Boom! Boom! Boom!

Just as Mentos and the Bastians had hot-footed it to the chamber's exit, the antique skeletal structure began to quiver like a cornered mouse. Dust and debris that had lain dormant for aeons began raining down in a spectral shower. Mentos' ticker was thumping to the rhythm of the falling chamber like a syncopated sound of impending doom and unyielding tenacity. The exit, which was a slender crack in the wall, beckoned to them like a lighthouse in a storm with a tantalising whiff of survival.

But, back in the once-stable chamber, Hao was far from this sliver of salvation. His Vibe Sense, akin to a beacon in the abyss, led him deeper into the bone dust. The dust swirled around him, performing a grim ballet in the scant light that was peeking through the tiny apertures of the ceiling, it was throwing flitting, phantasmal silhouettes onto the cavern walls. As he continue to dig for the objective of his Vibe Sense, his forehead was a river mixing with dust to form a morbid slurry.

Rumble!

The roar of a crumbling sanctuary was a fierce lion, growing louder by the second. The earth beneath him vibrated in harmony with the falling rocks. BOOM! BOOM!

"No time to dilly-dally," he grumbled with urgency surging within him like a tidal wave. After a couple more seconds of searching his hands through dust, he yelled, "Bingo!" His fingers found something solid, an island in a sea of dust perhaps?

“What is it?” Eager to see, he brushed away the bone dust with a groan, revealing a peculiarly shaped spine, glowing eerily, mirroring his astonished expression.

“This isn’t so simple.” He observed. The bone was a wonder, inscribed with deep notches and ornate motifs that hinted at ancient lore. Its size was intimidating. Hao grunted under the strain as he tried to lift it.

"Damn, this is heavy. Could use a hand here!" His cry for help echoed around the cavernous chamber. Euphy and Symphy who were both hovering nervously near the exit, swivelled at his call. Without procrastinating, they streaked back into the tumult, skilfully swimming around the cascading rubble. The risk was real, yet their loyalty to Hao trumped all fear.

“Please let them make it in time.” From the exit, Mentos watched their reckless gallantry. Without Hao, they were rats in a maze. Mentos could only pray for their timely return.

“Both of you, quickly grab onto it!” Aided by Euphy and Symphy, Hao managed to hoist the colossal spine from the pile of dust and began retreating right away. Yet, the burden slowed them, their water reserves were ticking down like a doomsday clock. Still, they persevered with an unbroken resolve amidst the crumbling chaos.

Boom! Boom!

"Vee, heads up!" Mentos hollered when he witness a gargantuan piece of the ceiling threatening to bury them beneath. The rock was monstrous, adorned with lethal bone spikes that amplified its menacing presence.

Whoosh!

Hao had already sensed the looming danger through the pulsating rhythm of his Vibe Sense, there was no outrunning that humungous monster and it was impossible for him to teleport the Sword Fishes along with the cargo, hence, he activated Volume Raiser in a last-ditch attempt. BOOM! A seismic wave of vibrations exploded from Vibe Edge that encapsulated and lifted smaller rocks to form a protective barrier against the impending doom. Hao felt a part of the blade crack under pressure, but he had no time to focus on this.

The makeshift shield lasted just long enough for Hao, Euphy, and Symphy to make their daring escape from the chamber. Their arrival at the entrance was greeted by a sigh of relief from Mentos. They'd made it, by the skin of their teeth. After they spilt out of the crevice, the chamber behind them bellowed one final time before succumbing to its own weight.

Mentos came over and placed a hand on Hao’s shoulder, “Whew, don’t you ever worry me again like that mate. I thought I was going to lose you back there.”

Hao gave a cocky response to his friend's concerns. “I’ve told you many-many times, you worry too much Mentos. I’m not going to die because I’m the protagonist.”

“You might be protected by plot armour but I’m not, so stop dragging me along with you on your dangerous adventures.” About to rant some more, Mentos got interrupted by the hectic vibrations. RUMBLE! Their relief was ephemeral, for the rest of the Conclave seemed to be following suit.

“There’s no time to stand around and argue, we have to get out of here!” Hao urged his companion to action. They hastily strapped the gargantuan bone onto Maelstrom's back, then bolted back through the tunnel that led to their current pickle.

They were panicking, like untamed beasts, gnawing at their nerves while adrenaline pumped through their veins. They ran with ragged breaths while their hearts were hammering a frenzied beat in their chests. Ba-dump! Ba-dump!

The Conclave around them was falling apart like a soggy biscuit. Moreover, a choking cloud of dust populated the narrow space they were in, which obscured their vision (aside from Hao) and made breathing an absolute chore. Yet, the direness of the situation spurred them on.

“This way!” In the throes of this escape, Hao flexed his Vibe Sense, rousing the mental tendrils of his unique ability which snaked out, seeking the familiar beat of the exit he had discovered prior to their bone-robbing adventure. His mind which was a beacon in the tumultuous storm, sought refuge while his body moved in tandem with his friends.

But alas, their path to freedom was blocked by an unexpected obstacle - a horde of Centzors sprang out from the earth before them. BOOM! Their robust dark scales were a terrifying sight to behold.

"Got to mow our way through this lot!" Mentos barked out already drawing his Shark Skimmer from its sheath. The sword's serrated edges were thirsting to join in on the chaos and so it did.

Slash! Slash!

“I’m with you!” Hao affirmed then also pulled out the sharpness of his Vibe Edge.

<Quick Draw-Drive>

With a swift movement, he sent a hailstorm of sapphire energy roaring towards the oncoming Centzors. His energy fists ripped through their bodies while the vertical sharpness cut through, but these creatures were like weeds; more were sprouting up as fast as they were culled.

“They are clawing up our asses!” Mentos with his Blade Edge, hacked and slashed, severing limbs and piercing the Centzors' armour-like scales.

As for Acadian and the Sword Fishes, they joined the dance of destruction with their swift movements in battle as graceful as a ballet and at the same time, deadly as a storm at sea.