Through the Red Waves of Pain (Featuring Jack Primus) March 4, 2013

As John dragged Jack through the broken glass and away from the tall Templar, the Stalwart struggled with every ounce of his being to overcome the foul Xemmoni’s Agony Bestow. Pain arced through him that even the cold kiss of the northern winter couldn’t dispel. Jack could just pierce the red pain of the torturous magick enough to see Alex fighting his former friend as the Templar followed after them with the slow assurance of death.

John dumped him on the sidewalk and raised a machete. “I guess it’s up to—ahhhhhhgggggg.” A moment later the teen had collapsed as his body went into spasms of pain.

The blaring red eyes of the Templar burned in the night as he drew near. “Why kill you quickly,” he whispered like a hiss of steam, “when I can enjoy your death for weeks?”

“Maybe so I wouldn’t be able to do this!” a blood splattered Alex shouted from behind him before he brought an axe down on the center of the evil man’s skull. Even such a blow was not enough to kill the terrible fiend, but it did weaken his control over Jack. With a loud yell, the Stalwart leapt onto his feet and tackled the Templar around the mid-section. They went tumbling back through an unbroken window of plate glass and the Xemmoni gasped as several shards pierced his back. Jack narrowly avoided being stabbed himself as one long triangle was driven through the Templar so violently that three inches protruded through the Xemmoni’s chest.

“You must be loving all this pain, you sick freak,” Jack shouted as he smashed his elbow across the man’s chin.

“Jack, get back,” Alex yelled. “I got this!”

Jack rolled away from the Xemmoni seconds before Alex decapitated the Templar. As his head rolled towards Jack, the Stalwart struggled to his feet. “I guess he won’t be surviving that.”

Together the two men checked on John, who had begun to recover from the Temple of Pain Bestow once the Xemmoni had perished. As John slowly regained his baring, Jack addressed Alex. “How did you show up so fast? Most people would have a hard time fighting their friend. Are you okay?”

“I guess when a guy tried to stab you in the heart, you have to figure the friendship is over.”

“But how?”

Alex flashed a blood covered smile and drew his leather back to reveal a strange breastplate man of interlocked steal plates. “I made this a while ago. I never thought I’d ever use the thing for real. Guess I was wrong.”

“I’m glad you brought it with.” Alex clasped the man on the shoulder and tried to not make it look like it was to help him keep his balance. “Welcome to the world of the Stalwart. Now let’s-”

A loud crash sounded from behind the strip mall.

“Crap, Jerry and Andre are striking before we’re ready come on!”

As one, the three men raced into the store and Jack only hoped they could join the fray before it become too late for Alex’s young friends.

To be continued next Monday…

Find out how Jack’s Adventures Started… Here!

Next week Jack Enters The Temple of Pain