Chapter 6: Choice To Make
With the cloaking field generated by Sir Grodus' staff, both him and the Empress Siren were exposed in front of Yoshi, Shantae, and Risky Boots.
Yoshi- Tabuu's meanies!
Shantae- So, it was Grodus' magic I detected just outside the tower!
Risky Boots- I guess that explains what really happened to the magic barrier surrounding this place.
Shantae- Magic barrier?
Risky Boots- There were traces of a barrier spell to prevent anything from getting close to this tower. I assumed it was you who shattered it, but I didn't see you use your genie magic when you approached the tower.
Sir Grodus- Yes, I did undo Merlin's spell surrounding this place. But I must admit, it wasn't easy. Merlin certainly lived up to his reputation if his protection spell was still this strong even after his death. But I too am a master of the ancient arts.
Risky Boots- But how is the Empress Siren even here?! Or how is she in her youth form instead of her old hag form?! Last I saw, the half genie runt did her in on Siren Island!
Shantae- Actually…Ty and I had a run-in with her after you and Boss Cass attacked us on the island where we hid the Tropical Night. After Ty and I defeated her fellow Sirens and were about to defeat her, Hades swooped in and whisked the Empress Siren away to Subspace. And it looks like Ty's theory was correct…Tabuu did recruit you to his ranks.
Empress Siren showed Tabuu's mark on her left palm.
Empress Siren- Yes, I agreed to join with Tabuu. And his power keeps my body young and strong without any side effects.
Shantae- Unless you count being Tabuu's slave and stripped of your free will…
Then Yoshi remembered the red book on the floor and Sir Grodus took notice of it. Yoshi nudged his leg forward a bit to make it look like he was about to take a step towards the book and Sir Grodus immediately took a step towards the book as if he was anticipating Yoshi's advance towards the tome.
Yoshi- Shantae, creepy book on floor is what they after!
Shantae- You sure, Yoshi?
Yoshi- Yoshi trick Grodus to reacting certain why to expose intentions! If book not what after, Grodus no attempt to intercept Yoshi when Yoshi make look like he moving towards book.
Shantae- Wow…that was clever, Yoshi!
Sir Grodus- Fine! Yes, Tabuu wants the Tome of Asarius and he sent us to get it.
Shantae- Interesting! And what does that mad god want that spell book?
Empress Siren- Like we'd tell you anything!
Risky Boots- You don't even know, do you?
Sir Grodus- Huh…?
Risky Boots- Tabuu must not want anyone to know what he's up to, so he decided to keep his followers in the dark so they wouldn't slip any hints to you heroes.
Sir Grodus- I have no idea what you're…
Risky Boots- I knew it! Your expression says it all!
Empress Siren- How about we stop this chit chat and dispose of them to get that tome?
Shantae- Yoshi, use your tongue to grab the book and swallow it!
Then Yoshi did what Shantae said. He lashed out his tongue to grab the Tome of Asarius and reeled it into his mouth. However, when Yoshi attempted to swallow the book, Yoshi felt a burning sensation take over. His eyes turned red, his throat was burning like fire, and there was smoke coming from Yoshi's mouth. The pain eventually got to Yoshi as he spat out the book. However, it took the form of a fireball that bounced around the tower like a bouncy ball after Yoshi spat it out. The Tome of Asarius stopped being on fire once it landed back on the floor and it appeared unsinged.
Yoshi- Book full of dark power…it burn Yoshi…just like when Yoshi licked Tabuu's mark…
Sir Grodus attempted to pick up the book, but Shantae whipped her hair and used it to grab the Tome of Asarius before he could.
Shantae- Sorry, but if Tabuu wants this, it can't be good. And after seeing what it did to Yoshi, I wouldn't want to see what Tabuu would do with this book.
Sir Grodus- Give me that book, you pathetic excuse for a genie!
Shantae- Over my dead body!
Empress Siren- If you insist!
Then the Empress Siren fired several energy balls at Shantae, but Shantae blocked by using her magic to create a barrier around herself. Then Shantae removed the barrier and shot a fireball at the Empress Siren. But when the smoke cleared, Sir Grodus had blocked Shantae's fire spell with a barrier that was around his body.
Sir Grodus- I have protection tricks up my sleeve too. And unlike yours, mine doesn't vanish as long as my Grodus X are standing.
Surrounding Sir Grodus' force field were these four cell-like creatures called Grodus X. But while Grodus was gloating to Shantae, Yoshi's tongue swept over the barrier and caught all four of the Grodus X. Yoshi reeled them into his mouth and swallowed the Grodus X and laid four egg bombs.
Yoshi- (BURP)! At least Yoshi able to eat them.
As soon as those Grodus X were eaten by Yoshi, the barrier around Grodus shattered. Then the Empress Siren created two simitars and took a fighting pose towards Yoshi.
Empress Siren- That gluttonous dino is starting to become more of a hazard than the genie girl!
The Empress Siren swung those two simitars at Yoshi, but Yoshi managed to dodge. Then Yoshi threw one of his egg bombs at the Empress Siren, but she sliced the egg bomb with her simitars. However, the explosion of the egg bomb flashed in the Empress Siren's eyes and temporarily blinded her. Before the Empress Siren could get her sight back, Yoshi rammed her with his eggroll attack and knocked her to the ground. Meanwhile, Sir Grodus launched a bolt of lightning from his staff and Shantae blocked with a bolt of lightning from her magic. But while their lightning were clashing, a bullet from a pistol shot Sir Grodus in the head and damaged some of his systems. Then Shantae saw that shot came from Risky Boots.
Risky Boots- Don't get the wrong idea! If I'm to steal all of these ancient secrets of Merlin, it's best to deal with Tabuu's followers before I deal with you and that dinosaur!
Sir Grodus rose to his feet and seemed like he was losing his patience.
Sir Grodus- This is getting very annoying! I know this is for emergencies only, but I think this counts…
Then Tabuu's mark began to glow on Sir Grodus' left palm as a black aura surrounded his body. Indicating he was now using Tabuu's power.
Sir Grodus- Now, eat this!
Then Sir Grodus fired a laser beam from his staff and it knocked both Shantae and Risky Boots to the wall. When the smoke cleared, Risky Boots was already knocked out, but Shantae was struggling to get back up.
Sir Grodus- You heroes might be a match for Tabuu when you join together, but his power is far greater than any of yours individually.
Sir Grodus fired again, but when the smoke cleared, Shantae had activated the Eye of Merlin on her tiara and boost her magic to block Grodus' attack.
Shantae- Tabuu might be a powerful god with power beyond anything me and my friends can manage, but I'm not alone in this fight. My mother left me this magical artifact. And the bond my mother and I share is beyond strength.
Then Shantae fired a bolt of lightning at Sir Grodus and it fried his systems that it seemed like he crashed and shut down. Then Shantae turned her attention to the Empress Siren who was still fighting Yoshi.
Empress Siren- Feel my rath!
The Empress Siren fired several energy balls at Yoshi. Yoshi threw all of his other egg bombs to block the energy attacks before they could hit him.
Empress Siren- What's wrong? Your tongue can't catch something that doesn't have physical matter?
Then Elephant Shantae tackled the Empress Siren to the ground. As the Siren Empress was getting back up, she saw Elephant Shantae change back to normal Shantae, but Shantae had a blue aura surrounding her.
Empress Siren- Using the Eye of Merlin to increase your strength. You sure you want to risk that since you'll be completely drained of magic once the effects stop.
Suddenly, Yoshi's tongue had completely wrapped around the Empress Siren and was constricting her like a snake.
Yoshi- But you need pay attention that you still fighting Yoshi too!
Sir Grodus- Don't think you've won just yet…
Then Yoshi and Shantae looked behind them and saw Sir Grodus was back on his feet. However, his staff was pointing towards an open window.
Shantae- I thought I shut your circuits down!
Sir Grodus- Oh, I'm very good at fake outs. I'm sure Mario can tell you all about them. But I would take a look out the window if I were you.
As soon as Yoshi and Shantae did, they saw Risky Boots in a sphere of energy that was hovering just above the mouth of the volcano outside the tower.
Shantae- Risky!
Sir Grodus- Now, if you would be so kind as to hand over the Tome of Asarius?
Shantae was about to attack, but Grodus waved his finger with his free hand.
Sir Grodus- Oh, you wouldn't want to try anything against me right now. If you hit me and I lose my concentration, the pirate lady will fall right into the volcano and become extra crispy. Now then, give me the Tome of Asarius and I'll pull Risky Boots away from the volcano. Then have Yoshi release Empress Siren and I'll release Risky Boots. Decide on what to do fast, or I might just drop her here and now!
Shantae- (Grunt)…fine…
Then Shantae threw the Tome of Asarius at Sir Grodus.
Shantae- Now pull Risky Boots away from the volcano you tin headed bastard!
Then Sir Grodus pulled the energy sphere that Risky Boots was trapped in back inside the tower and in the same room as they were in.
Sir Grodus- Now, have Yoshi release my partner or I'll make Risky suffocate!
Shantae- Yoshi…let her go…
Yoshi was reluctant, but he released the Empress Siren from the coils of his tongue and she rushed over to Sir Grodus.
Sir Grodus- You're coaptation is appreciated. Here, take your little friend back.
Then Sir Grodus launched Risky Boots at Shantae and Yoshi, knocking them to the ground. The Empress Siren was about to attack them, but Grodus placed his hand on her shoulder and stopped her.
Sir Grodus- No need to continue fighting. We have what Tabuu sent us for.
Empress Siren- But I still have a score to settle…
Sir Grodus- I know! We all do. But it's best we return with the Tome of Asarius while we still have it and not risk losing to them again. And believe me, we don't want to make Tabuu angry!
Then Sir Grodus and Empress Siren opened a portal to Subspace and quickly escaped through it.
Yoshi- They got away!
Shantae- I know, Yoshi. I can't believe it either.
Risky Boots- Well I can't believe you let them have what they wanted just to save me! What were you thinking?!
Shantae- We might be foes, but I'm not a monster. Even you don't deserve to be dropped into a volcano and be cooked alive.
Yoshi- But what Tabuu want with book?
Shantae- Not sure. But this does remind me of what Link and Ty told us earlier. They told us that Tabuu sent Vaati and the Quinking to steal a sundial that could count down celestial alignments between realms from the Minish people. And now they've taken mysterious spell book from the Tower of Merlin.
Risky Boots- Use your heads! Tabuu clearly wants to open a portal to somewhere!
Shantae- Uh…Risky…how do you know that?
Risky Boots- You already mentioned his followers stole an artifact that counts down alignment. And Asarius is actually the name of a god in a religious culture that acted as the guardian between realms. Based off of those pieces of information, Tabuu must want to open a portal to somewhere his powers can't reach naturally. But where Tabuu wants to open a portal too, I do not know.
(Tabuu's palace in Subspace)
Tabuu was holding the Tome of Asarius in one hand and continuing to write in his sigil with the other. And using what was written in the tome, he was filling in the blanks to his portal spell looked ready.
Empress Siren- Did it work?
Tabuu- One way to find out…(chanting in an ancient langue)…
Suddenly, the sigil covering most of floor in Tabuu's room was glowing a bright red color and Tabuu seemed very excited.
Tabuu- It's working…IT'S WORKING!
Then Sir Grodus looked at some of the characters and symbols Tabuu wrote after reading them from the Tome of Asarius.
Sir Grodus- Wait a minute…I recognize those! They lead to…
Tabuu- Indeed, they do. That's where I intend to have this portal lead.
Sir Grodus- But why there? There is just about nothing there that would interest you.
Tabuu- That's where you're wrong. There is something…or someone who interests me. And that is where I'll find him. Let's just say…I recently realized that I was too hasty to change from the old to the new. So, I'm going after the old again.
Empress Siren- Um…I don't think I follow.
Tabuu- You'll understand soon, because you'll all be joining me for this party! All that's left to do is wait for the proper alignment that the Celestial Sundial is counting down to. But for now, go an inform the others to prepare themselves for the big event since they'll need to be ready when I open the portal.
After Sir Grodus and Empress Siren left Tabuu's room, Tabuu looked at the scar on his left palm where Marco's sword impaled it.
Tabuu- Just you wait…Marco Mario!
The End
Epilogue-
(Eggman's laboratory)
Eggman was looking at this notebook as he was entering commands on a keyboard. Orbot and Cubot were looking at this device near where they were standing and Cubot was looking concerned.
Cubot- I don't know about this, boss! This seems…dangerous!
Eggman- Well, many of the things we do to take over the world are.
Orbot- But you said it yourself, this Time Eater has proven to be too difficult to fully control on your own!
Eggman- That's why I'm not doing this on my own. Before I begin my plan to rewrite the events of history…I'm going to use a tiny fragment of the Time Eater's power to call for…someone who can help me perfect it and make it bend to my will fully! Hohohohoho!
Then Eggman pushed enter on the keyboard and a portal opened up from the device in the lab. Suddenly, a mysterious person emerged from the portal.
Mysterious figure- What the?! What's going on?! How did I get here?!
Eggman got up and approached this mysterious man while holding the notebook.
Eggman- No need to be alarmed. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Doctor Ivo Eggman Robotnik. And I brought you here from the past using the notes I discovered from your notebook. I'm sure you recognize these notes since you were the one who wrote them. But to the point as to why I've brought you into the future, I need help controlling this Time Eater you've discovered. And with our combined intellect, we won't just be able to control the Time Eater, but also dispose of a…hedgehog problem. Because I know you have one too. What do you say to a team up?