Maximum Carnage
Issue 0

by Justin Anderson



 The creature floated through the sky. It was a dark night, the rain beating
down. But he couldn't feel it. He couldn't feel anything. Not anymore. He
had only just escaped from a thousand year imprisonment in another realm.
His body taken, his troops floating helplessly. At least, those of his army
that had not sold him out.

 His creation began long ago. The first living cell formed in a puddle on
this barren planet. And with life, comes a soul. But it was a cruel life.
Within a span of only minutes, he felt his body divide, and then he died.
Nothing had ever died before. He found himself, with no body, alone in
a void. This new void had been formed when he died. A place for the dead
to go.

 Many years later, he found an escape. He found that it was possible to be 
born into a new body. This time, the body was larger and lived longer. But
he eventually died. But this time, he was no longer alone. Other souls filled
the void. He had to communicate his thoughts. Telepathy was born from that
need.

 Yet later, after the invaders came and altered the path of life, a new
species erupted as the dominant form. By now, he'd gained a full body which 
lasted. His evolutionary army was the dominant force. But survival conditions
were not fit for his form. He died once more.

 He had found a way out again. These new creatures had evolved brains, and
language. He was now one of them. A warlord. He commanded his troops in their
quest to kill, burn villages, and steal. He found the same forces he could
use in death could be called upon in life using special language strings.
He wrote them down. Written language was now possible, and he would need them
for a reference. But he fell due to old age.

 He was born again. This time, he used his book to build a loyal army. He
invaded many lands and conquered many lives. The art of crafting items from
metal was now widely used. He had a blade fashioned. A long blade, the handle
a dragon's head... a creature he once was. The wings formed the final touch.
Using his calling spells, he cursed the blade. He also enhanced his own armies.
Men turned to monsters. A new creature. He called them Screelaks, after 
one of his most trusted advisors, Screel. And he learned that his former
servants still lived. This time, they were not born in the normal fashion,
but could be revived through evil blood rituals. Battlefields became feeding
grounds. He named them Krylakks for the sounds they made as they fed.

 But his domination was not to be. His enemies had learned to use the
powers of death. "Magic", they called it. But this time, the magic was pure.
Not the evil he commanded. And his followers betrayed him. They felt they
needed more, not the sub-standard treatment he gave. The only one who stood
by him was Raicaak, the Possessor. He held the dying Raicaak in his arms.
The first time in his existence, he felt compassion. Not willing to let
his friend's sacrifice go without reward, he gave the soldier new powers
so he may live on in death. But his compassion was a mistake- his 
concentration on the ritual took him away from his enemies. The Ancient
Tribe of Light. Monks and priests. They struck him down. They burned his
body. And his spirit was sent to an eternal void- Sub-Nizzuran. Translated,
"Prison of Souls". His troops were thrown in as well.

 But he had returned. Their seal was not permanent. It shattered after one
thousand years. He had escaped, and was now free to try again at owning
this planet. This world had changed. Gone were the castles and fields. Gone
were the quiet sounds. They were replaced by stone cities, biuldings, and
noise. These "humans" covered this world. It disgusted him.

 Below, he saw a promising sign. A man was being born. He had not left his
mother's body yet. A perfect time to strike. Speeding downward, he entered
the large building. Many people, many lights. He reached his destination.
Before the child could be freed, he flew in. This boy was now a tool of evil.

 The baby sat in its cradle. The nametag read "Kasady, Cletus". It was close,
he thought. Kassideacreta. In one of his lives, it meant "vessel". How fitting.

 But one thing had slipped by him as he sunk deep into the child's mind,
where he would sleep, waiting for a time when he could awaken. This boy
would be driven to kill his enemies, a thought he enjoyed. It slipped
by him. He didn't know the customs of this world. If only he had. For
the word Cletiakacida meant something terrible to his plans. Translated,
it spelled out the future- "savior".

Author's notes: Raicaak is pronouced "rye-chack". 


Notes: Basically set in the Marvel Universe, I will be using a lot of my
own continuity for this series, and generally focus on the main characters.
Appearances by Marvel's universe will be special occurences. Crossovers with
characters/titles from other companies will be treated as "single universe",
not as "2 universes crossing temporarily". I will also try to ignore major
Marvel comic story arcs. Cletus Kasady, Carnage, and other Marvel characters
are copyright Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. Other characters are either
my creation(copyright myself), or copyright their specific owners if non-
Marvel licensed characters. Characters used without permission/not for
profit. These are strictly fan stories. Permission to reprint extends to
placing this text, unaltered, elsewhere online. It may not be altered,
and especially NOT TO BE SOLD, unless Marvel wishes to license this series
from me.