The Venomsworn

Kaelen Nox’s POV Pitch black! That was all I could see. We hardly ever experienced nighttime here on Vxxrrtoea, and if we did, it was for a very short period. In fact, we referred to those periods as 'The Noir'. None of us really knew what it felt like to be in complete darkness. It was a strange feeling. The darkness was so complete, it swallowed all sound, leaving only a hollow ringing in my ears. I tried to open my eyes, but they felt very heavy. The massive blow must have done a number on me. Time seemed to have paused and everything was moving in slow motion. So, I harnessed the power of time, and tried to pull myself up. But, the air was heavy and thick, pressing in on me with an immense weight. Just then, my eyelids opened up a little and soon, sight! I defied the wind, struck my eyelids wide open and braced myself up for the next impact. “Next impact?” I thought to myself. “How about I become the next impact?” I looked Dallaxxs Blaxskn straight in the eye as a derisive smirk formed on my face. He was bigger than me alright, and I had lost to him countless times, but I wasn't going to let that happen this time. So, I picked up my vxx-spear and positioned my right leg in front of my left. I could feel the anger growing from within me as I felt the intense heat of the soil beneath my bare feet and then, with a very loud cry, I charged at him as I held on tight to my vxx-spear. Everything happened so fast. The next thing I remember was a loud thud. Dallaxxs Blaxskn had fallen to the ground. It was a fight to the death and I won. “Am I dead?” I asked myself. I was so sure that I was, or at least that was what it felt like. I had passed out for a moment and in those moments every single second of the last three hours of my life flashed before my eyes. Eventually, I regained consciousness but everywhere went quiet for a few minutes, or maybe it was I who had lost my hearing due to the intensity with which Dallaxxs landed on my body. With the last atom of strength in my bones, I pushed his lifeless body off of mine and to the ground. He sure generated lots of dust—my whole body was covered in it. I smiled to myself, “I won!” I couldn't believe it. I actually beat this large overbearing beast. The crowd was still silent, not a single sound could be heard. It was almost as though they had been frozen in time. I guess they thought I was dead as well. I mean that was the school of thought then. No one could ever beat Dallaxxs Blaxskn in combat. It was either he crushed you to pieces or you both ended up dead—and, of course, you'd be considered more dead than him. It was then I realized that I had to stand up. I tried to get on my feet a couple of times, but my strength failed me. After a lot more attempts, I finally stood up. I pulled out my vxx-spear which was locked between Dallaxxs’ eyes and deep into his skull, swiped a good quantity of his blood with my right hand and smeared it across my forehead. In Vxxtorrea, nothing spells victory more than the mark of your opponent’s blood on your forehead. We believe it carries with it their fear and eventual defeat. With a loud roar, I lifted the spear towards the sky and immediately the crowd went wild. I had never heard anything more melodious than the chants of a happy crowd and the continuous beating of drums in my honor. The rhythm of the drums—deep, resonant and thunderous—throbbed in my chest. The chants rose and fell like waves, each voice joining a chorus of praise. This wasn't just any combat; it was the penultimate trial of four wicked trials. At the end of which a number of us, young male vxx would be chosen to join the Liberated Liions. It was every boy's dream growing up—to be among the glorified ranks of the Liberated Liions. The Liberated Liions are not just an army; they are the living embodiment of Vxxtorrean honor, a fighting force composed of the most resilient and formidable warriors the planet has to offer. They are the Vxxtorrean elite, forged in the fires of the Crucible of Vxx, and the sole guardians of their people. They are the pride of every clan, the stuff of legend, and the future of Vxxtorrea. This particular trial had just ushered me and the rest of us who had successfully passed this stage into our final trial. Kaelen! Kaelen! Kaelen! As they chanted my name, I couldn't help but recount every detail of my most recent victory. The feel of the soil beneath my feet as I charged at Dallaxxs, the triumphant smear of blood on my forehead and the deafening thud as his body hit the ground. That derisive smirk still played on my face, not for the victory itself, but for the irony of the moment—that I, who had never known true darkness, had emerged from the trial with a deeper sense of who I was. And as their shouts of victory echoed around me, I was already imagining what the coming trial would entail. “Would it be a test of strength, a battle of wits, or something else entirely?” I thought to myself. A shiver, not of fear, but of anticipation, ran down my spine. The final trial awaited. “Kaelen Nox!” I heard a familiar voice call out to me from behind. I turned back instantly, it was JD Blaxskn. He was the guardian of the Crucible of Vxx and a legendary figure envied by all. He was massive and Stoic—a towering figure and the embodiment of his clan's brute strength. His form was not just large; it was a solid, imposing mass of muscle and bone, sculpted by a lifetime of combat and trials. His movements were deliberate and powerful, betraying deep reserves of strength that are rarely needed. As for his demeanor, he was profoundly stoic. His face, scarred by countless battles, showed no emotion. His eyes were calm but piercing, reflecting the wisdom and immense weight of being a guardian and a living legend. This stoicism was a sign of his authority and control, an unshakeable presence in a world of chaos and violence. He had served in the Liberated Liions for thousands of solar years as an ordinary soldier at first and then as a commander. He had led them into numerous battles which were effortlessly won under his leadership. Being over 700 solar years old—but hardly looking his age—he decided to resign as the chief commanding officer and rather train young men like us into becoming the Liberated Liion we were meant to be. “Sir!” I saluted. I immediately ran towards him. He was a kind and reasonable man, but he didn't like to be kept waiting. A lot of the boys had earned long hours of bathroom duty just by answering their call too late or giving excuses. “Come over here son!” I went ahead with him. As we gradually left the arena, I could hear the chants fade away. We walked a little distance and all the while we walked, he uttered no words except for the intimidating sound of his heavy breath. Suddenly he stopped. With his hands crossed behind him and he looked me straight in the eyes. A cold shiver, despite the spitting heat wave, ran down my spine. I had never actually been summoned by him before, how much more taken a walk with him and, even worse, looked straight into his eyes. I only ever witnessed him from a distance. A thousand thoughts ran through my mind at that moment. “Am I in trouble? Did I mistakenly forget one of my duties? Perhaps an unpolished pair of boots or an untidied stable?” I wasn't even on stable duty for that week. Well, you can never be too careful, I guess.