Mugman fell down, down. Deep into the hole that constantly spewed lava around him. It was clear that he was falling into the heart of an active volcano, just like the one the Devil had in his lair. Only this one seemed even hotter. Like it was a piece of the sun that got trapped inside the earth's core, just boiling in a small and confined space, building up even more heat.
The mug child felt like he had been falling for hours. But in reality, it had only been a few heart-stopping seconds. The portal from which he fell grew smaller and smaller. Soon it was gone from sight completely. Mug could only imagine that it had closed up behind them. There was no way out now as he and the oversized demon fell deeper and deeper. His glass skin was immediately soaked in sweat, causing the remaining life essence that clung to his body to crystalize into sticky stains that would take hours to wash off. The tentacle of the demon was still wrapped around him, holding onto its prey like it might slip away somehow.
So this is it? This is how I die? Falling into boiling lava? Mug thought with very little effort going into his mental voice.
Don't think of it as such a waste, Mugman. His demon chimed in. You saved Cuphead, your grandpa, the dice lackey, and even that ungrateful creature I used to call master. In the end, we did good. If this is how we go, then I want you to know that there's no one I would have rather been shoved into.
Thanks. Mug replied. I'm glad that I don't have to face death alone.
Just as the young mug and its parasitic creature were having their sentimental talk, the colossal demon seemed to actually land on something with a loud thud. The shockwaves spread through its core and up into each one of its tentacles. Mugman felt the appendage vibrate before ultimately relaxing the muscle a bit. It slowly lowered the tentacles to the platform it had landed on. The mug child found himself lying half in the tentacle and half on the scorching ground. He started to panic about the heat when he realized three of its appendages arched up like snakes. The narrow ends pointed down at him, sizing up their target. Poor Mug gasped and covered his fragile head with his gloved hands. He waited for the inevitable shatter that would end his life.
"Fresh meat!" Called out a deep and sinister male voice.
"Let's dig in!" Another male voice said. This one was accompanied by a couple snapping noises.
"Huh?" Mug squeaked out and ventured a look at what was happening. His little hands lifted off his mug as he saw three shadows approaching the demon that lay before him. All of them bore piercing yellow eyes just like the Devil, except they were without pupils. One of them was clearly the shadow of a dragon. Its broad wings extended out to their full length as the snake-like body prepared to pounce on the parasitic creature. A second shadow scurried around, weaving in and out around the tentacles. It made those snapping noises as its many legs clattered against the stone ground. Mugman caught a glimpse of a scorpion's claw as it snapped off a piece of the demon's appendage. The latter began to screech in utter pain. A third silhouette slithered its way onto the parasitic creature's core. This shadow of a horned snake made directly for the center of the translucent bulb. A forked tongue slid itself in and out of the mouth in a seamless fashion, tasting its surroundings for the best place to sink its fangs into. And then it found it. Hazy black fangs bared themselves, letting out a hiss, before striking deep into its prey. That attack was like a signal to the other two to tear away at the fresh meat.
Mugman stared in horror as the shadows killed this enlarged demon like it was nothing. They all tore great chunks out of its center and devoured them like they had not had a proper meal in years. Blood and mucus gushed out of the parasitic creature. Mug knew its life had ceased when the tentacle around him went limp. Both the little mug and his creature were scared out of their minds. Mugman was sure they would detect his heartbeat that pounded loudly in his mug. It was so loud and violent. How could they not hear it?
O-okay. L-let's just back out of here. N-nice and s-slow. The demon said to its host, who could feel him shaking in utter fear. For he could sense that these were three overlords. All of them having been in the Devil's position before. And they just killed this enemy that had been so hard for them to defeat like it posed no challenge or threat whatsoever. No telling what they could do to a poor mug child that had exhausted his powers.
Mug slowly slid his way out of the limp tentacle, careful not to make a sound. He stopped and stood dumbfounded as the dragon started to fight with the shadow that was clearly supposed to be some sort of insect. The oversized bug that bore the head and pincers of a stag beetle stole a piece of meat directly from the dragon's jaws. Satan roared and immediately tried to snatch the scrap back. They violently swiped and clobbered one another over the juiciest parts of the demon.
Now would be a good time to get out of here! Mug's creature reminded him. The little mug blinked back into reality and began to back away from the slaughter scene in front of him. He then turned around to see where he was going. The child took but only a couple steps more before his parasitic creature yanked him to stop. For it he had taken one step more, Mugman would have fallen into the bubbling lava that was only a couple stories below the platform. The demon tightened the mug's throat so that he would not yelp in surprise. His body was jerked back away from the ledge. Unbeknownst to him, a drop of the liquid resting in his mug flew out over his brim. When it touched the scorching ground, it instantly made a sizzling sound. Without even thinking, Mugman hurled himself behind a stalagmite that grew from the black volcanic ground.
"What wasss that?" A voice hissed. The snake then slithered itself off the carcass to go investigate what made that noise. Its forked tongue flicked out, instantly picking up on the sweet taste of the young mug's life essence. Mug took a cautious glance around the rock formation and saw the serpent lapping its tongue in the very spot the liquid spilled. Two curved horns of a bull bovine rested atop its head.
"I know you're here. I can sssmell you!" It hissed and started to slither itself around the platform, trying to home in on the unusual sweet and sticky scent. Mug pulled himself back behind the stalagmite to avoid being caught. "Come out, come out, fffoolish mortal. Ifff you come out, I will make your death quick."
Mugman peered around the opposite side of the pointed stone piece. It was coming closer!
Go away! Please! I'm not here! He silently pleaded and took a very dry gulp. For his body was starting to wilt in the increasing heat. His straw bent lazily over his brim. His silver mug started to turn a shade of red. If he got much hotter, the liquid in his head would certainly start to boil and give himself away. The young mug closed his eyes and prayed that some miracle would draw the snake away. And then it happened.
Crack! Crash!
For it sounded as if a rock had been tossed across the platform, bouncing off the wall. The shadowy snake's head whipped around with a hiss. Mug peered around to see that it was slithering away.
Now's my chance! Mugman thought and made a break for it. He desperately looked around for a way out of there. But all that was around was the sheer volcano walls. There were plenty of nooks and crannies in the jagged rock structure. However, an exhausted child would not make it very far before getting noticed or even falling back down.
Bubble! Bubble! Bubble! His head said all of a sudden.
No! Mug cried out and tried to find another hiding place.
As quick as lightning, that snake came barreling back toward the mug child. Mugman tumbled down onto his bottom at the sight of those familiar gleaming yellow eyes. The thick and long shadow coiled its hazy body around the boy.
"It'sss a boy!" The shadow said triumphantly. Mug trembled in fear as the snake cocked its head to the side and studied him. The forked tongue retracted into its mouth. It was clear that this figment had never seen a creature like him before.
"What are you sssuposssed to be?" It interrogated.
"I....I'm...." The mug child barely got out. For these things seemed so much scarier to the boy than the Devil. These previous rulers made David look like a petty thief compared to them, or so Mug thought.
"Ssspeak up!" The black snake spat at him. Just then a gray paw smacked the shadow off him. Mugman took a glance over his shoulder to see the Devil standing behind him.
"Come on! We have to get out of here now!" The furry creature said, pulling the child to his feet.
"Intrudersss!" Mug and David heard the snake announce. It then shook its tail, making a noise like a rattlesnake. However, the rattle was basically invisible due to the hazy nature of the shadow. "Dessstroy them!"
The young mug froze on the spot as two more pairs of yellow eyes bore down onto him.
"What? Are you waiting for an invitation? I said let's move!" David growled and dragged the boy by the collar of his shirt. With a wave of his trident, rocky and uneven stair steps jutted from the volcano wall. The demonic creature pushed Mug forward, who started to race up the steps without question. David followed close behind. They could hear their pursuers pounding forward from down below. The many scorpion legs of the insect invaded Mugman's mind and made him panic. The Devil could sense that the boy was running out of steam. Brown boots started to stumble and cause him to slow down. This was not good. If they couldn't get far enough away from the shadows, the faun would never be able to conjure a portal home without getting interrupted and attacked.
"Faster!" David growled, switching his trident to his tail. He then got down on all fours, scooped the boy up in his jaws, and powered forward. The creature's large canine fangs grabbed onto the collar of the child's shirt, carrying him like a mother cat would grab their kitten by the scruff of its neck. Mug could feel his shirt getting stretched as the weight of his body pulled against it.
All of a sudden, the shadows grew quiet. The Devil ventured a gaze down to see what they were doing. He watched as the snake merely hissed at them with malice. The insect hybrid curled its scorpion tail over its body and lowered its beetle head toward the ground. It clicked its pinchers and claws together before reaching for its back. The creature seemed to lift up the wings of a fly and pull something out from underneath them. In its scorpion claw now was a spear. After a couple extra clicks from its pincers, it released the weapon at them with such force that it could have cut through steel. David saw this coming. It caused him to stop and duck the incoming projectile. His yellow eyes watched as it barely passed over his shoulder and lodged into the volcano. It stuck there and jiggled up and down, wanting to travel even farther.
It was rumored that, in his living years, Beelzebub could toss that spear clear across a continent and still hit his target right in the eye. For the insect hybrid, that was about two-thirds of the dragon's size, was a force to be reckoned with. His appearance alone was sure to put fear into the hearts of his victims, even those who claimed to be insect-lovers. If one got close enough to him, they could see that his eyes were divided up into hundreds of small sections that could see in all directions. There was no sneaking up on him, that's for sure. If you happened to be even more unlucky and see him open his mouth, you would find a void full of teeth. Think about a shark's mouth, but it's even worse. In Beelzebub's mouth, there are no rows of teeth. Instead they are just scattered about without any order. And they constantly grow back whether one has fallen out or not.
After recovering from the shock of the powerful toss, David kept galloping upward. He saw the insect shake its claws and click silent curses.
"David!" Mugman gasped. The Devil returned his attention back to the stairs. His yellow eyes widened in horror as the dragon's shadow pounded its wings and galloped high into the sky. One of its great wings cut right through the steps, causing a section of it to explode and collapse. It was trying to cut off their escape! But David kept going forward. Mug felt him slow a bit as Satan's gaze locked onto the Devil's. It was clear that this beast still scared the faun a bit. David did his best to shake that fear away and pounded forward, intending to jump right over the reptile's head and land on the other side. Powerful muscles tightened in his haunches before they launched the duo high into the air. Terrible snapping jaws whipped around and caught the furry creature by the scruff of its neck just as they were about to pass by. David yowled in pain, dropping the mug child. Poor Mug screamed as he began to plummet down towards the volcano's center. The Devil reacted by swishing its tail around and slicing the pronged end of the trident up the reptile's stomach. Satan gave a great roar and dropped his prey. The strike had hurt the shadow, but would have been even more devastating if it still had been living. For that type of attack would have gutted it for sure.
David righted himself as he fell, making him look like a black, furry missile. In no time, he caught up to the screaming mug and caught him in his claws. The platform was coming toward them fast. There was little time to react. The black trident pointed downward and created a large bubble that Mugman and his savior softly sank down into. It gently lowered them to the ground and popped. The child could feel the adrenaline pumping through his body. They were back on the platform, down where the other shadows dwelled. Their gaze watched as the dragon came back to the ground and landed next to the bug.
All three overlords stared at their prey. The two larger shadows homed in on the Devil while the snake bore its sight on the little mug.
"You made a mistake coming here!" Satan bellowed. "And now you're going to suffer..." Its head lowered so that it was level with Beelzebub's. Wings rose high into the sky menacingly. David could tell that they were going to strike with a fever. The red-faced mug looked on in utter terror.
"You need to run and hide if you even want a chance of surviving." The Devil whispered to Mug. His gray paw tried to shush him away.
"No way! I'm not leaving you to fight all three of them by yourself!" Mugman pouted. He charged out front and tried to muster a fistful of blue energy. A small dose came and he tried to throw it forward. It skipped a couple times on the ground before petering out, just like the first time he tried to use the powers by himself. All three shadows laughed loudly in his face.
"As I said, you better leave this to me." The furry creature reiterated. But Mug still tried to fight against the paw that attempted to push him to the side. "Stop fighting me!" David growled. "I'm trying to save your hide!"
The sound of clattering insect feet trampled into their minds. Two scorpion claws grabbed onto the mutated faun's arms and lifted him off the ground. The grip was so powerful that David couldn't help but drop his trident. Beelzebub promptly pinned him to the scorching wall. The Devil thought his fur would be set ablaze for sure. He struggled against the insect hybrid's iron grip.
"Speaking of hides, that fur coat of yours would make a great souvenir. I'll be sure to peel it off you once you're dead!" The creature clicked its pincers menacingly in David's round face. Its scorpion tail arced up and pointed its stinger at its prey. The Devil gasped and rolled his head to the right to avoid the stinger going through his head. Beelzebub's venom would (at the very least) cause paralysis if not induce a poison that would trigger a gag reflex where the victim would suffer from vomiting its innards. The tail retracted with a clicking sound and tried to strike again. David rolled his head to the other side, barely missing the second devastating blow.
"What are you doing?" The dragon roared. "You're going to kill him too fast!" A powerful wing cuffed the bug to the side. The furry creature dropped to the ground in a moment of relief.
"Don't tell me what to do, you oversized worm!" Beelzebub clicked in anger. For he liked quick and violent deaths. Satan, on the other hand, liked to torture his victims for as long as possible. This difference in methodology caused them a great dislike for one another. The two shadows were always bickering, even about the smallest of issues. David and Mugman watched as they viciously clobbered one another. Both of them wanted a piece of the dark lord that had wandered into their domain. And neither of them played fairly.
The snake, however, was more than happy that they were too busy bickering with each other to notice the other source of fresh meat in their lair. Mug had given a sigh of relief when David had been given a chance to get back on his feet. A hissing sound sent a chill into his mug. His beat-red face whipped back to find the serpent raising its horned head up high.
"Thossse two moronsss may have the main courssse....but I have the dessssert all to myssself!" It sneered, rattling its tail in delight. The shadowy reptile did not strike right away. Mugman watched as the tail reached up toward its back. Inky droplets from the shadow stretched outward as it started to pull at something that was clearly hidden from the world. Mug watched in horror as a shadowy mace formed from the inky splotches being torn from its back. Even though the weapon looked hollow, its spiked ball made a thud as it fell to the ground. This sound seemed to wake up the young mug from his trance. He realized he needed to protect himself....and fast!
The living muscle curled up before ultimately springing itself into the air. Mug's gaze fell to his right. There was David's trident only a couple feet away. With little other option, the mug child attempted to lift the large pitch fork. Its steel body was easily more than twice Mugman's body length. The black weapon tried to resist being picked up by such a small being. Its back end scraped along the ground as the forked end was lifted to the mug's chest level. He tried to lift it up a little higher as the shadowy serpent flipped itself in the air, causing the mace to come down with a powerful force at the child. Mug gasped and did his best to block his face from the medieval weapon. Mugman cringed when the two weapons made contact. For it hit the trident with such force that it nearly sent the young mug tumbling backwards. But he held strong as the snake bounced itself away, sliding on the scorching ground himself.
"There'sss no ussse in trying, boy!" Lucifer hissed as he started to slither his way back to the mug child. The mace came flinging back around and collided with the trident again. Mug flinched and gasped again. For the reptile loved the sound of that. It kept slithering forward, making mock lashes with its weapon to keep scaring the boy. Mug started to back away, blocking each one of the blows.
"What isss it that you think you're trying to do?" Lucifer taunted him. "Sssave that ungrateful ssspirit? Your fffamily? You mortalsss are alwaysss ssso predictable! Trying to sssave the world when you can't even sssave yourssself! Trying to play the hero! Why not jussst give up and meet your ancessstorsss?"
Mug seemed to almost consider this for a moment. Could it really be possible that he could see his parents again if he accepted death? Is that really what he wanted?
"I will meet them one day... but I still have people to live for!" Mugman said defiantly. The snake merely chuckled at him.
"You really are sssuch a ssstupid boy! Do you really think anyone caresss about you? Your fffamily dessservesss all the sssufffering that you do! They mussst have been sssinnersss for you to even be near the ssspirit!"
This made the young mug mad that the overlord was assuming the worst of his family when he didn't even know them. Mug stopped backing away and stood firm. A warm feeling started to sprout in his heart.
"My parents didn't do anything wrong!" Mugman yelled as the mace came at him again. Instead of using the trident to block, a blast of white light came from its forked end. It exploded on the shadowy mace and sent it flying out of Lucifer's grip.
"Augh!" It spat in surprise and bared its fangs. Another spout of white energy came at the reptile. Lucifer tumbled backwards across the volcano's platform. Mug looked dumbfounded at the weapon within his hands. How did that just happen? What exactly happened?
"What was that?" The Devil and the child's demon asked at the same time.
"I....I don't.....know..." Mugman stuttered out.
"Imposssible!" The snake hissed, coiling itself up in an instinct to protect itself. "That power wasss meant for evil!"
"Wait....what is he talking about?" The young mug wondered aloud.
Oh....! I think I understand now!
"Please do explain because he's going for his mace again!" Mug said in a panicked manner. Lucifer slithered himself backwards, not taking his eyes off his prey. Still partially coiled up, the horned serpent kept tossing glances to get an idea of where his weapon was in relation to his location.
The power of the dark spirit.....it's just a power, not meant to be only one certain thing. All this time, it could have been used for good or evil. Our alpha has just always pulled out the worst in his hosts, using hate to manipulate them and drive their actions. But you.... you are following your heart and using love to guide you. That's why it looks and feels so different. It's also why I turned out so different than my boss. Because you stayed true to yourself despite my bad influences at times.
Mugman understood the parasitic creature's explanation. But there was still one problem: he didn't know how he did it in the first place. It just sorta happened.
"But...I don't know how to control it! Or summon it!" Mug voiced his worries.
Don't overthink it. Just focus on a happy thought and let it drive the power. The demon explained.
"Idiotsss! I need backup!" Lucifer called out, getting the attention of the other two overlords. The larger shadows scuttled their way over in front of the serpent. Despite its much smaller size, the snake seemed to have some sort of influence over them. That he could put a trance on people like a snake-charmer could do to cobras. It was like singing an inaudible tune that one just had to obey. Like it was their own thoughts and ideas that came to them.
"Attack!" It commanded them. The dragon and insect rushed forward without question. David saw the boy tense up as the overpowered beings homed in on him like they were missiles. Mug did not react right away. His demon and the Devil thought he was having one of those moments where he froze and couldn't move.
"Kid!" David called and ran up behind him. Mugman seemed to wake up at the sound of the faun's voice. He pointed the trident at the oncoming enemies and thought of the happiest memory he could think of.
The mug child's mind raced all the way back to his fourth birthday. The last one he ever celebrated with his whole family, parents and all. He remembered how happy he was to be surrounded by love. Not to mention the birthday cake he had. It had seemed so big to him at the time. There were four long blue candles sticking out from the top, each one almost as thick as the young boy's mug itself. It had been such a big effort to blow them all out. He had even been scared that his wish wouldn't come true because he couldn't blow them all out with one breath. But his parents assured him that it would come true anyway. Most of all, he remembered the group hug they all shared before he went to bed that night. Their warmth seemed to all come back to him now. It fueled a powerful white light that came from the black trident.
David stopped where he was and watched in awe as the light illuminated the volcano, making it almost as bright as the sun. The furry creature didn't dare step into its way. He and the child watched as the shadows stopped on the spot, screeching in agony. Satan's wings flew wide open and Beelzebub's scorpion claws clicked desperately in the air.
"Whoa..." The Devil's jaw dropped open just behind the mug child. He curiously watched the goings on with his big yellow eyes. "Keep going, kid! Don't let up!"
"Your time isss up!" Came a hissing voice. Lucifer slithered his way up the dragon's back and leaped himself high into the air and well above the halo of light that engulfed the other two. It came down toward the little mug with its fangs ready to sink into the boy's glass skin. Mugman saw it coming, but what was he to do? If he took his focus off the other two, they would be free from the beam. He could only watch as the serpent came closer and closer. A screech started building up in his throat. Just before he could let it out, a gray paw snapped forward and slapped the shadowy reptile away. Lucifer landed in the white light's path just in front of the other two.
It looked like the shadows were about to be blow away when the snake grinded its fangs into the stone beneath it. The teeth made an awful noise as they wedged their way into the rock. David and Mug cringed like someone was raking their nails on a chalkboard. The other two followed suit and held on as well. Spikes on the crests of Satan's wings dug into the ground and Beelzebub did his best to grab onto the stone with his scorpion claws. It was clear that they were having trouble holding on, but that didn't stop them from trying to get free of the light. The dragon, who seemed to be the best rooted, tried to crawl forward. Mugman and his demon were alarmed at this.
Think of something happier! The parasitic creature demanded.
I don't have anything happier! Mug snapped back. Satan slowly made his way closer, causing all three of them to begin to panic. They were desperate for something to keep them back.
"Do something! Anything!" David yelled behind the child's mug. But he didn't sound angry. He sounded frightened. That certainly didn't help the young mug who was on the brink of losing his focus.
Just....I don't know.....focus on your parents or something! His demon urged.
Mugman closed his eyes, hoping that would help him refocus. The boy took a deep breath, pushing all thoughts out of his mind. The only memory that remained was the love he had for those family members that he had lost. His mom, his dad, and even his grandmother. For he had never known her, but he could only imagine that she was a wonderful person that was wrongfully taken from the earth before her time. The love inside him seemed to physically manifest and flow through him like a river. His demon tried not to flinch when it realized that the white light now danced out of his heart. It came out of the boy's body an engulfed the atmosphere like a gorgeous display of the aurora borealis. Only this light was purely white. The dragon stopped dragging itself along and looked around in bewilderment.
"Mugman? How are you doing this?" The Devil cautiously asked. Mug opened his eyes to see what the furry creature might mean by that. A beautiful spectacle of light flowed in every direction, making a dome shape around the volcanic platform. It seemed to block out some of the heat for the time being. The warmth wasn't so suffocating to the living creatures anymore. Mugman's dark creature could sense that something or someone was beside them. However, it gave off an aura that clearly wasn't the Devil's.
Um, Mugman? The parasitic creature metaphorically tapped the child's shoulder, trying to get his attention.
I'm kind of busy right now. Mug replied, not taking his focus off the shadows.
Look! It said, turning his host's head to the right. The young mug gasped when he saw a shape of a person forming from the light. It looked very much like his Elder Kettle but without the mustache and slimmer. A misty hand glided gently down to the trident.
"Hold it steady, my boy. You're doing great." A calm and soothing female voice sounded. Her hold, however light it was, kept the weapon from wobbling in his grip. Mug looked up into her eyes. "Don't give up."
Who are you? His gaze was clearly asking.
"You look so much like your father." Her ghostly voice said. "I thought I would have to wait nearly another century to even meet you." The spirit kettle moved her other hand to touch the mug child's cheek.
G-grandma....? A silent tear fell down his cheek. Her wispy thumb wiped it away before she averted her gaze to the opposing shadows.
But how can this be?He wondered.
"Mugman!" A male voice called from his left. His burned cup whipped to the opposite side to see two more shapes forming. "Don't lose focus, son! You've got this!"
Mug couldn't believe his eyes. Standing before him were two ghostly figures of his parents. His father resembled an adult version of himself. Only the adult's cup was a little wider and the nose was smaller. The young mug still had the biggest nose of the family. His mother's teapot body bowed outward, being thicker than either of his grandparents. Her floral pattern was barely visible between the waves of light that moved in all directions.
Mugman wanted so much to drop the trident and run over to their embrace. His demon felt this urge and tightened the hold on the weapon. Something told the parasitic creature that if his host dropped the black trident, the light would disappear in an instant. And so would the boy's family. Mug's heart soared at the sight of his long-lost family members. But it also broke because he knew he couldn't go them. That he couldn't be lost in their love, not for one second. The mug child silently wept as he watched his parents sway in the light just out of his reach.
"We're going to help you, Mugs! It's the only way you'll get out of here alive!" His father voiced. Mugman's little head shook back and forth. He didn't want to leave them. The boy very much wanted to talk to them, tell them how much he loved them, and that he was sorry for leading them to their deaths. But the mug child was too choked up by his emotions to be able to say anything.
"We're going to hold them off for as long as we can. But when we tell you to run, you have to run, understand?" Mug obediently nodded at his dad's words. The dragon let out a terrible snarl. It was the signal that it was about to attack. The young mug averted his gaze frontward again. Satan lunged forward with wings spread wide. Mug's ghostly father powered forward and slammed into its gut. The hollow-looking shadow was immediately thrown backward and came down with a loud crash. Mugman's watery eyes went wide with shock that his dad bravely faced the beast head-on.
"Don't be sad, sweetheart." Came his mother's voice as she placed a sympathetic hand on his face. "It isn't goodbye forever."
"B-b-b-b-!" The boy finally got out even a sound. He wanted to argue that it was his fault for their demise and apologize. She seemed to somehow know this though.
"What happened wasn't your fault. Don't ever blame yourself for that. Just remember that your father and I love you boys so much."
Mugman melted into her touch for the tender and perfect few seconds he had with her.
"Until we meet again, Mugman...."
And then she was off just like the mug's father did. With a hearty battle cry, she barreled right into the insect, knocking it over.
WAIT! COME BACK!! PLEASE!!! The mug child silently cried out, trying to will them to come back and let him get lost in their love.
Mug realized there was still one spirit standing next to him. For his grandmother still had not left his side. All this time, she still had hold of the trident. Ceramica's spirit looked down at him. She realized how much he was hurting right now. However, there was no way to give the boy what he wanted unless he accepted death. The kettle knew that's not what his parents would want for him. And it's not what she wanted for him either. For he was still so young and had much to live for yet.
"I will show you the way home, Mugman." She said and held out her free hand behind him. A portal began to swirl out of thin air. The white energy that surrounded the circular opening slowly grew outward. Ceramica then let her gaze fall on the Devil.
"Please take care of him, David. See that he gets home safely. I still believe in you."
The furry body seemed to droop. It was somewhat in submission, but mostly sadness. Deep down, he never hated her, even if he did act otherwise at times. Big yellow eyes began to water until a couple tears stained his beaten and worn face. He nodded as her kind words reached into his heart.
"I know there's still some good in you.... You should let it show more often." The female kettle then turned back to Mugman for the last time. "I'm glad to have met you, noble warrior. Now go! Time is running out!"
Even Ceramica left his side now. She powered forward, aiming right for the snake that started to grow. Her ghostly hands grabbed the bull by the horns, literally. For Lucifer had sprouted legs ending in hooves. Its torso buffed out into the muscular hide of a male bovine. The tail, that still ended in a snake rattle, held the mace. It whipped back and forth menacingly. Mug could only watch as it made right for his grandma's head. However, she did not seem panicked at all. The female kettle merely flipped the bull over her head and let it land on its back.
Mugman still had not moved. He was entranced by his family that faced the beasts without fear. David had to grab the boy by his shirt and drag him through the portal.
"We have to go!" The furry creature urged. But the young mug did not say a word. He only sobbed as he was emotionally torn away from his parents again. The portal slowly closed up behind them. Lucifer and the other overlords howled in defeat as their prey disappeared as fast as they arrived. The ghostly figures they were fighting dissipated upon the closing of the portal, leaving them to wallow in their anger and hollow bellies that were never satisfied.