Venom

26: The Depth of Valor

The moment of confrontation between a fear unseen, but felt, can be as insufferable as the mind had always imagined it to be. It can also be as liberating as finally getting something you had been avoiding, over with. Once the monster stands before you, you can crumble or you can keep going and leave it behind you as you stare at the opportunities made by the absence of fear.

I had seen monster of bone, of flesh, a mixture of scales and claws with teeth that moved like eyes and tongues that were the equivalent of skin on beings that bled as they walked or grew as easily as they breathed. I had fought many and won, had lost my fair share, and had death wrap around my throat like a cord as they tightened it to their amusement but there was a gruesomeness to Venom losing control over his human charade. His skin tore as easily as the wrapping over a Christmas present, fluttering to the ground with a weightlessness that did not emulate real flesh. There was no blood, but as he clawed at his face as if to scrape at something annoying out of his way, and revealed nearly translucent skin that was rapidly hardening as it shimmered silver, blotches of white that became more prominent and then solidified in color, I shuddered. I could not blink, I couldn't even lift my chest to breathe as I watched him near me in animalistic lunges.

Animalistic. Yes, that was it. His hands were outstretched to me, outstretched fingers arching as they connected, five fingers turning into three thickly compacted claws that continued to grow curved. What had been long and graceful limbs vanished as his body expanded, dropping him to the ground, but not slowing him as he continued to change. I took one step back out of shock and then another as he continued to approach with wild eyes. The calm gold I had grown accustomed to was but a mere ring around his pupil as red took over with little green flecks sprinkled about, but those too were beginning to vanish as his skull cracked and popped, growing and expanding in length.

Multiple curses filled the air as a snap sounded out and then we were all falling into the dark. Another enraged snarl filled the air, and my ears and chest vibrated with the sheer force of it. I could not see him, but the snapping sound of his teeth, made it feel like he was closer than before. My arms flapped around wildly just as light showed from below us and I bent my knees and braced for impact. I landed awkwardly and hit the ground on my side as the air in my lungs left me in a painful gasp, my ribs were definitely bruised. Something heavy scuttled and shuffled nearing me and I knew immediately without looking up what-who, it was but before I could move, hands slipped under my arms and stood me up.

"I told you to take care of yourself if you didn't want him to lose it." Viper snapped, glaring over at her brother who was going back and forth between taking a step forward and backing away, but still trying to slide closer. It was impossible to see any similarity between him now and the Venom I knew.

We were inside the tower. I knew just by the stone walls that boxed us in, we were in what looked to be an open dirt field. Multiple large craters filled the ground, scorch marks and broken wooden fragments littered the ground, but other than that we were the only ones here. The Master of the tower must have teleported us here once she saw him, no matter how powerful she was, Venom's weight would have put up too much of a strain in his aggressive state. He was larger than a two-story building and still growing, his head shaking side to side as horns began to grow atop of his head. How had he managed to hide that form?

"I'm fine." I choked out as he stilled and turned his head slowly until his eyes landed on me. His pupils expanded and then shrunk, the thin line of black watching me. My appendages curled at the attention. The quickening of my heart as it tried to climb out of my throat, to distance itself from the body the animal had grown interested in. Venom's nostrils flared, a wet hiss filled the air. My next breath showed in a huff of cold air.

Viper's head snapped over to give me a pointed once over, disapproval and something else making her hiss. "We are going to have to discuss your definition of fine later." She motioned over to the large lizard-like creature at the corner that could swallow me whole. "Go calm him down."