GZ Legends 57: Maniac's Grip

           

 As Maniac reached over Atomizer, Redeagle and Nightfall, the ground behind the Cyborian exploded. Sandstorm, who was only momentarily stunned, reformed as a great stone giant. He grabbed Maniac from behind and around the arms, lifting the laughing monster into the air. Maniac actually stopped laughing in sudden confusion as he was flipped backwards in a flying suplex move. Sandstorm brought Maniac down on his chest plates with a ground shaking thud. Dirt and rocks flew into the air all around from the impact.

            From above, a bright light shot down as Anubis dropped in with his lance in a powerful pile driver into the back of Maniac’s head. Anubis rebounded out of the way just in time for Galose to reappear. Galose emitted a volley of bright metron bombs that exploded all over the grounded giant.

            Redeagle and Atomizer raced toward the fallen form of Blacktide who was barely getting to his knees.

            “Stay away!” Blacktide shouted as gray smoke swirled around him. The two men could feel the intense heat from yards away. They dared not try to get closer. Blacktide’s disintegration powers charred the ground and smoldered all around him for several feet. Blacktide strained to contain his power. A full burst of disintegration energy ached to break free. He knew, if it did, his friends would die.

            “Okay, we need to fall back.” Redeagle said. “Let our big guns deal with Maniac.”

            “You don’t have to tell me twice.” Atomizer agreed.

            “We have to help Blacktide.” Nightfall said.

            “How are you going to get to him?” Redeagle said. “Now come on. We need distance.”

            “If I could just touch him I could knock him out.” Nightfall said.

            “Great idea. That should only cost you your hand and maybe some of your face.” Atomizer said.

            Within Maniac’s armor, Nyhtwulf still sought a way out. He suddenly found himself inside of a long tunnel filled with machinery and computers. He had never seen so much technology.

            “What have I found here?” Nyhtwulf wondered aloud. He didn’t understand what any of the machinery’s function could be for. He did know one thing however; sabotage could be great fun.

            Even deeper within the giant armor was the true Maniac. The real being was no taller than Galose, but permanently bonded with the armor that he now used to wreak havoc. Three dimensional screens hovered all around where he floated and an alarm slightly distracted him from the attackers outside. An invader within the armor was unheard of. Still, he would have to leave that one to the internal security devices. He had a reckoning to deliver.

            Instead of laughter there was a howl of rage as Maniac thrust himself up from the ground. His armor’s systems were fast at work repairing damage that was still minimal to him. Sandstorm’s body of stone was tossed aside and Anubis had to fly in a hurry. As Maniac rose, red beams shot from his eyes and tore across the field, directly toward Galose. The super metron lasers carved a trench 8 feet deep clear across the field. Galose rolled out of the way and came up still firing his own weapons.

            “Miserable creatures!” Maniac’s voice boomed. “You cannot stop me! I will show you my power! I will destroy your world!”

            Blacktide dashed out of the ditch to everyone’s surprise and threw himself at Maniac’s ankle with a scream of rage. He clung there with all his might, letting his power burn away at Maniac. Blacktide swore to himself he would not let go.

           

Maniac grew tired of distractions, but now another one caused even more alarms. Nyhtwulf was having quite a time tearing up control panels. Security weapons fired at him, but his shadowy body simply redirected the energy blasts into other system machinery; doing even more damage.  Maniac had never been so vexed in all his existence. He hadn’t even noticed that his saw blades had remounted so he could launch them again. In all his eons as a cosmic bully and genocidal lunatic, he had never had to use the full combat ability of his armor. He had always just forced his way through any situation, reveling in the base level of his power. Now he found himself truly tested and it enraged him.

            As Anubis flew by to take another shot, Maniac caught him by a leg before the flying hero could blink. With the snap of a giant wrist, Anubis was flung hundreds of miles an hour in a spin like a living Frisbee. After tossing away one gnat, he opened fire with the palm cannon again across what was left of the field, engulfing any sight of Galose. Without stopping, he turned that weapon onto Sandstorm’s animated stone body and blew it to less than baseball sized pieces that flew a mile in each direction. Then he reached down and snatched up Blacktide from the smoldering point on his ankle. He lifted the seemingly helpless human in his metal fingers so he could get a good look at him.

           

Blacktide struggled in the vice grip and screamed as his ribs and hips cracked and broke. Even his disintegration aura couldn’t work fast enough to set him free. Maniac’s red eyes shined on Blacktide.

            “Where are your friends now? Do you think they still live? I think will take you with me to your world’s core. You can watch me end this planet!”