

“Well, thanks” Clover replied.

“Ok, now I just need to make one more adjustment and it will be ready” Opal said, while opening the teleporter again to do the adjustment.

Inside, the trio approached the door, ready to any trap that Golden Bones may have prepared for them. After they were ready, they opened the door and busted inside, where Skullivar and Golden Bones were, with Dusk shouting:

“Hey, Skullivar, I came to retrieve something that belongs to me!”

“Wrong!” he replied, turning to them. “Calabrass no longer exists.”

Dusk got a little confused by that statement to which Mallet asked:

“Where Calabrass?”

Skullivar just laughed and then showed them the mind-controlled Calabrass who said:

“Ye who oppose Skullivar shall fall before the sword of Netherwhere!”

“Calabrass, it’s me, Dusk” Dusk said.

“Your time has come, Dusk… Storm” Calabrass said.

Despite the control Skullivar had over him, it was possible to see that the fact he had his best friend and comrade before him had some effect on him, in such way that caused him to regain control again.

“Dusk?” he asked. “I…”

Noticing that, Skullivar tightened Calabrass, causing him to release a painful moan and the green fire to return to the latter’s eyes, returning Skullivar’s control over him.

“No!” Dusk exclaimed.

“Run away” Steam said to them from the machine. “It’s too late.”

But Dusk ignored him and continued to talk with Calabrass:

“Come on, Cal, whatever you did, you’re stronger. Are you gonna to settle on being a talking stick to that bag of bones?”

Calabrass was really struggling against Skullivar’s control over him.

“Captain…” he said.

“Silence!” Skullivar commanded to Calabrass, opting then for another approach that caused him to address to Dusk. “Don’t tell me that with all the excitement you’ve forgotten about your quest for the last Waypoint.”

And he made a gesture to his throne, whose base opened to reveal the Vapir Waypoint, whose base was inserted on the floor.

“Or that to open the Waypoint, you must defeat its guardian?”

The way he said that could only mean one thing…

“Skullivar is last guardian?” Mallet asked.

“Okay, little brother, this is the time where you tell me you have some awful plan that somehow comes together.”

“You’ll never defeat me” Skullivar told. “You’ll never open the last Waypoint. You’ll never leave the Bermikun Triangle! You have lost!”

“Until we fight, we haven’t lost” Dusk replied to him, saying the exact same words he had said to Clover.

And so he and Mallet started heading towards Skullivar to attack him, all while being covered by Star who started shooting his magic blasts. Despite some of those blasts had some effect on Skullivar, he was able to defend them. Mallet got closed to Skullivar, but Golden Bones appeared before him and punched him, throwing against the floor.

Dusk saw their situation wasn’t very good. Despite Star could hit Skullivar with his magic blasts, they had little effect on him and they couldn’t get closed for an attack as they still had to face Golden Bones. It was then that the Golden Bones problem solved itself when Skullivar prevented his general from attacking them and told him:

“No, Storm is mine!”

He then proceeded to try to attack Dusk with Calabrass’ blade, but he was able to dodge and then slide through the floor to the other side of Skullivar and shot a blast with the drill, hitting him right on the back that was obviously painful. Skullivar turned around and tried another sword blow, but Dusk dodged again.

Mallet and Star helped Dusk, by jumping and attacking Skullivar from behind, with the alicorn prince then trying to make Skullivar trip. Despite that caused the villain to lose his balance for a moment, he quickly recovered it and released a shockwave that sent Star and Mallet back, with them hitting the machine and Mallet drop his sword.

Both Golden Bones and Skullivar then noticed Dusk running towards the Vapir Waypoint. Before that, Skullivar pointed Calabrass at him and casted a beam that hit Dusk and started raise him in the air.

“Dusk!” Star called, seeing what was happening with his brother.

He wanted to help, but that last blow had left him a little dizzy and unable to focus magic. Not only that, but skeletons entered in the room and blocked him and Mallet, while they were getting up, preventing them from interfering with the fight.

Dusk was trying to get himself free from Skullivar’s grasp, but he couldn’t do it.

“You weren’t up to the challenge, Dusk Storm” Skullivar told him, throwing then Dusk against the floor, causing him to drop the drill.

Skullivar then approached him, while laughing. Dusk hadn’t quite recovered from the fall and Skullivar was already preparing to land a final blow. It was then that, at that moment, a light immerged, coming from at the other end of the room, right behind the machine. It was then that the Chaos appeared, before everyone’s surprise. The ship then used its legs to throw the machine against Skullivar, with it even hitting the skeletons who got deassembled. Skullivar was hit as well and pushed against his throne.

“It worked!” Clover shouted from the bow. “Opal, Dusk’s over there!”

Golden Bones and the other skeletons started recovering and the former commanded:

“Forward!”

“Oh boy…” Opal said, seeing that.

And so Clover headed towards the helm and activated Chaos’ channon and he started firing against the skeletons.

“Stop him!” Golden Bones ordered.

“Shall we teach them how to do a real battle” Star asked Mallet.

He nodded and so they advanced to fight the skeletons, with Mallet recovering his sword and shouting:

“Ragnasala!”

“Enough!” Golden Bones exclaimed, ready to face them.

Skullivar recovered from the blow and got up, starting to advance while dragging Calabrass’ blade. He passed by an unconscious Dusk and started deflecting all the blasts Chaos casted against him.

Seeing Skullivar getting closer, Clover started to get more nervous and said:

“Worry up, Opal!”

Using her magic, Opal threw a rope and lassoed him, pulling him back to the Chaos. However, Skullivar grabbed one of his hooves, preventing Opal from pulling Dusk further. Before this, Clover told Chaos, while steering the helm:

“Chaos, give this buster the bust he deserves!”

Chaos then moved in a way that give more force to Opal’s pulling, rescuing Dusk from Skullivar and getting him into the Chaos. After observing him, Opal said:

“He’s okay.”

“Well, then, wake him up” Clover said, while steering Chaos. “Hurry! I don’t know how long I can keep this up.”

Chaos was going wild, stomping on the skeletons that where beneath him, but with Skullivar avoided those stomps.

Inside the Chaos, Opal thought of a way to wake Dusk up. It was then that she had an idea and so used his magic to pinch him, causing him to wake up while moaning in pain.

“Hey!”

“Don’t blame me” Opal said. “Clover was the one to say to wake you up quickly.”

“How did you get here?” Dusk asked her.

“We teleported the Chaos” she replied, while handing him the teleporter.

“You were supposed to use to get away” Dusk told.

“The Sea Raiders don’t leave anyone behind” Opal reminded.

“Wow… You’re really awesome, Opal” Dusk said.

“Yeah, yeah, hugs and rainbows…” Clover said, while steering. “But I need help here.”

Dusk then went to him and took over the helm, saying:

“Thanks, Clover. I’ll take over.”

The Chaos and Skullivar advanced to attack each other, with their blows colliding and pushing them back. With some attempted blows, the Chaos caused Skullivar to leap back and then run while preparing his blade. The blade and the Chaos collided and started measuring strengths.

Dusk was doing his best to hold on, but Skullivar was too strong. He didn’t know how long he would be able to keep things like that. The only strategy he had was to try to appeal to Calabrass once more.

“Calabrass, come on, fight it” he said. “I know you can hear me. Fight!”

As if listening to his words, Calabrass once more was able to resist Skullivar’s control and the flames on his eyes disappeared. The fact Calabrass was resisting was causing the blade to get unstable.

“Yeah, that’s it, Cal!” Dusk exclaimed. “You’re doing it!”

With his sword getting unstable, Skullivar started to be pushed back by the Chaos.

Meanwhile, Golden Bones was battling both Mallet and Star. After defending and repelling one of Mallet’s attacks, he got to deal with Star who was flying around and casting magic blasts. But avoiding his blasts and Mallet’s attacks was something hard to do and required all of his concentration. It was then he was able to knock down Mallet and so he could focus his attention on Star who, despite being still able to fly, couldn’t go too higher as he had his wings sore because of the impact from earlier.

Skullivar continued to resist the Chaos, while Calabrass was resisting Skullivar.

“They’re nothing without me” the talking sword said. “You’re living borrowed time, Storm.”

“I’ll never abandon you, Calabrass” Dusk declared. “Just fight.”

Calabrass did that, with the flaming eyes returning periodically, while saying:

“I… Dusk!”

Sensing he was losing control over Calabrass, Skullivar put everything he had and released himself from the Chaos and prepared Calabrass’ blade for another blow. Despite having Calabrass fighting him, he cease control over him enough to slam the blade against the floor and causing a major shockwave that blasted the skeletons and push back the Chaos in such way that casted Opal and Dusk overboard, with the living ship becoming pending from the edge of the window. Dusk had fallen near the Chaos and Opal had been caught just in time by Steam Forge.

“Opal, are you bene?” he asked.

“Steam… you’re here…” she said.

“Of course I am” he replied.

Star got up too, at the same time as Golden Bones. Seeing what happened and his younger brother on the floor, he called:

“Dusk… Dusk!”

But before he could do anything, he was grabbed by Golden Bones who secure him tight so that he could not escape and then advanced towards the edge of the platform where they were, while laughing.

The situation looked dire, as Skullivar approached Dusk. It was then that Calabrass said:

“Let me finish him, master.”

Dusk was crawling back, trying to keep as much distance as possible. Noticing all that, Opal said to Steam:

“Steam… Dusk… the drill…”

He looked around and noticed the drill that Dusk had dropped and understood what she meant. Gathering all the courage he had, he went to do it.

When Skullivar was too close of Dusk, Steam appeared between them, facing the villainous tyrant while holding the drill, shouting:

“Non! For too long I have been a coward. I stand with Dusk Storm!”

“Then you will fall with him!” Skullivar exclaimed to him.

Golden Bones was holding Star so tight that he couldn’t move. It was then that he grabbed one of his wings and said, while laughing:

“Let’s see if you can fly after I smash your precious wings to dust. Perhaps throwing you from here will serve as a good test, don’t you think?”

At that moment, Mallet recovered his senses and, seeing his friend in danger, he got mad and so took his sword and threw it, while shouting:

“Ragnasala!”

His weapon hit Golden Bones hard, causing him to release Star who came to a secure part of the platform. The golden skeleton, on the other hand, had his hook broken by the impact, while he fell from the platform.

“Thanks, buddy” Star said. “That was too close.”

Mallet just made a slight smile, while nodding with his head.

Steam shot the drill against Skullivar, hitting him, what caused the villain to attack as well. Opal was able to push him away with her magic, while Dusk rolled over.

“Grazie” Steam thanked Opal.

“You’re welcome” she replied.

“Clover!” Dusk called, seeing his ghost friend floating around. “Do something to distract Skullivar. We need to work together.”

“Aye, aye, captain” he replied.

And so he teleported to the side of Skullivar, starting to make fun of him. The evil tyrant tried to hit him, but, because Clover was a ghost, his blows didn’t land on him, especially when Clover was always teleporting and moving around. Dusk took that opportunity to get to the Chaos. Star, Mallet, Opal and Steam went to help Clover distract Skullivar, attacking him with everything they could. One of Star’s attacks was able to cause Skullivar drop Calabrass for a moment, causing Opal to cease the opportunity and try to reclaim him with her magic.

“No!” Skullivar exclaimed, grabbing Calabrass again and taking him from Opal’s magic’s hold.

Mallet threw himself against Skullivar, grabbing him. Enfuriated, the villain used his force to throw them all against the floor. When he prepared to land a blow on Star, the Chaos immerged again, while being steered by Dusk, and grabbed Skullivar with his metallic legs, starting to pull him over to the edge of the window, and then they fell over it, ending up crashing on one of the Netherwhere’s legs.

After the crash, the Chaos tried to get up, but couldn’t do it. Dusk, on the other hand, was able to stand up and he noticed Skullivar, who was lying unconscious. Calabrass was lying beside him and he said:

“Dusk, help me!”

Hearing him, Dusk run towards him. He tried to get something out of Calabrass, being able to remove the Eye of Netherwhere. This caused Calabrass’ transformation to be undone and return to his original sword form.

“Ah, thanks kid” Calabrass replied.

“I told you I wouldn’t let you down” Dusk told, while picking Calabrass up.

“That was worse than a nightmare” he said.

“You’re free now” Dusk said. “Let’s go open the last Waypoint.”

He put Calabrass back on his scabbard and then he threw way the Eye of Netherwhere as far as he could. After that, he returned to the Chaos, went to the Plank and took flight. Little did he knew that Skullivar was about to recover his senses.

From the throne room, seeing Dusk coming, Star exclaimed:

“Hurry, Dusk!”

Noticing his worry, Dusk looked down and saw Skullivar had recovered from the fall and was now climbing his way up quickly. He was able to reach the Plank and, with just one slight touch, he was able to throw Dusk out of the board, causing him to start falling into Skullivar’s grasp.

“Oh no, Dusk!” Star shouted.

“Star, catch!” Opal exclaimed, throwing him the teleporter.

As Skullivar grabbed Dusk, the latter took the teleporter with his magic and then pressed it with his hoof, causing both him and Skullivar to teleport.

“Where did they…” Star started.

“Let’s just say I was able to make a few adjustments on the teleporter’s range” Opal replied.

In fact, when Dusk, Calabrass and Skullivar reappeared, they were in Blazz, falling into a volcano.

“What witchcraft is this?!” Calabrass asked.

Knowing what he had to do, Dusk said:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz!”

And so he transformed, starting then a fight in midair with Skullivar. When they were about to hit the lava, Dusk just moved away from Skullivar. That was because, despite Dusk being protected from the heat of the lava, Skullivar wasn’t and his body was starting to get hot.

“Do you trust me, Cal?” Dusk asked to his trusty sword.

“Always, lad” he replied.

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Sino!” Dusk exclaimed.

And the Blazz transformation was changed into the Sino one. After that, Dusk went to grab Skullivar again and teleported again, this time getting into Sino, where he caused Skullivar to hit hard the icy land. After a few moments, Skullivar got out of the debris caused by the fall, but showed signs of damages, as his already blazed body started to freeze, causing a thermal shock. Looking at the damages he was sustaining, Skullivar looked at Dusk, furious. The latter started to run, while telling Calabrass:

“Opal adjusted the teleporter to make me teleport to the sea that corresponds to the armor I’m wearing.”

“Which means we can beat up the scallywag through all the Seven Seas” Calabrass concluded.

“To get rid of the Guardian, I have to open the Waypoint” Dusk said, while getting to a dead-end. “But this time, we’re going to do the opposite.”

“I like it!” Calabrass told. “Wait, what?”

When Skullivar arrived to his side, Dusk jumped off the cliff and said:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Beru!”

And so he transformed, as Skullivar, who had also jumped, arrived to his side, asking:

“You want to escape, Dusk Storm?”

“Uh, your breath?” Dusk asked. “Yes. But this isn’t an escaping. This is surfing the all Triangle on one perfect run.”

When Skullivar was about to punch Dusk, he pressed the teleporter again and teleported them both to Beru, where they fell into its waters. After that, Dusk said:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Dezer!”

As he changed armor yet again, Dusk teleported them again, this time to the Sea of Dezer, with them falling on its sand. Dusk jumped and hit Skullivar with Calabrass in his hammer form, with the villain defending himself with his arm. Dusk gave him a few more blows with Calabrass with such strength that caused the arm to crack.

Suddenly, Dusk changed into the Eye of Zite, while teleporting to the same sea, at the time Skullivar tried to riposte. Because of the lack of gravity in Zite, Skullivar’s punch lost power, much to his confusion. Pieces of his armor started to float away as well.

“I told you Captain Dusk Storm would smash up your bones” Calabrass told Skullivar.

As he saw his armor breaking down, Skullivar replied:

“This battle isn’t over.”

“No, I want this to last a little bit” Dusk said, preparing the teleporter again.

Skullivar advanced to get Dusk, but he change into the Eye of Aeria, teleporting them to the Sea of Storms soon after. With his armor decaying even more, Skullivar tried to attack Dusk, but he used the winds of Aeria to dodge and, after getting enough distance, Dusk prepared an attack.

“Electric Blast!”

He shot an electric attack with Calabrass that hit Skullivar hard, breaking his armor all down. The damages done were so much that even the evil tyrant couldn’t even move, as he saw his own body disintegrating.

“Gust of Wind!” Dusk exclaimed, as he casted a final blow of lightning that pushed Skullivar into a nearby tornado.

“NO!” Skullivar shouted as his body was reduced to nothing more than dust.

“Say goodbye to the last Guardian!” Dusk exclaimed, turning then to Calabrass. “Do you have any strength left?”

“That trip to Blazz recharged my battery” he replied.

“Then it’s time to leave the Triangle” Dusk declared.

And so he teleported away, returning back to Vapir, where he reappeared in Skullivar’s throne room using the Eye of Vapir.

“Who feels like going home today?” he asked to his friends.

They turned around, as Chaos arrived there as well, and got very happy to see him.

“Dusk!” they all exclaimed.

They went to his side and Star asked:

“Where’s Skullivar?”

“Somewhere in Aeria” he replied. “Thanks to the teleporter Opal hacked. Thanks, Opal.”

“Don’t mention it, captain” she answered.

“What about Bones?” Dusk asked.

“Ah, Bones not going anywhere” Mallet replied, pointing then to the broken hook that was lying nearby.

“So… it’s over” Star said. “We truly won, right?”

“Looks like it” Dusk answered, as he started to approach Skullivar’s throne.

The base of the throne opened, revealing the Waypoint. Dusk took out Calabrass, turning then to his friends and asking:

“Are you guys ready?”

They all nodded. And so Dusk approached the locked on the Waypoint and, taking a deep breath, he proceeded to insert Calabrass on the lock and turn him, unlocking it. A pillar of light immerged from the Waypoint.

Surfing to an Adventure

Ever since the family got reunited, the royal family of the Light Kingdom had decided to spend part of their summer on the Bright Shore, as a way for Dusk to deepen his bonds with Star, Midnight and Sunny. And that experience was the best they had for a very long time. Now they could live happily.

At that moment, the family was enjoying the beach the best they could. Twilight and Blue were lying on beach beds under a parasol with Blue using sunglasses and Twilight using a floppy hat. Timber was sleeping next to them. The twins were building a sandcastle together, while Star and Dusk were at the see, surfing. Ever since they started their vacations at the beach, Dusk had been teaching Star how to surf.

Looking above the book she was reading, Twilight observed her two sons having fun together at the sea and couldn’t help but smile.

“You know, Blue, I still can’t believe we’re all together now” Twilight told her husband. “Just look to Star and Dusk. I’ve never seen them so happy. And the twins are pretty excited for having another brother.”

Taking out his sunglasses, Blue saw his children and got to understand what she meant.

“I know” he said. “That’s why we have to enjoy every single time we have together.”

“You’re right about that” Twilight said, with a heavier voice. “We don’t know when the Lord of Chaos may attack next.”

“Come on, Twily, don’t think about that” Blue said, while putting his hoof over hers. “He won’t be able to separate us again. And even if he tries and manages to do it, we’re always get back together. He already caused us to send Dusk away, but now he is with us.”

Smiling, Twilight said:

“You’re right, Blue. Whatever happens, we will always be together.”

“That’s the Twily I know and love.”

The two shared a kiss and then proceed to watch their children.

While waiting for the next wave, Dusk said to his brother:

“You know, bro, you’re really getting better on surfing. What’s not very difficult having in count you had a great teacher.”

“You really have yourself in great regard, little brother” Star commented. “Why don’t we test how great you really are on the next wave?”

“Fine by me” Dusk replied.

When the next set of waves started coming, the two brothers paddled in their direction. Suddenly, dark clouds started covering the sky, all while thundering. Sensing something was wrong, Timber rose up and started barking.

“What is it, Timber?” Twilight asked.

She then noticed the storm coming.

“Oh no…” Twilight said. “Blue, look!”

“That doesn’t look good” he said, seeing the storm cloud. “Girls, come now!”

Midnight and Sunny hearing his father calling, started returning.

“I have to warn the boys” Twilight said, taking flight.

While surfing a wave, Star noticed his mother flying, while calling. Noticing the change of the weather, he said to Dusk:

“Dusk, I think we better return to the shore. Looks like it’s going to come down.”

“Oh, come on, Star…” he replied. “Now is that things are starting getting interesting.”

And he continued surfing.

“No, Dusk…” Star tried to call, but to no avail, deciding then to follow him.

“What are they doing?” Twilight said, seeing her sons still at the sea. “Boys, come back!”

While Dusk was surfing, the blue pearl-like stone on his necklace that Heartbeat had given to him started emanating a bluish light. The sky was completely covered by the thundering dark clouds. Twilight saw then the figure of a skull appearing on them.

“Oh no…” she said.

She tried to approach them, but the winds were preventing her from doing that. A hollow wave formed itself around Dusk who had Star not much behind him.

“Whoa!” Dusk exclaimed. “Gnarly tube!”

Behind him, Star was trying to reach his brother. It was then that he noticed the blue stone shining and he realized it had something to do what was happening and exclaimed:

“Dusk, take out the necklace! Quick!”

“What…?!” Dusk asked. “I can’t hear you quite well, Star!”

He then noticed the light that was coming from the stone.

“That’s odd. I didn’t know the necklace was supposed to shine like this.”

When they got out of the hollow wave they were, another wave immerged before Dusk, with an opening appearing. Seeing that, Twilight exclaimed:

“No! Star, Dusk, don’t go in!”

But it was too late, as Dusk fell on it and Star was unable to stop his surfboard and ended up falling there as well. The opening closed, as the wave got undone.

“No!” Twilight exclaimed.

As the sky got cleared, Twilight landed beside Blue, her daughters and Timber, all of them shocked for what had just happened.

“But… what was that?” Blue asked. “Where are they?”

“I… don’t know” Twilight replied. “I really don’t know.”

Mutiny on the Demoniac

The Sea Raiders were at the Sea of Vapir. While Mallet was eating some of his seaweeds, Dusk was sport fishing. However, he could not concentrate in what he was doing with Opal working on her lattest invention: a big device with a pair of antennas. While adjusting one of the antennas, she made some noise, prompting Dusk to hush her. She then said:

“Just one more tiny adjustment…”

She used her magic to connect a cable that was near Clover to the machine and Dusk asked her, moving away from his fishing:

“Let me guess this straight. Your experiment will draw energy from the mist of Vapir and…”

“Convert it in bipolarized ions in a fourth phase within the Chaos’s turbines and create a camouflage system which I named… misty dematerialization!”

However, her grand revelation of her invention’s name didn’t have a big impact on everyone on the Chaos. Thinking they didn’t get it, she repeated:

“Misty dematerialization!”

“Mallet understand… nothing she just said” Mallet said.

Opal grunted in frustration and so she took Mallet’s seaweed with her magic, while asking:

“May I, for a demonstration?”

She placed the seaweed beside the machine and then she took the activation button.

“Ah, I don’t like…” Dusk started, unsure of all that.

But it was too late, as Opal pressed the button. The machine was activated and then she created a beam of energy between the antennas that then hit the seaweed, turning it into a ghost form.

“Voilá!” she said. “Camouflage!”

Mallet went to see that up close and tried to grab the seaweed, only to find he couldn’t do it, not even taste it, what disappointed him.

“Mallet’s seaweed’s now ghost” he said.

Clover made his head appear beside the seaweed and said:

“Uh, ghost seaweed! Can I taste it?”

“Look, Clover, it works just like the Eye of Vapir on Calabrass” Dusk said to his ghost friend.

But then the machine started malfunctioning and broke down, causing the ghostified seaweed to become real again.

“When I do it, it lasts more than five seconds, laddie” Calabrass told Dusk.

While Mallet went to eat his seaweed, Opal told:

“Well, it’s still on the prototype stage, but I have a feeling this can become real.”

“So that’s what you want?” Clover asked. “Turn everypony into ghosts?”

He went to disappear through the deck, not very satisfied, saying:

“Lame.”

That reaction of Clover really caused the others to share a few looks.

Clover went to sit at the articulation of one of Chaos’s sails. Dusk approached him and asked:

“You want to talk about it?”

“Talk?” Clover replied, while jumping to the deck. “No. What I’d like it’s to see how you’d felt if you were stuck in the Chaos all the time. Do you know the last time I ate something? Or met anypony?”

“But what about when…” Dusk started.

“And no, I don’t count when Bones’s skeletons goons boarded us” Clover replied, much to Dusk’s disappointment. “How could you… any of you ever understand. You’re all free to explore, not tied to this old ship.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa… I’m stuck inside a sword!” Calabrass replied. “Do I ever complain?!”

“Uh, yes!” Clover told. “All the time. Always cursing Heartbeat for put you in that sword.”

“Come on, Clover, as long we’re all in the Triangle, none of us are free” Dusk said, approaching his ghost friend. “Besides, freedom is in here, in our hearts.”

The two friends share a look, with Dusk doing his best to motivate Clover, even doing a smile. And so Clover also gave a smile. It was then that they heard the proximity signal beeping and that could only mean one thing…

“Demoniac!” Opal exclaimed.

And the vessel of their greatest enemy started approaching. Seeing the Chaos through the periscope, Golden Bones said:

“Prepare for you demise, you bunch of sea scums! We’ll search for that sword of yours in the middle of the wreck of your ship!”

The Demoniac then started to fire at the Chaos. With their ship under attack, Dusk told to his team:

“To your battle stations! Prepare to repel boarders!”

“Hey, Dusk, this doesn’t count as me meeting ponies!” Clover clarified to Dusk.

“Hey, Dusk, Bones is not preparing to board us” Star replied.

He was telling the truth, as the Demoniac was approaching at full speed and with its drill activated.

“They’re going to ram into us!” Clover exclaimed, on the mast.

“So they want to play?” Dusk asked, while going to the helm. “Fine.”

Activating the propellers and turning the Chaos to the Demoniac, saying then to his trusted ship:

“Chaos, stay your course!”

“What?!” Star asked, just as shocked as the others.

“It’s the torero strategy” Dusk told him. “We pretend that we’re sitting ducks and we dodge at the last second and escape like pros. The Demoniac will pass us and we’ll take them from the rear.”

“Yes, what would be a sensational strategy… if we would be able to move at the moment” Opal told him. “My camouflage system uses half of the Chaos’s energy. We can’t suddenly hit the gas.”

Those were really bad news that Dusk didn’t expect. Star then said:

“Prepare for impact!”

As they saw the Demoniac getting closer and closer, Dusk turned to Opal and told her:

“Opal, do something!”

She tried to get a solution fast and then she had an idea, looking at her machine.

“Oh, maybe I can use the misty dematerialization” she said, while going to try to activate it.

“Your newly machine?” Dusk asked.

“Yes, if it works, the Demoniac will pass right through us” she replied, while recalibrating it.

“I do not like ifs” Star said.

“We don’t have any other choice” Dusk replied. “Hit the switch, Opal!”

She nodded and so she activated the machine.

“I can’t watch!” Clover replied.

The machine then released a burst of energy that turned the Chaos and everything on it into a ghost state. Well… most everything, as Clover found himself becoming corporeal, revealing his very pale orange coat, light brown mane and bluish green eyes. And so, as the Chaos became a ghost, the Demoniac just passed through him. The event caused the Demoniac’s energy to fail, much to Skullivar’s shock.

“What?!” he asked, looking around. “How the hell did they do that?!”

“Commander, the Chaos disappeared” a skeleton told Bones. “It’s nowhere in our radars.”

Bones released a frustrated grunt.

Meanwhile, the Chaos, still in his ghosted form, went to hid behind an echo, before the machine went down again and they all returned to normal.

“It worked!” Dusk exclaimed.

The Sea Raiders celebrated their feat, but then a cried was heard, saying:

“Help!”

“Oh no, Clover!” Dusk said.

They all looked and then saw him, on top of the Demoniac’s drill.

“No!” Dusk said.

“We can’t let Clover in Bones’s claws” Star said.

“No claws” Mallet said. “Clover’s ghost. He can escape easily.”

“No he can’t, Mallet” Dusk replied, while looking more carefully. “Clover’s wishes somehow have been granted. He’s corporeal again.”

The Demoniac started recollecting the drill and so Clover was brought into it. With the Demoniac recovering its energy, it activated its propellers and started to move away. Inside, as the drill was stopped, Clover fell down from it, calling the attention of the skeletons that surrounded him.

“Well… how do you do?” Clover asked them, nervously. “Uh… carry on. Pay no attention to me at all. Just… think of me as a ghost.”

He tried to fly and pass through them, but he just hit one and fell.

“Blimey!” he exclaimed, while one skeleton picked him up.

At the Chaos, Opal came up with an explanation for what happened, saying:

“Apparently, my dematerializer had the opposite effect on Clover and materialized him and was caught by the Demoniac as we passed through. He can thank me later… I think.”

“If he has a later” Star said, turning to his younger brother. “Dusk, what do we do?”

“Follow them” Dusk said.

Looking to her device, Opal said:

“Apparently, Chaos is still invisible to the radar. It must be a side effect of my machine.”

“This may not sound as good captaining, but we’ll have to go after him… on the Demoniac” Dusk said, has he piloted the Chaos.

And so they started heading towards the Demoniac.

The skeletons brought Clover to Golden Bones’s presence at the bridge. The little former ghost couldn’t help but trying to free himself, while saying:

“Let go of me!”

They did so, throwing him against the floor.

“Hey, that hurts!” Clover protested, realizing then what he said. “What… It hurts? But that means… It hurts! I can feel again!”

It was then that he was picked up through his cloak by Golden Bones’s hook with the golden skeleton asking:

“Where did this scallywag come from?”

“I’m flesh and blood!” Clover continued to say, ecstatic to have his body back. “See for yourself! Pinch me! Come on, go on. Pinch.”

But Golden Bones just throw him to one of his skeletons, while saying:

“He’s mad as a loon! Shackle him in irons!”

As the skeletons tried to take Clover away, the little colt couldn’t help but laugh, while saying:

“That tickles! It tickles! Yay!”

As Clover was taken, the first-mate approached Golden Bones and asked him:

“What do we do now, Golden Bones?”

“Now we wait for Dusk Storm to come back for his mad friend” he replied, returning to the helm. “And when he does, I’ll be waiting.”

The two skeletons brought Clover to the cells chamber, opening one and throwing him in.

“Hey, take it easy!” Clover protested. “I’m not as soft as I used to be.”

He sat down and continued:

“What a start… Finally free of the Chaos and I’m a prisoner of the Demoniac.”

Some drops of water from the plumbing above hit him. Feeling those drops falling on him.

“What… Wait, it’s we!”

And he started going around, happily, while saying:

“Water is wet! It’s wet!”

He tried to taste, but soon found it repulsive.

“Uh! Disgusting!”

However, neither that dropped his joy of being corporeal again, as it was good to even feel something as disgustful as that water.

“You can take my water if you like” a voice said to him.

Clover turned around and then saw a skeleton there, extending him a metal cup. He had a red bandana, a hook and an eyepatch. Seeing a skeleton in the same cell as him caused Clover to jump, scared.

“You don’t look you have had a glass of water in a while” the skeleton observed.

“No, thanks, sir…” Clover replied, keeping himself as most distanced as he could.

“First-mate Calico” the skeleton introduced himself, while getting up and approaching Clover, always extending him the cup. “Wait, no… Just Calico. I was stripped of my title. Bones pretty much doesn’t mutineers.”

“I don’t like Bones…” Clover said, while extending his hoof to accept the cup, just to retreat it. “…or skeletons.”

“Not all skeletons are like Bones, kid” Calico replied to him. “Some of us believe in something else. For a while, I thought we could change things, end Skullivar’s tyranny, take command on the Demoniac and so some good. We wanted to be free from our shackles.”

“Uh, I know the feeling…” Clover said, understanding.

“Ah, well, Bones put an end to it” Calico replied, while leaning against a wall and sitting down, alongside Clover. “Everyone fell in rank and let me here to rot.”

He took a sip of water before continuing:

“Things will never change. Freedom is just a dream. We’ll never leave this cell.

Before that situation, Clover found that it was preferable getting comfortable.

“You know what?” he asked. “I’ll have that water after all.”

The Chaos continued to follow the Demoniac. Meanwhile, Dusk was at the engine room with Opal, walking around, impatiently.

“Opal, I was wondering if you could go any slower.”

“You can’t perform a derivation in a matter of seconds” she told, while connecting some cables.

“What’s your plan anyway, captain?” Calabrass asked Dusk. “I say we go straight and blast those skeletons to pieces!”

“No, I’ve got a better plan to free Clover” Dusk replied. “The torero strategy isn’t done yet. We’ll take them this time.”

In the Demoniac, Clover was walking around in his cell, with Calico watching him around.

“You’re making me seasick” Calico said.

“Ah… I’m looking for a way out” Clover replied. “Now that I’m flesh and blood, I want to enjoy running and swimming and… supper!”

“Why?” Calico asked, getting up. “You know, kid, whatever you’re flesh and blood, or bone and bone, there’s no real freedom in this cruel world.”

“My captain, Dusk, says that freedom is inside of the heart” Clover said, while placing his hoof over his chest. “Ghost, skeleton or pony… There’s no difference.”

“Your captain is a foul” Calico replied.

“Dusk Storm is not a foul!” Clover protested. “And when he comes to save me, you’ll see you were wrong about everything.”

That statement really surprised Calico who asked:

“Your captain would come and fight Bones in the Demoniac just to free you?”

“He would free you too as well” Clover said. “Just to prove you things can change. Are you with me? What do you say?”

“But your captain will have a hard time reaching us” Calico said. “Unless…”

“We help him” Clover said, realizing what Calico was trying to say.

“And I know every Demoniac’s weak point, every entrance” Calico said. “It would be so much easier to your captain.”

“Excellent! We need to get to the command station and call Dusk on the radio.”

“But how?”

Looking to Calico’s cup, Clover had an idea.

“I’ve got it!”

Using Calico’s cup, Clover started clanking it through the bars of his cell, while shouting:

“Hey, you guys! Come over here! We have important information for Bones!”

A pair of skeletons came over, trading confused looks.

Meanwhile, Chaos was sailing beside the Demoniac, holding a white flag of surrender.

At the bridge, a skeleton noticed that and told Golden Bones:

“Sir! Sir! They surrender!”

Looking through his periscope, Golden Bones saw the white flag and replied:

“Can’t say I’m surprised…”

“General…” a skeleton asked.

He turned around to see that the pair of skeletons had brought Calico and Clover to him.

“Calico?” Golden Bones asked. “What is this traitor doing here?!”

“They say they have important information to say, general” a skeleton told.

“Now is not the time!” Bones replied.

“Look at you…” Calico said. “To think that I saved you from the Sea Beast… And you thank me for putting me in a cell!”

“Yeah, that’s not nice!” Clover replied.

“A cell is the place where backstabbing mutineers like you end up, Calico” Golden Bones told, while approaching, turning then to the skeletons who had brought Clover and Calico. “Take him back there! He just came to waste my time.”

While Golden Bones was talking, focused on Calico, Clover sneaked by. To give him more time, Calico turned to his fellow skeletons and asked them:

“Haven’t you have enough of playing slave to Bones and Skullivar? Aren’t yall supposed to feel the wind of freedom whistling through your ribs?”

“Get… him… out!” Golden Bones ordered, as Clover, behind him, tried to reach the command station.

“Come on, Calico, don’t be difficult” one of the skeletons told him.

“Difficult?” Calico asked, turning then to every skeleton that were in the room. “Your life is difficult! Moldy food, orders all day, subduing to Bones and all for a trifle pay!”

“That devilish tongue of yours!” Golden Bones said. “Forget the cell. Throw him into the sea.”

“But, sir, it’s Calico” same skeleton from before said. “He’s one of us.”

As Clover reached Bones’s helm, Calico laughed and said, referring to the skeleton that had just spoken:

“Ah, ah, that’s my boys!”

“He’s a traitor!” Bones replied. “You throw him into the sea now! Or you will be next.”

While Golden Bones was busy threatening his skeletons and dealing with Calico, Clover tried what he could to communicate with the Chaos.

At the Chaos, Opal was in the engine room working on her part of the plan, when the communication system started to capture a signal, with Clover’s voice telling:

“Calling the Chaos. Calling the Chaos! Does anypony hear me?”

Opal received the call and got surprised to see Clover.

“Clover!” she exclaimed. “Is that really you? How did you…”

“I don’t have time” he said. “I got information for Dusk.”

“Sorry, Clover, Dusk is not here” Opal replied. “Tell me what you want to tell him and I’ll tell him.”

But before Clover could tell anything, a voice shouted:

“You!”

And the call fell.

With the Demoniac distracted with the white flag on the Chaos, Dusk used the Plank to fly discretly to the Demoniac.

Meanwhile, Golden Bones had been able to notice Clover.

“You!”

“Golden Bones…” Clover said, afraid.

“Run, kid!” Calico told.

Clover descended from the captain’s post before Golden Bones could get him and then passed the skeletons that were nearby, starting to run away from the bridge with some skeletons going after him.

“Seize him at once!” Golden Bones ordered, before turning to Calico. “I’m going to enjoy watching you sink.”

It was then Golden Bones got a video message of the Chaos, while a skeleton told him:

“General, the Chaos is moving away from us.”

“What?” he asked. “They’re not surrendering anymore?”

Being able to reach the deck, Dusk said, while putting himself on and looking around carefuly:

“They’re all at the bow. Great!”

“Why are we waiting?” Calabrass asked, as Dusk moved ahead to try to get inside of the Demoniac. “Thundering and typhoons! My blade is itching!”

After hiding himself from passing guards, Dusk replied to him:

“Relax, Calabrass. This is a rescue mission. Rescue…”

“Not having just a little fun for me, laddie?” Calabrass asked.

“Hush, we have to find where the prisoners are held” Dusk said, before moving inside.

Clover was running through the halls of the Demoniac. Eventually, he was able to mislead the skeletons that were pursuing him.

“Hide and seek was funnier when I was a ghost” Clover said, getting to know the disadvantages of now being corporeal again.”

It was then that he was grabbed by a skeleton that caught him by surprise.

“Found him!” he said, while being joined by the others. “He thought he could hide in the Demoniac. Bones is going to be happy.”

“Bones, Bones, Bones…” Clover said. “What about you?! What makes you happy? What about freedom between your ribs?”

“What?”

“You know Calico” Clover continued. “He’s out of his cell and he wants everyone to get fair pay and food that is not moldy. How about that, instead of taking orders all day?”

“Shut up your fleshy trap” the skeleton that got him said.

“Wait a minute” a nearby skeleton said to his companion. “I want to hear more about the mold-free food.”

Hearing that, Clover smiled, as now he saw that he had a chance to start his own mutiny.

The Chaos was trying to escape the Demoniac that now was pursuing him.

“No games!” Golden Bones shouted. “They had their time to surrender. Open fire! Full fire power!”

Meanwhile, Dusk was able to get inside of the Demoniac and started to run through the halls.

“Look here, lad, we’ve not come to play hide and seek, have we?” Calabrass told Dusk.

“Quiet” he replied. “We’re looking for Clover.”

Arriving to the cells’ room, he went to check them all, but found them empty.

“Empty?” Dusk asked.

“Like I said, hide and seek” Calabrass said.

Suddenly, explosions could be heard.

“They started firing” Dusk said. “We’re out of time.”

As the Demoniac fired, Chaos did his best to dodge every single blast.

“Why didn’t you fire at full power?!” Bones asked.

“Commander!” a skeleton called, as he entered through the lower level of the bridge. “Some of the crew are refusing to take battle positions.”

“What?!” Golden Bones asked. “What do you mean? They refuse to obey?”

“They want things” the skeleton replied. “Like mold-free food.”

Getting to know about that mutiny really got Golden Bones enraged. He then started to go meet those mutineer skeletons, who were being led by Clover, along with a hooful of skeletons. When they get to meet, Golden Bones couldn’t believe when he saw Clover.

“What?!” he asked. “How many of you are needed that snotty idiot? Go back to your stations and sink that ship!”

But they didn’t obey.

“Firstly, I’m not snotty” Clover replied to him. “And secondly, they are not with you. They are with Calico.”

“What?!”

And the skeletons who were with Clover took their sabers out, ready to fight. Golden Bones’s patience was reaching its limit and so he shouted, while summoning his cannon:

“Enough!”

That caused Clover to go down in order to dodge some of Bones’s warning shots. Before that, one of the rebellious skeletons shouted:

“Prepare for battle!”

“For Skullivar!” skeletons serving Golden Bones exclaimed.

And so a fight between skeletons began. Clover took advantage of that to try to get out of there, but found Golden Bones before him. He tried to attack him with his hook, but Clover always dodged each attack. And then, using his speed and agility, Clover was able to pass through the Golden Bones and start running away, with Bones going after him.

He got out to the deck, but he then tripped and fell, turning to see Golden Bones getting near him. Pointing his hook to him, Golden Bones laughed. At a upper level, Dusk was able to spot Clover.

“There he is!” Dusk said, taking Calabrass. “Calabrass, give the Eye of Sino!”

And so he transformed, while jumping to the deck. With Calabrass’s blade covered in ice, Dusk landed to face Golden Bones, who had grabbed Clover with his hook and was now preparing to throw him overboard.

“Storm!” the villainous golden skeleton said. “You bring me the sword.”

“You wished!” Dusk replied.

Bones laughed and then threw Clover overboard. But Dusk whistled and then the Plank appeared, having caught Clover, who then started to mock him.

“What the…” Golden Bones started, having not expected that.

Taking advantages of Bones’s distraction, Dusk advanced to attack him. The two of them fought for a while, before Dusk making a blow that caused Golden Bones to retreat a few hooves of distance.

“Perfect shot!” Clover complimented Dusk.

“Get back to the Chaos and warn them” Dusk ordered him.

“Absolutely” Clover replied, saluting Dusk and returning to the Chaos.

Skeleton soldiers joined Golden Bones, as he got up and they started fighting Dusk. While the captain of the Chaos fought the skeletons, freezing them, Golden Bones moved away and the Demoniac pointed his weapons to Clover. As Dusk moved, Golden Bones told him, on top of the Demoniac.

“Give up! Or I order the Demoniac to shoot your little friend.”

That threat really irritated Dusk who tried to come up with a solution. But there was one problem…

“I’m almost out, lad” Calabrass told him.

“One… two…” Golden Bones counted, while the cannons got ready and skeletons surrounded Dusk.

“Okay!” Dusk replied, dropping Calabrass and nullifying their transformation. “You win this round… you big cheater.”

Clover, haven’t witness that, returned to the Chaos.

“Clover!” Star called, as the young one was caught by Mallet and the Plan returned to the bow.

“Clover is flesh now!” Mallet exclaimed. “Hurray!”

“And Dusk?” Star asked.

“It didn’t look good for him when I left” Clover told. “He must be in a cell now.”

“But what now, then?” Star asked, as Mallet put Clover down.

“I know where the cells are” Clover told.

“Release Dusk!” Mallet shouted, while hoof bumping with Clover. “Ragnasala!”

Turning then to Opal, Clover asked:

“Clover, does your ghost machine still working?”

At the Demoniac, Dusk has been put on the same cell as Calico. After the cell was closed the skeletons were gone, Calico asked Dusk:

“So, you’re Captain Dusk Storm. You’re as brave as the kid told me.”

“Yeah, brave… but stuck in a cell” Dusk said, a little discouraged.

“Uh, have faith in your crew” Calico told him, as getting up. “And remember, freedom is in your heart.”

Dusk remembered saying those words to Clover and so was able to reignite his hope.

At the Chaos’s captain cabinet, Opal was now explaining where Clover needed to be in order for him to rescue Dusk once they activated her machine, pointing to an image of the Chaos with a pointer.

“According to my calculations and having in count our trajectory and Dusk’s location, you’ll have to position yourself precisely here.”

“Aren’t you forgetting one thing?” Star asked. “We’ll be dematerialized, but Dusk won’t be. How do you expect him to pass through the walls of the Demoniac?”

Clover then got an idea for that problem, saying then:

“He’ll use Calabrass and the Eye of Vapir.”

“But how is that going to happen if Bones is the one with Calabrass?” Opal asked.

“Can you hack the radio system of the Demoniac?” Clover asked.

Opal dropped a laugh and replied:

“Foal’s play. One more thing: when we do this, I don’t know how you’re going to react, Clover. You might turn back into a ghost and stay that way.”

“Oh…” Clover said, a little saddened of the prospect of being a ghost again, but nevertheless still determined to save his friend. “Well, Dusk is my captain. I’ll take my chances for him.”

“Fantastic” Opal said. “So you want me to call the Demoniac?”

“Yes!” Clover replied. “Oh, wait a second. Mallet, do you have something to eat?”

“Sure!” Mallet replied, while handing his little friend some of his seaweed.

Clover then took a bite and, despite not being his favorite food, it was still very nice to be able to swallow anything.

“Okay, let’s do this thing” he replied.

At the Demoniac’s bridge, Golden Bones was telling to his skeleton soldiers, after dealing with the mutineer skeletons, with the first-mate skeleton holding Calabrass behind:

“Let this be a lesson to everyone. You stand against me, you’ll end up like them. And they will face the wrath of Skullivar. Calico will be crushed, while we…!”

But he didn’t finished, as Clover started to be listen, saying:

“Demoniac! Demoniac!”

“What the…” Golden Bones started.

And Clover appeared on the screens, telling to everyone in the Demoniac, including Calico and Dusk:

“To everypony in the Demoniac, listen!”

“That’s your boy!” Calico said.

“It’s not too late to save yourselves!” Clover said, while at the helm of the Chaos. “Free Calico! Fight Bones!”

“The nerve…” Bones said, hearing Clover trying to turn his skeletons against him.

“Help my friend Dusk Storm!” Clover continued. “Give him his sword back!”

The first-mate trade a quick look with Calabrass, before starting to sneak out of the bridge, while Golden Bones told to Clover:

“Foul! I desperate you are to believe my skeletons…”

He then noticed the first-mate was gone with Calabrass.

“The sword…” he said. “Where is the sword?!”

An alarm started ringing and a skeleton told:

“They are coming toward us!”

Chaos was really coming at full speed against the Demoniac. Before that, Golden Bones ordered:

“Open fire!”

With the Demoniac and the Chaos in collision course, the former started fire against the latter, with the Chaos dodging the shots.

At the cells, Dusk find himself falling, as the door he was leaning on just opened. It was the first-mate, who gave him Calabrass, while saying:

“Here you go.”

“Wow, thanks!” Dusk thanked, while getting up and taking Calabrass, as Calico got out as well.

“Remember this next time you fight us” the first-mate told.

“Dusk, we’re using the torero strategy!” Clover warned through the radio.

Knowing what he meant, Dusk turned to Calabrass and told:

“Calabrass, I need you to look deep inside of you and find the energy you still have and give me the Eye of Vapir.”

“Aye, but I won’t hold long” he replied.

And so Dusk activated the Eye of Vapir and he and Calabrass transformed.

“Run, before it’s too late!” Calabrass told Dusk.

Waving the two skeletons goodbye, Dusk started moving away, using the Eye of Vapir to cross over the door.

As they got closed to the Demoniac, Opal activated her machine. With that, Chaos and everything and everyone on board were ghostified, including Clover who was in position. And so the Chaos started passing through the Demoniac, just like last time, causing the same effects as last time.

While they were crossing, Clover looked around, trying to find Dusk and then saw him appearing, crossing a door. Seeing his friend, Dusk run towards him and then threw himself, while extending his hoof. Clover was able to take his hoof and pull him to the mast. The Chaos was able to pass through the Demoniac completely and then returned to normal, except for Clover, who remained a ghost. But that didn’t stop him and all the others from celebrating their victory.

However, as Opal’s machine went down, the Chaos became without energy. In the bridge, Golden Bones kept shouting:

“Fire! Fire! Seize them!”

“But we can’t” a skeleton replied. “All systems are down.”

“No!” Golden Bones exclaimed.

The Sea Raiders were watching the Demoniac from the prow, with Clover floating and saying:

“Poor Calico… He’s still in a cell.”

“Wait…” Dusk said, having spotted something, seeing then a waverunner getting away from the Demoniac and being piloted by none other than Calico. “Look!”

“Hey, Clover, I hope you can hear me” he told through the radio. “Thanks to you and your captain Dusk, I’m free to roam the Seven Seas.”

“It was my honor to meet you, Calico” Clover replied. “I hope we get to see each other again.”

“Fair well, kid, and good luck to you all” Calico said, before moving away.

Turning to Clover, Dusk told him:

“You’ll get your pony form back for good one day. I swear.”

“Oh, I did plenty today, Captain Dusk” Clover said. “I got my fill of pony form for a while.”

Dusk went to give him a tap on the shoulder, only to have his hoof passing through him, saying then:

“I’ll have to get used to that again.”

And that caused everypony to share a laugh.