Three days had passed since the small group of Bonecrushers had crossed paths with Kaito. The early morning sun was just starting to peek through the dense forest as Venom sloshed his way through the murky wetlands that rested approximately eighty miles south of the Gedarian border. At the gentle coaxing of the breeze, the leaves on the trees rustled lightly, allowing a single beam of sunlight to shine into his pale red eyes, causing him to flinch.

“Are you alright?” Havoc asked as she paused alongside him. “Do you need to stop?”

Venom grunted and pushed past her, reclaiming his spot at the head of the group while pressing forward. “Don’t be dramatic,” he growled. “I’m not a damn ghoul. A little sun isn’t going to do me any harm.”

“That so?” inquired the second woman in their group – the one with the arm deformity. “Then I sure as hell would like to know why you’ve insisted on travelling at night… y’know, when the ghouls are most active an’ all?”

“Bite your tongue, Sin!” Havoc hissed.

“Oh, c’mon! Y’know its true!”

As if in agreement, the massive bald man with a twisted jaw grunted loudly. The burned and mangled corpse they had scavenged at the explosion site rested across his shoulders.

“See? Even Woe knows what I’m talking about!”

“Enough!” Venom snapped over his shoulder. “I’m done discussing this. Anyway, we’re here now, so there’s no point in complaining.” He hoisted himself out of the waist-high muck and onto a peaty mound of land with a wooden bridge that extended further into the swamp. A single torch was wedged into the ground at the edge of the bridge but otherwise the platform was empty.

“No bridge keeper?” Havoc questioned.

“Dumbasses,” Sin growled. “What kind of idiot leaves a lit torch unsupervised in a bubbling marsh pit?”

“Hold on,” Venom interjected. “Do you smell that?”

“You mean besides the stench of decaying plants and piss water?” Sin grumbled.

“It's the smell of burning flesh,” said Venom.

“No shit?” Sin scoffed. “We’ve been hauling around a roasted torso for three days. Of course it stinks.”

“Its not that, you fool! Look there!” Venom pointed up toward the red tinted sky to show how it was hazed over in a thin veil of gray smoke. Without saying another word, Venom raced along the bridge until he reached an island surrounded by a retaining wall resembling a wooden fence. He reached for the gate just as it swung open and nearly knocked him down. A lopsided man with a severely elongated skull limped around the corner and gasped when he realized whom he’d hit.

“Your Grace!” he exclaimed in surprise. “Please forgive me, I didn’t see you there! I-I was just on my way back to-…”

“I don’t care, Maul,” Venom interrupted. “Just tell me what the hell is going on here.”

“Y-yes, of course. It pains me to be the one to inform you, Your Grace, but the Doyen… I’m afraid that while you were away, he…” Maul trailed off as he watched Venom’s reaction nervously, but the albino just stared at him with an unreadable expression.

“He’s… dead?”

“I’m so sorry, Your Grace. He must’ve died in his sleep.”

“Then that means the smoke…” Venom’s eyes widened as he put the pieces together. “Maul, where is Lethal? I need to speak with her immediately.”

“I’m so sorry, Your Grace… You weren’t here and we couldn’t risk waiting-…”

“Where is she!?” Venom demanded, prompting Maul to cower under his crazed stare.

“S-she should still be in the Doyen’s hut…”

Venom pushed past him and tore through camp, weaving between the small huts that lined the area until he approached one that was significantly larger than the rest. It sat atop a hill at the center of the island and was decorated in animal pelts that had been dyed in an abundance of bright colors. On each side of the doorway there were large stakes sticking out of the ground, and skewered along the lengths of both were five human skulls atop one and other.

He didn’t bother announcing his presence as he entered through the doorframe. Immediately he was overwhelmed by the stench of blood, and the only light to enter the hut was from a single beam of light coming through the door as the sun rose higher into the sky. Though he didn’t see anyone inside, he knew she was there.

“What did you do?” he demanded.

“Ah, there you are, Venom,” a woman’s voice purred from the shadows. “I take it you’ve heard the news? Shame you couldn’t be here for the cremation ceremony.”

“Answer the question!” Venom snapped.

“Why so quick to point fingers?” she questioned. “The man was ancient. He was pushing sixty and was never exactly a beacon of health. Quite frankly, I’m surprised he didn’t keel over sooner.”

Venom wasn’t buying it. She was too nonchalant about the whole situation, and the overwhelming stench of blood coming from the back of the hut was setting off a huge red flag in his brain. It wasn’t until that very moment he understood why. A wave of dread washed over him, but he forced himself to remain calm despite his rising fears.

“The heart…” he faltered, mentally slapping himself for allowing his voice to crack. “Where is the heart, Lethal? It’s my role as Doyen Savage’s firstborn to undergo the Transfer of Power.”

His question was met by a series of amused chuckles from the back of the hut. They sounded almost pitiful and sympathetic. Had he been dealing with anyone else, he might have believed its sincerity.

“Oh, Venom…” Lethal said finally. “Didn’t you see the smoke? His corpse needed to be dealt with of before he had a chance to turn. I had no choice but to take matters into my own hands.”

Venom could hear a light movement from the shadows, and a few seconds later Lethal stepped into view. She was a slender woman with long limbs and sleek dark brown hair that fell to the small of her back. Her face, while attractive, was quite narrow with a slightly hooked nose and large eyes that contrasted in color with the left being a dark brown while the right shone a radiant green. She was of olive complexion, but the right side of her face and body was splotched with a significantly paler pigment like a splatter painted canvas, a feature easily seen given she wore only a tattered suede pixie skirt and halter crop. Blood coated her hands and mouth, and she gave a wicked smirk that revealed fanglike teeth that had been altered into sharp points as she licked her lips.

“The Transfer of Power has already been completed,” she said. “The Doyenne title belongs to me now.”

Venom felt his whole body tremble with rage. “You scheming minx!” he snarled, flashing his own pair of sharpened fangs. “You fucking planned this!”

Suddenly remembering the long spear still holstered over his shoulder, he reached for the bone tipped weapon without thinking twice and swung at the woman standing before him. Lethal caught it just above the blade and spun around quickly, yanking it out of Venom’s grip and twirling it around before plunging the tip deep into his shoulder.

Venom cried out in pain as he fell over backwards and out of the hut. Lethal was on top of him in an instant, one foot planted firmly on his chest while she leaned her weight into the spear still embedded in her brother’s shoulder. He tried to get up, but every movement was met with a searing pain. Lethal leaned down so that her mouth was inches from his ear.

“Fascinating, isn’t it?” she purred. “The devastation even the slightest bit of poison can inflict on a weakened immune system.”

“You…” Venom gasped from under her. “You fucking traitor!”

“Quite the contrary, actually,” Lethal murmured into his ear. “Still, I believe it best that this conversation stays between the two of us. I’ll let you off with a warning this time, but don’t think I won’t be quick to act should you step out of line again. Like it or not, I am your Doyenne now. You will abide my rules and keep quiet about this, lest that tongue of yours be cut from your head, or worse.”

He could tell that she was serious in her threats. She had murdered their father in cold blood without an ounce of remorse. Venom knew she wouldn’t hesitate to do the same to him if she felt it necessary.

By now, the rest of the Bonecrushers had gathered at the foot of the hill, their curiosity sparked by the sudden commotion. Lethal stood up and pulled the spear from Venom’s shoulder before twirling it around again and planting the butt of the weapon firmly on the ground in front of her.

“Listen well, my kin!” she called over the crowd. “A hundred and nine years ago, the Gedarian military rounded up a over thirty Hotbloods to be thrown to the ghouls. These people had committed no crime. Rather, they were merely the unintended results of decades upon decades of the incestuous practices used by the Vanguard in their desperate attempt to harness Paragon. The generations of inbreeding was beginning to take its toll. Hotbloods were born weak, ill, and bearing severe mutations and deformities. Though they still possessed the uncanny strength that came from Ambrose’s genes, their lifespans were greatly reduced and their bodies were so adulterated that Paragon could no longer manifest. When the Vanguard realized their mistake, they knew it was only a matter of time before the public began to piece together what was happening behind closed doors. So they cast them out under the guise of an expedition, probably thinking they wouldn’t survive that first night. Many did not, but those that did banded together and, through sheer dumb luck, managed to survive in these wetlands. Since then, our clan has served as an undying reminder to the Vanguard of the monsters they themselves have created. We continue to interbreed and we feed upon the corpses of their fallen soldiers like vultures, but towards what purpose?”

Lethal’s lip curled in disgust as she spat the question. Venom had managed to prop himself up against the side of the hut and sat leaning against it while gripping his oozing shoulder.

“Doyen Savage was an incredible leader. He kept our clan alive for many years despite facing many challenges,” Lethal continued. “But those traditions, as well as that old petty way of life for us Bonecrushers, died with him. Simply surviving is not enough. The blood of Ambrose Gederah still flows through our veins, and Paragon may still be lying dormant within us. We must start anew if we are to reach our full potential, and the first step in achieving that is to eliminate that which stands in our immediate path; the Felids… more specifically, the traitors Kaito and Omen. They turned their backs on the clan seven years ago, and have continued to be a nuisance to us ever since. We cannot move forward as long as they and their band remain in the picture.”

Venom, while in disagreement of his sister’s approach, had been following along fairly well up until that point. He could understand the animosity toward the Felids, but this sudden interest she had in bringing them down felt like it came from far out of left field. His own hatred for Kaito was one thing, but Lethal was different. What happened between the Felids and Bonecrushers in the past didn’t interest her. She wouldn’t concern herself with them unless there was something to be gained from it. The question was; what was she after?

“In due time, we will reclaim what is rightfully ours,” said Lethal. “Paragon will awaken within the Bonecrusher clan, and the king of the desert will fall in the process. Rest well, and await further instruction. That is all.”

With that, she turned on her heel and re-entered the hut, leaving her clan to disperse throughout the swamp. Venom winced as he forced himself up and followed after his sister persistently.

“Lethal…”

“That’s a nasty wound you’ve got there, Venom…” she cut him off. “You ought to get cleaned up before it becomes infected.”

“Why go after the Felids?” Venom inquired.

“Are you saying you disagree?” Lethal asked. “I thought you’d be with me on that, if nothing else.”

“And since when do you give a damn about what I want?” he shot back.

“Didn’t you hear me just now? I want for our existence to revolve around more than a century old grudge.”

“But it’s not just that, is it?” Venom pressed. “I know you well, sister. I know there’s always a hidden motive behind everything you do, but this time I can’t figure out what it is.”

Lethal turned to meet his glare. “Look me in the eyes and tell me you haven’t felt it,” she said quietly.

“What are you yammering on about now, woman?”

“I’m talking about that spine tingling feeling you feel whenever you come close to the Gedarian wall,” Lethal explained. “The way the hair on your arms stands up, the way your heart hammers against your chest, that spike of adrenaline that creeps up on you the closer you get. There’s something ancient… powerful lurking behind those walls. I know you’ve felt it, too. We all have. Isn’t that why you decided to venture out there in the first place?”

“That’s… I…” Venom stammered. Was she right? Had he ventured so far from the swamp for reasons other than searching for food and supplies?

“It was never about finding food,” Lethal said as if reading his thoughts. “You just wanted to experience the high that radiates out from those walls. Under my rule, we’re going to find out what it is.”

“But the Felids-…”

“A similar aura can be felt around that old ghost town as well,” Lethal continued. “It’s the same, but somehow also different. It’s been that way for quite some time now. On top of that, they haven’t experienced any trouble from the ghouls in two years despite their territory having no walls or protective barriers. Why do you suppose that is?”

Venom wasn’t sure how to respond to that. The pain in his shoulder continued to throb and he was beginning to feel lightheaded. “I… couldn’t say,” he admitted with a wince.

Lethal noticed the way he was swaying and gave a soft chuckle. “Then perhaps you understand better than you think you do,” she said. “Now, go get that shoulder taken care of. I have things to attend to.”

Venom knew he was in no position to argue and began to hobble back down the hill without another word.

“Oh, and Venom?” Lethal called after him suddenly, causing him to pause and glance back over his shoulder. “All of the medical supplies has been moved over to the spare hut towards the back wall, so don’t bother hobbling over to the old one.”

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” Venom grumbled. “Why the hell did you move it way over there?” he demanded.

“Some of the guys fished something rather… unusual, from the river yesterday,” Lethal told him. “I plan on investigating the matter further, but needed to clear some space in the meantime to contain it.”

“That hut is enormous,” Venom commented. “What are you storing in there? A fucking horse?”

“That’s none of your concern,” Lethal snapped. “Now get lost before I stab your other shoulder. You’re starting to get on my nerves, and I’m done answering questions today.” With that, she slammed the door to the hut behind her, leaving Venom alone with his thoughts. The sun was just starting to peek out from the trees and he was already fucking done with that entire day.