(This chapter takes place parallel to the events of 'A Clash with Destiny' and continues upto 'X Factor'. After the duel with Max on the planet of the Orabs, Nemesis was sent by Thanos,along with Corvus Glaive and his army of the undead and indemnifiers, to conquer an alternative dimension. It's the same as ours, except that metahumans or mutants do not exist, thus resulting in the absence of heroes like the Avengers or organizations like the Nova Corps. This also potrays the protagonists of the prequel, mainly Steve Fleming, in a different light. Enjoy!)
Narrator's POV
Auckland, New Zealand
"Wretched humans!" Corvus exclaimed as he swept his glaive in an arc, beheading the rebels in front of him. Behind him, his army was routing the settlements and killing all those who tried to oppose them.
The people of Auckland were in no way prepared for the massive ship to descend from the skies suddenly, bringing an army of the undead and indemnifiers. As the civilans tried to flee, the police and armed guards tried to cover their escape, but were killed. Corvus drove his weapon into a man's heart with glee, as he killed several others with the blaster in his free hand.
"This is way better than London, but still! Do they not have a spine?" He turned his head to his companion, who was busy killing masses at a time.
Even in an alternate dimension, Nemesis was as strong as ever. He was like the Devil himself, towering over everyone else, his merciless blade sweeping at the running humans, his eyes filled with hatred. The humans shot at him, but he easily deflected the bullets with his sword. Taking a black hole grenade from his belt, he threw it at them, and watched as the humans disintegrated into dust.
"I'd take that, Glaive." He answered Corvus, his voice deep." They're pathetic. A man who shrinks away from a fight is nothing but a coward." He slashed through the crowds." I don't see why the Master's keeping them alive."
Corvus smirked as he killed the last human, and stood on a pile of corpses." Maybe Father wants to create more like you."
Nemesis snapped his head at him so fast that Corvus thought he had whiplash." What?!"
"Uh," Corvus gulped, clearly caught red-handed. He, like the others, had been told that Nemesis bore no memory of his former self. Thanos had locked those memories deep inside his mind where he would never find them. His first memory was waking up strapped to a table, and that he rendered complete obedience to Thanos. He must not be reminded of who he was at any cost."Nothing."
"Doesn't sound like nothing to me." Nemesis glared at him." Tell me, Glaive."
"It's nothing, really. Just a slip of the tongue."
"Slip of the tongue?" In an instant Nemesis pushed him back against a wall, his sword at Corvus's throat." Speak, or you'll no longer have a tongue."
"It's nothing, really!" Corvus's face became pale with fear, a rare sight in itself." You're descended from a human. Father fulfilled your destiny and gave you powers. He made you what you truly are. " Nemesis pressed the blade deeper. "You're half-human, dammit!" Corvus screamed." You're originally human, but now you've shedded your former shell and showed your true colours! That's the truth, I swear!
Nemesis released him, stepping back as Corvus grasped for breath. Gingerly, he touched his new mask, remembering how his old one had been destroyed by the Rebel in the duel.
Corvus looked at him nervously." You okay?"
"Yes." Nemesis replied without hesitation. He didn't care who he was before. What matters was he is now. And he stands with Thanos. He answers only to him.
"Take the army and advance,Glaive. Kill any humans in your way. Destroy everything."
Corvus left without a word, leaving Nemesis standing on a pile of corpses, with everything burning around him. Stepping on the bloodied bodies carelessly, he walked in the opposite direction, his head swirling with what Corvus just told him.
You're half-human, dammit! You're originally human,but now you've shredded your former shell and showed your true colours! That's the truth, I swear!
You're descended from a human. Father fulfilled your destiny and gave you powers. He made you what you truly are.
His thoughts drifted to the duel he'd recently bought on the planet of the Orabs. The Rebel was fighting brilliantly against him, but faltered when he saw Nemesis unmasked. He'd dropped his weapon, his face contorted into a combination of shock and anguish. He'd seemed genuinely shocked at seeing the unmasked Nemesis. This reaction was different from all the other reactions Nemesis had got, and he was surprised by it.
Who was he?
Nemesis shook his head. A single Rebel doesn't matter much. They're his enemies, and it is his duty to kill them. And that he will do.
Nemesis didn't realize he'd kept walking till he came across a house on the outskirts of the city. This house wasn't raided, and it looked like people were still hiding there. Something about the house intrigued him. Drawn to it as a pin is to a magnet, Nemesis sprinted towards the house.
As he knocked down the door, he heard shrieks of fear coming from upstairs. Smirking, he removed his mask and latched it on his belt, and strode up the stairs. As he reached the landing, a man of about 40 suddenly blocked his path. The light-brown haired, blue-eyed powerfully built man fought well, but soon Nemesis walked past his lifeless body.
"Steve!" A feminine shout came from one of the rooms. As Nemesis broke the door down, he came face-to-face with a frightened woman of about 29. She was shaking in fear and shock at seeing her husband, Nemesis presumed, dead. Her eyes were flowing with tears.
Nemesis smirked, savouring her fear. As he unsheathed his sword and came towards her, she looked up, locking eyes with him. She suddenly went rigid, unable to move, her mouth opened with shock.
Nemesis stopped suddenly too, his gaze never leaving hers. He didn't recognize her, but she looked familiar. Very famaliar.
Her lips quivered with emotion as she slowly stood up, her body shaking. As she slowly walked up to him, Nemesis felt he couldn't move. He couldn't recognize her, but he knew her. Somewhere, deep in his heart, he knew her.
"S-Steve?" She stammered, her tears threatening to flow, her lips quivering. Nemesis stood rigid, sword in hand, his mind raging with confusion.
"W-what happened?" She asked, running her hand over his face. Her soft touch felt so famaliar, so much like home, yet it felt foreign. She ran a delicate hand over his muscles, over his armour, his hands, finally cupping his half-disfigured face." Why are you dressed all in black? Why is half your face burnt? W-what happened to you?"
Your voice is famaliar to me! I've heard your voice before. Nemesis's mind shouted, but he said," What did you say?"
She looked at him." What happened to you, Steve?"
"Who the hell is Steve?"
Her face morphed into an expression of suprise." You are."
"No." Nemesis shook his head, dropping his sword." You're confusing me with someone else. I'm not this, this Steve, as you're saying."
Her eyes widened." What are you saying?"
"Who are you?" He whispered.
"I'm your wife, sweetheart! What happened to you??"
"NO!!" Nemesis shouted in rage, releasing himself from her."I'm not your damn husband!"
She didn't give up, but held him by his shoulders." Look at me, my love, and tell me if you don't know me."
Nemesis looked at her eyes, his gaze never leaving hers."I don't."
With one swift movement,he unsheathed the knife from his belt and stabbed her in the heart. He saw her face contorted with shock and pain, her eyes slowly losing their light, till her arms drooped from his shoulders, and her lifeless body fell on the floor.
Nemesis shouldn't feel anything. To him, it should have been just another kill. Another less person to worry about.
But deep inside his heart, he knew something was breaking.
He didn't know her. So her death should mean nothing to him.
Then why did it feel the exact opposite? Why did it feel that he'd just broken his own heart? Why did he suddenly feel hollow from the inside? As he stared into her lifeless eyes, why did his face sting with hot tears flowing through his eyes?
He had no idea.
*Sobs.
No kidding. I was feeling emotional when I wrote this part. I didn't want to kill Steve's wife, but I had to. And now I'm sad at my own event.
Nemesis knows the truth at last! He now knows that he's human, he's just forgotten his own self. In response to questions, the man he killed when he entered the house was indeed Steve himself, of the alternate dimension. I'm open to comments about your thoughts as to how he should've known the truth. Feel free to point out any errors.
Please don't forget to vote and comment.