Beryl's Past: The Catastrophe Lich Part 2 of 2

By: D. R. Nyan-chan

CLONK!
A palm-sized boulder struck Scamper on the right side of his head and knocked him out cold.  Almost immediately, Garnet’s binding’s dissipated and she fell to the ground.  A familiar voice then mewed, “That was too close-nya.”

“B-Beryl?” Garnet exclaimed in genuine surprise and relief.  “I told you to head to the Peppermint Foundation.”

“I was worried about nyu,” Beryl explained as she returned Garnet’s glasses.  “I convinced Peter to let me go and I eventually found Scamper watewing the outside wall while talking about what to do with his catch with someone I couldn’t see.  I followed him, set up a trap, and nyow he just went nyight-nyight.”

“Wait a minute,” Garnet gasped in disbelief, “you actually hurt someone on purpose?  What about your insistence that everyone should be hugging instead?”

“Sometimes even-nya good kitty has to bare her claws to pwotect someone she cares about-nya,” Beryl replied with a small laugh and a wink.
 
“Okay, good point,” Garnet relented, “but how come you don’t come at me with that level of seriousness when we spar?”

“It’s because I have nyo reason to hurt nyu,” Beryl explained with a cuddle.  “Nyor my sister and I love nyu.  Besides, nyu hold back, too-nya.”

Garnet then sighed, “All right, you win.  You can come along and-IS THAT MY DRESS?”

“Nya,” Beryl nodded as she held out a mint green one-piece over the unconscious nekomimi.  “I was saving it for Daddy, but Scamper could nyuse a smile from being pwetty, too-nya.”

Garnet slapped her hand to her forehead and grumbled in frustration, “Beryl, first of all, that’s my dress.  Second of all, that’s MY dress!  Third, isn’t helping Dad more important?”

Beryl looked at Scamper for a moment before smiling at her sister and giggling, “Okay-nya.  Let’s go.”  However, before Beryl could take more than a couple of steps, she cringed and keeled over.

“Beryl!” Garnet fearfully shouted as she rushed to her sister’s aid.  “Oh no,” she gasped, “it’s happening again.”  Beryl’s hair and tail were slowly pulsing pale blue and her eyes had a similar sparkle to them.

“I-it’s okay-nya,” Beryl weakly whispered with a smile.  “It’ll go away in-nya little bit.”

“Beryl, how long has this been going on?”

“For three days,” Beryl confessed.

Garnet sighed for a second and then propped Beryl onto her back before wrapping her tail around her little sister’s waist for extra support.  “Come on, let’s find Dad,” Garnet stated.

“Th-thankies, Garnie-nyaaa,” Beryl softly mewed.

“If I was to leave you alone, you’d follow me anyway,” Garnet rationalized.  “Besides, Dad would kill me if I left you with that pervert.  I just hope his trail isn’t too cold.”

“He’s probably in dat cave-nya,” Beryl indicated with a pointed finger.

“And what makes you so sure?” Garnet skeptically remarked.

“That’s where what’s hurting me is coming from-nya.”
 
“Fine,” Garnet conceded with a sigh, “it’s as good a spot as any.”

The cave in question seemed to be literally spewing out darkness.  No, it wasn’t darkness, it was something sinister, as if the urge to light a match and watch the world burn had taken on physical form.  Garnet remembered her father’s advice about thinking positive, though putting it into practice was easier said than done.  At the same time, Garnet wondered about how Beryl was able to hold up so well in comparison against this malefic pressure; aside from her infantile illness resurfacing, Beryl was just as cheery as ever.  Each step felt heavier and heavier than the last as they headed deeper into the cave.  Eventually, Beryl was able to get back on her feet again, but that did little to ease Garnet’s progress.

“We’re almost there-nya,” Beryl happily mewed.  At that instant, a large scythe appeared behind her and swung back.

“Beryl!  Look out!” Garnet frantically screamed as she tackled her sister, the blade nicking Garnet’s arm in the process.

“Such smiles,” a sinister voice echoed.  “Why is something so abominable showing up in my presence?  These lies, they must be destroyed.”

Garnet propped herself up and stared at the entity that had now assumed its full form in front of her.  “You must be the catastrophe lich my dad warned me about,” she said with a weak chuckle.

“Father?” the catastrophe lich wondered with an inquisitive tone.  “Is this the father you speak of?”  Garnet could only gasp and cover her mouth in horror when she saw Onyx’s unconscious and mangled form.  “Truly a stubborn one.  So reluctant to embrace his true nature, but too weak to avert his fate.  Perhaps his daughter can open his eyes to the Truth.”

“How about I open your eyes?” Garnet threatened as she lunged towards the lich in a rage.  “And while I’m at it, I’ll rip you a few new holes in your skull!”  Just as Garnet was about to land a blow, the cut on her arm began to fester and her energy seemed to leave her.

“Good, good,” the catastrophe lich cackled.  “You understand the Truth very well.  You only need a little…redirection.  Make the little one suffer until she submits to me.”

Against Garnet’s will, she subsequently found herself shambling towards Beryl with a short blade of pure darkness in hand.  “N-no, stop,” she weakly objected with tear-filled eyes.

“Did you actually think you stood a chance against the Truth?” the lich arrogantly chortled.  “To wish for my defeat is to wish for destruction.  I hold complete dominion over that Truth and now you’re mine as well.  That blade can deteriorate lies with its mere presence alone.  Just give in to your fate.”

Garnet could feel her mind slipping.  Beryl was hunched over from another onset of her illness and screeching in pain.

One step after another until both of their fates were sealed.

Beryl glanced at Garnet, who barely managed to whisper, “Run away.”

However, Beryl did not listen to her sister.

*drip drip drip*

To Garnet’s surprise, Beryl was embracing her even with the dark knife stabbed into her shoulder.  “It’ll be okay, Garnie,” Beryl assured her.  “I’ll take nyor sadnyess away.”  With that, Beryl grabbed Garnet by both of her cheeks and gave her a passionate kiss.  The catastrophe lich merely stared dumbfounded as the ten-year-old forcefully made out with her older sister.

Garnet felt a strange warmth filling her that cleared her head and somewhat revitalized her.  She felt at peace, even in such a dire situation; not even the fact that her sister had stolen her first kiss seemed to bother her.

“A tenacious one, this girl,” the lich grumbled.  “No matter.  The end will be the same.”

“You are one strange kitty,” Garnet weakly chuckled while Beryl helped her situate herself against the cave wall.

“It works evewy time-nya,” Beryl giggled.  “I’m glad that nyu enjoyed my Kiss of Happinyess.  It always guawantees a smile-nya.  I learned it from watching Mommy and Daddy.  Sometimes dey give it to each other when dey think dat nyo one’s looking before sneaking off to their room and making happy sounds.”

“Beryl, I-GAH!” Garnet screeched as she clasped her hand around her dark wound.  “I guess I’m out of commission.  How can you tolerate this pain?  Why are you still in control of yourself?”

“That ouchie’s nyathing,” Beryl giggled in assurance.  “I’ve been hurting far worse for a while-nya.  Don’t worry, I’ll save nyu two.”

“No, Beryl,” Garnet weakly objected.  “Get out of here.  This thing is too much for you.  It’s too much for me and Dad.”

Beryl simply stood up and faced the catastrophe lich before turning her head back towards Garnet and promising, “I’ll pwotect nyor happy smilies.”

“You delude yourself, Mortal,” the catastrophe lich cautioned.  “I know not how you have yet to see the Truth, but I will have no spreading of lies!”

“It’s nyat a lie,” Beryl grinned in reply.  “Could nyu please go away Miss Taz Twophy Leech?  I’ll even give nyu a pwetty wibbon to go with nyor dress.”

“Arrogant filth!” the undead abomination literally fumed.  “You may be the first to correctly guess that I was originally a female, but I will not be taken lightly.  Taste the true potency of my influence.”
 
“Beryl!  No!” Garnet screeched as the catastrophe lich enveloped her sister in an extension of her sinister cloak of bloody shadow.  However, Garnet could do naught but watch, much less help.  Several seconds later, Beryl was visible again, though she was brimming with the catastrophe lich’s aura.  Her hair looked like an abyss in and of itself and her hands were pointed with sinister claws.

“At last, my new disciple,” the lich cackled, “you finally see what needs to be done.  Serve me at my side and I shall grant you unlimited power and pleasure.  Swear to me your eternal loyalty so that I may give you the power to defy deluded destinies.”

Consumed with fear, Garnet called out through her tears, “Beryl?  Are you still there?”

However, Beryl didn’t answer.  Instead, she slowly opened her reddened eyes and stared at the catastrophe lich before smiling and saying, “Nyo thankies.  If I have to change Fate, I can do so without nyor help.”

“Wh-what?  Impossible!”

Garnet’s pendant glowed brighter than ever while an aural plume of pale blue surrounded Beryl.  As it slowly reverted her appearance, Beryl said with confidence, “I don’t need nyor power, Ms. Taz Twophy Leech.  Nyu can have it back-nya.”

To Garnet’s amazement, both the catastrophe lich’s influence and much of the aura that was tormenting Beryl immediately shot away from her and hit the undead entity dead on.

“AAAAAHHH!!!” the floating corpse screeched in agony.  She was feeling pain.  The catastrophe lich was actually feeling pain.  The next thing she knew, she was enveloped in the color of Beryl’s aura.  It wasn’t matter or energy; it seemed to be both at the same time and was also alive, sentient even.  A large, dark eye with a glowing blue pupil opened up above the lich and simply stared.  Whatever it was, it made the catastrophe lich feel insignificant by comparison.  Moments later, the energy and presence disappeared, leaving the injured undead behind in a destabilized state.  Not wanting to risk annihilation, the lich immediately vanished from the plane, taking her influence with her.

Beryl collapsed in relief from the pain that was plaguing her while Garnet simply stared awestruck.  Her pendant no longer glowed, but that no longer concerned her and neither did the lich; Garnet had caught a glimpse of the overpowering eye, as well.

===========================
Peppermint Foundation infirmary:

“Oh, it seems she’s finally waking up,” a gentle voice said.

Beryl yawned and started to rub the sleepies from her eyes.  Sitting very close to her on one side of the bed was her older sister and on the other side was a slightly slender succubus that Beryl had never met before.  She had moderately tanned skin, short lilac hair and yellow eyes with darkened scleras.  Her long, white, spade-tipped tail was swishing about and the large, white wings on her back seemed to glow, as did the smaller pair situated above her ears.  Though her kind and caring demeanor didn’t seem to fit the succubus stereotype, her attire was another story.  The female demon wore what seemed to be a white, form-fitting cosplay nurse’s outfit with a low cut that revealed significant cleavage and only went a third of the way down her thigh.  She also wore a small nurse’s hat, white heels, and thigh-high white stockings.

“Nyor pwetty,” Beryl said to the new face with a smile.

“And you’re quite adorable,” the succubus giggled.  “My name is Dr. Gelda Abode.  I’m the head of medicine and remedies of all types at the Peppermint Foundation.”

“Garnie and Geldy,” Beryl giggled.  “Is evewyone-nyokay?”

“Very much so,” Garnet said with a smile before showing Beryl her bandaged arm.

Dr. Abode heartily chuckled, “Say what you will about catastrophe liches, but their ritual of destruction worked in our favor this time around.  They like to save all of the actual killing for the very end just before they destroy the world they’ve invaded, so there are no fatalities.  Even your father and mother should be up and about in no time.”

“What about the Taz Twophy Leech?” Beryl curiously asked.

Garnet nuzzled Beryl as she replied, “You actually managed to chase it off, somehow.  It looks like your affinity to Mirror-type allowed you to bounce it back.”

“Actually,” Gelda corrected, “that’s not the case.”  She then lifted up her long, white staff and waved it over Beryl.  “First of all, Beryl, you’re not a Mirror-type, you’re a Chaos-type, quite the rarity.  Your mistype is actually a common mistake with a generation of instruments we phased out of your world a few years back.  I’ve taken a look at your medical history and that mysterious ailment that almost killed you both now and when you were a baby is actually Chaos Fever.”

“Wait, what?” Garnet exclaimed in an awestruck manner.

“It comes with the territory as far as having an affinity with Chaos,” Gelda elaborated before continuing to go into depth about what Chaos Fever was.

After attentively listening, Garnet eagerly asked, “You mean that accidently dropping Beryl on the head had nothing to do with her Fever?”

Dr. Abode shrugged and explained, “Actually, we’re still trying to figure out what triggers the first onset, but even if you did, it was bound to happen to Beryl sooner or later.  At the very least, you can take comfort in the fact that when it happened, she was with people who cared about her and were able to get her medical treatment immediately.”

Garnet hugged her sister and couldn’t stop the sudden surge of tears.  She felt like a huge burden had finally been lifted from her heart.  “Garnie?” Beryl asked.  “Why are nyu cwying when nyor happy?”  Garnet didn’t answer, she just continued to embrace Beryl while Dr. Abode went on to explain more about Chaos Fever, including the fact that Beryl had been asleep for half a day recovering from the aftereffects of a major flare-up triggered by the mere presence of the catastrophe lich.  She also revealed that the eye Garnet saw was the Chaos of Creation itself.

“I expect you both will make a full recovery from this attack, without even so much as a physical scar,” Gelda concluded.  “However, Beryl, some of the catastrophe lich’s energy is still inside you.  Fortunately, it should harmlessly dissipate over time and you’re immune to its dangerous and corrupting affects because of your Chaos affinity.”  Dr. Abode then waved her staff and several readouts appeared.

“Wow,” Garnet exclaimed.  “Is there anything you can’t do with that stick?”

“I’ve yet to figure out what the limits actually are,” Gelda replied with a wink.  “I can read pretty much anything.  I even know that Beryl’s a bi.”

“Nya?”

“That means that you like both girls and guys,” Dr. Abode said with another wink.

“Dat’s vewy twue,” Beryl chuckled, “especially when dey wear dwesses-nya.”

Dr. Abode couldn’t help but smile as she said, “Miraculous medical staff aside, I recommend practicing some magic to help with your Chaos Fever.”

“Mommy’s been wanting me to do glyph nyagic,” Beryl indicated.  “I could twy dat.  Geldie, can I ask nyu a favor?”

“Of course, my sweet little kitty,” Gelda replied with a smile as she leaned in close.

“Could nyu nyat tell anyone-nyabout the Fever or even wite it down?  I don’t want to worwy anyone.”

Garnet suddenly gasped, “B-Beryl?  Are you sure that’s a good idea?”  Beryl adamantly nodded.

“I was really hoping that she wouldn’t ask that,” Gelda cringed.  “However, according to our boss, I have to honor that request, especially since Beryl could otherwise be a target for some really nasty groups, including the one that enslaved your world a few centuries ago.  I’ll go make the arrangements.”

As Dr. Abode walked away, Garnet hugged her sister again and cried, “I’m sorry, Beryl.  I’m so sorry.”

“For what?” Beryl asked with a gentle smile.  “Was nyor sadnyess because of something nyu did to me?  Was it because of the Fever?”  Garnet nodded as she hugged her sister.  Beryl gently patted Garnet’s ears and said, “I nyactually remember when I was really little and sick, but I’ve nyever blamed nyu for dat, nyat even once.  I love nyu, Garnie-nya.  Nyu don’t have to hold back when we play fight, though.”

Garnet stopped crying and let out a weak chuckle, “I guess you were right.  I can go harder, but you have to do the same.”

“Even if it could hurt nyu?”

Garnet put a finger to Beryl’s lips and said, “Sometimes giving someone a good kick below the tail and beating the stuffing out of them is the kindest thing you can do.  When we spar, I want you to actually try to throttle me.  That way, I’ll be better prepared for when something truly dangerous comes along.”

“I understand,” Beryl replied as she nuzzled her sister’s cheek and licked her nose.  “I hope nyu don’t mind if I nyus nyor own strength against nyu.  The Taz Twophy Leech gave me some good ideas-nya.”
 
“Only if you’re ready for me to knock you to the next world,” Garnet smiled with tears of happiness.  “I’m going to be coming at you as if I intend to kill you.”

“And I’ll twap nyu and give nyu lots and lots of ouchies,” Beryl promised as she shed some joyful tears of her own before giving her sister another Kiss of Happiness.

“You have got to be a real natural at that,” Garnet blissfully sighed.  “Of course, your smile is probably the deadliest weapon you have.  Just one thing, though,“ she emphasized.  “If you want to make the boys pretty, find another source for the dresses.  If you keep borrowing my clothes without my permission, I really will kill you.”

===========================

“Those deluded fools, content with their lies,” the wounded catastrophe lich grumbled as it hobbled along in the space between spaces.  “When I return, that fool of a girl will know my true wrath.  She will see the Truth even if I have to replace her insides with myself and devour her soul in the process.”

“You will do no such thing!” a telepathic voice boomed.  In the next instant a tall, thin, shadow-like cloaked entity with a toothy grin, a pair of eyes each containing seven irises and nine pupils, and a pair of bloodstained semitransparent wings with a myriad of functional eyes and the shimmering colors of a dark rainbow appeared before the abomination.

“What are you?” the lich darkly demanded.  “Despite your appearance, you lack the air of a specter or demon.”

“True, true,” the entity nodded.  “In a sense, I guess you could essentially call me a wandering metamorph that exists outside the margins of Fate.”

“Leave me,” the irritated lich threatened before walking away.  “I have better things to do than mingle with the likes of you.”

“You mean like taking revenge on that cute kitty who stood up to you?”  The catastrophe lich stopped in her tracks and stared back.  “I’m not going to let you do such a thing.”

In the next instant, the enraged lich formed four gigantic twirling scythes and threatened, “Watch your tone and learn your place, you peon.”

“I’d say the same if I also had such a fragile ego,” the creature taunted.  “You don’t even realize that the only reason that you’re still around is that I’ve been merely allowing you to run free.”

“Arrogance has limits, as does my patience.”  With that, the catastrophe lich lunged at the strange sentience, only for her scythes to be chopped up into several tiny pieces before she could even get close.  “No, impossible.  Nothing can cut those!”

“Actually,” the entity said in the innocent-sounding telepathic tone of a little girl, “you’re only half wight, tee-hee.  Nothing can cut them, as can unidimensional blades like the curwent form of my lower ‘wings.’”  A couple of slight distortions in the air passed the lich’s field of vision and settled around the mysterious entity’s waist before disappearing.  “Very handy tools.  They’re completely invisible except for some aftereffects and you have to get the cutting angle just right, but there’s no blade sharper.”
 
“Even blades can’t help you against something that grows BACK!” the catastrophe lich howled as she extended her cloak/aura upon the unconcerned entity, who stopped it short with a single hand/shadow claw, or so it appeared.  Upon closer inspection, the lich realized that her shroud had not only fallen short of said appendage, but she couldn’t pull it back.  “What trickery is this?”

“Force negation,” the entity taunted.  “The mere fact that it affects you means that you don’t stand a chance against me.”  To the abomination’s surprise, the creature then pulled out a feather, demonstrated how soft it was, and then rubbed it on the lich’s shroud, causing it to disintegrate.  “Of course, the forces holding something together are also negated.”

The catastrophe lich then hovered back a little and growled, prompting the stranger to state, “Oh give it a rest.  I could’ve destroyed you at any moment.  The only reason I didn’t do so was because I wanted to see if the denizens of that world would be able to do something about you, themselves.  Well, that and I knew about your little quirk regarding doing your killing last.”

“Why?” the lich demanded.  “Do you think I’m some sort of mere pawn?  Did you lead me there for your own amusement?”

“I didn’t have to,” the creature smirked.  “You did that all on your own.  Besides, even destruction can provide growth and healing.  Take solace in the fact that you’ve brought two sisters closer together and move on before you end up doing something you’ll regret.  I won’t have you subjecting them to your pointless revenge.”  The entity then turned and hovered away.

However, the catastrophe lich’s ire would not be quelled so easily.  This…thing before her was merely toying with her, but her pride wouldn’t stand for it.  In her rage she lunged for her target and slashed away at its back, resulting in the catastrophe lich collapsing from extreme energy loss.

“You really shouldn’t have done that,” the creature warned in a deeper tone.  “My ‘wings’ aren’t exactly ordinary and merely touching them grants me dominion over your energy regulation network.  As you have just experienced, I can easily drain you dry right now.  Or…”

The catastrophe lich screeched in agony as she felt her arms surge with more power than she’s ever experienced.  Soon, the bones started to bulge and…

POP!
POW!
CRACKLE!
SNAP!

“…conversely, I can also trigger some nasty overloads,” the entity resumed.  The literally disarmed lich glared at the entity with pure poison, causing it to sternly stare back and sigh, “So you refuse to retreat even when given multiple chances to live or rather, unlive?  It seems I have no choice.  I’m going to have to use Grim Reaper Convention to destroy you once and for all.”  What followed was a technique notorious for reducing the hardiest of witnesses to fearfully curling up in a fetal position in a corner after having been traumatically scarred for life.

“BERYL!” the lich cried out with its last utterance before its very existence was stamped out for good with no hope of revival.

“Hmmm,” the entity mused.  “I’ve heard that there’s some significance the final name a catastrophe lich utters.  I’ll have to check on this Beryl later on.”  It then noticed a large rifle floating next to it and pondered, “Hmmm, a Chekov 740.”

After tapping on something that was apparently not there, the enigmatic creature stated to seemingly no one in particular, “Hey you, the one reading this story.  Yeah, I know of you.  Anyway, you’d better keep an eye out for these types of guns.  They have a tendency to go off when you least expect them to.”

The strange metamorph then materialized some sort of communicator out of its hand and reported, “This is Agent i of the SOCC.  I’ve taken care of the catastrophe lich.  No, there’s nothing left.  I GRC’ed it.  Huh?  The flood of ‘Kick Me’ signs?  Yeah, that’s my doing.  I was bored.”