บท 32: Stone Age Avengers lI - Fan Fei
(3rd Person POV)
The tensions and pressure of Odin's and the Phoenix's auras continued to rise. On the Phoenix's side, fire and psychic power burned away at the surrounding space. It was violent and out of control compared to Odin's use of the Odin Force. Odin's power seemed to manifest in a golden colour that didn't have a problem contending with the raw, primordial might that was the Phoenix fire.
The Earth would have suffered greatly and humanity would have most likely met its end if Odin didn't move the entire planet into a parallel timestream. The moment his feet touched the ground, he did that. Odin loved Earth since he was married to her after all, and he knew what would happen since he foresaw this encounter.
"Your arrogance knows no bounds, All-Father. It would seem that your recent rise to power has made you forget your place.", the distorted voice of the Phoenix was heard.
"I know my place well. I know that you limit yourself by binding yourself to a host. I don't care about you. I am here for the girl. So you either let her speak for herself or I will make sure that you are imprisoned inside her mind for eternity.", Odin replied and his eye sockets glowed with power, that seemed to outshine the Phoenix Force.
Odin didn't have his eyes, since he sacrificed them to attain the full knowledge of runes. But that wasn't necessary anyway. He could either create illusions, that made it appear like he had eyes, or he simply wore a cloth.
*BOOOOM*
*BOOOOM*
*BOOOOM*
*BOOOOM*
*BOOOOM*
Millions of explosions were heard. Their fight took to the future and the past at the same time. These two Entities fought in the present, future, and past simultaneously. Their consciousness clashed against one another and they tried to force their will upon the other.
It was a fight on a higher plane than the material one.
*WHOOOOOOSSHHHH*
Why and how would that even work? The Phoenix Force was the combination of all life in the past, present, and future, while Odin was both the Speed and the Still Force, which exist simultaneously in the past, present, and future.
"Why should I listen to you?" the girl's voice asked Odin after the two finished measuring their powers.
"No one said anything about listening to me. I merely want to ask you, what it is that you want.", Odin said.
... The girl-turned-woman looked at the All-Father with sadness in her eyes. She was trying to read his mind to see whether he was genuine in his concerns, but it was useless. Odin's mind was protected. Ironically, however, it wasn't protected to protect himself, but those who tried to read his mind. Because Odin was the representation of both the Speed- and Still Force and the Odin Force as well, his mind was a chaotic mess of thoughts that were faster than the concept of speed itself and slower than the concept of stillness.
"I am angry and sad. My friend died. Where were you when I needed you?", Firehair asked the All-Father.
"Where was I? Who do you think brought the wolves to you in your time of need?", Odin asked.
"What?"
"Did you think they acted on their own accord? Nay, I sent them to find you and protect you from the vultures. And now, I ask you again, what is it that you want?"
"I ... I want to help people.", she says finally. Despite her now-grown stature, she was still a child.
"Good, then let us do that.", Odin says and gives her his hand.
.
(Fan Fei POV)
I was born in a secret city. One that flows between worlds like a river through the reeds. A golden city where life revolves around the Mystic and the Martial Arts. Where as a child I learned to leap above the trees and make my knuckles as hard as a stone. A city of light and immortal peace, but built upon a bedrock of fire and blood and iron. A place of ancient wisdom and the most harsh and terrible of rules.
A place called K'un-Lun.
Most exalted of the seven capital cities of heaven. A heaven I know I will never see again. My name is Fan Fei and I am the greatest criminal in the history of K'un-Lun.
"Bring the despised! Right up front with her. I want to make sure the little delinquent has a good view."
I'd only ever committed one crime. But it was a crime so foul it sent shockwaves through the city. It made my parents turn their backs on me in shame, my friends and instructors disavowed me. Even the Dragon Kings knew my name and spat when they spoke it. My great crime was that for three months I had been sneaking beyond the gates of the city, into the primitive wilds of the world we called Earth and there ... I taught Kung Fu to Cavemen.
Now, I stand before Lei Kung, the Thunderer on trial.
"Fan Fei of the Green Lotus House. You stand guilty of defiling our most sacred traditions by daring to teach our ways to outsiders. You may now beg for the mercy of the Thunderer, but I assure you girl ... no mercy shall be forthcoming.
You know this cave. You know what lives in these shadows and soon you will know its power. Bring the others."
They bring in the cave people of Earth. My students. They drag them by a chain around their necks and push them forward. I want to help them, want to stop this from happening and see them die, but it is no use. I saw them being stalked by sabertooth tigers, and butchered by Man-apes ... I only taught them how to defend themselves.
"Let them go! They didn't do anything wrong! You can't do this!" I screamed, but it was no use.
"We're not doing anything. You doomed these ignorant apes ... the moment you put our secrets into their little brains," the Thunderer said and they pushed my friends down into the hole where the dragon lives.
"K'un-Lun will now reclaim those secrets."
*ROOOOOAAARRRR*
I could feel the dragon's heat before I saw it.
The first caveman was lucky. The Dragon's breath turned him into a flaming puddle almost instantly. He'd been a shy fellow who brought me flowers before every lesson. The others were trying to claw through the rock to escape, but the Dragon's sword-sized fangs tore them to shreds. I could see one of them manage to futilely kick the monster, even as his arm was being devoured. An enormous amount of rage overwhelmed me and I lost all reason. That was the moment I went from crying to delivering some kicks of my own.
I kicked the two holding me chained and jumped down. Down to the dragon who had just consumed my students.
"Block the exit! Don't let her escape!"
I had no intention of escaping. I leapt through the blood and fire with no hope of living to see another day, so much had my anger clouded my judgement. I only knew that before I joined my students in the belly of this flaming monstrosity ... I was going to punch the mighty Shou-Lao in his miserable dragon face.
...
And so I did.
And then something even more unexpected happened. I didn't die. But I did begin burning.
.
"Fan Fei! By daring to murder the sacred dragon defender of K'un-Lun, you compound your crimes to an unimaginable degree - leaving us no choice but to levy the greatest punishment possible upon you! You are hereby exiled from K'un-Lun. Let the scars of your crime be forever known as a mark of shame. The curse of Shou-Lao. You love these Earthmen so much, enjoy spending eternity with them. You and your foul Iron Fists."
I stood before the monstrous city gates of K'un-Lun and looked at my fists. That was how I came to be stranded on Earth. With a new name and a cursed power, stolen from a dead dragon. A power I did not yet understand. Cut from everyone and everything I had ever known. All alone in a strange and harsh land.
I was 15 years old and for the first time in my life ... I felt free.
.
.
Freedom, as I have come to learn, always comes at a price. Sometimes a bloody price. I walk the Earth alone. For many years across frozen oceans and seas of fire. Through lands of utter darkness where the skies rain blood and hidden valleys where long-lost evil lizards still reigned supreme, from the highest living mountain to the deepest underground city of vile creatures. Along my way, I have encountered many beings who needed to feel the power of the curse of Shoul-Lao.
In the great dead forest, that distinction belonged to the Gorgilla Clan. Ferocious Man-Apes who dominated and destroyed everything they encountered, at least almost everything. I was one of the things they couldn't destroy, no matter how hard they tried and the weaker creatures I chose to protect. I wouldn't train them. Not again. But I vowed to fight for them, even though I could not say why. Why did these primitive creatures deserve to prosper more than any other animal struggling to survive in such a cruel and harsh world?
Because one of them once brought me flowers? Because they returned my gesture by worshipping me as a god? Even after many long nights alone in the woods with nothing but my thoughts, I can not answer those questions. I am a poor excuse for a god. One who can not even master her own power. I am the outcast known as the Iron Fist. I have no people and that is the way it should be. Thought I do miss having someone to talk to.
The people were ... weird. As primitive as they are, there was something about them, that told me to watch out. I am still unsure what that is, however. Those who started to worship me as a god were beaten black and blue by others who were special in some way and if I hadn't gotten in between the fight, they would have most likely killed them. I saw anger and also disapproval in their eyes, but not fear. They didn't fear me for some reason. I found out that these people were something akin to spiritual leaders. Not the tribe leaders, but those who guided the others spiritually. And they were smarter than the others, at least slightly. I am curious to know where they take their pride and fearlessness from. It can't be that they are more powerful than the others, at least not by much. So it has to be something else.
"You're not from around here are you?"
I sit in front of a small bonfire when a firey snake materialises from the midst of it and starts to talk to me.
"This is not my world, but I still know a demon when I see one. Begone from this place," I say.
"And leave you all alone again? That would be too cruel. No, I'm here to help you, Iron Fist."
"Where did you hear that name?" I ask surprised.
"The whole world is learning your name. The Apes scream it in rage, even the mother of the undead speaks it with fear."
"And what is your name, beast?" I ask it.
"I am happy you asked. Please allow me to introduce myself. I am called MEPHI-"
*BOOOM*
I punch it and destroy the creature.
"It doesn't matter what your name is," I say.
But the creature just respawns as two more red snakes appear from the fire.
"As I was saying, I am called MEPHISTO. Mephisto as I was saying and since you are a visitor to this world ... my world I thought I would offer you a piece of advice. You fight for the weak, which is noble. So very noble."
More and more snakes appear and the voice of this demon is heard from each one of them.
"But even you cannot protect them forever. If you want to save the weak, you must make them strong. Not by holding their hands, but by seizing their throats."
"By conquering them."
"By ruling."
"Iron Fist, Queen of the Monkeys."
"How does that sound?"
Tens of snakes are surrounding me and speaking one after the other. I focus on my power.
"... it sounds like I just found someone else in need of my Iron Fists!"
*BOOM*
"Oh you poor Iron Fool, hahahahaha"
.
I stopped using fire, but my Iron Fists are keeping busy. The Gorgillas gained the gift of fire and are generously sharing it with everyone around them. They start fires all around, just to harm me. And yet, I don't think that it is only about me, for some reason. These Gorgillas are strange and obviously follow the will of the creature made from fire. I don't know what he wants from me. I don't understand the games being played around me. I fight like a blind woman with fists as hard as-
*BOOM*
"GUUGH!"
Something hard hits me in the face. I look in front and see him standing there, towering above me.
The Ape King. The Gorgilla Alpha.
He who cracks skulls with a diamond club big enough to choke a Dragon.
We fight. He is strong, but I am nimble and fast. My Iron Fists is just as powerful offensively. In my darkest days and longest nights, there are times I wish I had never punched that stupid Dragon. This was not one of them. I move forward, dodging the hits of the Ape King and then flipping forward towards him. He tries to block with his large diamond club but my fists are prepared.
'The Curse of Shou-Lao'
*BOOOOM*
*CRASHH*
I destroy his diamond club and almost kill the Ape King. But now, I need to save everyone else.
"This way! Follow me!"
...
"Heh, such a little hero. Foolish girl. Don't you know? This is not an age of heroes. This is an age of hell on Earth."
.
.
The next time the Gorgillas attacked, Fan Fei knew right away that something wasn't right. The Gorgillas hadn't come with fire or diamond to try and overwhelm her using their numbers. The King Gorgilla came alone. He was different. His entire right arm was covered in purple crystals that radiated pure power. There was a fire in his eyes, that didn't seem to stem from his hatred towards Fan Fei alone.
[Picture]
"RROOOOOAARRRR"
The Ape King roars and then slams his fist on the ground.
*BOOOOOOOOOOOM*
The punch seemed to hold neigh infinite power as it caused a purple wave of energy to rush out and destroy all that stood in the vicinity. Fan Fei was devastated by the display of power.
"I don't know where you've come by this power, but I am the living weapon of K'un-Lun! The most dangerous woman in all of Heaven! And no power on Earth can hope to-"
*BOOOM*
The crystalline fist of the Ape King hits Fan Fei and embeds her fully into the ground. The Gorgillas punches made Shou-Lao's fire feel like soft kisses and there was a reason for that. There was a stone in the Gorgillas hand. That was the heart of his power and the reason he rose to not only match her but overwhelm her completely.
Thinking that she only had to destroy this purple stone, Fan Fei uses all her power and rushes forward. The Ape King does the same thing. Both of their fists are radiating with different types of energy. Fan Fei used her power of Chi while the Ape King used the power of that peculiar purple stone.
Their fists approached one another and then
_____________________
Cliffhanger.
Tell me what you would like to see in the story. It doesn't have to be from the comics. Canon is already gone as Odin holds roughly 90% of the authority on Earth and there will never be a Black Panther.
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