Chapter 11: Chained Terra

Story by RazialDrakken on SoFurry

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Hi, sorry for being late with this one. As with everything in life, little surprises happen when you least want them to.


Rocky couldn't believe the situation he was in, yet it was still happening. He ducked an energy blast and jumped from one floating rock to another. Then flung a boulder at Famine, who blasted it into tiny pieces, giving Rocky the advantage. Rocky was already in his face swinging his stone mace.

Famine barely had time to block the attack that sent a shockwave, leveling everything within several hundred yards. He pushed Rocky back and stared at him in disbelief.

Despite the danger he was in, Rocky smiled because it seemed that Famine expected an easy victory and said, "What's with the long face, Famine? You seem surprised."

Famine regained his composure and cracked a smile of his own. "Admittedly, you did take me by surprise, but it matters not. I will still destroy you and everything in this land." Said Famine.

Rocky's smile faltered, and he knew that Famine would be true to every word. He had to protect not only the region but also the Dragons living here. The task seemed very overwhelming. However, he took a deep breath and said, "In that case, I shall have to stop you. I will give you one last chance to leave peacefully, or I will bring everything I have against you."

"That alone compels me to stay and see if you can back up your claim. Like I said before, I'm not leaving." Said Famine as Rocky's heart sank. Rocky hoped it wouldn't have to go this far and hated hurting anything. Even this evil creature in from of him.

Rocky sighed as he hardened his heart and began to radiate a green aura. The very air around him began to sizzle and crack with energy. He saw Famine's face grow serious and knew he could sense the power unreleased. It was like a giant reservoir that he rarely ever tapped into, but he was today. He had hoped not to use it because it switched his whole personality once it was unleashed. One side was the fun-loving, good-natured Dragon who would do what he could do to help. On the other was a fierce warrior who would stop at nothing to accomplish any task.

"Well, it looks like we have ourselves a real fighter. All right, then. Let's go!" Famine said as he stood at the ready.

Rocky's eyes started glowing green while the ground began to shake. Terrain Dragons ran and took shelter in the forest as the ground below began to crack. "EMERALD DRAGON!" Rocky shouted as a colossal Dragon rose out of the ground consisting entirely of emerald. It roared out, which added to the shaking of the land. Famine covered his ears as he looked up at this massive creature in from of him.

This was quite an opening for Rocky as he used a quarter of his energy to create the Dragon. However, he wasn't done as he twisted his hands and shouted, "DRAGON DIAMOND ARMOR!"

Suddenly, several pieces of transparent armor plates flew up to Rocky and assembled onto his body. His stone mace was still in his right hand as he lifted it towards Famine, who was smiling.

"Very impressive! I would be scared if I weren't one of the Four Horsemen. Now, bear witness to my power." Said Famine as he threw up his staff. He quickly chanted a spell as the staff burst into blinding, blazing flames. Rocky was forced to look away for a moment, and when he looked back, a buzzard rivaling the size of the Emerald Dragon was now hovering where the staff should've been.

"See! You're not the only one who can summon a giant creature to your side." Said Famine as he pulled out two Kamas from his back and stood at the ready. "I'm ready anytime you are."

Rocky and Famine stood there for the longest time with their respective beasts hovering over them. Suddenly, they both charged each other and engaged in combat--both skilled fighters going full speed, trying to be the first to find an opening.

Up above, the colossal beasts collided with the sound and intensity of an atomic bomb. Shockwaves destroyed more than half of the city and caused part of Twin Peak Mountain to crack. Rocky and Famine ducked out of the way as the two creatures soared close by, going up into the atmosphere. Each beast was trying to outmaneuver the other.

Famine ducks a swing from Rocky's mace and tries to capitalize by hooking the weapon. However, Rocky saw this and quickly took the opportunity to strike Famine directly in the breastplate. Famine was knocked several feet away and looked up to see Rocky swing downwards with the mace. He quickly dove out of the way and readied himself again.

It appeared to Rocky that this fight was not going to be a quick one, and he wondered how long he could control the Emerald Dragon. Not only that, but he also concentrated on holding his armor in place. His energy was vast, but even he had limits and felt half-drained. He would have to switch up his tactics if he was to beat Famine.

The Emerald Dragon was one of the most challenging and advanced techniques a Terrain Dragon had. Most don't even master it, and those that do are usually old. But Rocky had mastered it at fifteen and remembered it like it was yesterday. His friends visited him on the weekend and watched as Reed Earthbond taught him.

"All right, son. Do you have your energy built up?" Reed asked as Rocky nodded.

Rocky couldn't help but feel a mixture of emotions, from nervousness to excitement and everything in between. "Okay, here goes nothing," Rocky said as he closed his eyes and started tapping into his power reservoir. This was also about when Rocky realized his personality switched when his power coursed through him.

The ground began to shake, and at first, Rocky wasn't sure about summoning an Emerald Dragon. That was until the power kicked in, and instantly everyone felt the energy explode off of Rocky. Everyone quickly backed away except for Reed, who put up his arms and pushed against the power.

Suddenly, the ground broke apart, and a massive Emerald Dragon rose out of the ground. It roared out as it looked down at Rocky's father and charged its mouth to fire.

"Rocky! Back down your power! NOW!" Reed shouted.

Rocky instantly returned to his senses as the Emerald Dragon dissolved back into the ground. He smiled at his father before collapsing to the ground. Everyone ran over and looked down at him, then at Reed.

"How did I do, father?" Rocky asked as Reed was still in shock about what had just happened. He looked down at the massive devastation on the ground and then looked back at his son. Two things were bothering him, but one was most pressing. He noticed that Rocky's whole psyche changed when he tapped into this power. A power that seemed to be greater than that of even Reed's own.

"You did amazingly well. However, there are a couple of things we need to work on. First, we need to work on your mind when you call upon your power." Reed said as Rocky quickly sat up.

"What do you mean? What happened?" Rocky asked as he looked from his father around to his friends.

"Well, you kind of had a crazed look in your eye and your energy...Well, it went straight past what anyone of us could do." Raz said as he looked at everyone else, who nodded.

"Yes, I agree. If I'm assuming right, your talents lay in your ability to access a large quantity of energy. However, it does something to your mind when you do." Buckner said as Rocky looked down at his hands.

"It's not evil, is it?" Rocky asked softly.

"No, but it can be dangerous if left untrained. That is why we are taking the time to practice. It is actually of good fortune that we spotted it now instead of later." Reed said as the others nodded again.

"All right, but where did I get so much energy?" Rocky asked thoughtfully as he stroked his chin and looked up at the sky.

"I'm not sure, son. It always seemed that you were trying techniques that should've been way too advanced for you. Yet, you have mastered nearly all of them, and I am betting that your constant push to be better helped you tap into your power." Reed said with a certain amount of pride.

Rocky saw Buckner give Raz a look that said, "I told you so." Raz only shrugged at this point as Rocky got back to his feet and said, "All right. I'm ready to go again."

Reed smiled as he continued to work with his son. Rocky remembered that lesson and had gained control of his mind during the last two years. It was one of the most challenging exercises Rocky had ever experienced, but now he was grateful for the training. With these Horsemen in front of him, he was now in the fight of his life. He knew that somehow, someway, he must win or die trying.

Famine and Rocky clashed again in combat as their beasts dueled high in the upper atmosphere. Every time they collided, it was as if the world trembled from the onslaught.

Finally, the Emerald Dragon saw an opening and fired shards at the buzzard, hitting it directly in the chest. It screeched out in agony before bursting into flames and transforming back into two broken halves of Famine's staff. The wood was blackened and smoked as it fell back to the ground. Famine noticed this and knocked Rocky back.

Anger filled Famine like the pressure of a volcano right before the eruption. Suddenly, he screamed out his rage as a red aura swirled around him. He quickly extended his hand and sent an explosive blast the size of the city up towards the Emerald Dragon. It hit dead on and sounded like a crack of thunder as it broke apart. Rocky grunted out in pain because the Emerald Dragon was still attached to his energy.

Then, Famine disappeared, and Rocky quickly looked around. He couldn't spot the Horsemen anywhere when he suddenly felt pain explode across his stomach. The air left his lungs as he heard the armor crack under the force of the blow. Another strike to his arm, causing the mace to drop from his hand as he cried out in anguish.

Famine was moving way too fast for Rocky to see, and he felt a cut open across his other arm. He grunted out in pain again and finally had had enough. He roared out loud as all the boulders floating around him blasted apart, and one of them struck Famine directly in the head. This caused his helmet to fly off as black blood flew with it.

"There you are. You have incredible speed; I'll give you that. But, is that all you got?" Rocky asked as he felt his mind beginning to slip into insanity.

"You are a fool. I will crush you and destroy everything." Famine grunted through gritted teeth.

"Yes, I've heard this before, but you have yet to fulfill that threat." Rocky heard himself say in a manic-like voice.

"Fine, I'll show you what true power is!" Shouted Famine as he suddenly charged Rocky.

Rocky readied himself for the onslaught but saw Famine stop short. This took Rocky by surprise and gave Famine the advantage.

"DRAINING SLUGS!" Famine shouted, and it happened as fast as lightning. Rocky was covered with hundreds of slimy black slugs with dull red spots. However, he noticed that the slug's spots started pulsating red light and, at the same time, felt power drain from his body.

"What the hell did you just do to me? I can't move!" Rocky grunted out and tried desperately to break free.

"Meet my Death Slugs, Dragon. They will take every last ounce of energy you have until you die. The more you struggle, the more they take from you. So, please, feel free to attempt an escape." Famine said evilly.

Rocky knew he must escape from this death trap he landed in. He had a thought rolling around in his head while these slugs drained away from his life force, and it was, "What good is my strength now that it has turned against me?" No matter how many ways he tried to think of an escape, nothing came to him. He felt himself growing weaker and knew it wouldn't belong. He hated this.

Then, another thought, or was it a memory. Yes, another memory of a long time ago, yet, it was only three years ago. He was in a very similar situation to this one, and his friends were in danger. Dragos had its versions of parasitic life that Rocky quickly learned about. Especially living within the Terrain Region. He didn't get this far by mere luck.

Yes, he had run into slugs similar to these when he was fourteen. He and his friends spent time together deep within the forest that day. It was to warm spring day, and they decided to have lunch within a clearing. After the meal, they began training and ran into trouble.

Rocky was the one they were supposed to capture as he ran deep into the forest. He waited for what seemed like an eternity and wondered if his friends would find him anytime soon. It, typically, didn't take his friends this long to see him, and with all the dangers the forest held, he began to worry. Finally, he went to go look for his friends.

It took him a great while before he found their trail and grimaced when he saw the burn marks on some of the trees. The whole area showed signs of struggle or a battle of some kind. Rocky noticed something reflecting light off of the ground and knelt down to examine it more closely. He stared at it for a moment and looked up. "Vampire Slugs! Damn, I need to hurry!"

Rocky took off again, and as he went, the signs of struggle increased steadily. Soon, he came to a rocky ridge here and heard the distinct sounds of battle just over a cliff. He ran up to the edge and looked down into the gorge; his friends were on a massive boulder surrounded by thousands upon thousands of Vampire Slugs, trying to hold them back. His mind raced as he tried to remember what these slugs and weakness was. "Of course!"

He quickly ran along the ridgeline to get in a better position as he began working the ground. The earth below their feet began to shake. Raz looked up to see Rocky jump off the cliff and land on a boulder that flew by. Suddenly, a massive amount of salt rose from the ground like an enormous beast and swept into the gorge like a tidal wave. Rocky quickly flew by with his boulder as Buckner hopped on, and the others took flight.

"What happened back there?" Rocky asked as they flew away.

"Well, we were trying to find you when that swarm came upon us quickly. It only happened after I accidentally scratched myself on a tree earlier." Raz said as Rocky nodded.

"That's what drew them. A single drop of blood will send them into a frenzy. You guys are lucky that even one didn't land on you. It alone can drain all the blood from your body." Rocky said grimly.

This brought Rocky back to the present, and he knew he couldn't move, but that didn't stop his mind. He closed his eyes as the ground began to shake while the red lights on the slugs began to pulsate faster.

"You are finally accepting your fate, I see. Good. It means you have some sense, after all." Famine said as the ground suddenly broke open, and a massive pillar of salt rose out from the depths.

"Do not count on it, Famine. I told you I would bring everything against you. Now watch!" Rocky said as he completely covered himself in salt.

Soon, there was a faint sizzling upon the wind that constantly grew in volume. Then, there were several explosive bursts as pieces of slug began to fall like rain. Rocky emerged out of the salt as Famine's face looked livid. However, Rocky felt that most of his energy had been taken and now sat close to empty. At least to what he could handle.

Rocky was brought out of his reverie by Famine, who exploded with rage. Putting his arms up, Rocky did his best to block a large amount of demonic energy and struggled against the intensity. It would seem that Famine had lost his patience, and his frustration was, finally, coming to the surface. In fact, Rocky saw the surface of Famine's body began to ripple and warp. At first, he thought it was his imagination, but it soon became more pronounced as time moved along.

"I hope you've said your prayers because I'm done fooling around with you!" Famine said sadistically and began laughing hysterically.

Famine's transformation didn't help much in the looks area. His hair grew out long and turned pitch-black, going past his waist. Bones in the shape of barbs started poking out of his elbows, shoulders, knees, and fingers. His frame grew two sizes and now towered over Rocky as if he was a dwarf. Rocky could feel the energy radiating off of him and knew it had increased ten-fold.

Rocky knew that his own energy was nowhere near enough to sustain a long battle. He would have to end this quickly and knew of only one way to do it. However, the problem was that it would take most, if not all, of his energy to achieve it. "Well, Rocky! Now you get a chance to test your limits." Rocky said to himself.

"I figured you would pray. I always know the type before I kill them. Here, let me end your suffering." Famine said as he held up his enormous hand, and a red energy ball started to grow steadily above.

It seemed to Rocky that Famine was putting all of his energy into this last attack and needed to act quickly. Rocky swiftly dove off the boulder floating in mid-air, picking up speed as he went. In his mind, he started to build up all of his energy and hit the ground with the force of a small bomb blast. He drove his hand into the ground and began to pull.

The ground began to shake like in an earthquake as Rocky started to scream out. A powerful green aura swirled around him and shouted out, "CHAINED TERRA!"

Suddenly, Rocky pulled out of the ground a pure diamond chain, but he wasn't done yet. The chain seemed endless as he quickly pulled it out, and the ground blasted open, revealing an enormous spiked ball being approximately twenty feet around. Rocky floated back up to Famine's level on his chain as most of it drifted around him. Rocky felt his energy was dangerously low now and didn't know how long he would be able to keep Chained Terra alive.

Famine laughed out loud again and said, "You must be joking! Do you honestly think you can beat me with a simple ball and chain?"

"I don't think I can. I know I can, and this is no ordinary ball and chain. It will be your death." Rocky said with a smirk.

"Oh, really? TRY THIS ON!" Famine said as he shouted out and threw the enormous red energy ball--encompassing the entire city--at Rocky.

Rocky shouted out, too, and swung Chained Terra at the massive ball of energy. As soon as they touched, an enormous explosion sent both Rocky and Famine flying in opposite directions. Rocky ended up crashing into the right side of Twin Peak Mountain while Famine hit in the forest. Rocky felt pain explode across his body and fought with every fiber to keep Chained Terra going.

Rocky was grateful that he did because Famine came blasting out of the forest in a great fury. He quickly moved out of the way as Famine tried to kick his head through the mountain. There was a loud crack like thunder as the mountain broke even further. Famine had several burn marks and cuts across his body as his armor was torn in random places. Rocky's clothes were no better, and he had several cuts and bruises, as well.

This fight had to end. Rocky knew it, but the main question became, 'how?'. Even with Chained Terra, Famine was still way too fast for Rocky to catch, but maybe he didn't need to. Another idea started rattling around in his head, and he smiled. If he couldn't see Famine, he would have Famine come to him. That would be easy as Famine was trying to kill him anyway.

"Hey, Famine?! Is it just me, or are you getting slower?!" Rocky taunted as Famine's fury grew.

"Foolish, reptile! You dare make a fool out of me?" Famine shouted as Rocky grinned even more expansive.

"You don't need me to make you look like a fool. You seem to have that down to an art form already." Rocky said as a red aura swirled around Famine.

"That's it! I've had enough! PREPARE TO DIE, LIZARD!" Famine shouted and suddenly charged Rocky in a blind rage.

Rocky quickly moved out of the way as Famine ran directly into a bundle of chains. They instantly responded and wrapped themselves around Famine. He screamed out his fury as he struggled against the chains but found he couldn't move. "Don't bother. There is no breaking out of those chains."

Famine shouted out again as Rocky lowered down to his level. "I gave you a chance to leave, and you didn't take it. I told you that I would bring everything against you, and you didn't listen. Now, I shall bury you down where no one will ever have to listen or see you again." Rocky said as he held out his hands. The chains began to wrap themselves further around Famine until he was completely covered. The only sound was muffled screams as Rocky sighed.

"DIAMOND COFFIN!" Rocky said calmly yet powerfully. Instantly, the chains around Famine fused together to form a giant coffin with several swords sticking out of it. Rocky held out his hand and closed it into a fist as all the blades ran through. There was a muffled scream as black blood dripped forth from the open slots. Rocky felt sick to his stomach as the coffin plunged deep into Dragos and was never seen again.

Then, Rocky relaxed as Chained Terra dissolved and felt himself go into a free-fall. At this point, his mind was too gone to worry whether or not he'd survive the fall. He looked down upon the world and saw it racing up to greet him like that of a lover. Soon, everything went dark in an instant as he thought of nothing more than blissfulness.

Strife exploded with the fury of his own and blasted away a nearby servant as it cried out in pain. He couldn't believe that these Dragons beat his Four Horsemen. Now, he was left with only one general, and he loathed the idea of setting him loose. However, he hated the Dragons even more, and so he would have to use General Bloodlust. Suddenly, he heard someone laughing behind him.

"Who's there?! Show yourself!" Strife demanded as another Dark Angel stepped forth from the darkness. Strife saw who it was and noticed the pale green armor that matched pale white skin. The eyes were solid black as he smiled with a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. He stood about a foot over Strife's six-foot body and came closer.

"Envy! Get out! I have no use for your idle prattle!" Strife snapped, but Envy only licked his lips.

"No idle prattle this time, Strife. I came with a message from the council. It seems that they are not pleased with your progress. Is it that hard to beat little lizards?" Envy mocked in a high-pitched voice.

Strife quickly drew his sword and held it level to Envy's throat. "Take this message back to the council: I will bring down the Dragons. Even if I have to do it myself." Envy just smiled.

"It's too late for that. The council is putting you on trial. You are at this moment ordered to come with me." Envy said as Strife lowered his sword.

"Then let me do one last thing before we go. I am going to unleash General Bloodlust upon those miserable reptiles." Strife said as Envy tilted his head to the right.

"Wow, you must really be desperate to set him loose again. It should be fun watching him take down the Dragons. Go ahead." Envy said as they both smiled and moved out onto the balcony.

Strife held out his hands and shouted, "General Bloodlust! Your time has come, at last. Go feast on those foolish reptiles."

"Thank you, kindly, boss. I shall have fun, as you say." General Bloodlust said as the chains disappeared and he flew up out of the pit. He hovered for a moment and then went through the portal.

"Alright, let's go." Strife said as both he and Envy walked into the darkness.