Just a quick note before we begin the beginning of the end here: the issue of Cloud's limit breaks has come up a few times now, and I wanted to comment on them. I am avoiding saying 'Cloud uses Omnislash' type of things, as I am trying to avoid saying 'Terra uses Ultima' (which she does in this chapter - but in a different way). So, that said, if you read closely here, you will see him dishing out a limit break to Galactus himself, so hopefully it won't disappoint!
Chapter VIII – The Devourer of Worlds
"She's right, Iron Man," Magius' voice boomed. "For the time of the Awakening is now! Kyliska ta Lekya, the Devorer of Worlds, Galactus himself is now ready to rise!"
"Ah crap," Iron Man said.
"Tony," Samus said, trying to get up. "We have to stop him. Galactus cannot be allowed to wake up."
"I know," Iron Man said. "But what about you?"
"I'm fine," she said harshly. "There are bigger things here."
"Samus," Iron Man said.
"She's weak, Iron Man," Terra said in a distant voice as she walked up to them. "I can help her regain her strength, for I'm afraid we're going to need every last bit of it we have."
"Do it," Iron Man said. Samus' eyes closed again. Terra touched Samus' forehead gently, and muttered the words to a Cure spell. Samus immediately opened her eyes. Stunned, she got up.
"Samus?" Iron Man asked, still kneeling.
"Don't just stand there," Samus said, putting on her helmet. "We have to stop Magius."
"Right," Iron Man said, getting up.
Iron Man, Samus and Terra quickly regrouped with Hawkeye, Kraid, Ridley, Cloud and what remained of the Space Pirates.
"What's he babbling about, Shellhead?" Hawkeye asked as the three arrived.
"I think he's about to revive Galactus," Iron Man said.
"Then," Ridley said with a forced hiss. "We need to make sure Kyliska doesn't wake up."
"You're not doing anything," Hawkeye said. "Not in your condition."
"I've fared worse, human," Ridley hissed.
Hawkeye looked at Cloud's wounds, Iron Man and Samus' ragged armors, and Terra's dazed look. He sighed.
"I don't think any of us are in really good shape for this kind of fight," Hawkeye said.
"That doesn't mean we can walk away and leave millions to die, Clint," Samus said.
"I never said I would," Hawkeye said. "I plan to fight until the end."
"You don't die here, Clint," Samus said. "So don't plan on that either."
"How do I die, Samus?" He asked with a distant voice.
"In a blaze of glory," Samus said. "But not here. Not here."
"Good," he said. "Because I don't plan on dyin' today." The station trembled again and Magius laughed.
"Too late, heroes," he said again. "You're futile attempt to stop me will not succeed! The power is mine."
"Listen to yourself Aluren," Iron Man said. "You're obsessed."
"I told you not to use that name!" Magius spat.
"You are obsessed," Iron Man said. "With Galactus. Ever since the first time he came to Earth, you've been obsessed with the power he possessed. It was always his power that you wanted; yet you hid behind a mantle of peace like a coward too afraid to face himself. Even now, you're scared of the person you've become."
"You think you know me, Iron Man," Magius said. "But you do not. Look at you, Stark, you hide behind a mask, too scared to face the world, too scared of your own inventions." Iron Man gritted his teeth. "I only want peace. This universe is tearing itself apart, and only I have the vision necessary to achieve peace."
"By using the being you claim to want to stop?" Samus said. "Iron Man was right, Aluren, you are mad."
"I am not!" He yelled.
"You are too blind to see what is going on around you," Samus said. "You have a narrow concept of peace. Yes, peace is most often achieved through force of arms, but all sides need to agree on it. You failed to see that during the Last War on Earth that resulted in the birth of the Federation, and you fail to see it now. Look at us," Samus gestured to the group behind her. "Former enemies banding together in peace to stop a greater threat."
"A false alliance," Magius sneered. "One that will fall apart when this is over. I will bring peace by destroying those that disturb it. Admit it, Samus, there have been times where you wished you could make it all go away in one act of destruction instead of countless little ones." Samus swallowed.
"That is where you and I differ, Aluren. Ask yourself this: will you destroy yourself," Samus said. "When it is all done, and the only 'disruptions to peace' are you and your pet Devourer of Worlds?"
"I…," Magius stopped. "I don't know."
"Aluren," Samus said. "You are still in there. See what you have become, what you are about to do. What you propose will make you the greatest monster in history."
"No," Magius said through strained teeth. "I will be remembered as the savior of this barbaric Universe." The station shuddered again, and the Janus fired up.
"I would love to talk now, but I have plans to attend to," Magius said. "Since you robbed me of my batteries, I have to do this myself." He walked up to the Janus, and put his hands on the Heart. "Faith, make sure I am not disturbed." Faith nodded.
"The Heart is the key!" Iron Man exclaimed. "Without it, Aluren cannot channel his energy into the Janus."
"Awake," Magius said. "Mighty Galac.. Ugh." A shot, and Magius stood before the Heart, stunned, starting at the small hole in his chest, and then collapsed to the ground.
"I call this alliance over," Doom said from behind Magius, his gun pointed where the mystic once stood. Faith trained her gun arm on Doom, but promptly lowered it as Enchantress and Wrecker walked up to flank Doom.
"Be a dear, and cover me," Doom commanded Faith, and the armored warrior pointed her weapons back at the group. Doom walked up to the Janus and ripped the Heart out of it.
"What are you doing?" Iron Man asked.
"Taking what was promised me, Iron Man," Doom replied. "Power. Without the Heart, the Janus will not pour the energy into Galactus. But in my hands, it will allow the energy to pour out – into me. I will not be satisfied with controlling Galactus. No, I will absorb his power from the Janus and make myself a God in his stead. The Iron Fist of Doom will be felt all over this wretched galaxy."
"You.. fool.." Magius' voice said weakly. "Without the Heart controlling the Janus, Galactus will wake up uncontrolled. You'll doom us all."
"You," Doom said. "Are pathetic man, Joseph Aluren. And it is time for your long life to end." Doom pointed his gun down at Magius' head, and fired. The mystic died with a gurgling sound on his lips.
"Clint," Iron Man said.
"Well ahead of you," Hawkeye said as he fired an arrow. The arrow knocked the Heart out of Doom's hand, and sent it sliding across the platform.
"How dare you!" Doom said. "Wretched ingrates! Dispose of them!" He ordered Wrecker and Enchantress. They took only one step each before the station shuddered again.
"Too late," Terra said with a swallow.
The Janus shuddered and shook violently. After a few long seconds, it fired unstable blasts of energy around the station. One hit a Space Pirate, and had it writhing on the ground in pain before it died. Then the Janus stopped, at least for a moment. One, solitary blast was then fired – towards Galactus.
The hulking form of the Devourer of Worlds shook, and then was still. Doom and his cronies stepped back, and Enchantress' hold over Faith was broken. She let out a cry when she saw Magius' body crumpled on the ground. Then, the eyes lit up. Galactus' eyes shone with a fearful vengeance, and he stood up with the station rumbling. His form almost reached the ceiling.
"I think we've overstayed our welcome," Doom said bitterly. "Fall back." Doom, Wrecker, and Enchantress quickly ran towards one of the docking bays.
"Who dares disturb me?" Galactus' booming voice echoed in the room. He looked down upon the group. "Space Pirates," he spat. "And humans?"
"He doesn't look happy to see us," Hawkeye said.
"Should have brought a house warming gift," Iron Man said.
"You are trespassing on the grounds of Galactus, Devourer of Worlds. How did you get here?" He boomed. "Where are my Heralds? Kefka, Sephiroth come." His eyes widened he saw their still forms among the dead.
"You trespass here, destroy my station, and kill my Heralds!" Galactus boomed. "I will make you suffer before I kill you and destroy your worlds!"
"Not good," Samus said.
"I have an idea," Iron Man said quickly. "I am going to retrieve the Heart and use it and the Janus on him."
"Can you do it?" Samus said. "I mean without Terra or myself?"
"The Janus is nearly identical to the Heart, remember?" Tony said. "I think I can wing it. I just need you to cover me."
"Got it," Samus said.
Iron Man rerouted any non-essential power –including weapons- to his jets, as he needed them to get the Heart and retreat from a very angry Galactus. He sped forward as Galactus boomed. From behind him, missiles, magic, and arrows flew. All hit with the same effect: nothing. Galactus didn't even flinch. A few more feet.
"Mere mortals," Galactus boomed. "Insects. Die." He fired a burst of energy at a group of space pirates, vaporizing them. Almost there!
A burst that Iron Man guessed came from Terra blasted Galactus in the face, causing him to recoil slightly with a grunt. He's still weak! Iron Man thought as he saw the Heart in front of him. He did a shallow dive, and skimmed the ground as he grabbed the golden object.
Quickly, Iron Man flew back towards the Janus as shots to and from Galactus were fired. I have to be quick! Think fast Stark! A stray shot nicked his shoulder, and he felt the Heart slip. He quickly switched it to his other hand and flew forward, back to the Janus. Shots fired all around him.
Within mere moments, he reached the Janus, and grimaced as he saw Aluren's body. He quickly put the Heart in the place where Aluren had put it. The Janus powered up.
"Can you use it?" Faith asked frantically a few feet away. She was firing everything she had at Galactus.
"I hope so," Iron Man said.
"Damn!" Samus yelled. "He just keeps coming!" She fired the last of her super missiles at the towering figure.
"Time to upgrade the fire power," Ridley hissed as he grabbed a Phazon rifle from a fallen Space Pirate. "Forward!" Ridley said, and all Phazon-toting Space Pirates surged forward.
Kraid bellowed and lumbered forward. Cloud ran beside him, sword ready, and then proceeded to climb up Kraid, who bellowed as he did so. Kraid lowered a claw, and helped Cloud onto his shoulder, who went into a ready position.
"I'm down to my last few arrows," Hawkeye said with a grimace.
"We still have to give Tony some time!" Samus said, who switched to her plasma beam. Beside her, Terra was in her shimmering for again, flinging spell after spell at the Devourer of Worlds. "Huh?"
Samus stared at the figure running towards them, and recognized it as Faith in her black and blue armor. She then turned her attention back on Galactus, who was now interested in Ridley and his group.
"Samus," Faith said, breathlessly. "Iron Man says he needs some more time."
"How much?" Samus replied.
"As much as you can give him," Faith said. "But he said not to stay longer than you have to. He also suggested that you concentrate all fire on the face. It may keep him distracted a bit longer."
"Thanks for the advice," Samus said. "But I am not leaving here unless Galactus is dead. Duck!" She yelled as Galactus fired a bust of energy at them. Samus rolled into her morph ball and sped away. She caught a glimpse of Hawkeye grabbing Terra and ducking behind some wreckage. Faith jumped back, firing at him. She's not bad. Samus thought.
"Die Kyliska!" Ridley hissed as he fired his Phazon cannon into Galactus' face. The other Space Pirates then opened fire on Galactus. "No more worlds will satisfy your hunger!"
"Wretched.. mortal…" Galactus said in a strained voice. "I will send you.. to the deepest depths of the abyss."
He swatted at Ridley, catching the Space Pirate full on, and sending him to the ground.
"Damn!" Samus said as she leapt up from her crouching position and kicked in her speed booster. She managed to catch Ridley before he hit the ground. The Space Pirate just grunted, his breathing was labored.
"Samus," he hissed with irritation.
"Now we're even," she said dryly.
From behind her, she could hear the shots coming from the Phazon cannons. She quickly glanced back, and saw Galactus recoiling from the shots. With a loud grunt, he fired a burst of energy back, flattening the Space Pirates.
Samus quickly regrouped with Hawkeye, Terra and Faith. She dropped Ridley on the ground, and continued to fire upon Galactus as the Towering form of Kraid and the small form of Cloud closed in. Kraid hit Galactus hard enough to make the Devourer of Worlds stumble. With the agility of a cat, Cloud leapt off the hulking dragon's shoulder, and slashed Galactus in mid air. The blade bit.
Cloud then brought his blade around in a fluid motion struck again. And again. And again. After a dozen slashes, Cloud stuck his blade in Galactus, and used that to slow his descent. Kraid continued to batter him back while a few remaining Space Pirates fired shots as they fell back.
"Wow," Terra said softly as Galactus cried out, and stepped back.
"He's still coming, though," Hawkeye said.
Just a little while longer, Iron Man thought frantically as he tweaked the Janus' controls. They were more complicated than he thought. The Espers and Materia gave off an eerie sensation, and he wondered how someone like Aluren or Terra must have felt around him. Focus Stark! He shook himself away from the allure of the Magicite. It was hard enough to drown out the sounds of battle around him without another distraction. Hold on just a bit longer Samus.
"Tony," Samus whispered. She swallowed hard. "Unleash everything we have left!" Samus yelled. Kraid was getting battered now, and started to retreat with cover fire from Samus and Faith. Cloud was already returning, dodging shots. Galactus fought with newfound strength.
"What does it take to stop him!?" Faith cried.
"More than we have," Terra said in a breathless voice. "I can feel him. He is weak, but even weakened he is more than a match for us." She unleashed a blast of blue energy that hit Galactus in the chest, and expanded into an iridescent dome of destructive energy. It sent Galactus reeling only slightly.
Samus and Faith fired their remaining missiles in two continuous streams into Galactus' face. He turned his attention towards them now.
"My last arrow," Hawkeye said as he brought it up and aimed.
"What is it?" Samus asked.
"I don't know," Hawkeye said. "Gyllin put it together for me shortly after we arrived. He told me to use it 'only when retreat is not an option.' I think this qualifies."
"Agreed," Cloud said as he ran up to the group. "He just won't slow down." Kraid bellowed weakly as he lumbered passed them.
"Had enough foolish insects?" Galactus boomed again.
"Not quite," Hawkeye yelled as he fired his last arrow. It stuck into Galactus' chest, and erupted in a brilliant flash of light, then an explosion, and then they energy was sucked back into Galactus, hitting him again.
"Impressive," Hawkeye whistled.
"Gyllin," Samus said. "You never cease to amaze me."
Galacuts reeled, but soon stood tall again. He laughed.
"Is that the best you have? You are pathetic!" His voice was strained
"Just another minute," Terra said. "I feel them now. The Espers are speaking to me."
"What do they say?" Cloud asked.
"Good bye," Terra said quietly.
"Well, then," Ridley said weakly. "Let's give Iron Man his last minute."
Samus, Faith, Terra, and the remaining Space Pirates all fired their bursts at once, and forced Galactus to stop with a grunt. Galactus laughed again as he moved forward, and the heroes' shots waned.
Then, in a brilliant flash of blue-white light, the Janus fired. It hit Galactus square in the chest, and the Devourer of Worlds looked like he was having a massive heart attack. He staggered back, and slumped on his throne, as the Janus remained trained on him.
"I'm afraid it's not going to finish him," Iron Man said as he landed next to Samus. He was holding the Heart. "The Magicite was pretty well drained, and because of Doom, it isn't up to full power. It will only slow him down."
"Damn it," Samus said. "Now what?"
"I don't know," Iron Man shrugged. He looked over at Galactus, and his towering from was already starting to slowly get up.
"Wait," Samus said. "I'm getting a message." She paused; all faces were trained on her. Galactus was on his feet now, but his face was sunken and pale. "We have to move! Now!" She yelled as a Federation cruiser passed overhead on the dome's illuminated ceiling.
"Samus," Gyllin's voice came across the station's intercoms. "You're all okay?"
"Yes," Samus said. "What is this?"
"I happened to be very good friends with Admiral Wells of the Federation fleet, and he happened to owe me a favor. Between our ships and the Space Pirate's, the Syndicate is pretty much routed.
"Excellent," Samus said. "We can talk later. I do not want to be here when you bring this place down."
"What!" Faith exclaimed.
"Who's that?" Gyllin asked.
"Long story," Samus said.
"Anyway," Gyllin said. "Wells thinks it best we just bombard Galactus and get it over with."
"Gyllin," Iron Man said. "He's been weakened by the Janus, concentrate all fire on him, and he probably won't survive it."
"Precisely what we want to hear," Gyllin's voice crackled. "Now get out of there!"
"You heard him," Samus yelled. "Move!" Hawkeye ran off, with Kraid and the other Space Pirates in tow, Cloud grabbed Terra's hand, and the two followed.
"Come on, Bulb-head," Iron Man said as he grabbed Ridley and flew off.
"Faith!" Samus yelled. "Come on!"
"I'm staying," she said. "I don't want to leave him."
"Aluren is dead!" Samus said. "Leave him. He wouldn't want you to die here!"
Faith paused. A shot shattered the dome overhead. The room depressurized, and objects were getting sucked out. Samus activated her magnetic boots, and Faith did the same.
"Faith," Samus said. "You have potential. You can be good. But you won't be if you stay here!"
"All right," she said after a short pause. Another shot rang through the station; this one hit the Janus, shattering it, and Joseph Aluren's dream with it. Samus and Faith then ran off through the station, back to her ship.
Galactus barely stood. The Janus had weakened him, just like before. His soul was trapped in that wretched machine for what seemed like an eternity – even to him. And now, he stood, watching the Earth ships bombard his station, and all he could do was watch.
"You not defeat me!" he boomed as he lifted his head in a feeble attempt to strike at the ship right above. The ship fired first, and the blow struck him, forcing him back. A second shot, and a third. The Devourer of Worlds collapsed onto his throne, breathing hard. A fourth shot hit him in the chest, and he felt the life rush out of him just like it did with the Janus many years ago.
"Curse you… Aluren," he breathed. "Curse you into the abyss." Then the Devourer of Worlds, Kyliska ta Lekya, Mighty Galactus, drifted off into eternal sleep on his throne of pain.
Samus' ship sped away, along with two Space Pirate transports. Behind them, the Federation ships made short work of Galactus and his space station. Samus concentrated hard to keep her ship bearing a record six people from being turned into space dust against the increasing amount of debris.
In the distance, the metal sphere that was Galactus' tomb exploded in a brilliant flash of light.
"Kinda strange, isn't it Shellhead?" Hawkeye asked. "Never thought I'd live to see such an event."
"Yeah," Iron Man said. "But it is a bittersweet victory, Clint. He is dead here, but very much alive in our time."
"Yeah," Clint said heavily.
"Oh, Samus," Iron Man said. "I'm impressed."
"Huh?" Samus said, distracted.
"You're weren't responsible for this one!" Iron Man grinned from behind his mask. Hawkeye had a confused look on his face.
"Shut it Iron Man!" Samus said, and then busted up laughing.