MCU: Skull and Bones - Chapter 24: Testing

Chapter 24: Testing

2011

Middle of the Desert, New Mexico

(Omniscient POV)

The desert was a furnace, a land of scorching sands.

The wind started to pick up as a sandstorm began to blow away huge dunes and dumped them elsewhere. Dark clouds began to fill the sky as the ground below began to shake.

The endless flat horizon is suddenly broken by a group of tall jet-black stone pillars sprouting up from the ground like giant mushrooms.

The pillars began glowing with strange crimson symbols as they created a dome of energy around a single area.

As the red energy barrier made contact with the sand below, it began to corrupt it and changed the sand into a gradient black color.

After a while the pillars sunk back into where they came from, leaving a single zone of black sand where they had surrounded.

In the middle of the barren black sand, stood a lone dark figure.

Moving closer we see that The figure was covered head to toe in raven black plate armor. The armor shifts into place around the figure as the helmet takes the appearance of an unsettling skull face, with an empty vacant look in its pitch black eye sockets.

{A/n: Image Here –>}

After another long moment, a crimson glow began to be emitted between the rivets from within the armor. Moving up the metal till it filled the eyes of the helmet, giving the eyes a sinister look, and waking up the passed-out man inside.

************

Middle of the Desert, New Mexico

(Brock POV)

Waking up I felt…different. Like every fiber of my being had gone through some sort of drastic change. My body felt like it was sturdier and full of energy.

Raising my gauntleted hand, I noticed the familiar crimson energy pulsing beneath the gaps. Looking closer I also saw that a faint, red-tinted, translucent barrier clung firmly to the armor.

Putting my hand down, I attempted to take my first step and noted that while the armor appeared heavy and durable, It was extremely lightweight and flexible to move in. It felt like I was wearing any other regular clothing.

Seeing through the helmet of the armor also felt weird, as I wasn’t really looking through my eyes but I could feel everything close to me at a 360-degree angle. I could feel the wind hitting my armor and every grain of sand I stepped on.

While examining these new sensations the armor gave me, I opened my link to question Cyttorak.

“I see the ritual has been completed, Child. You can now officially call yourself my Exemplar.” The ancient being stated.

“Can you explain to me what all I can now do in this?” I asked.

“While wearing the armor, your body generates no fatigue toxins during physical activity, granting you unlimited stamina. It also generates a personal force field around you, which greatly enhances your physical durability, to the point that you might even survive a strike from that thing you called a God.”

While listening to Cyttorak’s words about how much stronger I had just become, a huge smile began to form underneath my helmet and to my surprise, I could feel the mouth of the helm move to mimic me as well.

“How exactly do I use this stuff?” I asked.

“That’s simple, child. Run.”

At his words, and eager to try out my new powers, I bent down a little and took a running stance.

As I took my first step, I could feel the sand beneath my feet sink down.

My pace began to pick up and I noted that while the armor felt lightweight, it still affected my speed. Making me a little slower than I usually was.

As my legs moved and I gained more momentum, the air around me began to get hotter and the faint forcefield around me got even thicker.

The sand was kicked up by me as I was charging through the desert, but eventually, I came across two large cliffs with a wide crevice between them blocking my path.

I tried to stop, slow down, or even turn but my body wouldn’t listen to me. I was like a train stuck on its tracks.

“FUUUUUCCCCCKKKKKK!!” I cursed as I launched myself off of the cliff.

Gravity took hold of me and I could do nothing but watch as I barreled my way over the chasm and into the stone wall of the other cliff, making a large crater with my body.

Finally, my momentum stopped as I lay there in the crater.

“The Armor will take some practice to get used to, child.” Cyttorak’s deep voice suddenly called out.

But I didn’t answer him. I already knew I would need to train to fully master these new powers.

Right now, I was just like a cannonball, destroying everything in my way while moving in a straight line. But I wanted to be a heat-seeking missile, able to maneuver around to catch my target.

*************

Washington, D.C.

The Triskelion, S.H.I.E.L.D Base

One Week Later

(Phil Coulson POV)

“So we’re just supposed to watch this guy and report any suspicious activity?” Clint asked as we walked down the corridor of the base.

“Yes, Director Fury doesn’t want any action taken until we know if they’re up to something or not,” I answered.

We stopped walking as we reached the elevator that led to the S.T.R.I.K.E team’s barracks.

Stepping inside we waited as the door closed, and the redhead next to us finally chimed in.

“What’s so special about this guy, that we both need to be assigned to his team?” Natasha asked.

“I wouldn’t underestimate him if I were you, he was the only agent to take down Thor while we were in New Mexico. That includes you too Clint.” I responded

Clint muttered something under his breath as the door to the elevator opened and we caught sight of the unit of soldiers running through training drills.

Stepping out of the elevator we noticed a young man the black hair and Hazel eyes off to the side, overlooking his unit’s training. Another plain-looking man was standing behind him, acting as his second.

“Captain Rumlow,” I called out but the young man didn’t even look in our direction.

“Agent Coulson. To what do I owe the pleasure?” His cold indifferent voice responded.

Clint and Natasha exchanged looks at the young man’s blatant disrespect but neither said anything.

“I want to introduce you to the two specialists who have been assigned to your team.”

This made the young man turn to face us, and I could feel a slight pressure from just his cold gaze alone.

He looked over Clint but I could tell the man didn’t think he was anything special, as his eyes immediately dismissed him and turned towards Natasha.

A strange look passed through his eyes as he stared at her, but I couldn’t tell what the guy was thinking.

“Are you relieving me of my command..sir?” He asked.

“Nothing like that. This is Agent Clint Barton and Agent Natasha Romanoff. They will be assigned only to assist you on your missions.”

The young man nodded, finally taking his eyes off Natasha and looked toward me.

“Did Secretary Pierce sign off on this assignment?” He questioned.

A small smirk came to my lips at his words.

“This order came directly from S.H.I.E.L.D Director Fury. Last I checked, he didn’t need the Secretary in order to make changes to his forces.”

The young man stared me down for a second before nodding and turning toward the man standing obediently behind him.

“Jack, show Agents Romanoff and Barton to their quarters.” He said as the plain-looking man nodded.

Brock turned back towards our group and I noted again that his eyes lingered on Natasha, ignoring Clint as if he wasn’t there.

“Once you get your bearings, return here for midday training.” He ordered

Natasha and Clint both gave me a look but moved to follow the plain-looking man.

**************

Middle of the Desert, New Mexico

(Omniscient POV)

In the barren wasteland of the desert, a lone figure can be seen walking the harsh sands.

The figure was a short burly man with a long mane of messy black hair that reached his back and a full straggly beard on his face.

The man continued to walk until he finally reached his destination. An area completely covered with black sand.

The man bent down and ran the sand through his fingers before raising it to his nose and sniffing.

“Looks like we just missed them.” His resounding voice called out to seemingly no one.

But internally, a dark bestial voice answered him.

“Find them. We cannot let that bastard’s exemplar get stronger.”

The man stood back up and looked around the barren area.

“We don’t even know if he’s still in this state. How am I supposed to find him?” He asked.

“If you can’t do the job, Mutt. I’ll find someone else who can.” The bestial voice called out.

The man let out a tired sigh and began trudging his way through the scorching hot sands. Looking for someone he didn’t even know.

**************

A/n: Hey guys! As always hope you’re enjoying the story and thanks for reading!!

Since the MC had a big power boost in these last couple of chapters, I am going to list some of his new abilities below.

They are separated into two sections: Unarmored and Armored. While wearing the armor the MC still has access to his other abilities but when not wearing it he won’t have access to the armor’s abilities. As he grows and gets more powerful, so will the Armor.

Unarmored Powers:

Superhuman Strength- Able to lift up to 25 tons.

Partial Bulletproof Skin- Small caliber artillery (at or below 45.) bounces off of him but anything stronger can penetrate his skin.

Slow healing factor- He can heal from wounds that would be fatal, but he will need time to recover.

Contaminant Immunity- Immune to all toxins, poisons, and diseases.

Weak Mental Resistance: Can see through weak Illusions and sense when someone is trying to read his mind but can’t stop them.

Summon Armor: Can summon his specialized armor at any time he wants.

Armored Powers:

Self Sustenance- Has no need to breathe, eat, or drink. The armor generates weird mystical energies that provide him with the nourishment of sleep, nutrition, hydration, and oxygen.

ForceField- capable of generating a personal force field around himself, which greatly enhances his physical durability to the level of surviving a few attacks from a fully powered Thor.

Mental Resistance- Provides him with complete protection from telepathic attacks and Illusions.

360-Degree Sensory Field- Able to generate a small 3-foot field that can be used to detect all that occupies it. While in the armor he can use any/all of his senses in all directions at once, allowing him to taste, feel/touch, smell, hear, see, etc., omnidirectionally at the same time.