The first row panel shows a dark red, scary Tazmily. No one is around, but the chamber door has been opened…
Chapter 15: Into the Unknown
The team stares down the Final Chimera, still behind the park fence. The teenagers stuck inside are screaming help as animals smush them against the bars.
Harriet
I'm not sure just how we should fight this thing, but we've got to keep it out of the city.
Matt
Attacking it outright might be a bad idea… Maybe if we got the animals out one by one, it'll eventually get weak enough to take care of easily.
Harriet
I've still got four of Marvin's vapor bombs.
Matt
Whatever we do, we should make it fast. I think something bad has happened in Tazmily.
Delphia
Do you think… the chamber's been opened?
Sylvester
That is a frightening thought.
Harriet
We'll go to Tazmily—after we deal with this thing.
The FC smashes down with both arms, impacting the road, but the team dodges out of the way. The creature's head comes down to Sylvester, with a biting crocodile acting as the "mouth." Sylvester, a little freaked out, backs up into the creature's right arm. Snakes as fingers come out and wrap around him tightly and he tries to break free for a panel, but then Harriet comes and uses Flash on the snakes, blinding and freeing them. Harriet then casts Songbird at the creature's leg, but since it has kangaroos acting as its feet, it jumps above the large attack and over the group, landing with a loud thud. It then turns around and fires ink at the group, using the squid that makes up its left arm. The group just barely avoids getting hit by the ink blasts that now cover the road. The creature then swings once with both arms, and the group ducks just in time, almost getting hit.
Delphia
It's a lot faster than it should be.
Sylvester
With all of those trapped animals working as one, it's got a lot of powerful muscle.
Matt
We're going to have to slow it down.
Harriet
I could use the vapor bombs, but I don't think four will do much to the entire creature.
The FC takes a sprinter's position, and then attempts to ram the group. They split in two to avoid it, and the creature rams into the gate instead.
Matt
Aim for its legs with the bombs, Harriet. If we just slow its legs down, we might have an advantage.
Harriet tosses two bombs at either leg. As they release their vapor, we see the animals in both legs getting drowsy. The creature "looks" at its legs and tries to move forward, but it's obviously with greater effort now. The crocodile lets out a loud snarl, and then the creature swings both arms toward the center in attempt to squish the group. Delphia quickly paints hypnosis bubbles, which hit the creature's shoulders and put the animals to sleep there. The arms fall to the ground, limp.
Harriet
Good idea, Delphia—aiming for the joints like that…
Sylvester
It might only be momentarily disabled. We should use this time to free as many animals as we can.
Harriet
Right.
The team runs ahead. For a transition, cut to the FC's head looking around with a ? above it. Now we see Sylvester banging the bars out of shape with his hammer at the creature's stomach to open them. On the right arm, Matt has stuck his tripod in between two bars and is using the height adjustment knob to lengthen the tripod, opening the bars like a jack would. This will take a few panels to make clear. On the arm, Delphia and Harriet both have one of the twirlers wrapped around a bar and are pulling them apart. A wider shot of animals starting to pour out and run away. The team gets away from the FC as the last of the animals flee into the night. The teenagers drop to the ground and recover before running away.
Will
Thanks, Sardine—I mean Matty… and friends…
Matty doesn't freak out anymore. Zoe comes over and hugs Harriet with tears in her eyes.
Zoe
H-Harriet… I didn't know you had such amazing powers… But thank you… I was so scared.
Harriet
It's okay. Get everyone clear. This thing could still be dangerous.
Zoe
Y-yeah…
Will and Zoe flee. They then look out at the creature, now made only of bars, is being commanded at the top by the brain, or in this case, the monkey, which has red glowing eyes and is quite angry. He thrashes the metal arms about, but they don't have as much force as before.
Matt
Starface must be using that monkey to command the entire structure.
Delphia
We have to get it out of there…
We see a determined Harriet. She then runs inside of the structure, and uses her twirlers as climbing gear, one at a time, to ascend the structure. The monkey looks down and takes notice. Angry, it starts collapsing the bars inward in effort to crush Harriet.
Matt
Harriet, hurry! It's trying to trap you!
With bars closing in around her, Harriet manages to get up to the neck, where she reaches out and grabs the monkey's tauk, and then slides out of the mouth and back to the ground near Matt. She calms down the monkey by petting it, and its glowing eyes return to normal.
Sylvester
You actually managed to calm the beast down…
Harriet
Maybe he has a stronger heart than most animals.
Matt
Uh, you guys…
They all turn to see the creature, now a skinny, bendy thing of misshapen bars, wobble as it gets closer in a threatening manner.
Harriet (holding her free arm out)
Well, we freed all the animals. How about we get rid of this thing now?
Matt (also with arm out)
You got it.
Harriet
Time to try out this new technique.
In a nice display, they both cast a forward PK Love on the beast, blowing it backwards, bending it, and ripping off some metal.
Matt
Darn it. It didn't do much…
Delphia
Well, it is just a large hunk of metal now. Let me try something new… that Penny taught me!
Delphia draws stars on her canvas, and then pushes it out to create a starstorm. Delphia's storm is a little different. Instead, it's basically a flaming pillar of stars that go into and sheer apart whatever its surrounding. Over a few panels, the creature gets ripped apart by the stars. Once the attack is done, it falls over, smoldering.
Matt
Wow. That was amazing.
Harriet
That must've taken a lot of self control to get right…
Sylvester
Spectacular show, everyone. We handled that creature with the utmost efficiency, didn't we?
Matt
Y-yeah… That did go more smoothly than usual.
Salsa and Samba come over. The monkey, still in Harriet's arms, reaches out for them and whines. Harriet looks down at the two.
Harriet
Aw, are these your parents?
Harriet puts the monkey down, and it goes over and gets hugged by its parents. Salsa then does a monkey salute to Harriet, and the three go off into the night.
Harriet
I'm glad none of the animals got hurt.
Matt
Of course, now they're running all around the city…
Delphia
Yes, well, I don't think that's our problem at the moment. We've got to get back to Tazmily.
They all look at each other for another panel, quite determined. Cut to a few shots of Tazmily square. A building is on fire, being put out by Thomas and Lighter, a few lamp posts are bent, and a few benches are turned over. And of course, the chamber door is open. Crystal shards are scattered nearby. We also see two slightly glowing eyes hovering the air, surrounding them distorted light rays; the aliens using active camouflage. Cut to Penny and Taras helping a few wounded people, with Vaughn doing what he can as well. The team then teleports in. They look around, unsure of what to do.
Harriet
What… what happened to the village?
They turn to see Mayor Sebastian being scolded by Pusher.
Pusher
What's wrong with you?! This would've never happened if I was still mayor!
The group runs over to Taras and Penny. Taras is hurt a little.
Matt
Taras, Penny—are you all right?
The two move aside, and we see that they've been treating Fuel's uncle Roger of all people, who is pretty banged up. His young son and daughter are nearby, the girl with tears in her eyes and the boy trying to stay strong. Fuel is also here, looking pissed off. Lighter is near him, but is calmer.
Taras
A kid came through here… the same one that attacked Cadmium…
Harriet
Winston did this?!
Taras (pan over to crystal shards)
I tried covering the chamber with a crystal, but he just blew it apart… Kid's damn tough…
Fuel (angry)
That's not the worst part! My uncle and cousins had just arrived here after such a long journey, and he
gets attacked by the two-headed dog! Look what he did to him!
Penny (healing Roger)
Fuel, calm down. You need to set an example for your cousins.
Fuel (hands on the ground, clenched teeth)
Damn it…
Roger
D-don't go in there… Something is… coming out of that chamber.
Roger's Son
Daddy…
Lighter
Roger, hang on. Your kids need you.
Roger
I… I know… Yeah…
The group stands back up and looks around.
Harriet
Where's Lucas? Why did he let this happen?
Delphia
Harriet, look.
They notice the DCMC approaching, with Gullible Guy and his cart not too far away.
DCMC Member
Well, this is just great. We can't perform with the town in this shape.
The group goes up to them.
Harriet
Who are you?
Member
We're the DCMC.
Member
Yeah, we used to be big.
Member
We thought it was the end of the world again and wanted to perform for our pal Lucas, but he's not
here, and the village is in disarray…
Matt
Did you see where Lucas went?
Member
After a boy and some monster dog came through here, roughed up the place a bit, opened that weird
door and went inside, well…
Member
Lucas and his friends followed them.
Member
But I wouldn't go in there if I were you… It's pitch black. Can't see anything.
The group goes over to the door and looks inside. Just beyond the entrance, they can't see anything.
Harriet
We have to go after them. They might be in danger.
Matt
That dog creature… It must be that thing from the swamp. That thing was scary. I don't even know if they could defeat it.
Delphia
What dog creature?
Harriet
You'll know it when you see it.
Harriet turns to Gullible Guy
Harriet
Hey—
Guy
Oh, no! Not you lot again! I've had enough of you! I'm onto you! You've been lying to me, haven't you?
Do you take me for some sort of idiot?
Harriet
Huh?
Guy
I caught on when other people started making up phony stories to get my nicely priced stuff for free! I
guess they learned from you! And now business has never been worse!
Matt
Well, instead of overpricing all your junk, maybe people wouldn't try to take advantage of your
gullibility!
Guy
I never want to see any of you four again! Here, just take this and never bother me again!
He throws a golden bow at the group, and Delphia catches it.
Guy
Now goodbye forever!
He turns to leave.
Delphia
Hey, thanks. This is really nice.
Guy
You… you like it?
Delphia
Yeah, much better than the old one… that I broke.
Guy
You did what?! You broke my merchandise?! You owe me a thousand coins! You hear me? I'm gonna
make you all work to pay it off!
Harriet
Yeah. Bye now.
Harriet jumps into the chamber as Guy approaches.
Guy
Hey! Get back here! Where are you going?
Delphia and Matt jump in.
Sylvester
So sorry, good sir.
Sylvester jumps in. We now see that the group is in a small stone chamber, the only light coming from above like a spotlight. The group looks up. Guy is yelling down into the darkness at them.
Guy
Get back here! Where did you go? Where are you?
Matt
We're a few feet away from him, and he can't see us…
Harriet
Yeah. It's… weird.
Delphia
I'm pretty sure I'd rather go forward from here than back to him at this point…
Harriet
Right. Be careful… We don't know a thing about this place.
The group walks away from the entrance in the only direction to go, down some steps, and then to an opened stone door with a dull oil lamp on either side. They go on through and onto an elevated platform with stone steps to one side. But first, they stare in awe at the place they have discovered. This chamber seems to go off in infinite directions, ending in darkness every way accept the road below. Mostly modern buildings occupy this place, but there also a few Roman, French, or Victorian structures, and maybe even a pyramid in the background.
Sylvester
My goodness… Just what is this place?
Matt
It looks like some sort of… city.
Delphia
Where's the light coming from? There's no source of illumination, but it's like everything is just
drenched in a dull, almost monochrome light…
Harriet
This… this is scary.
Delphia (looking up)
Wait, there is some light now that my eyes are adjusting. Look up there.
Matt (looking at the dark blue field of dimensional energy)
How would something like this even exist? Especially below a small village…
They go ahead and go down the steps. They start down the main road, which is very wide and long, and transitions from ancient stone or brick roads, to dirt, and to modern day asphalt. The buildings down the road fade into darkness, so Harriet launches a flash, briefly illuminating everything in a bright white.
Harriet
It's like it goes on forever.
Sylvester
It is eerily silent… Not a sound of wind nor life…
The group hears a thud behind them. Frightened, they turn around to see nothing for a panel. Then the two aliens appear, coming out of their cloaks.
Delphia
Ah! It's those alien guys!
Harriet
Yeah, but they're actually here to help.
Delphia
That's what you said to me when you told me about their Googoo story or whatever, but still… They're
tall and kind of creepy…
Matt
What are you two doing here? Where did you go after the tower collapsed?
Isa
We headed to the village above afterwards, hoping to meet you here.
Gary
We arrived right before you did. We hid ourselves and tried to understand what had happened.
Isa
Unfortunately… Our ship suffered catastrophic damage.
A few panels of flashbacks. The first one is of the rock hitting the ship.
Gary
We lost one of the engines after a piece of the tower hit us.
Show Winston entering the ship and firing off a devastating attack on the aliens.
Isa
And then Winston got inside and attacked us! Us! Something is seriously wrong with his mind control
program. That isn't even supposed to be possible.
A panel of Winston flying away from the burning ship with two gold swords on his back.
Gary
He then proceeded to steal a pair of powerful blades from us.
Finally, a panel of the ship crashing into a mountain.
Isa
We managed to evacuate all of the mooks, but our ship crashed into a mountain… It's destroyed.
Back in the present.
Gary
Unfortunately, we might be stuck on this world. We could send out a distress signal, but we wouldn't
be picked up in decades…
They all look at one another for a panel.
Sylvester
I'm sorry for your misfortunes, but are you going to assist us? This place could be very dangerous…
Gary and Isa look at one another for a panel. Gary speaks to the group with crossed arms.
Gary
I'm sorry, but my partner and I have decided to stop interfering with your planet's affairs.
Isa
We have caused enough damage already. To aid you further would be in violation of our laws.
Harriet
What? So you just use us up this point, and now you're going to just follow us around and not do
anything?
Gary
You must understand that our goal was always to get inside of this place and see what has become
of Giegue, or whatever remains of him. Outside of that, we had no other obligations.
Isa
Having said that, we will hold by our promise and free Winston as soon as we find him.
Gary
But we will not aid you in any other way. I'm sorry.
Harriet
Fine… but you can at least talk to us, right?
Gary
Depending on the conversation.
Harriet
You have any idea what this place is?
Gary
We could conjure any number of theories, but without our ship's science lab, we probably couldn't
prove anything.
Isa
However, there is a good chance that this chamber exists outside of the dimension of the rest of your
world.
Matt
Outside of the dimension?
Voice
He is correct.
Starface suddenly comes into form right near everyone. They all look at it, but no one does anything.
Starface
You didn't draw your weapons this time. I am glad you have managed to accept that harming me is
impossible.
Sylvester
But you're going to try again to do harm to us again, are you not?
Matt
Yeah, great job turning the zoo itself to life and hurting all those animals!
Starface
…
I will be honest with you. This dimensional plane nullifies all of my abilities. I have no power of time-
space manipulation here. In addition, my available energy is waning… I may not be able to hold a
tangible form for much longer, and will thus be forced to sleep once again. All I can do with you now is
speak… and try to reason…
Matt
Then you can do all that while we're walking. We're in a hurry.
The group begins walking away from Starface, as if not taking it seriously anymore. Starface drifts and follows from behind.
Starface
The place you are seeing… is a dimensional subworld, a pocket for discarded creations. It is not meant to be seen or accessed by any organic life forms. Ever. You being here is an anomaly.
In other words, this is where the discarded refuse of past worlds that was not recycled lies dormant.
Gary
Past worlds?
Starface
This… is not a place you should be in. It will be difficult to understand what you'll see if you continue in this direction.
Matt
This is the only way to go. And if my brother is at the end of all this, then I'm not stopping.
Starface
Your determination is admirable, but the current mindset you follow will soon lead to the destruction of
the entire universe.
Harriet
You keep telling us that, but we don't even know what we're doing ourselves yet! Can't you just take
our word that we won't let that happen?
Starface
Words of promise are little compared to foreseen futures…
Voice
Ugh…
Sylvester
Who was that?
The group runs over to an intersection. Kumatora is on the ground to the right, pretty banged up. The road has cracks and starstorm craters. They go over and Matt instantly starts using healing, but Kumatora pushes him away.
Kumatora
Don't… waste your PSI on me, Matty. I'll be fine… I've been fixing myself for awhile now… Might've
pulled myself out of the brink, in fact…
Harriet
Kumatora, what happened? Where are the others?
Kumatora
We… got attacked… Ugh… Can't believe that thing is still around… Guess even the dragon couldn't
get rid of it…
Delphia
Get rid of what?
Kumatora
If you see a nasty thing… with teeth… just run. Ugh…
Harriet
You're hurt pretty bad, Kumatora. We should stay and help you.
Kumatora
Look, just forget about me and get after Lucas! He… he's in danger… His PSI was never as acute as mine and I can detect things he can't… There's something evil in the place… Something… dark.
Isa
I sense something, as well. Something in the air has been getting heavier the further we've gone in.
Kumatora
Just go. Lucas will need help… He isn't acting his usual self. He's rushing into things…
Harriet
Okay, Kumatora. Take care of yourself.
Kumatora
You too… And be on the lookout for other nasty things lurking down here… Just keep going down this
road. Duster and Lucas should be just ahead.
The team rushes ahead.
Kumatora
Good luck…
Cut to the remains of Fourside from above, and we can just see the main road and the group running along it. Back down at them, we see that they're worn out and walking again. They look out at Fourside to one side, and directly across is the Mother city of Ellay, marked with a broken sign. It has simpler, squarer buildings like in its game.
Gary
Remains of human cities that stretch out for as far as we can see…
Matt
This is a graveyard for them…
Starface
Not everything can be salvaged when a world is reset…
Sylvester
And what, exactly, happens when you reset the world?
Starface
Your world has been recreated three times now.
Matt
Three times? Does that mean… everyone has died and been reborn three times?
Starface
Not exactly. There are different degrees to which a world can be reset. When I perform this process, I
often start by bending and rearranging the world, in effort to fix its problems, but little changes in whole.
The second time I reset your world, it was due to an impending invasion by the one you two have
called Giegue. I foresaw that it would be an invasion no one of this planet would be able to stop.
Gary
You're saying that Giegue was leading an invasion on this planet? Why? Why would he do such a
thing? And why reset the world because of it? Even if the humans were to lose, that wouldn't spell the
end of the entire universe, would it?
Starface
Your people are to blame. In the second version of this world, Giegue settled and was raised by a kind
woman. But it seems that a song of hers drove Giegue into lunacy. After a long period of hibernation in
which his mind likely deteriorated further, he retaliated. However, three children—one a savior, had
managed to rediscover the song and drive Giegue away.
Harriet
A simple song did all that?
Isa
Certain… harmonic sequences have been known to cause damage to our minds. It is one of the
caveats of having such sensitive brains. In fact, in our culture, sound sequences have been used before to open or seal something away, even.
Gary
Are you saying that Giegue led two invasions?
Starface
Yes. His second posed a far greater risk to the stability of the universe. Giegue's powerful mind had
begun to collapse in on itself, bending reality completely and turning Giegue into a monstrous life form
able to tear apart time and space.
Gary
His mind became an uncontrollable weapon…
Starface
The being then saw itself as Giygas.
Gary
"Destroyer" in our language…
Isa
Whereas Giegue means "giver."
Starface
I foresaw that this second invasion would cause almost immediate destruction to not only this world, but
if he were allowed to build an army on a fallen Earth, he would threaten the entire universe as well. There was nothing that could stop this from happening.
Matt
Except you, right?
Starface
Indeed. It is my very duty to prevent complete universal destruction. I was forced to reset your world for
a second time, this time rearranging it even further. As I can move through time as easily as space, I began this third world set in the distant past, where humans had not even come to being yet. Giygas arrived at this strange, new, unfamiliar world and had no choice but to live in the past. But his powers could extend beyond time and space, and he was able to attack from this distant past.
Fortunately, I set in motion a prophecy that would eventually bear four children capable of defeating Giygas. And they did just that. Unfortunately, nothing is eternal, and my third world eventually collapsed nearly a thousand years later from the humans' own self destruction…
Delphia
That's the world Leder must've spoke of…
Starface
As the universe was safe, I had no reason to restart a world that had been devastated by its own
people, so long as they could not extend their pestilence to the stars. However… something very unique occurred. Your people managed to discover the well of energy that I can tap into, that exists on an empty dimensional plane, but can only be fully accessed by one human in a generation—a failsafe. In this case, it was Lucas—he and his twin brother. Only ten years ago, your own world was reset by a power most call "the dragon." But that story, you already know now…
Harriet
So that was the place Lucas grew up in.
Starface
Yes. I keep the memories of the ones I call saviors, wherever they may appear through the universe.
Lucas is one of them from your race. So are three others. They have all changed fate and have saved
everything, with or without some intervention on my part.
Delphia
So Lucas is a savior… And you can't attack him?
Starface
I will not permit myself to ever attack a savior.
My abilities as a universal guardian allow me to do things no other life form could… I can see all time
at once, even though it is constantly changing. I can also set in motion a chain of events that sapients
often call "fate." I also have the power to break "fate." You are also not the first humans to know of me.
There have been others, and they have called me different things throughout time. Sometimes it's
a "god," or a "prophet," or more recently, even an object of divinity called an "Apple of Enlightenment."
But I am none of these things. I am not even alive in the true sense. I am a reaction and creation from
the universe itself.
Sylvester
So much to comprehend… I don't know if I could begin to try.
Matt
You've reset the world twice, so what about the very first world?
In a large panel, the group stops where Fourside, Ellay, and another city intersect. Straight ahead, complete with our world street names, advertisements, and logos, is Times Square, New York.
Starface
In the very first world, humans themselves eventually posed the risk to the universe. I was forced to
reconstruct your world to prevent this from happening.
Starface closes its eyes and concentrates. A wave of color suddenly sweeps down from above over Times Square, returning it to life briefly. Crowds and cars walk by, and all the ads are lit up. Starface and the gang are among the crowds, but as they are only memories, everyone just walks by or through them.
Starface
The first version of a world, its natural state, always lasts the longest. And most often, it falls victim to materialism and vanity, or to war and the pursuit of more ownership.
Delphia (watching people go by)
So these people are our ancestors?
Starface (projection turns into a starfield and then into the galaxy)
Yes. Eventually, they reached the stars. But they were too aggressive. I could sense their longing for
universal dominance. Had they encountered another alien race, there was a strong likelihood of war
and enslavement. This leads to great instability. When a species chooses this path, I can foresee them
causing great universal destruction as an inevitability.
Your ancestors overburdened themselves. They strived for too much, too early in life. They had
discarded simple things, became miserable, and sought to spread their misery.
The galaxy zooms down on Earth as we know it.
Starface
I returned everyone to their homeward and rebuilt it, constructing new stories and memories for
everyone. This first new world was in the model of their previous, making it easier for their minds to accept. I gave them a second chance in a similar world. But GIegue saw to it to end that chance prematurely.
All the projections disappear.
Harriet
Wow… And… and this place from the first world? I get the feeling that… That humans did make it, but it's such a distant one…
Matt
If intelligent life is so dangerous to the universe, why not just wipe it all out and be done with it?
Starface
I believe that I am a reaction to life itself from an entity that has no life at all. Thusly, I exist only because
life does. For that reason, I strive to protect it in the end. All life.
Delphia
This is all starting to go above my head…
Sylvester
It is quite a humbling philosophy.
There's a roar, and a loud scuffle. Everyone watches as the Ultimate Chimera backs up from behind a building, obviously trying to back away from something else. Not noticing the group, the chimera gets to the center of the square.
Harriet (whispering)
That must be the thing Kumatora warned us about…
Matt
It… it's scary…
The cerberus suddenly leaps out and attacks the chimera, biting it and rolling around with it for a few panels as the group watches, stunned.
Harriet
That… that thing is here, too?
Delphia
Huh? That dog thing? What, you've met that too already? Man… I missed out on a lot…
The chimera gets its huge teeth around the cerberus and bites hard, causing the creature to whine and its skin to start to break off. Its green ooze begins to get on the chimera, which is highly toxic. The chimera tosses cerberus away to protect itself. It turns and looks at the group for a panel, but then turns around, jumps up to the rooftops, and disappears. The cerberus, limping like a dog, comes over and growls at the group. They take out their weaponry and prepare to battle amongst Times Square.
Matt
That thing isn't going to let us past…
Harriet
Guess we have to fight it.
So they do. This is mostly an unscripted 10-12 page fight, and one of the most intense in the story. Here are the key points that need to be addressed during the course of this battle. Cerberus gets worse as the battle goes on, constantly shedding skin and getting green ooze everywhere. It uses all the PSI from Harmony at its disposal. Sylvester uses the nullalizer to get rid of its first power shield early on, but then Cerberus destroys the device. Cerberus's shield returns at one point, and Delphia uses Tornado to remove it. Delphia also uses PK Ground at some point, as well as PSI Drain to weaken oncoming attacks. Harriet uses Magnet to recover PP for everyone. At points throughout the fight, the Cerberus summons nearby dimensionals to aid it. Most of these are creatures we've already seen, but there can be one or two new ones. Delphia can use her bow and arrow on them. Harriet should dual wield her twirlers a few times. The aliens just watch, despite the group's attempts to get them to help, although they can at some point defend themselves against something that attacks them directly. Frequent use of PK Songbird/Love on enemies. The fight ends when Delphia uses starstorm on the cerberus in combination with Songbird and Love to create a powerful enough attack to finally damage the cerberus.
But cerberus mutates into a grotesque blob of black and green, spewing out smoke across Time Square, and spouts a third head. Eventually, the liquid-like Cerberus is sucked down a storm drain. The team is exhausted.
Matt
Do you think… that finally… did it?
Delphia
Did you see what that thing became? I hope I never see something so scary again…
Harriet
There's still that thing with the teeth lurking about…
Sylvester
Perish the thought of encountering that beast.
Gary (to Isa)
They're strong.
Isa
Yes, they are. On par with our psychic warriors, if not stronger.
Starface
Only saviors are ever this strong… But these four are not…
Starface appears in front of the four.
Starface
Please. Stop. Do not go any further. I have told you everything hoping that it would help you see
reason. Do not continue down this path.
Matt
If you can see the future anyway, why are you trying to change it?
Harriet
We're going after Winston, you Starface. So you might as well give up.
The group starts to continue again. Matt actually passes right through Starface, rather scornfully. After a few more panels of walking, they hear another voice.
Voice
C'mon, Duster! Get up! You can't sleep here!
The group turns a corner to see Duster on the ground, unconscious with Rope Snake trying to revive him. Matt and Harriet run over and both use Healing on him. He wakes up, scoots against a building, and rubs his head.
Duster
Oh… Argh… My back…
Delphia
Did that thing with the teeth do this to you?
Duster
No… actually, it was… Winston… Threw me hard with that PK Love of his…
Rope Snake
At least you're alive! You had me worried!
Harriet
How long ago was that?
Duster
Just a few minutes ago… Lucas is just ahead… See that door back there?
The group looks at a partially opened pair of massive metal doors, big enough to fit a giant through.
Duster
Right through those doors… Is where the thing he's after is. I saw it, but I couldn't believe it…
Matt
What? What's back there?
Duster
Something else the dragon couldn't get rid of, so it kept it in this place instead… Although I wasn't that
surprised, actually… And Lucas took the hummingbird egg in there… Dunno why…
Gary
Isa'liolus, whatever remains of Giegue's life aura is just ahead.
Isa
Yes, I sense it. We are very close now.
Duster
Just leave me here… I'll be fine… I think I'll eat some cheese. That'll get me on my feet again…
Sylvester
What an odd fellow. But I must admit, he has a very well kept mustache…
Duster
Yeah… You're freaking me out a bit now. Just go on ahead… I'll come when I can.
Harriet
All right. Watch out for creatures, Duster.
They proceed up to the doors, but suddenly, the Ultimate Chimera leaps down and blocks their way. It lets out its roar, but then eyes something else flying its way. A tesseractian sphere, lost from is comrades, flies in like an annoying insect. The chimera actually tries to bite it. As it flies above a manhole cover, the cover suddenly bursts off, and a long, dripping green arm reaches out and grabs the sphere. It pulls it into the hole, damaging the road in the process. A panel later, the road splits open and the cerberus pops out and lands near the chimera. Only, it isn't really a cerberus anymore. Rather, it's a horrible mixture of dimensional creatures acting as different body parts. Having lost its body, the real cerberus—actually a powerful life form that must live inside of others, has created a mishmash chimera body of the dimensional creatures it brought with it. The group, terrified, takes a step back. Even Starface and the aliens are a little perturbed.
Gary
How… grotesque.
Isa
The life form must be a parasitic one… But it requires an actual body to survive…
Starface
This is an abomination.
The freak and the ultimate chimera then rather humorously lock eyes, realize they hate each other, and start fighting again. Only, the green ooze gets stuck in the chimera's teeth, and then begins to couple and merge with the chimera. The chimera gets drenched by the ooze, which then absorbs itself into its body. The transformation lasts for a few panels. When it's over, the ultimate chimera's skin has turn to the cerberus skin color, its eyes are now red, its tale is now a hydra head, two tesseractian sphere arms are coming from its wings, and there are other more subtler combinations throughout the rest of the body. Even the bird has changed into an evil solid black thing. The chimera lets out a distorted roar, and takes a step forward. In classic Mother 3 fashion, the group takes one step back every time it steps forward. This happens over the course of a few panels, until it roars again. With the sphere arms' grabber claws spinning like saws, the new chimera jumps to attack…
Only, Dr. Andonuts comes from nowhere, lands on its back, and shuts off the switch. The chimera's eyes die, and the creature falls to the ground lifeless. Dr. Andonuts slides off the head with cane in hand, and clutches his back.
Dr. Andonuts
Oh… That threw out my back… I'm too old for these adventures…
Harriet
Dr. Andonuts?!
Matt
What the heck are you doing here?
Dr. Andonuts
I followed Lucas in at a safe distance… I just had to see this for myself before I left. After all I've been
through, I figured that seeing this place would give me… a grand understanding of everything.
Delphia
How did you stop that thing?
Dr. Andonuts
I helped build the accursed creature a long time ago. It looks fearsome, but it was originally meant to
be a popular children's toy.
Harriet
Are you kidding me? That thing?! It would eat the poor kids!
Dr. Andonuts
Yes. As a toy, it was a failure. However, it's still battery operated. And the switch on its back is all that
keeps it up and going.
Sylvester
Well, you still saved us… You have our thanks.
Delphia
We're about to head inside. Are you coming?
Dr. Andonuts
Yes, but… Not right away. I would like to get another look at that Ellay city…
Harriet
Huh? Why?
Dr. Andonuts
There is something… so familiar about it. As if I were there once, in a past life. I can hear… a song.
Sung with old friends… But perhaps I am just old and am losing my mind.
Gary
A past life doesn't seem so farfetched after all that we have just heard.
Dr. Andonuts
You go on ahead. I'll be with you… shortly.
Dr. Andonuts leaves. The group approaches the door.
Harriet
Well… this is it. Strange… I feel a breeze…
Winston's scarf goes drifting by.
Matt
(Winston…)
Matt (to Starface)
You're going to follow us in, aren't you?
Starface
Yes. Even if it is all I can do in this place.
Matt
Look… tell us if we're about to destroy the universe or something, and, um, I guess we'll try not to,
okay?
Starface
I don't see what use that will do, but very well.
They all look at one another one last time before heading in. Pan over to the chimera. The bird comes to life, flicks the switch, and the chimera starts moving again. It then jumps back onto the rooftops and disappears. It is dark in the final chamber, with minimal blue lighting still coming from nowhere at all. The group comes in just in time to see Lucas pushed backwards by PK Love, mystical stick still in hand. They watch as Winston then takes the paintbrush in his left hand and begins the final touches on the ouroboros painting at his feet.
Lucas
Ugh…
He turns to the group.
Lucas
You… you're here! Hurry! Don't let him finish that symbol!
Harriet
Lucas, do you know what that symbol is?
Lucas
I'm not sure, but I think I know what Winston is trying to do!
The humans notice the aliens. They look a little mystified themselves.
Matt
You two know, don't you? Some of your robots could use that attack! What is it? What does it do?
Isa
Very troubling…
Gary
I see. I understand now.
Delphia
What? Just tell us! Why is he using my Paint to make that thing?
This part can be told with some simple diagrams.
Gary
The Ouroboreal Rift…
Harriet
The what?
Gary
The Ouroboros symbolizes infinity. However, it also symbolizes self destruction. In that manner, it is a
metaphor for the entire universe. A constantly dying thing, that will always be reborn again.
Matt
And what does that mean for that dimensional attack thing?
Gary
It is indeed a dimensional attack. The Ouroboreal Rift is the height of telekinetic power. It is something
our people have mastered, but very rarely use on account of the destruction it can cause.
Once the PSI-enabled mind is powerful enough, it can acknowledge and observe its own sustainable
dimensions to such a degree that it can make them external for brief periods of times…
Harriet
Come on! Make that easier to understand!
Isa
In other words, the mind can create a rift of multiple, small dimensions that exist for a short time before
collapsing in on themselves. This rift can even be launched outwards.
Gary
But in order to do so, the mind must first tap into the universe and use the ouroboros as a conduit for
the power. The human mind is far too primitive to do this on its own… But with the aid of the mystic
paint to bring the ouroboros into creation, Winston makes it possible…
Sylvester
So he's using his mind to create a burst of multiple, small dimensions?
Gary
Yes.
Sylvester
Why would your people need such a technique?
Gary
We have encountered and even ourselves built material so strong, that literally nothing can penetrate
it. In those instances, the only way to get through such material is to displace it entirely.
Isa
The rift doesn't destroy any matter. It only rearranges it and transfers it to other dimensions.
Although those dimensions actually do collapse and subsequently annihilate anything in them…
Gary
That is why it can breach anything…
Lucas
That… that isn't good. Do you see that capsule in front of Winston?
The group notices the dark, spherical shape Winston is standing in front of.
Lucas
There's something… something evil in there. And it's been leaking out. You've seen what even a tiny
influence does to people and animals! If Winston frees what's inside completely, it will…
Starface
It will overwhelm the universe.
Matt
Then… then do something, Starface! I love my brother and want him back, but if he's really going to
destroy the entire universe…
Starface
I cannot engage Winston. He is a savior.
Matt
What are you talking about?! He's never saved anyone before!
Lucas
…
Harriet
Gary, Isa—stop the mind control now!
Gary already has the device out, but nothing is happening.
Gary
The helmet still isn't responding! I've even tried tapping into his mind and freeing him that way, but I
can't get through to him!
Isa
I do not like suggesting this, but… We may no longer be in control of him at all.
Harriet (eyes shut)
Winston…
Harriet opens her eyes.
Harriet
Winston, you can't do this!
Harriet runs forward.
Matt
Harriet, wait!
Harriet tries to snarl Winston with the ribbons, but they bounce off of a solid white shield. Harriet then casts PK Love, but the shield simply absorbs it.
Harriet
Winston! Stop!
Delphia, Sylvester, and Matt have all come up, and the group is now in the position they were at the flash forward at the start of the story. Harriet turns to Starface and the aliens.
Harriet
Will one of you do something? We have to get through this shield.
Starface
Winston is being protected by the entity inside of that capsule… I may be able to disable the shield with
what remains of my PSI alone, but it may only be temporary…
Starface closes its eyes and extends its arms. The shield glows, and then dissolves.
Harriet
You did it, Starface…
Starface
I'm sorry, but I cannot aid you further. I cannot engage a savior.
Matt
Why is Winston a savior?!
Close up on Lucas, still on the ground, with his eyes closed. He responds a page later in a 2 panel page with Lucas in the middle, overlapping them. It shows Winston and Claus in the same pose in white backgrounds.
Lucas
Because Winston is… my twin brother Claus, reborn into this world.
Harriet and Matt (next page, staring at Lucas)
…
Lucas
Starface might not be able to tell the difference between us, or it does indeed see Claus as a savior…
Starface
Claus was able to pull the objects you call needles in your old world, Lucas. That action has given him
the title of savior, no matter what body his spirit inhabits.
Harriet
B-but… This is Winston. Not Claus.
Lucas
I know. But… he's also Claus. He's both… I'm sorry. I didn't want to have to tell you this.
Lucas looks at Winston.
Lucas
Claus… I've been looking for you for so long…
Matt and Harriet turn back and face Winston. He turns around, then draws both swords, gold now. He then leaps at the group. Fade to white…