Almighty Bruce

20th November 2045, the day the fate of Bruce Spencer changed drastically after five years of confinement in Red Dungeon. Red Dungeon was an underground prison located in the boundary between Northern and Western Bermia, two countries divided due to tyranny, corruption, and foreign interference. Only the worst of criminals were imprisoned in the Red Dungeon- Warlords, Terrorists, and any other dangerous criminal who couldn’t be kept in a normal prison. Escape was impossible, and any attempt could lead to death as the prison was surrounded by icebergs, and was under a freezing temperature. Additionally, there were robot-controlled automated machine guns and drones ready to shoot down anyone who attempted to escape from the Red Dungeon. But Bruce was nothing like most of the men in that place. His only offense was that he agreed to get married to Stacy Beckham just to solidify an age-long business partnership between the Spencers and the Beckhams. Bruce was left with nothing but fury and a quest for vendetta until the day Ace Decker came to take him out of prison. Bruce’s Parents and younger brother were killed in a fire, and he was accused of killing the Mayor of Pinewood City. Initially, the plan of his assailants was to kill him, but a strange lady saved him five years earlier, and he hoped to repay her someday. “You do not belong here, Bruce Spencer. Let’s put your rage to good use.” Ace freed Bruce from prison, and taught him everything he knew. The old General was about to retire, and he was in search of someone capable who was going to take over from him at that moment when war was still imminent. The rest of the prisoners were relieved that the King of the Dungeon as they fondly called Bruce was leaving. His presence echoed sounds of intimidation and terror into their nerves, and it was so intense that even the prison wardens were wary of him. “We can now breathe some fresh air.” One of the old prisoners whispered while he peeped through his prison bars, his voice as shaky as the tromping sound of his heartbeat. Bruce halted right in front of the iron gates, and everyone remained still, waiting for him to be uncuffed so that he could leave them alone. Finally, the gates were wide open, allowing the rays of the sunlight to glow into the underground prison, but they weren’t as piercing as the gaze from Bruce’s blue orbs. “You are a free man, Scar!” The Chief warden taunted, referring to the scar under Bruce’s right eye, a souvenir from those who tried to kill him before he was imprisoned. Bruce scoffed at the Warden’s words, turning to give him a death stare. “My freedom was never in your hands. I would have been free if I wanted..” The menacing response the Chief Warden heard from Bruce forced him to swallow hard saliva, and he couldn’t wait to shut the iron gates after him. Another five years were gone, and the war was finally over even though Northern and Western Bermia were still separated. But a truce had been called, and the bloodshed was over. The two nations were filled with the resounding echoes of the name of the legendary General who had single-handedly defeated their enemies and had over five hundred thousand troops under his command. Bruce Spencer was called a lot of names. Some called him the Scarred General, some others referred to him as the Vanquisher, the War-God. Nations trembled at the mention of his name, and even the night remained calm due to his presence. He was set to return to Pinewood, the Metropolitan of Northern Bermia after ten years. The anticipatory look on his face was accompanied by flashes of pain from the tragic incident that cost him his family. His enemies thought they were never going to see him again, but he was like fire and brimstone, ready to consume them all. “General? Everything you asked for has been done. We are set to leave.”Bruce’s right-hand man and Commander in his Army Enzo Rivera said. “But I have some disturbing news.” Enzo continued, not certain of how the General was going to take the news. “Out with it already, Enzo.” Bruce couldn’t wait any longer to hear what the Commander had to tell him. Summoning the courage to tell Bruce what he wanted to hear, Enzo sighed before he spoke with an audible whisper. “It’s your wife, Stacy Beckham.” The mention of the name Stacy made Bruce turn instantly, but the look he saw on Enzo’s face made his smile vanish, and a curious expression replaced it. “I think she is married to someone else,” Enzo said with a firm voice, unable to maintain eye contact with the General. “It can’t be. Stacy can’t do that to me, she promised that she was going to wait.” Bruce tried to hold onto the promise his wife made to him ten years earlier, but doubt besieged him. “I have to see for myself.” Bruce hurried into the helicopter that was ready to take him back to the City, and they left for Pinewood at once. The sights of the helicopter in the sky and speeding armored cars that trailed it on the ground were enough to tell everyone that the war had ended. So many waved at them while others sang praises of the Vanquisher who had brought victory to them even though no one knew what he looked like and only heard stories about his triumph. The soldiers returned to back to their families, awaiting the day the General was going to summon them. They were willing to give their life for him, including Enzo who swore to be by his side always. It wasn’t long before the whirlybird landed in the middle of Flora Villa, the home of Bruce Spencer which he left for his wife Stacy. The whirring sound of the blades died down slowly as the engine went off until they could no longer raise dust from the ground. There was a party going on inside the castle-like edifice, and Bruce was certain that it wasn’t a welcome ceremony in honor of him. Moved by the intense curiosity that engulfed him, he stormed into the building, and the most heartrending sight was right there for him to behold. In the arms of another man was Stacy Beckham, Bruce’s wife. She wrapped her arms around the man’s shoulders and looked into his eyes with a beam. It was obvious that that they were the celebrants and the pain in Bruce’s chest became more severe when he recognized the man who had possessed his wife.