Chapter 10: The light in the Dark
Part 2
Power, undeniable and unquestionable power, shook the ground and radiated through the air as thick spikes sprouted out of Valgas' back down his spine and the horns lanced into place on his forehead.
His eyes became blood red and with a loud clanking sound of metal striking metal, his skin became armoured like living granite. With the diamond tip of the Dark Stone jutting out of his chest, Valgas turned to face them with his lips pulling apart to reveal jagged shark like teeth.
Julia screamed and clung to Falcon's arm refusing to let go, burying her head in his jacket trying to blot out the sight of the stone.
"Ah yes, my dear Miss Whitepearl." Valgas started, letting his neck tilt to the side as he shot her a sadistic glance. "You remember this stone well enough don't you? The stone that cracked you mind in two and left you tow people, one light and one dark. Your father was a fool to think dropping it in the ocean would keep it out of my hands. This stone and I are, and have always been, one and the same!"
Kraken, the pirate king necromancer who had mastered the dark arts, stood there in stunned surprise and alarm.
"No…" He breathed "You can't… impossible…. You died two centuries ago." He proclaimed, taking a step back past Falcon. Valgas tilted his head back and laughed; the sound in his fusion form a horribly evil chuckle.
"Died? Died?! I taught you all you know about necromancy. If you can stave off death for so long, what made you think I could not?" The large demon held up a clenched fist. "I have been staving death off since before Christ was born!!"
Falcon stood there with his mouth hung open, clear awe and horror written into every muscle in his face as Valgas opened his hand, arching his fingers around a spark of darkness, glowing neon purple; dark bolts of violent lightning crackling down his arm before the energy was unleashed in an attack.
"Demon Flash!" He declared; firing it forward; a spear of energy shooting forward. As it past by Falcon, a horrible feeling of nausea and revolution swept over him as he staggered, holding a hand to his mouth. It smashed head first into pirate king, powerful explosion knocking him off his feet to fly through the air trailing black smoke. Kraken shot over their heads before slamming into the far wall next to Ryoma, sinking into the cracking stone.
The power stone of wood was thrown clear of his body, tumbling to the ground rolling.
"I got it!" Wang-Tang cried out, making a dive for the stone. Valgas simply made a gesture with a single finger and the wood stone leapt off the ground and shot towards him, stopping just short of his outstretched hand.
"Pathetic." Valgas muttered his eyes started glowing blood red. Suddenly, one by one the Power Stones started emerging from the pockets of their owners; moving out into the air towards Valgas.
"No!" Rouge cried out, trying to catch the power stone of fire. Wang-Tang grabbed the wind stone but the pull Valgas had on it hoisted him up as well. Unconscious, Ryoma could do nothing to prevent his own stone from being summoned away.
Gunrock's stone was not summoned. Instead, it remained tight in his grasp.
Ayame's fingers slipped away as the stone was yanked from her possession by invisible hands.
Falcon's stone moved out of his jacket towards Valgas. The Englishman lashed out, grabbing the stone with his free hand, refusing to let go. His feet dragged, still moving forward inch by inch.
Valgas chuckled lightly.
"Such mediocre heroics… really Edward, I had wondered if you might have inherited some of your father's intelligence but apparently not." He turned to give Gunrock a glare. "Gunrock, if you please?"
Falcon glanced up sharply as a massive fist came crashing down, knocking him to the ground.
"Gunrock, what in the name of the almighty are you doing?" Apollus demanded as the large man swung his arms back, knocking Wang-Tang over forcing both him and Falcon to loose their grip on the stones.
"I'm sorry." Gunrock stated with an intense amount of regret in his voice as he moved to stand between them as Valgas. "I don't have a choice." Then he stepped swiftly aside as Valgas crossed his arms in front of his chest, dark energy channelled from his own body and into the seven Power Stones before him.
His eyes were glowing an intense blood red. All his reptilian guards swept out of the way, bowing down low to the ground as close as they could.
"Puss… what's happening?" Octo asked; taking several steps back as the outline of Valgas' body began to glow dark purple. The ground shook, pieces of small stone leaping up and scattered into the walls.
Ryoma pushed an eye open, fighting to pull himself out of the hole in the wall. When he saw what was happening, he took hold of Tosa Asari and flung himself forward.
"Demonic surge!" Valgas declared, throwing his arms up and like a damn bursting a horrific torrent of dark energy swept forward. Like sound passing through the air it was almost invisible but when it struck, it burnt like lightning strike. Seeing it coming, all Ryoma could do was throw himself in front of Rouge to take the full burnt of the attack as it struck. All of them, heroes and pirates alike were hit hard; their clothes tearing and skin blistering. Thrown off their feet they were swept hard into the air before being dumped back down one by one.
Gunrock did not watch as their bodies were dumped there; smoke gently rising from them into the air. For a moment there was nothing, then Falcon started moving, he pushed himself up for a second before his strength gave way and he collapsed; part of hits red pilot's suit burnt and blackened.
"They have all done as expected." Valgas remarked, lowering his arms; calling the stones into orbit around one clenched fist. "Leave them here to die." He paused, his eyes darting to the sight of the half dead Englishman. "No… actually… Gunrock, bring him."
Gunrock complied without a word, trudging over and lifting the comatose Falcon up but the back of his back.
"Sure we should not just kill the rest sir?" One of the reptilians asked, gesturing with a toss of its wedge shaped head towards the others.
"And waste more time?" Valgas demanded. "Now, after two thousand years, I will not hinder myself. Leave them. Even if they somehow manage to recover, once we succour the Light Stone, nothing they could do would change anything."
"As you wish, sir." Another reptilian stated, pressing a trigger mechanism behind him with a sharp claw. There was a loud shunting sound and a door opened up in the wall, the two parts sliding aside with a spray of ancient dust to reveal a stairway going down.
"Today the glory of both Rome and Atlantis will be revived! The ancient world reborn!" Descending first, Valgas did not notice Gunrock reach into his poncho and withdraw a small vial with a cork in the top. Inside this vial was a contained green gas.
As the reptilians followed their general down, Gunrock tossed the vial behind him without looking. The vial broke open on contact with the floor, the sound barley making a soft tinkling. Released into the air, the gas quickly spread.
Miles away, almost on the other side of the world, a red skin Shaman sat alone on the edge of a cliff with the smouldering embers of a fire just before him. The burnt remains of herbal powders still lingered in the winds. Clay mud had been mixed with red dye to create war paint, which he had used to decorate his body.
The markings covered his chest, arms, back and even his face and of course, he had with him a stone hatchet. Despite being dressed for war he sat in meditation, arms folding in front of his large chest.
Sitting facing him on the far side of the fire was a wolf. Its eyes were locked onto him with an unblinking stare, the silvery man gently flapping in the wind.
"I pray the spirits understand my reasons." Galuda, chief shaman of the Lupine tribe, stated his eyes closed. "I have lived a live devoted to healing and unity… and yet now I have no choice but to shed to blood. I will not ask for forgives… rather understanding." The wolf lowered her head with a soft moaning like sound, her ears falling back against the side of her head.
Galuda slowly opened his eyes, before glancing to his side. Standing by the edge of the cliff watching him was a solitary figure, standing there silhouetted by the light of the full moon; his outline glowing around the trim hat he was wearing.
"Its time." Accel stated almost in a whisper.
--
The first sensation Falcon had of coming to was the constant thumping of Gunrock's heavy feet against the ancient stone stairway. Blinking first, Falcon glanced up as Gunrock stopped and the reptilian beings around them converted back to their disguise forms; the black suits agents who had maintained a constant watch over Valgas whenever they had met him.
"How could you?" Falcon asked. Gunrock glanced down at the Englishman, putting on a pained expression before bringing his free fist up to smack Falcon directly in the stomach. The reptilians laughed a hissing sound and carried on working.
Falcon just hung there more surprised than hurt. He knew for a fact that Gunrock could hit harder than that.
"Listen carefully." The Mexican whispered to him. "We can get the stones back. Valgas is going to want to talk to you. Just keep his attention on you. Let me do the rest." Falcon glanced up. Gunrock smiled at him. "Trust me."
Without another word Gunrock dumped Falcon down on a sandy floor and left him there. The Englishman blinked several times to try and adjust his eyes to the darkness which was only broken by burning torches some distance away.
"So Edward, curious?" A voice asked. Falcon looked up and shrank back from the sight of Valgas, still wrapped in his fusion form; spikes jutting out of his steal blue skin.
The demon stepped aside and reveal that before him was a tremendously large structure built into the side of a stone wall. It looked like a door but was circular in shape and engraved with Hieroglyphics that Falcon could not see from here. The reptilian… things Valgas appeared to be in command off where working on the door trying to discover a way of opening it.
"Magnificent isn't it?" Valgas asked, gesturing up to the massive door. "This my English friend is the great seal of Ra. During the ancient war between the three empires; the empires of Rome, Eygpt and Babylon, the stone that the Egyptians captured was stored here behind a seemingly impenetrable barrier that their enemies would never be able to breech." He chuckled. "Until now that is."
"Who… what are you?" Falcon asked. Valgas let a grin spread across his face to expose his jagged teeth. Slowly he reached forth, holding his open palm in front of his chest.
The dark stone lodged into his chest glowed brightly for a second before it almost seemed to leap into his hand. As soon as it was clear of his body, the steel grey skin jaded away; the spikes receded back and his eyes change from blood red back to ordinary white.
The other stones in orbit around him lowered down into a waiting wooden box one of the reptiles, which had reverted back to its disguise of a human, was holding. The reptile closed the box shut.
Gunrock glanced Valgas up and down, as if estimating how strong he was now that his guard was down. The large Mexican shot Falcon a glance, his gaze alternating from the Englishman and then to the box.
Falcon narrowed an eye to indicate that he understood.
"The name I had gone by in recent centuries is Valgas, but I have an earlier name." The large man stated. "I was born, according to the Christian calendar, in the year 47BC. I am the bastard son of Julius Caesar." Falcon just sat there with wide staring eyes. "I take it you do not believe me?" Valgas asked raising an eyebrow. "Well that's hardly surprisingly. I will admit my story is somewhat difficult for the average soul to believe."
"And impossible." Falcon remarked. "Even if you are as old as you say you are… Julius Caesar had no heir."
"Now that's a lie and you know it Falcon." Valgas remarked with a cryptic smile. He crossed his large arms in front of himself. "Do you know the name; Ptolemy Caesar?"
Falcon nodded.
"That is the name of the son of Julius and Cleopatra. He would have jointly ruled Rome and Eygpt had Caesar not been assassinated."
Valgas looked amused, a sadistic gleam in his eyes and a wide smile. Falcon stared at him with wide eyes and a shocked expression.
"No…" The Englishman started slowly. "That can not be." The gleam in Valgas' eyes seemed to grow stronger. "Ptolemy was assassinated by Caesar Augustus."
"I do not recall Octavianus himself being there, but yes he did send assassins.
But when Ptolemy died when the dagger sank itself into his heart another life sparked into existence in his place. A stronger life; a better life than would rise to claim its birthright at the ruler of both the Eygptian Empire and the Roman Republic. Had the war not ruined his chances."
"War? There was no war between Eygpt and Rome." Falcon insisted.
"I'm afraid what you've been taught in the classroom about history is quite incorrect." Valgas told him. "This world you live in works upon a recorded history that is a lie, propaganda spread purposely to keep future generations from knowing what power lay within the stones, to keep them a mere legend, to keep their existence unproven by scientific fact."
Valgas knelt down to look the Englishman directly in the face.
"The history you know from the start of the Christian calendar to present is more or less true… but the ancient history in the time before is wrong. Let me tell you a little story."
Out of Valgas' line of sight, Gunrock made a short nod of his head at Falcon; almost with a look in his eyes telling the Englishman not to respond.
"During its time, the ancient city state of Atlantis dominated all mankind. It had technology and power the likes of which the other primitive tribes could never hope to achieve.
When it sank into the sea, it left a power vacuum that three new mighty empires rose to try and fill. One was Rome, another was Eygpt and the last was Babylon.
These peoples, mighty in the own right, clashed furiously of territory, wealth and of course…" He held the Dark Stone up to meet his gaze. "Having witnessed the power of Atlantis we all knew that the secret to becoming the new controller of the world lay in the stones. Whoever controls all nine will have access to a power that mortals can not even begin to fathom. The war lasted over two centuries, the stones changing hands many times but never once were the nine brought together in one location.
When my father conquered Gaul and Britain, he turned his attention to Egypt attempting to capture the shores of the Red Sea and eventually, to fight his way here; to the vaults beyond the seal of Ra and seize the Stones held there.
He was met in battle by Cleopatra herself, who fought off his legionnaires and met Julius himself in close quarters combat and that was where they fell in love, as their swords clashed."
"That's not how…" Falcon caught himself in mid sentence. If Valgas was indeed correct and the history he had been taught in school was wrong, then the 'official' version of the first meeting of Julius Caesar and Queen Cleopatra could indeed be flawed.
"Their union threatened the status quo in both Rome and Eygpt. None of their nobles wanted peace but the two of them pushed for it, convinced that if they could bring their peoples together then they would be permitted to wedlock."
Valgas appeared strangely melancholy for a single instant but the moment past quickly.
"They tried to prove their point to their peoples by combining the power of the Stones both their peoples held and using them either to destroy their mutual rival Babylon or force it into negotiations.
I am not certain of what precisely happened after that. I was a mere boy when it did. But whatever event took place, I suspect that somehow all nine stones were brought together; only their combined strength could unleash such devastation."
"Devastation?" Falcon repeated. "What do you mean?"
Valgas paused as if looking for the right words.
"Hard to describe." He admitted. "Entire islands were swallowed by the ocean, continents reshaped and reformed and even the night sky altered." Valgas smiled grimly. "How surprised would you be to learn that before that event took place, the Earth had three moons?"
"Three what?" Falcon asked in utter stunned awe.
"I kid you not. Three moons… two of which were completely destroyed. Entire species of animal vanished too, becoming mere myth over time. Creatures such as Dragons, Leviathans, Behemoths, All where real; even some Dinosaurs had survived until then.
That world was very different to that of the Morden."
"Are you telling me…" Falcon started Valgas laughed.
"Yes, you comprehend now. The world… the world we live in today…. Someone WISHED for it when they acquired all nine Power Stones."
Falcon sat there, stunned into quiet awe by this. His father had said something like this when he had met him in London… but now Falcon was beginning to see truly what the analogy of comparing the Power Stones to the power of the Almighty meant.
"If that's true then why doesn't anyone know the truth?" He asked. "Why don't they know about all this? Why isn't it being taught in the history classes?"
"Self denial." Valgas replied simply. "The people at the same were so stunned by the awesome power displayed that they almost brainwashed themselves into believing it hadn't happened, so they rewrote their accepted history from that point on and once that generation had past into death; their lies became accepted history."
Reacting lightning fast, Gunrock's arm shot forward knocking the box out of the reptilian's hands. Valgas glanced back to see what was going on and using that momentary distraction to his advantage, Falcon shot forward jumping up high and slamming a kick directly into Valgas' face.
Valgas did not appear hurt by the attack but it did stun him long enough for Falcon to flex his arms in mid air freeing himself from his bounds before he came down right next to Gunrock.
"I'm sorry Falcon; he was threatening my children I had to no choice." The Mexican told him, snatching up the box and kicking aside a reptilian that tried to jump him.
"We'll discuss it later." Falcon replied without looking back. Gunrock wrenched the lid off the box and reached inside, taking the Power Stone of Metal.
"Here!" He remarked, tossing it forward. Falcon caught in one hand, tightening his grip on it to ensure Valgas could never take it from him.
Valgas dusted himself off lightly before slowly turning to face them. His face bore the expression of someone not highly impressed.
"I'm disappointed in you Gunrock." He stated coldly. "I had pegged you as one who valued the lives of his children above his own."
"There are just some things a man has to do." Gunrock replied, holding the box under one arm.
"I don't know if what you told me is the truth but quite frankly it doesn't matter!" Falcon stated. "I will NOT let you get those stones!!"
Valgas let his head roll back and he laughed, showing every one of his jagged teeth.
"You're outclassed and outnumbered." He gestured out wide at the reptilians surrounding them, their claws and fangs barred. A few of them morphed back into their human looking forms and turned to complete their ask of opening the vault door.
"Outnumbered possibly." Gunrock added, reaching underneath his poncho and taking out a vial containing a purple liquid. Falcon recognised it instantly as one of the bottled spells he had observed Kraken using now and again. "But not outclassed." Gunrock brook the bottle by smashing it into the floor, the liquid was exposed to the air and turned into a gas which spread out into a mist.
The reptilians shrank away from it but Valgas did not. He stood fast as the purple mist spread around him.
Falcon looked up in alarm as two shapes emerged out of the mist to stand beside him and Gunrock.
One was a short figure with a hat and blonde hair. The other was a large, broad shouldered Red skin that Falcon knew all too well.
"Galuda?" The large man looked back over his shoulder at the Englishman and smiled.
Valgas laughed out load. "Well what do we have here? A shaman savage and a misplaced youth with delusions of grandeur?" He stood his ground, unfazed by the few arrivals. "If this is you idea of 'reinforcements' Gunrock then I'm severely disappointed."
"I have spent my entire life training in order to face and cut down your evil." Galuda remarked, taking out his flint hatchet. "I have sworn myself to a life of pacifism but today I set that vow aside for the first and only time."
"How drool." Valgas stated. "Well Jericho… do you have something heroic to say before we begin?"
The cowboy tilted his hat down.
"That kinda talk's for those who believe in it." He replied. "I'm just here to put a bullet right between your eyes for the horrible things you've done."
That answer seemed to please Valgas more than Galuda's had.
"Ah revenge. That's a motivation I understand." He spread his arms out wide, flexing his fingers and tensing his large muscles. "So then, if the four of you think you can kill me then by all means give it your best shot!"
Gunrock charged first, bursting past them all with a loud battle cry, tossing the box containing the other Power Stones to Galuda. As he moved, the earth and sand on the ground underneath him culminated onto his body; his fusion form forming around him, his footsteps shaking the ground.
Valgas did not move, he kept perfectly still with a wide sadistic grin even as Gunrock's shadow was over him.
The Mexicans rocky hand came flying forth, slamming itself forth in an attempt to knock Valgas' head off its shoulders.
Valgas did not react until the last moment, his own fist bursting forth to slam itself directly into Gunrock's stomach.
Even in his fusion form Gunrock was stopped dead in his tracks, remaining rigid as the blow took its affect.
In almost a delay reaction, the large man toppled back and crashed down and as he struck the ground, his fusion broke and he was left back to his normal state.
"One blow." Falcon muttered in alarm. A fusion form broken by someone in normal state and with a single punch.
"Ok that was impressive." Accel remarked, taking the guns out of their holsters. "Take this!" He brought them up sharply and fired a shot from each one, the bullets flying through the air.
Valgas simply lashed out with a single hand, amazingly snatching the bullets out of the air.
"That's impossible!" Falcon declared. Valgas grinned and let the bullets drop to the ground, rolling away.
"Was that it?" He asked. "Pathetic!" He looked back over his shoulder towards the reptilians who had withdrawn to a staff distance. "Continue on the seal. I will deal with these insects."
Slowly he moved forward towards them, before slamming one foot down hard and breaking into a heavy charge, laughing insanely.
Suddenly Falcon had the indistinct feeling of standing on railway tracks in the path on an oncoming train.
Galuda rushed forward to meet the oncoming challenge and he and Valgas clashed, almost butting heads as their met; their hands mashing together as they tried outdo each other in this struggle.
Valgas however, being bigger and far more muscle, was the stronger. He pushed Galuda back inch by inch before finally ending the power struggle by slamming his head forward; knocking the Indian backwards.
Somersaulting over Galuda, Accel broke in; bringing a leg around sharply in a kick into one side of Valgas' face. Falcon followed through, smashing his own kick into the other side.
The blows did not even make Valgas flinch. He grabbed both of them by the ankles and using their bodies as weapons, he smashed them into Galuda; sending all three of them tumbling through the air until they crashed into one of the stone pillars. Dust and sand fell from the ceiling as they impacted.
"By my ancestors, what strength!" Galuda remarked with wide eyes as he lay there upside down.
"Did either of you think this ambush through very well?" Falcon asked from underneath Accel.
"I don't see you making much of a difference." The cowboy replied, pulling his hat back on.
Valgas did not wait for them to stop arguing. He charge them and bringing his leg sharply around, kicked Galuda to send him flying into the far wall with a cloud of dust bellowing out behind him. Falcon and Accel rolled out of the way just as one of Valgas' massive fists came crashing down nearing crushing their heads.
Whiping around, Valgas grabbed Accel by the head before trying to use him to swat Falcon out of the air. Falcon however was able to dodge the attempt and using the small opening that gave him, darted in quickly and slammed the hardest kick he could muster on short notice into Valgas' groin.
To his amazement, the blow did not even make Valgas flinch.
"I may not be a Reptile." Valgas remarked, dropping Accel's limp body and turning his full attention on the Englishman. "But I am still more than human." He grabbed Falcon by the arm and lifted him up. Falcon struggled to free himself but Valgas' grip was iron glad.
"You've been quieter than those other idiots." The large man stated. "Sure you wouldn't like to share some words of wisdom?"
"Just the two words." Falcon replied, holding his stone. "Power Fusion!" Before Valgas could stop him, the Englishman's clothes morphed around his body; becoming the robotic style armour of his fusion form as his body adapted; the stone sinking into his being.
"Power Missile!" Even Valgas could not deflect an attack that strong at that close range. The strike caught him in the forehead with a loud metallic clank and stunned them enough that he let go of Falcon, letting him drop to the ground.
As soon his feet touched the ground, Falcon leapt forward and with Power Stone reinforced strength hammered a succession of punches into Valgas' stomach. Going on an all offensive, not giving Valgas the opportunity to retaliate, the Englishman kept going.
Suddenly, Valgas seized both his arms stopping him in his tracks before his knee connected with Falcon's chin knocking him back. Left stunned, Falcon did not see the massive fist coming straight at him. Valgas fist smashed with a shockwave the shook the ground into Falcon's chest plate, sending him flying back until he fell to the ground and rolled to a stop.
That blow had felt like a ten ton sledgehammer had struck him and it was taking every ounce of willpower Falcon had to prevent his fusion from breaking. Where had Valgas gotten such unbelievable strength? He had been strong before, Falcon knew that from their duel in Rome but this amount of godlike strength was something one would expect from Hercules.
Had Valgas been holding back before? Had he merely been fooling the Englishman into thinking he could be bested in battle?
Staggering back to his feet, Falcon turned to face Valgas who was standing perfectly still waiting; his arms folded in front of his chest and a wide sadistic grin on his face.
Falcon knew his fusion would not survive another blow like that. He was going to have to put everything he had into one last attack.
He drew in a deep breath before crying out;
"Power Rocket!"
The rocket engine on his back flared to life, flames shouting from the thrusters end. Valgas unfolded his arms and spread them, preparing himself for the clash. Falcon shot forward, going faster and faster; pouring on more speed. Despite how fast he was going, time seemed to slow down almost to a crawl.
Then when they clashed, it sped right up again. Valgas took the full brunt of the rocket as Falcon slammed directly into his stomach. Valgas sank his heals into the ground but still the sheer force of it pushed him back; his feet dragging in the sand. Falcon kept on going, trying to force him further and further back.
Finally powering through, Falcon slammed a fist forward and with the force behind it; it sent Valgas and himself souring through the air until they slammed together into the far wall.
Accel picked himself up, breathing hard. His head and just about every other part of his body was aching.
He had known, from experience, that Valgas was a powerful being; but this level of strength; even without a fusion form was unbelievable. This hidden factor changed everything. This plan of theirs hinged on using their superior numbers to overwhelm him, but Valgas was proving more than a match for their combined efforts.
Staring after Falcon, he peered through the dust to see two shapes hidden just within the filtering cloud.
For a second he was starting to believe that perhaps Falcon might have succeeding in at least injuring Valgas. That belief was shattered when there was a loud metallic clank and Valgas stood up, grasping Falcon's head in his fingers. Laughing insanely, he slammed a fist forward that struck the Englishman full in the face.
His fusion broke like a shattering pane of glass as he was hurled through the air until he crashed into another of the pillars, breaking through it and slamming out the other side.
"This could be going better." He muttered, twirling his guns around on his fingers as Valgas moved to face him head on.
"So Jericho, it's just you and me now."
Barley retaining consciousness, Falcon pulled his face out of the dirt and watched as the massive form of Valgas moved to face the far smaller Accel.
"Fine by me." The Englishman heard the cowboy reply, but he took several steps back to what he judged was a safe distance. "Did I ever tell you that you're a homicidal maniac before?"
"Twice if my recall is correct." Valgas stated. "But I'm not going to hold it against you. I care little how you or the rest of that inferior garbage out there sees me so it won't be that much of an insult."
"I'll bet." Accel slowly almost hissed.
There was a moment of brief silence as they stood there perfectly still. It was almost a staring competition to see which of them would blink first.
Accel was the first to falter.
He broke the silence before somersaulting backwards and firing his guns over and over; unloading all remaining ten bullets from both weapons.
Valgas merely held up one hand in front of himself, that limb becoming a blur as he snatch each and every lead projectile.
Grinning, he cast them aside before charging in with an outreaching hand. Accel however dodged back avoiding the swing but his clothes were within grasping distance. Valgas caught the cowboys shirt and waist coat between his fingers and tried to hold him there but Accel spun out of his grasp, his shirt and coat ripping exposing his bare head.
The cowboy stepped back a few steps and in the half light, a metallic plate over his heart was revealed.
Realizing that it was, Accel grunted loudly and ditched the poncho on his shoulders as now it was only slowing him down.
Falcon looked up at the metal plate. It was round like a saucer and engraved with encircling lines until it met in the middle where it opened out into the image of a skull.
The imagery engraved upon it was not what Falcon was paying attention to. The metal plate wasn't just being worn over the chest. Its out edge was actually fused to the skin. It almost appeared as if the metal had been forged onto his body in a furnace, the flesh scared around it.
"Oh I see." Valgas remarked, letting the shredded remains of the shirt drop to the floor. "So that is why you took the name Accel. I confess I had assumed it was to honour your mentor. I did not suspect you would actually take the burden onto yourself." He pointed a finger at the plate. "Does it not hurt, having that metal embedded into your skin?"
"Its nothing compared to the pain I've already endured." Accel replied; reaching behind his head and undoing the knot that held his bandana mask in place. As it fell, he tilted his head back to let his hat fall off as well. Now his whole head was exposed, the message dirty blonde hair, blazing blue eyes and the jagged scar down his left cheek. "If it means putting you in the ground then I can bare it."
"Delusional fool." Valgas muttered before charging at him, sweeping his arms forward in a grab. Accel somersaulted up, back flipping over Valgas and landing behind him. Surprisingly he did not use the opportunity to attack, instead Valgas made a beeline for the dropped box containing the Power Stones.
As Valgas turned, Accel threw open the box and snatched the first stone that met his eyes. Falcon recognised it as the Power Stone of Lightning, belonging to Ryoma.
Before Valgas could react, Gunrock came flying at him from behind. His large arms wrapped around him; pinning his arms to the side.
"Get him! NOW!" Gunrock called out.
"Come on… work!" Accel growled, tightening his grip on the yellow stone. "Work damn it." Valgas laughed almost hysterically, before whipping his head back slamming it into Gunrock's face.
Stunned, the large man staggered back several steps allowing Valgas to get the drop on him. A single punch to the shoulder was enough to dislocate the Mexicans arm, sending him rocketing back across the ground before he collapsed into a lifeless form in the far corner next to Galuda.
Falcon vaulted to his feet and despite being unable to feel his legs he placed himself between Accel and Valgas. He adopting a boxing fighting stance.
"The stones do not respond to sheer will alone." Falcon told him. "Its emotions that trigger its power. You can't simply force it to work." Accel looked up. "They're motivated by the heart… not the mind!"
Valgas took in a deep breath before letting it out, allowing his tight muscles to relax a little.
"Is this it?" He asked. "Is this the last bastion of resistance against me?"
"Hardly." A voice replied. Glancing to the side, Valgas saw the coming blade quickly enough to avoid it. Tosa Arashi slashed across his side, its tip narrow missing him. However this dodge left him open to an attack from behind as the pirate Kraken came charging out of the shadows of the entrance of the underground chamber with a battle cry, his metallic claw held high.
Valgas could not defend himself from the lightning blow that struck him across the back; causing him to stagger forward.
Now mad, Valgas turned to face the new comers head on; only to get a torrent of flames straight in the face as Rouge blew across her palm just like she was blowing him a kiss.
Blinded by the fiery ashes swirling around him, Valgas cried out scrapping at his face trying to get them out of his eyes. Unable to see, he was left open as Wang-Tang took a running start before leaping into a flying kick; his foot slamming into Valgas' chest and knocking him backwards.
Staggering back, Valgas tripped over the obstacle of Ayame's stuck out leg and Julia's umbrella. Unable to stop himself, he toppled over backwards and crashed into the ground.
"Consider that the end of our financial arrangement… MR… Valgas." Julia told him, turning about on one heal and scrapping some dirt into his face before walking away almost casually.
"Young Master, Young master are you alright?" Apollus asked; running up to Falcon's side as the Englishman helped the battered Accel to his feet.
Falcon's gaze was drawn to the pirate Kraken, who stood ready to face Valgas as the large man struggled to get back up. Kraken stood there with his two faithful goons Octo and Puss at his side.
Noticing he was being stared at, Kraken looked back over his shoulder.
"Don't be getting the wrong idea sonny boy, once Valgas here is pushing up the daisies, then that Light Stone is mine!"
The reptilians paused in their work, glancing back at what was happening. Several of them cried out as Tosa Arashi clashed through them, the rune spells painted over their bodies transporting the corpses away to whatever point of origin had been set. The others cowed back against the seal of Ra, hissing like snakes.
"Isn't that my stone?" Ryoma asked with wide eyes.
"I was just borrowing it." Accel remarked, tossing the jewel back to the samurai to caught it in one hand. "I can't make it work anyhow."
Valgas slowly rose up to his feet, displeasure clear in the rigid expression carved into his face.
He gazed out over those who had gathered to stand against him.
Taking hold of the Power Stone of Metal, Falcon called upon its power once more; assuming his fusion form and his clothes became the blood red armour. It was too soon after his fusion had been broken to be back up to full power but it would have to be enough for norm.
Unleashing the power of his own stone, Wang-Tang summoned the visage of a golden dragon from that merged with him; turning him into a warrior with golden scales and jagged long hair; his clothes jade and silver.
Ayame paused to admire his exposed chest for a moment, before taking her own stone in hand and calling upon its power; her fusion form taking affect. Her clothes became pink with silver chain mail, a giant shuriken strapped to her back and a mask over the top of her head with bunny ears trailing out behind her.
Rouge's transformation was almost an exotic dance, her hair becoming a pillar of flames and fire trailing around her like it was her obedient servant.
Ryoma's gaze was transfixed.
Falcon coughed once.
"What…" The samurai started blinking back to his senses. "Oh right." Grasping the Power stone of Lighting between his fingers, he called upon its power and with a clap of thunder, the silver samurai armour of his fusion form appeared around him; the blade Tosa Arashi sparking with electricity.
The Power Stone of Wood between the points of his claw, Kraken summoned his power through his dark magic and within moments was the skeletal abomination that was his transformed state.
"You really think this turns the tables?" Valgas demanded as Galuda helped the injured Gunrock back to his feet. "You are all fools. You are nothing compared to the power at my disposal!" Slowly he raised his hand and tight in his grasp was the Power Stone of Darkness.
"Power Fusion!" The stone leapt out of his hand, spun on its axis in mid air for a second before it slammed into his chest; becoming lodged in the middle and sticking there.
Tremendous power began flowing in Valgas' body, his muscles becoming larger and more defined, the skin changing from pale gold to a steal blue; his eyes becoming so bloodshot that they were almost glowing red.
Spikes started sprouting out of his body; two large ones out of his shoulder blades and several others on his shoulders and down his spine. The cuffs of his wrists became huge and bulky, outline by jagged golden spikes and the same was true around his shins.
Completing the transformation, a pair of jagged horns pushed their way out of his forehead and curved up over his hairline.
His entire body was almost surrounded by darkness, a darkness that made anyone who came too close feel its burn.
"Now prepare to be swallowed by the darkest shadows!"