Chapter III: The Palace of Horrors * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
As they arrived at the palace gates once again, Mimic started to speak, "Nukum, you look out for us out here, and be careful. Venom and I are going inside to take care of a little business," he said, taking a small glass bottle from the side of his belt and pouring an ashy substance at his feet. His body began to take on a sort of atomized form, small particles only making out a few details on his body. "Venom, you climb over the gates. It shouldn't be a bit of a problem for someone as skilled and agile as you," Mimic complemented, but his voice showed no sign of a complementing emotion. Mimic then placed his arms straight out to his sides so that they were parallel with his shoulders. His feet lifted slightly off the ground, and his atomized form seemed to hover straight through the gates, and he materialized on the other side, but not in his original form. Instead, he was in the form of a deep gray Raptor with metallic shin and wrist guards and a pair of baggy red pants. He looked around the courtyard, and cocked his head slightly, signaling Venom it was safe to pass through. Venom nodded in response and a red glow outlined his body before he melted into the exact shape of his surroundings, temperature and all.
He took his sickles, and stuck one into the crack of a brick, and stuck the other into another crack until he was nearly to the top of the gates. He then placed his feet onto the brick wall beside the gates, and pushed off with enough force that he was able to flip safely over the gates. He landed in a kneeling position with his right hand planted on the ground in front of him as he cautiously looked over his surroundings. He noticed two Raptors, both seemingly alike, with large battle-axes in hand standing at what appeared to be the entrance to the palace. "This is going to be fun," he said to himself as he climbed to his feet and walked calmly in front of one guard. He wrapped his hand around the Raptor's throat, and with one sickle he sliced open its belly, allowing its intestines to roll out and fall into a sloppy pile at his feet. The Raptor attempted to scream for help, but Venom tightened the grip on its neck, and held it until the Raptor fell limp. He tossed the Raptor beside him, and noticed the second Raptor staring down at the deceased body of his guard friend. "A little nasty, isn't it?" Venom said, cackling before shoving his sickles into the Raptor's eyes as it screamed out in pain. "You'll be joining your little Raptor friend soon, so don't you worry your ugly head off," Venom said before ripping one sickle out and carving a couple of words into the Raptor's chest. He ripped the other sickle out, and the Raptor staggered clumsily around as it held its hands over its bloody eye sockets. It soon fell to its knees, letting out one final scream, and Venom kicked it the jaw so hard that the Raptor's head was severed from its neck, sending a spray of blood into the air. The Raptor's body fell on its back, and Venom looked at the body. The words carved into its chest read: I'm back, in large bloody letters. Venom smiled at his work, and walked to the large wooden doors the Raptor's were guarding. He looked the doors over, and noticed two bronze doorknockers hanging from the door. He grabbed one and pounded it on the door.
Soon after the doors began to open, Venom got into a pouncing position. Although he was camouflage and it was highly unlikely that the Raptor would spot him instantly, he still had to be cautious so as not to allow other Raptors to spot him while fighting this one. A large green Raptor stood at the doors, looking confusingly around. "Who goesss there?" it asked in a loud, scratchy voice.
"I'm over here, fool!" Venom bellowed as he pounced onto the Raptor's body. The Raptor struggled for a moment but Venom had a firm grip on its neck, and he quickly took one sickle and raked it across the Raptor's neck so deep that it almost decapitated the Raptor. The body fell limp almost instantly, and Venom front flipped off the body, and looked the huge interior of the palace. No matter how bad, ugly, or murderous someone thought the Raptors were anyone would admit to the beauty that they were capable of creating. Marble floors covered the bottom; stone ceilings covered the top; and many beautifully carved statues of Raptors, which were probably of the higher ranked Raptors or deceased ones, and many paintings and other decors. Venom stood in awe of one of the larger statues, which looked frighteningly real. Its eyes were made of red rubies, its entire scaly exterior made of the finest of gold, which was probably robbed from some poor soul wandering about the plains of Outworld. It had a deep blue cape slung around its neck, and was in a stance that gave it the frightening appearance, as it held a rather large and probably heavy battle-axe above its head, in which the diamond-carved blade was stained with real-looking blood. One would at first think the blood was real, since it had a glossy, almost wet appearance to it.
Venom was thrown off the topic of the statue as the sound of padded footsteps came closer to him. He noticed the source of the sound was a deep gray Raptor, strikingly similar to the one Mimic was mimicking. Venom decided to speak to the Raptor, just in case it was not Mimic. "Who are you, and do not make any stupid mistakes and scream for help," Venom ordered.
"Whoa, calm down there Venom," the Raptor said. "It's me, Mimic," the Raptor continued. Venom shook his head and came into view.
"Thank God its you. I already had to take care of three other Raptors. They were easier than any of the other Raptors I previously fought, and didn't seem like the type Viscera would appoint as guards of his palace," Venom said.
"You're right. Exactly right. He mussst have put hisss weakessst Raptorsss in plassse of hisss ssstronger Raptorsss becaussse ssssomeone informed him of our presssenssse," Mimic said.
"You're probably right. Well, you take the west side of this deathtrap, and I'll take the east," Venom said. Mimic nodded, and began walking off. He looked over his shoulder to see Venom was gone. "I'm still here, so don't get worried," Venom said, laughing quietly. Mimic turned back around and continued to his wing of the palace.
Venom looked the statue over one last time before walking behind it and up a carpeted flight of stairs. He almost immediately spun around when he thought he heard footsteps. Get a hold on yourself, man. It's just Mimic, he thought, turning back around as he looks up the long flight of stairs. Then suddenly a forceful kick impacts with the back of his head, sending him face first into one of the stairs. He rolled to the side, and kipped up before flipping off the flight of stairs. "Who are you? Show yourself, you piece of Raptor trash," Venom commanded. He noticed that the statue was no longer on its pedestal, nor in sight. Suddenly a materializing, inhuman form appeared in front of Venom. How can it see me? Even Viscera couldn't see me when I was camouflage, Venom thought as he backed away from the materializing figure. "I will ask you one more time, who are you?" Venom repeated, this time removing his sickles and readying himself for an attack.
"You need not command me, human. Your pathetic excuse for a warrior reputation will be ended quicker than it was created, you dirty piece of human trash." The figure finally materialized completely, allowing its true form to be revealed. It was a 9-foot tall, almost 400-pound Raptor, but it couldn't have been. It did not have the classic Raptor accent with the strong 's' elongation, nor did it have the slit like eyes Raptors always donned. It had deep red eyes, which the retina was black and the whites of his eyes were red. Small splotches of many colors were splashed around on his scaly exterior, and his hands had almost 2-foot long black claws, which each one had a small jagged edge protruding near the tip. Baggy black cloth pants warmed its legs, and black metallic pads guarded its shins and wrists. Its biceps and areas near the elbow were decorated with black bands, in which each one had a red and black yin yang in the dead center. "And as for your question of what my name is, you may call me Khameleon. I am the second-in-command, priest, God, traitor of the once powerful Shinnok and claim many other talents as well. I can shape shift at will, which has proven very much of a talent in my stealthily fighting tactics. And my only friend is my trusty golden battle-axe. I can read your thoughts, Venom, and you're wondering what you're going to do to stop me from tearing your pathetic corpse to shreds, am I right?" Khameleon asked. His voice was deep, but not scratchy like so many of the other Raptors.
"Well, yeah, somethin' like that," Venom replied.
"You know Viscera wasn't really the one to capture your brother and destroy your pathetic race, do you not?" he asked.
"No, actually I don't," Venom replied. "And from what I've heard, he's claimed to have been the one to perform both of those tasks," he added.
"That is just like him. Anyway, I was the one to destroy your race, but he is the one who captured your brother and murdered your parents. We do this to every race we feel too weak to live on for another generation or so, and your race was the first on our list, my foe," Khameleon informed, cackling softly.
"And you just go out and search for weak races because you do not have the balls to fight races as strong as yours, or perhaps even stronger? And you couldn't even wait for the entire race to prepare for the Goddamn attack? Your race is pathetic, Khameleon. Pathetic," Venom snapped, his voice filled with hatred.
"Silence, human! We Raptor dispose of only the weak; your race was the weakest. None of your best warriors even came back from the Tournaments. We Raptors have survived every Tournament, and destroyed everyone in our paths. Your race couldn't even dispose of a single Raptor when we attacked," Khameleon said.
"That's because you never fucking gave us time to prepare, you idiot! If you would have given us some time, maybe we could have ended your little killing spree once and for all! You didn't give us any kind of warning, or any kind of preparation," Venom snapped, his voice raising to almost a yell.
"Ha, ha, ha, you fool. If we had given your race a whole generation to prepare, they still would have been defeated! Flawlessly!" Khameleon bellowed.
"Flawlessly my ass, you bastard. I single-handedly took down every one of those Raptor sons of bitches Viscera threw at me only months ago, and the only damage inflicted on me was a few scratches and scrapes. I almost even killed your so-called 'fearless leader,' until he fled like the cowardly lizard I knew he always had been," Venom said.
"You are the pathetic one, fool! You will never put our race out of their own existence!" Khameleon bellowed.
"Oh no? Watch me. That is, if you can watch me. You won't even be able to feed yourself once I get through with you, Khameleon," Venom snapped, not raising his voice one bit.
"And is that a challenge?" Khameleon asked, cocking his side slightly.
"What do you think?" Venom shot back, lashing quickly at the Raptor. The sickle seemed to pass right through Khameleon's body, and Khameleon seemed to transform from his true form to the form of a member of Venom's race.
"Bet I look familiar, don't I, friend?" Khameleon asked in a menacing voice as his body fully transformed. The transformation consisted of a short man, at least 5'6", and a muscular build. His outfit was deep purple, and his arms had various scars and the tattoo of a viper with its mouth wide open and its teeth bared. It was Venom's former best friend, Scyll'rya.
Venom shook his head, not able to fully adapt to the figure standing before him. "Oh, come on, friend, can't you at least welcome me back?" The mimicked Scyll'rya asked, laughing evilly.
"You're dead, Goddamn it, dead!" Venom cried out, slashing at Khameleon. This time the sickle tore into the skin of the Raptor, and ripped a bloody chunk of flesh from his arm. Khameleon transformed instantly back to his true form, and laughed evilly. He came back into view as quickly as he had become camouflage, and got into a stance.
"Watch this, Venom." Khameleon placed his hand onto the wound in his right arm, and a bright white glow emitted from underneath his hand. He removed his hand to reveal a fully renewed and healed arm. "Ha, ha, ha. Your race ain't the only one that can perform instant health treatment," Khameleon said, smirking. Venom let out a loud scream and charged at Khameleon, tackling him and unleashing a fury of blurred punched into Khameleon's face.
"DIE YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!" Venom bellowed, his voice echoing throughout the dank palace. Khameleon let out a roar, not of pain but rather of power, and unleashed a huge blast of red energized particles that exploded upon impact with Venom's body, sending him hurling back about thirty feet. Venom climbed to his feet, appearing not even phased by the attack. Khameleon kipped up; also appearing unflawed by Venom's fury of blows to the head. He placed his hand together, concentrating deeply as a red glow enveloped his body, fading from red to orange, orange to yellow, yellow to green, green to blue, blue to purple, and purple faded back to red, continuing the pattern over and over, faster and faster. Venom stood in awe of the bright colors appearing before him, and came out of the awed trance as Khameleon let out an enormous cry before releasing a huge wave of multicolored energy towards Venom. Venom ducked as the wave shot over his head, nearly taking his head off. He turned around to see the wave slice instantly through a stone pillar, and then another, and then a third, and finally through the wall and straight into the next room. "Damn, that woulda hurt," Venom said to himself.
"Not as much as this!" Khameleon screamed as he backhanded Venom and following up with an uppercut kick. Venom was sent into the air by the force of the kick, but he managed to control the impact of the hit by curling into a ball and flipping through the air before landing on his feet. He landed in time to spot a ball of multicolored energy the size of a basketball hurling at high velocity towards him. He attempted to sidestep the force ball, but the speed of it was quicker than he was at sidestepping it, and it slammed with a loud 'crack!' into his left side. He was sent sideways and fell on his back at the foot of a large marble statue. He climbed to his feet, a little dazed and a sharp stinging pain shooting through his left side. He appeared not even phased by the attack, but at least one of his ribs was broken, and the pain shooting throughout his body was a little too much to avoid. However, he ignored it as he blocked a high kick from the speedy Raptor, and was hit almost the same instant he blocked the kick with a low kick to the midsection. He staggered back a bit, the stinging pain coming back again. He managed to duck underneath a flying kick from Khameleon, and retaliated with a spinning leg sweep as the Raptor landed behind him. "Nice job, human," Khameleon said as he kipped up. "But not nice enough," he added, kicking at Venom's face. Venom quickly blocked it and immediately lowered his arms to block a low kick, and flipped backwards to avoid a leg sweep.
Khameleon took several steps back until he was about twenty yards from Venom. He then placed his arms parallel to his shoulders, but in front of him. Multicolored sparks began forming around his outstretched hands, and he began slowly moving his arms to his sides, keeping them horizontal and parallel to his shoulders. The multicolored sparks took on the form of a string of flames, which curved around and connected to Khameleon's hands. Khameleon then forced the wave of flames forward with a shoulder rush. Venom waited for the right moment, and it came soon enough. He front flipped over the wave, and drop kicked Khameleon, causing him to stagger back. Venom then followed up, as he was still airborne, with a hard spinning heel kick, and as he landed, he connected with a massive roundhouse that caused the Raptor to spin for a moment in midair before crashing to the ground as blood seeped from his mouth and nostrils.
"All right, that's enough fucking around. Now for the real show," Khameleon growled through clenched teeth as he climbed to his feet. He threw his arms down so that the palms were facing the ground, and a deep gray and blue pillar of energy began blasting from his palms. The ground underneath Khameleon began to shake vigorously, but didn't seem to bother him a bit. Then suddenly the deep gray and blue energy expanded so that it covered the entire body of Khameleon. The energy intensified to a bright gray and blue, and Venom shielded his eyes as he backed away. Khameleon's skeleton began to become visible inside in the intensified energy. Loud, ear-piercing shrieks filled the palace, and Venom was forced to remove his hand from his eyes and place them over his ears. He closed his eyes tightly to shield the intense, blinding light. Moments or what seemed like hours, past and the shrieking came to an abrupt halt, Venom removed his hands from his ears. He opened his eyes, and saw a massive ball of bright white energy in front of Khameleon. He backed up, turned his head around, and then heading out of the palace. "BURN IN HELL!!" Khameleon bellowed as he forced the huge glowing ball of energy after the fleeing Venom.
"Get down!" yelled a voice to the right of Venom. Venom dove for the floor, covering his head. A huge explosion was heard just a few yards behind Venom, and a wave of intense heat shot over Venom's body. He jumped to his feet, and began brushing off his uniform, but realized he was not on fire. He let out a sigh, and his eyes widened as he saw a Ninja in all deep grays standing several feet in front of a surprised-looking Khameleon. Brightly colored sparks fell to the ground slowly, some hitting Venom and burning him slightly. He also stood in surprise as he looked at the figure standing with his back to him.
"So we finally meet, Black Death," Khameleon finally said, as he looked the dark figure over in front of him. "You appear to be stronger than the last time I saw you. But you seem to be just as stupid," he added, cackling softly.
"What's so funny, Khameleon? I'm not the one who's going to get his ass kicked," the one called Black Death spoke.
Khameleon laughed for a moment, and then began to speak for himself, "And who do you think will get his ass kicked? Venom, you, or me? I have a feeling it couldn't be Venom or yourself by the way you're looking at me right now, but I would have to disagree. You see, my brethren have become stronger and smarter than the first time you encountered them, so don't expect a clean fight."
"Oh, I don't expect any cleanness about the fight that is about to take place. And, speaking of Venom, don't you also have a grudge you're holding against these Raptor bastards?" Black Death asked, turning to face Venom.
Venom stood silent for a moment, looking over the dark Ninja. His Ninja garments consisted of a very deep shade of gray. It included a mask, a vest, two black leather bands with odd skulls decorating each one on each of his biceps and elbows, a pair of wrist guards and shin guards, and a pair of baggy wind pants. The color reminded Venom of the type of uniform the many people in his once-thriving race wore during a midnight attack on an enemy. "Um, yeah. I have some past experiences I would like very much to catch up on with these reptilian fucks," Venom answered after a long silence.
"Ha. Good. Then you be ready to attack when you feel the best time is arrived," Black Death informed, getting into a wide stance. Khameleon threw his head back and let out a burst of laughter before soon silencing.
"Let us begin my pathetic little adversaries," Khameleon cackled. He hit a backward flip before landing on his feet in a stance. Venom looked the two over, noticing the huge dissimilarity between Black Death and Khameleon.
Black Death stood at about six feet, while Khameleon stood at a towering nine feet. The musculature of Black Death compared nothing to that of Khameleon's. The cocky attitude of Khameleon proved he was one powerful Raptor, but Black Death's very serious attitude, or what he'd sported so far, seemed too serious to even allow him to laugh, let alone smile. Suddenly, just as Khameleon took the stance to unleash his force ball, Black Death threw a hand in front of him, in which sickly black ooze began seeping from a slit in his palm. Venom walked around to the side, standing beside a large marble statue of a demon. He prepared to remove his mask and blow the toxic mist from his mouth and into the air in front of Khameleon, but a three-pronged spear burst from the slit in Black Death's palm and shot towards the Raptor. Khameleon's eyes widened in fright, and he attempted to escape the fast-closing spear, but the pronged spearhead crashed into his left shoulder, bursting out the back and sending a thin spray of blood from the wound. Khameleon hollered in agony as he clawed at the spear. Suddenly, a thin smoke began emitting from his shoulder.
"Get it off of me you son of a bitch!" Khameleon cursed as the scaled skin covering his shoulder began peeling away and falling to the ground."I SAID GET IT OFF!!" he commanded again.
"All right, you want it out? Here ya' go, you wimpy son of a bitch," Black Death replied in his calm but serious tone. He yanked his arm back forcefully, and the pronged spear came tearing out of Khameleon's severely injured shoulder, sending pieces of skin and a mist of blood spraying everywhere. Khameleon lurched forward, and staggered in placed for a moment before screaming out in agony once again.
"What…did you do…to me?!" Khameleon asked, blood seeping from his scaly lips. Suddenly thin, razor-sharp black spikes burst through his wounded shoulder, sending a third spray of blood into the air, which quickly fell to the ground and added to the crimson pool at his feet. He screamed again as three more spikes tore from his shoulder, until his entire shoulder was torn to nothing but a blood-drenched limb. "You are going to pay, you little fucker. Just as soon as I tend to my wound, you will pay ever so dearly with your life," he threatened, placing his hand on the wounded shoulder. He quickly yanked his hand back as an acidic substance tore away at the weak skin of his palm and ate it down to the bone.
"Oh, and I forgot to tell you; your arm will never heal, and if you touch it, your vulnerable limb will be eaten to the bone, as you have experienced so painfully here," Black Death joked, or what appeared to be a joke. He didn't even laugh or smile, or didn't look as if he smiled, since the mask covering his mouth was in the way. Venom laughed slightly, and Black Death removed a massive battleaxe from his back and held it in front of him before charging forward and hacking off Khameleon's injured shoulder. "Is that better? Oh no, wait. Forgot the other one," Black Death said before hacking off the right arm. Khameleon howled out in agony as he looked at both of his stumpy, severed limbs.
"NO ONE DEFEATS KHAMELEON AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!!" Khameleon bellowed as his entire skin molted from his skeleton, exposing a muscular structure beneath. "PREPARE TO MEET MY TRUE FORM, FOOLS!" Khameleon roared as his body grew to at least a height of fifteen feet. Slick, black armor began forming around his ankles, then his legs, then his hips and waist, until finally he was fully covered in a thick armor. His arms began to grow back into massive gorilla-like limbs, each elbow sporting a thick, curved blade. His fingers were each armed with thin razors, which shined in the light of the torches.
The blood red, scaly hand of the new Raptor leader smacked brutally across Mimic's left cheek. Mimic's head snapped violently to the side, blood flying from his mouth. "ssSo you want to tressspasss within my own humble domain, hmm? Well, the consssequensssessss for sssuch foolish ideasss isss death, my godly foe," Viscera informed with another backhand to Mimic's cheek. Mimic was set on his knees with his hands tied behind his back with a barbed rope. The sharp barbs dug into his wrists, allowing crimson streaks to cover his hands. Blood and bruises stained his face, and a swollen right eye added to the appearance of a severe beating.
"If this is what you have to do in order to become evermore powerful, you smelly bastard, then go ahead. But let me warn you, Viscera," Mimic spat a thick blob of crimson on the floor to his right and continued, "no one, and I mean no one, defeats Mimic without a fair fight. So if you must defeat me, at least allow me the fairness of defeat."
Viscera smiled, his razor-sharp, crimson-stained teeth exposing themselves in a menacing grin. "Very well, Mimic. I will untie you, and fight you right here. Be prepared for your final fight, boy," Viscera snapped, kicking Mimic across the side of the face, causing Mimic to fall on his side.
"You will never live to sssave your friendsss, Mimic. You are asss dead asss they will sssoon be," Viscera said. "However, Mimic, you could join my ssside, and become one of usss. If you join me, I can grant you anything you wish--richesss, family, immortality…"
"I will never join you, you sick fuck. Let us fight to the death, and you can go on to get your ass kicked by Venom. We've beaten your race of fucked up Raptors once, and we can damn well do it again, Viscera," Mimic snapped.
Viscera bent down, getting face to face with Mimic. His hot, wet breath reeked of rotting corpses. "You know, I've desssided to jussst kill you right now, human," Viscera growled, grabbing Mimic by the head and violently whipping it to the side, easily snapping his neck. "Don't ever talk about my rassse again," he said as he walked off, cackling evilly.
"YOUR ATTACKS ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO MY RAW POWER, HUMAN!" Khameleon roared, rearing back and letting out a huge roar that shook the entire room. That's when Black Death came in. Black Death charged forward, taking his axe and hacking off Khameleon's left leg. Black ooze spilled from the stumpy leg and covered the ground at Black Death's feet. All Khameleon did was laugh his ugly ass off. The ooze took form into another renewed limb. Black Death shook his head, hacking off the same leg, then hacking off a second leg. The same thing took place, quicker than before. "HA, HA, HA, HA! EVEN YOUR PUNY WEAPONS CANNOT DEFEAT ME!" Khameleon bellowed, again laughing. That was the last straw. Both Venom and Black Death unleashed a fury of weapon attacks, punches, kicks, and everything else they had.
Khameleon began losing control and his power, and when Black Death and Venom both executed a massive kick to the demon's kneecaps, he toppled over. The broken knees were beyond repair, or what they thought. With a sickening *pop* Khameleon's knees relocated themselves as quickly as they were destroyed. Khameleon pushed himself to his giant feet and stared dead in Black Death's eyes. Black Death stared right back.
"You are pathetic, Khameleon. You have neither the bravery nor the power to fight the both of us, let alone just one of us, in your Raptor form. Even if you remain the way you are, you will still be killed by the both of us. I tell you what, you stupid bastard. You transform back to your Raptor state, and we will allow you to leave. You have my word," Black Death requested.
"NO WAY, HUMAN. I KNOW OF YOUR TRUE INTENTIONS. THE MOMENT I TRANSFORM BACK, I WILL BE KILLED. EVEN IF YOU KEEP YOUR WORD, VENOM WILL BE THE ONE TO STAB ME IN THE BACK. I WILL NOT GIVE EITHER OF YOU THE CHANCE!" Khameleon clasped his hands together and attempted to crush both Venom and Black Death in one blow, but the both of them were able to flip out of the way beforehand.
"We won't be able to destroy him, damn it!" Venom cried out.
"Yeah, I know. I haven't seen this side of him before, but I can still take him on by myself. You leave and find Viscera, kill him, and do whatever it is you want to thus place," Black Death ordered. "And if you're wondering just how I know of you and Viscera's hatred to one another, I've been watching you ever since you arrived here for the first time. Now go. Do not look back, nor give me any resistance, or I will have to kill you myself," Black Death commanded, sounding every bit as serious as he had been since he arrived in the palace. Venom nodded, and ran for the stairs, allowing Black Death to do battle with Khameleon.
As Venom planted his foot o the last step of the seemingly endless stairway, he looked around, noticing a marble statue wielding a mace. The mace seemed to be carved out of diamond because of its sleek and semitransparent features. Venom took his eyes off the statue and saw two doors on either side of it. One had metallic prison bars over it, the other nothing. Only one choice. Venom walked over to the open door and saw a large room similar to a terrarium, a rather big terrarium at that. Many types of foliage covered every square inch of the room, and snaking vines hung from every tree limb. Venom walked in, carefully looking his new surroundings over. As soon as his right foot made contact with the other side of the door, a giant demon-like creature with solid black bat wings came flying out of nowhere. Venom tried to back out of the room, but the moment the thought popped into his head jet-black, metallic gates slammed down behind him.
"Well this just keeps getting' better and better," Venom mused, gripping both sickles in his hands. The demon planted its giant feet on the floor only a few yards from Venom, and transformed into a Ninja in purple clad garments.
"I am Leech, Viscera's only trusted human ally. Be aware of my intentions, Venom, for the wrong move with end your own life in a heartbeat," Leech threatened, cackling softly.
"I thought you were killed the first time we kicked your allies' asses?" Venom snapped.
"I was killed, but my caring Lord Viscera granted me a second chance at life. That was very nice of him, considering he hates most anyone who fails," Leech informed. "Anyhow, let me just tell you that I am one of the many who do not accept the fact that you are here to murder my Lord. So, the point is, you are going to die a slow and painful death right here and right now. Join me, my pets!" Leech called out. A snakelike demon the size of Venom came slithering from behind a group of trees and ferns. Its triangular head resembled that of a viper with two black horns protruding from each side of its head. Another demon came out of another group of foliage, this one with sagging arms with many barbs surrounding its head-sized fists. A third came out, this one the largest of all three. It stood upright and had a very long neck that widened at the tip into the head of a cobra. As it hissed its first warning two flaps of skin unfolded from its neck. The flaps had two black eyespots in the centers. Its large yellowish eyes had two red catlike slits in the center. Its ocean blue scales had small spots and stripes in a bright shade of red. This demon was one of the scariest Venom had ever seen. "So, what do you think of my pretties, hmm, Venom?" Leech asked as he patted the viper-headed dragon on the back.
"Well, considering that if I say the wrong thing about them they'll attack and most likely kill me, I can't really say how I think of them," Venom replied, conducting a plan in his head.
"You're right. But either way, you'll most likely be killed by them, and then I will be the one to bring your head back to Viscera," Leech cackled.
"Well, I'd much rather try to escape than just throw myself at some fucked up human being like yourself. So if you don't have the balls to face me alone and without your demon pets around to aid you, then I think you'd better be prepared to run your ass off," Venom snapped.
Leech cackled quietly as he stared Venom dead in the eyes. "Venom, Venom, Venom, how stupid do you think I am? My own lair is not built for the liking of fleeing cowards so that they can just enter my domain and expect to exit through another door, or even a window. The only way out when you enter is to beg for mercy, and join my precious Lord's line of slaves, like your brother, or death."
"Well, then death is my choice, you jackass." The cobra demon lashed out at Venom, and Venom flipped forward, kicking the second incoming demon in the face. The viper-headed demon shrieked before spitting a stream of crimson at Venom, which made contact with Venom's chest. Venom fell to the ground, and felt the crimson substance tearing into his chest. He cried out in pain before reaching into his tunic and pulling out a small vile of thick, crimson liquid. He drank the liquid down, and threw the vile away. The pain in his body disappeared instantly, as did the chest wound. Venom kipped up and slammed a fist into the viper-headed demon's face as he followed up with a massive spinning heel kick to the side of the head. The demon cried out in pain as it reared back. It swiped at Venom's chest, but Venom back flipped, only to be smacked in the back by the cobra dragons barbed tail. Venom landed in a pushup position, and sprung forward. He landed behind the three demons and spun around with a roundhouse that connected with the gorilla demon's head. The demon roared before swinging around with an attempted backhand. Venom ducked, planting a sharp kick to the demon's right kneecap, snapping it in half. The demon let out an ear-piercing roar as it toppled over and on top of the viper-headed demon. The viper-headed demon spun its triangular head around and snapped its maw around the gorilla demon's neck, ripping out a hunk of flesh. The gorilla demon roared in agony as he pushed itself to its feet and kicked the viper-headed demon in the stomach. The viper demon shrieked as it staggered back, knocking the cobra demon off balance. The cobra demon, in retaliation, impaled its barbed tail into the viper demon's torso, tearing it out with a sick tearing sound.
"Looks like your little pets don't fight very well in groups," Venom taunted.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?! Seize this fighting at ONCE!!" Leech bellowed. The demons ignored his commands until both the cobra demon and the viper-headed demon attacked the gorilla demon at once, tearing it limb from limb. "STOP IT AT ONCE!! I COMMAND YOU, STOP FIGHTING!!" Leech commanded, even more forcefully than before. The viper-headed demon and the cobra demon looked up from their latest kill, blood covering their lips and teeth. The cobra demon took a few steps back, crouching low to the ground. The viper-headed demon slithered back, but a menacing look was in its eyes. "What in God's name have you done to him?" Leech whined, crouching next to the gorilla demon's shredded corpse. Pieces of scaly flesh, muscle tissue, and the skeleton of the beast were all that was left of it. Its body was totally annihilated by the two snake demons. The viper demon shrieked, and lashed out at the gorilla demon's corpse suddenly, tearing off a stump of an arm. It threw the limb into the air, and the cobra demon latched its maw around it, and gulped it down. The viper demon spun around with a sudden smack to the cobra demon's neck, and bit into its neck. The cobra demon shrieked in pain before staggering back and smacking its extra long tail into the viper demon's face. Hunks of flesh went flying as the tail tore away from the viper demon's skull.
"Well, are you just going to stand there and allow them to do this to each other?" Venom taunted once again, this time laughing.
"You. You did this," Leech turned to face Venom, and the look of severe hatred was in his eyes. "My demons were the best of the best, and worked very well together. That was until you and your fucking friends arrived." Leech was interrupted when the viper-headed demon was sent flying into a group of trees, which quickly crashed to the ground under the demon's weight. Leech spun around, sending a massive amount of thick black ooze hurling at the cobra demon. "I COMMAND YOU, SEIZE THIS AT ONCE!!" he bellowed. The cobra demon was sent hurling into the gate, which broke free of the wall holding it there. "You had better hope I do not ever make personal contact with your ass again, you sick fuck. I have neither the time nor the mental energy to kill you right now. Leave, I must repair my pets," Leech ordered, lowering his head in disappointment as he walked over to the severely injured cobra demon.
"All right, then, Leech. Seems you still do have a few human emotions inside you after so many years," Venom said as he walked passed Leech and his wounded demon and out of the room. "And by the way, which way do I go from here?"
"Take the room next-door. All you need to do is pull the gate up from the bottom. It's that simple. Now go," Leech snapped, not even making eye contact with Venom. Venom shrugged, feeling a bit sorry for Leech, but just a bit.
He walked around to the other door and heard an inhuman roar. Must be Khameleon getting his ass kicked. Just what he gets, Venom thought, reaching underneath the gates and lifting them up. He walked through the gates, this time readying himself for any unexpected attacks. Nothing. Nothing happened. Venom let out a sigh of relief as he lifted a torch from the stone wall. This room was the dungeon. It had the stench of rotting flesh and had the eerie echoes of men and women being tortured to death. Venom shook his head, blocking out the screams. He peered around the corner, spotting a Raptor. This one was puny. It must have been a slave or one of the prisoners skulking around the dungeon. Venom crept up behind the Raptor, easily grabbing it by the head and snapping its brittle neck. Venom shoved the dead body to the side and saw a small gleam of light a few dozen feet ahead. He carefully crept toward the light, and heard the sound of something tapping on the stone floor behind him. He spun around, seeing nothing, and continued towards the light.
"Die, human!" hissed a Raptor. Venom spun around, blocking a roundhouse via a Raptor. This one was just as puny and weak as the one skulking around before. Venom leg swept the Raptor and quickly followed up with a palm strike to its jaw, snapping its head back so forcefully that its neck broke. Venom sighed in relief as he turned around. He saw a figure move in front of the gleam of light ahead, and moaned in irritation.
"I'm getting very tired of getting the piss scared outta me," Venom said to himself, grabbing one sickle. He walked a few minutes toward the light source, and saw a figure standing to the right of him. It was another Raptor with the same appearance as the other two. Venom swiped sideways, decapitating the poor Raptor. He looked around, evermore carefully this time, making sure no one else was lurking in the shadows.
As he noticed the coast was clear, he continued towards the light, the source getting evermore clearer. As he neared, the source was as clear as day. It was the light of the next room, and the next room was the same Goddamned room he was just in. "I'm just walking in some big ass circle. That bastard knew damn well that this dungeon led back to his little jungle," Venom cursed. He slammed a fist against the stone wall beside him, and cursed loudly. He ran into the room, only to be taken down so forcefully that his forehead smacked into the ground in front of him and knocked him unconscious. Before he was able to become fully unconscious, however, he heard the threat of a familiar human voice: "That'll teach your stupid ass to trust a Raptor ally."
"Well, well, well. If it isssn't my old enemy Venom," hissed Viscera as he circled Venom, who was chained up against a cold brick wall. He shook his head, and noticed a sharp stinging pain in his head--a headache.
"Where…where is Scyllus? And Mimic?" Venom said, struggling against the cold steel shackles around his wrists. Strangely, however, his legs were not shackled to the floor as he had expected them to be.
"That isss none of your busssinesss--"
"What the fuck do you mean it's none of my business, you sick fuck?" Venom snapped, balling his hands into tight fists. "Scyllus is my Goddamned brother, you freak! How can he not be any of my business?!"
"Now Venom, there isss no need for sssuch a harsh tone, isss there?" Viscera taunted, cackling. He grabbed Venom by the chin, and dug his claws deep into Venom's skin. "Lisssten you little bassstard, and lisssten closssely. I am going to kill both ssScyllusss and Mimic right in front of you, ssso you can witnesss my true power. And thisss time, you will not be able to interfere. Only your petty little remarksss will be the echoesss throughout my palasssce," Viscera said, slamming Venom's head against the wall behind him. Venom spat in Viscera's face, and Viscera hissed evilly.
"The only power you have is that which you can do when your enemy is tied up for you, you son of a bitch!" Venom cried out, kicking out at Viscera but hitting nothing but the air in front of him. Viscera wiped the blob of saliva from his cheek, and slung it on the ground beside him.
"Now I have a reassson to kill your puny little asss even ssslower. And your weak little brother isss not in the bessst of shape, no, not at all. Not even to lift his ssscrawny armsss my foe. ssSo, would you like to have your gutsss ripped out, or would you like me to tear you a new a-hole, hmm?" Viscera asked, cackling under his breath.
"Why can't you fight like a real man, huh? A real man would fight his contender in hand-to-hand kombat."
"Venom, you forget I am not all even clossse to your type of 'man'. I am all Raptor, and all evil. But, if you think you can fight me--"
"I don't think, you fuck, I know," Venom interrupted. " I could beat you with my hands tied behind my back, and you know it." Viscera laughed evilly, and grabbed Venom by the chin, digging his nails into his skin.
"You really think ssso, hmm? Well, let's jussst sssee how good you really are, Venom," Viscera said, untying Venom's legs, and unchaining the shackles to his arms from the wall, and wrapping them around Venom's wrists.
Venom pushed himself to his feet, and Viscera gestured him to go to his throne room, which was just around the corner. Venom walked towards the rather large room, and was kicked in the kneecap, causing him to fall face first into the floor. He rolled onto his back, and kipped up, attacking with a quick kick to Viscera's belly, which connected, winding the Raptor.
"Nissse one, human," Viscera commented, struggling to catch his breath. Venom kicked Viscera in the side of the face, and both of the contenders fell to the floor. Viscera, of course, was the first to get up, and Venom was kicked in the face repeatedly, breaking his nose and blood splattering from every kick's impact.
"Give it up, Venom. You're never going to beat me!" Viscera yelled, turning his kicks to the face into stomps to the back of the head.
"VISCERA!!" a very familiar voice screamed from somewhere in the shadows. Venom barely had the time to look to where the voice came from before he was stomped again. He could have sworn he made out Mimic's garments.
Viscera turned around, smiling evilly. Venom rolled onto his back, and kipped up, staring at the source from which the voice came. It seemed to be near Viscera's throne. The one responsible for calling Viscera's name stepped out from the shadows. It was Mimic, but he had slashes on his neck all the way around and a massive bruise circling his neck. His face was covered in blood, and he had chunks of skin missing on his face and bruises staining his forehead and cheeks.
"Wh-h-but how? I killed you already! Thisss cannot be happening! I already killed you" Viscera cried out, staring in surprise at Mimic.
"Yeah, you did, and for that you will die," Mimic said flatly.
"But how?" Viscera asked, without any smart remark.
"Well, you know Scyllus? Well, he has this nice little talent where he can restore life. Hell, I was glad he brought me back, 'cuz now I can beat the fucking shit outta you, Vis," Mimic said, laughing.
"That little ssson of a bitch! I am going to have him executed!" Viscera screamed, spinning around to meet a vicious roundhouse to the jaw. He staggered in place before falling to the ground, spitting up a blob of blood.
"You know, you really should watch your back more often," Venom said, smiling. "Yo, Mimic, think you could gimme a hand with these shackles?"
"Hold on, lemme just kick the shit outta Viscera for a minute," Mimic replied as he ran up to the crawling, bloody Viscera. He unleashed a massive kick to Viscera's belly, winding him and breaking a few ribs. Viscera gasped desperately for air as he clutched his belly. Mimic turned his attention back to Venom and grabbed the shackles. Concentrating all his Power on the shackles, the shackles were suddenly swallowed in an orange glow, and disintegrated, singing Venom's wrists and underarm.
"Damn, man! Watch what you're doin' back there, Mimic," Venom cried, staring at his wrists, slight burns on his skin.
"Sorry, I just can't fully control that Power. Anyway, let's get your brother and get the hell outta this hellhole," Mimic said, turning back to Viscera and planting a vicious stomp into his lower back, the sound of bones cracking filling the room.
"Not so fucking fast, boys!" an unfamiliar voice yelled from the entrance to the throne room. "You ain't leaving here. Not now, and not ever, go it, kiddies?" the voice commanded, coming out to reveal s male humanoid.
"Who, or what, the fuck is that?" Venom asked.
"I have no idea, man. But whatever it is, I think we should get ready to fight his ass," Mimic replied.
"There won't be any fighting here, you fucks. I'm gonna put it as simply as I can--first, I'm gonna tell you that your brother, Venom, is not doing so hot. I kinda gave him a beating of my own just for the hell of it. Ya' know, I gotta have my fun around here, too, being that I am gonna be soon returned back to that fucking prison of Viscera's for killing his petty little bitch guard. Then, just for some more fun, I'm gonna pull the fucking hair on your fucking heads and tie it to the fucking hairs on your asses. Now that the first part is already done, I can go on to part two, and beat the fuck outta you shit heads!" the man bellowed, charging forward as he whipped out a large steel surfboard-type board with the edges molded into razor-sharp blades.
"Wait a Goddamn minute here!" another voice cried out. However, unlike the one of the humanoid, this one was familiar. It was Nukum.
The humanoid turned around. "Ha! Another addition to my ass kicking list, fellas! And who are you? Another one of Viscera's pussy guards?"
"No fuckin' way man! I'm Venom's best friend, Nukum. And if you're fight Venom, you're gonna have to get through me first, uh, what's your name again?"
"Does it really matter?"
"Well, yeah, if I'm gonna have to remember it when I'm cursing your fucking name every time I lay a punch to your freaky ass face," Nukum snapped, laughing.
"Oh, well, in that case, you can call me Krash, the almighty fucking cybronic human!" the humanoid replied as he thrust his cyber board into the air. He charged Nukum and as he came within reaching distance, he hopped onto the board and performed a loop before ramming the cyber board's energized razor edges into his chest knocking him to the floor, blood spewing from the gashes on his torso. Krash spun to face Venom and Mimic, and he thrust his arms out to his sides. A blue energized glow engulfed both arms to the elbows, and he cackled.
He kept laughing until the blue energy flowed from his arms to the spaces at his fingertips, escaping his body and attacking the area about a foot from his tips. The energy formed itself into some sort of humanoid form, and added detail, and then added movement and final touches. The energy clones resembled Krash exactly, only the one to his left had red energy flowing around his cyber board's edges and a red visor, and the one to his right had green energy flowing around his cyber board's edges and a green visor. "Meet my clones, you sons of bitches," Krash growled, thrusting his arms forward, and forcing the clones into action. The green energized clone charged Venom and attacked with a swoop similar to Krash's first attack upon Nukum, only quicker and the force sending Venom farther and violently into a wall.
"Fuck!" Venom cursed as he got up. He looked around as he saw Viscera running from the scene, clutching his belly in agony. Venom smiled as he watched the clone he was forced to attack perform loops and finally draw a six-foot long lance made of solid green energy. "Oh great, not only can that bastard fly, he has a fuckin' weapon, too," Venom said to himself, feeling around his uniform for his sickles, but finding that they had been stripped of his use, probably by Viscera. Venom looked to his right; staring at the spot he was shackled to, and saw his sickles lying on the floor where he was formerly imprisoned. He ran for the sickles, watching his left as the clone began to bear down on him. Venom dove forward as he felt the heat of the green energy lance touch his neck, barely causing it to miss decapitating him. He landed headfirst into the stone wall, whereupon he grabbed his sickles and spun onto his back, hurling one of the sickles towards the direction of the clone.
The sickle met its target right between the eyes, causing the clone to slump over and soon explode into a fiery shower of sparks. Venom let out a sigh of relief before realizing that he had abandoned Mimic and Nukum.
Mimic smiled as he clutched his opponent by the throat, immediately taking advantage and whipping the clone under his armpit into a tight headlock. "Listen, you little crony, I'm gonna make your death simple and quick," Mimic said flatly before whipping the clone's head to the right brutally, snapping its neck in one swift motion. Mimic allowed the clone to fall to the floor before it, like the other, exploded into a shower of red sparks.
Nukum, on the other hand, was having an even more troubling time dueling with the original Krash, who was unleashing a barrage of punches into Nukum's face and stomach. "Face it, Nukum, you are no match for me. Just give it up and throw yourself upon the form of a quick death," Krash said in between punches. Nukum smiled under his flame-orange mask.
"You know, you talk to much!" Nukum snapped, throwing Krash off of him. He held his stomach in pain. He must've had a couple broken ribs and maybe even a bruised sternum. However, he was able to draw one of his maces, which he used to slam into Krash's chest. Krash let out a scream of pain as the sound of breaking bones filled the air, blood spewing from his mouth. Krash rolled back, pulling his cyber board out from under his feet and hopping back onto it in mid-leap, flying off as he bellowed, "You all will suffer at my hands if it is the last thing I fucking do! I swear that on all your slutty mothers' graves, bitches!"
Viscera soon came back, and with a small army behind him. Venom knew most of the Raptors standing behind Viscera, the most familiar faces being the ones of Diamondback, Klaw, and a few others. "Now do you really think you can defeat my ssstrongessst sssoldiersss, Venom? How about you Mimic? Or you, Nukum?" Viscera asked, smiling evilly. A small gash was open on his right cheek and a longer and deeper one on his forehead, dried blood forming a scab over the gashes.
"I think I can take them on, with the help of my friends, Viscera," Venom replied flatly, smiling. "We've done it before, and we can damn well do it again."
"Attack!" Viscera commanded, the war cries of the Raptors filling the room. Venom gripped his sickles tightly, and smiled under his mask. Suddenly, a wave of very warm heat swept over the room, and a haze of crimson fog lifted upon the cold concrete ground.
The fog seemed to melt a few of the Raptors, but most of them were able to escape with minor injuries and wounds. Several Raptors were torn skinless by the fog's power and whoever's power was controlling it. The skinned Raptors were then eaten from the inside out before being blown to smithereens, sending innards and blood showering onto the ground. The rest of the Raptors either choked to death on their own blood, ripped apart like a rag doll, or blown apart like a balloon. Viscera suffered only minor injuries, because of his immortality, fleeing the scene with a severe sign of dizziness, a minor concussion, and other smaller injuries.
"Damn, whoever did that save us a whole shitload of trouble," Nukum commented, watching the fog dissipate and the bodies and body parts of the fallen Raptors melt into the ground like water seeping through a crack.
"Damn straight, man," Venom agreed. Mimic didn't reply, but the look on his face showed a sure sign of relief.
"Let's get the hell out of here before Viscera gets a whole new line of soldiers," Mimic said, heading towards the exit of the throne room.
"What do you mean leave? We gotta get my fucking brother!" Venom yelled, running up to Mimic and whipping him around.
"Didn't you here Krash? He said he beat the shit outta your pathetic brother, you idiot. By now, the little shit is probably receiving another beating from Viscera for his army being totally obliterated," Mimic snapped. Venom's eyes instantly fogged over with hatred, his mind racing through the words Mimic previously spoke of, the thought of his brother being beaten again, over and over.
He let out a massive war cry before slamming his right fist into Mimic's left cheek, dislocating his jaw. "Don't you ever fucking say something about my brother again, you prick!" he bellowed, watching Mimic stagger back before falling on his back.
"I'm getting out of here before I have to kick your ass, Venom. I'll see you whenever the hell you grow up. Nukum, you gonna go back to Earth now or stay here with Venom while he whines and pouts over his brother?" Mimic asked, tearing a portal into the atmosphere in front of him. He gestured to the portal with one hand.
"I'm sorry, Venom, man. I just wanna go back--"
"Just go. I'll be there soon. I guess I should have just listened to Mimic in the first place. I'll come back another time, without your guys' help," Venom interrupted, his voice filled with anger. He walked into the portal, and Nukum soon followed, shaking his head. Mimic followed after, closing the portal behind him
"That's the al-fucking-mighty Viscera?" Vengeance asked, raising an eyebrow as he stared at Viscera, who was chowing down on what appeared to be a human leg.
"Yesss, that isss Lord Vissscera," Serpent replied flatly.
Vengeance laughed quietly and shortly before responding. "You mean to tell me this scaly freak is the one who brought the Raptor from half-passed extinction to over a billion of those freaks now? If that's what you're tellin' me, you gotta be fuckin' kidding. I mean, come on, look at that ugly son of a bitch!"
"Who are you calling ugly, human?" Viscera inquired, getting up from his throne. "If I were, I'd watch my mouth before I got myssself into sssome ssseriousss trouble."
"Well, If I were you, I'd sit right the fuck back down before I got my ass whipped," Vengeance snapped, whipping out a rather long wooden staff with a sickle blade at one end and a dagger blade at the other. Viscera laughed.
"Your puny weaponsss are no match for my awesssome power, Vengeanssse. Now, put it away before I tear your ugly head off," Viscera threatened, throwing the leg he was munching on aside.
"Listen to him, Vengeanssse. He can beat you, and you do not want that," Serpent said as he held Vengeance back.
"Alright, I won't fight you. But only because my scaly friend here doesn't want me to, and I don't blame him," Vengeance reassured, or so he thought. In his mind, he was the only unstoppable being in the entire universe, and he was wrong, completely.
"That would be for your own good, boy. ssSerpent, leave. I want to talk to Vengeanssse here alone," Viscera ordered. Serpent bowed in response as he turned around and left the throne room.
"You know, I don't even like lizards. And I don't even know why the fuck I'm here. Maybe you can answer that for me, lizard-boy," Vengeance said flatly, fiddling with a handful of blue gel, which seemed to mold into various skeletal objects. Viscera smiled at his comrade's talent.
"Now that we're alone," Viscera began, "we can talk busssinessss. Venom isss a problem--no, a ssseriousss threat to my rassse. He cannot ssstand me, let alone a sssingle member of the Raptorsss. He feelsss that I, and every sssurviving Raptor, mussst die at hisss handsss. He ssseemsss to think we are resssponsssible for hisss race'sss and family'sss deathsss, and, in a way, we are. You sssee, what you have been called for here isss to do asss I command, or die trying. You're an asssasssin, am I correct?"
"ssSure, I got that. However, you will be paid when you return with Venom'sss head. Do you got that, human?" Viscera asked, his voice gruff and sincere.
"Hey, I can work with that," Vengeance responded.
"You can, and you will, or sssuffer the consssequensssesss, human," Viscera snapped back.
"Okay, well, just make sure when I do come back with this Venom guy's head, you have my money ready. Because when I don't get paid, I can get real cranky," Vengeance replied.
"Good. As long as you come back with hisss head, you'll get paid. Isss it a deal?"
"It's a deal, man," Vengeance replied, shaking Viscera's clawed hand. Vengeance walked off, and Viscera opened a portal in front of him, and Vengeance walked calmly through it.
3 days later
* * * *
Venom stretched out on his comfy white couch and took a long drink of his Pepsi. He set the near-empty can on the end table beside the couch and pulled open the table drawer, reaching in a shuffling blindly through the array of magazines. He finally pulled out an issue of TV Guide, and shuffled through the pages until he found the current date. The only good things on were wrestling and football. He decided he had a craving to watch something fake and pointless for a change, and switched through the channels until he found USA Network, where the famed WWF was shown every Monday, Thursday and Sunday night. He sat up and stretched his arms behind his head, placing his feet on the glass coffee table in front of him.
About ten minutes into the program, a loud knocking sounded at the door of his apartment. Venom sighed annoyingly and stood up, stretching his arms as he walked towards the door. He stared through the eyehole in the door and saw an unfamiliar face staring back at him. That's odd, he thought, I'm not expecting any visitors. He reflexively opened the door and saw a man about 6 feet tall with a white tank top and deep red pants standing before him. "What do you want?" Venom asked, his voice annoyed.
"Um, your head, if ya' don't mind," the man replied, jabbing towards Venom's head. Venom dodged back and grabbed the man's hand, twisting his arm around so that the man would be forced to turn his back if he wanted his arm to remain useful. However, the man attacked with a swift kick that connected to Venom's sternum, forcing him to release the hold. The man continued to attack with a series of swift but brutal kicks to Venom's stomach until finally Venom tripped over his own feet and landed flat on his back.
"Damn, this is gonna be easier than I expected," the man said, drawing a long double-bladed staff from his back. "Ya' know, if ya' just sit the fuck still, it won't hurt for but a few moments," the man suggested.
Venom instinctively kicked out at his attacker blindly, by sheer luck connecting to the man's knee, popping it loose. He kipped up and positioned himself into a stance.
"Mother Goddamn fucker!" the man screamed as he fell onto his other strong knee. "Now you're really gonna fucking pay you little shit!" the man threatened, swiping his massive staff out at Venom. But Venom had the time to prepare for the attack and he grabbed the staff, yanking it out of the man's hands.
"I'm going to ask you time, and if you don't answer, I'll rip your ass apart right here. Who are you?" Venom asked.
"If you must fucking know, you son of a whore, I'm Vengeance. I work for anyone who pays me well enough, and I always fucking do my job right. That is, until I met your big ass," Vengeance replied, staring down at his broken knee.
"Well, I'm not gonna say I'm sorry. But then again, neither can you. Anyway, who the fuck are you working for?" Venom asked. "No wait, lemme guess. Viscera, right?"
"Yeah, you're right. But I ain't leavin' till I kill your ass, or until I get my ass killed. However, if you got the money, I could go back and kill Viscera for ya'," Vengeance suggested.
"As much as I want that prick dead, I'd rather do it myself, ya' know what I mean?"
"Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. But, like I admitted before, I am not goin' back to that shit hole's palace without your head. So, if ya' don't mind, will you just give up right now before I have to get real pissed?"
"Yeah, I do mind, you ass. And if you don't mind, will you just leave before I have to kick your ass and send your head back Viscera. Got it, bitch?"
"No, I don't got it, bitch. Maybe I'll just have to open whole new can of whoop ass on you just to get that through your fuckin' scarred head, boy." Vengeance thrust his arms at Venom, missing Venom's chest by mere inches, but intentionally, not accidentally. A massive sphere of blue pulsating energy swallowed his hands up to the wrists, and began glowing intensely. "You have about three seconds to give yourself up before you experience the worst pain you have ever felt in your entire pathetic life," Vengeance warned. Venom laughed quietly, and backed up, readying himself. The energy shot forward, aiming for Venom's chest, closing in on Venom within split seconds. Venom hopped over the energy orb and it slammed into one of his white chairs in the living room.
"You bastard! Do you know how much those damn things cost, and how rare they are?! Those fucking leather chairs were given to me by a very good friend, you fuck!" Venom cried out as he watched the chair burn to the ground in ashes.
"Do you think I give a fuck?" Vengeance snapped, lashing out at him with another energized object enveloping his right hand, this one being a dagger-like object. Venom backed up and grabbed Vengeance's arm and rammed a fist into Vengeance's inner elbow, snapping the bone in the arm like a twig. Vengeance hollered out in pain, and Venom kicked him in the side of the face, still holding his arm, snapping his neck.
"Mother fucker," Venom cursed, watching as Vengeance's body flopped lifelessly onto the ground. Suddenly, a portal opened underneath his corpse and swallowed the body into it quickly, closing afterward.
"What do you mean he killed you?!" Viscera cried out, throwing his arms in front of him.
"I mean exactly that, dumb ass," Vengeance replied, watching as his arm healed itself and the blood on his face and chest disappeared.
"Okay, maybe you jussst need me to beat sssome sssenssse into you," Viscera snapped.
"Actually, I don't need that at all. And if you tried, I could kick your ass," Vengeance hissed.
"I'm sssure you could, human." Viscera cracked a barely noticeable smile, but it faded before giving Vengeance time to see it.
"Listen, get over Venom. If you want him dead, do it yourself. After all, you both seem equally as stupid and as strong. It'd be nice to see either of you in a match to the death. Ya' know, like one of those fucked up Mortal Kombat tournaments they hold every hundred fucking years, only a single match," Vengeance suggested.
"No way, Venom hasss already proven himssself worthy enough to defeat me in sssingle-handed kombat. He hasss too many waysss to fight, too many for me to learn. I tried sssending the bessst mother fucking assssassssin in the face of every universsse, and even you couldn't dissspossse of him."
"Hey, listen man. He got a cheap shot on me when I wasn't watching and broke my fucking knee--"
"I gave you self-healing powersss, you fool!" Viscera shouted, backhanding Vengeance and knocking him to the floor.
"Okay. Fuck you man. Fuck you. I'm leaving this piece of shit place you own, and goin' back to my old job of just assassinating government bastards instead of these fucking martial fucking artist freaks. I'll see you around--no, I'll see you in Hell. I'm never comin' back here, even if you pay me all the money in the world." Vengeance awaited Viscera to open a portal, and it happened quickly afterward.
"Watch your back, Vengeance. I will sssend many too dissspossse of you in the future. Don't bother attempting to evade the attacksss of my rassse, becaussse you will be caught one time or another," Viscera threatened. Vengeance laughed in response, and Viscera slashed out at him, but Vengeance had alrady gone through the portal. "Now I have another human to kill. Great," Viscera said to himself, sitting back on his throne as he began tapping his claws on the armrests.
Venom sat on his bed, legs set in front of him with his knees bent and feet planted on the bed. His arms were placed on his knees and he sat quietly, pondering of what he was going to do with his life. He suddenly looked over to the bedside table and stared at his sickles. They bloodstained blades shined in the dim yellow glow of his lamp. He looked to his left at the other small table and saw a picture of him and his brother, standing with arms held around one another as they smiled into the camera. Thoughts began racing through his mind.
He was back in his old home with his family sitting at a table as he chatted along with his family about the daily activities. "You know, Venom, that tournament is coming up soon, and General Snare is thinking of sending you to it. However, I will not allow any son of mine going on a suicide mission just to prove how strong he is. Besides, everybody here already knows how strong you are," his father said with a smile. Venom smiled back before taking a big bite out his corn.
"Maybe you should let him go, dad. He is old enough to start making his own choices," Scyllus said. His dad gave him an evil glare, and Scyllus went back to eating quickly.
"Yeah, can't I just go and see what it's like? I did kill some of those attackers that came last week. You remember, don't you?" Venom asked.
"Yes, of course I do, son. But I am not letting you go so you can get yourself killed. And that is all there is to it," his dad ordered. Venom glared at hi, but while he wasn't looking. Venom looked at Scyllus, and Scyllus looked back and nodded. Venom winked back, and he and his brother knew exactly what Venom was going to do in a few days.
"Goddamn me," he said to himself, shaking off the thoughts of a few nights before he left for the tournament. "Why couldn't I just listen to him? Why couldn't I just stay there with my family?" he was suddenly quieted by the sound of thunder. However, it was not outside his room, it was surprisingly inside. He got up, grabbing his sickles. As he walked to the door, he heard another rumble of thunder. He walked out the door, crouching low to the ground as he walked towards his living room. Suddenly, another, louder rumble of thunder startled him a few steps away from the kitchen counter.
A figure began materializing and Venom made out a pair of glowing red eyes and red energy strands swirling all over his body. "G-General Snare? But I thought you died with the rest of them?" Venom asked as he stood up straight, looking over the massive, strong figure standing a few feet from him. The man donned a brown straw hat that shadowed most of his face, allowing only his glowing eyes and the lower half of his face to be seen. He wore a tight red collar around his neck with the symbol of a yin yang in the center. He was nearly seven and half feet tall, and has the muscular physique of a football player or professional wrestler. Scars decorated his arms and other bare areas of his body, including his torso in the center. He wore a black vest with golden buttons lining the edges. His pants were brown and baggy, resembling wind pants only a thicker material. The pants were tucked into a pair of tight black boots that went all the way up his shin to the knee.
"I never died. That attack was over before I even had the time to prepare for it. Besides, I wasn't informed of it until a brutally wounded soldier of my army entered my temple. You know, your brother is still alive," General Snare informed.
"Yeah, I know that. Viscera has him held prisoner in Outworld. How come you didn't try to save the rest of the survivors, like a real soldier would do?" Venom asked, remembering the brutally scarred mother and father in his own home.
"Like I said, I had no idea an attack was happening. That temple of mine has thick walls, and can block out most sounds. Also, it is damn near the edge of that damn hellhole we once called home. And I couldn't rescue any survivors, because there weren't any. By the time I was informed of the attack, everyone was dead, and the Raptors were gone by then. You must go back there and recreate it from the ground up. Build yourself a nice little series of temples. Recreate an army of some sort. Name it after something or someone you admired once in your life, whether he or she or it is dead or alive, in ruins or standing strong. You must do this if you respect your homeland as much as you think. If not, then I'm afraid you haven't a choice to forget the past and go on in your life. This is all I can say, and I wish you as much luck as I can. I have to go to Outworld and dispose of a few of those Raptors, and then join my soldiers. Farewell, Venom, and good luck," and with that, Snare dematerialized and left behind only a sheet of paper. On it was the picture of a massive stone temple covered in moss and vines, surrounded by a moat of swampy water and wooden drawbridge placed across the moat.
"Thank you, Snare," Venom said, looking around his apartment suite as he pondered just what to do when the time came to do as he was ordered.
Next Chapter: "The Birth"