//------------------------------// // Lost: Loved // Story: Dressed to Steal // by Tatsurou //------------------------------// Coco, Bentley, Penelope, and Murray watched from inside the Sacred Cavern where the weapons had been forged. Wadjet was struggling to maintain the River of Time, but she was able to divert a small amount of her power to let the group watch the battle as it unfolded...even if she was only able to give an aerial view on the section of the River of Time that was on the roof of the cavern. It was a little disorienting at first, but the group had found the easiest way to handle it was to lay down on their backs and stare up at it, treating it like a movie. However, as they watched, one thing became clear. Sly and Carmelita were outmatched. "The only thing they've got going for them is Seft hasn't figured out how to fight such small opponents effectively yet," Bentley pointed out worriedly. "He'll figure it out before too long...probably long before they manage to break off that scab so they can actually hurt him." "Assuming he doesn't just dedicate two claws to covering the wound once it's opened," Penelope muttered worriedly. "He does have six. Easy enough to spare two for defense when he's only fighting the two of them." "Isn't there any way we can help them?" Murray pleaded worriedly. "Can't we go out and attack...as a distraction, if nothing else? We...we could throw big rocks, or get ropes around his limbs!" "Pretty sure his divine power would make him immune," Coco pointed out sadly. "The rocks would just bounce off, and he could probably pull us all right off the ground with one limb...and there's no way we could anchor any machine we could come up with...and if we can't contribute, we're just in the way." "Get Godslayer camels from that Crazy Hassan guy?" Murray asked desperately. "He already left," Penelope pointed out. "Said something about Void Camels and satisfied customers and just...vanished, tent, stock, and all." "Well can't we get weapons or something?" Murray demanded angrily. "I can't stand just sitting here!" "That why lying down!" Deik-Beck offered humorously, startling a few chuckles. "Without a weapon forged of the four metals, we couldn't even faze him," Coco pointed out sadly. "We just...have to watch and hope Mom and Dad are good enough..." As the group watched in silence, they saw Seft go down...only to climb back up and seize Carmelita. "Mom!" Coco gasped out in fear as the image - and the River of Time - wavered. "Thissss isss bad..." Wadjet hissed out as she struggled to maintain the River, and keep it from overflowing its banks. "We have to do more than just sit here!" Bentley snapped out. "Isn't there any of that metal left? An arrowhead would be enough!" "Just the fragments I...fed to Deik-Beck..." Coco spoke up thoughtfully. "Is that enough metal to make him a weapon?" Penelope asked hopefully. "But even if it was, what could he do?" Murray asked thoughtfully. "Not much," Diek-Beck allowed softly. His optics blinked, and glowed red. "But I can do more," he said in a very different voice, one almost familiar. Everyone spun towards him in shock. "D...Diek-Beck?" Coco gasped out, afraid. The optics blinked to normal. "I love you," he said in his normal voice. The optics blinked to red. "I'm sorry." Diek-Beck raced over to the Divine River, then turned back...one optic normal, one red. "Goodbye," the two voices said together...before he threw himself into the Divine River. "Diek-Beck!" Coco called out despairingly...only to watch in awe as the Divine River blazed with sacred light that was almost blinding. As everyone turned and shielded their eyes, a metal figure erupted out of the light to plunge into the vision of the battle. The vision wavered briefly as the River of Time stilled. Wadjet stared up at it, blinking. "...didn't ssssee that coming..." she muttered in surprise. He descended from the sky, wings folded as he built up speed. He would only have one chance to inflict enough damage to turn the tide, and he would only get close enough if he came in with the sun at his back, where the light shone off his metal feathers like new, hiding him in the glare...and as fast as possible. He hadn't had wings for a while. There was a very real chance he wouldn't be able to pull out of this dive...but if it worked, then it would be worth it. Even if they hated him evermore after this - something he could not blame them for - his family would live. His choice was made. For good or for ill, he was one once more...a page in the Cooper Legend once more in the sky. "...and the only thing that stands in my way is the two of you!" Seft bellowed as he began to crush Carmelita. "Not quite," he declared calmly, remembering his voice. Spreading his wings, he blotted out the sun...then shifted so light reflected off his living metal feathers straight into Seft's eyes. He drowned out the Scorpion King's bellow...with Clockwerk's hunting shriek. He slammed into Seft's chest at full speed, knocking him back several dozen yards despite being less than a quarter of his mass, small enough Seft coul grasp him in four limbs and tear him apart...but Seft wouldn't dare, not with Clockwerk's talons embedded in his wound and pulling. "You think you can hurt me, Clockwerk?" Seft barked out angrily. "That wound can only be damaged-" "By a weapon forged of divine alloy," Clockwerk interrupted. "Forged in sacred and unholy fire, cooled in the Divine River..." Panels slid back on his cheeks, revealing two bloodstains. "And linked to the ones who wounded you by absorbing their blood in forging. That was almost too easy to collect." Seft stared in shock. "Do you realize what you've done to yourself? By spirit, you are nought but a weapon now! One for your ancient foe and his woman!" "No," Clockwerk growled as his whole body glowed. "For his daughter!" With a shriek, he jerked back...and tore the wound wide open. Seft staggered back with a bellow of pain. "I will drag you to hell!" he roared as he lunged forward. Panels on Clockwerk's back opened, and a barrage of lasers and missiles blasted Seft, knocking him back and making him stagger. "It is where we both belong," he snarled out. He then glanced over his shoulder. "What are you idiots waiting for? Loopholes only stretch so far, and I can only hold him for as long as my ammunition lasts!" Shaking off his stunned amazement, Sly raced forward, deciding to deal with Clockwerk after Seft was down for good. Carmelita rushed in after him, and they both leapt up Seft's body as they dodged missiles, lasers, talons, and pincers as the titans clashed. Before they made it all the way up, Clockwerk's weapons withdrew. "Damn...one chance left..." With a desperate shriek, he lunged forward and closed his jaw around Seft's face, digging his hooked beak into the monster's left eye. Seft bellowed in rage and agony...a bellow that cut off as Carmelita plunged into his body cavity and slashed open one lung with the shock-blade configuration of her flail. "I...Impossible..." Sly reversed his grip on his cane. "That's Coopers for you," he snarled before slipping his hook into the beast's beating heart...and ripping it open. As the blood burst out explosively, Seft roared in agony as his entire body began to glow. Clockwerk reached in, grabbed Sly and Carmelita, and flew off just before the Fell God exploded, the divine energy expelled into the world as the last trace of his ambition was erased from time.