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Battle Beasts
Death Comes To Us All
PART III
Almost two hours had passed, and the Beasts still hadn't calmed down. Neither Violet Horn, Power Jaguar, or White Leo had seen such joy before, and had to struggle in order to keep themselves from succumbing to the enthusiastic cloud. Violet Horn went to the outskirts of the crowd and pulled aside a Beast by the name of B-Fox, know as Sly to his friends. The youth was a brown fox, clad in simplistic white armor, one of the more popular amongst the Beasts. He had been in the middle of a necking session with his girlfriend Hare Rabbit when Violet Horn approached, and was none too happy about leaving her to tend to business.
"What?!" he objected, looking past Violet Horn at Hare Rabbit. She smiled and waved to him. "I was in the middle of something..."
Violet Horn laughed. "So I see. Ah, the seeds of young love."
"Yeah," B-Fox gazed at Rabbit and tried to walk back "I had planned to plow some fields myself..." Violet Horn grabbed his arm.
"Tsk, such vulgarity." Violet Horn gave B-Fox a light shove and almost sent him flying.
"Ah, I'm just kidding." B-Fox stumbled but continued to gaze at his girl. Hare Rabbit had been more active in the battle than most of the male Beasts, and her aqua colored armor still looked practically new. He loved how the color complimented her blue skin She leaned against a tree, waiting for him, and allowed her ears to droop a little. For a moment B-Fox considered trying to break away from Violet Horn again, but thought better of it.
"Uh, what can I do for you, Biggie?"
Violet Horn shook his head. "Must you call me that?"
"Aw, no offense meant..."
"And none taken." Violet Horn pointed to the other Beasts. "If not too much trouble for one as popular as yourself, see what you can do about bringing silence to the masses. White Leo must speak, and it concerns us all."
B-Fox looked at the crowd, then back to Violet Horn. "Kind of a big task, isn't it?"
"Think ripple effect." With that Violet Horn gave B-Fox an encouraging push towards the crowd of Beasts.
"Ripple effect, sure." B-Fox looked at Hare Rabbit one more time, "I was working on a ripple effect of my own a minute ago anyway..."
It took some time, but eventually, the word of silence had been spread throughout the crowd. When silence had finally fallen, White Leo came before them and leapt up onto a small boulder so he could be seen and heard by all. Violet Horn and Power Jaguar joined him on opposite sides.
"Beasts, we have won the battle against the Destrons and the Rebel Beasts, but as long as Gruesome Gator and his army remain at large, we cannot allow ourselves to slip back into our previous state of petty rivalry and tribal warfare. I propose that we settle down, and work together to recreate the civilization of old."
Silence reigned as each Beast considered the proposal. They had been scattered about the land for so long, the concept of village life had become a foreign concept to them.
Jaguar stepped forward. "We propose three camps. There's too many of us to live comfortably in one area. This way, we can keep in contact with each another and still keep an eye out for any unusual activities."
A low murmur of approval swept through the Beasts. Violet Horn now spoke as well.
"What say you Beasts? Let us part three-way and work together for the sake of Planet Beast!"
The Beasts cheered with renewed excitement. White Leo dropped down from the boulder and clapped the two on the back.
"Good work you two." He leaned over to Jaguar. "I see you're falling into the role of leadership nicely."
"Um..." Jaguar started.
"It's alright." White Leo smiled. "It takes some getting used to. Trust me, I know."
He looked back at the other Beasts. "Right now, we should start scouting the area and find some suitable settling grounds."
"It's alright." White Leo smiled. "It takes some getting used to. Trust me, I know."
Jaguar looked back at the other Beasts. "We should start scouting the area and find some decent settling grounds."
White Leo was silent a moment, then "Actually, I already have some locations in mind."
Jaguar smiled "Wow, someone's been planning ahead."
White Leo knelt and began to fiddle with the armor on his right leg. Jaguar and Violet Horn looked on as he produced three small, and very old looking maps from a hidden compartment.
"Here," he gave one to Violet Horn, one to Power Jaguar. "Follow these to the location marked and set up your holding there. You shouldn't have any trouble settling in."
Violet horn looked at his map, carefully examining the age of the paper. He recalled seeing this very type in his father's collection, but of letters, never maps. It resembled the kind used centuries ago, before all of Planet Beast had been charted. It had yellowed terribly from age, yet the black and green lines were still bright, as if by some unknown force, the map had kept some of its youth. "White Leo, if I may inquire, where did you get these?"
"These maps have been in my family for generations. As a youth, my father would tell me stories about a Great War, stories that his father had told him as a cub. One day, he called me into his den, and showed these to me. He told me to take them, and use them when the time was right." he looked at both Violet Horn and Power Jaguar, "I think that time is now."
"Amazing," Jaguar looked at his map again, the black and red lines bright and defined, despite the paper's obvious age "I can't believe these haven't completely disintegrated." White Leo nodded. "All right. Gather all the Beasts that want to go with you, and head out. We meet back here in one week to check up on progress. Any questions?
Jaguar and Violet Horn shook their heads.
"Good." He turned towards the other Beasts, who already began to approach the three of them. "The best of luck to the both of you, and be careful. It's almost nightfall, and we don't know where Grusome and his army is, or what they're doing."
**********
"So, what do you think they're doing?" Shield Dragon posed the question as he shared a campfire with Green Chameles, Snakebomb, Iguanamons, Cobrander, and Black Turtle. Night had fallen, and despite protests by Badshark, the other Beasts decided to make camp until morning. He had insisted they keep moving, and was probably right, but even he had to admit that they all needed some rest. They had chosen a heavily wooded area, easy cover and even easier means of escape.
"I'll bet Leo's got three teams sweeping the area with orders to kill us on site." Black Turtle spoke the words solemnly, almost a whisper.
"Nah," Green Chameles replied. "That'd be too easy. You have to remember, they don't just want victory, they want to gloat too. They'd take us prisoner, and then question us individually, asking us why we did it, what did we hope to accomplish. All that crap."
"I don't think they want that." Iguanamons laid on the grass, hands folded behind his head. "You saw them during the last battle. They wanted it to end as much as we did."
"Yeah," Snakebomb sat Indian style and watched the fire. He sounded depressed " but their allies didn't abandon them halfway through the fight..."
Shield Dragon looked over to where Scout Mouse had set up camp. She'd been joined by Pangol, Brown Gyro, and Power Nozzle. The three seemed all too eager to 'comfort' her.
"Look at them," he almost laughed. "They remind me of moths."
"Moths?" Green Chameles found himself watching the eager males as well. "What makes you say that?"
"Because all the moth wants to do is reach the moon," he pointed to Scout Mouse, "And it's pretty obvious that it's an unattainable goal."
Green Chameles frowned a moment, then burst into laughter. Shield Dragon joined him, and even Black Turtle couldn't help but chuckle at the joke. Snakebomb felt a smile working its way onto his own face and tried to fight it. He looked at his hands and saw the snakes were smiling as well. This threw him into a fit of laughter with the others. He sat up and did his best impression of a wildlife observer. "Here we see the maleus patheticus as he attempts to court a member of the wrong species..."
The five of them fell over with renewed laughter, clutching their sides. Tears had begun to form in Shield Dragon's eyes from the howling laughter as Green Chameles rolled over and kicked the air above him. Black Turtle lowered his head and allowed the laughter to come freely while Snakebomb, laughing wildly, doubled over and fell to the side.
Cobrander watched them and said nothing. He sat Indian style as well, his hood retracted, watching the fire. He did not laugh. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Crowmax approaching.
"Is there a problem?" Crowmax glared at the lot of them. Snakebomb looked at him and tried to answer, but instead burst out into another fit of laughter. Crowmax crossed his arms and ruffled his wings.
Shield Dragon did his best to regain his composure. "Uh, no, no problem. We just. heh, had a funny thought, that's all..." He snickered and tried not to laugh.
"Oh really." Crowmax did not look amused "I'm going to assume those thoughts didn't include Scout Mouse. Because I saw you point at her, and I know you wouldn't be stupid enough to say something disrespectful-"
"Excuse me?" The humor left Shield Dragon's voice and his friends as well. "And what exactly would you do if I did?" He rose to his feet and stared Crowmax directly in the eye. Snakebomb, Black Turtle, Iguanamons, and Green Chameles began to stand as well. Crowmax was undaunted.
"I'd tell you, but being a reptile, you probably wouldn't understand. And I don't feel like drawing you a flashcard."
No sooner had Crowmax finished his remark, he was jerked to the ground by Cobrander. In a second the brown serpent had Crowmax by the throat, fangs bared, hood spread. Feathers littered the air as Crowmax tried unsuccessfully to free himself from Cobrander's grasp. Shield Dragon and the others watched wide eyed as Cobrander lowered his head down to his newfound prey. His voice cold and fierce,
"Lissten you little punk, in the last 24 hours we've been defeated, humiliated, and because of your little girlrodent, we've left Gruesome. Be glad we don't do more then point at her..."
Snakebomb looked over at Black Turtle. They didn't like where this was leading.
"Then why don't you and your friends go slither back to him?" Cromax spat the words venomously "I'm sure he'd LOVE to see your sorry face again-"
Cobrander smiled, and began to slowly squeeze Crowmax's windpipe shut. The bird choked and began flailing, unable to loosen Cobrander's grip.
"I haven't killed anyone in over 24 hourss...," Cobrander squeezed harder. Deadly venom dripped from his exposed fangs as his smile widened.
Crowmax had just begun to froth at the mouth when suddenly(and much to his surprise) he could breathe again. Opening his eyes, he looked around, confused. It was then he saw Badshark standing in front of him, nose to nose with Cobrander. How the serpent got to his feet so quick was a mystery, even moreso was Badshark's arriving without anyone noticing. He saw that Badshark's skin was glistening, he must have found a small body of water and replenished his strength. Whatever the case was, he did not look happy now. The blue shark growled at Cobrander.
"I leave you for a half hour and already you've got someone in a death grip..."
"He was assking for it." Cobrander stared at Badshark without blinking. The other reptiles stood behind Cobrander, mostly because it seemed the safest place to hide from Badshark. The guy was patient, but they all knew he and Cobrander never liked each other. If something bad happened, they'd have time to get as far away as they could. "Bessidess, what do you care if he lives or not? White Leo is sssure to passs a ssimilar judgment on his ssorry carcass, and the rest of uss, for that matter."
" That's not for you to decide. There's still hope that-"
"Hope?!" Corbander's voice grew louder, gaining the attention of the other Beasts. "Hope left with the Destrons! I can't believe you ssstill think White Leo will accept uss back!"
The two glared at one another for some time before Badshark spoke again.
"We're going back. If you don't want to, then that's your business. But if you leave, you leave alone."
"Cobrander smiled. "You're upsset because I wass going to kill him. Iss that it?" His smile broadened, and he leaned closer with each word. "That's why I never undersstood why Gruesome inssisted on your being second in command. You lack such a simple instinct. Killing is in your nature and yet you fight it." The two were a hair's length apart, close enough to feel the breath from each other. Cobrander whispered fiercely "You're pathetic."
From behind Cobrander, Shield Dragon looked at Badshark and realized that that was one of the last things Cobrander should have said. Badshark said nothing, just stood there, but you could tell the wheels in his head were turning. He noted that Badshark's hands had curled into cruel looking fists. Obviously, the aquatic terror was showing great self restraint. Shield Dragon also saw that the rest of the Destron Beasts had gathered around them, attracted by the noise. Scout Mouse stood beside Crowmax, not really looking at him. Her wide eyes were glued to Badshark and Corbrander, as if she sensed that she had been a catalyst in what looked to become a violent incident. Her eyes shifted and caught Shield Dragon looking at her. "What's going on?" She mouthed. Their eyes remained locked a moment, then he looked down, unable to think of something to tell her. To his dismay, she was still watching him when he looked back up at her.
Cobrander remained closer still to Badshark.
"You're worssse than pathetic," he pressed "you're a disgrace! Why would the Destrons remain when they'd have to deal with a coward like you?!"
Badshark swung around and decked him. Cobrander sailed through the air, slamming hard into a tree, which shook from the impact. Cobrander half hissed, half laughed and sprung right back at him. He collided with Badshark, driving him back. Badshark lost his footing and fell backwards, colliding with a number of onlooking Beasts. Scout Mouse screamed and ran behind the nearest tree, with many others following her lead. The two beasts remained in a death grip, Cobrander's eyes glazed with the thrill and Badshark struggled to keep Cobrander's fangs from penetrating his flesh. He clasped Cobrander by the throat and squeezed with all his might. Cobranader laughed at the effort, the muscles in his neck resisted the pressure easily, and he hissed once more. Getting a foot between them, Badshark kicked the serpent into the air, but Corbander easily recovered. The other Beasts were now scattered about the woods, many hidden behind trees in hopes that the battle wouldn't find its way over to their position. The two faced one another and Cobrander lunged again. This time Badshark nailed him with a direct blow to the cranium, driving Cobrander back. Immediately Badshark took advantage, lashing an arm around Cobrander's throat and swinging himself around so he was behind the reptile. If he couldn't choke him out with his hands, his biceps would have to do. Badshark held the writhing Beast as best he could and flexed his arm, forming a 'v' around Cobrander's throat. A moment later, Cobrander could feel his neck muscles straining. In a few more seconds, Badshark would collapse his windpipe. He continued to struggle, but even he couldn't go forever. He sank to one knee, resisting with all his might. Badshark continued to bear down, teeth clamped, stern determination upon his brow. Just as Cobrander's vision began to fade, Badshark let go. Throwing Cobrander to the ground, Badshark stood up and looked down at him, ragged breaths tearing in and out of his lungs.
"I don't have to kill you to assert my authority. It's better to let you live with the knowledge that I can kick your @**."
Cobrander allowed himself a few breaths, all the while giving Badshark and icy glare. He said nothing while getting to his feet. The other Beasts remained where they were, but could feel the tension lessening. Shield Dragon and the rest of the reptiles came to Cobrander's side and tried to lead him away. He shook them off, his eyes never leaving Badshark.
"You sshould have killed me. Never leave an enemy laying..."
"There would be nothing gained by killing you."
"And what did you think you'd receive by letting me live?!"
Badshark extended an open hand.
Cobrander stared at the gesture for a long time. All eyes were on him, even his reptilian comrades. Here was the Beast that only seconds ago had him in a death grip and could have taken his life. But he didn't. Instead he'd taken away his desire to challenge him again, and Cobrander realized that it was indeed more effective than death. He reached out, and clasped Badshark's hand in his.
**********
Gruesome slashed his way through the thick vines of the jungle, his mind almost a complete blank. Necrom had told him to go to the land called Roars. There was something for him at Roars. Something...dangerous? "Yes" he answered himself, "Dangerous, but not to me. Dangerous for the others..." Yes, the others. They abandoned him, humiliated him. But they would pay. "No," he corrected his thought, "They'll die." He plowed through the overgrowing brush, not certain as to how he knew where he was going. He swung his ax again, cleaving through a low hanging branch. His muscles ached from the lack of rest, but Gruesome didn't pay it any attention. He would go all night if he had to, and probably would.
He thought back to the cave, waking up in a kneeling position and completely confused. Had he only dreamt Necrom? He didn't think so. Monsters like that didn't just spring from someone's imagination, even one as sick as his own. "Roars.." he sneered. Yes, there was something dangerous waiting for him in Roars. Gruesome upped his speed and ran through the forest.
**********
The Wood beasts had trekked through the forest all night, reaching their destination at sunrise. Violet Horn smiled a big toothy smile and surveyed the Beasts who chose to follow him. About seventeen in all. Deer Stalker, Violet Horn's most effective soldier, had used the night vision setting in his visor to lead them. Violet Horn knew he would be a great asset to the team. The rest of the Beasts came before Violet Horn awaiting orders. Their ranks included B-Fox, Battle Bear, Rabbit Kid, Flykick, Bonga, Hedgehog, Blue Horse, Bombsheep, Wave Moose, Jungaroo, Underground, Yellow Chamelus, Flying Attacker, Dream Eater, White Cow, and Udan. They were weary from the journey, but would have it no other way. As the sun rose above the horizon a giant tree became noticable. For a moment, none of them could quite figure out how massive the thing actually was until more light shone upon it, revealing a massive redwood.
"Wow..." Jungaroo whispered. He was already straining his neck trying to take in the sight of the mountainous Redwood, which seemed to reach infinitely towards the sky. Slowly, along with the rest of the Beasts, he began to circle it. "Violet Horn, how big IS this bloody thing?
"Twas told to me that this was the first tree to sprout on Planet Beast. As White Leo has told me, we are to inhabit it."
"Uh, I hate to tell you this mate, but" Jungaroo pointed to a Beast sized hole in the side of the tree "looks like someone beat us to it."
Violet Horn inspected the hole, amazement in his eyes. "Just as he said..." he whispered. "Bormites."
"Bormites!" B-Fox exclaimed "Those things eat through anything, including Beasts! We can't live in there!"
Violet Horn smiled slightly. "White Leo explained to me that the Bormites had long abandoned this vessel. Only its framework remains. That and one other thing..."
Violet Horn tapped the trunk of the tree. A second passed before the Beasts heard a distinct cracking noise and saw the very spot where Violet Horn tapped began to crumble. Hairline cracks streaked up and along the side of the tree and piece by piece the outer bark started to fall in large sections, shattering as they hit the ground.
"A few steps back Beasts." Violet Horn gazed up in amazement as the outer bark of the monumental tree cracked like a shell. He noticed that there were no longer large pieces of bark falling, rather, the outer layer had begun to dissipate, becoming a thin mist. It fell upon the Beasts silently, bringing with it a a feeling of peace. Violet Horn closed his eyes. One by one, the other Beasts shut theirs as well.
"Breathe deeply my Beasts. Upon us falls the knowledge of the forest. All the wonders, all the horrors, all the secrets of the forest are now passed down to us. This tree hath existed as long as Planet Beast itself. Drink heavily from its wisdom, as we are now its children, Beasts of the Forest."
Had any of the Beasts opened their eyes, they would have seen the very mist around them glow a dull green, full of the inherent Wood Elemental. Slowly it swirled about them and the tree itself, reforming the ancient structure. The minds of the Beasts filled with images, crystal clear rivers flowing throughout the land, bringing life to its inhabitants, lush greenery that housed so many fauna. Mighty trees growing majestically from the Mother Planet reaching towards the sky, eventually withering and returning to the very soil from which it had come, only to be reborn in the seeds left behind. Many of the Beasts began to sink to their knees, overcome by the vivid pictures in their minds. Rabbit Kid felt tears flowing freely down her face. All the years of war she had known, she'd lost her father in it, never able to shake the images of his grisly death until now. Never has she known there was such beauty in the world. Violet Horn inhaled sharply and clutched his chest. he felt no pain, only an unexpected exhaltation. he heard similar reactions from the others. They must have been struck by the same force that he felt.
The Beasts remained this way for some time. Like the trees surrounding them, they were motionless, at one with the forest. Oblivious of any outside forces, they felt unusually secure in the loving embrace of the Wood Elemental.
Musk Ox was the first to open his eyes. The experience had made him shaky, and he had trouble standing up. He allowed his breath to come in slow steady streams and looked around him. The other Beasts were beginning to come out of the peaceful bliss as well. A strange throbbing in his chest grabbed his attention and he looked down at his armor. He saw that a square section had turned completely black.
"What the-?" Musk Ox began as the square slowly pulsated between black and a very dark green. He couldn't speak. What had happened to them?
Violet Horn rose and let out a deep sigh. Surveying the recovering Beasts, he saw that they had all been affected in much the same way. A black square now existed on a section of his purple armor, and every Beast accordingly. He smiled.
"My fellow Beasts! Rejoice, for our Forest Mother has adopted us as her own, and endowed us with her power!"
"Wha..?" Bonga stammered "What do you mean?" Cautiously, he touched the blackened square upon his red armor. It brightened to a light green, scaring Bonga enough to make him yell a little. He pulled his hand away, noticing that the grass in his shadow began to grow. A moment later, it stopped. Violet Horn raised a hand and stretched out his fingers. As he did so, the black square on his armor began to flicker a dull green. The ground immediately below his hand began to stir. The Beasts watched in amazement as a small tree began to sprout, and continued to grow at a rate that defied anything they'd seen before. The grass about the new tree began to stretch accordingly, almost reaching Violet horn's height mere moments after he raised his hand. The tree continued to grow, forcing Violet Horn to step back and bring his hand down. Once he did this, the tree stopped growing.
"Beasts," Violet horn began "We are Beasts of the Forest, granted control of all flora around us!"
"Incredible..." Rabbit Kid remarked. She looked at her hands, almost frightened of the awesome power she now possessed. She looked at Violet Horn, "What do we do now?"
"Simple," Violet Horn smiled at her and gestured towards the tremendous bare mass of the tree he had only moments ago tapped so lightly. "We move in."
**********
For once both of Doublecross's personalities were in agreement. The view of Planet Beast from the sky was beautiful. Doublecross, a silver and black two headed dragon in animal mode, allowed his wings to spread their fullest and glided. Grotesque, a winged creature in animal mode, stayed slightly lower, keeping Repugnus in sight. Repugnus followed the two on foot, a green eyed insect creature in animal mode. The three Monsterbots had opted to follow Jaguar and his group to the new base. Though they held nothing against White Leo and Violet Horn, they reminded the three too much of Rodimus and the other Cybertronians.
Jaguar, who was riding atop Doublecross, pointed towards a particularly large volcano in the distance. "Well, that's it."
He and the other Beasts had left almost immediately after White Leo's speech, wasting little time with good-byes. His group of Beasts had come together without any hesitation, they all knew each other long before the Destrons showed up. Their numbers included Buupink, Laser Cock, Little Serow, Goldar, Bowdog, Hedgehog, Greysharp, Dark Raccoon, Platinum Tiger, Bullorn, Baboon, Dog Hunter, Earthhog, and Eagle Killer. They were all friends of Jaguar for years, so it was no question as to who they'd leave with. After a little bit of palling around, even the Monsterbots decided to accompany Jaguar, a fact that he knew didn't sit well with Violet Horn. Jaguar couldn't help but smile at the thought. Violet Horn was tiffed, but that was fine with him, anything to piss off that overgrown side of beef.
The volcano came closer into view, and the Beasts who were walking marveled at its size.
"Wow!!" Hedgehog's eyes widened in awe. "It's HUGE!"
"Yeah," Dog Hunter agreed, "and it's nowhere near the others."
The two youths grinned at each other and exchanged high fives.
Above them in the sky, Doublecross had entered a conversation with Jaguar.
"I thought cats were afraid of heights." he remarked. The other head chimed in "Me too."
"Height?" Jaguar laughed. "Not in the least. Most cats prefer to be high in the air. Now water, that's different." Jaguar looked down at Doublecross' heads. "And hey, why do you talk like you're two different people?"
"We are." they answered in unison. The left head continued. "I-we're what the other Cybertrons call schizophrenic. Two minds in one body. But with me-uh, us -" the other head interrupted "Both personalities are conscious at the same time. Therefore, I must deal with this nitwit here on a consistent basis-"
"Who you callin' a nitwit, you wordy windbag!"
"I'd rather be a windbag than a-"
Jaguar rolled his eyes. "All right, all right! Sorry I asked."
Grotesque began to descend, the volcano in sight. Platinum Tiger balanced himself on the creature's back as they flew, rapier in hand.
"This is new," Platinum remarked, "I've never trained atop a moving object before."
"Uh," Grotesque turned his head and looked up at him "Happy to be of service?"
Platinum continued practice, swinging the weapon in a downward arc and bringing it straight up to his chest. "You speak with such trepidation friend, why?"
"You called me friend..."
"Of course," Platinum smiled, still holding his rapier in front of him. "We couldn't call you anything less after what you and your friends did for us."
Grotesque flapped his wings, slowing their descent. He couldn't help but smile.
Below, Repugnus kept up speed with Doublecross and Grotesque. Goldar clung to his back and howled an excited 'Yee Hoooo!" each time they leapt over a boulder. Repugnus enjoyed this, and zigzagged across the terrain so he could leap over as many as he could.
"I can't believe you were an outcast on Cybertron!" Goldar tightened his grip as Repugnus leapt over another boulder. "You guys are so cool!"
Repugnus laughed "You know, I think you're the first person to ever say that to me."
"Get outta here! You're kidding right?"
"Nah, on Cybertron we've been called a lot of things. Mostly gross and disgusting, but never 'cool.'
Goldar smiled "Well, you better get used to it, you and your friends are the best thing to happen to Planet Beast in a looong time!"
At last the Beasts reached their destination. The ground shook slightly as Doublecross and Grotesque landed. Power Jaguar leapt from Doublecross' back, checked the map White Leo had given him, and pointed to a small entrance in the volcano's exterior. "Well, here we are, home sweet home."
One by one they entered the volcano. Though the Monsterbots wanted to join them, the entrance was too small, and they instead opted to wait outside.
*********
The jungle expanse stretched before Gruesome Gator. He was here. He was in the place Necrom had called Roars. His muscles, which had screamed in agony for the last 30 miles, were now given a rest. gruesome had traveled a good 62 miles from the mine, he'd left immediately after his encounter with Necrom, allowing himself no more than a minute of rest. When he finally stopped, he could feel his muscles threaten to seize up on him, but after a moment, they relaxed. He traveled a few more yards before he realized that something, or someone was watching him. He continued along, eyes searching the thick forest for any sign of movement. His eyes swept the area again, this time coming to rest on what appeared to be a patch of dirt. Gruesome changed direction and made his way over to it, noticing that the foliage had been trimmed ever so slightly as to allow easy passage. he smiled at its subtlety. If he wasn't used to creating paths of this kind himself, he would have passed right by it. As far as he could tell, the path led west, exactly the direction he was supposed to go.. It would surely lead him to what he was looking for, though even he wasn't exactly sure what that was. A faint rustle reminded Gruesome of his unseen pursuer, and he looked about the area. Apparently, whatever was following him didn't want him near the path. Gruesome's smile widened, and he stepped defiantly onto the path. The snap of a twig confirmed his suspicion. He wasn't wanted on this trail, and the watcher's anxiety was becoming more and more obvious. Gruesome walked down the path, the beaten trail becoming more and more obvious with each step. He'd gone about three yards when the attack he knew was coming, came.
An eagle Beast dropped from the trees and landed in front of Gruesome. His wings, purplish, like the rest of him, spread their full length and prevented Gruesome from seeing any further. His armor, Gruesome noted, was surprisingly advanced, years beyond the technology that went into the armor of his old army. It was silver, each section intricately detailed, as if every inch served some alternate purpose. He almost regretted having to tear the Beast limb from limb. Almost.
"Get out of my way."
The Eagle Beast hardly knew what to make of that. He stood facing Gruesome, wings spread, maintaining eye contact. Gruesome laughed. "Have it your way..." He advanced a couple of steps and froze when he looked down at the Beast's midsection. A large sphere was set within him. Just...like...Necron. Gruesome stepped back, he wasn't prepared for this. Could this creature be another demon like Necrom? Impossible. Necrom was confident, eerie. This Beast before him, for all his advanced armor, looked as if he'd never been in a fight before.
Something slammed into Gruesome from behind, knocking him forward. The Eagle saw his chance and lunged, trying his best to tackle Gruesome. Clasping his hands together, Gruesome bore down on the Eagle's back, who collapsed under him. He wheeled around to see who hit him from behind and saw another winged Beast, a parrot, standing ready to attack. He was clad in armor as detailed as the Eagle's, and Gruesome figured that there was probably a dent in his own armor from where the bird had blind sided him.
"Awk!" the red bird squawked, trying to sound commanding. "You can't go this way!"
Gruesome saw that an orb rested within the Parrot's chest as well, but paid it no mind. Instead, he sneered at the command. "Ha!" he smiled. "And you intend to stop me? Well here's your chance!" with that Gruesome sprang forward, catching the Parrot by surprise. He fell backwards, and Gruesome landed on top, grabbing hold of both wings. The Parrot screamed as Gruesome yanked back, hard. By this time the Eagle had recovered, shaking his head to clear up his mind. "Rainbow Sam!" he shouted, and jumped on Gruesome, trying to pull him off his comrade. Gruesome swung a vicious backhand that caught the Eagle on the temple. The Beast clutched his wound as blood spurted forth and dripped through his fingers. Rainbow Sam watched his friend drop a second time. "Blue Eagle! You'll die for this Beast!" He flapped his wings repeatedly in hopes of throwing Gruesome, but to no avail. Instead, Gruesome pounded the Beast with crushing blows to the skull. Rainbow Sam's consciousness faded with each strike.
"You're no Necrom." Gruesome sneered as he stepped off the fallen Beast. Her saw that the Beast was till conscious. Barely, but enough to give him some answers. He hoisted him up by the throat.
"Who are you? And what's with this path you're so eager to throw your life away for?" Rainbow Sam said nothing and Gruesome drew his ax, pressing the blade to the bird's neck.
"I don't ask twice."
"Stop!" a deep voice shouted from the forest. Gruesome growled as yet another Beast emerged from the thick brush. As he came into view Gruesome saw that he was an alligator like himself, except his skin was green, not white. He was mostly covered in silver armor, an orb nestled within his chest. Gruesome's mind reeled, and a flash of pain gripped him. When it left, a name remained in his mind.
"Dinogator."
Dinogator's eyes widened an stared wildly at Gruesome. "H-how do you know my name?" Gruesome heard himself say "Yours is not to question how. Now show me the way to the others." Gruesome stood, facing three Beasts, trying to figure out he'd said what he'd just said. "How do I know their names?" he thought to himself. Dinogator studied Gruesome a moment, as if weighing his options. Abruptly he walked past, and gestured for Gruesome to follow.
"This way."
**********
It was dark by the time they reached their destination. Dinogator led the way, weaving through the lush overgrowths of the forest. Gruesome followed directly behind while Blue Eagle and Rainbow Sam brought up the rear, obviously unhappy about Dinogator's decision.. The further they traveled, Gruesome could sense the anticipation within them growing. It increased with each step they took. Gruesome immediately suspected another attack, but something told him otherwise. His head began to ache, and after some time, the pain became so intense it drove him to his knees. Eyes tightly shut, Gruesome screamed as flashes of red and white danced behind his lids. A horribly sickening sensation came over him, accompanied by a smell. A strangely familiar scent.
"Necrom..." he hissed through clenched teeth.
"Correct." the flashes Gruesome saw began to take form. They swirled and mixed, in time revealing the creature who had sent Gruesome here. Necrom sat upon his throne of skulls, eternal darkness surrounding him. His mouth did not move when he spoke to Gruesome as there was no need. Necrom's words echoed throughout Gruesome's mind.
Gruesome bellowed "Get out of my skull!!" He could barely see Necrom, as the pain he was experiencing obstructed his vision..
"You need me here." Necrom replied. The sound drilled Gruesome's mind, each word bringing a cascade of pain.
"I need nothing!!" The pain intensified. Above the merciless pounding, Gruesome heard Necrom's icy laugh. "On the contrary, you do need me. How else would you know the names of you attackers, soon to be soldiers in your new army."
With that the pain stopped, and Gruesome found himself on one knee, just like he had back at the mine. Dinogator, Rainbow Sam, and Blue Eagle stood around him, obviously confused. Gruesome stood abruptly, almost falling into Rainbow Sam. "What happened?" he growled, holding his head with one hand. Dinogator tried to help steady him.
"You fell."
"How long have I been out?"
"Out?" Dinogator cocked his head slightly. "You weren't out, you fell and got right back up. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Gruesome waved his hand, dismissing the question. "Let's go." The conversation he'd had with Necrom must have only been a fraction of a second in reality. That could come in handy. But only if he could figure out how to summon Necrom when he wanted...
Presently, they stood before a large expanse of thick forestry. Gruesome noticed a slightly visible, but very well hid entryway. Two tremendous trees prevented one from seeing far, as their branches criss crossed in the most intricate way, their bases nearly as thick as two Beasts. Dinogator led them through. As they cleared through the brush, he gestured towards the hidden stronghold. "This is Roars, home of the Lazerbeasts."
Gruesome took in the new area with awe. The land was vast, and yet, no one would ever know it was here unless they stumbled upon it accidentally. On the outskirts of the cleared land were stone and wooden houses. They were simple, much resembling a series of crates staked upon one another.. Most impressive was a titanic structure in the center of the area which could be nothing other than their fortress. It jutted from the earth like a spike, composed of rock and metal. Jagged spikes of metal and stone surrounded its perimeter, an intricate design that only the Lazerbeasts must know how to pass. Looking up at the fortress, a tremendous crystal sphere could be seen protruding, encrusted in a mass of opaque stones. Further up, more metal and stone slabs protruded, forming lookout posts for guards.
"Dinogator!" They looked and saw another Beast was headed in their direction. A gray Tyrannosaurus Rex, clad in dark blue armor. They could feel the earth tremor as he stalked towards them, the expression on his face indicating that he was not happy. Dinogator whispered to Gruesome "That's our leader. His name's King Buster."
"I know." Gruesome replied.
The hulking Tyrannosaur approached Dinogator.
"You better have a REAL good explanation for bringing an outside here." He looked at Gruesome and sneered, disdain in his eyes. Dinogator lowered his eyes.
"He took on Rainbow Sam and Blue Eagle at the same time and defeated them. And-"
King Buster, standing about two heads taller than Dinogator, cut him off with a gruff laugh. "Is that right? That's no big feat."
Dinogator hesitated, "And he knew us by name."
King Buster pushed him out of the way and grabbed Gruesome by the arm, jerking him up to eye level. "All right big shot, the name's King Buster. Impress me."
Gruesome smiled. "My name is Gruesome Gator, and I'm your new leader."
********
to be continued...
