//------------------------------// // Chapter 35: Eortsuh's Rage // Story: SuShi's Bizarre Adventure: Nugget Run Horizon // by Jojoleopard //------------------------------// Summer Shine hadn’t thought much of the length of the bridge across Berlin to the arena on the other end, but after six minutes of running, she realized exactly how far the other side was. At this point, they weren’t even halfway there yet. “This is taking too much time!” Jojo placed his phone back in his pocket and stopped. “Tenacious D!” He jumped and spun around in the air diagonally, one hand hooking on to Tenacious’ left horn as it appeared beneath him, using it to swing himself around and on its back. Bushido and Summer nodded and jumped on as well, with Bushido having to stand behind Summer and Jojo, doing his best to stay on. “Did you manage to contact Sweetie?” Summer asked as Tenacious D sped down. They should’ve thought about this much sooner. Cajole Joyride nodded, then gave her a smirk and a thumbs up. “Help’s on the way. Prism’s going to make it, Sushi. I know she will.” “Maybe then you’ll tell her how you feel, huh?” Summer nudged him cheekily. “Hey. You’re one to talk.” Summer glanced at Bushido, then looked back embarrassedly. “Fair point. Hey, have you had any contact with Canterlot in the last few days?” Jojo sighed and shook his head. “None. I don’t know what they’re up to. I know they’re alright, but I just wish they’d tell us what’s going on.” “So true, Jojo. So true. I really hope everything’s good back home. With Dolfy defeated, I didn’t think our parents would still have to worry about Weather Alternate. I just hope we get to go home soon.” “That’s if we have a home to get back to.” Bushido was the one to bring them back to reality. “That is why we cannot fail. These Nugget People are the pinnacle of evil in this world. Weather Alternate was just the breakfast for evil such as this. Therefore, they must be stopped. By my blade and my promise to my grandfather, we will destroy them and rid their evil from the world forever.” “Well said, Bushido.” Jojo gave him a fist bump. “We’re not going to make the same mistake as our ancestors. If I’m turning them back to stone, I’m breaking them down to dust.” “Agreed.” Summer gave him a pat. “We can’t have them ever surfacing again. Let’s get to work, boys.” “Time Warp it is, then.” Jojo clicked his fingers. Tenacious D bent low and in that instant, its speed increased, sending it speeding forward faster than Summer and Bushido could handle. They had to close their eyes as Jojo’s Stand cleared the distance of the bridge, slowing to a quick stop at the edge of the arena. “We’re here. You can open your eyes now.” Jojo got off his Stand. “A little warning next time?” Bushido hopped off, swaying a bit. “Well, I got us there faster.” Jojo shrugged as Summer got off before Tenacious D dissipated. “What do you think this place is?” Now that they were closer to the arena, they could see that it indeed was an arena, one for racing, to be precise. There were grooves dug into the rock leading around in a circle, creating what looked like three pathways. The third path was closest to the edge and it looked like one could fall right off the side if they weren’t careful. There was a huge depression in the center, where what looked like a giant metal plate sat, at least twenty feet in diameter. “What is that?” Bushido pointed to the other end of the arena, where a smaller platform stood, complete with steps leading up to a throne where two figures looked back at them, one of them seated comfortably on the throne as green lightning zapped down above them. “Nugget People…” Jojo clenched both fists. “Welcome, humans. We’ve been expecting you.” The male one stepped down and walked towards the arena. “I am Eortsuh, Carver of the Earth. And it is here that you will do battle with me, one that will shake the very bearings of this world and the next.” Bushido drew his weapon and leveled it to Eortsuh’s neck. “You will pay for the evils you commit.” “Evil?” Eortsuh lifted a hand and looked at it before sliding it over his short purple hair. “We were benevolent rulers. We helped elevate humanity from the other creatures of the planet, and we taught them agriculture, how to cure ailments, cooking, the power of Stands… Every advancement you humans have today is because of us!” “Our ancestors must’ve known your true evil when they overthrew you. I know it.” Eortsuh shook his head. “Foolish humans. You never know what you speak.” “I know what I speak just fine. You’ve come back to our world long after it has forgotten you and you still think you can rule over it as you please.” Bushido placed his second hand on his sword’s grip. “This world is not yours. And everyone who lives on it deserves a chance to fight for it and their lives. To just take it all away by force is evil.” “Then you will be the one to challenge me first?” The Nugget Person lifted a hand as fire danced between his fingertips. “I will be the first and last. Your tyranny began today, and it will end today.” Bushido lifted his blade in a combat stance. However, Eortsuh wagged a finger, then made a clicking sound in his mouth. “Not so fast. We won’t be battling in head on combat, no. I have something grander in mind. That is, if you are willing to accept this challenge.” Bushido looked at his friends, then back at the Nugget Person. “I accept your challenge.” “Good, I was hoping you would.” A smile spread across the Nugget Person’s face as he raised both arms skyward in a ‘V’ shape. Around them, the rocky structure rumbled and shook before the entire ceiling folded back like some sort of origami, rolling over itself over and over before melting down into the arena’s earth. Instead of sunlight pouring in, the sky above was now overcast with dark clouds and more green lightning, and it was slowly spreading out from above Mhagmea’s throne. In the center of the arena, where the metal plate sat, a giant flame suddenly burst to life, spiraling and rising higher and higher into the air, almost meeting the clouds. It cast shadows across the arena, with Eortsuh’s stretching all the way to Summer and the group, making him look more menacing than ever. “I have a bad feeling about this,” Summer said. “You have read about the gladiators of old, have you not?” Eortsuh walked towards the three tracks that ran around the arena. “Your Roman Empire had adopted a sport we Herrakries had created millenia before. Rage, come forth!” Eortsuh lifted a hand up, then curled the other one beside his head as he spread his legs further apart. A spectral neighing echoed around them before a silvery stallion trotted along next to him, braying and stomping a hoof into the ground. Steam hissed from holes along its neck and side, then it lowered its head for its master to run a hand along its snout. “Behold my Stand, Rage,” Eortsuh said. “Your challenge will be a race around the arena, where we will do combat. The first to fall forfeits his life.” “Then you will need me as well.” Jojo stepped forward and flexed an arm, his muscles bulging. “Tenacious D will be your horse.” Eortsuh seemed to grimace at this, but then he nodded and laughed. “Very well. I will permit this. It has been ages since I last rode against an opponent. Twice the humans, double the fall.” Jojo shot out two fingers and put them against his forehead. “Your next words are going to be, ‘I’ve been looking forward to this’.” “It is time to do battle!” Eortsuh jumped on top of his Stand and raised a fist. “Dang it.” Jojo called out his Stand and climbed on top of its back. “I thought I could get a second one in a row.” “The Carver of the Earth stands before you now!” Eortsuh’s Stand rose up on its hindlegs and let out a thunderous neigh. “It was I who laid the foundation for your early civilizations, it was I who modeled the countless temples that still stand to this day. All of our previous civilization you see is because of my power.” Bushido hopped on Tenacious D and kept one hand on his blade. “And you will be here to witness it crumble before you as I end your evil forever.” “You are obsessed with cleansing the world, are you not?” Eortsuh turned to face the start of the track. “Just like that Dolfy. But you aim to remove those who commit atrocity. A good task, but one you cannot hope to succeed in once I take your head.” Summer gave them both a determined nod before stepping to the side where rows of bleachers had emerged from the earth. She looked past her friends to Mhagmea, still seated on her throne, with an amused smile forming across her face. She knew that battle would soon come and she would be glad to wipe the smile off her ancient face when the time came. But for now, it was all up to Jojo and Bushido. Tenacious D lined up beside Eortsuh’s Rage, both Stands puffing out steam as three pillars of earth dropped from the sky at their side one by one. Jojo held on tightly to his Stand as Bushido hooked his feet into Tenacious D’s back. As the second pillar fell, he gazed a weary look over to Eortsuh, noticing how the Nugget Person carried himself with confidence. It was something all four of them shared, which was no surprise, seeing as they once ruled humanity. It would be that same confidence that would be their downfall, just like Lowodda and Souyul. Sushi, I’m going to do this. And then I’ll come back to you. As the third pillar smacked and crumbled against the ground, Rage and Tenacious D were off, with Rage getting a headstart, speeding around the track, kicking up dust in its thunderous wake. Eortsuh reached behind his back and removed a heavy club, swinging it in the air once before readying it beside his body. Bushido kept a tighter grip on his sword as Tenacious D gained speed, closing the distance between them both again. Eortsuh’s Stand galloped like the wind, just keeping ahead of Tenacious D, even at full speed. Tenacious would be able to go faster if it used its Time Warp, but with the path curving around the bonfire, there was no way it could do it without risk of throwing them all off the side. “You would be wise to not let my Stand gain speed,” Eortsuh said to them, his voice echoing behind his fleeting form. “It would be… bad for you.” “Presumptuous of you to assume your Stand is faster than mine!” Jojo pointed a hand ahead, then pulled it back and clenched it into a fist. “Tenacious D, let’s go!” Exhaust poured from Tenacious D’s throttle and it tried to catch up to Eortsuh and Rage, kicking rocks up as it traversed the arena’s track. Eortsuh saw them coming and swung his club backwards. Jojo ducked, but Bushido lifted his weapon and tilted its blade downwards, allowing the club to slide down its length before he swung his sword in the opposite direction, aiming straight for Eortsuh’s neck. Instead, the Nugget Person ducked his head, followed by kicking out with Rage’s hindlegs, catching Tenacious D in the cheek. They spun off course, but Jojo, with his cheek bruised, still managed to keep them from falling to the ground, eventually maneuvering Tenacious back on track, chasing after Rage again. “Any plans, Bushido?” he asked his companion, holding on tightly as his mind raced for ways to catch their opponent unaware. “I can think of a few.” Bushido stepped higher on top of Tenacious D. “Just keep the race going. As long as we don’t fall, I will find a way to triumph over Eortsuh. Just keep us steady and secure.” “Right. You got it. And when the time comes, I’ll be sure to lend a helping hand.” Jojo held up two fingers as energy zapped between them. Tenacious D and Rage were now halfway across their first circuit of the arena. They kept on gaining speed, which kicked up a violent wind that seemed to stir the skies themselves. Summer watched as Rage went faster and faster until it was almost a blur on the arena ground. “Is it even safe for them to go that fast?” Summer wondered. “If they can’t stop in time, they might go right off the edge. That would be bad for Jojo and Bushido, since the water below is now gone.” Leaning out of the saddle, Eortsuh drove his hand into the ground, digging up a chunk of debris before throwing it like a baseball at Jojo and Bushido. Boney M imbued its power into Bushido’s blade and he swung it skillfully around them, slicing every chunk in two, sending them flying back to the ground on their left and right. It was already getting harder to see with the dust swirling around them. Rage almost looked like it was starting to leave an afterimage, but Tenacious D kept after it, its wheels working in overtime as it sped on after the enemy Stand. Bushido had Boney M throw its shield at them, but Eortsuh saw it coming and maneuvered Rage aside, dodging the shield as it bounced back to them. “I am now traveling at thirty-four gersch an hour!” Eortsuh suddenly called back to them. “Your demise will soon come once I hit forty-two!” “Gersch? What is that, Jojo?” Bushido didn’t like the sound of that. “Uh…” Jojo snapped his fingers together. “Ancient measurement for their Nugget civilization, I believe. I think I saw that in the book, one gersch is about, uh… I don’t remember the math. But we can’t let him reach eighty-eight miles per hour.” “Eighty-eight? Is that even possible?” Bushido held on tighter as Jojo sped his Stand up further. “For kilometers, yes. A horse can run that fast. But Rage has proven to be above that. And so are we. I’ve still got one more trick up my sleeves!” Jojo’s eyes lit up with electricity, then he pressed both palms against his Stand’s back. “Hamon overdrive!” Energy blasted down through his Stand and more steam hissed from its pipes and pistons as it drove faster still, fire now burning in trails behind its wheels. Summer watched with bated breath as the fighters raced even faster, thundering past her in a torrent of wind which blew her hair around. She had to raise her arms to protect her eyes from the flying dust and debris. Mhagmea seemed completely at ease, lounging on her throne as she watched the race, but the sky above her continued to thunder and grow, expanding further across Germany as the Earth threatened to stop. “So you too can travel fast.” Eortsuh had an impressed look on his face as Tenacious D pulled close to Rage. “But will you have what it takes to defeat me?” He swung his club at them, only for Bushido to parry the strike before lashing out with a counterattack. Eortsuh continued his club’s swing and blocked Bushido’s katana from behind his back, then kicked up, sending his sword spinning in the air before it lodged into the earth behind their moving forms. Eortsuh raised his club for an attack, but Boney M appeared from Bushido, raising its shield to block it before pushing the Nugget Person back, then delivered a bash to his head. They thought Eortsuh would fall from such a strike, but the Nugget Person stayed on his Stand, clinging on to its side as his forehead dripped golden blood, turning into gold nuggets along the way. Instead of righting himself, Eortsuh circled around Rage’s underside, spinning around back on top from there. In that instant, he swung his club again, but Boney M was ready to block once more. However, instead of getting whacked in the face again, Eortsuh pulled on Rage and his Stand leapt into the air above Tenacious D, its legs kicking out as it soared. Boney M protected them from the brunt of it, but each kick was like a toll of a bell, resounding echoes through Bushido’s and Jojo’s ears, disorienting them enough as Rage landed on their left, its master igniting in flame as he tossed a fireball from his fingertips. Jojo tried to pull back Tenacious D, but he could not get it to cover them in time and the fireball slammed into his left shoulder, searing his skin and his scarf as he cried out in pain. Bushido quickly gave him a pat down before ripping his scarf from his neck and tossing it aside. “It is no use. It is too late for you now.” Eortsuh lifted his head high and laughed to the air. From his Stand’s belly, winding sounds could be heard, like that of a propeller plane ready to take off. “Rage has achieved forty-two gersch per hour. With that, its power is charged and you are about to witness the full strength of my Stand! Rage’s Hollow Gaze!” Rage neighed, then thundered ever faster across the arena, creating more distance between itself and Tenacious D. It’s eyes began to glow yellow and with a burst of flame around its face, two yellow laser beams fired out into the air in front of it. “You missed!” Jojo let out a whoop. But Eortsuh wasn’t reacting the way they expected and that made Bushido all the more cautious. “No, he didn’t miss. Look out!” The laser beams suddenly zig-zagged and came right back towards them, passing its master. Bushido called forth Boney M to block the attack again, but then it stopped before its shield before going around it, hitting Boney M in the shoulder. The impact launched Bushido off Tenacious D, but Jojo reached out and grabbed his foot, using his hamon to reel him back in before he could crash against the ground. “You have yet to hit the floor. But don’t you worry. You soon will.” Eortsuh’s eyes were flaming balls under the ever darkening sky. “As per our deal, should you fall to the ground, your life is forfeit!” More lasers erupted from Rage’s eyes, spearing straight through the air before making a u-turn and coming right back for them. Boney M readied its shield again, but as the lasers moved around, Boney M yanked its shield in the same direction, but before it could do so again as the lasers move. Boney M was going to move its shield again when the lasers moved before it could even get into position. They zig-zagged in the air like someone was drawing them with a pen which was abruptly changing direction at a whim, moving even before it could react to its new position. Bushido’s Stand was hit again, this time on its back. Bushido screwed his eyes shut as his back felt like it had just been splashed with lava. “Rage’s Hollow Gaze can see through your future movements and move before you can even attempt to avoid it!” Eortsuh let out a warcry before raising a fist to the sky. Rage snorted out a cloud of steam before yet another two beams shot out from its eyes, heading right for Bushido. “You cannot hope to stop the might of the Herrakries!” The man readied his Stand again, but he knew trying to block it again wasn’t going to do him much good. The lasers could move on their own and if he moved the shield, it would simply find a way around it. “How are we supposed to beat this?” Jojo asked, his voice distorted by the rushing wind. By now, they were traveling way over eighty-eight miles per hour. “We’re just going to keep getting shot by those lasers at this rate!” Summer watched anxiously as Rage fired off more and more of those tracking beams, each one of them striking her friends. She knew that Jojo and Bushido were tough, but so were the Nugget People. They couldn’t keep this up forever. Something would have to be done. “Come on, you guys. You can beat Eortsuh’s Stand. You’ve just got to!” The fate of the world depended on them now, and Bushido knew it more than ever. Should he let evil triumph here today, it would bring shame to his entire family name, but that was trivial now considering the end of the world was about to happen. “There must be a way to beat Rage’s lasers…” Bushido mused, trying to think of a way to defeat it as another of its lasers seared across the top of his left hand, burning it to the bone. He cradled his arm, yelling in pain, but it was not over. Not yet. “Its lasers have the ability to turn through the air and even predict our movements in advance so that we cannot counter them.” Suddenly he had a flash of inspiration. It was a mad strategy, but they simply had no other options. “Rage’s laser beams can predict our next movements…” Bushido said to Jojo. “But what if we don’t know our next move? Then maybe we might have a shot!” “What? But if the lasers are coming for us, we’ve got to try and avoid them somehow!” Jojo winced at the blackened skin on his arms. “What kind of plan is that?” “Trust me!” Bushido ripped off some strips of cloth from his coat. “Here! Tie this over your eyes!” “Are you mad?” Jojo accepted the scrap of cloth. “I might just run us off the cliff if I can’t see!” “Here. Feel the rush of air.” Bushido stuck an arm out, brushing it against the dust storm their Stands were kicking up. “The storm is moving in a circle because of your Stands. Follow its path. Trace the current. You don’t have to see. Just keep Tenacious going. Leave the fight to me.” “Well… I’ve got nothing else, so your plan tops anything I don’t have.” Jojo placed the cloth against his eyes and braced himself against Tenacious D’s back. “Whatever you’re planning, just do it fast!” “I intend to.” Bushido nodded and tied another cloth around his eyes. In that instant, everything went dark around him and he started tuning the unnecessary sounds one by one. Through the chaos around them, he found it, the thundering of metallic hooves against the rocky ground, the breath of steam from the nostrils of the enemy Stand. The crackling of fire from Eortsuh’s body. They were ahead of them at least by ten meters now and they were still pulling further ahead. Then he heard the winding up of an engine. It was Rage, preparing another burst of lasers from its eyes. He didn’t know if his plan was going to work, but he was about to find out. “Here goes nothing, Bushido!” There was the telltale hum of a laser coming for them. Feeling the air around him, Jojo could somehow sense that the air was growing warm in one direction. That must be where the attack was coming from. But how to avoid it? He didn’t know what to do next. But that was the key. “Bushido!” Jojo shouted. In reply, Bushido made Boney M slam its shield against the ground, launching them over the beams and further ahead on the track. The beams passed under them and hit the ground instead, unable to even turn to get them in the air. Bushido could picture the shocked expression over Eortsuh’s face now as he had Boney M pull its shield back. “We have one shot at this. Be ready!” Bushido warned and sent his Stand out ahead of them. He knew they were coming up on the location of his sword. They’d run enough rounds around the arena to remember. It was going to be a close call, but he was sure he could succeed. Boney M now floated in the air in front of them and as Tenacious D rammed full speed into its shield, it tilted it so that Jojo’s Stand would slide off its rounded edge before pushing out with all its might, sending Tenacious rocketing towards Rage like a missile. “Bushido, what did you do!!!” Jojo’s voice trailed away as they flew right over Bushido’s weapon. Reaching out, he grabbed it with one hand before Bushido returned to imbue the sword with Stand energy. Eortsuh hadn’t expected them to approach him so quickly, but already, Rage was firing off another set of lasers. Bushido twisted his body as the lasers speared past, avoiding one while the other one went right through his foot. But this was his perfect chance. Moving so quickly, even Eortsuh could not get Rage out of the way in time and Bushido’s sword went right through Rage’s master, coming out the back as Bushido let go of his weapon. Using the force of jamming his sword through Eortsuh, Jojo spun Tenacious D around their opponent before grabbing one of Rage’s legs. Tenacious D’s wheels stopped in their tracks and Rage was thrown off its feet, sending its master sailing high above before bouncing against the rocky ground ahead, breaking Bushido’s sword in two as he eventually slid to a stop near the giant bonfire. “We… we did it. We did it!” Jojo cheered as he watched the Nugget Person struggle to get up. “Very… impressive.” Eortsuh spat blood out under his body. “Something I did not even see coming… To have beaten me, you really are… true heroes to the human race.” “The fight is over. You have lost.” Bushido said as Tenacious D stopped in front of him, pounding its fists together. Jojo and Bushido hopped off its back. “By your rules, you have been defeated.” “It… is true. As it has been said.” Eortsuh couldn’t get himself up and collapsed back down on golden nuggets that were forming around him. “My life is forfeit and my flame extinguished. Perhaps the human race does have a chance through the undoing of your world…” “You have fought fairly, Eortsuh. It’s not the same we can say about Lowodda or Souyul, but though you have lost…” Jojo knelt down beside him. “You have done so honorably. And that will go with you wherever you find yourself next.” “That is an act worth… remembering.” The Nugget Person closed his eyes. “My time is up. Do what must be done… And though you have beaten me, you may not find it as easy against my love. May you live or die honorably against Mhagmea…” Jojo looked up to Bushido and as the japanese man picked up his broken sword, he gave him a nod before returning what was left of it to its sheath. “Goodbye, Eortsuh. Rest assured, the Joyride family will remember you.” He put both hands together, forming a star between his fingers. “Hamon star zapper!” Jojo breathed and his breath passed through his fingers and became a cloud of yellow energy, spreading across Eortsuh’s face, then down his body. The Nugget Person took one more breath before his entire body was encased in stone once more. Summer ran to them and threw her arms around both of them, squeezing them tightly. “Jojo, Bushido, are you two alright?” “Ow, ow, watch the arms!” Jojo grimaced and Summer let go. “We took a beating, but we did it.” “Only one foe stands in our way now…” Bushido clutched at his burnt hand. “Eortsuh fought well and hard. I can only imagine how powerful Mhagmea will be.” The three of them looked up the stairs to the sitting form of Mhagmea. She still had one hand on her cheek, keeping her head up, but she didn’t look to be in distress that they had just eliminated Eortsuh in front of her. Already, the thunderclouds above them had spread way past Berlin and continued to spread further as the ground rumbled beneath them once more, harder than before, throwing all three of them to the ground. Summer shut her eyes as she anticipated impact, but instead, it came slowly and she opened her eyes again to find smaller rocks floating around her. “The gravity. It has changed,” Bushido said as he got up. “We don’t have much time left. The core will stop soon.” “Then we’ll have to stop her. Now or never.” Summer narrowed her gaze at the lounging Nugget Person as Pegasus Forever appeared behind her, one fist to the air. “It’s time to finish this!” Mhagmea grinned at her, intrigued. Then she got off her throne and spread her arms wide. “Come, Sushi! Come and try to save this pitiful world of yours! And face the full might of the Herrakries!” Just then there was the sound of trumpets and everyone turned, facing the bridge they had come from, their eyes growing wide. This wasn’t something any of them had been expecting.