APPROXIMATELY TWO DAYS AFTER DREYFUSS'S VISIT
Prophet: Okay, ladies and Gentlemen... As we all know now we're in a bit of a predicament that could simply cause the annihilation of Reality as we know it...
His voice full of concern, the council has not been it the best of moods after witnessing the powers of the Second Dark Deity Dreyfuss, especially Mario and Samus whom have been mentally and physically recovering from the traumatizing experiences:
Saint Leader: Predicament?!... that's how you call it?!...Not only we have two Gods wanting our destruction but now we have every motherfucker in that glorified Cage using an book that has power beyond our Comprehension... -Sigh-...you know what, I already made plans of my own...
Marcus: So what is your plan? -he asked him-
Saint Leader: We begin reading that book and try to find a way to eliminate the Shadows...
Solid Snake: But have you thought about the book being a trap?
Lara croft: We should read it... Trap or no trap we ain't getting progress just looking at it...
Samus: W... we should read it... -Deep breath-... Dreyfuss may be a shadow god be he wouldn't kill us... yet... -She was hugging her knees-
Everyone looked at Samus, she finally spoke since Dreyfuss's departure; The council knew that Samus went through something traumatic but they didn't knew exactly what, they assumed that it most likely was the same thing that occurred with Mario which was being thrown to what they pressumed to be their worse nightmares.
The Red plumber has been in Intensive care for about five hours now, Speaking gibberish, sweating and having panic attacks with everything even with his shadow. Luigi took the Council seat until Mario recovers of his wounds, given to himself in his panic:
'Mario!... no respond yet it feels like he's talking to someone or something... Bring the intensive care unit, NOW!... Attempted suicide... the medical bots and certain champions with medical experience came rushing into Mario's room...'
Everyone knew about the Night terrors that Samus and Mario have been suffering since "his" visit, without mentioning the other symptoms; Both have been seen Talking and sometimes pleading for their lives to the air, they suffered from delirium but Samus is slowly recovering while Mario seems to get worse, Samus had spoken a bit about it before, something about a Horseman...
'Please... I beg you, don't do this... she whisper in her sleep then all of a sudden, the Horsemen... NO!... PLEASE GOD NO!... Her heavy breathing and sweat dripping, her gaze was moving back and forward looking for an nonexistent entity; she heard Mario screaming across the hall, then she stood up and began looking through the window in fear... he's out there...'
Luigi: I think we... we should read the book, It does possess great knowledge about shadow purification.
The Saint leader grabbed the book and opened it and began reading, then he looked at Wall, walked up to it and pulled out an knife from his pocket and began scratching the wall with it; the screeching was very annoying and painful to hear:
Isaac Clark: What the fuck are you doing?
Then he backed away from the wall, which now had a carving of a Pentagram with Weird Sigils.
Luigi: Does are the same symbols from that box back when we fought Ornstein and Smough!
Saint leader: this weird book says that this carving can do anything, Stare into the mind of anyone, it can summon any object we desire and even resurrection... anyone we choose... well, at least that's what it says here... -he explains as he's looking into the book-
Prophet: we ain't gonna use that...
Saint leader: I know we won't, the carving requires someone that has experience with magical voodoo shit...
Isaac Clark: -gets a radio call-... If I may interrupt your discussion... we have three squads looking for three very powerful champions that prefer to not take sides...
Prophet: we'll continue this conversation later, saint... And yes I'm informed... The Ghost of Sparta, The Ashen One and The Hero of Oakvale...
Isaac Clark: Fireteam Osiris and Triska Novak went after The Hero...
Saint leader: I heard about him... he saved his dimension from some Asshole called Jack of Blades but why he doesn't pick a side?...
Isaac: We don't know but rumors say that he killed his Guildmaster and because of it he was hunted by the people he swore to protect... he just started hating everything after that, hiding from people in the progress.
Prophet: Who went after the Ashen One?
Isaac: Umm... oh, their it is... Blue Team and Trevor Phillips... and for Kratos, Shovel Knight requested to be placed in his search accompanied by Bayonetta, Juliet Starling, Rise, Meta Knight and... ummm... Pac man?..
Prophet: He's still alive?! -said baffled-
MEANWHILE IN KIRBY'S DIMENSION-
Locke: This is an strange dimension... -Locke says as he looks around, seeing the oddly childish world-
Triska: Acid doesn't count for shit here... -She added as she stood up from her kneeling-
The path ahead littered with corpses of both weird creatures native to this dimension and Black sludge puddles, meaning that shadows had been here and something killed them; The dimension, even with the smoke clouds and Chaos, looked like it came out of some little kid's mind, it kinda looked peaceful if could ignore the corpses and far away explosions.
Triska: Who's the fellow we are looking for here anyways? -Voice drowning in her signature badass attitude-
Locke: A warrior called "The Hero of Oakvale"... -Said sounding almost like an android-
The conversation died there, the atmosphere was awkward to say the least, Triska was already used to talking to Grayson Hunt or Gray for short but now she actually felt bored without Gray's constant yapping, even if this mission or task was quite intriguing to say least. After a while of walking in silence [like between five to seven minutes], Buck decided to speak to the unarmored woman that accompanied his fellow Spartans:
Buck: So, what's your name?
Triska: Wuh?...-Snapped back to reality-... oh... Triska Novak.
Buck: I've heard that you are a commander. -he told her as they moved down some dirt road-
Triska: was... and its squadron command-
She was interrupted by the sound of an Explosion followed by the Sight of multiple pillars of Fire emerging from beyond the buildings of what looked like a city; The Spartans and Triska ran towards the city, eventually reaching it and seeing the source of the commotion: An Armored man holding a giant Yellow bladed sword... The Hero, who within the recent couple of minutes exterminated a bunch of shadow minions; their puddles where everywhere around the hero.
On top of his chestplate he had an Large red tattered piece of Cloth that worked an a shroud, he had more of the same tattered cloth on his waist which served as a loincloth. On his hip was a cage, a tiny crab cage made of silver hanging by a Iron chain connected to his waist's armor; Inside a Burnt white mask was kept, white as corpse and covered in strange patches of decorations that gaved it a terrifying look. his armor looked like if it was made platinum, on it is dried blood and fresh black black blood running painfully slow down the shiny platinum. he removed his helmet so he could clean the dark sludge off and in the process he ended up exposing his hair, which was all over the place, long and colored with an silver tint as well his beard; he had an face of a man on his 50's or 60's but it was clear that he had been alive for hundreds of years. As the champions approached, He turned around to the sound of footsteps and stood, ready to fight:
Locke: Are the one that many call The Hero of Oakvale?
The Hero: No hero here... just a monster... -he said as his eyes dashed to his right, behind him-
The hero then quickly swung his sword to his right, decapitating the wounded shadow Daedra, he proceeded by walking up to another daedra that was crawling away, finishing it of by setting it on fire; he holstered his great sword then began walking south only to stop and stare at an Tall Armored man with an massive maul on his hands. He stared at Corrupted Champion, slowly unholstered his weapon and stood ready:
Shao Kahn: Mmmm... I can tell that you'll never join us by the easy way, so i'll have to do it the hard way.
The hero: Try it, I've fought bigger enemies than you... -He said calmly-
Both of them charged forward each other, the remaining shadow Daedras opened an portal that from it, beings unknowned to the champions emerged: Living Shadows, beings that looked like almost splitting images of the creature called Omen from the Killer Instinct Dimension, their only difference was that they had no features besides red glowing eyes, Evil distorted laughter, claws and No heartbeat.
Triska: What the fuck are does things?! -he said readying her rifle-
Locke: Just drop'em! -he shouted as he took the safety off his rifle as well-
The ex final echo commander and the spartans began firing at the shadows, that only went after them not the Hero of Oakvale; The shadows bleeded thanks to their wounds, some falling down dead before standing right back up and continue to charge forward:
Triska: These things just don't die! -he growls before looking at her gun for a split second-
then she activates the Overcharge on her Peacemaker Carbine afterwards she fires it at the Crowd, ripping an large amount of the Shadows into pieces. she reloads the PMC before doing a single comment:
Triska: That did the trick... -she saw more shadows come-
Buck: damn right...
They continue to retreat as they fire at the shadows whom continue to pour out of the portals and chase them, while Shao kahn battles the Hero:
Shao Kahn: You can't beat me, you pathetic worm... -he mocked-
The Hero of Oakvalle then kicks Shao kahn in the gut before lunging at him with his Solus Greatsword, nearly decapitating the Emperor, who ducks underneath it and smashes his maul against the the giant sword:
The hero: I have killed more than men with this blade and you are no different...
Shao Kahn: Don't make me laugh, killing me is impossible but you're willing to try!
They continue their duel as the champions continue to fight against a horde of Powerful living shadows; As they have their hands full, somewhere far away, Armored figure watches, intriguied by the two mighty warriors fighting, knowing who the victor will ultimately be...
SIMULTANEOUSLY HAPPENING IN THE NETHERREALM (MORTAL KOMBAT DIMENSION)-
After the rulers of the Netherrealm: Lui Kang and Kitana were killed by a now Evil Defender of Earthrealm, Raiden, the netherrealm had fallen in chaos, the palace was in shambles, Demons fought among each other but due to the incompetence in how to rule, Shadows have taken control of the Infernal realm by help of a Corrupted Champion. The Champions travelled through a rift near an abandoned road with many demon corpses; they looked around while Fred could find out how close where they from their target:
Trevor: So... this is what hell looks like?... huh... I expected demons raping people for eternity or something worse, like eternal suffering. -he says as he looks around-
Kelly: What the fuck is wrong with you?...
Trevor: A lot... Any who, Remind me why we are here...
Frederick: we are searching for the Champion called the Ashen One... Mr. Phillips, He should be down this road.
They followed the road only to find at the end of it an rickety stone bridge, as they walked by it some pebbles dislodge from the bridge and falling into the lava below them. The long bridge led to an large Platform that had many more corpses of Demons, In the middle of the Bridge stood their Target... The Ashen One, the last remaining Lord of Cinder:
Trevor: Is that him?
Kelly: Yes -she simply said to Trevor-
He wore an Ominous looking armor, one that could only be described by someone that has witnessed the Dark soul dimension first hand; His armor was a fusion of Alva's, the Dark set and the fallen knight armor sets and Instead of red cloths, he had blood soaked, tattered, sun bleached, purple shroud and Loincloth. his helmet covered his face completely making him look far more intimidating than the living shadows that surrounded him which did a great mistake when they lunged forward, this only lead to be slain by a pair of Onyx black Scythes.
The remaining shadows attack, a few getting some hits on the Lord of Cinder but quickly being torn apart by his scythes. The Champions watched as the Shadows fell to the battle prowess of the Ashen One; The Shadows remade themselves quickly but the Ashen One was determined to keep them dead, After reforming three times after being killed, they finally fell dead then from a portal an Figure emerges: An Resurrected and Corrupted Jack of Blades. He was back to his "Human" form but with noticeable changes: all the red of his attire was now an dark purple, his eyes were black with purple pupils and his armor was scratched up like if someone tried to rip his armor off by force or he was dragged over barbed wire floors.
Jack: Ashen One, join my master and become powerful beyond your comprehension, everything you ever desire will be yours but only if you become a servant to the one true god of this world and the rest... Kagenosuno Ramtusghankai... -He sounded as evil as ever-
Frederick: No!... don't listen to him, the shadow god wants to Enslave you!
Jack: Silence mortal!... -he yelled as he faced Frederick-
Jack's hand glowed with a dark purple before black/purple spikes emerged from the ground into the Spartan's legs, causing him to scream in agony; The spikes behaved like a bunch of tentacles which made then go lunging at his throat, stopping due to the other three Spartans and Trevor's intervention. they were pushing the spikes back but no matter how much they pushed the spikes got closer and closer to Fred's neck, only a mere four inches from entering his neck. Then the spikes stop moving, One inch away from the Spartan's throat due to the Ashen One lunging at Jack, who dodged afterwards drawing his sword, an Dark and twisted version of the Tear of Avo:
Jack: You dare attack a servant of the Shadow god?!... your foolishness will be your downfall Ashen one!
Jack launch himself forward, clashing his sword against the Ashen One's Black heart Scythes. Meanwhile the champions freed Frederick from the Spikes, some of the spikes left dark shards inside the Spartan's legs which made it agonizing to move around. Trevor ready his Special Carbine and fired at Jack, who simply threw black fireballs blindly attempting to hit Trevor, trying not to get distracted from his battle against this Powerful enemy; The Ashen One clearly was a Even match to Jack when it came to combat experience and skill...
Jack: Vivus ortum Umbra!
Seconds later, Living Shadows began appearing all around, Kelly dragged Frederick through the same pathway that they came from while firing a pistol at the incoming shadows, Trevor and Linda were covering them; Frederick was holding his battle rifle weakly while firing at the Incoming shadows, who flinched and died but only to be replaced by two more on its place.
Trevor: Goddammit, more of those things!
Linda: I can fucking see it! -she says pissed-
They retreated while firing at the seemingly endless amount of living shadows, The Only ones left in the Platform were Jack and the Lord of Cinder. Eventually Trevor pulled out a grenade from his pocket, removed the pin before making it roll down the Skinny and Fragile stone bridge; An Shadow saw the grenade and picked it up before looking curiously at it just at right moment for the frag detonating causing that chunk of the bridge to crumble and shatter down, sending every shadow to the Magma below them. the Platform where the Ashen One and Jack were fighting on dislodged and began going down the Molten river, now without distractions Jack could battle his Powerful adversary...
WHILE ALL THAT WENT DOWN, SHOVEL KNIGHT AND COMPANY WERE SEARCHING IN SUNSET CITY'S PORT SECTION (OVERDRIVE DIMENSION)-
Sunset City went to shit when the Energy drink Overcharge turned 90% of the city's population into mindless mutants, The company tried covering it up only for "The Player" destroyed their headquarters making them retreat out of the city yet afterward Fizzco infested the whole planet with the Toxic soda that was shipped shortly after its defeat, making the world go to shit too. Since then the Arbiters of Fizzco's defeat have been fighting the company and rebuilding in the process.
"The Player" took Sam, 4Kim, the rest of his friends and the survivor factions to Los Angeles, California to begin cleaning Fizzco's Fiasco and exterminate the infected; By all survivors leaving, the mutants in someway evolved and the city was now covered in Orange slime and Wingers flew in large flocks above the sky, becoming a Orange slime jungle...
Shovel Knight walked by the remnants of what formerly known as Fargathia; The castle was covered top to bottom in the large veins like slime webs resembling the Swarm's nests in Sera. the OD aparently have stopped coming out at Day and slept until night except the wingers, whom fly 24/7 over Sunset city's skies.
Meta Knight: How the hell does a kingdom gets turned into hell in mere days? -he says looking around-
Bayonetta: Apparently the OD are highly adaptable to their environment but they have become sensitive to the sunlight exclusively here in this island.
Shovel Knight: Good, less things interrupting our quest to find my... friend, Kratos.
Rise: Shovel Knight, do you know anything on this guy we're looking for besides that he's your "Friend"?
Shovel Knight: Not much actually... the first time I met him he was determined to kill me but I bested him, granting me a small amount of his power to create the armor that I'm wearing right now... -he was wearing a pale white suit of armor with large red streaks around it, simulating Kratos's apperance-...but I consider him a friend, now that I remember... -He flicked his fingers, switching to his regular armor-... much better.
Juliet: Eww... this place is sticky and gross.
Shovel knight looked at the floor and saw that the ground looked like a pale orange, it had small pods and portions of it was a dark reddish color; he also notice that without themselves noticing they all have climbed up an large lump of hardened slime that was like ten feet tall. It was like a tiny mound upon the road.
Shovel Knight: How did we got up here?
Meta Knight: We were following you... -as he places his arm upon the blue knight's shoulder-
Shovel knight groan in pain and disconfort thanks to the wound he had recently received by Ornstein's spear; the wound was right below his heart, inpaling a small portion from his right lung but luckily the spear missed his heart by three inches regardless it nearly killed him, well to be exact he did died for a solid eight minutes before being revived by the Koopalings' medicine. The wound itself was healing slowly but it stopped bleeding after he cristalized it using an metal cup and a blowtorch he stole from an Engineer Droid. Regardless of his situation he knew that there was bigger fish to fry; When he was gonna speak, the large lump started to shake then it began rising from the ground.
Juliet: What the hell is going on?
Metal Knight: An Earthquake of some sorts...
Then Pacman jumped up and gestured so everyone could look down to the Side of the Lump, when the champions looked down they notice that this wasn't an lump of Hardened slime... It was an Giant OD creature. The behemoth was standing in all fours, It resembles an hippopotamus or some type of Rhino due to its Husky apperance and Hard to spot armor plates made of their own body tissue; their head is shaped like Hippo's head but it possesses four visible Tusks, two per side of their mouth, Three large horns and it also has tiny thorns on his faceplate. Technically this beast is badass looking, of what could be seen it's size if closely the size of two M1 Abrams tanks on top of each other...
Rise: Wow, its not an pile of hard slime its a Monster... and I think we woke this thing up...
Bayonetta: It seems like it, well we should end it before it kills us.
Shovel Knight: I think I got a better idea.
The blue knight sat down and placed his weapon on his back and slowly began searching for something on its Equipment pouch, then after searching for a couple of seconds, he pulled out some rope and a hook:
Metal Knight: Are you planning to hogtie this beast?
Shovel Knight: No, I'm going to tame it...
Metal Knight & Juliet: How are you planning to do that?
Shovel Knight then pointed at a Barrel of Overcharge coviently placed on top of a gas station, under an bent Lightpost that was shinning it like if it was a really cliche like item to progress in the story, Then he turned to Bayonetta:
Shovel Knight: My lady, would you please assist me in recovering that Barrel?
Bayonetta: What do you need? -he asked him with the same flair of his knightly words-
Shovel Knight: Just need you to launch me over there...
Without any second thought, Bayonetta grabbed Shovel Knight using a spell that creates an Hand from what appears to be hair then throws the Knight towards the roof of the Gas station. He wrapped the barrel with rope, that is somehow attached to his Shovel with the hook, then he jumps from the gas station onto the Beast's back:
Shovel Knight: Ta Da!
Then everyone looked at him with Confuse faces before he sat down on top of the beast's head, afterwards making the barrel hang on a Unreachable distance from the Beast's mouth but close enough so it could see it, Seconds later, he was steering the beast's movements.
Juliet: I get now, you are making him follow the barrel... that's genius.
Shovel Knight: Hold on to something... Heya!
He shook the barrel making the Beast charge forward, Juliet's hair blowed in the wind, Metal Knight watched the Skies, Rise held Shine in his hand while it shined it, Bayonetta was checking out their surroundings, Pacman was sleeping and Shovel Knight was thinking of what would he do when he finds Kratos...
Kratos: We shall meet again some day, so when that day comes I'll settle the score...
Shovel Knight: Until we meet again, my friend... -I said while he walked away-
He huffed, then he placed the tunic's hood over his head and walked away, back to his realm, wherever that may be...
Shovel Knight was snapped to reality by a loud thud, he looked forward and noticed that the beast had rammed an slime soaked tree down and he was eating the leaves. Another thing he noticed was that they had arrived at what seemed like an Amusement park, infested by Living Shadows fighting OD. It was dark, maybe 7pm making the dim lights of the damaged lights setting the mood...
Shovel Knight: How long did we ride this beast for?
Metal Knight: three hours...
Rise: And I believe that the guy we are looking for is in there...
They climbed down the Beast, Shovel Knight cut the barrel down and gave it to the beast, he promised the behemoth to return only to get licked by he behemoth. he ran to catch up to the other champions, whom entered the park and began dropping the OD that charged at them. The OD looked different, they looked more smooth, no pimples on their bodies or disgusting blobs... they looked almost human. While the Gunkers, Poppers, Blowers, Spawners, Muggers and Herkers are still running around, there's a couple new OD mutants among them: Snatcher, Screamer, Controller and the Rammer (The beast they use to get here is an Example), these names were given by Shovel knight.
The Snatcher is another flying type OD but this one likes to pick up their victims and dropping them from the air or rip them apart in mid air; Other than that it tries to bite or slash with their long Claws, They look like a Winger but the difference is that they are significally larger and sneak attack their prey.
The Screamer looks like an Regular OD except that they funtion as an Horde Caller, they are twice as Tall and they have extremely Flabby skin, like if they were bitten by a radioactive Shar Pei; If they spot an Barrel of Overcharge Delirium XD, they would yell in a very loud scream that will attract more OD and to top it all up when they are going to scream, they inhale so much air that their skin expands making this OD look like a Balloon.
Controller is an Rare OD, in the sense that very hard to find; they don't attack, they only mind control the OD surronding the area while it hides. the look like an Regular OD but with a Bloated Brain and electricity zapping around them... Shovel Knight found it funny when a Controller was hiding inside a trash can as its mind control electricity was attached to some OD.
As the champions fought throught the horde of OD, They were send flying due to a Herker throwing an Boulder a front of them, They got up and noticed the Living shadows fight the OD, looking like a full blown warzone of flying pieces and limbs...
Shovel Knight: I think these are new minions of the Shadow God... -he says while pulling his shovel out-
Meta Knight: Whatever they may be, they are blocking my way...
The Golden sword wielding knight launched himself as a bladed tornado into the Crowd, sending OD and Shadows flying. Bayonetta began decimating shadows and OD with her four guns and her seemingly endless array of Spells, Rise went in with Shine killing anything on his path while Juliet destroyed the Herkers and Muggers with Pacman. Shovel Knight was feeling the pain of his wound but he continued cutting through the crowd in the Attempt to reach the Rollercoaster, where he swore he saw Kratos's blades attacking something large.
Meta Knight: Go Shovel Knight, We'll Handle this...
Shovel Knight nodded and Shovel Dropped his way over the crowd until he reached the Rollercoaster, Climbing up to the center of it and seeing what his friend was doing: The Ghost of Sparta was Facing off against an Enraged and Giant Smough, who was expulsing large amounts of dark energy...
Shovel Knight: Smough... -he said as he ran into battle-
TO BE CONTINUED...