Capítulo 32: Joy Land, The Craziest Place On Earth
Alex found himself standing before a gate of unparalleled terror, a monstrous creation that seemed to pulsate with spite. The structure was a grotesque amalgamation of skulls and bones, each piece unique in its shape and size, contributing to an overall chaotic and horrifying aesthetic.
The gate resembled the nightmarish entrance to a base for vicious mutant soldiers, the kind you'd expect to see in a post-apocalyptic movie where savage, man-eating raiders would make their headquarters.
The area was an abandoned residential zone long overrun by sand. Dilapidated houses stood half-buried, their skeletal frames jutting out like tombstones in a forgotten graveyard.
This was the entrance to the Psychos' section, ironically named "Joy Land." The name, with its whimsical connotations, was a stark contrast to the chilling reality of the gate.
One might ask Alex why he was visiting the Psychos' place, and the answer can be found in the conversation with Elder Wendigo two days before…
[Back in the Scabbard, in Elder Wendigo's house…]
"I recognise this book, Elder. This… this was one of my textbooks from school." Alex flipped through the yellowed pages, each one a frame of the lost past. He couldn't help but feel a surge of curiosity as some of his fragmented memories began to piece together, forming familiar visions of attending a biology class.
"I thought it might be. We've had this book for years. Only a few among us would recognise it since they lived through that era. Never imagined you would add to that list, though." Elder Wendigo leaned back on her couch, her face softening with a relieved smile.
"How did you come across this book, Elder Wendigo? Are there others who know what this book is? Are there perhaps more like me?" Alex's eyes sparkled with a renewed sense of hope, his heart pounding with the anticipation of meeting others from his past.
"Ah. Hmm." Elder Wendigo hesitated, lifting her teacup to her lips and sipping slowly as if the liquid might provide the right words. She continued in a troubled tone, "Well…you see…" She paused, her eyes distant and contemplative, weighing her next words carefully.
"Please, Elder Wendigo, I need to know. It's important to me." Alex's voice was firm, his expression determined. "I'm willing to work for that information if needed. I'll do anything…"
Elder Wendigo visibly frowned, her face tightening in worry. "No, that's not necessary. It's not a matter of cost. It's the place you need to go to meet these people that worries me…"
"Eh? What do you mean?" Alex asked, his curiosity piqued.
"The original owner of that book… lives with the Psychos. Specifically…" Elder Wendigo's voice trailed off…
...when a maniacal laugh abruptly broke Alex's train of thought.
"AHAHAHAHA! ALEX!!! BACK FOR A REMATCH?" Scarface's laughter echoed with a twisted glee, reverberating through the area.
The skulls and bones that built the gate seemed to resonate with his madness, amplifying his voice into a cacophony of insanity. It was as if the very structure itself was challenging Alex, the unholy symphony of laughter and echoes twisting through the air.
Scarface stood atop the gate like a demented ringmaster, his eyes gleaming with madness as he surveyed the scene below. His maniacal laughter sent shivers down Alex's spine.
"A-Ah. Good day to you, too, Mr. Scarface," Alex stammered, his voice tinged with unease. He watched as Scarface leapt from the gate, landing with a heavy thud that kicked up a cloud of dust. The ground seemed to tremble beneath his feet.
Without warning, Scarface's hand began to morph grotesquely. Flesh twisted and contorted, sinew and bone rearranging until his hand had become a familiar, wicked axe. With a sickening snap, he detached it from his arm, brandishing it with a malevolent grin.
"W-Wait! I didn't come here to fight," Alex protested, backing away cautiously, his heart pounding in his chest. "I just came to talk about—"
Before Alex could finish his sentence, Scarface swung the axe menacingly at him, forcing him to duck down with a yelp of surprise. The blade whistled through the air, missing his head by inches.
"BAHAHAHAHA! OH ALEX! YOUR REFLEXES AMAZE ME!" Scarface's grin widened, his eyes alight with twisted amusement as he cackled.
"Scarface! Please! I just need to—whoa!" Alex gasped as another swing of the axe came flying towards his face. He narrowly dodged, the blade slicing through the space where his head had been a moment before.
"Better start fighting before you talk, Alex! Because I'll chop you into pieces if you don't!" Scarface taunted, swinging the axe again with brutal force. Alex ducked just in time, feeling the whoosh of air as the blade missed him by inches. His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline surging through his veins.
"Scarface, please! Just hear me out for a second! The book—GRAH!" Alex tried to get a word in, but Scarface's foot slammed into his stomach, sending him flying backwards. He crashed into the gate, which flew open, letting Alex tumble through the threshold into the Psychos' home.
"Urgh… damn it, I just wanted to talk..." Alex groaned, clutching his stomach as he struggled to his feet.
"Hey hey hey! What's with the sloppy performance, yo?!" A strange voice came from above. Alex looked up to see a youngster around his age with wild hair and black goggles looking down at him with a sneer.
"Aren't ya the bastard that beat our boss?! Get your shit together!" the youngster yelled angrily. He swung a bent metal pipe down at Alex, who yelped in fear and quickly dodged out of the way, twisting his shoulder up and rolling to safety.
Pain and disorientation clouded Alex's mind, but he fought through it, pushing himself up to his feet. The chaos around him was overwhelming, but he knew he had to stay focused if he wanted to survive this encounter.
Suddenly, rhythmic sounds of air horns, drums, and foot-stomping blasted into the air as if a tribal festival was about to start. Soon, shouting and cheering followed, all chanting repeatedly in sync, "FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!"
Alex looked around, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and surprise. The Psychos had gathered, the frenzied crowd encircling a makeshift arena, their faces painted with anticipation and madness.
Scarface stood at the entrance, his twisted grin never fading. He raised his axe high, the weapon gleaming ominously in the flickering light. "Welcome to our arena, Alex!" he bellowed, his voice carrying over the cacophony. "It's time to prove yourself once more!"
Alex's heart raced, and as a last-ditch effort, he shouted everything he wanted to say, "I said I didn't come here to fight you, Scarface! I came to talk to you about the biology textbook you owned! The one you gave to Elder Wendigo!"
But unsurprisingly, Scarface didn't respond. He simply gazed upon the surrounding crowd of the arena, taking in the energy of the cheering voices of his comrades.
"WAHOOOO!!! INCOMING!!!" The youngster from earlier started dashing towards Alex, attacking him with an overhead swing using the pipe.
Alex, realizing that talking was futile, steeled himself for the fight. As the youngster charged at him, the pipe raised high, and Alex's instincts kicked in. He sidestepped the swing and grabbed a piece of debris from the ground, using it as a makeshift weapon.
The youngster sneered, swinging the pipe again with reckless abandon. Alex parried the blow with his debris, the impact sending a jolt up his arm. He gritted his teeth and pushed back, using the momentum to shove his opponent away. The crowd roared in approval, their chants growing louder.
"You've got some moves!" the youngster taunted, his eyes gleaming with a mix of excitement and madness. "But I'm different from my boss, ya sucker!" He lunged at Alex again, this time with a flurry of rapid strikes.
Alex dodged and blocked as best as he could, but the relentless assault was taking its toll. He needed to end this quickly. Spotting an opening, he ducked under a wild swing and delivered a swift kick to the youngster's knee, causing him to stumble.
Taking advantage of the moment, Alex swung his makeshift weapon with all his might, striking the youngster on the side of the head. The impact sent the youngster sprawling to the ground, his pipe clattering away.
The crowd erupted into cheers and jeers while Alex walked over to his fallen opponent, breathing heavily, his heart pounding in his chest. Before Alex could reach him, the youngster's body began to rise.
His limbs elongated unnaturally, twisting and contorting. His spine arched in a series of sharp, jagged movements, causing his back to protrude at odd angles. His skin rippled and bulged as if something beneath was struggling to break free. His head jerked upwards, revealing a distorted face as it was reconstructing itself into the youngster's face.
The deformed body returned to its original shape before long. The youngster stood proud, but his lips were bleeding, probably torn from being smacked by Alex earlier.
"Hahaha! Alex! You're real good," he said, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. "Name's Junior! Looks like we're gonna enjoy this." With a maniacal laugh, he sprang forward, and before Alex could react, Junior rushed at him, tackling him to the ground.
The two rolled in the dirt, exchanging punches and grappling for control. Alex managed to get on top, pinning Junior's arms down. But Junior was stronger than he looked. With a surge of effort, he threw Alex off and scrambled to his feet, reaching for his discarded pipe. Alex, too, got to his feet, ready for the next round.
Just as they were about to clash again, a loud horn blared through the arena, silencing the crowd. Alex and Junior froze, looking around in confusion. A gate creaked open in the arena, revealing a tall figure shrouded in darkness, while at the front, stood Scarface.
"Well, well, well! Looks like we've got ourselves another challenger!" Scarface said, stepping into the light.
"What do you mean, Scarface?!" Alex demanded, his eyes narrowing.
Scarface chuckled softly. "Come on, who's going to make sure this fight doesn't end too quickly if there's no additional danger to it?!"
Scarface raised his hand and waved the figure behind him forward. Each step of the gigantic figure made the ground shake like an earthquake. Then, as the face of the figure appeared, it revealed its sharpened, jagged teeth.
"Welcome to Joy Land, Alex! The real fun...is just beginning."
Presentes
-- Presente
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-- Ranking de
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-- Pedra de
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