A Radioactive Scourge (Chapter 1)

[randomsun21]

Author's Note: This story was inspired by this drawing (http://darkluster4.deviantart.com/ar...ight2-85568719) I have been collaborating with the artist on this project!

A Radioactive Scourge

Hurtling through the sky, a large, metallic contraption struck its way through the trees and undergrowth. Branches crashed and rattled, and with a mighty clamor, the decommissioned government satellite tumbled to a halt in the middle of a dense swamp. Steam rose from the hot metal as it gurgled in the already brackish water. The container of the thing had ruptured, and was beginning to leak something strange into the water, which fizzled and gurgled. A cloud of steam filled the foggy air, and a few of the trees still smoked from their clash with this unidentified flying object.

Luck was not on the side of the swamp?this place was heavily polluted, and teemed with disgusting parasites and dangerous chemicals. Once the dumping ground for an old fertilizer company, it had become the home to the dangerous villain: Scourge. A creature known to the forest as pure evil, his only intent was to ruin the plant life and to spread his toxins across the swamp and beyond. He was held in check by those who sought to fight for the good of the environment, and for the good of man. Thus he had always been vanquished back to his small, infested swamp. It was here he stayed, gathering his thoughts and plotting his next move.

He cursed the name of the Green Knight, the defender of good. He had foiled many of his plans against Gaia, the spirit of the earth, and seemed to always have the upper hand in thier battles. Though Scourge could drain the life from most plants, the Green Knight was simply too powerful for him to face in hand-to-hand combat. Though he knew his weaknesses the knight was simply too cunning to be caught and defeated. The Green Knight was muscular and strong, with plenty of tricks up his sleeve. Though he could be weakened by all manner of things, like acid, oil, or other repugnant sources, his quick wit was too much for the villainous creature. He?d tangled some time ago with the Green Knight. Their battle raged for hours, and shook the very roots of the trees of the forest. In the end, Scourge couldn?t overcome the powers of this annoying specimen known as the Green Knight. And thus, he was contained to this abysmal realm of mutated fish and black, bubbly water.

How he wished that there was something that would give him a leg up against this thundering, muscular, and leafy hero. He hated the way the Green Knight paraded around the forest, legs of green, with his moss flapping in the wind, his golden hair hanging down against his face as if he was some heavenly being sent to defeat him. And always?ALWAYS?he managed to find a way out of his plans. Whether it was his crystal sword that he called upon out of the ground (a gift from that horrible witch known as Gaia), his mushroom shields, or his ability to morph into any form of plant life, the Green Knight was simply too tricky to defeat.

He had been pondering a few plans (all of them dastardly, but none of them that seemed plausible) when the satellite fell out of the sky. It was as if his prayers had been answered. This metallic beast, which now sat just feet away from him, teemed with a power that he had never felt before. As he approached, he felt himself invigorated by the polluted water, and hungered only for more power at his fingertips. No, this thing had something inside its metallic casing, like some sort of sweet candy, that he was going to lay his hands upon. As he approached, he say the gash in the side of the machine that let him peer inside.

A few lights flashed, and he could see the metallic rods, still glowing, that seemed to contain the power he sought. He moved closer to the power rods and grinned evilly. His lithe body, brown and ugly as the swamp, was lean and gnarled with muscles as though his skin had been stretched to make his arms and legs unusually long. He grinned as he felt himself growing in power from the water in the swamp, and moved in to place his hands upon these leaking canisters. In an instant, the thicket of the swamp began to glow, and Scourge let out a shout. He screamed in both pain and ecstasy as he drained power from this source, his body writhing and shaking as he did so.

His taut muscles grew tighter, and he felt himself expand some as his muscles filled with more power. He groaned as he felt his arms grow bigger, and his legs press apart. He even felt as though he gained a few inches as the energy coursed through his veins. This strange power now at his fingertips. At last, he let go of the thing, and sat back. His body was thicker and fuller than it had ever been, as though he?d just drained a hundred red oaks of their life forces. He flexed a bicep, and pointed at a tree in the distance. Within an instant, a green blast shot out, and in the tree crackled, wilted, and snapped at the force of this radiation.

Scourge laughed evilly. His body had an eerie green glow in the darkness. He was armed with a new power. Now he simply had to see if it would be enough to foil the annoying Green Knight.
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?... nuclear power plants within the country, both safe and affordable forms of energy?? Kyle sat in class with his eyes glazed over. He was supposed to be learning about alternative forms of energy, but he simply couldn?t pay attention. Something was bothering him. He could just feel as though something was wrong?deeply wrong?which was a feeling that he got only when the forest had been threatened. He was deeply attuned to the call of the national forest reserve that was just a few miles from his home, and also his high school.

He had always been particularly conscious of the environment ever since he had been a young child, but certain events had heightened his ability to connect with the world around him. Kyle had been chosen, quite literally, as the defender and protector of the forest, and as a hero for earth. Gaia had christened him a few years ago as the Green Knight, protector of his forest and hero for the trees. He had faced devious villains in the past who had threatened the forest. They had each proved more difficult than the last, it seemed. He remembered one who nearly set the whole forest ablaze, and had burned his leafy skin. Another had blasted the forest with evil chemicals, poisoning and choking the plants and animals of life and turning the sky dark grey. Scourge had been his toughest challenge, one who sucked the very essence from things and used it to fuel his evil desire to conquer the world. In each instance, he had prevailed, despite his leafy form taking damage and he coming close to defeat. He had seen to it, however, that the Green Knight was not left destroyed, and that none knew that Kyle was the true defender.
Now he felt sick to his stomach, a sure sign that something was deeply wrong within the forest reserve. The tall, lanky blonde felt the hair on his neck stand as his teacher kept talking about something that was of little importance to Kyle. Instead, he felt himself grow flushed, and stared out the window to see a bright red spot streak across the sky. He shook his head as he watched it disappear, and wondered just what had happened.

?? like to explain to the class how the containment of a nuclear reactor works?? Kyle looked at his teacher sheepishly. The larger, older and imposing man who taught his advanced biology course had little patience for those who weren?t paying attention. Kyle shook his head and stared down at his desk. His teacher continued, but Kyle felt his mind drift again.

He could hear her: Gaia. She was calling out to him, and he felt his fingers tremble some. It was as if she wanted him to transform right then, at that moment! He slammed his hand down and the whole class turned around to look at him.

?Something a matter Kyle?? The teacher cocked his head at him and Kyle nodded.

?I?m? I?m not feeling well. Could I go to the nurse?? He grasped his hand. His finger tips were turning brown, the color of bark. His teacher sighed and nodded.

?Fine then, Mr. Timus,? And with that, Kyle burst from his seat and made his way out to the hall. He didn?t even bother stopping at the nurses? office. He knew that it would not be long before the change took over his body, and he would be morphed into the Green Knight.

Most of his transformations weren?t forced, but rather Kyle was able to induce him. It was another reason he knew the situation was so grave. He was only forced into his Green Knight form when the problem was so severe that Gaia needed him immediately. Now he rushed to the forest, to be able to be out of sight.

He rushed out the front door of the high school, and darted into the woods that bordered the property, behind the football fields. He fell to his knees as he reached the dirt path and felt as though he were about to vomit. In a moment, his clothes were torn apart, and he could feel the leaves encasing his body. His impossibly thin waist was wrapped in a moss loincloth, his abs rippled and bulged with a leafy stem skin, and his sides were covered in a dense bark. His pecs danced as they protruded outward from his body, now green as well and striated. His biceps bulged and were wrapped in a thick bark, and from his shoulders protruded his mushroom armor. He could feel his quads push apart at they became thick like tree trunks, and browned with a bark hide. His left arm grew thick, his bicep bursting outwards. His other arm had a mushroom shield, and his feet were wrapped in bark sandals. His hair stayed a golden blonde, but turned to leaves with green tips.

He coughed some and stood, only to see the image of Gaia appear on the tree in front of him. She looked concerned and stared him up and down.

?Something is horribly wrong, my knight! Scourge has reappeared in the forest! He?s doing terrible damage to the plant life!? She said quickly. Kyle, now the Green Knight nodded his head affirmatively.

?Don?t worry Gaia, I know just how to deal with him. He may have put up a fight last time, but I?m wise to his tricks. He?s not going to harm me or the forest. And perhaps this time I?ll lock him away for good!?

?That?s just it! Something has happened. Something has given him a power unlike what I?ve ever seen. It?s not of this world? something happened today?a crash. Scourge discovered something that has given him an immense power. I?m afraid not even you will be able to face him??

?I will do my best, Gaia. Don?t worry about my failure. I am protector of this forest, and the trees will help me stop Scourge from harming our fair home!?

?That?s just it, he seems intent on something?on burning and destroying the entire forest, but he has no pattern, no plan. He?s just attacking and smashing things. Green Knight, we must observe and watch him carefully??

Kyle prickled and shook his head. He had dealt with Scourge before. The longer he waited, the more likely it was that he was going to destroy the whole forest!

?We cannot waste time! Scourge needs to be met head on! If we leave him
to his own devices, who knows what sort of power he may amount to? he may even try and defeat you again, Gaia. And I would be powerless if he were to do that??

Gaia nodded silently as she watched him. With a smile she stared up at him.

?Do good, my Knight. Keep safe, and guard my children.? With that, she was gone, and Kyle began his race toward the forest.
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As he charged through the trees, Kyle kicked off of plants and hopped, changing an arm to vines from tree to fern to tree. His bulky muscular frame appeared light as a feather as he moved along the plants, who seemed to be willing him to go faster. He could feel himself sweat as he moved deeper into the forest. Something was deeply wrong, and he could tell by the smell of smoke and the strange haze in the air that he was getting closer to Scourge.

As he made his way into the thicket, he saw a sight that startled him. Scourge grasped a thick oak and was bear hugging it. With a grunt, he could see Scourge?s back muscles strain, and he began to tear the tree out of the ground. Stronger than ever before, Scourge lifted this beautiful oak out of the ground, roots unearthed, and held it above his head. As he did so, he appeared to glow, and his muscles swelled up with greater power.

He could see the muscles on his back grow thicker, more muscle being packed on than ever before. His thick biceps grew bigger, already basketball sized, into freakish mounds of muscle. His quads pushed apart, his calves tightening into diamonds, and his neck thick with cords of muscle. His pecs were beefy but defined, and his abs were a ten pack of unmatched muscle, something even the Green Knight didn?t have!

Unlike the scrawny, lean Scourge he was used to, he was now covered in thick muscle. The tree within his grasp cracked and crumbled, its leaves turning brown and its branches raining down onto the ground as its life was sucked from it. Kyle sneered at his most evil foe, and aimed his arm at him. Within a moment, vines shot out and wrapped around Scourges legs. He tugged hard and the villain lost his footing, only to crash down upon the ground.

?That?s quite enough of that Scourge!? He said heroically as his arm transformed back into a fist.

?Well, well?? Scourge said as he stood. His frame was truly more massive than he had ever seen it, and was much more intimidating now that it was full of muscle. He didn?t seem the least bit upset that the Green Knight was there. ?If it isn?t the pesky Green Knight. I?d run along if I were you, hero, or you?re going to wind up just like this tree? brown, crumbled, and fallen!?

?Scourge? we?ve met too many times for me to believe you could ever defeat me. Your plans always fail, and you?re the one who almost doesn?t walk away? shouldn?t you be the one leaving?? Kyle shot back, cocky within his Green Knight shell. He lowered a knee to the ground, and closing his eyes, shoved his fist into the earth. For a moment he glowed, and in a swift motion, unearthed the yellow crystal sword. It glowed in his grasp, and he raised it above its head, both to strike fear in Scourge and to take in its power. His sword had yet to fail him against the most dastardly of villains.

?Why don?t you make me, hero!? Scourge snarled now, hands on his hips, and he stayed firmly in place. Kyle shook his head, and in a moment, raced at Scourge. He lept into the air, and brought his Crystal sword upwards. With a hard thrust, he aimed it for Scourges head, hoping to knock out his foe in one fell swoop. But this was not like in previous battles, when his speed was unmatched, instead, Scourge seemed to predict this move, and leapt to the air at a similar speed. He kicked hard into his abs and used his arms to reroute his jab. Kyle sailed backwards slamming into a tree, hard. He shook his head. Perhaps he was just too predictable?

?Nice shot, I?ll give you that scourge, but you?re not going to be able to untangle yourself this time!? Kyle roared as he aimed an arm at Scourge. In an instant his muscular chest was wrapped in vines, and Kyle moved closer. His body was flooded with leafy green vines, and Scourge seemed to be shaking. The vines wrapped their way all over his body, like snakes attacking their victim. The clean, pure power of the Green Knight could not be contested. The vines wrapped tighter around his chest, wrapping his arms around his back. His thick quads were encircled, and the vines moved down to his legs. Within a moment, all that remained exposed was his thick neck and face. Kyle pulled his arm back, and placed it on his hip. The vines only grew tighter as he wriggled upon the ground. Kyle smiled. He couldn?t understand what Gaia was so worried about! Scourge was easily ensnared, and now he could take him back to the swamp no?

But in that moment, Scourge did something he?d never seen. Though he had the power to drain and pollute, the pure power of the Green Knight was supposed to be too much, especially overwhelmed with vines. Scourge laughed evilly as the vines began to steam and wilt off of his body. They turned a dull brown, and in a swift motion, his muscles exploded outwards. He rose from his position and stared down the Green Knight, who was unnerved.

?Enough of these child?s games, Knight. I?ve drawn you here for one reason. I?m going to defeat you, drain you, and then go and find Gaia. Then I will be the protector of this forest, and it will become just as polluted and terrible as my swamp!? He sneered as he pointed a finger at the Green Knight.

?NEVER! I will never allow you to take my place as the forest?s defender, and Gaia would never let you! You?re insane, Scourge!? Kyle positioned himself in a fighting stance and brought his shield across his chest.

?Yes, but if the Green Knight falls in battle, and Gaia is deposed? I will become Guardian in your stead. And you won?t be able to do anything about it!? Kyle stared at him strangely. How had he grown so powerful? And why was he so daring now? ?Now, for a taste? hero!?

Scourge growled as he charged forward as he cocked his fists. He pulled backward and swung fast at Kyle, who blocked with his sword, only to be knocked backward. Scourge struck again, this time pulling away his shield and striking at his abs. Kyle grunted and kicked back, pushing Scourge away. He?d never been so equal in a fight!

?Get a load of this, hero!? Scourge said as he moved in now glowing a pale green. Kyle moaned as he felt his legs grow weak, and Scourge grasped at the hero?s huge, leafy pecs. He felt them burn at Scourge?s touch, yet he couldn?t escape. His pecs started to turn brown, wilt even. ?You like THAT, hero? That?s just a little taste of my radioactivity! Plants don?t fair very well against it!?

?You won?t, defeat me? so easily, Scourge!? Kyle shot back, this time turned his skin to a tougher bark hide. Scourge amped up the radiation and Kyle shivered, his pecs nearly on fire, he morphed them back to green. He fell backwards, his body growing even weaker. He pointed an arm at Scourge?s waist, hoping to tie him in place and push back. Morphing again to vines, he wrapped around his body, only to feel the vines burn as they touched his skin. He changed back, feeling powerless against his now huge and imposing foe.
Scourge laughed easily as he saw Kyle?s strength fading. He grasped him by his arms and threw him against a tree, causing Kyle to moan again. He tore at his mushroomed shoulders, ripping away the armor to expose his soft, leafy skin. Kyle felt desperately weak, and looked for some way to escape. Scourge did not relent, however, and placed his hands upon his shoulders. In another moment Kyle was wracked with pain from the powerful radiation, and he cried out in pain. Scourge was in heaven seeing his greatest foe failing.
?Gaia can?t help you now, hero?? Scourge whispered as he wrapped himself closer around the steaming Green Knight. His body smoked from the radiation, and had faded from a bright green to a pale, dingy brown. Kyle could barely lift his neck, the water having drained mostly from his Green Knight skin, and now he felt his mind reeling. What could he do against this radioactive onslaught?

?No! You cannot hurt him!? The trees seemed alive as their branches attempted to block Scourge. Gaia?s voice rang out from all corners. She was protecting him, at last! Perhaps he could escape?

But the help was momentary. Scourge had grown too powerful for the trees to be of much use. His muscles tore away the branches, and Gaia yelped as he burned them away with radioactivity.

?Now you shall see your pathetic champion fall. And with him, I come for YOU, Gaia!? Scourge called out to the trees as he stared Kyle down. He looked at Scourge, his muscles sagging, his face slack. He was terrified, unsure as to what would happen next. Scourge laughed evilly as he moved in for the victory. ?And now? what I?ve always wanted to do? drain the Green Knight of his essence!?

Kyle gasped as scourge placed his hands upon his chest. They were now cold to the touch. He had seen this happen before?but only on the shrubs around him?Scourge would suck out their power, and drain them of their vitality. He knew that Gaia would be in danger should he drain his Green Knight skin. It would be some time before he would be able to transform again, if at all! He wanted to fight it, but the weakness overwhelmed him.
Scourge pressed his muscular body closer.

?Nooooooo!? Kyle yelled as energy crackled between them. His body shook, and he could feel the energy being ripped from his Green Knight form. Scourge turned a deep green as he grew thicker, coated in even more muscle. Kyle moaned as he felt his chest and biceps shrink. His abs lost their definition. The golden hair atop his head browned, and he felt himself grow weak. At last, he gasped, feeling the very air rushing from him, and his eyes rolled back as the Green Knight form shrank to a withered mess atop his own lean body.

?Yesss?? Scourge hissed as he finished sucking the nutrients from Kyle. Scourge still hadn?t realized that this was just a ?shell?, that the Green Knight was much more than an invention of Gaia. But at the moment, he had defeated the Green Knight, who was now just a whithered mass. He tossed Kyle, now coated in the remnants of defeated plants and oozy masses onto the ground in a heap. He flexed his muscles and laughed evilly.

?I have drained your Green Knight, Gaia? now, with his own powers of the forest, I will come for you!?

To be continued...

[sexiscriptor]

i love when muscle growth is accompanied by out of control arrogance and evil laughter :P

[randomsun21]

I hope that you enjoyed it. I know superhero stories aren't everyone's thing (also, I kept this PGish at the request of the artist), but I hope people liked the growth/drain. There's definitely more to come with this...

[darkluster4]

Here is the pic I promised for this chapter. I hope you guys like it.

http://darkluster4.deviantart.com/ar...tion-200264396

[Nameless]

Great Story,Loved it and the pictures too

[fluid]

When can we expect the next chapter. Great story. Hope scourge gets even stronger.