"According to the navigation system, we should be at the first switch's location before long," the Machine Ghost said as his eyes brushed over the map he just activated. As he examined the map, he pulled a lever, and hummed as his body gunned down a fleet of oncoming copters, his eyes not even moving for a second. "Don't get too comfortable now, as they would say." The copters exploded right before his eyes, and the Machine Ghost chuckled as he leaned past the map. "I suppose they could not get comfortable, either."

The parts fell into the ocean as the Machine Ghost’s trudged past. The Machine Ghost smiled as he examined the panels, running his ectoplasmic fingers across their shiny, sleek metal surfaces. His touch was gentle enough that none of them activated, yet he couldn't help but wrap his fingers around a lever. His eyes glazed over, and rose a bit as if he was just tempted enough to pull it.

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you," 'Enehana warned as they gently removed the Machine Ghost's fingers from the lever. "That lever activates the missiles systems—and last I checked, unless you have missiles, it makes the whole thing blow instead."

The Machine Ghost blinked and hastily floated away from the lever. "I suppose I will not touch that, then." The Machine Ghost smiled and clasped a hand. "I did not even know it had the capacity for missiles."

"Of course it does! This design was taken from one of my old prototypes for an all-purpose robot suit, so it's got everything you can think of!" 'Enehana said. "Lasers, shock waves, elemental channeling… You name it, it's got it!" 'Enehana chuckled as they glazed over the Machine Ghost. "Ghosts in the machine are new though."

Both 'Enehana and the Machine Ghost chuckled for a bit, and the Machine Ghost happily twiddled its fingers. He peered up at 'Enehana, and 'Enehana gently patted his head.

"How'd a strange little guy like you end up here, anyways?"

Drawing away from 'Enehana's hand, the Machine Ghost frowned and scratched his head. "I am not entirely sure," he admitted. "I awakened here the day the hermit over there attempted to activate my body, and I've lived here ever since."

"Yeah, and you were a pain in the rear to deal with!" Ermit shouted from the back, waving his hands. "It was always 'Oh, don't touch that!' and 'Oh, do this to activate something or other!'" Ermit crossed his arms. "If I wanted a bloody helper to nag in my ear, I'd have gone to a life counselor!"

"And if I wanted an owner, I would have picked someone who didn't dump me in the frozen wastes and leave me to rot!"

The Machine Ghost and Ermit both glared at each other, huffed and turned away. Ermit scuffled off while the Machine Ghost turned back to the controls.

"What a bother," Machine Ghost huffed. His cheeks puffed for a moment, but quickly released, and his sour expression softened as he ran his fingers along the console once more. "At the very least, this robot has made quite the cozy home."

'Enehana chuckled, but it wasn't genuinely laughter, no. It was more forced, kind of sad, almost, as they grabbed hold of a few levers and pulled them down.

"I'm glad to hear that," 'Enehana whispered. The turned away their head as the remains of broken Arkeyan helicopters cascaded down in front of the windshield.

The Machine Ghost frowned, turned to 'Enehana and gently brushed a hand against their arm. "Does it upset you, having to fight your own creations?"

'Enehana winced. They stumbled away for a moment before they turned their head completely away from any glancing eyes. "If they weren't being used for evil, I wouldn't have to in the first place." 'Enehana sighed and crossed their arms. "Besides, it's not bad. I always made sure to include some kind of weak spot, something that even a simple chompy could pick out."

"That's not what I meant, you know." the Machine Ghost frowned and clasped his hands. "If I were an inventor, I'm sure I'd be very upset if I had to fight the things I worked hard to create, especially if they were being used for evil."

'Enehana winced, creeping away from the Machine Ghost before finally scurrying to a left-hand panel. Their eyes fell on a simple button, one labeled "AI activation" in ancient Common runes. They frowned and pressed it

But nothing happened. They glanced around a room that showed nothing out of the ordinary, pressed a few more times with a glance taken for every press, yet, nothing seemed to change.

"That's strange, I could've sworn this kind of robot had an AI guide. It would certainly be helpful for right now. Those things knew all the quickest routes out of these places."

'Enehana frowned, lifted their head back up, and gazed to where the Machine Ghost tapped away.

"Unless—"

Sharp, wailing sirens sounded around as red light flooded into the room, and the Machine Ghost flickered for a moment! His sudden jump brought his attention back to the windshield, and he gasped as they turned around.

"'Enehana, it seems more of these Arkeyans have arrived!" the Machine Ghost shouted, even though his own voice just barely strained over talking volume. "Let's finish them!"

'Enehana nodded. Their hands clenched into fists and steps solid as steel, not wavering a bit as they stormed over to where the consoles laid. ‘Enehana planted their hands around its metal. Their fingertips flared with orange light as they selected a few buttons, and pulled down a lever with a grunt. They glanced back at the Machine Ghost as the lever reached its lowest, and pulled another pair of levers down!

"Engaging the cannons!" the Machine Ghost and 'Enehana both cried as they pointed ahead.

The Machine Ghost's body slammed its hands together as the Arkeyan copters flew in by the dozens, cannons charging and ready to fire! Its hands peeled back as the lasers fired at it, but they didn't stop for a second. They slid within the bodies' depths while hot white light charged forward.

The light flared over the robots in a snap, enveloping them in its hot embrace! The sound of frizzing electricity just faintly rang in the air as the light faded, and unveiled the robots as they fell into the depths, but they got paid no mind. The Machine Ghost's body stormed forward. The maimed robot parts brushed against its chest, and rolled down into the depths as it stopped at a bridge.

Steam burst out of the body's hinges outside and vaults inside. It forced a few members of their group to scurry away before hot steam smacked them in the face. The steam receded and beams of light took its place, pouring in from the outer world as the back door receded.

"I have to admit, it is quite thrilling to fight within this robot body. I should do it more often!" the Machine Ghost remarked. He turned around, bowed to the group for only a moment, and turned back around to the console. "Anyways, I believe this should be your stop. I will keep the body warm while you take care of the generator."

"Alright, follow me. I'll lead us to the generator," 'Enehana said.

They pulled away from the group and marched to the door, all while pulling out a map from their backpack without even looking back. They unfurled the map until it was all its full stretch. In a blink, a monocle formed in front of their eye, and shone light onto the eastern portion of the map.

"I'll take care of hacking the system, but there's likely gonna be guards. I'll need someone to keep them off my back!"

"Just leave that to us!" Sihiri and Tree Rex cried in tandem.

The rest of the group stormed out in tandem. They all shouted and vowed as they raced into the light… Well, almost all of them.

Within the robot laid Ermit, who just huddled into the corner. "Don't look at me!" he faintly shouted at someone as the robot body's door began to close. "I'm staying where it's safe! All this hero stuff is your job!"

Another, fainter protest came from behind as the door inched into a close, and steam spewed from it still as it sealed itself shut. Now, the only thing left was a shrieking silence, the kind of quiet that was far too good to be true—especially with the sights ahead.

The spiraling, brown and orange stone paths surely once made of shiny bronze and copper in their heyday held no guards or traps whatsoever. It just had an empty approach that led to a round platform with a crackling, glowing beacon in its center. The back half of the path fed into some cliffs suspiciously more carved and shaped compared to the rest of their raw brethren. These carved cliffs, in turn, only had a tall, rusted tower that held some kind of faintly-visible apparatus on its base.

Still, aside of those few devices, there was nothing. Not the scent of oil that came with Arkeyan presence, not the rumbling sound of stampeding feet, or the cries of robots as they raised their weapons! The light was all natural sunlight, not that of harsh lasers, or beaming light cannons, or even the glint that shone off of a metal armor piece. It was just, empty.

"That can't be right," 'Enehana said as they lowered the map in their hands. "Where in Skylands are all the guards? The lasers puzzles? Anything?"

"Well, you did say this was secret, right?" Swarm asked as he bent down and shrugged. "It's probably so secret, he didn't think to put any guards here!" Swarm grinned and slicked back his antennae. "That just makes our job a whole lot easier!"

"That isn't like Arkilles and you know it, Swarm," Tree Rex added. He placed a hand on Swarm's shoulder as he glanced out at the path with a tense glare. "He stations guards at every corner he finds! Surely, there's gotta be something here."

"We just haven't found it yet," 'Enehana said as they rolled up the blueprints. Stowing away the blueprints in their backpack, 'Enehana tip-toed forward. "Be on your guard."

The others nodded as they tip-toed along with 'Enehana, larger members moving to the back and smaller ones to the front. Their eyes shifted in every angle, at even the slightest noise that came, and a few summoned weapons or readied spells as they crossed over the path.

Despite their leeriness, still, nothing came. They stepped foot on the platform where the beacon stood with not a single hitch! A few parties glanced around, others lowered their weapons, and at the head of the group, 'Enehana frowned as they crept towards the beacon.

"If I recall correctly, this beacon should be what reactivates the power here," they said as they knelt down in front of the beacon's base. They flipped open a panel before they toyed with the wiring within. "I just need to couple these, decouple those, and then…"

A lightning bolt burst out from the beacon, and slammed into the orbs that lined the back part of the pathway, jumping from orb to orb in a zig-zag pattern before finishing its stop at the tower! It charged right into the tower's apparatus, lighting in in a bright golden share with lights flashing around its rim! It looked even more like a beacon than the beacon itself, for the beacon's light dulled the moment the tower lit up!

"And that's that!" 'Enehana cried as they stood up. "Just have to re-route the power there, and—"

'Enehana shouted and stumbled back as the ground below them began to quake. The moment their feet hit the floor, they rushed away from the platform and leaped into Jorden's arms! The platform they once stood on cracked as the rumbling grew louder; parts of it shattered and collapsed into piles of rubble!

The beacon upturned. Its thick and tough wires shot into the air, but the beacon itself decoupled from the wires and collapsed into the massive rivers below. Rubble tumbled down the sides of the piles as they arched higher, and the quaking upturned the more stable parts of the platform, transforming them into jagged stone borders!

A large dirt battlefield unearthed itself, and out from it spewed a whole army of Arkeyan robots: knights wielding axes and swords and robots with wheels for legs that held energy bombs manned the front, and large chompies made entirely of metal held up the rear!

"Should've known this was too good to be true!" 'Enehana hissed.

They fell to their knees and punched the ground. Orange light pulsed out from their knuckles and burst into a pillar around them! The pillar's light started to solidify as it shone, taking the shape of shoulders, helmets, legs. Soon, they all slammed into 'Enehana as they came to light, forming a gigantic robot exosuit with 'Enehana at the center!

Their head poked out from the helmet's clear glass. "I'll go on ahead! You just keep these guys busy!" they called.

Jorden gasped. He blushed furiously as 'Enehana knelt down and punched through a few robot soldiers before they jumped off. Jorden quickly shook his head and ran off.

"Ena, wait for me!" he cried with the most lovestruck tone in his voice.

He didn’t even noticed the robots that stood in front of him! That is, until one drifted right in front of him. Even then, he just punched it in the face before he chased after 'Enehana and called for them!

"And we'll keep them out of trouble!" Ninjini cried as she teleported ahead of the robots.

Bouncer, Crusher, and Eye-Brawl leaped into the skies and bounded over the armies. They disappeared in an instant, along with the rest of the group. The only remnant of their presence was the sound of Ninjini's voice carried on the wind.

"Just make sure they don't find us!"

A few robots turned around, still clenching their weapons. They seemed to inch around to where the others consolidated at the other side of the bridge. A few robots sped off, but beams of light pierced through their chests! They exploded in seconds, taking the rest of the robots with them.

What remained of their forces turned to where Luz knelt in front of his ground. His shield dug tight into the earth and charged up another laser as he sat.

"You heard them!" Luz called as he yanked his shield up and spun it around, tossing more lasers into the fray with every spin. "We've gotta keep these tin cans off their tail—and what better way to do that than lightening the mood?"

A few of the wheeled robots swung forward, swerving around the lasers as they came close. They threw green and pink electric bombs back! The bombs soared and stuck to the stone floors below, blowing their stones to pieces as they ignited.

A few landed right beside Luz's feet! The bombs heated up as Luz scrambled back, their once green and pink surfaces growing redder to the touch! Luz snatched up one bomb with his shield as a tray, yelped and dropped it to the ground.

"That's way too hot!" he cried as he waved his hand and blew it off.

Behind him, Hot Head smiled and scooped the bombs off of the ground. Their bodies still glowed red-hot, but Hot Head didn't even flinch. Instead, he chuckled as they grew warmer, igniting his palms with warm light. He giggled once more as he squeezed the bombs in his palms, blowing them to bits!

Their flames coursed around his hands, and puffs of smoke and embers burst from them. He flicked open his fingers, and shot a volley of fire right back at the robots! The flames grew even larger, completely blocking off the path ahead and engulfing everything in their fires. The only sound that could be heard was the faint sound of something blowing up!

Geysers of fire spurted, and died from the flamethrower as the smell of burnt, charred black smoke echoed, and the flames petered out. All that was left behind was a charred, broken ground. Its stone top was completely shattered and melted off in parts, and it laid littered with many, only faintly singed metal orbs colored in shades of blue and silver, red and gold.

The orbs seemed to shudder for a moment, and the dirt and dust piled on their heads crumbled and rolled off as they jostled the earth around. With one last shake, they all leaped out of the ground, unveiling their true form: more Arkeyan knights and chompies!

The chompies snarled, leaped off the ground with surprising speed despite their large stature, and fixed their sight on the Elder Elementals! Tree Rex got knocked back before he could even react. The others couldn't even call for him, or warn the others, for even more chompies tackled them!

Sihiri gasped, covering her mouth as Tree Rex crashed onto the ground with a nasty crack. The swoop of an oncoming blade caught her eye! She flung her hands out, crafted a barrier of magic right as one of the knights came for her, but it just slashed its sword right through it!

Sihiri swept away right as the blade pierced through and nearly stabbed her, but the knight yanked its sword out and slashed again! The barrier was covered in so many cracks that this simple blow not only shattered it, but cast out a wind so great that Sihiri tumbled back! She rolled across the ground and landed right in Inochi's lap, shuddering as her back hit the soft cloth of Inochi's kimono.

Inochi gasped, cradling Sihiri close and pulling her further onto her lap. Inochi narrowed her eyes as the knights came in closer. She lifted a glowing, green hand, and out from it popped an entire weed of chompies. They were about the size of a person, with the sharpest fangs a chompy could have!

The chompies yowled as they stumbled forward on their stubby little legs, and the knights raised their weapons and swung—but the chompies leaped up and bit into the weapons' handles! The knights' grip loosened, and the chompies yanked the weapons away. The chompies ran off, dropped them at the feet of the other portal masters, and disappeared in puff of green smoke. The smoke clouded the area around them in a thick mist, so thick that not even silhouettes could be made out.

"Well, well," Vatra remarked as he lifted a sword from the ground and squeezed its handle tight. "Seems it's time for us to have some fun!" Vatra squeezed the sword once more and flames burst from his hand, coating the sword in a layer of fire. "Now, I'm no swordsman, but I think a flaming blade is enough to take out anything, no?"

The mist cleared, and a few growls sounded as a couple of smaller, mechanical chompies wove in underneath the knights' feet. The chompies knocked the knights off their balance as they struggled not to trip! The chompies' sharp, metal fangs brimmed in the sunlight as they leaped for Vatra, but Vatra leaped up and rolled through the air, soaring well above the mechanical chompies! The chompies grunted as they fell down, and Vatra slammed his sword in the ground.

Veins of red hot light formed in the bridge, glimmering hotter by the second and formed zig-zag patterns that crossed right underneath the chompies' feet. The sun reached its peak, and its light beamed down on the veins as it ignited them! Bursts of fire erupted from their veins and burned the chompies alight.

Luz kicked aside an ax while the chompies burned and melted away, and chuckled as he laid down his shield. The shield's core brimmed with light, and shot a laser that pierced right through the flames before it solidified. It created a square mirror that reflected the fires' light towards a path across, and then another, and a third. Soon enough, it birthed a string of lasers that fed into a whole barricade of mirrors! The mirrors' light fanned over the oncoming robots in a strikingly bright wave. It was bright enough that the robots could only briefly be seen before their singed remains unveiled under the fading light! The robots' corpses burned away as a completely frozen ax sliced them in half in one blow.

Dej nodded as the robots’ top halves flew in the air, and turned to Nemir beside him.

Nemir nodded and hummed as he held out his hands. Silvery mist fed out from the lines in his palms, making a quick trail for the robot halves before seeping into their exposed wiring! As the mist sank in, rust coated and corroded both the inner and outer parts of the broken robots. Their once shiny armor reduced to a dull hunk of metal covered in thick patches of solid red rust.

"Sihiri, do it!" Dej called.

While the robot halves sparked even more furiously, the flames above them relented. They curled away to form as path as Sihiri jumped to her feet! She panted heavy breaths as she sped forward, leaped up and clapped her hands together. As she landed on the ground, a purple light enveloped the broken Arkeyan corpses, and hurtled them right in front of her! In fact, they flew so fast that Sihiri fell to the ground to shield herself. She turned around, and lifted herself up as the Arkeyan robot corpses flew across the floor.

The corpses' sparking, bursting halves smashed into the legs of the larger mechanical chompies. They exploded with such fury that the chompy who wrestled with Tree Rex slipped and fell off!

As it stumbled backwards, Tree Rex wound up his arm and punched it right in the gut, sending it flying back. He charged forward and gripped its sides tight, so tight that it cracked the chompy's arm and unveiled pulsing green flesh within. Tree Rex roared as he heaved the squealing, flailing chompy up over his head, and he flung it right into the water with one toss! The chompy fell in, sent a pillar of water splashing up, and Tree Rex crossed his arms.

"Drop anchor!" Thumpback cried from behind.

Tree Rex turned around right as Thumpback's anchor flew for him, and he stumbled back just before the anchor could decapitate him! Tree Rex blinked as the anchor swung into a nearby chompy instead, but only for a moment. His footing slipped down into the piles of rubble that bordered their arena, and he shouted out as he flung himself forward and charged back up.

Thumpback smiled and pulled back his anchor. It now wrapped so tightly around the chompy that the chompy looked about ready to pop. Thumpback chuckled as he lifted up his anchor, turning it around just a bit…

"Wait, Thumpback, stop!" Tree Rex cried. "This area's too narrow! If you swing it around, it'll knock us all into the ocean!"

And Thumpback loosened his grip on the chain just slightly enough so that the anchor's grip on the chompy wouldn't loosen. The roaring bellow of mechanical cries came from behind him as another group of chompies came for him. Thumpback grunted as he heaved the anchor's chain over his shoulder.

"Then I'll just have to change tides!" Thumpback cried.

With one last heave, the chompy he captured flew over him, and it smacked into the group of oncoming chompies, flattening them like pancakes! Their armor cracked and shattered in parts, and revealed more of that pulsing, glowing green flesh as they whimpered. It pulsed for only a short time before murky water blew from Thumpback's blowhole and completely shattered it! The rain burned away at their armor and flesh alike like acid, and the chompies squealed as they rolled away.

They ran off from Thumpback and right into Hot Head, who giggled as he stomped his foot! The flame atop his head burned even brighter, becoming a full volley of fire. Embers rained down from it, setting the chompies alight!

The chompies squealed and hopped around as their bodies burned away. Their arms thinned, and severed from the bodies as those arms plopped onto the ground like dead leaves. The chompies hopped around in pursuit of some kind of sanctuary when sharp winds cut into them, knocking them into the seas!

The storm of fire relented as Swarm chuckled. He blew off his arm blades while the sky blue glow around them faded, and turned back to the path ahead—a gaze that everyone else followed.

Ahead of them, a few explosions sounded, and left some to wince as all that remained was the smoke.

"Seems like they could use some help!" Sihiri shouted as she stepped forward, and waved to the others as she leaped. "Come on!"

Sihiri spun forward, but the orbs on the bridge ahead lit up, she gasped and flew right back!

Their lights shone bright as it shrieked with heat. Out from their surface came another, zig-zagging light pattern, followed by a second and third, a fourth and sixth. Soon, a hot laser grid blocked the whole path ahead!

Sihiri held out her hands, but before she could cast her spell, the lasers' cyan light turned to a milky, whitish color, and they all folded over and parted! She turned to her side, and smiled as she met with a chuckling Luz.

"You know," Luz remarked as he strode across the bridge with hands behind his back. "I wonder if they've got that dam thing taken care of yet."

Luz whistled a tune as he took a few more steps across the bridge, hopped off its end and shielded his eyes as he turned ahead. He gasped, and ducked back as the head of an Arkeyan knight flew right above him! He got up, winced as the knight's head exploded behind him, and turned ahead with another wince.

In front of him, the canyons laid dented, and the floors cracked and ravaged as even more robots fought with the rest of his crew! Bouncer and Ninjini leaned back and sniped them from behind while Eye blasted a few from above. On the ground, Brawl and Crusher pounded into the earth as they stomped and smashed through more of the robots! Amid all the dust they raised, the faintest glow of bronze could just barely be caught wandering through the fog. The bronze light glowed even brighter as stone spires burst out, and the spires skewered tons of robots on their spines!

"I hate to rush things along, Ena," Jorden called as the mist faded, and the spires receded into the ground around him, "but are ya done with that codey thing yet?"

At the back of the group, 'Enehana laid knelt on the ground, biting their lip and fiddling with a control panel. They tapped away at the keyboard provided for mere moments, but as lasers and whirring sounded around them, they snarled. They shot out one of their hands, and crafted a laser that seared right through the Arkeyan knights that charged for them!

"I'm trying!" they shouted back as they turned to the keyboard, growled and shot another robot. "These robots keep sneaking up on me!" 'Enehana winced, and turned back to the keyboard while their fingers wiggled over the keys. "Now, what was I supposed to do next?"

The sound of charging cannons sounded before them, and 'Enehana gasped and rolled away as a bullet of raw light shot for them! The bullet sniped a hole right through the canyon behind them, leaving only a searing smokey mist. 'Enehana cringed as they glanced at the hole.

With a stomp, the ground rumbled before them, and spiraling pillars of gears burst forward and churned, blocking 'Enehana from view! They sighed as they sat back down at the keyboard, tapped away, and gritted their teeth as sharp, grinding sounds came from the barrier. An array of bullets slipped through and bounced around the area, forcing them to duck once more!

On the other side of 'Enehana's barrier, the robots that gathered screeched as they shot and chipped away at the barrier, not moving a single finger!

"Hey, let them work, will ya?" Jorden shouted as he charged forward and raised his pickax. "Their codey thingies are hard enough without you guys messin’ around!"

Jorden smashed their pickax into the ground, and it quaked and rumbled in turn, knocking the robots onto their backs! The robots clunked and shouted out garbled, distorted noises as they bounced and rolled down the hills. A string of hot bullets shot forward as they finally reached the base, and completely riveted their backs! The robots flailed and jerked their arms around; they squealed out as the bullets ripped apart their backs and exposed their insides. Their noises and lights dulled as they laid limp on the ground.

Jorden turned back right as Bouncer blew the smoke from his fingertips.

Bouncer grunted as a larger Arkeyan with round blades akin to halves of a shield leaped up, and slashed him right across the back. He cried out as he crashed to the ground, and Jorden ran off right before he could get smashed underneath! Instead, it was merely the corpses of broken Arkeyan robots that flattened underneath as Bouncer laid down and groaned. The large slash across his back sparked, and turned red-hot as the Arkeyan crept up to him. It raised its blade, the lights in its face burning red as it lowered its blades…

And Ninjini tackled into it, pushing it aside before skewering its chest with her wishblades! She drew the wishblades out, slapped the robot away with her fog trail, and floated over as she pulled Bouncer back upright.

Her gaze fixed on the wound in his back. "Bouncer, dear, are you alright?" Ninjini whispered, holding out a hand. "Let me, I can—"

"Don't worry about it, babe," Bouncer croaked as he patted his back. "I can take care of this."

His hand felt around his back before it finally reached the edges of the open wound, and he lifted it back as it glowed orange! The sprawled metal of his back turned orange as it curled forward, sealed the wound back up, and seeped into the metal until it was completely invisible!

Bouncer chuckled, pushing himself out of Ninjini's arms and wheeling up. His eyes turned on the slightly smaller robots that bounced to and fro below his wheel. A clunk came from behind as part of his back swept out, and a rain of rockets burst from his back, raining down on the robots! A flurry of explosions burst from the ground. Flames burned and flashed for moments before they faded just as quickly, and Bouncer wheeled away.

Ninjini swept in where Bouncer once stood, waved her hands as they glowed purple, but stopped. The light in her hands faded as the explosions did, for she glanced down and found the robots were gone! A string of pops came around her, and Ninjini backed away as the robots teleported around her, floating in a thick ring and choked around her! She held up her hands once more, wincing as their purple glow returned, but swept away as one exploded beside her.

"Over here! Eye can see you bobbing around!" Eye shouted as he floating above, flapping his wings in an almost teasing manner.

The robots all squealed, and the fires underneath them burned even brighter as they all zipped up to Eye! With his much more diminutive size, they completely encircled him, forming a tight cocoon. Silver light shimmered between the gaps in the cocoon, and lasers slashed out from parts of it! The robots all exploded as one, and Eye screamed as the explosion vaulted him back! He plopped right back onto Brawl's top as Brawl raced forward, squealing and flailing as Eye burned red.

"Augh, my eye! It burns!"

A burst of water washed in and poured over Eye. It dripped into Brawl enough that Brawl himself had to stop and turn around. Atop Brawl, Eye pushed himself up as the redness in his eye faded, chuckled and floated up.

"Thank you, strange water blast!" Eye remarked before he turned around. "Although, eye do wonder where it came from."

"Over there!" Crusher shouted as he ran up and pointed to the bridge. "It's the others!"

Tree Rex charged forward with a roar, his gauntlet held out as its spikes grew long and sharp. He pounded the ground and cracked it underneath his punch! The robots around him flew in the air, and as they did, Crusher swung in behind Tree Rex and spun around, slamming them everywhere with his hammer! The robots fell into the ocean and smashed into the canyon walls. Both Crusher and Tree Rex smiled at each other, but the ground's rumbling left them scowling instead.

Ahead of them, the robots that once crowded around 'Enehana's barrier now marched towards the two of them, lifting their weapons and turning their eyes red. The robots raised their hands, and their shrieking echoed in the air as they charged.

Elder Elemental and portal master alike steeled themselves. Though, behind their ranks, they just barely caught a glimpse of 'Enehana, who still dutifully worked away at the tower. ‘Enehana's barrier still churning despite how dented it was—and that was enough motivation for their entire group!

Crusher shouted out as he slammed his hammer into the earth, and beside him, Jorden pounded his fist and summoned pounding machines made of raw stone! The world quaked and cracked underneath Crusher's hammer, and the quaking further fed from the rumbling and pounding of Jorden's machines! Crusher and Jorden backed away as the robots stumbled on their own feet, struggling to keep their balance amid the quakes. The two of them parted ways as Inochi and Tree Rex charged forward!

Inochi rushed in first, and twirled through the air before she landed down and stomped the ground! The cracks in the earth filled with green light as she floated away, and Tree Rex shouted out as he body-slammed into the earth! The green light shrieked, glowing its brightest. Vines shot from the earth around Tree Rex, and snapped up at such furious speeds that the buds at their tops covered the sun.

Behind them, Luz clapped his hand as the sunlight glowed even harsher, and Eye shot out lasers not made of silver, but shining gold! The light burned into the stems and sent thin smoke floating from them, so Dej and Thumpback cast out their hands. Clouds covered the skies above them, crackling and thundering and pouring down rain into the plants!

The sunlight and rain alike parted as the buds' petals unfurled, unveiling flowers with sharp, grinding fangs for centers! The flowers licked their lips as they loomed over the robots, pounded into the ground and snapped their jaws right through the robots. The plants lifted themselves up to gobble the robots down and lick their lips!

The remaining robots shot for the base of the killer flowers' stems, but skidded to a stop as a burst of fire streaked along the battlefield like a comet. The fire jerking left and right as it flew in front of them, and revealed Vatra at its helm! Flames sparked and popped from the tips of his hair as he thrust out his red-hot palm. The heat around him grew almost unbearable as smoke burned even further around him, and out from his palm shot a flaming comet that tossed the robots back!

Globs of oil shot down from the skies as the robots flew back, crashed onto the robots, and their flames flared even higher as they skidded up to Bouncer's wheel! Bouncer rolled back a little, waved a hand and cast an orange glow down on the robots. The robots' bodies crunched and creaked as they staggered back up, and smoke burned from all orifices of their bodies as its thick, burning stench filled the air. The once-red lights in their eyes turned orange, and they bellowed out distorted, warped screams as they charged right for their remaining ranks and exploded!

Another string of explosions rocked the ground, and split it further as the robots broken corpses fell in droves.

Bouncer wheeled out while the rest of the group converged in the heart of the battlefield.

The canyons around them all were devastated. Their once thick stone was cracked and bitten out in significant chunks. Their floors were shattered, filled with cracks just small enough that they could be walked on, but big enough to be noticed. The smell of flames, smoke and oil filled the once fresh skies.

"I'm almost done over here!" 'Enehana shouted from behind their barrier. "Just keep an eye out!"

"Understood!" Sihiri shouted back.

The ground shuddered a bit, and a soft thunk like footsteps hit the air.

Sihiri's eyes narrowed, turning back to one of the walls they cracked during the battle. She cast out her hands, and formed a sparkling barrier right as another robot burst out!

It was much taller compared to the last, at least a head or two over the Elder Elementals. Its own head was vaguely humanoid in shape, and its body was round and burned with fire. Cannons lined every inch of its body, from across its arms and legs to its back.

It let out some unholy mixture of a scream and a fan's churning as it turned around and fired! Its cannons burst at every angle, slamming into the barrier and shattering it completely! The others fell back and scrambled away as a laser crashed and exploded just inches away from them, but Bouncer scowled.

"Initiate launch sequence!" Bouncer cried as rocket cannons dispatched from his back.

The rocket cannons seated themselves on his shoulders and fired in one swift instant. The burned through the skies and smashed right into the robot's chest—but, instead of blowing the robot to bits, it was the rockets themselves that shattered! Dull explosions burst as their crumbled remains fell to the ground, and the robot roared once more as it fired.

Crusher grunted and slammed his hammer into the ground. A shield of solid, shiny crystal shot up, and though it was completely clear, not a single laser or rocket from the robot smashed it! He sighed for a moment, turned around and winced.

"That thing's rock-solid!" he cried. "I don't think an ordinary attack's gonna break it!"

Sihiri jumped to her feet next, followed by Ninjini, and both of them nodded before clasping their hands. A wave of purple magic pulsed over the area, shaking the crystal barrier with every pulse. More than that, it shielded them from view, their bodies slowly fading away with every magic hit.

"Swarm!" Sihiri called, and turned to him just before he disappeared for view. "Scout for weaknesses, now!"

"On it, leader lady!" Swarm cried.

He saluted her right as he faded from view, and the only indicator of his presence was the beating of his wings. A few lasers shot for him, and he yelped as he flew away. He leaned forward and zipped around the robot, and the air around him pulsed as he dodged lasers and scouted the robot's body. He flew around the back, and a small chuckle just barely sounded off as a string of hard air blasts smacked into the robot's back!

Golden glass fragments burst out as its lights flickered. The robot groaned as it plunged into the ground, and Swarm floated down next to it.

The crystal barrier receded as everyone else became visible once more and rushed around the robot. A few of them stepped back as the robot's hand twitched and clawed for them. The hand reached out for a moment as a laser started to charge in its palm, but laser's light faded just as quickly as it came. The hand slunk down to the floor, shifting its arm away and unveiling a suspiciously golden glowing spot behind the shoulder.

"The next weak spot's in the shoulder!" Swarm shouted.

Eye nodded, and floated above the robot while silver light charged in his cornea. A laser shot right forward and slammed into the golden spot, and turned its light silver while the sound of cracking snapped in the air! The light faded, only pulsing just enough to be seen as cracks formed in the neck.

Eye flew back as Nemir stepped forward. Nemir fell to his knees, crawled forward while he patted the area around the robot's neck, and grunted as he ripped out a cracked, silver orb. He tossed it aside, shattered into tiny pieces beside him, and turned around right as Swarm slashed away a spot on the other side of the robot's neck.

The robot growled, its guttural noises still bellowing and growling. It tried to lift its head up, but then, it silenced and planted its head into the floor. Soft panting came from up ahead as the robot rested limp, and its head smashed in as 'Enehana leaped in and stomped it right down!

'Enehana grunted as they landed right in front of the downed robot, and beamed as they adjusted their backpack's position. "Alright, power's been restored to the east dam! We should see the water levels rising any second now!"

Just to prove their point, the sound of crashing, rushing water echoed from behind! Everyone raced to peer over the cliffs as the water levels rose. The water swelled up so high that the once fairly shallow creeks covered most of the pillars hoisting up the bridge ahead! They did it—the dam was restored!

Ninjini waved her hands while purple sparkles cascaded down, and they teleported back to the beginning of the bridge in an instant. The light faded, and the sound of creaking metal came beside them as they blinked and regained their stances.

"My knees are a bit damper than usual. I can only suppose you have risen the dams," the Machine Ghost said. Steam hissed as he lifted up his body's chest, and the gangplank spilled out as it slammed into the bridge. "Come along now. We will now proceed to the west dam."

Everyone piled into the drawbridge. As the last of their group filed in, and the Machine Ghost's chest closed up once more, he turned around. Water sloshed around him as his body took heavy, labored steps across the increased rivers. The east dam grew further and further in view as the tower shone its golden light behind him.