GZ Legends 81: Sandstorm vs Stormy Knight

           

 “We can’t just let him do this!” Electrode said to his partner. “We have to do something.”

            Sandstorm gave Electrode a look known all too well. It meant to have patience. It meant that he had no intention of being idle at all. Electrode knew better than to press his mentor any further on the issue. He just turned his electric gaze at Stormy and clenched his fists.

            “Don’t blame your friend here.” Stormy sneered. “There’s nothing he can do. Oh, I just felt that. You just tried to convert the air around me into fire. I’ve been watching you for far too long. I’m not going to allow that.”

            “I was just checking.” Sandstorm said.

            Stormy suddenly stepped back and swung upward with his enchanted cane. Blacktide took a direct hit as he tried to tackle the villain and was knocked unconscious.

            “And trying to distract me.” Stormy added. “Now look. Look upon the majesty that is Chaos! And that’s only his hand!”

            The hand of Chaos presented itself in form larger than the Rotanian flagship. A thousand men could easily fit in a fingertip of the dark technological wonder they witnessed. Searchlights spun in random locations and lights shined from all sorts of locations across its metal surface. Sandstorm never considered the philosophy that the embodiment of Chaos would be technology. He could see mounted weaponry attached in hundreds of locations. He couldn’t imagine a battleship big enough to tickle it, much less scratch it. In all they had faced so far, this looked to be the thing they could not stop.

            “Ah, now you know true despair, Sandstorm. Your elemental powers are useless. Never mind what you want to do to me. What could you possible do to him?” Stormy gloated.

            In the locked Cyborian armor, Galose’s brain sped through code to deactivate the device that was shutting down his systems. The entirety of a Cyborian’s armor is controlled through mental command, faster than fingers on a keyboard could ever be. Even so, the device worked with blinding speed. Galose’s mind had to be faster than his own operating systems. A series of invasive code entered his life support systems and he blocked it. Then he intercepted another sequence of code. The tedious pushing match of hacking programs continued where all anyone could see was the motionless Cyborian.

            The area trembled as the hand of Chaos became clearer and clearer in view. Sandstorm locked eyes with Stormy after catching the slightest of movement from the corner of his eye. It was unexpected and beyond their hopes.

            “What do you get out of this?” Sandstorm asked.

            “Whatever he gives me. I’ll likely rule what’s left of Earth. Total destruction isn’t his style.”

            “And what’s his style?”

            “He’s going to kill the remaining gods of the Balance of course.” Stormy laughed. “Weren’t you told about the War of the Gods?”

           

“I’ve heard a couple stories.” Sandstorm moved so that he was between Stormy and the coming hand of Chaos. He kept his eyes fixed on those of his enemy.

            “Now what are you trying to pull?” Stormy chuckled. “Do you think you can block him somehow? All of your elemental power wouldn’t have a shadow of a chance.”

            Anubis stood paralyzed by the magic ring and deeply enraged. He found himself watching helplessly as Nightfall was summoned and knocked down. As soon as her body hit the floor, he glanced down at his bladed lance, lying a few feet from him. At first, nothing happened. Then, with all his concentration, Anubis made his lance roll just an inch. That was the movement Sandstorm had caught with is peripheral vision. Anubis continued to concentrate.

            The hand grew closer and closer. In moments it would be able to close into a fist and swallow them all forever. Next, the technological god, Chaos would be fully free and set loose on the universe. Stormy smiled and Sandstorm could take no more of his gleaming teeth. Stormy leaned confidently on his cane.

            Sandstorm lunged with a straightforward punch aimed right at Stormy’s shiny smile. Electrode took cue and lunged in as well. And explosion of force threw them both backwards and down to the cold hard floor. Stormy laughed for a second before his expression changed to surprise. He spun on heel just in time to see Anubis’s lance penetrate the marble throne with an explosion of sparks and fire.

            “NOOOO!” Stormy howled. “My power source! You skewered it! Impossible!”

            “Stormy!”

           

The villain turned back just in time for Sandstorm’s fist to connect with his jaw. A busted lip sprayed a red mist as Stormy stumbled backwards.

            “Shut up!” Sandstorm said.

            Stormy spit some blood from his mouth and spun his cane in hand. “Oh, you fools! Do you think I can’t fight you on my own?” His voice boomed and eyes glowed. The gems in the silver skull of his cane glowed as well. “I will still win! I can still kill you!”

            Sandstorm could feel greater control over his powers since the throne was damaged. He moved in on Stormy and formed his fists into stone. Electrode threw a bolt of lightning that was easily cast aside by Stormy’s cane. Sandstorm’s attacks were met with near perfect martial arts blocks and counter strikes. If he hadn’t converted completely to stone, being struck back and forth on the head with the cane could have killed him. Stormy forced Sandstorm back and knocked him down again.

            As he picked himself up, Sandstorm made a gesturing nod to Electrode. It was the kind of signal that suggested a new target. Electrode nodded and launched his next barrage of lightning at the broken throne. It was immediately clear that Stormy could feel it as he cried out in rage.

            “Let me show you what some real magic can do!” Stormy yelled. “HELLBOUND TRAIN!” Stormy struck his cane on the ground and a spectral ancient locomotive came rushing through the area. It hit both Sandstorm and Electrode, pinning them to the ground as the cars ran over them. The power of that spell felt like their bodies were being torn apart at a molecular level. Sandstorm had never known such agony. At this point, he was certain this was it.