Journey of the soul FINALE (not really)
Let's just get right to the action, shall we?
Hunter yelled for so long that he thought his lungs were going to burst. He was vaguely aware of the burning sensation in his eye not hurting anymore, but that was overshadowed by the pure flood of energy and emotion running through his body. Hope, Anger, Fear, Despair, Happiness; he felt all these emotions at once. He could see Spinax transforming into Giga spinax, permanently, but that meant little too him right now. The shout ended and Hunter looked around. Small flames flickered in the ground around him, and he could feel a slight breeze running through his hair. The once overwhelming sense of despair was washed away by a surge of energy. Hunter felt powerful.
He felt strong enough to save the world.
"You look badass," Spinax acknowledged.
"What do I look like?" Hunter struggled to speak, he was still getting accustomed to having a soul. Spinax sent him a mental image. Hunter's jaw nearly dropped. His hair tilted slightly upward, but that was barely noticeable. He also had a FLAMING EYEBALL!
"Huh, that's new. By the way, aren't your crystal's supposed to be green and not turquoise?"
"Isn't Fire supposed to be red and not dark blue?" Spinax retorted. Hunter put a hand to the blue fire surrounding his eye. It didn't feel like anything was there, yet, it was.
Suddenly, Guhvorn rushed at Spinax, cackling wildly. Hunter felt an instinctual rush through his brain and immediately knew what attack to call out.
"Soulfire!" Spinax released a massive jet of blue flames from his mouth, sending Guhvorn flying backwards.
"Holy," Hunter started.
"Crap," Spinax finished.
"Hunter!" Hunter turned to see Duna calling to him, "I know you are confused, but now is the time to fight!" She was badly injured and in no condition to help. Hunter nodded. Whatever was happening to him, it was making him and spinax stronger. This is the strength that they needed.
"Spinax mega!" Spinax roared as he brought his fist down on Guhlith, sending the brain reeling backwards.
"Spinax Giga!" Hunter yelled for a follow up.
"What's a Giga?" Spinax asked. Guhvorn used the opportunity to try and dig its horns into spinax's back. Sparks flew as Guhvorn's horns bounced off of Spinax's new crystal hide.
"You know what? I think I like being blue." Spinax grabbed one of Guhvorn's horn and threw it into the air. Spinax launched himself into the air as well and punched Guhvorn between the eyes, sending the brain rocketing backwards into the wall.
"Soulfire once more!" Spinax let out a stream of flames at Guhlith to keep the two brains apart. Meanwhile, Duna limped her way over to Hunter.
"Are you alright?" She asked.
"Y-yeah…..I-I think so," Hunter struggled to talk aloud. The surge of energy coursing through his veins made it difficult for him to think about anything else but the fight.
"Do you feel okay," She put a hand to the edge of his eye. The flames didn't burn her either, "I do not know much about human souls, but this cannot be normal."
"I've N-never been N-normal, but I c-can use this." Duna nodded and took a step back. Hunter turned to spinax, who was holding up Guhlith and breathing blue fire into its mouth.
"Spinax! Let's end this!" Guhvorn fired a colorless bean at spinax, who used shear wind pressure to slice the laser in half with his tail. The two beams flew to the sides of spinax and exploded behind him. Spinax roared and threw Guhlith at Guhvorn. The ground began to shake as Hunter felt the ground slant upwards. No, not the ground, Guhnash's tongue. Hunter looked to spinax, who grunted in acknowledgment.
"Up!" Spinax shot into the air. If Guhvorn or Guhlith floated to close, spinax would send them crashing down with a cascade of flames.
"What'd you want to call this one? Spinax asked as the tornadoes expelling from his feet disappeared.
"Falling Star!" Hunter shouted. As spinax descended, blue flames surrounded him. Spinax crashed to earth, flattening Guhnash's tongue and severely rattling the remaining brains. Guhvorn and Guhlith Both shrieked in pain.
"Can the brains feel Guhnash's pain?" He asked himself. Before Guhlith could react, Spinax grabbed the brain and bit down on it like a jawbreaker.
"One question." Spinax said.
"What is it?"
"Wanna see something cool?" Guhlith shattered in spinax's jaws. Guhvorn began to shriek wildly. The brain fired off multiple lasers in all directions. Spinax held up an arm to block the shots that came his way. Guhvorn flew up to spinax and bit down on his arm.
"Damn space head!" Spinax growled, "get off my arm!...wow, I did not expect to say that today."
"Spinax Mega on the ground!" Spinax pulled his fist back and slammed Guhvorn to the ground. Guhnash's crimson blood spurred upward from its tongue. Guhnash shrieked in pain. Hunter grunted as he took a step forward. Duna looked at him with concern in her eyes. With shaking hands, Hunter grabbed the handle of his foldax. Guhvorn broke free from Spinax and slashed at his underbelly with his horn. Spinax roared with rage as Guhnash evaded a stream of blue fire while cackling. Hunter swung his foldax into the ground. The action was enough to make Guhvorn flinch, which spinax used to land a punch on one of Guhvorn's horns. The horn snapped off and Guhvorn shrieked again. Spinax shoved his claw up Guhvorn's mouth.
"Okay, what now?" Spinax asked.
"What do you mean "what now?" That was your idea."
"Now it's your turn for an idea. Hurry up, he's chewing on my arm."
"Uh…cyclonic rage?"
"Works for me." Spinax began to glow a deep blue color.
"Needs a new name."
"Raging Soul!" Hunter yelled. Spinax set off a massive explosion that erupted into a towering pillar of blue fire. Duna had to look away from the blaze, but Hunter, in his ascended state, was able to see Guhvorn disintegrate. As the flames faded, spinax's crystals changed to the expected green color and the flames faded from Hunter's eye. He nearly collapsed but caught himself before he fell.
"We….we won." He muttered. He held up a fist and spinax roared in triumph before returning to a medal.
"We did it." Duna breathed. Hunter walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder.
"We did it!" Duna exclaimed. Laughing, she jumped for joy before blushing and acting like it never happened. Suddenly, everything began to shake.
"Goodbye leg control," Hunter stated as he fell over.
"Guhnash is dying," Duna pressed some buttons on her pendant, "we need to leave." Hunter got up and moved next to Duna. Orange rings began to surround them…..and then disappeared.
"Hmm. Seems that we cannot teleport away." Hunter was alright with that. He was fully prepared to die. He had a soul now, he needs nothing else from life.
"You got a plan B?" Hunter asked. Duna pulled out a small box-like machine.
"This is a stone sleep device. We shall be put in stone sleep and then King Dynal will come and find us with the mothership." Hunter nodded.
"Alright, let's get the hell outta here."
"We…uh…need to hold hands in order to stay together in stone sleep." Duna cheeks flooded with color.
"Okay," normally, Hunter would be more lively. But fatigue and numbness had washed over him. He grabbed Duna's hand and closed his eyes.
"We will see each other soon Hunter."
"Yeah." Duna pressed the button on the stone sleep device.
"Hehehehehehehehehehehehe."
"Shut up Spinax." Hunter felt himself drift off. A sense of security surrounded him as Hunter was encased in stone with Duna. His last thought before he fell asleep was, "Did I leave the fridge door open?"
….…
…"revival sequence successful, commencing revival." Hunter yawned as the first voice to greet him was digital. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked around….he immediately regretted this decision as his eyes began to burn from the light.
"REVIVAL MACHINE ALMIGHTY! TURN THE LIGHTS DOWN!" The lights did not turn off. Instead, Hunter felt himself being hugged by multiple people. Eventually, his eyes adjusted and Hunter could see Dr. Diggins, Mr. Richmond, And Rosie.
"So, how does it feel to be on the other side of the revival machine?" Diggins asked.
"Feels like a really bad trip to the dentist." Hunter wiped dust particles from his eyebrows, "did anyone go to my hotel room?"
"Oh yeah, you left the refrigerator door open."
"Damn it!" Hunter looked down at spinax's dino medal. The image had changed to Giga Spinax.
"So…I'm stuck like this?" spinax asked
"Pretty much, do you not like it?"
"…..I have hands now." Hunter rolled his eyes.
"Get over it. We saved the world, for good this time."
"Oh yeah, we did do that. Good work team." Spinax was obviously drained, or he would be more excited.
"WE SAVED THE WORLD!" Spinax suddenly screamed, Hunter fell over in shock as spinax laughed, "flawless victory!"
"You okay, my boy?" Mr. Richmond helped Hunter up.
"Yeah, just getting used to walking again," Hunter lied quickly. He looked around again and noticed that something was wrong.
"Where's Duna? And Dynal too?" At this, everyone grew silent.
"Well you see," Dr. Diggins started, "Interference made the stone sleep device malfun-"
"Spit it out doc,"
"…..we weren't able to revive Duna. She is trapped in stone sleep forever." The words crushed down on Hunter like a box of bricks. He didn't save everyone. He got his soul back only to have it crushed by the fact that he still isn't strong enough to save everyone.
"If you want to see them," Rosie chimed in, "You should go to the park area. Dynal said he would leave her there before the Dinaurians left earth." Hunter nodded and bolted out the door. His legs felt like they might give out at any moment, but that didn't matter. Spinax was silent, and that was probably for the best. He ran across the pavement. On the horizon, he could see ships bringing back the residents of Vivosaur Island. They were lucky, they didn't have to lose anyone.
Hunter made it to the park area and found them under the fossil of the tyrannosaurus. Dynal had his back turned to Hunter and was looking at Duna, perfectly encased in stone. Hunter walked up next to Dynal. The two stood in silence for a while.
"I assume you already know what happened?" Dynal asked. Hunter nodded.
"I'm sorry."
"Do not be. It was not your doing. I will scour the galaxy until I find a cure for her." He walked up to Duna and put a hand on her stone shoulder. Hunter saw a single tear roll down his face.
"Goodbye Hunter. If I do find a cure and return, I will take your offer to live on earth." Hunter nodded solemnly. Orange rings surrounded Dynal.
"Wait!" A voice shouted. The rings around Dynal disappeared.
"I know that voice," Spinax commented, "….Nonononononononononono." Sure enough, the digadig chieftain was walking towards them.
"I have receivediga a prophecy from the fossil godigadig," The Chief explained, "it may help with your predigament."
"…..excuse me?" Dynal raised one eyebrow.
"He got a message from god that might help." Hunter translated.
"You understand him?"
"I TOLERATE him."
"Yes, very important prophecy," The chief nodded, "I will recite it digadig," He began to talk in a low voice, "the power of a burning soul will awaken the daughter of a far away star." Hunter looked down at his feet while Dynal simply scoffed.
"Your words of nonsense are better off elsewhere. There is no "burning soul" here."
"Yeah there is." Hunter took a deep breath. He walked over to Dina and put a hand on her shoulder. It was cold to the touch.
"You sure we can do this?" Spinax asked. There was no humor in his voice.
"No, but I'm still gonna try." Hunter thought about his own soul. How much it means to him and how it burns brightly inside him. He focused on that pure surge of power when it returned to him.
"What in the name of-" Hunter heard Dynal gasp and the chieftain laugh. Hunter put a hand to his eye. Sure enough, a tingling sensation told him that he had undergone the same transformation from earlier. Hunter concentrated the flow of energy towards Duna, which was difficult because it automatically started to go to spinax.
"I can't help it if it likes me more." Spinax protested.
"Then YOU take it and give it to Duna." Spinax snorted, but complied with Hunter's request. Duna began to glow until the light was so bright that Hunter had to look away. When the blinding flash faded, Duna was standing there with her eyes closed. The stone shell had completely disappeared.
"Hell yeah." Hunter smiled before he went back to normal. He almost fell over from the amount of energy he used up.
"Do you need to go to the EZ?" Spinax asked, "that gives ya two turns to rest." For once, Hunter laughed at spinax's joke. Dynal was about to ask a question, but was silenced when Duna slowly opened her eyes. She nearly fell over, but Hunter grabbed her shoulders and held her up.
"Morning, ya lazy bum," Hunter smiled, "what made you think I'd let you sleep past noon?"
"….Hunter?" Duna looked up at him with tired eyes, "….was I just now awoken from stone sleep?" Dynal began to laugh out of joy.
"Thank the stars!" He ran over and hugged Duna tightly. Hunter took a couple steps back.
"Soulflame," Spinax stated.
"Huh?"
"That's what we're gonna call your transformation, Soulflame."
"Little on the nose isn't it?"
"It was either that or Super Soul."
"…Soulflame's fine." Hunter looked up at the sky.
"Y'know what?" He said aloud. Duna and Dynal turned to look at him, "I really need a nap." Dynal raised an eyebrow when Duna chuckled.
(3 Days later)
(Cross: Don't you think it's weird that people don't talk about Guhnash in other fossil fighter games?)
The entire world has heard Hunter's story. Millions of people were cowering in fear when it was revealed that a creature around the size of the sun was going to devour earth. When news crews showed Hunter's picture in the news along with the headline "Guhnash destroyed by earth's young savior", the world lit up with fireworks. The celebration was still going strong on Vivosaur Island. Everyone was out on the streets either dancing or shooting off fireworks. Hunter dodged three kids chasing each other with fire crackers.
"They are going to kill each other," Spinax commented.
"Most likely," Hunter agreed.
"So, What's our game plan coach?" Spinax asked, "dancing? Shooting Chinese missiles? Maybe a secret meeting with that special someone?"
"We're gonna hide until this whole thing settles down," Hunter sauntered over to the Richmond building, "I don't wanna get recognized."
"….your picture is on the freakin' news,"
"How'd they even get that anyway?" Hunter waves to Mr. Richmond, who was talking to some important official about recent events. He went through the rest of the guild area and continued walking. Eventually, he stopped near the secret dock in the park area.
"Y'know, I always end up here whenever something happens," Hunter told spinax, "it's where I told you about my past, it's where I went to go rescue Rosie, it's where I learned Duna was an alien."
"It's where you kissed Duna." Spinax finished for him.
"I could do without your constant need to govern my love life."
"…."
"Finally run out of things to say?"
"…..you said love….."
"….crap."
"YOU. LOVE. DUNA." Spinax nearly yelled for the whole world to hear.
"Spinax, knock it off!"
"You didn't deny it either! Hahahahahaha…behind you." Hunter turned. Duna was on the other side of the railing.
"Was I interrupting anything?" She asked.
"Uh…no." Hunter silently thanked the revival machine that Duna could only sense their conversation and not hear it, "I was just looking at the stars. So, what are you doing here? I thought all the Dinaurians were on the ship getting a pep talk about humans."
"I was not required to go, so I came here to see how humans celebrate happy occasions," Hunter took a quick note that they were slowly edging towards each other, "it seems that it is nothing similar to Dinaurian celebrations."
"Well, this is just one type of celebration." Hunter was so close to her that he could count her eyelashes," there's also stuff like banquets and weddings."
"What is a wedding?"
"…it's to celebrate two humans getting married."
"Humans have marriage celebrations as well?"
"Yeah, is it any different for Dinaurians?"
"We select who is to be tied together by Their genetic compatibility."
"Oh, for humans it's two people that love each other."
"…I see. I think I would like to try that some day."
"Really? Well, you'd have to find someone who lov-" Duna leaned in and kissed Hunter. His eyes widened before he realized what Duna meant when she started to talk about love. He pulled her closer and they kissed as the fireworks went off. Spinax was laughing the entire time.
Done! for good, that's the end, no more, It's all over. That's all folks!
Hunter: don't be like that. Everyone knows you're gonna make more chapters.
….what if I want to build suspense?
Spinax: then do what you usually do and wait to make the next chapter. Just procrastinate on purpose this time.
Hahahahahahaha….I hate you both.
Hunter: that's why people like us.
Funny how that works. Question of the day: what was your favorite chapter in the series so far? It sure has been a fun time writing this story, and I'm not even halfway done. Thanks for Reading!