BCT Fight 4: Showdown

Fight 4: A Showdown for the Ages

'This fighting isn't going to get any easier,' Jonathan thought to himself. 'I wish I didn't have to go to those lengths to beat Tammy; I feel like a jerk...' Even though he was pushed to his limits, Jonathan knew that his methods weren't the best. He sat back down under the tree where his former opponent hung and tried to clear his mind.

'I guess I can take comfort that it didn't hurt her and she got to go home... if only it were that easy for me.' Jonathan then slapped himself across his face.

“Snap out of it! You did what you had to do! You know what you want out of this whole crazy tournament, now go get it! FIGHT!”

Beep! Beep! Beep! went the call of the wrist-screen once again, but Jonathan didn't jump from shock, he was ready.

“Not this time, buddy! You're not getting the jump on me. What do you have this time?”

The screen read: “Congratulations! You have advanced once again in the Battle City Tournament. You are truly one of the best and brightest entrants in the field, but your toughest  test lies ahead in the next opponent we have selected for you. The information is being relayed to you now. Good luck!

You'll need it.

1784, SE.”

“Well, that one line does not bode well. Better prepare for this, if this hunk of junk is to be trusted.”

Jonathan checked the status of his wrist lasers, which still had about half the available power left, and collected all his stray arrows, putting them back in the quiver. Suddenly the wrist-screen beeped again, not from tracking but as if another message was received.

“Huh? This thing just gave me my pairing and info. What does it want now?” The message filled Jonathan's face with fear.

The screen read: “Give up now, you filthy human. You are digging your grave every second you resist. I have destroyed every other pathetic opponent I've faced and you will not be spared. If you truly have a death wish, I will be waiting at the top of the city's forcefield tower, ready to be your executioner. Razor.”

“And that bodes even worse.” He paused and took a deep breath. “Looks like I've got no choice. I stared death in the face earlier in this tournament, literally, and survived. I can do it again.” Jonathan flung his quiver on his back and marched towards the central spire.

---------------------------------------------------

“So this is Razor...” Jonathan pondered aloud as he headed to his possibly final fight. The picture of Jonathan's opponent filled the wrist-screen: a very sinister-looking red and black  robot monkey with glowing red eyes and spikes encompassing his entire body. “'A destructive force throughout the tournament, Razor appears to lack any scruples towards killing his opponents or anyone that crosses his path. The only things sharper that his calculating mind are his claws, which can fire dark energy and inject venom into his victims.' Oh, joy. This keeps getting better with every passing minute.”

Soon enough, the archer had arrived at the base of the Battle City forcefield tower: a massive needle of twisted steel that from ground level appeared to graze the heavens, or at least some thick clouds. At the top, several satellite dishes adorned a large platform, powering not only the shield around the city but the communications for all the competitors. As he arrived, the screen beeped again with another message from Razor:

“I see you've made your choice, foolish human. Prepare to meet your end. There is an elevator through the front door that will send you to the roof. Expect no mercy.”

“I wouldn't want it any other way,” Jonathan said solemnly. “If this is my finale, let's give God a show he'll never forget.” He walked inside the tower, quickly found the elevator and pressed the button for the roof. The doors closed with an ominous hiss and clunk and the car began to rise.

---------------------------------------------------

“This will be my easiest fight yet, Ebony... if you could call it one.”

'Please, Razor, don't do this! If you're going to fight, at least make it fair!' A voice inside Razor's mind pleaded. The voice belonged to Ebony, the soul of a good monkey trapped inside Razor, often attempting to act as a conscience.

“SHUT UP! The human knew what he was getting himself into. If he wanted to live, he would have given up. Besides, I'm sick of this city and all the red tape I have to go through to complete the mission.”

'Fine, Razor. I'm through fighting this. Do what you will.'

“Now that's more like it, Ebony. My body, my rules.”

Ding!

“Ah, music to my ears,” the dark monkey smiled, baring his jagged, metal teeth. His claws began to glow a bright red in anticipation of a sweet slash to his newest prey. But as the doors opened...

Crunch! Dead center of Razor's chest was impacted by an arrow.

“Surprise, you little demon monkey,” Jonathan said with a grin as big as Razor's a second ago.

“HOW DARE YOU! You, a sniveling excuse for life, trying to get the jump on me?! I've got news for you: I am more powerful than you could ever imagine and even the element of surprise cannot save you.” Razor clutched the arrow and ripped it out of his chest, crushing it in his claw.

Jonathan simply shifted back to his solemn look. “The one thing you can't crush is my spirit. I don't care if you're stronger than me, that's never stopped me before.”

“Then stop this!” In a flash, Razor disappeared.

“What the..?” Before he could think, Jonathan's left jacket sleeve shredded and a rush of pain surged into his arm. “AAAH!” he winced and clutched the wound, dropping his bow. Razor's claw dug into Jonathan's skin deep enough to make a sizable, bloody gash.

“Apparently, your human eyes can't keep up with my speed...” said the shadowy simian as he reappeared in the same spot he started at. “and neither can your skin.”

“You... still don't... scare me...” Jonathan groaned, still entrenched in the sting of his cut. “I will... defeat you.”

“Show me, human. Show me that you aren't just some glutton for punishment.” Razor closed his eyes and the glow from his claws faded. “I'll even give you a free shot at me, just because I'm so generous.”

'What are you doing, Razor?” said Ebony into her host's mind. 'I thought you wanted to end this!'

'Nothing wrong with toying with wounded prey. Just watch.'

'This is my chance,' thought Jonathan. 'Time to use the old bravado twist again.' But as he tried to channel his telekinetic energy, the wound from Razor's cut flared in pain again. “CRAP! What's with this cut?!”

“Ha, I knew you'd try something with your telekinesis, boy. I had this planned long before you ever stood in front of me. Also, I forgot to mention one teeny little detail...”

“WHAT?! What is it, you psycho?”

“That cut on your arm? I laced my claws with what I like to call my Red Venom: an infusion of dark energy that will feast on your mortal soul. Prepare to have your mind blown, and every squishy internal organ in that vile fleshy body of yours. I'd say you have... about five minutes of free will left, so use it wisely.”

Razor pressed a few small buttons on his arm and Jonathan's wrist-screen began to beep in a rhythm. A large countdown clock had taken up much of the screen, ticking down from five minutes.

“Once again, the choice is yours. Die by my hand or succumb to the venom.”

“But... how? Why?!”

“Oh, it's nothing to worry yourself about, especially when you have such little time left. Tick, tock, your little life rots...”

“I won't let you have your victory like this, Razor. Not as long as I can move.” Jonathan gathered his bow and prepared to fire another arrow towards the sinister monkey, but as he was about to fire, the burn from the venom struck again causing him to launch the arrow straight into the air, nearly impaling its owner, if not for a deft tumble.

“Don't worry your fuzzy head about that,” Razor chuckled. “The venom will take care of that.”

4:00... 3:59...

“Fine. Eat this in the meantime!” Jonathan activated a wrist laser and fired a steady flow of ghostly energy. Unfortunately, the evil simian projected a crimson energy shield with a wave of his metallic claw, reflecting the energy right back at him and striking his right leg, knocking Jonathan to the cold steel of the rooftop.

“That shield... It didn't make a dent in it at all!”

“And you're surprised?” Razor chuckled again. “You need to stop being so naive, boy. Life's too short... well, yours is. “

'What can I do? The venom sinking in deeper, I can't shoot anything at him and my telekinesis  makes the pain flare more... there's only one other thing I can try...' Jonathan slid his quiver off his back and opened up a side pocket. “It's in here somewhere.”

“Just give up, your flailing about like this is making me sick.”

3:00... 2:59...

“Never...” Jonathan growled as he finally found what he was searching for: his stone-bladed ax. He rose to his feet, using what little strength the wounds and venom hadn't sapped, and lurched and stumbled towards his opponent. “I will never roll over to you. You will not win.”

'That spirit... that determination...' thought Ebony. 'I've never seen anything like it. What's keeping him going?'

“His own foolish pride, nothing more.”

The archer unleashed a flurry of swipes and slashes from his ax, desperately trying to land a blow on Razor, but every move was met with an almost nonchalant dodge from the dark monkey. As a final attack, Jonathan threw the sharpened stone like a tomahawk, falling back to the floor of the roof, but Razor caught it without flinching and crushed the stone in his claw.

“Disgusting. It's like watching a fish flopping on the shore with no hope of ever getting in the water again.”

1:00... 0:59...

“This is your last chance, boy. Your body is nothing now, let me put you out of your misery!”

“N... never...” Jonathan barely squeaked out.

“If you won't let me have your life, I'll steal it myself!” Razor launched himself in the air landing hard, feet first on Jonathan's stomach, knocking the wind from him. The monkey flared his claw with red energy and held it just a few hairs close to his throat.

“You shouldn't have resisted, you filth. But you had to be all noble and righteous. It all... ends... now.”

0:03... 0:02... 0:01...

As the countdown struck zero, Jonathan bellowed in anguish and fell unconscious.

“HA HA HA HA! The Red Venom never fails to ravage.” Razor then pressed a button on his helmet to open a communications link. “Come in Skeleton King, this is Razor reporting in.”

A gravelly voice answered, “Report, Razor. Have you defeated the human?”

“Yes sir, a small dose of Red Venom was all that was necessary. The prize will soon be in my – wait, what the...?”

Jonathan's unconscious body had risen in a shroud of dark energy, his eyes glowing a bright red, even brighter that Razor's. His hair changed color from brown to a blood red, spiked and shiny. The bow and arrows seemed to meld into the archer's body and reemerged almost grafted to his arms.

“You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into...” barked a deeper voice from Jonathan's mouth. “And you will pay.”

“You're supposed to be dead! No one survives the Red Venom!”

“Too bad, so sad, little monkey. If you were really evil, you wouldn't have played with your prey. Now it's time for the prey to play with you!” 'Jonathan's arms ignited with black energy as he charged at Razor in an unequaled fury, forming wave after wave of arrows and flinging them with almost superhuman strength. The robotic simian tried to reflect them back, but when the energy arrows made contact with the shield...

KABOOM! The conflicting charges erupted in an explosion that pushed both combatants back.

“This is inconceivable! I killed you!” Razor shouted with anger, confusion, and fear.

“No, no, Razor. You could not, cannot kill me. Jonathan, maybe, but not me. I'm already dead, like you said.” 'Jonathan' marched forward with his soulless red eyes and arrows locked onto his target.

“You're not the only one with firepower!” A ball of red and black energy formed between Razor's claws, growing with small crackling bolts around it until it was the size of a soccer ball. But as he was about to unleash its power, 'Jonathan' fired another wave of dark arrows that impacted the orb, creating another large, crimson explosion. The super-powered archer kept marching through the fire until he was on top of Razor, foot on his chest and arrows at his head.

“How do you like having your attacks backfire? How do you like staring in the face of someone who can counter everything you throw at him?!”

“No!” pleaded Ebony, loud enough for 'Jonathan' to hear. “Please don't do this! You wouldn't be just destroying Razor, you'd be destroying me too! I'm innocent.”

“There are no innocents. Just targets... and trophies.” The possessed boy grabbed Razor by the right arm and ripped off his claw with brutal force.

“AAAHHH!!” screamed both Razor and Ebony as the extremity was severed. 'Jonathan' marched to the edge of the tower's roof, with Razor still in his grip.

“Mercy was never in the cards for either of us. Guess you were the one who needed it... and it's not coming.”

He then dropped the robotic primate from the dizzying height and cushioned his fall with a hail of energy arrows, slicing and impaling all of Razor's metallic body, which landed with a crash on the pavement.

“Sweet. It feels so good to take a life like that... I missed that feeling.” The archer turned back from the deadly edge and headed towards the door, when suddenly he screamed out in pain and collapsed as Jonathan had before.

To Be Continued...