บท 36: Higher Stakes...
Chapter 29 - Higher Stakes...
SMASH
Cracks began spreading around the impacted area of Seth's fist. As the sound of Seth's hand smashing against the wall of the doorframe echoed in the Cortex of S.T.A.R. Labs, everyone flinching away in shock. "It… was him!" he sneered out in hate.
"W-What do you mean?" Bette asked stammering out shock and slight fear.
Matt knew what he meant and answered for his best friend, "Clay Parker disappeared in the tunnel before… we thought that he was in the wind. But looks like we were wrong. It was Cletus Kasady, this entire time, who were in the tunnel and kidnapped." He said with hands clenching tightly, his adamantium structure cracking with in response.
"But why? Why do it now?" Olivia demanded to know, while examining the corpse of the crucified criminal with half of his body flayed like a fish and the other side looking like he was thrown into a blender. "He already revealed himself to us, why do that then?"
Harrison looked at the footage as well and remarked, "From what I can gather of this Cletus Kasady, he seems to have quite an ego."
"No." Seth said slowly, gaining their attention again. "He did to show us… to show us that he had been here this entire time, right under our noses. And that way he's crucified, the way of his body… it's to remind me… of Stef and Bucky again."
"And this way he's marked his return and the beginning of his carnage in this city, this world." Matt said sneeringly.
"So what does he want now?" the speedster wondered.
Seth inhaled, "He wants to… finish it…" His hand grasped his wound tightly while he said.
"He's rather impatient." Harrison Wells commented, while his mind went back to the elemental's previous statements. How he was inferior to the deranged red killer. "Perhaps, there's a reason for it."
Seth thought back to their short fight and recalled how his wound began acting up again thanks to the aftermath of the nuclear explosion. "When we fought earlier, my wound began aching again, the pain spread again. Carnage saw it… he knows that I'm on borrowed time right now. He wants to have that fight soon; he wants to prove himself to the strongest again. And it's gonna be easy in this universe, since we're the only two symbiote bearers in this universe."
"Are you sure about that, Uncle?"
At the sound of that malicious voice, the air thickened with tense and spine-chilling tension as they snapped around the room before looking up to the ceiling…
… and out of the skylight… was the head of Cletus Kasady looking down at them all behind his white demonic eyes a smile stretching over his face.
Thrusting his arm upwards, Seth unleashed a storm of black tendrils that wrapped around the head of the deranged mutant. Twisting his hand around, his hand grabbed the tendrils and pulled them into a rope, and pulled it back. Forcing the serial killer out of the skylight, and into the floor. And before giving him a chance to recover, using lighting and wind from within him, he launched him onto Carnage's body with an adamantium and earth empowered force, sending him deeper into the ground, and cracking up the floor of the Cortex. His hand grabbing his throat, pushing him deeper into the ground.
Bette jumped back in fear, her eyes and facial expression losing all blood. Cisco, out of fear and worry, jumped in front of the female metahuman. But when he did, he too became overwhelmed with fear and fright. Barry used his superspeed to appear in front of the paralyzed founder of the facility, both of them visibly keeping their eyes on the elemental and the other symbiote underneath him.
And Ronnie shook like a leaf in a hailstorm, and out of concern jumped in front of Caitlin. But she barely registered it, as she felt the overwhelming, devasting, disastrous and cataclysmic horror washed over her in the form of a tidal wave. At the sight of those white demonic eyes, she was instantly thrown back into her nightmare, and her soul went through a soul-shattering shock of fear. And she feared for her life again.
But when Seth shot after him and sent him into the floor, she felt her horror and fear leave her slowly… like there's nothing more to fear as the true protector stepped into the picture again. Tackling the destructive murderer into the very floor without hesitation… and parts of her heart felt as though he was doing it for her. Making her heart fill with love again, and making her feel safe again, making her… mutter out silently. "…I love you…"
Unbeknownst to her, the one in front of her heard it, and conflict entered their mind and washed over their face.
While the natives of the universe were too paralyzed in fear of the sudden appearance of the very same creature, who was able to impale the anti-hero with a new type of venom unlike anything of this world, Olivia and Matt jumped out, and each took a place from both sides of their fellow mutant agent of stood in the middle of them. Liv holding up her blade-whip and wrapping her psychic energy around her arms, and Matt equipping his Frost-Flame armor and pointed both of his elemental guns at him.
Mist of ice and smoke of fire emitting from his body, while Seth shot out tendrils from his back, forming adamantium tips and small ice scythes on some of them. Raising a hand above Carnage's face, he enveloped his arm with his partner and forming claws and erupting flames around it, the elemental looked at the deranged psychopathic murderer with anger in his eyes.
But what fueled Seth's actions weren't the anger that displayed in his eyes… it was the natural sense of protectiveness inside of this core that made him launch himself into the air and blast himself down onto the red murderer like a missile. And it was the overwhelming sense to protect Caitlin that fueled his powers right now.
"Let's destroy him… NOW!" Venom let out a large roar inside of Seth's mind.
"Big…Mistake… Carnage!" He sneered out at the killer beneath him.
However, Cletus slithered out of the form and peered his dark-green eyes back up to meet the elemental above him. "Nice to see you again, Seth. Still feeling sore after losing that bitch?" Enhancing his grip with the earth element coursing through his veins, Seth tightened his grab around his throat. But it just made him smile wider, "Still crying over spilled milk, are we? No spilled blood, right? No…it's the brat, right?"
"Talk about my son one more time, and I'll rip off your head!" Seth threatened loudly with anger and rage fueling his words again. "But why wait, when I can just cut it off right now!"
"DO IT! END HIS LIFE!" Venom roared again, both of them feeling pain spread from their wound, but it numbed compared to hell they were gonna throw in Cletus Kasady's face. "Kill him right now!"
However, the next words that came out of Cletus Kasady's mouth caused all anger and rage, horror and fear in the minds of everyone to disappear and their shock to amplify, while Seth's horror was replaced with the horror of an event of his past. And the look on his face, pure sadistic joy made it all his intentions clear.
"I don't know about that Rogers… you do that… Who knows what gonna happen to little Kaney Will you find her or will another brat die Who cares, righty? " He spoke in a singy-song voice, like it was not a significant matter if another child died.
"Kaney...?...NO!" Seth paused as he registered his words and his mind and face paled when he recognized the name.
"You… little …PEST!" He let out in anger as he felt his form become envelope by the symbiote and they both roared at the deranged mutant underneath. His demonic face peering down at him with anger. And when Kasady smiled he let out in anger. "Where is SHE?!"
Shrugging his shoulders without being fazed by the exclaim of anger, he kept smiling without a care in the world. "We both know better than that…" All of his clothes turned red before swarming over his rest of his body, turning back into the form of the face of the red demon from the other universe. "…don't we, Uncle?"
Pulling him into the air, Venom held Carnage in his hand while his free hand became enveloped with white mist before forming a large ice scythe. His iced blade pressed into his neck, slowly applying pressure into it. "Where is… she?"
Carnage didn't answer him, his eyes going over each and every form of others in the room not caring about the ice blade in the crook of his neck. His eyes especially taking in the delightful forms of the women of the room. "No don't you two looks pretty." The long-withheld tongue in his mouth slithered out and licked the surface of his black-teeth, his hunger instilling fear into the women. "Who to choose? Who to choose? Too many sweet treats!"
Shooting out tendrils from his wrist, Venom wrapped them around Carnage's head and redirected him forcibly to look in his eyes again. "Back to the matter, Nephew. Where is Frankie Kane?!" at the mention of the name, Matt and Caitlin widened their eyes in shock.
Taking in each and every inch of the large anti-hero's form, especially his expressions he said after cackling. "You really don't know do you?" Venom gave a confused look, making the deranged killer laugh again. "You two are gonna have one hell of a surprise when you find out." He cackled again.
Knowing he wouldn't get an appropriate answer from him; Seth threw him away and into the wall behind him. When his back touched the wall, Cletus slithered out of his suit as did Seth. However, to the shock of the people, they saw that the elemental was true to his words, the other symbiote bearer no longer being in possession of his arms again.
Though, the three mutants on their side did not seem the least bit fazed when they saw the enemy mutant no longer have his arms. They knew that the serial killer did not deserve to remain breathing, much less having his arms to torment more innocent lives. And they knew that even without arms, he would remain as dangerous as always. The two other mutants stepped forward and pointed their weapons to the enemy mutant.
"Why did you come Kasady? And where is Frankie?" Seth demanded to know. "And why did you take her? She's got nothing to do with this!"
Chuckling darkly and evilly, Cletus countered, "Well we both know how you react with brats like her, don't we?" All three mutants tightened their fists, feeling the searing pain from the past making their powers activate out of anger. "They make you fight harder, better and make you fight… like me!" Red tendrils shot out of his sleeves and assimilated his arms into clawed hands. "And thought it was time I met your new friends." His eyes od madness glazed over the natives of this universe. "They seem very… nice."
They were surprised to see and hear that the poisonous mutant was acting exactly the same as he was outside of his suit. Horrific was the only word that came to mind when they saw it, making them shake to levels that were incomprehensible and inhumanely high.
"Besides…" he raised a black claw and pointed it at the elemental's side. "… not long now, right? It's running through you now. I can feel it, slowly eating away at you, digging deeper and deeper into your body, and when it reaches your heart… you're gonna be dead… dead… dead!" He said with a raised voice and a smile.
"But you don't want that, do you now, Cletus?" Seth could see right through the serial killer's façade. "Cause then, they'd be no one for you to challenge, no one to claim you to be the strongest."
Anger spiking and making the tendrils shoot out of his back and the front of his body, wrapping around it and formed the death gazing form of Carnage again. "I AM THE STRONGEST!" His screech made everyone in the room back away in fear.
"Says who?" Seth stepped forward and threw his arms to the air, his hands unclenched. "You poisoned me, that's true. But you never actually beat me, just like I never I beat you. We're at a standstill, Kasady."
Smiling sickly, the serial killer said, "Guess it's time to spread the Carnage again." Red smoke oozed out of his fingertips on his left hand as he readied himself for a fight. His right-hand morphing into a large axe with black veins, they saw the red axe and wondered how he was able to do so.
Speaking briefly to the symbiote inside of his body, Seth were told that Barry and his fellow mutants were readying themselves for a battle with the serial killer… but he couldn't let that happen. Unlike them, Seth was one who didn't have anything more to lose. He promised Joe that he'd protect Barry no matter what, and he made that same promise to his best friend and to his little sister… they weren't going to be put in pain nor would their lives be put in danger. They didn't deserve to be hurt by him Carnage, he was going to make sure that they didn't get hurt, no matter what.
"How about we end it then, Kasady?"
The inquiry from the elemental made everyone in the room turn to him in confusion, especially the deranged killer. "Now what could you be talking about now, dear Uncle?"
Raising a hand, everyone expected him to strike out either a black tendril or an elemental strike. However, they were wrong when he raised a finger upwards and stated, "One…last…battle." This got the enemy mutant to narrow his eyes in attention. "One last battle between the two of us. Life for a life."
Tilting his head to the side in intrigue, Carnage commented with an inquiry. "Whose life are we talking about here, Uncle?"
"Yours… and Frankie's." Seth answered as he stepped closer to the enemy. "One last battle, to see who's finally the strongest symbiote bearer of this universe. No one else than the two of us. Just the two of us against one another, to the death." His last words made the natives and his fellow mutants gape their mouths in shock.
Taking some brief time to think about it, Carnage then recalled a certain fast metahuman in a yellow suit. "Now not say your own name, Uncle? And you sure none of your speedsters would tag in?"
"If you're talking about the guy in the yellow suit, then we both know he's a joke compared to you." Everyone around the two of them watched with narrowed eyes of anticipation, Caitlin more than others. Seth smirked as he said, "And you know the old saying, right? Dying men don't have any regrets… So what do you say, Cletus Kasady? A little fun one on one battle? Mano e mano. And you bring Frankie."
Without even waiting, Carnage told him. "Fine! You and me and no one else. And I better not see any of your little friends there. Otherwise you are gonna have one hell of a bloodbath." He flickered his fingers in front of the elemental's unflinching face.
"Like hell he's-"
"Deal!" Seth cut off Barry's words, making the deranged serial killer smile even wider than before. His tongue flicking the air happily sadistically. "But let's be clear about something."
Carnage didn't have time to move when Seth suddenly shot out his hand, the symbiote covering it in and turning into a clawed hand, and grabbing onto his out lashed out and pulled him closer to his face, seeing the absolute hate and anger in his eyes, strong like that of a roaring wildfire. "If… there's even a little scratch on that poor girl's head, then I don't care if I have to rip this entire city in two, I will come for you, and make your worst nightmares come true. And just so you don't forget it..."
SCREAM
A deafening screech of agony came out of Carnage's mouth when he felt the searing blazing hot flame erupting around his tongue. Burning a crimson hot ring around his tongue, and everyone around him was nowhere near them as the saw the actual flame form around the slithering piece of meat, creating a loud and echoing sizzle in the room.
When Seth loosened his grip around the slithering pile of meat, Carnage grabbed hold his face and his pain-filled searing tongue in burning agony.
"Now that's how you seal the deal." He couldn't help but smirk when he saw the dangerous killer wincing in pain right now. However, the poisonous mutant looked back at the elemental and scowled as he said, slowly.
"When and where are we going to meet then?"
"Two hours from now. Tallest building in the city. You bring Frankie, and I'll come alone….No." Half of Seth's face become enveloped by the symbiote and making sure that both of them could look in his eyes. "We will come alone, but do not hurt her." Both he and his partner told the serial killer.
Carnage nodded before shooting out his back, and latched them onto the roof through the skylight. His hand sickly waved at the female doctor who stood behind Ronnie Raymond, making her shake even more in fear. Pulling on the tendrils, he shot out of the Cortex, knowing that the final time for the final battle would come closer than he thought.
After exhaling his tensely withheld breathe, Seth turned back to the wide-eyed crowd of both his fellow mutants and the natives of this universe. "That went well, wouldn't you say guys?" He remarked humorously with a quip.
"What are you thinking?!" Olivia shouted at her big brother and stepped closer to him. "Why would you ever agree to that? To a deathmatch with CARNAGE!" Realization then came over her as she then added, "I should never have stopped you that time. If I didn't stop you from kill-" She didn't get to continue as Seth placed his hand over her mouth, keeping her out of more of her words.
He leaned closer to her head, and then did something out of their past as siblings. Leaning closer and closer, he placed his forehead against her own. When Olivia felt her big brother do this, she was reminded of the times he did it out of concern and make her feel safe and protected again. This action was repeated multiple times after he and her were taken out of that hellhole and he comforted his baby sister, like a true and caring big brother.
"Don't go there, Bubble. You were the very reason for me and Venom to not become like that guy." He told his little sister with a soft and assuring voice. "You stopped us from turning into that monster, Liv. And yes it might have done some good like me no longer dying, but some good things came out of that decision." Gesturing to the others around them, he continued. "We got to meet some great people, great friends, some better than others." He insinuated to Caitlin, making her blush. "… and well then there's Ronnie."
"There's absolutely nothing good about that guy. How you still haven't killed the guy, is a mystery to me. Why couldn't the particle accelerator do one thing right, and actually off his useless ass." Olivia said out loud.
Matt then tilted his head around to the sides before saying. "Well we can just tie him up and throw him into wood chipper. That one's bound to do the job right, if you ask me."
The other natives of this universe turned their eyes to Ronnie who was sweating bullets as he heard the three mutants openly discussing his death and his usefulness. Coughing into his mouth, he reminded them. "You guys, know I'm here right?" the three mutants snapped their heads at him and let out at the same time, the symbiote wrapped around the right side of the elemental's face.
"""Shut up/Shut up!/Shut up!"""
Caitlin, Cisco, Barry and Harrison Wells were instantly riddled with shock when they heard the three mutants, along with the Klyntar, shout at the structural engineer who stepped behind the female doctor out of fear of what they might do next to him.
"Seth?" Matt got the attention to turn to him. "I know why you did that… but you can't go out like this…" he gestured to elemental's body, making him narrow his eyes. "… you need to go out like him again… The Lethal Protector."
Fists clenching when Seth heard that nickname again. "I hate that name." he sneered out the words, still finding himself unworthy of that title. "And it's not me, not anymore."
However, Matt chose to disagree and pressed on. "Seth… if you weren't the Lethal Protector anymore… then why would you chose to care about that poor girl? You've been protecting her silently, this entire time. Watching over her like a guardian in the form of a demon, there's only one person who would ever do that… the Lethal Protector." Seth looked down at the ground in sadness. "Seth, you forgot this, but what was your name when you saved Bucky from that burning hospital and Stef from that building almost falling on top of her? The one name that kept the media's eye on you."
"…The Lethal Protector…" as he muttered his old nickname, he winced again when he felt the wound on his side sear again. "…But what does that have to do with this?"
SLAP
Matt flinched away when he saw his girlfriend suddenly slap her big brother out of the blue without mercy. When Seth looked to his sister, he rubbed his cheek as he still felt the sting of the slap on his cheek. "He's trying to say that if you want to save that girl, Frankie was it?" He nodded to her inquiry. "Then you have to go out as the Lethal Protector again." Her brother went to speak, but she stopped him with her own hand over his mouth, like he did before. "I know that you still hate yourself from what happened to Stef and Bucky, I know that and I can see that your heart is still in pain, I know that. But even then neither of them would want to see you like this. Stef wouldn't want the man she loves to lie to himself, about what he is and what he truly is; the same protector who saved her… and her son. Bucky wouldn't want to see his father like this, lying to himself. You are the one and true Lethal Protector." Her hand placed itself on his chest. "That's who you are, Seth. And that's who Frankie needs right now. She needs the Lethal Protector… she needs you."
The elemental had a feeling that Olivia had reached into his mind with her powers to find the information of Frankie Kane. She had no respect for privacy… at least for his anyway.
Seth used that moment to deep within himself, speaking to his partner and letting his thoughts echo loudly enough in his mind, both of them listening to the thoughts in the head. Neither of them could disagree with either of the other mutants.
Frankie Kane was this young sweet, kind, smart and compassionate young girl. She was meek, timid and scared of her own home the entire time. After their meeting when Seth and Venom saved her, he realized that she was just a little girl who looked to be misunderstood, hurt even. And at first glance, she reminded him of his sister, but not she didn't. She was just another girl who was scared, and though he didn't want know why, he was going to save her…they were going to save her.
And both Matt and Olivia were right too…it was time for him to shred his claws again… as the Lethal Protector again.
As the elemental steeled his soul, his mind and his body, the founder of the facility then wheeled forward to the group of mutants. "Mr. Rogers, I believe there's only a few of the people in this room who knows who this Frankie Kane is?"
"And we want to know why you chose to fight against that manic alone?" Cisco inquired seriously.
"Especially with that poison coursing through your system!" Caitlin exclaimed.
"And without me?!" Barry exclaimed.
Sharing a look with his fellow mutants, Seth stepped forward and explained while still holding his wounded right side. "To answer Dr. Wells' question… well it's simple really. Frankie Kane is a young girl I've been keeping an eye on since I came to this universe. She's just an innocent girl that reminded me a bit of my sister at first glance. And now Carnage has that poor girl in his grasps, because he knew that would make me fight all-out."
"And you snapped at me for protecting Iris as The Flash?"
Seth sent a dry look at the speedster and countered, "Do I have to remind you that you had a crush on her and chose to creep on her, in disguise? That's nothing like what I'm doing with Frankie."
He then went to answer both Barry other question as well as Cisco's. "And the reason why I'm going alone and without Barry, is because, like I said, I'm the best chance to fighting that guy. In our universe, I was the one he called out when Carnage showed himself. Because like him, I'm a mutant with symbiotic powers, that levels the playground for both of us. That and Barry wouldn't have a snowball's chance in Hell against him."
"Hey?!" The speedster exclaimed in hurt.
Raising a hand to address him, Seth continued. "Barry. This guy can give me trouble. And he's worse the Reverse-Flash. Carnage would use the two of you as a couple of playthings if he came up against you."
"Seth, how was that guy able to…morph his hand like that?" Cisco asked with the lack of a better word. "You've never done that before."
"Remember that what I said about Venom being a clone from the original? Well my partner has some of the same powers as him. And in all honesty, the Carnage symbiote should actually be stronger than me and my symbiote because of his variety of abilities that are vastly wider than mine, but again our mutant powers are able to give each other an extra edge on the battlefield."
Caitlin then stepped forward, closer to his face and inquired again, but she demanded. "Seth, how are you going to fight against him if that poison is still coursing around your body like that? It's come back with a vengeance; it might actually kill you out there." Her eyes began turning teary.
Seeing the teary eyes in her head, he felt saddened and chose to turn away, not wanting to lose himself in the seas of teary amber in her eyes… because he'd end up pouring out his heart to her and he couldn't that, not in this situation. Seth walked over to Caitlin's private lab, and opened a drawer. "Remember that little bottle of liquid that I made for Barry back when he was going all aggro because of Roy Bivolo? The one I injected into his body before?"
"Yeah the one that caused his body to experience a seizure-like episode? And to cancel it out, you needed a lightning bolt." Caitlin said, her hand wiping away her tears. Ronnie saw it too and looked between the two doctors with narrowed eyes, wondering about their relationship again.
Pulling out a vial from the drawer, Seth used a tendril to find an injection gun and placed the vial in it. "Exactly, but that's the effect on a metahuman with dark matter lightning coursing through them, however it's mainly the dark matter that causes the seizure. I made an additional one in case of a rainy day." Holding up the gun, he continued. "But… to an elemental mutant, like yours truly, it causes every single element in their body to intensify greatly, and enough to push the poison back a bit and remove the radiation from them."
"Is that even safe?" Barry asked worriedly.
Seth then said pridefully, "Barry… nothing I do is safe."
Without giving them time to react or stop him from continuing, he jammed the needle into his neck and pulled the trigger, injecting the contains of the vial into his own body. When the last drop entered his bloodstream, eyes rolled back to the back of his head and his hand letting go of the injection gun ending with it falling down to the ground. The corners of this mouth curled up and formed a smile of happiness, like feelings of euphoria washed over his body.
Hands began vibrating violently as an uncontrollable surge spread through his entire body. The ones around him stepped back when suddenly his entire body turned red and smoke emitting from each and every part of his body. Shaking more intensely, the redness of his body gave birth to red hot flames enveloping his body. Those around him were shocked to see him remain stoic even with his body literally in flames, but he looked to be happy instead, which was weird.
Olivia saw her brother's flames becoming stronger and stronger, she then felt something graze her cheek. From the corner of her eye, she saw a strand of her magenta hair move around on itself. Another invisible graze came over her cheek, making her eyes widen as she realized. "Everyone get back!" They were all able to move in time to her warning as a strong gust of wind gathered around the elemental's blazing body, enhancing the flames with the wind element to level of an inferno, inside of a closed space.
Sparks of lightning ran over the body of the elemental's body, following the burst of his flashing flare, sending the bolts of discharged lightning up and into the ceiling. The ones around him were surprised beyond their wildest dreams when they saw the element were sent into the roof, slamming and crashing into the lamps, shattering them into pieces after impact.
Matt smiled as he saw his best friend slowly unleash one of his elements, one after the other, pushing back the poison and cleanse his elements and body of the radiation. He then felt something move around his feet. Peering his eyes down at the ground, his eyes widen as he saw streams of small pieces of gravel, the earth element, making their way to elemental. The streams circled around his feet, before shooting up like the other elements and follow the lines around the storming wildfire.
Lines of water shot out of his fingertips, coming out in multiple streams and taking the shapes of rapidly spiraling rings of the aqua element. The rings of water began moving around his body, around the cloak of wildfire around his body. The lightning and the pieces of gravel melted with the water, electrifying the element while also solidifying it in some areas.
Caitlin watched with unwavering eyes and eyes of fascination. She was enthralled as she saw it as though it was the most elegant show on Earth. The way the elements worked together in harmony with one another showed how the elemental as able to wield them… and it didn't surprise as much as she thought at first glance, because she had seen him wield all seven of his elements to save her when she was kidnapped.
And though, she had just heard the reason behind him injecting the drug into his body. But still, large parts of her body felt like he was still doing this for her. Her heart knew that and she felt it beat in unison to Seth's own which was rampaging like an earthquake.
White cold mist emitted from underneath his feet, strong enough to pave through the bursting flames of various elements. Every single one in the Cortex stepped back again, fearing that the newest addition of the icy element would result in them being spiked by sharp icicles with the strength of icebergs. When the entire wildfire of elements was enshrouded by the cold mist, a burst of the icy wind shot forth, freezing a small area around him. When the burst of cold wind reached them, they covered their eyes with their arms.
Natives of the universe and the mutants from their own universe all pulled their arms from their eyes and saw the newly shocking state of the elemental's body now. His entire body were covered in his ice, encasing him in a case of the frozen form of the water element. Sharing a look with his girlfriend, Matt shouted with a smirk. "Get outta of there, you bloody fool!"
SHATTER
The loud, echoing, deafening sound of the ice shattering emitted from Seth's enclosed body as he sent out an array of tendrils out from each and every point of his body, enhancing their strength with the power of adamantium, toughening their skin. Smiling happily the elemental retracted his adamantium tendrils, returning them to their normal state, into his body and stated happily. "I forgot how good that felt!"
"Jarvis, what's the state of Seth's body?" Matt requested of the AI. Olivia then got curious and went to the main console and pressed a few keys on the computers as she pulled something.
"Dr. Rogers' body is now free of radiation from Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein's nuclear explosion." Small mutters of "yes" came out the mutants' mouths. "However, the poison from Cletus Kasady is still strong in his body, but it's weaker streams have been pushed back to their previous placement inside of his body."
"Better than nothing, J." Seth assured the AI system.
"The weaker streams?" The founder inquired curiously.
"The poison travels slowly, and in small streams, which is a good thing for Carnage, as it ensures more and more agonizing pain for each second that goes by." Seth answered.
Looking up from her screen, Olivia wondered of her brother. "Seth, how much do you know about Frankie Kane exactly?"
Shifting his eyes to his little sister, he answered with hesitation. "A bit. I didn't want to scare her too much, didn't know if she trusted me completely yet. Why?"
Without using her words, she pulled up a file of Frankie's and showed it on the monitors on the wall. When Seth looked at them, he saw a familiar file and an equally familiar condition. Knowing of that condition herself, Olivia said, "She's dissociative."
"She's a foster kid." Seth stepped closer to the monitor and continued reading. "According to her medical records, it's a condition she's been dealing with her entire life. She's been going from home to home." Caitlin stepped closer to him and saw him saddening as realization washed over him.
"Foster kid, right?" They nodded to Matt's question and he moved over to the side of his girlfriend, pressing a few keys himself to pull up another file. "Seth, what if she was hiding the entire foster kid situation, because she wasn't placed in good ones." His questions and statements were correct when he found right file. "I was right. Her current foster father, John he's got a few disorderly conducts."
"Dr. Rogers, I believe I have found something that could prove informational to all of you."
"Show it, Jarvis." Seth answered. A second later, the monitors on the wall showed the scene of what happened at Frankie's home, showing the eye-widening and shocking state of the apartment. "What the frigging hell?"
The monitors showed the foster home of Frankie Kane's home, but it apparently destroyed. Walls slashed to pieces. Couch cut in two pieces, each of them smashed and placed into the walls. And weirdly enough, masses of cutlery lodged into walls or thrown around at the ground. And Seth noticed after inspecting the images closer, deep claw marks on the walls and floor.
"There was a fight there?" Seth deduced immediately.
"Obviously." Barry stated. "But who? Carnage must have been fighting someone. But who?"
Matt added, "The only three people whose able to actually fight against that guy and actually hold their ground against him, is the three of us in here." He gestured to himself and the other mutants. "So looks like we have someone else on our side, maybe?"
"Maybe yeah." The elemental said back. "But right now, that's a matter for another day. Now…" clenching his hands, he readied himself to fight. "…I'm gonna end that monster once and for all and save that poor girl."
She didn't want, no, she couldn't let him leave without him hearing more of his words. "Guys, can you give us a minute?" Caitlin asked everyone in the Cortex, hoping to talk to Seth alone, they saw her eagerness to talk to him alone, so they nodded in agreement and moved out of the Cortex along with Ronnie, who was reluctant to leave the two alone. Once they were along, she asked him. "Seth, please don't go out alone, it's a bad idea. You don't know what will happen."
Seth answered sadly, seeing her heartbroken eyes, "I know that, Caitlin. And yes, I don't what will happen. But this isn't about me anymore. It's about this city and Frankie, who's pulled into this mess right now, because of me. Poor girl."
"You didn't know that." Caitlin tried to assure him.
"Honestly, I did. Just not of Frankie." Seth said to Caitlin's confusion. Sighing heavily, he confessed to her. "When I came to this universe, I knew that Carnage would use anyone, if not everyone close to me to get me to fight without abandonment. And to be honest, I thought… he would use you. The single most important person to me in this world."
"Me?" Caitlin gestured to herself in surprise.
"Yeah. He didn't have a single problem with killing my fiancée and my 3-year-old son to get me to fight like him, fight without abandonment. I was so focused on the very thought of him returning and going after you to get me… I was just too focused on you, that I never even considered what that monster might do to Frankie, if she'd even be a target." Seth leaned forward and placed his hands on the table. "This entire time, I swore to her and to myself that I'd keep an eye on that poor girl… and because I was dealing with my own stuff, I was too blind to see her and check up on her."
"That's not your fault. That's my fault, Seth." Caitlin told him with her eyes looking down.
"Don't think like that Caitlin." Seth said to her with an assuring voice. "... and right now, I have to take care of that guy." His eyes looking down to the monitors, seeing the clock on the screen. "Not long now. Till I have to go swinging."
"Do you have to?" she didn't want to see him go and fight against a deranged monster. She knew very well that he was strong, and he might be strong, but worried for his emotional state if that were to be taken advantage of.
"I have to." His hand travelling down his body and grabbing his wound. "If I don't, Frankie's gonna be in trouble or worse, JC's gonna suffer, and so will the rest of the city."
"You didn't mention yourself." Caitlin stepped closer to him, till they were standing in front of each other.
"Because there's two ways, this goes. I'm either going to die by that monster or this poison is gonna be strong enough to overcome my elemental defenses inside of my body." Seth honestly while also speaking harshly. "It's the only that this world is safe from him, and it's the only way for me to get my own life back again. So I can finally move on."
Stepping even closer to him, Caitlin placed his hand over her own, making him feel conflicted and considered flipping it around to hold her hand. "Seth, you were able to move on. And… I'm sorry for not looking to you at the crater. And when I found out that Ronnie and Stein were separated, I was going to go to you. But then, he suddenly kissed me…" Seth looked further down at the ground, his free hand clenching, and Caitlin saw it. "…I didn't stop it."
"Caitlin… please…" Seth tried to move away, his hand flipping around.
And before he could move it away, Caitlin quickly latched onto it with her own hand and pulled him to a stand. "But I should have stopped it before… it's not the same when I kiss you." Seth looked to her face with shocked eyes. "I would feel…feel safe when you and I kiss, I'd feel safe, happiness, comfort. But not when I kiss Ronnie, I just feel…guilty." Her right hand went to her other arm, gripping it tightly. "It…feels wrong. And I don't like it anymore."
"…I wish I could tell you what to do, Caitlin. But I can't." He told her solemnly, while his hand subconsciously squeezed hers, giving her waves of comfort and soothing emotions. "Trust I wish I could help with that, really. But I can't, because right now… I have to fight the demon of my life."
"Please don't." she said with a pair of tearful eyes and her voice was hoarse and broken down. "We can help."
"Not this time, Caitlin." He responded with a shaking head. "It's time." Making eye contact with her, he swore to her. "I'm gonna go, defeat Carnage, save Frankie and this city, and then… we'll see what happens. And Cait…" For the first time in what felt like forever, she heard her nickname come out of his mouth, making feel love again. "…I don't regret being thrown into this universe. Because I met the most amazing woman ever, and if everything that happened to me lead to meet her, then I would do it all over again. You're worth that… and so much more."
He went to move, but she stopped him and pulled him close after grapping him by the arm. And before Seth could reply or form any words to question her actions, she placed her lips over his, surprising him with an extended kiss. At that moment, both of them felt love wash over them again. And their forgotten world, which only they could enter were once again opened. They both lost themselves in this kiss, feeling as they had waited for a long time… like this was one of the missing pieces to their broken puzzle again. They needed this and the feelings that they put into this embracing kiss…were clear of all of their emotions and feelings for one another.
That they wanted each other and would be there for each other… that they love each other.
But even though, both of them wanted to stay longer in this shared embrace with one another, they couldn't… time was of the essence.
So Seth pulled away from their hearty kiss and moved to the exit of the Cortex, leaving Caitlin to enjoy the feelings of love, care and happiness left in the air, and on her lips. Her words were the very same words etched onto her heart.
"I love you, Seth."
X
As Seth walked through the corridors of the facility, he removed his hand from his right wound while looking back to the direction of the entrance to The Cortex… where the woman he loves is in the room, and like hm, enjoying the feelings left behind on his lips.
"…are you ready to do this?" Venom asked, knowing that he himself was ready for the incoming battle with the dangerous and deranged symbiote.
"I am. Let's go." He muttered with a sense of determination that spread like a wildfire. But he walked on, he saw the light from the entrance and continued in a whispering voice.
"I love you, Caitlin."
His last words spoken, and he continued on his way, ready to meet the fight of a lifetime, that will very will determine the span of his own.
But as he as he walked, he saw Barry leaning against the wall with a concerned look on his face. An idea gave way to the forefront of Seth's mind, a plan to help them all.
X
The first thing Frankie felt when her consciousness returned to her mind was the feeling of a cold breeze hitting her face and the intense difficulty in her breathing.
"Frankie?" Magenta asked her host worriedly and with a voice riddled with fear, the voice from within causing her to stir lightly. "Wake up please." The symbiote pleaded to her host. Her eyes opened up after shaking a bit, finding herself outside now. The sky still blue, but lightly darkened, nearing sundown most likely.
When she tried to move, she found herself encased in a cocoon of red webbing. The cocoon of her imprisonment stuck to a very tall and large antenna. And the webbing was very strong, making it nearly impossible to move. "Are you okay, Magenta?"
"…I'm scared." The symbiote with a shaking voice within Frankie. "I don't want to be here anymore."
Looking over the edge of the building of where she was imprisoned at, she saw lots of other tall buildings around her, and it scared her that she was so high up in the air, especially because of her predicament. Her arms began straining against the webbing again.
However, her efforts to struggle through the web casing stopped when she felt a warm breath of air hit the top of her head.
" Wakey, wakey… eggs in bakey Rise and shine, sleepy head "
Shaking, the young girl slowly turned her head upwards to see the deranged symbiote Carnage crawl down from the top of the antenna. When he was just above her head his maw opened up and his tongue slowly licked. "What do you think of the view?" Without mercy, he placed the tips of his fingers and forced her head to look around, not caring whether or not the young girl was shaking in fear or pain. "It's quite the view, don't you think?"
"W-W-Where are we?" she demanded to know, her clothes within the cocoon turning pink, trying to form her suit to struggle against the struggle.
But Carnage saw her struggles and pointed his claws at her face. One of his claws, barely and inch from piercing her right eye. "Sorry, Cuz. But we can't have you ruining the surprise, now." Jumping off the antenna, he rose to his full height and added. "Uncle deserves at least one good surprise from me."
Anger coursed over her core; eyes flashed with magenta again as she heard the name of the protector called out. "Don't say his name!"
"Bastard!" Magenta shouted as well in anger.
Carnage grinned, a malicious and ominous look that had the young girl shaking in more terror. "You know…" he leaped up to the antenna again, this time making sure that his pitch-black fangs and his demonic eyes were on level with the girl's, sending her through several series of bone-petrifying fear. "…It's a real treat that my uncle chose to help another brat. Thought he wouldn't after last time I met his brat. I miss that kid, the way he would squeal and writhe… that little brat was a nice little warm-up. Just like an orange."
"What do you mean by that?" Frankie asked worriedly, her will and mind confused by this information, making her eyes turn back to blue.
"You see, my Uncle had a couple of important people in his life before. He loved them, that's why I took them from him, slowly and enjoying their screams." The villain said, his tongue flickering the air in front of her face, while a finger pressed against her cheek. "And that's why you're here now, Frankie. Dear little uncle cares about you very much, which is why he agreed to this… one last fight."
"You're going to fight Venom?" The young girl demanded slowly.
"If he wants to see you again… alive that is. And he is coming." The dangerous creature said slowly.
SIRENS.
The two on the antenna heard the blaring sound of the police sirens coming from ground below, peering their eyes down and saw cars of black and white coming down the lane. Their sirens flashing bright lights of red and blue.
X
The police station had been informed of the red creature on top of the building, holding a hostage matching the description of a young girl. When Captain David Singh got the news, he sent out an evacuation order to the surrounding areas of the building and sent a wave of cars to the site after the quick evacuation.
Police cars formed a barricade of themselves, prevent anyone innocent from getting hurt or caught up in what might escalate into a massive gunfight. However, when the officers stepped out of their vehicles, they saw the red creature with black veins peering down at them with madness in his eyes.
The Captain of the CCPD looked around and saw Joe and Eddie come over to him. "Are the men ready?"
"As ready as they can be, Captain." Joe said sheepishly, not believing that they were equipped to take down a mutant with powers like that of Venom, but with another dangerous bloodthirst.
"They're ready, sir." Eddie Thawne said adamantly despite what his partner was saying. The target was one that appeared to be like Venom, that was enough for him to spring into action. He was not going to let the heroes do everything in this city, he had to stand up for the city he loves too. In the name of the law, of course.
Taking in both of his detectives' opinions, Captain Singh announced to the all officers present. "All right men! Get ready, we're going in and going to take that man, now!" Every officer on site shouted their agreements with their Captain, every weapon on them loaded and ready to strike upon order. "Alright, let's move out!"
ROAR
However, a loud roar emitted from the top of the buildings, stopping everyone from moving and Carnage from the top of his building smiled happily as he recognized the deafening roar. A second later, a blast of flames shot down in front of the policemen who were about to move, the blast forming a line of fire in front of them, preventing them from continuing onwards.
Suddenly, the creature who spew those flames jumped down from above and landed on the other side of the fiery line. Raising up to his full height, Venom looked over the border of flames and held eye contact with the Captain of CCPD. "Do. Not. Interfere." He said slowly.
Even in the face of the elemental anti-hero, Captain Singh was not going to back down and stepped closer to speak to him, "This is our city, we have the right to defend it. and you aren't authorized to stop us."
"Nor are you equipped to do the same." A series of tendrils shot out from his back and dug into the ground. The officers, the detectives and the captain saw the same and wondered what the purpose of those were. However, they were too late to get answers to their doubts as they felt vibrations running through the ground beneath them, and they seemed to expand to the cars behind them. And when they turned in that direction, adamantium tendrils shot out of the ground and wrapped around the cars. Using the powers of the earth element, he pulled on the tendrils with phenomenal strength, sinking the cars into the ground.
The officers drowned in shock as they saw their vehicles sunk into the ground like they were nothing, so they were too distracted to notice the tendrils retract to the grounds again before blasting off into the air again and wrapping themselves around their firearms, and like the cars, they were slammed into the grounds. Captain saw the same happen to his gun and then directed to the large anti-hero on the other side of the flames. "Mind explaining yourself?"
Pointing a finger at delighted Carnage on top of the building. "He's our problem, Captain. And unless you want the deaths of your men on your hands, the best course of action for you, would be to…stay put." Turning his back to them Venom walked slowly, "He's unlike anything this world has ever faced before." The lawmen of the city were unarmed to go and fight against the creature on the rooftop, forcing them to let the demonic hero take charge this time.
Joe stepped along with his comrades and while he did, he thought. "Be careful Seth."
Peering his eyes to meet the eyes of deranged symbiote child of the original Venom, he clenched his fists. Bending down on both knees, his inner muscles flexing and their strength increasing with the earth element. Placing one hand on the ground surface, Venom gathered wind around his feet to increase the speed when he's about to take the leap.
Carnage had crossed an unforgivable line, bringing an innocent girl who didn't deserve this kind of treatment. And Frankie was just a child who was unable to fend for herself, even against humans much less a deranged mutant with powers like his own. And knowing of what he did to his son, he wouldn't hesitate to strike her down, even to get to him… especially to get to him.
But that was never going to happen. His determination rising higher and higher to newer heights of conviction, fueling his elements with limitless strength. Without holding back anymore, he was going to show the other symbiote exactly what he a horrible he made, the powers of both host and his "other" pushed beyond containable limits.
With a push from both of his feet, the ground fissured into masses of cracks as Venom shot out and into the air like he was thrown from a catapult. Lashing an arm out, he fired off a tendril that latched onto the building opposite of the one occupied by Carnage and Frankie. Using that as leverage, he pulled himself onto it and landed in a crouching position. Returning to stand in full height, he looked to the opposite building…
… seeing both Carnage and Frankie stuck in a cocoon of red webbing, her body still trying to struggle through it, but to no success… but she persisted when she made eye contact with him, while worry and fear filled her gaze…
Seeing Venom on the other building in front of him, he began waving at him like an overexcited child "Hiya Uncle, such a thrill to see you again." Jumping down from the antenna, he slow grazed his fingers over the scared girl's face, making her cringe in disgust and fear. "Doesn't this bring you back Uncle? Seeing someone you care about, looking so lost and scared. All because of her little friendship with you. Reminds of what happened to your little brat, well this one I don't get to skin. Bummer, right? Just missing another useless woman to watch, then we'd have a remake of the scene! High-ratings!"
"Let. Her. Go." Venom sneered out through smoking clenched his teeth. "Our fight is between the two of us! She's innocent! Fight us like a man!" His voice boomed, unleashing a blast of wind that blew over them. "Prove that you truly are the strongest of us all in this universe!"
Carnage smiled in delight, "Nah. Where's the fun in that? Uncle, you know me better than that, don't you? I know that this is your breaking point." His fingers placed on the sides of Frankie's jaw, pursing her lips unwillingly, a few tears escaping her eyes. "You shouldn't have these stupid bonds, Uncle. Just pure rampage is all that you need. They're worthless!"
"Someone like you could never understand the power of these bonds!" Venom countered. "They give us strength and hope."
"Bull!" Carnage shouted, his fingers removing themselves from Frankie's jaw and stepping closer to the edge of the building, his eyes maintaining a line of eye contact with the anti-hero. Widening a sadistic smile on his face, he continued. "They're just nothing but food for us!" Pointing both of his arms upwards, he released his poison, and let the poison drip down his entire arms. Fingers sharpened with claws. "Venom!"
"Now…" White mist formed around both of his arms, encasing each arm with a thick layer of ice, using them to form ice spikes on his knuckles. Both of the symbiotes would be pulled into a fistfight that would shatter grounds and buildings alike. "…You're going to be our food, Carnage!"
Unleashing a loud screech from his maw, Carnage charged and jumped into the air. Shooting after Venom, he brought himself down to meet a large ice-encased fist that connected with his face, sending the red/black symbiote flying onto the rooftop of the adjacent building.
His face slammed into the rooftop and he rolled around. But that was only temporary as he managed to get back on his feet. Using his ability to see at different angles, he managed to see another antenna behind him. Letting more poison coat and lace his hand, launching his hand out and he grabbed it and tore it. Bringing the antenna closer to him, the villain tightened his grip around it, his poison digging into it and melt it off in two sharp pieces. Taking the two pieces with his tendrils, he reeled them back and launched them like a pair of harpoons.
Seeing the incoming attacks of make-shift spears, he reeled his head back and thrusted it forth, unleashing a large blast of flames that sent the antennas flying to different sides. But the fire attack continued and went after Carnage. The attack connected with his stomach, but the symbiote was able to tank the attack. Sending a vicious glare at the anti-hero.
Placing both of his arms on the ground, he began running to the edge like a bloodthirsty predatorial animal and when he got to the edge, he jumped off and sent out flailing tendrils after the elemental, sharpening them with bladed tips. When he saw the bladed tendrils coming from him, Venom unleashed tendrils from his back. All of them turned into adamantium and the ice expanding on his fists and forming two large scythes. Carnage drenched his fists with his red poison.
Series of bladed tendrils from opposing sides met each other, each of them colliding with one another. The two sources of tendrils met each other, ice scythe meeting poison-coated fist. And because of the amount of red poison, the ice melted to pieces because of the intense corrosiveness, causing a cold mist to emit and cover Carnage's face. Which gave an opening, and the larger symbiote was able to smash a lightning-cloaked foot into his stomach and sent him into the air before falling down again.
Jumping into the air again, Venom turned both of his feet into adamantium and released tendrils into the ground, and pulling them, he slammed his metal-enforced feet into the downed symbiote's midsection with the force of a heavy metal strike, embedding him into the concrete roof and through it, and into the floor underneath.
After being smashed through the floor, Cletus turned his head upwards and saw that the force of the adamantium feet sent him deeper than he thought, sending him through two floors. Taking a brief look at his surroundings he saw that he was sent into an office building. The floor filled with desks and papers on them and office chairs with wheels.
SMASH
A grunt escaped the dangerous mutant's mouth when a black tendril slammed a burning chair into his face. The flames lingered on his face, but that was only temporary thanks to his hands beating off the flames. Turning to the side, he saw the elemental symbiote standing there with a snarling grin. "What's wrong, Nephew? Feeling a bit angsty in here."
"SHUT UP!" Carnage shouted before coating his fingers with his venom and extending them into the forms of whips with blades at their tips. Cocking one hand back, he latched them out again, his whips shooting off like brutal serpents. Digging into the floor and shooting out again, looking to bite into the anti-hero's form.
Seeing the speed of the red/black whips, Seth came up with a move, one that'd hurt a lot… for him. Clenching his muscles, Venom turned his entire body into adamantium and let the poison-coated whips connect with his body, tanking their thrashing strikes. A grunt escaped his mouth, as he felt the poison sear various parts of his metal-enforced body. Both host and symbiote felt the pain of the venom, but it didn't come close to the body within the symbiote, however it didn't make it any less painful.
But he wasn't going to let up, he had to defeat Carnage once and for all. To get his life back, to save this universe, to get revenge for Stef and Bucky… and importantly to save Frankie… and Caitlin.
Those thoughts coursed through his mind, steeling his determination and igniting his conviction to an inferno. Raising an arm up into the air, he swung it around the front, around the red/black whips and grabbed them all with one arm. Concentrating a large amount of lightning around his arm, he discharged it and let them follow the whip-tendrils. The lightning reached their origin and shocking Cletus.
While he was still being shocked, Venom tightened his grasp around the whips and planted both of his feet deeper into the floor. And with one mighty swing, he swung the deranged symbiote around and out of the windows behind him and out of the building. Shooting out of the building like a bullet with lightning and wind accelerating his agility, he intertwined his hands and fingers together. Turning them into adamantium, igniting both lightning and fire in them, and increasing their intensity with wind, he slammed them into the head of the psychotic murderer like a destructive sledgehammer.
But before the attack could connect with his head, he managed to slash the anti-hero's midsection with a pair of poison-coated claws. However, it was useless because he had only succeeded in cutting off the ice-protection on that part of his body, the poison not even coming close to his body.
The impact from the sledgehammer-like onslaught of various elements sent the red/black symbiote into the ground. Forming and sending out a shockwave that cracked the middle of the road, fissuring the lanes of both sides.
Reeling back both of his arms and sending out dozens of tendrils from his back, he enveloped both of them and the tendrils with ice and fire and lightning and turned some of them into adamantium. Charging them with wind, thrusted them all after Carnage who was still down embedded in the ground, arms splitting off into tendrils as well.
The combined series of tendrils from both his back and his arms slammed into the psychotic symbiote, digging him deeper into the ground with the ruthless strikes from above. And when the police officers of this city saw that attack, they were shocked to see the ruthlessness and powerfulness of the attacks. It was impressive, and all the more frightening. Especially, after seeing the element-enhanced strikes now form a large hole in the middle of the road.
Dropping down to the ground, Venom assembled his arms again and retracted his tendrils again. His eyes peering over the entire destruction of his tendrils, looking deeper into the hole in the ground with inspecting eyes. Moving one foot slowly before following with the other, he moved closer to the hole, his right hand engulfed in flames and his left hand paired with an ice scythe, ready to strike at a moment's notice if the villain were counter with a sneak attack.
However, his eyes never caught sight of the deranged symbiote with the unyielding bloodlust. Like he wasn't even there anymore, it was weird. "Where are you?" He slowly sneered out his words, his senses spread to the limits, hoping to find the other symbiote bearer.
"Looking for me, Uncle?"
At the sound of that disgusting voice, he snapped around with agility unlike anything he had ever shown before and unleashed a slash from his icicle scythe. But no one was there to be met with cold blade, making the anti-hero widen his eyes in shock… but that shock quickly vanished when he felt it.
PIERCE
….
….
Slowly, trailing his eyes down…Seth saw that he was not mistaken… even though every part of him wished that he wasn't… and he still wished it…Even though… he felt the piercing… and searing pain… of the large poison-coated blade… that stuck through his back… through his partner… and went out… his chest… right through his heart.
Feeling the pain overwhelm his core, his knees gave and he dropped down to the ground. His scythe falling off his hand and the flame dissipating from his other hand… while his body began shaking in pain… and fearful horror.
Hearing the sound of closing footsteps, both Seth and Venom looked to the side. The one eye that looked in the direction saw Cletus and Carnage walking towards them with purposely slow steps, inducing fear with each step he took. His right hand twirling around a large red blade made of his body with black veins while his face held a large smile of a sadistically nature. And when his head cocked back and looked up into the skies, he let out a wide laugh that could be heard by everyone in the area, if not the entire city.
X
(S.T.A.R. Labs)
After Seth went to fight his decided battle with the deranged psychopath, everyone had gathered in the facility to watch the live broadcast of Carnage holding up on top of the very tall building with the encased Frankie Kane. And then they saw Venom come leaping into the battlefield, and when they did…. The air of the facility tensed and silence were placed in the area.
The two mutants had encountered the deranged killer before so they were prepared to face him if the situation called for it, if Seth needed his team back out in the field with him, to finally take down the deranged killer. And give the elemental his life back again. But this was his fight above all else, not theirs. His lift was put on borrowed time after one of their latest fights, it was his fiancée and his son that were brutally taken from him without mercy. All because of Carnage, so this was his fight. He was this universe's best chance to rid this world of that pest.
And the natives of the universe were silent the entire time as they watched the fight between Venom and Carnage unravel on the monitors on the wall.
Bette and Cisco remained close to each other, their hands subconsciously gripping each other and intertwining their fingers together worriedly. Barry watched with impatient eyes, waiting for the right time to take strikes and commence the plan that he had been given by the elemental. Harrison Wells watched the entire battle with stoic eyes and an equally stoically expression. But inwardly, his true thoughts were hidden. He wondered what it might mean for the future if Venom were to die now and not make it to the future. If that were to happen, then his life would be changed and for the better.
Ronnie was silently watching the fight, and worried that the large anti-hero might not be able to actually success his fight. He knew that he was strong, stronger than the speedster without a doubt. So parts of him hoped that the anti-hero would be able to success… because he knew that someone else would feel her heart break if the worst were to happen.
Caitlin was the one who was using all of her willpower to keep her tears within her eyes, trying not break down in tears from what she was seeing. The man she loves, fighting the battle of his life, alone, fighting the very single battle that determines whether or not he gets to live out his life. And he was doing it for the sake of both Frankie and their universe itself… for the sake of everyone… for her.
And as thoughts entered her mind, she thought back to their short and meaningful kiss again. Her thoughts filling with regret and hurt as she didn't get the chance to speak her heart… telling him that she loves him… and that she wants to stay with him, and not Ronnie anymore… she wanted to be with the one who made her heart grow strong again… the one who would always protect her… the one who made her heart whole again.
Her eyes slowly drifted back to the monitors…
….
….
And her willpower, the very and single power, keeping her tears from falling… vanished into thin air… as she and the others in the facility saw Venom…Seth… with his chest… pierced by the large red blade from behind and sticking out the front of his chest… right… through his heart.
Her willpower gave out, and her tears streamed like a waterfall… and her heart broke down to million tiny pieces.
X
Seth and Venom's head was grabbed by Cletus' hand, forcing it to look up and into his white demonic eyes again. His entire body felt limb from the poison that slowly being run through his heart, like the poison was forcing his body to shut down, feeling by feeling. And it caused a searing sensation, like his organs were being slowly being dipped in magma, repeatedly, over and over without an end.
Must have been a new ability of his unique poison that Carnage learnt during his time within this universe. Even though his elements were on high alert and fighting against the poison. Brawling against the poison that was slowly being spread throughout his heart. But as each second passed, the elements tried to fight for their survival. Against the mutant poison.
Furthermore, Venom's screams were held back as they both felt the painful sensations of the host's body amplify with the addition of the larger amount of the red mutation poison. The symbiote didn't want to add more pain to Seth's mind or body. His heart was hurt, shattered and conflicted, and worse of all, now pierced.
Seth felt blood sip out of his mouth from within his mask. As he felt his red body fluid came out of his mouth, he heard the gritting of teeth in pain in the back of his head. With a mental chuckle, the host addressed the symbiote. "Looks like… the end… doesn't it, old pal?"
Venom continued gritting his teeth mentally, still trying to keep his exclaims and screams held back to avoid unleashing mind-melting pain. A chuckle came from him, "We…did…pant…not…expect this. Pathetic, really… to think…pant…we would lose to him, of all." Both of them focused their eyes on the dangerous mutant in front of them.
"Got that right." Seth tried to move his arms again, trying to make them come up to his neck and rub his dog tags again, the ones that Caitlin gave him on Christmas Eve. As he thought of that his eyes began growing heavy. "Caitlin… I didn't get a chance to… tell you, did I? I'm… sorry."
Ten months of pain, heartbreak, agony lifelessness… all led to this. Preparing themselves, symbiote and host alike, all led to this defeat? His eyes slowly began closing repeatedly. He thought he'd finally be able to take him down, but it was all for naught. Seven elements and the powers of an alien symbiote given by the human military… even the mutant-killer was no match for the dangerous killer who tore his life apart.
Carnage's words went unheard as they came out incoherently, and his eyes began were unable to keep themselves open anymore… and they closed…
… his eyes playing tricks on his mind, as he saw sparks of lightning ran over the surface of his eyeballs…
… and waited for the blade to be swung and the demonic protector of Central City would no longer be in this world.
X
When Seth opened his eyes again… they widened when he realized that he saw the clear ocean in front of him… and his feet were unclothed, letting his toes move around and feel the sand between his toes. Shifting his eyes downwards, he was right to see that he was truly planted into the sandy area. Turning his head to the back, he widened his eyes when he saw an array of tall palm trees.
What made this situation really weird and peculiar… was the realness of the situation. His feet moved around and the sand was real, it felt real. Authentic. And curiously, the elemental dug his hand into the ground, and picked up a pile of sand in his hand, holding it in his palm. Still finding the situation very weird, he tilted his hand to the side, and slowly let the sand fall of his palm, falling of like a stream.
"What the…."
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง