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Camp Valiant, Kenya-Wakanda Border
Red Guardian had been in battle in multiple wars, he’d seen the cruelty of the Nazi regime, the fanatical loyalty of the Mujahedeen, the desperation of Serbian soldiers in Kosovo and the battle hardened tactics of the Revolutionary Guard in Kuwait, but none of them compared to the sheer feral fury of the men and women transformed by the gas of the heart-shaped heard at Camp Valiant. He barely had enough time to raise his shield before the first attacker was on him, crazed screams raising from the man’s mouth as he hit the defensive ward, stumbled back and then came charging again, this time grabbing the buckler and trying to rip it away from his prey. Resisting, Guardian found that the man, formally a Lao signal operator, was almost as strong as he was as two more of the feral force descended on him.
“What are these men now?” The Rock of the Buddha asked as he waded into the fray, his rock hard body enduring the rage fuelled hits his enemy was raining down on him.
“They are the Slaves of the Panther Goddess now, they are beyond our help even at this early stage.” M’Baku sighed, as he slapped one of his attackers away, his strength still terrible to behold despite the multiple wounds that inflicted him.
“So there is no cure?” Anna asked as she dodged a series of swipes from a former Micronesian nurse, before countering with a slash of her own, the elongated nails on her hands inflicting serious wounds on her attacker, seemingly to no avail as the nurse landed her own attack.
“None in Wakanda, and I would doubt that your nations even know of the effects of the heart-shaped herb.” M’Baku replied as the Steel Samurai stabbed his sword into the ground, a furrow of dirt radiating out from the massive blade and causing sections of the camp’s floor to rise, the sudden geological shift throwing multiple feral attackers backwards.
“Gentlemen we have a new problem.” Hurricane called as he sent a torrent of wind crashing down on a group of guards, the force of the wind keeping them pinned, just as more rockets came streaking out of the forest and exploded, thick grey mist leaking out of the impact sites.
“Can’t you move it comrade?” Red Guardian asked, as he slammed on of his attackers away, before delivering a brutal headbutt to another who was attempting to climb over his guard. “You have the winds at your control yes?”
“Yes, but the problem then is where do I move it to?” Hurricane replied as we sent a wall of wind spiralling around the thick grey gas. “I can’t send it further into Kenya, and I dare not send it back into Wakanda.” He added, as the forest itself seemed to shift, seconds before a tangle of vines exploded from the ground and formed a living shield around the gas. Angered at this sudden change in the battle, the infected medics and guards converged on the vines and started hacking away in a desperate attempt to release the trapped gas, only for more vines to spring from the ground and bind their arms and legs.
“What is the source of this assistance?” The Rock asked as he caught one of the few remaining free feral folk before slamming her into the ground. No sooner had the words left his lips but a scream echoed up from the jungle on the Wakandan side of the border followed by a sickening crack. Hesitantly the Defenders headed through the line of trees to see a stockpile of rocket launchers and chemical munitions being dragged by vines into the ground in the shadow of three bodies dressed in the fatigues of the Wakandan army hanging from one of the tallest trees.
“Yum Kaax, show yourself.” Red Guardian ordered as one of the trees split open to reveal a tall figure formed from the very forest itself, a ruined stone headdress sitting atop the creature’s head, deep pools of green looking down at them.
“Guardian, and the others I was meant to serve alongside.” Yym Kaax replied in a voice that made the very forest quake. “I apologise for my lateness but other matters had to be attended to before I could leave. Much have I observed in the forests of this world turned upside down, much including the inhumanities committed in this forest by the King of Wakanda and the cruel desires of his ancestors.”
“You trust this thing?” M’Baku asked Red Guardian, as he shot disgusted glances at the monstrosity standing before him.
“Yum Kaax is the Mayan God of the Forest, and no I wouldn’t trust him or any of the others on a normal day, but here and now I know that we all want the same thing.” Guardian answered as he turned to look at the team of Defenders. “Today I would lay down my life to bring this mission to a successful close, and I know that no matter where you come from, and why you came here that you would all do the same.”
“Here, here old chap.” Hurricane added, as Yum Kaax turned to look off into the forest, his gaze followed by Anna, M’Baku and the Steel Samurai, each one of them clutching their heads within seconds of locating whatever was beyond the perception of the others.
“The forest is infiltrated by technology afoul.” Yum Kaax grunted through the pieces of fragmented flagstone that passed for the deities’ teeth.
“Isolate…harmful…audio frequency.” The Steel Samurai grunted, as he struggled to his feet. “Kaax is right, there is some kind of tower creating a sonic frequency near here, one that was built to target those truly in sync with this accursed forest.”
“There is a Vibranium Beacon at the tower’s core, it is the cause of this.” M’Baku grunted before suddenly releasing his hands from his ears. “The frequency has changed.” He grunted as Kaax and Deathstrike followed his lead. “The tower, or at least the closest one, is a quarter of a mile into the jungle. I can find it.” He added angrily as he led the Defenders deeper into the forest.
“Guardian, old friend.” Steel Samurai stated, as he held out a hand to stop the Russian from following the others too far. “M’Baku asked if we could trust Kaxx. You and I both can see the treacheries of the others; Yum Kaxx’s loyalty is to the forest not El Salvaor, he will betray us if Wakanda has the right leverage, Deathstrike is young, her mind is impressionable and easy to manipulate, the Rock has no will to fight, he would rather seek peace if he could find it even at the expense of the others, and Hurricane, well he is English, the English are covert, manipulative and double-faced. He is not here for the good of all nations, but rather here for something that will see the UK prosper.”
“I know this old friend.” Guardian replied wearily. “What is your point?”
“What does M’Baku want, he’s an unknown,” Steel Samurai answered as the two old soldiers headed into the forest after their teammates, “both in motivation and how far he is willing to go to achieve what he wants.”
**
Wakandan Jungle - 20 minutes later
“I know the jungle.” Anna sobbed as the Defenders marched through the Wakandan rainforest’s unbearable heat and biting humidity. “We’ve gone further than a quarter of a mile, he’s leading us to die!” She screamed as she pointed at M’Baku.
“Bloody child be quiet.” Hurricane spat as he slapped Anna round the face. “None of you are worthy of my time, I could have done this by myself.”
“Shpalam budet rasti i ubit' ikh vsekh.” Guardian moaned under his breath before giving a maniacal laugh and falling to his feet, the sudden collapse almost causing the Steel Samurai to trip over him.
“Gaijin Fool get up!” The Samurai spat as he kicked Guardian out of his way and stomped past the Rock of the Buddha who looked upon his teammates with pity and horror.
Mustering the courage he walked to the front of the group to where M’Baku was walking robotically forward and placed a hand on the guide’s shoulder, the sudden touch causing the Man-Ape to spin round and leer at him with eyes tinged with madness.
“What is happening to them?” The Rock asked calmly as he turned his back on his allies.
“The tower, the frequency is sending them into madness as we near it.” M’Baku growled as he turned back to stare into the forest. “They will get worse as we get closer, strange that you are unaffected.” He added, as Anna streaked over and stabbed her nails into the Rock’s back, only for the stone giant to gently remove her and place his hands on either side of her head.
“I am a solider of peace, madness has no place in my soul.” The Rock replied as he kissed Anna on the forehead. “Be released from your rage child, there is no place for it in you either.” He stated, the gentleness of his voice causing Deathstrike to stop struggling and simply go limp. “She will be asleep a brief while before awaking free of the maddening influence.” He added, as Yum Kaxx slithered over to where they were standing, his gleaming eyes watching as the Rock of the Buddha placed Deathstrike on the forest floor.
“I can feel the steel standing like a dead tooth in a healthy forest of gums up-ahead.” The forest deity hissed, just as Red Guardian got to his feet shouting Russian expletives at Steel Samurai and Hurricane, the pair of veteran heroes sizing each other up. “Save for those inside it isn’t guarded, something that feels as unnatural as the structure itself.”
“Normally there would be a garrison of thirty men at least.” M’Baku hissed as he peered through the bushes into a glade of trees, a tower constructed out of metal, albeit one that had a wood like consistency to it supporting a revolving purple beacon, a sinister screeching sound emitting from the structure every ten seconds or so.
“So what does that mean?” The Rock asked as Anna let out a loud grumble as she turned over in her sleep. As he took a step back M’Baku looked up into the trees before over at where Hurricane, Red Guardian and Steel Samurai were in a full blown argument. Suddenly without warning a shot lanced out of the undergrowth, the purple contrail slashing through the Rock of Buddha and slashing into a tree, the munition exploding in a violet haze of smoke. Seconds later multiple shots exploded from the trees, the understory and the forest floor forcing the Defenders to grab their incapacitated comrades and duck down behind the trees.
“How did you miss the snipers?” M’Baku growled at Yum Kaxx just as the shots stopped, the forest clearing filled with acrid purple smoke that bit at the eyes of the Defenders. “Wait these are Vibranium tipped munitions, we need to move before…” He never finished his sentence as the trees struck with the sniper rounds pulsed loudly, purple shockwaves flinging the people hiding behind them back into the forest. Groaning the defenders rallied, only for light thuds to sound above them, almost as if someone was jumping from branch to branch.
“Outsiders you are found guilty of trespassing on sovereign Wakandan territory. By the authority vested to us by King T’Challa, Lord of Wakanda, rightful sovereign of Niganda, scourge of Rawanda and Avatar of the Goddess, you are under arrest!” A Wakandan accented voice announced as four figures dressed in black body armour with jungle camouflage sleeves leapt into view, sniper rifles slung over their shoulders and rapiers hanging from the scabbards at their waists.
“Who are these guys M’Baku?” The Rock asked, as Deathstrike began to stir against the rotten log she was resting against.
“Don’t ask the monkey and traitor.” The speaker stated. “Khanata at your service.”
“Joshua at your service.” The second added, his words betraying a hint of a British accent.
“Ishanta at your service.” A third replied, his right eye gleaming slightly in the twilight of the forest.
“Zuni at your service.” A female voice finished as she drew her rapier, the other three marksmen doing the same. “It appears that King T’Challa was too generous with the time he allotted for us to hunt you outsiders. Now prepare yourself for death at the hands of the Black Musketeers.” She purred, as all four of the Wakandan hunting party leapt off their perches, their foils flashing as they dived like a storm of razors towards the Defenders.
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