Chapter CCCXCVIII: To Fight the Good Fight ~Yoshi6400/Lich
"I finally have it," Kuroi said in triumph, "I have figured out the shortest path through." She then stood up, took three steps to the right and waved her staff, a circular black hole forming in front of her.
6400 and Sapphire got up from their resting positions as well, moving up to wait beside their friend.
"Now we have to wait for Lich, Hl’garng, and Kuza to get over here with Multehx."
Kuroi then tapped 6400 on the shoulder. "So, how long are you gonna keep that war paint on? It makes you look kinda funny."
"It really
does make you look quite silly on you Brian," Sapphire said, giggling.
"Hey, I had no choice, so quit bugging me," 6400 grumbled, "anyway,
after a form change, it'll all be gone."
---
Lich jumped as the strange cry shot past his ears. Unfortunately, this was under a low-hanging branch.
He turned around as the now strangely garbed Multehx fell off his back.
"Oh…no," Lich hissed through his teeth.
He looked around him and grabbed the nearest long stick he could find and gave the prone figure a tentative poke with it. No answer. He requested help from Kuza and Hl'garng to replace the Agent in his saddle.
"What is happening, lord?" Hl'garng asked him.
"I think he's starting to wake up," Lich answered, trying to not sound alarmed. "Don't worry. Look, could you and Kuza put him on my back again, please?"
A few minutes later, after they had continued on their way...
"You know, that kinda hurt," the figure spoke.
Lich turned around quickly, throwing him from his back and into Hl'garng.
"Nice outfit, but the tribal look was last season," he continued as he got to his feet. He then turned to Lich. "Ah, yes. You."
Hl'garng stood quickly, picked up his spear and pointed it, which was casually pushed aside as a black arm reached behind its owner and gripped it tight.
"Multehx?" Lich asked, surprised with the sudden awakening. "Are you okay?"
"Who called out that stuck up boilerplate's name?" he asked, looking around him blankly. "I think... you did!" he cried, moving before Lich in one quick stride and driving his finger into the front of his nose. "Hee, hee, hee, it's all squishy."
Lich winced, stepped back and rubbed the area. "I take that as a probably not," he sighed.
"Lord, why is he d-" Hl'garng started, only to have Multehxio back-flip and use his shoulders to vault into the air with a laugh.
"Hl'garng, Kuza, this seems to be
one of the…entities…that Multehx has in his
head," Lich explained as the Agent landed.
"I did not expect this to happen at all. But, I'll handle this. Just wait
right there."
---
Soon, the sun set, and four figures appeared after that, walking towards the three Yoshies. One of which did not please 6400 at all.
"You have to be kidding me...not him..." 6400 muttered under his breath.
"Who?" Kuroi and Sapphire asked, glancing at the reawakened and restyled body of Multehx.
"A silly inhabitant of Multehx's psyche. Multehxio." 6400 muttered in reply.
As soon as the four arrived, 6400 stepped forward to 'greet' the new member of the party. "It's been a long time Multehxio. So, how long has it been? 6 or 7 years since you last appeared?"
"Well, someone's happy to see me," Multehxio replied, adjusting his glasses then flicking 6400's nose. "Orangey here told me about this inter-dimensional trip deal." He grinned maliciously. "And by the way, it's been six years, six months, six days, six hours, and three... four... five... six seconds to be exact."
6400 gave Multehxio a good long stare before finally speaking again. "No pianos."
"Sure, whatever you say." Multehxio said with a smirk.
"You know this character?" Lich spoke, still wondering where he came from
"Yes, and you don’t want to know how I know him." 6400 replied, still very unhappy. "Stupid freak mishap...stupid pianos, raining from the sky..."
"Can we get on with this now?" Kuroi said impatiently, "It does take some energy to keep this portal open you know. If we have to go into battle in there, we may need all the energy and power we can get."
With a collective nod of agreement followed by another wise remark, Multehxio walked up to the portal to stand beside Kuza and Hl'garng as 6400 and Sapphire went to attend to Lich.
"So, you sure this will work?" Lich asked Sapphire before she would cast the spell to knock him out while jumping through the portal.
"Yes, it's simple. I'll just cast Sleep twice. Once to put you to sleep; the second to put you into a knocked out state."
"Then after that, I'll carry you through." 6400 added.
"Well, there's no going back. Let's do this thing."
Sapphire closed her eyes and concentrated, forcing energy into her palms. "Sleep! Sleep!" she called out as she cast two spells in succession, putting Lich into a comotose state.
6400 then picked Lich up and walked up to the portal as he carried his cousin, something felt awkward, like a weight imbalance. He made a mental note to ask about it later on. "In we go."
6400 jumped in first carrying Lich, followed by Sapphire, then Multehxio, then Kuza.
Hl'garng stood looking at the portal, fearing for his life. He had never seen such a thing...ever.
"It's safe to pass through." Kuroi said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "There's nothing to worry about."
"The darkness alarmeth me," Hl’garng said softly, still unsure about what to expect on the other side.
"Trust me, you'll be able to see fine on the other side." Kuroi said, trying to reassure him. "I'll be right behind, and everyone else is waiting on the other side."
"O... Okay." Hl'garng said, closing his eyes and hopping through.
Into the
darkness once again, Kuroi
thought before jumping in herself.
---
"Ah, Dy, good to see you back."
Lich opened his eyes and found
himself half-transparent in the
"I see you’ve lost the paint," he continued.
Lich nodded. "What’s happening?"
"Nothing
much has changed on the Kakkara Front, but, what’s
going on is, do not–"
---
Hl'garng opened his eyes, amazed that he was floating in a pitch black world, but still able to see everyone. "How can this be? How can I see you all in this darkness?"
"It's a simple explanation," Kuroi said.
"Yes, yes, it surely is," Multehxio said as he butted in, "but there's no point in explaining, so let's go."
"What's he in a rush about?" Lich asked as he was awakened from Sapphire's spells.
"He had to take off his glasses. For some reason, he wasn't able to see with them on," 6400 said, pleased with Multehxio's discomfort.
"As I was saying..." Kuroi continued, "the absolute lack of light in this world amplifies the effect of whatever light is available. What would be seen as the faintest glimmer in our dimension would be stretched by the lack of light in this dimension and would end up being more than plenty to light a large room."
"Amazing. What be those little specks of light over yonder? Are those... stars?"
"No, they aren't. Besides the portals formed by myself and Kurayami, there are natural occurrences of temporary portal openings. These openings let in enough light to make the appearance of stars in the distance."
After some more arguments, questions, and explanations (like why there is air, and how to control where to float), things began to settle down.
"There's one more thing to point out before we get going. Those dreaded Shadow Crystals." Kuroi spoke, pointing her staff at a purple haze that seemed to outline an object. "The crystals are the by-product of the process that expels light from this dimension. When a ray of light is stretched too much over time, it creates an effect similar to 'reaching the velocity needed to break from gravity and fly into space'. The light breaks out of the dimension, and leaves an extensive clump of darkness. Enough to solidify it into a solid mass. Being 'solid darkness', a Shadow Crystal naturally has an extreme lack of energy and it will drain energy from whatever makes contact with it. It hurts a lot. Both 6400 and I know first hand."
"Now that the explanations are over, shall we get ready to go?" 6400 asked.
"Yeah. You and Sapphire can do the seraph thing now so we can all see a little better."
"Hl'garng, Sapphire and I are going to change forms. Please don't be alarmed. Also, please don't be dazzled."
"I shall try."
"Shall we?" 6400 said, extending his hand out to Sapphire.
"Okay," Sapphire said, taking his hand.
"Infinite Factor!" they both called out, a flash of light brightening the area. Then the light dissipated, 6400 and Sapphire became visible once again, now wearing more intricate battle wear and with wings sticking out from their backs.
Hl'garng just floated there in amazement. Not moving, not talking, not blinking, barely breathing. Lich quickly floated into him to knock some sense back into him.
"S... sorry. I... it is just that I have never seen such a thing ever in my life." Hl'garng said, still in shock from seeing
"Let's just get going," 6400 said with a sigh. "This is not the time or place to sit around being amazed."
"Dog gone
it!" Multehxio exclaimed. "Even with this
light, I still can't see with my glasses on!"
---
The group floated through the Shadow Dimension for what seemed like a number of hours, with Kuroi in lead.
"The location to open the exit portal is not far now." said Kuroi, "All we have to do is get…WATCH OUT!"
The group scattered as a purple energy blast careened through and a massive structure composed of Shadow Crystals and rocks became visible in the distance.
"Pretty nifty fortress," Multehxio said with a hand rubbing where a chin would be, "there's an apparant lack of originality though. What a pity."
"No…way." 6400 said as he
looked it over. He only knew of two floating fortresses that had a large energy
beam generator as a main weapon: The Genesis and
"The Genesis
combined with
"Why, hello there," boomed Kurayami's voice over a speaker as he stepped up onto the parapet fortress tower, mic in claw, "what brings you all to my domain this time?"
"It's not your domain!" Kuroi called out, "You just happened to find it, and decide that it was convenient to stay!"
"My, my...I'm happy to see you too...Kuroi," Kurayami spoke with a scowl. "Let's see, we met just recently in Star Road. You tried to kill me. Too bad it didn't work out too well. Want me to break your arm so it has to be healed again?"
Kuroi then went silent, putting her hand over the point where it was broken, though there was no trace of injury thanks to Sapphire.
"Ah, 6400," Kurayami said, turning to look down on him from the top of his fortress, "we still have a score to settle. You got lucky with that hit."
"Let's just skip the talk fight then," 6400 replied, unsheathing his sword, the blade igniting with blue flame. "It ends here and now."
Kurayami growled and dropped the microphone, large black wings sprouting from his back. With another growl, the flesh of his left claw and arm began to expand and a silver hilt burst from his palm with a splatter of dark red, almost black blood. "It will be the end...FOR YOU!" he exclaimed, grabbing the hilt with his right claw and extracting the blood covered Nightmare Obsidian from his arm. Then, just as quickly as the sword materialized, the arm healed and Kurayami leapt from the fortress tower. With a wave of a claw, the fortress disappeared and Kurayami took flight towards 6400.
As Kurayami flew, an object suddenly appeared in his way, smashing into him. Debris floated out in all directions as the piano shattered against the Dark Yoshi.
"Who dares…" Kurayami growled, looking around.
"I do, mister all powerful," Multehxio spoke, grinning.
Kurayami quickly flipped around and
disappeared, appearing behind Multehxio. "Learn
some respect... fool," he said, smashing Multehxio
with his tail and into a Shadow Crystal formation.
Taking the distraction to his advantage, 6400 quickly tackled Kurayami into a cluster of floating rocks and sealed it with a spell. After that, he took the time to speak, "Sapphire, Kuroi, Lich, take everyone and get out of here! I'll take care of Kurayami."
"6400, we can fight too," Kuroi said, charging her staff with energy.
"Yeah, Brian, let us help," Sapphire said, drawing her bow.
"You don't have to do this alone cousin," Lich said, holding the Cyan Arc ready.
"NO! I can't fight him at my maximum with you all here...too much to protect...hurry! PLEASE GO!"
Everyone then cleared out, just as Kurayami broke from the seal.
"Your maximum will not save you from me," Kurayami growled.
"I wouldn't
be so sure of that, Kurayami," 6400 replied, the
already glowing blade of the Ilumina Edge igniting
into a shining blue blade of energy and increasing in length. "Let the
real duel begin."
The sound of weapons clashing and energy blasts being fired soon filled the area as Kurayami and Yoshi6400 fought. However, neither of them managed to deal damage to the other.
"Heaven's Force!" Yoshi6400 called out as he fired out a white beam of energy towards Kurayami.
"Give it up!" Kurayami yelled, swatting the beam aside with the Nightmare Obsidian. "You will never be able to hit me."
"Haven't been able to hit me either. Gloat when you manage to make a scratch," 6400 retorted, getting into a battle stance
"SHUT UP!" Kurayami growled, grabbing a nearby mass of Shadow Crystal and hurling it in 6400's direction
6400 braced himself, the crystal mass too large and too fast to dodge or destroy. As the crystal mass came close, 6400 forced his protective Soul Field barrier against it in an attempt to deflect or stop it, a black explosion occurring in result. When the explosion and debris cleared, 6400 was nowhere to be seen. In his place floated a large green dragon with four feathery wings. "Angelic Dragon time. All stops pulled."
"Fine then," Kurayami muttered, a grey haze beginning to surround him, "no more playing around."
Kurayami re-absorbed the Nightmare Obsidian, expanded his wings and floated there, as 6400 flew at him with maximum speed. Then his body began to contort and grow, metal components sprouting out of his arms and wings as he changed to his Mechan-Dragon form.
6400 reached black dragon just as the transformation finished, but that didn't mean anything. He raked at the metal and flesh with his claws and then swung his tail, knocking Kurayami back.
Kurayami, angered by this first strike, opened his claws and began to retaliate, firing null-matter blasts at 6400. The Angelic Dragon attempted to counter the shots by spitting fire, but a forceful explosion resulted instead.
Yoshi6400 growled as he was knocked back and through a number of Shadow Crystal formations by the blast. He quickly righted himself, flew up, locked claws with Kurayami, and bit into his neck. Kurayami roared in pain and then returned the favor, slashing with the sharp blades that extended from his wings. The two stayed locked, staring, growling, blood seeping from the wounds that had been inflicted by the fierce attacks.
"You will be destroyed by my power!" Kurayami growled out as he absorbed dark energy from his surroundings, his metal chest plate opening up to reveal a weapon. "Black Hole Cannon!"
Kurayami kicked 6400 back and activated his weapon. A black sphere quickly collected at the front end of the weapon, drowning out the ambient light of the 'stars' and even the glow emitted from the nearby Shadow Crystals. The only light that stayed constant was the aura of 6400's Angelic Dragon form. Then, a pull began to grow from the sphere, drawing in Shadow Crystals and debris in the area...
"With all the dark energy I've absorbed into this…you will never survive!" Kurayami yelled, releasing his hold on the black hole and launching it at 6400.
"As I said before Kurayami, it ends here and now…FEATHER RAID!" he yelled.
Instead of flying away or to dodge, 6400 flew directly at the oncoming attack, forming his Soul Field barrier in front. Flapping his wings and forcing energy into his levitation ability, he picked up speed, the edges of the Soul Field distorting and giving off a haze of white light…resembling feathers.
"I am Brian Yoshike, Yoshi6400, the God of Warriors! I will stand up against the darkness! I will not be defeated!"
6400 then smashed headlong into the black hole, shattering it, and then smashed into Kurayami, a distance behind it.
"N-NO…IMPOSSIBLE!" Kurayami screamed, trying to absorb more darkness from his surroundings. It was no good though, as the Soul Field tore through his form, as it tore through his very being...
Yoshi6400 floated there, back in his Yoshi Seraph form, blood still seeping from the wounds that carried over after transforming back. There was no trace of Kurayami left, but there was someone he did recognize...
"Matt?" he said, looking over to the battered body of his old friend and rival, the friend he lost on that day of Commencement, the friend that turned into Kurayami.
"Brian…thanks…you finally freed me of the darkness," Matt spoke softly, fighting to speak, despite the pain he was in.
"Matt, hold on, I'll help you with my powers." 6400 said as he quickly rushed up to his friend.
"No. There's nothing you can do," Matt said with sorrow. "I was already lucky enough to have my life force pulled from Kurayami as you went through him. I don't have enough life force left to live on, not even if you restore my health…but I have enough to say a few things."
"So, I managed to free you…just so you can say goodbye?" 6400 asked, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Yeah…that's the gist of it…but there is one more important thing to say before the goodbye," Matt began, coughing up some blood in between, "Kurayami…may…may be able to return. And if he does, without me inside, he truly will be pure evil…pure darkness."
"How? Didn't I just destroy him?"
"Being stuck in him for so long gave me time to figure things out," Matt continued. "Kurayami is an amalgamation of countless dark forces and souls, from all around Yamauchi. There's even a bit of darkness from the two of us…this, combined with the Twilighter powers he absorbed from Havering and Multehx and the absorbed Nightmare Obsidian makes losing a body not totally enough to destroy him. You have to eliminate the darkness within him as well."
"So, the battle with him isn't over yet," Yoshi6400 growled, clenching a fist.
"No…no, it isn't. Also, I think that he managed to take a piece of Havering's essence back on Zolott. Using that and his Vile Genesis fortress as bargaining chips, he can probably get what he needs from Havering to make a new body.
“Well…I think…it's time for goodbye…my…friend…" with those last words, Matt disappeared, the only trace of him left being the green pendant that he always wore.
"Goodbye, Matt. Rest in peace."
Yoshi6400 then pocketed the pendant and took flight towards Sapphire's energy.
---
"He'll be here," Sapphire said with hope. "I can feel it."
"Sapphire, he wanted us to hurry and go," Kuroi said as she formed the portal out, "I can come back for him after everyone’s safe on the other side."
"Brian's on his way. I think he won," Sapphire said, still waiting. Just then, a white glow could be seen in the distance, getting closer and closer. Sapphire quickly flew up to 6400 and healed his wounds.
"Thanks, Sapphy," 6400 said with a smile, giving her a big hug soon after. "Have I ever said how soft your wings are?"
The two then returned to the rest of the group.
"I did it. Fighting darkness in the darkness. I defeated him, probably for good this time," 6400 exclaimed triumphantly.
"Congratulations, 6400." Kuroi said, "Now shall we go?"
"Nothing to say, Lich?" 6400 asked, looking towards his silent cousin.
"I'm glad that you won and all. It's just that I don't like the concept of... killing," Lich said, showing mixed feelings about the victory.
"I don't
either, but for some battles and enemies, it has to be done." 6400
replied, then turning to face Kuroi,
he said, "Let's go."
---
"What’s going on with you?" Nase asked as Lich re-appeared once more, summoned by the Mana Seed’s power.
"Trying to minimise Heratu’s on my way here," he answered. "I am warping to a point near Kippo right now."
"You are?" Nase spoke, horrified. "What I was trying to tell you before, is not to–"
Lich winked out.
"–go
home," Nase finished to himself.