The Call to Rise

Breaking the Ice Part 3: Save Me Batman!

Sorry I'm a week late, guys! I was super busy and couldn't post anything, plus I wanted to get a decent start on the next part of this arc. But I hope that the wait is worth it! 

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Location unknown:

The red-eyed man was annoyed. Really, really, annoyed.

"Let me get this straight," he bit out, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You had K-4 in your hands, drugged and unable to fight. And you mean to tell me, that not only have you failed to eliminate the blue ninja, but you allowed him and K-4 to escape?!"

He glared at Acidicus, the leader of the Venomari cowering underneath his gaze.

"F-forgive me, m-my lord," Acidicus stammered, quivering. "The-the blue one caught us by surprise. I've never fought against anything close to the blue one's speed!"

"That is no excuse for allowing him to get K-4 and escape!" The red eyed man snapped, abruptly advancing at the drug lord and getting right in his face. "I don't care if the blue one was able to run faster than the speed of sound. Hell, I don't even care if he was able to travel through time! I expected that you and your men would have been able to handle two children!"

Acidicus shook even more. "P-please forgive me my lord—!"

"Silence!"

In one smooth motion, the red eyed man had pinned the drug lord to the wall and had a hand tightly squeezing Acidicus' throat.

"I am tired of having my men fail and then grovel at my feet, begging for mercy," the red eyed man hissed. "So tell, Acidicus. Why should I forgive you?"

Acidicus tried to answer, but could only cough as his master's hand squeezed tighter around his throat, cutting off his airway.

"My lord."

The red-eyed man growled in annoyance at the greeting. "Not now, Pythor," he snapped. "I'm busy."

"Yes, I can see that," the tall man remarked dryly, eying the choking Venomari leader, whose face was turning an interesting shade of blue. "But Skalidor and his men have arrived and are requesting an immediate meeting."

Acidicus let out a weak gurgle as the red-eyed man's grasp on his throat got even tighter. "I have no interest in listening to Skalidor babble about how he had lost the target nor do I feel like hearing him beg for forgiveness."

Pythor smirked at this. "Trust me, my lord. I don't believe that you will have to hear any of that today..."

The red-eyed man cocked his head to the side, but didn't release the drug lord in his grip.

For a few moments, the only thing that broke the silence were Acidicus' pathetic gasps for air.

Finally, the red-eyed man removed his hand from the Venomari leader's throat. Acidicus coughed and hacked as he fell to his knees.

"Pray that whatever Skalidor wants is enough to make me consider sparing you," the red-eyed man spat before turning towards Pythor. "Let him in." He commanded.

Pythor bowed. "As you wish, my lord," he replied before straightening up and clapping his hands twice.

Skalidor walked in, a pleased, arrogant smirk on his face and a slight swagger in his step. He walked until he was a feet from the red-eyed man before stopping and bowing. "My lord," he rumbled in his deep voice.

"Spare me the pointless prattle and show me what you wanted me to see," the red-eyed man snapped, getting rather impatient.

Skalidor's smirk grew even wider. "Of course, my lord," he answered, snapping his fingers. "Bring it in," He barked.