Chapter 99 - Imperfect Expectations
Above Red Dragon, who battled with the various Nomu on his own, Infernal's flames set the ceiling ablaze as the High-End's black needles pierced the inferno, shredding the catwalks and Infernal in the process. The pair hopped between the rafters, needles, and flames cast back at one another.
Leaping across the steel framework like monkey bars, Infernal spun around, his legs spinning the flames into a spiral to catch the Nomu that shrugged off the flames, headbutting the Nightmare with the cage around its head, puncturing Infernal's left eye as the tail sliced the Nomu's neck, both regenerating quickly while tumbling onto the catwalk.
Several thralls surrounded Infernal as he crushed one of their heads, slamming the dissolving corpse into three others, whipping them with a molten line of flames, melting through the concrete wall several meters away. He turned, only to hear his ribs fold sharply from the backswing of the High-End's arm as its elongated form wrapped around Infernal, dragging him through two steel beams and through the ceiling.
"Traitor... Mindless Killer... Come, I'll return the favor...!" The High-End bellowed, seeing the ceiling vomit a column of flames as a destructive beam of dark energies obliterated the left-hand side of the rafters in a purplish-red explosion.
This amount of strain on his Host wasn't helping either, Infernal was spending too much energy and now his Host's conversion was rapidly approaching. How long could he last without a Host? Would he just turn to dust or just 'poof' out of existence? Infernal was getting desperate now, he needed to beat this High-End!
Infernal missed another column of fire and was impaled by another barrage of needles. Rolling onto the catwalk, he lunched at the High-End. Bones broke and the splinters ripped through his flesh with each twist and fold of his muscles. "Regenerate all you want!" He took the second barrage like a kick to the teeth, grinning widely. "But without your soul, you're worthless - *Gargle*!?"
A foreign pressure assaulted Infernal's insides, flooding his body and surrounding in a deep blue liquid. He tried to use his flames but the sparks fizzled out. From the High-End's right hand, he had conjured a ball of water to surround Infernal, drowning his flames and immobilizing the immortal beast.
"Can't kill you... but I can immobilize you... Father planned this..." The High-End wanted Infernal to get close, to exhaust his strength until he could no longer raise his body temperature high enough to evaporate the water. "Drown... in the deep...!"
"Outplayed by a lab-rat, how fitting," Infernal would laugh if his lungs weren't filled with water, bubbles escaping his lips as his consciousness faded in and out, reaching up to claw at the water. "Seriously? I'm this weak? This Host's nearly turned into a Thrall, I can't... keep going..."
Kovik and Drevis were against whatever odds were thrown their way, Red Dragon was facing a small army of Nomu alone without so much as breaking a sweat. Yet, here Infernal was, being captured by some fake imitation of his race, excusing his actions based on a Host that no longer wanted any part of his deranged plans.
His plans... that's right... it's why Infernal was still here.
Sat outside the house within the cave, a fire was lit for the members of the League as well as Kovik's allies. Those present, Kovik, Drevis, Doryu, Dabi, Compress, and Infernal himself. As the embers crackled and popped, Compress leaned forward to add another log to the fire.
"So, what of you?" His mask was pivoted toward the Nightmare who blinked.
"Huh, me?" He pointed to himself.
"Of all the current members, you're the least I feel we know about, aside from your connection to that dastardly villain Harrow, of course," Compress explained.
"What the hell's some immortal creature doing with some homeless bums?" Dabi made it much blunter, playing with the flames on his hand with a constant, bored expression.
"W-well, uh," He gave them a sheepish look, rubbing his nape with his tail. "It's a little petty if I'm honest, at least, that's what I've been told, hehe." Though his orange eyes cast themselves toward the flames. "...compared to the boss-man's reasons, Red's and assassin lady's..."
"Speak," Red Dragon breathed. "All reasons, no matter what, significant to you."
"Come on, we're bored enough as is," Dabi huffed, "Not like there's much else to do."
"I am curious," Kovik eyed the Nightmare. "Why refuse to work with Harrow, I thought he wanted to usurp your God?"
"Well... I don't, it's her Following I hate..." His voice became low, clasping his hands together.
Long ago, across the Onyx Desert, a lone Nightmare skulked through the hot sands, there was no sunlight on this dark realm, but it felt as though hot needles poked at your feet when the moons were high if the monsters that lurked beneath the dunes didn't swallow you whole. Various Thrall lay motionless, dissolving into dust as the single Nightmare breathed heavily.
Infernal was only recently able to think coherently, his mind no longer satiated by hunger but with want, desire, direction. What was he? What should he do now? Would he die in this unforgiving desert? Wobbling down an invisible road, he paused, a shadow blocked his path. Sighing, he brandished his claws in fierce flames, ready to strike.
"You alright? Man, didn't think any Nightmare survived out here, least none like me that is," They were another intelligent Nightmare, and just the flicker of his soul alone startled Infernal. Like staring into a galaxy of stars, a raw, primal soul.
They looked very human for a Nightmare say for the black skin and featureless eyes glowing a solid green. He wore leather barding, attached with belts containing a quiver of arrows, a bow folded on his left hip, various vials, and trinkets. Belts were strapped to his right thigh and left shin, boots black with spikes jutting from the straps.
His brown cloak bobbed at his lower back, the cowl pulled over his curly black hair and horn prodding from the forehead. Green accents formed an arrow from the hem of the cowl down the fabric. Infernal could only describe the Nightmare in one phrase. A Master Huntsman.
The Nightmare tapped his chin, inspecting Infernal's defensive stance before smiling. "Ya know, I think you'll do just fine - pfft, Echo can have a successor then so can I," He rolled his eyes, holding his hand out. "Name's Hunter, how'd you like to be my student? Make it worth your while too."
That was the first time anything ever gave Infernal something more than bloodshed. A destiny.
Every day they trained, Hunter was one of Eve's Guardians, chosen Nightmares to keep things in check when she wasn't awake. Those that knew of Eve knew their Goddess would slumber often, during those times, she left her work to her most trusted Nightmares. Infernal was perplexed by this, why did they seem so laid-back, but perhaps, he didn't need to fight every day of his life? Protecting instead of destroying.
"Hey now!" Hunter called out as Infernal regenerated his head, another arrow had blown it clean off when he believed he deflected it. "Best not get too caught up overthinking things, sometimes you just gotta trust instincts,"
"Right, let's go again!" Infernal beamed, fists raised as both were sliced off by a bladed arrow. "Uh, where'd my hands go?"
Hunter shook his head humorously, pointing at the wall of the wide arena where they dissolved. "That makes 107 to 4, just sayin'."
"Uuuuugh!" Infernal headbutted the book in his hands. Behind him, Hunter sat atop a stack that looked ready to fall, clearly unphased by the activity. "Why am I reading~!?"
"You want to be Eve's Guardian, gotta learn how things work, both here and across the realms," Hunter turned the book to Infernal, detailing a coin of some sort. "See this? Gatestones are how those without teleportation abilities can get around, pretty nifty for Nightmares like us, eh?"
"I thought we corrupted worlds?" Infernal cocked his head, rubbing it with his tail.
"Heh, well, the multiverse is a big place, you'll find people that surprise you," Hunter looked almost nostalgic before closing his book sharply, causing the stack he sat on to sway and tumble atop himself and Infernal. "Uh, whoops."
Infernal poked his head out, a book atop his head as one fell atop Hunter's. The pair chuckled at their misfortune or wrecking the archive.
"You really think I can beat them?" Infernal wasn't afraid, no, just... testing the waters. He stared toward the distant black castle hanging from beneath a massive landmass hanging in the sky. The landmark of the Nightmare Realm, the fortress Eve resided in as they spoke. "I mean, they've lived for what? Hundreds of thousands of years?"
"Nah, that's just Abinus, he's a real stick-in-the-mud, especially around Echo's Host," Hunter shrugged. He didn't need to look to feel Infernal's worries he may never compare to that kind of power, he barely spoke when he met Hunter given his strength. "It'll be fine, they put up with me all the time, and I don't listen to anyone, kinda ironic considering I'm a teacher now."
"Hm," Infernal hung his head as a hand patted his head, lifting his gaze to the hooded shade with a confident grin.
"I promise, you're more than deserving of this, just a bit further, then they'll see what you're made of, count on it," He put his fingers into an 'Okay' sign.
Infernal's tail wagged slightly, "...thanks, teacher."
"Haha, now I sound old!" Hunter chuckled to the sky.
Despite the training, the endless nights learning, growing stronger, when the day finally came, Infernal had never felt more ready. His soul was flickering with anticipation. For as long as he could recall, Hunter was the youngest of all Guardians, just shy of fifty years under Eve's command. It was nerve-wracking for Infernal but he wouldn't mess this up. He would-
"No," Was the first word Infernal heard from one of the other Guardians. They weren't even a Nightmare, the Host of Echo just stared at Infernal with a permanent scowl, orange eyes jaded in suspicion. He brushed his snow-white hair back, turning away. "You know, I'm pretty sure I told you so, but hey, who's counting the loses?"
"W-wait, I-" Hunter tried to poke in but the young man pointed back.
"There is nothing but darkness in his soul, and this isn't personal bias, he's not ready, not with a soul as twisted as his," He shot Hunter down immediately as Infernal looked to the man, then to his mentor, pleading silently for him to do something, say anything!
Nothing, Hunter said nothing.
All that effort.
Every bone-breaking day...!
The temperature was rising. "You have no right..." Infernal hissed, his voice echoing throughout the grand hall as the boy stopped on the second set of stairs that stretched across to both walls. Infernal's eyes were slit, his flesh stretched between his lips as flames gathered at his teeth. "I worked so hard for this...!"
"Grow up," He shot back, turning to the pair. "You think you're special just 'cause Hunter saw potential in you? Sure, from what I've heard your talents with fire are amazing, but that's all you are, just another power-hungry Nightmare,"
"That's a lie..." Infernal's tail thrashed.
"Zorah, he gets it," Hunter moved between the two, holding his hands up. "I messed up, I can train him better, just-"
"Gods, I have to spell this out... No, you can't," He stated firmly, pointing at his own chest. "All he's ever known is combat, power, rage. You can tell a man a thousand stories of kindness but lessons like that can only be taught in exposure, what exposure have you given him at all to compassion?"
"I, I was-" Hunter struggled to find the words, and Infernal's anger was boiling.
"Shut up..." Infernal growled, his chest burning as orange gashes began to form on his sunken chest.
"What? Can even handle criticism?" Zorah rolled his eyes, exasperated by this argument. Pinching his nose he waved them off. "Face it... whatever your name is, you may have power but that doesn't make you strong,"
"Shut up... you stupid human...!" Infernal sneered, grabbing his horns as they felt itchy now.
"Infernal, hey," Hunter tried to snap him out of it, looking at him with pity. "Sorry, guess I jumped the gun-"
Why did he look at Infernal like that?
He was strong. Stronger than some human Host.
Was this not what was promised to him?
This was his right. He was worthy of this!
Flames funneled into a beam that burnt the purple carpet draped over the white marble stairs, a sizable hole piercing Hunter's torso as his expression warped in horror and pain as the force sent him flying onto his back. "I had to put up with your training for nearly fifteen years, and for what!? For you to just stand here and let it all burn!?"
"I... never wanted-" He flinched as he rolled from another ball of flames. "Infernal-!"
"All because some human welp said otherwise!" He jabbed his tail toward Zorah who didn't even bat an eye, muttering about needing to replace the carpet now.
"He's not just some human, and I know better than to disregard my superior's word," Hunter tried to justify.
"And what will you do then? How can I become a Guardian if none of them accept me?" His question cut deeper, and Hunter couldn't find the words, the sheer intensity of Infernal rage was overwhelming, even to Hunter. "What will you do!? What. Will You. Do? Nothing?!"
"You were not meant to become a Guardian yet, this is not my choice to make!" His side regenerated immediately as the flames expanded around Infernal like a furnace.
Infernal stomped toward him, his eyes wide in bewilderment before setting on spite over such a bald-faced lie, it sickened him, "Not your choice!?" He swung his leg to blind Hunter with flames, arrows expelling the embers as a fist connected to his bow, flung toward the right only for a scorching tail to slit his stomach open. "Who filled my head with promises!?"
He grabbed a piece of the carpet, using it to hide from the tracking arrows until he appeared behind Hunter, grabbing his cowl to burn his scalp. "Who kept training me for hours until my muscles ripped!?" Hunter pressed his feet against Infernal's boiling chest, flipping over to plant three arrows in his neck until they erupted into shards of crystal. "YOU IT WAS ALWAYS YOU!"
A spiral of flames surrounded Hunter, blasting a trail of flames across the hallway as Hunter slid to a halt, drawing four arrows to intercept several balls of molten fire. "You know this wasn't my decision to make!" He gasped, Infernal was gone until pain erupted from Hunter's nape, the strength of Infernal's leg further enhanced by a blaze of blue fire, releasing a sonic boom in the process.
Through the fierce flames, Infernal used his trademark flaming fists to strike through the various elemental arrows, drawing close enough to feel his fists connecting with Hunter's arms as he defended against the burning strikes. "Aren't you proud of me!? Tell me how proud you are!? TELL ME!" His hands grabbed the bow, wrenching away as his tail pierced a glassy copy of Hunter, himself diving up to strike at Infernal's soul.
That's right, all he needed to do was crush his soul and it would be over. Yet, his hand flinched once it grazed the obsidian hide covering parts of Infernal's body, he froze. All of Hunter's attacks had been restrained, and now, it was clear as day. He couldn't kill his student.
"RAH!" Infernal slammed both fists into Hunter's chest, hearing bones crack and flesh cook as the embers shattered, tossing Hunter through the air.
Hunter collapsed to the floor, tumbling until he was just below Zorah who tapped the hilt of his sword patiently. As Infernal approached, the darkness only punctuated by the orange flames around them, he wheezed, bringing his eyes toward Infernal. "I... have always been proud of you, I devoted my time and energy to you alone, I... I let my pride blind me... I'm still learning too,"
For a brief moment, hesitance befell Infernal, taking in his mentor's words as their eyes met. "I'm so sorry... I never saw how you survived the Onyx Desert, that rage turning to a vile bitterness in your soul, but I... could never hate you,"
Infernal stepped back a bit, his flames tempered until that hope in his eyes burnt to ash, he raised his hand back. "Nightmare..." A spell that Hunter never taught him encircled his wrist, static buzzing across his skin.
"Well, that got the point across," Exhaling, Zorah passed Hunter a brief look of acceptance, the crushing defeat in the Nightmare's eyes was something Zorah had seen many times. "Okay, Tinderbox, I'm already pissed you damaged the carpet, but the marble flooring? You know how hard it is to find marble this glossy in the Nightmare Realm?"
"Burn with him!" Infernal snarled, violet and crimson merging together as his face twisted with bitterness. "Nightmare Ra-"
A single, white streak severed Infernal's arm before he could even breathe another letter. Zorah didn't blink at all, inverting his sword to slice in a vertical chop, amputating Infernal's right arm before pressing his left palm against the Nightmare's chest. "Silence." A light-grey glyph appeared, and with a single pulse, knocked Infernal out cold.
The next thing Infernal knew, he was far away from the Realm he knew.
His fist closed tightly, "Why's that all coming back to me now?" Shaking his head, Infernal felt his body bend forward in the compressed ball of water. "Ugh, who gives a shit, not like it matter... wHeN i FeEl LiKe ThIs!"
When Kovik or Yuki used their nanotech, a strange heat would gather in a pressured aura around them, the density of the nanomachines formed a layer of heat. So maybe, Infernal could do the same? He turned to glower through the veil at the High-End, heat bubbles beginning to form as Infernal let his flames gather within his own body, compressing them as orange cracks formed along his body, splitting the obsidian lining his thighs and shoulders.
The water rippled and steamed up, forcing the High-End back as it lost its grin for surprise as the boiling water suddenly rushed outward, burning its flesh as the vapor cleared, revealing Infernal, dry as a bone as the cracks faded away. "If this world chooses to become my enemy... then I will fight! Like I always have!"
It gargled as water and needles punctured the air, Infernal kept his composure this time, drawing his right arm forward while casting his left off to one side. The barrier of flames engulfed the barrage as a column of flames arched, slamming into the High-End long enough for Infernal to close the gap, grabbing its caged head, tearing the metal from its flesh to free the captive skull.
"Open wide~!" Singing a twisted swan song, Infernal leapt atop the flailing High-End, even as needles pierced his body. Shoving his right hand down the monster's throat, Infernal saw the glyphs form around the Nomu's head, eyes wide in terror. "Nightmare! Raaaaain!"
The corrupt energy cascaded down into the Nomu's gut, bloating it as the gashes along its body bled purple and red. It couldn't shake Infernal crushing grasp as he plunged his magic down its charred throat. The fissures split and flaked until a massive explosion engulfed the ceiling, sending a trembling ripple through the mountain as particles fell like colorful snow upon Red Dragon.
He took a moment to stare up at the catwalk, seeing Infernal standing triumphantly through the smoke, crushing a vibrant blue flame between his claws. "I'm Infernal... the Scourge of Hunter," He blew the last of the High-End's flames out. "And be sure to remember it."
To Be Continued...
A chapter dedicated to each of our villains, that's my plan anyhow if it works. Infernal was by far the trickiest to write a backstory for, I wanted his hunger for strength to have meaning, it's all to achieve a destiny he was drugged on and denied after years of hard work.
Oh, and surprise, Zorah makes a cameo, it's not technically a spoiler since, duh, Zorah's a Host so it makes sense he'd be around many-many years after Indomitable, but yeah, still full of himself as always. I hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support as always; seeya in the next chapter, Villains!
Next Chapter Intermission: NARA
Infernal stared at Akio, and he too stared back with Velk sitting between them, looking nervous. "So... everyone okay?"
"Fine," "No issues here." The two replied as her head slumped.
"You know lying between Nightmares is useless..." Velk shook her head, smiling slightly. "So, we got some interesting developments about our Goddess, care to explain?"
Akio tapped his chin, "Not much... anyone who's been around for a while knows Eve typically has her Guardians or Visages, whatever you want to call them, guarding her home around the clock, they're made of the toughest, most powerful Nightmares she handpicks herself,"
"Unless your kicked out at the door..." Infernal grunted, waving his tail dismissively. "There's my old mentor, he can create illusions so real you'll be dead before you could even begin to comprehend what's going on, pretty nauseating."
"Abinus is old school, that's what Viral told me," Akio pointed out with a goofy smile as he fanboyed. "He controls abyssal energy and magic, almost no one can escape his own pocket abyss,"
Infernal nodded along, "Hm, I doubt my flames could snuff it out... yet. There's Ansel, his is a mutant trait, turning him into some freaky Werewolf or something?" Infernal didn't look too sure of that answer but didn't question further.
Velk perked up, "Lastly is Echo, she's probably the most powerful female Nightmare aside from Eve! Her ability to control sound is almost unparalleled, plus her Host tends to appear a lot compared to the others, so the two tend to bring two completely different fighting styles to the table," She blushed a little. "I... really admire them, hehe."
Akio cleared his throat, "Well then, let's keep the show going for the lovely villains shall we?" Akio pulled a white screen down as it showed Kovik and Drevis parting ways. "Up next, The One-Hundredth Chapter - NARA! Go Beyond - two against one, deal with it!"
His finger prodded against Infernal's cheek. "Hrm, Plus Ultra."