#The Blue Ancient | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

rise-of-the-ancients · 1 year

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Thick trees of the hearty forest toppled to the ground as the rumble of footsteps drew near. Palm trees and cedar that once blanketed the forest caved in to make a clear path. The thunderous sensation of heavy footsteps pounding the forest floor, indicating that they drew close. The dual that both hedgehog and echidna had was cut short once the tremors from the forest were felt beneath their feet. Terios could only stare with widen eyes as his jaw dropped in awe. His grip around the straps of his bag and spear tightened, ready to strike when the time was right. Whatever it was that drew near was enough to earn the attention of the elder echidna, seeing as Pachacamac stances himself upright for a fight. And whatever entity dared to come their way would surely be met by the Ancients’ remaining Titan and the echidna warriors. The Titan held his breath as he watched the remaining trees being pushed to the ground.

The remaining barrier of trees toppled to the ground to reveal a mechanical being towering over the hedgehog stoically. Much like the mech suit that Pachacamac donned, the one that stood before Terios was taller in frame and featured golden inlay. The mech suit was one used for battle, hence its robust stature and artillery features. He kept his eyes focused and scanned the mech suit carefully to see who called his name. Inside the pilot’s chair sat a rock golem’s head with cyan colored eyes. The rock waddled side-to-side in the pilot’s chair and chirped in content as the arm continued to frantically waive for the hedgehog’s attention. Terios’ chest tightened seeing OMEGA inside. Clearly the mystical rock’s mindset of the situation was done out of the goodness of nature. However, the mech suits were known to be destructive and very persuasive in giving a pilot power. That is... if it still contained its symbiotic chip. From the looks of such, OMEGA was quite lucky to be in control of the suit. It was a shame that the quarrel between both the hedgehog and echidna had to be interrupted by what felt like a shoddily assembled plan with no clear direction of rescue.

The hedgehog took a step back and craned his head high to meet OMEGA’s stare. Terios inched his head up as far as he could to see a mechanical arm frantically waive in his direction, wincing as he watched the arm strike a wall and crumble on impact. “TERIOS!” The cheerful voice of his traveling companion exclaimed, “I-HAVE-ACQUIRED-LEGS!”

“Legs…” Terios’ voice trailed off softly, eyes fixated on the golem in awe. “You… have legs again…”

This earned the hedgehog a squeal of approval from OMEGA as he watched the mech suit dab. If the suit hadn’t made his stomach tie into knots, Terios would have shared the same feelings as well.

“You foolish automation! You think stealing our technology makes you a threat to me?!” Of all the sights and wonders that Pachacamac had endured during his life, never would he have expected to see a golem’s head piloting a suit. Pachacamac shook his head and scoffed. “Begone! This is between the hedgehog and myself!”

Terios growled at the echidna’s remark and threw his spear near Pachacamac’s head as a warning shot. If not the seriousness of the situation, Terios would have smirked at the echidna’s surprised yelp. As much as the hedgehog appreciated OMEGA’s determination and willingness to fight, he feared that it would be too chaotic to control. It was best to have his traveling companion search for the staff in order to make a quick escape. “OMEGA! Go and find Blue’s staff. I will hold him back.” Terios snapped, conjuring a new spear to hold tightly in his fist.

“DENIED. TIKAL-HAS-GRANTED-ME-THE-GIFT-OF-MOBILITY-ONCE-MORE. I-MUST-ACT-UPON-HER-PLEAD.” The mech suit perched itself onto one knee and leaned in close enough for OMEGA to make eye contact with the hedgehog. That was enough for Terios to take a step back. “NOW-GAZE-AT-MY-AWESOME-MIGHT!”

“Tikal is here?” Terios questioned with widen eyes.

As soon as the name was mentioned, cobalt-blue eyes peered over the broad shoulders of the mech suit as an peach colored echidna inched her into view. Tikal, the beloved daughter of the great warrior Pachacamac, leaned forward to give the titan a weary smile and a quick bow of her head. Beside her, the familiar violet eyes of the red wisp popped his head over her shoulder with a chirp as well. The wisp fluttered close to her side and winked to the Titan. The color drained from Terios’ face as he saw the young girl peer over the mech’s shoulder blade. Never would have Terios suspected her to appear before him in a situation as dire as the one that he was in currently.

Upon her birth Tikal was taught to love and respect the Ancients. Deities that had taken the appearance as fellow species and lived amongst them in perfect harmony. And because of such teachings, she sought the path of a peacable life without violence. She could recall all of the heartfelt conversations that she had with her father about their existence. Tikal knew of the teachings that her father had bestowed onto her when he was referred to as champion and associated with Strength’s name. The young girl knew how highly Pachacamac thought of the Ancients, particularly Strength. One could only imagine the sheer horror that Tikal felt when she learned of her father wanting to rewrite history. One could only imagine the ache in her heart when she listened in on her father’s plan to ambush the Titan at the East Forest temple. No amount of words could begin to scrape the surface of explaining Tikal’s pain for witnessing the Echidna warriors apprehend Terios and take him prisoner. If not for the quick excuse that she made to cleanse her face free of tears, she would have never found the rock golem companion—who had lost his way to the heart of the temple—and the red wisp fluttering nearby, both on their way to assist Terios. Tikal was fortunate enough to form an alliance with them both and return to the hub to rescue Terios. Thankfully, Pachacamac’s raid on Lyric’s research facility on the other side of the island proved to be fruitful in resources that gave OMEGA the opportunity to fight once more.

“Hello, Terios.” The younger echidna said softly, “it is very good to see you once more.”

Pachacamac’s upper lip curled in disgust. The anger from within his heart and mind was too much to control. The elder echidna growled and threw a bawled fist into the direction of a crumbling structure in attempt to alleviate the anger the brewed inside of him. “Tikal! Return to the campgrounds at once! This does not concern you.”

“I shall not. This has gone on for far too long!” Tikal placed a hand to her heart as she spoke, “I understand that you’re hurt. Lyric took everything from us. Our home, our way of life. But taking the crystals from the Titan will not bring back what was lost.”

“It was never about returning the Ancients. It was always about the strongest being in control.” The fur on Terios’ neck stood on end as he heard the elder echidna growl. “And if I have to, I will rip them out of your hands.”

In a blink of an eye, OMEGA lunged forward to pin Pachacamac down. Terios evaded the attach quickly as he could and staggered backwards, nearly missing OMEGA’s grasp as he saw Pachacamac in his clutches. The Titan grimaced with clenched fangs as he watched the two mechanical suits roll off into the darkest pasts of the forest with shrilled screams of manacle laughter coming from OMEGA. There was no point in ceasing activity once OMEGA got himself involved. As soon as an opportunity arose for him to spar, OMEGA was always quick to respond. The rock golem’s head was always in favor of a spar whether it was for fun or for a challenge. Perhaps it was for the best to let OMEGA be a suitable distraction as he searched for the staff. Terios shook his head and adjusted the strap of his bag along his chest. He could not afford another distraction from anyone else.

“Ow…”

His head snapped over his shoulder to the direction of the voice from behind. Huddled on the ground was the young girl, quickly wiping tears from her eyes as she muttered to herself. The red wisp fluttered close to her side and tried his best to comfort her with gentle chirps. Terios wasted no time rushing to her side and helped her up from the ground. The young girl gave a shaken sigh and wiped the dirt from her sarong, averting her eyes away from the hedgehog as she collected herself. He had questions. Far too many questions to ask during a short amount of time. Terios could understand the need for muscle to accompany the elder echidna, but her presence didn’t exactly match the tone of the warriors. Surely there was a reason for her to be in the company of them. Questions later, he concluded. What mattered the most was escaping.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt,” Terios asked with a light pat to her back.

“I’m alright.” Tikal said with a shaken smile. She reached for the wisp by her side and held it close to her chest, smiling softly at the strange creature in her presence. “It’s good to see you okay as well, my friend. You have been a marvel with assisting me in our rescue. Although, it wasn’t much of a rescue since Terios handled it on his own.”

Terios rolled his eyes and crossed his arms to his chest. All that the red wisp had proven to be was nuisance. Although, if not for its warning at the temple, then he would not have been as attuned to the echidna warriors near him. It was the thought that counted. “You tried, that’s what mattered,” he muttered.

“I’m terribly sorry for all of this chaos,” she sighed, “this is not like my father. He hasn’t been of sound mind since the Ancients died. And when you disappeared… he has not been himself.”

Terios bowed his head. “Now is not the time for apologies. We’ve a matter to resolve. I need to locate Blue’s staff. It’s crucial that I have it. Do you know where I can locate it?”

Tikal shook her head with a frown. “I do not know. I was occupied with finding something suitable for OMEGA to use so that we may help you. However, our friendly wisp knows where to look.”

With zeal, the red wisp fluttered out of her arms and whisked itself forward to the maze of crumbling structures ahead, leaving the two far behind. Tikal tilted her head upwards to the conflicted hedgehog with a hopeful smile. Terios shook his head in annoyance and flicked his ear. He was too exhausted to question her motives. As of now, it was the strongest indication that he had to find the staff and to leave the grounds quickly. That, and he wasn’t one to crush the high spirits that Tikal had formed over the wisp.

“The wisp will guide us to it” she said with a smile, “He overheard a discussion between my father’s most trusted warriors. Apparently, they were tasked to hide the staff from other potential users.”

“Some direction is better than none,” he mumbled to himself, “let’s keep moving.”

——————

Stealth was not as much of a concern for the hedgehog as he wove through the crumbling structures of the hub. He had as much faith in himself and his abilities as anyone else would if acting alone. However, having to keep an eye on the young echidna girl made him extra weary of his next move. Every move that he made had to be treated cautiously. Terios had full trust in Tikal’s ability to be mindful of her surroundings. His discomforts, however, were geared towards Tikal being an accidental casualty. He did not trust the others around him to be enlightened by her pacifist and nurturing-like aura. For as long as Terios had known the young echidna, he knew that she was not one to quarrel with others. She hoped for nothing more than to provide a diplomatic and understanding for other’s needs. As much as he admired the noble approach of Tikal, a child far too mature for her teen-filled years, he knew that not every action could be resolved in a judicious manner.

Weaving between every nook and cranny to evade any potential dangers in their path took longer than expected. And willfully following the directions that a wisp through the middle of the chaos-ridden scene only made Terios tense. Much of his focus was directed upon the safety of the young echidna rather than his surroundings. He was quite thankful that the chaos and destruction of the hub created enough coverage and obstacles for them to maneuver in order to escape any threats. Crawling through holes in walls and leaping over pillars had saved them the luxury of avoiding a few echidna warriors running by. That, and it made blending in with the shadows quite favorable to them, especially since dawn slowly crept in. As long as OMEGA kept the warriors occupied, the two of them could retrieve the staff and leave.

Flicking an ear behind him, Terios concentrated on the foreign sounds around him. Anything out of the ordinary from occasional screams of the warriors or the sounds of nature around him was kept in check. Terios flicked his ears sparringly as he listened for anything drawing near. Other than the faint uproar of echidnas clashing—and the thunderous cackle of OMEGA having too much fun with causing destruction—he believed that they were both hidden well enough from prying eyes. However, he hoped that their travels would end soon. Following a wisp into the depths of the ruins felt like a lost cause in obtaining a priceless relic.

“How much further,” Terios spoke through clenched teeth, “are you sure that the bugger knows where it’s going?“

Tikal turned her head around her shoulder and smiled. “We are close. Trust in him as I trust in you,” she said confidently.

It was pointless to argue. He trusted her wholeheartedly rather than relying on a wisp for direction. He was sure that the creature was harmless, but doubted its ability to provide thorough information. Whether he liked it or not, it was the best option that he had at the moment.

“Will your traveling companion be alright,” Tikal questioned softly, “I fear that the warriors might be too much for him to handle on his own.”

Terios was about to rebuttal before he was cut off by a scream from above. He quickly whipped his head to the sky and grimaced, seeing an echidna warrior fly by them and losing a weapon from his hands. Terios quickly gestured for the young girl to seek shelter by a fallen wall structure in hopes that they weren’t seen. He stared wide eyed as he watched the echidna’s projection whisk by and crash into the forest with a loud thump. Laughter roared from behind as a result of the single warrior disappearing into the forest. And seconds later, another warrior was tossed across the sky. OMEGA, Terios thought with a frown, of course. The Titan didn’t know of anyone else that had shown an enthusiasm for chaos in combat. It was best to let continue until OMEGA had tired out... or grew bored. Whichever came first. The Titan rolled his eyes with a groan and nudged her further away from the exposed sky. It was better to remain hidden from wandering eyes than to be sorry.

“I trust that OMEGA will be alright,” Terios spoke confidently. “As soon as the staff is retrieved, I’ll apprehend him and take my leave.”

Tikal chuckled in response as she hugged the wisp close. “How did the golem lose his appendages? He was very persistent on using the mech suit from my father’s artillery collection.”

Terios cleared his throat and shifted his eyes upwards to watched another warrior soar in the air. “Lost them during the war. There was an unfortunate accident.”

“I see,” she said rather softly. From her arms, the red wisp chirped and wriggled around for her attention. She blinked, releasing the wisp quickly from her care resulted in the creature ushering them forward before trailing off quickly. “He says the staff in a nearby structure. We’re almost there.”

“You’re able to understand what it’s saying?” Terios questioned.

Tikal gave him a warm smile as she nodded. “I can,” she said with a calmed voice. “I’m shocked that you can’t. He says that he’s been trying to talk to you for a while now. He comes with advice.”

Terios gave the echidna a gentle nod and slowly pried his way forward into the maze of collapsed buildings. The hedgehog kept his eyes focused upon his surroundings. So much of the once beautiful settlement was destroyed. He could not tell whether most was destroyed from the war a month ago or if it were the results of the echidna warriors claiming territory. Beyond the rubble, not much could be seen other than thick chunks of building littering the ground. Even chipped paintings and murals and scorched fabrics of once prideful flags were sprinkled here and there. Smog from ongoing fires beyond the horizon choked the skies and shielded the early morning stars. Terios shook his head and kept running. Now was not the time to sulk and worry about preservation. What mattered was retrieving the staff and leaving to fulfill the mission.

Terios closed his eyes and concentrated on sounds around him. He was patient; he waited to hear the soft hums of chaos energy as an indicator of drawing near the staff. As long as he could sense the energy, then he had direction. And his sense of direction--thanks to the ringing in his ears--told him that he was going the right path. Maybe the wisp did know what it was doing. The two trailed close behind the wisp as they made their way towards a structure covered in overgrown vegetation. From afar, the building didn’t appear to be anything special. One could have easily mistaken it for a rundown shop if one didn’t pay attention. It was the perfect place to hide the staff from others in plain sight. Tikal was the first to arrive at the structure and rip away at the vegetation covering the door. Terios sighed and shook his head as he watched the two clean the structure free of vegetation. Terios sighed and shook his head. Time was of the essence for him, he could not wait any longer to claim the staff.

“Stand back,” he stated firmly. He drew his arm up around his chest and swung it outward to create a wave of emerald green spears piercing the surface. “Chaos Spear!”

In a blink of an eye the structure tumbled down and shook the ground. Terios shielded his face with his forearm as the dust cleared the air. The wisp, who had long ceased is chirping since their arrival to the structure, flew into the dimly building without hesitation. Tikal clasped her hands together in worry and muttered a soft prayer to herself in comfort. The hedgehog shifted his eyes to his side and watched the young echidna pray to herself. Much like her, he too hoped that everything was sound in the end. Terios slowly breathed though his nose and released a shaken breath as he made his way forward to the makeshift opening. With caution, he ducked his head in and disappeared into darkness. His ears rang and his head ached as he drew near the staff. Terios stretched out an arm gently swayed it from side to side to feel for the staff nearby. and suddenly, not even an inch further, his fingers brushed against a familiar relic.

Blue’s staff. It was right where the wisp claimed it would be.

Terios emerged from the structure with his head held high and his hands wrapped tightly around the staff. The red wisp fluttered close behind and chirped in amusement as he joined Tikal’s side. The young echidna girl smiled proudly to the Titan before her and bowed her head. It felt good to be rekindled with something familiar once more. He would forever be in debt to the kindness and care that Tikal gave, as well as owed an apology to the wisp.

Terios tapped the ground with the staff, nodding to himself as he watched the silvery blue crystal pulsate with energy. “Blue’s staff,” he muttered to himself, “The source that controls the crystals returned at last. Thank you… both of you.”

“It was of no trouble,” Tikal said with a smile. The wisp nodded his head frantically in response. “I do ask though, why the staff if your bond is with the crystals?”

Terios glanced upwards to the sky and flicked an ear. “I am attuned with the powers of chaos energy. I was created with the sole purpose of regulating and controlling those energies. However, I have yet to master chaos as a whole. Blue was assisting me with the matter. This staff will help me return the crystals to each of the temples, as per Blue’s instructions.”

Tikal bowed her head in response. “And to think it has caused so much destruction in my father's hands. He's been sullen and irate since the Ancients fell, I fear he has been overtaken by anger. For the past month he has tasked us to raid Lyric's facilities to claim his weapons. What I once thought was an attempt to revive the fallen turned out to be pointless revenge. No preservation of the Ancients' name, only survival of the fittest. Much would have been destroyed unless I shared my concerns. I've seen many other colonies around the island, all shrouded in grief, and they too have closed themselves off from the world.”

He understood now. She was a voice of reason for his deeds. No wonder she was eager to seek assistance.

“Grief makes you do the most stupidest of things. It strangles your heart and soul and influences negative actions to help cope. It’s up to one’s power of will to not tap into it and allow the good in.” Terios mumbled. He was well-versed in what arose from the power of anger and grief. Terios tightened his grip of the staff in his hands. He twisted the staff to inspect the smooth cleavage of the crystals sides and sighed. “I was born from a selfish attempt to control chaos energy, an attempt that had gone horribly wrong. I have caused so much destruction... so much ache. I should never have been created. Maybe then the Ancients would still be around.”

Tikal shook her head placed a hand to Terios shoulder, giving him a light pat in comfort. Terios loomed his eyes upwards to see the warm smile of the echidna by his side, flicking an ear in response of her gentle touch. “None of this is of your fault. You’re creation is a blessing. You are the one good outcome that come from all of this.” Tikal tapped the medallion on Terios’ chest with a smile. “The Ancients loved and trusted you. They loved you. Never lose hope and insight of why you’re here.”

Terios whipped his head behind his shoulder has he heard the blood curdling screams from behind. His quills raised in tension and his body shook. The hedgehog gasped in horror as he watched the iron gray clouds thicken in the sky. Smoke from the ongoing fires increased, trees of the hearty forest continued to tumble across the field. He could hear the echidna warriors around him scream as they retreated. Whatever happened between OMEGA and Pachacamac was beyond control. He could help but fear the worst if he was not there to help his traveling companion. Terios turned his head to the echidna and frowned. The worried expressions that he saw on both the young girl and the wisp face were enough for him to conclude that they shared the same fears.

Terios shook his head with a growl and adjusted the deerskin on his person. “OMEGA is in need of my assistance,” he stated, “I will retrieve OMEGA and take our leave. All that I ask in return is that you seek sanctuary somewhere else. It’s not safe for you here.”

She shook her head and clutched the wisp to her heart. “You’re going to need me to help calm my father down if you want to leave,” Tikal blurted, “I feel that he will listen to my words. I will come with you.”

Terios gave low grumble and shook his head. Even the wisp rolled his eye at the statement she made. As much as he hoped for her to seek haven somewhere from harm, she was right. Chance escaping alive were slim, but with her calming presence he stood a chance. Terios gave her a bow of his head and proceeded forward into the chaos of ruins. “Then there’s no time to waste, let’s go.”

——————

What remained of the wall crumbled to the ground as OMEGA was thrown from across the field. The barrier that the structure provided him will gave him a second to collect himself for another strike. OMEGA eased himself onto his feet and teetered side to side. His vision was disoriented and his head spun. Being thrown into a wall had much more impact on him than what he realized. He growled and slammed his fist onto the ground in disgust. The sole purpose of his creation was to be the ultimate line of defense—a weapon that was capable of taking down Lyric’s forces in a single blow. And he had, of course, wiped out many armies in the past. If OMEGA was capable of such actions, why did it feel like a struggle to hold a single opponent? In all of his years of serving the Ancients, never had he felt the grapple that he did with fighting a single echidna on his own. Never had he felt the levels discomfort he had in questioning his abilities to fight. Failure was not an option in his book. He had to hold the echidna back in order to buy Terios some time.

OMEGA didn’t have a second to react before feeling his legs giving out from under him. He yelped when he landed on his back and felt his arms pinned to the ground. Cyan eyes frantically scanned the metal torso in horror as he watched swarms of echidna warriors crawl on top of him. Each warrior proudly donned a weapon of choice; stabbing the metal casing to dismantle the mech suit. No matter how hard OMEGA tried to move the mech suit’s arms and legs, he it difficult to supply a defense. He was immobile. The only thing he could do was to lay on the ground as the warriors tore apart the metal casing and cut its wires.

“UNHAND-ME-AT-ONCE!” OMEGA roared from the metal shell, “I-WILL-DESTROY-YOU! I-CAN-STILL-FIGHT!”

Peering from the metal torso’s opening, OMEGA watched a tattered mech suit limp forward. What was once a prideful stature of the elder echidna was now a crumpled mess with a painfully slow stagger forward. Ever so slowly, the elder echidna’s mech suit crept forward to the fallen opponent. OMEGA could see Pachacamac’s suit crackle and spark from the deadly blows of their fight. He even witnessed the suit sputtering and groan from its movements as it made its way to him. The rock golem would have been very proud of his work if he weren’t preoccupied with evading occasional spears trying to strike him. A cold shadow leered over OMEGA from down below. Pachacamac’s mech suit ceased all movement as it towered over the fallen suit and warrior. A mechanical hand inched its way into the opening of the suit and coiled its metallic fingers around the rock head. OMEGA’s eyes shifted upwards to meet the icy stare of Pachacamac’s eyes leering at him. All that OMEGA could see in his cobalt blue eyes was a bitter darkness that swallowed any hope of good that he once had.

“So this is all that remains of the golems that the ancients made years ago,” Pachacamac groveled as he inspected OMEGA, giving him a light squeeze, “a bitter shame that I have to destroy you now.”

“PUT. THE ROCK. DOWN!”

Pachacamac turned his head around to follow the sound of the harsh voice. His eyes loomed upwards to see two figures and a wisp standing on top of a caved-in rooftop. Pachacamac growled and shook his head seeing his daughter scowling from above, as well as the Titan welding the staff close to his person. Scarlet red eyes pierced the very soul of the elder echidna as his eyes met the hedgehog’s icy stare. Pachacamac admitted that the hedgehog’s presence eluded his mind temporarily as he sparred with the golem. Seeing Terios tower over him from the high point sparked a new wave of adrenaline and excitement in his mind.

Pachacamac scoffed with a grin on his face. “Finally,” he said as he threw OMEGA over his shoulder, hearing the rock golem’s head squeal from being thrown, “a true challenge! I see that you’ve found the staff.”

Terios blinked slowly; the corners of his mouth twitched as he swallowed a passive aggressive remark.

“Not very talkative I see. You were quite chatty earlier. Hmph! Very well. You’re not leaving until you surrender everything to me.”

And then he lunged forward.

Terios shot the young girl a glance and nodded his head, signifying for her to evade the attack. He leapt, dodging the strike of the mech suit honing in on them both. Terios landed on the ground and snickered as Pachacamac crashed into the rooftop of the deteriorating building. He stood and brushed off the loose dust from his pants. So much for a fight, Terios thought, and to think he once thought that I wasn’t fit to fight. Through the thin wisps of risen dirt and debris floating in the air, the hedgehog could see Tikal running towards him with worry in her eyes. The red wisp whisked it’s way forward to Terios with frantic chirps. Terios didn’t need to have a translation of the wisp’s worried chirping to understand that trouble was coming. All the hedgehog could do was nod and nudge it to the side. Tikal placed her hands to his shoulders and turned him away from the structure. She whipped her head behind her to keep tabs of the low rumbling of the mech suit moving.

“You must gather your friend and go,” Tikal begged. “My father is beyond reason. Tender words will be of no help now.”

“I’m not leaving until I know that you’re safe.” Terios snarled.”

“Please. I can keep him preoccupied long enough for you two to leave. Go!”

Before he could rebuttal, Terios was interrupted by low rumbling of debris was moved around. His jaw lowered as he watched the mech suit crawl its way out of the pile of rubble and back onto solid ground. It flopped onto the ground once it crawled free. Faint clicks and whirs from the mech suit rung in Terios’ ears. The mech suit was still operational with a rather irksome echidna struggling to fight back. The wisp tugged at the strap of the Titan’s bag anxiously to get his attention, chirping loudly as the mech suit stood upright once more. Terios growled under his breath and anchored himself into a defensive stance. He wished for nothing more than for this inconvenient setback to be over with.

His eyes focused sharply on the staggering being. From what he had seen with its fight with OMEGA, he hoped that a final strike would cause it to fall apart. Perhaps the best method to strike it was with a spear, something quick and painless to end it all. The young girl cautiously took a step back seeing the quick shimmer of hope twinkle in Terios’ eye. Her arms quickly wrapped around the red wisp and she scampered away for the hedgehog to strike. Safe shelter was in order. As long as Terios had a will to fight, then she knew in her heart that he would prevail in the end. The hedgehog drew his arm up towards his chest and held his breath. He watched as the mech suit teetered from side-to-side as it inched forward. His heart thumped in anticipation as he channeled the chaos energy around him. One strike was all that he needed. Terios closed his eyes, perked his ears up, and swung his arm forward as he released his breath.

“Chaos... spear!”

The cool zip of pure chaos energy wove between his fingers and quills. His fingers flexed outward as he release his channeled energy. A projectile of the crafted array of spears easily pierced through the suit. Tikal, awestruck, held the wisp close to her heart in comfort. The impact of the chaos spears had exceeded its potential in inflicting damage to the mech suit. The mech suit sputtered and groaned from the blow. Pachacamac screamed in anger as he turned his head to watch the suit spark. The mech suit sputtered, golden sparks fizzed before flames ignited. The fire roared as the mech suit staggered forward. What once stood proudly as a reflection of the mighty echidna tribes was now nothing more than a teetering mess of wires and destroyed armor. Down the mech suit fell as its footing missed the ground. The mech suit gave one final groan in defeat before it laid motionless in the blaze of fire.

Terios cleared his lungs from the loose dirt and smoke with a couple of coughs. He turned his head to hear faint whispers from above. Only a couple of prying eyes from quiet echidna observers were seen. Some were brave enough to hide in order to watch Terios come to OMEGA’s aid, others sought refuge from a safe distance and fled completely. Satisfied with the damage done, the fatigued hedgehog smirked to himself and tightened his grip around the neck of the staff. He shifted his eyes over to the stiff echidna and frowned softly. Tikal watched in silence as the fire crackled. She wrung the hem of her sarong in her hands as she watched the fire puff ringlets of iron black smoke in the air. Terios sighed and inched his way forward to the young girl. He was at a lost of the right words to say to her. What he did know was that a known presence by her side would be enough to calm her down.

Terios gingerly placed a hand to her shoulder and gave it a light pat, averting his eyes away from her to watch the fire roast. “He walks with the others in paradise,” he said softly, “no more pain. No more sorrow.”

The red wisp fluttered by Tikal side and cooed gently. He nudged his head along her shoulder until she held him in her arms. The young girl sighed and bowed her head low. “I hope that he rests easy,” she whispered, “it is best for you to leave now before the others see you here. I would hate to see them harm you with malicious intent.”

Terios gave a swift nod of his head. No other words needed to be said. What was said was enough to cope. His eyes gazed upwards to the sky; too many thoughts buzzed around in his head. It was hard to keep them tamed. As much as he wanted to remain and help her seek solace from the events, he knew it was best to keep moving forward. It was for the best. Space was admirable for contemplation and acceptance of traumatic events.

The hedgehog’s ears flicked to the light sound of rustling from the shrubbery from behind. A light grunt and a few swear words were mumbled from below before hearing the light whistling sound of sand moving. Terios glanced down to his feet as he felt the light bump of a familiar rock hit his boot. A chipped OMEGA loomed his cyan eyes upwards and waddled in content from being noticed. The knots that had formed in Terios’ chest loosened when he met the rock golem head’s stare. All of his worry was washed away as soon as he heard OMEGA chirp happily with being reunited once more.

“I-HAVE-RETURNED,” OMEGA said in a chipper voice, “AND-I-FELL-ON-MY-HEAD.”

“Glad to see that you’ve returned in one piece… well, head,” Terios said with a nod of his head. He glanced to the young echidna one last time, watching her clasp her hands together to mumble a soft prayer under her breath. Terios gave a subtle sigh and rapped the staff to get her attention. Cobalt blue eyes grew twice its size as she batted away the tears that formed. “Do not hesitate to reach out to me if you need it. I will come to your aide as soon as I can.”

She gave a weak nod.

“Titan,” gurgled the barely audible voice.

Terios rolled his eyes and snarled. His casted upwards to meet the haunted stare of an elder echidna, one that limped painfully forward and cursed under his breath. How much longer could Pachacamac carry this on for? Terios growled to himself and drew Blue’s staff outwards in a defensive stance. The powder blue crystal shimmered and pulsated with a soft glow. As Pachacamac stumbled his way forward, Terios took his time to scan the state of his opponent. Bruises and fresh scrapes were visible on the echidna’s person. Much of his clothing was scorched and tattered from the fire, The elder echidna dragged himself forward with a shaken hand clenching a piece of metal. Neither the hedgehog or the elder dared to break eye contact with one another. And neither dared to avert their eyes away from each other as they waited to strike. Even with OMEGA’s noisome, but appreciated, attempt in rolling his head into Pachacamac’s feet did not stop him from moving. Each step that the echidna heaved only tightened the stance that Terios made.

“I grow weary of seeing your pathetic face around here,” Terios spat, “just roll over and submit already.”

The elder echidna didn’t respond verbally. All that Terios could see was his eye twitch as his feet lugged forward. Tikal wedged herself between the two of them with her arms extended outwards. She swallowed the lump in her throat and straightened her stance. Terios leaned forward with attempt to speak, but was instantly silence by the wisp fluttering in his vision. Violet eyes stared rather coldly at him for even daring to interfere. All Terios could do was watch intuitively and be on guard. As a barricade, she kept her palms faced outwards for the two to see. Tikal kept her attention to the elder echidna trudging forward with her eyes narrowed down to his weakened frame. The elder echidna stopped in his tracks and stared at the young girl.

“I understand the ease of blaming Terios for everything,” she stated firmly, “but trust me when I say that the Titan knows what he’s doing.”

Pachacamac’s eye twitched in response.

Tikal held her breath. “Let him walk free with his friend. You and I can honor the Ancients by preserving their practice and history. We can make sure that future generations know of the good deeds that they’ve done. All that I ask is that you let them both leave.”

“I will do such thing,” Pachacamac groveled. His body shook. His hands shook as they tightened into fists. “We lost everything because of him. You will stand aside. I will make him pay. I want those crystals. And I will not let anyone get in the way of my destiny!”

And then he swung his arm outwards to give a push.

A light yelp drifted in the air. Then silence...

Pachacamac fell to his knees and choked on a sob. The strip of metal that he once held onto was nowhere to be seen. Terios could only blink; his mind struggled to make sense of the actions that he had witnessed. The strike, clearly meant for the hedgehog, had been averted at an unfortunate cost. The hedgehog swallowed the lump that was lodged in his throat and trembled. He watched as the elder echidna scrambled to his hands and knees to crawl on the ground. Terios slowly panned his eyes down towards his feet and gasped. Tikal laid on the ground with her face buried in her arms. OMEGA’s slight whimpers and nudges of his head didn’t seem to phase her. All the rock golem’s head could do was whimper louder. If not for the heroic deed of the young echidna, Terios would had not seen the light of the next day.

“Wh-What have I done,” he stammered between each sob, “what have I do—”

Terios shot a venomous glare at the older echidna, still too focused on his own grief to notice the others. With a quick snap of his fingers, and a flick of his wrist, the older echidna fell to the ground with a soft thud. The world around the hedgehog was quiet once more. The hedgehog batted his eyes quickly as he swiped a few stray tears from his cheeks. He knelt down to Tikal’s side, gently placing a hand to her shoulder. The hedgehog inched his way to her head with an ear flicked up. His ears strained as he listened for a drawn breath. Even a shallow draw of her breath would be enough for him... The Titan’s heart gave a light flutter hearing the young girl’s breath release. He could hear the faint draw and release of her breath.

But at what cost? Where could he take her to seek help? The nearest civilization was miles away. What could he do other than hope for a miracle? Maybe if he was fast enough, and lucky enough, he could find someone to help her.

OMEGA gradually rolled himself to Terios and leaned his forehead into his leg. All the rock head could do was remain silent as he watched the Titan wrestle with his inner thoughts. The blank and fatigued expression on Terios’ face said it all. Even the wisp, who had had hunkered down to the ground, kept his tiny paw on her shoulder in comfort. Not much could be done other than provide comfort to one another when needed. Terios batted his eyes slowly and sighed as he watched the sky. Faint whips of shimmering white orbs trotted up to the sky from just beyond the ruins of the Hub. Terios kept his attention to the sky, questioning it as a omen or a fluke from the imbalance of nature. His mind was too frazzled to conjure a reasonable conclusion of the phenomenon. All he could do was stare as he tightened his grip around her shoulder. Plumes of black smoke choking once crystal blue skies. Ongoing fires roared across the grounds. All that remained of the hub were crumbs of structures and the memories that surrounded it.

Weary eyes shifted down to hear the faint chirps of the red wisp by Tikal’s side. Terios watched tentatively to see what the wisp would do. He was far too invested in the wisp’s actions. The red wisp didn’t cry of grief, nor did it show any emotion on its face. (Although it was hard to have confirmation of it’s emotions completely since it lacked a mouth). All the wisp could do was stare with widen eyes... as if it were deep in thought. The wisp placed both of his paws on top of Tikal and closed his eyes. A warm amber light grew from the wisps hands with a soft hum. The rays of light crept slowly around the grieving hedgehog and rock head. OMEGA’s eyes met the hedgehog’s agitated expression, seeing that the amber light had covered them whole. Terios looked down to the wisp one last time and watched as the four of them slowly disappear from the environment around them. OMEGA was first to disappear in the ray of light, giving one last frantic yelp before vanishing from Terios’ sight. Next came Tikal, slipping out of the hedgehog’s care in an instant. And then it was him alone with the wisp. Terios turned his gaze to the wisp as the light bathed them. His mind raced back and forth between mixed emotions.

“Wh-What did you do,” Terios stammered, holding his hands up to see his fingertips fade, “what—?!”

And with that, they disappeared. The only trace of their existence ever being known was the faint cry of the hedgehog that carried heavy in the air.

#terios the titan #omega the golem #strength’s warriors #the aftermath #short story #my art #my au #the blue ancient #strength the ancient #sonic boom au #Thank y’all for your patience. It’s been… chaotic on my end

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