Sekhmet's Dream
The Warlord of Venom lay on the ground, oblivious to the antics of the Ronin Warriors around him. The trip from the Nether Realm to the mortal plane had taxed his strength to a certain degree. Coupled with the melding with Cye and the fight with Cale, his strength had deserted him. The last act, that of healing Cale, had taken his last reserves, sending him into a deep, coma-like sleep.
His sleep, however, was by no means dreamless. If he had been awake, he would have shied away from what he experienced now. He was known as the Warlord of Venom. Some likened him to the snakes that he cared so deeply about. He was considered cold, hard and unfeeling. Some even said he was the most "insane" of the Warlords.
If everyone knew the truth, they would see just how sane he was.
But the truth was painful, heart wrenchingly painful.
A mist swirled around him, sending him back in time. Or rather, back into his memories. Memories he had wished to forget. Memories of his life before Talpa
~~~~~~~~
Naotoki Yamanouchi (or Nao as his friends called him) sat outside the small village where he lived in Southern Kyushu. Taking out a piece of wood, he sat against a tree in the nearby forest and began to whittle a figure for his baby sister. His sister loved the little figurines Nao would make for her.
The Elders were always pissed at him for doing it. His usual subject matter would be anything, but particularly the various gods that roamed the land. Nao's favorite was that of Naga, the snake god. Snakes fascinated him. They were slim and graceful, but held so much power.
Sighing, he brushed his black hair from his face, his green eyes intently fixed upon the wooden figure. He concentrating so hard on the figure, that he failed to notice smoke coming from his village. He wrinkled his nose, the acrid smell floating in his direction. He looked up briefly, intending to go back to his work.
He stared, aghast. He stood quickly, the knife and figure tightly clutched in his hand. He ran all the way back to his village.
Approaching what had once been his home, he stared in awe and horror at what was left. Houses, storage sheds, everything was gone. The only thing left was burning hulks of wood and thatch.
Unheeded tears falling down his face, Nao ran to his home. He stood back, the flames licking at him as he approached. He rushed inside, intending to save his family. Standing in the main room of the hut, he fell to his knees. His familythey were all dead.
His mother lay in a pool of her own blood, her severed head a few feet away. His father, too, lay dead, his head severed, his entrails falling in a pool on the floor.
Retching, he turned away to see the ultimate horror. His little sister, the baby of the family, lay sprawled in a corner. Her clothes were in tatters, blood flowing from her everywhere. His eyes widened, seeing the telltale signs of violation. He drawled forward, taking her in his arms.
To his surprise, she was alive. Barely. Opening her green eyes, she smiled. "Nao"
"Hush, Zera. It's okay. I'll take care of you, I promise"
"IieI'm joining mama and papa nowI love you, Nao"
"ZeraZERA!!!!!!!!!"
A crash sounded, disturbing Nao. He turned his head, only to have something smash into the back of his head. Zera's dead face was the last thing he saw before he lost consciousness.
~~~~~~~~
The sound of thunder woke Nao.
He moaned, turning on his back. Lifting a hand, he placed his fingertips behind his neck. He looked at it, seeing a slight trace of blood. Moaning, he looked around him.
He appeared to be in a cave. The sound of water dripping somewhere was the only sound in the cavern at the moment. His eyes gradually adjusted to the dim lighting, allowing him to get a better look at his surroundings.
He was in a little cave, adjacent to the main cavern. Resting a hand on the surface of a nearby wall, he realized it was cold and wet. Wooden poles covered the entrance to his cave, preventing escape. That was when he realized how cold he was. Shivering, he could feel the cold, stale water as it trickled down the side of a wall. He was cold, hungry, grief stricken and
Swallowing, he realized he wasn't alone. Standing on the other side of the cage, was a tall figure. He was cloaked from head to toe in a black robe. The cowl covered his head, masking his features. "Soyou've awakened, young one. Goodgood. We can begin the ceremony then."
"Ceremony?! What ceremony?! Where's my family?!! Where the hell am I?!!" Nao growled, coming to his feet in anger.
"Your family? Why, my boy, you know what happened to them. You were spared their fate. Naga has chosen you." The priest, (for that's what he was, Nao recognized the symbols on his robe) intoned in a heavy accent.
"Naga?! But he's the"
"Snake God. Hai, young one. That he is. He has chosen you."
"Me?! Why me?! Why not someone else?!" Nao snarled, glaring daggers at the priest.
A shrug of the shoulders was his only response. "Who can say? It is the will of Naga. In His almighty wisdom, Naga has chosen you to accept his power. The othersthey were weak and unworthy of Naga. They were an affront to his senses, so therefore, their existence was unnecessary."
"Unnecessary??!!! That was my family!!!" Nao cried out, tears filling his eyes.
"Ah, young one. You are so young and naïve. Once you have been given the power of Naga, you will understand" Turning his back on Nao, the priest left, never stopping when Nao cried for him to come back.
Hunching in a ball, Nao closed his eyes and wept for the last time.
~~~~~~~
Opening his eyes, Nao shivered at the sight before him.
He was in the center of the cavern, surrounded by hundreds of robed figures. In the center, stood a statue.
Gazing at it, he shuddered in horror. It was tall, huge in comparison to a human. Made of solid jade, its eyes were black opals. The eyes seemed to stare right at him, through him. The figure was of Naga, the Snake God.
A low humming came from the back of the cavern, slowly making its way to the center. The figures moved with the humming, first moving to the left, then to the right. They circled the dais in which Nao was bound. The statue was directly in front of him.
As the humming progressed, the priest that had visited him came forward. He genuflected in front of the statue. "Oh, mighty Naga! Here is the offering that you desired! We follow your trust and wisdom in all things! Oh, wondrous Naga!! Take this offering as a show of our devotion to thee!"
Nao struggled against his bonds. He was tied on an altar, facing the statue. He flushed, noticing for the first time that he was naked. His struggles ceased, as he gazed at the statue.
A green aura surrounded the statue, seeming to pulse with life. Nao stared spellbound, watching as the statue gradually came to life.
The eyes blinked, once. A finger flexed, then a hand. In moments, the figure of Naga seemed to take on a living tone and stepped from the dais.
Naga turned his black eyes to the congregation. Lord Talpa would be pleased at their devotion to chaos. But it was time he had a helperthus his decision to take on an apprentice. This young boy would work wonderfully
Approaching the altar, Naga slid a hand over the firm, young body. Nao shuddered in revulsion, trying to get away.
"Iie, young one. You are mine now. We will do much together" Naga placed his hands on Nao's chest. Nao screamed, feeling the essence of Naga enter his body. Smiling, Naga purred. "Yes, young one. I will give you a part of myself, to enhance your mortal body."
So saying, Naga pulled a katana from the air and sliced across Nao's chest. Nao screamed, the pain unbearable. Naga placed his hand over the wound, filling it with his essence, his venom. The green aura intensified, becoming blinding. The red blood flowed, turning green, then back to red again.
Naga slumped against the altar, his breath coming in pants. This boy was powerfulhe had absorbed nearly all of Naga's essence into his body. His blood ran with the venom that would make him an ideal soldier for Lord Talpa.
Pain racked Nao's slender form. Unaware, snakes of various breeds slithered over the altar, each one biting into the soft flesh of the young boy, sampling his newly changed blood. The venom coursing in his veins filled him, showing him his true destiny. Not as Naga's apprentice, but as his superior. He broke his bonds, standing firmly, his muscles flexing.
Before Naga stood a tall, young man. No longer a boy, he was the epitome of what Naga had strived to achieve. The demons essence, coupled with that of the snakes' venom, had changed his physical appearance. Gone was the ebony hair, the green eyes. Dark green hair crowned his head, while black-green eyes stared out of a cold face. His facial features had changed, as well. His eyebrows were virtually gone, his eyes resembling nothing more than the snakes' that surrounded them.
Naga stepped back, for once fear gracing his features. The young man's hand darted out, taking a hold of Naga by the throat. In one, quick gesture, he broke the other's neck.
As the former Snake God fell to the floor, dead, a dark shadow fell over the cavern. The assorted priests either fled or fell to the floor, dead.
The young man bowed, accepting the armor and weaponry that appeared before him. Donning it, he turned to address his new master, Lord Talpa.
The last of the small village had lost its last living member. Naotoki was dead. In his place, was a coldhearted Warlord.
Sekhmet, Warlord of Venom.