This will be the penultimate chapter folks, a gauntlet of battles wait for Randy and then...the showdown with Bagura!
I also apologize for the wall of text, but there was only so much I could do to summarize what was happening.
Explosive Showdown
With final preparations complete, which involved in getting a good luck hug from IF and Compa, I took the ride via the copter that took me all the way to the bottom of the central mountain. When it landed, and I got out of the copter, it flew away and now that I could see the tower up close, it was gigantic.
"Phew, that's one tall tower." I commented. "Must be a pain to get groceries up there."
Well, joking aside, I walked on over to a very large steel door that was locked in some way. It had five tiny holes and there was a message above the lock set up.
"Huh? 'Only those who are blessed with the rings may enter the mountains from within'?" I then gasped. "Oh yeah, the five rings I got from the spirits, I guess this is where all of them will be needed to help me on my way whilst I battle all the way to the top."
I got them out and inserted the gem part of the five rings into the holes and they lit up based on the colour of the gem. I then pulled a switch that lit up and there was a small rumble before the giant door besides me lowered down into the ground. I then grabbed the rings and placed them on both of my ring fingers. I walked through the newly opened passageway and I walking through a long tunnel that wasn't just like an ordinary cave under a mountain.
BGM: Halo OST - Ambient Wonder
The walls were showing ambient and flowing images of multiple galaxies, all in various brightly colours until I reached the end of the tunnel and there was a large open area that had an elevator that only went up. I went up the stairs and pushed the button to open the elevator doors. This was it...once I use this elevator, there's no turning back. The CPUs saved Gamarket from Arfoire, now it's my turn to save Gamarket from Bagura, the Ultimate Bomber.
"With the power of my fists I was born with, the power of the rings I was blessed with, and not to be cheesy, the power of the friendship I've earned from these girls since the day I met them all, I will come out of this...as the next hero in waiting." I said, closing my eyes. "Bagura...your time will come soon!"
End of BGM
I stepped into the elevator and it took me to the first floor which was some kind of entrance, my journey to the top had just begun.
BGM: Mary Skelter 2 OST - A Majestic World
Once I stood out of the elevator, sirens went off around the floor with a loud message blaring through the speakers.
*WARNING! INTRUDER ALERT!*
*WARNING! INTRUDER ALERT!*
I then saw a large door at the opposite end being opened and a squad of four hooded bombers showed up.
"There he is! The guy who gave us the slip last time!" One of them yelled.
"Guess there's no avoiding you bombers anymore." I shook my head. "Fine, come at me, fools!"
I got out the unlimited bomb I had held off using all day and threw it at one of the bombers who was flung away before puffing into a cloud of smoke. Of course I had to avoid being bombed, but I was able to dodge them just enough to throw bombs back and take my time in dealing with the other three hooded bombers. With the area clear, I ran across to the doors which opened. This was followed by a long hallway that showed a constellation of someone using a ring to move rocks.
The next area was some kind of workers area, a small group of robotic soldiers and a pair of those SDCHs that drop the illegal chip materials were in my way. There were also two orb statues that were colored in brown which were keeping the next door locked. I used the gauntlets to deal with the monsters and the bomb to destroy the orbs which shut down the laser grid blocking the door, but a rocky wall remained. I showed the Ring of Earth to the rocky wall and it crumbled into pieces.
This took me to the second floor and the layout was mostly the same, so was the third floor and the fourth floor, although the monster types were different. When I got to the fifth floor, it was like a huge ballroom, but there were a pair of hooded bombers and a giant dogoo, seems like these would be mini-bosses in order to make this place look like a gauntlet. Kinda saw that one coming, but I do love a challenge. I focused on the hooded bombers first and blew them both to smithereens. I then switched to the giant metal dogoo. Its defense is ridiculous, but after a few lucky hits, it sunk to the floor and pixelated away.
The door at the far end was unlocked and I ran up to the sixth floor, where the room colour changed from brown to green, this would be where the Ring of Wind would be needed for the upcoming obstacles. There were M-3s and plaid dolphins to deal with, as well as the orb statuses that were in green and a speedy breeze blocking the doorway. All of which I had no problem with in the end. This stayed that way until I reached the tenth floor and I could now see the view of Gamarket from this floor.
The boss on the tenth floor had hooded bomber and a Fenrishlfr, a ferocious wolf that would be considered the leader of a wolf pack due to its size. The battle was a little more challenging, but still winnable due to how strong I had become since returning here. The hooded bombers was blown away and I unleashed a ten-hit combo to eliminate the giant wolf. I had Lee-Fi to thank for that one when she and I sparred a few days ago.
"Wow, look at the view from this place." I said as I took in the view. "But I bet it'll be even better when I make my up several more floors."
The door in front of me was opened and I ran up to the eleventh floor. The next five rooms and the orb statues were in a red colour, time to bring out the Ring of Fire. There were death stalkers, those moving tetris blocks and even tarantulas were all trying to stand in my way. I had to take them all down, no question. The doorway had a flame wall, so I had to use the Ring of Fire which caused the flame wall to fizzle away. I then made my way to the fifteenth floor. Waiting for me were two more hooded bombers and an Elemental Dragon that would certainly breathe out fire. Avoiding the flames and the bombs were a major hassle, but I still won in the end.
"I was right, you can just about see almost everything around Gamarket from around here." I sighed. "Speaking of everything around, I wonder if the CPUs have finished in restoring the sharicite crystals in their nation cities. And the generals too, are they still busy repairing their own cities? I want to, but I need to remain focused on my mission. Just a few more floors to go..." I rushed past the opened door and went upwards to the sixteenth floor.
Once again, the colored changed to blue, the Ring of Water will help me with this one. The monsters here were plum-nets, crystal golems and healing dogoos. The orb statues were in blue. Once they were all gone, the doorway was blocked with a waterfall. I used the Ring of Water and the water stopped flowing. This method got me to the twentieth floor where now three hooded bombers waited for me along with a giant whale to boot.
When I somehow overcame those odds, I looked out at the window side and now, I could see all of Gamarket, it was kinda hard to see where the mansion was though. I guess I should be lucky that Bagura and his minions never got to pinpoint the safe zone. And I don't plan to let them see it now. I rushed through the opposite door and upwards to the twenty first floor.
The floor was much bigger than all the other ones and there were various shades of white and gold, this is where the Ring of Light would help me. Radishers, horsebird leaders and halo guardians were patrolling this floor as well as those robotic workers. There were no orb statues, so I just had to rush on through and just eliminate the ones that got in my way. The doorway had a massive purple mist blocking my way, I used the Ring of Light and it evaporated, giving me access to the next two floors.
I was then on floor twenty four where I saw four hooded bombers and possibly the last mini-boss, some kind of snow princess. Things were a little on the cold side and some signs of friendly fire was present, cause her snowflakes were hitting just about anything it collided with at random, causing the bombers to freeze like icicles. But that just made it easy for me to deal with them. I then switched to the snow queen and bombed her many times before she vanished away in sparkling light and the room was warm again.
I was now seeing a lot of clouds, I could barely see all of Gamarket from this floor. At this rate, I might even see the land where my old home is. But that's gonna be old news soon, and I'll need to defeat Bagura if I want to make it happen. I walked upwards to what would be the twenty fifth floor and what I saw a massive giant silver door with the title 'Throne Room' above the door.
"Alright, this looks like the final floor, time to go and meet Bagura himself." I said. "Everyone...not just those who are alive. The elvens...and the oceanids...watch over me, I'll make you all proud!"
End of BGM
Checking my gear which I prepared for, I opened the doors and entered a large throne room and standing in front of the throne chair was the villain in question.
"Bagura! Kept you waiting, huh?" I smirked at him, for I always wanted to say that line.
He gave me a slow applause.
BGM: Bomberman World OST - Interplanetary Vortex
"Most impressive, Randy!" He praised with a slight sarcastic tone. "It seems that you have truly become one of my greatest adversaries."
"Thanks for the sarcasm." I replied, with the slight same tone. "But if you could just spare me that BS for a moment, I would appreciate that."
"Well, since you have made it this far, I suppose you have earned a little right to be demanding." He then slowly walked from one side of the throne room. "But tell me, boy. What good would it do for you to make it all this way, just to try and stop me from what I rightly desire?"
"Because what you want comes at the risk of lives being lost?"
"Lost lives you say? Pitiful excuse! I prefer to call it as sacrifices." He then walked to the other side. "To achieve a goal, a sacrifice must be made, is that not true? Everyone of us has a goal we want to reach, no matter how short or long it takes. You have a goal as well, don't you?"
I nodded.
"You want to save Gamarket, but that would come at the cost of sacrificing me. I cannot allow that, nor will I allow your goal to overlap mine." He then stopped to look at me when he was back in the centre. "However, I fear that you may be too late to stop my goal from coming to fruition."
"Really, what else have you done now?"
"Can you not see it, boy? We're standing miles above where the castle of Arfoire once stood."
I blinked. "How do you know that?"
"You believed that didn't occur to me when I made my entrance? Come now, I wouldn't dare risk my life to enter a world I have no knowledge of. Or should I say, I used to be aware of."
"So it's true, you're the very same person who started out as a thief all those years ago. Way back when the elvens and the oceanids tried to keep the peace forged between them, until you screwed it all up...and for what?!"
"Well, I may not know who told you that piece of history, but whether you know that much or not will not change the past!" He then smirked. "That aside, I will admit, the remains of Arfoire's castle did provide me with some benefit. A great power that was buried deep inside the mountains, the cursed sharicite crystal."
"And you used that to create the Chaos CPUs and have them spread the curse onto the nations sharicite crystals."
"Why yes indeed! And once they were in place, the real CPUs were rendered weak, unless, unable to fight back. It also reaped me a second benefit. Without the sharicite crystals being maintained peacefully, the islands began to separate and I gained far much more power, I was destined to be unstoppable."
I then grinned. "Until I arrived, right?"
"I'm ashamed to admit it, but that is true." He smirk faded and he growled. "Everything was in place...until YOU showed up!"
I remained silent at his minor outburst.
"But, you have proven to me that you are a definite threat. Seeing you make it to this point has given me a possibility that wasn't available until now."
"What would that be?"
He smirked again. "How about we come to an agreement, a deal if you like."
Oh boy, I had a feeling of where this was going.
"You've shown that you can use bombs just as effectively as I can. If we were to fight now, we would reach at an impasse, there would be no winner at the end, we would both lose everything. Our goals, our powers and even our lives. If you value your life more than anything else, why don't you swear your loyalty to me?"
And there it is...an offer he thinks I can't refuse.
"If you agree to join my side, I will allow you to live the way you want to live. But you must do all of my bidding! For you are responsible for the demise of Arma, Hurri, Volcan and Coral, not to mention my army of hooded bombers. And let us not forget my faithful pet, Hugo and the Chaos CPUs."
"And if I refuse?"
"Well, if you choose to stand against me, I will respect your decision. But I will not hesitate...to kill you with the powers I have." He folded his arms. "So boy, what will it be? Will you accept my kind offering, or will you throw your life away for a moment of glory I will not let you have?"
I chose to think long and hard, but in all honesty, I had one answer already.
"There was no need for you to ask me all that." I replied. "I already knew what I was gonna do the moment I stepped into this room."
"So you aim to plan ahead as well, I commend you for that." Bagura said. "Then what is your answer?"
End of BGM
I smirked and gave him the bird...twice. "Screw you, asshole!"
"BAH! You will pay for that insult!" He then floated up a few meters from the floor and from his cloak, he brought out four oval-shaped drones that were armed. "Let's see how you handle against these seekers. They'll find you, no matter where you hide!"
BGM: Bomberman World OST - VS Bagura
He floated towards me with the seekers that spun around him at a very fast speed and once he stopped moving, the seekers slowed down and they shot out multiple lasers that traveled in multiple directions. I had to accept that using my gauntlets would be useless at this point, only the unlimited bomb can save me. I threw one and it caught the seekers, but not Bagura. Seems the seekers were shielding him from the blast. I threw another one and one of the seekers exploded. I then waited for a chance to repeat the attack and the next two seekers were destroyed. One seeker remained and I was able to blow it up easily.
"Ngh! You are very quick on your feet." Bagura said. "Then I shall bring out my latest creation! The DR-01! May your life forever be engulfed in its plasma flames!"
He raised his arms and from behind him, a large metal door was dented before it was broken off and the throne chair was destroyed as well, now I was seeing a large metal dragon that looked ready for combat. Bagura then floated into the cockpit above the head. When he gained control, the metal dragon roared as it levitated from one side to the other, it spewed out flames that were in a plasma colour. I got in a bomb attack at the dragon head which was the weak point.
The other attack was that it brought out claws and it shot out twin lasers cannons from both straight and diagonal directions. I had to buy my time and throw the bomb when the attacks stopped. I repeated the method of the dodge and counter tactic until the metal dragon began to shake and several metal parts began to fall off until the whole thing crashed to the floor and things were all silent...until the top part of the cockpit was punched off before a bomb came out and destroyed the whole thing.
End of BGM
Bagura stood there, he was looking slightly bruised but still kept going like nothing had happened.
"GRRRR! What a major thorn you have become! Not even my latest creation was enough...then I am forced to use my trump card!" He brought out a remote.
"Huh? What does that do?"
He pushed it and sirens went off across the whole building.
*SELF-DESTRUCTION SEQUENCE ENGAGED*
*EVACUATE THE PREMISES IMMEDIATELY"
BGM: The Witcher 3 OST - Blood & Wine Battle Theme
He then threw his away his cape and floated upwards until a purple steam rose upwards before he was surrounded by it. I had to look away cause the brightness was too much. Once the bright light vanished away, I looked back to see a wretched sight. Bagura was infused into a giant walking monster that had the same legs, the same arms, and the familiar freaky form in the middle...I was in shock, he's become one with the same form that we saw when we saw Arfoire's true form.
"Say hello to your old rival, the Deity Of Sin! She once desired eternal destruction...and now I shall pray for it! If I cannot have this world, then I shall not let you have it either!" He exclaimed in a combined voice that was creepy. "Defeat me as fast as you can, or you and I will forever be tortured in the eternal depths of hell together!"
*T-MINUS TEN MINUTES TILL SELF-DESTRUCTION*
Oh fantastic! I have to face off against another battle with Bagura and there's a time limit? I always hated time limits in games, so this one was already worrying me. But I still can't give him that satisfaction. I made it this far for a reason and I can't stop now. I threw a bomb at it and it was hurt, but he shrugged it off. It was going to take countless bomb hits. But then I had an idea, I threw a bomb, but then I aimed one of the rings at it and it somehow an effect. The bomb became a firey bomb that exploded even bigger, causing more damage to Bagura.
"So you have finally found out the true strength behind the rings! Curse the Elven Council, may their spirits linger in hell!"
"Do you ever shut the hell up?!" I yelled.
With the new lesson I learnt, I used each ring to throw a different kind of bomb. I threw a windy bomb that caused Bagura to be thrown and slammed into a wall, a watery bomb created a waterfall around him, an earth bomb created sharp wooden spikes to appear underneath. Bagura then released a giant purple miasma that would surely effect me, I used a bomb with the Ring of Light whilst cancelled the miasma and dealt light damage to the body.
*T-MINUS FIVE MINUTES TILL SELF-DESTRUCTION*
When it was stunned, I threw a bomb at Bagura's body and then...the fused combination stopped and it started breaking apart.
End of BGM
"ARRRRRRRRRGHHHH!" He yelled in pain.
"Hah...hah...hah...come on now!" I panted in exhaustion. "Well, what are you...waiting for...I can do this...all day?"
"NO! I CANNOT LOSE AGAIN!"
The whole vassal suddenly exploded and then whole room began to collapse.
"Crap! This place is gonna blow!" I exclaimed before I ran out of the throne room. "I've gotta get the hell out of here!"
I ran down all of the floors and there were several cracks appearing along the walls and most of the objects were broken. No matter how long it took, I still kept running all the way down the floors of the collapsing tower until I approached the tenth floor when a giant ceiling tile crashed in front of the doorway, blocking my way out.
"Oh shit! Dammit no!" I exclaimed in horror. "There goes my way out...unless..." I then looked at the windows. "...alright, this is going to be the most stupidest idea I have ever made in my life. But if I know the CPUs, they'll come to me when I need help. Or I might just end up splatting near the mountains somewhere."
*ONE MINUTE TILL SELF-DESTRUCTION*
That's it...it's now or never.
"HERE GOES NOTHING!" I yelled before I rushed to the window and crashed out of it.
As I fell at a quick speed, I looked back to see the whole tower breaking away before it exploded completely and the remains of it were crashing down into the middle part of the mountain and I could sense that the cursed magic was fading away as well. But what about me? I was still falling towards my certain death unless someone shows up and rescue me. I closed my eyes and just when it seemed like it was all for nothing, I was then grabbed by something before I landed hard and lost conciseness.
I wasn't able to open my eyes in time, so whatever happened remained unknown...was I alive...or was I dead?
Annnnd, I chose to end it with that minor cliffhanger, cause I like to tease a little. ;)
Next time! The sequel reaches its conclusion!