...The More They Stay The Same
written by Adam (Norrin2112@aol.com) Funk
edited by E.A. (emorris738@aol.com) Morrissey
Click here for a black&white text
version (good for printing!)
The Surfer and his small army appeared in the Watchers home to find Diykrakus standing on Ronan. Ronan was screaming and his arm was in Diykrakus’s hand.
“Oh my god.” Nova gasped looking upon what had transpired. Diykrakus suddenly turned, surprised by the heroes being there. He fired a force bolt from his left hand, striking Nova in the chest and driving her through the wall behind them. Throwing down Ronan’s arm he fired a bolt from his right hitting Firelord, knocking him down and back against the wall. Diykrakus then took flight and broke through the ceiling, heading out into space.
“Reed,” Shadow Hunter stated. “You and the rest of the FF stay with me to help Ronan, I’ll need your help.”
“Agreed.” Answered the Surfer. “Make haste and rejoin us when you can. The rest of you, take flight!”
As the heroes began the chase they flew past Hala-Tor. Pulsar suddenly turned, something catching her eye.
“Surfer, look there.” Approaching Hala-Tor was Supremor’s fleet. They had already begun their attack pattern, ready to take the planet.
“Pulsar take Emralian, Sulforus, Captain America, Lioness, Wonderman and Vision to defend the planet. And Captain, make sure you look into the eyes of these Kree, and relay to me the evil you seek to find in them.” Captain America gave the Surfer a scowl as he gathered his small group for the attack.
As the team split again Firelord came up next to the Surfer, making sure they were out of ear shot from the rest.
“I don’t like this Norrin, we are being split too thin. Are we still going to able to stop this insane god?”
“Have no fear my friend, we shall
still win the day. But there is something I will need of you once the battle is
started.” The Surfer and Firelord spoke of the upcoming fight as they
eventually caught up with Diykrakus.
The man formally known as Stephen Strange was sitting legs crossed floating about four feet in the air reading. The picture in the book levitating in front of him showed Diykrakus. As the Ancient One read about the strengths and weaknesses of the Kree gods he gazed up to his orb showing the Surfer and the others beginning to engage Diykrakus.
Watching the fight begin he saw Diykrakus conjure a spherical object. Upon studying the object the book in front of him suddenly dropped to the floor. “By the Dark One…” he muttered as another book, one older than most of the universe, arose from his shelf and made it’s way to him. As he read his normally pale complexion became whiter and whiter, his jaw dropping wider and wider.
“Norrin Radd, we must speak at once.”
“Stephen now is not the time. Perhaps…”
“Norrin, now!”
“…Pyreus, take control. I’m coming Stephen.” A few seconds later the Surfer appeared in the study of the Ancient One. “All right Stephen, I hope you won’t take offense if I ask you to be brief.”
“Of course not Surfer, but the information I have will greatly help you out.”
“I know better than to think you would pull me away for any other reason. So tell me, what have you found?”
“First, the god you are involved with is a member of the Kree pantheon named Diykrakus.”
“Kree!? I did not know there were Kree gods.”
“Not many do. Apparently they have not shown themselves for millennia. Also, the orb he carries is known as the Thunder Eye.”
“Yes, as Odin succumbed to death he mentioned it. What exactly is it?”
“The Thunder Eye is a relic made billions of years ago. One of the first civilizations in this universe was a race of magicians. As a cataclysm engulfed their planet they all came together and became the Thunder Eye. Surfer, we are lucky Diykrakus is so near sighted, he cannot fully comprehend what he has. In the wrong hands, the Thunder Eye can destroy whole realities!”
"I understand Stephen. Thank you for the information, but if the threat is as dire as you say, I must return to stop this madman.”
“Go my friend. I will try to help all I can from here as I read more on it.”
With a nod the Surfer was off, back into the thick of battle in seconds. Not much had changed since he left. Diykrakus was actually smiling as he fended off his attackers. Iron Man’s armor had already been breached, but Nova was able to get him to the Moon’s blue area before his body decompressed. He looked towards Jolly Roger, there was something familiar about the powers he was showing, but the Surfer couldn’t concentrate on what it was just yet.
With a blast he saw Diykrakus had a force shield around him. Diykrakus was firing randomly all around him, apparently trying to swat the vermin that plagued him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Opalifus and Quartaliz flying straight towards him in an attempt to confront him directly. With a sneer he put his hands together and fired a massive bolt, instantly disintegrating his attackers.
“NO!!” Grantite shouted as he blindly raced towards Diykrakus ax high in the air. Grinning Diykrakus produced his own battle ax and prepared himself. With a clang that echoed for light years the fight was on. The proficiency and mastery each combatant showed with these cumbersome weapons was amazing, more like watching two ninja’s with light swords than two bulky warriors with large axes. For nearly five full minutes all that was seen was a blur of arms and silver, until they locked their weapons together, sizing each other up.
"Warrior true stone man is, invigorating the challenge!”
“Prepare vile one, your death is near.”
“Say you do!” With a smile a small blade appeared at the end of Diykrakus’s ax. Grantite looked down just in time to see it stick into his torso. As they unlocked Diykrakus swung at Grantite, grazing his cheek on one pass and cutting wide his chest on the next. Grantite was barely able to block the next swing that would’ve sliced his head in two as he tried to regain his defensive position.
Diykrakus laughed as he prepared to take Grantite’s head, but was suddenly assaulted on all sides by the others. Jadzerik raced in and grabbed Grantite as Diykrakus repelled the assault.
“Cowards! Creature every coward is before Diykrakus!”
“Not cowards.” Answered Krystalia from right behind him, blades forming in her hands and impaling Diykrakus in the back. “Smart!” Diykrakus backhanded her and sent her flying as he grabbed the daggers only to watch them disappear in his hands. He kept firing after her as she was dodging and throwing her own force knives at him. Firelord and Nova surrounded him in a ball of cosmic fire as Alicia tried to envelop him with fear. But as Diykrakus exited the ball of fire he was also able to send a psychic backlash at Alicia, knocking her out cold. Nova raced in and rescued Alicia right before a disintegration bolt finished her off, the women heading for the Moon, where Alicia would be safe.
The Surfer stood his ground, cosmic energy bleeding from his eyes and crackling and popping all around him. His anger had completely overwhelmed him. He watched as the others all buzzed around Diykrakus like flies, trying to catch him off guard. He could feel that Alicia was fine; once she caught her breath she would return. He could taste the anger and sadness in the faces of the Tyrosians. He could see the battle raging over Earth between Supremor and the others. He could hear Ronan’s groans of pain and the efforts of the FF and Shadow Hunter to help him. He could smell the stench of death from where Opalifus and Quartaliz fell in battle. All around him, from every direction and with every sense he could see the darkness Diykrakus had brought to this place.
Finally something inside the Surfer snapped. Telepathically he spoke with the others fighting Diykrakus, coordinating the attacks. All at once everyone fired at Diykrakus, causing him to take pause. As he opened his eyes he could only see a glimmer of silver as the Surfer landed a tremendous blow between his eyes. More like a wild animal than the rational man he is, the Surfer went after the Kree in a seemingly unthinking array of punches and kicks. For every blow the Surfer landed Diykrakus was struck by three different shots from the others. Diykrakus tried to shift the tide of the battle but was unable to move from the defensive position.
“ENUOGH!” Diykrakus lashed out with a ball of force striking all around him, finally giving him the chance to catch his breath.
“Now Pyreus!” the Surfer cried.
“All right everyone, move out! Come on, this place is about to get real unsafe, for any of us!”
Diykrakus smiled as he wiped a trail of blood flowing from his lip.
“Face me alone silvery one? Not stupid as that are you?”
“What have I to fear from you Kree? I have already bruised and beaten you. I have drawn your blood from your veins. You cannot touch me unless I will it. You are hardly worth my time to finish you.”
You could see the anger and hatred building in Diykrakus as the Surfer spoke.
“Taunt me you should not seek man little! My rage the full fury you shall feel!”
Diykrakus held the orb high and screamed as he let lose the full might of the Thunder Eye. Skillfully the Surfer dodged the blast and raised his hand, beginning to absorb the energy pouring out of the Thunder Eye. Slowly Diykrakus realized he had erred. He had fully opened the floodgates of the orb, and now that the Surfer was connected to it he could not close them. Diykrakus tried and tried to regain control of the Thunder Eye, but the Surfer would not relinquish control.
Finally the Surfer screamed as a backlash of energy from the orb struck him sending him flailing back. As the Surfer rolled into an unmoving ball, shaken and sweating, Diykrakus smiled as he found victory close.
“Shiny control he could not the might of my weapon. Feel now the might of Diykrakus, all the universe’s master!”
Diykrakus pointed the orb at the helpless Surfer, waiting for a time, playing with his hunt. Suddenly he looked worried, gazing at the orb in disbelief. He shook the orb and resumed his aim at the Surfer. Still nothing.
“What done you have?” Over and over
Diykrakus asked, each time his voice becoming more shrill and paranoid.
“Enough Kree.” The Surfer looked up at Diykrakus and stood tall. “Your terror has come to an end. It is time you learned the true nature of your “weapon”. Prepare vile one, the fate you shall receive is fitting for one as evil as you.” The Surfer smiled as he spoke. A grin that would chill the soul of any man or god. A grin beaming of near evil. The Surfer then smiled wide as he raised his hand to dish out his divine punishment.
Diykrakus screamed as he turned away, begging for mercy. After a time he looked up, the Surfer was nowhere to be found…
Continued in Chapter 9 -
Divine Malevolence
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