Veronica Barnes: Trained to Kill

XXVI.

Date: 12/24/2017
Location: Sakaar

Veronica and Thor rolled across the floor as they were thrown into a room, the two immediately jumping to their feet and running to the now closed door and banging against it loudly.

"Hey, hey, hey," a soft voice spoke behind them as they panted, leaning against the door. "Take it easy." The two turned to see the source of the voice. "Over here. The pile of rocks waving at you. Here."

Sure enough there was a pile of rocks in front of them, waving. They walked forward, Veronica pushing her hair back as she walked.

"Yeah, I'm actually a thing. I'm a being," he smiled. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Korg. I'm kind of like the leader in here. I'm made of rocks, as you can see, but don't let that intimidate you. You don't need to be afraid unless you're made of scissors." He chuckled, standing up, the purple-ish creature beside him doing the same. "Just a little rock-paper-scissor joke for you." He gestured a hand over to the left of him. "This is my very good friend over here, Miek. He's an insect and has knives for hands." Miek waved his hands out rapidly, Veronica stepping out of his way to let him do his thing.

"You're a Kronan, aren't you?" Thor asked, looking up at Korg.

"That I am."

Veronica cocked a head to him. "How'd you end up in here?"

"Ah, well, I tried to start a revolution but I didn't print enough pamphlets." The group of four began walking down the hall. "So hardly anyone turned up, except my mom and her boyfriend, who I hate. As punishment, I was forced to be in here and become a gladiator. Bit of a promotional disaster, that one. But I'm actually organizing another revolution." Veronica squirted her eyes at Thor as he started jogging in front of them, Korg continuing to walk as Veronica turned around, Thor reappearing behind them. "Do you reckon you'd be interested?"

Thor panted. "How did you..."

"Ah, yeah, no. The whole thing is a circle. But not a real circle. More like a freaky circle."

"This doesn't make any sense," Veronica spoke, looking up at Korg.

"No, nothing makes sense here, sweetheart. The only thing that does make sense is that nothing makes sense."

Thor looked up, no longer panting. "Has anyone here fought the Grandmaster's champion?"

"Doug has," Korg replied, gesturing a rock hand down to a man leaning against a wall. "Doug!" He didn't move. "Our luck. Doug's dead." Veronica stared back up at him in confusion. "Everyone who fights the Grandmaster's champion perishes."

"Well, what about you?" Veronica asked. "You're made of rocks."

"Perishable rocks." A pebble fell on the ground, his head lowering. "There you go. Another one gone." He looked back up. "Yeah, no. I just do the smaller fights, warm up the crowd and whatnot." He paused. "Wait. You're not gonna face him, are you?"

"Yes, I am," Thor replied.

Veronica shook her head, looking back up. "His ego is so big." She glared at Thor. "We are, Thor."

"We," he corrected. "We're gonna fight him, win, and get the hell out of this place."

"That's exactly what Doug used to say," Korg replied, staring after Thor as he walked away from them. "See you later, new Doug."

...

"Odin," Thor spoke, staring at the wall as he knelt on the floor. "I bid you take your place in the halls of Valhalla, where the brave shall live forever. Nor shall we mourn but rejoice, for those that have died..."