章 30: Announcement
Smashing a fist into the face of one of the guards, numerous gladiators rushed past Korg, breaking down the door to the armoury. All cheered as they burst inside, heading to the various shelves and weapon racks as they began to arm themselves.
"Miek," Korg spoke up, heading down the stairs. "Time to send a signal to Tah."
The rebellion was beginning and just as Tah had said, the gladiators had been caught up in the heat of the moment. Whether they had been against it in the beginning or not, now that it was happening they couldn't resist and rebelled. Though they would have to be watched carefully, Tah had revealed to Korg about the tales of the Clone Rebellion on Krypton.
It had been before his time when Tah wasn't even born yet. However, he had studied the history of his people extensively. Krypton had created clones, using them to do menial tasks much like slaves. Other's were harvested for materials to keep their cities alive and many other cruel acts were performed on these slaves. Many rebelled and many more who lived comfortable lives, treated well by their 'masters' also rebelled, caught up in the heat of the moment.
According to Tah's recounting of what he had learned, one of the reasons the Kryptonians crushed the Clone Rebellion was because those clones who lived comfortable and pleasant lives regretted their choice. They wanted to return to their old lives and serve their masters once more because they received many benefits and little pleasures that they wanted.
It was these people that betrayed their fellow clones and allowed the Kryptonian Military Guild to crush the rebellion.
Korg hadn't understood the full reasoning at the time, but after a little time, he knew why. Tah was worried that those who got caught up in the heat of the moment would regret their choice to rebel and turn upon them.
Were they a threat physically?
Not in the slightest.
But the last thing they needed was a spy feeding their plans to the Sakaarian military. It would make their lives far more difficult and Korg wanted this to end in a quick and decisive fashion just like Tah did.
"What's next? The Red King?" Elloe asked.
Korg shook his head. "No, Caiera's there. Tah's warned me to avoid her at all costs." If he was telling Korg to avoid her, that meant she was a powerhouse not even Tah was confident in beating. So, listening to his advice would be the best decision to make.
"So, what's our plan now?"
"We go to the Maw, there are more gladiators there according to the Governor from what Tah overheard," Korg explained, the Warbound nodding their head. "Let's go." But just as they went to move, the entire stadium was rocked, forcing them all to their knees.
"What the hell was that?" Again, another violent earthquake rocked them all.
"It's Tah, he's not holding back anymore!" Hiroim exclaimed.
'Damnit Tah, why the hell are you acting so quickly. Did something change?'
-X- Line Break -X-
Parrying the numerous punches sent my way, I responded in kind with a powerful punch to Beta Ray Bill's side. This fight was honestly becoming repetitive and boring, at this point, I had even moved from my spot and I was just defending while counterattacking.
His attack patterns were simple and easy to predict.
Parrying them was simple.
Landing blows of my own, even easier.
Beta Ray Bill, despite my initial hesitation, wasn't the force of pure power that he was in the comics. He didn't possess Stormbreaker nor the power of Thor. His strength while immense was not something I hadn't encountered previously. Perhaps if by some miracle I hadn't run into Doomsday and this is the first time I had encountered strength on this level, then I would have been more panicked.
I wasn't even using Torquasm anymore, relying purely upon Horu-Kanu and my powers. Yet the psychological battle between him and I was already something I had won. I had gotten inside his head and I was living there rent-free.
Beta Ray Bill couldn't shake off the earlier beatdown I had given him. Every strike held a certain measure of cautiousness behind it, Bill was wary of every counterattack that could come his way. Despite that though, he couldn't stop me from landing every single one of those strikes and it was getting to him.
His once dead eyes that didn't even seem to acknowledge me were now wide awake, the animalistic growls that escaped his lips were silenced. He seemed more alive the longer this battle carried on, that was a good thing for me.
Right now, I had already piece together enough pieces of the puzzle to make an educated guess as to what exactly had happened to Betay Ray Bill and where about in his story we were. Obviously, by the fact that he hadn't attempted to summon Stormbreaker to him, it more than likely meant that he hadn't encountered Thor yet. By his downtrodden and almost broken persona, I'd say that he thought his people were dead.
That meant I had the perfect opportunity to get a potential ally in Beta Ray Bill.
Which meant I had to gain a proper advantage, one that would provide me a chance to talk without Bill attacking me. 'Guess it's time to unleash everything I have.' Bill rushed forwards once more, but I didn't prepare myself for the strike.
Instead, I let out a shout, two beams of red energy shooting out from my eyes in a blinding light. I could hear the cry of pain from Bill as my heat vision struck him at full force. They knocked him back, two deep scroches upon his chest, a testament to his durability. But before Bill could even react I was upon him, one fist drawn back.
He shifted his hands in an attempt to block the strike, but I wasn't holding back anymore.
Throughout the fight, I had kept a my strength on the downlow. I couldn't end the fight too soon, I had to drag it on just long enough to make it slowly dawn upon the Red King that his Champion was going to lose. Then it was a matter of waiting for the signal from Miek after Korg and the others broke free.
However, waiting would have to wait.
I wanted Beta Ray Bill on my side.
But I needed to knock him unconscious and get him out of here.
Waiting for Miek was no longer an option, not if Bill was in his current state of liveliness. Who knows how long that could last and I may miss my chance, that was something I could not afford.
My fist struck against his guard, my fist twisting and it burst Bill's guard burst open and smashed into his face. Bill grunted out, thrown back and smashing into the wall, many in the audience crying out in shock.
I pushed off the ground, my body levitating off it as I rocketed towards Beta Ray Bill. He had already recovered from the blow, shocked by my strength but body still working. Yet quicker than he could react, another crushing blow slammed into his face, smashing him back into the wall. It exploded outwards, rocks and debris peppering the stadium and arena floor, smoke rising up
"You'll have to forgive me later on." I told him, slamming my fist back down into his face. "But you'll thank me after I tell you the truth."
-X- Line Break -X-
Tah had been holding back.
Tah had been lying to him.
Tah had been tricking him.
All this time, he had thought he had the Kryptonian under control and it turns out, he had been lying to himself all this time. Tah had been hiding the true depths of his power within every fight he had gotten into, always holding himself back. Now he was no longer holding back and was finally unleashing the full totality of his powers for the first time.
It was shocking, it was frustrating, but above all else, it was terrifying.
Throughout the battle, Tah had held the advantage in skill, but not in power. In a way, that had brought some measure of comfort to him. As strong as Tah was, the Red King's Champion stood stronger than him. It meant that if Tah ever attempted to rebel, Caiera the Oldstrong, a woman possibly rivalling the Red Kings Champion would be able to beat him. A small comfort that had made the Governor feel at ease throughout his time watching the battle.
Yet now that had all come crumbling down around him.
Smoke clouded his view, no one able to see what was happening. They didn't need to though, they could all feel the reverberations of Tah's strikes smashing against Beta Ray Bill.
Then they stopped.
There was a moment, a pause in which everyone sat with baited breaths, trying to look through the smoke with squinted eyes. And then a powerful wind rippled out, smoke dispersing suddenly revealing Tah floating within the arena, Beta Ray Bill clutched in one hand, body limp and unconscious.
The Red Kings Champion had been defeated, Tah had emerged victorious.
Yet that realisation was quickly forgotten when everyone watched the crumbling bits of metal fall away from both Tah and Beta Ray Bill's chest. Smoke wafting off Tah's burning red eyes as his lips twitched into a small smirk.
"Red King." Tah spoke loudly. "Remember this day for it shall be but the beginning. You won't know when or where. But you and I shall meet again."
The burning of his eyes grew more pronounced and the Governor only saw a blur of grey before Caiera appeared in the path of the red beams. Her blade came undone blocking the strikes, yet her blade quickly melted and Caiera was thrown back, smashing through the wall and disappearing from sight.
The Red King looked terrified, the red beams resting against the side of his face, only lightly scorching the surface of his cheek. Then the beams stopped, Tah looking upon them all with a smirk.
"Next time, I'll meet you face to face and look you within the eyes."
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