Tournament - M'Baku vs. Displacer Beast

[JohnnyChany]

 

High in the snow engulfed mountains of Wakanda, the Jabari tribe thrived in proud defiance of the Panther Cult. Isolated from the technological marvels of Birnin Zana, they held fast to the ways of their ancestors. They eschewed vibranium’s gifts and rejected the worship of Bast. Their god was Hanuman, the Ape-God, and they had no need or desire for the blessings of the panther. It was this belief that set them apart, that made them stronger in their eyes. And it was this belief that now filled their hearts and minds with suspicion and dread.

A beast had come to their lands.

It was a creature unlike any other, something unnatural, something twisted. It struck without warning, and the warriors sent to hunt it did not return. Some whispered that this was the work of Bast, a punishment for their defiance. Others, with anger in their voices, declared that this was T’Challa’s doing. The creature had some physical features resembling a panther, but it was so much more, clearly not of this plane. Some stories detailed the threat as two monsters instead of one.  But one truth that existed in every telling and in every account was that something lurked in the snow, and it was killing their people.

The winds howled through the jagged cliffs as two Jabari hunters, Ekene and Tano, trotted through the blizzard. Their fur-lined cloaks billowed in the bitter cold. They held their spears tight as they followed tracks, massive and clawed, through the snow ahead of them. But they were strange, doubled, distorted, as if the beast had walked in two places at once for a brief time.

A deep growl echoed through the trees.

The hunters froze. Tano gripped his spear tighter. 

“Did you hear that?”

Ekene nodded.

His eyes scanned the forest. “Stay close. We will kill this thing and bring its head back to M’Baku.”

The snowfall thickened around them. The air was a white blur. A black shadow appeared near them and after a quick movement, Ekene was gone. One moment he stood beside Tano, the next, Tano heard his screams lifted into the air by an unseen force. The screams gave way to the sounds of choking, fighting for air. The attacker was close, but it was being shielded by the torrent winter storm. 

“Ekene!” Tano called out.

There was no response. 

Tano’s eyes darted left to right, He held out his spear. He turned around with his heart pounding to see something monstrous, something wicked. A massive, 8 foot long feline form, sleek and nightmarish, loomed over the fallen body of Ekene. It stood on six legs and its fur rippled with unnatural energy. Two tentacles writhed from its back, ending in barbed, hooked tips. 

Tano hurled his spear with all his might. The weapon flew straight… only to pass through empty air.

The beast was not there.

The illusion faded, and the true monster struck from the side. Tano barely had time to shout before its fangs found his throat.

The mountains fell silent once more.

The murmurs that spread throughout the village grew louder. Fear was on the rise. More hunters had vanished, their bodies never recovered. Those who had seen glimpses of the beast spoke of a panther-like creature that was both there and not, a phantom that struck without warning. They called it a spirit of vengeance, a demon sent by the panther goddess herself.

M’Baku listened to their cries and deliberated on the best course of action. He stood before a gathering of warriors and leaders of the Jabari.

“This is Bast’s doing!” an elder cried out. “A curse upon us for rejecting her ways!”

Another spoke up, “Then we should strike at T’Challa himself! He would send this pet to kill us? Let us show him the strength of the Jabari!”

M’Baku raised his massive hand to silence them. 

“I will not let fear turn us into fools. If this is Bast’s beast, then we will kill it. If this is an enemy’s trick, then we will end it. But we will not act in ignorance.” 

He stepped forward, his broad form towering over all in attendance, “I will hunt this demon myself. And when I return, you will know whether we fight gods or men.”

“M’Baku, the greatest of us, surely, he can destroy the beast! All will lay witness to the might of the Jabari!”

M’Baku rallied his tribesmen.

“Maefa!”

“Ya huhu!”

“Maefa!”

"Ya huhu!”

“Maefa!”

“Ya huhu!”

M’Baku ventured out. The mountain was silent, save for the crunch of his boots in the snow. The most recent storm had passed, leaving a pale blue sky stretched above the jagged cliffs of their homeland. His breath misted in the air as he followed the trails of those who had vanished. 

M’Baku’s mind churned. Could this actually be T’Challa’s doing? It was not his way to send beasts against his enemies, but the Panther King was still Wakanda’s ruler, still bound to Bast. Their shared history was complex. They were once rivals, now bound by mutual understanding and respect. M’Baku had fought T’Challa, had nearly taken his throne. But when the war came, when Wakanda needed its warriors, the Panther and the Ape fought side by side. And now… was he to believe T’Challa had sent this thing against them?

No. If T’Challa wanted the Jabari humbled, he would do it himself. M’Baku was certain.

But then, what was this beast?

A low growl broke the silence around M’Baku. His fingers tightened around his club and the hilt of his knife. Ahead, beyond the frost-laden trees, a shadow moved. His target was near.

M’Baku roared and charged forward.

He would end this nightmare.

He would slay the beast.

 

[Callisto]

Learn More About
Man-Ape
Read more about Man-Ape at Wikipedia
Official Site: Marvel Links: Wikipedia Marvel Universe Wiki Marvel Appendix

Displacer Beast
Read more about Displacer Beast at Wikipedia
Official Site: Wizards of the Coast Links: Wikipedia