S-Men: Special Mini Series

Ethereal Showdown Pt.3 1/4

The fog was thick, the air was stale, and the light could hardly pass through the heavy clouds. The jungle has grown mysteriously darker than before. He has never seen the jungle in such dominance. It is like the jungle is not permitting any entry at all.

He pushes his way through thick shrubery and trees, getting stung by mosquitoes, and having branches slapping him in his face. He has been wondering through the jungle for the past 2 hours, and still no sign of his voodoo village. His overcoat was getting seriously muddy and the air is beginning to freeze up. He has to move quickly before he gets chilled.

He started picking up speed. From small stepovers to large strides. Then he broke into a run. He was desperate for answers. He needs information, he needs to know everything. That feeling was no ordinary feeling. He could be in danger, or it could be worse.

Then, he stops dead in his tracks. He takes a wiff of the air. That smell. Something's burning.

No!

He bursts into speed. His mind and heart racing. Could that thing have found out about my origins? Could it have known about this village? How could it have known? It's impossible!

Then it shone, a light at the end of his sights. It was glowing like a massive bushfire. He ran closer. He could hear voices. Voices that are in pain. Voices that are terrified. Terror filled the smoky air. When he got closer, he stumbled. He couldn't dare go any closer. He stopped, took a step forward, gasped and turned his back to the village. His heart, his powers could sense that his village is being torn to shreds. He cannot see another massacre like he saw before. If he did, he'll lose his mind completely.

No. I will not lose my mind. I am strong. I NEED TO KNOW!

He bursts through the growth and there he saw, his tribe has been ripped apart. Dismembered bodies of children lie dead on the dusty ground. The tribe people burnt alive, their charred bodies showing that they've been burnt for quite some time. Ashes and embers flew. The smoke billowing from the burning houses were suffocating the air. With a sudden charge of energy, he breaks forward, hoping that he could save anything alive. Punching through mud walls with his bare knuckles, to no avail, no one was alive. Then, he hears a painful shout. He knows that voice, he leaps into action. He runs towards the voice and there lying bleeding in hiding within the trees, the witch doctor.

He grabs hold of the doctor and brings him further into the jungle, away from the blazing inferno.

"Child, do not bring me any further. I am dying. There's no use hiding anymore."

"Doc, I want to know something. I have this sudden feeling, that there is something out there that has an effect on my powers. is there another being out that can match me?"

"Child, this being is also another creature like you. But, it's power is limited. When it bumped you-...

"It bumped me...wha--?" Then he remembers in flashes, he bumped into a lady just several hours ago. "How did you know?"

"I know alot of things, child. As I was saying, it felt it's own powers getting drained by your presence. You are the ultimate being, you can stop this threat." said the doctor, straining under his pain. "It's plans are unlike yours, you wish for peace, it wishes for planetary cleansing. Stop that thing before..uhh.." The doctor said his last and his body gave in.

No...you can't leave...not yet.

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