~~000~~
Tales of the Multiverse Bit 275
"Mmm, something smells like bacon cooking!"
Gino Samuel's eyes shot open as the mouthwatering scent of sizzling bacon wafted in from the kitchen. He couldn't help but feel drawn to the delightful aroma, practically floating towards it with a blissful smile on his face.
~~000~~
The tale begins in a mysterious forest that is nestled in some unknown corner of the multiverse and here, we see Thomas Camp is spotted with the Black Order soldiers, all of them strolling down a clear-cut path that divides two dense-shadowy woods.
Thomas's visceral groan echoed through the air, "Fuck, this is so tedious!" he spat out and his annoyance palpable, "We've been wandering in this godforsaken realm for almost a month, and not a single stone for my Goldie!" he complained with a furious tone and then glaring at his men, "What the hell is our problem?!" he demanded and their response was a collective shrug of ignorance, "Fine!" Thomas sneered, "I guess we really do need to get our shit together and plan before we go gallivanting after these damned gems." he stated, "But let's face it, we're more accustomed to stumbling upon our targets like mindless fucking drones." he mused.
The words were barely out of his mouth when a brutal force smashed into his left cheek and the pain exploding like a supernova, and the sheer power of the right hook sent him hurtling towards a nearby tree trunk and his body crashing into it with a sickening thud.
"Grah!" Thomas grunted and the feeling the heat of pain radiate through his skull as he pushed himself up while glaring at his surroundings, "Who the actual fuck had the audacity to lay a hand on me?!" he demanded with his hand was a blur as it shot up to cradle the tender flesh and his eyes narrowing with a malevolent rage, "You're going to regret that, you worthless piece of shit!" he snarled.
"I did, you son of a bitch!" a gruff voice called out.
Thomas' eyes shot wide open in shock as he recognized the voice, "Hold on a second..." he managed to say, "Y-You're..." he stuttered nervously.
Emerging from the shadowy embrace of a tree was none other than Joseph Granger and he is glaring at Thomas with pure-unbridled hatred.
"I'm not finish with you!" Joseph bellowed.
With a fierce lunge, Joseph brought Thomas down to the ground, "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" the bearded lunatic yelped in pain as he was pummeled in the face, "Guys, help me out!" he called to his comrades.
The Black Order soldiers swiftly rallied while swarming around Joseph and hauling him off their leader, and one of them lunged with a lance but Joseph was quicker. He caught it in his bare hands and with sheer might, he hoisted both the weapon and the soldier into the air before flinging them into the group and they all went down in a heap.
Without missing a beat, Joseph bolted straight for Thomas, knocking aside the soldiers trying to shield their leader. He then tackled Thomas again and resuming his relentless assault with fists flying.
But Joseph's onslaught was short-lived as two soldiers latched onto his legs and started dragging him away from the fight. He fought and wriggled, desperate to get back to Thomas, who was now scrambling away on all fours while the other soldiers closed ranks around Thomas, creating a protective barricade.
Summoning all his strength, Joseph kicked the soldiers holding him and sent them sprawling. He scrambled to his feet and is ready to dive back into the fray. He then threw punches at any who tried to stop him and sending them reeling with the force of his blows.
As Joseph keeps pummeling the Black Soldiers, Thomas starts to painfully crawl towards his crutch and just as he's about to grab it, someone puts their foot on it, stopping him cold. Thomas then glances up and instantly recognizes the figure standing there.
The figure is a young man with a tall stature, he has a muscular build and a fair complexion, he is bald and sports a thick brown beard, and he has dark-colored eyes. He wears a black camouflage jacket with no shirt underneath, grey camouflage pants and black military boots. This is Thompson Camp.
ABSOLUTE HUMAN
Thompson Camp
"Y-You..." Thomas managed to get out and is utterly shocked.
"Hello, brother." Thompson greeted in a chilling tone.
With the casualness of someone playing golf, Thompson swung the crutch with all his might, slamming it into Thomas' stomach and the impact sent the scoundrel flying towards a tree nearby.
Thompson propped the crutch on his right shoulder, "Granger, can I 'have a word' with my brother?" he asked and his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Grinning in response, Joseph punched a nearby soldier, "Go ahead, Thompson!" he beckoned and giving his consent.
Thompson couldn't help but smile eagerly as he shifted the crutch on his shoulder before taking his time walking over to his brother. Thomas, a bit unsteady on his feet, pushed himself up using the tree for support and gave Thompson a stern look before pointing ahead, "Get him, boys!" the bearded lunatic ordered.
Four Black Soldiers dashed towards Thompson without hesitation but suddenly, two of them stumbled and fell to the ground. Their other two companions abruptly halted while watching in shock as their comrades tumbled down.
Before they could even process what was happening, the two fallen soldiers felt something clutching their ankles and panic set in as they realized they were being dragged into the earth. They screamed in terror and desperately tried to claw their way back out but the ground was relentlessly devouring them. The scene was so horrifying that the two remaining soldiers could only stare in disbelief as their comrades disappeared beneath the surface.
Moments later, a figure emerged from the very earth that had just claimed their comarades, looking at them with an eerie-foreboding gaze.
The first figure is a young man with a tall stature, he has a muscular build and a pale complexion, he has a short slick-back blonde hair and a blonde mustache, and he has piercing blue-colored eyes. He wears a black buttoned leather jacket over a white muscle shirt, gray pants, a pair of black boots and black gloves. This is Dexter Lights.
Ace Fighter
Dexter Lights
Dexter couldn't take his eyes off the two soldiers and his gaze was intense with the color of his eyes was like the ocean on a bright day. The soldiers felt pretty uncomfortable with him just standing there while not moving a muscle and giving off this weird vibe like he was about to jump into action at any second.
Driven by desperation or just plain crazy, the two soldiers lunged at Dexter but he remained unfazed and he met their charge with a calm but powerful punch to the face. Each time they hit the ground, they'd somehow manage to pull themselves up, only to be sent sprawling again by Dexter's unyielding fists.
One of the soldier slowly pulled himself up from the dirt and without missing a beat, Dexter hoisted him into the air. He slammed the guy down to the ground with a wicked spinebuster and the impact was so strong it left the poor soul completely knocked out cold.
The other soldier somehow found the strength to climb back to his feet and before he knew what was happening, Dexter had hoisted him into the air. With a powerful move, Dexter slammed him down onto the ground with a back suplex and with surprising agility, Dexter kicked his legs out and sprang up to his feet before ending the fight with a classic legdrop that left his opponent lying there defeated.
Dexter and Joseph, in their frenzied dance of death, mercilessly dismantled the enemy combatants, each one crumpling to the ground like ragdolls in a grim ballet of destruction. Meanwhile, Thompson unleashed his own brand of fury upon Thomas, his fists colliding with brutal precision, the sound of bones breaking and flesh bruising echoing through the chaotic battlefield. Amidst the carnage, an unseen assailant picked off the other soldiers with a sniper's grace, sending them to meet their untimely ends with cold, calculated shots that rang out like the final notes of a tragic symphony.
Perched on a pine tree branch, a shadowy figure meticulously aims their firearms at the soldiers below, bringing each one to the ground with astonishing precision by just firing just once.
The figure is a young girl with a very short stature, she has a petite build and a pale complexion, she has a shoulder-length pink hair, she has yellow-colored eyes and her right eye covered in a black eyepatch. She wears a black beanie hat on top of her head, she wears a black shoulder cape with white trimmed fur over a black zippered jacket, orange pleated skirt, white thigh-high royal socks and a pair of black laced pumps with ribbons. This is Poison Pixie Popshot.
Sniper
Poison Pixie Popshot
"One, two, three, four..." Popshot counted on her fingertips, "... ten shots." she finished her count with a hopeful smile, "I bet Mama Doloress will give me ten headpats for this, I was really on point." she thought to herself when she spotted a soldier trying to be sneaky. Her left eye focused like a hawk and she swiftly aimed her sniper rifle at the sneaky figure and with a gentle squeeze of the trigger, the soldier fell to the ground, "Eleven headpats." she murmured to herself while feeling pretty pleased with her skill.
As all this is happening, three soldiers are in complete shock, just watching their comrades fall, one after the other when it hits them that there's something seriously wrong behind them. They turn around really slow and there's this huge figure just standing there and not showing any kind of expression at all.
The figure is a young man with a very tall stature, he has a muscular build and a fair complexion, he has a short black hair tied in a bun and he has black-colored eyes. He wears a black studded leather-vest over a black muscle shirt with a cross necklace, he wears a black leather pants held by a brown belt, and wears a pair of black combat. He wears a pair of elbow pads and bracelets. This is Punishment Pastor.
Ace Fighter
Punishment Pastor
"Boo." Punishment murmured bluntly.
Before the soldiers could even let out a scream, Punishment swiftly uppercut one and smashed his forearm into another. With a fierce kick to the chest, he sent a third tumbling, finishing the move with a spinning heel kick to the back of his head, laying the poor guy out cold.
A soldier tried charging at him but Punishment was ready. He raised his boot and smacked the guy right in the face, dropping him like a sack of bricks. He then grabbed another by the neck and hoisted him high in the air before slamming him down onto the ground with a thunderous impact.
Punishment took a moment to compose himself and then playfully mimed firing an arrow, "All rise." he murmured to no one in particular.
In the meantime, Thompson slammed the crutch into Thomas with all his might, sending the sleazy brother flying into another tree.
Thompson saw that the crutch had broken in two, so he threw it away. He then marched over to the staggering Thomas and without saying a word, he ripped the Infinity Gauntlet from Thomas' grip.
"This doesn't belong to anyone." Thompson scolded.
Thomas shot Thompson a furious look, "That's mine!" the despicable brother yelled and his voice filled with anger, "Give me back my Goldie!" he demanded.
Thompson smirked in response while shaking his head, "You don't get it, do you?" he mused, "Nobody has the right to own something like this!" he declared, "Just sit tight and let the Avengers make work of you!" he added with a smug grin.
Thomas' voice shot up like a rocket, "AAAGHHH!" he screamed, "That's it, I can't take it anymore!" he shouted and his frustration bubbling over, "Alright, boys, it's time for Plan B!" he beckoned, "Operation Pull Out 067!" he barked.
A soldier quickly grabbed a little gadget from his pocket and gave the red button a firm press. Instantly, a crimson-hued portal popped into existence right in front of them and without a second to spare, Thomas and his remaining troops dashed towards it as the portal blinked out of sight the moment they were through.
Dexter, Joseph, Punishment and Thompson huddled together with their eyes drawn to the thunderous engines approaching from afar as the Black Order's ship was slowly but surely lifting off into the sky.
"It looks like he's trying to make a run for it." Thompson uttered calmly.
A smirk played on Joseph's lips, "Not on our watch!" he said confidently, "Do your thing, Pastor!" he ordered.
Without missing a beat, Punishment's hands burst into fiery red and orange flames, he then struck an archer's pose and a flaming bow appeared in his grasp with arrows to match.
Zeroing in on the ship, he squinted his left eye shut and focused his right while giving it the sharpness of a hawk's gaze. He then took a deep-steadying breath and with unwavering determination, he let the blazing arrow fly.
The fiery projectile soared through the air with the unmistakable velocity of a phoenix in flight and its fiery tail streaming behind it like a comet's. For a split second, the very essence of the mythical creature was embodied in the arrow, a beacon of fiery determination hurtling towards the unsuspecting vessel. Upon impact, the arrow pierced the ship's hull, its fiery tip burying itself deep within the wooden planks.
The ship remained eerily still as if in disbelief of the imminent destruction that had just been visited upon it but the illusion of tranquility was short-lived. Tendrils of red-hot light began to snake along the ship's surface, spreading like a spiderweb of fiery veins, the once sturdy metal began to groan and splinter as the intense heat bore into it, the iron's protest echoing through the air like a chorus of tormented spirits.
The cracks grew while stretching wider and more jagged by the second until the ship's fate was all too clear. It was as if the very fabric of the ship was being unraveled before their eyes, much like a delicate vase succumbing to an unseen pressure, ready to shatter into a million pieces at any moment.
And shatter it did.
The explosion that followed was nothing short of cataclysmic as the ship erupted into a maelstrom of flame and shrapnel, a fiery spectacle that painted the night sky in a dance of destruction. The roar of the inferno drowned out all other sounds and leaving nothing but the thunderous applause of the burning embers.
As Dexter, Joseph, Punishment and Thompson gazed in awe at the fiery destruction of the Black Order ship and amidst the chaos, Popshot emerged and approached them with her eyes gleaming with excitement. She stopped beside Joseph, he then leaned down to gently pat her head and the intimate gesture brought a blush to her cheeks and a spark of pleasure to her heart.
"Finally, the backstabbing prick's out of the picture." Joseph grumbled.
"I remember when I suggested to Mom that we gift-wrap him and send him to the nearest orphanage." Thompson shared, "Her 'motherly instincts' totally failed us there." he added while rolling his eyes, "Mother Teresa she is not." he quipped.
All of a sudden, a shimmering blue portal popped into existence right behind the group and through it emerged none other than Doctor Strange, Quicksilver, The Scarlet Witch and Vision, and they all looked quite serious.
"So, the word is that Thomas Camp's here." Doctor Strange announced and his voice carrying a sense of urgency, "Could you tell us where we can find him?" he inquired.
"That treacherous swine is right there and is being engulfed in flames!" Joseph bellowed while jabbing his finger at the fiery vessel with exasperation, "Serves him right for acting like a roasting hog!" he snarled in clear irritation.
Thompson then presented the Infinity Gauntlet to members of the Avengers and his expression one of vexation, "Look what we had to wrestle from his grubby hands!" he declared with a hint of triumph, "Now, I expect you to secure this blasted thing where he can't get to it again!" he demanded and his voice was laden with aggravation as he practically shoved it into Strange's grasp while expecting immediate action to prevent any further chaos from ensuing.
Doctor Strange found himself holding the unfathomably powerful Infinity Gauntlet and with astonishment etched across his face, "You cannot be serious!" he exclaimed and this unexpected turn of events left him utterly flabbergasted.
A/N: Inspired from someonestupED, damnlastwords, Jamesdean5842, Hope the Victor and Ace Neptune. All OCs and concepts not created by moi were given permission for me to use by it's respected creators.