Misadventures in the Multiverse

Final Chapter: Our Own Path

The Caretaker watches as Clyde and the others have come to confront The Emperor. "I don't understand. Why would you not want the worlds I gave you? Free from war, your loved ones with you. No worries." The Emperor asked, confused. "If you think any of us were satisfied with that reality, real or not, this plan of yours would never work out for anyone," Clyde says, pointing at him getting ready to fight. "Nonsense! A world without strife should be everyone's ideal." The Emperor screams.

Clyde transforms, charging forward with them, punching him in the gut. The Emperor doesn't dodge. "Fool, even if you were able to break out of the paradise I made for you. You still can't hope to win against me." He said arrogantly. Clyde's arm glows brighter as part of The Emperor's monster-like skin breaks off around the impact area. He backs away as the light escapes out of him and into Clyde's arm, it turns from mostly white to crimson red with an aura around it. "I see now. That cursed arm isn't useless after all." The Emperor says, becoming more guarded now that he knows Clyde can take some of the power he's obtained for himself.

I won't let you get to my level. His body started to change and become less human-like, growing tentacles. He reached out his hand, shooting out a giant energy wave. It was too huge to dodge it. He braced himself, closing his eyes, not sure if he would survive it in all honesty. But he felt nothing, he opened his eyes, surprised to see his poser had returned to shield him. His arm siphoned more of the energy from the attack. "Well, look at that," Clyde said, unsure why it was able to be here, maybe something about this being the source of everything.

He thought for a moment of what other things he had left behind on other worlds unable to leave them like the universal code within the sword, and like it heard him calling for it the fragments appeared from all around combining back together into the sword. "This doesn't make much sense, but man is it cool." He counter-attacked, swiping the sword at The Emperor. He could feel his speed, and cognition, increasing by the second. Lucius was still able to dodge each strike, though, as now he was trying to avoid getting hit. Raleigh and the others stood still, they didn't know what they could meaningfully contribute to this fight.

To remedy this, he tried something. He reached out his hand to them thinking about sharing his power, hoping that would be enough to do so. He felt some of the power start to leave him and enter them. "Alright!" Darrian said feeling like a million bucks rushing in with Cyrus to help out. The Emperor whipped his tentacles at him and shot more concentrated energy beams at his face. He was able to dodge some of them, but a few hit him and cracked his helmet a little. The poser took the brunt of the attack, starting to fade away, not able to help any longer. Cyrus rushes to one side, Darrian on the other. Darrian used his fist and Cyrus stabbed into his mid-section, causing him pain.

It seems they could also take his power through Clyde now. "Your little trick works for me too." He said, grabbing onto the Sword and crushing it in his grasp. Some power returned to him. "I saw into your world. What a joke, why would you ever part with a world like yours." Clyde's helmet started to break off, showing his face. "I suspect you'll never understand. As I will never understand why you think this is a good idea. No one wants bad things to happen to them, but that's how we evolve, and grow into better people." Clyde said solemnly. The Emperor swiped at him, releasing a huge wave of energy similar to how he did before. They were all knocked back, mostly drained.

"Even now, you can't defeat me. You squandered your chance. You have no power left." He said, mocking them. He was about to turn his attention back to The Caretaker who had just been watching them from the sidelines when he realized he wasn't at full power. "What did you do? Where is the girl?" He looked around, only now recognizing her absence. "This whole journey I've gone on. I didn't do any of it alone. I couldn't have." Clyde said, smiling, a flash of light appeared behind him. He turned to face it, Raleigh sped toward him, she had been given all the power they took and been off to the side charging it up for a final attack. All that energy is in her hammer. She wacks him with it with everything she has. The Skin on his body cracks completely. The human version of him falls out of it like it was some sort of exoskeleton.

"Nooo! How could you do this? I was going to save everyone. I was going to see her again." The Emperor said, slamming his fists on the sand. He tried to get up, but he was beaten, only falling again out of strength. Raleigh reached out of the exoskeleton left behind, pulling out The Seed. It was over, they had won, though just barely. Clyde, and the others, rose to their feet. Raleigh smiled with glee. "I can't believe it, we did it, we did it." She put her hands up, expecting him to high-five her. He did so, just as excited as her, but still feeling weak and injured from the fight.

They kept celebrating as The Caretaker got closer, clearing his throat, they stopped to look at him with worry, unsure what to expect. "If you would please hand over The Source." He said, reaching out his hand. Raleigh seemed a little reluctant to, but didn't know if she could stop him. "What are you going to do now? We kinda just saved the multiverse for you." Clyde said in protest. The Caretaker smirked, amused by his candor. "Is that what you think you have done? No, nothing so simple." Before anyone could react, he had taken it from her grasp.

"I never did like the vermin that clung to my creation like termites, but I suppose I needed you all. The tree runs off probability, it always has, and your kind increase its possibilities. But those of you who traveled to different worlds changed everything. My little sapling started to grow exponentially. Every world you visit creates so many more. What do you think something on this scale would do." He asked, hoping they could figure it out themselves. "You were happy this all happened," Clyde said, thinking he understood now. The others looked a little lost still. "That's right. You created a paradox. One where you save my wonderful tree, one where you fail miserably." His body begins to glitch and look like The Emperor in his monster form. "And so many others. I don't have just one little sapling to look after anymore."

He returns to normal as the area around them changes to a forest filled with glowing white trees. Most of them look similar, but a few of them look black, and dark. They all look around with wonder, not sure what to make of this information. "I commend you all for this great feat, even that man." He says, referring to The Emperor. "However, you intended to harm my precious creation. You will not be forgiven." He faces him as the ground starts to open up to swallow him. "No stop it. You won't get away with this! I swear I'll return to take your head!" The emperor says as he is pulled down below.

They all were a little uncomfortable by what they just witnessed. Clyde didn't want to know the suffering he would surely be experiencing for who knows how long. "Now to answer your question. As far as your multiverse is concerned, nothing will change. Though I will seal off the chance of anyone being able to do this in yours." He said nonchalantly. "I suppose you may have that as well." He waved his hand at Raleigh, turning his back to them, her arms started to burn like Clyde's confusing her. "I don't think we will meet again. Tell me, did you find the meaning you were looking for?" He asked Clyde with interest in his voice for once.

He was a little confused a first, they had never had a conversation about that, but he accepted that he just knew being who he was. "Yes, I think I did." He smiled as The Caretaker walked away, vanishing. They blinked and were back in the room that housed the source, but nothing was there and everything was shaking. Rebbecca was gone as well as the clone. "Crap, we need to get out of here before that thing seals us all in here," Raleigh said In a panic, still holding onto her arm in pain.

They all nodded, running up the spiral path as it collapsed. They got to the top just in time, but had to keep going. Branches started to fill the hole and create a huge wall that would crush them to death if they didn't get out in time. They forgo the cable and just hold hands to get out of the mist, a lot of soldiers still trapped within it got pushed elsewhere to the unknown with the creatures. They made it just in time to the entrance just as it closed in on itself.

Loki, and the others on the defense team, were there getting their wounds treated. Most of The Empire's forces had fled or started to flee. Everyone seemed satisfied with the outcome, not chasing them and choosing to return home instead. Loki got up weakly, gripping Clyde's shoulders. "You did it, I'm so proud of you. All of you." He said to them. Raleigh looked over in horror at The Hopper. It was pretty banged up. It needed serious repairs right away if there was any hope of it flying again. Clyde rubbed her back, consoling her. "I'm sure someone will give us a discount this time after everything we've done." He said to her in hopes it would make her feel better. She smiled. "Yeah, you are right."