Chapter Thirteen – Cthulhu
But that didn't help the fact that there was still a great 'evil' coming and they had no idea what it was. They had successfully worked that it was someone or something, coming through a tear in space and time, across the cosmos. It was monster so incredibly powerful, it was outright panicking the Wisps. But what? No one knew and regardless, it sent fear through everyone.
Now that it had been confirmed that they couldn't change the Multiverse, and revert it back to a singular universe again, was there anything they could do to improve it, to make it more stable. Sukko heaved.
"Not really. You could technically rearrange the Multiverse's layout, make it more geometric. That might improve stability temporally, but once it's starts shifting, it'll just revert back to the mangled mess, it had, again." He shrugged, describing his own observations of the cosmos. "There's isn't really a lot you can do out there." He added, sounding incredibly drained. But Sukko had throughly had enough.
He really didn't want do this. Anything but. He just wanted to go home, be with his family, retire even. Be a Doctor, be a Sorcerer, it didn't matter, anything but the God Of The Cosmos, right now, and fight on the front line against that monster. Experience had told him that on the front time in any war, or battle, was the last place for him to be. Every single time, he'd been compromised. He heaved. He'd be killed, and he knew it.
But the horrendous calm before the storm, was dire, so the Sorcerer just knocked himself out. With nothing happening, and him, needing sleep, and not being able to, he used Magic to give himself a long deep, dreamless slumber, and in cold, hard, darkness, cutting himself off from everyone and everything.
Weirdly, Sukko found comfort down there, but it was all too short, as someone rudely awoke him. Everglade had learned from Sorcerer how to use Magic to watch the Greater Cosmos and Multiverse without him, and had seen a new tear on the space and time, right across the expanse, and something very big was coming through it.
It was time.
Sukko kicked into gear, almost immediately, and instantaneously felt the tear in the cosmos, and the enormous entity beyond it. He growled, as he ran over the Everglade, who was sat on the dinning table again, crossed legged. He had his hands cupped together out in front of him, and muttering a deep incarnation, he was sending deep images, bright sun yellow Magical illusions out in front of him, of the Greater Cosmos and the Multiverse. He couldn't interfere, just only observe. Everyone was gathered around, the tear across the space and time, clear to see, and someone or something was beyond it. Sukko frowned, moving behind Everglade, peering out it over his shoulder.
"What is that?" He frowned. Everglade stared. The Sorcerer sounded fine, the much needed sleep significantly helping. But the deep bounce and happiness Sukko also had in the Sol Empire had failed to resurface. Everglade had no idea why, but knew he had to drop it. There were more important things. He frowned.
"I have no idea, but it's big. Insanely large. But I don't have the strength to reach it." He admitted. His Wizard incarnation didn't extend that high into the Cosmos. He was struggling to get a clear picture. Sukko smirked, holding out his right hand.
"Need a boast?" He asked. Everglade looked at the hand, palm up, knowing the amount of power that lay within it. It was intoxicating, especially with the drain removed. He looked back at the Sorcerer, and just marvelled at how Sukko just didn't get completely overwhelmed by it. But Everglade smiled, as Sukko wiggled it, as slight smirk on his face. But he hesitated. Sukko had to power to see properly, which meant he get a good view of what was up there, in the cosmos, and that terrified Everglade. But the Sorcerer, used his Telepathy, and dived for his mind. He smiled.
{You're not on your own.} He smirked, but the voice sounded somewhat hollow. There was definitely torment there, to also intense professionalism. Sukko just wanted to get this job done, and move on. He wasn't enjoying it, that was obvious, but right now, the Sorcerer were all they had, and Sukko knew it. Everglade agreed, and gritting his teeth, with his own determination to get this done, he nodded.
Muttering hard, and casting into his hand, he slammed it into Sukko's, who also casted, and combining the Magic hard, to a beautiful leaf green, their 'vision' was sent skywards, soaring high, right up to the Greater Cosmos. The tear across the deep space, was enormous, the largest they had ever seen, going from horizon to horizon, and astronomically wide. Beyond was intensely deep darkness, someone lay, a head through the gap.
It was grotesque. A monstrosity so horrible, it is beyond wild imagination. A monster of vaguely anthropoid outline, but with an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers, a scaly, rubbery-looking body, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long, narrow wings behind, just seen through the darkness, as are his deep, harsh, cold, red eyes.
Suddenly, the cast crashes out, as Everglade is left squealing in pain. He gasped.
"I know that creature." He stammered, but Sukko was struggling. His hands were on either side of his head, as he was desperately thrashing around, as if to threw something, or in this case, someone off of him. Everglade screamed. "The monster, it's telepathic." He gasped, as everyone panicked, but the Wizard grabbed the Sorcerer. Sukko was rapidly blinking, his eyes glowing a deep red, the monster desperately trying to overwhelm the Sorcerer. But the Blue Hedgehog wasn't having it. Yes, this fiend was telepathically strong, but the Sukko had significantly more guts, and with a roar of pure defiance, Sukko kicked the monster out of his mind. He roared
"Get out!" He screamed. He pushed the monster and hard out of his mind. The result, Magical explosion was vast, as the bright blue bloom, expanded and shook Tails's whole house. With a flash, Sukko's red eyes vanished and he collapsed onto the dinning table, back to normal. Everglade immediately grabbed him, holding his head steady. Sukko clunk onto to him terrified, panting hard. He now knew what the monstrosity was. He gulped.
"It's Cthulhu." He stammered, extremely hard. He'd never faced anything like this before. This monster made the Dark Fire Golem look like child's play. Everglade nodded, trembling himself.
"Yes, I know. He was known to the Order of Eldin." He nodded. But Sukko gulped.
"What?" He stammered, but Everglade heaved. He was extremely impressed that the Sorcerer had shook off such a monster as he let him go, and encouraged Sonic, and Saffie's hologram, who's both been watching, to come and comfort their twin brother. Sukko let them hug him, but he still wasn't happy. The Wizard sighed, trying to calm the Sorcerer.
"But Cthulhu is supposed to be pure myth." He declared. But Sukko growled.
"I assure you, he's not." He hissed, rather coldly. Sukko's temper was fuming, with an intense mixture of fright and anger. Never had anyone tried to control his own telepathy before. The fact that it could be done was terrifying. But someone actually having the audacity to even try and do it, just downright angered him. He was close to his temper blowing up, but having two versions of his twin beside him, did help, a lot. Soon, he finally calmed down.
Everglade nodded approvingly, as he went for his Book of Magic and opened it, rifling through the pages. He was desperately looking for something, as Sukko frowned. After several minutes of mad searching, the Wizard finally found it. The Skunk looked through the stories he recalled of the myths and legends, from the Order of Eldin. Which he just put in there, for completeness, and before him was Cthulhu. A behemoth titan of a monster, of pure myth, immortal and utterly undefeatable. The multiple pages where he'd written everything he could think of about the hideous monstrosity. He gulped as he read.
"Considered a Great Old One within the group of cosmic entities, Cthulhu is a marine creature, whose not dependent on water. Composed of matter, so unknown, that it's impossible for us to understand. He has ghost-like non corporal form, some type of energy state or a semi-physical plasmic state. His large red eyes are of pure darkness, and he attempts to use telepathy to control his enemies, and turn them against their kin." He paused. Sukko nodded. That was true. Everglade continued. "He is the size of mountain, many miles high." He breathed, pausing slightly. But Tails cut across him. He frowned, speaking up for the group
"Ok, so that's what he's like, what are his powers and abilities?" He wondered. Everglade gulped and for good reason. He continued reason.
"Cthulhu is a very powerful, and maleficent entity. Being near godlike to mortals, he is immortal and has great strength and can endure great amounts of damage and can only be killed by a near-omnipotent power. Using his wings, he is capable of true flight. He possesses vast intelligence and awareness and he has great psychic abilities as he can communicate telepathically. His main power is inducing fear, and he can't be harmed by physical means, due to instantaneous healing. However, when hit, his body will dissolve that then immediately recombining. During the fight, black clouds and lightning falls, as if summoned by Cthulhu himself." He stammered, and then very slowly, carried on reading. "Here is a list of all of Cthulhu's known abilities: Immortality, Regeneration, Immense size, Vast Strength, Nigh-invulnerability, Flight, Lightning Summoning, Tentacle Regeneration, Space and Time Wrapping, Dream Manipulation, Telepathy, Smouldering, Embodiment of Madness, Plasma and Malice Manipulations, Shapeshifting, Demonstrative Regenerative Capabilities and Transform." He stuttered. There was utter silence. But Saffie cried, now utterly terrified.
"There's no way we can beat this monster." He sniffed. But Tails suddenly cut across him. He frowned, deep in thought.
"Does he have any weakness at all? Fear of any kind?" He wondered. Everglade desperately searched through his Book of Magic, he heaved.
"No weaknesses are believed to degrade the monster, but it is said that as a marine creature of distant origin, he has a fear of sea fairing vessels. He is supposedly very frightened of them." He read. But Sonic blinked.
"Boats?" He asked, bewildered. That made no sense at all, especially for such a large monster. But Everglade heaved.
"I have no idea. All I did was write down the myth as I recalled it being told to me. I don't know if there's truth in any of it." He gulped. Suddenly a deep, sudden pain, swiped right across Sukko's head, he grabbed it and squealed on agony. He growled.
"We don't have a choice, we have to take it all as truth. It's already starting to happen. Cthulhu's attacking the Multiverse, I can feel it." He heaved.
Now they had to fight.
But the Sorcerer's head was beginning to spin. He growled. That wretched monster, had done something to him, as he tried to control his telepathy. But as Sukko blinked, the colours of the world around him, began to merge and warp, as low level ingrained madness began to creep all over him. Sukko desperately shook it off. He growled, alone, inside his mind, still blocked from Saffie. He hadn't brought the wall down, since he went awol in the main timeline. He doubted that Cyborg could help anyway, he wouldn't know how. He wasn't Sonikku. He desperately missed his own dimension's twin. His Blue Blur, now wondering if changing the Psychic Link, was a good idea. He growled hard, in his mind, at Cthulhu.
{No, Beast. I'm not falling for your intense insanity.} He hissed, heaving hard. He nodded to the to the others, that he was alright, and to move on, ready for battle. But it was fake. The Sorcerer wasn't and he knew it, but it was too late to back out now.
He successfully pushed the impending madness to the very back of his mind and ran out of Tails' House, and to the Titan camp, where the others were filled in, on Cthulhu's arrival.
The other Titans were terrified but determined, especially Shads. He grabbed Kee Kee, and wrapped the ghost, starting at the tail, around his hand, and then around the handle of Storm-breaker. Locked into place, the ghost was going nowhere, as Shads threw the mighty axe over his shoulder, ready to leave. Kee Kee smiled, delighted that his version of the Ultimate Lifeform was back, by his side, together again. His recovery had been incredible and the trust was finally back, as he, rather coldly, nodded, without a drop of fear, to the Sorcerer. He understood the assignment.
Saffie, now back in the body of the Sapphire Dragon, and Manic, on the other hand, not so much. Their intense fears of the Greater Cosmos, were warranted. But Sukko, now getting rather impatient, was determined, not to make the same mistake again. Everglade had taught the cast he'd requested. Survival out in deep space, and adding his own flare, as ever, to the Magic, he rounded on the other Titans. He growled and hard.
"Do you trust me?" He hissed. Everyone just blinked at him. He was a Blue Hedgehog. It was the most daftest, stupidest thing, he could have said, especially whom he was related too. But Manic just outright growled.
"What? You idiot. Of course. Don't you dare ask that again." He spat. Sukko smiled, and for the first time in a while, relaxed, as this hugely lifted his spirits. He'd desperately needed that, and it meant the world. Yes, his madness was creeping up from within, but right now, it wasn't something he couldn't handle. He smirked, nodding, as he rounded on Everglade as he backed off a little. He rubbed his cold hands together.
"Right, we are going to need some arsenal for this fight, if I may." He asked, to the intrigued nods of everyone. Suddenly, he hesitated, grinning inanely. "Oh, and Everglade, don't freak out." He added, to the utter eye roll of Frank. The Bear heaved.
"Oh hell, I've heard that before." He stammered. "What you gonna do?" He wondered. The last time Sukko made that exact statement, it was the one and only time he did a concentrated Orb, but stayed as the bright white balls of light, and moved around in that form. It was hard work, and extremely weird, hence he never really did it again. Didn't need to. Everglade when white as all eyes were on the Sorcerer. Sukko looked like hell, heck, he felt like it, but thankfully, his Magic was perfect and on the ball, and he was going to try and have a little fun, before leaving.
He glared at Saffie and Manic, hard. He had plans for both of them. Shads now had his own skills and powers, as a Demi-God, Storm-breaker providing everything he needed, so he had no use for Sukko's Magic. Some distance away, the Sorcerer aimed for his siblings. He was about to demonstrate a serious about of power, almost God-like, hence him warning the Wizard not to panic.
Sukko had been mulling over the cast of Survival for some time. Thinking it through, how to better improve and alter it to for the needs for his siblings. His Titan brothers, were good, Manic and Saffie, but the Sorcerer had a hunch, he could make them better. Give them both an 'upgrade'. Against Cthulhu, they were going to need anything the Sorcerer could give them. He knew exactly, as he blinked hard, his eyes suddenly glowing a deep vivid, blue. Immediately, diving into the pit of his gut and hard, the raw power behind Magic, exploded, as wild pale blue lightning began landing everywhere.
Everyone panicked slightly, but Everglade, despite everything, still trusted Sukko, and raised his hand for calm. He got it, as Sukko pushed the Magic hard, as bright blue ball of light filled his clawed palms by the side, and as the Sorcerer gritted his teeth, pushing the cast as far was it would go. He raised both hands in front of him, slamming his hands together, with an almighty bang, which shook the area, and then thrust both still open hands towards his Titan siblings.
Suddenly, two incredibly bright blue powerful streams of luminescent vapour-like hue, one from each hand, flew straight through the air at speed, and hit both his Titans in the chest. The sheer power made then both buckle, but then they realised what was happened, neither of them resisted. Manic, being able to hear the Sorcerer speak in his mind, wasn't completely pureblood Chi, unlike the Sorcerer's own version of the Earth Bender, Manikkos. Chi and Chaos are two energies at such odds with one another that that can't coexist, certainly not within a Mobian. That meant that the Sukko's version of Manic was immune to all Chaos, even his own Magic. This cast wouldn't have worked on him. His Titan counterpart, however, had the rare skill or being to wield both, Chaos to a much lesser degree and Sukko too full advantage of that fact.
It dived to Manic's Chaos within him, as tiny as it was, and hugely expanded in it. He exploded it, and replicating the Green Hedgehog's own Earth Bending skills. Not only did he give Manic means to survive out in deep space, but also to generate his own, pale blue, almost ice like, rocks in his own hands, and beneath his feet. They were completely solid and immoveable, when placed anywhere, even in mid-air, they stayed perfect still, easily taking the Earth Bender's huge weight. It literally allowed Manic to go anywhere. It was an incredible gift, but the Sorcerer wasn't done.
Saffie had buckled to his knees, when Sukko's almighty cast, hit him square in the chest, but he didn't back off. His Cyborg body, just exploded, desperately absorbing as much as of the incredible Magical energy as it could. He gasped. If the upgrade the Wisps had given him, back on Angel Island, was good, this was on a completely different level. Again, receiving the means to survive, the Sorcerer practically rewrote him. Sukko understood him, finally giving Saffie the means to properly control his Robotisation Energy Manipulation ability. Up until this point, it's usage was brutal. It could with robotise someone entirely, de-robotise, or heal him electrically. It was all or nothing. He couldn't control it for more delicate work.
He could now, as Sukko rearranged him completely, including all of his inner delicate circuitry, allow him to finally have finely control of that horrendous power. He could now heal himself, in just the areas he needed, without the risk of harming anyone nearby. His body became significantly more efficient, in it's usage, especially of power, making the Sapphire Dragon stronger and more durable.
Everglade gasped. Sukko was right, as he desperately tried not to freak out. It was a level of Magic he never seen before, certainly not from one individual alone. He seen this in group casting at Avalon, back in the Sol Empire, by when the Order of Eldin ruled, but that was a long time ago. It was impressive, and really showed Sukko as the God Of The Cosmos.
But then Everglade's frowned. Really? Every different cast he was doing in this enormous combination, was known to him, and doable as a Sorcerer, not always as a Wizard. He was witnessing huge quantities of lateral thinking from Sukko, not necessary God-like powers. So much so, that Everglade wasn't convinced. The Sorcerer was a God, why not use the powers?
He frowned. Something else was going on here.
Finally, Sukko threw one final last ball of bright blue light, straight at Shads, which frowning hard, the Ultimate Lifeform didn't avoid. It hit him straight in the chest, and painlessly, it absorbed inside of him, and nothing appeared to happen. Kee Kee, looking at Shads, just shrugged.
Unfortunately, the Sorcerer then crashed, as all his Magic dissipated, his stores empty, as he collapsed on to the floor, as did Manic and Sukko. Immediately, they were all helped up. Saffie and Manic were fine, but Sukko was only barely conscious. His super, high-level Magic cast threatening to knock him out. He was panting, extremely hard, as Frank grabbed him, and hoisted up him, and propped him onto his shoulder.
There were beaming smiles all round, as Saffie, Manic and Shads readied themselves to go, but Sukko was in a bad way, as his knees buckled for a second time, temporally passing out. Frank growled, making the call.
"Sukko?" He hissed, grabbing the Sorcerer again. "He can't go with you, he's in no fit state to fight." He heaved, examining the Blue Hedgehog. Everglade ran over, worried, also examining the Sorcerer, but then smiled.
"He'll be alright, he just Magically burned out. He'll recover." He nodded, then rounded on the other Titans. "I'm sorry, but your on your own. He's staying here." He ordered. All three of them, looked utterly terrified at the thought.
Suddenly, and rather amusingly, Sukko woke up with a start, stumbling to his feet, but was extremely wobbly. He put both his hand up, declaring to the world, he was still conscious, just. He giggled.
"Whoa! Stop! Have they left yet?" He asked, whirling around. Seeing the other Titans, he cheered. "No? Oh, good. I almost forgot. You'll need Archie!" He squealed, giggling hard. With completely confused looks all around, Sukko sniggered, and then out of nowhere, he surged huge quantities of Magic into his hands. It was so much Chaos Sorcery, so fast, that then more lightning fell, in reaction, and suddenly, the Sorcerer just then, out of nowhere, to the shock of everyone, just blasted the ground right in front of him, with it.
It shook the ground hard, as it left a huge bright blue pool Magical vapour-like hue on the ground. Suddenly, an earthquake hit, as an enormous and utterly stunning creature exploded from the pool and took to the air, landing perfectly beside them.
He was a very large, bright blue Dragon, wearing deep, beautiful leather, navy blue reins and saddle. He had a blunt edged snout, a long, elegant, curved neck, short legs, and a small stature. On his head, he had two simple traditional horns which curved upwards and on his cheeks he had two small spikes, which stuck out and curved downwards. Starting from the middle of Archie's head, was a crest of feathers which travels down his neck and stops before his necklace. He had a pair of large feathered wings which also posses membrane between the feathers, this allows Archie's wings to posses large spikes which stick out of the wings. Along his tail are medium sized white spikes that run from her the start of her tail to the end of his tail. The tip of Archie's tail is covered in fluffy feathers and actually has small hidden spikes within the feathers to add damage.
To say that Sukko didn't have a sense of style was an understatement, especially when it came to designing Dragons. Archie was beautiful. The Sorcerer giggled, in utter laughter, despite being extremely tired.
"Say hello to Archie." He grinned. "Height. 20 ft. Weight. 230 lbs. Width. 5 ft. Length. 30 ft. Wingspan. 50 ft. Colours. Blue, mainly, with a bit of Yellow, Grey, White and Black. Eye colour. Sapphire Blue. Fighting style, your standard Dragon stuff, really. Fire Breathing, Fire Dancing, Flight Based Skills, Ground Combat, Ariel Combat, Fire Combat, Combat in general." He giggled. Then he shrugged. "Look, I know my Dragons. I wear one across my back, and I have working on this beauty for years." He added. There was utter silence. Sukko giggled, still swaying hard.
"What?" He smirked, then he rounded on Saffie. "Your idea." He smiled. The Sapphire Dragon gulped.
"Me?" He stammered, but Sukko just giggled.
"Yeah. You see illusions and holograms have a lot in common. One is just the Magically version of the other, done mechanically. But then you found out a means making your holograms Hard-Light through technology. So I wondered if the same could be done, with Chaos Sorcery illusions, solidifying them. That's what Archie is, a solid illusion, or as real a Dragon as your gonna get." He added.
The fact that now Manic was all over Archie, and climbing into his back, and settling himself into the saddle, yes, he was. Everglade gasped.
"Wow, your good." He praised. But Sukko just shrugged.
"Na. No more so that whom I'm related to." He defended, then he called to his brother on the back of Dragon. He smiled. "Manic, put your hand up, and touch Archie's forehead. The Dragon will bond with you and then do as you ask." He informed.
The Earth Bender did exactly as he was asked, and as soon as his hand, hit the Dragon's head, both his and Manic eye's glowed, and immediately, they both began cuddling each other, the bond complete.
But all was not well.
Sukko, suddenly collapsed again, this time badly, the Sorcerer grabbing his head and screaming, as he went down, his eyes glowing a deep red. Soon, he fell to the ground, unconscious. Everglade was immediately all over him, swearing hard. Suddenly, he rounded on the other Titans.
"Go." He ordered. "And take the Dragon. Sukko has given you everything he has. You must leave now." He panicked.
Taking charge and nodding, Shads dispensed a purple inter-dimensional portal to the Greater Cosmos, from the end of Storm-breaker, large enough for all of them, and immediately, they disappeared through it. Saffie and Manic looked back at their incredible sibling, then reluctantly followed. They didn't have a choice. Cthulhu was coming and only they could stop him. They now had weapons, but there were on their own.
As they left, Frank gulped and hard, as the Bear squealed.
"Did you see that? His eyes?" He panicked, indicating the Sorcerer. But the Wizard nodded.
"Yes, but it's not good." He stammered. But Frank stammered and hard.
"What is it?" He desperately wondered. Everglade cried, knowing there was no cure. No way, for the mighty Sorcerer to come back from this one, even with his Telepathy. No matter how this fight ended, Sukko was done for. He heaved and hard.
"It's Cthulhu's Embodiment of Madness."