CHAPTER 26
Naugus Games Part 3
" Freedom Fighters? " Naugus repeated in a repulsed look. " Ridiculous. I am freedom! I am your savior! "
" This world does not need another tyrant " Sally responded.
" Only those with power get to decide the fates of others " Naugus said. " What you call them does not matter. My power is absolute. "
" All you are is a bully with a big stick who thinks he is better than everyone else. Well guess what bub, you're gonna get humbled here and now " Sonic said, cracking his knuckles.
" I sence nothing but malice and selfishness in your soul, wizard. For the good of Mobius we will stop you here " said Lupe.
" You are too dangerous to be allowed to be leaving! En gaurde scoundrel!" said Antoine pointing his sword at him, now fully recharged.
Naugus was silent. Then a smile cracked on his beige skin and then a snicker became a insane hoarse gargled laugh.
" Nothing but ants defying the boot that will crush all beneath it. Come at me then! "
They all charged him at once but he let out a great roar that shook the whole mountain causing tremors. Giant crystal shards fell from the cieling as they ran for cover. A great pillar of energy erupted from him piercing a hole through the mountain itself to the outside. His cloak transformed into a bar of large batlike wings as he took to the air.
He hovered high in the sky now fully free from his tomb while a storm seemed to rage around him. He outstretched his arms commanding the storm as cracks of lightning struck him over and over again charging himself up.
" Well this is it, I guess. If anything is gonna kill this guy its gotta be these things " Sonic said pulling out the Deep Power Stones.
Sally took one from his hand examining it before they joined the stones together. A wave of white light passed around them as they felt every single atom in their being super charged to incredble power. Sonic and Sally were now glowing white with power. Lupe, Rotor, Bunnie, and Antoine were all speechless at what was taking place before them.
" Wow...I've forgotten what these have felt like. Wow " Sally said breathlessly, remembering when she helped destroy a large destructive machine of Robotniks with them in the past.
" Lets do it do it! "
They took off together in a glorious blaze of sparkling light outside. Naugus laughed as he finished gathering the energy for his next move. Using the electricity from the storm he harnessed its power creating a dark ball of pure thunder. It grew to an exponential size guaranteed to split the mountain apart and shatter the earth upon impact. He saw the white light of two beings approaching from below as he felt a twinge of fear. ' Not this again ' he thought before hastily dropping the thunder ball down at them.
Sonic and Sally pierced the concentrated storm ball and passed through it like a gentle breeze. Naugus's confidence and godly arrogance crumbled away in that very moment as the two glowing beings fists connect to his face. Naugus fell from the heavens tumbling down the mountain side like a bird with its wings clipped.
Everything spun and was fuzzy for him as he struggled to pick himself up, but Sally and Sonic were already beginning their next assault. Their fists rained down on his face and body from all sides, his eyes unable to keep up with their speed. He was experiencing pain for the first time in his long life and it terrified him. He coughed up blood from their attacks feeling his organs bursting and his bones splinter. Sonic then finished his attack by grabbing onto Naugus' beard and swung him around to meet with Sally's fist smashing out his teeth.
Bunnie and the others watched from afar the battle and were all cheering them on.
Naugus flapped his wings keeping himself afloat. His was face was a bloody red smear with bits of broken teeth falling out of his mouth. Despite all the damage they did he still cracked a smile.
" So..you unlocked the power of the Deep Power Stones... "
" You're through, Naugus. "
" Am I? " he said suspiciously.
His wings began to grow larger and thicker from his body. Four additional wings sprouted from his lower back as he began to change shape. The teeth knocked out grew back with his mouth growing larger. His skin went black and his eyes came together in the center of his face forming a large cyclopean eyeball. His head spike grew longer from his skull, with smaller spikes beginning to emerges from his leathery flesh. He clutched his head in pain, the transformation causing him great distress.
" What the..heck.. "
A magical barrier seemed to form around him cocooning him in a dark floating egg. Sally and Sonic could hear the muffled sounds of Naugus letting out pained grunts and wet crunches of whatever was happening inside. It only was a matter of moments before the egg he was entombed in began to crack and break. The shell broke and fell away dissolving into a fine dust revealing Naugus now as his true self.
Before Sonic and Sally stood a mighty dragon, ancient and resonating with malice. It had a long white beard, with six large wings matching six arms it seemed to have moving independantly of one another. Its hide was made up of black shining scales, hard as diamonds, and strong as titanium.
It let out a snicker
" It has been a long time since I reverted back to this form. What you saw up until now was only my avatar. As you can see this form is far too large and unwieldy to stay in for extended periods. Letting me transform was your greatest mistake. "
" Your lips keep moving but all I hear is Blah, blah, blah " remarked Sonic.
The dragon opened its maw blasting a surge of intense plasma energy at them knocking the two back. The power of the Deep Power Stones protected them but they knew this fight would not be as easy as they thought.
Sonic and Sally pooled their energy together setting off a brilliant burst of energy that seemed to make night turn to day in its intense radiance. Naugus' body writhed and thrashed in pain, his form crumbling away only to have new flesh take its place. Sonic and Sally were stunned that he tanked that attack and seemed to immediately heal from all the damage it had done.
" My turn " Naugus said, as he summoned an agglomeration of orbs materializing around them.
The orbs rained down upon Sonic and Sally peppering the earth below in explosions. They weaved in between the falling rain of hell but found they were beginning to seperate and pushed away from one another.
" He's trying to seperate them! Their power will weaken if seperated " said Lupe.
As fast as they moved they could not dodge them all. For each one that hit Sonic and Sally felt a sharp fissure of pain wrack their bodies, even with the stones protection. Sonic went on the offensive flying directly at Naugus. Naugus was ready for him and let Sonic pass through him as his body turned to vapor before solidifying itself a moment after. He swatted Sonic out of the sky like a fly.
Sally shot forward like a bullet aiming directly at his chest to pierce the heart. She fell for his trap as his chest opened up revealing a hidden maw filled with sharp rows of teeth ready to bite down on her.
" Sally, no! "
Sonic came to her rescue tackling her out of the way as the great maw snapped shut missing her head by mere inches. Naugus's eyes flashed a bright light blinding Sally. She didn't see the giant spike going for her head until Sonic pushed her out of the way taking it full in the chest. Sally screamed in horror.
" Oh god no, Sonic! "
Sonic just gave a weak smile to her.
" Oi, chill Sal...I aint dying that easy " he said, the power of the Deep Power Stones keeping him alive. He slowly pulled the spike from his chest leaving a great cavity hole. Sonic focused on closing the hole in his chest, the white light seeming to dim as he did. The magical energy did the trick restoring him, but with a sharp decrease of power.
" Gotta say, that really hurt " Sonic said still reeling from that attack. " I don't think I can take another one of those. "
" He seems to shrug off whatever is thrown his way. I'm not sure how can win this, Sonic " Sally remarked. " We were able to damage him earlier with that large attack " she noted. "But we'd need something...more. "
" Like what? " Sonic asked.
Sally looked below at the mountain beneath them.
" This was once an active volcano once upon a time. Maybe, just maybe... "
" You mean... " Sonic gulped. " We got to take a trip to hot city; population us? "
" We can do this, Sonic. Together! "
Sonic looked at the gigantic dragon and then back at Sally before giving a confident grin.
" Together then! Let's do it to it! "
The two charged at Naugus avoiding a barrage of flames he spat at them. They slammed full force into his body smashing him through the side of the rock face and into the ocean beyond it. Naugus thrashed widly, his flames turning to hot plasma desperately trying to hit his targets. Down, down they went into the cold depths, the only light now coming from the glow of the Deep Power Stones.
They began to approach the sea floor now, noticing remains of a sunken stone city claimed by the residents of algea and coral. What this forgotten relic of history was could only be guessed upon. Up ahead was a large cliff where the ocean reached further down to depths no living creature has ever dared tread. Naugus was still thrashing violently, his body beginning to crack and burst.
The pressure of the ocean was starting to put a strain not just on Naugus but Sonic and Sally as well. As if sensing their distress the power of the stones within them begin to pour out greater energies to protect them from the extreme elements. Further down they took Naugus into the great ocean crevice until the finally hit the true bottom. They smashed Naugus through the ocean floor now descending through pure rock drilling deeper. Naugus was desperate at this point firing off random attack in all directions to shake them but to no avail.
Through the depths of the earth they went carrying this creature of darkness with them. Through thousands of miles of rock, granite, and mineral they descended, Naugus's tough hide able to brunt much of the damage being done to him but still showed signs of anger and growing fear.
When they successfully punched through the crust and into the fiery mantle of Mobius they were greeted to a world of pure fire. Naugus shrieked as the flames consumed him, with Sonic and Sally immune to their touch. Sonic and Sally paused only for a moment to take in this new world they entered giving Naugus his moment to free himself from their grasp and break away.
He faced off against them in this new hellish battleground ready to begin round 2. He gave off a mocking laugh that seemed to send a shockwave towards Sonic and Sally.
" Your plan has failed, children. I am a master of all elements including the hottest of flames " he said. Despite that bluff Sally noticed his skin was bubbling and that he was in a great deal of pain but was attempting to hide it.
" We're still in the shallow end, Horny. We still got to take you to the adult end of the pool " Sonic said launching at him.
Naugus flapped his wings warping the convection currents around them sending large floating chunks of rock hurtling in their direction. The rocks in this case were the size of mountains down here filled with gigantic crystals that would be a wonder to gaze upon in any other circumstance. Naugus pounded them with these gigantic rocks pummeling them with his magic changing their direction to break apart and ensare his opponents. He summoned four large rock formations and crushed Sonic and Sally from all directions. He finished his attack off by forcing the rocks to compress and fuse together forming a perfect sphere. He let out a victorious laugh.
" Farewell, my enemies. Your power stones may had the power to imprison me, but they cannot destroy a god! "
The world of fire began to shake. Naugus felt a great shockwave eminate from the ball of rock he crushed the two in. He saw the sphere crack and explode apart revealing Sonic and Sally still alive, their faces filled with rage.
" You two... what will it take to be rid of you! " Naugus said, his voice trembling.
He noticed the light from them was different now. He could barely make out their shapes anymore, their light now brighter than the entire mantle underworld. He found that they now seemed to become living stars. Naugus turned to his magic firing off a mouth blast full of plasma energy from his great maw with it seemingly dissolving upon impact. He turned to flee but found his body could not move. Sonic and Sally clamped down on both arms and dragged him further down into the fire.
" Stoooooooop! " Naugus yelled, pleading for the first time in his life.
They descended into the outer core of the planet burning with radiation, and a extremely strong current. The great spinning sphere could be seen made of liquid metal bubbling and swirling together, the very heart of the planet at work.
Sally turned to Sonic, not letting her grip on their prey loosen this time.
" Sonic, I want you to know that...if we don't make it back. I want you to know that... "
" I know " Sonic said, giving a smile back. " You can tell me more about it after we take out the trash! "
Into the liquid metal soup they descended with Naugus' body beginning to reach its limit. His eyes popped like grapes, his arms were pushed into his chest cavity, his lower body completely disintegrated. Deeper he was pushed until they reached the very center of the planet, his body pressed against the very core itself. The intense radiation and power dissolved Naugus's remaining body as he crumbled away into nothing. The monster was gone.
Sonic and Sally made their ascent back up becoming like two shooting stars exiting the innards of the planet. The Freedom Fighters had escaped from Naugus' accursed lair and witnessed two pillars of light seemingly explode from beneath their feet. The two beams of light coiled together before disappearing leaving the exhausted bodies of Sonic and Sally before them. The Deep Power Stones were gone, their energy used up to bring them back. The battle was over, but their final journey was about to begin.
