Chapter 14
Ragnarok Awakens….
This was it. One more step and Cowboy Blade the legendary bounty hunter, Lex the deputy sheriff of the city, Ruby the owner of Liberty's saloon, Sabe the drifter, and Sieban the Poet would be in the fight of their lives perhaps.
At least to them.
The step was taken by Blade, and they came into rather large room. A metal room which was very unusual to be inside a cave.
So this is it. They've reached the secret laboratory of Ragnarok.
But this didn't look much like a lab. It looked more like a…
"Oh damn." Blade sighed.
Sabe turned to the bounty hunter. "What is it?"
"This is a hanger." he said.
And there were about to find out for what when suddenly a large lizard-like robot with camouflage covers of steel arose from the other side of the hanger.
Everyone's but Blade's and Sieban's eyes went wide.
"What the hell is that?! Godzilla?!" Lex exclaimed. "It's freaking huge!!"
Sieban looked to the bounty hunter. "So this is Ragnarok."
The lizard robot stopped as it stood on all fours, still like a statue. Beside the robot, a figure laughed so wickedly it would haunt anyone in their nightmares.
A laugh that only could belong to one person. The tyrant of power and chaos known only as Zoot.
And now he was looking different.
No longer was he wearing his normal war clothes, the police jacket. He now wore a odd-looking skin tight suit. But his police man cap remained over his head.
The left side of his chest was Pandorax's logo.
"EVERYONE!! BEHOLD!! THE ULTIMATE WEAPON…THE MOBIL GEAR WEAPON, RAAAGGGNAAAROOOOK!!" he roared as he waved his hand to the suit.
Mobile gear…than that suit…
"And this…is the key to controlling it." Zoot nodded his head. "That's right. I've learned how about it all. It seems I didn't need the code from Ram after all."
Blade unsheathed his sword and aimed the tip at Zoot. "You've got a bounty on your head. I've come to collect."
"Ah yes." Zoot smirked. "You are the legendary bounty hunter I hear constantly of. Cowboy Blade. Besides the hat, you don't look much of a cowboy to me."
Behind Zoot stood his Zootists. They were all women. Lex even recognized Java next to him.
"This suit is what they called "smart skin." It contains nano-machines that allow any movement of my body to be mimicked by Ragnarok." Zoot raised his hand, and Ragnarok did the same to everyone's surprise. "And that means I have control, and I have power."
Ragnarok swung its arm down at Blade.
"POWER AND CHAOS!!" Zoot shouted.
Blade jumped back, moving along with his companions. The bounty hunter sneered at Zoot.
"Do you honestly think you can uphold this much power?! You fool!" Blade spat. "You sold your soul to the devil, Zoot! Whatever they promised you will not be fulfilled!"
Zoot's eyes went wide. He never expected…
"So," he said to the bounty hunter, "You've figured it out, haven't you."
The tyrant chuckled slightly. "Yes, indeed it's all true. I was promised power and chaos, and all HE…well, he didn't say what he wanted. He just told me in time."
He? Just one person?
Blade had a feeling he knew who it was. Had Dr. Zachary returned, or was it his so-called good guy assistant?
He would have to find out later, because right now Zoot was not looking for anymore conversation.
"You all distract his warriors. I'll deal with Zoot and Ragnarok myself." Blade told his companions.
"No, you can't handle that thing on your own!" Sabe cried.
Blade looked down to the drifter. And for a moment, his features were not hard…but rather calm.
No more words were exchanged.
Sabe nodded her head. "Be careful."
"Hey! Why don't I fight Zoot and you can fight Ragnarok?" Lex insisted.
"If you really killed him it would've haunted you, but if you want to then so be it." Blade told him.
"Hey wait! This guy killed Zoot…" Sieban began until he saw the Zootists coming after. "Guess this will have to wait."
Sieban unsheathed two knifes from his vest, Ruby snapped her whip back, and Sabe prepared her staff while Lex and Blade made their way over to Zoot and Ragnarok
This was going to be one hell of a battle to remember.
Lex smirked as he held up his balled up fists to Zoot. "Hey there, cutie. Remember me?"
Zoot smirked as well. "If it ain't my old pal, Lex. I owe you a lot, my friend."
The two circled each other.
"You killed me right before eyes of my daughter and the woman I loved. How do you think that makes me feel?" Zoot titled his head to the side.
"The same as this is gonna feel when I'm done with you!"
Lex threw the first punch, but it was intercepted by a very familiar face. The deputy scowled at the woman in front of him now. "Hello Java."
"Evening Lex. And that's Queen Java to you!"
Lex was shoved back from her kick to his ribs, and Java followed after him while her master watched.
Zoot felt a little displeased though. Oh well, he'll get a shot at Lex after he finished off the bounty hunter….
"Disappointed about your dance partner gone? Don't worry, I'll be glad to fill in his shoes."
Zoot laughed as he turned to face Blade. "And what makes you think you can defeat me now. I'm more powerful than ever."
And now Ragnarok was right behind Blade. The bounty hunter was able to do a cartwheel before getting squashed by Ragnarok's hand.
This thing was powerful indeed when he saw the whole it's own metallic claws had caused.
Then its tail swung at him, and Blade was fast enough to jump over its tail. But not fast enough to jump back up again when the tail boomeranged back at Blade and knocked him right across the steel floor.
Zoot laughed to the sound of impact from the bounty hunter's barely moving body.
"I told you, Blade! I have become more powerful than any you have ever known!"
Blade struggled to get back on his feet, his sword had been knocked away a few distance out of his hand.
….Need…need to get my…sword….
Blade tried to run, but his dizziness was still bare from the impact of Ragnarok's tail.
He was just a few more inches away as he reached out his gloved hand and….
…and then found himself in the tight clutches of Ragnarok's steel claws. He felt like he could explode at any minute from Ragnarok's grip.
And Zoot came around the corner, chuckling evilly again. "Oh how easy this had been."
He then noticed the gothic sword on the ground. He picked it up and examined carefully. "Hmm. This sword is…truly unique. It looks 15th century. But then again no, it looks much more older."
Zoot looked up to Blade's sneering but painful expression.
"A trophy," he held up the sword," just like your head will be for all to see who gave death to the Agent of Death himself."
Zoot's grin disappeared and he lifted up the sword…or at least tried to until it fell on the ground again.
It was more heavier than he thought. The tyrant struggled to lift it again, but it wouldn't budge.
Through his pain, Blade laughed.
"What's so funny?" Zoot asked in a exasperated tone.
"You." Blade grinned wide. "You say…you're all powerful now. The truth is that you're weak, Zoot."
And there was a clang from the Ragnarok's claws surrounding Blade, and slowly with all his strength that could not possibly be human pulled the clutches apart.
Zoot tightened his hands together. "We'll see about that!"
The strength of Ragnarok's grip was becoming stronger, but the bounty hunter was proving that his will was far stronger than any as the claws still were being separated from his body.
And finally the bounty hunter was free and delivered a hard jab to a stunned Zoot. His sword flew straight over them.
Zoot touched the blood on his face, and glared up at bounty hunter. "How…could a mere man like you….do this?!"
"Who…said…I….was a mere man?" Blade smirked as he panted.
And suddenly, the tyrant himself grinned. "I did. Because I am a god…and now I shall prove it by destroying what you care most about!" Zoot looked up to the Ragnarok. "FIRE LASER CANNON!!"
Another clanging was heard right above the warrior's head. Blade looked up to see the mouth of Ragnarok open, and inside was a round glowing blue crystal.
There was a hissing, and Ragnarok began to shake as its head was aiming directly at where Sieban, Sabe, and Ruby were fighting.
Blade's eyes went wide underneath the rims of his hat as he looked down at Zoot. "You'll kill your own followers."
"Sacrifices must be made to achieve domination, my friend. Now observe!"
The cannon was charging. It would only be a matter of seconds now.
Zoot couldn't wait to see the look on Blade's face to see his friends dead. But when he saw the visible parts of the bounty hunter's face, Blade looked calm.
And the cannon….suddenly seized.
The crystal stopped glowing and smoke foamed within the open mouth of Ragnarok.
"W-what's going on?! Fire damn it!" Zoot shouted to Ragnarok.
Blade raised his hand up and caught his sword by his handle. "It looks like you needed the code after all."
Zoot looked to his enemy confused.
"Ragnarok didn't fully energize and suffered a power overload."
Blade spun around and leaped into the air and his sword cut through Ragnarok's head like butter.
Just in the few moments it had been attacking Cowboy Blade, Ragnarok was now no more.
"NO!! MY POWER!! MY DREAMS!!" Zoot cried. "THIS CANNOT BE…!!"
Blade edged his sword at Zoot. "Now, how about trying to fight without a titan at your command?"
"My. The tides certainly have turned, haven't they?" came a voice.
Sieban cut his knife across the Zootist's shoulder and knocked her out with the butt of the knife's hilt.
The Zootists were defeated after Sabe tripped another Zootist with her staff and Ruby pulled her whip back that was latched around another Zootist's leg.
"My. The tides certainly have turned, haven't they?" came a voice that caught all their attention.
Blade's eyes went slit and cold as ever when he realized who was speaking.
A elder man dressed up in a descent looking suit with a Pandorax name tag attached to his coat pocket.
He was leaning on a black cane with a golden top.
So it wasn't Dr. Zachary after all.
"President Evon Pandorax." Blade hissed.
Sabe's staff dropped to the ground as she gasped.
"An…adult alive?!"
"Don't find it hard to believe." Sieban sighed. "He is the founder of Pandorax Incorporations."
The man chuckled lightly. "That I am, my boy. That I am."
President Pandorax looked to Zoot. "Get out of here and head to Hope Island back home. You'll know the rest when you get there."
Zoot nodded and rushed off.
"You just cost me a bounty, Mr. President." Blade scowled. "Now I really hate you even more than before."
"Before?" the man walked closer to Blade, sizing the warrior up. And then it hit him.
"Ah I see. You were part of ELITE." the president of Pandorax sighed with a smile. "Forgive me for not remembering your name. Well, that's mostly because of your hat there. And another part of it is if you become just as LEGENDARY as Cyrus…"
Blade's eyes went wide. "Cyrus!"
President Pandorax laughed. "Ah, Cyrus was truly brilliant." His face suddenly fell. "Perhaps to brilliant."
The president swirled his cane around his hand and bowed. "Forgive me for being rude, but I'm afraid I have engagements to keep and I'd rather not be late."
With that, the man left.
Blade was about to follow him, until he heard a computerized female voice say, "Self-Destruct sequence in one minute."
Blade groaned as he harnessed his sword and turned to the others. "Let's go!"
"Hey, wait up!" Lex shouted as he came back into the room with Java tied up, and Ebony on the other side of Lex.
"Where've you been, you big jerk!" Ruby demanded.
Lex shrugged. "Taking care of business. Everyone that doesn't know this woman, this is Ebony…" Lex pointed to Ebony.
"Introductions later, boy! Right now…" Sieban began.
"BOY?!!" Lex exclaimed.
"…this place is coming down in less then a minute now! Let's go!"
And the all ran with Java as their prisoner, that is except Blade who looked to where the president had vanished.
Sabe looked back to him. What's wrong with him, she thought.
"Blade! Come on! It's too late!" she cried.
Blade straightened his leather raincoat and hurried out with her.
Ragnarok Awakens….
This was it. One more step and Cowboy Blade the legendary bounty hunter, Lex the deputy sheriff of the city, Ruby the owner of Liberty's saloon, Sabe the drifter, and Sieban the Poet would be in the fight of their lives perhaps.
At least to them.
The step was taken by Blade, and they came into rather large room. A metal room which was very unusual to be inside a cave.
So this is it. They've reached the secret laboratory of Ragnarok.
But this didn't look much like a lab. It looked more like a…
"Oh damn." Blade sighed.
Sabe turned to the bounty hunter. "What is it?"
"This is a hanger." he said.
And there were about to find out for what when suddenly a large lizard-like robot with camouflage covers of steel arose from the other side of the hanger.
Everyone's but Blade's and Sieban's eyes went wide.
"What the hell is that?! Godzilla?!" Lex exclaimed. "It's freaking huge!!"
Sieban looked to the bounty hunter. "So this is Ragnarok."
The lizard robot stopped as it stood on all fours, still like a statue. Beside the robot, a figure laughed so wickedly it would haunt anyone in their nightmares.
A laugh that only could belong to one person. The tyrant of power and chaos known only as Zoot.
And now he was looking different.
No longer was he wearing his normal war clothes, the police jacket. He now wore a odd-looking skin tight suit. But his police man cap remained over his head.
The left side of his chest was Pandorax's logo.
"EVERYONE!! BEHOLD!! THE ULTIMATE WEAPON…THE MOBIL GEAR WEAPON, RAAAGGGNAAAROOOOK!!" he roared as he waved his hand to the suit.
Mobile gear…than that suit…
"And this…is the key to controlling it." Zoot nodded his head. "That's right. I've learned how about it all. It seems I didn't need the code from Ram after all."
Blade unsheathed his sword and aimed the tip at Zoot. "You've got a bounty on your head. I've come to collect."
"Ah yes." Zoot smirked. "You are the legendary bounty hunter I hear constantly of. Cowboy Blade. Besides the hat, you don't look much of a cowboy to me."
Behind Zoot stood his Zootists. They were all women. Lex even recognized Java next to him.
"This suit is what they called "smart skin." It contains nano-machines that allow any movement of my body to be mimicked by Ragnarok." Zoot raised his hand, and Ragnarok did the same to everyone's surprise. "And that means I have control, and I have power."
Ragnarok swung its arm down at Blade.
"POWER AND CHAOS!!" Zoot shouted.
Blade jumped back, moving along with his companions. The bounty hunter sneered at Zoot.
"Do you honestly think you can uphold this much power?! You fool!" Blade spat. "You sold your soul to the devil, Zoot! Whatever they promised you will not be fulfilled!"
Zoot's eyes went wide. He never expected…
"So," he said to the bounty hunter, "You've figured it out, haven't you."
The tyrant chuckled slightly. "Yes, indeed it's all true. I was promised power and chaos, and all HE…well, he didn't say what he wanted. He just told me in time."
He? Just one person?
Blade had a feeling he knew who it was. Had Dr. Zachary returned, or was it his so-called good guy assistant?
He would have to find out later, because right now Zoot was not looking for anymore conversation.
"You all distract his warriors. I'll deal with Zoot and Ragnarok myself." Blade told his companions.
"No, you can't handle that thing on your own!" Sabe cried.
Blade looked down to the drifter. And for a moment, his features were not hard…but rather calm.
No more words were exchanged.
Sabe nodded her head. "Be careful."
"Hey! Why don't I fight Zoot and you can fight Ragnarok?" Lex insisted.
"If you really killed him it would've haunted you, but if you want to then so be it." Blade told him.
"Hey wait! This guy killed Zoot…" Sieban began until he saw the Zootists coming after. "Guess this will have to wait."
Sieban unsheathed two knifes from his vest, Ruby snapped her whip back, and Sabe prepared her staff while Lex and Blade made their way over to Zoot and Ragnarok
This was going to be one hell of a battle to remember.
Lex smirked as he held up his balled up fists to Zoot. "Hey there, cutie. Remember me?"
Zoot smirked as well. "If it ain't my old pal, Lex. I owe you a lot, my friend."
The two circled each other.
"You killed me right before eyes of my daughter and the woman I loved. How do you think that makes me feel?" Zoot titled his head to the side.
"The same as this is gonna feel when I'm done with you!"
Lex threw the first punch, but it was intercepted by a very familiar face. The deputy scowled at the woman in front of him now. "Hello Java."
"Evening Lex. And that's Queen Java to you!"
Lex was shoved back from her kick to his ribs, and Java followed after him while her master watched.
Zoot felt a little displeased though. Oh well, he'll get a shot at Lex after he finished off the bounty hunter….
"Disappointed about your dance partner gone? Don't worry, I'll be glad to fill in his shoes."
Zoot laughed as he turned to face Blade. "And what makes you think you can defeat me now. I'm more powerful than ever."
And now Ragnarok was right behind Blade. The bounty hunter was able to do a cartwheel before getting squashed by Ragnarok's hand.
This thing was powerful indeed when he saw the whole it's own metallic claws had caused.
Then its tail swung at him, and Blade was fast enough to jump over its tail. But not fast enough to jump back up again when the tail boomeranged back at Blade and knocked him right across the steel floor.
Zoot laughed to the sound of impact from the bounty hunter's barely moving body.
"I told you, Blade! I have become more powerful than any you have ever known!"
Blade struggled to get back on his feet, his sword had been knocked away a few distance out of his hand.
….Need…need to get my…sword….
Blade tried to run, but his dizziness was still bare from the impact of Ragnarok's tail.
He was just a few more inches away as he reached out his gloved hand and….
…and then found himself in the tight clutches of Ragnarok's steel claws. He felt like he could explode at any minute from Ragnarok's grip.
And Zoot came around the corner, chuckling evilly again. "Oh how easy this had been."
He then noticed the gothic sword on the ground. He picked it up and examined carefully. "Hmm. This sword is…truly unique. It looks 15th century. But then again no, it looks much more older."
Zoot looked up to Blade's sneering but painful expression.
"A trophy," he held up the sword," just like your head will be for all to see who gave death to the Agent of Death himself."
Zoot's grin disappeared and he lifted up the sword…or at least tried to until it fell on the ground again.
It was more heavier than he thought. The tyrant struggled to lift it again, but it wouldn't budge.
Through his pain, Blade laughed.
"What's so funny?" Zoot asked in a exasperated tone.
"You." Blade grinned wide. "You say…you're all powerful now. The truth is that you're weak, Zoot."
And there was a clang from the Ragnarok's claws surrounding Blade, and slowly with all his strength that could not possibly be human pulled the clutches apart.
Zoot tightened his hands together. "We'll see about that!"
The strength of Ragnarok's grip was becoming stronger, but the bounty hunter was proving that his will was far stronger than any as the claws still were being separated from his body.
And finally the bounty hunter was free and delivered a hard jab to a stunned Zoot. His sword flew straight over them.
Zoot touched the blood on his face, and glared up at bounty hunter. "How…could a mere man like you….do this?!"
"Who…said…I….was a mere man?" Blade smirked as he panted.
And suddenly, the tyrant himself grinned. "I did. Because I am a god…and now I shall prove it by destroying what you care most about!" Zoot looked up to the Ragnarok. "FIRE LASER CANNON!!"
Another clanging was heard right above the warrior's head. Blade looked up to see the mouth of Ragnarok open, and inside was a round glowing blue crystal.
There was a hissing, and Ragnarok began to shake as its head was aiming directly at where Sieban, Sabe, and Ruby were fighting.
Blade's eyes went wide underneath the rims of his hat as he looked down at Zoot. "You'll kill your own followers."
"Sacrifices must be made to achieve domination, my friend. Now observe!"
The cannon was charging. It would only be a matter of seconds now.
Zoot couldn't wait to see the look on Blade's face to see his friends dead. But when he saw the visible parts of the bounty hunter's face, Blade looked calm.
And the cannon….suddenly seized.
The crystal stopped glowing and smoke foamed within the open mouth of Ragnarok.
"W-what's going on?! Fire damn it!" Zoot shouted to Ragnarok.
Blade raised his hand up and caught his sword by his handle. "It looks like you needed the code after all."
Zoot looked to his enemy confused.
"Ragnarok didn't fully energize and suffered a power overload."
Blade spun around and leaped into the air and his sword cut through Ragnarok's head like butter.
Just in the few moments it had been attacking Cowboy Blade, Ragnarok was now no more.
"NO!! MY POWER!! MY DREAMS!!" Zoot cried. "THIS CANNOT BE…!!"
Blade edged his sword at Zoot. "Now, how about trying to fight without a titan at your command?"
"My. The tides certainly have turned, haven't they?" came a voice.
Sieban cut his knife across the Zootist's shoulder and knocked her out with the butt of the knife's hilt.
The Zootists were defeated after Sabe tripped another Zootist with her staff and Ruby pulled her whip back that was latched around another Zootist's leg.
"My. The tides certainly have turned, haven't they?" came a voice that caught all their attention.
Blade's eyes went slit and cold as ever when he realized who was speaking.
A elder man dressed up in a descent looking suit with a Pandorax name tag attached to his coat pocket.
He was leaning on a black cane with a golden top.
So it wasn't Dr. Zachary after all.
"President Evon Pandorax." Blade hissed.
Sabe's staff dropped to the ground as she gasped.
"An…adult alive?!"
"Don't find it hard to believe." Sieban sighed. "He is the founder of Pandorax Incorporations."
The man chuckled lightly. "That I am, my boy. That I am."
President Pandorax looked to Zoot. "Get out of here and head to Hope Island back home. You'll know the rest when you get there."
Zoot nodded and rushed off.
"You just cost me a bounty, Mr. President." Blade scowled. "Now I really hate you even more than before."
"Before?" the man walked closer to Blade, sizing the warrior up. And then it hit him.
"Ah I see. You were part of ELITE." the president of Pandorax sighed with a smile. "Forgive me for not remembering your name. Well, that's mostly because of your hat there. And another part of it is if you become just as LEGENDARY as Cyrus…"
Blade's eyes went wide. "Cyrus!"
President Pandorax laughed. "Ah, Cyrus was truly brilliant." His face suddenly fell. "Perhaps to brilliant."
The president swirled his cane around his hand and bowed. "Forgive me for being rude, but I'm afraid I have engagements to keep and I'd rather not be late."
With that, the man left.
Blade was about to follow him, until he heard a computerized female voice say, "Self-Destruct sequence in one minute."
Blade groaned as he harnessed his sword and turned to the others. "Let's go!"
"Hey, wait up!" Lex shouted as he came back into the room with Java tied up, and Ebony on the other side of Lex.
"Where've you been, you big jerk!" Ruby demanded.
Lex shrugged. "Taking care of business. Everyone that doesn't know this woman, this is Ebony…" Lex pointed to Ebony.
"Introductions later, boy! Right now…" Sieban began.
"BOY?!!" Lex exclaimed.
"…this place is coming down in less then a minute now! Let's go!"
And the all ran with Java as their prisoner, that is except Blade who looked to where the president had vanished.
Sabe looked back to him. What's wrong with him, she thought.
"Blade! Come on! It's too late!" she cried.
Blade straightened his leather raincoat and hurried out with her.