Darkness enveloped Valerius's eyes. He couldn't see where his feet were going. The smell around him changed; from the sharp scent of rusty metal to the smell of hot steam and sulfur. “Slow down! You’re dragging a prince, not a sack of potatoes!” Cogs shouted. His voice sounded a bit distant, most likely being locked in a small cage or being held by force by one of the looters.Last Updated : 2026-02-12

Valerius was stunned. "You... you know my mother?" "More than just acquaintance," Edna replied. He turned to face Bastian and the still confused crowd of guards. "Lower your weapons. This child is no ordinary intruder. He is the key that might be able to open the gates of the Black Piston from the inside." "Edna, you can't be serious!" Bastian exclaimed. "He's just a kid! And that robot is just a pile of junk waiting to explode!" "He's the last Alaric, Bastian," Edna said firmly. "And if he made it all the way here with Sentinel as badly damaged as this, it means fate still has a good sense of humor for us all." Edna looked back at Valerius, her gaze now filled with a mixture of hope and warning. "Welcome to the Rust Pits, Prince Valerius. I am Edna, Queen of the Rust Pipes. And I think we have a lot to discuss before Bastian decides to m