The air seemed to crackle and tiny stars appeared, filling the air about Khasma. The darkness seemed to be beaten back and for the first time Khasma looked confused and almost concerned. The stars wove together, like constellations, making webs of light about the God. "Think they can hold out long enough?" asked Lucifer as he seemed to fish about in the water. "Long enough I hope," said Derek who stood next to Tenchi's body, acting as if he had always been present. "Derek," cried Princess Sasami, "help Tenchi!" The tiny gnome looked over to the Princess and nodded, "I'll do my best lass." Princess Ayeka looked over at the tiny lights and asked, "Who are they?" Derek didn't look up from his examination of the body, but Lucifer answered for him. "They are his folk," said the Fallen Angel, as he finally found what he was looking for. He pulled Washu out of the water and into his arms. "She looks so young," he commented as he flapped his wings and raised above the water, to skim over it towards a free rock. "Who are you?" demanded Mihoshi as she and Kiyone carefully navigated over stones and steaming water, getting closer to where Sasami and Tenchi's body was. "Lucifer, Morning Star, Satan, THE Devil," remarked the Angel, "but we don't have time for that. Where is Ryo-Ohki?" "Mewl?" said the furry cabbit as she peeked over at the strange winged boy. "Don't touch her!" shouted Princess Ayeka, her eyes becoming bright with stress and rage. "Ayeka, dear," said the Devil with a smile as he placed Washu carefully down on the empty rock, "it's all part of Derek's plan." Before Ayeka or the others would respond more new comers started to appear. First a man dressed in a simple black robe of dyed wool surfaced out of the water and climbed onto one of the rocks. He was wearing a helmet and holding a huge round shield in one hand. He spat out the water, combed at his thick black beard with his free hand and smiled up at Lucifer, "I hate traveling like that!" Lucifer answered with a cheerful, "Nice to see you Hades! Cool helmet." "Who is Hades?" whispered Kiyone to Princess Ayeka. Ayeka shrugged. Near Washu's rock the water started to bubble and foam. Suddenly out popped a small boat and riding in the boat was a grotesque looking animal which stood up on its hind legs and was dressed in a clean white cotton robe. Red hair, white skin, tapering snout, huge eyes and forked tail just screamed UGLY. The boat docked by itself and the creature calmly stepped off, a curved sword in one hand, to stand next to Lucifer. "Hey Set," said Lucifer, "long time no see." "Nice to be here," declared Set, God of the Night and all things Evil. "Hey Hades, nice to see you here." "I believe we are waiting for one more," stated Derek. "True," replied the Fallen Prince, "but we should get things started before your people tire." Khasma raged and fought. Not with his body but with his mind. 'You have stopped me from feeding!' he thought as he struggled at the bonds that the local energy beings had woven around his soul. 'But you can't stop me completely, for even YOU can be absorbed.' They tried to stop him, but it was true. They ALSO belonged to the universe and no matter how much they tried to block him from the rest of it he could still feed by drinking the life-force and energy directly from the very web, the very walls they had designed to contain him. The walls they had made from their very own souls. He was winning. Slowly, but surely, he was winning. "Why those people?" demanded Ayeka, as Derek gently covered Tenchi with a towel. "Because they were the only ones willing to fight THAT," responded Derek with a nod towards Khasma, who seemed to be thrashing and clawing at invisible objects, as the tiny stars moved about the Kami of Chaos, like tiny fairies. "With a little outside help," grinned Lucifer as he picked up Ryo-Ohki. "Outside?" whimpered Sasami, as she stayed by Tenchi's side, fighting the need to grab at the tiny cabbit out of the stranger's hands. "You just watch," said Hades as he reached over to touch the cabbit's fur and stand next to Lucifer. "Now Ryo-Ohki, we need you to absorb our energy, feed on it and then toss it at that so-called Chaos God," lectured Derek softly, as he gently held one of Ryo-Ohki's hind legs. Set grabbed onto Ryo-Ohki's tail. The cabbit wiggled some and meowed, not being very comfortable with the idea. "Here is goes," said Set as his eyes glowed. Soon all the Gods (and one Fallen Angel) started to pour their energies into the tiny furry creature. She mewled and twisted, her fur standing out and some of it seeming to let off lightning bolts. "Ryo-Ohki!" cried Sasami. Khasma had noticed the four beings now present, but had dismissed them. It did not matter how many showed up to fight, or how long they decided to resist. They COULD not hurt him. He would, in the end, absorb his body, cell by cell, organ by organ, till he was one. They were a part of HIM. No energy, no weapon, no pattern of thought they designed could hurt him. He absorbed more and more life and energy from the foolish creatures that tried to contain him. The energy bolt that flashed from Ryo-Ohki's eyes was fueled by the Dark and Not-So-Dark Gods of Earth. While fueled by them, it was no longer theirs. The energy bolt was from Ryo-Ohki's very center, twisted into something else by the genes within her cells. Part MASS and part Washu, the tiny cabbit was something that Khasma had not noticed. Ryo-Ohki had genes of the Goddess. And therefore was not totally of this universe. Khasma screamed as the bolt sliced into his left side and blasted out the other, splashing the water below with hissing blood and black flesh. The energy would not be absorbed or deflected, it could not be blocked or redirected. "NOOO!" he cried, turning to stare at the cabbit as she relaxed for a second, allowing the energies to build up. Blood dripped out of his mouth and nose. "Yes," answered Derek, as he too poured power into the tiny creature. "You dismissed her, for her power was not as great as Ryoko's or Washu. But she was built well and use to handling huge amounts of raw power. She will but the tool to your downfall." The water started to bubble and steam and another form surfaced next to the rock which held the side of good. The stranger stood up and pushed his wet hair out of his face, looking very serious. "Sorry I'm late," said another stranger. He was a man, with think long red hair, a scarred face and coat made from wolf fur. His expression seemed to scream of hard times and pain. "Hey Loki," exclaimed Lucifer, "just in time. Take a leg." The second blast of white energy center-punched Khasma, causing him to scream in silence and his whole body to slap about like a fish out of water. 'I can't die!' thought the God as blood bubbled out of his nose, 'I won't die. There is one last thing I can do.' Even as the powerful beings recharged the cabbit, the Goddess of Darkness, the Kami of Chaos, started to build up his rage. Sasami pressed her face against Tenchi's cooling chest and cried, trying not to watch. Princess Ayeka sat next to her tiny sister, holding her shivering body close. "It will be OK," whispered Ayeka to her tiny sibling, as Mihoshi and Kiyone sat down next to the sisters, pistols drawn but useless in such a battle. "How is Tenchi?" asked Mihoshi as she reached out to stroke the boy's pale face. She knew the answer before asking, as death was plainly stamped onto his features. Kiyone shook her head in anger, "Can't they do something for him?" "Not now," remarked Ayeka as she looked up to watch the group of supernatural beings prepare the cabbit for the final blast. "I think they have to focus everything on Khasma for now." Lucifer grinned. It was somewhat a nasty one, one designed by the Beast to deal with New York lawyers. "Time to finish this," commented the Prince of Boredom. The other Gods nodded. Rage is an amazing emotion. Even in a vacuum it can feed on itself, fester and grow, till it can fill a man's soul. People can forget things for years and then, at a High School Reunion, just snap and kill that jock that kept teasing them in gym. Humans always talk about trying to control it, but they always seem to fail. Now put a soul into a cage for over 12 billion years, the soul of a being who has no plans to control the rage, who in fact fed it each and every minute of its tortured existence. Khasma had kept it in a nice tight ball, ready for that special moment where it could share it with the rest of the universe. Khasma released the rage. The blast started out as an anti-flash, as if the light was being pulled towards the center RIGHT before the release. Like a tiny atomic bomb blast, purple light pumped outwards, shattering the inn's walls and vaporizing water. Ayeka was able to protect her sister and friends, just barely, with her shields, but the others did not do as well. Set was knocked clean off his feet, right into his burning boat, as Loki was tossed into the water. Hades was able to deflect some of the power with his shield, but Lucifer's wings caught some of the wind and the Fallen Prince was slammed into the far wall, smashing through it like it was made from paper. Derek seemed to come out of the explosion untouched, carrying a mewling Ryo-Ohki safely in his arms. Lucifer got to his feet among the wooden splinters and said, "Damn it." The Princess swiftly checked his head. "This CAN'T be good for my hair." The tiny stars of Derek's people moved about like drunk lightning bugs or twirling clouds of burning ash, as the shadow formed within the blackness. It became bigger and longer, raising upwards, uncoiling. As the blackness cleared slight, the shape could be seen standing up, framed against the dark sky. A dragon, with scales like black jade and eyes like red blood stood there, huge claws gleaming in the light of the fires, the wings spread out, bringing even more darkness to the clouded waters. The spring stirred and splashed as he reared up and released a plume of yellow flames into the air. Then he leaned forward, causing the very earth to shake as he landed on all fours. Khasma snapped at the air with his white fangs and growled, "I have not yet begin to fight." Loki shook his head and replied, "I hate getting wet." He closed his eyes and with a flash of white light became a giant falcon. With a scream of rage the God of Fire launched himself into the air. "Time to really finish this," said Hades as he touched his magic helmet and disappeared. Tumbling rocks and footprints in the water were the only thing that showed that the Greek God of the Underworld was still there. Set splashed up out of the water and gestured with his sword, causing a web of darkness to descend from the sky, encasing the dragon's wings. "Time to show him who rules the night." "Lets get ready to RUMBLE!" shouted Lucifer as he spread his wings out wide, flexing his claws. "Oh my," said Derek as he joined Ayeka, placing Ryo-Ohki next to the young Sasami. "What's wrong?" asked Kiyone, holding her gun by her side, feeling helpless. "I think Khasma has truly pissed them off," said the tiny gnome, as he twisted his hat, trying to dry it off. "Now, let us see about Tenchi and Washu, OK?" "Shouldn't you help the others?" commented Mihoshi, as the dragon tried to fly while its wings were tied by Set's web. The creature's roar filled the landscape and even made the very air vibrate. "No," stated Derek as he placed a hand on Tenchi's forehead. "Rage has ruined Khasma's concentration. If he calms down enough to try to absorb anything now, my people can trap him again, for a time." Derek closed his eyes and sighed, as Tenchi jerked under the gnome's hand. Princess Ayeka looked for a second trapped between joy and pain. "Will Lord Tenchi live?" Set ducked the dragon's tail and stabbed it in the behind with his sword as the Prince of Lies poked the God of Chaos in the eyes. "Hey Moe!" said the winged Prince as he dodged the dragon's snapping jaws. "Yes," said the gnome, "but it is Ryoko who we need to help now." "What?" stated Sasami, as she glanced up at Ryoko. The yellow eyed demon woman was still floating above the inn like a balloon, drifting about clouds of smoke and mist, totally out of it. "Ryoko," lectured the tiny gnome, as Tenchi moaned, coming to life, "is like Washu and Ryo-Ohki, not of this universe. SHE can beat Khasma back. I think." The dragon's head was dunked into the water, as Loki attacked from above, ramming Khasma's head downward with the giant falcon's own weight. The falcon shrilled in victory, as the dragon arched up, trying to cough up the water. "You think?" demanded the girls. "Well," said Derek, looking a tad sheepish, "evil is so much stronger." "Nonsense," snapped Ayeka, "good will always win out in the end." "Evil," continued Derek as he turned to examine Washu, "is like a salmon swimming upstream. It is going against the natural flow of goodness and therefore it has to be stronger. You have to be strong to be evil." "What?" sputtered the Princess, as Hades slammed his invisible shield into Khasma's groin, causing the dragon to let off a surprised grunt of pain. Lucifer laughed with glee, as Set shouted, "Khasma has balls!" "What are THEY doing?" demanded Kiyone as she gestured at the fight. Lucifer and Loki, as the huge bird of prey, attacked Khasma from the air as Set and Hades pinched and poked the dragon from the ground. Even the tiny lights seemed to be enjoying themselves, flying in and out of the dragon's ears and sometimes right up his nose. The result was a dragon who was becoming more and more crazed, like a cat chasing butterflies after drinking a two-liter bottle of Jolt. The dragon seemed to be break dancing, moving about, snapping and clawing, the flames of the surrounding wreckage reflecting off the eyes that were completely insane. "They need to fight Khasma," said Derek as he stared up at Ryoko, "in such a way as to keep him unbalanced. In other words, they need to keep him pissed." "Second Wave!" screamed Lucifer as he nailed Khasma in the right eye with his hoofed feet, causing it to explode in blood and transparent goo. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------- Tenchi Muyo! characters and settings are owned by AIC and Pioneer. Everything else is mine. BUWAHAHAHA!