"Wake up. Vergil."
A lulling voice whispers in my ear. But I remain asleep, the embrace of unconscious my one escape from it all.
"I said WAKE UP!"
My eyes jolt open at the deep voice. Still restrained I tug a bit at my restraints in habit. It's been about 2 months since I've been captured by the Viltrumites.
My head rises as I slowly look up. A shadow looms over me as my green eyes meet Amber. I come face to face with an old man.
My eyes widen. The metal arm, the missing eye. It's my Father.
"You!"
I bite out with fury as I shoot into the air towards the man floating above me. The chains halt all my forward momentum a few meters away as I snarl at the man.
His face twists into a cruel grin. His eyes show clear amusement as he floats just out of reach. I pull at the chains to no effect.
"That's right. Me." He speaks with some childish amusement. His eyes taking in my form with interest.
"When I took your mother. I used her as an object of relief. I didn't expect her to survive. I was quite rough after all, and in the end, it led to you, boy." His voice taunting as he refers to how I was conceived.
I hold back a snarl. Calming myself down as I float back down to the metal floor. My restraints still holding strong. Falling to my knees I attempt to tune my "Father" out.
"The Grand regent is Intrigued by your existence boy. He's personally admissioned for you to prove your worth. Trial by combat. You're the first hybrid we've had in a few thousand years... I was young then. He was fragile. His body broke when he struck one of us. And for his weakness we killed him. Brutally. But you? You're special. You are my son boy. I expect much from you." His deep voice resonates with me. But I completely ignore him.
"You can stay silent. But I know you are listening. Don't you want to see that insect you call your mother again? How long does her kind live again? 5 cycles around that red star of theirs? How much longer does she have?" That makes me growl. I clench my teeth to resist the urge to scream his head off.
If looks could kill I would have eviscerated him 100 times over. I take deep breaths and try to calm myself.
A cold smile finds its way onto my face eventually at a certain thought.
"You... when I get out of this, one day I'm going to kill you..." I promise. My smile widened at his brief shock before he laughed.
"You have much to learn boy. But so be it. I'll be waiting for you to challenge me. And if the fight brings an end to my life? So be it." His tone is unreasonably calm. I feel him float out of the pit that is my prison as I return to my thoughts.
-
-
It must've been another week of being shackled before someone else came to visit me. An unfamiliar face. One eye. Peach skin, built. He's high ranking if his different clothing is an indication.
I glare a bit before sighing and hanging my head again. The hunger of not eating for a very long time slowly eats at me. If I were human I would've died on the 5th or 6th day.
"Good to see you've remained defiant. Even after being starved for upwards to 3 months." His voice is hard.
"What do you want" I bite out in annoyance. My breathing was hard. My exhaustion was very clear.
"Nothing. I'm just here to inform you the Viltrumite council decided they'll allow you to prove your worthiness. If you win, we'll accept you into the empire with open arms. " That makes me look up in confusion.
"Really? I don't suppose you'll have me fighting while starved. You people seem to be a bit prideful, I doubt you'd kill me while I'm not at 100% assuming I fail." The man raises an eyebrow before he smiles slightly.
"Correct. We'll be feeding you the proper nutrients soon. If you fail and lose the fight we have upcoming for you. Your fate is simple. Execution. Even though you're a lesser Viltrumite. It would still be a slight on the empire if you died by any other method than formal execution."
"What's formal execution," I ask curiously as the man floats down in front of me.
"We nurture you to full health. Then have 2 pure-blooded Viltrumites kill you. An honorable death." He explains. I grin coldly at the distance with a jolt. I blast towards him. Despite my hunger being immense I don't feel any weaker. Hell, I feel stronger.
Viltrumites are bullshit. It's like my body knows I'm starving and it's putting me into complete overdrive. Even when sleeping I can feel my adrenaline pumping. A survival response?
I lash out with a fist. The chains don't stop me as he's close enough, my fist meets his raised forearm in an explosion of wind as I growl at the resistance.
Even now it still feels like I'm trying to punch pure steel. Is it true? Me being a hybrid makes me weaker?
My thoughts are interrupted as I'm punched. Hard. My vision tilts as I'm sent flying back into the ground.
BANG!
I crash hard onto the stone floor. Forming a crater as I moan in a bit of pain.
"Boy, you're still a thousand years to young before you can challenge me." The man states as he turns around and floats away.
"Well be prepping you for your upcoming battle soon."
-
-
It must've been another day before I was visited again. By the same man and 2 other Viltrumites.
-Clink-
My eyes widen as I feel my restraints fall off. Rubbing my wrists a bit I look to the three Viltrumites.
"You're freeing me? What makes you so confident I won't attack you?" I question coldly. Or at least as cold as a starving physically 10-year-old boy can be.
"You know better than to attack us, boy. I know you aren't a fool. Here, put these on." The familiar one-eyed Viltrumite tosses me white clothing, The standard Viltrumite clothes from the look of it.
"Can I at least get some privacy?" I ask exasperated as the three Viltrumites remain floating. Unconcerned.
"Fine, fucking creeps."
It doesn't take long for me to change. Stretching my muscles I note the suit fits like a second skin. And doesn't restrict me one bit. With a bit of focus, my feet leave the ground I join the three in floating.
"Follow us. We'll lead you to your dining area then you'll be put under extensive test. The council and the Grand regent wish to see how you compare to full-blooded Viltrumites your age."
"So I'm just some test dummy?" I ask I return. Earning a look.
"Yes, our numbers have been depleted a lot recently. The current amount of pure-blooded Viltrumites alive is roughly 4,000. If you live long enough for your Viltrumite genes to completely take over that number will move to 4,001." The high-ranking Viltrumite explains as I snort.
"What's your name?" I ask it's been a while since I've held a conversation with pretty much anyone long
The man smiles at me slightly. The most friendly gesture I've seen from any Viltrumite so far.
"If you survive your testing and join our ranks. You should refer to me as General Kregg." I blink a bit before shrugging. He's from Invincible Cannon. Bleary memories of him punching Mark in the face go through my mind after he says his name.
-
-
Can I say that eating for the first time I'm 3 months made me cry tears of joy. Even though the food I was fed couldn't be considered more than gray slop. It filled me up great.
Viltrumites likely don't eat for taste but rather for nutritional value. If they didn't need to eat I doubt they would at all. These guys are straight cruel murder robots.
Outside of Kregg and my Sperm donor. The only emotion I've seen from these floating freaks is neutral stares and cruel smiles.
Floating behind two guards. I'm led to a large metal room, it's empty. I blink before I'm shoved in. Did I also forget to mention that Viltrumites refuse to use their feet if they don't have to?
These dickheads float everywhere they go. If I couldn't fly myself I'd assume they're just lazy, but no. Flying just feels better than walking. It's like crawling your whole life and then suddenly being able to sprint.
I prefer flying too. But it's still creepy. I sigh as the two Viltrumite guards float toward the exit. Leaving me in the center of the room as I focus on the glass windows.
Figures stare down at me. About 10, each of their faces covered in hoods that obscure their faces completely. 3 women. 7 men, I can tell by body type.
I assume this is the Viltrumite 'Council' Some of the wisest and oldest Figures around. According to Kregg. Who briefed me on some of these things while I was stuffing my face with goop. These Viltrumites are all older than even my 'Father' who's the oldest warrior.
The logic that Viltrumites grow with age is correct. But these guys have lived long enough that their powers have begun to fade. However, the hell that works. So they've been placed on this council to Provide wisdom and observe the newer generations.
I remain floating. Turning a bit to observe my surroundings as the white lights flash red. I blink cautiously as newfound weight suddenly slams down on me.
*Gravity increased by 20x* a feminine robotic voice drawls on as I keep myself afloat with visible effort and pure will.
Slots on the metal walls surrounding me shoot open. Large 10-meter-tall robots emerge. 5 of them. They have one singular red eye that glows brightly as I move backward a bit defensively
A robotic voice speaks from one of the machine's chassis as I barely move out of the way of a red laser.
Logically I could've tanked that shit. It didn't look like much. But fuck logic. I'm not eating an attack unless I'm 100% sure it can't harm me.
I don't hesitate. Despite the gravity weighing down on me heavily. My figure blurs. My perception adjusts to my speed borderline immediately as my fist crashes into one of the bots.
I expect resistance. I expect, the robot to tank the blow. Hell, I expected it to hurt me more than it would damage the robot.
But I've underestimated how powerful I was. My fist goes right through the robot's hull like it's fucking wet tissue. The metal caves under my fist as I feel a small grin find its way onto my face.
I could use some stress relief. Ducking under a slicing beam of red energy. I dislodged my hand from the now-destroyed hull of one of the robots. My foot lashes out and sends another flying into the metal wall.
Two beams cut through the air behind me. I feel my hair rising as I move on instinct. It's like my body was built to fight.
I maneuver in between the two beams. Kicking off the air itself as I blast towards the two bots behind me. The sound barrier dips out under my speed as my fist crashes into one of the robot's red eye. Destroying it.
I don't get a moment of respite. Immediately a fist crashes into my side. Sending me careening to the ground. But I catch myself with my flight.
Is it just me or did the enhanced gravity fade away?. The red lights are still on so I doubt it. Did my body adapt to it? It's been line 2 minutes.
Fucking Viltrumites and their unfair bullshit. It's not that I've adapted. More so grown used to the constraints of the 20x gravity.
I've subconsciously begun to adjust how much force I use to move around on an insitctual level. Likely some deep latent form of reactive adaptation. No wonder these guys just go around the universe in space unaided.
When your mind and body adapts to most things you run into. It's not crazy to be that confident in yourself.
My thoughts are interrupted by the robot who punched me. There's 2 remaining. The one I sent into the wall and the other one I ignored. They stand over me menacingly as their single eyes glow a bright red.
Just as the twin beams shoot towards my down form. Move. My body maneuvering in nothing short of a blur as I appear behind them both.
I clap my two hands together full force. A loud thunderous force shoots out and slams into the robots. Sending them flying into the wall as my small smile goes into a full blown grin.
Am I the only Viltrumite that has used their impossible strength for anything more than punching and kicking? Probably. And I'll take it!
The gravity dies down as I note the clap disabled the two robots. I breath out a bit at the weight being lifted.
That didn't even work up a sweat. And it helped relax my mind. I've been too angry to think normally for 3 months. It's calming to finnaly chill
"Okay. What's next!" I ask the ten figures almost enthusiastically.
-
-
4 months. It's been 4 months since I've become a literal test subject. I'll be turning 2 years old very soon. Not that I look my age. Physically I'm probably around 14-15 now.
(A/N the older he gets the slower he ages. That's how Viltrumites work. So by the time he's physically around 17 he won't age for a while. And his skin will lose its green hue entirely. Just clearing things up for those unfamiliar with invincible Viltrumites)
My green skin has become a small after glow now. Long gone Is the complete lime skin tone. I'm pretty white now. With a green hue. Which is weird cause I was black in my last life. I think.
My hair is no longer short. Now it's thick. And has a weirdly cool natural look to it. But anyways things have been boring.
At first. Testing my powers was a fun escape from the reality of my situation. Now. It's just a chore. Same boring robots. Same increased gravity.
I'm getting stronger. I can tell. So much stronger. That I basically one shot everything they throw at me. Considering Viltrumites consider themselves the strongest things in the universe it's not crazy to assume that was what is expected of me or something.
Sitting down in my cell/Living area. Which consists of a blank white room with a floating bed thing. That's it. A slave alien drops off gray goop for me to eat every now and then.
Suddenly my door slides open as Kregg and 2 others step in. I sit up a bit hastily. I haven't seen him in a while.
"Today's the day, boy. You've grown. A byproduct of your mother races pathetic lifespan I assume." Kregg speaks observingly as I waste no time floating off my bed.
I note that I'm about as tall as Kregg now. And I'm only about mid puberty. How tall will I be as an adult. Like 6'4?
Today's the day I prove I'm worthy or die trying. And I'll be damned if I go without a fight.