Episode Seven- The Return

Battle of Monsters

Back on the Death Bat, Zero, Nightmare, Athame’ and Lament watch the cameras on the crafts viewing screen. Camera’s that are attached to Brandis and Inferno, anxiously as they watch Inferno go up against his first opponent. The screen is the viewing window of the ship, the cameras are split showing the view from Brandis camera (attached to his militant jacket) and view from Inferno’s(attached to his leather jacket). Zero sits in the pilot chair with Nightmare next to him in co-pilot chair. Athame’ stands behind the chairs in the center, with Lament off to the side behind Athame’.

Athame’: Oh no… what… what’s Inferno doing?

Nightmare: It appears he is participating in the matches below… not Brandis.

Zero: Maybe ol’ flame head talked Bran out of it…

Lament: Or the vampire signed them both up for her own personal gain…

Nightmare: That’d be good right? I mean that means they can get in and out fast…

Zero: Or both end up dead just as fast.

Athame’: Zero… get the engines on standby…

Zero: But with the engines online the stealth generator can’t be up? We’d be exposed to whatever’s out there…

Athame’: We’ll just have to take that chance… now that’s an order…

Zero: You’re the boss…

Zero then takes off the stealth generator and turns on the engines, as the ships engines come on the invisible look of the ship on the outside becomes visible as the heat of the engines churn the dust and sand around the outside. Distant shadows soon surface.

Back at the Arena Inferno battles a large troll. Staying grounded to the sand filled ground he dodges and leaps away from the trolls attack, while counter attacking with his own fire balls and flame throwing. The trolls claw like weapon also acts as a shield, which he uses to deflect all of Inferno’s attacks. Continuing to dodge the trolls attacks, Bran cheers and coaches from the pit, Inferno figures the only way to beat the troll is with hand to hand combat. He goes from dodging to blocking the trolls attacks. For the trolls size and strength, it seems to not affect Inferno for he manages to block, grab and throw the troll during one of its counter attacks. This has all of Inferno’s friends on the Death Bat and Bran cheering. Even Ana Mortis smirks with a class of wine in her hands as she sits in the box.

The troll continues to attack Inferno, who just blocks and continues to body slam the troll. The troll begins to get upset, growling with anger it attacks more fierce and faster. This is nothing for Inferno for he continues to dodge and leap away from the attacks waiting to counter with a grab and throw. The troll then gets clever as soon starts to pull chunk of earth from underneath it throwing it at Inferno. Inferno believes all he has to do is dodge but the claw on the trolls arm also admits laser beams that cause matter to explode when aimed properly. This allows the troll more of advantage as it throws and fired the beams causing debris and boulders to his Inferno, finally injuring him.

Eventually Inferno grows angry because his ideas aren’t working. A final hit from the troll, booing from the crowd, and Brandis cheering from the side causes Inferno’s eyes to glow a fierce fire like orange-yellow. Inferno’s hair ignites in flame then soon his entire body from head to toe. Brandis and the others on the Death Bat look on in admiring shock as he takes to the air in flight. The troll continues to throw and explode rocks, Inferno just melts all debris away as it comes to him with large streaks of fire. The crowd cheers loudly, the troll becomes no match for Inferno as it throws one final large bolder to explode it, Inferno stops the explosion mid way, puts the rock together and launches it at the troll. As it falls toward the troll, who tries to run, it ignites in flame. The impact knocks the troll back to its feeble form. Inferno lands on the ground, in non human torch form, standing over the troll as it breaths heavily, the crowd cheers to kill it. Inferno picks the troll up by its tattered clothing, looks over at Brandis who notions him not to kill the troll but give it mercy.

Inferno: In another life maybe…

Inferno then blows heat into the trolls face knocking it unconscious and drops it to the ground. The show of courage and power is enough to put the audience on their feet cheering.

Crowd: IN-FER-NO!! IN-FER-NO!! IN-FER-NO!!

Inferno walks of the battle field with a smile on his face back into the pit.

Brandis: Incredible man!

Inferno: Thanks… I try. (smiling)

Four more matches conclude while Brandis and Inferno watch and Ana Mortis watches and makes various wages on each. As they watch they learn of rumors of the Arena Champion of all that has ruled the games for years, from the other slave monsters waiting to fight. Most the monsters are not friendly and only fight to hope to one day be free from their masters. Others fight as a sense of living- they figure it better than the outside world where they can die at any minute. But all of them hope to take on the champion of all the monsters. Beating it is rumored to guarantee freedom and wealth. It is even talk about how some are bought by outside parties as personal guards and private security. Soon Brandis comes to his first match up against a monster that resembles a dragon. It slithery stands 15 feet tall on two legs, with red scales and green eyes, hair stands up short from the top of its head to the tip of his 20 foot tail. With clawed hands and feet it speaks with a deep voice as the crowd cheers for the fight in the distance all around.

Red Monster: Let’s get this over with little man!!!

Brandis: Peculia’…

The Monster begins a full out attack swinging its clawed hands, feet, and long tail at Brandis. It even tries biting at Brandis, but he dodges and moves swiftly with ease.

Brandis: Ya look like someone I use t’know!

Red Monster: RRRAAAAWWWRR!!!

Brandis continues to dodge and move as he looks for an opening to strike. Inferno coaches and cheers from the pit.

Inferno: COME ON BRAN!!! STOP TALKIN’ AND FIGHT BACK!!

The others watch from the Death Bat at Brandis battle. The audience begins to boo at Brandis lack of effort to fight.

Red Monster: FIGHT MEEEEEEE!!!!!

Brandis: As ya wish.

Brandis then begins to fight back using various martial arts. Combined with his strength his attacks and counter attacks prove to be very devastating to the monster. So much the monster fights harder with its own strength as it attacks Brandis, leaving behind ruptured concrete and sand behind each crowd attack. The monster then attacks with its tail, but as it comes down Brandis catches it, slams it in the ground and breaks it, lodging it into the ground for non-removal. The Audience then begins to cheer.

Red Monster: RAAAAWWWRRR!!!!

Brandis then admits a final combination of moves to the monster which breaks both its arms and one of its legs leaving only the monsters long slender neck, head and dragon- like beak to snarl at Brandis.

Red Monster: RAAAA…

Cut it off Brandis jumps up and knocks the monster out with a right hook.

Brandis: Shut up.

The last blow causes the audience to quiet for a moment, then cheer in praise as they chant Brandis name. Brandis walks back descends back into the pit.

Inferno: Fantastic… not surprised at all.

Brandis: Thanks.

Inferno: So was thinking… we should lurk around here a little more, maybe talk to some of these guys… maybe they know more then what they are telling.

Brandis: Good idea.

As hours pass Brandis and Inferno participate in a few matches for which they are victorious and when favoritism to the crowd, as the monsters in the pit grow less in less as some die and others are recaged to fight again another day. Inferno even talks and befriends a young warrior and makes friends with him. He is about five feet tall and skinny with pointed ears. He wears tattered clothing from the waist down, wearing sandals. Broken shackles are around his ankles and wrist with red skin. His hair is white, short and his eyes are red, baring strong innocence to a child but looks like a devil. He goes by Enstinc.

Enstinc sits alone nervous mending his wounds made on his legs from a previous battle when Inferno comes to help him. Brandis sits watching the current battle.

Inferno: How ya doin?

Enstinc turns away continues to fix his wounds.

Inferno: Figured there’s no point for an introduction… just figured I’d help you, I know a little bit about mending wounds.

Enstinc: No thanks. Perfectly FINE! (Saying in pain.)

Inferno takes over mending his leg.

Inferno: Here, if you tie it too tight you risk a blood clot or worse infection. Best is to clot the tissue fast so the blood stops. This might sting for a second…

Inferno then heats his finger (which glows like a red hot poker) places it on the open wound and it closes as Enstinc grunts in slight pain then relief.

Enstinc: Thanks…

Inferno: You took care of ya self pretty good out there last time...

Inferno then continues to give Enstinc tips on battling and they become friends, Brandis admires Inferno from a distance, making friends with a monster of unknown origin. Brandis walks to Inferno after Enstinc leaves to prep his weapon.

Brandis: ya know, I’m not s’sure we should be makin’ friends here…

Inferno: Couldn’t hurt…

Looking at Inferno in curiousity.

Brandis: or could it?

Mortis soon comes down from the box to talk to her two champions in private in a long empty hallway.

Mortis: You guys are doing outstanding! I’m making a killin’. (saying with a smile)

Brandis: Yea I bet… Any news?

Mortis: Nothing yet, but I’m its rumored that the last time she was hear she bought some of the entertainment.

Inferno: Entertainment?

Mortis: The slaves… I mean champions in the pit with you…

Inferno: Hmm…

Brandis: We heard from otha’s in da pit dat some are bought fa private security or somthin’ else…

Mortis: Soooo?

Inferno: Maybe she was here recently to make a purchase. Or was hired her self for such?

Brandis: Exactly.

Mortis: Alright, I can see what I can do.

Brandis: Ya, do dat… I can see how well ya tryin’ up der wit all da wining and dining.

Mortis: Been watchin’ me have ya? (saying as she winks, smiles, and strides off)

More matches ensue, Inerno and Enstinc become friends Until the time comes where Inferno finds himself in a match with his friend Enstinc. The two stare at each other with great doubt and fear as the audience around them cheers.

Inferno: We knew this would come possibly.

Enstinc: That we did.

Inferno: I’ll go easy on you.

Enstinc: That won’t be necessary.

Armed with a cross bow Enstinc begins firing at will at Inferno who dodges all the arrows, and burns some in mid air with a flame throw. Enstinc moves very swift and fast almost like a monkey as he jumps and maneuvers through the rubble located around the arena grounds firing wildly and accurate at Inferno. It is almost as if he knows where Inferno will be before he is there, he even manages to hit Inferno with one arrow. Inferno is soon forced to go into human torch mode after he takes two more accurate arrows to the leg. Brandis tries to help from a distance by giving battle tactic advice. Inferno’s tactics to hit Enstinc do not work as he dodges all forms, long and short ranged flames to close range combat attacks.

It’s not long before the fight turns into a kill or be killed match, and all friendship made between is replaced with the urge to survive and win. The brutality of the fight entertains the audience as they cheer loudly for death and carnage. Brandis notices how Inferno has not been able to scorch or hit Enstinc at all, and how Enstinc knows where he will be before he’s there.

Brandis: Dat’s it!! INFERNO HE’S CLAIRVOYAN!!!!

Inferno continues to fight strong but barely make a scratch on Enstinc. Unable to hear Brandis plea he formulates a plan to take away Enstinc rapid firing cross bow, by molding a statue of himself as a distraction. This only allows Inferno to lay a punch on him which only sends Enstinc flying across the field, weakening him a bit but not enough to take away his reflexes and speed. As Inferno comes in for the final blow Enstinc dodges it last second. The fight continues with Inferno getting hit left and right by arrows and removing them after puncture. He becomes slightly disoriented. The crowd cheers loudly for Enstinc to win. Inferno comes up with one final plan.

He forces Enstinc to shoot as many arrows and takes most of them to the legs and various torso areas, rendering him to the ground. As the audience cheers for Enstinc to finish off Inferno, who is standing over Inferno ready to admit the final killing blow. Inferno lays wounded and bleeding as Brandis tries to leave the pit to help him he is restrained by stun batons from the guards.

Enstinc: Sorry my friend… it’s not personal. I have to do what I have to… for me.

Inferno: So…. So do I…

Inferno then releases a stream of fire from his eyes right through the front and back of Enstinc’s head, seconds later his body drops to the ground, dead. The audience cheers and screams in pleasure. Brandis closes his eyes in disappointment, while Inferno stand ups wounded, victorious and alive but with pain and remorse in his face.