Magma churned beneath the ground, cracks spreading across every visible surface like the prelude to a volcanic eruption. A low, thunderous rumble echoed from below.
Bul-Kathos' face was hidden beneath his helmet, only his wild, grizzled hair and beard swaying freely. Ancient One watched silently, as if waiting for something.
"Look closely, Rumlow! Open your eyes and see what a barbarian's power truly means!" Bul-Kathos roared at Rumlow, who lay prone, bleeding.
As the pinnacle of barbarians, Bul-Kathos rarely showcased advanced techniques. His swordsmanship surpassed Swordmaster Karn's, his ferocity outmatched War God Olga's, his throwing precision bested Orlongus'. He was tougher than pain-ignoring Cassius, fearless beyond Vanguard General Karga, stronger than near-invincible Kotur in wrestling, and more frenzied than Berserker Banar against demon hordes.
Bul-Kathos achieved what other barbarians never dreamed of, surpassing every ancestor in their proudest domains. That's why he bore the greatest ancestor's name and passed all their secret trials, destined to be the next Immortal King. His presence alone embodied the barbarian spirit.
Rumlow, despite blood loss and dizziness, forced his head up. Propping his broken body into a sitting position, he fixed his gaze on Bul-Kathos with every ounce of strength.
"Damn," Dugan muttered, taking a deep drag on his cigar, inhaling the smoke into his lungs to feel its burning sting, defying the cigar's usual oral savoring.
Cracks reached Dugan's feet, glowing red with heat, drenching him in sweat. The ground's thunderous rumble grew continuous.
"Didn't expect this," Fury murmured, feeling the ground tremble beneath the cracks, unshaken by the destruction of his decoy body.
"I've always wondered why your power affects the soul directly. Can you tell me, Bul-Kathos?" Ancient One's soft voice cut through the chaos, clear to all.
"Motherfucker!" Fury's curse carried a mix of shock and fear: "Is that for real? I'm screwed!"
"No need to stall. I won't kill them outright. Fear is for the living," Bul-Kathos said. Magma burst through the ground, instantly igniting Fury and Dugan's shoes.
Maria Hill, who'd shown pity earlier, now felt despair under the searing heat. The immense power reflected barbarian rage, its precise control their restraint. Though Bul-Kathos said he wouldn't kill, the terrain-altering terror shattered her resolve.
"Yah!" A furious shout rang out. A shield hurtled toward Bul-Kathos.
"Waiting for him?" Bul-Kathos caught the shield mid-air, effortlessly lifting the charging Steve Rogers and addressing Ancient One.
Fury, Dugan, and Hill's expressions flickered from hope to horror, disbelief to despair as Steve was seized.
"Thought his presence might make you go easier," Ancient One replied calmly, not dodging the question.
"Noble ones do foolish things!" Bul-Kathos growled, tossing Steve to the ground. The scorching air flushed Steve's face red.
Magma erupted, the ground's tremors shattering it into fragments. Stones soared skyward in the molten spray.
"Such brilliant power!" Rumlow whispered, his enhanced body clinging to life. Once the blood vial reformed, he'd recover fully.
The earth's might was under Bul-Kathos' command, a sublime expression of his fury.
"No!" Steve struggled up, ignoring his pain, charging Bul-Kathos again to halt him.
But before he reached, magma rained down like a meteor shower.
"Ready to end this farce?" Ancient One asked casually, as if it were an illusion.
"After they've learned their lesson," Bul-Kathos replied, shrugging impatiently. He hurled the shield, knocking Steve flat, pinning it over his face.
The fire rain fell. Fury embraced the pain, arms wide, as if welcoming death. A magma glob snapped Dugan's cigar, burns spreading across his body. Hill screamed hysterically, leaping and running, her hair curling in the heat.
Only Steve, shielded, was spared, a few magma clumps sliding off. Bul-Kathos kept his word—no deaths. But Fury and Dugan's soul-deep wounds ended their battlefield days. Hill needed extensive therapy to return to duty. Steve, struggling up, readied to fight on.
The magma cooled into falling stones, clattering down. The cracked ground became a pitted wasteland.
Next, Bul-Kathos would aid Rumlow's redemption, letting him confront those who shamed him.
(End of Chapter)
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