Role Play Board: The Odyssey pt. 7: "How does it feel?"

The Odyssey pt. 7: "How does it feel?"

Posted by Quicksilver on 7/3/2008, 1:12 am
67.184.84.185

[Previously---Quicksilver and his crew were on the trail of his missing sister--Wanda---The trail led them to the Savageland where they found Karnak the Inhuman---After a brief clash--Pietro finds himself humbled once again]

“How does it feel?”

Those words kept echoing in my battered head long after the fuzzy image of my father standing over my broken body faded back into the recesses of my twisted mind.

Once again I end up on the floor. Defeated, outsmarted, even out maneuvered. What good is speed against an opponent that can pinpoint your weakness and use it to bring you down to your knees. Like a matador Karnak patiently waited for the perfect moment to strike at the raging bull that circled him. I haven’t felt so much pain rush through my body before I went totally numb. He struck the nerve that would paralyze me…at least for now.

Out of the corner of my bloodshot eye I saw her, Pamela Greenwood, Fatale lunging at Karnak. What was she thinking? If I couldn’t take him down, what made her think that she would fare any better? Karnak just stood there, every muscle relaxed as he sized her up. I’ve fought side by side with this Inhuman and I knew he was in “the zone”. The point when he searches for your weakness, it’s just a split second, but in my position I had no choice but to observe the master at his art.

“I have no quarrel with you child, step down.”

Karnak’s voice was stern and commanding yet gentle and reassuring. Unfortunately, Fatale doesn’t follow orders very well. She teleported behind him firing off a shot from her arsenal of weapons. She was aiming for the back of Karnak’s head. She was aiming to kill.
But Karnak anticipated where she would materialize and disarmed her as she teleported away. Then something happened that I can only attribute to the trauma I was experiencing. My eyesight was hazy as I watched the blurred image of Karnak battling thin air. I could hear Fatale’s grunts of pain but I couldn’t see her. Then a cloud of dust burst from the cave floor. A loud thud accompanied the dirt filled air and as it cleared there laid my disciple, out cold.

Karnak approached my limp body.

“Very impressive opponent Maximoff, you’ve trained her well.”

His comment was sincere. But I had nothing to do with her fighting skills. I felt a tingling sensation in the soles of my feet. The effect of Karnak’s attack was starting to wear off. I swore to myself that I would take him down this time and beat the answers out of him.
Anger flowed through my veins at the thought of the Inhumans. I never knew I harvested so much resentment for my wife’s people. Although they took me in and I was part of the royal family, I always felt like an outsider. It was something about Blackbolt’s stare. Their “king”, what a joke. He knew deep down in his heart that I, Pietro Maximoff, was true royalty!
He felt threatened by my presence. And his cronies, followed him like lambs to the slaughter.

I prepared to unleash as my body regained it’s senses. Then he whispered ever so softly.

“Before you regain use of your body, I want you to know that I am here to help you find Wanda. Unfortunately, your methods will always keep you one step behind her. Your anxiety is your enemy Pietro. You will never find her unless you clear your mind. I was sent here by someone who cares for you very deeply.”

As my muscle and nerves are released from their shackles, Karnak extends his hand in friendship.

“Will you accept my assistance, Quicksilver?”

I slowly extended my trembling hand as I fought the nerve damage. Karnak didn't detect my hesitation as I spotted the ominous specteral image rising behind him from the bedrock of the cave. Without a sound The Vision thrusted his ghostly hand into the rear of Karnak's head. Karnak reared back as he gasped for air. I could see the eerie tips of Vision's fingers protruding through Karnak's forehead. I couldn't tell if Karnak was reeling from the pain or from the notion of being caught off guard. Before the android could materialize his hand Karnak swung around and faced the last member of our trio.

How would Karnak the Shatterer fare against an android that can control his tangibility?

to be continued...