19 How tall would you say you are now?

     “How tall would you say you are now?” Aias asked, trying to guess what the answer would be from Tyre’s expression.

     It was hard to judge since he kept his eyes closed, entirely focused on the sensory inputs he was receiving “Same as always, lad… ‘bout a hundred feet tall.”

     “What about now?” Aias asked after having adjusted two switches on the machine he was operating… or rather, it was actually a much more complex contraption that pooled his magic, Shawn’s tech expertise, and Holmes’ weird dimensional prowess.

     There was a moment of pause before the machine whirred again, new sensory imputs flowing to Tyre’s helmet.

     The Faron hummed, looking down and seeing trees standing at his ankles, the horizon spreading for countless miles around him.

     “A few hundreds… na bad.” he nodded.

     “Not enough… if that was enough, you could just do it with Dean’s help and we wouldn’t be here.” Aias pointed out.

     “I know… damn, I never thought there’d be th’day I’d say that I’m really too small t’do somethin’.” Tyre rumbled.

     It really was a worrying thought, actually… a threat that not even an ENLARGED Faron could deal with, something too massive even for him.

     Something too large for even the combined magic of the world to sway, and way out of the reach of technology.

     Therefore, like last time, it sounded like a job for the ASG-ARD.

     The fact that they disbanded several years ago apparently was not an issue when Earth was in deep trouble again.

     The problem seemed without solution, a meteorite way larger than the Moon in full collision course with Earth… maybe if all the magical power available was pooled into Brad, he could have gotten large enough to deal with it, but the aftermath of that would have been just as bad as the meteor impact.

     Still, the spirits guided Aias towards this solution… they said to probe alternate realities in search of someone who could help, and the one who shone with the right potential was Tyre.

     Not really a surprise… he has always been the de facto leader of ASG-ARD, it was to be expected that he could save the planet again.

     “Now?” Aias asked, working the machine again.

     “Nope, nope… small! Change channel! NOW!” Tyre roared, seeing gargantuan boots and shoes all around him… it was a terrifying sight for the mighty giant.

     Aias quickly changed the settings again.

     “Wow… I’m big as a feckin’ mountain over here.” Tyre said, almost purring as he saw a whole city sprawled like little more than an anthill beside his foot. One step, and it would have been erased entirely from the maps. Not that he’d do it, he was far from being that kind of giant… anymore.

     Still, he liked the feeling of power that came from it.

     “I’ll keep these coordinates written down, then.” Aias nodded “Still, that doesn’t sound like our solution. JUST enormity we can have in any case.”

     After a few other unfruitful tries, he just tried setting all the variables to the maximum. It probably wouldn’t mean the maximum power of Tyre… but it was worth a try.

     “What about now?” Aias asked.

     “I… I dunno.” Tyre said, sounding amazed but whatever he was seeing “It’s all dark… wait, are those stars?”

     “What do you mean you don’t know?” Aias walked closer.

     “I… I think it’s more like… too big t’compare t’anythin’?” Tyre said “It’s like I’m driftin’ in space… an’whole star systems are within arm’s reach?”

     “This… sounds like the thing we need.” Aias nodded.

     “Oh, this is great… I mean, no! What th’hell am I doin’?!” Tyre started by purring, but his turned to a low growl.

     “What’s wrong?”

     “I’m afraid we have a problem here...” Tyre sighed, his ears pinned back “This stupidly mighty version o’me… I just saw it eatin’ a handful o’planets. Like it was feckin’ candy!”

     And a part of him had liked the show, feeling so incredibly powerful, able to eat a planet whole… the ultimate power of an ultimate being, deciding the fate of entire planets… but the part of him that was more than a hunter, that had a heart, was horrified by how easily this other version of himself could destroy countless lives. Or… maybe not, something told him they weren’t really all dead, still…

     “That’s… not good, no.” Aias sighed “But it’s our only chance.”

     “Aias, no!” Tyre growled, removing the helmet and returning to be fully himself “I’m na goin’ t’be tha one destroyin’ this planet!”

     “That’s what I believe too, Tyre.” Aias nodded “You will do no such a thing.”

     “That thing’s bad news, I’m tellin’ ye.” Tyre said, looking straight up to Aias’ blazing orange eyes, but he saw nothing but calm in those pools of embers.

     “I believe you… but I believe in you way more than that.” Aias shrugged “You will be… merged with that alternate version of yourself, but it still will be you. No matter how messed up, I’m sure you won’t let anything happen to your home, to your family. Even if that monstrously immense Tyre is really as heartless as to wipe out whole planets, I’m sure he’ll understand your feelings.”

     “Yer crazy, lad...” Tyre grumbled “I can’t do it an’ye know it.”

     “If you can’t do it, then no-one else can… the spirits were clear about that part, Tyre.” Aias said, his tattoos shining in the dark as if to testify his unshakable faith.

     “I wish I could be sure as ye are, lad…” Tyre sighed “Look, I can think it over, aye?”

     “We have three days until it’s too late… but I wouldn’t like to have surprises of the nasty kind.” Aias said “Tomorrow… alright?”

     “It’ll do.” Tyre nodded and stood up.

     “Wow… really?” Nero asked, his eyes wide with surprise “Big enough to eat planets?”

     “That’s na th’point!” Tyre snarled “Th’point’s that I DID eat planets! That’s a monster, ye hear?”

     “I always said you’re a terrible Ogre with a stomach bigger than your brain.” Dean shrugged “You’re not telling me anything new, Tyre.”

     “It’s na th’right time t’be smart, Dean.” Tyre growled “I dun need yer sarcasm now.”

     “Instead you do… ‘cause you’re saying total bullshit.” Dean said.

     “Yeah… what’s the alternative, Tyre?” Nero asked “Doing nothing and let us all SURELY die?”

     “Well…” Tyre looked down.

     “That’s not the Tyre we know.” Dean pointed out “And besides, if I were ever worried you’d go insane with extra size, I would have never done… all that I’ve done.”

     “Dean, Ner…”

     “You’re a terrible bastard. The worst asshole I’ll ever have the misfortune of meeting.” Dean said sternly “And… you’re a brother I trust with my life. So… go ahead and destroy that fucking meteor before it kills us all.”

     “And be sure to wave and greet the planet when you’re out there.” Nero chuckled “Still, no fair that you got the cheesy speech part, Dean. I wanted to say that.”

     “Fuck you, Ner… I was hoping you’d say that so that I didn’t have to. What’s wrong with you, kid?” Dean snarled.

     The bickering could have gone on… but it ended when Tyre hugged them both tight.

     “Made up your mind?” Aias asked, though he just needed a glance at Tyre to understand… he was determined, back to being their fearless leader.

     “I’ll do it… an’ it’ll be a day t’remember.” Tyre grinned.

     “I knew you’d say that… therefore, I took the liberty to prepare things already.” Aias chuckled.

     “Oi, are ye callin’ me predictable?” Tyre growled.

     “I was thinking something more along the lines of ‘dependable’…” Aias said.

     “Nice save, lad.” Tyre chuckled “What now?”

     “Now you sit down in that circle of runes and let me do my job.” the shaman said, gesturing towards a glowing array of symbols, his usual flowing runes clearly mixed with something that came from Holmes.

     Tyre just nodded and did as Aias said.

     He sat down, closed his eyes as the droning chants went on and on… and suddenly opened them again when he suddenly couldn’t hear Aias’ voice anymore.

     It was black… but not dark.

     He could see plenty of light, the sun in the distance… but it still was black all around him.

     Then he lowered his head and saw a minuscule orb in front of his face… he had to squint to even make out the mix of blue and green that was its color.

     It took a lot of effort to avoid gasping as he realized that THAT was Earth, a speck smaller than his pupil compared to his boundless body… but with a gasp he feared he would inhale the planet and end up eating it without even meaning to.

     What overwhelmed Tyre even more, though, was the rush of thoughts to his head… he could hear the thoughts of all creatures on Earth… and those of his other self, the one who really was massive enough to stay among galaxies.

     The good part of that was that that other Tyre wasn’t suggesting to eat Earth, though Saturn seemed to spark his interest… apparently it was all a weird dream for him.

     Tyre struggled to focus and looked for the one thing he was supposed to stop, the meteor that was heading towards Earth… and moved a galactic hand to pick up the now ridiculously little marble and turned around to toss it towards the sun.

     He wasn’t sure of how trajectories worked in space but, all in all, even if he missed, at least it wasn’t heading towards Earth anymore, that’s what mattered… and with the force that his star-sized muscles gave to that little pebble, it seemed like it was going to disintegrate on its own soon enough in any case.

     “That’s what I call a job well done.” Tyre chuckled… and then returned to focus his attention to Earth, sinking down so that his eyes were level with the planet… he could barely imagine what it would look like from the planet, a rainbow of shining blue filling the whole sky… he couldn’t help but wonder what a planet would taste like.

     The galactic titan licked his lips… but then just backed off “Alright, that’s enough playing around. Crisis averted… bring me back home, Aias.”