Legends of Gravity Falls: Blood Runs Thick
Chapter 10: The Chains of the Master
Mabel slowly opened her eyes, groaning slightly at the glare of the lights. Her brief coma was over. She was surprised to see everyone around her, but quickly noticed someone else had to be holding her, slowly tilting her head, she saw it was Sherman, the man she had been trying to stop before everything went dark. Her eyes went wide at this realization, but she had little time to voice her confusion, as she quickly saw for herself how much the group had been worried over her while she was out of it.
"Mabel! Thank goodness you're alive!" Dipper was ecstatic as he hugged his sister, who returned the gesture slowly but gently.
"Thanks, bro-bro, but how did I… wait… alive? What happened?"
"It's probably best you don't remember, sweetie, but you took a hit for Ford and me." Stan explained softly.
"That was very brave but completely unnecessary Mabel. There is no honor in suicide, and your life means more than Stan and myself." Ford lamented over the still-fresh ordeal.
"I remember stepping in as Grandpa Sherman attacked you guys, but… I know it was too risky but I had to! I wasn't going to lose you both!" Mabel replied in full honesty.
"You… died, Mabel…" Ford revealed as gently as he could. Said girl's expression dropped into disbelief at the news. Her genius relative quickly continued, "You would have been lost to us forever, had Sherman not saved you."
Mabel looked back up to her grandfather and softly asked, "You saved me? You… gave me back my life?" The Grand Master replied after a brief moment.
"Yes… I did. I corrected my mistake. You shouldn't exert yourself too much, yet. It will take a few hours for the full effects of the energy transfer to settle inside you."
"Transfer?" Mabel asked.
"Yes, I had to sacrifice a portion of my lifespan to restore you, the price I had to pay." Sherman was surprised as she moved to hug him, and he softly returned the gesture after another moment.
"Thank you"
Regret and uncertainty filled the mind of the Grand Master. His purpose amongst the ranks of his lord remained unfulfilled. He was sworn to serve a greater purpose than any cause of mere humans. He willingly drank the blood of demons to obtain their power and use it, removing himself from the human world and its emotional entanglements, the hardship and heartache. And yet, this, the closeness of family, he remembered that this was all that he ever wanted. The most glorious euphoria of dark energy surging through his veins could not compare to the warmth in his heart, a feeling he had forgotten long, long ago.
"My need for vengeance… my desire for power… both will never outweigh the lives of you, my two wonderful grandkids…" Sherman declared in his self-realization as tears ran down his face has he tightened his hold on Mabel. The others realized that this was the true Sherman. Finally after so many years, he was uncovered from the clutches of the fallen man he had become, the Grand Master. This sudden and drastic turn of events would have been even better were it not for the fact the end of the world was still in progress all around them.
Walter had to set himself down upon the roof of a building not far from the group, his energy depleted along with his shadow form. As he returned to his normal state, he looked up in exhaustion as Bill, still at full power, hovered in the sky over the town, and the mass of eyes in the portal above still there. Countless demons ready to invade at any moment. Back on Main Street, the fighting had ended, the animated suits of knight armor having been dismantled as cultist and zombie reinforcements arrived. The Grand Harvester eagerly looked up at the portal with those around him. The Midnight Hammer was about to fulfill its purpose at last. The freed townspeople looked up as well. They had nowhere to go with the town occupied, the roads blocked, and the forest in flames for miles around. Bill cackled in his trademark maniacal laughter before shouting for all to hear.
"Take a good, long look, mortal weaklings! I am the bell that tolls your doom! My cult has ruined everything you hold dear! The infinite army behind me is mine to command! YOU'RE FINISHED! OBEY ME, MY SERVANTS! CRUSH THE HUMAN FOOLS AND DELIEVER THIS WORLD TO THE FLAMES OF NIGHTMARES!" As Bill finished his decree, one final pair of glowing red eyes, much larger than those around them, manifested at the dead center of the massive portal. The voice called out to Bill, and it was sinister as well as blood-chilling as it echoed through the ears of everyone below.
"You are wrong, Cipher. This is MY army. It always has been, and you are MINE, as you always will be. The exact same as all in MY realm!"
Bill's expression dropped immediately as he instantly recognized the voice, looking over his shoulder hesitantly. True, genuine fear radiated from him, the first time any human had seen Bill in a moment of terror.
"Lord of Nightmares, your great, great excellency… I… I can explain! I was acting as you ordered! I did all this for you! I have delivered this world to you in your name! I am yours to command!"
"No… Cipher… you are mine to PUNISH! You dared to stray from the path I placed you on, you sought to steal this realm for yourself right from under me, and now you will pay the price… in blood…" Before Bill could react, four heavy iron chains shot down from the portal above, each of the clasps holding twin spikes inside. They quickly locked around the terrified demon's wrists and ankles, leaving him bound and severing his connection to his power. Bill shouted in pain as blood leaked from the shackles.
"Please! My lord, I didn't… I wasn't… have mercy! I beg of you!" Bill panicked as he realized the full fury of his master.
"There is no mercy… THERE IS ONLY MY WILL! YOUR DEFIANCE ENDS, NOW!" The four chains were hauled back through the portal as quickly as they were fired down, pulling Bill back to his own dimension. The Lord of Nightmares continued his own decree as Bill struggled in complete and hopeless vain, "YOU WILL NOW RETURN TO ME, AND YOU WILL SUFFER AN UNBELIEVABLE AGONY FOR THE NEXT 10 MILLION YEARS, AS A START! YOUR OWN UNRELENTING NIGHTMARE BEGINS NOW, MY WAYWARD SERVANT!"
"No! It cannot end this way! NOOOOOOOO!" Bill's screams were for naught, for as he was pulled through the portal his human form was vaporized, revealing his horrified, normal form as he faded from sight. The massive pair of eyes, along with the countless small ones all faded as well, and the portal was sealed as they departed, restoring the normal night sky above, dawn now approaching on the horizon. The end was here at last, but not one of Bill's design.
Hours passed as night became day. The Pines family and their friends made their way back to the Mystery Shack with Sherman alongside them. Eventually, it became safe enough for Wendy and Soos to return to their families back in the town, and McGucket to his raccoon wife. Walter gave everyone a most respectful farewell for the time being and returned to Starnhorst Manor, accompanied by the battered suits of knight armor, which had reassembled themselves and found their way to their master but needed repair. The blonde Northwest girl had requested to stay with the Pines for a little while, knowing full well the Northwest Manor would be swamped with investigators once her father's connection to the cult became known. The intervention of Federal and State authorities quickly put out the remaining fires and finished liberating the town. Soon, Gravity Falls was completely under the jurisdiction of the Federal government as the occupation came to a close. However, by the time the authorities arrived the majority of the Midnight Hammer chose to retreat rather than make a last stand.
Without the aid of their overlord and his planned invasion, the cultists realized the battle was lost. With the Grand Master missing in action, the Grand Harvester took over leadership as he directed their escape into the mountains. The Prime Councilman, Preston Northwest, chose to remain behind with the handful of cultists who decided to surrender and turn themselves in. The road to recovery would be long, but scars heal even if their mark remains. After hiding Sherman at the Mystery Shack for a few days, the man told his family it was time for him to depart. Needless to say, the reaction was mixed and heartfelt.
"We'll miss you." Mabel said softly.
"Yeah, I think we will." Dipper admitted.
"I no longer have a place in the world of humans. I gave up my humanity for powers beyond the reach of mortal hands, but I finally understand just how much more I sacrificed to obtain them." Sherman lamented. He returned the hug Mabel gave him, and finally Dipper joined in as well. "I will have to live whatever is left of my life with the mistakes I made, not everything can be made right." He finished.
"Ford and I made our own mistakes with you, Sherman. You weren't wrong about that." Stan said.
"We would welcome any chance to make things right with you, no matter what you think of us." Ford added.
"I… thank you… Stan and Ford. I'm not sure what type of future we may or may not have, but I will gladly keep your offer close. Perhaps… when things settle down, we can try making up for lost time. Dipper and Mabel… thank you for opening my eyes. I will never forget what you did for me"
Both older Pines twins joined their little brother and younger relatives in the group hug. The Pines family was whole again, for the first time in decades. Sherman departed on his own, but not without something had hadn't carried with him for a very long time, hopeful happiness at the promise of a better tomorrow.
Dipper returned to the aforementioned Northwest girl in the living room, who greeted him with her own hug. Relief and joy were her emotions as well, amplified as Dipper hugged her back. The dreaded Nightmare was over. Indeed, the dark had given way to light.
The End