CHAPTER 24
Naugus Games Part 1
As they were walking out back the way they came they noticed something seemed off. The tunnel seemed longer than it should have been and the heiroglyphs seemed somehow different. Not only that but the temperature seemed to drop dramatically.
" This is strange..." said Bunnie.
" This doesnt look like the way we came in. "
As Sally was walking slowly behind everyone she felt the ground suddenly go soft like jam underneath her.
" What the...! "
The ground went soft against her as she fell through the floor falling tumbling through darkness until finally landing hitting the hard floor. Slowly, she got to her feet trying to make out the surroundings of the room. The walls all shined brightly of large glistening crystals poking out jaggedly. The others had jumped down after her. Rotor had gotten stuck so Bunnie had to push him through.
" Are you ok? " Sonic asked.
" I'm fine. "
" Vhat eez theez place? " Antoine asked.
" Dunno, this is new to me " said Sonic.
Sally looked towards the end of the room and saw a giant wall of ice gleaming with two familiar stones half stuck in the wall.
" Could it be...? "
She ran quickly up to it gazing at the stones. They were smooth and had a spiral pattern to them. It seemed as if they were both one but were broken in two.
" What is it Sally girl? "
" These...these are the Deep Power Stones! "
" Deep Power Stones? " Rotor questioned. " Can't say I ever heard of them. "
" Were I came from we had these. They had enourmous power to whoever used them. Robotnik hunted for them, but we were the ones to use them. If in the wrong hands they could destroy the world! "
Sonic approached it and put his hand against the ice wall.
" Strange. It doesn't seem so cold in here, so why doesn't it melt? "
Sonic and Sally looked at eachother at the same time thinking the same thing. They grabbed onto the stones and pulled with all their might to pry them out. They tugged and pulled until the ice around it began to crack and break off, until at the same time they came free. They clasped the stones in victory.
" Now we have the power to bring Robotnik down once and for all! "
But before they could celebrate this with eachother a foul stench leaked out of the hole in ice wall.
" Ugh! What is that smell? " she asked plugging her nose gagging.
Sally looked up at the ice wall as it began to crack lines travelled along splintering. Then two beady red eyes began to shine from within and a horrible raspy laugh was heard.
" Huhahahahaha! "
The ice wall shattered into pieces before them, releasing a powerful blast of wind that took them all by surprise. Sonic, Sally, and the others were flung back and pinned against the wall of the cave. Lupe's sixth senses began to kick into overdrive feeling an immense evil presence had awoken.
" This evil...I..I've never felt anything like it before. Its power dwarfs that of Draconia! " Lupe shouted.
Rotor grunted and using his raw strength pressed forward, grabbing a hold of a boulder and marched forward to plug up the hole with it. The boulder exploded and he was sent flying back cracking his skull against the wall and now unconcious. Sally saw one of the Deep Power Stones get thrown down a crack in the floor.
" No! "
" I see someone coming! " shouted Antoine.
From the bright light coming out a figure emerged.
" No..not him...it cant be him..." Sally uttered.
The being had an ancient withered face with eyes that had long lost color in them. A large horn jutted out from his head, with smaller bumps around the base. He had a long beard that was as white as snow, with a dusty old gray cape wrapped around his frame. His body was very broad and squat, with powerful tree trunk arms and a barrel chest. His right arm had a metal gauntlet glittering with jewels. His left arm was twisted into a large pincer lined with rows of small teeth, and a third eye gazing outward.
" I am free at last! " he announced in a raspy hiss, revealing rows of sharp yellow teeth. He gazed at the intruders with intruige but he turned his attention towards Sonic and Sally.
" Thank you for freeing me from my slumber " he said with a wide grin. " Allow me to repay you! "
He hovered his hand in the air and Sonic and Sally cried out in pain. They felt the sensation of thousands of slices all over their body. He levitated the two in the air giving a dry cackle as they writhed in agony.
Bunnie's arm opened up to a cannon and fired at Naugus. The blasts seemed to bounce off a invisible barrier he had around him but she had another trick up her sleeve. Inside a hidden compartment on her leg was a small blade she detached. Inserting it into the cannon with a satisfying click she fired the object targeting his eyes. Naugus slapped it aside and opened his mouth wide and let loose a blast of fire. They ducked out of the way avoiding being fried instantly. Rotor grabbed a hold of a large rock and threw it at him but it seemed to shatter in mid air.
He twirled his fingers and a hurricane wind seemed to blow around them throwning them off their feet sending them crashing into the walls. Finally he released Sonic and Sally from their pain, letting drop like a sack of potatoes to the floor.
" I am Naugus! The king of all sorcerers. Tell me, where is the Deep Power Stones? "
" Vwe dont have it! " Antoine said.
" You lie " he roared hitting Antoine with lightning bolts from his eyes. He wailed as thousands of volts passed through him.
" Tell me or your suffering will only worsen I promise you " he said sweetly.
Sally grabbed the remaining Deep Power Stone and Sonic picked her up and blasted out of the room as fast as he could with the others behind.
" Such superb speed...! "
He lifted his hand up and the tunnel around them morphed. The walls went soft and squishy with an acidic liquid dripping down.
" We're trapped! We got to get out of here! "
" I want the Deep Power Stones" Naugus roared. His voice seemed to be everywhere, the entire mountain now trembling.
Bunnie blasted a hole in the wall and they escaped into another tunnel. As they ran Naugus materialized from the rock throwing fire and brimstone at them with is laugh echoing around them.
" If we cant get out then we got no choice but to fight! " said Bunnie.
Naugus slowly hatched out from the ground in front of them. His eyes were like fire.
" Give me what I want and I might let you leave this place. "
" Never! " said Lupe leaping forward like a bullet with her hammer ready. She striked against his barrier force field cracking it. She then cast a magical seal around Naugus but her magic was far from a match for his. He waved the seal away like a pesky insect.
" You think a mere shaman can match my magic? Your spells are but childs play to a master sorcerer. Observe a simple technique a novice such as yourself could never do. "
Naugus merely snapped his fingers and then five clones of him apeared at his side.
" I am sure you are thinking these are illusions but I assure you they are all very real, which you will soon find out. "
Naugus had created copies for each of the intruders so it'd be that much more fun to draw out the game. They rushed the Freedom Fighters. Sonic launched himself into a ball at one which evaporated into the air and reformed behind him who waved his hand making a giant rock hand come out of the wall punching Sonic hard.
Bunnie was now fightning two Naugus' who were bouncing back all of her shots and sending blast after blast of lightning striking her her. One grabbed her by the neck with his claw and smashed her repeatedly into the ground, laughing maniacally.
" I wonder if she bleeds oil " one pondered. " Let's find out! "
Bunnie aimed her cannon shooting past one striking the cieling causing large stalactites to fall on them.
Sally had her hands full using all of her acrobatic moves to avoid Naugus' attacks. She made sure to not give him a moment to cast a spell as she fought hard and furious. He was quite quick for looking so old and stiff Sally realized seeing how fast he was at dodging her strikes and chops. She got lucky at grabbing his beard, surprising him. She tugged on it and headbutted him hard.
His smile was gone now replaced with anger. His beard came alive and grabbed a hold of Sally's leg and swung her around smashing her on the ground. Sonic came charging to her rescue but knocked back by a large boulder flung at him.
Sally grabbed a loose crystal piece among the debris and jammed it into one of his eye sockets. He howled in fury as his grip loosened dropping her. Rotor saw this opening and grabbed a hold of him in a crushing bear hug raising him off the ground.
" We've got to take them out all at once! "
" You wish to test my strength, walrus? " Naugus jeered.
Rotor could feel him struggle against him but not even the mighty wizard could break his iron hug. However Naugus turned the tables once again and began to change. He grew larger matching Rotor's height shape and transformed into a large polar bear. It gave out a terrifying roar and began chasing his prey down. Antoine had his hands full with avoiding fireballs being hurled at him. Antoine made a daring strike with his sword but passed through the wizard like air.
" I commend your skills as a swordsman so I shall honor your death " he said. In his hands he summoned a large stone sword that he swung like a feather. He clashed blades with Antoine the power and force behind each strike pushing him back. Antoine put up his shield feeling each strike enough force to send him backwards as it took all of his energy to keep himself from losing foot. His sword began to glow white as fire danced off it and he went to cleave him in two. Antoine ducked out of the way as the blast cut right through the mountain itself with ease.
Lupe came up for a sneak attack from behind but another Naugus clone had stopped that by sending a barrage of fire balls her way. She struck the ground with her hammer letting a surge of power shoot his direction. He merely hopped aside and appeared in front of with an uppercut to her jaw. Lupe was sent spiralling to the ground.
Rotor turned around and grabbed the giant polar bear by its jaws and with all of his might pushed back. He was able to stop the beast in its charge as he stared down its dripping maw filled with hungry teeth. Rotor moved quick grabbing Naugus and launching him into a powerful suplex slamming him into the ground with an earth cracking slam. Naugus let out an angered yell as he changed shape once again. This time he took the form of a large snake and wrapped around Rotor.
Sonic charged forward rolled up into a sonic spin and sliced open the side of the giant snakes side loosening its grip on Rotor. It hissed and snapped at Sonic but Rotor grabbed it by the tail and swung it around in a circle until letting go, the large snake slamming into the other Naugus duplicates.
" Great! They're all together! " Sally announced.
At the same time Bunnie and Lupe both struck the walls with their hulk strength. The room shook and the ceiling began to collapse down on them. Sally and the others fled through the entrance with the evil wizard buried beneath the rubble. They kept running following the various tunnels until they felt they were safe.
" That won't stop him " Lupe said, looking over her shoulder. " He will eventually find us, and my magic won't be able to stop him. "
" We need to keep him contained. He could spell disaster for all of Mobius if he were to escape. "
" But how do ya'll fight something like that? Ah dont see any weaknesses on him."
Sally looked at the Deep Power Stone she still clutched tightly. " I have an idea. "
She looked at Sonic who seemed to be dreading what she was about to say. He looked over at her dead eyed but ready to listen.
" It was these that had locked him away. All we need is the second one and I think we can keep him contained. "
" But how are we to be finding the second one? "
Sally thought this over for a moment. " We'll need a diversion. "
The others didnt like the sound of this.
" A diversion? You really think that'll work? I got a bad feeling about this " said Rotor.
" It's our only chance. We have to get his attention away and convince him we have both the Deep Power Stones so he will be set against going after whomever it will be. "
Antione frowned.
" Nobody here will be wanting to be signing our own death warrents. I say we are to be drawing straws! "
Bunnie gave Antoine a dull look. " We dont have straws, sugah. "
" I'm going to have to ask Bunnie, Rotor, and Sonic to come along with me as I look for it. I'll need your guys muscle to help break down a few walls probably and Sonic's speed if we get in a tight spot " she said.
" Oh so now I'm stuck with zee wolf. Now zat is comforting " he whined. Lupe growled and pounced on him pinning him to the ground flashing her teeth inches away from his face.
" Don't tempt me. "
Antoine let out a frail squeek, his bravado failing him. " Fine! Fine! We shall be of peanut butter and stick together then. "
" The plan sounds good so lets get to work! " said Bunnie slapping her fists together.
They then dashed out into two groups in opposite directions. Naugus' face apeared from the rock wall where they were at and let out a hideous cackle. As Lupe and Antoine raced down the crystallized halls they began to hear Naugus' demonic laugh echo through.
" I'm starting to hate that laugh. "
" Wait...vwat is that rumbling? "
They turned and looked and somehow a giant round boulder trap was set off and it tumbling down at a incredible velocity towards them.
" I'll handle this " said Lupe as she took out her hammer and leapt forward to strike and shatter it into pebbles. She struck it only to be somehow bounced back.
" No good! Theirs a magical barrier around it. I can't stop it! "
" Then we are to be running now! "
As they ran as hard as they could the boulder seemed to be only increasing speed catching up to them.
" That cheating dirty wizard! "
" He is to be playing for keeps, monami! "
" Well so are we! "
She turned around and spiked the ground to force another cave in but merely left a small dent.
" Darn, his magic is strong. It effects this entire mountain! "
In front of their path crsytal spikes jettisoned out of the walls and floor. Antoine tried hacking them down but they too had a spell over them making them unbreakable but the boulder seemed to have no problem mowing them down. The tunnel ended leading into another room. Without hesitation they leapt through the opening landing in a dark room. When they looked behind them the boulder somehow vanished.
" Hey, there never was a boulder. It was an illusion! "
They both stared at eachother in realization.
" A trap!
The ground shifted underneath them and suddenly a wall of crystal arose and wrapped itself around the room trapping them. Antoine hacked and slashed away at the wall attempting to cut through and escape. As hard as he tried the crystals wouldn't even show a scratch of a mark.
" Out of the way, weakling " said Lupe rushing in striking it with her hammer. The wall did not budge or show any signs of damage. They both looked at eachother utterly confused. Then they both attacked the wall together giving their all pouring energy after energy into it but still nothing.
They slowly turned around and Naugus was standing there grinning devilishly. Lupe lunged at him to smash him with her hammer but he exploded into a myasma fog leaving her gagging. The fog then reformed into the shape of the sorcerer.
" I wouldnt try that again if I were you. "
" What have you done? "
" I have casted a spell and encased you in a earth jar. As you amy have noticed the wall is unbreakable and as long as you stay within these walls it will suck the energy and lifeforce right out of you until...well, I think even you can figure out what'll happen. "
" We'll be out of this trap long before that'll happen " Antoine said confidently.
" Nobody has ever been able to escape my traps. Don't even try digging your way underneath. I've covered that as well. "
They could only scowl at the wizard as he laughed at their misery.
" I would have come up with something much more interesting for you but I have a planet to take over so if you'll excuse me I have to deal with the other pests! "
Sally and the others had managed to retrace their steps back to the room where Naugus was freed from his prison. They crept ever so carefully not to draw attention to themselves unaware a reflection of Naugus was covering all of the crystals on the walls beside them.
" I remember I saw it roll down that crack there " said Sonic.
" Then we're going to have to bust open the floor to get to it " said Bunnie.
" No! That'll surely attract Naugus. We will have to do this quietly " said Sally brushing aside her bangs of hair.
" Great, the hard way " Bunnie grumbled.
As they silently approached into the room they looked around seeing no signs of sighed in relief.
" Ok, we gotta get this done fast! "
" My favorite word " Sonic grinned.
Sally reached into the crack to grab at the as she might it was too far down to reach. It shined brightly and a mysterious aura began to glow on it. Sally looked at the other stone she had and it was resinating as well. As the stone got closer to the other it seemed to get warmer.
" Sonic! Can you use that arm of your to reach in and pull it out? "
Sonic looked at his arm defensively and then at the hole. " Uh...sure. "
His mutated arm seem to slide like a snake down the crack and he felt his way around for it. Finally his fingers found it and grasped it tightly, but he felt it not wanting to budge.
" Crap! It's stuck in the crystals below, Sally! "
Naugus' horrible laugh boomed like a evil wind through the halls knocking Sally off her feet sending her skidding across the floor. Bunnie and Rotor held their positions bearing down against the ice cold wind.
" Hurry sugah hog! "
" I'm trying..but it wont budge...! "
" Pull! "
" What do you think you are doing, quickster? " said Naugus as he teleported overtop of Sonic.
He opened up his big maw ready to take a bit into Sonic's brain but Bunnie and Rotor leapt on top of him and managed to pull him away from Sonic who was able to free the stone. A blast of electricity knocked Bunnie and Rotor off him and he then stuck them into the walls making the stone wrap around them trapping them in place.
He was then greeted by Sonic bodyslamming him into his side gut knocking the wind out of him. He turned and went to snap him in two with his claw but Sonic leapt back.
" The Deep Power Stone! "
" Sonic, run! Dont let him get them!" Sally said as she tossed him the other one she had.
" You have them both! Give them to me! "
Before Naugus could hit him with one of his spells Sonic took off in a sonic boom. Naugus frowned biting his lip.
" That troublesome hedgehog will be difficult to catch with that speed but I've sealed up all exits out of my castle! He'll never escape. "
He turned and walked over to Sally and grabbed by the neck holding her up using his claw.
" You have been quite a naughty girl, Princess Sally! "
Sallys eyes widend. " How do you know my name? "
" I know " he said his eyes flaring.
He let go of her giving her a stare that made her blood run cold. Sally cursed her lack of special abilities like her other friends to help fight this monster. She cursed her weak self. When Sally forced the pain of her bruises down she found herself in pitch darkness and Naugus along with Rotor and Bunnie were gone.
She blinked rubbing her eyes and began running around in the dark expecting to hit a wall but nothing. This was all very strange and it began to unnerve her. A spotlight suddenly turned on behind her. She turned around slowly listening to the sounds of footsteps approaching. A familiar figure emerged from the darkness. One she new knew very well, but one she never imagined she would ever see.
" No...it cant be... "
" I am here to take my life back " said the person, as Sally found herself face to face with herself.
